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mark I mistook you for an Obama supporter. I stil don't see Obama atracting El Paso and Valley voters and hink that McCain will make inroads with Hispanics especially if its Obama which would hurt Noreiga. Texans I know see to be straight paty voters whch I am convinced ill be depressed outside the inner cities of Dallas and Houston. As much as you worry about Hillary at the topi of the ticket I shutter t the prospect of Obama attrating the Texas Bubba vote in Texas and am convnced he will be disaster fo our cncesto un things around here. To those nonTxans all I can say is that it wll take one name subtly reminded in Oct, Wright, to crush us with Texas voters.I have not seen or heard aything here in the last 2 weeks mark to make me believe otherwise.

If the Democrats win the 2004 states plus CO, IA, NM, NV, and VA; they can afford to lose FL, OH, and PA and still win. 270-268. It's bizarre, but check it out.

Thanks to the web gurus for the added Maine and Nebraska functionality!

I don't think anyone cares what bhoomes sees happening this fall; he spent the whole last cycle "seeing" Gov. Blackwell in Ohio. The one who won 16 counties to Strickland's 72. How is that vision going, by the way?

I got 311-227.

2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll
http://www.votenic.com
Latest Results Just Posted!
Vote Weekly!

...or, switch Va, Col, and NMex to D and Wis to R and the total is...269-269, and time to start counting House delegations for the contingency election.

I can easily see a scenario that plays out like this:

2004 results with the exceptions of:
New Hampshire switches to Republican
Virginia switches to Democrat
South Carolina switches to Democrat

This would equal 269 electoral votes for McCain and 269 electoral votes for Obama. Wow, this would be the media's dream, sending it to the House of Reps to be decided.

leichtman, as a likely McC/Noriega/Doherty voter I am interested in the down-ballot effect on the D side.
I had assumed HRC would bring out the most Rs and keep the most Ds home. This may not be true. It also may change. I will watch.

I think his speech will help him in the long run, beyond this election cycle, but if things continue as they are now, we can expect McCain in the WH and Dems winning more congressional seats.

Posted by: wpost4112 | March 20, 2008 06:28 PM

Is it that you don't think Hillary can win, or you don't want her to?

wpost; and I am sure that mark will agree that we really, really need some help with our downballot Democratic races here in Texas. Harris Cty(Houston) has 100% Republican control over every judicial bench from the county court level to our state Supreme Ct. 100% for the last 12 years and we desperately need help to change that regardless of what happens in the Presidential race. I can be reminded that Senator Obama won our caucuses but I just don't see what that does to help bring out our voters here in Texas in Nov. to at least change some of our judges and perhaps unseat John Cornyn a potential 60th Senate seat.

Unfortunately after the Pastor Wright story it is unlikely Senator Obama can now persuade southern men to now support him, which is unfortunate but reality.

---------------------

Hard to argue against that. Not jut southern men, but most lower class, grade school and high school educated, white folk.

I think his speech will help him in the long run, beyond this election cycle, but if things continue as they are now, we can expect McCain in the WH and Dems winning more congressional seats.

dave writes
"Somehow I got McCain winning 538 electoral votes!"

UN-Possible.

His absolute ceiling is 535.

(no way does he win DC)

"So you really do believe that the President personally controls the stock market.tell me the truth"
actually you were the one that was trying to make the suggestion that W was great for the markets, not me, and I think that is far from the truth. I have had W on superimposed over CNBC and often seen the DOW ticking straight down as he speaks. A correlation to his and his party's incompitence, who knows?

The market has been absolutely horrible with W in the oval office and 6 years of controlling Congress. Since you made the incorrect point about how great the market has been under Republican governance I just wanted to establish that that theory is absolutely wrong. Are you going to tell me that my market post under Republican governance is fantacy? Most of my Republican neighbors are absolutely disgusted with Republican governance of the economy and the markets since 2000, you are welcome to tell them that they are wrong.

we had a huge turnout in the African American precincts in 2004 in the south that unfortunately did nothing. The key in Texas and in the southwest are the hispanic voters where Senator Obama has very little connection. Unfortunately after the Pastor Wright story it is unlikely Senator Obama can now persuade southern men to now support him, which is unfortunate but reality. Senator Obama will now be a disaster in our efforts to beat a miserable Republican Senatorial candidate Cornyn. I know mark doesn't want to hear that.

Lick - me

how bitter will you be after Obambi gets the nomination and then loses to the R for another 8 years when you knew if your girl got it, she would have won?

Maybe all you clintonistas can get a group rate at the shrink, just like all the gorebots did.

Lick-me - So you really do believe that the President personally controls the stock market. you also think he can control the weather? the price of oil? your wife's moods?

I was just kidding but perhaps a clue in economics of capitalist markets would help you slightly.

mark_in_austin:

Do you really think that the South is that much in play? States like AL and MS gave Bush over 60% of their vote. Even with Obama's popularity among African-Americans (if he turns out to be the nominee), I can't see how the D's take electoral votes in the Deep South. Or in OK, for that matter.

king said: the market dreads Lib governance

interesting the S&P in Dec 2000 before W took office 7 1/2 years ago was 1,553.
Today it closed 7 1/2 years later at 1329. That is awful performance over 7 1/2 years.

The NASDAQ in 2000 closed at 5046 right before W was sworn in. Today's NASDAQ closed 7 1/2 years later at 2258.

Yea right king, the market dreds liberal governance. I pray each day for more of that market driven democratic governance king. IF you were in the market in the 90s you 'might' understand.

Cons are absolute disaster for the market.

mikeB, Thanks for the update. Good news on all fronts! Here's a HUGE Thank You to and your family for your service to our country.

And Go Ducks!

mark_in_austin/bsimon,

Somehow I got McCain winning 538 electoral votes! Actually, while I think this tool is really pretty cool, it's several months too early to be used for anything but downright fun. So I would concur with the high number of in play votes.

This was posted on Pollster.com today 3-20

http://www.pollster.com/blogs/poll_rasmussen_west_virginia.php

Obama's current problems go way behind the upcoming contests in PA, WV, KY, IN, PR, and potentially NC. There are now several polls out from OH, PA, MA, NJ, FL, MO, and AR that show Hillary easily defeating or tying John McCain in the general election in those states, but McCain defeating Obama. As we all know, FL, OH, and PA have decided the last several presidential elections. We know that early polls aren't always accurate and it is still early, but if these numbers hold (or get worse for Obama) in several polls in these states into June, it's going to be very hard for the superdelegates not to strongly consider this, especially if Hillary is ahead (or tied) with Obama in the popular vote. Obama's strongest demographic groups (blacks, progressives, youth) do not represent a large enough % of voters in most of the states he needs to win electorally. It's historically unprecendented for 2 Democratic candidates to have such polarized supporters, so the national polls are not as meaningful this year as usual. Even if both Dems outpoll McCain nationally, given Obama's demographics, he will have a much harder time winning electorally than Clinton (because of her much stronger appeal with white, working class, Hispanic and Jewish Dem voters), even if he carried the national popular vote.

drindl - "Lieberman flipped for more and bigger tax cuts during the 2004 campaign"

A - that is not a Senate vote (where your position actually matters). B - 2004?. And C - numerous Dems want "middle class" or lower tax cuts. You know the kind that would improve math and science education and spark productivity.

Media matters, huff post, daily Kos, think progress, the nation, moveon, etc.

the direct view into the bedbugs in drindl's loony tune.

Lieberman flipped for more and bigger tax cuts during the 2004 campaign:

'Lieberman said he would reach his goal by passing more tax cuts that would spark productivity, supporting free trade and improving math and science education, among other measures.

bsimon, I gave the Ds NY, CA, IL, some of those little crowded NE states, DC, and HI. I gave the Rs TX, AZ, SC, and a some big empties, including AK. The "blues" were ahead, slightly.

I think these 55-45, or greater, states.

Think Progress, drindl: McCain Was Right!

"So Think Progress went batty when McCain, earlier this week, said that Iran was "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back."

Today, they continue to pound away on this issue by quoting a statement made by Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno last summer:

We don't see any evidence, significant evidence, that shows that [Iranian-controlled] groups that are funding and providing arms to Shi'a extremists are directly related to al Qaeda.

Now, we all know that al Qaeda uses Iran and they do in some cases traffic some of their individuals through Iran to Iraq, but it's a very small number of people and it's mostly through the Kurdish regions up north, where you have the old Ansar al-Sunna connections. But beyond that, there is no specific connection between the Shi'a extremists -- excuse me -- the [Iranian] Quds Force operations and supporting the Shi'a extremists and that of al Qaeda, and supporting al Qaeda.

Am I missing something, or isn't that exactly what McCain said? And since no one is disputing that Iran has control over its borders, we are now talking about degrees of support, which is to say, Iran is supporting al Qaeda, we just don't know to what extent."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp#5076

Now I see where drindl gets all her posts from: Think Progress. The same liberal bastion that finds it newsworthy to breathlessly report that Fox Manhattan news room was "infested by bed bugs".

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/18/fox-news-infested-by-bed-bugs/

Wow. That's some great journalism there.

mark - wow. You have 304 electoral votes in play? I'm impressed.

Once LOUD and DUMB gets back from group, the caterwalling can begin again.

Mark in Austin writes
"When I allocate only "sure things", not leaners, and not allowing for the difference in the turnouts for/against HRC and BHO, I get 304 electoral votes in play and only 234 electoral votes decided."

That's probably the more realistic approach. Of the already allocated votes, which color do you have ahead?

"ell drindl (if that's really you, your post was so reasonable and non-combative)"

why are you stalking her?

guffaw - without the pack of jackels to howl and pollute the blog, could it be that drindl has developed a sense of shame?

More likely coming down off the morning buzz.

drindl - "You called Iraq the most important issue of our time. And who is a bigger propoenent for that than anyone else? Lieberman. Anyway, like McCain, he's already flipflopped on all his previous positions so you will like the New, Improved Lieberman just fine."

Actually, I called the War on Terror the most important issue of our time, Iraq being just part of that. "...all his previous positions" is quite the statement. Do tell, please provide those Senate votes that show he has parted from the Dems on non-war on terror issues. I'd be interested to know.

proudtobeGOP _ The older one is getting out in July! Actually due to move into our home later this month, while he looks for an apartment. He's planning on attending the University Of Oregon, majoring in mathematics.

The younger one (the one that was on CNN, helping wounded people, after the bombing in the Green Zone) has been transferred back stateside for the time being. He served three tours in Iraq, two in really nasty combat zones in Anbar. He is "supposed" to have one year stateside before going back. I'm praying that Obama is elected and we start drawing down troop levels before that happens. But, at least if McCain is elected, and he has to go back, we can pretty much assume that there will be enough troops and supplies to flatten any opposition, so at least he would be a lot safer than with the present idiots running things.

I agree with Dave and JD about JL. The Ds who dislike JL are single issue minded here. It reminds me of when the "Christian right" took over the TX R machinery and tried to bar KBH from the State Convention because she was "pro-choice".

'As far as progress in Iraq, I wouldn't say it's an illusion - that would be an unfair assessment. I would call it tenuous however.'

Yes, I would agree with you there. Our troops have been an effective police force. But unless we want to remain at this force level and be the Iraqi police and army for the rest of time, something else has to happen. And very little has.

Did you see my post earlier about the concern of the Join Chiefs over the pace of withdrawal? They say we must withraw troops faster than Petreus wants to, for the security of THIS country. I do hope that it doesn't come down to having to choose security for Iraqis over security for Americans...

Well, that's precisely it, dave. You called Iraq the most important issue of our time. And who is a bigger propoenent for that than anyone else? Lieberman. Anyway, like McCain, he's already flipflopped on all his previous positions so you will like the New, Improved Lieberman just fine.

Anyway, Limbaugh loves him and legions of dittoheads will do as rush tells them.

George W's legacy:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/24/080324fa_fact_gourevitch

drindl - "He's suprtight with AIPAC. He gave cover to neocons for years by running as a 'Democrat' while supporting neo-con policies, thereby enabling them, along wiith the weak-minded press, to call such policies 'bi-partisan'."

JL is as liberal a senator as there is with the exception of his stance on middle east policy. Even including this issue, JL runs neck and neck with Obama as one of the top 10 most liberal senators. Conservatives admire him for his position on the war on terror and the fact that he has stood up to incredible pressure from the Democratic party to cave in on his principles because Democrats make the Iraq war the latest of their party litmus tests. It would be an interesting pick as conservatives believe that he is on the correct side of the war on terror (the most important issue of our time) but disagree with him on everything else under the sun. I'm not sure how I would feel about JL for VP.

"If this had been Hillary's pastor, mentor, and advisor for 20 years, you'd be calling for her head. "

At least Obama isn't shtupping his lobbyist friends ... er, campaign advisors.

bondjedi are you Jewish? Shtupp is Yiddish for ----.

Honestly the two are not comparable. One is about someone's personal conduct, and the ongoing debate between religious expectations and our physiological human inability to be monogamous. Good/Evil?

If Hillary's Pastor or Mentor did same or similar, Hillary would be toast. In this case, Hillary isn't the fornicator and it's Hillary running for office, not Bill.

Really, sexual issues as related to politics are just going to lose steam in another 50 years, or so.

bsimon, When I allocate only "sure things", not leaners, and not allowing for the difference in the turnouts for/against HRC and BHO, I get 304 electoral votes in play and only 234 electoral votes decided.

Well drindl (if that's really you, your post was so reasonable and non-combative), you're assuming that Sean's followers would want a Lieberman on board to be persuaded to vote against HRC?

I agree he provided cover, in much the same way McCain provided the Dems cover for campaign finance reform.

As far as progress in Iraq, I wouldn't say it's an illusion - that would be an unfair assessment. I would call it tenuous however. Read today's lead WaPo editorial for details; a paper that's certainly no friend to the GOP took a very balanced stance, with regard to troop withdrawal strategies.

mikeB, How are your sons doing?

drindl - "...he has tacked as hard right as he could possibly go, in order to appease the base."

"The base" would disagree with you.

'Why would McCain want Lieberman?'

The base loves him. Hannity loves him. Coulter loves him. Limbaugh loves him. He was one of the original signees to PNAC and one of the earliest and staunchest supporters of invading Iraq. He's changed almost all his positions since his wife became a lobbyist for pharmaceutical/banking industry anyway.

He's suprtight with AIPAC. He gave cover to neocons for years by running as a 'Democrat' while supporting neo-con policies, thereby enabling them, along wiith the weak-minded press, to call such policies 'bi-partisan'.

I think he's just going to run Bush's 2004 campaign all over again [hey it worked then] and figure if he can generate enough of an illusion of progress in Iraq, along with enough fear of boogeymen, he can take it. The press will help him, of course, so he may do it.

And then of course, there's the angle that selecting Lieberman would somehow be 'bipartisan.' And I'm sure David Broder would agree with him.

"What we need to make the race more exciting is for McCain to have a Howard Beale moment or an Admiral Stockwell moment. Imagine the chatter (and the electoral map) after that.
Posted by: novamatt | March 20, 2008 10:19 AM"

That's a bet I'd be willing to take. That McCain couldn't keep it together out on the campaign trail predicts disaster during the debates.

