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"points": null, "subscribe_on_post": 2, "moderator_can_edit": false, "is_remote": false, "is_verified": false, "missing_perm": "login"}, "realtime_paused": false, "posts": {"876034": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Yes. That b.s. came directly from the head man himself. As if Obama is some child! I mean, who the hell do you think you are talking to? And if these people are not careful, there could very well be a backlash coming on them from those who do not agree with their flame-throwing.  I have had to scale back my visits over at DailyKos because of it. The same with Ariana Huffington and the rest of them. It's as if everyone has lost their gatdamned minds!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_15:45:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "f0164dcd05ffcff555bb28a506992494", "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": 868495, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "875526": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Defining my terms:<br><br>Truth isn't the opposite of lying. Sometimes you have to lie in order to tell the truth. <br><br>But that's another discussion.<br><br>Peace.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_13:58:29", "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": 871403, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870920": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I used to be in the business of the care and feeding of politicians including managing their campaigns, drafting brochures, targeting their mailers and managing their offices. That said, I never had any advice to offer Obama and his campaign during the primary. I always thought he would defeat Clinton if his campaign was well managed.  It was and he did. <br><br>I don't think Obama is in any trouble right now but his backsliding and talking out of both sides of his mouth about FISA (There is no other way to describe his behavior.) is extremely disappointing. FISA, is my opinion, cannot be subsumed under the heading of \"Campaign Strategy\" as if that, and that alone, is all that matters. <br><br>I hope that Obama wins the presidency but I don't believe for one moment that he will do anything to change FISA once he is elected. Politicians don't enjoy shooting the rapids again if they have already made their way to calmer waters.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:22:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 870522, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869388": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Fortunately, this election isn't a referendum on Obama. It's a referendum on McCain, who's batshit crazy and probably even more dangerous than Bush. So anyone who doesn't support Obama is helping our nation take a short slide into the wood chipper.<br><br>But the Democratic capitulation on FISA is still very bad news. Back in the 60s, our government eavesdropped on domestic political opponents, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. The bad old days of Nixon and Hoover are something that nobody here wants to see again. But if Congress rips out all the safeguards against government surveillance, we're pretty much guaranteed to see another COINTELPRO. It's like when Congress deregulated the financial industry\u2014they revoked the Depression-era reforms, and we got Enron and oil speculators. Deregulation is dumb.<br><br>Now, during the primaries, Obama was clearly opposed to any FISA bill that included immunity. But once the primaries were over, he promptly voted for just such a bill. And when asked why he voted for it, Obama said that the bill was compromise, and (1) that it would make FISA the exclusive mechanism for spying on the American people (which FISA already _was_, according to a Federal Court), and (2) that it would prevent certain important surveillance programs from lapsing (programs that Obama strongly opposed six months ago). Not a wise compromise.<br><br>Now, I'm not the least bit surprised by Obama's recent statements on abortion, gun control, or government funding of religious organizations. Those positions of his were clear from day one, and anybody who's getting upset over that now shouldn't be surprised, and shouldn't be accusing Obama of \"moving towards the center.\"<br><br>But man, that FISA vote was depressing. It won't keep me from working for Obama, because\u2014as I said above\u2014this election is all about McMain, and McCain is a menace. And Obama is still way better than Kerry and Clinton, and he's definitely going to get more of my money than Kerry did.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:45:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "f3e232ee129f31366b9e744d1e7ca942", "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}, "870402": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Nuts? Where??!!!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:20:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870273, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871440": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "And then there's that.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:43:49", "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": 871332, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870934": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I used to be in the business of the care and feeding of politicians including managing their campaigns, drafting brochures, targeting their mailers and managing their offices. That said, I never had any advice to offer Obama and his campaign during the primary. I always thought he would defeat Clinton if his campaign was well managed. It was and he did. <br><br>I don't think Obama is in any trouble right now but his backsliding and talking out of both sides of his mouth about FISA (There is no other way to describe his behavior.) is extremely disappointing. FISA, is my opinion, cannot be subsumed under the heading of \"Campaign Strategy\" as if that, and that alone, is all that matters. <br><br>I hope that Obama wins the presidency but I don't believe for one moment that he will do anything to change FISA once he is elected. Politicians don't enjoy shooting the rapids again if they have already made their way to calmer waters.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:24:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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}, "870489": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "She runs a site that actually called Obama - UPPITY- so, what the hell else do you think she'd do? Joan Walsh is a snake that cannot be trusted.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:28:50", "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": 870043, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876568": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Hey heartsandflowers, did you see the <a href=\"http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/the-sky-didnt-fall\" rel=\"nofollow\">recent post</a> at the field that says (in part):<br><br><i>Only in America do a significant number of people equate expressions of outrage and indignation du jour as somehow being akin to the hard work of political activism or participation. And I hate to say it, but this delusion is worse, much worse, on the left side of the dial where reaction is the standard operating procedure in place of authentic action. I speak, therefore I act is the great American illusion of politics.</i><br><br>(PS A thunderstorm is coming in so I need to turn off the computer now, but I saw your other comment and will email you when I can get more computer time. I have no idea why your email to the address I posted above bounced.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_17:45:23", "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": 876157, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870431": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well, listen. Stop the dishonesty. I'm certainly not naive about white liberals, but you all know damn well that they would be hitting a white Democratic Presidential candidate every bit as hard on the FISA issue.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:23:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "fb67e13066281c4e22557d02eb57edda", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871457": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I've just started reading political news this past year, so I'd like to know if Clinton, Kerry, or Edwards got roasted by the netroots for their Iraq vote?  I think NMP is on to something.  Why are we holding Obama to higher standards?<br><br>I, too, think the FISA bill/law stinks.  But I think attacking Iran stinks even more.  Why the hell aren't people bitching about Bush/McCain's insistance on attacking Iraq?  Nevermind that we would be paying $7/gallon for gas, innocent Iranians will be killed.<br><br>This whole \"losing our civil liberties\" meme I keep hearing from the left is bullsh*t anyway.  It's illusory.  We never <i>really</i> had civil liberties.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:46:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "happycozy", "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": 870248, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868870": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mark, <br>Spend a little more time on the net, you'll see a lot of white liberals who just like feeling good about themselves by calling themselves liberals.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:01:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "kate03", "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}, "869932": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Obama's biggest hurdle as president could very well be a veto-proof Democrat Congress (whether by gaining seats or a coalition with centrist Republicans). As Craig Hickman wrote, \"he also challenges the Democratic power structure. Notice how many Senators have refused to endorse him openly.\" The bills Obama may want passed could easily become so compromised as to become unrecognizably his.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:31:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "857b21858d37eb5afe4f7cde245e33f5", "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}, "869933": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This doesn't matter. What ifs don't win elections. I want Barack Obama to get elected President in November.  Tinfoil doesn't help that happen. Neither do rallies at the Bradenberg Gate which violate international protocol.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:31:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869876, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870452": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Question for PTCruiser:<br><br>Anderkoo wrote: <i>the self-styled \"progressive\" heads are spinning here. I refer them all to Gail Collins' column yesterday -- exactly what did they think they were buying?</i><br><br>And then you responded (I think you responded to that, correct me if I am wrong): <br><br><i>Gail Collins' column also addressed Obama's reversal on FISA</i><br><br>But PTCruiser, which Gail Collins column are you talking about? <br><br>Anderkoo referred to \"yesterday\" which in my understanding would be July 10's <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/opinion/10collins.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin\" rel=\"nofollow\">\"The Audacity of Listening\"</a>. <br><br>I looked through it again and saw no mention of FISA. Even did a text search for FISA and it came up nil. Did I miss it? (always possible)<br><br>The reversal she is critical of that I could see is on public financing.<br><br>So, could you please offer a quote from that column that supports what you are claiming? Or a link to another column that you are actually referring to?<br><br>Thanks in advance for the information. <br><br>I am feeling an increasingly strong need for evidence and accuracy these days even in small things. Usually when I feel this way it means that there is a lot of static/noise/bullshit flying around that needs to be cut through. Not necessarily from you, PTCruiser, but all around the issues that this post today is discussing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:24:59", "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": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870254, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870238": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "yes, i have noticed the \"presumptive\" or \"he's not yet the nominee\" bullshit.  it never happens with mccain.  sickening.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:03:28", "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": 868529, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "881722": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Why would it? I know the context of that remark and It has absolutely nothing to do with what we're talking about.<br><br>Unless you have evidence that he has said something like, \"I don't need to worry about getting votes from Black people because they will support me no matter what I do\" then, suffice it to say, I'm not going to agree with you about this.<br><br>No disrespect.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-13_16:54:15", "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": 876275, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871099": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well, it's only fair.  If he will bow to the Jewish community,  Hispanics, Blue Collar Whites...then why not African Americans too?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:50:57", "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": 870248, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869960": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"---he's been more of a center-right candidate all along.\"<br><br>Center-right? You sure about that?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:33:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "fb67e13066281c4e22557d02eb57edda", "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}, "877134": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I agree with you 100% . Another problem is the no drama policy.  Whenever a newstory come out Obama hates it when the staff overreacts. That's a good thing  but sometimes there are problems with that. Rev. Wright is a perfect example. When the Wright came back into the spotlight they took too long to respond to the fiasco. The same with FISA. A couple days after Obama made his announcement, David Plouffe  was asked about the Netroots' furious reaction to his supporting the bill. Plouffe asked what reaction? I mean talk about out of touch.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_20:02:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "faba19c60bc49948a7a5801b50c79fe1", "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": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868943": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Booky...a candidate is the presumptive nominee, until he actually gets nominated. McCain is the GOP presumptive nominee.<br><br>Here is a snippet from WaPo yesterday:<br><br>\"U.S. Sen. John McCain, <b>the presumptive Republican presidential nominee</b>, will speak to Northern Virginia voters as part of virtual townhall meeting on Thursday night.\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:07:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "tvanel", "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": 868529, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869972": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<b>Why FISA is So Bad . . .</b><br>I have been a reader of Glenn Greenwald, a constitutional law litigator, at <a href=\"http://salon.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">salon.com</a> for quite some time, and his bell ringing on FISA has awakened me and many others to what Congress and the President have been trying to do. I highly recommend his articles, generally, because they are cogent and pull no punches. He does not endorse particular politicians, but does advocate calling, emailing, or contributing to representatives on particular issues.<br><br><a href=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/ rel=\"nofollow\">Today's article</a href> details interviews he's had with the ACLU and adds a little insight about why the FISA bill is so bad. Please read it, and take note of the following passage:<br><i><blockquote>He underscores the extraordinary fact that the surveillance program implemented by Congress yesterday does not merely authorize most of the President's so-called \"Terrorist Surveillance Program\" that gave rise to this scandal in the first place, but is actually much broader in scope even than that lawless program, <b>because there is not even any requirement in the new FISA law that the \"target\" of the surveillance have any connection whatsoever to Terrorism, nor is there any requirement that the Government believe the \"target\" is an agent of a foreign power or terrorist organization, or even guilty of any wrongdoing at all.</b></i></blockquote><br>This is why it is so important to hold ALL politicians accountable for FISA, not just Obama. This is an incredibly bad law. It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the MSM has not picked up on how terrible this law is, and that is why it is even more important that progressives and anyone else who cares about civil liberties act to try to get this thing repealed. As I've said before, if you think this law won't eventually be used against people in the Black community (if it hasn't already), you've got another think coming.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:34:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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}, "868953": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Preach it, sister! I still find Daily Kos useful as a way to see at a glance what the hot political news is, but most of the diaries and comments are useless these days. There are still a lot of good people trying to speak the truth, but sometimes it is hard to find them.<br><br>It seems clear that most of the progressive blogosphere has not read The Audacity of Hope or was not paying attention during the primaries. Every single one of Obama's so-called \"flip-flops\" or \"moves to the center\" are things he has said before, in most cases years before.<br><br>It seems like a lot of the people crying the loudest over FISA were Clinton or Edwards supporters during the primaries. Sounds like crocodile tears to me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:07:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "4e34c77fc9e24bed1a2faae3c6e7385b", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870490": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The problem is there in the \"make mistakes and then apologize for it\" mode. They keep on shooting themselves in the foot; people are telling them they're going to shoot themselves in the foot before it happens, but they do it anyway.  From the Great Seal of Barack to FISA to the Access Hollywood Interview to the Bradenberg Gate idea, they've consistently ignored people giving them blunt warnings about obvious problems. (Thanks to their failure to listen about the Bradenberg Gate thing, there is now a record of foreign leaders blasting the campaign and saying it is being presumptuous..I warned the campaign about that 2 and a half weeks ago, but they're still pushing this stupid idea and keeping negative reaction to it in the press. Why? Because they can't admit they had a bad idea; they can't admit that Barack giving a speech to a giant rally can be a bad idea. As I said above, giving a speech to a giant crowd of Europeans has no benefit and massive risks. It's stupid politics. From what I see, I get the sense that there isn't a dissenting voice within the headquarters. All is *too well* there). <br><br>To me, it's quite apparent, they didn't allow themselves to think about the general election as long as Hillary Clinton was a candidate. They have no plan for the general election. John McCain has been handing one election altering moment after another to the Obama campaign, but they don't push it to the media. They just sit back and say they don't care. The problem is that the candidate doesn't watch the cable news, which is fine. But people think that spin is unimportant then. Far, far from it.<br><br>This has long been a problem with the campaign. They've long refused to fight the spin battles. (The right thing may not have taken off the way it did had the campaign done a better job of fighting it before it got onto the air. Bittergate was another example of letting a media story get out of control). <br><br>They need to wise up and do a better job of thinking ahead. That they had to apologize to you is the problem. If that happens with the Bradenberg Gate, no apology can undo the damage...The campaign needs to shape up now. The only way to do that is to bring in new people.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:28:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 12, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870161, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868956": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "CraigHickman, you are ridiculous.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:07:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 868768, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871523": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "No matter how much people want to delude themselves into thinking that this is normal *IT ISN'T*. It's unprecedented. Absolutely unprecedented for a politician to hold a massive rally on foreign soil. It is also incredibly *BAD* politics. If this comes off as a few deluded souls in Chicago would like, this will make FISA look like a good decision...foreign politicians don't hold rallies on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The Chancellor is right on this one; she has a grasp of international protocol, something the Obama campaign doesn't get. <br><br>Worse, the Obama campaign has deluded themselves into thinking this is another Kenya moment. Far, far from it. There is a totally ignorant of the different dynamics at play here, and they're doing their best to piss away Obama's chance to get elected.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:57:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871232, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870161": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Hi, Bag of Health and Politics. You wrote: <i>Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. </i><br><br>This statement is <b>deeply contradicts</b> my recent actual -- though quite limited -- experience with a Chicago staff member.<br><br>I'll share the info, but first I have to ask you, Bag of Health and Politics  -- <b>where are you getting your information about what is actually going on in the HQ?</b> This question is both a challenge and real curiosity, since my own experience is quite limited. I wonder if you have direct experience with this group or some of its members ... and if so I would like to add those details to my own information to help me see the whole picture<br><br>My own limited experience is this. I complained about a national LGBT conference call they put on after Senator Obama became the presumptive nominee. I don't know anyone on the staff at all, am just a random person who got upset about it. <br><br>I ended up being contacted by a staff member from Chicago who genuinely and openly and directly admitted they had made mistakes ... and thanked me. Not BS bureaucratic thanks, but the real thing. <br><br>That same staff person told me in a phone conversation a few weeks later that my concerns/complaints, along with others, had (this is a paraphrase from me) pushed the staff to look critically at what they had been doing and bring stuff to the front burner that had been too long on the back burner and they are still working on it all.<br><br>I have a feel for this kind of thing, I have always been focused on this area (whether people and groups are truly open to learning or are closed)  and I want to say -- most ACTIVIST groups I have been involved with would not have responded so openly or with such a clear and non-defensive capacity and willingness to learn from their mistakes.<br><br>Further, when I received a silly robotic response from another part of the staff (I assume in Chicago, but not sure) on this same issue, I emailed this staff person, he understood exactly why it was inappropriate, spoke to them, apologized to me with no drama and that was that.<br><br>Here is the email I sent him after our phone conversation -- the date of the email is July 4 and it was about a week after we spoke on the phone. I don't say stuff like this lightly -- and, I usually don't get to say things like this at all because normally I don't see this kind of response to criticism:<br><br><i><b>I am really deeply supportive and impressed by your responses to what I did and said re: that LGBT conference call.<br><br>I have been involved in various kinds of social movement/activist contexts for the past 20 years. In the last year, I have had to question my own involvement in activism, for a very specific reason: critical experience-based questioning functions in practice as a threat in a lot of these contexts, and yet it is an inescapable part of the core of who and what I am.<br><br>In my experience, it's really really hard for people and groups in this society to deal with direct experience-based critical questioning. Defensiveness is extremely common and too often functions as a barrier to learning.<br><br>I would not even have bothered sending my initial upset email to the LGBT listserve if I hadn't read Senator Obama's books, watched the campaign over months, and seen in him the capacity to attend and learn in (what I would call) a real way.<br><br>Your response to my emails was, in my perception, very direct and honest and clear. No energy-wasting defensiveness or other BS -- that is extremely rare in my experience. And when you told me in our phone conversation that critical responses to the call brought issues to the forefront that needed to be brought there, I was extremely impressed.<br><br>I am writing this email to thank you and the other staff for this, to thank all of you and Senator Obama for fostering a culture in which it was possible for you to respond as you did to me and to any other criticism of that call. To make a learning and dialogue experience of it rather than to put shields up and just defend and avoid -- I can't tell you how rare that is in my experience, and how impressed I am.<br><br>Please, all of you, please keep it up. Please stay honest and grounded and open to learning in situations like this. And thank you. It's hard to express the significance of this to me, but it goes deep.</i></b><br><br>So when I see a comment like <i>the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done</i> it goes 100% against my actual experience and I want to both share it and also ask for details on where you are getting your information; if you have direct experience also, I would like to get the details and add them to my own information to develop and shape my own understanding further.<br><br>(If you have information you would prefer not to share publicly, please say so and I'll post my email address or post your email address and I'll contact you.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:55:11", "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": 13, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "873064": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "So true, I would try to leave posts that weren't pro Hillary but was very respectful and civil and they never ever showed up. She allowed no discussion only praise.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_03:40:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "29f6805818d1f575c4b8e2182a2ac4ce", "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": 871332, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871783": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The crowds are the *PROBLEM*. Being the candidate of Europe is not the way to get elected in America!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:48:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871420, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870514": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i><blockquote>What is bothering me is the growing sense among more than a few of us that the sun rises and sets in his behind.</i></blockquote><br>You can say that again. I am ALL FOR having a Black man in the White House, but that doesn't mean that I have to think Obama has moon beams shooting out his butt.<br><br>Someone (here?) recently quoted LBJ: Americans will forgive anything but weakness.  When liberals were giving him hell over Donnie McClurkin, he didn't shrink or change course. He went straight to the Advocate magazine and explained his support for LGBT issues and that McClurkin would stay with his tour. When Jeremiah Wright became an issue, he stood up and gave a great speech about race in America, but didn't throw anybody under the bus (at least not then). He got flack, but most importantly, he got respect as a leader.<br><br>But FISA . . . . FISA was a weak-ass vote. It just was. He didn't take a leadership position on it, he just capitulated. Every argument he gave for voting for it was easily rebutted. It was transparently political and not a position to be respected.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:32:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870389, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870006": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm going to have to join the tinhat parade and not just leave it to our hosts.  It's anyone in the existing established powers that are unsure of what influence they may have in the future if Barack wins and wins with authority.<br>  Be it formal institutions like Congress & the DNC,  or informal  like pundits, brahmin, and hustlers, Yes I'm looking at you Jesse!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:37:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "MrCee", "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}, "870520": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "To be fair, this is really common among Presidential campaigns. The same thing happened to John McCain. The only difference was it happened in the 5 months between February and July, so McCain had his shakeup in July. If it proceeds that way for Obama, people will be just waking up to the campaign's problems around November 3rd. It's why action needs to be taken now in order to offset this. Hell, the campaign should hire Howard Wolfson...I detest the man, but he's effective at what he does.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:33:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 870314, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870522": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It worries me that I am getting into my hard-core \"what is your actual concrete evidence\" mode in reading this thread and responding. I have already asked two people for concrete information to back up statements they made. <br><br>When I get like this, almost obsessive about exact evidence and details, it usually means there is substantial effort to blur and deceive flying around an issue. Not specific to the two people I responded to -- just in general.<br><br>If Ms Hillary and her Bill are seriously back in the mix making noise, it would explain this feeling on my part. The Clintons are chunks of walking talking deception, and mind-f******.<br><br>If that is the case -- The good news is that Senator Obama knew how to deal with them in the primary while many of us were understandably freaking out. They are all about the drama and he and his staff plan and do and move steadily along. People have always felt okay posting on blogs telling Senator Obama he should do this, or isn't doing that right. I saw what happened in the primary. I saw his strategy WORK. So am saying to myself now: here we go again.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:33:01", "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": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871549": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The Chancellor was pressured by Dubya Bush.<br><br>I'm not deluding myself about this (or anything else) but I disagree with you across the board on this.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:02:26", "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": 871523, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870527": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I made a mistake. I should have reread Collins' piece before quoting her from memory. My apologies.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:33:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 870452, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871553": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I don't agree.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:03:05", "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": 871523, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869506": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "kate03:  ABSOLUTELY CO-SIGNING!!!  \"That woman-billary clinton\" is the snake in the Garden[of Eden].  Also, \"Where's bill\"?  He's leaving billary to fend for herself in the \"alledged unity\" fests!  Guess Mr. Obama didn't \"kiss his A$$\".  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:54:57", "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": 868805, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870507": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I'm being far from dishonest when I say that I don't agree with this at all.<br><br>In fact, if Hillary were the nominee, there certainly wouldn't be any organized opposition on her own campaign website.<br><br>Nope.<br><br>I'm not seeing that at all.<br><br>What I'm seeing is a base of netroots screaming \"Hallelujah!!\" because they finally had a nomine who was willing to fight those Republicans  with all her might.<br><br>Don't get it twisted.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:31:20", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870431, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871046": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Here's the thing, though:<br><br>Barack's vote on FISA is NOT indefensible.<br><br>That's your very strong opinion.<br><br>But it's not the truth.<br><br>My opinion is also just that.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:42:26", "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": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869137, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870535": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "couldn't agree more!   the irony here is that the so-called elitist candidate is being sabotaged by the elitists who supposedly supported him.  incredible.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:34:55", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869154, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870025": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "When you start holding all politicians accountable, get back to me.<br><br>Till then, your words don't mean a thing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:39:26", "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": 869972, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871563": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "He's effective at intimidating the press and framing things in a positive direction for his candidate. Doing that practically requires you to be an asshole...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:04:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871395, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870028": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Thanks for continuing to push the ball forward on this issue!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:39:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 869972, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871053": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "And also, Bag of Health and Politics: I would ask that you please find a more accurate way to describe what you are criticizing -- \"group think\" is not accurate even to what you are criticizing them for.<br><br>I understand you and I totally disagree on the value of what I would call \"learning as they act,\" and what you call \"not thinking ahead.\" But no matter where you stand on that, you do see that they acknowledge their mistakes (even though you think they should and could have avoided them).<br><br>The words group think suggests a closed-ness and rigidity that is totally not accurate even from the POV of what you are saying. Group think would be closed to outside criticism. Group think would have led them to either ignore or BS away my criticisms, or to respond by trying to change my mind and show me I was \"wrong.\" That is NOT what occurred.<br><br>The more I think about it the more it makes my stomach sink to consider that word you used, its inaccuracy in relation to what you are actually criticizing them for, and what it connects with -- the \"spin\" of it given that it is not even accurate to what you yourself have observed. <br><br>You may not be doing this on purpose, but in mis-naming what you are criticizing as \"group think,\" you are drawing on some threads of deception that go way way back in this election season (remember the whole \"cult\" theme, for example?)<br><br>------------------------<br><br>And also, you wrote: <i>I warned the campaign about that 2 and a half weeks ago, but they're still pushing this stupid idea and keeping negative reaction to it in the press. Why? Because they can't admit they had a bad idea; they can't admit that Barack giving a speech to a giant rally can be a bad idea. As I said above, giving a speech to a giant crowd of Europeans has no benefit and massive risks. It's stupid politics. From what I see, I get the sense that there isn't a dissenting voice within the headquarters. All is *too well* there).</i><br><br>Either that, or they just <b>disagree with you</b> on this particular issue. Your particular perspective not running things is NOT the same as total lack of dissent. People in this society often get confused on this point. Just bc they're not doing it YOUR way ... that doesn't mean it's group think. It means they're not doing it your way, that's all.<br><br>You may be right, or they may be right or someone with a different perspective may be right. We'll see. The actual reality is that the long-term outcome of this is not apparent right now. They are seeking to win a presidential bid. Will they or won't they? We'll know in November, despite any efforts to project into the future and say how things should happen. In the meantime, we all have our opinions on what should and should not happen. <br><br>Sometimes there will be disagreement -- and them not doing things how you or I or whoever wants it done in a given moment or on a given issue is not the same as group think. That's just an ego fantasy IMO.<br><br>So far they have done great work in defeating the huge insider well-funded Dem frontrunner for the nomination. That I know from actual observation and experience.<br><br>And now I am wondering: What IS it with the backseat drivers -- it was huge during the primaries, practically everyone with a keyboard and an opinion acting like they knew what Senator Obama's campaign \"should\" be doing. The blogosphere would go off regularly  and in various directions about what was wrong with their approach and what they should do differently.  <br><br>I need to think more about this in particular, it seems pretty significant to me as I write about it now.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:44:25", "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": 7, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870490, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868495": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I wish you WOULD post this over at Kos.  I can't believe how often I have seen \"I'm not donating to Obama because I am not rewarding bad behavior\", as if he was their trained seal or something.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:33:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "b45f45c3d16eaa32e1783c1d1798a893", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870546": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "LOL GreenLady!!!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:35:58", "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": 869648, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869523": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "That depends on how effective the campaign's press shop is in shaping the narrative. Given Obama's troubles with the press since February, I'm not too confident in the campaign's press shop.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:55:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 869388, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869017": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you I only wish I can write out my thoughts as well as you.Today you get two big thumps up.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:13:00", "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}, "870043": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I didn't see the woman you are talking about, but more than likely, that was Joan Walsh. She is awful. She has lost a lot of readers and respect over her anti-Obamaism.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:41:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 869866, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869023": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm sure you think so. And I certainly have my moments.<br><br>But I've still got pretty good eyesight.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:13:22", "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": 868956, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871073": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>What bothers me more than Obama's FISA vote, is the sense that he believes we (Black People) are going to support him NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES</i><br><br>::<br><br>Can you tell me how you get from A to B with this one?<br><br>I mean, I don't hear Barack talking specifically to Black people about his FISA vote and suggesting he believes Black people are going to vote for him no matter what.<br><br>If he has, please show me the light.<br><br>Why are you making this a Black thing?<br><br>Why, oh why, are you projecting this onto him?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:46:29", "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": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870248, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876707": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "and only in American would anyone contributing to discussion on a blog assume that they know what any individual is or is not doing, based on their words, what actions are or are not being taken whether by individual on the right or the left.<br><br>only in america does 80% of the population stay so disengaged as to not even <i>know</i> what's going on, let alone express an opinion about it or, lord knows, take any action.<br><br>only in george bush's america, do people try to squelch the dissent upon which the nation was founded. <br><br>only in this america would people all across the spectrum from left to right cavalierly dismiss the very thing that makes us a nation, as if it's nothing more than used up toilet paper.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:16:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 876568, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870565": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "**<i>applause</i>**", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:37:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870248, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "875707": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Truthseeker, Barack is hiring new staff to his campaign. He's hired outreach coordinators to several different communities, including the African-American community, an action that all by itself rebuts the notion he's taking our votes for granted.<br><br>He's trying things out. Learning as he goes. Which is why he's perfectly fine with stopping with the stuff that doesn't work. <br><br>I believe he's already receiving some fresh perspectives, but because he's a man of deliberation, we may not see a radical facelift. <br><br>That said, I trust his deliberateness. I'm not suggesting he's running a flawless campaign, but he's privy to much more than I am. And I simply can't imagine <i>all</i> that he's up against<br><br>Sometimes I get the feeling that many of his supporters who happen to be Black forget that Barack is, well, Black.<br><br>All I mean by that is that he can't possibly do all things the same way a white candidate could.<br><br>I'm rambling now, but...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_14:31:02", "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": 871146, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870569": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thanks, PTCruiser! You have no idea how thankful I am for your reply because I was starting to feel really disoriented.<br><br>And actually, I just read each line very carefully and came back to post that she did say this: <i>It\u2019s not his fault that we missed the message \u2014 although to be fair, he did make it sound as if getting rid of the \u201cold politics\u201d involved driving out the oil and pharmaceutical lobbyists rather than splitting the difference on federal wiretapping legislation. But if you look at the political fights he\u2019s picked throughout his political career, the main theme is not any ideology. It\u2019s that he hates stupidity. \u201cI don\u2019t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war,\u201d he said in 2002 in his big speech against the invasion of Iraq. He did not, you will notice, say he was against unilateral military action or pre-emptive attacks or nation-building. He was antidumb.</i><br><br>I'm not clear what that tangential reference to wiretapping means, though, especially given the context of the whole paragraph. But I also was wrong -- she did mention FISA, just not by name.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:38:02", "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": 870527, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876487": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "not telecom immunity.<br><br>fourth amendment.<br><br>constitution.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_17:24:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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}, "870061": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "What, CraigHickman, do I have to do to please you? Please tell me, because you know I live to serve you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:43:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870025, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868529": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Has anyone but me noticed that Obama is called the \"presumtive Democratic nominee\"?  <br><br>Speaking of tinfoil hats,  blogging in Alabama is dangerous to your employment.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=E4F910E93D639CC10858108A75F6E924?diaryId=2105\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsess...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:36:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "03c199c607a1578bbac1d88a28cb1108", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "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}, "874162": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Kerry was roasted by the netroots for the Iraq thing. The netroots was with Dean. Kerry won without the netroots. They threw tantrums for a few months. The difference: Kerry won earlier, so the tantrums weren't thrown in July. People are looking for the race angle here. It doesn't have anything to do with that. The netroots thought it had won the FISA debate,and they were wrong. They felt betrayed. They took it out on Obama...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_10:02:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871457, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872222": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I have to agree with that.  They didn't take control the press.  They let Howard and Hillary run all over them.  Even now, they're still not really feeding the \"beast'.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:15:07", "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": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 872161, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871094": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I still don't agree wit you<br><br>At all.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:50:23", "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": 869338, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "873143": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Why is principled and legitimate criticism of Obama being seen as throwing him under the bus? Are you asking that we refrain from any critical comments about his positions? <br><br>Civil liberties are not a figment of our imaginations.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_04:14:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 872493, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876728": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"not on welfare, if they earned it, it would be one thing, but they didn't earn it.\"<br><br>Did this person tell you how he knew that everyone in North Tulsa was on welfare?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:18:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 876512, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869051": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Finally! someone mentions Bill Clinton's execution of that mentally challenged man. My father talks about it all the time as the moment he knew this man was piece of crap.