10:15 AM EDT

Howard is first.

10:23 AM EDT

Sounds like McCain cares more about the economy of Iraq than he does about the economy of America:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080418/pl_bloomberg/ai7kvvq38pe_1

Obama Turns Focus on McCain, Economy in Pennsylvania Campaign

Hans Nichols and Lorraine Woellert

Fri Apr 18, 4:13 PM ET

April 18 (Bloomberg) -- Democrat Barack Obama, four days from his next contest against rival Hillary Clinton, trained his fire on Republican John McCain, saying he's out of touch with the economic woes facing many Americans.

While Clinton continued hitting Obama over the Illinois senator's remarks about ``bitter'' voters, Obama chided McCain for saying in a Bloomberg Television interview yesterday that the country has made ``great progress economically.'' McCain's campaign said Obama was being ``recklessly dishonest.''

...

Booo!!! Dean was first to scare the CM

10:29 AM EDT

This is too funny for words. Romney is calling Barack an elitist. LMAO

+++

mary vb -

I'm waiting to see a photo op of Romney kissing McCain's ass (similar to what McCain has done to Bush).

Also, I'm sure that Romney goes and has a few cold ones with his hired illegal Guatemalan landscape workers after they finish Romney's modest tiny house grounds.

10:44 AM EDT

Yeah, good ole Romney -- our ex-govenor here in MA.  He can advize McCain all he wants about how to run a state and about how to run an economy.  That's why Romney opted not to run for a second term as Governor of MA -- he knew he would lose.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/04/politics/main3787508.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_3787508

BOSTON, Feb. 4, 2008

(AP) It's part of Mitt Romney's core narrative: Massachusetts, in the throes of a fiscal freefall, fell back on his CEO skills and turnaround wizardry to spark - in his words - "a dramatic reversal of state fortunes and a period of sustained economic expansion."

It's a rosy opinion of Massachusetts' economy that few in the state share. Instead, observers say, the state's recovery from a disastrous 2001 recession has been tepid at best, and Romney gives himself more credit than deserved on job creation and balancing the state budget.

...

A fuller look reveals a state still struggling to recoup the jobs washed away in the recession, while much of the rest of the country has already sailed past pre-recession highs.

...

In December 2002, as Romney prepared to step into office, Massachusetts unemployment rate stood at 5.6 percent, slightly lower than the national unemployment rate of 6 percent.

By December 2006 - Romney's last full month in office - national unemployment had fallen to just 4.5 percent while Massachusetts unemployment numbers had inched down to 5.2 percent.

...

I'm still waiting for the Democratic "Attack Machine" to show some signs of life.

Howard Dean is the only Democrat so far to lay a glove on McCain. In the meantime, thugs are having a field day.

I still say that the best way for Clinton and Obama to compete is to direct their considerable war chests and strong organizations at McCain.

 May the most effective McCain destroyer win!

10:56 am

Jo*in*Vermont
Sat, 04/19/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jo,

Thanks for respecting my opinion..you may recall I regard many hers as friends from the Dean era..........no, I dont care for baiting, but I have accepted the fact that for most of my life, my "expectations" are somewhat higher than most Americans for their country...........now, some bright specks here call that bashing, maybe it is..or maybe its just a single solitary citizen aying enough is enough..not in my name, so on and so forth...........

I merely call em as I see em and I can usually predicr em right.......personally, any bonehead should be able to see where we are going, yet they dont.........but we end up there anyway..remember this, Ive often said i hope Im wrong.....lets se how it all pans out...........

cheers

Huron John
Sat, 04/19/08
____________________________________________________________________________

Its 11.02 am

Just like the "hidden" vote in NH doomed Obama, thats what will happen in key electoral states in Novemeber........already Im getting word that devote republicans last fall wanted the Dems to win to stop Bush and the war(they didnt of course)...............these people were ready to defect to Democratic in the generla election, but the two front runners were losy choices to them-they will sluggishly vote for mccain...................

