This One Barack Obama Pic Pretty Much Says It All...

[easy_b94]

[blonndee]

1. Thanks for posting this!!

It almost brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful picture.

[BeatleBoot]

2. Cult

[MadBadger]

5. Scumbag

probably get deleted, but it was worth it.

[JimGinPA]

14. He's A Child, Lonely For Attention...

Ignore him.

[BeatleBoot]

15. Louis Farrakhan

He's a big fan of Barack's.

[eileen_d]

20. That's such a hideously drawn cartoon

I don't know how you can stand to look at it.

[BeatleBoot]

25. Here's a better one...

[eileen_d]

28. You forgot to mention Farrakhan

your new toy.

[BeatleBoot]

43. He's been around for decades

And he loves Obama.

And Obama loves him.

No toy. Farrakhan is too serious and dangerous to be a toy.

If you feel you need to defend Louis Farrakhan - by all means - but please don't take the party down that road.

My family can't afford another 4 years of Republicans in the White House.

[eileen_d]

54. You obviously haven't heard Obama speaking about Farrakhan.

"I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan," Obama said in a statement released by his aides.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/obama_distances.html

But you're not interested in facts about Obama; you're interested in smearing him. So this is for the benefit of others who happen upon this lowly thread.

[BeatleBoot]

60. Actually, I'm interested in winning in November and

you may want to fasten your seat belt.

[D23MIURG23]

129. If Hillary can't win now how can she win in November?

[cui bono]

181. And who do you think can do that?

Since you're smearing Obama I will assume you're a Hillary supporter. why would you want her to win anyway? She clearly can't run a campaign, how is she going to run the country. I used to think she would make a good president if only I agreed with her policies, now I think she would be just terrible as she has taken a lot of bad advice on this campaign. So what were her campaign ideas?

[Forkboy]

59. If you care about family then I hope you're more truthful with them than you're being here.

[donheld]

148. "And Obama loves him."

Your a liar.

[mopinko]

179. he's a sick old man. we don't even take him seriously here in chicago.

get over it.

[ErnestoG]

27. And Hillary Clinton loves cluster bombs.

Anything else?

[BeatleBoot]

48. Yeah, one more thing

You don't know and you don't know that you don't know.

Better brush up on your Louis Farrakhan...you're going to need it....

[Drunken Irishman]

134. Ann Coulter LOVES Hillary.

[angie_love]

45. I hope everyone on this thread alerts this beatle guy.

[BeatleBoot]

49. To what? Trying to save the Democratic Party from defeat?

[Kittycat]

50. I did on an earilier thread - now he's just going on ignore.

I'm sure he'll be tombstoned when the mods do housecleaning again.

[angie_love]

51. cool, i'm going to ignore him too. thanks for the tip.

[BeatleBoot]

61. The Ostrich Technique Never Works!!!

Trust me!!!

[FrenchieCat]

161. poster just made my ignore list too. Pretty soon, he'll be talking to himself....

this thread is much easier to read now.

[jgraz]

103. The only reason he's on my ignore list

Is that DU doesn't provide a "worthless dickhead" list.

[Scurrilous]

109. LOL

:rofl:

[krkaufman]

146. hmmm... do the mods tombstone people who are on an excessive number...

... of ignore lists, or does it take alerting?

[elizm]

90. I would but I've had him on ignore for quite a while already. nt

[Adams Wulff]

142. Scumbag? Perhaps. But I have a better name for him...

...Ignored.

[alteredstate]

6. Positive energy.

[ErnestoG]

8. Turn off thinking process! Vote Hillary!

[progdonkey]

ironic, isn't it? n/t

[Johnny__Motown]

9. ah yes, insult the admiration of children,

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lefty-Taylor]

74. You know, Beetleboot, I've been on DU for a long time (although I don't post much

because I write for a living all day). And, I've noticed that you do sometimes have something intelligent to add to the conversation -- often something I disagree with but at least it's thought-provoking.

Lately, and especially with this thread, you've struck an ignorant and -- oh no, shall I say it? -- seemingly racist pose. Like many of us here, I wager to guess, I'm tired of your sophomoric and perhaps prejudiced rants.

What say you?

[tammywammy]

19. You're pathetic

And an embarrassment to the Clinton supporters on here.

[petgoat]

29. What is that glyph? Saturn? I used to see it carved into campground

picnic tables and wondered what it was about.

I tend to be skeptical of Obama-Nation, but I'd love to be surprised.

Let him speak out about the crooked voting machines and 9/11 and
I'm give him the benefit of a greater doubt.

[progdonkey]

37. Blue Oyster Cult

It's their insignia.

[petgoat]

38. I've wondered for a long time, what is that glyph? Saturn?

I used to see it carved into campground picnic tables and wondered what it was about.



Now I see it's just Blue Oyster Cult. Oh well, another mystery made profane.

I tend to be skeptical of Obama-Nation, but I'd love to be surprised.

Let him speak out about the crooked voting machines and 9/11 and the
fascistic legislation like the Military Commissions Act and HR 1955 and
the fact that Afghanistan has been turned into an opium farm and I'll
give him the benefit of a greater doubt.

[Blondiegrrl]

52. What's wrong with Blue Oyster Cult?

I've got a fever ... and the only prescription ... is more cowbell!

::cue Don't Fear the Reaper::

[BeatleBoot]

67. Lol!

[Khaotic]

More Cowbell!!!

[Recursion]

65. FOAD n/t

[Danger Mouse]

66. you've had a lot of pathetic posts, but this one might just be the winner.

:puke:
how can you be so hateful and bitter? it's amazing.

[BeatleBoot]

70. Louis Farrakhan

Defend him.

He's yours.


I don't want any part of Louis Farrakhan.

[Danger Mouse]

79. oh ffs. obama has distanced himself from farrakhan.

ann coulter endorsed clinto, and you don't see me saying that's a reason not to vote for her.

[Lefty-Taylor]

87. Please stop equating Farrakhan with Obama. It's showing your ignorance.

[Dorian Gray]

68. Cult?

It's right up there with Scientology!

[jgraz]

100. 9 more days of this shit

Who else is counting the hours?

[Danger Mouse]

107. counting the seconds at this point.

:banghead:

[jefferson_dem]

119. Goof.

[krkaufman]

145. ha! B.O.C. =~ Blue Oyster Cult, or Barack Obama Cult...!

too funny.

[Bongo Prophet]

149. Blue Oyster cult? ..... Just what is your purpose here, boot?

[Leopolds Ghost]

174. Come on DU.... Don't fear the Freeper! n/t

[TexasObserver]

3. Our country needs for HOPE to be alive, and to be our guiding light.

Under Bush, this country became something seedy and debased. Now the country has realized we need a good shower. Not just a regular one. A Hazmat shower. A scrub down with brushes and strong soap.

[lligrd]

4. Nice Photo. Look At The Hope In That Girls Eyes

Why does Hillary want to squash that?

[RaleighNCDUer]

138. Why? Just look at the adults that are flanking the two kids.

Older, working class women. Hillary's base.

THAT'S what she wants to squash - the loss of her base.

[Cha]

7. How beautiful that so many are getting

into the whole political scene this go around..

[NoodleyAppendage]

10. Powerful picture. Very good use of light and angles to direct viewer to child's eye...central focus

Thanks for posting this. Not likely to see a similar from the Hillary camp.

J

[ErnestoG]

11. That is a beautiful photo. Thanks for sharing it.

[Lisa0825]

12. Beautiful pic!

and happily I missed post #2... ignored is such a useful function :-)

[BuyingThyme]

13. ..

http://planteink.com/about.cfm

[NightWatcher]

16. that's motivational.

[scheming daemons]

17. That must be photoshopped! There's an over-40 white woman in that picture!

;-)

[quantass]

55. LOL!

:rofl:

[TheDoorbellRang]

18. Beautiful picture. Hope personified. n/t

[Olney Blue]

21. Beautiful! I love this photo.

[goldcanyonaz]

23. I love black and white photos, they're magic.

[Egnever]

24. You refering to the Zombie about to bite obamas neck?

I kid!

Cool pic

[smalll]

26. There's a reason you have to be at least EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD to vote.

And what in hell does that pic say, except that maybe your god needs TWO hands to write with a pen.

[Forkboy]

30. Add the word "minded" to your nic.

[Colobo]

31. Are you that obtuse?

[easy_b94]

32. look

[scheming daemons]

35. Another "democrat" crapping on America's youth......

...they'll remember.

My 13-year-old daughter, who has become VERY interested in a presidential race for the first time... and who is following closely... is not impressed with Hillary's "act".

She'll remember how you guys shit on the best candidate this party has had in half a century... when she turns 18.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tammywammy]

36. You're pathetic

Yes, no children allowed at any campaign rally! Heaven forbid we allow them to understand and see first hand the political process before they're 18.

[Rosemary2205]

39. It's proof he's not a REAL man

real men bite the cap off and stand there talking to little girls with the cap flapping around in their lips while they write.

Ugh.

[Forkboy]

63. LOL

I actually do tend to bite the caps off my pens, even when I have a free hand. Started in school and it's a habit I still have 25 years later. All my pens and pencils are gnawed on. :)

[petgoat]

162. Lips? Real men don't have lips. nt

[Danger Mouse]

69. so first beatleboot, and now you, coming to shit on this thread?

predictable that the dregs would eventually show up.
you're both pathetic, disgusting people, and you do the good hillary supporters on this site a disservice with the hateful trash that you spew on a regular basis.

[Bongo Prophet]

153. So who posted the Hitler Youth pic? That is worth more than just pulling the post.

I don't like the idea of just deleting posts, or letting mods delete whole threads, etc.
If people can't handle the responsibility, their actions should stand in the clear for everyone to see.

Like those who would erase or revise history, it just gives evil a free pass.

PM me if you would - I want to know who has sunk that low, and therefore not waste time arguing in good faith with them.

[Forkboy]

33. That girl looks a twin of my friend's daughter.

It's almost scary how much alike they look.

[stillcool]

34. that's a great pic!..

here's another one...

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., plays with Eric Hansen, 11 months, during a visit to Nicky's Cruisin' Diner Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, in Bangor, Me. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

[Cha]

58. That cracked me up!

How funny is that pic!?

[Catherine Vincent]

40. That's a cute pic but it doesn't say much.

There's probably a different pic with another cute kid looking the same way at Huckabee or somebody.

[petgoat]

44. Exactly. Such worship let Bush get away with war crimes.

Can we stay real, please?

[Cha]

56. I knew the fucking "cult" attackers

would here soon..you're too predictable..now buzz off.

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tammywammy]

78. Wow, that's 2 Hitler references in this thread alone

:eyes: You're pathetic.

[petgoat]

83. Hitler and hero-worship go together. Let's talk policies, not

this year's version of apple pie and the flag.

Kucinich had positions on 40 issues on his website.

[tammywammy]

84. Then start a thread on the issues

There's no need to equate Obama's support with Hitler's. That's pathetic.

[petgoat]

93. When the support is the same, it's the same.

Let him talk about defending the Constitution,
rolling back the concept of the "Unitary Executive,"
eschewing signing statements.

We don't need any more "trust me, I'm a good man" bullshit.

[Usrename]

166. OK, so your a Hitler worshiper. We get it. You love Hitler.

What does that have to do with anybody at this site.

Stormfront wants you!

[smalll]

88. Hey - if the lederhosen fits... /nt

[tammywammy]

91. Again, you're disgusting and pathetic

[pokerfan]

118. And yet no one has invoked Godwin's Law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

[Kahuna]

168. I just bagged two new posters for my ignore list. nt

[Cha]

80. petasshole.

[TheDoorbellRang]

96. You are disgusting.

[Forkboy]

98. You should ditch the HST avatar. He had a brain.

[Name removed]

130. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Forkboy]

136. Keep your private fantasies to yourself and your little chubby in hand.

[petgoat]

140. The fantasies would appear to be yours. My characterization was objective. nt

[Forkboy]

141. Now I know why lions eat their young.

[anonymous171]

71. Staying "real" is

what keeps people like Pelosi from pursuing Bush for those crimes.

[alteredstate]

41. Great photo

Thank you.

[Muzza]

42. Says what?

It's a nice image, for sure. But what are you suggesting? That he inspires hope in all and sundry? I think not. And I think it's dangerous to mislead people down a path that cannot provide what is promised. That's called irresponsibility.

[madrchsod]

46. the photographer is very good....

http://www.keithbedford.com

[quantass]

53. OMG What a BRILLIANT PHOTO -- and quite the Presidential Signature he's got! AMAZING!

[petgoat]

92. This guy is 47 years old, a presidential candidate and he writes an erect penis in his signature?

Plus he turns his "O" into a "Q".

Doesn't the Democratic Party have any handlers that can teach their
candidates anything?

This points to a pretty major lack of self-awareness.

Please tell me this is a photoshop from Karl Rove's camp!

[Danger Mouse]

133. ...okay...then...

:shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

57. That's one I can't steal fast enough

Many thanks.

[Straight Shooter]

62. The phenomenon of the Pied Piper. n/t

[1awake]

64. ah come on.. its a cute pic, admit it! lol n/t

[Straight Shooter]

82. It's a very well-done photograph, for what the photographer was trying to accomplish.

I'm a big fan of black-and-white photography. :)

[1awake]

85. cool,

when I look at that picture.. besides seeing it for its cute value, I see several things. The most important thing I see is responsibility. Obama is responsible to that girl, and the millions of other people who find hope in him. Thats alot of weight for him to carry around.. But he asked for it, spoke about it, and will be held accountable to it. Yes, thats what the picture says to me.

[workinclasszero]

72. Sweet pic!

She's so cute.:)

Please keep her away from the anti-hope candidate, Hillary!:scared:

[Danger Mouse]

75. i am fucking disgusted at the insults towards youth and young voters and future voters here.

that is beyond the pale.
what the hell is wrong with people, to be so bitter and used up, that they have to take a shit on youthful enthusiasm, spit on the future of our country, and mock a cute picture?
there are plenty of good supporters of hillary clinton in GD: P, but anyone with smarmy remarks about cults or 'the worst generation' or hitler youth, just embarass yourselves and your candidate.
how the fuck do you expect young voters to get excited about the process, when all some people want to do is spit on them, tear them down, and treat them like they don't matter?

[tammywammy]

81. Thank you!

It's pathetic is what it is.

[Danger Mouse]

95. you might want to check this out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4752919&mesg_id=4753598

[smalll]

97. That would be "snarky" not "smarmy."

SMARMY: Definition: excessively ingratiating: excessively earnest and ingratiating in manner.
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861702023_1861702023/prevpage.html
There was nothing ingratiating about my Worst Generation comment whatsoever.

Here's a tip for you, kid: learn the English language. Or maybe we can all just sit back and wait for your generation to fully take power as is, and your collective illiteracy, ignorance, lack of perspective and tendency towards magical thinking can usher in a new Dark Ages. But a 21st century Dark Ages! With iPods!

[Danger Mouse]

102. you're a disgusting, sick, and pathetic idiot.

:puke:

[Danger Mouse]

104. btw, asshole, i have a fucking college degree.

[smalll]

117. Yes, many of you do have college degrees.

That only makes your generation's tenuous hold on literacy even more troubling.

[petgoat]

121. self delete

I'm too smart for my own good sometimes. :)

[Danger Mouse]

122. asshole.

:puke:

[petgoat]

123. self delete. nt

[eileen_d]

124. What business is it of yours?

Quit baiting him.

[Danger Mouse]

125. what'd he say?

dare i ask?

[petgoat]

126. self delete-- I have responsibilities.

Impeach Cheney! Sign the petition!

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/

[Danger Mouse]

127. Johns Hopkins University.

But go ahead and spit on that, if you desire.

[petgoat]

128. Self delete. nt

[Danger Mouse]

131. yeah...

have fun with that.

