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[Tamanon]

Yeah I don't agree with stimulus packages, both candidates agreed with doing it though.

 

[thekad]

Wright wasn't an invented story. And honestly, that was a far, far more potentially damaging debacle than anything on Clinton's end... how do you think it'd have gone if it were Clinton's longtime pastor and "spiritual advisor" or whatever on those (out of context) soundbytes?

Probably would have gotten as much attention as McCain's "spiritual guide", Rod Parsley, who called Islam an inherently evil religion.

Just sayin'.

Yeah I don't agree with stimulus packages, both candidates agreed with doing it though.

I want to see how this first one works before knocking it. Also, free moniez.

 

[VanMardigan]

Let's see the Great Orator without a teleprompter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8

(has this been posted yet - I searched, couldn't find anything)

The training wheels are off :lol

Tagged for when I'm home and youtube isn't firewalled.

BTW, when Hillary and McCain proposed the gas tax holiday, I remember the argument I was given was that it wouldn't matter since the oil companies would just jack up the price anyway. now that Obama is proposing a profit windfall tax, wouldn't that have the same effect of the oil companies simply raising their prices to have consumers pay for the tax?

 

[BotoxAgent]

Just because Obama didn't bitch, whine, and moan about negative press like Hillary doesn't mean he didn't get any.

 

[GhaleonEB]

And... uh... Obama's grandfather liberating camps wasn't a lie?

He named the wrong concentration camp, and it was corrected immidiately after. He actually mis-spoke. Oh teh noes.

 

[thefro]

MEGATON! Obama to have staff in all 50 states!

Just got this e-mail

Today, I am proud to announce that our presidential campaign will be the first in a generation to deploy and maintain staff in every single state.

The network of volunteers and the infrastructure built up during the historic primary season -- on behalf of all the Democratic campaigns -- have given us an enormous and unprecedented opportunity in the general election.

We need to register new voters and bring people back into the political process. We need to reach out to Independents and Republicans who know that our country cannot afford another four years of George W. Bush's disastrous policies.

And we need to overcome the three-month head start that John McCain has had to raise money and build support.

Your past support has brought us to the Democratic nomination. But we need to expand our base in order to build this 50-state organization. You can do that by encouraging a fellow supporter to step up and own a piece of this campaign.

Will you promise to match the gift of a first-time donor and double their impact? You can even exchange a note with them about why you are supporting this movement for change.

Help reach our goal of 30,000 new donors by making a matching donation of $25 now:
https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

As in every presidential election, some states will be more competitive than others, and we will scale our resources accordingly.

But unprecedented grassroots energy during the primary means that the list of competitive states will be longer than ever before -- and it will include states like Virginia and Montana that aren't traditionally within reach for a Democratic presidential candidate.

And in every single state, our staff will build volunteer capacity that will provide help where we need it and impact races up and down the ballot this November.

Every day counts -- voters head to the polls in less than five months. This is your opportunity to shape the election by helping to launch our unprecedented 50-state campaign now:

 

[jarrod]

Probably would have gotten as much attention as McCain's "spiritual guide", Rod Parsley, who called Islam an inherently evil religion.

Just sayin'.

Oh please, Parsely's a nutcase but his relationship to McCain isn't at all comparable to Obama/Wright.


Honestly, I'm surprised Obama weathered it as well as he has (and not from the media end, that story's still running even)... it'd have easily sunk Clinton or McCain imo.

 

[scorcho]

Wright wasn't an invented story. And honestly, that was a far, far more potentially damaging debacle than anything on Clinton's end... how do you think it'd have gone if it were Clinton's longtime pastor and "spiritual advisor" or whatever on those (out of context) soundbytes?

Clinton used the Bosnia case as an example of her leadership and gained experience during the Clinton presidency. it also didn't help that CBS had direct video evidence countering Clinton's ancedote of a corkscrew landing and sniper fire.

that's the difference.

 

[Tamanon]

Tagged for when I'm home and youtube isn't firewalled.

BTW, when Hillary and McCain proposed the gas tax holiday, I remember the argument I was given was that it wouldn't matter since the oil companies would just jack up the price anyway. now that Obama is proposing a profit windfall tax, wouldn't that have the same effect of the oil companies simply raising their prices to have consumers pay for the tax?

