Easy to sum up:
The most impressive campaign speech from an American presidential candidate I can recall in my lifetime.
The money quote:"Enough...Eight years is enough."
The message to McCain: Bring it on, mofo.
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A great speech containing enough falsehoods and empty promises to make even FDR envious. Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.
Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.
If Barack Obama accomplishes even a small portion of what he talked about in his speech, it will be far, far better than the disaster the Bush/Cheney administration has inflicted on this country.
Kevin, Bush/Cheney accomplished far more than did Jimmy Carter. However, rather than comparing the future alternatives to the past, it’s better to compare future alternatives to each other–and, neither represents the past.
I agree with Woody. If we had listened to Carter and got off of foreign oil with alternatives.. we wouldn’t have any wars to fight, our oil shares would have crumbled AND we would have only six houses instead of the twelve we have now.
Damn you Carter. You peace-loving, Nobel winning commie.
Kevin, Bush/Cheney accomplished far more than did Jimmy Carter. However, rather than comparing the future alternatives to the past, it’s better to compare future alternatives to each other–and, neither represents the past.
I suppose if you consider fucking up the economy, getting us involved in a disastrous war in Iraq, fucking up our international relations, and on and on, accomplishments, well, then, you’re right. You can have those “accomplishments”.
Pointing out that McCain is advocating the same policies as Bush has three main benefits.
1. It’s true.
2. It clarifies the need for change.
3. It forces McCain to vacillate between saying things weren’t so bad under Bush and saying he will steer away from Bush. Deadender Bush supporters won’t believe him and neither will the economic libertarian-oriented side of the party. He’ll be left with nothing but the party core that would vote for any Republican dead or alive.
“A great speech containing enough falsehoods and empty promises to make even FDR envious. Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.”
I can’t wait for all the truths in McCain’s speech. I’ll be counting them on my left hand, I think. You know, cuz that’s the hand of the devil.
I’m thinking that my MittMania prediction won’t pan out – here’s CNN Resident Republican pundit Alex Castellanos (who “coincidentally” was one of Romney’s strategists) on The Speech:
PawlentyPanic ? Pawlenty…ummm….I’m at a loss. According to Pollster.com McCain’s down 8 points in MN – will Pawlenty be Plenty to make that up ? I doubt it. And if not, Pawlenty brings…uh…what ? Oh yeah…he’s gonna be great in that debate with Joe Biden. Can’t wait.
One of the beauty moment’s of this evening – aside from watching Castellanos administer last rites – was Pat Buchanan’s effusive praise of the speech as quintessentially American – “not Liberal” exclaimed Pat (who had to ratioinalize the Mathewsesque tingle in his leg. He outdid Rachel Maddow in praising The Speech and his cohorts at MSNBC had to cut him off, he was so in thrall of Obama’s secret hypnotic powers (that were part of his madrassa training, no doubt.) Pat was so excited I have a hunch Mrs. Buchanan is going to have a very good time tonight when Pat gets back to the hotel.
However, rather than comparing the future alternatives to the past, it’s better to compare future alternatives to each other–and, neither represents the past.
Yeah, the inductive process that makes rational empirical analysis possible doesn’t exist … in the minds of people like Woodrow.
Jim R – you were right insofar as there was no mid-20th Century notion projected that we’re in a position to rule the world. But Obama gave quite a shout-out to those of us who think that this country has something to offer the world – as long as we reign in the hubris and bull-crap that, yes, got JFK into trouble in SE Asia and destroyed the promise of the Democrats under LBJ. Return to those illusions and that over-reach – legcies of failure that the Bush administration has doubled down on ? I don’t think so… But the “beacon” and “shining city” thing ? Of course !
passing through – Kudos and I’m officially handing you the torch. But I caution you not to get carried away to the point that one day you add up the minutes- extended into hours – you spent countering Woody and hate yourself for not spending that time attending to more fruitful and satisfying pursuits…like cutting your toenails.
“passing through” means I’m no regular. Particularly, I have no interest in rebutting the individual claims of transparently dishonest people like GM Roper and Woodrow Sinclair.
Pawlenty? That’ll be a helluva pick.
Imagine trying to refute 8 years of incompetence and you have to pick for vp the governor from the state where bridges, literally, collapse.
Most of those people in the stadium had hope. These are the same people who waste their money hoping to win the lottery–a tax on the stupid. Now, they are going to waste their votes hoping for change from Obama–the candidate of the stupid. When the Democrats filed into Denver and Mile High stadium, the average IQ of Denver fell twenty points.
reg, sorry. I didn’t know that I kept you from cutting your toenails. They must be awfully long at this point. Maybe we can get government to hire hundreds of thousands of employees, unionize them without the benefit of a secret ballot, and have them go around the country trimming the toenails of the disadvantaged–which would fall within the category of a necessary function of government according to Obama faithful.
Now … some speech specifics. You hear me constantly complaining about government education in this country. Obama’s speech only reinforces my position. There are so many things that Obama said last night that would have been laughed out of the stadium if only the crowd knew how absurd they were. Those people weren’t there, though, because they were educated policy wonks. They were there to engage in celebrity worship. Last night was a not-so-adult version of the final episode of American Idol.
