World governments are focussing too much on fighting terrorism while obesity and other "lifestyle diseases" are killing millions more people, an international conference heard Monday.

Overcoming deadly factors such as poor diet, smoking and a lack of exercise should take top priority in the fight against a growing epidemic of chronic disease, legal and health experts said.

Global terrorism was a real threat but posed far less risk than obesity, type two diabetes and smoking-related illnesses, US law professor Lawrence Gostin said at the Oxford Health Alliance Summit here.

"Ever since September 11 we've been lurching from one crisis to the next which has really frightened the public," Gostin told AFP later.

"While we've been focussing so much attention on that we've had this silent epidemic of obesity that's killing millions of people around the world and we're devoting very little attention to it and a negligible amount of money."

Food, even the bad for you kind, brings a certain amount of pleasure. People spend money to obtain pleasure. Companies make billions of dollars because their product elicits a pleasurable effect with the customer. Last I looked, my double whopper with cheese wasn't wearing the belt of a suicide bomber.

In a post 9/11 world, I can't even believe we're having this conversation.

Tags: September 11, Terrorism, Obesity, Food, Burger King, Whopper

Obama Accuses Clinton of Smear Campaign after Circulating Photos of him Dressed as 'a Muslim'

Barack Obama's campaign chief today accused Hillary Clinton's aides of "shameful offensive fear-mongering" by circulating a smear photo designed to trick voters into once again thinking the black presidential hopeful is a Muslim.

David Plouffe claimed members of the former First Lady's team had e-mailed an image of the Democratic frontrunner dressed in a tunic and turban.

Mr Obama, who was raised as a Christian by his white mother despite his Kenyan father being Muslim, has been dogged for months by claims he is secretly following the Islamic faith.

I'm sure you've seen the photo by now, but if you haven't, it's here.

It didn't take long to assume the truth in the narrative that the Clinton campaign circulated the photo. Maggie Williams, who recently took over the Clinton day-to-day strategy, all but implicated the organization with her non-denial denial.

Enough.

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.

This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry.

We will not be distracted.

Politics is ugly, to be sure. And this stunt is just that - a Clinton quick chump hit to Obama's knees in an attempt to gain political footing. After the debate in Texas last week, the media picked up on what many saw as a conciliatory gesture by Hillary signaling that she knew her '08 presidential aspirations were coming to a close. That was the last thing the Clinton campaign wanted. The proof of this was revealed this past weekend, with Hillary suddenly turning from a state of reflection to a state of fury to blatant sarcasm. Let us not forget the 'do anything to win' mentality of this bunch.

Informed and engaged voters need less than 1 minute to see through this game and see the absurdity in it. We take a look at Obama in his Somali garb and realize it's nothing more than ceremonial appeasement to a constituency. Yet, both campaigns know that the average voter doesn't know squat. They're impressionable. They're fickle. They're shallow. They vote for the candidate who color matches their clothing. They get excited over the candidate who plays a saxophone on late night television. We know these types. They're paper thin.

Stories like this wouldn't gain traction if it weren't for the gullibility of the average American. Want a presidential election that focuses on the issues? Want substance? You won't find it as long as the "man on the street" refuses to become interested.

The real story here is the epidemic vacancy of the electorate.

Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pandering, Politics, Polls

Tags: 2008 Election, Hillary Clinton

Early in Senator John McCain’s first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers.

A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, visiting his offices and accompanying him on a client’s corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself — instructing staff members to block the woman’s access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.

When news organizations reported that Mr. McCain had written letters to government regulators on behalf of the lobbyist’s client, the former campaign associates said, some aides feared for a time that attention would fall on her involvement.

Here's my take: the allegations are flimsy, at best. Nonetheless, McCain welcomed the publication by befriending and trusting the main stream media. He thought he was immune to this kind of thing after all those free bus rides aboard the straight talk express. This story demolishes any idea that McCain is going to get a free ride in return.

Tags: 2008 Election, John McCain

That's love.

Next Chelsea sighting? Under the bus.

Tags: 2008 Election, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton

Hillary: U.S. Senator (7 yrs). Wife of president (8 yrs). Wife of state governor (12 yrs). Amateur, but sensationally successful, trader/investor (2 yrs). Wife of state attorney general (2 yrs). “Rainmaker” lawyer (on and off). Law school, lawyering.

Obama: U.S. senator (3 yrs). State senator (8 yrs). Lawyer on behalf of community groups and discrimination claims (4 yrs). Part-time lecturing (12 yrs). Community organizing (2-3 yrs). Office work (2 yrs). Law school, lawyering.

Compare:

John McCain: U.S. senator (21 yrs). U.S. congressman (4 yrs). Businessman (2½ yrs). U.S. Navy (22 yrs, including 5½ yrs as a prisoner of war).

Heh.

Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain

Every aspiring Democratic president deemed “the next JFK” has revealed feet of clay — be it from scandal, domestic- or foreign-policy failures, a sense of opportunities squandered or great promise unfulfilled. In every instance, there was always a man behind the curtain whom it became impossible to ignore.

Could Barack Obama go on to be a successful president? It’s possible, and if he attains the office, Americans of all political stripes will wish him well in his duties to protect the country. But history, and human nature, tell us that no president could live up to the inhuman expectations being created at this moment.

Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Politics

Tags: 2008 Election, Hillary Clinton

Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

Nine losses in a row.

9.

She's nearly done.

Tags: 2008 Election, Hillary Clinton

Pitiful.

Tags: 2008 Election, Absurd, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

Tags: Absurd, Hollywood, Celebrity

"Could we possibly have a nominee who hasn't won any of the significant states -- outside of Illinois? That raises some serious questions about Sen. Obama."

That'll win the hearts and minds of voters who live in any of the 21 non-Illinois states won by Obama. Way to go, Mark.

Tags: 2008 Election, Hillary Clinton

Nevermind.

Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Dick Morris, Hillary Clinton

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her advisers increasingly believe that, after a series of losses, she has been boxed into a must-win position in the Ohio and Texas primaries on March 4, and she has begun reassuring anxious donors and superdelegates that the nomination is not slipping away from her, aides said on Monday.

Mrs. Clinton held a buck-up-the-troops conference call on Monday with donors, superdelegates and other supporters; several said afterward that she had sounded tired and a little down, but determined about Ohio and Texas.

They also said that they had not been especially soothed, and that they believed she might be on a losing streak that could jeopardize her competitiveness in those states.

And then there's the money quote...

“She has to win both Ohio and Texas comfortably, or she’s out,” said one superdelegate who has endorsed Mrs. Clinton, and who spoke on condition of anonymity to share a candid assessment. “The campaign is starting to come to terms with that.” Campaign advisers, also speaking privately in order to speak plainly, confirmed this view.

Several Clinton superdelegates, whose votes could help decide the nomination, said Monday that they were wavering in the face of Mr. Obama’s momentum after victories in Washington State, Nebraska, Louisiana and Maine last weekend.

One has to believe this is not what Hillary anticipated. Remember, the grand master plan was to front load the primary season to insure a quick win for the Queen. They completely underestimated Barack Obama. When will the main stream media report that story?

After Hillary loses Ohio and Texas.

Technorati Tags: 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton