Obama anxiety in California *

Despite the post-convention bounce for John McCain, it appears (for now) that California is still Barack Obama country. But Politico has an interesting story about one Democratic congressional candidate in Placer County, near Sacramento, who is not thrilled by his association with Obama:

Ask Charlie Brown if he supports Barack Obama, and he’ll tell you he hasn’t endorsed anyone yet. Ask him whether he plans to vote for Obama in November, and he says that “a lot’s going to happen” between now and then. Ask him if he’d want Obama to campaign for him, and he says, “I’d like to see both McCain and Obama come to the district and have a debate out here rather than ignore California." Charlie Brown is a Democrat, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it talking to him. Running in a district where Republicans enjoy a double-digit advantage in party registration, Brown is following the playbook the Democrats used to win special elections in heavily Republican districts in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi earlier this year: Keep the D on the down-low.

While over at Huffington Post, director Adam MaKay ("Anchorman," "Talladega Nights") shares a lament a lot of Obama supporters are feeling these days:

"Stop saying that!" my wife says to me. But this is not a high school football game and I'm not a cheerleader with a bad attitude. This is an election and as things stand now, we're gonna frickin' lose this thing. Obama and McCain at best are even in the polls nationally and in a recent Gallup poll  McCain is ahead by four points. Something is not right. We have a terrific candidate and a terrific VP candidate. We're coming off the worst eight years in our country's history.

Well, at least Obama has Babs.

-Shelby Grad

Photo: Carolyn Cole  Los Angeles Times

* Thanks to all who weighed in but, as the last batch of comments we received were too hate-filled to be published, the comments are now closed.

Comments

[John]

As an ex-Republican, I (like many others) fell in love with the change Barack has been talking about since the beginning of this year and will be voting with him and Joe Biden. These guys are the real deal. I see right through Palin who is lying to get women just for the vote and McCain who changes his mind with the wind on key issues. These two are great at spin so dont believe the hype. After the last 8 years, all we can do to get out of this mess is to vote Democrat across the board!!!

[Tom]

No Frank YOU'RE stupid...wow - and turn your caps lock off Mr Angry!

THIS RACE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISSUES GIVE ME AND OTHER A BREAK THE REAL ISSUE IS BLACK AND WHITE YOUR STUPID IF YOU THINK ANYTHING ELSE.IF IT WASN'T IT WOULD BE A LAND SLIDE.THE PAST EIGHT YEARS DOESN'T MEAN A THING.BLACK AND WHITE MATTERS.

Posted by: FRANK | September 09, 2008 at 03:28 PM

[Carl]

The media really needs to question the sheer ineptitude of McCain's pick. It's not about Palin's abilities or qualifications or her family per se, although once known, we as her potential employer have the right to reject her on the grounds of undependability (so there, Gulianni). The record also makes clear that she would likely intend to impose her religious views on public policy. But enough seriousness,

Top 10 Reasons McCain picked Sara Palin for Running-Mate

1. Wanted to keep Republican women from voting for Obama
2. Wanted a ticket that balances McCain’s liberal views
3. Thought he picked Hillary
4. Has beauty-queen legs
5. Wanted to attract the 17-year-old vote
6. Uses same lipstick as McCain’s pit-bull
7. Britney Spears wasn’t available
8. Wants to see Sarah in a bikini at the White House pool
9.Went through the states in alphabetical order but got tired after Alaska
10. Finally- a VP who can shoot straight

[Sandra S]

I've had it with these blogs. They put out the crap faster than diarrhea, and pull the strings of us idiots as we blabber and waste our time.

Dems - vent and post as much as you want, but get to the polls on November 4 and VOTE. There are 11 million more registered Democrats than Repubs in the country. If we all vote, well....you figure it.

In the meantime,
I don't care if Palin is a woman, a man or a transexual:

"You can't fight religious extremists in the Middle East when you elect them in the Midwest".

[Suzanne Parlette]

I am amazed that democrats continue to underestimate Palin.
Amazed and pleased ...

[Thomas]

You people are ALL whiners and haters...quit crying and go do something productive!

[Deb Gordon]

I guess my comment is actually a question for the Palin (anti abortion) voters.
Holding the belief that abortion is wrong, how is it you wish to stop those with pro-abortion mindsets to choose not to reproduce? If they are allowed to continue, wouldn't the future hand the majority back to you? It seems strange to me to be against your enemies not reproducing. It seems the issue will eventually be self correcting. I have a couple of really bad neighbors tand I wouldn't mind them choosing to not reproduce.

[Jim Lundberg]

I believe that the two major parties orchestrate the polls to make them closer than they are in order to get people to not vote third party. I am voting for Bob Barr because voting for McCain or Obmama is just more of the same.

The bailout of Freddie/Fannie is the beginning of the end of this current financial system. Thank God he gave us gold and silver that will hold their value. Buy while the price is down!

[ed pipkin]

TO LS,

You are such a fool.
Obama at worst is a closet terrorist....at best a power hungry used car salesman (..ok, ok a lawyer)...and his running mate is certainly an entrenched politico plagerist.

We've had people like Obama/Biden in office for ages.

I'm a registered democrat by the way.

[dr]

Wow... what a thread of hate filled, delusional, uninformed, crazed, twisted comments. If this level of discussion in terms of solving our common problems and emerging whole anytime in any of our current lifetimes is all we have to offer, I hate to say it (I live here to) but we are going to be stunningly hosed.

[Phil Jones]

I beleive Obama will win the election,

Why?

Becuase there are a lot of people who BELIEVE that becuase McCain is a democrat then he will be just like bush

[Simple Calculations]

Since you're all chiming in on the Messiah, it should be noted with all of the Jewish revolutionaries such as Barabas and the lesser revolutionaries of the time...The most involved Jesus got in politics during his entire time in Ministry was to say yield unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what is God's. With all of the political turmoil of the era he was working on people at the individual level and didn't way in on the politics at all, even though all of his exuberant followers wanted him to topple the government and bring in a Christian era. So I don't really understand why people on both sides continually talk about how Jesus would vote or who he'd be politicking for at any given moment... If you change the hearts of men you are doing the work of God. If you start legislating for God you're usually doing the work of the devil. Just look what happened under the church of england, pre 19th century catholic church, pre-20th century islam...have their ever been worse entities in history? Christianity should never be a political movement. Not to say you shouldn't vote your conscience, but for you to make your conscience the judge of others seems quite anti-christ to me.

[Ellison McGorn]

Interesting to listen to right-wingers spew drivel like "Obama is a communist who will redistribute wealth like Joseph Stalin"... In the event these people haven't been paying attention, in the last year their hero George W Bush and his Federal Reserve cronies have been steadily bailing out every industry in the country, from Fannie & Freddie to Bear Stearns... Want to know what that is called? Socialism. Whenever the free market is not allowed to work its course, whenever the federal government steps in to bail out a few billionaires, there is no free market. I wish all of these so-called libertarian economists would crawl back into the hole they came out of and stay there. This has been a government run by the rich and for the rich, and it will not change under McCain. As for Palin, who cares?

We need to get these reckless fools out of power and bring in someone who is going to balance the d*** budget. How have we let the Republican Party, who have been spending money like drunken sailors for the last 20 years (Reagan, Bush Sr, and Bush Stupid all included) hijack the title of "Party of Fiscal Responsibility"? You know the last president who balanced the budget? Bill Clinton, and he did it by raising taxes... And do you know what happens when the budget is balanced? Everybody wins.

