Why I am Voting for Obama

I’m not voting for Obama because he has better television or radio advertisements. I’m not voting for Obama because his opponent has to come up with so much negative advertising. I’m certainly not voting for him just because he is a Democrat! I’m not voting for Barack Obama because he is a rock star on the internet and has a very certain way of connecting with the middle and lower class people like myself.

I am voting for Obama because he is not George W. Bush or any facsimile there of. I am voting for Obama because he sees the screwing all of us in the middle and lower class of America have gotten. I am voting for Obama because he wants healthcare for all Americans. I am voting for Obama because he offers true leadership out of hope rather than fear and despair. I am voting for Obama because he isn’t afraid of tough questions from anyone when it comes to leading this nation. I am voting for Obama because he offers real tax relief to the middle and lower classes rather than giving millionaires, billionaires more tax cuts so we can get the crumbs off of their tables. I’m voting for Barack Obama because he never once endorsed or fought for the idea that we should privatize Social Security and move the funds to Wall Street.

I’m voting for Obama to bring our troops home out of Iraq and the lies that put them all in harms way from the Bush administration. I’m voting for Obama so that disabled veterans, friends of mine, will get the care they need rather than a nay vote from someone that claims to be a defender of veterans. I’m voting for Obama because “diplomacy” is not a dirty word that was replaced with “You are either with us or against us“. And I could go on and on.

This election for President isn’t a popularity contest, it is the survival of our society as a whole. America would and will be on a fast track to revolution if we face another four years of Bush 3.0 and the disastrous policies he looked the other way on. As I have stated here on this site before, gasoline and oil prices will tank just short or prior to Bush leaving office. It has!

Our government has been corrupted beyond belief and it is up to us to vote and make sure that the corruption has no chance to fester. While all the red state politicians voted themselves a pay raise every single year, they voted against giving minimum wage workers a raise for almost ten years in a row? Apparently, inflation only exist if you make over $150,000 per year as a public servant in Washington, D.C. and as a Senator or Congressional member.

We have seen enough corruption, resignations, lobbyist going to jail, White House staffers and confidants going to jail, denials, and members of Congress shamed out of office from the Republican Party. Enough is enough and that is why I am voting for Barack Obama for President of the United States of America. For that matter all you have to have is a Democrat next to your name and you have my vote. The Republican Party put these people that betrayed our trust into powerful positions. Granted we do have a few Democrats going to jail too but the tote board is heavy on the Republican side of the aisle. Deny Hastert, Speaker of the House down in flames, Tom Delay, Majority Leader of the Senate down in flames, Scooter Libbey down in flames and in jail, Jack Abamoff the lobbyist down in flames and in jail, and the list goes on and on. When is enough, enough? How many Congressional members should be listed that left office in disgrace and scandal?

Faith in our government only works if we the people believe in them. Barack Obama brings that to the table and has my vote. Enough said, vote, and vote for what is best for America and I urge you to consider Barack Obama the better person for the job to lead all of America and not just his select friends.

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring It ON! and To the Center

Cheney Endorsement Sinks McCain

I don’t know what idiots are running the McCain for President campaign are doing but McCain should fire all of their asses. I’m just an outside observer on this election but if President Bush has a 28% approval rating and the Vice President is lower than that, then you do not want them speaking up for you or endorsing you publicly in any shape or form. This election is not going to be won by any single political parties base but it can be lost by playing to that extremist base. Having Dick Cheney endorse John McCain publicly this late in the race for President was tantamount to tying an anchor to his right leg and pushing him off the pier. Who in their right mind thought this was going to swing moderate and independent voters? Or for that matter Democrats? How the hell is Dick Cheney and his endorsement going to sway the opinion of any Democrat considering McCain for President? Somebody went to morons and politics classes and didn’t even take notes over at the McCain campaign.

This opens up a huge talking point for Barack Obama and CNN has this on it…

Earlier Saturday, Sen. Barack Obama also hit key swing states, campaigning in Missouri, Colorado and Nevada and taking a jab at that day's endorsement of McCain by Vice President Dick Cheney.

At an event in Laramie, Wyoming, Cheney said he will vote for the McCain-Palin ticket.

"This year, of course, I'm not on the ballot, so I am here ... not to vote for me, but I want to join daughter Liz, who is with me today, join us in casting ... our ballots for John McCain and Sarah Palin," Cheney said.

Obama started his day with a morning rally in Henderson, Nevada, before heading to Pueblo, Colorado, and Springfield, Missouri.

"I'd like to congratulate Sen. McCain on this endorsement, because he really earned it. That endorsement didn't come easy," Obama said at the Pueblo rally.

He added that Cheney "knows that with John McCain, you get a twofer: George Bush's economic policy and Dick Cheney's foreign policy. And that is a risk the American people cannot afford to take." - CNN

If your mind is moderate or even independent in this election for President then the last thing you would want to see is any connection to the Bush administration in your candidate for President. This is supposed to be an election on change is it not? We know that Obama has consistently talked about change and that Senator McCain has gone 180 degrees on change in the last couple of months. John McCain has almost morphed into a Democrat to try and win this election. He is willing to say and do anything for votes and that includes accepting the endorsement of the Teflon Vice President Dick Cheney? AKA Valdermort. Was it not Cheney that pretty much outed Valerie Plame, a covert undercover CIA agent? Didn’t Scooter Libby go down in flames and to jail over this issue to protect Vice President Cheney? It is worth mentioning that Dick Cheney was the CEO of Halliburton, Brown and Root aka HBR that received to many to count no bid contracts to service our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Then they padded the bills, screwed the troops over, packed up shop and moved their headquarters to Dubai from Houston Texas! Is that what Dick Cheney’s endorsement of John McCain means? This candidate will screw over anyone and everyone to get what they want done. And if they have to do it by busting the Constitution with signing statements then so let it be written and so let it be done. You have to love the movie The Ten Commandments. Yule Brenner was great in the role of extreme dictator and Pharaoh over the lost tribes of Israel. Omnipotent and untouchable till he pissed off the one true God. George Bush isn’t Pharaoh and Dick Cheney isn’t even close, but they think that they are and that is what pisses most independent and moderate voters off.

