You see so much right-wing garbage and filth circulating on the Internet about Obama that it's refreshing to see something that not only bashes John McCain but does it truthfully, with full documentation. If you've been fuming about McCain concealing his bitterly anti-woman political views, I think this e-mail I've just seen might be the weapon you need:

Well, I hit a dry spell there, folks, and I haven't had any new verses to share wit youse all (to use Chicago-style idiom), but I'm trying to get back in the game. I would also LOVE to read your stuff as well, and/or see any of your ORIGINAL art work, if you have it. I need a break from politics once in a while, or it'll drive me over the edge. So let's eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we canvass!

It's 1:30 in Kauai, an island of beauty like none other. It's 4:30 in wonderful Oregon, 5:30 in dynamic Denver, 6:30 in steaming Illinois, and 7:30 in Ekaterin's home town.

Have a great evening, my treasured Kossack friends!

Dear and faithful Kossacks, lend me a hand! These are the times that try men's (and women's) souls!  My Obama contributions page (here) needs your help, especially since it's 31 July. I don't expect something for nothing, so (as Ross Perot used to say), here's the deal. If you contribute to my page (here) I will be an anti-McCain VIRAL EMAIL GOD! Here's my offer in detail.

I have tried consistently to inject notes of caution and restraint into the flood of pro-Obama exuberance on DKos. Personally, I share the enthusiasm for Obama, but realistically, I still think we have no better than a 50-50 chance against John McCain, polls or no polls. There are reasons for my somewhat pessimistic view. For one thing, I'm 56, and maybe I see the world a little differently than some of the younger Kossacks. Second, I was a history teacher for many years and I know something about this country's track record. Third, I pride myself on being a "pro"--someone who tries to see the political world as it really is, regardless of my ardently pro-Democratic views. Follow my reasoning and then redouble your determination to fight for what will be a very closely won victory.

I love living on Kauai. the Garden Isle of paradise-like Hawaii, but I feel a little left out of the political wars raging on the mainland. My only mode of participation is to post diaries on Kos, slap down wingnuts in Comments sections of other sites, and give/raise money for Obama. And when I see disgusting Republican trolls like Candy Crowley and Andrea Mitchell dumping on Obama CONSTANTLY, it pisses me off. I GOTTA FIGHT BACK! And I know a lot of you guys are kicking in $ to Obama already, but I'm urging you to help me here via my own Obama donation page. If you can't spare anything right now, please forward this to others or start your own. I really do need to get involved. My goal is $10,000 for Barack. If by some miracle I fill that one up, I'll start another.

I count myself as a fiercely loyal Kossack. Daily Kos is quite often the first site I go to during the day, even before I look at my email (which Excite is doing its best to deny me). I've been an activist Democrat for a long time, and I revel in the company of the other devoted, activist Democrats on this site. I gotta love you guys! But lately I've been seeing way too much bravado and bragging for my tastes. Particularly annoying are such comments as:

"McCain? He won't even do as well as Dole."

"McCain is toast."

"In the current conditions, a McCain victory is extremely unlikely."

"With the economy the way it is, McCain is finished."

This. Has. To. Stop. Jump and see why.

John Kass is a right-wing columnist for The Chicago Tribune. He was and is an enthusiastic Bush supporter. His so-called area of specialty is local corruption, but on national issues, he does nothing but make excuses and apologies for Bush and McCain. He thinks the "liberal media" (his phrase) is coddling Obama and ignoring poor widdle St. John. That aggravated me, so I wrote him a letter:

Mr. Kass:

I see you're still pushing that pathetic, fraudulent lie, the "Liberal Media". (You know, how the "liberal media" are coddling Obama and being so mean to poor St. John.) Let me ask you a few questions:

--Would that be the same "liberal media" that howled at Bill Clinton to resign because Clinton lied in a civil suit, and yet said nothing when George W. Bush led this country into war on false pretenses? And yes, I'd be happy to supply evidence to back that up. You know, Kass, it occurs to me that lying this country into a war that has killed or wounded 40,000 Americans, killed 200,000+ Iraqis, and driven 2-4 million more Iraqis from their homes IS ONE HELL OF A LOT WORSE IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED.  [THERE's MORE!]

There are almost 170,000 members of DKos now. Aside from a small number of idiot trolls sent by the McBush campaign, they are mostly strong Democrats. What I want to know is this: given this site's incredible technical prowess, is it possible to mass email ALL of us at once? If so, I have a proposition. If we could get the members of DKos to give an AVERAGE of $20 a month to the Obama campaign for 4 months, that amounts to a contribution of $13,200,000 to help our man become #44. Here are my thoughts.

Hidey-ho there neighborino! It's me, the inimitable Yosef, here again to regale you with the random outpourings of my fevered brain. I hope you use this thread to display your own verse and/or artwork as well. (It just gets so DAMNED artsy-fartsy when you do!!) I love to see your stuff and to share in your reactions and comments.

It's noon here in Kauai, the closest thing to Paradise in an uncertain world. It's three in Sacramento, four in Cheyenne, five in the sodden Midwest, and six in the environs of Albany.

