Mike Luckovich

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this

Top of the Urinal/DNC front page:

{{{{Natural gas hits record, ripple effect likely in fall!!!-Urinal/PMS}}}}

Right column at top of front page:

{{{{FUEL COSTS: State coffers feel the pinch-Urinal/DNC}}}}

Page C5 of the Urinal “business” section:

{{{{Survey links rising debt to many health problems-Urinal/PMS}}}}

{{{{Take Edward Driscoll, 38, of Braintree, Mass. He blames debt —- $10,000 worth —- for contributing to his ulcers and his wife Kimberly’s panic attacks. “Just worrying, worrying, worrying, you know, where the next payment of this is going to come from,” he says.-Urinal}}}}

I feel sorry for the people that take the Atlanta Urinal Constitution seriously, when I see gloom and doom headlines like today’s front page I know that it is the dhimmokrat party house organ getting it’s message out trying to influence an election, but what of the dimwit living on a meager fixed income like Social “Security” that has the front page of the Urinal shouting at them that all is lost?

No wonder these dumbas-s government dependent libs are always angry. I guess being a ward of state just doesn’t pay very well, you reckon?

{{{{The reason that Democrats complain of poverty, bad schools and lousy jobs is that — in places where liberalism rules — this is exactly what one does find. Take a trip to Detroit and check in on the public school system. Hop on down to New Orleans and see what was going on there before — not after — Katrina hit. The failure of LBJ-style liberalism is writ large, for all the world to see. And the answer of Senator Obama is — more! More! More! MORE!}}}}

{{{{WHICH BRINGS US HOME to the central fact for conservatives in this election season. The Obama policies — which are in fact the LBJ policies as presented by a better orator — will in fact fail. The principle behind them — government control — simply does not work. If it did Medicare and Medicaid would not be headed toward financial ruin, Social Security would be in the black as far as the eye can see, and the citizens of New Orleans, like the school children of Detroit — beneficiaries one and all of LBJ’s largesse — would be in an infinitely better place then they are today.}}}}

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this

{{{{In an interview to air later tonight on Nightly News, McCain tells NBC’s Brian Williams that while DukaKerry De Wimp might criticize him for representing a third Bush term, Obama seems to be running for a second Carter term.}}}}

Do I see a new campaign slogan?

~~~~~~

{{{{In his new book, “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception,” McClellan said he was misled by others, possibly including Cheney, about the role of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby in the leak. McClellan has said publicly that Bush and Cheney “directed me to go out there and exonerate Scooter Libby.”}}}}

Yeah, and Fitzgerald’s investigation backed that up, proving that Libby never had anything to do with Richard Armitage’s leak.

So let’s have the Do Nothing Dhimmokrat congress hold another show trial.

Where’s the beef?

~~~~~

{{{{Three main challenges to security and political progress remained: clearing al Qaeda out of Mosul; bringing Basra under the Iraqi government’s control; and eliminating the Special Groups safe havens in Sadr City. It seemed then that these tasks would require enormous effort, entail great loss of life, and take the rest of the year or more. Instead, the Iraqi government accomplished them within a few months.}}}}

{{{{Compared with the seemingly insurmountable obstacles already overcome, the remaining challenges in Iraq are eminently solvable - if we continue to pursue a determined strategy that builds on success rather than throwing our accomplishments away. No one in December 2006 could have imagined how far we would have come in 18 months. Having come this far, we must see this critical effort through to the end.}}}}

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this

PART 1 Obama says he would impose oil windfall profits tax

REUTERS Reuters US Online Report Top News

Jun 09, 2008 12:15 EST

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Monday he would impose a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies as he sought political gain from Americans’ pain over high gasoline prices.

Launching a two-week focus on the economy after clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama drew a sharp contrast between his economic policies and those of John McCain, his Republican rival in the November election.

“I’ll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we’ll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills,” the Illinois senator said.

Obama charged that McCain’s support for extending President George W. Bush’s tax cuts means he is in favor of $2 trillion in corporate tax breaks, including $1.2 billion for Exxon Mobil Corp.

“If John McCain’s policies were implemented, they would add $5.7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. That isn’t fiscal conservatism, that’s what George Bush has done over the last eight years,” Obama said.

WINDFALL PROFITS TAX!

WINDFALL PROFITS TAX!

OMG, @$^&@!&% DAMN WINDFALL PROFITS TAX

BUT WAIT

Taxing oil profits: Proceed with caution Politicians are dying to get at more of Big Oil’s billions, but analysts are torn about what that will do to prices or future energy sources. By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer Last Updated: May 6, 2008: 12:00 PM EDT

….A consumer rights group says that windfall taxes could actually raise gas prices as oil companies might attempt to squeeze refinery production to recoup their lost profit.

“It would have a fairly easy passthrough” to motorists, said Judy Dugan, research director Consumer Watchdog.

“….Amy Myers Jaffe, a fellow in energy studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy just finished a two-year study looking at oil companies and how they spend their money……The study found that for the five big international oil companies - ExxonMobil (XOM, Fortune 500), Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA), BP (BP), Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500) and ConocoPhillips (COP, Fortune 500) - spending on

By Bosch

June 10, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this

Yesterday, I conducted a little life experiment – I walked everywhere I went. From my calculations I logged about 15 miles. Now, granted, I walk more than your average person, but I’m spoiled and I’ll hop in the car and drive if my destination is more than a couple of miles, especially in this heat. I live in a relatively small place and the places I usually go for errands are approximately a 10 mile radius from my house.

Let’s just say, I’m kind of tired today.

I see people all the time walking and biking, but they don’t look quite the same as I do. I found it odd yesterday, that I was stopped twice to ask if I needed a ride. I politely declined.

Recently, in my local paper, I’ve seen an increase of articles relating the benefits of biking, and the local biking club has gotten a lot of press. What is curious is that I know most of the people in the local biking club, and they bike for fun and exercise, not for necessity.

