Obama in Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel

Arvo, Bludgers,

Chris B at 326: Negative comments about Obama are met with such a huge backlash from his supporters that it has become almost taboo to criticise him at all……
…….This is really really good. I wonder how long it will last?”

Don’t think any pollie is avove reasonable criticism. Of course most of the crew here at PB-US want The Kid to get up, but if he or his handlers make gooses of themselves then they should be made to wear it. Obama’s not a messiah, although he’s getting a kind of “cultish” following among some of his avid supporters/devotees.

Fact is BHO is so far ahead of the bumbling, misogynistic bufoon, Johnny Bomb-Bomb in skills and policy, that to see him whacked or stumble badly would be quintessentially tragic.

Jen at 327, yeah, those unaudited figures stinkerez-vous to zee high heavon!!

Swingers at 331, the Possum approach of looking at Nov 4 as 50 individual winner take all elections when one checks the latest electoral vote site figures gives,imo, a far better assessment of Obi’s prospects.

Bo-Bo at 333: “I hope I’m not projecting my own feelings too much here, but it seems to be happening in spite of everything.”

Yes, it’s happening alright, this thing goes way beyond your limbic system Psephologically your tenet is supportable on a res ipsa loquitur-type basis!

Swingers at 331, the Possum approach of looking at Nov 4 as 50 individual winner take all elections when one checks the latest electoral vote site figures gives,imo, a far better assessment of Obi’s prospects.

Back soon after a geek at remaining comments…….
AND…. Catrina’s new thread.

1 Enemy Combatant Couldn’t agree more. But we should lap it up while we can. George Bush lived off it after 911, so this will even it up.

By the way I was originally a Hillary supporter. I now realise how important it is to have Obama, especially in the south.

News from Al Gore …

The Nobel laureate and former US vice president, Al Gore, has urged Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade.

Mr Gore compared the scale of the challenge to that of putting a man on the moon in the 1960s.

He said it did not make sense that the US was borrowing money from China to burn oil from the Middle East which then contributed to climate change.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7513002.stm

And from the AP …

WASHINGTON – Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other climate-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25718230/

A Cast of 300 Advises Obama on Foreign Policy.

Every day around 8 a.m., foreign policy aides at Senator Barack Obama’s Chicago campaign headquarters send him two e-mails: a briefing on major world developments over the previous 24 hours and a set of questions, accompanied by suggested answers, that the candidate is likely to be asked about international relations during the day.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/us/politics/18advisers.html

Chris at 5

It’s an interesting article – you really get a feel for things on the inside.

Obama Raises $52 Million in June, Keeping Campaign on Pace to Its Goal.

Senator Barack Obama’s campaign said Thursday that it collected $52 million in June, the second-best fund-raising month of the year, through an aggressive mix of small and large contributions that produced more than twice the amount raised by Senator John McCain.

David Plouffe, the campaign manager for Mr. Obama, announced the June fund-raising tally on Thursday in an e-mail message to supporters. Yet the magnitude of the fund-raising challenge — reaching a goal of $300 million — was underscored by Mr. Plouffe’s pitch for each of the donors to give $25 more.

You need to be registered for NY Times. It has a very good political section.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/us/politics/18donate.html?ref=us

DNC sets up independent operation to help Obama.

The Democratic National Committee plans to target Republican John McCain and help Democrat Barack Obama with an independent ad campaign run by veteran Democratic strategist Jonathan Prince, Democrats familiar with the decision said Thursday.

By law, the effort would be prohibited from coordinating with either Obama’s presidential campaign or with the DNC. The ads would be financed with party money, however.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iM_AbUXTOTOgNq8sz64FaR1PYulQD9201SQG1

Thanks, I learn a hell of a lot working on this website.

I meant thanks Catrina.

From TPM, Obama Pulls Into Narrow Lead In Nevada

A new Rasmussen poll suggests that Barack Obama has moved into a narrow lead in the perennial swing state of Nevada, in line with his campaign’s goal of aggressively advertising in Western states.

The numbers: Obama 47%, McCain 45%, within the ±4.5% margin of error. A month ago, John McCain was ahead by three points.

Also, from one of the comments on the article are some interesting numbers:

In November, 2004, there were 1,093,563 registered voters in Nevada. 442,142 were Republicans. 438,096 were Democrats.

Advantage Bush: 4,046

NB* Bush beat Kerry by 21,567 votes in 2004. 414,939 voted for Bush. 393,373 voted for Kerry.

As of June, 2008, there are 1,314,899 registered votes in Nevada. 487,685 are Republicans. 559,814 are Democrats.

Advantage Obama: 72,129

Al Gore speaking on the energy challenge.

http://wecansolveit.org/

Not on topic, but topical, is this latest summary from our very own Alan Kohler on just how precarious the world’s economic activity looks at the moment:

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/news-GMSMR?OpenDocument&src=sph

…it’s pretty sobering, and just spare a thought for the Wall Street gurus who sold the world the miracle of US funny money.

We have so much to thank them for, eh?

KR – with all of the wobbles in the US economy, what do think about Al Gore’s proposal?

OK Catrina How do you get the quoted bits to indent with the inverted comas?

Chris at 15

Just type

<blockquote>The thing you want to quote.</blockquote>

The Democrats won Nevada in the 2006 election.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/demographic_map/

Click on the 2006 setting.

Jen at 351: “I’ll just stay here with the lovely people on this site.”

Yeah, right.

Btw, jen, how will you be able to “go tell it to the marines” if you do that? 

Kirri, As the “bludgerati” blog anew from their individual bludgertoria, one is compelled to observe that understatement is something of a forte for thee, squire.

“Well there goes the axis of evil.” Like it a lot.

Chris B at 357: “I am certain if Bush hadn’t have been busy elsewhere he would have invaded Venezuela. The reason he would have given. They’re a bunch of commies and our citizens are in danger. The actual reason Venezuela is the biggest supplier of oil to the USA.”

D’accord, Crispy. When it comes to safeguarding the Land of the Free, a War President must remain ever vigilant against tumbling Caribbean dominos!
And Cripy, it’s absolutely none of my business, but do you often find yourself drinking a lot of coffee?

Sheesh! David Gregory is a dickhead criticising Barry’s his tour as “risky business with the economy in danger of collapsing”.

Fact: BushCo & the GOPpers got the US economy where it is today.

Fact: Obi has no power to do anything about the US Economy till he’s inaugurated in Jan. 2009.

Talk about Davy being a flake! Also it won’t endear him to Camp McCain talking down the economy. This is one talking head (and my, doesn’t The Imbecile love his neck ties) who did his best work as a chorus boy for MC Rove, the rapping architect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYZre8kEsuw

As for Gore’s long overdue for implementation policies. Yes, yes YES!!
None of Enviro Al’s initiatives would have a snowball’s in hell on earth if McBombster gets his claws on the keys to 1600 Penn.

Cat, who are the cousins?

Thanks it will make it less confusing for people if I do that. They will know what I say and the article says.

18 Enemy Combatant Thanks EC. No not much. But have a look at all the evidence on the other links I provided. Huge amounts of it. Most of it on the BBC site. Oops they’re a bit left wing. Especially about Bushes mate Pat Robertson calling for Hugo Chavez to be assassinated. Not my words. I also provide hard evidence as per the two links at #357 in the previous thread of Robertsons connection to George Bush.

18 Enemy Combatant Here are the links I was talking about

Chavez assassination row erupts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4178608.stm

New Bolivia leader promises poll

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4079440.stm

Venezuela hits BP with tax bill

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4848518.stm

Venezuela marks coup anniversary

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4901718.stm

The BBC site has masses of articles leading from these sites, including information on the death squads and American connections to them. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Great reading.

Pat Robertson who called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez (first link above) President of Venezuela has HUGE connections to the Bush administration. As seen here:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8lTd42mptfY

and here is Pat Robertson himself:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=WynH9nJuSuk

EC at 18

Cat, who are the cousins?

An expression used by people working inside the British administration and security services when referring to Americans.

Fri July 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur;_ylt=AvhvxIdGr8InVCGKf3GWpmpL6ysC

Fri July 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/tonyauth;_ylt=AkMW8t2HeVN0Yetv.4IxdNwV2r8F

Fri July 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/mattbors;_ylt=AjZOZ0rDqQp3cGNYzCfOUTXX.sgF

Chris, it’s not the quality and content of your broad spectrum links which are indisputably excellent that made me ask the coffee question, it was your prolific posting of them:)

Seriously, you save us all a heap of time by identifying and posting “the good stuff”.

Right Cat-22, forgot my Le Carre and Smiley.

As many as six South American regimes took part in the joint campaign to hunt down and kill their left-wing opponents.

Although the conspiracy now dates back nearly 30 years, the consequences continue to cast a shadow over the present-day governments of the region.

further reading from the BBC site….

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3720724.stm

Back to our US elections subject…

More details on the Al Gore challenge in a NYTs article. Of particular interest are the comments from the Obama and McCain campaigns.

