The upset is called "Palin".

10th paragraph... "What is impressive about this sizable operation is its very organization." shouldn't that be "organized"?

other than that it's a good read...

@s1m0ne814: No, it should not be "organized." The "its" is a possessive pronoun, rather than a contraction for "it is." The "organization" belongs to the "operation," and my lameness for correcting you in the comments of this blog belongs to me. Apologies in advance.

i almost feel sorry for any one moronic enough to actually beleive that mrs. palin is capable or smart enough to run this country...she is not end of story...if a $400.00 haircut disqualifies a democrat a fifty thousand shopping spree throws her off the bridge(to nowhere)...republican hypocracy is why we are roasting them over a fire

I wish more would do their homework about voter problems during the last two elections. Check out all the people who were denied the right to vote and which demographic they fit into. Few were Republican voters. Coincidence? I think not.
The concern in the Obama camp is sadly justified. You can bet those who did their best to fix the last elections have been working overtime for this one.

What the Obama campaign needs to watch out for is "Middleman" software. It is a computer program designed by a friend of Karl Rove that allows votes to be skewed here and there, usually in battleground states. It looks innocuous on the surface but behind the scenes the program is enough to tally "votes" that actually weren't cast. This is how Bush took Ohio in 2004. I am surprised and stunned that this has not been brought up. Please take a look before it is too late and we are looking at another stolen election!

I actually grew up doing this kind of thing, and my kids have done much of the same. As a result I have an exceptionally savy 13 year old, and a tween who thinks it's always our job to fold chairs and put away tables.

s1m0ne814: your edit would only be correct if she had used 'it's'.

"It is very organized" would indeed make sense.

"Its very organization" refers to the possessive. The operation is the possessor of organization, which is why 'its' is the correct contraction. The current sentence basically states that the operation possesses organization. Your edit would indicate that the operated possesses organized, which doesn't make sense.

SMELL FAMILIAR?

Toilet Paper on the GOP Shoe

This odious letter is a timely reminder.

In the past several days we've had Joe the Plumber, Wardrobe-gate (and the subsequent back-fill), Bid-rigging Gate (waiting for the back-fill), and now this. This is the direct legacy of Nixon's CREEP and the disquieting aroma of a 2000 election decided by a whisker in a state coincidentally governed by the President's brother. And more recently, the phone jamming anecdote we've heard from convicted felon Allan Raymond's TV interviews to sell How to Rig an Election (haven't read it yet).

These episodes, and this hateful letter, symbolize the toilet paper insolubly stuck to the GOP's shoes.

Politics is dirty, and neither side has a halo, but here we are a week away from the most important election in our lifetimes, and we're still waiting for comparable revelations about the democrats. Liberal media squelching the dish? Where are their convicted election cheaters?

If you told this history to third graders, they'd conclude that these GOP guys don't like to share and don't play nice.
--------
Some Doubt Remains, But Basic Doubt Removed

We've struggled, we've had our doubts--still have 'em. Will Obama, if elected, give us a redux Jimmy Carter? That would be very very bad.

But the more we've learned, the more we're repulsed by the Republicans and propelled toward Obama, we've warmed up to the idea and ideals of a President Obama.

We watched the PBS program last night about McCain and Obama. Extremely illuminating. Two honorable, admirable men, similarly driven by ego and ambition. For each, this election is the last "to do" on a long-held agenda. McCain, undoubtedly more balanced to the center than he must appear to appease potential Republican voters. Obama, surprisingly and demonstrably more conservative than ordinarily portrayed.

For McCain, however, the virtually pre-ordained, paint-by-number tragedy documented on HCO (Monday, October 13, 2008-THE JURY MAY BE OUT, BUT THE EVIDENCE IS IN...), and by way smarter people elsewhere, is nearly complete. A good, forthright man, who was incontrovertibly maverick on many important issues, is gradually strangling himself in the entangled logoed scarves of his morally threadbare coalition.

Obama has by every reasonable measure kept closer faith with his values, and has disassociated from those who, formerly inside the tent, attempted to smuggle dishonor in (for example, Rev. Wright and more recently ACORN, although that still rankles).

So we take the wisdom wherever we find it. And thank the darkness, for without it, we would not be able to distinguish the light.

McCain is hanging (by a thread) in this race because of race. Period. McCain may still win (it reads like a tossup, no matter what the polls say), but by the great preponderance of evidence, his victory would be far from honorable and would promise nothing resembling a new day for America.

Thanks to the GOP and their minions for the recent reminders, and for at least clearing up all doubt as to who must get our votes now.

Time to drain the swamp, and mourn for the fallen Mr. McCain.

If 'star chambers' do exist I hope they realize that 4 years of Obama will be a lot less hassle than McCain.

beware of the "fixer". HE is out there, even though he should be in jail. He already got away with it twice, don't be surprised if he does it again!

If you liked this article, you'll love the film "FREE FOR ALL!" streaming online for free. It outlines the schemes in place that Obama's people are ready to face on election day.
www.freeforall.tv

This excellant article makes it clear-all you Obama supporters: VOTE! I voted early, and had to wait 1 1/2 hr. I was about to give up b/c I was hatless in the sun and I've had skin cancer. A kind black lady offered to get me her umbrella:) I thanked her and said it was my 1st time to vote for a Democrat since Carter. After that her family more or less adopted me! We had a wonderful time and didn'teven notice the time it took. So come on, everybody-get a hat or umbrella, a water bottle, and a good attitude, and go!

This is crazy. I'm Australian and apart from the fact that we have compulsory voting (and no, you aren't FORCED to vote for anyone- it's only compulsory to turn up, therefore if you leave a blank ballot it actually registers your dissatisfaction with the process rather than facilitating total disenfranchisement. It's a MUCH better system- no wasting mountains of money on trying to get people to vote in the first place or trying to pander to wacky interest groups or religious organisations) we also have a centralised federal electoral agency so that there is complete uniformity between states on how ballot papers are designed, how votes are registered and counted. Ballots are held in public schools so there's easy access and ballot papers across the country are standardised, differing only in the names of the candidates and parties so they cannot be manipulated without it being obvious

It's illegal to distribute the kind of material featured above or interfere with people voting in any way. Someone tried to do something very similar at our last national election and there was a federal police investigation. How can this be allowed in the US? It's not freedom of speech, it's actively preventing freedom of speech through egregious misreprensentation and lies. Australians (and our system is certainly not perfect) would be totally appalled at this behaviour.

Down here there's no need for lawyers- the government must ensure that all elections are fair and that democracy actually works and is not able to be corrupted. It's not up to individuals , parties or interest groups to try to ensure that the system is fair, nor should it be.

I've never had to wait more than twenty mintues to vote- aside from the fact that it's always on Saturdays so everyone can do it easily.

There's always a good- sometimes even a festival- atmosphere at the voting booths and they are very strictly controlled.

The US elections have a massive impact on the rest of the world and America is- often rightly- seen as a beacon of democracy. Why on earth is the electoral process such a corruptible, ramshackle mess?