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"message": "TS, Gingrich shut down the government because he was on Air Force One with Clinton on their way to the funeral of some dead foreign head of state. Newt wanted to discuss the budget - Clinton asked him to save the discussion for when they got back to DC - Newt threw a hissy fit on the plane, got back to DC, told Clinton, \"I'll show you!\" and refused to pass a budget, which shut down the Government.<br><br>I remember this well because I was a Fed employee who had to call my creditors and ask them to wait for their payments, while I waited on my paycheck (fortunately my position was considered \"essential to the agency mission\") but many of my colleagues were sent home until the budget got passed, and Newt took a big ass hit for that backfired strategy.<br><br>So let them try this shyt - when you dig one ditch, they better dig two, cause the trap they setting for us, they will fall in.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:36:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2897095, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900483": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Cool.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:09:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893586, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892292": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You would think so...but the same courtesy wouldn't be extended if there was a death in either McCain or Palin's families.<br><br>Unfortunate-and I don't think it's right-but that's our world.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:46:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 46, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892237, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2902534": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "that \"kill him\", according to what you have written in your post, seems to be referring to ayers.  i didn't hear this directly, so i'm only going by what you've written...the logical sequence of things...  <br><br>i don't think it's wise to fan those kinds of flames when things are already tense enough as it is.  i cannot look at that--as written--and jump to the most horrible conclusion possible.  the person doesn't seem to have been referring to barack, so why take it there?", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_21:25:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "99bcec632769e483ead5faa515e84132", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900995, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894666": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "no problem", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:33:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894572, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894615": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Here's the Keating Economics video:<br><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g72BuIvMbWY\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g72BuIvMbWY</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:30:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894865": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "lol.<br><br> i love when white people try to take the HIGH ROAD on racism. it smacks of privilege and racial FEAR.<br><br>STFU Karmi", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:46:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894609, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900995": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "While his <a href=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/06/in_fla_palin_goes_for_the_roug.html rel=\"nofollow\">running mate stumps in Florida</a href>, someone yells...<b>\"kill him\"</b> from the audience. <br><br><i>\"Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers,\" Palin said.<br><br>\"Boooo!\" said the crowd.<br><br>\"And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'\" she continued.<br><br>\"Boooo!\" the crowd repeated.<br><br>\"Kill him!\" proposed one man in the audience.</i><br><br>I don't know what to say anymore...I just don't<br><br>donate....please", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:59:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "Texas_Girl_in_LA", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899914, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900505": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Elizabeth probably started crying during the commercial.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:10:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "Admiral_Komack", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893675, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900429": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What do you expect? That's the whole point of their attacks.<br><br>Notice that folks took the comment as comedy.<br><br>I told you that we'll see pictures of him in Kenyan garb interspersed with pictures of al-Quaeda just before the November 4.<br><br>Remember how Hillary also dropped those fearmongering ads the weekend before the Tuesday primaries?<br><br>McCain's a big old copycat.<br><br>Out of ideas. Out of gas. Out of time.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:05:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899914, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894876": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'd disagree that Iraq has shown that we can be \"stopped.\" Bogged down, quite possibly, but we can still project an awful lot of force if required. We may not be able to go man-for-man with, say, China, but we can defintely hold a line and make advances, even with the current conflicts ongoing.<br><br>Yes, recovery is a vital part of readiness. But, even with that, \"recovery\" isn't a full shutdown, as there's still training to be conducted. The Navy tried measuring individual deployment time against individual \"down\" time (called ITEMPO), and I think they ultimately stopped collecting the metrics because it got too hard to manage.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:46:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893913, "depth": 11, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894879": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yeah, it's been awhile since I got my Rick Astley fix.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:47:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "MsKitty", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894732, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897958": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  HuffPost is ALL OVER IT with headlines/articles!!!  <br><br>Sorry I can't post now!  Whew!<br><br>If there is anything left when I return  -  I'll do some posting!   :&gt;)   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:44:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894684": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Fey was a millionaire before anyone heard of Caribou Barbie", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:34:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894524, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893867": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Fox News goes where the money is. It's an entertainment empire built on a particular demographic that it's captured. Giving it legitimacy as a journalist enterprise would be to bestow undeserved legitimacy.<br><br>Sadly many other news outlets are also entertainment businesses. At least the Daily Show doesn't pretend.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:40:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "Anderkoo", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893722, "depth": 8, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2902574": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "smells pretty foul to me too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_21:29:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "99bcec632769e483ead5faa515e84132", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900065, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897455": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "my family and i went to va. to canvas and register voters this past weekend. lots of positive energy and people in the obama office. survey usa has him up by TEN today. va. is the bellwether. mccain is going to lose.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:25:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "7f586ef2f1112113164e8b337630191e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892339": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "No matter how they try to spin it, the bottom line is;<br><br>1.  McCain cheated on his first wife with a younger woman who had money.<br>2.  McCain left his first wife to make an advantageous marriage to said younger woman.<br>3.  McCain launches his Political career after making connections and earning money from his beer heiress wife.<br>4.  McCain's first wife is a class act that refuses to fuel the fire - she probably believes he will use enough rope to hang himself in the end.<br>5.  McCain's running mate is outshining him so he hopes people will forget <i>he's</i> the one they have to vote for, and when they realize that, all the hot air goes out of his balloon.<br><br>GAME OVER.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:50:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2887310, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895413": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I would like NYC to secede (?) from New York state. Please sign my petition.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:21:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2895097, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895284": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "MsKitty:  Let's HOPE so!   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:13:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892628, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895931": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Greg:  I WILL be making a \"Field Trip\" today!  :&gt;)<br><br>THANK YOU for ALWAYS BRINGING the TRUTH!!  Annnnnd, for being another VOICE for the CAUSE!!  :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:53:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892751, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893884": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<a href=\"http://craighickman.blogspot.com/2008/10/mccain-supports-domestic-terrorism.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">John McCain Supports Domestic Terrorism Against Women</a><br><br>And he has a record to prove it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:42:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897469": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The Keating 5 documentary appears to have been in the works for some time.  It's not something that could have been whipped up over the past week.  Obama knew McCain would do this which is why he had the video produced in advance and ready to go when McCain tipped his hand.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:26:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894773": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I voted on Saturday. There were a lot of people streaming in and out of the building. We are trying our hardest to make GA blue, but where I live I see McSame/Failin bumper stickers and signs everywhere. However, I did see one Obama '08 bumper sticker on my way to my parents house after I voted. Know hope? :o)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:40:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "CarolinagirlinGA", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897591": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "obama is up by ten in va. <br>polls show that both debates were wins with the swing voters. <br>i figure obama  knows what he is doing. have a little faith. give the man the credit he deserves. he beat hillary and now he is beating mccain. the guy has his shit together.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:34:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "7f586ef2f1112113164e8b337630191e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892881": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Actually courtesy WOULD be extended to the McCain or Palin families.  Obama came out and said \"lay off Bristol,\" when we all know if Malia or Sasha were pregnant they'd be called all sorts of baby mamas, welfare queens, etc.<br><br>If Mama McCain or any of the Palins up and died, I don't think you'd see either Obama or Biden attacking them on the campaign trail until after the funeral was over.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:37:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892292, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898004": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I don't understand, NMP. Your comment confuses me.<br><br>You see the Obama campaign as unprepared?<br><br>Seriously?<br><br>When they rolled out the <a href=\"http://keatingeconomics.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">keatingeconomics.com</a> site and documentary in response? When they obviously had that in waiting for a moment like this? <br><br>When they waited for McCain to open this door and took the opportunity to walk through it because basically McCain invited them?<br><br>Do you not see that that IS a real response and how it is a million times better than any focused \"defense\" re Ayers?<br><br>The fight is not over defending this one thing. <br><br>It is about what the topic of the discussion from here to Nov 4 actually is.<br><br>Senator Obama's campaign says: it's the economy. <br><br>Senator Obama's campaign says: McCain's people said publicly that they don't want to talk about the economy anymore, and so let's look at why. And we all know Keating is only one piece of the larger puzzle here. They have a website called <a href=\"http://McLobbyist.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">McLobbyist.com</a>, check that out too.<br><br>I'm baffled -- I hope I am not understanding your comment.<br><br>I am truly baffled.<br><br>I am not a political strategist at all (it's not how I think) -- but even I can see that what they have done and are doing is strategically brilliant.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:47:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "4ec3c0272b87ba5c8ce3a9168cf4e78a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894515": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I just found out about this new book on John McCain.   This brings to mind that we should put all John McCain's \"guilt by association\" items in one place.    The below is at <a href=\"http://theperfectvillain.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">theperfectvillain.com</a> website.<br><br> Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>\"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue.\" <br> <br><br><a href=\"http://Shop.MTV.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of \u201cincontrovertible\u201d evidence, the public\u2019s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts\u2014the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what \u201ctruth\u201d really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one\u2019s thesis. This means that the \u201ctruth\u201d almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he\u2019s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what\u2019s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush\u2019s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam\u2014published in Hanoi and Havana\u2014do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records\u2014held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia\u2019s FSB, and the North Vietnamese\u2014I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don\u2019t want to do\u2014or see done\u2014to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don\u2019t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as \u201cfair, factual, and neutral.\u201d Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you\u2019ve got to pay for it. Abramoff\u2019s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes\u2019 casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain\u2014the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant\u2014but they could sue Abramoff\u2019s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff\u2019s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the \u201caggrieved\u201d tribes. In other words, Abramoff\u2019s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for \u201cauthoring\u201d a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly \u201cfair, accurate, and neutral.\u201d My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn\u2019t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here\u2019s what he should say. \u201cLook, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post\u2019s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn\u2019t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt\u2019s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua\u2019s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe\u2014the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff\u2019s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino\u2014the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2014had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client\u2019s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation\u2014not to shut down the Tigua casino\u2014but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can\u2019t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff\u2019s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that \u201ctwo Indian casinos\u201d had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain\u2019s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua\u2019s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt\u2019s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt\u2019s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn\u2019t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt\u2019s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie\u2019s response was generic. He couldn\u2019t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper\u2019s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee\u2019s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report\u2019s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain\u2019s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe\u2019s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you\u2019ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you\u2019re caring for, you go to prison. If you\u2019ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn\u2019t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn\u2019t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn\u2019t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain\u2019s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 \u00bd year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I\u2019m a liberal, a registered independent, but I\u2019ve never voted Republican. However, I\u2019ve never contributed\u2014money or time\u2014to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don\u2019t care for Abramoff\u2019s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn\u2019t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He\u2019s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn\u2019t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth\u2014to the best of my ability\u2014about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information\u2014which the public never did\u2014that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff\u2019s \u201ccrime\u201d was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It\u2019s too late for public hearings. He\u2019s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn\u2019t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain\u00b4t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus \"Sandaler\" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>\"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?\" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did \"Straight-Talk\" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a \"straight talker\" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of \"Teshuva\" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation\u2019s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain's Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain\u2019s investigation into Abramoff wasn\u2019t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz's forthcoming book, \"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff\". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com's Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff's lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain's probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain's investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn't for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party's presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public's confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here<br> <br><br> <br><br> <br> <br><br><br> <br>Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>\"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue.\" <br> <br>Purchase a copy where you prefer <br><a href=\"http://Amazon.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Amazon.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BarnesandNoble.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BarnesandNoble.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Target.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Target.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BoonBridgeBooks.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BoonBridgeBooks.com</a> <a href=\"http://ShopinHK.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">ShopinHK.com</a><br><br> <a href=\"http://Buy.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Buy.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BiggerBooks.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BiggerBooks.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Blackwell.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Blackwell.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Overstock.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Overstock.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Shop.MTV.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of \u201cincontrovertible\u201d evidence, the public\u2019s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts\u2014the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what \u201ctruth\u201d really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one\u2019s thesis. This means that the \u201ctruth\u201d almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he\u2019s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what\u2019s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush\u2019s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam\u2014published in Hanoi and Havana\u2014do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records\u2014held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia\u2019s FSB, and the North Vietnamese\u2014I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don\u2019t want to do\u2014or see done\u2014to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don\u2019t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as \u201cfair, factual, and neutral.\u201d Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you\u2019ve got to pay for it. Abramoff\u2019s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes\u2019 casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain\u2014the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant\u2014but they could sue Abramoff\u2019s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff\u2019s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the \u201caggrieved\u201d tribes. In other words, Abramoff\u2019s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for \u201cauthoring\u201d a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly \u201cfair, accurate, and neutral.\u201d My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn\u2019t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here\u2019s what he should say. \u201cLook, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post\u2019s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn\u2019t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt\u2019s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua\u2019s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe\u2014the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff\u2019s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino\u2014the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2014had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client\u2019s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation\u2014not to shut down the Tigua casino\u2014but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can\u2019t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff\u2019s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that \u201ctwo Indian casinos\u201d had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain\u2019s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua\u2019s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt\u2019s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt\u2019s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn\u2019t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt\u2019s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie\u2019s response was generic. He couldn\u2019t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper\u2019s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee\u2019s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report\u2019s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain\u2019s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe\u2019s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you\u2019ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you\u2019re caring for, you go to prison. If you\u2019ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn\u2019t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn\u2019t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn\u2019t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain\u2019s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 \u00bd year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I\u2019m a liberal, a registered independent, but I\u2019ve never voted Republican. However, I\u2019ve never contributed\u2014money or time\u2014to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don\u2019t care for Abramoff\u2019s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn\u2019t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He\u2019s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn\u2019t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth\u2014to the best of my ability\u2014about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information\u2014which the public never did\u2014that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff\u2019s \u201ccrime\u201d was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It\u2019s too late for public hearings. He\u2019s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn\u2019t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain\u00b4t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus \"Sandaler\" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>\"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?\" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did \"Straight-Talk\" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a \"straight talker\" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of \"Teshuva\" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation\u2019s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain's Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain\u2019s investigation into Abramoff wasn\u2019t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz's forthcoming book, \"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff\". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com's Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff's lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain's probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain's investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn't for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party's presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public's confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here<br> <br> <br><br><br> <br>Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>\"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue.\" <br> <br>Purchase a copy where you prefer <br><a href=\"http://Amazon.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Amazon.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BarnesandNoble.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BarnesandNoble.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Target.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Target.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BoonBridgeBooks.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BoonBridgeBooks.com</a> <a href=\"http://ShopinHK.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">ShopinHK.com</a><br><br> <a href=\"http://Buy.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Buy.com</a><br><a href=\"http://BiggerBooks.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">BiggerBooks.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Blackwell.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Blackwell.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Overstock.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Overstock.com</a><br><a href=\"http://Shop.MTV.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of \u201cincontrovertible\u201d evidence, the public\u2019s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts\u2014the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what \u201ctruth\u201d really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one\u2019s thesis. This means that the \u201ctruth\u201d almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he\u2019s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what\u2019s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush\u2019s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam\u2014published in Hanoi and Havana\u2014do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records\u2014held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia\u2019s FSB, and the North Vietnamese\u2014I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don\u2019t want to do\u2014or see done\u2014to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don\u2019t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as \u201cfair, factual, and neutral.\u201d Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you\u2019ve got to pay for it. Abramoff\u2019s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes\u2019 casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain\u2014the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant\u2014but they could sue Abramoff\u2019s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff\u2019s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the \u201caggrieved\u201d tribes. In other words, Abramoff\u2019s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for \u201cauthoring\u201d a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly \u201cfair, accurate, and neutral.\u201d My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn\u2019t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here\u2019s what he should say. \u201cLook, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post\u2019s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn\u2019t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt\u2019s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua\u2019s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe\u2014the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff\u2019s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino\u2014the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas\u2014had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client\u2019s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation\u2014not to shut down the Tigua casino\u2014but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can\u2019t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff\u2019s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that \u201ctwo Indian casinos\u201d had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain\u2019s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua\u2019s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt\u2019s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt\u2019s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn\u2019t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt\u2019s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie\u2019s response was generic. He couldn\u2019t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper\u2019s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee\u2019s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report\u2019s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain\u2019s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe\u2019s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff\u2019s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you\u2019ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you\u2019re caring for, you go to prison. If you\u2019ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn\u2019t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn\u2019t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn\u2019t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain\u2019s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 \u00bd year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I\u2019m a liberal, a registered independent, but I\u2019ve never voted Republican. However, I\u2019ve never contributed\u2014money or time\u2014to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don\u2019t care for Abramoff\u2019s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn\u2019t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He\u2019s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn\u2019t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth\u2014to the best of my ability\u2014about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information\u2014which the public never did\u2014that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff\u2019s \u201ccrime\u201d was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It\u2019s too late for public hearings. He\u2019s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn\u2019t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain\u00b4t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus \"Sandaler\" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>\"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?\" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did \"Straight-Talk\" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a \"straight talker\" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of \"Teshuva\" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation\u2019s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain's Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain\u2019s investigation into Abramoff wasn\u2019t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz's forthcoming book, \"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff\". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com's Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff's lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain's probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain's investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn't for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>\"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff,\" by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party's presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public's confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:24:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "Michigander2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893913": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "There's the principle of the thing, and then there's reality. With our modern understanding of PTSD, isn't our military's recovery time a vital part of readiness?<br><br>I've always thought the Dems have been too dovish/soft on Bush. In 2004 I was waiting for Kerry to say something like, \"Our military is like a gun with two bullets, and we've fired them both. So is it any wonder that Iran and North Korea thumb their noses at us?\"<br><br>There's a hawkish argument for why Iraq was a mistake, and it's one you rarely hear. It has to do with the threat of military force being far more powerful than actual deployment.<br><br>Now that we've shown the world that we can be stopped (no \"defeated,\" just \"stopped\"), we have significantly weakened our hand in international diplomacy.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:44:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "Anderkoo", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893567, "depth": 10, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895450": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You know just as well as I do that he was referring to McCain's support of the telecomm industry.<br><br>(Now I will grant you that it's a dumb response to a qustion about how McCain is best qualified to fix the economy)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:23:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2895138, "depth": 15, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889820": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "**Video**<br>If You Care About Women The Best Choice BY FAR is Obama! Madeleine Albright responds to Sarah Palin<br><a href=\"http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KP8Lvl7rKwQ\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KP8Lvl7rKwQ</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:14:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893413": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "All the criminals know how to do is make threats in order to get what they want. And they got what they wanted. <br><br>Say goodbye to the New Deal.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:11:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2890989, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900065": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "NMP - look within your own family and tell me someone didn't make bad choice at some point in their lives.  Smoked weed, did drugs, was arrested, drove while drunk, beat their significan other, child abuse, robbed somebody, lied, cheated, stole etc? Are you saying you disowned them?  So I don't know what you are insinuating about Barack and Michelle but it smells like bullshit to me.<br><br>I believe Obama's campaign is doing the right things and we are not going to fall for the nonsense.  Not this time.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:34:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2896483": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Unfortunate for us D.  Jokes are only allowed for the Mccain campaign.  I am sick of the bs.  This ain't no time for joking... about the black berry or about bombing that damn IRAN.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_14:26:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "rorysmomma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2895622, "depth": 16, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897508": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  I go to \"ALASKA\" erryday!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br><br>Recently, People just RALLYING in the STREETS -DAILY!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)  Party over there!!   :&gt;)<br><br><a href=\"http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=278278\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vi...</a><br><b>Dancing In The Streets  - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas</b><br><br>Whooooo!   Hooo!  :&gt;)<br><br><b>Callin' out ALL Obama people!!  :&gt;)</b>  Listen to the CITIES!!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:28:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894601, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889830": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "rikyrah:  Another Obama-Biden Rally in Alaska!<br><br><a href=\"http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/obama-rama-in-juneau-alaska/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/obama-...</a><br><b>Obama-rama in Juneau, Alaska</b><br><br><i>Here it is\u2026.from the capitol city of Alaska! <b>Several hundred Juneau-ites came together and rallied for Obama-Biden!</b> For a city of 30,000 people, that\u2019s saying something! Here\u2019s the recap with photos from Mudflatter Sandy Beach!<br><br>Juneau had a great party today. It was held at our Juneau Arts & Cultural Center, the former Armory. Participants were instructed to make a sign that reads \u201cI am an Alaskan __________, and I choose Obama/Biden.\u201d You were to fill in the blank with a word to describe yourself. As you can tell from the pictures, most people did just that. There were Alaskan mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, animal lovers, hockey players, fishermen, moose hunters, nurses, dietitians, pastors, Christians, Lesbians, state employees, rednecks, developers, entrepreneurs, poets, musicians, and even a few Republicans. There was music, an emcee, and a visit from Juneau Representative Beth Kertulla. In fact, someone who looked a lot like Sarah Palin showed up and gave a speech, although she looked a bit unsteady on her high heels. Note: See the the woman with a child in her arms that faux Sarah is posing with? That\u2019s the real Sarah\u2014Sarah Conarro, that is, whose brainchild this whole event was.</i><br><br>The PICS are GREAT 2!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>GO ALASKA!!  GO MUDFLATS!!<br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:16:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893926": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But, we are fighting TWO wars simultaneously---(much to the behest of PNAC, since that is part of their ideology)-- and our armed forces are stretched thin--PERIOD.  The top brass admits it. This administration has made no concerted effort to grow the  forces(draft anyone?), however, they have lined the pockets of their buddies in this militaristic complex of contractors who are often wasting billions in taxpayers dollars. <br><br>  Now as far as Obama, his record may not be as long, but McCain has always had a horrible record---dating as far back as the early 90's during the first Gulf War.  John McCain has never served on the Veteran Affairs Committee---Obama does.  And I guess that is why McCain's camp put Walter Reed Middle School on the jumbotron at the RNC Convention instead of Walter Reed Army Medical Center---so embarassing and out-of-touch.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:45:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893567, "depth": 10, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889323": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "rikyrah:  Guess the DNC wants ta assist Mr. Obama NOW!!  Hmm.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/new-dnc-ad-criticizes-mcc_n_132113.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/new-dn...</a><br><b>New DNC AD Criticizes McCain Over Negative Attack Ads (VIDEO)</b><br><br><i>The DNC has released a new ad criticizing McCain for his aggressive turn towards negative campaigning. The spot ends with McCain, in a clip on the campaign trail from 2000, saying \"if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future, or you're not ready to articulate it.\" As TPM notes, the McCain campaign's ad spending is now nearly 100 percent devoted to attack ads. Watch the DNC's new ad below.</i><br><br>ENJOY!!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:49:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900242": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "No, it exposed her for the phony that she is", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:48:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899651, "depth": 8, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889840": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "These are great, thanks!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:20:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889830, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2904689": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The Palin and McCain campaign want to talk about so-called domestic terrorist ,let them defend this.<br><a href=\"http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/06/mccain-abotion-bombers/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/06/mccain-abot...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_23:23:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894454": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "D.  McCain is given far too much  credit for his self-proclaimed stance of \"I know how to win wars.\"  I am sorry, the man makes more gaffes in what is supposed to be his strong suit.<br><br>But not only  that John McCain callously promoted kicking Russia out of the G-8 in March of this year, prior to the Georgian conflict.  He disses the Spain Prime Minister and of course wants to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.  Which intl community is he trying to work with again?<br><br>In the presidential debate, he called for a surge-like operation in Afganistan. Even Gen. David Kiernan remarked that \"The word I don't use for Afghanistan is surge\" further explaining that what is required is a \"Sustained commitment\" to a counterinsurgency effort  that could last for years---a political,not military solution is required.<br><br>Even his favorite Gen. Petraues has remarked that success in Iraq should not be called a victory.  But yet McCain's rhetoric is we succeeded with the surge.... but our troops will only come home in victory---which is it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:19:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894014, "depth": 12, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894457": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What's fair about MSNBC? The only thing that separates them from FNC is that no one really watches them.<br><br>I occasionally take in O'Reilly if he has something interesting on. Much less so H&C. Thing about FNC is, their news is alright....it's the commentators that get them in trouble.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:19:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894151, "depth": 9, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901626": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Please make this an ad!!!<br><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eu9Z2hXky0\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eu9Z2hXky0</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:02:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889852": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "TruthSeeker:  Nobody could have thought that that \"RESCUE PLAN\" would have caused a <b> mutation</b> in the <b>GREED GENE!</b> of \"WALL STREET\"!!<br><br>These people are who they are!!   Sad BUT True!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:23:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889719, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889835": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TruthSeeker:  Great find!! :&gt;)  Thanks!! :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:19:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889820, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892934": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But we're not talking about what random bloggers might say, we're talking about what SARAH PALIN, candidate said.  I doubt seriously either Obama or Biden would be attacking McCain today if Mama McCain died today or attacking Palin if any of the Palins died today.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:40:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892593, "depth": 6, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898569": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<a href=\"http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/kitchen_sink_joins_everything.php\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/20...</a><br><br>McCain: We know that Obama got $200 million from shady sources and we demand to know who those shady sources are.  Cuz ain't no way that boy could raise $450 million dollars the right way, ain't no way.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:24:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894986": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "My largest issue with the Iraqi surgeand how McCain frames it is that troop levels are only a fraction of what made it to succeed--and I feel the American people are being mislead to beleive that increased troop levels alone created this decrease in violence.  You know D, everything from ethnic cleansing,payola to Sunni leaders, and the Awaken-<br>ing had a hand in this strategy.<br><br>John McCain just recently spoke about cutting off all ties with Iran--diplomatically--<br>basically isolationg them, contrary to Gates' Mullen and several other foreign policy official's positons.<br><br>Also, McCain has also joked about killing Iranians with cigarettes, so his humor has more than once been disturbingregarding Iran.   And frankly. unbecom-ing of a world leader.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:53:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894603, "depth": 14, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893451": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I definitely agree that supporters on both sides can cross the line and it is unfortunate. Thankfully JJP (regulars) are not that way. That said, Fox News is an unofficial arm of the GOP- you can say Keith O and now Rachel Maddow are super liberals (and I LOVE THEM FOR IT,) but that's only two hours on one station.<br><br>The damage comes when the entire station, save for a random \"left leaning\" pundit happens on the station, is hell bent on fueling the lies and distorted truths. So where Obama can make a speech and tell people to chill out, Fox is out there fanning the flames of hate- real time and 24hours/ day.<br><br>Let's be honest- most of the blogs are educating people who are comfortable in this cyber habitat, but TV is where people are getting their info. <br><br>Umm I may have moved off topic here- but somewhere above lies the point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:13:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892593, "depth": 6, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2887310": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<a href=\"http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/05/AR2008100502589.html?hpid=topnews\" rel=\"nofollow\">WaPo does story on McCain's First Marriage</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:03:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894481": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It says 12pm EST for me, however its 12:20 pm (est) for me now soooo....I dunno. But then again I can't watch most videos at work anyway.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:21:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "b8b9328e61e0094ae18e247c922f9dc7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894303, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899651": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "And-forgive my cynicism-if she had, she would've taken a hit on the right. And quite possibly the left, as any show of compassion would've been called fake, regardless of sincerity.<br><br>Palin was in a no win situation, and did the best thing: stay on message and defend McCain.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:03:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899395, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895002": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Just watched the video (only 13 minutes, folks.)<br><br>Clearly presents the Keating 5 issue.<br>Clearly shows IN PRINT that McCain lacks good judgment on yet another major issue, the economy.<br>Clearly shows his political bedfellows are bad for working people.<br><br>No matter what they want to say about Obama's associations, the bigger issue is McCain's FRIENDS.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:54:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894615, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889373": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "McCain acts like nobody has the ' right' to bring up his dirty laundry. Like folks can't use Google on his ass.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:57:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2887542, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889375": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama's raised enough money for them..but they are using it at the right time.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:57:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889323, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900129": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "here is my point.  Everyone knows someone who made a bad decision at some point in their life.  Doesn't mean you agree with it their actions so why would we hold you accountable for it?<br><br>bottom line - this is nonsense and I am sick of it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:40:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900065, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2907299": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yes. I've seen him on many occasions as well.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-07_00:57:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "Texas_Girl_in_LA", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2906623, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889384": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Love the video esp as it reminds us of that wonderful night in denver before most of us ever heard of Palin.  <br><br>One of the things I think Obama needs to do is start mixing it up with large arena type of appearances in an effort to start to make it feel like a steamroll to the white house.  People enjoy being a \"part of a movement\" and it is time to rekindle that enthusiasm.  He has proven he can handle small town hall and mid size venues and relate to folks one on one.  <br><br>But I just think if he could fly from battleground state to battleground state with two appearances a day in crowds of 15 - 20K on weekdays that would dampen the republican mood.<br><br>Although the risk is what if Palin draws similar crowds....", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:59:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 54, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2902044": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Does anyone notice that when the bailout was only $700 billion Congress couldn't get it passed; but when it was repackaged to include another $140 billion of pork, it passed in BOTH HOUSES?<br><br>Think about that; $700 billion was too much - but $840 billion was JUST RIGHT?<br><br>EWWWWWWWWWWWWw", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:39:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894211, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897095": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Someone commented on that video that it is organized crime and treason.   I agree, and recall vaguely how Gingrich shut down the Government when he was put out about something.   These right wing criminals would collapse the market to stand in the way of change.  Something's got to give, because this will not stand.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:00:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892577, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901680": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert Reich on the current situtation: <a href=\"http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/meltdown-part-i.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/meltdow...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:07:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "RobM", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900659": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This is how the Republicans treat the troops:<br><br>    Frank St. Pierre, of Anaconda, fought in World War II. He is one of the most decorated living veterans in America. And yet, on Wednesday, my party \u2014 the Montana Republican Party \u2014 tried to invalidate his voter registration because he lives in a county with a lot of Democrats. Incredible as this may sound to you, it is the truth...<br><br>    A significant number of the 6,000 voters targeted were servicemen, including Kevin Furey, a former state legislator from Missoula who left the legislature to serve in Iraq; Cindie Kalan-Green, who is also serving in Iraq; and Mathew Robison, who I am told has been deployed to Fort Drum.<br><br>    Many were college students and elderly people. For example, Babe Aspholm, of Anaconda, an elderly man, simply moved across town from his house to a senior living center. The Republicans tried to void his registration. Tom Detonacour, a policeman from Deer Lodge County who simply bought a house in another county, also got targeted.<br><br>    But worst of all is the legendary Frank St. Pierre, 86, also of Anaconda, who helped save thousands of allied troops at Dunkirk in World War II and has 10 Medals of Honor. St. Pierre, too, moved from one end of town to the other, and the Republicans tried to void his and his wife's registrations. I have a copy of the signed affidavits from the Republicans, declaring that Frank and Marilyn St. Pierre's voter registrations must be purged. An utter disgrace.<br><br><br><a href=\"http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/145526/099/608/621790\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/145...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:25:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897077": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Based on what? That it is the other side? The fact that Obama or Biden dissed someone who lost a family member? <br><br>D, I respect you, but that just veered into a smear without merit. Well, at least conjecture without fact. <br><br>I believe if Moma McCain were to die, that the nation would be respectful, Obama and Biden, too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_14:59:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "Lilytiger", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892292, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2906623": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Random curious question: Has anyone else noticed this one particular Secret Service man who always seems to be near Senator Obama in pictures -- and, am I the only one who finds his presence in these photos really reassuring at the gut level? I find myself looking for him whenever I see Senator Obama in photos when he is near a lot of people.<br><br>Anyway, this is who I'm talking about: He's the one in the sunglasses next to Senator Obama -- to Obama's right -- in this photo right here:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.mountainx.com/gallery/image_full/1865/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama rally</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_23:44:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "4ec3c0272b87ba5c8ce3a9168cf4e78a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2891960": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Somewhere in the White House, Bush is packing his boxes and laughing his ass off at McCain.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:18:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2890989, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894524": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Keating Economics is up!<br><br>Also, Palin claims she's just trying to help Tina Fey out with her career:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-bad-interviews-my-w_n_132226.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:24:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894014": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I think it's an issue in that he hasn't let his temper fly. I think a show of it would be good. Just once, though.<br><br>In my opinion (and the majority of JJP will disagree), McCain is willing to keep the fight against terrorism on the enemy's territory instead of ours. He has called for not only strengthening our military, but for working with the international community to disrupt and prevent the formation of terrorist networks. He will work to ensure that the intelligence community has the tools they need to provide current, correct, and actionable intelligence-and will not punish those entities that acted within the law to assist in intelligence efforts. In addition, he will push for greater cooperation between the federal government and local first responders, and improve our capacity to prevent-and in the worst case, respond to-catastrophic events here at home.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:50:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893744, "depth": 11, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895043": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The only reason you think they are unfair, is because they fact check before they present conservative lies and distortions. <br><br>News and news from a PARTICULAR opinion are two different things.  The latter is propaganda. Sure they are not throwing leaflets from a plane, it's just \"biased news\" on a scrolling ticker.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:57:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894457, "depth": 10, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2887542": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "rikyrah:  Obama is on the \"offensive!\"<br><br><a href=\"http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/05/obama_warns_against_mccain_sme.html?hpid=topnews\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008...</a><br><b>Obama Warns Against McCain \"Smear Tactics\"</b><br><br><i>By Perry Bacon Jr.<br>ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Sen. Barack Obama said today that, while his rival John McCain seeks to \"distract you with smears\" and \"Swift Boat-style attacks\" in the last weeks of the campaign, he would keep focused on economic issues and what he described as McCain's shortcomings.<br><br>\"Senator McCain's campaign has announced that they plan to turn the page on the discussion about our economy and spend the final weeks of this campaign launching Swift Boat-style attacks on me,\" Obama told a crowd of thousands on the football field of Asheville High School. \"Senator McCain and his operatives are gambling that he can distract you with smears rather than talk to you about substance. ... I want you to know that I'm going to keep on talking about issues that matter.\"<br><br>The Democratic nominee was reacting to reports of McCain's strategy telegraphed by his aides, as well as remarks Friday from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.<br><br>The Republican vice presidential nominee accused Obama of \"palling around with terrorists,\" a reference to his association with William Ayers, who has confessed to domestic bombings as a member of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground. Ayers and Obama are not close and have not spoken in recent years, but they once served together on a nonprofit board that distributed educational grants in Chicago. Ayers hosted a gathering for Obama when he was running for the state Senate in Illinois a decade ago.<br><br>Obama did not refer specifically to Palin's remarks, nor did he detail exactly what the \"smears\" against him by McCain would be.</i><br><br>IT'S sooo ON!!!   :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:37:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889415": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It is baffling to me that this election is even this close.  When I see tatics like 'swiftboating' work it makes me want to scream.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_02:06:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "80b17db2d618a582acc6fd76ddb35dca", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895050": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TruthSeeker:   <b>UNREGULATED!</b>  Isn't that the \"McAncient/The Gov. MANTRA??     IT IS!!!<br><br>We'll NEVA know what \"Wall Street Operatives\" know.  <br><br>I'll continue with MY OWN fiscal conservatism(?) annnnnnd I'll keep a little in MY SOCK under the MATTRESS!    :&gt;)    :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:57:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889988, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892237": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "here in Dallas there are yard signs and bumper stickers that simply say Sarah! with McCain-Palin in small print.  Listening her lie her butt off in FL just now, it is clear she is suppose to whip the crowds up with what they want to hear, despite being factually disproved.  That is what is so disappointing about McCain but hey folks have covered this crowd.<br><br>I did not hear the whole speech but I was disappointed to hear her attacking Biden - the man's mother just died can he not be hands off until Wednesday?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:42:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 49, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2891999, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893011": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "...and I honestly think-or want to believe-that McCain/Palin would call that as inappropriate as well.<br><br>Far as the supporters on each side, the namecalling/attacking would fly both ways.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:46:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892881, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901207": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I want to know why the Secret Service did nothing to this person. A man in New Orleans tells Cheney \"to go f**k himself\" and he is arrested. A man somewhere else tells Cheney he disagrees with his policies and is arrested. Someone calls to kill a potential president, and all there is are crickets?? <br><br>I hope Obama directly confronts McCain with these smears at the debate and ask him does he believe he is a terrorist and does he believe he runs around with terrorist. I want McCain called on it and put on the spot on national TV. Let's see what honor this old grumpy man really does have. Call him out on this BS!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_19:19:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "Suprk", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900995, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901796": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sepia, you knew this was coming.<br><br>Fox gets to guard Henhouse with Congress' blessing and using our tax dollars to do it.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:20:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2901421, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898383": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "What was she supposed to say? She swung the topic back to McCain, which is where Biden started attacking before talking about his family. She didn't go after him.<br><br>I thought her answer was appropriate. At that point, she <b>couldn't</b> attack him. It was a fine line to walk, and she walked it.<br><br>Besides-and I think this is lost in everyone's rush to defend Obama-<b><i>I haven't once said that Palin's right for going after Biden now.</b></i> I disagree with it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:11:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2898199, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900702": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Outdated, Arcane Laws Disenfranchising Voters in Seattle<br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patty-cogen/outdated-arcane-laws-dise_b_132192.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patty-cogen/outda...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:30:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2891999": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But we're not electing Palin, we're electing either Obama or McCain.  By boosting Palin over and beyond McCain the Repubs are basically saying \"McCain is old news.\"    Palin drawing big crowds only accentuates the fact that McCain is a has-been.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:21:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 51, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889384, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894560": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "thanks i did nto realize my mistake until after i had logged out.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:26:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893130, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894562": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Town, on point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:27:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892881, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898150": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "D:  <i> . . . think-or want to believe-</i><br><br>The MAJOR DIFFERENCE is <b>THEY DID NOT!!!</b><br><br>WHY???  </b>  NO CLASS!!  NO HEART!!   NO COMPASSION!!</b>   Look how \"The Gov.\" reacted to Mr. Biden's \"moment\" during the \"debate.\"<br><br>\"Wel,l moving right along\" to my NEXT TALKING POINT, was HER <b>smarmy/snarky/sarcastic ATTITUDE!!</b><br><br>She's COLDER than ALASKA!! -  Sub \"ZERO!!\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:54:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893011, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893031": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "See what I said in the parantheses above; went back and added that after I typed my response.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:47:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892934, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897642": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I can't even look at McCain right now.  The markets were down 800 less then a half hour ago and McCain is giving a stump speech about Obama being a liar, withholding information about his past, not answering any questions and never acomplishing in Congress.  \"Who is Barack Obama? No one knows.\" McCain says, and continues that whenever you ask Obama questions about his past he gets upset and wants to \"take of the gloves\".   <br><br>Oh the spin.  It's making me dizzy.<br><br>I can't wait for the debate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:38:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "pjamma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889963": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Can't remember if this was posted...<br><br>Bruce Springsteen for Obama<br><a href=\"http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RJI74wwZe1E\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RJI74wwZe1E</a><br><br>I couldn't find any videos of the Jay-Z concert..", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:54:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895084": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Val:  I really need ta get myself together.  I'm working on it   -  <br><br><b>V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y</b>    :&gt;)   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:59:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894803, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2890989": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Is anyone concerned about the threat of Martial Law imposed on the politicians by Bush?<br><br><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_06:53:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "heartsandflowers", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894574": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well, we know the PNAC connections run deep with Bush and McCain so it is only right to bring up the ideology they suscribe to.  John McCain's main foreign policy advisor and Sarah Palin's coach was a director in PNAC.<br><br>But since you brought up committees, isn't being on the Foreign Realtions Committee   the crux of McCain's arguments---that he served on those same committees and thus has the expertise to lead this country because of that .  Because clearly getting captured in Vietnam does not solely make him an expert on foreign relations.  Have McCain tell it, he can solve the banking crisis because he was on the Commerce Committee and invented the blackberry just for that reason.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:27:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894195, "depth": 12, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895097": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Speaking of strange...<br><br>A move to create our 51st State -<br><br><i>(10-05) 04:00 PDT Yreka, Siskiyou County -- Some folks around here think the economic sky is falling and state lawmakers in Sacramento and Salem are ignoring their constituents in the hinterlands.<br><br>Guess the time is ripe to create a whole new state.<br><br>That's the thinking up here along the border between California and Oregon, where 12 sparsely populated, thickly forested counties in both states want to break away and generate the 51st star on the nation's flag - the state of Jefferson. </i><br><br><a href=\"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/04/MNNP138DLP.DTL&tsp=1\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:00:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "BTx", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2906898": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel's wife plans to endorse Senator Barack Obama for president of the United States!<br><br>RICHMOND, Va. - The wife of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel plans to endorse Democrat Barack Obama.<br><br>Lilibet Hagel has scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday with Susan Eisenhower, the daughter of Republican President Eisenhower.<br><br>Hagel, R-Neb., has made no endorsement. Lilibet Hagel said in an Associated Press interview that her decision was independent of her husband. She said she didn't know whether he would make an endorsement or whom he would support. <br><a href=\"http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/221159/439/163/622235\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/221...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_23:58:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2903224": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Keith Olbermann's \"Special Comment:\"<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/olbermann-special-comment_n_132456.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/olberm...</a><br><br>This time he's gunning for Palin. This one's right up there with his Special Comment to Hillary Clinton during the primaries...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_22:34:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "5ba68360301d2a83c640ce48fb0e96cf", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892577": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "JP Morgain froze the money in order to help collapse the market.<br><br>I said it before and I mean it again: this market collapse is for pure politics. It's just not working the way the criminals wanted it to work. <br><br>And we are simply pawns in their political games.<br><br>Yeah, they should all go to prison.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:12:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889719, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893567": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I disagreed with the dwell time amendment. The purpose of the military is to be deployable; to go anywhere in the world, as needed. No one told me that I would be able to spend as much time at home as I did deployed when I signed up (and, even though my sea/shore rotation was equal time, it ended up not being that way for me). Dwell time shrinks the availiability of units available for combat. It might have worked post-Somalia until until 9/10/01.<br><br>McCain's voting record on vets' issues does leave a lot to be desired. It's bad, being one, but I have to weigh that against his record/credentials on national security. If the truth's really to be told, Obama-<b><i>only by virtue of not being in the Senate for very long</b></i> doesn't have much of a <b>voting</b> record on veterans' issues (and for those who want to go to war over that statement, read it very carefully first).<br><br>I can't excuse Rumsfeld. I could, once...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:21:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 15, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893201, "depth": 9, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898101": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>now ingrained on her face</i><br><br>Well well well.<br><br>Someone just got a little screamingly obvious in their ongoing displays of racism. <br><br>To be expected from this particular troll.<br><br>troll troll troll<br><br>troll troll troll", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:52:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "4ec3c0272b87ba5c8ce3a9168cf4e78a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894609, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894595": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well just call me Ms. Information today :)<br><br>I knew he had a large crowd yesterday but did not realize it was that big and guess I have missed his other big events of late.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:28:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893616, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889988": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Did you hear what that guy said in part 2.....<br><br>The shadow market of credit default swaps is estimated at between 50 & 60 trillion dollars!!!!   This is an unregulated market!!!   And they cannot estimate the size within 10 trillion dollars!!!<br><br>Did you see that bastard Robert Pickle, did you see him raise one eyebrow when Steve questioned him??", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:59:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889852, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897157": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama Remarks: See You Tues Night, John McCain.<br>   Obviously we woke up this morning and saw the markets are still in turmoil.<br><br>   Not only are we seeing the stock market go down but there is still great danger of the credit markets not responding and the contagion is spreading to all parts of the globe. Europe is having some of the same problems....It is a reminder that the rescue package that was passed last week is not the end of our efforts to deal with the economy, it\u2019s just the beginning. I think it is very important for Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke to move swiftly and try to restore confidence as quickly as possible, and effectuate the plans based on the authority that has been given to them by Congress.<br><br>   I think it is still critical for us to move forward on an economic stimulus package that can provide people with some relief from high gas prices, food prices, help state and local governments maintain their payrolls. I think we have to extend unemployment insurance after the statistics showing that 159,000 additional jobs were lost just last month. We\u2019re going to have to then, move on an aggressive plan to deal with some of the underlying structural problems in the economy including the housing market.<br><br>   Now Sen. McCain and I have a debate tomorrow and obviously the American people are going to be anxious to hear from one of the two people that is going to be the next president and responsible for dealing with these economic problems and hear what their plans are. I was a little surprised over the last couple of days to her Sen. McCain say, or Sen. McCain\u2019s campaign say, that we want to turn the page on the discussion of the economy and a member of Sen. McCain\u2019s campaign saying today that if we keep talking about the economic crisis we lose. I\u2019ve got news for the McCain campaign, the American people are losing right now, they\u2019re losing their jobs, they\u2019re losing their health care, they\u2019re losing their homes, they\u2019re losing their savings.<br><br>   I can not imagine anything more important to talk about than the economic crisis and the notion that we\u2019d want to brush that aside and engage in the usual political shenanigans and scare tactics that have come to characterize too many political campaigns, I think is not what the American people are looking for. So I\u2019m going to keep on talking about the economy, I\u2019m going to keep on talking about what we can do to strengthen the middle class and get our credit markets to settle down. I have confidence that we can solve this problem but we\u2019re not going to solve it with business as usual. We need fundamental change and that\u2019s why I\u2019m running for president.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:04:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895622": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Yes, the increased presence is only part of the puzzle....but it's a very<br>large part of the puzzle.<br><br>As it stands today, we don't have diplomatic ties with Iran. Even the plan<br>to put diplomats there has been shelved until the next administration takes<br>office.<br><br>Again, you're jumping up and down about another joke...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:35:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894986, "depth": 15, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897159": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sorry if a repeat: we can assume that <a href=\"http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/in-georgia-small-improvements-in-black.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama is winning Georgia right now</a> given early voting turnout rates. With more hard hard work in the next four weeks, it's not impossible to imagine Georgia flipping blue this year -- something that was UNIMAGINABLE months ago.<br><br>Georgia is (technically) my home state and we know the field directors there so BIG UPS to the campaign. And any of you who live there or have relatives: <b>TODAY IS THE __LAST__ DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN GEORGIA!!!</b> GET THE VOTE OUT!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:04:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "Anderkoo", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894601": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "say it loud,...<br><br>I LUV MUDFLATS", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:29:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889830, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894603": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The surge succeeded in accomplishing its stated goal, which was driving down violence to the point that the Iraqi government could strengthen itself, both politically and militarily. Now, there were some other elements that played a role in the surge's success...but the surge was NEVER designed to \"win the war.\" That was not its intent.<br><br>A mirror of the surge in Afghanistan would not work...and really wouldn't accomplish much, as Afghanistan hasn't seen violence on the level of Iraq. The military will play its role in Afghanistan, but that country is able to do a lot more on its own. Besides, I don't think the Taliban's (almost-over) resurgence in Afghanistan could be considered an \"insurgency,\" as Afghanis weren't exactly enthused with life under them. Seems more like an attempt to grab passed power.<br><br>No one wants to bomb Iran for sport. If the only suggestion that McCain wants to go to war with Iran is a joke he made in a speech, that's not saying a lot...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:29:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894454, "depth": 13, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901776": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Why any veteran supports the republican party is beyond me.I am a veteran and for the last 8 years all I have seen is reTHUGS gut veteran programs send them in unwinnable wars and not once ask the country for shared sacrifice.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:18:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900659, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894609": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<a href=\"http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/michelle_obama_book_tells_of_h.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">Michelle Obama - \"Perennially dissatisfied.\"</a> Her hatred of \u201cWhite America\u201d consumed her early on, and that hatred is now ingrained on her face and even in her speech.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:29:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "Karmi", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 7, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893586": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "'I'm Catholic, staunchly anti-abortion, and support Obama <br><br>By NICHOLAS P. CAFARDI, Religion News Service<br>Published: <br>September 30, 2008<br><br>Editor's note: Nicholas P. Cafardi is the second high profile Catholic legal scholar who is staunchly anti-abortion yet says he supports Barack Obama. Douglas Kmiec, Ronald Reagan\u2019s constitutional lawyer as head of the office of legal counsel for the Department of Justice, publicly argued a similar case for Obama several weeks ago.<br><br>::<br><br>I believe that abortion is an unspeakable evil, yet I support Sen. Barack Obama, who is pro-choice. I do not support him because he is pro-choice, but in spite of it. Is that a proper moral choice for a committed Catholic?<br><br>As one of the inaugural members of the U.S. bishops' National Review Board on clergy sexual abuse, and as a canon lawyer, I answer with a resounding yes.<br><br>Despite what some Republicans would like Catholics to believe, the list of what the church calls \"intrinsically evil acts\" does not begin and end with abortion. In fact, there are many intrinsically evil acts, and a committed Catholic must consider all of them in deciding how to vote.<br><br>Last November, the U.S. bishops released \"Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,\" a 30-page document that provides several examples of intrinsically evil acts: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, torture, racism, and targeting noncombatants in acts of war.<br><br>Nicholas CafardiNicholas CafardiObama's support for abortion rights has led some to the conclusion that no Catholic can vote for him. That's a mistake. While I have never swayed in my conviction that abortion is an unspeakable evil, I believe that we have lost the abortion battle -- permanently. A vote for Sen. John McCain does not guarantee the end of abortion in America. Not even close.<br><br>Let's suppose Roe v. Wade were overturned. What would happen? The matter would simply be kicked back to the states -- where it was before 1973. Overturning Roe would not abolish abortion. It would just mean that abortion would be legal in some states and illegal in others. The number of abortions would remain unchanged as long as people could travel.<br><br>McCain has promised to appoint \"strict constructionist\" judges who would presumably vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. But is that sufficient reason for a Catholic to vote Republican? To answer that question, let's look at the rest of the church's list of intrinsically evil acts.<br><br>Both McCain and Obama get failing marks on embryonic stem-cell research, which Catholic teaching opposes. The last time the issue was up for a vote in the Senate, both men voted to ease existing restrictions.<br><br>But what about an unjust war? In 2003, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) said flatly that \"reasons sufficient for unleashing a war against Iraq did not exist.\" McCain voted for it; Obama opposed it.<br><br>What about torture? \"There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes,\" according to Antonio Taguba, the retired major general who investigated abuses in Iraq. Obama opposes the use of torture in all cases; McCain, himself a victim of torture, voted to allow the CIA to use so-called \"enhanced interrogation techniques\" -- a euphemism for torture.<br><br>How, some may ask, can I compare these evils with abortion? The right to abortion is guaranteed by the federal judiciary's interpretation of the Constitution. And while the president appoints federal judges, the connection between a president's appointments and the decisions rendered by his appointees is tenuous at best. After all, in 1992, five Republican-appointed justices voted to uphold Roe v. Wade in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Yet on other intrinsic evils -- an unjust war, torture, ignoring the poor -- I can address those evils directly by changing the president.<br><br>There's another distinction that is often lost in the culture-war rhetoric on abortion: There is a difference between being pro-choice and being pro-abortion. Obama supports government action that would reduce the number of abortions, and has consistently said that \"we should be doing everything we can to avoid unwanted pregnancies that might even lead somebody to consider having an abortion.\" He favors a \"comprehensive approach where ... we are teaching the sacredness of sexuality to our children.\" And he wants to ensure that adoption is an option for women who might otherwise choose abortion.<br><br>Obama worked all of that into his party's platform this year. By contrast, Republicans actually removed abortion-reduction language from their platform.<br><br>What's more, as recent data show, abortion rates drop when the social safety net is strengthened. If Obama's economic program will do more to reduce poverty than McCain's, then is it wrong to conclude that an Obama presidency will also reduce abortions? Not at all.<br><br>Every faithful Catholic agrees that abortion is an unspeakable evil that must be minimized, if not eliminated. I can help to achieve that without endorsing Republicans' immoral baggage. Overturning Roe v. Wade is not the only way to end abortion, and a vote for Obama is not somehow un-Catholic.<br><br>The U.S. bishops have urged a \"different kind of political engagement,\" one that is \"shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences.\"<br><br>I have informed my conscience. I have weighed the facts. I have used my prudential judgment. And I conclude that it is a proper moral choice for this Catholic to support Barack Obama's candidacy.<br><br>Cafardi is a civil and canon lawyer, and a professor and former dean at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. His most recent book, Before Dallas, examines the bishops' failures in handling the clergy sex abuse crisis. <br><br><a href=\"http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2058\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2058</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:22:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898199": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "One small piece of evidence to oppose your statement:<br><br>Sarah Palin's non-response to Joe Biden's story about his family at the debate.<br><br>Now, maybe she would be coached to act human in another circumstance. But in that moment she did not. And he is the VP choice of McCain and that campaign.<br><br>There;s a lack of real humanity in that campaign, D, whether you like it or not. If this was not the case, Palin would not have been the choice. <br><br>Not that this one piece of evidence proves or disproves anything -- just interesting piece of info on the humanity (or lack thereof) over on the McCain side.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:58:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "4ec3c0272b87ba5c8ce3a9168cf4e78a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892292, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893701": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "D,<br><br>You should know better than to say such as that. Barack has proven time & again what kind of man he is. Where did you get the idea that Barack wouldn't extend common courtesy?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:30:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "8b4edfeff97a04858d7247b03c0d0fd8", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892292, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893616": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Barack hasn't drawn less than 15,000 people at his rallies in more than two weeks. He's drawn as many as 35,000 in Detroit. <br><br>Granted all his big rallies have been outdoor events in recent weeks, but they're still huge.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:25:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889384, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895138": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "9/16/08:<br><br>holding up a Blackberrywhile speaking to reporters<br>\"...you're looking at the miracle John Mccain helped create.....\"<br><br>-Douglas Haltz-Eakin,  economic advisor to John McCain", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:03:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894627, "depth": 14, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894627": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Come on, no one said McCain invented the BlackBerry...and you know that.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:30:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894574, "depth": 13, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892580": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Co-sign.  That would seem to be out of character for BO.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:12:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "MsKitty", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892519, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901808": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Isn't this the second or third state he's conceeded to Obama in the past week?  He pulled out of Michigan and another battleground state I can't remember.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:21:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2901398, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892593": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "(Not gonna delete this, but just caught on that you were talking about from the candidates themselves. In that case, yes....wouldn't happen. But...)<br><br>I'd hope I was, but I don't think so:<br><br>If either of the McCain's sons who are in the military or Palin's son got killed, it would be said they got what they deserved for fighting in an \"unjust/illegal/(insert adjective here)\" war.<br><br>God knows what would be said if we were talking about Cindy or Roberta McCain...or Todd Palin, for that matter.<br><br>Now, I'll clarify: that type of stuff wouldn't come from <i>here</i>; I believe JJP to be better than that. But it'd make the rounds on Kos and DU.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:13:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 30, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892519, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894642": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The man called HIS WIFE A CUNT<br><br>do people really think there is radical separation from private and public works", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:31:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893884, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897204": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Whoops...it's Monday! :-)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:07:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "Lilytiger", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2895316, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2903349": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "made the mistake of watching 5 minutes anderson cooper tonight. phony investigative reporting about ayers reveals that obama worked with ayers...to fund inner city schools. what an outrage. getting education for those little black kids. so unamerican.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_22:46:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "7f586ef2f1112113164e8b337630191e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894136": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama's web video about Keating 5 debuts in three minutes:<br><br><a href=\"http://keatingeconomics.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://keatingeconomics.com</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:57:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2905055": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  Found this on Black Politics OTW:<br><br><a href=\"http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2008/10/06/obama-youth-junior-fraternity-regiment-video-whats-your-take/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2008/10/06/oba...</a><br><b>\"Obama Youth - Junior Fraternity Regiment\"  VIDEO - What's your take?</b><br><br><i><br><br>October 6, 2008 \u00b7 Print This Article<br><br>A Youtube video of middle school students at a Kansas City charter school is making the rounds on the internet. The video shows the students speaking of what Obama has inspired them to become in a stepping routine. The teacher who organized the video has been suspended. What\u2019s your take on the video - is this being blown out of proportion or do you feel that their routine is inappropriate?</i><br><br>IMHO:<br><br>1.  The video is APPROPRIATE because it is EDUCATIONAL & INSPIRATIONAL TO BLACK MALES!<br><br>2.  I hesitate to comment on information that provided \"little source data/information\", as this article does.  That said, I wonder why the teacher would subject herself to discipline?  She could have done this at home!  -SIGH-<br><br>3.  I don't know WHO/WHAT is blowing the video \"out of proportion\"; so I'm confused.<br><br>At any rate, I'm sharing because I like the video, in the main!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_23:23:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894949": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It's posted now.  it's best to watch as the .mov download.  The Youtube<br>video is really slow.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:51:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "pjamma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894481, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894657": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Ugh, can you edit this post? Its wwwwaaayyy too long.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:32:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "b8b9328e61e0094ae18e247c922f9dc7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894515, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901828": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "And Out of Luck, Craig.<br><br>The throes of a dying candidate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:23:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900429, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894151": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Ahh I know my point now (lol.) Fox News is conservative media (conservative values and it says and does so.) CNN and MSNBC etc are examples of media that strives to be balanced and fair. The latter term is the rub: fair. Faux News has basically created the notion of a bi-partisan media (GOP- them, and the rest Dems media,) which is not accurate. The skewed news they present is not news then, its propaganda. <br><br>So when we discuss how both sides won't respect what's happening in the lives of the candidates, I think its important to note that the GOP has an unfair/ and unethical advantage and tool in Fox News Network.<br><br>I don't watch them- at all- ever. I saw Hannity and Colmes once and they didn't seem so different to me so I can't agree or disagree with you on this. Bill O is a freaking punk. He won't say shit to Obama's face, but behind his back of he's a tough guy.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:58:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893722, "depth": 8, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893130": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "to be clear...it was jill's mother who died, not joe's.  she had been in hospice for a while i think (she wasn't at any of the high-profile campaign events).   still family though...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:53:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "99bcec632769e483ead5faa515e84132", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892237, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893722": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "For all the crap that O'Reilly gets in the blogosphere, I thought his interview with Obama was fair. He didn't really go after him like he could have (did you see what he did to Rep. Frank?).<br><br>That said, yes, FNC swings way right. I'm not sure if that's just how the network is, or if it's just because their liberal commentators are punks. If Colmes would reach over and slap Hannity one good time, that might restore some balance to the world.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:32:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893451, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894159": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Excellent point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:59:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892934, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897232": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The attack was inevitable but the Obama campaign responded by talking about the Keating 5 which now looks like it took off because of the McCain campaign's response.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:09:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2906961": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "McCain's people will probably see \"Kareen Abdul Jabaar\" on the donor list and say \"AHA!  Thar goes a terr'ist!\"<br><br><br>Seriously, does the McCain campaign not know how many black people born in the 60s and 70s (and even 80s) have Arabic names?  And I'd be willing to bet more than one of them has donated to Obama.  Dang, if people with Arabic names are \"suspect\" then a whole lot of black people are suspect.  Well, we're suspect anyway, but you know...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-07_00:07:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "Town", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899895, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892628": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It's starting to look like the Karma Express is going to run the Straight Talk Express off an embankment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:16:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "MsKitty", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892339, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894478": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "On this one, I'm with you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:21:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894198, "depth": 9, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898263": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Michelle:     <b>STRATEGICALLY BRILLIANT!!</b>   ABSOLUTELY!!!<br><br>IFFF McAncient hadn't STARTED Some, - - There wouldn't be some.<br><br>NOT!  Actually, this K-5 incident WAS going to be involved in this election process.<br><br>But, McAncient \"STARTED SOME!!\"   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:01:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2898004, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894682": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "OMG - if we're going to talk about spouses, let's talk about the Alaskan secessionist group.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:34:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "b8b9328e61e0094ae18e247c922f9dc7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894609, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889563": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  O.K.!  I love STRATEGY!!  Sooooo, I'm aww-ite!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_02:36:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889375, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893660": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Town, you are right, as usual.<br><br>Obama and Biden are compassionate, real people.<br><br>McCain and Palin are androids. Blood doesn't flow through their veins. They're both frauds. John McCain isn't even a genuine hero and the stories about what really happened in Vietnam are coming out in droves.<br><br>Gore Vidal was right all along.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:28:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892881, "depth": 5, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894688": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "A comment against blacks by someone using a derrogatory name for blacks....<br><br>What about that doesn't make sense?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:34:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894504, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889573": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  Correct me IFFF I'm wrong; BUT wasn't it \"McAncient\"  who wanted to have a \"gentlemanly -kinda\" political/election process??  HAH!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_02:39:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889373, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892177": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "There's always, that, HeartsandFlowers, but I really think Bush can't wait to get the hell out of DC come January.<br><br>He's already acting like he's ready to go and why not?  Like every business and administration he's ran, he came there when the organization was running well, looted and pillaged, and left it eff'ed up and ruined.  Just like the country; we have no global credibility and our economy has gone to hell. <br><br>Mission accomplished, as far as Bush is concerned.  I'd worry more about Martial law under a McCain administration if he wins.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:36:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2890989, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892519": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I think you're wrong.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:07:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 32, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892292, "depth": 4, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2898284": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Town!  Town!   Town!    <b>virtual 'dap'</b>!!!  TRUTH!!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:03:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2897469, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889870": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TruthSeeker:   My pleasure!  :&gt;)    Love to find pro-Obama Rallys in ALASKA!<br><br>Boo-yah!  Right in \"The Gov.'s FACE!!!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:28:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889840, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895727": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "carolinagirl:  <b>CONGRATULATIONS!!</b>  U DID IT!!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:41:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894773, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897265": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "dj:  I just watched this!  Thanks for \"bringin' it\"!   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:12:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2897157, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894195": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You're approaching your PNAC limit for the day.<br><br>One war on multiple fronts.<br><br>What does service on a committee lend itself to?Obama's also on the Foreign Relations Committe, and that's been made an issue of in some circles (though I'm not sure if the reason makes a whole lot of sense).<br><br>NO ONE can suggest a draft, even if it may be justified. It'd be political suicide.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:01:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893926, "depth": 11, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894198": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Oh here go- now THEY will create a hierarchy of the importance of service role. Now THAT is elitism. Bo Biden signed up to serve and is giving up the comforts of home to be there- still doesn't mean much huh? The nerve.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:01:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892749, "depth": 8, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2902904": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Good, they need to kick him out of the keystone state.  At least Field Negro is starting to think that's the next state he'll concede.<br><br>I think I heard murmurings about him conceding - or closing up campaign headquarters in another state.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_22:03:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2901993, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899007": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "NO WEAPON, NO MCCAIN, NO PALLIN FORMED AGAINST OBAMA WILL WORK!<br><br>Watch TODAYS Signs from the Lord-- It CAN Get Worse.  The Lord wants racist people in this country to ignore Obama's skin color and elect him fairly; but if He must, He will put them in a position where Obama's skin color won't be the main issue, THEIR PLIGHT TO SURVIVE WILL.  If Obama's skin-color TRUMPS the failing economy then we are in deep trouble in this land. McCain is staking his presidency on skin color though.<br><br> <br><br>(1) CLEARWATER, Fla. - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin expanded her attack on Democrat Barack Obama's character Monday to include his relationship with an incendiary former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright,  as well as his ties to 1960s-era radical Bill Ayers. <br><br> <br><br>(2) NEW YORK - Wall Street suffered through another traumatic session Monday, with the Dow Jones industrials plunging as much as 800 points and setting a new record for a one-day point drop as investors despaired that the credit crisis would take a heavy toll around the world. The Dow also fell below 10,000 for the first time since 2004, and all the major indexes fell more than 7 percent.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:32:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "Mythe", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892668": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Agreed ms. Kitty... Agreed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:19:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "5ef60ea87526195e8587f86ef848e199", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892628, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895231": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Anyone watching the Lehman hearings?  The CEO is getting a congressional smack down.<br><br>From HuffPo:<br><br><i>Richard S. Fuld Jr., chief executive officer of Lehman Brothers, declared to the committee \"I take full responsibility for the decisions that I made and for the actions that I took.\" He defended his actions as \"prudent and appropriate\" based on information he had at the time.<br><br>\"I feel horrible about what happened,\" he said.<br><br>Waxman questioned Fuld on whether it was true he took home some $480 million in compensation since 2000, and asked: \"Is that fair?\"<br><br>Fuld took off his glasses, held them, and looked uncomfortable. He said his compensation was not quite that much.<br><br>\"We had a compensation committee that spent a tremendous amount of time making sure that the interests of the executives and the employees were aligned with shareholders,\" he said. Fuld said he took home over $300 million in those years _ some $60 million in cash compensation. </i><br><br>Only $300M?  Well now I feel bad for him.  In that case take my tax dollars, please.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/lehmans-golden-parachutes_n_132258.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/lehman...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:09:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "pjamma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894211": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "That's why Paulson asked for a blank check.<br><br>They were going to get those CEO's a big chunk of that money.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:02:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "CraigHickman", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892712, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901398": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "An Ed Schultz Email:<br><i><br>10/6/2008<br><br>FROM BIG EDDIE:<br>Sunday night I was told by Capitol Hill insiders the polling after Tuesdays <br>debate will determine McCains next shift in resources. McCain will trim operations<br>in Minnesota this week and may be out of the state by the end of the week.<br>Obama has opened a solid double digit lead in the Gopher state. Some McCain insiders <br>feel the state is already lost coupled by the fact that Al Franken is now leading <br>Senator Norm Coleman. <br><br>Sources with knowledge of the campaign are telling me this will be a crucial week for McCain.<br>All Minnesota efforts will be reallocated to Ohio, Florida and possibly Virginia.<br><br>The McCain camp is now expecting the 527's to attack Obama on character in an <br>attempt to shift the conversation and focus off the economy. One source told me <br>tonight \"We are definitely in need of a game changer\"</i>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_19:38:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2903432": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The best way to block an attack is to counterattack. If you're forced to defend, the message goes out twice -- once by the attacker, a second time by the defense. By attacking back on Keating, Obama is at least canceling out the attack. And the timing in impeccable: the message on Keating resonates much more strongly in this economic climate than this so-called terrorist association given (thank God) no recent terrorist attacks. (Unless McCain knows something we don't about the next few weeks).", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_22:53:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "Anderkoo", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2896607, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894572": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "My apologies everyone.   I hit the send button accidentally before cleaning up my post.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:27:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "Michigander2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899640": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I am not shady and I have donated about $175. John McCain and everyone who supports his immoral, bankrupt  campaign can kiss where the sun dont shine.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:02:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2898569, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894732": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "How's that \"whitey\" tape working for you?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:37:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894609, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893201": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The truth of the matter D. is that you can disagree with this war--call it unjust, illegal and so on---but in my eyes, that doesn't make you unpatriotic to me.  I believe that it is  an unjust war but I pray hard for every servicemember I know because that is my  experience in life, I am surrounded by it.  I  have bid farewell to family and friends before a deployment not knowing if they will be okay.  I am raising three sons, and my life , like so many others has had to endure these cyclical changes of uncertainty.  Even my children's pediatrician often asks, is your husband home or deployed, because the truth is when the troops are \"home\" they are out training ---away from \"home\"--- getting ready to deploy again.    I've seen plenty of marriages fall apart, children behaving poorly, and just generally angst on the homefront when our troops are gone.  And yet McCain votes against a dwell-time amemdment that will give our troops much needed rest betwen deployments.  And you already kow he has a despicable record on veterans legislation---so it is not far-fetched for people like me to believe this man is only obsessed with war, and not particularly concerned about what happens to our troops after they've come home or if they ever come home.<br><br>You know what is unpatriotic to me---when George W. Bush goes to a D.C. press dinner and jokes about not finding WMDs---or when Rumsfeld claims \"You don't go to war with the Army you want but the Army you have\"--while thousands of troops lost their lives due to unarmored vehicles.  And you know I can go on and on about how reckless this administration was leading up to and during the course of this war.<br><br>Rethugs have used this war to label anyone opposed to it as unpatriotic---that is simply bullsh-t.    The people who led us in this mess should be tried (the entire PNAC-Bush administration)--- but I never really expected much from people like Rumsfeld who did not even have enough decency to sign letters to the family of the deceased soldiers; instead he used an auto-signature--that is the type of shit I will never forget.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:58:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 16, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892749, "depth": 8, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2887574": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  I sooo enjoyed reading this!  <b>IMPULSIVITY at its HIGHEST!!</b><br><br>NO MORAL COMPASS!!   Or a broken one!!  :&gt;)  SAME RESULTS!!   :&gt;)   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_01:43:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2887310, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901316": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@ Jack and Jill:<br><br>I love the photos you guys post on the daily Open Threads.  One of my faves is the one of Obama with the caption \"Everyone chill the **** out. I got this.\"  <br><br>With Election Day so close and McCain employing the kitchen sink strategy, I think it would be a good one to see ever so often.  Just a thought...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_19:30:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "5ba68360301d2a83c640ce48fb0e96cf", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892698": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I truly beleive that mccain thought our boy was a punk..... The debates are going to be real interesting on Tuesday night because Obama, just got all up in mccain.........", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:22:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "rorysmomma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892701": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Beau Biden is also going to Iraq so the Republican side of this presidential race is not the only one with a loved one's well-being at stake.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:22:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "Monie", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 20, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892593, "depth": 6, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894753": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Two interesting articles on Barack.<br>1-Barack and James Baldwin<br><a href=\"http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_content=298864231&utm_campaign=October+23+issue&utm_term=James+Baldwin+%2526%252338%253b+Barack+Obama\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_mediu...</a><br><br>2-Race Will survive Barack Obama<br><a href=\"http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i07/07b00601.htm?utm_source=cr&utm_medium=en\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i07/07b00601.htm?...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:39:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894615, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899368": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Is this a comedy routine?....<br><br>Boss Is Not Amused After Columnist\u2019s Humor Brings a Retort From Fox News <br><a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/business/media/06columnist.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/business/medi...</a><br><blockquote><i>Ms. Mallick, Mr. Carlin wrote, was unable to present evidence to support her suggestion that that Republican men were deficient sexually or that Ms. Palin\u2019s supporters were \u201cwhite trash.\u201d</i></blockquote>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:45:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2891761": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<a href=\"http://leishacamden.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-that-it-matters.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://leishacamden.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-th...</a><br><br>Heres a link to a story about a Norwegian woman who ran into a 27 year old black man Named Barack Obama at an airport. You all will love this story", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_08:57:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "3da4f68bf4cf2bd15ab3285db21c41ee", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892712": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Did you know that many of the Wall Street firms are declining to use the bailout package because it would crimp on executive pay and golden parachutes.  These guys would rather ride out the storm so they can get a quick buck.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:23:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892577, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889642": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "rikyrah:   LOVIN' the video!!  He sounds soooo strong!  Sooo in control!!   <b>Soo FINE</b><br><br>OOPS!  I meant intelligent!???  NO I DIDN'T!!   :&gt;)    :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden  '08!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_02:59:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901421": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "And so it begins.....<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/neel-kashkari-treasury-as_n_132265.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">HuffPo: Paulson Hires Former Goldman Sachs Exec to Head $700 Billion Bailout</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_19:41:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sepia", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893744": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "No offense D, his temperament should also be an issue.  His age as well.  How will he make us more secure?  In your opinion.  I am interested.  I like to hear opposing viewpoints.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:33:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "rorysmomma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893567, "depth": 10, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893745": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I clarified below that the campaigns wouldn't say such.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:33:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893701, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895796": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "BarackMarley:  Hey!  :&gt;)   Just like The Gov. HAD NOT been VETTED, the FIRST DUDE is NOW due his VETTING!  But, we just don't have that much time or energy!<br><br>BUT, we see him \"SLITHERING AROUND\" in the background!  SNNNNNNAKE!!<br><br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:45:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2893813, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2897845": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "andy:  <b>CONGRATULATIONS!</b>    <br><br>I was just about to post this from HuffPost:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/obama-up-10-in-virginia-a_n_132268.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/obama-...</a><br><b>Obama Up 10 In Virginia According To New Polls</b><br><br>Whooo!  Hoo!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_15:41:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2897455, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899895": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "At this point nothing surprises me.  For all we know, Repubs may be making these donations in order to cast suspicion on him; he will return the donations after all and they know that!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:23:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "jelana", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2899640, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892135": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you for posting and sharing. What a wonderful way to start my day. This gives me another good reason to go hit that donate box again. Thanks. <br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_09:33:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Suprk", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2891761, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889658": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "ep:  Hey!  :&gt;)   Go 'head and scream.  Then continue  being  a <b>surrogate</b>  - like U  R!!  :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:02:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889415, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894780": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_content=298864231&utm_campaign=October+23+issue&utm_term=James+Baldwin+%2526%252338%253b+Barack+Obama\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_mediu...</a>", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:40:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "f9aaa8acc43fd7620185ff90cef3c05a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894753, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895178": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Town!   Town!    Town!   U  R  WISDOM!!<br><br>Now doncha think Miss \"whatevea\" Cindy didn't recognize this!  She began \"CLINGING\" to   \"McAncient\" on <b>DAY 1</b><br><br>Annnnnd the more The Gov. KEEPS referring to HERSELF as \"the NEW FACE\" of the Repug., she is \"telegraphing\" to \"her base\" that she (THINKS) is READY!<br><br><b>NOT!!</b><br><br>Obama-Biden '08!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:06:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2891999, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2896607": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Is it more or does the Obama Campaign NEVER seem prepared for an assault it knows is coming?  Short of announcing  it on a blimp during the last Super Bowl, we all knew if McCain was down in October, he would launch a full throttle \"Ayers\" attack on Senator Obama, and yet--AGAIN--Team Obama doesn't have an effective response.  <br><br>Yes, start with the FACT that Senator Obama was only eight years old when Ayers committed his crimes.  Generally, I think most fair minded people would agree that Senator Obama should not have to account or atone for anyone elses' behavior.  However, that doesn't anser the question why would Senator Obama and his wife associate with someone, even decades ago, who committed such crimes.  That said, it's important that Senator Obama paint Ayers as endemic of  60's and that since then most have become mainstream.  You got Tom Hayedn, Bobby Rush and Jerry Rubin just to name a few.  Moreover, it's important to highlight the FACT that many conservative politicians, business people and institutions treated Ayers as a rehabilitated figure.  He is a tenured professor at one of the more prestigious schools in the country.  The boards on which he and Obama sat included Republicans.  He sits on a board at South Carolina University, which no one would accuse of being a radical or Liberal institution.  <br><br>Lastly, what the hell has the DNC opposition research team been doing in AK.  Salmon fishing?  Just the little information we know so far is sufficient to raise questions about Palin and her husband, including the Jews for Jesus ministries that she sat through.  More importantly, her fuckin' husband is a secessionist.  You don't more unpatriotic than that!  Why the hell are they not bringing this up?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_14:33:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "4fd3ca416b455e03c3fa02c8bc744eb4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 10, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893762": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://mediamatters.org/items/200810040004\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://mediamatters.org/items/200810040004</a><br><br>On October 4, The New York Times published a 2,140-word front-page article about Sen. Barack Obama's association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers -- at least the 18th Times article this year mentioning that association. But the Times has yet to mention, let alone devote an entire article to, Sen. John McCain's relationship with radio host and convicted Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. Indeed, in its October 4 article, the Times quoted Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman denouncing Obama's association with Ayers but did not note that Chapman has described Liddy as McCain's \"own Bill Ayers\" and has written that \"[i]f Obama needs to answer questions about Ayers, McCain has the same obligation regarding Liddy.\" The Times, moreover, quoted McCain criticizing Obama for his association with Ayers without noting that Chapman has faulted McCain for what Chapman described as McCain's \"howling hypocrisy on the subject.\"<br><br><br>As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in \"if necessary\"; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a \"gangland figure\" to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap \"leftist guerillas\" at the 1972 Republican National Convention -- a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:34:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "4d9312cd58c7caeb087835daea9d59b6", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899395": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "She could have shown compassion.  That's all that was needed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:46:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "514ece7311946709a77d340a35a81d09", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2898383, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901446": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Wow, take a look at the polls:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/la...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_19:42:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895817": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "30 Lies Refuted About Ayers and Obama<br><br><a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/30-lies-refuted-about-aye_b_132109.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/30-...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:46:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "pjamma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899914": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama called a terrorist in front of erratic McCain<br><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvXf9AUHTqM\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvXf9AUHTqM</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_17:24:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "djchefron", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893675": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Joy Behar wasn't on the show today to discuss the debate. <br><br>Ooooooh Barbara Walters said it bothered her that Sarah Palin had the infant out at the end of the debate. LMAO<br><br>Ther are discussing Keating 5, Bill Ayers... Elizabeth was talking crap and SHERRI tried to get in her ass about distorting the truth. In response to Elizabeth's assertion that Obama has radical ties, Whoopi on the way out to a commercial said \"You're spreading lies!\" When they came back from commercial- they changed the subject.  DAMMMMN!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:28:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "evita", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892749": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "True.<br><br>And, in all fairness, he might get the same sort of treatment as McCain's/Palin's son(s). When I was watching the debate, someone made the distinction that his son was a lawyer (which I'm not sure is true), while Palin's was infantry. To me, that's equally disrespectful.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:26:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "Coby_D", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 19, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892701, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2892751": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "MUST HEAR....The most POWERFUL race speech in a decade....from a white man !Listen to Obama Talk Radio.....Nothing But The Truth with Greg Jones. What MSM omits....you'll hear on NBTT !<br><br><a href=\"http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLeft/The-Greg-Jones-Show/2008/10/05/NOTHING-BUT-THE-TRUTH-with-Greg-Jones\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLe...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_10:27:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "69a9cd5fced707c0810475b046bc7d12", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2900432": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Pssst...Keating Five...pass it on...", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_18:05:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "Admiral_Komack", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894609, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894803": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "RAOTFL", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:42:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2889642, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895316": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I tried to edit but I was too late.  I got a msg that my edits couldn't be saved because of replys.   Again my apologies, I hit the send button by accident.<br><br>Just go to <a href=\"http://theperfectvillian.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">theperfectvillian.com</a> website", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:14:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "Michigander2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894657, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894596": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://www.obamaminute.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama Minute</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:28:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "b8b9328e61e0094ae18e247c922f9dc7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901975": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Wait for the announcement that Hasselbeck is leaving \"The View\" because she can't stand the heat in that Hen Party.<br><br>She can't defend the indefensible, so she cries on cue - and Baba Wawa ain't having it.  Barbara's probably doing what she's doing to force homegirl to leave so she won't have another \"Star Jones\" incident on her hands.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:30:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2900505, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2891738": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Obama is now officially pulling out a can of whoop azz on J-Mac!  <br><br><a href=\"http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_08:54:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "dcf8f12a33c7941947fdd53f5ff10e73", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2899046": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "As usual, Town, you are on point.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_16:33:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "60266805bc0d9559a62514e1e769b750", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2898569, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894303": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It's not up yet.  If he says 9:00 it should be 9:00.  This is no time to be on CPT.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:09:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "pjamma", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894136, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895840": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/6/121316/310/814/621608\" rel=\"nofollow\">Fun with Racists, Part 246 (the special McCain campaign edition)</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:47:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "MsKitty", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901990": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "With Bernanke and Paulson leading that perp walk, Craig.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:32:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "CPL", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892577, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2901993": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Michigan only....watch 4 Pennsylvania", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_20:32:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "rikyrah", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": true, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2901808, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2906603": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  Rep. Deborah Wasserman-Schulz is \"ALL ABOUT\" Mr. Obama, AFTER she lost her billary mantra!   I intensely disliked her when she saw NO WRONG in billary!  :&gt;)<br><br>She was on Dr. Rachel's Show!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_23:43:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894504": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well it looks like the African Americans in GA are fired up and ready to go.  So naturally folks are losing their mind.  the comment by \"sambo\" is enough to make you see red but I just decided to not go there.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/10/04/more_on_an_obama_surge_black_g.html#\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/a...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:23:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "ruthdfw", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895346": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "CPL:     <i>GAME OVER</i>                                                                                                           <br><br>I'm STANDING and APPLAUDING B4 I EXIT the venue!!   :&gt;)    :&gt;)<br><br>ALL GOOD POINTS!!!   :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:16:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892339, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2893813": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Palin Pals Around With Radical Alaskans<br><br>How can PAlin criticize Obama for Ayers with her ties to the Radical Alaskan Secessionist AKIP?<br><a href=\"http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/akip-interview-on-palin/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/akip-i...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_11:37:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "BarackMarley", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889719": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "***Video***  60 Minutes Wallstreet Shadown Market<br><br>60 Minutes: A Look at Wallstreet's Shadow Market P1<br><a href=\"http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-wFFCtx7UhI\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-wFFCtx7UhI</a><br><br>60 Minutes: A Look at Wallstreet's Shadow Market P2<br><a href=\"http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=GT76vCHKzGM\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=GT76vCHKzGM</a><br><br>..These bastards need to go to prison.<br>-------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Lehman Bros Accuse JP Morgan of FREEZING 17 BILLION in CASH BEFORE Collapse!<br><a href=\"http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=y1qXUvYADug\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=y1qXUvYADug</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_03:02:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "Sombody_took_my_username", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 10, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2895444": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "evita:   Co-signing!!  :&gt;)<br><br>\"Whycome\" Karmi believes that he/she can SEE HATRED on Mrs. Obama's face??  That's a BOLD statement when WE can SEE his/her RACISM in his/her <b>posts!!</b>  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  <br><br>Funny how that works  -huh??   :&gt;)<br><br>Now where's my RATE DOWN ARROW?  :&gt;)   :&gt;) That would be -  <b> NEGATIVE 351! and LOWERING!!</b> :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_13:22:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "GreenLadyHere", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2894865, "depth": 2, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2889471": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://firedoglake.com/2008/10/05/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-paul-street-barack-obama-and-the-future-of-american-politics/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Interesting book salon on Firedoglake over the weekend</a>, with Glen Ford hosting Paul Street, author of <i>Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics</i>.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_02:18:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "JonPincus", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2894847": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think McCain will be scared because he won't know what Obama will say.<br><br>LOL It will certainly be interesting.  I am sure he will have a comment or two to whisper to McCain while shaking his hand before the debate begins.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-06_12:45:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "Val2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2892698, "depth": 1, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}}, "integration": {"receiver_url": "", "theme": 4, "reply_position": true, "disqus_logo": false}, "timer": {"timer_url": "http://localhost:8005", "thread_id": "5409120", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "21630", "hash": -5402596185652501168}, "thread": {"days_alive": 0, "slug": "monday_open_thread_05", "paginate": false, "num_pages": 1, "num_posts": 200, "per_page": 0, "total_posts": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 5409120, "queued": false}, "reactions_limit": 10, "context": {"show_reply": true, "use_fb_connect": true, "forum_facebook_key": "bd6a8bc56f8eb204984f34b6fefe228d", "use_yahoo": false, "subscribed": false, "use_twitter_signin": true, "use_openid": false, "realtime_speed": 5000}, "reactions_start": 0, "settings": {"debug": false, "disqus_url": "http://disqus.com", "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"}, "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"};
	/* */ this.jsonData.cookie_messages = {"user_created": null, "post_has_profile": null, "post_twitter": null, "post_not_approved": null}; this.jsonData.session = {"url": null, "name": null, "email": null}; /* */

