Obamas returning from Hawaii vacation

its a mess he will try to fix with our hard earned money and BIGGER government. by the time this is over our taxes will look like europe's

its a mess he will try to fix with our hard earned money and BIGGER government. by the time this is over our taxes will look like europe's

Give me a break, it is the Neocons mess he will be cleaning up with our money that Bush misspent.

President Bush tries to set an example for Americans whenever he can, in terms of physical fitness, faith, optimism and a certain overall moral rectitude. He also sets an excellent example on taking vacation.

Bush left [on August 9] for a weekend in Kennebunkport, Maine, and his family's summer compound, Walker's Point. On Monday, he heads to his Crawford retreat, where he has spent all or part of 418 days of his presidency, according to Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent and meticulous record-keeper.

Let me sum this up for everyone. Only stupid would vote for stupid and rally around all the stupid things he did and stood for. I am so glad 2009 and there after will be different.

obama needed the rest because he has to being the 4 year re-election campaign trail starting Jan 21, 2009.

143 days in Senate before running for President.

"its a mess he will try to fix with our hard earned money and BIGGER government"

Yet it's the Republicans that keep making the government bigger.

Maybe try doing what Obama just did in the public eye under heavy artillery scrutiny for 21 plus months.  

No empathy or appreciation from you, Dude...?! 

Happy New Year!   Sincere best wishes for 2009 to you and your family.

While the current President Duh Bush spent the last two weeks on a Ranch in Crawford Texas watching it all on TV, I assumed he was watching, maybe he was watching Sponge Bob Square Pants, that's more his speed.

RedAmerican1, surely you jest.  He hasn't even been sworn in yet.  Meanwhile, the current sitting president was off on his own vacation; maintaining his MOST VACATIONING PRESIDENT IN HISTORY RECORD.  During his 8 years, he has taken more than 2 years worth of vacation, and when he wasn't on an official vacation, he was just completely out of touch.

Stella, RedAmerican1 is only reversing one of the lines he will be reciting everyday from inauguration day onward.

Red American 1 - I thought I could start the New Year off with some common sense dialouge - but your post will be saved throughout 09 as the most ridiculous of the Year...

Where has THE CURRENT PRESIDENT BEEN?

Think if you do some checking as Stella referred to - before 9/11 Bush had been out of Washington more then any sitting President....

Do a quick check on exactly where he was for KATRINA - and it took him 3 days to fire up Air Force One...

Thanks for the New Years LOL - I'm still chuckling!

stella,

were you with the President all 8 years? if not you have no proof of what you just posted. so shut-up

Trco,

stella,

were you with the President all 8 years? if not you have no proof of what you just posted. so shut-up

Why don't you follow the advice you gave Stella?  Go Google his vacation before you go blasting her.  I haven't looked it up but I know he's taken a lot.

Obama is right in taking a vacation with his family now.  His responsibilities to the electorate start on Jan.  20.

Last thing I read about Bush vacations was 800+ days.  Let me think...........something like 100 days per year, every year?  Hard working man!

RED America1 :How dumb are you really?   There is a President (Bush) who is not watching.  He can finally go away officially on Jan 20th.  Bush is the President now and I know you want to blame Obama, but it won't take affect until Jan 20th.  You have 18 more days before your rhetoric can take hold.

you cant even spell and your criticizing your parents

.....is not in Hawaii.

Read a map sometime.

good reply!

Hussein is a pimp face it

i heard your a prostitute

Give the guy a chance.  He's not even been sworn in yet!  What's wrong with his staying in that home and vacationing in Hawaii?  No law against it.

It's only ok if a democrat takes a vacation.  If a conservative takes a vacation, they are turning their back on the country.

Well, if they take several hundred days, they are....

 TRED 54: You are such a republican.  Who put the economy in the toilet?  Who was in charge when all the thing you have in your problem column was done?  Not Obama, but BUSH. 

How about letting the man get in office first before condemning him with the Bush policies that have the econonmy in the toilet, our soliders in a war, the rich getting richer and so on.............

"Who put the economy in the toilet? "

This is what you libtards don't understand. Why are we in the financial mess we are in?

