Was It Smart for Obama to Forgo Public Financing?

Was it smart?
It was courageous, and true to the ideals our of democracy.
BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!

herta,
It wasn’t courageous, it was greedy. Plus he went back on his word after he said he would take public financing. Not good. If you can’t trust someone on their word then they are worth nothing.
Democrat for Palin-McCain 2008

Today’s gallup: McCain 49 – Obama: 44
John McCain’s bounce in voter support spanning the Republican National Convention is largely explained by political independents, who are shifting to him in fairly big numbers, from 40% pre-convention to 52% post-convention.
I love McCain & Palin – Change we will vote for

A dumb move, but what can you expect from someone with Zero experience? He listened to his handlers and it will cost him the election. Bad for him but good for the country.
A FORMER DEMOCRAT.

Obama wanted to buy the election, and the star of the campaign was going to be Obama, which is why he failed to act when Clinton offered her services and refused to share the stage. He didn’t want the election to be about winning over Bush, but wanted it to be about Obama. Well, he got his wish!?
Everybody in the media loved to say what terrible campaigns Clinton and McCain ran, even if they are winning. The only thing wrong with the Obama campaign it seems is the candidate himself.

Just another lie by Obama and it is backfiring on him. He consistently shows bad judgement. McCain/Palin is change you can trust.

The Orwellian DNC Animal Farm that calls itself a united political party is failing.
Justice is prevailing and Obama is down in the polls.
I voted for Hillary and I am now voting for McCain. Many others are following suit by the thousands.
Like someone said in an earlier post, the DNC is a trainwreck.
Just wait until the end of September. You thought ten point gain by McCain was bad. The Obamabots will spread kool aid and lies with a vengeance. The Obama campaign is unraveling before our very eyes. The pretty ribbon and packaging and speeches are all unraveling to reveal the DNC’s gift to America- an empty suit.
My question to the Obamabots:
You maligned Hillary Clinton and used race baiting witch hunts to advance Saint Obama as your nominee but how did you expect the DNC advance to the next game when you had so many dead teammates on the field after the primaries?

“Junkie. Pothead. That’s where I’d been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man. Except the highs hadn’t been about that, me trying to prove what a down brother I was. Not by then, anyway. I got high for just the opposite effect, something that could push questions of who I was out of my mind, something that could flatten out the landscape of my heart, blur the edges of my memory. I had discovered that it didn’t make any difference whether you smoked reefer in the white classmate’s sparkling new van, or in the dorm room of some brother you’d met down at the gym, or on the beach with a couple of Hawaiian kids who had dropped out of school and now spent most of their time looking for an excuse to brawl. …You might just be bored, or alone. Everybody was welcome into the club of disaffection.”
– Barack Obama

As a non american I hope to see the end of this lie telling democrat OBAMA

“In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. White America and the western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring black concerns.”
– Jeremiah Wright
The statement was made by a man who church Obama sat in for 20 years and Obama claimed was his mentor.
My question to the DNC:
DNC, who are you? I don’t recognize you anymore. Why have you become everything that you used to stand against?
For the first time in my life I will vote for a Republican – John McCain.
I may come back when you nominate a credible candidate (like Hillary Clinton) and clean up the stench of donkey poo from your farce Animal Farm party.

Just another lie by McCain and it is backfiring on him. He consistently shows bad judgement. Obama/Biden is change you can trust.

Axelrod and Nobama are now trying to blame McCain and those dastardly rich Republicans for their flip flop on campaign financing. How absurd!
“they’re just like Bush, they’re just like Bush”! Let’s talk change, no more Nobama!