	
	this.curPageId = 'dsq-comments';

	this.frames = {};
};

var disqus_popup_reference = null;

if(typeof DsqLocal == 'undefined') {
	DsqLocal = {};
}



/**
 * Dsq.Strings: UI strings
 */
Dsq.Strings = new function() {
	this.ADD_NEW_COMMENT = "Add New Comment";
	this.LOG_INTO_DISQUS = "Log into DISQUS";
	this.USE_MEDIA = "Use Media";
	this.LOGOUT = "Logout";
	this.SHARING_OPTIONS = "Sharing options";
	this.SHARE_ON = "Share on";
	this.TWEET_THIS_COMMENT = "Tweet this comment";
	this.SHARE_ON_NEWSFEED = "Share on news feed";
	this.SEND_UPDATE_TO_YAHOO = "Send update to Yahoo!";
	this.REBLOG_ON = "Reblog on";
	this.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS = "Configure options";
	this.POST_AS = "Post as";
	this.SORT_BY = "Sort by";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe by email";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS = "Subscribe by RSS";
	this.POPULAR_NOW = "Popular now";
	this.BEST_RATING = "Best Rating";
	this.NEWEST_FIRST = "Newest first";
	this.OLDEST_FIRST = "Oldest first";
	this.HIGHLIGHTED = "Highlighted";
	this.UNSUBSCRIBE = "Unsubscribe";
	this.REQUIRED = "Required";
	this.OPTIONAL = "Optional";
	this.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A = "You are commenting as a";
	this.LOGIN_BELOW = "Login below";
	this.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT = "Please login below to comment.";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe to all comments by email";
	this.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS = "Do not subscribe to comments";
	this.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS = "Real-time updating is";
	this.ENABLED = "enabled";
	this.PAUSED = "paused";
	this.PAUSE = "Pause";
	this.RESUME = "Resume";
	this.SHOW = "Show";
	this.JUST_NOW = "Just now";
	this.REPLY = "Reply";
	this.EDIT = "Edit";
	this.FLAG = "Flag";
	this.MODERATE = "Moderate";
	this.CANCEL = "Cancel";
	this.REPLYING_TO = "Replying to";
	this.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS = "Report missing reactions";
	this.POST_A_COMMENT = "Post a comment";
	this.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT = "Flag inappropriate comment";
	this.FLAGGED = "Flagged";
	this.NO = "No";
	this.YES = "Yes";
	this.NEVER_MIND = "Never mind";
	this.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR = "Are you sure you would like to report this comment to a moderator";
	this.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION = "This will flag comments for moderators to take action";
	this.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN = "To rate, please log in";
	this.JUST_A_MOMENT = "Just a moment...";
	this.GUEST = "Guest";
	this.NAME = "Name";
	this.EMAIL = "Email";
  this.WEBSITE = "Website";
  this.SETTINGS = "Settings";
  this.MODERATOR_OPTIONS = "Moderator options: ";
};
// Dsq.Strings

/**
 * Dsq.FmtStrings: functions that return interpolated UI strings
 */
Dsq.FmtStrings = new function() {
	// Seems we have to use named interpolation for Django to translate. Investigate more.
	this.LOGGED_IN_AS = function(username) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logged in as %(username)s', {username:username});
	};

	this.LOGOUT_FROM = function(disqus) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logout from %(disqus)s', {disqus:disqus});
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL = function(total, num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comment", {num:num, total:total});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comments", {num:num, total:total});
		}
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION = function(num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comment", {num:num});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comments", {num:num});
		}
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s comment'
				: '%(num)s comments'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_LIKES = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s like'
				: '%(num)s likes'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_POINTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s point'
				: '%(num)s points'
			), {num:num});
	};
};
// Dsq.FmtStrings





Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN = '3a1994e3330279e78957da82fb64f754';
Dsq.COMMENTS_RE = /(<li.*?id="?dsq-comment-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/li>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_RE = /(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-header-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/div>)\s*(<div.*?class="?dsq-comment-body"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_BODY_RE = /\s*(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-message-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
// HACK: Safari ends with "-->" while other browsers end with "--&gt;" as expected.
Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE = /&lt;!--\[(.*?)\]--(?:>|&gt;)/gim;



var FragmentPacket = function(reader, writer, writer_url, is_child, receiveCallback) {
	var that = this;
	this.reader = reader;
	this.writer = writer;
	this.writer_url = writer_url;

	this.is_child = is_child || false;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;

	this._lastHash = null;

	this._accumMsg = '';

	this._lastSeqno = 0;

	this.MAX_DATA_LEN	= 1024;

	this.WAIT_TIME		= 10;

	this.READY		= 0x1;
	this.WRITING	= 0x2;
	this.FIN		= 0x4;
	this.ACK		= 0x8;

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;
	var listener = function() {
		that.recv();
	};
	return window.setInterval(listener, 10);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.log = function(msg) {



};

FragmentPacket.prototype.recv = function() {
	var hash;
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {

		hash = this.reader.name;
	} else {

		var hashIndex = this.reader.location.href.indexOf('#');
		if (hashIndex == -1) {
			return;
		}
		hash = this.reader.location.href.substring(hashIndex+1);
	}
	var flags = parseInt(hash.substring(0, 4), 10);
	var seqno = parseInt(hash.substring(4, 24), 10);
	var data  = hash.substring(24);

	if (this._lastHash !== hash) {
		this._lastHash = hash;
		this.log('recv: ' + hash);

		this.log(' flags: ' + flags);
		this.log(' seqno: ' + seqno + ' len: ' + hash.substring(4, 24).length + ' (' + hash.substring(4, 24) + ')');
		this.log(' data: ' + data + ' len: ' + data.length);

		this._lastSeqno = seqno;

		if (flags & this.WRITING) {
			this._accumMsg += data;
			this.sendFlag(this.ACK, seqno);
			if (flags & this.FIN) {
				this.log('recv finished: ' + decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));
				this.receiveCallback(decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));

				this._accumMsg = '';

				this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
			}
		}
	}

	return {
		flags: flags,
		seqno: seqno,
		data: data
	};
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendRawPacket = function(packet) {
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
		this.writer.name = packet;
	} else {

		this.writer.location.href = this.writer_url + '#' + packet;
	}

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendFlag = function(flag, seqno) {
	this.sendRawPacket(this._zerofill(flag, 4) + this._zerofill(seqno, 20));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {
	this._send(0, encodeURIComponent(msg));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._send = function(packetNum, msg) {
	var that = this;
	var recvBuf = this.recv();

	if (packetNum === 0) {

		if (!(recvBuf.flags & this.READY)) {
			this.log('client is not ready, waiting...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		}
	} else {

		if (!( (recvBuf.flags & this.ACK) && (recvBuf.seqno === this._lastSeqno) )) {
			this.log('waiting for ack from client...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		} else {
			this.log('received ack: ' + this._lastSeqno + ' ' + recvBuf.seqno);
		}
	}

	var flags = this.WRITING;
	var num_packets = Math.ceil(msg.length / this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	this.log('num_packets: ' + num_packets);

	if (num_packets === packetNum) {

		this.log('message successfully sent!');
		this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
		return true;
	}

	this._lastSeqno++;

	if (packetNum == num_packets-1) {
		flags |= this.FIN;
	}

	var data = msg.substring(packetNum * this.MAX_DATA_LEN, (packetNum+1) * this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	var packet = this._zerofill(flags, 4) + this._zerofill(this._lastSeqno, 20) + data;

	this.log('sending raw packet: ' + packet);
	this.sendRawPacket(packet);

	return this._send(packetNum + 1, msg);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._zerofill = function(num, width) {
	var retval = num.toString();
	var retval_len = retval.length;
	for (var i = 0; i < width - retval_len; i++) {
		retval = '0' + retval;
	}
	return retval;
};

var PostMessagePacket = function(receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId) {
	var that = this;
	this.receiver = receiver;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;
	this.id = id;


	this.receiverId = receiverId;
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;

	var listener = function(e) {

		if (!that.id) {
			that.id = e.data;
			return;
		}


		var id = e.data.split(';')[0];
		if (id !== that.id) {
			return;
		}
		var data = e.data.substring(e.data.indexOf(';') + 1);

		that.receiveCallback(data);
	};

	if (typeof window.attachEvent == 'function') {
		window.attachEvent('onmessage', listener);
	} else if (typeof window.addEventListener == 'function') {
		window.addEventListener('message', listener, false);
	} else {
		throw new Error('No method found to create event listener for PostMessagePacket.');
	}
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {



	var needs_reget = false;
	try {
		if (typeof this.receiver.id == 'undefined' || typeof this.receiver.postMessage == 'undefined') {
			needs_reget = true;
		}
	} catch(e) {


	}
	if (needs_reget && typeof this.receiverId != 'undefined') {
		this.receiver = document.getElementById(this.receiverId).contentWindow;
	}

	var packet;
	if (!msg) {

		packet = this.id;
	} else {
		packet = this.id + ';' + msg;
	}
	this.receiver.postMessage(packet, '*');
};

PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = null;
PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id = function() {
	var id = (new Date()).getTime();
	if (id == PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id) {
		id++;
	}
	PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = id;
	return id.toString();
};

var JsonRpc = function() {

	this.ids = {};

	this.objectToJSON = function(obj) {
		var json = '';
		var results = [];

		if (obj === undefined || obj === null) {
			return 'null';
		}

		switch (obj.constructor) {
			case Object:
				for (var property in obj) {
					if (obj.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
						results.push(this.objectToJSON(property) + ': ' + this.objectToJSON(obj[property]));
					}
				}
				json = '{' + results.join(', ') + '}';
				break;
			case Array:
				for (var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
					results.push(this.objectToJSON(obj[i]));
				}
				json = '[' + results.join(', ') + ']';
				break;
			case Number:
			case Boolean:
				json = obj.toString();
				break;
			case String:

				var specialChars = {'\b': '\\b', '\t': '\\t', '\n': '\\n', '\f': '\\f', '\r': '\\r', '\\': '\\\\'};

				json = obj.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\\]/g, function(match) {
					var ch = specialChars[match];
					return ch ? ch : '\\u00' + match.charCodeAt().toPaddedString(2, 16);
				});

				json = '"' + json.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
				break;
			default:

				json = 'null';
				break;
		}

		return json;
	};

	this.createHandler = function(send_func, registered_funcs) {
		var that = this;
		var handler = function(message) {

			try {
				var rpc = eval('(' + message + ')');
			} catch(e) {
				alert('bad JSON: ' + message);
				return;
			}
			if (rpc.method) {

				if (!registered_funcs[rpc.method]) {
					return;
				}

				var retval = registered_funcs[rpc.method].apply(null, rpc.params);
				if (rpc.id) {
					var response = {
						result: retval,
						error: null,	// TODO
						id: rpc.id
					};
					send_func(that.objectToJSON(response));
				}
			} else if(rpc.result) {

				if (!that.ids[rpc.id]) {
					return;
				}

				that.ids[rpc.id](rpc.result);
				delete that.ids[rpc.id];
			}
		};
		return handler;
	};

	this.execute = function(send_func, method, params, response_callback) {
		response_callback = response_callback || null;
		var id = (response_callback) ? (new Date()).getTime() : null;

		var request = {
			method: method,
			params: params,
			id: id
		};

		send_func(this.objectToJSON(request));

		if (id) {
			this.ids[id] = response_callback;
		}
	};
};
JsonRpc = new JsonRpc();

var ParentMessenger = function(childUrl, receiverUrl, container, receiveCallback) {


	if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') >= 0 && parseInt(navigator.userAgent.substring(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Version/') + 8), 10) == 3) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	} else if (window.opera) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}



	if (!receiverUrl &&
		navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Gecko') >= 0 &&
		parseFloat(navigator.userAgent.slice(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 3, navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 6)) < 1.9) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}


	if (/msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {


		if (document.domain == window.location.hostname) {
			receiverUrl = '';
		}
	}

	var that = this;
	this.childUrl = childUrl;
	this.receiverUrl = receiverUrl;
	this.container = container || document.body;

	this.packetHandler = null;


	this._ready = false;
	this._error = false;


	var _createReceiverForFragmentPacket = function() {

		that.receiver = document.createElement('iframe');
		that.receiver.src = receiverUrl;
		that.receiver.id = 'receiver_' + (new Date()).getTime();
		that.receiver.name = that.receiver.id;

		that.receiver.frameBorder = '0';
		that.receiver.frameSpacing = '0';
		that.receiver.style.borderStyle = 'none';

		var receiver_onload = function() {
			var receiver = document.getElementById(that.receiver.id).contentWindow;

			try {
				receiver.document.body.innerHTML = '';
			} catch(e) {

				that._error = true;
			}
			receiver.document.body.style.padding = '0px';
			receiver.document.body.style.margin = '0px';

			var child = receiver.document.createElement('iframe');
			child.id = 'child';
			child.name = 'child';
			child.src = that.childUrl;

			child.frameBorder = '0';
			child.frameSpacing = '0';
			child.style.borderStyle = 'none';
			child.style.width = '100%';
			child.style.height = '100%';
			receiver.document.body.appendChild(child);

			that.child = receiver.document.getElementById('child').contentWindow;
			that.receiver = receiver;

			that.packetHandler = new FragmentPacket(that.receiver, that.child, that.childUrl, false, receiveCallback);

			that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();

			that.packetHandler.sendFlag(that.packetHandler.READY, 0);

			that._ready = true;
		};

		that.receiver.onreadystatechange = function() {
			if (this.readyState == 'complete') {
				receiver_onload();
			}
		};

		that.receiver.onload = receiver_onload;







		if (Dsq.Utils.ie) {
			if (that.container.clientWidth === 0) {

				var _waitForWidth = function() {
					if (that.container.clientWidth > 0) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					} else {
						window.setTimeout(_waitForWidth, 100);
					}
				};
				_waitForWidth();

				that._once = false;
				that.receiver.onresize = function() {
					if (!that._once) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					}
					that._once = true;
				};
			}
		}

		that.container.appendChild(that.receiver);
	};


	var _createReceiverForPostMessage = function() {

		var receiver_onload = function() {

			that.packetHandler.send();
			that._ready = true;
		};

		var id = PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id();
		var receiverId = 'child_' + id;


		ParentMessenger['_receiver_onload_' + receiverId] = receiver_onload;

		that.container.innerHTML += '<iframe ' +
			'src="' + childUrl + '" ' +
			'id="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'name="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'onload="ParentMessenger._receiver_onload_' + receiverId +'();" ' +
			'></iframe>';

		that.receiver = document.getElementById(receiverId).contentWindow;
		that.packetHandler = new PostMessagePacket(that.receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId);
		that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();
	};

	if (typeof window.postMessage == 'function') {
		_createReceiverForPostMessage();
	} else {
		_createReceiverForFragmentPacket();
	}

};

ParentMessenger.prototype.sendMessage = function(message) {
	var that = this;
	if (!this._ready) {

		window.setTimeout(function() { that.sendMessage(message); }, 10);
		return;
	}
	this.packetHandler.send(message);
	return true;
};

Dsq.NewFrames = function(url) {
	this.url = url;
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype.init = function(onFailure) {
	var that = this;

	try {
		this.messenger = new ParentMessenger(this.url, Dsq.jsonData.integration.receiver_url, this.container, this.receive_callback);
	} catch(e) {
		if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
			onFailure();
		}
	}

	if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
		var iId = window.setInterval(function() {
			if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				return;
			}
			if (that.messenger._ready) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
			} else if (that.messenger._error) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				onFailure();
			}
		}, 10);
	}
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype._execute = function(method, args, callback) {
	var that = this;
	if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
		return false;
	}
	JsonRpc.execute(
		function(msg) { that.messenger.sendMessage(msg); },
		method,
		args || [],
		callback);
	return true;
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame = function(container, parent_post_id) {
	var that = this;
	this.container = container;
	this.parent_post_id = parent_post_id;

	var sendFunc = function(msg) {

		Dsq.Debug.log('Dsq.ReplyFrame.sendFunc');
		that.messenger.sendMessage(msg);
	};


	var postComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		Dsq.jsonData.posts[response.message.id] = response.message.post_meta;
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key]) {
			Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key] = response.message.user_meta;
		}


		var reply_position = (typeof(disqus_insert_wrt_sort) == 'undefined' 
			? (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reply_position ? -1 : null) 
			: (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? null : -1));
		
		if (response.message.post_meta.approved) {
			Dsq.Post.insert(response.message.post_meta.parent_post_id || reply_position, response.message.id, response.message.post_meta.message);
		}

		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var postComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(response.message, 'Error');
		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onFailure(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var editComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);
		
		message.innerHTML = response.message;
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
	
	var editComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('Sorry, there was an error editing this comment.', 'Edit Error');
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	var getUserByEmail_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var msg = response.message;
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(parent_post_id);

		if (msg.username) {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'login', {
				'username': msg.username,
				'display_name': msg.display_name,
				'avatar_url': msg.avatar_url,
				'verified': msg.verified,
				'email': fields.email.value
			});
		} else {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'register');
		}
	};

	var validateAuth_onSuccess = function(response, auth_choice) {
		Dsq.Templates.postComment(parent_post_id, null, true, auth_choice);
	};

	var validateAuth_onFailure = function(response, auth_choice) {
		var pid = parent_post_id ? '-' + parent_post_id : '';
		var msg = response.message;

		if (auth_choice == 'register') {
			var fields = ['email', 'username', 'password'];

			for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
				var field = fields[i];
				var errorDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-' + field + '-errors' + pid);

				if (msg[field]) {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = msg[field];
				} else {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = '';
				}
			}
		} else if (auth_choice == 'login') {
			Dsq.$('dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid).innerHTML = '<p>We couldn\'t log you in. Please verify your login.</p>';
		}
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.receive_callback = JsonRpc.createHandler(sendFunc, {
		'postComment.onSuccess': postComment_onSuccess,
		'postComment.onFailure': postComment_onFailure,
		'editComment.onSuccess': editComment_onSuccess,
		'editComment.onFailure': editComment_onFailure,		
		'getUserByEmail.onSuccess': getUserByEmail_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onSuccess': validateAuth_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onFailure': validateAuth_onFailure,
		'reload': function() { window.location.reload(); }
	});

	this.url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY +
		'?' + (new Date()).getTime() +
		'&f=jackandjillpolitics' +
		'&t=monday_open_thread_05' +
		'&ff=' + Dsq.Thread.ff +
		'&default_text=' + disqus_default_text +
		'&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
	if (this.parent_post_id) {
		this.url += '&parent_post=' + this.parent_post_id;
	}
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype = new Dsq.NewFrames(Dsq.ReplyFrame.url);

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.post = function(author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe) {
	this._execute('postComment', [author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.edit = function(post_id, message) {
	this._execute('editComment', [post_id, message]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.setState = function(parent_post_id, depth) {
	this._execute('setState', [parent_post_id, depth]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.getUserByEmail = function(email) {
	this._execute('getUserByEmail', [email]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.validateAuth = function(auth_choice, email, username, password) {
	this._execute('validateAuth', [auth_choice, email, username, password]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.authenticateFacebook = function(session, forum_url) {
	this._execute('authenticateFacebook', [session, forum_url]);
};

	Dsq.Facebook = function() {
	var that = this;

	var handleSessionData = function(session) {

		var forum_url = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;




		if (typeof disqus_facebook_forum != 'undefined') {
			forum_url = disqus_facebook_forum;
		}
		Dsq.frames.reply_0.authenticateFacebook(session, forum_url);
	};

	var onLogin = function() {
		FB.Connect.getSignedPublicSessionData(handleSessionData);
	};

	this.login = function() {
		FB.Connect.requireSession(onLogin, true);
	};
};
Dsq.Facebook = new Dsq.Facebook();


	






Dsq.Themes = {};

Dsq.Themes.narcissus = new function() {
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-form-area';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-textarea-wrapper';



	
	this.header = function() {
		var comments_count, total_posts, num_posts;
		var html = '';
		var missing_perm_tmpl;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.missing_perm) {
			missing_perm_tmpl = Dsq.Templates.missingPermissions();
			if (missing_perm_tmpl) {
				html += '<div class="dsq-missing-permissions">' + missing_perm_tmpl + '</div>';
			}
		}

		total_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.total_posts;
		num_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_posts;

		if (total_posts) {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL(total_posts, num_posts);
		} else {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION(num_posts);
		}

		html += ' \
		<div id="dsq-comments-title"> \
			<h3>' + comments_count + '</h3> \
		</div> \
		';

		html += ' \
		<div class="dsq-options"> \
			<span class="dsq-item-sort">'
				+ Dsq.Strings.SORT_BY + ' \
				<select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);"> \
					<option value="hot" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 4 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.POPULAR_NOW + '</option> \
					<option value="best" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 3 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.BEST_RATING + '</option> \
					<option value="newest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.NEWEST_FIRST + '</option> \
					<option value="oldest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 1 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.OLDEST_FIRST + '</option> \
				</select> \
				&nbsp; \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<span id="dsq-subscribe">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.subscribed
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.UNSUBSCRIBE + '</a>'
						: '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL + '</a>')
				+ '</span> \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-rss" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png" alt="" /> \
				<a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/monday_open_thread_05/latest.rss">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS + '</a> \
			</span> \
		</div> \
		';

		
		

		return html;

	};
	
	this.footer = function() {
		var html = '';

		html += Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
		
			html += Dsq.Templates.realtime();
			html += Dsq.Templates.showThreadSettings();
			html += Dsq.Templates.postBox();

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		


		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) {
 			html += ' \
				<div class="dsq-global-moderator-extras">'
					+ '<strong>shortname:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url
					+ '<strong>thread id:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.id
					+ '<strong>thread slug:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.slug
				+ '</div> \
			';
		}

		return html;
	};
	
	this.realtime = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			html += '<div id="dsq-realtime-options" class="dsq-options">'
					 + Dsq.Strings.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS + ' <strong id="dsq-realtime-status" style="text-transform: lowercase">' + Dsq.Strings.ENABLED + '</strong>. \
					 <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-toggle" style="text-transform: capitalize"></a> \
					</div>';
		}

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
			html += ' \
				<div style="display: none" id="dsq-realtime-alert" class="dsq-realtime-alert"><span id="dsq-realtime-queued"></span> <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-show"></a></div> \
			';
		}
		
		return html;
	};

	this.showThreadSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '<div id="dsq-thread-settings" class="dsq-thread-settings">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATOR_OPTIONS;
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showSettings(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.SETTINGS + '</a>';
		if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled && Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.reportMissingReactions(); return false;">'
						+ Dsq.Strings.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS
						+ '</a>';
		}
		html +='</div>';

		return html;
	};

	this.postBox = function(post_id, use_fallback_iframe) {


		var html;
		var display_sharing_options = Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated;

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post) {
			return '';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.hasOwnProperty(Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain)) {
				display_sharing_options = false;
			}
		}
		
		if (post_id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];				
		}
		
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		var _requestUserInfo = function() {
			var html;



			var user_has_email = false;

			html = '<div class="dsq-request-user-info"> <!-- // If authenticated --> \
				<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT + '?ctkn=' + Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN + '" class="dsq-request-user-logout">' + Dsq.Strings.LOGOUT + '</a> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td rowspan="2">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '')
								+ '<img src="' + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR + '" width="48" height="48" class="dsq-request-user-avatar">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-name">'
								+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
									 ? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '">' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '</span>'
									 : (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_verified
											? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span>'
											: '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span>'))
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '') 
								+ Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username 
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
							+  (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && user_has_email ? ' <small>(<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.remoteAccountSettings(); return false;">change settings</a>)</small>' : '')
							+  (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <small>(<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/info/" target="_blank">change name</a> or <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/avatar/" target="_blank">picture</a>)</small>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-stats"> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count == 1 ? 'comment' : 'comments') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count == 1 ? 'like' : 'likes') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.points + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.points == 1 ? 'point' : 'points') + '</span> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		var _loginOptions = function() {
			var html;
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-authenticate"> \
				<p class="dsq-autheneticate-copy">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
					? Dsq.Strings.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A + ' <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. ' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.LOGIN_BELOW + '.'
					: Dsq.Strings.REQUIRED + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT + '.')
				+ '</p> \
				<ul class="dsq-login-buttons">'
					+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-disqus.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Facebook.login(); return false;"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-facebook.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-twitter.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL(); return false" ><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-openid.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_yahoo ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Yahoo.startYahooConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-yahoo.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
				+ '</ul> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {



				return '<div id="dsq-form-area" style="display:none"><div id="dsq-textarea-wrapper"></div></div>' + _loginOptions();
			} else {
				return '';
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<div id="' + (post_id 
			? 'dsq-reply-post-' + post_id
			: 'dsq-new-post')
		 	+ '" class="dsq-post-area"> \
			<div class="dsq-dc-logo"> \
				<a href="http://disqus.com/comments" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/disqus-logo.png"></a> \
			</div>'
			+ (post_id 
				? '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.REPLYING_TO + ' ' + userData.display_name + '</h3>'
				: '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT + '</h3>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated 
				? _requestUserInfo()
				: _loginOptions() )
			+ '<div id="dsq-form-area' + pid + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-textarea"> \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper" id="dsq-textarea-wrapper' + pid + '"></div> \
			</div>'
			+ (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated
			? ' \
			<div class="dsq-post-fields"> \
				<form action="." method="GET" onsubmit="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false); return false;"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-name' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_name ? disqus_def_name : (Dsq.jsonData.session.name ? Dsq.jsonData.session.name : Dsq.Strings.NAME + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-website' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (Dsq.jsonData.session.url ? Dsq.jsonData.session.url : Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')" class="dsq-placeholder') + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" /></div></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-email' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_email ? disqus_def_email : (Dsq.jsonData.session.email ? Dsq.jsonData.session.email : Dsq.Strings.EMAIL + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"> \
							<div class="dsq-subscribe"> \
								<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.chooseSubscribe(' + post_id + '); return false" class="dsq-subscribe-menu"><span id="dsq-subscribe-select' + pid + '">' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post ? Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL : Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS) + '</span> <small>&#9660;</small></a> \
								<ul class="dsq-panel" id="dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid + '"> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(2, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">Subscribe to all comments by email</a></li> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(0, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">Do not subscribe to comments</a></li> \
								</ul> \
								<input id="dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid + '" type="hidden" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post + '" /> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
				</form> \
			</div>'
			: '')
			+ '<div class="dsq-post-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-sharing-options" ' + (!display_sharing_options ? 'style="display:none;"' : '') + '> \
					<button class="dsq-button-small" onfocus="document.getElementById(\'dsq-post-button' + pid + '\').focus();"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.SHARING_OPTIONS + ' <small>&#9660;</small></span></button> \
					<div class="dsq-panel"> '
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '"'
								  + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Twitter</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook
								&& (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.enabled === true ||
										(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'facebook'))
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Facebook</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Yahoo!</label> \
								</div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Tumblr</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Wordpress</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Movable Type</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
								  <label for="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' TypePad</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ '<div><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections/" target="_blank" class="dsq-configure-options">' + Dsq.Strings.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS + '</a></div>'
					+ '</div> \
				</div>'
				+ '<button class="dsq-button" id="dsq-post-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.POST_AS + ' '
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					? Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					: Dsq.Strings.GUEST)
				+ '</span></button>'
				+ (post_id
					? '<button class="dsq-button" id="dsq-cancel-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.CANCEL + '</span></button>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
			+ '</div>' // end dsq-form-area
		+ '</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};




	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-append-post-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		html = ' \
		<table> \
			<tr> \
				<td id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-avatar" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
					<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
					? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
					: '')
				+ '</a> \
				</td> \
				<td class="dsq-comment-header-meta"> \
		';

		
		return html;
	};
	
	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var html;
		var parent_display_name = '';
		
		if(_meta.parent_post_id) {

			var _parent_meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[_meta.parent_post_id];

			if (_parent_meta) {
				var parentUserData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_parent_meta.user_key];
				parent_display_name = parentUserData.display_name;
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/moderator.png" class="dsq-moderator-star" title="Moderator" /> \
		<span class="dsq-comment-header-time"><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')" title="Permalink">' + (_meta.is_realtime ? Dsq.Strings.JUST_NOW : _meta.date) + '</a></span> '
		+ (_meta.parent_post_id && parent_display_name
			? '<a href="#comment-' + _meta.parent_post_id + '" title="Jump to comment">in reply to ' + parent_display_name + '</a>'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		<td id="dsq-like-pts-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-comment-header-likes">'
		+ (_meta.points
			? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		</tr> \
		</table> \
		';
		return html;
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		var html = '';
		return html;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed || !_meta.approved) { return ''; }
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
					? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.moderateOptions(' + post_id+ '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>'
					: '')
				+ '<a href="#" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG + '</a> \
			</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right">'
				+ (_meta.votable 
					? '<span id="dsq-like-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-like">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1)" >Like</button>'
						: 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;')
					+ '</span>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<button class="dsq-button-small dsq-post-edit" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + ')" >' + Dsq.Strings.EDIT + '</button>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<span class="dsq-comment-footer-reply" id="dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"> \
						<button class="dsq-button-small">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button> \
						<button class="dsq-comment-footer-reply-tab">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button><span></span> \
					</span>'
					: '')
			+ '</div> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};



	
	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		var item = '<li class="dsq-comment dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-header"> \
			<table> \
			<tr> \
			<td class="dsq-header-avatar"> \
			';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'" class="dsq-avatar">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {

			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar92.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== ''
				? '</a>'
				: '')
			+ '</td>'
			+ '<td><cite class="dsq-comment-cite">' + reaction.author_name + '</cite> <span class="dsq-comment-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</span></td>'
			+ '<td class="dsq-comment-header-likes"></td>'
			+ '</tr></table></div>' // end dsq-comment-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header" \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-reaction-header-left">'
							+ '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png" />'
							+ ' From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
							+ 'via ' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? '<a href="http://backtype.com/">BackType</a>' : '<a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">UberVU</a>')
						+ '</td>'
						+ '<td class="dsq-reaction-header-right">';
			
			if(reaction.retweets) {
				var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
				if (num_retweets > 0) {
					if (num_retweets == 1) {
						item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
					} else {
						item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');
						item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
						var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 3) ? 3 : num_retweets;
						item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);
						if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
							item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
								+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
						}
					}
				}
			}	
			item += '</td></tr> \
			</table> \
			</div>' // end dsq-reaction-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-body"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left"> \
				</div>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator 
					? ' \
					<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right"> \
						<button class="dsq-button-small dsq-hide-reaction" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + ')">Hide</button> \
					</div>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 id="dsq-reactions-title" class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-container"> \
			<table> \
				<tbody> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-tl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-tr"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-body"> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
								<div class="dsq-popup-title"> \
									<button class="dsq-button-small" style="float:right" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)">Close</button>' 
									+ content['header'] 
								+ '</div>'
								+ content['body']
							+ '</div> \
							<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
						</td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-bl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-br"></td> \
					</tr> \
				</tbody> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
	};



	
	this.chooseSubscribe = function(post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		menu.style.display = menu.style.display == 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';
		
