Campaign 2008

[snuffbox 0]

HE WENT TO HIS HOUSE! HE WENT TO HIS HOUSE! LISTEN TO ME! I CANT STOP SQUINTING!

[The Niggardly King 0]

HE WENT TO HIS HOUSE! feels like the political equivalent to, HE'S IN GEORGE'S BOX!

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

...a misreading of the teleprompter led McCain to sound a little bit more like a teetotaler fraternity president than a presidential candidate. Speaking about his use of the veto pen to eliminate wasteful spending, he declared, "I will veto every single beer, um, bill with earmarks."

 

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...10/1127943.aspx

 

He'll get my lager from my cold, dead, slightly inebriated hands.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

According to sources on the Hill, Obama veep vetters -- specifically Jim Johnson and Eric Holder -- have been asking Dem members of Congress this week their input about potential running mates. The conversations are free-flowing but one name the vetters are inserting in the conversations is one that is not a household name... Ret. Gen. James Jones, the former Marine-turned-NATO Supreme Allied Commander...

 

Besides Jones, the other names on the list bandied about with congressional Dems include (and not in any order): Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Kathleen Sebelius, Ted Strickland, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb, Bill Nelson, Jack Reed, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Tom Daschle, and Sam Nunn.

 

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...10/1127710.aspx

[SuperJerk 0]

This is one of the clearest choices in any election I've ever seen...

 

McCain's latest Iraq comments draw fire

 

The Obama campaign is attack McCain over his recent Iraq remarks.

(CNN) — Barack Obama's campaign seized on an interview Wednesday by presidential rival John McCain where he said the date when U.S. troops can begin to withdraw from Iraq is "not too important."

 

The Arizona senator made the comments on NBC's Today Show where he was asked if he had an estimate of when a withdrawal process may be possible.

 

"No, but that's not too important," McCain replied. "What’s important is the casualties in Iraq, Americans are in South Korea, Americans are in Japan, American troops are in Germany. That’s all fine. American casualties and the ability to withdraw; we will be able to withdraw."

 

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Obama surrogate and former presidential candidate John Kerry said McCain consistently confuses facts about the war and is "unbelievably out of touch."

 

"It is unbelievably out of touch and inconsistent with the needs of Americans and particularly the families of troops who are over there," the Massachusetts senator said. "To them it’s the most important thing in the world when they come home. It’s a policy for staying in Iraq."

 

Later when asked if calling McCain "confused" could be taken as a shot at the 71-year-old senator's age, Kerry said that suggestion was "unfair and ridiculous."

 

Meanwhile, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said the Obama campaign is launching "a false attack."

 

 

“The Obama campaign is embarking on a false attack on John McCain to hide their own candidate’s willingness to disregard facts on the ground in pursuit of withdrawal no matter what the costs," he said.

 

"John McCain was asked if he had a ‘better estimate’ for a timeline for withdrawal," he also said. " As John McCain has always said, that is not as important as conditions on the ground and the recommendations of commanders in the field."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/...ents-draw-fire/

 

McCain's premise all along has been that the American people only want to leave Iraq because of the casualties. This doesn't jibe with the fact that most Americans think we should've never gone over there in the first place, and don't think our presence there is doing any good. If Americans actually beleived in the mission, the casualties wouldn't bother us as much because we'd feel the sacrifice was a necessary evil of doing the right thing. That's just not the case.

[Guest Smues]

 

Motorhome One FTW. He could use the RV thing from Stripes.

 

Edit: Apparantly 10 years ago McCain said “Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.” He gets my vote!

[Atticus Chaos 0]

The New York times says Bill Clinton now has an enemies list of those that betrayed him and Hillary during the democratic nomination campaign. The names include

 

Sen. Claire McCaskill

Bill Richardson

James Clyburn

David Axelrod

Matt Drudge

MSNBC

A few of the Kennedys

The state of Iowa

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/us/politics/11clinton.html

 

 

These people are going to pay...

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

Look, any enemies list with the Kennedys, Iowa, and MSNBC on it is fine by me. Whack 'em all. And then whack a mole.

[2GOLD 0]

Bill Richardson

 

So Bill is going to Kill Bill? Man, that's a twist on a part three I NEVER saw coming!

 

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Look, any enemies list with the Kennedys, Iowa, and MSNBC on it is fine by me. Whack 'em all. And then whack a Mole.

 

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

 

I might be writing in a candidate...

