SAIGONBOB

Issues Presidential Candidates are Almost Ignoring

    It's been a while since I wrote about gang violence in Los Angeles--"cross cultural gang violence."
    But, there are a lot of these little governments, with Chieftains who carry weapons, and virtually lock down neighborhoods all across the big cities of America.
    There is a lot of talk about solving the war in Iraq, but virtually, nothing about taking down the violence of gangs killing children in the cities.
  It is a societal problem with drugs being the  Oil Wells of gangs.
    ----Transportation and rail:
    It would be nice to provide a new infrastructure of trains and rails, which would carry people, particularly in the west of the country, to business and and scenic sites.
    That means reducing some of the 14 billion dollars a month we spend fighting in the middle east.
    ---Of course health care, the environment, and our economic system all need CPR, but I would like to see our elected officials spend a lot of time on what would help average people in our great country.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos

Will Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Cltinton Fight it out for the next Congress?

  Around January of 2009, a few people will start asking, who will carry the spotlight in the majority Democratic Congress.
    My guess is that Sen. Harry Reid (NV) will step down from his post, and there will be a movement to replace him with Senator Hillary Clinton(NY) as leader of the US Senate.
    On the House side, I assume the savvy Nancy Pelosi (D-SF) will keep her job as Speaker of the House, and start to develop those money bills on health care, the environment, and a military calm down in the middle east.

    If Barack Obama does, indeed, become President of the United States, there will be more fracas debate in the houses of the legislature, than if McCain gets the White House, under Hillary and Nancy.

    There is a reason for this: Ego.

    Hillary will want to put her stamp on any health care legislation, and will not want it watered down to what the House of Representatives decides.

    On the other hand, Nancy Pelosi, will have to deal with funding for the war on terror, and the the military pull-down in the middle east.

    She will have to visit  Obama's  medical care reform, for him, because it is different than Hillary's.

    This will cause immediate conflict to  Mrs. Clinton's ego on the matter....who blew it the first time under President Clinton, when she went to bat for health care.

    Look for a major league fight between, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton on these issues.

    McCain will have it easier, because he will have to do major compromise with both houses of the Legislature, in order to get anything passed.

    We may have a veto proof Democratic Congress, come 2009, and that will prove tough, if Senator McCain does make it to the White House.

    As long as Bill Clinton, doesn't get too wild in his rhetoric, while Obama is President, and Hillary heads the Senate, we Democrats may become one party again.

    Look for Hillary and Nancy to shake hands and come out fighting--each other--however.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

   

Jesse Jackson, Wesley Clark--"Friends of Obama???"

    This is what drives campaign management crazy.
    One or two of Senator Barack Obama's supporters, out of the 15 million supporters he got in the primary---gets on a talking head network or cable show, and are so stupid...they destroy the candidate for a day.
    1.  Jesse Jackson, who has preached love and peace, and supported the "Million Man March,"  tells --off mike--to a Fox News Host, that Obama, who is talking about Fatherless African American families, is therefore talking down to Black folks.
    Then JJ, in his not so peace loving mood off camera, but not off mike, says to the Fox host---"I would like to cut his nuts off." --speaking about the Democratic Nominee for President.
    This is the true Reverend Jesse Jackson---mean-vengeful--and constantly needing the media spotlight.
    As one long time supporter told me in his 80's campaign for president---"Jesse's home is on the road, and his road is his home."
    The same gentleman told me that the Martin Luther King people would not release any of their copyrighted film to him,  because there is such friction between them and Jackson.

    2.  Then we get retired (thank God) Wesley Clark, whose claim to fame, was to bomb the shit with his air force over the Bosnia conflict...and kill a lot of Serbians and Muslims....so they could be brought to the negotiating table.

    Clark then lambastes the honest, decent and tortured for 5 years, in a POW camp, Senator John McCain, as not being a real leader in military matters.

    When the well documented case of McCains abuse in a POW solitary confinement cell, where he had his shoulders beaten every time he gave his captives the finger----and when they said they would let him out early, which was against military rules---so they broke his shoulders again-----This makes Clark, look like a "Dr. Strange stupid."

    This is one reason why some folks feel that Generals shouldn't be politicians, and politicians shouldn't be Generals.

    Even though I am a strong supporter of Senator Barack Obama, John McCain is a true American hero, and someone who was dying in a Vietnamese brutal POW camp....when the Communist North wanted to give him early release, for PR reasons, because McCains Father was a Naval leader during that war.......John McCain refused and said to his captives: "First Man in-First Man out."

