Like I said before, McKranky is a target rich environment. Thats why I don't understand the panic mode around here sometimes.
This election will be decided on U-Tube, not Fox.
The Corporate media has drifted to far from reality and is no longer trusted. The larger public understand that they can now go back and view directly what a candidate said right next to a video of the same jerk-off saying they never said it.
It's a paradigm shift. And McKranky along with certain DLC type DINOs just don't get that.
Posted by SnarkyShark at April 13, 2008 03:00 AMI agree with SnarkyShark. There are a million ways to take down McCain. Aside from his own personal and political record, the guy is really freaking old.
All that and 3-4 months of "Bush = McCain" and "Republicans = McCain" should do the trick.
Posted by space at April 13, 2008 03:36 AMBut if he was a dem, we'd love him.
Posted by onar at April 13, 2008 05:01 AMGreup posted these observations at the tail-end of a previous post. As a progressive, I believe that they bear repeating:
"Personally, as a european , i have a hard time seeing what the fuss is about. His [OBAMA's]description of small town america could equally well describe small towns here. The same cling to hunting, fishing, snowmobiles, booze, local stuff etc.
I think its more frightening that other candidates claim that noones bitter and that everybodys full of optimism. I think the demise and frustrations of small towns is the same in the whole western world".
Posted by Greup at April 13, 2008 04:26 AM
+ + +
Dear Greup,
Your observations are indeed shared by many progressives in the USA, although you would not necessarily see your opinions reflected by some of the posters here at the Left Coaster who seem to regurgitate anti-Obama bile.
America has been hijacked by Republicans and the DLC-wing (read: the Clinton corporation, VLLC) of the so-called Democratic Party.
Obama's comments on bitterness were right on target, although he has made those observations in a more PC way previously. Indeed, why should folks in small towns who have suffered through four electoral cycles of bad economic news and governmental neglect not feel "bitter"?
SHAME + DENIAL + ANGER = BITTERNESS
Posted by tfitznc at April 13, 2008 05:08 AMI will use the opportunity of this open thread to send greetings from Beirut.
Today is my last day here. I will leave for Damascus tomorrow morning by car.
Don't know whether I will be able to post any more comments until I return to the US since I am dependent for internet on my hosts or internet cafes, and am very busy exploring and meeting people, so do not have the continuous access that I have in the US.
Today I am exploring Beirut on my own mostly on foot, taking a taxi when I want to move a longer distance. I spent a couple of hours in the "downtown" area, which was badly damaged, but much of which has been very nicely restored (until Israel decides to bomb Lebanon back a few decades again as they did in 2006, anyway).
Something I would like to emphasize is that here, as in Iraq, the so-called "sectarian" conflicts are really the battles of political factions for power and by and large do not extend to the level of the society, where people get along without problems (except when they are discussing politics, which can be very civil or very heated just as it is in the USA).
Something that probably very few people realize is that historically Lebanon has always had a very large and strong Christian population along with the Muslims. While here I have seen numerous examples of churches and mosques, Christian and Muslim institutions, standing side by side, and functioning perfectly. In some cases the churches, mosques, and their institutions have been there together for centuries, operating without conflict. So, at times you can hear the Muslims' call to prayer and church bells at the same time. It is only those who lust for political power and by doing so enable the fanatics on both sides who destroy this kind of historic co-existance.
Yesterday I spent the day in "Hezbullah country" in order to visit the archaeological site of Baalbak. If you don't know it, google it. The pyramids are nothing by comparison. In Byblos and Baalbek you can see the whole sweep of human history/prehistory starting from the stone age, including Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Islamic.
So far I have spent two days in Amman, which was mostly devoted to visiting with family and meeting with an Iraqi lady who works with the most impoverished refugees. Really did not see too much of the city, but a little bit. Today is my third, and last, day in Lebanon for this trip. It has been a bit of a whirlwind and my body and mind are still adjusting, my energy has been low, but I expect to become acclimated in the next few days.
Take care everyone. Don't know how much I will be able to be online.
Posted by Shirin at April 13, 2008 05:49 AMSnarkyShark,
I wish you were right. Check out www.electoral-vote.com and see the current numbers on the GE matchup between either McCain and Clinton or McCain and Obama. McCain is trouncing them both, and his numbers have been going steadily up over the last few weeks.
It may seem astonishing to us, but I do believe we are looking at President McCain.
Posted by Anon at April 13, 2008 06:13 AMIf Americans are ignorant and lazy and stupid enough to elect McCainus, then maybe Nader was right. The country will have to hit bottom (and with McCain as President, that will be soon) before any meaningful change will occur. He'll attack Iran, reinstate the draft and tank the economy all in his first year. I think we could be looking at riots in the streets and the emergence of a police state before he's done. What a fitting successor to Dumbya. Or maybe that's been the plan all along: destroy our democracy so the corporatists/fascists can come out of the closet as our lords and masters. It certainly seems to be what Cheney's aiming for.
Posted by dalloway at April 13, 2008 07:12 AMThanks for the update, Shirin! Be safe.
Posted by iamcoyote at April 13, 2008 07:16 AMMcCain won't win.
Here's why.
I hear he has cancer again, for the third time.
Okay, not really. I just made that up. But, it's that easy for us to win this time. Make him deny it, when the time is right. That's all it takes.
Face it, he's too damned old. It's partly what sunk Bush Sr. -- old and out of touch, remember? -- and it's definitely what sunk Dole. McCain's already talking about maybe he'll only be a one-term president. Like, what's the point in that? McCain is so beatable on so many angles, from the issues right down to basic questions of health.
Posted by Brian Bell at April 13, 2008 07:59 AMWith a large portion of the electorate being aging boomers, I don't think it's a good idea to start attacking old people. Many of them already like McCain, consciously directing them to identify with him as well, seems a recipe for disaster.
Okay, not really. I just made that up. But, it's that easy for us to win this time. Make him deny it, when the time is right. That's all it takes.
As you've demonstrated, Dems are really bad at lying. This would backfire horribly, with Dems painted as mean-spirited liars. This is the equivalent of a bandaid with a purple heart drawn on, and I hope no one's really considering it.
Posted by iamcoyote at April 13, 2008 08:11 AMJay
You're incorrect about the Redskin's streak, it was disrupted in 2004, when they lost to the Packers, meaning Kerry was the predicted winner.
Posted by Upton at April 13, 2008 08:15 AMUpton,
The Skins' Predictor stands seeing as how Kerry
actually WON the election, but it "was took from him"!
http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache:Mj6ZiPQRvDEJ:electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_2004_Edison-Mitofsky.pdf+exit+polls+Kerry+2004&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us
Posted by chaz at April 13, 2008 08:38 AMCoyote, I'm not really worried about your advice for the Dems and for Obama, given how badly the candidate you backed lost. To be honest, I'm not even that interested in my own opinion on the matter. I'm more interested in what David Axelrod says and does to beat McCain. But I see that McCain is very vulnerable in a lot of ways. I'm sure Axelrod sees it, too.
Given how Axelrod did Mark Penn and Hillary, I'm eager to witness what Axelrod does to McCain and his advisors, not a few of whom worked for Bush until fairly recently.
Posted by Brian Bell at April 13, 2008 08:59 AMand never forget what he said to his wife...
Posted by Turkana at April 13, 2008 09:14 AMTurkana, wasn't that beautiful what he said to his wife? LOL! And this is going to be a contest? LOL! I actually doubt McCain said something tha nasty in public, though. I think that could just be rumor, I mean he couldn't be that crazy, could he? Anyway, it doesn't matter, McCain is very vulnerable. Very.
Posted by Brian Bell at April 13, 2008 09:17 AMschechter says three different reporters told him about it. i doubt schechter's making it up. and it is, indeed, as odious a personal anecdote as i've ever heard about a major candidate.
but mccain will always have the media on his side, and don't ever underestimate their talents. they made bush into a moderate who had learned from his youthful mistakes and is smarter than he appears to be. if they can do that, they can do just about anything.
Posted by Turkana at April 13, 2008 09:20 AMStart digging up pictures to beat the crap out of McAnus.
1. Picture of Carol Shepp 5 inches shorter after her accident.
2. Picture of her smashed up car with a closeup of crimped brakeline.
3. Picture of Cindy McCain after her serious car accident.
4. Picture of her smashed up car with a closeup up crimped brakeline.
5. Picture of McCain's exotic dancer girlfriend, Marie the flamethrower of Florida stripping on the hood of his Corvette.
TIKI AL, is there really a Marie? That would be too cool!
Posted by Brian Bell at April 13, 2008 10:07 AMYea, when McAnus wasn't drunk driving his vette around Pensacola or crashing a plane in the bay he was banging Marie.
"He reminisced about an exotic dancer he had once dated. ''Marie, the Flame Thrower of Florida,'' he said. Asked what she was like, he replied, ''She was pretty volatile,'' and then slapped his knee and laughed, ''Har, har, har!'' ...from an article by Maureen Dowd
Posted by TIKI AL at April 13, 2008 10:20 AMyep, he reminds me very much of one...Bill Clinton...and I'm a Hillary supporter.
I could care less about a person's affairs. Most politicians have the integrity of an insect. I want to know that what they do to help their career also helps me..I feel that what helps Hillary also helps me. I don't feel that with Obama or McCAin.
Posted by a at April 13, 2008 12:22 PMturkana: "they made bush into a moderate who had learned from his youthful mistakes and is smarter than he appears to be. if they can do that, they can do just about anything."
this ain't 2000, we've live through nearly 8 years of diaster and I don't think the American people want another 4
Posted by gay veteran at April 13, 2008 12:40 PM"I could care less about a person's affairs. Most politicians have the integrity of an insect." (a)
...agreed. Blood sucking mosquitoes come to mind. But when you run in the party of "family values" shouldn't you HAVE family values? He has baggage that speaks to moral character. Fair game says I.
Besides, I want to see a picture of Marie the flamethrower of Florida. Is she a lobbyist?
Posted by TIKI AL at April 13, 2008 01:26 PMshirin, I'll look forward to your comments when you return.
Sounds like a very extensive trip.
Posted by euzoius at April 13, 2008 03:19 PMoozo: I have been to La Jolla many times.
More expensive than extensive.
McCain is trouncing them both, and his numbers have been going steadily up over the last few weeks.
Which coincidently seems to parallel Hillarys attacks on Obama, making them both look bad.
Once this stupidity is over, and we can focus on McKranky, that trend will reverse.
Or we can punt on first down as a lot of the chinkenshit mutherf*ckers here want to do.
Posted by SnarkyShark at April 13, 2008 05:46 PM
Shirin, be safe!
Posted by Seven of Six at April 13, 2008 07:35 PM