Vice-President Sarah Palin?

If you're interested in another candidate who might one day end up in the White House, check out my piece on PA's Melissa Hart: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/. I hope all Pennsylvania visitors will check out that site, one where I'm currently writing about key congressional races. Gov. Sarah Palin -- beautiful, yes, but also extremely talented and a true patriot.

Jean Avery of Seattle, Washington, is one of those people whose name may be unfamiliar to you, but she plays a significant -- and growing -- role in American politics. She's a first-rate thinker and writer who is strongly backing John McCain.

Jean, a Princeton grad and originator of the very popular Moms4McCain site on blogspot.com, wrote the following piece. In my view, Jean is in many ways just as much a star as Sarah Palin.

This column appeared on http://mccainnow.com (which I urge everyone to join) and on Jean's own site.

Hillary Supporters (and others) who are "moms" should consider getting behind Sarah as a vice-presidential choice. The DailyKos and Moveon.org crowds fear Sarah, which speaks volumes about her strengths. (There are growing rumors that Sarah is on John McCain's short-list for the VP nod, and I discuss that situation on: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com.

Here's what Jean said:

My VP week on Moms for McCain would not be complete without mention of fellow Mom and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, another "rising star" in the GOP, who has a unique ability to appeal to several key constituencies.This election has been about breaking barriers, shattering glass ceilings, and overcoming stereotypes - and that's a good thing.

I have discussed before why I don't think merely being a woman or minority candidate is sufficient, in principle or in practice, to earn the votes of Americans and win an election.

However, as my friends on McCain Now pointed out, the strategic reality before John McCain is that millions of would-be Hillary voters are about to come "up for grabs", a significant number have shown consistently they are willing to vote McCain.

Choosing a female VP would be a strategic move to show disenfranchised Hillary supporters that women have a prominent place in a McCain White House.That issue aside, Palin would be an outstanding pick even if she were equipped with different body parts. Palin complements McCain's strengths and would, I believe, strengthen the Republican party's national image.

With unheard-of approval ratings near 85-90%, former beauty queen Palin was not an obvious choice to lead a state that many of us associate with igloos and parkas. Like Jindal, she ran for office to fight the notorious corruption in her state (remember the "bridge to nowhere"?) and like McCain, fighting for responsible spending and accountable government has been a hallmark of her leadership.

Palin walks the walk on conservative values, as a cautious spender, avid sportswoman, 2nd-amendment defender, and true example of pro-life values in action. Already a mother of four, Palin became pregnant at age 44 and learned early in her pregnancy that her child would, most likely, have Down's syndrome.

Palin showed courage and character, leading throughout her pregnancy and even posing for Vogue. She went into labor early (been there, done that!) during a Governors' conference -- at which she had the opportunity to informally 'remove herself' from VP consideration, and didn't take it.

To be clear, I don't think we should hand this woman the vice-presidency because she gave birth a lot and in brave ways (although I have to admit, as a Mom, this appeals to my head and my heart). I also don't think we should take lightly the responsibilities of raising a special-needs child - but other women in Washington have done it, and it would be sexist and presumptuous to make that decision for her.

As long as she keeps her hat in the ring, I think McCain should try it on for size. For LOTS more on Gov. Palin, see http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/


Steve Adds: Even if you're not a mom or even a female -- to both of which I plead guilty -- I urge you to visit Jean's Mom4McCain site. Mothers are a critical constituency in this year's election, as they are in most. As for Jean, she's as good as it gets on the blogosphere.

Obama: Demagogic, Dinshonest . . . Democrat

Obama with two "typical white people," his grandparents

The piece below this column is good on Obama's misrepresentation of his uncle supposedly liberating Auschwitz (which was actually liberated by the Soviet's Red Army). Like so many things in Obama's "story," it never happened.

Obama tries hard on the campaign to indicate some connection with the U.S. military. Actually, he has none.