Funny thing is, there is a large segment of the population who walk and bike all the time, and it’s interesting that now biking and walking and riding public transportation (what little there is of it around here) are all the rave.

I find that a bit curious.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this

These companies are spending a very small amount of their operating cash flow on exploration,” she said. “They are spending the majority of their funds buying back stock.”

EXXON SURE DON’T LIKE THE IDEA That makes me like the idea a bit more!

BETTER READ ON

PART II Obama says he would impose oil windfall profits tax

From votenader.org

In recent years, the big five oil companies - ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips, BP and Shell - have booked record profits - a big chunk of which result from oil industry market manipulation and anti-competitive practices. (For example, oil companies have exploited their market position to intentionally restrict refining capacity by driving smaller, independent refiners out of business.)

Nader/Gonzalez would strictly regulate the oil industry - clamping down on speculators and enforcing the antitrust laws.

Nader/Gonzalez would also revoke federal subsidies to the oil industry, repeal multi-billion tax breaks and impose a windfall profits tax to fuel a transition to a solar energy economy.

HMMMMM, NADER SUPPORTS IT

SO DOES PUBLIC CITIZEN

“Public Citizen has its own set of suggestions for Congress. To protect consumers from future pricing abuse, the consumer organization said Congress should:

• Implement a windfall profits tax and close loopholes allowing oil companies to escape paying adequate royalties “

SO DOES DENNIS KUCINICH

ROBERT REICH SAYS: The Dems should propose a temporary windfall profits tax on oil companies (temporary, that is, until the oil company’s current oil earnings boom falls back to a normal range), the proceeds of which go into a fund to finance R&D in non-fossil based fuels. Market fundamentalists who holler that oil companies should be allowed to reinvest their profits in new oil exploration aren’t paying attention to the environmental costs. But the windfall tax should be designed so that, to the extent oil companies do wish to invest in non-fossil based fuels, such profits are exempt

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this

PART III Obama says he would impose oil windfall profits tax

CHRIS DODD SAYS:” I rise in strong support of Senator Dorgan’s amendment to establish a temporary windfall profits rebate to help people deal with the high cost of energy. This amendment says to the large integrated oil companies, if you don’t invest your excess profits in technologies or infrastructure to enhance energy supply, then these companies will be required to give some of those profits, just some, back to the consumers. Let me say at the outset, that I do not begrudge any company, even an oil company, from making a profit. It is the engine that keeps our economy moving forward. But there is a big difference between profits and profiteering.

IN THE END…..for me it’s a matter of trust.

Trust in Barack Obama.

Trust in his judgement and his advisors…

Obama’s policy team loaded with all-stars Criticized by some as lean on experience, the Democrat has drawn a huge circle of advisers with expertise honed in the circles of power

OK LET THE IMPLOSION OF WING NUT HEADS BEGIN!

By Copyleft

June 10, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this

Very funny cartoon! And right on-target. Those idiots still bragging about our “car culture” and how “you’ll pry my steering wheel from my cold, dead hands” deserve exactly what they’re getting.

Get it through your heads, America: cheap oil is GONE. Over. Done with. Time to MoveOn.

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this

{{{{By IN THE NEWS June 10, 2008 8:09 AM WINDFALL PROFITS TAX! WINDFALL PROFITS TAX! OMG, @$^&@!&% DAMN WINDFALL PROFITS TAX OK LET THE IMPLOSION OF WING NUT HEADS BEGIN!}}}}

SNEWZE: Speaking of heads exploding, thanks for posting this pro Republican campaign message for us.

I didn’t know you became a Repug.

Welcome aboard, dimwit.

Back in 1980, President Jimmy Carter advanced a windfall profits tax to prevent oil companies from profiting “too much” from fluctuating prices in the market. A review of his policy by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) found the tax reduced domestic oil production 3 to 6 percent, and increased oil imports 8 to 16 percent. In 1987, Congress repealed the tax.

Look at the chart and notice how the price of gasoline rose when Carter/Obambi hit the oil companies with “windfall” taxes and then look how the price plummets when the taxes were repealed.

Some people are just ignorant, if you know what I mean.

By RW-(the original)

June 10, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

Do we even have the illusion of a media that wants to get us the facts anymore?

How can this story possibly be written without the name, Richard Armitage, ever appearing?

By the way, Laurie, the Fitzmas hearings tried every way from Sunday to implicate Karl Rove without any success, so how do you manage to state as a matter of fact that he outed a CIA agent?

In the real world even you moonbat(ic)s® like IN THE OOZE should be troubled by this kind of “reporting.”

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

DUH vs. Robert Reich?

DUH vs. Ralph Nader?

Duh vs. Chris Dodd?

Duh vs. Barack Obama?

Sorry, DUH. You lose.

Some people are just scared, you know what I mean.

But post away.

Don’t forget to use the word urine a few times. And GFY and POS….it really makes a difference in your argument.

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

{{{{Pro-American governments are in charge in Paris, a first since 1945, as well as every other major European capital (London, Berlin, Warsaw, Rome) except Madrid. On Russia and China, on terrorism, rogue states and the spread of weapons of mass destruction, Europe and America share the strategic diagnosis, if not wholly the cure. A revived NATO leads missions in Afghanistan and the Balkans.}}}}

{{{{“Trans-Atlantic relations are rather good at the moment,” says a senior European Union foreign policy adviser who requests anonymity and is not inclined to Panglossian views of the alliance. “Better than ever,” adds another, Alar Olljum, who runs the in-house think tank for the European Commission.}}}}

When the libs babble on about “restoring America’s image in the world,” are they talking about making them hate us again?

