Clearly, the decision for Obama to take this overseas trip has been a resounding success, risks and all.

All the GOP is resigned to these days is sniping, questioning his leadership, and smearing him. Meanwhile, Obama is looking more and more presidential than ever. It's very apparent that the GOP really has no plan and nothing to offer, other than criticism of the opponent and more of the same disastrous Bush policies.

And how ironic that McCain cancels his trip today to an oil rig in Louisiana to push for more offshore oil drilling as 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel spills into the Mississippi River as the result of an accident?

I don't think God wants McCain to be President this time around.

FoxNews.com has a different "spin"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,390301,00.html

Broadway: FoxNews.com has a different "spin"

Ice cubes are cold!

Andrew

Here's the transcript of his speech in Berlin:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/us/politics/24text-obama.html

"The Burdens of Global Citizenship Continue to Bind Us Together."

OK. No bump has taken place from the trip that is still happening right now? The one that I was just watching LIVE a single hour ago?

I think they had that story written about 2 weeks ago and let it run a couple days too early. It was burning a hole in their stack, I guess.

And it's poorly written too.

Of course, there will be no follow up.

I mean I know Fox has their agenda. That's fine. We know it. They know it. But come on - they don't even try to be news worthy any longer?

They'd better fact check McCain's political obituary article they've had in the can since March.

Of course Fox has a different spin. They have a lot to lose if Obama is elected and will do their best to paint this race as close in order to keep their faithful viewers interested and hopeful.

FOX?

They've got nothing! They've got nothing because Obama isn't going to entertain an untrustworthy network.

Headers from that article:

---

quote:

The significant news coverage Barack Obama is receiving on his foreign trip has not translated into a bounce in his numbers, a just-released FOX News poll shows. Obama now holds the slimmest possible edge over John McCain, leading by just 41 percent - 40 percent in a head-to-head contest. In fact, Obama’s support is down slightly from his 45 percent - 41 percent advantage last month.

---

---

quote:

Is Obama a Christian or a Muslim?

---

---

quote:

Two Likeable Guys

---

The trip may backfire and show people how weak Obama is on foreign affairs. Of course there is no underestimating the American people. A few more of his phoney photo ops will probably work wonders. If his handlers can just keep him from talking to the press and opening his mouth, he may win the trip.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baily could have learned something from this trip.

More sour grapes from Deane.

Clearly at this point the trip has not and will not backfire. It's been a resounding success. He's met with the Iraqi president who AGREES with Obama's plan on Iraq. Clearly Europe is starving to have an American president that they can become allies with once again. Obama is showing the world what kind of leader he will be and is showing that he does have strengths when it comes to foreign affairs. The more Obama talks and is on TV, the more people will see that he is the real deal. He will get things done, he will bring people to the table, and he will advance the American cause in a POSITIVE way throughout the world.

Meanwhile, what's McCain doing? Bitching about media bias and really nothing more. Sounds to me like old men think alike.

" The trip may backfire and show people how weak Obama is on foreign affairs."

How? How would it backfire? Using what is actually going on with the crowds and the meetings with leaders and the show of support...what is going on that makes you think there is a realistic chance that it would backfire? And what would that backfire look like, exactly?

Not rhetorical.

In Berlin he promised to remake the world. I thought getting the U.S. going again would be quite a challenge by itself. This guy truly believes he is the second coming.

And all the little liberal chihuahuas run after him panting, he's our guy, he's our guy.

Again, more sour grapes.

Everyone knows one man can't remake the world. However, one man can stand for a vision for the rest of the world to buy into and follow. Obama is a born leader and it's showing. And judging by the comments by the pissants who want more of the same from McCain, it's obvious they know it too, even though they're too stubborn to admit to it.

I agree that the trip so far has been a huge success for Obama. It makes him look more and more presidential. At this point (and according to an analysis I was reading), this election may come down to Obama's ability to convince voters that he's presidential, not on convincing them he's a better choice than McCain. Swing voters are nervous about Obama as they were with Reagan in 1980 and Kennedy in 1960.

And I agree, it's totally silly to announce in a story that Obama's trip that is still in progress hasn't helped him.

Andrew

" In Berlin he promised to remake the world."

Where, in his speech, did he promise to remake the world?

" I thought getting the U.S. going again would be quite a challenge by itself. "

It is. We all know why.