    His captives shoved him back into solitary confinement again....and broke his shoulders again.

    This is one reason why he can't raise his arm to comb his hair.

    To denigrate the service of John McCain in the time of war was just plain stupid by Clark.

    Once again, I support Obama for President, but he should make a strong statement of why Clark and Jesse Jackson, do not speak for him and the nature of his positive campaign.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

 

Having Chemotherapy While Listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong

    I started my first of six straight days of Chemotherapy, today, and decided to use my MP3 Player to pick up my mood.
    I picked up the CD of "Ella Fitzgerald--the Last Decca Years,1949-1954--and was listening to the cut, "Dream a Little Dream of Me."   When Louie Armstrong joins in with Ella, and they do a little "scat" singing---I'm sent to a better world--when all the medical equipment and hospital room, just disappear for a few moments.

    At some point, I'll have a lot of fatigue, but as long as I can listen to the "First Lady of Song," I'll be able to fight off this cancer to its demise.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

How Obama May Tie McCain's Hands on the War and the Economy

    John McCain is a smart guy---honest and experienced.
    Obama has been criticized (particularly by Fox News) for hedging his bets on the Iraq war, and when he will bring the troops home.
    Obama has less experience than McCain on foreign policy matters, but his knowledge of grass roots America and his organizing skills, are vastly apparent, especially when you examine his upset defeat of Senator Hillary Clinton, who was the odds on favorite to win the entire  Enchilada.
    So, Barack Obama is a smart guy---honest and experienced--with the addition of youthful energy.
    Senator Obama is just starting to tie together the issues of the economy and the war.
    Spending 14 billion dollars a month on the Iraq war (combined with Afghanistan---which most Democrats are still saying should be a priority within the war on terror)---and putting together the health care disaster, alternative energy, and creating a new infrastructure for America will prove a dynamic challenge to the GOP nominee.
    American's are hurting, and many see the war in Iraq,  as taking away, not only our treasure in men and women fighters, but hurting their pocket books, while the Sunni's and the Shia's continue to kill each other.

    There is a legitimate argument by Senator McCain, on leaving the Iraqi situation too soon, and allowing the Iranian's more power in the middle east---perhaps even taking over the Iraqi subculture.

    But there is a balance here....and I think once Senator Obama takes his trip to Iraq, and consults directly with the General's on the ground, he will be able to pull together a great new national debate on the war and the effects on our economy.

    This will be a tough situation for Senator McCain to counter on the political stage, once he and Obama start debating each other directly in the fall.

    McCain is going to have to explain the "end game" to the American people...and that is tough.

    He will also have to discuss the reason why we are still spending 14 billion dollars a month in a war, while millions of families are losing their homes, and to make things worse, food prices are starting to climb, at the same time gas prices are hitting over 4 bucks a gallon.

    The average family is really hurting.

    This always will give the advantage to the Democratic Party, because they are seen as the party of the middle class.

    The Senator from Illinois, may be able to politically tie Senator McCain's hands on this subject of double trouble.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

   
   

Why Eliminating the Electoral College is a Bad Idea

   
    There is a movement to eliminate the Electoral College, in Presidential races, for a national popular election.
    This is a political consultant's dream, and a nightmare for the rest of America.
    Big cities in big states will be the winners, while those in Iowa, Oregon, Montana, Vermont and other small states will lose everything.
    The political consultants---like the one Hillary Clinton hired for 4 million dollars, will concentrate their television ads on the largest cities, and can show early polling, how well they are doing.
    There may be  minority bashing, where in states where the voting population hates illegal immigrants, for example, are watching ads by candidates playing to their basic mean instincts and attracting millions of votes.
    There will be no balance in the election.
    Right now---and it is Independence Day today---independent minded voters in small states have a stake in the election, and when combined with their Electoral votes, with other small states, can block the mob rule of larger states.

    Our founders may have created the Electoral College, as a balance--among other factors--in our national elections.

    Its worked every time, except twice.

    Let's not turn our national election for President of the United States, into a national supermarket tabloid.

    HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos   

Will Caroline Kennedy Recommend a Conservitive VP for Obama?

 CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN,  reporting for Politico.com, today, July 3rd, 2008, reports that Caroline Kennedy, now 50 years old, and the daughter of JFK, is taking a very active role in Senator Barack Obama's Vice-Presidential search  committee.
    She, evidently has the class of her Mother and the smarts of her Father.
    Of course, John Kennedy, picked southern conservative, and tough negotiator, Senator Lyndon Johnson, (TX) for his second spot.
    As a perceived Boston "blue nose,"  John  F. Kennedy needed a  more balanced ticket...and that was the LBJ surprise of the 1960 election.
    If Obama is to "surprise" and pick a true right of center politician, who represents the south-----my choice would be Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
    Sure, she may piss off some Hillary Clinton loyalists, but in the long run, she could bring along some southern states, which were devastated by Katrina.
    She is also a tough cookie on the campaign trail, and suffers no fools.
    Landrieu is Catholic, and the eldest of 9 children.
    No one can speak better than she, about the lack of domestic response by the GOP during the hurricanes, which devastated our southern borders.
    If Caroline Kennedy is smart---and I believe she is---she will "vet" Senator Mary Landrieu for Vice-President.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos
   

My Stem Cell Transplant

    Hi, fellow bloggers and political crazies.
    Next week, I go into the hospital for three weeks for a stem-cell transplant.
    It means 6 straight days of heavy duty chemotherapy, where my white cells go down to zero, and then they re-introduce my stem cells through a blood transfusion.
    Last week they removed 200 million stem cells from my body and froze them.  Then they reintroduce them to my body again.
    Since they are using my own stem cells, there is a very rare chance of rejection.  However, even in this procedure that is a 3-5% death rate.
    It was recommended I do this procedure because I had two bouts of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  The second case of this cancer came just 4 months after my first round of Chemotherapy and Radiation.

    However, the most important thing:

    Is there WiFi in my hospital room.

    The answer is: Yes!

    Therefore, I will still try to blog from my hospital bed, on a periodic basis.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

Will Hillary Supporters Make Obama-McCain Contest--A Nixon-Humphrey 1968 Race?

    In 1968 VP Hubert H. Humphrey lost to Richard Nixon by about 700-thousand votes, out of 61 million votes cast.  It was basically less than 1% of the total vote..that the "happy warrior" lost to Nixon.
    Why?
    A couple of reasons.
    1. Humphrey was an integrationist...and Alabama Governor George Wallace, entered the election as the "southern" alternative to the Democratic and Republican nominees....thus taking almost the entire south---a major shift away from the traditional Democratic Party bloc, which controlled the south, until that election.
    2.  The Democratic left, stayed home, because they thought that Humphrey was too close to LBJ on the war in Vietnam.
    The Vice-President, couldn't stray that far from Johnson, but the word was that he would end the war, if elected.  That was not good enough for the left, so they stayed home during that election....and threw the Presidency to Richard Nixon, who kept up that war for another 5 years.

    The latest polls show that women who supported Hillary Clinton for President, are pretty upset at the Obama win.

    The indication, in late June, is that about 40-50% of them will either not vote, or even support the GOP nominee--John McCain.

    This could spell potential disaster for Senator Obama in his contest against McCain in the fall.

    Women, in this election, could sit on their hands and hand the election to the Republican Party again.

    By anger, they could put into the White House a pro-war, anti-abortion President.

    As the first African-American nominee by the Democratic Party, Mr. Obama is going to have a tough battle, and need all of the money and support he can get, in order to beat the GOP in the fall.

    A 1-2% shift by women voters, could destroy Obama's chances.

    Many of my old friends, who sat out the Nixon-Humphrey contest in 1968, have never forgiven themselves for that selfish act.

    I hope that Hillary's women supporters, can see past their anger, and give us a Democratic President and and Democratic Congress, come 2009.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

      

Israel Trades Monster for 2 Dead Soldiers:USA TODAY

    So, you don't think there is much difference between  Israel and the rest of the middle east?
    Just like Pakistan, the UN in 1948 gave the modern State of Israel, the right to exist.  Of course the Israeli's--Jews and Arabs--have lived under constant war for 60 straight years.
`Now, they have to give up a notorious murderer, who killed a Mother in front of her 4 year old child and then bashed the head in of the 4 year old, and killed others in the same attack---will be released to Hezbollah--for two Israeli soldiers, not at war, who were kidnapped, and then murdered.
    This story makes me sick.
    It also shows mentality of those who would destroy Israel...and anyone else that gets in their way.
    Part of USA Today story, June 29th, 2008 (www.usatoday.com)
   

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's Cabinet voted overwhelmingly on Sunday in favor of an emotionally charged deal to swap a notorious Lebanese prisoner for the bodies of two soldiers declared earlier in the day to be dead.