To defend Linda in NM who many of you resorted to republican tactics to demean the poor girl, GORE was the ONLY pure choice for nominee...........and she will be proven right about Obama soon enough..............

11:03 AM EDT

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/readingth

Reading High School
801 N. 13th St
Reading, PA 19604

Sunday, April 20th
Doors Open: 10:30 a.m.
Program Begins: 12:20 p.m.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/scranton

On Track for Change Rally in Scranton
with Barack Obama, Senator Bob Casey, and Caroline Kennedy

Riverfront Sports Complex
5 West Olive Plaza
Scranton, PA 18508

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Gates Open: 5:00 p.m.
Program Begins: 7:00 p.m

11:06  AM EDT

up on deck today:

Please join us in your area this Saturday -- April 19th -- as Barack Obama visits towns across Pennsylvania as part of the On Track For Change Tour.

...

Wynnewood Rail Station
East Wynnewood Rd. and Penn Rd.
Gates Open: 9:30 a.m.

Paoli Rail Station
13 Lancaster Ave.
Lancaster Pike and North Valley Rd.
Gates Open: 12:00 p.m.

Downingtown Rail Station
West Lancaster Ave. and Stuart Ave.
Gates Open: 1:30 p.m.

Lancaster Rail Station
53 McGovern Ave.
Gates Open: 4:00 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Capitol
South Steps
Gates Open: 6:30 p.m

...

Well said Michael. There are so many people making lame excuses for the execrable behaviour of the Democrats--especially the 110th Congress.

Excuses are like navels (and other orifices)--evrybody has at least one!

Off to caucus for Obama.

Crikey Mikey, what's up>>

Mike

like you I am a kind of "expect the worse and work like hell to see that it never happens" cynic too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynic :{ As reasoning creatures, people could gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in way which was natural for humans. They believed that the world belonged equally to everyone, and that suffering was caused by false judgments of what was valuable and by the worthless customs and conventions which surrounded society.}

I'm always pleasantly surprised when the best candidate wins because I've noticed that Americans are perfectly capable of doing something like re-electing Bush, and they might think third times a charm and pull the lever for McCain.

Obama does give me HOPE though.

11:18 AM EDT

It's two (McCain and Clinton) against one (Obama) -- not exactly a fair fight:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041803193.html

Obama Fights On Two Fronts

Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, April 19, 2008; Page A06

ERIE, Pa., April 18 -- Sen. Barack Obama battled rivals on two fronts heading into the final weekend before the Pennsylvania primary, facing ridicule over his toughness from his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and tangling over the economy with Republican Sen. John McCain.

...

11:18 AM EDT

Off to caucus for Obama.

Crikey Mikey, what's up>>

+++

linda b -

Maybe he needs someone to give him a bowl of Life cereal ?

FOR ALL YOU GIDDY DEMOCRATS

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/opinion/19herbert.html?ref=opinion

The Democrats are doing everything they can to blow this presidential election. This is a skill that comes naturally to the party. There is no such thing as a can’t-miss year for the Democrats. They are truly gifted at finding ways to lose.

The Democrats have become so psychologically battered by the many decades in the leadership wilderness that they consider the Clinton years, during which the president was impeached and they lost control of both houses of Congress, to have been a period of triumph.

Now comes 2008, a can’t-lose year if there ever was one. A united Democratic Party should be able to win this election in a walk. The economy is terrible and getting worse. The Republicans are demoralized. John McCain is no J.F.K. And the country wants to elect a Democrat.

So what are the Democrats doing? The Clintons are running around with flamethrowers, gleefully trying to incinerate the prospects of the party’s leading candidate, Barack Obama. As Bill Clinton put it last month: “If a politician doesn’t want to get beat up, he shouldn’t run for office.”

Senator Obama, for his part, seems to have lost sight of the unifying message that proved so compelling early in his campaign and has stumbled into weird cultural predicaments that have caused some people to rethink his candidacy.

11:23AM

11:21 AM EDT

Make that two bowls of Life cereal.