"This guy truly believes he is the second coming."

No he doesn't. You like to say that. But it doesn't make it true.

" And all the little liberal chihuahuas run after him panting, he's our guy, he's our guy."

No they aren't. They are just excited about their candidate. I know that that is not something you feel about your candidate. That's your fault. Not ours. Besides, you don't get excited about anything. But showing enthusiasm or support or excitement is not a bad thing, Deane. Just because you are a wet blanket about anything, doesn't mean that others showing their emotions is bad. You never seem happy about anything. We are.

Suck it.

Next.

Deane once again you are full of shit. Or maybe in your case blinds.

"Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baily could have learned something from this trip."

Fact: PT Barnum is the greatest promoter of all time!

Its a complement then to the Obama campaign from you that Obama's tour overseas is a huge success!

Care for anymore of your own foot in your mouth Deane?

Deane knows he's got nuthin' this election cycle with John McCain, so he's reduced to blowing hot air. Nothing all that new.

Andrew

Since you guys have the winning hand, why are you so touchy? Or do you?

Obama is the "Royal Flush" and McCain is just a "Big Turd"!

Welcome to the toilet of life!

Deane, it's not so much that people are touchy as they are just annoyed at what is an obvious disconnect. Most of us are looking for a better deal this time around, less conflict, and maybe, just maybe some progress after we get done fixing the crap gone wrong.

Seeing somebody just poo-poo that makes a person wonder just what the gig is? Are you one of the 23 percenters?

Ok, that's easy. Won't get that pet issue legislated and are highly likely to feel a bit worse about whatever it is that is nagging at you.

Are you one of the top 1 or 2 percent money makers?

Ok, that's easy too. Don't want to pay anymore than you have to. Understandable, but maybe not avoidable given where the lower percentile is.

If it's not one of those, or something similar, then what's the deal? Like things this way? Divisive, hateful, just hard?

Man, I sure don't.

I think you make good money, but I don't think you are a 1 or 2 percenter. Could be wrong on that, and you don't have to tell.

You are not a bigot, or anything having to do with the 23 percent crowd. Some stuff got tossed around, but that's just you being grumpy.

So, what's the deal man?

Afraid to actually buy in? Might get just as screwed as you did with Bush --and give up some of the conservative "progress" for a two-fer double whammy bad scene?

({And I put it into quotes, not to make fun of it, but to highlight that it's only progress if you think it is. Same for the libby side too, just to be fair.)

What if we just kick some ass for 4-8 years? World gets happy with us, conflict goes down, maybe we make more money, get stable.

Don't you want that?

Deane_johnson:
A few more of his phoney photo ops will probably work wonders. If his handlers can just keep him from talking to the press and opening his mouth, he may win the trip.


It worked for Bush.

Missing, it's simple. It's the rampant Obama is so perfect he has no faults, he makes no mistakes, he lacks nothing, he's the genius of change position liberals take.

I have seen not one word of discussion from the liberals as to what his weaknesses are. It's all perfection. Bull.

Sorry, I can't get an erection over your Messiah.

Hey Deane, try "POSTVAC", it may help you out with your little problem!

I've never heard anyone except you state that Obama "is so perfect he has no faults, he makes no mistakes, he lacks nothing, he's the genius of change." As I said, nothing but hot air - and strawmen you can build so you can simply knock them down.

I honestly couldn't tell you what weaknesses Obama or McCain would have as a leader, as a president. I don't know either one of them well enough. What I do know is that based on what I know, I like Obama a lot better than I like McCain, and I agree with Obama on a lot more things than I agree with McCain on. I prefer Obama's outlook on world affairs to McCain's.

We basically have two choices for president now and for me, Obama is clearly the best choice. By far, on both issues and outlook.

If I had to guess, Obama's biggest potential weakness is that he is more likely to make a "rookie mistake" than someone like a Hillary Clinton or an Al Gore who knows how a White House works. But the same can be said about McCain who, like Obama, has never held an elected executive position. At least George W. Bush and Bill Clinton had been executives in their states before becoming president. One strength McCain has is that the Washington Press Corps knows him really well and is more likely to give him a pass, as president, if he makes a rookie mistake. So he'd take office with a good relationship with the press. Obama, not having that relationship yet, will be jumped on immediately for any sort of misstep after he's elected. But it's not a certainty that Obama wouldn't be able to cultivate a great relationship with the media the way John Kennedy did; he had them eating out of his hand. But that was a different era.

Andrew

"he is more likely to make a "rookie mistake" than someone like a Hillary Clinton or an Al Gore who knows how a White House works."

But unlike the current President, Obama will be more like Bill Clinton and solict opinions from everybody, including calling around after a briefing to get further input. Rookie mistakes, perhaps, gut mistakes, no.

Hey, I think he totally hosed us on FISA.

Not perfect at all.

Now, what else Deane?

Yeah, Bill Clinton was the opposite of George W. Bush in his decision making - sometimes frustratingly so. He did talk to just about everyone on all sides and would often put off a decision til the last minute, even longer. FYI, Hillary seems to be more like Bush in her decision-making style. I don't know what Obama's will be like, actually, nor McCain's. Perhaps some smart reporter would try to make an educated guess based on the candidates' histories, but I'm not holding my breath.

Andrew

I'll cop to all sorts of things about Obama. Sure, I wonder about his ability to broker peace in the world. But I like the fact that he wants it. Or at least I like the way he's saying he'll try it. I believe that if it doesn't work out, he won't give away the farm to get it and get us into a war that is wholly ineffective.

I wonder if he is going to be able to work with Republicans.

But I will take the guy who at least SAYS he's going to try and fix things in a manner that I would like to see tried as opposed to the guy who has made it clear that he will do many things in the same way we've been going. I could be 100% wrong about McCain. But he's not giving me anything to put my trust in.

Maybe he will make a rookie mistake. And I will be disappointed if he does and I will call him on it. That is a million time better than voting for McCain and having his actually do the things that he has said he'll do ( depending on the day he said it - I don't know anymore with him. He's all over the place on major issues ) and then pretend to somehow find cause to be upset about it. Fuck that. You get what you vote for.

Obama is an unknown to a degree. But not to the degree Republicans want me to believe. They lie about him because they don't know either. But I believe that Obama will try and do the things I want him to do. What else CAN I believe in?

On a side note - I never see " McCain '08 " bumper stickers. But I see a lot of anti Obama shit. " Nobama " Stuff like that. I do not respond to that kind of implication that never says anything other than, well, all the stuff Deane says all the time. Never really says how they feel - just tries to tell me how NOT to feel.

So. Fucking. Weak.

Does anyone else feel like it's slipping away from McCain lately?

And where is this big promised " You guys are gonna GET it during the general campaign! "? Is this it? What are Republicans waiting for? The convention? Why?

Republicans that try and scare me remind me of

" You just made the list, buddy. Also, I don't like no one touching my stuff. So just keep your meat-hooks off. If I catch any of you guys in my stuff, I'll kill you. And I don't like nobody touching me. Any of you homos touch me, and I'll kill you. "

Lighten up, Francis'.

I like that he's a strong person. He works extremely hard to keep the higher ground and not close doors.

Notice how he almost never hammers anybody? He expresses disappointment over low brow attacks. Like, come on guys! You know better than that? Why don't you bring the real fight to me, on the issues and demonstrate your leadership instead of trying to just diminish mine.

He makes people expect better, and it's clear he expects better and works hard to do better. Not just good enough, but better.

The thing with Obama isn't that he's perfect. He's not and he will say so.

He is however, smart, hard working, and perfectly willing to put all of that out there so we can see it for what it is. He's just begging for somebody to come along and say, "no, I'm better see?"

That's not happened, so he's winning because he's the best, not because he dealt better than he got.

And he's the best because there simply isn't anybody else willing to do the work to be better, not that he's holier than thou, or special, or any other easily diminished thing.

This is clear because he leaves the doors open! If there is somebody better, he wants to know that, wants us to know that and is willing to do the work to find that out.

I think it's because he believes we need the best this time around, and he's going to just put that out there, lead by example and see if he can't just elevate the discussion and do us all some real good.

About this change the world thing too. Obama is about empowerment. He cannot change the world, but he can work to empower and support those that can. Who is that?

Us.

I like this message. I want to do the work to make things better. I need to know that if I do that work, my leaders are there to exploit it for good and just reasons, not just profit or power.

Obama is saying he's going to do that.