Mr. Obama, in a written statement, said:

For decades, Al Gore has challenged the skeptics in Washington on climate change and awakened the conscience of a nation to the urgency of this threat. I strongly agree with Vice President Gore that we cannot drill our way to energy independence, but must fast-track investments in renewable sources of energy like solar power, wind power and advanced biofuels, and those are the investments I will make as president.

Tucker Bounds, a McCain spokesman, said:

John McCain has been a leader in the fight against global climate change, working with Democrats on this issue since 2003, but no one has more successfully recruited Americans into this effort than Al Gore. This is a key issue, and John McCain has put solutions over partisanship to pursue meaningful, market-driven cap and trade legislation aimed at drastically reducing harmful carbon emissions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/washington/18gore.html

EC’s comment at 23 released from the dungeon.

He’s pushing s…. up hill

In a candid moment during his speech this week at the National Council of La Raza’s annual convention, John McCain acknowledged he was addressing a largely skeptical audience. “I know many of you are Democrats, and many of you would usually vote for the presidential candidate of that party,” he said. “I know I must work hard to win your votes.”

He was right on all counts.

For months now, polls have shown that Latinos are favoring Barack Obama over McCain by margins of 2-1 or better. Latinos, who largely favored Hillary Clinton during the primaries, have apparently had little difficulty switching loyalties now that Obama has sealed the nomination.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071701464.html

Al Gore’s about to be on Ten News.

23 Enemy Combatant I do only try to choose quality stuff. I’ll choose more carefully. You should see the stuff John West sorry, I reject!

14 Catrina

Like good medicine Gore’s proposal would hurt, but ultimately be beneficial on every front.

We need a War on CO2 before anything else, and for the kind of resources Bush and Cronies have p!ssed up against the wall for nothing, it could be done, but the change in US thinking would be so monumental I can’t see it happening.

The perfect solution and reality collide against vested interest and inertia and some tepid compromise usually entails.

That’s my short answer, but a long one would just embellish the theme.

Voices on the street, lining up to rescue their cash, are raised as one:

This week a passing motorist shouted at a crowd waiting outside a branch of IndyMac, the failed bank, “Bush economics didn’t work! They are right-wing Republican thieves!” The crowd cheered.

Krugman, NYTimes

According to the Henry Institute, 57% of evangelicals believe that “the U.S. did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq,” compared with general public’s 39%. It can hardly be a surprise, then, that a recent Washington Post poll shows Mr. McCain with 68% of white evangelical support, compared with 22% for Barack Obama.

We can hope that the evangelicals become disheartened and stay at home.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121633761975563839.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

‘What a strange pass we have come to: a founder of al Qaeda has taken extremist Islam’s most potent weapon “off the table” – while the would-be heirs of Jefferson and Madison adamantly refuse to forego anything — even the threat of nuclear terror — in an endless global war that has already killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people.’

http://www.chris-floyd.com/content/view/1566/135/

Good read here…

EC & Cat: ‘kissinkousins’ are often the problem.

Hi Megan, tad dwalfy at the minute with RDS…

23 Enemy Combatant I do have a bit of time up my sleeve this week. But not next week.

Repug verses Democrat bloggers in Texas.

On Friday, a Who’s Who of online conservatives will gather at the Renaissance Hotel in the picturesque Texas Hill Country here for an inaugural two-day conference called RightOnline. At the same time, less than 12 miles south in the city’s downtown sprawl, the heart of the online liberal community is on its second of four days at the Austin Convention Center for Netroots Nation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071702662.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Across town, at least 2,500 people — including 200 credentialed press — are strolling through the convention center for the third annual Netroots Nation, formerly called YearlyKo

From the above Democrat roll up in Texas we can be assured that the Democrats especially Obama will know the full value of the Internet. We can expect a lot of money to be put into the infrastructure when Obama wins.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071702662.html?hpid=moreheadlines

A new poll suggests Barack Obama has a seven-point lead over John McCain in the race to the White House, but nearly 10 per cent of voters have yet to make up their minds.

The Zogby poll, released Wednesday, also suggests independent candidate Ralph Nader and Libertarian candidate Bob Barr would draw votes away from McCain, thereby extending Obama’s lead even further.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080716/us_poll_080716/20080716?hub=Politics

Hysteria alert: Barack Obama starts world tour!

You have to go back to the Beatles’ first US tour to find a transatlantic trip freighted with the sort of pregnant excitement that attends the one Barack Obama is about to make next week.

