What "change" is Obama professing to bring to the White House??? Looks like he's bringing the same old "Chicago style politics". Obama's judgement and his eligibility are permanently flawed.

Chris --

Your comments on the Swift Boat attacks sounded like you still give them some validity. I am sure you read the released Navy records showing Sen. John Kerry is exactly who he says he is as deservedly decorated Vietnam veteran. Please.

Weakness. First time Obama draws fire, he panics and dumps his Veep vetter. Not a good sign. Blood in the water just attracts more sharks.

DEAR "INTERESTING" SPEECH
WASHINGTON POST 2/14/08

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., helped get more than $340 million worth of home-state projects in last year's federal spending bills.

That figure puts the Democratic presidential candidate among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly known as earmarks, a study by Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan budget watchdog group, says.

The report says Clinton supported almost four times as much earmarked spending as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., her rival for the Democratic nomination. Obama's $91 million total placed him in the bottom quarter of senators who seek earmarks, The Washington Post said.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the probable Republican presidential nominee, was one of five senators to reject earmarks entirely and is using his blanket earmark opposition as part of his regular attack on Clinton.
THAT'S $0 PORK FOR MCCAIN AND $91 MILLION FOR OBAMA...WHO'S HAVING THE "SENIOR MOMENT"...GO HAVE A CUP OF TEA AND HOPE OBAMA DOESN'T PICK THE TOP TEN PORKSTER TO RUN FOR VP ON HIS "CHANGE" TICKET

More importantly was yesterday's speech by Sen. John McCain. In the speech he noted the Sen. Obama (Democrat) is just another leftist tax & spend candidate.

He noted that the Democrats just put in pork barrel spending like bridges to now where. Interesting, since that was done by Sen. Steven of Alaska (a Republican who is being investigated by the FBI). He put this Pork Barrel spending of $300m in the Iraq war effort bills. As director of Ways & Means before, he put a LOT of PORK into Alaska.

So Sen. McCain are you having one of the lapses of memories or just those Reagan moments of reality verses that which you did in the movie industry.

Hey M.A.H. 11:17-8

The reason Senators don't often get elected president is that they're not executives, making decisions and carrying them out, they form coalitions, make compromises, and make an attempt to represent the will of their constituents...so while McCain has helped enact legislation on immigration reform, campaign finance reform, free trade, national security, these isuues don't go away...on immigration reform for example, here are his votes-
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work. (Jul 1998)
Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)
English immersion over bilingual education. (Jul 2001)
Sponsored comprehensive immigration reform, without amnesty. (May 2005)
If you're truly interested, go to Ontheissues.org- there's a very long list on each issue...and a very short one for Obama....they also rank each leader by voting record and speeches made-
"The candidate scored the following on the VoteMatch questions:

Personal Score 80%
Economic Score 20%

Where the Candidate Fits In

Where the candidate's Personal score meets the Economic score on the grid below is the candidate's political philosophy. Based on the above score, the candidate is a Hard-Core Liberal. "

Hey M.A.H. 11:17-8

The reason Senators don't often get elected president is that they're not executives, making decisions and carrying them out, they form coalitions, make compromises, and make an attempt to represent the will of their constituents...so while McCain has helped enact legislation on immigration reform, campaign finance reform, free trade, national security, these isuues don't go away...on tax reform for example, here are his votes-
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work. (Jul 1998)
Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)
English immersion over bilingual education. (Jul 2001)
Sponsored comprehensive immigration reform, without amnesty. (May 2005)
If you're truly interested, go to Ontheissues.org- there's a very long list on each issue...and a very short one for Obama....they also rank each leader by voting record and speeches made-
"The candidate scored the following on the VoteMatch questions:


Personal Score 80%
Economic Score 20%

Where the Candidate Fits In

Where the candidate's Personal score meets the Economic score on the grid below is the candidate's political philosophy. Based on the above score, the candidate is a Hard-Core Liberal. "

It was a survey of about 1000 people. The margin of error was about 3.1% It's a NBC-WSJ poll. Error margins are much higher if you only use four people.

And no, you can't make the numbers say things that aren't true. That's just something morons say when the data doesn't fit preconceived notions.

Posted by: DDAWD | June 12, 2008 6:22 AM

DDAWD a 1000 people are just a sample. It's early and supporters of Obama like are reaching. He got the Hispanics (62-28), women (52-33), Catholics (47-40), independents (41-36) and even blue-collar workers (47-42). 1000 people total of each demo? In that context those numbers are misleading. Any moron seeing this may think Obama is going to get these groups by those margins across America in November. He won't get at least three of those demos despite any polling now.

Hey McBush supporters,
Nobody can dispute Mcain's record of DECADES of service in the senate; but explain to me please, then how come we are STILL FACING THE SAME ISSUES, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS ??!!
Seems to me like, McBush has been sleeping-at-the-switch - - I mean, the senate !
ANYONE ?

Hey McBush supporters,
Nobody can dispute Mcain's record of DECADES of service in the senate; but explain to me please, then how come we are STILL FACING THE SAME ISSUES, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS ??!!
Seems to me like, McBush has been sleeping-at-the-switch - - I mean, the senate !
ANYONE ?

Obama just proved that he does not represent any real "change." He is just as vetted in the same old Washington political machine as Hillary and McCain. Obama will join the most influential church in the city with the largest African American constituency just to advance his political career regardless of how controverial the sermons may be. He'll take lobbyist money and surround himself with corrupt Washington insiders and advisors just to get elected. When he has to make an important decision he'll make the safe practical choice any politician or Washington insider would make to further their career. It makes you wonder how he would have voted for the authorization to invade Iraq had he been in the Senate in 2003. Luckily he didn't have to make that difficult vote and he built an entire Presidential campaign on his opposition to the war right from the start. He's just another phony politician.

Obama has based his campaign on his claim to supposedly having better judgment, over Hillary's--and now McCain's--experience. Yet in his first three decisions after becoming the Democrats' presumptive nominee, the Big O has shown poor judgement in two of the three: Johnson and Holder.

This weakens his case and does not bode well for his decision-making if elected.
-Wm Tate,
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

The MSM has a challenge ahead of itself. Only the MSM can prevent the 2008 presidential campaign from wallowing in the sleaze of distortions turned into lies, swift-boating, sarcasm, sound bites, etc. Many of us are tired and saddened by these useless strategies which pundits say are necessary to win. If the MSM is strong enough to present only the relevant facts, the HONORABLE candidate will WIN and politics might be changed forever. The challenge is there for the media to accept. Do you accept?

Both. Obama shows he can be rolled and now everyone will be waiting to see how long it takes for him to ditch the next controversial "non-Obama employee". That's the the DC/media version of "are you lying now or were you lying then?" - you can't win once the rolling begins. Throw in some Clintonian word play and the man's in a bind.

"Enter the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their methods, effectively raised questions about the validity of Kerry's service..."

The greatest damage the Swift Vets did was not with regard to their allegations regarding his service in Vietnam. It was their calling the country's attention to Kerry's repeated slander of his fellow troops after his service.

The MSM rarely showed clips of Kerry's congressional testimony, and rarely highlighted Kerry's role as front man for a group of fake vets who defamed the real troops, the Winter Soldiers. Kerry's conduct on both these instances was undisputed, but under-reported. So the Swift Vets took up the slack, and the truth won out.

I find it unbelievable that Barack Obama could make such an elementary mistake as to give James Johnson that job. Is he averse to consulting his team of legal experts before taking steps like these? Is he allergic to consulting informed elders in his campaign or political party for that matter? I hope he becomes the next US president but - a huge but - Barack should get real and stand practically for his message of change. Man, that was unbelievably naive of you Barack.

Here's some advice for you, Gandalfthegrey. When you're looking for polling statistics that tell you what you want to hear about Obama, go to a notoriously pro-Obama site so that those being polled are already pre-disposed to lean in the direction you want.

Oh, wait a minute, you already knew that, didn't you?

The most recent Rasmussen Report says: The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows Barack Obama attracts 46% of the vote while John McCain earns 41%. Those figures reflect a slight decline for Obama who had attracted 48% support for each of the preceding three days. For McCain, the results are little changed. For the past week, his support has stayed between 40% and 42%.

Rasmussen has also been telling us that a) about a third of the voters are undecided b) most of those undecided fall into demographics Obama can't swing and c)people tend to lie when being polled about African American candidates, which inflates those candidates numbers.

So, at this point, it's still anybody's race, but little more than a week after clinching the Democratic nomination, and a few days after Clinton's endorsement, Obama's numbers are already on the decline.

"How many total of each group was polled. NBC(Nominate Barack Central) needs to release the hard data. You can make the numbers say anything about anyone in polls. 75 percent of the people asked before this comment was made know that. 25 percent were kind of sleepy. 4 people total took part. NBC needs to verify totals of each group taking part and then we can decide if it is not just propaganda."

It was a survey of about 1000 people. The margin of error was about 3.1% It's a NBC-WSJ poll. Error margins are much higher if you only use four people.

And no, you can't make the numbers say things that aren't true. That's just something morons say when the data doesn't fit preconceived notions.

It looks like the Republican attack machine has scored and early hit. The problem with running an "agent of change" campaign has always been that anyone who has any kind of experience in Washington can be painted as tainted. There is no clean fix for Obama on this one. The best thing for him to do is to make clear that change doesn't mean refusing to work with anyone of experience, and experience in Washington means having worked with PACs in the past.

Obama is an amazing speaker. If he has his best speech writers craft an eloquent mesage that not all PACs are evil, that change is evolutionary, not revolutionary, that experienced Washington insiders can have a change of heart and seek change themselves, then the issue is weakened. Until Obama addresses this systemic weakness within his message, he will be vulnerable to the charge of hypocracy. That is a very dangerous change for a man who is running on a change platform.

This outsider image, this "man who came to clean things up in Washington" approach, predictably opens Obama up to critisism. I am surprised that Obama did not have an answer prepared for it. Now, there is a slight but definite scent of blood in the water. Here comes the paper and electronic blizzard of names associated with Obama who have some connections with lobbyists.

For now, score one for the Republican attack machine. Neither side plays nice. You just set yourself up for abuse when you don't play nice but you campaign on a message of hope. Nobody expects Republicans to be fair. There ARE people who expect Obama to do so, and this problem is largely one of hte candidate's own creation. Well, round one to the Republicans. The good news for Obama is that there are probably 50 rounds in this fight.

It looks like the Republican attack machine has scored and early hit. The problem with running an "agent of change" campaign has always been that anyone who has any kind of experience in Washington can be painted as tainted. There is no clean fix for Obama on this one. The best thing for him to do is to make clear that change doesn't mean refusing to work with anyone of experience, and experience in Washington means having worked with PACs in the past.

Obama is an amazing speaker. If he has his best speech writers craft an eloquent mesage that not all PACs are evil, that change is evolutionary, not revolutionary, that experienced Washington insiders can have a change of heart and seek change themselves, then the issue is weakened. Until Obama addresses this systemic weakness within his message, he will be vulnerable to the charge of hypocracy. That is a very dangerous change for a man who is running on a change platform.

This outsider image, this "man who came to clean things up in Washington" approach, predictably opens Obama up to critisism. I am surprised that Obama did not have an answer prepared for it. Now, there is a slight but definite scent of blood in the water. Here comes the paper and electronic blizzard of names associated with Obama who have some connections with lobbyists.

For now, score one for the Republican attack machine. Neither side plays nice. You just set yourself up for abuse when you don't place nice but you campaign on a message of hope. Nobody expects Republicans to be fair. There ARE people who expect Obama to do so, and this problem is largely one of hte candidate's own creation. Well, round one to the Republicans. The good news for Obama is that there are probably 50 rounds in this fight.

Your Goofy's right. No one likes a fibber GandalftheGrey. "Your Goofy" is clever on so many levels.

Sixty-one percent of 17.5 million really! I would think a survey like that would give NBC's accountants instant heartattacks. I think we should question NBC results from now on and group totals also. But hey, NBC says it so it must be true. Mcain might as well go home and we can give our vote to Obama or stay home in defeat.

Here are a few results from yesterday's NBC?WSJ national presidential poll. This paragraph details some of the support that Obama holds over the Old Warrior.

"In the head-to-head matchup, Obama leads McCain among African Americans (83-7 percent), Hispanics (62-28), women (52-33), Catholics (47-40), independents (41-36) and even blue-collar workers (47-42). Obama is also ahead among those who said they voted for Clinton in the Democratic primaries (61-19)."

The legacy of a disasterous Bush administration coupled with McCains failing mental capacity will lead to a crushing defeat of the entire Republican Party in November. Dems will pick up at least 25 more seats in the House and as many as 6 more seats in the Senate.

The Borrow (from China) and Spend (in Iraq) chickens are coming home to roost on the GOP!!

Bye-bye.

Posted by: GandalftheGrey | June 12, 2008 12:59 AM

How many total of each group was polled. NBC(Nominate Barack Central) needs to release the hard data. You can make the numbers say anything about anyone in polls. 75 percent of the people asked before this comment was made know that. 25 percent were kind of sleepy. 4 people total took part. NBC needs to verify totals of each group taking part and then we can decide if it is not just propaganda.

Latest poll shows that 61% of former Hillary Clinton support has now shifted to Obama. Sixty-one percent of 17.5 million equals 10.675 million.

When added to Obama's voters --- he has 29 million active supporters.

If ALL the Republicans who voted this year for ALL the candidates - McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Paul, etc. in ALL the states are added up, their total is less than 20 million.

The Republican will be run out of town in November. And, they can thank George W. Bush.

I do.

Big Red Cornhusker

I do not like how you are twisting things around - the truth is the truth

so why do you insist on being a liar?

/.

Sam | June 11, 2008 11:08 PM

I do not like how you are creating a deception here.

The Obama people should admit how wrong Obama is instead of defending him

Here are a few results from yesterday's NBC?WSJ national presidential poll. This paragraph details some of the support that Obama holds over the Old Warrior.

"In the head-to-head matchup, Obama leads McCain among African Americans (83-7 percent), Hispanics (62-28), women (52-33), Catholics (47-40), independents (41-36) and even blue-collar workers (47-42). Obama is also ahead among those who said they voted for Clinton in the Democratic primaries (61-19)."

The legacy of a disasterous Bush administration coupled with McCains failing mental capacity will lead to a crushing defeat of the entire Republican Party in November. Dems will pick up at least 25 more seats in the House and as many as 6 more seats in the Senate.