[Anthony]

what did Obama do to deserve to be the leader of the free world, and his patriot is in questions also. His wife said this is the first time she proud of her country, his pastor wright make a comments that is completely unpatriot, and when the national athem sang on the background he not put his hand on his chest and not wear a lapel pin. So you can put all of that together and figure out how patriot he his. He can make all the exuse he want but little thing like that can tell me this man is not deserve to be my president. I rather pick someone that I can trust that is John McCain. Because at least I know he is very patriot and experient. Thanks and God Bless America

[rapchat]

Gosh Stan, Lie a lot? Or maybe you just don't know the facts. According to independent analysis, Obama's economic plan gives more of a tax cut than McCain's for 95% of Americans, and more tax breaks for small business - it also projects only half the deficit that McCain proposes, a very real expense that drags our economy down. Palin, with her vast executive experience, managed to leave a town of 9,000 $24 million dollars in dept, then as governor massively raised taxes on the oil leaving AK - a huge corporate tax increase passed on to everyone that uses gasoline. She used the money to increase the payments (AKA state welfare) made to AK residents while increasing state spending nearly 50%. Those payments are what drives her approval rating. Yeah - that's the kind of reform McCain wants to bring to Washington!

And why is Obama's reverend is a problem so great that it received months of media coverage, and gets mentioned in nearly every pro-McCain post, when Todd Palin himself belonged to a separatist political party that not only damned America but actually discussed armed secession? Why is Palin getting a pass on this?

[SteveKelson]

Do all the GOP fanatics here suffer from amnesia?
Your party nearly DESTROYED this country.

If it weren't for the Chinese, we would have a 1929 scenario...right now!
People would be jumping from buildings. Amnesia of history...just great.

I'm surprised there's still a few of you left ...or even admit to be associated with 'the party'

[Mike]

McCain is going to win this election, and the rich elite in America will laugh all the way to the bank.

Get this through your thick heads, you American idiots:

No serious politician truly believes in God. Not Obama, not McCain, certainly not Sarah Palin. There is compelling evidence that nearly every President of the USA was an atheist (including GWB). Religion is, was, and always will be a tool of control used by the elite to manipulate the masses. And why not? If you're all so ignorant that you can be happy with another administration that rapes your country for the benefit of large corporations and political friends, so long as you can drive an SUV and have a big TV, why should you have anything more in life?

The ironic thing about the devout nature of Republicanism is that its staunchest followers are the ones being raped the hardest by its leaders. Obama is elitist? Are you f*cking kidding me? This man is passionate to the core of his soul about America and about helping people. John McCain and George Bush might sound like slow-talkin' everyday Americans, but they don't give a f*ck about you or your family, and they are guided by a sophisticated network of business and political associations carefully designed to CONTROL you for their own wealth creation.

If you think their ridiculous associations with God will help your cause in the future, well, keep clinging to non-issues like gay marriage and abortion, you f*cking morons, and I'll be doing my best to join the elite because YOU are keeping YOURSELVES down by voting for these monsters.

"Mccain, Palin, Obama and the Amerian public must come to terms with the principle of Sharing."

This is idiotic at best, dangerous at worst. America does not need to share, America needs to wake the f*ck up and start doing what is best for it as a nation. To act strategically, not as a cowboy, and to take care of its people instead of its rich elite. America does not need to share with anyone except ostensibly as a tool of foreign policy.

[JudiNV]

Christian Voter, McCain and Palin firmly believe that those repeated speech lines are convincing enough for their devoted base. This says they see their base as blind and stupid. Sad.

[sick of it]

Lunacy? What else would you call voting for the party that gave us the last 8 years. Voting for Republicans now would be like a parent giving the keys to the family car to a teen who just destroyed his car in a drunken crash. Yes, there are parents who are that bad and apparently, many Americanswho are that stupid.

[Patrick Henry]

Sarah Palin is a competent governor with an approval rating of 80%, and the left is terrified of her. They can't stand a woman who appears happy and comfortable with herself.

[lindsay]

Witfal stated above that McCain and Palin are not afraid to state their views in public. Uh... what planet have you been on lately, Witfal?

Sarah hasn't said ONE THING on her own so far. Hasn't stated a single thing about her beliefs except what she is reading from a now worn-out script. Her handlers are keeping her on such a tight leash that we really have NO IDEA what she honestly thinks because they won't let anyone ask her any questions!!

