Political Punch

I suggest that you carefully look at
the face of McCain he was not happy
with the choice that was made for him
by Repulican Party top officals.

Mainly, George W.Bush

Thank's for helping Mr.Obama to the
White House.
Great Job! Thank's, MH

How many of you know that our service men and womens votes who are over seas DOES NOT Count, because this NO GOOD Congress will not do a thing to see that this is done.

The last Presidential election, over 80% of the votes from our overseas service men/women and Americans living over there due to work, did NOT have their vote counted. Our government says it is to costly and they do not have enough people to count all the votes.

Now give me a break, we can have oversight committees and pay them, yet we can't have a government committee in each state count our overseas military votes or even give them a ballet?

Call, write your Congress this is an outrage and needs something done NOW>

we keep hearing that the american news media paid for the free beer and food so they could photograph a big crowd during obama speech in germany, does anyone really know what happened during the event.

Well, well well, it kind of reminds you of the story of Jesus with the money changers inthe temple, doesn't it? Obama will do anything and use anything, even faith, to get elected. Doesn't this man have any scruples at all?

INSULT TO INJURY ...
The 'real' story is that Obama could have visited the wounded soldiers, but the Pentagon said not with the huge entourage and media circus ... however, Obama supporters are now trying to mislead the American people by enabling Obama to now blame the Pentagon for HIS bad decision. This is a typical form of damage control that the Obama and his people have used throughout his campaign. If Obama does something right, they shower credit upon him ... if he does something wrong, they blame it on someone else, or they tell us we misinterpreted what happened.

The Berlin speech just reinforces my belief that Germans are still suckers for eloquent men w/empty suits.

Let the Obamessiah run for President of Germany, or Europe. Naaa... President of the WORLD!

I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED is say that they would use this journey in search of enlightenment for crass political gain.

When 60-70% of a SOCIALIST country are cheering for Obama, that's tells us all we need to know. It was the best thing that could have happened. The more he speaks, the better...the facade is dropping.

His arrogance is astonishing. He is short with reporters and gives the impression he would "cuss" you out as he did a fellow Ill. legislator that corrected him.

It's amazing he is even in the running. I would like to know who is pulling the strings on the puppet show! I've never heard a candidate with so many er's and uh's speaking impromptuly. At least McCain doesn't stumble.

Somebody should tell him that "a bomb" wasn't dropped on Pearl Harbor. It was thousands.

Obama doesn't know Afghans don't speak Farsi as well as the number of states and which committees he is on...need I continue??? There's many more besides hanging around terrorists and being protected by "goon"s and terrorists.

His books reveal he has a problem with self-identity which is common with someone of mixed race. He wants to appear black and receive the AA benefit, but remains confused about what to do with his "white half".

CNN - “only the facts” are reported; ya!

That is because Obama took his three largest news agencies overseas that conduct their campaign donations center with them; ABC, CBS and NBC. American news networks have found a new low when it comes to ethical behavior. In the past, News Networks attempted to be seen as impartial. Now, all News Networks are only impartial only symbolically and not based on actions. Fox News (25 Jul 08) released data on which News Networks employees gave donations by political party. Democrats received most of the donations and Republicans received a few donations; nearly a half a million dollars to fifty thousand dollars even though no one Fox New employee donated a single dollar. ABC, CBS and NBC led the pact with donations that equaled to nearly three hundred thousand dollars. During the same period, Republicans received to a few thousand dollars. Americans did not need to be told that News Media Networks favored Democrats financially since most news events have been one sided; they have been for Obama their Democratic rock star politician. This includes falling all over themselves during the recent Obama overseas trip.

Just like Obama going to the gym versus visiting wounded troops in Germany, when the Pentagon told him he could not take his political campaign to the base, Obama declined to visit our wounded troops. All Obama does is a campaign rally to raise monies and he clearly reveals that he could care less about the average citizen. Obama only cares about Barack H. Obama and his growing wallet.

Obama is Photo Ops We Can't Believe In.

He used that trip to generate loads of MEDIA coverage to make him look good for voters in the US. The man is very manipulative. And can not be trusted.