…One clear realization after last night. After watching the show in Denver … and watching the scene at Times Square in New York City last night … there is a clear sense of mass hysteria over Barack Obama. What fun it would be to walk up to one of those cheering people and engage them in a discussion on the differences between a capital gains tax and an income tax. Wouldn’t you just love to watch their expressions as you detail the way that government has intentionally restricted free market involvement in the delivery of health care? What do you think their answer would be if you were to ask them just how you give income tax breaks to 100 million Americans who don’t pay income taxes? The blank expressions of the faces of these screaming masses would be priceless.
John McCain truly has a tough – almost impossible – act to follow.
Pawlenty is a lightweight who will add nothing to the McCain ticket. It’s an astounding choice really. My guess is that all the Republicans with real national potential know this is another Bob Dole compaign and are skipping this dance.
Of course he hasn’t made the choice, but Pawlenty has just gotten back from a trip around the mid-west in McCain’s behalf, and he’s been angling for years for a chance at some national slot.
Oh, Randy! How pathetic! Even Clinton never received a majority of votes.
But, talk about weak. Obama was elected unopposed to the state senate after having his opponents, including the incumbent, disqualified through his Cook County machine, by questioning petition signatures on every technicality.
Then, Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate after his opposition in both the primary and general election imploded after both of their divorce papers were released.
So, I’m not surprised that Obama’s folks have claimed that Sen. McCain is not a U.S. citizen because he was born in the American canal zone when his father was there on active duty.
If you can’t beat them legitimately, drag ‘em thorugh the courts. Hey! That’s what Gore tried to do, too.
“Then there’s Obama’s line about the Republicans and McCain not proposing one penny of tax relief for over 100 million Americans. Sounds good. But if you’re educated; if you know the statistics; if you pay attention you will know that the bottom 50% of income earners in this country pay only about 3% of all individual income taxes collected by the federal government. When you get to the bottom 40% that percentage figures drops to zero. Now just what is our current population figure? Around 300 million or so? That would bean that about 120 million Americans have no federal income tax liability at all. Yet there’s Obama saying that McCain is offering no tax relief to these people. Relief from what?”
But wait — WAS Obama saying that no tax relief is being offered to “these people”, the bottom 40%? No, he said 100 million *people*, without specifying the lower two quintiles.
This is pretty typical of arguments based on sources like Heritage Foundation and AEI: somewhere early on, they shift the terms of the debate, then bash away at the strawman.
Okay, MT, try to frame it as you want, but Obama is even more clueless when it comes to specifics. Tell me about him cutting capital gains taxes for small businesses.
The speech reminds me of a Kantian Antinomy. I had two simultaneous reactions to it that are nearly, if not completely, mutually exclusive.
The first was like Marc’s or anyone else – I was damned impressed. It was historic. Most of all, whatever shortcomings he has in regards to social justice (he is a centrist, not a social democrat) the ethics he laid out were by far the most progressive, even socialist-leaning, set of ethics that I’ve herd articulated. “All for one and one for all”, recalling the gret Paul Robeson. Plus hearing Chris Mathews having an orgasm after it was good comic relief.
At the same time, for a variety of reasons, I found it profoundly disturbing. Obama’s line about not going to war unless the troops were equiped clearly was missing his old stump line about whether or not there was a threat. This with belligernce towards Iran shows that Obama, I can bet, will attack Iran, and liberals will brey for Persian blood.
Oh, Randy! How pathetic! Even Clinton never received a majority of votes.
Apples and oranges. Clinton was very popualr in Arkansas. I mentioned Pawlenty in the context of his impact in Minnesota. In any event CNN is reporting that Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla, AK and two year Alaska governor is McCain’s choice.
Oh shit. I’m screwed. I had all my money on The Mittster and now they’re talking…Sarah Palin. Wow – she was mayor of a small town in Alaska and governor for 2 – count ‘em – 2 years. Kind of destroys a 72-year old guy with a history of cancer’s arguments about inexperience defining the Obama-Biden ticket when he puts Palin a heartbeat from the button and all that other shit. Maybe she’s some kind of celebrity. Apparently “conservatives” love her – which means that John McCain is pandering not just to women – choosing someone who wouldn’t possibly be considered aside from the gender image factor – but to the crazy people in his party. If it’s Palin, McCain just crashed another plane.
Selling Californians on Arnold must have gone to Steve Schmidt’s head and he assumes he can elect a cheese sandwich to office if he puts his mind to it (not ham and cheese – which I admit I’ve voted for several times myself – but straight cheese.)
Big difference here Steve – Arnold was a CELEBRITY. Palin’s a NONENTITY. Guess they’re gonna push the “drill here, drill now” deal. Which among other things is a McCain “flip-flop” that Dems have already signaled flexibility on if there’s a larger compromise toward energy alternatives on the table.
Maybe they actually believe that there really is fertile ground among PUMAs and…uh…bitter harradans – or they’ve cut a deal with some Hillary money people. Which means they’ve bought into an MSM narrative as “truth” – always a dangerous assumption and in this case probably completely nuts. Hell, the E-Bay lady would have been a more credible choice (assuming John Lewis wasn’t available.)
Actually I’m really bummed it’s not the Mitt-ster. I was getting ready to update all my notes on why Mitt will help the GOP lose Michigan. Man, I could have really loved hating that guy!
Palin, huh? The GOP is playing for the next election cycle.
From comments that I’m hearing from Obama supporters about McCain’s choice for V.P., it’s obvious that the Obama camp must hate women, just as he snubbed Hillary Clinton by not even considering her as a running mate.
Actually, Palin’s been governor of Alaska for only a year and a half. This choice is particularly odd given her proximity to Ted Stevens. Everything is wrong about this one.
Even the gender pander is too obvious – the only analogy I can think of is if Joe Biden had won the Dem Pres spot and he’d appointed Adrian Fenty, mayor of DC (which has a population comparable to Alaska’s and a more complex subset of administrative challenges) as his running mate. Just weird.
One bonus – Woody’s burden, i.e. stretching the boundaries of disingenuous bullshit just got heavier. A lot larger and a lot heavier. Herculean even. Have fun with that, folks.
Consistency absolutely demands that all of the “he’s not qualified to be President” anti-Obama people meaure Palin by the same criterion. If not, please explain why not.
I get it!! Senator/Sailor McCain is extending his appeal to the army and the airforce. He has just captured the vote at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf. It’s rare in the annuals of American politics that we get such maverickyness. The GI rec-rooms must be dizzy with excitement! Free air-hockey for everyone!
Like Woodrow, Boortz’s idea of an argument is to make up people in his head, ask them questions in his head, and provide their answers — or expressions — in his head, all the while ignoring real people and what they have to say. Aside from being dumb as dirt, Boortz and Woodrow are intellectual cowards.
Palin is pro-life and is a no-nonsense governor who cut spending and pushed through a reform ethics bill. She helped put an end to the “bridge to nowhere.”
Oh, I know. She’s not a “real woman,” someone who the Clinton people would like, just as Condi Rice doesn’t represent women and Justice Thomas isn’t a real black because he doesn’t represent them. We’ll see.
From comments that I’m hearing from Obama supporters about McCain’s choice for V.P., it’s obvious that the Obama camp must hate women, just as he snubbed Hillary Clinton by not even considering her as a running mate.
An example of the sort of goofball logic that passes for intelligence in Woodrow’s head.
I actually think Palin would make a much better president than McCain. It would be ironic if she blew the whistle on McCain and his lobbyist buddies, as she did on Republicans in Alaska, or at least demand that they comes clean, as she did of Ted Stevens. Maybe she’ll even sell Cindy’s jet on e-Bay, as she did Murkowski’s. But the McCain campaign will probably muzzle her and take away her cellphone, as they did with McCain himself, who “does not speak for the McCain campaign”.
Oh, passing through, why don’t you call Boortz and take it up with him? I promise you, as with all people who disagree with him, you will be moved up to the front of the line with no waiting.
Phone:
1 (877) 310-2100
(404) 872-0750 in the Atlanta area
Let us know in advance when you will call, so I can hear Boortz explain to you why he is not intellectually dishonest and rip you a new one. As for myself, I hear it all the time from lefties who can’t debate me, so they resort to name calling.
Dan O., I don’t know very much about Palin right now. Of course, two differences between her and Obama is that she is in the number two slot rather than that for President, and she has executive experience as a governor that Obama doesn’t have. In any event, I consider her a better choice than the number three person, Nancy Pelosi.
I’m very disappointed that John McCain would put someone as inexperienced and lacking in foreign policy and national security background as Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency.
“Real woman”, woo! Yes, I think it must’ve been Palin’s Naughty Librarian Vibe that got her the nod.
There have been far worse VP picks by GOP quasi-incumbents. Didn’t Bush Sr. actually drop a couple points in the polls after he picked Dan Quayle?
A weird and daring move that just might work, that’s about all I can say right now. Just watch some of her on various YouTube archival footage, then imagine her up against Biden in debates. With the right script, she might be able to walk all over him, who knows? Biden talks like a man who’s tried to make his mother proud, all his life, about how smart he is. Palin (who oozes Smart Mom much more than Naughty Librarian) telling the world on national television that Biden doesn’t sound all that bright — it could nick him right in the jugular at some point, if his frontal lobes don’t tell his amygdala to dodge fast enough.
reg: “Wow – she was mayor of a small town in Alaska and governor for 2 – count ‘em – 2 years.”
Yep and that is a lot more than Obama has. Plus, as governor she has actually accomplished things. Again more than Obama. Biden? To give Obama some gravitas, but he is really only a shark.
