It's the Surge-It-Alone-In-AfPak-We-Are-So-Out-Of-There prize.

The DNC jingoism is just part of the drumbeat to unilateral war.

In that respect, too, they mimic the Bush administration.

The call for Democrats to replicate the tactics of the Right is the height of irrationality given how failed those tactics have proven to be. Why would someone think it's wise to embrace the defining tactics of a political movement that has been stomped, repudiated and crushed?

This is a dubious assertion.

One could easily argue the opposite: despite compelling facts, despite a lack of vision and in depth policy, and despite a consistent campaign based entirely upon empty slogans, the Republicans actually won elections 2000 through 2004.

They only lost when the disastrous consequences of their policies became too obvious to ignore even by their supporters.

If winning without scruple defined the Republicans, why wouldn't the Dems, equally as unimaginative as Republicans, likewise abandon their scruples?

As we've recently seen in health care, constitutional rights, and fund-raising.

Good arguments don't carry the day any longer; that's a fantasy from a by-gone (or never-was) era. People vote with their gut. Give them sufficient food and a demonic enemy and they'll reward you with their huzzahs.

One could easily argue the opposite: despite compelling facts, despite a lack of vision and in depth policy, and despite a consistent campaign based entirely upon empty slogans, the Republicans actually won elections 2000 through 2004.

They didn't win in 2000. They lost the popular vote and basically tied in the electoral college. And in 2004, George Bush came extremely close to being the first war-time incumbent President ever to lose -- and that happened against a politically untalented opponent who ran an awful campaign.

But what are you arguing? That it's a good, smart, aggressive tactic to take a view held by 61% of Americans and denounce it as illegitimate, unpatriotic and Terrorist-sympathizing? You think that's a smart tactic?

yep - that's the tragedy - or they just don't like prizes from these f... Europeans!

for making it even harder to read your posts

the redesign, i don't know, sucks ?? hitting 3 links just to read the piece ?? who do you have coding the site here, sadists ?? because we'd have to be masochists to go thru the hoops to read a post

Y'all, but I don't think he deserved the prize. What I DO think he deserves is a spot on the docket along with the war criminals from the previous administration, AND I voted for the liar.

if you just would poll Americans: "Do you like prizes from some f... Europeans" - you probably could get it up to 75 percent - Heck - I would have voted NO!!

Send your feedback to Salon.

The link is at the top of the page (above all the clutter).

Thank goodness someone is following up on this extremely significant press release, which, of course, must be read simply, like scripture, written without the possiblity of any multiple meanings. I know I plan to spend many more happy hours deeply meditating on the meaning of this document, like a dog, returning to it's own vomit.

But what are you arguing? That it's a good, smart, aggressive tactic to take a view held by 61% of Americans and denounce it as illegitimate, unpatriotic and Terrorist-sympathizing? You think that's a smart tactic?

Smart? Not at all.

Decent? Even less so.

Effective? Evidently.

The Republicans put up an alcoholic, draft dodging, drug using, inept businessman as a candidate in 2000 and still came close enough to win an election that they were able to steal it.

Denouncing their opponents as "illegitimate, unpatriotic and [Communist]-sympathizing" has been the most basic play in the Republican playbook all of my life. Bullies bully and then crow about the effectiveness of bullying when it works; when their bullying doesn't work, then they resort to whining about the unfair tactics of those same opponents.

If politics were about producing good government, Republicans (and many Dems) wouldn't exist. Sadly -- as you've documented consistently -- the US rots from the inside out. Whether Glenn Beck or Ziggy Zigler, Brian Williams or Hank Paulson, the US public wants their manufactured reality. And vote for it.

61 - 75... is ---- ? ---

- 13?... wait ... - 14 percent -- thanks god! - That's a lot of Americans who don't stand with the Terrorists!

Send your feedback to Salon.

Thank goodness someone is following up on this extremely significant press release,

Yeah- it's totally insignificant when the official organ of the political party in power accuses critics of being unpatriotic Terrorist-lovers. I'm sure that's what you said when Bush operatives did it.

That's particularly true when those accusations are repeated far and wide by pro-administration pundits. It's all so insignificant.

Speaking of Terrorism (and aren't we always?), I'll be on MSNBC with Dylan Ratigan this morning, at roughly 9:00 a.m. EST, discussing the spurt of domestic terrorism arrests lately and what it means.

That's simple. Zazi was arrested just when the Senate Judiciary Committee came out with its proposed changes to make the PATRIOT act and FISA a little more civil rights friendly. The hubbub over his arrest watered down those improvements significantly when the Committee next worked on the bill.

This week's arrest of the fellow intent on spraying malls with automatic weapon fire (Mehanna)came less than 24 hours after the House Judiciary Committee came out with their proposals to reign in the abuses in the PATRIOT act and FISA. Look at the Mehanna story carefully. He was first arrested in 2008. Why did they wait until this week to re-arrest him and make the claims about mall attacks?

Obama has been listening too much to John Brennan again. Brennan wants to keep illegal datamining operations going. The DOJ is going along by making splashy arrests perfectly timed and reliant on just the type of datamining "needed" in the war on terror.

For a definition of "terrorist"......other than whoever America or Israel says are terrorists.

Besides, neither Mr. G. nor most Americans understand that the NPP is awarded for works in progress, not finished products: http://firedoglake.com/2009/10/10/come-saturday-morning-credit-where-its-due/

Meanwhile, Juan Cole, who knows a thing or two about the Middle East and isn't an evil vicious warmonger meanie like Obama, backs Obama's Prize to the hilt. (http://www.juancole.com/2009/10/obama-as-nobelist-obama-as-game-changer.html)

C'mon. Let's not let our dislike and disappointment with Obama for not being Noam Chomsky taint our every word and deed.