Using Germany to further his political career, and then *using* his appearance there to raise money, to further his political career???

There is *nothing* new about Obama. He is as manipulative, deceptive and dishonest as any career politician can be. Wake up people! You are being manipulated by the liberals in the media that want to ram their Phony Messiah into the White House before you even get to vote in the election!

Wow, candidates raising money. Now that's news! McCain didn't try to raise any money yesterday, did he? Cause that would be just awful and should make headlines.

jhw:

You got that wrong...guess you never heard of Reagan Democrats.

Dems DO vote republican sometimes.

Obviously Jake Tapper is 100% correct. The Obama camp really contacted him?? LUNATICS. Jake, tell them to just keep on giving rock star speeches while IGNORING wounded American troops by cancelling their pre-scheduled visit with the hospital in Berlin.

What's the donation for? Throat lozenges to keep Obama's voice clear as he BLABS to anyone who will listen to him?

Oh, and we know there were bands, free beer, and free food at Obama's Berlin speech. And where was the million people who were supposed to show up after plastering posters and flyers everywhere, and hading out invitations all over the city? It was a pretty day--where was everyone?

Meanwhile, those in attendence were not allowed to bring signs of any kind--totally controlled by Obama's rules. AND his visit cost the Germans over 1/2 million dollars just to have him visit.

The reviews on Obama's speech are NOT that good in Berlin, BTW.

Obama...go away, stop trying to get votes through the media, speeches, and Olympic ad buys, and come back after you have actually DONE SOMETHING besides LIE about your resume...and which banking committee you are NOT even on!

Tired of you. Obama overload. People are sick of him.

b.s.meter: Hillary supporter for McCain? You must think we're idiots to float a lie like that - a Hillary supporter voting to extend the Iraq war, new tax cuts for the rich, the continuation of our train wreck corporate healthcare (except for the poor clogging our expensive ER's for hangnail treatments), and to create a Supreme Court that will indisputably overturn Roe v. Wade? Senator Clinton supporters, like Senator Clinton herself, are disappointed but strongly interested in doing the best for this country. And the last 7 years, 6 of it under complete Republican rule, makes it abundantly clear that voting for Senator McCain does not do that.

A true Senator Clinton supporter will not vote for Senator McCain, that's the reality that makes Republican's pretend attempts to stir the pot fall flat.

Obviously Jake Tapper is 100% correct. The Obama camp really contacted him?? LUNATICS. Jake, tell them to just keep on giving rock star speeches while IGNORING wounded American troops by cancelling their pre-scheduled visit with the hospital in Berlin.

What's the donation for? Throat lozenges to keep Obama's voice clear as he BLABS to anyone who will listen to him?

Oh, and we know there were bands, free beer, and free food at Obama's Berlin speech. And where was the million people who were supposed to show up after plastering posters and flyers everywhere, and hading out invitations all over the city? It was a pretty day--where was everyone?

Meanwhile, those in attendence were not allowed to bring signs of any kind--totally controlled by Obama's rules. AND his visit cost the Germans over 1/2 million dollars just to have him visit.

The reviews on Obama's speech are NOT that good in Berlin, BTW.

Obama...go away, stop trying to get votes through the media, speeches, and Olympic ad buys, and come back after you have actually DONE SOMETHING besides LIE about your resume...and which banking committee you are NOT even on!

Tired of you. Obama overload. People are sick of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly, yes. We already hear them.
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Where? I haven't herd a peep about black racism. Ever.

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I may not be an Obama supporter but I'm dammed if I will blame blacks for voting for him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So it's OK if blacks vote for him just because he's black, but white's are racists if they vote for someone else because they're white?

THANK GOD, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THESE POSTERS DON'T WANT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA ANYWHERE NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE!
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN ALL THE WAY!

Anyone considering voting for this blithering idiot better first have a clear understanding what he actually stands for. Obama's statement in Berlin that he was "a citizen of the World" was NOT idle chatter. The following from WorldNetDaily:

"Obama's $845 billion U.N. plan forwarded to U.S. Senate floor
'Global Poverty Act' to cost each citizen $2,500 or more

Tom DeWeese at NewsWithViews said the plan "is very telling" about what Obama would do as president.

DeWeese, president of the American Policy Center, warned the over-arching plan includes the ideals of consolidating all international agencies under the U.N., regulation by the U.N. of all corporate environmental issues, license fees charged by the U.N. to use air, water and natural resources, a restructuring that would give hand-picked non-governmental organizations huge influence, authorize a standing U.N. army and require registration of all arms."

"I wonder if we'll be hearing cries of racism directed at the black community when Barry gets 95%+ of the black vote in the general election."

Sadly, yes. We already hear them. I may not be an Obama supporter but I'm dammed if I will blame blacks for voting for him. He may not be representative in my opinion, but where I live blacks have been holding their heads higher and talking more positively and openly than I've heard since the pre-MLK assasination days. The Obama supporters I've seen go whack job have all been white.

He IS raising some black's self-image and there is nothing but good about that. This is the right thing about the man. It's just not sufficient reason to vote for him.

"The 1980 model applies here. You have a new face to the national scene as opposed to an established figure. Polls didn't break in a dramatic way for Reagan until the final weeks before the election."

Huh? Methinks you weren't around for the 1980 election.

Reagan was anything but a new face. From his B-actor career roles, stint as California governor and failed bid for the Presidency, he was THE face of neocon politics and in many ways, it's singular success. Reagan won on the wave of revulsion to the 70s recession (remember K cars?) and incredulity with Carter's defeatism and failure to secure the Iranian hostages. Teddy Kennedy has as much responsibility for Reagan as anyone could. Teddy fought Carter tooth and nail right up to the nomination speeches. It was tres ugly.

IOW, chiefly Reagan got lucky and Carter got Kennedied. If you're basing Obama's chances on luck, so be it but the reality is when he gets back from his dog and pony show, he will be up against the issues like the economy. Again, no one owns issues so he will have to start making his image into one of competency over celebrity.

"Race is too big a factor in this country..."

I don't accept that. I live in the state most associated with racism and I've lived through the changes. Racism is like herpes; it won't go away but it only limits some people some of the time.

Posted by: len | Jul 25, 2008 11:39:50 AM
***************************************

I wonder if we'll be hearing cries of racism directed at the black community when Barry gets 95%+ of the black vote in the general election.

This playacting on the world stage will backfire. Americans are worried about the economy, gas prices and healthcare. McCain addresses our concerns and talk to us (not AT us). McCain has SUBSTANCE, talks SUBSTANCE and has SUBSTANCE to lead us for the next four years.

I could care less that Obama is using this "non-political" Berlin speech for political purposes. I just care that his campaign is vehemently denying that. Some say that everyone of his emails have a click here to "donate" link on it, so the "donate" on the Berlin speech email is not meant to solicit more contributions. Then why not remove the "donate" link? Could it be that one of the purposes of every single email sent by the Obama campaign is to get additional donations to his campaign? Obama's campaign was premised on how he is NOT politics as usual. Yet, the more I see of him (or at least of the people handling his campaign), Obama strikes me as no different than any other politician out there. Only difference with Obama is that I don't know what his position on gay rights, Iraq, gun control, FISA, and Iran are going to be tomorrow.

Senator Obama comes across as a con-man, nothing more. He is a dud.

Upon reading many of the blogs posted here, I must clarify something.
Most Americans agree with the lofty words and visions for world peace that Obama so eloquently pontificates in his speeches ... It's Obama we don't trust. those of you who hypnotically fawn over Obama take everything he says as gospel. But, you don't even know the man. You assume that because his words are worthy, he is trustworthy. People they are just words! Obama, the man who is speaking those words has a horrible track record. He did nothing as a senator. He spent the last 20 years accepting an anti-American racist as his mentor. His associations have been with extremely unsavory people. However, you Obamabots keep trying to characterize the rest of us as disagreeing with what Obama says ... when it's Obama himself we don't trust ... nor should you!