The Borrow (from China) and Spend (in Iraq) chickens are coming home to roost on the GOP!!

Bye-bye.

Hillary is going to throw all her delegates to Al Gore

.

swalker3

I challenge you - name instances in which Obama worked with Republicans to pass legislation.

the bills which Emil Jones put Obama's name on, they do not count.

Obama has done NOTHING IN THE SENATE - has he even named a post office after someone>?? Seriously, I believe you are attempting to practice a deception.

Obama has no accomplishments.

Obama has no economic or business experience except for buying cocaine.

.

skyligts

something is wrong with you Obama should resign his position in the Senate. He has done nothing for the people of Illinois.

What part of this do you have trouble with??

.

skyligts

something is wrong with you Obama should resign his position in the Senate. He has done nothing for the people of Illinois.

What part of this do you have trouble with??

.

skyligts

something is wrong with you Obama should resign his position in the Senate. He has done nothing for the people of Illinois.

What part of this do you have trouble with??

.

GandalftheGrey shows the general contradiction of the Obama campaign - Obama is responsible for nothing while the Obama campaign reserves the right to twist the words of any white person into some horrible slur

The Obama people are completely out of touch with reality

Obama has to come to grips with the FACT that Obama, instead of DOING HIS JOB IN WASHINGTON, WENT ON A BOOK TOUR, then he ran for President.

So instead of DOING HIS JOB, Obama was MIA, and there was a mortgage crisis.

We really can not blame Obama because he didnt do it, however Obama did NOTHING - he was elected to do a job he never did - it is time for Obama to step aside - get out of the race for someone who belongs there, and get out of the Senate for someone who will actually do the job. Hard reality, but true.

.

I can't decide whether it was the right decision or not. Probably it was a wash. The good thing, though, is that now Obama can use McCain's keeping of his staff against him if he needs to.

GandalftheGrey poster at 12 42 IS A MORON

.

Sometimes when you are choosing folks to help out in the initial stages of a major transition within a political campaign -- a candidate might reach out to respected members of the community and ask for their help. That was the case with Obama and Jim Johnson.

Make no mistake -- Johnson is a respected member of the community -- he is under no cloud -- and he served the in the same vetting role for previous Democratic nominees. He is a well known and respected Washington insider -- a good man to help vet possible VPs.

Nonetheless, Obama is responsible for his choice -- and, if it turns out that his choice for a job received two home loans several years ago from the largest mortgage company in the United States and these loans carried with them some good interest rate (no one knows what the rate was/is), it does not matter that the entire transaction was legal and above board.

Further, it does not matter that the loans were made AFTER (3 years after) the person left a job in which his organization (Fannie Mae) had a financial relationship with the mortgage company -- in other words there was absolutely no ethical conflict of interest with regard to public trust --- the loan recipient no longer worked for the company he once headed up - Fannie Mae.

Nor, does it matter that no laws were broken nor any money lost. And it does not matter that these legal business transactions took place several years ago - in 2001 - before the housing bubble.

What matters is that the Wall Street Journal insinuated that there might be a story ---and the Republicans - sensing that they are going to be ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED in the upcoming general election -- immediately grasped at this string and began to pull.

The Republicans will do anything to distract the American voters from yet another enormous foreign policy/defense gaffe by their bumbling, stumbling old, old candidate - who is still a hero even though his diminished mental capacity is becoming more evident every time he opens his mouth.

Yes - what matters is that the Republicans used the non-story as cover to divert voters attention away from the biggest and most tragic disaster they have suffered as a political party -- the exposure of John McCain as a foreign policy/defense policy buffoon.

And ---- what matters also, is that Obama quickly cleared the Johnson distraction away so that the American voters could have an unobstructed view of the Old Warrior - committing slow-motion political suicide in front the entire world.

Now that was a great return volley.

Game -- Mr. Obama.

I'm also concerned that Michelle got a cushy high paying job in IL AFTER her husband became a political bigshot. It stinks to high heaven. New politics, my arse.

Chris, with all the real news this campaign generates, this is much ado about NOTHING!

BIG DEAL! Watta bunch of concern trolls, you people get more desperate with every poll that puts Obama further out in front.

The new dittoheads, you are all full of McCaca!

BTW, "McCaca" is what plops out when McCain loses his temper for the cameras...

Who vetted the vetters of the vetters? How silly does this stuff get? Is this any way to sell newspapers?

Oh how funny,so this must be part of that
phony Barack Hussein Obama's "Change We
Can Believe In" hard at work here,and even
more proof of Obama's repeated poor judgement and arrogance,since all that this
Barack Hussein Obama is just another Member
of The Corrupt Chicago Democrat Political
Machine and Charter Member of Mad Madame
Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer and Harry Reid
"Democratic Party Culture Of Corruption"
and all you Obamafools want to elect this
fraud and phony crook Obama President?

Who cares? I think it is a cautionary tale to Obama that he needs to vet his people better. It becomes one more thing on the check list for his campaign staff to look at.

He looks a little weak, a little inexperienced, but McCain is suffering similar campaign growing pains. Obama has shown the capacity to keep moving and I think that will happen here as well. This won't be an issue in a couple of days.

Posted by: Chuck | June 11, 2008 11:51 PM

Well said. I agree completely. Unfortunately I don't have "scrivener" praying for me, so, I am doomed to the eternal hell fire.

this is not newsworthy at all...just inside baseball by a bunch of dc journalists who see this as a big deal. in the real world. this matters so little it's unbelievable. jim who?

Take a look at the WSJ poll today to see how concerned Obama needs to be about Johnson. Republicans can gin up the SBVT nonsense again if they want (altho with their fundraising going south I'm not sure who's going to foot the bill for the 527 ads this time)but enuf voters in BOTH parties are just plain flat out sick of the right wing and the neo-cons and high gasoline, and dead soldiers, and jobs disappearing. Aside from a few "hardworking WHITE voters" in the backwater, most everybody who can read is going to vote for Obama, and for the other Democrats running for Senate and House seats.

The biggest problem will be how the media keeps the contest close enuf to keep an audience interested in their 24 hour non-stop political coverage. Its gonna be a landslide, just like Murdoch predicted.

"Chuck" --

My dream is that people like you redeem yourselves before it's too late. I will be praying for you.

Have a nice day.

To have Barry-O flip off questions about Johnson with his 'vet the vetters" and then accept Johnson's resignation the next day is, at the very least, political ineptitude. News reports are the Obama insiders are furious that Johnson did not reveal his ties to Countrywide - although those ties would've been easily discovered if they'd looked at Johnson's time at Fannie Mae.
Yes, the vetters need to be vetted, Senator O. And the American people, along with the non-swooning media, will vet you.
Not paid for by a Hillary Clinton supporter who chooses to follow her lead and support the Democratic nominee in November.

THE "PRESUMPTIVE" NOMINEE MAY NOT BE THE NOMINEE...

* The Johnson cave-in and Carville's endorsement of Al Gore for VP
hint of a secret plan to deny Obama the nomination *

** Johnson was a key aide to Gore, remember.. **

Obama is not the nominee. He is the "presumptive" nominee.

If more Congressional Democrats distance themselves from Obama, that increases the possibility that Hillary Clinton could decide at the convention to withdraw her endorsement of Obama... throwing the nomination to Al Gore on the second or third ballot.

