I assume there was a receptive audience for Obama's speech and I understand that I was not predisposed to be impressed. To the extent that I could set that aside, I thought he was good but not great - I am sure Dems will be satisifed, but I don't think they will have thrills running up their legs.
For myself, there were a number of moments when I marveled at Obama's ability to deliver his lines with a straight face. This is from the prepared text:
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain.
Oh, please - he won't question McCain's patriotism and therefore McCain shouldn't question his. I think Obama ought to feel free to question McCain's patriotism and he can let us know how that works out. And McCain is surely free to ask about Obama's education reform sidekick Bill Ayers (are we allowed to question his patriotism?).
I experienced more pain here in the March of the Strawmen:
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.
Stop. Who stands in opposition to reducing unwanted pregnancies? There are heated disputes about means (free condoms handed out in schools?) but not about ends.
Who favors allowing criminals access to AK-47s? No one. Part of the the dispute is whether the assault weapons ban favored by the Democrats, which keeps AK-47s out of everyone's hands, is Constitutional and effective.
Who favors denying gay partners the right to hospital visitation? That is not the dispute - gay rights advocates want marriage (both the rights and the word), not civil unions or visitation rights. In 2004 states were amending their constitutions to prevent "marriage", not visitation rights. George Bush was (sort of) pushing a Constitutional amendment to ban marriage, not visitation rights.
And where in the immigration debate is the lobby demanding mothers and children be separated? As to the other part of Obama's immigration insight - "I don't know anyone who benefits when... an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers" - of course he does. The employer benefits from paying lower wages and the illegal workers benefit by holding a job at near-US wages for which they are not legally qualified (and on which they may not be paying taxes.) Is he saying that everyone should be able to get behind stricter workplace enforcement of current laws? That will cause an Hispanic panic among his supporters.
This came from the "We know what you are but what is McCain?" file and was shockingly honest, albeit unintentionally:
If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
The first words from the ABC commentator I heard assessing the speech were that Obama had been surprisingly aggressive, tying McCain to Bush and insisting that McCain was running for Bush's third term. We understand that Obama has no record to run on but we did not expect him to be so candid.
I thought his Inspirational Big Finish was comical:
America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future.
Back to the future! Call me hidebound but I think the future is coming whether we pledge to march into it or not. The choice is not Forward or Back, it is left or right. Or maybe right or wrong.
Oh, well. I am sure a bitter dispute is still raging at MSNBC as to whether this was the greatest oration of all time in this or any galaxy, or merely the greatest oration in the history of earth.
REWRITE! Someone should have changed this (my emphasis):
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours...
My eleven year old son piped up with "What about me?". Should have been "children", not "daughters". One child left behind - there's a lost vote in seven years.
I heart you, TM...the McCain camp should make this post a "talking point", pronto!
Posted by: glenda waggoner | August 29, 2008 at 12:23 AM
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes.
Haven't the Democrats been going around saying McCain compromised his integrity to win the Republican nomination?
Posted by: Elliott | August 29, 2008 at 12:27 AM
We understand that Obama has no record to run on but we did not expect him to be so candid.
Why, why, WHY am I not Tom Maguire? My favorite line of the speech and you just kill on it.
America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future.
Do you think he's marching on that bridge the Clintons built?
Posted by: MayBee | August 29, 2008 at 12:32 AM
Haven't the Democrats been going around saying McCain compromised his integrity to win the Republican nomination?
Oh snap, Elliott.
You need to get that line to the McCain camp.
You are right, the whole "he's changed to win this election" is their big thing.
Posted by: MayBee | August 29, 2008 at 12:34 AM
I was like, wow, Senator Obama is going to make us oil independent from foreign countries in ten years? That’s amazing! After he said that, I thought the crowd started chanting “YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!” But when I listened a little closer, it was actually “SAN-TA CLAUS! SAN-TA CLAUS!”
Posted by: Dave S | August 29, 2008 at 12:44 AM
I don't know anyone who benefits when... an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers
If there were some kind of organization that saw a political benefit in promising welfare benefits - or even legal residency, or - dare I say it? A path to citizenship for people who entered the country illegally;
or in artificially driving up the number of people living in America without health insurance and below the poverty line by importing millions of poor people;
or in suggesting that the entry of California and Arizona into the United States has been "condemned by history";
I think if there were such an organization, its leaders would benefit from what Obama's talking about.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 12:46 AM
my thoughts exactly - as i live blogged it.
also: compare to reagan in 1980.
i have youtube embedded of it at my blog.
the diff is stark in style and substance and staging.
