So, how many of you have had yard signs stolen/destroyed? My mom just had her Obama sign replaced with one in support of McCain and I've heard of a lot of Obama signs going missing in Raleigh.

10/20/2008 1:06:08 PM

Just do what these people did,

10/20/2008 1:09:32 PM

They supposedly round up McCain signs here in Albuquerque.

10/20/2008 1:21:47 PM

Obama's lead has been narrowing over the last week or so in a somewhat disturbing trend:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

10/20/2008 1:28:17 PM

it always does within the last few weeks of an election.

Those 6-8% of undecided voters have to make up their mind.

It is my belief (and hope) that Obama will win by ~2-3%.

This will end up being a very close race, and Obama can do himself so much good by winning VA, NC, or Ohio.

If he can get one of those three, the race get's much easier for him.

10/20/2008 1:36:34 PM

Quote :

"^^^ That ad didn't impress me until I saw it was fucking Mohammed Atta on there."

Did you not know? Obama sounds like Osama. Obama was actually involved in 9/11 and wants the terrorists to win!

10/20/2008 1:42:53 PM

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 1:57 PM. Reason : n/m]

10/20/2008 1:51:30 PM

Quote :

"Obama's lead has been narrowing over the last week or so in a somewhat disturbing trend: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html"

1. How is this disturbing?
2. National Polls
3. National Polls

10/20/2008 2:28:24 PM

On that topic Prawn, let's talk State by State polls. You know, the ones that methodologically speaking actually indicate something relevant at this point.

Today's Polls:

Suffolk University-
Ohio: Obama 51, McCain 42
Missouri: McCain 45, Obama 44

Rasmussen-
Virginia: Obama 54, McCain 44.

Public Policy Polling
North Carolina: Obama 51, McCain 44, Barr 2

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 2:38 PM. Reason : these are the polls that actually influence the race and where the candidates invest]

10/20/2008 2:37:39 PM

Quote :

"Jake -- Right now, we have one last chance to strengthen our field operation and expand our reach even further. This Friday, we're making the very last, hard decisions about allocating our resources. And it will all come down to where we stand financially on Thursday at midnight. We need to make decisions about strengthening our efforts in key battleground states -- and identify opportunities for expansion. You can decide where we fight -- and how strong our team will be. Will you make a donation of $25 or more before the deadline? I know it's been a long campaign. And I know you've been asked to do a lot. I hear you. But right now, I'm asking you to remember what's at stake for our country. After 20 months of fighting to bring the change we need, we cannot hold back now. We need to dig deep because what we do -- or don't do -- between now and Election Day will make all the difference. Please make a donation of $25 or more before the deadline to expand the final map of battleground states and strengthen our field operation: https://donate.barackobama.com/finaldeadline I'd like to fight for votes in every corner of the country. But the reality is that we need to focus and redouble our efforts for the final push. Thank you for making sure this campaign has the resources to compete in as many states as possible, Barack "

Just got this e-mail... The end is nigh!

10/20/2008 2:54:35 PM

Quote :

"1. How is this disturbing?"

It's disturbing to me that McCain could be picking up momentum in light of recent developments. It's been painfully obvious over recent weeks that McCain is not the right man for the job.

IMO, it doesn't speak well for the electorate.

10/20/2008 3:13:51 PM

Well I asked Prawn because I thought you were a McCain supporter, I must have missed a turn in the past many weeks that shifted your opinion...

And I wouldn't read too much momentum in the national trackers, they use volatile party ID sample sizes that are really misleading and inaccurate. I mean for instance, Gallup has Obama up 3 points from last week in their poll.

That being said, I definitely anticipate the race to tighten as we draw near...but I think the GOTV efforts will favor Obama big time

10/20/2008 3:31:55 PM

^Nah I've always been undecided, just skeptical of both candidates and I guess I enjoy playing the devils advocate, particularly to the left-leaning crowd on here. I was leaning Obama over the past few months and made up my mind around the time of the first debate.

10/20/2008 3:56:24 PM

Hmmmm....

Real or Fake? This seems too good to be true for McCain.

http://tinyurl.com/5wmlv6

10/20/2008 3:58:49 PM

I'm canvassing for the Obama Campaign in Northern Virginia this weekend

10/20/2008 3:59:41 PM

oh god, Ill be in northern virginia this weekend.

10/20/2008 4:01:07 PM

the race is NOT getting tighter. The popular vote is getting tighter. The electoral votes are so far ahead for Obama that a loss is virtually impossible (but never completely)

http://www.electoral-vote.com/
Obama 364 McCain 171 Ties 3

Kerry was winning barely at this time in '04, but only because he was up just a bit in Florida.
http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2004/Pres/Maps/Oct20.html

Right now, Obama has a completely solid hold on every state Kerry won, plus FL,NC,OH,MO,ND,MT,NV are all tied or slightly favoring him. He's also winning by 6 points in VA and is winning in CO, both of which Bush won.

WV isn't even 100% for McCain! He's only winning by 4 points. It's over, folks.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 4:10 PM. Reason : ,]

10/20/2008 4:06:35 PM

Surprising endorsement. We'll take it!

Quote :

"Chomsky says pick the lesser of two evils Noam Chomsky: People should vote against McCain and for Obama - but without illusions"

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2593&updaterx=2008-10-20+10%3A50%3A58

10/20/2008 4:50:29 PM

Quote :

"One of the more noteworthy responses to John McCain's massive robocall campaign tying Barack Obama to Bill Ayers has been from parents whose children have been on the receiving end of the incendiary calls. Many have contacted the Huffngton Post detailing concerns that their kids were being told, in essence, that the possible next president of the United States associates with terrorist figures. "My daughter answered the phone today and began listening to the most disturbing call regarding bombing and terrorists. She ran with the phone to get me, I heard just the end snippet of the call and immediately called the number cited as responsible," wrote a reader from North Carolina. "I was so angry and let them have it. I had to explain to my 7-year-old daughter that no one was bombing anyone else. This was a horrific experience." So it was more than just a bit ironic to be reminded that during the Republican South Carolina primary in 2000 it was a distraught mother who thrust the issue of the anti-McCain robocall campaign into the national spotlight. "

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/20/mccains-robocalls-have-pa_n_136044.html

10/20/2008 5:21:15 PM

Quote :

" It's over, folks."

Way to jinx him, you ass

Oh wait, I said it was over on the previous page. Nevermind.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 5:35 PM. Reason : 2]

10/20/2008 5:34:59 PM

huffington

10/20/2008 5:35:05 PM

Colin Powell lives in the house

10/20/2008 5:35:11 PM

Quote :

"McCain Off Message By Taegan Goddard | October 20, 2008 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) Sen. Barack Obama's campaign counted ten different themes used by the McCain campaign today alone -- none of which were about the economy. While the Obama campaign calls this "flailing," almost anyone would agree that pushing so many messages at once goes against all lessons of modern political campaigning. The entire memo from the Obama campaign is below: The Erratic John McCain and the Multiple Messages of His Campaign, 15 Days Out: 1) Joe the Plumber Needs More Publicity: ""McCAIN's MESSAGE 'today, tomorrow and every day forward,' per a senior aide: 'On background, we'll be talking about Joe.'" [Politco, 10/20/08] 2) Joe The Plumber is Getting Too Much Publicity: "Joe didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house. And, certainly, Joe didn't ask to be famous." [McCain Campaign Rally, 10/20/08] 3) Sounds like Socialism: "At this morning's rally, the first of three today in this toss-up state, [Palin] continued to call Barack Obama's tax plan socialist again couching it behind Joe the Plumber, "Barack Obama calls it spreading the wealth. Joe Biden calls higher taxes patriotic. Joe the Plumber said it sounded to him like socialism. And now is not the time to experiment with that." [FoxNews.com, 10/20/08] 4) ACORN is Threatening the Fabric of Democracy: The RNC has advised three different conference calls today on ACORN. [RNC Media Advisories] 5) A Foreign Policy Crisis Will Test A President: John McCain: "The next President won't have time to get used to the office. We face many challenges here at home, and many enemies abroad in this dangerous world. Just last night, Senator Biden guaranteed that if Senator Obama is elected, we will have an international crisis to test America's new President. We don't want a President who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars." [Excerpted Remarks for a McCain Campaign Rally, 10/20/08] 6) Blame the Press: Top McCain Aide Mark Salter: "There has been a different standard for Obama than there has been for any candidate running against Barack Obama. And maybe this should have set off more warning bells with me. I think much of the media has a thumb on the scale for Obama. I think the thumb has been there the entire time." [The Atlantic, 10/20/08] 7) Blame the Fundraising: Rick Davis: "There are reports that, just already disclosed, $3 or $4 million of Barack Obama's campaign funds just prior to the $150 million fundraising month were not appropriate. Now, I'd love to have that $4 million right now to put into Pennsylvania. It'd be a good thing for our campaign. I think it's a game-changer if I can slap all of that right on Philadelphia media market. It's an expensive place. And, yet, Barack Obama gets away with raising illegitimate money and spending it." [10/20/08] 8) Divided Government: John McCain: "He's measuring the drapes, and planning with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid to raise taxes, increase spending, and concede defeat in Iraq." [McCain Campaign Rally, 10/20/08] 9) Obama's Baseball Loyalty: RNC Press Release: "After repeatedly saying he would root for the Phillies in the World Series, Barack Obama switched teams while campaigning in Tampa today." [10/20/08] 10) That Washed Up Old Terrorist: Rick Davis: "John McCain tried to point out how people should be informed about Barack Obama's background, including his relationships with domestic terrorists like William Ayers. People are going to form these judgments. It's great fodder for us to debate every day. I think it's fun." [MSNBC, 10/20/08]"