Will he? Will he be allowed to? The latter is probably the real question --ugly as that is.

I don't know.

I do know that McCain isn't about these things and that seals the deal.

Show me somebody better and I'll jump on board. That's what Obama is basically asking on the global stage: "If not me, then who?"

CJ, McCain is slipping huge. IMHO, the only reason it's not just over at this point is at some level we need a race! The media needs it, we need it, the world needs it.

We need it because most of us need to know we did the right thing this time. If we bring a good leader to the office, it's not too late to get things running good.

If we fail in this, I get the impression the rest of the world is perfectly happy with letting us fall, and fall hard, because they've got better things to do than entertain our failure to live by those things that made us great.

Either we want it, or we don't.

On that note, we are gonna see it get really ugly. It's not gonna be about the issues at all.

It's going to be about who wants it and who doesn't. McCain isn't gonna win, if he wins, because he's better. Not at all.

He will win because there are not enough of us who want it better. That's what all the Obama smears are about.

Bigots, racists, corporatist, theocrats, and you name it all thrive in a McCain kind of world. They believe this is as good as it gets and only real fools do the right things. The smart people get theirs and fuck the rest.

So we are gonna hear it all. Obama is a terrorist Muslim, he's a black supremest, he's the messiah, holier than thou, liar, flip flopper, weak, arrogant, presumptuous, not black enough, too smart, too thin, too tall, wears the wrong things, isn't patriotic, anti-American, globalist, tax and spend, foolish, naive, risky, unknown, snake oil orator, you name it!

All of it is gonna get thrown at him to see if it sticks.

I think it's because either we've got a real shot at a new direction that will do us some real good, or we don't. If we don't, well then take any of those outs and vote McCain, because maybe, just maybe this is as good as it gets.

They all lie, they all flip flop. Time to do away with the D and the R after the names, state your case line up your supporters, and go at it. In the last 20 or so years every campaign has become more polarizing than the last. The losers are YOU, YOU, YOU, and me. The media points out the differences, The people are divided, black/white, Socialist/Conservative, Globalist/Isolationist, Alarmists/Blinder wearers, Limbaugh/Drive by media and on and on.

The issues get muddled and instead of searching for common ground, prioritising and solving problems, Congress has non binding resolution votes, and votes on proposals where the outcome is decided before it hits the floor. Damn Republicans blocked the bill. Liberal Democrats fall one or two short of passing, Damn traitor crossed the aisle, and NOTHING GETS DONE!

Cut the red tape, build the frickin wind generators, quick flittin around with CORN FUEL and start producing a viable alternative. Call in ALL of the oil leases, put the U.S.G.S and the A.C.E on it drill the frickin wells and put the oil in the Strategic reserve. Quit selling our assets to foreign nationals. We gave Abu Dahabi our oil money, the look to them to invest it in our banking system that GREED ruined. Tthe Iraq war is paid for with paper as worthless as Wall paper. The world knows it. Now they also know that if we tank they can't possibly make up the loss by selling elsewhere.

Obviously deregulation in many industries is proving to be a "keys to the vault" thing. Radio blew it, banking blew it, areas with deregulated electric and natural gas blew it, and WE PAY FOR IT.

Obama, McCain doesn't matter who. They have their own agendas, and you bet both will be in your wallet "making the hard choices"

Bear Sterns, Wachovia, and all the other Billion dollar losers that played fast and loose with the rules. Where's all the multi billion dollar profits from the last few years? Screw you. let 'em fold up, and throw all their executive asses in jail. Work release is fine. They can spend 10 hours a day rehabbing city housing that was forclosed, abandoned and stripped.

Do you people read these theads as a whole? most are the same theme, Geez, they are ugly and polarizing. Obama is no more fighting for the little guy than McCain is a toady for the Status Quo. They both have someone pulling the strings. Come November, your cutting your suit from the same bolt of cloth.
Bush Sucks, McSame sucks, Obama, is just this side of being a Communist, Mc Cain is a stronger leader, Obama is a change we all need. and like the politicians themselves, none of you want to compromise and hit the real issues head on. better to argue who's more right than offer solutions. No Nuke Plants, fine, where do you want the windmills? Mighty breezy at Vantage. How about a few at Seaside? Brookings? Along the Columbia on both sides? Moses Lake? Damn Breezy east of Enumclaw as well. How many to Power Westport? Ocean Shores? Florence? Lincoln City? Pendleton? Now where to put them in the larger cities...OOOPs sorry, but next to YOUR house was the best place. Sorry we all have to make sacrifices. free utilities for your inconvienence. Ok that problem solved? You want to tackle Jobs or transportation next? Medical reform?

