Politics of Fear

The imagery on the cover of the New Yorker represents the quality of conversation on race and religion in this country: mixed messages, nothing decoded.

Even though Sen. McCain didn't truly denounce Charlie Black and, instead, basically supported the lobbyist's awful statements, the very serious cable news people are giving McCain a pass on this thing.

Things are always less scary when the lights are on, so throughout the campaign HuffPost will be conducting a FearWatch, keeping our eyes peeled for attempts to scare the public into voting their fears. And we need your help... Read More McCain's Campaign Funding Hypocrisy: Why Are the Media Looking the Other Way? Amidst all the attacks on Obama's public funding "flip-flop," how much have you read in the old media about the fact that McCain has completely reversed himself on public financing -- and is currently breaking campaign finance law on a daily basis? Read More Watch Arianna on: BBC News' Hardtalk, CNN's Election Center, and Anderson Cooper 360

While we are relishing our Obasm, we must be aware of the forces who peer jealously across the widening breach, who are becoming even more determined to prevent this movement from succeeding.

My worry is that Obama, who appeals to the best of our nature, and to the transformative power of government, lives in a fantasy world, disconnected from the peccant realities of what it takes to get things done in Washington.

The Bush administration didn't invent the practice of selling fear, just employed it with shocking cynicism and assumed a mandate it didn't have.

This morning on Fox News Sunday, New York Times columnist Bill Kristol recommended that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) employ the "politics of fear" to a...