Something about some fundraiser raffle.

And I thought the Vilsack pick was bad.

Maybe I don’t want to watch it after all.

Obama will be the 44th president of the USA.

Reggie Jackson’s jersey number was 44.

Prediction:  President Obama will throw out the first pitch at the new Yankee Stadium.  Reggie Jackson will present him with a #44 Yankee jersey with “Obama” on the back (even though the Yanks don’t put names on their jerseys).

Gaffe, of course, meaning “saying what he really thinks.”  The Democratic Congressmen was in a Boca Raton synagogue theoretically campaigning for Obama.  When the topic of conversation turned to why Obama stayed at Jeremiah Wright’s Trinity Church, Nadler explained that it was basically a matter of political convenience.

“Think of the history here,” says the six-term New York congressman. “You have a guy who’s half-white, half-black. He goes to an Ivy League school, comes to Chicago … to start a political career. Doesn’t know anybody.

“Gets involved with community organizing — why? Because that’s how your form a base. OK. Joins the largest church in the neighborhood. About 8,000 members. … Why did he join the church? … Because that’s how you get to know people.

“Now maybe it takes a couple years,” Nadler says, suggesting that soon Obama starts to think of Wright, “‘Jesus, the guy’s a nut, the guy’s a lunatic.’ But you don’t walk out of a church with 8,000 members in your district.”

I can’t argue with the theory of why Obama joined and didn’t leave the church.  Unfortunately in this country, politics and religion are terribly intertwined, as I’ve complained about.

But I think Nadler is wrong to describe Obama’s work as a community organizer as a mere steppingstone toward political office.  He became a community organizer shortly after graduating from Columbia, did that for several years, went to law school and then finally went back to Chicago.  It wasn’t until this return to the city that there’s any evidence of Obama’s political ambitions.  It’s certainly possible that the young Obama had it on his mind, but you don’t become a community organizer in a city you’ve never lived in with the expectation that it will launch a political career.

So Nadler’s New York cynicism is only half-correct in this case.

…that Barack Obama wants to take all your money and give it to black people?  John McCain’s message told me so.

And I think I also read it in an email someone sent me.

Andrew Sullivan wants Barack Obama to come out with an ad against Proposition 8, the California Ballot Initiative that would, if passed, change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California and invalidate the marriages that had happened there so far.

Black Californians back the anti-gay measure by a margin of 20 points, 58 - 38, in the SUSA poll. No other ethnic group comes close to the level of opposition and black turnout is likely to be very high next month. [snip] Memo to Obama: make an ad. Speak loudly. Defend equality. Defend it when it might actually lose you some votes. Show us you are not another Clinton.

Obama has already shown that he’s not another Clinton by openly speaking out against this pernicious initiative.  What he is not obligated to do is make gay marriage the focus of the last two weeks of the presidential campaign.  Gay marriage will ultimately prevail in California and elsewhere, regardless with what happens with Prop 8.  And gay rights will certainly be better served by an Obama Administration than a McCain Administration.

So let Oprah, Morgan Freeman, Will Smith and Kobe Bryant make an ad (and throw in Governor Schwarzenegger, who is also against it, for good measure).  At this stage, Obama’s only responsibility is to win the Presidential election.  Period.

To donate and learn more about this assault on personal freedom, go here.  The polls aren’t looking so good, so they can use your help.

Here’s a not-very-daring prediction:  Jeremiah Wright will once again be at the center of this campaign starting next weekend.  Maybe the McCain campaign won’t be directly involved with the coming resurrection, but I bet the outside groups and the RNC have been saving their “God Damn America!” advertising funds for the home stretch.

Will it have an effect?  Maybe a percentage point or two or three, but Obama’s lead is now so great, and the real-world problems are now so pronounced, that many people who might normally be affected but the association will be willing to let it slide.  The Ayers “Obama pals around with terrorists” try has had no effect at all other than to solidify the impression that McCain is not focused upon the economy.  The Wright issue is potentially more politically problematic, but unless it’s combined with a major Obama gaffe or two, I don’t see it changing the direction of the race.

The thing that really bothers me about the Wright mess isn’t anything that Wright said.  Yeah, the more famous rants are things no Presidential candidate would want to be associated with, but really there’s nothing particularly horrible or shocking about any of them.  His language was inflammatory, but his opinions for the most part are not out of the leftist mainstream.  What makes them so shocking for many people is that it is a black man saying them and saying them with great anger.

Okay, the “God damn America” bit probably would have gotten a lot of negative attention no matter who said it, but really they’re just words (and who among us hasn’t thought something along similar lines from time to time).  If the phrase were “God damn the government,” and if it was coming from someone different (talking about taxes, perhaps), many on the right may well have cheered along.  It was the actions and policies of the U.S. government that Wright was criticizing, so the only real difference is the language.

What does bother me is that in the United States of America our political leaders absolutely must demonstrate a pious Christian faith.  There’s no reason to believe that Obama is insincere when he speaks of his own faith, but his membership in Wright’s highly influential church was quite possibly driven by the (then) new politician’s need to build a strong constituent network.

