Supreme Court denies Kucinich bid

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Texas to print presidential primary ballots without Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich's name.

The court refused to step into a dispute between Kucinich and the Texas Democratic Party over a loyalty oath all candidates must sign to make the ballot.

Kucinich and singer-supporter Willie Nelson objected to the party oath that a presidential candidate must "fully support" the party's eventual nominee. Kucinich crossed out the oath when he filed for a spot on the primary ballot.

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I'm with Kucinich on this one. Why should he have to abdicate his thoughts, his personal beliefs, his convictions on what's good for the future of this country to some "higher authority" when that authority is merely a political party bent on self interest?

Of course, Mr. Kucinich could start a write-in campaign (if that's even possible for this State's primary).

This is just another example of why I am an independent and why I don't much care for any of the major political parties.

Fight the Lies, Part Deux

As a follow-up to my post below, "Fight the Lies..."

Obama takes on question of faith

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Barack Obama is stepping up his effort to correct the misconception that he's a Muslim now that the presidential campaign has hit the Bible Belt.

...Obama tried to set the record straight from an attack circulating widely on the Internet that is designed to play into prejudices against Muslims and fears of terrorism.

"I've been to the same church — the same Christian church — for almost 20 years," Obama said, stressing the word Christian and drawing cheers from the faithful in reply. "I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible. Whenever I'm in the United States Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. So if you get some silly e-mail ... send it back to whoever sent it and tell them this is all crazy. Educate."

Obama is referring to a debunked chain e-mail circulating widely on the Internet that suggests he is hiding his Islamic roots and may be a terrorist in disguise. It says he was sworn into the Senate on the Quran and turns his back on the flag during the pledge.

There are some truths in the e-mail's details. Obama's middle name is Hussein. His father and stepfather were Muslim. And he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. But he attended secular and Catholic schools, not a radical madrassa.

His campaign has been pushing back against the false rumors all year. His aides decried an incorrect news report that Obama was educated in a Muslim madrassa and a section of his Web site is devoted to correct that and other false rumors circulating on the Internet.

But they are stepping up the effort now that the campaign has hit South Carolina and soon turns to other southern states where religion is so important to voters. The campaign distributed an open letter from seven Jewish senators this weekend condemning the attacks; aides are planning an event this week to respond directly to the e-mails; and campaign representatives blanketed South Carolina churches Sunday with literature that touted Obama's Christian faith.

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The campaign of lies against Barak Obama reveals the desperation and fear felt by his opponents. To have to resort to such ridiculous lies... have they nothing of substance of their own? Nothing to recommend themselves? No truth of their own to say, "Here, this is why you should vote our way..."

The Great Republican Screw-Up in California

Has the Republican Party really, truly been 100% infested by morons? Who thought this was a great idea? I used to think that the Bush Cabal had merely strong-armed itself into power but this sounds like the party as a whole has gone over to the Stupid Side (possibly even worse than the Dark Side, because at least then there'd be some intelligence at work even if for evil purpose).

I also used to think of the Democrats as the political party bent on self-destruction but now it seems the Republican Party has overtaken them in that particular race, too.

This will no doubt delight many Democrats but it really is not a good thing for America. I truly believe the bulk of the regular folks who are registered Republicans are basically the same as the bulk of the just plain folks who are registered Democrats. Families, working people, individuals trying to keep one foot in front of the other, trying to muddle through Life with some little measure of security and comfort.

Some folks think being a Republican is the surest way to arrive at their destination while others think being a Democrat is the way.

It's only because I think leadership in both parties is so mired in the doo-doo that they no longer hear the voices of the people (like me) that I no longer feel any loyalty to any political party. They're all full of shit.

But, when it comes to elections, it's independents like me that need convincing that one candidate or another, one political party or another, is the right choice for this country.

You see, it's precisely because I love my country that I'm an independent. Being independent doesn't always have to mean every act, every thought, every vote is a protest against one party or another.

And now, the Republicans have declared they don't want me. They don't need me. The vote of independents is of no consequence to the Republican Party. At all.

Okey-doke. If that's how they really want it...

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES:

Shut out by GOP, independents may tilt Democratic

SAN MATEO -- -- Medea Bern, once a registered Republican, is one of a growing number of California voters who shun party membership and declare themselves independent. In the upcoming presidential election, that makes her the kind of voter all the candidates would like to reach.

But when it comes to California's Feb. 5 primary, there is only one major party where she's welcome: the Democratic Party. She isn't allowed to cast her ballot in the Republican primary, and that upsets her.

She might be inclined to vote for Republican Sen. John McCain, but instead finds herself weighing a choice between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"It really makes me mad," she said. "I haven't decided which candidate to vote for, but I'm not happy that my voice is eliminated on the Republican side. Don't they trust the independent vote?"

Unlike the New Hampshire primary, where huge numbers of independents were embraced by both parties, California's independents will be limited to the Democratic or American Independent Party primaries.Some political analysts -- including some Republicans -- say the California Republican Party blundered when it decided last year that only registered Republicans could vote in its presidential primary, unlike 2004.

"It's pretty hard to build a big tent if you don't let anybody else in," said Dan Schnur, a veteran Republican political consultant. "It doesn't make sense for a party that wants to and needs to broaden its base to throw this kind of obstacle in the path of an independent voter who wants to hang out with us."

Not surprisingly, the Democratic Party is delighted at the prospect of attracting hundreds of thousands of independents to vote for one of its candidates next month. Democratic strategists believe that an independent who votes Democratic in February is likely to vote for a Democratic candidate in November too.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE

Say, what??? BOTH Hillary and Barak won in Nevada?

So Hillary "won" the Nevada primary? But, she got only 12 delegates to Barak winning 13. Huh? So how does that make her the winner?

READ MORE HERE

Giuliani Loses Lead In New York

This is, obviously, not a good sign for the Rudy Giuliani campaign. A poll set to be released next week will have the former New York City mayor trailing Sen. John McCain in his home state.

New York Post writer Fred Dricker announced on Tim Russert's show this Saturday morning:

"Tim, you'll find this interesting. One poll that's going to come out here next week, I'm sworn to secrecy on some of the details, but not on this part -- it is going to show John McCain overtaking Rudy Giuliani in his home state, I am told. That would be extraordinary."

LINK

Yes, indeed. I guess Rudy shouldn't have filled in all those potholes with firemen remains. His campaign was tanking, anyway, but this about flushes it down the toilet.

[How humiliating... for him to be beaten in his home State and by the candidate that was supposedly dead in the water.]