"For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Fine attributes if you're applying for the job of headmaster at some patrician New England Boy's School. But they don't get you elected to the highest office in the land. Just ask Mondale or Dukakis or Gore or Kerry. All stood idly by like guys respectfully waiting for a fresh pour at a wine bar while they were mocked, maligned, denigrated and Swiftboated from contention by agents of the other side."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/obama-gets-tough-too-litt_b_126015.html

"For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Fine attributes if you're applying for the job of headmaster at some patrician New England Boy's School. But they don't get you elected to the highest office in the land. Just ask Mondale or Dukakis or Gore or Kerry. All stood idly by like guys respectfully waiting for a fresh pour at a wine bar while they were mocked, maligned, denigrated and Swiftboated from contention by agents of the other side."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/obama-gets-tough-too-litt_b_126015.html

"For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Fine attributes if you're applying for the job of headmaster at some patrician New England Boy's School. But they don't get you elected to the highest office in the land. Just ask Mondale or Dukakis or Gore or Kerry. All stood idly by like guys respectfully waiting for a fresh pour at a wine bar while they were mocked, maligned, denigrated and Swiftboated from contention by agents of the other side."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/obama-gets-tough-too-litt_b_126015.html

"For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Fine attributes if you're applying for the job of headmaster at some patrician New England Boy's School. But they don't get you elected to the highest office in the land. Just ask Mondale or Dukakis or Gore or Kerry. All stood idly by like guys respectfully waiting for a fresh pour at a wine bar while they were mocked, maligned, denigrated and Swiftboated from contention by agents of the other side."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/obama-gets-tough-too-litt_b_126015.html

"For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Fine attributes if you're applying for the job of headmaster at some patrician New England Boy's School. But they don't get you elected to the highest office in the land. Just ask Mondale or Dukakis or Gore or Kerry. All stood idly by like guys respectfully waiting for a fresh pour at a wine bar while they were mocked, maligned, denigrated and Swiftboated from contention by agents of the other side."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-ridley/obama-gets-tough-too-litt_b_126015.html

ABC is ridiculing the latest "we're taking the gloves off" pronouncement of the Obama Campaign.  They are claiming this is the third or fourth time Obama's people have claimed the gloves are coming off.

This is actually the kind of negative meme that could help the Obama people finally wake the fuck up.  If the two ads today are indicative of the gloves coming off, God Help Us!

A while back I remember Barack saying that he and Michelle decided early on that if they couldn't run the kind of campaign they wanted with dignity they didn't care if they lost.  Well, McCain wants to win at all costs.  Guess who is leading now in virtually every national poll?

Why should middle America vote for Obama?  He exudes no sense of urgency, no true populist rhetoric.  52% of Americans think he will raise their taxes, even though he won't.  Financial market meltdowns due to Republican laissez-faire deregulation.  House prices plummeting.  Foreclosures skyrocketing.  Unemployment rising rapidly and headed to 7%.  Palin talking about war with Russia and McCain defending child molesters.

Average Joe doesn't know or care because Barack has become the messenger of "Real Change blah, blah, blah".  McCain is blurring the lines.  Obama is allowing him to do so.

Where is the populist passion?  Where is the sense of urgency that the country is going to hell in a handbasket?  Without a sense of urgency, McCain is the default choice.  It is not a question of whether Obama is the better choice.  He needs to be the compelling alternative.  As of this second he is not.

You can't wait for America to wake up.  You have to wake America up.

Going on Saturday Night Live, yeah that'll get that sense of urgency going.  Let's have a few laughs and continue to pretend it doesn't matter who wins.

If Barack doesn't care, why should anybody else.

So the one demographic Obama performs worst with- over 65- and the response is to insult most of them too?  This is the dumbest of all Obama ads.  Talk about out of touch.

On the converse, I applaud the ad where Obama talks directly to the camera. Why didn't he do this for the last 6 weeks?

It may be getting a little late in the game to truly change people's minds.  The 51% who voted for Bush 4 years ago have apparently not gained any brain cells over the intervening years.  It may just come down to the fact that 51% of America does not want ANY Democrat in charge.   [Don't bring up Bill Clinton; he couldn't break 50% in 1996 against a living fossil, and he only won in 1992 because Perot messed things up for Bush I.  Does anybody really think in a one on one battle, Bill would have won?]

I think the only thing that will get a Democrat elected President is another economic depression.  We need massive (+10%) unemployment at the very least, before people wake up to their own self-interest. 

Unbelieveable jump for McCain in the latest poll.  Was it 9/11 memories or lipstick?  Huge jump among men.  +14 now.  Obama still  +8 among women.  Palin may be securing the white MALE vote for McCain even when she doesn't help among women.

After all isn't the duty of every good Christian to hasten the Rapture?

After all isn't the duty of every good Christian to hasten the Rapture?

CNBC  just showed this:

2/18/08  Oil hit $100; gas at $3.06/gal

9/11/08 Oil drops to $100; gas at $3.67/gallon  whatthefuck????

But it's all about supply and demand, right?

Dear Barack and Joe: 
When you constantly refer to McCain as an "honorable man" and "my friend" is it surprising that when he behaves dishonorably, the press takes you at your word?

Your the one who keeps defending his honor.  Take OFF the kid gloves and realize you are in a knife fight.  Chicago rules.

There's just the lie, and the truth.

Make this part of your campaign theme, Barack.  They will lie; you will tell the truth.

Obama on Olberman:  "Stretches the bounds of spin into new areas". Huh???

Hey Barack:  Americans call that LYING. Say it with me. LYING. Quit the with mealymouth bullshit!  Call them liars again and again.  Stop equivocating already!

Check out americablog.com for the latest Obama ad that actually uses the words "naked lie". 

Fan-freaking-tastic!  Keep attacking Barack. Dont' ever mince words again.

It's about time.  Now let's see some TV ads repeatedly using the word LIARS. 

Diageo has it tied and at 44-44-10 and Rasmussen gives McCain a 48-47 lead.  Someone's pulling someone's leg around here and I think its Gallup.  Or at least I hope it is.

When you've seen this movie over and over again as I have (my first vote was for George McGovern in 1972) you can kinda guess how it goes.  American voters equate political nastiness with courage.  They equate snappy answers with intelligence.  Well thought out nuanced responses are taken as a sign of weakness.  We prefer candidates who are sure of themselves in 10 words or less, even if we think they are wrong on the issue.

McCain's campaign manager spoke the truth - this election (or any election) is not about issues; it's about personalities.  McPain is winning!

Now I finally see what all those Hillary supporters warned us about.  Barack's performance answering Georgie-boy's questions was damn near pathetic.  He looked unsure about his positions, evasive, and outgunned.  I was angry at first at the style of George's interrogation, but guess what, the debates are coming.  John McCain knows how to debate.  Time to sharpen the message (K.I.S.S.):

Iraq: Why can't McCain accept victory.  The surge worked.  The Iraqis want us to leave. Bush agrees.  Only McCain wants to stay. $10 billion and month. Time to bring our troops home.

Economy:  Trickle down economics brought us two recesssions in the last 8 years.  More of the same will bring us another Great depression.  I am proposing the largest middle class tax in history.  McCain wants the largest corporate tax cut in history.  Let the American people decide.

Health Care:  My plan, with Hillary's help, gets us to universal affordable coverage.  John's plan encourages employers to drop coverage.  You decide.

Social Security:  McCain wants to privatize it just like Bush.  I don't. End of argument.

McCain himself:  Stop praising him.  Call him a liar when he lies.  Call him a liar to his face!

Keep it simple.  Remove all the "uhs" from your conversation.  Win the debates, win the election. Save America.