John McCain: Economic Disaster

The Real John McCain | Part 3:

"John McCain does not have the ability to fix this economic crisis. After declaring the fundamentals of the economy strong, he created a political circus in Washington last week by mucking up bailout negotiations; a deplorable stunt, considering he and his political cronies helped cause the current meltdown.

It was McCain and his economic adviser Phil Gramm who pushed for the deregulation that helped lead to the banking crisis, and it was McCain's crony Rick Davis who had deep lobbyist ties to Freddie Mac. Don't let others be fooled by McCain's economic grandstanding because the reality is his policies and principles will only exacerbate our financial hardships. That's why you must spread this video."

Reality Check: Debate Debunking!

Funny thing about facts. You can't debate your way out of them, but that doesn't keep John McSame from trying.

The Witch Hunter Anoints Sarah Palin

Max Blumenthal: The Witch Hunter Anoints Sarah Palin

Wasilla, Alaska

On September 20 and 21, I attended services at the church Sarah Palin belonged to since she was an adolescent, the Wasilla Assembly of God. Though Palin officially left the church in 2002, she is listed on its website as "a friend," and spoke there as recently as June 8 of this year.

I went specifically to see a pastor visiting from Kiambu, Kenya named Thomas Muthee. Muthee gained fame within Pentecostal circles by claiming that he defeated a local witch, Mama Jane, in a great spiritual battle, thus liberating his town from sin and opening its people to the spirit of Jesus.

Muthee's mounting stardom took him to Wasilla Assembly of God in May, 2005, where he prayed over Palin and called upon Jesus to propel her into the governor's mansion -- and beyond. Muthee also implored Jesus to protect Palin from "the spirit of witchcraft." The video archive of that startling sermon was scrubbed from Wasilla Assembly of God's website, but now it has reappeared.... Continue reading -- you won't believe the rest.

The Youtube version is below (Palin appears after about 7:30):

McCain's Straight Mess Express

The Real News Network:

"Pepe Escobar: From his lobbyists, to the economy and foreign policy, McCain's express off the rails



John McCain has been in Washington for 26 years. In the last 8 years he voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time. He admits he knows nothing about economics. Even some of his advisers admit he cannot run a company. But he knows K street very well – the campaign of the self-styled maverick happens to be swamped by lobbysts working all around here."

Bio

Pepe Escobar, born in Brazil is the roving correspondent for Asia Times and an analyst for The Real News Network. He's been a foreign correspondent since 1985, based in London, Milan, Los Angeles, Paris, Singapore, and Bangkok. Since the late 1990s, he has specialized in covering the arc from the Middle East to Central Asia, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has made frequent visits to Iran and is the author of Globalistan and also Red Zone Blues: A Snapshot of Baghdad During the Surge both published by Nimble Books in 2007.

Obama: Blueprint for Change (At a Glance)

Barack's plan to address this crisis offers strong, practical solutions for American families:




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Obama McCain and the "Worst Case Scenario"

The Real News Network interviews Cass Sunnstein:

Sunnstein: The climate change crisis, not terrorism, is the real "worst case scenario"

Bio

Cass R. Sunstein (born 1954) is an American preeminent legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics. Sunstein taught at the University of Chicago Law School for 27 years, where he continues to teach as the Harry Kalven Visiting Professor. Sunstein is currently the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.

John McCain: Betting on The Stupidity of Americans

John McCain is betting on your stupidity to win the White House. He thinks he can lie about his opponent's record and his own and you'll buy it -- no questions asked. He's willing to do anything -- lie, distort, smear -- anything to win. Sound familiar?

George Bush lied us into a war in Iraq. John McCain is lying to keep us there for as long as possible. More money for more wars means no money for social security, medicare, healthcare, jobs, alternative energy, education, infrastructure and just about everything else Americans care about.

I'm betting Americans are not stupid enough to be fooled -- again. Emperor McSame has no clothes.

• Robert J. Elisberg: Grant McCain's Wish

  "It's About John McCain. It's All About John McCain. It's Only About John McCain...."

• McCain and Palin's Top 20 Lies, Myths and Flip-Flops | Election 2008 | AlterNet


• Blizzard of Lies | NYTimes.com:

  "This year, the McCain campaign keeps making assertions that anyone with an Internet connection can disprove in a minute.
  
  [...]
  
  What it says, I’d argue, is that the Obama campaign is wrong to suggest that a McCain-Palin administration would just be a continuation of Bush-Cheney. If the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning is any indication, it would be much, much worse."



• John McCain: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong"

  "John McCain at a town hall meeting in Florida on Monday morning: "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
  
  If John McCain thinks that 'the fundamentals of our economy are strong,' then that phrase is effectively meaningless. Unemployment is at a five-year high, consumer spending is predicted to decline this fiscal quarter for the first time in 17 years, and we are currently undergoing the worst housing bust since the Great Depression...."

• The Palin Doctrine: Why the Neocons Are So Excited

  "Sarah Palin may not have known what the Bush Doctrine was, but we're getting a pretty good idea of what the Palin Doctrine is. Or will be -- because it's still currently under construction. And what is it going to look like? Let's just say, it's going to seem familiar.
  
  According to London's Daily Telegraph, the architects of the Palin Doctrine are a group of people who have been singularly wrong about virtually everything in the last decade -- the neocons, who have been briefing Palin for weeks.
  
  As predicted, the fact that she didn't know anything wasn't a bug, it was a feature. She's perfect for the neocons: likeable on the outside, a blank slate on the inside. To borrow from an old clich�, if Sarah Palin didn't exist, the neocons would have had to invent her...."

• Jared Bernstein: You Can't Fool All the People All the Time:

  "...McCain/Palin? Thanks, But No Thanks...."

• Chris Kelly: Sarah Palin Isn't Not Not Dis-Un-Lying About Banning Books


• Fired Commissioner: Palin Lied To ABC


• Palin Tax Mystery Enters Second Week: Itemizing The Questions


• Palin Met By Over A Thousand Protesters In Anchorage (VIDEO)


• Karl Rove: McCain's Ads Have Gone Too Far (VIDEO)


• Palin Gets the Facts Wrong in ABC Interview | Video | AlterNet


• Bering Straight Talk | NYTimes.com

  "An Arctic blast of action has swept into the 2008 presidential race, making thinking passé. Presidential candidates don’t really need to think; just intimidate...."