With picking Palin, I’m now voting McCain. She has more executive experience than either of them, PLUS she is a big time Pork Buster. Good bye Ted Stevens…
“With picking Palin, I’m now voting McCain….PLUS she is a big time Pork Buster. Good bye Ted Stevens…”
Exactly, the BIG QUESTION of this election has always been about who’d go after Sen. Stevens. I mean, could we really trust those pesky federal attorneys who indicted Stevens on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate and maintain his home? You’ve got Palin.
Reg (or anyone else), at this stage in the game, would you have been “happier” (i.e., less disappointed with McCain) with Mike Huckabee in the VP slot? As I recall, some of you seemed to like Mike when he still had a chance in the primaries.
How Amusing!!! Obama supporters decrying Palin as having no experience, and/or being only a heart beat away from the presidency with no experience… as if Obama has more. LOL!!!
He can pick whoever he likes, and the fact that he chose a woman has, at least he calculates, some immmediate political advantage in this race.
But it is endlessly amusing to me how grossly partisan this always is. After being subjected to months of monotomous moaning about experience, we’re now treated to a spectacularly inexperienced choice for VP. As a special treat GM is now telling us it’s not just experience, but *executive* experience that matters, thus turning this into Calvinball in the middle of the argument.
OK, I accept your new standard. Now, please regale me with all of McCain’s copious executive experience. Please square the circle if you can. You guys just want to have it both ways all the time.
I would not have liked Huckabee in the VP slot because…uh…I like Huckabee and think he has some real appeal.
“As a special treat GM is now telling us it’s not just experience, but *executive* experience that matters…” – thanks for putting the phony gasbag in his place. Palin has the experience of running a modest-sized city. Actually, it would be tougher to manage the District of Columbia – at about the same population size – than Alaska. By a long shot. I am laughing my ass off at these hickenloopers doing their idiot dance. (Not sure where “hickenlooper” came from but I like the sound of it for describing the hopelessly out-of-touch and disingenuous.)
JUNEAU, 7/29/08 – Gov. Sarah Palin today said indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens “has dedicated his life to the betterment of the state” and said she couldn’t say yet whether he should resign.
I actually think this is a smart pick by McCain. It has the potential for disaster obviously, since she’s untested, inexperienced etc., but he may have calculated (correctly) that safer choices would just get him to lose close.
So it worries me a little. Just hope the hickens don’t come home to roost.
evets has a point about calculating that the safer choices would just get him to lose close.
Where else could he really go?
The GOP ‘brand’ has been throughly discredited. Three years ago today began Katrina’s assault on New Orleans. What’s the scorecard for the Federal Government’s response? Which party was in charge of the instruments of governance? How to grade? F for Failure. By any definition of the term.
Picking Palin helps confirm that Sen. Obama has shredded the experience argument. I’m thinking that McCain was pushed into this choice, grasping at the idear that he can massage the grumpy Hillarites, whether real or not.
How Amusing!!! Obama supporters decrying Palin as having no experience, and/or being only a heart beat away from the presidency with no experience… as if Obama has more. LOL!!!
How stupid and dishonest, as usual. It is Obama’s opponents who have made inexperience an issue. It’s only fair (a concept totally foreign to you) to toss it back at them and point out their hypocrisy. As Rob said, McCain’s pick has “shredded the experience argument“, maroon.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Hmm, your first election huh?
August 28th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
A great speech containing enough falsehoods and empty promises to make even FDR envious. Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Game on McCain.
Bring on what you’ve got, after you’ve picked yourself off the floor!!!
What a speech. I saw a real leader with vision, daring and courage.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
If Barack Obama accomplishes even a small portion of what he talked about in his speech, it will be far, far better than the disaster the Bush/Cheney administration has inflicted on this country.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Kevin, Bush/Cheney accomplished far more than did Jimmy Carter. However, rather than comparing the future alternatives to the past, it’s better to compare future alternatives to each other–and, neither represents the past.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I’m warming up to this guy.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I agree with Woody. If we had listened to Carter and got off of foreign oil with alternatives.. we wouldn’t have any wars to fight, our oil shares would have crumbled AND we would have only six houses instead of the twelve we have now.
Damn you Carter. You peace-loving, Nobel winning commie.
Keep up the good fight Wood! Four more years of
McCain’s/Woody!
August 28th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
In your lifetime Marc?
That’s a long time.
Oh, you mean American as in USA.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I suppose if you consider fucking up the economy, getting us involved in a disastrous war in Iraq, fucking up our international relations, and on and on, accomplishments, well, then, you’re right. You can have those “accomplishments”.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Epic stuff tonight.
Sen. McCain is fooking toast.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Pointing out that McCain is advocating the same policies as Bush has three main benefits.
1. It’s true.
2. It clarifies the need for change.
3. It forces McCain to vacillate between saying things weren’t so bad under Bush and saying he will steer away from Bush. Deadender Bush supporters won’t believe him and neither will the economic libertarian-oriented side of the party. He’ll be left with nothing but the party core that would vote for any Republican dead or alive.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
“A great speech containing enough falsehoods and empty promises to make even FDR envious. Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.”