The faces of the crowds expected in Berlin when he arrives on Thursday will be portraits of the same devotional ecstasy that greeted the Liverpool quartet on their way from JFK to Manhattan that February day in 1964. In London next weekend Gordon Brown will play Ed Sullivan to the Fab One, hoping to borrow, just for a day, a little of the superstar charisma to bolster his own ratings.

Recommended: Insta-Scandal (07/09/08)

Politishop 8.0 (07/16/08)

Seps do it month/day/year.

http://www.markfiore.com/

‘ullo, codger, coming to the E-Day social in Brissy?

Nifty quotation marks, Chris B:)

Now I geddit. A numerical eight followed by a closed semi-lunar bracket = dude in shades.
No wonder the kids look at me funny when I say “Ell-Oh-Ell”.
Oh, to be cyber hip:(

Yeah! someone else besides me, I’ve been getting lonely:)
Thanks, EC:)

Cat and others, a good article on Gore’s ideas by E J Dionne from the WaPo:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/gores_bold_solutions.html

…he’s one of the sanest commentators around.

That article at #39 is a bit tongue in cheek.

Chris B, if you want a really bad pan of Obama’s Germanic Odyssey, you couldn’t go past:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/obamas_egoaccomplishment_gap.html

… the Krauthammer!

It’s a scorcher, excoriating the new messiah and finding him not so fire-retardant to Charles blowtorch.

KR at 45
If anything, Krauthammer is saying that in effect Obama is better than Jesus. Hey, I could live with an epitaph like that. Hang on – can one actually live with an epitaph? I’ll have to think about that.

Lurve the Mark Fiore ,Ecky.

Codger,

Did you see EC@40 above?

i.e. any chance of seeing you in Brizzie come November?

Promise to catch up on some serious reading tomorrow-

horrible how life can get in the way of good blogging! 🙂

Keith Olbermann reporting on the Obama campaign strategy – targeting 18 states, some deep inside red territory:

Alaska
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Indiana
Michigan
Missouri
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Nevado
Ohio
Pennselvania
Virginia
Wisconsin

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25727704#25727704

And the blue states are slowly creeping up. Firstly Nevada, which the Democrats won in 2006. North Carolina went one step closer to blue. The Votemaster says:

The Democrats are going to win big in the House this year. There are 35 districts in which the Republican who won a seat in 2006 is not running in 2008 vs. only 11 where the 2006 Democratic winner is not running. Combine this with the DCCC’s 7-to-1 fundraising advantage and you begin to see the magnitude of the GOP’s problem

http://www.electoral-vote.com

John McCain has a sense of humour and like to tell the odd joke now and then. I guess back in 1986 he wasn’t planning on running for President.

Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness, and tries to speak, he doctor leans over to hear her sigh contentedly and to feebly ask, “Where is the marvelous ape?”

Source: Tucson Citizen, October 27, 1986.

The McCain Campaign responds …

He’s long said that he’s said and done things in the past that he regrets. … You’ve just got to move on and be yourself – that’s what people want.

Ouch!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25728056#25728056

I wonder where the Nelson Mandela official endorsement of Obama will take place. It will be a great picture opportunity and a wonderful boost to his campaign. It is an obvious part of his European tour.

Mandela Celebrates His 90th Birthday

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/world/africa/19mandela.html?hp

Catrina Zogby electoral map if you are interested.

http://www.zogby.com/50state/

Chris at 52

You got to love those numbers:

McCain: 160
Obama: 273
Too close to call: 105

Countdown to Crawford: Tracking the final days of the Bush administration. Pelosi calls Bush ‘total failure’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-.S.F.) is taking the gloves off.

Usually respectful in dealing with the White House — making a distinction between the current occupant and the constitutional power of the executive branch — the speaker told CNN last night that President Bush is a “total failure” and that he is “losing all credibility” on Iraq and the economy..

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/07/impeach-bush-pe.html

53 Catrina They’re really cute:) Sexiest set of numbers I’ve ever seen:)

Further to #54

God bless him, bless his heart, president of the United States — a total failure, losing all credibility with the American people on the economy, on the war, on energy, you name the subject..

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/07/impeach-bush-pe.html

Have a look at the name of the file in #54 & #56 from the L.A. Times it’s “impeach-bush-pe.html”

🙂 🙂 🙂 8) 8) 8)

L.A.’s Latino mayor praises Obama at La Raza conference.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, speaking Saturday to the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization, urged its members to campaign hard for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, saying the presumptive nominee was their best hope for reforming federal immigration policies.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-mayor13-2008jul13,0,5069290.story

MSNBC Hardball – and its all about Obama’s trip – but this particular segment has some meat.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25726069#25726069

Andrea Mitchell – the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for NBC News is over in Oman prepping for the Obama visit. Her update on things is detailed in the link below and it gets into some of the upside and downside that may be present.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25722476#25722476

Schedule update.

