Scots Taffer on 30/8/2008 at 01:00
Quote Posted by dethtoll
I wish people would stop getting their opinions from talk radio and moveon.org.
JFK's speechwriter had a nice little segment where he talked about all the misconceptions that Obama still has to dispell:
- that he's an Islamic
- that he was born outside the US
- that he's not a patriot
So I'm inclined to believe it's really just people who can't think for themselves (aka idiots) who harbour these mistaken beliefs and it's sad that Obama has to somehow pander to the idiots to win.
Pyrian on 30/8/2008 at 01:00
Quote Posted by dethtoll
...I'm sure we're going to hear a lot more about Obama that just
might not come from his fanclub (or his anti-fanclub)- you know, something
valuable.
Not from anything remotely resembling mainstream media, we're not. We're going to hear virtually nothing but hyperbole and bald-faced lies for the next few months. I mean, the amount of blatant falsehoods
already in circulation are saddening, and this thing is only ramping up.
Quote:
There's a perfectly good Communist country...
No there isn't.
heretic on 30/8/2008 at 01:22
Quote Posted by Pyrian
Not from anything remotely resembling mainstream media, we're not. We're going to hear virtually nothing but hyperbole and bald-faced lies for the next few months.
If the past and present lovefest (regarding Obama) that has been propagated by the majority of the media outlets is anything to go by then that should only continue to work in the man's favor.
Even my most fervent Obama-supporting friends openly admit that he has been getting off easy.
Ko0K on 30/8/2008 at 01:39
I've never even heard of Palin until last night, but I'm thinking that just about the only thing McCain can do now to win his bid for presidency is steal this election. ...which the RNC has done plenty of times before, arguably, except this time McCain isn't making it any easier. It's pretty much a given that what matters most is the presidential candidates themselves, but someone who's one stroke or heart attack away from leaving the seat to the next in line should've put some more thoughts into his pick for a running mate than just trying to win over handful of disgruntled wenches in the other camp. Maybe this Palin is some sort of a wonder woman and I simply have to get to know her to realize that, but as of now, this move reeks of desperation.
demagogue on 30/8/2008 at 02:12
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
This is one massive difference between the UK and the US - here we really focus on the party and the policies. It's only when a leader is especially useless or awesome that they come into play and that hasn't happened for the past 15 years or so.
To be fair, the VP position is useless and only has symbolic value. They have no power except a very rare Senate vote to break a tie (and even that is made redundant by a Presidential veto half the time); otherwise, she's just next in line if the President is assassinated. Reading that interview where Palin asked "What does the VP do?", she asked that because she actually thought it might hurt her career, lol.
Also should probably clarify that the "massive difference between the UK and the US", politically speaking, is Duverget's Law: proportional UK voting allows a Party to form if they can just get enough % votes for a few seats; then politics is all about building coalitions among a lot of issue-based Parties to get a majority, so they have to sell that policy territory that distinguishes them.
First-across-the-post US voting can only have 2 Parties, so it forces it to be about discrete persons that have to transcend Party, and it's all about co-opting the middle space of people that don't identify entirely with either one or all of their policies, so you get more identity politics sort of stuff by necessity.
It does tend to distract from policies in campaigning in the US, but on the other hand, the gov't is one Party only and has a strict policy-coherent Party-line in the end (at least for its own level), and you don't get the sort of schizophrenic policy-juggling you might see in Parliament systems where little-issue groups get way more power than they're democratically worth, and the final package isn't very policy-focused on the whole at all, where what a person votes for is exactly what he gets and nothing else. You could argue it's really the US that's a lot more Party and policy focused in the end. But I'd rather just say *shrug* pick your poison. :p
heretic on 30/8/2008 at 02:59
That's a very good explanation of the matter demagogue.
:thumb:
Ghostly Apparition on 30/8/2008 at 03:18
Quote Posted by a flower in hell
Pot: Hey Kettle! Guess what?
Kettle: What?
Pot: YOU'RE BLACK!
Give me a detailed analysis of why you think she's qualified to be Vice President or god forbid President or else just piss the hell off as the troll you are as you are not contributing anything of merit.
I have to admit It'll be entertaining to watch Biden wipe the floor with her in the debates. But it will end up looking like a High school kid beating up a grade schooler.
fett on 30/8/2008 at 04:23
Clearly, McCain is boinking her.
heretic on 30/8/2008 at 04:24
Quote Posted by Ghostly Apparition
I have to admit It'll be entertaining to watch Biden wipe the floor with her in the debates. But it will end up looking like a High school kid beating up a grade schooler.
I wouldn't count on it, but yeah..he can use the Bobby Kennedy or Neil Kinnock quips that he nicked back when Palin was probably still developing her chops on the High School debate team.
Seriously..she may not add in to making an electable ticket at this time, but she is not exactly the lame duck that a lot of folks suggest that she is either, VP material or not.
But keep on going, as Obama seems to have flourished despite similar attacks. Which is probably akin to what Flower was getting at.
heretic on 30/8/2008 at 04:24
Quote Posted by fett
Clearly, McCain is boinking her.
Have you seen her?
Wouldn't you?
