Politics'R'US

[Couch Tomato]

we have a local story too --

I haven't been to church regularly in over 20 years but I do think this is more an exception rather than a rule. Sad though.

[ldyjocelyn]

*hugs fellow Lutheran Gibby*

It truly makes me sad when ALL organized religion gets a bum rap for the idiocy (IMO) of a few churches. My particular church does NOT mention politics in the pulpit, as I see it should be. But...my pastor has had an Obama sticker on his car since early February. Hee. We also have a parishioner at our church who has a bumper sticker that reads: "God is not a Republican...or a Democrat." I've always loved that.

Having said that, I agree couchie, I'm hoping that the example you posted about is an exception.

[FearofH2O]

I agree everyone is not guilty for the missteps of a few. In NC there is religious overload. Every candidate has to declare themselves good Christians. Look at what Elizabeth Dole did to Kay Hagen. And I can't count the number of times Jesse Helms slandered his opponents.

The candidate that I worked for running for the house was accused of taking contributions from a sex store (whatever that is). It was really a donation from his son who did some work for that whatever it is store. He was mocked for believing in same sex marriage. He couldn't come out directly and say that he believes in a woman's right to choice.

I was forever asked when I made calls for him if he was a good Christian. His campaign manager was the minister of a church.

I don't ever remember a Jewish or Muslim person running for office. I don't know how many people sent me email or talked about Barack being a Muslim. I know its not true but so what if he is. Is that a bad thing?

I'm not religious, most of my friends are. We just don't talk about religion or politics. But I do resent religions getting involved in politics.

I'm just bitter because he lost.

[claytonic]

This just ain't rite; Obama gotta quit makin' it hard for ya poor ole Americans, espesh yer moose shootin' Alaskins...

Obama Controversy

[Couch Tomato]

LOL..that last paragraph really had Palin down. She DOES talk like that. I get so confused listening to her talk. And I'm sick of people calling sexism on the fact that she idoesn't appear too "bright." Was it sexism to do the same to George Bush because I don't think even Palin has had to take what he has take on that front.

[claytonic]

I received the contents of this link (as an email, i.e. NOT a link) in Sept 2001, shortly after the attacks on the Trade Center. The subject heading was "September 11, 2001. WHY?" It remains the single, most mind-blowing email I have ever received.

I have now dug it up to send to someone (an old, ex-military, xenophobic extremist) who keeps sending anti-Obama, anti-Muslim emails to his contact list. Right now he is spreading the word (and a petition) that Obama (supposedly) wasn't born in the USA and therefore should be disqualified from being President. He says Obama is a closet Muslim and, trust me, his hatred for Muslims knows no bounds. He is also sending YT videos showing Democrat voters being asked a bunch of "obscure"political questions they obviously cannot answer; hence the implication is that idiots are responsible for electing Obama. Predictably, the vids don't show Republican voters or, indeed, Palin herself being asked those same questions. I doubt she could have answered any of them either.

Oh I know I could unsubscribe to his emails but that would mean becoming ignorant to an under-current that could ultimately affect America and her allies. I want to be in a position to counteract his utter nonsense because no doubt, some people he reaches won't even think about researching the facts.

In September 2001, I was speechless after reading what Larry Mosqueda had to say in response to Sept 11. I wasn't naive, but I had NO IDEA the extent of it. It's the main reason why I was so opposed to the Iraq war, the consequences were glaringly obvious to me. Why wasn't it obvious to GW Bush and his cronies?

Please don't click on this link if you don't want to be shocked and disturbed, I mean, it's in this thread so really only those who are interested in politics would see this. (I can certainly understand why some people can't stomach this stuff)

http://www.globalissues.org/article/257/sh...d-and-horrified

[Couch Tomato]

Hey magazine savers..did you get the commemorative Newweek. It has the family from election night on the cover. And it's about 80 pages of photos and stories. I haven't been able to read it yet as I'm blind as a bat. Any day now. I keep waiting for that call..your glasses are here!! If you miss it on the newstands you can order it from their site.but it's a whopping $9.

[djs111]

never mind, just having a bad day!

[ldyjocelyn]

Just gotta say, I'm so proud to be from Illinois today. [/major snark]

Thanks, Rod -- that makes 4 governors to be indicted!

Gotta say -- never voted for all 4 either.

[Couch Tomato]

First of all ldyj your governor is GREAT entertainment. I foresee him outsmarting everyone and at least not being found guilty on any charges.