THIS IS A LIE,,,THE MCCAIN CAMP HAS ONLY RAISED 6 MIL SINCE PALINS SPEECH.THE OBAMA CAMP DID 10 MILLION IN A WEEK.THEY FAIL TO FORGOT OBAMAS POCKETS ARE STACKING UP STILL BECAUSE PALINS PICK HAS ENERGIZED THE DEMOCRATIC BASE CONTRIBUTIONS

Wow! Many of the comments above are filled with such venom that it makes your stomach turn. I for one make over 500k a year and I’m willing to accept higher taxes to help the poor. What happened to the proverb of the old lady giving her last penny to Jesus? She gave everything she had, while the rich comparatively gave more but only a fraction of their wealth. It is a biblical principal to give to others and to help others. Yes, I worked my ass off to get where I am. Yes, a part of me does resent giving more in taxes to support those who don’t have the same work ethic that I do. Yes, we have a bloated government that doesn’t wisely spend the more money I will fork over. Despite all this, I am still willing to SACRIFICE for America. I am not looking for a president to cut taxes (I majored in finance/economic and I understand the unproven principal that if you cut taxes it stimulates the economy). I am looking for Americans to stop being selfish and to start sacrificing to make America great again.
Who wants an unpredictable president (i.e. Bush) who scoffs diplomacy and instead waves his big stick? It is time for America to take the log out of its own eye before we try to take the splinter out of someone else’s. Let’s focus on America! Let’s invest massive amounts of money in alternative energy, in education, in science and technology. Let’s invest money in an educated, passionate committee that will show us how best to invest our money. Screw being the world leader for now. Screw helping other nations. Let’s pay off America’s debt and lead by example!
I trust Obama to do this more than McCain.

JR – what are you a government auditor? If not then you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know this is a lie, so why throw that out? Stick with outing the real proven lies, like the Iraqi war caused by Republican propaganda that has ruined America’s economy and reputation.

Axelrod and Nobama are now trying to blame McCain and those dastardly rich Republicans for their flip flop on campaign financing. How absurd!Posted by: Chris | Sep 9, 2008 8:08:44 AM
How do you get that bs out of that article. He is basically saying the special interest money the Republicans get is far greater than what Obama is receiving from his donors.

How can anyone be saying that the McCain campaign lied about any of this??
Obama is the one that first said he would accept public financing and then did his 180-turn and said no, he wouldn’t.
How they’re crying because the money iisn’t coming in like it once was??
Hypocrites and crybabies. I have never seen anything like it…………..

So these Blogs are such a great read every one the voted Republican is now a Democrat and tose that are Democratic are now Republican. I read a blog on Google Chrome that talked about Sarah Palin and how people should leave her alone. It make me wonder if there is a typed script party delegates are paid to place into print.
The american people get duped every 4 years into believing that there man will stand up for there ideals, only to realize they have been lied to again. If voting changed anything they would make it illegal.

Cheaters never win.

Posted by: Jason McClintock | Sep 9, 2008 8:20:32 AM
You are so right.

Michelle Obama made the following statement:
“Barack is one of the smartest people you will ever encounter who will deign to enter this messy thing called politics.”
The definition of deign is:
condescend: do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity
Wow Michelle Obama, thanks for giving us lowly Americans the gift of Saint Obama.

Samantha, you make up great fake quotes. I wonder what else about you is fake as well!

To the morons saying Mac is lying….um, they have to file FEC papers. Also – it’s doubly important in Mac’s case because he is accepting public $$$.

Nice job by the Obama Campaign, getting this message out there. I just contributed at his website.
With all the Media reports about how well Obama was fundraising, I kinda took it for granted.
I used to be GOP, but really got tired of being played a fool. The GOP keeps winning elections, treating the electorate as dimwits. And judging by the Polls, and these blogs, lots of People are.
Obama needs to stop with his *but, Americans are too smart* thing. It’s obvious they’re not, as Polls show people prefer Obama on the economy, and on getting out of Iraq, yet, they’ll be voting for McCain.
The American people seem to be treating the election as a Reality Show.

Pardon my haste. It is actually S.2433.

© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Sen. Barack Obama, perhaps giving America a preview of priorities he would pursue if elected president, is rejoicing over the Senate committee passage of a plan that could end up costing taxpayers billions of dollars in an attempt to reduce poverty in other nations.
Obama bill: $845 billion more for global poverty
Democrat sponsors act OK’d by Senate panel that would cost 0.7% of gross national product
The bill, called the Global Poverty Act, is the type of legislation, “We can – and must – make … a priority,” said Obama, a co-sponsor.