lol

10/20/2008 7:24:44 PM

Quote :

"I hadn't ever really thought about it, but I think his cool temperament speaks to his good upbringing, intelligence, and education. I don't think there is anything calculated about it. If you want to see calculated, look at Hillary. "

Here's an article from 2004 that notes the same unusual calmness

Quote :

"People in Illinois seem largely unaware of Obama’s long, annealing trip into their midst, although they often remark on his unusual calm."

- http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/31/040531fa_fact1

10/20/2008 8:02:31 PM

Obama was the inspiration for Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction.

FACT

10/20/2008 8:08:00 PM

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/05/31/040531fa_fact1

I'll post this again, because it's a very intriguing article, considering it was written in 2004, WELL before any media Obama-mania. Obama's strategies haven't changed at all, and he actually seems to be the same person he's been portraying himself to be in his presidential campaign.

It also contains some information on his past with Wright that hasn't been obvious from the media attention those issues have been getting.

Here's a summary considering it's a very long 6 pages:

Quote :

" In “Dreams from My Father,” Obama describes how, as a teen-ager, he tried marijuana and cocaine. (“I guess you’d have to say I wasn’t a politician when I wrote the book,” he told me. “I wanted to show how and why some kids, maybe especially young black men, flirt with danger and self-destruction.”) ... He liked New York, but he found the city’s racial tension inescapable. It “flowed freely,” he wrote in his memoir—“not just out on the streets but in the stalls of Columbia’s bathrooms as well ... Fired with political idealism, he decided to become a community organizer. He wrote to organizations all over the United States, and finally got one reply, from Chicago. He moved there, going to work for a tiny, church-based group that was trying to help residents of poor South Side neighborhoods cope with a wave of plant closings. ... Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit, tried to recruit Obama as a clerk, a position considered a stepping stone to clerking on the Supreme Court, but Obama turned him down. “He could have gone to the most opulent of law firms."... “After Harvard, Obama could have done anything he wanted.” ... He also began teaching at the University of Chicago Law School, although he declined to pursue a tenure-track post, hoping to save time for politics. ... His wife, Michelle, is also a lawyer, and their daily lives are the familiar three-ring American family circus—even without the steroidal additive of Barack’s political career. Yet Barack had been reluctant to take even a semester off from teaching while campaigning, partly because he needs the income. To survive this campaign financially, the Obamas will take out a second mortgage on their apartment. [this was for his national Senate campaign] ... “Teaching keeps you sharp,” Obama said. “The great thing about teaching constitutional law”—his subject—“is that all the tough questions land in your lap: abortion, gay rights, affirmative action. And you need to be able to argue both sides. I have to be able to argue the other side as well as Scalia does. I think that’s good for one’s politics.” ... [Obama says (in 2004 mind you)]“If you make political discourse sufficiently negative, more people will become cynical and stop paying attention. That leaves more space for special interests to pursue their agendas, and that’s how we end up with drug companies making drug policy, energy companies making energy policy, and multinationals making trade policy.” To an outsider with only the broadest idea of Chicago politics, Obama’s victory in the Democratic primary actually looked like a victory over cynicism. He had not slimed his opponents. Nor was he the candidate of the fabled local machine—that was Dan Hynes, the state’s comptroller, who comes from a powerful Illinois political family. ... But Barack managed to make those people who disagreed with him feel comfortable with the disagreement.” This is a regular theme with Obama: supporters who disagree with him. ... [Obama] went on, “People are always asking me, ‘Why, with these fancy degrees and a professorship, would you want to go into something dirty and nasty like politics?’ And my answer is ‘We’ve got too much cynicism in this country, and we’re all in this together, and government expresses that.’ ” ... Obama offered an explanation of his ability to connect with white rural and small-town voters. “I know those people,” he said. “Those are my grandparents. The food they serve is the food my grandparents served when I was growing up. Their manners, their sensibility, their sense of right and wrong—it’s all totally familiar to me.” ... But when Obama started running for office he was a newcomer, not deeply connected. He wasn’t “black enough,” ... These reservations came to the fore in 2000, when Obama made an ill-advised run for Congress. The incumbent, Bobby Rush, was a former Black Panther who had been in office four terms... Rush beat [Obama] soundly in the primary. ... Obama seems to be a true legislation nerd. When he talks about the maneuvering it took to line up the state’s prosecutors behind the videotape bill, and to keep the police associations neutral, his eyes narrow in pleasure. “You can’t always come up with the optimal solution, but you can usually come up with a better solution,” he said over lunch one afternoon. ... [remember this is 2004]Jan Schakowsky told me about a recent visit she had made to the White House with a congressional delegation. On her way out, she said, President Bush noticed her “OBAMA” button. “He jumped back, almost literally,” she said. “And I knew what he was thinking. So I reassured him it was Obama, with a ‘b.’ And I explained who he was. The President said, ‘Well, I don’t know him.’ So I just said, ‘You will.’ ” ... Obama criticized the Administration’s Iraq policy, but added, “I have no doubt about Donald Rumsfeld’s sincerity.” Deciding Rumsfeld’s fate, he said, should be left to President Bush. ... [and this is the very last paragraph of the 6 page article] Obama told local reporters, “Everybody knows politics is a contact sport,” and he told me that he felt sorry for Warfel, but it was obvious that he was angry that even his phone conversations with his wife and daughters were being monitored. “Scorched-earth politics,” he said. “Precisely the kind of politics I want to change.” When I called Ryan’s press secretary, Kelli Phiel, she was unapologetic: “I guarantee you that if Mr. Obama were to ask Justin to step back a foot or two, Justin would do so.” "

