john wrote on Sep 12, 2008 1:02 AM:Ron is correct. Stop mocking Obama's community organizer. Talk about his 144 days in the senate. Now that is experience. And Ron, your comparison with Jesus is blasphemous. Obama is no Jesus.

anon wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:29 AM:The problem being addressed by the proposed parking ordinance in Escondido is overcrowding in our neighborhoods. Ethnicity isn't called out but if the shoe fits, wear it. The question is whether quality of life issues can be ignored because there will always be those who cry racism. If it quacks like a duck.... Overcrowding is a result of poverty. Escondido is working on it. Serious tax dollars are being invested in the infamous Elder Place neighborhood. A society without laws and boundaries will not prosper.

Clinging to Jesus wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:37 AM:The letters from Ron Ranson and Evi Quinn are so right - Jesus was a "community organizer" and, while careful to separate church from state ("render unto Caesar" and all that), did say, "Come follow me" as he asked others to try their best to do likewise.
In contrast, Ron in his blogs yesterday at 8:57 a.m. and 9:32 p.m. uses mocking and ridicule as he makes the same comparison of Obama to Jesus as a "community organizer" - but in more derisive terms.
No one has ever tried to equate Obama with Jesus or a "messiah" except those who ridicule both Jesus and Obama, and who would never consider voting for Obama and don't care about how much they insult Jesus and those who believe in Him and who turn to him and "cling" to Him in tough times, such as these, made difficult by cruel Republican mismanagement of a government they seek to destroy by "shrinking it to the size where it could be drowned in a bathtub."
No one except the mocking detractors has said that Obama is equal to Jesus.
But are you saying that trying his best to follow in Jesus' footsteps is a character flaw?
Why do you show much hatred Jesus and Christians so much?
Why do you mock and ridicule everyone, and never, ever offer a single constructive word?... In any case, the whole point was flawed to begin with. It has already been pointed out that "community organizer" was only Obama's first job out of college with an undergraduate degree, BEFORE going back to Harvard Law, becoming the first African American president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, becoming a civil rights attorney, Constitutional Law professor and state legislator in the same capitol where Abraham Lincoln worked.

Go Figure wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:45 AM:Why isn't there a "Swift Boat" group bringing the following to America's attention...as a former, run of the mill grunt, with 3 tours in VN, this really chaps me:

John McCain had roughly 20 hours in combat. He was awarded 28 medals.
That equates to a medal and a half for every hour spent in combat.There were infantry guys -- grunts on the ground --who had more than 7,000 hours in combat and were times and situations where a prison cell would have looked pretty good to them by comparison.

Gee, and remember all the guff Kerry took? The conservative media pin-heads don't share the skeleton's in their closets.

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 4:09 AM:>>let me point out that Jesus was a community organizer.>> Jesus was the son of a carpenter and a leader of men. Allah was a community organizer

OLD GLORY wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:06 AM:The letter from Lee Davis passes along the false rumors and outright lies that are so widely used on the Internet and hate radio to impugn the patriotism of Democrats.
The report that "12,000 American flags ended up in trash bags at the end of the Democratic convention" implies that they were disrespectfully disposed of. In fact, as noted in a CBS News "Reality Check" yesterday, they were carefully preserved for future use.
I understand that the North County Times has a policy of printing almost every letter that gets sent in but, come on, maybe it is not technically slander to print malicious lies about political opponents (like Bush did against McCain in the 2000 primaries), but you are a NEWS organizations for God's sake! Can't you at least include a disclaimer, or contact the accused organization for their side (as CBS did)? Many turn to the print media for greater depth than the TV news. I hope that won't be a mistake here in North County!

Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:10 AM:Was Pat Robertson correct in his warning about Hugo Chavez? This is the news this morning too late to be in this newspaper edition, Venezuela repeatedly insults the USA in a speech to thousands of roaring supporters, expels our ambassador, and recalls his ambassador to Washington.
Chavez is emboldened by the presence of two visiting Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers in Venezuela and the upcoming visit by several Russian warships and his own inflated ego. He also repeated his past threats on Thursday to cut off the oil he sells to the USA. ( I read somewhere Russia has agreed to buy any extra oil he might want to sell to them. If true that could hurt the USA more than hurt Chavez.) Chavez appeared to be acting to support his buddy, leftist President Morales of Bolivia, who expelled the USA ambassador earlier this week. Chavez also claimed USA is behind a plot by retired Venezuela officers to kill him by bombing by airplanes marked as Venezuelan. Pat Robertson saw growing trouble coming and gave warnings that was scoffed at by the MSM and leftie bloggers.