I can’t wait for all the truths in McCain’s speech. I’ll be counting them on my left hand, I think. You know, cuz that’s the hand of the devil.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Oh, and I forgot the non-empty promises. I have my right hand open for that.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Will Obama stop US supported torture?
I ran into this today. It was 9 years ago, before Bush, before Biden’s vote to attack Iraq.
http://www.creators.com/opinion/molly-ivins/molly-ivins-november-14-1999-11-14.html
August 28th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Those poor suckers who believe that Obama can and will do all of those things.
Prove them wrong, Woodrow … vote him in.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I’m thinking that my MittMania prediction won’t pan out – here’s CNN Resident Republican pundit Alex Castellanos (who “coincidentally” was one of Romney’s strategists) on The Speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIX4P0fApmA
It’s probably Pawlenty – whoever he is.
PawlentyPanic ? Pawlenty…ummm….I’m at a loss. According to Pollster.com McCain’s down 8 points in MN – will Pawlenty be Plenty to make that up ? I doubt it. And if not, Pawlenty brings…uh…what ? Oh yeah…he’s gonna be great in that debate with Joe Biden. Can’t wait.
One of the beauty moment’s of this evening – aside from watching Castellanos administer last rites – was Pat Buchanan’s effusive praise of the speech as quintessentially American – “not Liberal” exclaimed Pat (who had to ratioinalize the Mathewsesque tingle in his leg. He outdid Rachel Maddow in praising The Speech and his cohorts at MSNBC had to cut him off, he was so in thrall of Obama’s secret hypnotic powers (that were part of his madrassa training, no doubt.) Pat was so excited I have a hunch Mrs. Buchanan is going to have a very good time tonight when Pat gets back to the hotel.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
However, rather than comparing the future alternatives to the past, it’s better to compare future alternatives to each other–and, neither represents the past.
Yeah, the inductive process that makes rational empirical analysis possible doesn’t exist … in the minds of people like Woodrow.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Jim R – you were right insofar as there was no mid-20th Century notion projected that we’re in a position to rule the world. But Obama gave quite a shout-out to those of us who think that this country has something to offer the world – as long as we reign in the hubris and bull-crap that, yes, got JFK into trouble in SE Asia and destroyed the promise of the Democrats under LBJ. Return to those illusions and that over-reach – legcies of failure that the Bush administration has doubled down on ? I don’t think so… But the “beacon” and “shining city” thing ? Of course !
August 28th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
passing through – Kudos and I’m officially handing you the torch. But I caution you not to get carried away to the point that one day you add up the minutes- extended into hours – you spent countering Woody and hate yourself for not spending that time attending to more fruitful and satisfying pursuits…like cutting your toenails.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
“passing through” means I’m no regular.
Particularly, I have no interest in rebutting the individual claims of transparently dishonest people like GM Roper and Woodrow Sinclair.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Pawlenty? That’ll be a helluva pick.
Imagine trying to refute 8 years of incompetence and you have to pick for vp the governor from the state where bridges, literally, collapse.
Man this could get gruesome.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Pat Buchanan “gushing” over Obama’s speech. Good clean fun…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Fru4dZLGA
August 29th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Most of those people in the stadium had hope. These are the same people who waste their money hoping to win the lottery–a tax on the stupid. Now, they are going to waste their votes hoping for change from Obama–the candidate of the stupid. When the Democrats filed into Denver and Mile High stadium, the average IQ of Denver fell twenty points.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:30 am
reg, sorry. I didn’t know that I kept you from cutting your toenails. They must be awfully long at this point. Maybe we can get government to hire hundreds of thousands of employees, unionize them without the benefit of a secret ballot, and have them go around the country trimming the toenails of the disadvantaged–which would fall within the category of a necessary function of government according to Obama faithful.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:01 am
I’m not the only one who knows that the hordes of Obama supporters are stupid.
That’s like arguing with the liberals here.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:03 am
Pawlenty is a lightweight who will add nothing to the McCain ticket. It’s an astounding choice really. My guess is that all the Republicans with real national potential know this is another Bob Dole compaign and are skipping this dance.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Of course he hasn’t made the choice, but Pawlenty has just gotten back from a trip around the mid-west in McCain’s behalf, and he’s been angling for years for a chance at some national slot.
August 29th, 2008 at 6:57 am
The only matter that Obama won’t shout “Enough” is on taxes that he wants to collect.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Pawlenty is weak, I agree. He has been elected solely with pluaralities and the votes for his opponents have totaled more than the votes for him.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Oh, Randy! How pathetic! Even Clinton never received a majority of votes.
But, talk about weak. Obama was elected unopposed to the state senate after having his opponents, including the incumbent, disqualified through his Cook County machine, by questioning petition signatures on every technicality.
Then, Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate after his opposition in both the primary and general election imploded after both of their divorce papers were released.
So, I’m not surprised that Obama’s folks have claimed that Sen. McCain is not a U.S. citizen because he was born in the American canal zone when his father was there on active duty.
If you can’t beat them legitimately, drag ‘em thorugh the courts. Hey! That’s what Gore tried to do, too.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Neil Boortz? Gimme a break.
