Obama -- American Badass

[kagenaki koe]

well not as forceful as Biden's speech, but same message about all the bull the mccain camp has been dishing out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zAbeu3v3Wc

[cured]

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/1007/igotthisow4.jpg

[Sean]

I don't care if it's a blowout, or if it's close, as long as Obama wins. If he wins, then I'll breath a sigh of relief and get past my rabid addiction to the minute to minute news updates. If he loses, I'll get past my addiction, but I'll be more upset than I've ever been by any election in my life.

[dubman]

looks like they're regrouping. though he did lay it a bit thick with the "i love america too much for that to happen"

yeah, okay.

but ol fudders can say bye to his 4 point lead forever if they keep it together. obama team seem to be going down refuting the basic fundamentals of mccains campaign rather than playing the tit for tat. if obama is serious about discussing the economy in debates it could fill that gap of "just what the fuck are you planning to do here" that's slowly bugging and bugging me, and could finally solidify that win.
ol fudders' campaign hasnt seemed to think thoroughly enough as to what to do about palin that isnt recycling her rnc speech. and they also seem to be running on old tactics left over from 2000 and 04.. umbrage and huff and distraction. as savvy as they've been obama just has to try a smidge to look like he's seeing right through them and is ahead of their game. i thought the his sppech stood a better chance than usual at successfully ridiculing the distractive element
if it was deliberate it'd be pretty smart to have lain low while fudders had his time in the sun. the media needed 5 years with their love affair with bush to finally get the picture and release the floodgate of awful, and now he's a joke. you let the opposing candidate get away with pumping their message for a few days and then it makes tearing it down for everyone to see that much more effective it seems.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

...playing the tit for tat. if obama is serious about discussing the economy in debates it could fill that gap of "just what the fuck are you planning to do here" that's slowly bugging and bugging me,
and could finally solidify that win.*


Agree with this and the tit(yeah, nipples work with me too) for tat(could you define this one dubman?).

Quid Pro Quo Clarice.

























*dubman's words.






























oh and *cured*, you need to get someone make one with McCain, Palin, and might as well make one for me too and everyone else. Could you do one with a kitten too?

[dubman]

you seem to have done it well enough...

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

uuuughck, well? Just well?

"maybe you're just like my mother, she's never . . ."

[cured]

but ol fudders can say bye to his 4 point lead forever if they keep it together. obama team seem to be going down refuting the basic fundamentals of mccains campaign rather than playing the tit for tat. if obama is serious about discussing the economy in debates it could fill that gap of "just what the fuck are you planning to do here" that's slowly bugging and bugging me, and could finally solidify that win.

I think it's a smart strategy, given how only junkies and people of questionable judgment are going to be paying any attention to the meat of the campaigns before the debates start. Obama's team is doing a good job at not turning over their hand yet until the debates and I hope they aren't bluffing in this regard. They're going to have to go after him on national TV and, unfortunately, the discussion right now seems to be focused on how "respectful" Joe Biden is going to treat Sarah Palin in their debate.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

..., given how only junkies and people of questionable judgment are going to be paying any attention to the meat of the campaigns before the debates start.


And that's just the candidates.

[kagenaki koe]

there is uproar in the blogosphere over Obama's new ad where it says that John McCain doesnt even know how to use a computer (not entirely true of course)

the main uproar though is *cue POW card again* McCain's injuries prevent him from really being able to use a computer. this will probably make it back into the real news outlets (even those that pretend to be real news) with screams of low blow/gutterball/apologize/show deference etc.

on a few of the posts, couldn't help it, i just started to reply with stuff like : Well Stephen Hawking still reads and sends emails / even blind people are capable of going on the web.

am i out of line in this thought?

[BeautifulBurnout]

there is uproar in the blogosphere over Obama's new ad where it says that John McCain doesnt even know how to use a computer (not entirely true of course)

the main uproar though is *cue POW card again* McCain's injuries prevent him from really being able to use a computer. this will probably make it back into the real news outlets (even those that pretend to be real news) with screams of low blow/gutterball/apologize/show deference etc.

on a few of the posts, couldn't help it, i just started to reply with stuff like : Well Stephen Hawking still reads and sends emails / even blind people are capable of going on the web.

am i out of line in this thought?

I don't think you are out of line. It seems that as a result of his POW injuries his arms don't fully extend. But as I sit here on my laptop, my arms aren't fully extended. This, from Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com./politics/features/2007/02/mccain200702?currentPage=4), gives a fair account of his physical disabilities:

McCain’s right knee still has limited flexibility. Most of the time this is not too noticeable, but McCain mounts the steps onto planes with a herky-jerky gait. A climb up dozens of steps at the New Hampshire International Speedway, in Loudon, leaves him badly winded and sweating profusely. Because his broken arms were allowed to heal without ever being properly set, to this day McCain cannot raise his arms above his shoulders. He cannot attend to his own hair. An aide is often nearby with a comb and small can of hair spray.


McCain has difficulty putting on his suit jacket unassisted. Once, as we prepared to get out of a cramped airplane cabin in Burlington, Vermont, where McCain would be greeted by the governor, I turned my back for a moment, only to find him struggling. He could sense that his collar was all bunched up, and asked me matter-of-factly to help him straighten it out. I felt the pang that those around McCain feel whenever they realize the extent of his injuries. “You comb someone’s hair once,” his 2000 communications director, Dan Schnur, says, “and you never forget it.”
Of course it is debilitating to not have full use of your arms. But I doubt very much it is debilitating to the extent that he is unable to use a keyboard. So, imo, if that is the real reason the Repubs are giving for not being "able" to use a computer, it is a really pathetic one.

The fact is, he is of a generation where technology has moved so fast it has overtaken them. He is 5 months younger than my dad, who occasionally uses a computer to play solitaire because we bought him one and it is sat in the corner of his dining room, but doesn't even use email, because it is waaaaay to freaky for him - he just doesn't get it. And my dad was an airline/electronics engineer!

[kagenaki koe]

what's really bizarre is that McCain isnt as computer/web (and whatever new other forms of information/communication) illiterate as most think.

the sad part is his supporters believe that he IS, but invoke the How Dare They, Don't They Know About His Injuries As A POW card as a defense

http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/obama-makes-fun-of-mccains-disabilities-in-an-ad/#comments

[Deckard]

Re. being unable to use a computer, the Republicans have long been better than the Democrats at grasping (or exploiting) the fact that:

- voters like it when a leader comes across as ignorant, a bit dumb.
- votes dislike it (in fact feel contempt) when a leader comes across as intelligent.

Course that's a generalization, but from years of following politics, that seems to be the prevailing opinion. Being or sounding dumb wins elections.

Not just in your country either. A culture of anti-intellectualism (if you want to call it that) seems to infect many Western countries. Rather than respect someone's intelligence and knowledge, 'we' seem to feel repelled by it. Yet sounding tough is looked on much more favourably.

And let's not beat around the GWB here.... for some reason, and to a large extent, voters inclined to the political right tend to succumb to this more readily than those on the left. John Wayne in the Searchers rather than Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird. I wonder why?

[Troy McClure]

New ad from Senator Obama calling out Senator McCain's lobbyists:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHvb4O_bkoo Ad is titled 'It's Over'

Also, brand new website from the Obama Campaign tracking McCain and Palin's lobbyist ties:

http://www.mclobbyist.com (http://www.mclobbyist.com/)

--Jason

[Sean]

And another great new ad (http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/honor_ad/) calling McCain on how dirty his campaign has gotten called "Honor".

[gambit]

Just came out today from Obama:

“Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he’s president he’ll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys’ network in Washington.' I’m not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he’s the one who’s gonna take on the old boys' network,” he said. “In the McCain campaign that’s called a staff meeting!”Zing!

[Sean]

I was just coming here to post that same quote! It was like a comedy routine. The other quote I liked from the talk was this:

"Sen. McCain bragged about how as chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, he had oversight of every part of the economy. Well, all I can say to Sen. McCain is, 'Nice job. Nice job. Where is he getting these lines? The lobbyists running his campaign?"

And then, what really jumped out at me was McCain's comments in direct contrast:

"Let's have some straight talk: Sen. Obama is not interested in the politics of hope; he's interested in his future. That's why he's hurling insults."

So Obama hits McCain on policy and issues, while McCain hits Obama on personal stuff. I'm not saying Obama's approach here isn't harsh, just that the difference in focus is telling to me. McCain can't focus on the issues, because the majority of voters will disagree with his stances on most things since they think the country's headed in the wrong direction.

[nosajmunson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhCLO3lNP6A

Breaking News:

Just days after it was announced by McCains camp that he invented the BlackBerry, John McCain was interviewed on his technical knowledge in the area of Mobile Telecommunications and IP Telephony by Geek Magazine.

Geek Magazine: "Senator McCain what was your inspriation for the BlackBerry mobile device?"

JM: "Black Mobile what. Oh, you mean Mobile Alabama. Don't tell me the Blacks down there are on the move again."

GM: "Ah, no. We were asking you about the BlackBerry your campaign claims you invented."

JM: "Oh, no. I don't like black things. I tried to invent a white berry. But is tasted like Starch and Newspaper. I don't eat anything black. Except once in Florida, but she was a hooker, so that didn't count."

GM: "...................uh.......................we're done here. Thanks for the interview and we hope you lose your ass off on Election Day"

JM: "Uh, Thanks. Asses are good for this Country. I need a nap."

When Senator Obama was asked to comment on Senator McCain's interview with Geek Magazine, he said this:

"This doesn't surprise me. Have you ever celebrated Martin Luther King day in Arizona? Yeah, me neither. Seriously, almost half of the nation likes this guy? Seriously?"

[Sean]

Obama on the absence of character attacks from McCain in the second debate:

"I am surprised that, you know, we've been seeing some pretty over-the-top attacks coming out of the McCain campaign over the last several days, that he wasn't willing to say it to my face. But I guess we've got one last debate. So presumably, if he ends up feeling that he needs to, he will raise it during the debate."

McCain been served (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5985237&page=1)!

[kagenaki koe]

Obama should bring it up himself during the last debate "So, John...is there something about me you want to know about?"

[Troy McClure]

Obama should bring it up himself during the last debate "So, John...is there something about me you want to know about?"

And then after saying that, maybe give him a *wink* ;) a la Gov. Palin.


Or am I just pouring salt on the wound? --Jason

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

And then after saying that, maybe give him a *wink* ;) a la Gov. Palin.


Or am I just pouring salt on the wound? --Jason


Obama's married. He actually respects that union.

Don't fuck up in that area Obama, my girls will make your life hell.

I guess I should add, if Bush had only one saving grace, respecting his wife would be it.

[Deckard]

"A 106-year-old American nun living in a convent in Rome could well be the oldest person to vote in the 2008 US Presidential election. Sister Cecilia Gaudette, who last voted for President Eisenhower in 1952, has registered to vote and says she will vote for Democrat Barack Obama."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7665925.stm

UNPATRIOTIC LIBERAL TERROR-SUPPORTING TRAITOR!!!!!!!

[cacophony]

well the southern evangelicals already think the catholics are crazy cultists so this news will not shock them.

[cacophony]

also, margaret and helen (http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/): octogenarians for obama.

[Sean]

also, margaret and helen (http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/): octogenarians for obama.What an incredible website. Thank you for linking it. :D

[BeautifulBurnout]

Obama's plans for the economy here (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/oliverburkemanblog/2008/oct/13/uselections2008-barackobama)

(Still reading it myself so I shall comment later but seems solid enough to me at first blush.)

[Sean]

The Washington Post, a conservative leaning paper, has endorsed Obama today (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/16/AR2008101603436.html). Their explanation was a bit scathing towards McCain's campaign at times:

The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president.

But it's also clearly praising Obama:

It is made easy in larger part, though, because of our admiration for Mr. Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race. Yes, we have reservations and concerns, almost inevitably, given Mr. Obama's relatively brief experience in national politics. But we also have enormous hopes.

...Mr. Obama's temperament is unlike anything we've seen on the national stage in many years. He is deliberate but not indecisive; eloquent but a master of substance and detail; preternaturally confident but eager to hear opposing points of view. He has inspired millions of voters of diverse ages and races, no small thing in our often divided and cynical country. We think he is the right man for a perilous moment.

[cacophony]

i really dislike the practice of newspapers endorsing candidates. it's one thing for editorial writers to endorse a candidate on an individual level. but for the whole publication to do so seems.... wrong. for reasons i can't quite explain.

[Strangelet]

i really dislike the practice of newspapers endorsing candidates. it's one thing for editorial writers to endorse a candidate on an individual level. but for the whole publication to do so seems.... wrong. for reasons i can't quite explain.


Totally agree. you just can't expect them to objectively look into their pet favorites, in other words, like, do their job. And maybe that's the intent as more news outlets are actually advertising their political biases, coddling the consumers, advertising their confrontation free chatter that provides little more service than to assure them they are right to believe what they already believe.

Which is strange when their pet favorite is a thing like an unjustified, pre-emptive, bloody war. Would news paper readership still be plummeting had more news organizations actually looked into the claims of wmds? And not blandly passed over what has turned out to be arguably the least popular foreign policy decision ever made by our government?

And would the reputation of journalism as a profession not be powerless against the opinions of hannity, olbermann, rush, and maddow, if there were no such vaccuum for them to fill and become the new information sources?

I enjoy exposure to all the names mentioned, but if I had to choose between saving olbermann and hannity from a burning building I would be too busy making sure hannity went down to save either of them.

which is a kind of pathetic situation, all summed.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

O.K. I want this, but I don't need a purse.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27225942/?pg=19#TDY_Trail_Crazy

Can someone make this into an iron on, or something, with your computers?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

Dear John(*),

Dirty tricks designed to mislead Texas voters have been spreading across the state, and many Obama supporters are getting incorrect information about the voting process.

Bogus claims about voting machines are spreading via email chains -- and in one reported case, even broadcast on a Houston radio station -- that could have a huge impact on voter turn out on Election Day.

Here is the truth that every Texan should know: If you vote a straight Democratic Ticket you will cast your ballot for Barack.

But Texans are not alone -- voters in key neighboring battleground states like New Mexico, Colorado, and Missouri are receiving deceitful automated phone messages and mailers from the McCain campaign spreading vile lies about Barack Obama.

We can't let dirty tricks and bad information sway this election. We need Texans to step up and spread the truth to other voters -- not just here at home, but also in our neighboring states.

Will you stand up for the truth and make a short weekend trip to a key battleground state?

No one is certain who's behind this latest attempt to influence the election and scare Obama supporters away from the polls on November 4th. But the intent is clear: to steal votes away from Barack and other great Democratic candidates up and down the ticket.

We can be sure that shameless tactics like these will intensify over the next 16 days.

That's why your help is crucial to making sure that every voter knows the truth about Barack Obama and the change we need in this country.

Forward this email to your friends and family in Texas, then sign up to spread the truth to other voters:

http://tx.barackobama.com/DriveForChange

There is so much at stake in this election. Together, we can make sure that everyone casts their vote for change on November 4th.

Thanks,

Juan

Juan Sepulveda
Texas State Director
Obama for America

P.S. -- If you've received an email with misinformation about the voting process, report it so that we can make sure that voters across America get the truth about Barack:

http://www.fightthesmears.com/report








*Is this some kind of subliminal message?

[chuck]

I grew up loving looking through old Time/Life issues - seeing stories told in pictures. Moments captured. Life through a lens is always made stronger, more heroic, more poignant.

This series of photos from Callie Shell (http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0810/callie-bp.html) does that.

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0810/images/callie/21.jpg

It's the small moments - I think this is my favourite. Barack just reading the paper and Michelle just resting. It reminds me of how I might sit and just enjoy a moment with my wife.

That's no reason to elect a President - but it shows a humanity and a person that I can't imagine the McCain-Palin campaign ever wanting us to see.

Powerful images - that capture hope and promise and something beyond the rampant blogging/punditry/nastiness that seems to have overtaken this election race. And for the first time in a long time - it gives me hope in the humanity that is inherent in that United States. A humanity a lot of us out here in the world are wanting to see again.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

It reminds me of how I might sit and just enjoy a moment with my wife.




And all this time, I though you were queer. I mean, gay. or no, ...

Am I sounding like a homophobe?

[Sean]

Great new line about McCain from Obama in a speech today (http://thepage.time.com/prepared-remarks-for-obama-in-raleigh-north-carolina/):

"By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten."

:D:D

[Deckard]

That's great. Exactly the right tone to strike with this kind of nonsense.