1. TheLasttrueRepublican | 10.23.08

Is our nation’s highest position becoming a joke? Think about the past five presidents and answer this question for yourself. Maybe I’m off base but we are missing the leadership this country once had and gaining a new kind of leader. Is the race to the presidency becoming just that “a race.” It seems that with the past eight years everyone has overlooked the important issues at hand and instead just want to literally race someone into the white house. We know we don’t want the same team playing ball but do we actually care who subs in, to me it just seems like a gigantic joke.

On one hand you have a patriotic hero that is too old at this point to lead a nation that is in its worst form since the Great Society. He chooses an idiot bombshell of a veep to gain access to young American boys that lust for the candidate and white women across the nation that share the same simple-minded ideologies of pretty clothes and make up. On the other hand, we have a very inexperienced freshman senator from Illinois that seems to have the right mentality of change but never really passes the test. He appeals to Hollywood, which is the last area of the country we need deciding who is the next president, and first time voters that we do not need to let decide the fate of our nation whilst trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. And then he chooses a blabbermouth veep that is more flip floppy than a fish out of water. This Biden guy needs to learn how to shut his pie hole, know his role as a veep, which is nothing, and let the freshman senator do his thing. Biden feels it will be an international crisis if his partner is elected….seriously we, as a nation, have issues.

After all the late night show appearances and SNL jokes and appearances, what has our nation come too. Seriously, why do we need to see our candidates be run through the comedy mill and diminished too idiotic celebrities, then we say oh you came out the best, now lead our country. I don’t think the likes of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Roosevelt and LBJ would put up with such nonsense. Our country needs to revert back to the days when having strong morals, good character, intelligence, and understanding of what our country needs determines the outcome of an election. Not who can bash who, and Joe shmos, etc rule our world. Look past the BS and ask yourself why you’re voting for who you are, is it because you want the young guy over the old or don’t like Pallin’s glasses. That’s what our media is focusing on, in my opinion we’re all screwed!!!

2. Thomas | 10.23.08

I am more fearful of a loose cannon like Joe Biden than anything. He’s the foriegn diplomat that was suppose to boost Obama’s foreign policy experience.

He make Obama look really good in comparison. I am very worried about what Joe B would say to other leaders of foreign lands. Behind closed doors. Obama can’t say “Oh that’s just Joe!” or “joe makes rhetorical flourishes”. This is really concerning me!

He seems to say a lot of BS that he doesnt really mean. I use to have a “loose cannon” here at work. We could not let him talk to customers. He would be really good some days and completely off too! Joe reminds me of that unstable fella we had to fire last month. BEst thing we ever did.

I am sure everyone has had a loose cannon we’ve had to deal with in life wether it be our family member with a loose lip an acquiantance, or a friend we had to always make excuses for. Biden’s candidacy bring up two questions. Why would Obama choose a loose cannon to run his foreign affairs, and can we depend on OBAMA to put the right people in the right positions?

He got his VP pick wrong. I aint saying that Palin is the pick of the litter, but she isnt a loose cannon like Joe Biden. Give her one year in the VP slot and she will be more developed than Joe Biden after 4 years. I think we all can agree on that.
T

3. NANCY ohara | 10.23.08

I challenge everyone to find a friend who is of opposite opinion on this race, agree to switch news programs. (Fox vs msnbc) After a few days, see if the undue influence of the media is controlling the election.

4. Herunar | 10.23.08

Biden is the October VP and the January VP - unlike Palin, who was picked simply to generate interest and failed utterly in any other criteria. Obama doesn’t need his VP pick to attract voters, as he is charismatic enough himself to generate attention. He simply needs Biden to keep a low-profile, and that he has done, except for some occasional babbling to curious fans. Indeed, he has the highest favorable rating among all four candidates. Palin has the lowest.

5. Rick Cain | 10.23.08

The Obama camp has realized that the Biden attack dog was un-necessary. All the McCain and Palin negativity has created a backlash against the GOP, so Obama wisely dialed down “Bad Cop” Biden. A positive message for some strange reason reverberates among the voting bloc, and Obama is a master at that.

6. cgm | 10.23.08

Yep, that’s just Joe, open mouth … insert foot. Keep up the positive rhetoric, Senator.

7. Henry | 10.23.08

I heard what Sen Biden said. He also said that Sen. Obama had “steel in his spine”. If Sen. Biden is going to be quoted, then the various media sources (forget McCain/Palin) should do so using the ‘entire’ quote.
And, by the way, Sen. Biden is quite correct. There will be many international and domestic ‘opportunities’ to test the next president. We do not need a leader with a quick temper who is prone to react at a gut level without determining all of the possible consequences of that action. We have that now and look where we are. We also need a second-in-command with a knowledge of the world outside of his/her own state borders. We will have that in Sen. Biden.

8. Trinh Nguyen | 10.23.08

Living in this country for almost 40 years, I notice that the media almost, again almost, support the Democrat Party, liberal idealogy, even socialism, sometimes as far as communism. It that American, or un-american ?
Now, isn’t it time to choose a president for America ?
Trinh Nguyen

9. David Cove | 10.23.08

Does anyone remember that IKE made a mess of Galveston Texas and that those folks are really struggling. Does it matter that FEMA is doing a pretty darn good job down there? Do we know how many soldiers died in Iraq lately? Do you really think we are getting all the bad news from the financial market these days?

Folks, please push your news media to be “fair an unbiased” with regards to content and not just about this election we are all sick of hearing about.

May the best person win but let us not forget the rest of the story!

10. Ron | 10.23.08

This in reply to Thomas who said..

“I aint saying that Palin is the pick of the litter, but she isnt a loose cannon like Joe Biden. Give her one year in the VP slot and she will be more developed than Joe Biden after 4 years. I think we all can agree on that..”

Helloo? Mr Thomas - have you been following the campaign at all? Sarah Palin can’t even string together a coherent sentence around any topic - whether it’s the economy, healthcare, foreign policy. You have to be absolutely blind to think she’s better than Joe Biden who has chaired several senate committees, drafted several important Acts of congress and is on first name basis with many leading foreign leaders, not to mention also teaches law. Sarah Palin supposedly a graduate in journalism couldn’t even name one national newspaper or magazine that she reads. Sarah Palin misused her power and allowed her husband to use state backing to pressure decisions. Sarah Palin misused her governor privilege by getting the state to pick up a $21,000 tab for her daughters’ flights and hotels in a completely unofficial jaunt. In contrast Joe Biden travels by train everyday from Delaware to Washington.
Mr. Thomas, you can choose to be like an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand, that’s your choice - don’t expect others to do the same. I (and milliosn of others) absolutely DO NOT AGREE with you.

11. Brad | 10.23.08

I don’t know whether or not there will be a crisis, but McBama and Ocain are both sufficiently “experienced” to respond in the usual counter-productive fashion of more government intervention even though government intervention is almost always the cause of the problem. On election night, I will celebrate the defeat of whichever of the Republicrat Party’s nominees for elected dictator loses and I will look forward to the eventual defeat of the other.

12. RW | 10.23.08

Why is it that almost every media account of this so called gaff by Joe Biden saying that President Obama will be tested leaves out the second part of the statement? After Senator Biden stated that President Obama will be tested he went on to say that those that challenge President Obama will find him to have a spine of steel. So why is that second part left out in most if not all of the media accounts of the statement? I guess the answer is because the McCain camp cherry picked the first part of the statement and neglected to state the second part for obvious reasons. Then the media hungry for a meaty story just ran with what the McCain camp was pushing. I thought the whole point of the media was to explain what both sides omit, distort, or otherwise try to fool us with, and not to just blindly publish half-truths put out by either campaign.

13. bob | 10.23.08

John, you among all people should know

“If you cant beat th’m join th’m”

14. Stephen | 10.23.08

Senator Biden may be guilty of “rhetorical flourishes” from time to time, but I certainly trust his judgement more than I would Palin and her “ignorant silence”. McCain’s choice of Palin is an embarrasment to the party, our country and his campaign. McCain rushes to judgement without a full knowledge of the issue. He has made many such clumsy mistakes during his campaign and what makes anyone think his presidency would be any different? I have always liked McCain the Senator, but McCain the President scares me and it should scare you too.

15. GOYA | 10.23.08

Joe is a maverick.

16. Georges | 10.23.08

Anyone can make an error. And even so Biden has much fewer chances to become President if Barack is elected than Palin would have if McCain were elected
What he said was correct but not very politically astute. That is all
In the event of a true crisis I would be a lot less nervous with Biden as the President than with Palin

17. bob | 10.23.08

To Trinh Nguyen

you should probably open you tv moreoften or read different newspapers because according to what you saying

we r not living in the same country….

18. Ron | 10.23.08

Trinh - you are correct in assuming that the media almost ends up supporting the Democratic party. But this is not because they support the party as such, it’s because they are rational and analyze the programs offered on the basis of merit and tangible issues, not emotional issues. And most of the time, the Democrats offer a significantly better economic, healthcare, education plan than the Republicans who just prey on emotions. I mean think about Mccain’s chants - “spending freeze”, “mortgage buybacks”, “victory in Iraq” - all ridiculous and impossible, merely playing to the audience. People who vote on tangible pocketbook issues understand the correct reason for the media bias. People who vote purely on social issues such as race, religion, gay marriage, abortion etc. do not get this and think that the bias is unfair.
Also, note by media I completely exclude Fox News - they are worse than a tabloid - they might as well just call themselves the republican news channel

19. Todd | 10.23.08

Joe has a propensity to say inappropriate things at times. He’s honest and truthful to a fault. But, his political honesty is rare. He’s handled his foreign diplomatic duties without fault. Joe will advise the president with straight talk.

As opposed to Palin who lies about anything and everything.

20. Chris Theo | 10.23.08

In almost every Biden ‘gaffe’ I’ve heard there’s always a sense of ‘I see what he means.’ Sure, many could be stated with better clarity and some are outright mistakes, but it’s clear he’s no dummy. It’s also clear that he’s ready to face whatever challenges Obama’s administration will face. He’s not a loose cannon and in fact, to me it seems like he’s exactly the kind of politician who would do best “behind closed doors.” A presidential campaign is entirely different than foreign diplomacy.

@Thomas: Seriously? I don’t think you can use this instance or even every collected Biden gaffe EVER to make the case that he would be a less qualified VP than Sarah Palin. Just yesterday, Palin blatantly misstated the role of the Vice President. She was just plain WRONG on the job description, and you want me to vote her into office?

21. Poomer | 10.23.08

@Thomas,

“Give her one year in the VP slot and she will be more developed than Joe Biden after 4 years. I think we all can agree on that.”

Unfortunately, I cannot agree with you. She cant name a newspaper, or a court decsion. That she can be taught in a year, I think. However, I am much more concerned about her skeletons in the closet. Troopergate; her spending tax dollars for her kids to travel; 150,000 wardrobe in 2 months and the list goes on. I cannot imagine the ethical repurcussions this woman will bring in 1 year as a VP, let alone give her 4.

22. John | 10.23.08

I cannot for the life of me understand why people have faith in Palin. Check the education record of the two candidates alone:

Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

“Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones.” - Bertrand Russell

23. Kyle | 10.23.08

Comparitively speaking, at least he has answers to questions. Instead of beling like Palin who doesnt know up from down. Again, I’m glad he’s answering questions with what he thinks. There are few among us who actually know McCains plan for foreign policy. There was another famous republican who said he would get things done but not tell us how. George W. Bush

24. Political Eye | 10.23.08

Thats funny because I did not hear these McCain devotees complain about the “liberal” media when it was Rev. Wright all the time. Now the McCain campaign is playing gutter politics of attacking the character and patriotism of his opponent and the “liberal media” is to be blamed for that??

25. G | 10.23.08

Ron–and yet millions more agree with Mr. Thomas. Are you saying we all have are head in the sand. Get serious would you–this is not about Palin not being able to name a newspaper she reads. She already stated why if you haven’t read the reason then your channel must be stuck on NBC.

26. MB | 10.23.08

I’m honestly failing to see the issue with what Biden said. Someone sees a new President, and decides that he’s got his number, and will make a move. And Biden said we need to be ready for that. So?

27. Jon | 10.23.08

I suppose it never occurred to you geniuses that Joe Biden very intentionally said what he said with Obama’s approval. All it did was get their name out and showed that Obama’s in charge. Come on people, it’s all a spin machine.

28. Chris Theo | 10.23.08

In almost every Biden ‘gaffe’ I’ve heard there’s always a sense of ‘I see what he means.’ Sure, many could be stated with better clarity and some are outright mistakes, but it’s clear he’s no dummy. It’s also clear that he’s ready to face whatever challenges Obama’s administration will face. He’s not a loose cannon and in fact, to me it seems like he’s exactly the kind of politician who would do best “behind closed doors.” A presidential campaign is entirely different than foreign diplomacy.

