Right Winger Michael Savage Rips On Autistic Children

If anyone out there needs a reason why not to listen to right wing lunatics on the radio (and sadly, there are millions) then Michael Savage should be able to make my point many times over. Day in and day out, he utilizes hate and anger to rile up his audience to lash out at those with different (and saner) views than his own. However, there are things that should be beyond partisanship and autism is on the high end of that list along with not killing puppies and kittens. Yet to wingnuts like Savage, not even that is beyond his sphere of hate.

From Media Matters:

On the July 16 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage claimed that autism is "[a] fraud, a racket." Savage went on to say, "I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' " Savage concluded, "[I]f I behaved like a fool, my father called me a fool. And he said to me, 'Don't behave like a fool.' The worst thing he said -- 'Don't behave like a fool. Don't be anybody's dummy. Don't sound like an idiot. Don't act like a girl. Don't cry.' That's what I was raised with. That's what you should raise your children with. Stop with the sensitivity training. You're turning your son into a girl, and you're turning your nation into a nation of losers and beaten men. That's why we have the politicians we have."

That is the mark of a heartless man. Perhaps Mr. Savage has never met a family that have autistic children. Perhaps he doesn't have friends or neighbors that let him near them because he is a disgusting human being. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for what comes out of his mouth and Talk Radio Network should be ashamed of themselves for putting that crap on the air, even if there are 8.25 million sad souls out there that choose to listen to it.

Would The Right Find It Funny If Barack Said It?

Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow discuss McCain's sense of humor:

McCain Camp's War On Muslims

While Phil Gramm left the McCain campaign kicking and screaming today, there are still plenty of bad apples on the rotted tree that is the "straight talker's" operation. Take Bud Day for instance. We commend him for his service to our country and respect him for sticking with his fellow POW buddy McCain, when he starts talking out of his ass...then we get to call him on it (of course being associated with McCain, it happens often).

From The Miami Herald:

One of John McCain's fellow POW's in Vietnam defended the war in Iraq, saying, "The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us.''

In a phone call with reporters arranged by Republican Party of Florida, Colonel Bud Day added: "I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel.''

Bud, if you remember, was also a swiftboater that attacked John Kerry four years ago. So despite his military service, he is political scum, willing to do whatever it takes to elect Republicans, even if it means destroying another soldier's integrity or an entire religion.

Iraqi PM Endorses Obama

It isn't a full-on endorsement and it would be bad form to do so, but Nuri al-Maliki hinted at who he wants to see as the United States' 44th President. When it comes to our Presidential election, what matters to the people of Iraq is how we treat them and how quickly we get out of there. So what do you think he had to say?

From Reuters:

BERLIN (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.[...]

Asked if he supported Obama's ideas more than those of John McCain, Republican presidential hopeful, Maliki said he did not want to recommend who people should vote for.

"Whoever is thinking about the shorter term is closer to reality. Artificially extending the stay of U.S. troops would cause problems."

Hmmm, 16 months or a hundred years? You know the answer to that, and it means we know who the leader of Iraq wants to see as our next President. Thanks Nuri!

Oh and by the way, Nancy has been bloviating and making ridiculously obvious statements in the Q & A. She even referred to Lewis and Clark when asked about Net Neutrality. Thankfully, Al Gore "surprised" us and saved her from that lackluster performance.

Nancy Pelosi At Netroots Nation LIVE! Al Gore Too!!!!

Break out the popcorn!



Honestly though, despite everything she's done, I give her props for coming out to talk to us this morning.

Thank god Al Gore showed up to save Pelosi from her bloviating!

Netroots Nation Day 2

O.k. so this is coming from the morning of day 3, but honestly I was too tired last night to type. Yesterday started out bright and early, meeting friends for breakfast at eight and (gasp) actually working out beforehand. The first event I attended was the much talked about "Law and the Next President" with John Dean, Cass Sunstein, Michael Waldman and Adam B. The topic went smoothly until it went to Q & A and all hell broke loose. People were attacking the panelists for not wanting to go after Bush et al for their crimes and it got quite personal (from the commenters). So once the dialogue broke down, I was off to the next event.

"Middle class isn't middle of the road" featured David Sirota among others from across the country to discuss populism and the uprising throughout the country. The people discussing the issue knew their stuff, but as for spreading the message to the audience and coming up with a plan.....eh, not so much. Sirota was twenty minutes late on top of everything, claiming traffic problems coming down from Dallas.

Then the big event of the day was Harold Ford and our very own Markos going head to head. It wasn't so much a rumble, but a discussion between two leaders under the Democratic tent that come from two very different places. At first it went well, but when the debate headed into the realm of FISA, Ford went off into his own delusional world where committing crimes is ok if the President told you to. Obviously he forgot that the rule of law covers everyone, including George Bush.

Quickly after it was over, I was off to the volunteer's table to do my part here at Netroots Nation. For an hour and half, I helped sell t-shirts for the convention in the exhibit hall and at the end, got one myself. It has the flag of Texas with an orange tinge, its simple, but cool and I highly suggest everyone here get one before they're all gone.

I skipped the blog money panel since I was late and one attendee who was walking out told me it didn't teach him anything and if you know the basics, then it isn't worth your time. So I relaxed for a bit and ended the day by watching the screening of "Trouble the Water," concerning the terrible tragedy that befell New Orleans during and after Katrina. There is nothing else like it out there, so this is another thing I highly recommend.

Then it was party time. The candidate's mixer was fantastic. Seeing netroots and grassroots people stepping up to run for office was spectacular. I knew most of the candidates from New York, but getting to meet those from other states was a true honor. Before I knew it, the time was 8:30 and several hundred of us paraded through the streets of Austin to Maggie Mae's. Free drinks, free food, a chocolate fountain (so glad I did that workout in the morning) and great music had the crowd going strong late into the night. I though, was getting tired around 10:30, so it was time to chill back in the hotel. Now it is a little after 9am and time for Nancy Pelosi to grace us with our presence.

McCain Doesn't Know What Party Obama Is In

McCain already said he doesn't know much about certain important issues concerning Americans. People are starting to understand that John is out of touch with the majority of citizens in this country and as the polls show, voters want change. Though I would think the Republican candidate might know what party his opponent was in, but obviously he doesn't.

From The Kansas City Star:

John McCain says Barack Obama was labeled as having the "most extreme" record in the Senate.

"Extreme? You really think hes an extremist? I mean, he's clearly a liberal," interviewer Dave Helling asks.

"That's his voting record," McCain responds. "All I said was his voting record, and that is more to the left than the announced Socialist in the United States Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont."

"Do you think hes a socialist, Barack Obama?" Helling asks.

McCain responds with a with a shrug, "I don't know."

That is not a good sign if McCain doesn't even know the political views of his opponent. Despite having disagreements, it is always best to know where the other guy is coming from. Then again, this is John "McSame" McCain we are talking about.

On another note, ThinkProgress took down the article, concerning the piece, but left the comments up at the behest of their lawyers.

Markos Versus Ford: LIVE!!!!!

I'm here in the room, about a hundred feet from the stage. However, everyone should watch this debate between the founder of DailyKos and the leader of the centrist DLC, Harold Ford, Jr.:

McCain Camp On Rape Joke: "Thats What People Want"

Over the course of a campaign, damage control is inevitable because realistically, no candidate is perfect. Now when it comes to John McCain, he is anything but. So when the record showed that he made a disgusting rape joke when he was initially running for the Senate, his campaign spokesman took an interesting stance on the event.

From AmericaBlog:

McCain campaign refuses to deny that McCain used to like to tell rape jokes. In fact, they say rape jokes are the kind of thing that Americans love him for.

"He's long said that he's said and done things in the past that he regrets. You've just got to move on, and be yourself - that's what people want. They want somebody who's authentic, and this kind of a stuff is a good example of McCain being McCain." - McCain spokesman yesterday.

Being yourself in this context may be something that some Americans want, but then you'd have to label them extreme misogynists. If this guy represents McCain, then the campaign is seriously out of touch with the majority of Americans. Rape is not funny, period. It is disgusting, cowardly and an act that completely humiliates and demoralizes the victim. There is no room for humor and making jokes about rape has no place in our society...and is completely unbecoming of a Senator or any human being that is capable of knowing the difference between right and wrong.

Authorities Continue To Waste Resources Spying On Peaceniks

In this day and age, you would think law enforcement officials would have the wherewithal to know that those that wish to do us harm are not advocates of peace. Terrorists believe in violence to achieve their ends (kinda like George Bush). So even after embarrassing stories in the past documenting police officials infiltrating peace groups to obtain information, they continue to do so. Oddly, the Washington Times has the story here.

From The Washington Times:

Undercover Maryland state troopers infiltrated three groups advocating peace and protesting the death penalty — attending meetings and sending reports on their activities to U.S. intelligence and military agencies, according to documents released Thursday.

The documents show the activities occurred from at least March 2005 to May 2006 and that officers used false names, which the documents referred to as "covert identities" - to open e-mail accounts to receive messages from the groups.

Also included in the 46 pages of documents, obtained by the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, is an account of an activist's name being entered into a federally funded database designed to share information among state, local and federal law-enforcement agencies on terrorist and drug trafficking suspects.

ACLU attorney David Rocah said state police violated federal laws prohibiting departments that receive federal funds from maintaining databases with information about political activities and affiliations.

The activist was identified as Max Obuszewski. His "primary crime" was entered into the database as "terrorism - anti govern(ment)." His "secondary crime" was listed as "terrorism - anti-war protestors." The database is known as the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, or HIDTA.

Americans that believe in peace group together to air grievances amongst each other and debate on how to have a more peaceful society, both here and with our foreign policy. On the flip side, we have cops that are breaking the law to try and exert more control over these citizens. As Rocah states, this is a symbol of "Kafka-esque insanity." There is no excuse for this behavior and it must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Peace activists have no intention on breaking the law, authorities such as the Maryland State Troopers should be held to the same laws as those they wish to illegally infiltrate

Wes Clark Sits Down With TPM At Netroots Nation

General Wesley Clark is an icon (albeit for only a few years) in the Democratic Party. Yet he reaches out to the netroots community in a way that few politicians do. Not only did he give a keynote speech on the first night here in Austin, but sat down for a one-on-one with TPMtv:

Halliburton, KBR And Others Put Our Troops At Risk

While George Bush and his friends in the wide and diverse military-industrial complex sell us on the benefits of privatizing our armed forces, the reality of what they are doing is far different from their power-point presentations. Instead of bringing more efficiency to the mix, companies like KBR and Halliburton are making things in Iraq far more dangerous....and deadly.

From The NY Times:

During just one six-month period — August 2006 through January 2007 — at least 283 electrical fires destroyed or damaged American military facilities in Iraq, including the military’s largest dining hall in the country, documents obtained by The New York Times show. Two soldiers died in an electrical fire at their base near Tikrit in 2006, the records note, while another was injured while jumping from a burning guard tower in May 2007.

And while the Pentagon has previously reported that 13 Americans have been electrocuted in Iraq, many more have been injured, some seriously, by shocks, according to the documents. A log compiled earlier this year at one building complex in Baghdad disclosed that soldiers complained of receiving electrical shocks in their living quarters on an almost daily basis.

Electrical problems were the most urgent noncombat safety hazard for soldiers in Iraq, according to an Army survey issued in February 2007. It noted “a safety threat theaterwide created by the poor-quality electrical fixtures procured and installed, sometimes incorrectly, thus resulting in a significant number of fires.”

Things in Iraq and Afghanistan are treacherous enough for our soldiers when dealing with insurgents. The fact that our troops are literally being burned by a corporation that gets no-bid contracts and continually screws things up over there is a tragedy. The army did just fine in WWII without KBR, and we would be much better off without them now.

Netroots Nation Day 1

So we are a little bit into day two here in Austin, Texas and I can't wait to wake up for it. Day one was technically a half day, as I had landed at the airport just as Howard Dean gave his big voter registration drive speech outside. After being slightly confused in the airport by the Waterloo station store, I headed out into the hot, humid air and took the 50 cent bus downtown.

Once I got down to the convention center, things were already humming there and at the hotel across the street. After getting my credential and bag of goodies, I was off to check out the grounds (thankfully much smaller and more central to the city, unlike last year in Chicago) and meet people from last year and the newbies to the Yearly Kos convention.

Before I knew it was 5:30 and the authors mixer was underway and I found myself talking to some of my favorite personalities from both the blogosphere and/or the progressive literary world. At first I thought the sculpted trees of fruit were cool, but the people were far better. Then after a quick bite in the hotel, it was time to go back across to the convention center for the Keynote speakers, Wes Clark and Howard Dean (take 2). As expected, both men had the crowd of 2,000 on their feet and hands a clappin. Their introducers and the emcee of the evening were also top notch.

Then all of sudden it was 9:30 CDT and time to drop the laptop off. Browsing the famous 6th Street was phenomenal, I couldn't believe all there was to browse in terms of music and Texas outdoor 'theatre,' even if it was only a Thursday night. But that is where it ends, at least for the first day. I caught an early flight and left the house at 6:30 this morning, so time for some sleep to get ready for a full day number two.

Al Gore's Speech Goes Beyond The Moon

Al Gore Sounds A Lot Like JFK

As I was flying over from New York to Austin for Netroots Nation, I caught Al Gore on CNN (thanks to JetBlue) and he had a lot to say on this hot July day about climate change. More importantly though, he had something JFK-esque about the important issue and it was certainly inspirational to anyone that gives a damn about the health of our planet.

From The SF Gate:

Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace.

The Nobel Prize-winning former vice president said fellow Democrat Barack Obama and Republican rival John McCain are "way ahead" of most politicians in the fight against global climate change.

Rising fuel costs, climate change and the national security threats posed by U.S. dependence on foreign oil are conspiring to create "a new political environment" that Gore said will sustain bold and expensive steps to wean the nation off fossil fuels.

"I have never seen an opportunity for the country like the one that's emerging now," Gore told The Associated Press in an interview previewing a speech on global warming he was to deliver Thursday in Washington.

Of course he mentioned John McCain in there because the group he chairs is bi-partisan. The Alliance for Climate Protection transcends partisanship and works hard to make sure that we become good stewards of Earth. For far too long we have been incessantly polluting our little spot in space and it has to end before we pass a tipping point that is rapidly approaching. While Bush and the G8 patted themselves on the back for the pledge to reduce carbon outputs by half in 42 years, Al Gore wants the nation to rid itself of those chemicals by 2018.

As gas prices edge up towards $5 and higher, people can only do so much by conserving, but it takes a government that can boost private industry to quickly convert itself to a pollutant-free economy in a relatively short time. Going to the moon was great for the 1960s, but here in the 21st century, we must strive to be the very best, for ourselves and the atmosphere, hydrosphere and terrasphere that we all share.

Perino's Pathetic Attempt At Putting Distance Between Payne And Bush

Sometimes I feel bad for Dana Perino and the job she has...but then again, she decided to be George Bush's official spokes-liar. Day in and day out, there is always a new whopper she tries to press on the media and the American people. Yesterday's exchange was a beauty, as she attempted to make George Bush-confidant Stephen Payne into a passing acquaintance....too bad they've been friends for over twenty years.

From ThinkProgress:

In yesterday’s press conference, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino continued to downplay the long relationship between President Bush and his longtime fundraiser Stephen Payne, who was recently revealed to be selling access to Bush administration officials:

QUESTION: Does the President know Steve Payne?

PERINO: I think — yes, he believes that he would have met him before. I don’t think that he knows him all that well, but he has met him before. Certainly he’s been — Steve Payne has been somebody who’s been involved in Texas politics for a long time and been a supporter of the Republican Party. So he knows who he is.[…]

QUESTION: You don’t know if he could carry through on promises to help people get in touch with people at the White House?

PERINO: In terms of — look, I’m sure that he probably knows a lot of people throughout the administration, given his history. But it would be inappropriate to say that he could — for anybody to say that they could get anything done or any meeting done in exchange for a contribution to the library, or to the party, or anything else.

Bush’s “belief” that he’s met Payne before is well founded, as he and Payne have known each other for at least 20 years. A photo montage of the Payne’s long relationship with Bush and the White House can be seen here.

Perino can lie her ass off all day, but as a picture tells a thousand words, a montage like that above tells the truth.

Bill Moyers Takes A Close Look At The Mortgage Meltdown

Instead of pontificating on the mortgage crisis like some "journalists" do from their corporate offices, Bill Moyers show goes to the very heart of horrific situation and investigates on the ground:

Bruno Gets Sweet Pension

It must be nice to be Joe Bruno. Now that he is retiring from the New York State Senate he'll be receiving a sweet deal for his years of service to all of his large contributors and business partners constituents throughout the years. Even though he was making just under $80k (base salary), his pension will be a lot more....and he'll be working in the private sector for who knows how much money.

From The Gothamist:

State Senator Joseph Bruno, who will retire tomorrow from his decades of public service tomorrow, will receive $90,000-100,000 annually in pension. According to the NY Times, that's a step up from his base salary of $79,500/year (plus his retirement health benefits are pretty sweet, too). But Bruno won't be kicking back, telling reporters, "I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to go off and retire and just play with horses and golf." He says he'll work in the private sector, not for a non-profit.

Well yeah, why would he want to give anything back after spending decades enriching himself via his outside business ventures. That would just be very un-Joe Bruno. Of course, you never know, he may be forced to do community service at some point, whether it is outside or behind bars. Then again, I'm not holding my breath on that one.

Rep. Hasting Catches "White-washing" At Guantanamo

Whenever a Congressman, Senator or investigative agency heads down to Guantanamo Bay, they are looking for what most clear-thinking people assume is going on there. Yet when the big names go to inspect the jails, the prisoners and what they are eating, everything looks great. Prisoners are getting great health care, five-star dining and nothing looks like there could be torture going on...but there's a reason for it, and Rep. Alcee Hastings caught the prison officials red-handed.

