Farewell...

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

I'm shifting my focus to action for Barack and Joe (not to mention getting back to my real work!).

To keep up with what's happening, visit my favorite pro-Obama site: http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com
this group has kept me sane.

or www.huffingtonpost.com/politics

Hasta la vista!
GObama and Joe

Antidote to the Negativity

GObama
and check out this great slide show from HuffPost

Believe...

I heard this quote from Barack on NPR yesterday and loved it!
"I ask you to believe, to believe in yourselves, believe in each other. If we believe we cannot fail" -- Barack Obama

Barack in Ohio
to paraphrase... I can take 4 more weeks of John McCain's attacks, but America can't take 4 more weeks of his Same-as-Bush economic policies.


Hypocrisy Thy Name is Sarah
The McShame's newest attack-tic is to claim that Obama is ambitious...yes, he has ooooo so scary - ambition!! Aside from the racist undertone, this is a ludicrous charge from someone who paid a PR consultant $31,000 of Alaska's money to bring her to national attention. Can't imagine that it's true? Read here.

I LOVE Joe!

"You can't be a maverick if you've only been a sidekick" (or something like that).

So Glad Joe's Back! and My 2 Cents

I wish I could figure out how to embed this video. It's worth watching Joe talk about the debate and the tenor of the McShame campaign. What a class act!! Take a look.

Here are 2 perspectives on last night's debate. The first has been talked about a bit (especially on MSNBC last night), the second I haven't heard put in this perspective.

1. McShame's disdain for the people was evident in his leaving immediately after the debate while Barack and Michele stayed for at least 20 minutes talking, posing for photos, signing autographs. And who's the elitist?

2. McShame's disdain for the people was evident in his belief that he could talk to undecided voters in the same way he can pander to his base. If he had paid any attention to the opinions of undecided voters after the first debate he wouldn't have continued to attack on character, belittle Barack and be disrespectful.

Obama Wins....Again

In demeanor, respectful and concrete answers and staying after with the crowd. Obama class act.

McShame - cranky, silly, disrespectful and dismissive, shadow boxing.

CNN and CBS polls give the debate to Obama. MSNBC and even Fixed news focus group did as well. Olbermann, Maddow and Matthews amazing in the post-debate analysis. Will try to find clips.

Not much more from me until later on Wed.

Sleep peacefully. Joe's back tomorrow as well.

GObama! Welcome back Joe.

An Undecided's Guide to Voting: What is Leadership?

A post from Susan Colantuono

As an expert on leadership, I base my work on my definition of leadership, which is this:
"Leadership is using the greatness in you to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes by engaging the greatness in others."

I thought it worth offering in light of the recent and ongoing tenor of the two campaigns - and as a way of helping undecided voters assess the leadership qualities of the candidates.

Let's dissect the 3 elements of the definition.

On Extraordinary Outcomes
If you think that the savings and loan debacle, the current economic meltdown, the loss of medicare and medicaid benefits, unequal pay for equal work, an overall decline in the earning power of the middle class, increasing unemployment and more freedom for businessmen to get rich off the backs of the middle class are the types of extraordinary outcome you seek, vote McPalin.

If you think that a strong middle class, investment in infrastructure, green technology and education; access to healthcare, equal pay for equal work, regulation on the excesses and malfeasance of business and an energizing of everyday citizens are the types of extraordinary outcome you seek, vote Obama/Biden.

On Engaging the Greatness in Others
If you think that campaign rallying cries of "kill him" and "terrorist" is evidence of engaging the greatness in others, vote McPalin.

If you think that campaign rallying cries of "yes we can" is evidence engaging the greatness in others, vote Obama/Biden.

On Personal Greatness
If you think cynicism, superiority, simple-mindedness, being a pawn of your handlers, reliance on smears and reckless casting about are admirable attributes, vote McPalin.

If you think having a vision, believing in the power of unity, intelligence, surrounding oneself with brilliant advisers, authenticity and keeping on issue are admirable attributes, vote Obama/Biden.

Respectfully shared,
Susan Colantuono

Laughter and Tears

Over at ThePoliticalCarnival, Gottalaff's father-in-law served up another bunch of jokes this week. My favorite about the debate:
Aides were concerned (Palin) might make a mistake as she did on the KATIE COURIC interview when she was asked a question about the Supreme Court. PALIN told them not to worry, she said, "I may not be an expert, but I do know DIANA ROSS was the one in the middle."

You can read them all here.

Barack and Joe are up in the polls seemingly everywhere!! Even the notoriously conservative Rasumssen poll:
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows Barack Obama attracting 52% of the vote while John McCain earns 44%. This is the highest level of support ever recorded for Obama and is his largest lead of the year. It also continues a remarkable twenty-five days in a row where the Democrat’s support has never declined by even a single point.

And, sadly, Jill Biden's mother passed away over the weekend. Condolences to Jill, Joe and all those who loved her.

Thank You Madeleine!

