McCain Ahead by 10 in Gallup--Plus Today's Front Page NY Times Suck-up To The Greatness of Sarah Palin
I simply can't fathom it. Why would anyone vote for the Republicans this year?
Other than this. The New York Times today offers a valentine to our Sarah, the mom to end all moms, the new feminist/activist/working mom who is an nspiration to all womanhood.
It seems to be working. But why?
Okay, I understand that Republicans, for the most part, vote Republican. Democrats are, for the most part, equally loyal to their party.
But what about independents and swing voters. Other than the factor one is not supposed to discuss (but which we all know is a big one), why would any American vote to continue the status quo?
It's almost un-American, the idea of perpetuating bad times. Overwhelmingly the American people think George W. Bush was a terrible President, that the Iraq war was a mistake, and that the economy is in a free fall.
How then can they vote for four more years of the same. Again, I have no problem with Republicans voting Republican. And I know why racists and neocons and the abortion-obsessed will vote Republican. But why would any normal patriotic American vote for the continuation of a status quo that, we pretty much all agree, sucks?
They want to believe.
September 7, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
They liked the 8 years Bush/Cheney gave us?
September 7, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's a known quantity. No surprises. Give this a second: McCain is a patriot, he has served this nation for years and no one would question his resolve or purpose for serving. McCain has reached across the aisle to work on legislation, numerous times. McCain (even if you don't like this) selected a "Woman" as his running mate. Obama is an unknown. he came out of nowhere just as Palin did but Obama wasn't willing to even vet Hillary. He had a chance to win and would have won had he chose Hillary. He chose to break that link of trust that many women had with him out of what appears to be animosity. Obama released this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcqhoiK8-Ww that demonstrates his decision to not defend America with ever resource we have available. Obama doesn't believe in "Winning", not in Iraq not in Afghanistan not anywhere other than to win elections for himself. Obama only serves himself. Show us what Obama has ever done to help someone else? Please. Obama won't release information about his background nor discuss it in public that we know of. Sure he'll discuss being raised by Grandma but he won't produce a single paper he wrote in college and on that point, How could the Editor of the Harvard Law Review not have 1, not 1, published paper or article? If someone answered that simple question Obama would be more acceptable. Too many questions, too many unknowns.
September 7, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good lord... you really are a piece of work. A scared half-wit.
Unfortunately, you unintentionally made the point I was going to make, but better than I could.
Americans are, by and large, scared half-wits. John McCain is saying, "Who ya gonna believe, me or your own lying eyes."
Old Sarg is gonna salute the flag, stick his head in the sand, and chant himself to sleep. "USA! USA! USA!"
Why? Because his worldview, along with his head, would implode if the Democrats once again took the White House, created jobs, increased the standard of living, and so on and so forth, putting the lie, once again, to all the jingoistic, ideological crap this guy has swallowed whole.
"Too many unknowns" is code for "This young black guy is smarter than I am, and that turns my world upside down. I'm scared. He might be right. And if he's right, I'm wrong. About everything."
September 7, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if you caught it, but a few weeks ago, McCain's campaign put up a new page on their website and started recruiting supporters to go out and post talking points on liberal blogs. It's called The Action Center: http://www.johnmccain.com/ActionCenter/BlogInteract/BlogInteract.aspx
Perhaps our Mr.Sarge is a Action Center blogger.
September 8, 2008 1:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
@ kohoutek
Unfortunately for you, most of us read. That is not a winning argument. It makes you nothing more than a jealous whiner lamenting the Republicans' superior ability to appeal to them.
September 8, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
offensivetoyou,
stop "butting" in!
September 8, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pot, kettle, black.
September 8, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
hey there Billy Boy,
OTY is the original "butting in" boy, that's the reason for my post, I was throwing a mild shot at his hypocrisy.
September 9, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
OldSarg,
produce ONE paper McCain wrote while in the Naval Academy.
I heard this same line during the Kerry and Gore campaigns, it was BS then, its BS now.
September 7, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good morning OldSarg, aka: troll.
September 7, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I gave an honest answer to the question that was asked. I'm sorry that you feel a discussion means "throwing around insults".
JohnW1141 you are correct, "produce ONE paper McCain wrote while in the Naval Academy", I can't but, I wouldn't expect a midshipman, learning to be an officer, while in a BA program to be writing articles for a paper he was not the Editor of. On the other hand, Obama was the editor of the Harvard Law Review.
The question you should ask yourself is "Why does EVERY editor in the history of the Harvard Law Review have published articles EXCEPT Obama?
September 7, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
What the fuck does it matter? Read the accounts from those who were there about his tenure.
