JG-TC.com > Opinion > LETTER: Ask important questions in this election

TODAY'S HEADLINES

SPECIAL SECTION

ONLINE POLL

ONLINE EXTRAS

SITE TOOLS

OTHER LINKS

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 9:08 PM CDT
LETTER: Ask important questions in this election

By PEGGY BRAYFIELD, Charleston

“Should Sarah Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy be an issue in this election? Place your vote online . . . “

Both candidates have already said it is “off limits” as an election issue, as far as they are concerned. No one of any consequence, that I have heard of, ever said it should be. So why is this newspaper still agitating this non-issue?

There are important questions we need to raise with the McCain campaign and Gov. Palin, in order to determine whether she is well-qualified to be just a heart-beat away from becoming our president. None of these questions are about her daughter, so let’s let the poor girl have a little privacy.

Let’s ask the important questions, and expect more convincing answers than we have received so far.

For starters, let’s throw out the claim that Palin strengthens the ticket because “she’s the only one on either ticket with executive experience.” John McCain is not going to ask her advice as to his executive functions.

Furthermore, a quick review of the list of American presidents shows that roughly half of them came to office via Congress or otherwise, without having held any executive office. To name only a few, Washington, Adams, Madison, J.Q. Adams, Jackson, Hoover, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, George H. W. Bush and, oh yes, that great Republican, Lincoln.

I think we can also discount the idea that her authority over the National Guard is “Commander-in-Chief” experience, or that the proximity of Alaska to Russia gives her foreign policy expertise. These responses are insulting to the voters who want to evaluate her credentials.

Perhaps readers will want to write in what they think are the important questions we should ask McCain and Palin regarding her record and qualification, and then try to get those questions answered so we can make an informed evaluation.

Just a month or so ago, McCain’s advantage was said to be that he is wiser and has better judgment than his less experienced opponent, and that this amounts to a national security issue in these dangerous times. He must realize that one out of three vice presidents have ended up having to finish out the term of the elected president. Does he think he has chosen the best running mate to fulfill that role, in case it should be necessary? Do WE think so?

Let’s ask the important questions. Nobody thinks Palin’s daughter’s problems are relevant.

Add your comments

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login? (requires cookies)
	Forgot Your Password?

Not already registered?
Then click Here.

Comment policy:

JG-TC.com encourages readers to engage in civil conversation with their neighbors. Comments that are submitted are not posted to the site immediately. They go into a queue to be moderated and may take several hours to be reviewed. Comments posted on Saturday may not be reviewed until Sunday afternoon.

In order to keep the page a set width, long lines (mostly long links) will be chopped. Try putting spaces in your links or consider using tinyurl.com to make a smaller link that you can include.

We will never edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to remove comments that violate our code of conduct.

No comment may contain:

* Potentially libelous statements; such as accusing somebody of a crime, defamation of character, or statements that can harm somebody's reputation.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults, threats, harassment or inciting violence.
* Commercial product promotions.

If you have any questions, please contact our moderator.

Rotty wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:32 AM:

" The political junkies believe where there's smoke, there must be fire, & if there isn't a fire, they're sure to stoke it until it becomes one worth fanning over.

It's amazing that some of the candidate's supporters are more concerned with tearing the opposition down, than factually supporting their own candidates.

I think most people see the person, not their party, & see their accomplishments, or lack there of, & can actually make an informed decision, but that still doesn't stop the constant bashing, or tryin to pull every little tid-bit out of every nook & cranny.

Thank goodness we have the freedom to speak our piece, & place our votes, for the one or those we believe will do the best job, & if we would learn to truely support that person or those people, maybe we would be better off in the end. "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 15, 2008 1:36 AM:

" I have a couple of questions of my own. 1. If executive experience is not important, then why is so much made of it? The media and those on the left seem to think it's of some importance. 2. I have no problem asking these questions of McCain and Palin. I just want the same questions asked of Obama/Biden, both of whom get a pass on a lot of things they have said, done or claimed to have said or done. Let's hold them all to the same standards. And sadly and amazingly, there are some who seem to think that her daughter's pregnancy is and or should be an issue. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:55 AM:

" She did an interview, and got pressed with questions, even when she side stepped them. Charlie was too hard on her, and was obviously biased for the way he questioned her. Thats what some of her groopies have been saying in interviews so far. One report has it that she has a croud of press on her plane now. We'll see how that works. Charlie Gibson spent more time talking to her than McCain did. We could ask him what he thinks, of McCains crackerjack prize of a pick.

I agree, she deserves a shot to make her case, but spreading everything but her case on thicker than peanutbutter, has me suspecting neither of them have value to add to their own campaign. So we just get what we get, and some people are fine with that.

Going into week three, she's still runnin that one speech on the stump. Left out the bridge thing, around home though, it likely made the paper once or twice when she was pushing for it. We can say she isn't a total dud, but back in the lower fourty-eight, she's right back out on that bridge. Which leads to even more questions on her motives to intentionally mislead. Something the ticket has a firm handle on.

I see more McCain adds on what Obama is suposedly for, than McCain ads or interviews saying what McCain is Planning other than change.

SNL, has a hit on their hands. I think McCain should have picked Tina Fay, playing Palin. She does it better than she does. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:56 AM:

" I think we can also discount the idea that her authority over the National Guard is Commander-in-Chief experience, or that the proximity of Alaska to Russia gives her foreign policy expertise. These responses are insulting to the voters who want to evaluate her credentials.

I too laughed when I heard the above comments from the McCain team for this candidate with such an extremely thin resume. Over the next several days, her inexperience will become more and more evident, however all that will do with the base is to make them more strident and shrill in her defense. The damage to the Republicans will come from the independents and the fence sitters, who will no doubt realize that she is not a good candidate to sit a heartbeat away from the president.

You're right, Peggy, the issue should not be all the multitude of personal scandals that surround her, but we should be focusing on her qualifications. "

gringa wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:34 AM:

" Although not the only criteria to weigh, a person's character surely is the most important measure of any presidential candidate. In terms of already proven character, John McCain wins this contest hands down.

Much has been postulated on McCain's age. Excluding JFK, the average life span of the last 8 presidents (going back to Truman) is 84 years of age. Two of these former presidents, of course, are still living: Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, both at age 84, are healthy and quite active in domestic and international affairs.

Senior Americans pay close attention to critical election issues and they tend to ignore the fluff coming from the MSM. When the MSM tries to paint McCain as *old and out of touch* simply because he doesn't use a computer keyboard, they automatically put the most powerful voting block in America (Senior Americans) on the defensive. American voters are finally beginning to peel away the liberal agenda of the so-called free press. "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:58 AM:

" Re experience:
Consider the president BEFORE Lincoln (do you remember him?) and the one AFTER Lincoln.
BOTH had GREATLY more experience in government than Lincoln.
But the next time you're in DC, walk to the west end of the National Mall and see which of the three is honored by a magnificent monument. "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:08 AM:

" Re Palin's fiscal management of Alaska:
Alaska is #1 in taxes/resident, 2.5 times the national average.
Palin said "yes please" to the Bridge to Nowhere until it became a political issue, then claims she said "No Thanks" all along.
Alaska is #1 in $ from the Federal govt.
It is 18th in Federal taxes paid/resident ($5,000) but #1 in Federal spending/resident ($14,000).
Are you pleased to learn that YOUR taxes are being paid to support Palin's Alaska?
======================================
I agree that the pregnancy should not be an issue EXCEPT abstinence is one of the principal items of Republican policy and we are spending millions of tax $ on "abstinence training", holding "abstinence swearing-in ceremonies", etc. If Palin cannot make a convincing argument to her own daughter on Republican policy, how can she do so to an entire nation, how can she successfully present US policy abroad? "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:23 AM:

" gringa wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:34 AM:

" Although not the only criteria to weigh, a person's character surely is the most important measure of any presidential candidate. In terms of already proven character, John McCain wins this contest hands down.

I guess infidelity is a character builder in some peoples eyes. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:18 PM:

" sarah palin's daughter shouldn't be an issue but the fact that she has a crappy record even as a mayor should, I think McCain picked her because he knew she would float in the media from that time until the election and heck if he wasn't right, doesn't matter if it is negative or positive it's getting covered and thats enough for his politics "

gringa wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:21 PM:

" Cognitus: Alaska is #1 in $ from the Federal govt. It is 18th in Federal taxes paid/resident ($5,000) but #1 in Federal spending/resident ($14,000).
Are you pleased to learn that YOUR taxes are being paid to support Palin's Alaska?

I guess that just means that Alaska's US Senators and US Representatives are doing an excellent job of bringing federal money back home. That's the system we have in place, isn't it? Send money to DC and then do your best to get all of it back, and much more. That's why DC is so corrupt, isn't it? Wouldn't it be better if we simply didn't send the money to DC in the first place?

By the way, I guess that also means that Obama and Durbin aren't doing such a hot job of getting our money brought back to Illinois. Right?

McCain and Palin want to change the way DC works - and earmarking is their first target. That's one of the primary reasons I support them. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 15, 2008 3:21 PM:

" If not for earmarks Alaska would be populated by eskimos, and polar bears. Who is going to defend us from russia then? If not for federal handouts to business, they would not be up there.

Where else can you apply for and get a grant to test seal genes? Are they more comfortable than denim? Why does the government want to go down that road?

Ear marks are ok, when its from a surplus. Anyone remember those tax cuts originated from a, what to do with all this budget surplus? Looking back, id say putting it in a bank or two, would have been a little better. How is a president who lowered taxes, not popular? One of the steps of going to war should have been to cancel the band hired on surplus money, until after the real victory party. Once the surplus was back in the picture, lower taxes again.

Financial Enron is unfolding to the tune of trillions of dollars. Enron happened, and was fairly quickly swept aside and left in our wake. It was a sign. It was ignored. Completely unfettered cash drunk folks and companies, will binge speculate them selves to death. Who supports business being left to its own devices to do thier business? Republicans. They are pushing, as they always do, to create more breaks to expand business, at a time when 3 out of 5 of our top finance companies are failed, and it isn't over yet.

