Why Do People Like This Still Have Jobs?

James Dobson. Perhaps his worst move yet.

McCain Today.

He's not going to be the test-ee, he's going to be the test-or. And that's better how...?

And so much for regulation:
McCain calls for "less government regulation" of small businesses.

Wow.

Right now, Obama is solid blue in Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Virginia. (Iowa, per fivethirtyeight.com, is 100% Obama 0% chance for McCain).

If McCain wins ALL of these: FLORIDA, OHIO, INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA, MISSOURI and NORTH CAROLINA; it's 270 Obama to 268 McCain. www.270towin.com has Obama at 277 now, giving him Pennsylvania, not even calling that a swing state. So to flip that to McCain, and give him FL, OH, IN, MO and NC still isn't enough, he'd need Nevada also. Wow.

An Appaling Comparison

Daniel Larison:

One response to the ridiculous cover of the latest issue of The Weekly Standard should be digust for the shameless adaptation of an iconic image from the Tiananmen Square massacre for the purposes of shilling for an awful candidate in a democratic election, but it seems to me that this might take TWS‘ democracy-promoting ideology and its alleged support for democratic dissidents far more seriously than they deserve. Of course it should go without saying that it is ludicrous and obnoxious to portray the frontrunner in a reasonably free and open election in the role of the Chinese military squashing the democracy activists of 1989, but then I expect that there is a nontrivial percentage of McCain supporters who think that the comparison is quite apt.

McCain is not standing alone in the path of a tank; he is not a valiant martyr to the rights of conscience and political expression. He is likely to be the runner-up in a large-scale contest for supreme power, and he will lose because most people in this country do not trust him or any other member of his party with that kind of power any longer. The perversity of comparing a man of his wealth and power, who seeks even more power, to a lone dissident engaged in futile resistance against overwhelming force is amazing. This certainly says something about that magazine’s respect for real dissidents in systems where contested and competitive elections essentially free of political violence are not possible. An example of real political dissent and courage is appropriated here for McCain to provide some lustre to the fading reputation of a dangerous and misguided politician.

More Palin

Seriously. HOW can anyone allow this woman to be voted in to office. Vice Presidents rarely have much control (the last 8 years excluded). In less than two months, she is already looking out for herself (why is she in Iowa this weekend? We are a BLUE blue state, and she's appearing multiple times. This is a crucial weekend; and she is "wasting" it on Iowa's 7 electoral votes?

This should scare most of you:
Religious leaders in Alaska, including Mr. Donelson, (a pastor and Palin appointee, who helped found the "spiritual warfare" ministry) declined interviews, with several saying they had been told by the McCain-Palin campaign not to talk to members of the news media.

What is known, however, is that Ms. Palin has had long associations with religious leaders who practice a particularly assertive and urgent brand of Pentecostalism known as “spiritual warfare. ”Its adherents believe that demonic forces can colonize specific geographic areas and individuals, and that “spiritual warriors” must “battle” them to assert God’s control, using prayer and evangelism. The movement’s fixation on demons, its aggressiveness and its leaders’ claims to exalted spiritual authority have troubled even some Pentecostal Christians.

Bruce Wilson, a researcher for Talk2Action, a Web site that tracks religious groups, said: “One of the imperatives of the movement is to achieve worldly power, including political control. Then you can more effectively drive out the demons. The ultimate goal is to purify the earth.”
The full New York Times story.

Here is a link to "Spiritual Warfare & Deliverance Ministries".

And, so much for getting all "mavericky" on "reform".

McCain Adviser on Palin: She's "Going Rogue"

They say she is looking out more for herself than the McCain campaign.

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," said this McCain adviser. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else. Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom."

Click here for full story.

Interactive Map Of Newspaper Endorsements US Map

Thanks, Andrew Sullivan.

The Other McCains

Is It the Speechwriters? The Science Experts? Are there experts?

Sarah Palin, in her first policy speech, disparaged the fruit fly research in "Paris, France", saying, "I kid you not." Unfortunately, fruit fly research has discovered data about nerve connections which may lead to advances in understanding autism, a disorder which her nephew suffers from. While the fruit fly "earmark" Palin referred to was likely one on olive fruit flies which seems more geared to controlling population, discounting, as she did today, "money for fruit flies" is sadly close-minded.

"Thank God she's not going to have to be president from Day One. McCain's going to be alive and well."

10/24/08: Joe Lieberman, answering Connecticut reporters as to whether Sarah Palin is ready to be president right when elected.

OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST (From a conservative. really).

I posted this the other day but apparently did not have a strong enough title. I have more points on this; votes McCain has made, actual video and audio of him saying, basically, "spread the wealth" as in, that's the right thing to do. Send me an email or comment if you want me to post them, but check this out by Daniel Larison; (a conservative) who parses the issue for us.

A Wonderful Collection of Campaign Photos

Make sure click "Show More Images" at the bottom of each page. One from Des Moines, one from Burlington IA!

This Is A Post From Ta-Nehisi Coates Today: What $150k Could Have Purchased

Coates: You know what, this isn't about the wardrobe. It's about incompetence. It's about a poorly executed campaign. McCain's response to all this? She needed clothes. I bullshit you not.

What if the Tables Were Turned???

Thanks to Bev Vrooman for this insightful email. Click my comment, below, for full text.

Those MYSTERIOUS Obama Contributions......................

How to put an end to that issue.

Alamo chairwoman writes letter stating Obama is a Muslim socialist

Yeah, the Democrats are doing the same thing. Like calling John McCain a fascist, homophobic dictator. Really???????????????????????????? No wait.....THEY'RE NOT.

The Empress's New Clothes

Michelle Malkin (yes, her) has something to say (of course). (But Lorne Michaels is quoted, too).

Larison: Redistribution of Wealth

....."As I noted before, labeling Obama as the wealth-spreading candidate is not only politically stupid, but philosophically misguided as well. It used to be that conservatives believed and could articulate the belief that market economies were on the whole better at allocating resources and equitably distributing wealth than economies subject to a great deal of state intervention. The time was when broad and even distribution of wealth was a Jeffersonian and conservative goal to provide for a broad class of property-holders as the basis for social and political stability. It was not a description of a left-wing or welfarist plot. So much for that....." Click HERE for full post.

Michelle Bachmann...... Go Elwyn Tinklenberg! (Tied to the GOP? Go Aubrey Immelman!)

The Minnesota Congresswoman's recent statements led to her Democratic challenger raising over $750,000 for his campaign in a little over 2 days. But now, Bachmann's GOP challenger is back in the race as a write in candidate, too. (Hooray for unique names! Elwyn, Aubrey, Tinklenberg!)
On Hardball, Michelle Bachmann recommended that Senator Obama be investigated for his anti-American views. Actually, all the Democrats in Congress should be investigated, she further said. Then, she denies it. Note to self: If someone is filming you saying something, then you can't deny later that you said it. Really.

Another Pic

Don in my office thought the adult WAS Barack at first glance. Another photo of Barack Obama with his grandfather, Stanley Dunham. Amazing.