John McCain Is Running For President
September 3, 2008, Matthew Good The rumors are true. The aged Senior Senator from Arizona who’s best know for his stay at the Hanoi Hilton is the Republican Party’s nominee for President of the United States.
But right now you wouldn’t know it.
In one of the greatest political blunders in recent memory, the McCain camp chose Governor Sarah Palin to be McCain’s Vice Presidential running mate, a decision that would render McCain a shadow in his own campaign in less than a week.
Since the announcement, Palin has brought nothing but unwanted baggage to the ticket. She’s under investigation for corruption, has a mere year and a half’s worth of experience as Governor, and issues with her family, such as the pregnancy of her unwed 17-year-old daughter, have snowballed into front page news.
Buried beneath the avalanche of Palin is John McCain, the man who is supposed to be the focal point. There are those that believe, rather foolishly, that disenfranchised Clinton supporters will back Palin, but even Clinton herself has rejected comparisons made by Palin. Clinton and Obama may have their differences, but they are differences that are in no way as severe as those between Clinton and Palin, whose ideologies, no matter their gender, are vastly different.
At this point, the McCain campaign is in serious peril. There has even been talk of replacing Palin, though at this late hour that would most likely cause even more damage to the campaign’s credibility, which is already at a low point.
The McCain campaign released a statement today condemning the press for its questioning of the vetting process that ultimately led to Palin’s inclusion on the ticket. Rather than dealing with those issues that Americans want addressed, this is the sort of thing that the Republicans must now focus on.
This little symbol lets you @ another comment
“Rather than dealing with those issues that Americans want addressed, this is the sort of thing that the Republicans must now focus on.”
Given the current state of affairs in this country I’m sure they would PREFER to focus on this rather than real meaningful content. Not that the Democrats are any better, debating about flag pins and whether the wife shows enough patriotism instead of things that actually matter.
There are a few men who actually want to talk about the issues, however they are being shut out of the debate because their parties (or lack thereof) don’t have their balls on a leash tied to the corporations that run the debates (and the country) in the first place.
This is a good thing in my mind. I desperately want the republican party to lose.
I like Jim Kunstler’s phrase for the republican party - “the party that wrecked America.”
Frankly, I like seeing the liberal media or the far left extremists (as B. O’Reilly calls em) or whoever slander, libel, disillusion, fraction, shitface, the republican party in this election. This is the least of what they deserve. I want to see an execution.
Look at the world today. Don’t look at the problems. Look at the things we have. Look at the technology. Look at the culture, look at the intelligence, the compassion, the humanity. We should be miles ahead of where we are as a species. We should have hunger solved. The environment protected. We should be exploring other planets.
It is because we lack leadership that we aren’t the individuals, country, planet, that we should be. The republican party is not the party of leadership.
Truthfully, McCain should be thanking the media. As near as I can see, there are two options:
1. His vetting crew did a horrendous job and didn’t notice Palin’s alleged ethics violation and the fact that her teenaged daughter was pregnant (which, your opinions on the matter aside, is a HUGE distraction and obviously flies in the face of the values Palin is espousing).\
2. They vetted her properly, and for some insane reason, McCain STILL chose her as the best option.
If anything, the media is giving him the benefit of the doubt by asking if the vetting process was flawed. Because the alternative is that he just has his head that far up his ass.
Dear Mr. Good,
The focus of the media attention is indeed her unwed daughter, Palin’s morals, how fit Palin is as a mother…. We all know what happened there - horny teen exploring her sexuality. It’s not that I mean to make light of it - but it is what it is.
Far more interesting to me is the investigation in Alaska for alleged abuse of power involving her former brother-in-law. Her deposition is expected to be scheduled soon. Alleged fraud, corruption and abuse of power…..
Palin will fit in well in Republican circles in Washington.
The fact that McCain chose Palin seems evidence of his lack of foresight. Point blank Sarah Palin lacks the necessary experience to step in as President should the need for that arise. My idealist/feminist side wants to believe she can handle that responsibility, along with 5 kids at home. The mother and woman in me espouses the prevailing logic that if the chips are down and she is needed at home that willl without doubt be where her priorities will lie. Women are socialized in that manner.
In a semi-related matter, it’s interesting how the contradictory Republicans are calling Bristol’s pregnancy a “private familly matter”,after speniding the last 25 years telling American Women what to do with their bodies,especially in respect to abortion rights. Hypocrites at their finest. Obviously Bristol doesn’t subscribe to her mothers idelogies, because if she did she’d have kept her knees together.I can’t wait to hear Sarah Palin’s speech tonite. There I feel much better. Now I’m off to the beach. Deanne
Ha ha…there are even rumblings that Palin was ellegedly a member of the Alaskan Indepedence Party…..and now all of a sudden she is a nationalist opportunist?