• Making America Stupid | NYTimes.com

  "Unless we make America the country most able to innovate, compete and win in the age of globalization, our leverage in the world will continue to slowly erode...."

• The Palin-Whatshisname Ticket | NYTimes.com

  "The cunning of the Palin choice is that a candidate who embodies fear of change can be sold as a “maverick” because she looks the part...." Even if she isn't...

• Author Of Book Palin Targeted Lashes Back: She's My Mortal Enemy:

  "The author of the book Sarah Palin reportedly tried to have removed from her hometown library blasted back Saturday evening, saying the Alaska Governor had a 'small-town mind,' was an enemy of intellectual freedom and a 'disastrous choice' for vice president.
  
  'I rather suspected one of my books might be the one she targeted,' said Michael Willhoite, author of 'Daddy's Roomate' and several other children's books. 'I can tell you right now, Ms. Palin is a very good mother and everything. But she is my mortal enemy. She is one of the enemies of the First Amendment and I can hardly [organize] my thoughts here, I am so offended by this.'"

• Palin: Bush with Boobs | NYTimes.com

  "Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes..." Sound familiar?
  John McCain thinks he can lie his way into the White House -- because you're too stupid to realize he is lying. He has sacrificed his credibility and integrity in order to win the election in much the same way Bush & Co. lied us into a war. If McCain runs his campaign on lies, smears, and distortions -- how do you think he will run the government? How will you know when he is telling the truth? Or lying us into a way with Iran or Russia?
  

• Erica Jong: Not That Stupid: Erica Jong's Dear John Letter:

  "We have checked. You are lying and so is she. But you must think that a big lie repeated over and over becomes the truth. And it seems that many Americans are with you on that.
  
  You are so good at the bold-faced lie that you even seem to believe it yourself. When Barbara Walters and Joy Behar accused you of lying on 'The View,' you claimed you weren't.
  
  I guess your handlers have decided that after eight years of Cheney-Bush saying one thing and doing another, truth no longer has any meaning. Say it often enough and we'll believe anything -- like the good commercial-watchers we are. So, prep Sarah to sound like Hillary -- and we'll be fooled.
  
  It remains to be seen how many will.
  
  But one thing is clear. You have reached a new low in your regard for the public. You have blown your credibility. Usually politicians wait to be elected to do that...."

• McCain had criticized earmarks from Palin | Los Angeles Times:

  "Three times in recent years, the Arizona senator's lists of 'objectionable' pork spending have included earmarks requested by his new running mate...."

• Palin's earmark request this year | Los Angeles Times:

  "Major parts of this year's request
  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin submitted a request this year for 31 federal earmarks worth $197.8 million. Her memo and the list of projects can be found on the website of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens at http://stevens.senate.gov/earmarks/Approps-StateofAlaska.pdf. Here are the biggest earmarks:
  
  $71 million to build sanitation systems in rural areas
  
  $25 million to compensate for reductions in the salmon harvest
  
  $13.7 million to create a military readiness center
  
  $10.4 million to install runway lighting at rural airports
  
  $10 million to install large-diameter fish passage culverts
  
  $8.7 million to recruit and train workers to build a natural gas pipeline
  
  $6.3 million to upgrade communications for Alaska's Air National Guard 168th Air Refueling Wing
  
  $5 million to help schools meet No Child Left Behind requirements
  
  $4 million to build and maintain recreation trails
  
  $4 million to conserve salmon in the Yukon River
  
  Source: State of Alaska
  
  Los Angeles Times"

• McCain wrong on Palin earmarks | Los Angeles Times


• Woodward: McCain Privately Pessimistic About Iraq in 2007 | washingtonpost.com:

  "...a new book by The Post's Bob Woodward suggests that McCain has not always been as forthcoming with the public as he has pledged to be.
  
  Woodward's latest book about the Iraq war, 'The War Within,' portrays McCain as offering a rosy assessment to the public about the surge's progress while privately telling U.S. officials he thought the country was on the brink of losing the war...."

• More Lies: Palin never went to Iraq | The Boston Globe


• McCain-Palin Crowd-Size Estimates Not Backed by Officials | Bloomberg.com


• From "Maverick" to Mudslinger |msnbc.com

  "McCain: Mr. Straight Talk?" Hardly...

• t r u t h o u t | Wisconsin GOP Trying to Disenfranchise Voters

  Steven Elbow, The Capital Times: "A lawsuit filed by the state attorney general Wednesday has the potential to slow down voting lines in what promises to be a staggering turnout for the Nov. 4 election, local voting officials said. 'It will disenfranchise voters. That's what we're concerned about,' City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, a Republican, filed the lawsuit Monday in Dane County Circuit Court to get ineligible voters off the rolls."

• t r u t h o u t | Campaign of Lies Disgraces McCain

  The St. Petersburg Times: "This nation is facing real challenges on the economy, health care, jobs and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are significant differences between how Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain would address them. But McCain's recent campaign ads suggest the most vital issues are whether Obama wanted to teach sex education to kindergarten children and whether he derided the Republican's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, by talking about lipstick on a pig. McCain's straight talk has become a toxic mix of lies and double-speak. It is leaving a permanent stain on his reputation for integrity, and it is a short-term strategy that eventually will backfire with the very types of independent-thinking voters that were so attracted to him."

• McCain Barbs Stirring Outcry as Distortions - NYTimes.com


• Gov. Palin’s Worldview | NYTimes.com

  "If John McCain seriously thought Gov. Sarah Palin was qualified to be president, it raises profound questions about his judgment...."

• She’s Not Ready | NYTimes.com:

  "While watching the Sarah Palin interview with Charlie Gibson Thursday night, and the coverage of the Palin phenomenon in general, I’ve gotten the scary feeling, for the first time in my life, that dimwittedness is not just on the march in the U.S., but that it might actually prevail...."

• McCain Grilled On "The View": Sarah Palin, His Abortion Stance, His Obama Attack Ads, And More


• Keith Olbermann Blasts McCain for Exploiting 9/11 | Video | AlterNet


• Did McCain Tamper With the Drug Enforcement Agency to Protect His Career? | AlterNet:

  "McCain appears to have used his Senate staff to cover up his wife's drug use, and possibly to prevent the DEA from investigating her...."

Paid For By Big Oil

END BIG OIL'S ENERGY PLAN

"Too many Republicans in Washington are in the pocket of big oil. They've taken millions of dollars from oil companies like ExxonMobil. So instead of fighting for new jobs and investing in clean energy, these Members of Congress have supported $18 billion in tax breaks for oil companies.

Now they are back in Washington calling for more drilling - exactly what the oil companies would like. It's time to expose the politicians who refuse to stand up to big oil.

We need leaders to stop working for big oil and to start working for the American people."

Sign the petition HERE.

Is John McCain Physically Fit for Office?

TheRealMcCain.com reports:

"John McCain has not yet released his medical records to the public. McCain is 72 years old, and has been diagnosed with invasive melanoma. In May of this year, a small group of selected reporters were allowed to review 1,173 pages of McCain's medical records that covered only the last eight years, and were allowed only three hours to do so. John McCain's health is an issue of profound importance. We call on John McCain to issue a full, public disclosure of all of his medical records, available for the media and members of the general public to review."

Email this video to everyone you know and encourage them to send it on. Cross post and spread the word, folks. Should McCain become incapacitated or worse, the prospect of Sarah Palin as president becomes increasingly disturbing.

Technorati tags: John McCain, President, 2008 Campaign, YouTube, video, health, fit for office, medical records, secrecy, activism

Do Something to End the War in Iraq

Volunteer for Million Doors For Peace

Join tens of thousands of Americans just like you on September 20th to mobilize a movement to end the war in Iraq. Watch the video for more information.

A national press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16th in Washington, DC. To volunteer to canvas on the 20th please go to:MillionDoorsForPeace.org



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Sarah Palin Naked

Michael Seitzman (Huffington Post):

"She said "nucular." Twice.

I realized three things tonight. For one, if you are a McCain/Palin/Bush voter, you and I do not have a difference of opinion. We have a difference in brain power. Two, she really is as ignorant as I feared. And, three, she really is kinda hot. Basically, I want to have sex with her on my Barack Obama sheets while my wife reads aloud from the Constitution. (My wife is cool with this if I promise to "first wipe off Palin's tranny makeup." I married well.)

Now, I want to be clear and speak directly to those of you who LOVED that Palin interview. You're an idiot. I mean that. This is not one of those cases where we're going to agree to disagree. This isn't one of those situations where we debate it passionately and then walk away thinking that the other guy is wrong but argued well. I'm not going to think of you as a thoughtful but misguided person with different ideas who still really cares about the country and the world. No, sorry, not this time. This time, if you watched those interview excerpts and weren't scared out of your freakin' mind, then you're mentally ill, mentally disabled, or mentally disturbed. What you are NOT is responsible, informed, curious, thoughtful, mature, educated, empathetic, or remotely serious. I mean it.

But I like to think that anyone can change.

Stop voting for people you want to have a beer with. Stop voting for folksy. Stop voting for people who remind you of your neighbor. Stop voting for the ideologically intransigent, the staggeringly ignorant, and the blazingly incompetent.

Vote for someone smarter than you. Vote for someone who inspires you. Vote for someone who has not only traveled the world but who has also shown a deep understanding and compassion for it. The stakes are real and they're terrifyingly high. This election matters. It matters. It really matters. Let me say that one more time. This. Really. Matters."

McCain's Fannie and Freddie Connections

John McCain is attacking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for using lobbyists to game the system. Guess what? John McCain's campaign staffers WERE those lobbyists.

Photo credit: John McCain. (MotherJones.com)

read more | digg story

Technorati tags: John McCain, Lobbyists, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, 2008 Election, Politics, Mother Jones

Obama's 'Naïve' Ideas Always Prove To Be Brilliant

Robert Silvers (Huffington Post) reports:

If you run a tally, Obama's record over the last year shows a remarkable degree of foresight, even-tempered judgment, and a real willingness to make hard calls that aren't the politically popular flavor of the week. Indeed, almost every one of Obama's foreign policy positions has been vindicated....

read more | digg story

Technorati tags: Robert Silvers, Huffington Post, Barack Obama, Iraq, Iran, Foreign Policy, Surge, Invasion, Judgement, 2008 Election, politics

Bagging McCain On Palin

John McCain is a joke. Watch the incoherent responses he gives to direct, unambiguous questions in this NBC affiliate interview:

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Technorati tags: John McCain, Interview, NBC, Affiliate, Sarah Palin, Incoherent, news

John McCain, End the Lies, End the War

John McCain doesn't have a monopoly on loss. Our country has paid a dear price for the war in Iraq; the loss of a generation of young men and women and the toll on their friends and family.



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When Will Sarah Palin Stop Lying? When Pigs Fly....

Sarah Palin a Champion of Earmark Reform? Hogwash.



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John McCain's Ads Are LIES. Watch the Video Proof.

John McCain is running a campaign based on outright lies about his own record and that of Barack Obama. ENOUGH. It's time American got to know the REAL John McCain, a guy with a policy so bankrupt of ideas that he has resorted to the lowest, most dishonest, unAmerican campaign tactics in recent history.

War hero? Maybe. Integrity? Not.



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Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Remembering 9/11 and Moving Forward

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Remembering 9/11 and Moving Forward: "America must move from the errant, retributive justice of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation.

Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth seeking set our nation on a path of reconciliation....

[...]

...There is a powerful desire across America for change, not necessarily from control by one political party to another, but a change from living with lies to living with truth.

Over two dozen nations, facing peril within and without, deeply divided by politics and war have travelled down a path of restoring civil society through a formal process of reconciliation. At some point within each of those countries it was understood that the way forward is shown through the light of truth. This process is not without pain because it requires a willingness to study evidence to which eyes had been averted and ears had been closed. But in the process of truth and reconciliation, nations found new strength, new resolve, new commitment.

The South African Truth and Reconciliation enabled that nation to come to grips with its past through a public confessional, bringing forward those who committed crimes and having the power to grant amnesty for full disclosure of crimes against the people. Of course, our path may necessarily be different: High US government officials stand accused in Impeachment petitions of violating national and international law. Our continued existence as a democracy may depend upon how thoroughly we seek the truth. I will call upon the America people to join me in supporting this effort.

The truth can move us forward, as a unified whole, so that we can one day become a re-United States. 9/11 is the day the world changed. It is the day America embraced a metaphor of war. If we are open to truth and reconciliation, we may one day be able, once again, to embrace peace."

PASS IT ON: The Truth About John McCain

DISTRIBUTE WIDELY THRU E-MAILS AND BLOGS:











10 things to know about John McCain

10 things you should know about John McCain (but probably don't):

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.¹


2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."²


3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.³


4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."⁴


5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.⁵


6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.⁶


7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."⁷


8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.⁸


9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his "spiritual guide," Rod Parsley, believes America's founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a "false religion." McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church "the Antichrist" and a "false cult."⁹


10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.¹⁰

John McCain is not who the Washington press corps makes him out to be. So forward this to your personal network!

SOURCES:

1. "The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day," ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

"McCain Facts," ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/

2. "McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq," Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us

"Buchanan: John McCain 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,'" ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/

3. "McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill," ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/

4. "McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned," MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/

5. "2007 Children's Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard," February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007


"McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion," CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/

6. "Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady," Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80

"McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,'" Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home

7. "Will McCain's Temper Be a Liability?," Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

"Famed McCain temper is tamed," Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/

8. "Black Claims McCain's Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: 'I Don't Know What The Criticism Is,'" ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/

"McCain's Lobbyist Friends Rally 'Round Their Man," ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251

9. "McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam," Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3519

"Will McCain Specifically 'Repudiate' Hagee's Anti-Gay Comments?," ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/

"McCain 'Very Honored' By Support Of Pastor Preaching 'End-Time Confrontation With Iran,'" ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/

10. "John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record," Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/

Technorati tags: John McCain, Truth, 2008, Election, Policies, Republicans

Fascism Alert: Growing Government Secrecy

The Associated Press reports:

"Government secrecy is on the rise by almost every measure, according to a report by a coalition of government oversight groups.

They said the U.S. is classifying more records as top secret or otherwise confidential and employing fewer workers who make federal documents available publicly.

"The open society on which we pride ourselves has been undermined and will take hard work to repair," said the report, described as a "secrecy report card" by OpenTheGovernment.org. It cited 14 different measurements to quantify government secrecy, including patents hidden from the public, secret court approvals for surveillance in sensitive terrorism and espionage investigations and the expanding use of informal labels to keep documents from being disclosed.

The group said there was an 80 percent decline over the last decade in the number of pages of records declassified, dropping last year to 37 million pages. Such declassifications peaked in the Clinton administration, with the opening of 204 million pages in 1997. The findings were based on the government's own figures...."

For Complete Report (PDF), CLICK HERE.

Lyin' Palin

Fact Check: Palin And The Bridge To Nowhere

"...Whopper... Campaign Lied 18 Times..."

Sarah Palin: No Joke

Eve Ensler writes:

"...I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity...."

Sarah Palin: A Trojan Moose Concealing Four More Years of George Bush

Arianna Huffington:

"Did Sarah Palin wrongfully push to have her ex-brother-in law fired? Was she really against the "Bridge to Nowhere?" Did she really sell Alaska's plane on eBay, or just list it on eBay? Did she actually have any substantial duties commanding the Alaska National Guard?

The correct answer to all these questions is: who cares? Which isn't to say these aren't valid questions, or that Palin and the McCain camp aren't playing it fast, loose, and coy with each of them. The point is that Palin, and the circus she's brought to town, are simply a bountiful collection of small lies deliberately designed to distract the country from one big truth: the havoc that George Bush and the Republican Party have wrought, and that John McCain is committed to continuing.

Every second of this campaign not spent talking about the Republican Party's record, and John McCain's role in that record, is a victory for John McCain.

Her critics like to say that Palin hasn't accomplished anything. I disagree: in the space of ten days she's succeeded in distracting the entire country from the horrific Bush record -- and McCain's complicity in it. My friends, that's accomplishment we can believe in...."

Obama-Biden vs. McCain-Palin: Record on Women

Barack Obama and Joe Biden: Side by Side Comparison (pdf)

During the Republican Convention, John McCain's campaign manager said, "Issues don't matter." No wonder McCain hasn’t been able to bridge the gender gap. While John McCain was gambling that women voters would overlook the fact that McCain-Palin are offering four more years of Bush's failed policies, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been discussing the issues that women and families are concerned about – issues like equal pay for equal work, the right to make your own family planning choices, and the challenge of balancing the family budget in the face of skyrocketing energy and healthcare costs.

Anyone who thinks women are voting for candidates based solely on gender is completely out of touch. The vast majority of women, like some 80 percent of Americans, think this country is heading in the wrong direction and while McCain-Palin only offer more of the same, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will deliver the change we need.

Check out a side by side comparison of Obama-Biden vs. McCain-Palin on the issues.

We can't afford a third Bush term. We need your help right now to help elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Sign up today: Signup: Women for Obama

Lieberman and the neocons around McCain

The Real News Network reports:

Robert Parry on Vietnam era hawks, the neocons and McCain

Click Here for Transcript.

The 'Real' John McCain

The Real News Network reports:

Investigative journalist Bob Parry talks about McCain, his defense of Bush/Cheney and Iraq war

Bio:

Robert Parry is an American investigative journalist. He was awarded the George Polk Award for National Reporting in 1984 for his work with the Associated Press. In 1995, he established Consortium News as an online ezine dedicated to investigative journalism. From 2000 to 2004, he worked for the financial wire service Bloomberg. Major subjects of Parry's articles and reports on Consortium News include the presidency of George W. Bush[3], the career of Army general and Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell (with Norman Solomon), the October Surprise controversy of the 1980 election, the Nicaraguan contra-cocaine investigation, the efforts to impeach President Clinton, right-wing terrorism in Latin America, the political influence of Sun Myung Moon, mainstream American media imbalance, United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates [11], as well as international stories . Parry has written several books, including Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & "Project Truth." (1999) and Secrecy & Privilege: Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq (2004).

