OT: 2008 Elections/Politics thread, Part 2

[Inuyasha]

I think after Hillary's speech last night, McCain will probably take Kay Hutchison from TX as VP. Would help get those Clinton women voters on his side.

[RobVarak]

It could be worse. There could be a banner behind him reading "Mission Accomplished."

Also, that backdrop was chosen because Obama is going to be the first candidate to have sex with his mother, kill his father, and gouge his eyes out, all during his acceptance speech.

Finally something to appease Fox News! The only question is whether at the graveside they'd hand the flag to Michelle or Chris Matthews.

What's the weather supposed to be like in Denver on Thurstday night? It'd be humorous if a downpour started as soon as Obama steps to the stage.

Nah, never happen. He would have already appeared to someone and directed them to build an arc.

[Teal]

More likely, he'll command the storm to cease...

[Teal]

WTF is this?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventio ... 622&page=1

That's just bullshit. The guy's standing outside, on a public sidewalk, taking pictures, and he's arrested? What Mickey Mouse law did he break?

[wco81]

I was listening to an NPR interview with a guy who follows religion and politics.

He was pointing out how the McCain ad which had the clip of Charlton Heston as Moses splitting the Red Sea was playing on themes from the Left Behind books, specifically how the evangelicals who read those books were looking for signs of the antichrist.

Antischrist, secret muslim and now, heathen!

That's pretty far-fetched, which means you probably agreed with the guy 100%

I don't know anything about the Left Behind books, other than some broad lampooning of people expecting the Rapture any time now.

He wasn't saying the Moses imagery specifically links to Left Behind. He was talking about all of the images in that commercial, which I've seen but can't recall all of in full.

[Inuyasha]

WTF is this?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventio ... 622&page=1

That's just bullshit. The guy's standing outside, on a public sidewalk, taking pictures, and he's arrested? What Mickey Mouse law did he break?

Patriot Act Section 3021.32 : You no longer have rights.


added : someone sent this to me, I thought it was pretty good :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4EN7ibO1ec

[RobVarak]

They always enact a bunch of draconian laws when the conventions are in town. In 96 when the Dems were here in Chicago the local ACLU was having caniption fits for weeks...and that's pre-9/11

WCO, I think that guy is stretching it pretty far. I've seen the ads and they're very light-hearted and funny, juxtaposing some of Obama's more pompous rhetorical flourishes with clips of Heston. Much more of an appeal to independents who may be put off by his hubris than preaching to the right wingers who might appreciate the wacky Left Behind implications IMO.

><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mopkn0lPzM8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[TheHiddenTrack]

I've listened to some right wing radio and heard crazies saying that Obama is the anti-christ. Although, it was on Glenn Beck's radio show and he disagreed with the caller... so that's good. But the lady was adamant that Obama is the anti-christ and that doesn't surprise me at all. If you are an evangelical who rejects numerous obvious truths... and believe that Jesus is going to come from the sky to save the day within your lifetime (which many people do) then believing that Obama is the anti-christ isn't much of a stretch.

[XXXIV]

I've seen the ads and they're very light-hearted and funny, juxtaposing some of Obama's more pompous rhetorical flourishes with clips of Heston. Much more of an appeal to independents who may be put off by his hubris than preaching to the right wingers who might appreciate the wacky Left Behind implications IMO.

Exactly...I think only a paranoid left winger would see it as anything but...

Furthermore I fail to see where Obama is saying anything wrong in those clips...Nothing wrong with being self assured.

[Inuyasha]

I've listened to some right wing radio and heard crazies saying that Obama is the anti-christ. Although, it was on Glenn Beck's radio show and he disagreed with the caller... so that's good. But the lady was adamant that Obama is the anti-christ and that doesn't surprise me at all. If you are an evangelical who rejects numerous obvious truths... and believe that Jesus is going to come from the sky to save the day within your lifetime (which many people do) then believing that Obama is the anti-christ isn't much of a stretch.

They said the same about JFK since he was a Catholic.

[XXXIV]

I think after Hillary's speech last night, McCain will probably take Kay Hutchison from TX as VP. Would help get those Clinton women voters on his side.

Hillary's speech...More of the same old garbage with some perfume...


She said McCain is republican so hes bad...

She said vote for Obama...basically because hes a democrat.

She never really said why Obama should be president.

[Teal]

John Nelson Darby has done unimaginable harm to Christians by floating that stupid, end of the world scenario. All that 'anti christ, rapture, tribulation' stuff makes people look like horse's asses-for good reason.

[wco81]

Barack Obama's appearance in Denver won't be the first convention speech framed by Greek columns.

Republicans who are mocking Obama's appearance haven't mentioned it, but George W. Bush accepted his own nomination in 2004 on a set with a similar neoclassical theme, with columns rising on either side of him, as the pictures above and below show.