Missing,
Me, I'm a real fool, I do the right things, and I'm a smart guy, but never got mine. neither candidate will change that.

Who ever wins, the people better vote for 535 reps and 100 Senators that want to tackle the same problems, otherwise, it's like calling in a plumber to fix a leak and have an electrician show up to fix your roof. Wrong expert working on the wrong problem.

P.s. line item veto might be in order, if only to kick out any special bridge project for Alaska, and ANY project for West Virginia! Pork barrels and special interest vote selling has to stop. Too many needs to buy a congressional or senate vote.

As passionate as you all seem to be about "your" candidate, short of granting dictatorial powers to the winner, neither will deliver their promises. hope that either one has the best interests for the country as a whole

Sorry, Roger. I don't buy your "both candidates/both parties are the same" cynicism that is repeated in every election by people disgrunted with both parties. Clearly McCain and Obama are very different, have different styles and outlooks. I can't imagine a more striking example than the 2000 election. Look at how pivotal that election was for American history. I find it impossible to believe Al Gore would ever have embarked on this Iraq disaster or so badly handled things like Hurricane Katrina relief.

Andrew

Sooo many words. It all boils down to the failure of the present leadership (party AND President) and their nominee McCain promising to continue policies that have led us to where we are now, a place most Americans reject.

I've tuned most of the election news out, personally. The choice facing the voter's is clear: More of the same or Change.

Roger, I think I know why you "never got yours".

The trip may backfire and show people how weak Obama is on foreign affairs.

McCain's foreign policies are better? I haven't seen anything from him at all when it comes to his foreign policies.
McCain seems weak all the way around.

And old. Real old.

So far, Obama's trip hasn't backfired. It seems like a deft political move. The only negative thing thusfar seems to be the flap over the canceled visit to the Landstuhl military hospital (which seems to be a non-story, really). This has been a bad week for the McCain campaign, really.

Andrew

Andrew sez: So far, Obama's trip hasn't backfired.

200,000 people showed up to hear him in Berlin and I don't think he mistakenly said "I'm a donut" either!

LMAO!

Well remembered.

"Roger, I think I know why you "never got yours.

Because, Homie don't play dat..........

Actually, JFK said, "I am a jelly donut" I believe.

Andrew

Research with Google indicates he said the line exactly correct. A Berliner also refers to a donut that's a popular item in Berlin. That's where the donut thing came from. It can be interpreted either way, but Kennedy was correct.

I'm more troubled by the fact that two Presidents made great and historical speeches at that spot, Kennedy with his "I am a Berliner" speech, and Reagan with his "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" speech. Then along comes Obama as a candidate and he schedules a campaign speech and photo op at the same location, as if he actually qualified for the same greatness.

"As if" your opinion counts for anything around here.

I'd say the fact that 200,000 demanded to see him, he is qualified to give his speech where he did.

Deane! You got the "diminish the enthusiasm memo". It's not gonna do much good this time, just so you know.

Funny thing about that greatness. It's what we say it is. The only real way to find out is to post up and see what people think! Obama has the numbers and that's looking to indicate greatness.

Of course we won't know that until he actually leads, but it's looking good.

By comparison, we've got McCain handling a crowd of about two in the frozen food section of a local supermarket! Don't you all just love Jon Stewart?

It's more sad than funny.

I never knew that about the donut bit. So, it works like cookie works here, as in "give that guy a cookie!", meaning token of appreciation or reward.

Deane, I have no doubt you are "troubled" about Obama's candidacy, but I'm sure we wouldn't hear a peep out of you if McCain made a speech in that same spot as a candidate. Then again, not a chance in hell 200,000 people would show up anywhere to hear John McCain speak, and in Europe, the American flags at his speech would probably be burning, not waving. (Apologies to Jon Stewart.)

Andrew

Deane, Kennedy and Reagan worked toward the greatness you attribute to them partly by giving the speeches you mention. Any 'greatness' that may in the future be attributed to Obama might have begun with the speech he gave in Berlin. Time will tell.