Well if they jack up the prices more, then the profits would get taxed more also.

Of course a windfall profits tax would never pass congress with the extent of the oil lobby.

Wait, what did Andrea Mitchell say about Virginia people? She apologized for saying something, but didn't mention what it was?:lol

 

[Tieno]

A few months ago some Belgians (no, they weren't american) were campaining for Obama here in Belgium. They were putting up big posters at main access roads to Brugge (most american tourists come to Brugge via those roads). Pretty cool.

 

[jarrod]

Just because Obama didn't bitch, whine, and moan about negative press like Hillary doesn't mean he didn't get any.

Er... he certainly did in the debates.

He named the wrong concentration camp, and it was corrected immidiately after. He actually mis-spoke. Oh teh noes.

Misspoke repeatedly? It was a great-uncle too. And Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians even, it's a pretty dumb gaffe at the least.

 

[Tamanon]

:lol Andrea Mitchell actually said this on the air.

Interesting images today. Barack Obama, Mark Warner in southwest Virginia. This is real redneck, sort of, bordering on Appalachia country. This is not the Northern Virginia, you know, sort of high-tech corridor. And these are voters that he would not logically be, you know, gravitating to. This is the beginning of a pivot.

 

[adamsappel]

LA Times getting shittier by the day.

You damn kids get off my lawn!

 

[jarrod]

:lol Andrea Mitchell actually said this on the air.

She needs to get some sleep. Srsly!

 

[Star Power]

Wait, what did Andrea Mitchell say about Virginia people? She apologized for saying something, but didn't mention what it was?:lol

She called them rednecks and then laughed about it lol

 

[Justin Bailey]

A few months ago some Belgians (no, they weren't american) were campaining for Obama here in Belgium. They were putting up big posters at main access roads to Brugge. Pretty cool.

:lol I mean I understand how other countries are fascinated with our elections because of our clout in world politics, but goddamn.

 

[mckmas8808]

that's akin to saying - "I vastly prefer solid shit over liquid kind", as opposed to damning shit altogether.

also - i'd fail to qualify Russert as a journalist. he hosts TV shows and is a pundit on others.

What's wrong with gotcha host? And don't forget that Russert gives his guest ample amount of time to clear the record and add their own context to said quote.

I wish more reporters dd gotcha stuff.

 

[worldrunover]

Er... he certainly did in the debates.



Misspoke repeatedly? It was a great-uncle too. And Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians even, it's a pretty dumb gaffe at the least.

He complained about the lack of focus on the issues in the debates, yes. But he never called out the media, moreso the other candidates for running attack ads.

Also, how is misspeaking about a concentration camp a big deal, at all? The story is still true and it doesn't affect his point in any way.

I don't understand how people expect politicians to be perfect when they talk non-stop for hours a day in front of thousands of people. Mistakes are bound to happen.

 

[Hellsing321]

Er... he certainly did in the debates.



Misspoke repeatedly? It was a great-uncle too. And Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians even, it's a pretty dumb gaffe at the least.

I call my great uncle, uncle as well. Wanna fight about it?

 

[Azih]

Misspoke repeatedly?

Just once from what I know.

And Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians even, it's a pretty dumb gaffe at the least.

Like has been said, Obama got the name wrong. Having the name of the most famous concentration come to mind when speaking of concentration camps is about the most understandable kind of gaffe I can think off.

Mountains out of molehills.

Craziest thing is Obama was telling that story to emphasise how important it is to take care of veterans when they get home after a war. That just gets completely lost.

 

[thekad]

Er... he certainly did in the debates.



Misspoke repeatedly? It was a great-uncle too. And Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians even, it's a pretty dumb gaffe at the least.

I find it amazing that you can argue that Obama and his "spiritual adviser" have a different connection than McCain and his "spiritual guide", while arguing, too, that Hillary's account of sniper fire and evasive manuevers is the same as Obama's mistaking of death camps that his uncle liberated. Clintonian, even.

 

[Y2Kev]

Not a fan of Politico's Obama vs. McCain link today. Seems kind of skewed.

