*** Official Barack Obama FBG campaign headquarters *** (2 Viewers)

[Neofight]

Obama likely already has a huge lead from the early voters, which the McCain sleaze campaign won't affect. Couple that with the fact that most pollsters under-sample Dems by registration %, minorities and do nothing to track those will only cell phones... this will be a landslide.

These are all hopes and wishes. I think people will be shocked when these things don't make nearly as much impact on the actual votes cast as some think they will.

Actually, the info on the polls are facts, just look at the internals for these models. As for the early voters, mostly anecdotal, though in places like Georgia they've already had more early voting at this point than in all of '04, and the African American vote is roughly 40% of that. What do you make of this? Hope, nope. If you've volunteered, even at the most basic level, for the Obama campaign, you've gotten to see the level of organization. It is massive. What does McCain have? Robo-calls and attacks on ACORN. And Obama is already effectively countering that subterfuge.I can understand your worry that they might steal it again this year, but things are pretty much out in the open right now on issues of voter suppression (despite Statorama's best efforts) , and the negative stuff just isn't working.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

You have chosen to ignore all posts from: Statorama. · View this post · Un-ignore Statorama

Good call.

Yeah, it's time. Sad.

 

[Neofight]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Joe's aunt, a trucker, was on the Ed Schultz show yesterday. She called in on her own and gave a little background on her nephew. She basically painted him as a very unaware, low information voter that votes Republican because of his step-father. Also explained why his views on Social Security are so negative is due to his step-father having issues collecting, which to her seems counter-intuitive. Can't say that I disagree.There are plenty of low information voters out there that will vote against there best interests in this election, just like in years past. There are plenty of racists who will vote McCain/Palin for obvious reasons. What the Chicken Little's in this thread aren't accounting for is that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In years past that might not have mattered so much because of the right's GOTV efforts and the Dems apathy. This year you have the exact opposite: Democratic enthusiasm is through the roof, while the Republicans are split over their ticket. And McCain, though he has many of the same strategists, has nowhere near the ground game of Bush/Cheney/Rove in '04, and that was nowhere near what Obama has today.

The only way the Republicans win this is if they can suppress enough votes, or have enough go to provisional ballots that they can invalidate through legal maneuvers after the fact, to steal this thing.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Perhaps. I've seen the interviews with Joe as well, but I don't know well enough to accept that statement as fact. My point is he's an example of someone that would actually benefit from an Obama presidency, yet still will not support him. IMO there's a segment of voters that won't be able to see past the surface and it's the size of that segment that makes me nervous right now.

Joe the Plumber said in one of his press conferences that he's against Social Security. If that doesn't tell you that he'll never vote for a Democrat, then I don't know what will.

I saw that. It's his support for policies that don't benefit his situation, and extrapolating that to a macro level, that has me concerned.

 

[Gr00vus]

If you've volunteered, even at the most basic level, for the Obama campaign, you've gotten to see the level of organization.

Yeah I've been volunteering too, and what you say is true - very well organized, very well planned and very energetic.What I'm dubious about is depending on markedly higher voter turnout among people who normally don't turn out, or making suppositions about polls not being able to get information from cell phone owners (are cell phone owners only able to vote for Obama?) to say things are actually better (or worse) than they appear. I think things are pretty much exactly as they appear right now.If Obama can stay up 5 to 6 points nationally, hold similar leads in enough swing states on Nov. 3rd I'll feel better about things. As it is now I think it gets a lot tighter going forward.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Whenever I get a little discouraged, stuff like THIS makes me feel hopeful again.

 

[spacevan]

I have to laugh at the way these Republicans are playing the game. Appealing to the small minded. Painting Obama as a Terrorist, Muslim, Socialist, Arab, Devil etc.. Throwing anything they can against the wall to see what will stick. All the while not having any original ideas to fix our nations problems. If any of this stuff is making you vote for McCain then you are a sad sad person. If McCain wins then I have COMPLETELY lost faith in these United States. During the last debate when McCain feigned shock at the fact that he was being compared to George Wallace. That was a classic closet racist maneuver. Yeah, me getting automated phone calls that say Obama pals around with terrorists, is a muslim and wants to destroy the U.S. Nothing George Wallacey there.

 

[Sammy Traveller]

Whenever I get a little discouraged, stuff like THIS makes me feel hopeful again.

WOW!unfortunately, he mentioned "Kansas City" in his speech. I hope the St Louisians laugh this one off....

 

[Neofight]

If you've volunteered, even at the most basic level, for the Obama campaign, you've gotten to see the level of organization.

Yeah I've been volunteering too, and what you say is true - very well organized, very well planned and very energetic.What I'm dubious about is depending on markedly higher voter turnout among people who normally don't turn out, or making suppositions about polls not being able to get information from cell phone owners (are cell phone owners only able to vote for Obama?) to say things are actually better (or worse) than they appear. I think things are pretty much exactly as they appear right now.If Obama can stay up 5 to 6 points nationally, hold similar leads in enough swing states on Nov. 3rd I'll feel better about things. As it is now I think it gets a lot tighter going forward.

The campaign has begun to focus on the GOTV efforts starting around three weeks ago. I have no doubt that their efforts will pay off. The cell phone issue is anecdotal as well, but the point is that most people that don't have land lines are college aged kids, and these have been polling stronger Obama than any other age group. I'm basing my stance not on intuition or even my own personal experience as much as the internals, state polls and the other facts I mentioned above. The national poll, while worth looking at as a general trend, is not the deciding factor.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Joe's aunt, a trucker, was on the Ed Schultz show yesterday. She called in on her own and gave a little background on her nephew. She basically painted him as a very unaware, low information voter that votes Republican because of his step-father. Also explained why his views on Social Security are so negative is due to his step-father having issues collecting, which to her seems counter-intuitive. Can't say that I disagree.There are plenty of low information voters out there that will vote against there best interests in this election, just like in years past. There are plenty of racists who will vote McCain/Palin for obvious reasons. What the Chicken Little's in this thread aren't accounting for is that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In years past that might not have mattered so much because of the right's GOTV efforts and the Dems antipathy. This year you have the exact opposite: Democratic enthusiasm is through the roof, while the Republicans are split over their ticket. And McCain, though he has many of the same strategists, has nowhere near the ground game of Bush/Cheney/Rove in '04, and that was nowhere near what Obama has today.

