Pinch yourself

Hysteria

it's interesting , isn't it, that if this gentleman was applying for a job in the CIA or the FBI he would not pass the vetting process.......

Conservative Cabbie

I can't make my mind, Is an Obama Presidency going to be a Theocracy, a Thugocracy or just an incompetency?

Huw Thornton

You've put the matter in a nutshell, CC.

Obama stands accused of being both a communist and an islamist. I suppose after his 20 years in the Trinity Unity Church of Christ, we should think of him as a Christian-ist as well.

John Birch

Hysteria: How do you know he wouldn't pass the vetting process for the CIA and the FBI? Do you know what their requirements are?

Conservative Cabbie: It would be rather difficult for an Obama presidency to be more incompetent than the current Bush administration.

charles soper

One of the most disturbing aspects of Kurtz's claims is Obama's direct role on the board of the Annenberg challenge (given below). It reflects deeply on Obama's own philosophy in the last 13 years, (even if it has softened recently). It's extraordinary he was ever a candidate for the senate, let alone where he is now with such a record:

'Obama and his very small and divided board kept the money flowing to ideologically extremist groups like the South Shore African Village Collaborative, instead of organizations focused on traditional educational achievement.

As if the content of SSAVC documents wasn’t warning enough (see Kurtz article at first link MP cites), their proposals consistently misspelled “rites of passage” as “rights of passage,” hardly an encouraging sign from a group meant to improve children’s reading skills. The Chicago Annenberg Challenge’s own evaluators acknowledged that Annenberg-aided schools showed no improvement in achievement scores. Evaluators attributed that failure, in part, to the fact that many of Annenberg’s “external partners” had little educational expertise. A group that puts its efforts into Kwanzaa celebrations and half-baked history certainly fits that bill, and goes a long way toward explaining how Ayers and Obama managed to waste upwards of $150 million without improving student achievement.

However he may seek to deny it, all evidence points to the fact that, from his position as board chair of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, Barack Obama knowingly and persistently funded an educational project that shared the extremist and anti-American philosophy of Jeremiah Wright [appalling details fully documented in the article]. The Wright affair was no fluke.'

This is not a guilty association it is a fully guilty participation in black racism.

winstanley

Several words spring to mind when seeing this fascination with Obama - obsession, paranoia, manic. Does Melanie really think that the world's most conservative state is really going to let a true radical on the levers of power? Of course not. He's going to turn out as radical as all the others and cosy up to the establishment. Name one leftist US president.

BA

I like your articles. You're quite well-informed on Obama-related topics. In fact, your articles are the best ones available on either side of the pond, forgive the cliché.

Thank you very much. P.S. I also read your other articles.

It might be too early, but the matter of Obama's "certificate of live birth" has begun to emerge from the blogosphere. Berg's YouTube on Berg vs. Obama has been shown on Fox.

Verity

John Birch, I am not going to comment on your question referring to the Bush administratin because you are a moonbat.

However, no one on this blog is fearful that an Obama presidency would be incompetent. Malign, yes. But in pushing forward a destructive agenda, I fear they would be more than competent.

Verity

Winstanley - Jimmuh Cahduh.

Conservative Cabbie

Winstanley

I would make one point to disagree with you. There is a potential perfect liberal storm brewing - a very liberal President, a very liberal Speaker of the House and a potential fillibuster free Democrat controlled Senate. Who would stop him? Don't forget, the U.S. doesn't have an establishment in the same way we do, they are largely appointed by the President.

Wilfred

Truly incredible.

But I still just don't see it happening. The Land of the Free, the great free-marketeers in business and culture, electing a radical Marxist?

I don't see it. But I think we're in for fireworks either way.

I think there are various significant ethnic groups that won't generally vote Obama - particularly the Asians and quite possibly many Hispanics.

Plus Republican Afro-Americans.

Neither will many Hilaryite Democrats (nor indeed any sound-minded, patriotic, ethical or conservative Dems).

Plus all the floaters who dislike the whiff of the dubious goings-on in the Obama camp.

Plus the anti-abortionists and non-partisan female voters who are attracted by Sarah Palin.

Plus racial anxiety, esp amongst whites.

Plus all the interests vested in the status quo.

Plus the religious right, Catholics etc.

Throw in the current and growing disenchantment with PC and the MSM, the booming blogosphere, Islamic terrorism and concerns about immigration.

And.....my money's still on McCain and Palin.

Jack Thursby

The BBC Panorama programme that was aired last night showed some word perfect "kids for Obama" collecting money on the street on behalf of "the one." Whatever next, "The Obama Youth?" Well yes actually, but they have been "disappeared" from Youtube.

Meanwhile, Once upon a time in Chicago ........
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/462414.aspx

Hayward Maberley

Mr Cabbie,
The citizens of the USA , and unfortunately many now in the the rest of the world have been suffering from incompetency viz. The Wall Street Debacle and the state of the US economy, Thugocracy viz. the Iraq Fiasco and The Afghanistan Imbroglio, which includes/ed Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, rendition, torture, and abuse of the Constitution of the USA and habeas corpus. All brought about by a strange claim to be a "Faith Based" Administration, the Republican version of Theocracy, where the Lord gives th OK to visit "shock and awe" on the land of Iraq and POTUS holds a chiliastic view of the world. The same view shared by the Republican candidate for the office of VPOTUS. Four more years?

Nick in Virginia

John Birch: Jimmy Carter was FAR more incompetent than George W. Bush. Carter was the worst President in my lifetime (I was born when Truman was President), and 0bama's policies resemble Carter's too closely to make me feel comfortable.

The Dems don't want a 3rd term of Bush (which they would not get with McCain). I don't want a 2nd term of Carter.

As far as conservatives being "paranoid" about 0bama's associations, remember this: 0bama has lied about Wright, Fleger, Rezko, and Ayers. He has been caught in those lies as well, but many Americans who don't get Fox News or don't live on the internet don't realize that, because the MSM are in the tank for him. IF he wins (God help us) it will be because the MSM has provided interference for him by blocking the truth from being disseminated to the People.

And once he gets in office, he will have at least 4 years to begin tearing the country apart. By the end of his first term, it may be too late to recover.

Hysteria

@ John Birch - re the FBI background check -

https://www.fbijobs.gov/employment/SF86.pdf

I may be wrong but I reckon he would struggle with Q 12 (imagine listing Ayers and Wright) as well as 30a.......

On the upside - past use of drugs is no longer a disqualification.

Lucan C Heraclitus

winstanley,

People like you don't wake up when the house is burning down.

When Hitler happened, nobody believed that it could and when the markets crash nobody thought that they would.

Things are kept hid - that's power.

Bob - Illinois

Thank you Ms. Phillips for doing the job that American media won't do. We are not having an election here in America. We about to possibly have an overthrow. Our electoral system is being raped by the ACORN/Democrats, who have hijacked the democrat party.

Anon

Well...it's all very scarey and I'm glad we're asking the questions.

But how come he's got by the CIA, the Feds, and the other security Agencies? Or what else is going on?

Ann

"Does Melanie really think that the world's most conservative state is really going to let a true radical on the levers of power?"

The world's most conservative, eh? Utterly batty. Ever heard of North Korea, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, ....?

Conservative Cabbie

Hayward

"Four more years?"

Yes please.

Of course in Farrakhan's mind, he's already returned. Sometimes get the feeling Obama supporters feel the same, what with the Obamacropolis, the Berlin rally, the children singing in adoration, the faux Presidential seal, the blind devotion of his supporters, the comparisons drawn by his supporters of him and Jesus Christ. Need I go on?

I will support anyone that will fight the evils of Islamofacism, abortion, wealth redistribution, unlawful immigration, terrorism, affirmative action, suppression of free speech and so on.

In fact let's skip the top of the ticket and go straight to the VPOTUS.

BTW. Thankyou for chiliastic, that was a new one for me, had to look it up. Learn something new everyday!

Israel

Well, well well.

After all the weeks of trying to beat up Obama with the Ayres connection can any of the conservatives please comment on this:

William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.

The two lobbyists who Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

During the same period beginning in 1992, Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil. Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through.

Timmons' activities occurred in the years following the first Gulf War, when Washington considered Iraq to be a rogue enemy state and a sponsor of terrorism. His dealings on behalf of the deceased Iraqi leader stand in stark contrast to the views his current employer held at the time.

John McCain strongly supported the 1991 military action against Iraq, and as recently as Sunday described Saddam Hussein as a one-time menace to the region who had "stated categorically that he would acquire weapons of mass destruction, and he would use them wherever he could."

So now we know. John McCain is soft on the supporters of terror. Who would have thunk it.

Hayward Maberley

Mr Cabbie,
So you too are awaiting "The Rapture" as well. So much for rational argument. But I suppose when you do support a "Faith Based Adminstration" you have to be prepared for anything. Do you have one of those stickers on your cab? I like this one
In case of rapture, this car will be driverless. It will then recklessly careen into children at a school crossing -- killing all of them.
But then I suppose it is only collateral damage

Jerry O

WOW!!! Powerful piece! Thank you for that. The determination of the press to not cover all of these things and then some is like nothing I have seen in my 42 years. There is one thought that should be added. How can anyone ignore the connection of Obama to R. Odinga in Kenya. He supported this person in his politics and maintains ties today and has stood by silently as Mr. Oding has murdered thousands of Christians and burned nearly 800 churches and is trying to institute Sharia law like a Taliban state in Kenya. Or how about the hundreds of millions of dollars that are pouring in to Obama from the middle east and elsewhere around the world? The question that looms is who will save the day. Who will step up with money to bypass the MSM and tell America who Obama really is???I pray someone does soon because it is clear that most of the MSM should be collecting a payroll from the DNC and the Obama campaign.

Conservative Cabbie

Yet another insightful piece from Israel. Except what he doesn't tell you is that it's only appearing on blogs, not in the media, that it's all based on supposition and that, and I quote "Timmons told federal investigators that he was unaware of these particular activities, and investigators were unable to uncover any evidence to contradict that claim."

So basically he's giving us a story with no evidence based on supposition and expects to equate it with William Ayers. Nice try!

Conservative Cabbie

Hayward

You started jumping to a whole bunch of conclusions there didn't you. I'm not religious, just tolerant of religious people, unlike you.

Please tell me what it was about my statement that led you to believe that I believe in the Rapture. I stand accused of flying in the face of rational arguement - Ha! Look to your own lack of deductive reasoning skills before making assumptions about others.

Yours
Slightly less respectfully than before
Cabbie

Red State

Cabbie

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/14/mccain-transition-chief-a_n_134595.html

Hayward Maberley

Nick in VA
“John Birch: Jimmy Carter was FAR more incompetent than George W. Bush. Carter was the worst President in my lifetime (I was born when Truman was President), and 0bama's policies resemble Carter's too closely to make me feel comfortable.”
Well at least Democratic Administrations have been somewhat more careful concerning the financial state of the USA compared to Republican Administrations, which are supposed to be fiscally responsible.
In 1981, shortly after taking office, Reagan complained of “runaway deficits” from the Carter term in office, that were then approaching $80 billion, or about 2.5 percent of gross domestic product. Within only two years, however, his policies had succeeded in enlarging the deficit to more than $200 billion, or 6 percent of GDP. Under the “fiscally responsible” Republicans, from when Reagan took office, the National Debt standing at $995 billion from the Carter era, by the end of Bush1’s presidency, had exploded to $4 trillion. Clinton managed hold/wind them both back returning the budget to a surplus of some US$280 billion. Now thanks to the Dubya and Friends the deficit will be $482 billion in the 2009 budget moving from black to red ink in the order of US$750 billion. Now they intend to add another US$700+ billion to help their friends on Wall Street. Add at least another US$250 billion to that as the US Government starts to buy bank shares, is that not socialism?
Nick, do not forget the US$3 trillion and climbing cost of the Iraq Fiasco and the Afghan Imbroglio. The first conflict since The War of Independence to be fought on credit.
National debt, US debt is the amount of money owed by the United States federal government to creditors (bankers) who hold U.S. debt instruments. Debt held by the public is all federal debt held by states, corporations, individuals, and foreign governments, but does not include intra governmental debt obligations or debt held for Social Security.
As of September 2008, the total U.S. federal debt was approximately $9.7 trillion; about roughly $5.3 trillion is non government debt. But when unfunded Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare are added, this figure rises to a total of $59.1 trillion. In 2007, the public debt was 36.9 percent of GDP with a total debt of 65.5 percent of GDP.
From 1980-1990 under Reagan and Bush Republican Administrations it climbed as a % of GDP from 26% to 42%. Under Clinton it fell to 35% but is now at c.38%. In 2005 it had gone out by a factor of 9 over the debt in 1980.
Fiscally Responsible Republicans? Fiscally Risible Republicans is really more apt!