Observer One wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:48 AM:Sarah Palin does not have to be ready to be president until late January at the earliest. She obviously has the aptitudes, energy and mental sharpness to get updated on the specific policies and procedures, and gain further information in the classified national security briefings so she will be ready if needed. Most likely she would have two or three more years to get even more proficient if something were to happen to McCain during his first term. I am quite a few years older than McCain so he does not seem that old to me. Now I will plainly state that most of those other senators in both parties who were running around campaigning to be president are not ready to be president, and never will be. (Obama may be at some time in the future.) They lacked many abilities and skills and knowledge. You should watch CSPAN senate committee meetings a couple of house a week and see those senators who thought they could become president but make such stupid remarks in committees showing they do not even know what is going on, or clearly show they are more interested in promoting their party power than doing what is best for the country on issue after issue. Sarah Palin is more than a breath of fresh air. She is a hope for the future.

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:30 AM:You know "gracchus" {Sep 11} @9:39 PM,

I love this pseudonym of yours. As you may know, Tiberius Gracchus attempted to redistribute land among the plebeians, the middle & lower class.
That's clever, ya know? Not only do you use the name of a guy who was using socialist ideals of redistribution of wealth, but it obviously shows that your very well read.
Do you know who else was into land redistribution? Stalin. Mao, and virtually every other socialist or communist dictator. Heck, even FDR tried his hand at it, when he appointed Hugh Johnson as the National Recovery Administration official. Johnson was known for having Fascist inclinations. As you may recall from your reading of history, many within the FDR adminstration believed, as left-over's from the {Woodrow} Wilson administration, that fascism, or socialism was the government of the future, and that democracy was a relic.
And also, since the depression of 1929 was world-wide it lead to many political upheveals around the world.
In France, lead by Léon Blum {1936-1938} the "Front Populaire" was popular
pushing France from the center-left to towards the communist party.
Anyways...
1927, a group of New Dealers, parts of Roosevelt's Brain Trust, included
Rex Tugwell, head of the Resettlement Administration, were received by Stalin for a full six hours when they traveled to the Soviet Union. Stalin's 5-year plan strongly influenced Tugwell and other New Dealers. In 1934, when
Tugwell was promoted to head the Resettlement Administration, he then relocated the urban poor to the suburbs and impoverished farmers to new rural communities. Now, we clearly see the linkage from Stalin, and as utopian and socialistic. Remember, {Karl} Marx always preached, first democracy, then socialism, then communism.
But, then again, you know all this because you so well read. Which is why I know your computer works as well as mine, and your just baiting me, trying to tie up my time, by doing your's and liberaljim's homework for you two.
In fact, you and he may even be the same person, for all I know. I don't know that for sure, but other's sure do it.
As for liberaljim, he really needs to do two things. First, get his grandson to a doctor to have him properly diagnosed, and prescribed a medication.
And two, he needs to re-read army regulation 40-501, because he know's and I know, it does not pretain to "disposing of paperwork". So I know the guy didn't read it.
Just between you and me, and the fence post...
I don't think the guy actually owns a condo in Canada, otherwise, he'd know a lot more about how badly the Canadian medical system is failing.

No McCain wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:37 AM:Lee Davis: that is a lie perpetuated by Fox News, and demonstrated to be false by every other news organization. Over 75,000 Obama supporters took home over 100,000 flags in Denver the night of his acceptance speech. Your implication that the McCain camp went dumpster diving to save these flags is outrageous. The only reporter pushing your version of the story was Carl Cameron, famous for promoting other bogus stories. The 12,000 brand new left over flags were picked up and put in storage with the intention of donating them. Rather than notify the Obama camp the flags were still at Invesco, a vendor and McCain supporter STOLE the flags and gave them to people at the McCain rally a week later. Seems to me McCain should be prosecuted for distributing stolen goods for this ridiculous stunt. How shameful.

jvc wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:57 AM:Crime to be Hispanic in Escondido?
I take a broader view, it is a crime to be poor in Escondido!

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:02 AM:And that's probably the genius of FDR, gracchus. But, I have been meaning to ask you, do yu have a brother, cause..
As you may know, it was the Gracchi brothers in 2nd century who promoted redistribution of land, by what they termed "reform."
Anyways...
I know what was in the mind of FDR, he just wanted to continue winning elections for Democrats, and the Democrat party for as long as he could do it. He didn't seem to bother himself "with how" it was done, he left that to the Brain Trust, his group of leftist, socialists, borderline communists to do that for him. And the thinking ic clear, the American people would not grab ahold of this new form of government as brought to the U.S. via Rex Tugwell and others. Basing our society on Stalin's 5 year plan or Mussolini's fascism would not set well with the independent American mindset. Even though, FDR's advisors all believed in socialism & fascism as the government of the future. So, they had to have a third way, and it's known today as Liberal Institutionalism.
By slowly, but surely increasing the level of government participation into every little nook & cranny of an individual's life, eventually you will not be able to tell where the person begins, and the government leaves off.
And some are absolutely right, modern day Republicans more represent to me, Democrat's of the 50's & 60's, than our Founders. Whereas, the Democrats are nearly solid leftist, socialist in thinking. Our Founders, I think, would be absolutely shocked by how far we had slid.
And that is why we have this failing of Fannie & Freddie today, this left-over dinosaur of the FDR raw deal days.
Communism, socialism around the world has shown itself to be a complete failure. And they should have taken a clue from it's founder, the first welfare queen, Karl Marx, this half-drunk man, who never worked a day in his life, and lived of other's. Ask Joe Engels. The guy wouldn't even follow his own theology, in that, if being a
proletariat was the highest level anyone could aspire to. Marx surely hated manual labor, you know.. sweat of your brow, and all that kind of stuff?

Question for Gerrie Ryan wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:03 AM:What an important question you ask about Obama and his half-brother, Gerrie. Tells us a lot about Obama. of course, whatever you do, don't be curious about Cindy McCain's half-sister. Check out her story and you'll understand why she is an Obama supporter. But really, folks, isn't the real point that this is not how the founders imagined we citizens would choose our leader.

A plan for a Democrat win wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:08 AM:October 15, Joe Biden has a near fatal asthma attack, coughing so violently that he bumps his head on the edge of a lectern and suffers a moderate concussion with possible brain damage. Obama appoints, as his new running mate an unknown Governor from a small state, a woman who looks like she's about to take off those glasses, let her hair down and who knows after that! A firestorm of voter and media interest is created and people forget, as we Americans are wont to do, the other party altogether. And two weeks later, the Dems win in a landslide. Ain't democracy grand?

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:11 AM:>>> And Ron, your comparison with Jesus is blasphemous. Obama is no Jesus.>>

Who was it who said: "I know Jesus, Jesus is a friend of mine, and Hussein you are no Jesus" , maybe Allah, but not Jesus

Good Advice wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:44 AM:Stop voting for people you want to have a beer with. Stop voting for folksy.

Stop voting for people who remind you of your neighbor. Stop voting for the ideologically intransigent, the staggeringly ignorant, and the blazingly incompetent.

Vote for someone smarter than you. Vote for someone who inspires you. Vote for someone who has not only traveled the world but who has also shown a deep understanding and compassion for it.

The stakes are real and they're terrifyingly high. This election matters. It matters. It really matters.

Let me say that one more time.

This. Really. Matters.

OBAMACAN wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:53 AM:Gerrie Ryan's letter alleging the squalid life of an Obama half-brother in Kenya shows just how low Republicans are going to be stooping to weasel out of dealing with real issues such as healthcare, the economy, jobs outsourced while corporate welfare and socialism for the rich are expanded.
It is well-known that Obama's father abandoned him as an infant, returned to Kenya, and sired other children. These people are essentially strangers to Obama.
Is Ryan and the Republicans willing to hold McCain to the same standard?
As reported in the Washington Post (Google it) Kathleen Hensley Portalski, half-sister of Cindy McCain, has endorsed Barack Obama. She was outraged to hear that half-sister Cindy had described herself as the "only child" of her late father, whose beer fortune she inherited. Sole heiress would be accurate, as Portalski was not included in the will, but "only child" is a hurtful insult to a half-sibling.
And this is not some stranger living on a distant continent from a father not known to her. Cindy was very close to her father, a key figure in her life, and Portalski still lives in Phoenix, Arizona, not far from the McCain's, not in Africa or Indonesia.
Double standards, anyone?

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:56 AM:The news is reporting that Palin's statements on climate change at odds with McCain. Of course they would be. Palin hasn't lined her pockets with $$$hundreds of thousands from the eco-wacko lobbyists, like McCain has

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:59 AM:>>>Obama supporters took home over 100,000 flags in Denver the night of his acceptance speech.>>> Well, Hussein took home none, and nor would have his supporters if the cameras weren't on. If a liberal took a flag home, its because there was a $2 coupon from the bathhouse of their choice

Republican Socialist wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:00 AM:There goes Ron again (6:30 a.m.) calling someone a socialist.
Is he going to hold the Republicans to the same standard?
Hate to be repetitive, but if Ron is going to play his broken record, he needs some reminders of Republican socialism, especially in Alaska:

1. Republican nominee selects as his running mate the governor of the only Sociliast economy in the U.S. (Alaska, financed by the commercial oil ventures it owns [and if there was any doubt about that, CSPAN recently rebroadcast a debate from her 2006 gubernatorial campaign in which there was extensive discussion of managing the commercial oil operations THEY OWN - also, I got to actually watch her express support for that "Bridge to Nowhere." The debate obviously occurred while she was still for it before she was against it].

2. The Republican Administration went way beyond financial bailouts and guarantees and private corporations in their attempt to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Shades of Harry Truman and the steel industry!

3. The current (9-15-08) issue of Newsweek (page 30) cites REPUBLICAN former governor of Alaska Wally Hickel (who also served as, ironically, Secretary of the INTERIOR under REPUBLICAN Richard Nixon, as advocating an "economy of the commons."
Commons? As in Communism?
Hickel was referring to the state ownership and operation of the communal oil business.