The deal with the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group has sparked a fierce debate over whether Israel would be giving up too much — or carrying out its highest commitment to its soldiers to do everything possible to bring them home if they fell into enemy hands.

Hezbollah militants captured Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a July 2006 cross-border raid that sparked a vicious, month-long war.

In return for their bodies, the Cabinet agreed to release Samir Kantar, a Lebanese guerrilla imprisoned for nearly 30 years for an attack etched in the Israeli psyche as one of the cruelest in the nation's history.

Hezbollah had offered no sign that Goldwasser and Regev were alive and the Red Cross was never allowed to see them. Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said for the first time that Israel has concluded the two soldiers were dead — killed during the raid or shortly after.

---Bob Kholos

Terry Mcauliffe Blows it on CNN with Candy Crowley

    Professional journalist, CNN's Candy Crowley, asked the question twice, on Sunday, June 29, 2008---Will Hillary Clinton's name be put into nomination at the Democratic Convention?
    Terry Mcauliffe, the Chair of the Clinton for President Campaign, dodged it, over and over again.
    This is the back room politics of the last century, I was blogging about last week.
    The Clinton forces, still want to broker her candidacy, all the way to Denver, and make Barack Obama sweat it out, until his donors bail her out of $10-Million dollars of debt.
    Shame on the Clinton's.
    You lost....I am sorry.
    But, now is the time to support Barack Obama 100% without making him pay her to leave the scene.

    The Clinton's are worth over $90 million dollars, and Bill can make over $100,000 dollars per speech.

    It's time to give it up.

    We need a Democratic President of the United States, and we don't need anyone within the party to drag Obama down, for the next two months.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos   
   

Here Lies the LATIMES: "Zelling" The Building

    As someone who has read the Los Angeles Times, since the "Red Car" was still running in West Hollywood, I find it deeply troubling that Sam Zell, who owns the Tribune Corporation, will now put the Times-Mirror Square Building, in downtown Los Angeles, up for sale.

    LA Times story of June 26th, 2008:

 

Tribune CEO Sam Zell says the company seeks to 'maximize the value' of the newspaper's complex and of Chicago's Tribune Tower.

By Thomas S. Mulligan and Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
June 26, 2008

Cash-strapped Tribune Co. is considering putting two of its signature properties -- the Los Angeles Times' main office downtown and Tribune Tower in Chicago -- on the block.

Tribune Chief Executive Sam Zell told employees in an e-mail Wednesday that the company had contacted "several of the country's leading real estate firms" about the Times property and Tribune Tower, the company's 40-story headquarters in Chicago.

   

   When I queried Times journalist, Thomas S. Mulligan, about the proposed sell, and said that, "You can now work across the street, on the grass at city hall," he replied, in an E-Mail:

What strength of sunblock would you recommend?  Also, do you know where we 
could get a deal on a bunch of 800-foot extension cords? 

	I laughed out loud with that reply.
  Now in fairness to Sam Zell (although he has
more loose change in his couch, than I do in value
my home) he is also selling the Tribune building
in Chicago.  So, he is not just taking it out on
the Times.
     It would be poetic justice for David Geffen,
who was considering bidding for the newspaper, 
to buy the Times building, and then lock Zell out
of it.
     I still consider the Times to be a great
newspaper, and the reporters to be genuine
professionals, who get it right most of the time.
But, how much damage is Zell willing to do to
this great newspaper, before we put up a grave 
stone in its place saying: "Here lies the Los
Angeles Times. They used to print things in something
called a newspaper."
	Thanks for reading:
	Bob Kholos
	
     
    

 

 

The Fairness Doctrine: A Bad Idea for America

    Right now, many Democratic officeholders are angry with the right wing bent of radio talk show hosts, and their apparent power when it comes to influencing voter sentiment.

    Supposedly,  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is, or has, prepared legislation to reintroduce the handcuffs of the "Fairness Doctrine," on the American public.

    Nothing could be more un-democratic, and a true mistake by a liberal legislator, Mrs. Pelosi.

    The commerce of radio broadcasting is having a difficult time, like our national newspapers.

    One of the things that is working is the hot, stylistic, hard headed radio hosts, who vent the frustration of living in America with too much crime, too much central government, and way too much political correctness.

    Why shut them up?

    I may disagree with Rush Limbaugh, or Michael Savage, but they have every right, like me, to vent their frustrations in a political way.

    Having a fairness doctrine, in reality, means cutting back their free speech---a First Amendment right.

