http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ecA2L-VuQ
McCain = BIG OIL

"Bush has never explained why he invaded Iraq -- a country that had no doomsday weapons and did us no harm. It's doubtful that McCain or Palin could explain Bush's mindless mission in the Middle East if they gained the White House."

To quote the Blues Brothers" "We're on a mission from Gawd"

"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats

I am slightly dyslexic, and I keep seeing Nail McPain.
She recently put herself in front of him anyway.

Love
Zero

Can we all celebrate Helen Thomas for her great work, which is a delight to read and all she has done so far. Who of us could challenge the presidents at press conferences as she has done? The lady in red.... Celebrate Helen Thomas. Thanks, Helen Thomas.

Palin's run for VP is no more naive than Dumbya's run for President. The puppeteers are in charge.

Education is supposed to be the path from cocky ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Palin's cockiness and "not blinking" when asked to be the VP candidate is yet another proof of how education is completely wasted on people like her and Dubya. No doubts, no curiosity, no analytical ability, no thoughtfulness, no thoughts. Just Christian-God-given righteousness and arrogance.

I am an immigrant living and working in Texas amongst college educated Christians. Their "faith-based" knowledge frightens me.

If the American people fall for it again then, sorry, fooled thrice. Americans will just have to live with the further deterioration of their country and world. It's sad, but Americans did it to Americans through deceit. Every "point" that McCain/Palin make ease America that much closer to a fully faded glory. Without morality a country is nothing.

Bush explained why he was going to war in Iraq before he was ever president. He told a friend that to be remembered as a great president you had to be a war president. Of course for that, you have to have a war. Iraq fit the bill because then he could show up Daddy at the same time. Lucky us.

When the people fear their government there is tyranny,
when the government fears the people there is liberty.
~ Thomas Jefferson

Bush/Cheney and McCain/Palin are depicted as evil, and pursusing an insane agenda. I agree. But have you thought the deep-seated reasons they do what they do? The wars, the deception, etc.?

It's because deep down, the electorate is averse to change, and asking the American people to reduce energy consumption, to change their consumption to reduce their ecological footprint, and to make other changes is ELECTORAL SUICIDE. Look what happened to Jimmy Carter when he attempted to ask for modest reductions in energy consumption. He's derided as one of the worst presidents in American history, although I think of him as being the best in the last 40 or 50 years. Contrast that with the perception of Reagan. Yes, WE KNOW that Reagan was a doddering figurehead for a deceptive, cheating conservative movement. But he regarded energy problems as an inadequate supply, and worked to keep the status quo going. He's celebrated as a hero, although his policies, then and now, are a DISASTER.

Moral of the story: you can blame the politicians, but they're smart enough to not offend the electorate any more than they need to in order to get elected. Americans don't want to inconvenience themselves with reduced energy, food, and materials consumption. Asking them to do so is political suicide. I think Bush/Cheney are wildly successful, but also hate their values, policies, and philosophy. Without making the electorate willing to make reductions in energy and other consumption, we won't change the strategy of the politicians.

She told an interviewer: "I'm ready."

She must have misheard the interviewer. The interviewer was not talking about bedtime.

Hellen says that Mcsame pain would be like more bush. Well what's wrong with that? Oh, yah, I suppose there are one or two - thousand - reasons why that wouldnt' be good...

Sioux Rose

Examining Bush and his purported motives is rather like looking at a pile of cow dung and from it seeking to divine the future. Helen Thomas quotes those sources that actually place into LEGITIMATE question anything this under-informed, slow thinker PLACED into the # 1 (presidential) slot essentially to open the floodgates for the biggest heists of modern history supposedly conceived. He does not think, there IS no thought process with Bush, neither any capacity to FEEL. He is the figurehead of those that have no conscience and are to money what the addict is to heroin.

GUS: There are some Americans that indeed fit your description, but a good % would probably be willing to alter their ways if the media didn't place into question (like a corrupt defense attorney representing a mass murderer for instance) EVERY dangerous trend currently underway. The climate of dis-information means few know WHAT to believe in. Even in this forum of mostly educated thinking sorts, there are some who buy into some very strange BS.

Sioux Rose

FAL 2 GAL: Your name seems new to the forum. Your description of this sort of person fits, and is the culmination of generations of pro-nationalistic programming, now fueled by similar indoctrinations into false team loyalties that emerge from our intense sports-media complex. Religion uses stylistic programming from both in demanding loyalty from its flock (the evangelical sorts of religion, anyway); and thus those who BELONG to the "WINNING" team feel no onus to question anything. Their certainty that they are the new Chosen will become quite the disappointment when they cross over and the REAL Jesus, or perhaps Buddha, will interview them and ask, "What did you think I meant by whatsoever you do unto the least of these?" If anyone dares answer "BOMB," they get to live in the next zone on this planet or another, absolutely in line for violent destruction.

Unless empathy is cultivated, most need to wear someone else's moccassins to get it. This is why we heard the quote, "Judge not that ye not be judged." I've seen that from the days of my youth, certain situations I was judgmental towards BECAME my own until I began to see the connection between things, and really FEEL for mankind as a FAMILY. No one can evolve, "the only way to the Father is through me," to this higher spiritual consciousness without developing spiritual sensitivity. Using Jesus' name the way some deluded elderly woman clings to her Rosary beads cuts nothing in the way of soul evolution, and the karmic residue that precedes it.

I respect Helen Thomas tremendously (I watched the documentary on her life just this week). I hate to even think of the White House press corp without her.

But, this is no time to be placing trust in either Obama or McCain.

We are in serious, very serious trouble.

We need honest and predictable leadership, not more of the same.

As a nation, we are doomed without taking a real, honest step to clean this mess up.

Vote like your country and life depended on it.

THIS time, it really does.

Vote for Nader.

A group of black protesters holding signs reading "Blacks Against Obama" disrupted Obama's speech in Coral Gables but were drowned out by the crowd's chants of "yes we can."

They were led out by police after a brief interruption.

Dont Conelessa Rice, Colin Powel, and Clarence Thomas have anything better to do with their time?

"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats

Is McCain Palin's Bitch?

Helen, Helen, Helen!!

Whatever happened to "girl power"!!

Yes she's had no experience of anything much - as mayor she appointed a city manager to take care of things and left the city in debt.

And yes, as governor she seems to have spent most of her time harrassing an ex-brother-in-law - or encouraging family members and staff to do the same.

And yes she's "mispoken" about the bridge to nowhere, earmarks, being in iraq, being in ireland and running the national guard,etc.

But so what. She's a "heck of a gal" - and a hockey mom !

And if you think she can't figure out foreign policy, just look at how quickly she mastered "executive priviledge".

Helen Thomas observes that Sarah Palin's "evangelical rigidity puts her out of step with the with modern woman. She is said to be more reactionary than McCain - if that's possible. Is it any wonder that activist feminist organizations have come out in favor of Obama?" No wonder at all, and this week's developments on that front of the culture wars is wonderful.

Sarah Palin is to the American womens' movement what Clarence Thomas and Ward Connerly are to the civil rights movement for the rights of African-Americans. As a member of a new neo-con front group calling itself Feminists for Life, Ms. Palin would substitute abstinence only lectures for meaningful sex education on contraception. On ideological and religious grounds, she opposes the choice of abortion even for victims of forcible rape and incest, while this newfangled "feminist" front group openly lobbies to nullify Roe v Wade. By coopting some of the rhetoric, the GOP's right wing is trying to redefine (in the image of Phyllis Schlafly) what it means to be a "liberated" woman in the neo-cons' brave new world

Yes, Helen, this sure is out of step.

Trying to read Margaret Sanger out of the history of the womens' rights movement in the United States is rather like claiming to be a big supporter of equal rights for blacks - but just please don't mention that Frederick Douglass fellow. As the media hype and celebrity sizzle of the Palin veep choice subsides, the substance inside is gradually being exposed as the proverbial wolf in sheeps' clothing that this cynical ticket balancing stunt has always been.

As a male who once marched in the streets of Chicago and Philadelphia in support of passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (thanks for the sharp stick in the eye, Henry Hyde), I say take a deep breath, and put your trust in the good common sense of real world women voters to see past the GOP's preposterous smoke and mirrors marketing effort come election day.

When all is said and done, this slickly packaged snake oil is not going to sell within its designated target demographic group.

Bill from Saginaw

When they tell you there's no real choice but McCain or Obama, remember this: they're lying.

