I must be too cynical; I don't believe this was a simple mistake.

Insider Advantage

Georgia - Likely Voters

MCCAIN: 49%
OBAMA: 46%

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/docs/IA_Georgia_101008.htm

Now this is just sad.





A man in the audience stood up and told McCain he's "scared" of an Obama presidency and who he'd select for the Supreme Court.

"I have to tell you. Sen. Obama is a decent person and a person you don't have to be scared of as president of the United States," McCain said as the crowd booed and shouted "Come on, John!"

"If I didn't think I'd be a heck of a lot better, I wouldn't be running for president of the united states."

You know, McCain does the right thing in saying all this, and those people, HIS people, at the rallies boo him for it.

That's just sad.

Obama sign burned on black family's front lawn

Last week we told you about several Barack Obama signs being stolen from people's front lawns but what happened to a family in Irondequoit late last night is a whole lot worse. They are the only black family on the street and their Obama sign was burned.

“I’m not sure what the definition of a hate crime is but it certainly felt like one.”

The evidence is on John's front lawn (not his real name). It's the burned metal frame of what was his Barack Obama sign. It was set on fire sometime in the middle of the night and for John, it brought back memories of attacks against African-Americans.

“They would terrorize good God-fearing Americans, usually black, by burning items - usually a cross on their lawns. I just see this as an act of domestic terrorism or something very similar to what the KKK used to do.”

The street is not a very busy street and the house is tucked away here in the neighborhood. So whoever did this had to know that this Obama sign was at this particular house.”

Over the last several weeks dozens of Obama signs have been stolen in Irondequoit, Brighton and the city. This is the first instance of a sign getting burned.

CNN Political Commentator David Gergen says he's worried about what might happen before the election. “There is this free floating sort of whipping around of anger that could lead to some violence. I think we're not far from that.”

John says the burning of his political sign got his attention. “It made me feel as though an act of domestic terrorism has been delivered to my little part of the world, my very own property.”

Irondequoit Police say they're going to investigate, although it's very tough to solve these crimes.

The local chapter of the ACLU said, in their opinion, this was a hate crime.

http://www.whec.com/article/stories/S614414.shtml?cat=566

I just saw a video replay of an elderly woman at a McCain rally who stated to McCain that Obama was an Arab. Thank God McCainhad the decency to tell her that Obama was not and thathe was a decent person.

But it makes me wonder just how stupid people can be. I don't know of what ethnicity the elederly woman was. But I wonder, since I'm Italian, what her reaction to my ethnicity would be if I ran for President.

"I don't want criminals in the Oval Office!"

Olivant,

I'm just getting home and just saw the same clip. Yesterday he was talking to some other people, fueling the hate. I am so glad he said something, but man what angry people he's attracting. Earlier, the audience booed him when he said something.

I have a lot to catch up on today, but wanted to post this comment from the head Prosecutor in the Ayers case, defending Obama.

As the lead federal prosecutor of the Weathermen in the 1970s (I was then chief of the criminal division in the Eastern District of Michigan and took over the Weathermen prosecution in 1972), I am amazed and outraged that Senator Barack Obama is being linked to William Ayers’s terrorist activities 40 years ago when Mr. Obama was, as he has noted, just a child.

Although I dearly wanted to obtain convictions against all the Weathermen, including Bill Ayers, I am very pleased to learn that he has become a responsible citizen.

Because Senator Obama recently served on a board of a charitable organization with Mr. Ayers cannot possibly link the senator to acts perpetrated by Mr. Ayers so many years ago.

I do take issue with the statement in your news article that the Weathermen indictment was dismissed because of “prosecutorial misconduct.” It was dismissed because of illegal activities, including wiretaps, break-ins and mail interceptions, initiated by John N. Mitchell, attorney general at that time, and W. Mark Felt, an F.B.I. assistant director.

William C. Ibershof

Mill Valley, Calif., Oct. 8, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/opinio...amp;oref=slogin

Cynical, SC?? Not at all. That is either a typo of glaring proportions or the proofreaders all overlooked it for the fact that they think "all those names sound alike," if you know what I mean.

I also just saw a clip of people in PA entering a McCain rally who actually said (several of them) that Obama was a terrorist and a Muslim.

What is wrong with people? Sounds like a naive question, but it never gets answered. Again, how stupid can these people be?

Boy this keeps getting worse and worse for McCain. It seems it was decided Palin did abuse her power in the Troopergate story. Not only that I read Obama has a 10 point lead in one poll anyway. Greatfor the Dems though.

TIS


"Gov. Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda," the report states.

Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's refusal to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten from the state police force was "likely a contributing factor" to Monegan's July dismissal, but Palin had the authority as governor to fire him, the report by former Anchorage prosecutor Stephen Branchflower states.



http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/10/palin.investigation/index.html

Republican Strategist, McCain supporter, and former Campaign Manager for Ronald Reagan, Ed Rollins, told Anderson Cooper on CNN tonight that the McCain campaign "is out of control". He said sometime during the summer McCain "changed", and he doesn't know what happened to him. The old John McCain would never allow what is currently going on in his campaign. He also told Anderson Cooper Wednesday night that the race is over, and Obama is going to win by a landslide.

