In this house we dislike what Mr. McCain stands for.

So because we’re winning, we have to stay. And when we’re losing, we have to stay until we’re winning. In which case we’ll stay. And despite how long we stay and how much it costs and how many more people it takes to keep us safe, we need lower taxes and smaller government.

Now my head hurts. Thanks for this, Blue Texan. I think.

Hi, egregious! How’s the move progressing?

my ex is a McCain supporter. My ex has the same bizarre reasoning processes as McCain. I’m sure glad i’m not married to him any more.

Can we start our betting pool on when McCain will have a public meltdown? I think it will be even more spectacular, in the eyes of the media, than the Dean Scream. My money is on or about August 15. I just don’t think he can keep his temper under control all the way to November while he is in the spotlight 24/7.

McCain’s campaign apparently involves using Stephen Colbert as chief strategists and speechwriter.

-G

kiddo, thank you for having an actual comment instead of the “Blue Texan!” or Zed. I find that trend more than a little annoying.

The most recent Gallop Poll shows what voters are most concerned about and McCain’s positions are exactly like Bush’s. Good luck with that, Huggy Bear.

Republican’s campaign advisers want Bush for major GOP fund-raising, but they don’t want the president to appear too often.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23218001/

I am sure he has oodles of meds to keep his temper in check. Bi pharma will see him through, no problem.

Question. If you have 100 years of war with, read my lips ‘no new taxes’ how much debt will Americans have accrued?
Question 2. Is there that much money in the universe?
I think you have America’s first clone. McCain IS Bush.

Bobzim!

Leisure Guy!™

After all we’ve been through over the last seven years or so, it’s difficult to imagine that not only is McCain a contender, he is the Republican frontrunner. Strange days have definitely found us. In any event, I do want to thank you GOP. For appointing and promoting Mr. McCain as the best you’ve got. We are going to bury him this coming November.

Have to be an old-time FDL’er to remember Leisure Guy. Good one.

Question. If you have 100 years of war with, read my lips ‘no new taxes’ how much debt will Americans have accrued?

By accident, or design, the Soviet Union was bankrupted by the cold war. Now Russia is returning the favour. Merca is imploding with heavy debt and incompetent management Russia, meantime, is sitting on a shoot load of oil and gas and can merrily make bizillions of euros while watching this government spend 713 billion dollars a year on “defense”. Gotta love the irony.

Pretending to be Reagan seems like a better strategy than pretending to be Bush. It’s an indicator of how far the Republic Party has fallen. It’s too bad that Nancy and Harry are determined to resurrect it.

Got a chuckle out of that. Good one.

The “transcendent issue” of the 21st century, McCain said, is the “struggle against radical Islamic extremists.”

That’s rich! The survival of the planet and all the life on it hangs in the balance, but the “transcendent issue” of our time is the so-called “War on Terror.” People are dying daily in places like Darfur for lack of food and through political strife, but Iraq was the real problem. Not to mention the Republican’s version of shrinking the size of government: farm out the government functions to “for profit” corporations whose main goal is the enrichment of their stockholders and their highest level corporate officers.

I regard Mr. McCain’s statements as at least as coherent as Prez Bush’s. The view here is that McCain measures up to the standards of George W. Bush. We, in this home will not be voting for John.

BTW, MSNBC just ran a video from last year showing Hill(ary) telling Timmeh on Meet the Press (MTP) that the Dem prez primary race would all over by Feb. 5…

She’s gonna have to eat them fighting words now…

We got lucky that McCain’s candidacy takes immigration off the table. That’s the one issue which still divides this country. Other than that, I think America is pretty much united behind the dem positions. If Obama hones his debating skills, it will be a blow-out. He should utterly embarass McCain and the repub views. Less regulation? That means tainted food, dangerous toys and the sub-prime mess. War? The repubs already lost that battle with the voters. Taxes? Let Obama say that if we get out of Iraq that already saves the country 3billion/month.
They got nothing.

The struggle is the struggle against radical neo-cons. Mr. McCain.

I’m not sure that McCain’s irrational remarks and positions will hurt him with Republicans. A goodly number of these people will believe anything they are told by some people no matter what the evidence to the contrary (it only need to seem to fit in with the irrational things to which they have already assented and to which they have therefore chained their integrity) and another goodly number only care that they are enriched by the policy decisions of the Republicans supported by a significant number of DINOs.

We like Obama. We voted for this man in the Oklahoma primary. We will vote for President Obama next November. We like the idea of change.

Lahoma

“We like Obama. We voted for this man in the Oklahoma primary. We will vote for President Obama next November. We like the idea of change.”

