TOTAL JOY! President-Elect Barack Obama Turns the Page

"Tonight is Your Answer." Nothing like this has ever happened before. The sheer numbers of people - a quarter million in Chicago's Grant Park & environs - all mesmerized, inspired, united, moved to the core, and ecstatic about Barack Obama's election as President of the United States - doesn't count the untold millions watching on their televisions and computer screens: an amazing celebration of democracy - a peaceful, dramatic, and real people's victory - of the people, by the people, for the people. Was it the numbers, the enthusiasm, the sense of release from a dark period, of freedom from some unnamed threat, or was it the sheer power of human cooperation on a scale grander than anyone really comprehended until it actually went down?

Or was it the power of one man to lead in a time that cried out for rational, sensible, genuine leadership - by gathering and uniting an entire nation to turn the page??

The end of the campaign crept up on me like a slow, protracted labor ... knowing childbirth is coming inevitably, but afraid of what could happen, what could go wrong, there's always so many variables, but in any case, when the time comes, it will come, and then, suddenly - no matter how much preparation, it will go down suddenly - a child will be born. Where no life existed, in the final stretch of the campaign, I had this strange feeling of being unable to focus on anything else, unable to stand the wait, yet forced to wait, unable to just calm down and get a life.

But then suddenly it did go down, just as predicted, and yet the release was palpable, the baby was born! But this child was like no other...

OK, I've seen elections since the days of Eisenhower. I saw the elation and excitement over JFK's election, yes! But it was not like this.

And I saw the anticipation and enthusiasm over Reagan's election, where he got swept into office in a huge mandate. But it was nothing like this.

Jimmy Carter's campaign was marked by crowds and hope and energy, I remember. But nothing at all like this. Others such as LBJ, Bill Clinton, or even Nixon in his glory days before the Fall, also had their share of fans and supporters and hopeful followers. But all that pales in comparison to this.

So it is not surprising that journalists mentioned the Moon landing as a moment when the nation and the world were transfixed as they were with the election of Barack Obama. But even that transcendent moment, in many ways more historically significant than the election of a leader, yet even that moment does not compare in its power over a nation to this. The moon landing did not cause dancing in the streets, did not shake the social structure that was once built on slavery to its core, did not electrify democracy, did not cause millions of apathetic citizens to suddenly, passionately, and from their heart to love their country. It was a giant step for humankind, to be sure. But it was not the defining moment of turning the page...

"Our stories are distinctive, but our destiny is shared..." A man destined to shape and change that destiny, whose moment of triumph and joy is also characterized by his trademark cool seriousness - that intuitively-understood sign that he recognizes, unlike his predecessor, the gravity of the situation through which he must now lead us. He knows how mind-boggling is the great book whose page he - and all of us, in a sense - must turn...

Now we must turn the page from divisiveness, from all the "isms" starting with racism and sexism and including all the ethnic and ideological differences that so often end in hate, destruction, and war. We must turn the page from mean-spiritedness and demeaning those with whom we disagree. We must turn the page from rigid ideologies that cause us to see others, even countrymen, even neighbors, as enemies. It is time to turn the page...

Now we must turn the page from war as a solution to all ills, and turn the page from confrontation without compassion, without even rational consideration. The war on terror, the war on cancer, the war on drugs, the war on crime... all these wars have not succeeded. Could it be the solution is not necessarily to declare, and then wage war? It is time to turn the page...

Now we must turn the page from self-centered, Me-first values. The values that led to greed, to believing we can get something from nothing without working for it, the values that led millions to believe that the Market, the Almighty Market, would save us all. The values that threatened to destroy our economy, our status, our nation, and our lives. It's time to turn the page...

We must turn the page from exclusiveness, from looking down on others and saying, "We are Americans" and "They are not", or from saying those who agree with us are "Real America" and those who disagree are false. Or from believing that our religion is the only acceptable religion and all others and all other beliefs are a threat to our security or our society. We must turn the page from desiring to force others to our beliefs, as if that is even possible. It is time to turn the page...

We must turn the page from Big Brother surveillance and fear-mongering, from the use of torture, extraordinary renditions, and secret prison ships as a means to supposedly bring a victory to democracy - by undermining its ideals, its principles, and even its laws and Constitution. It's time to turn the page...

We must turn the page from emotionalism which so quickly turns to hate and fear, and open our God-given minds to actually use them... yes it is time to use our minds to turn the page...

And from the gracious and eloquent concession speech of John McCain, the very power of Barack Obama's page-turning has inspired his opponent to also turn this page, for without turning the page, our nation and even our planet are in peril, and we are our own worst enemy, as the last period of history has warned us, but it could change, and it will change, if we do turn the page...

The moment is great beyond words, but we all know and sense that. Even the world senses that, most certainly. And we all know ... there is no turning back.

A Military Leader: McCain Would "Pose Unacceptable Risk to National Security"

Check out this critique of John McCain from Lt. Col. Robert G. Gard:

The fields of foreign and national security policy, however, are John McCain's disqualifying weaknesses, in my view. McCain has demonstrated clearly that he is a dedicated ideologue when it comes to foreign policy, unwilling to consider opinions or even credible evidence contrary to his preconceived notions.

Most of our disasters are from ideology blinding leaders from truth.

His temperament, marked not only by impatience but also by rude and sometimes hostile behavior, would discourage advisors from bringing to his attention views that might not be consistent with his preconceptions. A President with this combination of significant shortcomings would be a dangerous commander-in-chief, posing an unacceptable risk to the security of the nation.

OK, Security First, Country First folks - then you need Barack Obama.

No President can be conversant with all the problems and issues he or she will face. More important than a specific set of experiences are high intelligence, good judgment, a steady and even temperament, and a willingness to consider options presented by advisors who have been selected for their expertise.

A few months ago, I met in a small group with Senator Obama in his office to discuss a contentious security issue. People with different, even opposite, views had been invited to attend. Obama listened carefully and asked penetrating questions, confirming my observations concerning his intelligence and temperament.

