Re: "More Salon bs...

Since when did the President make a claim that he was "above the law"?"

it's not exactly those words, but it certainly expresses what George W. Bush thinks is the ideal government for the US

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier...just as long as I'm the dictator..."

George W. Bush--Washington, DC, Dec 18, 2000, during Bush's first trip to Washington as President-Elect

http://fpiarticle.blogspot.com/2004/11/bush-just-as-long-as-im-dictator.html

http://www.dubyasays.com/index.php

Perhaps Mr. Hobbs is angling to make a joint appearance with Joe Lieberman as keynote speakers at the Republican National Convention.

Of course those who supported Hillary Clinton are angry. she was treated like trash and our supposedly independent Media heaped it on. Chris Matthews did not even bother to hide his contempt for her and FoxNews rechristened the Sean Hannity show into the "Hate Hillary" hour.

But are those who supported Hillary Clinton actually going to vote for hte man who thought it was hilarious when one of his supporters referred to Seantor Clinton wit the "B" word?

I'm not, and those who do can sit over there with Joe Lieberman and enjoy when Scalia-Jr. gets on the Supremem Court and Roe is overturned (it will come as a complete surprise to them, of course).

They'll also like hearing "we are turning the corner in Iraq" through 2016.

I am not happy that the best qualified person to be President will not be nominated by the Democratic party. And we can count on FoxNews featuring another "Hillary turned to McCain" voter on a daily basis through November.

But I am not about to become a "Naderite" and watch a Bush III Administration continue to run our country into the ground.

Are you?

Since Republicans do not control Congress this year, we cannot see the bi-annual Constitutional Amendments against gay marriage to get out the faithful. So Republicans are resorting to fear that Democrats want Muslims to bomb kill them all.

It will work on 100% of the Religious Right and Republican Party members. The questio is how many of of the independent voters will be swayed by this.

The last time I saw a Democrati politician on FoxNews stand up to oe oftheir pundits was when I saw Rep Barney Frank chew up Bill O'Rielly and spit him out in about ten words. That was about ten years ago and I'm not sure that I've ever seen him on since. (But the I can only stomach about five minutes a day, so I may have missed it).

Re: "the lies seem possessed of uncanny sticking power. "

There is nothing "uncanny" about it. We all know what is happening. A string of White House bloggers, most likely on the government payroll, are blasting out streams of e-mail, repeating this rumour to every e-mail address on their lists. That is what is happening.

As to the conventional wisdom of "Ignoring" the rumours, that is what John Kerry did with theSwiftboat ads and we saw where that got him.

The fact is that the Republican smear machine is as well oiled as it was in the days of lee Atwater: Just updated for the internet and cable TV.

The fact also is that our Mainstream media will do absolutely nothing to counter these smears as they are too "objective" todo anything other than just repeat the smear, then allow two political operatives (Right and Left, or just Right if it's FoxNews) to yell back and "let the viewer decide"). Of course the possibility of actually checking facts is out of the question: That might require actual research and WORK.

So Barak Obama's only option is to counter the mudslinging, hard and often. Otherwise we can expect to see headlines in November reading, "Democratic Muslim Candidate for President loses in a landslide!"

Gloating becomes no one.

Liberals telling themselves the 2008 election is "in the bag" is ramping up to "Dewey Beats Truman" headlines in November.

Remember this:

Republicans have an automatic Electoral College advantage. They could nominate a head of cabbage and still count on 200 votes in the Electoral College.

republicans control the media: Either directly at FoxNews or indirectly at all the "Mainstream Media Outlets". Watch for Chris Matthews to start talking about "having a beer with" John McCain and you will know the fix is in.

When in doubt, all ties go to Republicans. Any electoral dispute that winds up in court will be decided in Republicans favor 5/4. No matter what.

The Republicans will have more money to spend. I know that the headlines talk about Obama vs. McCain. But don't forget that the Republican Party has more money, and will collect much more. Add to that the White House has unlimited spending power and will spend whatever it takes to get "the message" out. The Federal Elections Commission can say whatever it wants, but once John McCain is inaugurated, we all know what that is worth.

The Republican slime machine has not even begun to work. When it ramps up, with an echo chamber in every media outlet, the big debate in November will be: Should Barak Obama be imprisoned in Guantanamo? Or just banished back to his Muslim school in Indonesia?

And Conservatives have not even begun to work the race issue yet (not directly, of course, but there will be sufficient surrogates that anyone who wishes to use race as a reason to not vote for Barak Obama will have plenty of euphemisms to provide cover.

The election of Barak Obama is very much in doubt. And telling ourselves otherwise is just kidding ourselves.

Of course America will have permanent bases in Iraq. If Geroge w. Bush can't get them via agreement with a puppet Iraqi government then he'll get it via Executive Order (secret if necessary).

Anyone who questions that must "Hate America".