@Thomas: Seriously? I don’t think you can use this instance or even every collected Biden gaffe EVER to make the case that he would be a less qualified VP than Sarah Palin. Just yesterday, Palin blatantly misstated the role of the Vice President. She was just plain WRONG on the job description, and you want me to vote her into office?

29. Rob | 10.23.08

Lol… simply put… McCain’s unwise choice of a VP will cost him the election. There’s no going back after this one, and it will be funny to read in upcoming history texts about how a sure-win election was lost due to dumbarse VP candidate. Joe Biden on the other hand? …not a great choice, but no one else would step up the game so the pool was slim picking to start with!

30. Aristotle | 10.23.08

“Give her one year in the VP slot and she will be more developed than Joe Biden after 4 years. I think we all can agree on that.”

Gov. Palin has had 44 years to develop her mind enough to answer a simple question during an interview, with Katie Couric. Just imagine her and Putin. Apparently 44 years wasn’t long enough for her to develop her mind beyond that of a freshmen in high school; another four years won’t change anything. So no, we can’t all agree on that.

The difference between Palin and Biden is that Biden makes minor slip-ups (as most people do) when speaking in high pressure environments, Palin simply doesn’t understand what she is saying or what she is suppose to say. She is ignorant and naive; she is Bush 2.0

31. hottopics | 10.23.08

Sarah Palin to finally release medical records after weeks of ignoring the request - thanks Sarah

32. chance | 10.23.08

Joe the loose cannon Biden. I like that. Can’t wait until Obama and Biden are elected. You see the next 4, or maybe more years, will be rough. I don’t want the Republicans to get blamed for that disaster. I think all that blame should be right at the feet of the people who gave us this economic mess. The democratic communist party. Can someone tell me why Obama bin Laden would be reading a book titled “The World After America” on the campaign trail? You people deserve everything your going to get. People like me and many others who try to do the right thing are fed up. I can see a mass exodus coming. responsible people leaving America. We are tired of paying the bills for fat lazy people who can’t get a job, or the TV remote out of their hand long enough to do something productive. I say we copy the constitution, and bill of rights and go take over Mexico. They can trade us places. The boarders are wide open anyway. That would be to easy. The question you something for nothing people should ask your self is, How are you going to like Sherria Law in USA.

33. T. Hall | 10.23.08

Lets see if the media post this one since its about Obama in a neg way.

Who Is Running Chicago?
Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago!
Body count in the last six months:
292 killed (murdered) in Chicago; 221 in Baghdad.
Chicago? Who runs it?
Senators: Barack Obama & **** Durbin,
Rep: Jesse Jackson Jr.
Illinois Gov: Rod Blogojevich,
Illinois House leader Mike Madigan,
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike), Chicago Mayor Richard M.
Daley (son of Mayor Richard J.
Daley).
Our leadership in Illinois…..all Democrats.
Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course they’re all blaming each other!
Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any!
State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.
Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country.
(Look ‘em up if you want).
Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois and he’s gonna ‘fix’ Washington politics for us! Wake Up America!

34. Jim | 10.23.08

Thomas…

Do you honestly believe that Biden is more of a loose cannon than McCain? As said previously if you take a quote from someone, then you must use the entire thing, unless you are trying to “twist” the meaning that is. I am more fearful of the loose cannon being in the top spot. McCain is notorious for lack of tact and restraint in less than stressful situations, put him at the head and lets just count how many wars we can get into. We as a country need to engage brain before the mouth or fist.

It also seems to me that many people are losing sight of the fact the Biden and Palin are not running for President. More people are showing up fro Palin rallies than for McCain himself…

35. Caelum | 10.23.08

Whichever puppet you vote for, it will still be pulled from the same strings.

36. joe | 10.23.08

I’ve been watching the CSM’s coverage of this over the last couple of days. Interesting how the blogger jimmy orr is “bipartisan” -oh, nevermind that he worked for W. and Arnold. Ridiculous.

The quote by Biden has been latched onto by the floundering Mccain camp and Fox news- now CSM. It wasn’t news when everyone from Joe Liebermann, to Mccain to Bush said the same thing. CSM goes for the quick and dirty story. Its too bad the paper has moved away from the kind of journalism that made it a good alternative to other newspapers.

37. KF | 10.23.08

Can we please stop using the words “American” and “Anti-American” to describe the candidates and their supporters? In a time when Sarah Palin believes that not all of the states support America, this isn’t the time to be divisive against each other. People who support McCain are not “warmongers” and “nutjobs”; people who support Obama, likewise, are not “Communists” and “terrorists.” Let’s refrain from labeling. It isn’t fair.

38. Joe | 10.23.08

Has anyone thought what would happen if Biden became president?

39. Amy | 10.23.08

In response to Ron:

“You have to be absolutely blind to think she’s better than Joe Biden who has chaired several senate committees, drafted several important Acts of congress and is on first name basis with many leading foreign leaders, not to mention also teaches law.”

Too bad we can’t say the same about Obama. Biden may very well be a fantastic candidate, but he’s not running for president. Palin has her flaws, but she is also not running for president.

What scares me is that so many people are questioning whether or not Palin has the experience to be president, but no one’s saying the same about Obama. He is a one-term Senator, who has done nothing but run for president since he got into office. Am I the only one that sees that?

Why are we so concerned about Palin? If you vote for Obama, you get an inexperienced president without anyone having to die.

40. Dave | 10.23.08

Does anyone remember that it was Joe Biden who suggested we split Iraq up into three different countries? A real foreign policy expert…HA!

41. Jer | 10.23.08

@ Trinh Nguyen

If being American means living in the street, then yes we should continue with the GOP, but I guess you are upper class to be saying something like this…

42. Amy | 10.23.08

I’d take a fiesty, intelligent Joe Biden anyday. He hasn’t been locked in a closet away from media like Palin has. Look what happens when she’s set free. Obviously the moose brain transplant wasn’t a success.

43. Jerry | 10.23.08

Herunar, what planet do you live on! Let me guess you will go to the polls blindfolded and ask someone to show you the democrat lever to pull. It’s mindless people that worry me. They just believe everything their party states. I was an Obama fan, until I began to research and find out who he really is. He’s nothing more than a motivational speaker, with no qualifications to be president. He and Joe Biden make one empty suit. Though neither are my favorite candidate, after research, I had to vote for McCain/Palin and I’m glad I did!

44. Reading what I want | 10.23.08

Apperently few read the whole statement. Yes, if you only read the first part of what he said it would appear he was talking about Obama only. Now try reading the whole thing. It’s clear he’s talking about any “NEW” President.
I guess for some it’s easier to only hear or read what they want to, rather than the whole truth. They forget though:
A half-truth is actually a lie, it just sounds nicer.

45. Jimmy | 10.23.08

If you feel Obama is qualified at all or even close to McCain in experience as Commander in Chief you are either part of the 98 percent of blacks who are voting for him, or you are a liberal Democrat voting for the only choice you have as a Democratic Candidate(I know many of you are sorry Hillary is gone). The independent thinking unbiased blacks and patriotic Americans are voting for MCcCain.

46. canadian | 10.23.08

As a Canadian following your election via msnbc and fox new channel, I can see the point advanced by NANCY ohara.

I love watching Fox because it’s put together in a fast-paced, entertaining way, like America’s Got Talent.

MSNBC has morphed into a kind of anti-Republican talk radio outlet, a long way from when the network fired Phil Donahue a few years back.

I think that when the equal-time amendment was abolished, talk radio became possible, and the right-wing variety was simply more entertaining. People in rural areas and exurbs spend more time in their cars and thus are exposed to it all the more. When Fox News Channel essentially became talk radio with pictures, MSNBC followed suit.

Although Air America tried to make liberal issues more entertaining, they were a bit too preachy and disrespectful. MSNBC has learned how to make themselves into liberal talk radio. There are millions of little cocoons, home offices, comfy couches with wireless access, that are surfing stations with the tv on but as background noise.

Which makes me wonder, if the liberal side of America has created entertaining talk radio, does that mean that the era of Republican domination of American culture is on the ropes?

47. Bob Masters | 10.23.08

Biden was simply speaking the truth. He probably should not have to, because of the political considerations, but he did. However, since when we became a nation of people scared of the truth? Do you really think, that if elected, McCain/Palin administration will not undergo difficult times?

Do you think, that they will not be tested by the international community? There will be even more urge by the rogue states to test warmongering McCain and if he blinks and, like his predecessor, use cowboy tactics instead of diplomacy, we can face stretching our army even thinner and there might be a military draft to satisfy McCain’s world dominance ambitions.

We all know that McCain and Palin often call themselves mavericks. But if you think about it - what is so good in having mavericks ruling our country? Do you really want to have an administration, that can do unpredicted stances in any of the important spheres of our lives and the life of the international community, or you want to have a stable administration that makes intelligent and weighted decisions we are not going to regret?

After eight years of the failed policies and incompetence of the republican administration, it will get worse before it can get better. The only difference between McCain and Obama is that with McCain it will not get better for he will be continuing the same failed military and economic policies, and with Obama it will indeed get better.

48. 10 to 1 says she won’t | 10.23.08

to hottopics:
“Sarah Palin to finally release medical records after weeks of ignoring the request - thanks Sarah”
I say 10 to 1 she won’t do it. She already has W’s ego and arrogance.

49. E. Sales | 10.23.08

Joe’s just being mavericky. He’s jealous of all the attention Sarah Palin has been getting and he’s figured the only way to get attention is to say some ridiculous statement. By the way, if you listen to the entire passage, it’s a way different statement. What I’m loving is that the old Republican campaign methodologies are no longer sticking. People are over it and the more feces they throw at the wall, the more people turn away. The extreme right wing (Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Paul Wolfowicz, Dick Cheney, Sean Hannity, et al. gasp… puke) are trying to bring back McCarthyism and FINALLY people are waking up to it. There is hope for the land of the free. I cannot wait to see what kind of shennanigans take place on election day.

50. JamesMa | 10.23.08

Trinh, I don’t know what country you’ve come from, but your perception is perfect. Why did NBC have to be talked into giving the full quote by Biden unless they were trying to keep the most controversial parts hidden to aid the Democratic ticket.

It’s funny (sad) that Ron (comment #16) said it’s OK for the mainstream media to pull for the Democrats because the Democrats are the better party. What a maroon!

I lived and worked in China for over ten years and their media is obviously run by the communist government. The MSM here is not far from that in my opinion. Look for the Department of Information to come to pass some time before Obama’s third and fourth term, (if he is elected Nov 4).

God bless the America of our founding fathers.

51. Shamley | 10.23.08

“The difference between Palin and Biden is that Biden makes minor slip-ups (as most people do) when speaking in high pressure environments”

This is true… but look how the media handles this vs. Dan Quail (ugh). Comparable? Honestly?

The media has the responsibility to report the facts, not decide what should be left out, and certainly not to influence an election (or make or break a candidate).

No matter who’s on what side, can we agree that the media has a very large responsibility, and it’s being very abused right now?

This is a sad period of time to be where we are.

Just my 2¢

52. Michael | 10.23.08

Hey Brad, if you think Obama is too far to the right for your taste, then you seriously need to head to Cuba. That’s one of the few places that still remain, and are far enough left for you. Or haven’t you noticed that Socialism/Communism has and is failing everywhere?

Oh, and Aristotle, you may think you are the brightest of the bright, but you couldn’t be more wrong about Palin. And I’m betting she knows JOBS has 4 letters, unlike Plugs Biden.

53. JamesMa | 10.23.08

Amy! Talk about locked away, where’s big mouth Joe now?????

Oh, I forgot, you have a TV tuned to CNN down in the sand where your head is. Go ahead, didn’t mean to disturb you.

54. Michael | 10.23.08

First of all, Everyone’s comments are based on what they have seen or heard from the media. No one on here knows any one of the candidates personally. And everyone knows that the majority of the media is looking to get Obama elected. Secondly, the media was for Gore and Kerry and they didn’t win. People already have their minds made up, the only determining factor here is how many people will actually get out and vote for their candidate of choice.

55. 8915stevens | 10.23.08

And whose been running the United States for the pass 8 years… Republicans. I guess you went into a coma after November ‘00.

“31. T. Hall | 10.23.08

Lets see if the media post this one since its about Obama in a neg way.

