Socialist Orator Draws Over 100,000 Denver Dupes

I wonder how many of them are plumbers. According to Rachel Maddow on Air America, a John McCain rally the day before -- also in Denver -- attracted 4,000 true believers.

John McCain has become unhinged. Watch:

Now, why would anyone cheer -- make that cheer wildly -- a remark like this? How many of them would be o.k. with a nuclear reactor in their town? That's the big flaw in his plan for 45 new nuclear reactors: Who would take them? Who would take the waste?

Similarly, I heard a radio clip of a McCain crowd booing a McCain accusation of Obama's desire to "spread the wealth." Johnny, that's just not a winning theme, especially when Republican tax policies have been spreading the wealth up for the last eight years. As Hendrik Hertzberg points out here, McCain's point is pretty silly:

The Republican argument of the moment seems to be that the difference between capitalism and socialism corresponds to the difference between a top marginal income-tax rate of 35 per cent and a top marginal income-tax rate of 39.6 per cent.

Deliciously, Hertzberg has uncovered a quote of McCain arguing that the wealthy should pay higher taxes and of Sarah Palin bragging that in Alaska, "we share in the wealth." It's great reading; don't miss it...

I loved 'em, my kids loved 'em, and it's nice to know that my grandsons probably will, too. Thanks to Hot Wheels, Mattel has a higher market valuation than General Motors. More here, and great pix of vintage models here...

Change Your World has taken the time to collect transcripts of nine McCain robocalls and exposing the lies and half truths. Great work...

Molly the Dog of the blog Caterpillars and Butterflies is a nurse at an inner city clinic. Here, she writes of her encounter with an aging construction worker who can't afford his meds for high blood pressure and diabetes...

Joe the Rat prepares to desert the sinking ship...

Here's the worst idea since John McCain picked Sarah Palin: Led Zeppelin considers touring without Robert Plant. Think of The Who touring without Roger Daltry. Or Pearl Jam touring without Eddie Vedder. Or George Bush being interviewed without Dick Cheney. Or Santa delivering presents without Rudolph. Or the Army Corps of Engineers without an excuse for every gallon of water that broke through the New Orleans levees. Don't do it, guys...