Palintology wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:02 AM:Palin carefully cultivates her image, but does not give much thought to policy. She is opportunistic and ambitious (not a criticism). She has shown that she can win elections. She is not stupid, but her priority is her own rise to power, not serving Americans. She has shown over and over that she values loyalty over competency. This, we've suffered too much of for the past 8 years.

Oh Really wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:17 AM:Observer One[-] wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:48 AM: What a load. You are telling me that she is a Vice President in training? You are just regurgitating the Republican talking points. No body is buying them except for the conservatives. LOL Breath of fresh air? I have watched CSPAN. Palin can not hold a candle to any Senator from any party. State Governor experience? Come on. She administers a state with a population less than that of the City of San Diuego. Alaskan National Guard. She directs it. Palin has never commanded any military group from squad level to regimental size in her entire life. Putin may have her over for dinner sometime. She would be the main course.

Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:19 AM:Another despicable column by Maureen Dowd appeared today. Then she uses the trick to state untrue things she wants you to believe by stating them as questions. Sickening! If you have to pay for her column you are getting ripped off. They should have to pay you to print that biased garbage.

There was a news article in the New York Times with a misleading heading making one think Palin had done something wrong about the per diem, but inside the lengthy article all the charges were described and they were all legal. Overall she could have billed more. Maureen Dowd writes for the New York Times so she knew or should have known she is spewing lies. Palin had done nothing wrong. Dowd is hateful! Palin used the per diem money to help pay for her commute to her far away home instead of for a local hotel, until she bought a home closer to work as governor. The money for her family was for appearances at public events in different locations where it is expected to see the governor’s family so travel money was appropriate.

And Palin did not ask the librarian to pull any books off the shelf.

There are answers about the trooper who was accused of physical violence against his wife and making serious threats against other family members, and used his taser against his 10-year-old stepson. The several Democrats investigating troopergate were at a political meeting for an opponent of Sarah and are eager to find something wrong.
Whether or not she uses the private prayer language or not is her business and should not be mocked by Dowd or anyone else. Anyway you do not have to have the gift of tongues to be a member of an Assembly of God Church. She attended since she was a pre-teen until several years ago. Dowd is thus mocking the several million Assembly of God members who are much like Baptists or Calvary Chapel Christians and many other sincere Christians except for a few optional practices.

And if Sarah Palin asks the persons in her past or current church or in the public to pray AHEAD OF TIME for her to have wisdom and do a good job as Vice President or President and not wait for a 3:00AM phone call that is all the better. I am aware a number of presidents have asked the members of their church to pray for them. I also remember a very serious President Roosevelt leading the nation himself over the radio in an earnest six-minute prayer to God on D-Day in WWII. (This prayer is included on many LP records, tapes, and CDs of famous speeches by FDR, JFK, MLK and others. I think your paper would be a lot better if you did not have the Maureen Dowd column in it.

Focal Point wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:19 AM:Gerrie Ryan: Obama has met his half brother twice. The only relationship is by blood. The have a common father. It makes as much sense for Obama to send his half brother $100.00 a month as it would be for you to send the $100.00. By the way, isn't that redistribution of wealth.

A breath of fresh air wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:20 AM:So let me get this straight. A candidate who knows little about the world, is tight with big oil, is under investigation for abuse of power (and is now working to be able to disregard subpoenas), who is anti-stem cell research, who believes the jury is out on evolution, who is fiercely anti-choice, who has a running mate who is an ultimate Washington insider, and who believes that God directed us to go to Iraq: THIS you call "a breath of fresh air"? Sounds to me exactly like George W Bush. Remember how Bush ran as a Washington outsider, too? Good grief, you Palin people are sounding insane! Up is down, new is old, same is change. Are you crazy?

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:23 AM:Hey.. eh..
"Clinging to Jesus" @3:37 AM,

We cling to our guns too, don't forget that part. That's important.

The reason we mock this, is because it's absurd. Now you got Dems all over the place saying Jesus was a community organizer. I'm telling ya, they are losing their marbles. They've totally become unhinged, and are just flipping around like a bass in the bottom of my boat, caught by the Boy Scout's I allow to use it.
You got Nancy {Pelosi} out there, telling us, God gave us Barack.
I mean.. come on!
This just confirms what we conservatives have been telling you all along, he's the Messiah.
And all are now bowing to his Messiashship. Complete with Greek columns at his speech, was just the icing on the cake.
But, what we all now know, this Messiah has no clothes. In fact, he's an empty suit, able to reguritate talking points he picked up along his path, from Frank Marshall Davis, Carl Davidson, Gerald Kellman, Bill Ayers, and the wrong Rev. Wright. (US of KKKA)
He is, in fact, the perfect example of liberal indoctronation.
But, don't let the smooth taste fool ya!

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:38 AM:Hey, ah.. "Paul" @5:10 AM,

I think Pat Robertson was just stating what everyone else knew to be true: i.e. take the guy out.
But speaking of Hugo Chavez, did you know that in 2006, ten years after hosting the fundraiser for Barack Obama in his home. Bill "The Unrepentant Terrorist" Ayers gave a speech in Venezuela, honoring Marxist ruler Hugo Chavez? Did you know that?
This FOB, friend of Barack, gave the most mind-numbing Marxist drivel.
Here's just a nifty selection:
QUOTE: "Let those of us who are gathered here today read this poem as “The Teacher’s Obligation.” We, too, must move in and out of windows, we, too, must build a project of radical imagination and fundamental change. Venezuela is poised to offer the world a new model of education– a humanizing and revolutionary model whose twin missions are enlightenment and liberation." END Quote

You can read the rest of this stuff on Bill "I'm a terrorist, wish Id done more" Ayers own blog site.

And he ended his speech with this:
Viva Mission Sucre!
Viva Presidente Chavez!
Viva La Revolucion Bolivariana!
Hasta La Victoria Siempre!

Meaning:
Alive Mission Sucre!
President Chavez lives!
Live through The Revolution Bolivariana!
Up to The Victory Always!

And noted Friend of Barack Obama.
His Friend...

And notice please how these two world come together? Religion and Marxism?
In one wrong Rev. Wright who preached from one James Cone.
Cause that's what Liberation theology is, a mixing of the two, religion and marxism. Look it up, liberaljim.

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:40 AM:Before I go to ensure those receiving monthly checks, continue to do so, let me say this:

Stand Up for Chuck!

Captain wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:47 AM:The Flag story is a lie (read story in Huffington Post ... But given a choice, I would rather have John McCain place a higher emphasis on the waste made our Constitution by the Republicans over the last 8 years. The Bush administration tossed out habeas corpus, tapped our phones, spied on the books we have read, used government paid propaganda and held prisoners indefinitely without charges. Let John McCain throw stones in his own glass house.

Glass House wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:51 AM:Captain at 8:47 a.m. says to "Let John McCain throw stones in his own glass house."
Which one?
Does he even know how many he has?

Walking with the Lord wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:00 AM:John McCain bombed Vietnamese villages and the babies who lived in them. He himself called himself a war criminal for this. More recently he sang funny songs about bombing more villages with the babies that live in them in Iran. His running mate says bombing Iraqi villages and the babies that live in them is God's work. I don't know about you, but these are not people who walk with any Jesus I ever heard of. More like the blood lust of the anti-Christ, IMHO.

Own up Escondido wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:01 AM:I agree with Marilyn Campbell!!! What a great letter. Thank you. In Spanish Escondido means hidden I am glad that the motives of the Escondido City Council are no longer hidden. There motives are being exposed. Apparently people are becoming aware of the real reasons behind all the laws, ordinances and bans being proposed by the current City Council. Time for a change? Definately. Own up, Escondido.

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:04 AM:The news is reporting that Venezuela's Hugo Chavez insults U.S., expels ambassador. That will have the hate-America liberals like Pulse dancing in the streets, while noraml people will just say, "Who Cares".
I hope pineapple face reduces oil exports, because that will make it easier for McCain to get a drilling program going to flood the world markets with oil and drop the price to $40 where it should be. Imagine the hate that the liberals would spew if that were to happen?

To Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:13 AM:Everything in your post about Sarah Palin is completely misrepresented. Have you thought about Snopes or Factchecker?

Correction for Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:16 AM:Like most conservatives, Paul equates "did nothing illegal" with "did nothing wrong". This is standard business ethics, if there is such a thing, finding loopholes and using them. Well, ok, in business I guess profit is the name of the game. But Palin's a public servant, and the per diem funds were taxpayer money. Was that a legitimate, not to say best, use of that $40K for the people of Alaska? But don't get me wrong...I expect that Palin and what's his name will probably win. I don't have a lot of respect for the mentality or moral sense of the American voter, based on recent elections. Palin will continue the fine tradition of our current Depts of Justice and the Interior. Four more years! Four more years! (If you happen to be goose-stepping to this chant, it's really cool if you bring your heel down forcefully on the "four" and "years". Very intimidating!)

Palinoscopy wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:18 AM:I am going to do whatever I can to have the Obama campaign, or one of the soon to be implemented progressive 527s or even MoveOn put together a TV ad that is similar to the one the Dems used in 1964 to shred Barry Goldwater, you know, the baby playing in a field of flowers followed by a mushroom cloud. And, you know, it will have the ring of truth what with Palins totally reckless statements about Russia. You guys are toast after this. Just the notion of Sarah Palin having to face off against Vladimir Putin ought to make your gonads shrivel up and fall off.

Totally clueless you are. Yeah, let's revive the cold war against an opponent that has nuclear weapons as awesome as the one's the US has, and the delivery systems to use them effectively.

All in the demographics wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:18 AM:The latest AP-Gfk poll shows McCain leading Obama by 18 points amongst whites (26 points amongst white males who have not finished college). The Palin factor? Obama leads McCain by 5 points with women however he trails McCain by 13% amongst white women. Simply look at who are the majority of registered voters in this country. The United States of America will always be the United States of America, nothing will ever change.