Patrick: from what I read yesterday it seems as though she and her husband were indeed members of the AIP and in fact attended the convention in Wasilla Alaska at one point (not sure if that was during her term as mayor or not - if it was it will be written off to being a “good host” and not actually having an interest in the state separating from the union).
The McCain people should be in full defensive mode. Is a horrible choice like her what we can expect from this ‘maverick’? All she brings to the ticket is that she is a gun-toting pro-life conservative woman governor. They tout her experience, but she is out-experienced by 15 other state Republican governors. It may be the biggest state, but only Wyoming, Vermont, and N. Dakota have fewer people than Alaska. In other words, she was nominated solely for political reasons. *cough*James Dobson et al*cough* Contrary to the signs at the RNC, “Country First” had jack-all to do with it.
This reeks like when Bush nominated Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court only to be withdrawn a short time later. McCain can’t replace Palin though. Stick a fork in a 72-year-old guy changing is mind on his VP 60 days before an election.
I don’t see how his camp figures that picking Palin for VP might lure some of Clinton’s supporters to their propagandist piece of shit party…woulda had better luck with Jack Daniels and ectasy perhaps, or maybe even cutting out their anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage stance from their platform would have done some good..but then again, they wouldnt be 1880s-era Republicans without em now would they….
fuck mccain. if he wins, we’re screwed…and so is the already-screwed american economy and everything that depends on it.
[quote comment="63738"]Patrick: from what I read yesterday it seems as though she and her husband were indeed members of the AIP.[/quote]
It was confirmed that Mr. Palin was a registered voter with the AIP until 2002, she’s been a registered Repub since ‘82. She was supposedly at one time a member, but I have no idea if that means she wore a lapel pin or if she actively participated.
The thing is… I don’t know how to put this delicately… I don’t think you can underestimate a certain segment of American voters. Most of us are looking at this dynamic duo from a certain perspective and are laughing, saying, “There’s no WAY they could EVER get any amount of support.” But just because we ourselves wouldn’t support them– and just because they’re getting skewered in the media– doesn’t really mean a whole lot. Hell, there are people out there who will argue that George W. has done a bang-up job. As I’ve said on here before, Sarah Palin stands for pretty much everything I find repugnant, both in politics and in life… but I don’t trust my own views to determine how the majority will see the situation… in fact, usually, it’s the opposite (I mean, Canadians elected Harper, so I obviously don’t even see eye-to-eye with my own compatriots). I am still certainly hoping for an Obama victory, and hope that there are enough Americans who share that view to make that happen, but… I don’t think it’s nearly as forgone as it might appear. (Ditto for our upcoming Canadian election… *sigh*)
(I am also mildly aware that my take on this situation might be a self-preservation type of “prepare for the worst” mentality. Yes, I may have convinced myself to be even more of a pessimist than usual. I mean, um, realist.)
[quote comment="63744"](I am also mildly aware that my take on this situation might be a self-preservation type of “prepare for the worst” mentality. Yes, I may have convinced myself to be even more of a pessimist than usual. I mean, um, realist.)[/quote]
realist is the new pessimist, dontcha know?
For me, this is one of the most alarming things I’ve learned about her so far (from a NewMax interview):
Q: What is your take on global warming and how is it affecting our country?
A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.
Ms. Palin comments earlier in the interview that Alaska has untold resources in terms of oil and supports a strong energy policy which Mr. Bush tried (off-shore drilling for instance and exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) but as she points out, he was not successful, even in a house run by Republicans.
If this puts her to the right of Mr. Bush in terms of her willingness to go into ANWAR and her understanding of environmental issues - well suddenly I’m not laughing anymore. We should all be afraid of this woman and how close she is to the Whitehouse.
[quote comment="63742"][quote comment="63738"]Patrick: from what I read yesterday it seems as though she and her husband were indeed members of the AIP.[/quote]
It was confirmed that Mr. Palin was a registered voter with the AIP until 2002, she’s been a registered Repub since ‘82. She was supposedly at one time a member, but I have no idea if that means she wore a lapel pin or if she actively participated.[/quote]
Hey, I get that the Dems have decided to focus their attack on McCain as he is on the top of the ticket, but that AIP stuff would be some great attack shit on Palin.