i do have to leave, but i could not let the comment about hillary supporters and puma go unanswered. why does just about everyone assume that all hillary supporters are women and all pro-choice? i happen to be a woman and pro-choice.my two best friends are a male and a female. the male is pro-choice and the female is a right-to-lifer. we are all hillary supporters. we do not vote on one issue alone. many women are not pro-choice. many women vote on the economy and security rather than "womens' issues". i believe obama is a threat to national security. i believe mccain is not. i do not believe mccain wants to or would be able to over turn roe vs. wade. i do not believe mccain could single handedly appoint a supreme court judge without congressional approval. besides, six of the nine judges that originally decided roe vs. wade were appointed by republican presidents. surprise!! and with a judge you never know which way they will go just based on past decisions. judges think a lot. another surprise. as to my being a republican, you are partly right. i was a democrat for forty two years and voted straight ticket. on june 8th of this year i changed my party affiliation to republican. i will probably go independent next year, but i wanted to make a statement to the democratic party and unenrolled (the new york version of independent) did not seem to be strong enough. the democratic party has swung so far to the left that the fdr base of the party has been basically disenfranchised. i could not stay. i am a centrist like hillary. i do lean left, but only slightly. most pumas are like me. base democrats disillusioned with the party and their "new" base. so be it. i will vote mccain because obama is unqualified and his friends are so radical and anti-american that it is unthinkable to let him anywhere near the white house. mccain is a moderate and we will at least survive his presidency as a sovereign nation. i cant say the same for an obama administration, let him run for king of the world, just not president of the united states. country first, party second, puma.

He ventured forth to bring light to the world
The anointed one's pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a miracle in action - and a blessing to all his faithful followers

Hillary will be so proud of you. Hopefully you will still have the right to vote after 4 years of McCain.

Posted by: Truth Matters | Jul 25, 2008 11:35:09 AM
**************************************

LOL...it's 4 years of Obama that have me worried about my right to vote in the ongoing years.

How much does the Obama campaign pay you?

obama is a FRAUD!!!! - His entire campaign and this trip are staged to perfection - and we are paying for it with our tax $$$$. The media needs to stop all the glory obama and tell the American people the TRUTH about this guy - before it's too late.
I will never vote for obama - he is an arrogant, radical FRAUD and not qualified to lead our country.

Axelrod of Evil would sell his own grandmother to get BO the presidency, and BO would throw in everyone he's thrown under the bus, which is about to include Jake Tapper. Jake, you MUST STOP TELLING THE TRUTH. Truth does not sit well with the Obama campaign. Their constant lying cannot withstand scrutiny. They scuttle into the dark when the light of truth moves in their direction.

The truth is going to save this country.

Do not back down Jake. This message control has got to stop once and for all. It is absolute, unilateral and, most troubling, all but undetected. Obama's campaign tactics have been manipulative and disingenous since day one -- but there was no media voice to expose them. The electorate has a right to know how Obama has created and managed public perception - and how he attempts to trample dissent in the same way Bush has. This may seem like a very small point -- but until the media start pushing back, Obama and his ways will never be known. It is a start anyway.

Truth Matters, Sen. McCain was referring to the wounded veterans there in Germany. Sen. Obama is a member of the U. S. Senate Committe on Veteran's Affairs. He should have taken a few minutes to cheer up a few of the wounded veterans--these same veterans who Sen. Obama wants to be their Commander-in-Chief. For someone who is touted as being so smart and having run such a very smart campaign, Sen. Obama blew this one. That tells us his priority and proves his lack of judgment. He just may have kissed the veteran vote good-bye!

I like how the Socialists supporting Obama try to turn things around the Libs/Socialist hate the Constitution, they are trying to destroy it, they want to take away peoples rights, but then they try to say it is McCain what a laugh!

Obama said in his speech it was not a campaign stop, oh thats right we can not trust anything Obama says!!

He was not Campaigning remember!!

Oh and How come he could not visit our soldiers!! What a disgrace!! He can go see the soldiers he just can not campaign, oh but thats right he would not of had his employees from the press there!!

Hillary will be so proud of you. Hopefully you will still have the right to vote after 4 years of McCain.

