We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
One of the richest, and perhaps most under-appreciated, areas of thought come in the form of comments attached to these diaries.
Here at Top Comments we strive to recognize and promote the talent of this community by highlighting outstanding comments found throughout the day by the diarist, and through nominations at made at topcomments at gmail dot com by your fellow Kossacks.
These nominations are subjective, and certainly not complete (as no one can read the complete site on a daily basis!). But hopefully they will serve to shine a light where deserved, and to give the reader a good starting point in finding conversation on the site.
Please come in and make yourself at home! Join us beneath the fold...
I'm experiencing some serious electoral overload. Reached a saturation point about mid-day. I would love to go to sleep tonight and awake early on Election Day, fully-rested and ready for my 16-hour (or more) shift as an election worker.
Got a few things on my mind. As Rachel says, talk me down from any or all of the following...
My 2016 (? 2012 ?) prediction: Tim Kaine vs. Sarah Palin. Kaine was on Fox news this AM and did a decent job for Obama but more importantly, reminded us that we still have lots of work to do in Virginia. But why Fox? Well, for all his Democratic tendencies, Kaine's very driven to show his moderate credentials. His big problem: If Obama wins next week and again in 2012, Kaine will be long off the radar since he can't run for a second term as VA governor. Hope that we'll be able to say the same of Sarah Palin - heh!
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Shades of Ross Perot? It's time to ask: how many votes will Bob Barr get? Saw him today saying 'McCain can't win, so why waste your vote on him. Vote for me.' I've heard several conservative types say that they can't vote for McCain OR Obama - is it possible that Bob Barr's Libertarian Party could break the 5% threshold for a third party?
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Sarah Palin's retail fashion disaster has to be Cindy McCain's fault. Think about it - Cindy reached out to her personal buyers at Saks and Neiman-Marcus. The buyers showed up, trunks in tow, and said, 'Keep what you want, here's an itemized bill.' Methinks some nonthinking aide passed these invoices along unedited.
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Did anyone else see CNN's Late Edition today? Debbie Wasserman-Schulz should refuse to appear again on CNN with Heather Wilson (R-Tool). I've now seen them sharing the split-screen at least three times - smug, ugly Wilson will not allow Debbie to finish a sentence, much less a paragraph. (Wilson reminds me of a local Repub official I know who also hasn't changed her hair style in forty years.) Wasserman-Schulz should tell CNN no more rude, sneering Wilson.
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Before we step off into the last week of this election, here are a few important reads:
Best explanation yet:
Wall Street Hustlers Built a $100 Trillion House of Cards and Stuck You with the Fallout By Joshua Holland at AlterNet.
India Shopping for Coal Mines in Appalachia By Tom Zeller Jr. "Mountaintop coal mining in Virginia. Appalachia looks good to India."
Poll: Americans oppose mountaintop removal by a wide margin, according to the first nationwide poll on the issue to be made public.
By Ken Ward Jr., Charleston (WV) Gazette.
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On To Top Comments!
From Irish Patti:
To whomever has to control the nasty html beasties for the next top comments diary, from this diary (O'Reilly: McCain leading Obama in electoral college race... by Moo Means Hello), this comment: Another symbol of Obama unity... by Addison).
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From Eddie C:
Sor Reo finds a new base with Only cockroaches are rooting for McCain.
A very good punch line from gchaucer2 in Uh, Sarah thinks Obama.
rjmac captures present day television media with Station management just doesn't care.
Wendy in FL offers Democratic enthusiasm with My funny story being the "experienced" canvasser.
While movie buff has a photo of Republican enthusiasm in No, that was YESTERDAY'S rally
Uncle Moji has a good explanation why with Because our nation faces challenges we have not
And CHEERS to Mehitabel9 for I just wish this thing was over.
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From sardonyx:
In winterbanyan's diary I shouldn't diary this: Moments of Magic, NCrissieB takes up the diary's thesis of calm in this election and makes more magic.
In a similar vein but different diary, Uncle Moji comments about the huge crowds Obama is drawing and why.
bitter fruit has an excellent explanation of planned votes on two of California's ballot propositions.
Dallasdoc notes that better days are coming.
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From Patch Adam:
desertguy makes a great comment about the Economist's electoral college being a sweep for Obama.
However, it's what the daughter of goheelsgodems offers in reply to those numbers that really drives the broom.
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From noweasels:
This poignant comment from Enterik in Meteor Blades' exquisite and heartbreaking front-page post on poverty is a must-read about rural voters.
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My own picks!
Just because he's about to quit doing this regular Sunday diary and deserves the mojo: Tonight's resource by pastordan
Hey! Save me a place beside you on the parade route: Inauguration day by gchaucer2
Brilliant! "The role of government is to intervene when by Kevvboy
Just in case you missed McCain's latest tongue-slip: In terms of liberal by Kevvboy
Bwah-ha-ha! and then made him look like an ass by JR
On ideology: I agree, but the realization it's not ideology vs by The Wonder Moron
Great title, greater comment! Grassroots vs. Crabgrassroots (sorry for length) by Superskepticalman
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TOP MOJO! Thanks to brillig!
Top 30 Comments excluding search-identifiable tip jars and first comments:
- DANG. by Mordecai - 218
- Am I the only one who sees this TV station call by second gen - 183
- I think that's 10% of Albuquerque by Hope Reborn - 174
- Yaay!! by nother lurker - 168
- i hate how the MSM tries to make this by robertacker13 - 142
- After the last 8 years? by middleagedhousewife - 134
- Dirtiest Election EVER by Walt starr - 130
- Obama Campaign...PLEASE do THIS... by Aynsley - 130
- This is an announcement! by such sweet thunder - 126
- Yeah, but according to freepers, by Olds88 - 112
- that last time for me was Aug. 8, 1974 by Statusquomustgo - 112
- plus early voting in FL seems close with Obama up by HEAT - 108
- I think I was behind you!! by dmb0857 - 97
- We can use... by notrouble - 97
- No, the wheels have not "just" by anastasia p - 96
- Yes, by gchaucer2 - 96
- Biden's best performance by ssmt - 95
- No, that was YESTERDAY'S rally by movie buff - 93
- Poor Frum -- he still doesn't get it by Dallasdoc - 92
- Wait, let me read that again... by Aqualad08 - 91
- I took my dad to lunch today (our usual by left my heart - 89
- great diary by Buffalo Girl - 87
- I hope Granny Doc reads this by TX Freethinker - 87
- Awesome!! by LiberalFreak - 84
- 10s of thousands for Obama in Ft Collins by pointsoflight - 84
- And at the end by powwow500 - 83
- Another symbol of Obama unity... by Addison - 82
- well she was murdered. by MadAsHellMaddie - 82
- You can't Photoshop that much hope. by BA BarackUS - 82
- Are they aware Michelle Obama's cousin is by robertacker13 - 81
Top 30 comments with no exclusions:
- I'm Not Even Sure What A Tip Jar is.. by Sirenus - 862
- Denver ROCKS!!! by icebergslim - 812
- tips by Nuisance Industry - 683
- Tips and Cheers by kubla000 - 676
- Tip Jar by Steven R - 608
- Tips for Aunt Patsy n/t by lollydee - 586
- Tip Jar and Recs by Hope Reborn - 531
- t/j with a pot full of morning Joe! by Patch Adam - 524
- tip jar here!!! by slinkerwink - 456
- Tips for yet another endorsement for our side by Deoliver47 - 377
- Schadenfreude... by mayan - 308
- Tips by slatsg - 303
- Nice diary! by malibu1964 - 252
- tips by hekebolos - 231
- DANG. by Mordecai - 219
- Wow, great catch! by robertacker13 - 197
- Here's the shot of the Denver crowd :) by Canuckoo - 187
- If 82 Kossacks each contribute $10, today is the by hungrycoyote - 186
- Am I the only one who sees this TV station call by second gen - 183
- Tips for downticket races all to Dems by jjmn - 178
- I think that's 10% of Albuquerque by Hope Reborn - 174
- speechless n/t by andrewj54 - 172
- Yaay!! by nother lurker - 168
- Tips for some Palin tonic! n/t by Bob Sackamento - 166
- Tips for laughs by Moo Means Hello - 147
- i hate how the MSM tries to make this by robertacker13 - 142
- In memory of by monkeybiz - 134
- After the last 8 years? by middleagedhousewife - 134
- Obama Campaign...PLEASE do THIS... by Aynsley - 134
- Dirtiest Election EVER by Walt starr - 130
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Always the mountains,
va dare