This is smart in two ways. First, it combats McCain. Second, now that we've written a big check to Wall St., if there's any chance to see progress on health care, Obama needs to take office with a "mandate" to deal with it, so he can drive it through Congress despite the budget.

Well,the key is if the media-types will play along with Maverick or the new kid.

I'm sorry, but as Sarah Palin already explained to us, the ultimate goal of the bailout was to help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up the economy. So now that we've got the bailout, the healthcare reformists have been helped and now it's time to move on to job creation, and reducing taxes to accompany tax reductions. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. The bailout was part of that.

Dr. Biobrain

Good One! LOL

Now look, if we do away with capital gains taxes, cut the income tax on incomes over one million dollars to zero and do away with the inheritance tax then the rich will have enough money to hire the rest of us as flunkies. And we'll be healthier too because we'll be eating those wholesome scraps from their tables. Who says McCain doesn't have a plan?

The economy destroyed the domestic silliness of GHWB in '92; it'll destroy the politically-evil spawn of GWB in '08.

As for that "bailout" thing, the WH now says that none of the money will filter into the economic system for at least another 6 weeks---so look for the DOW to slip below 9K early in the week, a continued freeze on dollar-flow, and McCain's numbers to slip below 40.

While driving from St Louis to NW Arkansas yesterday on I-44, I heard the same Obama healthcare ad on at least three different radio stations including one from Branson that played traditional country music. The Obama campaign must believe that white retirees are in play in Missouri.

the key is to use these ads to keep McCain on the defensive. If McCain can gain control of the narrative Obama will have a big problem on his hands.

Wonder if McCain's mansion up for sale--that requires 100,00 grand just to get in as a bidder-- will get any more coverage this week?

What I don't understand is why the Democrats fell for Bush's bailout gambit. For years we've battled the notion that if we give the rich all our money, they'll let some of it trickle back down to us in the form of more jobs and higher wages.

The bailout fraud adds a new twist: if we give the rich all our money, they'll let some of it trickle back down to us in the form of easier credit. Nice to know we can borrow some of our own money from them.

But not until the recession passes, when it would have happened anyway.

We've been had. Again. And this time we can't prove it, as we could with the bogus claims they used to sell the war in Iraq. Even worse, Bush will probably go down in history as saving the economy from a second great depression, besides bailing out all his cronies with our dough.

It's a fantastic ad, both visuals and script.

Here is web sight that gives definitions of the derivative trading. For me it reads like there is no rules. So, here we are America giving a trillion dollars to a no rules system. Sheesh. And McCain wants to do the same with the health care industry? If you notice derivative involve energy stuff like oil and electricity etc. Not just real estate. The Republicans are the robber barons of the new millennium. After this election America it’s time to stick it the crooks.

Get those orange suits out so we can clean the garbage on the high ways. Plus I would like to see Bush and Company in Orange suites building affordable housing with free labor for the next thirty years. Come on Congress line up these investigations right after November the fourth.

http://www.strategies-tactics.com/derivatives.htm#accounting

FWIW, minor detail -- you'll note that the coin being flipped is a JFK half-dollar. I know that Obama has tried to link himself to JFK -- and there are some parallels in terms of the historic nature of their candidacies and their inspirational quality.

Personally, though I'd rather see a flip of the dime given the economic situation that we're in right now.

For all of this, we are likely to get perhaps one question at the town hall debate on healthcare. And in the interest of balance, Brokaw will likely allow two questions on Ayers.

Given the way the race is shaping up, I think we can expect to see the debates move away from the real issues.

Holy crap. The ads say Obama is going to "force" insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. Them's fighting words for the red meat wingers. Forcing private enterprise to do anything is Socialism.

Obama just called them out. Will they take the bait?

The use of the Kennedy half dollar, nice touch;>

The race will shift away from real issues if McCain and Brokaw have their way.

Tuesday night. Town hall format. If McCain wants to pursue his all attack, all negative, all the time for theis final month, he'll have to get his hands dirty at the debate. I guess we shouldn't expect any eye contact from him.

Did you watch Meet the Press, Brokaw didn't realize that Ayers had been a deal during the primaries. Asked and answer, asked and answered.

Obama is a master at holding his fire until the proper time. He has a lot of money left, and a lot of ammunition unused. I think the ad blitz in the end days of this campaign is going to be epic.

Barack's ads are getting seriously honed.

The creative community seems to be rising to the fight. The ads from two months back were nondescript stinko. The batch in the last month is moving towards A-game stuff. The ads now have a visual edge that slices and dices...

Those of us who have been donating $25-30 for months and months... are happy indeed!

Brokaw will likely allow two questions on Ayers.

Posted by: Jake at 4:41 PM

Pretty please with sugar on top. I hope he makes it three. Hell, make 'em all about Ayers. Bring. It. On.

Via DKos:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/5/102414/330/725/620664

And if Sarah Palin wants to talking about palling around with people who find America less than perfect, then it's time to talk about her association with the Alaska Independence Party (AIP), the secessionist group whose founder, Joe Vogler once said:

The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government...and I won't be buried under their damn flag...

I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions.

Palin's complete dealings with the group isn't entirely clear, and unfortunately we can't ask Mr. Vogler about it since he was murdered in a plastic explosives sale gone bad," but we do know this: Sarah Palin probably attended the AIP convention 1994, the McCain campaign admits she attended in 2000, and as governor, Palin taped a welcoming message to them in 2006, saying:

Your party plays an important role in our state's politics. I've always said that competition is so good, and that applies to political parties as well. I share your party's vision of upholding the constitution of our great state... So I say good luck on a successful and inspiring convention. Keep up the good work, and God bless you.