At this point, I do not see any Red states going blue in November, however I do see Iowa, Wisconsin, PA and MN going in the McCain camp if either HRC or Obama is the nominee. I believe Gore is wise not to give an endorsement. If it is a brokered convention, he would be the smart choice with the best chance of winning in Nov because by the time HRC & Obama get through withj each other, they will wounded ducks.

Posted by: vbhoomes | March 20, 2008 09:11 AM

You are nuts, my friend.
Wisconsin is blue. End of story. McCain has never paid any attention to Iowa and polling has Obama up there over McCain pretty significantly.

Nevada and New Mexico are going blue, end of story. They were on the line back when Bush's approval rating was 60%, and now that he's run the party into the dirt, there's no way either state is going red this year.

Florida now has millions upon millions more registered Democrats than Republicans. It will almost surely go blue, though since Obama has never campaigned there, they might go for McCain if Obama is the nominee (though Obama will make up his losses by taking Nevada, Iowa, Colorado and New Mexico - maybe even Virginia - in November).

New Hampshire could go for McCain, so could Pennsylvania. Ohio is going blue 100%. At the end of the day, I simply can't formulate a way for the GOP to pick up 270. Sorry bud!

This is cute. The administration wants to pass a law that will make it easier for contractors to perpetrate fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just why do you suppose they are so cavalier with your tax money?

--------------------

How else is Cheney going to feather his retirement nest? Besides Blackwater needs more cash for its Christofascist organizations.

This is cute. The administration wants to pass a law that will make it easier for contractors to perpetrate fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just why do you suppose they are so cavalier with your tax money?

Oversight Committee Questions Fraud Reporting Exemptions for Overseas Contractors

WASHINGTON, DC -- Chairman Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Edolphus Towns, and Rep. Peter Welch sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Gates, Attorney General Mukasey, National Aeronautics and Space (NASA) Administrator Griffin, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Nussle, and General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Doan today. The text of the letter follows:

We are concerned about a proposed change to federal contracting rules that would exempt overseas contracts from a requirement that the contractor detect and prevent fraud and report it to the government. At a time when the United States is engaged in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, conducting extensive redevelopment programs in both countries, and employing the services of an unprecedented number of private contractors, preventing fraud by contractors overseas should be a high priority.

Instead, the exemption for contracts to be performed overseas appears to have been inserted in the rule late in the process and against the wishes of the Department of Justice, which raises serious questions as to why and how such a policy was developed.

On May 23, 2007, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requested that the Federal Acquisition Regulation be amended to "require contractors to establish and maintain internal controls to detect and prevent fraud in their contracts, and that they notify contracting officers without delay whenever they become aware of a contract overpayment or fraud, rather than wait for its discovery by the government." DOJ believed such a rule was necessary because few government contractors voluntarily disclose suspected instances of fraud. DOJ proposed specific changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

In response, on November 14, 2007, the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council published a proposed rule on "Contractor Compliance Program and Integrity Reporting." This rule requires contractors to have a code of ethics and business conduct, to establish and maintain specific internal controls to detect and prevent improper conduct in connection with the award or performance of government contracts or subcontracts, and to notify contracting officers without delay whenever they become aware of violations of Federal criminal law with regard to such contracts or subcontracts.

The proposed changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation closely track the DOJ proposal, with two primary substantive changes: the exemption for contracts to be performed overseas and a second exemption for contracts for commercial items.

On January 14, 2008, DOJ filed a comment on the proposed rule stating that "we do not agree with" the exemption for overseas contracts. According to DOJ, "[a]lthough these contracts may be performed outside the United States, the United States still is a party to these contracts and potentially a victim when overpayments are made or when fraud occurs in connection with the contracts. Under these circumstances, the government still maintains jurisdiction to prosecute the perpetrators of the fraud. Moreover, these types of contracts, which in many cases support our efforts to fight the global war on terror, need greater contractor vigilance because they are performed overseas where U.S. government resources and remedies are more limited."

bondjedi - ""Thanks to the military genius of General Petraeus..."

Look, be fair. Both Clinton and Obama have said virtually the same thing about General Petraeus. He IS a fighting general, a warrior, and a military genius. Like Schwartzkauf, he's exactly the sort of general we want if we need to fight a war. Don't blame him/them for the lame policies in Iraq that we have had. Provide decent policies and he will carry them out as best he can. If, God willing, we get Obama as President, General Petraeus will be there. If we get stuck with Clinton, unless she is completely insane, he will be there. If we get McCain, he will still be there. And thank your lucky stars we have a few General Patraeus' around, instead of the career minded couch potatoes and political hacks that inhabit the Pentagon. I, for one, would like to Colin Powell "unretired" and brought back to whip those morons back into shape.

Why would McCain want Lieberman? What would he bring that McCain doesn't already have? (ie, muscular stance on foreign policy) Is Lieberman going to bring CT? I doubt it. Maybe he'd help with NH, but McCain's going to get that anyway. Lieberman is pro-choice, pro-union, pro-affirmative action; all positions anathema to McCain's base.

The only thing he's conservative about is the war. Of coure that's enough to incense the whackjob lefties, because they are single-issue types.

Now, in a McCain admin, if that comes to pass, Lieberman would be a great SecDHS or SecDef, after the model of Clinton-Cohen.

should be

john mccain has done nothing, absolutely zero to win moderates/indies while running.

Posted by: drindl | March 20, 2008 03:42 PM
-------------------
Anyone who thinks McShame will pick a Jewish, social liberal is on drugs. That will play real well with the right he needs to please.

"If this had been Hillary's pastor, mentor, and advisor for 20 years, you'd be calling for her head. "

At least Obama isn't shtupping his lobbyist friends ... er, campaign advisors.

bsimon, I got the same outcome as you -- did you take 2004 and flip MO, NC, VA, IA, and CO? Or did you get your result a different way?

John McCain can't seem to make up his mind over whether or not Iran is supporting Al Qaeda in Iraq. On Tuesday, he asserted that Iran was "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back" into Iraq. Then he walked that statement back after being privately corrected by his traveling companion Joe Lieberman.

McCain foreign policy adviser Max Boot defended McCain's misstatement, asking "What gaffe?":

'There is copious evidence of Iran supplying and otherwise assisting Al Qaeda in Iraq and other Sunni terrorist groups (including Al Qaeda central).

Boot must be celebrating today because it looks like his campaign is sticking with its faulty argument. Randy Scheunemann, McCain's senior foreign policy adviser, told the New York Sun, "There is ample documentation that Iran has provided many different forms of support to Sunni extremists, including Al Qaeda as well as Shi'ia extremists in Iraq. It would require a willing suspension of disbelief to deny Iran supports Al Qaeda in Iraq."

But here's what Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno has to say:

"We don't see any evidence that shows that [Iranian-controlled] groups that are funding and providing arms to Shi'a fighters are related to al Qaeda. There is no connection between the Shi'a extremists -- excuse me -- the [Iranian] Quds Force operations and supporting the Shi'a extremists and that of al Qaeda, and supporting al Qaeda."

So clearly, McCain will listen to the neocons, rather than the military -- just like bush.

"Thanks to the military genius of General Petraeus and the courage of a few courageous leaders in Washington who didn't cave in to the liberal defeatists, the tide is indeed turning. "

Please. You are hardly an expert on the military, genius, or courage. You lap up the propaganda like a dog its own vomit. Fifty people go up in smoke in Iraq daily and it doesn't even make news anymore, the situation has deteriorated so much. If al-Sadr had managed to Hezbollah-ize Iraq it would be an improvement.

But don't take my word for it -- take your master's. McCain took another stroll through the country the other day, a walk that came complete with a company of Marines and a flak jacket.

should be

john mccain has done nothing, absolutely zero to win moderates/indies while running.