    Supporters would say, "Well, it just means giving opposing sides a right to respond."

    What it really means is having the corporations who run these radio stations, cut back on controversy, because they don't want to get into trouble with the government.

    Also, who determines what the opposing view is?

    Is it some bureaucrat in Washington, DC, who may have attended Bob Jones University, or UC Berkeley.

    In truth....everyone thinks they are right in America.

    And...in America, everyone has the right to vent their views on a public street corner, or behind a microphone, without government interference.

    This is why the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" is not fair, and a bad idea.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

Eugene, OR.--Olympic Trials-Where to Eat

    There are a couple of places I really like in the Eugene-Springfield area.
    If you eat on the healthy side, I suggest Mario's at Friendly Street Natural Foods Store.  Near 28th and Friendly Street, SW Eugene.
    An authentic Italian, with a combo coffee shop and organic traditional Italian delights (also called Latitude 10)---they have the best staff in town.
    Call first, as they only have 8 tables and a couch (it is Eugene!)---541-343-3460.
--------
    The Pump Cafe, in Springfield, is an old style morning breakfast place.  Owned by two sisters, they cook fresh pastries, and have one of the best Mediterranean salads, I have ever had north of Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.
    The atmosphere is wonderful:  Old 1950 style gas pumps (remember 25cent a gallon gasoline?),and huge saws on the walls from the time when chopping down trees by hand was a family value.
    I don't have their phone number off hand....but check it out if you are a morning person.
----
    Although not open on weekends(except Sunday during trials), Alex's little Falafel stand, next to the University of Oregon Book Store, off 13th Street, is  the most wonderful, vegetarian stand in Eugene.
    Have a conversation with Alex, the father of 6 children, and somewhat an expert on the "Old Testament."
    During weekdays, he opens at about 11 am and closes about 3pm.  During the Olympic Trials, he will be open til 8PM, and also on Sunday.( he also takes every holiday....invented by man...off.)

---A nice coffee shop near the University, on Hillyard Street, is Allann Bros:  Good coffee and some nice treats.

----
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos

   

Barack Obama's Bailout of Hillary Clinton: A Bad Idea

    I've been supporting Senator Obama for President since about April of 2007.
    I'm not a Hillary hater, but she did borrow million's of her own dollars to defeat Senator Obama in the primary.
    Bill and Hillary represent the politics of the last century, not the current rise in support for the overturning of such back room deals.
    Obviously, part of Clinton's deal with Obama, is for him to help pay her 20 million dollar debt from her campaign.
    This has sucked Obama into the old politics.
    If her support was contingent on his paying off her debt, he should have walked right out of the room.
    First, the former First Lady and her husband are worth about 90 million dollars.  They are not like former President Harry S. Truman, who was broke when he left the White House.
    Bill can get over $100,000 dollars a speech, plus his family receives all kinds of perks for being a former First Family.
    Because Senator Obama is the first African-American to challenge for the Presidency,in the general election, he will need every penny in order to defeat the GOP in November.
     I will still send him $50 dollars next month, for his campaign, but I am hoping it doesn't wind up in a millionaire's lap.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos
   

Should Andrea Mitchell Host Meet the Press?

    I've always liked Tom Brokaw.  I first met him when I was travel press secretary to Jesse Unruh, when he was running against Ronald Reagan for Governor of California---a long time ago.
    Brokaw, was then a cub reporter for an Sacramento Television news station---as I remember it.
    Since that date in 1970, I really never knew his politics--which is a great tribute to Tom Brokaw---a real professional.

    However, like me, he is getting rather "long in the tooth."

    NBC did all of us a great favor, by putting him in the late Tim Russert seat at Meet the Press, until after the Presidential Election in November.

    One of the news hosts, who I really like, and has that humble approach to asking question's of dignitaries, is Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC.

    She has the on-the-road experience, and does not suffer fools, as was the case when she reminded the audience that she traveled with First Lady Hillary Clinton on that "Bosnia" trip, as a reporter.

    In her own right, she has that "Russert" strength and quietness, while having the political "savvy" not to let a political leader get away with his or her own hypocrisy.

    Mitchell is a professional, and a leader among journalists.

    She has my vote for leading Meet the Press on a permanent basis.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos

   

   

Don Imus:Gov. Faubus in the Morning, Part 2.

    So, that down home cowboy, Don Imus, is at it again.
    Let's see--The radio phenomena, thinks that "Packman Jones," is a criminal---therefore he is Black.
    Gee--what about George Bundy--just your average, of course, White guy, who was a serial killer.
    Imus wins this weeks, "2 and one-half bigots" award.
    I wouldn't fire him on this one, but really----Don---give it up----you have a problem.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos

Obama Beats McCain in Electoral College: 285-253.

   

        The way I see it, today, June 22, 2008:
       
         Senator Barack Obama becomes President of the United States, by beating Senator John McCain, in the Electoral College: 285-253.
        Check out the Los Angeles Times "Campaign '08," and do your own math on their Electoral scoreboard (www.latimes.com).
        I basically give the election to Obama based on him wiping out McCain in the West---with the exception of Arizona.
        I kept Mississippi as a "red" state, but think he may upset McCain in some southern states, including Louisiana.
        I'll try again next month with an update of my analysis on the Electoral College.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos

Charlie Sheen: 2 and One-Half Bigots.

    Are you getting tired of wealthy "victimized" actors using the "N" word?
    I am!
    So, Charlie Sheen, the guy who got his break when his fathers sperm was implanted in some chick, has a temper, and used the "N" word on a voice mail against his(X) wife, who is also an actor.
    I grew up in Los Angeles during the late 40's and early 1950's....and my Mother, who grew up in the poor Black neighborhoods of Chicago......NEVER USED THAT WORD!
    My first generation American Father, who's father worked in the mines of Pittsburgh.....NEVER USED THAT WORD.
    Being a political liberal, like Sheen, does not give him cover, because he "was angry," when he used that word.
    If I were the Producer of 2 and a half Men, I would immediately cancel his contract for a year....somewhat like the Imus punishment.
    This bigotry has got to stop.
    Thanks for reading:
    Bob Kholos
   
   

Obama Ignores Public Funding for Public Funding?

    The latest hypocritical pundits stance: Barack Obama is being inconsistent by ignoring tax payer subsidized presidential funding, and going directly to the public.
    By the time the election is over--more than half a billion dollars will be wasted by the candidates running for President of the United States.
    Most of this money, during the primaries comes from "small" but well connected donors giving $2,300 dollars to the candidate of their special interest choice.
    Lawyers, lobbyists, executives of mortgage companies, insurance companies, and health care advocates for profit---have already shelled out most of their money to Hillary, McCain, and others, around the time of the Iowa primary.
    Richard Nixon must be laughing in his grave.
    Senator Barack Obama, in this case, is actually leaving all special interests behind when he goes to the Internet to appeal to unknown citizens for a hundred bucks or so, to fuel his campaign.
    As much as I love and respect Senator John McCain, he is married to a Beer distributorship baroness...while Obama is married to a Hospital administrator.

    The more money Obama raises on-line, the less he has to deal with "influential" individuals.  Even with 80 million of taxpayer money put into his and McCain's war chest--as I remember it--and correct me if I am wrong-there is still some fundraising going on, at least on the DNC or RNC level--which neutralizes the so called not for profit campaign.

    I believe Senator Barack Obama is sincere when he wants to change the daily activities of "K" Street in DC, when he becomes President of the United States.

    Going to the public on-line, is probably the best way to break with the past.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos   

Why Senator Barack Obama will Beat Senator John McCain for President

    There are qualities I like about both gentleman running for the White House.
    I have been a long-time Obama supporter, but also gave a few bucks to John McCain, when he was running against George W. Bush, eight years ago.

    However, I feel there are great changes underway with the average American, when it comes to the upcoming presidential election.

    Of course there are those who will vote Democrat or Republican, even if Daisy Duck is the front runner for their party.

    And, there are the usual frustrating bigots and "knuckle dragger's" who refuse to see past a person's skin color or religion, when they get into the voting booth.

    Putting those voters aside, I believe the vast middle is ready for a major way politics is done in Washington, DC.  While Senator John McCain is well respected by both sides of the aisle, and has shown great responsibility in tone and Independence over the years, he is still stuck with the Bush legacy.

    I believe Obama will win the popular vote by at least 5% and the worry mongers are wrong, when they say that he could pull a "Gore," and lose the Electoral vote.

    Mississippi and West Virgina, as well as Pennsylvania and Ohio, may go Obama's way.

    Remember, like John Kerry, Barack Obama could lose the entire south, and still win the presidency...just by beating John McCain in Ohio---which Kerry couldn't do against G.W. Bush.

    With the war, health care, massive fuel increases, we may be ready to change the way we do politics, in the same massive change we had when FDR turned the political world around.

    Thanks for reading:

    Bob Kholos