The only way the Republicans win this is if they can suppress enough votes, or have enough go to provisional ballots that they can invalidate through legal maneuvers after the fact, to steal this thing.

In which states? No one's worried about New York and California. Serious question, is this the case in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia? Are you comfortable with predicitng how the unprecedented race factor factors in, even given the new registrations? It still seems to me like there's valid reason for concern, to call it a Chicken Little syndrome at this point seems a little cocky which also makes me nervous.

 

[Neofight]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Joe's aunt, a trucker, was on the Ed Schultz show yesterday. She called in on her own and gave a little background on her nephew. She basically painted him as a very unaware, low information voter that votes Republican because of his step-father. Also explained why his views on Social Security are so negative is due to his step-father having issues collecting, which to her seems counter-intuitive. Can't say that I disagree.There are plenty of low information voters out there that will vote against there best interests in this election, just like in years past. There are plenty of racists who will vote McCain/Palin for obvious reasons. What the Chicken Little's in this thread aren't accounting for is that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In years past that might not have mattered so much because of the right's GOTV efforts and the Dems antipathy. This year you have the exact opposite: Democratic enthusiasm is through the roof, while the Republicans are split over their ticket. And McCain, though he has many of the same strategists, has nowhere near the ground game of Bush/Cheney/Rove in '04, and that was nowhere near what Obama has today.

The only way the Republicans win this is if they can suppress enough votes, or have enough go to provisional ballots that they can invalidate through legal maneuvers after the fact, to steal this thing.

In which states? No one's worried about New York and California. Serious question, is this the case in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia? Are you comfortable with predicitng how the unprecedented race factor factors in, even given the new registrations? It still seems to me like there's valid reason for concern, to call it a Chicken Little syndrome at this point seems a little cocky which also makes me nervous.

I'm not a nervous person by nature. I'm likely a little parasympathetic dominant, so I apologize if I come off as cocky. I have a firm belief that this campaign is organized as well as any we have seen.To answer your question, I am comfortable in all the states you mention as to the Bradley Effect, if that is what you are referring to. There is evidence that a reverse effect may have actually taken place in the primaries. Of course, that is amongst Dems and not Republicans. But look at the breakdowns in the internals, look at the independents moving to Obama. I think they are less concerned about the color of his skin right now than their bank accounts. Green is the color that seems to matter at the moment.

Could this change? Sure, anything is possible. But what has McCain offered so far to make this happen? What trends are you seeing that make you think he is gaining momentum?

 

[Clayton Gray]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

 

[Gr00vus]

the point is that most people that don't have land lines are college aged kids, and these have been polling stronger Obama than any other age group.

The college kids who traditionally don't come out and vote? This is exactly the kind of nebulous "hoping" I'm talking about. Every election the college kids, minorities, and low income people who never vote are going to come out in big numbers this time - and every election it doesn't happen. And such is the case here. And now it's a double dip minor illusion - the unaccounted for cell phone people are also the historically non-voting college kids. I'll believe it when I see it. Until then, it's like I said, things pretty much are as the appear.I made phone calls to Nevada last weekend, I worked at the DNC last Tuesday, and I've been doing these things consistently over the last month or so. I have some first hand experiences with how the campaign is going. It is a much, much better campaign than the Dems have run in quite a while. Will it be enough? The polls on a national and state level have been tightening up over the last week - that trend is not positive for Obama.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Whenever I get a little discouraged, stuff like THIS makes me feel hopeful again.

Seriously amazing.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Joe's aunt, a trucker, was on the Ed Schultz show yesterday. She called in on her own and gave a little background on her nephew. She basically painted him as a very unaware, low information voter that votes Republican because of his step-father. Also explained why his views on Social Security are so negative is due to his step-father having issues collecting, which to her seems counter-intuitive. Can't say that I disagree.There are plenty of low information voters out there that will vote against there best interests in this election, just like in years past. There are plenty of racists who will vote McCain/Palin for obvious reasons. What the Chicken Little's in this thread aren't accounting for is that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In years past that might not have mattered so much because of the right's GOTV efforts and the Dems antipathy. This year you have the exact opposite: Democratic enthusiasm is through the roof, while the Republicans are split over their ticket. And McCain, though he has many of the same strategists, has nowhere near the ground game of Bush/Cheney/Rove in '04, and that was nowhere near what Obama has today.

The only way the Republicans win this is if they can suppress enough votes, or have enough go to provisional ballots that they can invalidate through legal maneuvers after the fact, to steal this thing.

In which states? No one's worried about New York and California. Serious question, is this the case in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia? Are you comfortable with predicitng how the unprecedented race factor factors in, even given the new registrations? It still seems to me like there's valid reason for concern, to call it a Chicken Little syndrome at this point seems a little cocky which also makes me nervous.

Article

The campaign cited figures from secretaries of state showing that Democrats have increased their advantages more than tenfold in North Carolina, from 18,274 to 198,557; among registered Florida voters from 368,757 in 2004 to 618,244; and by nearly triple in Pennsylvania, from 191,269 to 556,109.

In Iowa, Democrats reversed a Republican lead of 7,658 in registered voters in 2004 to take a 103,756-voter advantage heading into this year's election.

Democrats gained a 93,727-voter advantage in Nevada, overcoming a 4,431 deficit in 2004.

In Colorado, a state that Republican presidential candidates usually win, there are 49,280 more registered Democrats than there were in 2004 and nearly 80,000 fewer Republican registrants, the campaign said.

In West Virginia, Democratic registration fell by 11,390 from 2004, while Republican registration rose by 224, but the Obama campaign said that Democratic registration in 2008 has outpaced the GOP's by 14,845.

