The Final Days

Yeah, that's the most important issue for America right now. Not the economic crisis or two wars, but kids using words that don't actually change the meaning of their sentences.

I was and am an Obama supporter. Now that he's won, can we all ask him to set a better example for the kids of America and quit saying "Uh" and "Uhm" whenever he speaks without a script and a teleprompter. He and a host of other prominent politiciains and public figures are apparently so anxious to talk they aren't aware they use "UH" as a placeholder while they form their next sentence. Obama rank amongst the top "Uh" people, right up there with (honest to god-- they don't teach public speaking in law school) Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (listen to his extemporaneous answers at his pre-court hearings), Samual Alito, Rush Limbaugh (the hands-down King of Uh), Biden, Hillary Clinton -- the list is almost endless, and includes famous newscasters if they get stuck without a teleprompter. Come on, Barack-- you're going to lead an entire generation in believing the path to success is to say "Uh" every time you pause to gather your thoughts. BREAK THE HABIT. Slow down. Watch yourself on video. It's like nails on a blackboard. I doubt any of the offenders have any idea they're doing it, but if Obama doesn't quit it, we're going to start hearing otherwise non-uh users taking it up. Obama: stop it for your own kids' sake.
Mark Davidson

Beauregard65, it's fascinating that a conservative would accuse those who support Obama as being self-serving when it's your party and ideology that have nearly bankrupted this country due to individual greed and dragged us into an unnecessary war to serve the interests of the oil industry. I'm sure you wouldn't have heard this on FakeFoxNews which is likely the only electronic media you ever watch, but Barack Obama turned down a cushy corporate job to work as a community organizer to help poor people improve their lot in life and worked as a civil rights attorney after law school instead of helping corporate fat-cats find loopholes to avoid paying taxes. As for me, I not only served in the military, but worked for a non-profit health agency for a number of years which I really don't think makes me self-serving. And I know what a Republic is. History was my minor in college, American history was my specialty, and it's astounding that those who supported George W. Bush, the man who engineered an enormous taxpayer-funded bailout of American financial institutions, could accuse ANYONE of being a socialist. Barack Obama was elected by the American people. It's called democracy. Get used to it!

Beuaregard65
Please tear you high school diploma up and if you have family make sure they dont go to public school, dont drive on public roads, call the police, call the fire department or use any socialistic system that we have in this country because those are all socialistic systems. Please pay for private school, hire your own fire department and police and do not use public roads. Did you know that our founding fathers only allowed corperations to exist for 10 yrs and even at that if they failed to server public good they dissolved them? omg sounds like our founding fathers may have been closer to socialists then to the greed hungry so called capatalists that are selling this country down the river today. The price of gas and the greed on wall street has crippled this country and that is very unamerican if you ask me, yet the right wing will stand by the right to make a profit even at the expense of the country! ! yeah go you patriots hahaha

Wow, twister52 you vote a guy into office not once but 2 times who bankrupted all of his own buisnesses and are afraid this country cant recover from what Obama may do to it ? And we see the narrow minded right wingers as being uhhh less than lets say intelligent? man you proved us wrong ya sure did.

Hey, Twister52, read the article again. It specifically states that the Obama campaign REFUSED to provide walking-around money. You might want to read a little history while you're at it, because the Founding Fathers' ideals were a lot closer to Obama than they were to W and his crowd.

Great piece! I expect however, that there will be much more to tell about the worst presidential campaign
in the history of American politics. Absent Palin and the economy, only George W. Bushs' endorsement
of Obama may have made it closer.

George T. Sidiropolis

"Obama said to Axelrod, "So it looks like we're going to win this thing, huh?" To me this really seals why I voted for Obama. Even at the very end he still recognizes that it was a team effort and is not pompous in thinking that it is all about him. Yeah this is trivial against everything else, but very powerful for me.

As for McCain, this really gave me more color into him and realize that I like just now as much as I did in 2000. He is truly a great guy that unfortunately was derailed by an incompetent campaign manager and a VP pick that was just not ready.

"Obama said to Axelrod, "So it looks like we're going to win this thing, huh?" To me this really seals why I voted for Obama. Even at the very end he still recognizes that it was a team effort and is not pompous in thinking that it is all about him. Yeah this is trivial against everything else, but very powerful for me.

As for McCain, this really gave me more color into him and realize that I like just now as much as I did in 2000. He is truly a great guy that unfortunately was derailed by an incompetent campaign manager and a VP pick that was just not ready.


Asf

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To redbaron29, don't blame the messenger. It's the McCain campaign that's providing all the ammunition for these revelations about Palin. Newsweek didn't make this stuff up, you know. As far as Palin being "one of the most honest people in this election. . ." Well, I won't even go there, but if she can't take the heat, she shouldn't have entered the kitchen in the first place.

This was a masterful and compelling written narrative. Thank you.

Great articles; I want to read them all again. McCain was clearly out-classed. His staff tried to help, but couldn't combat a "no consistent message" candidate, plus a nut case for a veep candidate. The horrible stories spread by something called the Republican Trust and Newsmax probably helped Senator Obama as they were obvious lies and the American people can sniff out that trash. At last we have a young, vital president who can speak English without glaring errors. I can't wait to witness our progress away from the therrible mistakes of the last 8 years.

Beautiful set of articles! It made for a very interesting reading right after the 2 year long drama that unfolded in our newspapers and television every day. Most importantly, it changed my (and maybe others') viewpoint about one candidate being essentially "better" than the other. These articles highlight the fact that both candidates were manipulating the American public.

I, for one, bought the Obama campaign's promise of change. McCain seemed like a bitter old man with more of the same Bush-Cheney policies. After reading these articles, I have changed my opinion on both candidates. McCain now seems like a real nice guy with good intentions and a good record who could not get his message across as nicely as his competition did. Obama on the other hand, seems like a polished salesman who knew what the public wanted and he carefully marketed his message to what the public wanted to hear. His lack of a record worked to his advantage (no stick to beat him with).

I am waiting to see how he does in office though. He may pull a Deval Patrick on us. Or he may use his intelligence to make smart people deliver results for the country much like they delivered for his campaign.

I need to get this out while it is still fresh. I???m numb and I???m fearful. I listen to everyone around me go on about tears they???ve shed, the miles we???ve walked, how long it???s been and I feel numb and fearful. I guess I???m in shock ??? that this has come to pass. I???m sadden that my parents and others who are so important to me did not get to see this day. I guess my numbness comes from the painful thought in knowing that they will never have shared this moment. On the other hand, it is their sweat, their tears, heartaches, and lost dreams that got us here. I???ve always pushed people to vote, reminding others of what so many sacrificed for that privilege. I guess I never thought of the possibilities of that vote being tied to someone who could carry the hopes of many. I guess that???s my numbness. I wanted to be a part of that vote that got him to that powerful office; on the other hand I was fearful. In fact too fearful to watch the outcome of the elections, the fear was a fear that what happened in 2000 would happen yet again. That the hateful power that gripped our politics would yet again snatch this wonderful possibility from our hands. I wanted to sleep and awake into a new world, a world where our dreams DID come true. I wanted the new day to meet me with the joyful news of a new President ??? one that was rightfully chosen.

I mentioned fear ??? the world is such an ugly place, where many take great joy in crushing the hopes and dreams of others. I am fearful that this wonderful present would be snatched quickly from our grasp. Or yet, that the power of the office would taint all that he lays his hands on. There are so many landmines waiting for him, so many with gripes, agendas, and axes to grind, that I???m fearful that his tenure will be froth with impossibilities in such a way that he cannot succeed. And that failure would be his legacy. I am trying to find the hope that you all seem to share so easily, may be I???m a cynic ??? I hope, no I pray that I am wrong. I don???t want him to fail, only to succeed --- to lay a path for many more joyful possibilities.

Twiggins67

I need to get this out while it is still fresh. I???m numb and I???m fearful. I listen to everyone around me go on about tears they???ve shed, the miles we???ve walked, how long it???s been and I feel numb and fearful. I guess I???m in shock ??? that this has come to pass. I???m sadden that my parents and others who are so important to me did not get to see this day. I guess my numbness comes from the painful thought in knowing that they will never have shared this moment. On the other hand, it is their sweat, their tears, heartaches, and lost dreams that got us here. I???ve always pushed people to vote, reminding others of what so many sacrificed for that privilege. I guess I never thought of the possibilities of that vote being tied to someone who could carry the hopes of many. I guess that???s my numbness. I wanted to be a part of that vote that got him to that powerful office; on the other hand I was fearful. In fact too fearful to watch the outcome of the elections, the fear was a fear that what happened in 2000 would happen yet again. That the hateful power that gripped our politics would yet again snatch this wonderful possibility from our hands. I wanted to sleep and awake into a new world, a world where our dreams DID come true. I wanted the new day to meet me with the joyful news of a new President ??? one that was rightfully chosen.


I mentioned fear ??? the world is such an ugly place, where many take great joy in crushing the hopes and dreams of others. I am fearful that this wonderful present would be snatched quickly from our grasp. Or yet, that the power of the office would taint all that he lays his hands on. There are so many landmines waiting for him, so many with gripes, agendas, and axes to grind, that I???m fearful that his tenure will be froth with impossibilities in such a way that he cannot succeed. And that failure would be his legacy. I am trying to find the hope that you all seem to share so easily, may be I???m a cynic ??? I hope, no I pray that I am wrong. I don???t want him to fail, only to succeed --- to lay a path for many more joyful possibilities.

TW67

Fire the fact checker. Robert Jordan is the character in Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

Absolutely fantastic set of articles - thank you, Newsweek!