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A Political Outsider Says To Me Today WTF
I have a good friend at work who remains, to this day, apolitical. I don't push it, I value her friendship, and I can understand where she's coming from.
Months ago, she told me her husband was gearing up to vote Republican as usual. I started giving her some talking points (pardon the pun) to bring home to him, and she came in to work about two months ago smiling and saying, "He's changed his mind! He's voting Obama!"
Today, during a smoke break, we started talking politics again, my friend and I, and I told her that McCain's camp has declared it's intention to go negative on Obama because it can't win on the economy, and she said, "What? WTF??"
And I said, "Yeah, well, the talking points coming out of McCain's campaign are that 1) he knows he can't win on the economy and 2) he's losing in the polls and 3) he thinks Palin can drill (baby, drill) into our heads that Obama is friendly with terrorists."
Being a political outsider, my friend wasn't even aware of what talking points are. So she was shocked to hear that McCain's campaign would even dare to announce beforehand that they are going to try to smear Obama. I said, "Honey, this happens all the time."
She said, "That's ridiculous, that McCain can't concentrate on the economy! Especially when we're all watching our 401K's lose money by the day!"
Yeah, well.....tell that to McCain.
Comments (28)
And so it begins...
Or, as the case may be, continues...
This little gem from AP tonight:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/obama_legislative_grants
I looked up the Blue Gargoyles, and found nothing incendiary, nothing scary, just a group that has been providing adult ed and other community help to the community since 1968. 1968!!
http://www.bluegargoyle.org/history.php
"Other legislators" besides Obama have been donating to this worthy group since 1968. 1968!!
Since when is community organizing a bad thing???
October 6, 2008 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
401K -- it's all anyone who has one is thinking about. A friend of mine who works for a Los Angeles advertising agency just told me on the phone that her whole office is buzzing about the financial crisis and its effect on their 401Ks. Everyone's worried. I think that no matter how much mud McCain slings tonight, voters will have their "kitchen table" issues and their 401Ks on their minds, and will think far less of McCain for not caring about that.
October 7, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Community" sounds like "communist" dont it?
"Oragnizers" are union guys, too. Remember, Northern VA suburbs are where commies live.
October 6, 2008 11:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I never thought I'd live to see the day that the words "community" and "organizing" would be considered bad words.
October 6, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
They've always been that to criminals and sociopahts (if there's a differnce between the two other than in the spellings).
October 7, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
"community" sound a lot like commune
Dirty Hippies!
(tongue firmly in cheek)
October 7, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love those "Wtf?" stickers that mimic the look of the wingnuts' "W" stickers.
October 6, 2008 11:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
"W" stands for wingnuts. Didn't you know that?
;-)
October 6, 2008 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like this?
http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/media/B-WTF2.gif
October 7, 2008 12:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly like that, Piston. I'll bet Genghis' shirt that that is not YOUR pin, heh.
October 7, 2008 12:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh no. I'm the guy who voted for JFK when I was 4.
October 7, 2008 7:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've never one of those before - that's priceless.
LOL!
October 7, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's worse than I even imagined. This, from Washington Post:
(Hopefully blockquotes worked)
Palin is so out of control that she could easily incite hatred and violence and be totally oblivious to it. Negative campaigning is one thing, but this is something else. This is how people like Hitler worked. I think we should be very careful, and the media had better come down on this kind of irresponsible rhetoric fast.
October 7, 2008 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah Palin inciting a riot with violence directed at an elected official.
Um didn't they arrest PEACEFUL protesters at the convention whom the law officials insisted may incite violence?
Oh...I forgot... only democratic protesters/reporters can "insinuate possible disturbance" and get arrested.
Republicans? Hell they can scream READY AIM FIRE and no law enforcement will do a damn thing.
In America? Seriously? This is happening in my America?
Does anyone else get an overwhelming ache in their heart when they see crap like this?
October 7, 2008 2:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since teh Kerry campaign I felt the ache. It's why I go to the phone banks for Obama.