Posted by: Truth Matters | Jul 25, 2008 11:35:09 AM
************************************
Truth obviously doesn't matter, since it's your party that fights tooth and nail against anything that reduces voter fraud.

"Race is too big a factor in this country..."

I don't accept that. I live in the state most associated with racism and I've lived through the changes. Racism is like herpes; it won't go away but it only limits some people some of the time.

There is a very definite cultural divide but it isn't exclusive. It is just noticeable. The media attempts to make that a racial issue but it isn't racism per se and it doesn't divide us as much as give us diversity which is in fact a strength. The problem for Obama is except for surface gestures like the fist bump, he doesn't represent the black culture nor does he really come from that culture because he wasn't raised in it. His books reveal a deeply divided self-perception.

Race will not defeat Obama. His campaign's use of it to defeat Hillary Clinton and his supporters' use of it to pound on the opposition can contribute to his defeat. But the real danger here is putting this into the mix in a country that tends to swing to political extremes every other election means that in four years the candidates will face an electorate where racial epithets will be acceptable again.

Perhaps all of the cultures will decide that they 'own' the N word and use it anyway they see fit. Will that be bad or good? I consider fear of a word to be voodoo worship, so maybe it will be for the good. But because everyone will be using it differently, I'm not so sure about this one.

for linda, where in new york are you waiting for those jobs. i live in upstate new york and hillary has visited every district at least twice. she brought two medical companies, and three importers to syracuse and rochester, and albany and plattsburgh. about 180,000 jobs alltold. and now she is working on the new hudson valley tech companies. where are you? she is the greatest senator we have ever had, she does a great deal of local work even though she is our united states senator, not our state senator. and her work after 9/11 getting health care for the volunteers was astounding. there has been so little said about any of that. but this thread is not about hillary, it is about the overseas speech of obama and he IS using it to raise money. it was not an altruistic speech at all. it was a calculated photo op as was the entire trip. the labels are for getting other people, including we taxpayers, supporters or not, to pay for it. as usual, he is going after the best deal for him, with not a thought for anyone else. no obama '08 or ever.

i am a hillary supporter, but i will vote mccain. i am not a mccain supporter, but i will vote for him against obama, as i know mccain loves america first and foremost.obama wants to be king of the world. i say let him, just not with the us as his base. no sour grapes here, just love of country first, party second. puma

Posted by: mcgowan.swan | Jul 25, 2008 11:28:26 AM

*********************************************** Hillary will be so proud of you. Hopefully you will still have the right to vote after 4 years of McCain.

if the speech was not political in nature, then why was it on his website at all? he sent it around hoping for your dollars. and yes, foreign donations are illegal, but it seems that according to the website, obama has found a way around that. go figure. for a man that thinks canada has a president, and there are 57 states, and the great lakes are in oregon, i am not surprised. i want a president that the rest of the world respects, not a president they love. if they love a us president, it will be for what he plans to give them and allow them to do at our expense. a us president they respect would be one that will treat them fairly, but keep our welfare first and foremost. i am a hillary supporter, but i will vote mccain. i am not a mccain supporter, but i will vote for him against obama, as i know mccain loves america first and foremost.obama wants to be king of the world. i say let him, just not with the us as his base. no sour grapes here, just love of country first, party second. puma

No James, they don't. If they did, most would be hiding under a rock somewhere. Case in point: Bill and Hillary Clinton.

In spite of all of the glowing news coverage this past week with his worldwide tour, Sen. Obama just can't seem to shake the old man. The Left knows they are having difficulties on the issues so now they have drawn the race card: "Voting AGAINST Sen. Obama means you are a racist." Have you no shame?

Hey Linda,

We "little people" living in New York are still waiting for Hillary to create those 200,000 good paying jobs she promised. The fact is that she's just as much of an empty suit as Obama.

To Len: Your comments are great! Articulate, reasoned and spot-on. Keep 'em coming! :D

Why should he visit the troops or the common citizen in KY? After all doesn't he want to "remake the world" in 6 days. Obama has much more important work to do.