	};
	
	this.setSubscribe = function(value, el, post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var input = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid);
		var select = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-select' + pid);
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		select.innerHTML = el.innerHTML;
		input.value = value;
		this.chooseSubscribe(post_id);
	};
	
	this.getFormFields = function(post_id) {

		var fields = {};
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var name = Dsq.$('dsq-field-name' + pid);
		var email = Dsq.$('dsq-field-email' + pid);
		var website = Dsq.$('dsq-field-website' + pid);
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid);
		var password = Dsq.$('dsq-field-password' + pid);

		fields = {
			'name': name,
			'email': email,
			'website': website,
			'username': username,
			'password': password
		}
		
		return fields;
	}
	
	this.validateFields = function(post_id) {
		
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) { return true; }
		
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		
		var nameField = fields.name;
		var websiteField = fields.website;
		var emailField = fields.email;
		
		websiteField.value = (websiteField.value == Dsq.Templates.placeholder['website']) ? '' : websiteField.value;
		
		var v = [{

			validator: Dsq.Validators.name,
			value: nameField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.email,
			value: emailField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.url,
			value: websiteField.value
		}];
		
		return Dsq.Validators.validate(v, function(e) { Dsq.Popup.popModal(e, 'Oops...') } );
	};
	
	this.checkExistingUser = function(post_id) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);		
		Dsq.Popup.loading(post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		}
	};

	this.validateAuth = function(el_clicked, post_id, auth_choice) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		var email = fields.email ? fields.email.value : '';
		var username = fields.username ? fields.username.value : '';
		var password = fields.password ? fields.password.value : '';
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		}
	};

	this.lightboxUpdateEmail = function(post_id, new_email) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		fields.email.value = new_email;
	};

	this.lightboxAuthenticate = function(post_id, auth_choice, auth_data) {
		var title, body;
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		if(typeof(auth_data) == 'undefined') {
			var auth_data = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		}

		d = auth_data;

		switch(auth_choice) {
			case 'register':
				var suggestedUsername = d.name.value.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9-]/g,'').toLowerCase();
			
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Register a <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';

				body = ' \
				<ul class="dsq-lightbox-register-reasons"> \
				<li>Verify your comments</li> \
				<li>Edit and delete comments</li> \
				<li>Manage comments and replies</li> \
				</ul> \
				';

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Email</td> \
							<td><input type="text" value="' + d.email.value + '" onchange="Dsq.Templates.lightboxUpdateEmail(' + post_id + ', this.value)" /><div id="dsq-email-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + suggestedUsername + '"/><div id="dsq-username-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /><div id="dsq-password-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'login\'); return false">Login instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Register and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			case 'login':
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Login to your <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';
				body = '';
				
				if(d.avatar_url) {
					body += '<div class="dsq-lightbox-recognized"><table><tr>';
					body += '<td><img src="' + d.avatar_url + '" alt="" /></td>';
					body += '<td><span class="dsq-badge ' + (d.verified ? 'dsq-badge-verified' : 'dsq-badge-registered') + '">' + (d.verified ? 'Verified' : 'Registered') + '</span></td>';
					body += '<td>Hey <strong>' + d.display_name + '</strong>, is that you? Login below to claim this comment.';
					body += '</tr></table></div>';
				}

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username or Email</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (d.avatar_url ? d.username : '') + '" /></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password <a href="http://disqus.com/forgot" target="_blank">(cannot log in?)</a></td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'register\'); return false">Register instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Login and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
		Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid).focus();
	};
	
	this.buttonsToRestore = [];
	this.setLoadingButton = function(btn, post_id) {
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		if (btn) {

			var loadingBtn = document.createElement('button');
			loadingBtn.id = btn.id + '-loading';
			loadingBtn.innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-lite.gif" alt="" /> Just a moment...';
			loadingBtn.className = btn.className + ' dsq-post-loading';
			btn.parentNode.appendChild(loadingBtn);
			btn.style.display = 'none';
			var cancelBtn = Dsq.$('dsq-cancel-button' + pid);
			if(cancelBtn) { cancelBtn.style.display = 'none'; this.buttonsToRestore.push(cancelBtn); }
			this.buttonsToRestore.push(btn);
		} else {

			var buttons = this.buttonsToRestore;
			for(var i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
				buttons[i].style.display = 'inline';
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$(buttons[i].id + '-loading'));
			}
		}
		
	};

	this.postComment = function(post_id, el_clicked, force, auth_choice) {
		var append_id = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);

		if (Dsq.Templates.validateFields(post_id)) {

			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && !force &&
				((!Dsq.Utils.readCookie('skipped_auth') && !disqus_skip_auth && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled) || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post)) {
				Dsq.Templates.checkExistingUser(post_id);
				return false;
			}
			var params = [];
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
				params.push(fields.name.value,
					fields.email.value,
					fields.website.value);

				if (auth_choice == 'login' || auth_choice == 'register') {
					params.push({
						auth_choice: auth_choice,
						username: fields.username.value,
						password: fields.password.value,
						email: fields.email.value
					});
				} else {
					params.push(null);
				}

				params.push(null /* sharing options */, Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + append_id).value);
			} else {
				var service_checked = function(name) {
					var el = Dsq.$('dsq-sharing-' + name + append_id);
					return (el !== null && el.checked === true) ? '1' : '0';
				};
				params.push(null, null, null, null, {
					tw: service_checked('twitter'),
					fb: service_checked('facebook'),
					tr: service_checked('tumblr'),
					wp: service_checked('wordpress'),
					mt: service_checked('movabletype'),
					tp: service_checked('typepad'),
					yh: service_checked('yahoo')
				});
			}

			var frame = Dsq.frames['reply_' + (post_id ? post_id : 0)];
			frame.post.apply(frame, params);

			if (el_clicked) {
				Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
			}
			
			if (force) {
				Dsq.Utils.createCookie('skipped_auth', true);	
			}
			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	};

	this.editComment = function(el_clicked, post_id) {
		var edited_message = Dsq.$('dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id).value;

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].edit(post_id, edited_message);
	};

	this.toggleEdit = function(post_id) {
		var body = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-body-' + post_id);
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);

		if (!Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id]) {


			message.style.display = 'none';
			if (Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {

				var edit_area = document.createElement('div');
				edit_area.id = 'dsq-edit-' + post_id;
				edit_area.className = 'dsq-edit dsq-textarea';
				edit_area.innerHTML = ' \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper"> \
					<textarea class="dsq-edit-textarea" id="dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id + '">' + message.innerHTML + '</textarea> \
				</div> \
				<div class="dsq-save-edit"> \
					<button onclick="Dsq.Templates.editComment(this, ' + post_id + ')" class="dsq-button-small">Save Edit</button> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id + '" style="display: none"></div> \
				';

				body.appendChild(edit_area);

				if (!Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id), post_id);
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].init();
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
		} else {

			message.style.display = 'block';
			Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id] = !Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id];
	};
	
	this.edit = function(el, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(post_id, button) {
		
		if(!this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

			if (Dsq.$('dsq-reply-post-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id);
				var container = Dsq.$('dsq-textarea-wrapper-' + post_id);
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] && container) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(container, post_id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].init(function() {

						Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id, true);
						Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id).innerHTML = '';

						var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
						Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id), post_id, {theme: theme});

					});
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-append-post';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply-active';
			
		} else {

			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = '';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply';
		}
		
		this.stateReplyToggled[post_id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[post_id];

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie && this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

		}

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: post_id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]
		});
	};
	
	this.moderateOptions = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		if(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) { return false; }

		var html;
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-moderate-options"> \
		<table>'
		+ (_meta.email ? '<tr><td>Email</td><td>' + _meta.email + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ (_meta.ip ? '<tr><td>IP address</td><td>' + _meta.ip + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ '<tr> \
			<td>Actions</td> \
			<td><ul>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
				? '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
				: '')
			+ '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Delete Comment</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li> \
			</ul></td> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		html += '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
		
		return Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Moderate Options', post_id);
	};
	
	this.placeholder = {
		'class': 'dsq-placeholder',
		'name': Dsq.Strings.NAME,
		'email': Dsq.Strings.EMAIL,
		'website': Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')'
	};
	
	this.handlePlaceholder = function(evt, el, key) {
		var placeholder = Dsq.Templates.placeholder[key];
		var className = Dsq.Templates.placeholder['class'];
		
		switch(evt.type) {
			case 'focus':
				if(el.value == placeholder) {
					el.value = '';
					el.className = '';
				}
				break;

			case 'blur':
				if(el.value == '') {
					el.value = placeholder;
					el.className = className;
				}
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
	};
	
	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked) {

		var extra_params = '';

		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked);
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'monday_open_thread_05'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};
	
	
	this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {


		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
			}
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/vote.js'
				+ '?post_id='    + id
				+ '&vote='        + vote);
		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login('To rate, please log in');
		}
	};

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {

		Dsq.$('dsq-like-pts-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.';

		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;';
		}
	};




	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {
		var approved = response.message.post_meta.approved;

		if (parent_post_id) {
			Dsq.Post.toggleReply(parent_post_id);
		}

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
		
		if (approved) {
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		} else {			
			var unapproved_msg = 'Thanks for posting!\
	 Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.\
			';
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(unapproved_msg, 'Comment awaiting approval', post_id);
		}

		var sharing_results = response.message.sharing_results;
		var sharing_errors = '';
		for (var service in sharing_results) {
			if (sharing_results.hasOwnProperty(service) === true) {
				if (sharing_results[service].error === true) {
					sharing_errors += service + ', ';
				}
			}
		}

		if (sharing_results.facebook && sharing_results.facebook.callback) {
			FB.ensureInit(function() {
				FB.Connect.streamPublish('', sharing_results.facebook.attachment);
			});
		}

		if (sharing_errors !== '') {
			var message = 'Your comment was posted, but there were errors sharing with the following connections: ';
			message += sharing_errors.replace(/,\s$/, '');
			message += '<p><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections" target="_blank">Configure your connections here</a></p>'
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sharing options');
		}

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.postComment_onFailure = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
};




// TODO: It might be faster to use string methods to find all <li (...) </li> blocks and pass to Dsq.PostHandler manually.
Dsq.CommentsHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_post = Dsq.Templates.prependPost(post_id);
	var append_post = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(post_id);

	content = content.replace(Dsq.POST_RE, Dsq.PostHandler);
	Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter++;
	head = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContainer(post_id, head);
	return prepend_post + head + content + tail + append_post;
};

Dsq.PostHandler = function(str, h_head, post_id, h_content, h_tail, b_head, b_content, b_tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_header = Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader(post_id);
	var append_header = Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader(post_id);
	var prepend_body = Dsq.Templates.preBody(post_id);
	var append_body = Dsq.Templates.postBody(post_id);
	var append_footer = Dsq.Templates.postFooter(post_id);

	b_content = b_content.replace(Dsq.POST_BODY_RE, Dsq.PostBodyHandler);
	return h_head + prepend_header + h_content + append_header + h_tail + b_head + prepend_body + b_content + append_body + b_tail + append_footer;
};

Dsq.PostBodyHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	content = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContent(post_id, content);
	return head + content + tail;
};

Dsq.MediaPostHandler = function(str, args, offset, s) {
	args = args.split(' ');
	if(args[0] == 'seesmic') {
		return '<br />' + Dsq.Templates.mediaSeesmic(args[1], args[2]);
	}
	return '';
};


/**
 * Shorcuts
 */
Dsq.$ = function(element) { return document.getElementById(element); };
Dsq.$b = document.body || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];


/**
 * Dsq.Debug: Logging functions.
 */

Dsq.Debug = new function() {this.log=function(s){};this.profile=function(f){if(typeof f == 'function')return f();else return eval(f);};};


/**
 * Dsq.Urls: URL paths
 */
Dsq.Urls = new function() {
	this.LOGIN = '/profile/login/';
	this.LOGOUT = '/logout/';
	this.REPLY = 'http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/monday_open_thread_05/reply.html';
	this.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE = '/AnonymousUser/';
	this.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR = 'http://media.disqus.com/images/noavatar92.png';
};
// Dsq.Urls

/**
 * Dsq.Validators: Validation for form fields
 */
Dsq.Validators = new function() {
	this.VALID_EMAIL_RE = /^[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*\@(([a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*)+\.[a-z]{2,}|([0-9]+\.){3}[0-9]+)$/i;
	this.name = function(name) {
		var error = false;

		if(typeof Dsq.Templates.placeholder !== 'undefined' &&
		   name == Dsq.Templates.placeholder.name) {
			error = true;
		}
		if(name.length <= 1) {
			error = true;
		}

		if(error) {
			return "Please enter a name to comment.";
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	};
	this.email = function(addr) {
		if(Dsq.Validators.VALID_EMAIL_RE.test(addr)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please enter a valid email to comment.";
		}
	};
	this.url = function(addr) {
		if(!addr || addr.indexOf('.') != -1) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please check your website URL (this field is optional).";
		}
	};

	this.validate = function(bulk_validation, failure_callback) {
		failure_callback = failure_callback || function(e){ alert(e); };

		for(var i = 0; i < bulk_validation.length; i++) {
			v = bulk_validation[i];
			ret = v.validator(v.value);
			if(ret !== true) {
				failure_callback(ret);
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	};
};

/**
 * Dsq.Utils: Generic utility functions.
 */
Dsq.Utils = new function() {
	this.ie = /msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
	this.ie7 = (document.all && !window.opera && window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true : false;
	this.ie6 = (!window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true: false;
	this.webkit = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') >= 0;
	this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = {};
	this._styleSheet = null;

	this.gebiFromElement = function(el, id, tag) {
		// This only method only helps IE.
		if(!this.ie) {
			return Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var cacheKey = el.id + '-' + tag;
			tag = tag || 'div';
			if(typeof this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] != 'undefined') {
				collection = this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey];
			} else {
				collection = el.getElementsByTagName(tag);
				this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] = collection;
			}

			for(var i = 0; i < collection.length; i++) {
				if(collection[i].id == id) {
					return collection[i];
				}
			}
			return null;
		}
	};

	this.execOnReady = function(func) {
		var node = document.createElement('document:ready');
		try {
			node.doScroll('left');
			func();
			node = null;
		} catch(err) {
			setTimeout(function() { Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(func); }, 10);
		}
	};


	// Courtesy of http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
	this.createCookie = function(name,value,days) {
		if (days) {
			var date = new Date();
			date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
			var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
		}
		else var expires = "";
		document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
	};

	this.readCookie = function(name) {
		var nameEQ = name + "=";
		var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
		for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
			var c = ca[i];
			while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
			if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.eraseCookie = function(name) {
		Dsq.Utils.createCookie(name,"",-1);
	};

	this.deleteNode = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			this.deleteChildren(node);
			if(typeof node.outerHTML != 'undefined') { node.outerHTML = ''; }
			else if(node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); }
			delete node;
		}
	};

	this.deleteChildren = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			for(var x = node.childNodes.length-1; x >= 0; x--) {
				var childNode = node.childNodes[x];
				if(childNode.hasChildNodes()) { this.deleteChildren(childNode); }
				if(typeof childNode.outerHTML != 'undefined') { childNode.outerHTML = ''; }
				else node.removeChild(childNode);
				delete childNode;
			}
		}
	};

	this.findPos = function(obj) {
		var curleft = 0;
		var curtop = 0;
		if (obj.offsetParent) {
			do {
				curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
				curtop += obj.offsetTop;
			} while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
		}
		return [curleft,curtop];
	};

	this.getWindowSize = function() {
		var windowWidth = -1;
		var windowHeight = -1;

		if(typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number') { //Non-IE
			windowWidth = window.innerWidth;
			windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
		} else if(document.documentElement) { // IE 6+ in 'standards compliant mode'
			windowWidth = document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;
			windowHeight = document.documentElement.clientHeight || document.body.clientHeight;
		}

		return [windowWidth, windowHeight];
	}

	this.getScrollPos = function() {
		var scrollWidth, scrollTop;

		if(document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollWidth)) {
			scrollWidth = document.documentElement.scrollWidth;
			// IE is weird here.  If no doctype is provided, document.body.scrollTop is 0,
			// otherwise document.documentElement.scrollTop is 0.
			scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
		} else if(document.body.scrollTop && document.body.scrollWidth) {
			scrollWidth = document.body.scrollWidth;
			scrollTop = document.body.scrollTop;
		}

		return [scrollWidth, scrollTop];
	}

	this.addEventListener = function(instance, eventName, listener) {
		var listenerFn = listener;
		if (instance.addEventListener) {
			instance.addEventListener(eventName, listenerFn, false);
		} else if (instance.attachEvent) {
			listenerFn = function() {
				listener(window.event);
			};
			instance.attachEvent("on" + eventName, listenerFn);
		} else {
			throw new Error("Event registration not supported");
		}
		return {
			instance: instance,
			name: eventName,
			listener: listenerFn
		};
	};

	this.removeEventListener = function(event) {
		var instance = event.instance;
		if (instance.removeEventListener) {
			instance.removeEventListener(event.name, event.listener, false);
		} else if (instance.detachEvent) {
			instance.detachEvent("on" + event.name, event.listener);
		}
	};

	this.fixIframesIE = function(id) {
		var disqusThread = Dsq.$(disqus_container_id);
		var iframes = disqusThread.getElementsByTagName('iframe');

		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-content');
		}

		for(i = 0; i < iframes.length; i++) {
			if (container) {
				iframes[i].style.width = container.offsetWidth;
			}
		}
	};

	this.getElementsByClassName = function(oElm, strTagName, strClassName) {
	/* Credit: Jonathan Snook [http://www.snook.ca/jonathan], Robert Nyman [http://www.robertnyman.com] */
		var arrElements = (strTagName == "*" && oElm.all)? oElm.all : oElm.getElementsByTagName(strTagName);
		var arrReturnElements = new Array();
		strClassName = strClassName.replace(/\-/g, "\\-");
		var oRegExp = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + strClassName + "(\\s|$)");
		var oElement;
		for(var i = 0; i < arrElements.length; i++) {
			oElement = arrElements[i];
			if(oRegExp.test(oElement.className)) {
				arrReturnElements.push(oElement);
			}
		}
		return (arrReturnElements);
	};

	this.postToUrl = function(url, post_data, opt_redirect) {
		var form = document.createElement('form');
		var iframe_container = document.createElement('div');
		var id = 'dsq-temp-iframe-' + (new Date()).getTime();

		form.method = 'POST';
		form.action = url;
		if (!opt_redirect) {
			form.target = id;
		}
		iframe_container.innerHTML = '<iframe style="display:none" name="' + id + '" id="' + id + '"></iframe>';

		for(var key in post_data) {
			if(post_data.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var input = document.createElement('input');
				input.name = key;
				input.type = 'hidden';
				input.value = post_data[key];

				form.appendChild(input);
			}
		}

		Dsq.$b.appendChild(iframe_container);
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(form);
		form.submit();
	};

	// Strips integer id from id of element in the form ('some-id-###')
	this.extractId = function(e) {
		var chunks = e.id.split('-');
		if(chunks.length <= 1) {
			return 0;
		} else {
			return parseInt(chunks[chunks.length-1]);
		}
	};

	this.getStyle = function(el, styleProp) {
		if(el.currentStyle) {
			var y = el.currentStyle[styleProp];
		} else if(window.getComputedStyle) {
			var y = document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(el, null).getPropertyValue(styleProp);
		}

		if(y == 'transparent' || y == '') {
			this.getStyle(el.parentNode, styleProp);
		} else {
			return y;
		}
	};

	this.execScript = function(url, append_qs, container) {
		var script = document.createElement('script');
		append_qs = typeof append_qs == 'undefined' ? true : append_qs;
		container = container || Dsq.container;

		if(append_qs) {
			var j = (url.indexOf('?') >= 0) ? '&' : '?';
			url += j + (new Date()).getTime();
		}
		script.type = 'text/javascript';
		script.charset = 'UTF-8';
		script.src = url;
		container.appendChild(script);
		return script;
	};

	this.pluralize = function(num, singular, plural) {
		return (num != 1) ? plural || 's' : singular || '';
	};

	this.getRequestParams = function(queryString /* optional */) {
		var pairs, tuple;
		var params = {};

		queryString = queryString || window.location.search.substring(1);
		pairs = queryString.split('&');

		for (var i = 0, pair; pair = pairs[i]; i++) {
			tuple = pair.split('=');
			params[tuple[0]] = (tuple[1] || true);
		}

		return params;
	};

	this.addCssRule = function(selector, styleText, index) {
		var stylesheet;
		index = index || 0;

		if(!this._styleSheet) {
			var styleEl = document.createElement('style');
			document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(styleEl);
			this._styleSheet = styleEl.sheet;
			if(!this._styleSheet) {
				// IE does not like our newly created stylesheet.
				this._styleSheet = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length-1];
			}
		}
		stylesheet = this._styleSheet;

		if(stylesheet.insertRule) {
			var ruleText = selector + ' { ' + styleText + ' }';
			if(index == -1) {
				index = stylesheet.cssRules.length;
			}
			stylesheet.insertRule(ruleText, index);
		} else if(stylesheet.addRule) {
			stylesheet.addRule(selector, styleText, index);
		}
	};

	this.forEachIn = function(obj, callback) {
		for(var key in obj) {
			if(obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				callback(key, obj[key]);
			}
		}
	};

	this._interpolateGlobalContext = {
		// values that get used a lot and are global to the request
		'profile_url': Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE,

		'disqus_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url,
		'media_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url,
		'request_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.username,
		'request_display_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username,
		'forum_name': Dsq.jsonData.forum.name
	};

	this.renderFromContextStack = function(key, contexts) {
		// Returns the first instance of `key` in the array of objects `contexts` or else ''
		for (var i=0; i<contexts.length; i++) {
			if (contexts[i][key] !== undefined) {
				return String(contexts[i][key]);
			}
		}
		throw new Error('key ' + key + ' not found in context');
	};

	var that = this;
	this.interpolate = function(fmt, opt_localContext) {
		// Interpolate `fmt` named-format string with an assumed global context.
		// Based on `interpolate` in django.views.i18n
		var contextStack = [opt_localContext || {}, that._interpolateGlobalContext];
		return fmt.replace(/%\(\w+\)s/g, function(match){
			return that.renderFromContextStack(match.slice(2,-2), contextStack);
		});
	};

	this.stripTags = function(s) {
		// Removes HTML tags from `s`
		return s.replace(/(<([^>]+)>)/g,"");

	};

	this.assert = function(b) {
		if (!b) {
			throw new Error('Assertion error.');
		}
	};

};
// Dsq.Utils

/**
 * Dsq.Popup: Popup helper functions.
 */
Dsq.Popup = new function() {
	this.timeHide = new Array();
	this.timeShow = new Array();
	this.activePopup = {};
	this.profileCache = {};
	this.statusCache = {};

	this.showTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the hide timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeHide[post_id]);

		// start the timer
		if(!Dsq.Popup.profileIsOn && !Dsq.Thread.adminIsOn) {
			this.timeShow[post_id] = setTimeout("Dsq.Popup.popProfile(\"" + post_id + "\")", 400);
		}
	};

	this.hideTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the show timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeShow[post_id]);
	};

	this.updateProfile = function(username) {
		// Callback from /embed/profile.js
		if (this.statusCache[username]) {
			var statusEl = Dsq.$('dsq-profile-status-' + username);
			statusEl.innerHTML = this.statusCache[username];
			statusEl.style.display = 'block';
		}

		if (this.profileCache[username]) {
			var _cache = this.profileCache[username];

			var _genhtml = function(text) { return '<span><big>' + text + '</big></span>'; };
			var _no_comments = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS(_cache.comments_count));
			var _no_likes = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_LIKES(_cache.likes_count));
			var _no_points = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_POINTS(_cache.points));

			var statsEl = Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + username);
			statsEl.innerHTML = '';

			if (Dsq.jsonData.users[username].registered) {
				statsEl.innerHTML = _no_comments + _no_likes;
			}
			statsEl.innerHTML += _no_points;

			var activeSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.active_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.active_sites[i];
				activeSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (activeSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = activeSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = 'This site.';
			}

			var moderatedSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.moderated_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.moderated_sites[i];
				moderatedSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (moderatedSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + username).innerHTML = moderatedSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + username).innerHTML = '';
			}
		}

		// Reposition popup after full HTML is rendered
		if(Dsq.Popup.activePopup && Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el) {
			Dsq.Popup.initPopup(Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.type);
		}

	};

	this.showCookieMsgs = function() {
		var title = '';
		var message = '';
		var numAlerts = 0;

		Dsq.Utils.forEachIn(Dsq.jsonData.cookie_messages, function(k, v) {
			if (!v) return;

			switch(k) {
				// Cookie: Twitter
				case 'post_twitter':
					if (v === 'error') {
						title = 'Twitter Error!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-error">Oops, we couldn\'t tweet this comment. Please check your <a href="http://disqus.com/account/services">account settings</a>.</li>';
					} else {
						var _msg = v.split(':');
						title = 'Tweeted!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-success">Your comment was successfully tweeted. <a href="http://twitter.com/' + _msg[0] + '/status/' + _msg[1] + '">Click here to view the tweet</a>.</li>';
					}
					break;
				// Cookie: Unapproved Post
				case 'post_not_approved':
					title = 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-not-approved">Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.</li>';
					break;
				// Cookie: Profile Found
				case 'post_has_profile':
					title = 'Use your existing commenter profile';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-has-profile">You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a></li>';
					break;
				case 'user_created':
					var _data = v.split(':');
					title = 'Profile created!';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-user-created">You have just created a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, the best way to claim, manage, and track your comments all over the web. \
					<br /><br />A confirmation is being sent to <strong>' + _data[1] + '</strong>. Please check for this email in order to verify your profile. \
					<ul class="dsq-list-tick"> \
						<li>Your username is <strong>' + _data[0] +'</strong>. <a href="http://disqus.com/people/' + _data[0] + '/" target="_blank">Click here to view your public profile</a>.</li> \
						<li>Be sure to set your profile picture, as well as connect your <span class="dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> and <span class="dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> accounts. <a href="http://disqus.com/account/" target="_blank">Click here for account settings</a>.</li> \
					</ul> \
					</li>'
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
			numAlerts++;
		});

		if(numAlerts > 1) {
			message = '<ul class="dsq-list-bluebullet">' + message;
			message += '</ul>';
			title = 'Thanks for posting!';
		}
		if(numAlerts > 0) {
			if(typeof(disqus_cookie_msgs) == 'function') {
				disqus_cookie_msgs(message, title);
			} else {
				Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
			}
		}
	};

	this.helpBadges = function(post_id) {
		var html = ' \
			<ul class="dsq-popup-help"> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile with a confirmed email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, but has not yet confirmed his or her email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span> is not logged in with any account and has not claimed his or her comments.</li> \
				<li class="dsq-help-otheraccts">Other accounts</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> is using his or her Facebook profile via Facebook Connect.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> is using his or her Twitter profile via Twitter Sign-in.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-openid">OpenID</span> is using his or her OpenID.</li> \
			</ul> \
		';

		this.popModal(html, 'Help: Types of Commenters', post_id);
		return;
	};

	this.permalink = function(post_id) {
		var header = 'Link to this comment';
		var body = '<strong>You are anchored to</strong>:<br />' + document.location.protocol + '//' + document.location.host + document.location.pathname + document.location.search + '#comment-' + post_id;

		this.popModal(body, header, post_id);
	};

	this.login = function(header, body) {
		var h = header || 'Login or Register';
		var b = body || '';
		b += Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: 'dsq-popup-login'});
		b += '</iframe>'; // HACK: Sometimes there is something funky with the IFRAME SRC that causes no end tag
		this.popModal(b, h, null, true, 'dsq-popup-login');
	};

	this.blacklist = function(id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		var title = 'Add to Blacklist';
		var message = ' \
		Adding this person to the blacklist will block him or her from commenting on this site. Check the following types that you would like to add to the blacklist:'
		+ (userData['registered'] ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-username" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-username"><strong>Username</strong>: ' + userData['username'] + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ (_meta.email ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-email" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-email"><strong>Email address</strong>: ' + _meta.email + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ '<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
			<input id="dsq-blacklist-ip" type="checkbox" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-blacklist-ip-warning\').style.display=\'block\'"> \
			<label for="dsq-blacklist-ip"><strong>IP address</strong>: ' + _meta.ip + '</label> \
		</div> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p id="dsq-blacklist-ip-warning" style="display:none">	\
				Note: Blocking this person\'s IP address may also unintentionally prevent others, who share his/her IP address, from commenting on this site. \
				This may include people who are sharing the same computer, living in the same house, or using the same Internet provider. Only block an IP address as a last resort. \
			</p> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p style="text-align:center"><button onclick="Dsq.Post.blockUser(' + id + '); this.disabled=true; this.innerHTML=\'Just one moment...\'">Add to Blacklist</button></p> \
		';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
	};

	this.remoteAccountSettings = function() {
		var body = '';
		// Set up IFrame.
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/_auth/embed/remote_settings/';
		var attributes = {id: 'dsq-popup-account-settings'};
		if (typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}

		body = Dsq.Templates._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
		this.popModal(body, 'Account Settings', null, true, 'dsq-popup-account-settings');
	};

	this.popModal = function(message, title, post_id, use_listener, extra_classes) {
		var container = document.createElement('div');
		var header, body;

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);

		if(typeof(title) == 'undefined') { title = ''; }
		if(typeof(use_listener) == 'undefined') { use_listener = true; }

		if(post_id) {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message-' + post_id;
		} else {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message';
		}

		header = title;
		body = message;

		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupModal(header, body);
		Dsq.Popup.initPopup(container, post_id, 'message', extra_classes);
		if(use_listener) {
			Dsq.Popup.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', Dsq.Popup._closePopup);
		}
	};

	this.popAlert = this.popModal;

	this.loading = function(post_id) {
		var title = Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
		var body = '<div style="text-align:center; padding: 5px 0 10px 0"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif" alt="" /></div>'
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
	};

	this.lightbox = function(message, title, post_id) {
		// Wraps Dsq.Popup.popModal

		var overlay = document.createElement('div');
		overlay.id = 'dsq-overlay';
		overlay.className = 'dsq-overlay';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(overlay);
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, post_id, false, 'dsq-lightbox');
	};

	this.popProfile = function(post_id, userKey) {
		var post = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id];
		if (post && post.has_been_anonymized) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('This message was anonymized by its previous owner.', 'Anonymized', post_id);
			return;
		}

		if(post_id) {
			userKey = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id].user_key;	
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][userKey];
		var elId = 'dsq-popup-profile-' + userKey;
		var container = document.createElement('div');

		if(this.activePopup.el) {
			this._closePopup(null, true);
			if(this.activePopup.linkClicked) {
				this.activePopup.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		container.id = elId;
		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupProfile(userKey);

		this.initPopup(container, post_id, 'profile');
		this.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._closePopup);

		if(!this.profileCache[userKey]) {
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/embed/profile.js'
				+ '?username=' + userKey
				+ '&anon=' + (userData['registered'] ? 0 : 1)
				+ '&f=' + Dsq.jsonData['request'].forum);
		} else {
			this.updateProfile(userKey);
		}
	};

	this._closePopup = function(e, force) {
		var activePopup = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el;
		var id = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id;
		var link = 'dsq-avatar-' + id; // HACK: Specific to profile toggle target

		// HACK: This event should be gone if there is no active popup.
		if(!activePopup) {
			return;
		}
		if(force || !Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, activePopup.id)) {
			// TODO: This is breaking iE?
			if(Dsq.Popup.popupListener) {
				Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Popup.popupListener);
			}
			
			// Kill overlay
			var overlay = Dsq.$('dsq-overlay');
			if(overlay) { Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(overlay); }
			
			try {
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(activePopup);
			} catch(e) {
				// HACK: IE6 throws an error when using deleteNode() with a node containing a <table> in the html.
				activePopup.parentNode.removeChild(activePopup);
			}
			Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {};
		}

		if(!force && Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Popup.activePopup.linkClicked = true;
		}

	};

	this.initPopup = function(popup, post_id, type, extra_classes) {
		popup.className = 'dsq-popup dsq-popup-' + type + ' ' + (extra_classes ? extra_classes : '');
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6 || Dsq.Utils.ie7) {
			// HACK: We can't modify the body before it's ready, so we need
			//       to use an IE-safe "DOMReady" workaround before loading
			//       our popup.
			Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(function() {Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup); });
		} else {
			Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup);
		}

		popup.style.display = 'block';

		var xPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[0] - popup.offsetWidth) / 2;
		var yPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[1] - popup.offsetHeight) / 2;

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
			yPos += Dsq.Utils.getScrollPos()[1];
		}

		popup.style.left = xPos + 'px';
		popup.style.top = yPos + 'px';

		Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {
			'el' : popup,
			'id' : post_id,
			'type': type,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};
	};

	this.isClicked = function(e, id) {
		var t = e.target || e.srcElement;
		while(t && t.parentNode) {
			if(t.id == id) {
				return true;
			}

			t = t.parentNode;
		}
		return false;
	};
};
// Dsq.Popup

/**
 * Dsq.Templates
 */
Dsq.Templates = new function() {
	/*
	 * Counter keeping track of the number of posts iterated over.
	 */
	this.postLoopCounter = 0;
	this.filters = {};
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-post-add';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-post-add';

	this.registerTemplate = function(name, func) {
		this['$$_' + name] = func;

		if(typeof DsqLocal.Filters != 'undefined'
		&& typeof DsqLocal.Filters[name] == 'function') {
			// Push filters to this.filters to unify code.
			this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
			this.filters[name].push(DsqLocal.Filters[name]);
		}

		this[name] = function() {
			var ret;

			if(typeof DsqLocal.Templates != 'undefined'
			&& typeof DsqLocal.Templates[name] == 'function') {
				ret = DsqLocal.Templates[name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(ret === undefined) {
				ret = this['$$_' + name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(this.filters[name]) {
				var args = [ret];

				args.push.apply(args, arguments);
				for(var i = 0; i < this.filters[name].length; i++) {
					ret = this.filters[name][i].apply(this, args);
				}
			}

			return ret;
		};
	};

	this.registerFilter = function(name, func) {
		this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
		this.filters[name].push(func);
	};

	/**
	 * Dsq.Templates.Filters
	 */
	this.Filters = new function() {
		this.commentContainer = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var classes = [];
			if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page > 1) {
				classes.push('dsq-append');
			}

			//
			// Extra classes used for custom themes
			//

			if(_meta.depth) {
				classes.push('dsq-comment-child', 'dsq-depth-' + _meta.depth, 'dsq-parent-is-' + _meta.parent_post_id);
			}


			//

			if(_meta.author_is_creator) {
				// TODO: We need to deprecate the "special" class since it is not properly prefixed.
				classes.push('special', 'dsq-special');
			}
			if(_meta.author_is_moderator) {
				classes.push('dsq-moderator');
			}
			classes.push(['dsq-odd', 'dsq-even'][Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter % 2]);

			s = s.substring(0, s.lastIndexOf('>'));
			return s + ' class="dsq-comment ' + classes.join(' ') + '" style="margin-left:' + _meta.depth*30 + 'px">';
		};

		this.commentContent = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			if (_meta.killed) {
				return '<em>Comment removed.</em>';
			} else if (!_meta.approved) {
				return '<em>This comment was flagged for review.</em>';
			}

			s = s.replace(Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE, Dsq.MediaPostHandler);
			return s;
		};
	};

	//
	// Thread
	//
	// TODO: These need to be stripped of all Django template tags.

	this.authPost = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			return '';
		}
		var result = [];
		result = result.concat([
				'<div id="dsq-auth"',
						Dsq.jsonData.integration.reply_position ? 'class="dsq-auth-bottom"' : '',
						'>',
					'<div class="dsq-by">',
						'<a href="http://disqus.com" target="_blank">',
							(Dsq.jsonData.integration.disqus_logo ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/by-disqus.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">') :
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/dsq-button-120x19.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">')
							),
						'</a>',
					'</div>',
					'<div class="dsq-auth-header">',
						'<h3 id="dsq-add-new-comment" class="dsq-h3-addcomment">',
								Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT,
						'</h3>',
						'<div id="dsq-login">',
						(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
								? '<p class="dsq-login-message" id="dsq-login-message">You are commenting as a <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. You may select one to log into:</p>'
								: '')
		]);
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			result = result.concat([
							Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
								'<a id="dsq-login-toggle" href="%(disqus_url)s%(login_url)s?next=article:%(thread_id)s" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsq-profile-btn.png" title="%(log_into)s" alt="%(log_into)s"/></a>',
								{login_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGIN, thread_id: Dsq.jsonData.thread.id, log_into: Dsq.Strings.LOG_INTO_DISQUS}
								),
							'&nbsp; ',
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ?
								'<div id="dsq-fbc-login" onlogin="DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin()" size="medium" background="light" length="short" style="display:inline; margin-right:7px"></div>' :
								''
							),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-twitter-login" class="dsq-twitter-login" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect();" style="display:inline; cursor: pointer"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/twitter-signin-short.png" style="margin-right:7px" /></div>', {}) : ''),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-openid-login" class="dsq-openid-login" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL();" style="display:inline; cursor:pointer;"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/openid-login-button.png"/></div>', {}
								) : '')
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
						'</div>', // dsq-login
					'</div>', // dsq-auth-header
					'<div id="dsq-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated" ',
						Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated ? 'style="display:block"' : '',
						'>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-pic">',
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">' +
																			'<img class="dsq-post-avatar" src="%(avatar_url)s" alt="" /></a>',
																			{avatar_url: Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR,
																			url: (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
																					 ? Dsq.jsonData.request.url
																					 : Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE) }),
						'</div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>', {url:Dsq.jsonData.request.url})
										  )
										: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(profile_url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>')
											)
									),
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">',
									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsqicon12.png" alt="%(logged_in_as)s"/>&nbsp',
											{logged_in_as: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username)})
										: ''),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="%(logout_from_disqus)s">',
											{logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN, logout_from_disqus: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('DISQUS')})
										: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'twitter')
												? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using Twitter (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
												 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
												: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'openid')
													 ? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using OpenID (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
													 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
													 : ''
													)
											)
									),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote ? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('<span class="logo-disqus">DISQUS</span>') : ''),
									'</a>',
								'</li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
		]);
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect) {
			result = result.concat([
					'<div id="dsq-fbc-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated">',
						'<div id="dsq-fbc-profilepic" class="dsq-authenticated-pic" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.ProfilePic" size="square" facebook-logo="true"></div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									'Logged in as <span id="dsq-fbc-name" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.Name" linked="true" useyou="false"></span>',
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">using Facebook Connect <a href="#" onclick="javascript:DisqusFbcParentController.logout();return false;">(Logout)</a></li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
				'</div>', // dsq-auth
				'<div id="dsq-toolbar-items">',
				'</div>'
		]);
		result = result.concat([
					//
					//
					//
				((!Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) ?
					// Needs to be translated:
					('<p id="dsq-no-anon-msg">Required: Please log into <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> ' +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? 'or connect with Facebook ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? 'or sign in with Twitter ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? 'or sign in using OpenID ' : '') +
					Dsq.Utils.interpolate('to comment on <strong>%(forum_name)s</strong>.</p>')) :
					''
				),
				'<div id="dsq-post-add"></div>',
				'<div style="margin:10px 0">',
				((Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media) ?
						'<a href="#" id="dsq-media-link" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, false, \'media\'); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.USE_MEDIA + ' <small>&#9660;</small></a>' :
						''),
				'</div>'
		]);
		return result.join('');
	};


	this.header = function() {

		var html = '\<h3 id="dsq-comments-count" class="dsq-h3-commentcount">\
	 <span id="dsq-num-posts">200</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/monday_open_thread_05/latest.rss"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png"></a>\
	 </span>\
	 </h3>\
	 <div id="dsq-options" style="margin:15px 0">\
	 <span class="dsq-item-sort">\
	 Sort by\
	 <select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);">\
	 <option value="hot" selected="selected">Popular now</option>\
	 <option value="best" >Best Rating</option>\
	 <option value="newest" >Newest first</option>\
	 <option value="oldest" >Oldest first</option>\
	 </select>\
	 &nbsp;\
	 </span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-cp"><a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/monday_open_thread_05/">Community Page</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-subscribe">\
	 <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle">\
	 <span id="dsq-subscribe">\
	 <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a>\
	 </span>\
	 </span>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-alerts">\
	 <p><a href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:5409120" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">You must log into your Disqus Profile in order to post comments.</a></p>\
	 </div>\
		';