John McCain would be a fool to accept this endorsement or even brag about it. Just the simple fact that Cheney is backing him is not something he wants to put on his political resume. Matter of fact, it is probably the last nails in the coffin to the McCain campaign for President.

In my own political thoughts, John McCain is desperate and grabbing at anything that might just keep some red states red and grabbing the coattails of Dick Cheney is like a drowning man being thrown a cinder block as a life preserver.

Papamoka

Rachel Maddow and Barack Obama Interview

Let me start off by saying that NBC and MSNBC is highly favored by the Obama campaign for good press but that does not stop Rachel Maddow from asking some tough questions of Senator Obama. Rachel Maddow still does not think this election is in the bag for either candidate and that makes this interview all that much more interesting. Below is part one of the interview in Sarasota, Florida. This interview took place in the former Secretary of State and Congresswoman Kathryn Harris district. Whatever happened to her by the way?

Video Link Part 1



One of the things that I did not know about Obama and his campaign is that he does not go after Conservatives at all, or for that matter he does not direct his comments to people as Republicans but what his opponent John McCain representing that party believes. Senator Obama is reaching for Republican voters and Republican servants in our nations government. It isn’t that he has to if he wins the election, it is that he knows that he needs too! Both political parties are not perfect but working together is better than banging our heads together time and time again on issues after issue where nothing gets fixed. We can do better.

America has many issues facing her over the next four or more years starting with the meltdown on Wall Street, our economy teetering on a recession if not worse, the housing collapse, two wars on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan and the shrinking job market here at home. These are serious issues that takes more than just one persons opinion to work on.

Our nation is in crisis and John McCain is not the answer with his coined responses to serious questions. As much as I respect him as a Veteran, I could not trust him with my children’s future and what America could be if special interests are holding the White House hostage through political contributions. In the back of many voters minds is the greed and deception of our political leaders over the last eight plus years and enough is enough. People are tired of seeing elected leaders step down in disgrace over one controversy or the other. People are tired of being treated like the bottom of the barrel and we do not deserve our governments leadership. People are tired of seeing only the top income earners get tax breaks while inflation is ripping the middle and lower classes off year after year with stagnant wages.

The time for change is coming on November 4th and you don’t have to vote, you must vote! Otherwise, shut the hell up and say hello to $4.00 per gallon gas, no jobs, special interest and corporate greed gone super nova, our military used as Pons to benefit corporations and the list goes on.

Vote for Barack Obama. Place your confidence in the hands of a man that is not afraid to face the issues and tackle them the minute they arise. Obama’s campaign against John McCain has shown that he is a true fighter with all the mud thrown at him.

Papamoka

A Truly Worthy Obama Endorsement

This endorsement alone should put Barack Obama over the top and with it a victory to the White House on November 4th. Stephen Colbert is endorsing Obama. It’s worth a laugh…

Video Link



You don’t get a better endorsement than this one! I can hear the right wing pundits damning Stephen Colbert to hell for this one…

Papamoka

Is Yes We Can Real?

In the closing days of this Presidential election is the voice of the American people, and the only way you can change America is by voting for a new hope, a new direction. America, and Americans are tired of being subjugated as not being worthy to be Americans because we think differently on where our nation needs to be. Is it wrong to think that all of us can and have the potential to be better, give our children a better life that we never saw the possibility of? Is it wrong to think that our children can not dream of higher goals and a better life than we as parents have had? We can do better than that and we must do better than raising them in fear, in the environment of fear, in fear of people we do not know. We can lead them to hope over desperation. We can lead them in the path that is not laden with landmines if you do not tow the strict "With us or against us" thought process. America is the last melting pot in the world and all America has a general investment in our nations future! Our next leader for President needs to reflect that sentiment and not deflect it.

America brings many challenges but it also comes with the possibility of many dreams that can come true if we simply believe that change is possible. We can be better over the shouts of cynics and those that would keep us all down as a people. We are not divided but we are one nation that deserves better and we can do that together as one people. United we can fight any battle that faces us all, divided we can only survive one attack at a time. America is about challenges and not fear of enemies our government tells us we should fear, it is about confronting the reasons they are our enemies. Diplomacy is an American virtue that has been corrupted and replaced with fear and war that has no end or no answer.

America provides so many opportunities and we need not hide behind the shadow of fear of “What If”? We as a people are able to provide a better tomorrow for our babies and it is up to you as a parent to make change possible in America. One nation is better than a divided nation based on political ideology that can only offer fear.

Voting for Barack Obama is the only way to bring about the change this nation needs. John McCain is not the answer when all he has to offer is opinions of why he should be President because his opponent is only offering hope. When it comes to the hopes and dreams of all Americans I can not think of one reason that anyone would vote out of fear. It isn’t in our American blood and upbringing to do so. We know what is right and what is wrong in America and that is why we are a land of laws. In that respect I offer this must see or listen to video…

Video Link



Barack Obama said his peace on National Telvision tonight on many of the networks in his half hour reach to you as Americans as to what he can do for you and our nation. That is who he is. This election is not about him as much as it is all about you, the left behind American. Where do you want to put America in the next four years? Vote accordingly.

Papamoka

To the Center has this post up!

McCain Might Just Lose Arizona!