I'm so excited about the inauguration. It's such a historical moment and I got all schmoopie just now just finding out the Tuskeegee Airmen had all been invited. I have to take my mom to a doctor's appiointment, but other than that I'll be glued to the tv all day. I actually said NO at first when the guy gave me that appointment date but the next one was too far off so I had to take it. heee. I had him cracking up.

I heard there was supposed to be some webcasting going on so if anyone knows of any inauguration activities online..let me know.

I studied african american history sooo from the middle passage to slavery to jim crow to a black president means a lot to me just in a historical sense - not a political one.

[FearofH2O]

Did you hear our current president backpedaling all over the place to clear his good name. I guess he won't ever apologize for the thousands of military lives lost and the hundred thousand or so Iraqi lives lost in Iraq. I forsee a book, no make it many books written to support the myth that he was a great president.

I don't know anywhere on line they are showing the inauguration, but I guess some news sites might show it in real time. Didn't you enter the lottery to win tickets? I can't even imagine where all those people are going to be put. There are several buses going from my town and that is normally a six hour drive. I think I'll be happier watching on TV.

I took my kids to the bicentennial fireworks in DC just because we happened to be visiting there that weekend. So many people. We couldn't get on a bus until three or four in the morning. My kids fell asleep on the concrete sidewalks. Can't say I ever went to another fireworks display after that.

[ldyjocelyn]

From cgirl at the CH regarding the inauguration:

Oh my...this will be some party.

The schedule for the kickoff ceremoney of Inaugural on Sunday that will be braodcasted by HBO...free for everyone with access of Cable TV or Dish.

Initial Talent Line-up Released for Lincoln Memorial Event

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) is pleased to announce the producers and initial talent lineup for WE ARE ONE: THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inaugural, to be presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday, January 18 (7:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT). The event will be free and open to the public, kicking off the most open and accessible Inauguration in history.

The special will be executive produced by George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors), and produced by Don Mischer (Olympic Ceremonies) who will also direct the special, and Michael Stevens (The American Film Institute Salutes) who is also writing the special, and will be a production of The Stevens Company in association with Don Mischer Productions.

Musical performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation. Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band, which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.

“Our intention is to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail,“ observed George Stevens, Jr. “We will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today.“

“This is a great opportunity to capture an historic event in a very meaningful setting,“ noted Don Mischer. “We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall—a tableau any director would relish.“

“We have found that the great artists are eager to take part and each one is working with us to find music that expresses the optimism and hope that people bring to the Obama inauguration,“ said Michael Stevens.

Televised to the nation, the Opening Celebration will be a declaration of common purpose and new beginnings. The Sunday afternoon performance will be grounded in history and brought to life with entertainment that relates to the themes that shaped Barack Obama and which will be the hallmarks of his administration.

HBO will televise the event on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable, telcos or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free.

The 56th Inauguration promises to be the most inclusive in history, and the Opening Celebration is one of a series of inaugural events that reflect that commitment. On Saturday, the President-elect, Vice President-elect and their families will journey to the nation’s capital via train, holding events that are free and open to the public along the way. They will be joined by a group of everyday Americans they met along their road to the White House. On January 19th, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President-elect Obama will call on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. A new website, USAservice.org, makes it easy for Americans to organize service events or find existing events to participate in. To date, nearly 5,000 events have been organized across the country. That evening, Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and their families will host a free “Kids’ Inaugural” concert to honor military families, broadcast live on the Disney Channel and Radio Disney.

This spirit of openness will continue on Inauguration Day, when, for the first time in history, the entire length of the National Mall will be open to the public for the swearing in ceremony. Local D.C. students have also been given the chance to receive tickets in front of the White House for the Inaugural Parade for themselves and their family members based on the submission of essays answering the question, “How can I contribute to my neighborhood through community service?“

On the evening of Inauguration Day, the first ball that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend will be the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. The ball will be broadcast live on ABC and over the Internet, bringing together neighborhoods across the country in the spirit of unity and celebration.

The sum of these public events is an Inauguration that allows more Americans than ever before to come together as one nation and one people, united in our resolve to tackle our greatest common challenges and move this country forward together.

Fear, I saw some of the press conference with Shrub today. Blargh.

[jmh123]

I heard there was supposed to be some webcasting going on so if anyone knows of any inauguration activities online..let me know.

