At least the twelve Apostles only had one Judas. Here we have a disgusting dozen. How in the hell can they call themselves Americans, much less Democrats? Infamy.

In the future, the Democratic donkey had damned well better be shorn of his testicles in all illustrations. The Dems prove, once again, that they have no clue that acting out of fear does nothing but give your enemy the advantage.

The Democrats may still take back one or both houses of Congress in November (I doubt voters will take the usual GOP rhetoric very seriously), but will we be much better off? They won't have the balls to impeach Bush for fear someone might think they're mean.

Jesus Hairy Christ.

As an earlier poster said, today's vote is a far greater blow to America than was 9/11. But it has happened. The landmarks have crumbled to the ground, and we're the survivors (so far). We need to go into recovery mode now.

Or, more accurately, attack mode.

We must use this to maximum effect against the Republicans who voted for this. It IS an attack on America, on the Constitution, on Democracy, and it DOES serve to wither everything our forebears have fought and died for.

We must take every opportunity to connect this with the Republicans who voted for it. Every chance at publicity.

We MUST win back both houses of congress. Not just barely, but by a landslide. We cannot become complacent between now and November, no matter how good the polls may look on a given day. The only way, so far, that the Republicans have been able to steal elections is when the numbers are very close to begin with. If the margins are wide enough, they won't be able to do it.

After the election, we shall then deal with the Democrats who supported this, and who failed to even try to combat it. But not before. The only way we even have a chance to start recovery is if we throw the Republicans out.

Is in a tough race in NJ - lots of mud being slung and some of it sticking. And he just sold us out . . .I'd say his chances for success just became a little dimmer. What cowardly little bastard he turned out to be!

(...a lonely bugle plays "Taps" as the orange autumn moon glides past Battle Creek...)

Well said, dcmeserve. Between now and the election, we need to work with every progressive and Democratic organization to pound a single powerful meme into the minds of the American electorate: The GOP doesn't care about keeping us safe, they care about approving torture, spying on their own people, and violating the most basic principles that make us American. In other, simpler words:

IF AMERICA STANDS FOR THE BEST, FAIREST, NOBLEST AND WISEST IN THE WORLD, THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BETRAYED EVERY AMERICAN.

That's the way we'll slaughter them in November. Then we recruit some Dems with spine.

Why worry about Islamocfascists bringing America to her knees? We've elected Congressofascists to do it for us.

Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda should be written into the history books as the greatest strategists of our time. With a single attack and a body count staggeringly low compared to the true "wars" of the 20th century, they have used our own leaders as their own Weapons of Mass Destruction. Bush & Co. have told us our freedom was under attack, that our liberties are why the terrorists hate us, indeed, that our very way of life was what we are protecting. But without a hint of irony, they unwittingly became the very tools with which these terrorists have destroyed everything for which we were supposedly fighting.

Today has begun the most brazen and systematic dismantling of the ideals that have set our country apart from the worst regimes throughout history. We have elected our wardens and they are slowly constructing the jail that used to be the United States of America. Perhaps one day we will rise up, maybe with ballots, maybe with guns, to reclaim our country. Until then, the obituary of our great experiment should read (with apologies to Alan Moore), "Remember, remember the 28th of September", for this is how it begins.

"Five years after 9/11, the worst attack on the American homeland in our history, Democrats offer nothing but criticism and obstruction and endless second-guessing," Bush said.

And, of course, Bush can get away with saying this since most Americans do not understand that the minority party in gov't are supposed to oppose and criticise the majority in order to strengthen policies and legislation for the good of the people! It's their job!

Let's just say what certain people really want: Bring all of the various alleged terrorists to Fox News in New York, and then shoot them in the head during prime time.

Just another note on the verbal games the Administration has convinced us to play. Why do we call the men held at Guantanamo and elsewhere 'detainees'? It's such an antiseptic, innocent sounding word: as if they'd been pulled over at a traffic stop and asked to 'wait for a few moments while we clear this up.' And yet they've been held for years, without appeal, and have no clear route to either sentencing or freedom.

Answer: we call them 'detainees' because that's the antiseptic, innocent-sounding word the Bush Administration chose, so they wouldn't have to call them prisoners (or captives, etc.) and thus recognize their status as inmates in a US system.

I'm not buying it or using it any more, just so the US can dance its little semantic dance around public opinion and various international conventions.