Just wondering.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

Obama’s Secret War Profiteering Tax…..I wish to hell the Democrats would call their plan what it is: A war profiteering tax. War is profitable business – if you’re an oil man. But somehow, the public pays the price, at the pump and at the funerals, and the oil companies reap the benefits……Indeed, the recent engorgement in oil prices and profits goes right back to Bush-McCain “surge.” The Iraq government attack on a Basra militia was really nothing more than Baghdad’s leaping into a gang war over control of Iraq’s Southern oil fields and oil-loading docks. Moqtada al-Sadr’s gangsters and the government-sponsored greedsters of SCIRI (the Supreme Council For Islamic Revolution In Iraq) are battling over an estimated $5 billion a year in oil shipment kickbacks, theft and protection fees…………….It’s been a good war for Exxon and friends. Since George Bush began to beat the war-drum for an invasion of Iraq, the value of Exxon’s reserves has risen – are you ready for this? – by $2 trillion………………Obama’s war profiteering tax, or “oil windfall profits” tax, would equal just 20% of the industry’s charges in excess of $80 a barrel. It’s embarrassingly small actually, smaller than every windfall tax charged by every other nation. (Ecuador, for example, captures up to 99% of the higher earnings).

By @@

June 10, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

Funny cartoon ml.

My daughter just bought a $300.00 bike mainly for the physical exercise. The bike was stolen. She was MAD! She filed a police report. They caught the guy who stole it. He was a local homeless guy.

When the police asked if she wanted to press charges, she said “No”.

She then went out and found a $50 bike and gave it to the homeless guy.

What can I say? She’s a bleeding heart liberal who votes Republican.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

Lobbyists may be one of the only groups who don’t mind high oil prices. Since gas prices have been on the rise, lobbyists have found steady employment fending off “a variety of legislation that would do everything from opening OPEC up to antitrust lawsuits” to taxing “windfall profits” the industry now gets and redirecting the money to promote renewable energy.

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

SNEWZE: GFY you urine soaked POS.

Anything else I can help you with?

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

Today, Obama is spending part of the morning in St. Louis, working with a nurse at an area hospital as part of a two-week economic tour dubbed “Change that Works for You.”

By @@

June 10, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this

(((Seventeen-year-old Joshua Penny wants to tell Barack Obama about his fears of receiving a worthless high school diploma.)))

(((The Jonesboro High School student is convinced that if the presidential candidate hears about Clayton County schools chances of losing accreditation, he might be able to help.)))

(((“He’s very adamant about fixing the education situation in America. I think all he would have to do is mention Clayton schools in one speech and the school board would be like, ‘Wow, we’re in trouble now.’”

Gawd luv the naivete….a “Maid to Order” Obama supporter.

By RW-(the original)

June 10, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Wouldn’t that be better stated as:

Robert Reich vs. History?

Ralph Nader vs. History?

Chris Dodd vs. History?

Barack Obambi vs. History?

And we all know that those who are ignorant to history are doomed to repeat it.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

{{{By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

SNEWZE: GFY you urine soaked POS.

Anything else I can help you with?}}}

Well Actually Duh there is something you can help me with. But I doubt the sincerity of your offer.

Convince me.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

As economist Reuven S. Avi-Yonah writes in a Wonk Room report, Sen. McCain’s “economic stimulus plan” involves a $1.7 trillion increase in corporate welfare by cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent and by allowing first-year expensing of equipment purchases — a potent new form of tax sheltering.

By reebok

June 10, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Funny cartoon, ML. And @@, your daughter sounds like a lovely young woman. It seems you raised her well, and you should be proud. Except for the voting Republican part, of course…(said w/ a smile)

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this

{{{{What has been widely publicized in the media is that suicides among American troops have gone up. What has not been widely publicized is that this higher suicide rate is still not as high as the suicide rate among demographically comparable civilians.}}}}

{{{{Does Senator Obama know how the rate of suicides or homicides among military veterans compares to the rate of suicides or homicides among their civilian counterparts? Do the facts matter to him, as compared to an opportunity to score political points?}}}}

Uh, both, he is ignorant of the facts and trying to score political points.

{{{{Perhaps even more important, do the media even care whether Senator Obama knows what he is talking about? Or is the symbolism of “the first black President” paramount, even if that means a President with cocky ignorance at a time of national danger?}}}}

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

Good Morning RW McMultiname!

You don’t usually appear so soon after being DUH first thing. (The stress of writing those DUH missives would wear out anybody!)

Riled up are ya?

Not me.

I’m

FIRED UP!

READY TO GO!

Now forgive me if I ignore the idiocy of you and yours for the rest of the day.!

Those who re-write history are doomed to be Republican!

By Paul

June 10, 2008 9:36 AM | Link to this

ITN 8:09

And a windfall profits tax on oil companies will bring down the cost of gasoline, how, exactly?

Or is Sen Obama’s concern only for identifying another source from which to extract new taxes?

ITN 8:13

Posted yesterday:

Link: The U.S. government knows where it can get its hands on more untapped petroleum than exists in the proven reserves of Iran or Iraq

So why spend money on exploration (here) when they can’t drill anyway?

Bosch

Good on ya! I wondered where you were, yesterday.

You’re fortunate to have bike paths and safe walking areas. Not true where I live. I believe I’ve related this - I have a neighbor, was on an early morning bike ride in an area of nice subdivisions (he’s lost 30 lbs). He was well to the right on a street with no bike lane. A guy in a pickup passed close, cut in front, hit his brakes and the guy yelled “GD Lance Armstrong fa**ots get off the road!” and drove off - about a hundred yards to his driveway. My neighbor pulled up and asked him what his problem was - at 7 in the morning. Words ensued, guy’s wife came out and pulled him inside.

My neighbor was shaken, drove off - and just like in the movies, there was a cop writing up paperwork. Cop looked at him and asked what was wrong. Neighbor related the events, cop said “I’ll have a word with him - I’m a cyclist.”

When my neighbor passed by the house the cop was still in the guy’s driveway, reading him the riot act.