Their hands off approach, is part of what got us here. Unqualified folks getting variable interest rate loans, to buy a car, shouldn't happen. Million dollar homes, its just business. If the loans fail they are federally guaranteed. Variable rates, allowed people to buy things they could not afford. Now its on the taxpayers to. Isn't that like some perverse welfare program on steroids. That is what Republicans promote. As long as its not labeled as welfare, and a chance to make a few bucks overcharging folks in the process is there.

If it just limped on two more months, it would not be an issue.

How is it everythings fine, and just in our heads, its just a little slump, or financial dip? Just a month or so ago, that was their story. Banks are on the verge of failing. Trillions of default, doesn't happen over night. It was either not looked at, or it was ignored.

Enron was based in Texas. Some should begin to wonder, if it wasn't connected. Responding to that issue, might have thwarted some of the ones we face currently. Ignoring it sure didn't do anything but allow more of it. "

father bob wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:27 PM:

" Mike P wrote on Sep 15, 2008 3:21 PM:
" If not for earmarks Alaska would be populated by eskimos, and polar bears. Who is going to defend us from russia then?""""

the bases are all cranked way down. my brother lives there and worked for 15 years out on Shemya. as far as earmarks making or breaking alaska, you'd better think again. oil made alaska, and the oil companies along with big business are behind anything the GOP says or does. they're lobbying our way to hell. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:44 PM:

" McCain and Palin want to change the way DC works - and earmarking is their first target. That's one of the primary reasons I support them.

Palin never saw an earmark that she didn't like as governor, and you think she is going to go after that? Thanks for the laugh!

Let's call it what it is, Pork. You know what they say about putting lipstick on a pig....oops...sorry.

That's almost as funny as Bush saying he was going after the oil companies for price gouging. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:59 PM:

" I would think the Republicans would all be be getting rather dizzy from spinning excuses for the pathetic excuse McCain picked for VP. "

gringa wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:12 PM:

" Come on, Harry, don't be so naive. A governor's job is to get all the fed money possible flowing into his/her state. Same with a mayor.

Sounds like she's going to change hats though when she gets to DC, which is quite all right for me.

If the game is pork, and you're playing something other than pork, you're gonna lose. She was only doing her job. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:14 PM:

" Who funded and maintains that little plumbing job up there in Alaska? If not for that herculean pipe laying effort, would oil have bothered to be as heavily invested there? It is an empoverished place, for the most part.

Oil was there, and companies wanted a hand out to pipe it, rather than valdeze it. Building the pipeline drove alaskas population to its current modest numbers. No pipeline, no bases. No pork, its right back to shacks in the wilderness, fishing vilages, and adobe huts, since climate shift has igloos hard to keep from melting lately.

The pipeline is at risk of failing. Seems many of the required certifications it was supposed to maintain in its construction, were faked and duplicated. Bad welds run the length of it. Portions were built on permafrost and not properly foundationed. This gal knows so much about oil, but not much on reality. Be it global warming or climate shift the pipeline is at risk of sinking in many places evidently. This gal was the governor of the state, and ran for that office supporting hundreds of millions for a new bridge for a few people, but Alaska's main money artery is on the verge of falling apart. Is oil going to foot the bill? No. Its a US government venture.

Anyone think china or japan isn't or won't be sending tankers to get oil from alaska? Drilling in anwar will increase supply, and oil money. Any tanker that legaly can, will pull up to the filler up station and take as much of it home, as they can. We already export refined oil, when the dollar is weak enough for it to be cheaper to buy it here than to make it at home. Now tankers are going back full of diesel rather than empty like they normally would. "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:25 PM:

" Gringa:McCain and Palin want to change the way DC works - and earmarking is their first target. That's one of the primary reasons I support them. "
===================================
Gringa, earmarking a target????????
You haven't read beyond the headlines:
Palin hired a legal firm associated with Sen Stevens and got $26 million in earmarks for her town while mayor.
You've been taken in by her claims, BUT she was FOR the Bridge to Nowhere until she saw it was a loser, then switched BUT STILL TOOK THE MONEY AND SAID IF THE FEDS WOULDN'T BUILD THE BRIDGE ALASKA WOULD -- WITH FED MONEY.
You just haven't read the newspapers this week -- too much Fox news. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 16, 2008 6:24 AM:

" Hey Potter, do you think gringa is getting dizzy yet? lol!

Change hats? Oh yeah, and Bush is a compassionate conservative....

Talk about naive! "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:03 AM:

" So Palin can stick her moose snout into all federal money she can gouge of D.C., and still call herself a "reformer" who is "against earmarks," eh, Gringa?
What incredible hypocrites you Republicans are. And moose women shouldn't talk with their mouths full of federal pork. It's kind of ugly. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:29 AM:

" Sounds like she's going to change hats though when she gets to DC, which is quite all right for me.

Now who's being naive, gringa. LOL!

Let's face it, McCain got stuck with Godzilla from Wasilla...and you McCain droolers are doing you best to spin her into being a qualified candidate. It aint working! "

father bob wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:38 AM:

" could you imagine what it would have meant for the American Worker had bush succeeded in privatizing social security?

the value of everyones social security would be plunging, while CEOs walk away with hundreds of millions. "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:00 AM:

" "Godzilla from Wasilla." (Chortle). "

cav wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:25 AM:

" The problem is this lib. retired Prof.English,did not apply these questions to Obama or Biden why ? We don't need to know the truth about them??
Neither has run a business or anything else. Well I was a community organizer and failed them all in South Side Chicago,but sure helped Ol Renzko to 15 million of Federal money! WOW what a resume.
Why do you have so many close friends that are radical anti-America????????
If you verily new Bill Ayers,why did he and Bernadine Dohrn host your campaign for the IL.state senate ?????
JERUSALEM The official campaign website of Sen. Barack Obama has completely scrubbed a series of user-generated blog postings on the candidate's site by a former top Communist activist who is an associate of former Weathermen terrorist leader William Ayers.
The move has raised questions regarding Obama's relationship with the deleted blogger, Mike Klonsky, who runs an education organization that was founded by Ayers and that received a substantial grant from a group directed by Obama.
Klonsky served with Ayers and Ayer's wife, former Weathermen terrorist Bernadine Dohrn, in the Students for a Democratic Society group, a major leftist student organization in the 1960s that later splintered, with Ayers and Dohrn leading a more activist approach with the Weathermen.
These are just a few of the questionable people your involved with.
These are questions that need to be asked PROF.Brayfield! "

AllYouNeedIsLove wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:40 AM:

" Obama makes himself look good and shows strong character by the fact that he denounced that the media, including his own, should say anything about Palin's daughter. Obama stated early on, "Leave the children out of this!" This speaks more strongly than any words can. "

even steven wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:57 AM:

" Harry Potter wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:59 PM:

" I would think the Republicans would all be be getting rather dizzy from spinning excuses for the pathetic excuse McCain picked for VP. "

The same can be said about the crooked little Chicago Democrat running for President. Obama's cronies up in Chicago did really well for themselves being slumlords. Obama's constituants, however, got nothing. Obama is nothing more than a Daley lickspittle. I wonder if he'll be indicted around Rezco's sentencing on 10/28. Also, how's that Chicago Annenberg Challenge thing working out for the One? What a joke Obama is! "

gringa wrote on Sep 16, 2008 11:27 AM:

" Potter says: It aint working!

LOL, Have you been following the polls since Sarah came on the scene? The more that comes to light about Obama, the less appeal he has. Oh sure, he may be atop the polls in Europe, but the last I heard, he's not running for president of Europe.

On the pork issue, as I stated earlier, it is the job of any effective governor or mayor to get all the money from DC they can. Let me assure you, when she goes to DC, she will change hats because she has promised to do that. She will fight all wasteful pork spending, right along with McCain. Call me naive, that's fine. I'm just telling it like it is, while you seem to be sucking on sour grapes, my friend. LOL. You like that *my friend* thing? Hope so, because you will hear it a lot over the next 8 years. "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Republicans are like Bizarros. Everything they denounce, they secretly do. And everything they endorse, they secretly despise. That's why supposed "fiscal conservatives" have wrecked the federal budget and the economy. And that's why supposed "values voters" always come off as such nasty swine.
--------------- "

sam adams wrote on Sep 16, 2008 12:22 PM:

" The Democrats laugh at the Republican comments, and the Republicans laugh at the Democrats comments. The sad thing is that both sides are not saying anything of substance and experience to be Commander in Chief has very little importance. Why are we not expecting more than the standard rhetoric? Can Obama create jobs for every citizen with out the government employing them, and you and I paying their salary? Will McCain really get rid of earmark spending? No way! What we should require is someone that will use veto powers to make congress balance the checkbook, use the bully pulpit to shed light on Congressional members that are not responsible, prosecute these CEO's that use creative accounting, etc. Basically expect them to do the right thing even if it is unpopular. HEY, we should look for a LEADER. What a novel idea. The problem is that then we would have too act in a responsible manner too. Everyone likes the the status quo. We like tenure for our teaching jobs. We like the idea of "affordable health care for all." But why does a poor performing employee deserve job security? How can we have affordable health care if we are all fat and diabetic? If we don't want everything made in China and want to create more manufacturing jobs here, we might have to accept paying more that $19 for a DVD player. Come on people expect more from all these bone heads. "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 12:29 PM:

" Looks like the stock market crash and the impeding Bush Depression are starting to distract us from the all-important political discussion about cosmetics on animals. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 16, 2008 2:47 PM:

" Careful TQ, the pubs are a little sensitive about the pig word.

And besides that Godzilla from Wasilla has promised gringa that she will fight to eliminate pork.

Sounds like old Godzilla has decided to change her tune after she milked the fed for all she could get both as mayor of the tiny village and 20 months as governor.

Considering Alaska lives and dies off federal pork, that won't set to well with the other moose eaters.

Besides that we all know that Republicans always keep their promises, don't we? wink wink.... "

Becky wrote on Sep 16, 2008 3:39 PM:

" Me too! Godzilla from Wasilla.....Bwahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa :D
Love it! "

Mike P wrote on Sep 16, 2008 4:01 PM:

" Its mysterious. Hurricane devastation, poor response, no convention to distact from what a difference a week makes. Its like a couple months in Palin years.

