For those calling for the "mockery" of McCain: how well does making fun of Grampa go over at the family picnic? He may be doddering, forgetful and shouldn't legally be allowed to drive - but you don't make fun of him about it because you respect him.

McCain is Grampa. Most of the country admires and respects him, and that's not going to change.

What you can do, however, it remind people that Grampa's vision is soo bad, if we let him drive himself home, he's going to cause an accident that we're all gonna have to pay for again.

...indeed...

..the following Osama BinLaden to his cave remark. Even Kristol couldn't say a bad word (initially, I'm sure he'll drink his daily RNC Kool Aid tomorrow and will revert to form)!!

"Oh yeah, well.. Nuh-uh!!"

"the McCain camp needs to ensure that the pair doesn't appear without angering the large segment within the Republican Party that still holds the administration in high regard."

Are we talking about a large segment of those actually in Minnesota or the Republican party at large? High regard? I have high regard for my mailman - don't want him running the country..

That you for your well-reasoned comments on why Christians and cons are not necessarily beholden to the GOP. We Democrats love when thinkers, regardless of party affiliation, join our cause, even though we realize it might be temporary.

I know its been said before but I think a much larger amount of Dems understand that hating the other side is not only counterproductive, it fosters a my-way-or-the-highway mentality that most realists understand retards legislative progress (you know, the reason WHY we have elected officials).

Obama also understands this. Most Dems do have conservative friends, and we have a hard time demonizing our friends. Your political leanings can be wrong for so many reasons, but not because the person is "evil" or is secretly conspiring to destroy our own country.

And that is our strength as progressives. We realize that if you can cut out the emotional bullshit that seems to overshadow most national elections for the past 20 years, the Dems win the policy discussion easily.

As a few have mentioned here, the "national" polls won't matter as much as the electoral college, which is measured state by state. That's the bad news. The good news? Obama has gained in the electoral college, now surpassing and estimated 300 electoral votes (270 to win, BTW) for the first time since both nominees were "set".

Spin that one, loud jr. How is it in over there in McCain land? A little rainy but lots of underage trim, I've heard...

But it seems others are on the same page:

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

1. As far as the concern with the "youth" vote goes, most of these polls are conducted with "likely" voters = people who have bothered to vote before. Obviously, anyone 18-22 would have been too young to vote in 2004 and most people don't vote consistently until the reach their 30s. In other words, these polls don't take the youth vote into account at all. If the youth/new regisrtant vote turns out in any significant numbers, we ARE talking landslide.

2. 538's newest tracker gives Obama Colorado, New Mexico (randy_khan, hit refresh), Ohio AND Virginia. He tops 300 electorals for the first time since we've had 2 candidates. Add this to the fact that the number of former Hillary voters solidifying their support of Obama is growing (http://www.gallup.com/poll/109957/Obama-Gains-Among-Former-Clinton-Supporters.aspx), who knows what other states will be in play? Texas, anyone?

...Fred Thompson and his spoken word rendition of "The Passion of McChrist"! Barnburner!!!

I understand your argument here, but as someone who took the little town of Wassila from $0 in debt to $22 million in debt in 6(?) years, I'm not sure this was a fiscal decision.

Like others have said, someone should ask her...

"I know the GOP has screwed this country royally for the last 8 years, but trust me, I'll put an end to it."

Is that their message moving forward? We screwed up big-time, give us another chance?

So the basic gist of McCain's candidacy is that if we replaced Bush/Cheney with McCain/Palin everything would be different. But the reporting on McCain's management style doesn't seem to differ from the Bush style: delegate, delegate, delegate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/us/politics/10mccain.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

The obvious question being that if the Republican government is basically broken, yet McCain still delegates authority to them, how exactly will anything change? He's already "delegated" many campaign decisions to Rove proteges. How can he expect anyone to believe that the corrupt staffers one level below McCain's will all of a sudden straighten up and fly right? Or that McCain will be any more aware of his subordinates' activities than the notoriously "hands-off" Bush?

I know that no one thinks being accepted and excelling in the Harvard Law program is hard, given how easy it was for legacy/well-connected Bush to squeek by at Yale/Harvard Biz, but it really is a remarkable achievement. Especially for someone raised by his single mom and grandparents, with NO CONNECTIONS whatsoever (entirely merit-based)!