In Maine, which allows citizens to register on the same day that they vote, the number of registered voters in both parties fell, with Republicans losing 32,888 and Democrats 18,340, yielding a 46,294-voter advantage for Democrats, compared with 31,746 in 2004.

In New Hampshire, Democrats nearly caught Republican registration, narrowing a gap of 38,746 voters to 5,932.

In New Mexico, Democrats increased their advantage from 190,956 to 212,324.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

It would have been better for McCain if the guy had kept his mouth shut... kind of like his VP pick.

 

[Gr00vus]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

It would have been better for McCain if the guy had kept his mouth shut... kind of like his VP pick.

McCain and Palin are now using the plumber's comments to say/show that Obama is socialist.

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

It would have been better for McCain if the guy had kept his mouth shut... kind of like his VP pick.

McCain and Palin are now using the plumber's comments to say/show that Obama is socialist.

You know what they say about desperate times...

 

[Clayton Gray]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

It would have been better for McCain if the guy had kept his mouth shut... kind of like his VP pick.

McCain and Palin are now using the plumber's comments to say/show that Obama is socialist.

They are also #####ing about the media probing into the plumber's life. Good job John McCain.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

Article

The campaign cited figures from secretaries of state showing that Democrats have increased their advantages more than tenfold in North Carolina, from 18,274 to 198,557; among registered Florida voters from 368,757 in 2004 to 618,244; and by nearly triple in Pennsylvania, from 191,269 to 556,109.

In Iowa, Democrats reversed a Republican lead of 7,658 in registered voters in 2004 to take a 103,756-voter advantage heading into this year's election.

Democrats gained a 93,727-voter advantage in Nevada, overcoming a 4,431 deficit in 2004.

In Colorado, a state that Republican presidential candidates usually win, there are 49,280 more registered Democrats than there were in 2004 and nearly 80,000 fewer Republican registrants, the campaign said.

In West Virginia, Democratic registration fell by 11,390 from 2004, while Republican registration rose by 224, but the Obama campaign said that Democratic registration in 2008 has outpaced the GOP's by 14,845.

In Maine, which allows citizens to register on the same day that they vote, the number of registered voters in both parties fell, with Republicans losing 32,888 and Democrats 18,340, yielding a 46,294-voter advantage for Democrats, compared with 31,746 in 2004.

In New Hampshire, Democrats nearly caught Republican registration, narrowing a gap of 38,746 voters to 5,932.

In New Mexico, Democrats increased their advantage from 190,956 to 212,324.

Thanks for the article and link.

 

[Jeremy]

I have to laugh at the way these Republicans are playing the game. Appealing to the small minded. Painting Obama as a Terrorist, Muslim, Socialist, Arab, Devil etc.. Throwing anything they can against the wall to see what will stick. All the while not having any original ideas to fix our nations problems. If any of this stuff is making you vote for McCain then you are a sad sad person. If McCain wins then I have COMPLETELY lost faith in these United States. During the last debate when McCain feigned shock at the fact that he was being compared to George Wallace. That was a classic closet racist maneuver. Yeah, me getting automated phone calls that say Obama pals around with terrorists, is a muslim and wants to destroy the U.S. Nothing George Wallacey there.

I'm feeling pretty much the same way. Can the Karl Rove type tactics work AGAIN? Actually they're taking it to a whole new level. Eventually you have to think people are going to be once bitten, twice shy. I'm still somewhat optomistic that people are going to see through this crap. Certainly they can't keep falling for the same tricks and stunts over and over and over again. Right?

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Perhaps. I've seen the interviews with Joe as well, but I don't know well enough to accept that statement as fact. My point is he's an example of someone that would actually benefit from an Obama presidency, yet still will not support him. IMO there's a segment of voters that won't be able to see past the surface and it's the size of that segment that makes me nervous right now.

Joe the Plumber said in one of his press conferences that he's against Social Security. If that doesn't tell you that he'll never vote for a Democrat, then I don't know what will.

I'm against Social Security but am voting for Obama.

 

[Statorama]

Article

The campaign cited figures from secretaries of state showing that Democrats have increased their advantages more than tenfold in North Carolina, from 18,274 to 198,557; among registered Florida voters from 368,757 in 2004 to 618,244; and by nearly triple in Pennsylvania, from 191,269 to 556,109.

In Iowa, Democrats reversed a Republican lead of 7,658 in registered voters in 2004 to take a 103,756-voter advantage heading into this year's election.

Democrats gained a 93,727-voter advantage in Nevada, overcoming a 4,431 deficit in 2004.

In Colorado, a state that Republican presidential candidates usually win, there are 49,280 more registered Democrats than there were in 2004 and nearly 80,000 fewer Republican registrants, the campaign said.

In West Virginia, Democratic registration fell by 11,390 from 2004, while Republican registration rose by 224, but the Obama campaign said that Democratic registration in 2008 has outpaced the GOP's by 14,845.

In Maine, which allows citizens to register on the same day that they vote, the number of registered voters in both parties fell, with Republicans losing 32,888 and Democrats 18,340, yielding a 46,294-voter advantage for Democrats, compared with 31,746 in 2004.

In New Hampshire, Democrats nearly caught Republican registration, narrowing a gap of 38,746 voters to 5,932.

In New Mexico, Democrats increased their advantage from 190,956 to 212,324.

The vote fraud is even worse than I thought.

 

[Statorama]

Whenever I get a little discouraged, stuff like THIS makes me feel hopeful again.

Seriously amazing.

You guys finally found your own version of George W. Bush. Congratulations

 

[Clayton Gray]

Article

The campaign cited figures from secretaries of state showing that Democrats have increased their advantages more than tenfold in North Carolina, from 18,274 to 198,557; among registered Florida voters from 368,757 in 2004 to 618,244; and by nearly triple in Pennsylvania, from 191,269 to 556,109.

In Iowa, Democrats reversed a Republican lead of 7,658 in registered voters in 2004 to take a 103,756-voter advantage heading into this year's election.

Democrats gained a 93,727-voter advantage in Nevada, overcoming a 4,431 deficit in 2004.

