Richard Harding Wood was riled up before Occupy. Along with other friends from Malden, the then-20-year-old started coming into Boston on weekends early last year wielding placards to protest the Federal Reserve Bank. So when Occupy Boston settled across Atlantic Ave from the Fed in late-September, it was a no-brainer for Wood to get involved.

Last night in Chicago was surreal . . . There was zero violence, unconditional love, and peaceful pandemonium. I accidentally stepped on some dude’s Jordans and he shook my hand . . . Cell phone lines were so jammed that people couldn’t reach one another, but I was far from alone. I must have wrapped my arms around 100 people .

Few things clarify the absurdity of partisan politics more than presidential elections; with their mud-slinging platitudes and vague assurances of a better tomorrow, red and blue would-be presidents present a continual tableau of the very worst of our politics and ourselves. We vote for them in the way we cheer for our favorite sports teams, paying more attention to the execution of their strategies than to the ultimate purpose of the game.

This is probably a joke. We're pretty sure this is a joke. Well, we're hoping it is, in which case, shame on whoever exploited these kiddies for political humor, but whatever, we'll take it. Brianna and Jolene of Phoenix, Arizona really want you to vote for Michele Bachmann. They've been following her campaign, and they know she's got the goods.

Last weekend Sarah Palin, once again, showed her incredible brilliance -- and this time she doesn't have McCain's team or anyone else to blame for the backlash. Speaking at the first-ever National Tea Party Convention, Palin tried to rip on Obama for being just a "charismatic guy with a teleprompter" right before she flashed her hand with notes scribbled on it for her Q&A session with Tea Party founder Judson Phillips.

I once saw a bumper sticker that read “Rape a Gay Whale for Jesus.” Assuming that the driver was not a homophobic bible boy who likes to diddle blowholes, it was possibly the most brilliant protest ever forced upon my eyeballs. I wish I had a massive oak tag shouting that catch phrase with me earlier this afternoon.

Remember Bill Ayers?  The man the McCain campaign tried to tie to Obama so they could say he "palled around with terrorists" and is a distinguished education professor? His invitation to speak at Boston College was just cancelled. Leaving many things up to the imagination and up for question.

As Barack Obama took the oath of office, some IT guy was hustling to launch the new White House website. The new site launched at 12:01pm, just after Obama gently corrected Chief Justice Roberts for screwing up the oath. Whitehouse.gov comes complete with that Obama lots of soft gradients, borders on two sides of rectangles, and a whole lotta blogs.

The Take Back Barack effort (started by the Portland Phoenix's managing editor Jeff Inglis and staff writer Deirdre Fulton with this article) is on TV throughout January around the nation, thanks to Liberty News TV. (It's a non-profit progressive outfit based here in Portland, and they accept donations!)

Many of the comments about Take Back Barack so far have been from conservatives shouting with glee, calling Obama a "snake-oil salesman" and a "con man," and apparently suggesting I'm a sucker for believing his promises. But it appears the progressive community might be paying some attention. Early tomorrow morning (East Coast time) - so early it's late at night Pacific time - I'll be on the Phil Hendrie Show talking about the Take Back Barack effort.