I believe that Barack Obama possesses the requisite qualifications to serve far more effectively as President of the United States and commander-in-chief of the U.S. military than his opponent, John McCain.

So much for the smear campaign waged by the McCain campaign.

Blast from Hell: Al-Qaeda Endorses McCain!

Al-Qaida supporters suggested in a Web site message this week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the U.S. as a way to usher in a McCain presidency.

The message, posted Monday on the password-protected al-Hesbah Web site, said if al-Qaida wants to exhaust the United States militarily and economically, "impetuous" Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain is the better choice because he is more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This requires presence of an impetuous American leader such as McCain, who pledged to continue the war till the last American soldier," the message said. "Then, al-Qaida will have to support McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march of his predecessor, Bush."

SITE Intelligence Group, based in Bethesda, Md., monitors the Web site and translated the message.

"If al-Qaida carries out a big operation against American interests," the message said, "this act will be support of McCain because it will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against al-Qaida. Al-Qaida then will succeed in exhausting America till its last year in it."

Mark Salter, a senior McCain adviser, said he had heard about the Web site chatter but had no immediate comment.

Read more...

Blast from the North: Anchorage Daily News Endorses Obama

This endorsement should send a chill down the McCain/Palin camp's spine.

Gov. Palin's nomination clearly alters the landscape for Alaskans as we survey this race for the presidency -- but it does not overwhelm all other judgment. The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

And about Gov. Palin?

Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range. Like picking Sen. McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time.

Which leaves McCain out in the cold.

McCain's Flip-Flops & Waffles Go Quantum!

Upon discovering this long-suspected list, it's become eminently clear that John McCain never saw an issue he couldn't take both sides of - simultaneously.
He is/is not one of the worst/best Republicans/Democrats/Independents to ever vote for/against this/that/every/no cause/non-issue confronting the American/non-American people. So at least we always/never know/don'tknow where/where-not he stands/doesn't stand. And as quantum/non-quantum physics becomes more important/irrelevant, I'm sure/unsure McCain would/wouldn't be/not-to-be a great/abominable leader. And if so/not, at least/most, Palin would/wouldn't.

So with/without any further ado/adon't, here's the list, thanks to a link from this great blog lately/not-lately introduced/not-introduced to me/not-me:

* McCain supported the drilling moratorium; now he’s against it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
* McCain strongly opposes a windfall-tax on oil company profits. Three
weeks earlier, he was perfectly comfortable with the idea.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/18/mccains-offsho...
* McCain thought Bush’s warrantless-wiretap program circumvented the law;
now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15781.htm...
* McCain defended “privatizing” Social Security. Now he says he’s against
privatization (though he actually still supports it.)
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15863.htm...
* McCain wanted to change the Republican Party platform to protect abortion
rights in cases of rape and incest. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/10/mccain-flips-o...
* McCain thought the estate tax was perfectly fair. Now he believes the
opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15825.htm...
* He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme
Court reached the same conclusion,he called it “one of the worst decisions in
the history of this country.
”http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15864.htm...
* McCain said he would “not impose a litmus test on any nominee.”
He used to promise the opposite.
http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/now-mccain-is-flip-f...
* McCain believes the telecoms should be forced to explain their role in
the administration’s warrantless surveillance program as a condition for
retroactive immunity. He used to believe the opposite.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...
* McCain supported storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/28/mccains-abo...
* McCain supported moving “towards normalization of relations” with Cuba.
Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15617.htm...
* McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he
believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15557.htm...
* McCain believed the U.S. should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now
he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15564.htm...
* He argued the NRA should not have a role in the Republican Party’s policy
making. Now he believes the opposite.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15573.htm...
* McCain supported his own lobbying-reform legislation from 1997. Now he
doesn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/20/mccains-97-lob...
* He wanted political support from radical televangelists like John
Hagee and Rod Parsley. Now he doesn’t.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15633.htm...
* McCain supported the Lieberman/Warner legislation to combat global
warming. Now he doesn’t.http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15699.htm...

Want more?

Beware the GOP Voter Fraud Machine

With Obama leading in the polls, it seems almost counterintuitive to worry about GOP voter tampering, but after the Florida debaucle in the Bush vs. Gore race in 2000, not to mention similar incidents in Ohio in the Bush vs. Kerry race in 2004, and with lots of meddling already in the works - or out of the works, as the case may be - we really need to be sure that every vote is counted.

Remember, polls are not votes. There's been calculated to be a 6-point vulnerability spread for Obama due to closet racists, those people who won't vote for a black man no matter what, and who won't admit it in the open or in the polls. That means he has to be 6 points ahead in the polls to be sure of just breaking even. Sounds like the same old racist thing repeated again - an African-American has to have superpowers to be considered among the ranks of the "normal", and even then racists will be racists.

Bearing that in mind, no one should be complacent. The McCain/Palin ticket still have hope, albeit waning, and their supporters will still come out and vote for them. But the GOP has another strategy, and that is denying votes to those most likely to vote Democratic: the poor, non-white, urban, even certain sectors of the elderly... in other words, all the folks who might have "identification" problems, such as lack of drivers' licenses or other similar issues. These are precisely the people the GOP is targeting in their numerous requests for "verification" in swing states.

This is still the GOP which literally harassed and intimidated voters in the last 2 elections in order to "elect" the current President, the "beloved" W, to office. That selection actually was made by Supreme Court order in 2000, an historical year in denying an entire state, Florida, its right to have all its votes counted properly. And they are endlessly seeking ways to intimidate voters this year, now by various schemes touted as "anti-fraud" investigations - but in fact, little more than schemes to deny votes by identification confusion, a confusion far more likely to happen to Democratic-leaning voters.

According to this report,

You know it’s going to be a heated election when a state attorney general sues his own state agency for not cracking down on voter fraud. But that’s just what’s happened in Wisconsin. It’s indicative of the kinds of legal challenges now being brought in hotly contested states around the country. The outcomes of those challenges will decide whose votes get counted and whose don’t — and in a race as close as this one, that could make all the difference.

In each case, Republicans claim voter fraud is rampant and the government has to crack down on it. Democrats, meanwhile, argue it’s rare – and far less of a problem than intimidation and harassment of voters at the polls.

