Get Ready for Next Week - The Tax-And-Spend Liberal Attack

At the Republican convention next week, Obama will be attacked as a tax-and-spend liberal. Well, he is liberal - in his tax cuts to the poor and middle class. Below is a graphic that clearly shows this.

Let's pause and remember Obama's words from his convention speech.

"It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America."

So get ready for the attacks. Just more of the same.

Meet the McCain/Palin Families

Below is a photo of the two families from People Magazine which conducted an interview with them just before the announcement of Palin as McCain's VP. Read the entire interview here.

Not shown is Palin's eldest son Track and McCain's six other children. From McCain's first marriage to Carol Shepp: Doug and Andy which he adopted and daughter Sidney. From his second marriage to Cindy: Jack, Jimmy and Bridget. Bridget was adopted from Bangladesh. I found a nice picture of her below. Maybe we'll see them all at the convention next week?

From the interview:

PEOPLE: Do you feel ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?

SARAH: Absolutely. Yup, yup. Especially with a good team around us.

PEOPLE: What's on the dinner table most often in the Palin house?

TODD: Our favorite is moose hot dogs, caribou hot dogs. We get caribou, get 'em ground up and put them into hot dogs. They're Polish.

Get to Know Obama

Obama's Acceptance Speech

Would You Pick Lettuce for $50 an Hour?

John McCain thinks so little of American workers that he doesn't think they'd pick lettuce for more than one day, even if they were paid $50 an hour.

My Vote for Cutest Granny & Grandson at the Convention

Joe Biden's Mom, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, 90-years-old!


And his only grandson, Hunter.

Mini McCain

Best Quotes - Day 2 of the Convention

(Click on name to read full transcripts)

"No way. No how. No McCain." (Sen. Hillary Clinton)

"It makes perfect sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities, because these days they’re awfully hard to tell apart." (Sen. Hillary Clinton)

"John McCain calls himself a maverick, but he votes with George Bush 90 percent of the time. That's not a maverick. That's a sidekick." (Sen. Bob Casey)

"Not four more years. Four more months." (Sen. Bob Casey)

"This election isn't about liberal vs. conservative. It's not about left vs. right. It's about the future vs. the past." (Gov. Mark Warner)

"We simply can't drill our way to energy independence, even if you drilled in all of John McCain's backyards, including the ones he can't even remember." (Gov. Brian Schweitzer)

"I'm sure you remember a girl from Kansas who said there's no place like home. Well, in John McCain's version, there's no place like home. And a home. And home. And home." (Gov. Kathleen Sebelius)

"You know, President Bush inherited the strongest economy in history and a huge budget surplus. He inherited an economy that created 23 million new jobs. I'm a little surprised. You would think the one thing President Bush was good at was inheriting things. Instead he turned a $236 billion surplus into a record deficit and added nearly $4 trillion in new debt. That's the one thing we can say about George Bush: Mr. President, we will be forever in your debt." (Rep. Rahm Emanuel)

Cindy McCain in Georgia

I think it is presumptuous for Cindy McCain to go to Georgia. She is not first lady. But seeing here there today, I was mostly bothered by what she was wearing. Jeans and a t-shirt? She looks like a teenager!

"This is not a time for politics as usual or for run-of-the-mill politicians."

Former U.S. Representative Jim Leach (R-IA) gave a great speech tonight at the DNC Convention. Below are my favorite parts. You can read the full transcript here or watch the speech here.

"In troubled times, it was understood that country comes before party, that in perilous moments mutual concern for the national interest must be the only factor in political judgments. This does not mean that debate within and between the political parties should not be vibrant. Yet what frustrates so many citizens is the lack of bipartisanship in Washington and the way today’s Republican Party has broken with its conservative heritage."

"The party that once emphasized individual rights has gravitated in recent years toward regulating values. The party of military responsibility has taken us to war with a country that did not attack us. The party that formerly led the world in arms control has moved to undercut treaties crucial to the defense of the earth. The party that prides itself on conservation has abdicated its responsibilities in the face of global warming. And the party historically anchored in fiscal restraint has nearly doubled the national debt, squandering our precious resources in an undisciplined and unprecedented effort to finance a war with tax cuts."

"America has seldom faced more critical choices: whether we should maintain an occupational force for decades in a country and region that resents western intervention or elect a leader who, in a carefully structured way, will bring our troops home from Iraq as the heroes they are."

"Whether it is wise to continue to project power largely alone with flickering support around the world or elect a leader who will follow the model of General Eisenhower and this president’s father and lead in concert with allies. Whether it is prudent to borrow from future generations to pay for today’s reckless fiscal policies or elect a leader who will shore up our budgets and return to a strong dollar. Whether it is preferable to continue the policies that have weakened our position in the world, deepened our debt and widened social divisions or elect a leader who will emulate John F. Kennedy and relight a lamp of fairness at home and reassert an energizing mix of realism and idealism abroad."

"The portfolio of challenges passed on to the next president will be as daunting as any since the Great Depression and World War II. This is not a time for politics as usual or for run-of-the-mill politicians. Little is riskier to the national interest than more of the same. America needs new ideas, new energy and a new generation of leadership."

The Criticism Card

From a Kos diarist...

Would McCain Reinstate the Draft?

In the video below, McCain does not disagree with an audience member on the need to reinstate the draft in order to "chase bin Laden to the gates of hell". The Obama campaign needs to make it clear to voters that McCain is dangerous. McCain has a foreign policy based upon promoting democracy in the world through the use of force. Not only would he not hesitate to take us to war with the likes of Russia or Iran, but he'll make sure your sons and daughters can't say no.

Hillary Will Be McCain's VP

Well, according to my husband that is. He's been saying this since last March. He thinks that a McCain/Clinton ticket would be unbeatable. And it seems this week the Clintons have been giving him more meat to chew on.

Last Monday, on the same day that Bill Clinton praised McCain on energy policy, Hillary's brother and other Hillary supporters met with McCain's top economic adviser, Carly Fiorina.

I still find his theory highly unlikely.

Update: After Hillary's speech at the convention, no way, no how would she ever be his VP!

McCain’s Top Ten Excuses For Being Late To Saddleback Church

One question I wish the media would ask is, why was McCain late to the Saddleback Civil Forum last Saturday night? Reagan was never late! So since no one is asking and he's not saying, I've come up with some excuses for McCain.

McCain’s Top Ten Excuses For Being Late To Saddleback Church

10. I was taking a nap. I wanted to be in top form. As you can see from my performance, it worked!

9. I was watching the Olympics. That Misha Phelps is an excellent swimmer!

8. Interrupt my suppertime? I don’t think so.

7. I was working on my weekly Presidential radio address.

6. Kept mulling over whether to use sandal or stick in my “dirt in the cross” Christmas story.

5. My motorcade was held up by the local paparazzi.

4. I don’t usually work weekends.

3. I got caught up in prayer for Georgia and Florida.

2. Me? Follow the rules? I’m a maverick!

1. My friends, I’m a P.O.W. How dare you question my integrity!