 

[sangreal]

Just once from what I know.

In his Iraq War speech he mentions that his grandfather heard the stories of troops who liberated Auschwitz

 

[Tieno]

:lol I mean I understand how other countries are fascinated with our elections because of our clout in world politics, but goddamn.

This is the first time I've seen something like this too. I call it the Bush-Obama delta effect.
They even got on national news.

 

[Tamanon]

BTW, apparently Obama mentioned that he and Elizabeth Edwards would be working on health care. Guess that's another sign that Clinton can just go back and camp out in New York for several years.:lol

 

[CowboyAstronaut]

Oh please, Parsely's a nutcase but his relationship to McCain isn't at all comparable to Obama/Wright.


Honestly, I'm surprised Obama weathered it as well as he has (and not from the media end, that story's still running even)... it'd have easily sunk Clinton or McCain imo.

Because he stands by what he believes in and doesn't let anyone dictate how he thinks. I know people that are like Rev Wright. All black preachers say some controversial shit at one point or another, but in the end they are really good people, the ones that I know anyway, and I wouldn't doubt the same to be true of Wright.

Yep, Tamanon, I also saw it as a sign of such.

 

[The Librarian]

A few months ago some Belgians (no, they weren't american) were campaining for Obama here in Belgium. They were putting up big posters at main access roads to Brugge (most american tourists come to Brugge via those roads). Pretty cool.

Truly OBamania!:lol

 

[GhaleonEB]

Just once from what I know.
Like has been said, Obama got the name wrong. Having the name of the most famous concentration come to mind when speaking of concentration camps is about the most understandable kind of gaffe I can think off.

Mountains out of molehills.

And this is important - he's admitted that he mis-spoke and said he was wrong. And then corrected himself.

Compare that to anything McCain says, from incorrectly asserting that we're down to pre-surge troop levels to today's row with Newsweek. McCain denies he said something, when it's right there on tape. And now his camp won't even admit that he was wrong. With Obama's gaffes/issues like Wright, he takes them head on and admits he's wrong when he was. Clinton and McCain just dig in.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/09/1125253.aspx

 

[jarrod]

He complained about the lack of focus on the issues in the debates, yes. But he never called out the media, moreso the other candidates for running attack ads.

Oh come on, it was an obvious and planned rebuff to the media coverage, his surrogates were all parroting the same line afterward even

I don't understand how people expect politicians to be perfect when they talk non-stop for hours a day in front of thousands of people. Mistakes are bound to happen.

I think it's a fair point, and all those running have made plenty of flubs. I just refute the idea that McCain's really had an easier time of things than Obama in this area, and I think Hillary (rightly or wrongly, doesn't matter) been put under a lot more examination comparably. Sure she bitches about it, but hey... it's all she's got left.

I find it amazing that you can argue that Obama and his "spiritual adviser" have a different connection than McCain and his "spiritual guide", while arguing, too, that Hillary's account of sniper fire and evasive manuevers is the same as Obama's mistaking of death camps that his uncle liberated. Clintonian, even.

Hey, I wasn't the one bringing Clinton into it... she's over and so are her flubs largely in the media's eyes post endorsement.

Your comparison works though, the standards between those two do is unfair on both sides. I love that Clintonian's a bad word now, it's like I'm in a time warp to 1996. :lol

 

[avatar299]

I find it amazing that you can argue that Obama and his "spiritual adviser" have a different connection than McCain and his "spiritual guide", while arguing, too, that Hillary's account of sniper fire and evasive manuevers is the same as Obama's mistaking of death camps that his uncle liberated. Clintonian, even.

Was McCain as active in Parsley church as Obama was in Wrights?

 

[thekad]

Was McCain as active in Parsley church as Obama was in Wrights?

Explain to me how that changes Parsley being McCain's "spiritual guide?" :lol

 

[Frank the Great]

The number one issue in this election...is will this person carry on in the Judeo-Christian principles, tradition, that has made this nation the greatest experiment in the history of mankind.

lol

i think it's old, but pretty scary no? and i'm a christian

 

[jarrod]

Because he stands by what he believes in and doesn't let anyone dictate how he thinks. I know people that are like Rev Wright. All black preachers say some controversial shit at one point or another, but in the end they are really good people, the ones that I know anyway, and I wouldn't doubt the same to be true of Wright.

