For putting the onus of Senator Obama's recent capitulations to the center and the "Reagan Democrats" and the nefarious, but must be capitulated to "Independents" on him and not on Keith Olbermann.

Being an Obama supporter, I, too, have wondered at some of the moves he has made in recent days. What I have concluded is that he has two overwhelming obstacles to overcome in his quest for the presidency. One is obviously his race. In a time where upwards of 30% of voters feel comfortable admitting unapologetically that race is an issue in the way they are voting to members of the media, this may be an obstacle that no matter how hard he trys to overcome it, he will fail.

The second obstacle is that while Americans overwhelmingly seek change, they are still thinking under the brainwashing of the Bush regime on the subject of terrorism and have not yet become immune to the lure of the Republican political machine in attempting to convince them that not only is Senator Obama "weak on terror", but so is the entire democratic party.

This second obstacle can and must be overcome, but it is a mountain that will be hard to climb and reach the top. The 2006 Democratic "revolution" has not brought forth any evidence that the mere election of a majority of Democrats to Congress has made even a dent in the Republican scare tactics or the Republican mindset everpresent in Congress. This is completely evident in the current Telecom Compromise that is unfolding as we speak. The slim majority of Democrats in the Senate has not been able to significantly change the course of the Bush regime, nor change the votes of the Republican members either. On virtually every bill proposed by Bush, the Senate has capitulated and given him whatever he sought.

This is where the media has dropped the ball too. The upcoming congressional election in the General Election has been largely ignored, to give room to make certain that a Democratic President is elected. Without a larger majority in both houses come 2009, very little of what a President Obama wants to enact will pass. Some of the Democratic majority in the Senate has crossed over to being indistinguishable from Republicans, i.e. Joe Lieberman, and will cancel out the one member majority as it currently exists. This is why it is vital that the media begins to push for more seats in both houses to be overturned in favor of Democratic candidates, who will support a Democratic President.

I agree with everything you wrote in your reply to me, and for what it may be worth, I, too, share your hope. All the best. RK

Yeah. I've found it an ongoing source of amusement. No matter how many times Oh, Mona! has arrived to shoot it down, punch a hole it it, kick it to the curb, or shove a sock in it, people are not about to be disabused from their deeply held, but unsubstantiated, personal belief.

You disabused me of my assumptions when you mounted a credible defense of Ron Paul. At the time I thought, Whoa!. The next sound you heard were my self-imposed illusions shattering on the floor. Had to back up and think a bit. Dust off all those glass shards.

But, I also almost never miss a column of yours. Others who may hit your site on occasion, may be denying themselves the opportunity to be clear about what you stand for, because you're sure not confused. And, anyone who has read for for any amount of time shouldn't be confused either.

I also support your position of not backing up much to repeat a previous "lecture." Having been at the front of a college classroom I'm familiar with those students who "miss a class" and want a personalized tutorial. I had no problem suggesting they get the notes from someone else. When they complained someone else's notes weren't decipherable, I said that sounded like a pretty good reason not to miss class. Got no problem with you taking a similar line here. Your explanations to some are an act of generosity.

No again. You're sounding very reasonable, and i think Obama can order his campaign any way he wants. But let's not use the word "personal" to mean something it doesn't. Let's not pretend that "issues" and candidates' claims about those issues are separate. They're not.

Lets not pretend Obama's "Attacks Rule" is externally consistent, if it's only internally consistent.

Off-Topic.

The tiny red ants have invaded the computer room. There are hundreds of crawling ants that are carting off crumbs to attend a picnic? (PICNAC) huh. They need to be outside eating bugs and crab grass.

Does any one here lend out a Durham quilt? Ants.

Can a blogger kill ants and go to sleep at night?

Maybe this has already been discussed @ UT?

It's a ethical dilemma. Ask the Dali Lama? no.

I believe the answer to your question ("What has George Bush's "with-us-or-against-us" mentality done to people?") is that it has rendered people incapable of understanding and appreciating facts and objectivity on their own, ah, merits.

In general, Olbermann's commentary about Obama's FISA position was much more critical, in both senses of the word.

It was brilliant. And if I were Obama, I would have recorded it, then analyzed it, and decided to follow its prescription to a tee. Keith's prescription essentially redeemed his gravitas and showed him to be much more than an unthinking, uncritical media Obamabot.

His incorporation of John Dean's analysis at Findlaw was a brilliant move. He basically threw the gauntlet down to Obie and asked in so many words: "Senator, are you a man, or merely an expedient mouse?

The choice was also aimed at ascertaining this: Take out the Telecom protection provisions then vote for the abominable FISA law if you must, or vote for it but state loudly that criminal prosecutions await if you are elected. But if such a step is too much to take in your term, then vote against FISA NOW!

I thought it was a superb tour-de-force especially noting to Obie that he will be painted as a terr'ist friendly no matter what he does, or how many backflips, or foreflips. Or backflops.

As a real man, and true contender, not pretender, Obama has only one choice: to man up and vote against this abomination now while there is still the chance to torpedo it. I would not make book on changing things IF he gets elected.