Colin Powell endorses Obama

[davidcurtisjr]

JFK was speaking to everyone not just the huddled masses. Or was there an exclusionary measure dependent upon income?

[Killthorne]

JFK was speaking to everyone not just the huddled masses. Or was there an exclusionary measure dependent upon income?

+1

Obviously though, david. You know, I don't hate wealthy people, but I just hate it when they forget about everybody else that made them wealthy.

And no, I don't expect them to share, I expect them to give a damn about the people under them. Tossing your money at random charities for tax write-off's doesn't count either, in my book.

~Killy~

[Mayhem]

So address the fraud and fix the loopholes.

My how things have changed in 40 years. Ask not what you can do for your country but what your country can do for you? JFK must be turning in his grave.

I am, however, pretty sure that the average bloke is supposed to be asking "What can I do for my country" not "what can I do to help the rich get richer?"

[Kest]

[Mulu]

So address the fraud and fix the loopholes.

Republicans call that "raising taxes" and "punishing hard work."

[Mulu]

The most cringe-worthy political moment of the day, so far, came when Sen. John McCain called out for his new buddy Joe the Plumber to stand up at a rally in Ohio, only to be greeted with confused silence. Joe the Plumber wasn't there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1TT7gt5F0w

But that rally featured another embarrassing moment, one that illustrates a far more troubling dynamic for the Republican ticket. The McCain campaign actually had to bus in school kids from the surrounding area in order to fill the event. As reported by MSNBC:

A local school district official confirmed after the event that of the 6,000 people estimated by the fire marshal to be in attendance this morning, more than 4,000 were bused in from schools in the area. The entire 2,500-student Defiance School District was in attendance, the official said, in addition to at least three other schools from neighboring districts, one of which sent 14 buses.

Worst...Field Trip...Ever

I wonder if the kids got to hear the fringe screaming out the N-word and "terrorist" and all that. You just know at this point the only people still showing up to these rallies are the nutjobs.

[danielmn]

Under those conditions I would definately clamber for separation of state and state.

[Mulu]

Joe the Celebrity. Maybe he'll finally earn that 250k so he can pay a higher percent tax.

On a more sober note, I've been thinking about the past lately, specifically Feb. 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001 (which was late, it was originally planned to occur months earlier), and apparently I'm not alone. I was joking earlier that only Bin Laden could put McCain in the White House now, but Bin Laden seems to like to strike right after a new president is in office. So, get ready, 2009 will likely have a domestic strike, as part of the new administration cycle. If they have the resources they'll go for a cargo container or large truck loaded with conventional explosives and chemical agents to make a dirty bomb, I suspect.

The last possibility is the one really worth worrying about: a genuine terrorist attack, here or abroad, now or anytime after the election. It is purely speculative to suggest that the odds of an attack are increasing. Al-Qaida and other jihadists seem to be happily occupied, principally with destabilizing Pakistan and eroding security in Afghanistan. But a big trap has opened up, and one has to imagine that the terrorists will want to spring it. In short, there would be a high premium for them to carry out a significant attack soon, because in an election season, or in the early days of a new administration, there would be irresistible political pressure to carry out an obliterating retaliation. The target for that strike would be the terrorists' safe haven in the FATA, and the result would be exactly the kind of widespread Muslim rage at the United States that the terrorists crave. Few today question that Osama Bin Laden ordered the 9/11 attacks because he wanted to draw the United States into a draining war in Afghanistan. To Bin Laden's surprise, the quagmire scenario didn't materialize there, but in Iraq.

With Pakistan already on the verge of a breakdown and anti-Americanism there sky-high, the attraction of igniting a chain of events like this must be tremendous for the jihadists. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't strike back if a major attack occurs; great nations don't leave their dead unanswered, though it should go without saying that it's as vital as ever to be discriminate when using force. Still, if the bomber gets through this time, the consequences are likely to be devastating.

And of course Pakistan has nukes. What a world Obama is inheriting. After 8 years of disastrous policy, we no longer have any margin for error left, and our resources are dwindling.

[Mayhem]

Actually, from at least 1 article:

Al Quaeda's aim is to exhaust America financially and militarily. Simply to make the war on terrorism wear out the US be sheer expense (and its well on target for this).

But McCain is seen by AQ as being more hotheaded than Obama, more likely to impulsively rush in and throw troops and money at the problem - which is exactly what they want.

They also believe that a terrorist attack BEFORE the election will increase McCains chances of getting elected.

So, one theory is that AQ will be trying to strike before the election in hope fo getting McCain elected and having America continue down is self-destructive, exhaustive campaign against phantom terrorists until it is utterly broken.

[Kest]

Well today is Halloween, they are running out of time