She is a true republivangelist. It is so odd a lot of things Obama has been mocked for, ring really true with this gal.

Typicaly a VP is assigned rolls, and duties and is a surogate to the president. She is bucking that trend, and following in Cheyney's trail blazing secret knock office ettiquete.

Hold on to your hats folks this straight talk express has a new driver. Its imboldening her, by leaps and bounds. Shes on a misguided powertrip, and McCain is still doddering along out on his own. She is the top draw of the ticket, at the number two slot.

Their slight lead post convention. Could be attributed to a curiosity-cat toy factor. Some people are fascinated by her one speech. She bats that ball of well spun yarns around and manages to hit the punch lines like she has told it for years. Outrage from her being questioned on anything, and everyone else not getting any of those same questions. This race had some events before the Sara Palin entry questions of all sorts and angles have been faced by every one left in the race but her. With some people hindsight is non existsnt. I can deffinately see why some of those folks would be drawn to McCain Palin. They share your affliction, and any out of touch with reality folks, your in luck too.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. McCain in the morning says times ar bad, but our financial fundamentals are strong. Afternoon talk, he left that part out. Next morning when asked about the being strong remark, he elmer fudded to the people are the fundamentals, and our people are the best and the brightest, and if you and some others don't think so, well I do. "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:13 PM:

" I tell you, it's getting so Republicans can't even practice their sacrosanct "family values" in safety anymore.
Shocking. Positively shocking.
---
Police are trying to find a woman who apparently drugged a Republican National Convention delegate and robbed him of about $50,000 worth of jewelry, cash and other items in his downtown Minneapolis hotel room.
Gabriel Schwartz, a Denver attorney and party donor, told police he met the woman in a bar at the luxurious Hotel Ivy and invited her to his room early on Sept. 4, a few hours after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin accepted the GOP nomination to be vice president.
Once there, police say, the woman made drinks and told Schwartz to get undressed.
The 29-year-old delegate told police that was the last thing he remembered. Police believe he was drugged but aren't sure what drug he was given, police Sgt. William Palmer said Tuesday.
When Schwartz awoke, the woman was gone and so were cash and belongings that included a watch he valued at $30,000.
"We have no doubt this happened," Palmer said. "The guy has been very forthcoming with us. He's been very helpful in the investigation." "

The Question wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:18 PM:

" Alaska's investigation into whether Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power, a potentially damaging distraction for John McCain's presidential campaign, ran into intensified resistance Tuesday from state Republican lawmakers who want to end it or delay it past the election.
Alaska's House speaker, a Republican who supported the "Troopergate" investigation two months ago, openly questioned its impartiality and raised the possibility of delaying the findings.
----
Golly gee, I wonder why honest, value-votery REPUBLICANS would be in such a sweat to stop an investigation into CORRUPTION? Whatever could the reason be? "

1 cav wrote on Sep 16, 2008 6:39 PM:

" cav wrote on Sep 16, 2008 10:25 AM:
" The problem is this lib. retired Prof.English,did not apply these questions to Obama or Biden why ? We don't need to know the truth about them??
Neither has run a business or anything else. Well I was a community organizer and failed them all in South Side Chicago,but sure helped Ol Renzko to 15 million of Federal money! WOW what a resume.
Why do you have so many close friends that are radical anti-America????????
If you verily new Bill Ayers,why did he and Bernadine Dohrn host your campaign for the IL.state senate ?????
JERUSALEM The official campaign website of Sen. Barack Obama has completely scrubbed a series of user-generated blog postings on the candidate's site by a former top Communist activist who is an associate of former Weathermen terrorist leader William Ayers.
The move has raised questions regarding Obama's relationship with the deleted blogger, Mike Klonsky, who runs an education organization that was founded by Ayers and that received a substantial grant from a group directed by Obama.
Klonsky served with Ayers and Ayer's wife, former Weathermen terrorist Bernadine Dohrn, in the Students for a Democratic Society group, a major leftist student organization in the 1960s that later splintered, with Ayers and Dohrn leading a more activist approach with the Weathermen.
These are just a few of the questionable people your involved with.
These are questions that need to be asked PROF.Brayfield! "
66666666666666666666666666666666666666
I see YOU ALL JUMPED RIGHT IN TO ANSWER THESE QUESTION ABOUT ..........
'I'm THE ONE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON'
enough said!! "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 16, 2008 6:39 PM:

" Candidate Watch-

Palin for Energy Czar!

Gov. Sarah Palin "knows more about energy than probably anyone in the United States of America." --John McCain, ABC interview, Sept. 11, 2008.
"My job has been to oversee nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas." --Gov. Sarah Palin, Campaign event in Golden, Colorado, Sept. 15, 2008.
The woman touted by John McCain as the most knowledgable person in America on energy issues has been having a lot of trouble getting her basic energy statistics straight. Last week, Sarah Palin told Charlie Gibson of ABC News that her state, Alaska, produced "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy." Yesterday, she told a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, that she had been responsible for overseeing "nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas." Both claims are way off.

The Facts
While Alaska is a leading producer of crude oil, it produces relatively little natural gas, hardly any coal, and no nuclear power. Its share of oil production has been declining sharply, and now ranks lower than Texas and Louisiana. As the following table shows, Alaska is the ninth largest energy supplier in the United States, accounting for a modest 3.5 percent share of the nation's total energy production.

State Total production Percent of U.S. Total
Texas 10,829 Trillion Btu 15.6
Wyoming 9,154 13.1
Louisiana 6,760 9.7
West Virginia 4,061 5.8
California 3,198 4.6
Kentucky 3,097 4.5
New Mexico 2,752 3.9
Pennsylvania 2,694 3.8
Alaska 2,417 3.5

SOURCE: Energy Information Administration

After the non-partisan Factcheck.org pointed out Palin's error in her interview with Gibson, the Alaska governor revised her claim somewhat, limiting it to oil and gas. But data compiled by the Energy Information Administration contradict her claim that she oversees "nearly 20 percent" of oil and gas production in the country. According to authoritative EIA data, Alaska accounted for just 7.4 percent of total U.S. oil and gas production in 2005.

It is not even correct for Palin to claim that her state is responsible for "nearly 20 percent" of U.S. oil production. Oil production has fallen sharply in Alaska during her governorship. The state's share of total U.S. oil production fell from 18 percent in 2005 to 13 percent this year, according to the EIA.

The McCain-Palin campaign did not respond to a request for an explanation.

The Pinocchio Test:

The Republican vice presidential nominee continues to peddle bogus statistics three days after the original error was pointed out by independent fact-checkers. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:14 PM:

" Alaska's House speaker, a Republican who supported the "Troopergate" investigation two months ago, openly questioned its impartiality and raised the possibility of delaying the findings.

Sort of like the Guard General changing his story, huh, TQ. She promoted the General, so what is she going to do for this guy? I don't really think we want to know.

I think we're stating to see a pattern here. People take a position that's not favorable to Godzilla from Wasilla and a few days later they change their story. Hmmm... "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:33 PM:

" About the only national TV show Sarah Palin belongs on is the Jerry Springer show. Her and her whole tribe of dysfunctional losers would fit right in.

I'll bet that if the VP gig doesn't work out she'll be getting a reality show of her own. Either that or the lead role in a made for TV movie about Tammy Faye Baker.

For those who were embarrassed by George Bush, if McCain gets in and takes this moose eating loser with him, you ain't seen nothing yet... "

Locke wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:41 PM:

" naive "

techman wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:29 PM:

" I am confused. Wasn't troopergate Bill Clinton's baggage? If I remember correctly he used Arkansas State Troopers to guard his room while he partied with some woman (Flowers?). "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:38 PM:

" Calling our President a chimpanzee and now using the phrase "Godzilla from Wasilla" certainly advances your arguments greatly. (Gee, I wish sarcasm came through better). For goodness sakes people, grow up! As a woman, Becky, whether you like her or not, you should be offended. Did you get such a chuckle out of the names that Hillary has been called? Let me guess...I'll bet not. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 17, 2008 5:46 AM:

" Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 16, 2008 9:38 PM:

" Calling our President a chimpanzee and now using the phrase "Godzilla from Wasilla" certainly advances your arguments greatly. (Gee, I wish sarcasm came through better). For goodness sakes people, grow up! As a woman, Becky, whether you like her or not, you should be offended. Did you get such a chuckle out of the names that Hillary has been called? Let me guess...I'll bet not. "

I have been following this site almost from the beginning and I don't remember Martha Yeakel or anyone of her ilk getting upset over the names Obama has been called, or Hillary for that matter. Her crying foul seems a little hollow, especially now that she waits until her candidate gets picked on to make an issue of this.

Wow, talk about hypocrisy!

PS, I think the Godzilla name is pretty fitting, based on some of the things I have read about this woman and her style of governing.

I guess Martha just doesn't get it, and based on some of the blind partisan comments she has made in the past, that's understandable.

Relax Martha, it will all be over soon, and you'll be able to post your criticisms of president Obama until your heart is content, and Sara will be back in Alaska shooting polar bears, advocating abstinence education, burning books and what ever else she did before getting into the spot light. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:00 AM:

" Ask all the questions you like. Now Stonewall Palin, has any inquiries forwarded to the McCain campaign straight talk folks, to answer.
---
Republican efforts include dispatching a former top U.S. terrorism prosecutor from New York, Ed O'Callaghan, to assist Palin's personal lawyer working to derail or delay a pending ethics investigation in Alaska. The probe, known as "Troopergate," is examining whether the governor abused her power by trying to remove her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

O'Callaghan is just part of a cadre of high-powered operatives patrolling Alaska as reporters and Democrats scrutinize every detail of Palin's tenure in government, plus her family and friends. One strategy: Carefully coordinate any information that's released. The McCain campaign is demanding that it becomes the de facto source for answers about the operations of Alaska's government during the past 20 months.