11:23 AM EDT

Well, I'm off to do some yard work (without the help of any hired illegal Guatemalan landscape laborers).

I just emailed our grandson in NC, a registered unaffiliated (independent) to please ask for a Democratic ballot and vote for Obama during early voting. I sent all the info where to vote early in his town as he is a busy young man and wouldn't like standing in long lines.

I suspect he will do as I ask or he may not get a birthday card from us this year:))

Barack Obama seems very intent on speaking the truth and bringing along the American people. Real leadership. The further this goes the more people get to see it first hand, and it will serve the country well for many years to come to get to know this man's truths. Took me awhile to see the man the younger generation had pegged all along, but I see him taking personal strides as well with these challenges and he has passed every test. Every time the hammer pounds his steel it gets a better edge.

Sour News Huron is still at it:))

For the curious, the autobio on Hannah continues.

I still think McCain is not slated to go the distance and he's just the stand-in during the try-outs in the boonies.

Huckabee is now reported to be "helping" long-shot republican candidates for Congress. 

I still think McCain is not slated to go the distance and he's just the stand-in

My other half agrees with you Monica and I have my own suspicions as well, though I have no idea who that replacement might be.

BTW, there was no "hidden" vote in NH.  There was a long-standing relationship between the NH Democratic party operatives and the Clintons, as well as the hope that Jeanne Shaheen would slip into the Senate on her train.  You will recall that Billy Shaheen was her NH chair.

Thanks Progressive Avenger for your post on last thread

Great photos of Obama rally in PA, but the best part is the very last paragraph and then separately this video.

That last paragraph has me crying.  Joyful crying.  Hopeful crying.

Obama will be on C-span tonight somewhere between 8:00 and 9:00 EDT for 15 minutes.

The schedule shows Clinton on for 1 hour between 7:00 and 8:00 so the Obama 15 minutes may actually be for an hour. Their new website seems kind of messed up.

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=schedule&date=2008-04-19&show_all=true

Also thank you Reed for your amazing post last thread on Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  I agree he has the right to speak up.

Thanks to everyone helping out in PA.

Michael,

I feel bad for you, why are you constantly so cynical?  Have you never felt hope? 

As I have stated before I'm now 64, and I still hope. 

How can you llive without it?

 resorted to republican tactics to demean the poor girl, GORE was the ONLY pure choice for nominee...........and she will be proven right about Obama soon enough..............

===================

People confuse Gore the person with Gore the campaigner.  Who can forget the silly smirk at the debates in 2000.  Not George's smirk, Al's smirk. 

People who think of Gore as a white knight suffer from romanticism devoid of facts.  I love the guy, but he would not win.  Politically, he rehash, as much as Hillary, only a better human being maybe.

As far as your revisionism of the "poor girl" Linda in NM's endurance.  I don't remember much blog abuse of her, but she would say many inflamatory statements in support of Hillary (against Obama) with no link and people got pissed.    What little real abuse she may have endured, she probably provoked with antagonism. 

Call me conspiracy-minded but, since the people who bankrolled the Bushes and the Clintons are the same people who bankrolled Wesley Clark and Mike Huckabee, it would be my guess that, depending on Hillary's success, it will or will not be Huckabee.  What we also need to keep in mind is that while Stephens Inc is fairly well known, the real powers behind the throne in Arkansas was/is David Rockefeller and it's probably that, had he not died prematurely, it was Witt Rockefeller, Huckabee's Lt. Governor, who was slated to carry on the family tradition of public service, ala Nelson and Jay.

In NH, the state with the first in the nation primary, the Republican debates are routinely held at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College.  And Rockefeller University in NY is where the "terminator gene" was developed in coordination with something called Delta and Pine Land, which has recently been acquired by Monsanto.  In addition to an interest in fuels for energy, out monopolists are also interested in industrial agriculture that uses few people and many machines and lots of fertilizer.

David Rockefeller exerts influence via the Council on Foreign Relations and the Council of the Americas, where Thomas F. McLarty was dispatched after he left off being Clinton's Chief of Staff and after seeing NAFTA passed into law.