Terry

This is America's election, not mine. I don't get a vote. The rest of us just have to accept the result even if it isn't good for us or the world. And if Obama wins I fear it won't be good. But win he probably will because those who have undermined the strengths of western democratic capitalism are now in a position to take power at the highest level. An obama victory will be like putting the loonies in charge of the mental hospital.

At least, it would have been before left leaning idiots decided that mental hospitals were not PC and loonies really should live 'normal' lives among everyday folks. The loonies are probably eternally grateful as they observe the world from their homes under railway arches, murdering the odd innocent out of frustration.

But now we are about to have a looney elected President of the US things are bound to improve for all of us. First let them out into society, then put them in charge of it.

That's the left for you.

Israel

con cabbie:

The story comes from Murray Waas a journalist who has worked for The American Prospect, The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times, The Nation, The National Journal, Salon, and The Village Voice. In 1993 he was a finalist for the Pulizer Prize for his reporting on US pre-war policy to Saddam Hussain before the first gulf war, and at the moment he works for The Huffington Post. He was one of the small group of Journalists who broke the Iran-Contra affair, as well as reporting on Whitewater and the Plame affair which lead to the investigation and conviction of I Lewis "Scooter" Libby. This man may not be as well respected as Seymour Hersh but he isn't some sort of Matt Drudge tabloid internet flake.

You can try to brush off this report if you want but the simple fact is that this is yet another own goal by the McCain camp, along with that nice photo of him AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THOSE NASTY A.C.O.R.N PEOPLE IN 2006!!! The man is King Midas in reverse. Things are so bad even the Anti-Nostrodamus William "the bloody" Kristal is criticizing him.

John Montgormery

Hayward, you seem to be forgetting that Bill Clinton was held in check by a Republican House that stopped his spending plans. The increase in government spending since 2001 is regrettable (interestingly, much the same thing happened in the UK but not here in Australia). I suspect you are right that most of it is due to the War and pork. But the War is now almost won, and it is no time to run away. If it succeeds fully, Iraq will be the equivalant of West Germany under the Marshall Plan. In 10 years, we shall have much to thank Mr Bush for, as by that time Iraq will be free and wealthy.

Looking forward, Obama has plans to increase government spending by $1 trillion. He plans to raise taxes on the top 5% (who create the wealth and jobs) including small businesses. This is the economics of the infantile left.

d1carter

Americans are being threatened with riots in the streets if BO is not elected. If he is elected, Kurtz will be the next Salmon Rushdie.

laura

Oh, dear, once again, Melanie has it right. My liberal "friends" have found it necessary to attack my intellect, my intentions, my mental capacity, and/or call me stupid, vitriolic, crazy, a right-wing nut job, etc.
I have a question: Why is it “ugly” when I question “facts” – “delusional” when I point to other "facts."
Is not a democracy a place where you can "trust but verify?" Exercise freedom of speech (and hopefully thought?)
Thank you Melanie for excercising it for us, since apparently in America we no longer do. Call me Lost in LA.

Hayward Maberley

Mr Cabbie,
Apologies. I did generalise in this situation. So please forgive me. However the fact that the current Republican POTUS and a would be Republican VPOTUS do hold this chiliastic outlook on life concerns me as much as the possible election of Democratic POTUS seems to concern you and many others who post here.
Btw when Israel commenced that failed incirsion into Lebanaon in 2006, Rapture web sites were getting really excited.
Some extracts from http://www.rr-bb.com/
July 11th, 2006, 10:13 PM

Ohappyday

Is it time to get excited? I can’t help the way I feel. For the first time in my Christian walk, I have no doubts that the day of the Lords appearing is upon us. I have never felt this way before, I have a joy that bubbles up every-time I think of him, for I know this is truly the time I have waited for so long. Am I alone in feeling guilty about the human suffering like my joy at his appearing some how fuels the evil I see everywhere. If it were not for the souls that hang in the balance and the horror that stalks man daily on this earth, my joy would be complete. For those of us who await his arrival know, somehow we just know it won’t be long now, the Bridegroom cometh rather man is ready are not.

July 11th, 2006, 10:26 PM

watcherboy

it has been quite a day today, if you caught all the news; I’m getting the feeling world tension is gonna be high for a long time with increased terrorism and nations being defiant. I don’t think it will cool down until after the rapture when the peace deal is confirmed.

July 11th, 2006, 10:30 PM

Chess-guy

…How can we not be excited, our redeemer cometh. We should pray always for the lost. But he is coming. Amen Amen ever so come lord Jesus.

your brother in Christ,

Paul

July 11th, 2006, 11:30 PM

Ifnot4him

Ready, waiting and excited here! Still telling others whenever possible that the rapture could take place at any time because this world is in such a big MESS and evidently it goes through one ear and right out the other.

…July 12th, 2006, 08:15 AM

Bghtnpd4

I am excited beyond words that the struggle of this life may be over soon and I can finally be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Shelle circles her fist over her head and imitates Arsenio Hall by yelling WHOO-WHOO-WHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

July 12th, 2006, 09:15 AM

Waitin

I too am soooo excited!! I get goose bumps, literally, when I watch what’s going on in the M.E.!! And Watcherboy, you were so right when saying it was quite a day yesterday, in the world news, and I add in local news here in the Boston area!! Tunnel ceiling collapsed on a car and killed a woman of faith, and we had the most terrifying storms I have ever seen here!! But, yes, Ohappyday, like in your screen name , it is most indeed a time to be happy and excited, right there with ya!!

July 12th, 2006, 12:46 PM

Kidsintow123

…Our bridegroom and kinsmen redeemer, what a beautiful thought!! To finally see His face!!!

Sound the shofar! Let the Enemy know the alert has been sounded and Yeshua is stepping onto the battlefield.

I am a Jewish princess, my Father is the King of Kings!

