Oand dnausa dnajs
The "McSame as Bush Campaign" continues to trash talk instead of addressing middle class issues, because they have nothing to offer the American people. Fear, hate, exclusion, racism are not themes that are resonating with the American public, nor are they the morality or values the American people expect from a Presidential candidate. McCain looks like an angry old man on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum at each of his rallies. I think he is pissed off that he can't dig his way out of his position with his silver spoon.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/30/mccain-trails-in-key-battleground-states/?eref=politicalflipper
There is nothing that stands the test of time like authenticity, sincerity and love. Retrospectively man has never positively impacted his community without having to deal with these three essential qualities that transcend mere political culture and realism.
In life changes do happen otherwise nature remaining static is a clear reminder of the dogmatism and archaism of the school of thoughts that does not give credit to God as the creator of heaven and earth nor recognizes the necessity of renewal and reawakening for the sake of prosperity and reality. We could decide therefore o change for the better or otherwise.
Given the prevailing circumstances and especially in the current political dispensation, the fierce urgency and necessity for an exponential change in the right direction can never be over emphasized and nevertheless it is regrettable and at the same time painful that some of us are yet to get the message of hope, faith and love in this great country.
There is no time that the limitations of man is as obvious as when he decides to hate rather than love, exploit rather than explore, discriminate rather than being unprejudiced and objective. While it may be true to say that many of us have been guilty of one or many of these inclinations, nevertheless there has been none as guilty of these maladies in the fashion that Sen. McCain has been.
Rolling Stone is out with a scathing expose of John McCain called "Make-Believe Maverick." It's fairly long, but quite a fascinating read. An excerpt:
Then there's torture — the issue most related to McCain's own experience as a POW. In 2005, in a highly public fight, McCain battled the president to stop the torture of enemy combatants, winning a victory to require military personnel to abide by the Army Field Manual when interrogating prisoners. But barely a year later, as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign, McCain cut a deal with the White House that allows the Bush administration to imprison detainees indefinitely and to flout the Geneva Conventions' prohibitions against torture. What his former allies in the anti-torture fight found most troubling was that McCain would not admit to his betrayal. Shortly after cutting the deal, McCain spoke to a group of retired military brass who had been working to ban torture. According to Wilkerson, Colin Powell's former deputy, McCain feigned outrage at Bush and Cheney, as though he too had had the rug pulled out from under him. "We all knew the opposite was the truth," recalls Wilkerson. "That's when I began to lose a little bit of my respect for the man and his bona fides as a straight shooter." But perhaps the most revealing of McCain's flip-flops was his promise, made at the beginning of the year, that he would "raise the level of political dialogue in America." McCain pledged he would "treat my opponents with respect and demand that they treat me with respect." Instead, with Rove protégé Steve Schmidt at the helm, McCain has turned the campaign into a torrent of debasing negativity, misrepresenting Barack Obama's positions on everything from sex education for kindergarteners to middle-class taxes. In September, in one of his most blatant embraces of Rove-like tactics, McCain hired Tucker Eskew — one of Rove's campaign operatives who smeared the senator and his family during the 2000 campaign in South Carolina. Throughout the campaign this year, McCain has tried to make the contest about honor and character. His own writing gives us the standard by which he should be judged. "Always telling the truth in a political campaign," he writes in Worth the Fighting For, "is a great test of character." He adds: "Patriotism that only serves and never risks one's self-interest isn't patriotism at all. It's selfishness. That's a lesson worth relearning from time to time." It's a lesson, it would appear, that the candidate himself could stand to relearn. "I'm sure John McCain loves his country," says Richard Clarke, the former counterterrorism czar under Bush. "But loving your country and lying to the American people are apparently not inconsistent in his view."
Then there's torture — the issue most related to McCain's own experience as a POW. In 2005, in a highly public fight, McCain battled the president to stop the torture of enemy combatants, winning a victory to require military personnel to abide by the Army Field Manual when interrogating prisoners. But barely a year later, as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign, McCain cut a deal with the White House that allows the Bush administration to imprison detainees indefinitely and to flout the Geneva Conventions' prohibitions against torture.
What his former allies in the anti-torture fight found most troubling was that McCain would not admit to his betrayal. Shortly after cutting the deal, McCain spoke to a group of retired military brass who had been working to ban torture. According to Wilkerson, Colin Powell's former deputy, McCain feigned outrage at Bush and Cheney, as though he too had had the rug pulled out from under him. "We all knew the opposite was the truth," recalls Wilkerson. "That's when I began to lose a little bit of my respect for the man and his bona fides as a straight shooter."