In his stump speech,Obama talks about how his grandfather "served in Patton's Army." That is true, but in Dreams From My Father, Obama adds that his grandfather "never saw combat."

He portrays the grandfather (and the grandmother) as clownish figures. However, if the grandparents had any anti-Black feelings, they certainly had an odd way of showing it, because they never treated him with anything but love. Too bad he hasn't reciprocated.

He noted that his grandmother worked in a "bomb assembly plant." That seems to be true, but she's the same individual Obama calls "a typical white person."

In his speeches, particulary the famous "race" speech in Philadelphia, that his grandmother was frightened of Black people. That appears to be untrue. The grandmother apparently was frightened by a man (she never told Barack it was a Black man) who was very large and very demanding in his insistence that she give him money. It was his grandfather who told Barack that the man had been Black.

Obama also likes to portray himself as the product of a single-mother childhood (which is partially true, as the grandparents also raised him) and having lived in some measure of poverty. From everything I can see in "Dreams" he lived a childhood similar to mine, and to call it a "poverty" upbringing is false.

There is more going on here than just the normal political hyperbole. Obama has a "rich" fantasy life, and he exaggerates repeatedly about his pre-adult life. If you go on to the SECOND autobiography (Audacity of Hope), you can find the hyperbole about his adult, particularly the "community organizer" phase.

In my humble hometown of Ambridge, PA, we sometimes have something like community organizers, but we generlaly call them "unemployed."

Michelle Obama made in excess of $300,000 working in something called "community outreach." I don't believe we have any jobs like that in Ambridge.

Obama has made more than $5 million from his books, but Michelle talks, disingenuously about how difficult it is to fork over money for her daughters' ballet lessons. Give us a break, Michelle.

Obama's WWII Uncle Flap

Amanda Carpenter

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Barack Obama’s campaign staff is scrambling to explain a family story Obama told on the campaign trail that rivals say is untrue and warrants explanation.

At a Memorial Day campaign stop Obama told a story about his WWII veteran uncle who allegedly liberated Auschwitz. Upon returning to the United States, according to Obama family lore, the uncle spent months alone in his attic.

“Now obviously, something had really affected him deeply, but at that time there just weren’t the kinds of facilities to help somebody work through that kind of pain,” Obama said. “That’s why this idea of making sure that every single veteran, when they are discharged, are screened for post-traumatic stress disorder and given the mental health services that they need – that’s why it’s so important.”

The trouble is, the Red Army liberated Auschwitz and Obama’s mother is an only child. (His father left him at a young age, so it was unlikely the uncle in question was related to his father.)

The Republican National Committee and members of the media seized on the story, demanding clarification.

RNC spokeswoman Liz Mair said in a statement: “Barack Obama owes the American public an explanation in light of his statement yesterday regarding his uncle and the liberation of Auschwitz. It is a well-known fact that Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz. Unless Obama’s uncle served in the Red Army, his statement looks nothing short of fatuous—and Americans expect something better than exaggerations and outright distortions from a candidate who hopes to become our next Commander in Chief.”

Shortly after, an Obama campaign spokesman said Obama did have a great uncle who helped liberate a different war camp. The campaign said Obama’s great uncle on his mother’s side, Charlie Payne, was a member of the 89th Infantry Division that liberated Buchenwald in 1945.

http://www.townhall.com/Common/PrintPage.aspx?g=c3ba2e15-0352-410c-929d-7582791b0aea&t=c

OHIO Congressional Candidates: Listen Up!

Dear Friends in Ohio (and Other States): About mid-July, this Ohio site will become much more specific to the Buckeye State, focusing not only on the McCain Campaign, but also congressional races. If I ever don't have a new post on here, I invite you to visit my Pennsylvania blog or my national blog. Please click on them now and bookmark for future reference. I hope readers everywhere will forward this advice to your congressional candidates. I'm not charging any candidate for anything right now, but I do want to share ideas that work -- especially as they relate to the critical area of fundraising.