Kidsintow123

July 12th, 2006, 05:16 PM

…If He tarries, I will just have time to get my hair and nails done (you know let all I come into contact with know of my Bridegroom and what He has/will do). So i am all spiffied up for Him when He does arrive to take me home. No disappointment, just a few last minute details to take care of to be more pleasing to look at.
Just another liberal talking point!
Regards, again apologies

dka

Thank You Melanie Phillips, for all the great work that you do!You are like the old Radio Free Europe, one of the few sources, other than Canada Free Press, that reports all the rubbish that is behind Obama. The American media, print, and TV are both in the tank for Obama. If they had chosen some Hollywood actor with a 3rd grade education they would have pushed him on the American public in the same fashion.When Bush was running they examined how many hours he was off the air force base, with Obama one lie, one inconsistency afterthe other are allowed to stand. If he cannot stutter a reply Obama will tell the person asking 'it is above his pay grade'. Nothing but nothing is told via the Main Stream Media or as we call it over here, the Lame stream Media. Your reports are immensely appreciated.! Thank You!

dmgold

The history of the polls show that Omama's 'margin' is not great enough to carry this election. Obama would need a 10-14 % lead to gauruntee a 4-5 % victory. Obama is only just ahead. I think the left leaning media in cohoots with the Obama camp is actually feeding the fire that will erupt after obama loses. Get yourselves ready for Civil unrest on the streets of the East and West coasts after the results are in.

redpoll

Of course. A lot of us reached this same conclusion months ago. We’re at an interesting crossroads. Having eradicated anti-black racism in the United States, we’re about to be confronted with powerful people who are anti-white racists. That’s the untold story in this election - how the African-American community still holds to the old-style plantation mentality where race is king and you can tell a person’s character by the color of their skin. (Similar things can be said about the anti-woman prejudice of the left in their dealings with Sarah Palin - and the anti-elder prejudice of the left against John McCain.)

In essence, the modern home of the bigot and the racist is the American left, and that’s already become the standard by which modern leftist politicians articulate their opposition to conservatives and anyone else who stands in their way. Like the segregationists of old, the American left seems like a formidable force, with vast power; when the end of the day comes for their sorry bigoted ideas, they’ll appear as they are, tired fools railing against the world, pining away for a socialist utopia. Think of how Bull Conner looked in 1962, and now imagine the pathetic image of morons like David Duke. Likewise, Farrakan and Obama seem like powerful men today. When my son is in his middle age, Obama will be a sad reminder that people used to think race meant something other than appearance.

Conservative Cabbie

Part 3 of my wishful thinking campaign.

In a recent Washington Post poll, when asked "Regardless of who you may support, do you think Obama does or does not have the kind of experience it takes to serve effectively as president?", 54% said yes, 45% said no. That 45% figure is the highest in American history apart from Michael Dukakis.

Hayward Maberley

Terry,
Where have you been for the last ten days or so. You mention about "undermined the strengths of western democratic capitalism"
It seems to me that it has been undermined from within not without. The Wall Street Debacle was not caused by "loonies on the left" as you put it. It was all those gung-ho free marketeers from "the greed is good gang" if we are to use perjoratives. Read my last,just post above yours, concerning the "Fiscally Risible Republicans" Further more The Republicans controlled Congress from 1994 until 2006, and oversight of the two FMs and others was supposed to come from Congress. It was Bush's SEC regulator, Chris Cox, who reduced the "net capital" requirements for investment banks in 2004.Thus enabling Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Bros, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley to dive headlong into the then-lucrative mortgage-backed securities and credit-default swaps markets. Only then did the trickle of bad loans and derivatives become a tsunami in waiting. Hank Paulson, then of Goldman Sachs, led. the Wall Street request for relief from the capital requirements.
It is karma that now Paulson has to clean up the debris left by the receding tsunami. So it was GOP Congress and the GOP regulators who weakened the dykes and sea walls so that they finally succumbed. The force that was created in the vast ocean of Republican ineptitude and greed resulted in this large wave washing up Wall Street and spilling out into the rest of the world.

Conservative Cabbie

Part 4 of searching for a glimmer of hope.

In Virginia in 2004, exit polls showed party identification as; 39% GOP, 35% Dem, 26% Ind. Bush won the state with an 8 point margin. Recent polls in Virginia by PublicPolicyPolling, Survey USA and Suffolk have Obama leading respectively by 8,10 and 12 points. In all 3 surveys, party identification has switched dramatically to the Dems (+5 in PPP, +10 in SurveyUSA and +12 in Suffolk). Now I'm no psephologist (far from it), but this seems a dramatic shift, even taking into account Obama's voter registration drive. Bear in mind that party ID is an important component in calculating the final poll result.

This is a notoriously difficult election to poll. Factors not normally present that need to be considered are the high number of young voters who normally don't vote but have registered in droves for Obama, the African-American vote, the Bradley effect, the mobile phone only crowd who aren't polled as a matter of course by usual polling companies.

I'm not going to fly in the face of an obvious shift to Obama across the board, the point I'm trying to make is that this really could be a lot tighter than some polls are suggesting.

mo from chicago

I don't know if some of those commenting have ever listened to http://marklevinshow.com Mark Levin is a constitutional lawyer. I know if you scroll down on his home page there is a link to the Mark Levin UK fan site. Yesterday's broadcast is extremely informative and includes a call-in from Mark Steyn. Oh yeah, you'll get used to Levin's voice after a while.

Conservative Cabbie

Part 5 of trying to lift the gloom.

I posted earlier that IBD/TIPP poll had McCain only down by 2 points. Apparently, this was the most accurate poll in 2004.

Some recent state polls in battle ground states:
Ohio - Obama +5 (SurveyUSA)
North Carolina - Obama +3 (PPP)
Missouri - Obama +2 (PPP)
Colorado - Obama +4 (Suffolk)
Florida - Obama +5 (Fox/Rasmussen)
Virginia - Obama +3 (Fox/etc)
Nevada - Obama +2 (Mason-Dixon)

Particularly pleased to see Nevada and Colorado still tight. These figures are about the same as they were 3 weeks ago but haven't gone south like the eastern and midwest states have.

Now obviously this all looks swell for Obama, up in every one but all the above have McCain at or near the margin of error. Bearing in mind my previous comment about how pollsters might be inflating Democrat party identification numbers in the polls and it might suggest that things are tighter than they actually are.

Bear in mind also, that I have seen pundits say that Obama really needs to be between 2-8 points ahead in the polls because of the Bradley effect (not that I'd want to win that way) and the race potentially tightens even further. A good showing by McCain in the debate or conversly a slip by Obama, a change in the security situation, some good economic news still might be enough to turn things round for McCain.

Again, usual disclaimer - I'm not saying all this is definite, I realise it flies in the face of the polls, I'm just going to wait until Florida, Ohio, Virginia or N Carolina get called for Obama on Nov 4th before I give up all hope.

Ronnie

Terry, you seem confused.

'Care in the Community' was a UK Conservative policy, implemented by the last Conservative government principally to save money. It was not a policy of 'the left'.

Now, we can argue about the merits of institutionalising people who may need help and whose behaviour may seen unusual in terms of our social norms. The fact is that while many people were 'released' no meaningful provision of 'care' was subsequently provided in the 'community', with sometimes tragic results.