#1 - Islam radical fanatics that created this war and keep it going with terrorist acts upon innocent people. The reason our military budget is so high is because we have to fight them to the end to break free of their jihadist principles. Barack Hussein Obama will find out how true this is in less than 3 weeks. He is going to either disappoint a) all you liberals who expect him to reduce the military budget, or b) the vast majority of Americans who expect our POTUS to protect us through military strength if he is stupid enough to stop the WOT.

#2 - Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac which were run by fine democrats such as Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and Franklin Rains, and then assisted by other fine demonuts Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Get this through your head libtards - if not for the democrats we would not have had the housing crisis that caused the destruction of a robust US economy.

#3 - Manipulation of the oil and stock markets by those loyal to demonut idealologies right before the election. Except it got out of control, much worse than they anticipated it would be. Now we are in a downward spiral.

So who put us in this mess? Not Bush and the conservatives. It was the liberal democratic congress that created this mess and now the same people will have to figure out how to get us out. Your new messiah is going to fail and I can't wait to start piling on like the demonuts did to Bush. In fact I predict that 50% of you current Barack Hussein Obama supporters will not support him in six months after you find out who he really is and what his policies are.

I say f-you to all you flaming idiots who elected the guy who is now the most powerful man in the world.

Free America670934;  Stunningly ignorant and stupid comment.  No, F-you, and that incompetent and corrupt party that you cling to.  Everything and I mean everything that your reichwingnuttery has done is wrong and has hurt the people of this country.  Your ideology is stupid and warped.  Get lost.   You and your kind are a bunch of sore losers and have left behind a mess of epic proportions.  STFU and pray that President Obama can start to fix the damage that the wack-job neocons you call leaders have put upon their citizens.  It really must suck to be you.  lol

Godspeed Obama.

Margoharris - you gotta be kidding.  Dems are the most corrupt party ever.  Neither party is free of corruption but WOW.  The guy you voted for is up to his neck in corrupt ties.  Obviously if he hangs with scum, he's probably scum too.  Birds of a feather...

I wish Obama the best with fixing the messed up country we are in.  EVERY plan he "comes up with" has ALREADY BEEN TRIED AND FAILED MISERABLY.  He is no agent of change.  He is recycling trash that didn't work in the first place.  

And as far as being sore losers, that's not true at all.  What you are seeing is people who are not brainwashed realizing we are in for one heck of a ride while an inexperienced socialist tries on-the-job training while at the same time taking the money out of the hands of the workers and giving it to those who wait for a welfare check each month.  

You are seeing those who pay for health care insurance realizing OUR rates are going to go up while others get mediocre health care from the government that costs double what good health care costs.  The difference is that the extra cost will be past to those of us who WORK for a living.  You do realize that even with a government health care plan, if you want good coverage you still have to pay, don't you?

What you are seeing that you interpret as "sore losers" are those of us who pretty much already pay WAY TOO MUCH in taxes realizing that we will be taxed even more.  There is not a single thing Obama has said he'd fix without increasing spending.  Where do you think all the extra money that will be spent will come from?

? really how many sexual deviants have floated to the surface the last 8 years?  Fraudsters?  Yall keep pointing to clinton but for every 1 corrupt Dem there's at least 6 GOPers, even with Bush not prosecuting much these last 8 years.

And you really need to look at Reagan's tenure and Pappy Bush and Baby Bush and look how much they increased the burden on future generations to pay for wars as well as social programs.

As a democrat I'll accept the label tax and spend, thats responsible.

As a republican you need to accept the label borrow and spend, and that is not responsible.

Um, Blearc - I read my comment above and guess what?  I didn't mention Clinton at all.  That's what you call your own self conscience letting you know your party is full of scum and the first one that came to your mind is Clinton.  He's one in a line of hundreds of lousy dems.

Tax and spend is not responsible.  How about conserve and don't tax?  We are taxed like crazy already.  We get taxed on our checks when we work, taxed when we buy gas to go get the things we need to live.  Then when we buy things we need to live we get taxed.  Every utility is taxed, phones, cell phones, death, marriage, basically any move we make we get taxed.  If you like smoking or drinking you are taxed even heavier because then you are a sinner.  We get taxed for driving, and for owning vehicles.  If you are a fisherman, you get taxed in the form of having to buy licences, if you hunt you get taxed for the licenced, ammo, gun, clothing, etc.

