Err, why are people saying that Osama bin Laden wants us to "cut and run"? Has he said as much? I'm sure he wants us there as long as possible, as we only enflame the situation and bring more young Muslims around to his side. It's a lot easier to kill Americans when they're in Iraq and not the US.

Wait a minute…. that sign has a misprint. It should say…. OH I GET IT! Its because they have SIMILAR NAMES! Oh! That is SO clever. Not just any idiot could come up with something a HI-LARIOUS as that!

…jeez…

You know, I was thinking about Graham's stupid comment on the way home from work today, and I realized that the more Republicans compare Obama and Osama's names, the more it actually helps the Democrats, because I can safely say that it outrages me every time I hear Osama's name and realize that these uber-genius neo cons in the Republican party have done NOTHING to catch Osama Bin Laden and that THEY KNOW WHERE HE IS!!!! And to top it off, Barrack Obama is the only one actually speaking common sense about finding Osama and taking him out.

They are making Obama stronger everytime they make the comparison.

Therefore, go right ahead Republican candidates, have another beer, keep on jabberin' and continue to shoot yourselves in the chest with Dick Cheney's shot gun every other day.

Thank you and Cheers to Senator Graham and Mit Romney for doing their country such great service. Drink up boys and soon we'll be rid of you all.

Message for our American Public and/or our Republican/Democrat with independent candidates alike, all of the above

Before you all enter into/onto the arena of the trail of campaigning; Caution! Here are some sound words of wisdom. United States of American and its legal and proud citizens of our loving country that are constantly/openly out from inside the shadows and are not in fear of sending heart felt comments; none made are no more offensive or too smart; than the offensive racial bigot signs these characters are so proudly displaying by our countries elite. Looks as if they are one of “THE GOOD OLE BOYS” Two of our (Two shall show our children as if there are standing naked in public, to be our nations best and call them selves leaders; may be in question and on the minds of most); Governor Mitt Romney and Senator Lindsey Graham was holding similar signs of their I Q intelligent. Senator Graham on Tuesday 8/07/2007, Governor Romney a couple of weeks ago, so any producers and staff of national news networks had better not delete “US” and our post? If you continue to stifle free speech as you may, you shall as well merge with the “F” network!

“UNITED STATES of AMERICA” WE THE PEOPLE!!! TO FORM A MORE PREFECT…

Hey Lindsey, I have a few signs also, but don't take them personally, I didn't read them either.

"Lindsey Graham, as crumby as the cracker"

"George Bush, daay's little girl"

"Mitt, Mormon, Moron?"

"Gulliani, 3 marriages, 3 strikes, your out!"

"Brownbeck of Kansas; will someone please drop a house on this man"

"McCain, maybe he was in that POW hole a bit too long?"

I could go on all day, but I have real issues to deal with, unlike our politicians.

Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson;
Before you all enter into/onto the trail of campaigning; Caution! Here are some words of wisdom. This is directed to CNN: Comments made are no more offensive or too smart; than the sign that “GOOD OLE BOY” Senator Lindsey Graham was holding on Tuesday 8/07/2007, so you’re producers and staff had better not delete US and our post? If you continue to stifle free speech as you may, you shall as well merge with the “F” network!
“UNITED STATES of AMERICA WE THE PEOPLE”

The sign picture is hysterical. I don't care whether or not he knew what he was holding or whether or not he knew his picture was being taken. I just have NO CLUE how HIllary Clinton could be a possible candidate for President of the Unites States of America. The woman is a criminal. She has continually committed crimes and proved time and again that she is unethical. How can someone who steals from us (the taxpayers) be allowed to run for President. She should have to pay for the things she stole from the White House when she and Bill left office. They (Bill and Hillary) held this country hostage for eight years, we DO NOT want anymore Clintons in the White House.

Real class act there by the voice of the neo-con's Graham and McCain.

To James

Bush did lie and people are dying. What excactly does Barack have in common with Osama again? Absolutly nothing. There is a difference.

James Torrance-
So, the sign is actually referring to some Museum of Modern Art in Chelsea?
The idiot spelling of, "momma", is exactly the same as the sign held by Mitt Romney, which leads one to believe that it was the same sign.

Van

While I find the rhyme devoid of class and I find it incredible that the Senator did not read it first, the sign is a perfect example of freedom of speech. Let's be sure to elect a president in 2008 who supports and protects civil liberties and does not reach out to impose democracy on sovereign nations at the expense of our country and its next generation.