I had a dog with a better memory than those posting is response to this article. My dog wouldn’t remember I had left the room a minute ago and jumped up and wagged his tail each I came back in the room. That is what the republicans hope we are… dogs. So we can’t remember the total hosing they have performed on the county since they took over the executive and the congress. Don’t be a dog! Remember!
All this other crap is well, crap. The GOP IS special interest money. That is why they had money before they brought in the Ms. Palin. Speak MS. Palin. What does the VP do?
Obama/Biden ’08

Whether it was smart or not to change his mind on funding has little to do with his campaign bank balance. The DNC candidate committed to accepting the public funding and then at the last minute changed his mind, going back on his word. It would have been smarter to delay his decision, rather than to reverse his decision in a few short months. If the RNC did this, no doubt the DNC would be all over them claiming deception and deceit; however the RNC kept their word. The DNC candidate has support by 527 groups running ads, Oprah, foreigners, and the DNC funds assisting by running ads, so it is not just his own account, but he has lots of alternate money resources. Does ABC count these type of articles to fundraise for the DNC on ABC’s nickel, as a contribution or goodwill? —A Former Democrat–

This article seems to make the case that Obama is under a fund raising disadvantage. Simple truth, is he has raised more and out spent the Republicans by a very large number.
He is not an underdog when it comes to funds. This article seem either biased towards democrats or at best very inaccurate.

We have your back Obama! You can count on your small donors too! I have been giving every month since January and I will give to the end. I’m sure when people read the New York Times story, they will support you! I believe you made the right decision knowing that you wouldn’t take big money from lobbyists like McCain does!I think about the RNC and all I can think about is “dirty money”.

PROFJONATHON..I couldn’t have said it better myself! Thank you for an intelligent viewpoint!

I just saw an ad the other day that said Bon Jovi raised 3 million dollars for the Obama campaign.
THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!
What’s with these politicians? 500 Million dollars for the Obama campaign? Is that ridiculous or what? 82,000 people in a stadium? Wonder how much that cost to rent. All those people could have watched the speech on TV just the same.
Obama should have been contributing to charity after the 10 million dollar mark.
There are starving people out there. There are poor. There is cancer research to be done.
And here’s the pompous Obama, taking in money like he’s the next king or something.
There’s something wrong when a campaign of hype needs to spend 500 million dollars to try to get elected.
Vote for the simpleton, vote for the person who has a record of service, and most of all, vote for the person that takes ACTION, not the one that promises everything with no action to show for it.

BARACK OBAMA 2008* THE ONLY WAY WE’LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM 8 YEARS OF THE REPUBLICANS TAKING OVER OUR COUNTRY! WE NEED OBAMA!

It’s not so much the financing that is the issue. Afterall, people blamed the same thing for Kerry’s downfall, but it’s little to do with that.
Dem is paralzed cuz they don’t know how to respond to Palin who trumps Obama/Clinton combined. And McCain beats Biden hands-down.

mollygonz,
Please educate yourself on the charitable giving by the McCain and the Clintons relative to the Obamas. Your comment if unfortuneatly quite ignorant.

All the right wing media have shown since the convention is McCain Palin and the coverage is slanted! Palin doesn’t even know what Fannie Mae is and the media ignores that. As a disabled veteran, I’m voting against McCain who collects $58,000 a year in disablilty while denying medical care to thousands of crippled veterans living and dying in the streets. Special interests and a corrupted media may buy this election for McCain, especially since Diebold and ESS count 80% of the votes, but they are destroying all that was good about America.

Don’t think for a second that the Republicans have a monopoly on the special interest money. When Obama was leading in the polls, you can bet there was a lot of special interest money flowing his way. Also, historically, GOP money has by and large come from grass roots fund raising, whereas the DNC has been primarily funded from huge donations from the likes of George Soros and the Hollywood left.