Palin's normal press secretary, for example, now turns away inquiries from any reporter who isn't permanently based in Alaska, referring questions to the presidential campaign. Trouble is, some of McCain operatives only recently have arrived in Alaska and struggle to explain Palin's positions on arcane state issues.
---
Change and accountabilty in government in words but not actions.

Cheyney is less of a personal information recluse than this gal is. Executive privilege seems to be being used to keep supeonas in the troopergate scandal from being honored. Its tainted now so no one wants to talk to anyone. Even her fans should want to know more than they do, to trust this person to lead the free world. She could be all they hope, if they proved she was, it would only add to her appeal. Only having McCains folks answering every question, leaves opponents and public records to cross examine any answers with. That won't go well.

It has to be calculated, that not well, is better than free speech on the matters from the actual people involved might be. These people are professional political games players. Every pawn moved on the board, is a calculated move three moves ahead of the game. "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:01 AM:

" #1 Early Bird, you have never seen me call Obama or anyone names. #2 My point was that this type of stupidity and acting like 5-year-olds does not advance anybody's arguments. Odd that we on the right are criticized for our hypocrisy because we don't criticize our side but you and others never have a problem with those on the left who do the same thing. This, and calling me stupid (as well as others who have the opinion I do) is always the resort of those of your 'ilk.' You are usually one of the saner ones on these boards and I would think you would respect the fact that others do not hold the same opinion as you; a failing that too many have. The dislike and hatred for those who do not think like others do is untenable and, if you are honest and will notice, it mostly comes from the left. "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:11 AM:

" And one more thing. What is it about a tough, strong, smart woman with opinions that scares you all to death? "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:27 AM:

" Where's the scorn for the blind, partisan comments from the left? "

shumphreys wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:39 AM:

" I agree with Martha the name calling is childish and doesn't advance a position, make an argument stick, and actually feeds into the hands of the opposition. BUT it goes for all sides. I have objected before to this practice it is as foolish against women as against men. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:59 AM:

" Another morning, another $85 billion in corporate welfare payments to some new set of greedy, incompetent Republicans. Oh, well. Getting to be quite routine, isnt it? The Chimpanzee-McMummy socialists sure like handing out taxpayer billions we dont have to needy millionaires, dont they? "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:48 AM:

" While I'm on a roll and paper doesn't seem to be in any hurry to add any of my posts, I have one more thing (for now). Early Bird, please give me a list of the names that Obama has been called. Thank you. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:07 AM:

" Bush is incompetent, greedy, criminal, stupid, fascist scum, Martha, and his policies have just about destroyed this country, as even someone as blind as you may now be able to see.
Calling him a chimpanzee is really making him seem cuter than he is. In context, it's a compliment, really. "

father bob wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:23 AM:

" How bush has alerted science.....unreal

or maybe i should say not surprising.

http://tinyurl.com/6cqkrm "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:44 AM:

" I don't care for all these bailouts either but at least have the honesty (HA!) to admit that there is plenty of blame to go around starting with the Clinton administration to the Bush administration to the Democrats in control in Congress to the Democrats as well as Republicans in control of these corporations. "

shumphreys wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:20 AM:

" Martha the most common name on this site has been Hussein Obama. I agree that there is alot of fear against smart, intelligent women. Earlybird isn't one of those however. AND Palin, in my opinion, is TOO smart, as in she has too much Hubris, which will get her into trouble. There are plenty of women who are better suited to be Vice President than Palin. Electing Palin to this office will set women back a century.In my opinion. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:33 AM:

" Republican presidential candidate John McCain, a day after flatly rejecting the idea of a taxpayer bailout for American International Group Inc., said Wednesday that the government had been "forced" into proposing an $85 billion loan to the nation's largest insurer.
----
Explain that one, Martha dear. "

shumphreys wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:58 AM:

" I'd like to expand on my comment to Martha I posted a few minutes ago. There are several kinds of "smart". Palin has what I would classify as scrappy, street smarts. Those on the other side of the fence might call it chutzpah, smart aleck, kind of smarts. That kind can and often does get a person into trouble. It is the smarts of the juvenile delinquent and petty criminal, used car dealer,(no offense meant to used car dealers). Bush Jr. has no smarts what soever, he just floats by on charm, good looks, a good smile, and the work of others to bale him out. Rumsfeld has/had a very different kind of smarts. I'd call it devious, calculating, manipulative. His downfall was his hubris, believing that he and he alone had all the answers and the laws that apply to others did not apply to him. That kind of smarts uses people like Bush as the front man and works behind the scenes and is what got this nation into the mess it is in today. Now about McCain and Obama. They are both very smart men but they have very different kinds of smarts. McCains temper will get him into trouble. It has in the past. He will make quick decisions without weighing all the facts, the pros and cons and looking for other alternatives. Obama, I think from what I have heard and seen, will act more cautiously, will try to look at the pros and cons (he choose Biden because he felt he was one who would voice opposite opinions and push alternative view points). Kennedy survived the Cuban missle crises because he took his time, he didn't make a snap judgment. McCain, I think would have escalated the situation. We need someone as President who will be deliberative, thoughtful, fair minded, broad minded, not afraid to face the facts, will look at ALL sides of an issue before making a decision. Obama, I hope, (I can't know for sure) will be that kind of a president. He has that kind of smarts. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:45 AM:

" Thanks to "deregulation," lenders were permitted to make bad loans, repackage them and sell them off to investors they defrauded. It was legalized Republican theft that wrecked the economy, and to add insult to injury, now we're paying to bail out the thieves.
And this mess was created by the repeal of Glass-Steagall, a free pass to theft and fraud sought passionately by the GOP Congress and signed, unfortunately, by the unprincipled Bill Clinton. But make no mistake - this is a GOP economic disaster, signed, sealed and delivered. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:54 AM:

" Remember when Fox News made a big hoo-hah about John Edwards' $400 haircut for days on end? How times have changed.
Sarah Palin is under fire for purchasing a tanning bed that could cost up to $35,000, but thats an "unfair smear," according to FOX.
Why "up to $35,000?" Because we don't know if the tanning bed was a gift to Palin in violation of state ethics rules. "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:00 PM:

" Susan: Now this is the kind of discussion we should have on here. You stated that there are plenty of women better than Sarah Palin and in another post told why you didn't think she was a good pick for the job. I'd like to know who those women are. Realizing that these are all your opinions from what you've read and seen as are mine, we have obviously come to different conclusions about the woman. We also have different opinions of the President. I'm not sure where the notion that the man does not have brains comes from, honestly. But what I like most about Bush is that he's a man who sticks to his principles and I will grant you this might not always be the best thing but, IMHO, it's an asset. I also firmly believe that he is the reason we have not been hit with another terrorist attack on our soil. Now, I know that I am going to be blasted by those oh-so-righteous, 'tolerant' souls, who don't agree with me and believe that no one else is entitled to hold an opinion that does not agree with theirs but I hope we can keep our discussion civil and without the condescension so often shown by some of the regulars. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:35 PM:

" You Republicans are always so avidly interested in what people's ministers say and do, aren't you?
---
The pastor whose prayer Sarah Palin says helped her to become governor of Alaska founded his ministry with a witchhunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells.
At a speech at the Wasilla Assembly of God on June 8 this year, Mrs Palin described how Thomas Muthee had laid his hands on her when he visited the church as a guest preacher in late 2005, prior to her successful gubernatorial bid.
In video footage of the speech, she is seen saying: As I was mayor and Pastor Muthee was here and he was praying over me, and you know how he speaks and hes so bold. And he was praying Lord make a way, Lord make a way.
And Im thinking, this guys really bold, he doesnt even know what Im going to do, he doesnt know what my plans are. And hes praying not oh Lord if it be your will may she become governor, no, he just prayed for it. He said Lord make a way and let her do this next step. And thats exactly what happened.
----
What do you think of Godzilla from Wasilla now? Think she can keep us safe from the witches? "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:38 PM:

" " And one more thing. What is it about a tough, strong, smart woman with opinions that scares you all to death? "
----
But Susan doesn't scare me. And you don't qualify. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:50 PM:

" here's a question for this election, HOW can anyone vote for McCain! all I know is I can't wait to vote on the Illinois Constitution convention, at this point I'm more concerned with how this state is ran "

gringa wrote on Sep 17, 2008 1:55 PM:

" Marty, you're wasting your time and energy here. There's no reason to try to counter the silliness and negativity expressed by the lefties on this site (EB, HP, TQ, SH, FB, et al). My recommendation: just make your excellent points and move on. Avoid personally engaging any of the (anonymous) individuals or their shallow arguments. They know they're losing their fight to socialize our nation. They're frustrated, and madder than hell about being on the losing side.

