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[Deus Ex Machina]

PHOTOS: BARACK OBAMA is in Richmond, Virginia, for a townhall with Governor Tim Kaine

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., smiles as he gets on the bus in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine shakes hands before boarding the bus with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.,Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., listens as Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine introduces him during a discussion about the economy, Thursday, Aug. 21,2008, at John Tyler Community College in Chester, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama,D-Il., right, puts his arm around Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, during a town hall meeting at John Tyler Community College in Chester, Va.
(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. hugs Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine after being introduced at a discussion about the economy, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, at John Tyler Community College in Chester, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right shakes hands as Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine looks on, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, at John Tyler Community College in Chester, Va.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

 

[GhaleonEB]

He'll make it close, but it will be tough to overcome a 40 year trend of voting Republican for president.

According to that map, Obama wins Virginia. Does Obama win Virginia without Tim Kaine as VP? I haven't seen stats on Virginia, but I remember Bush winning it pretty handily last time.

Polling has Virginia roughly tied. Obama's campaign is saying they've registered a few hundred thousand new dems since the start of this year, and are pushing for more. Odds are very good it's going blue this year.

Heck, Obama is polling ahead in Alaska, New Mexico and Montana. It's a crazy year.

 

[Cyan]

WTF is arugula and what does is have to do with anything?

 

[grandjedi6]

WTF is arugula and what does is have to do with anything?

apparently its fancy lettuce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arugula

 

[Byakuya769]

really? because to me this is the strangest attack yet...Though you never know what will stick in the public. Seems the same people who argued that his pastor's statements were irrelevant are now trying to tell me how many houses McCain has is relevant.

Really? You fail to see a connection between calling someone elitist while having seven houses and being worth more than 10 times they are more relevant than what a minster says? You see no relevancy in tax plans that are skewed towards higher income brackets/business while having an extremely high worth, and yet calling your opponent out of touch with the middle class while your opponent's plan has larger breaks for the middle class?

Seriously?

 

[Dan]

I think this may have been McCains Dukakis in a tank Kerry on a wind board moment.

I think they should hammer Mccain 24/7 on this. Play the you have to make 5 million a year to be rich, I dont know how many houses I own till the cows come home. Dont let up, run it into the ground until Nov 4th, run his "economy is good" "its all in your heads" stuff too.

Also, guys this isnt dirty. This is showing McCain is out of touch with voters. Dirty is swiftboating or calling into question McCains patriotism.

This.

These aren't unfounded attacks. They're not stretching the truth or throwing out accusations in the forms of questions to avoid slander/libel.

The guy said he had to check with his staff to confirm how many homes he had. That says it all.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/mccain_camp_responds_on_houses.php

The POW defense works for everything!

And now I want them to ask "Is McCain saying that teachers are bad?"

O_O

I want to see people recognize this as the insanity it is. Someone let late night talk show hosts know that it's okay to mock McCain on his POW defense just like Giuliani and 9/11.

 

[SupahBlah]

I thought the arugula stuff came from Obama mentioning it in Iowa but then he was saying the farmers deserve more.

“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?” the senator said. “I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/27/obamas-down-on-the-farm/

 

[Tamanon]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/15/mccain-rises-to-abbas-defense/

ASPEN, Colorado (CNN) – ABBA might be one of the world’s most-ridiculed pop acts, but at long last, John McCain is rising to their defense.

Speaking to Walter Isaacson at the Aspen Institute in Colorado on Thursday, McCain found himself explaining a recent interview with Blender Magazine in which he selected ABBA’s 1976 track “Dancing Queen” as his favorite song.

Watch: McCain defends Abba

“What were you thinking?,” Isaacson asked him, looking incredulous.

“If there is anything I am lacking in, I’ve got to tell you, it is taste in music and art and other great things in life,” McCain joked. “I’ve got to say that a lot of my taste in music stopped about the time I impacted a surface-to-air missile with my own airplane and never caught up again.”

I mean look, he even used being a POW to defend LISTENING TO ABBA. It's approaching "My parents were eaten by a bear!" territory.

 

[grandjedi6]

really? because to me this is the strangest attack yet...Though you never know what will stick in the public. Seems the same people who argued that his pastor's statements were irrelevant are now trying to tell me how many houses McCain has is relevant.

One is attacking McCain's view/knowledge of economics, the other attacked Obama's himself. The difference is fine but does exist. This attack of Obama's is more like when people attack/question Obama's foreign policy experience

 

[Cyan]

apparently its fancy lettuce: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arugula

Yeah, I checked wikipedia, but I was still confused.

 

[Byakuya769]

This.

These aren't unfounded attacks. They're not stretching the truth or throwing out accusations in the forms of questions to avoid slander/libel.

The guy said he had to check with his staff to confirm how many homes he had. That says it all.


