>>Let's hope that it was only a nightmare and nothing else. It would tear this country apart literally. At this point in time, anything other than Obama winning and living a healthy life in the office would damage this country to such an extent that it would possibly have repercussions around the world that could be catastrophic and change the geopolitical landscape beyond recognition. I would rather live with a type of socialism than envision that. We have no choice.
>
>Would you for once, please, explain what's wrong with socialism that it merits this runner-up title as the lesser evil?

I cannot speak for tracy, but socialism is believed the the big evil thing in the US. It is associated with the USSR and
often confused with communism, and to be believed the direct opposite of the american dream (if that still exists anyways).
Most americans don't even know that most european countries are having a form of social democracy implemented and are doing fairly well, even economical.

Same with the word 'liberal' which succesfully has been degraded (by the republicans) to mean about the opposite of its original meaning it still has in europe. This is the power of 'mud throwing' in the media and using every instrument to let the people believe what they want them to believe. I view it as some kind of brain washing on a national scale.

From my pov, it seems that even though many americans don't think as obama is the right candidate they begin to realise that a vote for mcCain as tremendous risk. Not only the risk that he will not be able to disconnect from the powers in his own party that are responsible for the disasters of the last 8 years, but also out of fear that may he die during his term they will end up with a pitbull with lipstick that might even be worse.

Personally I hope that people are getting fed up with the mud throwing and the massive polarisation during the election. Really, as an outsider I can only see this as a sign of immaturity that should have no place in an election.

Interesting.. I saw the speech of Colin Powel and he made one great point. He said that senior member of his party had suggested that obama is muslim in the intention to hurt him. He said "First of all, he is a cristian and always has been.... and if he was a muslim... so what ?? It clearly outlines that powel was fed up with this attitude within his party.