“Then there’s Obama’s line about the Republicans and McCain not proposing one penny of tax relief for over 100 million Americans. Sounds good. But if you’re educated; if you know the statistics; if you pay attention you will know that the bottom 50% of income earners in this country pay only about 3% of all individual income taxes collected by the federal government. When you get to the bottom 40% that percentage figures drops to zero. Now just what is our current population figure? Around 300 million or so? That would bean that about 120 million Americans have no federal income tax liability at all. Yet there’s Obama saying that McCain is offering no tax relief to these people. Relief from what?”
But wait — WAS Obama saying that no tax relief is being offered to “these people”, the bottom 40%? No, he said 100 million *people*, without specifying the lower two quintiles.
This is pretty typical of arguments based on sources like Heritage Foundation and AEI: somewhere early on, they shift the terms of the debate, then bash away at the strawman.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:35 am
GOD Bless Woody!
A real American.
Not one of those stupid kool-aid Obama supporters.
McCain is looking for a VP. If he offered, would you take it? You could really help him win over the enemy.
Peace through WAR!
McCain/ Woody
August 29th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Okay, MT, try to frame it as you want, but Obama is even more clueless when it comes to specifics. Tell me about him cutting capital gains taxes for small businesses.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:40 am
The speech reminds me of a Kantian Antinomy. I had two simultaneous reactions to it that are nearly, if not completely, mutually exclusive.
The first was like Marc’s or anyone else – I was damned impressed. It was historic. Most of all, whatever shortcomings he has in regards to social justice (he is a centrist, not a social democrat) the ethics he laid out were by far the most progressive, even socialist-leaning, set of ethics that I’ve herd articulated. “All for one and one for all”, recalling the gret Paul Robeson. Plus hearing Chris Mathews having an orgasm after it was good comic relief.
At the same time, for a variety of reasons, I found it profoundly disturbing. Obama’s line about not going to war unless the troops were equiped clearly was missing his old stump line about whether or not there was a threat. This with belligernce towards Iran shows that Obama, I can bet, will attack Iran, and liberals will brey for Persian blood.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Oh, Randy! How pathetic! Even Clinton never received a majority of votes.
Apples and oranges. Clinton was very popualr in Arkansas. I mentioned Pawlenty in the context of his impact in Minnesota. In any event CNN is reporting that Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla, AK and two year Alaska governor is McCain’s choice.
Obviously what Woody said here applies.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Oh shit. I’m screwed. I had all my money on The Mittster and now they’re talking…Sarah Palin. Wow – she was mayor of a small town in Alaska and governor for 2 – count ‘em – 2 years. Kind of destroys a 72-year old guy with a history of cancer’s arguments about inexperience defining the Obama-Biden ticket when he puts Palin a heartbeat from the button and all that other shit. Maybe she’s some kind of celebrity. Apparently “conservatives” love her – which means that John McCain is pandering not just to women – choosing someone who wouldn’t possibly be considered aside from the gender image factor – but to the crazy people in his party. If it’s Palin, McCain just crashed another plane.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Selling Californians on Arnold must have gone to Steve Schmidt’s head and he assumes he can elect a cheese sandwich to office if he puts his mind to it (not ham and cheese – which I admit I’ve voted for several times myself – but straight cheese.)
Big difference here Steve – Arnold was a CELEBRITY. Palin’s a NONENTITY. Guess they’re gonna push the “drill here, drill now” deal. Which among other things is a McCain “flip-flop” that Dems have already signaled flexibility on if there’s a larger compromise toward energy alternatives on the table.
Maybe they actually believe that there really is fertile ground among PUMAs and…uh…bitter harradans – or they’ve cut a deal with some Hillary money people. Which means they’ve bought into an MSM narrative as “truth” – always a dangerous assumption and in this case probably completely nuts. Hell, the E-Bay lady would have been a more credible choice (assuming John Lewis wasn’t available.)
August 29th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Oh shit – I just wrote 2 comments on something that hasn’t happened yet. Wouldn’t do that if I were paying market rates for pixels.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am
zzzzzzz.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Palin? Is this a joke.
Actually I’m really bummed it’s not the Mitt-ster. I was getting ready to update all my notes on why Mitt will help the GOP lose Michigan. Man, I could have really loved hating that guy!
Palin, huh? The GOP is playing for the next election cycle.
We accept the surrender.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:37 am
From comments that I’m hearing from Obama supporters about McCain’s choice for V.P., it’s obvious that the Obama camp must hate women, just as he snubbed Hillary Clinton by not even considering her as a running mate.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Actually, Palin’s been governor of Alaska for only a year and a half. This choice is particularly odd given her proximity to Ted Stevens. Everything is wrong about this one.
Even the gender pander is too obvious – the only analogy I can think of is if Joe Biden had won the Dem Pres spot and he’d appointed Adrian Fenty, mayor of DC (which has a population comparable to Alaska’s and a more complex subset of administrative challenges) as his running mate. Just weird.
