As of today, Rasmussen, CNN/Time, WISC-TV, and the Strategic Vision polls track that Senator Barack Obama leads Senator John McCain in Wisconsin with a margin from anywhere as low as 5% to as high as 10%. If these four independent polls are correct, McCain will lose the state's ten electoral votes.

Sensing this, we can see why McCain and sidekick Palin took the approach they did today with their Waukesha appearance. Instead of campaigning in a non-Republican stronghold, McCain and Palin decided that a campaign stop in Waukesha would show just how brave they were. Brave? How brave can you be in front of an audience so partisan and from a county that votes predictably Republican year after year – as predictably as a flood of unregulated Chinese manufacturing that produces cheap, landfill products seemingly designed to deliver grievous bodily harm.

McCain assures us, he's a proven, experienced leader.

However, what kind of leader are you, when your playbook includes standard right-wing chotckies? You know those thirty-two pieces of flair that republicans wear on their chest as some kind of badge of honor? Instead of substance, McCain blames the usual suspects as an excuse for the adversity that he faces. Regardless of the accuracy of these polls, the effect on McCain/Palin campaign can be evaluated by the rhetoric they use.

Today, when a supporter yells "it's the socialists" McCain replies "the Democrats" for the ongoing housing and banking crisis. Ignoring the fact that it was he, John McCain, who suspended his campaign to deliver zippo.

Your leadership, Senator?

McCain does not limit the his excuses to the Democratic Party alone. Why are McCain and Palin doing so lousy in the polls nationally and regionally? Well as Fox 6 reports, McCain/Palin blames the "mainstream media" because, apparently, the MSM isn't asking tough questions. Awww.... that mean old mainstream media. Poor McCain :(

Again Senator, your leadership?

Are we witnessing another wheel falling of the "sidekick" express? I don't know. McCain is correct when he stated today, that "the political pundits in the last two years have written off my campaign."

Obama has not yet won and the campaign season is decidedly not over, and McCain has an immense political apparatus supporting him. We can expect more of the same from McCain in the next twenty-six days. At least, McCain will have drilled the necessary fuel for his own excuses. 

If this is the way McCain runs a campaign, how will he run a country?

Oh yeah... like Bush - he will blame Clinton.

That's pin 33 and counting....

Conservative bloggers and posters at Lake Country Living were all to quick to call the election over a few weeks ago after a bump in the numbers post Republican convention, the appointment of Palin as VP, and by some soft campaigning by Obama. I won't make the same mistake, but if these numbers are correct, the trend is unmistakable.

Obama's numbers are in American blue and McCain's numbers are in communist red for easy identification.

Out of this sampling, McCain leads by a slim margin in one state, Ohio. Nationally, Obama has a slim 3% lead. (Reuters.) It's electoral votes that count. There Obama has a significant advantage. McCain has conceded Michigan and now has thrown these redundant resources into Pennsylvania.

As Time observers "...In the crucial swing state of Ohio, which Bush won by slight margins in both 2000 and 2004, McCain trails Obama by 3 points, with the support of 47% of voters, compared to Obama's 50%. Obama also holds a statistically significant 8 point lead over McCain in New Hampshire and a 5 point lead in Wisconsin, two states that Democrat John Kerry was able to win in 2004." It goes on to consider "... New Hampshire and Wisconsin to be Obama-leaning states, after previously being considered tossups. North Carolina is now considered a tossup, after previously being categorized as a McCain-leaning state."

Jeff Blackwell is correct that the amount of negative campaigning will increase over the next few weeks to convince the independent and undecided vote. Obama will attack from confidence to solidify and expand his lead. McCain will attack out of desperation to turn the tide of his terrible judgment for the cynical pick of Palin as VP.

I don't think for a moment that Obama has this election wrapped up. We liberals and the more conservative democrats in our ranks do not like to fight as dirty as the conservatives - but unfortunately that is what works.

(Source)

Online polls and questionnaires can be useful to a point, and they are probably more useful for the non-wonk that may have a light, topical grasp on the issues.

Well, I found this online questionnaire at VoteHelp.

I answered all 28 questions.



Pretty much what I would expect.

The online, interactive version better illustrates the difference in views between myself and each candidate. What I do find surprising is how much I do agree with McCain on some issues, however the disagreements (as you would imagine) are the ones that count the most.

I'm a liberal because I detest the affront to human rights that social conservatism poses – usually based upon a Biblical worldview. Issues of rights for homosexuals, drug laws, reproductive rights, civil liberties place me squarely on the other side a factory-shipped, social conservative. As conservatives are more likey to appoint social authoritarians to the Supreme Court who will oppose to these basic, human rights – I can not vote for a republican, even if I agree with that candidate 60% of the time.

McCain and the fundagelical Plain would appoint another Antonia Scalia, ruling from an Old Testament worldview and forcing their practice of Christianity down our respective throats. Kiss your rights goodbye.

I won't stand or vote for that.

Feel free to post how you compared to the candidates below.

Thanks to all who participated in last months survey. I'm curious to find out what people, my neighbors think as to what are the biases, if any, with certain media outlets. Of course, this poll is completely unscientific - so please answer as you see it.

In terms of reporting and covering political news:

01.CNN
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias

02. MSNBC
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias

03. ABC
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

04. CBS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

05. FOX NEWS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias

06. RUETERS NEWSPAPERS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

07. ASSOCIATED PRESS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

08. LAKE COUNTRY PUBLICATIONS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

09. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

10. WORLDNET DAILY
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

11. GOOGLE NEWS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

12. YAHOO NEWS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

13. THE NATION
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

14. THE AMERICAN STANDARD
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

15. YAHOO NEWS
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

16. SALON
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

17. TIME MAGAZINE
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

18. USA TODAY
A. liberal B. mainstream C. conservative D. Neither liberal or conservative
E. Non-biased and Neutral F. Other bias G. No answer

I'm absolutely curious as to what people Lake Country Area think and believe, so I want to ask a little, informal, non-scientific survey. So this is your chance to tell me straight out, without having to justify why you believe what you believe.

Feel free to contact me here via email or leave your answers below. Indicate, if you feel like it where you sit politically and if you are religious.

I'll tally and release the results next month.

01. True or False: Iraq was one of the countries that attacked us on 9/11.

02. True or False: God speaks to me and he tells me what to do.

03. True or False: Intelligent design is a valid scientific theory.

04. True or False: Extraterrestrials have visited us.

05. True or False: Vaccines are the cause of autism.

06. True or False: America was founded on Christianity.

07. True or False: When Gays are allowed to marry one other, all marriages in America will dissolve.

08. True or False: Liberals are destroying America.

09. True or False: The preponderance of evidence disproves evolution.

10. True or False: Liberals are no better than terrorists like Tim McVeigh.

11. True or False: We are living in the final days. Revelation is at hand.

12. True or False: In order to protect itself, the United States, without support of its allies, should bomb Iran over its suspected nuclear program. Our use of nuclear weapons would be justified in doing so.

13. True or False: Some especially adapt people have psychic ability.

14. True or False: Psychics can read the thoughts and emotion of pets and other animals.

15. True or False: Demons are responsible for some mental illness. In that case, a Priest should be consulted, not doctors.