NoharnessMar 22nd, 2008 - 09:07:31

Something that matters:

blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/x-prize-rolls-o.html

Report this comment

We get it already..Mar 22nd, 2008 - 16:14:07

Really, lets have another 'roundup' of this non-event.

Report this comment

Obama adviser heads company behind passport crimeMar 22nd, 2008 - 17:02:21

Bill Gertz and Jon Ward report that one of the people who illegally accessed the presidential candidates’ passport records works for a company headed by an adviser to the Barack Obama campaign.

The State Department investigation of improper computer access to passport records of three presidential candidates is focusing on one remaining employee — a contract worker with a company headed by an adviser to the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama.

The probe by State’s inspector general will include polygraph tests for supervisors in the passport section to find out whether the three contract employees who accessed the records had a political motive or were part of a political operation to obtain personal data on Mr. Obama, Sen. John McCain or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Two of the three contract employees had been fired before The Washington Times first reported Thursday on security breaches involving Mr. Obama’s passport records. The furor expanded yesterday to incidents involving the passport records of Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton.

The third employee, who has not been fired, worked for The Analysis Corporation (TAC), which is headed by John O. Brennan, a former CIA agent who is an adviser to Mr. Obama’s presidential campaign on intelligence and foreign policy.

The TAC employee is the only individual to have accessed both Mr. Obama’s and Mr. McCain’s passport information without proper authorization, a State Department spokesman said. That employee, who was not named, triggered an electronic alarm system, officials familiar with the probe said.

Report this comment

Obama now doing what got Nixon fired...Mar 22nd, 2008 - 17:04:58

Passports probe focuses on worker

By Bill Gertz and Jon Ward
March 22, 2008

'Two of the three contract employees had been fired before The Washington Times first reported Thursday on security breaches involving Mr. Obama's passport records. The furor expanded yesterday to incidents involving the passport records of Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton.

The third employee, who has not been fired, worked for The Analysis Corporation (TAC), which is headed by John O. Brennan, a former CIA agent who is an adviser to Mr. Obama's presidential campaign on intelligence and foreign policy.'

www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080322/NATION/2437 62495/1001

Report this comment

Obama tied to passport information theftMar 22nd, 2008 - 17:19:01

Obama tied to passport breach

Posted Sat Mar 22 10:24:51 2008
Obama campaigners snooping

The State Department investigation of improper computer access to passport records of three presidential candidates is focusing on one remaining employee — a contract worker with a company headed by an adviser to the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama

The probe by State's inspector general will include polygraph tests for supervisors in the passport section to find out whether the three contract employees who accessed the records had a political motive or were part of a political operation to obtain personal data on Mr. Obama, Sen. John McCain or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Two of the three contract employees had been fired before The Washington Times first reported Thursday on security breaches involving Mr. Obama's passport records. The furor expanded yesterday to incidents involving the passport records of Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton.

The third employee, who has not been fired, worked for The Analysis Corporation (TAC), which is headed by John O. Brennan, a former CIA agent who is an adviser to Mr. Obama's presidential campaign on intelligence and foreign policy.

The TAC employee is the only individual to have accessed both Mr. Obama's and Mr. McCain's passport information without proper authorization, a State Department spokesman said. That employee, who was not named, triggered an electronic alarm system, officials familiar with the probe said.

TAC, a McLean-based information firm that has helped the State Department automate the Terrorist Watchlist over the last several years, issued a statement last night that it had been notified earlier in the day that one of its contractors had acted improperly. The firm said it had honored a State Department request not to fire its consultant to help the investigation.

'This individual's actions were taken without the knowledge or direction of anyone at TAC and are wholly inconsistent with our professional and ethical standards,' the company wrote.

Calls to the Obama campaign about Mr. Brennan were not returned.

