Dan Lyons
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~ Friday, October 31, 2008
US KILLS 27 PAKISTANIS in 2 airstrikes.
US has launched 17 airstrikes into Pakistan
Since mid-August.
GUARDIAN/31OCT
Pakistan govt. protests these, perhaps pro forma,
In order to avoid wrath of ordinary Pakistanis—
But that wrath may recruit new men for Taliban.
NO ‘unless’ !
Iraq wants US out by 2011, with no hedging about ‘unlesss then-govt. wants them to stay.” Says govt. honcho.
Msnbc/31Oct
KARZAI PEOPLE ASK FOR TRIBAL MILITIAS:
It worked in Iraq—but Afgh is different.
2 allied commanders warn of possible backfire.
GLOBE&MAIL/31oCT
EARLY PLAN FOR AFGH, OR TOO LATE
Bushies share situation-news with Obama, McCain advisors..
If they don’t have a plan before 20 Jan, ‘it will be too late.’
(Taliban think they’re winninng; our European allies
Are losing enthusiasm for a ‘hopeless’ project.)
(This might be a scheme to make new President act
on Bushie ‘intelligence’.)
NYTIMES/31OCT
~ Thursday, October 30, 2008
‘DOUBTFUL THAT THE PACT WILL BE PASSED’, SAYS IRAQI HONCHO.
One alternative (UN extending mandate) is seen by Iraqis as violating their sovereignty.
WASH POST/30OCT
Big Obama margins:
59% of early ballots are for Obama.
He leads in huge California by 22% !.
He leads in Colorado by 9 % .
~ Wednesday, October 29, 2008
DEM SENATORS NOT TO BLAME
For recent econ. Train-wreck.
They haven’t had an effective majority (filibuster-proof) for 3 decades.
REUTERS/29OCT
US ‘BLACKMAIL’ OVER PROPOSED PACT
It will cut off $ aid, etc. Iraq army would collapse,
Says US general. US would veto any UN move
To make GIs subject to Iraqi prosecution.
Much opposition to present pact, which calls for US
Withdrawal from cities by next June,
UNLESS both countries consent to extension.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/29 OCT
AFGHANS LOSING FAITH IN WEST
Only 36% say they are better off now than before, ruled by Taliban.
London TIMES.ONLINE /29OCT
CATHOLICS DESERT GOP:
Nationwide, 59% to 31% for Obama.
1 in 4 Americans are Catholic.
Double-digit lead for O. in super-Catholic PA.
LATIMES/29OCT
Catholics disapprove of criminalizing abortion
In about the same proportion as other Americans.
Gates says we’ll hold ‘fully accountable’ any nation that offered ‘safe haven’
For terrorists.
NYTIMES/29OCT
Does that mean we’ll nuke Pakistan? They have a few nukes also.
~ Tuesday, October 28, 2008
INTRADE is most reliable predictor, says Harvard Law Prof.
INTRADE has these odds: Obama 88 to McCain 12!
US WINNERS VS. THOSE LOSERS
People who shudder at ‘redistribution’ likely see themselves as ‘winners’ (along with billionaires) vs. those ‘losers’ (e.g.,those on food stamps).
Let’s assume such people have $50,000 net worth (their assets minus their mortgages, car debts and other debts).
Draw a line one inch long between them and those absolutely destitute.
---------
Then draw a line for the poorest millionaire:
20 inches
then for the poorest billionaire
20,000 inches/ one-third of a mile.
The foolish $50k person is right next to the destitute, far from the really rich.
If the destitute guy is a loser, so is he.
POSSIBLE DISASTER IF IRAQ PARLIAMENT DOESN’T OK PRESENT
DEAL TO EXTEND US EFFORTS PAST DEC.08
Factions are playing ‘chicken’.
ABC/28OCT
QAEDA’S STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES:
Former CIA expert calls for NON-military moves.
NEWSWEEK/28OCT
It has long been obvious that bloated Pentagon
Is relatively useless vs. individual terrorists.
BIG AFGHAN INFLUX OF GIs NOT LIKELY
Because of Iraq commitment.
LATIMES/28OCT
What of Obama’s commitment? He’ll have to pull out
Many, many GIs from Iraq quickly.
WESTERN WHITE INDEPENDENTS FOR OBAMA:
62% TO 33%
WashPost/28OCT
In crucial Colorado, independents are more than 1/3 of voters.