I saw that bit, and he hit the nail right on the head.

Really, Mccain has gone from the admired McCain that I campaigned for in 2000, to that of a living and breathing Bush Sequel, which the liberals actually may have pegged correctly.

Your campaign is in trouble when you try to tell your own rally crowds to calm down with the "Terrorist/Arab" ignorant shit at your opponent, and they BOO you.

You were only 15 then

I just added the video from Wednesday, when he predicted a landslide for Obama. Not good news coming from one of the top GOP Strategists.

Republicans for Obama - "Obamacons"

From a retired Navy Admiral (who spoke at this year's DNC) to a Doctor who did his piece in front of the birthplace of the Republican Party, to a former Reagan advisor, there are many disgruntled Republicans/Conservatives out there....like me....of the last eight years with the bullshit.

We all are naive when we are young.

Besides, McCain then wasn't kissing the ass of the Religious Right like Dubya was.

Holy shit.

Considering how this is from the guy who managed Reagan in 1984, the greatest victory in American electoral history...

Some guys in the McCain camp are yelling FUCK now.

They corrected the typo...Ballots were sent out reading Saddam Hussein Obama.

This is a blow to Palin's credibility and image. She denounces old boy politics and croneyism, but these findings suggest that she's a croney. It's disturbing that she allowed her husband such intimate access to the governor's office to do this.

This campaign has turned very ugly over the past week. While I wouldn't blame it all on Palin's "terrorist" comment, it does have something to do with it. I understand that most of the McCain supporters are non-violent and passionately support their choice, which I respect their right to do so. And Palin's comment was typical of the Karl Rove inspired strategy: when you can't win on the issues, do anything else to distract the voters.

But Palin's comment, which she had to know would do, did trigger some whack-jobs to take that as the cue to spew their hate and stupidity. For example, the idiot at a rally yesterday stating that she felt Obama was an Arab. The shouts of "terrorist" at McCain rallies. The fact that McCain has to tell people to calm down is a sad reflection of how low his campaign has gone.

This one is the cremd de la cremd. If this isn't the complete stereotype of a red-neck, biggot, Deep South conservative, I don't know what is:
Angry voter threatens Registrar, says he needs to 'keep the n***** out of office'

There are plenty of others out there, probably minus the shotgun, who are saying and/or thinking the same thing. I hope that there is extra security around Obama, particuarly now and in the days after the election (no matter the outcome).

Yss, I read that article Goombah. Wow!! I agree this is becoming so hateful. Let's face it, having a nominee who is half black is drawing this type of people to the forefront, and they need little encouragement to go off. And, while you can't control these kinds of things, you can try to tone them down, which finally McCain did. Today I heard Obama thank him.

While I am all for freedom of speech and everybody having their say, for and against, I really really don't want to see anybody on either side feel or be threatened. This is the election of a lifetime, and I am glad to be a part of this history, no matter how it turns out. But, I have to admit, I do worry about Obama (since the hate seems directed at him), especially when I see these kinds of people. They may be few, but all it takes is one crazy like this. (God, at 75 wouldn't you think life's lessons alone would tone down his anger?)


TIS

The bottom line is, we're about to vote in a black president and a Catholic vice-president. That's a GIANT step (I know, JFK was Catholic, but still).

If that's possible, why not an Italian president or a Jewish president or a Latino president, or, gasp, even a president of Middle Eastern descent?

This country is no longer in the control of the WASP descendants of the slave traders who made life miserable for most of our forefathers. It's a great time to be an American.

Oh, Olivant, in direct response to your question: Fuck that old bat. Who gives a shit what her opinion of Italians is? I know I don't, and I'm as proud of my Italian background as one can be.

I heard they were almost sent out reading Saddam Hussein Osama bin Laden.

Palin denies she abused power


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) -- Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin denied Saturday that she had abused her power as Alaska's governor, a conclusion reached by a state investigator in a report released the day before.

"If you read the report, you will see that there was nothing unlawful," Palin said as she emerged from her hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Palin violated state ethics law by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from the state police, a state investigator's report for the bipartisan Legislative Council concluded Friday.

"Gov. Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda," the report states.

Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan's refusal to fire State Trooper Mike Wooten from the state police force was "likely a contributing factor" to Monegan's July dismissal, but Palin had the authority as governor to fire him, the report by former Anchorage prosecutor Stephen Branchflower states.

The investigator's report states Palin's efforts to get Wooten fired broke a state ethics law that bars public officials from pursuing personal interest through official action. VideoWatch what led to investigation »

The lawyers representing Palin and her husband, Todd Palin, issued a three-page attack on the investigative report, including the contention that Ethics Act violations can only involve financial motives and financial "potential gain, or the avoidance of a potential loss."

"Here, there is no accusation, no finding and no facts that money or financial gain to the governor was involved in the decision to replace Monegan," the lawyers said.

Any abuse of power, they said, was on the part of the Legislative Council members, not the Palins.

"Sen. French and Sen. Green may have abused their government power by using public money to pursue a personal vendetta against the governor..."

"Put bluntly, Branchflower completely misapplied the Ethics Act and has instead sought to create a headline to smear the governor," the lawyers wrote.

Monegan has said he was fired in July after refusing pressure to sack Wooten, who had gone through an acrimonious divorce and custody battle with Palin's sister. View a timeline of the investigation »

Monegan said he felt vindicated by the findings.

"I believed and had the opinion that I was terminated because I did not fire Wooten," he told CNN. "Now these findings say that that's what happened, so I feel relieved."

Palinand her husband have consistently denied wrongdoing, describing Wooten as a "rogue trooper" who had threatened their family -- allegations Branchflower discounted.

"I conclude that such claims of fear were not bona fide and were offered to provide cover for the Palins' real motivation: to get Trooper Wooten fired for personal family reasons," Branchflower wrote.

The Branchflower report states Todd Palin used his wife's office and its resources to press for Wooten's removal, and the governor "failed to act" to stop it. But because Todd Palin is not a state employee, the report makes no finding regarding his conduct.

The bipartisan Legislative Council, which commissioned the investigation after Monegan was fired, unanimously adopted the 263-page public report after a marathon executive session Friday.

About 1,000 more pages of documents compiled during the inquiry will remain confidential because they involve private personnel matters, according to the council's chairman, state Sen. Kim Elton.

"I believe that these findings may help people come to a conclusion on how they should vote" in the presidential election, Elton said.

McCain-Palin campaign spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said Palin would cooperate with the Personnel Board investigation. The Palins' lawyer has said an investigator named by that board wants to question them in late October.

Stapleton called the investigation "a partisan-led inquiry" run by supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, but hailed its finding that Monegan's firing broke no law.

"Gov. Palin was cleared of the allegation of an improper firing, which is what this investigation was approved to look into," she said.

McCain spokeswoman Stapleton said the Legislature exceeded its mandate in finding an ethics violation. "Lacking evidence to support the original Monegan allegation, the Legislative Council seriously overreached."

Rep. John Coghill, a Republican who criticized the handling of the investigation, said it was "well-done professionally."

He said Palin "bumped right against the edges" of the state's ethics laws but that he would give "the benefit of the doubt to the governor, though, at this point."

Palin originally agreed to cooperate with the Legislative Council inquiry, and disclosed in August that her advisers had contacted Department of Public Safety officials nearly two dozen times regarding her ex-brother-in-law.

But once she became Sen. John McCain's running mate, her advisers began painting the investigation as a weapon of Democratic partisans.

Ahead of Friday's hearing, Palin supporters wearing clown costumes and carrying balloons denounced the probe as a "kangaroo court" and a "three-ring circus" led by supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The state senator managing the probe, Sen. Hollis French, fueled those complaints with a September 2 interview in which he warned the inquiry could yield an "October surprise" for the GOP.

But Palin's lawyers already had begun pushing for the state Personnel Board to launch its own investigation, calling it the proper legal venue for the matter.

"The report speaks for itself," French told CNN Friday night.

Bomb Scare at Local Obama Campaign Office

PALMS -- A suspicious envelope caused the evacuation of the Palms campaign office for Senator Barack Obama.

The LAPD bomb squad and haz-mat teams were called to the office on Motor Avenue Thursday night after a report about a suspicious envelope found inside.

As a precaution officers evacuated the building. But, officers determined the contents of the envelope was not an explosive device. Authorities, however, are declining to say exactly what was inside.

The envelope has now been turned over to investigators for further examination.

http://www.ktla.com/landing_news/?Bomb-S...&feedID=171

Obama threat, white powder sent to Los Angeles Times

I'm told the Los Angeles Times mailroom opened a hand-scrawled letter today that read "death to Obama" and contained a white powder that triggered a call to the FBI and a city hazardous materials team. No one was injured and the powder proved to be harmless. My sources say the letter was addressed to staff writers Richard Serrano and Ralph Vartabedian and included a demand for a retraction to their story this week that detailed flying mishaps early in John McCain's Navy flying career. The nut mail was said to carry an upside-down stamp and language about saving babies in addition to the Barack Obama threat.

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/10/obama_threat_white_powder.php

Desperation.

I still think that if Obama is elected that some nut job will try to kill him. I hope he will have extra security.

Bush is hated by more people that I have ever seen and he has been safe.

Apples to oranges, Longneck. True, Bush has been safe. Do not forget someone lobbed a live grenade (that obviously never detonated) at Bush in his first term.

As much true hatred as there is for Bush, it is for his policies. I think you can safely take all the Bush haters, then add another 25%, for Obama. For no other reason than the color of Obama's skin.