Michael and Kathy (and others), with Rajan Vaish's guidance I can help with the Wikipedia page for Republican candidates. It can't be a campaign ad -- must be biographical, although it can contain quotes. Wikipedia's software picks up if the entry closely resembles something else online, which would include a candidate's bio on his campaign web site. When Michael gets on Wikipedia, it will start drawing people (perhaps dozens more per day) to his web site. Hits on the site are everything, because the more hits the more contributions he will get.

In time, every candidate should consider having a video appeal (for support and funds) on his or her site. Over the weekend, I sent one candidate a 200-word (about a minute-and-a-half) "model" for her web site. Candidates need to do more on the web site than to have a "here's me" page. They should (hopefully by video, but at least in text) ask visitors to DO some specific things.

The most important thing a visitor can do is to contribute. A close second is to recommend the candidate to as many friends as possible . . . and specifically to ask friends to visit the web site. It's sort of a "virtuous circle," because contributors are the most likely to recommend the candidate. They're also the most likely to contribute again.

One of the big questions in politics is this: What should the candidate ask (specifically) of people who say, 'What can I do to help" or "I want to help . . ." I will have some suggestions about this on my Pennsylvania blog. But it's important to remember that a good portion of those who do want to help will not be able to spend, say, a weekend at campaign headquarters.

These are tricky questions, in other words, but the candidate should always ask supporters to take one, two, or three actions. Don't ask them to do a fourth unless they come back and say they've already done the first three.

I suggested that when candidates meet with small groups, they should have a tin cup as a prop and mention -- humorously -- that they are getting good at asking people, even strangers, for money. Jesse Jackson used to pass around a bucket at his rallies, and it worked well.

In terms of what to say, all the PA challengers are approaching a similar message, stating: "Look, if you want change -- and everybody does -- you won't get it by sending the same people back to Congress." That is similar to the definition of insanity ("doing the same thing over and over and hoping for different results").

Obama, Clinton, and McCain go out and give the same speech (it apparently works) hundreds of times. After awhile, candidates get real good at delivering THE SPEECH. Of course, they should tweak "The Speech" as necessary.

I believe candidates should say the statements about change and insanity until they're almost literally blue in the face. It's a great campaign slogan, especially for people running (as they all are) against sitting Democrats. (I could come out with another slogan related to those "sitting Democrats," who truly are sitting a lot and acting very little.)

Pennsylvania blog is at: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/
National blog is at: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/.

PA Candidate running in area near Ohio:
Melissa Hart at: http://peoplewithhart.com/.
Hillary Supporters 4 McCain is at: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com/.

Sarah Palin: McCain's V-P Choice?

I guess this is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin week on my blogs (scroll down). Several important bloggers have endorsed Sarah for a spot on the McCain ticket recently. One of them is the absolutely wonderful Jean Avery, who manages http://moms4mccain.blogspot.com. Jean is one of the brightest political activists in America (along with Sharon Caliendo), and I urge you to visit her site. (Sharon blogs at: http://democratsforsale.blogspot.com). You also want to visit the site of the individual, Colorado's own Adam Brickley, who founded the "Draft Sarah Palin Movement." Two years ago, he was the only member of the movement. I was the third. Now, Sarah Palin is a national fiigure with an army of supporters. It would be a bold, imaginative step for John McCain to pick Sarah as his running mate, but boldness and imagination are just what we have come to expect of the Senator from Arizona. If you want to read just one article that captures the essence of Sarah's appeal, see Fred Barnes' Weekly Standard piece ("The Most Popular Governor") at: http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp. Thanks also to Cindy at The Pink Flamingo, one of the most popular blogs, for her continuing support of Sarah. And a salute to the irrepressible (and almost unpronouncable) FullosseousFlap, a big-time blogger, for his endorsement of Sarah this week at: http://flapsblog.com/?p=7028#comment-87351. If you haven't yet seen my HillarySupportersforMcCain blog, one of the most unusual going, well, what are you waiting for? McCain's chances for the presidency rise and fall on the basis of how effectively he can attract Hillary Supporters.