I think that speaks volumes. She isn't a candidate, she's the cheesecake. She is an actress with a blinding smile, who is there for ONE REASON, and ONE REASON ONLY: because she is a woman. A timeless sexist ploy by the Republicans. Her supposed extreme religious views are being used to get the evangelical voters, yet if McCain is elected he will drop that agenda like a hot potato, betraying the evangelicals.

I am not a Christian, and I think the Bible is fiction. People who DO believe that the Bible is true are the most gullible people on the face of the earth, and McCain intends to exploit that ignorance to the HILT. Pretty pathetic.

[Theophilus]

> McCain/Palin are hardly "extreme right wing"! Gimme a break! How about "moderate". Just because they don't line up with your social gospel does not entitle you to wrongly place them to the edge of their party! What nonsense!

In terms of the electorate, they are (or rather, she is). That doesn't make them wrong, however. I myself probably belong to a fringe, though I consider myself neither liberal nor conservative nor moderate. I don't think that's wrong, merely factual.

> As for your personal claim that you are a "devout Christian" but elevate the economy over murdering millions of unborn babies-- claiming also "this is the true embodiment of Christian love.", you might want to re-visit the Bible and reconsider where you're getting your worldview and theology from. Abortion isn't simply "wrong"-- it is a curse on America and has led to the epidemic devaluing of human beings-- a primary cause of class warfare, poverty, prejudice, racism, and single-parent families, BTW.

I'm not the person you responded to, but I too am a devout Christian. However, there's more here than just the economy. Maybe you don't realize it, but the Republicans started an unjust war. That's killing, too. I can't devalue some lives simply because I don't like them. That said, abortion is wrong. Very wrong. But if you'd listen to Obama & Biden, they do not say that abortion is right. They say that we ought to reduce the number of abortions, but that passing a law against it won't work.

So are you in favor of reducing abortions or merely forbidding them? Because one is feasible and the other isn't.

Also, it's on the Republican side that I more often hear that money is more important than justice (e.g. those "evil" trial lawyers suing businesses for doing illegal things). And the downturn in the economy creates hardship. People starve. And health care? Not having that causes people to die. I do want the unborn to be protected, but we can't focus on a few lives and ignore many!

> If you believe Obama is a more healthy choice for America-- a man who is an ardent supporter of aboortion-- not just "the right to choose", but actual killing unborn and even mostly-born babies (check out his comments and voting record), and supports gay marriage (another bane on American families)-- then you have some serious learning to do!

Well, you might want to check them first. He does NOT support gay marriage, just for starters. Yes, he has voted against measures to forbid abortion. But he also works for measures to reduce it.

> I am appalled by your comments while claiming to be a follower of Jesus. Do you honestly think He'd be cool with your take on what's best for America? Do you think He'd be fine with your attack on Sara Palin, who by all definitions IS a devout and orthodox (adhering to scripture) Christian? Do you think Jesus would have no issue with your minimizing huge parts of His Word and focusing on the "social gospel" parts only? I think not. You might want to go find out for yourself.

She's devout and orthodox? I'm not sure you know what orthodox means, unless you're claiming she's Catholic now? I don't doubt her devotion, but would you say that lying is a sin? It's in the 10 commandments, right? So why did she lie about the Bridge to Nowhere? And yes, a lie of omission (leaving out that she supported it before she was against it) is still a lie.

In any event, it is evident that you are too quick to mingle politics with your faith. Jesus had a lot to say about the politicians of His day who pretended to be holy and who were not. You know them as Pharisees. I trust you can find Him rebuking them without my help.

I find much to question in Palin's record about saying one thing and doing another. This is also called hypocrisy. That's not to say that anyone who tries to live a good life is invulnerable. We are all sinners. If we truly praciced what we preach, we should be saints.

But a part of that is admitting one's mistakes and asking forgiveness. Not covering them up and pretending they never existed. I've not seen that from her yet, but I will pray for her.