Martha, you know who I am. We spoke on the phone a couple of weeks ago. Take my advice and step away from these naysayers. As I said, just continue make your excellent points on here, and ignore the personal attacks coming from the left. You're right and they're wrong. Everyone on here knows that. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 2:07 PM:

" Stupidity is the devil. Look in the eye of a chicken and you'll know. It's the most horrifying, cannibalistic, and nightmarish creature in this world.
Werner Herzog
Or just look in the eye of Sarah Palin. Same deal. "

Martha K. Yeakel wrote on Sep 17, 2008 2:42 PM:

" Thank you, Gringa. Good to know that's you out there. And you are right as always but the frustration with the unbelievable things that are said sometimes gets the better of me. Why do the words "running scared" keep going through my mind? Take care! "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 2:45 PM:

" "You're right and they're wrong. Everyone on here knows that."
----
Keep chanting that to yourself, Gringa. Maybe you'll even hypnotize yourself into believing it. LOL. "

The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 3:08 PM:

" I agree with Sarah Palin.
---
HANNITY: Senator Barack Obama yesterday was attacking Senator McCain for saying that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. Do you believe that the fundamentals of our economy are strong?
 PALIN: Well, it was an unfair attack on the verbiage that Senator McCain chose to use. The fundamentals that he was having to explain afterwards, he means the work force, he means ingenuity of the American people. And of course, that is strong, that is the foundation of our economy. So that was an unfair attack based on verbiage that John McCain used. Certainly, it is a mess, though.
---
I agree with Palin that McCains words are nothing but "verbiage," which is defined as a profusion of words usually of little or obscure content.
Too bad Palin doesnt know the meaning of common English words, isnt it? Maybe she should have attended another half-dozen colleges. "

father bob wrote on Sep 17, 2008 3:09 PM:

" did i happen to mention that 83 of the 177 lobbyists McGoo has working in his campaign that 83 of them are doing it on a daily basis?

you don't suppose any of them would dare have any influence in whitehouse affairs do you? (like big oil?) "

shumphreys wrote on Sep 17, 2008 4:19 PM:

" Martha there are 5 Republican women Senators, two have been in the public eye Kay Bailey Hutchison and Elizabeth Dole. I don't know a great deal about either but I think they would have been a better choice then Palin. I don't know how many Republican women are in the House or sit on Judges benches around the country but I have no doubt that there would be many that would have better qualifications then Palin. Don't listen to Gringa, it is always worth sticking up for your view point and trying to get others to address issues, avoid name calling, and turn a discussion into a responsible discussion. "

gringa wrote on Sep 17, 2008 4:41 PM:

" Ha, yeah, Martha, don't listen to gringa. LOL. What SH doesn't know is that I've got your back. I agree with your posts 100%. On the other hand, Ms Relativism certainly doesn't; well, maybe not. I guess it depends on which days of the week it is, and which god she believes in on a particular day. So, I don't know, maybe she does have your back. LOL! Let's all just love one another and have a discussion - as long as it's a discussion in which you agree with their point of view. :) "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 4:50 PM:

" People forget Ole GWB is a Yale man, who eventually bounced on to get a masters degree in business from Harvard, when he couldn't get into a Texas law school. Money talks, and sometime BS walks out of an ivy league school with a diploma that says masters.

I bet Harvard and Yale, cringe every time they get mentioned in connection with this guy. If they had just not let him be a pay to play student we might not be in this mess in the first place. He couldn't get into a texas law school, after graduating Yale. We should consider sending Havard and Yale, the bill for the national debt, to send a message.

The top two of the current administration, are exactly why we need to be more sure of who people are, before we become infatuated with them.

Questions are better posed to Palin now than trying to evaluate what went wrong, and if someone got the license number of the monster truck that hit the country. "

father bob wrote on Sep 17, 2008 5:42 PM:

" Sarah Palin is touring rural America in a chauffeur-driven Lexus. Suddenly a cow jumps out into the road, they hit it and the car comes to a stop.

Mrs Palin, in her usual charming manner, says to the chauffeur: "You get out and check - you were driving."

The chauffeur gets out, checks and reports that the animal is dead.

"You were driving; go and tell the farmer!" says Mrs Palin.

Five hours later, the chauffeur returns disheveled, drunk out of his head and with a big grin on his face.

"Goodness! What happened to you," asks Mrs Palin.

The chauffeur replies: "When I got there, the farmer opened his best bottle of whiskey, his wife gave me a slap up meal and their daughter made love to me.

What on earth did you say?" asks his boss.

"I knocked on the door, and when they answered I said to them, 'I'm Sarah Palin's chauffeur and I've just killed the cow.'" "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 6:31 PM:

" Godzilla from Wasilla (get used to it Martha) is really showing her ignorance. The press is now starting to report on her outright ignorance on so many issues.

These things seems to have a cumulative effect, and are showing a person who is not really ready for prime time politics.

I'll bet John is wishing he had spent a little more time with her, but as many have noted on here, he was sort of dictated by the powers in his party as to who to who he could pick, and I'm sure she was at the top of the list. Remember, Limbaugh even stated publicly as to who he wouldn't stand for. Limbaugh crowed about this for a while, but in his usual weasley way, tried to back off of this later.

Seriously, I would think one interview of a couple of hours shows what poor decision making skills McCain actually has.

Of course he has to come to her defense, because it's too late to undo this stupid mistake on his part.

Although they would never admit it, even the most hard core McCain fans have to realize this too.

I hate to break it to the McCain fans but the timing of all of this is to Obama's favor. The bump in the polls from the convention will not last forever and if history is an indicator, Obama should peak at just the right time.

Godzilla's 15 minutes are running out.

And Marty, your thinking the Dems are scared is really just wishful thinking on your part. Godzilla's selection will be what brings another McCain plane crashing down. Bet on it.... "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:25 PM:

" Email, the confounding issue of this election. McCain can't use it. Palin used nonsecure basic Yahoo email to do government business, and just got hacked. Yahoo has a new sign in seal security measure thats free I think. Its been up and running for months. Personal inconsequential messages were included in those retrieved. Any one who gets any of these messages forwarded to them, needs to delete them immediately, and not read any of them.

Her improper use of non government email to to business, was questiond months ago, now is a different issue all together. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:02 PM:

" Godzilla tells Charlie Gibson that she never hesitated for a minute to accept the VP job. OK, so far so good...but a week later she tells Sean Hannity that she told McCain she would have to talk about it with her family first, and held a family vote and her family said go for it.

Now come on Sara, which is it?

As one commentator said today, she seems to be an out of control liar. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:07 PM:

" Salon: New McCain Ad Is False In Any Language. "It turns out John McCain can lie in Spanish, too. McCain's campaign is running a Spanish-language TV ad in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico that blames Barack Obama for the failure last year of a sweeping immigration reform bill. 'Obama and his Congressional allies say they are on the side of immigrants. But are they?' the ad asks. 'The press reports that their efforts were 'poison pills' that made immigration reform fail.' ... Obama may not have been as involved in drafting the immigration legislation as McCain once was (though McCain was on the campaign trail for most of 2007, and wasn't as involved as he once was, either). And yes, he may have backed some amendments that supporters disliked. But it was McCain who abandoned his own legislation after the Republican base rose up against it, and it was McCain (and the White House) who were unable to convince allies on their side of the aisle to change their minds about the bill. Blaming Obama for the failure of immigration reform is simply wrong, no matter what language you do it in." "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:09 PM:

" McCain, Palin defiant in 'lies' storm
2 days ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin stand accused Monday of trying to "lie" their way into the White House with discredited claims and advertising -- and it's not just outgunned Democrats crying foul.

Non-partisan fact-check operations, newspapers and opinion columnists are also charging McCain, once a darling of the press, of cloaking the election in sleaze and unfairly smearing Democrat Barack Obama. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:12 PM:

" Screen shots of her email were posted various places. It might not be her email was actually hacked, but she has encountered some malicious spyware instead. If that is the case, more than just her one email account could have been visible. Just my take on it.

People who went after scientology in a simmilar way, accesed data and posted it on some corruption uncovering subversive website. So far its just been some of her Yahoo mail, but it just being screen shots of the pages, could point to much more of her online data having been exposed.

Hackers may have the launch codes for the Alaska national guard as well. This campaign needs norton, symantec, or AVG commissions.

Stonewall needs a good firewall. There may be further Paris Palin information, than any of us want to know.

This might be the end of the internet. Now that it has bit the pitbull, it can burn with the rest of the books. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:13 PM:

" McCain flip flops;

National Security Policy

1. McCain thought Bushs warrantless-wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.

2. McCain insisted that everyone, even terrible killers, the worst kind of scum of humanity, and detainees at Guantanamo Bay, deserve to have some adjudication of their cases, even if that means releasing some of them. McCain now believes the opposite.

3. He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion, he called it one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.

4. In February 2008, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.

5. McCain was for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay before he was against it.

6. When Barack Obama talked about going after terrorists in Pakistani mountains with predators, McCain criticized him for it. Hes since come to the opposite conclusion. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:18 PM:

" Whether or not Sarah Palin's engaging personality matters more than the fact that she tells lies depends a lot on the media, and whether they allow her to say that she opposed the Bridge to Nowhere, or that Obama has never authored a major law or reform, without calling her on it. I hope they do. But I'm not holding my breath.

Hilzoy/CBS news "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:23 PM:

" More lies from Godzilla from Wasilla:

The first lie relates to her words after McCain introduced her in Dayton, when she said she opposed the infamous "bridge to nowhere." She claimed that opposition as the basis to portray herself as a Republican who opposes earmarks or pork projects. The problem is that Palin strongly supported the "bridge to nowhere" when she was running for governor in 2006 and then accepted money for it. Only after the bridge got negative publicity and Congress decided not to continue funding it, did she voice opposition to the project, but in more of an expedient "you can't cut our funding, we don't want it" manner. Of note is that she gladly took the pork money already funded for the bridge and built a road to where the bridge was supposed to be. Andrew Sullivan jokingly calls this the "the road to nowhere."

I might have to change her name to Pinocchio. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:34 PM:

" Why Won't MSM Cover National Enquirer's Scoop on Bush Alcoholism?

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

Now that the National Enquirer has been established as one of the premier investigative journalism organizations, I wonder if the MSM will start covering some of their other revelations?

"Faced with the biggest crisis of his political life, President Bush has hit the bottle again, The National Enquirer can reveal.

Bush, who said he quit drinking the morning after his 40th birthday, has started boozing amid the Katrina catastrophe."

If this turns out to be true, I wonder what would happen if he and Cheney went on a quail hunting trip together? "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:09 PM:

" Tomorows letters are mostly Rush isms. If left for the clan to fawn over themselves, they can wollow in their own mud. Lipstick or not.

Continually dignifying the same nonsense with a response, only encourages it. Leave those dead carcases lay, and don't get into battles of wit with the unarmed. It just ends up being bullying, and benefits only the repressed.

If those leters don't draw a crowd, they might get a clearer picture how irrelevent and out of touch those notions are. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:20 PM:

" If some of those letters are left to twist in the breeze, on their own. It would be like McCain dozing off waiting for the applause from the 7 people left in his crowds now. Perhaps actual issues might make their next submission.

RNC interviewed folks on why Palin was so compelling. People came up with no reason, but were foaming at the mouth over her. Its sad, but reality. Obama envy was bound to creep into this. They have sat in awe of a candidate, actually making sense, and drawing an interested crowd and support, for a year and a half. Now they have a no one to go crazy for, for two months before they get to watch President Elect Obama accept the office.

