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Ellen, he sat in the pew because it was a mainstream black church in South Chicago and
Obama, raised essentially as a white kid in Hawaii, was trying to "learn his heritage." He probably gritted his teeth through most of those sermons, just as you or I would have, but didn't recognize, as you or I may have not, that this was not "authentic" black culture, but off-the-wall ideas offered by a self-centered ideologue. The subtext is that Obama was naive and a bit of a snob, the later because he expected no better of the culture that he was trying to understand. I think that's true, but it's over, and I'm voting for his abilities and progress up the learning curve, not what he thought was "real" 20 years ago.

I like post 38, Suzanne, --makes a good point re
"Obama's "principled" opposition,,to the war...held as a club over Clinton by the progressive left." --he wasn't in senate, and she was. I was surprised at the level of hostility to clinton by some left women commentators, i guess bc of her war vote, and they made excuses for obama, who was to the right of clinton on many things, and now they look like fools. I say if any harvard law grad sits in rev wrights pew for 20 years, he is off the wall and unpredictable. Can't rationalize it. We don't know what we're getting.

mc & Suzanne #38

too true, but remember for some these are their first votes they are learning what it takes to elect a president.
still no real harm done. BO is up in the polls (for now)
as long as McCain doesn't win the country can be saved
HRC for supreme court.

Suzanne #38 speaks my mind.

A message to Ms. Collins who went out of her way to defend Maureen Dowd against the gentle reproof by the NY Times Public Editor: No one is asking all of you to "tone it down." We are only pointing out that Dowd's relentless, sexist (yes, Virginia, women can be sexist too) of Hillary Clinton was over the top in a way that was obsessive. I really began to wonder if Dowd had late state Clinton Derangement Syndrome.

what does bob barr say about this?

that movie was "good luck chuck"
where the guy sleeps with a girl, and she gets married to someone else...

He wants jessica alba. she's a zooologist specialing in penguins, and has a crush on
(an unknown to her married) author in the field.

augh.
cant believe she even quoted this story line, and then had the audacity to screw up the plot

(and the o

hey vote nader,
have any opinions on McCain? or just Obama? your obsession with Obama and how he represents Bush's 3rd term makes me wonder what McCain represents to you.

Througout the primaries, I watched the netroots bloggers, MSM, and others fall all over themselves uncritically for Obama and nail Clinton for anything -- mostly just for being Clinton. They refused to let her off the hook for her earliest vote on Iraq -- nothing she could say would appease their moral outrage. Obama was a hero for his opposition (which he never had to vote on.) I oppose the war Iraq totally and believe that we are in greater danger not less. However, as of today, Congress hasn't done anything to change the course or even reduce fudning -- even with Obama in the Senate. But at the time, how could the Jr. Senator from NY (and NYC) possibly not have voted for reprisals even if here was doubt about Bush administration's so called intelligence. There were only a handful who could afford to go on the record as being opposed. So Obama's "principled" opposition was held as a club over Clinton by the progressive left. They acknowledged that she was a Senator at the time and he wasn't. But for no particular reason they asserted that he would have behaved differently -- just because they decided he would. Which is absurd -- as we now see. I have no sympathy for them. They deserve to have their faces rubbed in reality.

Gail Collins -- yes! The only Times Op-Ed writer worth reading (ok, aside from Krugman). She's pointed and funny and actually makes insightful observations at the same time. By comparison, MoDo's mean-spirited, snide commentaries are completely worthless.

I was shocked at Gail Collins' lacksidasical comments this morning on your show regarding Barack Obama. We should not speak of things that haven't happened with such little thought. The selection of a world leader is no small matter. I wish Obama the best. I am sure he will know who the right VP will be.

Nader also said Obama wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically, he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."

Of late, Obama seems to be promising a third Bush administration.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NWYwMWQzOTVhYTMyYTBjNmRlZWRmNjBmOGU4MzZlNTk=

www.votenader.org/

"Whatever happened to the separation of powers?"

Thank you, Brian! And I'd follow that with "Whatever happened to 'no ex post facto laws'?" I guess retroactive immunity is a loophole in that concept.

"Your guest is right. People have not been paying attention. Obama has always said "We can" not "I can". His position has always been to bring people, all people, together for a better way to get things done."

This equates in selling out the Fourth Amendment how?

Bringing people together should not mean doing something that is a terrible idea just because a lot of other people think you should.

There's a word for what Obama is doing; Appeasement. Did wonders in the 1940's, didn't it?

Way to go. Get everyone riled up about Obama's hypocrisy and then talk about ballpark food?

