[roseviolet]

uh...yeah i said that.

I know. Just offering a link to an article about it.

[jsmith]

Whoa! I didn't know about this McCain-Liddy connection! Great, now I have more ammo

[girltrouble]

"Obama To Leave Campaign Trail to Visit Ailing Grandmother"

uh...yeah i said that.

[jsmith]

Heheh, I've seen that picture. But I can't make fun of McCain for it. I make insane faces and gestures when I goof up, lol.

[mouse]

powell's endorsement speech was AMAZING. i too fear rigging of this election via faulty voting machines but this sort of final nail in the coffin--a democratic endorsement by such a prominent republican and furthermore BUSH'S freaking secretary of state--makes me think that were that to happen, shit may hit the fan. in the questionable bush elections, i think that such a majority of washington was on his side that the questionability wasn't really taken into account the way it may be if that is to happen this election. it gives me a little hope.

[roseviolet]

Tree, sorry to see that the event was canceled. That really sucks. He canceled for a good reason, though: "Obama To Leave Campaign Trail to Visit Ailing Grandmother"

GCK, I've seen that photo a number times now, but I hadn't heard the backstory. Thanks for the link!

I stumbled upon this story today.
"McCain Supporters Heckle Early Voters"
I haven't been able to watch the video yet because my computer is acting funny, but maybe that's for the best. Just reading the story made me sick to my stomach.

[geekchickknits]

Has everyone seen this picture from the debate?

[treehugger]

y'know what? I don't feel nearly as jilted now. I was sort of feeling like the high school prom date who got stood up. I had heard something about "rescheduling"...hopefully he can still come here.

Yeah, wasn't that picture something????? Only four blocks away from where I work, too!!!!

[girltrouble]

that sux tree. and omg, that picture is NUTS.

the o campaign just put out a press release. he's cancelled thurs and fri's appearances to fly to hawaii. seems his grandma is being released from the hospital because she is in poor health and he is going to be at her bedside.

geek, the reason we don't have non-partisan group running our election is because we are americans. no really. that's it. we are americans, and as such we suffer from severe arrogance. see americans can't imagine that anything that we do could possibly be done better. that's why the idea of universal medicine is so revolting to us. it's why we've rejected international vote monitoring. we're americans. we think not just that our shit doesn't stink, but that it smells like roses and tastes like ice cream. honestly. think of 9/11. we really think that it happened because all the other countries are just jealous cos they aren't as hot as the us is they hate us for our freedom (and that our freedom is sooooo much hotter than theirs is). *sigh*

[treehugger]

This pisses me off.

[jsmith]

Yet something else I don't understand about US politics.....why is a non-partisan body not overseeing the election???

"Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.

This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".

In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.

They also blamed voters for not being more careful."

For the full article click here

Early voting started today in Texas. I went in today to vote, and was given the option of electronic or paper. I chose paper because of this very sort of thing. Paper just feels safer.
It wasn't nearly as crowded as the papers anticipated. I was expecting that I'd have to wait, but I didn't. Got in, got out. I really hope my vote ends up counting..

[kari]

Colin Powell's endorsement on Meet the Press was inspiring and eloquent. Though I knew it would happen, it is maddening that some still insist he's endorsing Obama based on the race factor. Powell took great pains to thoroughly explain his thinking and what has led him to this point. And like he said, if he was going to endorse Obama b/c he's an African American, he could have done that months ago.

I hope the McCain campaign sees that they lost a lot of votes and endorsements by the way their campaign has been conducted.

[treehugger]

see, that is what terrifies me, that we will have another stolen election. It's why I find myself so terribly stressed out even though there are so many positive signs for Barack.

Well, GT, we had 80,000 here for Kerry, and I think the enthusiasm is much higher this year so I'd be willing to bet 100,000 isn't out of the question. I'm really looking forward to it. The Dem Madison rally is a tradition that goes back to the 80s. The only thing potentially limiting huge, sweeping pictures is the location the SS has authorized for the rally is kind of lousy...it's pretty congested and I am not sure 100,000 will physically fit.

Here's a link to a pic of the Kerry rally which was on a much better street.

[geekchickknits]

Yet something else I don't understand about US politics.....why is a non-partisan body not overseeing the election???

"Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.

This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".

In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.

They also blamed voters for not being more careful."

For the full article click here

[mouse]

the LA times has endorsed obama--the first time they've endorsed ANY presidential candidate in over 30 years, AND the first time they've EVER endorsed a democrat--this from a nearly 130-year-old paper.

[roseviolet]

My computer is acting up so I couldn't watch the news report about the man who has hung an effigy of Obama in his yard. However, I saw some of the photos on a different website & read that the whole reason why that person will not vote for Obama is because Obama is black. What a horrifically nauseating sight. There are no words.

I saw the page on Politico about Limbaugh's comments. Some of the replies to that post are truly frightening. There are people on that site who still claim that Obama is a Muslim & wasn't born an American. What a bunch of wackos. Oddly enough, these inflammatory responses just prove that Powell's statements were true. There are members of the Republican party who are going too far to the right & making gross, inflammatory statements that do nothing but make them look small-minded, ignorant, and prejudiced. It's kinda sad to watch because I know that not all Republicans feel that way.

I think it makes sense for the Republicans to be angered by his endorsement, just as so many Dems were angered by Lieberman's endorsement of McCain. Since Powell even made a financial contribution to McCain's campaign many moons ago, I can see why they might have thought they had his vote. They forgot one little thing, though. Powell is a Republican, but he's always been a moderate ... which is why he's always been so popular.

There's a little part of me that still feels torn about Powell's endorsement. A part of me is still hurt regarding his actions while working in the Bush administration. I would love to believe that he was mislead and/or forced to make statements on behalf of the administration that he personally did not believe, but I don't know. I really liked him in the '90s, but I'm a little bit wary of him now. On the other hand, he left the Bush administration. And I feel that today he beautifully expressed many of the feelings I have had about the campaigns thus far. That was wonderful to hear.

[girltrouble]

yay tree! i wonder if it's gonna look like those pix of st. louis.


yeah, i loved hearing colin powell on mtp. he took mccain apart.
george will and rush are claiming powell is only endorsing obama because he's black, but his conversation says otherwise. he's put a lot of thought into this. but here is what rush said:

"Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race... OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I'll let you know what I come up with."

as someone pointed out, he hasn't endorsed any liberals, but as for inexperienced and white, powell endorsed dubya in 2004.....

a former national security adviser called Powell's statement a "comprehensive indictment."
i'd agree. he really left nothing out. it's impressive in it's thoroughness.

huff/post has an interesting thing about all the papers-- particularlly right leaning papers that are endorsing obama. seems o is leading 58 papers to mccain's 16.

in ohio, a man has hung "obama" in effigy in his front yard. local news report here.

[treehugger]

I still have a tear in my eye.

Obama's having a rally in my city on Thursday. I'm taking off work to go.

[jsmith]

Wow, Colin Powell is one hell of a speaker. The part about the muslim fellow who died in Iraq was very moving. Thanks for providing those links.

[roseviolet]

In case any of you missed it, here's a link to the statement by Colin Powell on "Meet the Press". It's just over 7 minutes long. The bit starting around 4:30 brought tears to my eyes.


ETA: Here's a video of Colin Powell speaking to members of the press this morning after announcing his endorsement.