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:16:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "245857794a8d4da90a73fbb64352b916", "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}, "869059": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The Bradenberg Gate idea is *BAD* politics. If you want something which will put him behind in the polls before Denver, a speech at the Bradenberg Gate is it. By the way, it isn't Obama himself who is the problem here. It's overconfident campaign staffers in Chicago. Speaking to a massive European crowd of people who *CANNOT VOTE* carries enormous risks, and has no real benefit. Thankfully, the German Home Ministry appears to have nixed this stupid event before it happened. <br><br>Obama's campaign needs some fresh people in Chicago. Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. It's not serving the candidate well. The FISA vote, the failure to consider the reaction in the netroots, lagging fund-raising, and daily beatings in the press is showing it. Specifically, Obama needs a new press shop--one dedicated to actually fighting the spin battles. It's dirty, nasty work that the candidate rightly disdains, but it's needs to be done in order to win. I want to change the rules of the game, but to do that we have to win by playing the game under its current rules...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:16:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 39, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871108": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This backseat driver thing is huge in relation to Senator Obama's campaign. I'm remembering all of that during the primaries and it is coming up again now. <br><br>It seems significant but I am not entirely sure what it means. Would appreciate any critical insights anyone has to offer on this phenom.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:52:21", "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": 870601, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869576": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "CPL:  YEP!!!  But we still need to watch the news for her/their sneaky \"suspended\" campaigning!!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:59:40", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869102, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870601": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "yes.  i agree.  nothin' worse than a backseat driver.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:41:39", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870522, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872140": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "i am white and progressive and i will vote for obama. <br><br>because i no longer trust him, i am not confident that he will do anything to preserve the supreme court, but i know mccain will not and that's the sole reason for my vote. otherwise i'd sit this one out because principle matters and if principle is subjugated to political expediency, then we get what we've had for the last couple of decades, at least.<br><br>i did not start out distrusting him. he made promises about fisa, about filibustering the bill and he broke them. the check i was going to write to him just up and eloped with those broken promises. i'll vote, but not support.<br><br>the constitution is not a \"white\" or \"progressive\" or \"liberal\" issue. i can't quite believe that's being said here.  i am heartened by the enormous groundswell of people rising up to fight this grotesque violation of the constitution. <br><br>it is interesting and hopeful to me that the coalition developing to get this travesty of justice overturned is made up of right wingers, left wingers, socialists, libertarians, centrists, and folks all across america, running on a continuum from extreme left to extreme white.<br><br>i expect there are african american people within that coalition too. i find it incredibly insulting to blacks that people here insist this is a \"white\" or \"progressive\" issue. <br><br>you're making it out to be an anti-obama stance, that there's something else afoot, when the fact is that we are a nation of laws and without that we have nothing. or we have george bush. and i, for one, am heartily sick of george bush and have had enough of his running roughshod over the constitution, of his law violations. <br><br>because i'm sick of george bush doesn't mean i will support another running roughshod over the constitution and legitimizing violations of the law. i don't care who they are or what party they're affiliated with. <br><br>this issue matters. it does. it's not black-white-native american-asian-hispanic-whatever. it is a profound, democratic, foundation of this country issue. <br><br>that's all.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_22:58:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 13, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869876": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Amen, Rikyrah! I was just talking to my husband about the (white) netroots' reaction to FISA, I couldn't help but wonder if John Edwards had won the nomination, would he be expected to jump through hoops the way BO is expected to. Would he have to help Hill's debt (hell, would she have stepped down sooner if John had won?) Would there be PUMAs? Would there still be some question (or hope) that she could convince the supers to back her at the convention? It just makes me grab the tin foil too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:24:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef6b300676d1702a1666b17cc6a7403f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "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}, "876116": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You should go over to Narco news and read Al Giordano's very accurate rebuttal with   FACTS to BACK IT UP and how wrong Greenwald is. And then you may need to rethink your own lack of investigation when you take a position strictly on the basis of one person's opinion.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_16:01:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "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": 869972, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871633": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don\u2019t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States.\" -- Obama 2004<br><br><br>You know Sen. Obama did not write that 2004 Dem. Conv. speech, right?", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:20:32", "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": 0, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870229, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876756": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thanks for the info eclecticbrotha!  Here is the link to the Giordano post and thread calling out Greenwald on his demoagoguery  <br><br><a href=\"http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/salons-glenn-greenwald-writes-the-field#comments\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/salon...</a>", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:22:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "Donna_L", "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": 870803, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868565": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Correct link for dangerous blogging in Alabama:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=E4F910E93D639CC10858108A75F6E924?diaryId=2105\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsess...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:38:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "03c199c607a1578bbac1d88a28cb1108", "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}, "870614": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah/taritac:  CO-SIGNINIG BIG TIME!  She still doesn't want to believe that billary \"LOST\".  She refers to her as often as she can.  And NO \"feminista\" support for the hatin' that Mrs. Obama is experiencing.<br>I have an idea:  Maybe JJP could start a \"SSSSSSSNAKE List\" to include people who act like one, e.g., Joan Walsh, hillary clinton, shelby steele, now the Rev. JJ,<br>Just a thought.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:43:51", "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": 870489, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "874200": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Here's the problem with the gate: people are so desperate for that moment that they don't want to wait until the proper time. A speech at the gate is the <i>dream</i> for Obama supporters. But a speech by a Senator at the gate is just that--a dream, not reality. If you want to turn the dream until reality, Barack Obama has to get elected President of the United States before such a speech. <br><br>People are over anxious. The long primary has confused Obama's staff and supporters that their victory in the primary means victory in the general election. So they're running around desperately trying to look Presidential--the seal, the Bradenburg Gate speech, etc. All it really does is make Obama look phony. <br><br>The information I sent the Obama campaign was respectful. It contains some stuff which shouldn't be discussed publicly, so I won't post it here. That this is still smoldering in the press is a big problem. It's indicative of <b>MAJOR</b> problems with Obama's Press staff.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_10:09:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 872173, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876765": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You.<br>Not.<br>Paying.<br>Attention.<br><br>By the way, have you ever heard of a little thing called \"COINTELPRO?\" I believe blacks learned more than enough about civil liberties when that was exposed.  I am still waiting for someone  to explain to me how removing our ability to sue the telecoms in civil court actually violates our civil liberties.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:23:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "eclecticbrotha", "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": 876487, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872161": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The people I have a problem with are white. The problem isn't the candidate, it's his press shop. It is inept, and has been inept for over six months now. The slanted coverage is caused by a campaign that doesn't have a clue about handling the press...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:03:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871913, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870121": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "barry4potus, thanks. I know I come on strong, but it is out of my alarm and disappointment with this FISA vote.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:51:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870017, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871146": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I agree that maybe his campaign needs some freshening.  However, if Brandenberg was a bad idea, then why would Bush be interfering to try to stop it?<br><br>Barack will speak in Germany to massive, adoring crowds of Germans....the optics will be terrible for McCain.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:57:43", "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": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870124": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Nope!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:51:27", "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": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869876, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872173": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Bag of Health and Politics, your opinion and assessment is not The Truth.<br><br>It is your opinion and assessment, shared by some and not shared by some. It may be right (true), it may be wrong (false). It may be some of both mixed up all together.<br><br>But people disagreeing with you -- that is, not accepting your assertion of Truth to guide their actions -- is not group think or prevention of dissent.<br><br>You and those who agree with you are not the end- all and be-all of what is True.<br><br>Eh, never mind. This whole long conversation with you -- and others I am seeing in which you are engaged and people are not in agreement with your view -- feels to me sort of like talking with an aggressive self-righteous Christian evangelist (but without the faux \"charm\" of them trying to convert me).<br><br>The interesting thing is: I don't really have an opinion on the Bradenberg Gate thing, myself. One way or another.<br><br>I do know that I tend <b>not</b> to trust people/groups who are this rigidly convinced that they Know The Truth and this rigidly closed to the reality of others' perspectives.  <br><br>People and groups coming from this rigid space, whatever their actual opinion or assessment is on any given issue, IMO lack good internal checks and balances on their perspectives. They are so rigidly certain that they are correct that it is very difficult for \"dissenting\" information to get in, and thus a self-referential feedback loop is a real serious risk. <br><br>So to me this stance is less trustworthy as a process of getting to actual truth and reality than are more open and flexible approaches. <br><br>Therefore, I would tend to respond to what you're saying about the Gate with a slight movement toward  <i>distrusting</i> your assessment (though again I don't have a firm opinion one way or another), since I don't trust the core process you're using to make your assessment in the first place.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:05:39", "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": 871271, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869102": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Yep there a bit of a double standard here and he is being held to a different standard for sure. Most of these folks criticizing Obama never read any of his books..if you read, listen---he's been more of a center-right candidate all along. Someone pundit said the other day, the guy talks about bringing red states, blue states, Dems and repubs together..where exactly did they expect Obama to bring them...the left side of south side of Chicago?<br><br>As for this statement<br><br><b>\"CPL pointed out that the entire holding up the money for Obama is to pressure him to take Hillpatine on his ticket\"</b><br><br> She is not even getting vetted, but I sense that HRC and Bill are still trying the negotiate behind the scences and her debt is not the only thing being discussed. These Hillraisers are used to running the show, I read somewhere that HRC had several 100K rooms or suites reserved thinking she would be the nominee, LOL...They are used to getting their rear ends kissed, titles, access and then some...Obama is not doing this so it is pissing them off.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:20:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "tvanel", "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}, "876157": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Hmmm so you're back. I recall you saying you were leaving until election time because you were crying over FISA and it was a deal-breaker for you and blah blah blah. Now this...why are you here?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_16:10:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 872140, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872176": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "for those of you who see all of this simply as a means to embarrass and undermine obama, tell me this:<br><br>where does it stop?<br><br>what can he do that will cause you to withdraw your support?<br><br>do you have a limit?<br><br>if you don't, then i can only assume that getting this man into the white house, regardless of what he stands for, regardless of what he does, is your only aim, for whatever reason.<br><br>if you do have a limit, then what is it? where do you draw a line?<br><br>as i've said and said and said and said and i <i>know</i> you all are tired of hearing it and i don't even belong here because i'm white, but i keep coming back <i>anyway</i>, this is my line:<br><br>the constitution<br><br>the bill of rights<br><br>the amendments<br><br>that is bedrock, an absolute for me. how can we live in a nation where our leaders are criminals? that is the case right now, and to align oneself with those criminals is simply unacceptable <i>to me</i>. that's my line.<br><br>where's yours?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:06:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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}, "870641": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Great post, Rikyrah.<br><br>The left is forming the circular firing squad . . . right on schedule.  And all parties bear some responsibility (the progressive community included).<br><br>As far as race goes.  I don't know if it's the driving force behind some of the criticism, but I do see it as a factor.  I've seen far less worthy Democratic nominees get far better treatment and far more support from the Democratic establishment than Obama has.  I've also seen them get far more respect.  And that's from black and white critics alike.  I still can't imagine hearing a Republican say he wanted to cut John McCain's nuts off . . . or imagine another former President tell the nominee of his party to kiss his a*s.  That's more than unprofessional, it's highly disrespectful . . . and personal.<br><br>And while I also oppose Obama's FISA vote, I'm fully aware that the 4th Amendment has been dead to the black community for a long time.  Conservatives have been chipping away at those rights for decades.  Doesn't excuse the vote, but black folks weren't fully protected under the 4th before FISA to begin with.  \"Reasonable suspicion\" is a weak threshold to cross . . . juries and judges often err on the side of trusting law enforcement and the government when it comes matters of security; especially with unsympathetic defendants (i.e., black defendants who are presumed guilty in the court of public opinion).<br><br>The Supreme Court is just as political as any other branch of government.  And a conservative court will find a way to allow such intrusions onto the Constitution so long as they can identify a public policy/governmental interest.  National Security is that interest.  You can almost invision the Scalia opinion off the top of your head.  Just the same, I'm confident that a liberal court can, perhaps, find a way to reverse the damage of this FISA vote . . . <br><br>But we'v got to get sympathetic justices on the Court first . . . and that starts and ends with this 2008 election.<br><br>The left and Democrats are not in a powerful bargaining position.  But we have the opportunity to start swinging that pendulum back to our side if we don't screw this up!  Sadly, the Democratic Party is just tone deaf enough to alienate its base. . . and the base is self-righteous enough to cut its nose off to spite its face . . . and the Republicans are waiting for it all to happen.  Like clockwork.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:48:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "B_Serious", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872178": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Must be nice to have that luxury. Most people <a href=\"http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/07/people-are-worried-about-far-bigger.html rel=\"nofollow\">are worried about their jobs</a>. People are counting on <i>you</i>, and you will let them down--as the left always does--by making the perfect the enemy of the good. Enjoy President McCain.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:06:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 872140, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876275": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Does \"There is No Black America?\" convince you what he thinks about the Black vote, Craig?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_16:36:49", "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": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 875508, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876278": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The email didn't work Michelle.<br><br><a href=\"mailto:michellesbells@myway.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">michellesbells@myway.com</a> is what I used and it bounced back<br><br>If you see this I am at <a href=\"mailto:fldow@yahoo.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">fldow@yahoo.com</a>", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_16:37:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "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": 872229, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871671": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"On the other hand, Hillary's donors think that Obama should be more vigorous in his fundraising activities, and want recognition, ambassadorships, and are still putting the pressure on the Hillary VP thing. So, I don't envy Obama at all. He has a tough balancing act to deal with and it looks like he will be getting it from all sides for the next couple of months.\"<br><br>My sympathy for Obama on this tip is less than zero. He is not obligated to help Clinton pay her debts and he had the opportunity to make that plain. My wife and I have contributed more than our fair share to Obama and we were happy to do so but Clinton's problems are Clinton's problems.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:28:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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}, "871804": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You have a lot of balls to ask, no, DEMAND that the person pays for the ammunition you used to try and take them out.  Only Hillary Clinton would have the AUDACITY to even try this. (((shakes head)))", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:50:39", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870652": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This is your second incarnation.<br><br>I see you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:49:45", "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": 870121, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872190": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Urgh, I can't post links in the new comments. Most people don't have that luxury. See: <br><br><a href=\"http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/07/people-are-worried-about-far-bigger.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/0...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:08:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 872140, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871679": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "i don't agree either, but whatevah.<br><br>What I would like to know is what member of the Obama campaign explicitly said that Obama was looking to give a speech at this Gate?  From what I can tell, this started as a blog post on Ben Smith's blog at politico.  And as I recall, even this blog post was a \"rumor\" and the Obama campaign itself gave no confirmation that Obama was planning to do this, it was reported, but not confirmed by the camp.  Oh sure, the German side of this story seemed to confirm that the Obama campaign and the Secret Service was scouting locations in Germany, but no official word from the campaign.<br><br>The details of Obama's trip abroad has not been and will not be released until right around the time when he goes. Until the Campaign officially releases information all the analysis and \"political advice\" is just conjecture.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:29:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "lamh", "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": 871523, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869123": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "It seems like a lot of the people crying the loudest over FISA were Clinton or Edwards supporters during the primaries. <br><br>::<br>Now you're talking.<br><br>The new talking points go something  like this: \"If the primary season continued, Hillary would be the nominee because she was the better candidate at the end. (Nevermind that she raised the specter of assassination so blatantly, nevermind that she called on her base of hardworking Americans, white Americans to give her blowouts in the Appalachia primaries.) The Democrats will continue to show more buyer's remorse as the summer goes on. Baracks support will continue to fall off, the big Democratic donors wont open their pockets to Barack, especially if Bill doesn't appear with him and give his blessing, his base will stop donating, etc........\"<br><br>And this is just the beginning.<br><br><br>.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:21:39", "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": 868953, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871686": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>This is the big leagues. You don't screw up as consistently as the campaign is screwing up if you want to win.</i><br><br>Well, it's not like the campaign has won anything recently, is it.<br><br>So far what I see is that the Obama campaign WON the Democratic nomination. Despite all odds and against an amoral heavily favored huge name recognition husband was the president for 8 years front-runner. <br><br>If you're going to focus so hard on what they do \"wrong\" by your standards, please also focus on what they have done right. <br><br>You're right this is the big leagues. I don't consider myself an expert on this stuff. I do know what I see and so far winning the contest in front of them seems to be the outcome of the Obama campaign's actions.<br><br>But of course YOU know better than they do about how to win. You know better because ... um, what exactly are your credentials for knowing better, that you will put up against the actual observable fact of what the campaign has accomplished so far?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:31:17", "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": 871244, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870017": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "rikyrah i love u girl....u hit the nail on the head.......tyo all those more concerned with fisa than anything else than i say do yo thang and that i understand where u are coming from....but when i wake up in the moring, my worry isn't over fisa, my #1 concern is the economy and gas prices..and the war in iraq and afghan and whether that village idiot that resides at 1600 penns dr is gonna send us into war with iran.....i work for a job that is talking the L word and that L word isn't love.....thats the concern i wake up with every morning....so u guys keep howling about the fisa bill and i'll respect u and have yo back on it....just don't get mad when i say it's not my first concern....as BHO said we aren't gonna agree with every thing he does, but i for one don't feel the slighest betryal from my fellow southsider...if anything i feel betrayed by the people who took us into war on false info and for the way the econmy is.......Taritac, i have disagreements with some of the stuff u have said over the last couple of days....but i got much love for u just for saying it with honor and grace and not ridicule.....CraigHickman, u have a new fan in me...as someone who worries bout the future of our people and this country, with people like u,rikyrah, field and the rst of u guys that blog on here i worry  a lil less", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:38:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "182651f1cc8d35134f305ad1fb07ed37", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "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}, "872202": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think I know what you mean but you should break it down further. I am not familiar with his campaign staff but I suspect that there are not a lot of African Americans, Asians and Latinos involved in the decision making process.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:10:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 872161, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872493": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "If the Constitution wasn't a \"white\" male issue, how the hell did we have slaves until 1865?  Why didn't women get the right to vote until the 1920.  The Constitution is a flawed piece of paper, and I'm not going to through Obama under the bus because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_00:22:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "happycozy", "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": 872140, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869648": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "glory:  With all due respect - GLORY Hallelujah!!  So AGREEING with you!!<br>I find it interesting to read that \"mcancient\" is trying to define Mr. Obama!  Did he try to look him up in a dictionary??  I don't get this!   Mr. Obama is who he is!  That's that! Now, how would you define \"mcancient\".  Look up \"the age of dirt\"!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:04:56", "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": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869220, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869137": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "taritac -<br><br>I am so glad that you posted this message because after reading Rikyrah's post (I am quite fond of her and seldom, if ever, disagree with her.) and the responses of others here at Jack & Jill,  I quite literally threw up my hands in despair. I am still supporting Obama; I attended a fund raiser held for him two days ago. His position on FISA, however, is not defensible and it represents both a reversal of his previous stance and a deep betrayal of a significant portion of his base.<br><br>Let me put on my tin foil hat for a moment. Black folks and especially those who champion issues and causes that have a direct bearing on the lives of black people should be keenly aware, based on history, that repressive laws of this type are often used to suppress, monitor and discredit black dissent. Secret intelligence units of the military were assigned to spy on blacks during and after World War I.  The FBI regularly spied on leaders of the NAACP and other black organizations long before the Civil Rights Movement flowered.<br><br>The FISA bill is a direct threat to our civil liberties. It is disgraceful, in my opinion, for liberal and progressive African Americans to impugn the integrity of those who are quite justified in being angry and dismayed at Obama's reversal and his disingenuously cynical defense of his reversal. Obama is as wrong as two left (or two right) shoes  on this matter. I will continue to support his candidacy but I can find no fault with others who choose not to continue to support him in response to his vote on FISA. Citizens in a democratic republic are not obligated to support politicians who they feel are too willing to play fast and loose with their civil liberties.<br><br>I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not opposed to racism and the intrusion of the government into my private life. If folks here believe that electing Obama as president is a more important issue for them than FISA I can accept their decision. By the same token, I wish that many of them would stop defending the indefensible because they are leaving no middle ground for those of us who are upset at Obama's actions but want to continue supporting him. They are making me feel as if I am running out of real estate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:23:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 14, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 868735, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872409": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "are you serious? a \"luxury\"? that's pretty insulting.<br><br>oddly, i can hold many concerns within a single brain. <br><br>not concerned about the economy? hardly. i spend more on health insurance ~ out of my pocket, because i'm self employed ~ than i do on mortgage and two car payments combined. <br><br>my husband is totally disabled. i am 51 years old and the pittance i've been able to save for retirement has been reduced by half because of the misdeeds of bush and his predecessors who thought deregulating the financial industry was a good thing.<br><br>my stepdaughter can't get it together and i am guardian of her two children and their primary financial support. the kids are of mixed race, living in a home with only her and no one involved with them who isn't white. i have to supervise their education, her progress, everything. one kid's dad is dead and the other is in prison. there's no child support, she can't/won't/doesn't work.  <br><br>i am working ~ right now, actually ~ to try to keep this business afloat because three other families rely on it being a success as well as mine, and two of those people are virtually unemployable anywhere else.<br><br>my 91 year old father has dementia and is probably looking at a nursing home in the next year. i don't have an extra $4,000 a month and the fact that he has a home paid for and some money he lives off of eliminates any public assistance. so he'll have to spend the money he lives off of, which will leave my stepmother in a home with no money to live on while the assets they have go to his care. <br><br>and then she'll come and live with me, i guess. i don't know. i don't know what to do in this world when it seems impossible to make any progress, when the cliff if one step to the right, when financial ruin is one illness or one job loss away. <br><br>but does that stop me from thinking about the constitution? the same criminals who are assaulting the constitution have created the crisis in this country. they need to be locked up, but at a minimum, the constitution needs to be protected from these bastards.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:59:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 872190, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871710": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You can when they're white.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:36:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "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": 868835, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872419": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "PTC . . . I know, I've read your comments and others. It's just disheartening to see this made into a black v. white thing. I think I said \"for those of you,\" but I am about crosseyed and it's too late to be working and i'm not working anyway, just running on and on about this thing that sticks in my craw.<br><br>but thank you . . . you're right.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_00:02:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 872245, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871712": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Disagreeing with you and/or \"hundreds\" of people is not the same as group think.<br><br>I get the pattern here. The pattern is that when people are running off of their individual egos they don't know how to be part of a group with varying perspectives. <br><br>Being a useful part of such a group is not group think. It is acting from an understanding you and whoever agrees with you are not the only ones who have an opinion and that not doing what YOU and your faction wants is not the same as not allowing dissent.<br><br>Dissent does not mean \"I get my way no matter what\" or it's not dissent.<br><br>It means having your perspective taken into consideration along with other perspectives, and you might not get your way even so.<br><br>Ugh. People in this country are taught to be so freaking selfish and individualistic, this is so ugly to me.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:36:53", "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": 871271, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870689": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Actually, this is not true. A lot of the people who were most upset over FISA supported Obama in the primaries - The Nation Magazine being one prominent example. There was much Hillary hate on the The Nation's pages, in part because progressives believed that Obama really was one of them.  Now I agree that they took this position against Obama's own words, as Gail Collins points out in the NY Times. But you can't blame disgruntlement on the left on Hillary-love.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:54:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "89ad433a71c6db00851a2f32c6cf149c", "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": 868953, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869154": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The spoiled White kids over at DailyKos remind me of the folks who publically grieve over mistreated puppies, but can't be bothered with the ongoing crisis of missing, exploited, and abused Black children.<br><br>If FISA is their Dread Scott or Plessy v. Ferguson, then let them have it.  Barack is demonstrating daily that taking a moderate position on issues can not only be a good thing, but a Black thing too.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:24:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "RonnieB", "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}, "870692": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Bag of Health and Politics, thanks you for your reply.<br><br>You wrote:<i>The problem is there in the \"make mistakes and then apologize for it\" mode.</i><br><br>...and <br><br><i>That they had to apologize to you is the problem. </i><br><br>I totally and completely disagree. I mean with every single fiber of my being I disagree. And it hurts that you say that. But I understand why this perspective would make sense to you or anyone else.<br><br>But then, that's because I have specific priorities.<br><br>To me the single most important attribute any person or group can have is the ability to <b>learn as they act.</b><br><br>The culture of this society creates HUGE egos and personas and walls of defensiveness. Everyone so busy defending themselves and saying what they did is right even when it's not. Better to look like you're doing right than actually do right.<br><br>Everyone is so busy trying to never make a mistake (impossible) and project a seamless flawless image (bullshit and deceptive) that they get all rigid and unresponsive. This leads to attempts to create reality to mask what is going on and the inability to respond and adapt to what is actually going on.  Instead, in this rigidity people start to insist that reality conform to them. Which only works til the planet, for example, says -- UM NO. You don't control reality. It's complicated and learning to attend and listen and learn and be part of rather than trying to control is actually a survival mode in the longer term.<br><br>Everyone and every group makes mistakes. The variable is whether we admit it, learn from it, act on that learning ... or not.<br><br>The fact that Senator Obama and his staff knows how to learn while doing asnd to act in the midst of that dynamic process is valuable and extremely rare.<br><br>And of course they're going to get shit for it from people who think they know how the campaign \"should be\" run. Their approach contradicts a major aspect of the way this society operates. It is in my eyes a huge strength on the part of Senator Obama and his staff and it is what will make him an excellent President if he is elected. But I understand that it is not the usual way to do things in this society.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:54:54", "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": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870490, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872229": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>I want to see more of staff with prominence in his campaign who are Black women.</i><br><br>heartsandflowers, would you email me at michellesbells at myway dot com if you get a chance? I have a reply to this but not for blog discussion, at least not at this point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:16:34", "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": 1, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871870, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871718": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "That's the problem. The campaign doesn't get it. They never have. They've let a freakin rumor turn into a total disaster and international mini-incident. They should've just went to another reporter and said, \"We have no plans to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, Ben Smith is wrong.\" Instead, Bush and his Republican friends shrewdly turned this into an international incident. The campaign doesn't get it. They cede the narrative to the Republicans. If this crap keeps up, we're looking at a 49 state landslide, for McCain. This has to stop. *NOW*.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:37:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871679, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869160": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I couldn't disagree with you more.<br><br>We know it;s a good politics because Dubya Bush is trying his damnedest to pressure German leadership to squash it.<br><br>Speakers at the Brandenburg gate are a dime a dozen.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:24:35", "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": 10, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876329": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "One frustrating aspect to this whole \"FISA sell out/flip-flop\" business is Obama supported the much more significant, from a civil liberties standpoint, Supreme Court case restoring habeas corpus to Guantanamo Bay detainees.  It was a 5-4 decision, and McCain and his surrogates attacked Obama as soft on terrorism for supporting it.  If Obama was hell bent on tacking to the center, he would have disagreed with it.  It would have been easy.  Some on the right suggested it was the worst Sup Ct decision ever -- worse than Plessy v. Ferguson.  It was only last month, but the netroots have all forgotten about it and given him no credit for it whatsoever.  Most of these folks complaining don't know half as much about constitutional law as Obama.<br><br>Obama promised to filibuster a different FISA bill in January.  This is what legislators do -- they bluff and cajole to get a better bill.  Obama plays poker.  For all we know, his threat to filibuster may have improved the bill.  <br><br>Some on the left, like Dave Winer today, argue he should have staked his whole campaign on telecom immunity.  This is lunacy.  I could care less if telecom carriers pay off a few plaintiffs lawyers, only to later get reimbursed by their insurance carriers.  What good does that do?  The revised FISA law is better, but the Patriot Act is what gutted the 4th Amend.  It was passed in 2002 before Obama became president.  Who's going to fix that -- McCain or Obama?  Some purity trolls on netroots are acting so crazy, it's like they think McCain will be better for them on these kinds of issues.  It's crazyass Russian roulette.  <br><br>The Kos folks, and Rachel Maddow, and Greenwald, are pissing me off by completely misrepresenting and over-blowing the importance of telecom immunity.  They're sloppy on the facts, and wrong in how they're carrying out their anger.  All they're doing is giving Sean Hannity something to talk about (\"Hey look, even Obama's supporters are angry!\").  I suspect most of these angry folks weren't true Obama supporters in the first place, otherwise they'd keep it in perspective and stop being such narcissistic spoiled brats.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_16:50:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "38c49e2ee2ce46bf31a9db5a2bbcd327", "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}, "871210": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Bingo! You described the script to a \"T\" . Don't forget the other talking point:  \"Don't count McCain out\" and then go into comparing poll numbers of past presidential campaigns.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:07:30", "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": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869123, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872237": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Is it because he hired 'newbies', or is it because he could ONLY hire ' newbies'. I'm thinking back....which well known press professionals would have signed up with Obama ' back when'? Wouldn't others, better known, have been scooped up by other folks? Now, maybe he should be blamed for not bringing in some of those folks once the campaign took the turn that it did, but then, I believe he's working on a sense of loyalty. <br><br>I'm not disagreeing with you...I'm just saying, I don't think he had prime pickings when he first began.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:18:24", "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": 872161, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872751": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Michelle you are so on point here. I totally feel you on the \"actual concrete evidence\" mode. These last several days I have a noticed a trend that goes something like this.<br><br>You have some who want to keep hammering with a particular meme, ex FISA. The argument and points to validate their position are never really strengthened with any new evidence or POV. Rather, it seems the sheer objective is redudancy and repeat the meme over and over and over again. Say it enough times maybe it will stick, cause dissention and confusion in the ranks. Of course, the posts always starts or ends with the disclaimer \"but I will still vote for Obama\" or \"I just donated money\" as if that negates their multiple posts of Obama bashing. <br><br>Of course, I have read \"dissenting\" opinions that have given me food for thought. It is the ones who basically say, FISA Bad, Obama Bad, Germany Bad, everything bad, BUT......I will still vote for him (times 50). How about you find something good about this candidate? If he is so undeserving of your vote and so untrustworthy, then there ARE other options. Excercise them and be on your merry way.<br><br>I feel as if there are some trolls trying to stir up trouble. I almost prefer our resident racist troll who likes to drop links outta of his a** . At least I know where he is coming from. This subliminal crap is for the birds.<br><br>Of course, I know there are actual supporters who genuinely disagree with Obama on issues , I am one. I am up for discussing those issues as well. However, you will not me hear saying crap like, \"I am witholding my donation\" to teach him a lesson!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_01:46:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "Honey01", "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": 870522, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871729": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>Hell, the campaign should hire Howard Wolfson...I detest the man, but he's effective at what he does.</i><br><br>Except for that little inconvenient fact that his candidate LOST despite having almost every possible advantage.<br><br>But don't let that actual living fact get in your way! Facts don't matter. <br><br>Ridiculous.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:39:37", "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": 870520, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872245": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I think that you should scroll through the posts here. There is a division of opinion about the significance of  FISA and Obama's position on FISA.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:20:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 872176, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869174": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "No you didn't invoke Dred Scott and and Plessy v. Ferguson.<br><br>Yes you did.<br><br>Spot on.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:25:38", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871735": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Obama won the primary but Obama's staff and most of his supporters have confused that with actually winning the election. Primaries and General Elections have totally different dynamics at play. The campaign is willfully ignorant of that, and is trying to recreate the good times everywhere. They want every state to be Iowa; they want Germany to be Kenya. Live in the moment, not the past...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:40:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871686, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876856": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "well of course not. he knows nothing, as evidenced by the fact that he was completely unaware of welfare reform. and he's evidently unaware that the south ~ formerly white ~ side of this city is fairly well integrated. <br><br>he was indoctrinated, as so many wretched assholes have been, with the view that black = welfare recipient. though it started before him, ronald reagan used that meme to win the whitehouse.<br><br>he knows nothing, yet his racism and his prejudice informs and infects his entire life and his political views and it will cause him to vote for john mccain, despite the fact that mccain will continue the unchecked globalization this asshat started talking about. he's just a fucking idiot and it breaks my heart and it seems completely hopeless. i keep thinking if all of us ~ the people <i>not</i> like him ~ join together, that we'd be unbeatable. i don't think that will ever happen.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:48:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 876728, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "873852": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>The Constitution is a flawed piece of paper, and I'm not going to through Obama under the bus because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them.</i><br><br>The Constitution may be a flawed \"piece of paper,\" but it is the thing that has allowed me to vote and slavery to be abolished and civil rights to be codified into law for all people. <br><br>I don't understand this: <i>because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them</i>.