In February Mccain voices the possibility of Lieberman being his VP. Heres the video:

http://markedmanner.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-mccain-planning-on-joe-libermen.html

'Point being, (using your analogy) just ripping off the bandaid won't help if there is a gangrenous lesion underneath that keeps manufacturing pus.'

classy way to refer to black people. yes, and let's chastise the victims of racism and tell them to clean up their racism, but do't ask us to do anything about ours. blame the rape victim fpr the state of her 'morality', but not the rapist. typical republican 'thinking.'

john mccain has nothing absolutely zero to win moderates/indies while winning. in fact, quite the opposite. he has tacked as hard right as he could possibly go, in order to appease the base. the main thrust and focus of McCain's campaign is staying indefinitely in Iraq-- he barely mentions anything else. and no one else agrees with that position but the base.

The neocons, who are his closest advisors and confidantes, are floating Lieberman, because his position on the war is identical with Cheney, and he has been a reliable neocon for years now, one of the original members of PNAC and the Iraqi Liberation Commitee, formed in 1998.

'The Wall Street Journal reports that, in an interview with John McCain, he "did little to dissuade" the notion that he may select Joe Lieberman as his running mate. "He'd be a great partner in any endeavor, including joining America together," McCain said in response to a question on the Lieberman factor.'

And the reason is you can't force unity, you can't unite our difference state-by-state, we already know elections don't unite us. To absolve the disunity, you have to do it one-by-one.. transcending hate...is not something that can be done via an edict or an election.

-----------------

Amen to that. Couldn't agree more.
However, I DO think and have experienced that in terms of societal/legal/outward change, elections are crucial. Hell, ALL of us struggle with our inner demons daily...true conversion of heart is neverending...but, as the saying goes, if you want to become a loving person, begin by acting like one.

We always overcompensate for our personal deficiencies and insecurities. Until we master them. A young chef uses too many spices, a young athlete tries to throw the entire length of the field, a people fighting for their equality hate too strongly.

We love best when we feel secure and accepted.

Provide such security and acceptance, as much as is possible and reasonable and respectful, and you will see love flower.

Pollyannish? History proves otherwise.

I think we agree in essence. Internet communication so often fails our attempts to connect.

"the tide is indeed turning."

"* July 7, 2003: 'This month will be a political turning point for Iraq.' (Douglas J. Feith, then-undersecretary for Defense.)

"* June 16, 2004: 'A turning point will come two weeks from today.' (President Bush.)

"* Feb. 2, 2005: 'On Jan. 30 in Iraq, the world witnessed . . . a moment that historians might one day call a turning point.' (Donald Rumsfeld, then-U.S. secretary of Defense.)

"* June 14, 2006: 'I think -- tide turning -- see, as I remember -- I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of -- it's easy to see a tide turn -- did I say those words?' ( Bush.)"

proudtobeGOP - You are, of course, correct. Like most people, I am a hypocrit about things like that. When I look into my own heart, I hit the roof over Geraldine Ferraro's remarks but have gone to great lengths to justify those of Pastor Wright by pointing out that conservative's have been quick to cozy up to conservative pastors who say almost the exact same thging as Pastor Wright. KOZ is right on the mark. They are all identical situations, really. As usual, KOZ sees the inconsistancy and rubs our noses in it. Thank you.

"I think they were referred to as the ministers of intolerance by McCain"

I believe you mean 'agents of intolerance.' Of course, Sen McCain has since backed away from that position. One might call that a 'flip-flop'.

WPOST,

I think I do. I grew up in Chicago right near Stoney Island, very close to Wright's church. I went to an all Black School, had black friends, and a Black live in housekeeper who was my best friend. It was in the 50's when there was an influx of Blacks to mid-western cities, when the Civil Rights movement was in its infancy.

I'll never forget her, she was everything to me, even though culturally she was different in every way. I even understood then that her life was different from mine because of who she was.

But, I loved her, regardless. She was a loving rolemodel, regardless of her skin color.

If we are going to move away from racial/ethnic disparities, we really have to start one-on-one. That means rolemodeling.

I understand that Obama's Pastor must have filled a need for him, and he accepted him, despite the "militant message."

But that message which perhaps inspired Obama's audacity, and desire to unite us, has just fallen flat on its face.

And the reason is you can't force unity, you can't unite our difference state-by-state, we already know elections don't unite us. To absolve the disunity, you have to do it one-by-one.. transcending hate...is not something that can be done via an edict or an election.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-070121-relig_wright,1,271630.story?page=1&ctrack=1&cset=true&coll=chi-religion-topheadlines

"I have failed to liberate Iraq, and transform its society into an Islamic society."
-- Moqtada al-Sadr, Asharq Al Awsat newspaper, March 8, 2008

Moqtada al-Sadr -- the radical cleric dubbed "The Most Dangerous Man in Iraq" by a Newsweek cover story in December 2006 -- has just unilaterally extended the ceasefire he imposed on his Mahdi Army militia last summer.

And on the eve of the Iraq War's fifth anniversary, Sadr also issued a somber but dramatic statement. He not only declared that he had failed to transform Iraq, but also lamented the new debates and divisions within his own movement. Explaining his marginalization, Sadr all but confessed his growing isolation: "One hand cannot clap alone."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120596796160950147.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

Moqtada al-Sadr came very close to establishing a state within a state inside Iraq, much like Hezbollah had done in Lebanon. Thanks to the military genius of General Petraeus and the courage of a few courageous leaders in Washington who didn't cave in to the liberal defeatists, the tide is indeed turning.

JD, In an interview I heard last night on NPR with Trinity United's repleacement pstor, the man absolutely refused to back down from the rhetoric that the US govt created the AIDS virus as a means of genocide against African-American

------------------

Once again, proudtobeGod has twisted words and practiced her mean-spirited misrepresentations to maliciously and shamelessly foment hatred between the races.

For those who would like to hear this interview and Paster Otis' true words, you can do so here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88607509

Hi proud -

Your 9:55A reply to me was well taken. I see your point. What I wrote seems harsh as I look at it now. I was trying to point up the journalist's acceptance of a particular view; one which you described as possibly raising sympathy for HRC.

On another issue, on the "speech" thread, I wrote to you at 11:17P last night. It is essentially about why I am not so quick to condemn BHO.

I took 2004's results then made the following modifications based on my assumption Obama is the nominee:

1) Gave the Republicans Pennsylvania.
2) Gave the Democrats Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina.

Result: Republicans 278, Democrats 260. This 18 delegate disparity is easily overcome by winning a small combination of some of these states that should be in play for the Dems: IA, LA, AR (can the Clintons deliver Arkansas for Obama?), VA, NV, NE

What fun.

mikeb, Your examples point out how supporters often say things that the candidate cannot be held responsible for.

Obama had more than a tangential relationship with Rev Wright, it is clear. And Obama hand-picked this 20 year mentor of his for a key position on a committee in his presidential campaign.

If this had been Hillary's pastor, mentor, and advisor for 20 years, you'd be calling for her head.

I think they were referred to as the ministers of intolerance by McCain. not spritual guidance and mentors, mind you. I don't think he named his book afte them either or took his adopted kid to see them every Sunday.

Yeah, you're right identical situation.

Obama vs Clinton vs McCain -
a Web Comparison:

http://newsusa.myfeedportal.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=76

proudtobeGOP - I saw something interesting on television last night. It was a discussion between Jerry Faldwell and Pat Robertson after 9-11. They claimed that it was due to God's Wrath, punishment visited upon this country for homosexuality, abortion, feminism, etc. Basically, a laundry list of of every *perceived* liberal stance. Then, MSNBC cut to another clip, where the same some lame talking head on FOX (John Hannidy?) claimed that black preachers weren't really preachers at all, that being a preacher in the black community was merely a step up the political ladder and black churches were merely nests of aggitators and political activitists. Given all of this, given the anti-Christian and ant-American comments by these people, given their justification for 9-11, even their defense of Osama Bin Laudin as "God's instrument for punishing us for our inequities", given all of this, why haven't you and Bush and CHeney and McCain and every other Republican distanced yourselves from their hateful comments? Gosh, you've had years now. Intead, John McCain has appeared on stage with these people and the GOP has been courting them. Please, just answer the question.