One bonus – Woody’s burden, i.e. stretching the boundaries of disingenuous bullshit just got heavier. A lot larger and a lot heavier. Herculean even. Have fun with that, folks.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Consistency absolutely demands that all of the “he’s not qualified to be President” anti-Obama people meaure Palin by the same criterion. If not, please explain why not.
And please don’t quote Emerson at me.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Wait!
I get it!! Senator/Sailor McCain is extending his appeal to the army and the airforce. He has just captured the vote at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf. It’s rare in the annuals of American politics that we get such maverickyness. The GI rec-rooms must be dizzy with excitement! Free air-hockey for everyone!
Somebody get that moose off the tar-mac!
August 29th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Like Woodrow, Boortz’s idea of an argument is to make up people in his head, ask them questions in his head, and provide their answers — or expressions — in his head, all the while ignoring real people and what they have to say. Aside from being dumb as dirt, Boortz and Woodrow are intellectual cowards.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Palin is pro-life and is a no-nonsense governor who cut spending and pushed through a reform ethics bill. She helped put an end to the “bridge to nowhere.”
Oh, I know. She’s not a “real woman,” someone who the Clinton people would like, just as Condi Rice doesn’t represent women and Justice Thomas isn’t a real black because he doesn’t represent them. We’ll see.
August 29th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Woody:
Do you regard her as experienced enough to be President should that situation arise?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:05 am
From comments that I’m hearing from Obama supporters about McCain’s choice for V.P., it’s obvious that the Obama camp must hate women, just as he snubbed Hillary Clinton by not even considering her as a running mate.
An example of the sort of goofball logic that passes for intelligence in Woodrow’s head.
I actually think Palin would make a much better president than McCain. It would be ironic if she blew the whistle on McCain and his lobbyist buddies, as she did on Republicans in Alaska, or at least demand that they comes clean, as she did of Ted Stevens. Maybe she’ll even sell Cindy’s jet on e-Bay, as she did Murkowski’s. But the McCain campaign will probably muzzle her and take away her cellphone, as they did with McCain himself, who “does not speak for the McCain campaign”.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Palin was a star basketball player in high school and was on a state championship team.
I think Obama owns her in the paint and his outside shooting, as we have seen, is superior.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Oh, passing through, why don’t you call Boortz and take it up with him? I promise you, as with all people who disagree with him, you will be moved up to the front of the line with no waiting.
Phone:
1 (877) 310-2100
(404) 872-0750 in the Atlanta area
Let us know in advance when you will call, so I can hear Boortz explain to you why he is not intellectually dishonest and rip you a new one. As for myself, I hear it all the time from lefties who can’t debate me, so they resort to name calling.
Would you like to talk about “radiocarbon dating” or “IDB statistical tables?”
August 29th, 2008 at 9:27 am
What’s the matter with Michael Palin for Vice President? He was terrific in Monty Python and the Holy Grail!
Oh.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Dan O., I don’t know very much about Palin right now. Of course, two differences between her and Obama is that she is in the number two slot rather than that for President, and she has executive experience as a governor that Obama doesn’t have. In any event, I consider her a better choice than the number three person, Nancy Pelosi.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Here’s what prominent conservative blog has to say about this choice:
August 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am
“Even the gender pander is too obvious….”
From what I’ve read and heard from various Pumas (especially on certain blog sites), I’m not sure about that.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:31 am
“Real woman”, woo! Yes, I think it must’ve been Palin’s Naughty Librarian Vibe that got her the nod.
There have been far worse VP picks by GOP quasi-incumbents. Didn’t Bush Sr. actually drop a couple points in the polls after he picked Dan Quayle?
A weird and daring move that just might work, that’s about all I can say right now. Just watch some of her on various YouTube archival footage, then imagine her up against Biden in debates. With the right script, she might be able to walk all over him, who knows? Biden talks like a man who’s tried to make his mother proud, all his life, about how smart he is. Palin (who oozes Smart Mom much more than Naughty Librarian) telling the world on national television that Biden doesn’t sound all that bright — it could nick him right in the jugular at some point, if his frontal lobes don’t tell his amygdala to dodge fast enough.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Woody: “is that she is in the number two slot rather than that for President…”
That’s true but given the nature of the job we have to treat it as if. And in this case, perhaps even more so.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Dan O., McCain was born with a good set of genes. He’ll be around, just like his 96 year old mother.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:23 am
What did you think of Obama kissing Biden’s wife right on the mouth?
August 29th, 2008 at 10:25 am
reg: “Wow – she was mayor of a small town in Alaska and governor for 2 – count ‘em – 2 years.”
Yep and that is a lot more than Obama has. Plus, as governor she has actually accomplished things. Again more than Obama. Biden? To give Obama some gravitas, but he is really only a shark.
With picking Palin, I’m now voting McCain. She has more executive experience than either of them, PLUS she is a big time Pork Buster. Good bye Ted Stevens…
August 29th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Regarding Ted Stevens, don’t be so sure.