From ThinkProgress:

Yesterday, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe held a hearing regarding the future of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. During the hearing, Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) recounted his experiences visiting the detention center. Hastings, who arrived at the facility “two hours early one day” during his visit, said he witnessed Guantanamo staffers “whitewashing the walls” in anticipation of the arrival of the other members of congress:

I know that they had washed it that day. Cleaned it up. And the prisoners were eating the best meal that they had gotten in a week. And I could go on and on and on and on. I even remember I got there — I did so deliberately — two hours early one day. And they were still whitewashing the walls and what have you.

Hastings said he “wasn’t impressed” by the “dog and pony show.”

The dog and pony show down in Cuba is emblematic of the entire Bush Administration. Not only does George Bush use smoke and mirrors to get the American people to believe him (or at least they used to) but the Congress and anyone else he and his Administration thinks needs a heavy sheet of wool to be pulled over their eyes. Everyone knows what goes on in that prison is not legit. Thank you Congressman Hastings for refusing to believe their BS...and for going the distance to uncover it first-hand.

Teacher In The Audience Owns McCain

Clearly, this anonymous (to the viewer) teacher decimated McCain at his latest public appearance:

WFP Supports Shelly Silver For Campaign Finance

Nearly every year, the New York State Assembly has generated some form of campaign finance reform, only to have it shot down in the State Senate. This year, with the persistent efforts of good government groups across the state the bill looked a little stronger than before. For this reason, the emblematic party of the uprising, the WFP, is supporting one of symbols of the Establishment, Sheldon Silver.

From The Daily Politics:

The Campaign Finance Reform Act passed the Democrat-dominated Assembly, but not the GOP-controlled Senate. The WFP is trying to drum up support with an on-line petition, noting that if the Senate Democrats take control this fall, the bill "has a good chance of being passed in both houses."

The e-mail, signed by WFP Co-Chairs Bertha Lewis, Sam Williams and Dan Master, as well as Executive Director Dan Cantor, explains how it works:

"The PFE bill passed by the Assembly does two things. It lowers how much a wealthy individual can give (from $3,800 to $2,000). Equally important, it makes low-dollar contributions (the kind powering Barack Obama's campaign) more valuable by matching up to $250 at a rate of $4 for every $1 raised - if a candidate can demonstrate geniune support in their community. Write a $30 check, the candidate gets an additional $120. It means that you don't need a rolodex full of wealthy contacts to serve in public office."

"It would make sure the real power behind political campaigns in New York is the grassroots power of ordinary people, not big corporations or the real estate industry."

"It would mean politicians would be able to spend their time legislating instead of fundraising."

Um, yeah, sure it would. Don't get me wrong, the bill is a step in the right direction, but anything Shelly does will not loosen the grip on how he controls the Assembly. I just finished the chapter in David Sirota's latest book concerning the WFP and I am all for getting the ends accomplished even if that makes the means a little uncomfortable. So perhaps that is why they are supporting this stalwart of change.

Still, the statement about politicians being able to legislate instead of fund-raising is a hard one to swallow. If we had a true clean elections bill and enact a system comparable to Maine and Arizona that would be another thing, but as for NY circa 2008, I'd pick Newell or Henry over Shelly if I lived in the district. I'll certainly be doing my part to help them regardless.

Fox News Analyst Infers Ben Franklin Was Un-American

When I think of Benjamin Franklin, the first thing that comes to mind is a man that hails from the age of reason and is an example of the very best of that time in our history. Battling religious zealots like Jonathan Edwards (of the early 18th century) with the power of his mind, industriousness and of course a spirit of public service... he knew that when one man and one society works for the common good, everyone does better. Benjamin Franklin is an American hero and a true patriot, not just an inventor, scientist and one that has his mug on the $100 bill.

Well Jonathan Hoenig of Fox Business Channel may love those $100 bills, he is certainly not a fan of Benjamin Franklin. In fact, he inferred that this founding father is un-American...and even tried to spin a quote of Thomas Jefferson to do it.

From RawStory:

Hoenig, a managing partner of the hedge fund Capitalistpig Asset Management LLC and the author of Greed is Good, given a platform on the Murdoch-owned channel Monday, considers it a terrible idea.

"It was Thomas Jefferson who once said that public service and private misery are inseparably linked," Hoenig told the hosts of Fox & Friends, referring to a letter in which Jefferson expressed a concern near the end of the Revolutionary War that 13 years of public service had left his private affairs in "great disorder."

"There is a belief now," Hoenig went on, "that individuals, especially young people, should essentially ... 'devote themselves' to something greater than themselves -- sacrifice their own wants, their own interests, to serve the common good, whatever they happen to believe it is at the time. To me, that's very un-American."

Hoenig thinks that as long as we work for ourselves and only for that purpose. He even claimed that soldiers go into battle to selfishly kill militant Islamists. This guy isn't only a winger, but a delusional, self-absorbed egomaniac. He makes his money off the backs of hard working Americans and nothing more.

Is The Media Finally Getting Sick Of McCain?

McCain has become more of a recluse with the media lately, perhaps it explains this tenuous exchange between his media people and a reporter in St. Louis:

McCain Backpedals On Homophobia And Adoption

John McCain has literally flipped his position dozens of times on a whole host of issues...and he isn't going to fail us this week. Two days ago McCain emphatically stated that only a man and a woman can adopt and raise a child. It was a classic GOP maneuver that throws red meat to the rabid base while insulting tens of thousands of people simultaneously who have a lifestyle that McCain does not approve of. However, a lot of people found this to be insulting, so what did McCain do?

From Yahoo News:

On Tuesday, as criticism of McCain's comments spread, his campaign elaborated on the candidate's views.

"John McCain could have been clearer in the interview in stating that his position on gay adoption is that it is a state issue. ... He was not endorsing any federal legislation," a campaign statement said.

"Sen. McCain's expressed his personal preference for children to be raised by a mother and a father wherever possible," the statement added. "However, as an adoptive father himself, McCain believes children deserve loving and caring home environments, and he recognizes that there are many abandoned children who have yet to find homes. John McCain believes that in those situations that caring parental figures are better for the child than the alternative."