I can’t wait until it’s all over and Obama is elected. Then I think we will hear what all these “lock step” Republicans really thought of the VP selection. If/when Obama wins by double digits I have a feeling that McCain will be thrown under the bus by Republicans who, until now have been fighting to keep the other Republicans from throwing him under the bus.
You gotta admit one thing people. It’s mighty entertaining.
I just know it was something like “OH MY GOD what a horren…pssst the media is listening….uh what a…WONDERFUL choice! He’s a maverick again!
The spin doctors are always on high alert. Palin may “come to the decision” that she needs to bow out for the benefit of the country and her family. What a patriot. What a mom.
[quote comment="63751"]I can’t wait until it’s all over and Obama is elected. Then I think we will hear what all these “lock step” Republicans really thought of the VP selection. If/when Obama wins by double digits I have a feeling that McCain will be thrown under the bus by Republicans who, until now have been fighting to keep the other Republicans from throwing him under the bus.
You gotta admit one thing people. It’s mighty entertaining.
I just know it was something like “OH MY GOD what a horren…pssst the media is listening….uh what a…WONDERFUL choice! He’s a maverick again![/quote]
Looks like we don’t have to wait til November.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/212920.php
I think you guys might enjoy this video… here’s what happens when the press accidentally leave their mics on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrG8w4bb3kg
I can’t think of anything more ironic than McCain ruining his own campaign, in what was clearly a bad attempt at winning voters.
Look out everyone. There’s something stirring here in South Carolina and it looks like the rising of the Christian Rights greatest force, the women who believe. They are the heart and soul of political life in the South because they are the organizers. Their are posters going up for Palin/McCain meetings. I’m hearing corny lines like “we shall overcome”. The energy level of interested Republicans in this part of the world rose dramatically on Friday. If Obama is going to win, he will have to work very hard unless McCain/Palin make a big mistake.
You GO Blogic!!!!
[quote comment="63729"]T
It is because we lack leadership that we aren’t the individuals, country, planet, that we should be. The republican party is not the party of leadership.[/quote]
Vision, Leadership - A Captain that steers clear of storms instead of blindly leading all on-board into a life/death struggle. A President who can speak in paragraphs instead of slogans.
Yeah, I really think choosing Palin was an incredibly stupid move by the McCain campaign…
They tried to spin it, after it started blowing up in their faces (which was practically immediately after it was announced), to say that Palin is another “maverick”, just like McCain.
My guess however, is that this is just a quick move to obfuscate what appears to be an obvious ploy to attract women who would have supported Hillary.
Either way… incredibly stupid. However maverick Palin may be, credentials matter at that level. She may have run a small town, and an also relatively small state, but that doesn’t qualify her in the slightest possible sense to be the one upon which the safety of the entire world depends.
On the other hand, if the McCain campaign really thought that Hillary supporters would flock to Palin just because she’s a woman, this just shows that McCain, in the words of Barrack Obama, “doesn’t get it”.
Err… Barack. Oops.
[quote comment="63743"]The thing is… I don’t know how to put this delicately… I don’t think you can underestimate a certain segment of American voters…Hell, there are people out there who will argue that George W. has done a bang-up job… I don’t think it’s nearly as forgone as it might appear. (Ditto for our upcoming Canadian election… *sigh*)[/quote]
Exactly, on both election counts. And down here in Gawd’s Country, citizens can look forward to voting on the same “reliable” Diebold machines that kinda stole Florida and anally raped Ohio last time around.
Except in urban areas that are predominantly melanin-gifted and have a history of voting Democrat. They simply won’t get the machines they’re supposed to, making it harder for them to vote while polls are open…just like last time around. I would put money on it, actually.
I soon as I heard that Palin was Mccain’s choice for vice president, I, autoumatically said to my husband, “It’s because she has a uterus, that he’s chosen her”. McCain , of all people, would never chose a woman to be his running mate. Itsd a ploy to keep the Republicans in power. I really don’t think that even the Americans will go for that at this point. Obama is a shoe in….
Look out. The Republican election machine has lifted off. When motivated, Republicans will do anything to steal an election. It appears McCain has found the right chord to change the Republican song to one a core Republican can sing. Think of a Canadian future with Harper’s army growing in Canada and McCain’s noble warriors transforming America into a more righteous, God loving nation. Sounds fun.
[quote comment="63777"]
Except in urban areas that are predominantly melanin-gifted and have a history of voting Democrat. They simply won’t get the machines they’re supposed to, making it harder for them to vote while polls are open…just like last time around. I would put money on it, actually.[/quote]
Ohio has changed its rules; people can vote absentee by mail (without providing a reason) up to 35 days before the election. They can also vote early, in-person, in the week leading up to the election. Hopefully long lines in urban areas will be much less of a problem this time around.
