As Barack Obama ends his landmark trip to the Middle East and Europe, he has proven his grasp of the critical issues facing the US and the world. He has also proven that he is ready to fill the role as leader of the free world left vacant for so long by the mismanagement of conservatism and the Republicans under Bush.
At the same time, John McCain has proven time and again that he lacks the most rudimentary understanding of geopolitics, not to mention geography, history, and military science.
In an interview on CBS with Katie Couric, McCain proved that he does not have even a remote grasp on the factual history of the Sunni Awakening or "the surge". This amounts to a threat to our vital interests in the region. Specifically, his demand for a continued focus on Iraq implies a clear weakness on Afghanistan. He would continue battling for political advantage, while choosing to deny our troops in Afghanistan the resources necessary to emerge victorious in our struggle there.
If you're ever asked to name one good thing that George W. Bush has done while in office, remember this word: PEPFAR.
This lifesaving program, first authorized in 2003, saved the lives of millions of Africans suffering from the ravages of AIDS, malaria, and TB.
This isn't just a humanitarian issue, it's an issue of national security. As Bill Frist recently said "People don't go to war against people who save their children's lives."Today, 80 senators voted in support of the reauthorization and expansion of the program. It's a banner day for the US Senate and part of the reason why Africa is one of the few continents where America's standing has actually increased over the course of the past decade.
The events which unfolded following General Wesley Clark's appearance on Face the Nation this Sunday, have exonerated the General and proved conclusively that he was correct. The General praised John McCain's heroism and patriotism and then argued that his military experiences were insufficient in themselves to provide the judgment necessary to lead the free world.
The McCain campaign pounced and denounced Clark. The media hyperventilated calling it a "Swift Boat" smear. MoveON.org and Vote Vets defended Clark. McCain and his surrogates throughout the traditional media belittled and berated them. Others, notably Jim Webb, suggested that McCain should calm down, that the politicization of the military should be reduced. The McCain campaign, again supported by media surrogates, decided that their best bet was to put on the tin-foil hat, proclaim the whole thing a coordinated attack and play the victim. You almost expected his campaign surrogates to break into tears.
The only way John McCain can win in November is to somehow convince voters that he is more American than Barack Obama. To that end, today has not helped the McCain campaign. There's been only one issue on the political news cycle today and that's whether or not John McCain has the military qualifications for the job. That's not good for John McCain.
In the face of falling fortunes in electoral politics, Senate Republicans have undertaken a campaign of scorched-earth obstruction that threatens to undermine a century of American moral leadership. Like little children who will take their ball home if they don't get their way, these ridiculous cowards have amassed historic record of obstruction. Last week it became a parody of itself when they attacked mothers, yes literally attacked mothers, by quashing a resolution in favor of Mother's Day.
Now, Seven Senators have put a "hold" on re-authorization of the single most life-saving aid package operating in American foreign policy today, and may doom literally millions of Africans to almost certain death.
So, the McCain troops think they got a free ride from the McCain base (the press), after Angry McSame conflagrated Iranian Shia and Al qaeda Sunni. Also that addled depiction of the Hebrew celebration of Purim as some sort of Jewish Halloween.
Well he didn't and he won't.
This is very simple. It's not about age, it's about mental acuity. McCain doesn't have it.
So, from now on, any time anyone does anything stupid, it's officially a "McCain moment".
America has waited for over 200 years for the moment when we as a nation would overcome the divisions and the disaster of race.
For the first time in American history, a major American figure has stood up in the face of the storm of racial politics to shed sunlight on the underlying conflicts.
Obama directly faced the anger that remains in heart of black America resulting from real and perceived slights. Obama directly faced the resentment of whites resulting from efforts to address them.
You know you've just got a crazy, and potentially delusional candidate in John McCain when:
He Sings!
He tries to convince America that it's a bunch of other bad bad people who are calling Barack Obama an "Anti American", "Crypto-Muslim", "Terrorist Connected", "Black Nationalist", but McCain would never do anything like that. In fact he's shocked, I tell you... Shocked!
Written and performed by Andres Useche. Directed by Eric Byler.
This is a video Directed by Eric Byler who was a founder of the Real Virginians for Webb and who documented the rise of Creative Class activism in the Webb Campaign, one of the first soup-to-nuts netroots victories.
