Sign of the Apocalypse: John McCain Now Tweeting With Snooki

On the upside there's a glimmer of hope that even the most dense among us are against Obama's policies. The fact this thing called Snooki knows about a tax from ObamaCare means she knows more about the law than your average Democrat?

The obvious downside here? Is there anyone left John McCain won't pander to?

It appears as if a member of the "Jersey Shore" cast is throwing her hat into the political ring -- and making some powerful friends in the process.

Self-proclaimed guidette Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi's comment regarding President Obama's proposed tax on tanning during the opening 10 minutes of the second season of "Jersey Shore" has inspired Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to tweet his opinion on the topic.

In the sneak-peek, first aired on MTV's "Jersey Shore Blowout at the MTV Movie Awards" this past Sunday, Polizzi is seen being spray-tanned by her then-boyfriend.

"I don't go tanning-tanning anymore, because Obama put a 10 percent tax on tanning. I feel like he did that intentionally for us. McCain would never put a 10 percent tax on tanning, because he is pale and probably would want to be tan," Polizzi said.

In response to the comment, McCain, Obama's opponent in the 2008 presidential election, tweeted in support of Snooki and her fellow guidos and guidettes, even making a reference to fellow cast member Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino.

"@Sn00ki u r right, I would never tax your tanning bed! Pres Obama's tax/spend policy is quite The Situation. but I do rec wearing sunscreen!" McCain's Twitter account read.

Polizzi then responded "Haha Yes!!" and re-tweeted the Senator's message.

GOP Senators Rip Man-Child Obama: 'He Needs to Take a Valium Before He Comes in and Talks to Republicans'

It's been a long, long time since I've seen some backbone from Republicans when it comes to standing up to the Democrats, and Obama in particular. Judging by his anemic poll numbers it appears they smell weakness and they're not buying his smartest guy in the room routine any more.

If President Barack Obama thought having a private lunch with Republican senators would ease partisan tensions in Congress, he grabbed the wrong recipe.

The president walked into a remarkably contentious 80-minute session Tuesday in which GOP senators accused him of duplicity, audacity and unbending partisanship. Lawmakers said the testy exchange left legislative logjams intact, and one GOP leader said nothing is likely to change before the November elections.

Obama's sharpest accuser was Bob Corker of Tennessee, a first-term senator who feels the administration undermined his efforts to craft a bipartisan financial regulation bill.

"I told him I thought there was a degree of audacity in him even showing up today after what happened with financial regulation," Corker told reporters. "I just wanted him to tell me how, when he wakes up in the morning, comes over to a luncheon like ours today, how does he reconcile that duplicity?"

Ouch. Way to go, Bob. Keep it up.

Four people who were in the room said Obama bristled and defended his administration's handling of negotiations. On the way out, Corker said, Obama approached him and both men repeated their main points.

"I told him there was a tremendous disconnect from his words and the actions of his administration," Corker said.

Yes, he does have a tendency to talk out of both sides of his mouth. About time these guys noticed.

Just words.

The fun continued.

"He needs to take a Valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans," Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told reporters. "He's pretty thin-skinned."

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he addressed Obama, "trying to demand overdue action" on the giant oil spill damaging Gulf coast states. He said got "no specific response" except Obama's pledge to have an authoritative White House official call him within hours.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Obama's 2008 presidential opponent, said he pressed the president on immigration issues. McCain said he told Obama "we need to secure the border first" before taking other steps. "The president didn't agree," he said.

McCain said he defended his state's pending immigration law, which Obama says could lead to discrimination. It directs police, when questioning people about possible law violations, to ask about their immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" they're in the country illegally.

At the luncheon, McCain said, "I pointed out that members of his administration who have not read the law have mischaracterized the law—a very egregious act on their part."

Burton said Obama told McCain that he has read the Arizona law himself, and his concerns remain.

I find that difficult to believe since his haughty staffers pretty much wear their ignorance of the law like a badge of honor. Since Obama is supposedly some super-genius lawyer, he can't possibly have read the law and still have any concerns.

His ignorance is showing.

Obama would prefer they all just shut up. But the days of just showing up and saying "I won" are a distant memory.

Besides, Obama has no time for the GOP. He's got money to raise for endangered Democrats.

As the Senate wrapped up its business Tuesday, Obama was flying to California to headline a fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer, one of Congress' most liberal members and a top GOP target this fall.

That didn't turn out so well the last time. I wonder if he'll be heckled again?

Speaking of fundraisers, while his administration crumbles in the face of the disastrous Gulf oil spill, his EPA chief sets off to raise money for Democrats. Glad to see they've got their priorities in order.

So much for change.

Frank Rich: John McCain the Leader of the 'Unpatriotic Opposition'

I'm sure Senator McCain will be thrilled to find out he's now unpatriotic for opposing Barack Obama.

The New York Times actually pays Frank Rich for this garbage?

If Reid can serve as the face of Democratic fecklessness in the Senate, then John McCain epitomizes the unpatriotic opposition.

These people scratch their pointy heads and wonder why nobody is paying attention to them.

Oh My: McCain in Dead Heat in Arizona Primary

He's in serious danger of losing in the GOP primary next year against a man who's not even running.

Senator John McCain’s future in the U.S. Senate may be a little less assured than previously thought.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely 2010 Republican Primary voters in Arizona finds the longtime incumbent in a virtual tie with potential challenger J.D. Hayworth. McCain earns 45% of the vote, while Hayworth picks up 43%.

RINOs are an endangered species in Arizona, apparently.

Hayworth, a conservative former U.S. congressman who now is a popular radio talk show host in Phoenix, is reportedly interested in the race but has not formally declared for it. He captures 59% of the male GOP vote, while McCain wins 58% of female voters.

Younger GOP voters like Hayworth more than their elders. McCain has a solid lead among the relatively small number of moderate and liberal Republicans in the state while Hayworth picks up a plurality (48%) of conservatives.

Rather than viewing this as a trend toward more conservatism, expect the media to declare this a "civil war" in the GOP.

In other news from Rasmussen, Barack Obama is still mired at a -14 approval index. It's no longer a statistical anomaly.

Pelosi: Selling Out Eastern Europe a 'Brilliant' Move

Just imagine what this dunce might say if if we treated our allies like friends rather than throwing them under the bus and selling out to Vladimir Putin.

President Obama's decision to scrap a controversial Bush-era missile shield for Europe yesterday calmed Russian fears of a new Cold War -- but outraged critics, who said it weakened the West.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised Obama's "responsible approach."

But critics said Obama was needlessly kowtowing to the Kremlin on the eve of his meeting with Medvedev next week at the United Nations.

"It's just, unambiguously, a bad decision," said John Bolton, former UN ambassador in George W. Bush's administration.

"Russia and Iran are the big winners. I just think it's a bad day for American national security."

Sen. John McCain, Obama's Republican rival in the presidential race, called the reversal "seriously misguided."

On the other hand, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was a "brilliant" move and described it as a "giant step forward."

Obama opted for what he said was a cheaper, more flexible strategy to meet the challenge of Iran's ballistic missiles. He said new intelligence data showed the greatest danger came from Tehran's shorter-range missiles, not the long-range ones anticipated in Bush's multibillion-dollar plan.

Of course now that the Iranians are ready to roll with their own nukes, does Obama have any plan to stop them?

Of course not.

Once the Bush administration committed to the deployment, I grudgingly supported it: We couldn't hang the East Europeans out to dry after strong-arming them for commitments.

Now the Obama administration's made the mess immeasurably worse. It's a lose-lose situation for us -- and for our allies.

Moscow believes we just signed over a new lease on Eastern Europe. And we didn't even get a tin of caviar. Will the Obama-Putin Act go down in history as the post-modern Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact?

Probably more like Neville Chamberlain waving a piece of paper saying we had peace in our time, but we'll see.

If anything, Obama has impeccable timing.

Ironically, Obama's announcement came on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland at the start of World War II -- an event that underscores Warsaw's longstanding fear of aggression from the east.