Who is Randy Scheunemann?

The Real News Network reports:

McCain's neocon foreign policy adviser has been a lobbyist for arms companies & Saakashvili's Georgia

"Randy Scheunemann, John McCain’s Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Lobbyist, and a former director of the neo conservative Project for a New American Century. A group which advocates global strategic and ideological predominance of the United States through military force. He has been a Republican political insider In Washington since 1986. He served on the staffs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and as National Security Adviser to Senate Republican and Majority Leaders Bob Dole and Trent Lott from 1993-99. He was also McCain’s defense and foreign policy advisor during the bid for the White House in 2000. About his relationship with McCain the web site RIGHT WEB reports: He introduced the senator to the foreign ministers of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia as they tried to win admission to NATO, and a representative of Taiwan as it lobbied for free trade, records show. Mr. Scheunemann also accompanied Mr. McCain to Latvia in 2001 and Georgia in 2006. He has led 3 lobbying firms, SCHEUNEMANN & ASSOCIATES, ORION STRATEGIES and the MERCURY GROUP. He has lobbied for among others: Arms manufacturers and gun associations, Oil Firms, And represented foreign governments Including Georgia. The Wall Street Journal reported that “Mr. Scheunemann's firm (Orion Strategies) has earned more than $2 million since 2004 lobbying U.S. officials, including Sen. McCain and his staff, on behalf of various clients including Georgia, records show. His lobbying for Saakashvili has led to the inference by Journalist Robert Scheer on TruthDig, Conservative Columnist Pat Buchanan on Creators Syndicate, and indirectly Vladimir Putin of Russia, to suggest that he had something to do with Georgia’s attack on the breakaway region of South Ossetia in early August. Randy Scheunemann has been described as John McCain’s Henry Kissinger or Zbignew Brzeniski."

Seal of Approval? Or Kiss of Death?

Sarah Palin Ready For Vice Presidency Says Dick Cheney

Having the Chief of Vice endorse your credentials for office is akin to having Satan himself endorse your character. Vote McCain-Palin for 4 more fun-filled years of Bush-Cheney Corruption, Secrecy, and Disastrous Policies!

MSNBC REMOVES OLBERMANN, MATTHEWS FROM ANCHOR SEAT

CALL, WRITE, E-MAIL NBC-- THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. The only news anchor that ISN'T A BLATANT MOUTHPIECE FOR THE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT-- KEITH OLBERMANN -- is being removed from his anchor position during the coming political debates and election night. This, despite Countdowns' "higher television rating than any other show in the troubled 12-year history of the network."

Read and weep:

MSNBC Takes Incendiary Hosts From Anchor Seat - NYTimes.com

Also See:

• t r u t h o u t | MSNBC Demotes Keith Olbermann

Technorati tags: MSNBC, NBC, News, Media, 2008 Election, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Demotion. Anchor, Politics

Sarah Palin's Churches and The Third Wave: Video Documentary

MUST SEE. MUST READ.

New video documents Sarah Palin's two and a half decade church, Wasilla Assembly of God, as part of a rapidly growing, "underground" church movement aimed at achieving Christian political dominance which seeks to eliminate crime and addiction by driving out "territorial demons" and holds that "curses" can be transmitted down family lines.



Bruce Wilson (Huffington Post) reports:

"Sarah Palin's churches are actively involved in a resurgent movement that was declared heretical by the Assemblies of God in 1949. This is the same 'Spiritual Warfare' movement that was featured in the award winning movie, "Jesus Camp," which showed young children being trained to do battle for the Lord. At least three of four of Palin's churches are involved with major organizations and leaders of this movement, which is referred to as The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit or the New Apostolic Reformation. The movement is training a young "Joel's Army" to take dominion over the United States and the world.....

Continue reading.

read more | digg story

Also See:

• Palin's Churches and the Third Wave

  "Sarah Palin has refused to acknowledge belonging to any specific denomination or any particular religious stream. However, it is now well documented that she spent her youth in an Assembly of God church and has regularly attended another AoG church, as well as two Independent Churches. At least three of four of these churches have close ties to prominent organizations and leaders in the Third Wave movement, also known as the New Apostolic Reformation.
  
  This is a worldwide movement so completely ignored by the press that there is no single accepted term that has been coined for the identification for the group. In addition to Third Wave and New Apostolic Reformation, it is also referred to by the names of some of its more extreme theologies, such as Joel's Army and Manifest Sons of Destiny. Its roots are in a revival of the manifestations and beliefs of the New Order of Latter Rain which has been repeatedly condemned by the General Council of the Assemblies of God since 1949...."

Technorati tags: Sarah Palin, Church, Jesus Camp, Master's Commission, Third Wave, Wasilla, Wasilla Assembly of God, Politics, 2008 Election, news

The Mirrored Ceiling

Judith Warner (NY Times) reports:

"...Republicans, very clearly, believe that real people are idiots. This disdain for their smarts shows up in the whole way they’ve cast this race now, turning a contest over economic and foreign policy into a culture war of the Real vs. the Elites. It’s a smoke and mirrors game aimed at diverting attention from the fact that the party’s tax policies have helped create an elite that’s more distant from “the people” than ever before. And from the fact that the party’s dogged allegiance to up-by-your-bootstraps individualism — an individualism exemplified by Palin, the frontierswoman who somehow has managed to “balance” five children and her political career with no need for support — is leading to a culture-wide crack-up.

Real people, the kind of people who will like and identify with Palin, they clearly believe, are smart, but not too smart, and don’t talk too well, dropping their “g”s, for example, and putting tough concepts like “vice president” in quotation marks.

