Thanks for that excellent Smart Dissent article by Al Giordino on his blog. You must have known how much I would agree with it. He is someone who speaks from long, valuable political and life experience. I would hope all the doomsdayers would read it. I will keep the link handy and pull it out as needed.

intend to vote for Obama?

I mean maybe you could find some other audience for your insults and sneers and condescension and thereby convince them to vote for Obama?

You really are wasting your pro-Obama mojo here ... in my opinion.

I intend to vote for the man despite my criticisms. ... got it? I get this is an important election... really.

I'm in agreement with Greenwald here. I am an avid Obama supporter and I am saddened to hear of his drift toward the center in a gamble to attract conservatives. He's following the playbook of his predecessors: Gore, Kerry and Clinton. When are Democrats going to learn that Americans aren't going to vote for a pseudo-conservative? Why should they when they can always get the real deal? That much sought-after demographic that Obama is going after, they will never be satisfied, no matter how much he panders.

The grand irony is that it took George W. Bush to prove that sometimes Americans just want a president who says what he means. He stood up for what he believed, even if what he believed was completely bonkers. I sincerely believe that Americans respected that, and I believe that they would respect the same from Obama.

I'm not just busting HRC's chops, I sincerely worry that the Clinton contingency is whispering bad strategy into the ear of Obama. I really believe that! Up until now his political decisions have been uncanny, both wise, cautious and yet admirable.

I do not think that Obama's courage--at least in regards to FISA--is going to come from anywhere other than the people themselves. What we need is a large and insistent backlash against the machinations of Congress. People need to speak out and let them know that they demand justice. Greenwald is right; Fascism is not something that should be tolerated, but I think it's going to require a grassroots movement to sway our representatives.

"I Want To Be Number Two: Jim Webb"

The son of confederates. A praiser of the confederate traitors, and their brutus flag. Not a good idea. This people are angry as it is losing all power. It would be a great story. A man who's ancestors fought for the right to have slaves, and a black man.

But some of those red necks down their are crazy. Stuck decades if not centuries in the past. No to webb as vp. The south WILL NOT RISE again. At least not in the traitor aspect.

clinton would be safer, still not very safe. I'm not sure who. Biden would be cool, but he doesn't want it. So who. I'm stumped on this one. Sebilus? I don't know anything about her personally. does anyone have any ideas.

Not webb. not clinton. Those are the two worst possible choices he could make. Hagel? Dangerous also. I'm lost. I had said dodd, but that was before the loan scandel broke. I don't know who. there are so many sell-outs in the democratic party.

EDWARDS!. That's it. I found the answer myself. Obama-Edwards 08'

:)

Re: Smart Dissent (link repeated at sig)

Ironically, we, the people have more leverage - if we organize - after a candidate becomes an official, than we do during the heat of an electoral campaign when he or she is so singularly focused on the goal of getting elected.

Respectfully, I disagree. Obama still needs voters - real human beings - to pull the lever - punch the chad - touch the screen, unless he's counting on some vote rigging scheme. And, once elected, I have yet to meet the politician who much cares what the voters think until they're ready to be re-elected. And, even then, they're more likely to fluff their accomplishments in front of your nose hoping you forget the accomplishments of which you've strongly disapproved.

And if we can use his own campaign as the basis through which to become organized, that much stronger will be our ability to move mountains when and if that campaign is victorious.

This reads like a great defense of Senator Obama - Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity - Get FISA Right, which BTW, is ocurring before Obama is elected.

Re: Obama's challenge?

Respectfully, this strikes me more as Bacevich's challenge to Obama.

Re: The Far Left?

Jeeze-Louise! Now it's the Far Left alone, by itself, that's supporting the Constitution. Gad! I thought it was bad enough that we needed a progressive to do it. And, you tell me what we really need is the Radical Left? Things just get worse for the Constitution every day.

BTW. I think Russ Feingold would be very surprised to be characterized as the Far Left. He's from Wisconsin, you know? I always thought the Peoples-Republic-of-Boulder (CO) could always hold its own against Madison, Wisconsin. I guess the world really is turning.

I started following Obama as a volunteer for a progressive PAC. I picked him out of all the Dems in the IL Senate race -- because he chose a conservative Dem to in a high level position in his campaign. I thought it showed pragmatism for him to choose a staff for their skills, rather than for their ideology.

I have always been AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ AND WAS IMPRESSED BY THE SPEECH HE GAVE IN A DIFFICULT TIME TO BE AGAINST THE WAR.

I loved his book and loved his speech at the 2004 Convenstion.

I was not going to be a volunteer in this presidential race but after South Carolina, I decided to. I am an unpaid, grassroots volunteer. I live in a "purple" state that NEEDS to become BLUE. Which only Barack Obama can do.

Anyone who doesn't live in a "purple" state cannot understand how important this race -- and Barack Obama are.

I have never received a penny from the campaign. In fact, I was just on TPM reading about the Cornyn staffer who got caught pretending to be a "liberal" on a web site. Idiot. Obama would fire any staffer who lied on a web site!!

But, when I volunteer for a candidate and devote my time and money, I learn about him or her.

I have loved ones in the military and have lost friends in terrorist incidents in the Middle East. Two teen-age sons of dear friends are either in or about to deploy to Iraq. Another loved one is at the Embassy there.

This election is too important to screw up folks. TOO IMPORTANT. If the Left of Center screws this up, God forgive you because I NEVER will.

FISA can be fixed. The lives of our children cannot.