Being a poll junkie, I find all of this very interesting. Its a longer article, but well worth a read...What are everyone's thoughts on polls? Do you trust them, or are they overrated? And what about those exit polls?

Hope everyone is having a good week. Its almost Friday!

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=weeklyreport-000002933553&cpage=1

-Sam

These new ads are not only desperate, but contain blatantly false information. McCain must be feeling the heat to be releasing this type of material this early in the campaign. Its barely August!

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/ brandnewday/archives/2008/07/the_new_normal.html

First, everyone needs to make sure they watch the video Mary Lee posted. It is great and could really help her aunt out!

Second, I think that every Friday we should discuss a user submitted topic. I will relay the information from the selected topic to Gen. Clark. So, please shoot me an email with your ideas for tomorrow.

smcspadden@securingamerica.com.

And for today's topic--Quinnipiac has new toss-up state poll numbers.

Florida: Obama: 46, McCain: 44
Ohio: Obama: 46, McCain: 44
Pennsylvania: Obama: 49, McCain: 42

Today's news appears to be dominated by the new Washington Post story on Obama's "short list". What are your thoughts on Kaine, Sebelius, Bayh and others?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/28/AR2008072802041.html?hpid=topnews

And thanks for a great discussion yesterday on America's current energy crises!

-Sam

Hey,.. yep I made it here! :) How could I not? ;)

First, I have to include the UStream.tv video of Clark's speech featured at YKos website, mostly because I actually had little time to actually listen to him attentively while taking pics .

Karen Ballard

Questions for Wesley K. Clark

Generally Speaking

Interview By DEBORAH SOLOMON | New York Times Magazine | July 1, 2007

As a retired four-star general and former presidential candidate, you’re about to publish a memoir whose title, “A Time to Lead,” might seem to suggest you’re personally eager to lead this country. Is that an accurate reading?

“A Time to Lead” is a time for America to lead. That is the intention of the title. Certainly we are having a leadership crisis. We have an administration that has lost all sense of strategic purpose in the Mideast. I am very concerned that we have lost the foundation of America’s worldwide power and influence. It has been squandered.

Are you referring to our military strength?

The most important element of power is not the military. After World War II and through the end of the 20th century, we had a legitimacy that magnified our military strength and economic strength. We weren’t like other powers. We weren’t after an empire. We didn’t torture. What we’ve lost is our legitimacy. It’s time for every American to be a leader.

Is that practical? If every American were a leader, there would be no one left for them to boss around.

Leaders don’t boss. Not if they’re any good. They persuade. And I think America needs a whole lot more persuading and a lot less bossing.

It sounds as if you’re running for president again as a Democrat.

I haven’t said I won’t. I think about it every day.

The field is already overcrowded with aspiring presidents. Do you think we’ve become a country where everyone wants to be in charge and no one can tolerate being second?

Every American should strive to be all they can be. And that striving will make them better even if they end up in second place.

What do you make of all the how-to books and seminars on leadership? What true leader would ever take a leadership seminar?

I’ve never met an effective leader who wasn’t aware of his talents and working to sharpen them.

READ MORE at the New York Times Magazine

What follows is a complex scientific (realllly long!) study, peer-reviewed (by both my husband and my bird), academically backed up and supported by solid hunch and wild speculation, with double blind conclusive theorizing on the “Hosanna Obama Phenomena”-- which I have hereby coined as “HOP”.

This delving into the phenomenon of phenomena is not intended to either belittle or demean Barack Obama-- nor to extol or applaud him — (it could as easily have been entitled “Hosanna Madonna” or “Hosanna Coca-Cola”) but rather to explore the irresistible allure and quasi-religiosity of THE PACKAGE. I’m just using the Senator as Exhibit A.

We wanted to give you an update from the campaign trail here in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, where Joe Sestak is facing 20 year incumbent Curt Weldon.

The campaign is tied in the polls, tied in fundraising, and building a massive armada of grassroots volunteers to carry us to victory! Here is some of the great news coming out of the Sestak for Congress campaign:

• Let’s start with the most exciting! President Bill Clinton is coming to town to stump for Joe Sestak!
  • Not only that, when asked what races he is watching, Clinton mentioned Joe: