... I sure hope that was satire and not a demonstration of your reading comprehension skills.

People on here were playing apologist for the Rev, claiming, "well, the stuff he says is true", but when Obama says otherwise in one paragraph, and it's pointed out, it's name calling time. Or the truth that was so casusually brushed off is casually treated as "You gotta do what you gotta do".

That's neat.

I wonder if he wrote the "our stalwart allies" part himself? Like Israel? Who else? Saudi Arabia? Egypt? Turkey? England? The Noble Lie once again engraved on the record, to tell future generations The Truth.

I look at John McCain, Lieberman and Graham and I think that if the American people are stupid enough to vote Republican then they deserve what they get.

At this point, given the evidence, any nation that cannot find a way to rally a majority against the madness of our current situation, and the future that McCain espouses, then God will reward them with the misery that they deserve.

That may be a naive way of saying it, but I would vote for ANYONE who will promise to take us in a different direction. McCain IS NOT THAT MAN.

Is the New York Times good enough for you?

'Mr. Obama has said he was not present for the sermons by Mr. Wright when the controversial statements were made, including criticisms of Mr. Obama’s opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/us/politics/17wright.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

I would find it highly coincidental that over 20 years Obama wasn't in attendance for some of Pastor Wright's more venomous sermons. But hey what do I know, I'm just part of the great unwashed...

The entire premise of Barack Obama's candidacy is built upon the opposite assumption -- that Americans are not only able, but eager, to participate in a more elevated and reasoned political discourse, one that moves beyond the boisterous, screeching, simple-minded, ugly, vapid attack-based distractions and patronizing manipulation -- the Drudgian Freak Show -- that has dominated our political debates for the last two decades at least.

That's a good one. This is the candidate who was virtually produced by the boisterous, screeching, simple-minded, ugly, vapid attack-based freak show found on the World Wide Web in the form of MoveOn, Kos, Salon and FireDogLake.

Are you doubting the War Wisdom of Million Years McCain?

He is so powerful he turned Sunnis into Shiites.

What is distinctive is the far more consequential assumption that Americans want and are able to engage an elevated and more noble type of politics than the depressingly familiar garbage...

Yes. Absolutely. Far be it for me to read Obama's thoughts, but I think he's not gambling as much as it may seem. I think he learned exactly the right lesson from the Fox News approach to debate: if you make a powerful assumption about the American people, the American people will, sooner or later, begin to fit this assumption. You just have to play it right.

The assumption of Fox News and their ilk is that Americans are a bunch of mindless idiots, wanting nothing more than a clone of the Jerry Springer Show, only involving political figures. Years of pandering to the basest instincts make it look like it's true. Obama's assumption is the opposite, and, I think it's more powerful because it appeals to the people's self-respect. Wouldn't you listen to someone who, very convincingly, implied that you're a smart, sharp, attentive human being interested in real issues and, most importantly, capable of making smart decisions about these issues?

The Republican policies (whether military, economic, foreign or domestic) are backfiring in large part because all these policies are based on contempt and disdain, whether for poor people, different religions, opposing views or common sense. Obama, instead, is founding his rhetoric on respect for his listeners. Even the all-important body language fits: Bush and McCain look like they have nothing but contempt for their audience, Clinton looks like she's afraid of her audience, Obama looks like he honestly, truly wants to help. And his words match the body language, and therefore it's hard not to feel that his intentions (and even deeds!) may actually match his words.

I understand that one of intelligentsia's favorite pastimes is to lament about the ignorance of the masses. It makes us feel smart and educated, it elevates us above the common fool. This sentiment was perhaps the most powerful reason why 51% of this nation's population voted for Bush: they were sick and tired of being called stupid for voting for Bush in 2000. And John Kerry did nothing to convince them otherwise; if anything, his haughty silence in response to the Swift Boat attacks made things worse. It communicated contempt. It did not win him any supporters.

I think Obama seized a great opportunity. Whether or not Americans are "smart enough" to grasp the fine nuances of his words, one thing is clear: he played the moment right. Rather than nervously defend himself, or haughtily ignore the "scandalette", he used this moment to make a kick-ass speech. He shines at speeches, it's his best weapon, and here was a perfect opportunity to use it. And he did. And the media ate it up, didn't they? I bet you there are indescribable thrills going up Chris Matthews' leg as we speak.

Even the "dumb masses" are going to remember one thing most clearly about this: Obama was challenged, and he responded with an awesome speech. That alone is worth a whole lot. So let's not stroke our egos here and debate about just how smart or dumb the masses are. Especially since this sort of bullshit debate only makes for us look stupid, ourselves.

That is just the best line evar.

I think I will end every post with that... kind of like my own "Good night and good luck."

When I try to persuade even my most level headed friends and colleagues to avoid navigating to the "Dread Report" they look at me quizzically. They intone, it's only a place to find 'news' or some other uninformed and unthoughtful reason to grant this menace eyeballs. I've all but given up trying to explain the obvious bias and penchant for sensational and poorly sourced reporting.

Yep, this is my experience also..

Even people that I know agree with me (with only a single exception) are really unable to grasp a great deal of what I try to tell them if it requires overcoming culturally ingrained attitudes or prejudices.