Yeah, that narrative worked so well in 2004 too.

Posted at June 30, 2008 7:30 PM in response to Obama Campaign Condemns Wes Clark's Comments About McCain

Obama had the opportunity to control the narrative. He could have embraced Gen. Clark's commentary AND lead it to his speech on patriotism. What a complete crushing that would have been of the "war hero" meme! Getting called out by a four star general and then having your opponent explain in great detail what patriotism is about, in a fashion that would reach out to those average citizens. Instead, the rejection of Clark becomes the story. McCain is NOW the real patriot and Obama is nothing more than a spineless politician who can't match up to the same level of patriotism that McCain displayed will failing in his military duties. Obama had a great opportunity today and fucked it up. No one to blame here but Obama.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:44 PM in response to Obama Campaign Condemns Wes Clark's Comments About McCain

Obama's quickly losing my vote. I will NOT vote a spineless weasel who will NOT stand up for what is right in this country. What Clark said was right on the money and was the honest commentary this country needs. Just because the guy was a guest in the Hanoi Hilton for five years does not make him qualified for anything. He's abused the sympathies of the Arizona voters for years using this line of bullshit, and FINALLY someone lets their testicles drop and call a spade-a-spade on the matter. One less vote for Obama in a state that was poised to be a swing state? His continual triangulation will continue to lose voters, not attract them. He needs to find some spine, before its too late.

Posted at June 30, 2008 5:37 PM in response to Obama Campaign Condemns Wes Clark's Comments About McCain

Come on Tena, what it does clearly focuses is the stupidity of the people in question. If the spelling or sound of a name is what really makes you "American", then this country is in real trouble.

I just finished having a "discussion" with my boss about democracy (in Iraq) and how an educated and informed electorate is crucial for a truly functional liberal democracy to exist in a country. He, a Bush supporter, admitted that it was impossible to consider Iraq a democracy, and if we use those same tenets, then America should not be considered a democracy either. His position was that electorate is dumb as trees. I whole heartedly agreed with him and used the Bush victories as proof positive of that belief. I'm presently cleaning out my desk while I wait for Security to escort me out of the building. Honesty just doesn't pay!

(I'm kidding on the getting fired bit, but not kidding on a Bushie admitting the electorate is dumb as trees)

Posted at June 25, 2008 12:35 PM in response to Focus Group: Pennsylvania Voters Are Suspicious Of Obama -- But Support Him Anyway

"I will invest $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels - investments that will create up to five million new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; that will create billions of dollars in new business like you're already doing here in Nevada."

Read it again. That is $150 billion over the next 10 years. Comprehend what he stated. That means he will spend $150 billion dollars over a time period equal to 10 years. If he meant what you suggest, he would have stated "I will invest $150 billion a year over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels..." He did not. He stated the total dollar figure and the time frame in which it is going to be spent. So he has committed to $15 billion per year for the next 10 years, totaling $150 billion.

Posted at June 25, 2008 12:23 PM in response to Obama: McCain Has Failed Us On Energy "For Decades"

Sorry, I guess I should have made that "a flaming bag of bat guano" to maintain your attention.

The bottom line is, if you're going to run on a platform of "change" give me something mroe than the same things I heard, and saw pummelled into submission, while working in the O&G sector for 20 years.

Posted at June 24, 2008 5:10 PM in response to Obama: McCain Has Failed Us On Energy "For Decades"

I read the whole speech and its a flaming bag of dung, left on the doorstep for the average American to have to consider how they want to deal with it.

"I have a plan to raise the fuel standards in our cars and trucks with technology we have on the shelf today - technology that will make sure we get more miles to the gallon."

CAFE standards a joke. Trying to revise them has been proven to be politically impossible. Obama can talk about this all he wants, but he won't get the votes for it, and more importantly, it doesn't change a damn thing. Blended fleet numbers mean that one well performing vehicle, that doesn't sell, can be countered with a huge gas guzzler that is popular. In the end, nothing changes. CAFE standards don't alter the expectations of the consumer or industry.