Why did James Carville say that Obama should pick Gore as his veepee? Because he wants to portray Obama as weak, unable to carry the weight himself.

These are the stirrings of a quiet "Draft Gore" movement that could end up with Hillary Clinton on the Supreme Court in a Gore Administration... and Barack Obama back in the Senate, wishing he had been content with the number two slot on the ticket -- instead of arrogantly insisting on the top job after only three years on the national scene.

Don't think for a minute that Hillary has left the theater; she's directing from the wings...

scrivener - do you live in a parallel universe where what you wish becomes reality? Pleasant dreams. :)

Who cares? I think it is a cautionary tale to Obama that he needs to vet his people better. It becomes one more thing on the check list for his campaign staff to look at.

He looks a little weak, a little inexperienced, but McCain is suffering similar campaign growing pains. Obama has shown the capacity to keep moving and I think that will happen here as well. This won't be an issue in a couple of days.

THE "PRESUMTIVE" NOMINEE MAY NOT BE THE NOMINEE...

* The Johnson cave-in and Carville's endorsement of Al Gore for VP hint of a secret plan to deny Obama the nomination *

** Johnson was a key aide to Gore, remember.. **

Obama is not the nominee. He is the "presumptive" nominee.

If more Congressional Democrats distance themselves from Obama, that increases the possibility that Hillary Clinton could decide at the convention to withdraw her endorsement of Obama... throwing the nomination to Al Gore on the second or third ballot.

Why did James Carville say that Obama should pick Gore as his veepee? Because he wants to portray Obama as weak, unable to carry the weight himself.

These are the stirrings of a quiet "Draft Gore" movement that could end up with Hillary Clinton on the Supreme Court in a Gore Administration... and Barack Obama back in the Senate, wishing he had been content with the number two slot on the ticket -- instead of arrogantly insisting on the top job after only three years on the national scene.

Don't think for a minute that Hillary has left the theater; she's directing from the wings...

Obama got unlimited mileage out of his astounding, hyper-intelligent, unbelievably foresighted opposition to the war in Iraq - which, it turns out, was the same as the opinion of virtually 100% of the voters in his State Senate district in Chicago. Now this master of judgment has to make actual decisions, and - guess what? He'll make them as the plain, ordinary politician that he is. My guess is he will lose in November, and the Dems will well deserve the third Bush term they get.

Posted by: | June 11, 2008 11:03 PM

My goodness. You must feel very passionately for Bush/ MCCain with your CAPS and double posting.

I guess I should have used caps to emphasize the words "bills that have proven of universal worth to our country that Bush and McCain have passed". Never the less let's examine what you are offering as evidence:

Apr 17, 2008 S. 2890: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a highway fuel tax holiday.

Yes, because nothing helps $4.50 a gallon like an .18 rebate that further guts the funding of our decaying infastructure

Oct 16, 2007 S. 2172: Saffron Revolution Support Act of 2007

Never liked the spice. Good example though. Are you happy with it?

Jul 30, 2007 S. 1900: A bill to authorize appropriations for the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.

How about just enforce the Clean Air and Water act and New Source Review that has been on the books for 35 years!

Mar 21, 2007 S. 952: A bill to amend the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to provide funds for training in tribal leadership, management, and policy, and for other purposes.

Okay, a bit wordy but maybe they actually meant well here.

Mar 1, 2007 S. 744: SAVE LIVES Act

Wow, did it work? I hope they saved the right lives

Sep 17, 2007 S. 722: Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2007

I've always loved that canyon and wondered why no President was bold enough to study it.

Feb 16, 2007 S. 663: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the statutory designation of beneficiaries of the $100,000 death gratuity under section 1477 of title 10, United States Code, and to permit members of the Armed Forces to designate in writing their beneficiaries of choice in the event of their death while serving on active duty.

What if they come home alive with PTSD and want government to pay for a college education?

Feb 8, 2007 S. 531: A bill to repeal section 10(f) of Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the "Bennett Freeze".

Which mean..???

Feb 7, 2007 S. 519: SAFE Act of 2007

Wow it sure sounds safe. One question. From what?

Feb 1, 2007 S. 478: Federal Election Administration Act of 2007

Didn't McCain take public funding after his campaign was broke?

Jan 31, 2007 S. 463: 527 Reform Act of 2007

Bold. What did they reform? Do you know?

Jan 17, 2007 S. 327: Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act

Really? you included this?

Jan 4, 2007 S. 192: Lobbying, Ethics, and Earmarks Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007

Did Jack Abranoff advise on this one?

Jan 4, 2007 S. 166: Cell Phone Tax Moratorium Act of 2007

Do you wan that in nickles or dimes?

Jan 4, 2007 S. 85: Indian Tribes Methamphetamine Reduction Grants Act of 2007

Really? You included this?

Mar 1, 2007 S. 84: Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2007

This too?

Jan 4, 2007 S. 83: Rail Security Act of 2007

Becasue they never though to address this until 6 years after 9/11.

May 22, 2007 S. 32: Defense Acquisition Reform Act of 2007

Feb 5, 2007 S.Res. 70: Iraq War Policy resolution

Lord knows what this means, except we stay until,uhh, well, we just stay. Our kids aren't going over there.

Haha...fun to see Obamabots squirm and plead for fairness and objectivity, now that the tables are turned, and McCain is doing to Obama what Obama did to Hillary.

Sorry, sweeties, the media's first love was always the Straight Talk Express. Obama was but a fleeting fancy.

Keep up the attack, Big Mac! And keep up the weak, defensive, incoherent handwringing, Bro!

I think this was a smart move of Obama, though it would have been smarter to have never worked with Jim Johnson in the first place. Obama is learning from the mistakes the Reverend Wright scandal(s) taught him and decided to nip this in the bud before it was too late. Do I think Obama is perfect? No, but at least he is willing to admit mistakes and learn unlike John McCain who is establishing lobbying policies while lobbyists such as Culvahouse, who is McCain's VP vetter, make up a good portion of his campaign.

Swalker...Are you so rabidly against Bush that you think HE's RUNNING AGAINST Obama???? John McCain differs frokm Bush on Extending Unemployment benefits, global warming, campaign finance reform,stem cell research, earmark spending, etc. Senator McCain (the 110th Congress) is responsible for :
Apr 17, 2008 S. 2890: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a highway fuel tax holiday.

Oct 16, 2007 S. 2172: Saffron Revolution Support Act of 2007
Jul 30, 2007 S. 1900: A bill to authorize appropriations for the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
Mar 21, 2007 S. 952: A bill to amend the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to provide funds for training in tribal leadership, management, and policy, and for other purposes.
Mar 1, 2007 S. 744: SAVE LIVES Act

Sep 17, 2007 S. 722: Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2007

Feb 16, 2007 S. 663: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the statutory designation of beneficiaries of the $100,000 death gratuity under section 1477 of title 10, United States Code, and to permit members of the Armed Forces to designate in writing their beneficiaries of choice in the event of their death while serving on active duty.

Feb 8, 2007 S. 531: A bill to repeal section 10(f) of Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the "Bennett Freeze".