		

		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) { 
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-alert-message dsq-upgrade-message"> \
				<strong>Disqus upgrade available.</strong> Hi ' + Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username + ', this message is being displayed to you because you are a moderator of this site. <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-upgrade-message\').style.display=\'block\';this.style.display=\'none\';return false">Click here for details.</a> \
				<div style="display:none; margin-top:10px;" id="dsq-upgrade-message"> \
					A new theme is available with added features. <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/settings/' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url + '/?p=customize">To change your theme, click here</a> and choose the theme Narcissus. \
					If you do not upgrade, you are missing out on features such as: real-time commenting, new sign-in integrations, and an upgrade interface. \
					<strong>This message will automatically go away in one week.</strong> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			' + html; 
		}
		return html;
	};

	this.footer = function() {
		var html = Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.authPost();
		

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		

		return html;
	};

	this.pagination = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) { Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = ''; }
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.thread.paginate) { return ''; }

		//
		// TODO: num_paginator still uses the template tag for pagination, 
		// 		while append_paginator does it all in JavaScript.
		//		This should all be in JavaScript.
		//

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages > 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.page < Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages) {
			html = ' \<a class="dsq-paginate-append-text" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this); return false">Show more comments...</a>\
	 <button class="dsq-button-small dsq-paginate-append-button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this);">Load more comments</button>\
			';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = html;
			return '';
		} else {
			return '<div id="dsq-pagination" class="dsq-pagination">' + html + '</div>';
		}
	};

	this.trackbacks = function() {
		var html = '';

		if(typeof DsqLocal != 'undefined' && DsqLocal.trackback_url && DsqLocal.trackbacks) {
			var trackbacks = DsqLocal.trackbacks;
			var trackback_url = DsqLocal.trackback_url;
		} else {
			var trackbacks = [
			
			
			];
			var trackback_url = 'http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/monday_open_thread_05/trackback/';
		}

		html += '<div class="dsq-item-trackback">Trackback URL&nbsp;&nbsp;<input class="dsq-trackback-url" onclick="this.select()" readonly="true" value="' + trackback_url + '"></div>';

		if(trackbacks.length) {
			html += '<ul id="dsq-references">'
			for(var i = 0; i < trackbacks.length; i++) {
				var trackback = trackbacks[i];
				html += '<li><cite><a href="' + trackback.author_url + '" rel="nofollow">' + trackback.author_name + '</a></cite> \
						<p class="dsq-meta">' + trackback.date + '</p> \
						<p class="dsq-content">' + trackback.excerpt + '</p></li>';
			}
			html += '</ul>';
			html = '<h3 class="dsq-h3-trackbacks">Trackbacks</h3>' + html;
		}

		return html;
	}

	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		/* Reaction HTML begins */
		var item = '<li class="dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-header-avatar">';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'">';
		} else {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="#" onclick="return false;">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {
			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar32.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png"/>'
			+ '</a></div>'
			+ '<cite><span>' + reaction.author_name + '</span></cite>'
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"><a class="dsq-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</a></span>'
			+ '</div><div class="dsq-reaction-body">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-footer">From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
			+ 'via ' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? '<a href="http://backtype.com/">BackType</a>' : '<a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">UberVU</a>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator ? '&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<a class="dsq-hide-reaction" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + '); return false;">Hide</a>' : '') + '</div></div>';

		if(reaction.retweets) {
			var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
			if (num_retweets > 0) {
				item += '<div class="dsq-reaction-retweets">';
				if (num_retweets == 1) {
					item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
				} else {
					item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');

					item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
					var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 15) ? 15 : num_retweets;
					item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);

					if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
						item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
							+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
					}
				}
				item += '</div>';
			}
		}

		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this.missingPermissions = function() {
		return '	<p><a href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:5409120" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">You must log into your Disqus Profile in order to post comments.</a></p> \n';
	};

	//
	// Post
	//

	this.prependPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="comment-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-comment-reply-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-header-avatar" id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
				<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
				? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '</a>'
			+ '</div> \
		';
	};

	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];

		return ''
			+ (_meta.author_is_moderator
				? '<img class="dsq-mod-star" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/bullet-star.png" title="Moderator" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"> \
				<a id="dsq-time-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-time" href="#comment-' + post_id + '" title="Permalink">' + _meta.date + '</a> \
			</span>';
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		return '';
	}

	this.postBody = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Deprecate flagging conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		return ''
			+ (_meta.edited
				? '<p class="dsq-editedtxt">(Edited by a moderator)</p>'
				: '')
			;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Use media should be conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed) { return ''; }

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
				<div id="dsq-points-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-likedtxt">'
				+ (_meta.points
					? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.'
					: '')
				+ '</div>'
				+ '<ul class="dsq-comment-options dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.votable
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first dsq-rate" id="dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id + '">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Like</a>'
						: 'You liked this.') + '</li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-report' + (!_meta.votable ? ' dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '"><a href="#" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">Report</a></li> \
				</ul> \
				<ul class="dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first"><a href="#" id="dsq-reply-link-' + post_id +'" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(this, ' + post_id +'); return false;">Reply</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<li id="dsq-edit-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-edit-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="' + (!_meta.can_reply ? 'dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-more-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-more-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'more\'); return false">More <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media
					? '<li id="dsq-media-el-' + post_id +'" style="display:none"><a id="dsq-media-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'media\'); return false">Use Media <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '</ul>'
				+ '<div id="dsq-reply-bar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar" style="display:none"> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-items-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-items"> \
						</div> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-auth-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-auth"> \
							 \
								 \
									<a href="#" class="dsq-help dsq-reply-req-opt" title="You must log into an account in order to comment on Jack and Jill Politics" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Required:</a> \
								 \
								<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/dsq-favicon-16x16.png" alt="" /> \
								<a id="dsq-reply-login-' + post_id + '" href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:5409120" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">Login</a> \
								 \
									&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img class="fb_login_image" src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/fbconnect/login-buttons/connect_light_small_short.gif" alt="Facebook Connect"/> \
									<a href="#" onclick="FB.Connect.requireSession(DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin); return false;">Connect</a> \
								 \
								&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/twitter-signin-icon.png" alt="" /> \
									<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false">Sign-in</a> \
								 \
								 \
							 \
						</div> \
					</div> \
					<div id="dsq-reply-' + post_id + '"></div> \
			</div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Iframes
	//

	this._makeAttributes = function(attributes) {
		// Makes a tag attributes string out of an object.
		// Caller is responsible for making sure nothing needs to be escaped.
		var result = [];
		for (key in attributes) {
			result.push(' ' + key + '="' + attributes[key] + '"');
		}
		result = result.join('');
		return result;
	};

	this._frameGeneric = function(base_url, params, attributes) {
		if(typeof(disqus_callback_params) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_callback_params = '';
		}

		var default_params = {
			// TODO: These should be moved to Dsq.jsonData.
			'f'				: 'jackandjillpolitics',
			't'				: 'monday_open_thread_05',
			// Do we need encodeURIComponent here?
			'ifrs'			: encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css),
			'to_redirect'	: encodeURIComponent(window.location),
			'cbp'			: disqus_callback_params,
			'ff'			: Dsq.Thread.ff,
			'fc'			: Dsq.Thread.fc,
			'ac'			: Dsq.Thread.ac,
			'default_text'	: disqus_default_text
		};

		base_url += '?' + (new Date()).getTime();
		// Add params to default_params.
		if(params) {
			for(var key in params) {
				if(params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					default_params[key] = encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
				}
			}
		}
		// Build querystring.
		for(var key in default_params) {
			if(default_params[key] && default_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				base_url += '&' + key + '=' + default_params[key];
			}
		}

		return [
			'<iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0"',
			(' allowtransparency="true" src="' + base_url + '"'),
			this._makeAttributes(attributes),
			'</iframe>'].join('');
	};

	this.frameLogin = function(opt_attributes) {
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/login.html';
		var attributes = opt_attributes || {};
		attributes['class'] = 'dsq-post-login';

		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameReply = function(post_id, extra_params, attributes) {
		// Returns the HTML for a reply iframe. Called by Dsq.Iframes.setReplyIframeToContainer
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY;
		var params = {
			'def_email'		: disqus_def_email,
			'def_name'		: disqus_def_name
		};
		if(extra_params) {
			for(var key in extra_params) {
				if(extra_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					params[key] = extra_params[key];
				}
			}
		}
		if(_meta) {
			params['parent_post'] = post_id;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			params['per_page'] = disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			attributes['class'] += '-authenticated';
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameEdit = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/edit.html';
		var params = {
			'p' : post_id
		};
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, {'class': 'dsq-post-edit', 'name': 'dsq-edit_' + post_id + '-frame'});
	};

	//
	// Menus
	//

	this.menuMore = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: "Remove post" button should hide menu.
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')">Link</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Profile</a></li>'
	+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
		? '	<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>' + (_meta.email ? '<li class="dsq-admin-email">' + _meta.email + '</li>' : '')
		+ '	<li class="dsq-admin-ip">' + _meta.ip + '</li> \
			<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>'
		+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
			? ' <li class="dsq-admin-edit"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
			: '')
		+ ' <li class="dsq-remove"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Remove Comment</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-report-spam"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-block-user"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li>'
		: '');
	};

	this.menuMedia = function(post_id) {
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(this, ' + post_id + ', \'seesmic\'); return false;">Record video</a></li> \
		';
	};

	this.dropProfile = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};


		var menu = '<li class="dsq-drop-showlnk"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Expand &#8663;</a></li>';
		var pointsMessage = '';
		if (userData['registered']) {
			pointsMessage = 'with ' + userData['points'] + ' points (more points are better).';
		}

		if (userData['is_remote']) {
			var domain = userData['remote_domain_name'];
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' is a ' + domain + ' user ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
			menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-' + domain.toLowerCase() + '">' + domain + '</span></li>';
		} else if (userData['registered']) {
			if (userData['verified']) {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a verified commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span></li>';
			} else {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a registered, but unverified, commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span></li>';
			}
		} else {
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has not claimed this commenter profile." onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()"><span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span></li>';
		}

		menu += _includeServices();
		return menu;
	};

	//
	// Popups
	//

	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-top"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-body" class="clearfix"> \
				<div class="dsq-popup-body-padding"> \
					<div class="dsq-popup-header"> \
						<a class="dsq-close-link" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/modal-close.png" alt="" /></a>'
						+ content['header']
					+ '</div>'
					+ content['body']
					+ '<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
				</div> <!-- padding --> \
			</div> <!-- body --> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-bottom"></div> \
		</div> \
		';
	};

	this.popupProfile = function(user_key) {
		var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(user_key, null);
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var html = '';
			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == 0
					? '<h4>Connections</h4><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li> \
					<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" title="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" /> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>'
				+ (i+1 == userServices.length ? '</ul>' : '');
			}
			return html;
		};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<table> \
				<tr> \
					<td> \
						<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><img class="dsq-popup-profile-avatar" src="' + userData['avatar'] + '" alt="" /></a> \
					</td> \
					<td> \
						<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user"> \
							<h3>' + userData['display_name'] + '</h3> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats" id="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + user_key + '">Loading...</div> \
						</div> \
					</td> \
				</tr> \
			</table> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-state"> \
				This is a&nbsp;<span class="'
					+ (userData['registered']
						? (userData['verified']
							? ' dsq-badge-verified'
							: (userData['is_remote']
								? ' dsq-badge-' + userData['remote_domain_name'].toLowerCase()
								: ' dsq-badge-registered')
							)
							: ' dsq-badge-guest') + '">'
			+ (userData['registered']
				? (userData['verified']
					? 'Verified'
					: (userData['is_remote']
						 ? userData['remote_domain_name']
						 : 'Registered')
					)
				: 'Guest')
			+ '</span>&nbsp;commenter profile.'
			+ '&nbsp;<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><strong>View more comments </strong></a>'
			+ (!userData['points']
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice">If this is you, <a href="http://disqus.com/profile" target="_blank">claim it now</a> to manage your comments.</p>'
				: '')
			+ ((userData['registered'] && !userData['verified'] && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username == userData['username'])) && !userData['is_remote'])
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice"><strong>Alert</strong>: You have not verified this account. <a href="http://disqus.com/verify">Verify it now.</a></p>'
				: '')
			+ '</div> \
			<div id="dsq-profile-status-' + user_key + '" class="dsq-popup-profile-status" style="display:none"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-snapshot"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td> \
							<div id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Most active sites</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
						<td>'
							+ _includeServices()
							+ '<div id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Moderator of</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupReblog = function() {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<cite><span>Reblog this comment</span></cite> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div id="dsq-reblog-form" class="dsq-reblog-form"> \
			</div> \
		';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupModal = function(title, message) {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<h3>' + title + '</h3> \
		';

		bodyHtml = message;

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.alertContent = function(name, post_id) {
		var alert = {
			'post_not_approved': {
				'title': 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator',
				'message': 'Thanks for posting. Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.'
			},
			'post_has_profile': {
				'title': 'Use your existing commenter profile',
				'message': 'You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> commenter profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a>'
			}
		};
		return alert[name] || false;
	};

	//
	// Actions
	//

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {
		// Update number of points
		Dsq.$('dsq-points-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.';

		// Update link text
		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.';
		}
	};

	this.subscribed = function(status) {
		var title, message;

		if(status) {
			title = 'Subscribed!';
			message = 'You have subscribed to this comment thread. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">Unsubscribe</a> \
			';
		} else {
			title = 'Unsubscribed';
			message = 'You have unsubscribed to this comment thread. New comments will no longer be sent to your email inbox.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a> \
			';
		}

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);

	};
	
	this.highlighted = function() {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('This comment has been highlighted.', 'Highlighted comment');
	};

	//
	// Media
	//

	this.mediaSeesmic = function(id, thumb) {
		return ' \
			<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_preview" class="dsq-seesmic-preview"><a href="http://www.seesmic.com/video/' + id + '" target="_blank" class="see_link">&nbsp;</a> \
				<div style="display:block;width:160px; height:120px; border:none; background-image:url(http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/' + thumb + ')"> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_hide" class="seePlayOverlay" style="display:none;"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',false)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/stopOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_show" class="seePlayOverlay"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',true)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/playOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; border:none; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			<div id="' + id + '_content" style="display:block; width:100%; padding-top:5px"></div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Callbacks
	//

	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(parent_post_id) {
		// Increment post count
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');
		
		if (num_posts) { 
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) { 
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
	};
};
// Dsq.Templates


/**
 * Dsq.Post
 */
Dsq.Post = new function() {
	this.openedMenu = {};
	this.menuEventListener = null;
	this.stateReplyToggled = {};
	this.stateEditToggled = {};
	this.stateRecordLink = {};

	/**
	 * Inserts a new post into the document.
	 *
	 * @param after_id {Number}	Insert a post before specified id.  If after_id
	 *							evaluates to false, then post in the front.  If
	 *							after_id is -1, post at the end.
	 */
	this.insert = function(after_id, id, message, author) {
		// Skeleton template from thread_posts.html.
		var skeleton = ' \
			<li id="dsq-comment-%(id)s"> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-header-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-header"> \
					<cite id="dsq-cite-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-cite"> \
						<a id="dsq-author-user-%(id)s" href="%(author_url)s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">%(author_name)s</a> \
					</cite> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-body-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-body"> \
					<div id="dsq-comment-message-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-message">%(message)s</div> \
				</div> \
			</li> \
		';
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var _user_meta = Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key];
		var markup = Dsq.Utils.interpolate(skeleton, {
			id: id,
			message: message,
			author_url: _user_meta.blog,
			author_name: _user_meta.display_name
		});
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		markup = markup.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
		div.innerHTML = markup;

		if (after_id === -1) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').appendChild(div);
		} else if (!after_id) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').insertBefore(div, Dsq.$('dsq-comments').firstChild);
		} else if (Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + after_id)) {
			// Get next node after "after_id", so we can insert before it.
			// If "after_id" is the last comment, the target node is the
			// last node.
			
			// var append_post_id = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(after_id).replace('<div id="','').replace('"></div>', '');
			var append_post_id = 'dsq-append-post-' + after_id;
			var node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			while (node = node.nextSibling) {
				if (!node || node.nodeType == 1) { // 1 == Node.ELEMENT_NODE
					break;
				}
			}
			if (!node) {
				node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			}
			node.parentNode.insertBefore(div, node);
		}
	};

	this.incrementPostCount = function() {
		
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');

		if (num_posts) {
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) {
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
	}
	
	this.outlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className += ' dsq-comment-outline';
		setTimeout("(function () { Dsq.Post.clearOutlineComment(" + post_id + ") })()", 3000);
	};
	
	this.clearOutlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className.replace('dsq-comment-outline', '');
	};

	this.showMenu = function(el, id, name) {
		var anchorPos = Dsq.Utils.findPos(el);
		var menu = document.createElement('ul');

		if(this.openedMenu) {
			if(this.openedMenu.linkClicked) {
				this.openedMenu.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		switch(name) {
			case 'more':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMore(id);
				break;
			case 'media':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMedia(id);
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}

		// Add menu to document body
		menu.id = 'dsq-menu-' + id;
		menu.className = 'dsq-menu';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(menu);

		// Position and show
		anchorPos[1] += 15;
		menu.style.left = anchorPos[0] + 'px';
		menu.style.top = anchorPos[1] + 'px';
		menu.style.display = 'block';

		// Set global reference
		this.openedMenu = {
			'el' : menu,
			'id' : id,
			'name' : name,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};

		// Set listener
		this.menuEventListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._hideMenu);
	};

	this._hideMenu = function(e) {
		var el = e.target || e.srcElement;
		var openedMenu = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el;
		var id = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.id;

		if(!id) {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link';
		} else {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link-' + id;
		}

		if(!openedMenu) {
			return;
		}

		if(!Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, openedMenu.id)) {
			openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Post.menuEventListener);
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(openedMenu);

		} else {
			// Hide the menu if a link was clicked inside the menu.  We can't
			// completely remove the menu until the onclick event on the link
			// fires, but the menuEventListener will prevent multiple menus
			// from polluting the DOM.
			if(el && typeof el.href != 'undefined') {
				openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el = null;
			}
		}

		if(Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Post.openedMenu.linkClicked = true;
		}
	};


	this.getUserServices = function(user_key, id) {
		if(!user_key && id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
			user_key = _meta.user_key;
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var userServices = [];

		// Keep a full list of supported services. This is the order they will display in the drop-profile.
		// Each service must have a corresponding case in _buildServiceUrl()
		var supportedServices = ['blog', 'twitter', 'facebook', 'tumblr'];

		function _buildServiceUrl(serviceName) {
			var data = userData[serviceName];
			var services = {
				blog:		function(d) { return d; },
				twitter:	function(d) { return d; },
				facebook:	function(d) { return d; },
				tumblr:		function(d) { return 'http://' + d + '.tumblr.com'; }
			};
			return services[serviceName](data);
		}

		for(var i = 0; i < supportedServices.length; i++) {
			if(userData[supportedServices[i]]) {
				var serviceUrl = _buildServiceUrl(supportedServices[i]);
				userServices.push({'name' : supportedServices[i], 'url' : serviceUrl});
			}
		}
		return userServices;
	}

	this.dropProfile = function(id) {
		var dp = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-profile-' + id);

		// IE6 needs JS to display/hide. All other browsers use CSS.
		if(dp) {
			if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) dp.style.display = (dp.style.display == 'inline') ? 'none' : 'inline';
			return false;
		} else {
			dp = document.createElement('ul');
		}

		dp.id = 'dsq-drop-profile-' + id;
		dp.className = 'dsq-drop-profile';

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) { dp.style.display = 'inline'; }

		var container = Dsq.$('dsq-header-avatar-' + id);
		dp.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.dropProfile(id);
		container.appendChild(dp);
	};

	this.dropProfileMore = function(el, id) {
		var hiddenItems = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-hidden-' + id);

		hiddenItems.style.display = 'inline';
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
	};

	this._updateReplyLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "reply / cancel" links based on state.
		var displayDict = {};

		if(id) {
			if(this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				el.innerHTML = 'Cancel';
				displayDict['media'] = 'inline';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'none';
			} else {
				el.innerHTML = 'Reply';
				displayDict['media'] = 'none';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'inline';
			}
		}

		for(var key in displayDict) {
			if(displayDict.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var	linkEl = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-el-' + id),
					spacer = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-spacer-' + id);

				if(linkEl) {
					linkEl.style.display = displayDict[key];
					if(spacer) spacer.style.display = displayDict[key];
				}
			}
		}
	};

	this._updateMediaLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "use media / cancel" links based on state.
		var appendId = (id) ? ('-' + id) : '';
		var link = Dsq.$('dsq-media-link' + appendId);

		if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			link.innerHTML = 'Cancel Media';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(link, id); return false; };
		} else {
			link.innerHTML = 'Use Media <small>&#9660;</small>';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.showMenu(link, id, 'media'); return false; };
		}
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(el, id) {
		// Create reply IFrame
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			if (!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				// Create IFrame if it doesn't exist.
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-frame-' + id), id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].init();
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].setState(id, _meta.depth);
				}
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
			}
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			if(!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				// Reply toolbar
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id), id);
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Iframes.hideAllInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id));
				if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
					// HACK: Cancel media before canceling self.
					this.toggleMediaReply(Dsq.$('dsq-media-link-' + id), id);
				}
			}
		}

		this.stateReplyToggled[id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[id];
		this._updateReplyLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-reply-' + id); }

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[id]
		});
	};

	this.toggleMediaReply = function(el, id, xtype) {
		id = id || 0;
		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(!this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id, {xtype:xtype}, 'dsq-post-video');
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id);
		}
		this.stateRecordLink[id] = !this.stateRecordLink[id];
		this._updateMediaLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};

	this.edit = function(el, id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.frameEdit(id);
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-comment-message-' + id); }
	};

    this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
                Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
            }

            Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/vote.js'
                + '?post_id='    + id
                + '&vote='        + vote);

		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login(Dsq.Strings.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN);
		}
    };

	this.report = function(id, confirmed) {
		if(confirmed) {
			Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/monday_open_thread_05/post_report/', {'post_id': id});
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Thank you. This comment has been flagged for moderator attention.', 'Successfully flagged');
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$('dsq-post-report-' + id));
		} else {
			var title = Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT;
			var message = Dsq.Strings.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR + '? \
			<br /><br /> \
			<button onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.NO + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.NEVER_MIND + '</button>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<button onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + id + ', true);"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.YES + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT + '</button><br /><br />'
			+ Dsq.Strings.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION + '. \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, id);
		}
	};



	this.showAlert = function(id, msg) {
		var msgEl = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id);
		var alert = '<div class="dsq-comment-alert">' + msg + '</div>';

		msgEl.innerHTML = alert + msgEl.innerHTML;
	};

};
// Dsq.Post


/**
 * Dsq.Thread
 */
Dsq.Thread = new function() {
	this.fc = null;
	this.ff = null;
	this.ac = null;

	
	this.adminIsOn = false;

	
	
	

	this.hlComment = null;
	this.hlCommentClass = null;

	this.getNextComment = function(el) {
		var start_id = el.id;
		while(el = el.nextSibling) {
			if(el.id && el.id.indexOf('dsq-comment-') != -1 && el.id != start_id) {
				return el;
			}
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.getActiveCommentId = function() {
		if (document.URL.indexOf('#comment-') >= 0) {
			var anchor = document.URL.slice(document.URL.indexOf('#') + 1);
			return anchor.replace('comment-', '');
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.highlightAnchor = function() {
		var i = this.getActiveCommentId();
		if (i == null) return false;
		var id = 'dsq-comment-' + i;
		var hash = window.location.hash;

		// Toggle the hash incase the comment isn't available when the page loads
		// for WebKit-based browsers.
		if (Dsq.Utils.webkit) {
			window.location.hash = '';
			window.location.hash = hash;
		}

		this.hlComment = Dsq.$(id);
		// Adding this conditional guard pending #289
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlCommentClass = this.hlComment.className;
		this.hlComment.className += ' dsq-hl-anchor';

		setTimeout("Dsq.Thread.highlightClear()", 3000);
	};

	this.highlightClear = function() {
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlComment.className = this.hlCommentClass;
	};

	this.login = function(toggle) {
		// toggle id is #dsq-reply-login-[id]
		var postId;
		if(toggle.id.indexOf('dsq-reply-login') != -1) {
			postId = toggle.id.slice(16);
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + postId);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(toggle) {
			if(toggle.className == 'dsq-login-active') {
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(container, postId);
				toggle.className = '';
			} else {
				Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
				toggle.className = 'dsq-login-active';
			}
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
		}

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};


	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked, per_page) {
		// Use extra_params to pass any override parameters that we need to persist.
		var extra_params = '';

		// "Per page" can either be overriden by providing it as an argument
		// (per-call) or setting the disqus_per_page override variable (global).
		if(typeof per_page == 'undefined') {
			per_page = null;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined' && per_page === null) {
			per_page = disqus_per_page;
		}

		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}
		if(per_page !== null) {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + per_page;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			el_clicked.style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'monday_open_thread_05'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};

	this.sortBy = function(sort) {
		var disqus_script = document.createElement('script');
		var disqus_date = new Date();

		if (location.hash != '') {
			location.hash = '#disqus_thread';
		}

		if(typeof(disqus_url) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_url = disqus_href;
		}
		disqus_script.type = 'text/javascript';
		disqus_script.src = 'http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'monday_open_thread_05'
			+ '&sort='	+ sort
			+ '&title='
			+ '&'		+ disqus_date.getTime();

		Dsq.$('dsq-comments').innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif">';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(disqus_script);
	};

	this.subscribe = function(status, email) {
		// `status` is an int -- 1 to subscribe, 0 to unsubscribe
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || email) {
			// If authenticated user OR anonymous email provided

			if(email) {
				Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
			}

			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/subscribe.js'
				+'?status=' 	+ status
				+ '&slug='		+ 'monday_open_thread_05'
				+ '&email=' 	+ encodeURIComponent(email));

		} else if(!email) {
			// If anonymous user and no email has been provided yet, prompt for email

			var title = 'Subscribe to this comment thread';
			var message = ' \
				New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox! \
				<div class="dsq-subscribe-submit"> \
					<p><strong>Enter your email address below.</strong></p> \
					<input type="text" id="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
					<button onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1, Dsq.$(\'dsq-subscribe-email\').value)">Subscribe</button> \
				</div> \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
		}
	};

	this.showSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return;
		}

		/* The form has to be re-designed when more options will come out. */
		var html = 'Automatically close comments after <input size="3" id="dsq-thread-days-alive" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.days_alive + '" type="text" /> days. Existing comments will still be displayed.<br /><br />(Using 0 days will disable this feature)<br /><br />'
								 + '<button onclick="Dsq.Thread.updateDaysAlive();" class="dsq-button-small"><span>Save</span></button>'
								 + '<span id="dsq-thread-settings-status" class="dsq-options-status"></span>';
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Settings');
	};

	this.updateDaysAlive = function() {
		var days = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-days-alive').value;
		var status = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-settings-status');
		Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/update_days_alive.js', {days:days,thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
		status.innerHTML = 'Saved!';
		window.setTimeout(function() { status.innerHTML = ''; }, 1000);
	};
};
// Dsq.Thread

Dsq.Events = function() {
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var handlers = {};
	var getHandlers = function(event) {
		if (handlers[event] === undefined) {
			handlers[event] = [];
		}
		return handlers[event];
	};

	// Public
	// Value keys : postId, node, xtype
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED = 1;
	// Value keys : postId, opened
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED = 2;
	obj.fire = function(event, opt_value) {
		if (!event) {
			throw new Error('Unknown event');
		}
		var value = opt_value || {};
		for (var i=0; i<getHandlers(event).length; i++) {
			getHandlers(event)[i](value);
		}
	};
	obj.addHandler = function(event, callback) {
		getHandlers(event).push(callback);
	};

	return obj;
}();

/**
 * Dsq.Realtime
 */
Dsq.Realtime = new function() {
	var initialized = false;
	var interval = null;
	var last_checked = Dsq.jsonData.request.timestamp;
	var new_posts = [];
	var ongoing_request = false;
	var prev_script = null;

	function updateNewPostCount() {
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-alert').style.display = new_posts.length ? 'block' : 'none';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-queued').innerHTML = new_posts.length
		+ ' new '
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, 'comment', 'comments')
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, ' was', ' were')
		+ ' just posted.';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.SHOW + ')';
	}

	function insertNewPosts() {
		var post_id = null;
		var after_id = Dsq.$('dsq-sort-select').value === 'oldest' ? -1 : null;

		for (var i=0; i<new_posts.length; i++) {
			post_id = new_posts[i];
			Dsq.Post.insert(after_id, post_id, Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id].message);
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		}
		new_posts = [];
	}

	this.enableInterval = function() {
		interval = setInterval(Dsq.Realtime.check, Dsq.jsonData.context.realtime_speed);
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.ENABLED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.PAUSE + ')';
	}

	this.disableInterval = function() {
		if (interval) {
			clearInterval(interval);
			interval = null;
		}
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.PAUSED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.RESUME + ')';
	}

	this.toggleInterval = function() {
		if (!interval) {
			Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
		} else {
			Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
		}
		return false;
	}

	this.initialize = function() {
		if (!initialized) {
			initialized = true;
			Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').onclick = this.toggleInterval;
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').onclick = this.show;
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
			if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.realtime_paused) {
				Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
			} else {
				Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
			}
		}
	}

	this.show = function() {
		insertNewPosts();
		updateNewPostCount();
		return false;
	}

	this.check = function() {
		if (!ongoing_request && Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			if (prev_script) {
				prev_script.parentNode.removeChild(prev_script);
			}
			ongoing_request = true;
			prev_script = Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/5409120/realtime.js?timestamp=' + last_checked);
		}
	};

	this.update = function(timestamp, posts, users) {
		ongoing_request = false;
		last_checked = timestamp;

		if (users) {
			for (var user_id in users) {
				if (users.hasOwnProperty(user_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id] = users[user_id];
					}
				}
			}
		}

		if (posts) {
			for (var post_id in posts) {
				if (posts.hasOwnProperty(post_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] = posts[post_id];
						new_posts.push(post_id);
					}
				}
			}

			if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				insertNewPosts();
			} else {
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
		}
	};

}();

// DEPRECATED
Dsq.Iframes = function() {
	// Different style of object from the above. Hoping to switch to this for some reason.
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var showIframeInContainer = function(container, id, markup) {
		// Look through container for iframes, hiding them, except show one that matches id
		// If none of them matched id, create a new iframe using markup and insert it.
		// Returns the iframe node if and only if it was newly created.
		var found = false;
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				if (child.id == id) {
					child.style.display = 'block';
					found = true;
				} else {
					child.style.display = 'none';
				}
			}
		}
		if (found) {
			return;
		}
		// The iframe wasn't found, so construct it and add it to the container.
		// Don't use innerHTML because it might reload iframes
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		div.innerHTML = markup;
		var iframe = div.childNodes[0];
		div.removeChild(iframe);
		container.appendChild(iframe);
		return iframe;
	};

	// Public
	obj.makeReplyIframeId = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var id = 'dsq-post-add-iframe';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			id += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			id += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return id;
	};
	obj.makeLoginIframeId = function(opt_postId) {
		if (!opt_postId) {
			return 'dsq-login-iframe';
		}
		return 'dsq-login-iframe-' + opt_postId;
	};
	obj.makeReplyIframeName = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var name = 'dsq-reply-frame';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			name += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			name += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return name;
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId, opt_extraParams, opt_className) {
		// Construct the id so we can check if it's already present.
		// Hide any other iframes we find, and show this one if it's found.
		var params = opt_extraParams || {};
		// use xtype in the id and name so we can distinguish media replies from text replies:
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeId(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var name = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeName(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var attributes = {
			'id': id,
			'name': name,
			'class': opt_className || 'dsq-post-reply'
			};
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameReply(opt_postId, opt_extraParams, attributes);
		var iframe = showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
		// It was newly created
		if (iframe) {
			Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED, {
				postId: opt_postId,
				node: iframe,
				xtype: params.xtype
			});
		}
	};
	obj.showLoginIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId) {
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeLoginIframeId(opt_postId);
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: id});
		showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed = function(container, opt_postId) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			obj.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, opt_postId);
		} else {
			obj.hideAllInContainer(container);
		}
	};
	obj.hideAllInContainer = function(container) {
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				child.style.display = 'none';
			}
		}
	};

	return obj;
}();

Dsq.Twitter = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startTwitterConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._twitterWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/twitter/begin/', 'twitterWindow', popupParams);
		that._twitterInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeTwitterConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeTwitterConnect = function() {
		if (that._twitterWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._twitterInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Yahoo = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startYahooConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._yahooWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/yahoo/begin/', 'yahooWindow', popupParams);
		that._yahooInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeYahooConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeYahooConnect = function() {
		if (that._yahooWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._yahooInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.OpenID = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.requestURL = function() {
		var message = '<table class="dsq-openid-form"><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="2"><img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url + '/images/openid-icon-100x100.png" /></td>';
		message += '<td><label for="dsq-openid-url">OpenID URL:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-url" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td><label for="dsq-openid-username">Display name:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-username" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td class="dsq-openid-submit" colspan="3"><input type="button" value="Sign in" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.startConnect();" /></td></tr>';
		message += "</table>";

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sign in using OpenID');
	};

	this.startConnect = function() {
		var isblank = function(str) {
			return /^\s*$/.test(str);
		};

		var openid_url = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-url').value;
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-username').value;

		if (isblank(openid_url)) {
			return;
		}

		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=500';
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/openid/begin/' + '?url=' + encodeURIComponent(openid_url) + '&username=' + encodeURIComponent(username);
		that._openidWindow = window.open(url, 'openidWindow', popupParams);
		that._openidInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeConnect = function() {
		if (that._openidWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._openidInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Reaction = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.hide = function(id) {
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/jackandjillpolitics/hidereaction.js?' + 'reaction_id=' + id);
	};

	this.reportMissingReactions = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled) {
			return;
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.queued) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Your report has been received. The system will automatically search for new reactions; if any are found, they will be displayed on this comment thread.<br/><br/>Thank&nbsp;you.',
												 'Reported missing reactions');
			return;
		}

		Dsq.Utils.execScript(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/forums/jackandjillpolitics/queueurl.js');
	};
};

Dsq.CNN = function() {
	var obj = {};

	obj.authenticate = function() {
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + "/saml/cnn/try/";
		Dsq.Utils.postToUrl(url, {'target': document.location}, true);
	};

	return obj;
}();


if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
	(function() {
		DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE = /<div class="dsq-header-avatar"(.*?)>/gim;
		Dsq.Templates.registerFilter('postPrependHeader', function(html, post_id) {
			// Add "onmouseout" for dsq-header-avatar for dropProfile
			// functionality since IE6 cannot use :hover.
			function _headerAvatarReplace(content, inner, _unused, html) {
				return '<div class="dsq-header-avatar" '
					+ inner
					+ ' onmouseout="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')">';
			}
			html = html.replace(DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE, _headerAvatarReplace);
			return html;
		});
	})();
}





	// TODO: Move Seesmic code outside of the main script.  Don't let this script clobber the global namespace.
	if(typeof seesmic == 'undefined') { var seesmic = {}; }
	seesmic.widget = new function () {
		this.callback = function (data) {
			playerVersion = data.disqusplayer;
		};
	};

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://seesmic.com/version.js?callback=seesmic.widget.callback');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://media.disqus.com/javascript/library/swfobject.js');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	function see_play_video(_videoUri, _add) {
		var swf = !!playerVersion ? playerVersion : 'http://seesmic.com/embeds/StandalonePlayer.swf';

		flashcontentDiv = Dsq.$(_videoUri + '_content');
		previewDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_preview');
		hideDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_hide');
		showDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_show');
		if(_add) {
			// push flash widget
			var so = new SWFObject(swf, 'sotester', '300', '270', '9', '#000000');
			so.addVariable('video', _videoUri);
			so.addParam('allowFullScreen', 'true');
			so.addParam('allowScriptAccess','always');
			so.useExpressInstall('swfobject/expressinstall.swf');
			so.write(_videoUri + '_content');

			previewDiv.style.display = 'none';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'block';
			showDiv.style.display = 'none';
		}
		else {
			flashcontentDiv.innerHTML = '';
			previewDiv.style.display = 'block';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'none';
			showDiv.style.display = 'block';
		}
	};





