What’s telling about the conversations surrounding the “evils” of government run health care is how many people seem to reflexively applaud the notion of government staying out of the business of health care…and yet nobody who’s on Medicare wants to get rid of it.
Watch the following clip and tell me it’s not frustrating to watch…

And [...]

A truly dumb move by St. Louis airport employees is recorded and shared here by Fox News…

Is Missouri’s militia/Ron Paul tie still in full effect?
One note, the commentator in the middle who tries to tie this to Obama’s economic policies at the very end was a truly hacky move. He didn’t need to go there, [...]

This was definitely troubling, so it’s good to see that some real action was taken after the report was revealed.
From McClatchy:
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Highway Patrol this week retracted a controversial report on militia activity and will change how such reports are reviewed before being distributed to law enforcement agencies.
The Highway Patrol [...]

If you’re in Missouri, it might be better to take that old Ron Paul or Bob Barr bumper sticker off your car. A February 20 report to help Missouri law enforcement identify domestic terrorists has some alarming advice.
The report is put out by the Missouri Information Analysis Center, which is a “public safety partnership consisting [...]

One week after I argued that my senator should be on MTP advocating for the stimulus package, well, there she is.
Coincidence?
Yes, probably.
She even tweeted about it today…as well as some thoughts on the stimulus yesterday…

McCaskill brings up a point that I’d like to address because there’s been so much ill will on this blog for [...]

On my Meet The Press post on Sunday I lamented that John Kerry was being put out there to argue the stimulus package. He’s just not up for it because he doesn’t seem the least bit passionate anymore. Plus, he’s from Massachusetts and nothing says tax-and-spend like a senator from the far east.
Instead, I argued [...]

With the announced retirement of Republican Senators Mel Martinez (FL), Kit Bond (MO) and George Voinovich (OH), 2010 could be a tough year for the GOP in these three swing states. But the outlook isn’t all bad.
In 2008, Republicans had a difficult time finding candidates who could compete for open seats. This time around, the [...]

Well, my home state definitely took its sweet damn time announcing this, but now it’s finally official that we picked Mac, which means we’ve picked the loser for only the 2nd time in the past 100 years.
Here’s more…
The narrow McCain Missouri victory, by just 3,902 votes out of 2,888,000 cast, means that Missouri sided [...]

Listen MO,
I know you like being the swing state of all swing states, but seriously…it’s time to decide who you’re giving your electoral votes to.
Yes, I know you’ve chosen the loser in the election only once in the past 100 years, but nobody’s perfect and it looks like you picked McCain instead of Obama [...]

I don’t know if there will be a recount in either state because the totals are so close, but as I predicted…Missouri didn’t pick the winner for only the second time in over 100 years.
On the other hand, Indiana delivered for Obama and I think it was clear from very early in the evening that [...]

(photo courtesy of jparonline)
I saw this story on CNN earlier and I’m happy to report that the lines are once again moving at the 5th Ward polling station.
Basically, people who were there early at 6:00 am didn’t get to vote until 8:30 because they had election officials had the wrong registration books. The line literally [...]

And actually, just to give you a preview of my election night prediction…this is pretty close to what I’m thinking.
First, the Obama leads…
Florida: Obama +2
Obama: 47%
McCain: 45%
Virginia: Obama +3
Obama: 47%
McCain: 44%
Pennsylvania: Obama +4
Obama: 47%
McCain: 43%
Nevada: Obama +4
Obama: 47%
McCain: 43%
Colorado Obama +5
Obama: 49%
McCain: 44%

And then, the McCain leads…
Missouri: McCain +1
McCain: 47%
Obama: 46%
Ohio: McCain +2
McCain: 47%
Obama: 45%
North [...]

The big news here is that Colorado is really starting to turn blue, and nearly every news organization has changed it to lean Obama.
Because while wins in Georgia and Missouri would be nice, Obama doesn’t need them. But he does need wins in Colorado, Virginia and Nevada if he doesn’t want to worry about Ohio, [...]

Okay, they’re not tied, but a 1 point lead for each might as well be tied.
Research 2000
Obama – 48%
McCain – 47%

Mason/Dixon
McCain – 46%
Obama – 45%
And so here we are. Missouri didn’t seem in play in September, but the swing state of all swing states is solidly in the toss up column now.
Still, Obama doesn’t [...]

That’s pretty impressive.
The Obama campaign says they’ve been told by the St. Louis Police Department that about 100,000 people gathered to hear Obama’s rally in St. Louis earlier Saturday.
No wonder he’s doing better in the Show Me State.
By the way, if you’re from Kansas City, he’ll be at the Liberty Memorial in a couple of [...]

Not much change from last week to this week, so the story is essentially that Obama’s numbers are holding steady in these key battleground states with 21 days left.
Florida
Obama 51, McCain 46
Week ago: Obama 52, McCain 45)
Missouri
Obama 50, McCain 47
Last week: Obama 50, McCain 47
North Carolina
Obama 48, McCain 48
Last week: Obama 49, McCain 48
Ohio
Obama 49, [...]

Obama – 51%
McCain – 43%
This is a 10 point swing since the poll was taken 3 weeks ago.
Here are the details…

Among white voters, McCain had led by 11. Today, tied.

There is movement among men, where McCain had led, now trails 49% to 44%.

Among women, where McCain had been tied, now trails 53% to 42%.

Among higher-income [...]

And Missourians respond…
A billboard in West Plains showing a caricature of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wearing a turban and using his middle name — Hussein — in quotes has sparked outrage and accusations of racism. [...]
Outrage over the sign triggered West Plains resident Becky Estes to write a letter in Monday’s edition of the [...]

TIME travels to…
St. Louis, MO…
“Who do you think will win around here?” I asked.
“Obama,” Robbie Haggard answered flatly, and several others agreed.
“But Missouri’s always been Republican,” Pyle protested.
“I think Missouri’s had about enough,” Holly Haggard said.
Sedalia, MO…
People like Maureen O’Hare, whom I found shopping for shoes in the Sedalia Wal-Mart with her daughter Ashley Smith [...]

I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves…
Colorado
Obama: 51
McCain: 45
Florida
Obama: 52
McCain: 45
Missouri
Obama: 50
McCain: 47
Ohio
McCain: 48
Obama: 47
Virginia
Obama: 50
McCain: 48