Fear of losing his own home state has John McCain and his campaign using the dreaded robocall political tactic in Arizona. What was once an art form under Karl Rove and the election of George W. Bush is now pretty much taboo in the new century of politics. Robocalling is the last breath of desperation from John McCain to at the least point to save his Senate seat in the next election.

When you look at what he has had to deal with in recent weeks you really can’t blame McCain for trying to save his own ass. Palin has gone rogue on him and so far off acceptable campaign talking points that she is a loose cannon of the Republican Party. She fires off the cannon and no matter what she says, the target ends up being in the lap of John McCain. I can’t honestly feel bad for McCain, he picked Sarah Palin as his running mate. I just don’t think that he ever considered that she could out run him.

Back to the Robocall topic in Arizona… Here is the text of the call courtesy of Talking Points Memo that confirmed it with two sources…

I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because Barack Obama is so dangerously inexperienced, his running mate Joe Biden just said, he invites a major international crisis that he will be unprepared to handle alone.

If Democrats win full control of government, they will want to give civil rights to terrorists and talk unconditionally to dictators and state sponsors of terror. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the experience and judgment to lead America. This call was paid for by the Republican National Committee and authorized by McCain-Palin 2008.

Can we break down this robocall to simple terms? Dangerously experienced? How about McCain picking someone that has already bolted from his own campaign with eyes on 2012 with even less experience? Then Joe Biden is brought up with this lack of experience. Umm, Joe and John have a ton of experience in foreign policy so the original statement is moot. Then they mention Civil Rights as if they are the ones to endorse and move forward civil rights? How can you claim to be a defender of civil rights when you voted with George Bush to tear all Americans civil rights out from under us Mr. McCain? Then they question Barack Obama’s judgment and experience to lead America but is it not the McCain campaign that can not even control many of the leaks and news feeds that show up on blogs like this one where Palin is out of control and going Rogue or “Maverick”? Last point is who this RoboCall was paid for, the Republian National Committee or RNC. Obviously, they don’t know that America is Cell Phone Happy.

Thank you God above for technology and the fact that our nation has gone Cell Phone happy and for the most part have dumped their land lines. One of the main reason many of us have gone Cell Phone happy is phone calls like this one but from terrorist telemarketers trying to sell us everything under the sun every single night as soon as the supper dishes hit the dining room table. The old shampoo instructions prevailed in some prehistoric political hacks mind when they came up with Robocalling, wash, rinse, repeat. Annoying, interruptive, and rude at the one time of day that we as a family have together with two working parents. The one time of the day where most families find out how everyone else in our individual families day went.

When it comes to RoboCalls, I’ve seen and received many of them when it comes to marketing products. I no longer own a home but I was receiving calls for replacement windows. Same thing goes for refinancing my home. Renovating the bathroom that I do not own. Getting out of debt when bankruptcy and losing our home was an event that happened just under two years ago. Pick a topic and the populace is numb to pre-recorded messages on our land lines. Even after caller ID they managed to get through by interesting messages of who the caller was.

The generation gap is broken wide open and the information age is here and now. John McCain and his campaign has no clue as to how to reach the large chunk of voters that are now no longer bound by a phone in the home. Just like George Bush Senior was amazed at bar code reading machines at a check out counter while Christmas shopping, John McCain never got the message on his cell phone about the wide spread use of cell phones in America. Cell phones are for staffers and not part of his wardrobe.

Senator McCain is not alone in this technology snafu when it comes to politics, most of the political polling sources that political machines rely on have not found the way to bridge this technology gap either. There is not a directory to research and call for cell phone owners going Maverick of Ma Bell!

Papamoka

Republicans and Conservatives going Obama

Frankly, I was very surprised to see my former Governor, Bill Weld of MA endorsing Obama over McCain. Governor Weld was a Conservative Republican Governor in one of the most liberal states in America that served as Governor with a Democrat liberal legislature. Today, Governor Bill Weld (voted for him twice) endorsed Barack Obama. A decision Governor Weld did not come to overnight but after weeks of deep thought on the actual positions Barack Obama has stated publicly and on his website. Sound familiar?

Colin Powell, Secretary of State, former Joint Chief of Staff of our nations military under George W. Bush, has endorsed Barack Obama for President crossing party lines not because of race but because of the issues and the positions and future Obama offers America. Some well known blogs and radio talk show hosts on the right are calling Colin Powell a traitor, a racist, and some words that I don’t repeat because they are wrong. Since when is a Purple Heart medal recipient a traitor. How about a Bronze Star? I could go on with the heroics behind Colin Powel in his service to America through his entire life but I should not have to. He’s one American endorsing his choice for the next President.

Then you have Christopher Hitchens, a former Brit that is now an American citizen with severe right wing tendencies not only endorsing Obama but calling out that John McCain has something weird going on. His words, not mine. Hitchens even used the word “Senile” in describing many reactions on television and radio that McCain has spoken on. Christopher Hitchens went on Hardball with Chris Matthews and endorsed Obama.

Video Link



Is it just me or is the Republican Party running away from John McCain and Sarah Palin as fast as possible? Maybe America cares more about the issues that effect all of our lives rather than he said, he associated with, he did this, he voted for this in the past or he is a liberal. All of this is coming out of the McCain campaign and it is just attacks and not issues that need ideas and policy to fix them. Issues that you and I have to face every single day. One candidate is talking about the issues, how he will fix them, and the other is talking about the past. Vote your heart, just vote!