I’ve walked and had people in trucks and SUVs (never cars) swerve towards me (even when I’ve been on the curb) and yell such things as “whatsamatter - can’t afford a truck?”

ITN 8:56

Possibly you could try refuting some of AJC/DNC’s points - or at least linking to something that does?

You might not have really wanted to post Ralph Nader as one of your sources. Ever seen what Nader has to say about Obama, let alone about the Democratic Party?

Even you would be embarrassed.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this

NRSC chair John Ensign has moved the goal posts, according to the Savannah Morning News, saying that the GOP will have succeeded if they don’t lose more than eight seats.

By RW-(the original)

June 10, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

If you enact first year expensing of capital equipment I can hire 25 telephone system technicians the day it takes effect.

That sounds like change that works for them.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this

Abramoff’s White House “Fruit” Excerpts from the new government report detailing why a man now behind bars once had serious pull in the Bush administration—and what he did with it. —By Nick Baumann MORE FROM MOTHER JONES: Jack Abramoff’s Shell Games and Fall Guys The Fall of a True Believer How Important Is the Quid Pro Quo? Shame is for Sissies

By Paul

June 10, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

ITN

I just read SecDef Gates’s recent remarks to the Air Force’s War College. Sometime back you were posting all sorts of links about the Air Force’s award of the new tanker contract to someone other than Boeing. Alleged all sorts of political corruption, cronyism, disregard for America, etc ad nauseum.

I thought you might be interested in the Secretary’s take on it - oh, and notice what he says the LAW requires -

Q Good morning, sir. (Inaudible name) from Air War College, from France. Sir, you mentioned this morning in your speech how important interoperability and working in coalition was for the U.S. Air Force. About a couple of months ago, the U.S. government decided that the future tanker will be provided by a consortium led by Grumman and Airbus. Since then, Boeing decided to challenge this decision. I would like to know — and it will delay the overall process for the Air Force to procure this kind of aircraft. I would like to know what you think about this challenge and how — (audio break).

SEC. GATES: Well, Boeing is using the legitimate processes that have been established to protest the award of a contract. As I understand it, the General (sic) Accountability Office will — is evaluating the decision process and Boeing’s process and Boeing’s protest, and they will issue a decision in terms of whether they believe the protest was warranted.

All I can say is that I think it would be a real shame if the tanker were to get delayed yet again. We’re long past due in terms of getting on with this program.

The law is very explicit. The law allows the Defense Department, in an acquisition like this, to consider only technology, capability and cost. All other considerations are explicitly prohibited by law. And so it seems to me that, based on everything I’ve seen, this was a fair process. But we’ll wait and see what the GAO report says.

But I think that some things unrelated to what the law says we can consider are being thrown into the mix, at least on Capitol Hill. And I — and that’s a concern. And I think our undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, John Young, said something about this publicly in a hearing the other day.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this

Military Officers Association of America endorses Webb’s GI Bill…..We understand the concerns of those who would prefer to see enhanced GI Bill benefits tied to extended military service. However, the GI Bill has always been a veterans’ benefit, not a military retention benefit. In this regard, the benefit is provided for completing a term of arduous service rather being contingent on agreeing to serve additional tours of duty in uniform……MOAA is, indeed, concerned about the serious potential for a retention downturn among today’s forces, but believes strongly that any such downturn will be due to too-frequent extended combat tours and family separations that have been imposed on a too-small force.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

Iraqi lawmakers say that the Bush administration is “demanding 58 bases as part of a proposed ’status of forces’ agreement that will allow U.S. troops to remain in the country indefinitely.” Jalal al Din al Saghir, a leading lawmaker from the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, called the deal “more abominable than the occupation.”

YOU’LL TAKE THE DAMN FREEDOM WE FORCE ON YOU AND YOU WILL FREAKIN’ WELL LIKE IT!

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

McCain Adviser: The Press Want To ‘Convince Everyone That The Economy Is In Recession’ To Hurt McCain

OH NO! FAKE RECESSION!

4 dollar a gallon gas is a myth!

Escalating cost of milk and bread a legend!

foreclosure upswing a tall tale!

By Paul

June 10, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this

ITN

Of course they do! The leaders are lobbyists - they seek to get the most $$$ they can for their members. It’s what lobbyists do.

They also support expansion of benefits (taxpayers pay) for retirees. And their family members - even adults long gone. They also support tax breaks for retirees whose retirement pay (taxpayer paid) is more than the median US household income.

You okay with all that? Or shall I list some other things they want you to pay for people who make more than most Americans?

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

Leading Democratic fundraisers predict that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will raise hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few months if he opts out of public financing and begins raising money for the general election. Specifically, they say Obama could raise $100 million in June and could attract 2.5 million to 3 million new donors to his campaign.

AND

Be a part of the movement

DONATE

By @@

June 10, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Paul? In case you haven’t noticed….it would appear that you’ve been included in the group.

(((By IN THE NEWS June 10, 2008 9:32 AM

Now forgive me if I ignore the idiocy of you and yours for the rest of the day.!)))

IN THE NEWS wants to post and post and post without being questioned. It’s critical to his/her thought process. (ISH)

By Paul

June 10, 2008 10:35 AM | Link to this

ITN 10:21

“Obama didn’t always feel this way. Last March, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the candidate would “aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.” Obama also told the Midwest Democracy Network, in a questionnaire, that he would participate in the system, writing that he had proposed a system in which “both major party candidates…agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election.”

The Obama campaign has since suggested that Obama never vowed to take public financing, with Burton stating on Feb. 17 of this year that “there is no pledge.”

“We have created a parallel public financing system where the American people decide if they want to support a campaign they can get on the Internet and finance it,” Obama said…

Perhaps you can help me out. I can’t quite figure out if this is

spin

or

flip-flop

Link: [Obama poised to turn down public financing]*(http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/09/politics/main4004908.shtml)

Oh, that “we have created” comment? Obama has “created” Internet-based campaign donations? Really?