Add to that, Todd Palin, aka, the "First Dude," was a registered member of AIP from 1995 until 2002, coincidentally changing his party affiliation when she began her first campaign for public office.

So, we have Sarah Palin, actively involved with a secessionist group that professes its hatred for America, and whose husband was a card-carrying member of the group for seven years.

… I know that Obama has tried to link himself to JFK -- and there are some parallels in terms of the historic nature of their candidacies and their inspirational quality…Franklin at 4:38 PM

Here's Barack Obama taking a stand against government health care

Barack Obama stands against BOTH extremes in the health care debate? So apparently that puts him far to the Right of radical lefties, FDR, Truman, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, etc.

It's a damn good thing that Obama wasn't around when LBJ gave our seniors Medicare and Medicaid because he's against 'government health care.' The only bigger phonies than Barack Obama are his fanboyz.

One of the most surprising attacks against Obama by McCain is that he would put the government between you and your doctor.

What is surprising is that nearly everyone has experienced something far worse: putting an insurance employee between your and your doctor.

How many stories have we heard over the years about this insurance company problem? Yet somehow McCain gets away with a hypothetical gatekeeper as the key feature of Obama's plan.

If the sledgehammer is health care, the spike must be Social Security. Given how right-wingers keep trying to privatize the program, the pertinent question is how solvent it would be given the current financial meltdown. The ownership society meme works when people are feeling flush. It starts to come apart during hard times. Obama can absolutely dominate the last month with this issue and health care. Why did he wait so long? You save your trump cards for last.

One more time: the great irony is that McCain, with his pre-existing melanoma, wouldn't be able to get coverage at any price under his own plan.

Barack Obama and the Norwegian Suitcases

Mary lacked money to fly home to Norway – he saved her love

ÅSGÅRDSTRAND (VG): Mary was a newlywed and ready to move to Norway, but was stopped at the airport because she didn’t have enough money for the trip. Then a stranger turned up and paid for her.

Mary Menth Andersen was 31 years old at the time and had just married Norwegian Dag Andersen. She was looking forward to starting a new life in Åsgårdstrand in Vestfold with him. But first she had to get all of her belongings across to Norway. The date was November 2nd, 1988.

At the airport in Miami things were hectic as usual, with long lines at the check-in counters. When it was finally Mary’s turn and she had placed her luggage on the baggage line, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.

Mary had no money. Her new husband had traveled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.

I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.

Although she explained the situation to the man behind the counter, he showed no signs of mercy.
I started to cry, tears were pouring down my face and I had no idea what to do. Then I heard a gentle and friendly voice behind me saying, That’s OK, I’ll pay for her.

Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?

Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.

He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.

She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.

The piece of paper said ‘Barack Obama’ and his address in Kansas, which is the state where his mother comes from. Mary carried the slip of paper around in her wallet for years, before it was thrown out.

He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.

She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.

In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.

In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**:

‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’.

The parents sent the letter on to Mary.

This week VG met her and her husband in the café that she runs with her friend Lisbeth Tollefsrud in Åsgårdstrand.

It’s amazing to think that the man who helped me 20 years ago may now become the next US president, says Mary delightedly. She has already voted for Obama. She recently donated 100 dollars to his campaign.

She often tells the story from Miami airport, both when race issues are raised and when the conversation turns to the presidential elections.

I sincerely hope the Americans will see reason and understand that Obama means change, says Mary.

It'd be good to add something to the effect of"

"As we can see, this would be more of the same philosophy. Leaving something so precious as your health care in the hands of self-serving insurance companies and just hoping that they'll they do the right thing is not only naive, it's a proved prescription for disaster.

I believe the Great Albert Einstein said:
"Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results."

I think this quote should be a strong Obama/Biden campaign talking point from here on in.

Healthcare? You betcha! Hockey moms, Joe six-packs, and 'say it ain't so Joes' all want healthcare. I mean, c'mon, there you go again talk'in about healthcare. Doggoneit now, also we will reduce taxes and enhance job creation. It's all about job creation, and reducing government spending, all related to saving money and supporting the choices people have in healthcare also, so we are the consumate mavericks also. My television interviews were traps set by liberals, not unforced errors of my own makeing caused by ignorance. I'm a maverick, on the team of mavericks. Now, where is the first dud and my 5 children (I can crank them out, can't I?) (flirt, flirt, wink, wink). And where is my newborn so I can burp her in front of the camera? That mainstream media filter is really annoying, except when they always get it right, like the NY Times does. Gee wilikers, I'm not as fake as I seem, even though I use all canned cliches from the past also. And also, instead of actually answering questions, or admitting I'm clueless because the mainstream media keeps asking those loaded 'gotcha' questions that force me into that phony, cutesy, folksy, and also because the like I've been at this like 5 weeks already! Wow. And healthcare is important, boy howdy (wink, wink!) gosh darnit.

One hopes that the Obama campaign will dredge up a bit of history, all the way back to 1989, when Wet-Start Johnny made a vote he claims is one of his proudest for getting rid of "government waste".

That would be his vote to end catastrophic health insurance for people over 65 under Medicare.

I'll bet even the over-65 white supremacists up in the holler might re-think their vote when they hear that.

John McCain has said he's always been a de-regulator. Why wouldn't we think he wants to get rid of the EPA, the FDA and any other powerful agencies or departments which regulate corporations?

It's not like we need to keep rocket fuel or mercury out of our water, is it?