I would find (even more) cause not to vote for McCain & her only on those grounds. If their vision of a better America is many more girls ending up like Bristol Palin - pregnant at 17 and married because of that at that same age - then there is something very wrong. Not every 17-year-old pregnant girl has a mother with a considerable paycheck (as I guess Sarah Palin has) or a boyfriend willing to tie the knot or be there for her. With their politics they can just as soon start scraping for social benefits as a lot of people are going to need them.

Personally, I find it highly amusing that she should be preaching about abstinence, etc. while she has a walking example at home - not just a figure on paper - of something being wrong with that 'system' (or lack thereof).

Do people think obama will win? how much of an issue will the colour of his skin be ? is enough of America ready to elect a black president?

That's a hard one Lee. Where I live (Northern New Jersey) I only see Obama stickers on cars and in people's yards. I can honestly say - and I have recently driven to Boston and down to southern Jersey - that I have not seen one single McCain poster or bumper sticker in this area at all.

Where my Mother lives (in Southern California) she says that all she see are McCain supporters.

Quite honestly, if pushed up against a wall - I don't think Obama will win. I think the lies and smear campaign against him is a vicious as it is because he is black (it's interesting how being half-black doesn't seem to count the same as being half-Italian as I am). I will bet that the vast middle and south of this country will not support him or vote for him - and that both coasts will.

I guess time will tell.

Sorry to be so late and please don't let this post interrupt the ongoing discussion.

Indeed, around 80% of the Germans would vote for Obama, and around 10% for McCain while the rest are either undecided or don't give a damn. It's different about politicians.

http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/Ob...art270,2568738

That's an article from the most leftist mainstream paper in Germany (I love reading leftist news as it's easier to spot their bias).

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/debatt...567826,00.html
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/debatt...568023,00.html

Another leftist paper. Don't make me go through WELT in order to find critical voices.
Funny enough, the only statement from a CSU-related politician is from Edmund Stoiber and he is definitely pro-Obama. However, this is only because he teases the actual leadership of the CSU. They got rid of him in something that reminded me of a Coup D'Etat and he is still not over it. Then again, German conservatives are very nationalistic too, and I am sure they spot in Obama a weak link. Who the hell doesn't. And I say it again, external politics are different. As a great Republican President put it, Teddy Roosevelt, in international politics it's all about "speaking softly but carrying a big stick". Obama seems to shout, but everybody knows the "big stick" is missing.

Hey!!! I love Der Spiegel!!! Leftist huh? lol.

Thanks for posting the links.


honestly, you are the only one I've ever heard that would call Obama 'weak'. He has certainly not shown any sign of this as far as I am concerned. Just because someone isn't a warmonger doesn't mean they are weak. Perhaps I am not understanding what you are refering to...

In Oregon and Washington it's all Obama. In both states he drew record crowds at speeches and, like Kathleen, I hardly see any McCain stickers.

In Alaska it is much more McCain, but I don't see much support either way actually. But I am only in the city of Anchorage, not the rural areas.


I do think that America is indeed ready for a black president - more so than for a woman president. If he loses the election, I don't think it is because of the color of his skin, but because people are stupid and too easily flattered by McCains 'rar rar US rar rar we are great rar rar family values rar rar US is the best' talks. Whereas Obama makes people think a bit more and doesn't tend to state the obvious.


Ok, here is my favorite about McCain: He voted against greater availability of college education for military personnel. The reason he gave - and he was VERY proud of his analysis and the crowd roared - was that to have an effective military, we need to retain our personnel. If we give them options, such as education - they will leave the military!!!!

Insanity! The crowd gobbled it up and was smitten cause it is so pro-american. While Obama voted for more options and college education for the men and women who served in active duty. Somehow that is not american.

all the time. But I am mortal. You are not.

:)

This - above all - is reprehensible. If there had not been a GI Bill in 1968 when my husband and I got married - neither of us would have the education that we have now. Those few hundred dollars a month allowed us to start our university education as long as we both worked part time. These days we are both civil engineers and have paid lots of taxes to the government for 35 years.

An educated population is far more desirable (in my opinion) than people who are afrad to leave the military because they can't get a job without an education. And I personally don't consider that stand pro- American - if anything it's anti-family and anti-american.

You know, I'm glad we are seeing things on the same page. :) On the issue of race, it's going to be there, always. In this case though, all I hear is the fact that he won't win because he's black. Give me a ****ing break. The people that say that don't realize that he's HALF-WHITE!!! Stubborn people in Southern state can't see that so the deep south is all about McCain. Like Kathleen said, she says a lot of Obama where she lives. The north is quite liberal for the most part so I'm not surprised there. If he is going to win, which I think he will... He needs to concentrate on the swing states. More so, the states that CAN go his way. Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and they are saying Ohio maybe. Colorado has been a state that has gone either or as of late. New Mexico can go for Obama because of the support of Bill Richardson. Pennsylvania and Ohio have the opportunity because of blue-collar workers. It's going to be interesting to see if Obama can really reach out to those people, and if those people can look past him being HALF-BLACK. If anyone listened to Bill Richardson speak at the DNC, he had one of the cheesiest lines that I thought it was hilarious though. "John McCain can spend hundreds of dollars on his shoes, but we're the ones that are going to have to pay for his flip-flops." I know that has nothing to do with what I just said, but man... I laughed so hard.

Ryan

Of course. But then *you* immediately came to the conclusion it was wrong when pointed out. (and yet, I'm still really surprised your instant reaction was 'dead on'. Even though I do see you as mortal :))

Maria, did he really say that? That the military shouldn't receive more education? Isn't he basically saying you gotta be really stupid when you do enter the military? :?