So it wasn't a complete flip-flop, but definitely a major backpedaling effort to calm down the outrage of those that were offended. The statement though is hardly believable because you never know what will come out of his mouth next. Two days ago he sounded solid in his homophobia, today he gave some ground. Of course, this display of compassion should fool no one, it only raises the "pandering candidate" alert.

FL Republican Uses Burning Twin Towers For Partisan And Monetary Gain

Nearly everyone who remembers the images of the burning towers, whether live and in person here in New York or on their television sets around the globe was shocked and saddened by what they saw. It was a moment in American history where people forgot their partisan differences and came together as a nation. Unfortunately as time went on it divided us on what to do about terrorism, whether to bully the world or hunt and prosecute those that would do us harm. Although I disagree with those that want to bully, I would never use the images of the burning towers to make an argument against Republicans, but that is exactly what one Republican is doing to Democrats....and he's making a profit from it too.

From WFTV:

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A controversial billboard in Orange County has a picture of the burning World Trade Center and the message, "Please Don't Vote for a Democrat." The man who paid for the ad says he's trying to help Republicans, but officials with both political parties are calling the billboard inappropriate. There are billboards up and down busy Orange Blossom Trail, but this at John Young Parkway (see map) one sticks out. "Just looking at it, I'm not thinking about Democrat or Republican, I'm thinking about the twin towers and all the people killed," resident Mary Anderson told Eyewitness News. The ad went up last week and is causing quite a reaction."Why use the twin towers for that purpose?" Anderson questioned. The man behind the billboard is Mike Meehan, a St. Cloud businessman and musician. His website advertises a CD and music video titled "The Republican Song," with the chorus, "Don't vote for a Democrat." He's selling CDs for $5.

Just when I think that the partisan debate can't go any lower, some Republican somewhere will remind me that there is no limit on what will be done, no matter how grotesque.

Boehner Claims No Animals In ANWR As He Shares A Screen With Them

The quality of this YouTube isn't of the highest resolution but you can clearly see House Minority Leader John Boehner dismissively talk about how it is unlikely there are any animals in the controversial ANWR area. I don't know if a CNN staffer put the B-roll on of ANWR animals as a joke, but it made Boehner look incredibly stupid as he talked (not that he needs background images to do that in any case).

Does McCain Still Think His Joke About Rape Is Funny?

Actually John McCain has no recollection of the joke he told back in 1986, but of course he can hardly remember what he said yesterday so that isn't saying much. Back then, Senatorial candidate made a joke that he thought everyone would burst out laughing over and the Tucson Citizen still remembers it to this very day.

From Rum, Romanism and Rebellion:

In Arizona, we’ve seen a pattern of this sort of humor. Long time Arizonenses remember the “seizure world” comment that poked fun at the elderly, ironic now that he’s the oldest candidate for president (I guess it was inevitable that it would become ironic). I managed to dig up this gem from his 1986 race for US Senate, as quoted in the Tucson Citizen:

Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, ‘Where is that marvelous ape?’

I find rape jokes are always a sign of class, don’t you?

At the time, McCain’s spokesperson (Torrie Clark, yes, that one) alleged that this was story was some manipulation by the Richard Kimball campaign. Yep, it’s always the other guy’s fault. I wonder if the reporter on that story, Norma Coile, was treated to the screaming phone call that McCain has treated so many local reporters to when they dare write a negative story about him.

UPDATE - Because you demanded it, here is a PDF of the original article from 1986.

Of course, McCain was only in his early 50s when he said this, so maybe it was just a sign of youthful indiscretion. Then again, I am in my late 20s and find this absolutely disgusting, tasteless and a sign of a man with not an ounce of his class in his entire body. How anyone can consider him a "presidential" candidate is beyond me.

GOP Reject Now Carrying Their Banner In Staten Island

Just as Charlie Cook keeps uprating the Democratic party's chances in NY-13, the Republicans of Staten Island play along and make the prospects of flipping the district that much stronger. The Republican machine (if you can call it that) has decided to go against Independence Party pick Carmine Morano for ex-Assemblyman Robert Straniere. Straniere was defeated a few years back in a re-election bid in his South Shore area. Now this isn't all said and done, that would be too simple. It appears that many Republicans, including James Molinari are not too happy about Straniere's endorsement.

From The Staten Island Advance:

Straniere was tabbed by a five-member GOP committee on vacancies last night to replace the late Frank Powers as the party designee for the bi-borough seat. Straniere is now set to battle Dr. Jamshad Wyne, the GOP finance chairman, in a Sept. 9 party primary.

The vote was 4-1 in Straniere's favor, with only Joseph Borelli, chief of staff to South Shore City Councilman Vincent Ignizio, casting a vote against Straniere.

Ignizio defeated Straniere in a 2004 GOP Assembly primary, ending Straniere's 24-year career in the Legislature, and last night said that he "will not be supporting Bob Straniere for Congress."

So to beg the question, why is there so much hostility in SI Republican-land, especially with the limited pool of talent that the party has down there? Well, as Molinari points out ominously:

Two words that strike me: Ethics and morality," said Molinari. "There have been so many questions raised about ethics in government over the last few months, the last thing we could have expected is to see someone put up for office with serious ethical concerns. That's mystifying."

Ouch!

I'm going to take a wild guess and say this has nothing to do with hot dogs and everything to do with his time in the Assembly. Of course this could also be a way for Republicans like Molinari and Ignizio to play down expectations of holding onto the seat following Fossella's shameful departure.

AFL-CIO Hits McCain For His Senate Record

It really is simple to go after McCain. All you need is some cash (like the unions have) to put a spot on the air that focuses on McCain's record and that does all the work for you:

Bush Tries To Blame Dems For Gas Prices, Fails Miserably

George Bush stepped up to a press conference today to talk about pressing issues, but his aides forgot to wipe off the Kool-aid stains around his mouth, for he had been drinking it heavily before this event. The pResident blamed the Democratic Congress for not giving away more of our nation's coastline to the oil companies, despite admitting that it wouldn't do any good except to " reverse the psychology" problem we have (what is up with all the psycho-babble talk coming from the Republicans these days?).

From RawStory:

"It's time for members of Congress to address the pain that high gas prices are causing our citizens," the president said. "Every extra dollar that American families spend because of high gas prices is one less dollar they can use to put food on the table or send a child to college. The American people deserve better."

Bush acknowledged it could take years before opening the Continental Shelf to oil drilling would result in increased U.S. production. But, he said, at least it would put the nation on the right track toward reducing its reliance on imported oil.

"There is no short term solution," Bush said. "The president doesn't have a magic wand. You can't just say, 'Low gas."

Well he could open the strategic reserve for starters, but that wouldn't be good for the swelling profit margins of his friends in Big Oil. The problem isn't so much finding supplies close to home, but forcing a change in what our energy sources are. The President could have led the nation towards a path of energy independence, but he chose not to time and time again. Appeasing the Saudis and invading Iraq are his way of trying to get more petroleum-based energy.

What the Democratic majority should do is move the debate to alternate energy and promote a bill that takes advantage of the renewable resources we have here at home. Wind and solar power can take care of our needs if we help companies to build the solar panels and wind turbines at a pace that can sustain us in a short period of time. Not only are gas prices skyrocketing (yes, it is this bad) but global warming is getting worse by the moment. By cutting the President off and looking ahead to the future of renewable energy, gas prices and the health of our planet get taken care of. Now if only Reid and Pelosi had the common sense to do it....

Luke Henry Wants A Debate With Shelly

From Luke Henry's website:

New York, New York (July 15, 2008)—Assembly candidate Luke Henry today calls upon his opponents to join him in three debates between now and election day on the issues facing Lower Manhattan.

"For 22 years, Sheldon Silver has been able to coast to re-election without a primary challenge," said Luke Henry. "This year, his constituents have the opportunity to hold him accountable and force him to make a case for his re-election. Over his lengthy tenure, Silver has presided over the erosion of affordable housing in his district, blocked efforts to address the public health crisis created by traffic congestion, and failed to secure essential reform in order to combat legislative dysfunction in Albany. I challenge him to defend his record in open debate."

Speaker Silver elected not to attend a May 18 forum hosted by the progressive organization Democracy for New York City. Henry had written to the incumbent in April encouraging him to attend that forum. "Downtown New Yorkers have a right to know where the candidates stand on the issues most important to them. I sincerely hope that Speaker Silver will accept my invitation to debate in order to give the voters all the information they need to decide who will best represent them in Albany," Henry said today. The May DFNYC debate did give the public an opportunity to compare Luke Henry's message with that of Paul Newell, who is also challenging Sheldon Silver. After evaluating the two challengers, DFNYC endorsed Luke Henry by a two-to-one margin.

Henry filed over 3,000 petition signatures last week—over six times the required number of 500—and his campaign is confident it can easily withstand any challenges and will appear on the primary ballot on Sept. 9.

For more information, please contact Kate Tomassi at (646) 408-4452, press@lukehenry.org.

Hmm, well it is a powerful statement, especially with the backing of his 3,000+ signature count and Newell's count also speaks volumes about how the two challengers are charged up and have active grassroots support that show Silver better do something to hold on to his seat.

However, this is Sheldon Silver we are talking about. He has thrown many bones to his constituents in AD-64 and they can be pretty meaty, especially since he is Speaker of the House and one of "three men in a room" up there in Albany.

My take on this? One of Sheldon's aides will show the press release to him, he'll chuckle and then take comfort in the fact that there are two challengers that will split the anti-Silver vote. As long as Newell and Henry are both fighting him, there is a slim to none chance that Shelly will lose his seat this year. It may hurt him down the road, but as for 2008, he is good to go.

The "Interrogation" Of 15 Yr Old Omar Khadr

This is what your government does in your name:



This was five years ago, imagine what they've done down there since.

McCain Doesn't Believe Gays Can Be Parents

John McCain has a lot of nerve to espouse his extremist opinions on gays and their ability to be parents. Despite leaving his wife and three children to be with another woman (seeing her for nearly a year before getting divorced) he thinks he can claim the moral high ground because two people want to love each other that just so happen to be of the same sex. This bond, the creation of a loving home is what is essential to raise a child, not the sex of the parent. John McCain, in the most blunt of terms, disagrees and wants to deny this right to the GLBT community.

From ThinkProgress:

In a revealing interview with the New York Times, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — an adoptive parent himself — declared that he opposed the right of gay couples to adopt children, even if it meant leaving children in orphanages:

Q: President Bush believes that gay couples should not be permitted to adopt children. Do you agree with that?

Mr. McCain: I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.

Q: Even if the alternative is the kid staying in an orphanage, or not having parents.

Mr. McCain: I encourage adoption and I encourage the opportunities for people to adopt children I encourage the process being less complicated so they can adopt as quickly as possible. And Cindy and I are proud of being adoptive parents.

Q: But your concern would be that the couple should a traditional couple —

Mr. McCain: Yes.

As ThinkProgress also notes, the ban would take 65,000 children out of their adopted homes and cost the government $87 to $130 million in order to take care of those kids. Not only is McCain's view heartless (and shameful considering he's an adoptive father), it makes bad economic sense as well. Jeez, I guess this would be compassionate conservatism at it's best...er, worst.

Rangel Decides To Do The Right (Legal) Thing

After the NY Times broke the story last week that Congressman Rangel has four rent stabilized apartments in one building he responded with all the bluster worthy of a small child in a temper tantrum. The only problem with that and some of his friends' comments defending him was that one of those four apartments was undeniably illegal. With a few days to cool down, and a stern talking-to (most likely) by his lawyer, Rangel is doing the legal thing and getting rid of his campaign office/apartment.

From The NY Times:

In a fiery news conference on Friday, Mr. Rangel said he saw nothing improper with having three rent-stabilized apartments — all adjacent on the 16th floor — for his family’s residence, but said he would review the propriety of using the fourth apartment as an office.

Mr. Rangel’s spokesman said the congressman would not discuss details of his decision.

“Mr. Rangel has indicated that he is not willing to say any more,” the spokesman, Emile Milne, said.

The congressman’s announcement that he will move his campaign office came as he faced widespread criticism from tenant advocates who said it was improper for an elected official to accept multiple rent-stabilized apartments when the city is facing a shortage of moderately priced housing.