Note: I have many blogs (my arms are tired). The one for Pennsylvania and Keystone State candidates is: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com.

My two national blogs are: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com. & http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com.

I also have a blog discussing how a lot of Hillary Clinton supporters are poised to back John McCain. It's at: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com.

I urge you to visit all of them -- and let your friends know they exist. I'll be writing more about New Jersey candidates after the Primary. All the best to everyone and have a great Memorial Day.

Tom Davis: GOP "Dog Food"

Dear Ohioans: Okay, I've now had more than 50,000 (!) visitors to my various blogs. My goal is get 150,000-plus additional visitors by Election Day. If I can somehow accomplish that, as well as get many other bloggers to "adopt" the candidates, those could be major factors in getting one (or more!) my "underdog" congressional candidates elected. You can read about several outstanding candidates on: http://pennsylvaniaforjohmccain.blogspot.com. On another site, HillarySupportersforMcCain, I talk daily about one of the most critical issues in this year's election: how McCain can get major support from those who have favored Sen. Clinton in the primaries. Soon, I'll begin talking about some first-rate Ohio candidates. Keep coming back and tell your friends and supporters about my sites. On those sites, please click on all the links for Google AdSense. Any revenues I receive will go to John McCain and Republican congressional candidates.


Ohioans: Please send a copy of this article from my Pennsylvania blog to your congressional candidates in Ohio. Thanks for your help.

If you'd like to read about some truly superb Republican candidates, please visit my Pennsylvania blog. I'll reprint this column there, but generally they are distinctive. The column on my "Hillary" blog basically deals with Mrs. Clinton's options now that Obama appears certain to win the nomination.

It’s come to my attention (and how!) that a lot of Republicans are concerned about Rep. Tom Davis’ recent 20-page memo proclaiming the Republican Party as the equivalent of a “dead man walking.” He said if the “Republican Party brand” was a “dog food” it would be pulled from the shelves.

Davis is a 7th term Republican congressman from Virginia’s 11th District (Fairfax County, just outside DC). He’s retiring this year on a huge pension and life-time health benefits for him and his. As a congressman, he’s as “Beltway as it gets.” He’s one of a handful of Christian Scientists in Congress.

I hope he doesn’t regard his leaving as one of the operative causes of what he sees as the demise of the Republican Party. His comments don’t frighten me; they irritate me.If the Republican Party has its troubles – and it does – people like him are responsible. He’s one of the Republican “leaders.” Tom Davis, whose voting record is half liberal, half conservative, voted for most of the big spending bills he now decries.

He loved his “earmarks,” those wasteful “special projects” made famous by Alaska’s “Bridge to Nowhere.” He never realized that no Republican congressman or congresswoman anymore can support earmarks, because they are invariably wasteful spending that adds to the budget deficit.

Tom’s constituents are presumably creating uproar over gasoline prices reaching $4 a gallon. However, Tom voted against drilling in ANWR, one of a number of Republicans who did so. Tom is one of those Republicans who think it’s a good idea to drill for and produce oil in other countries, but not in ours. People in Mideast call that hypocrisy, and it’s one reason they refuse to produce additional oil to satisfy our needs.

As I suggested earlier, Tom is one of those who uses the hip phrase “Republican brand.”Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “History is the lengthened shadow of a man (person).” Well, Tom, a political Party is the extension of the people in it. It is not “Frosted Flakes” or a Hyundai car.If you have excellent people, you have a great Party. If you more than your share of Mark Foleys (of nasty e-mail fame), or Duke Cunningham (now in jail for bribery), or Bob Ney (also in jail), you have a Party that needs to rethink who it is and what it wants to be.