Tony,
I am actively involved in my community. I engage as much as my firm allows me to in pro bono work (which is quite substantial, actually, for a NY firm). In the past, I devoted one summer to work for Habitat for Humanity and have spent weeks in Appalachia on community service projects that ran from teaching people to read, distributing food and fixing houses. I also selectively donate more than 20% of my income to charities that have a record of doing good. What have you done?
I’ve worked very, very hard in my life. It doesn’t take Obama to make me help the poor. That is a personal choice I made decades ago.
Stand up and talk? Ok. Republicans espouse fiscal conservatism but in the last eight years have been the biggest spenders. It’s OK to spend money (and, yes, many dems don’t seem to understand the concept of spending money WISELY), but spend it on America, not Iraq. Obama proposes a paltry 150 billion over 10 years for alternative energy, which is very generous compared to what Republicans propose. But this, to me, is unsatisfactory. Spend 10 billion a month (like Bush does in Iraq) on alternative energy. Form committees (not congressional ones!) that will focus on one task: education, the environment, energy, housing, welfare, tax, etc. Then, take the advice of those committees. No candidate is an expert on everything. Make each month about one issue and get the American people involved in these issues from the ground up. You can’t help people who do not help themselves. 50 years ago America was a powerhouse of a nation. We recruited the top talent and developed our own. It’s a sad fact that now this is not nearly as true as it was. We need to import more brains and invest in technology and education. It’s a long term investment but one that pays massive dividends. I know what I propose costs $$$, but I believe that Obama is smarter than McCain. I believe that when Obama is elected he’ll have the drive and intelligence to limit the wasteful spending, or a least contain it within America. Honestly, I straddle the middle of political lines but I will vote for Obama because his speeches, while high on rhetoric, boil under the surface with a commitment to long-term plans to revitalize America. I don’t want to hear the word “war” one single time with the next president. The only word I want to hear is “America.”

Judgment.
As the ObamaTitanic slowly sinks, fewer and fewer people will be wanting to donate their money to his losing cause.
Now if Barry O. had picked Hillary or Hillary was at the top of the ticket – it would be a totally different race. There would be no Governor Palin on the Republican ticket.
Judgment.
Barry O. has good judgment?

Amazing how ignorant some of the McCain posters are… or maybe they’re just dishonest.
The FACT is that John McCain, accepted Public Financing during the Primaries.
He used the guarantee of those Public Funds, as collateral for a loan.
Then decided to opt out of Public Financing, then kept the loan.
In other words, he used money he didn’t have as collateral… gaming the Public Finance system. This is illegal, but the Fed Election Commission couldn’t make a ruling on this, since there are too many vacancies on it, effectively making it toothless.
You try to do that at your bank… see how it goes for you.
McCain is just a hypocrite. He was for Public Financing, before he was against it, before he was for it again.

JWx2: That’s a good point. I do give to charity, but I can’t accomplish what the government can (well, a smart government could). At least collect the money and distribute it to states to disburse as they see fit. I do agree that states (generally) can best manage their own citizens and should have the ability to do so.

Maverick:
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.
From the Washington Post
Change you can believe in or more of the same?
Oh but let me guess what the koolaid drinkers are thinking: “Oh, but that’s just the elitist liberal media Palin attackers!” LET NO FACTS SMEAR OUR IGNORANCE!!!! There’s the real motto you folks can believe in!!!

Obama has lousy judgement.
Can’t help to think that Obama and his crowd absolutely hate women.
What other reason to bypass Hillary Clinton (18 million voters) and put Biden on ticket?
The vile comments made by Obama democrats about Hillary Clinton was just an indication that the democratic party is the party of woman “intolerance”. (and I was a democrat for many years, but the democratic party really has changed–well, that’s one change Obama did (to the democratic party).
Now they are piling up on Palin; I am totally convinced that “any” woman is just not acceptable in the democratic party.
This “new” democratic of Obama is not the democratic party that stands up for the middle class and women. It’s just that simple.
Hillary 2012
McCain/Palin 2008

I wasn’t pleased when Obama changed his mind about financing, though I do understand the reasoning behind the decision change. It takes a lot of money to challenge the Republican party.
I still do not know why people are so taken in by it. It’s what we have now – why in the world would it change? The rich will become richer – on your backs. McCain thinks you’re whiners, thinks things are going along pretty well. Please wake up.
Excuse me while I leave to make a donation to Obama. An investment in our future, for the middle class. My back aches from the last 8 years.
By the way, have you noticed all the areas that McCain in now “saying” he is for the same kinds of things Obama has campaigned for all along. Hmmm, guess he knows who’s right. But I don’t believe McCain – he thinks things are going pretty well in this country.

If I were the Clintons I would…stay clear of this race, pretend that they are for Obama, go to places and campaign where there is no chance to convince the public to vote for Obama, let his ship sink to the bottom and gear everything towards running for President in 2012. Palin will break the glass ceiling in 2008 and make it “easier” for Hillary to run in 2012.

It’s obvious to me that Obama couldn’t choose Hillary. If Obama chose Hillary the Bill & Hillary would be running the country. Can you imagine Obama even thinking he was in charge with these two?

Jon,
Take a deep breath. How can something be illegal if the ruling body hasn’t made a ruling? I admit the loan sounds dodgey but who made you the judge and jury? If the Democrats hadn’t played politics with the FEC board appointees for years and actually let the floor vote on an appointee or two they might have had enough memebers for a quorum by now. You never know, a David Sutter type can always slip through.
Also, the vast majority of private donations are not going to the McCain campaign directly, they are going to the RNC. As I’m sure you’re aware there are different rules for donating to a national party. McCain has been benefitting from party unity, assured that most monies donated to the RNC will be spent by the RNC to benefit McCain. What’s wrong with that? Obama could have done the same thing with the DNC but I guess he doesn’t trust Howard Dean enough.

DG prove that any quote I made was fake and you can start with these:
1. “I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though. …” — Barack Obama
2. “It was usually an effective tactic, another one of those tricks I had learned: (White) People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied, they were relieved — such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn’t seem angry all the time.” — Barack Obama
3. “The point I was making was not that Grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t. But she is a typical white person…” — Barack Obama
4. On 60 minutes:
MICHELLE OBAMA: I don’t lose sleep over it, because the realities are that, you know, as a black man, you know, Barack can get shot going to the gas station, you know. So, you know, you can’t — you know, you can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen. We just weren’t raised that way.

Bravo, Ben – you have my respect and admiration. Thank you for all you do. I hope there are enough decent, strong, caring, unselfish (though that’s a tough one for Americans) people out there to head this country back in the right direction. We’re fading fast. And wars won’t bring us back.

It is rather amusing to hear the Obama campaign claim to have a monetary disadvantage. These are the people that laid claims to the biggest fundraising days in all of history. What that means is they have squandered it all, and for what? Obama has tens of millions and is still behind. I’m thinking its a very bad idea to invest in Obama at this point. I don’t care for McCain in the least, but I cannot see giving Obama financial support. Obama’s campaign tactics have turned into mocking and scorn, and he’s run negative ads. He brought in Biden who’s pockets are filled with special interest money. The few backers that thinks he is not business as usual may be looking past reality. Next we will hear him blaming Hillary Clinton for his own mismanagement of the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Thanks, munroej for posting this
”
If you want lower taxes, you may want to read about Senate Bill 2433 (S.2233), that donates 0.7% of our GDP directly to the UN.
Estimated to cost US taxpayers $845 BILLION, you can read about it on Obama’s web site.
”
This is really a stupid bill. Why should we feed the world while they are all against us?
It is very poor judgment for the Democrats, and Obama.
It is the Obama should not be our president.
McCain/Palin 08

Obama has raised more money than any candidate in history.
He just hasn’t managed the spending of it very well.
Which we should all take note of since he says managing his campaign is the same as Palin’s executive experience as governor.
Who is a better financial steward?

I can’t believe these idiots who are blaming all our problems on the 2 years of Democratically controlled congress? Do you really think they caused the whole mortgage crisis in a matter of 6 months? What exactly did they do to start this?
Oh, wait – they must have aggressively deregulated that industry and they must want to agressively deregulate others, right?
No, that was the republicans. Just like the S&L scandal (with McCain’s good buddy Charles Keating), the republicans just found a way to give billions of our taxpayer dollars to their rich friends. This time, they gave up the value of most of our homes.
Yet STILL McCain favors deregulation.

Mary Lou, don’t you realize that this is a elitist left wing media conspiracy to get more people to donate money to Obama today?

America cannot continue on its arrogant self-righteous path. A lot of the things Obama wants to do are unpopular, but they are most certainly in the best interest of our country and the world. You have to take risks to succeed, all McCain will do is perpetuate America’s slide to mediocrity.
Thank you Ben for the only open minded comment so far:
Wow! Many of the comments above are filled with such venom that it makes your stomach turn. I for one make over 500k a year and I’m willing to accept higher taxes to help the poor. What happened to the proverb of the old lady giving her last penny to Jesus? She gave everything she had, while the rich comparatively gave more but only a fraction of their wealth. It is a biblical principal to give to others and to help others. Yes, I worked my ass off to get where I am. Yes, a part of me does resent giving more in taxes to support those who don’t have the same work ethic that I do. Yes, we have a bloated government that doesn’t wisely spend the more money I will fork over. Despite all this, I am still willing to SACRIFICE for America. I am not looking for a president to cut taxes (I majored in finance/economic and I understand the unproven principal that if you cut taxes it stimulates the economy). I am looking for Americans to stop being selfish and to start sacrificing to make America great again.
Who wants an unpredictable president (i.e. Bush) who scoffs diplomacy and instead waves his big stick? It is time for America to take the log out of its own eye before we try to take the splinter out of someone else’s. Let’s focus on America! Let’s invest massive amounts of money in alternative energy, in education, in science and technology. Let’s invest money in an educated, passionate committee that will show us how best to invest our money. Screw being the world leader for now. Screw helping other nations. Let’s pay off America’s debt and lead by example!
I trust Obama to do this more than McCain.

DG,
Forget cherry-picking, you’re doing an excellent job of rewriting history. The current subprime mess can be traced back to the Community Reinvestment Act, a product of the Carter administration. It really got some teeth with the Clinton administration added some “reforms”. Go do a little digging.

The CHANGEling’s campaign changed his previous promise to use public financing “so they could raise and spend unlimited sums”.
From reading the Times article — which suggests that David Plouffe and David Axelrod aren’t on the same page, message-wise — it seems uncertain that there really IS what any other campaign would consider a money shortage.
This poor-mouthing gambit, though, DOES gives the Obama campaign another way, besides race-baiting, to play the underdog — and we can look for his demoted MSNBC commentators to play this “story” for the last dollar he can extract from the poor, black, and/or gullible.

“If McCain is restricted to $84 million, why is that Obama needs $200 million?”

Some important factual corrections about the “Democratic Congress” of the past less-than-2-years:
1) There was still a Republican President who could (and did) veto legislation passed by both houses of Congress. Overturning a veto requires a 2/3 vote of both houses, meaning at least 67 in the Senate.
2) The Democratic majority in the Senate was only 1 vote at 51-49, and that of Joe Lieberman because he caucused with the Democrats. Bernie Sanders, an independent, is the other non-Democrat helping to make up the Democratic “majority.”
3) Under Senate rules, ending debate and filibuster and bringing a measure to the floor for a vote requires at least 60 votes (it’s called “cloture”). The Democrats have been 9 votes shy, even assuming Lieberman voted with them, of being able to stop Republican filibusters.
While Democrats are able to control issues like committee chairpersonships and what bills do *not* get put to a vote, they do not have anywhere near the numbers needed to either overrule Bush vetoes or block Senate Republican filibusters, so their actual ability to change policies and laws from the 6 years that Republicans held both houses and the Presidency is quite limited. Before accusing the Democrats of ineffectiveness, one should look at how many bills passed in the House but died in the Senate for lack of 60 votes. The reality is that the Republican senators and Bush still effectively keep Congress from passing legislation that might effectuate some change. A President McCain, who has not proposed anything substantially different from that of what Bush has done, would certainly not alter that calculus significantly, even if the Democrats manage to get 60 Senate seats, since they would still be under the 67 necessary to override a McCain veto.
If Americans truly want a change in the country’s direction, they must not only elect Barack Obama as President, but must work to elect more Democratic senators as well. {ProfJonathan}

Nancy Pelosi cannot manufacture Democratic senators out of whole cloth, nor can she singlehandedly change the Senate’s rules on cloture or the number of votes needed to overturn a Presidential veto. The Republican senators can choose and have chosen to block many laws from being voted upon, aided and abetted by the suddenly active veto pen of President Bush. Place the blame where it truly lies on the facts, not where your ideology would like to put it. {ProfJonathan}

Sarah Palin has proven so far only two things:
1. She’s good at reading a teleprompter or memorizing someone else’s talking points. That she who didn’t have time to think about Iraq to now be attacking Obama’s positions is ludicrous!
2. She’s a great liar, a fine GOP trait. She’ll just keep telling those lies, even after they’vebeen exposed because she’s just so “cute” that those Repubs just want to believe everytbing she says! They’ve drank the Koolaid, for sure!
McCain and his “soulmate.” Just what we want running our country for the next four years!
NOT!
No Way, No HOW, NO McSAME!!!
No Way, No HOW, NO PALIN!!!
Obama/Biden 08

Oh, and by the way, Chaxter, Nancy Pelosi is the speaker of the House of Representatives, so your criticism of her is doubly flawed. Harry Reid is the Senate Majority Leader, and it is his house that is hamstrung by a 51-49 vote shaky majority. {ProfJonathan}

“If you want change, then vote for Obama/Biden.”

The vile pro-Obama media has finally found someone their own size to pick
on–a 17y/old girl.
Nice to know the world is getting to see how far the media will go to get Obama elected.
They forgot one thing–most of us are decent human beings.

What gallup poll are you looking at? It’s 49/44 at 9:30 on Tuesday, sept 9. Again GOP distortion.
Wasting money on the stage for the DNC? You forget that money spent was money Obama’s supporters gave him. It was not public financing. By comparison McCain can’t even have right slide in his stage show, substituting Walter Reed Middle School for Walter Reed Hospital. And you people think that this man is fit for command when he can’t even oversee such a minor detail?
Picking on Palen’s daughter? Palen/McCain threw her under the bus by announcing it to the world. Also playing the double standard by condemning teenage pregnancy on all levels and in all places for the last 20 years, but when it’s your new golden girl’s teenage daughter that came up pregnant, then it’s God’s blessing. How many of you other than O’Reilly lambasted Jamie Lynn Spears for the same thing only a few months ago?
Mavericks you call these two? Really?
Try google and search for Keating McCain Bundler. Keating, yes the Keating 5 Keating, has bundled 5 million for McCain’s campaign. Mavericks? I think not.

I don’t have to vote for Obama just because Hillary Clinton or the DNC tells me to. My vote for McCain is not a spite vote or because I am angry. If I had extreme objections to McCain or Palin I would not be voting in this election at all. But I am sure that is what DNC Obamabots would advocate. That we either get over Hillary or stay at home and don’t vote for the sake of Saint Obama.
I voted for HRC in the primary. She did not win, so now my options are open.
I have been voting since Dukakis ran against Bush. I did not like either one of them but voted for Dukakis anyway. A man that I felt would be an incapable leader. When I cast my vote for Dukakis/Bentson, I did not feel good about it. Yes he lost but I promised my self that I would never vote for someone again just because they were the Democratic presidential nominee.
I voted for Clinton each time he ran and Al Gore who lost in 2000. When Kerry/Edwards Versus G.Bush came along I did not care for either candidate and chose neither.
2008 is not the case. I do admire many things about John McCain and I think that he is sincere in his desire to be a good president and lead this country. He despises Bush and I think that McCain is doing what he needs to do to keep his standing in the RNC until he wins office. When McCain was considering changing to the DNC, I was thrilled but he remained a Republican I respect that and never lost my respect for him. Bottom line, I have always respected and admired John Mccain so I have no problem choosing him over Obama. Neither does Leiberman.
I will not be a DNC robot and vote for Obama just because I traditionally vote DEM.. Why? Because I feel that he would be a DISASTER and cause irrevocable damage to the DNC. In many ways he has already divided us and has a name calling campaign.
If there are any Hillary supporters who vote out of spite, so be it. They have that right and there is nothing the Obamabots can do about it. There is however something that could have been done to prevent it and your candidate Obama took a HUGE risk and chose not to do so.
Let the chips fall where they may. You cannot force ANYONE to vote for Obama.
Now the Obamabots will tell you that I am a GOP operative. Whatever!
The DNC has an image problem. They can’t SEE themselves for the hypocrites they are.