Another failed policy of the right.

raymond joseph douglas

I am sorry melanie,but the world's media appears to have made up its mind on this one!Like over Israel,they have a tape playing in their collective heads that prevents hard,objective analysis!I really shudder over the prospect of a obama presidency,all the hopes placed in him and what he will do!

Conservative Cabbie

Hayward

Apology accepted willingly.

They seem like a happy bunch of people, the more happiness in the world the better.

I'm not sure I get your point. Are you saying that being religious should disqualify you from political office? That seems a bit radical too me. My view is that we should be understanding of peoples values, especially when they come from a different culture. It's funny, that's a very liberal posirion which is why I'm surprised you don't share it. Or are you, as I suspect many liberals actually are, tolerant of anyone so long as they're not white, American or Christian/Jewish.

Mike

Please keep going Melanie....all this negative stuff you and others are trying so valiantly to dredge up only serves to help Barack Obama. Let's see if McCain has the 'balls' to confront Obama with these allegations this evening......and if he does, let's see how his opponent deals with them.

Dan Raymore

Obama is anti free trade and plans on raising taxes on small businesses. All this heading into a major worldwide recession. We had another president who pursued these policies: His name was Herbert Hoover.

If you were design in a lab a candidate whose policies were intended to weaken the US, Obama would be the perfect mold.

Hayward Maberley

Mr Montgormery,
As you referred to Australia, I am using some Aussie adjectives as emphasis!
“Hayward, you seem to be forgetting that Bill Clinton was held in check by a Republican House that stopped his spending plans.”
Cognitive dissonance in spades here, Mr Montgormery.
Those blow outs in the deficit and the national debt that I referred to in an earlier post. They occurred in the two Reagan terms and the single Bush term. They then recommenced after Clinton had brought in a surplus and at least held the National Debt back. With the Dubya and Friends eight years the deficit has blown out to buggery again and looks like going out even further into the buggery wilderness. As for the national debt that has gone through the roof and is rapidly climbing into the stratosphere. Assisted greatly by the Wall Street debacle and Dubya’s mates, the erstwhile Masters of the Universe. For where else is that now close to a US$ trillion ($700 billion + $250 billion to buy bank shares) to come from?
As for the Iraq Fiasco, the “shock and awe” campaign was successful. But an occupation is an occupation is an occupation. How long does the US or can the US afford to stay as an occupying power. For that is what it will be regarded as while it has that Disneyland of an “Embassy” sitting on some of the best not to forget, free, real estate in Baghdad. I will ask you a question I posed earlier on this blog. What was the longest war, as they termed it that the US ever fought?
Your comparison with West Germany following the Marshall Plan is also cognitively strained. Germany both before WWII and in the aftermath was a leader in industry, the deviser/enabler/inventor of a great deal of engineering/science/technology. It had a large skill base due to its education and skill training systems. It had a range of resources and the abilities to utilise them also those that were necessary to import.
In “Downfall” about the last days of Hitler in der F�hrerbunker.
Albert Speer visits Hitler and confesses that he cannot do what Hitler had ordered. That was to bring about an infrastructure and industrial Götterd�mmerung. This was to be achieved by the destruction of what was left of the Third Reich's power generation and distribution system, railways, dams and dykes and any factories, assembly plants etc, that had not already been damaged/destroyed in the Allied attacks and bombing. Speer expected to be hauled off and executed, but it did not happen. Some think it was because Speer was the architect, the artist that Hitler always thought he himself could be.
Iraq following the war in 1991, the sanctions, shock and awe and the Fiasco is in something approaching Götterd�mmerung. The infrastructure has not been brought back to pre Fiasco level, let alone pre 1991. Millions of Iraqis have fled, amongst them many of the best trained in the trades and professions, administration and business skills.
Iraq’s only real resource, oil which was really what the Fiasco is all about, is not fully controlled by Iraq, as a sovereign state should be able to control its own resources. The Seven Sisters, actually 4 as there has been some consolidation, a bit of poetic licence there, have regained de facto control of Iraqi oil. see below @
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2008/0915draftlaw.htm

“Looking forward, Obama has plans to increase government spending by $1 trillion. He plans to raise taxes on the top 5% (who create the wealth and jobs) including small businesses.”
How else is a government supposed to pay for the near US$trillion dollar bail out needed because of the malAdministration of Dubya and Friends.
“This is the economics of the infantile left.”
An interesting statement when looking at the mess caused by what?
The mature and responsible right?
Cognitive dissonance again.

catesby

Tony Blair, as a young man, was a member of CND.

He must have rubbed shoulders with some pretty weird Marxist types in that organization.

He was also a member of Hackney Labour Party.

He must have had to go along with some crazy things there too in order to get on and climb the greasy pole.

But he did not stretch the foolishness of his callow youth into middle age.

He ditched it.

Obama seems to be doing much the same.

Jim Treacher

"Several words spring to mind when seeing this fascination with Obama - obsession, paranoia, manic."

I don't know if you've noticed, winstanley, but a lot of people are talking about Obama. He happens to be running for President of the United States. But apparently it's only the people who dare to criticize him who are "obsessed."

"Name one leftist US president."

Ask me again on Nov. 5.

Oliver

Here's some helpful context.

The total budget of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge over the five year period 1996 through 2000 was $147.6M. The total grants that CAC made to the organization that Kurtz and Melania Phillips are referring to, Coalition for Improved Education in (Chicago’s) South Shore, were almost certainly less than $1M - that is, 0.6% of CAC's total budget.

CIESS does indeed sound like a bonkers outfit, and it's surprising that Obama and his fellow board members (who by the way included Republicans as well as Democrats) chose to fund it.

But in the context of CAC's total activities this represents a rounding error, and certainly not proof that Obama is some kind of ebono-fascist.

Only someone predisposed to hysteria would think otherwise.

Russian observer

The difference between Obama and Lenin is that Obama's power overtake is bloodless. They both were great community organizers, and his Alinsky is equivalent to the Soviet Trotsky. Is the dictatorship of the proletariat coming next?

Alex

Hahah, America grew rich from shady capitalism. Only now all this "Christian" bullshit is coming up. Whether he's a perfect gentleman or a rogue, he's awesome, and I'LL VOTE FOR OBAMA. So how do you like them apples?

Byron in Wahroonga

***how do you know he wouldn't pass the vetting process for the CIA and the FBI?***

Forget the FBI and the CIA.

Anyone who would leave their own brother living in penury in a Nairobi slum isn't fit to lead.

Byron in Wahroonga

***name one leftist US president***

Jimmy Carter. It took ten years for the USA to recover from his incompetence.