Posted by: reliapundit | August 29, 2008 at 12:51 AM
I didn't know until I read Geraghty that he said he would go through the budget line-by-line and eliminate all the unnecessary programs. I'm sorry I missed it because it would have had me on the floor.
Posted by: SukieTawdry | August 29, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Shoot I've crossposted this twice, might as well make it three:
ARLINGTON, VA – Tonight, the McCain campaign issued the following statement from Tucker Bounds, McCain 2008 spokesman, on Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention:
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 01:02 AM
He'll bring us "safe toys," too. SAN-TA CLAUS! SAN-TA CLAUS!
Posted by: ArturoNO | August 29, 2008 at 01:05 AM
He'll bring us "safe toys," too. SAN-TA CLAUS! SAN-TA CLAUS!
Posted by: ArturoNO | August 29, 2008 at 01:06 AM
The America, we can not turn back bit was very bad. All it did was remind people of Hillary's speech where she did it much better. Come to find out, btw, Harriet Tubman never said any of that stuff. Well, not that anyone knows of anyway.
Posted by: SukieTawdry | August 29, 2008 at 01:06 AM
Be happy it was so prosaic and stupid--In the hands of a Ted Sorenson we'd be more likely to be saying President Obama next year.
Posted by: clarice | August 29, 2008 at 01:07 AM
An interesting note on the Campaign Spot:
If Obama is elected and serves a full term, the Presidency will be the longest-held full-time job of his life.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 01:08 AM
I don't think the Powerline boys liked the speech too much:
Was It Effective Demagoguery, Or Ineffective?
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 01:15 AM
Obama Bigelow:
When you walk through the storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the lark
Walk on, through the wind
Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with HOPE in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on, with HOPE in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone
Rodgers & Hammerstein, Carousel, 1945
Posted by: tao9 | August 29, 2008 at 01:20 AM
Stephaen Green contributes to the phony count:
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 29, 2008 at 01:21 AM
I give enormous credit to those who can actually train themselves to listen with a critical ear to all this nonsensical pap. I suppose that most critics read the speech..it's the only way to keep your faculties from disintegrating.
Posted by: clarice | August 29, 2008 at 01:27 AM
Pawlenty (updated at 10:12 pm CDT) via HotAir:
PsyOps? Who knows, but we surf, so you don't have to.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 29, 2008 at 01:39 AM
And where in the immigration debate is the lobby demanding mothers and children be separated?
The way to deal with things like that is to point out that by supporting illegal activity, the Dems encourage even more mixed-status families, leading to ElviraArellano-style situations. Their "reform" would temporarily "solve" the problem (by waving a magic wand and declaring most to be legal), but would actually make the situation worse as they allow the present situation to recreate itself over time. Of course, that would have to come from someone other than those in the McCain axis.
Posted by: 24AheadDotCom | August 29, 2008 at 01:41 AM
Just remember,JMH--Biden outright lied when asked.
Posted by: clarice | August 29, 2008 at 01:43 AM
I seem to recall that it was more a case of Biden incorrectly assuming* that Obama had already informed his running mate of his selection.
__________________
*Unless someone turned Obama down.
Posted by: Elliott | August 29, 2008 at 02:00 AM
Hey, I got a sincere question for the righties. Obama said "John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives. " Do you guys agree with McCain's stance not to attack Bin Laden if it violates Pakistani sovereignty? I'm not a troll and I am curious how commenters here feel about Al-Qaeda. To me, this is an issue where Obama is clearly superior. Why am I wrong?
Posted by: sym | August 29, 2008 at 02:03 AM
Parking at Invesco $80
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 02:06 AM
*Unless someone turned Obama down.
You don't seriously believe Biden was first choice, do you?
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 02:08 AM
sym:
We've been targeting folks across the border in Pakistan with some success, for quite awhile now. What's insane is to announce publicly that you intend to violate Pakistani sovereignty whether or not they object, when there's absolutely no reason to indulge in such a serious diplomatic provocation.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 29, 2008 at 02:11 AM
I read somewhere that Bayh was actually Obama's first choice, but that when the Russians invaded Georgia, the Obama camp decided they needed someone with more international street cred.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 29, 2008 at 02:12 AM
Sym, I've got a sincere question for you: do you think it would be desirable to violate the sovereignty of a nuclear-armed state in order to chase bin Laden? When it might very well push the nuclear-armed state under the control of islamists?
Would you think the same if bin Laden made his way to Iran?
Or, would you just turn around and shout "no blood for oil" and "bin Laden isn't worth an American life"?