Who Is Running Chicago?
Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago!
Body count in the last six months:
292 killed (murdered) in Chicago; 221 in Baghdad.
Chicago? Who runs it?
Senators: Barack Obama & **** Durbin,
Rep: Jesse Jackson Jr.
Illinois Gov: Rod Blogojevich,
Illinois House leader Mike Madigan,
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike), Chicago Mayor Richard M.
Daley (son of Mayor Richard J.
Daley).
Our leadership in Illinois…..all Democrats.
Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course they’re all blaming each other!
Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any!
State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.
Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country.
(Look ‘em up if you want).
Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois and he’s gonna ‘fix’ Washington politics for us! Wake Up America!”

56. ds | 10.23.08

Let me get this straight:

when McCain has “rhetorical flourishes” hes a maverick.

when biden has “rhetorical flourishes” hes a windbag.

That makes no sense. Ive been watching them both for weeks now, and I’d say Joe is running an ACTUAL straight talk express, while McCain is running an actual hate talk express.

Theres a difference, McCain should look into it.

57. MotorCityMe | 10.23.08

Jimmy wrote:

“If you feel Obama is qualified at all or even close to McCain in experience as Commander in Chief you are either part of the 98 percent of blacks who are voting for him, or you are a liberal Democrat voting for the only choice you have as a Democratic Candidate(I know many of you are sorry Hillary is gone). The independent thinking unbiased blacks and patriotic Americans are voting for MCcCain.”

******************************************************************************************
Sorry, Jimmy but you are wrong. I am a white female who never wanted Hillary for my candidate, for a variety of reasons, but uppermost because she voted for the war multiple times. This was not an issue on which I was ever confused. I find it difficult to understand how anyone could have been fooled into thinking it was a good idea.

My son is going into the Navy, so much for your assessment of Obama supporters as unpatriotic. I am delighted with the choice of the educated, calm and intelligent Obama as my Democratic candidate, and appalled that anyone would give the doubly unqualified McCain/Palin even a second thought. McCain may have “experience” but it is clearly the wrong experience for America. He has made devastatingly poor choices and was taken to task for it by Congress (Keating 5). His record is not sterling, as he would like us to believe. Palin’s education and qualifications are not even worthy of discussion.

All those around me who are voting for Obama have much the same, sane reasons for their choice. So please do not profess to know what motivates us.

58. Jim | 10.23.08

Joe Biden locked away?

Are you kidding?

Sarah Palin has been kept in seclusion since day 1.

It’s no wonder. Every time she opens her mouth to play to her fringe base, she scares away more and more mainstream American voters.

She was even hidden away after the debates.

The Republicans think they can slip this radical right-winger in under the radar by blaming the media for “picking on her”.

Sad.

59. Mike | 10.23.08

Ha ha ha ha, no, I do not think we can agree on Palin being a better politician a year into office. I think we can agree that more money will flow into corporate coffers a year into the Republican ticket winning. Woo Hoo! Four more years of Strip Mining Our kids futures!! Every Life Is Sacred, but who cares about the quality of that life!

60. Jan Jones | 10.23.08

Joe Biden has a problem of not knowing when to stop talking and he’s trying to establish his own identity in all of this because he’s been around a long time. It’s no excuse for his “flourishes/gaffes” because he should be subject to the same message points that the campaign has defined for all Obama surrogates. There are always those fringe folks who make statements but are not part of the ticket so it’s easy to deflect or ignore their comments. Biden and the Obama team, which has been superb at running a great campaign, should be strict on his message points knowing he has a problem. I’d hate to see Democrats give away another election that should be a sure thing and easily won with all the GOP problems and things like Biden’s irresponsible remarks are a concern. Fix it guys! The other side is closing the gap!

61. ds | 10.23.08

It baffles me that we even allow the red states to even have a say in our politics here in the USA. they think they are SOOOO patriotic. they dont even know whats going on in the world at any given time. The average IQ in those states is probably half of that of the Blue states, look it up if you dont believe me.
Why must we allow inferior thinkers have a say in whats going on when they rove over and over again that they arent able to make such decisions rationally.

I wish we could just ship the residents of the red states overseas, maybe to iraq since they like oil and a lack of wildlife so much…
also, their religious idiology would fit right in there in Iraq. As a matter of fact, they would probably be considered more crazy than the zealots that are alraedy there.

Red states = inferior intellect

62. mrpitchfork | 10.23.08

“Joe Biden who has chaired several senate committees, drafted several important Acts of congress and is on first name basis with many leading foreign leaders”

I find it hard to believe that anyone in Congress or the Senate drafts any important bills of any kind any more. Too many are going through too fast. We all know the special interest groups are the ones writing the new laws and the House and Senate just sign off on them. Our Congress is a freaking joke and it doesn’t matter who gets elected, the only change we’ll get is the same old turd’s from Congress. The President is nothing more than a figure head or icon that either signs the bills into law or veto’s them. We should be concentrating on Congress and the Senate and fix the problem where it lies, not treat the symptom.

63. LoL Jimmy | 10.23.08

To Jimmy:
“If you feel Obama is qualified at all or even close to McCain in experience as Commander in Chief”
McCain was Commander in Chief, before?
“you are either part of the 98 percent of blacks who are voting for him”
Nope, I’m white.
“or you are a liberal Democrat voting for the only choice you have as a Democratic Candidate”
Nope, registered Republican.
“(I know many of you are sorry Hillary is gone).”
Nope. Respect her more now than McCain or Palin.
“The independent thinking unbiased blacks and patriotic Americans are voting for MCcCain.”
Not being independent thinking isn’t something I can ever be accused of. As for Patriotic Americans? I’ve served my Country. I don’t have to prove my partiotism.
The simple fact is voting for McCain is voting for 4 more years of an out-of-date foreign policy. Voting for a man that thinks it’s perfectly fine to do whatever it takes to get HIS way and is to old to see the folly of his ways. He’s lost my respect in this campaign. He’s shown he isn’t even able to give basic human respect to someone he disagrees with. You think this man is capable of leading this great Nation of ours back to the top? He can’t. It can’t be done by someone that the world won’t respect. For when you don’t give respect you lose respect.
Then to top it off we are supposed to beleive that after failing to W, 8 years ago, this man is now the leader we need? When you say Patriotic American, in your mind is that the same as saying Republican? Please, Jimmy, ask yourself just how independent thinking are you?

64. Roy | 10.23.08

It is disconcerting that many voters rely solely on the media to not only present information to them, but to distill and analyze it as well; then label the source as too liberal or conservative etc., etc. It might behoove many voters out there to take some time, do their own ground work maybe starting with the actual campaign websites, then conduct some fact checks, look at voting records, speech transcripts, academic or white papers written by the staffers, or even try factcheck.org which (if you want it done for you) can at least provide additional insight to the sources of many claims both candidates make. It is evident that the lack of intellectual curiosity is what drove us into the last eight years of a sub-optimal administration, it would be a shame if the intellectual sloth most voters exhibit, send us down that path again.

65. Phil M | 10.23.08

I like that Joe Biden speaks his mind. When he said that Hillary would have probably been a better pick, I agree with that. You can’t just pretend you’re the greatest. And about him saying Obama will be tested. Was Bush not tested a year into his presidency?

The media will decide who gets elected, as always. They can either portray John McCain as a rampant, irregular attacker, or as the up and coming underdog looking to sweep the rug out from under Obama.

I hate the polls, and I think they shouldn’t be done. We’re supposed to vote without knowing who everyone else is voting for. And yes, polls are *exactly* who people are voting for, but they have an influence. Stop the polling and stop the media’s control over the elections.

66. mdj | 10.23.08

I think Biden’s remarks were truthful and said off the cuff. I applaud Biden and Obama’s ability to say what they think without being handed a campaign script to follow.
think about. Biden’s comment gave the McCain/Palin one more thing to focus on other than the economy and the other issues which just reiterates the Dem ticket’s message that McCain/Palin will talk about any and everything except the issues that matter most to the middle class.
Have you wondered why the McCain camp let the media in on the RNC expenditures for Palin? They did so hoping that their base really wouldn’t care what the fat cats spent their money on. The Hockey Moms of America envy being able to be dressed so nicely and would probably applaud their “princess” looking like the clock had yet to strike midnight.
Yep, you betcha, Palin is the GOP Cinderella. I hope this ends happily ever after and she returns via the pumpkin stage coach on Nov 5 back to Alaska.

67. Katharine | 10.23.08

Joe Biden is an accomplished and intelligent lawmaker and has proven himself over and over in the last decades- even if he doesn’t speak in the next ten days it will not alter our most enduring perception of him as an honest, hardworking, and loyal senator.

68. gene indiana | 10.23.08

bill ayers is obamas foundation.i wonder when will he release his medical records.open your eyes America.show me your friends and i will show you who you are

69. Cc | 10.23.08

“Does anyone remember that it was Joe Biden who suggested we split Iraq up into three different countries? A real foreign policy expert…HA!”

What’s wrong with that thought? National boundaries are not cast in stone. They are simply political in nature.

70. Joe the Programmer | 10.23.08

Some of these comments kill me, Palin is better than Biden? Biden may put his foot in his mouth but he understands what he’s talking about. Palin on the other hand puts her foot in her mouth because she doesn’t understand what she’s talking about. There is no comparison between knowledgeable but bumbling vs simply not knowing but thinking she knows.

This is the person that will be next in line to run our country. They have to know what they are talking about or they could put the whole country at risk. The idea that a Joe Six-Pack, Average Joe, Hockey Mom, Bottom of their Class (McCain), C Student in college (Bush) type of person would make a good president is naive. They might be someone you’d like to hang out with but those are not the ideal qualifications for a world leader.

Would you want a doctor that was at the bottom of their class to operate on you after a serious accident or or would you want the guy that graduated at the top of their class? Does NASA send up any old pilot or do they go through a rigorous selection process to pick the best and the brightest? I could go on and on with examples but it’s pretty clear that we should want a president and vice president that are well educated, intelligent, knowledgeable in world affairs. Simply looking at an Aleutian Island and thinking it’s Russia just doesn’t cut it for world affairs. Other key qualities I think a potential president would need are; even tempered, thoughtful, outstanding communication skills, a positive attitude, a problem solver mentality vs a finger pointing mentality, good organization skills, vigorous, balanced perspectives, good listening skills, determination.

If you think in terms of what qualities you expect in a president and then look at the candidates rather then starting with party biases and litmus tests maybe our country would be a far better place.

71. Roy Patterson | 10.23.08

Joe Biden has been campaigning. I would not call that seclusion. As far as not talking to the Press I would agree with him. The Press has become like the paparazzi only looking for a remark or statement that they can run to their editors with. I used to have respect for the Fifth Estate, now the world turns on Tabloid Journalism because of the revenues it generates. Some people will believe anything, others can now check facts and access information in a matter of minutes. With a laptop and a cell phone you can no longer deceive me into believing what you think I should believe.

72. kate | 10.23.08

Oh, “Say it ain’t so Joe” isn’t so bad. He’s just telling the truth and the Obama camp would rather he didn’t. Turn Joe loose …. he deserves his chance in the lime-light and we all need to laugh a little in these hard times. Go Joe!

73. WellWellWell08 | 10.23.08

to chance..

So with your logic, all the problems that are happening now, are the fault of your beloved republican party. How could you blame the Democrats for the current mess, then say that ‘we’ deserve everything we get.
When you use terms like ‘Obama bin Laden’ it really negates anything meaningful you may have said (which you didn’t of course).
You say you will leave the country. I agree you should leave the country, becuase your comments, like so many others in your party are plain old anti-american. You accuse Obama of being anti-american, then you shine right through and show the actaully meaning of anti-american.
Your post is exactly like the propaganda the nazis have used in the past. Its quite shameful and you should be embarrased, I know I am embarrased for you.
If things get better, I would like you to promise to leave the country anyway, becuase its people like you that have brought us to the brink we find ourselves at now. If you want specifics, its your closemindedness and your glowing ignorance that you need the most work on.

74. jn | 10.23.08

Joe hasn’t been in the press much the entire race, but he’s been campaigning and giving speeches left and right. Saying he’s suddenly not in the press is wrong. He just hasn’t gotten much coverage. The only time he gets coverage is when he gaffes or a statement he makes is spun and taken out of context.

I love Joe Biden.

75. Omidal | 10.23.08

Obama is so fluid he is like Quicksilver.
Nothing Sticks. He is a great politician who will become a great statesman and diplomat.

76. cynthia | 10.23.08

The difference between Joe and Sarah is Joe has a wealth of intelligence & experience, regardless of his occasional gaffes. People who know Joe have the utmost respect for his decency, experience, & intelligence.

Sarah, on the other hand, just has…the gaffes to remember her by…and a lot of nice clothes.