Feb 7, 2007 S. 519: SAFE Act of 2007
Feb 1, 2007 S. 478: Federal Election Administration Act of 2007

Jan 31, 2007 S. 463: 527 Reform Act of 2007

Jan 17, 2007 S. 327: Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act

Jan 4, 2007 S. 192: Lobbying, Ethics, and Earmarks Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 166: Cell Phone Tax Moratorium Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 85: Indian Tribes Methamphetamine Reduction Grants Act of 2007
Mar 1, 2007 S. 84: Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2007
Jan 4, 2007 S. 83: Rail Security Act of 2007
May 22, 2007 S. 32: Defense Acquisition Reform Act of 2007
Feb 5, 2007 S.Res. 70: Iraq War Policy resolution .

In a week, no one will remember this. It must have been a slow news days.

Obama and anybody but Hillary in '08

Swalker...Are you so rabidly against Bush that you think HE's RUNNING AGAINST Obama???? John McCain differs frokm Bush on Extending Unemployment benefits, global warming, campaign finance reform,stem cell research, earmark spending, etc. Senator McCain (the 110th Congress) is responsible for :
Apr 17, 2008 S. 2890: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a highway fuel tax holiday.

Oct 16, 2007 S. 2172: Saffron Revolution Support Act of 2007
Jul 30, 2007 S. 1900: A bill to authorize appropriations for the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
Mar 21, 2007 S. 952: A bill to amend the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to provide funds for training in tribal leadership, management, and policy, and for other purposes.
Mar 1, 2007 S. 744: SAVE LIVES Act

Sep 17, 2007 S. 722: Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2007

Feb 16, 2007 S. 663: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the statutory designation of beneficiaries of the $100,000 death gratuity under section 1477 of title 10, United States Code, and to permit members of the Armed Forces to designate in writing their beneficiaries of choice in the event of their death while serving on active duty.

Feb 8, 2007 S. 531: A bill to repeal section 10(f) of Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the "Bennett Freeze".

Feb 7, 2007 S. 519: SAFE Act of 2007
Feb 1, 2007 S. 478: Federal Election Administration Act of 2007

Jan 31, 2007 S. 463: 527 Reform Act of 2007

Jan 17, 2007 S. 327: Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act

Jan 4, 2007 S. 192: Lobbying, Ethics, and Earmarks Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 166: Cell Phone Tax Moratorium Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 85: Indian Tribes Methamphetamine Reduction Grants Act of 2007
Mar 1, 2007 S. 84: Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2007
Jan 4, 2007 S. 83: Rail Security Act of 2007
May 22, 2007 S. 32: Defense Acquisition Reform Act of 2007
Feb 5, 2007 S.Res. 70: Iraq War Policy resolution

Swalker...Are you so rabidly against Bush that you think HE's RUNNING AGAINST Obama???? John McCain differs frokm Bush on Extending Unemployment benefits, global warming, campaign finance reform,stem cell research, earmark spending, etc. Senator McCain (the 110th Congress) is responsible for :
Apr 17, 2008 S. 2890: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a highway fuel tax holiday.

Oct 16, 2007 S. 2172: Saffron Revolution Support Act of 2007
Jul 30, 2007 S. 1900: A bill to authorize appropriations for the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
Mar 21, 2007 S. 952: A bill to amend the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental and Native American Public Policy Act of 1992 to provide funds for training in tribal leadership, management, and policy, and for other purposes.
Mar 1, 2007 S. 744: SAVE LIVES Act

Sep 17, 2007 S. 722: Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2007

Feb 16, 2007 S. 663: A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the statutory designation of beneficiaries of the $100,000 death gratuity under section 1477 of title 10, United States Code, and to permit members of the Armed Forces to designate in writing their beneficiaries of choice in the event of their death while serving on active duty.

Feb 8, 2007 S. 531: A bill to repeal section 10(f) of Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the "Bennett Freeze".

Feb 7, 2007 S. 519: SAFE Act of 2007
Feb 1, 2007 S. 478: Federal Election Administration Act of 2007

Jan 31, 2007 S. 463: 527 Reform Act of 2007

Jan 17, 2007 S. 327: Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act

Jan 4, 2007 S. 192: Lobbying, Ethics, and Earmarks Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 166: Cell Phone Tax Moratorium Act of 2007

Jan 4, 2007 S. 85: Indian Tribes Methamphetamine Reduction Grants Act of 2007
Mar 1, 2007 S. 84: Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2007
Jan 4, 2007 S. 83: Rail Security Act of 2007
May 22, 2007 S. 32: Defense Acquisition Reform Act of 2007
Feb 5, 2007 S.Res. 70: Iraq War Policy resolution

As a white male it is of no concern to me if McCain is elected President. He will watch out for me; he will protect my investments; he will keep my taxes low; and he will protect the life of the unborn. What more could I ask for!

Posted by: More McCain | June 11, 2008 10:50 PM

A dollar that continues to lose value, diminishing the buying power of your paycheck. This is what happens when you continue to cut taxes during a war.

"Enter the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their methods, effectively raised questions about the validity of Kerry's service and, in doing so, sparked broader questions about whether the Massachusetts senator was who he said he was."

There, in a nutshell, is the problem. Mr. Cillizza either uses words and phrases carelessly, with severe damage to truth and decency or he is practicing split-the-difference journalism, with the same sad consequences.

"[The swiftboaters] effectively raised questions about the validity of Kerry's service,"

Mr. Kerry's service has been examined under the most powerful political microscopes Republican money can buy and it has withstood all credible assaults. It is incumbent upon Mr. Cillizza to know the result without reasonable doubt by now. Is Mr. Kerry's service questionable? Yes or no? Only if Mr. Cillizza concurs with the Swiftboaters can he honestly make the statement he makes above about the effectiveness of the Swiftboaters deed. If he found Mr. Kerry's service honorable, he committed a serious judgmental error by elevating, with the words he chose, a dastardly calumny spread by a remorseless cabal to the level of legitimate political discourse. Whatever effectiveness the Swiftboters enloyed is the direct consequence of journalists like Mr. Cillizza averaging truth and falsehood and indiscrimminately coming up with a half-truth. The media failed the American democracy by failing to recognize these cut-throat mercenaries bankrolled by shadowy sugar daddies on the fringe right for what they were and warning the public.

As a white male it is of no concern to me if McCain is elected President. He will watch out for me; he will protect my investments; he will keep my taxes low; and he will protect the life of the unborn. What more could I ask for!

Anonymous @10:43-
Oprah would have gotten 1.5 million votes with similar accomplishments...popularity and great oratory may be the achievements YOU worship, not me.

Scott,

I dare you to list 1 or even 2 other bills that have proven of universal worth to our country that this President has passed in the time Obama has been a U.S. Senator.

Your postings have gone out of the way to suggest that Obama is an empty suit, who gives speeches but opts out of the hard work. I offered you examples to the contrary. Please, offer me yours.

The problem with the likes of Aspergirl and LynnE is that they spent so much time on posts attacking Obama that they failed to volunteer to help Hillary. Now she lost and they still can't figure it out.

Winning means knocking on doors, passing out literature, working the phones and sending donations.

You don't win if like Aspergirl and LynnE you only spend your time sitting on one's ever expanding posterior and do nothing but post hour after hour. No one bothers reading the garbage they send out.

Swalker, so I missed a provision...BUT thanks for confirming only ONE bill passed into law...as I was saying, not very impressive...certainly not presidential material....he should come back after another term or two, step aside and let someone more qualified, like Joe Biden run...oh, I'm sorry you 18 million want to cheer with Oprah in the big stadia, fainting at the mere mention of the name....Joe is not "a genius" at oratory and THAT's what's important!