Perhaps Hillary thinks she's saving the Democrats from the onslaught of the Rockefeller machine.  But, why did she pick New York to represent in the Senate?  Who put her up to that?  Who provided the money and made sure the competition was minor?

The DoD isn't the only entity with a planning horizon of 20 years. 

Children will be guinea pigs

Spraying worries doctor
I am a medical doctor and a mother of a 20-month-old boy.

I also suffer from chemical sensitivity, immune problems and difficulty with my adrenals and liver. I have difficulty processing environmental toxins such as paint, outgassing carpet, gasoline fumes and chlorine to mention a few. When exposed, I become short of breath, fatigued and have difficulty functioning physically and with my professional and personal responsibilities. My child had seizures the first two weeks of his life and also has allergies and chemical sensitivities. We will have to relocate if the moth spraying is not stopped.

Based on my research, I believe the ingredients in Checkmate pose a severe health risk to people like myself with medical problems and children, but also poses a risk to even those in good health, and our environment in general. This project is flawed at its inception. Officials need to listen and come up with a ecosystem-friendly resolution.

Gwen Sorosky, M.D., Mill Valley [CA]

The state Department of Pesticide Regulation and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment say this about aerial spraying of the light brown apple moth:

"This (the spraying on the Monterey Peninsula Sept. 9-12, 2007) is one of the first instances of the aerial application of this material over a highly populated area."

So, to determine the "long- and short-term health outcomes" of the light brown apple moth aerial spraying program, in August my 4-month-old grandchild will have to breathe clouds of plastic micro-capsules embedded with synthetic pheromones and "inert" ingredients (including mucous-membrane irritants and a laxative) sprayed from airplanes?

Visit www.stopthespray. org for more information.

Terese Driscoll, Mill Valley

http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_8969038

John Huron

Michael Ellis

Have either of you read Barack Obama's book, Audacity of Hope?

I suggest you do B4 you diarrhea [of the mouth] any more of your excrement here.

How to stay in the news--

By Seth Blomeley

The link goes to a site that requires registration.  in other news, Huckabee has withdrawn from Boston Marathon because of bum knee. 

Donors to Huckabee's portrait fund:

$ 250 each — Coca-Cola of Fort Smith; Bryan Jeffrey; Carol Rosenbaum.

$ 500 each — Mike Akin; Freddie Black; Bill Clark; Benny Magness; Dwight McInturff; Quick Silver Timber; Stanley Reed; Charles Scharlau; Jim von Gremp.

$ 1, 000 each — John Ed Anthony; Sammie Cox; Drew Crawford; Niel Crowson; Friday Eldredge & Clark; Ron Fuller.

$ 1, 500 — Alltel.

$ 5, 000 each — Craig Campbell; Entergy; Tom Schueck.

Huckabee coming to Washington

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be in Washington next month with events planned in Spokane May 20 and in Seattle May 21.

The former Arkansas governor is now raising money for candidates, including Sen. John McCain. But his visit is not to stump for McCain, who he battled hard for delegates.

Nor is it to dredge up the subject of Washington’s GOP caucuses in February. If you recall, Huckabee had lots of doubts about the results.

Huckabee is coming to help raise money for the Family Policy Institute of Washington, the Lynnwood-based group that is trying to assert itself as a leading voice for social and religious conservatives.

Family Policy Institute is affiliated with Focus on the Family, the national group founded by Dr. James Dobson, and recently merged with the Washington Family Foundation in Spokane to boost its presence statewide.

Joining Huckabee will be Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, which is co-sponsoring the two events.

Let's celebrate for/with our union sisters and brothers.

---

UHW Organizes 2,000 New Members in Past 3 Weeks at 4 Hospitals

Nearly 2,000 California hospital workers from four hospitals and clinics celebrated union victories during the past 3 weeks as they voted in overwhelming numbers to join United Healthcare Workers-West. It's the biggest increase in members in one month for any union within SEIU. The union elections were held at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood; Catholic Healthcare West operated clinics in Sacramento; Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside; and Coastal Communities Hospital in Santa Ana.

video celebration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvVJlkXe...

