Well, it's happened, and it's no surprise. Barack Obama, the prospective Democratic presidential candidate, has managed to turn a 5-8 point lead over prospective Republican opponent John McCain into a 7-point deficit -- a double-digit slide -- in just two and a half months following a campaign that had voters really excited over his candidacy.

How did he manage this feat (which is documented in the latest Reuters/Zogby poll)? Simple: he followed the tried-and-true strategy of Democratic centrist advisers who have increasingly dominated his campaign since the end of the primaries, and who have a proven track record of producing Democratic electoral disasters now for several decades.

Like John Kerry and Al Gore before him, Obama, who ran his primary campaign as a liberal, staking out an anti-war position, has morphed over recent weeks into a Republican-lite candidate, calling for a hard line against Palestinian rights, threatening to attack Iran, calling for an expansion of the disastrous war in Afghanistan, and backing away from genuine health care reform and other important progressive goals here at home.
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Video animation.

 

 

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A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Richard A. Stitt

William Shakespeare wrote in Richard III, "For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, Villain, thou know'st no law of God nor man: No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity."
 
Yet, even Shakespeare's vilest beast could never sink into the miasma of filth and lies that the Republican Party and their standard-bearer, John McCain, have sunk. Unfortunately, the latest fusillade of lies and slander aimed at Barack Obama is only the beginning of the level of toxicity and aura of stench that will saturate the public airwaves on Screech Radio and the Fox News Channel between now and November. Los Angeles Times columnist Tim Rutten encapsulated the degree of hard Right-Wing venom and hate.
 

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A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
by Amy Weiss

In a conference call Wednesday, Democratic National Committee (DNC) General Counsel Joe Sandler said the DNC is urging the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to fully investigate Sen. John McCain's withdrawal from public financing during the primary. Sandler claims McCain never made the request to withdraw, and shouldn't have been allowed to if he did.

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I have been talking this week about the neglected topics of the 2008 presidential campaign. So far, I have mentioned education and health care, two topics where Obama stands head and shoulders above McCain, yet the topics haven't seen much light.

But today's topic is one where it isn't clear where both candidates stand: the Fourth Amendment.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

The idea that in 2008, we need a discussion on privacy and the Fourth Amendment is beyond outrageous. We grew up in school learning and believing in the Constitution, but especially the Bill of Rights. The Eighth Amendment has taken a cruel and unusual beating from the Supreme Court. We know the Second Amendment is thriving, thanks to questionable interpretations designed to lead to more murders in our nation's urban areas. And you haven't had to stow away any military personnel lately, so the Third Amendment is in good shape.
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So Barack Obama might decide his running mate today, or not. Hey, it's not like he has to decide soon. Uh, really? Next week? Wow!! Maybe we will know soon.

I have been critical of this timetable because it will diminish momentum for his VP pick. But given the choices so far, perhaps the strategy is brilliant.

Oh, the names being talked about are certainly capable, and are qualified, and are ZZZZZZZZZZ.

In any other year, the names being toted by the MSM as the shortlist would be perfectly acceptable. Same goes for John McCain. But there is something about 2008 that makes the ordinary seem, well, not good enough.

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