Deane, why can't you acknowledge that from a political standpoint, Obama's trip has been a brilliant stroke? Obama needs to establish some foreign policy credibility and this helped greatly, in a week when McCain has sputtered and looked terrible. I think Obama also reassured Democrats that he is a different kind of candidate. Can you imagine John Kerry pulling off this kind of trip so successfully? I can't.

And spare us your fake indignation about Obama making a speech in Berlin; we know it's only because he's a (D) and not an (R) that you are troubled.

Andrew

Andrew, it distresses me that the American people are so shallow. They are though, and that's why politicians do these cheap stunts.

I detest things like Bush landing on the aircraft carrier, it was a cheap stunt. McCain was going to fly out to an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He had to cancel it due to the hurricane. Good. It was another cheap stunt.

Now, Obama is going to suddenly have great foreign policy stature because he took a whirlwind tour of a few news spots, delivering speeches some one of his entourage of 200 "advisers" wrote. Sorry, I'm just not impressed with any of these cheap shots at the American voter. Where's the beef?

"Where's the beef?"

Quit your whining. Obie did not invent American presidential politics. In order to lead the government he has to win the election.
Remember Frank Crossetti of the Yankees? My Dad used to remind me how Frank would wear an oversized uniform shirt and hang the puffs of the shirt out in front of him at the plate and be real slow about getting out of the way of inside corner pitches. As a result, he got "hit by pitch" many times. It got him a free pass to first base, the first step to scoring a run in case you're not familiar with the great American past time of baseball.

A cartoon on the editorial page in this morning's paper out here had a cartoon with caption (Obama speaking to Germans) "Ich bin ein notgeorgebush."

That's what it's all about, Deane. Get used to the fact that the Republican brand is not the only thing that Americans reject, it's their policies that have yielded nothing but problems for all those shallow Americans that distress you. Get real. You aren't the least bit distressed over anything except your bank book. You don't fool anyone around here with your faux feelings.

That's politics, Deane. Image is everything. Nixon (Roger Ailes) and then Reagan (Michael Deaver) really brought us that in presidential politics. However, in Obama's case, I do think there is substance beyond the image; I simply understand that this is what he is required to do to defend against McCain's increasing number of below-the-belt attacks, such as his nasty suggestion that Obama wants to "lose a war" to win the presidency.

And while you may believe Obama didn't write this speech (I don't know if he did or not), he can write a speech. He wrote most of his noted "race" speech he delivered in Philadelphia a few months ago.

Andrew

As if he actually qualified for the same greatness.

What leads you to believe that Reagan was great?

Inthemiddle, you're a typical liberal. Hear only what you want to hear. Imagine the rest. I didn't say anything about Reagen being great or not being great. I said he gave a great speech.

"That's politics, Deane."

Thank you for agreeing with me. It's all politics and the illusion of being something one is not. Obama doesn't know beans about foreign affairs, he's done nothing relative to them, and our adversaries know that only too well.

We had adversaries who though Kennedy was weak and thus the Cuban missile crisis. We had adversaries who thought Carter was weak and thus the hostage crisis.

Those who are slobbering all over Obama for his great performance on his circus tour are overlooking the effect of his comments such as the one where he'll tell Iran that if they aren't good, they'll face tougher sanctions. They have got to have sat down with a great sigh of relief on that one and thought, wow, this guy ain't tough at all. We can do as we wish if he gets elected. Go Obama.

Sorry, I can't bow at the alter of Obama like you all find so easy to do.

"Obama doesn't know beans about foreign affairs, he's done nothing relative to them, and our adversaries know that only too well. "

Sort of like the sitting idiot in the White House, only Obama is smart (unlike the idiot), willing to take advice (unlike the idiot), is not a spoiled oil child (like the idiot), and isn't a recovering alcoholic/cocaine addict (like the idiot) and most important of all, is not someone you like. The Democrats don't want to nominate and the country doesn't want to elect someone that a person like you, Deane, likes. Live with it.

Deane writes:
We had adversaries who though Kennedy was weak and thus the Cuban missile crisis. We had adversaries who thought Carter was weak and thus the hostage crisis.

We had adversaries who thought Reagan was weak and thus the US embassy and Marine barracks bombings in Lebanon in 1983. We had adversaries who thought George W. Bush was weak and thus the 9/11 attacks and the anthrax attacks. No doubt you voted in both cases for the Democratic candidates more experienced in foreign affairs in 1980 and 2000, right Deane? Or could it be you voted for whom you believed was the far superior candidate and best choice for America, as I will do in 2008?

Sorry, I can't bow at the alter of Obama like you all find so easy to do.

Nor do we kiss McCain's ass like you do, Deane. What's your point?

Andrew

And McCain does?

I'm sorry, but he can't even keep the core facts and issues straight for more than a few days at a time. He scares the living shit out of me. IMHO, should he get elected, he will be a puppet to be manupulated by the bastards that got us where we are today. Feeble, unable to really do what he wants to do, and that means others get to do what they want to do by proxy.

That's not any kind of President we need.

It works like this. We've got two choices, or we can no-vote, vote third party and let others choose for us. That's it.

Obama is going to win because he's the better choice across the board. The only way he isn't going to win is if he's got a scandal not yet uncovered, or people are convinced that neither of our choices is good, or this administration and or movers and shakers do serious stuff to manipulate the election. (and the latter is just not off the table, where I am concerned)

In the case where people are encouraged to marginalize the potential of the process, more people can vote their bigotry, racism, corporatism, and whatever other axe they have to grind, or they can just low information vote and let lies make them feel good about voting their self interest. That's the "none of it matters, so get what you can get" scenario that devalues our civic duty across the board.

This is standard, by the book, Republican response to any kind of progressive potential. Not this time. Yeah, Obama said that, and I really, really like it because that is exactly 100 percent how I feel about things right now.

McCain largely represents the path we are currently on. There is no question on this. He's a Republican and he's running for the third Bush term. We all know what happens when too many people vote for republicans. Look around, it's not pretty.

Obama is going to take us on a different path. That's change. There is no question on that one either. The likelihood of it being worse is almost zero, meaning the same or better is a very smart wager. No brainer.

Given roughly 8 out of 10 people are not feeling good about our current direction, the possibility that we can shift over to a different one is welcome news. That's where the enthusiasm is coming from. It's not a messiah thing. It's just we have a candidate that made it through the ranks to present us with a solid choice for change. It's the right message at the right time.

Really, if we buy your bull shit, either there is no hope, they are the same, or our current direction is the correct one.

I'm not anywhere near surrendering hope. That's death essentially. No thanks. That also implies that Obama is just using the change message to get elected to screw us differently than the last administration did. There is no case for that, given his current behavior.

There is a very strong case for that with McCain, so that's debunked easily enough.

On most other things, clearly the two are different, so that's out. Interestingly, both this Republican administration and their candidate are siding with Obama on a lot of core policy matters! I'm ok with them wanting to look more like Obama, because that means Obama is doing the right things! The pressure is on for change, and it's already having an impact.

Sweet!

Nobody has made the case for our current direction being the correct one, or even the better one, if we just take correct off the table and look at better only.

So, what's the deal Deane?

Have no hope? That's sad. Get yourself a cookie, and feel better about stuff.

Wanting to serve your self-interest maybe? I'll admit, I see that one being on the table. No big deal, if it is. At least be honest about it.

Think we are doing the right things? Best case that's willful ignorance, and you are smarter than that.

Pride?

Hmmm... Perhaps. You do make a lot of statements about "Republican Money", "Conservatives building wealth" and such.

If that's the case, know it's totally ok to be a conservative. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you are a real conservative --an American conservative, you should be just pissed as hell that the Republicans have done the cause so much harm. I'll bet the current mess just chaps your ass because you are a nice, successful conservative, who can't really advocate that because the brand is trashed. Nobody is buying, despite it all going well for you.

Is that it? Afraid that liberal won't really be a dirty word anymore. It just isn't now you know.

Conservative is. That's been associated with way too many bad things. Greed, scandal, questionable sexual behavior, bigotry, theocracy, racism. Man, that list just isn't all that pretty. I see an awful lot of oval shaped spots on cars where there once was a W sticker. I don't see McCain stickers replacing them.

If it were me, in your shoes, I would be thinking long and hard about electing more and better conservatives! You know, the good kind, not the majority of the party right now. That is exactly what us American Democrats are doing. The current state of the party isn't all rosy. We can win, and improve the state of things. All good stuff! Just look at all the Democratic primary challengers this year, and last.