77. Cal | 10.23.08

Poor Republicans…it must be difficult to have been lied to for all these years. You were told to vote for the Compassionate Conservative. That guy has more blood on his hands than any of the world’s worst despots, not that we’d know exactly since the so-called “liberal” media doesn’t report the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens that have fallen victim to Bush.
For those who think Democrats are reluctantly “having to” vote for Obama, we aren’t voting for the only choice available, just the only choice that isn’t a dottering old fool and his ingenue nitwit sidekick.
The Republican Party is responsible for driving this country to the brink of financial ruin, detroying any moral authority this country had, shrunk our economic influence and creating a new threshhold for mendacity, double speak and outright lies. We’ve had enough.
Oh and by the way, patriotic Americans don’t need to stoop to racist inanities. We read the Constitution and follow it, not find ways to make it irrelevant.

78. Nancy B. | 10.23.08

All you democrats out there….THE PARTY’S OVER!!! It’s over if Obama gets elected or not!! If he does get elected (God we pray NOT) the party will be over for you because American will go down the tubes and be FINISHED!!! If none of you have ever learned “life lessons” before, just wait until B.O. is put in office, then you will experience some major lessons learned! We will be in big trouble….God help us all!!!

79. DH | 10.23.08

To make change happen you have to bring in someone who is not in anybody’s pockets. Unfortunately 3 out of the 4 candidates are career politicians. McCain, Obama, Biden and 1 of the first 2 will be president. How can they claim “We don’t want more of the same” when they are a big part of it and have been for quite some time. Now Palin on the other hand is one who is “New” to Washington, not in anyones pockets “Yet”. She is truely the only one of the 4 that can make that claim. Everyone is focusing on the issues that are so trivial they overlook this fact. Who care’s Biden is a bit off the cuff when he talks. So was Jesse “The Body” Ventura, who did a great job for Minnesota a few years back. Wake up people and start thinking for yourself and stop being lead around by your noses by the news media because if you think the news media isn’t biased, well enough said…..

80. THE TRUTH | 10.23.08

Dear Red States:

We’ve decided we’re leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren’t aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss. We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama. We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms. Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they’re apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their children’s caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we’re not willing to spend our resources in Bush’s Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country’s fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95 percent of America’s quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford , Cal Tech and MIT. With the Red States, on the other hand,you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazies believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

Peace out,

Blue States

81. Mary Joseph | 10.23.08

I can’t imagine how low we can go in choosing a VP candidate. Palin has not even bothered to read the constitution to find out her role if elected VP. Anyone accepting a job wants to know what the job description is. She has shown no curiosity to find out. She thinks she “can get in with the esnators and craft great policies!!” How can she uphold the constitution if she has not even bothered to look it up.
She’s not to blame. It’s John McCain’s judgement we have to question. Obviously John McCain does not think much of the role of the President since he thinks someone like her could fit into those shoes at moment’s notice. We need someone who’s more ready to take the reins. This is not high school.

82. democrat no longer | 10.23.08

Has anyone noticed Russia can’t hardly wait for Obama to be President, they are already massing troops in Georgia again. Maybe Obama needs to give them a call and say, “Stop it.” While he’s at it maybe he can talk Iran to not cut oil production as they are pressuring OPEC to do. Oh I forgot Obama has enough wind to fuel our energy needs. Wake up America before it’s too late and we don’t have elections anymore because we have the ONE.

83. LMills259 | 10.23.08

Yes, of course Joe Biden’s remarks have made Democrats cringe. But let’s take them for what they are - off-the-cuff remarks on the campaign trail. That’s not the kind of speech used in negotiations. Biden has proven himself to be competent in that very different arena, so there’s no sense in panicking over his campaing-speech indiscretion.
Some of us remember Gerald Ford’s debate gaffe when he said that Poland wasn’t under the sphere of the U.S.S.R. (At the time, he was dead wrong). But it was a comment made on the fly. Ford got absolutely skewered for it, but this was a good example of spontaneous speech not reflecting a candidate’s knowledge or behavior when actually governing or negotiating.
So relax. Joe’s comments were embarassing but nothing to freak out about.

84. Cryos | 10.23.08

Palin corrected Biden on several issues in the last VP debate such as the role of the VP. However the media didn’t call this out they want to give her the “Dan Quayle” reputation.

I think that simply many liberal men despise strong conservative women like Palin because Palin makes them feel like metrosexual weaklings. Liberals prefer for strong women to like other women so they don’t feel threatened.

Supposedly “non-partisan” sites like factcheck.org only called out 1 of Biden’s 6-8 gaffes last debate. To the Obama supporters, how come McCain says something taken out of context like 100 years of war and you jump on it for months, yet Biden says things as stupid as Roosevelt coming on the tv in 1929 and you don’t give it notice?

If Palin said ANY of these gaffes Biden did the taunting would be non-stop. I think the contrast between the 2 VP debates showed that Palin is a VERY quick learner as she schooled a 30+ year foreign policy veteran on foreign policy in just a short time. Oh by the way Biden graduated 76 out of 85 in his class if you want to discuss his education.

However just keep justifying Biden as he makes mistake after mistake and blow things out of proportion like Troopergate. It shows what you’re made of. Palin is not perfect but she is a very quick learner, strong, independent woman and I’ll take that over a bumbling political hack who can’t even win a foreign policy debate against someone new to foreign policy after 30+ years.

85. Nancy B. | 10.23.08

Dear…THE TRUTH….Just how many brain cells did it take for you to think up that little novel?? THE TRUTH is……that was a waste of your time…no one cares what you have to say, as they don’t care about what I have to say either!! Get a life!! Vote: MCCAIN/PALIN

86. Dan | 10.23.08

The party is over? Are you blind? There is no party going on. That’s the problem lady! The country is a damn mess because of your support of the Republican party. It’s a mess financially. It’s a mess in terms of foreign policy. Here’s something for you to consider Nancy…your extreme views…and they are extreme even if you can’t step back and see it…are what actually put this country in danger in the first place…your support of politicians with fundamental religious views are what put us in danger. I will feel much safer with Obama as my president than McCain. In fact, it scares me to imagine McCain and Palin in the white house and what that could lead to. You see, other countries don’t take to kindly to our country and our leaders trying to push their religious views on the rest of the world. We need someone who is willing to talk first with war as a last resort. We need someone who isn’t using the position to push their own values on the world. I’m guessing you’ve never traveled to other parts of the world Nancy. I’m embarrassed by our leaders and they represent our country. I want a leader who makes us proud. I want a leader who other countries respect and look up to. (Who they like!) That’s a good thing! You said America will go down the tubes? Your comments alone prove it is. And I blame you. Stop talking about God helping us and God we pray not. Actually get out there and do something good that will help people without trying to push your religious views. “Do unto others…” Best rule you can follow. Your strange threat that we’ll experience some major life lessons doesn’t make any sense. We are always experiencing life lessons, it’s what we do with them and what we take from them that matters. And obviously, you’ve taken nothing from yours, because you can’t see past your own beliefs. You’re pessimistic, negative, brainwashed, misinformed, and ignorant. Thanks for posting.

87. Brian In Middle River MD | 10.23.08

To Ron whose inappropriate and inaccurate pick on Thomas regarding Sarah Palin… Did you watch the debate and then check the facts, I am sorry but not only was Sarah Palin coherent, but she has a much better understanding of the actual duties required of the Vice Presidency than Biden. And as the Governor of a state with the highest favorable number of the 50 states, she is the most qualified in this race to run the White House. Had Hillary won the Democratic nomination as she should have, than Hillary would be the most qualified to run the White House.

It’s not Republican or Democrat / Black or White / Male or Female that should determine who wins this election - Sarah Palin has the Experience that Barack lacks and both McCain and Palin have the Ethical Character and Integrity that Barack lacks.

Mccain - Palin 2008 / Clinton 2012

88. pac | 10.23.08

Based on what I have seen and heard from many sources, I have made the following conclusions:
1. The America I have loved for 50 years is becoming increasingly immoral.
2. There are much fewer truly intelligent people left who care about:
a. Trust (Bill Ayers, Reverend Wright, and so on and so on……..)
b. Experience (”Community Organizer” who in his own book said he failed at that)
I’ve decided to hired a contractor to build a house for me who has a lot of experience in using ‘tinker toys’, although he does admit he was lousy at it. This contractor’s right-hand man said months ago that his boss ‘doesn’t have the experience’ and that building a house is not a good place to have ‘on the job training’. But guess what, I don’t care!!! This guy is a really good talker, so here I go, wish me luck!!

89. skizim | 10.23.08

Biden is an impulsive fool. Any experience he has is overshadowed by his willingness to insert both feet in his mouth at the same time.

Palin is a sideshow. I understand what she is like, and I think that she has zero appeal to most urban-dwelling types. Many of her views are also a bit strange.

McCain is a good man with good intentions, who might not have the ability to steer our country in the way it NEEDS to go. But he is a good man and has proven himself to be one by his service. He needs to explain a clear vision of a presidency with himself at the helm. He needs to refrain from attacking his opponent, and instead be inspiring, give people hope.

Obama is a good man with good intentions, who might not have the ability to steer our country in the way it NEEDS to go. I question his experience, I question his “let’s spread the wealth” socialist-leaning philosophy, and I question his ability to lead…we need strength on the international stage, and if any country or entity sense hesitation or weakness, we will all suffer for it.

Don’t just follow the crowd…don’t let media TELL you what to do…don’t let your friends and family tell you how to vote…learn all you can, and make an informed choice based on FACTS and your own best judgment.

90. Cryos | 10.23.08

Blue states. A couple flaws in your plan.

Where is your food and power going to come from?

Most blue states are having major budget issues because they’re depending on the fed to prop up their social programs. How are you going to pay for things?

When the hard working people go to the red states and take their belongings with them you’ll be even worse off. Then it will be you who foots the bill for all the government dependants.

Don’t forget in the “blue states” there are a lot of “red state” voters who are a lot the one’s footing the bill to support all the misguided spending of the leadership. I’m in a “blue state” and I see all the trash immigrating to our state the last decade from beloved places like CHicago because our welfare is better.

91. rod | 10.23.08

Obama is a breath of fresh air. He knows we need to get off oil and get americans working. McCain only knows the past, oil. clean “green”jobs will be a breath of fresh air. Come on America join in and help us create a new world environment, clean and free from the Bush/Cheny nightmare.

92. Robert Bornhorst | 10.23.08

People wince at Joe’s gaffes, but his words are eerily prescient. Many believe that Biden will assume the Presidency within six months of the election. Obama is a great leader, but like Lincoln and Kennedy, has challenged power and prejudice that will require a generation to change. “Mark my words”, indeed. This is precognitive history at it’s most disturbing.

93. Reid | 10.23.08

Gotta be kidding me, Biden at least meets with a press. Palin is NOT the most accessible candidate, on the contrary she has never given a press conference, only two interview, both of which were severely botch by her. They are absolutely shield Palin because while Biden may make occasional rough “gaffes”, Palin just plain is not qualified.

94. Pete | 10.23.08

I just have not found myself disagreeing with Joe. I must be partisan. I don’t know, but what he said makes sense. The next President will be tested within then first 6 months, and I do not trust McCain with his finger on the button. Even in the debates after much training to not reveal his temper, he still lost his cool. And in my judgement, the correct response to terrorism is prosecution, not war. War is just vengeance and it is un-Christian. And it validates the terrorist when we practice vengeance because in their minds they are taking vengeance. It’s a vicious cycle and the correct response is not to perpetuate it, but to take the high road and prosecute the surviving collaborators. Again, rounding up sympathaziers and torturing only invalidates them. So I agree that Obama, as President, might respond in a way that might seem wrong at first, especially if you believe that vengeance is OK.

And I also think it was remarkably humble of him to acknowledge that Senator Clinton would have been a better choice of VP for someone who is counting votes. But it was Obama’s choice, and it is clear that Obama did not succumb to overwhelming party pressure.

p.s. to the woman who feels America will go bad if the Democrats are elected, I have to ask if you don’t remember how much better things were before the Republicans took over.

95. Jim | 10.23.08

I think John McCain missed a huge opportunity at the end of the last debate when the moderator asked each candidate to tell him why their vice presidential choice was President worthy. If it were me, I would have said: “Bill, with all due respect to my opponent, our vice presidential candidate is as experienced as my opponent, Senator Obama, and also has experience running a government.” It seems absurd to speak about the experience or inexperience of the vice presidential candidates and ignore a similar discussion when speaking about the presidential candidates. If selecting Joe over Sarah based on experience is the criteria, then the choice at the presidential level is clear.

96. Linda | 10.23.08

The part that caught my attention most, was not the “spine of steel” nor the part where Obama would be tested, but the last couple of paragraphs…Joe explaining that we wouldn’t agree with their decision, going so far as to offer possible objection quotes that will be heard. What in the world does that mean? IThe part that caught my attention most, was not the “spine of steel” nor the part where he would be tested, but the last couple of paragraphs…Joe explaining that we wouldn’t agree with their decision, going so far as to offer possible objection quotes that will be heard. What in the world does that mean? I’d like to hear some clarification of that, not pol-speak like “rhetorical flourish”.’d like to hear some clarification of that, not pol-speak like “rhetorical flourish”.