In Colorado, a state that Republican presidential candidates usually win, there are 49,280 more registered Democrats than there were in 2004 and nearly 80,000 fewer Republican registrants, the campaign said.

In West Virginia, Democratic registration fell by 11,390 from 2004, while Republican registration rose by 224, but the Obama campaign said that Democratic registration in 2008 has outpaced the GOP's by 14,845.

In Maine, which allows citizens to register on the same day that they vote, the number of registered voters in both parties fell, with Republicans losing 32,888 and Democrats 18,340, yielding a 46,294-voter advantage for Democrats, compared with 31,746 in 2004.

In New Hampshire, Democrats nearly caught Republican registration, narrowing a gap of 38,746 voters to 5,932.

In New Mexico, Democrats increased their advantage from 190,956 to 212,324.

The vote fraud is even worse than I thought.

ITYM registration fraud.

 

[tommyGunZ]

from freakonomics:

October 17, 2008, 1:41 pmAn Example of Economics at WorkBy Daniel HamermeshI’ve stayed out of politics this fall, but a comment on Obama’s new economic proposals is a good teaching device.He has proposed an income-tax credit of $3,000 for each new job above a company’s current employment level in the next two years.We did something very similar in 1977, the New Jobs Tax Credit (N.J.T.C.), and it illustrates economics at work.Unlike inefficient subsidies that provide funds for an activity that would have been undertaken anyway, this kind of marginal tax credit only subsidizes new activity. The benefit per dollar of credit is greater with this approach; it is more target-effective.Indeed, a number of studies evaluating the old N.J.T.C. suggested it had substantial effects in stimulating employment.Moreover, the jobs created especially benefited low-wage workers: not surprisingly, since the cap on the credit per worker made it a more attractive percentage subsidy for hiring lower-skilled, lower-wage workers.Theoretical work suggests it is especially likely to be successful in an economy that is sliding further away from full employment, as we now are.

 

[Fennis]

On Sunday, I am going to a Obama event (Babes for Obama) that should fall oh about 99,900 less than the St. Louis rally. I don't think there will be any speakers worth noting, pretty sure its people just waving signs and chanting slogans. Damn living in a strong blue state. Over and under on the number of "babes" that will be there is maybe 7.

Although, Biden will be about an hour away, I thought about going, but we have plans that night and it will be cutting too close.

 

[Neofight]

the point is that most people that don't have land lines are college aged kids, and these have been polling stronger Obama than any other age group.

The college kids who traditionally don't come out and vote? This is exactly the kind of nebulous "hoping" I'm talking about. Every election the college kids, minorities, and low income people who never vote are going to come out in big numbers this time - and every election it doesn't happen. And such is the case here. And now it's a double dip minor illusion - the unaccounted for cell phone people are also the historically non-voting college kids. I'll believe it when I see it. Until then, it's like I said, things pretty much are as the appear.I made phone calls to Nevada last weekend, I worked at the DNC last Tuesday, and I've been doing these things consistently over the last month or so. I have some first hand experiences with how the campaign is going. It is a much, much better campaign than the Dems have run in quite a while. Will it be enough? The polls on a national and state level have been tightening up over the last week - that trend is not positive for Obama.

You need to connect the dots here. College kids are not only coming out for this campaign, many of them are running local field offices. You should read up on the articles Nate Silver has been posting at 538 from his visits to field offices in battle ground states, as well as the New Organizers by Exley. Perhaps everyone will forget what they've been doing these last 18 months, pack it up and go home before the election. I'm not saying your concerns aren't well founded, based on past results. I'm just saying this isn't the past.If things are as they appear, Obama has been trending better in state polls, particularly the traditional battle ground states. Aside from the national poll, where have you seen significant McCain gains recently? Because I haven't seen them. From 538 today...

McCain's other problem is that the polls in battleground states have not really tightened at all. Obama gets good numbers today, for instance, in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Florida. Obama presently has something like a 3:1 advantage in advertising, and most of that advertising is concentrated in battleground states. As such, this may serve as a hedge against any improvements that McCain is able to make elsewhere in the country.

Color me an optimist, but the numbers that matter haven't been moving to McCain. At least not yet.

 

[Neofight]

Article

The campaign cited figures from secretaries of state showing that Democrats have increased their advantages more than tenfold in North Carolina, from 18,274 to 198,557; among registered Florida voters from 368,757 in 2004 to 618,244; and by nearly triple in Pennsylvania, from 191,269 to 556,109.

In Iowa, Democrats reversed a Republican lead of 7,658 in registered voters in 2004 to take a 103,756-voter advantage heading into this year's election.

Democrats gained a 93,727-voter advantage in Nevada, overcoming a 4,431 deficit in 2004.

In Colorado, a state that Republican presidential candidates usually win, there are 49,280 more registered Democrats than there were in 2004 and nearly 80,000 fewer Republican registrants, the campaign said.

In West Virginia, Democratic registration fell by 11,390 from 2004, while Republican registration rose by 224, but the Obama campaign said that Democratic registration in 2008 has outpaced the GOP's by 14,845.

In Maine, which allows citizens to register on the same day that they vote, the number of registered voters in both parties fell, with Republicans losing 32,888 and Democrats 18,340, yielding a 46,294-voter advantage for Democrats, compared with 31,746 in 2004.

In New Hampshire, Democrats nearly caught Republican registration, narrowing a gap of 38,746 voters to 5,932.

In New Mexico, Democrats increased their advantage from 190,956 to 212,324.

The vote fraud is even worse than I thought.

It is amazing when there is vote fraud before the vote. Or do you have a crystal ball to go with that set of brass ones?

 

[BuddyKnuckles]

Presidential elections tighten the last 2 weeks of October...its just what happens.

As for the McCain/Palin negative (we're not negative) campaign, it all seems so familiar. its almost as if the same thing happened in the primaries.

Hillary: Uh oh, i cant win...ATTAAAACK!

