USA Presidential Politics - 2008

[itsmysecondtime]

Originally Posted by dartay

... Clean up the mess? That's laughable.

Have you heard of what happened in the last elections? Care to find out what such dubious state of denial has done for the GOP, and the country at large? Care to read about what the Iraqi quagmire has done for every single American, including you?

Head in the sand indeed.

[ryberg]

Originally Posted by StewartG

Later that semester we were out somewhere and started talking about post graduation plans. She was lamenting her situation, unsure about what to do, where to go, etc. I started in on the same lament. She looks at me and says (with NO malice whatsoever) "But aren't you Jewish?" I said yes. She kind of smiled and said, "So what do YOU have to worry about?" I asked her what she was talking about. She said something like, "Well, the network. You can work anywhere you want, can't you?" So, I laughed at her joke. She, in turn, looked at me with great confusion and asked what I was laughing at.

She wasn't kidding.

OMG...

Well I get -- or at least I think I get -- the point properly, and that it's not racist. There's just such a radically different set of base assumptions that end up filtering whatever is being looked at in such a way that, like you said, it's like you and the other person might not even be from the same planet.

I had the same feeling in a funnier sort of way about 3 years ago when a guest (actually someone who came to us through Playa.Info, though I don't have the impression he ever posted on the forums -- could be wrong, though! ) wanted to cancel the majority of his Christmas period stay here on the spot in order to spend more time in Mérida and who didn't want to pay any cancellation fee. So we're talking several hundred dollars here during the highest demand, highest value period of the entire year for any property down here, and zero notice, and he (apparently) thought we should just absorb that loss.

Anyway, we had been talking for some time, with him often refusing to even look at the terms he'd agreed to and which I'd printed out for him to show him the relevant sections. Finally, however, he agreed, saying, "OK, OK... Show me the cancellation policy." I tried to do that but didn't get very far, as he cut me off with a wave of his hand and said, "You know, I fly first class, I work for [major American TV network], and I don't like policies."

And just as in your case, Stewart, he was serious. That was, really and truly, his view.

I really had no idea how to respond in words for a few seconds, I was so dumbfounded, but my immediate psychological reaction was to feel like people describe when they have an out-of-body or near-death experience, like I suddenly was floating up above the two of us in our reception area, looking down on the conversation from there. You just suddenly hit such radically different assumptions, and the reasoning based on them, deep down there, and you just have that feeling of total separation.

I think this sort of thing also happens at times in discussions about topic X and policies and such, when it comes out that one of the people in the discussion is rather strongly of a given religious persuasion you don't share, because of course then it becomes clear that that person's asssumptions and reasoning stem from that, ultimately, but you don't have that.

Anyway, there's an anecdote in response, FWIW.

Steve

[ryberg]

Originally Posted by itsmysecondtime

Consider who's responsible for the four largest federal deficit busts of all time.
1. 2004 (George W. Bush) $413 billion
2. 2003 (George W. Bush) $378 billion
3. 2005 (George W. Bush) $318 billion
4. 2006 (George W. Bush) $296 billion (projected)

Now he can run around ceremoniously shouting over and over, "I'm number 1234! I'm number 1234!"

Geez, you'd think he'd go easy on his dad. You know, just beat 'em once and be done with it, not 4 times!

Steve

[roni]

Good article on Hilary's weekend in Iowa at nytimes.com.

[itsmysecondtime]

Originally Posted by ryberg

Now he can run around ceremoniously shouting over and over, "I'm number 1234! I'm number 1234!"

Geez, you'd think he'd go easy on his dad. You know, just beat 'em once and be done with it, not 4 times!

Steve

Sad, if not disturbing to even consider the idea that some here consider such devastating tragedies as trivial matters, inferring from all the Dubya boasting in effect along the expected postings.

As for Dubya's reaction, I wouldn't be surprised if he adapts the usual imperative attitude and assert that he'd rather go 12345, it's only a matter of time.

[itsmysecondtime]

Originally Posted by AEHuy

Their called republicans and democrats

I had frijjen a greaj rezponze jo your pozt, buj jhe caid cezzed up jhe keyz fhen she faz duzjing.