I miss Hillary Clinton, who is very busy with the every day "little people's agenda" like fighting cuts in Medicare, protecting the Constitution, and challenging Bush's effort to remake the US into a patriarchal theocracy. So maybe I am very grateful that she is the Senate keeping an eye on things that matter.

The Obama campaign "takes issue" with anyone who dares to speak the TRUTH as TRUTH is not a feature of this campaign. How long will it be before people realize what the Obama campaign is really all about? It's certainly NOT about TRUTH. It's about propaganda, deception and illusion - if people wish to make voting choices on the basis of MISINFORMATION they are acting in an extroadinarily irresponsible manner.

Of course this "world tour" was political - it was a total media stunt aimed at fostering the ILLUSION that Obama has foreign affairs credibility. No, he doesn't. And of course the email described by JT was aimed 100% of raising money - if it wasn't, why include a "CONTRIBUTE" button?

David Plouffe and Barack Obama deserve each other - both seem completely incapable of uttering anything which even barely resembles the TRUTH.

Wow. What a shocker. A man running for president makes a speech and then uses it for campaign fund raising. Will the Republican hypocrites never stop?

Len: America would not have voted for Colin Powell for president..don't be deceived, Colin Powell is a black man..whites would never vote for a black man in the general elections..I tell people that Barack would never win in the General election. Race is too big a factor in this country..don't be fooled by the whites who support Obama now..in November to McCain they shall go. The economy would keep going down and down..and people who hated Barack would be angry but would not complain out of shame for putting McCain in the "President's seat"

I'm beginning to feel sorry for Obama - this staged production in Berlin complete with rock bands, beer, etc. is not going to go over well with the meat and potato crowd in America - his amazing marketing team is a little too slick and I fear he has surrounded himself with sycophants and is beginning to believe all the praise that they heap on him. I fear he will be perceived rightly or wrongly, as too ambitious, too full of himself too ordained to be the savior of the world, not only the USA. It would be interesting to get the real reaction of world leaders - I would bet money that their opinions would be that his performance in Germany was "bad form" and just how would this influence their opinion of him as president.. interesting.

Len writes: "The polls are the only facts available, Chris. Everything else is anecdotal. With the press and the money spent, Obama should be showing a dramatic increase in support. Instead he is declining."

Wow, we are making sweeping generalizations based on yesterday's polling?

I think it's far too early to gauge the impact of Obama's trip to Europe, particularly since he's still there. Moreover, the polls have been fluid, but still nationally favor Obama.

I agree with Larry Sabato who favors a climate that will usher in an Obama Presidency. Barring a game changing gaffe, this election is Obama's to lose.

The 1980 model applies here. You have a new face to the national scene as opposed to an established figure. Polls didn't break in a dramatic way for Reagan until the final weeks before the election. Once a certain threshold of comfort is passed with Obama, I think the same thing will happen to Obama that it did for Reagan.

Obama is the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate!!!! Just another tax and spend Democrat!!!

WAKE UP AMERICA, WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS FRAUD !!!

He's becoming such a cliche: The Manchurian Candidate, The Trojan Horse, The Empty Suit, Snake Oil Salesman, Panderer, etc. Pick one, pick any one: they all apply.

I cannot wait for President McCain to be sworn in and listen to the "very smart"Americans(wink,wink)who would have put him there defend him as he takes America's economy down in the pit. This boring, uncharistmatic,warmonger is going to be the next president of the United States..we will all be proud of McCain when he travels the world to stutter and talk crap about how good the economy is and how good war is for the economy. Lets go to war with Iran! Some people are proud to be Americans because we can go to war and shoot up people and let people know that we have the best Army in the world while the economy at home is going down the toilet..It makes me mad just to think that McCain is going to be the next president of the United States..McCain! Can you believe that? McCain! Give me a break America..I am tired being the laughing stock of the world..you travel the world and people laugh at our current choice for president..the world is watching to see if we would get it right this time..McCain is a laughing stock in the world..My My My McCain? Tell me you're are just kidding America!

This was a political trip at taxpayer's expense. Everything about this person is a fraud It takes a lot of money when you have to "cook the news".

