Senator Obama gave a very, very good speech. He raised the issue of race in a way that we (the American electorate) haven't heard in a long time.

There was a lot said in it that a lot of people liked.

It won't satisfy everyone who heard it, nor was it intended to.

This speech may prove significant, or it may not. At the very least its forcing people to talk about an issue that has long needed addressing.

Going by the 52 pages of comments thus far, there are partisans aplenty on both sides with very fixed views.

Those who are expecting Senator Obama to be lilly pure will certainly be disappointed, as he is simply a human being and not some paragon. Those who think his world view is shaped exclusively by a select few of Reverand Wright's remarks are fooling themselves and selling the Senator short.

Senator Obama is showing leadership that has been sorely lacking for a long time, hence the enthusiastic response to him. Portraying this response and support as some kind of cult of personality are fooling themselves and selling the American people short.

Those who demand a refutation of the select few of Reverand Wright's remarks have gotten it. Whether they've listened enough to actually hear it is on them.

Time for we Americans to show whether we'll listen to our better nature and try to correct the mistakes of our past (both recent and historical)...or if we'll follow a geriatric warmonger who should've been put to pasture decades ago.

I mean does the Bush Administration seriously entertain the notion that initiating military action against Iran (inadvisable and logistically unwise in the extreme) based off a conflation of 'Al Qaeda' and Iran is going to help the Republican candidate in November?

Senator Obama's refutation of McCain's statements were good, but are they gaining any more traction than the original statements themselves?

From the Washington Post article you cite:

In relation to Iran, commission investigators said intelligence "showed far greater potential for collaboration between Hezbollah and al Qaeda than many had previously thought." Iran is a primary sponsor of Hezbollah, or Party of God, the Lebanon-based anti-Israel group that has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States...

Nonetheless, the United States previously compiled evidence of limited contacts between Iranian interests and al Qaeda. U.S. officials alleged that Iran was harboring al Qaeda militants who had fled neighboring Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion there...

Basically, we're talking about a series of "alleged" and "limited" 'contacts', but NO REAL EVIDENCE of any actual, operational relationship between Bin Laden's original network and security/intelligence elements in Iran.

Even the "link" between Hezbollah and al Qaeda lies in the realm of possibility, not fact. And until clear evidence surfaces, it should be treated as such.

You're walking a minefield you're not equipt to. Word to the wise.

What about Hamas?

What about them? We're talking about a completely different network and a deliberate conflation on McCain's part.

It was widely reported that one of Osama bin Laden's sons sought and was granted refuge in Iran after the US toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Again, so what? This hardly constitutes an operational relationship between the original Bin Laden network (which is largely gone from what I've heard) and security/intelligence elements in Iran.

If anything, Iran would have been stupid not to grant asylum to these men. Hostages like this don't fall into your lap every day.

True. But he provides plenty of entertainment.

Those posts--and the posts of those who endlessly respond to the same stupid shit time

Oh, I agree. He's little more than a court jester at this point, and a pretty unimaginative one at that.

No, the entertainment value comes from watching him say essentially "I'm so stupid!" and then rhetorically hit himself in the face with a hammer every time.

He has no creditability, no insight, no real knowledge, and no real purpose beyond showing us how stupid he is. Take him for the walking joke he is and you'll find your stress level will be much decreased.

These war advocates, I would wager to a one, have learned nothing for one simple reason: They have no actual investment in the conflict they cheer for.

They and their families have not or will not serve in the armed forces.

They and their families are not at economic or emotional risk of losing loved ones overseas.

They and their families have insulated themselves through distance and willing ignorance against the devastation they've cheered for.

Bring back the Draft (sans any exemptions) and these idiots would 'learn' their lessons in record time.

It's that the people who we wish would love us, don't.

You almost sounded like you had a point to contribute.

Sadly, it turnout to be methane from the colon, which is just being rude.