What did he do? What an EDITOR does...helped authors of all political viewpoints make their arguments better, presenting a provocative and wide-ranging set of well-argued viewpoints to a bigger audience.
You get insults because you're arguing out your ass. And most of don't have time to give you the education you didn't take advantage of the first time around.
Opening your eyes and your mind, indeed using the mind god gave you, that's not our responsibility.
But we're saddled with the consequences of your ignorance every time you vote, every time you ignore the consequences of your mistaken beliefs and persist in clinging to them, despite the fact the results never change.
September 7, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
"What the fuck does it matter?" It matters because it's reflective of his performance in the position he held. McCain was trained to be an Officer in the US Military and to serve with honor. He did that. Did Obama do his job as the Editor? Show us an example of him helping someone make improve their viewpoints or arguments. Let us speak to one person from his past at harvard of in Chicago who he worked with that will vote for him, other than his wife.
"You get insults because you're arguing out your ass." You're mad because you can see the mantel slipping. Obama is turning out to be a whining empty suit. In Colorado we called it "All hat, no cows". Half the statements on this site are pleading for Obama to stand up for himself. He can't. Obama is a coward. His wife told him "No" to Hillary. he couldn't stand up to her so he will fail. He will not be president because he can't even stand up to his wife. She knows he's a coward. You know he's a coward.
"But we're saddled with the consequences of your ignorance every time you vote" Yes, yes you are. You are saddled by me. You know I believe in what I do and that I won't bend to your foul wind. No have no control over me and I can laugh at your attempts to bully. You are a joke. Ha!
September 7, 2008 2:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dude...You're like your own worst enemy.
Since you're too lazy to research your own assertions or find answers to your questions (which would nevertheless never stop you from voting from a position of ignorance), here are a couple links to get you started:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11257.html
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/
For any other questions you have about Obama, I'd suggest doing what I just did. Google it. Takes a couple minutes, but you'll find praise, attacks, whatever your heart desires out there.
Then it's up to you to do your magic. You know, make all contrary evidence disappear, reaffirm your world view, yadda yadda.
One thing that pisses me off more than anything is this "We don't know!"
Bullshit. Never has more information been available to more people more quickly in the course of human history.
Tip: Some sources are good, some are not so good. A good indication of a source's integrity is that he/she/it will often support your beliefs/opinions/preconceptions, but just as often call them into question or just flat piss you off.
Like I say further downthread, most of us, myself particularly, aren't here to try and educate people. That's why we went to college (to get the base), and keep reading and staying interested (to keep expanding). Likeminded people presume a degree of assent on a wide range of things.
Whatever you did or didn't study, maybe you'd enjoy going and doing some poli-sci courses, or history, or whatever, instead of asking for us to do what we can't. Convince you that you're wrong. Only you can do that.
But you have to want one thing more than anything: To know the truth (such as it can be known). If you're out to confirm your own presuppositions, you'll generally find a way to do that, however dubious the sources or methodology.
(And please don't trot out the elitist response. God knows I wish I could've stayed in college forever.)
But I came from your side of the tracks. Republican born and raised, voted for Reagan in my first election, raised in the Church of Christ, family from Oklahoma.
Then I got my head pulled out of my ass by leaving my comfort zone, going to a small, prestigious college back east, and finding the overwhelming weight of science, history, literature and intellectual thought decidedly on the other side.
And I did what honest people do, changed my opinions to fit the facts. Not the other way round.
September 7, 2008 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is the most well-considered, polite, erudite and wise response I have ever seen to a poster of OldSarg's predispositions. I'm sure he stopped reading about paragraph 2, but nonetheless, thank you. Well done.
September 7, 2008 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
maxd,
hahahahha, good one :-)
September 8, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if you really are an "Old Sarg" perhaps you'll be interested in what they guys over at Vet Voice have to say about McCain. It's also notable that McCain received a "D" grade from Iraq and Afganistan Veterans of America (in 2006, the 2008 ratings haven't been released yet). If McCain is such a wonderful thing for this country, why would these veterans not support him?
I'm not going to argue the point. I'd just like to suggest you go over there and take a look at what they have to say.
September 8, 2008 1:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wordie said:
I'm not sure OldSarg is military. I asked him the significance of his name, was it Army? He never answered. If he is military, he should learn how to spell Sergeant.
Maybe his name reflects Tony Sarg an old time German born American artist.
September 8, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
MANTLE. Get a spell checker. Get a fact checker. You're not even as much fun as Obamawon (aka Dud) or airgun177.
September 8, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ole Sarg is not a troll, just a stubborn ol' coot who enjoys pissing off liberals...
