Jebldmm, your thoughtful comments sum up so articulately the big problem with the racism charges being hurled back and forth between the Obama and McCain campaigns.

The debate does nothing to address the real issues of racism, issues that aren't getting much exposure because it's more fun to discuss the use of Paris Hilton in an ad about celebrity.

You mention so many topics that deserve attention. There's the Jena 6 and other instances of the unfairness of the legal system such as the absurd impact of the War on Drugs and the fear of police brutality. There's the failure of many urban school systems, the housing crisis, the loss of jobs, unaffordable health care and lack of focus on many medical conditions, including those that affect a disproportianate number of African-Americans.

There were such high hopes for an enlightened debate this time around with the Democrats choosing either the first African-American or first woman who could become president and the Republicans selecting someone who was known as a maverick who would take unpopular stands against policies of his own party.

Instead, it's as though we've opened a Pandora's box. What has spilled out is every variation of prejudice, from whites about blacks, blacks about whites, from men about women, women about men, the young about the old, the old about the young, from Christians about Jews and Muslims and vice versa.

It's been said that Sen. Obama's nomination is a hallmark toward achieving the goals of the Rev. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. But the ugliness of the arguments between some who support Sen. Obama and others who do not could better be described as a nightmare. I'd like to wake up from it and see that we've all found a way to discuss what's best for our country without resorting to hate speech.

I've been called a lot of things on these threads, but I think this is the first time anybody has called me "concise". ;-)

I should have written "since" as we're not conversing (in the loosest sense of the word) in Latin as "sine" might indicate to Ivy League types. It's getting late here and, just now, "the game is not worth the candle" because there is no real debate at this stage except mind-numbing recrimination and finger-pointing.

gehgoeson, I arrived at my vote decision all by myself. Jeb just happens to post in a concise way that reflects my feelings.

Obama supporters who do not see things the way I (and many others) do will understandably be frustrated. Thank you for not trying to persuade me otherwise. Likewise, while I try to explain my feelings, I do not try to persuade people not to vote for Obama.

including deaf dogs, I'd like to remind the anti-Clintonites on this thread that Bill Clinton is in Ethiopia right now doing what was once called "the corporal works of mercy". That's what "racist" Bill is doing while people on this thread are moaning about how awful America is. Let Barack fight his own battles, if he's able, instaed of relying on what are charmingly described as "surrogates". Failing that, he could let Michelle do the talking, as she's a far stronger character than he is. "Leader of the free world"? He's too Daddy-obsessed, unlike brother Mark now resident in China. Get a grip on reality!

Enjoy your vote and the next presidency, however and to whomever it goes. Jeb can sleep easy tonight. He's done his deeds. I could say more, but to what end? Congrats, Jeb, you got a convert. Keep fishing, get out your bait.

It's important to be "correct", if not in the political sense. I meant to write "miscegenation".

ever since humans appeared on the planet, when the only natural boundaries wer mountains, deserts, oceans. Get used to it!.

"race and charges of race-baiting have been overused in this election, and it has divided our nation, and Obama has not stood up to it, and has even encouraged it on occasion. That is the primary reason why I'm refusing to vote for him."

I have up to now been agonizing over whether I would actually vote for Obama or stay home. I have finally decided that I cannot bring myself to vote for him. And jeb has summed up the reason here.

In my opinion, in successfully smearing the Clintons as racists, Obama has acted the same way as those who successfully painted Max Cleland as soft on terrorism. I have seen no sign from Obama that he regrets any of this. I just cannot get past it to vote for him.

I find that jeb expresses herself in a logical and thoughtful way without name-calling. What she says is exactly the way I feel, and I'm sure there are many more of us who feel this way.

Joan,

There's not one chance in a million that the Britney, Paris, Obama visual was not done to purposefully introduce the "miscegenation theme" into the minds of people who might react to it. This is what Republicans do. Every time. You are breathtakingly naive. And not to call the McCain campaign on this type of sleaze does no good for the progressive cause. Obama can't do it, but we sure can, and should.

you can turn it around...would half of these guys in congress be where they are if they were not white?

But then you start to see the the ridiculousness of the question...as if any of us could be separated from our own identity.

I appreciated your entire post. Then I really resonated to your analogy in your final paragraph: "McCain's like an old, deaf dog who's sweet most of the time, but easily becomes disoriented and angry. We don't want to get rid of the old dog, but we can't have him biting the kids either."

I know (of course) that you were using a metaphor. Still, despite never being a dog-owner myself, I could tell many tales with family & friends of exactly that happening--and some of the tales are reasonably mild (e.g., an old small family dog causing a few scratches on a little one's face) and others are terrible and scarring (e.g., an old big family dog taking out half of a young girl's face, a face which now has womanly four-decades scars as evidence). And gee, even my cute-as-can-be great-niece (2 1/2 years old) was in a "kiddy pool" in a backyard and yelling "Doggie, Doggie..." for the small much beloved old family dog to come over, when my niece (the owner of doggie and aunt to great-niece) said (paraphrasing, and at the time with humor): "She doesn't realize he's deaf."

Maybe I'm offering up propaganda, too. Ah, well, I've been accused of worse.

It just doesn't offer up much humor when it comes to electing the POTUS. We could laugh when old deaf beloved doggie didn't come over to the kiddy pool. Not so much when candidates for presidency can't hear.

Family pet. (MSM pet?). Mad dog? Deaf dog? Rabies shots? Bi-polar meds? Oops, that's not for doggies...