October 7, 2008 2:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is Federal law prohibiting even THREATENING to harm a (Federal) public official. Not that Palin would be aware of such, as Palin is both unqualified and UNFIT for ANY public office which would require insight, foresight, and compliance with ethical and legal standards.
October 7, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
In this day and age, the speaker would never carry any credit for inciting a riot. Only theones who act get blamed. I do NOT agree with this tack, but we see it every day. Sean Hannity will hold up his hands and declare he did nothing.
October 7, 2008 2:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
You mean "guilt by association" doesn't apply to Republicans, even when direct connection between inciteful speech and event?
October 7, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think she would be oblivious to it at all, Raider. I think she knows very well what she's doing and unless the campaign stops her, she'll be doing the same thing until Nov. 5. Some one I was talking to today described her perfectly. She's the mean girl in junior high that everyone is afraid of.
October 7, 2008 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lemme try this again...
_______________________________________________
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the..._the_roug.html
Originally Posted by Washington Post
"Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+18USC879
18 US Code Part 1 Chapter 41 Section 879
Originally Posted by US Code
Sec. 879. Threats against former Presidents and certain other
persons
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or
inflict bodily harm upon--
(1) a former President or a member of the immediate family of a
former President;
(2) a member of the immediate family of the President, the
President-elect, the Vice President, or the Vice President-elect;
(3) a major candidate for the office of President or Vice
President, or a member of the immediate family of such candidate; or
(4) a person protected by the Secret Service under section
3056(a)(6);
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or
both.
A violation of the US Code is by definition a felony. It is also a federal offense, punishable by imprisonment in a federal penitentiary. Shall we now discuss the sections of the US Code regarding accessories, and misprision of felonies?
October 7, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't agree one bit. Since the economy is biased against McCain, he is entirely in the right to ignore it. The economy is like a troll. Don't feed it.
October 7, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even if it bites us?
October 7, 2008 8:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keep your shirt on! Don't jump to conclusions!!!!
PS -- I didn't vote, but I miss your hot shirt!
October 7, 2008 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
OH MY GOD! Please! Find another avatar! You have too much talent to waste it on this stupid thing -- put your picture back up, even if the technicolor shirt collar has to go.
Please! We TPM ladies like to see a handsome guy!
****that was a Sarah Palin-like manipulation, but if it gets the pic back I'll find a way to erase my comment!
October 7, 2008 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is ugly, but not criminal. Criminal laws are interpreted narrowly to avoid interfering with constitutionally protected rights, like free speech. "Kill him!" is not a threat, and not a punishable incitement. Since Obama was nowhere around, it was not directed at anyone with the ability to carry out the act. (When someone shouts, "kill the umpire," at least the umpire is in the ballpark, but I doubt anyone has ever been prosecuted for it.)
This kind of thing will only hurt the Republicans. All this anger and name-calling from the party perceived to have been in power for the last eight years will not go over well. If it energizes McCain's base, it also reminds everyone else that "base" is a synonym for "vile."
October 7, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it's not criminal. But it's ugly as hell.
McCain and "Joe Six Pack" are talking terrorism when the rest of us are terrorized by our dwindling 401K accounts.
This will be remembered.
October 7, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
If yelling "fire" in a theater is a crime, why not this? See below.
October 7, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is different than "kill the ump;" as far as I know, no umpire has been assasinated. When Palin is inciting a crowd and someone yells "Kill him" about Obama it is most definitely a threat. I have seen people holding anti-war signs dragged out of McCain events; Amy Goodman was arrested outside of the republican convention.
If Obama gave a speech about the horrible record of George Bush and someone yelled out, "Kill him!" do we really think the Secret Service wouldn't drag that person out and put him in jail?
You may be too young to remember, but nutcases listen for permission from their ideological "leaders." There are countless examples. Palin/McCain are giving that permission. The Secret Service should take this very seriously. I sure am.
Why is the army in North Carolina training in non-lethal crowd-control as they are deployed in our country?
October 7, 2008 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
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