Do you have an actual theory of this all yourself, or do you just like to yell "No, you fool!" and try to jerk the wheel when someone else is driving?
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | August 29, 2008 at 02:14 AM
Sym, you *do* know that Pakistan is an independent country and at least technically our ally, right? Suppose Obama thought bin Laden was hiding out in Canada, somewhere in forests in Ontario. Would you think it a superior policy to bomb or invade with ground forces to find him? Or do you just think it's okay to do the same to Muslim countries or countries peopled by those with 'brown' skins?
And, seriously, I'm not being especially snarky and trying to answer what may be an honest question. Of make the country bin Laden is hiding in Mexico. I mean, my gosh, we can't even find some drug lords that we *know* are there and that may be being helped by the Mexican army. Would you bomb and/or invade there?
Do you see the point?
And don't you find it odd that Obama was/is so dead set against bombing/invading Iraq where we *knew* Saddam was in violation of multiple UN Resolutions, was committing genocide against parts of Iraq's population, and who *EVERY FREAKIN' INTELLIGENCE IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD BELIEVED* was pursuing WMD and might well be in possession of them (and was, indeed, despite later protestations by the anti-Bush folk now) including nukes soon, but he's willing to invade and/or bomb an ally who we damn well know has nukes because they've exploded some?
Sheesh.
Oh. And if Obama wants questioning the patriotism of either candidate, would he be in favor of also not discussing how close any candidate's voting records were to Bush policy? Would he give up one of his best attacks? I'm guessing not.
Posted by: JorgXMcKie | August 29, 2008 at 02:23 AM
sym, I agree with JM Hanes' answer, and would add only that I hope in case Obama loses, he will pass on to the incoming McCain administration the location of the cave in which he knows bin Laden can be found.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 02:26 AM
" Do you guys agree with McCain's stance not to attack Bin Laden if it violates Pakistani sovereignty? I'm not a troll and I am curious how commenters here feel about Al-Qaeda. To me, this is an issue where Obama is clearly superior. Why am I wrong?
Have you ever heard of sovereignty? Countries do not, as a rule, take too kindly to other countries violating their borders, especially militarily. And we don't willy nilly take our military unasked into other sovereign countries, especially ones with nukes or ones we have agreements/treaties with.
Despite Barack Obama's claims to the contrary, if elected, he cannot be the dictator of the world.
Now, do I think Obama is better equipped to find a way to get bin Laden out of a Pakistani cave, should we be able to discover the right one, then the answer is no. John McCain is a trained military officer with 22 years in service and I would trust not only his military acumen over Obama's, but also his reach into the right military communands to put an operation together. Unfortunately, you do not acquire a manual on military strategy, tactics and logistics at the swearing in ceremony. Our top military planners have spent years at the War College and on-the-job learning their craft.
General Petraeus is coming back to head up CENTCOM and he and McCain have a pretty strong bond and deep respect for each other. Whereas, Obama called Petraeus a liar about the surge working, did everything he could to squelch the whole plan, and now is taking almost single-handed credit for its success. If you are the military commander, who you going to trust?
But in the end, it will boil down to good intel. Once Petraeus put his surge plan to work, it was the relationships the troops fostered with the native population that brought us the intel we needed to finish the job in Iraq.
That is if bin Laden really is still alive, of course.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 02:30 AM
communands = commands
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 02:34 AM
I appreciate the sincere answers, and that's a fair point about it being a diplomatic mistake to signal your actions before performing them. JM Hanes, do you think McCain would actually attack OBL in Pakistan if he had actionable intelligence, and he's just keeping that a secret for diplomatic reasons?
I think it would be extremely unlikely for Pakistan to respond to a targeted assasination of OBL with a nuclear attack on the USA, since the US would destroy them. If the devout Sunni Bin Laden somehow found refuge in Shia Iran, I also doubt Iran would respond with nuclear bombs - call me naive, but nations generally don`t respond suicidally.
Posted by: sym | August 29, 2008 at 02:50 AM
JorgX:
"Suppose Obama thought bin Laden was hiding out in Canada, somewhere in forests in Ontario. Would you think it a superior policy to bomb or invade with ground forces to find him? Or do you just think it's okay to do the same to Muslim countries or countries peopled by those with 'brown' skins?"