Woody, McCain’s father died at 70. Actuarial tables show a 15% mortality rate for men who reach 72 to get to 76/ He’s also a cancer survivor.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:34 am
That’s 19 months, not two years. I’ve actually been to Wasilla. It’s a cute, but sleepy little town.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:42 am
“With picking Palin, I’m now voting McCain….PLUS she is a big time Pork Buster. Good bye Ted Stevens…”
Exactly, the BIG QUESTION of this election has always been about who’d go after Sen. Stevens. I mean, could we really trust those pesky federal attorneys who indicted Stevens on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate and maintain his home? You’ve got Palin.
The republic is safe.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:47 am
She’s also a bit of a tabula rasa here.
On nearly half of the issues articulated, she hasn’t stated a position.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Reg (or anyone else), at this stage in the game, would you have been “happier” (i.e., less disappointed with McCain) with Mike Huckabee in the VP slot? As I recall, some of you seemed to like Mike when he still had a chance in the primaries.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:02 am
How Amusing!!! Obama supporters decrying Palin as having no experience, and/or being only a heart beat away from the presidency with no experience… as if Obama has more. LOL!!!
August 29th, 2008 at 11:03 am
He can pick whoever he likes, and the fact that he chose a woman has, at least he calculates, some immmediate political advantage in this race.
But it is endlessly amusing to me how grossly partisan this always is. After being subjected to months of monotomous moaning about experience, we’re now treated to a spectacularly inexperienced choice for VP. As a special treat GM is now telling us it’s not just experience, but *executive* experience that matters, thus turning this into Calvinball in the middle of the argument.
OK, I accept your new standard. Now, please regale me with all of McCain’s copious executive experience. Please square the circle if you can. You guys just want to have it both ways all the time.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I would not have liked Huckabee in the VP slot because…uh…I like Huckabee and think he has some real appeal.
“As a special treat GM is now telling us it’s not just experience, but *executive* experience that matters…” – thanks for putting the phony gasbag in his place. Palin has the experience of running a modest-sized city. Actually, it would be tougher to manage the District of Columbia – at about the same population size – than Alaska. By a long shot. I am laughing my ass off at these hickenloopers doing their idiot dance. (Not sure where “hickenlooper” came from but I like the sound of it for describing the hopelessly out-of-touch and disingenuous.)
August 29th, 2008 at 11:15 am
That should have been “running an entity with the scale of a modest-sized city.”
August 29th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Palin sure is hell on porkers:
JUNEAU, 7/29/08 – Gov. Sarah Palin today said indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens “has dedicated his life to the betterment of the state” and said she couldn’t say yet whether he should resign.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:19 am
reg -
Don’t count your hickens before they hatch.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I actually think this is a smart pick by McCain. It has the potential for disaster obviously, since she’s untested, inexperienced etc., but he may have calculated (correctly) that safer choices would just get him to lose close.
So it worries me a little. Just hope the hickens don’t come home to roost.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:31 am
GM,
GM, a tabula rasa is a blank slate and Sarah Palin on many issues is just that. For twelve of the issues listed, she has not articulated a position.
Obama, on the other hand has articulated positions on all of those issues.
There’s no comparison.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:41 am
evets has a point about calculating that the safer choices would just get him to lose close.
Where else could he really go?
The GOP ‘brand’ has been throughly discredited. Three years ago today began Katrina’s assault on New Orleans. What’s the scorecard for the Federal Government’s response? Which party was in charge of the instruments of governance? How to grade? F for Failure. By any definition of the term.
Picking Palin helps confirm that Sen. Obama has shredded the experience argument. I’m thinking that McCain was pushed into this choice, grasping at the idear that he can massage the grumpy Hillarites, whether real or not.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Oh, passing through, why don’t you call Boortz and take it up with him?
There’s nothing to “take up”; Boortz, like you, is a pathetic dishonest idiot.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Dan O… I’ll be happy to answer your question. McCain has as much executive experience as Obama does and as Biden does. None!!!
August 29th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Randy… good point, but perhaps McCain has come to know her positions and you and I will soon know her positions… doubtlessly someone will ask her.
I have long thought that Palin was the best choice for VP for McCain but like reg, I thought Mitt would be the one. Glad to see I was wrong.
I think Evets is correct, count her out and disparage her at your own risk. Your hickens may yet come home to roost.
reg, that is the first time I’ve heard the term hickenloopers… sounds like a very good term – for you!
August 29th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
How Amusing!!! Obama supporters decrying Palin as having no experience, and/or being only a heart beat away from the presidency with no experience… as if Obama has more. LOL!!!
How stupid and dishonest, as usual. It is Obama’s opponents who have made inexperience an issue. It’s only fair (a concept totally foreign to you) to toss it back at them and point out their hypocrisy. As Rob said, McCain’s pick has “shredded the experience argument“, maroon.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Randy… good point, but perhaps McCain has come to know her positions and you and I will soon know her positions… doubtlessly someone will ask her.
Criminy: she doesn’t even know what the vp does.
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:57 am
It seems like something is missing, no?