> Sorry if this offends you. Just calling it like I see it. We have no room for moral relativism here anymore. Life is short and America is in peril.

We are more in peril than you know. But do you not remember that our fight is not against flesh & blood? We must stand against sin no matter which party is doing it.

> P.S. Lemme guess: you're an evolutionist, you believe in global warming, and that it's man-made.

Where in the Bible does it says that global warming doesn't exist? Actually, I recall that God will "destroy those who destroy the Earth" and that we have a duty to care for the Earth and be "good stewards." And I'm leaving out debatable prophecies about the elements being melted with "fervent heat."

In terms of evolution, I think all Christians believe that God created us. No matter how, God created us. There's no question about that. One might question the meaning of the poem you know as Genesis chapter 1, but God created us. No question.

But these venture into political points, not religious ones. Science was formed from the belief that a rational God would make a rational universe that men could understand. At most, Science can tell us how God made our bodies, not the origin of our souls. We are mistaken to worry about earthly things instead of spiritual things.

> "Shout anything loud enough and long enough and a liberal will eventually believe it."

Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. By things such as these, all will know that you are Christian.

[chris]

Obama is by far the best choice. He really is what this country needs and everyday I see McCain and Palin talking I am assured of that. Palin is nothing short of an extremist and McCain is nothing more than a puppet of the Right. Let's put Barack Obama in the White House so he can make this great nation prosper.

Obama/Biden 08!

[Tholden]

LA TIMES...Please stop allowing people to leave comments..i don't think there is one here that is positive or productive!

[walt]

How can Palin be a conservative when she spent the bridge money instead of returning it. How can she be in favor of the Constitution when she attempted to censor the local library. How can she be an environmentalist when she had 5 children instead of adopting 2 or 3. How does she become an advocate for special education when her child is just a few months old, she doesn't have a clue or she would be concerned about staying home and working with her child who will have many needs. Ignore it if you wish if nothing else she is not a realist and obviously does not see the forest for the trees. Great smile, lots of bravado, that's about it

[Norman]

I'd like to see 5 positive reasons to vote for Obama leaving out that he isn't Bush.

Here are only two that I know of::

1) He'll raise taxes on the rich.
2) He'll get us out of Iraq ASAP.

My rebuts even to this paltry list are:

1) He doesn't say he'll actually put more money into the pockets of ordinary folks.
2) He doesn't say how or whether he will win the war in Iraq or how he will defeat the teriorists who are trying to destroy us.

He does say he's for change but I haven't heard of anything he has actually changed in his political career. He says he's for Hope but golly gee everyone is for Hope. Obama is like Mr. Celophane Man in the musical Chicago, you can see right through him (if you look).

[JOCI.TAJ]

TO THOSE WHO SAY OBAMA IS MORE POLARIZING THAN PALIN - THEY ARE CORRECT BUT BIDEN IS MORE POLARIZING THAN ANY OF THEM - WHEN OBAMA CHOSE A VP HE PICKED A STATUS QUO, CORPORATE SELLOUT, GRIDLOCK, HIGHLY PARTISAN, NEVER TAKE ON YOUR OWN PARTY, BICKERING, PARTY BEFORE COUNTRY AIRBAG FROM A TINY STATE WITH NO EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE and MANY OLD FASHIONED LIBERAL IDEALS THAT COULD BARELY GET A VOTE EVEN IN A CATHOLIC STATE EVEN THOUSH HE'S "CATHOLIC" (OH YEAH AND HE IS IN FAVOR OF taxpayer funding for LATE TERM AND PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTIONS for minors) - MCCAIN CHOSE A YOUTHFUL, INVIGORATED, REFORMER WITH PLENTY OF NEW IDEAS AND A CLEAR RECORD OF TAKING ON HER OWN PARTY WHO WALKS THE WALK WITH HER RELIGION AND EVEN TAKES ON BIG CORPORATIONS - SO IN THEIR FIRST DECISION AS A POTENTIAL PRESIDENT, MCCAIN OUTSHINED OBAMA BY A COUNTRY MILE (EVEN IF YOU HATE SARAH, YOU STILL HAVE TO ADMIT MCCAIN'S CHOICE WAS BETTER AT LEAST IN TERMS OF STRATEGY - how about that ??? Obama got outfoxed by an old man !!!!!!!!!