Fabricated backstory, and only fox can interview this gal, and it not be a 90 car pile up. If Rove wrote the abc questions, and gave her the answers, it might have gone better there too, lol

I feel sorriest for her more than half a dozen kids. Being this irrelavent, and unaccessable, is going to be an asterixed footnote in history books they might have to study eventually. This experience is likely to give her more time to spend with the kids, and not so busy in government. If she stays out of jail. Which her and Blago, could both be strong reformers of the penal system from the inside, by the time the northern lights fade. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 18, 2008 5:46 AM:

" I don't believe I ever accused you of calling anyone names, Martha. My comment was about the hypocrisy from those on the the right, including yourself, over the heat Palin is taking. Considering that Obama has been getting hi hit with name calling and lies for well over two years now. As for the names he has been called on here, I think you're well aware of them, and my listing them serves no purpose.

Your even asking the question, seems to infer a lack of honesty on my part. I really find that rather humorous and can't believe that you can be so naive that you're unaware of the names Obama has been called and the lies and smears he has had to put up with. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 18, 2008 6:09 AM:

" If Palin has done nothing wrong in the troopergate situation, why is the McCain camp sending high profile lawyers to Alaska to try to get the investigation put off until after the election?

The best story to come out of this was that Palin tried to get this investigation handled by a panel of people she had appointed. This woman has some nerve.

Originally even the Alaska Republicans said they wanted to get to the bottom of this, and now their changing their tune.

The media should be all over this story.

I'm smelling a cover up here. Does this country really need a VP with this much baggage?

Shades of Leona Helmsley.... "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 18, 2008 6:29 AM:

" Excerpts from the latest Palin scandal: Email-gate

But more intriguing than any email correspondence contained in the four boxes was what was not released: about 1100 emails. Palin's office provided McLeod with a 78-page list (PDF) cataloging the emails it was withholding. Many of them had been written by Palin or sent to her. Palin's office claimed most of the undisclosed emails were exempt from release because they were covered by the "executive" or "deliberative process" privileges that protect communications between Palin and her aides about policy matters. But the subject lines of some of the withheld emails suggest they were not related to policy matters. Several refer to one of Palin's political foes, others to a well-known Alaskan journalist. Moreover, some of the withhold emails were CC'ed to Todd Palin, the governor's husband. Todd Palina.k.a. the First Dudeholds no official state position (though he has been a close and influential adviser for Governor Palin). The fact that Palin and her aides shared these emails with a citizen outside the government undercuts the claim that they must be protected under executive privilege. McLeod asks, "What is Sarah Palin hiding?"

Good question, Mr McLeod. "

The Question wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:17 AM:

" Hey, don't sweat the crash. Every cloud has that silver lining, you know.
Dave Lindorff observed that the good news is that, if the U.S. economy collapses, the Pashtun farmer in northeastern Pakistan, the Iraqi shopkeeper in Fallujah, the Iranian worker in Tehran, and the peasant in Venezuela, will no longer have to worry about being bombed or having their children mowed down by a U.S. helicopter gunship. The U.S. would no longer have the funds to pay for such foreign wars.
So at least the weight of some of moral crimes committed by the US. would be lifted from our shoulders. "

gringa wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:06 AM:

" The Charlie Gibson/Sarah Palin interview that really wasn't the Charlie Gibson/Sarah Palin interview: ABC did a *cut-and-paste* job.

Editing is a normal (and acceptable) part of preparing raw footage for airing, but when editing becomes a tool for recreating what was said, it's an abuse of free press privileges. ABC actually clipped and dubbed Palin answers to the wrong Gibson questions.

For more information on this, see the Newsmax interview with Jim Hirsen: http://tinyurl.com/4645jb "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:46 AM:

" From what I have been reading about Palin's past history and ambition, if McCain gets elected, I would recommend for him to hire a food taster. LOL! "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 9:10 AM:

" Instead of taking the blame for the biggest blunder in modern politics, McCain and his willing ally, Fox news are trying to blame the main stream media for the Palin fiasco. Figures. "

ed miller wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:30 AM:

" It is now becoming abundantly clear that Barack Obama, in a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, tried to undermine his own countrys negotiations with Iraq during his July visit to Baghdad. Even the Obama campaign cant deny it because there were multiple witnesses to the exchange.

Why is the mainstream media ignoring this story? The Democratic nominee for president of the United States attempted to scuttle a crucial status-of-forces agreement between the U.S. and the government of Iraq. He blatantly urged the Iraqis to stop negotiating with the Bush Administration and wait until the next president presumably him, at least as far as hes concerned takes office. Who needs an election when you are "the chosen one"?
While the media desperately seeks a relevant angle on the so-called Troopergate non-story out of Alaska, or perhaps investigates who paid for Sarah Palins tanning bed, a U.S. senator who has not been elected president attempts to undermine legitimate negotiations between the man who has and the government of the nation we would like to stop occupying as soon as possible.

And he does not even deny doing so, not because he wouldnt like to, but because he cant.

Why is the mainstream media ignoring the story? Well, first and foremost, because they want Obama to win the election. But it goes deeper than that. Theyre ignoring the story because they dont see anything wrong with what Obama did.

This guy is obviously a megalomaniac. "

sapient wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:37 AM:

" Mr. Obama, could you please find these things, sir?
1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- 'not available'
4. Harvard College records -- Not released
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- 'not available'
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate -- Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None

I'm sure there is a good reason for you not finding them. Maybe they are with Hillary's Rose Law Firm billing
records on Castle Grande. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:27 AM:

" That was absolutely hilarious, gringa. Any more conspiracy ideas you would like to share? The sad part is that I'm sure your 100% serious. LOL! "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:34 AM:

" I'm still waiting for the right wing spin on that one. How about it, eddie or Martha, care to comment on that little fib from Sara? Which version is true? LOL!

So is gringa eddie or Martha, or both? LOL! "

ed miller wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:45 AM:

" The Question wrote on Sep 17, 2008 11:45 AM:
" Thanks to "deregulation," lenders were permitted to make bad loans, repackage them and sell them off to investors they defrauded. It was legalized Republican theft that wrecked the economy"

Well, let's see who made out in all this....

A group called the Center for Responsive Politics keeps track of which politicians get Fannie and Freddie political contributions. The top three U.S. Senators getting big Fannie and Freddie political bucks were Democrats and number two is Senator Barack Obama.

Now, remember, he has only been in the Senate four years but still managed to grab the number two spot ahead of John Kerry, decades in the senate, and Chris Dodd who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Fannie and Freddie have been creations of the congressional democrats and the Clinton white house, designed to make mortgages available to more people, and as it turned out, some people who couldn't afford them. Fannie and Freddie have also been places for big Washington Democrats to go to work in the semi-private sector and pocket millions. The Clinton administration's White House budget director Franklin Raines ran Fannie and collected 50 million dollars. Jamie Gurilli, Clinton Justice Apartment Official, worked for Fannie and took home 26 million dollars. Big Democrat Jim Johnson, recently on Obama's VP search committee has hauled in millions from his Fannie Mae C.E.O. job.

Now remember, Obama's ads and stump speeches attack McCain and Republican policies for the current financial turmoil. It is demonstrably not Republican policy and worse, it appears the man attacking McCain, Senator Obama, was at the head of the line when the piggy's lined up at the Fannie and Freddie trough for campaign bucks. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:02 PM:

" ABC actually clipped and dubbed Palin answers to the wrong Gibson questions.

Holy cow gringa, you actually outdid the comedian, Rush Limbaugh with that one. LOL! "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:47 PM:

" Gringa:"I guess that just means that Alaska's US Senators and US Representatives are doing an excellent job of bringing federal money back home. "
Yeah, so far, but when Stevens is put inside the Crossbars Hotel the flow may decrease. "

The Question wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:48 PM:

" The Republican response on the U.S. economic crash:  
Work like the devil to shift the blame.  Spin what can't be shifted.  Lie about what can't be spun. "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:49 PM:

" Gringa:"McCain and Palin want to change the way DC works - and earmarking is their first target. That's one of the primary reasons I support them. "
==========================I guess Gringa hasn't heard about the ROAD to Nowhere, a project which gained publicity just this week, an earmark that Palin SUPPORTS. Palin is lying about earmarks [didn't you hear about the lawyer she HIRED to act in her behalf with Stevens to bring more earmarks into her Mayor-hood]. "

Cognitus wrote on Sep 18, 2008 1:54 PM:

" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Gringa MAKE UP YOUR MIND. YOU TELL US ONE MINUTE YOU'RE AGAINST EARMARKS, THAT THEY ARE EVIL AND THEN YOU PRAISE PALIN BECAUSE "THAT'S WHAT GOVERNORS OUGHT TO DO FOR THEIR STATE. WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A VACATION AND COME BACK WHEN YOU ***REALLY**** KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE???
--------------------------------------
Gringa:" Come on, Harry, don't be so naive. A governor's job is to get all the fed money possible flowing into his/her state. Same with a mayor. "

The Question wrote on Sep 18, 2008 2:00 PM:

" "It is now becoming abundantly clear that Barack Obama, in a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, tried to undermine his own countrys negotiations with Iraq during his July visit to Baghdad."
----
Funny. Now you Republicans are accusing Obama of doing what Reagan actually did to Carter over the Iran hostages. Can't you even make up some new crimes that your candidates haven't already committed? "

father bob wrote on Sep 18, 2008 3:41 PM:

" sapient wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:37 AM:
" Mr. Obama, could you please find these things, sir?
1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- 'not available'
4. Harvard College records -- Not released
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- 'not available'
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate -- Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None

I'm sure there is a good reason for you not finding them. Maybe they are with Hillary's Rose Law Firm billing
records on Castle Grande. """"

yer dern funny!!...well now cornpone, lets ask a reel queshun. wut was the klass rank and that GPA thang of that McGoo feller?....oh ya... 894 of 899.

a mentl giunt "

gringa wrote on Sep 18, 2008 4:18 PM:

" Uh, HP, did you bother checking out the Newsmax website I cited? Apparently not. I stick to my story.