More than a little surprised and disappointed that a New York Times columnist thinks its irrelevant who is nominated as Vice President. Are we forgetting the extraordinary power that Cheney has amassed in his time in the White House? Surely a cautionary tale....

hey all you anti-fisa people we "americans" like security

R: MSM campaign coverage. It seems to be all Obama all the time. Even when the topic is McCain, it is mostly Obama. I guess that is good for him, it is almost a fait accompli that he is the President. I suppose he is more telegenic, more sexy, more compelling, more whatever, I am not sure, more black? So there is this obsession with him, especially on the right.

HRC for supreme court! that would really 'kill' the GOP

Wait a Second... Gail just gave the plot of a fluff movie I saw about 2 months ago...

the guy didnt ask her out,

but she was infatuated with him.

but bottom line, is she finds out he's married.

and she does find her knight in shining armor in the guy who makes the displays

OBAMA = CORPORATE CANDIDATE
"Obama & Clinton completely ignored the presidential pattern of illegality and accountability; they've ignored the out of control waste-fraud military expenditures; they hardly ever mention the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars to corporate subsidies, handouts and giveaways; and they don't talk about a living wage."

Barack W. Bush?

Of late, Obama seems to be promising a third Bush administration.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NWYwMWQzOTVhYTMyYTBjNmRlZWRmNjBmOGU4MzZlNTk=

www.votenader.org/

Your guest is right. People have not been paying attention. Obama has always said "We can" not "I can". His position has always been to bring people, all people, together for a better way to get things done.

Jesse Califano: 'The unspoken word- written. . .'

It is absolutely preposterous to consider that ANYONE can impact in ANY way on the planet's atmospheric condition; much less the American economy; even MORE LESS (if you can wrap your mind around THIS concept!) the Global economy; the price of gasoline in America's free economy; employment in America; the pay rate for 'Women'; legalizing illegal immigration in America. . . and on and on. . .

The O-Ba-Ma candidacy- what a joke played on America by the mainstream media- mostly the New York Times. . . formerly the newspaper of record for the Western World. . .

She says his change of position was "unfortunate." Isn't that precious.

If there is anything Obama and others should have learned over the last eight years, it's not to give Bush and the Dark Lord more power. Just wait - they will start at least one more war.

Can't agree with Gail Collins more.

was fisa vote delayed till after the primary
HRC said no BO said yes

So in the name of "a higher level of debate", Obama sells out on FISA? I don't buy it, that's been the typical Democrat attitude towards the Republicans for as long as I care to remember.

So because obama never said "i'm not against eating babies", we shouldn't be appalled if he does?

It's tiring to hear people apologize for this now widely exposed hypocrite. He voted away the Fourth Amendment. Period. He gave a big "F you" to not only what his base is, but the American people as a whole.

Not voting for the Fisa bill wouldn't have been left or right but simply upholding the Constitution as it exists today.

So much for that "running on hope" bull.

She changed the subject again.She didn't answer your question.

Is it even possible to discuss Obama's positions without the de rigueur sneering about the 'far left'? Who the hell is the 'far left', anyway? Are we back to Bolsheviks in the bathroom?

Stupid sound bites like the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

ha i told U people BO was to far left for the USA now even BO agrees with me

What about what he said he'd do on FISA and what he did?

Why doesn't the NYT hire a true conservative op-ed columnist. Not a neocon like Kristol or a softie like Brooks, but a bona fide traditionalist in the Buchanan mold. There are two or three of us here in NYC who read the Times and feel left out, boo-hoo.

Alright Brian, THAT was good. You saved yourself. LOL

More proof that people didn't know what they were voting for when they picked him. And the media helped him.

Blah, Obama tries to be all things to all people, like any other politician. He's a master of the cleverly placed escape clause.

Not voting for the FISA bill is on the far left!!! Tell her to stop spinning and you too Brian.

So you bring the together on the right!!? HE VOTED TO ALLOW LISTENING IN TO THE PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS OF PEOPLE.

dodd speaks for many of us. obama also, but obama cann't say so.

Bravo Chris Dodd.

How about Bidden or Edwards for Obama's VP?

Better wait on buying those iphones since Fannie Mae stock is crashing. Our instant messaging society of microwaves, one night stands, got to have it now will just have to learn delayed gratification.

What is Obama's plan to bring back the economy and what will he do for health insurance?

Why is it significant he is not taking public financing?

Terrific column this week, Ms. Collins.

Maybe you could ask your guest to comment on why Obama seems to be shifting to the right. Is this part of his red-state strategy?

George Lakoff has an interesting take on why Obama shouldn't do this: a rightward shift by Obama not only betrays the ideals he has represented, it would cause the rest of the country to shift towards the right as well.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/the-mind-and-the-obama-ma_b_111105.html