Fortunately, their attempt in Ohio was struck down, but more attempts are in the works:

In Wisconsin, Atty. Gen. J.B. Van Hollen – a Republican and the state co-chair of Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign — has sued the state’s Government Accountability Board, a non-partisan group of former state judges responsible for implementing the election laws. Van Hollen insists that the board’s failure to require that the identifying information which voters used to register matches the information contained in a new statewide voter database is a violation of the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.

This Act has served as a pretext for the GOP's latest attempt at vote manipulation, guised as "fraud prevention". That veneer won't hold, though.

The federal law requires states to create a computerized statewide voter registration list that contains the name and identifying information of every legally registered voter. It does not, however, require that information on already-registered voters match the information in the new database.

For good reason. Personal data often doesn’t match — not due to any voter fraud, but because voters used a married or hyphenated name or nickname; or because of typographical errors by state workers entering the information into the database.

As a result, the handful of states that have mandated matching have found themselves facing a logistical nightmare. In Washington state, between 16 percent and 30 percent of registered voters in each county did not match the state database. In Florida, some 20,000 voters were denied or delayed in voting on that basis in 2006. Both ended up getting sued for making the match mandatory and so disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters.

Yet the GOP pushes on. Even though this is just "legalized" harassment, or shall we say, white-collar harassment. Oh, those elite Republicans.

“To immediately require that every voter registered since January 2006 be matched against the state database,” Kevin Kennedy, the board’s director and general counsel wrote to Van Hollen in August, “could lead to mass confusion at the polls.”

Require the impossible, then enforce it - to hell with the consequences. But this time, hopefully, it won't work. As for their bogus claims that fraud could occur,

“It is more likely that an individual will be struck by lightning than that he will impersonate another voter at the polls,” the Brennan Center for Justice concluded, after conducting a comprehensive study last year.

Meanwhile, the Brennan Center’s studies show that rules like the one Wisconsin’s attorney general is advocating disenfranchise thousands of people – most often the poor, elderly and minorities.

In Florida, for example, where the Brennan Center sued the state on behalf of the state’s NAACP, studies showed that black voters made up 13 percent of all registration applicants, but were 26 percent of all matching problems. Similarly, Latinos were 15 percent of the total voting population, and 39 percent of those blocked; while white voters were 66 percent of the voter applicant pool, but only 17 percent of those whose applications didn’t match.

“The law inevitably leads to higher and heavier burdens being placed on less affluent voters and voters of color,” said Adam Skaggs, counsel for the Brennan Center. “So more of those voters will have their votes not counted in November. And as we saw in 2000, it can take only a couple hundred voters to make the difference in the election.”

So in fact these tactics amount to fraud disguised as anti-fraud. Just as "compassionate Conservatism" was expedience disguised as compassion, and the war in Iraq was aggression-occupation disguised as rescue-liberation. And supply-side economics was spend-n-borrow disguised as thrift-n-save; get-rich-schemes for the rich disguised as job-creation for the rest-of-us.

“Voter fraud is a huge canard,” said Robert Atkins, a partner at Paul Weiss Rifkind & Garrison who is working with the Brennan Center on the case against Florida. “There’s a long history of systemic attempts to rip off elections. There’s no evidence to support individual efforts of voter fraud. It’s a sham.”

Indeed, until 2007, the Justice Dept. policy was not even to investigate claims of individual voter fraud, on the grounds that it has “only a minimal impact on the integrity of the voting process.”

That policy was changed by the Bush administration to allow prosecution of individuals at the prosecutor’s discretion. Congressional hearings later revealed that some of the U.S. attorneys fired under Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales were targeted due to their failure to prosecute claims of voter fraud urged by Republicans in their districts.

Oh, so it's the same Bush lie machine that's behind all this, and some idiots are still believing in it. And we all have to watch out.

Democrats are concerned. “Based on what we saw in Florida in 2000, and Ohio in 2004, we expect Republicans to spend a lot of time in highly Democratic precincts and use the HAVA test to challenge voters,” said Wineke. “Every time there’s a challenge, it slows the train down. All the people standing in line behind this individual are going to stand in line even longer. And not everybody can stand in line three or four hours to vote.”

“It’s not that we want to have people vote that shouldn’t be voting,” Wineke continued. “We just don’t want people who are eligible to vote unable to vote because of partisan mischief.”

So it's only fitting that the GOP's tactic to bring back the lies and fraud that have brought down America to its lowest point should be - their typical M.O. - fraud crusading as its own enemy.

And if that fails, watch for roadblocks in a neighborhood near you. And be ready to fight for that right to vote - it's our duty to protect that right for each other.

Republicans Jump Ship: Scott McClellan, Colin Powell, and the List Goes On...

Today Scott McClellan, that famous former Bush Press Secretary, announced that he's going to vote for Barack Obama for President!

We already heard the much-expected endorsement of Colin Powell, Bush's former Defense Secretary, and then there's this list:

McCain campaign advance team (Thu Oct 23):
The McCain campaign advance team is setting up an unusual election night event, one that doesn't even feature the candidate, perhaps with the expectation of a loss. The AP reports that while supporters will have the usual election-night party in Arizona, McCain will not be physically present: "Only a small press "pool" -- mostly those who have traveled regularly with the candidate on his campaign plane, plus a few local Arizona reporters and other guests -- will be physically present when McCain speaks."

Just a little question, though: How will McCain "speak" when he's not "physically present"? Guess it will be a big screen event...

Alison Goldwater (Thu Oct 23):
Alison Goldwater, granddaughter of Arizonan and Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, early voted for Barack Obama, saying of John McCain, "I don't have respect for him." (John McCain has frequently called himself a "Barry Goldwater" Republican.)

National Republican Senatorial Committee (Thu Oct 23):
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is advertising on behalf of Republican senate candidates across the country, is now running ads that presume that McCain will lose. Their argument is that voters should pick Republican senate candidates because otherwise Obama will "get a blank check."