[petgoat]

132. self delete nt

[Alexander]

156. Insulting an entire generation? And you wonder why younger voters don't like Hillary?

Maybe because she said things like "young people think work is a four-letter word", and her supporters show almost as much class.

:eyes:

[canadian_is_cold]

76. Beautiful Photo! n/t

[WillyT]

77. K & R !!!

:kick:

[eileen_d]

86. How in the hell did we get two references to Hitler in this thread?

One (deleted) picture of Hitler Youth; one picture of Hitler and a child. People need to grab some perspective FFS. Politicians can be popular without being facist.

[tammywammy]

89. How did such a nice picture thread turn into this?

It's now a disgusting shit pile with references to Hilter! :wtf:

[petgoat]

94. Hero worship is inevitably fascist. Government of laws not men. nt

[I Vote In Pittsburgh]

101. Most ignorant statement... ever?

Do you realize what you just said? Fascism is repressive dictator government. So, what you are saying is that anytime anyone worships a hero, they are fascists? :spray:
Jesus qualifies as a hero to many. I guess that makes all Christians fascist...

[petgoat]

108. If you want Jesus as President that makes you a theocrat, which is a brand of fascist, yes.

Thanks for proving my point.

[anonymous171]

112. LOL

Blindly throwing around fascism without any clue to it's actual meaning.

[petgoat]

115. I know exactly what it means. nt

[anonymous171]

111. FDR is a hero

to many dems. Therefore, FDR=Fascist
Bruce Lee is one of my personal heroes, so of course he must be a fascist.
It is a government of Laws supported by THE PEOPLE, not the just the laws themselves.

[petgoat]

114. I don't hear too much law from Obama.

Let him speak about Bush's assault on the Constitutional freedoms.

Let him pledge to turn back the neofascist legislation--HR 1955,
the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act.

Let's not vote for children's worshipful eyes. This country is in
a crisis--the next election may be stolen by Diebold or pre-empted
by another phony 9/11 attack.

And Obama chooses to wallow in gossip-politics instead of acknowledging
the crisis.

[tammywammy]

113. You're an idiot

[petgoat]

116. Thanks for sharing. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

143. Ah, Nazi Germany had PLENTY of laws.

Several million people DIED because of those laws.

Perhaps you need a refresher course on what 'fascism' is.

http://www.rense.com/general37/char.htm

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

4. Supremacy of the Military

5. Rampant Sexism

6. Controlled Mass Media

7. Obsession with National Security

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined

9. Corporate Power is Protected

10. Labor Power is Suppressed

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

14. Fraudulent Elections

Curious - no mention of "hero worship" there at all.

[petgoat]

144. Name one fascist regime not anchored in the cult of the personality. nt

[KhaOZ]

151. Good to know JFK was a Facist Dictator

[petgoat]

160. Your reply is non sequitur nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

170. How about the military regime in Myanmar?

The Junta that ruled in Argentina?

Could go so far as to say, Pakistan - not quite fascist but close enough, and the regime is based on the collective military, not Musharraf.

Plenty of fascist leaders try to present themselves in tht light - it is insurance against assassinations and coups - but many fascist regimes will replace their leader rather than change their system.

And there are plenty of 'cult of personality' governments that are NOT fascist - Mao's China, Lenin's Soviet Union were communist - Chavez, in Venezuela, is a socialist democracy.

[ContinentalOp]

147. "Hero worship is inevitably fascist"

says a guy with a Hunter S. Thompson avatar. :eyes:

[petgoat]

150. And rather than provide an argument, you make an ad hominem slur. nt

[ContinentalOp]

165. Ad hominem slur?

Hey, I love his writing. I might even call him one of my heroes. ;-) What is an avatar of another human being's face if not hero worship? That's no slur, just a simple observation.

[Forkboy]

99. Because some people are puss filled sacks of hate.

[petgoat]

120. They can best be unfascist by defending the Constitution and

by promising to roll back the neofascist legislation enacted
under the Bush regime, and by pledging to work to undo the
policies supporting the Unitary Executive program.

[grantcart]

105. lovely picture

and alot of ignores lol

[zulchzulu]

106. What an excellent photo! K&R n/t

[MrSlayer]

110. Yeah but she can't vote and is probably dangerously naive about foreign policy.

I'm sure I could scam her out of her milk money.



It is a nice picture.

[texas_indy]

135. Fantastic picture!! It will make a fine addition to the book covering his

race to his 1st term as President of the US!!

Texas is Obama country! VIVA OBAMA!!

[yurbud]

137. if that got widely published, the race would be over. Hillary and McCain could just pack it in and

go back to the Senate, or K Street.

[Eurobabe]

139. That is just beautiful

where did you find that?

[davidthegnome]

152. Hmm..

I find it highly amusing that some older, doubtless wiser folks are so quick to slash at their party's youth. Just who do you intend to carry the torch when you have passed on? Not that it matters much to me - I'm a 23 year old democrat from the far North of Maine. Surrounded by similarily "older and wiser" people - who, at least in my area, generally voted for Bush. I'll carry the torch whether you want me to or not.

It has been said that our generation stands for nothing, it has been said that we are worthless, lazy, stupid, etc. Now that the young are beginning to show enthusiasm, passion, motivation - we are getting a great deal of contempt and ignorant talk from our wise elders. Our wise elders who have in fact, raised us. Our wise elders who are largely responsible for this Nation entering it's enormous deficit, it's meaningless war with Iraq, the shredding of our constitution.

Yet, I will not allow the ignorance of a few "wise elders" to discourage me or turn me from my path. Cultist? Sure, I'll be a cultist if it gets us rid of the same old shit in Washington. All of these lovely underhanded insults are so delightfuly witty and sophisticated. But, very well, call me an Obamamite, compare me to Hitler youth, call me a cultist or an Obamabot, or whatever other clever little contempuous insults you, in all of your glorious wisdom, can come up with.

I'll still be in Augusta, an Obama delegate, supporting my Nation - supporting change, enthusiasm, passion, and peace. I'll still fight so your grandchildren, your children, and my own aren't drafted into a war no one wants.

I'm not important, I'm not even well educated, but one thing I AM is a passionate democrat - like my Father and my Grandfather before him. That's why, when our small group of people from our tiny little town in the middle of nowhere went to the caucus, I got out of my seat and said I would go, I will pay my own way to support Obama at the convention. Despite the fact that I'm unemployed, uninsured and nearly broke. I'll hitch-hike if I have to.

If not for great men like my Father, this would bother me much more. But those of you who feel inclined to hold our youth in contempt and spit on us are fortunately, an ignorant minority.

We will change the world, we will make it a better place. I'm ready to follow a man who's willing to lead, I'm ready to follow someone who will be one of the few to dare to vote AGAINST immunity for the telecom companies. Our will will sway the Nation, the Patriot Act will be over-turned, regardless of the lack of comments on it now.

I am a youth, I believe in my generation, the accomplishments to come will be largely thanks to those of us who have decided to give a damn. Those of us who have embarked upon this journey to clean up the disaster the "better" generations have left us with. It takes courage to stand up, in this dark time of so much despair, bitterness and corruption. We are, however, standing.

It is time for change, it is time for compassion, it is time for diplomacy. I am glad that we finally have a leader who can and will encourage and employ it.

This is one "cultist" who will do his duty. Obama is not perfect, nor is any one person capable of making enourmous change - but he is bringing in thousands, and millions, who will. What he lacks in experience he more than makes up for with compassion, enthusiasm, charisma - and finally, inspiration. That thing none of the other candidates seem able to offer us - hope.

Maybe I'm pissed off, maybe this one struck a nerve... maybe I'm tired of myself and countless others being judged by people who do not appreciate my efforts, my sacrifices and my suffering. Maybe I'm completely unimpressed by people with seemingly high opinions of themselves dubbing my generation "the worst". You have no high horse to sit upon, you hold no moral high ground.

Maybe, just maybe, you should welcome and encourage - and help to educate those of us who are young and enthusiastic, passionate about positive change. Just a thought - I realize of course that it's much more productive to call us cultists and act as if we are beneath contempt.

[petgoat]

154. Maybe your candidate should address the pressing issue--

neofascist legislation and expansion of presidential powers into
the dictatorial realm instead of focusing on vague feelgood promises.

[FrenchieCat]

163. Actually, Obama has done just that, the problem is that you

just don't have a clue.



Obama Says Gitmo Facility Should Close

The Democratic presidential hopeful pledged to work side-by-side with the rest of the world on issues like nuclear proliferation, poverty, economic development in Latin America and the violence in Darfur.

"While we're at it," he said, "we're going to close Guantanamo. And we're going to restore habeas corpus. ... We're going to lead by example _ by not just word but by deed. That's our vision for the future."

Habeas corpus is a tenet of the Constitution that protects people from unlawful imprisonment
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/24/AR2007062401046.html

---------------
Human Rights Should Be Bigger than Politics
Senator Barack Obama delivered this speech on the floor of the US Senate, in reaction to Senate passage of S. 3930, Military Commissions Act of 2006, which approved US torture of detainees and strips Constitutional rights away from detainees.
Senator Obama decries the placement of politics over human rights, and condemns S. 3930. He states, "This is not how a serious Administration would approach the problem of terrorism."
http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/ObamaTorture.htm

excerpts from Obama's statement...

In the five years that the President's system of military tribunals has existed, not one terrorist has been tried. Not one has been convicted. And in the end, the Supreme Court of the United found the whole thing unconstitutional, which is why we're here today.

We could have fixed all of this in a way that allows us to detain and interrogate and try suspected terrorists while still protecting the accidentally accused from spending their lives locked away in Guantanamo Bay. Easily. This was not an either-or question.

Instead of allowing this President - or any President - to decide what does and does not constitute torture, we could have left the definition up to our own laws and to the Geneva Conventions, as we would have if we passed the bill that the Armed Services committee originally offered.

Instead of detainees arriving at Guantanamo and facing a Combatant Status Review Tribunal that allows them no real chance to prove their innocence with evidence or a lawyer, we could have developed a real military system of justice that would sort out the suspected terrorists from the accidentally accused.

And instead of not just suspending, but eliminating, the right of habeas corpus - the seven century-old right of individuals to challenge the terms of their own detention, we could have given the accused one chance - one single chance - to ask the government why they are being held and what they are being charged with.
http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/ObamaTorture.htm

1. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9845595-7.html
For one thing, under an Obama presidency, Americans will be able to leave behind the era of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and "wiretaps without warrants," he said. (He was referring to the lingering legal fallout over reports that the National Security Agency scooped up Americans' phone and Internet activities without court orders, ostensibly to monitor terrorist plots, in the years after the September 11 attacks.)

It's hardly a new stance for Obama, who has made similar statements in previous campaign speeches, but mention of the issue in a stump speech, alongside more frequently discussed topics like Iraq and education, may give some clue to his priorities.

In our own Technology Voters' Guide, when asked whether he supports shielding telecommunications and Internet companies from lawsuits accusing them of illegal spying, Obama gave us a one-word response: "No."

Including this:
In 1992, was the Director of Illinois Project VOTE, which registered approximately 150,000 mostly Democratic voters in Chicago's Cook County
Opposes the death penalty and school vouchers
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=1511

Obama noted that he sponsored successful death-penalty-reform legislation as a lawmaker in Springfield. That legislation, among other things, required the videotaping of homicide interrogations, and he promised to advocate for similar reforms on a national scale.

He backed federal legislation that would ban citizens from carrying weapons, except for law enforcement. He cited Texas as an example of a place where a law allowing people to carry weapons has "malfunctioned" because hundreds of people granted licenses had prior convictions.

said mandatory sentencing laws should be overturned to give judges more discretion and provide more equitable treatment for minorities.
http://www.icadp.org/page236.html
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Obama cites role in death penalty reform
Barack Obama can honestly claim to have made a difference on a matter of life and death.

While an Illinois state senator, Obama was key in getting the state's notorious death penalty laws changed, including a requirement that in most cases police interrogations involving capital crimes must be recorded.

The changes enacted in 2003 reformed a system that had sent 13 people to death row, only to have them released because they were later determine to be innocent or had been convicted using improper methods.

"Without Barack's energy, imagination and commitment I do not believe the very substantial and meaningful reforms that became law in Illinois would have taken place," said author Scott Turow, a member of the state commission that recommended many of the changes.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/12/obama.death.penalty.ap/

Obama's Global Poverty Act of 2007, just passed out of committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) today hailed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's passage of the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive policy to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses and NGOs. This legislation was introduced in December. Smith and Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) sponsored the House version of the bill (H.R. 1302), which passed the House last September.
http://obama.senate.gov /


what people are saying about this bill:
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_1302.html#usercomments

http://www.fantasycongress.com/legislation/S.2433

Legislation would aim to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) today hailed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's passage of the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive policy to cut extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses and NGOs. This legislation was introduced in December. Smith and Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) sponsored the House version of the bill (H.R. 1302), which passed the House last September.

"With billions of people living on just dollars a day around the world, global poverty remains one of the greatest challenges and tragedies the international community faces," said Senator Obama. "It must be a priority of American foreign policy to commit to eliminating extreme poverty and ensuring every child has food, shelter, and clean drinking water. As we strive to rebuild America's standing in the world, this important bill will demonstrate our promise and commitment to those in the developing world. Our commitment to the global economy must extend beyond trade agreements that are more about increasing corporate profits than about helping workers and small farmers everywhere. I commend Chairman Biden and Ranking Member Lugar for supporting this bill and moving it forward quickly."

"Poverty, hunger, and disease will be among the most serious challenges confronting the world in the 21st century," Senator Hagel said. "This legislation provides the President of the United States the framework and resources to help implement a comprehensive policy to reduce global poverty. It is the human condition that has always driven the great events of history. This is a responsibility of all citizens of the world."
http://obama.senate.gov/press/080213-obama_hagel_can_1 /

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MORE

Judge Him by His Laws
By Charles Peters
Friday, January 4, 2008; A21

...Since most of Obama's legislation was enacted in Illinois, most of the evidence is found there -- and it has been largely ignored by the media in a kind of Washington snobbery that assumes state legislatures are not to be taken seriously. <>

Consider a bill into which Obama clearly put his heart and soul. The problem he wanted to address was that too many confessions, rather than being voluntary, were coerced -- by beating the daylights out of the accused.

Obama proposed requiring that interrogations and confessions be videotaped.
This seemed likely to stop the beatings, but the bill itself aroused immediate opposition. There were Republicans who were automatically tough on crime and Democrats who feared being thought soft on crime. There were death penalty abolitionists, some of whom worried that Obama's bill, by preventing the execution of innocents, would deprive them of their best argument. Vigorous opposition came from the police, too many of whom had become accustomed to using muscle to "solve" crimes. And the incoming governor, Rod Blagojevich, announced that he was against it.
Obama had his work cut out for him.
<>
The police tried to limit the videotaping to confessions, but Obama, knowing that the beatings were most likely to occur during questioning, fought -- successfully -- to keep interrogations included in the required videotaping.

Then he talked Blagojevich into signing the bill, making Illinois the first state to require such videotaping.
---------
Obama didn't stop there. He played a major role in passing many other bills, including the state's first earned-income tax credit to help the working poor

and the first ethics and campaign finance law in 25 years (a law a Post story said made Illinois "one of the best in the nation on campaign finance disclosure").

Obama's commitment to ethics continued in the U.S. Senate, where he co-authored the new lobbying reform law that, among its hard-to-sell provisions, requires lawmakers to disclose the names of lobbyists who "bundle" contributions for them.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303_pf.html
-------------------------------

Ethics and Lobbying Reform
Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has been a leader in fighting for open and honest government. During his first year as an Illinois State Senator, he helped lead the fight to pass Illinois' first ethics reform bill in 25 years. As a U.S. Senator, he has spearheaded the effort to clean up Washington in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal.