Big Red Cornhusker- Please take up the challenge that Allen left unanswered: He wasn't elected by the people of Illinois to make stadium speeches and get nominated to run for President...he was elected to REPRESENT THEM...so, again I ask...given nearly 2 years in the Senate what has Obama achieved except to "change" how Senators lunch? At that rate, a 4 year presidency should be enough time to run for reelection. Great oratory and acting is not enough. He's a "genius" at getting nominated for a position for which he has NO qualifications...I hate to be trite, but I'm beginning to like the increasingly repeated phrase "NObama".

Posted by: Scott | June 11, 2008 10:27 PM
*************************

Scott --- I think that Allen has answered your question---but there is something that I might add.

The good Democratic voters of Illinois -- a group of Americans for whom you obviously have a lott of affection and great concern --- chose to vote for Obama in the Illinios Democratic Presidential Primary as follows:

Total votes -
Obama 1,301,954 65% Clinton 662,845 33%

So ....Scott, apparently the voters of Illinois think that having Obama as President of the United States of America is a very good thing. Maybe he will represent them while he is representing you and the rest of us.

Swalker, so I missed a provision...vut thanks for confirming only one bill passed into law...as I was saying, not very impressive...certainly not presidential material....he should come back after another term or two, step aside and let someone more qualified, like Joe Biden run...oh, I'm sorry you 18 million want to cheer with Oprah in the big stadia, fainting at the mere mention of the name....Joe is not "a genius" at oratory and THAT's what's important!

He did the right thing.

After all, who vets the vetter of the vetter's vetter? This kind of thing is bound to come up and a true leader has to cut the dead weight -- something Republicans rarely do to the detriment of
Americans and freedom-loving people everywhere.

The racists, the Klanners, the sinfully rich and the rest of the "dirty thirty" percent who would vote for Charles Manson if he were on the Republican ticket are going to say what they say. And they seem to say it over and over again.

Non-issue, here. It doesn't compare the the colossal collapse of conservatism we are now witnessing.

Big Red Cornhusker- Please take up the challenge that Allen left unanswered: He wasn't elected by the people of Illinois to make stadium speeches and get nominated to run for President...he was elected to REPRESENT THEM...so, again I ask...given nearly 2 years in the Senate what has Obama achieved ....i.

Posted by: | June 11, 2008 10:25 PM

Again here is a partial list of bills sponsored by the Senator from Illinois:

The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction.

Introduced by Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Lugar and Sen. Tom Coburn.
First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, this bill expanded upon the successful Nunn-Lugar threat reduction, which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.
Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons -- including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines. When the bill received $48 million in funding, Obama said, "This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism."

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006

This act of Congress, introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn, required the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds in FY2007.
Despite a "secret hold" on this bill by Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd, the act passed into law and was signed by President Bush. The act had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain.
The act created this Web site, which provides citizens with valuable information about government-funded programs.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act

This law helped specify US policy toward the Congo, and states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the African nation.
The bill marked the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. Following this legislation's passage, Obama toured Africa, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. He spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act

In the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama worked with Sen. Russ Feingold to pass this law, which amends and strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Specificially, the changes made by Obama and Feingold requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.
The House passed the bill, 411-8, on July 31. The Senate approved it, 83-14, on Aug. 2. At the time, Obama called it "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate."

Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

Following the Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics seen in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterm elections, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce this bill.
The bill has been referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Obama said of the bill, "This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished."

The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill

The Obama-McCain bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008.
Explaining the bill, Obama said it reflects his view that the problems in Iraq do not have a military solution. "Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war," Obama said.

Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill

Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the Pentagon's use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
This provision would add additional safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries.
"With thousands of American service members suffering day in and day out from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon has improperly diagnosed and discharged service members with personality disorders are deeply disturbing," said Senator Obama. "This provision will add additional safeguards to the Department of Defense's use of this discharge and mandate a comprehensive review of these policies."

The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision

Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision, which would require the president to develop a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose.
A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill
"It is imperative that we build and sustain a truly global effort under an aggressive timeline to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material to keep them out of the wrong hands. The comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan required by this provision is an important step in that effort," Obama said of the provision

Big Red Cornhusker- Please take up the challenge that Allen left unanswered: He wasn't elected by the people of Illinois to make stadium speeches and get nominated to run for President...he was elected to REPRESENT THEM...so, again I ask...given nearly 2 years in the Senate what has Obama achieved except to "change" how Senators lunch? At that rate, a 4 year presidency should be enough time to run for reelection. Great oratory and acting is not enough. He's a "genius" at getting nominated for a position for which he has NO qualifications...I hate to be trite, but I'm beginning to like the increasingly repeated phrase "NObama".

Nevertheless, 17 million idiots (one million fewer people than for CLinton) fell for it, so there must be something to it.

Posted by: intcamd1 | June 11, 2008 10:14 PM

Please, explain the matrix (or provide me the link) by which you are claiming Clinton received 18 million votes AND received more votes than Obama?

Big Red Cornhusker- Please take up the challenge that Allen left unanswered: He wasn't elected by the people of Illinois to make stadium speeches and get nominated to run for President...he was elected to REPRESENT THEM...so, again I ask...given nearly 2 years in the Senate what has Obama achieved except to "change" how Senators lunch? At that rate, a 4 year presidency should be enough time to run for reelection. Great oratory and acting is not enough. He's a "genius" at getting nominated for a position for which he has NO qualifications...I hate to be trite, but I'm beginning to like the increasingly repeated phrase "NObama".

Allen, he voted "present" over 100 times in the Illinois Senate and in his nearly 2 years in the UNITED STATES Senate what has he done to distinguish himself????????????

Posted by: Scott | June 11, 2008 9:49 PM ***********************

He voted "Present" 130 times during his entire tenure in the Illinios legislature --OUT OF over 4,000 votes.

What he's done since then is to take on the biggest political dynasty in the last half-century - replete with a former President and THE Democratic Brand name - and through organization and a brilliantly conceived and executed political campaign strategy- positioned himself to be the next President of the United States.

Not bad for an African-American with the improbable name of Barack Obama.

But, then - he's a genius -- as we will all soon witness and thoroughly enjoy.

God Bless America.

When it was Clinton versus Obama,
Obama was the media darling and therefore his issues were minimized and everything she did was magnified and vilified.

Now the contestants have changed.

The answer to your question Chris will likely depend on who is now the more favored of these two media darlings.

Reality matters only when it is obvious.

Here the media will drive the story as either a sign of showing good judgment or as a chip in the armor. IT will be interesting to see which way the media goes. The Obama people better be ready if they are no longer the media darlings.
They may start to see those Saturday Night Live skits in a brand new light.

NObama is all about name calling, presenting complex matters as simplistic one liners, and treating voters as idiots.

All this while he goes around telling people he is a different kind of politician.

For instance, McCain is Bush's 3rd term. McCain wants to be in Iraq for 100 years. Hillary is old politics. The only way companies make money in this country is by being corrupt, hiring lobbyists, and cheating commong people off their money.

Hmm, this is a new kind of politics?

Nevertheless, 17 million idiots (one million fewer people than for CLinton) fell for it, so there must be something to it.

Allen, he voted "present" over 100 times in the Illinois Senate and in his nearly 2 years in the UNITED STATES Senate what has he done to distinguish himself????????????
I'm waiting....tap....tap....Oh, his "NO SITTING AS YOU LOBBY" Ethics bill...WOW
He's "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". Oh, I forgot, Harvard Law Review....do you know how can you tell when a lawyer's lying?....when you see his
lips moving!

Posted by: Scott | June 11, 2008 9:49 PM

Sorry if someone kept you waiting. Here's a short list of the bills Obama sponsored as a Unites States Senator:

The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction.
Introduced by Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Lugar and Sen. Tom Coburn.

First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, this bill expanded upon the successful Nunn-Lugar threat reduction, which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.

Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons -- including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines. When the bill received $48 million in funding, Obama said, "This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism."

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
This act of Congress, introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn, required the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds in FY2007.

Despite a "secret hold" on this bill by Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd, the act passed into law and was signed by President Bush. The act had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain.

The act created this Web site, which provides citizens with valuable information about government-funded programs.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act

This law helped specify US policy toward the Congo, and states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the African nation.

The bill marked the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. Following this legislation's passage, Obama toured Africa, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. He spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
In the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama worked with Sen. Russ Feingold to pass this law, which amends and strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

Specificially, the changes made by Obama and Feingold requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.

The House passed the bill, 411-8, on July 31. The Senate approved it, 83-14, on Aug. 2. At the time, Obama called it "the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate."

Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act
Following the Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics seen in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterm elections, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce this bill.

The bill has been referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Obama said of the bill, "This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished."

The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill
The Obama-McCain bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007
Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008.

Explaining the bill, Obama said it reflects his view that the problems in Iraq do not have a military solution. "Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war," Obama said.

Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill
Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the Pentagon's use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill.

This provision would add additional safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries.

"With thousands of American service members suffering day in and day out from the less visible wounds of war, reports that the Pentagon has improperly diagnosed and discharged service members with personality disorders are deeply disturbing," said Senator Obama. "This provision will add additional safeguards to the Department of Defense's use of this discharge and mandate a comprehensive review of these policies."

The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision
Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision, which would require the president to develop a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose.

A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

"It is imperative that we build and sustain a truly global effort under an aggressive timeline to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material to keep them out of the wrong hands. The comprehensive nuclear threat reduction plan required by this provision is an important step in that effort," Obama said of the provision.

Debra - if you are truly a 50something attorney, you have the poorest writing skills of any experienced attorney I've ever known. Are you sure you're not really an otherwise unemployed paid Obama blogger?

Posted by: Lynn
************************

Lynn? Lynn, is that you. My God, why don't you get a life already? God, are you actually being paid by trollsforMcCain.com? Honey, we worry about you - have you really gone in league with Aspergirl? I hear she is thick as two planks. When are you going to get a real job?

BTW, sweetie - we are voting for Obama.

I think Phil Gramm and Charlie Black are WAY more worrisome. The only difference is that WaPo would never do front page articles on either of them. The only reason this is news is because WaPo and people like you choose to make it news.

What is worth remarking is that you wrote an article implying Obama is weak because Johnson chose to resign. Gee, I don't remember your article asking if McCain was weak and hurting his campaign by asking lobbyist staff to resign after receiving considerable criticism. You include it as a parenthetical, and act as if keeping Charlie Black is a sign of strength. To me it shows how desperately in the tank McCain is with lobbyists--he can't afford to get rid of them all. he would have no way to raise funds then. Obama didn't respond to media pressure, he defended Johnson, didn't ask for him to resign. But the media can't give up one of their favorite memes-- Democrats are weak.

AsperGirl,
You are one hell of a brave outspoken woman. Please do not let anyone bully you out of the forum.We look for your name and your insighful comments.We appreciate you taking the time to debate Obama supporters who happened to be under the spell. You speak up for all of us Senator Clinton supporters! Thank you !

Posted by: CVO |
******************************
Actually, I changed my mind. I think Aspergirl is a total moron and bully who should stop drunk posting lies. She doesn't speak for me and I wish she would sew her mouth shut. Right after she gets off her lazy butt and fixes her man a meal unless she wants him to leave her and force her to go into the real world and work.

Wow, that felt good to change my mind!

Jaleh, US Patent Holder, Summa Cum Laude Graduate....and Yes, I have a very nice job, Thank You...You? You obviously need to believe in the Emperor's New Clothes, hoping you'll hit the lottery.

Someone should really pull Michelle Obama aside and explain the finer points of class and decorum. She has this habit of eating with her mouth open and throw around the term "whitey". People in America will not want woman like this in the WHite House.

Posted by: Sandy
************************
Sandy...honey...the only person with her mouth open here is you. Really, take the GOP smear hook out of it and stop repeating lies. You are embarassing yourself.

Scott,
You obviously HATE Obama...I wonder how old you are and what YOU have done in your life to sit there and judge eighteen million people who voted for Obama. Your comments are offensive. Don't bother to answer this because I am leaving this blog to go to work, unlike you who probably does not work and is paid by fox to troll here....Your comments do not make sense at all.

Aspergirl,
You go girl! You really touch nerves, that's good. Obama should bring back Samantha Power to tell all voters who don't like Obama, Monsters! That should bring them back to the fold. They love abuse like that. Hillary wasn't lying about the sniper fire. Bosnia was code for the forced political cleansing going on right here in the USA. We're either for Obama or against him and his followers intend to get us because he is so good. The firing of Johnson who is probably "not the man he knew." Proves that.

Posted by: Lynn E
**************
ahhh, Aspergirl and Lynn E (visited NY Times board yet? Or did they get tired of you there, too?) - it is like idiots in stereo.

Cling to this like saran wrap - 'cause McCain's crew is the tip of the iceberg waiting to smash his "maverick" image. You just don't get it, do ya?

Chris:
With a headline like that, what do you expect? Why one person resigning would be an indication of weekness???How many people in McCain, Clinton AND Obama camps have resigned already?...if you don't know it, then you should. You people in the media are the cause of ALL of our problems and it's depressing that nothing has changed even after what you have done to the country in the last seven years.

Allen, he voted "present" over 100 times in the Illinois Senate and in his nearly 2 years in the UNITED STATES Senate what has he done to distinguish himself????????????
I'm waiting....tap....tap....Oh, his "NO SITTING AS YOU LOBBY" Ethics bill...WOW
He's "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". Oh, I forgot, Harvard Law Review....do you know how can you tell when a lawyer's lying?....when you see his
lips moving!

Sometimes when you are choosing folks to help out in the initial stages of a major transition within a political campaign -- a candidate might reach out to respected members of the community and ask for their help. That was the case with Obama and Jim Johnson.

Make no mistake -- Johnson is a respected member of the community -- he is under no cloud -- and he served the in the same vetting role for previous Democratic nominees.

Nonetheless, Obama is responsible for these choices -- and, if it turns out that his choice for a job received two home loans several years ago from the largest mortgage company in the United States and these loans carried with them some good interest rate (no one knows what the rate was/is), it does not matter that the entire transaction was legal and above board.

Further, it does not matter that the loans were made AFTER (3 years after) the person left a job in which his organization had a financial relationship with the mortgage company -- in other words there was absolutely no ethical conflict of interest with regard to public trust --- the loan recipient no longer worked for the company he once headed up.

Nor, does it matter that no laws were broken nor any money lost. And it does not matter that these legal business transactions took place several years ago.

What matters is that the Wall Street journal insinuated that there might be a story ---and the Republicans - sensing that they are going to be ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED in the upcoming general election -- immediately grasped at this string and began to pull.

The Republicans will do anything to distract the American voters from yet another enormous foreign policy/defense gaffe by their bumbling, stumbling old, old candidate - who is still a hero even though his diminished mental capacity is becoming more evident every time he opens his mouth.

Yes - what matters is that the Republicans used the non-story as cover to divert voters attention away from the biggest and most tragic disaster they have suffered as a political party -- the exposure of John McCain as a foreign policy/defense policy buffoon.

And ---- What matters also, is that Obama wanted to clear the Johnson matter away so that the American voters could have an unobstructed view of the Old Warrior - (God Bless Him) committing slow-motion political suicide in front an entire world.

- 30 -

In reality, Senator Obama has served eight years in the Illinois State senate, was a lecturer of constitutional law at University of Chicago, he was a community organizer in Chicago, he was a president for the Harvard Law Review, and was elected to the National Senate in November 2004 with 70% of the vote. That's impressive enough for me. And he wrote two best selling books and won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2006. Just look it up - it's all there. But besides all that, he's a kind-hearted family man with two daughters. You can learn more about this great guy and lawyer at www.barackobama.com. Vote Obama in 08!

Obama's supporters resort to sophmoric name calling (McBush, etc) because they are desperate to deflect out attention from the sheer arrogance of running for the highest office in the land with little accomplishment and experience and because they fear that in fact America Doesn't trust someone who at the same time he's "honoring" (what does that mean anyway if in the next breath you're attacking the person you claim to be honoring?) our men in uniform, "honors" WILLIAM AYRES, a self proclaimed terrorist and fellow board member with his friendship!...that America doesn't trust someone who sits silently by while his wife and reverand proclaim their shame over the horrors of our greatest country in the world (with all of its faults), and who then throws his reverand of 20 years under the bus AFTER the fact, in order to get elected...that America doesn't trust a NOVICE who has served in the US senate less than 2 years, with only a measly ethics bill to show for it....by the way, the great accomplishment of this bill is that lobbyists and congressman can't be seated when they have lunch!... to be ready to run this country just because he says so so elequently. All the name calling in the world won't make us trust him....keep it up, hopefully it will make those who blindly trust him reevaluate.

Someone should really pull Michelle Obama aside and explain the finer points of class and decorum. She has this habit of eating with her mouth open and throw around the term "whitey". People in America will not want woman like this in the WHite House.

When one has very little to base one's decision on, such as under 2 years of national service and a bunch of well written speeches, one has to look elsewhere to find the true fire of a candidate...Sadly, the Democratic Party gave us an image candidate rather than someone like Joe Biden, who has a true record of accomplishment that could be compared to John McCain's, for better or worse. Don't blame McCain supporters for resorting to associations, church affiliations, wife's speeches...WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE TO GO ON?...surely not the Hollywood script read from a teleprompter....once again, I'll say that there's no THERE there....and WHAT's there, like his close ties to terrorist William Ayres is some BAD smoke.

Perhaps McCain has "weathered the storm" in Washington, but the influence of lobbyists will continue to be a drain on his campaign until he removes them.

Acutally, if you pundits in Washington spent more time questioning him on such matters, we would see what he's really made of. Case in point, his VP selection committee is run by a lobbyist. But instead of calling him on his blatant hypocrisy, the Washington establishment does nothing. Fortunately for McCain, you guys and gals in Washington would rather write a story about how this Johnson thing is "sign of weakness" for Obama. All the while, McCain and his campaign of lobbyists just sit back and laugh, and he'll keep laughing his way all the way into the White House if you guys continue to let him display this unchecked hypocrisy. Then, a few months in, the Washington establishment will have an epiphany (like the did with the Iraq War) and realize that they should've asked him some tougher questions about his connections, credibility and coherence.

As a proud American, I don't want to go through that again. I still haven't figured out how they (Republicans) manage to consistently play the Washington press corps for fools. What's happened to the independence of journalists there? You guys have formed an air-tight echo chamber that thrives on their scurrilous attacks and your own hot air. Where are the unconventional analyses?

By the way, where are the corresponding articles about how having lobbyists onboard contradicts the "maverick" image McCain has supposedly established? Why doesn't that display a sign of weakness for him? Haven't seen anyone in MSM write anything about that. Why?

When one has very little to base one's decision on, such as under 2 years of national service and a bunch of well written speeches, one has to look elsewhere to find the true fire of a candidate...Sadly, the Democratic Party gave us an image candidate rather than someone like Joe Biden, who has a true record of accomplishment that could be compared to John McCain's, for better or worse. Don't blaim McCain supporters for resorting to associations, church affiliations, wife's speeches...WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE TO GO ON?...surely not the Hollywood script read from a teleprompter....once again, I'll say that there's no THERE there....and WHAT's there, like his close ties to terrorist William Ayres is some BAD smoke.

It's so sad that the ultra-conservatives on here are resorting to name-calling as their best kind of attack. As a supporter of Senator Obama, we're still unified with him! You can join up too - it's not too late to take a stand against McCareless McCain. So get involved with the local Democrats groups in your county and help to register voters in your town. Or if you have some extra money to spare, donate some dollars at www.barackobama.com so we can crush McCain in November! Vote Obama!

Was n't NObama bragging all along that despite lack of any experience whatsoever, his judgement was superior, and the we should all bow before his elevayed judgement, defer to him, elect him, and move on?

His first real decision as the presumptive nominee, and he reverses it in 3 days? Hmm. SOme judgement, eh?

The most important thing the guy at the top, be it CEO, or President, does is to pick people. The Pres is not going to do everything, he does pick the best people to do the right jobs. The first man NObama picked already turned out to be a failure.

SO, he gives an order to leave Iraq on Jan 21, and on 23rd Jan, tells them back to go back in?

It is soooo gratifying to see the right wing thug attacks on NOBama and the NObama groupie gutter rats running for cover.

FOr over a year, the NObama supporting gutter rats pilloried, vilified, race carded, and what ever else they could, to slam Sen Clinton, and the press went along with it. The left wing thugs actively participated in the public stoning of the Clintons, while the right leaning ones either watched from the side lines, or once in a while, threw a stone themselves, for entertainment.

Now the ball game has moved to the general lection. Of course, the right wingers are taking dead aim at NObama, as we Clinton suppoters said they would. And NObama with his glass chin, can't take them, so he is fighting back with his own advisors, firing them, disowning them, whatever, just so he can buy some time, until the next attack comes.

And the Repugs have not even started seriously. No real swift boat attacks yet. They are coming though.

Serves them right. As Nobama gets bloodied up, as the vaunted "bipartisanship, new kind of politics, whatever other fancy name he comes up with" all but evaporates, you NObama groupies, pls don't come begging us for help. Half of us will either sit out or write Hillary's name, and the other half will likely vote McCain.

Onto 2012.

Right, so a guy removes himself from the process in order to allow the process to do what it is designed to do and you make an issue of it .... The silly season

Anonomous said -

I'm a Democrat ... a military veteran ... college educated ... and a Black man. I supported Hillary vigorously throughout the primary season and, with her departure fro