(function() {
	//
	// Load theme.  This overrides the base templates with template functions
	// from the respective themes.
	//
	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		var theme = 'narcissus';
		// HACK: Set variable on window to use post message.
		window.disqus_use_postmessage = true;

		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Themes[theme]) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Templates[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Post) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Post[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
	}

	//
	// Register templates.  This must be done after all themes are loaded.
	//
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('authPost', Dsq.Templates.authPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('header', Dsq.Templates.header);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('footer', Dsq.Templates.footer);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('trackbacks', Dsq.Templates.trackbacks);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('reactions', Dsq.Templates.reactions);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('prependPost', Dsq.Templates.prependPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('appendPost', Dsq.Templates.appendPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postPrependHeader', Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postAppendHeader', Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('preBody', Dsq.Templates.preBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBody', Dsq.Templates.postBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postFooter', Dsq.Templates.postFooter);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('_popupGeneric', Dsq.Templates._popupGeneric);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('voted', Dsq.Templates.voted);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('popupProfile', Dsq.Templates.popupProfile);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBox', Dsq.Templates.postBox);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('pagination', Dsq.Templates.pagination);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postComment_onSuccess', Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess);

})();

Dsq.container.className = "clearfix";
Dsq.container.innerHTML = ' \
<ul id="dsq-comments">\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901398">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901398" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901398" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901398">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901398" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901398" class="dsq-comment-message">An Ed Schultz Email:<br><i><br>10/6/2008<br><br>FROM BIG EDDIE:<br>Sunday night I was told by Capitol Hill insiders the polling after Tuesdays <br>debate will determine McCains next shift in resources. McCain will trim operations<br>in Minnesota this week and may be out of the state by the end of the week.<br>Obama has opened a solid double digit lead in the Gopher state. Some McCain insiders <br>feel the state is already lost coupled by the fact that Al Franken is now leading <br>Senator Norm Coleman. <br><br>Sources with knowledge of the campaign are telling me this will be a crucial week for McCain.<br>All Minnesota efforts will be reallocated to Ohio, Florida and possibly Virginia.<br><br>The McCain camp is now expecting the 527\'s to attack Obama on character in an <br>attempt to shift the conversation and focus off the economy. One source told me <br>tonight "We are definitely in need of a game changer"</i></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901808">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901808" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901808" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2901808" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901808" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901808" class="dsq-comment-message">Isn\'t this the second or third state he\'s conceeded to Obama in the past week?  He pulled out of Michigan and another battleground state I can\'t remember.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901993">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901993" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901993" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901993">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901993" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901993" class="dsq-comment-message">Michigan only....watch 4 Pennsylvania</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2902904">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2902904" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2902904" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2902904" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2902904" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2902904" class="dsq-comment-message">Good, they need to kick him out of the keystone state.  At least Field Negro is starting to think that\'s the next state he\'ll concede.<br><br>I think I heard murmurings about him conceding - or closing up campaign headquarters in another state.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897157">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897157" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897157" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897157">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897157" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897157" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama Remarks: See You Tues Night, John McCain.<br>   Obviously we woke up this morning and saw the markets are still in turmoil.<br><br>   Not only are we seeing the stock market go down but there is still great danger of the credit markets not responding and the contagion is spreading to all parts of the globe. Europe is having some of the same problems....It is a reminder that the rescue package that was passed last week is not the end of our efforts to deal with the economy, it’s just the beginning. I think it is very important for Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke to move swiftly and try to restore confidence as quickly as possible, and effectuate the plans based on the authority that has been given to them by Congress.<br><br>   I think it is still critical for us to move forward on an economic stimulus package that can provide people with some relief from high gas prices, food prices, help state and local governments maintain their payrolls. I think we have to extend unemployment insurance after the statistics showing that 159,000 additional jobs were lost just last month. We’re going to have to then, move on an aggressive plan to deal with some of the underlying structural problems in the economy including the housing market.<br><br>   Now Sen. McCain and I have a debate tomorrow and obviously the American people are going to be anxious to hear from one of the two people that is going to be the next president and responsible for dealing with these economic problems and hear what their plans are. I was a little surprised over the last couple of days to her Sen. McCain say, or Sen. McCain’s campaign say, that we want to turn the page on the discussion of the economy and a member of Sen. McCain’s campaign saying today that if we keep talking about the economic crisis we lose. I’ve got news for the McCain campaign, the American people are losing right now, they’re losing their jobs, they’re losing their health care, they’re losing their homes, they’re losing their savings.<br><br>   I can not imagine anything more important to talk about than the economic crisis and the notion that we’d want to brush that aside and engage in the usual political shenanigans and scare tactics that have come to characterize too many political campaigns, I think is not what the American people are looking for. So I’m going to keep on talking about the economy, I’m going to keep on talking about what we can do to strengthen the middle class and get our credit markets to settle down. I have confidence that we can solve this problem but we’re not going to solve it with business as usual. We need fundamental change and that’s why I’m running for president.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897265">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897265" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897265" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897265">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897265" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897265" class="dsq-comment-message">dj:  I just watched this!  Thanks for "bringin\' it"!   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897159">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897159" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897159" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897159">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897159" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897159" class="dsq-comment-message">Sorry if a repeat: we can assume that <a href="http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/in-georgia-small-improvements-in-black.html" rel="nofollow">Obama is winning Georgia right now</a> given early voting turnout rates. With more hard hard work in the next four weeks, it\'s not impossible to imagine Georgia flipping blue this year -- something that was UNIMAGINABLE months ago.<br><br>Georgia is (technically) my home state and we know the field directors there so BIG UPS to the campaign. And any of you who live there or have relatives: <b>TODAY IS THE __LAST__ DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN GEORGIA!!!</b> GET THE VOTE OUT!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897455">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897455" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897455" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897455">andyfrombrooklyn</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897455" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897455" class="dsq-comment-message">my family and i went to va. to canvas and register voters this past weekend. lots of positive energy and people in the obama office. survey usa has him up by TEN today. va. is the bellwether. mccain is going to lose.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897845">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897845" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897845" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897845">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897845" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897845" class="dsq-comment-message">andy:  <b>CONGRATULATIONS!</b>    <br><br>I was just about to post this from HuffPost:<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/obama-up-10-in-virginia-a_n_132268.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/obama-...</a><br><b>Obama Up 10 In Virginia According To New Polls</b><br><br>Whooo!  Hoo!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897642">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897642" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897642" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897642">pjamma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897642" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897642" class="dsq-comment-message">I can\'t even look at McCain right now.  The markets were down 800 less then a half hour ago and McCain is giving a stump speech about Obama being a liar, withholding information about his past, not answering any questions and never acomplishing in Congress.  "Who is Barack Obama? No one knows." McCain says, and continues that whenever you ask Obama questions about his past he gets upset and wants to "take of the gloves".   <br><br>Oh the spin.  It\'s making me dizzy.<br><br>I can\'t wait for the debate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894504">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894504" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894504" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894504" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894504" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894504" class="dsq-comment-message">Well it looks like the African Americans in GA are fired up and ready to go.  So naturally folks are losing their mind.  the comment by "sambo" is enough to make you see red but I just decided to not go there.<br><br><a href="http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/10/04/more_on_an_obama_surge_black_g.html#" rel="nofollow">http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/a...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894688">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894688" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894688" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894688" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894688" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894688" class="dsq-comment-message">A comment against blacks by someone using a derrogatory name for blacks....<br><br>What about that doesn\'t make sense?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894773">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894773" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894773" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894773">carolinagirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894773" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894773" class="dsq-comment-message">I voted on Saturday. There were a lot of people streaming in and out of the building. We are trying our hardest to make GA blue, but where I live I see McSame/Failin bumper stickers and signs everywhere. However, I did see one Obama \'08 bumper sticker on my way to my parents house after I voted. Know hope? :o)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895727">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895727" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895727" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895727">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895727" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895727" class="dsq-comment-message">carolinagirl:  <b>CONGRATULATIONS!!</b>  U DID IT!!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893586">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893586" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893586" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893586" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893586" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893586" class="dsq-comment-message">\'I\'m Catholic, staunchly anti-abortion, and support Obama <br><br>By NICHOLAS P. CAFARDI, Religion News Service<br>Published: <br>September 30, 2008<br><br>Editor\'s note: Nicholas P. Cafardi is the second high profile Catholic legal scholar who is staunchly anti-abortion yet says he supports Barack Obama. Douglas Kmiec, Ronald Reagan’s constitutional lawyer as head of the office of legal counsel for the Department of Justice, publicly argued a similar case for Obama several weeks ago.<br><br>::<br><br>I believe that abortion is an unspeakable evil, yet I support Sen. Barack Obama, who is pro-choice. I do not support him because he is pro-choice, but in spite of it. Is that a proper moral choice for a committed Catholic?<br><br>As one of the inaugural members of the U.S. bishops\' National Review Board on clergy sexual abuse, and as a canon lawyer, I answer with a resounding yes.<br><br>Despite what some Republicans would like Catholics to believe, the list of what the church calls "intrinsically evil acts" does not begin and end with abortion. In fact, there are many intrinsically evil acts, and a committed Catholic must consider all of them in deciding how to vote.<br><br>Last November, the U.S. bishops released "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," a 30-page document that provides several examples of intrinsically evil acts: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, torture, racism, and targeting noncombatants in acts of war.<br><br>Nicholas CafardiNicholas CafardiObama\'s support for abortion rights has led some to the conclusion that no Catholic can vote for him. That\'s a mistake. While I have never swayed in my conviction that abortion is an unspeakable evil, I believe that we have lost the abortion battle -- permanently. A vote for Sen. John McCain does not guarantee the end of abortion in America. Not even close.<br><br>Let\'s suppose Roe v. Wade were overturned. What would happen? The matter would simply be kicked back to the states -- where it was before 1973. Overturning Roe would not abolish abortion. It would just mean that abortion would be legal in some states and illegal in others. The number of abortions would remain unchanged as long as people could travel.<br><br>McCain has promised to appoint "strict constructionist" judges who would presumably vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. But is that sufficient reason for a Catholic to vote Republican? To answer that question, let\'s look at the rest of the church\'s list of intrinsically evil acts.<br><br>Both McCain and Obama get failing marks on embryonic stem-cell research, which Catholic teaching opposes. The last time the issue was up for a vote in the Senate, both men voted to ease existing restrictions.<br><br>But what about an unjust war? In 2003, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) said flatly that "reasons sufficient for unleashing a war against Iraq did not exist." McCain voted for it; Obama opposed it.<br><br>What about torture? "There is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes," according to Antonio Taguba, the retired major general who investigated abuses in Iraq. Obama opposes the use of torture in all cases; McCain, himself a victim of torture, voted to allow the CIA to use so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" -- a euphemism for torture.<br><br>How, some may ask, can I compare these evils with abortion? The right to abortion is guaranteed by the federal judiciary\'s interpretation of the Constitution. And while the president appoints federal judges, the connection between a president\'s appointments and the decisions rendered by his appointees is tenuous at best. After all, in 1992, five Republican-appointed justices voted to uphold Roe v. Wade in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Yet on other intrinsic evils -- an unjust war, torture, ignoring the poor -- I can address those evils directly by changing the president.<br><br>There\'s another distinction that is often lost in the culture-war rhetoric on abortion: There is a difference between being pro-choice and being pro-abortion. Obama supports government action that would reduce the number of abortions, and has consistently said that "we should be doing everything we can to avoid unwanted pregnancies that might even lead somebody to consider having an abortion." He favors a "comprehensive approach where ... we are teaching the sacredness of sexuality to our children." And he wants to ensure that adoption is an option for women who might otherwise choose abortion.<br><br>Obama worked all of that into his party\'s platform this year. By contrast, Republicans actually removed abortion-reduction language from their platform.<br><br>What\'s more, as recent data show, abortion rates drop when the social safety net is strengthened. If Obama\'s economic program will do more to reduce poverty than McCain\'s, then is it wrong to conclude that an Obama presidency will also reduce abortions? Not at all.<br><br>Every faithful Catholic agrees that abortion is an unspeakable evil that must be minimized, if not eliminated. I can help to achieve that without endorsing Republicans\' immoral baggage. Overturning Roe v. Wade is not the only way to end abortion, and a vote for Obama is not somehow un-Catholic.<br><br>The U.S. bishops have urged a "different kind of political engagement," one that is "shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences."<br><br>I have informed my conscience. I have weighed the facts. I have used my prudential judgment. And I conclude that it is a proper moral choice for this Catholic to support Barack Obama\'s candidacy.<br><br>Cafardi is a civil and canon lawyer, and a professor and former dean at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. His most recent book, Before Dallas, examines the bishops\' failures in handling the clergy sex abuse crisis. <br><br><a href="http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2058" rel="nofollow">http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/2058</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900483">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900483" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900483" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900483">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900483" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900483" class="dsq-comment-message">Cool.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893675">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893675" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893675" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893675" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893675" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893675" class="dsq-comment-message">Joy Behar wasn\'t on the show today to discuss the debate. <br><br>Ooooooh Barbara Walters said it bothered her that Sarah Palin had the infant out at the end of the debate. LMAO<br><br>Ther are discussing Keating 5, Bill Ayers... Elizabeth was talking crap and SHERRI tried to get in her ass about distorting the truth. In response to Elizabeth\'s assertion that Obama has radical ties, Whoopi on the way out to a commercial said "You\'re spreading lies!" When they came back from commercial- they changed the subject.  DAMMMMN!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900505">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900505" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900505" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900505">Admiral_Komack</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900505" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900505" class="dsq-comment-message">Elizabeth probably started crying during the commercial.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901975">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901975" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901975" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2901975" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901975" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901975" class="dsq-comment-message">Wait for the announcement that Hasselbeck is leaving "The View" because she can\'t stand the heat in that Hen Party.<br><br>She can\'t defend the indefensible, so she cries on cue - and Baba Wawa ain\'t having it.  Barbara\'s probably doing what she\'s doing to force homegirl to leave so she won\'t have another "Star Jones" incident on her hands.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893762">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893762" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893762" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893762">Teacher</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893762" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893762" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200810040004" rel="nofollow">http://mediamatters.org/items/200810040004</a><br><br>On October 4, The New York Times published a 2,140-word front-page article about Sen. Barack Obama\'s association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers -- at least the 18th Times article this year mentioning that association. But the Times has yet to mention, let alone devote an entire article to, Sen. John McCain\'s relationship with radio host and convicted Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. Indeed, in its October 4 article, the Times quoted Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman denouncing Obama\'s association with Ayers but did not note that Chapman has described Liddy as McCain\'s "own Bill Ayers" and has written that "[i]f Obama needs to answer questions about Ayers, McCain has the same obligation regarding Liddy." The Times, moreover, quoted McCain criticizing Obama for his association with Ayers without noting that Chapman has faulted McCain for what Chapman described as McCain\'s "howling hypocrisy on the subject."<br><br><br>As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary"; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention -- a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893813">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893813" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893813" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893813">BarackMarley</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893813" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893813" class="dsq-comment-message">Palin Pals Around With Radical Alaskans<br><br>How can PAlin criticize Obama for Ayers with her ties to the Radical Alaskan Secessionist AKIP?<br><a href="http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/akip-interview-on-palin/" rel="nofollow">http://newsone.blackplanet.com/elections/akip-i...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895796">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895796" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895796" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895796">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895796" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895796" class="dsq-comment-message">BarackMarley:  Hey!  :&gt;)   Just like The Gov. HAD NOT been VETTED, the FIRST DUDE is NOW due his VETTING!  But, we just don\'t have that much time or energy!<br><br>BUT, we see him "SLITHERING AROUND" in the background!  SNNNNNNAKE!!<br><br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892698">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892698" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892698" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892698">rorysmomma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892698" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892698" class="dsq-comment-message">I truly beleive that mccain thought our boy was a punk..... The debates are going to be real interesting on Tuesday night because Obama, just got all up in mccain.........</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894847">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894847" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894847" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894847">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894847" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894847" class="dsq-comment-message">I think McCain will be scared because he won\'t know what Obama will say.<br><br>LOL It will certainly be interesting.  I am sure he will have a comment or two to whisper to McCain while shaking his hand before the debate begins.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892751">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892751" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892751" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892751">Greg Jones</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892751" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892751" class="dsq-comment-message">MUST HEAR....The most POWERFUL race speech in a decade....from a white man !Listen to Obama Talk Radio.....Nothing But The Truth with Greg Jones. What MSM omits....you\'ll hear on NBTT !<br><br><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLeft/The-Greg-Jones-Show/2008/10/05/NOTHING-BUT-THE-TRUTH-with-Greg-Jones" rel="nofollow">http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLe...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895931">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895931" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895931" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895931">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895931" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895931" class="dsq-comment-message">Greg:  I WILL be making a "Field Trip" today!  :&gt;)<br><br>THANK YOU for ALWAYS BRINGING the TRUTH!!  Annnnnd, for being another VOICE for the CAUSE!!  :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2891738">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2891738" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2891738" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2891738">tc</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2891738" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2891738" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama is now officially pulling out a can of whoop azz on J-Mac!  <br><br><a href="http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo" rel="nofollow">http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889820">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889820" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889820" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889820">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889820" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889820" class="dsq-comment-message">**Video**<br>If You Care About Women The Best Choice BY FAR is Obama! Madeleine Albright responds to Sarah Palin<br><a href="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KP8Lvl7rKwQ" rel="nofollow">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=KP8Lvl7rKwQ</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889835">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889835" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889835" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889835">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889835" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889835" class="dsq-comment-message">TruthSeeker:  Great find!! :&gt;)  Thanks!! :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889323">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889323" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889323" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889323">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889323" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889323" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Guess the DNC wants ta assist Mr. Obama NOW!!  Hmm.<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/new-dnc-ad-criticizes-mcc_n_132113.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/new-dn...</a><br><b>New DNC AD Criticizes McCain Over Negative Attack Ads (VIDEO)</b><br><br><i>The DNC has released a new ad criticizing McCain for his aggressive turn towards negative campaigning. The spot ends with McCain, in a clip on the campaign trail from 2000, saying "if all you run is negative attack ads you don\'t have much of a vision for the future, or you\'re not ready to articulate it." As TPM notes, the McCain campaign\'s ad spending is now nearly 100 percent devoted to attack ads. Watch the DNC\'s new ad below.</i><br><br>ENJOY!!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889375">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889375" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889375" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889375">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889375" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889375" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama\'s raised enough money for them..but they are using it at the right time.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889563">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889563" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889563" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889563">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889563" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889563" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  O.K.!  I love STRATEGY!!  Sooooo, I\'m aww-ite!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2887542">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2887542" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2887542" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2887542">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2887542" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2887542" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Obama is on the "offensive!"<br><br><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/05/obama_warns_against_mccain_sme.html?hpid=topnews" rel="nofollow">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008...</a><br><b>Obama Warns Against McCain "Smear Tactics"</b><br><br><i>By Perry Bacon Jr.<br>ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Sen. Barack Obama said today that, while his rival John McCain seeks to "distract you with smears" and "Swift Boat-style attacks" in the last weeks of the campaign, he would keep focused on economic issues and what he described as McCain\'s shortcomings.<br><br>"Senator McCain\'s campaign has announced that they plan to turn the page on the discussion about our economy and spend the final weeks of this campaign launching Swift Boat-style attacks on me," Obama told a crowd of thousands on the football field of Asheville High School. "Senator McCain and his operatives are gambling that he can distract you with smears rather than talk to you about substance. ... I want you to know that I\'m going to keep on talking about issues that matter."<br><br>The Democratic nominee was reacting to reports of McCain\'s strategy telegraphed by his aides, as well as remarks Friday from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.<br><br>The Republican vice presidential nominee accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists," a reference to his association with William Ayers, who has confessed to domestic bombings as a member of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground. Ayers and Obama are not close and have not spoken in recent years, but they once served together on a nonprofit board that distributed educational grants in Chicago. Ayers hosted a gathering for Obama when he was running for the state Senate in Illinois a decade ago.<br><br>Obama did not refer specifically to Palin\'s remarks, nor did he detail exactly what the "smears" against him by McCain would be.</i><br><br>IT\'S sooo ON!!!   :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889373">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889373" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889373" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889373">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889373" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889373" class="dsq-comment-message">McCain acts like nobody has the \' right\' to bring up his dirty laundry. Like folks can\'t use Google on his ass.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889573">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889573" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889573" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889573">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889573" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889573" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Correct me IFFF I\'m wrong; BUT wasn\'t it "McAncient"  who wanted to have a "gentlemanly -kinda" political/election process??  HAH!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2887310">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2887310" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2887310" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2887310">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2887310" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2887310" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/05/AR2008100502589.html?hpid=topnews" rel="nofollow">WaPo does story on McCain\'s First Marriage</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892339">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892339" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892339" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892339" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892339" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892339" class="dsq-comment-message">No matter how they try to spin it, the bottom line is;<br><br>1.  McCain cheated on his first wife with a younger woman who had money.<br>2.  McCain left his first wife to make an advantageous marriage to said younger woman.<br>3.  McCain launches his Political career after making connections and earning money from his beer heiress wife.<br>4.  McCain\'s first wife is a class act that refuses to fuel the fire - she probably believes he will use enough rope to hang himself in the end.<br>5.  McCain\'s running mate is outshining him so he hopes people will forget <i>he\'s</i> the one they have to vote for, and when they realize that, all the hot air goes out of his balloon.<br><br>GAME OVER.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895346">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895346" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895346" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895346">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895346" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895346" class="dsq-comment-message">CPL:     <i>GAME OVER</i>                                                                                                           <br><br>I\'m STANDING and APPLAUDING B4 I EXIT the venue!!   :&gt;)    :&gt;)<br><br>ALL GOOD POINTS!!!   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892628">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892628" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892628" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892628">MsKitty</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892628" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892628" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s starting to look like the Karma Express is going to run the Straight Talk Express off an embankment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892668">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892668" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892668" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892668">rorysmomma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892668" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892668" class="dsq-comment-message">Agreed ms. Kitty... Agreed.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895284">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895284" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895284" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895284">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895284" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895284" class="dsq-comment-message">MsKitty:  Let\'s HOPE so!   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2887574">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2887574" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2887574" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2887574">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2887574" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2887574" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  I sooo enjoyed reading this!  <b>IMPULSIVITY at its HIGHEST!!</b><br><br>NO MORAL COMPASS!!   Or a broken one!!  :&gt;)  SAME RESULTS!!   :&gt;)   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889384">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889384" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889384" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2889384" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889384" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889384" class="dsq-comment-message">Love the video esp as it reminds us of that wonderful night in denver before most of us ever heard of Palin.  <br><br>One of the things I think Obama needs to do is start mixing it up with large arena type of appearances in an effort to start to make it feel like a steamroll to the white house.  People enjoy being a "part of a movement" and it is time to rekindle that enthusiasm.  He has proven he can handle small town hall and mid size venues and relate to folks one on one.  <br><br>But I just think if he could fly from battleground state to battleground state with two appearances a day in crowds of 15 - 20K on weekdays that would dampen the republican mood.<br><br>Although the risk is what if Palin draws similar crowds....</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2891999">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2891999" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2891999" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2891999">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2891999" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2891999" class="dsq-comment-message">But we\'re not electing Palin, we\'re electing either Obama or McCain.  By boosting Palin over and beyond McCain the Repubs are basically saying "McCain is old news."    Palin drawing big crowds only accentuates the fact that McCain is a has-been.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895178">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895178" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895178" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895178">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895178" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895178" class="dsq-comment-message">Town!   Town!    Town!   U  R  WISDOM!!<br><br>Now doncha think Miss "whatevea" Cindy didn\'t recognize this!  She began "CLINGING" to   "McAncient" on <b>DAY 1</b><br><br>Annnnnd the more The Gov. KEEPS referring to HERSELF as "the NEW FACE" of the Repug., she is "telegraphing" to "her base" that she (THINKS) is READY!<br><br><b>NOT!!</b><br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892237">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892237" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892237" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892237" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892237" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892237" class="dsq-comment-message">here in Dallas there are yard signs and bumper stickers that simply say Sarah! with McCain-Palin in small print.  Listening her lie her butt off in FL just now, it is clear she is suppose to whip the crowds up with what they want to hear, despite being factually disproved.  That is what is so disappointing about McCain but hey folks have covered this crowd.<br><br>I did not hear the whole speech but I was disappointed to hear her attacking Biden - the man\'s mother just died can he not be hands off until Wednesday?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893130">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893130" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893130" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893130">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893130" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893130" class="dsq-comment-message">to be clear...it was jill\'s mother who died, not joe\'s.  she had been in hospice for a while i think (she wasn\'t at any of the high-profile campaign events).   still family though...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894560">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894560" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894560" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894560" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894560" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894560" class="dsq-comment-message">thanks i did nto realize my mistake until after i had logged out.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892292">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892292" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892292" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892292" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892292" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892292" class="dsq-comment-message">You would think so...but the same courtesy wouldn\'t be extended if there was a death in either McCain or Palin\'s families.<br><br>Unfortunate-and I don\'t think it\'s right-but that\'s our world.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897077">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897077" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897077" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897077">Lilytiger</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897077" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897077" class="dsq-comment-message">Based on what? That it is the other side? The fact that Obama or Biden dissed someone who lost a family member? <br><br>D, I respect you, but that just veered into a smear without merit. Well, at least conjecture without fact. <br><br>I believe if Moma McCain were to die, that the nation would be respectful, Obama and Biden, too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893701">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893701" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893701" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893701">Justice58</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893701" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893701" class="dsq-comment-message">D,<br><br>You should know better than to say such as that. Barack has proven time & again what kind of man he is. Where did you get the idea that Barack wouldn\'t extend common courtesy?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893745">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893745" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893745" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893745" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893745" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893745" class="dsq-comment-message">I clarified below that the campaigns wouldn\'t say such.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892519">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892519" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892519" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892519" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892519" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892519" class="dsq-comment-message">I think you\'re wrong.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892580">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892580" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892580" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892580">MsKitty</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892580" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892580" class="dsq-comment-message">Co-sign.  That would seem to be out of character for BO.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892593">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892593" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892593" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892593" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892593" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892593" class="dsq-comment-message">(Not gonna delete this, but just caught on that you were talking about from the candidates themselves. In that case, yes....wouldn\'t happen. But...)<br><br>I\'d hope I was, but I don\'t think so:<br><br>If either of the McCain\'s sons who are in the military or Palin\'s son got killed, it would be said they got what they deserved for fighting in an "unjust/illegal/(insert adjective here)" war.<br><br>God knows what would be said if we were talking about Cindy or Roberta McCain...or Todd Palin, for that matter.<br><br>Now, I\'ll clarify: that type of stuff wouldn\'t come from <i>here</i>; I believe JJP to be better than that. But it\'d make the rounds on Kos and DU.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893451">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893451" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893451" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893451" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893451" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893451" class="dsq-comment-message">I definitely agree that supporters on both sides can cross the line and it is unfortunate. Thankfully JJP (regulars) are not that way. That said, Fox News is an unofficial arm of the GOP- you can say Keith O and now Rachel Maddow are super liberals (and I LOVE THEM FOR IT,) but that\'s only two hours on one station.<br><br>The damage comes when the entire station, save for a random "left leaning" pundit happens on the station, is hell bent on fueling the lies and distorted truths. So where Obama can make a speech and tell people to chill out, Fox is out there fanning the flames of hate- real time and 24hours/ day.<br><br>Let\'s be honest- most of the blogs are educating people who are comfortable in this cyber habitat, but TV is where people are getting their info. <br><br>Umm I may have moved off topic here- but somewhere above lies the point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893722">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893722" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893722" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893722" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893722" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893722" class="dsq-comment-message">For all the crap that O\'Reilly gets in the blogosphere, I thought his interview with Obama was fair. He didn\'t really go after him like he could have (did you see what he did to Rep. Frank?).<br><br>That said, yes, FNC swings way right. I\'m not sure if that\'s just how the network is, or if it\'s just because their liberal commentators are punks. If Colmes would reach over and slap Hannity one good time, that might restore some balance to the world.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894151">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894151" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894151" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894151" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894151" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894151" class="dsq-comment-message">Ahh I know my point now (lol.) Fox News is conservative media (conservative values and it says and does so.) CNN and MSNBC etc are examples of media that strives to be balanced and fair. The latter term is the rub: fair. Faux News has basically created the notion of a bi-partisan media (GOP- them, and the rest Dems media,) which is not accurate. The skewed news they present is not news then, its propaganda. <br><br>So when we discuss how both sides won\'t respect what\'s happening in the lives of the candidates, I think its important to note that the GOP has an unfair/ and unethical advantage and tool in Fox News Network.<br><br>I don\'t watch them- at all- ever. I saw Hannity and Colmes once and they didn\'t seem so different to me so I can\'t agree or disagree with you on this. Bill O is a freaking punk. He won\'t say shit to Obama\'s face, but behind his back of he\'s a tough guy.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894457">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894457" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894457" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894457" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894457" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894457" class="dsq-comment-message">What\'s fair about MSNBC? The only thing that separates them from FNC is that no one really watches them.<br><br>I occasionally take in O\'Reilly if he has something interesting on. Much less so H&C. Thing about FNC is, their news is alright....it\'s the commentators that get them in trouble.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895043">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895043" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895043" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895043" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895043" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895043" class="dsq-comment-message">The only reason you think they are unfair, is because they fact check before they present conservative lies and distortions. <br><br>News and news from a PARTICULAR opinion are two different things.  The latter is propaganda. Sure they are not throwing leaflets from a plane, it\'s just "biased news" on a scrolling ticker.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893867">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893867" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893867" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893867">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893867" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893867" class="dsq-comment-message">Fox News goes where the money is. It\'s an entertainment empire built on a particular demographic that it\'s captured. Giving it legitimacy as a journalist enterprise would be to bestow undeserved legitimacy.<br><br>Sadly many other news outlets are also entertainment businesses. At least the Daily Show doesn\'t pretend.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892701">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892701" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892701" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892701">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892701" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892701" class="dsq-comment-message">Beau Biden is also going to Iraq so the Republican side of this presidential race is not the only one with a loved one\'s well-being at stake.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892749">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892749" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892749" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892749" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892749" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892749" class="dsq-comment-message">True.<br><br>And, in all fairness, he might get the same sort of treatment as McCain\'s/Palin\'s son(s). When I was watching the debate, someone made the distinction that his son was a lawyer (which I\'m not sure is true), while Palin\'s was infantry. To me, that\'s equally disrespectful.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894198">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894198" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894198" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894198" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894198" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894198" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh here go- now THEY will create a hierarchy of the importance of service role. Now THAT is elitism. Bo Biden signed up to serve and is giving up the comforts of home to be there- still doesn\'t mean much huh? The nerve.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894478">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894478" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894478" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894478" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894478" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894478" class="dsq-comment-message">On this one, I\'m with you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893201">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893201" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893201" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893201">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893201" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893201" class="dsq-comment-message">The truth of the matter D. is that you can disagree with this war--call it unjust, illegal and so on---but in my eyes, that doesn\'t make you unpatriotic to me.  I believe that it is  an unjust war but I pray hard for every servicemember I know because that is my  experience in life, I am surrounded by it.  I  have bid farewell to family and friends before a deployment not knowing if they will be okay.  I am raising three sons, and my life , like so many others has had to endure these cyclical changes of uncertainty.  Even my children\'s pediatrician often asks, is your husband home or deployed, because the truth is when the troops are "home" they are out training ---away from "home"--- getting ready to deploy again.    I\'ve seen plenty of marriages fall apart, children behaving poorly, and just generally angst on the homefront when our troops are gone.  And yet McCain votes against a dwell-time amemdment that will give our troops much needed rest betwen deployments.  And you already kow he has a despicable record on veterans legislation---so it is not far-fetched for people like me to believe this man is only obsessed with war, and not particularly concerned about what happens to our troops after they\'ve come home or if they ever come home.<br><br>You know what is unpatriotic to me---when George W. Bush goes to a D.C. press dinner and jokes about not finding WMDs---or when Rumsfeld claims "You don\'t go to war with the Army you want but the Army you have"--while thousands of troops lost their lives due to unarmored vehicles.  And you know I can go on and on about how reckless this administration was leading up to and during the course of this war.<br><br>Rethugs have used this war to label anyone opposed to it as unpatriotic---that is simply bullsh-t.    The people who led us in this mess should be tried (the entire PNAC-Bush administration)--- but I never really expected much from people like Rumsfeld who did not even have enough decency to sign letters to the family of the deceased soldiers; instead he used an auto-signature--that is the type of shit I will never forget.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893567">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893567" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893567" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893567" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893567" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893567" class="dsq-comment-message">I disagreed with the dwell time amendment. The purpose of the military is to be deployable; to go anywhere in the world, as needed. No one told me that I would be able to spend as much time at home as I did deployed when I signed up (and, even though my sea/shore rotation was equal time, it ended up not being that way for me). Dwell time shrinks the availiability of units available for combat. It might have worked post-Somalia until until 9/10/01.<br><br>McCain\'s voting record on vets\' issues does leave a lot to be desired. It\'s bad, being one, but I have to weigh that against his record/credentials on national security. If the truth\'s really to be told, Obama-<b><i>only by virtue of not being in the Senate for very long</b></i> doesn\'t have much of a <b>voting</b> record on veterans\' issues (and for those who want to go to war over that statement, read it very carefully first).<br><br>I can\'t excuse Rumsfeld. I could, once...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893913">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893913" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893913" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893913">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893913" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893913" class="dsq-comment-message">There\'s the principle of the thing, and then there\'s reality. With our modern understanding of PTSD, isn\'t our military\'s recovery time a vital part of readiness?<br><br>I\'ve always thought the Dems have been too dovish/soft on Bush. In 2004 I was waiting for Kerry to say something like, "Our military is like a gun with two bullets, and we\'ve fired them both. So is it any wonder that Iran and North Korea thumb their noses at us?"<br><br>There\'s a hawkish argument for why Iraq was a mistake, and it\'s one you rarely hear. It has to do with the threat of military force being far more powerful than actual deployment.<br><br>Now that we\'ve shown the world that we can be stopped (no "defeated," just "stopped"), we have significantly weakened our hand in international diplomacy.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894876">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894876" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894876" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894876" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894876" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894876" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'d disagree that Iraq has shown that we can be "stopped." Bogged down, quite possibly, but we can still project an awful lot of force if required. We may not be able to go man-for-man with, say, China, but we can defintely hold a line and make advances, even with the current conflicts ongoing.<br><br>Yes, recovery is a vital part of readiness. But, even with that, "recovery" isn\'t a full shutdown, as there\'s still training to be conducted. The Navy tried measuring individual deployment time against individual "down" time (called ITEMPO), and I think they ultimately stopped collecting the metrics because it got too hard to manage.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893744">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893744" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893744" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893744">rorysmomma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893744" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893744" class="dsq-comment-message">No offense D, his temperament should also be an issue.  His age as well.  How will he make us more secure?  In your opinion.  I am interested.  I like to hear opposing viewpoints.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894014">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894014" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894014" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894014" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894014" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894014" class="dsq-comment-message">I think it\'s an issue in that he hasn\'t let his temper fly. I think a show of it would be good. Just once, though.<br><br>In my opinion (and the majority of JJP will disagree), McCain is willing to keep the fight against terrorism on the enemy\'s territory instead of ours. He has called for not only strengthening our military, but for working with the international community to disrupt and prevent the formation of terrorist networks. He will work to ensure that the intelligence community has the tools they need to provide current, correct, and actionable intelligence-and will not punish those entities that acted within the law to assist in intelligence efforts. In addition, he will push for greater cooperation between the federal government and local first responders, and improve our capacity to prevent-and in the worst case, respond to-catastrophic events here at home.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894454">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894454" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894454" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894454">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894454" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894454" class="dsq-comment-message">D.  McCain is given far too much  credit for his self-proclaimed stance of "I know how to win wars."  I am sorry, the man makes more gaffes in what is supposed to be his strong suit.<br><br>But not only  that John McCain callously promoted kicking Russia out of the G-8 in March of this year, prior to the Georgian conflict.  He disses the Spain Prime Minister and of course wants to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.  Which intl community is he trying to work with again?<br><br>In the presidential debate, he called for a surge-like operation in Afganistan. Even Gen. David Kiernan remarked that "The word I don\'t use for Afghanistan is surge" further explaining that what is required is a "Sustained commitment" to a counterinsurgency effort  that could last for years---a political,not military solution is required.<br><br>Even his favorite Gen. Petraues has remarked that success in Iraq should not be called a victory.  But yet McCain\'s rhetoric is we succeeded with the surge.... but our troops will only come home in victory---which is it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894603">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894603" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894603" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894603" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894603" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894603" class="dsq-comment-message">The surge succeeded in accomplishing its stated goal, which was driving down violence to the point that the Iraqi government could strengthen itself, both politically and militarily. Now, there were some other elements that played a role in the surge\'s success...but the surge was NEVER designed to "win the war." That was not its intent.<br><br>A mirror of the surge in Afghanistan would not work...and really wouldn\'t accomplish much, as Afghanistan hasn\'t seen violence on the level of Iraq. The military will play its role in Afghanistan, but that country is able to do a lot more on its own. Besides, I don\'t think the Taliban\'s (almost-over) resurgence in Afghanistan could be considered an "insurgency," as Afghanis weren\'t exactly enthused with life under them. Seems more like an attempt to grab passed power.<br><br>No one wants to bomb Iran for sport. If the only suggestion that McCain wants to go to war with Iran is a joke he made in a speech, that\'s not saying a lot...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894986">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894986" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894986" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894986">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894986" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894986" class="dsq-comment-message">My largest issue with the Iraqi surgeand how McCain frames it is that troop levels are only a fraction of what made it to succeed--and I feel the American people are being mislead to beleive that increased troop levels alone created this decrease in violence.  You know D, everything from ethnic cleansing,payola to Sunni leaders, and the Awaken-<br>ing had a hand in this strategy.<br><br>John McCain just recently spoke about cutting off all ties with Iran--diplomatically--<br>basically isolationg them, contrary to Gates\' Mullen and several other foreign policy official\'s positons.<br><br>Also, McCain has also joked about killing Iranians with cigarettes, so his humor has more than once been disturbingregarding Iran.   And frankly. unbecom-ing of a world leader.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895622">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895622" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895622" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895622" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895622" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895622" class="dsq-comment-message">Yes, the increased presence is only part of the puzzle....but it\'s a very<br>large part of the puzzle.<br><br>As it stands today, we don\'t have diplomatic ties with Iran. Even the plan<br>to put diplomats there has been shelved until the next administration takes<br>office.<br><br>Again, you\'re jumping up and down about another joke...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2896483">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2896483" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2896483" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2896483">rorysmomma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2896483" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2896483" class="dsq-comment-message">Unfortunate for us D.  Jokes are only allowed for the Mccain campaign.  I am sick of the bs.  This ain\'t no time for joking... about the black berry or about bombing that damn IRAN.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893926">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893926" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893926" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2893926">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893926" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893926" class="dsq-comment-message">But, we are fighting TWO wars simultaneously---(much to the behest of PNAC, since that is part of their ideology)-- and our armed forces are stretched thin--PERIOD.  The top brass admits it. This administration has made no concerted effort to grow the  forces(draft anyone?), however, they have lined the pockets of their buddies in this militaristic complex of contractors who are often wasting billions in taxpayers dollars. <br><br>  Now as far as Obama, his record may not be as long, but McCain has always had a horrible record---dating as far back as the early 90\'s during the first Gulf War.  John McCain has never served on the Veteran Affairs Committee---Obama does.  And I guess that is why McCain\'s camp put Walter Reed Middle School on the jumbotron at the RNC Convention instead of Walter Reed Army Medical Center---so embarassing and out-of-touch.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894195">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894195" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894195" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894195" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894195" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894195" class="dsq-comment-message">You\'re approaching your PNAC limit for the day.<br><br>One war on multiple fronts.<br><br>What does service on a committee lend itself to?Obama\'s also on the Foreign Relations Committe, and that\'s been made an issue of in some circles (though I\'m not sure if the reason makes a whole lot of sense).<br><br>NO ONE can suggest a draft, even if it may be justified. It\'d be political suicide.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894574">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894574" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894574" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894574">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894574" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894574" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, we know the PNAC connections run deep with Bush and McCain so it is only right to bring up the ideology they suscribe to.  John McCain\'s main foreign policy advisor and Sarah Palin\'s coach was a director in PNAC.<br><br>But since you brought up committees, isn\'t being on the Foreign Realtions Committee   the crux of McCain\'s arguments---that he served on those same committees and thus has the expertise to lead this country because of that .  Because clearly getting captured in Vietnam does not solely make him an expert on foreign relations.  Have McCain tell it, he can solve the banking crisis because he was on the Commerce Committee and invented the blackberry just for that reason.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894627">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894627" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894627" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894627" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894627" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894627" class="dsq-comment-message">Come on, no one said McCain invented the BlackBerry...and you know that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895138">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895138" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895138" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895138">Monie</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895138" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895138" class="dsq-comment-message">9/16/08:<br><br>holding up a Blackberrywhile speaking to reporters<br>"...you\'re looking at the miracle John Mccain helped create....."<br><br>-Douglas Haltz-Eakin,  economic advisor to John McCain</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895450">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895450" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895450" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895450" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895450" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895450" class="dsq-comment-message">You know just as well as I do that he was referring to McCain\'s support of the telecomm industry.<br><br>(Now I will grant you that it\'s a dumb response to a qustion about how McCain is best qualified to fix the economy)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892934">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892934" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892934" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892934">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892934" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892934" class="dsq-comment-message">But we\'re not talking about what random bloggers might say, we\'re talking about what SARAH PALIN, candidate said.  I doubt seriously either Obama or Biden would be attacking McCain today if Mama McCain died today or attacking Palin if any of the Palins died today.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894159">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894159" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894159" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894159" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894159" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894159" class="dsq-comment-message">Excellent point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893031">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893031" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893031" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893031" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893031" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893031" class="dsq-comment-message">See what I said in the parantheses above; went back and added that after I typed my response.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892881">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892881" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892881" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892881">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892881" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892881" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually courtesy WOULD be extended to the McCain or Palin families.  Obama came out and said "lay off Bristol," when we all know if Malia or Sasha were pregnant they\'d be called all sorts of baby mamas, welfare queens, etc.<br><br>If Mama McCain or any of the Palins up and died, I don\'t think you\'d see either Obama or Biden attacking them on the campaign trail until after the funeral was over.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893660">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893660" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893660" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893660" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893660" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893660" class="dsq-comment-message">Town, you are right, as usual.<br><br>Obama and Biden are compassionate, real people.<br><br>McCain and Palin are androids. Blood doesn\'t flow through their veins. They\'re both frauds. John McCain isn\'t even a genuine hero and the stories about what really happened in Vietnam are coming out in droves.<br><br>Gore Vidal was right all along.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894562">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894562" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894562" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894562">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894562" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894562" class="dsq-comment-message">Town, on point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893011">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893011" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893011" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893011" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893011" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893011" class="dsq-comment-message">...and I honestly think-or want to believe-that McCain/Palin would call that as inappropriate as well.<br><br>Far as the supporters on each side, the namecalling/attacking would fly both ways.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898150">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898150" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898150" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898150">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898150" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898150" class="dsq-comment-message">D:  <i> . . . think-or want to believe-</i><br><br>The MAJOR DIFFERENCE is <b>THEY DID NOT!!!</b><br><br>WHY???  </b>  NO CLASS!!  NO HEART!!   NO COMPASSION!!</b>   Look how "The Gov." reacted to Mr. Biden\'s "moment" during the "debate."<br><br>"Wel,l moving right along" to my NEXT TALKING POINT, was HER <b>smarmy/snarky/sarcastic ATTITUDE!!</b><br><br>She\'s COLDER than ALASKA!! -  Sub "ZERO!!"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898199">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898199" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898199" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898199">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898199" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898199" class="dsq-comment-message">One small piece of evidence to oppose your statement:<br><br>Sarah Palin\'s non-response to Joe Biden\'s story about his family at the debate.<br><br>Now, maybe she would be coached to act human in another circumstance. But in that moment she did not. And he is the VP choice of McCain and that campaign.<br><br>There;s a lack of real humanity in that campaign, D, whether you like it or not. If this was not the case, Palin would not have been the choice. <br><br>Not that this one piece of evidence proves or disproves anything -- just interesting piece of info on the humanity (or lack thereof) over on the McCain side.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898383">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898383" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898383" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2898383" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898383" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898383" class="dsq-comment-message">What was she supposed to say? She swung the topic back to McCain, which is where Biden started attacking before talking about his family. She didn\'t go after him.<br><br>I thought her answer was appropriate. At that point, she <b>couldn\'t</b> attack him. It was a fine line to walk, and she walked it.<br><br>Besides-and I think this is lost in everyone\'s rush to defend Obama-<b><i>I haven\'t once said that Palin\'s right for going after Biden now.</b></i> I disagree with it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899395">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899395" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899395" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899395">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899395" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899395" class="dsq-comment-message">She could have shown compassion.  That\'s all that was needed.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899651">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899651" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899651" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2899651" href="http://dillarddoctrine.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">D.</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899651" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899651" class="dsq-comment-message">And-forgive my cynicism-if she had, she would\'ve taken a hit on the right. And quite possibly the left, as any show of compassion would\'ve been called fake, regardless of sincerity.<br><br>Palin was in a no win situation, and did the best thing: stay on message and defend McCain.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900242">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900242" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900242" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900242">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900242" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900242" class="dsq-comment-message">No, it exposed her for the phony that she is</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893616">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893616" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893616" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893616" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893616" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893616" class="dsq-comment-message">Barack hasn\'t drawn less than 15,000 people at his rallies in more than two weeks. He\'s drawn as many as 35,000 in Detroit. <br><br>Granted all his big rallies have been outdoor events in recent weeks, but they\'re still huge.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894595">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894595" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894595" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894595" href="http://www.ilivetoshop.typepad.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ruthdfw</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894595" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894595" class="dsq-comment-message">Well just call me Ms. Information today :)<br><br>I knew he had a large crowd yesterday but did not realize it was that big and guess I have missed his other big events of late.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889415">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889415" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889415" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2889415" href="http://www.anotherdamnblog.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ep</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889415" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889415" class="dsq-comment-message">It is baffling to me that this election is even this close.  When I see tatics like \'swiftboating\' work it makes me want to scream.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889658">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889658" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889658" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889658">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889658" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889658" class="dsq-comment-message">ep:  Hey!  :&gt;)   Go \'head and scream.  Then continue  being  a <b>surrogate</b>  - like U  R!!  :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889471">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889471" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889471" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2889471" href="http://talesfromthe.net/jon" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">jon</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889471" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889471" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://firedoglake.com/2008/10/05/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-paul-street-barack-obama-and-the-future-of-american-politics/" rel="nofollow">Interesting book salon on Firedoglake over the weekend</a>, with Glen Ford hosting Paul Street, author of <i>Barack Obama and the Future of American Politics</i>.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889642">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889642" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889642" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889642">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889642" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889642" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:   LOVIN\' the video!!  He sounds soooo strong!  Sooo in control!!   <b>Soo FINE</b><br><br>OOPS!  I meant intelligent!???  NO I DIDN\'T!!   :&gt;)    :&gt;)<br><br>Obama-Biden  \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894803">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894803" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894803" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894803">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894803" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894803" class="dsq-comment-message">RAOTFL</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895084">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895084" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895084" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895084">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895084" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895084" class="dsq-comment-message">Val:  I really need ta get myself together.  I\'m working on it   -  <br><br><b>V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y</b>    :&gt;)   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889719">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889719" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889719" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889719">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889719" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889719" class="dsq-comment-message">***Video***  60 Minutes Wallstreet Shadown Market<br><br>60 Minutes: A Look at Wallstreet\'s Shadow Market P1<br><a href="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-wFFCtx7UhI" rel="nofollow">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=-wFFCtx7UhI</a><br><br>60 Minutes: A Look at Wallstreet\'s Shadow Market P2<br><a href="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=GT76vCHKzGM" rel="nofollow">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=GT76vCHKzGM</a><br><br>..These bastards need to go to prison.<br>-------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Lehman Bros Accuse JP Morgan of FREEZING 17 BILLION in CASH BEFORE Collapse!<br><a href="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=y1qXUvYADug" rel="nofollow">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=y1qXUvYADug</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892577">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892577" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892577" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892577" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892577" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892577" class="dsq-comment-message">JP Morgain froze the money in order to help collapse the market.<br><br>I said it before and I mean it again: this market collapse is for pure politics. It\'s just not working the way the criminals wanted it to work. <br><br>And we are simply pawns in their political games.<br><br>Yeah, they should all go to prison.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897095">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897095" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897095" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897095">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897095" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897095" class="dsq-comment-message">Someone commented on that video that it is organized crime and treason.   I agree, and recall vaguely how Gingrich shut down the Government when he was put out about something.   These right wing criminals would collapse the market to stand in the way of change.  Something\'s got to give, because this will not stand.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2902016">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2902016" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2902016" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2902016" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2902016" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2902016" class="dsq-comment-message">TS, Gingrich shut down the government because he was on Air Force One with Clinton on their way to the funeral of some dead foreign head of state. Newt wanted to discuss the budget - Clinton asked him to save the discussion for when they got back to DC - Newt threw a hissy fit on the plane, got back to DC, told Clinton, "I\'ll show you!" and refused to pass a budget, which shut down the Government.<br><br>I remember this well because I was a Fed employee who had to call my creditors and ask them to wait for their payments, while I waited on my paycheck (fortunately my position was considered "essential to the agency mission") but many of my colleagues were sent home until the budget got passed, and Newt took a big ass hit for that backfired strategy.<br><br>So let them try this shyt - when you dig one ditch, they better dig two, cause the trap they setting for us, they will fall in.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892712">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892712" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892712" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892712">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892712" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892712" class="dsq-comment-message">Did you know that many of the Wall Street firms are declining to use the bailout package because it would crimp on executive pay and golden parachutes.  These guys would rather ride out the storm so they can get a quick buck.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894211">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894211" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894211" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894211" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894211" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894211" class="dsq-comment-message">That\'s why Paulson asked for a blank check.<br><br>They were going to get those CEO\'s a big chunk of that money.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2902044">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2902044" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2902044" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2902044" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2902044" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2902044" class="dsq-comment-message">Does anyone notice that when the bailout was only $700 billion Congress couldn\'t get it passed; but when it was repackaged to include another $140 billion of pork, it passed in BOTH HOUSES?<br><br>Think about that; $700 billion was too much - but $840 billion was JUST RIGHT?<br><br>EWWWWWWWWWWWWw</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901990">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901990" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901990" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2901990" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901990" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901990" class="dsq-comment-message">With Bernanke and Paulson leading that perp walk, Craig.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889852">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889852" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889852" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889852">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889852" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889852" class="dsq-comment-message">TruthSeeker:  Nobody could have thought that that "RESCUE PLAN" would have caused a <b> mutation</b> in the <b>GREED GENE!</b> of "WALL STREET"!!<br><br>These people are who they are!!   Sad BUT True!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889988">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889988" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889988" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889988">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889988" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889988" class="dsq-comment-message">Did you hear what that guy said in part 2.....<br><br>The shadow market of credit default swaps is estimated at between 50 & 60 trillion dollars!!!!   This is an unregulated market!!!   And they cannot estimate the size within 10 trillion dollars!!!<br><br>Did you see that bastard Robert Pickle, did you see him raise one eyebrow when Steve questioned him??</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895050">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895050" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895050" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895050">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895050" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895050" class="dsq-comment-message">TruthSeeker:   <b>UNREGULATED!</b>  Isn\'t that the "McAncient/The Gov. MANTRA??     IT IS!!!<br><br>We\'ll NEVA know what "Wall Street Operatives" know.  <br><br>I\'ll continue with MY OWN fiscal conservatism(?) annnnnnd I\'ll keep a little in MY SOCK under the MATTRESS!    :&gt;)    :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889830">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889830" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889830" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889830">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889830" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889830" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Another Obama-Biden Rally in Alaska!<br><br><a href="http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/obama-rama-in-juneau-alaska/" rel="nofollow">http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/obama-...</a><br><b>Obama-rama in Juneau, Alaska</b><br><br><i>Here it is….from the capitol city of Alaska! <b>Several hundred Juneau-ites came together and rallied for Obama-Biden!</b> For a city of 30,000 people, that’s saying something! Here’s the recap with photos from Mudflatter Sandy Beach!<br><br>Juneau had a great party today. It was held at our Juneau Arts & Cultural Center, the former Armory. Participants were instructed to make a sign that reads “I am an Alaskan __________, and I choose Obama/Biden.” You were to fill in the blank with a word to describe yourself. As you can tell from the pictures, most people did just that. There were Alaskan mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, animal lovers, hockey players, fishermen, moose hunters, nurses, dietitians, pastors, Christians, Lesbians, state employees, rednecks, developers, entrepreneurs, poets, musicians, and even a few Republicans. There was music, an emcee, and a visit from Juneau Representative Beth Kertulla. In fact, someone who looked a lot like Sarah Palin showed up and gave a speech, although she looked a bit unsteady on her high heels. Note: See the the woman with a child in her arms that faux Sarah is posing with? That’s the real Sarah—Sarah Conarro, that is, whose brainchild this whole event was.</i><br><br>The PICS are GREAT 2!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)<br><br>GO ALASKA!!  GO MUDFLATS!!<br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889840">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889840" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889840" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889840">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889840" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889840" class="dsq-comment-message">These are great, thanks!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889870">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889870" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889870" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889870">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889870" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889870" class="dsq-comment-message">TruthSeeker:   My pleasure!  :&gt;)    Love to find pro-Obama Rallys in ALASKA!<br><br>Boo-yah!  Right in "The Gov.\'s FACE!!!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894601">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894601" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894601" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894601">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894601" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894601" class="dsq-comment-message">say it loud,...<br><br>I LUV MUDFLATS</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897508">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897508" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897508" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897508">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897508" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897508" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  I go to "ALASKA" erryday!!  :&gt;)  :&gt;)<br><br>Recently, People just RALLYING in the STREETS -DAILY!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)  Party over there!!   :&gt;)<br><br><a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=278278" rel="nofollow">http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vi...</a><br><b>Dancing In The Streets  - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas</b><br><br>Whooooo!   Hooo!  :&gt;)<br><br><b>Callin\' out ALL Obama people!!  :&gt;)</b>  Listen to the CITIES!!