Just found this at CH, couchie: http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives...2009/index.html

From beauzaartz, who adds:

ABC provides the live feed cameras for the news coverage produced for the AP interactive. Click on the blue presidential seal for inaugural details, AP camera locations, and an animated fly-over of the inaugural parade route.

It is fascinating looking over the text for all the past inaugural addresses. Eldest Beauzzon enjoyed interviewing historians on the American presidency that provided some background information for the interactive, and will be coordinating the live camera feed on Inauguration Day. One week to go!

[claytonic]

George W. Bush: Quotes from the US president

"And so, in my State of the --- my State of the Union --- or state -- my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation -- I asked Americans to give 4,000 years -- 4,000 hours over the next–the rest of your life --of service to America. That's what I asked -- 4,000 hours." –April 9, 2002

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." – September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.

"Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" – January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.

"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." – September 26, 2001, referring to the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks.

"There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." – October 4, 2001, on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.

"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." – April 10, 2002, as he urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.

"I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves." – April 18, 2002

"There's an old saying in Tennessee – I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee – that says, fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can't get fooled again." – September 17, 2002

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." – August 5, 2004

"Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs [gynaecologists] aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." – September 6, 2004

"Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." – April 20, 2005

"We look forward to hearing your vision,

so we can more better do our job."

– September 20, 2005

"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbours back into neighbourhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." – September 5, 2005

"It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." – June 29, 2006, to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." – December 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." – June 11, 2007

"Mr Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." – September 2007, at an APEC summit.

"Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." April 16, 2008 to Pope Benedict XVI.

"The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." – May 27, 2008

"And they have no disregard for human life."

– July 15, 2008,

referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." – June 26, 2008

"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." – July 4, 2008

"The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer – prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." – Sept. 3, 2008 after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.

"This thaw – took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." Oct. 20, 2008, as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...-president.html

I bet Letterman is worried about how much it is now gonna cost him to actually hire writers....

[jmh123]

And they wanted to hand us Sarah Palin as VP, potentially Pres. She is every bit as dumb (and mean) as Shrub. How can you not believe in a right wing conspiracy that wanted (and got) a Pres. they could control while they emptied the world's pockets into their own? We are extremely fortunate that they didn't succeed again.

[Desertrose]

And he served two terms? Once appointed by the supreme court, but then people actually voted for him for a second term? What does that say about us the American people?

[djs111]

but then people actually voted for him for a second term?

I think that if the Ohio votes had been counted correctly, Bush would not have "won".

I do not think there is any such thing as "us" the American people, really!

[Desertrose]

but then people actually voted for him for a second term?

I think that if the Ohio votes had been counted correctly, Bush would not have "won".

I do not think there is any such thing as "us" the American people, really!

You do have a point. I guess the same thing applies to the Florida election the first time. If the Florida votes had been counted correctly Bush would have not been appointed. Good thing is that now finally we are rid of him.

[jmh123]

This article is pretty thorough: Was the 2004 Election Stolen? by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in Rolling Stone .

A precinct in an evangelical church in Miami County recorded an impossibly high turnout of ninety-eight percent, while a polling place in inner-city Cleveland recorded an equally impossible turnout of only seven percent.

In what may be the single most astounding fact from the election, one in every four Ohio citizens who registered to vote in 2004 showed up at the polls only to discover that they were not listed on the rolls, thanks to GOP efforts to stem the unprecedented flood of Democrats eager to cast ballots. And that doesn't even take into account the troubling evidence of outright fraud, which indicates that upwards of 80,000 votes for Kerry were counted instead for Bush.

The first indication that something was gravely amiss on November 2nd, 2004, was the inexplicable discrepancies between exit polls and actual vote counts. Polls in thirty states weren't just off the mark — they deviated to an extent that cannot be accounted for by their margin of error. In all but four states, the discrepancy favored President Bush

Shades of Florida:

But in the battle for Ohio, Republicans had a distinct advantage: The man in charge of the counting was Kenneth Blackwell, the co-chair of President Bush's re-election committee.

In heavily Democratic areas around Youngstown, where nearly 100 voters reported entering "Kerry" on the touch screen and watching "Bush" light up, at least twenty machines had to be recalibrated in the middle of the voting process for chronically flipping Kerry votes to Bush. (Similar "vote hopping" from Kerry to Bush was reported by voters and election officials in other states.

In addition to altering individual ballots, evidence suggests that Republicans tampered with the software used to tabulate votes. In Auglaize County, where Kerry lost not only to Connally but to two other defeated Democratic judicial candidates, voters cast their ballots on touch-screen machines187. Two weeks before the election, an employee of ES&S, the company that manufactures the machines, was observed by a local election official making an unauthorized log-in to the central computer used to compile election results188. In Miami County, after 100 percent of precincts had already reported their official results, an additional 18,615 votes were inexplicably added to the final tally. The last-minute alteration awarded 12,000 of the votes to Bush, boosting his margin of victory in the county by nearly 6,000189.

The most transparently crooked incident took place in Warren County. In the leadup to the election, Blackwell had illegally sought to keep reporters and election observers at least 100 feet away from the polls. The Sixth Circuit, ruling that the decree represented an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment, noted ominously that "democracies die behind closed doors." But the decision didn't stop officials in Warren County from devising a way to count the vote in secret. Immediately after the polls closed on Election Day, GOP officials — citing the FBI — declared that the county was facing a terrorist threat that ranked ten on a scale of one to ten. The county administration building was hastily locked down, allowing election officials to tabulate the results without any reporters present.

In fact, there was no terrorist threat. The FBI declared that it had issued no such warning, and an investigation by The Cincinnati Enquirer unearthed e-mails showing that the Republican plan to declare a terrorist alert had been in the works for eight days prior to the election. Officials had even refined the plot down to the language they used on signs notifying the public of a lockdown. (When Rolling Stone requested copies of the same e-mails from the county, officials responded that the documents have been destroyed.)

The late-night secrecy in Warren County recalls a classic trick: Results are held back until it's determined how many votes the favored candidate needs to win, and the totals are then adjusted accordingly. When Warren County finally announced its official results — one of the last counties in the state to do so — the results departed wildly from statewide patterns. John Kerry received 2,426 fewer votes for president than Ellen Connally, the poorly funded black judge, did for chief justice. As the Conyers report concluded, "It is impossible to rule out the possibility that some sort of manipulation of the tallies occurred on election night in the locked-down facility."

Nor does the electoral tampering appear to have been isolated to these dozen counties. Ohio, like several other states, had an initiative on the ballot in 2004 to outlaw gay marriage. Statewide, the measure proved far more popular than Bush, besting the president by 470,000 votes. But in six of the twelve suspect counties — as well as in six other small counties in central Ohio — Bush outpolled the ban on same-sex unions by 16,132 votes. To trust the official tally, in other words, you must believe that thousands of rural Ohioans voted for both President Bush and gay marriage.

And then there's this, http://redstaterebels.org/2008/09/ohio-vote-fraud-redux/:

In 2004, the compiled tabulation of Ohio’s electronic vote was designed for Secretary of State Blackwell by Michael Connell, a Bush family loyalist who programmed the Bush-Cheney web site in the 2000 election. Connell directed the Ohio vote count to servers in a basement in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which also housed e-mail traffic for the White House. Thousands of emails from Karl Rove and other key Bush Administration operatives have mysteriously disappeared from servers in this basement. Many worked side-by-side with the Connell-designed ones to which Ohio’s official election results were outsourced, under supervision by Rove and Blackwell.

And this, http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/12/de...computer_s.html:

It sounds like the plot of a John Grisham thriller.

A self-made computer geek in Ohio uses his Internet savvy to help one of the most powerful Republican dynasties in U.S. history keep its grip on the White House even as voters turn against the family and its support for an unpopular war.

Political enemies later of theclaim the computer expert helped the GOP steal a presidential election through widespread technological subterfuge that threatens American democracy.

Before the matter is resolved, the geek dies alone in a plane crash, sending conspiracy theorists reeling about what secrets he may have taken to his grave.

I could go on.

What was different this time? The Obama team had people in place to monitor every polling site. The media had hotlines you could call if you were de-registered or had other voting problems. Early voting, IMO, made a huge difference, and that's one of the reasons the Democrats encouraged it. If you went to vote early, and there was a "problem," you had time to get it worked out before the official election day. There were more opportunities for people who might work long hours and be unable to get away to vote if there was only one day to do it, and huge lines. And so on.

[claytonic]

You do have a point. I guess the same thing applies to the Florida election the first time. If the Florida votes had been counted correctly Bush would have not been appointed.

Good thing is that now finally we are rid of him.

Yes but at one heck of an expense...I read the Iraq war alone is costing 2 billion a week..... a war nobody wanted. I am still angry at my country's leader for being joined at the hip with GW. I mean, Canada and New Zealand had the courage to say no.

What to Expect from Obama

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/521.html

I got this via email, haven't listened to it all but since it is being passed around the net ....