The Democrat’s “brand” is doing very well either. Right now, the national approval rating for Congress is lower than George Bush’s. It’s at 22%. That figure is a vote on the performance of people like Tom Davis. It’s a failing grade and one people like him richly deserve.

The Republican “brand” (i.e., the people running for office) in Pennsylvania is very strong. That’s because the people – Melissa Hart, Marina Kats, Tom Manion, Toni Gilhooley, and Mike Livingston – are outstanding human beings. Their life stories are tales of heroism and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Tom Davis one of the rudderless “leaders” who helped create the mess in Washington. Now, he’s turned around and, for the first time in his life, discovered there is . . . a mess.

So, he writes his endless memo in an effort to impress the Washington media types.Spare us your lectures Tom.

In Pennsylvania we’re planning to send a much better grade of people to Congress. They're going to solve problems – in national security, in spending, in terrorism threats, in education, and in crime – that you, Tom Davis, barely touched in your 14 years in the House.The Republican congressional candidates in Pennsylvania are going to take back seats we lost in 2006 –and add a couple of surprises for the Democrats.(More on this and related subjects in coming days. The columns will be on my Pennsylvania blog and on the two national ones. My emphasis will be on fairly simple (but occasionally painful) ways to solve our great national problems. Your comments are welcome.

Ted Kennedy at Hooters

On my provocative Hillary Supporters for McCain blog (http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com) I have a new article entitled "Hillary Clinton Deserves Democratic Nomination." It presents a perspective you haven't seen before. Also, please click on the Google "Adsense" links you will see there to your right. All revenues generated (and, alas, they won't be much) will go to John McCain and other outstanding candidates. Thanks!


Above: The Teddy we have come to know best.

I have a ne column on Ted Kennedy (as a national menance) on my national blog: http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com/. Also, if you'd like, sample my very original blog: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com/. Thanks -- and enjoy!

McCain-Clinton as Running Mates?

On my national blog Saturday I have a new column: "Ted Kennedy: A National Disgrace." On my innovative Hillary Supporters for McCain blog, I have several columns about Mrs. Clinton and her primary travails. I urge you to visit.

"We belong to different parties, not different countries." (John McCain)

Note: If you've read part of this piece before, please scroll down to see additions made on Thursday. The suggestions in his column are so important that I want to leave it up for the entire day of May 14. It is critical for the country to elect John McCain, but it's equally important that he not face an intransigent Democratic Congress that hamstrings his ability to govern. McCain and Senator Clinton need to speak candidly about how they can both best serve their nation. Yes, there are problems with what I suggest, but there are more problems if we continue in Washington, DC with "business as usual." McCain said today that we can't continue to have elections that are nothing more than generators of "a battleground for the next election."

A Call for a McCain-Clinton ticket and a government of national unity in a time of great crisis: The following exchange that took place on http://mccainnow.com/ speaks for itself. Serious times demand bold actions. Country must transcend Party. Love to hear your thoughts.

Stephen Maloney May 14, 2008: "There's an old saying that you drop your bucket in the well where water is. Sen. Clinton has a lot of water in her well (in the form of voters). Does she think John McCain would make a better President than Obama? Of course she does, but to say so might put her in the Democratic 'Hall of Infamy.' She can send signals though."

Michel Zala May 14, 2008: "I could not agree more with your opinion. Quite actually, in light of the absolute need to unify this country which faces the gravest challenges in recent decades and on so many dimensions, I dare to propose an outrageous idea: Nominate Hillary as John's candidate for VP. Anything to stop the empty suit with his disastrous ideas which could take the US as well as the entire free world to the brink of the abyss, is good enough for me."

Stephen Maloney May 14, 2008: "Great minds think alike? :-) I sincerely hope John McCain and Mrs. Clinton have some serious, private discussions about running as a "national unity" team. Our beloved country -- and I truly believe both she and John love it dearly -- faces problems we haven't seen since The Great Depression and World War II. Senators McCain and Clinton need to look deeply into their hearts and then do what is best for the country. I'm sure there will be a lot more written about this by others, but I deeply support what you have suggested.I'm putting this exchange up on my Hillary Supporters for McCain blog: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com./Thanks Michel, for making a a truly bold statement.

Note to visitors: Your comments (on this blog or by e-mail to TalkTop65@aol.com) are sought and welcomed."

Andi Card" ("CountryGirl) wrote the following in response to the posts above:"Now that John Edwards has also come out and backed Obama for sure something smells a bit fishy in all these Democrat's positions on Obama. He is one person that no one and I mean no one appears to know much about this man. So why in the World are all these Democrats, along with the Super Delegates backing a man they themselves know nothing about. I also think that the people's votes should certainly count more than any super delegates vote does. As you mentioned look at the bigger states that Senator Clinton has won over Obama. If the super delegates are going to make the decision, instead of the American people then why are we even bothering to vote? Interesting what you've written about here for sure. Something we'll be keeping an eye on for sure. John McCain is the one and only man for our new Commander-in-Chief."

Stephen Maloney wrote the following response to "Andi Card":"Many years ago a guy named Ralph Ellison (a Black man) wrote a great novel -- his only one -- called The Invisible Man. That's Barack Obama, the man no one knows."Fifty-one percent of WV DEMOCRATS said they believe Obama shares Rev. Wright's beliefs. West Virginians may be wiser than the media knows. Michel and I have suggested a radical step for Sen. McCain. I'm interested in what people say about it. My country means everything to do me, and I'm sure it also does to John McCain. We shall see what it means to Sen. Clinton."

Hillary Voters Turn To McCain

Barack Obama in a show of support for his long-time pastor and "spiritual advisor" Rev. Jeremiah Wright. As Obama said of Wright, "I could no more disown him than I could disown by own grandmother." Poor grandma . . .



I'd like to urge you to visit my web site. Today, I have a column discussing the need for McCain and his supporters HillarySupportersforMcCain to reach out to Hillary supporters, many of whom are getting ready to vote for John McCain. As the primary results show, Hillary Clinton is very popular in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Tomorrow, on the Hillary site, I have a column by Jean Avery of Seattle, Washington. She's one of the best political analysts "you've never heard of." She talks about the strengths and weaknesses of the Clinton campaign -- with emphasis on lessons John McCain can learn from the Clinton efforts. http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com.




As many of you know, I'm deeply involved in a growing national movement to reach out to people who support Sen. Clinton in the presidential primaries -- and get them to vote for John McCain in the general election. As many as 10 million Clinton supporters nationally say they will -- or might -- vote for McCain. If he gets most of those votes, he will win the election.



I'm also asking Pennsylvania and Ohio congressional candidates to take the (admittedly unusual) step of strongly endorsing Sen. McCain and denouncing the disturbing comments Obama made about "bitter" (and backward) Americans.

My view of Sen. Clinton is this: yes, I disagree with her on many (even most) issues. No, I don't regard her as "the Witch of Endor." In Pennsylvania, she impressed many of us -- however reluctant we might have been -- with her personal grit and the ferocity of her campaign. In short, in a street-fight I want her on my side. As for Obama, in said street-fight I want him to hold my coat (and Hillary's). I have an important column up today on my new -- and, to my amazement, popular! -- site: http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com/ ("Hatchets Hacking Away at Hillary"). Please visit and, if you'd like, let me know your thoughts. You can leave comments on the blog or write me at: TalkTop65@aol.com.





There's also a lot of discussion of Hillary voters on the important new McCain site: http://mccainnow.com/. Please check out "McCainNow."

Note: On my Pennsylvania for John McCain blog today (Monday) I have a list of "100 Ways to Help John McCain Get Elected." It deals with practical steps you can take to help your favorite candidate. The list can be adapted to apply to ther candidates. I urge you to take a look at it (by clicking on the word "blog" above.) Thanks!