Arne Carlson (Thu Oct 23):
Arne Carlson, former Republican Governor of Minnesota, endorsed Obama for president, saying "He has laid out for this nation a vision for a national purpose."

That's a lot of ship-jumping for one day! But there's more, lots more...

Ken Adelman (Mon Oct 20):
Donald Rumsfeld's right hand man, Ken Adelman, is the last Republican you'd think would jump ship. His reasons? Temperament and judgment. He says about Sarah Palin: "Not only is Sarah Palin not close to being acceptable in high office--I would not have hired her for even a mid-level post in the arms-control agency."
Florida GOP (Sun Oct 19):
The Florida GOP is planning to withhold about $2 million that it was planning on spending to help John McCain win the state. Instead, "Florida Republicans already are looking ahead to 2010 when Crist runs for re-election."
Colin Powell (Sun Oct 19):
Colin Powell, former 4-star general, Reagan national security adviser, Bush Sr. chairman of the joint chiefs, and secretary of state, gave a full throated endorsement of Barack Obama and indictment of the McCain campaign and the Republican party.
Frank Luntz (Sat Oct 18):
Frank Luntz, GOP pollster and language expert, states bluntly: "I think Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States." He adds: "John McCain cannot communicate. Stevie Wonder reads a teleprompter better than John McCain."
Susan Collins (Fri Oct 17):
Embattled Republican Sen. Susan Collins is calling on John McCain to stop paying for automated phone calls which describe Barack Obama as having "worked closely" with "domestic terrorist Bill Ayers". "These kind of tactics have no place in Maine politics," said Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley. "Sen. Collins urges the McCain campaign to stop these calls immediately."
Michael Smerconish (Fri Oct 17):
On his talk show on WPHT today, conservative Philadelphian Michael Smerconish endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
Chicago Tribune Editorial Board (Fri Oct 17):
For the first time in the 161 year history of the Chicago Tribune, the paper has endorsed a Democratic presidential nominee: Barack Obama.
Peter Spaulding (Fri Oct 17):
McCain's New Hampshire state chairman slams the campaign's tactic of launching robocalls accusing Obama of links to terrorists.
Kathleen Parker (Fri Oct 17):
National Review writer Kathleen Parker takes another big step away from the GOP, declaring that Republicans "do not, in fact, deserve to win this time, and someone [Chris Buckley] had to remind them why."
Richard Lugar (Wed Oct 15):
Richard Lugar, the seniormost Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, came close to a full endorsement of Obama by endorsing his approach to foreign policy - specifically, his emphasis on diplomacy..
RNC (in Wisconsin) (Wed Oct 15):
The RNC is giving up on McCain in Wisconsin. TV stations report that they've stopped airing ads attacking Obama, and won't comment on the pullout.
Rush Limbaugh (Tue Oct 14):
Rush Limbaugh all but accepted the fact that John McCain had lost this election, asking Sarah Palin "have you even thought about a political future beyond this campaign?" Obviously, if Limbaugh thought McCain could win...her political future would be as Vice President.
Heather Mac Donald (Tue Oct 14):
Conservative pundit Heather Mac Donald systematically disassembles McCain's VP pick and concludes that "conservatives should not sacrifice standards for political advantage."
Matthew Dowd (Tue Oct 14):
Matthew Dowd, a former Bush strategist, let the cat out of the bag: "They didn't let John McCain pick the person he wanted to pick as VP...[McCain] knows, in his gut, that he put somebody unqualified on the ballot. He knows that in his gut, and when this race is over that is something he will have to live with... He put somebody unqualified on that ballot and he put the country at risk, he knows that."
Dennis Hopper (Mon Oct 13):
Loyal Republican actor-director Dennis Hopper is giving up on his party, at least for this election, complaining of the "lies" of the current administration and saying "I voted for Bush, father and son, but this time I'll vote for Obama."
Mickey Edwards (Mon Oct 13):
Republican Mickey Edwards, formerly a congressman from Oklahoma, distances himself from McCain, saying "today, thanks to a campaign apparently managed by Moe, Curly, and Larry, he comes across as erratic (Obama's word, but it fits), impulsive, befuddled, and ill-tempered, and apparently unable to utter any words other than 'surge' and 'earmarks.'" Edwards also plays the blame game very explicitly: "If Obama gets a big win, it will be McCain himself, and the Three Stooges calling the shots at his headquarters who will deserve whatever blame is attached for transforming a viable and energetic Obama campaign into a steamroller grinding the Republican Party into the ground."
David Frum (Mon Oct 13):
David "axis of evil" Frum gets his "I told you so" ready at the National Review and rebukes his critics who complain that he isn't cheerleading for McCain enough. He concludes: "Perhaps it is our job at NRO is tell our readers only what they want to hear, without much regard to whether it is true. Perhaps it is our duty just to keep smiling and to insist that everything is dandy - that John McCain's economic policies make sense, that his selection of Sarah Palin was an act of statesmanship, that she herself is the second coming of Anna Schwartz, and that nobody but an over-educated snob would ever suggest otherwise."
Ray LaHood (Mon Oct 13):
Rep. LaHood, who has represented Illinois' 18th district for seven terms and is retiring in January, told WBBM Radio that Palin should control the racially-charged heckling at her rallies: "Look it. This doesn't befit the office that she's running for. And frankly, people don't like it."
Michelle Malkin (Mon Oct 13):
Michelle Malkin expresses her disappointment in McCain after learning that "John McCain had no problem calling ACORN members his friends during his ill-fated illegal alien shamnesty crusade." She concludes, "We're Screwed '08."
Erick Erickson (Mon Oct 13):
Erick Erickson, "editor in chief" of RedState.com, is giving up on McCain: "With only a few weeks left until election day, let's be blunt: McCain-Palin '08 does not seem to be making headway against the polling." He suggests that McCain needs to choose between himself and senate/house Republicans, and suggests that his readers focus on downballot races: "The Republican numbers in the House and Senate can be salvaged, but in the next few weeks there must be a realistic assessment from the McCain campaign regarding winning his own race versus helping Congressional Republicans mitigate their losses."
Ed Rollins (Mon Oct 13):
Rollins, who managed Reagan's 1984 campaign: "And while chaos and disarray reigned supreme in Sen. Barack Obama's opponents' campaigns, the steady, disciplined and strategically driven Obama campaign marches forward toward likely victory."
Bill Kristol (Mon Oct 13):
Kristol: "It's time for John McCain to fire his campaign. He has nothing to lose. His campaign is totally overmatched by Obama's."
Lee Terry (Mon Oct 13):
In Nebraska, a Republican representative, Lee Terry, ran a newspaper ad featuring support from a woman who called herself an "Obama-Terry voter."
Linda Smith (Sun Oct 12):
Linda Smith, Republican chairwoman in Clark County, Ohio. "I have to blame the McCain camp for not pushing it hard enough," added Smith, whose rural county lies between Dayton and Columbus. "It's so ingrained in people's minds that Republicans are good on national security, but Democrats are good on the economy, and it's very hard to counter that."
Tom Ellis (Sun Oct 12):
Tom Ellis, GOP chairman in Butler County, Ohio, a key Republican stronghold in 2004, said there had been "some slippage" for McCain in recent weeks. He said Republicans were finding it "hard to penetrate" the torrent of bad economic news and deliver an effective pitch to independents. And the Arizona senator's attacks on Obama's past links to former radical William Ayers, he said, "do not garner him any advantage" with swing voters. "There's a sense of frustration at this point," Ellis said. "What I hear is people are expecting more of the Republican ticket. They've got to speak directly to the economic issues. People want to hear specific solutions from Sen. McCain."