I'm actually Canadian, and if my government was sheltering OBL and refusing to cooperate with the US in finding him, I feel the US would be justified in invading us. Don't you? It has nothing to do with the color of people's skins (that race card is being played early), it has to do with whether so-called allies are willing to crack down on terrorists within their borders. Why is John McCain blustering about following OBL to the gates of hell if he won't even follow Bin Laden to Ontario, or Mexico, or Pakistan? Obama's rationale for targeting the Pakistani border is the same rationale that the US used for attacking one-time US ally Afghanistan. I feel that was a just war. Do you?
"I hope in case Obama loses, he will pass on to the incoming McCain administration the location of the cave in which he knows bin Laden can be found."
Me too. But if Obama loses, you're sure McCain will actually attack said cave? Because McCain hasn't said he would just yet.
Posted by: sym | August 29, 2008 at 03:04 AM
"Because McCain hasn't said he would just yet"
Nor should he.
Posted by: JM Hanes | August 29, 2008 at 03:11 AM
one-time US ally Afghanistan
What time was that? Do you mean in the sense of "one-time Canadian ally Stalinist Russia"?
McCain hasn't said he would just yet.
As an American, I interpret the statement about following bin Laden "to the gates of Hell" to mean that McCain would be willing to go really, really far. I guess Hell seems a lot closer to Canadians.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 03:29 AM
sym: Although the President is the Commander-in-Chief, military commanders are not going to follow illegal orders, even from the CiC. Congress would be in an uproar and so would the population as a whole. He would probably be impeached.
But there are other ways to accomplish the goal. Pakistan is an ally. They would exact a price, a trade-off (diplomacy), to turn a blind eye to say a Predator overflying and dropping a precision missile. Or a quick reaction force getting in and getting out. There are black ops going on all around the world. The cost/benefit analysis would be run on the op and if getting bin Laden out of the cave outweighed the fallout from a sovereign country, or the reaction from the street it would most likely be a go. Or do the negatives in cost, lives, international relations, screwing an ally, turning bin Laden into a religious martyr, etc. outweigh the positives of the PR back home? Keep in mind, the only real reason to continue to pursue bin Laden is for the PR if we got him. It won't change anything as far as al-Qaeda is concerned.
Expecting miracles from a man with no military experience, no management experience, and a god complex is a prescription for disaster.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 03:43 AM
Victor Davis Hanson nails it, as usual:
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | August 29, 2008 at 03:50 AM
That is not the dispute - gay rights advocates want marriage (both the rights and the word), not civil unions or visitation rights.
Oh? So everyone's in agreement except for gay marriage itself?
McCain said he opposed a civil unions bill passed in New Hampshire, and was incoherent regarding civil unions when George Stephanopolous asked him about it.
Who favors denying gay partners the right to hospital visitation?
A third of the Maryland House of Delegates, as of April.
On a related topic:
Posted by: Foo Bar | August 29, 2008 at 03:55 AM
Victor Davis Hanson nails it, as usual
He's wrong about us having more students in college than any other nation. China has surpassed us.
If he's talking percentages, then there are several countries with higher enrollment rates. See page 41.
Posted by: Foo Bar | August 29, 2008 at 03:59 AM
"McCain hasn't said he would just yet.
As an American, I interpret the statement about following bin Laden "to the gates of Hell" to mean that McCain would be willing to go really, really far."
Ok, quick refresher: Obama said "“Let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains, that murdered 3,000 Americans,” he said, continuing with resolve: “If we have actionable intelligence about high-valued terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will.” John McCain disagreed. Now if, as JM Hanes suggests, this is a clever secret strategy and he will in fact attack OBL in Pakistan, then that's cool, though perhaps he should avoid attacking Obama for wanting to go after Public Enemy No. 1. But if I'm taking John McCain at his word that he will not attack Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, then that's a problem.
Sara: I would think either Obama or Mccain would do a Raid-on-Entebbe style covert operation, not a ground invasion. What worries me is that if Pakistan is such a great ally to the states, why hasn't this kind of deal already happened? As far as expecting miracles, Obama already beat a Clinton in a Democratic primary. What do you want him to do, split the Red Sea?
Posted by: sym | August 29, 2008 at 04:43 AM
I thought the bit about killing Osama when he was in your sights was a dig at Clinton.
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 04:52 AM
Foo,
Of course you can't make decisions like that unless you have made some kind of agreement. You want some stranger coming in and making decisions for you by just saying, "I'm his lover" or "I'm her lover" pull the plug?
It is just common sense.
The only difference between marriage and such agreements is that it is a one stop shop.
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 04:58 AM
Foo,
It is not the number of students. It is the quality of their education.
Rote learning is not the same as understanding. American schools tend to do better with the understanding. At least when it comes to technical subjects.