Hope you have a WONDERFUL evening, you fantastic Kossacks!

I live in gorgeous, wonderful, deep Blue Hawaii. Obama is ahead by a country mile here, and he's going to win easily. We have no Senate race or Governor's race, and our two Democratic reps in Congress are very safe. In short, Hawaii is not really much of a player in this year's election. But I know how Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and other hardcore blue states can be a factor:

ADOPT A SWING STATE!!

What do I mean by that? Jump with me, won't you?

Hello again lovers of odd writing and unusual visual art. It is I, the humble Yosef, here to share with you more of my pedestrian verses and tattered thoughts, and to urge you to pour out the gift of your creativity and your personal expression on our community. I love doing this, even though only a few of you ever read these threads. Ah well, that just makes it more initimate, I guess.

It's noon here in God's best landscape work, Kauai. It's three pm in sunny San Diego, four in bustling Boulder, Colorado, five in summer-blessed Chicago, and six in the tough cities of New Jersey.

Have a great Saturday evening, wonderful Kossacks!

Hello again, aesthetes and elites. It's your old pal Yosef, here again to regale you with more of my humble verse and to solicit (not THAT way!) your own contributions of poetry and art. Creating is something we need to do occasionally to remind ourselves that politics is not the entire world.

It's noon in glorious Kauai. It's 3 pm along the coast highway in California, 4 pm in beautiful Santa Fe, 5 pm in Austin, and 6 pm in steamy New York.

Have a great afternoon/evening, you wonderful Kossacks!!

(BTW, we're going to be visiting Kauai's west coast today, so I won't be able to give any feedback or mojo until much later, but I promise I will.)

Ahoy hoy, everybody! It is I, the humble Yosef, here again to share my odd little free verses with you and to urge you to use this thread to post your own poetry and art, or examples of someone else's stuff that you really love. (Hey, we gotta get away from politics once in while, don't we?) All entries are welcome!!

It's about 1 pm in the world's most breathtaking island, Kauai. It's 4 pm in Portland, 5 pm in Missoula, Montana, 6 pm in Milwaukee, and 7 pm in the Green Mountains of Vermont. And I don't even wanna THINK about time it is in Copenhagen!

Have a great evening, y'all. Kossacks are the best.

Hey there, friends. It's your old pal Yosef, here again to share my humble, amateur free verse with you and to invite one and all to use this thread to post any of your own original poetry or visual art. We all need to get away from the political wars, and I get joy from doing this, so hey, why not?

It's noon in sacred Kauai. It's 3 pm in Seattle, 4 pm along the Snake River in Idaho, 5 pm in rising-from-the-dead New Orleans, and 6 pm in Hot 'Lanta.

Have a GREAT Saturday evening you wonderful Kossacks!!

Hi everybody. I was gone last week so I apologize to the small handful of you that read my stuff for being absent. (Poems #4 and #5 this week describe my feelings on traveling back to Illinois briefly and then returning to Hawaii). I would LOVE to see some of your original verse, and any original artwork you'd like to post. The more, the merrier.

It's 4:15 in my treasured home, Kauai. It's 7:15 in beautiful Oregon, 8:15 in majestic Colorado, 9:15 in the stoic environs of Chicago, and 10:15 on the Eastern Shore.

Goodnight wonderful Kossacks everywhere!!

Howdy y'all! Time for some more amateur verse by your friendly Yosef. I post some of my humble work every Saturday (although I'll be out of town next Saturday and can't guarantee a new edition next week). Hope you like at least some of it. In addition, I would LOVE to see YOUR stuff, including any original art work you've done.

It's 2:30 in that living work of art Kauai. It's 5:30 in the City by the Bay, 6:30 in the Valley of the Sun, 7:30 in Tinley Park, Illinois, and 8:30 in the City So Nice They Named It Twice.

Have a great night, you wonderful Kossacks!

It is an axiom of Karl "The Traitor" Rove that in order to attack a candidate you should go after his or perceived strengths directly, hence the ugly lies about John Kerry that allowed two draft dodgers to impugn the patriotism of a decorated war hero. Now, I am proposing something that is in a way the inverse of this. Senator Obama, our party's nominee for President is faced with issues concerning himself, his record, his views, and, let's be honest, his race (which shouldn't matter but to a lot of people it does). It does not matter that these issues have been stirred up by our political enemies--they're out there, like it our not. I say, let Obama confront his perceived weaknesses by a nationally televised town meeting (or series of them) in which the audience consists ONLY of those who are critical of him or dubious about him. A crazy idea? Hear me out.

Hello again, my Kossack friends. Every Saturday, as you may know, I publish some more of my humble verses for your examination. I really love doing this, even though only a handful of you ever read them. (It's a very important handful as far as I'm concerned.) I'd also love it if you posted your own poetry or visual art work, both of which would be way cool.

It's 2 pm (about) in dazzling Kauai, 5 pm in seething Los Angeles, 6 pm in Leadville, Colorado, 7 pm in Iowa corn country, and 8 pm from northwest Indiana to eastern Maine.

Have a wonderful evening, you wonderful Kos readers!