Roger Stone (Sun Oct 12):
Roger Stone, a longtime McCain supporter, said the state party and the national campaign bear almost equal blame. ''This effort lacks coordination and a cooperative spirit and it's showing,'' Stone said. "But it's more than mechanics. The campaign has no consistent message.''
George LeMieux (Sun Oct 12):
George LeMieux, Crist's former campaign manager and staff chief, said McCain erred in not choosing Crist as running mate. ''If Gov. Crist was the vice presidential nominee, John McCain would be winning Florida,'' he said.
Charlie Crist (Sun Oct 12):
"Saturday, he skipped a McCain football rally and instead went to Disney World."
Bill Kristol (Sun Oct 12):
On FOX News Sunday, Kristol said the McCain campaign was "stupid...pathetic...flailing."
Patrick Ruffini (Sat Oct 11):
Conservative columnist Patrick Ruffini argues that the RNC needs to give up on McCain and try to save Republican house and senate seats, and that "McCain should start explicitly making the argument for divided government, with him as the only hope of preserving it. This is unlikely to be a voting issue at the Presidential level, but we need to get the idea percolating that we are about to elect Obama with unchecked, unlimited power." That is, Ruffini wants to sacrifice McCain to save congressional Republicans.
Mitt Romney (Sat Oct 11):
Mitt Romney said McCain, who has offered scattershot proposals on the economy, should present a broad vision of how he would lead the country through the economic crisis. "I'm talking about standing above the tactical alternatives that are being considered," Romney said, "and establish an economic vision that is able to convince the American people that he really knows how to strengthen the economy."
Robert A. Gleason Jr. (Sat Oct 11):
Robert A. Gleason Jr., the Republican chairman in Pennsylvania, said he was concerned that Mr. McCain's increasingly aggressive tone was not working with moderate voters and women in the important southeastern part of a state that is at the top of Mr. McCain's must-win list.
Tommy Thompson (Sat Oct 11):
Former Republican Governor of Wisconsin, said it would be difficult for Mr. McCain to win in his state but not impossible, particularly if he campaigned in conservative Democratic parts of the state. Asked if he was happy with Mr. McCain's campaign, Mr. Thompson replied, "No," and he added, "I don't know who is."
Saul Anuzis (Sat Oct 11):
Saul Anuzis, the Republican chairman in Michigan, said "I think you're seeing a turning point, you're starting to feel real frustration because we are running out of time. Our message, the campaign's message, isn't connecting."
Norm Coleman (Fri Oct 10):
Coleman bails on McCain rally: "[Norm] Coleman told reporters that he would not be appearing at a planned rally with McCain this afternoon. Could it be McCain's sliding polling numbers in Minnesota? His attacks on Obama?"
Christopher Buckley (Fri Oct 10):
Christopher Buckley, son of National Review founder William F. Buckley, and columnist for the National Review himself, endorsed Barack Obama, saying "this campaign has changed John McCain. It has made him inauthentic."
Bob Eleveld (Fri Oct 10):
Bob Eleveld, former Kent County Republican chairman who led McCain's West Michigan campaign in 2000, said: "I'm not supporting either of them [McCain or Obama] at this point. I think the straight talk is gone."
William Milliken (Fri Oct 10):
Former Republican Governor of Michigan William Milliken, who endorsed McCain during the primaries, said: "He is not the McCain I endorsed; he keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me. I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues."
Ed Rollins (Fri Oct 10):
Ed Rollins ran Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign in 1984, so he knows a thing or two about landslides -- and he's predicting one for Barack Obama. At this point, he says the only question left to answer is whether John McCain will take the Republican Party down with him.
Joshua Trevino (Fri Oct 10):
Joshua Trevino, co-founder of RedState.com, wrote on his blog: "In the end, I couldn't do it...I opened it fully intending to vote for John McCain...Do I believe in John McCain? Not as much as I used to. Do I believe in Sarah Palin? Despite my early enthusiasm for her, now not at all. Do I believe in the national Republican Party? Not in the slightest -- even though I see no meaningful alternative to it. So, my choice for President in 2008, scrawled in my ballot as an act of futile protest, is Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana."
Matt Lewis (Fri Oct 10):
Matt Lewis, a contributing writer for the conservative Web site Townhall.com, told CNN the plan only further riles conservatives upset with McCain's backing of the massive government bailout plan passed last week. "Fundamentally, the problem is John McCain accepts a lot of liberal notions, unfortunately. There is somewhat of a populist streak," he said. "Most conservatives really did not like the bailout to begin with, and this was really kind of picking at the scab."
Michelle Laxalt (Thu Oct 9):
Republican Laxalt slams the McCain campaign's tactics.
Michigan GOP (Thu Oct 9):
The Michigan GOP is in disarray, and said the following about those jumping ship in an email they sent to local supporters: "In the meantime, there have been several individuals, including some disgruntled former employees, who have tried to take advantage of the situation by stealing cell phones, and other electronic equipment, as well as substantial amounts of collateral materials. In at least one instance there was an employee who vandalized their victory center on the way out the door.
National Review Editorial Board (Thu Oct 9):
"We never thought we would defend the Frank-Dodd legislation, which we bitterly opposed last summer. But it looks downright prudent compared to what McCain has proposed. McCain's plan is a full bailout for lenders."
Perry Diaz (Wed Oct 8):
Perry Diaz, chairman of the National Federation of Filipino-American Republicans, resigned from his post and withdrew his endorsement, saying "I endorsed McCain before the California primary believing that he was the right man for the job. I was wrong. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate and his decision a few days ago to resort to personal attacks on Obama's character and integrity run counter to my personal beliefs and core values. I have lost my respect for McCain and I believe that a McCain/Palin administration would only worsen the economic situation in the country."
David Brooks (Wed Oct 8):
David Brooks rips apart McCain's pick for VP, saying "Sarah Palin represents a fatal cancer to the Republican party."
George Will (Wed Oct 8):
George Will laments McCain's campaign and quotes an Orioles manager: "Are you going to get any better or is this it?" His takeaway? "Obama in a romp in November? Don't be surprised"
Lilibet Hagel (Tue Oct 7):
Lilibet Hagel, wife of Republican senator Chuck Hagel, appeared with Susan Eisenhower to endorse Barack Obama, saying that this election is "not about fighting phantom issues churned out by a top-notch slander machine. Most importantly it is not about distracting the public - you and me - with whatever slurs someone thinks will stick."
Michelle Malkin (Tue Oct 7):
Malkin is outraged by McCain's new mortgage giveway plan.
Jack Waldvogel (Sun Oct 5):
Jack Waldvogel, GOP chairman for Emmet County, Michigan, is furious that McCain and Palin announced their intention to pull out of Michigan, saying "Just don't formally announce that you are 'pulling out' of Michigan, and then come back two days later asking the base core of support to 'keep working.' What a slap in the face to all the thousands of people who have been energized by the addition of Sarah Palin to the ticket. I've been involved in County Party politics and organization for 40 years, and this is the biggest dumbass stunt I have ever seen."
Kathleen Parker (Fri Sep 26):
Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker wrote in the National Review that Sarah Palin is "out of her league" and should step down for the good of her country.

