Positive Obama thread

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  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    Nicki, blue, et al: Couldn't agree more.  Yes, she can read a teleprompter; she was a sportscaster after all.  Even G.W. can deliver an effective speech when someone else writes it and the words are in front of him.  But what did she say?  The same old Repug b.s. and lies.  The Repug strategy seems to be, among other things, to accuse the Dems of trying to keep a woman from becoming the first VP.  Did anyone ever hear a Dem say that because McCain is criticizing Obama, the Repugs are trying to keep the first black man from becoming president?  As though McCain's very mission is to stop a black man from making history?  It's beyond insulting, especially coming from a party that votes against women's rights at every turn. 

    The Daily Show last night was absolutely brilliant.  I love it when they have clips exposing conservative hypocrisy at its most obvious--O'Reilly calling Jamie Lynn Spears' parents "pinheads" for letting her become pregnant, then saying about Bristol that these things happen to families and don't criticize Palin for it.  And the smirking Rove disparaging Kaine's experience as insufficient, then saying that Palin's is beyond great, even though, point by point, it was less than Kaine's.  He even lied that Wasilla is the second largest city in Alaska!  Of course, Obama didn't pick Kaine, did he?

    Another Rove-Repug strategy is to keep accusing the media of attacking Palin's family, long after the MSM press has stopped talking about it.  And Obama and Biden have never talked about it.  They want to make Palin into a victim in the hope that the press will back off from looking into her dubious governing record and extreme rightwing stands and connections.  I just hope Biden won't feel any hesitancy to go after her in the debate. 

    Laura, congrats and thanks for registering those voters!

  • djd
    djd Member Posts: 866
    edited September 2008
  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008

    The only way, djd she could have won me over as a candidate was by saying, "surprise, McCain is dropping out, I'm your candidate and I'm really pro gay and pro reproductive rights. Marriage equality for all. i'm sorry for insulting so many people"

    i'm not going to watch McCain's speech. i'll catch the snippets.  I've heard it all before.

    I hate all the war talk-- I don't believe there is such a thing as winning a war, unless no one dies. The time to win a war is before it starts, through negotiation. Nobody wins, somebody just loses less. War isn't a game of plastic soldiers. Diplomacy is much more a sign of strength than bombs and tough talk. Diplomacy won't always work, but until it's been given a chance, with the collective minds of our allies, and economic sanctions have been tried, then war is a copout, IMHO.

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    Happy to see that Biden, et al are already on the counter-offensive.  If anyone's interested in a detailed description/account of Palin, good and bad, I'm came across this letter to the Washington Post: 

    http://my2bucks.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/a-letter-from-someone-who-has-known-sarah-palin-since-1992/

    I thought it was interesting that the writer made a special point of saying that she feels relatively safe criticizing Palin as she doesn't work outside the home and can't be fired.  One major tendency of Palin's character and governing style that comes through when you read about her is her vindictiveness.  No wonder McBush likes her! 

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    Maybe we should hope that Palin stays on the ticket.  She's good for our base, too!  I donated again.

    Palin raises $8 million - for Obama

    Obama's coffers have been filling since Sarah Palin attacked him repeatedly in St. Paul last night.

    An Obama aide confirms Drudge's report that Obama has raised about $8 million from more than 130,000 donors and is on pace to raise $10 million by the time McCain reaches the stage tonight.

    UPDATE: Obama spokesman Bill Burton says, "Sarah Palin's attacks have rallied our supporters in ways we never expected. And we fully expect John McCain's attacks tonight to help us make our grass-roots organization even stronger."

    Tender, my daughter is 16 too and is following the election with great interest.  There is much to admire in the younger generation.  I hope we do right by them come November.  

  • djd
    djd Member Posts: 866
    edited September 2008

    I am going to make a nominal donation to Obama (already made 2 this week) to show my support.  I am proud to be part of Obama's "Palin bounce"!

    I have had this week off, in between projects, and using the time to do my 90-day follow-ups, giving me extraordinary amount of time to watch the cable news outlets.  Sarah is an inspiring woman, but I can't see how she will attract Hillary supporters.

    And, like I said before, she has way too much baggage.  Passing her baby around last night while she delivered a host of prepared, insulting, condascending, pithy one-liners against Obama and anyone who supports him will backfire.

  • sccruiser
    sccruiser Member Posts: 1,119
    edited September 2008

    I thought Palin's speech last night lacked any substance. All I learned is she can deliver one-liners. Perhaps she should consider joining SNL and give up on this quest for more power. I don't think the Repugs (Love it LA!) should get away with putting out the gender card if anyone from the Dems side goes after her--after all, she is now fair game when it comes to her views on foreign policy, the economy, Bushy's Folly of War, gasoline and ANWR--bring it on! I don't think she will handle the campaign trail all that well when she has no experience with any of these issues. This will be a fun show to watch.

    Caught bits of McC's speech---not impressed--he doesn't have a prayer. Other threads seem to think we can't watch the Repugs convention--I have and what a bore--truly a bore!!

    Let's see how Sarah handles the wide open country--no more teleprompters and 3 days in hiding to deliver the next talk--it's all about answering the questions! And there's no sexism about it--if you want to run with the bulls--you better be prepared to deliver--Sarah is just another "person" running for political office. She doesn't get any favors or free passes for being a woman--she will have to do the same job a man will do--hope the Dems call her and the Repugs on this if they cry "sexism."

    Okay, I'm off the board again for a while. Gathering my clutter and organizing my garage sale for the end of this month. I am simplifying! And it feels good. 

  • suzfive
    suzfive Member Posts: 456
    edited September 2008

    Are you people for real. Obama cannot speak without a teleprompter - that is why he refused to have town hall meetings with McCain. When asked to speak off the cuff all you get is uh, uh, duh, uh, um, well........ if it's not scripted he's lost!

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    The McCain campaign has announced that Palin will not be talking to the press.  Period.  So no questions will be answered by her except at the debate.  I'm sure if they thought they could get out of the debate, they would.  Bush's foreign policy advisers are busily prepping her.  Yeah, BUSH'S advisers.  Nothing like cramming before the exam.  They're keeping a short leash on her, lest she go offscript and say something stupid.  So much for her playing with the big boys.  If you can't handle the press you don't belong in D.C., or anywhere near the White House.  

    There's a new bumper sticker out: "Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor."  Might have to get that one!

         

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2008

    LA:  Love the bumper sticker!   I saw another one the other day, it said:

    "Get out of Iraq and into New Orleans"....  

    I didn't watch McCain's speech, but in looking at all the pundits reviews it was lackluster at best.  No soulutions, no plan just more of the "I was a POW" stuff.  While I certainly admire his service to our country, that was some 40 years ago.  He's getting like Giuliani - every other word is "911"

    Palin's vitriolic, venomous speech is backfiring on her.  How dare she scoff at community service and community organization. 

    So, to recap..

     Palin can deliver a speech written by someone else.  

    John McCain can't fill a high school auditorium for his speech (hence, the "Town Hall" style acceptance).  The repubs actually said they knew he couldn't compete with that and that he is "uncomfortable" standing behind a podium.  So, it was "their" decision to change up the style.

    There is nothing new, no solutions, no plan, just "attack the other party".

    Palin's nasty attacks caused people to donate on line to the Obama/Biden ticket to the tune of 10 million dollars.  I hope she "reads another speech" real soon.   We could see 20 mil.

    Can't wait for the debates.  Don't know which will be better, Obama vs McCain or Biden vs Palin.

    Have a good day everyone! 

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2008

    One more thing... just saw it on the news wire. ...

    During Palin's first speech this week she said nuclear as "NUCULAR" just like GW has mispronounced for the last 8 years.

    Ok, well, they just showed a brief snippet of her "reading" of her speech of WED night and the teleprompter spelled out nulcear for her as "NEW-CLEAR" so she would get it right.  Yep folks, I am not making this up.  

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2008

    haha, I misstyped it as nulcear, sorry!

  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008

    Suzfive- don't you have enough negative obama threads to post on?

    LA- Palin, not ready for prime time.

    I didn't watch most of yesterday, but I did flip over once in a while. I was looking forward to the 9/11 tribute, only to be disgusted by the pro-war, anti IRAN insult to the memory of those lost on 9/11, I was disgusted beyond words at that movie and how the repubs tried to politicize the worst act of terrorism on our country, the same one they purport to love so much, the same country they vowed to put first in this election. Even though I didn't lose anyone on 9/11, that day is very personal to me, because it was the day I began my breast cancer journey (my own twin towers). I was so glad when Keith O. commented afterwards.

    The best part of the night was Andrea Mitchell got attacked by the balloons. I laughed so hard.

    On a different note, does anyone know what type of disability the McCain's youngest daughter has? I know she had a facial deformity and a heart problem, but can't remember the disability. She's usually shielded from the meida.

    My favorite member of the McCain/Palin families is that precocious Piper Palin (the one who licked her hands before using her hand to fix the baby's hair). She's as cute as the Obama girls.