Papamoka

*****Reuters has picked up this post... Thank you!

Naked Palin Needed Clothes

John McCain stated today that Governor Palin needed clothes to justify $150,000 spent by the Republican National Committee (RNC) to go shopping for Sarah Palin. There is only one problem with this declaration, she was and is the Governor of Alaska. Did she show up to work in Moose skins, Wolf skins, or was she just bare ass as she put that plane on Ebay? Apparently, to John McMillionaire she was not properly dressed and Neiman Marcus could fix her up. Sarah Palin needed to be GOP’ered. Walk like a duck, quack like a duck and campaign like a GOP Vice President candidate.

Here is the McCain spin on your donations to his campaign and why your $100 dollars, $500 dollars or even $1000 bucks went to a good cause. Sarah was buck naked when he found her in the wilderness of Alaska in the Governors office.

Over at Politico they have the inside inseam scoop…

McCain: 'She needed clothes'

John McCain defended the Republican National Committee’s decision Thursday to spend more than $150,000 dollars on clothing and accessories for running mate Sarah Palin.

“She needed clothes at the time,” McCain told a group of Florida reporters.

The Arizona Republican said that the clothing will be donated to charity and that there was nothing unusual about spending the committee’s money on Palin’s look.

“They'll be donated at end of this campaign. They'll be donated to charity,” McCain said.

“It works by her getting some clothes when she was made the nominee of the party and it will be donated back to charity,” he added. “It works that the clothes will be donated to charity. Nothing surprises me.” - Politico

How pissed would you be if Barack Obama spent this kind of money on Joe Biden? Your donation dollars! I don’t get it. McCain is Conservative but he says that $150,000 dollars for clothing in just over one months time on clothing and accessories is okay and justified because the Governor needed clothes? Somebody has no clue as to what his political campaign is doing behind his back and the blame rests squarely on John McCain. It’s his campaign! What excuse is he going to use when he is elected President when people are screwing him over behind his back? This is just an election for President, once elected you are on the world stage. McCain is not in charge of his own campaign and that is sad. Mistakes and blunders of this magnitude should never have happened on a campaign where the man on the bumper stickers is supposed to be a hawk.

If John McCain can not control the spending of his own campaign organization that makes him look bad, then how is he going to control government spending that he wants to lead? It’s his campaign and nobody did this to him but his own campaign. He owns this issue 100%!

This attempt by McCain was truly against his character. He could not justify the spending of that much money on clothing and accessories at all. “She needed clothes” is his response? This is the beginning of Bush 3.0 lies if John McCain is elected President.

Papamoka

*****The Root has linked in... Thank you!

Obama Double Digit Poll Leads

Battleground states are falling heavily for Barack Obama and by double digit leads according to MSNBC today. I believe these numbers are coming from the University of Wisconsin poll and this is what they show. Obama is ahead of McCain in Minnesota 19%, Wisconsin 13%, Michigan 22%, Iowa 13%, Illinois 29%, Indiana 10%, Ohio 12 % and Pennsylvania by 11%.

Video Link



Just for giggles I went over to Real Clear Politics and plugged this information into the Electoral Map. I love this feature and find myself using it at least a couple of days a week. Mind you the map starts out with Obama at 259 and McCain at 157 solid electoral college votes, leaning states move the map to 306 to 157 in Obama’s favor. That leaves 75 electoral college votes in toss up mode.

If you change all the states leaning to Obama or McCain and then plug in MN, WI, MI, IA, IL, IN, OH, PA all over to Obama and give John McCain all the toss up states (MT, ND, NV, MO, NC, FL) you end up with Obama winning 317 to 221.

If you look at the maps from another perspective and click on the “No Toss Ups” option, McCain would need to win OH, PA, IN, VA, NC, and FL to get to 270 to win the Presidency.

Papamoka

Colin Powell Steps Up for Obama

In the last two weeks of the election for President the endorsements from Newspapers across America are flying off the news racks. One of the most interesting was from the Chicago Tribune, a newspaper around since the early 1800’s, that endorsed Barack Obama for President but has never endorsed a Democrat before. When it comes to endorsements most newspapers really don’t matter anymore in America because they are left or right leaning publications and it can be proven by reading the opinion page every single day in their paper. But the Chicago Tribune? A staunch Republican paper goes for Obama, now that is news!

Moving on, then you have one man with one voice, with character beyond question, a Republican, a former chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff for America’s Military, and a former Secretary of State that has broken party ranks to endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. I’m talking about General Colin Powell who announced his endorsement on Meet the Press today with Tom Brokaw. MSNBC has this video on the historic event today…

Video Link



It’s pretty common knowledge that the Bush Administration threw Secretary of State Colin Powell under the bus to get this nation into the war in Iraq. It is also common knowledge that he resigned to “Spend time with his family” as a disgusted American and life long public servant that was duped by President Bush and Vice President Cheney. If Colin Powell ran for President as a Republican then I honestly have to say that I would vote for him over Barack Obama if he was the Republican nominee. That being said, if he thinks Barack Obama can and will be a better President then Obama is a lock for many moderate voters.

Colin Powell summed up why many Independent and Moderate voters are looking at Obama more favorably than McCain, it isn’t the issues, it’s the rhetoric and suggestion of discrimination from the base and some of the leaders in the Republican Party. When he speaks of Robo calls, and defamation, insinuations, and accusations against Obama from the campaign of John McCain he is talking about questions that happen every single day in the states in play. Questions still suggesting Obama is a Muslim, Obama is associating with terrorists, Obama is anti American. Phone calls to mom and pop taxpayer and voters during the dinner hour. What General Powell said is correct in the thought that those types of politicking is not worthy of someone wanting to be President of one nation. That form of disgusting politics is divide and conquer and that is not what America is all about. If McCain can not sell his position on the issues then why is he and his campaign going so negative with the Robo calls? Why do they have to make it so personal and frankly Un-American? Politics is a dirty way of life but it was never this bad before. John McCain has his name on the bumper stickers and no matter how you look at it he owns the negativity one hundred percent.