McCain: see above

 

[TPW]

We did something very similar in 1977, the New Jobs Tax Credit

Were you alive in 1977? Do you remember how the country was doing economically then? Have you ever even heard of the Misery Index? Read the following article and then do a little bit of research into the Carter administration's policies and how the United States faired as a result. Obama's proposals are very similar. History is about to repeat itself and some of you are about to revisit some of the major mistakes that were made then simply in the name of "change."http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=...mp;pageId=77876

 

[fluorescent walkway]

Even with the endorsements, this race is about to change momentum to McCain. The polls are starting to trend that way. Obama's not changing enough minds, Joe the Plumber is a perfect example. Joe would actually benefit from a tax code perspective with an Obama presidency. Still, Joe's holding out hope for when he's becomes part of the McCain circle that he won't have to pay more taxes once that happens (yeah, good luck with that Joe).

The code words are still out there. I keep hearing "There's just something about Obama I don't trust" and "I just don't know enough about him". I'm very nervous, this is all reminiscint of '00 and '04. Throw in Obama's ethnicity and this campaign is in trouble.

Joe the Plumber is not a perfect example. He's a hardcore right-winger...the guy wouldn't vote for a Dem if his life depended on it.

Joe's aunt, a trucker, was on the Ed Schultz show yesterday. She called in on her own and gave a little background on her nephew. She basically painted him as a very unaware, low information voter that votes Republican because of his step-father. Also explained why his views on Social Security are so negative is due to his step-father having issues collecting, which to her seems counter-intuitive. Can't say that I disagree.There are plenty of low information voters out there that will vote against there best interests in this election, just like in years past. There are plenty of racists who will vote McCain/Palin for obvious reasons. What the Chicken Little's in this thread aren't accounting for is that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In years past that might not have mattered so much because of the right's GOTV efforts and the Dems antipathy. This year you have the exact opposite: Democratic enthusiasm is through the roof, while the Republicans are split over their ticket. And McCain, though he has many of the same strategists, has nowhere near the ground game of Bush/Cheney/Rove in '04, and that was nowhere near what Obama has today.

The only way the Republicans win this is if they can suppress enough votes, or have enough go to provisional ballots that they can invalidate through legal maneuvers after the fact, to steal this thing.

I think you're right about Dem apathy, which is why a tightening of the poll numbers will probably end up being a big net positive for Obama. It will be a kick in the pants he needs to enhance his get-out-the-vote efforts.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

We did something very similar in 1977, the New Jobs Tax Credit

Were you alive in 1977? Do you remember how the country was doing economically then? Have you ever even heard of the Misery Index? Read the following article and then do a little bit of research into the Carter administration's policies and how the United States faired as a result. Obama's proposals are very similar. History is about to repeat itself and some of you are about to revisit some of the major mistakes that were made then simply in the name of "change."http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=...mp;pageId=77876

Yes I was alive in '77. The misery index was something that Carter used against Ford in the '76 election. And yes it went way up at the end of Carter's administration and it cost him any real hope he had of reelection. But that 21% rate at the end of his term came from the monetary policy implemented by Paul Volker that finally turned 13% inflation into 3%. Carter has always been coy about whether he approved of Volker's policies, but there is no way he did not know what was going to happen to the economy when he appointed Volker about 14 months before the election. So are you saying that just like Carter the GOP has left Obama an unimaginably weakened nation?

 

[fluorescent walkway]

What does ITYM stand for?

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

We did something very similar in 1977, the New Jobs Tax Credit

Were you alive in 1977? Do you remember how the country was doing economically then? Have you ever even heard of the Misery Index? Read the following article and then do a little bit of research into the Carter administration's policies and how the United States faired as a result. Obama's proposals are very similar. History is about to repeat itself and some of you are about to revisit some of the major mistakes that were made then simply in the name of "change."http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=...mp;pageId=77876

Thanks for posting the link... I was in the mood for a good chuckle.

 

[Gopher State]

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Washington Times

Complaint hits Rezko land deal

Jerry Seper (Contact)

EXCLUSIVE:

A former Illinois bank official, now claiming whistleblower status, says bank officials replaced a loan reappraisal that he prepared for a Chicago property that was purchased by the wife of now-convicted felon Tony Rezko, part of which was later sold to next-door neighbor Barack Obama.

In a complaint filed Thursday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Kenneth J. Connor said that his reappraisal of Rita Rezko's property was replaced with a higher one and that he was fired when he questioned the document.

Mr. Connor, a real estate and commercial credit analyst at the Mutual Bank Corp. in Chicago, also noted in the complaint that the bank received a grand jury subpoena in October 2006 requiring it to produce information concerning Mrs. Rezko's purchase, including the bank's files on the property.

The complaint also said that the grand jury wanted information on Mrs. Rezko's checking account and loan file and that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) had audited the Rezko file - although Mr. Connor's lower reappraisal had been replaced with a higher amount.

"Connor's internal whistle-blowing activity at Mutual Bank implicates Mutual Bank and the potentially guilty officers thereof to prosecution under federal and Illinois statutes," said the complaint, filed by attorney Glenn R. Gaffney.

The complaint said Mutual Bank officials could be guilty of making false statements, willfully overvaluing property, bank fraud, witness retaliation, willful violation of a lawful subpoena, FDIC violations, and state banking regulations.

Mr. Gaffney, contacted at his office, declined to elaborate but confirmed that the complaint had been filed.

"It says what it says," said Mr. Gaffney of Glendale Heights, Ill.

According to the complaint, Mr. Connor reviewed the appraisal of the Rezko property by another firm, Adams Appraisal, which had set the value at $625,000. Mr. Connor's complaint said that he told his bosses in a report that the property had been overvalued by at least $125,000 and that a "reasonable and fair evaluation" should have been no greater than $500,000.

Later, the complaint states, Mr. Connor observed that his lower appraisal was not in the Rezko file and that he notified his supervisors that it had been replaced. He said, according to the complaint, the new file had been reviewed by the FBI and "if the FBI were to ask me about such matters, I would tell them the truth. I never rescinded my original findings."

Critics of Mr. Obama's dealings with Rezko charge that the senator may have gotten a deal on his property purchase, noting that Mrs. Rezko paid the full asking price for her property on an adjacent lot. Both of which were sold by a single seller. Mr. Obama bought his house for $1.65 million - $300,000 below the asking price.

When the property was sold, Mr. Obama knew Rezko was under investigation on fraud charges.

The complaint said the Rezko loan was approved by Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and others so that Mrs. Rezko could buy a 9,090-square-foot vacant parcel of real estate. It said that in January 2006, Mrs. Rezko and Mr. Obama, along with his wife Michelle, signed an agreement to sell a 10-foot strip of the property to the Obamas. At that point, according to the complaint, Mr. Connor's firm asked him to conduct the reappraisal.

The complaint said Mr. Connor is seeking $4.2 million for compensatory damages, plus unspecified punitive damages.

Rezko was a key supporter and donor throughout Mr. Obama's political career, with the Illinois Democrat estimating that Rezko raised $250,000 for his various political campaigns, though not for his presidential bid. The two were friends who talked frequently about politics and occasionally dined out together with their wives.

Rezko was convicted this summer on federal charges of using his clout with state government to squeeze kickbacks out of firms wanting to do business with the state. The charges did not involve Mr. Obama. Rezko is now cooperating with federal prosecutors in a continuing probe of corruption in Illinois government.

Mr. Obama consulted Rezko, a real estate developer, before buying his home in 2005.

As a state senator, Mr. Obama wrote letters endorsing government support of a Rezko housing project for senior citizens. Obama aides say he was simply supporting a project that would help residents of his district, not doing a favor for a friend.

Nice to have friends when your doing real estate deals

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Saturday, October 18, 2008Washington Times Complaint hits Rezko land dealJerry Seper (Contact)EXCLUSIVE: A former Illinois bank official, now claiming whistleblower status, says bank officials replaced a loan reappraisal that he prepared for a Chicago property that was purchased by the wife of now-convicted felon Tony Rezko, part of which was later sold to next-door neighbor Barack Obama. In a complaint filed Thursday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Kenneth J. Connor said that his reappraisal of Rita Rezko's property was replaced with a higher one and that he was fired when he questioned the document. Mr. Connor, a real estate and commercial credit analyst at the Mutual Bank Corp. in Chicago, also noted in the complaint that the bank received a grand jury subpoena in October 2006 requiring it to produce information concerning Mrs. Rezko's purchase, including the bank's files on the property. The complaint also said that the grand jury wanted information on Mrs. Rezko's checking account and loan file and that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) had audited the Rezko file - although Mr. Connor's lower reappraisal had been replaced with a higher amount. "Connor's internal whistle-blowing activity at Mutual Bank implicates Mutual Bank and the potentially guilty officers thereof to prosecution under federal and Illinois statutes," said the complaint, filed by attorney Glenn R. Gaffney. The complaint said Mutual Bank officials could be guilty of making false statements, willfully overvaluing property, bank fraud, witness retaliation, willful violation of a lawful subpoena, FDIC violations, and state banking regulations. Mr. Gaffney, contacted at his office, declined to elaborate but confirmed that the complaint had been filed. "It says what it says," said Mr. Gaffney of Glendale Heights, Ill. According to the complaint, Mr. Connor reviewed the appraisal of the Rezko property by another firm, Adams Appraisal, which had set the value at $625,000. Mr. Connor's complaint said that he told his bosses in a report that the property had been overvalued by at least $125,000 and that a "reasonable and fair evaluation" should have been no greater than $500,000. Later, the complaint states, Mr. Connor observed that his lower appraisal was not in the Rezko file and that he notified his supervisors that it had been replaced. He said, according to the complaint, the new file had been reviewed by the FBI and "if the FBI were to ask me about such matters, I would tell them the truth. I never rescinded my original findings." Critics of Mr. Obama's dealings with Rezko charge that the senator may have gotten a deal on his property purchase, noting that Mrs. Rezko paid the full asking price for her property on an adjacent lot. Both of which were sold by a single seller. Mr. Obama bought his house for $1.65 million - $300,000 below the asking price. When the property was sold, Mr. Obama knew Rezko was under investigation on fraud charges. The complaint said the Rezko loan was approved by Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and others so that Mrs. Rezko could buy a 9,090-square-foot vacant parcel of real estate. It said that in January 2006, Mrs. Rezko and Mr. Obama, along with his wife Michelle, signed an agreement to sell a 10-foot strip of the property to the Obamas. At that point, according to the complaint, Mr. Connor's firm asked him to conduct the reappraisal. The complaint said Mr. Connor is seeking $4.2 million for compensatory damages, plus unspecified punitive damages. Rezko was a key supporter and donor throughout Mr. Obama's political career, with the Illinois Democrat estimating that Rezko raised $250,000 for his various political campaigns, though not for his presidential bid. The two were friends who talked frequently about politics and occasionally dined out together with their wives. Rezko was convicted this summer on federal charges of using his clout with state government to squeeze kickbacks out of firms wanting to do business with the state. The charges did not involve Mr. Obama. Rezko is now cooperating with federal prosecutors in a continuing probe of corruption in Illinois government. Mr. Obama consulted Rezko, a real estate developer, before buying his home in 2005. As a state senator, Mr. Obama wrote letters endorsing government support of a Rezko housing project for senior citizens. Obama aides say he was simply supporting a project that would help residents of his district, not doing a favor for a friend. Nice to have friends when your doing real estate deals

So the conclusion here is...what?

