Open your mind. Think. Research. Reason. Analyze. Think some more. Open your mind. Think. Research. Reason. Analyze. Think some more. Be honest. Question. Open your mind. Be honest. Think. Research. Reason. Analyze. Be honest. Question. Think. Think for yourself. Think for yourself. Reason. Question. Think for yourself.

Warren did say, though, he couldn't vote for an atheist. "An atheist says, 'I don't need God,'" Warren said. "They're saying, 'I'm totally self-sufficient in myself,' and nobody's self-sufficient enough to be president -- it's too big a job."

Atheists do not believe they are self-sufficient in themselves. And even if some do believe that they'd be wrong. The reality is that none of us are self-sufficient. It is just that some of us rely on non-religion based ethics, our families, our friends, our neighbors, and, sure, ourselves, to guide and help us through life. Really, no different from religious people who add God into the mix. That's fine unless their reliance on God or their interpretation of "God's will" leads them to act "wrongly" toward their fellow humans and, indeed, toward all "God's creatures."

Obama was awesome in Orlando!

Brilliant. Tell zenhead for me that I am going to think about which of the country's in Europe I'd like best to lead and then move there and run for Prime Minister or President or Chancellor.

"Obama has no military experience."

Since when is military experience required to become President? Guess I was absent the day they taught that in my Constitutional Law class.

Wow, this is a first - I agree with you 100%. Do you know if Miss Manners said at which age a girl becomes a woman or a boy becomes a man? It has always bugged me when someone tells me not to call a 15 year old girl a "girl"!

I've never been a teacher but I agree that "ladies" and "gentlemen" can be very effective in dealing with teens. I'm a band parent and I use it to get the kids attention when calling roll or making announcements when we are on a band trip.

"Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: 'There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.'"

Mark Twain

Without a good understanding of how polls are conducted it is impossible to evaluate poll results. Go to www.electoral-vote.com for a very good overview of polling methodology. Click on "welcome" and the click on "Polling methodology file" to get to "Polling FAQs." [Sorry, I don't know how to put a link in here.]

The latest round of polls tell us this:

1. Obama was on vacation with his family

2. Leaving John McCain alone on center stage

3. Therefore, duh, McCain gets a slight boost

Yes, slight, remember all polls have a margin of error - if you don't know what it is you don't really know what the poll tells you.

Good points. If the unthinkable happens (god forbid) - Obama's candidacy will still be responsible for a major change in how we conduct politics. Obama has changed the Democratic party for the better by bringing in a new generation of Democratic leaders. He has energized millions of voters - young and old, male and female, black and white, religious and secular - who have either never been involved in politics or who (like me) have spent the last 16+ years demoralized but now want to get involved again. This is huge. And we mustn't forget it. We are energized and mobilized. Let's stay that way long after November has come and gone!!

BUT...Obama will win!!!

Obama '08!

And, turn Virginia Blue!

I agree with you about the illogical, unreasonable and irrational PUMAs...but I think that there are many (if not most) who will ultimately vote for Obama. Those who don't won't matter. Here is a cheerful anecdote:

Last week I was making calls to Northern Virginia voters for Obama, Warner and 3 Dems running for the house. I spoke with a 73 year old white woman. Her responses: President - write in Hillary; Senate - Warner; House - the Dem. Because she was very nice I wasn't afraid to ask her why not Obama. She cheerfully said she was a "sore loser." She said that, although she didn't consider herself a feminist, she would have liked to have seen a woman in the White House. (I told her my mother is the same age and is an Obama supporter.) She was also a huge Al Gore fan and said she was still "wearing an arm band" for him. I asked what if Gore had run against Hillary, who would you have voted for? She paused and said she'd never thought of it that way and said she'd probably have voted for Gore. Since we were having a pleasant conversation I felt comfortable asking if she couldn't bring herself to vote for Obama could she at least consider voting against McCain. She chuckled and said, yes she could do that. We chatted some more and, finally, she said, well, if you call me back in about 2 months I will more likely than not tell you I will vote for Obama!

I've made over 500 phone calls and knocked on nearly 200 doors. This is the first woman I've encountered who said she would not vote for Obama because of Hillary. The rest of the female McCain supporters told me they were Republicans.

Mark Warner is another reason I'm optimistic that Obama can take Virginia. He is extremely popular with both Democrats and Republicans and will win. So, we could have a "reverse coat tail" effect. There is also a very active Republicans for Warner group that will be working with Warner supporters who lean toward McCain or are undecided.