Can you think of one thing we don't get taxed on already?  WHY WOULD YOU WANT MORE TAXES?  What a loony thing to want.

As for borrow and spend, obviously that is bad but that happens on both sides.  When was it that we were not in debt as a country last?

what would you like him to do?

McCain was not going to win the liberal press saw to that

Gracie H, only Republican's seem to bring up this Messiah nonsense. What should Obama be doing that Bush can't do? After all Bush is the President, right?

You've answered your own question when you stated 'Obama isn't officially "president" yet,' so why you're blaming him for Bush's mistakes sounds ridiculous. Obama won't be dealing with the problem his foreign team will be dealing with the problem (Hilary) and advising him in making any major decisions.

McCain was not going to win the liberal press saw to that

NotWonderful, you need to drop the racist rhetoric.  You also need to quit making excuses for McCain and save them for yourself.  McCain is a good man and it doesn't need people like you helping him.

While these men may appear to be on vacation I seriously doubt their positions allow them to really be on vacation.  We can all get on these sites and go after each other and their candidates, but at the end of the day reality is staring us in the face.   We have some serious problems and it doesn't matter who you support.   Something has happened to cause Obama to change his campaign promises, and many of those changes came after he was briefed within the first few days of the election.  Those changes align with Bush's policies or what has been perceived as Bush's policies.  Those who voted for Obama have voiced their opinions, but he seems determined to stay this course.  So either he lied to everyone so he could get voted in (doubtful, or he could kiss his second term goodbye) or the briefings few days after the election shed some light on why certain situations were being handled as they were. 

If this true, then more than likely the problems are much worse than we can even  imagine.  Bickering among ourselves won't solve the problems we are going to face as a nation.  This is a time to unite, put our petty differences aside and do what is necessary to see to the success of our country.   At the end of the day this is our country, and no matter how many different individual interests we have, we all share in the belief that we have the right to life, liberty and the persuit of happiness.   We are responsible for putting those in office who share our beliefs, and listen to what the citizens want, and for removing those from office that do not.   We need to insist the media give us the news without their opinions or agenda.   We need to remind the government, which has become greedy, that they work for us and when they fail to do their job, we replace them.  And those who commit criminal acts will be punished. 

We can choose to push up our sleeves, get to work and take an active roll to insure our future and that of our children, or we can sit on our hands and continue to bash each other.  Americans have always shown a strength of character to preservere, and to never give up.    I wish our country and each of you the best for 2009. 

Joe - Your comment on WildWonderful "you need to drop the racist rhetoric" proves without a shadow of a doubt that you voted Obama simply because he is black.  I can say with 99% certainty that you are white and feel that artificial white guilt that the media has placed on you.  

I read Wildwonderful's comments and have yet to find ANYTHING in the comments that is racist.

Accusing somebody of being racist when in fact he/she is not is a HUGE mistake because then true racists (like say, Rev. Wright and any of his followers) get off the hook.  The word racist loses all its powers.  Careful what you throw out there because it will ultimately bite you in the rear later.

Grace:  McCain would still be wondering around the stage with Palin flying around shooting wolf about this time of the year.  To Hell with you and your coherts for trying to make this man any less than what other President-Elects do during this time.  When Bush was President elect he stayed at his ranch until the Inaugration.  The only difference Clinton didn't leave the country in peril the way Bush is leaving it.  Get your Bush out and go already!!!!

GOP RULES=GOP BLOWS!  What a load of crap you spew.  White guilt?  WTF??  Reichwingnuttery invention.  I voted for the man with the plan.  What did old McCain have to offer?  I was a POW.  No Thank you.  He was wrong on all counts as are the rest of your St. Ronnie worshipers and wack-jobs.  Go Away.....sore losers.  lol

Godspeed Obama

GOP, your screen name and your attitude is one of the main reasons the GOP has fallen on it's butt.  Thankyou

GOP,

Did you read this comment by old Wonderful.  If you don't think it is racist then you are just plain blind.

What is there to understand about black people? I find it so amazing that Asians come to our country cant speak the language and in one generation educate their kids and acquire wealth. What is missing here? Wildwonderful

Its am amazing Cyphers how you think Bush did it all. I am curious as to what you etc

Your response didn't make much sense, but I managed to make it out.  And the list would be too long, and if your a Bush freak......you'd just deny it anyway.