“As for that ‘V.P.’ talk all the time … I tell ya, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me, What is it exactly that the ‘VP’ does every day?” Palin asked host Lawrence Kudlow on CNBC sometime before her nomination. “I’m used to bein’ very productive and workin’ real hard in an administration and we want to make sure that that ‘V.P.’ slot would be a fruitful type of position.”

And, I think, they find her acceptably “real,” because Palin’s not intimidating, and makes it clear that she’s subordinate to a great man.

That’s the worst thing a woman can be in this world, isn’t it? Intimidating, which appears to be synonymous with competent. It’s the kiss of death, personally and politically.

But shouldn’t a woman who is prepared to be commander in chief be intimidating? Because of the intelligence, experience, talent and drive that got her there? If she isn’t, at least on some level, off-putting, if her presence inspires national commentary on breast-pumping and babysitting rather than health care reform and social security, then something is seriously wrong. If she doesn’t elicit at least some degree of awe, then something is missing...."

Technorati tags: Judith Warner, The New York Times, Sarah Palin, Feminism, Republicans, Republican Party, John McCain, 2008 Election, Conservative, Politics, op ed

And Then There Was One

Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times, writes:

"As we emerge from Labor Day, college students are gathering back on campuses not only to start the fall semester, but also, in some cases, to vote for the first time in a presidential election. There is no bigger issue on campuses these days than environment/energy. Going into this election, I thought that — for the first time — we would have a choice between two “green” candidates. That view is no longer operative — and college students (and everyone else) need to understand that...."

Photo Credit: Thomas Friedman. (Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

Also See:

• Friedman: A Vote for Obama

Technorati tags: Thomas Friedman, New York Times, Energy, Environment, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, John McCain, Green, op ed

McCain Ally Moves to Curb Probe of Palin

Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball (Newsweek) report:

"Key Alaska allies of John McCain are trying to derail a politically charged investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in order to prevent a so-called 'October surprise' that would produce embarrassing information about the vice presidential candidate on the eve of the election.

In a move endorsed by the McCain campaign Friday, John Coghill, the GOP chairman of the state House Rules Committee, wrote a letter seeking a meeting of Alaska's bipartisan Legislative Council in order to remove the Democratic state senator in charge of the so-called 'troopergate' investigation.

Coghill charged that the senator, Hollis French, had 'politicized' the probe by making a number of public comments in recent days, including telling ABC News that Palin had a 'credibility problem' and that the investigation into the firing of public safety commissioner Walter Monegan was "likely to be damaging to the administration" and could be an 'October surprise'....""

Technorati tags: Michael Isikoff, Mark Hosenball, Sarah Palin, Republicans, Alaska, Politicians, Investigation, Probe, Troopergate

Take it from Republicans: Palin is "A Joke"

The Atlantic reports:

Alaska's Republican State Senate President: Palin Not Prepared, Thought Pick Was A Joke:

"State Senate President Lyda Green said she thought it was a joke when someone called her at 6 a.m. to give her the news. 'She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?' said Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. 'Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation'"

[Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Alaska's Republican House Speaker Has Nothing Positive To Say About Palin's Qualifications:

"State House Speaker John Harris, a Republican from Valdez, was astonished at the news. He didn't want to get into the issue of her qualifications. 'She's old enough,' Harris said. 'She's a U.S. citizen.'"

[Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Conservative Rick Rydell: Questionable Vetting.

"Conservative host Rick Rydell said there are some benefits to the state, but it's a gamble for McCain to pick an unknown with what he considered 'questionable vetting.' 'It seems almost like a Hail Mary pass at the end of a football game,' Rydell said in an interview after his show Friday. Rydell said McCain has destroyed his argument about Barack Obama's lack of experience."

[Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

California Republican Delegates Worried About Palin Pick:

"California Republican delegates Karen and Robert Bonadio (father and daughter) said they are worried about McCain's pick for VP. They like her story a lot . . . But the Bonadios heard that Palin and her family are hunters, actually going out into the countryside to shoot wild creatures that weren't doing anything to her. That offends the L.A. delegates greatly, and they really don't want to hear that different parts of the country may have different cultures and views of such things. The Bonadios don't know that they want such a smalltown person as vice president. And they intend to make that point clear this week if they get another chance to talk with the senator."

[LA Times, 8/31/08]

St. Louis Republican Delegate Deeply Concerned With Palin Selection:

"Several Republican delegates said they too were shocked by the selection of Ms. Palin and, while they wished her well, were deeply concerned that she did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief. 'We've been told for the last few months that experience is what matters most in the next White House,' said John Scates, a delegate from St. Louis. 'But McCain is picking someone whose experience is little to nothing or, at best, unknown.'"

[New York Times, 8/31/08]

Conservative Columnist: Palin Pick Near Suicidal:

"'The Palin selection completely undercuts the argument about Obama's inexperience and readiness to lead' wrote syndicated conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. 'To gratuitously undercut the remarkably successful 'Is he ready to lead' line of attack seems near suicidal.'"

[Ottawa Citizen, 8/31/08]

Alabama Republican Delegate: Palin Not Qualified:

"As they began gathering in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the start of their convention on Monday, some Republican delegates said they were concerned that Ms. Palin did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief. 'We're in a global war, we're in a global economy, so it's less than honest if someone says that this woman is qualified to lead America right now,' said Todd Burkhalter, a Republican delegate from Mobile, Ala."

[New York Times, 8/30/08]

Republican Operatives Worry About Palin Pick:

"'I want to believe this is a game-changer, but when I close my eyes I see New Orleans in 1988,' said a dumbstruck Republican operative, recalling the convention where Vice President George H.W. Bush tapped Dan Quayle. 'Hell, I don't know anything about her,' a top Republican fund-raiser sputtered. 'She may attract some independent women, but I can't think of a state where she can make a difference.'"

[New York Daily News, 8/29/08]

Republicans Describe Palin Pick As "Desperate" And Contrary to McCain's "Country First" Slogan:

"Shannen Coffin, a former White House counsel to Dick Cheney, the vice-president, said choosing Palin seemed 'desperate' and that it would be difficult to attack Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, on the grounds of inexperience. 'It is hard to imagine Palin playing the same sort of role that modern vice-presidents like Gore, Bush, Cheney or Mondale played,' he said. Anti-abortion conservative Republicans applauded the choice as daring and modern, but others criticised her lack of foreign policy expertise and inexperience in a national election. David Frum, President George W. Bush's former speech-writer, warned: 'The McCain campaign's slogan is 'country first'. If it
were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat from the presidency?'"

[TimesOnline, 8/31/08]

Alaskan Republicans Have Reservations About Palin:

"[A] growing chorus of Alaskans expressed reservations. 'She's not qualified, she doesn't have the judgment, to be next in line to the president of the United States,' Larry Persily, who until June worked in the governor's Washington office as a congressional liaison, said in a phone interview. A supporter of Palin's campaign for governor, Jim Whitaker, the Republican mayor of Fairbanks, also questioned Palin's readiness to serve as vice president. Whitaker said that while he is 'still an avid supporter' of Palin as governor, he will continue to back Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama."

[Bloomberg, 9/1/08]

Republican Strategist: I'm Perplexed:

"David Marin, a principal at the Podesta Group and a Republican congressional strategist said, "I'm perplexed. Maybe the choice is pure genius. Maybe McCain has energized the base, re-established his maverick credentials, re-emphasized his reform agenda, and added historic new cracks to the odious glass ceiling, all with a single decision. Maybe Palin will amaze us all and be able to stand toe-to-toe with Biden. Maybe she'll add some much-needed sizzle. But I thought the McCain campaign was about experience at a time of national crisis. And I thought he understood the outcome will ultimately rest with independents, with 'post partisans.' I guess it's a good thing most people vote for president, not VP, because, right now at least, this has Bentsen-Quayle written all over it."

[Politico, 9/1/08]

Former McCain Advisor: Palin Pick Suggests Lack of Confidence.

"'It was certainly a surprising pick,' says Dan Schnur, who served as McCain's communications director during the Arizona senator's 2000 presidential campaign. It's the sort of pick, he says, that you would expect when a candidate is 'behind 10 or 15 points in the polls.' But with McCain and Obama running neck and neck, most analysts would anticipate a safer choice. 'So it seems the senator and his advisers aren't as confident' as they might be, Schnur says."

[NPR.org, 8/29/08]

Local Conservative Blogger: McCain's Worst Mistake.

"Sherry Whitstine, a local [Alaska] conservative blogger, was dumbfounded by Palin's selection, and not in a good way. Palin is 'small potatoes,' said Whitstine, who is still struggling to come to grips with McCain's decision. '[Trying to make Palin] the VP of our country is probably the worst mistake of [McCain's] entire life,' Whitstine said."

[Chicago Tribune, 9/1/08]

Pat Buchanan Mocks Palin With Joe Scarborough:

"On MSNBC on August 29, 2008 (before the announcement), Pat Buchanan had this to say about Sarah Palin: 'You mentioned the word commander in chief. And it is -- it is hard to see Sarah Palin as commander in chief within the next year or something like that. I think that's the real risk that just -- this woman, she might be outstanding. She might get women, get conservatives, energize the base. But I think the argument made against her would be that she just is not ready to be commander in chief, and she could be eaten alive in a debate with Joe Biden.' Buchanan went on to acknowledge that Obama has done more to validate himself, saying 'No, you are right. He validated himself, Barack Obama, by beating everybody all the -- over 18 months."

[MSNBC, 8/29/08; YouTube]

Karl Rove: Palin "Risky" Pick:

"Before the news of her daughter's pregnancy broke, Karl Rove told the Maine Republican delegation that Sarah Palin is a 'risky' choice for vice president."

[TheAtlantic.com, 9/1/08; PolitickerME.com, 9/1/08]

WashingtonPost: Republicans Nervous:

"[S]ome Republicans remained nervous about the party's ticket, worrying about the potential for more surprises in the days ahead. 'Palin's daughter's pregnancy is probably much ado about nothing -- I think,' one GOP strategist said. 'If there's more, it will raise questions about the whole vetting process because she's such an unknown.' Another McCain loyalist said he doubts the controversy will last. 'It came out in the vetting, and if that's true, then the vetting worked,' he said. 'If that's not true, then I would have concerns.'"

[Washington Post, 9/2/08]

Prominent Republican Writer Says Palin Pick Neither Wise Nor Responsible:

"Former Bush speechwriter, David Frum, said this about Sarah Palin: "Ms. Palin's experience in government makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues. All this would matter less, but for this fact: The day that John McCain announced his selection of Sarah Palin was his birthday. His 72nd birthday. . . If anything were to happen to a President McCain, the destiny of the free world would be placed in the hands of a woman who until recently was a small-town mayor." He concluded by saying, "Ms. Palin is a bold pick, and probably a shrewd one. It's not nearly so clear that she is a responsible pick, or a wise one."

[AEI.org,
9/2/08]

Veteran Republican: Palin Pick Reckless:

"Each new fact we learn about Sarah Palin--her reversal on the bridge to nowhere, her disagreements with McCain on issues from windfall profits to global warming, emerging facts about troopergate--contribute to the feeling that this whole Palin thing is being made up as we go along. It may be fun to read about, and it sure is fun to cover, but it also supports the judgment of the Palin pick that I first heard from a Republican veteran shortly after the announcement: 'Reckless.'"

[Slate, 9/1/08]

Original Post

UPDATE: ALSO SEE

• Sarah Palin: A national joke

Technorati tags: Sarah Palin, Republicans, Joke, John McCain, Alaska, Politician, Politics

GOP Congressman Calls Obama "Uppity"

No more racial code words for McBush supporters, folks:

GOP Congressman Calls Obama "Uppity"

Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the racially-tinged term "uppity" to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday.

Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama.

"Just from what little I've seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

Asked to clarify that he used the word "uppity," Westmoreland said, "Uppity, yeah."....

Continue reading.

You might remember this clown from his 2006 appearance on "The Colbert Report." If you missed it, you owe it to yourself to take a look.

Technorati tags: GOP, Congressman, Lynn Westmoreland, Barack Obama, Uppity

Alaska Police Union Files Complaint Against Palin

"An ethics complaint obtained by NBC News was filed Wednesday by the police officers union in Alaska, requesting a probe into possible wrongdoing by the governor or her office...."

What's next?

Photo Credit: Sarah Palin. Huffington Post.

read more | digg story

The Five Facts You Should Know About Sarah Palin's Record

Send to a friend: Five Facts You Should Know About Sarah Palin's Record

Make sure your friends know Sarah Palin's right-wing stances on the issues that are top priorities to women voters -- from education to the environment. Her name on the ticket only confirms that John McCain will not offer the progressive change this country needs.

Click Here to send a meesage to your friends encouraging them to get the facts.

Thanks to Emily's List.

Sebelius Accuses Palin Of Deceiving Voter

Seth Colter Walls reports:

"In a Thursday morning conference call for reporters organized by the Democratic National Committee, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius pushed back against the idea that Republicans have cornered the market on small-town America...."

Photo Credit: Kathleen Sebelius. (Huffington Post)

read more | digg story

Cheney colleague admits bribery in Halliburton oil deals

The Independent reports:

"A former colleague of the US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, has pleaded guilty to funnelling millions of dollars in bribes to win lucrative contracts in Nigeria for Halliburton, during the period in the Nineties when Mr Cheney ran the giant oil and gas services company.

Albert Stanley, who was appointed by Mr Cheney as chief executive of Halliburton's subsidiary KBR, admitted using a north London lawyer to channel payments to Nigerian officials as part of a bribery scheme that landed some $6bn of work in the country over a decade.

The guilty plea, announced yesterday, came after a four-year investigation by US attorneys and threatens to stir up old controversies just as eyes are trained on the Republican party convention. Mr Cheney, who pulled out of an address to the convention because of Hurricane Gustav earlier this week, led Halliburton from 1995 until returning to government in 2000. He had previously been Defence Secretary under the first President George Bush, and the links with Halliburton have been a constant thorn in the side of the current administration as the company has gone on to win billions of dollars of contracts in Iraq and other US military spheres...."

Eight Members of RNC Activist Group Lodged with Terrorism Charges

Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman reports:

"Ramsey County prosecutors have formally charged eight members of a prominent activist group with conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism. The eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee are believed to be the first persons ever charged under the 2002 Minnesota version of the federal PATRIOT Act. The activists face up to seven-and-a-half years in prison. We speak with the father of one of those charged and the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. [includes rush transcript]..."

Jon Stewart Hits Karl Rove, Bill O'Reilly, Dick Morris On Sarah Palin Hypocrisy

Wednesday night on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart hit Karl Rove and Bill O'Reilly with damning evidence of their hypocrisy regarding Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

While Rove recently praised Palin's experience as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Stewart showed video of Rove trashing Virginia Governor — and former Richmond Mayor — Tim Kaine's executive experience, listing all the cities that are bigger than Richmond and calling such a pick "political."

Then, after recent video of O'Reilly describing Bristol Palin's pregnancy as a family issue, Stewart showed a clip of the Fox News host blaming Jamie Lynn Spears' parents for her teenage pregnancy.

Finally, after showing video of Dick Morris complaining about the rampant sexism in the media coverage of Sarah Palin, Stewart unveiled a clip of Morris saying that Hillary hides behind the sexism defense, and that anytime "the big boys" pick on Hillary, "she retreats behind the apron strings."

"In Dick Morris' defense," Stewart said, "he is a lying sack of sh*t."

Watch:

Thanks to Huffington Post.

GOP Pundits Caught Trashing Palin ON TAPE!

Those hot mics always tell the truth!

read more | digg story

McCain Was Against Palin Before He Was For Her

"...Long before McCain focused the national spotlight on Palin as his Veep pick, he was making her famous as a dedicated feeder at the pork barrel trough...."

read more | digg story

Amy Goodman Unplugged

The Real News Network: Amy Goodman talks about her illegal arrest at the RNC and what it says about our country.



Amy Goodman is the host and executive producer of Democracy Now!. She is co-author, with her brother David Goodman, of the book Static: Government Liars, Media Cheerleaders and the People Who Fight Back. The pair also co-wrote the national best-seller The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them.

The Truth About John McCain

Former POW says McCain is "not cut out to be President":

Dr. Phillip Butler knew McCain as a fellow POW. Watch & Listen:

Thanks to Robert Greenwalk, Brave New Pac: John McCain has been exploiting his prisoner of war experience every chance he gets. He has used this story to justify everything from not knowing how many homes he has to his healthcare plan to his marital infidelities to his taste in music. The McCain campaign is even using his POW story in paid ads. But now a veteran who was a prisoner with McCain in Vietnam is explaining loud and clear that being a POW does not qualify McCain to lead our country.

[...]

We are sure this video will draw an onslaught of right-wing attacks, but we bring it to you because it is our job to continue to convey the truth together and give these issues national attention. As Dr. Butler has said, McCain does not have the temperament to have his finger near the red button. Get this video to everyone you know: friends, family members, coworkers, and especially those who don't share your political views. The video is designed to reach them. Get it on your social networking sites like Digg. And get it to every blog, newspaper, and TV station that has ever overplayed McCain's POW story. It is time to fight back with truth!

The mainstream press has already begun to call out McCain for overusing his POW story. And it's cut across all political persuasions.

• "Whether he's deflecting criticism over his health-care plan or mocking a tribute to the Woodstock music festival, Senator John McCain has a trump card: the Hanoi Hilton. - Edwin Chen, Bloomberg


• "Noun, Verb, POW" - Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic Monthly


• "The McCain campaign's constant invocation of the candidate's POW past is weird bordering on irrational..." - Ana Marie Cox, TIME


• "I think they are going to it way too many times." - Howard Fineman, Newsweek

Remember how Joe Biden got the press to refer to Rudy Giuliani as "A noun, a verb, and 9/11"? Well, let's actually take Andrew Sullivan's lead here and get the media to boil McCain down to a similar phrase: "A noun, a verb, and POW." Considering how often the McCain campaign invokes his POW story, isn't that what they're already doing?