[Jingus 0]

 

I might be writing in a candidate...

 

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

No predominantly white country has ever elected a black person to its highest political office.

[Gary Floyd 0]

 

I might be writing in a candidate...

You make me sad.

[2GOLD 0]

To be fair to Marv, at least he's going to be voting. If he doesn't like any of the candidates involved (examples: Kerry vs Bush), there is nothing wrong with him deciding to use his right to vote on a pick he deems more deserving whose views he agrees with.

[NoCalMike 0]

"What’s important is the casualties in Iraq, Americans are in South Korea, Americans are in Japan, American troops are in Germany. That’s all fine.

 

I never understood this argument by McCain. Why is it "fine" that we find it necessary to have troops stationed in these(and a hell of a lot more) countries. I am not saying it isn't necessary for various reasons, but WHY is it a GOOD thing? Is it really "fine" that Americans are stationed in South Korea and Germany? Necessary, maybe, Fine...ummmm?

[godthedog 0]

To be fair to Marv, at least he's going to be voting. If he doesn't like any of the candidates involved (examples: Kerry vs Bush), there is nothing wrong with him deciding to use his right to vote on a pick he deems more deserving whose views he agrees with.

and amusingly, it has exactly the same amount of influence as someone writing in his own name or mickey mouse's name for shits and giggles. exactly the same.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

To be fair to Marv, at least he's going to be voting. If he doesn't like any of the candidates involved (examples: Kerry vs Bush), there is nothing wrong with him deciding to use his right to vote on a pick he deems more deserving whose views he agrees with.

and amusingly, it has exactly the same amount of influence as someone writing in his own name or mickey mouse's name for shits and giggles. exactly the same.

Funny enough, at the show in Harrisburg I heard at least 5 people say that they might vote for Glenn as well. Its a constant theme for him ("YOU SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT"!) which is why he made half his show a campaign speech on why he is "Unelectable".

 

Oh and..if Obama gets turned down by everyone for VP..

 

 

??

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

lol dood

[The Niggardly King 0]

when da fuck did glenn beck blow up??

 

it's all about my niggah dobbs, fuck it should be him up there not cockgobbling beck

[Mike wanna be 0]

 

I might be writing in a candidate...

Go ahead! Throw away your vote!

 

[RepoMan 0]

From the McCain photoshop thread

 

Not only is McCain too old to use a computer, he's an evil Zapatista.

[The Niggardly King 0]

uh oh has to rely on his wife for all the assistance we got another Reagan!

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

 

I might be writing in a candidate...

Go ahead! Throw away your vote!

 

 

remember, I voted for Nader..

[SuperJerk 0]

"What’s important is the casualties in Iraq, Americans are in South Korea, Americans are in Japan, American troops are in Germany. That’s all fine.

 

I never understood this argument by McCain. Why is it "fine" that we find it necessary to have troops stationed in these(and a hell of a lot more) countries. I am not saying it isn't necessary for various reasons, but WHY is it a GOOD thing? Is it really "fine" that Americans are stationed in South Korea and Germany? Necessary, maybe, Fine...ummmm?

We also left troops in Saudi Arabia after Desert Storm, and that turn out so well...oh, shit, nevermind.

[Guest Smues]

I used to vote for Cobra Commander and Roy Orbison and anyone else I could think of on all the voting for student body officers or whatever the fuck it was you could vote for in college. The difference is I didn't actually think it would have any effect, and infact only did it to be a pain in the ass. And because Bob Barker deserved to be student body president damnit.

[SuperJerk 0]

It didn't take long for Obama to win over some key groups...

 

NBC/WSJ Poll: Post-primary bump for Obama

Challenges for both Obama, McCain indicate very competitive race ahead

 

By Mark Murray

Deputy political director

NBC News

updated 6:39 p.m. CT, Wed., June. 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON - Days after becoming his party’s presumptive nominee and receiving an endorsement from his chief rival, Hillary Clinton, Democrat Barack Obama has opened the general election campaign with a six-point edge over Republican John McCain, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

 

Obama leads McCain among registered voters, 47 to 41 percent, which is outside the poll’s margin of error. In the previous NBC/Journal survey, released in late April, Obama was ahead by three points, 46-43 percent.

 

“The poll clearly shows a post-primary bump for Barack Obama,” says Republican pollster Neil Newhouse, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart.

 

But it also shows plenty of challenges for both Obama and McCain, which all add up right now to what may be a close contest this fall.