97. USA | 10.23.08

EDUCATED YOURSELF !
The Bush tax cuts are going to expire. What are the Pre-Bush tax numbers and why do they apply to you? Well, under Obama there will be no Bush tax cuts applied & this is what you will pay :
*Single making 30K will be paying 8,400 / under McCain 4,500
*Single making 50K ” 14,000 / ” 12,500
*Single making 75K ” 23,250 / ” 18,750
*Married making 60K ” 16,800 / ” 9,000
*Married making 75K ” 21,000 / ” 18,000
*Married making 125K ” 38,750/ ” 31,250
Under Obama’s plan your taxes will be more than DOUBLE & small business profit tax will be DOUBLE. Listen, Obama is playing games with words & using lying by omission. He tells you what you want to hear. The fact is he will let the Bush Tax cuts expire & of course, he’s not raising your taxes, he’s just letting the tax cuts already in place go dormant. It’s very much like a store putting its merchandises on sale for 20% off tomorrow but the night before they raised them up 20%. THEY ARE NOT LYING; THEY ARE JUST MANIPULATING THE NUMBERS TO THINK YOU ARE GETTING A BARGAIN.
(McCAIN/PALIN)

98. WellWellWell08 | 10.23.08

Nancy B

So we can expect you to leave when he DOES win the election. Good riddince, America is better off without your rhetoric.

99. Tim | 10.23.08

Just because someone says something that isn’t politically convenient, it doesn’t mean they are wrong. It just means that they exposed a perceived vulnerability, and created fodder for their opponents.

There are going to be all kinds of foreign and domestic issues for the next president. It’s not like that is some sort of groundbreaking news. There’s the economy, Iran, North Korea, Syria (remember them?), the Palestinian/Israel crisis, Darfur, Niger, and the list goes on and on and on.

But the problem is that both campaigns are so superficial in their addressing of real issues, that their rhetoric tends to be defensive, in terms of exposing a statement that could actually get people to think.

And media outlets facilitate this superficial rhetoric, sometimes downright refusing to pursue vague statements, and the cost is to the American voter, who just wants to hear the truth.

100. David | 10.23.08

Ron said:

“People who vote on tangible pocketbook issues understand the correct reason for the media bias. People who vote purely on social issues such as race, religion, gay marriage, abortion etc. do not get this and think that the bias is unfair.”

He is right, the Democrats are more concerned about money than people and so is the media.

101. Lefty | 10.23.08

I find it interesting that the comments written by the republicans are laced with grammatical errors and statements that are beyond ignorant. But then again look at their candidates.

102. Kathy D | 10.23.08

You go Nancy B………

103. John C. | 10.23.08

Hey Dan, your attacking Nancy B. only shows your insecurity and your non-christian views. I find it hard to believe that people like you that have twisted ideas that post these long a** blogs evidently has an acquaintance with a similarity to “short man syndrome”. Your lack of intelligence Dan is almost comical. I will be proud to say that I am a McCain supporter all the way man, and NO Nancy should not stop talking about God, as she does practice freedom of speech and belief, just as you do Dan, that is what is beautiful about our country. Vote Obama in office and we will no longer have a beautiful country thanks to the socialist ideology of the left-wingers. I too will pray Dan to keep America beautiful! I will vote for John McCain!!!

104. William | 10.23.08

Does Sarah have a dress suite? She needs to move away from the little old domestic lady look, or maybe that’s what the “R” people like. So lets all look at her legs. She is preety much an insult to all hard working women.

What a joke

105. Steve | 10.23.08

Obama fans are going to be extremely disappointed in the next two weeks. I think MCain should offer Barry “O” a cabinet position to head up some special task force on the economy, education, etc where he can really showcase his community organization skills.

106. Pete | 10.23.08

I need to correct a typo above. I believe that when we torture sympathizers of those who attack us we are VALIDATING the terrorists. I typed “invalidate” but I was thinking we invalidate our own standing when we act just like them. That’s one of the points that the Lord was making when he told us to turn the other cheek and not to live by the sword.

Anyway, I certainly do believe a follower of Jesus’ teachings does not seek vengeance. Justice is the correct goal. Thanks.

107. Jeffrey | 10.23.08

Neither of the two major parties can seem to properly address what really matters to the tax payers. Their voting records in the senate do not coincide with their rhetoric on the campaign trail. McCain gripes about “Pork barrel spending” yet has no problem supporting a $700 billion bank subsidy laden with an additional $150 billion in said pork. Obama’s record is no better. I’m seriously looking at 3rd party options this election cycle.

108. Tim Honeycutt | 10.23.08

I sure wish we could sit and listen to each one of these canidates personally before making such brash comments. Anyone can be made to look stupid when taken out of context. There is not a canidate in this election that hasn’t been made to look stupid by our beloved media. Please keep you personal comments to yourself. Talk about their platforms. It is really easy to pick who you want based on your convictions. But unfortunantly just like life, everyone has to put down the other person to make themselves feel better.

109. virginia McMahan | 10.23.08

I am truly frightened folks, WHO is watching for Putin when he
rears his head over Alaska? Without Palin in attendance just how
safe are we? How McCain can defend this poor choice for VP with
a straight face is beyond me.
Agree with you Dan 86.

110. Michael | 10.23.08

Let’s not forget that Senator Biden made it very clear during the Primaries that Senator Obama was NOT qualified and lacked the experience to be President of the United States. Many of you have said that Senator Biden always tells the truth…and I concur. He declared months ago that Senator Obama was not the right candidate to run our nation. Too bad that the truth hurts now. You can’t have it both ways.

111. Young Snowbird | 10.23.08

Everyone is so partisan. The financial mess our country is in is because we ALL dropped the ball. CEO’s and board of director’s got greedy, mortgage agents got greedy, homebuyers got greedy, everyone believed that they could get more for less and there was no risk. Most of us bought into the idea that rich is better, rich is where we wanted to be. We didn’t demand accountablity of our lawmakers and we blindly accepted what the President told us. Its not just Bush’s fault or the Fat Cat’s fault or “liberals” fault. We ALL bought into the idea of MORE stuff is best and LESS law is a great way to get MORE stuff.

Whoever gets elected in November will inherit the biggest set of challenges any President, except maybe Lincoln or FDR, has ever faced. The biggest challenge of all is to get all Americans to stop blaming each other and roll up our sleeves and start cleaning up the mess. If you are worried that you will be asked to sacrifice, then please, leave the country now. Because there is no way out of this mess but sacrifice from every single person who lives here. Lets face it, we’ve messed it up enough to have others around the world having to sacrifice too. The party is over for all of us. Now its time to clean up the mess and pay the bills. Its not pretty, it may seem to be unfair, some of us didn’t even get a drink at the party, but its reality.

We need new posters that say “uncle Sam needs YOU!” and it’s not talking about a draft into the military, but a draft into making our country work again. If you aren’t willing to follow, it doesn’t matter who gets elected leader!

112. Ed Weirdness | 10.23.08

8915stevens:
Actually, Congress has been controlled by Democrats for the past 2 + years. Democrats have controlled the nations purse strings for that amount of time, and Democrats have controlled the banking and financial services committees, and all the regulatory and oversight committee’s for the past 2 + years. The President, save for his bully pulpit, veto authority, and some limited executive order powers, cannot play a controlling role in the governance of our nation, those powers reside solely in Congress!

113. Kareem Amir | 10.23.08

The republican party shouldn’t spend moor money .As they will loose the election,they should give it to charity.

114. James K | 10.23.08

Would a President Obabma face a ‘test’ from enemies abroad? I doubt it, apart from Iran (and they are continually testing) there just doesn’t seem any likely candidates to adopt the role of examiner. Why would Biden say something like that?

The outcome of Biden’s ‘gaffe’ has been to get McCain talking foreign policy to an electorate which isn’t listening to anything but domestic economics. It’s a distraction. More subtly though, Biden was explicitly inviting us to visualize Obama as a current day JFK, rolling his sleeves up and with steely resolve dealing with the US’s enemies. If we can imagine this scene, then we are imagining Obama as ‘us’ fighting the ‘them’ out there in the world. And if we imagine that, then the attempts by GOP, to make us fear Obama as one of ‘them’ are rather blunted.

Now if I were at all cynical I might think that Biden’s ‘gaffe’ was rather more calculated than is generally believed.

115. aerocaster | 10.23.08

As a Canadian, and after careful following of the US Election for months, here’s my prediction for the world post election day: Obama and Biden both do a good job of leading America and cleaning up the economic mess we’re ALL in at the moment, including introduction of fair tax policies, universal health care, and massive infrastructure spending to get the economy jump started again. This will be followed by fairly quick resolutions to Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. Within 4 years the US will be back on its feet, and the world will be buoyant again.

McCain will disappear into one of his many mansions, and emerge a few months later on the talk circuit.

Palin becomes a talking head at some silly network.

116. Abarafi | 10.23.08

Biden is human. He makes errors. Sometimes more than others. Obama didn’t choose him because he is perfect; he chose hime because he is Biden. It’s not what comes out of his mouth that matters so much, it’s what comes out of his experience and knowledge. Also, unlike Sarah, wrapped in her $150,000 wardrobe, while extolling the virtues of small town Joe Six-Pack types, Biden is real. We’ve had eight years of the unreal compassionate conservatism, of the unreal “I’m the decider,” of the unreal “I care deeply about the families of fallen troops.” Do you remember the last time Bush went to a “fallen troop’s” funeral? So, sure, Biden’s foot sometimes finds its way into his mouth, but no one tries to reinterpret it as some pearls of wisdom. Just remember Palin’s explanation to a third grader about the job of Vice President - “The vice president is in charge of the Senate.” She still has no idea of what the job description says. QED.

117. smile | 10.23.08

Herunar | 10.23.08 : wrote
Obama doesn’t need his VP pick to attract voters, as he is charismatic enough himself to generate attention.
—————————————————————————
Picking a VP is not to attrace voters. Obama has his crowd (I agree with that) but having big crowds and acctract voters is totally different from Leadership skills. Of course, if you put George Clooney or Brad Pitt, they will attract more voters or have a biger crowds than Obama.
We all know Obama has weakness on Forgien policy and national security (no one can deny that) and that was why he brought (300) foreign advisors in his foreign trip. The reason he picked Joe Biden (head of foreign policy) is to boost his foreign policy for he knows that Joe’s experience would have his “weakness”.
So, getting attention and having big crowds is totally different from “leading the country”. If his VP Joe himself has doubt on Obama and how the rest of the country feel?

118. Paul | 10.23.08

I remember when the Democrats took the majority of the House and Senate and the talk was, “we are now in control and now can make a difference”. If memory serves me correct they rode the financial wave just like everybody did and then when it crashed they immediatly looked for someone to point fingers at. We are in this mess for one reason only and that is greed by everybody involved and instead of looking for solutions our leaders point fingers of fault. We are in this mess because we pushed ahead with no moral compass. We are in this mess because somewhere a party decided that everybody should get whatever they want, whenever they want and without any financial backing to obtain it.

Look at the programs that created this mess and you will find it was created by a Democratic Party, then look at who did nothing nothing to change it and you will find a Republican Party. look who knew about the crisis evolving in Iraq and did nothing (Democrat) then look who made a mess of trying to clean it up (Republican).

We don’t need the Obama change, and we sure do not people who have found a way to realize the American Dream to cover the people who do not work for that dream. The bottom line is we need leadership that puts people to work and creates a moral compass that is right. We were created One Nation Under God and now we have lost that direction and now paying for it dearly. Elect a President who gets back to the basics of hard work and realizes that yes, some will make more and some will make less and that life is not always “fair”.

Why try if it is given to us without trying……….just does not work in the long run. I do not want another free check, I want to work hard and have dignity and pride. I do not want my rich neighbor to pull my weight. We need a leader who will cross party lines and create an economic machine and not create opportunity by having those that have found a way to make money hand it over to those that choose not to. Remember that almost 40% of this Nations residents do not pay taxes……….ask your self why and then ask your self if you want to cover them finacially when you go to work everyday to make ends meet.
Think this out and then vote

119. Cryos | 10.23.08

I think Joe’s speech was pretty alarming. Part of the reason I find it alarming is that Obama talks about “change” and is very vague what that change is. He changes his stances quite a bit using ambiguous words as his cover. Hopefully it is ok to paste in a snippet from the speech.