Indeed, the Bush set and the Obama sets currently look strikingly similar, with the podium set well in front of the columns, and connected by a path.

The attachment to kitsch, particularly at political conventions, is clearly bipartisan. (There are also a couple of columns in America, as Matthew Yglesias notes.)

Pictures at:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/ ... ml?showall

[RobVarak]

Well I have a very different impression, and in no way see them as "strikingly similar."

First of all columns are used in numerous different settings. They are just one element of the Bush stage. It's not just the columns that make that Denver stage look ridiculous, it's the entire temple, plus the magical rising podium, plus the fact that he moved it to a ridiculously large venue.

Secondly, Bush was actually the President at the time he made that speech. This is something that, given their history with the silly "seal" they were going to use, the Obama people may want to remember.

Finally, the Bush administration hadn't already been casitgated for appearing pompous, presumptuous and (dare I borrow a word popular in 04?) haughty. Even if they were similar, the use of the stage in Denver remains funny and a bit tone deaf.

[Jackdog]

News Flash!! Politicians have no shame.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 008&sc=678

http://newmexicoindependent.com/view/at-t-throws-party

Comparing Democrats' Votes (March 14th and June 20th votes):




Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint gave PAC contributions averaging:

$8,359 to each Democrat who changed their position to support immunity for Telcos (94 Dems)
$4,987 to each Democrat who remained opposed to immunity for Telcos (116 Dems)

88 percent of the Dems who changed to supporting immunity (83 Dems of the 94) received PAC contributions from Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint during the last three years (Jan. 2005-Mar. 2008). See below for list of these 94 Dems.



All House Members (June 20th vote:)


Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint gave PAC contributions averaging:

$9,659 to each member of the House voting "YES" (105-Dem, 188-Rep)
$4,810 to each member of the House voting "NO" (128-Dem, 1-Rep)

[pk500]

What's the weather supposed to be like in Denver on Thurstday night? It'd be humorous if a downpour started as soon as Obama steps to the stage.

I listen to KUVO, the superb real jazz station in Denver, online a lot while working, and the DJ today said the weather is supposed to be perfect tomorrow night.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

WTF is this?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventio ... 622&page=1

That's just bullshit. The guy's standing outside, on a public sidewalk, taking pictures, and he's arrested? What Mickey Mouse law did he break?

Probably the Patriot Act.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Barack Obama's appearance in Denver won't be the first convention speech framed by Greek columns.

Republicans who are mocking Obama's appearance haven't mentioned it, but George W. Bush accepted his own nomination in 2004 on a set with a similar neoclassical theme, with columns rising on either side of him, as the pictures above and below show.

Indeed, the Bush set and the Obama sets currently look strikingly similar, with the podium set well in front of the columns, and connected by a path.

The attachment to kitsch, particularly at political conventions, is clearly bipartisan. (There are also a couple of columns in America, as Matthew Yglesias notes.)

Pictures at:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/ ... ml?showall

There's one huge difference: In 2004, Bushed worked and lived in a very noted home in the District of Columbia that has large white columns.

Obama isn't there yet.

Take care,
PK

[Inuyasha]

How come the Swift Boat Buys don't write a book about McCain?

Interesting :

http://emeraldcityguy.wordpress.com/200 ... t-to-lead/

[Feanor]

Finally, the Bush administration hadn't already been casitgated for appearing pompous, presumptuous and (dare I borrow a word popular in 04?) haughty. Even if they were similar, the use of the stage in Denver remains funny and a bit tone deaf.

Bush has been correctly criticized for being presumptuous ever since he used his mandate of getting less votes than Gore to take America down the hard right, neocon path of waging war on false pretenses while cutting taxes and letting the deficit and public debt balloon once again.

[wco81]

So neoclassical staging is only for presidents then?

Nobody else should have the temerity to use Greek/Roman motifs?

Hmm, Obama better have that flag lapel pin on.

[Teal]

Why are you reading 'Queer Ranting from Seattle'? Furthermore, why would I believe a blogger who has links to "boys f***in" on his sidebar?!

That's not the least bit interesting. It's frickin' weird.

[Feanor]

I'm going to skip clicking on some of the linked-to blogs like Rad Ass Homo.

[RobVarak]

So neoclassical staging is only for presidents then?

Nobody else should have the temerity to use Greek/Roman motifs?

Motifs I could live with. A smattering of columns, maybe a small frieze somewhere. This is a complete greek temple! LOL

And it's not that he's not allowed to use something like that. To me it just seems an extraordinarily poor choice given the context of the campaign. It'd be like Bush having his podium appear out of a 40' facsimile of Karl Rove's head. Or John Kerry delivering his address in that goofy hunting outfit or his wind surfing gear Why go out of your way to reinforce aspects of your campaign which people have been critical about?

[EZSnappin]

You all have to admit it takes some Elgin marbles to stand in front of that Parthenon.