[quote comment="63784"][quote comment="63777"]
Except in urban areas that are predominantly melanin-gifted and have a history of voting Democrat. They simply won’t get the machines they’re supposed to, making it harder for them to vote while polls are open…just like last time around. I would put money on it, actually.[/quote]
Ohio has changed its rules; people can vote absentee by mail (without providing a reason) up to 35 days before the election. They can also vote early, in-person, in the week leading up to the election. Hopefully long lines in urban areas will be much less of a problem this time around.[/quote]
That’s good news, at least. Hopefully people take advantage of that and avoid the Diebold machines like a North Vegas hooker. I need to see about Florida…wonder if they’re still boned.
KET:
“The thing is… I don’t know how to put this delicately… I don’t think you can underestimate a certain segment of American voters. Most of us are looking at this dynamic duo from a certain perspective and are laughing, saying, “There’s no WAY they could EVER get any amount of support.” But just because we ourselves wouldn’t support them– and just because they’re getting skewered in the media– doesn’t really mean a whole lot.”
Great observation, KET. Sometimes, people who are active and passionate about politics, see things with their heart, not their eyes. I’ve seen professional journalists fall prey to this. Just tonight I watched Chris Matthews, (whom I think is a fine, honest man, ) look stunned after Gov. Palin spoke. He said, “Wow, I’m surprised, I didn’t expect that”. He had prejudged her without thought. Now, Whatever one might think about her limitations, most of the pros knew that she was a great speechmaker. Glenn Beck and Bill Kristal (sp?) both picked her to be v.p. last April. So, some people knew. Most of the journalist just plain missed it.
Good on you for understanding other’s point of view without you actually sharing them! You’d be valuable where people who need real accurate info, not opinions!
Blogic:
“Frankly, I like seeing the liberal media or the far left extremists (as B. O’Reilly calls em) or whoever slander, libel, disillusion, fraction, shitface, the republican party in this election. This is the least of what they deserve. I want to see an execution”
Who should do the murdering? Do you want to just kill the adult registered Republicans or their children as well? What about the Independents? The Un-enrolled? There’s no telling how they might vote. Given that, would you kill them also; just to be sure?
I’m not sure your program would do much to promote the civilizing of the planet. Or kindness etc. They’d be a great short term economic boost as jobs for grave diggers explode. Or were you thinking more along the line of gas chambers and burning?
[quote comment="63790"]KET:
“The thing is… I don’t know how to put this delicately… I don’t think you can underestimate a certain segment of American voters. Most of us are looking at this dynamic duo from a certain perspective and are laughing, saying, “There’s no WAY they could EVER get any amount of support.” But just because we ourselves wouldn’t support them– and just because they’re getting skewered in the media– doesn’t really mean a whole lot.”
Great observation, KET. Sometimes, people who are active and passionate about politics, see things with their heart, not their eyes. I’ve seen professional journalists fall prey to this. Just tonight I watched Chris Matthews, (whom I think is a fine, honest man, ) look stunned after Gov. Palin spoke. He said, “Wow, I’m surprised, I didn’t expect that”. He had prejudged her without thought. Now, Whatever one might think about her limitations, most of the pros knew that she was a great speechmaker. Glenn Beck and Bill Kristal (sp?) both picked her to be v.p. last April. So, some people knew. Most of the journalist just plain missed it.
Good on you for understanding other’s point of view without you actually sharing them! You’d be valuable where people who need real accurate info, not opinions![/quote]
Except for the fact that she didn’t write that speech.
“Except for the fact that she didn’t write that speech”
Yeah, I know. But that was just an example. My main point was KET’s ability to step back from the emotion and see things as they might be, not as she wished them to be.
I agree with her, I certainly don’t think you can underestimate a certain segment of American voters. After all, they did elected George Bush twice.
I can’t help but see the cleverness in picking a woman after the Democrats saw one get like 20 million votes and didn’t. There are black and white women but not black and white black guys, so. Math.
The only thing I remember being taught about advertising; I was a kid and goin hey why do they do that. “So you see a million toothpaste commercials, then someday you’re out getting toothpaste. What one do you choose? The name that sticks out, the one you’ve heard the most.”
So these headlines despite the content aren’t 100% negative and I don’t think the Republicans are in as much trouble as I’d like to believe; they’re going to run a platform on drill-Alaska’s-oil and win unless something else happens.