McCain Needs More Straight Talk

I just heard on CBS that their new nation poll shows McCain significantly behind Clinton and Obama. I know: polls are not written in stone but rather in the wind, but the CBS revelation sounded like a chill breeze to me.

There are several reasons McCain might have hit a bump in the road, including the fact the Democratic candidates get about 10 times as much media coverage as our favorite Senator from Arizona. Basically, CNN, MSNBC, and even (sob!) FOX run 24/7 commercials for Hillary and Barack. Would anybody expect a discouraging word from Candy Crowley or Suzanne Malveaux, who serve basically as cheerleaders for Obama?

But Senator McCain bears some of the blame. He's much too nice to Senator Clinton and, especially, Senator Obama. On Chris Mathews show, he said Obama's "bitter" comment was elitist, but he didn't think the Senator himself was "an elitist." Good grief! It's like someone refusing to say Donald Trump is arrogant.

Let's see: Obama said we small town Pennsylvanians (of which I'm one) are "clinging" to our religion, guns, racism, and xenophobia. Elitist? It goes far beyond that. It's despicable . . . reprehensible. Also, since Obama was referring exclusvely to "white folks" (I'm also one of THEM), it had a strong racist tinge.

Obama racist? Well, yeah. After all, he's the guy who called his grandmother (from all evidence a saint) "a typical white person." In his famous Philadelphia speech on "race" (of which no one can remember a single word), he compared grandma to Rev. Wright -- and not favorably.Obama not an elitist? Please, John.

When he says he "respects Senator McCain for his service to the country," the Illinois Senator has to choke the words out. Nothing in Obama's background suggests he understands -- or respects -- people who commit their lives to serving their country. In his days at an exclusive Hawaian prep school, at Columbia, and at "Hahvad Law School," I dont think he ran into a lot of military types. The notion of Obama actually in the military is something like imagining Rosie O'Donnell as Miss America.

We've seen the new Democrat National Committee ad that shows how much they "respect" McCain. It portrays him as guy who presumably would like to continue the Iraq War for "100" years. Their other ad shows McCain as a guy who thinks a lousy economy is just peachy. Trust me, come next October Barack Obama will be saying basically the same thing.

I predicted awhile back that Moveon.org would be calling McCain a "warmonger." About a day after my prediction, they did just that.Since Obama receives most of his mega-millions from Moveon, perhaps he'll tell them to desist? Fat chance. Pigs will qualify as Rockettes before that happens.

I do not believe Barack Obama is a good man. I would have to see some evidence.In fact, I believe he's a taller, more polished, more calculating version of his "spiritual advisor," Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I believe that chucking Obama under the chin when he makes outrageous and false statements only encourages him.

Frankly, when it comes to the Democrats' frontrunner, it's time for McCain's famous temper to make a reappearance. For instance, when Obama makes "elistist" (and worse) comments, the moment has arrived for some straight talk about the nature and character of the man.

Obama is the guy who sat in Rev. Wright's church for 20 years. I'm sure that hearing some strong language from McCain will not cause him to dry up and blow away. More's the pity. Fire when ready, Senator McCain.

(I blog regularly at http://stevemaloneygop.blogspot.com and at http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogpost.com.

The Democrats Dream Team

In regard to the question whether Rev. Wright might switch to Hillary:

I don't think Wright would switch to Hillary -- unless he would really, truly hates her. Wright is politically radioactive and may be declared the world's first "Human WMD." Maybe The Rev. might get a talk show on cable TV? He and Rush Limbaugh would make a great team as long as neither one was allowed to carry sharp objects.

As for Obama, if his Wright problems persist, he might try to get out of it by claiming insanity to explain the 20 years he spent listening to Wright's sermons.

I hope Obama caught Wright's suggestion that he might be available for the vice presidency. Call it the "Dream Team."