[chris]

Obama is by far the best choice. He really is what this country needs and everyday I see McCain and Palin talking I am assured of that. Palin is nothing short of an extremist and McCain is nothing more than a puppet of the Right. Let's put Barack Obama in the White House so he can make this great nation prosper.

Obama/Biden 08!

[laughing at the dems]

poor poor libs and dems. nothing you say here will convince the. we are not putting someone named hessein in office. there mere fact tht hollywood has come out in droves to support him would tell you that only CA and NY will vote for this. These also happen to be the two highest taxed, mismanaged states in the US

Socialism never works anywhere at anytime in history. The ony Reason Canda and EU are still standing is because of the USA....and that is gritty, hard working, yes there is a first place, capitalism.

The only people who are voting for Hussein are the guilty conscious entertainers and those who can't pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.

The oddest thing of all is the libs saying 'take it back'. Take it back from who ? your worthless hippie mentality hijacked society from 60's on, America was never ever a liberal place. It was isolationist and protectionist. That is what made us great. Period. Now you would love to re-distribute all that wealth to the rest of the world, because they can't do it.

Well, move to a socialist country then if the USA is so bad ! Honestly, your doing noone any favors on this side of the pond

[TSimon]

LS....... I suspect you are not what you claim 'a devout christian voter'...your hatred and partisanship shine through too brightly. Palin is neither extreme now on the fringe....there are over 50 million of us in the USA who have religious experiences and values almost exactly like hers. You might want to think about not alienating us anymore than you liberals already have.
Fact is, Palin, a first term governor from a little populated state, DOES have more experience than the bright and shining messiah of the Dem party.....to me that says it all. The Dems are hanging their hopes on a unknown....a guy with a nice smile and sincere sounding voice......who has ZERO experience....give me a break.
I think McCain hit the mother lode when he went back to his roots and emphasized his true identity....an agent of change and reform----but strong conservative/independent philosophy......now that is a candidate I can live with and will gladly vote for. Palin is just icing on the cake.

[JDHall]

CHRISTIAN is a beautiful noun but a horrible adjective.

Abortion is not a Republican issue...it's a sanctity of life issue

The Environment is not a Democratic issue...it's a Genesis chapter 1 issue.

There are Christians in all political parties so lets not pretend that one party represents them all. Some voters feel stronger about an issue than others. The bottom line is that neither the democrats or repulicans give a crap about the cause of Christ. So lets stop fooling ourselves.

The truth is, Democrats have been more involved and in favor of major humanitarian efforts which is one of the things Jesus spoke most about. But at the same time Republicans have been better at trying to protect the sanctity of life. The Democrats are better about caring for the earth God gave us but the republicans are better at understanding the personal responsibility and accountability of individuals. Both parties are currupt and selfish.

The bottom line is to vote for who you think will do the best job but support the winning canidate as the person who recieved the most electoral votes. (I hope they get rid of the electoral college soon as it is now out dated though)

For the record, I am a regestered independant who thinks that, in this particular election, John McCain is the better canidate. But if Obama wins, he will be my President and have my support and prayers.

[Kurtimus]

Last time I checked, Placer County was a far from San Diego as...well...Oregon. Seems you know about as much geography as a third grader.

Also note the McClintock is a carpet-bagging sumbag who couldn't win in his OWN district, which is in Southern California.

[Marcus]

Agreed..and what's funny, is that i don't even think they read each others. They just spew whatever they feel - you can tell this because nothing flows, just gripe after gripe!
----------------------
LA TIMES...Please stop allowing people to leave comments..i don't think there is one here that is positive or productive!