Wick Allison (Mon Sep 22):
Wick Allison, former publisher of the National Review and current editor-in-chief of D magazine, endorses Obama and writes "I made the maximum donation to John McCain during the primaries, when there was still hope he might come to his senses. But I now see that Obama is almost the ideal candidate for this moment in American history."
George Will (Sun Sep 21):
"I suppose the McCain campaign's hope is that when there's a big crisis, people will go for age and experience," said Will. "The question is, who in this crisis looked more presidential, calm and un-flustered? It wasn't John McCain who, as usual, substituting vehemence for coherence, said 'let's fire somebody.' And picked one of the most experienced and conservative people in the administration, Chris Cox, and for no apparent reason... It was un-presidential behavior by a presidential candidate."
WSJ Editorial Board (Fri Sep 19):
In a crisis, voters want steady, calm leadership, not easy, misleading answers that will do nothing to help. Mr. McCain is sounding like a candidate searching for a political foil rather than a genuine solution. He'll never beat Mr. Obama by running as an angry populist like Al Gore, circa 2000.
Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy (Wed Sep 3):
Noonan and Murphy get caught on an open mic griping about the choice of Sarah Palin. Noonan says "The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullsh** about narratives. Every time the Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and that's not what they're good at, they blow it." Murphy adds that the choice was "cynical" and "gimmicky."

That gives me hope for the human mind...

Dems, Do Like Obama: Ignore Palin Entirely

The moment Sarah Palin walked into the presidential race, everything went haywire. That's precisely her purpose: to confuse, distract, rile up, titillate, and exasperate the American public to the point that they might just, in one mindless moment at the polls, vote for John McCain/Sarah Palin. All we need, right? in a political campaign is more pitbulls - described loosely as animals bred to fight to the death, mindlessly, on "guts" alone. Killer instinct. They may be nice on one side, but don't press them...they don't need minds, they need revenge. Sarah Palin's not all that, but she tries real, real hard, which is in some ways worse.

John McCain's actual message is a repeat of George Bush's message. Insofar as he is a "Maverick", it's really only an image thing, not a substance thing. At best, it means he'll gamble more often. As in "...Maverick is his name...luck is his companion, gambling is his game..." And if that's "best" in times like this with the economy melting down like a terminated cyborg, what's worst?

So with a message - "tax breaks for the rich, tough breaks for the rest" - that doesn't resonate, and with a delivery style that resembles that of a depressed person, he needs someone so manic, so mindless, that all messages, all issues get sucked into some crazy vortex.

That's Sarah Palin.

Unless we ignore her. Completely. Not a single damn word. No comment. Let her rant, rave, be cutesy, folksy, show off her incontrovertible ignorance and incompetence for the job she's trying to be a shaky heartbeat from. She makes that point.

I believe there are enough intelligent people who understand she's not going to help the economy, the war in Iraq, the bloated Pentagon, the healthcare system, or even, for that matter, Joe the Plumber. She's only going to help poll numbers for John McCain if enough white guys like her legs. And that has nothing to do with helping women, most of whom are for Obama on issues. I agree with John Cusack who said,

McCain won't just be more of the same -- it will be worse than Bush-Cheney -- using the disasters of the past eight years and the actual crises we face to double down on the American Enterprise/Heritage Foundation vision of government that desires, as Grover Norquist said, to shrink government until "we can drown it in a bathtub."