I think one of his advisors must be Al Gore-

@@ 10:24

After I wrote that rebuttal I’d written on a separate document that the response would be either to ignore or to ask a question - but not answer the question.

You know, when deciding who to vote for - just as the Left has lambasted the Pres by citing the actions and attitudes of Rep supporters, the thought of siding with a candidate whose supporters will not even consider an adjustment to their views, let alone that they may have foundational problems, does give one pause -

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

An unusual coalition of interest groups from left and right is launching a drive today to head off an American military attack on Iran by pushing America into high-level negotiations with Tehran…..The Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran, which bills itself as “transpartisan,” consists of more than three dozen organizations, most of them left-leaning, such as the American Friends Service Committee, the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Open Society Policy Center, which is backed by George Soros…. However, the campaign also has the backing of a smattering of right-of-center groups, including the American Conservative Defense Alliance, the Libertarian Party, and the American Cause, which is headed by Patrick Buchanan.

By Paul

June 10, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

ITN

Another attempt on the source article:

Link: Obama poised to turn down public financing

By Goldie

June 10, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this

HA — great ‘toon, Lucko! I can’t decide whether “It’s the war, Stupid!” or “It’s the economny, Stupid!” that will matter most in November…

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this

Nice job, Bushie:

{{{{Crude oil futures fell on Tuesday from highs over $137 a barrel after CNBC reported Saudi Arabia had increased output by 500,000 barrels per day to 9.45 million bpd this quarter, traders said.}}}}

Gosh, I wonder why prices would fall on increased supply????????????

I thought all we had to do was tax them unmercifully or drag them into court and sue them???

{{{{But here’s an eye opener. Recent polling data from Gallup show the percentage of voters blaming oil companies for skyrocketing gasoline prices has dropped from 34 percent to 20 percent over the past year. At the same time, support for more drilling in U.S. coastal and wilderness areas has increased to 57 percent from 41 percent.}}}}

{{{{And the candidates remain blind to these shifts.}}}}

Drill.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

Reuters reported McCain attack on Obama on campaign finance, did not mention that McCain may be breaking campaign finance laws

AND

John McCain’s Penchant for Skirting Campaign Finance Laws

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

Goldie…

Considering the major, repeated and frequent screw-ups of the Bush administration, per haps it should just be….

IT’S ALL THE STUPID, STUPID!

By RW-(the original)

June 10, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

My gawd!!! Obambi just said his VP search team aren’t people that are working for him.

That’s not the search committee I knew!

By Paul

June 10, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

Goldie

I read a review of surveys - waay long ago - that concluded, in spite of how people answered surveys, or said what was most important to them, when it came time to vote

they voted for economic self interest (not the greater good - but self interest).

So I’ll go with the economy.

Out for a while

By @@

June 10, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this

((( “Senator Clinton made history over the past 16 months — not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of hardworking Americans.Take a minute to thank her for her hard work and for supporting this campaign.”)))

Well, after I r…rrr…rrrrrretch, I’d just like to say

A clip of Obama praising Clinton is on the site,with a call for unity from presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) But the nice words and video serve as bait to gather data about Clinton backers who are at least curious enough about Obama to be on his website. The feature urges viewers to send Clinton a note of thanks:

OBAMA’S GETTING ALL YOUR PERSONAL INFO. HE’S SPYING ON YOU WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE!!!!!!

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

FLIP

Sen. John McCain, in September 2005:

I follow the course of a great Republican, Teddy Roosevelt, who talked about the malefactors of great wealth and gave us the estate tax. I oppose the rich passing on fortunes.

FLOP

McCain today:

The estate tax is one of the most unfair tax laws on the books.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this

The Terr’ist Fist Bumping Spreads!

SOMEBODY BETTER TELL FOX…..

BETTER WATCH THAT WHOLE FAMILY…..

By Paul

June 10, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

RW-(the original)

“Obambi just said his VP search team aren’t people that are working for him.”

If McCain had said that, all you’d hear is “see? We told you he’s just like Bush!”

ITN 11:21

So what? If Obama gets in you can forget about passing on anything at all to your kids. SO, who wants to let you keep more of what you earned AND SAVED is the real question.

Your 11:28

“Somebody better tell Fox”

Ummm, Terry Mcauliffe, past head of the DNC, said Fox coverage was fairer than any of the other networks.

(Ahem) Is Terry Mcauliffe, past head of the Democratic National Committee, a “liar”?

By RW-(the original)

June 10, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

Paul,

If I may add on to your note to Ooozy, it’s more of what you earned, saved, and ALREADY PAID TAXES ON!

By @@

June 10, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

Nonetheless, Obama still coveted the New Party endorsement. The New Party required candidates who received the endorsement sign a pledge of support for the party. Obama did not need to support a party that was, in effect, a front group for communists; yet he still chose to. The July issue of the New Ground noted that 15% of the New Party consisted of Democratic Socialists of America members and a good number of Committee of Correspondence members.

I guess that’s why the U.S.A. Communist Party and U.S.A. Socialist Party refers to Obama as the next best thing to a socialist or communist candidate.

Don’t you uber goobers wish that Obama’s history could be erased?

By Copyleft

June 10, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

@@: Nope, I’m proud of Obama’s history, and so is he. And rightly so.

By Jesus

June 10, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!!

By Fly_on_the_Wall

June 10, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

I guess my feelings about the windfall profit tax is that I normally wouldn’t agree with it because they will find a way to pass it on to the consumer. I do prefer the market to correct things, which sorta puts me in the Republican camp, BUT only when the market is truly fair and I don’t find it a fair or level playing ground. If a company can through governmental intervention get ‘purks’ or favors which give them an advantage or near monopoly how can then can the market truly be in balance? This is where I draw the line. Too many major corporations get too many favors from Congress - and I don’t mean the current one, I mean the one the Republicans had for 12 years - which leads to a market imbalance. We, the consumer & tax payer are left holding the bag. How can that be fair? How can that be a market-driven result?

By W stands for waterboarding

June 10, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

RW the all knowing says:

“By the way, Laurie, the Fitzmas hearings tried every way from Sunday to implicate Karl Rove without any success, so how do you manage to state as a matter of fact that he outed a CIA agent?”

And that is why Scooter was found guilty. Fitz tried to go after Cheney and Rove but was blocked by the VP’s office. Armitage should be listed, but W should have kept his word and fired who was involved with disclosing her name and those 2 besides Armitage were Libby and Rove. So your liar in chief once again goes back on his word….

By getalife

June 10, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

Well, we have one patriot in Congress.

“Kucinich again calls for Bush impeachment”

He read 35 articles on the floor last night.

Too bad the spineless dems and corporate gop will do nothing.

Mindlessly supporting either party at this point is insane.

By @@

June 10, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

Good gawdalmighty “strutted his stuff” at Barnes Jewish Hospital. I wonder if he thought the patients would all be jewish.

The candidate seemed amazed when Bisher said that his wife takes weekly shots that cost $1,500 apiece. “That’s $6,000 a month. Wow,” Obama said, assuring Bisher that he would make health care “a big priority.”

(((Bisher, looking at his monitor, told the nurse that his blood pressure appeared high.)))

Patient Bisher didn’t seem too impressed. I’m guessing politicians make his blood boil.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

The largest companies in the world are trying to find ways to band together as purchasers, while McCain wants the country to move in the opposite direction and leave families on their own to buy coverage. If Boeing, 3M, Lockheed Martin and Exxon all feel like they can’t successfully take on the insurance industry by themselves, what is an individual family supposed to do?

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

For the first time since the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt’s administration, a larger percentage of mainline Protestants call themselves Democrats than Republicans, the national survey commissioned by the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College found.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this

Question for Fox News: Do you think any of these people might be terrorists?

By @@

June 10, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

Copyleft:

So you’re proud of the fact that Obama went to great lengths to have all his opponents stricken from the ballot thereby leaving him as the only candidate for election to the Illinois State Senate?

You’re proud of the fact that he took credit for legislation that his fellow democrats had done all the hard work on?

Are you proud that he learned how to politicize at the foot of his master, Emril Jones?

(((Jones, a former sewer inspector for the city of Chicago, is an unabashedly old-fashioned politician. He has relatives on the state payroll, steers state grants to favorite organizations and uses his clout to punish enemies and bury inconvenient legislation.)))

Or are you just proud to call him Commissar with a capital “C”?

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this

LET”S CHECK IN WITH THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL RACE SHALL WE….

{{{In any case, with the battle against Hillary Clinton behind him, everything seems to be going swimmingly for Obama. Meanwhile, the McCain campaign dog-paddles along. And almost every Republican I’ve talked to is alarmed that the McCain campaign doesn’t seem up to the task of electing John McCain. BILL KRISTOL}}}

{{{{Shortcomings by John McCain’s campaign in the art of politics are alienating two organizations of Christian conservatives. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family is estranged following the failure of Dobson and McCain to talk out their differences. Evangelicals who follow the Rev. John Hagee resent his disavowal by McCain.

The evangelicals are not an isolated problem for the Republican candidate. Enthusiasm for McCain inside the Republican coalition is in short supply. During the four months since McCain clinched the nomination, he has not satisfied conservatives who oppose his positions on global warming, campaign finance reform, immigration, domestic oil drilling and how to ban same-sex marriages. BOB NOVAK}}}}

{{{{Two years after he resigned from the House, former Republican leader Tom DeLay says conservatives haven’t bottomed out from their 2006 election losses, Democrats are “cleaning their clock,” and it will take years before the Republican Party can compete with the operation Democrats have built.

“The conservatives refuse to accept that the left is cleaning their clock, and until you hit some bottom, wherever that is, to where it says, ‘Well, maybe we ought to do something different,’ little or nothing’s going to change,” Mr. DeLay told editors and reporters at The Washington Times last week. TOM DELAY}}}}}

{{{{John McCain is relevant only in so far as he is not Barack Obama. The Senator from Arizona is incapable of energizing his party, brings no new people to the polls, and has a personality that is best kept under wraps. And while his strong suite is experience, especially on military matters, it was gained almost entirely in Washington, a city that 80% of Americans now believe has miserably misled and mismanaged the nation.

Since McCain has become the presumptive nominee, I have spoken at more than two dozen Republican gatherings. The sentiment everywhere can best be summarized in the words of one of the activists, “No matter who wins in N

By RB from Gwinnett

June 10, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

Is there any possibility you socialists will ever actually THINK about this windfall tax crap your cheerleader is spewing?

Here’s a few questions for you…

What’s the number at which you consider profits to be windfall? Who picks this number and based on what?

Does it only apply to gasoline or are you going to apply it to other necessities such as natural gas suppliers, heating oil, corn, beef, other food products, etc.? Based on the % of US meals purchased at fast food chains, should their profits be regulated too?

If all these supposed tax breaks to oil companies are making the market unfair, why are the prices the same from all the suppliers including the ones owned by foreign companies who didn’t receive these tax breaks? Won’t taxing the ones with “windfall” profits advantage the others?

Since 40% of 401K plans are invested in oil stocks (meaning you OWN the company), will you whine when their stock goes down as a result of decreased profits or when they raise gas prices to cover the loss? Those are the only 2 choices, you know…

You people are just plain stupid. You’re mindless sheep being led to the government feed trough because you’re either unwilling to think for yourselves or too stupid to understand the consequences of your silly plans. Bottom line is they’re not intended to fix the problems, they’re only intended to get you to vote for the party. THINK!

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

Privatizing security and other military functions proved so profitable that Blackwater is trying to do the same thing for espionage.