Report this comment

Obama Lost My Trust And VoteMar 22nd, 2008 - 17:35:29

Over the past exciting months of the political campaign for our next presidential nominees, there has been a refreshing spirit of democracy the world has been able to witness which remains to this day. As we encourage democracy around the world, at times, it has not been widely received nor have we always been exemplary of its precepts.

During this presidential campaign however, democracy is at its best. We’ve had admirable, dedicated and competent Americans running for office and the primaries have been exciting and surprising from one day to the next, and continue to be. Personally, I’ve been proud of the divergence of ideas and views, propositions for healing and strengthening our nation, and for the most part, without the ugliness that usually plagues election years.
Click to learn more...

Sure, there have certainly been controversies, but one controversy in particular, which I feel the need for clarification, is my reason for writing this letter. It’s been on my mind ever since we were witness to the shocking rhetoric of Rev. Jeremiah Wright last weekend. You see, Barack Obama had my vote, until I saw those videos. I was more than disappointed, my trust was lost. Why? One’s affiliation with their church for 20 years is important in a person’s life for all of the obvious reasons. One is part of a congregation of friends and relatives who share beliefs. The word is translated through the minister of the church. One tithes into the church in its support. The minister is at the helm. Parishioners can and should object if there are questions of impropriety; if not, the minister is empowered.

Of course, parishioners can also leave….seek another church and congregation more in keeping with their own attitudes, feelings and beliefs. These are very difficult personal decisions an individual has to make. When I heard the hateful rhetoric of Rev. Wright, like most Americans, I was appalled. Are these the words of Christ? Are these the words of healing and bringing people together?

I also learned that there are associations between Rev. Wright’s church and Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam in this country. I had even wondered some weeks ago why Barack Obama accepted the endorsement from Louis Farrakhan, I am still waiting for an explanation. Readers of this article can Google Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam and know what I’m talking about. I’m very concerned about these recent revelations because, being a Washington D.C. native, where politics and issues make for dinner table conversations as opposed to gossip of one type or another, Louis Farrakhan raised a lot of havoc in D.C in the 1970’s and 1980’s and I was appalled then, why wasn’t the guy deported? Laws protect, that’s why.

Rev. Farrakhan has been operating under the radar lately, until now. The expose of his funding the Obama campaign, and worse, of Sen. Obama accepting his endorsement, and yet worse, knowing that Rev. Wright follows the same radicalism and rhetoric in his church as Rev. Farrakhan makes me more than nervous. Perhaps it is also my belief in the separation of church and state which fuels my concerns.

In short, Sen. Obama has not only lost my vote, but my trust. Last weekend, when all of this all came to light, only then did Sen. Obama decide to disassociate himself from Rev. Wright’s rhetoric, but not from Rev. Wright. He claims if he had known about the sermons he would have done so right away. Now, he refers to him as “my former pastor.” This is all very convenient, but not believable.

To make matters worse, Mr. Obama turned the tables making the entire episode a matter of race. This is equally offensive because all you have to do is look at the number of citizens of all races and religions who have endorsed Mr. Obama, working hard in his campaign, so it’s really insulting to suggest that there is so much racial discrimination in this country that it may cost him his nomination. The only thing that will cost Mr. Obama his nomination is the deep concern that voters have with his affiliations, and I think now we need to address these very closely, as one would with any candidate under the circumstances.

Melinda Whiteman

www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_124374.asp

Report this comment

NoharnessMar 22nd, 2008 - 20:07:59

Something that REALLY matters:

blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/x-prize-rolls-o.html

Report this comment

Something that REALLY matters:Mar 22nd, 2008 - 21:55:10

Very bad poll news for Obama and the Dems
Richard Baehr
The latest news from the Rasmussen Tracking Poll is very encouraging for McCain.

Obama's favorable-unfavorable is 46 to 51, its all time low, demonstrating no ability yet to stanch the bleeding. No wonder they trotted out Bill Richardson with his Fu Man Chu beard.