Wow. Did any of the liberal commenters above read the article? I know reading comprehension might not be your strong point.
Don't get me wrong, I despise Mr. Romneys political views. I'd rather vote for Hillary *shudders in revulsion*, but there is no way that sign expresses his opinion.

What the most interesting part of this story is that these people running for office are so eager to have their pics made, they don't bother READING what they are posing with???? They are probably doing the same amount of reading on the bills they are passing…

You have got to be kidding me. How is this article and picture racist? Where are the racist statements, where does the grouping of Muslims and Osama happen? The sign basically states that the all three parties listed hold a stance that we should "cut and run." Nothing more, nothing less. It seems some people try to read to far into simple statements looking for something to be offended about. If more time were spent on something meaningful instead of finding new ways to become pissed off at people, there might be hope for the system. Besides, who reports the news, who decides what is shown and what is not, the new companies. Which would you pick sensational and provocative, or simple and uncontroversial? Media has led most people nowadays to try and decipher what is not really there, read it for what it is, and as I am sure most readers are not analysts.

I don't get it. Every comment so far complains about name calling, yet responds in kind. What's up with that?

CNN,

My comment was no more offensive than the sign that good old Lindsey is holding, so why did you delete my post? If you continue to stifle free speech you may as well merge with the “F” network!

“WE THE PEOPLE”

Typical Southern conservative Republican for you.

It's not the fact that he posed with the sign that disgusts me as much as his lame excuse. “I was handed the sign by a rally attendee as I was leaving. I should have been more careful and I apologize.” This implies that he didn't read it before he posed for the picture. Give me a break! A career politician, lawyer, Air Force JAG officer didn't take the time to read a nine-word sign? Yeah…right! He's pleading no contest because he was caught on camera. It was a mini-"Macaca" moment.

They misspelled "momma"….twice….

That's just impressive.

Well if it was o.k. for Ted Kennedy to slip up and call Obama, Osama what's the big deal if Romney poses next to a sign saying the same thing? Horrible penmanship on the sign BTW.

Absolutely moronic and tasteless. How old are these people anyway?

I don't approve of the sign either, but he didn't make the sign. He was asked for a photo and as politicians and celebrities should know, it's best to think before you give in to every thing someone wants you to stand in front of for a photo. It's funny how he is a racist, yet Elizabeth Edwards can make comments about her husband not getting attention because he's 'not black' and that's all fine and dandy. So much hypocrisy in the world.

I'm not sure I get the Chelsea Clinton thing. I guess they just needed to figure out a way to rhyme with Obama/Osama (which is sad), but what did Chelsea ever do to them?

This is everyday banter in SC. Trust me, SC Republicans are loving this. Why did we let that state back in the union? Wasn't South Carolina the first state to "cut-and-run" 1860? Looks like it takes one to know one.

It was less a sign about racism and having much more to do with all three's similar viewpoint on an exit strategy for the situation in the Middle East, simply, that the US should leave and soon. But hey, great work on completely missing the point and focusing instead on unrelated issues.

This country deserves better, What is actually wrong with this political Demagogues, blasphamers, politicians with little vision and no conviction.They are so corrupt and liars at the extent that they can't effectively represent this great nation for Romney and SC representative. They all claim they never read this signs. Born racists and sexiest.DEbate should be base on policies and ideas not trivialities.

So basically he lied when he claimed "no knowledge of the sign"

Lies this early give me pause about the candidate

Everyone else who commented on this article and picture clearly are unable to read and/or look with their eyes. The sign that he's holding has absolutely NOTHING to do with saying Obama and Osama are related hahahaha idiots. And it's also not calling Obama "Osama"…..once again, idiots. The sign is saying that Osama, Obama, and Clinton all want us out of Iraq, which Republicans do not want. I thought that was pretty clear, but I guess I should have expected liberals to read insults into situations where they don't exist. Way to go.

Name calling happens on both sides of the aisle. Why are you surprised? Quit being USED by the establishment.

We need a middle of the road, credible party to UNITE America! Enough partisanship which only divides us and continues the status quo.

Could Osama Bin Laden have ever imagined in his wildest dreams that one day, his name would be surrounded by the names of presidential hopefuls and carried by a U.S. senator?

"It's a great country, Sam!"

