DISQUS

brian · 1 year ago

I never expected that the McCain campaign would take the high road. The problem is that Obama is not answering McCain's claims. Unfortunately, Obama cannot just sit by and wait to lose, like Kerry in 2004. It is time to hit back and hit back hard!

1970cs · 1 year ago

I don't know if Obama's staff is occupying their time ordering new office furniture for the WH, but there is little to no message from the campaign getting out past the blogs and Olberman.

TheOriginalLiz · 1 year ago

I saw one Obama ad run once that responded to McCain's ad re oil prices being his fault. It was well done. The problem is, it ran once, the McCain trash ran multiple times. I would say Obama is probably trying to get the word out, but it is in the media's best interest that it doesn't get out.

KarenMrsLloydRichards · 1 year ago

Breakfast TV on MSNBC: Obama alienated a lot of people with that overseas trip: Gallup reports only a third of the people think it was good; almost 40% had no opinion. So, Obama was at least right: his numbers could go down. So arrogant: outright saying he's a symbol of America getting better and living up to its promise, when he should know that America is always perfect. Kinda like Michelle saying she was only proud because of his candidacy. Surrogates can say this, if they have to, but when Obama and Michelle say it, well, it' s so presumptuous. Uppity, really. Hey! What about that RNC viral video satirizing the trip, saying Obama is the new David Hasselhoff! Hilarious! An instant classic! And it helps McCain define Obama, and "brand" him as foreign, out-of-touch, elitist. The McCain campaign is starting to "get" the Internets and get down with the youth and attack Obama successfully on McCain's terms with this new medium! Obama picking Kaine or Bayh: cant he do better than those boring guys? Especially when Hillary, the greatest political figure on the scene, won't be picked, probably? Yep, all in all, just a lotta bad shit for Obama.

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

Karen, Talk about unifying a party, wow, that will only unify the republicans. They hate the Clintons. You need to get over Clinton. She lost fair and square. I voted for Bill twice. I would never have voted for Hillary. She will do great things in the senate that where she should stay just like Ted Kennedy. But we dont need any more Clintons, or Bushs. Enough of them already. Turn the page. Am 60 yrs old, white woman, who as always support Obama. Surely you want a democrat in the White House.

KarenMrsLloydRichards · 1 year ago

Karen uses free indirect discourse to paraphrase, in character, the talking heads she sees. This was a rendition of Ms. Joan Walsh (editor of Salon.com) and her desperate clinging on to HRC...

Jeremy_in_Denver · 1 year ago

Eh, this almost reads like a namejacking, I can't make anything of what the previous poster said.

Clinton fought a tough campaign, and damn near won the nomination. There were plenty of dirty tricks, both inside and from without. However, she lost. If this is a lesson HRC whould learn, that lesson is 'do not count your chickens until they're hatched'. She went into this thinking she couldn't lose. Murphy just couldn't resist something that tempting, so he waved his diseased tentacle over HRC's campaign and sunk it as only Murphy can. Let this be a lesson to all politicians, Obama included. You can't ever count on winning until the votes are counted. Don't act like you can.

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

Oh, sorry I am having a senior moment. Joan Walsh is having a problem of letting go.

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

How hard is it to recognize the Rove fingerprints on the McBush campaign, anyway?

I suppose, then, that we're far smarter than those who would presume to know the "news" these days, eh? The MSM is waaaay behind, IMHO.

BorninUSA · 1 year ago

There are all kinds of 'true' items that Obama could use against mcshame but for some reason unknown to us his advisors don't seem to want to get their hands dirty. One very important thing they could use is mcshame's voting record for the past two years. He has none. Another is the lies mcshame is tossing around and all of the flip flopping he is doing. Why aren't the Obama people out there disputing what mcshame is saying? Trying to be a nice guy gets you nowhere in politics.