Posted by: Tholden | September 09, 2008 at 03:45 PM

[Steve]

I just have one question. Will the Rev. Wright, William Ayers, and Tony Rezko be attending the inaguration if Obama wins?
I am a recent Ca transplant from the Midwest and if you think Obama is not as crooked as the rest of them you don't know anything about Chicago politics. 3 of the last 7 govs in Illinois have been jailed for fraud. The current Dem Gov is under investigation for fraud.
Illinois has the third highest unemployment rate in the country along with your great state of California.Dems control the assembly and the house.
With all the libs and illegals in California it's no wonder your state is in debt up to their behinds.

[Obama says]

Obama Says McCain Is Offering Fake Change: 'You Can Put Lipstick on a Pig, But It's Still a Pig'

September 09, 2008 6:10 PM

LEBANON, Va. -- "That's not change," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said of what Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is offering.

"You know, you can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said, "but it's still a pig."

The crowd rose and applauded, some of them no doubt thinking he may have been alluding to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's ad lib during her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

"You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called 'change,'" Obama continued, "it's still gonna stink after eight years.

"We’ve had enough of the same old thing! It’s time to bring about real change to Washington. And that’s the choice you’ve got in this election."

Obama added that "it is not going to be easy ... John McCain has a compelling biography, you know Sarah Palin is an interesting story."

The crowd booed.

"No, she’s new!" Obama said. "She hasn’t been on the scene, you know, she’s got five kids and my hat goes off to anybody who’s looking after five. I’ve got two and they tire Michelle and me out!"

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

UPDATE: Obama senior adviser Robert Gibbs insists the senator was not referring to Palin. "That's an old expression," Gibbs says.

[Marcus]

LA TIMES...Please stop allowing people to leave comments..i don't think there is one here that is positive or productive!

[Keith]

I've seen comments that the poor don't pay taxes, which isn't true. EVERYONE in this country pays taxes. We ALL pay taxes when we buy products. It's called sales tax. The poor pay income taxes as well. When I was in college and made only a few thousand dollars a year ($2K or less a couple of those years) working part time, I paid taxes. Yes, I got a portion of what I paid back as a tax refund, but it certainly wasn't the majority of what I paid throughout the year. The amount taken out of my meager paycheck was only slightly higher than my tax obligation, so I got the overage back as a refund. But I DID pay taxes!

Now that I'm older, married with 2 kids, have a nice home, and a great career, I pay more in taxes than I used to (MUCH more!). I'm paying more payroll taxes as I'm in a higher tax bracket. I pay the same sales taxes that the poor pay (9% in Chicago), and as a homeowner, I pay property taxes to Cook County.

The role of government is to collectively provide citizens with what they can't individually provide on their own. Roads, bridges, emergency services, military protection, utilities, etc. immediately come to mind. In our country, the amount of tax we pay depends on the extent in which we've benefitted from what the country has provided. Americans are able to open businesses and conduct trade because of the law and order that exists in the land. That's not the case everywhere in the world. Those who are entreprenurial and have benefited greatly from the blessings this great nation offers pay more in taxes. Those who are not as successful, regardless of the reasons, are not unduly burdened by the government and pay less in taxes. But everyone pays. I don't consider this to be a "redistribution of wealth". Money is power, and as they say, great power brings great responsibility.

Anyone that doesn't want to pay their share of taxes should try going without public services for a while. No electricity, running water, sewer systems, police protection, roads, bridges, schools, military, clean air, legal ownership of property, etc., etc.

[Sandra S]

Ellison, you got that right. The Republican Cult mantra: Privatize the profits, socialize the losses.

Here's an in depth look at Pilan's record:

http://dailysource.org/palin

"You can't fight religious extremists in the Middle East when you elect them in the Midwest". seen in the blog world

Dems - get out and Vote on November 4th or your mail in ballot. There are 11 million more registered Dems than Repubs. If we all vote, you figure it out.