*shudders*

Blue Texan-Lord knows I delight in your snark but you hint that maybe the eventual Democrat should take McCain at his word. I think that strategy would completely tie him up in knots.

Imagine Obama or Clinton agreeing with McCain that the “war on terrorism is the transcedent issue of the century,” but so is universal health care, home ownership, an equitable tax code, a healthy environment. In short, isn’t the “American Dream,” and the inability of so many to achieve it, the transcedent issue of our time?

Then we sit back and watch St. McCain’s head explode as he tries to convince us that nothing else matters if we don’t fear the terrorists. And cut taxes. Protect the unborn. Blah, blah, blah.

That’s cause Nancy and Harry are fellow-travelin’ bedfellows of a Fascist Judiciary which installed a Fascist administration. Nancy Pelosi is a Fascist. Harry Reid is a Fascist. Because they are Fascist, the process of impeachment for high Crimes and misdemeanors is forestalled from occurring. For the want of an impeachment, the ship of state was lost and the constitution negated. That is the rain on the parade.

Yeah, not at all with Republicans. But the other 2/3rds of the electorate.

“while watching this government spend 713 billion dollars a year on “defense”.”

Getting this number reduced significantly will be the biggest challenge Sens. Clinton or Obama will face in the next administration, period.

How we spend more money on “defense” than the rest of the world combined just boggles my mind. (Although, admittedly my mind is easily boggled.)

If Obama wins the Primary, McCain is toast. And Obama should win. He is winning. He is winning in states. He is winning in the popular vote. He is winning on delegates, even taking into account those “Super” establishment delegates. The reason is simple. He is the better candidate who can bring all of us together to work towards real and lasting change.

Obama is working hard. He is in Wisconsin far more than his opponent. He is here listening.

Obama is the most electable Democratic candidate by far. He is the way we take back the White House. The proof is in the polls. He averages 6 points better against McCain than Hillary does. Obama beats McCain in polls. Hillary only ties.

One of McCain’s own top strategists even said he would resign if Obama is the Democratic nominee because he doesn’t want to attack Obama. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....86578.html

And, contrary to popular belief, Obama is tougher than Clinton. Of the two candidates, only he had the guts to oppose the Iraq war from the start. Hillary Clinton still hasn’t come to terms with the most important vote of her relatively short-lived political career as an elected official. She still won’t admit she made a mistake on Iraq. She said Bush duped her.

Just last Fall Clinton voted for Bush’s bill to declare Iran’s military to be “terrorists.” This was the equivalent of an unnecessary declaration of war. At the same time Bush was waiving around the image of World War III with Iran in support of his bill, Bush knew about a secret National Intelligence Estimate prepared by the CIA which found that Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 and probably hadn’t restarted it. Hillary Clinton was duped again. And again she wouldn’t admit she made a mistake. Instead she sent a letter to the White House “clarifying” her position.

Yes, there is a reason the McCain is hoping that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee. McCain is hoping he can keep independents as well as his own campaign managers from jumping ship because they like Obama. And McCain is hoping he can debate Hillary Clinton on Iraq because her spinning on that issue just is not very convincing.

And Hillary Clinton says she is more prepared and detail oriented than Obama. Once again the proof is in the pudding. Her campaign ran out of money, was unprepared to deal with caucuses and has had to fire a whole bunch of people for poor performance and political low blows. In contrast, Obama’s campaign is well run, well financed (even though they don’t take money from lobbyists while Clinton does), and consistent in its message.

It’s time to vote for the Democratic nominee who is most electable and will make a great President. It’s time to vote for a President who can unify America. Without unity, without hope, there is no chance of real change. Without hope there never would have been civil rights reform. Without hope we never would have come out of the Great Depression. Once again, we have nothing to fear but fear itself. Obama ‘08.

Yes we can!

PS I came across this post written by someone else and thought it was good so here it is:

Let’s take a closer look at who’s really qualified and or who’s really working for the good of all of us in the Senate. Obama or Clinton.

These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.gov

Please pass this on

========
Clinton
========

Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term - 6yrs. - and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law - 20 - twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.

These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress www.thomas.loc.gov, but to save you trouble, I’ll post them here for you.

1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6. Name post office after Jonn A. O’Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men’s Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men’s Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton’s bills are, more substantive.
16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11
18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.

There you have it, the fact’s straight from the Senate Record.

=============
Obama
=============

During the first - 8 - eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced

233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.