I think that's true... the media basically forced his eventual disavowing of him, and it was readily apparent it was a painful process on Obama's end. I honestly don't think anything Wright said was too outlandish, though it's obvious why it'd be problematic for Obama's election.

 

[jarrod]

Explain to me how that changes Parsley being McCain's "spiritual guide?" :lol

Parsing on specfics of language... now who's Clintonian? :lol

 

[Stumpokapow]

Was McCain as active in Parsley church as Obama was in Wrights?

I'm not sure McCain wants to make the argument "don't mind my preacher, I'm not all that religious anyway" a centerpoint of his campaign.

 

[thekad]

Look, do I think McCain gives a shit about Parsley or his views or his "spiritual advice?" No, but you cannot wave around Obama's association with "agents of intolerance," while at the same time ignoring McCain's embrace of them.

Although he did, in classic McCain fashion, throw Parsley and Hagee under the bus once he was done with them.

 

[CowboyAstronaut]

Look, do I think McCain gives a shit about Parsley or his views or his "spiritual advice?" No, but you cannot wave around Obama's association with "agents of intolerance," while at the same time ignoring McCain's embrace of them.

Although he did, in classic McCain fashion, throw Parsley and Hagee under the bus once he was done with them.

McCain actively sought Hagee to endorse his run for President publicly for all to see. i say that is worse than Obama's Rev Wright situation.

Obama never askd for Wright to become politically involved with his campaign or sought out a public endorsement.

Had Obama seeked endorsements from the likes of Al Sharpton do you guys have any idea how bad things would've been for Obama? He wouldn't have made it to Super Tuesday.

 

[Clevinger]

Had Obama seeked endorsements from the likes of Al Sharpton do you guys have any idea how bad things would've been for Obama? He wouldn't have made it to Super Tuesday.

Why? He seems like a douche, but I doubt he's said any of the kind of crazy shit Hagee has.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Just because Obama didn't bitch, whine, and moan about negative press like Hillary doesn't mean he didn't get any.

Post of the day!

 

[Star Power]

Why? He seems like a douche, but I doubt he's said any of the kind of crazy shit Hagee has.

Too black/polarizing. He's seen as a race-hustler by lots of people, the sort of old-school racial politics that makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Same with Jesse Jackson.

 

[avatar299]

Explain to me how that changes Parsley being McCain's "spiritual guide?" :lol

I asked a question, you ass. I didn't dispute anyone's "guide"

Why? He seems like a douche, but I doubt he's said any of the kind of crazy shit Hagee has.

Define crazy shit

 

[BotoxAgent]

Er... he certainly did in the debates.

Yeah, cuz that night was supposed to be a frickin' DEBATE! A debate about REAL issues, without politicization or punditry, not whether you think Reverend Wright loves America or some BS. If I was a citizen concerned about the economy, I'd bitch too (apparently a lot did).

When Wright came out, Barack spoke a magnificent speech on race and opened up a new kind of dicourse. Hillary just screamed, moan, and bullied the press to get her way.

At that point, it's pretty obvious who would make a better leader.

 

[Azih]

I just refute the idea that McCain's really had an easier time of things than Obama in this area,

And I really don't see how you can say that at all. Hell McCain was invisible during the Obama-Clinton protracted death march. Plus someone else on here mentioned all the assanine gates that Obama has been involved it (finger scratch gate!) and that doesn't even include the OMG Whitey Michelle Obama tape bullshit rumours. As for Clinton it took months of Clinton repeating the Bosnia 'no tea becaues of snipers' story for the mainstream media to pick it up and that was after youtube made it completely impossible to ignore. Shit Sinbad had to jump in the fray to get the mainstream's attention on that one.

I love that Clintonian's a bad word now

Endlessly changing metrics for weeks showing how how Hillary was actually winning while being behind on delegates will do that.

 

[bob_arctor]

Er... he certainly did in the debates.