In the long run, elections are not always won by who fights fair and who fights for what is right but who connects best with the American people. John McCain can not make that connection and Barack Obama has in more ways than you can count. Many of us should consider the wisdom of Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff, General of the Army, Vietnam Veteran, and just one voice as a Republican and just a citizen like Colin Powell that will be voting for Barack Obama for President.

Papamoka

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McCain Camp and Fox News Sinks Lower… Why?

Let’s talk about drug use by politicians. Not that they are using them now but what they did ten, twenty or thirty years ago. Can we make this relevant to today’s election for President? Now lets throw in Fox News on the facts and break this story wide open as a drowning campaign that would push you under if the life boat was in reach. First class passengers have that right so don’t mess with them as you go under.

For the record, not once in this blog have I ever mentioned the wives of the political candidates for President in a derogatory manner. Other than reporting the facts that the possible future First Ladies were both highly educated woman that deserve due respect. In that thought process, I personally find it outrageous that anyone would attack them. I don’t care what Michele Obama did in the past, or for that matter what Cindy McCain did in the past ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. They are not running for President! Their respective husbands are. Throw a shot at the husband no matter how abusrd and it is fair game in most political circles. But the wives? Yes they would both look good as First Lady but that is not a political position you run for! It’s a given position by the people of America. There is a catch to this scenario of mine though, if the wife of a candidate for President inserts her influence in a legal matter against any media organization then it is public record. That opens up a Pandoras box onto itslelf. Hic-UP!

I’m not even going to try to make sense of this letter from Cindy McCain’s lawyer to the New York Times. It just screams of last minute desperation where common sense does not exist. Fox news has this to say on it… (They have an exclusive) The emphasis and Red High Lighting is part of the post at Fox News and not mine! Here it is…

“You have not tried to find Barack Obama’s drug dealer” by Greta Van Susteren

Gloves are off ….Big Time!!! Look for blood on the floor!! Mrs. McCain’s lawyer fires off a letter to the New York Times! See the letter to Keller of the New York Times below:

Subject: RE: Politico: Cindy’s lawyer to NYT: “You have not tried to find Barack Obama’s drug dealer…”

Note from me: I am told we have this letter independently – see below.

Dear Mr. Keller:

I represent Cindy McCain. I write to appeal to your sense of fairness, balance and decency in deciding whether to publish another story about her. I do this well knowing your obvious bias for Barack Obama and your obvious bias hostility to John McCain. I ask you to put your biases and agendas aside.

I understand that Cindy is in the public eye, but you have already profiled her extensively (Jennifer Steinhauer reported), written about her financial situation (including an editorial on her tax returns) and about her role at Hensley and Company.

I am advised that you assigned two of your top investigative reporters who have spent an extensive amount of time in Arizona and around the country investigating Cindy’s life including her charity, her addiction and her marriage to Senator McCain. None of these subjects are news.

Snip (it gets worse)

These allegations and efforts to hurt Cindy have been a matter of public record for sixteen years. Cindy has been quite open and frank about her issues for all these years. Any further attempts to harass and injure her based on the information from Gosinski and Clark will be met with an appropriate response. While she may be in the public eye, she is not public property nor the property of the press to abuse and defame.

It is worth noting that you have not employed your investigative assets looking into Michelle Obama. You have not tried to find Barack Obama’s drug dealer that he wrote about in his book, Dreams of My Father. Nor have you interviewed his poor relatives in Kenya and determined why Barack Obama has not rescued them. Thus, there is a terrific lack of balance here.

I suggest to you that none of these subjects on either side are worthy of the energy and resources of The New York Times. They are cruel hit pieces designed to injure people that only the worst rag would investigate and publish. I know you and your colleagues are always preaching about raising the level of civil discourse in our political campaigns. I think taking some your own medicine is in order here.

Snip (holy crap it's signed by a law firm)

Sincerely,
John M. Dowd
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
- Fox News

From this point forward, all family members are in question according to the letter on Fox News? I don’t think the McCain campaign wants to go that route. Obama may have had some indiscretions in his past as a young man and has admitted them publicly. He is not perfect, never has claimed to be, but he has stuck by Michele through everything they have faced together. John McCain has a past written into newspapers across America that could drag up the worst of issues as well as the best of issues. It’s a coin toss and Google searching is only a few typed key words away from researching the truth behind this latest mud to be thrown at the wall. Calling out for the drug dealer for Barack Obama is outrageous and frankly a bad idea. Counter point, who was Cindy’s drug dealer? For that matter, Senator McCain went through hell as a P.O.W. and how many prescription drugs is he taking now for that pain? How clear will his head be when that three AM call comes if he just downed a couple of pills for the pain?

The bigger question is who was your drug dealer when you were in High School and why is that person now a CEO of XYZ corporation? Double edged swords cut into the swing and back again and I don’t think the McCain campaign would like to see the full investigative services of any news organization that could hone and sharpen that sword. Whoever told John and Cindy McCain that it was a good idea to threaten the New York Times with a lawyers letter was not looking out for the best interests of the Senator and his wife Cindy.

And all of this has what to do with and about the economy, healthcare, jobs, tax breaks, and your life in America? Absolutely nothing! That is the point of this post. Somebody ask the McCain campaign why they want to know who Barack Obama’s drug dealer was? If there even ever was one? It makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

Pass the life vests around over at the McCain campaign. The ship is sinking and it is almost every man, woman and child for themselves.