"Obama is white/black and he's educated...that's why some people won't accept him."

That argument is the white guilt position. It's a distraction and it isn't true. America would vote for Colin Powell without hesitation. If you are saying Obama's image is alienating the voters, you are right.

The notion that America is a 'mean' country and 'racist' isn't exactly an inviting prospect. Have you ever gotten a date by telling the guy he is pimply and has bad breath but hey, you MIGHT be able to change all of that.

It's negative emotional vectoring. That will lose you the date and Obama the election. He got his initial support with a positive campaign. The race card helped against the Clintons but it can't be played against the very people you need to win: the voters.

He is TOO much about image and when all the various components of it are taken in aggregate, it creeps a lot of people out because it has an illusory feel to it and that makes them uncomfortable and insecure.

I'm not sure he can overcome that because his arrogance and narcissism ARE who he is and they are on the surface. Taking the American flag off of his jet and replacing it with his Big O is a stupid move but very Obamish.

$$$$ anyway you can get them. Overseas, here in the U.S. All a politcal game that tries to deflect the true nature of his visits.

How come no one in the mainstream media is reporting the fact the reason 200,000 people were there is because they had set up beer tents, free food and hired the most popular band in Germany to perform free. This expose was given by a British Journalist, just like he did the same to fill the stadium on the west coast in May using a band called the Decemberists. All the polls that liberals quote are phony ones done by liberal organizations including the mainstream media who only ask these questions in large cities with a mostly liberal population. I bet if I did a poll here in the midwest, I could manipulate it like these liars who are trying to convince conservatives not to vote.

Obama is white/black and he's educated...that's why some people won't accept him.

think about it. if you're the kind of white person who has suffered and failed your whole life and then a privliged, articulate, college educated, young black man comes along and is so popular...how are you going to feel?

that's what racisim is...the belief that you somehow deserve something better than other people based simply on the color of your skin...that you have a right to a higher social position. "they're black...how can they afford to live in MY neighborhood?"

there's too much "us" and "them" mentality in america today...us and the germans, us and the french, us and the red states, us and the blue states, us and the immigrants...

the only way a democratic experiment like america can succeed is if we all work together for the common good. the republican system is counter to this fact.

"The truth is America remains a conservative country that seldom goes left of center for very long."

It is true that the Republican brand is badly damaged and party affiliation is at a low. That does not mean, however, that there are fewer conservatives. Conservatives are still conservatives whether or not they call themselves Republicans. They will not start voting for far left candidates. America remains a center-right country.

I hope the rest of the media wakes up soon. Of course the whole trip was a marketing push. Obama campaign must think we're really stupid to believe the red donate button was only to share the video. The whole trip was all a publicity stunt.

The polls are the only facts available, Chris. Everything else is anecdotal. With the press and the money spent, Obama should be showing a dramatic increase in support. Instead he is declining.

Candidates don't own issues. Your response is about the issues. You can come up with many kinds of change that need to be made and people will agree with you, but they vote their emotional perception of a candidate. The very face of Obamamania is creating the Obama Creep Factor. Obama and his supporters are already trying to reduce the impact of the Obama As LightWorker image but the damage is done and his supporters of that ilk are well-intentioned but the very source of the Creep Factor.

Obama is beginning to lose as predicted. America wants a competent leader not a rock star. That is why Hillary was stomping Barack and it too rigging by the DNC to get her to back off. But he is only a presumptive not a nominee and her supporters aren't rallying to him. The Creep Factor leads them to the conclusion that country is more important than party and they know that America actually does well with a majority Congress and a minority President. There is no credible McCain Creep Factor, just age, and agism isn't a really powerful force except among the Internet Kids.

A&P have very little time to recover. It will be a hot August night in Denver because by the skillful manipulation of the DNC, the Democrats are starting to lose the one election no one thought they could lose. Now THAT'S historic.

Who cares that Obama stages publicity rallies in Germany? In the meantime, McCain is meeting with Americans in small settings to hear their concerns. Obama is smoke & mirrors. It's all about his ego. McCain is the true public servant and the patriot to lead us for the next four years.

Jessica and Ellen, regardless of what you want...what anyone wants...what I want...there is an enemy out there that is so determined to destroy us and all of Western Civilization, that they are willing to blow themselves up along with dozens of innocent people. You can't negotiate with this enemy, because they want us dead! Even if we all converted to Islam that wouldn't be enough. They are even blowing up dozens and hundreds of Muslims who don't believe in their extremist views of Islam. So you can't just ignore this jihad that they have against us. It is NOT GOING AWAY until the root of the problem (the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) has been solved and the Muslim schools ban the indoctrination of the their youth with their curricula of hatred towards Israel and Western Civilization. And the only way to begin this is by spreading democracy throughout the Middle East. The grass roots levels of these countries must begin to taste what freedom and prosperity is all about. The change will only occur from the bottom up and through attrition (as the older generations eventually die off). So this change is going to take several generations to come to fruition.

Dictator! Dictator! BO imported press oppression practice from China.

"The truth is America remains a conservative country that seldom goes left of center for very long."

You're gonna have to back this one with facts. Every poll of the major issues--economy, foreign policy, the war, etc., favors the democrats. The one issue where republican's have an advantage is on OCS drilling. About 57% of the American people like the idea on a visceral level.

Of course, it depends on what you mean by conservative. Americans tend to be pragmatic versus ideological, so the whole "conservative" frame versus "liberal" frame doesn't apply.

That he did but I did not donate >>>>>>He is getting so he is something else....Not the man I first thought.

Of COURSE his speech was political. Obama's team wants to downplay that, but the reality is he's not just a "citizen of the world", but a candidate for President of the United States. His every move, visit, talk, etc., is inherently political. Moreover, I don't have a problem with him soliciting cash by advertising the success of his visit.

James - you're a great example of the glassy-eyed followers of Obama. You and your candidate are so far left that your grasping at air to even hang onto the edge of the political spectrum. After alienating moderate Dems, now you're trying to breed animosity against McCain with name-calling? McBush, McSame, McLame - snore...grow up.

Now you want to rehash Bush the C-student and McCain the 'failure of the Naval Academy'? Is that the measure of the candidacy? If so, let's talk about Barry's teen years - experimenting with various presidential substances?

Get back to the issues and candidates' records.

"It didn't seem possible a few weeks back, but McCain is making this a close race. I just don't get it."

Axelrod and Plouffe are underestimating the Red vs Blue divide. They drank the kool-aid from the Internet Kids that it is an irresistable force (note all the borg references in Nat's emails).

The truth is America remains a conservative country that seldom goes left of center for very long. Bill Clinton was a centrist and that got him elected twice. A&P as grocers of change believed they could use the left wing of the Democratic Party and thug tactics to force Senator Clinton out of the race and they were successful. They believed that they could quickly reposition Obama to the center and get her supporters. So far, they were wrong about this.

Now their campaign is increasing the Obama creep factor: the perception that something is being hidden from the public and it may not be good for America. The European trip is a press success and a sugar high for Obama supporters but it is backfiring in a country deeply suspicious of foreign allies that sabotaged the response to 9/11 after initial support.

Despite our antipathy to the war, the eight years of neocon press had a lasting effect. American baby boomers do not want to lose another war and have aging but precise memories of how movement mavens such as Obama let them down in their youth. They want an executive, not a rock star. They associate such stardom with waste and dissipation in pursuit of meglomania.

A&P may have to reduce slash prices and reduce inventory. Or they may actually have to put Hillary on the ticket if she is willing. I won't be surprised if she isn't because at this point, even her support may not overcome the steady rise in discomfort with Obama and the creep factor.

Independent, whether you agree with his policies or not, it's clear that McCain loves America and puts his country above all else. Obama puts himself and his ego above all else (can you even count all the people he's thrown under his bus?) and no one is quite sure where America ranks on his list of priorities - is she number one in his mind or just another country in his vast world empire?

So what? . . . all of it. In November, there'll be 2 candidates. Take your pick: Hold your nose. Be in love. Whatever. The last 8 years have been a disaster. Where to now?

For all