Differences aren't just about the color of a person's skin,...

------------

Unless you are black in America. You just don't get it. Understandable.

If by tripling them you mean reduce, you can graduate from Lib math.

Roll Call reports that the House Appropriations Committee had its website crashed yesterday by a flood of requests for earmarks. As a result of the problem, they've been forced to extend the deadline to give Members more time to submit requests:

In a sure sign that earmarks remain as popular as ever, an overload of pork requests clogged the House Appropriations Committee's Web site Wednesday, forcing an extension to the request deadline to next week.

The committee extended its deadline for earmark requests until 11:59 p.m. on March 24 after a "massive influx of requests" caused "unavoidable access and processing delays," wrote Rob Nabors, staff director for the committee, in a memo to Member offices.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp#5064

And thus the Dems act to dramatically reduce the number and scope of earmarks as promised.

IMO, WPOST

Differences aren't just about the color of a person's skin, they're about differences in customs, rituals, behavior, preferences, in a long list of differences that, regardless of skin color and they will divide people.

I don't think you can count the current population accountable for 200 years of history, and certainly going forward, the precedent set by Obama following someone who is so-hate filled, is not a step in a positive direction: exemplifing role-modeling or improving the racial discussion.

Obama's stated rationale was that his Pastor was a figure like a Grandmother, or parent. We don't have a choice who are parents are, but we certainly can choose who we allow to lead us in our religious upbringing, particularly if we're of age.

The longer the Black community keeps harping on their mistreatment, the more people realize, ultimately it is up to them; it's systemic, and no matter how much the so-called white community does to eradicate unfair treatment, it's all about role-modeling within the Black community itself.

That's why Obama's experience signifies the worst possible example of his acceptance of a role-model who was both anti-white and anti-American.

"we needed to get these issues out in the open (such as black racism), best to do it all at once"

JD, In an interview I heard last night on NPR with Trinity United's repleacement pstor, the man absolutely refused to back down from the rhetoric that the US govt created the AIDS virus as a means of genocide against African-Americans.

The questioner repeatedly asked him several times to disavow that notion, or repudiate it, or say he wouldn't perpetuate that lie but the pastor refused to do it.

You could almost sense the shock from the liberal NPR host at this extreme view being continued, and at how he parsed and justified these eroneous teachings of the church, and basically said it would continue.

Point being, (using your analogy) just ripping off the bandaid won't help if there is a gangrenous lesion underneath that keeps manufacturing pus.

Dave, that's true. One of the better things that will likely come out of this kerfluffle is that people will put away the notion of St. Obama and start looking at him as a real person and a real politician. Which means he gets to be complicated too, just like you and me and everyone else. Obama's one advantage, and I think this is still true, is that he's relatively less tawdry and relatively more his own person than most people in his line of work.

KU 64, Portland State 39, with 9 and a half minutes remaining. Damn these streaming video internet filters! I mean, bless them, bless those filters. Don't want to offend anyone.

proud, l'affaire Wright has really shone some light on the racism that exists within much of 'the black community'. I'll take the optimistic viewpoint, that all the sturm und drang will allow the country to move forward on this issue; if we needed to get these issues out in the open (such as black racism), best to do it all at once, like ripping off a bandaid.

FYI: As promised, I have been checking all polls I can find. Results are Obama--Negatives up 10%--Favorable down by 10%--. This appears to be the case because of his LIES about his relationship with the Pastor of his church for 20+ years. This goes against The Media spin that his speech was so all inspiring/wonderful, and other descriptions being given, are not playing well to the folks around the country that are seeing him as the hypocrite he is and has been all along.

Again, as I've been saying for months, this election is not about Mac. It's about his opponent, whoever that is. If it's HRC, it will drive conservatives/hardcore righties to the polls in droves. If it's BHO, not so much.
I don't think the VP choice of Mac has much to do with the election calculus, actually; he (or she?) just has to be young enough to provide the balance.

-------------------

Agreed.

If he goes for a moderate it will piss off the right, who really don't like him.

Posted by: PatrickNYC1 | March 20, 2008 01:20 PM

Again, as I've been saying for months, this election is not about Mac. It's about his opponent, whoever that is. If it's HRC, it will drive conservatives/hardcore righties to the polls in droves. If it's BHO, not so much.

I don't think the VP choice of Mac has much to do with the election calculus, actually; he (or she?) just has to be young enough to provide the balance.

Patrick, my guess is that his VP will be someone young and photogenic, a smarter version of Dan Quayle. The GOP bench is pretty thin now, but there's the guy from MN, the guy from LA Jindal, or less likely, Crist.

Posted by: JD | March 20, 2008 01:17 PM
--------------
LOL
Smarter than Quayle, that's setting the bar pretty low. I've heard that the Gov from NM is not likely because he barely won in a three way race. I doubt he'd pick Jindal, a person who's family is from India will not play that well in the real red states. As for Christ, picking a closet case is unlikely as well.

It IS about vetting.

Obama tried to convince everybody with his eloquent speech that you've got to deal with the Wright issue as an issue of race, and you can't understand this separate and apart from the history of discrimination in our country.

But this was not about race.

This was about Reverend Wright's obnoxious and repugnant views.

It will remain a question for a lot of voters. Why did you associate with somebody who said such ugly things about America and made such outlandish, paranoid statements about our country?"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,339893,00.html

Obama aligned himself with a lying race-baiter for 20 years, someone who perpetuated lies and fostered hate in the upcoming generations of his community for greedy power-hungry purposes. And now he wants to be our president. The vetting continues.

Its rather silly to make long term predictions based on short term data.

Posted by: bsimon | March 20, 2008 01:05 PM

I am the Minster of Silly Walks. what else would I do?

"(Obama)'s just going through a vetting and testing process that didn't happen a year ago and is now happening. The whole vetting and testing process will make a big difference."

--------------------------

I have to agree. Barack has to go through this. As an Obama supporter, I'm glad he is. What kind of a difference it will make has yet to be seen...I suspect it will not be one Penn is hoping for.

Barack has a long political future ahead of him. He may be losing some battles, but I think he will win the war...whether it is in months or years.

non nobis.

What stones this man Mark Penn has. From today's paper of record - "(Obama)'s just going through a vetting and testing process that didn't happen a year ago and is now happening. The whole vetting and testing process will make a big difference."

That shows how much traction the disenfranchisement narrative had. One day it's about how the integrity of our democratic system is threatened by ignoring the FL and MI "voting," today the precious system isn't that important, just one way for a precious few to poke and prod a candidate before overriding the choice of an overwhelming majority.

And that would be toast.

McCain's toast is a rock's softer side.

McCain the candidate who's softer side of the Republican Party makes them vote for Hillary.

And there you have it...

Maybe McCain will find another way to achieve that; at this point I have my doubts.

Posted by: bsimon | March 20, 2008 01:14 PM

---------------
I agree Simon, which is why he's caught between a rock and a hardplace. If he goes for a moderate it will piss off the right, who really don't like him.

Patrick, my guess is that his VP will be someone young and photogenic, a smarter version of Dan Quayle. The GOP bench is pretty thin now, but there's the guy from MN, the guy from LA Jindal, or less likely, Crist.

PatrickNYC writes
"I think with McCain alot is riding on who he picks for VP. He is doing his best to go to the right with his stance on the war but if he picks someone so conservative he could turn off the moderates."

McCain has a lot riding on more than one horse.

The ongoing drama in the Dem race is taking the spotlight off McCain, which can be used to his benefit. But some folks are mistaking the Dem drama as an indicator of how they'll do in Nov, which is a mistake (see bhoomes, above).

McCain still has a lot riding on Iraq; he also has to come up with something better on the economy than "make tax cuts permanent" and "I'm reading Greenspan". Voters are still pretty down on the Bush admin & 'direction of the country'. Until McCain comes up with a vision that's distinctly different from that, his chances are slim. Given his need to rally the dwindling base AND appeal to moderates, there is not a clear choice charted for him to take. He's not Bush & he's not Reagan; those are the two guys that were able to solidify Repubs & Independents enough to win. Maybe McCain will find another way to achieve that; at this point I have my doubts.

Wizbangblue said way back in Feb that Clinton had the critical swing states, the big blue states that you've got to win.
After all, Superdelegates want to elect someone who's going to win.

http://wizbangblue.com/2008/02/15/clinton-leads-in-critical-swing-states-while-obama-operatives-attack.php

Now today,Clinton is leading Obama in the polls the first time since the beginning of the race. At this juncture, it doesn't bode well for Obama.

Wizbangblue asks if Obama can fix the iceberg? The question is oxymoronic!

http://wizbangblue.com/2008/03/19/obama-what-iceberg-i-dont-see-an-iceberg.php

zouk quotes a poll and writes
"the lib dream comes to an end. Reality is so tawdry"

Silly zouk, you should know better than taking one day's numbers as gospel. Why, just a couple days ago, you were celebrating huge gains in the financial markets. Then, the gain was basically wiped out the next day.

Its rather silly to make long term predictions based on short term data.

that's exactly right. Now that it's Mac on the R side, who has a track record of reaching out to indies/moderates, it depends on the D side. With Obama, it will be tougher than with HRC, I think

Posted by: JD | March 20, 2008 12:53 PM
--------------------
I think with McCain alot is riding on who he picks for VP. He is doing his best to go to the right with his stance on the war but if he picks someone so conservative he could turn off the moderates.

IMO,

the surreal aspect of the race issue is that America is and has been in denial about the depth of the racial divide between blacks and whites since Emancipation.

The fact is we are two different cultures. We essentially live in two different neighborhoods, go to different churches, listen to different pundits, read different magazines, watch different movies, wear different clothes, and experience the same things differently.

Yes, there is some integration, but it is minimal. I grew up in Chicago, have lived in Detroit, Tucson and Denver and now live in Virginia. No where is there a true sense of color blindness.

The more explosive remarks from former pastor Wright has shocked white America. Which only shows how estranged we are from black America and their lives.

For me, the striking difference between Imus' "nappy-headed ho's" and Wright's "God damn America!' is that Imus' slander came so easily off the tongue and caused nary a blip on the white radar screen...evidence to me of a deeply in-grained sense of superiority ...whereas Wright's comments were emotional, fiery and provacative..evidence to me of deep-seated anger and resentment...of a man still fighting for his place at the table of American Democracy which continues to seem reserved for other than he.

America will never become a great nation until that divide is healed. Until we do see a person's character and not his color or sex. Until the table is round and open to all.

For over 200 years, African-Americans were treated like dirt in this country. That is not guilt. It is just fact. To be surprised by Wright's anger and outrage is to be historically blind.
And we are so blinded. Denial allows us to co-exist.

Barack's speech spoke to just that issue. As well as to his ability to transform that still raw anger into something more positive and unifying.

When our children grow up, we expect them to rebel, to get angry, to even hate us...for awhile..til they have found their own lives. It's nature's way.

I do not mean to oversimplify the analogy or demean the African-American community by suggesting it is politically pubescent, but there is truth I think in that historically, the AA community is in many ways coming into its own in this nation's history, and so some leeway must be granted and some hatred must be expected. Which is why to me Imus' remarks are much more problematic than Wright's...the latter is more akin to that of an angry teenager, the former to a reckless and abusive adult.

Perhaps the truth of this cultural "aging" can more easily be seen (because it is not racially tinged) in the gay and lesbian community and their fight for political and legal rights...their constitutionally based struggle for their inalienable right to "pursuit of happiness."

What were their more outrageous gay parades except an over-dramatized, sexually-inappropriate teen-aged tantrum expressing their need for recognition...a place at Democracy's table? These days, the more radical elements have given way to suburban gay and lesbian couples with adopted or their own children. The fight is not complete, there are still problems and legal battles to come, but the history shows an arc of struggle akin to a child's coming into adulthood.

Barack is the adult political flowering of the natural development of the black movement towards full participation in America.

That is why he can be seen as Abraham Lincoln come full circle to complete the work of unification that was begun in that unusual Presidency. A work that can perhaps only be accomplished by someone in whose veins flows both Kansan and Kenyan blood. Someone who can bridge the divide through both experience and judgment.

Transitions to adulthood is difficult. Disallow any rebellion and you end up with lingering resentment, no communication and no progress; demand no personal responsibility and you set up unhealthy dependencies, lack of self-respect and a life in denial.

That we are experiencing a lot of pain now is a good sign. Running back to the past is not. We must acknowledge the reality of the past and present, without guilt or denial, and struggle together towards the future.

No one is innocent, no one is free of stain. All must look to the greater good. All must compromise.

From USA Today: "Ten wealthy Democrats have offered to pay for a new presidential primary in Michigan -- all with ties to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who showed up in the state Wednesday seeking a revote.
Five of the donors are listed on Clinton's campaign website as among her major fundraisers. All 10 have contributed to Clinton's presidential or Senate campaigns or the races run by former president Bill Clinton, according to federal data compiled by the non-profit Center for Responsive Politics.

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said any notion that potential Michigan donors sought to help Clinton was 'absurd.'"

Again, the Clinton motto - "Pay no attention to reality! Peter Angelos and his cronies care about nothing more than the welfare of the people of Michigan! It's all about them, not the selfless Hillary!"

I assume, without evidence to the contrary, that Rs will vote R and Ds will vote D and the two factors in November will be Indies and the relative fervor of the R and D voters.

Posted by: mark_in_austin | March 20, 2008 09:24 AM

that's exactly right. Now that it's Mac on the R side, who has a track record of reaching out to indies/moderates, it depends on the D side. With Obama, it will be tougher than with HRC, I think

Never fear drindl. Just like your prediction that the military was broken turned out to be false, that the war was lost, ie, your daily rants, etc. this prediciton will fail.

the Pelosi recssion, started almost immediately upon election of a Dem majority, will very soon die out, at the same time that the voters realize that the threat of a Lib president is waning. clinton never stood a chance but the faker Obama always had the press and the non-thinkers ( but I repeat myself) in his pocket. now that he has shown himself, he is no longer viable. even clinton is beating him. and McCain is beating clinton 48-40. the market will process this information and bounce back rather nicely in the next couple of months.

Libs will cry fix and declare the Republicans can manipulate the market to get elected. quite the contrary. the market dreads Lib governance. but the specter is now abolished.

"The new layoffs will bring job cuts at Citigroup's investment bank to 6,000, or about 10 percent of its employee base."

Seems like you're randomly cutting and pasting things, to be frank. Citi got greedy and reckless, and someone has to pay the price for it.

I'll lay the blame for gas and food costs at the Bushies' feet, but anyone snookered by the so-called subprime meltdown had it coming. That's what happens when you live beyond your means.

drindl - "The new layoffs will bring job cuts at Citigroup's investment bank to 6,000, or about 10 percent of its employee base"

Thereby allowing the remaining 90% of its employees (about 54,000) to still have a job, continuing to provide investment services to customers and focusing on becoming a more efficient and better run business.

Now it turns out that his top adviser, David Axelrod, often credited with masterminding Obama's campaign strategy, has a double life, too.