The media covers just the international crisis part but I implore people to read the entire speech. He talks about having to “do unpopular things” that are still “right” (hmmm sounds like GWB to me; and I don’t like GWB btw).

He talks about a potential crisis. Then about how they will need everyone’s help, not just financial but influence in the community to stand with him. Then about SYSTEMATIC problems in the economy. Then about how they will have to make hard decisions that are “sound” but that people won’t like.

So what type of “decisions” are going to be made? It doesn’t necessarily mean much but with this type of speech combined with Obama’s socialist leaning views combined with Obama’s tendency to completely change his position it makes me worry.

So will an international crisis be used to completely overhaul american domestic law? People can complain about Bush’s “spying” and the other “violations of rights” but from a rights standpoint such as freedom of speech or freedom of assembly ask yourself HONESTLY on a daily basis how invasive laws changed by Bush to meet a very REAL threat affect you.

120. Jim | 10.23.08

Lets all remember who got us into this financial mess.

Over-regulation through CRA (Community Reinvestment Act), aided by HUD, has become a huge problem and wasn’t even addressed in the multi-billion dollar bailout. The Clinton Treasury Department’s new regulations in 1995 compelled banks to engage in far-riskier lending practices or receive a failing CRA grade.

To avoid an “F” from the CRA, which could jeopardize their viability, the banks were pressured to direct hundreds of billions of dollars in high-risk mortgages to inner-city and low-income neighborhoods.

Moreover, under CRA pressure, banks would “hire” radical, non-profit groups like ACORN to find them customers. Once trillions of dollars began to flow, politicians and lobbyists tapped into this stream, and so did left-wing activist groups.

The CRA was buttressed by other new regulations during the Clinton Administration. In 1996, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave Fannie and Freddie an explicit target — 42 percent of their mortgage financing had to go to borrowers with income below the median in their area.

The target increased to 50 percent in 2000 and 52 percent in 2005.

121. hmmmm | 10.23.08

Dan, well said. I do fear what reaction will come from the Nancy B’s of the nation after Nov 4th considering the runaway success of the republican campaign’s efforts to divide our nation. What will happen when we democratically find out that there are more fake Americans than real Americans
As to Chance’s comment of “How are you going to like Sherria Law in USA.” You might want to at least know how to spell the object of your fear if you wish to stand any chance of convincing others that your analysis is correct.

122. redftw | 10.23.08

To “the truth”,

Good luck defending your weak, liberal New California with less than 10% of the U.S. military service members. You should call yourselves New France instead.

Although your post was amusing, you, my friend, are pathetic.

123. Ed Weirdness | 10.23.08

#81
Just exactly where in the constitution does it explain what the role and extent of duties is for the Vice President? Seemingly, that role and those duties have expanded over the years, ergo; a constitutional amendment would have been necessary. Doubtless the office of President and Vice President were countenanced by the constitution, but nowehere in the constitution itself is their a definitive statement as to the responsibilities and authorities of either office. Indeed, it is this constitutional imprecision and the reliance on the separation of powers that affords the office of President the necessary flexibility, and the requisite constraints, to advance the will of America’s Citizens.

124. Marty | 10.23.08

This is in response to the “biased” media comments I see constantly thrown around by conservatives against the so-called “liberal” media. Doesn’t anyone realize that in the last 28 years, only two of them were Democrat controlled (the left)? The other twenty six either had a Repulican president and/or a Republican congress. If the media is so biased and we are so influenced by them, please explain this statistic!

I agree that the full quote from Biden should have been used. But I would rather have heard what was published than to hear Palin tell impressionable school children that the Vice-President is in charge of the Senate! She doesn’t even know the job-description!

125. pac | 10.23.08

I bought some purple paint for a project for my wife the other day. I asked the guy who mixed it for me what percentage of red would be mixed with blue to get a ‘pure’ purple. Of course he told me what I already knew - half and half. So, now I am sitting here listening to my two children argue. One says that the color is red and the other says it is blue. I told them they were both wrong. It is no longer red because of the other half being blue and it is no longer blue because of the other half being red.

Obama is NOT BLACK!!! So why are so many people accusing whites of being ‘racists’ because they are voting for an all-white man instead of a man that is exactly half of both?????

126. Tiggy | 10.23.08

Joe is just a “good ole boy” and more often than not his words are taken out of context. That is what happens in the political arena! Actually, that is what happens in almost every aspect of life. Guessing and second guessing what someone meant by specific words or gestures has created economic opportunities! Heaven forbid someone just call a spade a spade.

127. Independent | 10.23.08

In all reality it might be time for everyone to turns their backs on this 2 party system that has dug us into the hole we are currently in. Perhaps it would be nice to let both parties just sit one out for once and actually act like our country is a Democracy and not a “RepubloCrat”. Seriously, all we are seeing on any TV station or hearing on Radio adds is about the 2 parties that have been in office forever. The policies haven’t changed at all, the only difference is who is attacked and who isn’t. The whole system is a joke. 8 years ago the left liked McCain, 4 years ago Biden wanted to be McCain’s running mate, doesn’t anyone have a memory anymore to see they are all the same? Remember the government works for us and is employed by us, and yet the ones we are employing are telling us what to do. It is wrong and not what the ones that gave their lives to get out from under a government that told them how to live. None of us have a back bone if we all just cling to any single party.

128. Ed | 10.23.08

Uh, John “I was in the Navy during the Cuban Missle Crisis ” McCain says he will know how to deal with any crisis that may arise? Based on that resume? Sure he will. The guy who was 4th from the bottom of his class at Annapolis? The guy who lost a number of aircraft due to his own incompetence, including the one he was shot down in in Vietnam? (Noticed that his aircraft had been “locked on” by an enemy missle, but chose to ignore it, by his own admission) The guy that chose Sarah Palin to potentially be a heartbeat away from the Presidency based on her vast experience of being the Mayor of a village of 6000 and the Govenor of a State with fewer people than most any real city in the lower 49 for less than two years. That John McCain? Riiiight!

129. Abigail | 10.23.08

I agree with Henry. Biden is right (although we could have done without “gird your loins”). There will be huge crises facing the next president of the U.S. And, it should scare people that McCain is completely out of touch and he doesn’t get that he’ll be tested. McCain would be tested even more because of his support of the Bush Administration which is not favored on the world stage. In fact, Al Qaida favors McCain because McCain will continue with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan thus depleting US resources.

Nancy Ohara. I get a lot of good info from the blogs. I got these 2 links.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081022/ap_on_el_pr/al_qaida_us_election_2

We need Obama and diplomacy, not impetuousness and war.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/opinion/28kristof.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

130. gemini3 | 10.23.08

Biden was supposed to bolster Obama’s credibility in foreign affairs. It continues to amaze me that he stumbles, misspeaks, and rambles on, with the press picking him up at every fall and insisting that it’s only Joe’s way. What hypocrisy when you think of the way every thing uttered by McCain or Palin is parsed and dissected and used as proof of Obama’s superiority.

I still don’t agree with everything that McCain and Palin stand for, but I’ve already voted for them because I believe that they are authentic. It may have taken a few years for Palin to complete her degree, but how many Americans who have taken a few years for economic and/or personal reasons to complete their degrees? How insulting is it to them to put Palin down for doing the same? It took me several years to complete my B.S. degree, but as an older student I went on to complete a master’s degree. I applaud her for completing a degree, for her family, and for her career.

I have already voted McCain/Palin, my first Republican vote, and would be happy to see them elected. It will be interesting to see just how much help Biden is if Obama/Biden are elected, but then good old Joe, you know how he is, it doesn’t really matter what he says because he’s such a great guy.

Right!

131. Kathy D | 10.23.08

I believe Biden did the best campaigning yet for McCain in the last two days. If that crisis does happen….I want the MAN not the boy.

132. BS | 10.23.08

Well said, Joe the Programmer!

133. Cryos | 10.23.08

Constitution Article 1 section 3

“The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.”

It sounds like Palin is right. If you want to criticize what someone says about constitutional law I would suggest reading the constitution. Palin corrected Biden on the role of the VP in the debate also.

134. Monger | 10.23.08

I wonder what the troops themselves think about our efforts in Iraq. They are in the know and support McCain 3:1. Poll results ~75% McCain/~25% Obama.

To use others logic, how can WE trust a Commander in Chief that our troops can’t?

135. ChiJim | 10.23.08

@T Hall. Yes we have all democratic leadership in Illinois. You can write our last republican govenor in care of the federal pen at Terra Haute, IN.. The best the repubs could run is Judy Barr?? Give me a break. That being said, Blogojevich will be indited as soon as he is out of office (2010). US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will not indite a sitting governor. That’s why he waited for George Ryan to get out of office.

136. pac | 10.23.08

Ed - P.S. You may want to consider dropping the ‘experience’ topic and talk about something else. When it comes to experience, Obama supporters realized a long time ago that they were never going to win that argument. So let’s talk about something else like ‘trust’. I ‘trust’ Obama because he SAID he didn’t know his pastor of 20 years was so radical. I ‘trust’ Obama because he SAID that Bill Ayers isn’t advising his campaing (I don’t care that they really were pal-ing around). I ‘trust’ Obama because he SAID he didn’t kick off his political career in Bill Ayers’ house (even though he really did). I ‘trust’ Obama because he SAID he’s not really connected to Acorn (although he really is). Yes, ‘trust’ is what matters. Let’s use that as our defense and talking points, not ‘experience’.

137. Corey | 10.23.08

People, please step away from the liberal-bias, Obama networks. The media has attmepted to crucify Sarah Palin and you people buy it. As soon as the Gotcha questions and liberal bias in the video editing is removed it is a completely different different Palin. Look at the Biden-Palin Debate. After the Katie Couric NBC BS I was getting skeptical. Then Palin hits it out of the Park. Wake up to the media bias people. Don’t be a blind sheep.

Back to Barack Hussein Obama, We have to pay attention to what is happening. Our enemies that we are at war with want Barack Hussein in our white house. He has been endorsed by Hamas, an islamic extremist group. There should be warning bells going off all over the nation.

138. baz | 10.23.08

I don’t see Biden in seclusion. I see him out campaigning, every day… on his very own. I saw no problem with what Biden said… every President is tested early in their campaign. Remember the controversy with China, right after Bush was selected? One of our spy planes, collided with a Chinese plane, and they wouldn’t release our plane. Eventually, Bush blinked.
As for Obama, to those who still have fear of Obama as President, there’s a very interesting read, from Time Magazine, which delves into areas rarely covered by the Media. Give it a read, it may allay some fears…
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1853025-1,00.html

139. HedgeBaby | 10.23.08

Has anybody stopped to think about the fact that Joe Biden’s mother-in-law passed away a few weeks ago? Senator Biden and his family are most likely still grieving - and rightfully so.

Yet he gathered himself and stepped right back into campaigning - putting himself and his family front and center of public scrutiny.

That takes guts at ANY time, and much more so after facing a death in the family. I think we as a nation can afford to be generous and allow that Senator Biden and his family maybe need some private time to themselves in-between campaign stops.

And I think we SHOULD be practical and afford him that time now, so that if elected he will have had time to be with his family and heal their sorrow, cause he’s certainly not going to get that time after the beginning of next year.

So many people in this nation talk about being Christians. I challenge you to step up and demonstrate the true Christian charity that your Christ and your Bible taught - give the man a break, and start looking at the REAL issues that face our country.

140. Spaniel | 10.23.08

“Does anyone remember that it was Joe Biden who suggested we split Iraq up into three different countries? A real foreign policy expert…HA!”

The irony of posting unresearched information on a forum in which everyone is complaining that no one researches information is so telling. Biden suggested splitting Iraq up into a Federation of autonomous states (note, not independent states. Autonomous states have significant ability to take care of their own affairs except for those powers that are deemed the exclusive right of the central government). It is a suggestion that was put forward I believe by UN Representative Lakhdar Brahimi some time around 2004 and the idea had some support, both in the US and in Iraq. It is also an idea that should resound with Americans who reconciled their own squabbling states by exactly the same system in 1787. Ultimately, this idea is not as stupid as it may appear. It needs to be ironed out a great deal but it is workable and I for one am glad to have Biden up for VP so that we might actually get the chance to implement what may be the foundation for an actual end to this fiasco. Moreover, I would be willing to bet that McCain if elected, would probably listen very closely to such an idea were it put to him.

141. baz | 10.23.08

Cryos said”
“Constitution Article 1 section 3
“The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.”

142. The Mokoda | 10.23.08

Thank you, Young Snowbird, for the most mature, sensible, and certainly one of the absolute BEST posts I have seen on any forum in this election season.

Many aspects of America are simply broken and blaming each other because of differing ideologies, politics and insulting labels is not only silly and immature, but it WON’T FIX ANYTHING!