But here is really evidence of what has happened with white voters:

* Arkansas: McCain leads Clinton 50-43. McCain leads Obama by 59-30.
* Kentucky: McCain leads Clinton 53-43. He destroys Obama 64-28.
* Lower middle income whites have deserted Obama. In one Pennsylvania poll, Clinton now leads Obama by 26. She has now taken the lead from him in North Carolina. Rasmussen national numbers: Clinton 46, Obama 44.
* Head to head general: McCain 49, Obama 41; McCain 49, Clinton 43.


No question that Hillary is the stronger general election candidate. She is more competitive in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida. Obama does better than Hillary in states Dems will lose anyway: Georgia, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska.

Other good news:

* Only Arkansas among Southern states was really in play. Now McCain leads even Clinton there.
* McCain is very well-positioned in Florida: Sen. Lieberman will get Jewish votes for him, veterans, Cubans, northern Panhandle whites don't like Obama or Clinton.
* Virginia is suprisingly strong for McCain, who holds solid leads over both Dems.

Report this comment

Guess folks don't like the reverendMar 22nd, 2008 - 23:13:53

Survey USA is out with a raft of new state polls showing General Election Matchups between John McCain and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The only word to describe them is -- shocking -- especially if you are a Democrat. Against the likely Dem nominee, Barack Obama, McCain has put several must-win states for the Democrats in serious play -- Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin -- in this series of polls. Here are the numbers:

Massachusetts

47% John McCain
47% Barack Obama

42% John McCain
55% Hillary Clinton

Minnesota

47% John McCain
46% Barack Obama

46% John McCain
49% Hillary Clinton

Alabama

62% John McCain
35% Barack Obama

56% John McCain
38% Hillary Clinton

Kentucky

62% John McCain
28% Barack Obama

53% John McCain
43% Hillary Clinton

Missouri

53% John McCain
39% Barack Obama

48% John McCain
46% Hillary Clinton

Wisconsin

44% John McCain
48% Barack Obama

45% John McCain
46% Hillary Clinton

Kansas

51% John McCain
39% Barack Obama

55% John McCain
36% Hillary Clinton

Ohio

50% John McCain
43% Barack Obama

44% John McCain
50% Hillary Clinton

Report this comment

SP4: Muuuthafuuu---ka!Mar 23rd, 2008 - 00:09:39

'Muuuuthaf---ka! Sheiiit, this pres be slamin mah peeps! Ah saay Daamn!'

'Barak....try not to use ghetto anymore dear...you're running for president and it scares the sh-t out of white people dear...well..unless you're Will Smith!'

'Sorry Honey...(best Chapelle white voice) I am just fit to be tied by all this silly nonsense about my spiritual advisor. I'll be more careful!'

'Thank you honey. I know...it hurts sometimes to be associated with this oreo cookie preacher and all, and we're desparately trying to cut ourselves loose from his black ass, but he was useful in the state runs and we need to be careful!'

'Gosh hon, I am so impressed by your discipline. I mean, the crack about America had you looking like an angry bee haaatch but...'

'Barak...!'

'Sorry hon...slip of the tongue....'

'That's better!'

'So..hon..how do we fool whitey now?'

'Well Barak, we play to the strength... lt's start with the assuagement of the libberals, heap on some guilt, then acknowledge that immigrint whites came here with nothing after slavery and got screwed too! Heap on some MLK with a does of grievence, then end with something uplifting. Make sure you soundbite on Michigan. Hon...you cannot let any group think they are not victims..otherwise they end up republicans and that just f--ks us in th ass hon! I mean, let Hillary do that for you! '

'Dear, you are a peach! What would I do without you?'

'You'd be a piss ant, peckerwood lawyer in s. Chi dear!'

'Gosh...that's right! hon!'

'Now, go call the coal companies and Mr. Rezko before they get nervous dear! Also, we keep getting e mails from a Mr. Hsu...do you know him? Find out if he's doner!'

'OK hon!'

Report this comment