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 05:01 AM
FB, your "related issue" is gay marriage, isn't it? Arkansas law, for example, does not provide unmarried opposite-sex partners with the authority to make a decision for an incapacitated partner in the absence of an advance directive.
You're right on the fact that hospital visitation isn't as uncontroversial as TM assumed it was (and as I'd hope it would be).
As for the Chinese surpassing us in college graduates, clearly what we need a Secretary of Education with a history of work in the field, specializing in the techniques China has used to mobilize its society. I nominate Mike Klonsky.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 05:03 AM
The authority to make a medical decision is far different than visitation. Surely living wills are important even for straight, married couples. On that, I don't know how Obama can argue marriage is up to states but medical decision authority is not.
Posted by: MayBee | August 29, 2008 at 05:21 AM
Also, the Maryland legislature was not voting solely on hospital visitation, but on visitation and medical decision making. So the ultimate nit-picker picked that nit incorrectly. He can't show the legislators were voting against the visitation part of it.
Posted by: MayBee | August 29, 2008 at 05:25 AM
Sym, it would be helpful if you could link to the source of your quotes. Otherwise people could take you for a plagiarist, and you could find yourself someday running for Vice President.
You seem to be having trouble with the argument that has been articulated several times, that McCain's criticism was based on the public nature of Obama's suggestion. Yet, the story you linked to has a follow up quote from McCain, "you don’t tell people what you’re going to do". He's not attacking Obama for wanting, he's attacking him for talking about it. And he's not alone: the
"last thing you want to do" is announce to the people of Pakistan that you're going to violate their sovereignty, Joe Biden said in Aug 2007.
But if I'm taking John McCain at his word that he will not attack Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, then that's a problem.
If you are taking McCain at his word, presumably you can provide a quote where he says that?
What do you want him to do, split the Red Sea?
Too Jewish. Maybe he could split the moon.
Posted by: bgates | August 29, 2008 at 05:27 AM
sym- what did you think of McCain's bomb Iran joke from several months ago?
Posted by: MayBee | August 29, 2008 at 05:34 AM
Active Measures.
An ex-KGB agent talks about how America is/has been destroyed by a program of demoralization by Marxist-Leninists.
The fact that Obama is the nominee tells how far the rot has gone.
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 05:59 AM
sym:
To me, this is an issue where Obama is clearly superior. Why am I wrong?
Personally, I've always found this whole controversy to be a bit silly.
It's not that I have a problem with Sen. Obama's implication that we should take a harder line against Pakistan; in many ways that would be a good idea. My problem is that I don't believe for a second Obama would actually go through with it.
Posted by: Mars vs Hollywood | August 29, 2008 at 06:37 AM
Good Morning to all!
M. Simon, that is an excellent point to bring up. Especially today, when our nation is saddled with a Democrat presidential candidate whom we know almost nothing about. Here is a little more on Obama and his far leftist connections.
"Is Barack Obama A Marxist Mole?
LUN
Posted by: Pagar | August 29, 2008 at 06:52 AM
sym, I find that you are justifying the invasion of Iraq.
==================================
Posted by: kim | August 29, 2008 at 07:23 AM
Pagar, thank you for the article. I'm only 1/4 through up to this point:
...Frank Chapman, a CPUSA [Communist party USA] supporter, has written a letter to the party newspaper hailing the Illinois senator’s victory in the Iowa caucuses.
“Obama’s victory was more than a progressive move; it was a dialectical leap ushering in a qualitatively new era of struggle,” Chapman wrote. “Marx once compared revolutionary struggle with the work of the mole, who sometimes burrows so far beneath the ground that he leaves no trace of his movement on the surface. This is the old revolutionary ‘mole,’ not only showing his traces on the surface but also breaking through.”
________
Good grief, the Communists themselves are calling him a mole.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 07:39 AM
Pagar, thank you for the article. I'm only 1/4 through up to this point:
...Frank Chapman, a CPUSA [Communist party USA] supporter, has written a letter to the party newspaper hailing the Illinois senator’s victory in the Iowa caucuses.
“Obama’s victory was more than a progressive move; it was a dialectical leap ushering in a qualitatively new era of struggle,” Chapman wrote. “Marx once compared revolutionary struggle with the work of the mole, who sometimes burrows so far beneath the ground that he leaves no trace of his movement on the surface. This is the old revolutionary ‘mole,’ not only showing his traces on the surface but also breaking through.”
________
Good grief, the Communists themselves are calling him a mole.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 07:41 AM
Well, Pawlenty's Intrade bubble has collapsed. I'm going with Romney; he just makes too much sense.
=======================
Posted by: kim | August 29, 2008 at 07:43 AM
"When you walk through a storm
Keep your chin up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At he end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone."
Posted by: PeterUK | August 29, 2008 at 07:44 AM
In Liverpool they sing.
"You'll never get a loan".
Posted by: PeterUK | August 29, 2008 at 07:48 AM
So I guess when a Deomocratic surrogate questions whether McCain succumbed to toture while being held as a POW is OK. Or whether his anecdotes from his time as a POW can be questioned as well.
Technically I guess this is not questioning his patiotism, just his manhood, his service, his adherence to the Code of Conduct, etc....
Posted by: Mike | August 29, 2008 at 07:52 AM
O/T but academia related. If the college president did nothing wrong why is resigning? Next time dude should get a tan before being photographed.
LUN
Posted by: bad | August 29, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Drudge reports: "GOP may delay start of convention because of Hurricane Gustav..."
This is one storm I'm welcoming. GOP and conservatives need to come up with another candidate.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:03 AM
Is there something in the Constitution that provides for national security risks, if proven, being ineligible for the Presidency?
I wonder if Constitutional expert and statesman, Dr. Alan Keyes has written on this subject.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:11 AM
I have not studied McCain's history. I only remember the Keating financial scandal, have read that he was obstructive to families of POWs trying to get something done about their loved ones left behind in Vietnam, and that he has propensity for anger tantrums, always a sign of being unbalanced, in my view, just like Clinton, and definitely not a healthy characteristic for such a position of responsibility.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:15 AM
Good Morning!
Carl Cameran says Wiki has said it's Palin. Boy that would be fun provided they can get past the whole scandal thing!
Posted by: Jane | August 29, 2008 at 08:16 AM
Character and patriotism absolutely have to be off the table in his case. You can't discuss what what isn't there.
Posted by: bad | August 29, 2008 at 08:20 AM
Yo, Be Ridiculous
blah blah blah blah blah
Posted by: bad | August 29, 2008 at 08:22 AM
A foreign-born national from a formerly communist country, George Soros, is greatly interfering with American politics, specifically connected to Obama, H.Clinton and McCain.
What is up with Soros? Does he want to control America's military? For himself? The Russians? The Chinese?
If a presidential candidate is beholden to a foreign power, that alone should disqualify them.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:23 AM
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! And I am mindful of Daddy's comments the other day. Hopefully they have a handle on that. But I love love love the Palin pick!
Posted by: Jane | August 29, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Good morning Jane
Construction issues will cause me to lose internet and tv again today. Yay for radio.
Posted by: bad | August 29, 2008 at 08:28 AM
Foobar it doesn't matter if one is married, single, divorced,straight, gay, or otherwise there is no need to have a marriage license in order to draft a medical directive. My beef with the Gay agenda...thewy're always making up stuff in order to make it appear as if they're denied civil rights.
As for the "I Am The Dream" tour, my non-political sister tuned in to hear Obama for the first time last night after which she came away angry and thinks he's an a**hole. I highly doubt she is alone in that experience.
Posted by: syn | August 29, 2008 at 08:30 AM
I'm just beginning to permeate him. Apparently, he's sponsored democratic activities in former communist countries. I don't know if the results were healthy or not. Perhaps he has a vendetta against the old USSR and wants to buy himself an army.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Soros' weak spot is his back.
Posted by: BR | August 29, 2008 at 08:31 AM
BR,
An angry guy is just what you want when there is trouble abroad. It scares the bejeezus out of the opposition. "We better not piss him off, who knows what he will do?"
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Good Morning,
I still can't believe it is not Mitt but I'll be happy with Palin.
Jane, what were Daddy's comments?
Posted by: Ann | August 29, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Looks like Palin. I've really been hoping for that. Tough to beat Biden in a debate, but Biden can't be seen beating up on a woman either. Stunning.
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | August 29, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Sym
Pakistan is infested with Islamists, who would not merely be incensed by a U.S. invasion but would use it to provoke a coup or civil war.
Pakistan has nuclear weapons.
Do you want the United States to help rally support for Pakistan's Islamists?
Think it through. Don't you think Bush would have gone after bin Laden if the contra indications weren't so strong?
Even Obama isn't stupid enough to invade Pakistan. Obama is lying when he says he would go after bin Laden. He's just trying to sound tough.