 

“We have a very competitive race for president,” Hart says, even though the overall political environment tilts strongly in the Democrats’ favor.

 

Obama’s strengths and weaknesses

In the head-to-head matchup, Obama leads McCain among African Americans (83-7 percent), Hispanics (62-28), women (52-33), Catholics (47-40), independents (41-36) and even blue-collar workers (47-42). Obama is also ahead among those who said they voted for Clinton in the Democratic primaries (61-19).

 

Yet among white men — who made up 36 percent of the electorate in the 2004 presidential election — Obama trails McCain by 20 points, 55-35 percent. “That is the reason why this election is close,” Hart notes.

 

In addition, McCain leads Obama among white suburban women (44-38), group which makes up about 10 percent of all voters that Hart calls “absolutely critical” for both candidates in the fall.

 

However, Obama has a seven-point advantage (46-39) among all white women. How important is that lead? Newhouse explains that Republican candidates always expect to win white men by a substantial margin, but it is white women that usually decide the race. “If a Republican wins among white women, we usually win that election,” he says, noting that George W. Bush carried that group in 2000 and 2004.

 

The 200-pound ball and chain

While Obama appears to be struggling with white men and white suburban women in the poll, McCain has what seem to be even bigger challenges. They include President Bush, whose approval rating stands at 28 percent, as well as an electorate that wants change from the president’s policies.

 

In the survey, 54 percent say that they’re looking for a new president who would bring greater changes to current policies, even if that person is less experienced and tested. By contrast, 42 percent say they’d rather have a more experienced and tested person become president, even if that means fewer changes to current policies.

 

Moreover, 59 percent say it's more important to have a president who will focus on progress and moving America forward, versus 37 percent who would rather the president protect what has made America great.

 

“The 200-pound ball and chain around McCain’s foot is George W. Bush,” Hart says. “Unless he figures out a way to cut it loose, he’s going to be dragging it throughout this election.”

 

 

Newhouse adds, “Voters are not convinced that McCain represents the change they want and that he’ll be all that different from Bush.” Indeed, according to the poll, 48 percent say it’s likely that Obama will be real change to the country. Just 21 percent say that of McCain.

 

Another obstacle for McCain is overall voter enthusiasm. Fifty-four percent of the respondents in the poll — no matter whom they are voting for — believe that Obama will win in November. Only 30 percent think McCain will win.

 

Adding Hillary to the ticket

While Obama has a six-point advantage over McCain, that lead expands when New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is added as Obama’s running mate, the poll shows. An Obama-Clinton ticket defeats a GOP one of McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by nine points, 51-42 percent.

 

Twenty-two percent say that adding Clinton as Obama’s vice presidential running mate makes them more likely to vote for Obama in November; 21 percent say it makes them less likely to vote for him; and 55 percent say it makes no difference.

 

 

Looking at the issues that will drive the presidential race, respondents in the poll cite job creation/economic growth and the Iraq war as the top priorities for the federal government to address.

 

The NBC/Journal survey was conducted of 1,000 registered voters from June 6-9; Hillary Clinton officially suspended her campaign and endorsed Obama on June 7. The poll has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25096620/

 

 

 

 

 

And in other news...

 

Fox refers to Michelle Obama as ‘baby mama’

TV graphic read: ‘Outraged liberals: Stop picking on Obama’s baby mama’

 

NEW YORK - Fox News Channel referred to Michelle Obama as “Obama’s baby mama” in a graphic on Wednesday, the latest in a trio of references to the Democratic presidential campaign that have given fuel to network critics.

 

The graphic “Outraged liberals: Stop picking on Obama’s baby mama” was flashed during an interview with conservative columnist Michelle Malkin about whether Barack Obama’s wife has been the target of unfair criticism.

 

In the past two weeks, Fox anchor E.D. Hill has apologized for referring to an affectionate onstage fist bump shared by the couple as a “terrorist fist jab,” and Fox contributor Liz Trotta said she was sorry for joking about an Obama assassination.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25129598/

 

Oh, lord.

[Gary Floyd 0]

John McCain's new enemy. Because the world needs actor's telling them who to vote for.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I'm not voting until they ask who Ja Rule is voting for...

[Jingus 0]

Has there been an Onion story along the lines of "Movie Star Refuses To Make Politically Volatile Comments, Says They Just Don't Care"? I think I remember something like that, but I could be imagining things.