[quote comment="63796"]“Except for the fact that she didn’t write that speech”
Yeah, I know. But that was just an example. My main point was KET’s ability to step back from the emotion and see things as they might be, not as she wished them to be.[/quote]
This makes me laugh… this is probably the first time in my 31 years on this earth that someone has said I have the ability to step back from emotion. Hooray! Usually I get the opposite. :P
(Though, I didn’t say I UNDERSTAND others’ points of view. For the most part, they baffle me. I just know that there are other opinions out there, and they usually don’t match up with mine.)
(And speaking of both Palin’s speech and lack of journalistic impartiality, take a read of CNN’s article on her speech. Yowza.)
[quote comment="63773"]
You GO Blogic!!!!
[/quote]
Thanks man. I affirm your ranting and anger too. I feel ya brother.
[quote comment="63791"]Blogic:
Who should do the murdering? Do you want to just kill the adult registered Republicans or their children as well? What about the Independents? The Un-enrolled? There’s no telling how they might vote. Given that, would you kill them also; just to be sure?
[/quote]
I was just kidding of course – but way to take it TOO far.
[quote comment="63815"][quote comment="63796"]“Except for the fact that she didn’t write that speech”
(And speaking of both Palin’s speech and lack of journalistic impartiality, take a read of CNN’s article on her speech. Yowza.)[/quote]
Can you provide the link please?
Thanks..
ps. I also agree heartily with what you wrote up above.
The cluelessness of the majority of Americans has baffled me since I became old enough to understand that the majority of people in my country are drones just waiting for the right spin that makes them feel good and feel safe. The media is all over itself last night and this morning fawning over Palin’s speech and more important, spot-on delivery, never mind that not one word uttered came straight from her brain. The true test will be how she deals with the media in the coming debates and interviews regarding her true take on the issues.
Of course, if they fit her with an hidden earphone and feed her responses to the media like they did with Bush before he got caught, we’re as screwed as usual… no, more screwed. Nothing like a hot MILF who loves guns, drilling and getting drilled to appeal to the NASCAR fan base.
Hmm I guess I messed up the editing on my last comment. That question was directed at KET.
Matt, I really miss the ability to edit and/or delete our comments :)
I’m calling most Americans ‘Narrowly Focused’ instead of clueless or stupid. Americans are so focused on believing they are the best the world has to offer, they feel no responsibility to learn what is really happening in the world. I have made many American aware of their narrowly focus reality just by getting them to watch BBC in America news. I am amazed at the level of knowledge that the majority of Americans deem acceptable. I love asking American about Canada. It is so entertaining and scary at the same time.
Reciting a speech in front of the last true believers in Bush and coming off looking good was not that hard to do. From what I saw, all you needed was to be a good speaker, mention liberals, big government, raising taxes, and drill now. Will we get to see her speak outside the friendly territory and on her own, or will she always be with McCain up to the VP debate?
[quote comment="63829"]
Can you provide the link please?
Thanks..
ps. I also agree heartily with what you wrote up above.[/quote]
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/rnc.day/index.html
I think the story’s been edited since I read it this morning; they seem to have thrown in a couple of token critiques from the Obama camp and mentioned who wrote the speech (i.e., not Palin). But it’s still a pretty glowing report.
(It makes me very, very sad to see Matthew Scully responsible for that speech [though it was well-written]. He’s the author of one of my favourite books of all time. And I knew he worked as a Republican speechwriter, but I sort of tried to ignore that little fact. Sigh. It’s still a damn good book.)
[quote comment="63741"]
fuck mccain. if he wins, we’re screwed…and so is the already-screwed american economy and everything that depends on it.[/quote]
Thank you, Adam Smith.
i think it is interesting that the nomination of palin, though it is bringing with it a lot of heavy baggage, has succeeded in moving the discussion for everyone in the race - reporters, citizens, politicos, etc - to that of palin and her qualifications, her speeches, etc while completely overshadowing the real issues at hand for this country.
we aren’t talking much about the wars, economy, health care, unemployment, inflation, energy crisis, education system, infrastructure, housing market crash. obama has answers, or is at least willing to discuss, the issues facing the country…. the republicans cannot compete based on the last 8 years of failed administration with 6 of those controlling both the senate and the house. they did little but rob the entire country while filling their own pockets and giving the finger to the middle class and lower classes. they are certainly not a party of change…
so what do you do? you change the entire conversation and see if people won’t look to see the man behind the curtain…
BLOGIC:
“I was just kidding of course – but way to take it TOO far.”
Of course you were!
Did any of you guys see Palin’s speech last night? I figured out why McCain picked her as a running mate a couple minutes into it last night….Even the CNN panel was impressed :p