Byron in Wahroonga

**the history of the polls show that Omama's 'margin' is not great enough to carry this election**

Margin + (unprecedented levels of) voter fraud= victory.

Hayward Maberley

Mr Cabbie,
Thank you for accepting my apology.
However I must say again that these chiliasts are happy in actively looking forward to the Rapture that can only occur when Armageddon is unleashed. So they actually look forward to war breaking out in the Middle East and seem to be happy to encourage its arrival.
I am not saying that being religious should disqualify you from political office. But neither should not being religious. I have lived and travelled in parts of Europe, Asia, the Americas and in the Pacific area.
I have/had friend, acquaintances and co-workers from a large range of ethnic/cultural/racial/religious backgrounds. I am interested in other cultures and beliefs. Living, visiting Asia led to learning Mandarin and Japanese as well as studying linguistics.
I am at a loss to respond to you last sentence. “White”, “American”, “Christian/Jewish.” But here goes.
“White,” I am “white”, though in fact I tan very darkly as do 2 of our 4 children, of mostly Celtic origin, from Ireland. My wife is also of Celtic origin from Cornwall, Ireland and Scotland, and I live and work mainly amongst/with “white” people, of English, Irish, Scots, French, German, Dutch descent. Also Iranians, who are aryan by descent, Turks who are from the western part of Turkey up against Bulgaria. Greeks from the islands adjacent to Turkey, do Lebanese and Egyptians count as well.
“Americans” Well my “American” friends and acquaintances range from citizens of Canada, US, Mexico, Nicaragua, Brasil, Uruguay and Chile.
Some of these are through my job , in an academic library. Canberra where I live has a large tertiary education sector as well as having many embassies.
I have an aunt, my mother’s sister who married a US pilot after the war and went off to live in St Paul Minnesota, an uncle who settled in New York and some distant relatives who live in San Francisco. I have been to North America where I visited my relatives. I have met many other people from the US both when travelling there through the east, down to Florida. Across to the Mid west to the south west and down the west coast into Canada then down to Mexico. I take people as I find them.
“Christian/Jewish” . I am not a religious person but I work with several people who are and we get along well. I can add “Muslim” since I have Muslim acquaintances and meet Muslims in my job. I have no objection to whatever people wish to believe, as long as they do not try to proselytise or force others to behave in a way that they believe that their “God” has ordained. I was raised a Catholic and fed the usual stuff about Original Sin, God, Hell. But I grew out of it as I started to read more history and became aware that it was not sweetness and light, to put it mildly, not all about loving your fellow man. Given the Crusades, the Inquisitions and persecutions and all the things justified by religion viz. judicial maiming, murder and torture, misogyny, polygamy,slavery war, you could say I am really sceptical about all religion.
As for the chiliastic view, I just find it frightening.

Cynicor

This frothing, unsupported article, and most of the comments below, bear no relation to the election contest that's actually happening here in the States right now.

John Birch

ConservativeCabbie: I don't necessarily disagree with your political analysis re: the swing states but the odds are still against McCain because Obama doesn't need to win most of the states you list. If Obama simply wins the states Kerry took in 2004 that puts him at 252. He is also ahead comfortably in Iowa so that makes it 259. That leaves him needing 11 votes with all kinds of combinations possible. Now he's ahead in Missouri and even West Virginia so McCain has more states he has to fight in that should have been solid Republican territory. And he has to compete against a very well-funded Obama campaign. The odds are strongly against McCain. Remember that Bush barely won in 2004 and got fewer votes than Gore in 2000 so things have been trending against the Republicans for awhile.

NickG

It's not considered impolite, it's considered barking mad.

Dina

At the 11th hour someone is questioning, in court, Obama's eligibility to stand for election!

http://www.americasright.com/2008/10/lawsuit-in-washington-state-questions.html

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Washington State Questions Barack Obama's Citizenship, Eligibility to be President

GSD

But, but, I thought he was just an airheaded, arugula eating, latte sipping liberal elitist celebrity?

Can't you in the Army of the Unhinged get coordinate your smears a little better?

I'm getting confused.

-GSD

John P. Lofreddo

The final paragraph absolutely summarizes what has me quite disgusted with (what seems to be) most of my fellow Americans.

Aaron

i>

No. Carter is a *liberal*. The USA has never had a leftist president.

Aaron

I've heard that Obama plans to begin his presidentcy by making fried chicken the national bird. Could you please check up on that Ms. Phillips?

Col

It's not impolite to say so Melanie Dear - free speech and all that

Your column on the other hand teeters somewhere between impolite and downright offensive

The world waits with baited breath for American to do the right thing and elect Obama

He may not be perfect, but he's not a Republican. Which, let's face it, is the dirty word here.

Yours sincerely,

99% of the United Kingdom

Verity

Mr Berg is simply wonderful and I wish him Godspeed with his investigation. He is asking the question formally, in a legal arena, that every other sane person has been asking and he sounds like a very persistent person. He is peforming a service to his country and the world.

Catesby writes, with towering naiveté that Tony Blair used to belong to the CND when young, "But he did not stretch the foolishness of his callow youth into middle age.

"He ditched it.|

Well, he certainly had his and his ugly wife's membership of the CND airbrushed out, but he stayed a rabid Gramscian and spent 10 years destroying a civil society it had taken a thousand years to make. And, as in the dreams of all Communists/leftists, he is now rolling in clover. Penury and rules are for the little people.

Mo from Chicago - Thanks for the link. I'll go there today.

J Morgan

I would write a proper comment on this article, but I'm too busy laughing.

M. J. Nelson

Dear Ann --
Try not to be politically ignorant. There is a difference between being politically conservative in America (current American Conservatism supports political free speech, a small federal government, low taxes, local control of education, etc.) is different than being "conservative" elsewhere. It all depends on what one is being conservative about, darling.

Bill Thompson

I do not consider Obama a Christian. He has admitted that he doesn't believe some of the key doctrine. But he was raised an atheist by an atheist mother, with a brief interlude in a Muslim school as a boy. As an atheist, he doesn't buy the bit about Allah and the Koran, either. His membership in the Chicago church was utterly cynical and political. Wright's theology, based on Rev Dr Cone's "Black Theology" treatise, is not Christianity, either. The few filmclips we see of Wright and his preening and racist ranting do little to convince me the Rev Wright knows a whole lot about Christ and His teachings either. Obama is a collectivist--influenced by Marxism and by black separatist thought for most of his life. So? He becomes president of the US and the US gets to find out what it is like. I only hope the damage is not personal--I am an American and believe deeply in American tradition and values, none of which Obama seems to even understand.