O_O

I want to see people recognize this as the insanity it is. Someone let late night talk show hosts know that it's okay to mock McCain on his POW defense just like Giuliani and 9/11.

Funny how it seems the POW is what really started his career. While in a debate for a house seat in arizona, he was criticised for not really being a "arizonian" and just moving around to where he could win office...

His reply was basically "it's true, due to growing up in a military family I really never was allowed to stay in one place very long. Why the longest place I've resided in would have to have been Hanoi." Crowd ate it up.

The precedent was set early.

 

[grandjedi6]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/15/mccain-rises-to-abbas-defense/



I mean look, he even used being a POW to defend LISTENING TO ABBA. It's approaching "My parents were eaten by a bear!" territory.

On the bright side it will lead to tons of great Daily Show/Colbert jokes

 

[TDG]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/15/mccain-rises-to-abbas-defense/



I mean look, he even used being a POW to defend LISTENING TO ABBA. It's approaching "My parents were eaten by a bear!" territory.

That is so pathetic. Noun, verb, POW story.

And the problem is that people eat that garbage up. The guy got captured, so you can't say anyhing bad about it. Guess what, Johnny Mac? You're not the first one to be a POW, or to be tortured. But most people who do don't spend the rest of their lives not having to take responsibility for anything. This is a key difference between you and more responsible human beings.

 

[Cyan]

I thought the arugula stuff came from Obama mentioning it in Iowa but then he was saying the farmers deserve more.



http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/27/obamas-down-on-the-farm/

Oh, I see. So the McCain thing is a dig at something Obama said over a year ago? Yeesh.

 

[Dan]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/15/mccain-rises-to-abbas-defense/



I mean look, he even used being a POW to defend LISTENING TO ABBA. It's approaching "My parents were eaten by a bear!" territory.

McCain is one step away from becoming Andy Richter's character from 30 Rock.

 

[GhaleonEB]

One is attacking McCain's view/knowledge of economics, the other attacked Obama's himself. The difference is fine but does exist. This attack of Obama's is more like when people attack/question Obama's foreign policy experience

Yeah. The key difference is Obama is using McCain's own words as a way to criticize him on his econimic plan. McCain is attacking Obama for, I dunno. Being popular? A good speaker? Hard hitting issues, there.

I'm interested to see how long-term this blitz is. When the veep is announced in the next day or so, this story will get swallowed unless the veep starts echoing it immediately. It could be a chance to either bury this line of attack or amplify it.

 

[Tamanon]

""His whole argument when it comes to foreign policy and how his judgment is superior is all based on the surge," said Obama. "He will argue, he is wrong on everything else, but 'I stood by and committed to doubling down more troops in Iraq and General Petraeus was with me and I seek victory and Obama wants defeat.'... Let me just close by saying this. I will put my judgment on foreign policy over the last seven years against John McCain's anytime. And I think that an objective analysis will say that I've been right a lot more than he has for all that time he has spent in Washington."

From the town hall today also. Looks like the vacation did him good.

ALTOONA, PA: State Senator John Wozniak will headline an event in Altoona, PA on McCain losing track of how many homes he owns and the campaign is also announcing a statewide search for anyone who doesn’t know how many houses they own

:lol

The main thing is this seems to also be testing out the Dem message machine I was kvetching about earlier that didn't seem to be in place.

 

[quaere]

If you're going to forgive Obama for going negative due to the political reality of falling poll numbers, you have to excuse McCain for borrowing a page out of the Bush playbook for his strategy. McCain tried to treat voters with intelligence in 2000, and his straight talk express got flattened by Rove and company. Taking the low road simply makes sense for both candidates.

 

[GhaleonEB]

You're not the first one to be a POW, or to be tortured. But most people who do don't spend the rest of their lives not having to take responsibility for anything. This is a key difference between you and more responsible human beings.

Someone pointed out the other day that according to the current administration's definition of torture, McCain was not tortured in Vietnam. And according to McCain's own votes in the senate on torture, McCain agrees. Somehow I don't think McCain would like being asked about his experience in those terms.

 

[Tim-E]

"Sorry to break it to you, Tim..."

 

[GashPrex]

One is attacking McCain's view/knowledge of economics, the other attacked Obama's himself. The difference is fine but does exist. This attack of Obama's is more like when people attack/question Obama's foreign policy experience

so because he has 7 houses, he cannot understand economics?? is that the logical leap I am required to make here?

My point was its the same ad hominid attack - instead of debating the policy/issue, you use a related personal attack to make the point without making the argument. Which of course tends to be effective in political campaigns because people don't actually have to do any analysis; but it's just more of the same.

 

[GhaleonEB]

so because he has 7 houses, he cannot understand economics?? is that the logical leap I am required to make here?