"And we will provide financial help to our automakers and autoworkers to help them make this transition."

So he's going to subsidize the auto industry? Beautiful! In other words, the same old tired song and dance. More subsidies to the hydrocarbon industry.

"I will invest $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels - investments that will create up to five million new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; that will create billions of dollars in new business like you're already doing here in Nevada."

$15 billion a year? Wow. ExxonMobil makes that much profit in 5 months. We spend almost that much money each MONTH in Iraq. That doesn't even make the top 20 line items of expenditures on the budget. That's not even 3% of defense spending! It's just over 6% of the interest we pay on our debt! That's a drop in the bucket and an insult to the intelligence of anyone who actually understands the costs of a nation-wide transformative initiative like that.

"And before we hand over more of our land and our coastline to oil companies, I will charge those companies a fee for every acre that they currently lease but don't drill on. If that compels them to drill, we'll get more oil. If it doesn't, the fees will go toward more investment in renewable sources of energy."

Uh, the land and coastline has already been handed over. The oil companies already hold the leases and are electing not to drill, which abides by the wishes of the average American who lives in the areas in question. But now Obama is going to FORCE them to drill, which is against the wishes of those residents? If its going to cost the companies money, you can bet your ass that they are going to drill and not absorb that cost. And what exactly is that going to accomplish? Not much. Just massive profits for the O&G companies, potential environmental damage and no long term relief for consumers.

Before Obama endorses this brilliant strategy he should consult Dr. Hansen from NASA, and see what he has to say on the subject matter. This speech is an indication of a politican that just doesn't get it and doesn't really have a plan. Every politician has his weaknesses and Obama's is on energy. He has no vision and he has no plan. The accusations of Obama being an empty suit ring true on this subject. I expected a helluva lot more vision from the guy than this. What we're getting is a culmination of old school Washington thinking. Not much change there at all.

Posted at June 24, 2008 4:41 PM in response to Obama: McCain Has Failed Us On Energy "For Decades"

Hey, someone gets it! FISA means jack the way it is currently written, especially when it is superceded by the Patriot Act. We're in a better position with Obama as President, a Democratic congress and Senate so these draconian measures can be defeated and some actual protections put into law. Everything else is just politcal grandstanding.

Posted at June 24, 2008 2:22 PM in response to What a real liberal says about the FISA bill

Okay Mr. Obama, good attack on McCain, but WTF do YOU have to offer? What is YOUR solution to the problem? Sorry, but the market will NOT adapt. Small businesses and entreprenuers will NOT provide the products and momentum required to affect change. Only a massive mandate from the government will force the change required on the market and the consumer. Mr. Obama, it is up to YOU to change this country and manage the expectations of industry and consumer. We didn't get to the moon because private industry thought it was a growth market. We got to the moon because someone had the vision to and political will to make it a national objective, supported by the nation. The next energy policy out of Washington should be a challenge to the American people to adopt a new energy standard in the next 5-10 years. It is up to YOU Mr. Obama, not small businesses.

Posted at June 24, 2008 2:15 PM in response to Obama: McCain Has Failed Us On Energy "For Decades"

Yes, a guy who taught constitutional law would know how the law really works right now and that is the reason why he is voting for the legislation, with a huge caveat against immunity. FISA is a red herring. The real 1,000 pound gorillas in the room are the Patriot Act (rev II) that enables the trangressions against FISA, and then the incredible amount of personal information stored and managed through commercial and government databases, all of which is freely accessible to government agencies without warrant. To really protect our 4th ammendment rights we need these two massive issues dealt with, and then a new FISA bill drafted that covers the technologies currently available that legislators in the 70's couldn't dream of. To protect our rights you have to start at the right place, and FISA is not it. Better to give on FISA and move on to the real problems.

Posted at June 24, 2008 11:31 AM in response to Glenn Greenwald: Let’s question Barack Obama’s motives