<br><br>Could you explain that further? I want to understand your viewpoint, but I'm missing something there . . . thanks.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_08:50:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 872493, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871740": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Let be clear here.  YOU see it as a negative story for Obama, as I'm sure others do as well.  But I'm sure that OTHERS think the opposite of you and do not think that this has become a neg story for Obama.  <br><br>The point is that all of the things that has gone on in this campaign as in life in general is subjective.  We all see things from different prism and experiences.  That's all.  It doesn't make anyone else right over another because we view things differently.<br><br>The problem occurs when we try to force feed others our righteous indignation when they don't agree as you seem to be trying to do with miss Michelle.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:40:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "lamh", "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": 871271, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869694": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  Very nice analysis!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:08:39", "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}, "868671": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Not just you, Booky", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:46:25", "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": 868529, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871232": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well, people have to be able to envision Obama as President.  McCain is already working that angle with his military service.<br><br>Being excessively humble will do nothing for O.<br><br>Dress for the job you want.<br><br>Don't you find it odd that the Chancellor would oppose having a hugely popular speaker like Obama?  Think of the tourism, the publicity for the city.  Why would she care?  As Craig said, lots of groups speak at Brandenberg Gate, far less <i>prestigious</i> than Obama.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:10:12", "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": 7, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869338, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870723": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "damn B-serious i can't agree with u enough on what u said..esp the last part", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:58:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "182651f1cc8d35134f305ad1fb07ed37", "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}, "870218": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "rikyrah:  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this post!!!!  i was nodding my head in agreement throughout.  i'm angry about this sabotage (i feel they were laying in wait for a reason) by the white so-called \"left\" and i have noticed the sense of  \"obama's my pet\" stuff on his website.  <br><br>i'm taking my anger and working like HELL to get him elected.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:00:59", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871756": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "They're blatantly ignoring constructive criticism, and like you they say that anybody who speaks critically of the campaign isn't being a \"productive member of the group.\" That is the definition of group think. <br><br>This isn't about what my faction wants. It's about *BASIC* politics. This is a potentially campaign-ending mistake. There's a reason I'm being so damn insistent about it. If this happens, Obama's perceived weakness on national security will be *CEMENTED*. No matter how much people want to relive Kenya in 2006, or no matter how eager people are for a fresh President and uplifting symbolism from Europe *NOW IS NOT THE TIME*. The Brandeburg Speech can happen--in February.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:43:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871712, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869200": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i><blockquote>Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. It's not serving the candidate well. The FISA vote, the failure to consider the reaction in the netroots, lagging fund-raising, and daily beatings in the press is showing it. Specifically, Obama needs a new press shop--one dedicated to actually fighting the spin battles. It's dirty, nasty work that the candidate rightly disdains, but it's needs to be done in order to win.</i></blockquote><br>How right you are. One reason I was such an ardent Obama supporter during the primary was because his shop seemed so tightly run. His message was ALWAYS on point, and slip ups were immediately addressed. <br><br>Nowadays, his campaign seems a mess. FISA was a huge political miscalculation. Progressives are used to being eventually fucked by the Democratic candidate, but Obama didn't even use lube.<br><br>Sorry for the crassness, but that's how it's feeling these days.<br><br>He seems all over the place. The Access Hollywood interview for instance. Certainly, he may think it was a mistake, but why make a public statement about it? It's not a policy issue that needs some sort of explanation. If in the future, he wanted to keep his family out of the limelight, few people would object. Making a statement about it, though, just neutralizes his \"judgment\" argument.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:27:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868835": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Oh come the hell on, you can't just cry racism every time liberals disagree with something Obama does. The FISA bill was a turd and Obama deserves the hell he's getting for voting for it. Just because Obama's the nominee and we want him to win doesn't mean we have to sit down and shut up when he does something stupid. <br><br>The Democratic nominee gets beat up on. That's how it is. Its annoying and ridiculous when you talk like all these white liberals are just airing their secret hatred of the black man.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:57:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "88846f8e82a4db6ecce3302dbcfe71ae", "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}, "870229": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Hello from Cambridge, the bleeding heart of liberal MA -- and yes, the self-styled \"progressive\" heads are spinning here. I refer them all to Gail Collins' column yesterday -- exactly what did they think they were buying? Did they think that finding common ground meant that they were going to subjugate and disenfranchise the rest of the country?<br><br>We need a NEW definition of \"left\" and \"right,\" one in which my (and your, I'm assuming) values are considered \"centrist.\" Not because we've moved the country along the same, tired axis, but because we've turned the dial on what it means to be \"progressive.\" The New Deal is dead. But free markets haven't been a solution either. What's the new way?<br><br>Still, for all that, here's my problem with FISA:<br><br>\"We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don\u2019t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States.\" -- Obama 2004", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:02:07", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871767": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "That there is even a debate about whether it is good or bad proves it is a *TERRIBLE* idea. It's inviting a debate about whether Obama doesn't have a clue on foreign policy. That's precisely the thing that needs to be avoided on the trip.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:45:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871740, "depth": 6, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871774": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hillary didn't lose because of Howard. She lost because of Bill and Mark Penn, not Wolfson.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:47:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871729, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870273": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "taritac it's all good even though somedays i wanna cut yo nuts off(lol)...keep doing yo thang", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:06:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "182651f1cc8d35134f305ad1fb07ed37", "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}, "869220": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "you damn right, rikyrah!<br><br>i think that people superimposed what they wanted obama to be onto him and then got mad because he has a mind of his own.  shoot, that's what i like about him.  granted, there are times i wish he was even more assertive about his decision making.  but there is a forest/tree problem that people need to get over in order to keep mccain out of the white house.  <br><br>i've been wondering when people would finally get around to seeing that obama wasn't ever the uber-liberal the media kept saying he was.  didn't all those overtures made to the republicans and independents during the primary tip anyone off but me?  i don't see a sudden shift in obama, i see a sudden shift in the media's understanding of him.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:29:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "c14dc645708e1f6b7caba8da416ef4b7", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871271": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "You just made the argument for the use of the term groupthink. It's when a group doesn't listen to outsiders and convinces itself that what the group is doing is right. Believe me, I'm not the only one ringing five alarm fire bells about the Bradenberg Gate thing. There are hundreds of people doing that. Hundreds. I suspect it's not going to happen, and I suspect that decision was made a couple weeks ago. Yet the campaign, in its constant naivete, didn't bother to tell the press. And the thing has turned into a full blown negative story. It's a text book example of a story which is *completely* of the campaign's making. *Completely*. And that this can happen on the campaign of a major party's nominee for President isn't right. They need new people.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:16:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 6, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871053, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870248": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "People seem to think because not enough Black people are informed about FISA, that it shouldn't be an issue to getting Barack Obama into the White House.<br><br>I can't speak for people who post here, but for me, personally, I cannot afford to ignore the resistance to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.  As for Kos' - most of them are kool-aid drinkers who make sense 50% of the time, and the other 50% is dependent on how Kos feels that day.  While they may be rabid, they are right to roast Obama on his FISA vote, especially since he went on RECORD promising to filibuster any version that came down with immunity for the telecoms in it.  He backtracked. Admit that, if you please, and quit trying to defend the fact he backtracked his position.<br><br>What bothers me more than Obama's FISA vote, is the sense that he believes we (Black People) are going to support him NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, and has begun to take US for granted.  It appears he's counting on Black People to want a brotha in the White House so badly, we'll do anything, including ignoring if or when he screws US over, comforting ourselves with \"Wait until he gets in.\"  For those of you who want to go that route, it is a free country, but if Obama does ignore the concerns of Black America, while the rest of America gets tended to, it will be our fault for not holding his damned feet to the fire when it mattered.<br><br>Many of you will disagree with me - if not involving yourselves in name-calling and whatnot.  That's okay, but I have to say that now that Obama has closed the deal, I can't help feeling he believes he doesn't need Black People anymore, and even though Jesse Jackson was crude for wanting to make a brotha a eunich, when you wade through the remarks before expressing a desire to relieve Obama of his manhood, he may have been really expressing similar concerns.<br><br>As did Jeremiah Wright.  As did anyone else who tried this and got summarily tossed under the bus by Obama's camp, just because he didn't want to be uncomfortable.<br><br>Guess What?  Being POTUS is more than being uncomfortable; it is a job that ages the hell out of you from the stress and pressure to lead and do what is best for the country.  The country includes EVERYONE; white, Black, Asian, Latino, Native American; rich and poor; young, middle-age and old.  It will not be a pleasant Presidency for Mr. Obama if he spits on the base that got him to the dance and he walks off with the Quarterback that ignored him all year. (I'm an ex-cheerleader, LOL).<br><br>I want to know he's paying attention and that he's well aware of the consequences for ignoring US.  That's it and that's all.  The End.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:04:26", "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": 10, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869137, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871228": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "On the one hand, I am in agreement with the FISA critics mainly because Obama said he wasn't going to support a bill with telecom immunity, and that's exactly what he did.  I was not going to stick my head in the sand though.  If he had come up with a compelling reason for going forward with the compromise I would have said okay, but although he did directly respond to his critics, I just don't think his reasoning was up to snuff.  And, and, what killed me is that yes, he voted for the amendment that stripped the telecom immunity, but still supported the bill.  I just don't understand why.  He readily admitted that it was a bad bill, and not what he would have wanted, even though it was certain to pass in the Senate.  Why didn't he just vote no?  So this was a shock to many that he changed his position.  It shouldn't be a shock that it passed, since it was most certainly going to pass, but it was a shock because it seemed like Obama's position came out of left field, which makes them want to hop off of the hope train even if they will still vote for the guy.  He might have shot himself in the foot by undercutting his brand.  <br><br>But,  on these other issues (death penalty, gun control, faith based intiatives, etc), I am in total agreement with the post.  It seems that many of Obama's supporters either heard what they wanted to hear, or didn't do their research, because he has been in the center before this election and now people are trying to act like he is a wolf in sheep's clothing.  He was NEVER a progressive on all issues.  Sorry, but he just wasn't.   So for people to throw a fit and scream bloody murder over some of these things, is downright embarrassing.  <br><br>I didn't expect to agree with Obama on a lot of issues, and I don't.  But that's politics.  You are either going to get an ideological purist that you are in total agreement with, but who ultimately won't get elected, or you are going to get a politician that you may agree with 50%-70% of the time if you're lucky.  It's just a fact.  This country is too diverse to demand purity.   So instead of the nashing of teeth and pulling out of hair, maybe people should redefine what it means to be a liberal/conservative, democrat/republican.  Because what you will find is that the lines are blurred.  It just makes me think of Chris Rock's stand up (which is surprisingly on point in a several different context).  People act like being a Republican or a Democrat is like being in a gang.  <br><br>Oh, and don't even get me started on the Hillary VP thing.  Why, people, why?!?!  Yes, she is an extremely smart, and capable politician.  But the two of them governing together?  It is not a good look, especially with Bill Clinton in the mix.  And anybody who speaks up and says he won't try to impact decision making is deluding themselves.  HRC made it clear that she had no interest in riding shotgun during the primary season, and I respect that.  So for people to act like she is this great asset as second in command is troubling.  I mean, you have audio of the woman saying that Obama is not ready to lead, and has not passed the Commander in Chief test.  She basically did the Republicans' job for them.  How stupid would it look, if she was then touting them together as a ticket?  I hope, pray, wish, that this never comes to pass. <br><br>With all that being said, I can't believe that Barack is being blackmailed into paying off her debt.  Yeah, I said it.  I know they have had fund raisers where they say glowing words about each other, but let's be real.  Both of them wish that the situation was different.   Most of Obama's small time donors (i.e. one of us possibly) don't want to fork up any money to a millionaire when our own pockets are hurting, and many of the big time donors that can afford it, won't hold their nose and write a check.  On the other hand, Hillary's donors think that Obama should be more vigorous in his fundraising activities, and want recognition, ambassadorships, and are still putting the pressure on the Hillary VP thing.  So, I don't envy Obama at all.  He has a tough balancing act to deal with and it looks like he will be getting it from all sides for the next couple of months.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:09:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "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}, "869226": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "taritac -<br><br>I am so glad that you posted this message because after reading Rikyrah's post (I am quite fond of her and seldom, if ever, disagree with her.) and the responses of others here at Jack & Jill, I quite literally threw up my hands in despair. I am still supporting Obama; I attended a fund raiser held for him two days ago. His position on FISA, however, is not defensible and it represents both a reversal of his previous stance and a deep betrayal of a significant portion of his base.<br><br>Let me put on my tin foil hat for a moment. Black folks and especially those who champion issues and causes that have a direct bearing on the lives of black people should be keenly aware, based on history, that repressive laws of this type are often used to suppress, monitor and discredit black dissent. Secret intelligence units of the military were assigned to spy on blacks during and after World War I. The FBI regularly spied on leaders of the NAACP and other black organizations long before the Civil Rights Movement flowered.<br><br>The FISA bill is a direct threat to our civil liberties. It is disgraceful, in my opinion, for liberal and progressive African Americans to impugn the integrity of those who are quite justified in being angry and dismayed at Obama's reversal and his disingenuously cynical defense of his reversal. Obama is as wrong as two left (or two right) shoes on this matter. I will continue to support his candidacy but I can find no fault with others who choose not to continue to support him in response to his vote on FISA. Citizens in a democratic republic are not obligated to support politicians who they feel are too willing to play fast and loose with their civil liberties.<br><br>I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not opposed to racism and the intrusion of the government into my private life. If folks here believe that electing Obama as president is a more important issue for them than FISA I can accept their decision. By the same token, I wish that many of them would stop defending the indefensible because they are leaving no middle ground for those of us who are upset at Obama's actions but want to continue supporting him. They are making me feel as if I am running out of real estate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:29:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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}, "872299": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think ur right.  Actually, even now he still doesn't have \"easy pickens'\" due to the pro who are still hanging onto the Hilary bandwagon.<br><br>Yes he is hiring people who are affliated with the HIlary campaign, but other than Solis Doyle, most of the former Clintonites may not even be considered high ranking Clintonite. From what I undrestand, the most people who voluntarily or through design who went over to Obama were from the Edwards campaign.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:29:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "lamh", "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": 872237, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869741": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "If you're going to patronizingly invoke Dr. King, then at least do so with a little knowledge.<br><br>Dr. King <i>knew</i> that he was being spied upon.  But he didn't have the luxury of being indignant about that.  He knew that his duty was to be righteously indignant about <b>disparate healthcare, education, employment, housing and voting</b>.  <br><br>So while you and yours wail and gnash over the <i>principle</i> of spying, the rest of us must grapple daily with the <i>practical</i> issues of home foreclosures, and choosing between gas and groceries.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:12:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "RonnieB", "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": 869226, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870254": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Gail Collins' column also addressed Obama's reversal on FISA, which directly contradicted his previous position. Collins did not give Obama a free pass on FISA issue.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:04:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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}, "872305": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I agree with you that Obama did not stand by his word in supporting the FISA bill, but I must also point out that he said that he would *support* a filibuster, and not filibuster the bill himself.  I also agree with you that people should take him to task, instead of being silent on this issue--although, I think some have gone over the top.  But you lost me when you equated Obama's vote for FISA as him taking the Black vote for granted.  What evidence do you have backing this up?  Because from what I have seen, this is NOT a Black issue, it is an American issue.  People from all backgrounds think that FISA is BS,  not just Black people.  <br><br>And I wish people would stop making excuses for Jesse.  I commend him for his civil rights work years ago, but he has been wrong for a long time now.  First of all, I'm still missing the connection with how faith based initiatives, or discussing issues that are relevant in the Black community equate with talking down to Black people.  Second of all, if a White Obama supporter had been caught saying the same thing, in the same manner on Fox, would people really keep saying, yeah well it was ignorant, but he had a point.  I highly doubt it.  Jesse and Al would both be leading a march in the street.  <br><br>And Jeremiah Wright.  Please don't get me started.  Obama did not throw that man under the bus, he let his ego plant him firmly under that bus when he went to a public forum and started talking reckless.  The problem with the whole Rev. Wright issue, is that there were things that I agreed and disagreed with about his sermons, but as Obama said, I did not feel that a couple of sound bites was an accurate portrayal of who he was.  But when you start going off about how the government invented AIDS to infect members in the Black community, that's when I tune out.  That is absurd.  And even if the government has done horrible things in the past, with the collusion of Black people, without evidence that it has infected Black people with AIDS, why spread that lie?  Rev. Wright is an extremely intelligent man, and he knew exactly what he was doing.  If Obama wanted to \"throw him under the bus\" he would have done it a year and a half ago when the press first started asking him questions about it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:31:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "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": 870248, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871794": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "as I said downthread.<br><br>Yes some people see it the way you do, but just as many others don't.<br><br>The problem is that you seem to be trying to force feed your view to the other side.  <br><br>It is all subjective, either view of the situation could be right or wrong.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:49:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "lamh", "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": 871718, "depth": 7, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871798": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well, you substantiated my point. Taking away land from white Europeans and giving it to political cronies and supporters instead of black Zimbabweans justifies running a criminal enterprise and rigging elections.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:49:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 871754, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871292": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Bush doesn't really give a shit about electoral politics. With him, he just doesn't want something that makes him look bad. It would make Bush look bad, but Obama is not running against Bush. And the risks are *MASSIVE*. It is a *TERRIBLE* idea. We've already seen a sneak preview of the impressions that would be formed by it in the media. That event *MUST NOT HAPPEN*. <br><br>Finally, don't put it past Bush to interfere on a bad idea, and bait people into believing its a a great idea and getting his enemy to walk into a trap...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:20:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871146, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870122": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": ";)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:51:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870028, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868735": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Most progressives at Kos and elsewhere will still support Obama with votes, volunteerism, and money. <br><br>He is DESERVEDLY getting a lot of flack for FISA, not because progressives are one issue voters-- we're not. He's getting flack because he should have stood up for our civil rights, hands down, end of story. He's getting flack because he PROMISED THE EXACT OPPOSITE of what he eventually did.<br><br>People are not nearly as upset with Obama about the 2nd Amendment or death penalty because he's in line with what he's said all along. These are not new positions with him. His FISA position is BRAND NEW, and a complete slap in the face for people that have been fighting against telecom immunity for nearly a year now. (NO, this FISA thing is NOT NEW. We didn't just pull it out of our asses as something to slap Obama around with).<br><br>His FISA vote is a betrayal to people that have been working against telecom immunity for nearly a year. Obama made a GRAVE miscalculation on this issue. Progressives may be able to take his other positions with a grain of salt, but FISA was the wrong issue to pick a fight with us on.<br><br>Yes, we are seeing Obama through new glasses. Yes, we are not as excited about him as before. Yes, we are not donating like we were. But make no mistake, there is no progressive even considering voting for John McCain. For as WRONG as Obama is on FISA, he is right about healthcare, education, the economy, the environment, and other issues.<br><br>I'm surprised that y'all think we aren't supposed to hold politicians accountable for their positions and promises. I'm particularly surprised at how little Black people seem to care about this issue, considering the problems we've had with 4th Amendment violations.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:50:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 18, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871744": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Craig, you're being disingenious and you know it.  You kno exactly what I've said; what Taritac said; what PTCruiser has said; what Belle has said. Yet, you persist in asking questions to which I pretty well believe, you already KNOW the answer.<br><br>You're an intelligent brotha - so being disingenious doesn't become you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:42:06", "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": 3, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871073, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876932": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Honey01/michelle:  I'm feeling both of you.  Need the FACTS!!", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_19:05:11", "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": 872751, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "872252": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "OMG, Bag of Health and Politics, I think I agree with you on this one! <br><br>Glad to be able to agree with you on something :)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_23:21:45", "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": 872190, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876951": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "TRW:  On the billary part - how can I express enough mydisgust at even seeing the \"unity\" pic/videos.  I know - \"that's politics\"!  But she/bill are such DANGEROUS SSSSSSSSSSnakes!  O.K. I've vented!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_19:12:01", "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": 871228, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "880527": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "it just hit me that under  the new FISA law, the govt  could be monitoring my pc as i type.   yet u dont care about that? we wont have a future if dont have liberty.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-13_13:55:47", "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": 870017, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870289": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The Borg Queen will do anything that makes Obama look bad.  If she were the nominee, she would have voted the same damned way.  She is still taking pot shots at Obama to pressure him to put her on the ticket.<br><br>I still think she's going to pull something in Denver.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:07:59", "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": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869269, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869266": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Taritac,<br>Seems to me that McCain's camp is routinely making fools of themselves, the latest from his economist that the economy is fine and we're all a bunch of whiners is simultaneously stupid and hilarious.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:33:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "kate03", "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}, "870803": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Anybody who claims the \"progressive blogosphere\" is a significant part of Obama's base is seriously misinformed. A veteran diarist recently called out kos and the rest of the Kossacks by posting some of their comments hating on Obama when their original choice John Edwards was still in the race.  I've also noticed that very few diarists are linking to Al Giordano anymore since he bitchslapped Glenn Greenwald for accusing all of lying about his sources when Al told him in a blog comment that the USA can get around FISA through their date collection sources in other lands. <br><br>The PUMAs and McCain trolls are having a grand time over at kos stirring up much strife about FISA as a way to embarrass and undermine Obama. And the Kossacks seem more than willing to play along rather than consider the source.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:08:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "eclecticbrotha", "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}, "869269": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i><blockquote>Her vote against FISA is proof that she's still playing the game, hoping and wishing for another chance, or at least, the VP.</i></blockquote><br>I hope like hell you are wrong about this, but that is exactly what I thought when I saw that she had voted against it, particularly in light of the fact that she gave only a tepid response when the vote came up previously.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:33:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 868805, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870807": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>A lot of the people who were most upset over FISA supported Obama in the primaries .... There was much Hillary hate on the The Nation's pages, in part because progressives believed that Obama really was one of them.</i><br><br>I agree, Zoe. Not about Hillary hate in particular (what's not to hate?) but about believing that Obama is \"one uf us.\"<br><br>I think there was lots and lots of thoughtless not-paying-attention not-listening projection from progressives who thought they were supporting Senator Obama -- combined with the rigid limited white-progressive worldview in which someone is either \"one of us\", \"someone who needs to be educated by us,\" or \"The Enemy.\" <br><br>No gray areas and no need for insider-progressives to actually learn or listen to others who don't already agree with them.<br><br>As much as I would like to blame all this on people who didn't \"support\" Senator Obama in the primaries, it seems to me that it is not accurate to do that.<br><br>Of course, various groups are taking advantage of this situation (or trying to), and very strategically. But this weakness begins in the white-progressive movement as a whole, including Obama supporters in that group.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:08:35", "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": 870689, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870297": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "The DailyKos \u2018kiddies\u2019 are right out of Orwell\u2019s \u201cAnimal Farm\u201d, though they are more prone to tantrums than Orwell\u2019s characters. They also have a serious case of BDS, and are dying to see <b>\u2018W\u2019</b> or anyone connected to his administration being \u201cFrog-marched\u201d to prison. Obama\u2019s support for FISA took away another frantic hope of theirs. You can bet that Hillary is looking for the right openings in their waning support of Obama. The Dems\u2019 convention could turn into a nightmare for them, before it\u2019s all said and done. Decades of divisive politics and broken promises are now turning back onto them\u2026", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:08:31", "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": 4, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870812": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "That should have been \"accusing AL\" not all", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:09:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "eclecticbrotha", "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": 870803, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868768": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I repeat:<br><br>You're not progressive.<br><br>(Nor can you apparently read a book.)<br><br>Slither, slither.<br><br>Slither.<br><br>::<br><br>rikyrah, thanks for the shoutout!<br><br>An AP writer who covered Hillary's campaign has an article circulating that politics is boring without HIllary around.<br><br>Uh huh.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:53:21", "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": 2, "is_first_child": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 868735, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871332": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "<i>\" In fact, if Hillary were the nominee, there certainly wouldn't be any organized opposition on her own campaign website.<br>\" </i><br><br>I think that's because Hillary would not have allowed it.  Barack makes room for people to disagree with him.  He makes web space for them to do so and doesn't try to censor.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:29:27", "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": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870507, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870314": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Thank You for saying Obama needs a fresh staff!  Who he has now keeps getting him into trouble when he should have this thing wrapped up.  They should have advised him to vote against FISA, for starters....", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:10:08", "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": 5, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869059, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870472": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Most of DKos has jumped on the crazy train over the FISA issue. It is hardly readable at this time.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:26:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "418cbe3aa0c6cc5a126a580db1c1567f", "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}, "868789": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I just came across your blog (found you on Technorati) and really enjoyed this post. I'll certainly be returning to read more!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:54:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "8a943df68f07fae3d5ea02931d7ee71f", "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}, "869303": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sadly, I think there are reasons why he got out in front of the Access Hollywood Story. The immediate public comment was one of the better things that has been done lately. That one had the potential to turn into a total disaster...thankfully that didn't happen.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:36:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 869200, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871352": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "politics is warfare- if obama is president he does not need the telecoms out to get him- if he is president hopefully he won't use the fisa and as a law professor he still may be able to go after the telecoms and prosecute them so that is the question who will be in the white house and the capital- <br><br>the white progressives are class chauvinist jack asses pushing a recreate 68 demonstration at the convention and blowing this out of proportion but the white progressives in power have a long history of hurting anyone not in their clique", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:31:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "0b4123823473c4a29ef943bba68af043", "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}, "872889": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "So true, so true. No Clinton on the ticket!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_02:38:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "29f6805818d1f575c4b8e2182a2ac4ce", "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": 870289, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871754": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Well as far as Mugabe is concerned, he took the land back from the Europeans that had invaded the country. It made no sense for 3,000 whites to own 80% of all the land in Zimbabwe. It wasn't like they were going to voluntarily give it back. The Western gov'ts are funding and arming his opposition. I don't agree with everything he's done by any means, but the UK & US specifically are trying to starve the nation and fund a coup. You can bet if he'd played ball with them they wouldn't give a *hit what he did.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_21:43:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "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": 870389, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871870": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Obama is getting it from all sides. He has people who want to ride his coattails or burn his coat while he's wearing it. I don't like the FISA vote - but he did vote against the immunity portion. I don't like how some people support his candidacy with ulterior motives who'd turn on him when it was convenient to do so. I don't like how Michelle has been treated. I don't like how corrupt the entire system is and I don't think ANY of us have any idea HOW bad it is. I also don't want Obama to take the votes of Black people for granted. I want to see more of staff with prominence in his campaign who are Black women. I have many reservations. But I will vote for him. I will hold him as accountable as I can. I do not want Hillary, Bill or any of their surrogates anywhere near him - but he has to keep tabs on them. I want a strengthened Congress and Senate where politicians are held accountable to the people who vote and not special interests - so when Obama wins he will be able to get something done. I want Joe Lieberman out of the party. I want some new people elected who are savvy and can work with people. I understand compromise is necessary. I understand Obama may be seen as capitulating BUT it's \"our\" fault for allowing our votes to be taken for granted for years and not holding people accountable. It's nice to see people waking up but where's the strategy and planning for the big picture? People [some] are so easily swayed. People also have to take responsibility for their patterns in order to make and see changes. It is not going to happen with a snap of the finger and may not necessarily happen this election cycle either. I'm not suggesting we roll over, but what are people prepared to take a stand on and what are people willing to give up? There's so much discussion about Obama and what he's not doing or what he should do or why he isn't doing more - which is great - but where's the planning to address these concerns? While people are debating opinions as facts there are people united in their plans for destruction and diminishment of the Obama campaign. At this point I don't see him changing his inner circle because they've earned his trust and keep it low drama. Yes I'd love to see more variety. I don't know if it was a matter of expediency or opportunity. But this is what we have. I can tell you before Obama decided to run I was not looking forward to this election cycle. I did not see things changing that much. At least now I know it's a possibility but only if people are focused and put their time and money into it. It is what it is. If we want to be catered to in a more obvious way by all politicians we need to make our electorate portion prominent. So again I ask what are the plans for setting an agenda? How will that agenda be carried out and what will the price be for ignoring it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_22:02:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "87e75d88c7647774003db8905a3e99e6", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868805": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "As far as FISA is concerned, I have said before that I am going to trust Senator Obama on his explanation. <br>Gun control is just not that simple of a cure for violence. Look at all the killing with knifes in London, I just read a London newspaper and the horrible murders by knife make NYC look like a utopia.<br>Most of the people acting so surprised on line must not have researched or read any of Obama's books. Or they are just posers working for the Rebullycans, maybe even Hillary. Her vote against FISA is proof that she's still playing the game, hoping and wishing for another chance, or at least, the VP.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:55:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "kate03", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 8, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869831": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I did not mention or allude to Dr. King in my post.  You can read can't you?<br><br>The principle of spying? The government actually engaged in illegal acts here. <br><br>A lot of folks, even our enemies, are dealing with practical issues. Please don't put yourself on that shop worn pedestal.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:20:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 869741, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871244": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "This is the big leagues. You don't screw up as consistently as the campaign is screwing up if you want to win. You don't learn on the job as the nominee. That is a way to defeat. <br><br>The problem isn't that they made a mistake. It's that they're making them daily...Today's mistake: they fought back on the WSJ story about lagging fund-raising. They had a golden opportunity to get the netroots to shut up about FISA and fall back in line, but they pissed it away because *staff* didn't want to look bad. If they hadn't fought back, people on the left would've been forced to realize they're doing real harm with their tantrums. But the campaign can't see the tree through the forest.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:12:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 870692, "depth": 4, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871886": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Believe me, I didn't start by trying to force my view on the other side. I've been around long enough to not do that. It went away for a while, not it's back.  A couple people just won't give up on this bad idea. <br><br>That there is a debate is why it shouldn't happen. It practically invites Republican attacks and a media crapstorm. They really want to do that? The campaign is totally clueless and very listless at the moment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_22:05:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "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": 871794, "depth": 8, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "868819": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<a href=\"http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6481751\" rel=\"nofollow\">Obama/McCain Voting Record Comparisons</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_15:56:46", "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": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870478": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "No, she didn't. But she put it in a context.<br><br>She ain't the only one.", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:27:20", "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": 870254, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876964": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "PTCruiser/CPL:  Since I've already vented, I'll just say a passionate AAAA-MEN!  :&gt;)", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_19:14:46", "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": 871671, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "869338": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done. <br><br>It's acting as if he already is the President before he is the President. That makes him appear to be arrogant, which is something he cannot afford. to project. Also, if the reporting on the trip goes negative, they've just shot themselves in the foot on national security, which is already their weakness.  <br><br>Ideas like the Bradenberg gate fly in the blogosphere. They don't fly in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Butte, Helena, Denver, and Reno--the places where this election will be won or lost. It's *STUPID* politics which has to be avoided at *ALL* costs. Barack can do a goodwill tour in February, as the sitting President. In July, it will equal the moment the election shifted in McCain's favor...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_16:40:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "591c895382ad0b709f09fd2fa9898873", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 9, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 869160, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "875487": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I'm not as tempted to make this out as a black-or-white issue as one about the fickle nature of the Netroots. This might be patronizing of me, but I do have a stereotype of Netroot types as political naifs who, as Mixed Bag put it earlier, have the \"luxury\" of ideological purity. That goes for most \"echo chambers,\" maybe even this one.<br><br>If you want to get really worried, sign up for the FISA group on <a href=\"http://my.BarackObama.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">my.BarackObama.com</a> -- a good number of the posters there claim to be Hillary supporters who are heightening the existing sour feelings. The Obama campaign is making a big mistake not planting a few of their own in there with some good online mediation skills to cool things off. I think that the majority of the group's members, like myself, are reasonable and just want to register their displeasure. But a few smart operatives can really break off a chunk of that group and turn them against Barack.<br><br>I do wonder, given the predictable response, what Obama thought he was gaining by voting for the bill. I don't see who he'd be picking up, so I'm not sure how I much I buy the \"sellout\" story versus an honest policy/legislative weighing-of-the-merits. One of the more intelligent posts from the my.BO FISA group points to this blog entry's comments,<br><br><a href=\"http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/compromise_sell.html#comment-121876\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/c...</a><br><br>and<br><br><a href=\"http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/compromise_sell.html#comment-121877\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/c...</a><br><br>Do we need to accept the \"common wisdom\" that in voting for FISA, Obama was \"selling out\"? Or is this that phenomenon of the legislator's task being compromise, which is in turn compromising for someone who wants to be an executive?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_13:50:39", "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": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876512": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "been back, heartsand flowers.<br><br>i don't know why i come back. i'm a fool for doing so, i think.<br><br>but i'll tell you this. it bugs the shit out of me that i live in a world where a white man can say to me, as one did just a couple of hours ago (because i am a white woman and he makes stupid assumptions), that if barack obama wins the presidency, \"north tulsa will think they can just live anywhere they want to.\"<br><br>because you don't know this, i'll tell you that \"north tulsa\" is a predominately african american neighborhood.<br><br>and then he continued by saying that \"they will think they do anything they want, go anywhere, live anywhere.\" when i said that anyone in this country is legally allowed to live anywhere they want to, he said \"not on welfare, if they earned it, it would be one thing, but they didn't earn it.\"<br><br>so that's why i'm here. because i give a shit and there is too much wrong in this society for any person or group to handle unless we all join together. you think i'm shitting on your candidate, but to me, he shit on the constitution ~ along with the other 66 or so fuckheads who voted on this bill ~  and that is wrong. just as the man who spoke to me this afternoon is wrong.<br><br>people like that jackass are the enemy in getting obama elected, not people like me, who question him. i don't know when dissent became a crime in this country, but speaking up and talking about what's wrong is the only way to change. <br><br>so i'm torn. just hush up and go away? try to add to the conversation here? i didn't notice anything exclusionary on this blog. did i miss it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_17:31:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "bigassbelle", "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": 876157, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871395": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "But what has Howard Wolfson done that was actually effective?<br><br>One would think that if Hillary were the nominee, then, well, his tactics were, well,  effective.<br><br>But she's not.<br><br>So why would you call him effective?<br><br>I'm scratching my head at all of this.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:37:03", "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": 870520, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "876710": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Belle, I have a question for you. Do you feel that the economy, education, health care, crumbling infrastructure, global warming, overdependency on foreign oil and the war in Iraq are LESS important than FISA, or are they all of EQUAL importance? I feel they are all of equal importance and I have no intention of harping on one and jeopardizing our opportunity to achieve the rest. Even if Obama would have sided with us on this FISA his vote would not have turned the tide in the final tally. I happen to believe in the old cliche that says \"there's no use crying over spilled milk.\" The votes have been cast, the bill has been signed. We still have time to fight for the rest of the goals I've listed, but we can't waste any more valuable time debating FISA after the fact. So let's move on, shall we?", "is_last_child": true, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_18:16:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "eclecticbrotha", "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": 872176, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870887": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It's your day. I find everything you wrote convincing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:18:41", "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": 870803, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871913": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "\"This backseat driver thing is huge in relation to Senator Obama's campaign. I'm remembering all of that during the primaries and it is coming up again now. <br><br>\"It seems significant but I am not entirely sure what it means. Would appreciate any critical insights anyone has to offer on this phenom.\"<br><br>The short answer is that there is little or no presumed competency when African Americans are in leadership roles.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_22:12:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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}, "869866": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "When you add in the fact that DailyKos  and other \"democrats\" are promoting the idea of not funding Obama's campaign because of FISA, it starts to smell a bit.<br><br>I think FISA is important too, but I am also aware that the MSM  and McCain, and all the pundits, are loving the inhouse turmoil, and will twist it anyway they can. I watched a writer from Salon on tv the other night, she was lying away about this issue, and glorifying the dissent.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_17:23:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "kate03", "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": 869506, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871403": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Craig,<br><br>His position is not defensible. We are not arguing about truth here. I am not asserting that he (you or anyone else) is lying. <br><br>All respect.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:38:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": 871046, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870893": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "LMAO.  So true.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:19:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "ef781b639c890767ebd1ce99011c3afa", "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": 868495, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "875508": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I'm asking you a question that I don't see an answer to.<br><br>If you call that being disingenuous, so be it.<br><br>But you're wrong.<br><br>You said that Barack believes Black people will support him  no matter what he does.<br><br>And since I don't see that at all, I'm asking you to point me toward the light.<br><br>If you can't do that, then own your statement as an opinion and leave it at that.<br><br>But if it's a fact, I'm open to seeing the evidence about what Barack believes about the Black vote.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-12_13:54:24", "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": 2, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 871744, "depth": 5, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870389": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "All of these comments about the temperament and psychological disposition of folks who regularly post at Daily Kos strike me as little more than work avoidance. It reminds me of folks who respond to the brutalities of the current government in Zimbabwe by invoking the history of European colonialism as if it were a sufficient defense of Robert Mugabe and his thugs.<br><br>We are faced with a serious public policy issue and the answer(s) cannot be found  in excoriating white liberals and progressives. I don't think there is a person posting on this site who intends to support John McCain. I doubt that there are few of us who do not support Obama. What is bothering me is the growing sense among more than a few of us that the sun rises and sets in his behind.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:18:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "PTCruiser", "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": true, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 870297, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871417": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "No, they don't.<br><br>They are a dime a dozen.<br><br>Look it up.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:40:14", "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": 869933, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870655": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I hope you are right. One thing, though: I have not seen any Obama supporters or former Obama supporters say anything about bringing Clinton back as the nominee. People have her number, I think. It's only the hard-headed, PUMA-type Clintonites who are trying to start trouble.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_18:50:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "taritac", "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": 870522, "depth": 1, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "871420": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "I think Bush's interest is in trying to salvage his image/legacy.  I sense in him a kind of regret.  Maybe when he sees Obama, he thinks of missed opportunities and what could have been.<br><br>I think he's also trying to help his party and to a lesser degree, John McCain.  The media is comprised of a bunch of underachieving baboons.  Their impressions are not worth a hill of beans.<br><br>There's no trap here.  Bush knows Obama's visit would be attended by people from all over Europe.  He knows that Obama would be greeted by huge, adoring crowds.  It will make Republicans look even weaker.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_20:41:05", "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": 871292, "depth": 3, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "870826": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This just isn't my day.<br><br>That should have been data collection sources.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": true, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-07-11_19:11:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "eclecticbrotha", "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": 870812, "depth": 2, "points": 0, "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": "1822582", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "21630", "hash": -2006463599798839271}, "thread": {"days_alive": 0, "slug": "seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11", "paginate": false, "num_pages": 1, "num_posts": 193, "per_page": 0, "total_posts": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 1822582, "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"};
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	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=seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11' +
		'&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/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/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='	+ 'seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11'
			+ '&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/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/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">193</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://jackandjillpolitics.disqus.com/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/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/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/">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:1822582" 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/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/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:1822582" 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:1822582" 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'				: 'seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11',
			// 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/seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11/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='	+ 'seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11'
			+ '&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='	+ 'seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11'
			+ '&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='		+ 'seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11'
				+ '&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/1822582/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
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Dsq.container.className = "clearfix";
Dsq.container.innerHTML = ' \
<ul id="dsq-comments">\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868495">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868495" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868495" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868495">Kat</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868495" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868495" class="dsq-comment-message">I wish you WOULD post this over at Kos.  I can\'t believe how often I have seen "I\'m not donating to Obama because I am not rewarding bad behavior", as if he was their trained seal or something.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870893">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870893" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870893" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870893">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870893" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870893" class="dsq-comment-message">LMAO.  So true.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876034">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876034" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876034" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876034">Akonuche</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876034" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876034" class="dsq-comment-message">Yes. That b.s. came directly from the head man himself. As if Obama is some child! I mean, who the hell do you think you are talking to? And if these people are not careful, there could very well be a backlash coming on them from those who do not agree with their flame-throwing.  I have had to scale back my visits over at DailyKos because of it. The same with Ariana Huffington and the rest of them. It\'s as if everyone has lost their gatdamned minds!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868529">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868529" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868529" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868529">Booky</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868529" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868529" class="dsq-comment-message">Has anyone but me noticed that Obama is called the "presumtive Democratic nominee"?  <br><br>Speaking of tinfoil hats,  blogging in Alabama is dangerous to your employment.<br><br><a href="http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=E4F910E93D639CC10858108A75F6E924?diaryId=2105" rel="nofollow">http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsess...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868671">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868671" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868671" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868671">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868671" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868671" class="dsq-comment-message">Not just you, Booky</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868943">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868943" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868943" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868943">tvanel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868943" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868943" class="dsq-comment-message">Booky...a candidate is the presumptive nominee, until he actually gets nominated. McCain is the GOP presumptive nominee.<br><br>Here is a snippet from WaPo yesterday:<br><br>"U.S. Sen. John McCain, <b>the presumptive Republican presidential nominee</b>, will speak to Northern Virginia voters as part of virtual townhall meeting on Thursday night."</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870238">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870238" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870238" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870238">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870238" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870238" class="dsq-comment-message">yes, i have noticed the "presumptive" or "he\'s not yet the nominee" bullshit.  it never happens with mccain.  sickening.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868565">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868565" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868565" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868565">Booky</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868565" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868565" class="dsq-comment-message">Correct link for dangerous blogging in Alabama:<br><br><a href="http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=E4F910E93D639CC10858108A75F6E924?diaryId=2105" rel="nofollow">http://www.leftinalabama.com/showDiary.do;jsess...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868735">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868735" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868735" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868735">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868735" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868735" class="dsq-comment-message">Most progressives at Kos and elsewhere will still support Obama with votes, volunteerism, and money. <br><br>He is DESERVEDLY getting a lot of flack for FISA, not because progressives are one issue voters-- we\'re not. He\'s getting flack because he should have stood up for our civil rights, hands down, end of story. He\'s getting flack because he PROMISED THE EXACT OPPOSITE of what he eventually did.<br><br>People are not nearly as upset with Obama about the 2nd Amendment or death penalty because he\'s in line with what he\'s said all along. These are not new positions with him. His FISA position is BRAND NEW, and a complete slap in the face for people that have been fighting against telecom immunity for nearly a year now. (NO, this FISA thing is NOT NEW. We didn\'t just pull it out of our asses as something to slap Obama around with).<br><br>His FISA vote is a betrayal to people that have been working against telecom immunity for nearly a year. Obama made a GRAVE miscalculation on this issue. Progressives may be able to take his other positions with a grain of salt, but FISA was the wrong issue to pick a fight with us on.<br><br>Yes, we are seeing Obama through new glasses. Yes, we are not as excited about him as before. Yes, we are not donating like we were. But make no mistake, there is no progressive even considering voting for John McCain. For as WRONG as Obama is on FISA, he is right about healthcare, education, the economy, the environment, and other issues.<br><br>I\'m surprised that y\'all think we aren\'t supposed to hold politicians accountable for their positions and promises. I\'m particularly surprised at how little Black people seem to care about this issue, considering the problems we\'ve had with 4th Amendment violations.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868768">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868768" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868768" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-868768" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868768" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868768" class="dsq-comment-message">I repeat:<br><br>You\'re not progressive.<br><br>(Nor can you apparently read a book.)<br><br>Slither, slither.<br><br>Slither.<br><br>::<br><br>rikyrah, thanks for the shoutout!<br><br>An AP writer who covered Hillary\'s campaign has an article circulating that politics is boring without HIllary around.<br><br>Uh huh.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868956">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868956" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868956" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868956">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868956" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868956" class="dsq-comment-message">CraigHickman, you are ridiculous.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869023">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869023" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869023" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869023" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869023" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869023" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m sure you think so. And I certainly have my moments.<br><br>But I\'ve still got pretty good eyesight.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869137">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869137" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869137" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869137">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869137" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869137" class="dsq-comment-message">taritac -<br><br>I am so glad that you posted this message because after reading Rikyrah\'s post (I am quite fond of her and seldom, if ever, disagree with her.) and the responses of others here at Jack & Jill,  I quite literally threw up my hands in despair. I am still supporting Obama; I attended a fund raiser held for him two days ago. His position on FISA, however, is not defensible and it represents both a reversal of his previous stance and a deep betrayal of a significant portion of his base.<br><br>Let me put on my tin foil hat for a moment. Black folks and especially those who champion issues and causes that have a direct bearing on the lives of black people should be keenly aware, based on history, that repressive laws of this type are often used to suppress, monitor and discredit black dissent. Secret intelligence units of the military were assigned to spy on blacks during and after World War I.  The FBI regularly spied on leaders of the NAACP and other black organizations long before the Civil Rights Movement flowered.<br><br>The FISA bill is a direct threat to our civil liberties. It is disgraceful, in my opinion, for liberal and progressive African Americans to impugn the integrity of those who are quite justified in being angry and dismayed at Obama\'s reversal and his disingenuously cynical defense of his reversal. Obama is as wrong as two left (or two right) shoes  on this matter. I will continue to support his candidacy but I can find no fault with others who choose not to continue to support him in response to his vote on FISA. Citizens in a democratic republic are not obligated to support politicians who they feel are too willing to play fast and loose with their civil liberties.<br><br>I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not opposed to racism and the intrusion of the government into my private life. If folks here believe that electing Obama as president is a more important issue for them than FISA I can accept their decision. By the same token, I wish that many of them would stop defending the indefensible because they are leaving no middle ground for those of us who are upset at Obama\'s actions but want to continue supporting him. They are making me feel as if I am running out of real estate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870248">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870248" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870248" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870248" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870248" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870248" class="dsq-comment-message">People seem to think because not enough Black people are informed about FISA, that it shouldn\'t be an issue to getting Barack Obama into the White House.<br><br>I can\'t speak for people who post here, but for me, personally, I cannot afford to ignore the resistance to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.  As for Kos\' - most of them are kool-aid drinkers who make sense 50% of the time, and the other 50% is dependent on how Kos feels that day.  While they may be rabid, they are right to roast Obama on his FISA vote, especially since he went on RECORD promising to filibuster any version that came down with immunity for the telecoms in it.  He backtracked. Admit that, if you please, and quit trying to defend the fact he backtracked his position.<br><br>What bothers me more than Obama\'s FISA vote, is the sense that he believes we (Black People) are going to support him NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, and has begun to take US for granted.  It appears he\'s counting on Black People to want a brotha in the White House so badly, we\'ll do anything, including ignoring if or when he screws US over, comforting ourselves with "Wait until he gets in."  For those of you who want to go that route, it is a free country, but if Obama does ignore the concerns of Black America, while the rest of America gets tended to, it will be our fault for not holding his damned feet to the fire when it mattered.<br><br>Many of you will disagree with me - if not involving yourselves in name-calling and whatnot.  That\'s okay, but I have to say that now that Obama has closed the deal, I can\'t help feeling he believes he doesn\'t need Black People anymore, and even though Jesse Jackson was crude for wanting to make a brotha a eunich, when you wade through the remarks before expressing a desire to relieve Obama of his manhood, he may have been really expressing similar concerns.<br><br>As did Jeremiah Wright.  As did anyone else who tried this and got summarily tossed under the bus by Obama\'s camp, just because he didn\'t want to be uncomfortable.<br><br>Guess What?  Being POTUS is more than being uncomfortable; it is a job that ages the hell out of you from the stress and pressure to lead and do what is best for the country.  The country includes EVERYONE; white, Black, Asian, Latino, Native American; rich and poor; young, middle-age and old.  It will not be a pleasant Presidency for Mr. Obama if he spits on the base that got him to the dance and he walks off with the Quarterback that ignored him all year. (I\'m an ex-cheerleader, LOL).<br><br>I want to know he\'s paying attention and that he\'s well aware of the consequences for ignoring US.  That\'s it and that\'s all.  The End.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870565">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870565" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870565" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870565">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870565" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870565" class="dsq-comment-message">**<i>applause</i>**</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871073">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871073" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871073" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871073" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871073" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871073" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>What bothers me more than Obama\'s FISA vote, is the sense that he believes we (Black People) are going to support him NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES</i><br><br>::<br><br>Can you tell me how you get from A to B with this one?<br><br>I mean, I don\'t hear Barack talking specifically to Black people about his FISA vote and suggesting he believes Black people are going to vote for him no matter what.<br><br>If he has, please show me the light.<br><br>Why are you making this a Black thing?<br><br>Why, oh why, are you projecting this onto him?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871744">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871744" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871744" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871744" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871744" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871744" class="dsq-comment-message">Craig, you\'re being disingenious and you know it.  You kno exactly what I\'ve said; what Taritac said; what PTCruiser has said; what Belle has said. Yet, you persist in asking questions to which I pretty well believe, you already KNOW the answer.<br><br>You\'re an intelligent brotha - so being disingenious doesn\'t become you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-875508">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-875508" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-875508" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-875508" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-875508" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-875508" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m asking you a question that I don\'t see an answer to.<br><br>If you call that being disingenuous, so be it.<br><br>But you\'re wrong.<br><br>You said that Barack believes Black people will support him  no matter what he does.<br><br>And since I don\'t see that at all, I\'m asking you to point me toward the light.<br><br>If you can\'t do that, then own your statement as an opinion and leave it at that.<br><br>But if it\'s a fact, I\'m open to seeing the evidence about what Barack believes about the Black vote.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876275">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876275" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876275" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876275" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876275" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876275" class="dsq-comment-message">Does "There is No Black America?" convince you what he thinks about the Black vote, Craig?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-881722">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-881722" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-881722" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-881722" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-881722" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-881722" class="dsq-comment-message">Why would it? I know the context of that remark and It has absolutely nothing to do with what we\'re talking about.<br><br>Unless you have evidence that he has said something like, "I don\'t need to worry about getting votes from Black people because they will support me no matter what I do" then, suffice it to say, I\'m not going to agree with you about this.<br><br>No disrespect.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871099">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871099" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871099" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871099">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871099" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871099" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, it\'s only fair.  If he will bow to the Jewish community,  Hispanics, Blue Collar Whites...then why not African Americans too?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871457">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871457" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871457" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871457">happycozy</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871457" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871457" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'ve just started reading political news this past year, so I\'d like to know if Clinton, Kerry, or Edwards got roasted by the netroots for their Iraq vote?  I think NMP is on to something.  Why are we holding Obama to higher standards?<br><br>I, too, think the FISA bill/law stinks.  But I think attacking Iran stinks even more.  Why the hell aren\'t people bitching about Bush/McCain\'s insistance on attacking Iraq?  Nevermind that we would be paying $7/gallon for gas, innocent Iranians will be killed.<br><br>This whole "losing our civil liberties" meme I keep hearing from the left is bullsh*t anyway.  It\'s illusory.  We never <i>really</i> had civil liberties.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-874162">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-874162" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-874162" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-874162" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-874162" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-874162" class="dsq-comment-message">Kerry was roasted by the netroots for the Iraq thing. The netroots was with Dean. Kerry won without the netroots. They threw tantrums for a few months. The difference: Kerry won earlier, so the tantrums weren\'t thrown in July. People are looking for the race angle here. It doesn\'t have anything to do with that. The netroots thought it had won the FISA debate,and they were wrong. They felt betrayed. They took it out on Obama...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872305">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872305" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872305" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872305">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872305" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872305" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree with you that Obama did not stand by his word in supporting the FISA bill, but I must also point out that he said that he would *support* a filibuster, and not filibuster the bill himself.  I also agree with you that people should take him to task, instead of being silent on this issue--although, I think some have gone over the top.  But you lost me when you equated Obama\'s vote for FISA as him taking the Black vote for granted.  What evidence do you have backing this up?  Because from what I have seen, this is NOT a Black issue, it is an American issue.  People from all backgrounds think that FISA is BS,  not just Black people.  <br><br>And I wish people would stop making excuses for Jesse.  I commend him for his civil rights work years ago, but he has been wrong for a long time now.  First of all, I\'m still missing the connection with how faith based initiatives, or discussing issues that are relevant in the Black community equate with talking down to Black people.  Second of all, if a White Obama supporter had been caught saying the same thing, in the same manner on Fox, would people really keep saying, yeah well it was ignorant, but he had a point.  I highly doubt it.  Jesse and Al would both be leading a march in the street.  <br><br>And Jeremiah Wright.  Please don\'t get me started.  Obama did not throw that man under the bus, he let his ego plant him firmly under that bus when he went to a public forum and started talking reckless.  The problem with the whole Rev. Wright issue, is that there were things that I agreed and disagreed with about his sermons, but as Obama said, I did not feel that a couple of sound bites was an accurate portrayal of who he was.  But when you start going off about how the government invented AIDS to infect members in the Black community, that\'s when I tune out.  That is absurd.  And even if the government has done horrible things in the past, with the collusion of Black people, without evidence that it has infected Black people with AIDS, why spread that lie?  Rev. Wright is an extremely intelligent man, and he knew exactly what he was doing.  If Obama wanted to "throw him under the bus" he would have done it a year and a half ago when the press first started asking him questions about it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871046">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871046" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871046" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871046" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871046" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871046" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s the thing, though:<br><br>Barack\'s vote on FISA is NOT indefensible.<br><br>That\'s your very strong opinion.<br><br>But it\'s not the truth.<br><br>My opinion is also just that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871403">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871403" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871403" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871403">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871403" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871403" class="dsq-comment-message">Craig,<br><br>His position is not defensible. We are not arguing about truth here. I am not asserting that he (you or anyone else) is lying. <br><br>All respect.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-875526">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-875526" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-875526" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-875526" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-875526" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-875526" class="dsq-comment-message">Defining my terms:<br><br>Truth isn\'t the opposite of lying. Sometimes you have to lie in order to tell the truth. <br><br>But that\'s another discussion.<br><br>Peace.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868789">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868789" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868789" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-868789" href="http://talesfromthetracks.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Erica</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868789" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868789" class="dsq-comment-message">I just came across your blog (found you on Technorati) and really enjoyed this post. I\'ll certainly be returning to read more!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868805">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868805" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868805" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868805">kate03</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868805" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868805" class="dsq-comment-message">As far as FISA is concerned, I have said before that I am going to trust Senator Obama on his explanation. <br>Gun control is just not that simple of a cure for violence. Look at all the killing with knifes in London, I just read a London newspaper and the horrible murders by knife make NYC look like a utopia.<br>Most of the people acting so surprised on line must not have researched or read any of Obama\'s books. Or they are just posers working for the Rebullycans, maybe even Hillary. Her vote against FISA is proof that she\'s still playing the game, hoping and wishing for another chance, or at least, the VP.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869269">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869269" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869269" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869269">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869269" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869269" class="dsq-comment-message"><i><blockquote>Her vote against FISA is proof that she\'s still playing the game, hoping and wishing for another chance, or at least, the VP.</i></blockquote><br>I hope like hell you are wrong about this, but that is exactly what I thought when I saw that she had voted against it, particularly in light of the fact that she gave only a tepid response when the vote came up previously.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870289">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870289" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870289" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870289" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870289" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870289" class="dsq-comment-message">The Borg Queen will do anything that makes Obama look bad.  If she were the nominee, she would have voted the same damned way.  She is still taking pot shots at Obama to pressure him to put her on the ticket.<br><br>I still think she\'s going to pull something in Denver.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872889">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872889" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872889" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872889">Lily</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872889" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872889" class="dsq-comment-message">So true, so true. No Clinton on the ticket!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869506">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869506" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869506" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869506">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869506" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869506" class="dsq-comment-message">kate03:  ABSOLUTELY CO-SIGNING!!!  "That woman-billary clinton" is the snake in the Garden[of Eden].  Also, "Where\'s bill"?  He\'s leaving billary to fend for herself in the "alledged unity" fests!  Guess Mr. Obama didn\'t "kiss his A$$".  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869866">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869866" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869866" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869866">kate03</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869866" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869866" class="dsq-comment-message">When you add in the fact that DailyKos  and other "democrats" are promoting the idea of not funding Obama\'s campaign because of FISA, it starts to smell a bit.<br><br>I think FISA is important too, but I am also aware that the MSM  and McCain, and all the pundits, are loving the inhouse turmoil, and will twist it anyway they can. I watched a writer from Salon on tv the other night, she was lying away about this issue, and glorifying the dissent.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870043">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870043" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870043" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870043">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870043" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870043" class="dsq-comment-message">I didn\'t see the woman you are talking about, but more than likely, that was Joan Walsh. She is awful. She has lost a lot of readers and respect over her anti-Obamaism.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870489">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870489" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870489" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870489">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870489" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870489" class="dsq-comment-message">She runs a site that actually called Obama - UPPITY- so, what the hell else do you think she\'d do? Joan Walsh is a snake that cannot be trusted.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870614">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870614" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870614" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870614">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870614" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870614" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah/taritac:  CO-SIGNINIG BIG TIME!  She still doesn\'t want to believe that billary "LOST".  She refers to her as often as she can.  And NO "feminista" support for the hatin\' that Mrs. Obama is experiencing.<br>I have an idea:  Maybe JJP could start a "SSSSSSSNAKE List" to include people who act like one, e.g., Joan Walsh, hillary clinton, shelby steele, now the Rev. JJ,<br>Just a thought.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868819">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868819" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868819" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868819">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868819" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868819" class="dsq-comment-message"><a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6481751" rel="nofollow">Obama/McCain Voting Record Comparisons</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868835">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868835" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868835" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868835">mark</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868835" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868835" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh come the hell on, you can\'t just cry racism every time liberals disagree with something Obama does. The FISA bill was a turd and Obama deserves the hell he\'s getting for voting for it. Just because Obama\'s the nominee and we want him to win doesn\'t mean we have to sit down and shut up when he does something stupid. <br><br>The Democratic nominee gets beat up on. That\'s how it is. Its annoying and ridiculous when you talk like all these white liberals are just airing their secret hatred of the black man.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871710">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871710" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871710" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871710">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871710" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871710" class="dsq-comment-message">You can when they\'re white.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868870">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868870" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868870" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868870">kate03</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868870" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868870" class="dsq-comment-message">Mark, <br>Spend a little more time on the net, you\'ll see a lot of white liberals who just like feeling good about themselves by calling themselves liberals.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-868953">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-868953" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-868953" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-868953">Laura</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-868953" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-868953" class="dsq-comment-message">Preach it, sister! I still find Daily Kos useful as a way to see at a glance what the hot political news is, but most of the diaries and comments are useless these days. There are still a lot of good people trying to speak the truth, but sometimes it is hard to find them.<br><br>It seems clear that most of the progressive blogosphere has not read The Audacity of Hope or was not paying attention during the primaries. Every single one of Obama\'s so-called "flip-flops" or "moves to the center" are things he has said before, in most cases years before.<br><br>It seems like a lot of the people crying the loudest over FISA were Clinton or Edwards supporters during the primaries. Sounds like crocodile tears to me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869123">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869123" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869123" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869123" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869123" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869123" class="dsq-comment-message">It seems like a lot of the people crying the loudest over FISA were Clinton or Edwards supporters during the primaries. <br><br>::<br>Now you\'re talking.<br><br>The new talking points go something  like this: "If the primary season continued, Hillary would be the nominee because she was the better candidate at the end. (Nevermind that she raised the specter of assassination so blatantly, nevermind that she called on her base of hardworking Americans, white Americans to give her blowouts in the Appalachia primaries.) The Democrats will continue to show more buyer\'s remorse as the summer goes on. Baracks support will continue to fall off, the big Democratic donors wont open their pockets to Barack, especially if Bill doesn\'t appear with him and give his blessing, his base will stop donating, etc........"<br><br>And this is just the beginning.<br><br><br>.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871210">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871210" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871210" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871210">Sepia</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871210" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871210" class="dsq-comment-message">Bingo! You described the script to a "T" . Don\'t forget the other talking point:  "Don\'t count McCain out" and then go into comparing poll numbers of past presidential campaigns.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870689">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870689" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870689" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870689">Zoe</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870689" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870689" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually, this is not true. A lot of the people who were most upset over FISA supported Obama in the primaries - The Nation Magazine being one prominent example. There was much Hillary hate on the The Nation\'s pages, in part because progressives believed that Obama really was one of them.  Now I agree that they took this position against Obama\'s own words, as Gail Collins points out in the NY Times. But you can\'t blame disgruntlement on the left on Hillary-love.