Papamoka

100,000 Prove Polls Wrong in MO

This picture of 100,000 people attending an Obama rally in St. Louis, Missouri today pretty much proves that the polls are all out of whack! Missouri has predominantly been a Red State and Obama has proven that there is no such thing as a Red State or Blue State in America once more. If the race and election for President is so tight then how is it that a Democrat like Obama can draw the largest crowd ever in political history in America?

Over at the Wall Street Journal they have this to say on it…

Amy Chozick reports on the presidential race from St. Louis.
Barack Obama attracted 100,000 people at a Saturday rally here, his biggest crowd ever at a U.S. event.

The crowd assembled under the Gateway Arch on a sunny Saturday afternoon to hear Obama speak about taxes and slam the Republicans on economic issues.

Lt. Samuel Dotson of the St. Louis Police Department confirmed the number of attendees piled into the grassy lawn by the Mississippi River.

To be sure, big crowds don’t always signal a big turnout on Election Day. But Obama’s ability to draw his largest audience yet in a typically red state that just weeks ago looked out of reach, could signal a changing electoral map.

For months Missouri polls put Obama as much as ten percentage points behind Republican John McCain. It was widely believed that McCain’s pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate would have won over the state’s conservatives and boosted his chances there. So far, that hasn’t happened.

A Rasmussen poll released on Friday shows Obama leading in Missouri 52% to 46% for McCain. - The Wall Street Journal

I’m beginning to think that the election is not even close when you see such a huge turnout like this one with two weeks to go till the election. If this is the case in Missouri then what is really going on around the rest of the nation? Are other states not showing their true polling numbers and real support for Obama in this election? I’m thinking that the polling industry needs to be looked at seriously and revamped into the cell phone based culture of America. Realistically, this kind of rally for Obama proves the polling numbers could be off by five to ten points easily!

I have to say this story in the Wall Street Journal just blew me away! 100,000 people at one rally isn’t even funny for a Saturday afternoon event in a major city like St. Louis. I can see the spin coming from the McCain campaign that they were all downtown to pay parking fines at city hall or desperately searching for the John McCain St. Louis Headquarters. Ya, thats the ticket!

I’m sorry to say but I don’t trust any of the polling numbers anymore where it calls for a close election by any means in any state. Barack Obama can draw crowds such as this simply because the American people are starving for true leadership, compassion for the less fortunate, and common sense in our next President of the United States of America. All I can say is “Wow!”

I'll post a video of the crowds and the speech from Obama as soon as I find one worthy...

Video Update: Channel 5 KSDK.Com in St. Louis, MO has this video from the crowd at today’s event. Click on the link to the video from the crowd. It wasn't working out as an embed link at the time of this post.

Papamoka

True Colors in Politics

I have no tolerance with racism in my life what so ever! From anyone against anyone that is an American citizen. Absolutely none. End of discussion. I grew up hearing the stories from my father and mother on the racism that my grandmother and grandfather faced in the new world. “Irish Need Not Apply” signs for job openings and apologies from landlords in the area they landed in outright saying that they do not rent to the Irish!

I’m not an African American but I do happen to know that the African American people of this nations last generation and this generation, are still reading the signs “Irish Need Not Apply” or we don’t rent to your kind and that is disgustingly wrong. As many gains we as a people have made in this nation over the last forty years, when it comes to civil rights there is still racism against many people for many reason that bares no common sense.

What pisses me off even more is that racist people declare themselves McCain supporters and transpose their ignorance onto a noble public servant. Mind you, I’m not defending John McCain, he can explain his pride in the debate last night of “All of his rally supporters” and what he meant from his mouth to God’s ears. Explain this Senator McCain? Tell me and the Independent and Moderate voters that you are proud of these people or tell them they are dead wrong!

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Should we all look at the Republican Base as all racists and just call it a draw because the Democrat Base is the rainbow of American races. Videos like this one make me think that John McCain needs to seriously reconsider his funding of education in America or would he prefer that this kind of understanding of common knowledge is acceptable. If he is cool with his supporters going so negative with believing Obama is a Muslim, and the rest of the crap that they would rather believe in then John McCain must be the next coming of Christ for them. Jesus Christ 2.0 or George Bush 2.0, same thing very different philosophies for caring for your fellow man.

Lets go extreme on what McCain supporters really believe. Apparently they still believe Barack Obama is still a Muslim and not a Christian since a baby so Al Jazeera America has this on it. Yes it is a Muslim and Arab news agency, so the hell what? The video speaks for itself...

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If this is the Republican political base that elected George Bush then I am so glad that I never voted for him in either election for President. I’m sure that many of the clear thinking Republican’s never thought this type of mentality was ever possible. I know that my Republican friends don’t think this way and I mean in a racist intolerant way! Thank God above some people in the Republican party are not this misunderstanding of the real issues. Real issues like education, healthcare, and taxes are not based on any candidates religion, race, gender, or even if they were or are a lawyer! To this kind of political base there is the color of your skin, your religion, and email hysterics taken as the word of God from the Holy Bible. And all those emails about winning the lottery in another country are true by the way. Just send your checking account number and they will deposit the money for you… NOT!

If this is the base John McCain is so proud of then he can have them, and in that respect I’m sure that many educated Independent and Moderate voters would agree with me on this topic. If racist comments are what it takes to win this Presidential election from your supporters then I honestly can’t support the candidate they support with so much hateful, offensive, and frankly un-American language.

I think the words in our Constitution read “We the people” not “Some of the People”.

Racism pisses me off and if you don’t like that I’m pissed off about it then don’t read this site. If this kind of garbage in America is okay with you then I DO NOT WANT YOU READING THIS SITE! We are a melting pot of many nations but we are all Americans and anyone that tells you that that fact is inacurate is not correct and is in fact morally corrupted.