Ain't going to waste my time..........especially, if you even had to ask.

And you think Democrats can think?  My My   Go listen to the Howard Stern interviews. See people being told McCain's views being substituted for Hussein's.  They are being told that Palin is Hussein's VP pick yet they still say Hussein

Tommy

 Go to You Tube and look up Peggy Joseph

I aint never going to have to worry about gas for my car

I aint never going to have to worry about my car payment

I aint never going to have to worry about my mortgage

I got him (Hussein)

Think she might be sub prime

your a loose cannon

Who is this Hussein person everybody is talking about. The President Elect's name is Barack Obama. I know what his middle name is, but would it kill you to use his proper name?

Really, it's very childish.

And before you go over the edge with the "Liberals started it", stop and think how it lowers the value of anything you have to say when you cannot even use a person's proper name.

And that includes the "liberals" that constantly use "nicknames" for the conservatives. If we, as a country, are going to heal, it has to start with being able to have a civil discourse.

NotWonderful,

Your computer is not working right.  Find the boxes it came in and ship back to the manufacturer.  When they ask why you are returning it tell them you are too stupid and dangerous to use a computer.

Lady Sadie, may I remind you of the term "Slick Willie"...you conservatives have been name calling since the 1960's....I suggest that you look back and reflect on your party's negative impact on the national discourse, mend your partys ways and then get back to us with the real discourse that needs to take place.....

Bilbo, I'm not overtly conservative. Nor am I overtly liberal. I'm one of those damn annoying moderates.

And I hated the nickname Slick Willie, also.

What I was trying to say is that all sides need to drop the childishness. Name calling, which is what it is, should have been left behind in grade school.

Not that it's any of your business, I voted for Obama.

Peace.

Wildwonderful -- HUH??   Y0U NEED HELP.   You need your head examined asap.

Godspeed Obama

Eric - you points have merit - as someone who would be interested in an Independent Candidate - as I am sure there are many others - Let's first find a way to promote a "viable Independent"!!

Let's be honest Eric - name a recent Indy who could put forth some platform that would appeal to the
"mainstream"? An Indy can never win on a "one or two issue platform"..

Don't blame the "other politicians" - the rules for the debates are simple as I understand them - have at least 10% in the polling and they must allow you to participate. - when was the last Indy at that level?

If we want the change you are looking for there needs to be a grass root effort to "unify behind 1 Indy"...maybe it can happen someday - but it will have to be driven by the populace.

Possibly RON PAUL!!!

Is he that drag queen from the 90"s?

He is very good looking dressed as a woman, but I don't think those republicans would give him the break he probably deserves.

You've got Ron Paul confused with Rudy Guiliani

Perhaps we need to look at having 3 parties.  Democrat, Republican, and Independent.  The candidate of each party would receive the same amount of money in  public funding only,  no exceptions.  This would be a good exercise and show us what they will do will do with our tax dollars, so it serves a dual purpose.  And most definitely, they can not start campaigning until 6 months before the election.  The voters should be able to review any records that would educate the voters on their past jobs and experience, voting records on issues with clarification of where the candidate stands, and open financial records so the public can feel confident they aren't voting for crook.  Any candidate who failed to provide the information would not be allowed to campaign until this information was available to review.  If you are going to ask me to vote for you and give you power over my life and my finances I should at least be able to see what I'm getting for my vote. 

Ahh, and the one voice of reason from within a sea of ignorance!

Thank you Montana, wishing you and yours a wonderful 2009!

Everything you say is true, but you're talking to some irrational ideological minds who cannot understand the concept of the 'President' and 'President-elect'

Montana:  your earned a A+ for that one. 

You are indeed correct. These last eight years have seen the government grow to it's largest size ever in history.

Breaking news: Obama takes a leak for 17 seconds, flushes the toilet before the stream ends and miscalculates the new toilets flush time, thereby leaving urine in what was to be a clean toilet.

I so laughed out loud when I read that  :)

Just Mitt and his magic underwear will save America!!!!

Just Mitt and his magic underwear will save America!!!!

Will you be here all week? Because I truly LOL on that one.

Don't need to make up excuses for Obama, yet, he's not the flipping president.  How many excuses the right going to come up with President Loafer the the crap Obama left to deal with?

And your guy talked nonsense for eight years....we realize he's not perfect...no one is...he is just not as dangerous or as stupid as what we have have had...and we also realize that you and your ilk condemn him before he is even in office, and even if he were to completely turn around the blunders of the past administration, would condemn him still....how could you seriously deride Obama and then expect our blind acceptance of "W"?

RedAmerican1- Just where is he supposed to walk? HE ISN'T THE PRESIDENT YET. What do you want him to do? He has already made the majority of his selections for his cabinet, earlier than any other President Elect. He has done everything he can do up until he BECOMES PRESIDENT. Give the man a chance to sit down in the oval office before you start demanding he do something. Bush is still trying to slip things through during the holidays so I wish PE Obama was in office but my wishes don't make it so. Let him take office before you start barking about the job he is doing. It isn't his job yet.

And for those of you who keep going on about the holiday in Hawaii, he is from there. He went home, just like many other Americans do over the holidays. You may not live there anymore, but you still go home for the holidays. Give it a break. They had a memorial service for his grandmother cause she lived there too. What a concept. People actually LIVE (and die) in Hawaii. 

You also don't have the secret service with you either!!

Surf 7--- His grandparents lived in the same 2 bedroom high-rise apt. for 48 years.  They didn't own a house so maybe Obama would just stay with them it was home for Barack and his sister.   So he should buy a house on the island because you think he should?  Maybe he has been busy the last 2 years, like running for president, and didn't have the money till his books were on the best sellers list.   BTW, he is paying for his own vacation.  Give me a break.

As much as you crave companionship, you may need to start looking elsewhere:

;Poll: Obama leadership rates high as Bush's after 9/11

MJS - if you don't try to rewrite history - I think you will find that most of America backed Bush until Katrina - think this was verified by comments of two of Bushes innner circle yesterday....

I believe that the people also backed the Iraq War, but from talking to most now, it seems amnesia is running rampant. 

MJS - You are completely right.  When both wars were started the American people backed the wars.  The cause was worthy and back then we had a more united America.  It seems that the liberal bashing of Bush has done more than just distort Bush's record, it really has torn apart a country.  Thank the liberal media for all the brainwashing.  It's good to see others in the discussion with common sense.

MJS and GOP - yes most did back the War - I don't think it is "amnesia" nor can you blame the media - maybe it is "we all change" from what we see. The media had nothing to do with people like Rumsfeld saying we would be "greeted as liberators and out in 6 months"

I don't like all of the "bashing" that takes place from both sides of the spectrum..'

However, to be honest - the War has not gone as planned, longer, costlier (lives and dollars), some of the initial goals seem to have changed - I don't think any of us supported the War "as nation building".
Things change, so do ones idealogy.

At the same time to blame all that has transpired on "liberal bashing of Bush, distort Bush's record" as the cause for tearing the country apart is also a bit simplistic...

Maybe we can't find any "common ground" as one side doesn't want to admit "mistakes were made" and all of them were not "upfront" and the other side just refuses to "accept" that some of what has transpired could 1. neither be avoided 2. there may have been some situations out of our control.

Either way, it seems there was plenty of blame to go around for all -

b dune - Absolutely there is plenty of blame to go around.  As for the liberal media, they have already admitted bias.  Too late to argue that now.  Obama was put before the American public as a messiah.  He made RIDICULOUS promises that could not possibly be done.  The liberal media then used the same techniques on McCain and Palin that cops use to interrogate criminals.  Obviously there was enough favoritism during the election to cause Obama's win.  

Bush was bashed by the liberal media every day of his administration.  Not once did anybody hear anything good about Bush.  All that brainwashing takes affect.  To say that hearing nothing but negative about Bush for 8 solid years does not cause people to think negatively of Bush is just naive.  Once the negative attitudes took over and the country got more and more divided, things had to go down hill.  There was no other place for us to go.  Nothing ever gets accomplished without cooperation.

NO SURPRISE in the news today;  United States loan-debt "Time Bomb" of trillions of dollars...... probably to China.   Sorry, Obama not president yet.

Sorry, you are wrong although your news source may have convinced you well.  There was no favoritism to Obama and no admission of bias towards him.  The media went after Obama on any possible account for 21 months!  And he came through that fire.  It was Palin who was given the biggest free pass in political history.   