I told you all that the Club for Growth "hit" on Huckabee was bogus.--

If you check Google, you'll see that, in addition to Washington state, Huck is slated to make appearances in Montana, New Rochelle and Ithaca, NY.

Please don't forget that the Republicans are really into "stealth."

David Weigel | April 17, 2008, 5:40pm

Revend Wright to be live interviewed by Bill Moyers next week

And in Quebec--on the 13th of this month

Don't give up land: Huckabee

rae, I can't take the credit for the Wright post, it was sent to me with author unknown. I did check the facts on wikipedia before posting it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright 

Don't mean to be so harsh with Mike and John

but last night my 3-year old wanted to see what it was like to squash her shit all over her body under clothes.  My wife was out, and I had one hell of a clean up job.

My little girl is usually pretty good about poop, so it took me by surprize

so I'm in no mood for shit

I think we all know who has the potty mouth.

 And yes, I have read "The Audacity of Hype"

Revend Wright to be live interviewed by Bill Moyers next week

Thanks Fred.

I have Moyers on my scout so it comes up automatically every week, but I will probably record this one -- it should be kinda historical in a way.

FRED from Ashland OR
Sat, 04/19/08

...People confuse Gore the person with Gore the campaigner… I love the guy, but he would not win...
-----------------------

Are we able to see the perverted values, the confused logic, and the upside-down judgment we deploy on REGULAR basis?

Whose personality happens to get split by this political system the Gore’s, ours..., or both...lol?

From Obama's website:

Over 35,000 people came out to hear Barack speak at the largest rally in the campaign's history in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia tonight. 

I think we all know who has the potty mouth.

 And yes, I have read "The Audacity of Hype"

====================

Time for you to stop talking and start doing, if you think you are so know-it-all - you guys are all show and no go

I would like to see how well John and Mike would do on the soap box.

Walk a few feet (not even a mile) in these guys shoes.  Run for local office.  The potty that runs out of my mouth is alphabet potter, John, yours is spiritual potty, much worse, like Jesus said.

PS

I feel very sad that there is little or no compassion on this blog for HC.  Nobody is all bad and she's done some wonderful things for women and children.  The CM is hard on her as well - not just BO, who is whining about the debate in a smiling affable way.

 They both lie, whine, make gaffes, exhibit arrogance and are elitist, whatever that means...........

How sad that even dems can't muster just a tad of compassion for a woman who has endured great pain and run a good race. Perhaps she'd stayed with Bill becuz she thought it was best for the country. Can you imagine her divorcing him in the middle of his presidency and what it would have done to the county?  Can you imagine her humiliation?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for that post, Seashell.. Who knows why a woman stays with a husband who messes around. But there sure are many many women who do that. And it is always their personal decision.

seashell :-)
Fri, 04/18/08


I think his objective is to suggest to Americans the new, the different (from PNAC) way ahead for many, many years.
-----------

...that can't happen unless McC is beaten first.
First things first. Beat McCain.
***********

One can’t win fighting with fist hidden inside pocket.

Have a big goal, then McCain’s defeat will became as small and easy as just one step on a big ladder.

Stat Man...you can only beat the people with influences like money when the people don't show up.

"Democracy is not something you have, democracy is something you do."

Doris "Granny D" Haddock

Yard work done for the day...just beautiful, in the 80's...errands to run now.  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thats great news Joan..........I would bet 200,000 rural pennsylvanians have said they wont vote for him(or HC) in the primary and especially the general election.............

Hey, don't forget to include me in the insults of Linda NM, Huron and Mike.  :-)

Of course I'm *hopeful.*....just not for the dems or for winning in Nov., especially if Huck or Condi are on the ticket.

You guys are confusing negativity with being objective.   I worked hard for Dean and then Kerry.  This time I'll work a bit only to remove Smith.  