Some people truly and honestly believe McCain is the answer to our problems, others just as truly and just as honestly believe Obama is the answer. But, regardless which one gets elected, ALL of us are going to have to put the junk talk aside and help get ourselves out of this mess. Otherwise, it won’t be politicians and the ineptitude we claim they have that we can blame. It will be those polarized over-partisan citizens who are too mad to contribute and sacrifice because their candidate didn’t win.

143. gloriamundi | 10.23.08

Biden is a good man who sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, but Sarah Palin wants to redefine the VP seat the way Cheney did.

Made a public statement that she had been “cleared” after being found guilty of ethics code violations for firing the top cop as a personal vendetta in the Troopergate investigation.

Pretends to be pro-American when her husband is a secessionist and she has been to secessionist meetings. Pretends to be down-to-earth to appeal to small town folks, but buys clothes from Saks, Nieman Marcus, and Barneys. Fired the town librarian after the librarian refused to ban books.

Will not have a press conference and when she speaks she sticks to her talking points, evades questions, or simply shows herself to be ignorant or mean. Some of her speaking engagements feel like she’s trying to incite a riot and stoke up a lynch mob. The list goes on and on…

144. Dave | 10.23.08

After reading these posts, I am left with the conclusion that, we, as a Nation are in deep yogurt. It does not matter if you are left or right. What does matter is that we elect the person who is most likely to lead us with competence. Unfortunately, we are being spoon fed information, and many of us do not bother to independently seek out the truth.

Obama’s economic plan is little different than Roosevelt during the Great Depression. The GD lasted 10 years longer than it should have because of wealth re-distribution. WWII brought us out of the depression because the government started buying goods and services, rather than giving welfare.

McCain and Obama’s health plans are not practical, and a solution lies somewhere in between. Giving a 50% tax credit to a small business to pay for health insurance would provide enough money for one employee’s coverage. Not much help.

The mess we are in is the fault of Democrats, Republicans, banks, CEO’s, people borrowing money who could not afford to pay it back, greenies who retard progress, exploiters who corrupt our resources. Enough division…let’s pull together.

145. Frank | 10.23.08

Who says journalists don’t investigate any more? The AP is getting to the bottom of Sarah Palin’s children traveling with her on state business and how much was spent on her clothing. No news yet on Barack Obama’s dealings with Rezko or Ayers, or how his wife nearly tripled her six figure income at a hospital when became a US Senator and then got earmarks for it. But first things first, I’m sure.

Oh, and so much for fairness: Can’t wait to find out how much the campaign spends on the black licorice favored by Palin’s daughter, Piper, 7, which she reportedly doles out to staff and reporters on the campaign trail.

146. Sue | 10.23.08

who in their right mind would vote for a team where one thinks there is 60 states and he been to 57 of them already and another one thinks there was tv and president R did a speech on it in 1929. Kids in grade school know how many states we have.Then Biden makes the comment that if Obama wins there will be a crisis. what a team.

147. Michael | 10.23.08

The big difference is that while Biden sometimes misspeaks, he obviously knows what hes talking about. When Palin does, its because she is clueless.

Also, Biden has given over 90 press conferences compared to Palin’s zero. (where she actually has taken questions from the press, not just a staged photo-op)

148. Terra | 10.23.08

It saddens me that his speeches are the point of interest. So he isn’t a good speaker, he isn’t the worst either. On the issues, where it count Biden is a strong leader… He is exactly where our country needs to be…

149. Sheryl Valentine | 10.23.08

Please. All of Joe Biden’s so called gaffes have been taken out of context. I’ve read or heard most of them “in context” and they come off completely different.

150. Da Truth | 10.23.08

If Palin is inexperienced, then is Biden’s tendency toward saying things he should not just as bad. Biden’s comment about Obama being tested by someone in his first 6 months (if elected) is almost an invite. At least Palin knows to keep her mouth shut. At least she knows not to exacerbate the situation with unjustified, volunteered comments; Biden does not seem to have a clue, or worse in that he does not seem to be able to help himself !!

Considering Obama’s inexperience and Biden’s gaffs, their dealings on the world stage will be very sub-par compared to McCain/Palin.

151. Cryos | 10.23.08

Unfortunately it appears Jim’s full post regarding Fannie/Freddie is gone. I udnerstand the reasons for this from the site but Jim please post that on other sites as that is the best comprehensive post I have seen regarding Fannie/Freddie. It is very difficult to find information on this and I did learn a couple new things but didn’t copy and paste it for reference material.

Hopefully people investigate the REAL causes behind the financial problems not the “unchecked capitalism” and “republican deregulation” notions being used as a catalyst to regulate our lives and drive out the intent of freedom and responsibility for that freedom instilled by our constitution.

152. officerb | 10.23.08

I agree with thelasttruerepublican: This country has no leadership. No visionary greatness. No leaders, just governance and empty rhetoric. Without LEADERSHIP we are (quickly)becoming a third rate nation. The common fix for this condition is usually war. Unless We The People DEMAND more from the Executive branch, the congress, and the press -we are doomed to poverty, war, and totalitarian rule.
Attaining high public office is less about conviction of improving this country, it’s about becoming connected, wealthy, and gaining power.

153. Terra | 10.23.08

Cryos?? Did you watch the same debate I did??? She even got the amendment wrong in her statement… Plus wanted to give the VP a more active role…

154. Jeffbecky | 10.23.08

Do we want two lawyers to be president and vice-president or a veteran/POW and a mom who happens to be a governor of a mineral rich state and wasn’t afraid to take on the oil companies. I’m sick and tired of lawyers in politics. The politician/lawyers are the ones who have made the most mess in this country.

155. MsSwin | 10.23.08

Palin has yet to give an open press conference.. could it be she has nothing to wear?

156. steve | 10.23.08

i have noticed that if say any thing bad about Obama on here or about his cousin they will not post my comment..

157. Rich Pizzo | 10.23.08

I knew Bidden was a mistake, he has serious problems controlling his impulses, he is impulsive, and he is cowboy, and he is cavalier… he enjoys being in the spotlight too much… and thinks to highly of his opinions… he is a disaster, and needs to disappear from the media…… the only real mistake Obama has made…. luckily Palin is even worse…..

pathetic…. McCaine is sickening to pay any attention to, he is a stupid old fool, mean and a neoCon… with no real substance..

he graduated at the bottom of his class.. and it shows…. his misinformation, misrepresentation, distortions, exaggeration, personal attacks, prevarication, equivocation, treachery calumny and lies, is now well understood by the American public, the more he does the more people switch over to Obama… We are very Lucky to have Obama as candidate..

158. Chris | 10.23.08

Ron:

The media is supposed to report the news, not support the Democratic Party. What ever happened to integrity?

159. R | 10.23.08

Can’t we vote for none of the above (for president, congress, local) and start everything over

160. Tim | 10.23.08

Monger #137 - That was a non-scientific poll with a very lopsided demographic (readers of Military Times). Your argument is, like your source, invalid.

161. Candace | 10.23.08

If any group is interested in testing the next president it will be Al Qaeda.

We need to withdraw from Iraq right away ( we cant afford it) in order to effectively respond to the next attack. There’s no way that John McCain is going to do that; he’d reinstate the draft before he’d withdraw

Neither candidate is an expert in terrorism but I think its safe to say that invading and occupying countries in the middle east in order to kill every person who might oppose us one day is not a good plan for anyone.

I wonder if failing in Iraq would have been more humiliating to our nation or threatening to our national security then our current economic crisis.

All Al Qaeda has to do is get us to chase them all over the globe, we go broke and then they hit us at home. We are falling directly into their trap.
I hope Obama will think more about his plans to go after Osama in Pakistan.

I think any large scale attacks will be a huge mistake for this country.

162. Trevor | 10.23.08

On the Media: Breaking news two days ago on AC360, CNN, Sarah Palin as Governor spends 20 thousand and change on air fare for her children to go on official business and RNC spends 150,000 dollars in clothing and accessories for Palin and family.

This on the same day Sarah gives her first interview with CNN, after months of CNN criticising her for not interviewing with them, and thats not even given the “Breaking News” slot.

The air fare for the children was brought up immediately following the republican convention. That is not breaking news.

Now, if she hadn’t brought her children thus, not spending the extra money, AC360 breaking news would read “Bad Mother Abandons Children” or something of that nature.

And I don’t really care how much any of the candidates spend on their clothes, it is obviously going to be an obsene amount. Obama and his Armani, Palin and her Neiman Marcus sprees, it doesn’t matter, and isn’t NEWS. That is an insult to the rest of us. Enough said.

163. bill edwards | 10.23.08

this country is definitely in a bad way. while one can’t blame mr bush (yes, i intentionally used “mr” instead of “president”, because the 2 don’t really fit well together)for all the problems, they certainly happened during his watch.

he inherited a government with a surplus and now our national debt is the largest it’s ever been. what else should have one expected from a failed businessman - a crooked one at that (remember the infamous Harkin Energy scandal some 20 years ago?

i didn’t think so. well, do your homework & read about it, friend. “w” was caughtwith his hand in the cookie jar among other things, but the “investigation” mysteriously evaporated under pressure from “daddy”).

164. Ron | 10.23.08

To David -

Yes the democrats are more concerned about money but its because ALL of America is concerned about money (or the lack of it as far as many of us are concerened). Did you not realize that there’s a huge financial crisis affecting America? Or perhaps you are one of those “poor” republicans who earn more than 250K and hence are not concerned about money and are only concerned that Obama might raise your taxes?

To Cryos - who said “from a rights standpoint…ask yourself HONESTLY on a daily basis how invasive laws changed by Bush to meet a very REAL threat affect you.” - I say it is exactly because of people like you who support GWB’s doctrines that we are regressing in the global community. Perhaps if you are white who has a Christian name, it doesn’t affect you. Ask someone whose name is Ibrahim, Ahmed or Mohammad who are as much American as you are, how life for them has changed because of these laws. These amendments, including Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and Iraw are FUNDAMENTAL VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

165. bill edwards | 10.23.08

note to editor: i just submitted a comment of several paragraphs in this
space and hit the “submit comment” button and another page came up on my
screen with no indication that my comment had even been accepted for review.
is this your standard modus operandi?..what gives? thanks.

166. Chris | 10.23.08

To all those who complain about the steel of spine part of the quote being left out, I notice you did not mention the rest of the quote that was left out - “we’re gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it’s not gonna be apparent initially, it’s not gonna be apparent that we’re right.”
The reason it’s not apparent might just be that they won’t be right, but let’s stand with him anyway. Sounds kinda like the Republicans with W.

167. blg | 10.23.08

I would like to know how McCain has been tested. He states that he sat in a plane on a flight deck during the Cuban Missile Crisis as the example of his testing. Presumably, he sat in that plane waiting on orders from a superior officer.

How has he been tested personally in an international crisis? Does he have any experience running a company or governmental agency? What is his executive experience?

Perhaps some of the bloggers have specific instances of his personal international testing or what executive experience he has.

168. theemailman | 10.23.08

10. Ron | 10.23.08

This in reply to Thomas who said..

“I aint saying that Palin is the pick of the litter, but she isnt a loose cannon like Joe Biden. Give her one year in the VP slot and she will be more developed than Joe Biden after 4 years. I think we all can agree on that..”

This is to back up ‘Ron’s reply to Thomas: No one in there right mind would think that ’sara Pain is not a loose cannon’ just lesson, read, or see her not thinking, just reading what someone wote for her.

When she tried to talk and think at the same time it comes out mush. You can tell the same type of writers give McCain the same type of messages to read but when most of the time he can talk what he’s thinking.But then he says something which makes me believe he is taking lessons form sara. Boy talk about a ‘PICK’! ! !

169. mary | 10.23.08

To: 891Stevens

From 2000 to 2004 we had a Rep. Congress— 2004 until now a Dem. Congress.
Things were good…. NOW and I beleive the Media has alot to do with what and how people think…

170. Thinkaboutit | 10.23.08

We discuss the merits and strategy of the election game but lose sight of the real task- electing the people we feel are the most qualified in every way to lead our nation at this point in time. Maybe Biden was quoted out of context.

At least he has a comprehensive grasp of the issues at hand. Anyone who seriously thinks that Sarah Palin is playing in the same sandbox is a fool. Sorry, but it is not an emotional debate here. It is a matter of fact.

As for MCain vs Obama. It’s the 21st century folks. McCain’s doctrine of hatred and fear, a sort of constant and permanent mindset that is best exemplified by his proud declaration that we will stay in Iraq for 100 years.

MCCain is erratic and blustery, given to sudden outbursts of rage. He is old, and unsteady. He is willing, as proven by his choices in this campaign, to give up any personal integrity and attack his opponent by any means available.

Obama, on the other hand, is as steady, and as strong as can be.

171. Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D. | 10.23.08

Really Bad News for Biden:

Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2008 — California Leads the Way

http://mensnewsdaily.com/2008/10/17/domestic-violence-awareness-month-2008-california-leads-the-way/

Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2008 — California Leads the Way

172. merly | 10.23.08

On Obama:
“Birds of the same feather flocks together.” This saying is applies to Obama regarding his alliances with Ayers, Wrights, Resko and Acorn. The names seem to have a tendency to commit crime, so beware of Obama, he has a leaning to become criminal, too. Infact, when Obama approved, the earmarks for his wife’s employer. The employer increased Obama’s wife salary to a six figure salary. You scratch my back and I will scratch your back, too. Very very corrupt. So watch out for Obama.

173. mave | 10.23.08

Why did Biden say that Obama will be tested when he’s President but didn’t say the same thing about McCain? Because McCain isn’t going to BE President.

174. Pearl Volkov | 10.23.08

What is so terrible about Joe Biden’s remark about problems looming in a new presidency? It is an obvious fact but the reaction by reading something sinister into his remark is rediculous. I am sure that Senator Obama made his remark about Biden’s rhetorical flourishes as a result of all the todo.

There are much more disturbing divisive comments being made by the McCain campaign that are really worrisome.

175. Kitty | 10.23.08

What this election represents is a referendum on the role of government.

On the one hand, you have a candidate who, when you boil it down, believes in growing government. Who believes that “the wealth” is a fixed amount, forever unchanging.

On the other hand, you have a candidate, who, when you boil it down, is this weird hybrid of larger and smaller government.

The Founders of this great nation, in their wisdom, did not intend the policies and proposals set forth by either of these candidates. They understood that the greatest amount of freedom was found in having a limited government that provided merely a framework in which people had the liberty to pursue their own happiness, free to the greatest extent possible, of government intrusion.

The line between tyranny and good governance is razor thin.

Lately we have had more of the former. I have no doubt it will continue into the near future. But all is not lost. Do not give in to fear or despair: You are not alone. The power lies with We The People. Time to remind the “lords of the manor” of this fact. We can become the nation our Founders intended.

176. Patriot in Nevada | 10.23.08

To the person who posted that the “blue states” would be leaving to form a new country: Good riddance. The rest of us don’t need your high taxes (inherently unAmerican), burdensome regulation of everything under the sun/moon (inherently unAmerican), intolerance for those who don’t agree with you (inherently unAmerican), and whiny attitudes (inherently unAmerican).

What do you say my fellow red-staters?

177. Brown | 10.23.08

Take brains out of box! This country has more than two broken parties to vote for. Why should we limit ourselves to the two worst parties in the country? “I want to take your personal freedoms.” “Yeah, well I wanna take your fiscal freedoms.” “Personal!” “Fiscal!” Oh wait, why don’t we tell both of these parties to leave our freedoms alone? Government: keep your hands out of my wallet and out of my life! Your responsibility is to provide a stable framework and defend our borders, not to dictate personal choices or fiscal decisions. If any of you out there actually believe that the country will be better off with McCain or Obama then I recommend you read 1984. I, for one, am not ready to surrender my freedoms.

178. Michael | 10.23.08

“I am very worried about what Joe B would say to other leaders of foreign lands.”

Hmm, but this does not concern you with Palin? She has no clue about foreign policy and her ideas are frighteningly backwards and irrational. She has said, in all seriousness, that because you can see Russia from Alaska, she has foreign policy experience. She could not name a single newspaper she reads. She made it through the VP debate by reciting prepared lines like a 3rd grader.

You’d rather have someone sit down at the Geneva Convention and say “actually, I’m not going to answer your question, I’m going to talk about oil instead”

179. Chris | 10.23.08

For crying out loud Palin bashers…the woman has more freaking experience than your beloved candidate for President. Community organizer? Of groups like ACORN who get federal money and are still able to “endorese” a candidate. How many lies will you tolerate from Barry Obama? How many?

180. Joe The Plummer | 10.23.08

People are scared, and any candidate who promises something for nothing will get spun into Superman.

I wish you’d quit calling McCain old. During the debates he was much quicker on his feet than Obama.

The Dems have controlled Congress for two years. But they do not accept one iota of blame. Very strange and disturbing.

181. keith Seattle | 10.23.08

Don’t blame it all on Joe…Powell is predicting the same thing. What is going on and if they know it’s going to happen why don’t they prevent it! Haven’t we’ve gone through enough?

Speaking on meet the press two days ago, Powell officially endorsed Obama and also made the following statement:

Powell’s Comments on MEET THE PRESS.

“The problems will always be there and there’s going to be a crisis which will come along on the 21st, 22nd of January that we don’t even know about right now.

So I think what the President has to start to do is to start using the power of the oval office and the power of his personality to convince the American people and convince the world that America is solid, that America is going to move forward, we are going to fix our economic problems, we’re going to meet out overseas obligations.”

182. TDR | 10.23.08

I hope Obama does win.

We need another National Holiday.
I just hope they don’t pair it up with Martin Luther King Day.
Obama deserves his own Day.

183. Marcello | 10.23.08

For the life of I’ll never under understand why Christian fanatics are so far to the right. In my opinion, John McCain doesn’t even believe in God. In his last campaign he admitted that he had “little faith” and consistently referred to Evangelicals as “agents of intolerance.” Now, all of sudden, he’s the model Christian/Southern Baptist. Please!

Barack Obama has been a Baptist his entire adult life so why doesn’t that count for anything? I’m guessing it’s the whole pro-choice thing which for some reason is outcome determinative for Christian fanatics. Look at what a mistake that reasoning made in electing Bush. The county is in the toilet. Do you people realize that even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, then it’s the states that decide whether abortions are illegal? I’m from IL and I know they’d still be legal here.

184. nathan | 10.23.08

I love it, this is the only thing that Moose hunter has talked about for 3 days now. It is so sad that this is all the substance it takes to get republicans to buy into your BS.

I thought I was just being tough on Republicans when I said they were sheep now I see that I was not wrong and nailed it correctly.

185. Carl | 10.23.08

I bet both Obama and MCain sit back and laugh their butts off at how far things get spun from the truth. There is no truth anymore just spins. I wish there was a way to hold these 2 thieving liars accountable for all the lies they are spewing. It’s really sad that 1 of them has to win. The only thing that is more sad is all the morons that believe any of the lies either one of them are saying.

Obama is a liar.
Mcain is a liar.

Vote for whoever you want to for whatever reason you want. It doesn’t matter. Neither 1 will be able to change anything for the better. Either 1 will be so HATED in 2 years that impeachment will happen. Things are only going to get worse, our corrupt government is the problem. Both these liars are corrupt and will only make things worse for us as a country.

186. Jesse | 10.23.08

I hope Obama wins.

Bush and Palin would make a great couple. Scrabble at their house would be good times…

187. Abigail | 10.23.08

What Biden said was not a gaffe. There will be crises, both international and domestic. Biden spoke about Obama being tested because that is who will be president.

I agree with blg. What “experience” does McCain have? McCain was a POW. That doesn’t give him experience to be president. True, McCain has been trained for war (U.S. Naval Academy). But, do we want McCain to lead us into another war? The wars we are in now have cost lives plus over $648 billion. It is depleting our resources as Al Qaeda wants us to do. I agree with Candace.
And where will McCain get his troops to stay in the war for 100 years as he said he would do? Will he reinstate the draft?

What I’m looking for in the next president is diplomacy. Who can negotiate with the world powers? I want to avoid another war. The world prefers Obama, especially our allies.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/bush_europeans_world_usview_di.html

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hFwJvuFfg5hKAALtPghvKcOem_jQ

188. Average American | 10.23.08

It is hard to think so many Americans are so shallow! I know we are a country of fast food and immediate gratification but come on people, look at the facts of record.

You can’t CHANGE the system if you have never even stood up to the system!

Times are hard and with the Baby Boomers retiring it will get even harder. There is no quick, Slick Willy fix! This subprime loan of Carter/Clinton took a while to put in place and it’s effects are pretty deep as we all can see. So much for the Social Engineering of the Democrats! Thanks allot Clinton and Carter!

I don’t think McCain is the best choice for President, however, Obama is by FAR the worst choice for President! Even his own running mate has told us over and over again that he is too dangerous for the country! When are you going to listen? After we invade Pakistan like he said he would do during the debates?

We Americans have to take responsibility and work through this hard time! We can’t spend or tax our way out of it! We must elect McCain if we stand a chance at all of heading off a depression and world conflict!

Start taking responsibility and thinking for yourself! Pelosi and her clowns will never tell you the truth, just look at this proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related

189. Alex | 10.23.08

Republicans have had the White House for 8 years and Congress for 6 of those 8 years. Please for god sake STOP BLAMING CLINTON and the DEMOCRATs for all that is wrong with this country. 9/11 didn’t happen in thier watch. These un-ending wars were not started on their watch. The financial deregulation of the banking industry that led to this current mess didn’t start on their watch.

190. independant Joe | 10.23.08

Most folks seem to be longing for November 5th. Our elections have indeed become a brutal spectacle. Let’s hope we have a clear winner either way come November 5th. As for Joe Biden, he’s not running for President, I don’t care what he says. Same with Sarah Palin.
It’s just John or Barack. I’ll give the new guy my total support wether I voted for him or not!
Come January 20th the clock starts ticking and 4 years is short time for the mountain of work ahead. God bless the next President of the United States.

191. Eric Moore | 10.23.08

The irony is that Biden speaks the truth. Unfortunately most people don’t want to hear the truth. Or they take his words and twist it to suit their needs. And that’s the rub. Joe Biden is a pretty good and honest of a career politician as you can get (that’s a pretty low bar). Most of all I believe he honestly means well. The guy goes home on the train to Delaware every evening from Washington to his ONE house and his family. His income is modest and hasn’t used his office for gain from what I can tell.

In comparison, Palin, whom has used her office for personal vendettas, charged personal travel expenses of her children to the state, fialed to report income, and ran up a $150K personal make over tab with the RNC has shown little restraint in exploiting the perks provided by her position. Not to mention the influence of the First Dude, Todd. Who has been known to hang out in the Governor’s office and sit in ON POLICY MEETINGS. Note to Sarah: Todd wasn’t elected–you were–how about if you take the responsibility to represent the constituents that ELECTED you? Just a thought.

192. hand of fate | 10.23.08

To all the blue state people so tired of living with dumb, backward, red state “rednecks”, hear this: please don’t let the barndoor hit ya on the way out!

And please don’t forget to pick up Matt Damon and Colin Farell, and all those other “deep thinkers” in Left Hollyweed, OK?

Somehow, we must learn to carry on without their golden input.

Later dudes!

193. RueDee | 10.23.08

“Tested” John: We’ve all seen his crisis response. Run around with hair on fire waving a couple of imaginary six shooters at anything that moves.

194. lightnin | 10.23.08

Here’s an example of “democratic” financial responsibility, tax policy, and dishonesty:

WHO screwed up Social Security??

When Social Security began the “democrats” SAID:

Participation would be VOLUNTARY.

The contributions would be TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.

The funds wouldn’t be used for anything ELSE, and

195. karvictho | 10.24.08

The press has done its share to misconstrue what candidates say. Whether they are reporting on the republicans or dems.

As to Biden’s abilities or president, as the case could be, he has the intellect and knowledge to do either. It would be nice if he weren’t afflicted with “foot-in-mouth” disease, on the otherhand I would rather him say something seemingly off kilter, than not ever see him or here him — as has been the case with Cheney–and we all know he has been the pivotal policy maker for the Bush administration.

Palin is not ready for either job primarily because she is ignorant about domestic and foreign policy. Neither topic can be ignored if America is going to get its footing back.

196. VLo | 10.24.08

Obama said: “Joe sometimes engages in rhetorical flourishes,” Obama said. “But I think his core point was that the next administration is going to be tested, regardless of who it is. The next administration is going to be inheriting a host of really big problems.”

But Obama, Joe was referring to you and you alone and not McCain. You know that, right? So, it’s better if you just speak for yourself.

197. Rich Pizzo | 10.24.08

This election is a WAR, between The Republican capitalistic-no restraints- Corpocracy and the best and vital interests of the American People -it’s exploited victims. Make no mistake about it. the US government has been hijacked by Corporate greed, The Corpocracy Government is going down, due to their unsustainable unconscionable greed… =WAR IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS= and they are dragging US down with them.

They are grabbing everything they can in their inevitable crash, and robbing Americans of their peace, security, retirement, healthcare,…

Their are so many such corporate and government traitors, who have betrayed the best and vital interest of the American people, the white house lawn is not big enough to hang them all.

I have always been against the death penalty until this administration.