Decision 2008
Reacting
~ It’s important to have a hard-nosed look at the emerging Obama administration. What no one should accept is Ralph Nader, a 74-year-old white man, suggesting that Obama might turn out to be “Uncle Tom for the giant corporations.” [Update: I should have noted that Nader’s ancestry is Lebanese.] It’s not the first time Nader has lobbed racial rhetoric at
The state of our union
While canvassing for Obama Saturday in Northeast Philadelphia — the 55th Ward I believe — my partner and I stopped for a bathroom break at a tavern on Verree Road near Griffith Street. The place was choked with cigarette fumes, despite Philadelphia’s smoking ban. Middle-aged white men in ball caps were drinking and puffing away at 11:30 am. You knew
Defending Khalidi
John McCain has compared Rashid Khalidi, the Palestinian scholar, Columbia University professor and Obama acquaintance, to a neo-Nazi. A new low, even in this, one of the lowest campaigns in presidential history. In the aftermath of 9/11 Khalidi appeared as one of a number of guests on Newshour to discuss the origins of al-Qaeda. McCain should denounce Jim Lehrer for
“Spread the wealth”
“The really big fortune, the swollen fortune, by the mere fact of its size, acquires qualities which differentiate it in kind as well as in degree from what is possessed by men of relatively small means. Therefore, I believe in a graduated income tax on big fortunes, and … a graduated inheritance tax on big fortunes, properly safeguarded against evasion,
GOP racism watch
Colin Powell’s message isn’t getting through to some. Marcia Stirman, not a fringe figure but a Republican official in New Mexico, declared in a letter to the editor, “I believe Muslims are our enemies.” She also labeled Barack Obama a “Muslim socialist.” Asked later to clarify her view of Muslims, she said: “I don’t trust them at all. They’ve sworn across
No on Prop 8
Andrew Sullivan notes that the vicious Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative that threatens to strip gay couples of all civil equality, is being massively bankrolled by the Mormon Church — which, incidentally, was founded in the 19th century by a fraud and con man. Donate to the No effort here. [Update: Fairness demands that I acknowledge this.]
Palin: feminist when convenient
This boggles the mind: Campaigning later in the day in Henderson, Palin made a direct play for female voters, particularly those who backed Obama’s primary rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. ”Barack Obama just couldn’t bring himself to pick a woman who got 18 million votes in the primary,” Palin said. She told the crowd the situation was a ”too familiar
Ron Paul’s values
During primary season, some progressive-minded people flocked to Ron Paul, not only failing to note his extreme right-wing views, but greeting reports of those views with anger and ostrich-like denial. So it’s worth a mention that Paul has endorsed Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party for president. Baldwin is a militantly anti-choice, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-feminist, pro-gun nut. Again, Ron Paul has