****************************

Today's Met opera (broadcast on NPR stations) is called Satyagraha by Philip Glass a contemporary American composer who has written a lot of film music among other stuff.

It's on as we write.   I love Philip Glass.

Just a comment about the polls. These polls are democrats voting. In the fall, we have to have the majority of the independents in order to win. Those blue collar workers can go either way. I do think it was interesting to see on Maher last night that in Pennsylvania those interviewed from Motorcyclists "groups",said they were voting for Obama. Most seemed to normally vote for  a McCain type, but not this time.  

linda b
Sat, 04/19/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Linda,

My good friend...nothing is "up"......my statements are based upon fact, voter trends, the average American peculiarities in electing foolish leaders and so on...........if I had ANY sense of doubt about Obama losing to Mccain I would be the first to bail on that theory....but as each day goes by I am just more and more convinced your party, with its foolish idiotsyncracies and habits, have simply doomed the rest of us to another 4 years of republican nonsense..........

Again, I said Carter in 76, Reagan in 80, Reagan again in 84, Bush in 88, Bush in 92(ok, nobodies perfect), Clinton in 96, Bush in 2000 and Bush again in 2004..............and mccain in 2008.............

Like cC, thank you, I've also been reading and posting about J Street and feeling *hopeful* until I read this...and I don't have the link saved, sorry.

"....(Ehud Olmert who is featured on J Street's promotional video as the alternative to Israeli extremists)."

Sounds like MOTS.  :-( 

Agree, Mike.  But together, I think they could win.  At least there'd be a chance.

Hope?  What kind of word is that?  It has nothing to do with present conditions or circumstances; it waffles about in some future possibility that almost smacks of magical thinking.  Plus it leads to high expectations of another person and that almost always leads to disappointment or despair or anger or...or....

OTOH, perhaps hope is nothing more than positive thinking, which might be magical or not .  As Phil says, with work, it can be powerful.  I just won't work for either one.  My *hope* died after JE left the race.

What BO represents is a faith-based candidacy based on hope for change.  Cynics like me don't buy that.  This is not a slam against intelligent bloggers who are much less skeptical than I; and likely more intelligent.  

I have a plan and here it is is one thing; I have hope is quite another.

Did you all hear that HC wants to scrap NCLB and BO wants to fix it?  Just keeping the record straight.  These statements came out in the last debate (from her) and a previous one (from him).

Nor am I advocating for HC.

Gore would not only be a great candidate since he's found his voice and changed dramatically, but he would win IMO.

Yes, Dean challenged the CM and was destroyed.  JE also challenged the corporations and he was destroyed.  HC and BO quietly whine  about the media and are allowed to continue.

Fix is in for the MIC and continued multi-national rule.  And of course, endless war  "to protect America's interests."

Sometimes I think Gore and Edwards are impacting HC more than BO.  I think both are being leaned on hard. 

That's it for me for awhile.  

new thread

There is a brand spanking NEW THREAD.

TMI:

"but last night my 3-year old wanted to see what it was like to squash her shit all over her body under clothes."

===========================

Barack Obama first came onto my radar after he spoke at the Dem Convention in 04...Frankly, I was far more excited about him than {{snore}} John Kerry.  I read Barack's autobiography when it came out....2006.

It is an autobiography intended to introduce himself to the world as he clearly intended to be a major player in the world (no problem with that).  I enjoyed reading about who he is, his background, etc.

However, his autob. is NOT particularly insightful, in any specific way, as to his policy prescriptions.  That fred drags it up (what the 2nd book fred has ever read?) is predictable and well, I'll leave it at that....utterly predictable. 

I know we all want to sit in a circle, join hands and sing kum-by-ya, but the fact is, the democratic party should not try to hide from it's collusion with the Bush agenda and the damage it has done. Our congessional leaders have rolled over so they can point at Bush at election time and say " See, it's all his fault" but the fact is, they are trying to g along with a ruinous agenda in order to protect themselves at election time, take responsibility for what you have done so we can build belief in what we are going to do