Oh Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:27 AM:So you investigate Ayres and find he has marxist beliefs, let's say. And you look up liberation theology and find it is a combination of religion and marxist thought. And the point of all this? To "link" marxism to Obama, the same Obama who has obviously, publicly, and frequently rejected marxism. Can anyone on this space compete with Ron for integrity? Integrity? That's so old fashioned. What other so-called 'virtues' will we be tossing out next? The Constitution is already being shredded. Jesus Christ is being used as a shill for bombing major national capitals. People running for President see their poll numbers rise as soon as they start smearing and lying about their opponents. In today's paper, Obama's team says that he will be taking a "sharper" tone in his campaign. So there you have it, the race to the gutter = the race to the White House, demanded by the proclivities and appetites of you and me. When we look in the mirror in the morning, remember, you're getting a glimpse of what destroyed this country.

Marlowe wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:32 AM:Ron, Chuck, esteban, and Mike America will be thrilled to read the NY Times today QUOTE CARACAS, Venezuela — The United States Treasury Department on Friday named Venezuela’s top two intelligence officials as supporters of drug trafficking activities of Colombia’s largest rebel group, the FARC. The designation heightens the political tension between the United States and Venezuela after President Hugo Chávez on Thursday said he was expelling the American ambassador here, giving him 72 hours to leave the country. ENDQUOTE This was all we needed. Venezuela is a sponsor of terrorism. If we have any troops left, they'll be invading Caracas following the bombing of yet another city. No troops available? No problemo! Hire thousands of Blackwater mercenaries and put it on our grandkids' bill. Wars-R-Us.

Mooseburger wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:36 AM:GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be?

PALIN: His world view.

GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.

PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?

PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.

Yikes wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:40 AM:This morning a commentator said that at least Palin knew who Putin was as though that is a good thing. So she'll get a pass on the interview.

Maybe we can beat off the Russians with a hockey stick.

Alf wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:40 AM:Well, "All in the demographics" at 9:18AM,
I disagree with your statement "The United States of America will always be The United States of America will always be the United States of America, nothing will ever change."
If the course set by GWB, and McGWB wants to "stay the course", continues, the thing that differentiates the United States of America from other countries, the United States Constitution, will be no more.
See the 8:20AM post by "A breath of fresh air".
Regards, Alf.

To Go Figure wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:42 AM:McCain was awarded a Silver Star Medal for resisting "extreme mental and physical cruelties" inflicted upon him by his captors from late October to early December 1967, the early months of his captivity, according to the citation. The North Vietnamese, according to the Navy, ignored international agreements and tortured McCain "in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes."

McCain, now the Republican Party's likely presidential nominee, was taken prisoner in October 1967 after he was shot down while on a mission over Hanoi. He wasn't freed until March 1973, after the United States signed peace agreements with the North Vietnamese. His captors tortured him and held him in solitary confinement. Still, he declined an offer of early release until those who had been at the prison longer than him were let go.

That decision earned McCain a Navy Commendation Medal. Although McCain was "crippled from serious and ill-treated injuries," he steadfastly refused offers of freedom from those holding him prisoner. "His selfless action served as an example to others and his forthright refusal, by giving emphasis to the insidious nature of such releases, may have prevented a possibly chaotic deterioration in prisoner discipline," the citation says.

McCain attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1954 to 1958, and was commissioned as an ensign in June of that year. He retired in April 1981 with the rank of captain. In that time he received 17 awards and decorations. Besides the Silver Star Medal, McCain also received the Legion of Merit with a combat "V" and one gold star, a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Bronze Star Medal with a combat "V" and two gold stars.

Several citations mention his achievements either as a prisoner or as a lieutenant commander flying bombing runs off the deck of the USS Oriskany. Some are signed by then-Secretary of the Navy John Warner, who would become a colleague of McCain's in the Senate.

The citations refer to his "accurate ordnance delivery" and his "aggressive and skillful airmanship." He earned his Bronze Star the day before he was shot down, for participating in a mission over an airfield in Phuc Yen, 11 miles north of Hanoi.

The citation for his Distinguished Flying Cross sums up McCain's misfortune the following day:

"Although his aircraft was severely damaged, he continued his bomb delivery pass and released his bombs on the target. When the aircraft would not recover from the dive, Commander McCain was forced to eject over the target."

Years later, as his Navy career approached its end, McCain received the Legion of Merit Medal. By then, his missions were in the halls of Congress as a liaison to the Senate from the Navy's Office of Legislative Affairs.

He was praised for providing Navy leaders "with sage advice and sound judgment for enacting critical legislation during a period of severe fiscal constraint."

The following year, he ran for Congress from Arizona, and won.

Ruby Tuesday wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:42 AM:I'm a middle-age soccer mom and can relate with Sarah Palin on many levels. I also love this country and have always had an addiction to politics. When it comes to selecting the next leaders of our country I want to weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision when I enter the voting booth. So I remove the blinders and put on the filters . I'm a registered Independent. My swing votes goes to Senator Obama. FINAL!!