NY TImes Obama’s record in the Illinois Senate
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepa.....APHIC.html

His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These inculded:

1. The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 - became law,
2. The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, - became law,
3. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
4. The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, - became law,
5. The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, In committee, and many more.

In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no record according to some who would prefer that this comparison not be made public.

A-yup!

The “transcendent issue” of the 21st century, McCain said, is the “struggle against radical Islamic extremists.”

The transcendent issues of the 21st century are about flip-flopping torture-mongerers, the loss of habeas corpus, the ruin of our economy by a disgusting occupation harming millions of innocent people, the rise and cultivation of fascism here at home by our government, the loss of protections for the environment and the loss of jobs. To start the list.

Early morning rant.

MSNBC now showing live–George pere endorsing McCain, who is now talking about what they have in common–WWII, how they were both Navy pilots…

Hi Marion, It’s a funny feeling to go from a purple state to a very blue area of a blue state. When they handed me a primary ballot they just assumed I was a democrat. Looking forward to meeting a lot of like-minded folks so we can work together to get this country turned around. My desk and other furniture arrived, so I actually can work now.

Who do you support for the next president? And why. Seriously. ;0)

McCain’s old, but he didn’t serve in WWII.

Wasn’t it the Civil War?

no - Peloponnesian War (Athens lost FWIW)

As you point out. Fascism is alive and doing quite well in some quarters in America. This is our impression.

Will Edwards’ endorsement of Obama (assuming he does) make a difference?

His thinking about the greatest challenge of the century is in line with that of Pope Urban II, so it may have been the First Crusade.

Has McCain lost ‘touch’?

that FWIW should be IIRC (the end of another democracy)

He may have been one of the rowers in the boat Washington used crossing the Delaware.

i’m still laughing about your essays for your math class. i was a high school math teacher once upon a time. did you ask them to use statistics, percentages, anything to back up their preferences?

Has he said “read my lips” yet?

Nnnnnobody expects the Spanish inquisition! Our two main weapons are fear and supwize. And a fanatical devotion to the Pope. Thwee main weapons!

The zed thing is so childish, can we retire than type of nonsense and resort to other types of nonsense?

That’s a decent question. And as former Edwards supporters we will take his endorsement (if there is one) into account. As we have done with Ted and Caroline Kennedy’s and Maria Shriver’s endorsements. ;0)

Nnnnnobody expects the Spanish inquisition!

We’ve already got their water torture on board.

no but he sure has wet his lips at the idea of being the unitary executive.

greeenwarrior,
Here’s Juan Cole on “madrassa” definition

n Arabic, madrasah just means school. Al-Madrasah al-thanawiyyah means “secondary school.” A religious seminary is a “Madrasat al-`Ulum al-Diniyyyah” or “School of religious sciences.”

In Arabic, maktab or kuttab is used to denote a Qur’an school (religious primary school.)

But, in Pakistan and some other Muslim countries, both a Qur’an school and a seminary are called “madrasah.” There is typically a neologism or Western loan word for secular school. (In Pakistan it is . . . “school.”)

So your Arabist friend is right for the Arab world, but in Pakistan it is different.

Hmmm. Mostly press is talking about schools in Pakistan. No commentary about schools in Indonesia. So the issue is still up for grabs.

CNN reporting an explosion at a Texas refinery. I’m going to jump the gun here and predict that worker safety rules were not enforced.

Not yet. But that’s coming, my friend. ;0)

Hello, I must be going.
I cannot stay,
I came to say
I must be going.
I’m glad I came
but just the same
I must be going.

For my sake you must stay,
for if you go away,
you’ll spoil this party
I am throwing.

I’ll stay a week or two,
I’ll stay the summer through,
but I am telling you,
I must be going.

What a scream! ;0)

Morning BT, everyone. The photo in the NYT today of McWar and Lieberlier together on stage looks like an outake of Walter Mathieu’s “Grumpy Old Men.”

Jeez, that seems unfair to pre-judge. *g*

The zed thing is so childish, can we retire than type of nonsense and resort to other types of nonsense?

Yea, like long off topic discussions of obscure 60’s rock songs! Up Against The Wall!

170 people worked there. No reports yet of injuries. Looks bad.

Will Edwards’ endorsement of Obama (assuming he does) make a difference?

What, as is being touted, if he endorses clinton2? I cannot , in all good conscience, vote for the clintonistas. They are way too dirty for me.

In all, since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.

Your stats are very impressive; I don’t mean to be a doubting Thomas, especially since I plan to vote for the man. But 890 bills in 365 days? At that rate, it works out to authoring 2.438 bills per day, every day including Saturdays and Sundays. Consider those weekends before you complain that he’s been in the Senate for longer than a year, especially since he’s been on the campaign trail for much of this year. How is this possible?

