Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
The 'Not Ready for Prime Time' Party.
OK, John McCain had the Republican nomination locked up, what, back in March? So since then he's had plenty of time to pick a running mate, get his convention all sorted out, be ready to put on a good show for the final two months of the election season when most people start really paying attention after Labor Day.
And this is what we get???
First off, the Palin debacle. Yeah, I know Brent's redneck friends think she's great. But seriously, think about how many different issues have popped up with her name attached this last week, alone. Troopergate. The Jet That Didn't Sell on eBay. Theocrat. Lies about the 'Bridge to Nowhere'. And that doesn't even touch on her questionable judgment as a parent and wife. Clearly, the McCain camp did not do the necessary background checks on this woman. No wonder they're now saying that they'll limit her contact with the press until the election.
McCain himself being unprepared. Forgetting how many houses he and his wife own. Mistaking Iran for Iraq. I could go on.
Then there's the small problem with the McCain campaign pissing off musicians by using their stuff without permission. Heart. Jackson Browne. Some country singer, too, IIRC, but I don't remember who. Seriously, this is pretty basic - you secure the rights to the songs you want to use. Money will usually buy permission, with minimal hassle or bad PR.
And speaking of bad PR, they even managed to screw up the images for his acceptance speech last night, mistaking Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood, California for Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
I remember when you used to be able to consider the Republicans to be the party of competent government. Man, I really am old. John McCain is trying to convince us that he's ready to take over the administration of our nation, when his campaign can't even manage the basic tools of doing research, negotiating contracts, selecting a qualified VP, and preparing the candidate for obvious questions?
It's not the economy, it's the incompetence.
Jim Downey
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Jackson Browne? Seriously?
The Jackson Browne that played for Clinton, Kerry, and Nader? The Jackson Browne that writes songs about the horrors of republican war-mongering? The Jackson Browne that powers his ranch with wind energy and contributed a song to the Songs for Tibet album? That guy?
There is an ad writer in Ohio trying to collect unemployment right now. I'm no big Jackson Browne fan, and I realize that lots of people don't know who he is, but seriously....that is weapons grade stupid right there. I wonder if it was out of spite, or just ignorance?
Always skeptical of our comfy two-party arrangement, I'm starting to think that the 'pubs are throwing this election, perhaps so they can blame liberals for any future fallout from the last 8 years of insanity. Isn't that the usual pattern?
Just curious
Do any of you notice any of the same sort of pandering, idiotic statements, and outright lies on the Obama side?
Didn't watch
Sad to say, even though I'm only in my 20s I'm old enough to know the political conventions are just two excessively long commercials for the candidates (and I can barely stand the minute political commercials). Of course they're going to lie, it's like the ideal for politicians in this country.
What I notice . . .
. . . is an incredible level of competence from the Obama campaign, which is the topic I'm addressing in this post. Unless you're responding to Neil again. ;)
Seriously, he was able to beat the Clinton machine, which I didn't think could be done. And his campaign is opening offices all over states which have only seen a token Dem presence in recent elections. He was smart enough to really start using the internet, and has built a huge database of both contributors and workers. His choice of Biden as a running mate was smart, savvy, and sensible. He's able to hold intelligent and informed discussions with people on almost any topic.
We're facing a long, hard slog ahead - both diplomatically and in terms of our economic health. We need competence and sound judgment, not more of the same right-wing, wanna-be theocratic theory.
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read *or listen to* my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Not really.
You?
Don't write off the rednecks
Yeah, I know Brent's redneck friends think she's great. But seriously, think about how many different issues have popped up with her name attached this last week, alone.
Well, it was pretty obvious in 2004 that Bush had manipulated the facts and outright lied about WMDs in Iraq and yet how many people still voted for him?
The right wing will bend over backwards to ignore all of her scandals. Hell, even if it came out tomorrow that the National Enquirer story is true, at this point, they would probably chalk it up to an "unfortunate mistake" and that we are all human and that she has been forgiven in God's eyes. Look at the way they are suddenly so supportive of unwed teenage mothers. These people are so intent on hanging onto power that they know no shame.
In a rational society, this would be a cakewalk for Obama. As all of us here know too well by now, the majority of people in this country are far from rational.
Consider the Flip-Side Alternative
"Look at the way they are suddenly so supportive of unwed teenage mothers. These people are so intent on hanging onto power that they know no shame."
What do you suppose the Republicans/Wingnuts would have said had an unmarried Obama daughter gotten herself pregnant? They would have been all over his ass for his "liberal parenting."
See, that's part of the problem
The thing is, whether the above charge is true or not, it was not "pretty obvious" to a lot of people (those who don't hate Bush and everything he stands for). The Democrats, the media, the blogs, all claimed that it was pretty obvious. If someone asked for evidence that Bush did anything but act on the same information that Clinton did in 1998, that someone would be told to shut up, because it's just obvious that he lied and manipulated facts.
That didn't stop Bush from being reelected because whether it was true or not, the Democrats spent so much time talking about how obvious it was, but not enough time in proving it. Spend enough time telling everyone how stupid they are for daring to question something so obvious, they might just get a little resentful.
Democrats have supported so many candidates who had affairs and other scandals attached to them that they have no grounds going after Palin on teen pregnancies, supposed affairs, or land deals (if there are any.) If you want to attack Palin over things like troopergate, you'd better make damned sure there aren't circumstances behind it (like the trooper in question being abusive towards his wife and kids, for instance) that will make the "redneck voters" say "Hell, I'd of done the same thing if he'd done that to my sister."
Palin scares me, and Obama/Biden should be able to beat McCain/Palin, but I have a bad feeling they're going to fuck it up again.
Rob Miles
--
There are only 10 types of people in the world;
those who understand binary and those who don't.
I hereby decree...
That Sarah Palin shall henceforth be known as Sarah Quaylin.
And this is a horrible joke, and I'm a bad person for posting it, but you knew that already... anyway, I understand that the Secret Service has been given special instructions in the event that John McCain wins the election. Should he have a heart attack and die in office, their orders are to shoot Palin.
- No More Mr. Nice Guy!
Yes,
You ARE a bad person! But very funny. Which in my book almost always makes up for any perceived badness.
Any twelve people who can't get themselves out of jury duty are not my peers.
______________________
Claybow
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