Thanks to the excellent reporting of Howard Wolinsky of Business Week, we know that the left wing campaign consultant by day also by night works for big corporations, creating phony front groups to pose a community groups who just happen to agree with his clients on controversial public issues.

Axelrod is quite comfortable misleading the general public. And Barack Obama is evidently quite comfortable around people who think the gullible public is just waiting to be tricked into following their advice.

Axelrod's double life nicely complements Obama's double life as idealistic purveyor of hope by day, and Chicago machine pol/supporter of a racial demagogue by night.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/03/the_audacity_of_phoniness.html

Bush Recession II

Evidence of U.S. recession mounted with reports showing Mid-Atlantic factory activity in its worst slump since the start of the Iraq war and more workers claiming jobless benefits.

The Economic Cycle Research Institute, a New York-based independent forecasting group, added a further note of pessimism, saying the U.S. economy is "unambiguously" in a recession.

A government report showed the number of U.S. workers filing initial claims for unemployment aid climbed 22,000 last week, while the overall number on the benefit rolls rose a 3-1/2 year high a week earlier.

If you can;t beart the clinton, be the clinton:

More lawyerly evasions needed
Thomas Lifson
Politico notices a contradiction between Obama's speech and an earlier statement.

Today's speech:

"Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed."

But in the Huffington Post piece we deconstructed three days ago, Obama wrote:

"The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign."

We laid out the kinds of evasions built into that statement. They and their cousins are going to be needed.

Citigroup plans to lay off another 2,000 investment bankers and traders before the end of the month, people close to the situation said on Wednesday.

In January, the company announced plans to eliminate about 4,200 jobs, the bulk of them in Citigroup's investment bank.

The new layoffs will bring job cuts at Citigroup's investment bank to 6,000, or about 10 percent of its employee base

not at all representative of the general thrust of Wright's ministry"

Yet, that is what they are selling on his "Greatest hits" CD.

Taken February 12-20, 2008, this was the first major post-surge survey of Iraqis. Its scope and methodology are comparable to polls that the ABC/BBC consortium commissioned in March and August of 2007.

Compared to last summer, the percentage of Iraqis who regard their own security as good has risen 19 points, from 43 percent to 62 percent. The percentage of persons who describe their own life as "going well" has risen 16 points, from 39 percent to 55 percent. Sixty-five percent of Iraqis now describe the availability of household necessities as good, compared to 39 percent last summer.

In August 2007, Iraqis expecting things to get worse over the next year outnumbered those expecting things to get better by a margin of 39 percent to 29 percent. Since then, civilian casualties have fallen by 60 percent. In the post-surge survey, the optimists out-polled the pessimists, 45 percent to 19 percent.

Meanwhile - the liberal results......

An example of the influence of the consortium's liberal estimate of Sunni Arab population is as follows. The ABC/BBC poll reported last spring that by a 51 percent to 49 percent margin, Iraqis considered attacks on coalition troops "acceptable." This finding was derived from three components: Sunnis, who "accepted" such attacks by 93 percent to 6 percent; Shiites, who rejected such attacks 65 percent to 35 percent; and Kurds, who opposed anti-coalition violence 93 percent to 7 percent. Only the double-weight of Sunnis in the sample allowed news organizations to report (as many did) that most Iraqis approved anti-coalition violence."

Kruggman, call your office, Lib math desperately needed. If things keep going well, how will Libs win the election?

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzQyNTU4Njg2NWE4ODA1ZTM2NDI5MjU3ZGEzNzI4NTE=

novamatt - "Keep in mind that the snippets of Wright we've heard are, from what congregants at Trinity have been saying, not at all representative of the general thrust of Wright's ministry"

Yeah, I know. Wright's a "complex" person. I have never been one to convict a person based on snippets of what they have said in their life, especially if their profession involves speaking a lot. That said, members of his congregation should be expected to defend him (for if he actually was leading a church of hate, they would be members of it). So one needs to take their defense with a grain of salt. But I also think you need to hold people accountable for what they say. It's not a question of whites having one finally break their way and being happy about it. The fact that Obama is being treated much like Imus and Lott is actually a sign, albeit painful one, of racial equality.

What does seem somewhat disingenuous is your suggestion that Obama almost had to join that church. Nobody has to do anything. What it does tell us is that Obama, depite campaign slogans to the contrary, is looking more and more like a conventional politician.

He's toast:

"And why does Obama characterise such lies about America as just part of being black in the US? Was that really part of King's preaching, too?

But worse is that Obama denounced his own grandmother -- still alive -- and likened her private fears to the public hate-mongering of his preacher.

His sin isn't just that he's betrayed his own grandmother to save his skin. It's also that he's undermined the very point he tried to argue -- that he is above the racial politics of a Wright and can bridge the black-white divide.

He's instead demonstrated that to defend a black preacher guilty of appalling bigotry, he'd shop even his own white relatives. I doubt white and Latino voters will miss that message.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23409722-5000117,00.html

I always predicted he'd make a rookie mistake.

The fact that there's disagreement within the Pentagon on the pace of withdrawal from Iraq is hardly new, but the LAT does manage to shed some light on why the tensions have flared up once again. Gen. David Petraeus and the Joint Chiefs had agreed to put off discussions about troops cuts until this spring. But then Petraeus suggested publicly that there should be a pause in withdrawals, which many saw as an attempt by the ground commanders to circumvent the process, "effectively cutting the Joint Chiefs out of this spring's debate," says the LAT. It is also revealing to note that the Joint Chiefs are still skeptical about the "surge," noting that it hasn't led to political progress on the ground.

In one camp are the ground commanders, including Gen. David H. Petraeus, who have pushed to keep a large troop presence in Iraq, worried that withdrawing too quickly will allow violence to flare. In the other are the military service chiefs who say that long tours and high troop levels are driving away mid-level service members, leaving the Army and Marine Corps hollowed out and weak.

In the short run, supporters of Petraeus would like to see about 140,000 troops, including 15 combat brigades, remain in Iraq through the end of the Bush administration.

Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their advisors favor a faster drawdown. Some are pushing for a reduction to 12 brigades or fewer by January 2009, which would amount to approximately 120,000 troops, depending on the configuration of forces.

The discord deepened with last week's announcement that Adm. William J. Fallon, who served as the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, would retire. Fallon was seen as a key ally of the Joint Chiefs and at odds with Bush because of his support for a speedier drawdown in Iraq.

"Fallon wanted to withdraw forces from Iraq much faster than Gen. Petraeus," said one former Defense official who remains involved in Iraq policy. "Fallon was in sync with what the Joint Chiefs' desires were. And that enhanced the Joint Chiefs' position, because Fallon was a real war fighter."

Clinton Moves Into Lead Over Obama New Gallup Poll Daily tracking finds Hillary Clinton with a 49% to 42% lead over Barack Obama in national Democratic voters' presidential nomination preference.

the lib dream comes to an end. Reality is so tawdry.

'And, McSame needs handlers. Good thing Joe Lieberman has the time to stay by his side and whisper in his ear. Bomb, bomb, bomb....'

Lierberman is his Nancy Reagan.

U.S. Army Isn't Broken After All, Military Experts Say\

One year ago, as President Bush decided to send more troops to Iraq, the conventional wisdom in Washington among opponents of the war was that the U.S. Army was on the verge of breaking.

Darn stubborn facts ruining a perfectly good liberal lie.

For those who didn't have the opportunity to watch the Values Voter Debate a few months ago, you missed this lovely rendition of "God Bless America" performed by the Church of God Choir, from Springfield, Ohio - reworded to better reflect the Right's agenda-- it's called Why Should God Bless America?

Why should God bless America?
She's forgotten he exists
And has turned her back
On everything that made her what she is.