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870807">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870807" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870807" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870807">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870807" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870807" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>A lot of the people who were most upset over FISA supported Obama in the primaries .... There was much Hillary hate on the The Nation\'s pages, in part because progressives believed that Obama really was one of them.</i><br><br>I agree, Zoe. Not about Hillary hate in particular (what\'s not to hate?) but about believing that Obama is "one uf us."<br><br>I think there was lots and lots of thoughtless not-paying-attention not-listening projection from progressives who thought they were supporting Senator Obama -- combined with the rigid limited white-progressive worldview in which someone is either "one of us", "someone who needs to be educated by us," or "The Enemy." <br><br>No gray areas and no need for insider-progressives to actually learn or listen to others who don\'t already agree with them.<br><br>As much as I would like to blame all this on people who didn\'t "support" Senator Obama in the primaries, it seems to me that it is not accurate to do that.<br><br>Of course, various groups are taking advantage of this situation (or trying to), and very strategically. But this weakness begins in the white-progressive movement as a whole, including Obama supporters in that group.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869017">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869017" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869017" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869017">djchefron</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869017" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869017" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you I only wish I can write out my thoughts as well as you.Today you get two big thumps up.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869051">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869051" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869051" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869051">Miss_Opinion </span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869051" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869051" class="dsq-comment-message">Finally! someone mentions Bill Clinton\'s execution of that mentally challenged man. My father talks about it all the time as the moment he knew this man was piece of crap.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869059">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869059" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869059" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869059" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869059" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869059" class="dsq-comment-message">The Bradenberg Gate idea is *BAD* politics. If you want something which will put him behind in the polls before Denver, a speech at the Bradenberg Gate is it. By the way, it isn\'t Obama himself who is the problem here. It\'s overconfident campaign staffers in Chicago. Speaking to a massive European crowd of people who *CANNOT VOTE* carries enormous risks, and has no real benefit. Thankfully, the German Home Ministry appears to have nixed this stupid event before it happened. <br><br>Obama\'s campaign needs some fresh people in Chicago. Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. It\'s not serving the candidate well. The FISA vote, the failure to consider the reaction in the netroots, lagging fund-raising, and daily beatings in the press is showing it. Specifically, Obama needs a new press shop--one dedicated to actually fighting the spin battles. It\'s dirty, nasty work that the candidate rightly disdains, but it\'s needs to be done in order to win. I want to change the rules of the game, but to do that we have to win by playing the game under its current rules...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869160">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869160" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869160" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869160" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869160" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869160" class="dsq-comment-message">I couldn\'t disagree with you more.<br><br>We know it;s a good politics because Dubya Bush is trying his damnedest to pressure German leadership to squash it.<br><br>Speakers at the Brandenburg gate are a dime a dozen.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869338">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869338" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869338" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869338" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869338" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869338" class="dsq-comment-message">Just because something can be done, doesn\'t mean it should be done. <br><br>It\'s acting as if he already is the President before he is the President. That makes him appear to be arrogant, which is something he cannot afford. to project. Also, if the reporting on the trip goes negative, they\'ve just shot themselves in the foot on national security, which is already their weakness.  <br><br>Ideas like the Bradenberg gate fly in the blogosphere. They don\'t fly in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Butte, Helena, Denver, and Reno--the places where this election will be won or lost. It\'s *STUPID* politics which has to be avoided at *ALL* costs. Barack can do a goodwill tour in February, as the sitting President. In July, it will equal the moment the election shifted in McCain\'s favor...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871094">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871094" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871094" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871094" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871094" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871094" class="dsq-comment-message">I still don\'t agree wit you<br><br>At all.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871232">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871232" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871232" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871232">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871232" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871232" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, people have to be able to envision Obama as President.  McCain is already working that angle with his military service.<br><br>Being excessively humble will do nothing for O.<br><br>Dress for the job you want.<br><br>Don\'t you find it odd that the Chancellor would oppose having a hugely popular speaker like Obama?  Think of the tourism, the publicity for the city.  Why would she care?  As Craig said, lots of groups speak at Brandenberg Gate, far less <i>prestigious</i> than Obama.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871523">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871523" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871523" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871523" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871523" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871523" class="dsq-comment-message">No matter how much people want to delude themselves into thinking that this is normal *IT ISN\'T*. It\'s unprecedented. Absolutely unprecedented for a politician to hold a massive rally on foreign soil. It is also incredibly *BAD* politics. If this comes off as a few deluded souls in Chicago would like, this will make FISA look like a good decision...foreign politicians don\'t hold rallies on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The Chancellor is right on this one; she has a grasp of international protocol, something the Obama campaign doesn\'t get. <br><br>Worse, the Obama campaign has deluded themselves into thinking this is another Kenya moment. Far, far from it. There is a totally ignorant of the different dynamics at play here, and they\'re doing their best to piss away Obama\'s chance to get elected.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871549">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871549" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871549" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871549" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871549" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871549" class="dsq-comment-message">The Chancellor was pressured by Dubya Bush.<br><br>I\'m not deluding myself about this (or anything else) but I disagree with you across the board on this.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871553">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871553" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871553" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871553">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871553" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871553" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t agree.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871679">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871679" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871679" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871679">lamh32</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871679" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871679" class="dsq-comment-message">i don\'t agree either, but whatevah.<br><br>What I would like to know is what member of the Obama campaign explicitly said that Obama was looking to give a speech at this Gate?  From what I can tell, this started as a blog post on Ben Smith\'s blog at politico.  And as I recall, even this blog post was a "rumor" and the Obama campaign itself gave no confirmation that Obama was planning to do this, it was reported, but not confirmed by the camp.  Oh sure, the German side of this story seemed to confirm that the Obama campaign and the Secret Service was scouting locations in Germany, but no official word from the campaign.<br><br>The details of Obama\'s trip abroad has not been and will not be released until right around the time when he goes. Until the Campaign officially releases information all the analysis and "political advice" is just conjecture.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871718">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871718" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871718" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871718" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871718" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871718" class="dsq-comment-message">That\'s the problem. The campaign doesn\'t get it. They never have. They\'ve let a freakin rumor turn into a total disaster and international mini-incident. They should\'ve just went to another reporter and said, "We have no plans to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, Ben Smith is wrong." Instead, Bush and his Republican friends shrewdly turned this into an international incident. The campaign doesn\'t get it. They cede the narrative to the Republicans. If this crap keeps up, we\'re looking at a 49 state landslide, for McCain. This has to stop. *NOW*.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871794">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871794" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871794" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871794">lamh32</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871794" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871794" class="dsq-comment-message">as I said downthread.<br><br>Yes some people see it the way you do, but just as many others don\'t.<br><br>The problem is that you seem to be trying to force feed your view to the other side.  <br><br>It is all subjective, either view of the situation could be right or wrong.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871886">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871886" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871886" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871886" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871886" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871886" class="dsq-comment-message">Believe me, I didn\'t start by trying to force my view on the other side. I\'ve been around long enough to not do that. It went away for a while, not it\'s back.  A couple people just won\'t give up on this bad idea. <br><br>That there is a debate is why it shouldn\'t happen. It practically invites Republican attacks and a media crapstorm. They really want to do that? The campaign is totally clueless and very listless at the moment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869200">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869200" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869200" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869200">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869200" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869200" class="dsq-comment-message"><i><blockquote>Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. It\'s not serving the candidate well. The FISA vote, the failure to consider the reaction in the netroots, lagging fund-raising, and daily beatings in the press is showing it. Specifically, Obama needs a new press shop--one dedicated to actually fighting the spin battles. It\'s dirty, nasty work that the candidate rightly disdains, but it\'s needs to be done in order to win.</i></blockquote><br>How right you are. One reason I was such an ardent Obama supporter during the primary was because his shop seemed so tightly run. His message was ALWAYS on point, and slip ups were immediately addressed. <br><br>Nowadays, his campaign seems a mess. FISA was a huge political miscalculation. Progressives are used to being eventually fucked by the Democratic candidate, but Obama didn\'t even use lube.<br><br>Sorry for the crassness, but that\'s how it\'s feeling these days.<br><br>He seems all over the place. The Access Hollywood interview for instance. Certainly, he may think it was a mistake, but why make a public statement about it? It\'s not a policy issue that needs some sort of explanation. If in the future, he wanted to keep his family out of the limelight, few people would object. Making a statement about it, though, just neutralizes his "judgment" argument.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869303">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869303" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869303" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869303" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869303" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869303" class="dsq-comment-message">Sadly, I think there are reasons why he got out in front of the Access Hollywood Story. The immediate public comment was one of the better things that has been done lately. That one had the potential to turn into a total disaster...thankfully that didn\'t happen.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870161">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870161" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870161" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870161">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870161" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870161" class="dsq-comment-message">Hi, Bag of Health and Politics. You wrote: <i>Right now, the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done because Hillary Clinton was defeated. </i><br><br>This statement is <b>deeply contradicts</b> my recent actual -- though quite limited -- experience with a Chicago staff member.<br><br>I\'ll share the info, but first I have to ask you, Bag of Health and Politics  -- <b>where are you getting your information about what is actually going on in the HQ?</b> This question is both a challenge and real curiosity, since my own experience is quite limited. I wonder if you have direct experience with this group or some of its members ... and if so I would like to add those details to my own information to help me see the whole picture<br><br>My own limited experience is this. I complained about a national LGBT conference call they put on after Senator Obama became the presumptive nominee. I don\'t know anyone on the staff at all, am just a random person who got upset about it. <br><br>I ended up being contacted by a staff member from Chicago who genuinely and openly and directly admitted they had made mistakes ... and thanked me. Not BS bureaucratic thanks, but the real thing. <br><br>That same staff person told me in a phone conversation a few weeks later that my concerns/complaints, along with others, had (this is a paraphrase from me) pushed the staff to look critically at what they had been doing and bring stuff to the front burner that had been too long on the back burner and they are still working on it all.<br><br>I have a feel for this kind of thing, I have always been focused on this area (whether people and groups are truly open to learning or are closed)  and I want to say -- most ACTIVIST groups I have been involved with would not have responded so openly or with such a clear and non-defensive capacity and willingness to learn from their mistakes.<br><br>Further, when I received a silly robotic response from another part of the staff (I assume in Chicago, but not sure) on this same issue, I emailed this staff person, he understood exactly why it was inappropriate, spoke to them, apologized to me with no drama and that was that.<br><br>Here is the email I sent him after our phone conversation -- the date of the email is July 4 and it was about a week after we spoke on the phone. I don\'t say stuff like this lightly -- and, I usually don\'t get to say things like this at all because normally I don\'t see this kind of response to criticism:<br><br><i><b>I am really deeply supportive and impressed by your responses to what I did and said re: that LGBT conference call.<br><br>I have been involved in various kinds of social movement/activist contexts for the past 20 years. In the last year, I have had to question my own involvement in activism, for a very specific reason: critical experience-based questioning functions in practice as a threat in a lot of these contexts, and yet it is an inescapable part of the core of who and what I am.<br><br>In my experience, it\'s really really hard for people and groups in this society to deal with direct experience-based critical questioning. Defensiveness is extremely common and too often functions as a barrier to learning.<br><br>I would not even have bothered sending my initial upset email to the LGBT listserve if I hadn\'t read Senator Obama\'s books, watched the campaign over months, and seen in him the capacity to attend and learn in (what I would call) a real way.<br><br>Your response to my emails was, in my perception, very direct and honest and clear. No energy-wasting defensiveness or other BS -- that is extremely rare in my experience. And when you told me in our phone conversation that critical responses to the call brought issues to the forefront that needed to be brought there, I was extremely impressed.<br><br>I am writing this email to thank you and the other staff for this, to thank all of you and Senator Obama for fostering a culture in which it was possible for you to respond as you did to me and to any other criticism of that call. To make a learning and dialogue experience of it rather than to put shields up and just defend and avoid -- I can\'t tell you how rare that is in my experience, and how impressed I am.<br><br>Please, all of you, please keep it up. Please stay honest and grounded and open to learning in situations like this. And thank you. It\'s hard to express the significance of this to me, but it goes deep.</i></b><br><br>So when I see a comment like <i>the headquarters has devolved into a group think where no wrong can be done</i> it goes 100% against my actual experience and I want to both share it and also ask for details on where you are getting your information; if you have direct experience also, I would like to get the details and add them to my own information to develop and shape my own understanding further.<br><br>(If you have information you would prefer not to share publicly, please say so and I\'ll post my email address or post your email address and I\'ll contact you.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870490">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870490" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870490" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870490" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870490" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870490" class="dsq-comment-message">The problem is there in the "make mistakes and then apologize for it" mode. They keep on shooting themselves in the foot; people are telling them they\'re going to shoot themselves in the foot before it happens, but they do it anyway.  From the Great Seal of Barack to FISA to the Access Hollywood Interview to the Bradenberg Gate idea, they\'ve consistently ignored people giving them blunt warnings about obvious problems. (Thanks to their failure to listen about the Bradenberg Gate thing, there is now a record of foreign leaders blasting the campaign and saying it is being presumptuous..I warned the campaign about that 2 and a half weeks ago, but they\'re still pushing this stupid idea and keeping negative reaction to it in the press. Why? Because they can\'t admit they had a bad idea; they can\'t admit that Barack giving a speech to a giant rally can be a bad idea. As I said above, giving a speech to a giant crowd of Europeans has no benefit and massive risks. It\'s stupid politics. From what I see, I get the sense that there isn\'t a dissenting voice within the headquarters. All is *too well* there). <br><br>To me, it\'s quite apparent, they didn\'t allow themselves to think about the general election as long as Hillary Clinton was a candidate. They have no plan for the general election. John McCain has been handing one election altering moment after another to the Obama campaign, but they don\'t push it to the media. They just sit back and say they don\'t care. The problem is that the candidate doesn\'t watch the cable news, which is fine. But people think that spin is unimportant then. Far, far from it.<br><br>This has long been a problem with the campaign. They\'ve long refused to fight the spin battles. (The right thing may not have taken off the way it did had the campaign done a better job of fighting it before it got onto the air. Bittergate was another example of letting a media story get out of control). <br><br>They need to wise up and do a better job of thinking ahead. That they had to apologize to you is the problem. If that happens with the Bradenberg Gate, no apology can undo the damage...The campaign needs to shape up now. The only way to do that is to bring in new people.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870692">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870692" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870692" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870692">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870692" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870692" class="dsq-comment-message">Bag of Health and Politics, thanks you for your reply.<br><br>You wrote:<i>The problem is there in the "make mistakes and then apologize for it" mode.</i><br><br>...and <br><br><i>That they had to apologize to you is the problem. </i><br><br>I totally and completely disagree. I mean with every single fiber of my being I disagree. And it hurts that you say that. But I understand why this perspective would make sense to you or anyone else.<br><br>But then, that\'s because I have specific priorities.<br><br>To me the single most important attribute any person or group can have is the ability to <b>learn as they act.</b><br><br>The culture of this society creates HUGE egos and personas and walls of defensiveness. Everyone so busy defending themselves and saying what they did is right even when it\'s not. Better to look like you\'re doing right than actually do right.<br><br>Everyone is so busy trying to never make a mistake (impossible) and project a seamless flawless image (bullshit and deceptive) that they get all rigid and unresponsive. This leads to attempts to create reality to mask what is going on and the inability to respond and adapt to what is actually going on.  Instead, in this rigidity people start to insist that reality conform to them. Which only works til the planet, for example, says -- UM NO. You don\'t control reality. It\'s complicated and learning to attend and listen and learn and be part of rather than trying to control is actually a survival mode in the longer term.<br><br>Everyone and every group makes mistakes. The variable is whether we admit it, learn from it, act on that learning ... or not.<br><br>The fact that Senator Obama and his staff knows how to learn while doing asnd to act in the midst of that dynamic process is valuable and extremely rare.<br><br>And of course they\'re going to get shit for it from people who think they know how the campaign "should be" run. Their approach contradicts a major aspect of the way this society operates. It is in my eyes a huge strength on the part of Senator Obama and his staff and it is what will make him an excellent President if he is elected. But I understand that it is not the usual way to do things in this society.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871244">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871244" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871244" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871244" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871244" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871244" class="dsq-comment-message">This is the big leagues. You don\'t screw up as consistently as the campaign is screwing up if you want to win. You don\'t learn on the job as the nominee. That is a way to defeat. <br><br>The problem isn\'t that they made a mistake. It\'s that they\'re making them daily...Today\'s mistake: they fought back on the WSJ story about lagging fund-raising. They had a golden opportunity to get the netroots to shut up about FISA and fall back in line, but they pissed it away because *staff* didn\'t want to look bad. If they hadn\'t fought back, people on the left would\'ve been forced to realize they\'re doing real harm with their tantrums. But the campaign can\'t see the tree through the forest.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871686">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871686" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871686" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871686">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871686" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871686" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>This is the big leagues. You don\'t screw up as consistently as the campaign is screwing up if you want to win.</i><br><br>Well, it\'s not like the campaign has won anything recently, is it.<br><br>So far what I see is that the Obama campaign WON the Democratic nomination. Despite all odds and against an amoral heavily favored huge name recognition husband was the president for 8 years front-runner. <br><br>If you\'re going to focus so hard on what they do "wrong" by your standards, please also focus on what they have done right. <br><br>You\'re right this is the big leagues. I don\'t consider myself an expert on this stuff. I do know what I see and so far winning the contest in front of them seems to be the outcome of the Obama campaign\'s actions.<br><br>But of course YOU know better than they do about how to win. You know better because ... um, what exactly are your credentials for knowing better, that you will put up against the actual observable fact of what the campaign has accomplished so far?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871735">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871735" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871735" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871735" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871735" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871735" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama won the primary but Obama\'s staff and most of his supporters have confused that with actually winning the election. Primaries and General Elections have totally different dynamics at play. The campaign is willfully ignorant of that, and is trying to recreate the good times everywhere. They want every state to be Iowa; they want Germany to be Kenya. Live in the moment, not the past...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871053">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871053" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871053" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871053">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871053" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871053" class="dsq-comment-message">And also, Bag of Health and Politics: I would ask that you please find a more accurate way to describe what you are criticizing -- "group think" is not accurate even to what you are criticizing them for.<br><br>I understand you and I totally disagree on the value of what I would call "learning as they act," and what you call "not thinking ahead." But no matter where you stand on that, you do see that they acknowledge their mistakes (even though you think they should and could have avoided them).<br><br>The words group think suggests a closed-ness and rigidity that is totally not accurate even from the POV of what you are saying. Group think would be closed to outside criticism. Group think would have led them to either ignore or BS away my criticisms, or to respond by trying to change my mind and show me I was "wrong." That is NOT what occurred.<br><br>The more I think about it the more it makes my stomach sink to consider that word you used, its inaccuracy in relation to what you are actually criticizing them for, and what it connects with -- the "spin" of it given that it is not even accurate to what you yourself have observed. <br><br>You may not be doing this on purpose, but in mis-naming what you are criticizing as "group think," you are drawing on some threads of deception that go way way back in this election season (remember the whole "cult" theme, for example?)<br><br>------------------------<br><br>And also, you wrote: <i>I warned the campaign about that 2 and a half weeks ago, but they\'re still pushing this stupid idea and keeping negative reaction to it in the press. Why? Because they can\'t admit they had a bad idea; they can\'t admit that Barack giving a speech to a giant rally can be a bad idea. As I said above, giving a speech to a giant crowd of Europeans has no benefit and massive risks. It\'s stupid politics. From what I see, I get the sense that there isn\'t a dissenting voice within the headquarters. All is *too well* there).</i><br><br>Either that, or they just <b>disagree with you</b> on this particular issue. Your particular perspective not running things is NOT the same as total lack of dissent. People in this society often get confused on this point. Just bc they\'re not doing it YOUR way ... that doesn\'t mean it\'s group think. It means they\'re not doing it your way, that\'s all.<br><br>You may be right, or they may be right or someone with a different perspective may be right. We\'ll see. The actual reality is that the long-term outcome of this is not apparent right now. They are seeking to win a presidential bid. Will they or won\'t they? We\'ll know in November, despite any efforts to project into the future and say how things should happen. In the meantime, we all have our opinions on what should and should not happen. <br><br>Sometimes there will be disagreement -- and them not doing things how you or I or whoever wants it done in a given moment or on a given issue is not the same as group think. That\'s just an ego fantasy IMO.<br><br>So far they have done great work in defeating the huge insider well-funded Dem frontrunner for the nomination. That I know from actual observation and experience.<br><br>And now I am wondering: What IS it with the backseat drivers -- it was huge during the primaries, practically everyone with a keyboard and an opinion acting like they knew what Senator Obama\'s campaign "should" be doing. The blogosphere would go off regularly  and in various directions about what was wrong with their approach and what they should do differently.  <br><br>I need to think more about this in particular, it seems pretty significant to me as I write about it now.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871271">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871271" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871271" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871271" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871271" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871271" class="dsq-comment-message">You just made the argument for the use of the term groupthink. It\'s when a group doesn\'t listen to outsiders and convinces itself that what the group is doing is right. Believe me, I\'m not the only one ringing five alarm fire bells about the Bradenberg Gate thing. There are hundreds of people doing that. Hundreds. I suspect it\'s not going to happen, and I suspect that decision was made a couple weeks ago. Yet the campaign, in its constant naivete, didn\'t bother to tell the press. And the thing has turned into a full blown negative story. It\'s a text book example of a story which is *completely* of the campaign\'s making. *Completely*. And that this can happen on the campaign of a major party\'s nominee for President isn\'t right. They need new people.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871712">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871712" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871712" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871712">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871712" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871712" class="dsq-comment-message">Disagreeing with you and/or "hundreds" of people is not the same as group think.<br><br>I get the pattern here. The pattern is that when people are running off of their individual egos they don\'t know how to be part of a group with varying perspectives. <br><br>Being a useful part of such a group is not group think. It is acting from an understanding you and whoever agrees with you are not the only ones who have an opinion and that not doing what YOU and your faction wants is not the same as not allowing dissent.<br><br>Dissent does not mean "I get my way no matter what" or it\'s not dissent.<br><br>It means having your perspective taken into consideration along with other perspectives, and you might not get your way even so.<br><br>Ugh. People in this country are taught to be so freaking selfish and individualistic, this is so ugly to me.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871756">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871756" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871756" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871756" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871756" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871756" class="dsq-comment-message">They\'re blatantly ignoring constructive criticism, and like you they say that anybody who speaks critically of the campaign isn\'t being a "productive member of the group." That is the definition of group think. <br><br>This isn\'t about what my faction wants. It\'s about *BASIC* politics. This is a potentially campaign-ending mistake. There\'s a reason I\'m being so damn insistent about it. If this happens, Obama\'s perceived weakness on national security will be *CEMENTED*. No matter how much people want to relive Kenya in 2006, or no matter how eager people are for a fresh President and uplifting symbolism from Europe *NOW IS NOT THE TIME*. The Brandeburg Speech can happen--in February.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871740">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871740" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871740" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871740">lamh32</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871740" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871740" class="dsq-comment-message">Let be clear here.  YOU see it as a negative story for Obama, as I\'m sure others do as well.  But I\'m sure that OTHERS think the opposite of you and do not think that this has become a neg story for Obama.  <br><br>The point is that all of the things that has gone on in this campaign as in life in general is subjective.  We all see things from different prism and experiences.  That\'s all.  It doesn\'t make anyone else right over another because we view things differently.<br><br>The problem occurs when we try to force feed others our righteous indignation when they don\'t agree as you seem to be trying to do with miss Michelle.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871767">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871767" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871767" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871767" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871767" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871767" class="dsq-comment-message">That there is even a debate about whether it is good or bad proves it is a *TERRIBLE* idea. It\'s inviting a debate about whether Obama doesn\'t have a clue on foreign policy. That\'s precisely the thing that needs to be avoided on the trip.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872173">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872173" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872173" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872173">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872173" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872173" class="dsq-comment-message">Bag of Health and Politics, your opinion and assessment is not The Truth.<br><br>It is your opinion and assessment, shared by some and not shared by some. It may be right (true), it may be wrong (false). It may be some of both mixed up all together.<br><br>But people disagreeing with you -- that is, not accepting your assertion of Truth to guide their actions -- is not group think or prevention of dissent.<br><br>You and those who agree with you are not the end- all and be-all of what is True.<br><br>Eh, never mind. This whole long conversation with you -- and others I am seeing in which you are engaged and people are not in agreement with your view -- feels to me sort of like talking with an aggressive self-righteous Christian evangelist (but without the faux "charm" of them trying to convert me).<br><br>The interesting thing is: I don\'t really have an opinion on the Bradenberg Gate thing, myself. One way or another.<br><br>I do know that I tend <b>not</b> to trust people/groups who are this rigidly convinced that they Know The Truth and this rigidly closed to the reality of others\' perspectives.  <br><br>People and groups coming from this rigid space, whatever their actual opinion or assessment is on any given issue, IMO lack good internal checks and balances on their perspectives. They are so rigidly certain that they are correct that it is very difficult for "dissenting" information to get in, and thus a self-referential feedback loop is a real serious risk. <br><br>So to me this stance is less trustworthy as a process of getting to actual truth and reality than are more open and flexible approaches. <br><br>Therefore, I would tend to respond to what you\'re saying about the Gate with a slight movement toward  <i>distrusting</i> your assessment (though again I don\'t have a firm opinion one way or another), since I don\'t trust the core process you\'re using to make your assessment in the first place.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-874200">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-874200" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-874200" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-874200" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-874200" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-874200" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s the problem with the gate: people are so desperate for that moment that they don\'t want to wait until the proper time. A speech at the gate is the <i>dream</i> for Obama supporters. But a speech by a Senator at the gate is just that--a dream, not reality. If you want to turn the dream until reality, Barack Obama has to get elected President of the United States before such a speech. <br><br>People are over anxious. The long primary has confused Obama\'s staff and supporters that their victory in the primary means victory in the general election. So they\'re running around desperately trying to look Presidential--the seal, the Bradenburg Gate speech, etc. All it really does is make Obama look phony. <br><br>The information I sent the Obama campaign was respectful. It contains some stuff which shouldn\'t be discussed publicly, so I won\'t post it here. That this is still smoldering in the press is a big problem. It\'s indicative of <b>MAJOR</b> problems with Obama\'s Press staff.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870314">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870314" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870314" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870314" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870314" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870314" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank You for saying Obama needs a fresh staff!  Who he has now keeps getting him into trouble when he should have this thing wrapped up.  They should have advised him to vote against FISA, for starters....</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870520">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870520" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870520" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870520" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870520" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870520" class="dsq-comment-message">To be fair, this is really common among Presidential campaigns. The same thing happened to John McCain. The only difference was it happened in the 5 months between February and July, so McCain had his shakeup in July. If it proceeds that way for Obama, people will be just waking up to the campaign\'s problems around November 3rd. It\'s why action needs to be taken now in order to offset this. Hell, the campaign should hire Howard Wolfson...I detest the man, but he\'s effective at what he does.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871395">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871395" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871395" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871395" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871395" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871395" class="dsq-comment-message">But what has Howard Wolfson done that was actually effective?<br><br>One would think that if Hillary were the nominee, then, well, his tactics were, well,  effective.<br><br>But she\'s not.<br><br>So why would you call him effective?<br><br>I\'m scratching my head at all of this.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871563">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871563" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871563" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871563" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871563" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871563" class="dsq-comment-message">He\'s effective at intimidating the press and framing things in a positive direction for his candidate. Doing that practically requires you to be an asshole...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871729">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871729" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871729" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871729">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871729" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871729" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>Hell, the campaign should hire Howard Wolfson...I detest the man, but he\'s effective at what he does.</i><br><br>Except for that little inconvenient fact that his candidate LOST despite having almost every possible advantage.<br><br>But don\'t let that actual living fact get in your way! Facts don\'t matter. <br><br>Ridiculous.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871774">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871774" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871774" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871774" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871774" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871774" class="dsq-comment-message">Hillary didn\'t lose because of Howard. She lost because of Bill and Mark Penn, not Wolfson.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871146">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871146" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871146" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871146">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871146" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871146" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree that maybe his campaign needs some freshening.  However, if Brandenberg was a bad idea, then why would Bush be interfering to try to stop it?<br><br>Barack will speak in Germany to massive, adoring crowds of Germans....the optics will be terrible for McCain.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871292">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871292" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871292" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871292" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871292" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871292" class="dsq-comment-message">Bush doesn\'t really give a shit about electoral politics. With him, he just doesn\'t want something that makes him look bad. It would make Bush look bad, but Obama is not running against Bush. And the risks are *MASSIVE*. It is a *TERRIBLE* idea. We\'ve already seen a sneak preview of the impressions that would be formed by it in the media. That event *MUST NOT HAPPEN*. <br><br>Finally, don\'t put it past Bush to interfere on a bad idea, and bait people into believing its a a great idea and getting his enemy to walk into a trap...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871420">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871420" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871420" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871420">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871420" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871420" class="dsq-comment-message">I think Bush\'s interest is in trying to salvage his image/legacy.  I sense in him a kind of regret.  Maybe when he sees Obama, he thinks of missed opportunities and what could have been.<br><br>I think he\'s also trying to help his party and to a lesser degree, John McCain.  The media is comprised of a bunch of underachieving baboons.  Their impressions are not worth a hill of beans.<br><br>There\'s no trap here.  Bush knows Obama\'s visit would be attended by people from all over Europe.  He knows that Obama would be greeted by huge, adoring crowds.  It will make Republicans look even weaker.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871783">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871783" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871783" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871783" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871783" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871783" class="dsq-comment-message">The crowds are the *PROBLEM*. Being the candidate of Europe is not the way to get elected in America!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-875707">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-875707" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-875707" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-875707" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-875707" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-875707" class="dsq-comment-message">Truthseeker, Barack is hiring new staff to his campaign. He\'s hired outreach coordinators to several different communities, including the African-American community, an action that all by itself rebuts the notion he\'s taking our votes for granted.<br><br>He\'s trying things out. Learning as he goes. Which is why he\'s perfectly fine with stopping with the stuff that doesn\'t work. <br><br>I believe he\'s already receiving some fresh perspectives, but because he\'s a man of deliberation, we may not see a radical facelift. <br><br>That said, I trust his deliberateness. I\'m not suggesting he\'s running a flawless campaign, but he\'s privy to much more than I am. And I simply can\'t imagine <i>all</i> that he\'s up against<br><br>Sometimes I get the feeling that many of his supporters who happen to be Black forget that Barack is, well, Black.<br><br>All I mean by that is that he can\'t possibly do all things the same way a white candidate could.<br><br>I\'m rambling now, but...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-877134">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-877134" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-877134" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-877134">micheline</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-877134" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-877134" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree with you 100% . Another problem is the no drama policy.  Whenever a newstory come out Obama hates it when the staff overreacts. That\'s a good thing  but sometimes there are problems with that. Rev. Wright is a perfect example. When the Wright came back into the spotlight they took too long to respond to the fiasco. The same with FISA. A couple days after Obama made his announcement, David Plouffe  was asked about the Netroots\' furious reaction to his supporting the bill. Plouffe asked what reaction? I mean talk about out of touch.