By Paul

June 10, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

ITN 12:34

Your sources are really a day late and a dollar short.

Party establishment Republicans are not enamored of McCain. Neither are evangelicals. Or antiabortion Republicans. Or no Global Warming Republicans. Or probusiness Republicans.

But the people selected him as their candidate.

In spite of the Establishment.

And your sources cite that as a problem? Maybe they should talk to some of the nonspecialinterest Republicans who selected him.

Doesn’t make as sexy a headline, but it’s worth more consideration -

By @@

June 10, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

The Barack Obama cover scandal

Dang! There seems to be a difference between progressives in Germany and leftists here in the U.S.

Germans argue that the term “Uncle Tom” is used by racists which makes many of you here….well……..

RACISTS!

Sorry for the bad news. You just haven’t fully evolved to progressive, European style.

By W stands for waterboarding

June 10, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

@@:

I hear that kid wanted to speak with W about the education problem in his school, problem was W cant put together a complete sentence and the kid thought it would be a waste of time. So he chose the one candidate with a command of the English language…

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

Ethics

John McCain: Co-authored the McCain-Feingold campaign financing law, which has been praised as an attempt to limit the influence of special-interest money but has been criticized as ineffective and a violation of free-speech rights. Has called for an independent ethics office in Congress. Has not released his tax returns. Has been a leading critic of “earmarks” — individual spending proposals that are added to legislation late in the process. Says earmarks promote unnecessary and wasteful spending and allow lawmakers to do favors for special interests. Was one of only a handful of senators to avoid earmarks entirely in 2007, according to a review by the non-partisan Taxpayers for Common Sense. Was enmeshed in an ethics scandal two decades ago: He was one of the “Keating Five” who intervened with federal regulators on behalf of savings-and-loan owner Charles Keating.

Barack Obama: Favors public financing of presidential campaigns, including free television and radio time. Proposes a database that would list what federal contractors spend on lobbying. Claims partial credit for a law restricting lobbyist-sponsored trips by lawmakers. Has released his tax returns. Was in the lowest quarter of senators sponsoring earmarks, with $91 million in 2007, less than a third as much as Clinton. Released his earmark requests for 2005 and 2006, calling on Clinton to do the same.

Race

John McCain: Has been an advocate for American Indians, calling their treatment “one of the darker chapters of the American people.” In his book “Why Courage Matters,” praised the bravery of civil rights leaders such as John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr. Said during the 2000 GOP presidential primary race that flying the Confederate flag over the South Carolina Statehouse was a state issue, but changed his mind after the state’s primary, favoring a relocation of the flag. He said his earlier stand had been an “act of political cowardice.” Said last year that he was satisfied with the compromise, in which the flag was moved to the front of the building. Has supported limited affirmative action but opposes “plans that result in quotas, where such plans have not been judicially created to remedy a specific, proven act of discrimination.”

Barack Obama: Says America must confront past and present racial tensions to move toward national unity. As a biracia

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

Immigration

John McCain: Supports guest worker program, increasing border security and border fence construction.

Barack Obama: Supports new employment eligibility verification system and the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure fair immigration application fees.

Gay marriage

John McCain: Opposes gay marriage, says states should control marriage law.

Barack Obama: Opposes same-sex marriage, supports civil unions.

Energy

John McCain: To ease pressure on gasoline prices, he has urged President Bush to stop adding crude oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Favors greater reliance on nuclear energy as a way to decrease dependence on foreign oil and reduce emission of greenhouse gases. Says diversification of energy resources is essential. Believes the U.S. need for imported oil helps prop up “petro-dictators” and must be stopped. Said in 2005 that ethanol did not make sense but now says the much higher price of oil makes it practical.

Barack Obama: Favors a halt in adding oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Says nuclear power should be “part of the energy mix” but must be run safely. Wants to invest $150 billion over 10 years for clean energy, such as hybrid cars and low-emission coal plants. Like Hillary Clinton, favors ethanol, would double federal spending on basic energy research and would set a goal of renewable energy resources generating 25 percent of electricity by 2025.

Trade

John McCain: Believes that reducing trade barriers helps the U.S. economy and also promotes national security. Supports the proposed U.S.-Colombia trade pact, which would lower tariffs in both countries. (A House rule change Thursday indefinitely delayed consideration of the Colombia deal.) Voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993, and says it improves U.S. ties with Canada, a key partner in the war on terror. Voted for Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in 2005.

Barack Obama: I n a stand similar to Hillary Clinton’s, says U.S. must work harder to make sure trade pacts have stricter standards for labor rights and environmental protection. Says NAFTA must be revised for those reasons. Opposes the Colombia trade pact. Voted against CAFTA. Calls for more “transition assistance” to help retrain U.S. workers thrown out of work because of jobs moving overseas.

Abortion

John McCain: Says R

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

Obama vs McCain On The Issues

Iraq

John McCain: Voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq but was a critic of then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s prosecution of the war. Advocated sending more troops even before Bush initiated the “surge.” Opposes any timetable for troop pullout. Wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years

Barack Obama: Opposed the war from the start and opposed the troop increase. Promises that as president he would immediately begin to remove U.S. troops. Would bring out one or two combat brigades per month until all were withdrawn within 16 months. Would keep some troops in Iraq to protect U.S. diplomats and to fight Al Qaeda if necessary.

Health care

John McCain: He made a major speech this week outlining health-care strategy, which includes a shift from people being insured through their employers to people buying it on their own. Would offer families a $5,000 tax credit to help buy insurance. Would pay for that tax credit by eliminating the tax break that companies get for their contribution to employee coverage. Rejects the idea of mandated universal health insurance, but would create a “guaranteed access plan” to help provide coverage of last resort for “high-risk” people.