Why should God stand beside her
Through the night with the light from his hand?
God have mercy on America
Forgive her sin and heal our land

The courts ruled prayer out of our schools
In June of '62
Told the children "you are your own God now
So you can make the rules"
O say can you see what that choice
Has cost us to this day
America, one nation under God, has gone astray

Why should god bless America?
She's forgotten he exists
And has turned her back on everything
That made her what she is

Why should God stand beside her
Through the night with the light from his hand?
God have mercy on America
Forgive her sins and heal our land

In '73 the Courts said we
Could take the unborn lives
The choice is yours don't worry now
It's not a wrong, it's your right

But just because they made it law
Does not change God's command
The most that we can hope for is
God's mercy on our land

Why should God bless America?
She's forgotten he exists
And has turned her back on everything
That made her what she is

Why should God stand beside her
Through the night with the light from his hand?
God have mercy on America
Forgive her sins and heal our land

God have mercy on America forgive her sins and heal our land

'fat and stupid' oooh, that hurts. it's so -- accurate

five sure signs it is a drindl post:

1 half the letters are ***!#@^*
2 bush is blamed for her warts
3 the exact same thing, verbatim, is found on Kos or huff
4 the letters LOL
5 all insults and projection

novamatt, Enjoyed your post.

Zouk, You're spinning faster than John McSame's "he just misspoke" handlers.

And, McSame needs handlers. Good thing Joe Lieberman has the time to stay by his side and whisper in his ear. Bomb, bomb, bomb....

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama would take an active role in U.S. oil markets as president, tackling concerns about the dominance of large oil companies and eyeing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a potential weapon to combat high prices, his top energy adviser said. The presidential hopeful's adviser, Jason Grumet, told Reuters that an Obama administration would crack down on any competition lapses in the sector that have resulted from big corporate mergers.

the government must run everything in the new liberalism. they are so smart.

'there you will find fat and stupid drindl, drooling over her laptop'

LOL-hilarious.

award for the most juvenile post all day, but that's zouk, the angry little lunatic stalker. 'fat and stupid' oooh, that hurts. it's so -- kindergarten. but that's his IQ level, so can guess that's the best he can do. i guess that's why he doesn't have a job.

Newly released schedule shows 25 "private visits"
the day before the pardons were issued.

Certified funds please!

Ignore the blue dress, say the dead-enders

If it weren't for that bit of evidence all those bimbos would still be branded as liars and part of the VRWC. Remember the finger wagging, the lies, the evasions, the spin? now Obama is learning to do it.

1 - I never heard that stuff

2 - I might have heard some of it

3 - If I heard it I didn't think it was a big deal

4 - I heard it, it is the same thing everyone says, even my white grandmother and your preacher.

5 - I hope this doesn't hurt my chances. I need the black vote but don't want to appear to be the angry black/Lib candidate that I really am. we all know Libs can't get elected by telling the truth.

Dave's comment highlights something that I hadn't thought about until the other night. There's an element of retribution in all this Wright kerfluffle. Whites have had to sit patiently through Trent Lott or Don Imus or whoever making their ritual apology for racial insensitivity, and finally one breaks their way.

Of course it's not really about Wright, and Wright begging forgiveness of every white person alive for hurting their feelings wouldn't matter. Wright is just being used cynically as a peg for this racial score-settling and for purely partisan gain. Obama can't preform the ritual abasement on Wright's behalf since he didn't speak the words, and can't really disown Wright without becoming a sellout in the eyes of most blacks.

For those who aren't cynically pushing this on behalf of Hillary or McCain, consider this: when Obama arrived as an organizer on the south side of Chicago, he quickly figured out that he needed a church home if he was going to get in the door with the power brokers of the south side -- the ministers. He may also have had genuine spiritual yearnings. As comfortable as he seems to be within the faith community, I tend to think he's for real. As someone who had spent his life moving from place to place to place, he probably also yearned for a fixed community within which he could feel comfortable.

Trinity UCC is, from what I've heard, *the* church for the more intellectually curious among Chicago's black elite. And it's big, and was led by a charismatic figure who was influential in the community and in the black church nationwide.

If you're Barack Obama, an aspiring politician, a smart kid who wants to be a contributing member of a vibrant spiritual and cultural community, how do you *not* join Trinity? Keep in mind that the snippets of Wright we've heard are, from what congregants at Trinity have been saying, not at all representative of the general thrust of Wright's ministry, which was much more about building up and restoring the community from within than lashing out at those outside.

So, long post short, I find all this pretty disingenuous. Between the hysterical naifs with their newly minted antiracist credentials and the playerz pumping this for every news cycle they can, color me bemused.

I see drindl is channeling the hate sites all day again today. beats thinking. Of course, when that skill is missing what is a loon to do?

I think the pack of jackels is now down to 8% of the population - the same ones that think the good pastor is simply misunderstood. when they get to 5% they can fit in Ralph Nader's tiny gymnasium.

there you will find fat and stupid drindl, drooling over her laptop and sleep deprived LOUD and DUMB, howling at the moon.

"Ignore the blue dress, say the dead-enders. That's not what matters. That's like Charles Manson asking a parole board to forget the dead bodies, because they're not the issue."

Bravo. Post of the day. But you are right, the Klinton Kamikaze Krew that dwells hear doesn't want to look reality in the face. It is on a suicide mission, and doesn't care how many states the GOP racks up in November, so long as Michelle Obama's 2016 presidetial bid is stalled.

The location keeps changing, and the speakers might be different as well, but the goal remains the same: courting the Jewish vote. Today, it was in Washington, at the Washington 15 Conference, an event of the United Jewish Communities aimed at young Jewish leadership. And three campaigns sent their representatives to convince these young enthusiastic crowd that Obama/Clinton/McCain is the candidate they should be voting for....

'...Eagleburger [McCain's representative] was having fun. He was mocking his fellow panelist Kurtzer, sitting to the left of the others ("where he belongs"), and making noises and funny, impatient faces, while Ann Lewis was speaking.

But more importantly, he did not mince his words. In a response to a question about the religious right, an important component of the Republican coalition, he said that it was, indeed "a serious problem," and reminded his listeners that he now lives in Charlottesville, surrounded by such people that he needs to fight.'

This is bizarre on so many levels... why was Eagleburger actiing like such a juvenile *ss, making 'funny noises and faces' while the other candidate's reps were speaking? Does the McCain campaign have no dignity or class at all?

And what an amusing flipflop--when McCain is with the fundie preachers, he strokes them, he pleads for their support, he says how much their 'spiritual guidance' means to him--but when he's with the Jews these very same individuals become a 'serious problem' he 'has to fight?' A little cognitive dissonance there.

Perhaps the problem for McCain's campaing is that they are of the past and don't understand the phone/camera/UTube era -- that you can't present a different face to every crowd. It gets out...

who would have thought that richard simmons is the best person for the job?

Posted by: kingofzouk | March 20, 2008 11:03 AM
--------------------
Better than the idiot we have there now.

'Maybe John McCain gets his foreign policy briefings from CNN, or maybe it's vice versa. In any event, CNN's Kyra Phillips was interviewing Gen. David Petraeus today and repeated McCain's gaffe from yesterday, touting a connection between Iran and al Qaeda in Iraq. Later in the interview, Petraeus gently corrected her."

kyra phillips is one of the stupider attack poodles... but 90% of them are a disgrace.

Oh, now I see. It was Cheney's company that electrocuted US soliders. That explains it all. He still draws money from them, you know...

'The Houston Chronicle reports that "[a]t least a dozen soldiers and Marines have been electrocuted in Iraq over the five years of the war" and that "investigators now are trying to learn what role improper grounding of electrical wires played in those deaths." At the center of the probe is private contractor KBR, a company that not only dodged $500 million in Medicare and Social Security taxes but also provided "unmonitored and unsafe" wate