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 9:05 PM. Reason : ...]

10/20/2008 8:56:41 PM

olbermann's special comment thingy tonight was pretty good.

yeah, yeah...it's olbermann. he has a point of view. it was still pretty good though. his take on the whole "real america" "anti-american" junk recently from mccain's campaign and some other GOP wackos

p.s. Joe the Plumber is on fox news AGAIN.

blaming his new fame, which apparently he hates, on obama. he's so angry that obama brought him into the national spotlight that he's on national tv again.


oh and now hannity is asking him about the issues and socialism. HAHAHA, this is great. joe the plumber has officially become a mouthpiece for the mccain campaign. he's tossing out talking points left and right.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 9:07 PM. Reason : .]

10/20/2008 9:02:04 PM

Obama leaving campaign trail until the weekend. Grandmother very ill.

10/20/2008 9:05:54 PM

^ would Obama kill is own grandmother to win this election?
/Limbaugh

First Biden's mother-in-law, now Obama's grandmother, strange...

10/20/2008 9:07:06 PM

I was listening to Fox news on the way home tonight, and dude was on there talking about obama being arrogant. sounded like he was calling obama an uppity negro to me though

Quote :

"Obama's lead has been narrowing over the last week or so in a somewhat disturbing trend:"

unless something has changed, the electoral college determines the president...not the popular vote.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/


this is really sad, but still humorous:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl2EndLZv7w

Quote :

"Joe the Plumber is on fox news AGAIN."

of course he is. and it reeks of desperation

Quote :

"in the bag"

10/20/2008 9:07:26 PM

^ that one muslim chick is kinda hot

10/20/2008 9:16:21 PM

Quote :

"sounded like he was calling obama an uppity negro to me though"

That reminds me of the old LA Times article which opened by refering to him as a "magical negro." Despite the more positive sound that might have to it, they were basically saying he had powers that defied the laws of physics, man, and God. That's a bit more than uppity.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-center

I always thought that was a strange archetype. I guess maybe I'm just jealous since my ethnicity's archetypes are either drunkard or sheep-raper.

10/20/2008 9:26:43 PM

Has anyone but me noticed that they've been keeping "Palin" off of the campain signs? ...

10/20/2008 9:43:26 PM

no they just have a lot of different variations of signs, for both tickets

10/20/2008 10:05:08 PM

I've just been noticing they've been downplaying the "Palin" in "McCain/Palin" ...

10/20/2008 10:06:41 PM

Biden warning people that Obama's gonna suck at president?

Quote :

""Mark my words," the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." "I've forgotten more about foreign policy than most of my colleagues know, so I'm not being falsely humble with you. I think I can be value added, but this guy has it," the Senate Foreign Relations chairman said of Obama. "This guy has it. But he's gonna need your help. Because I promise you, you all are gonna be sitting here a year from now going, 'Oh my God, why are they there in the polls? Why is the polling so down? Why is this thing so tough?' We're gonna have to make some incredibly tough decisions in the first two years. So I'm asking you now, I'm asking you now, be prepared to stick with us. Remember the faith you had at this point because you're going to have to reinforce us." "

Still think 95% of the country is going to get a tax cut?

Still think Obama's gonna use the military wisely?

Still think Obama has the experience to prevent or handle a major terrorist attack?

Looks like Biden thinks the world's bad guys can't wait for the inexperienced teleprompter president to take office.

10/20/2008 10:45:59 PM

I don't like Obama but I fear McPalin even more. Worst case with Obama I will have to wait an extra year to get my yacht club membership.

If Obama is a failure at least the conservative rejuvenation will sweep the nation during a time in my life where I will profit more from a GOP president.
So essentially i am investing till 2012 or 2016 in a tax cutting less spending (assuming they are not like Bush) GOP president. If Obama is a successful president than Kudos.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 10:50 PM. Reason : l]

10/20/2008 10:49:16 PM

Quote :

"Biden warning people that Obama's gonna suck at president? "

not sure how you got that from what he said

10/20/2008 10:55:11 PM

Quote :

"Biden warning people that Obama's gonna suck at president? "

Sounded more like he was trying to tell people that the US was set up for a major crisis or two, and it's likely to happen within the first year of Obama's presidency.

10/20/2008 10:56:56 PM

^^ I don't see that either, but what Biden said was a pretty dumb thing to say.

10/20/2008 10:59:00 PM

exactly

you people

10/20/2008 10:59:38 PM

yeah, EarthDogg.... you're seriously lost it.
What the hell are you talking about?

10/20/2008 10:59:42 PM

^
It seems to me that Biden is warning people that Obama may become just as unpopular as Bush became. But where it was OK to bail on Bush, we should support Obama because he's so smart.

Seems like a warning that Obama will probably pull away most of the yummies he has promised to get elected...kinda like the way Clinton did with his promised Middle Class Tax Cuts.

10/20/2008 11:20:11 PM

Quote :

"Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy"

If Palin had said this, the media would be up in arms over it, a "generated crisis" yeah.... That whole speech is pretty scary to think about, our probably VP talking like this? really? wtf

10/20/2008 11:20:59 PM

^I'm sure he didn't intend to sound like the US government would generate a crisis to test Obama... Biden, after all, is (in)famous for such gaffes... It's likely that he intended to mean that a leader of another country would generate a crisis.

If he'd phrased it better, it would be quite the refreshing thing to hear, I think. A candidate admitting that their administration could face a huge crisis, and that everything won't be all bunnies and flower gardens if they are elected. But I agree that Biden didn't actually choose the best way in which to say this... or the best time, for that matter.

It also kind of indicates just how comfortable the Obama/Biden campaign is getting in their lead. He's trying to do preemptive damage control against future shifts in public opinion, rather than campaigning against McCain. A little risky that it might get some voters feeling complacent on election day.

[Edited on October 20, 2008 at 11:33 PM. Reason : .]

10/20/2008 11:31:51 PM

Obama is faking his grandmother's illness to draw sympathy from women.

10/20/2008 11:32:26 PM

^ check out the comments on this Fox News article (you have to choose "Sort by Oldest")

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/20/obama-leave-campaign-trail-visit-sick-grandmother/comments/#commentPaginationTop

10/20/2008 11:54:00 PM

Quote :

"it takes a special kind of person to find ways to disparage a person who is going to visit a sick relative. I guess those are what small town values are all about. "

10/21/2008 12:01:46 AM

^ this is more than a "sick relative" this is his grandmother, who raised him. This is probably his closest loved one, excepting his wife/kids.

Quote :

""Get the Obama signs off your property—now," the letter reads. "Failure to obey this order will result in the immediate death of all family members." "

- http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-villa_park_signoct17,0,1501910.story

Techhies, including Google's founder, support Obama: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9117578&intsrc=hm_list

[Edited on October 21, 2008 at 12:24 AM. Reason : ]

10/21/2008 12:08:15 AM

Is Obama more popular than Jesus?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTp_atr2G9E

10/21/2008 1:37:23 AM