And who feigns an interest in the goings-on of the legal world by his reference to the Harvard Law Review...
And who claims graduating 894 out of 899 in a class can be excused for one guy, but that the other guy is obligated to go back and dig out all his old college assignments...
And who ignores the fact that John McCain passed up an admiralty and continued service to his country in the Navy in order to enter the delicious world of favors and politics...
And who, worst of all, claims Obama doesn't want to win in Afghanistan. Ole Sarge fails to define winning in Iraq however, and fails to point out that the Marines have been laughing at the Iraq war pretty much since it became an endless occupation for the Army. Tell us: What is there to "win" in Iraq anymore?
OldSarg, I actually agree with a few of the things you point out around here, and it's definitely good to have contrary voices. But the thought that Sarah Palin might become my CinC makes me laugh, not frightened or excited. It also makes me sorry for voters of this country. Picking her was a joke and you know it. Nonetheless - and you can vouch for this - we in the military are obligated to carry out her orders should she decide to declare war again on the Reds and forge boldly across the Bering Straight to democracy and freedom
September 7, 2008 3:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
tk,
McCain and Palin scare me. We gave the Bush/Cheney gang a military and look how they abused it. I suspect McCain and Palin will do the same as they elbow their way around the world 'not takin any shit from anyone'.
September 7, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
John W,
I suspect the Joint Chiefs have pushed back, general Army staff officers have always been the pragmatic type, and there is certainly no enthusiasm for McCain in the ranks as there was for Bush. I do not fear a McCain or Palin presidency. McCain is just too damn old and unserious to really inspire anyone or do anything dangerous, and Palin is a joke. Thoughts?
Also, the honest-to-goodness apolitical conservatives (as opposed to the partisan OldSarg bandwagon types) still remember and dislike the John McCain of the 90s who proudly supported things like gun control and tax increases.
And as David Brooks has been saying, if John McCain does win, he will have inherited a Congress that has increased its Democratic majorities and will be Pissed as Hell that Obama lost (to say nothing of how weak-willed Harry Reid and Nansi Pelosi have been up to now)
TK
September 7, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Democratic majorities and will be Pissed as Hell that Obama lost (to say nothing of how weak-willed Harry Reid and Nansi Pelosi have been up to now)"
This is fantasy. Democrats do not get Pissed as Hell. (Those who have voted for them, often to their own consternation, do, but I am speaking of the soory samples of humanity in Congress.)
And if Democratic shitty politicians are so upset at weak-willed Nancy and Harry, they could have been removed at any time.
September 7, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
from their positions of 'leadership,' or whatever you want to call it.
September 7, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
tk,
You said: "I do not fear a McCain or Palin presidency."
You may be right. But here's why I fear them. The Bush/Cheney gang, with the acquiesence of the Republican Congress, then the Democratic Congress, took for themselves almost unlimited powers. No one can deny they feel they can do as they please, with or without Congress' approval.
Their disdain for the law is obvious in many ways, especially with the ignoring of calls to testimony before Congress, and ignoring of legitimate subpoenas.
The personalities of both McCain and what has so far come to light on Lapin, with them being elected, and taking the same powers of the Bush gang is what scares me.
I saw him address the VFW, and he said in a most serious and almost freaky tone: "I will never suyrrender in Iraq. I will never surrender in Iraq". The first thing that came to my mind was; He personalized this war.
I think McCain is still fighting the Vietnam war.
I think he feels personally betrayed in that he suffered for nothing, we lost. I think he wants to ameliorate what he feels by winning a war somewhere.
The Bush gang has abused our military and sent them to die and be maimed for life for illegitimate reasons, I'm afraid McCain is capable of this too.
September 7, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are correct to say that Bush/Cheney feel they can do what they want, with or without Congress' approval.
That is why they should have been impeached long ago, to save the integrity of our political system. There are no checks and balances anymore.
For not impeaching Bush/Cheney, we will pay a price, perhaps the price of our Republic.
September 7, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really didn't want to jump into the fray but that comment was so asinine I had to respond. John McCain didn't pass up an Admiralty; he was never offered one. He never had any major sea command so he didn't qualify with his peers, mostly because of the FIVE YEARS he lost in a Hanoi prison, and the months he spent in physical therapy afterward.
If he was so hell-bent on politics only, he could have left imprisonment after only 3 years, but declined since it would have been used as propaganda by North Vietnam. Or he would have jumped into politics right after his release, but instead he spent 6 more years in the Navy. He spent 15 years in the Navy total. Jeez... how much would have been enough before you would refrain from questioning his patriotism?