POSSIBLE CONFLICT BETWEEN SHIA & KURDS:
Kurds worry that Malikites will expel Kurds from army leadership,
That they are siding with Sunnis on the issue of borders between
Arabs & Kurds, and the degree of autonomy for the Kurdish regions.
Nytimes/28oct
In any conflict, US WILL STAND ASIDE !
US KILLS 20 PAKISTANIS:
A drone was aimed at some Taliban leaders.
NYTIMES/28Oct
Question is whether ordinary Pakistanis will see that as US self-defence
(‘hot pursuit’)
Or as attack on their countrymen.
~ Monday, October 27, 2008
Senator Ted Stevens (GOP) was just convicted on 7 counts of lying on his tax-form.
He’ll almost surely lose re-election. With 9 votes at issue for blocking filibusters,
This is an important event.
ABC/27oct
OBAMA LEAD 11% NATIONALLY
In borderline states (won last time by Dems or GOP by less than 5%)
Obama leads by 21% !
McC’s age trumps Ob’s race.
Dealing with economy: Ob 56, McC 38
Wash Post/27Oct
Of 8 key states, Obama leads in 5:
In Colorado by 12 points, in Virginia by 13 points.
Obama attracted 150,000 in Colorado Sunday.
Either of these would likely win election.
Reuters/27OCT
IRAQI MTG ON PACT CANCELLED:
Cabinet was supposed to meet to decide on pact extending US role beyond Dec,
But mtg was cancelled because ‘new proposals are coming in’.
SEATTLEPI/27OCT
ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN BACKFIRE:
US missiles just killed 20 in Pak.
Prime minister says such attacks enrage locals,
Help recruit terrorists.
BLOOMBERG/27OCT
~ Sunday, October 26, 2008
‘MOVABLE’ VOTERS:
11% OF VOTERS/ ONLY 2 IN 10 OF THEM IN’CLOSE’STATES.
61% PUT ECONOMY ISSUE 1ST. On economy,
43% for Obama, 38% McCain.
/WashPost/26Oct
RACE WON’T FLIP THIS ELECTION:
Obama is now pulling even among white male voters—(unlike any Dem in 3 decades).
Age is more harmful to McCain than race is to Obama.
NYT26OCT, P. 16wk.
TOP GOPs FEAR OBAMA LANDSLIDE:
They’d like McCain to give up on personal victory,
Spend resources on preventing filibuster-proof Senate—
Bloody likely !
LONDON TELEGRAPH/26OCT
US / IRAQ PACT CLOSE TO DEFEAT
Whatever their private opinions, Iraqi pols facing election soon,
Don’t dare vote for the pact—nor does Maliki dare sign it.
RESULT: chancy returning to ask UN security council for extension
Of UN mandate.
LONDON TIMES.ONLINE/26OCT
PENTAGON DEBATE: abandon Karzai govt, send a few special forces to attack
Taliban, lower goal to prevent establishment of a haven for terrorists ?
Nytimes/26oct
~ Saturday, October 25, 2008
McCain mud doesn’t stick on Obama: Most ‘undecideds’ reject the Ayers gimmick
And the Acorn gimmick. They thinkMcCain more negative.
Pew poll puts Obama 14 points ahead !
REUTERS/25OCT
US /IRAQ PACT LOOKS EVER LESS LIKELY
By dec’08 deadline. Renewal by UN of license for US
To stay on has problems.
Timeline (absolute or presumptive)for withdrawal is one sticking point.
Jurisdiction over GI criminals is another.
WASH POST/25OCT
POLLSTER predicts Obama will (with strong probability) get 255 ELECTORAL votes,
plus 51 now leaning toward him. He needs only 15 of those to win.
Average of 16 polls of popular vote: Obama leads by 8 points.
Bloomberg/25 oct
~ Friday, October 24, 2008
PAK.PARLIAMENT CALLS FOR END OF MIL.FORCE VS TALIBAN.
ARMY WILL BE REPLACED BY POLICE FORCES.
GUARDIAN/24OCT
US BOMBS PAK. SCHOOL/ Madrasses often train youth for Taliban.
Pak. Parliament UNANIMOUSLY demands halt to US attacks in Pakistan.
