Reach across the asile? In January, 2008, Sen. John McCain said “I’m going to raise the level of political dialog in America,” . . . “and I’m going to treat my opponents with respect and demand that they treat me with respect.”
As president, McCain said, he’d be able to work well with members of Congress on the Democratic side of the aisle.
Really?

I am liberal, but I am not a liberal. I am traditional, but I am not a conservative. I am moderate (or try to be) but I am not a moderate. I believe in God, but I am not God. . . .
I am a registered Democrat and vote Democrat almost every time I vote which is most of the time. I am also a member of the Republican party because they, like me and every US citizen are citizens of my home. Disagreements are good for the mind, but the poop party which owns both Dems and Rebubs has got to be sacrificed in some way that can leave the parties clean and able to disagree in the spirit of love and understanding for The United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and America. God bless America–even the ones who do not believe in God, but still believe in America. Can a atheist be conservative, a conservative, a Republican? Why not?If the Republican party is pro-capital, pro-opportunity, and pro-individualism, than ANYONE from any walk of life can be a Republican just as much as ANYONE from any walk of life can be a Democrat. Talk like that from Congressman Robin Hayes is not only insulting, it’s downright WRONG. And why would he think he needs to make such an erroneous point against liberalism? Perhaps I may suggest, Mr. Haynes, that your resentment toward liberals is not that they hate God and so on, but that the way you believe they believe in God is not good enough for you and other conservatives and/or Republicans.
I don’t have a problem with that because I may believe that the way you believe in God is not good enough for me! And then we can each other permission to hate each other’s guts and make the whole damn race for the Presidency more of a freakin’ circus than it already is being! “Divided we fall, united we rise. . . .” No matter who we are Congressman Haynes, we are U.S. Americans–now lets be U.S. Americans together–no matter who else we call ourselves to be. And for being citizens of the same country/nation, I continue to pray to God that we can be free to disagree and free to be together “one nation/under God/with liberty/and justice/for all.” That is our contract with each other Congressman Haynes. And while I am not a member of any of our governmental branches, I am one of the people, for the people, and by the people, Mr. Haynes, and so are you. And I think that’s good. Oh, well, yes, I suppose I really am a liberal in true sense of the term “a liberal” because I accept differences and different perspectives, needs, ideas, opinions and so on as being our inherent right as citizens with a Constitutional First Amendment that must be kept and kept always, and so Robin–may you and I and everyone continue on: “For there by the Grace of God we go.” I don’t have to believe in God and neither do you. But we do, and we just do no matter what any other citizen or citizens anywhere, for that matter, would argue against our right to be of any particular faith in God/Allah/Yahweh/Krishna/Christ/Great Spirit/Over Soul, and so on and so forth. I’m not a Christian Mr. Congressman, but when Christians are BEING CHRISTIANS my Jewish heart weeps with joy more than I could ever express in mere words. The breadth and depth of Christian Love, the amount of hope, help, and giving from the magnanimous being of Christian Love is a blessing for all us. God help us all when Christianity continues to dwindle in rhetoric, accusations, condemnations, and hate against non-Christians, and believing anyone has a right to judge another believer of another faith as a sinner because he or she does not accept and embrace Jesus Christ as the Son of God, born of a Virgin, Crucified, and Resurrected. The old line goes,”If you don’t believe in Christ, you will not go to Heaven because you will be an unsaved sinner.” yeah, and, “If you are not a Muslim (and the “right” kind of Muslim) you will go to Hell because only the “right” kind of Muslims can go to Heaven. Who the heck is in Heaven Mr. Haynes? For God’s sake Mr. Haynes, we are we to judge what only God can judge because God is not man or woman–God is the judge of God’s Work–and that Work is us. A work of art cannot judge itself–the colors cannot judge the lines and angles that cannot judge the lighting and shading that cannot judge the shape and texture and subject and so on. Just like a painting or any other work of art, the human work of God’s art–which is every one of us no matter who or what we are or think we are or want to believe we are–we cannot judge each other in ultimate terms. But we are human, and humans do judge humans and each to each him and herself too, but if I judge someone on my own hate, resentment, or fear of the other, than I judge poorly because I judge based on bad faith rather than Faith in God who I must always ask for of wisdom, guidance, and understanding–”God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change/the courage to change the things I can/and the Wisdom to know the difference.” Amen

This is as American as it gets, You get to chose the candidate that you think will best represent you in Washington and around the world, for me, that Man is Barak Obama.

The troglodites within the GOP are killing it, and the thinking conservatives of the GOP, like Brooks and Noonan and Powell and Smerconish and Company, are on the verge of being driven from their party in embarrassment.
If the conservatives don’t stand up soon to the right wing-nuts and their rhetoric of hate, the GOP will be in the political wilderness for decades…if it can ever recover.
Many in the GOP made a pact with the devil to win elections, and they are not paying for it.
Ironic, isn’t it?

Dang!…NOW paying for it , not NOT paying…D’OH!

NC voters have turned out already with over 270,000 votes cast since early voting opened on the 16th. So some of the swing people they’re trying to swing -swung already.
More problematic for a Presidential candidate in NC is the NON-vote. The vote party line that EXCLUDES the presidential race (the NC ballot is two pages):
North Carolina is the only state where the Presidential race is not included in straight party balloting. According to Election Defense Alliance, 94,000 people failed to vote for President in 2004. Election protection groups the same will occur this year.
Bartlett with the North Carolina Board of Elections says poll workers are trained to inform voters of that important caveat.
****
NO ONE informed the group at City Hall when I was there.
Never saw anything like this before. You vote party line, but that doesn’t include presidential race.

I’m pretty sure it was comments like this that brought the Third Reich to power. Come on people, just because we have different views about politics doesn’t make either side anti-American.

Guess what, I’m a ‘real American who works, accomplishes, achieves and believes in God’ – and I’m a liberal. Idiots like Robin Hayes keep fanning the flames of division and hatred and I, as well as millions of other Americans, have had enough of this puerile crap over the last 8 years. We’re ALL Americans, regardless of where we live and whatever religious convictions we hold.

The above is too sad to comment on.
John McCain responded today in Pennsylvania to Joe Biden’s (unfortunate) remark that there will be a crisis generated by someone, somewhere, after Obama is elected president. Obama will be tested, and John McCain said: “We know that Obama will have the wrong response.”
This is an irresponsible comment.

Sarah Palin is drawing a line in the sand. She is letting Americans know where she stands. Open your ears Christians.

Joe Biden’s (unfortunate) remark is a matter of history. It was not aimed at Obama.
A few months after Bush was elected, Sept 11, 2006
There have been many instances when something big happened after an election.
I would rather have Obama’s good judgment rather than McCain’s warmonger reaction that could get us into another war. I do not understand polls that say McCain would be better for national security. The day of 9/11 he was on radio and TV pushing for war in Iraq and Iran. He pushed the war with the American people, saying the war would be quick and not cost much, but we all know McCain was wrong.

“Many in the GOP made a pact with the devil to win elections”
Devil = Karl Rove.
The comparisons to Nazi Germany are not a stretch. Whenever calls for patriotism turn into the rhetoric of nationalism, be very afraid.

What is your position on this one, Steve? hayes (above), bachman (liberals are anti-american) , palin (the pro- america part of the us), Pfotenhauer (the “real virginia”. . . how is questioning the patriotism of those who do not agree with you “putting country first” (ie before party or politics)? How do people like you say with a traight face “Mccain will reach accross party lines”, over and over, usually followed up with something like this? I think stifling dissent is unamerican. And I think stifling your God- given intellect is both stipud and unChristian.

I am an atheist. I’m also a “real American”. Think its a terrific country, pay my taxes, and don’t bother other people. I live in a small town with 5 churches on its short main street alone. I like that and certainly have no problem with people of faith. What I do have a problem with are intolerant people, whether they are religious or not. People who try to make religion equivalent with patriotism aren’t my idea of “real Americans”. If I felt McCain or Palin believed that (although I know some of their supporters do) I wouldn’t be voting for them.
p.s. Answering “Your Name,” both campaigns are divisive. If we have campaigns like this (and we always do), we get what we deserve. Either an angry minority or an angry majority in congress. Sometimes both.

I’m a registered Independent and an agnostic…no devotion or loyality to any party or church and a liberal and I am a “real” American. The statement by Hayes is not a great way to encourage anyone to follow his form of Christianity! He’s not anyone I’d like to have representing anything, never mind a religion.