At a NEHRA conference several years ago I stood up and asked Madeleine Albright the first question - it was about the backsliding of women during the Bush administration. Within her response was the statement, "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Knowing the context I was furious at SlickSarah's misuse and mis-statement of the quote to imply that because she's a woman other women should support her. Happily, Madeleine responded herself. Here's what she said to HuffPost:

"Though I am flattered that Governor Palin has chosen to cite me as a source of wisdom, what I said had nothing to do with politics. This is yet another example of McCain and Palin distorting the truth, and all the more reason to remember that this campaign is not about gender, it is about which candidate has an agenda that will improve the lives of all Americans, including women. The truth is, if you care about the status of women in our society and in our troubled economy, the best choice by far is Obama-Biden."

And in the spirit of keeping the discussion on substance not smears, enjoy this spoof. BillyMires

Funnies for a Sunday Morning and Obama on Healthcare

Tina Fey does it again!!! Here you go.

Brian Williams - I didn't know he was funny - with David Letterman


Bill Maher had me laughing out loud. Find the clip here at HuffPost.

Parts 1 & 2 of Obama on healthcare
What's Wrong With Healthcare


Why McShame Won't Fix It



Oh MY...I HAVE to show you this clip. Parts brought tears to my eyes. Hooray for the United Steel Workers!!!!!!! and Hooray for AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka

Nighty Nite

My take on the debate...I'm stealing it from SatiricalPolitical. As Lou Grant said, "she's got spunk. I HATE spunk."

Palin was a scripted actress playing the VP role.
Her folksy, disdainful attitude happily turned off the independents who watched.
She had nothing but platitudes and campaign slogans to say.

Joe was awesome - knowledge, experience, real global impact; great at explaining why he and Barack are better for America and the middle class. Clearly differentiated their positions. Was bipartisan and respectful.

Good night... in all senses of the phrase.

Early AM News and Notes

Facing another day behind closed doors and suffering from withdrawal from the news, I leave you with a few juicy tidbits for the morning.

The Obama campaign's latest innovation (his 2-minute ad about the economy preceded this) - it owns DISH Network channel 73. Reported by Politico
"The channel plays his two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over. The only explanation: The media buyers think they can reach enough people per dollar to make it worth the odd buy."

ABC reports that 60% think SlickS is not ready.
"Skepticism about Sarah Palin has soared since she entered the national political stage, with six in 10 Americans now doubting her qualifications for office and fewer than half convinced of her grasp of complex issues...just 35 percent say Palin has the experience it takes to serve effectively as president, down a dozen points since early September; 60 percent think not, up 15. And just 46 percent think Palin "understands complex issues," while 49 percent think she doesn't -- a poor assessment on this most basic qualification."

BOY, what's with the 46% that think she does or might "understand complex issues"? What Kool-Aid are they drinkin'?

continuing from ABC: "Biden's ratings starkly contrast Palin's: Seventy-five percent say he understands complex issues, 70 percent say he has suitable experience to take over as president if necessary and just 13 percent say his selection makes them less apt to support Barack Obama."

If you're one of the 60% who is terrified by the prospect of SlickS being "one heartbeat away", this from Americablog won't quell your concerns. Writing about McShame's disorientation when trying to leave the stage yesterday a physician says
"Let me put it like this. If I had seen a 70-75 year old man do that in front of me in the emergency room - that gentleman would be immediately admitted for what is known as a TIA. This is a mini-stroke that often comes before a big huge one.,,I showed this video to 3 colleagues today - AND a neurologist - all of us agreed - this is concerning and should be immediately evaluated. It is, however, impossible to make medical diagnosis via a video - unless you are Bill Frist or Tom Coburn. I would caution you to be careful about making any insinuations about his medical condition based on just that alone. However, I am concerned enough about what I saw of Senator McCain today that he should be seeing a doctor immediately...Just talked to two more buddies - again - they totally agree - one of whom is ardent McCain supporter."

And this from ThinkProgress
"The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology reviewed the cancer taken off McCain’s head in 2000 and found it to be “highly suggestive of a metastasis of malignant melanoma and may represent a satellite metastasis.” Even with the most optimistic scenario, if McCain has a metastatic malignant melanoma, he has only a 38% chance of surviving past 2010."

Rats from a Sinking Ship

Not much time today, so here are a few links:

Congressman Mark Kirk from Illinois is a bundler for the McCain campaign. He's the first elected official to publicly voice concerns about SlickSarah.

It's so common that it's not news any more, but McCain gets "testy" with the media...and mis-states (oops, lies?) yet again. HuffPost

In case you missed the fact that Maureen Dowd was banned from the McCain plane, here's an excerpt of her thoughts on the matter. Couldn't have said it better myself. Slick=Cheney in a skirt; McShame=Cheney in a shirt.
"It was disappointing because I didn't think John McCain would ever be as dismissive of the First Amendment as Dick Cheney."

Bill's smokin' (no, he didn't inhale this time)...
And though (Clinton) repeated his mantra that Democrats don't have to "say one bad word" about their Republican opponents to win the election, Clinton actually snuck in a dig against Sarah Palin.

"So (Barack's) got a better philosophy. He's got better answers. He's got a better understanding, and better advisers on these complex economic matters. He's got a better vice presidential partner," More here.

