Community

Except that Japan actually did file a complaint (or whatever it is that they do) that Russia violated their air space back at the beginning of 2007, but they just keep doing it. They allegedly fly with NATO escorts on "most" of these flights, but they should be flying along on ALL of these types of missions, regardless of who's flying them. And last i checked, you're not supposed to fly in or NEAR other people's airspace, and it seems like Russia is just pushing the envelope for the sake of envelope-pushing.

dangerous - great get. They were neither fearful and did not want anyone else around. When did they get rid of the detail specifically??

He has a death wish....retreat and consolidate....thin lines get overrun and lead to a rout

To be honest, I really wouldn't read too much into Russian flirtation with rival's airspace....this is right out of the Cold War handbook and classic great power politics. It is Russia's attempt at international military relevance, and unless they actually VIOLATE our or one of our allies airspace in a significant way I would really just relegate it to nothing more than background noise.

This really isn't that big of a deal, it gets press because it looks just terrible, I mean HOW DARE Russia right? Except in reality, if you look at it from their point of view (which is not necessarily a point of view I agree with), how dare the West allow the expansion of NATO onto their doorsteps, and in fact, into their former living room?

Viewed this way, it's just quid pro quo...we recognized Kosovo, they solidy their control of Abkazia and South Ossetia....we expand NATO, they fly sorties near our border. It's just power politics. We do the same thing, but since we are all good patriotic Americans, we refuse to see it that way.

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that Obama will win the popular vote by 10% points...especially if the ridiculously incompetent McCain campaign continue pretending that Iowa is still competitive, and that stoking the flames of hatred and division is really a winning message.

They are no longer the B team, they are the LOSING team.

They are complete morons.

One can say that these national polls are not saying anything that can't be deduced from a few seconds of rational thought:
1) democrats are enthusiastic and somehow don't want to see Sarahcuda anywhere near mainland US come Nov 5th [dems have a generic superiority of between 5-8 points on the generic republican]
2) Sarahcuda ensures that indies will break btw 60-40 to 70-30 for Obama [thats got to be worth 1-4 points]

Quad Erat Domenstrandum

Might I suggest you go to your local Barnes and Noble a pick up a little ditty titled, "A Long Walk To Freedom"? ..... It's a 'short' story on the history of politics in South Africa. It shows the danger of making unfounded accusations of communist ties and 'terrorism'.
I have been studying the political histories of South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda for close to ten years. My conclusion, is that we in the west can not begin to understand nor excuse away what happens in Africa's tribal politics. You must first live and walk in someone's shoes, live their history before making such judgments.
Please attempt to educate yourself before continuing on with rants such as this....





Might I also add, that as a fellow Caucasian whom just happens to have personal if not marital ties to Africa and it's peoples... you (and others on the right)continue to make such assertions and they are being taken as quite factually RACIALLY MOTIVATED. I would like to believe that this is not in fact your intent, Sir.

They really do live in an alternate universe don't they?

I'm sorry, you think two years of Dems in Congress is what caused this mess?

Have you read ANY of the discussion of the nature of this crisis, and where it came from?

This is the result of over a decade of unregulated speculation and greed. There isn't a single economist who has suggested that this was "caused" in the last two years.

If you have heard differently from a reputable source (i.e. someone with actual credentials and experience in economics/finance, etc.), I'd be fascinated to know what your source was...

for 1) it was a bi-partisan legislation who unanimously passed for the pressing of the investigation. Not Obama supporters.

2. If the Palin's feared Wooten so much, why did she relieve her security detail of duty during this time frame?

3. i like lists of 3.

The first time I heard of Obama: 4 years ago.

The first time I heard of Palin: August 29.

And the funny thing is is that I pronounced Obama's name correctly from the beginning, but when I first heard of Sarah Palin, I pronounced her last name like "Paul-in" instead of the right way.

I'm really glad there best response is that everyone should read the report. Ok, oh lookey here the report says she abused her power. Terrible messaging, a problem McCain has had for months. Another example of the camp's only response being 'read the report.'

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/11/palin.investigation/

Man I love Joe Biden

Given the mixed, and correctly determined, nature of the investigative report I doubt that it will have much impact at all. Already, the GOP sping is that she did nothing wrong -- although the report says the opposite -- and in typpical GOP fashion they are conflating the findings to reach a conclusion that was clearly NOT specified by the investigation.

She abused her power in trying to get Trooper Wooten fired, which they can spin as reasonable given what they have said about Trooper Wooten. The report also says she basically lied about her motives and lied to investigators through surrogates -- and she knowingly used surrogates to protect herself -- from what she clearly knew was an abuse of power. But they will hide behind the figleaf of being able to fire well-regarded Walt Monegan on a whim, no matter he true motives.

This will fade quickly, but it certainly doesn't help McCain. There will be little to no impact on the polls from this. And the GOP attack that the investigation was partisan will go nowhere.

But this points out the need to find their lies that cannot be spun. Otherwise, the media will not pursue the story and the Obama campaign can't really use it to move the poll numbers and voters' ultimate decisions, which are all that matter.

To that end, I found some of the testimony of the state trooper responsible for the Palin family security interesting. In early 2008, Palin reduced her family's security detail and would often tell the detail she maintained that they weren't needed. This evidence was in the report to demonstrate that Palin could not have been that worried about supposed threats by Trooper Wooten.

I read this as indicative of something else. First, you would figure that she would have told her security detail that she was pregnant!! What if she had a pregnancy difficulty that required emergency medical attention? Certainly, it would be right that they know. Second, if she were covering her daughter's pregnancy, she wouldn't want to many people around her that she couldn't control, e.g., her security detail.

So those of you who follow Jnail's "Waterbreakgate" blog:

http://www.politicalbase.com/profile/jnail/blog/&blogId=3422

may accuse me of beating a dead horse, but this episode does point out the kind of person Sarah Palin really is, and she is exactly the kind of politician who would cover up her daughter's pregnancy by claiming a child as her own rather than face the embarassment of being perceived as an out-of-touch mother.

This sure sounds like the present administration talking down to us about decisions of Bush. We don't want more of this sh-t. The most important issue facing this country is the corrupt way that Bush with his MBA has destroyed our economy. There is nothing left to converse about.

wow barack just lost my vote thank you kemp!

i didn't know barack was black, freakin' porch monkey trying to run my country. HOW DARE HE.



McCain 08!!!

Does it really?

Lolly gagged on that one.

Big time.

The "fake" pregnancy issue didn't take and "Troopergate" won't take either, T-bill writes, but obviously something is taking. This notion, as the WSJ's Stephen Moore still tried to put forth on "Real Time" tonight, that Sarah Palin has struck a chord with real Americans, has been debunked by every poll from every source that does polling. If none of these phony Liberal trumped-up charges are sticking to Palin and real Americans love her so much and it's only elitist Liberals who don't understand her appeal or her greatness, why do her favorables keep dropping? Why does her ticket's support with women keep decreasing?

With hubris generally reserved for Shakespearean tragedy, Sarah Palin jumped to the prime time stage before she was ready and may have not only sunk a possible McCain presidency but her own ambition as well.