bigdakine wrote: Next Salon Headline " OBama loses and its the Jew's fault!! " Yippee. One wonders why Salon's editors get such a woody when it comes to Israel? Fortunately Obama isn't anti-semitic, which is more than I can say for most of the democratic party these days. -- bigdakine"

I am weary of hearing the trite phraseology, uttered in one fashion or another, that "anyone-who-questions-Israel's-conduct-is-anti-semitic". Bullsh*t.

I question Israel's continuing occupation of Palestinian lands, of Israel's continuing spying on the US, of Israel's end-goals in the Middle-East that may cause harm to the interests of the US there and the continuing butt-kissing of Israel by many if not most US politicians. That doesn't mean I'm anti-semitic; it does mean that I question Israel's agenda. Period.

The US must pursue a balanced policy in the Middle-East that recognizes ALL sides...Israeli and Palestinian alike. Senator Obama has expressed a desire to see Israel protected while still willing to engage in a dialogue those who would do Israel and the US harm. Sounds like a balanced policy to me.

Of course, AIPAC, Joe Lieberman and the ultra-Zionists will probably disagree and trot out that tired ol' bogeyman of "anti-semitism". Big surprise.

Biden for VP. Sibelius for VP. Webb for VP. That speculative and putative list goes on and on. Walter Shapiro must have his set of sharpened darts out, heaving each one at that list of "potential running mates" hanging across from his desk prior to writing his columns.

Helluva way to pick a Veep, Walter.

Mike Madden wrote Still, the bench McCain has to pick from isn't tremendously deep this year. Pawlenty has a pretty good mix of the characteristics McCain might be looking for. "He's a young guy, he's reasonably hardcore, the social conservatives like him fine, and the fiscal conservatives like him fine," says Republican activist Grover Norquist."

Wonderful. He's young, reasonably hardcore (an oxymoronic appelation if ever there was one), the "social conservatives like him fine and the fiscal conservatives like him fine."

Nowhere does anyone mention if he has a vision for the future, has a plan for the country, is even remotely competent to run the country or has anywhere near the requisite gravitas to assume the office should McCain keel over in extremis.

No, just keep those God/guns/gays "social conservatives" happy and everything else just doesn't freakin' matter. How pathetic is that?

CharlesH wrote In my world, the Jewish Orthodox world of Brooklyn, Obama does, in fact, have a problem. To the people that I know (and live amongst), Israel is first, second and third. They don't trust him, think that he will force Israel to compromise on what they think is important and think that the Bush support of Israel is first rate and second to none. They will go for McCain because Israel is what they vote for."

And, that, CharlesH, IS the overall problem: your American-Jewish voters are voting for the interests of another country first rather than for their own country's best interests. Having to pass the "Jewish test" as a candidate by declaring fealty to Israel, rather than to a balanced and nuanced Middle-East policy, seems to be demeaning at best and ludicrous at worst.

America's international interests are best-served, imho, by being fair, balanced and taking the position that Israel isn't always right as the Palestinians aren't always wrong. There is enough blame to go around in any case.

My dislike for AIPAC, et al, is based on their "Israel-right-or-wrong" demands on anyone who wants to get the "Jewish vote"; I look for the day that a candidate will have the balls to tell AIPAC and their minions "no, thanks" to an invitation to grovel before them.

THAT candidate will have America's best interests first.

It's not like we had any advance warning that this day would come. >>sarcasm<< 1973/1974 was a harbinger of today. 1979 was as well. 2008? We're screwed.

Detroit has had 35 years to quit building those gas-guzzling behemoths and build more fuel-efficient vehicles. Corporate greed won out over conscience: SUVs, et al, have a higher profit-margin than more fuel efficient models. Oil companies make more when demand is high.

Ford closing plants? Good; serves 'em right. GM doing the same thing? Tough; they should have learned years ago. I drive a fuel-efficient German car: 35/hwy-31/city. Actually, I'll probably never buy another American piece of crap vehicle as long as those high-quality/low-fuel useage cars are being made by the Germans and others. Why should I?

GM/Ford/Chrysler had their opportunity to do the right thing and they chose greed over responsibility. Now, many buyers are choosing German, Swedish and Japanese autos instead.

It's not like they had the opportunity to do the right thing over the last 35 years, right? >>double sarcasm<<

Playing the Veepstakes game by positing Ms. Sebelius as a likely political companion to Mr. Obama misses the point for those of us who supported...and continue to support...Senator Hillary Clinton.

If the idea is to balance the ticket by naming a woman...why not name the one who got nearly 18 million votes across America? Why not pick the woman who very nearly matched Mr. Obama in the popular vote and who beat him like a drum in several key states? Why not Hillary Clinton?

One way for Mr. Obama to ensure his victory would be to ask Hillary Clinton to join him as his running-mate; I would then enthusiastically support the ticket. As it is now, I probably will vote for Mr. Obama, but, with gritted teeth.

I was going to post something in a similar vein about torchlit masses, chorusing his name in one voice, marching around the field, all while being filmed by an ersatz Leni Riefenstahl for future political purposes, but...you beat me to it.

Funny stuff there, sir; your sarcastic wit serves you well.

As someone who hasn't flown since before 9/11, I'm finding the experiences of the posters here to be alternately amusing and frightening. While a small degree of security makes sense, most of what, apparently, passes for "security" makes NO sense whatsoever.

However, it (rude TSA personnel) does dovetail with what I have found personally with "law enforcement" in general lately: a move to the extreme right, with SWAT-style black uniforms, overall rudeness and a sense of a "they're-all-perps" mentality. I'd have more respect for cops in general if they'd have any respect for us.

After reading the horror stories here and other places, I've just re-booked my flight to Europe in Augusr through Canada, by the way. Hopefully, that more-enlightened country still treats its citizens and visitors with a modicum of respect.