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869102">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869102" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869102" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869102">tvanel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869102" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869102" class="dsq-comment-message">Yep there a bit of a double standard here and he is being held to a different standard for sure. Most of these folks criticizing Obama never read any of his books..if you read, listen---he\'s been more of a center-right candidate all along. Someone pundit said the other day, the guy talks about bringing red states, blue states, Dems and repubs together..where exactly did they expect Obama to bring them...the left side of south side of Chicago?<br><br>As for this statement<br><br><b>"CPL pointed out that the entire holding up the money for Obama is to pressure him to take Hillpatine on his ticket"</b><br><br> She is not even getting vetted, but I sense that HRC and Bill are still trying the negotiate behind the scences and her debt is not the only thing being discussed. These Hillraisers are used to running the show, I read somewhere that HRC had several 100K rooms or suites reserved thinking she would be the nominee, LOL...They are used to getting their rear ends kissed, titles, access and then some...Obama is not doing this so it is pissing them off.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869576">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869576" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869576" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869576">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869576" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869576" class="dsq-comment-message">CPL:  YEP!!!  But we still need to watch the news for her/their sneaky "suspended" campaigning!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869154">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869154" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869154" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869154">RonnieB</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869154" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869154" class="dsq-comment-message">The spoiled White kids over at DailyKos remind me of the folks who publically grieve over mistreated puppies, but can\'t be bothered with the ongoing crisis of missing, exploited, and abused Black children.<br><br>If FISA is their Dread Scott or Plessy v. Ferguson, then let them have it.  Barack is demonstrating daily that taking a moderate position on issues can not only be a good thing, but a Black thing too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870535">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870535" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870535" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870535">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870535" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870535" class="dsq-comment-message">couldn\'t agree more!   the irony here is that the so-called elitist candidate is being sabotaged by the elitists who supposedly supported him.  incredible.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869174">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869174" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869174" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869174" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869174" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869174" class="dsq-comment-message">No you didn\'t invoke Dred Scott and and Plessy v. Ferguson.<br><br>Yes you did.<br><br>Spot on.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869220">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869220" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869220" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869220" href="http://glory-i-am.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">glory</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869220" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869220" class="dsq-comment-message">you damn right, rikyrah!<br><br>i think that people superimposed what they wanted obama to be onto him and then got mad because he has a mind of his own.  shoot, that\'s what i like about him.  granted, there are times i wish he was even more assertive about his decision making.  but there is a forest/tree problem that people need to get over in order to keep mccain out of the white house.  <br><br>i\'ve been wondering when people would finally get around to seeing that obama wasn\'t ever the uber-liberal the media kept saying he was.  didn\'t all those overtures made to the republicans and independents during the primary tip anyone off but me?  i don\'t see a sudden shift in obama, i see a sudden shift in the media\'s understanding of him.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869648">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869648" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869648" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869648">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869648" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869648" class="dsq-comment-message">glory:  With all due respect - GLORY Hallelujah!!  So AGREEING with you!!<br>I find it interesting to read that "mcancient" is trying to define Mr. Obama!  Did he try to look him up in a dictionary??  I don\'t get this!   Mr. Obama is who he is!  That\'s that! Now, how would you define "mcancient".  Look up "the age of dirt"!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870546">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870546" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870546" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870546">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870546" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870546" class="dsq-comment-message">LOL GreenLady!!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869226">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869226" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869226" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869226">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869226" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869226" class="dsq-comment-message">taritac -<br><br>I am so glad that you posted this message because after reading Rikyrah\'s post (I am quite fond of her and seldom, if ever, disagree with her.) and the responses of others here at Jack & Jill, I quite literally threw up my hands in despair. I am still supporting Obama; I attended a fund raiser held for him two days ago. His position on FISA, however, is not defensible and it represents both a reversal of his previous stance and a deep betrayal of a significant portion of his base.<br><br>Let me put on my tin foil hat for a moment. Black folks and especially those who champion issues and causes that have a direct bearing on the lives of black people should be keenly aware, based on history, that repressive laws of this type are often used to suppress, monitor and discredit black dissent. Secret intelligence units of the military were assigned to spy on blacks during and after World War I. The FBI regularly spied on leaders of the NAACP and other black organizations long before the Civil Rights Movement flowered.<br><br>The FISA bill is a direct threat to our civil liberties. It is disgraceful, in my opinion, for liberal and progressive African Americans to impugn the integrity of those who are quite justified in being angry and dismayed at Obama\'s reversal and his disingenuously cynical defense of his reversal. Obama is as wrong as two left (or two right) shoes on this matter. I will continue to support his candidacy but I can find no fault with others who choose not to continue to support him in response to his vote on FISA. Citizens in a democratic republic are not obligated to support politicians who they feel are too willing to play fast and loose with their civil liberties.<br><br>I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not opposed to racism and the intrusion of the government into my private life. If folks here believe that electing Obama as president is a more important issue for them than FISA I can accept their decision. By the same token, I wish that many of them would stop defending the indefensible because they are leaving no middle ground for those of us who are upset at Obama\'s actions but want to continue supporting him. They are making me feel as if I am running out of real estate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869741">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869741" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869741" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869741">RonnieB</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869741" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869741" class="dsq-comment-message">If you\'re going to patronizingly invoke Dr. King, then at least do so with a little knowledge.<br><br>Dr. King <i>knew</i> that he was being spied upon.  But he didn\'t have the luxury of being indignant about that.  He knew that his duty was to be righteously indignant about <b>disparate healthcare, education, employment, housing and voting</b>.  <br><br>So while you and yours wail and gnash over the <i>principle</i> of spying, the rest of us must grapple daily with the <i>practical</i> issues of home foreclosures, and choosing between gas and groceries.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869831">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869831" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869831" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869831">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869831" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869831" class="dsq-comment-message">I did not mention or allude to Dr. King in my post.  You can read can\'t you?<br><br>The principle of spying? The government actually engaged in illegal acts here. <br><br>A lot of folks, even our enemies, are dealing with practical issues. Please don\'t put yourself on that shop worn pedestal.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869266">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869266" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869266" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869266">kate03</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869266" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869266" class="dsq-comment-message">Taritac,<br>Seems to me that McCain\'s camp is routinely making fools of themselves, the latest from his economist that the economy is fine and we\'re all a bunch of whiners is simultaneously stupid and hilarious.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869388">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869388" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869388" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869388">Eric</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869388" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869388" class="dsq-comment-message">Fortunately, this election isn\'t a referendum on Obama. It\'s a referendum on McCain, who\'s batshit crazy and probably even more dangerous than Bush. So anyone who doesn\'t support Obama is helping our nation take a short slide into the wood chipper.<br><br>But the Democratic capitulation on FISA is still very bad news. Back in the 60s, our government eavesdropped on domestic political opponents, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. The bad old days of Nixon and Hoover are something that nobody here wants to see again. But if Congress rips out all the safeguards against government surveillance, we\'re pretty much guaranteed to see another COINTELPRO. It\'s like when Congress deregulated the financial industry—they revoked the Depression-era reforms, and we got Enron and oil speculators. Deregulation is dumb.<br><br>Now, during the primaries, Obama was clearly opposed to any FISA bill that included immunity. But once the primaries were over, he promptly voted for just such a bill. And when asked why he voted for it, Obama said that the bill was compromise, and (1) that it would make FISA the exclusive mechanism for spying on the American people (which FISA already _was_, according to a Federal Court), and (2) that it would prevent certain important surveillance programs from lapsing (programs that Obama strongly opposed six months ago). Not a wise compromise.<br><br>Now, I\'m not the least bit surprised by Obama\'s recent statements on abortion, gun control, or government funding of religious organizations. Those positions of his were clear from day one, and anybody who\'s getting upset over that now shouldn\'t be surprised, and shouldn\'t be accusing Obama of "moving towards the center."<br><br>But man, that FISA vote was depressing. It won\'t keep me from working for Obama, because—as I said above—this election is all about McMain, and McCain is a menace. And Obama is still way better than Kerry and Clinton, and he\'s definitely going to get more of my money than Kerry did.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869523">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869523" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869523" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869523" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869523" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869523" class="dsq-comment-message">That depends on how effective the campaign\'s press shop is in shaping the narrative. Given Obama\'s troubles with the press since February, I\'m not too confident in the campaign\'s press shop.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869694">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869694" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869694" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869694">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869694" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869694" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  Very nice analysis!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869876">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869876" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869876" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869876">Shazza</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869876" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869876" class="dsq-comment-message">Amen, Rikyrah! I was just talking to my husband about the (white) netroots\' reaction to FISA, I couldn\'t help but wonder if John Edwards had won the nomination, would he be expected to jump through hoops the way BO is expected to. Would he have to help Hill\'s debt (hell, would she have stepped down sooner if John had won?) Would there be PUMAs? Would there still be some question (or hope) that she could convince the supers to back her at the convention? It just makes me grab the tin foil too.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869933">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869933" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869933" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-869933" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869933" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869933" class="dsq-comment-message">This doesn\'t matter. What ifs don\'t win elections. I want Barack Obama to get elected President in November.  Tinfoil doesn\'t help that happen. Neither do rallies at the Bradenberg Gate which violate international protocol.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871417">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871417" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871417" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871417" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871417" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871417" class="dsq-comment-message">No, they don\'t.<br><br>They are a dime a dozen.<br><br>Look it up.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870124">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870124" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870124" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870124">Texas_Girl_in_LA</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870124" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870124" class="dsq-comment-message">Nope!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869932">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869932" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869932" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869932">jed</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869932" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869932" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama\'s biggest hurdle as president could very well be a veto-proof Democrat Congress (whether by gaining seats or a coalition with centrist Republicans). As Craig Hickman wrote, "he also challenges the Democratic power structure. Notice how many Senators have refused to endorse him openly." The bills Obama may want passed could easily become so compromised as to become unrecognizably his.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869960">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869960" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869960" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869960">Plantsmantx</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869960" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869960" class="dsq-comment-message">"---he\'s been more of a center-right candidate all along."<br><br>Center-right? You sure about that?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-869972">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-869972" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-869972" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-869972">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-869972" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-869972" class="dsq-comment-message"><b>Why FISA is So Bad . . .</b><br>I have been a reader of Glenn Greenwald, a constitutional law litigator, at <a href="http://salon.com" rel="nofollow">salon.com</a> for quite some time, and his bell ringing on FISA has awakened me and many others to what Congress and the President have been trying to do. I highly recommend his articles, generally, because they are cogent and pull no punches. He does not endorse particular politicians, but does advocate calling, emailing, or contributing to representatives on particular issues.<br><br><a href=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/ rel="nofollow">Today\'s article</a href> details interviews he\'s had with the ACLU and adds a little insight about why the FISA bill is so bad. Please read it, and take note of the following passage:<br><i><blockquote>He underscores the extraordinary fact that the surveillance program implemented by Congress yesterday does not merely authorize most of the President\'s so-called "Terrorist Surveillance Program" that gave rise to this scandal in the first place, but is actually much broader in scope even than that lawless program, <b>because there is not even any requirement in the new FISA law that the "target" of the surveillance have any connection whatsoever to Terrorism, nor is there any requirement that the Government believe the "target" is an agent of a foreign power or terrorist organization, or even guilty of any wrongdoing at all.</b></i></blockquote><br>This is why it is so important to hold ALL politicians accountable for FISA, not just Obama. This is an incredibly bad law. It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the MSM has not picked up on how terrible this law is, and that is why it is even more important that progressives and anyone else who cares about civil liberties act to try to get this thing repealed. As I\'ve said before, if you think this law won\'t eventually be used against people in the Black community (if it hasn\'t already), you\'ve got another think coming.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870025">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870025" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870025" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870025" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870025" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870025" class="dsq-comment-message">When you start holding all politicians accountable, get back to me.<br><br>Till then, your words don\'t mean a thing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870061">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870061" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870061" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870061">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870061" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870061" class="dsq-comment-message">What, CraigHickman, do I have to do to please you? Please tell me, because you know I live to serve you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870028">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870028" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870028" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870028">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870028" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870028" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks for continuing to push the ball forward on this issue!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870122">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870122" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870122" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870122">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870122" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870122" class="dsq-comment-message">;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876116">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876116" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876116" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876116">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876116" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876116" class="dsq-comment-message">You should go over to Narco news and read Al Giordano\'s very accurate rebuttal with   FACTS to BACK IT UP and how wrong Greenwald is. And then you may need to rethink your own lack of investigation when you take a position strictly on the basis of one person\'s opinion.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870006">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870006" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870006" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870006">MrCee</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870006" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870006" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m going to have to join the tinhat parade and not just leave it to our hosts.  It\'s anyone in the existing established powers that are unsure of what influence they may have in the future if Barack wins and wins with authority.<br>  Be it formal institutions like Congress & the DNC,  or informal  like pundits, brahmin, and hustlers, Yes I\'m looking at you Jesse!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870017">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870017" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870017" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870017">barry4potus</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870017" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870017" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah i love u girl....u hit the nail on the head.......tyo all those more concerned with fisa than anything else than i say do yo thang and that i understand where u are coming from....but when i wake up in the moring, my worry isn\'t over fisa, my #1 concern is the economy and gas prices..and the war in iraq and afghan and whether that village idiot that resides at 1600 penns dr is gonna send us into war with iran.....i work for a job that is talking the L word and that L word isn\'t love.....thats the concern i wake up with every morning....so u guys keep howling about the fisa bill and i\'ll respect u and have yo back on it....just don\'t get mad when i say it\'s not my first concern....as BHO said we aren\'t gonna agree with every thing he does, but i for one don\'t feel the slighest betryal from my fellow southsider...if anything i feel betrayed by the people who took us into war on false info and for the way the econmy is.......Taritac, i have disagreements with some of the stuff u have said over the last couple of days....but i got much love for u just for saying it with honor and grace and not ridicule.....CraigHickman, u have a new fan in me...as someone who worries bout the future of our people and this country, with people like u,rikyrah, field and the rst of u guys that blog on here i worry  a lil less</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870121">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870121" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870121" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870121">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870121" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870121" class="dsq-comment-message">barry4potus, thanks. I know I come on strong, but it is out of my alarm and disappointment with this FISA vote.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870652">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870652" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870652" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870652" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870652" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870652" class="dsq-comment-message">This is your second incarnation.<br><br>I see you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-880527">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-880527" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-880527" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-880527">AnthonyMason</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-880527" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-880527" class="dsq-comment-message">it just hit me that under  the new FISA law, the govt  could be monitoring my pc as i type.   yet u dont care about that? we wont have a future if dont have liberty.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870218">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870218" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870218" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870218">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870218" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870218" class="dsq-comment-message">rikyrah:  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for this post!!!!  i was nodding my head in agreement throughout.  i\'m angry about this sabotage (i feel they were laying in wait for a reason) by the white so-called "left" and i have noticed the sense of  "obama\'s my pet" stuff on his website.  <br><br>i\'m taking my anger and working like HELL to get him elected.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870229">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870229" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870229" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870229">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870229" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870229" class="dsq-comment-message">Hello from Cambridge, the bleeding heart of liberal MA -- and yes, the self-styled "progressive" heads are spinning here. I refer them all to Gail Collins\' column yesterday -- exactly what did they think they were buying? Did they think that finding common ground meant that they were going to subjugate and disenfranchise the rest of the country?<br><br>We need a NEW definition of "left" and "right," one in which my (and your, I\'m assuming) values are considered "centrist." Not because we\'ve moved the country along the same, tired axis, but because we\'ve turned the dial on what it means to be "progressive." The New Deal is dead. But free markets haven\'t been a solution either. What\'s the new way?<br><br>Still, for all that, here\'s my problem with FISA:<br><br>"We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States." -- Obama 2004</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871633">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871633" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871633" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871633">carolinagirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871633" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871633" class="dsq-comment-message">"We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States." -- Obama 2004<br><br><br>You know Sen. Obama did not write that 2004 Dem. Conv. speech, right?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870254">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870254" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870254" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870254">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870254" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870254" class="dsq-comment-message">Gail Collins\' column also addressed Obama\'s reversal on FISA, which directly contradicted his previous position. Collins did not give Obama a free pass on FISA issue.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870452">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870452" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870452" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870452">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870452" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870452" class="dsq-comment-message">Question for PTCruiser:<br><br>Anderkoo wrote: <i>the self-styled "progressive" heads are spinning here. I refer them all to Gail Collins\' column yesterday -- exactly what did they think they were buying?</i><br><br>And then you responded (I think you responded to that, correct me if I am wrong): <br><br><i>Gail Collins\' column also addressed Obama\'s reversal on FISA</i><br><br>But PTCruiser, which Gail Collins column are you talking about? <br><br>Anderkoo referred to "yesterday" which in my understanding would be July 10\'s <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/opinion/10collins.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin" rel="nofollow">"The Audacity of Listening"</a>. <br><br>I looked through it again and saw no mention of FISA. Even did a text search for FISA and it came up nil. Did I miss it? (always possible)<br><br>The reversal she is critical of that I could see is on public financing.<br><br>So, could you please offer a quote from that column that supports what you are claiming? Or a link to another column that you are actually referring to?<br><br>Thanks in advance for the information. <br><br>I am feeling an increasingly strong need for evidence and accuracy these days even in small things. Usually when I feel this way it means that there is a lot of static/noise/bullshit flying around that needs to be cut through. Not necessarily from you, PTCruiser, but all around the issues that this post today is discussing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870527">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870527" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870527" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870527">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870527" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870527" class="dsq-comment-message">I made a mistake. I should have reread Collins\' piece before quoting her from memory. My apologies.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870569">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870569" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870569" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870569">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870569" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870569" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks, PTCruiser! You have no idea how thankful I am for your reply because I was starting to feel really disoriented.<br><br>And actually, I just read each line very carefully and came back to post that she did say this: <i>It’s not his fault that we missed the message — although to be fair, he did make it sound as if getting rid of the “old politics” involved driving out the oil and pharmaceutical lobbyists rather than splitting the difference on federal wiretapping legislation. But if you look at the political fights he’s picked throughout his political career, the main theme is not any ideology. It’s that he hates stupidity. “I don’t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war,” he said in 2002 in his big speech against the invasion of Iraq. He did not, you will notice, say he was against unilateral military action or pre-emptive attacks or nation-building. He was antidumb.</i><br><br>I\'m not clear what that tangential reference to wiretapping means, though, especially given the context of the whole paragraph. But I also was wrong -- she did mention FISA, just not by name.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870478">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870478" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870478" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870478" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870478" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870478" class="dsq-comment-message">No, she didn\'t. But she put it in a context.<br><br>She ain\'t the only one.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870273">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870273" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870273" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870273">barry4potus</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870273" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870273" class="dsq-comment-message">taritac it\'s all good even though somedays i wanna cut yo nuts off(lol)...keep doing yo thang</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870402">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870402" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870402" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870402">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870402" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870402" class="dsq-comment-message">Nuts? Where??!!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870297">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870297" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870297" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870297" href="http://swamphermit.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Karmi</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870297" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870297" class="dsq-comment-message">The DailyKos ‘kiddies’ are right out of Orwell’s “Animal Farm”, though they are more prone to tantrums than Orwell’s characters. They also have a serious case of BDS, and are dying to see <b>‘W’</b> or anyone connected to his administration being “Frog-marched” to prison. Obama’s support for FISA took away another frantic hope of theirs. You can bet that Hillary is looking for the right openings in their waning support of Obama. The Dems’ convention could turn into a nightmare for them, before it’s all said and done. Decades of divisive politics and broken promises are now turning back onto them…</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870389">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870389" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870389" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870389">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870389" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870389" class="dsq-comment-message">All of these comments about the temperament and psychological disposition of folks who regularly post at Daily Kos strike me as little more than work avoidance. It reminds me of folks who respond to the brutalities of the current government in Zimbabwe by invoking the history of European colonialism as if it were a sufficient defense of Robert Mugabe and his thugs.<br><br>We are faced with a serious public policy issue and the answer(s) cannot be found  in excoriating white liberals and progressives. I don\'t think there is a person posting on this site who intends to support John McCain. I doubt that there are few of us who do not support Obama. What is bothering me is the growing sense among more than a few of us that the sun rises and sets in his behind.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870514">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870514" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870514" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870514">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870514" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870514" class="dsq-comment-message"><i><blockquote>What is bothering me is the growing sense among more than a few of us that the sun rises and sets in his behind.</i></blockquote><br>You can say that again. I am ALL FOR having a Black man in the White House, but that doesn\'t mean that I have to think Obama has moon beams shooting out his butt.<br><br>Someone (here?) recently quoted LBJ: Americans will forgive anything but weakness.  When liberals were giving him hell over Donnie McClurkin, he didn\'t shrink or change course. He went straight to the Advocate magazine and explained his support for LGBT issues and that McClurkin would stay with his tour. When Jeremiah Wright became an issue, he stood up and gave a great speech about race in America, but didn\'t throw anybody under the bus (at least not then). He got flack, but most importantly, he got respect as a leader.<br><br>But FISA . . . . FISA was a weak-ass vote. It just was. He didn\'t take a leadership position on it, he just capitulated. Every argument he gave for voting for it was easily rebutted. It was transparently political and not a position to be respected.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871754">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871754" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871754" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871754">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871754" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871754" class="dsq-comment-message">Well as far as Mugabe is concerned, he took the land back from the Europeans that had invaded the country. It made no sense for 3,000 whites to own 80% of all the land in Zimbabwe. It wasn\'t like they were going to voluntarily give it back. The Western gov\'ts are funding and arming his opposition. I don\'t agree with everything he\'s done by any means, but the UK & US specifically are trying to starve the nation and fund a coup. You can bet if he\'d played ball with them they wouldn\'t give a *hit what he did.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871798">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871798" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871798" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871798">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871798" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871798" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, you substantiated my point. Taking away land from white Europeans and giving it to political cronies and supporters instead of black Zimbabweans justifies running a criminal enterprise and rigging elections.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870431">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870431" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870431" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870431">Plantsmantx</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870431" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870431" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, listen. Stop the dishonesty. I\'m certainly not naive about white liberals, but you all know damn well that they would be hitting a white Democratic Presidential candidate every bit as hard on the FISA issue.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870507">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870507" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870507" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870507" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870507" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870507" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m being far from dishonest when I say that I don\'t agree with this at all.<br><br>In fact, if Hillary were the nominee, there certainly wouldn\'t be any organized opposition on her own campaign website.<br><br>Nope.<br><br>I\'m not seeing that at all.<br><br>What I\'m seeing is a base of netroots screaming "Hallelujah!!" because they finally had a nomine who was willing to fight those Republicans  with all her might.<br><br>Don\'t get it twisted.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871332">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871332" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871332" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871332">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871332" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871332" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>" In fact, if Hillary were the nominee, there certainly wouldn\'t be any organized opposition on her own campaign website.<br>" </i><br><br>I think that\'s because Hillary would not have allowed it.  Barack makes room for people to disagree with him.  He makes web space for them to do so and doesn\'t try to censor.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871440">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871440" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871440" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871440" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871440" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871440" class="dsq-comment-message">And then there\'s that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-873064">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-873064" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-873064" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-873064">Lily</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-873064" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-873064" class="dsq-comment-message">So true, I would try to leave posts that weren\'t pro Hillary but was very respectful and civil and they never ever showed up. She allowed no discussion only praise.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870472">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870472" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870472" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870472">Zinzen</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870472" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870472" class="dsq-comment-message">Most of DKos has jumped on the crazy train over the FISA issue. It is hardly readable at this time.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870522">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870522" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870522" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870522">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870522" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870522" class="dsq-comment-message">It worries me that I am getting into my hard-core "what is your actual concrete evidence" mode in reading this thread and responding. I have already asked two people for concrete information to back up statements they made. <br><br>When I get like this, almost obsessive about exact evidence and details, it usually means there is substantial effort to blur and deceive flying around an issue. Not specific to the two people I responded to -- just in general.<br><br>If Ms Hillary and her Bill are seriously back in the mix making noise, it would explain this feeling on my part. The Clintons are chunks of walking talking deception, and mind-f******.<br><br>If that is the case -- The good news is that Senator Obama knew how to deal with them in the primary while many of us were understandably freaking out. They are all about the drama and he and his staff plan and do and move steadily along. People have always felt okay posting on blogs telling Senator Obama he should do this, or isn\'t doing that right. I saw what happened in the primary. I saw his strategy WORK. So am saying to myself now: here we go again.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870601">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870601" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870601" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870601">caligirl</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870601" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870601" class="dsq-comment-message">yes.  i agree.  nothin\' worse than a backseat driver.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871108">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871108" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871108" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871108">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871108" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871108" class="dsq-comment-message">This backseat driver thing is huge in relation to Senator Obama\'s campaign. I\'m remembering all of that during the primaries and it is coming up again now. <br><br>It seems significant but I am not entirely sure what it means. Would appreciate any critical insights anyone has to offer on this phenom.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870655">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870655" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870655" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870655">taritac</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870655" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870655" class="dsq-comment-message">I hope you are right. One thing, though: I have not seen any Obama supporters or former Obama supporters say anything about bringing Clinton back as the nominee. People have her number, I think. It\'s only the hard-headed, PUMA-type Clintonites who are trying to start trouble.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870920">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870920" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870920" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870920">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870920" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870920" class="dsq-comment-message">I used to be in the business of the care and feeding of politicians including managing their campaigns, drafting brochures, targeting their mailers and managing their offices. That said, I never had any advice to offer Obama and his campaign during the primary. I always thought he would defeat Clinton if his campaign was well managed.  It was and he did. <br><br>I don\'t think Obama is in any trouble right now but his backsliding and talking out of both sides of his mouth about FISA (There is no other way to describe his behavior.) is extremely disappointing. FISA, is my opinion, cannot be subsumed under the heading of "Campaign Strategy" as if that, and that alone, is all that matters. <br><br>I hope that Obama wins the presidency but I don\'t believe for one moment that he will do anything to change FISA once he is elected. Politicians don\'t enjoy shooting the rapids again if they have already made their way to calmer waters.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872751">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872751" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872751" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872751">Honey01</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872751" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872751" class="dsq-comment-message">Michelle you are so on point here. I totally feel you on the "actual concrete evidence" mode. These last several days I have a noticed a trend that goes something like this.<br><br>You have some who want to keep hammering with a particular meme, ex FISA. The argument and points to validate their position are never really strengthened with any new evidence or POV. Rather, it seems the sheer objective is redudancy and repeat the meme over and over and over again. Say it enough times maybe it will stick, cause dissention and confusion in the ranks. Of course, the posts always starts or ends with the disclaimer "but I will still vote for Obama" or "I just donated money" as if that negates their multiple posts of Obama bashing. <br><br>Of course, I have read "dissenting" opinions that have given me food for thought. It is the ones who basically say, FISA Bad, Obama Bad, Germany Bad, everything bad, BUT......I will still vote for him (times 50). How about you find something good about this candidate? If he is so undeserving of your vote and so untrustworthy, then there ARE other options. Excercise them and be on your merry way.<br><br>I feel as if there are some trolls trying to stir up trouble. I almost prefer our resident racist troll who likes to drop links outta of his a** . At least I know where he is coming from. This subliminal crap is for the birds.<br><br>Of course, I know there are actual supporters who genuinely disagree with Obama on issues , I am one. I am up for discussing those issues as well. However, you will not me hear saying crap like, "I am witholding my donation" to teach him a lesson!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876932">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876932" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876932" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876932">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876932" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876932" class="dsq-comment-message">Honey01/michelle:  I\'m feeling both of you.  Need the FACTS!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870641">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870641" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870641" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870641" href="http://www.reachblack.