And given that path, I would be looking to mitigate the damage to the party as much as is possible so that has a chance at happening. That might not be the right thing to do though.

Republicans really should just take their lumps right now and get it over with. That way, more solid Republicans can be elected, requiring fewer inter-party challenges to get things running good again. Those Republicans that remain after this election, can very easily justify solid change, pointing right to the smaller party size for justification to do so.

Are you there maybe? Probably not, but you could be!

I can't respect this sly, poo poo everything, wishy washy, no hope, make others feel bad about change, bit though. Does nobody, including you, any real good.

Truth is, this is an exciting time in American Presidential politics. There is a lot to get stoked about! We've got a historic nominee, more people than ever involved in the process at a local level. All good.

http://news.aol.com/elections/article/obamas-lead-over-mccain-grows-in-poll/1025 41

That said, I simply cannot deny that Obama is getting more and better coverage than McCain. But in this case, the press following Obama around during his overseas visit is poetic; McCain kept saying that Obama, if he wanted any credibility, needs to show that he can do these very kinds of things. And then McCain had to sit by and watch while Obama did it, got coverage, gained support from leaders of other countries and domestically, then got a bump in the polls for it.

Now McCain will whine about it.

Which just goes to show you - If McCain was able to run a campaign the way he wants it run, he would have done a lot better. At this point, I think that his heart is not in it and is transparently reaching when all McCain could imply about Obama's trip was that Obama is unpatriotic or weak for listening to The Pentagon and not being forceful enough in visiting wounded soldiers in Germany.

Really? That's it?

So, is it your thinking that this 10 day summer intern trip overseas is all it takes to become a knowledgeable world leader?

Nope.

Here, Deane, this is from the front page of 'The Oregonian' this morning, and it should make you feel safer.

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/07/merrill_tony_mcpeak_the_ore gon.html

..."But in a contest that could turn on issues of national security and the war in Iraq, McPeak, the former chief of the U.S. Air Force, has given Obama, who never served in uniform, valuable credibility on military and warfare issues.

Obama's fitness to be commander in chief, McPeak says, was an issue when he first entered the race and will continue to be a concern with voters right up to when they cast their ballots. It's not, however, an issue with McPeak.

"He has gut-fighting sidewalk smarts that have allowed him to prevail when people said he couldn't," McPeak says over a cup of coffee at Blue Joe, his favorite Lake Oswego cafe. "And he did it in a way that they didn't even know their throats were cut until they tried to smile."

No wonder the two hit it off."

And more...

"Smith says he doesn't know what triggered McPeak's decision to leave the party. McPeak says he was turned off by Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney's go-it-alone policies, which he says helped alienate the United States from the rest of the world. But the clincher, he says, was the invasion of Iraq -- a decision he opposed from the outset.

"I didn't leave" the Republican Party, he says. "I was tossed out. I was tossed out by foolishness in Washington."

He registered as an independent and started helping Democrats. He first signed on with Howard Dean's presidential bid. Then, after Dean self-destructed, he joined Sen. John Kerry's campaign.

McPeak, now a registered Democrat, says he regrets endorsing Bush without doing his homework. "If I had met him, I would have understood immediately the guy was kind of shallow."

"He registered as an independent and started helping Democrats. He first signed on with Howard Dean's presidential bid. Then, after Dean self-destructed, he joined Sen. John Kerry's campaign."

He seems to have a history of backing losers.

He seems to have a history of backing losers.

Hmm, so people should support "winners" only? What are you trying to say here?

Did you read the entire article, Deane? Probably not.

"History of backing losers"?

Well he DID start with Bush and Cheney...

I'm just pointing out (again) that Obama is certainly surrounding himself with well-respected experts, instead of cronies, frat brothers, business partners and general dipshits like Bush has.

instead of cronies, frat brothers, business partners and general dipshits

Amen, Woof or Boo (depending on your religion -- I suppose for the Spagetti Monster its "Slurp"?).

Man, the general dipshits (and I love that as much as I love "took it in the sack!") have got to all be worried shit less over the idea their job prospects are about to get far more bleak.

I want to see that on a business card.

Joe Blow
Executive General Dipshit
Bush Co.