This woman is woefully unfit to be our next V.P. The average Joe doesn't need to know the Bush Doctrine. She does. When asked how she qualifies to be V.P. I want a list of valid reasons. I want her to say I weighed my decision very carefully before expecting the nomination.

And I saw her blink. Several times.

Neck Rash wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:43 AM:You can always tell when someone is lying by watching for the rosy blush around their neck. Watch Sarah closely in the ABC interview from yesterday.

I learned that from Judge Judy.

Demographics is right wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:46 AM:America will not elect an African-American. We are watching, now that the fun of primary season is over, white flight to the GOP. Who could ever have doubted that this would come about? So, in a few months, we will find out that we will continue being un- and under-insured, that the very wealthy will continue to fatten while the rest of us lose our children to yet more wars, our jobs, our homes. This is what we seem to be wanting to vote for. So I guess it's what we'll deserve. Man, those fat cats must be in hysterical laughter at how easy it is to manipulate the peons time after time after time. Well, even though I am a liberal, I am in fine shape financially. I'll just hunker down and watch my country commit slow suicide.

Focal Point wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:46 AM:Paul[-] wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:10 AM: So what! Are you saying that Pat Robertson is a prophet?

David in Carlsbad wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:50 AM:Perhaps there should be a discussion about the 5 planes he crashed while in the military. He wrecked the planes screwing around during training sessions.

If you were boarding a commercial flight and were told the pilot crashed 5-6 times would you stay on the flight? This man has shown poor judgement throughout his life and uses his constantly evolving war stories to create sympathy among voters. I for one will not be manipulated.

I used to own a cable TV company and used to respect Mr McCain. During the last 2-3 years this man has sold his soul in a desperate attempt to run for president for the umpteenth time. Just 4 years ago he called the religious far right the “agents of intolerance”. Now he as one of the “agents of intolerance” as his VP choice.

Nick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:01 AM:"A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is privately concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men ...We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated, governments in the civilized world—no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and the duress of small groups of dominant men"
[Woodrow Wilson - The New Freedom: A Call for the Emancipation of the Generous Energies of a People]

"The few who understand the system, will either be so interested from it's profits or so dependant on it's favors, that there will be no opposition from that class." [
Rothschild Brothers of London, 1863]

"Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes it's laws" [Mayer Amschel Bauer Rothschild]

"Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders. The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States"
[Sen. Barry Goldwater (Rep. AZ)]

"I have never seen more Senators express discontent with their jobs....I think the major cause is that, deep down in our hearts, we have been accomplices in doing something terrible and unforgiveable to our wonderful country. Deep down in our heart, we know that we have given our children a legacy of bankruptcy. We have defrauded our country to get ourselves elected." [John Danforth (R-Mo)]

"It is well that the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."
[Henry Ford]

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a monied aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. The issuing power (of money) should be taken away from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs."
[Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President]

It seems to me that there are a lot of great men throughout history who have seem how absolutely wrong The Federal Reserve is and havoc they have and will continue to do to our Country.

What do Obama and McCain plan to do about The Federal Reserve? Absolutely Nothing!
Cheers, Nick.

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:03 AM:It's hard for me to get excited about so called "civilians" who get killed or wounded in a raid. If one hangs around with terrorists, they must know their might be a consequence (unless they were educated in a US public school, and then all they know are the consequences of not choosing their gender as required under SB777). They have chosen to house, clothe and feed terrorists, and in my mind, they are terrorists themselves. Plus, terrorists have already been proven to kill dozens and then dump the bodies at the site of a US raid, so Time and Newsweek can report it.

Marlowe wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:03 AM:Not that it matters, but...After the election of 2000, after 911, after the invasion of Iraq and the cut-and-run from Afghanistan, world opinion, in a nutshell was: America and Americans are great, its leadership is awful. Then came the election of 2004. World opinion shifted dramatically: no, it really IS Americans who are awful...they had 4 years of Bush and reelected him! OMG, our allies said, it's not Bush, it's THEM! And now, four years later, we see the polls and may well repeat ourselves. This time the world's people can also wonder if we really are racist at our core on top of it. Leave a note for your grandkids: we were there and helped bring about the end of the age of the USA. "Gee, grandpa, tell us again how you voted for Bush and Palin"

History Cynic wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:05 AM:Ron: You have overlooked FDR's Operation Keelhaul!

Ms M wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:12 AM:Ron
[-] wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:38 AM:...Speaking of friends of the candidates - below is an excerpt from an article about a gentleman who McCain spent his 70th birthday with:

Follieri, who posed as Vatican chief financial officer in order to win friends and investments, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Manhattan district court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. As part of the plea, Follieri admitted to misappropriating at least $2.4 million of investor money and redirecting it to foreign personal bank accounts that were disguised as business accounts.

This was recently. The article includes photos of McCain boarding this dudes yacht for his party.