People sure get hostile when they write in these blogs. I just want to say that I honestly do not understand how anyone can think Palen is really competent to be the next president if something should happen to McCain. She cares nothing about the environment. She has not been truthful regarding many issues already. Just because she is a fresh face and female people think she’s great. Amazing. Oh, and she is a pit bull with lipstick.

Our constitution says ”We the People” he was spot-on! Not we the rich or we Big Business.

“the need to abandon oil entirely as the source of our transportation fuel, and create an entirely new transportation fuel industry based on large-scale open-ocean aquaculture for the production of bio-diesel and hydrogen.”

I am tired of Axelrod bringing up 527 money. Last I checked there are more liberal 527s out there with much more money.
Face it, obama sold his principles and to make matters worse, he made the wrong call.
Obama shows his poor judgment once again.
He will make for a poor leader, it is clear as day.

We are experiencing the Palin “bubble” and nothing more. Obama got a big, positive bubble effect when he emerged. Let’s not forget that Palin’s only been on the national scene for a week and a half.
Once she has to take interviews and questions from reporters, things will settle down.

Samantha, probably too late for you to see this response, but my point about Bush and cocaine usage was frankly meant to put a perspective on your insistence on bringing up Obama’s avowed drug use as a young adult. Dabbling/experimenting with drugs in one’s youth is far different than an abuse problem (as W clearly had with alcohol and cocaine). Obama wrote eloquently, in my opinion, in his book about feeling himself descending into a pretty negative place – one riven with self-pity and the need for numbing. He managed to pick himself up out of that as many people have. Whether you will concede it or not, it is commendable, not a character flaw or reason to claim he is unelectable.
Further, the quote that I claim you made up had to do with your suggestion that Obama is so full of himself that somehow he was somehow condescending in the manner he viewed running for the Presidency.
Look, you’ve got your reasons for going over to McCain, but mostly, from what I can tell, they revolved around hatred for Obama because he deprived your candidate from being the nominee. I assume if you are a Democrat or independent worried about social issues that you are fine with what that entails. There were two unprecedented highly telegenic and qualified candidates for the Democratic nomination, and obviously one was going to have to lose. I feel bad that you’ve personalized it to the point that you would sell out your own interests, but that’s your choice.

Bad judgements are starting to pile on for Obama and the DNC.
First, he decides to pass on public financing (the Omighty one is smug about his fund raising capabilities)
Second, he totally brushes Hillary and Bill aside and “keeps” them in line at the Convention (the anointed one only needs himself to get elected)
Now, he is behind on both! Lack of foresight & arrogance prevented him from seeing Palin coming at him.
ABC, please follow up on an article I read in the LA TIMES a month or so ago that stated that Obama has sent his volunteers to register African American criminals that have not yet been sentenced, as well as felons who have already served their sentences, so they can vote for him in November. The article said they wanted to keep this quiet because it could cause a backlash for his campaign.

I am willing to bet, he will post a ridiculous fund raising number. Remember he gave a great speech at the end of the convention, had fundraisers, registered voters, etc.
It maybe short of their goal of $100Million, but it will be north of $50Million.

It was worse than a mistake, it was a broken promise that exposed the Obama campaign as a fraudulent lie. His campaign is not the gauzy idealistic campaign of last winter. It’s a long, hard slog to get across the finish line by hook or by crook while bamboozling as many people as possible.
Are you still fooled?
Obama Lied,
Hero-Worship Died.

“If you want change, then vote for Obama/Biden.”
That’s IDIOTIC!
The DEMOCRATS control Congress.
They are the status quo right now, and they have been incompetent. If Obama was a real leader he would get his agenda passed by Congress NOW and dare Bush to veto it.
He won’t because his campaign promises dont all add up and America cant afford them.
Obama is a zero, as in zero leadership.