It's very sad that in this great land of America we can only come up with these two jokers for President. I've never believed that politicians are the class act of American society, and this just helps prove my point. McCain and Obama what a joke for a selection. If this is the best we've got then we as a country are in bad, bad shape. America cannot be the best place in the world if Obama and/or McCain are our best leaders.

Perhaps the most ridiculous and false rumor about these guys is that either one has the intelligence to get us out of this financial crisis. You can't solve this problem with the same level of ideas and intelligence that created them.

I haven't heard any of the rumors about McCain, but I've heard all of the Obama rumors on the DN Reader Comment boards. Not only have I heard these absurd rumors but many of the posters practically claimed to have had a supernatural exerience theri knowledge and enthusiasm in testifying to the truthfullness of these lies.

Shame on YOU readers for spreading lies. Shame on you for abandoning your family values. Shame on your for your fear mongering and your false claims.

The American people should read and research these two records. Was Obama involved with ACORN? You bet he was. Was he involved with Ayers? Yes, he was. Was he a member of a church where there was the radical preacher, Wright? Again, yes he was. This is what will determine my vote. He has very poor judgement!!

To SAD and TJ:

I can understand your disapproval of the two major candidates but you do have more than one choice for president. However, if you really want to make a difference, own up to your words. Stand up and gather your troops and get out your message, if it's all that great and you have a better idea about what to do. There are words from a song that fit perfectly here: Don't just stand there and shout it, do something about it.

Wow, until I read the beginning of this article, I was evidently in the 6% who hadn't heard those rumors.

Now we'll have to redo the polls!

I agree they are both sad choices. Neither knows which end is up and financially speaking give me a break. It will take a miracle worker to relieve the mess we are currently in. Both show poor judgment, both are lacking badly, both make a very bad showing. The anti-Christ thing I have wondered myself. Charismatic and saying just what people want to hear with no apparent means of providing. Wow! Who knows! I guess the proof will be in the pudding, huh?

Negative political campaigns are sadly ingrained in Presidential elections and appeal to the base motivation in voters. Local officials introducing McCain have referred to "Barack Hussein Obama" fuelling internet fears that he is a Muslim; MCain himself referring to his opponent as "that one" a demeaning phrase to many black Americans.
There will be many votes cast in this election on views of race which is the intention of negative campaign tactics and smears.
We have been counselled to register, pray and vote; sound counsel as it soon becomes apparent when you are being deceived by negative campaigning from whichever partisan group.

Got any more rumors to share with us? I'll be watching.

hey weezie, don't you realize that Utah is a state where the rest of the country believes that all of our preachers are radical? Do you even know what ACORN does? Aside from running voter registration drives, they try to find employment for homeless people. Ooooohh, what a radical-scary idea.
Do you even know that Ayers never went to prison for anything other than protesting? I've heard many people make the case that the current Republicans in power have done nothing wrong because they haven't been prosecuted. Regardless of what he did in his youth, however, Ayers is currently a Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois.

I don't care about these rumors I just care about their policies. Both are for bigger government and heading farther down the road to socialism/communism. Seriously, read the communist manifesto and compare it to their policies.

Obama's Stop the Smear website has just as many false things on it as the rumor mill. Hard to know what or who to believe. But believe this: Obama referred to his "Muslim faith" in an interview with George Stephanopolous in which George "corrected" him by saying "you mean your Christian faith." Obama then changed to say something like, "yes, my Christian faith." So, DN, you figure out what is true and what is not before claiming a rumor about Obama's Muslim faith.

I have seen a photo where Obama do not place his hand on his heart for the Pledge.

To "SAD", I totally agree with you, but let me point out that we DID have a much better option. His name is Romney, but he is, Heaven forbid!, a Mormon. Looks pretty benign now, doesn't it?
I also agree with "weezie" - Many, if not all, of the Obama "rumors" are known facts. Obama will win and this country deserves nothing better. God bless America. We're going to need it.

False equivalency is as bad as the bubonic plague.

Was John McCain indicted over his involvement with Charles Keating? You bet he was.
Was Sarah Palin and her family involved with the Alaskan Independence Party, which advocates secession from the United States? You bet they were. AND the weren't just involved, they paid dues to be members.

Weezie, you may have "heard" about ACORN, and Jeremiah Wright and Ayers.

But you haven't learned enough.

Or taken enough time to see if you are being emotionally manipulated.

Please: its your responsibility to learn both sides of the story before you spread your hate.

Unfortunately our public education system and media outlets continue to perform a great disservice to young Americans by providing them an inferior basis of knowledge and intellect to give them the reasoning skills to distinguish fact from fiction, or truth from propaganda. The result, as we see, are citizens who increasingly are gullible to believing rumors and propaganda put out by agents whose intent it to indoctrinate and manipulate rather than inform.

One of my college students very earnestly showed me an email he received with the "Obama is a Muslim, took his oath of office on the Koran, and refuses to say the pledge of allegiance" rumor. He actually couldn't believe it when I told him none of these were true. You would think that people would view "Internet Rumors" with a great deal of skepticism but they don't. Incidentally the "original" Internet Rumor which was both outrageous but nonetheless believed was that Bill Gates was buying the Catholic Church. Does anyone remember that one?

Let me see Obama was 8 and living in Hawaii when Ayers was a young man protesting against his government which is supposedly a freedom in this country. Ayers has since matured and is now a respected man in society mmmmm something is wrong with the picture McCain paints. Truth McCain is an adulterer. Truth Obama is a Christian but did have a Muslim step dad for a few years when he was a child - ans so what if he is Muslim or Christian as relgion is not the issue. Neither man runnig for office can guarantee a way to get us out of the mess this country is in - he can only state his desires and then hope that the Congress and others will assist in getting this country back on its feet. Remember "read my lips - no more taxes" will that was a mistake to make such a vow Reality folks its going to take us all to repair the damage and image of this country - no one politician as we aren't electing a DICTATOR as George said he preferred

There is no equivalency between the findings against Sarah Palin in the Troopergate matter and the alliances (not just guilt by association but by alliance) between "that one" and Ayres, Wright, Pleuger, Acorn, Rezco, etc. The "messiah" (so-named by Louis Farrakahn) is out of the American mainstream and as president, would attempt to cram his socialist/marxist, globalist agenda down America's throat because, after all, he is a citizen of the world and the messiah. There is no equivalency between the two, notwithstanding the Obama camp's attempt to obscure and deny B.O.'s alliances, not just associations, but alliances, with his radical and slimey pals. Somewhere down the road, Americans are going to ask, "Why didn't someone warn us about Obama's agenda?" Someone is trying but no one seems to be particulary interested because they are captivated by the messiah's slick and deceitful lawyer rhetoric. If you charcterize these TRUTHS as being false smears, then make the most of it.

OH weezie, you better go back and research your facts instead of spreading your rumors.

I wouldn't care if Obama were Muslim.

Of course Barack Obama isn't the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ will be able to speak without a teleprompter.

Just because it's a rumor doesn't mean it's not true!!!!

I agree with Anonymous | 9:32. I'm so depressed about the number of people who will HEAR about something rather than LEARN about it (because we all know which one is less work).

I know the Obama rumors are true because I received an email about it and from what Fox news and Sean Hannity tell me. And how can either choice be worse than W. We are wasting billions in a senseless war, we have lost the respect of our allies, we violate civil liberties through denial of due process and wire tapping. Our economy has failed due to lack of oversight. Scientific reports are manipulated for political gain.

Either candidate is an improvement.

Does anyone remember that George W. Bush is President and most people here voted for him?

Why should anyone pay any attention to us? We are twice fooled already.

Utah Republicans, and Republicans nationwide are freaking out because it's now clear that the next president of the US will be a black democrat. It's funny when you think about it.

"Utah Republicans, and Republicans nationwide are freaking out because it's now clear that the next president of the US will be a black democrat. It's funny when you think about it."

Investors are also freaking out. Not only is the financial crisis causing the markets worlwide to plunge but also investors fear that Obama will be elected President along with a democratic controlled congress. They get very nervous with a government that has no checks and balances and move their assets to investments safer from government interference.

Perhaps when BO is inaugurated, he will preside over the countries second great depression. In a way that might be good since all the social programs he wants to ram down America’s throat, will be kept on hold because there will be no money left to pay for them.

Barack Obama's family history in Ireland shows that not a lot has changed in 300 years of politics and that Michael Kearney his famous forebear from Dublin was subjected to similar scurrilous attacks as the increasingly desperate McCain/Palin including the call to the blackguards to use "pellets of perjury" to oppose him. Probably few outside Utah are even aware of his Irish ancestry. It's not difficult to find

I would like to know if this is fact or rumor:

Obama is a chain smoker?????
Or even a smoker???

Does anyone know???

I freak out at some of his policies he wants to force on others such as mandatory national service. I am not saying McCain is much better though. That is why I am voting for Baldwin.

I am a conservative Republican and will be voting for John McCain. But I have to say I resent the absurd rumors going around about Obama. Today I was told the following ridiculous baloney: somehow "Barack Obama is not really an American citizen, he was not born in Hawaii but was smuggled into the country by Muslim terrorists."

I asked the person who told this to me, how did Obama get elected Senator if that is the case? Wouldn't the scrappy Chicago newspapers have figured it out? The answer I got: "the Jews control the media, they want Obama." So I asked, if the Jews control the media, why would they be promoting someone you claim is a Muslim terrorist who hates Israel? No answer to that.

Folks, if it sounds ridiculous or nasty it probably is not true.

Obama smokes. His wife doesn't like his habit. I doubt he chain smokes.
McCain's wife is filthy rich from the beer industry and has illegally abused prescription drugs.
Many of the people who post here scare me. Seriously, people. Do a little research. Go check out the Saddleback forum (google it); Obama and McCain both talk about their religion, and frankly Obama's take on religion (at least judging from the Saddleback forum) is much closer to most Utahns than McCain's is.
But please, look at the debates and the Saddleback forum before spreading untruths.

Obama has smoked all his life (what is a "chain smoker?" someone who smokes? then yes, he has been a smoker.

But he did stop when he decided to run for Pres - as well as for all the other good reasons he stopped.

When asked about it on the campaign trail ("How did you stop a life long habit?") he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Nicorette and tossed it to the guy.

He also has said he has backslid a couple of time and smoked.

Who cares what Obama's religion is. Muslim extremism, Christian extremism- its all the same crap. I would never base my selection of a US president based on their religious views or if they smoked or not. But this is the sophisticated process employed by much of Utah's voters.

Equivalency? No Way
“There is no equivalency between the findings against Sarah Palin in the Troopergate matter and the alliances (not just guilt by association but by alliance)…”
What are your sources for these statements? Even Sen. McCain has now stated that Sen. Obama is “a decent family man and citizen.”

Why do we have to get so nasty with personal attacks on the candidates instead of examining the issues? Who has the better plan on health care? or on the economy? ….
Political parties, just like all people, have both good and bad qualities. There can be righteous people in all political parties. We need to get back to having checks and balances in you system of government. We get better legislations and governess when all ideas are brought to the table. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, we need to understand that members of the other party are citizens who love this country, too.

The choices we have for president are not as great as we would like. We do know that neither of these individuals will take fiscal responsibility as neither have campaigned to fix or change in anyway what is broke and has been ignored by the current administration.

Although I am registered Republican we can as a country no way afford another Bush style regime where we are lied to and our funds are abused at the highest level. MCcain is that and no matter how you package him he is not the man to lead the country except into rack and ruin.

Obama had some inspiring ideas during his acceptance speech. Mccain had none and I think that is indicative of our choices. Since then the election has since turned into a mud slinging, immature, name calling, you should be ashamed to have to vote for one or the other.

Obama is a recent 1/2 pack a day smoker, who has now quit & chews nicorette.
McCain smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years, quit in his 40's

Rumors or not, I am greatly disappointed that I have to choose between these two absurd candidates. Neither one has a great track record in the virtue department. They both admit some of their past "experimentations" and "poor judgements" when pressured by the media, but I suspect we haven't heard all the media can dish out about these two.
My expectations of either one, once in office, are not high. Nor do I have much excitement for the Congress that is to be. Americans will vote for new clueless individuals in the place of the present clueless individuals. Surely we can do better than this.

You so don't understand politics of the 21st century. While it is historically true that Republicans are for big business and Democrats are for big government, the last 8 years have turned that Conventional Wisdom upside down.

I am a CPA and spent the weekend researching their proposed fiscal policies. It is McCain that wants more Wall St bailouts. It is McCain that proposes the government buy up all subprime mortgage so people can stay in their homes. McCain wants to tax us on employer-paid benefits to pay for the uninsured. Also, Bush signed the Patriot Act. Bush signed the $700 Billion bailout bill.