Colin Powell - in an interview with Sam Donaldson of ABC

This is hate crime. I can't believe people who make legislation demonstrate such a pathetic attitude.

The scary thing is that Graham is our "sane" senator. This kind of cheap scare-tactic is what we generally associate with Jim DeMint, the junior senator from Xenophobia. Way to play to your base, Lindsay!

This is a new low in American politics!

What more can you possibly expect from someone who backs John McCain??

Typical response from South Carolina. I doubt if they will be a deciding force in the Presidential elections.

As another native of South Carolina all my seventy-eight years of life I sometimes have to cringe at what so many in my state do. Sorry to say this kind of stuff will go over great with the republicans in this, my home state. As a sponsor of the amnesty immigration bill, which was almost totally opposed by his supporters, he is trying to gain them back.

Lance -
That was one of the best postings I've ever read! It's postings like yours that keep me reading the political ticker every day!

What do you expect, we let people get away with this kind of thing. We are at fault for how this country has turned out. This cheap and disgusting ploy works for some people and the fact we do nothing about it is par for course. It has nothing to do with racism or sexism, it is the fact that people respond to this kind of campaigning. As long as you are not outraged enough to take time off work and go out and protest this or anything the government or it's representatives do wrong then don't act surprised.

I just want to clarify that Barack Obama is NOT a Muslim.

"9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden"

And why did we go run after Saddam in Iraq instead of Osama in Afghanistan. If you ask me, and anyone other than the President, you will be told that we should be looking for Bin Laden instead of having caught Saddam. Poor baby Georgie had to go get revenge for his daddy. Seriously, if more of our troops where in Afghanistan we would've found the man who caused the worst terrorist attack in U.S. History.

Obama should never be compared to Osama. If anything, it should be the current Commander in Chief, it's because of his failing efforts that Osama is still on the run. I feel sorry for the families of the victims of 9/11. They get screwed every which way. First, their leader went after the wrong guy in "The war on 'Terror'". Now, they might not even be able to visit Ground Zero because it's unstable?! And they need to do construction. Please. I cannot wait until January of 2009, we will no longer be under the control of a man who claims to be acting against terror when he didn't get the man who actually caused terror in the U.S. Nothing good is going on in "The war on 'Terror'", except the terrorists are getting smarter. I'm just glad that I can use my freedom of speech, the only thing that I am happy to have…

If Romney gets the presidency, I will move north to Canada because I will not want a racist president. He'll probably want slavery back. I wouldn't be surprised…sickening.

E. Calwell from Philly:

Excuse me, but wwwwwwhat? He is a racist because he uses a play on words that rhymes Osama with Obama!?? He is in no way insinuating that Osama is muslim because of the sign. If that was the case, then he would be calling Clinton a muslim too. What kind of waked-out thought process did you go through to get to your viewpoint?

I mean, I don't support the guy , but geesh!

amazing the cowardly tactics these people use

I am also disgusted. What are these poeple thinking? How low and amoral are the Republicans? It certainly doesn't give you much hope for the future of our country if we are reduced to this kind of behavior. At times, I just shake my head in disbelief.

Perhaps Republicans need to start LOOKING at the signs they are handed before they pose with them.

CNN you didn't counter Romney's claim that he wasn't holding the sign. That was a lie. He was pictured with the sign in his hand, and he was called out on it in that same exchange. To my recollection, he didn't have an adequate response (check out C-SPAN) except to try to take another question.

I'm not an Obama supporter, but I still consider this behavior repulsive and not worthy of any American and especially not a United States Senator. Is the Republican party running out of ideas?

I just find it kind of sad that somebody went to the trouble to make this sign, but they spelled "mama" wrong - not even in keeping with the "-ama" endings of both other names. What the sign lacked in cleverness it may have made up for in word play, but not with a glaring error like that.

I hope the Obama campaign downplays/dismisses/laughs off this incident. Obama should give off the impression that he is above even commenting on petty stunts like these, and for heaven's sake, I hope he doesn't try to use this in a fundraising appeal.

Who do "they" think "they're" fooling? "They" are truly contemptuous of the electorate aka The American People. What public figure or competent handler of a public figure would, in this age of instant communication and world wide web proliferation, take a picture with something or someone without being aware of who and what they were being photographed with. I would have to question the judgement or motives of anyone that would be so reckless, public figure or private citizen notwithstanding. However, they would not get to hide behind or feign ignorance because such behavior would remove any doubt.

