OT: Elections/Politics thread, part 5

[RobVarak]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

Im feeling the exact same way about Obama . Especially that total bullshit tax plan.

Face it, there just aren't as many members of the media willing to be outright racists anymore.

[Brando70]

I was actually going to make a joke asking if it was another number two...

...and sure enough, it was!

Al Qaeda must issue all their # 2's red shirts or something...

Definitely the worst job in the world. And no chance for promotion since we can't catch #1.

[JackB1]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

"Time for Palin to answer tough questions"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/ ... index.html

I agree. She WAS found guilty of abusing her power in the "troopergate"
case, even though you don't hear about it anymore. Why doesn't she come clean about that? She keeps claiming she has nothing to hide, but she won't even discuss it. After Cheney set new records for VP's abuses of power, more of that kind of thing we don't need. If Palin was all she claims to be, she would take on all comers and all questions like a "Maverick" and not do all her talking only to her rabid, adoring stump speech masses.

[Teal]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

"Time for Palin to answer tough questions"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/ ... index.html

I agree. She WAS found guilty of abusing her power in the "troopergate"
case, even though you don't hear about it anymore. Why doesn't she come clean about that? She keeps claiming she has nothing to hide, but she won't even discuss it. After Cheney set new records for VP's abuses of power, more of that kind of thing we don't need.

First, Obama doesn't have a 13 point lead. I know, I know...CBS SAYS HE DOES! Well, pardon me for being very, very suspicious of that, considering:
http://zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1587

and

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... cking_poll

I'd really, really like to see CBS's sampling. It's been reported with other really big leads for Obama that there's been a 25-30% greater sampling of democrats and minorities in those. Well, no s*** he's got a big lead in a skewed poll like that. I'll take Zogby and Rasmussen anyday over CBS/NYT. Anyday. It's just not credible.

As to this particular post, and the one it was quoting, please. It is incorrigible the amount of troubling and potentially damning stuff that has been glossed over, dismissed, and brushed aside concerning Obama, and they have a much more far reaching potential impact than the firing of some state trooper who tasered an 11 year old kid, and was an asshole in general.

I'll just send up my usual 'you gotta be kidding me' and go on...

[GTHobbes]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

"Time for Palin to answer tough questions"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/ ... index.html

I agree. She WAS found guilty of abusing her power in the "troopergate"
case, even though you don't hear about it anymore. Why doesn't she come clean about that? She keeps claiming she has nothing to hide, but she won't even discuss it. After Cheney set new records for VP's abuses of power, more of that kind of thing we don't need. If Palin was all she claims to be, she would take on all comers and all questions like a "Maverick" and not do all her talking only to her rabid, adoring stump speech masses.

I'd also like to hear some follow-up on her husband's belonging to the secede-from-the-union group. I mean, what's up with that?

[Teal]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

"Time for Palin to answer tough questions"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/ ... index.html

I agree. She WAS found guilty of abusing her power in the "troopergate"
case, even though you don't hear about it anymore. Why doesn't she come clean about that? She keeps claiming she has nothing to hide, but she won't even discuss it. After Cheney set new records for VP's abuses of power, more of that kind of thing we don't need. If Palin was all she claims to be, she would take on all comers and all questions like a "Maverick" and not do all her talking only to her rabid, adoring stump speech masses.

I'd also like to hear some follow-up on her husband's belonging to the secede-from-the-union group. I mean, what's up with that?

Hey, I hear he's also a member of the Illuminati. Just sayin'...

[JackB1]

I'd also like to hear some follow-up on her husband's belonging to the secede-from-the-union group. I mean, what's up with that?

It's not just her husband. Sara herself also went to several group events.
Maybe it's just me, but wanting to secede from the US of A doesn't sound very patriotic to me.

I gotta think if Obama or Michelle was involved with something like that, the Rep. campaign would be all over it. Look at what a big deal they made out of Michelle's "first time proud of my country" statement. At least Michelle is proud enough to not want to leave it or be married to someone that does.

[JackB1]

First, Obama doesn't have a 13 point lead. I know, I know...CBS SAYS HE DOES! Well, pardon me for being very, very suspicious of that, considering:

The polls that really matter are these:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls ... cain/#data

The battleground states will decide the election and Obama is now winning in:

OHIO 3.4%
FL 4.8%
PA 13%

Even Virginia, where Bush won by 8% in 2004!
North Carolina, where Bush won by 12% is now slightly on Obama's side

All these signs point very favorably now towards Obama. Whether you want to acknowledge it our not.

[GTHobbes]

I'd also like to hear some follow-up on her husband's belonging to the secede-from-the-union group. I mean, what's up with that?

It's not just her husband. Sara herself also went to several group events.
Maybe it's just me, but wanting to secede from the US of A doesn't sound very patriotic to me.

I gotta think if Obama or Michelle was involved with something like that, the Rep. campaign would be all over it. Look at what a big deal they made out of Michelle's "first time proud of my country" statement. At least Michelle is proud enough to not want to leave it or be married to someone that does.

I agree. I wish the moderator would've brought up this stuff in the debate with Biden, but then again, it's not like she would've directly answered the question anyway.

[JackB1]

I agree. I wish the moderator would've brought up this stuff in the debate with Biden, but then again, it's not like she would've directly answered the question anyway.

Nope. But she speaks "directly to the American People"

Seriously, I think Bob Schiffer will do a good job tonite getting the candidates to answer the questions. That women that moderated the VP debate was the worst I have ever seen.

[TheGamer]

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=72 ... id=3510203


McCain staffer's dubious link to Saddam
Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:54:24 GMT
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
It has been revealed that the head of John McCain's transition team aided an influence effort on behalf of Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s.

The latest revelation about McCain staffer William Timmons is sure to cause panic among members of the struggling McCain campaign team, who will have to work overtime doing damage control.

William Timmons, a Washington lobbyist, worked with two other lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, over a five-year period to help Saddam, Huffingtonpost reported on Tuesday.

Vincent and Park later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists during the same period, beginning in 1992, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil.

Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through.

Timmons' activities occurred in the years following the first Persian Gulf War, when Washington branded Iraq as a rogue enemy state and a sponsor of terrorism. His dealings on behalf of Saddam stand in stark contrast to the views McCain held at the time.

John McCain strongly supported the 1991 military action against Iraq, and as recently as Sunday described Saddam as a one-time menace to the region who had "stated categorically that he would acquire weapons of mass destruction, and he would use them wherever he could."

Timmons declined to comment and his office manager said that he has made it his practice during his public career to never speak to the press.

Timmons previously told investigators that he did not know that either Vincent or Park were acting as unregistered agents of Iraq. He also insisted that he did not fully understand just how closely the two men were tied to Saddam's regime while they collaborated.

But testimony and records made public during Park's criminal trial, as well as other information uncovered during a United Nations investigation, suggest just the opposite.

Moreover, there was a major financial incentive at play for Timmons. The multi-million dollar oil deal that he was pursuing with the two other lobbyists would only be possible if their efforts to ease sanctions against Iraq were successful.

[Teal]

Hm. You'd think the Obama team would be supportive of a guy who worked WITH Saddam, rather than going into Iraq to depose the guy.

EDIT: Must not be that big a deal. I don't see it anywhere in the news sites, or on TV. I'd think that if Obama's bunch thought it had any teeth, they'd have it plastered everywhere by now (even on a billboard in Burnout...)

[RobVarak]

I was actually going to make a joke asking if it was another number two...

...and sure enough, it was!

Al Qaeda must issue all their # 2's red shirts or something...

It was the no. 2 in al Qaeda in Iraq, not Osama's right-hand man. And we did get no. 1 once already when we got al-Zarqawi in '06.

[Slumberland]

Al Qaeda in Iraq... they're sort of the West Coast Avengers of the terror scene, aren't they.

[JackB1]

Hm. You'd think the Obama team would be supportive of a guy who worked WITH Saddam, rather than going into Iraq to depose the guy.

That's not it at all. He was working to ease sanctions to HELP Saddam. Obama would be all for reducing sanctions and pressuring Saddam using diplomacy, instead of only using military. What's the point of reducing sanctions?

Anyway, it's another meaningless "guilt by association" thing and has zero impact on who you should vote for IMO.

[RobVarak]

I really do try to make substantive posts in this thread, but every once in awhile a bit of brevity is called for.

"There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area."

-- John Murtha

-File Photo (Committee to Re-Elect John Murtha)

[Jackdog]

I really do try to make substantive posts in this thread, but every once in awhile a bit of brevity is called for.

"There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area."

-- John Murtha

-File Photo (Committee to Re-Elect John Murtha)

He's right. I have cousins in Pittsburg that hate white people.

[Teal]

So far, I have only one request of Bob Shieffer.

Bob, quote Stephen from Braveheart, please:

"Don't change the subject-just answer the f***in' question"

[bdunn13]

I had a guy knock on my door today and tell me he was from a few streets over and his wife was about to have a kid and he needed some cash to help pay the upcoming medical bills.


I looked at him and said, I don't think so but never fear, when Racky Bamma gets elected and you come back to my house, he will force me to give you some cash.

[GTHobbes]

I had no idea who I was voting for a month ago. The more I see of McCain, the more he comes across as a real prick to me. At this point, I'll be glad when this election is over and he's out of the public spotlight, for good. What an angry dude.

[Teal]

I had no idea who I was voting for a month ago. The more I see of McCain, the more he comes across as a real prick to me. At this point, I'll be glad when this election is over and he's out of the public spotlight, for good. What an angry dude.

How funny...I was pretty sure a month ago who you were going to vote for...

How about 'what an eloquent empty suit'? I'll take an angry man over a shiny, clean, well spoken void anyday.

Heretofore, btw, after the debate tonight, I will refer to Senator Obama as 'Senator Government'...

What a great slip of the tongue!

[Brando70]

McCain has the right temperment to be a Senator. In that capacity, being a prick can be helpful. But he just comes off as bitter and irritable. If you just listened to both men, you would think Obama is the one who has the experience because he didn't really get rattled when McCain went after him.

McCain did get some good shots in, but he also is really bad when he strays off topic. The Joe the Plumber stuff was awkward and often clouded the point he was trying to make, while the "spread the wealth" mantra probably sounds appealing to a lot of people during tough economic times.

It's odd, because while McCain sounded tougher this time, he didn't really land the blows he needed because his delivery was off.

[fsquid]

I still can't believe the free pass this lady's getting in the campaign:

"Time for Palin to answer tough questions"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/14/ ... index.html

I agree. She WAS found guilty of abusing her power in the "troopergate"
case, even though you don't hear about it anymore. Why doesn't she come clean about that? She keeps claiming she has nothing to hide, but she won't even discuss it. After Cheney set new records for VP's abuses of power, more of that kind of thing we don't need. If Palin was all she claims to be, she would take on all comers and all questions like a "Maverick" and not do all her talking only to her rabid, adoring stump speech masses.

I'd also like to hear some follow-up on her husband's belonging to the secede-from-the-union group. I mean, what's up with that?

Same crap we heard from all the intelligent hollywood folks when Bush won the election. Those guys didn't leave either.

[Teal]

The problem is that Obama has been so set up, so elevated, that, in the minds of many, all he has to do is show up, and not say anything at all, while saying it smoothly and evenly.

McCain kept bringing issues up, Obama just sort of swatted them away, and he was (and consistently has been) allowed to without incident and without answer. He doesn't have to do anything but parry, and he's given credit for it. Absolutely unbelievable. NOT unprecedented-he's been doing that the entire time.

[Dave]

They can say whatever they want about education, but only one of them voted to raise federal student loan interest rates above the market rate in 2006--McCain.