July 24: Barack Obama will speak at Berlin’s Victory Column (which is up the other end away from the Brandenburg Gate but is close enough for a photo-op).

Guten Morgen Bludgers,

Show Time!!

It’s an opportunity for him to sit down with the international leaders with whom he would have to work as president of the United States, and discuss some of the issues,” said David Axelrod, the campaign’s senior strategist…….
There will be a lot of eyes on him, and we know that,” Axelrod said, when asked about the risk of politically damaging errors.

(HuffPo h/p cf. sidebar)
——————————-
The White House (read Team Imbecile) has reached a heroic heads of agreement with the democratically elected Iraqi government. This HoA goes way beyond the customary bluff, bluster and obsfucation of previous prognostications and is assuredly destined to become set in concrete. A real blood for oil commitment.

General Time Horizon for meeting aspirational goals

Still, to be fair to the hegemonic imperatives of any self-respecting Project for a New American Century (PNAC), oil-addicted warmongers have got to leave themselves a little negotiating room. Otherwise ungrateful Iraqi’s might disrespect god’s recently bestowed gift of Freedom.

Cat at 50: That’s the kind of a joke (did you year the one about the benevolent Rapist Gorilla?) Johnny McAngry might tell his “trollop” (wife Cindy) when she’s plastering on her makeup. But only after The Senator had endued another “long and tiring day”, of course.

Regarding Big Brave Nancy, where the hell has she been since Nov. 2006 when Dems gained a Congressional majority ie. a clear and present mandate to take the broom-handle to The Imbecile and his Outfit?
Nancy’s recent ever so courageous utterances ring mighty hollow. They remind me of a gutless side-kick putting the boot in when the antagonist is on the ground vanquished, gasping for his last.

Congessional approval ratings in the polls have been consistently lower than the “smirking chimp’s” for a very good reason, namely, Dem lawmakers lay down on the job that were elected to do by “We The People”.

http://www.truthdig.com/cartoon/item/20080717_this_is_satire/

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56456

Hmmm, Cat, two things on linked comments/toons:

1) they seem to be rejected less(reverse John West effect) early in threads.

2) singletons have a greater acceptance rate than multiples.

So, OK, let’s parameter push a little here and try and crack it with a couplet:)

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/07/18/trail_mix.html
———–
Not that it’s got anything to do with Barry’s Tour de Euro and M.E., but here’s a smidge more on The Imbecile’s Horizon Event initiative.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/18/general-time-horizon/

EC 65

“The Imbecile’s Horizon Event initiative.”
Put all this together with the other statements like where Kirri refers to “There goes the Axis of evil” and a propoganda pattern starts to emerge.

They now have a bit over three months to pay lip service to these items and convince Six Pack of how responsible the imbecile and his repugs ar.

Like we are not doing anything different to what BO is with regard to withdrawing troops and appeasing the enemy. This shows how responsible we are.

Of course if Bomb Bomb gets to be Bush3 the rhetoric will cease because Eyeran etc is not playing ball and it is now business as usual. Sorry about that! You know we tried to do the right thing but those nasty ragheads just will not play ball so we’re going back to playin hardball.

It all sticks out like dogs balls!

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/barone/2008/7/16/latest-presidential-polls-show-a-new-list-of-target-states-for-obama-and-mccain.html?s_cid=newtargetstates
….
is mccain closer than we think?

“It all sticks out like dogs balls!”

Indeed, it does gaffhook, on a canary!

Despite The Kid’s soft shoe shuffle to the centre(terrific new article on this in 538 cf. link in Pb-US’s right column) the prospect of Johnny Bomb-Bomb transmogrifying into Bush III, is an ugly one in the extreme.

Airport Gestapo
The Bush Regime’s “terrorist” protection schemes have reached the height of total incompetence and utter absurdity. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, a private organization that defends the US Constitution that inattentive Americans neglect, there are now one million names on the “terrorist” watch list.
One of them is that of former Assistant US Attorney General Jim Robinson, whose top security clearances are current. Every time Mr.Robinson flies away on business, he is delayed by a totally incompetent “terrorist” protection racket that cannot tell a person named Jim Robinson, who served in the highest echelons of the US government, from a Muslim terrorist.
Show your ID.
Take off your shoes.
Take off your belt.
Take off your jacket.
Empty your pockets.
Don’t complain about being searched without a warrant or you will miss your flight. You might be arrested, handcuffed, kicked and otherwise abused–the fate of many American citizens.
The morons who comprise the US government call the “watch list” one of the government’s “most effective tools in the fight against terrorism.”
What an effective tool it is! It cannot tell the difference between Jim Robinson and a Muslim terrorist.
It is worse than that. What the “watch list” or “no-fly list” is doing is training Americans to submit to warrantless searches, to abandon their constitutional rights, and to submit to humiliation by thugs and bullies. A Gestapo is being trained to have no qualms about searching and intimidating fellow citizens, using any excuse to delay or arrest them. Americans are being taught to use arbitrary power and to submit to arbitrary power. In the false name of “safety from terrorists,” Americans are being made the least safe people on earth.

http://counterpunch.com/roberts07172008.html

Just as well that sort of thing couldn’t possibly happen here. Our friendly airport security personel and her majesty’s ever vigilant and watchful constabulary and goon squads are far too polite for that to occur. Especially around good old Sydney when high ranking dignitaries who fly AF1 and AF2 pop in for a pow-wow.

http://www.beninbrooklyn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/dc-06.jpg

Phil Gramm steps down after ‘whiners’ comment. Former Republican Sen. Phil Gramm said Friday he is stepping down as co-chairman of Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign amid criticism for saying, “We have sort of become a nation of whiners.”

And a link to #69 http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/18/gramm.resignation/

A poll by The Associated Press and Yahoo News showed that 38% of Obama’s supporters say the election is exciting compared with 9% of McCain’s. The passion and interest shown by blocs of voters are important because they affect who will be motivated to vote.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-18-Obama-elections_N.htm

The reporting of the reporting of Obamas European trip has created a media frenzy in it’s own right. Even Fox News has been caught up in th action. You cannot pay for publicity like this, and it’s all before his left the country.

Obama Trip Could Push Rock-Star Persona to New Heights.

Barack Obama’s advisers insist his coming trip abroad is not a campaign swing. Even so, the high-profile journey has all the trappings of a rock-star tour.

The Illinois senator’s trip to Europe and the Middle East has generated so much interest that all three TV network news anchors are planning to accompany the candidate.

Foreign media have reported daily on the impending visit. And the campaign revealed Friday that Obama intends to meet with top U.S. allies.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/18/obama-trip-could-push-rock-star-persona-to-new-heights/

68

Ecky, welcome to gulag “Freedom”! It’s not just the jackbooted goons that do the meet and greet everywhere, it’s more insidious than that. Those freaks are just the icing on the cake, mate, the real horror of how the US has sunk into a stinking stew is revealed here:

The United States of America is becoming less united by the day. A 30-year gap now exists in the average life expectancy between Mississippi, in the Deep South, and Connecticut, in prosperous New England.

Huge disparities have also opened up in income, health and education depending on where people live in the US, according to a report published yesterday.

The American Human Development Index has applied to the US an aid agency approach to measuring well-being – more familiar to observers of the Third World – with shocking results. The US finds itself ranked 42nd in global life expectancy and 34th in survival of infants to age. Suicide and murder are among the top 15 causes of death and although the US is home to just 5 per cent of the global population it accounts for 24 per cent of the world’s prisoners.

…how’s that for the ‘greatest nation on earth’, huh?

Talk about a need to wake up and face the reality that they are slipping off the graph on all aspects of a decent society before they truly descend into barbarism.

Add that they’ve given divine rights to a cabal of thugs, trashed habeas corpus, and institutionalised torture and warrantless wiretapping, and you’ve got to admit they are well on their way, huh?

Fox News is not going to miss out on the media frenzy overseas. Does that mean they have less time for attack stories? The coverage may also act as a counter weight to the negative stories they do.

Oh, the rest of that article is damned sobering too:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/american-inequality-highlighted-by-30year-gap-in-life-expectancy-13911413.html

…what did they do to deserve such corrupt and stupid governments? It’s truly shocking.

ChrisB #74.. I was surfing the media this morning.. Faux de mieux I tuned in to Fox News at a show called “the O’Reilly factor “, which claims to be a spin free zone.
Their expert commentator on Obama’s trip was an ex CIA analyst who said the Iraq mess was caused by Clinton, and complained that BO was being advised by “geriatric” ex clintonista, who (shock,horror) were giving him Democratic Party advice!! He also called them appeasers!

Wow, this show is as spin free as the warne era Aussie cricket team!

This may help explain KR’s #75 query . Anybody who thinks O’Reilly “spin free” gets the govt. they deserve. The pity is that sincere allies like Oz also have to put up with it!

Top links and comments as usual Chris B.
Yes, Kirri, the State of the Union has deeply bothered me for some time also. I’m not quite as pessimistic as the author below but it underlines the importance of an Obama win in November. As far as The Never Ending Story goes, it’s “Fantasia’s” last roll of the dice. A November win by the decrepid old warmonger would be a terrestrial as well as an American tragedy.
The Historical Significance and the Failure of George W. Bush (Wed July 16, 2008)

The US government while never perfect seemed secure in a system of checks of balances. It was Bush –not terrorists –who deliberately upset the balance. A purely partisan 5-4 Bush v Gore was the harbinger of things to come. Bush v Gore, it is said correctly, made no law. It’s effect was to stop a recount that had it been completed would have elected another man to the Oval Office. The US government has been illegitimate since that date.
No one can tell if the US will ever find its way back. The Presidential primaries were uninspiring. The previews of the upcoming Obama v McCain race give me little hope. No one is talking about the only issue that without it nothing else matters: the nature and legitimacy of the government in Washington.

http://existentialistcowboy.blogspot.com/2008/07/historical-significance-and-failure-of.html

8)

Hey cool!-
it worked!!
Hello US bludgers all.
The posts about tthe loss of civil liberties and the decline of health standards in teh US are frightening, and unsurprising. Mind you if anyone has seen the Connex Inspectors in action in Melbourne we are not too far behind them!.

It’s the Stupid Economy. John Stewart.

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=176740

76 Gippslander. Good to see Gippsland gets television at last 8)

Just joking. Dad was one of the first to install TV’s in Maffra.

Lookin’ sharp today, jen 0)

Hope you’re not letting those boys over there bother you. They’re users! They don’t love you like we do, jen.
They just want you for one thing………..gratuitous abuse:)

http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/mikeluckovich;_ylt=AimkK3gfgnHKFFoAONS7QL4DwLAF

The Electoral Map: Already Shifting at the Congressional Level.

Since President George W. Bush’s re-election four years ago, congressional Democrats have made significant inroads in “red America.” They have picked up nearly three dozen seats, most of them in states that voted for Mr. Bush four years ago.

That erosion in the GOP base has no doubt encouraged Barack Obama and his strategists to think boldly when looking at the electoral map. They have felt free to abandon the gimlet-eyed view that the presidential election this fall must come down to Florida, Ohio and a few other states.

http://blogs.wsj.com/politicalperceptions/2008/07/17/the-electoral-map-already-shifting-at-the-congressional-level/

Chris B, we’d just got used to the new all leather wireless, when they spring Fox News on us. It makes us appreciate our rural seclusion… no Connex Inspectors ,either.

I notice that McCain is calling BO a socialist! They sure don’t speak the same language as OZ.. maybe Ron could translate for us.

76 Gippslander Good news, when Obama gets in an old bill for fair and balanced reporting, will be resurrected. The will fix Fox News.

#84 Try english Chris “That will fix Fox News.”

Kirri, EC and Jen, my how things have changed haven’t they;

Do you know what happened this week?

Back in 1850, 158 years ago, California became a state. The State had no electricity. The State had no money. Almost everyone spoke Spanish. There were gunfights in the streets. So, basically, it was just like it is today, except the women had real breasts and the men didn’t hold hands.

gaffhook
🙂

G’day EC – your 82 has just been released.

Ecky @82
LOL!!
I’m trying to engage ina sensible conversation on The Big Mean Oz site – will see how it goes.Tabitha/Eddy is lurking so I expect i’ll get some doo-doos thrown at me any minute now, but I will try to rise above. The environmental discussion is actually of interest to me, athought the We Hate The Greens party are pretty strong over there.
Wish me luck! Back soon….

Jen at 79:

Mind you if anyone has seen the Connex Inspectors in action in Melbourne we are not too far behind them!

From the most recent edition of the Victorian Review of Books:
“Bogan’s Run” is a futuristic novel, described by Helen Garner as “non-compliance fiction”, about a downscale young man residing in Melbourne who refuses to buy rail tickets on ideological grounds and who spends the remainder of his days eluding Connex Inspectors.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan’s_Run

From Chrispy’s #82 WSJ link:

In 2004, there was a high degree of congruency in presidential and House voting

Gosh. One goes all weak at the knees when psephs start-up with the dirty talk0)
Anything remotely suggestive of “triangulation” and one is a total goner.