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

Saturday, October 18, 2008Washington Times Complaint hits Rezko land dealJerry Seper (Contact)EXCLUSIVE: A former Illinois bank official, now claiming whistleblower status, says bank officials replaced a loan reappraisal that he prepared for a Chicago property that was purchased by the wife of now-convicted felon Tony Rezko, part of which was later sold to next-door neighbor Barack Obama. In a complaint filed Thursday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Kenneth J. Connor said that his reappraisal of Rita Rezko's property was replaced with a higher one and that he was fired when he questioned the document. Mr. Connor, a real estate and commercial credit analyst at the Mutual Bank Corp. in Chicago, also noted in the complaint that the bank received a grand jury subpoena in October 2006 requiring it to produce information concerning Mrs. Rezko's purchase, including the bank's files on the property. The complaint also said that the grand jury wanted information on Mrs. Rezko's checking account and loan file and that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) had audited the Rezko file - although Mr. Connor's lower reappraisal had been replaced with a higher amount. "Connor's internal whistle-blowing activity at Mutual Bank implicates Mutual Bank and the potentially guilty officers thereof to prosecution under federal and Illinois statutes," said the complaint, filed by attorney Glenn R. Gaffney. The complaint said Mutual Bank officials could be guilty of making false statements, willfully overvaluing property, bank fraud, witness retaliation, willful violation of a lawful subpoena, FDIC violations, and state banking regulations. Mr. Gaffney, contacted at his office, declined to elaborate but confirmed that the complaint had been filed. "It says what it says," said Mr. Gaffney of Glendale Heights, Ill. According to the complaint, Mr. Connor reviewed the appraisal of the Rezko property by another firm, Adams Appraisal, which had set the value at $625,000. Mr. Connor's complaint said that he told his bosses in a report that the property had been overvalued by at least $125,000 and that a "reasonable and fair evaluation" should have been no greater than $500,000. Later, the complaint states, Mr. Connor observed that his lower appraisal was not in the Rezko file and that he notified his supervisors that it had been replaced. He said, according to the complaint, the new file had been reviewed by the FBI and "if the FBI were to ask me about such matters, I would tell them the truth. I never rescinded my original findings." Critics of Mr. Obama's dealings with Rezko charge that the senator may have gotten a deal on his property purchase, noting that Mrs. Rezko paid the full asking price for her property on an adjacent lot. Both of which were sold by a single seller. Mr. Obama bought his house for $1.65 million - $300,000 below the asking price. When the property was sold, Mr. Obama knew Rezko was under investigation on fraud charges. The complaint said the Rezko loan was approved by Mutual Bank President and CEO Amrish Mahajan and others so that Mrs. Rezko could buy a 9,090-square-foot vacant parcel of real estate. It said that in January 2006, Mrs. Rezko and Mr. Obama, along with his wife Michelle, signed an agreement to sell a 10-foot strip of the property to the Obamas. At that point, according to the complaint, Mr. Connor's firm asked him to conduct the reappraisal. The complaint said Mr. Connor is seeking $4.2 million for compensatory damages, plus unspecified punitive damages. Rezko was a key supporter and donor throughout Mr. Obama's political career, with the Illinois Democrat estimating that Rezko raised $250,000 for his various political campaigns, though not for his presidential bid. The two were friends who talked frequently about politics and occasionally dined out together with their wives. Rezko was convicted this summer on federal charges of using his clout with state government to squeeze kickbacks out of firms wanting to do business with the state. The charges did not involve Mr. Obama. Rezko is now cooperating with federal prosecutors in a continuing probe of corruption in Illinois government. Mr. Obama consulted Rezko, a real estate developer, before buying his home in 2005. As a state senator, Mr. Obama wrote letters endorsing government support of a Rezko housing project for senior citizens. Obama aides say he was simply supporting a project that would help residents of his district, not doing a favor for a friend. Nice to have friends when your doing real estate deals

So the conclusion here is...what?

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

 

[BuddyKnuckles]

Great article HERE on Democratic Presidents and some historical perspective

 

[TPW]

So are you saying that just like Carter the GOP has left Obama an unimaginably weakened nation?

What I'm saying is that things could be A LOT worse. There is no question the Bush administration is resposible for a great many travails we are experiencing. But we are about to put into the highest office in the land an untested individual who wants to institute wealth redistribution policies which have been shown to be ineffective at best and outright harmful at worse. All this during a recession, no less.America has the great misfortune to have encountered Barack Obama at the peak of his oratory powers and at its worst moment of vulnerability in a generation. He has sought out our sore points and played them against us masterfully. If he is elected and we experience another term similar to the Carter years, just remember that some of us warned those of you who voted for him ahead of time. "Hope" is great, but it is no substitute for cogent plans.Be careful for what you wish. You just might get a great deal of that amorphous "Change" you so yearn for, and not for the better.

 

[Neofight]

So are you saying that just like Carter the GOP has left Obama an unimaginably weakened nation?

What I'm saying is that things could be A LOT worse. There is no question the Bush administration is resposible for a great many travails we are experiencing. But we are about to put into the highest office in the land an untested individual who wants to institute wealth redistribution policies which have been shown to be ineffective at best and outright harmful at worse. All this during a recession, no less.America has the great misfortune to have encountered Barack Obama at the peak of his oratory powers and at its worst moment of vulnerability in a generation. He has sought out our sore points and played them against us masterfully. If he is elected and we experience another term similar to the Carter years, just remember that some of us warned those of you who voted for him ahead of time. "Hope" is great, but it is no substitute for cogent plans.Be careful for what you wish. You just might get a great deal of that amorphous "Change" you so yearn for, and not for the better.

One question: How was McCain tested?

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

So are you saying that just like Carter the GOP has left Obama an unimaginably weakened nation?

What I'm saying is that things could be A LOT worse. There is no question the Bush administration is resposible for a great many travails we are experiencing. But we are about to put into the highest office in the land an untested individual who wants to institute wealth redistribution policies which have been shown to be ineffective at best and outright harmful at worse. All this during a recession, no less.America has the great misfortune to have encountered Barack Obama at the peak of his oratory powers and at its worst moment of vulnerability in a generation. He has sought out our sore points and played them against us masterfully. If he is elected and we experience another term similar to the Carter years, just remember that some of us warned those of you who voted for him ahead of time. "Hope" is great, but it is no substitute for cogent plans.

Be careful for what you wish. You just might get a great deal of that amorphous "Change" you so yearn for, and not for the better.

OK, so you are unable or unwilling to demonstrate that you have any knowledge of what happened in DC during the Carter administration. That's OK as this is pretty much the norm. That is how an article that confuses Medicare and Medicaid. Let's correct some nonesense. Oh, and this is not a defense of Carter as much as it is an attack on absurdity-

The last time America bought into a campaign pitch for "change," candidate Jimmy Carte claimed to be "[the] leader, for a change."

The last time America bought into a campaign pitch for "change" was George W Bush. That doesn't help Obama's causes much, so how about the time America bought into a campaign pitch for "change" from Ronald Reagan? Note to Mr Massie, Reagan, Clinton, and W were all elected post Carter Administrations on platforms of "Change".it was a change to double-digit inflation

Inflation of the '70's was high. Carter took over with inflation around 6½ and it rose to around 13½ when he left. It however was also in double digits during the Ford years. However, as I pointed out in my first reply it was Carter's appointment of Paul Volker that finally took care of '70's era inflation So the Carter administration's "change" to deal with inflation came "too little, too late" to help with reelection, but was the needed change that had lead to a record period of prosperity.

near double-digit unemployment

Unemployment under Carter I guess you prefer Reagan's first three and a half years, or Fords.

20-plus percent interest rates

The American Conservative:

In 1980, Fed Chairman Paul Volker broke the back of ’70s stagflation by raising interest rates to 18 percent. This restored credibility to the dollar, choked off inflation, and threw the country into a vicious recession. But it also allowed the economy to purge large, stultifying amounts of debt and malinvestment, and the U.S. eventually returned to health and real growth. Recession provided a beneficial housecleaning.

oil crises (two of them to be exact)The 1979 Oil Crisis was largely because Jimmy Carter could not "Change" quick enough. The Nixon era price controls on oil were the root cause of the 1979 shortages. Carter tried to phase them out, Reagan slashed them finally in '81. Carter in this instance was "more of the same"

Dear Mychal Massie, Jimmie Carter was not president during the 1973 Oil Crisis. Idiot!

directives to turn down our thermostats

Oh the shame!

a 70 percent personal income tax rate,

Not a change, just more of the same.

a scalded-dog retreat from nuclear energy,

Cato

But nuclear power was ultimately rejected by investors because it simply does not make economic sense. In truth, nuclear power has never made economic sense and exists purely as a creature of government.

hostages he was unable to free (even though he talked tough)True. I guess you prefer the Reagan approach?

long lines at the gas pump

Redundant!

a double-digit daily "misery-index" (an index never measured before his administration and not again since his administration ended)

Was a bad political mistake by Carter

meaningless Middle East "accords" from Camp David

This is too idiotic for a response, but here's one anyway.

and the ushering in of the current age of terror, thanks to his betrayal of Shah Pahlavi of Iran

The rise of radical Islam happened when we put the Shah in place a quarter century earlier, sorry

But with that said, many will forever remember evening news shots of Carter – his sweater on, thermostat turned down

Oh the shame! I'd be a shame if I got hung up on style over substance also.

Carter was in no means a great or even successful President. But, to claim his great failure was to usher in this great era of disastrous change or shift in policies is simply ignorant at best. Carter was a failure because he couldn't accomplish "Change", or his change came too late.

 

[TPW]

Carter was a failure because he was a vacillating and utterly ineffective leader who questioned America's role as a global superpower. He also held a simplistic, "fixed pie" view of economics and doubted the concepts of wealth creation and upward mobility, not unlike Senator Obama.

But hey, by all means, "spread the wealth around." We'll see whose version of the late 1970's comes closer to reality if and when Obama gets his chance.

PS- One word answer to how John McCain has been tested: HANOI

(Lifetime academic Barack Hussein Obama's biggest test has been hiding the details of his past from the the American public. To his credit, he has demostrated a great talent for obfuscation.)

 

[Neofight]

Carter was a failure because he was a vacillating and utterly ineffective leader who questioned America's role as a global superpower. He also held a simplistic, "fixed pie" view of economics and doubted the concepts of wealth creation and upward mobility, not unlike Senator Obama.

But hey, by all means, "spread the wealth around." We'll see whose version of the late 1970's comes closer to reality if and when Obama gets his chance.

PS- One word answer to how John McCain has been tested: HANOI

(Lifetime academic Barack Hussein Obama's biggest test has been hiding the details of his past from the the American public. To his credit, he has demostrated a great talent for obfuscation.)

He failed that test, by his own admission. Do you have another example?

 

[Capn Crunch]

PS- One word answer to how John McCain has been tested: HANOI

OK, so if someone puts the president into a POW camp we'll be fine with McCain. Riiiiight.

(Lifetime academic Barack Hussein Obama's biggest test has been hiding the details of his past from the the American public. To his credit, he has demostrated a great talent for obfuscation.)

Like his two books, in part autobiographical. Have you read either of them? Or did you read McCain's book where he details how he honorably divorced his injured wife to pair up with his current wife? Oh, wait, he didn't write a book about that.

 

[TPW]

Tell you what, the next time the great community organizer messiah gets held in prison for five years and subjected to malnutrition and torture, I'll be sure to give you a full comparison between the two.

 

[Neofight]

Tell you what, the next time the great community organizer messiah gets held in prison for five years and subjected to malnutrition and torture, I'll be sure to give you a full comparison between the two.

The messiah was crucified, my friend. He had it a little worse off than McCain. While no one is saying that McCain didn't suffer in captivity, neither is it a qualification for the POTUS.

 

[TPW]

neither is it a qualification for the POTUS.

Neither is serving on the Harvard Law Review, never trying a case while working as an attorney, or serving as an agitprop for various leftist political interests in Chicago. Nuff said.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

Carter was a failure because he was ...utterly ineffective leader ...

Exactly! Carter wasn't able to Change anything. That is why your WorldNet nonsense about Carter's disastrous changes was and totally irrelevant to Obama.

 

[Capn Crunch]

neither is it a qualification for the POTUS.

Neither is serving on the Harvard Law Review, never trying a case while working as an attorney, or serving as an agitprop for various leftist political interests in Chicago. Nuff said.

Politics aside - that's a great freaking word.