How is it the same? Bill Clinton did not stick us with that outrageous bill, Republicans out for blood did. Bill Clinton did not fly around the country looking for a little action and leave us with the bill for it. That's the issue with Giuliani.

Will we ever leave Bill out of our conversation when Republicans get busted?

I never in a million years meant to imply that Dems are blameless. But my message was to be a proud partisan. That's something Dems need to learn. They should be challenged in primaries and be forced to work hard for that office. Dianne Feinstein pisses me off more than most Republicans. She should know better and has enabled this administration to make things worse than they already are.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but we'll not even begin to get back on track until we have some good partisan Democrats in office fixing the problems. Even if that means cracking the whip against his or her own party.

First off, not all presidents have great knowledge and experience in all areas. That's what the cabinet is for. They have (or should have, this administration excepted) the expertise in their respective fields. I don't have a problem with Obama's "lack of experience."

My biggest problem with Obama comes directly from him: "That's part of the reason why I want some traditional Republicans to be involved in this process." WTF??? We've had traditional Republicans backing GWB this entire time. Those serious, moderate Republicans like Specter who give in immediately, but put on a good show for the cameras. I don't want Republicans in a Democratic administration. Especially not after the incredibly horrific 8 years we've had to deal with. We need to fix the problems they've created. Be a proud partisan, Obama!

Is exactly what is needed here. Of course it will need to start at the state level since Congress will never in a million years send one to the states that voluntarily gives up their wonderful health insurance. We, at the local level, need to get off our asses and pass an amendment which requires Congress and the President to be covered with the same type of private insurance that us regular people have.

You get the same crappy HMO I have to suffer under. You get the privilege of fighting with them over denial of service. You get to be denied for pre-existing conditions (I know those rich fat old men have high cholesterol and heart disease). Once they have to deal with all that you'll see them screaming about how unfair the system is.

Like all conservatives, they'll change their tune once it affects them.

This highlights two problems:

1. How could the media possibly give good reviews for a "marginally competent job"? Isn't this how we ended up with the mess we're in now? Just do your job and tell the truth.

2. We allow pundits and the media to tell us things like the name Huckabee matter. Dan Bartlett will go on TV and talk about the funny name and after hammering that for weeks or months everyone will accept it. Much the same way we had to hear about who Americans would rather have a beer with.

I don't see this as a Bush issue, but more of an issue of zero tolerance (Clinton was in on this too). Our country has been on this kick for quite some time now and it just keeps getting worse. Rather than giving someone the benefit of the doubt they are now assumed to be a criminal of some sort and will be treated as such. The zero tolerance approach has just creeped into the realm of political speech.

This is exactly why I voted for Nader. You can toss blame at people like me all you like, but this isn't new behavior for Democrats. It's time to challenge the majority of the wimps in their primaries and force them to change their ways otherwise progressives will end up with another 3rd party spoiler.

It's too bad the city has decided that we cannot afford to hold the convention here. How can we afford not to. The convention will come at a time when people will have forgotten and moved on with their lives, the way we New Orleanians wish we could. Focus will be put back on our city and on the failures of the Republican philosophy of governance. Personally I would like to see Howard Dean and other big Democrats out raising funds to bring the convention to New Orleans. It would be a win-win situation. New Orleans would have the honor of hosting the convention and the focus of weeks worth of media coverage. Democrats would have the advantage of pointing to massive failures which we will be dealing with for decades to come.