Posted by: Terry Gain | August 29, 2008 at 08:35 AM
Palin is involved in a scandal in Alaska - other republicans are accusing her of having her brother-in-law, a state cop, fired for abusing her sister. When it first broke she said she welcomed the investigation. I don't know how it is proceeding, but Daddy said it was a big deal in Alaska.
Posted by: Jane | August 29, 2008 at 08:37 AM
... I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child...
Elian Gonzales' mother would disagree.
Posted by: Jim | August 29, 2008 at 08:38 AM
Interestingly, the only potential VP still getting money on Intrade is Tom Ridge, and his chances are rated higher than they were yesterday (he's at 9% bid versus Palin's 80%, and no one else rates any sort of shot - right now, anyway).
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | August 29, 2008 at 08:44 AM
I wanted Mitt to be the Presdential nominee and then the VP nominee but if it's Palin this is another indication that the old man is a wise old man.
McCain is running a brilliant campaign and Palin is a brilliant choice.
If it's Palin, McCain should announce that she's changed his mind on ANWAR and that Romney and Lieberman will serve in his cabinet.
Posted by: Terry Gain | August 29, 2008 at 08:46 AM
Professor Steve Diamond was commenting in the early morning hours on the Radio Star thread.
LUN
Posted by: bad | August 29, 2008 at 08:47 AM
...the only *other* potential VP (besides Palin), I meant...
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | August 29, 2008 at 08:48 AM
Obama left himself wide,wide, wide wide open on education reform.
Posted by: Pofarmer | August 29, 2008 at 08:53 AM
.... but I don't think they will have thrills running up their legs.
Quite a visual image there, Tom. ;) I don't know that I would want to have such, but YMMV.
Even after the usual great speech by Clinton, a great speech by Gore and the best speech John Kerry ever delivered, Obama delivered an inspired, and intentionally unsublime, piece of rhetoric.
For the time, place, and purpose, I don't know how anyone could have done better.
Posted by: TexasToast | August 29, 2008 at 08:54 AM
Thanks, Jane
I saw Palin interviewed on Glen Beck one night and she was very impressive. He brought up the controversy and she didn't blink. I think she even said something like bring it on. ;)
Posted by: Ann | August 29, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Drudge says Palin.
A woman (Pumas) and oil.
National security through economics and military power.
Posted by: M. Simon | August 29, 2008 at 08:55 AM
In short, “Hope and Change” has became gloom and doom and there is something for everybody from government to save us.
That's what I thought too, sara. It seems to me that reality is going to bite Barack in the butt.
Posted by: Pofarmer | August 29, 2008 at 08:58 AM
M. Simon:
Foo,
Of course you can't make decisions like that unless you have made some kind of agreement. You want some stranger coming in and making decisions for you by just saying, "I'm his lover" or "I'm her lover" pull the plug?
Maybee:
The authority to make a medical decision is far different than visitation. Surely living wills are important even for straight, married couples
bgates:
FB, your "related issue" is gay marriage, isn't it? Arkansas law, for example, does not provide unmarried opposite-sex partners with the authority to make a decision for an incapacitated partner in the absence of an advance directive.
If you'd clicked the link I had provided, you'd see many states which do not have gay marriage or even civil unions have provisions like this one:
A same sex partner in Arizona may make medical decisions for an incapacitated partner. However adult children and parents are listed before partners in order of priority
This is distinct from any advance directive or living will, i.e., this is in the absence of any such document.
Maybee:
Also, the Maryland legislature was not voting solely on hospital visitation, but on visitation and medical decision making. So the ultimate nit-picker picked that nit incorrectly. He can't show the legislators were voting against the
visitation part of it.
That's fair enough. You got me on that one! However, TM was definitely wrong to slip in "civil unions" when he wrote
The implication is that civil unions are uncontroversial. Medical decision-making rights in the absence of an advance directive is something less than a full-fledged civil union, yet it clearly is still controversial in some areas of the country.
Also, the same Human Rights Campaign site makes the point that many states have state law that is silent on the issue of visitation rights, so that one is hardly resolved nationwide, either.
Posted by: Foo Bar | August 29, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Dr. Sanity is back.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | August 29, 2008 at 09:01 AM
Medical decision-making rights in the absence of an advance directive is something less than a full-fledged civil union, yet it clearly is still controversial in some areas of the country.
Why? If I live with my boyfriend he doesn't get the rights of a husband absent a contract. You would think if 2 people were committed enough to each other that they would demand the right to be married, they might have the foresight to put their paperwork in order.
Posted by: Jane | August 29, 2008 at 09:05 AM
"If a presidential candidate is beholden to a foreign power, that alone should disqualify them."