I swear I'm fed up with innuendo, rumors, and garbage like this. Oppose McCain all you want for his actual record, or his policies, but why don't f**king amateurs stop trying to smear a man's heroic service to his country?
To answer the original question above, besides die-hard Republicans, for better or worse there are three other groups that will vote McCain:
1) Those that like the status quo
2) Those that believe that McCain/Palin will be significantly different and better than Bush/Cheney
3) Those that believe the change Obama/Biden bring about would be worse than McCain Palin
September 8, 2008 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I really didn't want to jump into the fray but that comment was so asinine I had to respond. John McCain didn't pass up an Admiralty; he was never offered one. He never had any major sea command so he didn't qualify with his peers, mostly because of the FIVE YEARS he lost in a Hanoi prison, and the months he spent in physical therapy afterward.
If he was so hell-bent on politics only, he could have left imprisonment after only 3 years, but declined since it would have been used as propaganda by North Vietnam. Or he would have jumped into politics right after his release, but instead he spent 6 more years in the Navy. He spent 15 years in the Navy total. Jeez... how much would have been enough before you would refrain from questioning his patriotism?
I swear I'm fed up with innuendo, rumors, and garbage like this. Oppose McCain all you want for his actual record, or his policies, but why don't f**king amateurs stop trying to smear a man's heroic service to his country?
To answer the original question above, besides die-hard Republicans, for better or worse there are three other groups that will vote McCain:
1) Those that like the status quo
2) Those that believe that McCain/Palin will be significantly different and better than Bush/Cheney
3) Those that believe the change Obama/Biden bring about would be worse than McCain Palin
September 8, 2008 12:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
JohnR
Considering the McCain family, if McCain had stayed in the Navy he no doubt would have made Admiral some day. Didn't he leave as a Captain? I think this is what tk was referring to when he said;
"And who ignores the fact that John McCain passed up an admiralty and continued service to his country in the Navy...."
September 8, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
His wiki entry (fwiw) says that he never had a major sea command so he never would have made full admiral, although he had a shot at the lessor rear admiral.
Keep in mind too that his injuries were causing him to miss a lot of work time, which probably wouldnt work well with someone at the admiral level.
September 8, 2008 7:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
For the record.. two points to make on my statement
which poster John Rohan calls "asinine," a "smear," an attack on McCain's patriotism, and "innuendo, rumors, and garbage":The first point is that Worth the Fighting For supports my claim in spades, esp. the final few pages of the chapter titled Liaisons
The second point is that it was probably true that McCain would not have been a candidate for Admiral, as I'm betting congressional liaison is probably an end-of-the-road career assignment, though John Rohan has more military experience behind him (there's that word again) to confirm this better than I. As for John Rohan's doubt that McCain was hell-bent on entering politics, my gosh read the memoir. That was McCain's whole goddamn purpose.
September 9, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
OldSarg,
Obama graduated from Columbia with a degree in Political Sscience, he graduated Harvard magna cum laude with a Law degree. Now I know you will discount that accomplishment because McCain barely got out of Annapolis and you're more concerned with papers that he did or didn't publish, a bullshit issue to rational people, but with meaning to the vacuous among us.
I'm sure the fact that he has big ears will be an issue with you too.
Sarg, you're rooting around in trash cans filled with trash issues. On an Issues scale of 1 to 10, this "Paper" thing of yours registers at a Negative 47. I'd be ashamed to offer this as something of importance.
September 7, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're focusing on the wrong thing all together. It's not specifically "published papers" it's anything. Who is he, what has he done, who has he worked with? Give me some history. With Palin I can tell you when she won a a stupid basketball game with a free-throw. McCain POW, Biden a horrible car accident. Who is Obama or Barry or Barak? We don't even know the damn guy's name. What about his trip to Pakistan? Who was he visiting there? Who the hell goes to Pakistan for a vacation? At least he had family in Africa and Hawaii. If he was a Community Organizer what kind of organization was he organizing? Did he really hang out with Ayers? Why would he have sold half his front yard to a slumlord crook? I mean look at the pictures! It was HALF the front yard! WHY?
The point is Obama couldn't get a security clearance! We (and you are included) know nothing about Obama.
September 7, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
OldSarg,
apart from the right wing e-mails that are full of trash floating around have you ever tried to find out anything about Obama?
I know nothing will satisfy you becasue you work with that old political trick of incessant questions. Regardless of how irrelevant, how silly, you will always have more questions.
Why did Obama wear brown shoes at his prom when everyone else wore black? Why was he born in Hawaii and not Detroit?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
September 7, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink