Republicans could care less about qualifications. They'll put up anyone for public office whose name is familiar enough or if their religious fundamentalism is apparent enough...hence we got George Bush and Palin, two of the most unqualified individuals for high office in my lifetime. Somehow the right wing has convinced Americans that big business is more trustworthy than government, that helping the American people with their health care is going to lead to worse health care, that any efforts to raise the standard of living of minorities is always bad, that military intervention is our best option for solving problems, and that dictating sexual morals for anyone other than themselves is the correct purview of government. They are good at selling these ideas, too because their slogans catch on and hang on...pro life won the day over pro choice, it would appear. It was only when the country fell apart that our populace wised up and threw the right wing out of power. Why Americans allow themselves to be lead around by the nose by a single issue like abortion is utterly incredible.

Republicanism appeals to our worse instincts...finger pointing (do as I say, not as I do), selfishness (how dare you spend my tax dollars on the sorry rabble who are too lazy to work), militarism (if other countries wont' do as we say, let's smash them with our military might), and, finally, intellectual dumbing down which of course, allows them to effectively pull the wool over our eyes.

I do not subscribe to the notion that Obama would own the torture methods of Bush/Cheney if he does not pursue the subject. He has outlawed waterboarding and such by proclamation calling it torture. The country should not become embroiled over a past policy when we are experiencing such financially troubled times. In fact, such a course might jeopardize our recovery. Besides, Bush and Cheney would simply fall back on the claim that their legal advisers gave them the go-ahead. It is all but impossible to prosecute in that environment. Perhaps, the people in Justice who said it was legal should be hauled up for ethics violations, but even that could backfire. The whole business of torture is a land mine and I am satisfied for Obama simply to wag his finger at the perpetrators.

Americans in the main want to move on...they want our energies spent on getting out of our financial woes. The fact that there wasn't a loud clamor against Bush and Cheney over torture is a big fat warning and I'm glad that Obama has heeded it!

I cannot understand why people would leave important objects at a cemetery. I can understand taking flowers and other perishable mementos but to trash up a national cemetery is not something I want to condone. Why can't people follow the rules...why do they have to assuage their guilt with stuff piled up on the top of a loved one's grave? It's an ostentatious display and it has a name...littering! At the very least, I would expect that these objects would be picked up and discarded.

This articles accurately exposes the Republican ploy to defeat healthcare reform like no other I have read. If Americans listen to them, not only will we not get healthcare reform, we will get even higher medical costs being passed on to the consumer. The right wing could care less about our health...starting foreign wars is their forte...but giving the American people help with outrageous health costs is considered socialism.

I liked Obama's performance at the press conference up to the Gates fiasco. I was not bored and I felt he was making good points and then he stepped in it...every frigging racist has hopped all over it with the media egging them on. It's too bad. I don't think we're going to get health care reform, ever. The media doesn't want it. That's obvious.

I agree that the Ivy League syndrome was in effect, that probably Gates acted out, and that he was in dangerous territory, but I also think the police officer had a chip on his shoulder...the professor was supposed to be "grateful" that this good cop bothered to do his job of investigating a supposed burglary. There is a bunch of whining going on in this story and it applies to both sides. The cop should have given his name and, yes, Gates should have been cooler, even very willing to prove he owned the home and belonged there; on the other hand, the cop threw his weight around when he arrested him. It was absurd to handcuff him over this. Obama is right to conclude that things got out of hand, but the president should have remained more aloof from the situation. He is the president with a health care bill to pass so it is unwise to take sides even if Gates is his friend. I guess Obama is human after all.

I enjoyed the artful use of language in this article. Good descriptions of hypocritical politicians are always in order and certainly these so-called fiscal conservatives ought to be exposed for their insincerity. It's okay with them to spend zillions on wasteful military expenditures, but to help the American people get decent health care will be too expensive. They are the reason why I make most of my political contributions to individual candidates rather than to the Democratic Party.

I truly enjoyed another movie by Polanski with Harrison Ford made in Paris called "Frantic" (I think) made in the '80's. For some reason, this film never received much praise or attention, but it is well worth finding a copy and enjoying this first class mystery. It also shows a side of French culture many might not be familiar with.

Clinton was suckered into this comment, simply answering a question put to him which would follow from the question... not in a speech.