“You are your brothers keeper” goes beyond the hour you are in church once a week and yes I attend services! As an American Irish descendent from County Claire and Cork, I’m endorsing the real Irishman in this race, Senator Obama of Illinois.

Papamoka

*****My good friend Gun Toting Liberal has allowed me to cross post this post on his "Must Read" political site! Thank you GTL!

*****My blogging friend Joe Gandelman of The Moderate Voice dedicated a post to this article. Thank you Joe!

More Red States Going Blue

Not that it is a huge shock to most people but many former Red States are turning Blue in surprising numbers. Mind you, many conservative and independent voters hold a majority in these states but the polling numbers are refreshing when it comes to change in America. Whether they like Obama or not, they know that McCain is more of the same if not poison to the world they live in. Anyone at this point would be better than John McCain who has become George Bush’s clone.

Since the last Presidential election North Dakota is leaning towards Obama, Missouri is leaning towards Obama, West Virginian and Virginia is leaning towards Obama, Florida is going for Obama, Ohio is beginning to go Obama, Colorado and New Mexico are tilting toward Obama. Last but not least, North Carolina and Indiana are a toss up. And Obama is still holding all the states that John Kerry carried in the 2004 Presidential election.

Then you get states that should be a lock for McCain but are not and the race for President goes into a super blow out. States like Georgia, Mississippi and Montana that are within reach of an Obama win given the McCain campaign meltdown.

Source: ElectoralVote.com

Papamoka

Richard Lewis on Olbermann

One of the things that I find remotely interesting is comedians that can use the truth to point out the obvious. And it is laughable because it is the truth in politics. Richard Lewis did a guest piece on Keith Olbermann and he hits on all the key points that make sense politically in this election for President.

This was a great guest shot and MSNBC and Countdown have it here…

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Richard Lewis is correct in assuming that all the progress made over the last forty or fifty years should not be tossed out the window in this election. This nation has come so far and we can go further. We need to defend the weak amongst us, protect the innocent, and defend the rights our parents, grand parents, and the people they elected into political office gave to all American’s.

We as a nation will need to come together more so now than ever before during this economic downturn and support one another rather than cut our neighbors down over politics. My family, your family depends on a nation that is united more than you know. This nation needs many things, across all party lines and electing a President is not a popularity contest anymore. It is about electing true leaders that will funnel common sense back to where it should be.

Our nation has lost its way, instead of defending the poorest amongst us, we reward the richest amongst us with tax cuts. There is no trickle down economics when you give corporations already making over ten billion dollars a quarter profit a tax cut. There is however a bowl of cereal and milk every morning for a little girl anywhere in America when her mom and dad get a tax cut. There is a pair of jeans or a cute dress from the local retailer that she can wear. There is a nutritional lunch that she can get at school every day that comes with an educational system that needs to be better and not just a building with kids in it.

This election matters more than you know and it can change this nations path when you vote. When you do vote, think of your kids, your check book, and your wallet. Democrats are the only people offering change in this election cycle.

It is time for people to wake up and tell the politicians that “I am done with eating cake, where’s the beef!”

Papamoka

Obama Wins According to McClatchy?

I’m not one to call a political race over and done with before the actual election happens but the McCain implosion, the Republican self destruction in ethics leads some merit to one political pundit calling the next election for President a landslide. As voters we can not forget the fall out of Denise Hastert, the Republican Speaker of the House over the Mark Foley alleged sex with congressional teen age pages and unbecoming acts and allegations incident and subsequent cover up. He left office in disgrace.

We as voters can not forget the allegations against the Senate Leader Tom Delay with rigging Congressional election jurisdictions to favor his political party in Texas or his numerous dealings with many lobbyist in the capitol. He left office in disgrace. I could go on and on from W to Karl Rove, Jack Abamoff, Scooter Libby and the list just grows. Corruption, greed, more for me, screwing over the American people was a mantra for the first six years of the Bush administration. Over at McClatchy they have this to say on what they think the election will result…

Daring to utter the 'L' word: Obama on track to a landslide
By Steven Thomma McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Barring a dramatic change in the political landscape over the next three weeks, Democrats appear headed toward a decisive victory on Election Day that would give them broad power over the federal government.

The victory would send Barack Obama to the White House and give him larger Democratic majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate — and perhaps a filibuster-proof margin there.

That could mark a historic realignment of the country's politics on a scale with 1932 or 1980, when the out party was given power it held for a generation, and used it to transform government's role in American society.

Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, is now well positioned to win the Electoral College. He's comfortably holding most of the "blue" states that went for Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry in past elections, polls show, and he's gaining momentum to take away several "red" states that have voted Republican in recent elections, including Florida, Ohio, Colorado and Virginia.

The Democrats are also widely expected to take big gains in House and Senate races. Like Obama, they're reaching deep into once solid Republican territory. Even such stalwarts as North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, could be in jeopardy. - McClatchy

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Given all of the corruption over the last eight years we have to realistically look at whom we elect to not just the Presidency but to the Congress and the Senate. I’m by no means a Conservative but you have to admit that many events over the last eight years have been everything but conservative in nature. The budget is more than busted, money is flowing out from the treasury faster than it comes in and the world financial markets are collapsing. From no bid contracts for the former firm that Dick Cheney was the CEO of to the amazing run up of oil prices from a President that was once an oil executive. There was no avenue of revenue they could not rape and have taxpayers pick up the bill. This has been one of the greatest grab and run Congress and Presidency in our nations history and it wasn’t Democrats that fed the fire and voted for it.

When you as a moderate or independent voter see the stories and videos about the anger coming from the McCain campaign then you see why this nation is so screwed up today. Ideology is only good if it serves them alone. To hell with you, get a job, you are a Communist, a Socialist, and you are not an American is what they scream at Obama supporters. You my friend, you are a terrorist too because you don’t tow the die hard party base of the Republican Party line. That includes your sons and daughters in service to this nation in one of the most powerful military organizations in the world. And yet we in the middle are the problem with what is going wrong in this nation?