But perhaps the most revealing of McCain's flip-flops was his promise, made at the beginning of the year, that he would "raise the level of political dialogue in America." McCain pledged he would "treat my opponents with respect and demand that they treat me with respect." Instead, with Rove protégé Steve Schmidt at the helm, McCain has turned the campaign into a torrent of debasing negativity, misrepresenting Barack Obama's positions on everything from sex education for kindergarteners to middle-class taxes. In September, in one of his most blatant embraces of Rove-like tactics, McCain hired Tucker Eskew — one of Rove's campaign operatives who smeared the senator and his family during the 2000 campaign in South Carolina.
Throughout the campaign this year, McCain has tried to make the contest about honor and character. His own writing gives us the standard by which he should be judged. "Always telling the truth in a political campaign," he writes in Worth the Fighting For, "is a great test of character." He adds: "Patriotism that only serves and never risks one's self-interest isn't patriotism at all. It's selfishness. That's a lesson worth relearning from time to time." It's a lesson, it would appear, that the candidate himself could stand to relearn.
"I'm sure John McCain loves his country," says Richard Clarke, the former counterterrorism czar under Bush. "But loving your country and lying to the American people are apparently not inconsistent in his view."
First, some good news from the new Quinnipiac poll of battleground states. Let's keep up the good work:
From Quinnipiac University poll:FLORIDA: Obama 51, McCain 43OHIO: Obama 50, McCain 42PENNSYLVANIA: Obama 54, McCain 39Dates conducted: Sept. 27-29. Error margin: 3.4 percentage points.
From Quinnipiac University poll:
FLORIDA: Obama 51, McCain 43
OHIO: Obama 50, McCain 42
PENNSYLVANIA: Obama 54, McCain 39
Dates conducted: Sept. 27-29. Error margin: 3.4 percentage points.
Also, some striking video evidence of John McCain's temper. Recently he spoke before the Des Moines Register on a campaign trip to Iowa. Look at how testy he gets with the questions. It's not a pretty sight.
Jonathan Martin, who's been covering McCain for nearly two years, writes that the tape of his meeting yetserday with the Des Moines Register shows "a hard-edged McCain that is rarely seen on film."He's strikingly testy, though -- and perhaps I'm projecting -- he may be thinking, "What am I doing in a state I may not be able to win with a newspaper that will never endorse me?"One edgy moment: When he was asked if he had enjoyed taxpayer-backed health care throughout his life, McCain made abundantly clear what he thought of the question."You know that's an interesting statement, isn't it?" he observed. "And I have never been an astronaut, but I think I know the challenges of space. And i have never done a lot of things in my life that I think I am familar with."
Jonathan Martin, who's been covering McCain for nearly two years, writes that the tape of his meeting yetserday with the Des Moines Register shows "a hard-edged McCain that is rarely seen on film."
He's strikingly testy, though -- and perhaps I'm projecting -- he may be thinking, "What am I doing in a state I may not be able to win with a newspaper that will never endorse me?"
One edgy moment: When he was asked if he had enjoyed taxpayer-backed health care throughout his life, McCain made abundantly clear what he thought of the question."You know that's an interesting statement, isn't it?" he observed. "And I have never been an astronaut, but I think I know the challenges of space. And i have never done a lot of things in my life that I think I am familar with."
Ever since the Republican convention, I have been seething and is getting more difficult to control my anger. I believe Obama should reflect this anger too. Here are the reasons why.
Community work: I have been active in community work for over two decades. There are thousands of others like me who give their time and money to community work. Delegates and nominees at the convention and speeches by Palin since the convention have belittled our effort. I want Obama to join us in condemning and getting angry. Community work is God's work; communities build countries, communities are where Patriots are made. I love my community!
War: God does not condone Wars! God is not a fear monger! God is truth not lies and smears. I do not impose my beliefs in God, whatever kind it is, on others. I respect every religion. What was the need to enter into a unilateral war? Fighting a wrong war is worse than fighting a right war, even if there is one. Obama should respond that Republicans' premise of their attacks on Obama is baseless. Instead of being defensive or equivocal he needs to attack the very premise of the origin of the war!
Morality: Who are the Republicans to preach morality? Preaching a set of morals and ethics and leading life by another set is hypocritical. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others!
So, I want Obama to get ANGRY!
What Obama Needs to Do in the Final Sixty Days: Avoiding President Palin
by Drew Westen
This is MUST READING for Barack Obama, the Obama Campaign and all strategists and consultants advising the campaign.