  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited September 2008

    LAPhoenix, here's a clip of the Daily Show you mentioned:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1lCMH8rlHE

    So great!  Toward the end, you'll hear how Dick Morris and SARAH PALIN said Hillary Clinton should "stop playing the gender card" and "quit whining" -- just to remind us how totally hypocritical it will be if all criticism of Palin is called "sexist"!


    (P.S. In the clip, Karl Rove says SP was mayor of the "2nd largest city in Alaska", but it was really the 5th-largest)

  • IllinoisNancy
    IllinoisNancy Member Posts: 722
    edited September 2008

    I live in Illinois and I can tell you that Obama hasn't done anything to help our state.  He is a handsome, smooth talking guy who lights up a room with hope.  I am not a big fan of McCain either and his ability to speak is poor at best.  I thought Cindy looked weak and fragile.  I know that we don't like to have new people dumped on us at the last minute but speaking as a woman, I'm impressed with Palin and her family.  I wish she was running against BO instead of JM.  Sorry, I'll leave your site now but I still love you all as my BC sisters!!

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    Nucular!  Apparently mispronouncing that is a conservative badge of honor.  Of course, Carter was the one that started that trend back in the 70s. 

    I wouldn't normally discuss fashion, but there's been a lot of buzz about Cindy's opening night outfit and how much it was worth--an estimated $300,000.  At least Palin's outfit was more in tune with the narrative she's projecting.

    I read McCain's speech and watched clips.  It read better than it sounded.  The whole "future" theme doesn't quite resonate when spoken by a 72-year-old man.  And how do you sell the idea that you're an agent for change and acknowledge that change is needed, when you're a proud member of the party that created the mess in the first place, and you voted with that party time after time?  It all comes back to that.  Own your failures. 

    I think they're also keeping Palin away from the press because they don't want her responding to questions about the various scandals she's linked to (with more to come apparently) and getting on the record about them.  If she's not on the record denying anything, it won't seem as bad when she's implicated I guess. 

    I too was hugely offended by the Repugs' snarky, disparaging of community organizers.  It wasn't just Palin who did it.  Giuliani was also jumping on that cynical bandwagon.  I hope it does backfire on them.  I also think the people of NYC should somehow collectively tell the Repugs to stop using their tragedy to promote their fear-mongering agenda.  They have no shame.     

    I watched Obama's interview with O'Reilly, the first of 3 or 4 parts.  I thought Obama handled it pretty well.  I'm sure he didn't persuade anyone in O'Reilly's audience, but at least he took him on and answered his questions.  I'd love to see Palin being interviewed by Olbermann, but apparently that's not going to happen because she's too busy studying for the test and meeting with her lawyers!   

  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008

    LA- will I need nausea meds if I watch Obama's interview with Bill O.? I can't stomach the guy.

    Palin will go on faux for her interviews. I'd be surprised if she ever does a press conference or interview with someone who will actually use follow up questions,. I can see her doing GMA, maybe telling Robin Roberts how someone in her family had breast cancer and she empathizes with the struggle. I bet speech writers are giving her one liners to memorize as we speak.

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2008

    LA-  the repugs are disgraceful..  they have been playing the twin towers card for 7 years.  As a New Yorker, I find it offensive and I can assure you I am not alone in that sentiment.  Just shows you they will do anything to try to win. 

    Amy:  Could you imagine if Tim Russert were here and  could get Palin in the hot seat?  Boy I miss that man.  He would have loved this!!!!

  • suzfive
    suzfive Member Posts: 456
    edited September 2008

    If Jesus was a community organizer - it was the community that crucified him - not Pontius Pilate.

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    The "community" that Jesus organized, i.e. the Christians, crucified him?  It wasn't the establishment led by Pontius Pilate?  The point of the bumper sticker is to say that community organizers work for the poor and disenfranchised, for little money.  Just like mayors, they work hard.  They don't get any percs of elected office but they get lots of person-to-person contact and learn how to, well, organize and get things done on shoestring budgets.  

    Since you seem so interested in Obama, here's a description of his organizing work in Chicago, from an article in U.S. News and World Reports.  Please note that the community he worked in was about the same size as Wasilla:

    "In 1985, he moved to Chicago to work with local churches organizing job training and other programs for poor and working-class residents of Altgeld Gardens, a public housing project where 5,300 African-Americans tried to survive amid shuttered steel mills, a nearby landfill, a putrid sewage treatment plant, and a pervasive feeling that the white establishment of Chicago would never give them a fair shake.

    Jerry Kellman, a social activist who recruited Obama, recalls, "He was very bright, very articulate, very personable, and very idealistic," inspired by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolence. Kellman offered Obama a job at the annual salary of $10,000, and he threw in $2,000 so Obama could buy a ramshackle car to get around.

    Obama was a stranger to the area but caught on quickly by showing humility and a strong work ethic. "We knew what was wrong in the community but we didn't know how to get something done about it," recalls Yvonne Lloyd, 78, who worked with Obama. Obama insisted on "staying in the background while he empowered us." By Obama's own admission, there were few big victories. But whether it was getting the city to fill potholes, provide summer jobs, or remove asbestos from the apartments or persuading the apartment managers to repair toilets, pipes, and ceilings, Obama encouraged residents to come up with their own priorities with the gentle admonition: "It's your community."

    Martln Luther King was a community organizer.  Ghandi was a community organizer. Every candidate has strengths and weaknesses, and good and not-so-good things in their public backgrounds.  Obama's community organizing is something he can be proud of, just like McCain's military service and Palin's Down Syndrome baby.  For Palin to mock community organizers as a group was just petty.  Although the words weren't hers, she and Republicans can and should do better. 

  • suzfive
    suzfive Member Posts: 456
    edited September 2008

    Have you read his economic plan - he will eliminate capital gains taxes on small businesses - but guess what - if you knew anything about economics you would know that small businesses do not pay capital gains taxes unless they sell the business and make a profit. So this would certainly encourage small businesses to sell to the highest bidder and then what happens to the jobs?

  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    suzfive: I'm not going to argue Obama's platform with you.  You don't like Obama, you think Palin's the bees-knees, fine.  I'm glad you have an opinion and feel passionately about it.  Obviously I don't like McCain and could argue against many things in his platform.  We could go back and forth from now till the election.  But what's the point?  This thread is for Obama supporters to chat and share reactions to the campaign and be a community.  If you want to start a debate, you can resurrect the Presidential Election thread from a few months ago.  I know there would be other women who would love to participate.  So, please, why don't you do that?  Could be fun.

  • sccruiser
    sccruiser Member Posts: 1,119
    edited September 2008

    Hey suzfive,

    Have you read McC's economic plan--oh right--he doesn't have one!! He's busy telling us to stand up and fight--country first--blah, blah, blah!

    You make your point very clearly, so I'll make mine. And then the debate is over as far as I'm concerned. You are like this little angry bee buzzing around--maybe you should buzz back to the debate board or where the Palin supporters are waiting on her every word. She's a nobody, like she says, a soccer mom with lipstick. So, she wasthe mayor of the 5th or 7th biggest town in Alaska--all of what, 7,000 (and I'm being generous here), and she can dress a moose--wow! she'll really need that skill in DC! Maybe teach some of those beltway women some independence and to forget about their designer duds and rich hubbies!

    I applaud McC's service to his country. It's great, really. But in my opinion, he is not presidential material, and Palin is certainly not VP material--maybe she could come back in 10 years after she has some more global experience under her belt, other than being the state of our great nation that is the closest to the USSR. If that's the best they can do, this race is over before it even starts.

    And to everyone else on this board, Howdy!

    Interesting that the Repugs are insisting on keeping Palin away from the press! There's so much that's not being told. Looking at everything on the internet, I would say we don't have the whole truth about her, perhaps not even 1/2 the truth. Perhaps her most telling editorial about herself, was the soccer mom/pit bull/lipstick case. If that's true, then if she were to get in office, I presume she would be Ms. Darth--and follow in Cheney's footsteps, except she would be mauling her opponents in public--snarling away--what a picture of the VP from H#@$!! Wouldn't want her trying to run any passes for McC. Heard if you cross her, she gets even, and it isn't pretty. My dh has been conducting his own research on her, and he hasn't found a lot of positive things being said after she's been in the govs office for over a year--evidently her popularity is rapidly decreasing!! And the 17 year old didn't want to keep her pregnancy hush hush until after the election LIKE HER MOM DID!!!

    I like Obama's high road response to the media questions about Palin. Too bad there aren't going to be more debates between the VP noms. One just doesn't seem like enough.

    Interesting how they are keeping her secreted away--isn't that a little sexist? She can blow out the one liners, but she can't be asked to explain them, or what she would do if she was VP! Makes me think she's all for show!

    Oh, and did you notice how white the RNC attendees were? Wow, I struggled to find a person of color in the sea of white bodies. The least diverse gathering I have seen in a long time. Oh, except they did have women there--guess that makes it diverse!!

    Supposedly McC's speech drew the largest TV audience of both conventions--bet there were a lot of us trying to find out what platform and issues he was running on. Too bad he left all of that out, and just kept telling us to stand and fight. Doesn't make me feel all cozy and close to the Repugs at all--his idea of unity has failed.

    Go Obama--saw a bumper sticker the other day: I'M AN OLD WHITE WOMAN VOTING FOR OBAMA. Got to love it!  (Honest, it's not mine, but I'm looking for one) LOL

  • mcgaffey
    mcgaffey Member Posts: 241
    edited September 2008

    Bottom line: we don't need another 4 more years. We need a change of party. Enough said! Go Obama!!! And I was a Hillary supporter.....but I have switched.

  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008

    Suz, didn't you get the memo-- there are plany of other threads to trash obama. Are you that threatened by Obama's chances to become president that you need to come here to try to stir up trouble.

    Blue, Tim would have a field day. I feel so sad that he's missing this election. How about that Luke Russert???? He's an up and comer. NBC gave him a 1 year contract. Watching him Luke during the conventions was like watching a young Tim. With virtually no training, he stepped right into the role as youth correspondent. You could see the pride in Keith and Tom B.'s eyes after his first report as Keith told Tom, he knew where that huge smile was coming from.

    Grace, I'm getting annoyed that people feel like they have to say they admire McCain's service to his country before criticizing him. I'm not criticizing you, just that the republicans have people so afraid of being called antiamerican if they don't say something nice about McCain before criticizing his policies.

    McGaffey, glad to hear from you.

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited September 2008

    Hi all:  Was out to dinner with friends last night and of course during our meal, the subject of politics came up.  Someone mentioned that the crowds at the repug convention started chanting USA....USA... when McCain was being heckled....we started talking about how it always seems to go back to the repugs standard line...that being that if you're not on board with them you are somehow anti-american....

    Ok, here is where it gets interesting... one of the people at our table offered the following:

    Hermann Goering, a leading member of Hitler's Nazi party as quoted in the Neuremberg Diary:

    "Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany, that is understood.  But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is a simple matter to drag the people along........voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.  That is easy.  All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifist for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.  It works the same way in any country." 

    Now, I am no suggesting the current administration or the repugs are a bunch of Nazi's, but someone surely took a page from their play book. 

  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008
  • LAphoenix
    LAphoenix Member Posts: 452
    edited September 2008

    I just re-read Biden's speech and compared it to Palin's.  How different they are in tone and attitude!   One of the things that struck me about the RNC convention was how they worked the "us and them" mentality.  This year it was small towns vs. cities, small-town mayors vs. community organizers, small-town values (whatever those are) vs. urban elitists.  Divide and conquer has always been their strategy.  Their speeches were aimed at the partisan crowd in the arena and their base, not at the American people.  McCain tried to elevate the discussion with his speech, but it was too little, too late.  Although the Dems pushed back against the Rovian attack machine this time, they didn't say, or imply through sarcasm, that small town folks or evangelicals were the enemy.  They didn't create a "them" with their rhetoric.  Hopefully enough people will sense and appreciate that come November.

        

  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited September 2008

    The more I hear about Palin, the more she scares me and I'm not just talking about her extremist social policies. Her style of governing seems similar to Bush's, except that she bakes cupcakes for birthdays. Like Bush she gets rid of those with different opinions, where Obama wants people around him who will present varying points of view and disagree with him. The reason Palin's record is so important to me is the McCain's age and health. He looked ghost like giving his acceptance speech (although that could have been the HD tv). I like that McCain says he wants a bipartisan cabinet, except he doesn't impress me as the type who is willing to listen to alternative ideas.

    I wonder when Palin will give interviews and why the McCain camp is too afraid to put her out there for anything other than stump speeches.

    LA, Obama always says there are no red states and blue states, there is just the united states of american. I don't think the McCain/Palin camp subscribes to the same philosophy. The idea that a mayor of a town with 6000 people has the same experience as a mayor of a town with a few million people is laughable.  The types of problems in big cities vs. podunk towns are night and day. Several headlines from the news of Philly this weekend were a cop was killed in the line of duty, a few murders, tornado warning, some fires. A small town might not deal with that many things in a whole year. The number of people who work under the mayor's direction, police, fire fighters, a school system with dozens of campuses are just some of the thousands who work under the mayor. How many people does a town of 6000 employ.

  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited September 2008
    Well, one person the town of Wasilla employed while Sarah Palin was mayor was a fulltime city administrator!  While the mayor drew a fulltime salary! (See here)

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