Polls are lookin' good for Barack and Joe.

Gotta run...check out HuffPost and ThePoliticalCarnival for other goodies including:

• McCain claims to look to Slick for foreign policy advice - now, THAT's reassuring,
• New RapeKit ad
• Being gay is a choice (SlickS)
• And more...
  

Smokin' Joe

In front of an estimated 35,000 in Detroit Joe Biden takes on John McCain on everything from foreign policy to the economy. Doin' what a VP candidate is supposed to do. Smokin'!

Poor Pitiful Palin

Love, Love, Love this photo!

There's apparently some McShame campaign concern about the media being "too hard" on Palin and suggestions that they should go easier on her...be more deferential. Well, I think they're being too soft. But Gottalaff's father-in-law (who used to write for Alan King, Milton Berle and Jonathan Winters, just to name a few. And all those Dean Martin Roasts, too: Don Rickles, Red Buttons, Phyllis Diller, Sammy Davis, Jr., etc) has once again spoofed her among his other jokes. From ThePoliticalCarnival

"Vice Presidential nominee, SARAH PALIN's address to the United Nations was canceled, which was a shame. She was really ready to speak. She says she knows all about the UN because she can see the building from her hotel room."

DNC ad on Gambling w/McCain

Obama/Biden 08

Obama Endorsed

Thousands hear Barack and Joe in Detroit. Crowds lookin' pretty impressive. View news clip here.

Breaking a long string of republican endorsements, The Record is endorsing Obama this year.

About Obama, they write

"Obama can inspire, and our nation desperately needs an inspirational leader. And he does not carry the deep scars of Vietnam, as do many of McCain's generation. He offers hope. A new way of doing business. And a belief that our system of government can be made to work. He's the clear choice."

About McShame and Slick they write:

"mccain's selection of Palin as a running mate was appalling. The first-term governor is clearly not experienced enough to serve as vice president or president if required. Her lack of knowledge is being covered up by keeping her away from questioning reporters and doing interviews only with those considered friendly to her views."

SlickS & MiteyMc Spark Creativity

Check out the signs from what looks like thousand or more people who attended the anti-Palin rally in Alaska. My fave "so McCain says, sure I'd like to try para-sailin'"

AND listen to the soundtracks that accompany the anti-rally youtube videos here - the top is a GREAT original. Good for Shannyn Moore - painting Alaska blue one stroke at a time!

Check out Tina Fey playing Slick, yet again.

Watching the debate, I found McShame's smirky little comment about being a "betting man" a little gratuitous...and couldn't figure out where it came from. Well apparently he is quite a gambler - as his gambling-related lobbyists and other activities demonstrate. From the NY Times

USAToday/Gallup give Obama the win.

YOU GO GIRLS...Michelle and Jill


Happy Obama/Biden photo

More laughs. I have to ask myself is the other side this creative? Great YouTube Debate Highlights in Song & Dance



Lyrics as best as I can capture them.
McCain: Fundamental differences that Senator Obama and I have.

Lehrer: Sen. Obama: two minutes.

Obama (Michael Gregory): Freedom and justice - and liberty. I'm gonna lower the working class taxes - and make tastier food. John McCain's supports the Hurricanes. But I voted against him. John McCain voted to ruin your life, eight years. Gotta give it to him, the man's got experience.

CHORUS: You know. This time we won't take more of the same. It's time for a change. Yeah.
You're a wolf in sheep's clothing. Dick Cheney in a skirt. Pretendin' you don't know. You're running from your shadow. I'm gonna use a better military strategy, and take care of our soldiers. I'm gonna go to Afghanistan myself and brush the dirt of these shoulders.

John McCain thought the war was a great idea. He said it would be easy. Now we're all spread thin, and don't have what we need to build up in Afghanistan.

We've got Wall Street scrambling, Greenspan gasping and you say we're doing just fine. But you can't just sprinkle sugar on a piece of sh*t and convince people that it tastes good. Oh, yeah.

McShame: Um we republicans came to power to change government and government changed us.

Reprise of chorus

Lehrer: Respond directly to him, ah Sen. Obama about that.

More Slime...Fake McShame Letters..and GOOD News

McCain campaign hires ghostwriters to create fake letters to the editor - focus on touting Palin as the VP choice. Reported by Salon.com.

ABC/WashPost poll shows Obama strongly ahead of repubs and having regained ground with white women lost after Hillary. Restores my faith in my sisters. YAY!! I ask, like some of the commentators, who are the 17% that think the country is moving in the right direction and what are they smoking?

Obama/Biden 08

More Slime..."Egregious"

From FactCheck.org:
"A McCain-Palin ad says that Obama was "born of the corrupt Chicago political machine" and implies that the candidate himself is corrupt by association with four local political figures. But the ad's implication and many of its supporting details are false. In fact, this is a particularly egregious example of ricochet sliming:"

To be fair, FactCheck has countered some of the Obama/Biden claims, but I haven't see the word "egregious" anywhere.

Obama/Biden 08