[roni]

As Clinton Runs, Some Old Foes Stay on Sideline

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: February 19, 2007

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 — Back when Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was first lady, no one better embodied what she once called the “vast right-wing conspiracy” than Richard Mellon Scaife.

Mr. Scaife, reclusive heir to the Mellon banking fortune, spent more than $2 million investigating and publicizing accusations about the supposed involvement of Mrs. Clinton and former President Bill Clinton in corrupt land deals, sexual affairs, drug running and murder.

But now, as Mrs. Clinton is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, Mr. Scaife’s checkbook is staying in his pocket.

Christopher Ruddy, who once worked full-time for Mr. Scaife investigating the Clintons and now runs a conservative online publication he co-owns with Mr. Scaife, said, “Both of us have had a rethinking.”

“Clinton wasn’t such a bad president,” Mr. Ruddy said. “In fact, he was a pretty good president in a lot of ways, and Dick feels that way today.”

As for the conservative response to Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, Mr. Ruddy said, “The level of intensity and anger toward Hillary is not getting to the level that it was toward Bill Clinton when he was president.” He added, “She has moderated and developed a separate image.”

more at NYTimes.com

[TAPPY]

Food fight !!!!
Hillary vs Obama !!!

[PlayadelSoul]

Originally Posted by TAPPY

Food fight !!!!
Hillary vs Obama !!!

You know I am eating that up. I loved Obama's comeback. I have more respect for that guy, every day. Probably wouldn't pull the lever for him, but its nice to see that someone is not going to let the Clinton's slide on their hypocritical stances. No matter how high the hopes are of Democrats, there is no way in hell that Hillary can win a national election. Even her ex supporters know she is a big phony.

[MWC]

Originally Posted by PlayadelSoul

You know I am eating that up. I loved Obama's comeback. I have more respect for that guy, every day. Probably wouldn't pull the lever for him, but its nice to see that someone is not going to let the Clinton's slide on their hypocritical stances. No matter how high the hopes are of Democrats, there is no way in hell that Hillary can win a national election. Even her ex supporters know she is a big phony.

I absolutely agree. David Geffen hit so many misgivings about the Clintons right on the head -- and because he is an "insider-to-the-max", he was better able to articulate what lay people can only suspect about herself's shortcomings.

First, think the Hillary camp is making a HUGE mistake in attacking Obama on this, and I think Obama had a terrific response. (To paraphrase, along the lines of "I don't know why I should be held responsible for someone else's comments. If the Clintons have an issue with David Geffen, they should take it up with him. Funny they didn't have issues with him when he was raising $18 million for them)

Second, I also think the Hillary camp is making a HUGE mistake in attacking a former supporter. Talk about wanting to be anointed before the American public gets a chance to have its say!

Third, I think the Hillary camp is making a HUGE mistake in attacking David Geffen. he is not only an effective fundraiser and a powerful Hollywood presence. He is also very influential in the gay community.

The Clinton response shows absolutely no sense of perspective or humor. I never thought H was a viable Presidential candidate, but I did have some respect for her. Fading fast ...

[eccentrictinker]

How they see it across the pond.

[dartay]

My newest tshirt for the upcoming election

Attachment 5813

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by dartay

My newest tshirt for the upcoming election

Attachment 5813

Ahhh, there's nothing like an informed electorate...

[MWC]

I am confused about what I am reading in the press about the Clinton-Obama-Geffen imbroglio.
From my POV, I thought the Clinton Camp looked petty for trying to damn Obama with Geffen's comments. And I though Obama deflected the whole thing nicely, with his "I don't see why I should be apologizing for someone else's comments."
The post-game coverage talks about how Obama was dragged through the mud on this, and is running an "old way" campaign.
WTF?

[sctx]

Originally Posted by MWC

The post-game coverage talks about how Obama was dragged through the mud on this, and is running an "old way" campaign.
WTF?

yeah, I'd consider the accusations of "a black man dragging our party down" to be a real mud bath........much more of that talk and we'll see "Obama y Condi in '08" bumper stickers