Senator Obama is one of the authors of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (S. 2180). The bill would lengthen the cooling off period to two years for lawmakers and staff who seek to become lobbyists, and it would require immediate disclosure as soon as any job negotiations begin.

The bill would open conference committee meetings to the public and require that all bills be posted on the Internet for 24 hours before they can be voted on by the Senate. Finally, the bill would end all lobbyist-funded gifts, meals, and travel and strengthen the Senate office that monitors lobbyist disclosure forms.

In addition, Senator Obama has sponsored three other ethics-related bills:

The Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission Act (S. 2259)The bill would create an outside ethics commission to receive complaints from the public on alleged ethics violations by members of Congress, staff, and lobbyists. The commission would have the authority to investigate complaints and present public findings of fact about possible violations to the House and Senate Ethics Committee and Justice Department. By taking the initial fact finding out of the hands of members of Congress, who are often reluctant to investigate their colleagues, the bill ensures prompt and fair disposition of public complaints.

To avoid manipulation of the commission for political purposes, any person filing a complaint that they knew to be false would be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment. No complaints could be filed against a member of Congress for 30 days before a primary election and 60 days before a general election.

The bill has been widely endorsed by reform groups. According to Common Cause, "this legislation would do more to reform ethics and lobbying than any other piece of legislation introduced thus far because it goes to the heart of the problem: enforcement."

Public Citizen praised Senator Obama "for having the courage to challenge the business-as-usual environment on Capitol Hill and introduce far-reaching legislation." Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington stated: "This is the first bill that deals seriously with the lack of oversight and enforcement in the existing congressional ethics process. . . . This bill will help restore Americans' confidence in the integrity of Congress.

The Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act (S. 2261)
The bill would shed light on the almost 16,000 earmarks that were included in spending bills in 2005. Under the bill, all earmarks, including the name of the requestor and a justification for the earmark, would have to be disclosed 72 hours before they could be considered by the full Senate. Senators would be prohibited from advocating for an earmark if they have a financial interest in the project or earmark recipient. And, earmark recipients would have to disclose to an Office of Public Integrity the amount that they have spent on registered lobbyists and the names of those lobbyists.

The Curtailing Lobbyist Effectiveness through Advance Notification, Updates, and Posting Act (The CLEAN UP Act) (S. 2179)

The bill aims to improve public access to information about all legislation, including conference reports and appropriations legislation, in particular after hurried, end-of-session negotiations. Conference committee meetings and deliberations would have to be open to the public or televised, and conference reports would have to identify changes made to the bill from the House and Senate versions. Finally, no bill could be considered by the full Senate unless the measure has been made available to all Senators and the general public on the Internet for at least 72 hours.

Health Care
The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, yet more than 45 million Americans have no health insurance. Too many hard-working Americans cannot afford their medical bills, and thus, health-related issues are the number one cause for personal bankruptcy. Too many employers are finding it difficult to offer the coverage their employees need.

Promoting affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care was a priority for Barack Obama in the Illinois State Senate and is a priority for him in the United States Senate. He believes firmly that health care should be a right for everyone, not a privilege for the few.


Destroying Surplus and Unguarded Conventional Weapons
After visiting weapons stockpiles in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Senators Lugar and Obama introduced S. 2566, which would expand the cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons.

Sex Offenders

Senator Obama cosponsored Dru's Law (S. 792) which creates a nationwide sex offender database and requires greater monitoring of sex offenders upon their release from prison. The bill passed the Senate on July 28, 2005.

He also cosponsored the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This bill increases the penalties for sex crimes against children under the age of 12, and creates a national Internet site known as the National Sex Offender Public Registry. The bill will also provide grants to local law enforcement to assist in preventing and investigating sex crimes against minors.

Violence Against Women Act
Senator Obama cosponsored extension of Violence Against Women Act (S. 1197), which passed the Senate on October 4, 2005, and was signed into law. The Act provides increased funds to law enforcement to combat violence against women. It also establishes a sexual assault services program and provides grants for education programs to prevent domestic violence and encourage reporting of abuses.

The Senate Immigration Bill
Senator Obama played a key role in the crafting of the immigration reform bill that the Senate passed in May 2006. The bill, which President Bush supports, would provide more funds and technology for border security and prevent employers from skirting our laws by hiring illegal immigrants. The bill also would provide immigrants who are now contributing and responsible members of society an opportunity to remain in the country and earn citizenship. But not all illegal immigrants would be guaranteed the right to remain in the U.S. under this proposal; they would first have to pay a substantial fine and back taxes, learn English, satisfy a work requirement, and pass a criminal background check.

Senator Obama offered three amendments that were included in the Senate bill. The first amendment strengthens the requirement that a job be offered at a prevailing wage to American workers before it is offered to a guestworker. The second amendment makes it simple, but mandatory, for employers to verify that their employees are legally eligible to work in the United States. And the third amendment authorizes $3 million a year for the FBI to improve the speed and accuracy of the background checks required for immigrants seeking to become citizens.



Drinking Water Security
Senator Obama drafted an amendment, which was included in the Safe Drinking Water Act, which passed the EPW Committee on July 20, 2005. The Obama amendment would provide $37.5 million over the next five years to protect the country's drinking water from a terrorist attack. It also instructs Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control to develop the tools needed by drinking water systems to detect and respond to the introduction of biological, chemical, and radiological contaminants by terrorists.


Greater Funding for Veterans Health Care
As early as February 2005, Senator Obama warned of a shortfall in the VA budget. Four months later, the VA reported that in fact it had more than a $1 billion shortfall. Senator Obama cosponsored a bill that led to a $1.5 billion increase in veterans' medical care. During the debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, Senator Obama cosponsored measures that would have provided additional funding increases for veterans.

In September 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act (S. 3988) to improve the VA’s planning process to avoid budget shortfalls in the future. The bill requires the VA and the Department of Defense to work together and share data so that we know precisely how many troops will be returning home and entering the VA system.

Homeless Veterans
Every year, 400,000 veterans across the country, including an estimated 38,000 in Chicago, spend some time living on the streets. Senator Obama has been a leader in fighting homelessness among veterans. He authored the Sheltering All Veterans Everywhere Act (SAVE Act) (S. 1180) to strengthen and expand federal homeless veteran programs that serve over 100,000 homeless veterans annually. During the debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 budget, Senator Obama passed an amendment to increase funding for homeless veterans programs by $40 million. These funds would benefit programs that provide food, clothing, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and employment and housing assistance to homeless veterans.

In June 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Homes for Heroes Act (S. 3475), which would expand access to long-term affordable housing for homeless veterans by setting aside $225 million to purchase, build or rehabilitate homes and apartments for veterans. The legislation would also greatly expand existing veterans rental assistance programs and create a new office within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to coordinate services to homeless veterans.

Food for Recovering Soldiers
Senator Obama introduced an amendment that became law providing food services to wounded veterans receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services at military hospitals. Previously, service members receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services in a medical hospital for more than 90 days were required to pay for their meals.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and TBI
Senator Obama fought a VA proposal that would have required a reexamination of all PTSD cases in which full benefits were granted. He and Senator Durbin passed an amendment that has become law preventing the VA from conducting a review of cases, without first providing Congress with a complete report regarding the implementation of such review. In November 2005, the VA announced that it was abandoning its planned review.

Senator Obama passed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). TBI is being called the signature injury of the Iraq war. The blast from improvised explosive devices can jar the brain, causing bruising or permanent damage. Concussions can have huge health effects including slowed thinking, headaches, memory loss, sleep disturbance, attention and concentration deficits, and irritability.

Easing the Transition to the VA
Senator Obama passed an amendment that became law requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to report to Congress on the delayed development of an electronic medical records system compatible with the VA's electronic medical records system. DOD's delay in developing such a system has created obstacles for service members transitioning into the VA health care system.

In September 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Lane Evans Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act (S. 3988) which would help veterans transition from the DOD health system to the VA system by extending the window in which new veterans can get mental health care from two years to five years. The Lane Evans bill also would improve transition services for members of the National Guard and Reserves.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633

[txaslftist]

172. Thank you for being informative and thoughtful.

It's a nice change of scenery around the Obama/Clinton cockfight.

[Bongo Prophet]

158. Very nice post, David. welcome to DU. I hope your stay is long, and we can share victory together

From an aging, self-educated late boomer.
It is so obvious that there is good and bad in every generation, every class, etc - to be judged by their character, not by their demographic.

[davidthegnome]

159. I absolutely agree

I'm also, for the most part, self educated - and I am confident that we will share victory.

[FrenchieCat]

164. An excellent post......that should stand on its own as a thread.

It teared me up!

I respect this kind of writing so much, and the sentiment even more!

Thank you for it!

[IDemo]

183. A recommend for your post, and a welcome to DU

Great write up, David. This deserves its own thread.

[davidthegnome]

155. Is that all you have to offer?

Show me one candidate who is openly speaking of these things - and hasn't been written off as "too fringe" or "radical" by the media and the masses.

Who's goat are you? We all know I'm Obama's gnome.

[polichick]

157. Wow - that shot could win some major awards! nt

[AtomicKitten]

167. That is a really great picture!

[Kahuna]

169. That photo is gorgeous. It's a keeper!!! nt

[Infinite Hope]

171. Awesome pic. n/t

[gateley]

173. That's a beautiful photograph. nt

[Shine]

175. Great shot. n/t

[closeupready]

176. That's so cute!

:)

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

177. Thanks. n/t

[jillan]

178. That is a beautiful pic.

[Georgie_92]

180. What a beautiful photo

Look at the girls eyes, this is what hope looks like!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

182. Jesus I give my life to you

[bagimin]

184. Thanks.....Talk about your hope...

posting that at work tomorrow.

[Canuckistanian]

185. A little creepy, actually

Using adoring little kids in publicity pics turns me off.

I don't care WHAT political entity uses them.

It's like trying to somehow associate your candidate with "purity".

Keep the kids out of it. Politics is a grown-up game.

[petgoat]

186. Very Creepy. Agreed, Lots of kids worshipped Hitler too. nt

[psychopomp]

187. I put it on my desktop

It is a quiet reminder of what is at stake.

[davidthegnome]

188. I think I'd wager money that

some of those kids would do a better job with political situations than the "grown ups" have managed in recent years. I dare say my five year old son would do a better job than most of our esteemed congress critters.

Are you trying to imply something with your comment regarding Hitler? No doubt children adored him - as they tend to adore leaders, celebrities, the rich and the famous. Or those their parents adore. I'm curious, however, how this has anything at all to do with Obama, his campaign, or his supporters. Care to elaborate? Or was that your idea of a "sound bite"?