I would recommend a return visit to the groundbreaking Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.

McCain, who said he knows nothing about economics, will surely hand over the reins to the Friedmanites and neoconservatives who have sent the country on a path to ruin. Anyone looking at his team could tell you that. Palin and the interests she represents are even further to the right.

Now, no one in their right mind -- including reasonable independents and Republicans -- wants to double down on neocon ideology, but here comes the "maverick" and his economic advisers to use the crises we face to implement more "change" and "reform" to the system by privatizing everything in sight. Is this what the American people want? When they are aware of it, the answer is always no. It's the same bullshit re-branded.

Great point, Kusack! McCain is a neocon in fake "Maverick" clothing, and needs to be exposed. Palin is being used as a sexy "libertarian" draw, but in reality doesn't have the slightest idea what's going on, let alone what she would do about it.

Ruin the government you are purporting to run and turn it over to privatization frenzy, creating a shadow government of private corporate rule. That's the whole idea.

So let's brand bust this maverick gibberish but understand the coded language that belies their true mission... we should take them at the true meaning of their words.

Not just more of the same -- worse than the same. Times of crisis are great opportunities to implement the radical agendas we usually reject.

Even conservatives, true conservatives, don't wish death to America. By "less government", do we mean the Department of Homeland Security or surveillance of regular Americans? Or being "served" by Blackwater? Let's gut taxes so we don't "spend" in fixing crumbling infrastructure or health care or education or even alternative energy? So where's the money for the Republicans' beloved war supposed to come from, if most of the budget is tanked in bailing out the robber barons you didn't want to "spend" a dime regulating or at least holding accountable for their actions? Is that the Republican "take" on, say, the morals of the ten commandments?

Obama is no extremist or even particularly "liberal", as painted falsely by the lying McCain/Palin team. But McCain and Palin ARE extremist, right-wing extremist, and America can't endure another year of this trash, let alone four. So let's all ignore the much-hyped story of Palintology and vote by conscience ... for the children who'll have to live with our decision.

GOP Election Fraud? GOP Tries to Dump New Voters in Swing States

Apparently if they can't win the old-fashioned, legal way, they're going to try Plan B: the illegal, fraudulent, vote-bashing way. Now the Republican Party is trying to remove thousands of new voters from rolls in swing states - of course, knowing that new voters are likely to be Obama/Democrat voters.

In this NYT article, this pattern is described:

Tens of thousands of eligible voters in at least six swing states have been removed from the rolls or have been blocked from registering in ways that appear to violate federal law, according to a review of state records and Social Security data by The New York Times.

Although the Times article refrains from blaming the GOP, it acknowledges

Because Democrats have been more aggressive at registering new voters this year, according to state election officials, any heightened screening of new applications may affect their party’s supporters disproportionately. The screening or trimming of voter registration lists in the six states — Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina — could also result in problems at the polls on Election Day: people who have been removed from the rolls are likely to show up only to be challenged by political party officials or election workers, resulting in confusion, long lines and heated tempers.

As for the M.O.,

The six swing states seem to be in violation of federal law in two ways. Michigan and Colorado are removing voters from the rolls within 90 days of a federal election, which is not allowed except when voters die, notify the authorities that they have moved out of state, or have been declared unfit to vote.

Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio seem to be improperly using Social Security data to verify registration applications for new voters.

In Ohio, as this dkos diary brought out:

600,000 people in Ohio could possibly lose their right to vote just so the GOP can "insure the integrity of the voting system." Just like the Clear Skies Act (which reduced air pollution controls) and the Patriot Act (which undermined the Constitution), we can always be sure that whatever Republicans are claiming to do, they are really doing the exact opposite.

I couldn't find the story on Talking Points Memo where it was supposed to have come from, but here is a quote from the diary:

The full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati upheld a lower court ruling that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner must use other government records to check thousands of new voters for registration fraud.

A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit had disagreed last week, but the full court's ruling overturns that decision.

Ohio Republicans had sued Brunner, a Democrat. Her spokesman had no immediate comment Tuesday.

About 666,000 Ohioans have registered to vote since January, with many doing so before the contested Democratic primary election last March between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Since then, Ohio Republicans have filed a series of challenges to the registrations and Brunner's administration of election rules. They have helped voters file lawsuits against local boards of election over registration rules, absentee ballot requests and a weeklong period that allowed registration and voting on the same day.

Brunner previously said there was no way to set up the system with such speed.

Last week, a three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit had sided with Brunner, but after hearing an appeal the full panel sided with the GOP and U.S. District Judge George C. Smith in Columbus. Smith had ordered Brunner to develop a way to verify voter registration information and make it available to local election boards.

If true, this needs looking into. No voter should be denied his/her vote on either side. To be a democracy, we need fair and honest elections.

Palin Palling Around With "Terrorists", Too???

This guilt by association thing has gotten out of hand, with Sarah Palin lambasting Barack Obama for his supposed "association" with Bill Ayers, who was a Weatherman radical in the '60's when Obama was 8 years old. Now Palin, too, can enjoy her own "guilt by association"! CNN's Rick Sanchez, much to the chagrin and angst of the McCain campaign, brought out Palin's strong ties to the Alaska Independence Party, which advocates ... seceding from the Union! Yes, you got it - Sarah's been palling around with guys who hate the United States so much they want to secede from it, cut ties, become a separate nation of Alaska. Unionists, anyone?

All 3 videos are here - one of the CNN show video, one of Sarah Palin addressing the A.I.P., and one of its founder, Joe Vogler, founder of the A.I.P.

Full report in Salon is here...

Mark Chryson, 51, former chairman of the Alaska Independence Party, surprised Salon reporters when

he pulled a 9-millimeter Makarov PM pistol -- once the standard-issue sidearm for Soviet cops -- out of his glove compartment. "I've got enough weaponry to raise a small army in my basement," he said, clutching the gun in his palm. "Then again, so do most Alaskans." But Chryson added a message of reassurance to residents of that faraway place some Alaskans call "the 48." "We want to go our separate ways," he said, "but we are not going to kill you."