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">B-Serious</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870641" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870641" class="dsq-comment-message">Great post, Rikyrah.<br><br>The left is forming the circular firing squad . . . right on schedule.  And all parties bear some responsibility (the progressive community included).<br><br>As far as race goes.  I don\'t know if it\'s the driving force behind some of the criticism, but I do see it as a factor.  I\'ve seen far less worthy Democratic nominees get far better treatment and far more support from the Democratic establishment than Obama has.  I\'ve also seen them get far more respect.  And that\'s from black and white critics alike.  I still can\'t imagine hearing a Republican say he wanted to cut John McCain\'s nuts off . . . or imagine another former President tell the nominee of his party to kiss his a*s.  That\'s more than unprofessional, it\'s highly disrespectful . . . and personal.<br><br>And while I also oppose Obama\'s FISA vote, I\'m fully aware that the 4th Amendment has been dead to the black community for a long time.  Conservatives have been chipping away at those rights for decades.  Doesn\'t excuse the vote, but black folks weren\'t fully protected under the 4th before FISA to begin with.  "Reasonable suspicion" is a weak threshold to cross . . . juries and judges often err on the side of trusting law enforcement and the government when it comes matters of security; especially with unsympathetic defendants (i.e., black defendants who are presumed guilty in the court of public opinion).<br><br>The Supreme Court is just as political as any other branch of government.  And a conservative court will find a way to allow such intrusions onto the Constitution so long as they can identify a public policy/governmental interest.  National Security is that interest.  You can almost invision the Scalia opinion off the top of your head.  Just the same, I\'m confident that a liberal court can, perhaps, find a way to reverse the damage of this FISA vote . . . <br><br>But we\'v got to get sympathetic justices on the Court first . . . and that starts and ends with this 2008 election.<br><br>The left and Democrats are not in a powerful bargaining position.  But we have the opportunity to start swinging that pendulum back to our side if we don\'t screw this up!  Sadly, the Democratic Party is just tone deaf enough to alienate its base. . . and the base is self-righteous enough to cut its nose off to spite its face . . . and the Republicans are waiting for it all to happen.  Like clockwork.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870723">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870723" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870723" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870723">barry4potus</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870723" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870723" class="dsq-comment-message">damn B-serious i can\'t agree with u enough on what u said..esp the last part</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870803">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870803" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870803" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870803">eclecticbrotha</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870803" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870803" class="dsq-comment-message">Anybody who claims the "progressive blogosphere" is a significant part of Obama\'s base is seriously misinformed. A veteran diarist recently called out kos and the rest of the Kossacks by posting some of their comments hating on Obama when their original choice John Edwards was still in the race.  I\'ve also noticed that very few diarists are linking to Al Giordano anymore since he bitchslapped Glenn Greenwald for accusing all of lying about his sources when Al told him in a blog comment that the USA can get around FISA through their date collection sources in other lands. <br><br>The PUMAs and McCain trolls are having a grand time over at kos stirring up much strife about FISA as a way to embarrass and undermine Obama. And the Kossacks seem more than willing to play along rather than consider the source.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870812">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870812" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870812" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870812">eclecticbrotha</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870812" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870812" class="dsq-comment-message">That should have been "accusing AL" not all</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870826">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870826" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870826" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870826">eclecticbrotha</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870826" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870826" class="dsq-comment-message">This just isn\'t my day.<br><br>That should have been data collection sources.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870887">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870887" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870887" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-870887" href="http://craighickman.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CraigHickman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870887" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870887" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s your day. I find everything you wrote convincing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876756">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876756" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876756" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876756">Donna_L</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876756" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876756" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks for the info eclecticbrotha!  Here is the link to the Giordano post and thread calling out Greenwald on his demoagoguery  <br><br><a href="http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/salons-glenn-greenwald-writes-the-field#comments" rel="nofollow">http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/salon...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-870934">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-870934" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-870934" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-870934">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-870934" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-870934" class="dsq-comment-message">I used to be in the business of the care and feeding of politicians including managing their campaigns, drafting brochures, targeting their mailers and managing their offices. That said, I never had any advice to offer Obama and his campaign during the primary. I always thought he would defeat Clinton if his campaign was well managed. It was and he did. <br><br>I don\'t think Obama is in any trouble right now but his backsliding and talking out of both sides of his mouth about FISA (There is no other way to describe his behavior.) is extremely disappointing. FISA, is my opinion, cannot be subsumed under the heading of "Campaign Strategy" as if that, and that alone, is all that matters. <br><br>I hope that Obama wins the presidency but I don\'t believe for one moment that he will do anything to change FISA once he is elected. Politicians don\'t enjoy shooting the rapids again if they have already made their way to calmer waters.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871228">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871228" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871228" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871228">TRW</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871228" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871228" class="dsq-comment-message">On the one hand, I am in agreement with the FISA critics mainly because Obama said he wasn\'t going to support a bill with telecom immunity, and that\'s exactly what he did.  I was not going to stick my head in the sand though.  If he had come up with a compelling reason for going forward with the compromise I would have said okay, but although he did directly respond to his critics, I just don\'t think his reasoning was up to snuff.  And, and, what killed me is that yes, he voted for the amendment that stripped the telecom immunity, but still supported the bill.  I just don\'t understand why.  He readily admitted that it was a bad bill, and not what he would have wanted, even though it was certain to pass in the Senate.  Why didn\'t he just vote no?  So this was a shock to many that he changed his position.  It shouldn\'t be a shock that it passed, since it was most certainly going to pass, but it was a shock because it seemed like Obama\'s position came out of left field, which makes them want to hop off of the hope train even if they will still vote for the guy.  He might have shot himself in the foot by undercutting his brand.  <br><br>But,  on these other issues (death penalty, gun control, faith based intiatives, etc), I am in total agreement with the post.  It seems that many of Obama\'s supporters either heard what they wanted to hear, or didn\'t do their research, because he has been in the center before this election and now people are trying to act like he is a wolf in sheep\'s clothing.  He was NEVER a progressive on all issues.  Sorry, but he just wasn\'t.   So for people to throw a fit and scream bloody murder over some of these things, is downright embarrassing.  <br><br>I didn\'t expect to agree with Obama on a lot of issues, and I don\'t.  But that\'s politics.  You are either going to get an ideological purist that you are in total agreement with, but who ultimately won\'t get elected, or you are going to get a politician that you may agree with 50%-70% of the time if you\'re lucky.  It\'s just a fact.  This country is too diverse to demand purity.   So instead of the nashing of teeth and pulling out of hair, maybe people should redefine what it means to be a liberal/conservative, democrat/republican.  Because what you will find is that the lines are blurred.  It just makes me think of Chris Rock\'s stand up (which is surprisingly on point in a several different context).  People act like being a Republican or a Democrat is like being in a gang.  <br><br>Oh, and don\'t even get me started on the Hillary VP thing.  Why, people, why?!?!  Yes, she is an extremely smart, and capable politician.  But the two of them governing together?  It is not a good look, especially with Bill Clinton in the mix.  And anybody who speaks up and says he won\'t try to impact decision making is deluding themselves.  HRC made it clear that she had no interest in riding shotgun during the primary season, and I respect that.  So for people to act like she is this great asset as second in command is troubling.  I mean, you have audio of the woman saying that Obama is not ready to lead, and has not passed the Commander in Chief test.  She basically did the Republicans\' job for them.  How stupid would it look, if she was then touting them together as a ticket?  I hope, pray, wish, that this never comes to pass. <br><br>With all that being said, I can\'t believe that Barack is being blackmailed into paying off her debt.  Yeah, I said it.  I know they have had fund raisers where they say glowing words about each other, but let\'s be real.  Both of them wish that the situation was different.   Most of Obama\'s small time donors (i.e. one of us possibly) don\'t want to fork up any money to a millionaire when our own pockets are hurting, and many of the big time donors that can afford it, won\'t hold their nose and write a check.  On the other hand, Hillary\'s donors think that Obama should be more vigorous in his fundraising activities, and want recognition, ambassadorships, and are still putting the pressure on the Hillary VP thing.  So, I don\'t envy Obama at all.  He has a tough balancing act to deal with and it looks like he will be getting it from all sides for the next couple of months.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876951">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876951" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876951" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876951">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876951" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876951" class="dsq-comment-message">TRW:  On the billary part - how can I express enough mydisgust at even seeing the "unity" pic/videos.  I know - "that\'s politics"!  But she/bill are such DANGEROUS SSSSSSSSSSnakes!  O.K. I\'ve vented!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871352">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871352" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871352" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871352">Tabatha Atwood</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871352" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871352" class="dsq-comment-message">politics is warfare- if obama is president he does not need the telecoms out to get him- if he is president hopefully he won\'t use the fisa and as a law professor he still may be able to go after the telecoms and prosecute them so that is the question who will be in the white house and the capital- <br><br>the white progressives are class chauvinist jack asses pushing a recreate 68 demonstration at the convention and blowing this out of proportion but the white progressives in power have a long history of hurting anyone not in their clique</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871671">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871671" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871671" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871671">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871671" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871671" class="dsq-comment-message">"On the other hand, Hillary\'s donors think that Obama should be more vigorous in his fundraising activities, and want recognition, ambassadorships, and are still putting the pressure on the Hillary VP thing. So, I don\'t envy Obama at all. He has a tough balancing act to deal with and it looks like he will be getting it from all sides for the next couple of months."<br><br>My sympathy for Obama on this tip is less than zero. He is not obligated to help Clinton pay her debts and he had the opportunity to make that plain. My wife and I have contributed more than our fair share to Obama and we were happy to do so but Clinton\'s problems are Clinton\'s problems.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876964">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876964" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876964" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876964">GreenLadyHere</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876964" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876964" class="dsq-comment-message">PTCruiser/CPL:  Since I\'ve already vented, I\'ll just say a passionate AAAA-MEN!  :&gt;)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871804">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871804" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871804" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-871804" href="http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CPL</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871804" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871804" class="dsq-comment-message">You have a lot of balls to ask, no, DEMAND that the person pays for the ammunition you used to try and take them out.  Only Hillary Clinton would have the AUDACITY to even try this. (((shakes head)))</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871870">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871870" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871870" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871870">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871870" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871870" class="dsq-comment-message">Obama is getting it from all sides. He has people who want to ride his coattails or burn his coat while he\'s wearing it. I don\'t like the FISA vote - but he did vote against the immunity portion. I don\'t like how some people support his candidacy with ulterior motives who\'d turn on him when it was convenient to do so. I don\'t like how Michelle has been treated. I don\'t like how corrupt the entire system is and I don\'t think ANY of us have any idea HOW bad it is. I also don\'t want Obama to take the votes of Black people for granted. I want to see more of staff with prominence in his campaign who are Black women. I have many reservations. But I will vote for him. I will hold him as accountable as I can. I do not want Hillary, Bill or any of their surrogates anywhere near him - but he has to keep tabs on them. I want a strengthened Congress and Senate where politicians are held accountable to the people who vote and not special interests - so when Obama wins he will be able to get something done. I want Joe Lieberman out of the party. I want some new people elected who are savvy and can work with people. I understand compromise is necessary. I understand Obama may be seen as capitulating BUT it\'s "our" fault for allowing our votes to be taken for granted for years and not holding people accountable. It\'s nice to see people waking up but where\'s the strategy and planning for the big picture? People [some] are so easily swayed. People also have to take responsibility for their patterns in order to make and see changes. It is not going to happen with a snap of the finger and may not necessarily happen this election cycle either. I\'m not suggesting we roll over, but what are people prepared to take a stand on and what are people willing to give up? There\'s so much discussion about Obama and what he\'s not doing or what he should do or why he isn\'t doing more - which is great - but where\'s the planning to address these concerns? While people are debating opinions as facts there are people united in their plans for destruction and diminishment of the Obama campaign. At this point I don\'t see him changing his inner circle because they\'ve earned his trust and keep it low drama. Yes I\'d love to see more variety. I don\'t know if it was a matter of expediency or opportunity. But this is what we have. I can tell you before Obama decided to run I was not looking forward to this election cycle. I did not see things changing that much. At least now I know it\'s a possibility but only if people are focused and put their time and money into it. It is what it is. If we want to be catered to in a more obvious way by all politicians we need to make our electorate portion prominent. So again I ask what are the plans for setting an agenda? How will that agenda be carried out and what will the price be for ignoring it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872229">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872229" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872229" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872229">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872229" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872229" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>I want to see more of staff with prominence in his campaign who are Black women.</i><br><br>heartsandflowers, would you email me at michellesbells at myway dot com if you get a chance? I have a reply to this but not for blog discussion, at least not at this point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876278">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876278" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876278" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876278">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876278" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876278" class="dsq-comment-message">The email didn\'t work Michelle.<br><br><a href="mailto:michellesbells@myway.com" rel="nofollow">michellesbells@myway.com</a> is what I used and it bounced back<br><br>If you see this I am at <a href="mailto:fldow@yahoo.com" rel="nofollow">fldow@yahoo.com</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-871913">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-871913" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-871913" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-871913">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-871913" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-871913" class="dsq-comment-message">"This backseat driver thing is huge in relation to Senator Obama\'s campaign. I\'m remembering all of that during the primaries and it is coming up again now. <br><br>"It seems significant but I am not entirely sure what it means. Would appreciate any critical insights anyone has to offer on this phenom."<br><br>The short answer is that there is little or no presumed competency when African Americans are in leadership roles.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872161">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872161" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872161" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872161" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872161" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872161" class="dsq-comment-message">The people I have a problem with are white. The problem isn\'t the candidate, it\'s his press shop. It is inept, and has been inept for over six months now. The slanted coverage is caused by a campaign that doesn\'t have a clue about handling the press...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872202">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872202" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872202" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872202">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872202" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872202" class="dsq-comment-message">I think I know what you mean but you should break it down further. I am not familiar with his campaign staff but I suspect that there are not a lot of African Americans, Asians and Latinos involved in the decision making process.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872222">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872222" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872222" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872222">TruthSeeker</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872222" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872222" class="dsq-comment-message">I have to agree with that.  They didn\'t take control the press.  They let Howard and Hillary run all over them.  Even now, they\'re still not really feeding the "beast\'.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872237">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872237" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872237" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872237">rikyrah</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872237" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872237" class="dsq-comment-message">Is it because he hired \'newbies\', or is it because he could ONLY hire \' newbies\'. I\'m thinking back....which well known press professionals would have signed up with Obama \' back when\'? Wouldn\'t others, better known, have been scooped up by other folks? Now, maybe he should be blamed for not bringing in some of those folks once the campaign took the turn that it did, but then, I believe he\'s working on a sense of loyalty. <br><br>I\'m not disagreeing with you...I\'m just saying, I don\'t think he had prime pickings when he first began.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872299">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872299" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872299" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872299">lamh32</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872299" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872299" class="dsq-comment-message">I think ur right.  Actually, even now he still doesn\'t have "easy pickens\'" due to the pro who are still hanging onto the Hilary bandwagon.<br><br>Yes he is hiring people who are affliated with the HIlary campaign, but other than Solis Doyle, most of the former Clintonites may not even be considered high ranking Clintonite. From what I undrestand, the most people who voluntarily or through design who went over to Obama were from the Edwards campaign.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872140">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872140" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872140" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872140" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872140" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872140" class="dsq-comment-message">i am white and progressive and i will vote for obama. <br><br>because i no longer trust him, i am not confident that he will do anything to preserve the supreme court, but i know mccain will not and that\'s the sole reason for my vote. otherwise i\'d sit this one out because principle matters and if principle is subjugated to political expediency, then we get what we\'ve had for the last couple of decades, at least.<br><br>i did not start out distrusting him. he made promises about fisa, about filibustering the bill and he broke them. the check i was going to write to him just up and eloped with those broken promises. i\'ll vote, but not support.<br><br>the constitution is not a "white" or "progressive" or "liberal" issue. i can\'t quite believe that\'s being said here.  i am heartened by the enormous groundswell of people rising up to fight this grotesque violation of the constitution. <br><br>it is interesting and hopeful to me that the coalition developing to get this travesty of justice overturned is made up of right wingers, left wingers, socialists, libertarians, centrists, and folks all across america, running on a continuum from extreme left to extreme white.<br><br>i expect there are african american people within that coalition too. i find it incredibly insulting to blacks that people here insist this is a "white" or "progressive" issue. <br><br>you\'re making it out to be an anti-obama stance, that there\'s something else afoot, when the fact is that we are a nation of laws and without that we have nothing. or we have george bush. and i, for one, am heartily sick of george bush and have had enough of his running roughshod over the constitution, of his law violations. <br><br>because i\'m sick of george bush doesn\'t mean i will support another running roughshod over the constitution and legitimizing violations of the law. i don\'t care who they are or what party they\'re affiliated with. <br><br>this issue matters. it does. it\'s not black-white-native american-asian-hispanic-whatever. it is a profound, democratic, foundation of this country issue. <br><br>that\'s all.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872178">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872178" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872178" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872178" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872178" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872178" class="dsq-comment-message">Must be nice to have that luxury. Most people <a href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/07/people-are-worried-about-far-bigger.html rel="nofollow">are worried about their jobs</a>. People are counting on <i>you</i>, and you will let them down--as the left always does--by making the perfect the enemy of the good. Enjoy President McCain.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872190">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872190" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872190" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872190" href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Bag of Health and Politics</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872190" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872190" class="dsq-comment-message">Urgh, I can\'t post links in the new comments. Most people don\'t have that luxury. See: <br><br><a href="http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/07/people-are-worried-about-far-bigger.html" rel="nofollow">http://healthybagofpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/0...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872252">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872252" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872252" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872252">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872252" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872252" class="dsq-comment-message">OMG, Bag of Health and Politics, I think I agree with you on this one! <br><br>Glad to be able to agree with you on something :)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872409">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872409" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872409" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872409" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872409" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872409" class="dsq-comment-message">are you serious? a "luxury"? that\'s pretty insulting.<br><br>oddly, i can hold many concerns within a single brain. <br><br>not concerned about the economy? hardly. i spend more on health insurance ~ out of my pocket, because i\'m self employed ~ than i do on mortgage and two car payments combined. <br><br>my husband is totally disabled. i am 51 years old and the pittance i\'ve been able to save for retirement has been reduced by half because of the misdeeds of bush and his predecessors who thought deregulating the financial industry was a good thing.<br><br>my stepdaughter can\'t get it together and i am guardian of her two children and their primary financial support. the kids are of mixed race, living in a home with only her and no one involved with them who isn\'t white. i have to supervise their education, her progress, everything. one kid\'s dad is dead and the other is in prison. there\'s no child support, she can\'t/won\'t/doesn\'t work.  <br><br>i am working ~ right now, actually ~ to try to keep this business afloat because three other families rely on it being a success as well as mine, and two of those people are virtually unemployable anywhere else.<br><br>my 91 year old father has dementia and is probably looking at a nursing home in the next year. i don\'t have an extra $4,000 a month and the fact that he has a home paid for and some money he lives off of eliminates any public assistance. so he\'ll have to spend the money he lives off of, which will leave my stepmother in a home with no money to live on while the assets they have go to his care. <br><br>and then she\'ll come and live with me, i guess. i don\'t know. i don\'t know what to do in this world when it seems impossible to make any progress, when the cliff if one step to the right, when financial ruin is one illness or one job loss away. <br><br>but does that stop me from thinking about the constitution? the same criminals who are assaulting the constitution have created the crisis in this country. they need to be locked up, but at a minimum, the constitution needs to be protected from these bastards.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872493">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872493" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872493" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872493">happycozy</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872493" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872493" class="dsq-comment-message">If the Constitution wasn\'t a "white" male issue, how the hell did we have slaves until 1865?  Why didn\'t women get the right to vote until the 1920.  The Constitution is a flawed piece of paper, and I\'m not going to through Obama under the bus because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-873143">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-873143" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-873143" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-873143">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-873143" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-873143" class="dsq-comment-message">Why is principled and legitimate criticism of Obama being seen as throwing him under the bus? Are you asking that we refrain from any critical comments about his positions? <br><br>Civil liberties are not a figment of our imaginations.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-873852">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-873852" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-873852" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-873852" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-873852" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-873852" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>The Constitution is a flawed piece of paper, and I\'m not going to through Obama under the bus because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them.</i><br><br>The Constitution may be a flawed "piece of paper," but it is the thing that has allowed me to vote and slavery to be abolished and civil rights to be codified into law for all people. <br><br>I don\'t understand this: <i>because white liberals believe that something they never had (civil liberties) is being taken away from them</i>.<br><br>Could you explain that further? I want to understand your viewpoint, but I\'m missing something there . . . thanks.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876157">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876157" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876157" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876157">heartsandflowers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876157" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876157" class="dsq-comment-message">Hmmm so you\'re back. I recall you saying you were leaving until election time because you were crying over FISA and it was a deal-breaker for you and blah blah blah. Now this...why are you here?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876512">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876512" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876512" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876512" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876512" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876512" class="dsq-comment-message">been back, heartsand flowers.<br><br>i don\'t know why i come back. i\'m a fool for doing so, i think.<br><br>but i\'ll tell you this. it bugs the shit out of me that i live in a world where a white man can say to me, as one did just a couple of hours ago (because i am a white woman and he makes stupid assumptions), that if barack obama wins the presidency, "north tulsa will think they can just live anywhere they want to."<br><br>because you don\'t know this, i\'ll tell you that "north tulsa" is a predominately african american neighborhood.<br><br>and then he continued by saying that "they will think they do anything they want, go anywhere, live anywhere." when i said that anyone in this country is legally allowed to live anywhere they want to, he said "not on welfare, if they earned it, it would be one thing, but they didn\'t earn it."<br><br>so that\'s why i\'m here. because i give a shit and there is too much wrong in this society for any person or group to handle unless we all join together. you think i\'m shitting on your candidate, but to me, he shit on the constitution ~ along with the other 66 or so fuckheads who voted on this bill ~  and that is wrong. just as the man who spoke to me this afternoon is wrong.<br><br>people like that jackass are the enemy in getting obama elected, not people like me, who question him. i don\'t know when dissent became a crime in this country, but speaking up and talking about what\'s wrong is the only way to change. <br><br>so i\'m torn. just hush up and go away? try to add to the conversation here? i didn\'t notice anything exclusionary on this blog. did i miss it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876728">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876728" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876728" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876728">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876728" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876728" class="dsq-comment-message">"not on welfare, if they earned it, it would be one thing, but they didn\'t earn it."<br><br>Did this person tell you how he knew that everyone in North Tulsa was on welfare?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876856">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876856" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876856" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876856" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876856" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876856" class="dsq-comment-message">well of course not. he knows nothing, as evidenced by the fact that he was completely unaware of welfare reform. and he\'s evidently unaware that the south ~ formerly white ~ side of this city is fairly well integrated. <br><br>he was indoctrinated, as so many wretched assholes have been, with the view that black = welfare recipient. though it started before him, ronald reagan used that meme to win the whitehouse.<br><br>he knows nothing, yet his racism and his prejudice informs and infects his entire life and his political views and it will cause him to vote for john mccain, despite the fact that mccain will continue the unchecked globalization this asshat started talking about. he\'s just a fucking idiot and it breaks my heart and it seems completely hopeless. i keep thinking if all of us ~ the people <i>not</i> like him ~ join together, that we\'d be unbeatable. i don\'t think that will ever happen.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876568">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876568" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876568" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876568">Michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876568" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876568" class="dsq-comment-message">Hey heartsandflowers, did you see the <a href="http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/the-sky-didnt-fall" rel="nofollow">recent post</a> at the field that says (in part):<br><br><i>Only in America do a significant number of people equate expressions of outrage and indignation du jour as somehow being akin to the hard work of political activism or participation. And I hate to say it, but this delusion is worse, much worse, on the left side of the dial where reaction is the standard operating procedure in place of authentic action. I speak, therefore I act is the great American illusion of politics.</i><br><br>(PS A thunderstorm is coming in so I need to turn off the computer now, but I saw your other comment and will email you when I can get more computer time. I have no idea why your email to the address I posted above bounced.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876707">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876707" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876707" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876707" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876707" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876707" class="dsq-comment-message">and only in American would anyone contributing to discussion on a blog assume that they know what any individual is or is not doing, based on their words, what actions are or are not being taken whether by individual on the right or the left.<br><br>only in america does 80% of the population stay so disengaged as to not even <i>know</i> what\'s going on, let alone express an opinion about it or, lord knows, take any action.<br><br>only in george bush\'s america, do people try to squelch the dissent upon which the nation was founded. <br><br>only in this america would people all across the spectrum from left to right cavalierly dismiss the very thing that makes us a nation, as if it\'s nothing more than used up toilet paper.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872176">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872176" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872176" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872176" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872176" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872176" class="dsq-comment-message">for those of you who see all of this simply as a means to embarrass and undermine obama, tell me this:<br><br>where does it stop?<br><br>what can he do that will cause you to withdraw your support?<br><br>do you have a limit?<br><br>if you don\'t, then i can only assume that getting this man into the white house, regardless of what he stands for, regardless of what he does, is your only aim, for whatever reason.<br><br>if you do have a limit, then what is it? where do you draw a line?<br><br>as i\'ve said and said and said and said and i <i>know</i> you all are tired of hearing it and i don\'t even belong here because i\'m white, but i keep coming back <i>anyway</i>, this is my line:<br><br>the constitution<br><br>the bill of rights<br><br>the amendments<br><br>that is bedrock, an absolute for me. how can we live in a nation where our leaders are criminals? that is the case right now, and to align oneself with those criminals is simply unacceptable <i>to me</i>. that\'s my line.<br><br>where\'s yours?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872245">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872245" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872245" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-872245">PTCruiser</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872245" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872245" class="dsq-comment-message">I think that you should scroll through the posts here. There is a division of opinion about the significance of  FISA and Obama\'s position on FISA.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-872419">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-872419" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-872419" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-872419" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-872419" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-872419" class="dsq-comment-message">PTC . . . I know, I\'ve read your comments and others. It\'s just disheartening to see this made into a black v. white thing. I think I said "for those of you," but I am about crosseyed and it\'s too late to be working and i\'m not working anyway, just running on and on about this thing that sticks in my craw.<br><br>but thank you . . . you\'re right.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876710">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876710" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876710" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876710">eclecticbrotha</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876710" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876710" class="dsq-comment-message">Belle, I have a question for you. Do you feel that the economy, education, health care, crumbling infrastructure, global warming, overdependency on foreign oil and the war in Iraq are LESS important than FISA, or are they all of EQUAL importance? I feel they are all of equal importance and I have no intention of harping on one and jeopardizing our opportunity to achieve the rest. Even if Obama would have sided with us on this FISA his vote would not have turned the tide in the final tally. I happen to believe in the old cliche that says "there\'s no use crying over spilled milk." The votes have been cast, the bill has been signed. We still have time to fight for the rest of the goals I\'ve listed, but we can\'t waste any more valuable time debating FISA after the fact. So let\'s move on, shall we?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-875487">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-875487" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-875487" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-875487">Anderkoo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-875487" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-875487" class="dsq-comment-message">I\'m not as tempted to make this out as a black-or-white issue as one about the fickle nature of the Netroots. This might be patronizing of me, but I do have a stereotype of Netroot types as political naifs who, as Mixed Bag put it earlier, have the "luxury" of ideological purity. That goes for most "echo chambers," maybe even this one.<br><br>If you want to get really worried, sign up for the FISA group on <a href="http://my.BarackObama.com" rel="nofollow">my.BarackObama.com</a> -- a good number of the posters there claim to be Hillary supporters who are heightening the existing sour feelings. The Obama campaign is making a big mistake not planting a few of their own in there with some good online mediation skills to cool things off. I think that the majority of the group\'s members, like myself, are reasonable and just want to register their displeasure. But a few smart operatives can really break off a chunk of that group and turn them against Barack.<br><br>I do wonder, given the predictable response, what Obama thought he was gaining by voting for the bill. I don\'t see who he\'d be picking up, so I\'m not sure how I much I buy the "sellout" story versus an honest policy/legislative weighing-of-the-merits. One of the more intelligent posts from the my.BO FISA group points to this blog entry\'s comments,<br><br><a href="http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/compromise_sell.html#comment-121876" rel="nofollow">http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/c...</a><br><br>and<br><br><a href="http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/compromise_sell.html#comment-121877" rel="nofollow">http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2008/07/c...</a><br><br>Do we need to accept the "common wisdom" that in voting for FISA, Obama was "selling out"? Or is this that phenomenon of the legislator\'s task being compromise, which is in turn compromising for someone who wants to be an executive?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876329">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876329" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876329" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876329" href="http://roadkillrefugee.wordpress.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">roadkill refugee</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876329" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876329" class="dsq-comment-message">One frustrating aspect to this whole "FISA sell out/flip-flop" business is Obama supported the much more significant, from a civil liberties standpoint, Supreme Court case restoring habeas corpus to Guantanamo Bay detainees.  It was a 5-4 decision, and McCain and his surrogates attacked Obama as soft on terrorism for supporting it.  If Obama was hell bent on tacking to the center, he would have disagreed with it.  It would have been easy.  Some on the right suggested it was the worst Sup Ct decision ever -- worse than Plessy v. Ferguson.  It was only last month, but the netroots have all forgotten about it and given him no credit for it whatsoever.  Most of these folks complaining don\'t know half as much about constitutional law as Obama.<br><br>Obama promised to filibuster a different FISA bill in January.  This is what legislators do -- they bluff and cajole to get a better bill.  Obama plays poker.  For all we know, his threat to filibuster may have improved the bill.  <br><br>Some on the left, like Dave Winer today, argue he should have staked his whole campaign on telecom immunity.  This is lunacy.  I could care less if telecom carriers pay off a few plaintiffs lawyers, only to later get reimbursed by their insurance carriers.  What good does that do?  The revised FISA law is better, but the Patriot Act is what gutted the 4th Amend.  It was passed in 2002 before Obama became president.  Who\'s going to fix that -- McCain or Obama?  Some purity trolls on netroots are acting so crazy, it\'s like they think McCain will be better for them on these kinds of issues.  It\'s crazyass Russian roulette.  <br><br>The Kos folks, and Rachel Maddow, and Greenwald, are pissing me off by completely misrepresenting and over-blowing the importance of telecom immunity.  They\'re sloppy on the facts, and wrong in how they\'re carrying out their anger.  All they\'re doing is giving Sean Hannity something to talk about ("Hey look, even Obama\'s supporters are angry!").  I suspect most of these angry folks weren\'t true Obama supporters in the first place, otherwise they\'d keep it in perspective and stop being such narcissistic spoiled brats.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876487">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876487" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876487" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-876487" href="http://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bigassbelle</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876487" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876487" class="dsq-comment-message">not telecom immunity.<br><br>fourth amendment.<br><br>constitution.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-876765">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-876765" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-876765" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-876765">eclecticbrotha</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-876765" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-876765" class="dsq-comment-message">You.<br>Not.<br>Paying.<br>Attention.<br><br>By the way, have you ever heard of a little thing called "COINTELPRO?" I believe blacks learned more than enough about civil liberties when that was exposed.  I am still waiting for someone  to explain to me how removing our ability to sue the telecoms in civil court actually violates our civil liberties.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
';

