I too believe he would have voted for the AUMF and for the same reasons you do. It's just that he didn't. We can't let the bastards that did get away with it.

The FISA vote certainly tarnished his halo, but voting against it probably wouldn't have done any harm. The die was pretty well cast at that point. The haters would have hated. The faithful would have rejoiced.

Personally, I interpreted it as either obama (who already assumed he owned the oval office) wanted the spying capacity or had cut a deal.

Regarding the disease - wear a scarf and also scarf some pseudoephedrine sulfate if you're congested. Viral can morph into bacterial if you give the little suckers a warm squishy crib. Also, you'll sleep better.

Finally, finishing the poem above ...

Every issue needs inspected well

because words and deeds don't parallel.

Soaring oratory served to get elected

but hid a soul, tainted and unexpected.

I concur, that speech is the gift that keeps on giving. I'm glad obama wasn't in the U.S. senate in 2002 because I seriously doubt those fine words would have ever been uttered. His voting record as a U.S. senator is less than inspiring. I doubt obama would have broke ranks on the AUMF. Even McCain bucked his party more than obama did.

In hindsight, I'm glad Joan kept on like a banshee about sexism in the election. At first, it annoyed me as just more knee jerk feminist BS. As time wore on, and it took months, I eventually saw the issue and felt a little chagrined. I had been snickering at all the middle aged bats all a twitter and eager to vote for someone whom they saw in their own reflection.

Well, those middle aged bats turned out to be a contingent of the wonderful women with whom I laugh, drink, yell, rejoice and mourn. They are people who've supported me and accepted my help. I'm still embarrassed that I ever held the attitude I did out of my disregard for hillary c. I'm eternally grateful to Joan for dragging me to the epiphany.

My mom never figured out why I suddenly appeared for tea and a hug. It's that I came to appreciate (if only just a little) what she's been up against and has dealt with.

By the way, I'm a Paglia fan. She sees the world through unique eyes and can express what she sees. Plus, she's almost as funny as Polly Esther of suck.com fame.

Don't poke fun at the creative class types. Nod kindly and let them trundle along their way. Watch as they accumulate the trappings and attitudes of "creativity". Some of them may eventually shed their uniforms and uniformity to become creative.

My greatest recollection of Panetta is of his defense of Clinton's 1993 retroactive tax hike. Basically, the legislation passed in August but was retroactive to the first of the year. So, people suddenly discovered that they hadn't paid enough taxes from January thru August.

So, what does that have to do with Panetta? He defended the retroactive aspect with public statements that everyone should have set aside enough money because they should have known what was coming.

So, I think the guy is an a-hole. That might actually be a qualification for CIA director. He's obviously not afraid to piss of pretty much everyone.

I can only hope that he pisses of the lawless government operatives and lackeys.

I hope he doesn't decide to continue the bush spying/torture regime and piss of the few remaining civil liberties/rule of law aficionados.

My nightmare is that he renders bush, cheney, yoo, feinstein, etc. to gitmo and subjects them to the tender ministrations of Lynndie England. The nightmare aspect is that I'd be honor bound to protest the torture.

But wait!

Scalia says interrogation isn't torture! Maybe Lynndie can finally get to the truth about what those clowns did.

Andrew, are you trying to express an opinion - other than the typical lame-ass bitching about evil republicans?

Is nationalization of those banks good or bad to you?

Furthermore, is the US gov buying voting shares? If not, then there really is no control. Not even in theory.

When you feed the masses with government money, yes, it is rather socialist. When you hand government money to failed bankers, it is not socialism. It is kleptocracy.

By the way, the bailout had full democrat support. Blaming the republicans for the bailout doesn't work. Blaming them for the alleged need to bail out the banks pretty much works - except for the part attributable to the clinton administration.