Remember how the McDuo made and endorsed many thousands of disgraceful robocalls, sent letters and unsolicited emails about Obama all over the country.   We both know that story very well.   So, no pass from me on this one.

The people who advised Pres. Bush effectively made mincemeat of our Constitution, our economy, and our international standing.

Would like to over-ride and consolidate everything heretofore into:  Does it matter how and why it all happened and what-the, who-the...? 

Maybe now,

We can start fixing the problems together and no names, no pack drills. 

Backhouse - you are blind if you can't see media bias.  No reason to argue it.  And YES the media did do a report, I know for sure it Iowa because it was on CBS and ABC here and the media admitted bias and you know what?  It went nowhere because the rest of the media is also liberal so why bash those on your side? 

Palin, given a free ride?  ROFL - Dude she was slaughtered before she even spoke a word.  She was a HUGE threat to the messiah so she had to be destroyed and that is what happened.  To say she was treated fairly is not even close to correct.

Obama DID NOT answer to anything Obama did not want to answer.  How about Rev. Wright?  Remember, Obama's sudden change of heart when Wright was exposed to the public?  After 20 years of whitey-hatin' Obama was suddenly just appalled by it. 

The ties to Ayers?  Obama made sure he denied any connection there and the media did not pursue it.  I CAN SAY 100% if that was McCain, the media would have ate him for lunch.

The fact that Obama said he'd bankrupt the coal industry ON TAPE:  Barely made it in the news at all.  Again, a republican would have been taken to slaughter over that.

The dozen or so times the Obamas made racist comments and were caught - This was never a big deal to the media.

The FACT that Obama has less experience that Palin - Not a big deal although Palin was raked over the coals because she "didn't have enough experience to be vice president."  How is that possible if Obama has enough experience to be president (pretty much, my 7 year old knows as much about politics as Obama).

The fact that the only political views Obama has came from socialists.  Obama did get this exposed for a day or two but in fairness, had this been a republican, he/she would have been out of the race at that point.

Another proof of liberal bias:  Republicans have been bashed for a CD with a song called "Barack the magic negro."  We have been called racist.  Well the funny thing is that liberals came up with the whole "magic negro" thing in a story written by a liberal in the liberal LA Times.  Don't hear much about that, now do you?

I can go on literally all day with examples of liberal bias but since you are a victim of brainwashing by the liberal media, it would be a waste of my time; I will never convince you as you are close-minded.

It is an interesting thing, but you DO have it in reverse!  The world of the observer and the observed really is a created thing.  We create our own worlds ...and Einstein made the point.

Sarah Palin was not permitted to give press conferences!  Remember that?   Pretty telling for someone who was up for vice president.  She was Mayor of 7,000 people in Wasilla and Governor of about 600,000 people for 20 months; has a spotty Bachelor's degree in Journalism;  had done some news/sports anchoring and was comfortable on camera.  She nay-sayed global warming, was anti-intellectual and clearly unprepared for the job.  Palin knew little about foreign or domestic policy, and even less about the Constitution or the job description of the Vice-President.  Just a recipe for disaster!  We do not need radical idealogues in our highest offices.

Palin's record does not begin to compare with a constitutional scholar, State Senator and United States Senator who was a member of many congressional committees and passed legislation, including control of global nuclear proliferation.

Please let us move on.  What good is pointing fingers now?   There is a tremendous variety of super-complex 21st century issues to deal with and we must become a united nation in short order.  

Backhouse - Since there were reports that the media did show liberal bias, I guess I won't go on.  You will not change your mind, and since I know better, you will not change my mind.   We can't agree on everything.

As for a big beautiful united nation, we also needed that the last 8 years - Where was your unity cry then?  Dems hated Bush and did not give him a chance.  Everything was blamed (and is still blamed, and I imagine ten years from now it will still be being blamed) on Bush.  Unity cannot happen only on one side.

GOP, regardless of my view on your comment:

I know you are hurting, but how about  we start listening and working  together  now,

starting with you and me?  

Backhouse

GOP Rules: I could possibly agree with you on one or two of your points ... except that every time I turn around, I see neocons blaming everything on Clinton. This has been going on since LONG before 9-11. You are correct: Unity cannot happen on only one side. So, the question is, are you and your party's members going to be "bigger" than those you claim have never supported Bush in his 8 years, or are you going to continue to point fingers and say "you started it" to those of us on the left? We can play the blame-game until the 2nd Coming. It will solve NOTHING. Who cares where Obama took his vacation? He currently does not have a job and can afford it, so let him go where he wants. On January 20th, he will step into the hardest job known to modern man. Too bad the guy who ACTUALLY has the job is currently MIA, and has been since the start of the economic crisis.

You say that Obama didn't answer any questions that were put to him. I counter with the simple truth that yes, he did. He just didn't say what you and the other neocons wanted to hear, which was for him to admit guilt, regardless of truth, in any and all scandals that were thrown at him. As for the so-called media bias, do you actually think that after the last 8 horrid and horrifying years that ANY Republican stood much of a chance of being elected as President?!? Much less McCain, a so-called "Maverick" who was anything but? The man didn't even have the backing of his own PARTY, let alone the backing of the nation. No matter what his service to this country, which was faithful and heroic, McCain's die was cast LONG before he became the nominee for the Republican party (and remember that in 2000, Bush and his machine soundly trashed McCain, a member of Bush's own party). The only way McCain had a shot was if Bush denounced him or if suddenly the skies opened up in Iraq and they actually DID start greeting us as liberators. At least questions of Obama were asked and answered, regardless of how you feel about those answers. We didn't really get a chance to ask Palin anything, since she was kept from the press for as long as possible. How was she vetted by the press? They dug up stuff, like they always do. In the absense of any true logic or answers (or logical answers, which were far beyond Palin), the media will report whatever they can. Too bad for the neocons that she wasn't as full of sweetness and light as they wanted us to believe.

For the record, I did rally around Bush after 9-11. I agreed with his decision to go into Afghanistan, though would have liked him to move a bit faster. I did not agree with his decision to go into Iraq. I told my Repub friends that it would be another Vietnam. Pretty much every American, conservative and liberal alike, supported Bush after 9-11, but his decisions and his actions resulted in people not supporting him any longer and questioning his methods. Close your eyes all you want, but one of these days, despite Bush and Cheney's best efforts, the truths of the Bush Administration will come out, good or bad, right or wrong. I suspect that like the JFK assassination and who Jack the Ripper was, we will be discussing and arguing it until the end of time.

Michelle - look thru my history and tell me where I am blaming Clinton for anything he does not admit to doing.  You won't find anything.  I am not far right but I notice that all dems seem to have only one category for republicans and that is far right.  Just like dems, we are not one in the same.  As for Obama going on vacation, great!  Its a safe bet that single vacation cost every bit as much as Palin's dresses however, Obama won't be donating the vacation to charity and Obama also won't be slaughtered in the media over the vacation.  Just the opposite happens.  The libs want the conservatives to just reach on over the aisle but what you don't see is that the libs aren't even beginning to move towards the center.

Obama NEVER answered the questions that were hard regardless of whether or not you will agree with me on it.  I know because I know the questions I wanted answered.  Racism, abortion, terrorism, experience, etc.  Show me the answers he gave and we'll start there.  At best he performed a smooth dance around the issues.

And as for Bush, he made mistakes and he did good.  I believe he gave it his best effort in a time that was very difficult.  I respect him for that.  Do I think he was the best president in history?  Not at all.

Backhouse - Like I said before the republicans would have liked a little support the last eight years too but never received it.  Obviously the country needs to come together.  I'd love to see it happen.  I just don't see how when nobody agrees on how to get out of the mess we are in.  I've listened to Obama's message thru the media and his own website and to be honest, his plan is quite scary. 

GOP,  maybe watch C-Span on 21,  and skip the rest.    Things are repeated often enough that you can catch them over the course of a day.

I heard some of the Repub leaders today on C-Span praising Obama after their first bipartisan meeting.   They were each saying how they were feeling really upbeat at the civililty and positive atmosphere.  Also that some of their ideas had ALREADY been included over the past week.  And a lot more discussion on the way.  

Careful not to read everything negatively!!    I had to learn that after a family tragedy and basically the same applies here, as we are in the biggest economic hole possibly ever in our history.  It took a lot getting in and it will take some creativity getting out, don't you think?