IMO, no one knows which foreign power Obama is beholden to, looks like it could be any of a half dozen.
Posted by: Pagar | August 29, 2008 at 09:05 AM
If you were to pick a picture of Obama to place next to the one of Ayer's standing on the flag, which would you choose? The one where he's dressed as a muslim would probably be a bit much. Is there one of him and Uncle Tony together?
Posted by: Rick Ballard | August 29, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Anyone notice that he considered abortion, gay marriage, and gun control "small things" that distract us from the 'big things'?
Or how he is an absolutist when it comes to "the right to an abortion" that is NO WHERE in the Constitution, but is fine with inner cities suspending the 2nd Amendment that IS IN THE CONSTITUTION?
On the one hand he blamed Bush for the federal debt and deficit....but on the other promised hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending mandates that will be paid for "every dime" by tax hikes on "5%" of Americans (so they pay "their fair share") and companies.
Now I vividly recall the grief Bush took for giving tax cuts to every one in 2003 - but it looks OK now that a Democrat is offering it. I wonder how fast the 'evil rich' will flee the country and companies will just stop hiring new employees once the draconian tax hikes come into play but I know Democrats will be shocked, shocked I say by how tax hikes will lead to LOWER tax revenues....
Finally, I predict a run on AK47 clones (semi-auto versions of the military full auto version) between now and Nov.4th as people begin to stock up on items that will be 'collectors items' should he and a majority Democrat congress get elected.
Posted by: John | August 29, 2008 at 09:08 AM
BR says he doesn't know McCain's history, fullstop discount everything else. McCain did not personally profit from Keating's operation, like Obama has from Rezko, the Slum lord of Chicago, Auchi; his Baathist Saddam bagman and investor with a money trail that leads back to Baghdad and Damascus; who shared with Al Sammarai, an interest in power plants in Kurdistan. Fannie Mae (and Freddie Mac)because their outside directors were James Johnson; Mondale's chief of staff! what Beckel wasn't available, who received
'remuneration' from Countrywide's Mozilo.
"The Unicorn Rider" has the distinction of being the largest Senatorial recipient of
Mozillo's largesse. Frankie Raines, the man who used 'Enron economics' for '1997-2001' projections, and Jamie Gorelick, the Zelig of Disaster, Reno's aide de camp, who formalized an already stupid blood feud between the FBI, than obscured its consequences during the 9/11 commission, who she should never have been on; then
moved on to flacking for the President of the Islamic Banking Federation in post 9/11
class action suits. Well they didn't watch over their inventories to see that subprime didn't flood the real estate portfolios.
Afghanistan (and the NorthWest Frontier of what would later be called Pakistan)has historically been much more of a 'quagmire'
than Iraq could ever hope to be. The British fought three major wars, and 70 other engagements there. The first was a
total wipeout, with almost the entire garrison at Kabul wiped out; the second forty years later was more of a tie; with Maiwand, being the major battle (which echoes in Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and some of Kipling's more blood thirsty verses about what to do when confronting Afghans on the battlefield; short answer, kill your self. The famous future Marshal Robert Roberts fought at the Ambeyla Plain in 1863, then sent forces to fight a similar threat, 34 years later at Malakand, which included young Winston Churchill; fighting the local Mahdi pretender. This was not long after a previous debacle in the mostly Shia Tirah lands, the year before. Does Obama have any clue of this history.
Posted by: narciso | August 29, 2008 at 09:13 AM
Ridge now leading among bettors on intrade...
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | August 29, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Sym,
You do realize we have been attacking AQ in Pakistan since http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/05/13/alqaeda.killing/index.html>2005, a year before Obama made his "bold new policy statement" about attacking Pakistan?
Do you really think McCain is going to change this policy when he becomes president?
Posted by: Ranger | August 29, 2008 at 09:16 AM
That one could get very interesting, Jane. Did the B-in-L abuse the sister? Was there any other recourse? That sounds a little like speaking abuse of power to abuse of power. Can't wait for the spin machines to start dropping balloons of truth over this one.
=============================
Posted by: kim | August 29, 2008 at 09:16 AM
On the topic of visitation rights:
Posted by: Foo Bar | August 29, 2008 at 09:17 AM
Rick,
Maybe the picture with his arm around Rev. Wright.
Posted by: Ann | August 29, 2008 at 09:17 AM
'Zelig of Disaster' is a good one for Jamie Gorelick. And you are right, Obama is as dirty as they come. Remember the old phrase 'Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth'? It's not a compliment.
=======================================
Posted by: kim | August 29, 2008 at 09:19 AM