Gas prices going up! Mission Accomplished!

no but he sure has wet his lips at the idea of being the unitary executive.

Did you mean urinary executive?

McShame playing to the brain-dead thuglican base. If he doesn’t get the mouth breathers to show up massively at the polls, he doesn’t have a chance of winning more than half a dozen states, if that. They really believe that ‘terrist’ stuff that the thugs have been spoonfeeding them for the past six years. Before that it was DFH’s; before that commies. That constituency is a given in American politics. The thugs have the bad taste and desperation to cater to it. McShame’s problem is that if he goes up against Obama, he will be unable to broaden his base, because what he is doing now is cutting him off from the unafraid middle.

This is a little bit OT of McCain, but definitely ON-T regarding more and better–stress better–Democrats. Bush Dog MN Congressman Collin Peterson is really feeling the heat from outraged constituents with his watering-down of the farm bill that Bush has threatened to veto according to the talkers on Ed Schultz’s regional morning show.

Any MN pups know if there’s a populist/progressive Democrat in his Congressional District willing to take Peterson on? [I think it’s the 7th…runs north and west from St. Cloud]. And long-term planning here…if MN population numbers mean a future cut in district count, here’s one Congressman we could readily lose for more and better Democrats.

IMHO McCain hasn’t been ‘right’ since returning from Viet Nam (and because of Viet Nam). We’re just noticing how profound his wackiness is because the camera is on him. As for republicans, they need to support him as he’s their candidate. The GOP is dying a slow death, but it’s dying none the less.

HOLY SHIT

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) — Former President George H.W. Bush endorsed John McCain on Monday, another sign that the Republican Party is coalescing around the Arizona senator’s presumptive nomination.
art.

Aw, give the brother some slack :)

Uh oh…CNN now reporting an attack on Baghdad airport. Mortar attack.

Attack was on housing used by airport employees. As well as a soccer field used by children.
I Hate This Fucking War.

It was also ‘impressive’ when it was posted here too…

He may have been one of the rowers in the boat Washington used crossing the Delaware.

No damn way, unless he was on the side of the British fighting against the insurgents who had the nerve to fight against the all-powerful British empire.

The assumption was that Edward’s supporters would logically migrate to Obama, so that would make Edwards’ endorsement a wash. But could it pull undecideds, disenchanted Hil supporters, and a few disgusted with their party Rs into Obama’s column?

Personally, I have no quarrel with Hillary. I think she’d make a fine President. Obama, on the other hand, appeals to my sense of idealism and whose election would be the shock to the system this country so desperately needs.

Who do you think is the most electable?

How do you get around her war vote?

Obama.

Ah the sweet taste of victory.

What I’ve been reading/hearing for the last couple of days is that Edwards, Biden, Richardson, and others have all spoken with Al Gore. The speculation was that a group of very potent super delegates, particularly Al Gore, were deciding to withold endorsements in order to hopefully break any standoff and potential party split following the primaries.

It sounded smart to me.

CNN reporting an explosion at a Texas refinery. I’m going to jump the gun here and predict that worker safety rules were not enforced.

How could they have been enforced? Hasn’t the Bush Administration decimated the dept. that is responsible for enforcement?

The assumption was that Edward’s supporters would logically migrate to Obama,

Well that is certainly one assumption. Frankly I do not like either and I am not inclined to choose female or fad. I want a decent damn candidate (Note to self… never going to happen) and I must say that an endorsement of clinton2 by Edwards would worry me more than reassure me. I do not believe he can endorse obama unless the fad changes his healthcare program to universal

Alternatively, they might not have any idea how this is going to play out, and want to withhold their endorsements until it becomes clearer. Don’t want to fracture the Democratic Party, just when we are gaining power.

The GOP is dying a slow death

The real legacy of George W. Bush should be the end of the Republic Party.

I suppose that if I thought about it long enough I could come up with some rationalization, but I guess we all make choices in our lives that we come to regret later…including what and who we vote for.

McCain is almost ready to pop out of the Darth Vader borg-creating machine.

The transformation is almost complete.

-G

I’d be happy to hear either address balance of power.

That is the damn problem with all of this. We have good people out there the problem is they are not candidates.

I’d be happy to hear either address balance of power.

And whether they would go after bushco. And whether they would “return” some of the power cheney grabbed. And…. well I could go on.

Hillary Clinton’s future goodwill ambassador just endorsed John McCain.

-G

Yes, I think that’s close to what I was saying. Either as a tie breaker or to gain momentum for unity when the winner becomes more clear. In either case, I hope they follow it. I think the only things that can beat the Democratic candidate this time are a party split (or large disaffected group) and underestimating the McCain and the Republicans appeal to voter fear, wedge issue, and education in Reaganite platitudes about small government, etc.

CNN reporting an explosion at a Texas refinery. I’m going to jump the gun here and predict that worker safety rules were not enforced.

How could they have been enforced? Hasn’t the Bush Administration decimated the dept. that is responsible for enforcement?

I’ll take your word for it since he’s decimated every other agency designed to protect Americans. And you all saw the mad cow beef that we’ve been eating, haven’t you? Since 2006

I repeat…do you think Americans really want less regulation? Dems have to hammer in what the results of this policy are.

Agreed. We do not have this sewn up by any means. If a sufficient number of Republicans and independents fall for McCain’s nonsense about security and believe him to be Not Bush, we could lose the presidency again.

One irony is that the explosion is at a refinery near Big Spring, Texas, which is also the vicinity of hundreds of wind turbines constructed during the last five years.

I certainly agree we all make mistakes; my concern with Sen. Clinton is she didn’t own up to it.

Since she’s making a case for having more experience than Sen. Obama, that’s important.

What good is experience if it leads you to wrong conclusions?

Not to mention Democrats that have been fed a daily diet of sound bites referring to ‘maverick’, ’straight talker’, ‘war hero’, ‘tell it like it is’ John McCain.

-G

Paper ballots. Hanging chads and all. Are what I’d like to see.

I don’t see that happening unless there’s some skulldugery with the voting. But I will admit to some fear that racism will play a part if Obama’s our nominee. Did you read “How to Rig an Election”? They know just how to take advantage of racist attitudes.

imho, signing onto the ICC would be a correct step toward accountability.

I dunno - I kinda liked the zed thing. Gotta start the conversation some way before you’ve had your coffee.

Personally, I will not be satisfied with any healthcare program unless they make it a single-payer program. That’s the only thing that seems truly viable to me, since I don’t like the idea of bean counters making medical decisions. When you involve a profit motive without any restraints (other than law suits), you have what we already have now. Beside that, I don’t understand how they deal with the portability issue without a single-payer system.

Did anyone watch the program on 60 minutes last night? The part about what the Danes get as benefits from their 50% tax rate was really impressive. Many of us pay up to 37% of our incomes in taxes with much less advantages. Imagine your children going to college and neither you nor them having to worry about the bills. I can’t even conceive of a 37 hour work week with 6 weeks vacation and paid paternity leave. Why is it that we consider socialism a dirty word again? I know that some places with high benefits still have societal problems, like France, etc., but much of Europe seems to be functioning fine with a democratic socialist society. Doesn’t seem as nefarious as communism at all. I wonder…even though I think I’m still a capitalist at heart. Guess I’d need to know more, and I don’t know if I, or any of us, have time to get educated.

I just can’t think of any situations in life where it’s best to adopt an attitude of assured success rather than doing your best to insure success by constant preparation. I get nervous at some of the cocky talk about how easy we’re going to kick ass.

Ecahn, you’ve been harping on this bogus madrassa stuff for the last couple of days. Get off it. Even if it were to be the case that it was a primary school that espoused and taught particular Islamic beliefs: 1) as with Judiasm and Chistianity, there is Islam and there is Islam (i.e. the fundamentalist Wohabi strands are relatively recent, and have been pushed to the forefront by American policies in the M.E. and 2) it would be as if to say we cannot have a Catholic president because s/he went to parochial school and can’t lead without Rome, or a Jewish candidate because Israel’s interests would be first and foremost in every decision.

change: Judaism

socialism is an economic system
capitalism is an economic system
communism is an economic system
authoritarianism is a system of government
democracy is a system of government
aristocracy, oligarchy are types of control

Democracy and socialism work just fine, in fact they are more suited to each other then capitalism and democracy.

Hillary Clinton’s future goodwill ambassador just endorsed John McCain.

I looked it up on MSN search engine to find out to whom you were referring. That would be…Bill?

And, actually, Communist China is now kicking our butt.

…even though I think I’m still a capitalist at heart…

Hint: The seat of capitalism is in the head, not the heart - like all “isms.”

:)

Petro (in AZ)

We need leaders who make sensible decisions and programs in the interest of the people, the majority of the people if not all of the people. Who cares what school they went to? I care about their critical thinking skills and their honest and integrity.