My point was its the same ad hominid attack - instead of debating the policy/issue, you use a related personal attack to make the point without making the argument. Which of course tends to be effective in political campaigns because people don't actually have to do any analysis; but it's just more of the same.

It's one part of a bigger picture.

 

[Dan]

If you're going to forgive Obama for going negative due to the political reality of falling poll numbers, you have to excuse McCain for borrowing a page out of the Bush playbook for his strategy. McCain tried to treat voters with intelligence in 2000, and his straight talk express got flattened by Rove and company. Taking the low road simply makes sense for both candidates.

Yeah, but McCain's low-road also involves pushing retarded policies (gas tax holiday, anyone?).

 

[TDG]

Someone pointed out the other day that according to the current administration's definition of torture, McCain was not tortured in Vietnam. And according to McCain's own votes in the senate on torture, McCain agrees. Somehow I don't think McCain would like being asked about his experience in those terms.

John McCain is quite literally a man who no longer stands for anything. Everything he has ever taken a stand for he has turned against, and most things that he has once spoke against he's now embracing (such as the swift-boaters.) He is a sad little man, if he can even be called a man.

so because he has 7 houses, he cannot understand economics?? is that the logical leap I am required to make here?

No, because he has seven houses, he's out of touch with the economic struggles of ordinary Americans. That's the not-actually-hidden-at-all point of the ad that you missed.

He cannot understand economics because he's a dimwit, and in a rare moment of truthfulness during his campaign he admitted that he doesn't understand econmics, and has gone on a mission to prove it with little gems like, "The biggest threat to our economy is islamic terrorists."

 

[laserbeam]

Yeah, but McCain's low-road also involves pushing retarded policies (gas tax holiday, anyone?).

His low road involved pushing what people want to hear.

Seriously as smart as Poligaf can be they seem to know little about the way real politics works. Election time is where you promise everything everyone wants to hear.


The 5 million dollar comment gets more playtime on gaf than anywhere because even 99%of the liberal blogs etc admit he said it jokingly there is no smoke or fire there to play off of.

He didnt give a real answer to the question but then again Obama refused to answer a question on his own opinion on an abortion topic.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

eh i dunoo. i'm sure obama has like 12 penthouses in new york or something

 

[Dan]

so because he has 7 houses, he cannot understand economics?? is that the logical leap I am required to make here?

My point was its the same ad hominid attack - instead of debating the policy/issue, you use a related personal attack to make the point without making the argument. Which of course tends to be effective in political campaigns because people don't actually have to do any analysis; but it's just more of the same.

a) The man cannot or will not state how many homes he owns.

b) The man flippantly refuses to associate money with the state of being "rich".

This doesn't inherently mean his economic policies are bad, but it sure as hell points to him being incredibly out of touch with 99% of Americans.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I get a real kick out of the details that come out of the accounts of the press stalking people. After the stakeout (bagels and logs) yesterday, Biden sent the press on a merry chase this morning.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/21/1281749.aspx

The Joe Biden of stakeouts past -- the one who handed out bagels and willingly stopped for quick chats -- is gone. A man who seemed to relish the attention of the press during the first two days of the veep vigil is now all business and acting, dare we say, more vice presidential.

News crews have had only brief sightings of the Delaware senator today. Instead of driving his pickup truck, Biden rode shotgun as he left his house in the car of a staffer this morning. Seen in more formal attire, Biden headed downtown to seemingly run errands, talking often on the phone as he went.

Biden also stopped in at a local cafe, but the potential VP pick managed to sneak out a different exit. Asked if the senator went out the front door or a back door, a waitress smiled and said, "He's avoiding you guys. Stop following him."

By this time, Biden had returned at his home, called the "Lake House" in Biden Land. Eventually his wife, Jill, and son, Beau, also arrived. But less than an hour passed before Biden left again, this time driving in a silver SUV with his wife, with nary a whisper -- or some munchables for the press.

A Biden spokesperson said he had no events on the public schedule today. At the nearest airport, no signs of an impending departure. And still no text message from the Obama campaign announcing a selection.

Also, Obama told USA Today that he's selected his veep, but wouldn't elaborate further.

 

[Clipjoint]

Google Earth tour of McCain's homes

 

[Dan]

His low road involved pushing what people want to hear.

But he's been doing this ever since he lost the 2000 primary, when Bush neutered him and gained himself a new lapdog.

I mean, what says more than his efforts to establish or support the changes to torture law in relation to his own experience? He stands for NOTHING except what he believes will get him elected. This isn't a last minute campaign tactic. It's the essence of his political career at this point.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

I get a real kick out of the details that come out of the accounts of the press stalking people. After the stakeout (bagels and logs) yesterday, Biden sent the press on a merry chase this morning.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/21/1281749.aspx


Also, Obama told USA Today that he's selected his veep, but wouldn't elaborate further.

Why isn't there this much excitement for McCain VP pick?

 

[Skiptastic]

Why isn't there this much excitement for McCain VP pick?

Because you don't get as excited for Xmas until after Thanksgiving?

Once Obama names his VP, there will be excitement for the McCain pick because there will be all sorts of talk about who McCain needs to counter Obama. But the Obama pick is coming up first, so that should naturally be the big topic of conversation.

 

[Dan]

Why isn't there this much excitement for McCain VP pick?

Only 12% of McCain supporters are even excited about voting for the top guy, let alone whoever gives a shit about the second fiddle.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

mccain is going to be such a good president he wont even need a vp

 

[Guts Of Thor]

I really hope it's not Kaine or Bayh. Both of those guys are as exciting as watching a dog take a shit.

 

[Clevinger]

I get a real kick out of the details that come out of the accounts of the press stalking people. After the stakeout (bagels and logs) yesterday, Biden sent the press on a merry chase this morning.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/21/1281749.aspx


Also, Obama told USA Today that he's selected his veep, but wouldn't elaborate further.

jesus, they're like paparazzi...

it's one step away from:

"I got a pic of Biden's crotch as he got out of his car!"

 

[Macam]

Cyan: The arugula comment has primarily been used to try to paint Obama as an exotic, upper-class politician. They're simply trying to build up the 'out of touch', 'not like us' image nonsense that has proven to be rather effective for the GOP in the past two election cycles.

As for McCain, asking his staff to find out how he voted on AIDS funding for Africa in order to help determine what his position is on the issue is one thing (albeit still rather incomprehensible), but to not know how many houses you own is just beyond all belief.

 

[Bulla564]

so because he has 7 houses, he cannot understand economics?? is that the logical leap I am required to make here?
.

Nah... he sucks at economics because he said so...

"The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” - McCain

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/18/mccain-economy/

 

[Tamanon]

Breaking: Obama chooses God as VP, Evangelical vote still unchanged

"I dunno, they both just seem to act like they're better and more powerful than us"

Macam: It was actually even better, McCain had to ask his staff to find out what he believed on whether condoms help against STDs.

 

[besada]

I'm not sure why everyone just doesn't treat McCain as what he is, a welfare queen. Everything he's ever done has been paid for by the state, including his birth. Every injury, every piece of cancerous skin removed, all paid for by you and me. The houses he grew up in, the cars he rode in, the cars he rides in now.

The only money McCain's ever had that he didn't get from the government came from his rich wife and her family.

But Obama's a moneyed elitist. Yeah. I've always found it weird that a guy with cradle to grave support of the state spends so much time talking about how horrible giving away the state's money is.

Of course, that's just part of McCain's free-ride in the media. No one wants to talk about his involvement in the Keating Scandal, or the numerous times he voted against the Martin Luther King holiday. They're both probably the fault of his time as a POW.

 

[Hootie]

I really hope it's not Kaine or Bayh. Both of those guys are as exciting as watching a dog take a shit.

Hey that can make for some fun times actually. Watching the dog pooping and while it's still crouching down it starts walking with poop still coming out.

But yeah I really don't want either as his VP.

Obama/Clark 08!

 

[BotoxAgent]

Nah... he sucks at economics because he said so...

"The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” - McCain

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/18/mccain-economy/

Don't worry, he's planning to read Greenspan's book as a crash course when he's elected.


Just like how he's working to get online and start using email :lol

 

[JayDubya]

Being a career soldier is the same as doing nothing and getting paid for it? :lol

 

[Byakuya769]

Being a career soldier is the same as doing nothing and getting paid for it? :lol

Agreed, that was pretty lame.

 

[mrmyth]

Being a career soldier is the same as doing nothing and getting paid for it? :lol

Career soldier? Career POW maybe. Otherwise he'd be Admiral McCain. Sad when your father and grandfather are generals and you still can't rise up through the ranks.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Did I miss something? Why are we still speculating on Biden? Didn't he flat out say that it wasn't him?

 

[Lemonz]

The Situation Room has 'HouseGate' as their top story.

 

[Hootie]

Did I miss something? Why are we still speculating on Biden? Didn't he flat out say that it wasn't him?

The Obama camp is fucking with everybody's minds :lol

At this point, we really have absolutely no idea on who may or may not be picked.

MSM am cry

 

[kkaabboomm]

Did I miss something? Why are we still speculating on Biden? Didn't he flat out say that it wasn't him?

something about him retracting that statement like 2 hours later when he rolled back up to his house in his truck, and every news organization reporting the retraction?

 

[The Librarian]

The Obama camp is fucking with everybody's minds :lol

At this point, we really have absolutely no idea on who may or may not be picked.

MSM am cry

Hootie am cry.