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2889963">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2889963" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2889963" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2889963">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2889963" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2889963" class="dsq-comment-message">Can\'t remember if this was posted...<br><br>Bruce Springsteen for Obama<br><a href="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RJI74wwZe1E" rel="nofollow">http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RJI74wwZe1E</a><br><br>I couldn\'t find any videos of the Jay-Z concert..</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2890989">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2890989" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2890989" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2890989" href="http://www.actsoffaithblog.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Acts Of Faith Blog</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2890989" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2890989" class="dsq-comment-message">Is anyone concerned about the threat of Martial Law imposed on the politicians by Bush?<br><br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG9d_4zij8</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2891960">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2891960" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2891960" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2891960">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2891960" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2891960" class="dsq-comment-message">Somewhere in the White House, Bush is packing his boxes and laughing his ass off at McCain.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892177">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892177" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892177" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2892177" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892177" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892177" class="dsq-comment-message">There\'s always, that, HeartsandFlowers, but I really think Bush can\'t wait to get the hell out of DC come January.<br><br>He\'s already acting like he\'s ready to go and why not?  Like every business and administration he\'s ran, he came there when the organization was running well, looted and pillaged, and left it eff\'ed up and ruined.  Just like the country; we have no global credibility and our economy has gone to hell. <br><br>Mission accomplished, as far as Bush is concerned.  I\'d worry more about Martial law under a McCain administration if he wins.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893413">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893413" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893413" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893413" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893413" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893413" class="dsq-comment-message">All the criminals know how to do is make threats in order to get what they want. And they got what they wanted. <br><br>Say goodbye to the New Deal.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2891761">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2891761" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2891761" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2891761">osmond</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2891761" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2891761" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://leishacamden.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-that-it-matters.html" rel="nofollow">http://leishacamden.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-th...</a><br><br>Heres a link to a story about a Norwegian woman who ran into a 27 year old black man Named Barack Obama at an airport. You all will love this story</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2892135">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2892135" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2892135" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2892135">Suprk</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2892135" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2892135" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you for posting and sharing. What a wonderful way to start my day. This gives me another good reason to go hit that donate box again. Thanks. <br><br>Obama-Biden \'08!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2893884">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2893884" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2893884" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2893884" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2893884" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2893884" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com/2008/10/mccain-supports-domestic-terrorism.html" rel="nofollow">John McCain Supports Domestic Terrorism Against Women</a><br><br>And he has a record to prove it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894642">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894642" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894642" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894642">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894642" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894642" class="dsq-comment-message">The man called HIS WIFE A CUNT<br><br>do people really think there is radical separation from private and public works</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894136">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894136" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894136" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894136" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894136" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894136" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama\'s web video about Keating 5 debuts in three minutes:<br><br><a href="http://keatingeconomics.com" rel="nofollow">http://keatingeconomics.com</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894303">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894303" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894303" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894303">pjamma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894303" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894303" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s not up yet.  If he says 9:00 it should be 9:00.  This is no time to be on CPT.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894481">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894481" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894481" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894481">Jay</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894481" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894481" class="dsq-comment-message">It says 12pm EST for me, however its 12:20 pm (est) for me now soooo....I dunno. But then again I can\'t watch most videos at work anyway.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894949">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894949" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894949" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894949">pjamma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894949" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894949" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s posted now.  it\'s best to watch as the .mov download.  The Youtube<br>video is really slow.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894524">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894524" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894524" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894524">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894524" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894524" class="dsq-comment-message">Keating Economics is up!<br><br>Also, Palin claims she\'s just trying to help Tina Fey out with her career:<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-bad-interviews-my-w_n_132226.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/palin-...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894684">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894684" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894684" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894684">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894684" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894684" class="dsq-comment-message">Fey was a millionaire before anyone heard of Caribou Barbie</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894572">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894572" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894572" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894572">Michigander2</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894572" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894572" class="dsq-comment-message">My apologies everyone.   I hit the send button accidentally before cleaning up my post.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894666">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894666" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894666" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894666">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894666" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894666" class="dsq-comment-message">no problem</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894596">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894596" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894596" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894596">Jay</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894596" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894596" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://www.obamaminute.com/" rel="nofollow">Obama Minute</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894615">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894615" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894615" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894615" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894615" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894615" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s the Keating Economics video:<br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g72BuIvMbWY" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g72BuIvMbWY</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895002">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895002" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895002" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895002" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895002" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895002" class="dsq-comment-message">Just watched the video (only 13 minutes, folks.)<br><br>Clearly presents the Keating 5 issue.<br>Clearly shows IN PRINT that McCain lacks good judgment on yet another major issue, the economy.<br>Clearly shows his political bedfellows are bad for working people.<br><br>No matter what they want to say about Obama\'s associations, the bigger issue is McCain\'s FRIENDS.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894753">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894753" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894753" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894753">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894753" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894753" class="dsq-comment-message">Two interesting articles on Barack.<br>1-Barack and James Baldwin<br><a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_content=298864231&utm_campaign=October+23+issue&utm_term=James+Baldwin+%2526%252338%253b+Barack+Obama" rel="nofollow">http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_mediu...</a><br><br>2-Race Will survive Barack Obama<br><a href="http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i07/07b00601.htm?utm_source=cr&utm_medium=en" rel="nofollow">http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i07/07b00601.htm?...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894780">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894780" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894780" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894780">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894780" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894780" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_content=298864231&utm_campaign=October+23+issue&utm_term=James+Baldwin+%2526%252338%253b+Barack+Obama" rel="nofollow">http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21930?utm_mediu...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895097">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895097" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895097" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895097" href="http://btx3.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BTx</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895097" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895097" class="dsq-comment-message">Speaking of strange...<br><br>A move to create our 51st State -<br><br><i>(10-05) 04:00 PDT Yreka, Siskiyou County -- Some folks around here think the economic sky is falling and state lawmakers in Sacramento and Salem are ignoring their constituents in the hinterlands.<br><br>Guess the time is ripe to create a whole new state.<br><br>That\'s the thinking up here along the border between California and Oregon, where 12 sparsely populated, thickly forested counties in both states want to break away and generate the 51st star on the nation\'s flag - the state of Jefferson. </i><br><br><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/04/MNNP138DLP.DTL&tsp=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895413">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895413" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895413" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2895413" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895413" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895413" class="dsq-comment-message">I would like NYC to secede (?) from New York state. Please sign my petition.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895231">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895231" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895231" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895231">pjamma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895231" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895231" class="dsq-comment-message">Anyone watching the Lehman hearings?  The CEO is getting a congressional smack down.<br><br>From HuffPo:<br><br><i>Richard S. Fuld Jr., chief executive officer of Lehman Brothers, declared to the committee "I take full responsibility for the decisions that I made and for the actions that I took." He defended his actions as "prudent and appropriate" based on information he had at the time.<br><br>"I feel horrible about what happened," he said.<br><br>Waxman questioned Fuld on whether it was true he took home some $480 million in compensation since 2000, and asked: "Is that fair?"<br><br>Fuld took off his glasses, held them, and looked uncomfortable. He said his compensation was not quite that much.<br><br>"We had a compensation committee that spent a tremendous amount of time making sure that the interests of the executives and the employees were aligned with shareholders," he said. Fuld said he took home over $300 million in those years _ some $60 million in cash compensation. </i><br><br>Only $300M?  Well now I feel bad for him.  In that case take my tax dollars, please.<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/lehmans-golden-parachutes_n_132258.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/lehman...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895817">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895817" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895817" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895817">pjamma</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895817" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895817" class="dsq-comment-message">30 Lies Refuted About Ayers and Obama<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/30-lies-refuted-about-aye_b_132109.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/30-...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895840">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895840" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895840" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895840">MsKitty</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895840" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895840" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/6/121316/310/814/621608" rel="nofollow">Fun with Racists, Part 246 (the special McCain campaign edition)</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897958">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897958" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897958" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897958">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897958" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897958" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  HuffPost is ALL OVER IT with headlines/articles!!!  <br><br>Sorry I can\'t post now!  Whew!<br><br>If there is anything left when I return  -  I\'ll do some posting!   :&gt;)   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898569">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898569" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898569" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898569">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898569" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898569" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/kitchen_sink_joins_everything.php" rel="nofollow">http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/20...</a><br><br>McCain: We know that Obama got $200 million from shady sources and we demand to know who those shady sources are.  Cuz ain\'t no way that boy could raise $450 million dollars the right way, ain\'t no way.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899640">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899640" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899640" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899640">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899640" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899640" class="dsq-comment-message">I am not shady and I have donated about $175. John McCain and everyone who supports his immoral, bankrupt  campaign can kiss where the sun dont shine.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899895">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899895" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899895" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899895">jelana</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899895" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899895" class="dsq-comment-message">At this point nothing surprises me.  For all we know, Repubs may be making these donations in order to cast suspicion on him; he will return the donations after all and they know that!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2906961">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2906961" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2906961" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2906961">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2906961" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2906961" class="dsq-comment-message">McCain\'s people will probably see "Kareen Abdul Jabaar" on the donor list and say "AHA!  Thar goes a terr\'ist!"<br><br><br>Seriously, does the McCain campaign not know how many black people born in the 60s and 70s (and even 80s) have Arabic names?  And I\'d be willing to bet more than one of them has donated to Obama.  Dang, if people with Arabic names are "suspect" then a whole lot of black people are suspect.  Well, we\'re suspect anyway, but you know...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899046">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899046" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899046" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899046">parker404</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899046" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899046" class="dsq-comment-message">As usual, Town, you are on point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899007">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899007" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899007" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899007">Myth</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899007" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899007" class="dsq-comment-message">NO WEAPON, NO MCCAIN, NO PALLIN FORMED AGAINST OBAMA WILL WORK!<br><br>Watch TODAYS Signs from the Lord-- It CAN Get Worse.  The Lord wants racist people in this country to ignore Obama\'s skin color and elect him fairly; but if He must, He will put them in a position where Obama\'s skin color won\'t be the main issue, THEIR PLIGHT TO SURVIVE WILL.  If Obama\'s skin-color TRUMPS the failing economy then we are in deep trouble in this land. McCain is staking his presidency on skin color though.<br><br> <br><br>(1) CLEARWATER, Fla. - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin expanded her attack on Democrat Barack Obama\'s character Monday to include his relationship with an incendiary former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright,  as well as his ties to 1960s-era radical Bill Ayers. <br><br> <br><br>(2) NEW YORK - Wall Street suffered through another traumatic session Monday, with the Dow Jones industrials plunging as much as 800 points and setting a new record for a one-day point drop as investors despaired that the credit crisis would take a heavy toll around the world. The Dow also fell below 10,000 for the first time since 2004, and all the major indexes fell more than 7 percent.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899368">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899368" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899368" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899368">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899368" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899368" class="dsq-comment-message">Is this a comedy routine?....<br><br>Boss Is Not Amused After Columnist’s Humor Brings a Retort From Fox News <br><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/business/media/06columnist.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/business/medi...</a><br><blockquote><i>Ms. Mallick, Mr. Carlin wrote, was unable to present evidence to support her suggestion that that Republican men were deficient sexually or that Ms. Palin’s supporters were “white trash.”</i></blockquote></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2899914">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2899914" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2899914" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2899914">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2899914" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2899914" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama called a terrorist in front of erratic McCain<br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvXf9AUHTqM" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvXf9AUHTqM</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900429">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900429" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900429" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2900429" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900429" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900429" class="dsq-comment-message">What do you expect? That\'s the whole point of their attacks.<br><br>Notice that folks took the comment as comedy.<br><br>I told you that we\'ll see pictures of him in Kenyan garb interspersed with pictures of al-Quaeda just before the November 4.<br><br>Remember how Hillary also dropped those fearmongering ads the weekend before the Tuesday primaries?<br><br>McCain\'s a big old copycat.<br><br>Out of ideas. Out of gas. Out of time.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901828">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901828" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901828" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2901828" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901828" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901828" class="dsq-comment-message">And Out of Luck, Craig.<br><br>The throes of a dying candidate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900995">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900995" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900995" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900995">Texas_Girl_in_LA</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900995" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900995" class="dsq-comment-message">While his <a href=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/06/in_fla_palin_goes_for_the_roug.html rel="nofollow">running mate stumps in Florida</a href>, someone yells...<b>"kill him"</b> from the audience. <br><br><i>"Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers," Palin said.<br><br>"Boooo!" said the crowd.<br><br>"And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, \'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,\'" she continued.<br><br>"Boooo!" the crowd repeated.<br><br>"Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.</i><br><br>I don\'t know what to say anymore...I just don\'t<br><br>donate....please</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901207">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901207" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901207" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901207">Suprk</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901207" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901207" class="dsq-comment-message">I want to know why the Secret Service did nothing to this person. A man in New Orleans tells Cheney "to go f**k himself" and he is arrested. A man somewhere else tells Cheney he disagrees with his policies and is arrested. Someone calls to kill a potential president, and all there is are crickets?? <br><br>I hope Obama directly confronts McCain with these smears at the debate and ask him does he believe he is a terrorist and does he believe he runs around with terrorist. I want McCain called on it and put on the spot on national TV. Let\'s see what honor this old grumpy man really does have. Call him out on this BS!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2902534">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2902534" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2902534" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2902534">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2902534" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2902534" class="dsq-comment-message">that "kill him", according to what you have written in your post, seems to be referring to ayers.  i didn\'t hear this directly, so i\'m only going by what you\'ve written...the logical sequence of things...  <br><br>i don\'t think it\'s wise to fan those kinds of flames when things are already tense enough as it is.  i cannot look at that--as written--and jump to the most horrible conclusion possible.  the person doesn\'t seem to have been referring to barack, so why take it there?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900659">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900659" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900659" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2900659" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900659" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900659" class="dsq-comment-message">This is how the Republicans treat the troops:<br><br>    Frank St. Pierre, of Anaconda, fought in World War II. He is one of the most decorated living veterans in America. And yet, on Wednesday, my party — the Montana Republican Party — tried to invalidate his voter registration because he lives in a county with a lot of Democrats. Incredible as this may sound to you, it is the truth...<br><br>    A significant number of the 6,000 voters targeted were servicemen, including Kevin Furey, a former state legislator from Missoula who left the legislature to serve in Iraq; Cindie Kalan-Green, who is also serving in Iraq; and Mathew Robison, who I am told has been deployed to Fort Drum.<br><br>    Many were college students and elderly people. For example, Babe Aspholm, of Anaconda, an elderly man, simply moved across town from his house to a senior living center. The Republicans tried to void his registration. Tom Detonacour, a policeman from Deer Lodge County who simply bought a house in another county, also got targeted.<br><br>    But worst of all is the legendary Frank St. Pierre, 86, also of Anaconda, who helped save thousands of allied troops at Dunkirk in World War II and has 10 Medals of Honor. St. Pierre, too, moved from one end of town to the other, and the Republicans tried to void his and his wife\'s registrations. I have a copy of the signed affidavits from the Republicans, declaring that Frank and Marilyn St. Pierre\'s voter registrations must be purged. An utter disgrace.<br><br><br><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/145526/099/608/621790" rel="nofollow">http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/145...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901776">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901776" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901776" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901776">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901776" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901776" class="dsq-comment-message">Why any veteran supports the republican party is beyond me.I am a veteran and for the last 8 years all I have seen is reTHUGS gut veteran programs send them in unwinnable wars and not once ask the country for shared sacrifice.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900702">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900702" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900702" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900702">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900702" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900702" class="dsq-comment-message">Outdated, Arcane Laws Disenfranchising Voters in Seattle<br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patty-cogen/outdated-arcane-laws-dise_b_132192.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patty-cogen/outda...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901316">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901316" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901316" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901316">Mona</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901316" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901316" class="dsq-comment-message">@ Jack and Jill:<br><br>I love the photos you guys post on the daily Open Threads.  One of my faves is the one of Obama with the caption "Everyone chill the **** out. I got this."  <br><br>With Election Day so close and McCain employing the kitchen sink strategy, I think it would be a good one to see ever so often.  Just a thought...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901421">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901421" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901421" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901421">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901421" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901421" class="dsq-comment-message">And so it begins.....<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/neel-kashkari-treasury-as_n_132265.html" rel="nofollow">HuffPo: Paulson Hires Former Goldman Sachs Exec to Head $700 Billion Bailout</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901796">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901796" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901796" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2901796" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901796" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901796" class="dsq-comment-message">Sepia, you knew this was coming.<br><br>Fox gets to guard Henhouse with Congress\' blessing and using our tax dollars to do it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901446">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901446" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901446" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901446">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901446" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901446" class="dsq-comment-message">Wow, take a look at the polls:<br><br><a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/la...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2901626">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901626" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901626" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901626">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2901626" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901626" class="dsq-comment-message">Please make this an ad!!!<br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eu9Z2hXky0" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eu9Z2hXky0</a></div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2901680" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2901680" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2901680">RobM</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2901680" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert Reich on the current situtation: <a href="http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/meltdown-part-i.html" rel="nofollow">http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2008/10/meltdow...</a></div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2903224" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2903224" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2903224">Mona</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2903224" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2903224" class="dsq-comment-message">Keith Olbermann\'s "Special Comment:"<br><br><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/olbermann-special-comment_n_132456.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/olberm...</a><br><br>This time he\'s gunning for Palin. This one\'s right up there with his Special Comment to Hillary Clinton during the primaries...</div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2903349" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2903349" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2903349">andyfrombrooklyn</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2903349" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2903349" class="dsq-comment-message">made the mistake of watching 5 minutes anderson cooper tonight. phony investigative reporting about ayers reveals that obama worked with ayers...to fund inner city schools. what an outrage. getting education for those little black kids. so unamerican.</div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2904689" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2904689" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2904689">djchefron</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2904689" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2904689" class="dsq-comment-message">The Palin and McCain campaign want to talk about so-called domestic terrorist ,let them defend this.<br><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/06/mccain-abotion-bombers/" rel="nofollow">http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/06/mccain-abot...</a></div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2905055" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2905055" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2905055">GreenLadyHere</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2905055" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Found this on Black Politics OTW:<br><br><a href="http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2008/10/06/obama-youth-junior-fraternity-regiment-video-whats-your-take/" rel="nofollow">http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2008/10/06/oba...</a><br><b>"Obama Youth - Junior Fraternity Regiment"  VIDEO - What\'s your take?</b><br><br><i><br><br>October 6, 2008 · Print This Article<br><br>A Youtube video of middle school students at a Kansas City charter school is making the rounds on the internet. The video shows the students speaking of what Obama has inspired them to become in a stepping routine. The teacher who organized the video has been suspended. What’s your take on the video - is this being blown out of proportion or do you feel that their routine is inappropriate?</i><br><br>IMHO:<br><br>1.  The video is APPROPRIATE because it is EDUCATIONAL & INSPIRATIONAL TO BLACK MALES!<br><br>2.  I hesitate to comment on information that provided "little source data/information", as this article does.  That said, I wonder why the teacher would subject herself to discipline?  She could have done this at home!  -SIGH-<br><br>3.  I don\'t know WHO/WHAT is blowing the video "out of proportion"; so I\'m confused.<br><br>At any rate, I\'m sharing because I like the video, in the main!  :&gt;)</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-2906603">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2906603" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2906603" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2906603">GreenLadyHere</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2906603" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Rep. Deborah Wasserman-Schulz is "ALL ABOUT" Mr. Obama, AFTER she lost her billary mantra!   I intensely disliked her when she saw NO WRONG in billary!  :&gt;)<br><br>She was on Dr. Rachel\'s Show!!</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-2906623">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2906623" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2906623" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2906623">Michelle</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2906623" class="dsq-comment-message">Random curious question: Has anyone else noticed this one particular Secret Service man who always seems to be near Senator Obama in pictures -- and, am I the only one who finds his presence in these photos really reassuring at the gut level? I find myself looking for him whenever I see Senator Obama in photos when he is near a lot of people.<br><br>Anyway, this is who I\'m talking about: He\'s the one in the sunglasses next to Senator Obama -- to Obama\'s right -- in this photo right here:<br><br><a href="http://www.mountainx.com/gallery/image_full/1865/" rel="nofollow">Obama rally</a></div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-2907299">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2907299" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2907299" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2907299">Texas_Girl_in_LA</span>\
	 </cite>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2907299" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2907299" class="dsq-comment-message">Yes. I\'ve seen him on many occasions as well.</div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2906898" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2906898" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2906898">djchefron</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2906898" class="dsq-comment-message">U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel\'s wife plans to endorse Senator Barack Obama for president of the United States!<br><br>RICHMOND, Va. - The wife of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel plans to endorse Democrat Barack Obama.<br><br>Lilibet Hagel has scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday with Susan Eisenhower, the daughter of Republican President Eisenhower.<br><br>Hagel, R-Neb., has made no endorsement. Lilibet Hagel said in an Associated Press interview that her decision was independent of her husband. She said she didn\'t know whether he would make an endorsement or whom he would support. <br><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/221159/439/163/622235" rel="nofollow">http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/221...</a></div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894515" class="dsq-comment-header">\
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	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894515">Michigander2</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894515" class="dsq-comment-message">I just found out about this new book on John McCain.   This brings to mind that we should put all John McCain\'s "guilt by association" items in one place.    The below is at <a href="http://theperfectvillain.com" rel="nofollow">theperfectvillain.com</a> website.<br><br> Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue." <br> <br><br><a href="http://Shop.MTV.com" rel="nofollow">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of “incontrovertible” evidence, the public’s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts—the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what “truth” really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one’s thesis. This means that the “truth” almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN\'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he’s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what’s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush’s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam—published in Hanoi and Havana—do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records—held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia’s FSB, and the North Vietnamese—I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don’t want to do—or see done—to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don’t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as “fair, factual, and neutral.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it. Abramoff’s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes’ casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain—the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant—but they could sue Abramoff’s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff’s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the “aggrieved” tribes. In other words, Abramoff’s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for “authoring” a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly “fair, accurate, and neutral.” My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn’t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here’s what he should say. “Look, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN\'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post’s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn’t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt’s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua’s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe—the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff’s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino—the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas—had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client’s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation—not to shut down the Tigua casino—but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can’t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff’s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that “two Indian casinos” had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain’s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua’s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt’s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt’s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn’t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt’s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie’s response was generic. He couldn’t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper’s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee’s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report’s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain’s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe’s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you’ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you’re caring for, you go to prison. If you’ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN\'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn’t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn’t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn’t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain’s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 ½ year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I’m a liberal, a registered independent, but I’ve never voted Republican. However, I’ve never contributed—money or time—to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don’t care for Abramoff’s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn’t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He’s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn’t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth—to the best of my ability—about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information—which the public never did—that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff’s “crime” was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It’s too late for public hearings. He’s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn’t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain´t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus "Sandaler" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz\' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did "Straight-Talk" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a "straight talker" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of "Teshuva" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation’s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain\'s Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain’s investigation into Abramoff wasn’t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz\'s forthcoming book, "The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com\'s Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff\'s lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain\'s probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain\'s investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn\'t for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party\'s presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public\'s confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here<br> <br><br> <br><br> <br> <br><br><br> <br>Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue." <br> <br>Purchase a copy where you prefer <br><a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow">Amazon.com</a><br><a href="http://BarnesandNoble.com" rel="nofollow">BarnesandNoble.com</a><br><a href="http://Target.com" rel="nofollow">Target.com</a><br><a href="http://BoonBridgeBooks.com" rel="nofollow">BoonBridgeBooks.com</a> <a href="http://ShopinHK.com" rel="nofollow">ShopinHK.com</a><br><br> <a href="http://Buy.com" rel="nofollow">Buy.com</a><br><a href="http://BiggerBooks.com" rel="nofollow">BiggerBooks.com</a><br><a href="http://Blackwell.com" rel="nofollow">Blackwell.com</a><br><a href="http://Overstock.com" rel="nofollow">Overstock.com</a><br><a href="http://Shop.MTV.com" rel="nofollow">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of “incontrovertible” evidence, the public’s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts—the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what “truth” really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one’s thesis. This means that the “truth” almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN\'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he’s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what’s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush’s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam—published in Hanoi and Havana—do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records—held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia’s FSB, and the North Vietnamese—I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don’t want to do—or see done—to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don’t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as “fair, factual, and neutral.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it. Abramoff’s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes’ casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain—the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant—but they could sue Abramoff’s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff’s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the “aggrieved” tribes. In other words, Abramoff’s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for “authoring” a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly “fair, accurate, and neutral.” My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn’t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here’s what he should say. “Look, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN\'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post’s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn’t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt’s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua’s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe—the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff’s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino—the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas—had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client’s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation—not to shut down the Tigua casino—but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can’t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff’s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that “two Indian casinos” had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain’s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua’s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt’s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt’s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn’t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt’s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie’s response was generic. He couldn’t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper’s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee’s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report’s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain’s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe’s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you’ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you’re caring for, you go to prison. If you’ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN\'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn’t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn’t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn’t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain’s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 ½ year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I’m a liberal, a registered independent, but I’ve never voted Republican. However, I’ve never contributed—money or time—to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don’t care for Abramoff’s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn’t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He’s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn’t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth—to the best of my ability—about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information—which the public never did—that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff’s “crime” was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It’s too late for public hearings. He’s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn’t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain´t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus "Sandaler" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz\' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did "Straight-Talk" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a "straight talker" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of "Teshuva" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation’s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain\'s Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain’s investigation into Abramoff wasn’t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz\'s forthcoming book, "The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com\'s Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff\'s lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain\'s probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain\'s investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn\'t for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party\'s presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public\'s confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here<br> <br> <br><br><br> <br>Gary Chafetz<br>is a liberal Boston journalist who set out to chronicle the scandal involving conservative gun-for-hire and super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Instead he uncovered a Shakespearean tragedy of deceit, betrayal and political vendetta in which the true villains are Presidential aspirant John McCain, the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Department of Justice--all of whom participated in the railroading of an innocent man. Chafetz benefited from exclusive and unconditional access to the jailed Abramoff and to many never-before-released documents. The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue. The true story, as Chafetz recounts in The Perfect Villain, is even more riveting and compelling.<br> <br><br> <br>"The blizzard of stories originating from the Washington political machine painted Abramoff as an implausibly greedy lobbyist who cheated Indian tribes, bribed politicians and corrupted the political process--a fascinating tale but, ultimately, untrue." <br> <br>Purchase a copy where you prefer <br><a href="http://Amazon.com" rel="nofollow">Amazon.com</a><br><a href="http://BarnesandNoble.com" rel="nofollow">BarnesandNoble.com</a><br><a href="http://Target.com" rel="nofollow">Target.com</a><br><a href="http://BoonBridgeBooks.com" rel="nofollow">BoonBridgeBooks.com</a> <a href="http://ShopinHK.com" rel="nofollow">ShopinHK.com</a><br><br> <a href="http://Buy.com" rel="nofollow">Buy.com</a><br><a href="http://BiggerBooks.com" rel="nofollow">BiggerBooks.com</a><br><a href="http://Blackwell.com" rel="nofollow">Blackwell.com</a><br><a href="http://Overstock.com" rel="nofollow">Overstock.com</a><br><a href="http://Shop.MTV.com" rel="nofollow">Shop.MTV.com</a><br> <br>Want an autographed copy?<br>Click here for details <br> <br><br><br>Questions & Answers<br> <br>Q WHAT IS THE PURPOSE/DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE BOOK AND WHY DO YOU FEEL PEOPLE NEED TO READ IT? <br>A What is surprising about the Abramoff corruption scandal is that everybody, including me at first, got this story completely wrong. We swallowed this epic narrative hook, line, and sinker. We believed everything we read in the press about this allegedly indelibly evil man. Because of the almost suffocating accumulation of “incontrovertible” evidence, the public’s natural skepticism ended up being suffocated as well. As a liberal writing about an arch conservative, I tried my best, probably inadequately, not to allow my political or social positions to color my judgment. I think a lot of what is written is too polemic, subjective, and tendentious. And there are plenty of readers who enjoy this kind of writing. Authors like Corsi, Frank, Coulter, and Franken do extremely well. This may sound prosaic, but I wanted to look at the facts and nothing but the facts. Even though the public is intrinsically susceptible to epic narratives and myths, I firmly believe that in its heart of hearts—the public is really interested in the unvarnished truth. Of course, we can debate what “truth” really is. But the unvarnished truth involves an honest attempt to conduct a careful and objective examination of the facts, documents, and interviews with those with intimate knowledge of the subject. And in conducting that investigation, nothing should be shaded, colored, or omitted. The good, bad, and ugly must get thrown into the mix, including information that undermines or contradicts one’s thesis. This means that the “truth” almost always ends up rather fuzzy, gray, difficult to discern, even at times out of focus. Though we seem to yearn for clear-cut, black-and-white heroes and villains, the truth is that the only place they can be found is in fiction, usually bad fiction.<br><br> <br>Q IN THIS BOOK YOU MAKE SOME STRONG ACCUSATIONS AS TO THE VERACITY, IF NOT DUPLICITY, OF JOHN MCCAIN\'S INVESTIGATION OF JACK ABRAMOFF AND INDIAN GAMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLES OF THIS? <br>A First of all, I want to say I have no animus toward John McCain. In many ways, I think he’s a pretty cool guy, because he has bucked the Republican Party line and has taken positions that seem based on what is fair, true, and honest. In other words, his conscience has seemed to dictate his position, not what’s politically correct for Republicans. For example, McCain has really angered conservative Republicans by sponsoring campaign finance reform, opposing President George W. Bush’s tax cuts, disagreeing with drilling in the Arctic wilderness, opposing a constitutional amendment banning abortion, expressing great concern over American use of torture after 9-11, and so forth. I have to respect McCain for his independence. Second of all, I hope that the four documents in my book of interviews McCain apparently gave during his captivity in North Vietnam—published in Hanoi and Havana—do not do him much damage. He exaggerated a little. But they do contradict his repeated statements in his numerous autobiographies, in which he claimed he gave the enemy virtually no military and personal information. Those inconsistencies, however, are unsettling, because McCain has never called the release of his POW records. If he did release them or was pressured into releasing his POW records—held by the Pentagon, the CIA, Russia’s FSB, and the North Vietnamese—I hope they do not show that he has lied repeatedly for many decades about his behavior and activities as a prisoner of war. The reason is that I do not want to see the humiliation or destruction of anyone. I don’t want to do—or see done—to McCain what he did to Abramoff. I don’t want to see McCain denounced, humiliated, and vilified. I wish no such pain and humiliation on anyone, his family, his friends, and supporters. I think we have become a culture that shows virtually no compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. That said, if McCain has lied about what he did during his captivity or if he is hiding something questionable, unacceptable, or even treasonous during his captivity, then the American electorate needs to be informed, so that voters can make a fully informed decision about whom to vote for president, in what may be the most important presidential election for many years, perhaps ever.<br><br>As for his Senate Indian Affairs Report, McCain has characterized it as “fair, factual, and neutral.” Nothing could be further from the truth. This too is unsettling. The report is clearly and incontrovertibly mendacious. The report seems to go out of its way to twist, distort, and omit key information about Abramoff and his lobbying activities that show he was perhaps the best lobbyist who ever lived. Abramoff provided financial benefits for his tribal clients far, far in excess of his high fees. If you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it. Abramoff’s tribal clients were not unsophisticated people who had just fallen off the turnip truck. They operated Las-Vegas style casinos that enjoyed revenues that in some cases approached $500 million a year. Not only could they afford to hire the very best lobbyist, they also hired the very best lawyers and accountants, who, in turn, vetted every contract with Abramoff. And then his tribal clients continued to hire Abramoff over and over, in some cases for nearly a decade, because they were so pleased with the results he was able to produce. Of course, McCain omits this or claims that Abramoff was somehow able to bamboozle his poor gullible clients into paying him outrageous fees and creating threats to his tribes’ casino revenue.<br><br>So why did his tribal clients turn against Abramoff if he was such a great lobbyist? It was good business. By turning against Abramoff, the tribes could please McCain—the powerful chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and possible presidential aspirant—but they could sue Abramoff’s former employers and win huge settlements. Abramoff’s former employers, two large and very successful law firms, did not want their e-mail traffic made public (it would destroy their law practice), so they quickly settled with the “aggrieved” tribes. In other words, Abramoff’s former tribal clients ended up getting all the extraordinary benefits of his lobbying services for free (or at a huge discount.) These tribes were hardly unsophisticated. They were as shrewd as they come.<br><br> <br>Q AFTER CONDUCTING THREE YEARS OF RESEARCH INTO THE MCCAIN REPORT IN WHICH YOU FOUND MCCAIN POSSIBLY IGNORED SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCULPATORY TO ABRAMOFF, DO YOU THINK JOHN MCCAIN IS AN HONEST MAN? IF NOT, WHY? <br>A Well, McCain takes the credit for bringing Abramoff down and therefore should accept the blame for “authoring” a report which is essentially a lie. Anyone who drills down into this report will come to the conclusion that this report is hardly “fair, accurate, and neutral.” My guess is that McCain never actually read the report. He is a busy guy. His schedule is very tight. Hundreds of people are vying for his attention. Except for the executive summary, I doubt he has much time to read a 373-page report, which is not exactly a page turner. And he certainly didn’t research and write it. His staff did it all. If McCain were truly a straight-express talker, if McCain were gutsy enough to ignore his focus-grouped advisors and politically savvy consultants, here’s what he should say. “Look, I told the staff to nail this guy, because I thought he was a really bad. And in trying to satisfy me, the staff went overboard and wrote a report that I now realize was irresponsible and downright false. I want to apologize directly to Jack Abramoff for the harm I have caused him and I now realize that his imprisonment may have been a gross miscarriage of justice. Indeed, to compensate for the pain and suffering that I am for the most part responsible for, I call upon President Bush to pardon Abramoff. If I am elected president, as an act of contrition, I will pardon Abramoff on my first day in office. If Barack Obama is elected president, I call on him to pardon Abramoff immediately.<br><br> <br>Q YOU ALSO LEVEL CHARGES THAT THEN-WASHINGTON POST REPORTER SUE SCHMIDT ENGAGED IN POSSIBLY WILLFULLY DISHONEST REPORTING ON THE ABRAMOFF SCANDAL AND POSSIBLY COLLUDED WITH JOHN MCCAIN\'S OFFICE TO DRIVE THIS STORY. WHAT ARE THREE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU FEEL MRS. SCHMIDT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC? <br>A Well, I am sorry to have to do this, but the facts are the facts. The Washington Post’s earlier stories were seemingly fair. They were actually misleading only because its reporters were not experts in the arcana of Indian Country, particularly in the complex context of gaming. Therefore, the stories painted a black-and-white picture of Abramoff that simply wasn’t accurate. If I had been writing those stories at that time, I would have written them the same way, but probably not as well. But Susan Schmidt’s September 26, 2004 clearly crossed the line. She claimed that Abramoff had deliberately worked to shut down an Indian casino in the westernmost part of Texas. Located in El Paso, that tribal casino belonged to the Tiguas. First of all, Schmidt failed to mention something very important. She omitted from her story that there was a bill pending in the Texas legislature with overwhelming support that would have allowed two illegal Indian tribe casinos in Texas to remain open, which were about to be shut down by the state attorney general. Abramoff somehow managed to stop the legislation. Schmidt claimed that Abramoff secretly took this action for the sole reason of shutting down the Tigua’s casino, so he could approach the tribe and promise them to get their casino re-opened. But the fact is that the legislation that Abramoff stopped would have shut down not one, but two tribal casinos in Texas. One of them did belong to the Tigua in El Paso; but the second one belonged to a tribe in easternmost Texas, west of Houston and not far from the Texas-Louisiana border. Schmidt did mention that there were two Indian tribes, which meant that she knew there was a second tribe, but she never mentioned the name of that second tribe—the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Also, Schmidt never mentioned in her story that Abramoff’s biggest tribal client operated a casino just on the other side of the Texas border in Louisiana, whose clientele came from the Houston area. Therefore, she never mentioned that if the second Indian tribal casino—the one belonging to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas—had ever opened its casino, it would have killed his client’s casino business. Was it possible that Abramoff stopped that legislation—not to shut down the Tigua casino—but to shut down the tribal casino that was threatening his client? The answer is simple. Of course. From her previous Abramoff stories, she clearly knew of the existence of Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. But the question is did she know of the existence of the tribal casino in easternmost Texas whose name was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? Apparently, she did. She had contributed to a story, written by Thomas Edsall, that would published on August 30, three weeks before her devastating September 26th story, in which it was clearly stated that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s tribal client in Louisiana. Schmidt can’t claim that she did not know there was another tribal casino that was going to be shut down thanks to Abramoff’s efforts, because she clearly states in her September 26th story that “two Indian casinos” had been shut down. One of those tribes was the Tigua. The second one was the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. So Schmidt clearly knew that there were two tribes, but did not mention the name of the second tribe, which she must have or should have known was the tribe threatening his Louisiana client. <br><br>In fact, e-mails in McCain’s possession show that Abramoff was hired by his Louisiana client in March 2001 specifically to kill the ambitions of the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas to open a Las-Vegas style casino west of Houston. Abramoff had no interest in the Tigua tribal casino nearly 1000 miles away from his Louisiana client. And Abramoff did not express any interest whatsoever in persuading the Tigua to hire him until February 2002, nearly a year after his client hired him to shut down its nearby competitor. Yet Schmidt insisted that Abramoff had deliberately lobbied to shut down only the Tigua’s casino specifically so he could underhandedly get that tribe to hire him for millions of dollars to get its casino reopened. Schmidt’s story sounded so incredibly villainous. Two days later, the Post condemned Abramoff and praised Schmidt’s reporting. But there was a problem. The story wasn’t true. Nonetheless, Schmidt’s Tigua fairytale story had a devastating effect on Abramoff, who appeared the morning after the Post ran its scathing editorial, under subpoena and under oath in front of McCain and his Indian Affairs Committee. The omission of the name of the second tribe was egregious.<br><br>All of this may sound a bit complex, but when you study the facts and circumstances, it is hard not to agree that the Post should be censured for running this story.<br><br> <br>Q DID YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH MRS. SCHMIDT AND SENATOR MCCAIN FOR COMMENT IN THIS BOOK?<br> <br>A Yes, I telephoned and spoke to her at the Washington D.C. office of the Wall Street Journal. (She no longer works for The Washington Post.) She declined to answer any questions. Next, I sent her 19 questions by e-mail. I gave her 36 hours to respond. She did not respond. I called The Washington Post and left a voice mail for the editor in chief, Len Downie. His assistant called me back and told me that Mr. Downie requested that I e-mail him questions. I sent Mr. Downie 20 questions. Downie’s response was generic. He couldn’t recall the story about the Tigua and asserted that his newspaper’s Abramoff stories have held up very well. <br><br>As for Sen. McCain, shortly after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee report was issued on June 22, 2006, I called the committee’s office. I requested an interview with McCain. I also requested an interview with Pablo Carillo, the report’s chief investigator. I received a call back that McCain was too busy to grant an interview. I received no response from Carillo. In June 2008, I sent an e-mail to the press office of McCain’s presidential campaign with a series of specific questions about his Senate Indian Affairs Report. I never received a response.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU THINK MS. SCHMIDT AND THE WASHINGTON POST SHOULD HAVE TO RETURN THE PULITZER PRIZE WON BY MS. SCHMIDT FOR HER REPORTING IF IN FACT THE PULITZER COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT SHE MAY HAVE MANUFACTURED HER SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 STORY IN THE ABRAMOFF MATTER? <br>A Yes, I do. That story is a shameful one. The omission of the second tribe’s identity was egregious. Including it would have killed the story. If Susan Schmidt claims that she never read the August 30, 2004 story, to which her name is attached as a contributor, then maybe she can claim that she was unaware the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas was a threat to Abramoff’s client, the Louisiana Coushatta. But that claim would stretch credulity. I call it the Tigua fairytale story. It had a devastating effect. It was clearly a false, possibly intentionally false, story. If you’ve been an exemplary babysitter for 20 years, but on one occasion you molest a child you’re caring for, you go to prison. If you’ve been the perfect priest for the past 30 years, but on one occasion you molested a nine-year-old altar boy, you are defrocked, your church is sued for millions, and you go to prison. The Washington Post should lose the Pulitzer Prize it won for breaking the so-called Abramoff corruption scandal story. The Pulitzer Prize committee should rescind it, or the Washington Post should do the classy thing and return it voluntarily and issue an apology to Mr. Abramoff.<br><br> <br>Q YOU RAISE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF SENATOR MCCAIN\'S EXPLANATIONS OF HIS P.O.W SERVICE. WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY RELEVANT TO THE OVERALL TOPIC? <br>A I was struck by the fact that McCain withheld almost 99% of the Abramoff documents he subpoenaed. It made me very suspicious that he didn’t want us to see most of the material. There could be only one explanation. He didn’t want us to see all the information because he was trying to hide something: the evidence didn’t support his conclusions. Otherwise, he should have been happy to release all the documents. It appeared that this may be a pattern in McCain’s character, because he had refused to release his POW records as well. Why not? Was he also trying to hide something about his activities during his 5 ½ year stay in Hanoi? In fact, I realized that the only information about his POW days was what he had told us. There had been no independent accounts. He was the sole source. And we believed everything he said. We believed everything he said about Abramoff in his Senate Indian Affairs Report and that proved to be totally false. What about what McCain said about his days as a POW during the Vietnam War?<br><br> <br>Q WHAT ARE YOUR POLITICS? WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? <br>A I’m a liberal, a registered independent, but I’ve never voted Republican. However, I’ve never contributed—money or time—to any political campaign. My interest in the Abramoff story was driven by curiosity. I wondered how anyone could possibly be so evil. Then it dawned on me that this was not possible. Finally, I realized that there was something profoundly wrong with this story and I was curious to find out what it was. I don’t care for Abramoff’s politics and disagree, but I worked very hard at not allowing my political leanings to color or to interfere with how I weighed and sifted the evidence. This is an apolitical book. The conclusions are apolitical. Despite his politics, Abramoff is a decent guy, who doesn’t deserve to be in prison.<br><br> <br>Q YOU HAD GENERALLY UNFETTERED ACCESS TO ABRAMOFF BEFORE AND AFTER HE WENT TO PRISON. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU STARTED THE BOOK AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM NOW? <br>A I was curious to meet this infamous celebrity. From the day I met him until the present, I have found him a nice guy, not a monster. He’s well spoken, very smart, funny, self-effacing, and sensitive. The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. Nevertheless, I also kept reminding myself that my first obligation was to the reader, not to Abramoff. And I repeatedly told Abramoff that. I couldn’t sugarcoat anything. I had to tell the reader the absolute truth—to the best of my ability—about this scandal and this man. I had access to all the publically available documents, as well as much that had never been released to the public. And I had extensive access to the central protagonist in this drama. He could now defend himself and I could challenge whatever he said. It gave me an opportunity to get to the bottom of this complex story and I think I did.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE JACK ABRAMOFF SHOULD BE IN PRISON?<br> <br>A No, I do not. Otherwise, all of the other 35,000 lobbyists should be also be in the prison cell next to him.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTED IN AN HONORABLE MANNER IN THE ABRAMOFF CASE? <br>A No, I do not. I think the Justice Department line prosecutors knew that they would have had a difficulty making their case before a jury. If Abramoff had been allowed to present supporting evidence, the jury would have received sufficient information—which the public never did—that the charges against Abramoff were weak. The jury would have realized that the world Abramoff operated in was extremely complex and that what he was doing was quite common among lobbyists from the beginning of time. The jury would have learned that virtually every political candidate and elected official operates essentially the same way. Otherwise, they would neither win nor continue to hold public office. Abramoff’s “crime” was that he did it better than anyone else.<br><br> <br>Q DO YOU BELIEVE MR. ABRAMOFF WAS RAILROADED? IF SO, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS? <br>A It’s too late for public hearings. He’s confessed and been convicted, because I believe he had no choice but to do so. He didn’t want to risk 12 years in prison, so he took the risk-averse approach. He pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate, hoping to receive a much-reduced sentence. I think the only way for this injustice to be corrected is with a presidential pardon.<br><br> <br>Q HOW DID YOU EVER MANAGE TO GET BOTH ABRAMOFF AND ADAM KIDAN TO TALK TO YOU? <br>A A. Pure luck.<br> <br> Book Reviews <br>It Ain´t Necessarily So (Amazon Review)<br>By Gracchus "Sandaler" (Massachusetts)<br>September 17, 2008<br><br>A few years ago, Gary Chafetz wrote a book on a notorious malpractice case in which he countered the easy, even lazy, journalistic narrative that dominated the headlines. The story had it that an elite Harvard psychotherapist led an unfortunate, confused working-class medical student to despair and suicide. Chafetz\' research uncovered a quite different, and more plausible, story that re-focused he narrative and largely exonerated the psychotherapist from the most serious charges leveled against her.<br>Read The entire review here<br><br>Comments <br>"Besides Abramoff, are there any other targets of the Justice Department that you believe were wrongly or maliciously prosecuted?" <br>Read More Comments with Answers from the Author<br><br>Question the Author:<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>News Stories <br>Why Did "Straight-Talk" McCain Lie About Jack Abramoff? (HUFFINGTON POST)<br>September 16, 2008 | 11:45 AM (EST)<br>Link to Article<br><br>Sen. John McCain, for many, is an appealing presidential candidate, because he seems to have followed his conscience, not Republican Party dogma, on so many issues. These include his support of campaign finance reform, and his opposition to the Bush tax cuts, drilling in the Arctic Wilderness, and a constitutional amendment banning abortion. He touts himself as a "straight talker" whose word can be trusted.<br><br>Before launching his probe into Jack Abramoff -- one of the most prominent and powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington -- McCain claimed that he had never heard of or met Abramoff. This claim certainly stretches credulity.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Just in Time for Yom Kippur, and Sentencing, Abramoff Paints Himself as Repentant (THE JEWISH DAILY: FORWARD)<br>By Nathan Guttman<br>Thu. Sep 11, 2008<br><br>Washington - As he serves time in federal prison, a picture is emerging in court documents and in a newly published book of a repentant Jack Abramoff, who is embracing the Jewish notion of "Teshuva" and turning his back on the days of power, money and politics.<br><br>At least that is what the once-powerful Republican lobbyist, convicted in a massive corruption investigation in the nation’s capital, would have us believe.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book attacks McCain\'s Abramoff inquiry (POLITICO.COM)<br>Written by Mike Harwood<br>9/8/08 4:56 AM EST<br><br>A new book released the day after Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination attacks one of his trademark political successes: his investigation of now-jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff in 2004 and 2005.<br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelancer Gary S. Chafetz and put out by small independent publisher Martin and Lawrence press, aggressively puts forth the case that McCain’s investigation into Abramoff wasn’t the high-minded reform crusade he has made it out to be on the campaign trail, but rather was pure political payback.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff: During lobbying probe, McCain withheld and concealed e-mails implicating his own cronies! (AMERICAN POLITICS JOURNAL)<br>By EAMON JAVERS<br>Monday, 08 September 2008<br><br>September 8, 2008 - New York (apj.us) - Newsrooms in Washington and New York are on alert this evening as a smattering of revelations from Gary S. Chafetz\'s forthcoming book, "The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff". have been leaked to political news and progressive Web sites.<br><br>According to Politico.com\'s Eamon Javers:<br><br>...The book alleges that McCain withheld the vast majority of emails he confiscated during the [2004] inquiry [into the money trail left by Abramoff\'s lobbying on behalf of Indian tribes], many of which could be exculpatory to the former lobbyist or damaging to McCain allies.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Book rips McCain\'s probe of Abramoff (UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL)<br>Published: Sept. 8, 2008 at 9:33 AM<br><br>WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- John McCain\'s investigation into disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff wasn\'t for political reform but political payback, a book about the probe argues. <br><br>"The Perfect Villain: John McCain and the Demonization of Lobbyist Jack Abramoff," by former Boston Globe freelance writer Gary Chafetz was released Friday, the day after McCain accepted Republican party\'s presidential nomination, Politico reported Monday.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets Reduced Sentence of Four Years in Prison (THE WASHINGTON POST)<br>Judge Cites Assistance Ex-Lobbyist Provided In Corruption Probe<br>By Del Quentin Wilber and Carrie Johnson<br>Washington Post Staff Writers<br>Friday, September 5, 2008; A03<br><br>Jack Abramoff, the powerhouse Washington lobbyist who admitted running a wide-ranging corruption scheme that ensnared lawmakers, Capitol Hill aides and government officials, yesterday received a reduced sentence of four years in prison because of his cooperation with federal investigators.<br><br>Abramoff, 49, already has served nearly two years for his conviction in a related Florida fraud case. The sentence yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle means that the former Republican lobbyist will likely remain in prison until 2012.<br>Read The entire article here<br><br>Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Corruption Scandal (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)<br>By MATT APUZZO - Sep 4, 2008<br><br>WASHINGTON (AP) Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by a judge who said the case had shattered the public\'s confidence in government.<br><br>Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought.<br>Read The entire article here</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894657">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894657" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894657" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894657">Jay</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894657" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894657" class="dsq-comment-message">Ugh, can you edit this post? Its wwwwaaayyy too long.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895316">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895316" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895316" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895316">Michigander2</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895316" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895316" class="dsq-comment-message">I tried to edit but I was too late.  I got a msg that my edits couldn\'t be saved because of replys.   Again my apologies, I hit the send button by accident.<br><br>Just go to <a href="http://theperfectvillian.com" rel="nofollow">theperfectvillian.com</a> website</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897204">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897204" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897204" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897204">Lilytiger</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897204" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897204" class="dsq-comment-message">Whoops...it\'s Monday! :-)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2896607">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2896607" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2896607" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2896607">NMP</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2896607" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2896607" class="dsq-comment-message">Is it more or does the Obama Campaign NEVER seem prepared for an assault it knows is coming?  Short of announcing  it on a blimp during the last Super Bowl, we all knew if McCain was down in October, he would launch a full throttle "Ayers" attack on Senator Obama, and yet--AGAIN--Team Obama doesn\'t have an effective response.  <br><br>Yes, start with the FACT that Senator Obama was only eight years old when Ayers committed his crimes.  Generally, I think most fair minded people would agree that Senator Obama should not have to account or atone for anyone elses\' behavior.  However, that doesn\'t anser the question why would Senator Obama and his wife associate with someone, even decades ago, who committed such crimes.  That said, it\'s important that Senator Obama paint Ayers as endemic of  60\'s and that since then most have become mainstream.  You got Tom Hayedn, Bobby Rush and Jerry Rubin just to name a few.  Moreover, it\'s important to highlight the FACT that many conservative politicians, business people and institutions treated Ayers as a rehabilitated figure.  He is a tenured professor at one of the more prestigious schools in the country.  The boards on which he and Obama sat included Republicans.  He sits on a board at South Carolina University, which no one would accuse of being a radical or Liberal institution.  <br><br>Lastly, what the hell has the DNC opposition research team been doing in AK.  Salmon fishing?  Just the little information we know so far is sufficient to raise questions about Palin and her husband, including the Jews for Jesus ministries that she sat through.  More importantly, her fuckin\' husband is a secessionist.  You don\'t more unpatriotic than that!  Why the hell are they not bringing this up?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900065">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900065" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900065" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900065">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900065" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900065" class="dsq-comment-message">NMP - look within your own family and tell me someone didn\'t make bad choice at some point in their lives.  Smoked weed, did drugs, was arrested, drove while drunk, beat their significan other, child abuse, robbed somebody, lied, cheated, stole etc? Are you saying you disowned them?  So I don\'t know what you are insinuating about Barack and Michelle but it smells like bullshit to me.<br><br>I believe Obama\'s campaign is doing the right things and we are not going to fall for the nonsense.  Not this time.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900129">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900129" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900129" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900129">Val</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900129" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900129" class="dsq-comment-message">here is my point.  Everyone knows someone who made a bad decision at some point in their life.  Doesn\'t mean you agree with it their actions so why would we hold you accountable for it?<br><br>bottom line - this is nonsense and I am sick of it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2902574">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2902574" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2902574" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2902574">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2902574" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2902574" class="dsq-comment-message">smells pretty foul to me too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897469">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897469" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897469" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897469">Town</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897469" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897469" class="dsq-comment-message">The Keating 5 documentary appears to have been in the works for some time.  It\'s not something that could have been whipped up over the past week.  Obama knew McCain would do this which is why he had the video produced in advance and ready to go when McCain tipped his hand.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898284">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898284" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898284" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898284">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898284" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898284" class="dsq-comment-message">Town!  Town!   Town!    <b>virtual \'dap\'</b>!!!  TRUTH!!!  :&gt;)   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897232">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897232" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897232" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897232">Micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897232" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897232" class="dsq-comment-message">The attack was inevitable but the Obama campaign responded by talking about the Keating 5 which now looks like it took off because of the McCain campaign\'s response.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2897591">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2897591" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2897591" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2897591">andyfrombrooklyn</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2897591" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2897591" class="dsq-comment-message">obama is up by ten in va. <br>polls show that both debates were wins with the swing voters. <br>i figure obama  knows what he is doing. have a little faith. give the man the credit he deserves. he beat hillary and now he is beating mccain. the guy has his shit together.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898004">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898004" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898004" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898004">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898004" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898004" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t understand, NMP. Your comment confuses me.<br><br>You see the Obama campaign as unprepared?<br><br>Seriously?<br><br>When they rolled out the <a href="http://keatingeconomics.com" rel="nofollow">keatingeconomics.com</a> site and documentary in response? When they obviously had that in waiting for a moment like this? <br><br>When they waited for McCain to open this door and took the opportunity to walk through it because basically McCain invited them?<br><br>Do you not see that that IS a real response and how it is a million times better than any focused "defense" re Ayers?<br><br>The fight is not over defending this one thing. <br><br>It is about what the topic of the discussion from here to Nov 4 actually is.<br><br>Senator Obama\'s campaign says: it\'s the economy. <br><br>Senator Obama\'s campaign says: McCain\'s people said publicly that they don\'t want to talk about the economy anymore, and so let\'s look at why. And we all know Keating is only one piece of the larger puzzle here. They have a website called <a href="http://McLobbyist.com" rel="nofollow">McLobbyist.com</a>, check that out too.<br><br>I\'m baffled -- I hope I am not understanding your comment.<br><br>I am truly baffled.<br><br>I am not a political strategist at all (it\'s not how I think) -- but even I can see that what they have done and are doing is strategically brilliant.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898263">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898263" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898263" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898263">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898263" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898263" class="dsq-comment-message">Michelle:     <b>STRATEGICALLY BRILLIANT!!</b>   ABSOLUTELY!!!<br><br>IFFF McAncient hadn\'t STARTED Some, - - There wouldn\'t be some.<br><br>NOT!  Actually, this K-5 incident WAS going to be involved in this election process.<br><br>But, McAncient "STARTED SOME!!"   :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2903432">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2903432" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2903432" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2903432">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2903432" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2903432" class="dsq-comment-message">The best way to block an attack is to counterattack. If you\'re forced to defend, the message goes out twice -- once by the attacker, a second time by the defense. By attacking back on Keating, Obama is at least canceling out the attack. And the timing in impeccable: the message on Keating resonates much more strongly in this economic climate than this so-called terrorist association given (thank God) no recent terrorist attacks. (Unless McCain knows something we don\'t about the next few weeks).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894609">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894609" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894609" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894609" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894609" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894609" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/michelle_obama_book_tells_of_h.html" rel="nofollow">Michelle Obama - "Perennially dissatisfied."</a> Her hatred of “White America” consumed her early on, and that hatred is now ingrained on her face and even in her speech.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894682">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894682" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894682" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894682">Jay</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894682" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894682" class="dsq-comment-message">OMG - if we\'re going to talk about spouses, let\'s talk about the Alaskan secessionist group.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894732">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894732" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894732" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894732">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894732" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894732" class="dsq-comment-message">How\'s that "whitey" tape working for you?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894879">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894879" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894879" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2894879">MsKitty</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894879" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894879" class="dsq-comment-message">Yeah, it\'s been awhile since I got my Rick Astley fix.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2894865">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2894865" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2894865" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2894865" href="http://blog.evavegadiversity.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">evita</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2894865" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2894865" class="dsq-comment-message">lol.<br><br> i love when white people try to take the HIGH ROAD on racism. it smacks of privilege and racial FEAR.<br><br>STFU Karmi</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2895444">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2895444" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2895444" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2895444">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2895444" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2895444" class="dsq-comment-message">evita:   Co-signing!!  :&gt;)<br><br>"Whycome" Karmi believes that he/she can SEE HATRED on Mrs. Obama\'s face??  That\'s a BOLD statement when WE can SEE his/her RACISM in his/her <b>posts!!</b>  :&gt;)  :&gt;)  <br><br>Funny how that works  -huh??   :&gt;)<br><br>Now where\'s my RATE DOWN ARROW?  :&gt;)   :&gt;) That would be -  <b> NEGATIVE 351! and LOWERING!!</b> :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2898101">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2898101" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2898101" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2898101">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2898101" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2898101" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>now ingrained on her face</i><br><br>Well well well.<br><br>Someone just got a little screamingly obvious in their ongoing displays of racism. <br><br>To be expected from this particular troll.<br><br>troll troll troll<br><br>troll troll troll</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2900432">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2900432" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2900432" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2900432">Admiral_Komack</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2900432" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2900432" class="dsq-comment-message">Pssst...Keating Five...pass it on...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
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		}
		var newPending = [];
		for (var i=0; i<pending.length; i++) {
			var cond = pending[i][0];
			var code = pending[i][1];
			// FIXME: if cond or code throw an error, they never get removed from pending
			if (cond()){
				code();
			}
			else {
				newPending.push([cond, code]);
			}
		}
		pending = newPending;
	};
	return obj;
})();