All you troops in service to America with Democrat or Independent voter parents to the back of the bus! Hut two, three, four!

It’s time to take our nation back and let it be run by “We the People”. Yes we can is not just a Barack Obama campaign slogan but an American call to action to take back our government and end the madness that has us all in this crisis that is our country. Terrorist’s may have attacked us on 9/11 but greed has been attacking our sovereignty as a people from that day forward.

Papamoka

Politics and God

From the outside looking in I am one of those Oxymoron Liberals that happens to have a very strong belief in God. I don’t push my faith, my belief, or my church on anyone because in my own belief system, that would be wrong. My relationship with God and my church has been defended by our Constitution and it is in fact nobody’s business other than my own. Do I always agree with my own Catholic faith, hell no, and for many reasons that I could go into a very long post on. Protecting and defending children would be numero uno!

Thomas Jefferson was correct in his understanding that this nation of many nationalities and religions would best be served by the separation of church and state. Many people to this very day still disagree with Jefferson but it is part of our Constitution and should never be ignored. We can not and should not allow one theology of God to be the basis of our government that has to be of service to all religions or lack there of for all of our people.

One thing that I honestly believe in is that faith and electing a political leader should not mix. Leave the religious doctrine to the leaders of the churches and leave the politics to the politicians. In my thoughts it is one thing to say a blessing by a religious leader at a wedding, or even at a private run civic organization. Using God’s name or for that matter Jesus Christ, Buddha, Allah or any other prophet from any religion should not be the introduction speech from the clergy at any political rally for any political party. Granted the first amendment comes into play in this very difficult topic.

Not for a moment do I think that God should be stripped from our government or our currency. Common sense dictates where religion belongs in our government, our courts, our personal lives, and in our national election process. Using God as a political euphemism to denounce your political opponent is not only not Christian, it is unethical if you are a member of the clergy.

Unhelpful for establishing the tone McCain sought in Davenport was the Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church. His prayer before McCain arrived at the convention center blocks from the Mississippi River appeared to dismiss faiths other than Christianity and cast the election as a referendum on God himself.

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god — whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah — that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," Conrad said.

"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day," he said. - MSNBC

The context from Rev. Arnold Conrad is confusing but the intention is pretty clear. God has a McCain bumper sticker on the pearly gates! Well I’m screwed then! Or am I or you as an Obama supporter? If you have any religious upbringing then you know this to not be true.

Religion and politics do not mix. I understand the reason why religious organizations want to be involved and reach out to their flock to get involved in the process. I just don’t agree when a religious leader uses their pulpit message at a campaign event for President of the United States.

I keep thinking of why Mitt Romney had to defend his faith and he should not have had to do so. Then I think of Kennedy having to tell the nation that he would not be a puppet President to the Pope. Then I think about anyone demanding to me to defend my faith, my belief, or who my God is? What would you do if faced with that very same question?

Then I think about the crisis this nation is facing and religion takes a back seat. Having faith in God is one thing, having faith in our elected leaders to actually lead “We the People” out of this mess is another issue.

That is why we have national elections for President and religious leaders are elected by the elite of their faith based organizations.

God bless America and the American people! That is as far as a prayer before a political rally should go. Or does God only love only the people that are politically aligned with he or she? If that is the case then 50% of American’s are going to hell! I’ll let you decide who is in and who is going to need some serious sun block lotion post election day come November.

Papamoka

HeadzUp Political Cartoons

I came across this site today called HeadzUp TV and was laughing myself senseless. There isn't much in politics that is down and out funny. All of the candidates take themselves so serious and every once in a while they should all take a step back just to laugh.

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Obama "Say it to my Face!"

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have hit the nail on the head with the non stop lies coming from John McCain's campaign. John McCain had the chance to look Barack Obama in the face and state his wild accusations. He didn't because he could not! This makes one fact clear in voters minds, one party wants to talk about the truth and the other is hiding behind baseless lies in political advertisements.

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In the past two debates between McCain and Obama, John McCain could not look at his opponent Barack Obama. Matter of fact, after the last debate John McCain practically ran out of the hall. Barack Obama stuck around to actually talk to the people there. Something smells wrong and it is coming from John McCain and what he has had to become since morping into George Bush 3.0...

Papamoka

Cross posted at Bring It On!

Real Leadership in Obama - Biden

One of the things that irks me about this Presidential election is the appearance or lack of an ability to connect with voters by looking them in the eye. Maybe it is the way McCain presents his speeches from cue cards that just doesn’t seem to exude very much confidence as a leader. It’s almost as if McCain seems terrified whenever he has to speak to a crowd because he always has that blank look in his eyes whenever he eventually looks up at the people in attendance.

Then you go over to the Obama - Biden ticket and both of them can give a speech directly from the heart without cue cards. That alone speaks volumes when it comes to confidence in the message they are getting across which is very much in contrast to the lack of confidence in the message McCain is trying to sell.

I’m one of those funny people that if you can not look me in the eye when you want me to buy your product then my first impression is that you don’t believe in it. Call it a funny feeling but every time I see John McCain speak, for some odd reason I get the feeling he is selling me a Yugo but defining it as a Cadillac.

Over at Vim and Vinegar I found this must see video that just blew me away. Check it out…

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I don’t know about you but I do know that I want the next President to have the confidence of FDR and his Vice President should be a Pitt Bull like Harry Truman. I find those qualities in Barack Obama and Joe Biden very evident in these troubling times we live in.

Papamoka