How long before McCain/Palin claims that Obama should repudiate the Great Schlep because elderly Jewish people have an obligation as former POWs to support McCain, cause he's a POW too?

So on top of everything else Obama is encouraging college students to violate the Fifth Commandment. (That's honor your father and mother, for you godless liberals.)

The Obama campaign will have a lot to answer for on Judgment Day.

I'm not Jewish, but I've been working on my parents long before Barack even announced he was running. I'm pretty sure it worked, especially with my Mom. They aren't elderly, but they are traditionally Republican and in the new swing state of Indiana.

And Sarah Palin being an idiot really helped especially with my dad. Thanks McSame!

I heard about this on NPR the other day and thought it was great. You know, I'm glad the younger generation is ready to have frank discussions about this election and the two men running for Prez - finding fun and interesting ways to dispel the rumors about Obama and explaining what he stands for. Then again, there are those youngsters, and middle-agers, who vote a certain way only because their parents do (or did) without a thoughtful, intelligent debate at all.
Kudos to all these innovative ideas - let's hope it continues.

If is doubtful those young schlepers will join the military and fight in Obama's favorite war, which is good.

I'm personally not thrilled with Silverman's humor, but it's a very good idea and I'm glad someone thought of it.

I have spent the last few months pleading and begging my father to vote for Obama. He lives in Florida his vote matters. The talks started to get ugly so I decided email would be less emotional. I emailed him several sites that talk intelligently about Obama this one included. I have heard from my mom a staunch Obama supporter that he is reading the sites but is still undecided. The other day my mom got a friend to get her an Obama yard sign which was bigger by the way than she anticipated but undetered she stuck it in the front of the house. My father came home and said he wanted a divorce. He was joking of course. But I am still not sure what he will do on election day. I hope all the nagging from the entire family convinces him but I am still not sure. Let's hope.

I'm actually going to have "The Talk" with my dad. He hates Bush, hates what Republicans have done, and isn't impressed with McCain. But yet still, for some reason, he isn't sold on Obama.

It can't be racism (the guy dated a black girl in high school ... in the early 60s), so the only thing I can think of is taxes (he'd benefit more under McCain) or the military thing (he was also a Navy guy).

Whatever it is, I see it as my duty to convince him to not endanger my and his grandson's future by voting for McCain.

Is Al a Troll or a joke?

Sounds like someone who is "Pro-Life" and "Pro-War" at the same time.

That's "insane" for you wingnuts out there.

Shame on Obama for encouraging young people to take advantage of their old grandparents' inability to understand the differences between the stark choices before them. What's next? Telling expectant unwitting young girls wanting an abortion that the procedure will kill them?

Brojo: "It (sic) is doubtful those young schlepers will join the military and fight in Obama's favorite war, which is good."

They already have by their actions. It's the war on ignorance. You're also invited.

He sealed the deal, though, by explaining that if Obama wins, Bender could focus less on politics and spend more time "finding a nice Jewish girl to marry." The ballroom full of seniors applauded.

I don't think I'll try that line on my Florida in-laws. Just sayin'.

Is Al a Troll or a joke?

When Kevin Drum was running this place, Al was a fixture -- a beyond-parody troll that was more comically pathetic than infuriating.

And if he was/is real, you have to wonder how he's gone through life without dying -- he's the type of person who is so stupid he would stick his tongue in a light socket just to see what electricity tastes like.

There's also an Al at Yglesias' place, although I think they're actually the same guy.

Simplified megillah for the menschen

Obey the great schlep or get shtup again in a republican schemozzle.

When I talked to my 86 year old mother the other day about the election, she asked me why anyone in their right mind would vote Republican. Ever. Way to go Mom!

from the mouth of babes:

my six-year-old daughter just said to her five-year-old friend: "did you know your dad is voting for mccain and that means we'll have to pay more to go to the doctor?" friend: "who are you voting for?" daughter: "O'Rock Bama." friend: "me too!"

note: the friend's mom, a republican, and the friend's brother, a bush lover even at ten who supports the iraq war (which began when he was three), both want obama. the father is a member of a family that are practically synonymous with the state democratic machine. the brother told me yesterday that his father is "going to be an asshole" by voting for mccain.

interesting times...

Forget Sarah Palin; Sarah Silverman is a cutie!

Hmm yeah, I am not talking to my father because he is not supporting Obama based on his race.

Luckily he is in CA so it won't make a difference but it has totally shook my faith in him. He is a democratic and someone I thought to be open-minded. But he doesn't trust a "black man".

When an acquaintance forwarded me the link to Silverman's ad, I wrote back to say I was
a) only half Jewish,
b) of grandmotherly rather than grand daughterly age
and,
c) had no family in Florida.

But then I thought... Some of the Silverman's arguments resonated -- my own mother would have used them in a flash; I could almost hear her...
And... This is such an upside-down election; none of the traditional "common wisdoms" need apply...

So I applied reverse blackmail. Not, like Silverman to grandparents: "I'll not come to visit, if you don't vote for him". But, to my (step) grandson: "you'd better vote for him, or you can forget bunia's cooking next time you come to visit; you'll be lucky if you get clean sheets". He *said* he'll schlep to the polls on Nov.4th and vote "correctly"; he does like my cooking :)

@koreyel

Megillah = big deal
menschen = men (but in the sense of an honorable, dependable person, not necessarily male). I think you mean "people" which is hard to translate in that sense. (ganzen =? everybody)
schlemozzle (not schemozzle) = is the guy who walks underneath just when the paint can falls off the scaffold. And it happens a lot to him. I don't think that's what you mean here.

BTW "schlep" means "drag" in the sense of carrying or pulling something heavy.

jrosen, yes, schlep means drag but in new yorkese schlep means dragging your ass around town doing stuff you'd rather not be doing, like returning something to macy's, picking up your dry cleaning or buying stuff for your kid's school project, most likely in the rain.

I concur with Angry Young Man's interpretation of "schlep", @ 0:23. It seemed to be the same in Poland, 40 and more years ago. The closest equivalent English word I can come up with is "slog", though it's used in different ways (ie combines with different prepositions, etc). It's a hard (as in "difficult") trek you make, reluctantly and much against your own inclination.