This is always interesting to me. I've read various comments like this that equate Obama pointing out how the media loves to ignore actual news that's important to the American people in lieu of gossip-style gotcha games better fit for rags like In Touch to whining, bitching, moaning. This is where the unwarranted "thin-skinned" label comes from. He recently rebuffed a reporter in the same way when asked about the purported Michelle Obama video tape. And again, the comments, the negative ones at least, all said generally the same thing.

I don't get it. He obviously can't tell 'em to STFU already with the nonsense so instead he calls 'em out as much as he can. This is a good thing, especially in light of that "debate" in Philly.

I hope Obama keeps pushing back against that type of questioning and he most certainly will in the coming months. The more he points out that what the American people worry about (economy, Iraq) is what's really important, the better it is for him.

 

[GhaleonEB]

This is always interesting to me. I've read various comments like this that equate Obama pointing out how the media loves to ignore actual news that's important to the American people in lieu of gossip-style gotcha games better fit for rags like In Touch to whining, bitching, moaning. This is where the unwarranted "thin-skinned" label comes from. He recently rebuffed a reporter in the same way when asked about the purported Michelle Obama video tape. And again, the comments, the negative ones at least, all said generally the same thing.

I don't get it. He obviously can't tell 'em to STFU already with the nonsense so instead he calls 'em out as much as he can. This is a good thing, especially in light of that "debate" in Philly.

I hope Obama keeps pushing back against that type of questioning and he most certainly will in the coming months. The more he points out that what the American people worry about (economy, Iraq) is what's really important, the better it is for him.

And it's part of Obama's campaign theme to focus on the issues. He would actually be hypocritical to say so and then not call out lines of questioning that distract from that.

 

[sangreal]

Obama never askd for Wright to become politically involved with his campaign or sought out a public endorsement.

He did, actually. Reverend Wright (and Father Pfleger?) were members of Obama's Spiritual Advisory Committee

 

[jarrod]

This is always interesting to me. I've read various comments like this that equate Obama pointing out how the media loves to ignore actual news that's important to the American people in lieu of gossip-style gotcha games better fit for rags like In Touch to whining, bitching, moaning. This is where the unwarranted "thin-skinned" label comes from. He recently rebuffed a reporter in the same way when asked about the purported Michelle Obama video tape. And again, the comments, the negative ones at least, all said generally the same thing.

I don't get it. He obviously can't tell 'em to STFU already with the nonsense so instead he calls 'em out as much as he can. This is a good thing, especially in light of that "debate" in Philly.

I hope Obama keeps pushing back against that type of questioning and he most certainly will in the coming months. The more he points out that what the American people worry about (economy, Iraq) is what's really important, the better it is for him.

Well, I agree on all your points. And yeah, I hope Obama takes the media to task for diversionary character issues more too.

I tend to look down on the "whining, bitching, moaning" characterization from all camps honestly. It doesn't benefit anyone frankly, especially when there *have* been some issues with media coverage and direction of the campaigns.

 

[masud]

And let's not forget in that debate Obama called the press out after they asked him to comment on the Bosnia story.

 

[CowboyAstronaut]

He did, actually. Reverend Wright (and Father Pfleger?) were members of Obama's Spiritual Advisory Committee

What I meant was not in the same way that McCain sort the endorsement of Hagee.

Hagee was seen as something that McCain needed to get votes. McCain did what he did on the grounds that it would be a good move for his campaign to help ensure victory in November.

Obama has those guys on his Spiritual Advisory Committee for no such reason. Sure it can definitely play a role, but that wasn't the ultimate purpose. Obama never, to my knowledge, had a need to pimp his association with Wright the man as a way to get votes. The closest he has ever come was fighting off the he's a muslim accusations or the he swore in on a koran accusations and even then he didn't go to the point of bringing Wright into the campaign for political reasons. He only ever pointed out that he was a devoted Christian and he was sworn into the Senate on his family bible.

McCain's situation is seen as a bigger sign of a case of bad judgment than was the case with Obama and Wright or Pfleger.

Obama's criticisms of the media were actually justified. Hillary's were more sour grapes and her searching for a reason for why she was losing. Some of the things that Obama was tackled or called to task on were outright ridiculous.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Did you know? The governor of North Carolina is a terrorist!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/An_EasleyObama_dap.html