I know it's hard for you to understand, but our present conservative base has become quite socialist. I don't like it either, and I'm not here advocating you vote for Obama. I personally am still undecided. But I'm begging you to look at the facts and not at the history of the parties here. McCain is much more of a fiscal liberal than Obama. Clinton was fiscally conservative. Bush has been fiscally liberal. How else do you explain the balanced budget of 2000 with the debt of today?

Please educate yourself before you write.

Obama is far from inspiring...he is scary though. If he gets into office my taxes go up $3500. I'm easily a member of this famous "middle income" status that he is going to save. Please nation wake up, if he won't promise to keep the tax cuts as they are, everyone but the poverty level will see a minimum of a 200% increase in their taxes. This is not a rumor, got to his web page and read his proposals, sit down and do your homework. It's clear he is lying to the very people he is pretending to represent.

The article labels McCain's rumors as worse. OBAMA is labeled a terrorist(Muslim means terrorist to most of the people who think it) and an anti-Christ. HOW is raising a black baby and being senile worse!?!?

I'm offended. I love Utah and I Love the church but many readers are begging the DN to change the style so that articles which are SO bias or partisan aren't written.

I am NOT supporting Obama I am voting 3rd party because I don't like them, but Obama CERTAINLY has had worse rumors.

The church doesn't have a stance on party yet the news still leans so republican it's hard to come here anymore. I am conservative and that is NOT republican. Most republicans are losing their conservative basis. Why doesn't the Deseret News cover Paleo-Conservatism or 3rd parties more? or EQUALLY? Rise above the other media! My last post wasn't admitted and I am NOT anti-DN, I just wish that the leadership behind it would step in and fix its problems.

this article is about a bunch of baseless rumors, and a bunch of ignoramus's like Weezie respond to the article with a bunch more dumb exaggerated rumors. I'm still voting obama, dude. And you're not changing any other minds, either. Better get used to the idea of Obama as your president.

I'm just curious but does a candidate for president have to have a religious affiliation? Whoever said that they didn't care what religion Obama was I say Right On! Weren't there some people willing to vote for Mitt Romney. We've all heard that he's not a christian - doesn't he belong to a cult that has their own Jesus? I believe the cult is based in Utah and from what I've heard the leaders dictate how their members will vote? I looked at the political election polls dashboard for Utah and and the results seen to indicate that there maybe some truth to this. Look at the percentages. I've been listening to the debates and watching the news and to be honest - I'm disgusted with the way McCain has handled his campaign! I was one of those "undecided" voters but not anymore!
Obama has my vote! Time for a change!

I am glad the LDS church Presidency and Bishops won't permit us to stand up and preach political rhetoric.
I have heard so much, I need a day of 'rest.'
I would not wonder that Obama smokes,
for him to have to sit and listen to the reverend Wright preach hatred and lies about the country I love for 20 years,
I would probably smoke also.
I sure hope as a young man he sat with an MP-3 music player over his ears during most of those sermons.

Did anyone hear the one that Palin got an Exorcism? What a joke.

Who is John MCCAIN?

Who are the EXTREMEIST RIGHT WING EVANGELICAL CLERGY TIED TO JOHN MCCAIN?

Why did he try to separate himself from these people?

Why is it that specific CORPROATE ELITE WILL RECEIVE OUTRAGEOUS TAX INCENTIVES FROM MCCAIN'S LEGISLATION?

What are MCCAIN's ties to DOMESTIC TERRORISTS IN ALASKA?

What are the reasons MCCAIN SAID HE WAS ASHAMED OF HIMSELF because he HAS A PROBLEM WITH ETHICS AS SUGGESTED BY A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION?

What are MCCAIN'S ties to CONVICTS LIKE CHARLES KEATING AND G. GORDAN LIDDY?

Why did RONALD REAGAN AND HIS WIFE DESPISE JOHN MCCAIN?

WHO IS JOHN MCCAIN?

To me, as an Australian I find it absolutely disgusting that the colour of a mans skin is still an issue among some Americans. I mean how can a nation be proud of themselves when it has only been in recent history that Blacks can ride on the same bus as whites, attend the same schools and even hold the same office in some religions as whites. And even that some people can call out 'Kill him' (to Obama) at a Republican convention is enough to send chills up any thinking persons spine!! All this as many Americans say 'in the best country on earth'??? Obviously some of you don’t get out and about in the world too much!!