WashPost/24oct
~ Thursday, October 23, 2008
SWING STATES SWING TO OBAMA:
INDIANA BY 10%
MINNESOTA BY NEARLY 20
FLORIDA BY 5
NEVADA BY 5
NO.CAROLINA BY 4
OHIO BY 4
VIRGINIA BY 10
ZOGBY SAYS OB. LEAD TRIPLED LAST WK.
MEN FAVOR HIM BY 6%
INCREASE AMONG INDEPENDENTS & WOMEN.
He’s tied among whites.
Only 3% undecided.
REUTERS/23OCT
POL.OBAMA: 15K MORE GIs TO AFGH.
--Commander there says THIRTY thousand needed.
--Even with them, experts say project is hopeless.
GLOBE&MAIL/23OCT
~ Wednesday, October 22, 2008
NEW BRIT HONCHO SAYS:
--30K MORE TROOPS NEEDED IN AFGH (bloody likely!)
--NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT W/TALIBAN MAY BE NEEDED.
LONDON INDEPENDENT/22OCT
NUMEROUS BLACKS VOTE EARLY
In states with large black population
For the 1st time, black men registrants
Outnumber black women.
WALLstJournal/22oct
FINAL PACT DRAFT NOT FINAL:
Iraqis want firm US pullout date,
Firm right to try US criminals.
LONDON TIMELINE/22OCT
‘DITCH MICH’/Kentucky’s GOP Mitch McConnell was thought a sure bet,
but now race is close. Dems could attain a filibuster-proof Senate !
LATIMES/22OCT
OBAMA LEADS:
--YOUNG WHITES:12 POINTS
--1ST-TIME VOTERS: 20 POINTS
--CELLPHONES ONLY: 2 TO 1 (67%)
WASH POST/22OCT
BRIT EXPERTS DENOUNCE ‘WAR ON TERROR’:
Brits see terrorist attacks as criminal events, not war events.
/ Nytimes/22 oct
Why did Bushies talk of 'war'?
To give petted Pentagon a major role.
12 AFGHAN SOLDIERS CASUALTIES BY US AIRSTRIKE:
US admits that allied soldiers may have been ‘mistakenly’ killed.
SeattlePI/22Oct
When will Bushies learn that indiscriminate airstrikes
Backfire in a counter-insurgency?
QAEDA WEBSITE SUPPORTS MCCAIN !!
REJOICES THAT IRAQ WAR DRAINS US TREASURY—
WANTS THIS WAR TO CONTINUE.
SAYS ATTACK ON US WOULD HELP MCCAIN.
WASH POST/22OCT
~ Tuesday, October 21, 2008
2 POLLS COVERING SAME PEOPLE:
OBAMA, BIDEN ‘FAVORABLE’ UP
Big jumps in Obama’s approval among men.
Also among independents.
And among young people.
McCain’s approval mostly down.
His disapproval up, especially among independents.
Palin’s disapprovalIN EVERY GROUP, up 10-14points.
/NYTIMES21OCT
CATHOLICS FOR OBAMA?
One poll says yes (55 to 35)/ Another shows a tie.
But even a tie,removing Catholic landslide for GOP,
Would help Obama win!
Wash post /21Oct
NATO ALLIANCE’s WORTH QUESTIONED:
Their commitment to Afgan project is ‘wavering’,
Says US general.
Bloomberg/21Oct
This alliance could drag us into another war !
~ Monday, October 20, 2008
HUGE OBAMA LEAD IN ENTHUSIASM:
64% TO 40% FOR McCain voters.
WashPost/20Oct
This should be an index of ‘coming out to vote’.
AYERS GIMMICK DOESN’T WORK:
60% Say it doesn’t turn them vs. Obama.
52/38 say picking Palin makes them less sure of McCain’s judgment.
44/40 say ACORN gimmick didn’t work.
62/30: “Ob. More optimistic.”
54% Ob. Has better temperament for office.
ABC/20OCT
US MIGHT HAVE TO STOP AIRSTRIKES IN IRAQ:
The (heavily opposed)pact must be accepted by Parliament by end of 2008—else
--extended UN mandate must be accepted: which Iraqis don’t want , and Russ might veto.
--or else GIs must retreat to bases, and US airstrikes would have to stop.
/NYTIMES/20OCT
~ Sunday, October 19, 2008
LEAVE BY 2011, PERIOD !
The pact says that GIs should leave Iraq then,
UNLESS the then-govt. asks them to stay.
The biggest bloc in parliament says the pact must say that
the GI’s will leave then,PERIOD !
/WASH POST/19OCT
MALIKI’S PARTY DEMANDS PACT CHANGES:
The govt. 1st said Parliament could vote the pact with US up or down,
But no changes…then PM’s own party demanded possible changes.
Unlikely pact will pass before dec.08, when UN mandate for US
In Iraq runs out./news.yahoo./18oct
(Most Iraqis want US out quickly;govt. faces election.)
OVER 25 CIVILIANS KILLED IN AFGHAN AIRSTRIKE:
MOSTLY WOMEN, CHILDREN.
Top commander called for more careful, fewer airstrikes;
Obviously lower commanders ignored him.
INTERNATL HERALD TRIBUNE/19OCT
POWELL ENDORSES OBAMA: Gen Powell obviously thinks Obama
Would be competent as Commander-in-Chief.
WashPost/19oct
~ Saturday, October 18, 2008
OBAMA ‘WON’ THE LAST DEBATE BY 30 POINTS
His lead in ‘battleground’ states is higher than natl. lead !
Gallup: Rarely does such a lead get overturned so late.
Pollster is quoted: O. needs only 270 electoral votes,
And it looks now as if he already has 333 el.votes, vs. McCain’s 135.
FINANCIAL TIMES/18OCT
VS.MCCAIN’S DREAM OF IRAQ VICTORY:
--RECESSION: WE CAN’T AFFORD 2 PROFLIGATE WARS;
--GLOOMY INTEL RE: IRAQ POLITICAL PROSPECTS;
--NEED FOR THOUSANDS MORE GI’S IN AFGHANISTAN;
--INSISTENCE ON PULLOUT BY IRAQ LEADERS;
These factors render ‘victory’ impossible by Bushie definitions.
NEWS.YAHOO/18OCT
THOUSANDS 0F IRAQIS MARCH AGAINST PACT
SADR DENOUNCES PACT AS ‘SHAMEFUL’.
BUSHIES HAVE TO ACCEPT DISTASTEFUL TIMETABLE.
Pact must be accepted by Parliament, just before new elections.
GIs would have to be off the streets by mid-2009,
Must leave altogether by 2011.
GIs who commit crimes off-duty would be tried by Iraqi courts.
/REUTERS 18OCT
~ Friday, October 17, 2008
US GEN. MAKES ‘BASELESS ACCUSATIONS’
Says Iraq PM—Gen claimed that Iran is trying to bribe Iraq pols
Into voting against the fragile long-term agreement between
Iraq & US./ news.yahoo/17oct
WON’T ALLOW ATTACKS BY OUR FRIENDS,
Says Pak. Leader—after an exchange of small-arms fire
Between Paks. & GIs./MSNBC/17OCT
TAL. HAS MORE MEN, RESOURCES THAN BEFORE
“This winter will be the most violent winter yet.”
Says general. “I need more men, resources.”
CBS/17OCT
34 civilians killed by airstrikes/
real situation unclear—but as long as US relies
on necessarily-indiscriminate airstrikes,
then whenever any local claims civilian deaths,
he’ll be believed, and rage vs. invaders will
increase.
REUTERS17OCT
~ Thursday, October 16, 2008
LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
Gates wants military to coordinate with ‘soft’
Efforts to improve Afghan life to be better
Than they had it under Taliban.
LONDON TIMES/16OCT
But could military make room for civilian helpers?
‘USE AIRSTRIKES ONLY AS LAST RESORT’
says US commander in Afgh—after 7 yrs of war.
Afghans are enraged by disproportionate use of airstrikes,
killing many innocent Afghans.
Commander says they should even resort to ‘tactical withdrawal’
to avoid civilian casualties.
WashPost/16OCT
We’ll see if lesser officers can resist temptation To bomb.
~ Wednesday, October 15, 2008
3D PARTY INFLUENCE:(SOME DISLIKE BOTH OB.&MCC.!)
COLORADO: OBAMA LEADS BY 7% WITH 3D PARTY CAND. ON BALLOT.
FLORIDA: Ob.leads by 8% of registered voters.
GEORGIA : A TIE WITH BARR ALSO ON TICKET.
VIRGINIA: OBAMA LEADS BY 10 POINTS AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS.
AP/google/15OCT.
DOW DOWN 733:
BLOOMBERG POLL: OBAMA LEADS 50% TO 41%
Most think him better in handling the serious econ. Crisis.
Obama did slightly better than McCain on ALL of these questions:
--Will __________ carry out most of his campaign promises?
--How soon can ____________
----change direction of country to satisfactory?
----make the economy grow again?
----get out of Iraq satisfactorily?
USATODAY/15OCT
FILIBUSTER-PROOF DEM SENATE?
With Dem Udall solid in Colo,
And GOP Dole likely to lose In Flor,
Dems could very possibly get 60 Senators.
News.yahoo/15oct
REAL CLEAR POLITICS POLL:
ELECTORAL VOTES: OBAMA 286 (only 270 needed for victory)
MCCAIN 158
POLLSTER, INTRADE agree.
WE CAN’T AFFORD THESE PENTAGON-COSTS
Says Patrick Buchanan, one of few who talks at all about skyrocketing Pentagon budget.
750 bases in 100 countries? ! C’mon !
Buchanan.org/’Liquidating the Empire’
~ Tuesday, October 14, 2008
ELIZ.DOLE IS KEY CANDIDATE TO BEAT:
If Dem could beat her in N.Carolina (Dem is 5 points ahead now)
Dems would likely have 60 Senators (filibuster-proof).
Among those who put econ.issue 1st, Dem is 2 to 1 ahead !
Racists in N.Car. wouldn’t hide, so the poll is pretty accurate..
DEMS COULD GET 60 SENATE SEATS
(filibuster-proof)
All hinges on Eliz.Dole’s race in N.Carolina,
Where she is really threatened.
Abc/14oct
No agreement soon on GIs staying on in Iraq.
EITHER
--UN extends mandate (Russia, China might veto)
--or MALIKI/ BUSH handshake ????
--or GIs must withdraw to bases after Dec.
MSNBC/14OCT
POLLSTER(270 electoral votes wins)
Obama: 256 strong/64 leaning
For the 1st time, Colorado moves from leaning to Obama to Obama wins.
MCCAIN: 137 STRONG, 18 LEANING
Mccain obsessed with fighting:
In a recent speech, 19 references to fighting, none to economy
LONDON TIMES
POLLSTER: Obama 2 to 1(electoral votes);63 on the fence;
Even if McCain won almost every vote on the fence, he’d lose.
~ Monday, October 13, 2008
ALL VETS TO BE TESTED FOR SHELL-SHOCK
Seven years into one war and 5 years into the other,
Pentagon is finally realizing they can’t ignore the epidemic
Of brain-injured or psychologically damaged returning vets.
Estimate: 300,000 altogether.
So they’re arranging that every returning vet be
Examined.
USATODAY/13OCT
OF NEWLY REGISTERED VOTERS IN SWING STATES,
A HUGE MAJORITY WILL VOTE OBAMA—
IF THEY VOTE AT ALL.
London telegraph/13oct
MALIKI: ‘BRITS GO HOME!’ (He says they’re no longer needed.
Americans might
Feel differently at losing Brit help.)
66 casualties in Mosul.
VoiceOfAmerica/13oct
US won't trust Iraq army to defend So. Iraq.
This area needs security for ultimate
US pullout into Kuwait.
~ Sunday, October 12, 2008
RASSMUSSEN REPORTon electoral votes
OBAMA 255 ELECTORAL VOTES/MCCAIN 163
Adding in those states which are ‘leaning’:
O.308 /mcC.174
RASSMUSSEN REPORT. COM
6% OBAMA LEAD (says Zogby; NEWSEEK said 11%)
He leads among independents by 21%/
Among women by 12%
Among the young by 20%
Among recent registrants by 20%
CBS/12oct
CHURCH-GOERS FOR OBAMA:
Monthly churchgoers (or twice monthly)
60% for O., UP FROM 49% for Kerry IN ‘04
USATODAY/12OCT
Report from an observer in Afgh. for 20 years:
--Tal. Controls half of Helmland,
--half the country is UN nogo.
--Kabul is encircled; only 1 of 4 roads is relatively safe.
--Observers say they’ll have to give some power to Tal.
--One secret memo says Afgh is ‘going to the rats’.
--One official is afraid to go home, 1.5 hrs.from Kabul.
--Tal is not winning; govt is losing.
--Natives don’t like Tal, but prefer it to corrupt govt.
--They can’t beat us, but they can outlast us.
--Only 25k allied troops are actually fighting.