It’s a sign of a sick country when politics and religion are too closely aligned (think India, Pakistan, Israel, Iran and the USA).  In such circumstances, there will inevitably be trouble.  And you end up have to listen to nonsense like this…

I’ve noticed during the past few weeks that more of Obama’s campaign rally speeches take place in front of a very presidential-looking blue curtain bookended with American flags, rather than the typical backdrop of cheering supporters.  This was the case at his economic speech yesterday in Toledo, Ohio.

Is this an intentional attempt to subtley cast Obama in the role of the President?  Does it help to solidify the impression that he has already won?  Though most people might not notice the difference, the psychological effect could be significant.

The New York Times today has a story about Andy Martin, the nut-job who originally “discovered” (read: made up) that Obama is a Muslim story.  His original press release, which happened just two weeks after Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech, is the origin off all the “Obama is a Muslim” crap that has replicated and muted since then.  Even Martin admits that people take his original “research” and just add crap to it.

The truth means nothing to these people.

Many white Americans, especially those of a certain age, have a very difficult time believing that a black man can be more intelligent, more accomplished and wealthier than they are (unless he has gained his wealth via a pre-approved avenue of success as an athlete or entertainer, in which case he can still safely be assumed to be of sub par intelligence).

Young black guy in a fancy car?  Drug dealer.

Educated black guy with a better job than you?  Affirmative action.

So what do these people do when an African-American man who has pulled himself up by his figurative bootstraps (as well-meaning whites have long demanded he do) is on the verge of becoming President of the United States?  They make shit up.

These are the people who have longed believed whatever crazy shit they want to believe.  They’re the ones who were so anxious to fall for a make-believe Texas rancher, a make-believe free market, make-believe weapons of mass destruction, and a make-believe connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda.  They KNOW the Clintons murdered Vince Foster.  If the media is liberal, and if experts are egg-headed elitists, then the only ones you can trust are Rush and your friends who forward you viral emails.

Below I’ve posted in its entirety an email I received from someone I’ll only describe as “a relative,” as well as my response, tapped out with gritted teeth while on a train.  Although the viral email does contain a number of relatively minor inaccuracies, it gains all of its potential power via insinuation:  how else was some black guy able to go to college, travel and buy a house unless all of this was funded by Muslim extremists who knew they could make this Occidental College freshman President of the United States one day?

Yeah.

Update!:  Snopes has made quick work of this crap.  Thanks, Snopes!

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:51:30 -0700 (PDT)
To: David Nygren
I’m not convinced that this is true. Snopes had no info on Lynne Phillips that I could find. Refute what she says-I do hope her conclusions are wrong, not b/c I want him elected but b/c I’d be even more upset if he is.

———Forwarded Message:

Hey, take a look at this. It was sent to me today by a friend in Gt. Mills, MD.

Lynne Phillips
G. L Manager
Intelligence Solutions
A Division of L-3 Communication
Date: Friday, September 19, 2008, 11:39 AM

To All My Friends, this is long, but very important, please take the time to read it.

This election has me very worried. So many things to consider. About a year ago I would have voted for Obama. I have changed my mind three times since then.

I watch all the news channels, jumping from one to another. I must say this drives my husband crazy. But, I feel if you view MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, you might get some middle ground to work with. About six months ago, I started thinking “where did the money come from for Obama”. I have four daughters who went to College, and we were middle class, and money was tight. We (including my girls) worked hard and there were lots of student loans.

I started looking into Obama’s life.

Around 1979 Obama started college at Occidental in California. He is very open about his two years at Occidental, he tried all kinds of drugs and was wasting his time but, even though he had a brilliant mind, did not apply himself to his studies. “Barry” (that was the name he used all his life) dur ing this time had two roommates, Muhammad Hasan Chandoo and Wahid Hamid, both from Pakistan.

During the summer of 1981, after his second year in college, he made a “round the world” trip. Stopping to see his mother in Indonesia, next Hyderabad in India, three weeks in Karachi, Pakistan where he stayed with his roommate’s family, then off to Africa to visit his father’s family.

My question - Where did he get the money for this trip? Nether I, nor any one of my children would have had money for a trip like this when they where in college. When he came back he started school at Columbia University in New York. It is at this time he wants everyone to call him Barack - not Barry. Do you know what the tuition is at Columbia? It’s not cheap! to say the least. Where did he get money for tuition? Student Loans? Maybe.

After Columbia, he went to Chicago to work as a Community Organizer for $12,000… a year. Why Chicago? Why not New York? He was already living in New York.

By “chance” he met Antoin “Tony” Rezko, born in Aleppo Syria, and a real estate developer in Chicago. Rezko has been convicted of fraud and bribery this year. Rezko, was named “Entrepreneur of the Decade” by the Arab-American Business and Professional Association” . About two years later, Obama entered Harvard Law School. Do you have any idea what tuition is for Harvard Law School? Where did he get the money for Law School? More student loans?