[jefflz]

This Karl Rove guy is a genius. He has turned the election into "THE NEW AMERICAN IDOL". He has replaced a tiresome, dried-out old candidate who is too confused to get the facts straight, and created tremendous buzz about a know-nothing right-wing Christian fundamentalist who won a beauty contest. Instead of looking at the horrible record of the last 8 nightmarish Bush years we now want to find out who is the sexiest, who has the best one liner put-downs? Hey Kids, while the the economy is going down the tubes, people are losing their homes and jobs, and respect for this country is at an all time low, lets have a Popularity Contest!! Its just like High School, wow, kids this is fun. The heck with boring political stuff, lets go for the cute gal with the smart mouth (her words also provided by Rove). Wake up kids, four years of McCain/Palin will leave you and your families far worse off than you are now. Can you afford to play these childish but potentially lethal games??

[Hal]

Don't forget about all of the *wonderful* things DEMS have done in Michigan....(highest unemployment in the country). If you want to look into the future of an Obama administration, look no further than Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI. LOL.

[baz]

Are people so hateful, that they actually believe their *infanticide* rhetoric?
Like anyone in the Govt supports killing children.
You want to debate pro-choice vs anti-choice, fine... but, this hateful garbage about infanticide, how are you Christians, seething such hate??
I expect many of you are Pro-Capitol Punishment, and were Pro Iraq invasion.
The hate & hypocrisy is breathtaking, from supposed *Religious* people.
And yes, it's choice vs anti-choice.
I am against abortion, but know many people who are pro-choice... we are all anti-abortion. I've yet to meet anyone who is pro-abortion.
While I don't agree with them, I understand their argument... they want the choice.

I just wish the alleged Christians, who express such hate, would actually read/study Jesus' teachings. I must have missed the part, where it says *hate anyone who doesn't think the way you do.*
Y'all are sounding more & more like the Fundamentalist Muslims, than true Christians!

[tordor]

Wow...we really are such a divided nation. Everyone seems to only find the information needed to reinforce their opinions. How can we choose for ourselves and not be blindly led by media. This whole election seems like a nightmare. Regardless of who wins, the country will be worse off. Not because of the policies or ideologies of either candidate – but because of the hate and resentment that accompanies our current election system. We are acting like radical groups fighting for control of a third world country – not One United Nation! With such sensitive and endured demographic groups involved, I fear that the post election frenzy may turn this “Rival Sporting Event” we call an election - to an actual start to the division of our great nation. Behaviors like this can only lead to our collapse. This has been seen in every great civilization, perhaps it’s our turn. Now, someone take the time to call me an idiot. It’s obviously true because I just wasted 20 minutes reading your comments and writing this.

[Erick]

I am sick and tired of reading about, how the media talks about Gallup Polls, I don't know where or how they get their information....So far in the biggest city of the United States (LA) I haven't seen any one, conducting polls. But any way....I know that republicans are nervous and stressed because election day is coming and with it the change.

The current government screwed up the whole economy, and now McCain, is adopting Obama's ideas of Change, He is pathetic like the Chinese always making cheap copies of good products.

I Believe in Obama, I wish he reads this: He needs to be more aggressive. Please stop saying my adversary says this or says that....please be yourself and tell us what you want and what you will, we already know McCain is below, retarded and below average ex-second class wrecker navy pilot, full and consumed with anger, who seeks revenge for all the time he was captive in prison in Vietnam, and most probably he was molested.

We feel sorry for him, but We DO NOT WANT HIM AS PRESIDENT, imagine a woman whose not able to supervise and educate her own family and a retarded in the white house. Homer Simpson has a better degree of matureness that the fatal duo!!!

Please don't Republican or Democrat, don't make your mind just because a preacher or any one else at church or on TV, expresses his/her ideas, find out by yourself. Those guys don't know about politics, eight years ago they supported Bush and see, what happened, see how much are you paying for a gallon of gas now, or how much your house is worth it.