[Desertrose]

Yes, it is at great cost, not only in money but in human lives. All for a war that never should have been.

[claytonic]

Yes, it is at great cost, not only in money but in human lives. All for a war that never should have been.

Exactly, and the cost in human life is much greater, and will take many generations to erase it, if it ever can be erased, because when you lose a loved-one through senseless violence, you don't forget... you tell your kids and grandkids and they will remember how angry and heartbroken you were, and they will tell their kids and grandkids, and so the hatred and resentment is perpetuated in a wound that may not get a chance to heal before something else blasts it open again. That's what the attack on Iraq did, it ripped open a wound that was already there.

It is bad enough when someone is killed because doing their job involves being in the front line, but when someone is killed just because they were standing in the wrong place at the wrong time, minding their own business while they go about their daily lives, it's hard to "forgive and forget".

[Couch Tomato]

A copy of my daily Obama Spam correspondence...

In just a few short days, the 56th Presidential Inaugural will be fully underway.

This will be an inauguration for all Americans, and we have an exciting list of events planned, even if you won't be in Washington, D.C. I wanted to send you an update about some of the items on the agenda:

Sunday, January 18th

We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, free, live broadcast on HBO -- At 2:30 p.m. EST, HBO will offer a free nationwide broadcast of the We Are One concert featuring Bono, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and more. Check your local listings to find out where you can watch the free HBO broadcast.

Monday, January 19th

Renew America Together: National Day of Service -- The Obama and Biden families will be participating in volunteer service in the Washington, D.C. area, and would like you to take part in your community. Join any one of more than 10,000 service events already scheduled across America, or host your own:

http://www.USAservice.org/calltoservice

Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future -- After being part of the day of service, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will host a free Kids' Inaugural concert for the children of military families. Performances by Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Bow Wow and others will be broadcast on the Disney Channel and Disney Radio beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Tuesday, January 20th

The Neighborhood Ball -- On the night of the Inauguration, the newly sworn-in President and the First Lady will attend the first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. Join the celebration by hosting or attending a Neighborhood Ball in your own community:

http://www.pic2009.org/ball

ABC will broadcast the Washington, D.C. Neighborhood Ball, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee will be live blogging from the ballroom.

These are just a few of the events planned in the coming days. Visit www.pic2009.org to find out more. And to make sure you get up-to-the-minute updates about these and other Inaugural events, text OPEN to 56333.

[Couch Tomato]

just watched Rahm Emanuel on Charlie Rose... hmmm power is quite sexay. heee. I like him.. and a great contrast to Obama.

[jamar1700]

:yapyapyapf:

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798...;u_sid=10540420

Published Saturday January 17, 2009

Rep. King: Obama should skip middle name in oath

BY JOSEPH MORTON

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

WASHINGTON - Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said Tuesday's presidential inauguration will be an extraordinary moment in history, but he takes issue with one part of the ceremony.

The incoming president will use his full name, Barack Hussein Obama, when he is sworn in.

King is no stranger to controversial statements. He started a firestorm in the middle of the presidential campaign when he said terrorists would dance in the streets if Obama won.

King said at the time that he was basing that prediction on Obama's plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and on the candidate's middle name, which King said the terrorists would find meaningful.

During the campaign, Obama supporters criticized those who used the candidate's middle name as a way of implying that he was a Muslim.

Obama, a Christian, criticized King's comments as out of bounds. He was given his middle name in honor of his paternal grandfather in Kenya.

King, who represents western Iowa's 5th District, said he doesn't understand how Obama can now use his middle name for the swearing-in ceremony.

He took issue with the president-elect's suggestion that using all three names is in keeping with tradition. King said while several past presidents have used middle names at their inaugurations, most presidents have used simply a middle initial or no middle name at all.

King's prediction of terrorist jubilation did not happen when Obama won the election. In fact, Osama bin Laden released a tape last week challenging Obama.

King said the reason why terrorists aren't happy is that Obama switched positions on Iraq and now favors a more responsible approach to drawing down U.S. troops.

• Contact the writer: 202-662-7270, joe.morton@owh.com

Seriously? My son has a good friend whose last name happens to be Husain. He's half Pakistani and half German via his parents nationality but All-American in every other way. They are 2nd & 3rd generation Americans and Presbyterian, for cripes sake. Yet when they had bricks thrown through their windows and numerous threatening phone calls the authorities suggested they think about changing their name. Ugh.