Sorry, I would take Robert Rubin and William Donaldson among others over Carly Fiorina and Phil Gramm.

Good.

Meryl, I believe the Iraq war was over within weeks of March ‘03. What we’ve had since is an occupation. And there is no “winning” an occupation. But, you’re right. If we leave there will be slaughter… of course there is slaughter as we stay, as well.

It’s a catastrophe.

But it’s a catastrophe created by the Republican right and enabled by centrist Democrats.

As for Israel, you’re goddamn right she’s on her own.

The reason that I found this place is because of my participation on dKos and some of the other left liberal blogs. I definitely see hatred toward Israel being constructed by the left anti-Zionist movement in the liberal blogs. They believe Israel represents a unique evil and they spout classic anti-Semitic themes, such as Israel (or Zionists or Jews) control the US media or government.

There numbers are still small, thankfully, and most liberals definitely do not share their obsession with Israel, but I worry about their influence.

Surely you realize that formulating national policy in a crisis while conducting a (non-incumbent) presidential campaign is tricky at best. Neither McCain nor Obama has had the time nor the energy to develop a coherent economic policy while running for the White House. The difference between them is that McCain has, as you say, been floundering around trying to come up with a coherent strategy. Obama has largely sat on the sidelines, as is his MO, waiting to see which way the wind blows.

Neither candidate has impressed me much with his response, so I look to who appears to have the better record in terms of judgment and temperment in appointing qualified advisors and in making sober and rational decisions when their attention is focused on the job. Obama doesn’t come out on top. Your mileage may vary.

it is clear to me that Barack is more likely to end the Iraq war and less likely to attack Iran

You say that like it’s a good thing.

First of all, the Iraq war is all but over. We won. Obama wanted to withdraw American troops regardless of the effect that would have on Iraq. He and the New York Times were perfectly content to let thousands more Iraqis die from terrorism and sectarian violence.

As for attacking Iran, well, it’s pretty clear to me that we’re not going to do that. The world is too fragile financially to risk shutting down Middle Eastern oil. And after all, the world didn’t stop Europe from nearly destroying all of its Jews. Really, no matter what American politicians say, I don’t believe America is going to risk American lives to stop Iran from destroying Israel. Israel is on her own.

So let’s put aside those two issues and tell me who you think will recover the economy better, and why.

It does seem rather fishy (heh) that Michelle Obama received that promotion shortly after Barack became Senator. However, it’s impossible for me to make any real judgments on the matter without actual evidence of wrongdoing.

In any case, as I say, I am a liberal and a Democrat and I have many of the biases of liberals and Democrats. Therefore, when I look at the two parties, and at the candidates from the two parties, it is clear to me that Barack is more likely to end the Iraq war and less likely to attack Iran

Thus he has my support.

And then she turns around and claims that the report vindicates her.

So, therefore, Palin was lying.

But, really, the thing of it is for me is that I cannot imagine putting this woman in the position of potentially becoming the President of the United States.

She represents a particular right-wing brand of politics that I find particularly distasteful. It’s the “culture war” garbage that I hoped we had moved beyond. She’s all about God, Gays, and Guns, essentially. That’s the tradition that she comes out of… George W. Bush’s political tradition of faux-populism. She’s the contemporary version of Pappy “Pass the Biscuits” O’Daniel.

I simply do not trust her.