"The point is, symbols matter, they should matter, and this is something that I wish I learned a lot earlier," Allen said. "Even if your heart is pure, the things you say and do and the symbols you use do matter because of the way others may take them."

Either he's incredibly stupid or he thinks everyone else is incredibly stupid (I suspect the latter). Is he claiming ignorance as to what the Confederate flag and a noose symbolize? If so, why wrap himself in symbols he didn't know the meaning of. The whole point of utilizing symbols is that you embrace their meaning, what they, well, symbolize. So if he decides to march into a campaign rally sporting a Nazi armband he can just say, "oops, I had no idea!!" The message has been sent.

This was nothing more than throwing a bone to the gullible and winking at his Confederate flag buddies. Don't be fooled.

...why do I see a stash of firearms and child molestation making appearences soon or later in this "church"?

They do. They're called Star Trek conventions.

He's been an insider for years and years. He knew exactly what type of character Cheney and Rumsfeld had. He chose to wallow in the muck with that crowd. If he wants to rehabilitate his reputation then he needs to start by appologizing to the American people.

News flash to John Kerry:

The Swift Boat Veterans kicked YOUR ass from one end of this country to the other...and you (and your party) let them.

Kick away Sen. Kerry. Now it only matters to you.

Republicans, Republicans, Republicans...and nameless Democrats. Once again, the Republicans own this issue, and this time they own BOTH sides of the issue. Democrats are, once again, sitting on the sidelines.

I just posted pretty much the same comment in the previous story. WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS?! They should be hammering this non stop, but its opposition Republicans leading the way with the Democrats slinking around the sidelines. The best we can hear from the Democrats is Dick Durbin's whiny "they'll blame us anyway?" remark?!

The Democrats will not take the House or Senate in November because they offer NOTHING. Everyday more and more people in this country are getting fed up with the direction we're being pulled in and the Democrats are quaking in fear that Kare Rove will be mean to then. Now the Republicans are themselves are rising up to offer alternatives.

I'm sick of reading about Obama's self-serving Oprah moment in Africa (he can do that on his own time after he's retired with a nice fat government pension. There's serious work to do now). I'm sick of reading about Howard Dean's hissy fight with Rahm Emmanuel over money. I'm sick of ready about John Kerry's on-going feud with the Swift Boat Veterans. I'm sick of the Democrats doing nothing.

I have no problem with the concept. The actual contestants didn't seem very concerned about the tribal breaks, and it seemed like the producer had pull opinions out of them. I think the dynamics within each tribe will be more interesting than any contention between the tribes.

But in most of the discussions and hand-wringing over this the main focus seems to be black/white. Oh people mention the hispanic and asian tribes, too, but almost as after thoughts. the real focus is balck/white. Interestingly, Mark Burnett has deftly neutralized the issue by obviously creating the black and white tribes as the weakest of the four teams. But...the shrewd black woman who's been turned into the 5th wheel by her tribe, and the lethal middle-aged white guy will be the two to watch.

If Jericho can survive its first season then I suggest a dusty and dishevelled yet glamorous Joan Collins arrive intown after escaping the disaster in Denver. She could supply the type of explosions people really want to see.

What a terrible dissappointment he's been. All talk. He's a self-centered opportunist. What has he done or said that has had any merit or distinction? Everything is about burnishing his own image for his next step. We don't need that. We need someone with vision and ideas.

So he's in Iowa saying the Democrats need a strong message on national defence for the November elections. Sen Obama, it almost October! That message should have been hammered out and delivered relentless a long time ago. Its too late now. Once again the Republicans have run off with the issue. I think it part of Mr. Obama's job, the reason he was sent to the Senate, to be coming up with these ideas.

He's nothing more than a gaudy hood ornamnet. I won't vote for him again.

I think its time for the American people to start questioning just who our government is really in bed with. The Bush administration has been threatening Syria for years, but at the same time, Syria is being used to do our dirty work? I've always thought the "war on terror" was a power grabbing sham. Unfortunatley, it easy to spoon feed to the masses.

"I wasn't in the audience myself, but I think it is arrogant to attribute the audience's boos to the accusation of Jewness and not the impropriety and irrelevance of the question at a debate."

Why would the question elicit boos and hisses? What is improper and irrelevant when George Allen himself invited the question by brining up his granfather's experience in Nazi Germany? Boos and hisses usually indicate extreme displeasure. Why would asking George Allen about his Jewish heritage inspire such outrage...unless those people booing and hissing regarded the question as an insult.

An aquaintence of mine has asked me several times if I am Jewish (I'm not sure why). I'm not, but I've never been insulted or taken aback by the question.

And what exactly is "the accusation of Jewness"? "Accusation? Your own words speak volumes.