KarenMrsLloydRichards · 1 year ago

Bit if Obama "hits" back, then he'll just be The Angry Black Man. So, no, it's just gonna have to be a high-minded, dignified Obama campaign. Which will cost him.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Karen: These slime tactics can and must be contested by surrogates. We must learn from the past ( Kerry Swift Boating ) or be condemned to relive it. The slime cannot be ignored. This is the lesson which must be heeded. " High minded, dignified" tactics don't work in the sewer occupied by Rove/Bush/McSame. How many lessons are needed?

SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

You are so right. But am afraid of one card that the republicans are good at playing. The race card. I think Obama can overcome it but there are narrow minded people that just wont vote for a black man. That is so sad because Obama is really trying not to bring race into the picture. But dont worrry Rove will.

ron071 · 1 year ago

SouthernYankee: Racism is a disease. Those voters who are racists will
probably remain that way. Only time may cure them of their disease.
Fortunately we are in a better time regarding this social affliction. The number of
racial voters is hopefully decreasing and the strong Obama campaign will garner
enough votes to overcome that number. The get out the vote effort will be
the crucial factor. This number will be a landslide number and will ensure
victory. The base is there if they come out and hence getting out the vote is
the key.



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SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

I pray that this country can move forward. I want it to. You are right of
course.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Hi Southern Yankee, Keep hope alive and also keep up your political energy
level. Encourage supporters, try to convince undecideds, present facts to
independents , and contradict the arguments of the More Pain With McCain
folks. Of course, any contribution you can make will surely aide the effort.
Best, Ron



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SouthernYankee · 1 year ago

Hi Ron,

Thanks I needed that talking to. I will. You keep up the good blog also.

tlsintx · 1 year ago

if this is how Obama "responds" he is on to something...
this is what people are craving:

he's going to scour every one of Bush's executive orders and fix the ones that trample on liberty...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/30/obama-...

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

Obama "alienates" but McBush "inspires?"

Boy, are we fucked. As usual, the MSM is marching to the Rethug drummer.

Bostonian_Queer_in_Dallas · 1 year ago

And the Karlroving on the idiot electorate works. He learned at the feet of Lee Atwater. It works and works very well. Far too many people make their political decisions based on fifteen second TV ads that slam them during October. They are sold a candidate just as they are sold crap like fast food and oversized cars. There is a reason we see this cycle after cycle. It works.

So let Karl Rove do it again and again. Until the nation truly wakes up, we will have more Bushes and McCains and Huckabees and other crap people running the show. The blogsphere may make a dent this time. I am optimistic. But I am also living in a sea of ignorance here. There are STILL people down here talking about how Obama is really a Muslim terrorist. And if their lives are misery, well they have only themselves to blame. They keep electing sewer rats to run things.

Milli · 1 year ago

The age of Rove is over. Hillary pretty much proved that. May the man soon go away and to live out the rest of his empty, bitter, lonely, life - because thats what happens to people like that when no one wants to listen to them anymore.

OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

That's pretty naive, really. There will be someone to replace Rove, of course. There always is someone who will lie, cheat, steal and kill to get the worst cockroaches elected to serve corporate America.

Bush_Bites · 1 year ago

Yeah.

Just like Rove was a spawn of Lee Atwater, there will soon be spawns of KKKarl Rove scurrying around in the damp recesses of politics.

Milli · 1 year ago

Its not naive its the truth. People aren't falling for Rove's tactics this time. In fact, he's hurting McCain more than helping helping him right now. Nothing that they've thrown at Obama so far has stuck. Hillary did a better job of bloodying him up in the primaries.

I know that there will always be more liars and cheaters to replace the ones we have now, but it will be satisfying to see this particular "turdblossom" fade into obscurity. These people don't surround themselves with ethical and emotionally healthy people so he's pretty much guaranteed for himself a miserable life once he's no longer useful.

ron071 · 1 year ago

How does Milli conclude that " People aren't falling for Rove's tactics this time"? These ARE Rove's tactics. He has not gone away. We won't know if the repeat of Rovian tactics are working until the election is over and then it may be too late. These tactics must be agressively contested now and whenever they surface. To ignore them is a peril which cannot be risked.