On Monday, the National Legal and Policy Center, a watchdog group in Washington, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, charging that the discounted rent was in essence an illegal corporate contribution from the Olnick Organization, which owns Lenox Terrace, on 135th Street near Lenox Avenue.

The FEC complaint must have been the shot across the bow for Rangel. Of course, this isn't really a case of him doing the right thing with the city's shortage of rent-controlled apartments, just the correct measure to avoid the glare of the FEC. As long as he keeps the three apartments he may be within the law, but Rangel is still ethically-challenged, despite all the good work he has done for Harlem and our country throughout his career.

Waiting On McCain

This short video takes a look at some of thoughts of McCain supporters before seeing him in Hudson, WI. Many that were interviewed are unaware of problems in our country that directly affect them, such as equal pay for women. Perhaps that isn't a concern that women make 70 cents on the dollar to them and that McCain opposes a law requiring equal pay. Thankfully it is to most women around the country and is one of the many reasons women overwhelmingly support Barack Obama.



Oh and I love at the end of this how things aren't peachy perfect over in McCain land.

McCain Still Hasn't Heard The News About Czechoslovakia

McCain think his biggest asset is national security and international affairs, but if he's so good, how come he doesn't know recent geopolitical history. This may be breaking news to Johnny boy, but Czechoslovakia split into two countries as a result of the Velvet Revolution, formally announcing the separate Czech and Slovakia in April of 1990. Now I know this was only 18 years ago, but come on Senator, time to get these simple facts straight.

From ThinkProgress:

During a press availability today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that he’s been concerned by “a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several day,” including “reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.” But, as TPM’s Greg Sargent points out, Czechoslovakia hasn’t existed in 15 years. This isn’t the first time McCain has made this mistake. At a debate in Oct. 2007, McCain said that America needs to “have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland.”

So this isn't even the first time he's gotten it wrong. McCain has been corrected repeatedly on his geography and yet he still doesn't get it. Is he a slow learner? Not even listening when people talk to him about things he doesn't know? If he can't even consume little tidbits of geographical information (it is important to know where people are and where they come from) then how does anyone expect him to use reason and rationalization as a President dealing with world crises?

One Million Terrorists Served

McDonalds may have served tens or hundreds of billions but now the morons freedom fighters at the Department for Homeland InSecurity can claim an impressive feat, one million people.....placed on the terrorist watch list. Yep, thats right, one million people are out there, trying to cause the United States harm. Vicious criminals like Cat Stevens and (until recently) Nelson Mandela can not cross our borders without us knowing about it and being apprehended. So lets all give a big hand to the efforts of the Bush Administration.

From the ACLU:

"Members of Congress, nuns, war heroes and other 'suspicious characters,' with names like Robert Johnson and Gary Smith, have become trapped in the Kafkaesque clutches of this list, with little hope of escape," said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "Congress needs to fix it, the Terrorist Screening Center needs to fix it, or the next president needs to fix it, but it has to be done soon."

Fredrickson and Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's Technology and Liberty Program, spoke today along with two victims of the watch list: Jim Robinson, former assistant attorney general for the Civil Division who flies frequently and is often delayed for hours despite possessing a governmental security clearance and Akif Rahman, an American citizen who has been detained and interrogated extensively at the U.S.-Canada border when traveling for business.

"America's new million record watch list is a perfect symbol for what's wrong with this administration's approach to security: it's unfair, out-of-control, a waste of resources, treats the rights of the innocent as an afterthought, and is a very real impediment in the lives of millions of travelers in this country," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU Technology and Liberty Program. "It must be fixed without delay."

"Putting a million names on a watch list is a guarantee that the list will do more harm than good by interfering with the travel of innocent people and wasting huge amounts of our limited security resources on bureaucratic wheel-spinning," said Steinhardt. "I doubt this thing would even be effective at catching a real terrorist."

For many conservatives, the public's enemy #1, wants to change this. They want such ghastly, anti-American changes like due process, constant updates on the system to take those proven innocent off the list and better criteria when adding people to the list. I know, I know, people with the name "Robert Johnson" are obviously America-hating terrorist, so we should just leave the government alone to continue their wasteful, er, patriotic way of protecting us. Yeah, um, thats the ticket. Damn that ACLU for exercising common sense, why do they hate George Bush so much?

Responding To Payne Video, Dana Perino Claims Ignorance

In Washington, money is power and power is money and no one exemplifies that more than the Bush Administration. When the Times of London released video footage of lobbyist and former Bush campaigner Stephen Payne offering access to the Administration in exchange for donations for the Bush library in the two to three hundred thousand dollar range, it sent the Bushies into defensive...or shall I say 'ignorant' positions.

1 In 4 New Yorkers Live In Poverty

After McCain's financial advisor Phil Gramm (who has since been demoted) stood behind his initial remarks that we are a nation of whiners and that the economy is just peachy, we find even more whining in the press, this time originating from the City of New York. NYC is the financial capitol of our country and one of the leading international cities in terms of culture and wealth, yet one in four New Yorkers now live in poverty.

From The Gothamist:

Yesterday, weather apparently prevented Mayor Bloomberg from giving a speech at the NAACP convention in Cleveland yesterday, but, in his place, Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs said the city found 23% of NYC residents are living in poverty, above the 19% the U.S. Census Bureau found.

The city's numbers are higher because the Bloomberg administration opted to use a different measure taking into account NYC's high living expenses. For instance, the federal formula doesn't include things like housing, child care, and clothing in its calculations. The federal formula uses $20,444 for a family of four as the cut-off, while the city's formula uses $25,138 for a family of four. The city will use its findings to "recalculate the distribution of certain city benefits"

Bloomberg's prepared text had him remarking, "So in Washington, while there's a never-ending debate about how to confront poverty, there is hardly any clarity on who is actually poor. I spent most of my career in the private sector, and I'm a big believer in the saying, 'If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." The city wants to share its model with other cities in order to spur changes in how poverty is measured.