Backhouse - We can certainly agree on one thing... It's going to take a lot of creativity to get out of this disaster.  Whether or not Obama will do the situation any good or whether he will only add to the problem remains to be seen.  

Obviously just as I think all bailouts already given have been mistakes, (and have already proved to be mistakes) the MASSIVE one Obama is going to sign off on is a HUGE mistake.  If we can get past that massive mistake and Obama does not try to pass some stupid universal health care plan that will only cause working class people to pay more on insurance since they then will be taxed to pay for people who choose not to work, maybe we can start to make a little money and get the economy back.

Of course, when we do make a little money, Obama has full intentions of taking it back from us to again give it to those who simply don't wanna work.  Kind of takes away the ambition to work.  I mean if I can just be given money (I.E. same thing that happens with welfare, these stupid bailouts, or giving anybody something for nothing) why would I try to actually make it on my own.  Especially when I get punished for doing so.

Now I am rambling again.  Hopefully, someday soon we will be able to come together as a country.  It would be good to be able to talk reasonably about differences without bickering like school kids.  You seem to have a level head on your shoulders.  I hope you can see why at least I have a lot of concerns with Obama.  His plans and morals really do concern me and I am not trying to bash your guy.   

GOP;   Bill Clinton left this country with a massive surplus.   This current administration is leaving us with trillions of loan debts, mostly caused by funding a war that should never have been started.  It has not finished spiralling down yet and is the worst financial fix in our entire history.

The big number being bandied about is about tax cuts, and there is agreement on both sides about helping out small businesses.  

Those who would spiral our world into chaos also have strong convictions, feel justified in acting upon their hatred, and will not discriminate between you or me as potential targets.  They are depending on us to fight and divide.  Unity is the card we have in the global game, and now is the time to play it.

I am confident we can be on the same side, and work out the details.

Backhouse - Yep, we had a surplus... but guess what?  We didn't pay down one lousy penny of our debt.  To say we were doing good is not entirely true.  The economy was on the downswing BEFORE Clinton left.  Absolutely we had a boom.  It was called the Internet boom and neither Clinton nor Gore had anything to do with it.  When it crashed, the money left. 

See, we try to unite but in the same breathe you bash Bush and praise Clinton.  Like I said, it would be great to come meet you in the middle and just be united.  When you are ready to venture on over, let me know.  I think you seem to be pretty bright and eventually can stop bashing on Bush.  It is not EVER going to do anybody any good but will continue to do harm.

GOP... 

Verbal abuse takes many forms, so let us learn what those are before we have a debate.  

Backhouse - Whether or not we ever agree politically, I think you are a good person.  I wish nothing but good for this country regardless of who rules it.  I want this country to be looked on as the best in the world.  Just like you I have an opinion on who will get us there.  Here's to hoping we get there soon regardless of who gets us there.

This presidency will not be about Obama the individual (Pres. Bush agreed here);

But about equal vision, listening, and caring about the million-and-one things to be done to keep us afloat in a new global age, making domestic and global priorities, and all before breakfast.

GOP, we are on the same team and am very happy we keep talking.....see you on down the line, and all best wishes for the coming year.

Yeah because he lost Iowa by such a huge margin.  I think you meant confederate states, pretty interesting how much that mimics this last electoral map.

Sorry but North Carolina voted for him also!  slowly but surely!

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Jealous much, Surf?

Because you sure seem to be dwelling on how much it cost Obama for his vacation.

wonder how much bush's 900+ days of vacation these last 8 years cost us?

You made it to paragraph 3 Surf! YAY!

John McCain was born in Panama.   And it was not easy sorting this out at the time.  However, we can accept that if it was not OK, he would not have been permitted to run for President.  Would you agree with that?   However, Barack Obama was born in Honolulu on United States soil, in 1961. His documents were online for all to see, for at least the latter half of 2008.

Anyone who thinks for one moment,  that it is possible to FAKE your way through running for US President, State Senate, US Senate, Congressional and Government Affairs committees, be endorsed by 9/11 and US Security heads on up to the top of the ladder,  and pass legislation, including stuff like the global control of nuclear weapons; and that it is possible to bypass having your certificates investigated by our Intelligence forces in the most miniscule detail.....................

is bigtime delusional.