Quoth the brainwashers organizers:

Sing for Change chronicles a recent Sunday afternoon, when 22 children, ages 5-12, gathered to sing original songs in the belief that their singing would lift up our communities for the coming election.

Got that? These kids weren’t dressed and prompted by their moonbat parents. Oh, no. These young children just spontaneously gathered and filmed their hopey little change chorus.

Identically dressed children, singing songs of praise and giving coordinated hand salutes to a charismatic political figure.

Yeah, that always works out well.

Let’s face it. All politicians, Republican and Democrat, accessorize their campaigns with emotional symbols to tug on our heart strings. So when Barack Obama showed us his bracelet during the debate I wasn’t overly concerned. But now it turns out that the family of the fallen soldier has asked Senator Obama not to mention their son while campaigning:

Barack Obama played the “me too” game during the Friday debates on September 26 after Senator John McCain mentioned that he was wearing a bracelet with the name of Cpl. Matthew Stanley, a resident of New Hampshire and a soldier that lost his life in Iraq in 2006. Obama said that he too had a bracelet. After fumbling and straining to remember the name, he revealed that his had the name of Sergeant Ryan David Jopek of Merrill, Wisconsin.

Shockingly, however, Madison resident Brian Jopek, the father of Ryan Jopek, the young soldier who tragically lost his life to a roadside bomb in 2006, recently said on a Wisconsin Public Radio show that his family had asked Barack Obama to stop wearing the bracelet with his son’s name on it. Yet Obama continues to do so despite the wishes of the family.

There is no excuse for using such a personal tragedy as a political tool when the very family you are exploiting has asked you to stop.

I expect some will bring up Bush using images from 9/11 during the 2004 campaign despite some families’ objections so let me go ahead and answer that weak retort. Bush used images of a national tragedy that had deeply affected the American people. He didn’t personalize it by using individual victims’ names despite their families’ objections.

If Obama chooses to wear the bracelet with the man’s name he seems to be unable to remember he should at least honor the wishes of the family and not use this hero as a campaign slogan.

Congress, the evil Closet Monkey is watching you!

Courtesy Chron Reader “Representative” Steve Jetton; emphasis in bold added by LST.

On another topic, here’s a question in a comment from ImaRabbit:

I have a question….already posted about it under Lisa Faulkenberg’s blog but she probably won’t see it. Today’s print edition had her column about the people who were standing in line for food stamps. I was surprised that on the front page of the Chronicle, they allowed editorializing. She referred to herself in the article (”he told me”) and then she makes a statement about a child’s adorable dimples. It just struck me as very odd, I have never seen the Chronicle allow editorial on the front page. I hve never seen any other major newspaper do it either. Is it because of Ike, that the Chronicle is loosening up a bit?

The Chronicle is “loosening up a bit,” but not because of Ike. The editors started putting the occasional column on the front page months ago. The thinking is that one of the things that distinguishes the Chronicle from other media is the depth of quality content that is available in its pages.

Wow.

I’ll take a few jars! If only…

Screen legend Paul Newman has died at the age of 83 after losing his battle against cancer.

I loved his movies, hated his politics, admired him for his philanthropy. I was most impressed with Newman in that he maintained his marriage to Joanne Woodward for so many years.

(CNN.com) Newman was half of one of the most successful showbiz marriages — to Joanne Woodward, whom he married in 1958. He observed that just because he was a sex symbol there was no reason to commit adultery.

“Why would I go out for a hamburger when [I] have steak at home?” he asked.

That is character I can admire.

Paul Newman 1925-2008

“What Murtha did is outrageous, and I am seeking punitive damages,”

I’ll post my thoughts as I can as the debate proceeds:

The Bailout Plan:  Bothe McCain and Obama have avoided answering a question that really can’t be answered.  Lehrer’s wording was lame and weak.  He should have asked them what their plan would be rather than what nobody knows is going down in DC.

The subject has veered off and I don’t know how strict Lehrer is going to be.  Interesting they both went straight to tax policy.  Obama so far sounds convincing and slick.  His extemporaneous speaking is better than I thought so far.  We’ll see.  JM is doing okay but he hasn’t landed any punches.

JM is trying to make the case, but when you are not an ideologue, the spirit of the ideas don’t exactly flow.

This reminds me I really hate these events.  Obama sounds better rhetorically. McCain sounds like an auditor.  Not good.  Obama sounds more like a leader with broad initiative and ideas.  JM is not an idea man, he’s a manager.

Neither one of these guys has answered a question yet.

These guys are all over the place.  Nothing coherent here. Move along.

Where is Ronald Reagan ?  Give me 3 or 4 exceptionally good and grand ideas and stick to them.

Obama slams JM on the spending question.  JM makes his case as maverick, but it is not effective in my mind.  Obama wins here.

Now on Iraq:

JM has made the boilerplate case for the surge and the war in Iraq.  Obama is making the weak and indefensible case aginst Iraq.  JM has a chance to hit a home run but I don’t know if he’ll do it.

Lehrer is interrupting out of line to try to save BO.  Obama completely ignores JM’s attack on him about being out of touch with the military.  He tries to say Biden will fill his militayr role. Huh ?!

JM & Obama have offered nothing new here and will not change any minds about this issue.

Afghanistan:

BO wants to focus on Afghanistan and said that’s our weak spot. Silly and JM has missed a huge opportunity here to explain the scope of Al Quaeda.

