Every day now it becomes more and more clear the 3:00am phone call's subject will be economic catastrophe, not some terrorist attack. But in this nation, so bedazzled and overly concerned with militarism, that obvious fact will be swept uinder the rug. We are on the road to real troubles, but all we can see is our huge pile of military hardware; try living on that; see the USSR for clues.

I have been reading Mr. Cockburn's arch, insightful commentary for some years now and my response is usually the same--a curious admixture of laughter and tears. His deft leftiness is an inspiration! Jealousy would not be hyperbole-he makes thinking, well, really sexy.
I must agree that Obama is pretty--in the extreme--but that doesn't mean he is shallow or callous or stupid.
Just as financiers have attempted to convince us that the only socialized system we ever need is when THEY are in very big trouble, Mr. Obama, at least, appears to be attempting to change the tenor of the conversation so that we, at the least. talk about the hard reality that we are all in this mess together--the money mess, the race mess, the media mess (oh well, pick your own mess).
I, for one, would rather have the pretty one making the big decisions--especially one who can also manage to string together coherent sentences which leave none of us completely off the hook. He is easier on the eyes, the ears, the mind and, sentimentalist that I am, the heart.
But, please, Mr. Cockburn, do WRITE ON!

yes - the alleged two party system. Ain't it grand. Well, we gotta elect somebody. Guess I'll go with McCain.