Moreover, Obama's cave-in to Putin & Co. might make sense if it were part of a quid pro quo -- namely, a firm Russian commitment to take a harder line against Iran's nuclear ambitions. But Moscow has signaled that fresh sanctions against Iran would be "a serious mistake."

Another big winner in this? Why, Obama's pals at GE and MSNBC. Somehow I doubt his flakcs there will utter a single word of criticism.

Stunner: McCain Not Running in 2012

Granted, with Obama being such a disaster he'd probably have a decent shot, but thankfully for the GOP we won't have to envision the possibility.

With unusual ubiquity for a losing presidential candidate, Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain has been popping up all over the media these days.

So it was probably inevitable that he'd get the same question asked of virtually every breathing Republican in these, the Grand Old Party's Days of Disarray: Will you be running for president in 2012?

First of all, McCain's got to win Senate reelection next year.

Second, the party's conservatives still don't like him, although as long as he lost in November, they've pretty much shut up about it for now.

Third, he'd have to raise an awful lot of money, which he genuinely hates doing.

Fourth, if many Americans thought he was too old last fall, how would they feel when he's 76?

Fifth, Republicans do not generally do well running legislators for the White House. (Yes, yes, Nixon was in both the House and Senate -- and that turned out well, didn't it?)

Sixth, I doubt the GOP is going to let the media pick their candidate next time around.

McCain: I Don't Always Agree With My Idiot Daughter

Such an attitude puts him alongside pretty much everyone else in the GOP, despite the media's lame attempts at making this twit some kind of Republican spokesperson.

Sen. John McCain told CNN Friday he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with his outspoken daughter.

Meghan McCain, the 24-year-old daughter of the former Republican presidential nominee, has grabbed the media spotlight this year, thanks to a string of attention grabbing blog posts, television appearances and speeches.

Her comments critical of some of her party's positions, and jabs at some senior Republicans like former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Bush senior advisor Karl Rove, have made her one of this year's hottest young GOP pundits.

Sorry, CNN, but she's not a GOP pundit.

An idiot, yes, but not a GOP pundit.

'I Don't Know Why the President Would Take Him On'

The absolute last person I thought would come to Rush Limbaugh's defense is John McCain. Rush has had no love lost for the Arizona senator all these years, but apparently McCain realizes well who has the ear of the GOP constituency.

Add John McCain to the legion of "dittoheads" sticking up for conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh in the wake of President Obama's lecturing Republicans to quit listening to his top-rated radio program.

Asked yesterday why Obama would make such a warning, McCain replied: "I don't know why he would do that."

"Mr. Limbaugh is a voice of a significant portion of our conservative movement in America," the Arizona senator, last year's Republican presidential nominee, told Fox News yesterday.

"He has a very wide viewing audience, he is entitled to his views, and he has a lot of people who listen very carefully to him," McCain said.

"I don't know why the president would take him on. He's part of the political landscape, and he plays a role."

Obama has badly miscalculated his move to take on the radio behemoth. The thought he could marginalize the most popular conservative in the country has only brought more attention to Limbaugh and again set him up to be a difference-maker in the midterm election, just as he was in 1994. Obama clearly hasn't learned from history.

His problem.

McCain to RNC: Stop Picking on Obama and His Corrupt Cronies

John McCain, never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

In a surprising rebuke to the warriors who fought for him through tough times, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday sided with President-elect Barack Obama and scolded the Republican National Committee for fanning the Illinois corruption scandal.

On ABC’s “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos asked: “The chairman of the Republican National Committee, Mike Duncan, has been highly critical of the way President-elect Obama has dealt with this.

"He's had a statement every single day, saying that the Obama team should reveal all contacts they've had with Governor [Rod] Blagojevich. He says that Obama's promise of transparency to the American people is now being tested. Do you agree with that?”

McCain replied: “I think that the Obama campaign should and will give all information necessary. You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody — right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together, not only on an issue such as this, but on the economy stimulus package, reforms that are necessary. And so, I don't know all the details of the relationship between President-elect Obama's campaign or his people and the governor of Illinois, but I have some confidence that all the information will come out. It always does, it seems to me.”

He doesn't know all the details, yet he's perfectly content to take Barack Obama at his word, for whatever that's worth. At the going rate it's worthless.

It seems to me you should seriously consider retirement, Senator. Or are you perfectly happy to spend your time in office in the minority? Millions of Republicans held their noses and voted for you and this is the thanks we get. A gift-wrapped scandal that could consume the Democrats drops in our laps and you want to criticize us for taking advantage?

The mind boggles.

'Given the Way the Campaign Was Run, This is Not a Surprise'

Bumbling incompetence, a hallmark of the McCain campaign.

These rockheads are selling everything they can from the campaign. Here's some advice: Erase stored information from the laptops and Blackberries firt.

The hottest item? Blackberry phones at $20 a piece. There were only 10 left. All of the batteries had died. There were no chargers for sale. But people were snatching them up. So, we bought a couple.

And ended up with a lot more than we bargained for.

When we charged them up in the newsroom, we found one of the $20 Blackberry phones contained more than 50 phone numbers for people connected with the McCain-Palin campaign, as well as hundreds of emails from early September until a few days after election night.

We traced the Blackberry back to a staffer who worked for “Citizens for McCain,” a group of democrats who threw their support behind the Republican nominee. The emails contain an insider’s look at how grassroots operations work, full of scheduling questions and rallying cries for support.

But most of the numbers were private cell phones for campaign leaders, politicians, lobbyists and journalists.

We called some of the numbers.

“Somebody made a mistake,” one owner told us. “People’s numbers and addresses were supposed to be erased.”

“They should have wiped that stuff out,” another said. But he added, “Given the way the campaign was run, this is not a surprise.”

Ouch.

No Campaign Audit for Obama, McCain to Be Fully Scrutinized

What a joke.

The Federal Election Commission is unlikely to conduct a potentially embarrassing audit of how Barack Obama raised and spent his presidential campaign’s record-shattering windfall, despite allegations of questionable donations and accounting that had the McCain campaign crying foul.

Adding insult to injury for Republicans: The FEC is obligated to complete a rigorous audit of McCain’s campaign coffers, which will take months, if not years, and cost McCain millions of dollars to defend.

So the President-in-Training gets hundreds of millions in dubious credit card money, but McCain follows the rules and he gets punished.

Wonderful.

The Morning After

No, this isn't going to be one of those whiny Mourning After posts where a conservative throws a temper tantrum because he didn't get his way in an election. Frankly, the writing was on the wall that the GOP would lose big so it's not as if there's any crushing disappointment. Using a sports analogy, sometimes it's better to take a whipping than to lose on a last-second field goal where you go back and analyze every play to see where it went wrong.

This election appeared insurmountable from the get-go and so we congratulate President-elect Obama and the Democrats on their victory.

In the end, however, it wasn't quite the bloodbath many forecast, as Obama won by around 52-47%, the Democrats picked up 20 seats at last count in the House, and five in the Senate. And look here
we may have a recount somewhere after all, as the up to the minute tally in Minnesota has Norm Coleman leading Al Franken 1,210,790 to 1,210,028, so that could end up being a six-seat pickup.

So let the Democrats celebrate and enjoy their victory. Now comes the hard part: actually governing and holding their majorities. When they last had such edges following the 1992 elections, they lurched too far to the left and paid an enormous price in 1994.

So for you Republicans and conservatives out there, know that the 2010 election cycle now begins and learn from your mistakes. Know that moving to the left and becoming mushy middle moderates alienates your party base. Know that you need to attract younger voters by preaching strong conservative principles. Know that in America, anyone can be elected and understand that by electing an African-American to the highest office in the land, it also means a Latino can be elected President or an Asian can be elected President, and those are two groups you should actively court.

You can be sure the Democrat House and Senate leadership will drag a President Obama to the left; they just can't help themselves. But if President Obama doesn't want to wake up with a divided government two years from now, he'll resist the urge to move far to the left and will indeed work toward uniting Americans.

The ball is now his. How he plays with it will determine his future and his legacy.

So today, the Democrats and African-Americans should indeed enjoy this historic moment. It's theirs. Now they have to govern and be held accountable, and we'll be there holding them to account.