Barack Obama: Would require all children to have health insurance and would move toward universal coverage for adults. Like Hillary Clinton, would keep the current employer-based system while creating a new public insurance plan, and would require insurance companies to accept people who have pre-existing conditions. Also like Clinton, would pay for reform partly by ending tax cuts for the rich. Says his overall reforms would reduce premiums for those buying private insurance.

Taxes

John McCain: Supports making Bush tax cuts permanent, opposes Alternative Minimum Tax.

Barack Obama: Would repeal Bush tax cuts. Would give tax cuts to middle class. Increase the number of working parents eligible for Earned Income Tax Credits, increase the benefit available to parents who support their children through child support payments and reduce the marriage penalty.

By Paul

June 10, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this

ITN 12:48

This has been discussed before. It’s a problem. A big one.

But you posts give the implication “Bush/Republican Fault.”

Period.

So I think my regular question will be

“Yes. That is a BIG problem. Democrats control Congress. What are they doing about it? Hearings? Proposals? Legislation? Or is the Democratic Congress ignoring it? Does this mean they do not consider it a problem?”

Feel free to apply that question to your post about outsourcing intel services -

By AJC/DNC Management

June 10, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this

{{{{By Flyonthe_Wall June 10, 2008 11:59 AM Too many major corporations get too many favors from Congress - and I don’t mean the current one, I mean the one the Republicans had for 12 years - which leads to a market imbalance. We, the consumer & tax payer are left holding the bag. How can that be fair?}}}}

Mah, mah, blah, blah, blah:

{{{{Congress enacted a massive election-year farm bill Thursday over President Bush’s veto.}}}}

Moron.

By @@

June 10, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

W stands for worst:

(((So he chose the one candidate with a command of the English language)))

What you meant to say was he chose THE SPEECHWRITERS with a command of the English language.

Have you seen Obama when impromptu questions are lobbed his way Sweetie?

Stumblin’ fumblin’ bumblin and mumblin’.

No humblin’ though!

Nosiree…”humblin’” isn’t a word that can be used to describe Obama. No matter how inept his answer, he expects the listener to believe what he’s saying even if it makes no sense at all. He’s often used the phrase…

“As I’ve ——>told<—— you before blah blah blah.”

By Bosch

June 10, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Paul,

One of the problems is that there are NO bike paths, and the sidewalks suck in many places I walked yesterday.

I’m not trying to sound all uppity here, but it really opened my eyes to the conditions that some people function in - and to the people who have FOR YEARS been biking and walking out of necessity, and how very little we seem to care about it until now, when the economic strain in this country has slowly creeped up the socioeconomic ladder.

I think it’s really hilarious when the local bike clubs are now getting press about what they do, when I see people riding their bikes all the time - problem is, they don’t look too much like the bike club guys if you know what I mean.

It’s just very odd to me.

By IN THE NEWS

June 10, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this

McCain Campaign Agrees With CNBC Pundit: Americans Making $200,000 Are ‘Not Rich’….The McCain campaign’s perception of American incomes is woefully out of touch. An income of $200,000 places an American family firmly in the “rich” category: – The 2006 census showed that an income of $174,012 put an American household within the top 5 percent of income earners. – A report by the Citizens for Tax Justice estimates that in 2008, “only 3.2 percent of taxpayers will have adjusted gross income (AGI) greater than $200,000 and only 2.1 percent will have AGI over $250,000.” – A 2007 Wall Street Journal article placed earners who make $277,000 in the top 1 percent of all income earners. McCain’s fundamental misunderstanding of American incomes leads to his disastrous policies. His so-called “middle class tax relief” plan gives only 9 percent of its benefits to the bottom 80 percent of taxpayers, doling out 58 percent of the benefits to the top 1 percent.

FOR A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE

“Median household income was $46326 in 2005”

By getalife

June 10, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

Looks like the House just passed more billions for Mexico’s welfare and corruption on the war on drugs.

Later, they will bring up impeachement and the spineless dems will cut and run.

Business as usual as they bankrupt our country.

By Devastator

June 10, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama is considering former top military leaders among his possible running mates, according to a senator who met Tuesday with the Democratic presidential candidate’s vice presidential vetting team.

North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad told The Associated Press said the team asked him about potential candidates from three broad categories — current top elected officials, former top elected officials and former top military leaders.

Conrad would not disclose which names they discussed, and the Obama campaign has been keeping the process a closely guarded secret.

“We talked about many names,” Conrad said, including “some that are out of the box, but I think would be very well-received by the American people, including former top military leaders.”

A running mate from the military ranks could help address concerns that Obama lacks foreign policy experience, having served just three years in the Senate. It could also provide a counterpoint to the military bonafides of the Republican ticket, which will be led by Vietnam war hero John McCain.

Obama has a three-person team managing the vetting process that includes one-time first daughter Caroline Kennedy, former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder and Jim Johnson, the former CEO of mortgage lender Fannie Mae.

The vetters have been holding meetings with several Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill to get their input. Conrad met with Holder and Johnson.

“I sensed from this meeting that they are still very much building the list and at the same time evaluating possibilities,” Conrad said. “It’s very clear they have reached no conclusions, not even tentative conclusions.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland also met with Johnson and Holder. He also would not disclose names they discussed, but said he advised that any presidential candidate should tap for his No. 2 “someone they feel comfortable with, someone who they believe is qualified in the event they could not serve out the balance of their term for whatever reason, and someone whom they believe will be helpful as they campaign to be elected. And I think Mr. Obama will do that.”

Many former military leaders have been involved in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign. Some of Obama’s most prominent campaign advisers have been retired Gen. Tony McPeak, who was Air Force chief of staff

By Paul

June 10, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

hey getalife

Tried some Calif vodka - Roth - grape based, very nice flavor.

Went back to the store, picked up a Dutch Vodka, Effen, started to get that. My wife asked why that one - not the French grape-based so I could compare. I said “Simple. Now when we have company I can say “hey sweetheart, will you go to the freezer and get me