When you get to the ballot box, you'll see Nader right there between McCain and Obama in 45 states. When you get to the ballot in 32 states, you'll see Cynthia McKinney. Both have worked tirelessly their whole lives for the Constitution and the People. Both have spoken out against reckless financial deals that now threaten the retirement funds and livelihoods of millions of Americans. Both have spoken out against the occupation of Iraq and for impeachment of Bush-Cheney.

How much longer must your conscience wait?

John M. Wages, Jr.
Candidate, US House of Representatives, MS-01
www.VoteJohnWages.com

What a stupid article. Sorry. Everybody knows Palen is a political cipher and so is the current occupant of the White House, the one Dems are protecting.

Bush has never explained why he invaded Iraq -- a country that had no doomsday weapons and did us no harm. It's doubtful that McCain or Palin could explain Bush's mindless mission in the Middle East if they gained the White House.

-this is a really stupid thing to say in support of the Obama/Biden ticket. One advocated for it, both voted to fund it.

Helen Thomas is a DPA (Dem Party apologist). She doesn't end with the typical DPA "Therefore vote for Obama!" but it's implied. George Bush was about as qualified as Palin and he managed just great with Democratic assistance. And when he really started screwing up and breaking laws the Democrats were quick to grant him retroactive immunity and declare impeachment is off the table.

Palin could be president because the president isn't the one running the oligarchy. He or she is just a gloried water boy doing the bidding and business of the PTB (powers that be).

It won't really matter which of the two establishment parties has control of the government because the policies are designed by the industries that they are supposed to be regulating. Hence it won't really matter that much whether we get a Black Republican or a White one, the corrupt banking industry will be bailed out at taxpayer expense, the little guy will lose his home and the wars will continue,

On the Democratic side we get Biden, the consummate insider of 35 years who has been sitting there all this time while everything got deregulated and said what? What he did say is that he was in favor of the war in Iraq and voted for it. Maybe that's why Obama picked him; to shore up his "military" credentials.

Go Greens! Go Nader! Go any 3rd party that is opposed to war, for people and against corporate and government corruption!

George Bush said, "You're either with us or with the enemy!" Christian fundamentalists, Muslim fundamentalists, fundamentalists of all kinds see the world in black and white like Bush. Progressive fundamentalists are no different. I have lots of differences with Obama and Biden, but that doesn't mean they're the same as McCain and Palin. McCain will appoint right wing idealogues to the Supreme Court. That will lock us in for decades! McCain and Palin will destroy our civil liberties and the last vestiges of the constitution. Obama and Biden, both professors of constitutional law, will not. Yes, my views are closer to those of Nader and McKinney, but a vote for either of them is at least half a vote for McCain-Palin. Sorry, No Thanks. Doc

Another DPA staple argument, #7 the "HOW ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT?" How about the vote on Chief Justice Roberts?

All 55 Republicans voted to confirm Roberts; 22 Democrats, including Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Patrick Leahy of Vermont, also voted to confirm Roberts, as did the one independent (Jim Jeffords). 22 Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, voted in opposition.

22 Democrats voted to confirm Bush's Supreme Court Chief Justice.

The "HOW ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT?" argument is a staple DPA red herring because enough Democrats always vote with the Republicans to allow the confirmation of right wingers, but don't count on Republicans to return the favor. Unlike Democrats, Republicans don't betray their base.

All the folks who think there would be 'no difference' between an Obama Presidentcy & McSame-Palin consider if Gore was leaving office right now after 8years (instead of the election being stolen)
1) There would be 2 million less Iraq refugees, tens of thousands less dead(including 4,000 US soldiers/25,000 maimed for life)
2) 8 yrs of action towards Climate Change Legislation
3) More money in Treasury for Health Care, two less right-wing SC Justices, no Patriot Act, no corporate testing in schools, possibly real finance reform legislation,etc...
I have problems with Obama's corporate coziness & his 'strong military' crap(do you think he would get elected saying he would cut the military budget?) BUT his world outlook is vastly different than 'fighter pilot'McCain. Seriously, which candidate do you think would start the next WAR?..
Give me a break on Nader! Which party is he in this year?...If anything vote Green as a radical progressive or a progressive can intelligently vote Obama in a 'toss-up' state & support Greens at the local level...