And by the way, lib boys and girls, I also stand by my statement that as long as we have the pork system in place, it IS the job of all state elected officials (senators, representatives, governors, mayors, etc, etc) to get all the money they can from the Feds! What McCain and Palin are going to do is put an end to the pork system. If we don't send the money to the Feds in the first place, the states won't have to fight each other to get their share (and more) back from the Feds. Do you get it now? Hmmm, I thought it was pretty simple.

We need reform! We need McCain and Palin in the White House! :) "

The Question wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:07 PM:

" Got a new name for Palin: Mooselini. It has that nice, fascist ring. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:12 PM:

" You folks are going to like this one:

NewsMax.com is an American news website with an unabashedly right-wing bias in its selection and presentation of news. The website's parent company, NewsMax Media, also publishes a monthly magazine, NewsMax which claims 300,000 subscribers.

On the weekend of October 30-31, NewsMax sponsored the movie "Stolen Honor" as a paid advertisment on some PAX network affiliates. The anti-Kerry movie "Stolen Honor" had been scheduled to air on the 62 Sinclair Broadcast Group outlets in late October 2004, but was withdrawn by Sinclair due to possible financial and legal repercussions on the company.

Newsmax Media is a privately held company. According to MediaMatters, the right-wing financier Richard Mellon Scaife owns 7.2% of the company.

NewsMax.com filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in February of 2002, but withdrew the IPO in June 2003, citing the dried-up capital markets as a reason.

"Right now, anybody who follows the market can see the IPO market is not back," said Ruddy, president of News Max.com. "We'll come back in a year or so."

Noble Financial underwrote the offering.

The parent company Newsmax Media is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Seriously, gringa, could you find a more right wing outfit to support your ignorant claim? I'm sorry, gringa, but surely you can do better than that. LOL!

Wait a minute, you were serious weren't you?

For a while I suspected you were the poster Doh, but even he isn't dumb enough to try to pull that one off. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:22 PM:

" We are just shy of one trillion dollars, in bail outs in mostly the last two weeks. It was greed, that allowed it to happen. Head shaking and whispers have been going on for years, that this would happen.

Deregulation, and diminished oversight, is what allowed the binge drinking, to begin with, that Bush eluded to this spring. Its more than a hangover now. Its a bit more substancial than a correction. Its past time for an intervention. Its still not done imploding and colapsing yet.

All this is exactly the same thing that has been happening right here at home. Speculating in development, with the many faces of TIF.

Companies developed more debt than income, in over investing in guaranteeing debts. Oversight has been increasingly lifted, and consumer protections further restricted. Individual bankrupsy was tightened. No mater how the cookies crumble, people who can't afford their debts, will be no more able to, because its harder to simply consolidate and start over. Protections to keep people in their houses, were tightened. Foreclosures went through the roof as a result. Property values are affected by foreclosures. People who could afford their debts, now have consequences from such irresponsible practices to people who were very high risk, being allowed to borrow more than they should have.

One positive from all this, is junk mail for low interest credit, is likely to drop considerably. Perhaps McCain can toot that horn. He is responsible, or complicit in most of the mess, wall street and all of finance is in. His policies and supported directions, led us right here.

Finally he may have put an end to a lot of junkmail, is all he can fall back on. Some of his fans might see that as an electable position to be proud of. Some will have to wait to see what their news and information IV leads them to think about it.

Enron should have been a warning. It quickly disappeared into the huge story of the Iraq war on terror. Further enabling even more irresponsible practices, has continued with little coverage, since enron failed. Finance information is boring, not headline news, until it hits bottom. Then its news worthy stuff. Then years of misguided legislation, is worthy to make an article.

Peoples lives, 401k's, and home equity was allowed to be gambled frivolously. John McCain was leading the way to expand ways it could, until this week.
His push to privatize social security, by investing it in all these markets that are crumbling, would have been even more devastating, if it had been done.

Now he vows to fight everything he worked for years to build. He is selling a famous bridge in newyork, with every syllable he utters. Some folks see him as the Ron Popeil of politics suddenly. Any product this fella rushes to market and does a showmercial on is being bought by folks starved of facts.

Local Entities need to quell their speculating, and tighten their loose use of taxes, present and future. Reality is setting in, we can't keep beting portions of 20 years of future possible income, on any private businesses. Every dime that can be brought in now needs to be.

Increased taxes need to be rolled back. Lower local sales taxes, will yield more taxible income. Big cities are raising their taxes, buy leaps and bounds. If a lower taxed area, has the variety of goods that we do, many folks will take that into account, and buy more here.

Market increases will inspire spontaneous business development. A smaller tax percentage, on more sales because of it, will be more profitable, for the cities and businesses. Many people take taxes into account, when they buy everyting from groceries to cars. If we go back to lower local sales taxes, we expand our marketability, and growth will occur.

Tax increases at a struggling mall, will kill it. Lower taxes may just save it. No tax day at ruralking, is a big day in sales. There is a reason it is, if it wasn't profitable, he would never do it more than the first time. It makes sense. People will spend more, when they can save a few dollars, than they will on regular high taxed days. It would be our niche, until it gets figured out by the big cities who add half pecentages to theirs to pay for schools.

If Mattoon was one third less than Champaign and Decatur it would draw people from those markets. While they are here, they will likely eat, and some may actually move here. People will commute 40 to 60 minutes, if their home is more reasonable to live and shop in. Focus needs to shift to this opportunity, and away from over taxing and speculating, to try to force feed growth. "

gringa wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:08 PM:

" Ah, I see, HP. You prefer to strike yet another tangent rather than address my point. Ok, that's fair - well, expected anyway.

In case you really did forget, I had addressed Charlie Gibson's fraudulent interview of Sarah Palin. Care to get back on topic, or should we just drop this so you can feel more comfortable on here? "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:13 PM:

" here's a question, why are the republicans pro life yet they let our soldiers die day after day? "

Mike P wrote on Sep 19, 2008 4:25 AM:

" Organizers of the anti Iran rally, In New York, uninvited Palin. Probably figured they have heard her one speech a few times already. Hillary, pulled out when she was surprized by the press, to find out Palin was slotted to speak as well.

Perhaps the news IV channel, can hold their own Palin rally. The more she gets to talk, the bigger of a hole her "camp" has to back peddle to backfill. She might get to do a Fox show like that Nancy Grace. Her fans sure would like to hear that speech again. They should think about looping it on Fox radio. "

Early Bird wrote on Sep 19, 2008 6:12 AM:

" A peak into the future of the McCain presidency. (God forbid)

McCain: what do you think of the situation in North Korea? What's your idea of what steps we need to take?

Palin: Well sir, I haven't had time to get my kids vote on that yet, I've been too busy putting out fires on the latest National Enquirer story on me, but I'll do that and get back to you right after Todd and I get back from our appearance on the Jerry Springer show.

McCain: Now look here you moose eating trollop, you may not have been my real choice, but I expect a little more out of you.

Palin: Hey gramps, I've talked to Cheney and he told I didn't really have to listen to you anyway. Besides that I have an NRA meeting to attend and a luncheon with Pat Robertson, and that is certainly more important that your little problem with North Korea.

McCain: And another thing, what's this I heard about you making a list of all of my cabinet member you want to fire?

Palin: that's right, I always get rid of those who don't totally support me and my agenda, so move over grandpa, I'm taking over. If you don't get on board with me, I might just start a impeachment rumor.

McCain: yes maam, I get the picture. You say a little less starch in your manly panties? "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:29 AM:

" More proof that Palin is a pathological liardailykos.com Sarah Palin told Sean Hannity today that she had her daughters vote on whether she should accept the VP nomination, but that doesn't jibe with what she told Charles Gibson and it certainly doesn't sync with her own husband's recollection of events. Once again, Sarah Palin is lying and exploiting her family for political gain. What a shame! "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:57 AM:

" In the span of five days, Palin has gone from +17 to +4 -- a statistically significant shift. This includes the Gibson interview as well as the media's sudden focus late last week on the Palin/McCain lies.

It looks like the more we hear from her, the more her poll numbers slip.

I'll bet gringa won't be crowing about the polls if this trend continues.

He must get that from his hero the radio comedian Limbaugh, who only talks about the polls when his candidate is ahead.

Keep an eye on those polls, gringa. LOL! "

The Question wrote on Sep 19, 2008 9:19 AM:

" A trillion-dollar government handout, pure welfare for the rich. Tell us another of your moronic fairy tales about "free enterprise" and "personal responsibility," you lying Republican thieves. "

The Question wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:12 AM:

" A trillion-dollar Wall Street bailout.
Another three or four trillion for the Iraq occupation.
No-bid contracts for Halliburton and other Bush and Cheney pals.
Extra tax breaks for the top one percent of the American rich.
Another $5 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil.
Meanwhile, no health care for all Americans. It's too expensive.
Dirty hospitals for Iraq vets. Cleanliness costs money, you know.
A veto for the GI Bill. Too costly.
Faulty armor for troops. It's nice and cheap, you know.
No extension on tax breaks for Alternative Fuel companies.
Sex parties, drugs and bribes for Bush's Department of the Interior staffers, al courtesy of BIg Oil.
Get the picture? Put them all together, they spell, "GOP." "

ed miller wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:21 AM:

" injustice85 wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:13 PM:
" here's a question, why are the republicans pro life yet they let our soldiers die day after day? "

Our military is volunteer. I never heard of a baby volunteering to kill it self because it was created at an inconvenient time for the mother. I don't see the connection. "

shumphreys wrote on Sep 19, 2008 12:06 PM:

" The connection is that the justification for not allowing abortions is the Biblical statement, "Thou shalt not kill." It doesn't say it is OK to kill the enemy in a time of war, or in the case of self defense, or a policeman in the line of duty, or even animals for food. It simply says "thou shalt not kill." It is hypocritical to use this as the justification to allow one instance and permit the others. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 19, 2008 12:29 PM:

" Yeah nj85, it's murder when a 15 year old girl gets raped by her drunken uncle and decides to have an abortion, but when Bush sends our young people off to die for a lie, and Dick Cheney's pocket book, it's not murder. "

The Question wrote on Sep 19, 2008 1:21 PM:

" The media reports banks are being bailed out by government, but that is just another word for the taxpayers, as Benjamin Barber notes. We are consumers when it comes to buying bad credit, but citizens when it comes to paying for the costs. This is the new market form of socialism, where risks are socialized (we pay for them) but profits remain private (market pirates keep them). "

Mike P wrote on Sep 19, 2008 3:31 PM:

" Now some of the folks are getting it. Let the market correct its self, funding this kind of failure, only encourages it.