Update: I see some alleged "journalist" from the Huffington Post has invented a quote and linked here. Having read the above, I would like to know where I was being anything more than gracious to Barack Obama. Here is the "quote" from the HuffPost cub reporter Jason Linkins:

JAMMIE WEARING FOOL: "Now, the Democrats will learn the perils of being in charge of the entire government, and they'll be sorry."

Well, Jason, here's what I said, in case your readers were inclined to think otherwise.

So let the Democrats celebrate and enjoy their victory. Now comes the hard part: actually governing and holding their majorities. When they last had such edges following the 1992 elections, they lurched too far to the left and paid an enormous price in 1994.

Well, what do you know, this is what Nancy Pelosi said today:

While Democrats are eager to churn out the new president's legislative programs, they're also anxious to avoid the electoral wipeout that swept them from power in the 1994 congressional elections.

That's one reason top leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promise not to lurch to the left and give in to pent-up demands from party liberals.

"The country must be governed from the middle," Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Wednesday. "You have to bring people together to reach consensus on solutions that are sustainable and acceptable to the American people."

Of course, Pelosi is as full of shit as Jason Linkins, but she at least understands not to make such mistakes again.

Or to make up quotes and attribute them to others. Maybe when Jason Linkins takes a class in journalism, he'll learn that.

The 9 PM Polls Close, So Where Does This Stand?

Right now there are still the all-important states of Virginia, Ohio and Florida still left to call. The networks rushed to call Pennsylvania at 8 pm, but as of now, the hard numbers only report 3%, but they obviously know something.

At this point, closing are New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado, among others.

Fox calls Wisconin and New Mexico for Obama, North Dakota for McCain, Minnesota and New York for Obama, Michigan for Obama, North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and Florida too close to call.

If McCain is to have any prayer, he may need to sweep those latter six states.

Fox has now fouled my television screen with that lowlife David Axelrod.

The McCain camp says they need a miracle.

As Ace notes, Michael Barone was on Fox saying Obama WPE's (within precinct error) are 10 points worse than his exit polling numbers, so McCain may have a piece of his miracle there.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, this is probably the final post of mine for the evening and some others might chine in. SO if you're looking for other sites to peruse, you can check back with Ace, Hot Air until Allahpundit begins drinking heavily, Instapundit has ongoing updates, as does The Corner. More on the battleground states here.

At 9:18, Fox called Ohio for Obama, which means this is basically over. And with that, this guy is checking out for the evening.

'I Voted for McCain, the Democrat'

So says a guy from South Jersey.

At the Clayton Municipal Building in Gloucester County, Jeff Vanaman, 62, a retired schoolteacher who runs a glassblowing shop in Clayton, said, "the press elected Obama a year ago, and now they're trying to make it come true."

He said he had no idea what outcome to expect in the election, but he voted for McCain.

"There's too much government," he said. "The government needs to be off your back. It seems to me Obama wants to put more government on your back, and McCain doesn't want to change anything. For me, this was really a race between a Democrat and a socialist. And I voted for McCain, the Democrat."

Vanaman said, however, that he, like McCain, was "a Vietnam-era guy. I know what he went through. The man's got guts. John may be older, but I know what I've got with him."

Nearby, Elaine Mecchella, a realtor originally from South Philadelphia who has lived in South Jersey for years and recently moved into a 55-and-older community in Clayton, said she voted for McCain because she is Catholic and "abortion, that's the most important issue."

Left Finally Plays the 'McCain Will Reinstate the Draft' Card

Been wondering when they'd get around to this. Since Iraq has become a non-issue in this campaign, the fear mongers on the left haven't been trying to scare voters into believing the nonsense that the draft will be reinstated.

Until now.

My friends, there is only one way for McCain to make good on his hawkish foreign policy and his virtual pledge of more wars.

McCain will need to institute a draft for young American men (and, given the times, maybe for women as well).

If you are in your late teens and early twenties, or if you are a parent of a person that age, and you have strong views on a renewed draft, it should come into your decision about whether to vote on Tuesday and for whom.

If anyone is going to need a draft, wouldn't Obama need it for his civilian defense force?