Here, again, is the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/what-obama-needs-to-do-in_b_125051.html?view=print
Please, PLEASE, don't lose this election.
CumberlandGeorge
Like a member of a mob yelling "Jump" to a potential suicide jumper, McCain yelled "Fight" about 40 times in his closing speech at the Republican Convention.
Is "fighting" the way he intends to "reach across the isle?" McCain's angry, bitter nature is exposed once again. He is not fit to lead this country.
A family member sent us a link to clips of the Saddleback Forum and asked my wife to watch them and come to her own conclusions. After watching several clips, other than saying watching them made her feel even more comfortable in her support of Senator Obama, she mentioned something that really separated the two candidates: Barack Obama was calm and thoughtful in his responses but John McCain appeared, well, angry. This got me thinking, Is John McCain just too angry to be the President of the United States?
Our country's position as a respected world leader is greatly diminished since we decided to invade Iraq unilaterally. Our next President must repair that or we risk being isolated and a target for attack either economically or through all-out war. Already countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela are thumbing their respective noses at us because they know that we are overextended and can do nothing about it. China knows that as long as they own and buy our debt that we can say nothing about human rights abuses. There is nothing good that can come from this position and we must improve it. A President Obama would make a concerted effort to work with world leaders to improve our world standing, a President McCain would not.
Based on his posturing over the Russia/Georgia conflict, John McCain would have rushed to war with the Russians. He tastelessly taunted Iran with his "Bomb, bomb, bomb...bomb, bomb Iran" joke. Though he denies it, there is also the instance of the Nicaraguan offical that he reportedly "roughed up" as reported by fellow Republican Senator Thad Cochrane, R-Miss. Several current and former senators have expressed that they have been the brunt of his anger. Is this man a ticking time-bomb? Yes he is and the American public needs to know.
So here is my solution to the Senator McCain problem. I propose that in response to the bogus and repetitive "Not ready to lead" that the Obama Campaign respond with "McCain: too angry to lead." It will not take much to get people from both sides in Washington to verify his temper as being unfit for a President of the United States. It will also make Senator McCain very, very angry. At worst, the McCain campaign will have to back down on the attack dog tactics because it will make the American Public take notice of just how angry he is (angry little man.) At best, it will push him over the edge and can become a debate topic that he will lose. The message is also a fair contrast of character: it shows that, opposed to Barack Obama who is a voice of reason and gets angry only when necessary, Senator McCain has a fuse that is always ready to blow and is quick to retaliate. Whatever way you look at it, it is a win-win for the Obama Campaign and the United States.
Note:
Just be prepared for the McCain campaign to try to spin this one and have him say: "Yes, I'm angry and I'm angry because..." It must be framed such that it shows that his general temperament is in question and that he is dangerous in general because he cannot control it. John McCain seems to get angry simply because someone disagrees with him or he doesn't like somebody or something irrationally. It is not about his deep dislike of one or two issues, he is angry in general and the country can't afford a loose cannon in the White House in these times of trouble.
Yes! Use this to the hilt. Hammer, hammer, hammer. Compare to Bush/Cheney and how this weakens the US substantially.
Finally a theme that attempts to define McCain that is plausible. It's so clear that he is an angry, follow Bin Laden to the gates of hell war monger type of character.
I have been thinking about this recently. McCain often seizes on what he perceives as Obama's relative inexperience, and says that he isn't ready to be president.
What is the best way to successfully undermine McCain's position? I don't know, but it seems to me that McCain himself has a personal quality that should make people nervous about making him president - his quick temper. Why is this not getting more play in the media?
Consider what has been said in the past about him by his fellow Republicans:
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine," Cochran said about McCain by phone. "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me." - Mississippi senator Thad Cochran"McCain will make [Dick] Cheney look like Gandhi." - Pat Buchanan
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine," Cochran said about McCain by phone. "He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me." - Mississippi senator Thad Cochran
"McCain will make [Dick] Cheney look like Gandhi." - Pat Buchanan
Whether or not you believe that John McCain actually called his wife the c-word, his temper is well-documented. http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/mccain_angry.php
By contrast, Obama is a cool customer. He is calm, rational - you can tell that barely anything rattles him.
Do we really want someone like McCain, who is prone to bursts of anger and inappropriate comments, to have his hand on the nuclear button (as president)? In an increasingly dangerous world, don't we want someone who will face down crises in a calm, focused manner?
I think we need to remind people constantly of McCain's temper. Put it on posters, remind voters about it when you talk to them.
Obama is up with a new radio ad aimed at those Sturgis motorcycle riders:
“But when it comes to his record, American-made motorcycles like Harleys don’t matter to John McCain...It's time to hear the roar of the strong American economy again, and stop John McCain from taking our jobs overseas."
http://s4.video2.blip.tv/0620000161255/Tpmtv-ObamaRadioAdSturgis993.mp3
Obama has a nice counterpunch ad called "Embrace" appearing later this week, accusing McCain of being a "Washington celebrity", and splicing together clips of McCain on SNL, the View, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/embrace_ad
It's not hard to see how some Obama-haters might be tempted to make the comparison. In the Left Behind books, Carpathia is a junior senator who speaks several languages, is beloved by people around the world and fawned over by a press corps that cannot see his evil nature, and rises to absurd prominence after delivering just one major speech. Hmmh. But serious Antichrist theorists don't stop there. Everything from Obama's left-handedness to his positive rhetoric to his appearance on the cover of this magazine has been cited as evidence of his true identity. One chain email claims that the Antichrist was prophesied to be "A man in his 40s of MUSLIM descent," which would indeed sound ominous if not for the fact that the Book of Revelation was written at least 400 years before the birth of Islam.
"Sargeant is a Florida businessman and former Marine Corps pilot hailed by the McCain campaign as a "Trailblazer" for raising $100,000 or more in political donations. Through a company called International Oil Trading Co., or IOTC, Sargeant and a partner have a lucrative contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year to supply American military forces in Iraq with fuel, especially aviation fuel. The firm ships the fuel to Jordan and then trucks it across the border, where U.S. forces escort the convoys to air bases.
An NBC News exclusive report that ran on msnbc.com about an unusual Pentagon fuel deal has sparked an inquiry by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, according to the committee's Web site. As the NBC News report said, the lucrative contract to ship fuel through Jordan to Iraq involved an influential group of people, including Florida businessman Harry Sargeant III, who is now a top fundraiser for Sen. John McCain's presidential bid. It also involved the brother-in-law of the king of Jordan, who is suing Sargeant, alleging fraud. Sargeant is the president of the International Oil Trading Company (IOTC), which won the contract. The Committee Chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., sent letters requesting information about the deal. One went to Sargeant, the politically active company president. Sargeant, who has raised over $100,000 for McCain, was listed on June 3 as the co-chair of the McCain Victory Committee in Florida. The other letter was sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Both letters cite the msnbc.com report, and request contract information.
Interesting confirmation of Obama's oft-ridiculed tire gauge theory, first from Time Magazine, and now from PolitiFact, a service of the St. Petersberg Times.
In the end, estimates are all we have to work with here. Estimates of oil production, estimates of gasoline savings. For our purposes in evaluating Obama's claim, all the available evidence shows that he's on solid ground in saying that better car and tire maintenance would save as much gasoline as drilling would generate. We appreciate McCain's campaign pointing out a GAO source we'd missed in our original research, but it's not at odds with our original ruling, True.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/608/
Many of you may have seen this article in Time recently, but just in case you haven't:
How out of touch is Barack Obama? He's so out of touch that he suggested that if all Americans inflated their tires properly and took their cars for regular tune-ups, they could save as much oil as new offshore drilling would produce. Gleeful Republicans have made this their daily talking point; Rush Limbaugh is having a field day; and the Republican National Committee is sending tire gauges labeled "Barack Obama's Energy Plan" to Washington reporters.
But who's really out of touch? The Bush Administration estimates that expanded offshore drilling could increase oil production by 200,000 bbl. per day by 2030. We use about 20 million bbl. per day, so that would meet about 1% of our demand two decades from now. Meanwhile, efficiency experts say that keeping tires inflated can improve gas mileage 3%, and regular maintenance can add another 4%. Many drivers already follow their advice, but if everyone did, we could immediately reduce demand several percentage points. In other words: Obama is right.
In fact, Obama's actual energy plan is much more than a tire gauge. But that's not what's so pernicious about the tire-gauge attacks. Politics ain't beanbag, and Obama has defended himself against worse smears. The real problem with the attacks on his tire-gauge plan is that efforts to improve conservation and efficiency happen to be the best approaches to dealing with the energy crisis — the cheapest, cleanest, quickest and easiest ways to ease our addiction to oil, reduce our pain at the pump and address global warming. It's a pretty simple concept: if our use of fossil fuels is increasing our reliance on Middle Eastern dictators while destroying the planet, maybe we ought to use less.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1829354,00.html
