You know its coming

...I really hope you are right about McCain being done.

let the dancing begin

of the masses of low information voters that think Palin is "sweet" and one of "them"; that McAce, rich beyond imagination, really, really, is a populist with 13 cars and nine houses; that closet neocons like Tom Brokow and David Gregory don't slip into GOP induced coma when spinning fake facts; or the most dangerous closet antic of them all: those closet racists will somehow not be closet racists this time around...

With all that said, perhaps the numbingly disastrous economic failures of the past eight years and the "bunch of winners" mentality that the GOP is having a hard time bouncing back from just might keep it close enough for clearer thinkers to win the brass ring this time around.

Just maybe...

The image contrast is stark, though the real differences are even more substantive.

bunch of whiners. Sorry.

Some of it has to do with a Republican candidate who, with a straight face, can defend hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts (after initially opposing them), yet complain about $3 million in porkbarrell spending to study the DNA of bears.

McCain is pandering to the voters who could not explain (or understand) the difference between a million and a billion. These are pretty much the same people who still believe that Saddam was behind 9/11, and who also believe that Obama is a Muslim -- and that it matters.

No one is taking into account the Republican's ability to rig elections for their candidate. They have done it at least twice now. It wouldn't surprise me the slightest if it doesn't happen again.

According to a CNN poll I saw last night, 53% of the population still have a favorable rating. So while according to the poll the unfavorable rating was rising, there is still a lot of people uninformed about her, frankly. If more people saw the Couric interview where she was unable to see to say even just one coherent thought, they'd be appalled. McCain lucked out by having that interview drowned out by a very busy news week.

I think McCain should've picked Huckabee. He would've excited the base and would not have embarrassed the campaign in interviews.

...it would be best to withhold the expressions of triumph and relief until Obama actually wins. The last two presidential elections taught me that.

I meant--favorable view of Palin.

I need some coffee!

McCain seems to be on a downward slide that (hopefully) ensures he will not win the election in November.

However, that does not mean that we can count of the GOP for good. They made that mistake in 2002 when they controlled every branch of government - it didn't last long.

The fact is the US is plagued by a variety of problems which will take a long time to be solved, if they can be solved at all. And let's be honest with ourselves - many of them (like the current financial crisis) have strongly bipartisan roots. Those on the progressive left like myself might never have supported deregulation or laissez-faire capitalism, but Bill Clinton didn't do much to rein either in and the Pelosi congress has only recently started making inroads on that direction.

The GOP has never lacked shrewd political operatives. In 2010, even if it follows an Obama victory, expect them to strike back, and strike back hard when all of our problems haven't magically vanished (and they won't.) They'll place the blame squarely what will hopefully be a Democratic Congress, Senate and Presidency, and they will likely regain ground.

Politicians might not be able to afford the luxury of long term thinking but their supporters should. We need to think about how to push a Democratic government in directions that will result in a reorganization of the federal government in ways that are more politically and economically viable in the long term. Even if it costs us politically. Because it will. Believe it.

I know what you mean, the story has been up for over 20 minutes fer crissakes.

It's been my experience that Elfantman, tiberian, berlek98, shooter007, and many of the Troll Army have specific assignments to get up early so that they can plop the first post into place.

It was my impression that their overseers have them on a point system that if they can get here first they earn points towards coffee go-cups and foam beer-can coolers. Oh, yeah, and those big foam hands that say "We're #1".

Give any of them a huge foam cowboy hat and a "We're #1" giant foam hand and they're stylin'! For the old guys there are the "Sarah is HOTT!" buttons.

I'm afraid you really can't underestimate the average uninformed voter. My worry is that they'll carry this election, as they did in the last.

They picked Palin just to keep the right-wing base happy but whomever pulls the strings there doesn't want to win the Presidential election.

I too am worried about the high level of uninformed and frankly ignorant voters here in Ohio and other swing states. There are many and they could give McPain a chance. And I also worry about how there have been "suspicions" in '04 and '00 of tampering.

The bottom line way to beat this is to get every voter possible for Obama to register and then actually vote. Now that we have a Democratic Secry of State (Ken Blackwell is gone to the dustbin of history) there are many ways, times, methods to vote. I have been volunteering in the Columbus area for the campaign and there is a very organized focus to knock on doors, make calls, and register voters. Today starts the early voting window and now we're getting out the vote everyday through Nov. 4th.

Our side is fired up. Yes, there are McPain supporters, but I know they don't have the energy or desire to do what we're doing in Ohio. And there are lots of Reps. who don't like either candidate (my "Archie Bunker" neighbor is one of them) who may very well not vote at all. A non-vote, rather than a McPain vote, is a vote for Obama in this state and every other swing state.

There are more of us who are organized and doing everything possible on the grassroots level to win. I have hope and faith that we'll carry Nov 4th and give this country the president that we need.