(function() {
	
	





Dsq.Debug.profile(function() {
	if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page == 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.is_initial_load) {
		Dsq.container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.header() + Dsq.container.innerHTML + Dsq.Templates.footer();
	}
	Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML = Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
}); // Dsq.Debug.Profile

// HACK: Resetting cache because we're done with.
Dsq.Utils.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = null;


	
	
	var dsq_styleEl = document.getElementById(disqus_container_id);
	var dsq_anchorEl = document.getElementsByTagName('a')[0];
	
	Dsq.Thread.fc = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, 'color');
	if(dsq_anchorEl) { Dsq.Thread.ac = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_anchorEl, 'color'); }
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, (Dsq.Utils.ie || window.opera ? 'fontFamily' : 'font-family'));
	// For Safari / Opera: strip quotes.
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Thread.ff.replace(/['"]/g, '');
	Dsq.Thread.fc = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.fc);
	Dsq.Thread.ac = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ac);
	Dsq.Thread.ff = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ff);

	
	
	
	if(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer)) {
		// TODO: Check to see if theme uses postmessage.
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.textareaContainer));
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].init(function() {
				// Use fallback iframe
				Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer).innerHTML = '';
				var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer), null, {theme: theme});
				// if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
			});
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-post-add'));
		}
	}

	
	

	
	if(document.location.hash != '') {
		document.location.hash = document.location.hash.substring(1);
	}

	Dsq.Popup.showCookieMsgs();

	
	if(document.location.search != '' && location.hash != '#disqus_thread') {
		var reply_id = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams().dsq;
		if(reply_id) { document.location.hash = 'comment-' + reply_id; }
	}

	
	if((typeof OB_Script != 'undefined') && (typeof OB_versionNum != 'undefined')) {
		if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") != -1) {
			if(window.frames['dsq-reply-frame']) {
				window.frames['dsq-reply-frame'].location = Dsq.Urls.REPLY + (new Date()).getTime() + '&f=jackandjillpolitics&t=seeing_the_forest_for_the_trees_11&to_redirect=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location) + '&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
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	}

	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			Dsq.Realtime.initialize();
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	}

	



	window.ExecuteWhen = (function () {
	var obj = {}
	
	// Private
	var running = false;
	var timer = null;
	var pending = [];
	var startTimer = function() {
		running = true;
		timer = setInterval(obj.heartBeat, 100);
	};
	var stopTimer = function() {
		running = false;
		clearInterval(timer);
	};
	
	// Public
	obj.add = function (condition, code) {
		pending.push([condition,code]);
		this.heartBeat(); //!
		if (!running) {
			startTimer();
		}
	};
	obj.heartBeat = function() {
		if (!pending.length) {
			stopTimer();
		}
		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');
}

})();