"I was handed the sign by a rally attendee as I was leaving. I should have been more careful and I apologize."

At least Graham had the decency to apologize. It doesn't excuse his sheer stupidity, but he did say he was sorry…unlike Flip-Flop Romney who said he could not be held responsible for someone else's sign.

Can you say "error in judgement?"

Out of the mouths of incompetents - and I definitely believe them. They scrutinize anything shoved into their hands just as responsibly as they screen all the legislation they vote for and against.

"Posted By E. Caldwell Philadelphia, PA : August 7, 2007 5:31 pm"

Racist? You realize this is the Senator who pissed off his base in the GOP for supporting the guest worker program and path to citizenship for undocumented aliens, right? He then proceeded to call them "bigots" for not supporting it.

You'd think that a supporter of a presidential candidate would pay closer attention to the messages he sends the public.

Let's all be worldly adults here. Republican functions are so tightly controlled & scripted, and attendees vetted that this couldn't be a mistake. Either some die-hard Republican embarrassed a Presidential Candidate, or this was intentional.

Still speaks volumes about the Republican Party…

As if it matters, Graham is supporting McCain for petes sake. McCain! The man was respected and had a chance not too long ago but has become a complete joke. Soon he will be riding his bike to appearanaces. Graham is a right-wing South Carolina knucklehead, this isn't news.
By the way, WHAT is the deal with these people spelling MOMA? Are they really that freaking stupid? Any mention of a planned and phased withdrawal from the Civil War currently waging in Iraq equals 'cut and run', huh? Morons.

You'd think someone running for president would pay attention to the messages they send the public.

Wow, well if youre a senator maybe you SHOULD be paying attention to the people you take pictures with and the signs they hold. If youre in politics, you know the company you keep makes your career…I wouldnt want a career based of childish name calling.

Wow, I used to have respect for Sen. Graham. The fact that he did this, and then used the same bs answer as Romney just shows how ignorant and dumb he is. Why does this guy represent a state in the Senate? He should go do propoganda for the Taliban.

How many other Republicans will apologize for taking a picture with that shameful sign before the real issue is addressed? That sign is too big and too explicit for this Senator to say that he didn't read it. Can you imagine taking a picture saying that "I, Lindsey Graham, I am an idiot and should not be a Senator"…

South Carolina is always the state that get laughs at and with me living her all my life I SEE WHY!!! When he was running I knew he wasnt what he bragged to be. This is a slap to the face of every Muslims, African-Americans, women and all other ethnic races. HE'S SUCH A LOSER!!!!!!!!!!

Liar, liar pants on fire!

Is that the best Republican Presidential hopefuls can do is play elementary school name games?

Since they all are seeking some distance from Bush
How about…Bush Bush rhymes with Tush!
Although I don’t know how far from being a tush they actually are.

Very cheap. It is disgusting. I guess some people do everything to get into the news.

Obama/Osama? Huh?

Is this the best they can do to Barrack Obama? We're reduced to name calling now?

This is the most obvious, base, unintelligent, indefensible, downright childish bit of political porn that any candidate could possibly produce, only proving that the Republican candidates and indeed the party overall ain't got spit to shinola with.

Let's not talk about the issues, no, let's not talk about things that once made the Republican party great, things like reducing the size of government and allowing people to think for themselves. That would take half of a brain, a brain that apparently refuses to inhabit the cobwebbed skull of Lindsay Graham or for that matter dog hanger and chief Mit Romney.

The Republican presidential race has just sunken to a new low in something already so sub-basement that it belongs on a Houston class submarine retrofitted for the war on terror at 30 Billion a pop, complete with billion dollar torpedos retrofitted as troop transports doing the same damn thing the Coast Guard does with canoes.

Just look at these Republicans standing on stage Sunday. They look like they all might fall over and turn to dust instantly if not held up by their bossom breasted trophy wives.

This isn't politics, it's something best reserved for the cigar rooms these mindless, thoughtless, backward thinking non entities should go back to.

Wow this guy is a Senator, he might as well have held up a sign that say's "I am a racist". Does this Senator believe that all muslims are related to Osama Bin Laden. Does this mean because i am black i am related to OJ Simpson, and he is white so he must be related to G. Bush. Enough with the anti - Obama propaganda. I find this article, and the Senators tactics very disturbing.