Of course, as his policies have shown, Bloomberg has never really been a big fan of helping out the poor. Cutting programs for the poor (although not to the degree that his predecessor undertook) has come as a priority in order to spur the gentrification in the city that Bloomberg so desires. To his credit though, at least he is beginning to show that the official poverty line the census bureau uses is bogus. Other than that, this is further proof that many of our leaders have turned a blind eye to the fiscal problems of not only New York, but the nation as a whole....no matter if those that have profited off of our collective misery call it "mental delusion."

George Bush Flip-Flops On Golf For McCain

Aww, poor George, He's been so good with abstaining from golf for the troops and now he's gonna rebreak the streak. His tireless sacrifice for our brave soldiers overseas is coming to an end for a purpose though. What's that purpose you ask? Well to keep our troops in Iraq for a hundred years or more!

From ThinkProgress:

The DC Examiner reports that next Monday, Bush’s parents will be hosting a high-dollar golfing fundraiser for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) near their home in Kennebunkport, ME:

According to a solicitation sent by the McCain camp, for the low, low price of $5,000, you can play a round of golf at Cape Arundel Golf Course, Bush’s home course.

“Both President Bush and Governor Jeb Bush will be stopping by to greet the foursomes,” the missive promises. “The course is reserved for this private group, and VIPs will be visiting during your round of golf. This event is a great way to end a weekend getaway, and we would be honored if you can attend.”

It’s unclear what Bush will do while everyone else is ignoring the war and golfing. Perhaps he’ll ride around in golf carts or simply make swinging motions with his arms.

Nah, I think he'll be golfing right alongside those that can afford a $5,000 for a round on the greens. Now that his knee has healed for the most part since he injured it (at the same time he "gave up" golfing) he should be raring and ready to break out the clubs for John "McSame" McCain.

Jesus For President?

They may not respect the establishment clause, but at least this is better than the hypocritical religious right:



Of course, Jesus would probably despise politics, but what the hell do I know?

George Bush Is Guilty Of War Crimes

Yes that is correct, George Bush was found guilty of war crimes. Unfortunately it was determined by the Red Cross and not the Hague, Congress or any facet of our justice system that could physically detain him. If only the Red Cross had the power to do that, how much better the world would be. Nevertheless, it is the first time a major, well-respected world body has done this and has hard evidence to back it up.

From RawStory:

The Red Cross determined the culpability of the Bush administration after interviewing prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, according to the article.

Prisoner Abu Zubaydahwho said he had been waterboarded, "slammed against the walls" and confined in boxes "so small he said he had to double up his limbs in the fetal position."

The information comes from a new book written by Jane Meyer, who has frequently published articles concerning counter-terrorism in The New Yorker.

The book is titled "The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals," and will be released next week.

Mayer cited "sources familiar with the report" to explain the confidential document as a warning "that the abuse constituted war crimes, placing the highest officials in the U.S. government in jeopardy of being prosecuted."

So we have damning proof that George Bush is a war criminal, yet he remains free to destroy the planet as he pleases. Our democracy is truly falling apart before our eyes, and all Congress does is drag it's feet and stall when a few brave souls speak out and try to act for the sake of us all. Not only will George Bush's name go down in infamy (that happened a long time ago) but those in the legislative branch that enabled his nefarious ways.

When Will Lieberman Get The Boot?

Although I despise his politics, when Robert Novak gets a tip from the inside, chances are it is good information. His latest tidbit hit comes from inside the Democratic caucus in the Senate and it is good news for both parties....sort of.

From Real Clear Politics:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Despite assurances to the contrary from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democratic insiders are certain Sen. Joseph Lieberman next year will be kicked out of the party's caucus and lose his Senate chairmanship if he addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., as planned.

Lieberman's Democratic colleagues willing to accept his support of Sen. John McCain for president consider speaking to the GOP convention as the last straw. Lieberman was re-elected from Connecticut as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic nomination because of his support for the Iraq war.

After his 2006 election, the Senate Democratic leadership agreed to give Lieberman the Homeland Security Committee chairmanship if he provided the decisive vote to make the Democrats a 51 to 49 Senate majority. However, with additional Democratic senators likely to be elected this year, that agreement is expected to be null and void in the new Congress.

So it definitely won't be during the 110th Congress, that is political common sense. Yet the Democratic caucus has grown increasingly wary and annoyed by Lieberman, and for so many good reasons. It has been all downhill for Joe since he was the Vice-Presidential nominee, in large part to his hawkish stance with the GWOT ^TM. Slowly but surely, he has come to resemble a Republican and now he is endorsing one that goes against his (presumed) social and domestic principles. Well we in the Democratic Party will have none of that, so good riddance Joe, enjoy life on the GOP side...with no chairman positions or power of any kind.

At 3AM, Who Will Read John McCain's Emails?

Twenty years ago if a President was computer illiterate that would be understandable, but this is 2008 and we need someone who can get online and adapt to the technologies of the 21st century.

What Was The New Yorker Thinking?

As someone that has been in the world for a few years or so, I've learned what satire is. The more you read the news, the easier it gets to look at satirical pieces and know what they are. So I knew that the New Yorker cover coming out on stands today was meant to be in jest. The only problem is that doing satire on a national level is kind of like shuffleboard. You gotta slide the disk with just enough force to put it in the 10 spot. If you push too hard, it ends up at the back of the board and you get a zero, or worse, end up in negative territory. That is exactly what this cover did.

From Editor and Publisher:

If it was meant to be provocative -- it succeeded. The cover of this week's New Yorker features Baack Obama in Muslim garb, with his gun-toting Afro-ed wife, an American flag burning in the fireplace. It has already drawn laughs -- while being denounced by the Obama campaign, and by John McCain, and many Obama supporters. The artists says it was merely meant to make fun of rightwing depictions of Obama and his wife. Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement: “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree."

So do I.

I get it that the right wing is ridiculously tasteless and racist for hitting Obama in the way the cartoonist satirized it all. The only problem is it went way too far. On top of that, it gave the McCain campaign a chance to denounce it as well, even though they are in favor (and indirectly use) against Barack Obama.

The insane thing about it is that the article inside is a good piece about the campaign, it is just the cover that ruins it all.