Now JM is dithering about Pakistan and diplomacy…sheesh…

JM needs to make the case for a world wide comprehensive war on terrorists across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.  Dropped the ball totally.

Obama sounds like he knows what he’s talking about ( which he doesn’t ) but JM misses all the softballs over the plate.

JM is wandering back through history - fine - but it is the wrong time and place.  He’s trying to make his case as the real man with the real experience.  Maybe ….I don’t know if it is right for this moment.

Now it it is dueling memorials to fallen soldiers….save me from this.

It’s been an hour and I think Lehrer has acutally asked 4 ? questions.  Bad management.

Israel & Iran:

JM proposes a League of Democracies - finally something of substance !

Obama makes the diplomacy bid - sounds like an idiot to everyone except to his worshippers.

JM tries to make Bo look stupid but misses. BO returns fire and sounds eloquent and reasonable, but wouldn’t be making this case if JM had landed the blow he should have.

JM could have avoided this whole line if he had put a stop to it to begin with.  JM is letting BO control the theme of the discussion.  JM is not taking the initiative.

I like this - JM has finally landed a punch on the negotiations.  parsing words…Good shot, John.

Russia & Putin

BO sounds like a new polisci grad with a head full of wonderful and useless ideas.  He speaks as if these people will acutally give a damn what he thinks.

JM is doing his K-G-B Putin deal.  He’s right about the country.  Jm is making excellent points in this area. He knows what he is talking about and sounds convincing about Russia.  He has finally exhibited his foreign policy knowledge as opposed to BO’s ignorance.  Uh huh, yeah, I agree with Senator McCain…catching up here…rebuild their economy. 

The Russian peacekeepers line is total crap. The UN put the Russian soldiers in Georgia.  [Lie Alert !]

WTF ? Why is BO talking about alternative energy.  For crying out loud !

Likelihood of Another 911 Attack

JM bipartisan street cred, yikes, no torture ever.  Says we are much safer than we have ever been.

Now BO says Al Qaeda is in 60 countries (10 minutes ago he said they were only in Afghanistan) and we have to stop nuclear proliferation.  Fine, but how are you going to do this if you withdraw from the war ?

BO: bin Laden, bin Laden, bin Laden…this is silly.  He knows better and knows well what we have been doing around the world.

BO is back to science ed, military welfare and heaven knows what ? 

Now JM is wandering around about the surge, experience - making his experience bid again which is fine. 

BO saying the image of the USA sucks now. Blah…stupid move on his part.

_________________________________________________

My take on the debate:

I was not very impressed with either one of the candidates.  Obama did much better than I expected but the questions were so Lehrer-like, so bland and unprovocative, it was to be expected.  Those are easy to coach to.  McCain was to diffuse, too easily distracted and off what should have been a strong, broad message of inspiring ideals.  McCain lost it on the taxes for rich - he never rebutted.  McCain missed so many opportunities to bring BO to his knees, it was a rather depressing experience for me.  Others may and certainly will see it differently - I hope so.

This one goes out to Hamous.

And here’s one for you fortunate folks that have power back on at your homes and work…..Although Ms. Shannon prefers this one.

I found one for all you Coulrophobiacs……..and those still surviving on generator power.
I can get a record player, and a generator. Generate the music that makes you feel better.

Bad:

Tycoon Hugh Hefner has been advised to cut back on staff at his multi-million dollar glamour empire as it struggles to cope during the global economic turmoil.

The 83-year-old has been told to lay off [Heh--ed.] some of his staff at his Los Angeles and New York offices as soon as this month or go bankrupt.

Spokeswoman Elizabeth Austin would not confirm the sackings [Heh--ed.], saying: “It is our policy not to comment on corporate matters such as employee issues.”

The news will be another blow to Hefner [Heh--ed.] who recently discovered that two of his “bunnies” may have been cheating on him.

Worse:

A man alleging a Maryland doctor stapled his rectum shut during an operation — causing him to go without defecating for 17 days — took his federal lawsuit to trial Monday in Baltimore.

Ronald Watkins, 64, of West Virginia, is suing Manuel Casiano, a doctor in Frederick County, for allegedly botching a 2004 surgery that left Watkins with permanent bowel problems.

“The reason for suing Dr. Casiano is very simple: His rectum was stapled shut,” said Julia Lodowski, who with attorney Emily Malarkey is representing Watkins and his wife, Brenda.

Discuss.

I’ll even throw in an illegal Cuban cigar. Seriously.

But I won’t worship Dumbo Ears Bill White. Sorry, conservatives.

Love him or hate him, Ron Paul is consistent when it comes to voting against boondoggle spending.

The sole local dissenter was Rep. Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson, whose district includes some of the areas hit hardest by Ike, including Galveston.

Paul did not return repeated calls and e-mails seeking an explanation. The libertarian-leaning lawmaker often opposes spending legislation.

Good for him. I’m sick and tired of politicians taking money from hard working Americans and giving it away needlessly. I’m certain he’ll be blasted for it in exactly the opposite way the Bill White has been made into some sort of hero for reaching into our pockets.

I can already hear the conservatives screaming and yelling at a guy that just wants to stop this country from continuing its downward spiral, at the same time putting Bill White on a freaking pedestal for ‘helping’ them.

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