'Even More Liberal Than a Guy Who Used to Call Himself a Socialist'

Comparing Obama to Bernie Sanders. Now that's low.

Mr. McCain also brought up, though not by name, the only self-declared socialist in Congress, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and sought to tie him ideologically to Mr. Obama.

"We know that Sen. Obama has been in the left-hand lane of American politics and he's a taxer and a spender. He is the most liberal senator in the United States Senate, by the way -- even more liberal than a guy who used to call himself a socialist.

"My friends, Sen. Obama wants to be redistributor in chief. I want to be commander in chief."

Mr. McCain also referred to a man he called "Joe the Biden," Mr. Obama's running mate who two weeks ago told a group at a fundraiser that Mr. Obama would likely be tested by an international crisis in the first six months of his presidency.

Speaking of Biden, while Sarah Palin draws overflow crowds across the country, a meager 1500 showed up to see him speaking in his own state. Pathetic.

More than 1,500 people crowded on to the green outside Memorial Hall at the University of Delaware on Friday to hear Biden deliver a message of hope and change.

It's Over! Another 'Respected' RINO Jumps Ship

Another fair-weather Republican jumps ship. Seems like they've got a new one lined up every day. Naturally, he piles on Palin.

Ken Duberstein, a White House chief of staff for President Ronald Reagan and an adviser to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2000, tells CNN that he will vote for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

"Well, let's put it this way," Duberstein says, "I think Colin Powell's decision is, in fact, the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."

On MSNBC, Duberstein also voiced skepticism about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

But wait a minute, is he maybe just a bit disgruntled?

Reacting to the news that Ken Duberstein -- former White House chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan and an adviser to Sen. John McCain's, R-Ariz., campaign eight years ago -- today endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., two McCain campaign advisers tell ABC News that in July Duberstein unsuccessfully lobbied to head McCain's transition team should he win the presidency.

"Absolute, complete bulls***," Duberstein responded to the charge, when contacted by ABC News.

"Someone outside the McCain campaign approached me and said I'd be the ideal candidate to head the transition," Duberstein said. "I said, 'For what?'"

Two senior McCain advisers recall it a little differently. They say Duberstein reached out to someone affiliated with the campaign to throw his hat into the ring.

Speaking of Reagan-era relics few have heard from in many moons, one is backtracking. I doubt this will gain as much notice as his statement yesterday?

The pathetic thing is, these folks are now ostracizing themselves from the party while they don't even realize their usefulness to the left has about a 96-hour shelf life.

Update: It's worth noting one Kenneth Duberstein made the maximum $2300 contribution to John McCain on January 30. His donations have been solidly Republican for years, so I suspect he's had a falling out with the McCain camp. Other donations here.

As we had linked earlier to Lawrence Eagleburger, note he also contributed the maximum $2300 to McCain several months ago. At the same time, he's contributed in the past to Obama's useful idiot Chuck Hagel.

On This Day In 1980, Carter Led Reagan By Eight Points

Cheer up, all you poll watchers.

This isn't over yet.

There have been only 2 instances in the past 14 elections, from 1952 to 2004, when the presidential candidate ahead in Gallup polling a week or so before the election did not win the national popular vote: in 2000 (George W. Bush) and 1980 (Jimmy Carter). And in only one of these, in 1980, did the candidate who was behind (Ronald Reagan) pull ahead in both the popular vote and the Electoral College and thus win the election.

Scroll down at the link for results dating back to 1952. While Reagan trailed Carter by eight points among registered voters in the Gallup survey on October 26, 1980, he won going away by 10 points.

Is the same likely to occur this year? Probably not, but keep in mind things are very volatile right now and plenty of embarrassing revelations are making people take notice of what's going on. Granted, while the media was also biased in 1980, it wasn't nearly as bad as the pro-Obama media has been this year. Plus, as inept as Carter was, he didn't have nearly as much baggage as Obama does.

McCain has plenty of work to do, as he trails in a number of battleground states, but despite the efforts of the media to declare the race over, there are still eight days to go.

Is John McCain the next Ronald Reagan? Far from it. But Barack Obama shapes up as being far more to the left than Jimmy Carter, truly a frightening scenario.

For what it's worth, the IBD/TIPP poll has Obama up 46.5-43.3% with 10.1% still undecided. The RCP average has Obama up 7.3 average, but that's skewed by dubious NY Times and Newsweek polls. Today's Rasmussen poll has Obama up by five. Not insurmountable, but very little time to work with.

Maybe if Obama's friends at the Los Angeles Times release that potentially explosive video they're sitting on, things could shift.

'Rejecting the Equality of the Socialist Ant Heap'

I wish I could say I was as optimistic as Salim Mansur about the outcome of the election November 4.

Let's hope he's right.

Polls have piled up like falling autumn leaves informing American voters the election is practically over and only the matter of procedure remains for Sen. Barack Hussein Obama to be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.

The mainstream media and the big establishment it represents have worked hard to generate the impression of inevitability on behalf of Obama for a year now.

But like the shoe that pinches, the awkward reality for media and the big establishment remains the uncertainty of the actual vote count. Any attentive student of human affairs will remain skeptical of those predicting the future with certainty.

The only thing certain about the 2008 election, as with previous ones, is its close finish and the vote from Middle America again will be decisive.

Middle America is the last redoubt of freedom, protective of the first two amendments to the U.S. constitution, and egalitarian while rejecting the equality of the socialist ant heap.

Here Americans instinctively understand the words Thucydides put in the mouth of Pericles, the great Athenian hero, "Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous."

Middle America in this 2008 election has the face of Joe the Plumber alongside Sarah Palin. Joe the Plumber has become the everyman of American politics and with his simple question to Obama he unmasked the Democratic nominee's hidden Marxian economic policy -- from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs -- to "spread the wealth around."

Middle America is the flyover country for the coastal left liberals. Here resides the vast silent majority that has witnessed for the past 40 years radical Americans such as the unrepentant terrorist and self-confessed anarcho-communist Bill Ayers trash their country. The New York Times on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 quoted Ayers, an associate of Obama, saying "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough." Middle America on its part has voted for the Republican ticket in seven of the past 10 presidential elections.

Joe the Plumber representing Middle America will not vote for Obama and his far left liberal views. He understands without prompting Obama's foreign policy is what the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan -- the highly respected Democratic senator from New York and a great patriot -- noted in referring to president Jimmy Carter's foreign policy, "Unable to distinguish between our friends and our enemies, he has essentially adopted our enemies' view of the world."Read the rest. Refreshing to see such wisdom from a member of the media.

Middle America watched the collapse of Soviet Communism in 1991 while extending the frontiers of freedom in distant lands.

Audacity: Democrats Accuse McCain of Fundraising Violations

These people are absolutely shameless. As Barack Obama amasses megamillions in bogus credit card donations, the Democrats have the temerity to accuse John McCain of fundraising violations.

And thanks to a compliant media completely in the tank, they get away with it.

The Democratic Party plans to file a complaint with federal regulators that accuses Republican John McCain's presidential campaign of various violations of campaign finance law.

In a letter to the Federal Election Commission to be submitted Monday, the Democratic National Committee alleges McCain has received donations from 6,653 individuals who exceeded the legal $2,300 limit by at least $1,000 and 23 donation in excess of $50 from anonymous donors. The DNC cited one donor who appeared to have given more than $56,000.

The complaint is based in part on data that the McCain campaign provides on its Web site — an extra step of disclosure not required by election laws. The campaign of Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, does not disclose as much information about its donors as McCain does. Obama only reports the identities of donors who give $200 or more — the legal requirement.

The McCain campaign said Sunday that transactions on its Web site are only updated monthly and do not necessarily reflect corrections that the campaign routinely undertakes.

Of course, this will now probably dominate the news cycle for the rest of the weekend.

These people are just contemptible.

"This is a joke, a sad publicity stunt to divert attention from the recent controversies surrounding Barack Obama's shady fundraising practices, and his campaign's complete refusal to disclose the sources of hundreds of millions of his contributions," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said. "Obviously all of our fundraising strictly follows all campaign finance regulations, which provide for 60 days to reconcile all contributions."