Milli · 1 year ago

No, we don't have to wait until after the election to know. Do you think that McCains ad about Obama screwing the troops was successful and didn't backfire on him?

ron071 · 1 year ago

Neither you nor I KNOW the efects of uncontested lies but we DO know the
effect they had upon the Kerry campaign. The risk is an unacceptable one.



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Milli · 1 year ago

So what do you suggest we do?

ron071 · 1 year ago

Hi again Milli: My suggestion is an Active and Strong rebuttal of each and
every lie which is put out by the Rove-directed McSame campaign. Soon, it
will be crystal clear that the Republicans need lies, lies, and more lies to
sustain their failed policies. Confront lies with truth. We must not repeat
the errors of the Kerry campaign. The voters must be told that lies don't
equal truth. Uncover the worm and it dies. History requires that we don't
repeat the errors of the past. NO LIE CAN GO UNEXPOSED. You will be amazed at
how soon the worm will die when exposed to sunlight ( truth).



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Jeremy_in_Denver · 1 year ago

I agree. Milli, ignoring Rove has a catastrophic end result at the worst end of the spectrum. Exposing his lies must happen, publically, and loudly.

I hope Obama is up to the task.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Jeremy: I just e-mailed Millie with the same sentiment. Today in Rolla ,
MIssouri Obama started to put the stake through the snake and responded
strongly to the sleaze coming forth from the Rovian McBush campaign. I trust and
hope he will continue to respond forcefully every time the snake rises. Best,
Ron



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ron071 · 1 year ago

Milli: How can you say that : " The age of Rove is over"? He is clearly now directing the McCain sleaze campaign?

Milli · 1 year ago

Yes he is directing McCain, but are his efforts actually working like they did in 2000 and 2004? He's failing miserably by those standards.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Milli: Your conclusions seem to come from thin air. How do you know that
the Rovian tacts aren't working or won't work again? You don't and can't know
this. Are you willing to risk another four-eight years of McBush? The RISK
is too great to ignore!



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Milli · 1 year ago

Why do you think that Rove is some God that can't be toppled? Come out of your hiding place and into the light. Talk to people. Listen to what they say. People are tired of these republicans.

And I'm not saying that Rove should be ignored, I just think he's failing miserably at his attempts to bring Obama down. This ad was so incredibly pathetic - pathetic!! Even the media is calling him out on it? How can you say that it worked out well for McCain? The lies and the swiftboating aren't working. Let them keep coming though if they're going to be as ridiculous as this latest one.

People aren't buying this crap anymore. They're too excited about finally having a strong candidate who defends himself against attacks like this. Kerry failed miserably at that.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Milli: My point is that the Obama campaign is NOT regularly exposing the
lies. Neither you nor anyone else knows if the lies are going to work. We
simply cannot afford to take that chance AGAIN. The MSM will not do the job
which must be done by the campaign ads and its surrogates. Hope is great but not
excessive risk when so much is at stake. There is NO downside to exposing
lies and sleaze but there is much downside to allowing them to lie without
regular condemnation. Drive a stake through the snake.



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Milli · 1 year ago

I basically agree with everything your saying, but I think we are in a much different political climate than we were four years ago. More people are struggling to survive now. They don't care about these idiotic attacks that Karl Rove spewing out. I live in Maine and people are seriously worried about the cost of heating oil next winter. A lot of us barely scraped by this past winter and some of us had to spend nights sleeping on the kitchen floor because the only source of heat they could get was from the oven. I'm not even getting into the rising cost of gas, electricity, and food - and then there's the whole mortgage crisis. These are real, sobering, tangible problems. Flag pins, redefinitions of patriotism, whether Obama can visit a mosque or whether its proper for him to play basketball - these are bullshit issues. Let Rove do what he's gonna do and say what he's gonna say. Let FOX try to tell us what we should and should not care about. People are tired. People know whats wrong and people know who's screwing them over. There are millions of people out there that would love the chance to tell Rove, Bush, McCain, where to stick their flag pins.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't pay attention to Rove. I just have more faith in the voters this time around. When the republicans try to steal this election, they're be hell to pay if they succeed. People won't remain quiet anymore. This is just the sense I'm getting. A tried and true republican that I know who worked on Barry Goldwater's campain when he was young - is voting for Obama. If he can change his mind - anyone can.