Take a good look. This is the guy who helped Sarah Palin get to where he is today.

Though Chryson belongs to a fringe political party, one that advocates the secession of Alaska from the Union, and that organizes with other like-minded secessionist movements from Canada to the Deep South, he is not without peculiar influence in state politics, especially the rise of Sarah Palin. An obscure figure outside of Alaska, Chryson has been a political fixture in the hometown of the Republican vice-presidential nominee for over a decade. 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 as mayor of Wasilla and shaping her political agenda afterward. Both Stoll and Chryson not only contributed to Palin's campaign financially, they played major behind-the-scenes roles in the Palin camp before, during and after her victory.

Secessionist movements in the deep South?? Is this what they mean by the "South Will Rise Again"? Against whom??? Well, it doesn't stop there.

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. She joined in their vendetta against several local officials they disliked, and listened to their advice about hiring. She attempted to name Stoll, a John Birch Society activist known in the Mat-Su Valley as "Black Helicopter Steve," to an empty Wasilla City Council seat. "Every time I showed up her door was open," said Chryson. "And that policy continued when she became governor."

"Anti-government militias"??? Doesn't that constitute right-wing terrorism? Remember Oklahoma City and Tim McVeigh... it was called "domestic terrorism"... Seems that Sarah Palin not only "pals around" with people who could be considered "terrorists", but helps to promote their policies, ideologies, and pet projects or fight their pet peeves, as the case may be. This is a far stronger "connection" than the hazy, sleazily-made "connection" they force-feed on the public of Obama and Ayers.

So what about Joe Vogler, the Godfather of the AIP? Godfather? No, he was the Original "Maverick"!

The AIP was born of the vision of "Old Joe" Vogler, a hard-bitten former gold miner who hated the government of the United States almost as much as he hated wolves and environmentalists. His resentment peaked during the early 1970s when the federal government began installing Alaska's oil and gas pipeline. Fueled by raw rage -- "The United States has made a colony of Alaska," he told author John McPhee in 1977 -- Vogler declared a maverick candidacy for the governorship in 1982. Though he lost, Old Joe became a force to be reckoned with, as well as a constant source of amusement for Alaska's political class. During a gubernatorial debate in 1982, Vogler proposed using nuclear weapons to obliterate the glaciers blocking roadways to Juneau. "There's gold under there!" he exclaimed.

Oh no! Don't tell me Sarah Palin "pals around" with folks who hate America! Where does that put "Country First"? I guess she agreed to go with McCain for the chance at Big Power ... a pretty big draw, I might add. But if she's gonna get nasty about Obama's alleged associations, we have the full right, and in fact, responsibility, to get real, real close and have a critical look at her associations, too. And they don't look all that, shall we say, patriotic, or even anti-terrorist. Oh, and speaking of terrorists or alleged terrorists, how about this?

With sponsorship from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Vogler was scheduled to present his case for Alaskan secession before the United Nations General Assembly in the late spring of 1993. But before he could, Old Joe's long, strange political career ended tragically that May when he was murdered by a fellow secessionist.

Yeah, it wasn't a threat. It was a damn serious thing, this secessionist thing. This guy went international to leave the United States, literally, and become another separate nation of Alaska. And it's his party that continues to haunt our stone-throwing, accusing, not-so-innocent-herself Sarah Palin.

Let the voter beware.

McCain Anti-American? His Volunteers Taught to Smear Obama with Terrorism

McCain is no "uniter" and when it comes to incitement to violence, he's not an innocent bystander - he's fanning the flames. Maybe this is already out there. But to no surprise to many, it's official: Huffpo's Jeffrey Feldman reports:

According to Time, McCain campaign staffers in Virginia are teaching volunteers to see Barack Obama as having terrorist 'friends,' and then providing these volunteers with arguments for persuading voters that Sen. Obama, like Osama Bin Laden, shares responsibility for bombings of the Pentagon.

The report from inside the McCain campaign brings to light an alarming fact: while McCain tells his supporters publicly to refrain from violent rhetoric, he continues to teach his volunteers rhetoric designed to elicit violent responses.

Is that the sort of responsible leadership we need in these critical times? Or does it actually break up the "union"?

Karen Tumulty of Time, reports from inside McCain's campaign training center in Virginia that Virginia's state GOP Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick is leading training sessions designed to create a view of Obama as a terrorist. No, no, it's true:

With so much at stake, and time running short, Frederick did not feel he had the luxury of subtlety. He climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points -- for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden: "Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon," he said. "That is scary."

Which view of the world was augmented by more ignorance:

"And he won't salute the flag," one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, "We don't even know where Senator Obama was really born."

By actually training volunteers to lie in the most vicious and outrageous way - doesn't this merit cries of "smear campaign" or a suit for libel? - McCain and his campaign are proving themselves wildly unfit for public office, let along the Office of the Presidency.

It is precisely this kind of fear-mongering and name-calling and wild and callous preference for violent opposition that made Bush-Cheney the complete disaster that their administration is, and brought our country to the virtual standstill it is currently in, where the rich are richer, the poor are poorer, and most of those mindlessly repeating the Big Brother-loved rhetoric are actually among the victims of the very mentality they enthusiastically embrace.

The report from inside the McCain campaign is disturbing on several levels. While McCain has begun chiding his supporters at public rallies for using violent rhetoric, his campaign has taken the opposite tack behind closed doors. Despite the public image of a campaign not responsible for the violent outbursts of a few followers, the Time report reveals a ground operation actually training its volunteers to elicit violent responses in voters--specifically by making false claims about Barack Obama's connection to terrorist attacks on U.S. military buildings.

By connecting Obama to the 9/11 terrorists in the worst, most stupid and conniving, lying way, McCain and his campaign are directly responsible for calls for violence against Obama, and in turn, violence against those who support him, and in turn, against other Americans. McCain is not a Presidential candidate in such a case. In this desperate turn for his campaign, he becomes a leader inciting civil war and in the spirit of secessionist-leaning Sarah Palin, inciting the very destruction of the dream and reality we call one nation, America. Far from patriotic, his desperation has certainly put "Country Last".