If we had four more years of the same failed policies that may well be the case. Heres a few billion, a handshake and a wink, don't let it happen again, isn't likely to be the norm any more.

Now the people are going to be public shareholders, in these companies. Any aspect hit by this crisis, is likely to have actual rules related to the issues, they have to live up to. It is sinking in, since the government had to prop up the top of many financial aspects, the spring break marathon of wall street is going to be reined in.

Bull elephant in must, finance markets, may soon be a relic. In some parts of the world, the pesky packederm has to be put down, if it does harm or damage to a village, lives or property. Here it just gets sent home to think about what its done, only after four year stints of its trunk in the money trough. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 19, 2008 6:29 PM:

" Republican foreign and economic policies being such cataclismic failures, may well be the straw that breaks that camels back once and for all.

Bush and his party being so proactive, to get policies shifted to the greed based power hungry platform, may be the best possible thing that unfortunately could have come from his continually misguided administation. A better blue print of what not to do, has been firmly established. It is likely his failures will eventually contribute, to implementing beneficial safeguards, so more responsible business has no choice but to take hold, or fail at their own risk.

Bush republican policy, a prime example of what not to do, will be his enduring legacy. From his wrongfully landing into the whitehouse, to the last day in office. He managed to be in charge of the biggest declines in this country, in its history. If not for him being so sucessful at failing, only small bandaids would have been placed here and there, to quell the profuse hemoraging. Now amputation and properly placed tourniquets, will be used, Broad spectrum antibiotics instead of an asprin prescribed, and the whole ball of wax will be reformed, instead of small pieces that usually ebb and flow with administration changes.

The post bush republican fiasco, could well be the last step before the first of many to turn things in a proper direction. Perhaps chapters will written in economics and political science books to teach future leaders step by step, wht Bush republicans did, and how not to repeat it. Even complete failures have their place in overall history. It might set a tone for a Presidential Library for decades, but at least his long time supporters and fans will have a place to gather together and continue to celebrate his administration taking up their causes so boldly and brazenly.

His might be best to be the first online Presidential library, commemoraing these events in stone and mortar, might be hard to get support for for decades to come. Greedy republicans are likely to be a bit less forthcomming with dollars, once reality truely sets in. All his many beneficiaries will likely cast him aside, once him simply keeping the chair in the oval office warm, becomes a thing of the past.

The last eight years have done more to prove Republican policies completely wrong, than any collection of groups spending decades trying, could ever acomplish in small areas at a time. George Bush republicans will eventually deserve the thanks of America. Hopefully in a hundred years, history will credit his failures as I have. They may well lead to America being a better place, inadvertantly. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:01 PM:

" the soldiers still trust our president to not send them off to an untimely death for an unjust cause ed miller "

ed miller wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:53 PM:

" No, MY justification is that people shouldn't terminate a human life just because it was created accidentially, because the parents didn't act responsibly. Now I really don't see how this is similar to a grown adult who volunteered to go to war or any more examples from Potter's family. "

ed miller wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:12 PM:

" Why don't you ask people who were actually there, whether they think it was "unjust". I didn't hear to many people complain when I was there, but then I guess that doesn't qualify me to have an opinion to all of the know-it-all liberals here. "

Mike P wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:19 PM:

" Its one of their many contradicting positions. Katrina response, and foreign policy being troops missions, are just a few of the constant disregard for various forms of life. They pick and choose which forms, stages, and aspects of it they want forced legislation for. Republican platforms, someday will be one definition of the word contradiction. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:49 PM:

" soldiers can be ignorant too, i knew some who actually joined for the thrill of killing, ignorance knows no bounds, but what about the ones coming home and committing suicide? i wonder how they felt about it? "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:53 PM:

" besides, are soldiers even allowed to complain in the military lol, it isn't even just about the soldiers but even the innocent people in their way that are getting killed, if you ask me the republicans are pro life because they want more future killers "

Mike P wrote on Sep 19, 2008 9:34 PM:

" Even Fox is shedding itself of the Mccain campaign fleas.

John McCain's campaign is rejecting a demand from Fox News that they remove the voice of correspondent Major Garrett fro a new web video.

An attorney for Fox wrote in a cease-and-desist letter to McCain's campaign, obtained by my colleague Michael Calderone, that such usage was unacceptable.

"As Mr. Garrett is a non-partisan news correspondent covering the Obama campaign for Fox News, it is highly inappropriate, among other things, of your campaign to use him in your ad," wrote Dianne Brandi, a senior vice president for legal and business affairs at the cable station.

Fox not wanting to be inapropriately tied to this Elephant suited circus, who would have ever imagined. "

Billie Brant wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:33 PM:

" injustice85--- You've proven your point that "ignorance knows no bounds per your statement" if you ask me the republicans are pro life because they want more future killers" Sarcasm is intended if you didn't get the point. "

ed miller wrote on Sep 20, 2008 2:00 AM:

" injustice85 wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:53 PM:
" ...if you ask me the republicans are pro life because they want more future killers "

Oh yes, brilliant. Yes, the GOP is pro life to breed a race of stormtroopers to carry out their will on an unsuspecting world.. That makes you sound real intelligent dude.

Gee, I didn't think anyone could top Potter for the pathetic crap they posted.

Oh yeah, all of us over in Iraq... We just signed up so we could go kill people. We thought we had everyone fooled that we were patriotic and believed in a cause, but you figured us all out since you are so smart. I guess I'll have to tell everyone else in the military to end the charade because we have been found out. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 20, 2008 7:28 AM:

" Gee, I didn't think anyone could top Potter for the pathetic crap they posted.

I guess that means I can count you as one of many fans, huh? "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 20, 2008 7:37 AM:

" ed miller wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:53 PM:

.... Now I really don't see how this is similar to a grown adult who volunteered to go to war or any more examples from Potter's family. "

Now eddie, was that nice? I purposely left out any mention of your family members in my example. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 20, 2008 7:38 AM:

" Gee, I didn't think anyone could top Potter for the pathetic crap they posted.

Seriously, eddie, I'm getting concerned about you obsession of me. "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:17 AM:

" On Thursday, a CBS News-New York Times national survey showed Senator Obama leading Senator McCain by a margin of 48 per cent to 43 per cent -- a swing of 7 percentage points in just a week. The poll also found Americans believed Senator Obama was more likely than Senator McCain to bring needed change to Washington by a 65-37 percentage point margin.

Thanks Palin. Keep her out there John. "

The Question wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:21 AM:

" Take it as a compliment, Harry. It's just a schoolboy crush. You know how those always involve taunts. "

The Question wrote on Sep 20, 2008 3:52 PM:

" As a friend of mine observed, Republicans have never believed in the free market, no matter what they say. They only believe in convincing smaller business that there IS a free market, so they can set up government rules that benefit only themselves. "

The Question wrote on Sep 20, 2008 4:45 PM:

" The Bush administration and the Republicans (especially Phil Gramm) pushed for deregulation that allowed for, and almost encouraged, these mistakes, as Cenk Uygur observed. Now, the guys who told us they didn't believe in big government are going to send in big government to pick up the tab. Privatize the profits, socialize the debts. We have been robbed!
Even Jim Bunning (R-KY) said that when Hugo Chavez nationalized industries in his country at least the Venezuelan people get the profits as well. We only get the losses. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:12 PM:

" yes for a cause, murder, thats all it is "

Harry Potter wrote on Sep 21, 2008 7:38 AM:

" The Question wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:21 AM:

" Take it as a compliment, Harry. It's just a schoolboy crush. You know how those always involve taunts. "

Thanks TQ, I hadn't thought of that, but it would make sense that he would be following me around for that reason. If that is the case I certainly hope ed is short for Edwina. LOL! "

cutright_michael wrote on Sep 24, 2008 6:22 PM:

" No matter how the democrats put it they have controled the house of reprensitives for the last 4 yrs they could over ride . Sorry my spelling not real good. They didnt step up. Oh by the way .We have a lot more imporant things to worry about than sarah palinns kids. Just a thought. "

father bob wrote on Sep 25, 2008 4:26 PM:

" Senator McCain I am a voter who wants to see you at the debate tomorrow in Mississippi.

Phoenix Office:
5353 North 16th Street
Suite 105
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Main: 602-952-2410
Fax: 602-952-8702

Tempe Office:
4703 South Lakeshore Drive
Suite 1
Tempe, AZ 85282
Main: 480-897-6289
Fax: 480-897-8389

Tucson Office:
407 West Congress Street
Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85701
Main: 520-670-6334
Fax: 520-670-6637

Washington Office:
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2235
Fax: 202-228-2862

Campaign Office

info@johnmccain.com "

The Question wrote on Sep 26, 2008 9:22 AM:

" The Democrats gained control of the House in 2006, Michael. That would be two years ago, not four. Since your math is as poor as your spelling, why waste our time with your comments? "

Jon Morgan wrote on Sep 29, 2008 4:08 PM:

" On congress opposing bailout...When my business was failing 15 years ago no one handed out a dime. Why should I hand one out now? Yeah Congress!

Obama is not ready to be a VICE president. Let alone a Commander in Chief. So, I'm voting for the least of two evils. Atleast McCain KNOWS what to do. He may not getit done. But, at least he knows. "

injustice85 wrote on Sep 30, 2008 10:11 AM:

" oh sure he knows just like he blamed the democrats for the bailout failing when it was the republicans who caused it, your own candidate doesn't even agree with you jon morgan "