ron071 · 1 year ago

I ask that you look at the political environment as it is and beyond the NE
area where you live. It has been long proven that the sleaze attacks must be
answered. It goes beyond John Kerry. Do you remember the personal attcks
on Gore? Do you remember the attacks on Dukakis? Why do you assume that
people have changed? Surely the economic conditions are terrible and the
Republicans bear the responsibility. That does NOT equate to diminution of the
effects of unanswered sleaze attacks. Two different issues require two different
responses. If you tuned into Obama's Rolla, Missouri townhall today you
will see that he is now responding to the attacks. He must, and I trust will,
keep putting the stake through the snake as he continues on the high road we
all admire. Best, Ron



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Milli · 1 year ago

You're right, people suck and will never, ever, change. Nice talking to you.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Hi Milli: Many people will never change but there are also those who, given
time and reason can and do change. So I say to you to keep an open mind and
hope alive. Best, Ron



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OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago

Bob Casey on CSPAN talking about corruption in Iraq contracting, and more specifically about GIs killed because of it (showering, etc.) One total moron made a personal attack on Casey, accusing him of "Dem dirty tactics" (this idiot probably has never seen inside of a recruiting station). These are the kinds of Rethug operatives you have to look out for.

Casey also stated that KBR has netted $24 billion in its war profiteering (my words) in Iraq, and faults the Pentagon, in the end, for these contracts. Wonder how much has been put in trust for Cheney?

Bush_Bites · 1 year ago

Afghanistan's Ambassador to the United States trumpeted major portions of Barack Obama's approach towards his country on Tuesday, marking the second time in as many weeks that an official at the center of U.S.-Mideast policy has echoed the Illinois Senator's agenda.

Said Jawad, who has been at the ambassador's post since 2003, avoided specific references to Obama and his rival Sen. John McCain. But on a broad range of issues that divide the two candidates -- defining the main battleground in the war on terror, U.S. military commitments to Afghanistan, and combating terrorist activity in Pakistan -- he agreed with the prescriptions of the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Indigo · 1 year ago

Good morning!
The Dog Days are upon us until mid-August. Everything is miserable. I expect that after the double whammy of the convention and the decision about the vice-presidential candidate (Hillary?), the Obama Democratic Party will deliver a whirlwind of an attack on McCain's lies [unless Dean 's non-representative DNC has already orchestrated yet another Kerry Sellout].

Milli · 1 year ago

m

tlsintx · 1 year ago

great editorial in the NYT.
it's a pretty new thing that even the NYT comes right out and calls Rove the dirty cheating liar he is, and calls out McSame for turning Rovian.

Things were different even as recently as when Kerry got swiftboated...we got us a whole new ball game.
how long before the WSJ and USA Today print something like this...

jr · 1 year ago

"It's ok if you suck up to the people who said I had a black lovechild in 2000. I can't wait to pick out the curtains for the white house"-crackhead Cindy to McCombover

ron071 · 1 year ago

The Obama campaign now faces its greatest challenge. It must immediately embark upon an aggresive campaign to debunk the Rove smear tactics being employed by the McBush campaign. Surely the lessons learned from the Swift Boat methods clearly mandate such a forceful and effective response.

tlsintx · 1 year ago

I disagree.
I'd rather see Obama continue to do things as he's doing, like announcing that if he's elected he'll review every one of Bush's executive orders.

ron071 · 1 year ago

Of course I respect your differing point of view. I ask only that you
recall how this high road acceptance strategy helped defeat John Kerry. It is a
known political fact that unanswered attacks stick. Think this through.
Obama can respond to sleaze and remain on the high road but he ignores the
attacks at his peril. Best, Ron



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