So, basically, it (CA) was just like it is today, except the women had real breasts and the men didn’t hold hands.

Gaffers, enjoyed your “plus ca change” observations of West Coast American life(styles). While I agree on the first two clauses of your concluding sentence, on what authority do you have it that men didn’t hold hands in the California of the 1850’s?

“G’day EC – your 82 has just been released.”

Thank you, Mistress C. Too nice a day to be hangin’ around with all those kinkos in your Spam Dungeon:)

Sat July 19: (series began on July 14, cf. datebox)
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur;_ylt=AlKzobF1wcpEKY24NwRYk2YVvTYC

Sat July 19:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/bensargent;_ylt=AowYdGdiFP88.90zoePvlxZN_b4F

I’ll check out Bogun’s Run Ecky.
I live in the country so don’t have to deal with it (we don’t have that new-fangled public transport thingy much here) , but I hear so mant stories about the bahviour of “teh Inspectors” (read Gestapo), adn there is a big push on to get the Connies back on the trams. Duh! Yet another example of neoconservatism on a micro-level . So called Economic Rationalism in action (what a misnomer!).
Now lets watch it all have to be rolled back in the next decade. Or simply collapse as in the US.

ABC News/Wash. Post withheld results of poll favorable to Obama
Summary: ABC News and The Washington Post issued staggered releases of the results of their latest poll, withholding from their first release results favorable to Sen. Barack Obama, including the finding that 50 percent of registered voters would vote for Obama for president versus 42 percent for Sen. John McCain. The next day, the Post ran an article headlined “Poll Finds Voters Split on Candidates’ Iraq-Pullout Positions,” which did not mention Obama’s 8-point lead over McCain. Later that day, ABC News and the Post issued a second release with additional poll results that stated: “Obama continues to hold most of the advantages in the presidential race.”

http://mediamatters.org/items/200807170011

Can recall seeing this poll a couple of days ago and mentally dismissing it without commenting here. Regarding ABC (US) bias, these scum are almost as willfully mendacious as Fox. Remember it was that sawn-off little upstart George Stephanopoulos who hit Obi cold during the “candidate’s debate” on ABC with McBombster” about why BHO didn’t wear a flag pin.
Mike Luckovich, you may remember had a bonzer cartoon with the diminunitive Stepanopoulos sitting in a lounge chair with his legs poking straight out in front of him asking “if looks could kill” Abraham Lincoln why he wasn’t wearing a lapel pin flag.
So ABC have ZERO credibility on polls and spruiker content. End of story.
Of the few decent things about WaPo, one is Dan Froomkin’s bi-weekly “watch column” and another, Tom Toles toons, both of whom are no doubt “tolerated” as token lefties so that the corrupt news organ has vestigal claims to credibility.
Their Op-Edists are Beltway connected up the wazoo; MIC to their guts, and bought and paid for to their gaiters!

Errr, jen, I was taking the biscuit at their expense, mate.

87 gaffhook

Now they make movies about gay cowboys! I mean, what is the world coming to??? LOL

At least Arnie is pushing some of the most aggressive renewable energy programmes in the US, and good on him.

I heard David Mills (Aus prof in solar) saying we only need 45sq km to produce over 90% of Australia’s electricity.

Political will, that’s what this is going to take. Meanwhile, in Arnie’s state they are going absolutely gangbusters.

The Eagle has Landed …. Obama is in Afghanistan.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=CACRU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/us/politics/20OBAMA.html

Mr. Obama touched down in Kabul at 3:15 a.m. Eastern time, according to a pool report released by his aides. In addition to attending briefings with military leaders, he hoped to meet with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan before flying to Iraq later in the weekend.

Kirri 96, since you mentioned it…….

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56458
Great cartoon but the dream is not impossible. That’s loser talk. To avoid mass extinctions as a result of massive environmental destruction, inhabitants of earth need to ensure that “The Dream” is achievable. This planet is not beholden to corporate interests. It belongs to our children and their children. The next and only war worth fighting is the war against Big Carbon manufactured CO2. McCain won’t do it, maybe Gore can mount a successful charge should he get the nod from The Kid after Jan.9, 2009.

summonsing hope
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56452

ill-suited, fuck-witted bat boyboy
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56463

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56465 Enviro Al slagged as Joker

enviro-guernica
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/56494

http://gumption.typepad.com/blog/images/pogo2.gif

Thus endeth today’s rant:)