"The Obamas Are Uppity" And More (Or Why I Never Trust Polls)

1. As reported in The Hill:
--U.S. Representative Lynn Westmoreland, Republican of Georgia: "Just from what little I've seen of [Michelle Obama] and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity."
--U.S. Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, on the purported relevance of Obama's middle name "Hussein": "Then the radical Islamists, the al Qaeda, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they will declare victory in this War on Terror." (In case you're wondering, John McCain's middle name is "Sidney").
--U.S. Representative Geoff Davis, Republican of Kentucky: "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that [situation] that related to a nuclear threat to this country."

2. From Lisa Falkenberg's recent column in the Houston Chronicle: Charles Bowers, a Yellow Dog Democrat and retired pastor: "Frankly, I was raised during the days of segregation and am not ready for a black family in the White House. . . . But I'm praying for a way out of my prejudice and think I just may be over it. If I vote for Obama, I will be over my prejudice for sure."

3. From a recent Nicholas Kristof column in the New York Times: There are "widespread theories that Mr. Obama just may be the Antichrist. Seriously." (Click here if you want to purchase a T-shirt with an "O" with horns over the caption "The Anti-Christ").

4. From George Packer, writing in The New Yorker's October 13, 2008 issue:
--An unnamed man in Glouster, Ohio, explaining why he was undecided but now supports Obama after McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate: "I just think the guy Obama picked would do better if he got assassinated than McCain's if he died of frickin' old age in office."
--Bobbie Durham, a retired fourth-grade teacher: "But I really don't trust Obama. He only says half-truths. He calls himself a Christian, but he only became one to run for office. He calls himself a black, but he's two-thirds Arab."
--Retired state employee J.K. Patrick of Inez, Kentucky: "There's a lot of white people that just wouldn't vote for a colored person. Especially older people." Patrick: "I really don't want an African-American as President. I think he would put too many minorities in positions over the white race. That's my opinion."
--Latisha Price, who runs the Service Employees International Union's office for Obama in Athens, Ohio, on approaching persons in that state's Meigs County: "Meigs County is one of the worst. . . . I have heard, pardon my French, 'Get the fuck off my porch, I'm not voting for no nigger.'"