Bill in Norfolk, VA

whacker

Wow! Melanie is really obsessed with Obama - five articles in 3 days, is it? I don't know the details of BO's past but it seems to me that quite a few mainstream politicians flirted with extremist groups in their youth e.g. Lionel Jospin (ex-French Prime Minister) was a Troskyist when he was a nipper; Sarah Palin was "pallin' around" with Secessionists (why not a few words about that -dear Melanie?). The funny thing to me is that so many of the bloggers on this post seem to think that BO will destroy America.....do you not yet realise that America has already been destroyed by extreme capitalist policies practiced by Reps and Dems over the last 30 years. The party is over, kiddies.... time for something new, maybe? Let's hope so, for the future of our little planet.

Pete

Is there a more factually-challenged group than the American red-team ?

(I've given up calling them conservatives since it's clear they are anything but - it's simply my guy by any means necessary)

itwasntme

Oh, get a grip, will you?

ExRepublican

Dear Melanie,
Fine - you have the right to drag this nonsense up but you fail to note what the alternative is. The McCain team's links with Saddam, crooked financiers, casino owners and various other unsavoury figures in American society have been well documented because they are frankly er...true. Sarah Palin's links to the militant Alaskan secessionist movement has been reported on because that's...er true too. McCain is an unstable adulterer and bigamist with a dodgy war record. His "nexus" contains the Republican party - the nutjobs responsible for the world's financial meltdown. It may be impolite to say this but just shut up please. The world can't afford a McCain/Palin administration.

Ruth

i wonder if Obama could get a top security clearance? Bill Clinton could not. What is it about Democrats and their backgrounds? Both of these two DemocRATS are crooked, plus they refuse to release their medical records (both Bill & Obama). What are they hiding?

Tim Sacramento

I think it's not so much "impolite" as "clutching at straws." Obama will be a moderate President. That's what's required to be a success as a Democratic president. Obama owes a lot more to the Democratic Party and to his Democratic donors than he does to the radicals Kurtz is foaming at the mouth about.

Verity

Pete - poor choice of words on a British blog. To us, "red" means socialist.

Sheila

For the life of me, I can't understand why Andrew Sullivan would link to this absurd nonsense of yours. Would you please cross the pond and speak to someone in America who knows and has worked with Obama in public life for the last 28 years?????? Geesh - I am definitely still pinching myself...

knick49

Until last July Phil Gramm was co-chairman of and top economic adviser for the McCain campaign. Simultaneously Gramm was vice chairman of USB Investment Bank. One of his fellow executives was and continues to be Patrick M. Sheahan, Executive Director, Public Affairs, USB Investment Bank. In addition Mr. Sheahan was and continues to be on the board of directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago. The Woods Fund board is the one that Barack Obama and Bill Ayers served on together from 1999 to 2002. Ayers is still on the Woods board and is serving with Phil Gramm's fellow USB executive, Mr. Sheahan.

My question is to what extent should this connection between Ayers and the McCain campaign should be condemned? For instance, if Gramm was still campaign co-chairman, would he have been expected to resign over this issue?

Pete

Verity:

Thanks for that. I forgot it's the democrats that are 'socialist'.

Oh, by the way - how's that massive (red-team supported) government buyout of private companies going ?

(snicker)

Dhalgren

Melanie seems to be skipping over a huge chunk of reality -

If Obama really was a Marxist with secret agendas of Jew-hating and anti-white racism, he would not be on the verge of receiving 65 Million votes (which I think would be a modern record).

He has been examined with a fine tooth comb,and the best we can figure out is he is a Clinton-style centrist. Oh sure, we expect another Ken Starr to investigate him during his first term. We expect the GOP to take-back the House and push for impeachment. And we expect plenty of Vince Foster-like rumours.

But Barack Obama, when you peel back the different appearance and name, is really Bill Clinton II.

Still a reason to panic, Wingnuts?

I do hope it hurts. If nothing else, it is going to be very entertaining to hear your crying and screaming coming from both sides of the Atlantic.

CitizenE

Yesterday Pulitzer Prize finalist and investigative reporter Murray Waas reported that William Timmons, the insider Washington lobbyist that John McCain has chosen to lead his transition team in the chance he gets elected has been linked through first hand witnesses and extensive court testimony to the lobbying effort to get sanctions lifted on Saddam Hussein for oil profits. Senator McCain who is a long term friend of convicted Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy who, as a trained killer, has also publically threatened the lives of elected officials of the federal government. And in the nominating speech of Sarah Palin she extensively quoted avowed racist and facist Westbrook Pegler who once wrote of Robert Kennedy, "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies."
Lately the right is reviving the idea that anyone who opposes their hegemony over the American political scene, which has clearly resulted in historic deficits, incredible foreign policy debacles, and the most divisive atmosphere in American politics in forty years, must me Marxist radicals and "terrorists.' You should realize that right now to over half the voting populace, you seem like crazy nut cases in your attempt to bring back Joe McCarthy to the public discourse.

Nigel

Not impolite, just nonsense.
Since you appear to source most of your information from that objective journal of record, The National Review, why don't you ask Kathleen Parker and Christopher Buckley for their opinion ?

Hotelsiam

We have seen Republicans such as Nixon and Kissinger actually endeavour to collapse peace talks (Paris 1968) with foreign governments while running for president and then subsequently commit war crimes while in office (Cambodia/Vietnam/Bangladesh). Similarly, one watched Clinton execute a mentally retarded black man while running for president in '91, as well as lying about the attemped rape of a past lover before going on to bomb Sudan for domestic political reasons in '98. Obama got his hands dirty in domestic politics and attended a crackpot church for political reasons (see Dreams From My Father) but I doubt the likes of Melanie had a single sentence, either then or now, in the cases of either Nixon or Clinton when they were actually commiting criminal acts as opposed to legal but cynical ones. In terms of links to dodgy fundraisers, Bill Clinton makes Obama look like the preppy Harvard grad.......

Doug

And of course Annenberg Challenge (named for and started by a Republican) is also stuffed full of Illinois Republicans who have said it is preposterous to smear Obama with Ayers because the whole of the Illinois Republican party would be guilty as well. And McCain takes money from these same Republicans who have served with Ayers and Mrs Annenberg as well.