Now onboard with the movement that has arisen around Obama, please pass this along and distribute as widely as you can.
Among the great lessons of Western Civilization, there are few more universally ignored by progressive politicians than the lessons of marketing. These lessons are followed with slavish devotion and to great success by conservatives, but progressives somehow believe that being right and holding the majority positions on nearly every issue should be enough to actually win votes.
Here at the end of 30 years of nearly unabated conservative hegemony, you'd think that progressives would have learned at least some of those lessons. But you'd be wrong.
The metaphor here should not be lost in the translation to politics. The metaphor for our current candidates is clear. McCain is the old luxury sedan, with bad, bad transmission trouble: a real lemon. Hillary is a great car, built to last and get the job done, but with no style. Obama, is that once in a lifetime, affordable, luxury sport sedan with plenty of room for everyone that's built to last.
I finally made it through a steaming pile of right-wing smears against Barack Obama. There are the craven attacks about who wrote what, and then there are the desperate attacks degrading those who are actually willing to fight for change.
Finally, I came across a more prosaic attack leveled by Hillary Clinton that gave me pause. Apparently, Hillary has decided that she's the candidate who brings "Solutions" to real problems and doesn't just give speeches. The fact that she continues to make this point during her own speeches seems to be lost on those who have picked it up.
John Edwards is one of those rare political figures who is both capable of inspiring hope while taking up the most difficult and tumultuous fights.
With the announcement of his pending withdrawl from the race for the Democratic nomination for President this year, there will be millions of Americans struggling to decide where to pledge thier ongoing support. On issue after issue, there is strong reason for Edwards supporters to join the rising movement for change that has been inspired by the Obama candidacy.
Barack Obama had this to say about Edwards' withdrawl from the race:
"John Edwards has spent a lifetime fighting to give voice to the voiceless and hope to the struggling, even when it wasn't popular to do or covered in the news. At a time when our politics is too focused on who's up and who's down, he made a nation focus again on who matters
... the cause of their lives endures for all of us who still believe that we can achieve that dream of one America."
From all of us Obama supporters to all of you Edwards supporters: we are here to welcome you with open arms.
This is a very simple point and I'll try not to belabor it. Barack Obama came to a critical test of his campaign message in the South Carolina debate last night, and he failed it. He failed it miserably. He failed it reprehensibly.
As a long-time Obama supporter, it was painful to watch, and it was all too predictable. It was predictable, because Barack Obama, despite all of his magnificent vision and rhetoric, is nonetheless, just a man. In that is the tragedy, and in that may rest the potential triumph. Because mere mortals can learn and change, while idols never can.
Have conservatives stolen a half a million bucks from you? If so, that kinda makes that $300 check you got from the Bush "tax cuts" look like chump change, and leaves you wondering "who's the chump"? Forget your "Tax Burden", what's your "Debt Burden"?
U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bill expanding a popular children's health care program for the second time, angering Democrats who are locked in a fight with the administration over the budget and spending.
Pushed by the Democratic-led Congress but also supported by many Republicans, the bill was aimed at providing health insurance to about 10 million children in low- and moderate-income families. Taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products would have been increased to pay for the aid.
Bush vetoed a version of the bill in October but Congress quickly passed another one that included some changes but not enough to satisfy the White House.
The year: 1997. The place: Arkansas Educational Television Network. The event: The most blasphemous quote in the history of American politics.
The Arkansas Times Jan 22, 1997:
"Interestingly enough," Huckabee allowed, "if there was ever an occasion for someone to have argued against the death penalty, I think Jesus could have done so on the cross and said, 'This is an unjust punishment and I deserve clemency'."
See, it makes perfect sense. The political logic is inscrutable.
In the face of falling fortunes in electoral politics, Senate Republicans have undertaken a campaign of 
Among the great lessons of Western Civilization, there are few more universally ignored by progressive politicians than the lessons of marketing. These lessons are followed with 
I finally made it through a steaming pile of right-wing smears against Barack Obama. There are the craven attacks about 
John Edwards is one of those rare political figures who is both capable of inspiring hope while taking up the most difficult and tumultuous fights.
Have conservatives stolen a half a million bucks from you? If so, that kinda makes that $300 check you got from the Bush "tax cuts" look like chump change, and leaves you wondering "who's the chump"? Forget your "Tax Burden", what's your "Debt Burden"?