// also used in embed_thread.js:
window.fbIsReady = function () {return window.FB && FB.init;};
// NOTE: This script gets executed again without threadEl
//       set when we are loaded again as the fbc_receiver.
//       In this case, we don't need the hidden container.

if(!window.FB || !FB.init) {
	if(window.Dsq && Dsq.container) {
		// container is not present when init.js is loaded from an xd-receiver iframe; in this case,
		// we don't need the FB_HiddenContainer anyway.
		var fbDiv = document.createElement('div');
		fbDiv.id = "FB_HiddenContainer";	// Required or else FeatureLoader will execute a document.write.
		fbDiv.style.position = 'absolute';	// This is intentionally not setting display to none as this breaks
		fbDiv.style.top = '-10000px';		// Flash in Safari.
		fbDiv.style.left = '-10000px';
		fbDiv.style.width = '0px';
		fbDiv.style.height = '0px';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(fbDiv);
	}
	var fbJS = document.createElement('script');
	fbJS.type = "text/javascript";
	fbJS.src = "http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php";
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(fbJS);

	ExecuteWhen.add(window.fbIsReady,
		function () {
			// HACK: This is a workaround FBC's single domain limitation by
			//		 allowing sites to create multiple forums with different
			//		 Facebook API keys.  This must be used in conjunction with
			//		 disqus_facebook_forum (see authenticateFacebook).
			var facebook_api_key = 'bd6a8bc56f8eb204984f34b6fefe228d';
			if (typeof disqus_facebook_api_key != 'undefined') {
				facebook_api_key = disqus_facebook_api_key;
			}

			FB.init(facebook_api_key, window.facebookXdReceiverPath || null,
				{fetchSignedPublicSessionData: true});
		});
}


	


if(typeof(disqus_callback) == 'function') {
	var callback_params = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams()['dsq_cbp'] || null;

	// We don't care about any errors in third-party code
	try {
		disqus_callback(callback_params);
	} catch (x) {
		if (typeof(console) != 'undefined' && typeof(console.log) == 'function') {
			// But it would be nice to let developers know about them
			console.log(x);
		}
		// pass
	}

	// HACK: We don't know if the callback wraps our container, which may
	// possibly result in a new DOM element.
	Dsq.container = document.getElementById('dsq-content');
}

})();