And this doesn't even cover his long friendship with convicted Watergate criminal G. Gordon Liddy who advocated the murder of ATF agents and planned the murder of journalists and the fire-bombing of the Brookings Institute. Or his friend Richard Quinn, a secessionist, who denies that slavery was in any way cruel. Or his associations with the religious nuts and anti-Semites, John Hagee and Rod Parsley. Or his membership of the US Council for World Freedom a group consisting of "Nazis, fasclsts, anti-Semites, sellers of forgeries, vicious racialists, and corrupt self seekers" according to former members and who funded multi-million dollar weapon purchases for militias in South America. And McCain wasn't 8 years old when he did all this. And then there's Palin's links to the separatist AIP group seeking, if necessary, the violent destruction of the United States.

I_weep_for_the_future_of_british_journalism

It's not impolite to say so, it's wilfully ignorant to.

Luckily the majority of the American population are more interested in the failing state of their economy at the hands of the Republican party than the increasingly shrill accusations from the extreme right wing.

You cite "rightwingnuthouse.com" as a reference. Seriously?

TioNed

Melanie:
You'll be happy to know that your compatriot Andrew Sullivan has put you up as candidate for a Hewitt Award:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2224950/34536449
In other words, you've been tagged by Sullivan as a genuine reality-disconnected right wing nut job. Like Hugh Hewitt (whose writings this column closely resembles).

I used to have respect for Mr. McCain until he let the Bush neocon goons start running his campaign.
No one in Illinois, (where I'm from) including Obama opponent an noted right wing nut job Alan Keyes, made any big deal about Ayers during Obama's campaigns in Illinois, becase IN ILLINOIS IT WASN'T NEWS! He's was a state senator from a district on the south side that's majority black, of course he's going to try to fund local projects run by black folks, right?

There's no dirt worth speaking of between Rezko and Obama either, Rezko even complained that the Bush appointed federal prosecutors were pressuring him for dirt on Obama and he had none for them... (I reference the Chicago Sun-Times story on the subject)

McCain and Palin's dodgy associations... geez, that could go for pages. You can Google it for yourself...

Tony Jones

1. Is it true that Todd Palin was a member of the Alaska Independence Party from 1995 to 2002?
2. Is it true that the AIP's charter commits the party "to the ultimate independence of Alaska," from the United States which it refers to as "the colonial bureaucracy in Washington." Does it proclaim Alaska's 1959 induction as a state "as illegal and in violation of the United Nations charter and international law."

3. Is it true that the AIP's creation was inspired by the rabidly violent anti-Americanism of its founding father Joe Vogler, "I'm an Alaskan, not an American," reads a favorite Vogler quote on AIP's current website, "I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." Is it true that AIP's central purpose is to drive Alaska's secession from the United States.

Alaska, says current Chairwoman Lynette Clark, "should be an independent nation."

4. Did AIP founder say, “The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government."?

5. Is it true that the AIP, with sponsorship from the Islamic Republic of Iran, was scheduled to present their case for Alaskan secession from American tyranny and imperialism before the United Nations General Assembly in the late spring of 1993?

6. Is it true that Sarah Palin met AIP Chairman Mark Chryson in the early 90’s when he was a member of a local libertarian pressure group called SAGE, or Standing Against Government Excess. (SAGE’s founder, Tammy McGraw, was Palin’s birth coach.), while Palin was a leader in a pro-sales-tax citizens group called WOW, or Watch Over Wasilla.

7. Is it true that Sarah Palin backed Chryson as he successfully advanced a host of anti-tax, pro-gun initiatives, including one that altered the state Constitution’s language to better facilitate the formation of anti-government militias. Did she join in their vendetta against several local officials they disliked, and listened to their advice about hiring.

8. Is it true that AIP has forged alliances with outright white supremacists organizations?

9. Is it true that Sarah Palin attended the AIP convention in 1994?

10. Is it true that Sarah Palin attended and gave the keynote speech in 1996?

11. Is it true that Sarah Palin attended the AIP convention in 2000?

12. Is it true that Sarah Palin addressed the AIP convention in 2006 while running for governor?

13. Is it true that Sarah Palin addressed the AIP convention as governor in 2008 remarking on their importance to Alaska.

14. Is this true: “During the 1990s, when Chryson directed the AIP, he and another radical right-winger, Steve Stoll, played a quiet but pivotal role in electing Palin

15. Is it true that Sarah Palin named Stoll, a John Birch Society activist known in the Mat-Su Valley as “Black Helicopter Steve,” to an empty Wasilla City Council seat?

16. Is this true? “Imagine the uproar if Michelle Obama was revealed to have joined a black nationalist party whose founder preached armed secession from the United States and who enlisted the government of Iran in his cause? The Obama campaign would probably not have survived such an explosive revelation. Particularly if Barack Obama himself was videotaped giving the anti-American secessionists his wholehearted support just months ago.”

17. Is it true that AIP is now touting Sarah Palin as the perfect example for how their members and agendas can best be pursued through infiltration of the major parties? Are they now talking about small town values and conservative approaches to issues like state rights offer the best place to make their extreme positions acceptable? Is there a YouTube available publicly where this is made clear?

Spanzo

Wow - you people are totally crackers. A good exercise in vague mudslinging without feeling the need to put forward any actual evidence Melanie - well done.

People saying Obama is a radical marxist on the one hand, and then comparing him to Hitler on the other.

Obama will be elected, and you'll see him be about as radical as Bill Clinton (i.e. not radical at all).

McCain has consistently supported Bush policies over the past 8 years, and electing him would be 4 more years of the same. His running mate believes the world is only 5000 years old and Obama is the crazy one?! You need your heads examined.

Officious_Pedant

It's astonishing to me the level of blinkered ignorance shown here. All this fear, all this certainty that Obama will destroy this country. As if the last 8 years of imprisonment without charge, suspension of Habeas Corpus, Rendition, illegal wiretapping, ex post facto law making, signing statements, etc. etc. etc was somehow the calm before the storm.

You folks can throw around wild accusations all you want, as the McCain campaign has been doing for weeks, and it doesn't stick. Why is that? Obama sat on a board with Ayers, and went to church where Wright preached. He sold property to Rezko, and was a politician in Chicago. So he knew those people. What evidence do you have, other than fevered imagination, that he did anything illegal, unethical, or immoral.

Aside from more fevered imaginings at wingnut outlets like NewsMax. Deal with it, folks, Obama is going to be the next President. Oh, and your concern over a Dem President, and Dem Congress, falls pretty flat given the control of the White House, and the Congress over the last quarter century. The control exerted by Bush and his minions between 2002 and 2006 finally exposed the true thuggery and incompetence at the center of conservative ideology.