After Law school, he went back to Chicago. Rezko offered him a job, which he turned down. But, he did take a job with Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. Guess what? They represented “Rezar” which Rezko’s firm. Rezko was one of Obama’s first major financial contributors when he ran for office in Chicago.

In 2003, Rezko threw an early fundraiser for Obama which Chicago Tribune reporter David Mendelland claims was instrumental in providing Obama with “seed money” for his U.S. Senate race.
In 2005, Obama purchased a new home in Kenwoood District of Chicago for $1.65 million (less than asking price). With ALL those Student Loans - Where did he get the money for the property?
On the same day Rezko’s wife, Rita, purchased the adjoining empty lot for full price. The London Times reported that Nadhmi Auchi, an Iraqi-born Billionaire loaned Rezko $3.5 million three weeks before Obama’s new home was purchased. Obama met Nadhmi Auchi many times with
Rezko.

Now, we have Obama running for President. Valerie Jarrett, was Michele Obama’s boss. She is now Obama’s chief advisor and he does not make any major decisions without talking to her first. Where was Jarrett born?
Ready for this? Shiraz, Iran! Do we see a pattern here? Or am I going crazy?

On May 10, 2008 The Times reported, Robert Malley advisor to Obama was “sacked” after the press found out he was having regular contacts with “Hamas”, which controls Gaza and is connected with Iran. This past week, buried in the back part of the papers, Iraqi newspapers reported that during Obama’s visit to Iraq, he asked their leaders to do nothing about the war until after he is elected, and he will “Take care of things”.

Oh, and by the way, remember the college roommates that where born in Pakistan? They are in charge of all those “small” Internet campaign contribution for Obama.& nbsp; Where is that money coming from? The poor and middle class in this country? Or could it be from the Middle East?

And the final bit of news. On September 7, 2008, The Washington Times posted a verbal slip that was made on “This Week” with George Stephanapoulos. Obama on talking about his religion said, “My Muslim faith”. When questioned, “he made a mistake”. Some mistake!

All of the above information I got on line. If you would like to check it - Wikipedia, encyclopedia, Barack Obama; Tony Rezko; Valerie Jarrett:
Daily Times - Obama visited Pakistan in 1981; The Washington Times - September 7, 2008; The Times May 10, 2008.

Now the BIG question - If I found out all this information on my own, Why haven’t all of our “intelligent” members of the press been reporting this?

A phrase that keeps ringing in my ear - “Beware of the enemy from within”!!!

And my response (I could have been more articulate, but remember I was angry and writing on my phone):

Oh my god! Oh my god!

Obama took out student loans, traveled and knows actual MUSLIMS!!! That can only mean one thing: he is a Muslim terrorist.

And how could a BLACK guy afford an expensive house? He’s BLACK! So what if he had written a best selling book and his wife (also a Harvard Law grad (i.e. black terrorist who secretly received tuition from Muslims)) had a mid six figure income? Muslim terrorists must have been behind both the sales of his book and his wife’s job as a hospital administrator. That’s the only possible explanation.

Wow. Thank god I read this before I voted for that BLACK Muslim terrorist.

I don’t think that racist hillbillies are going to be a major factor in this election.  Yes, they’re out there, but I don’t think their numbers are big enough to make a difference.  If anything, their non-Obama vote (whether they vote for McCain or just sit it out) will almost certainly be canceled out by the vote of first-time African-American voters who were roused out of their civic stupor by the fact of Obama’s race (a phenomenon the media openly acknowledges but doesn’t fret over like they do with the crackers).  The smokin’-white-simple-folk will be one of a thousand factors that tilt the election one way or another but they won’t be the hanging chads of 2008.

Risking his life so that you don’t have to, George Packer ventured in to the darkest, rustiest corners of Southeast Ohio and lived to tell about it in the latest issue of The New Yorker.  It’s an interesting read in an exotic travel memoir kind of way, with the usual cast of worn down, twang-talkin’ characters.  Yes, he encounters plenty of examples of people who might normally vote for a Democrat but won’t vote for Obama because of his race.  But really, how many other people are there in a variety of locations with their own moronic reasons for not voting for Obama?  Or their own moronic reasons for voting Obama.

Doesn’t it stand to reason that the idiots all pretty much cancel each other out and that each election is really decided by a small group of well-meaning but wishy-washy centrists in a few swing states?  Maybe not, but I’ve never seen any compelling evidence to the contrary.

Like you couldn’t see this coming.

The Washington Post is reporting that, since they can’t win on the issues, and since constantly repeating that thing about his having been a lousy pilot who volunteered to be tortured isn’t working either, the McCain campaign is deciding to go the Ayers-Rezko route.

“We are looking for a very aggressive last 30 days,” said Greg Strimple, one of McCain’s top advisers. “We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis and getting back to discussing Mr. Obama’s aggressively liberal record and how he will be too risky for Americans.”

Yeah, financial crisis, schminancial crisis…let’s move on, shall we?  I have a feeling that ain’t gonna work so well, though I’m almost always wrong in predicting how the ignoramuses will react, so I should probably be nervous.

Fortunately, the Obama campaign has already put out a pre-emptive ad, slapping back…