--25% of $ spent to send in supplies to allied troops goes to Tal.
--Brits are furious that US wants a separate war on heroin.
LONDON TIMES/12OCT
~ Saturday, October 11, 2008
OBAMA’S DOUBLE-DIGIT LEAD/
52% TO 41% nationally !/ NEWSWEEK/11OCT
This shows that McCain’s slanders have not worked.
$100 MILLION A YEAR TO TAL. FROM HEROIN DEALERS
NATO in a bind; they need to cut this money from Taliban;
But they risk enraging Afghan farmers who need this income.
SEATTLE PI/11OCT
PALIN ABUSED HER POWERS:
To fire the official who refused to fire her former brother-in-law,
Who offended the Palin family.
IHT.COM/11OCT
MCCAIN INCITING TO VIOLENCE?
His crowds are not far from violence, says a former advisor to Dem & GOP presidents.
Mercury/11oct
~ Friday, October 10, 2008
Airstrikes help militants:
Pak. Honcho says the US airstrikes inside Pak are counter-productive.
NYTIMES/10OCT
AFGAN. ON BRINK/secret report from 16US intel agencies:
--as bad as 2001. & risking further downspin;
--twice as many US casualties as in Iraq,
with only 1/5th as many troops in Afgh.
--down spin accelerating last 2 mos.
SeattlePI/10Oct
OBAMA LANDSLIDE PREDICTED:
Needed to win: 270 electoral votes.
POLLSTER: OBAMA 2 TO 1 OVER Mccain(320 to 158)
Leaning to O, 117/ leaning to Mc/ FIVE !
INTRADE: DEMS 353/GOP185
O 79, MCC. 21 (nearly 4 to 1 !)
~ Thursday, October 09, 2008
47% concerned McCain won’t last 1st term—which means a vote for him
might well be a vote for Palin as Commander-in-Chief.
Cnn/9OCT\
Not just death, but a disabling illness....
US DECLARES ‘VICTORY’ IN IRAQ (to switch resources to Afgh.)
UPI.COM/9oct
They might face some nasty surprises.
Declaring victory and bugging out
fits in with Obama schedule.
A new (still classified) assessment of Afghan effort describes situation as in a downward spiral;
Heroin provides 50% of national income (much goes to finance Taliban);
Situation is bad and getting worse;
Taliban has control of ‘large swaths of territory’.
SEATTLEPI/9OCT
~ Wednesday, October 08, 2008
FOODSTAMPS: The original purpose of these stamps was not so much to help the poor, as to dump crop surpluses for the rich farmers. But now the crop-fuel is soaking up those surpluses:
--if GOP took over, they’d cut the foodstamps;
--Dems would not do that—they might even increase food stamps.
FAKE ATTACK AS OCT.SURPRISE?
During Cuba Crisis, pent. Suggested a fake attack on US by ‘cubans’.
It wasn’t blocked except by Chair of Joint Chiefs.
If there IS an attack this month, who’d believe it (except Bush fanatics)?
A govt. lie is worse than a govt. murder;
It undermines trust in govt.
~ Tuesday, October 07, 2008
RAMPANT BRIBERY: Success in warding off terrorists depends mainly
On the central govt. being seen as legitimate.
--But Karzai’s regime is seen as US puppet.
--the average Afghan pays ONE FIFTH OF HIS INCOME ON BRIBES !
NYTIMES/5OCT
CBS: A TIGHT RACE:
Obama with only a 4% lead.
Complex results on individual issues.
NBC says lead is 6% AND GROWING.
LONG-TERM WAR-COST CUTS?
“It would be hard to justify cuts in health &education
just to buy another aircraft carrier & its load of planes.”
REUTERS/8OCT
Still, US govt. might do just that.
REUTERS/8OCT
ALLY DRAGS US INTO WAR?
Several sources say Israel will bomb Iran;
Then Iran will retaliate also against US-
Especially vs. our troops in Iraq.
Then we’ll be in the war also.
In WWI, the big nations were dragged
Into war by their little allies. FOLLY !
BARAK PULLS FURTHER AHEAD IN ELECTORAL VOTES
POLLSTER: 320 TO 163
Strong:182 to 158
Leaning 138 to 6!
INTRADE:
Dems 353 to GOP 185
OBAMA 7O/ MCCAIN 30
~ Monday, October 06, 2008
Obama AND McCain ‘opposed troop-funding’
McCain in an amendment including a pullout timetable;
Obama because the amendment DIDN’T include a timetable.
“We differed on the timetable. Neither of us objected to
funding troops!” AHP/7OCT
GOP HONCHO: CLIMATE WORST FOR GOP IN 35 YRS.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5952332&page=1
OBAMA ONLY 6 ELECT.VOTES FROM VICTORY
(adding likely to leaning)
McCain has only 6 electoral votes leaning to him.
Msnbc/6oct
ALLIES WON’T GIVE MORE TROOPS IN AFGH—SO MAYBE MONEY?
US has given up on more troops, is now trying to embarrass them
Into more $.
REUTERS/6OCT
But if allies feel US strategy there is hopeless,
Why throw good money after bad?
OBAMA LANDSLIDE AMONG THE YOUNG:
(those under 30: 61% to 32%
Most lopsided margin among young in history.)
And they’re more likely than usual to vote.
USATODAY/6oct
In '04, they were 16% of electorate.
Added to blacks & new-Dem Hispanic voters,
they add up to victory.
OBAMA AHEAD BY INCREASING TREND
Ahead now 10% points/ trend since Sept Obama up/McCain down
GUARDIAN/6oct
No wonder they’re desperate enough to spread obvious lies.
EDUCATED STILL FLEEING IRAQ:
2.5 million stay outside Iraq;
more fled than returned this year.
LATIMES/5OCT
WILL RACE DEFEAT OBAMA?
A NYTIMES columnist discredits claims
--that HIDDEN racism discredits polls of Obama leading;
--that racists will show up to vote against OBAMA
--that this will throw election to McCain
(a huge number of Hispanics will for the 1st time vote Dem).
(racists might simply not vote).
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/does-race-really-matter/
BARAK PULLS FURTHER AHEAD
POLLSTER: 260 electoral votes(!) TO 163
Strong:182 to 158
Leaning 78 to 5 !
INTRADE:
Dems 338 to GOP 200
OBAMA 66/ MCCAIN 35
~ Sunday, October 05, 2008
ARMY WILL STABILIZE(build nations),NOT ATTACK.
Cbs/5oct
But Pentagon is not suited to stabilize—ESPECIALLY THE AIR FORCE,
WHICH WILL FIGHT THIS CHANGE TOOTH AND NAIL.
Also, the war corporations will hate to get less to make ships, tanks, missiles,etc.
OBAMA ON OFFENSIVE; MCCAIN DEFENSIVE:
Obama is attacking in formerly GOP states,
While McCain is pulling back from formerly Dem states,
Concentrating on GOP states.
NYTIMES/5OCT
It might be thought that after all, Bush won more electoral votes
Than Kerry did---but only by a small margin.
~ Saturday, October 04, 2008
CONGRESSIONAL RACES: polls asking voters to choose between a faceless
Dem cand and a GOP candidate put Dems ahead by 10 or 13 points.
It’s very possible that Dems will have 60 senators, proof against
GOP filibuster or Presidential veto.
WASH POST/4OCT
~ Friday, October 03, 2008
Right-winger predicts Obama victory (disdainfully, but who cares?)
Chas.Krauthammer says O. is ‘likely to win.
WashPost/3Oct
Could he be trying to get O backers to relax & lose?
More likely,such optimistic news will energize O backers.
PALIN BACKS CHENEY ON REVOLUTIONARY USURPATION:
They say VP should count as also in legislative branch,
voting (ruling) in Senate.
This revolution would reverse a 200-yr. US tradition--
and they call themselves conservative !
If McCain wins, what with a right-wing Supreme Court,
this revolution might happen.
Then the White House would be the only branch of govt.
~ Thursday, October 02, 2008
INTRADE(ELECTORAL-VOTE PREDICTIONS BACKED BY $ BETS)
Dems 353 !/GOP 185 (270 NEEDED)
Obama 67 /mcCAIN 33
POLLSTER:(electoral votes)
Dem250,gop163
Strong:dems182, gop 158
LEANING: DEMS 68, GOP five !
BACKING FOR ‘DOOMED STRATEGY’REMARK
By Brit amb. To Afgh.
US strategy is still ‘smash’em’.
Threatened war between Pakistan,India
Means Pak. Wants Taliban as ally.
GUARDIAN/2OCT
~ Wednesday, October 01, 2008