Ms M wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:16 AM:Oh Ron
[-] wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:27 AM:...cons have no integrity whatsoever. Notice they lost the word moral. Just look at the campaign. Win at all costs.

Pam Anderson Speaks wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:21 AM:Adding to the comments on Sarah Palin (from the Daily Telegraph):

(Quote)FIRST Matt Damon, now Pamela Anderson has spoken out against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin saying:"I can't stand her. She can suck it!"(Unquote)

hardtack wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:22 AM:Geez, “Go Figure!” They already “House Boated” the guy – now you want him “Swift Boated” too?

To Lee Davis wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:48 AM:Stop believing the spin! Those flags were not trashed, they were merely bagged for storage and protection until they were used again. Rumours like this and the fact that they go unchecked makes the American voting public look naive and uninformed. One reporter who made an assumption without fact checking before announcing his assumption on air has started a vicious, untrue cancerous rumour that has taken on its own life. This is what creates apathetic voters who get tired of being constantly led astray...

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:51 AM:All I'm doing is tracing Obama's background, something most people have never done, "Oh Ron" @9:27 AM.

Why haven't YOU investigated Ayres?
Maybe you find comfort in his marxist beliefs? Have you look'd up liberation theology and found that it is a combination of religion and marxist thought? As preached by the wrong Rev. Wright, as it was taught to him, by James Cone. And, Yes.. I to point all of this, as a statment of who Barack Obama truly is. This is not conjecture, I've read both books, I've read what his mentors have written. Do you deny he even had these mentors? Wright, Davis, Davidson, and Kellman?
This is how Barack Obama became Barack Obama.
You start with his first book, where he uses the Wright phrase: A white man's greed, brings a world in need..
And the rest is quite easy to link, there after. Would you not agree?
Lost son, seeking Dad/Father figuire finds comfort in communist Frank Davis, who then promotes his way of thinking to young Barry, who then takes Frank's advise, go to Chicago to hook up with other's like Ayers, Carl Davidson, and Gerald Kellman. All socialists, borderline communists. Barry then finds one of the most divisive churchs, Rev. Wright's, who just so happens to teach Liberation theology, from James Cone {in fact, go to the church's website, they sell James Cone's book}...
it's like adding, my friend...
wright + ayers + davidson + davis + kellman = Barry Obama.
We are all products of our enviroment, Barack Obama is no different, and he's no messiah.

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:55 AM:Is Obama having lunch with his good little terrorist friend, Ayres today?? I bet they're even having in his home, you know, the one he acquied in a shady deal witht he criminal Rezco. Talk about putting the lipstick on!

Chuck wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:57 AM:>>> Matt Damon, now Pamela Anderson has spoken out against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin saying:"I can't stand her. She can suck it!">>> I can assume they both run a bath house operation for the people tahat go to their movies.

Focal Point wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:04 AM:Paul: Mocking Christians. So what/ I do not want a President or Vice President who goes off into some trance speaking jiberish to have the power to wage nuclear war.

Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:06 AM:"To Paul" at 9:13 AM questions what I wrote about Sarah at 8:19AM.

I am objecting to the falsehoods that Maureen Dowd is trying to spread about and against Sarah by wording them as questions thus planting them. I rechecked the articles in the Washinton Post, and some Alaskan paper and Snopes and Factchecker. I maintain that I am correct and Maureen Dowd misrepresents th ethings she wrote about in todays paper.

Boat wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:09 AM:Go Figure
[-] wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:45 AM: Maybe the reason there is no "Swift Boat" type organization is because they can't find a T. Boone Pickens to underwrite it. Like he did for The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. When their claims proved to be bogus he would not pay the so called "bounty." He said that the criteria had not been met. He has about as much credibility in my eyes as those Swift Boat guys did.

Mooseburger: That interview made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She reminded me of an unprepared high school kid called on an in class who tries to get the teacher to give her a hint of what the answer is. Scary.

Ron wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:13 AM:Hey.. eh.. "Marlowe" @9:32 AM

That should not surprise you one little bit. Under Bill "I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky" Clinton...
He placed in charge of our on-going drug war in Columbia the mercenary corp, Dyn-Corp.
Much like Blackwater, they were contracted to train Columbian military on counter insurgency, and interdiction.

Paul wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:17 AM:"Correction for Paul" at 9:16 AM has a problem with Sarah's practice with claiming travel money and per diem.

The articles I read were clear that Sarah was following the rules. They put a misleading heading over the article. She was following the practice for providing for the legislatures and governor being in one place far away from home, part of the year.
Isn't it true that the California State assembly and senators get travel money for going home on weekends, and per diem or some amount for renting an apartment or other lodging in Sacramento.
Isn't it true that the USA congress persons and Senators also usually work three days a week in Washington, and fly home on weekends, with their air fare paid by the government.
So what is the big deal that Alaska make some provision for such travel.

FYI wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:24 AM:From the Wall Street Journal - September 10, 2008; Page A14 :

One rap on Sarah Palin's qualifications to be Vice President is that sh