Obama -- American Badass

[BeautifulBurnout]

Originally Posted by 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?

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, 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/2...n-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:
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

--Jason

[Sean]

And another great new 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]

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.......................w e'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!

[kagenaki koe]

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