Campaign 2008

[bobobrazil1984 0]

I don't think Obama should concern himself with getting a VP to win a specific state or two unless they can manage a gigantic swing (and most candidates can't). Going with a complement is probably a better option to try to help plug weaknesses in Obama himself, to try and focus a few general undecideds, wider audience of people to influence.

[2GOLD 0]

 

Joltin' Joe Biden from Delaware is one of the final three? Wow, that's just wow. Joe is actually a pretty decent guy, it's just he doesn't have an internal "SHUT THE HELL UP" button.

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

August 18, 2008

Despite Assurances, McCain Wasn’t in a ‘Cone of Silence’

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

ORLANDO, Fla. — Senator John McCain was not in a “cone of silence” on Saturday night while his rival, Senator Barack Obama, was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California.

 

Members of the McCain campaign staff, who flew here Sunday from California, said Mr. McCain was in his motorcade on the way to the church as Mr. Obama was being interviewed by the Rev. Rick Warren, the author of the best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life.”

 

The matter is of interest because Mr. McCain, who followed Mr. Obama’s hourlong appearance in the forum, was asked virtually the same questions as Mr. Obama. Mr. McCain’s performance was well received, raising speculation among some viewers, especially supporters of Mr. Obama, that he was not as isolated during the Obama interview as Mr. Warren implied.

 

Nicolle Wallace, a spokeswoman for Mr. McCain, said on Sunday night that Mr. McCain had not heard the broadcast of the event while in his motorcade and heard none of the questions.

 

“The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,” Ms. Wallace said.

 

Before an audience of more than 2,000 people at the church, the candidates answered questions about policy and social issues.

 

Mr. Warren, the pastor of Saddleback, had assured the audience while he was interviewing Mr. Obama that “we have safely placed Senator McCain in a cone of silence” and that he could not hear the questions.

 

After Mr. Obama’s interview, he was joined briefly by Mr. McCain, and the candidates shook hands and embraced.

 

Mr. Warren started by asking Mr. McCain, “Now, my first question: Was the cone of silence comfortable that you were in just now?”

 

Mr. McCain deadpanned, “I was trying to hear through the wall.”

 

Interviewed Sunday on CNN, Mr. Warren seemed surprised to learn that Mr. McCain was not in the building during the Obama interview.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/us/polit...amp;oref=slogin

 

 

Two observations:

 

1. Senator McCain, I do believe your pants are on fire.

 

2. Do you think his campaign staff uses the fact that he was a POW in regular conversation?

 

"John McCain, a prisoner of war, will be arriving at 7:30."

 

"John McCain, a prisoner of war, would like to meet with the governor on Tuesday."

 

"John McCain, a prisoner of war, would like fries with that."

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

A few sources are also claiming Kathleen Sebelius is still on the short list as well.

[Guest WhackingCockDick]

The whole joke behind the cone of silence was that it didn't work, so that makes the failed attempt at an isolation booth that much funnier. Rick Warren probably didn't watch a lot of Nick at Nite in the early '90s.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

So what's the likelihood of an OMG SWERVE~! happening?

Is Hillary a swerve?

[bobobrazil1984 0]

A few sources are also claiming Kathleen Sebelius is still on the short list as well.

 

Obama/Sebelius is too weird a combination of names for America. and yes I do believe that the "middle ground" voters are so superficial that would turn them off. nOt in an obvious way, it'll just be this 'feeling' that the ticket isn't right.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

If its Biden..

 

I wonder how long until someone slips up and says Obama/Obiden

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

A few sources are also claiming Kathleen Sebelius is still on the short list as well.

 

Obama/Sebelius is too weird a combination of names for America. and yes I do believe that the "middle ground" voters are so superficial that would turn them off. nOt in an obvious way, it'll just be this 'feeling' that the ticket isn't right.

A variation on that rationale might be why Richardson will probably be kept off of the ticket.

 

 

 

 

 

And much has been made of a counter clue: Sen. Joe Biden has been uncharacteristically quiet recently.

 

The senator from Delaware, just off a two-day trip to the republic of Georgia, has been quickly rising to the top tier of VP contenders.

 

On Tuesday, Biden drove a white pickup truck past a group of reporters and said only: "I'm not the guy. See you."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/19/oba...n.vp/index.html

 

I like how Biden keeping his mouth shut is considered some huge clue.

[SuperJerk 0]

Jack Cafferty takes McCain to task for his percieved lack of depth.

 

Commentary: Is McCain another George W. Bush?

 

 

By Jack Cafferty

 

 

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Russia invades Georgia and President Bush goes on vacation. Our president has spent one-third of his entire two terms in office either at Camp David, Maryland, or at Crawford, Texas, on vacation.

 

His time away from the Oval Office included the month leading up to 9/11, when there were signs Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America, and the time Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans.

 

Sen. John McCain takes weekends off and limits his campaign events to one a day. He made an exception for the religious forum on Saturday at Saddleback Church in Southern California.

 

I think he made a big mistake. When he was invited last spring to attend a discussion of the role of faith in his life with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, McCain didn't bother to show up. Now I know why.

 

It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. When asked what his Christian faith means to him, his answer was a one-liner. "It means I'm saved and forgiven." Great scholars have wrestled with the meaning of faith for centuries. McCain then retold a story we've all heard a hundred times about a guard in Vietnam drawing a cross in the sand.

 

Asked about his greatest moral failure, he cited his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While saying it was his greatest moral failing, he offered nothing in the way of explanation. Why not?

 

Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.

 

He was asked "if evil exists." His response was to repeat for the umpteenth time that Osama bin Laden is a bad man and he will pursue him to "the gates of hell." That was it.

 

He was asked to define rich. After trying to dodge the question -- his wife is worth a reported $100 million -- he finally said he thought an income of $5 million was rich.

 

One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.

 

Where are John McCain's writings exploring the vexing moral issues of our time? Where are his position papers setting forth his careful consideration of foreign policy, the welfare state, education, America's moral responsibility in the world, etc., etc., etc.?

 

John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.

 

He no longer allows reporters unfettered access to him aboard the "Straight Talk Express" for a reason. He simply makes too many mistakes. Unless he's reciting talking points or reading from notes or a TelePrompTer, John McCain is lost. He can drop bon mots at a bowling alley or diner -- short glib responses that get a chuckle, but beyond that McCain gets in over his head very quickly.

 

I am sick and tired of the president of the United States embarrassing me. The world we live in is too complex to entrust it to someone else whose idea of intellectual curiosity and grasp of foreign policy issues is to tell us he can look into Vladimir Putin's eyes and see into his soul.

 

George Bush's record as a student, military man, businessman and leader of the free world is one of constant failure. And the part that troubles me most is he seems content with himself.

 

He will leave office with the country $10 trillion in debt, fighting two wars, our international reputation in shambles, our government cloaked in secrecy and suspicion that his entire presidency has been a litany of broken laws and promises, our citizens' faith in our own country ripped to shreds. Yet Bush goes bumbling along, grinning and spewing moronic one-liners, as though nobody understands what a colossal failure he has been.

 

I fear to the depth of my being that John McCain is just like him.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/18/caf...cain/index.html

 

[Cherry Blossom Viscount 0]

A new poll is out.......

 

McCain overtakes Obama

 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

 

McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.

 

The reversal follows a month of attacks by McCain, who has questioned Obama's experience, criticized his opposition to most new offshore oil drilling and mocked his overseas trip.

 

The poll was taken Thursday through Saturday as Obama wrapped up a weeklong vacation in Hawaii that ceded the political spotlight to McCain, who seized on Russia's invasion of Georgia to emphasize his foreign policy views.

 

"There is no doubt the campaign to discredit Obama is paying off for McCain right now," pollster John Zogby said. "This is a significant ebb for Obama."

 

McCain now has a 9-point edge, 49 percent to 40 percent, over Obama on the critical question of who would be the best manager of the economy -- an issue nearly half of voters said was their top concern in the November 4 presidential election.

 

That margin reversed Obama's 4-point edge last month on the economy over McCain, an Arizona senator and former Vietnam prisoner of war who has admitted a lack of economic expertise and shows far greater interest in foreign and military policy.

 

McCain has been on the offensive against Obama during the last month over energy concerns, with polls showing strong majorities supporting his call for an expansion of offshore oil drilling as gasoline prices hover near $4 a gallon.

 

Obama had opposed new offshore drilling, but said recently he would support a limited expansion as part of a comprehensive energy program.

 

That was one of several recent policy shifts for Obama, as he positions himself for the general election battle. But Zogby said the changes could be taking a toll on Obama's support, particularly among Democrats and self-described liberals.

 

"That hairline difference between nuance and what appears to be flip-flopping is hurting him with liberal voters," Zogby said.

 

Obama's support among Democrats fell 9 percentage points this month to 74 percent, while McCain has the backing of 81 percent of Republicans. Support for Obama, an Illinois senator, fell 12 percentage points among liberals, with 10 percent of liberals still undecided compared to 9 percent of conservatives.

 

OBAMA NEEDS TO WORK ON BASE

 

"Conservatives were supposed to be the bigger problem for McCain," Zogby said. "Obama still has work to do on his base. At this point McCain seems to be doing a better job with his."

 

The dip in support for Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, cut across demographic and ideological lines. He slipped among Catholics, born-again Christians, women, independents and younger voters. He retained the support of more than 90 percent of black voters.

 

"There were no wild swings, there isn't one group that is radically different than last month or even two months ago. It was just a steady decline for Obama across the board," Zogby said.

 

Obama's support among voters between the ages of 18 and 29, which had been one of his strengths, slipped 12 percentage points to 52 percent. McCain, who will turn 72 next week, was winning 40 percent of younger voters.

 

"Those are not the numbers Obama needs to win," Zogby said about Americans under 30. The 47-year-old is counting on a strong turnout among young voters, a key bloc of support during his primary battle with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

 

It made little difference when independent candidate Ralph Nader and Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr, who are both trying to add their names to state ballots.

 

McCain still held a 5-point edge over Obama, 44 percent to 39 percent, when all four names were included. Barr earned 3 percent and Nader 2 percent.

 

Most national polls have given Obama a narrow lead over McCain throughout the summer. In the Reuters/Zogby poll, Obama had a 5-point lead in June, shortly after he clinched the Democratic nomination, and an 8-point lead on McCain in May.

 

The telephone poll of 1,089 likely voters had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

 

The poll was taken as both candidates head into their nominating conventions and the announcements of their choices of vice presidential picks. The Democratic convention begins on Monday in Denver, with the Republican convention opening the next Monday, September 1, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

(Editing by Patricia Wilson and Patricia Zengerle)

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080820/ts_nm/...oll_politics_dc

 

Perhaps it's safe to say people weren't as ready for this guy as the hype would have you to believe. I think people like the idea of change more than the action required to accomplish it.

[snuffbox 0]

The American voter is as dumb as it gets. The race is no better than 50/50 for Obama. The voters actually seem to think that offshore drilling will save everything overnight just because they believe a man who was paid by a subsidized industry to tell them so.

[EricMM 0]

I pray that poll is some kind of outlier.

 

But the ignorance of the American people is frustrating beyond compare.

[snuffbox 0]

"I heard offshore drilling will fix everything immediately and, oh hey, I need to wipe off my shirt again."

[Art Sandusky 0]

I'm ignoring all the polls until after the debates. I agree with people saying this'll be like 1980. People weren't sold on Reagan until it was damn near election day.

[NoCalMike 0]

Bush being re-elected in 2004 makes just about anything seem possible in our future, until proven otherwise.

[SuperJerk 0]

None of the polls are saying the same things, but most polls are saying Obama is ahead.

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/20...t/national.html

 

McCain is using every thing he has right now, and Obama is holding back for some reason. McCain has SO MANY weaknesses left to exploit that haven't been tapped yet.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

bahahahaha! we're going to elect ANOTHER Republican. This country is always good for a few laughs!

[EricMM 0]

Or tears...

[snuffbox 0]

 

A Liston punch from a Democrat, finally.

[snuffbox 0]

I'm going to the Ron Paul counter-convention in Minneapolis.

[Gary Floyd 0]

That guy who wrote "Obama Nation" and "Unfit for Command"?

[SuperJerk 0]

 

A Liston punch from a Democrat, finally.

 

Good for a start, but going after the number of houses McCain owns seems trivial when you can attack his unequivocal support for one of the worst foreign policy disasters in American history, the economic deregulation that helped cause the mortgage crisis, the tax cuts that helped cause our current budget crisis, taking away a woman's right to choose, and expanding the war into Iran.

 

 

Here's what some governor of Virginia or possible V.P. nominee or something had to say on the matter...

 

 

Tim Kaine is Vice President of Cheap Jokes!

[Jingus 0]

his unequivocal support for one of the worst foreign policy disasters in American history, the economic deregulation that helped cause the mortgage crisis, the tax cuts that helped cause our current budget crisis, taking away a woman's right to choose, and expanding the war into Iran.

You mean his support for spreading democracy and fighting terror, cutting through red tape so that businesses can operate in the most efficient manner, cutting unnecessary taxes to give money back to the little guy, protecting the lives of helpless unborn children, and spreading more democracy and fighting more terror?

 

It's almost painful to read some of the discourse with Jerk because it seems like he really truly cannot believe that anyone really holds those views. Like he thinks they're all just kidding and have some kind of hidden ulterior motive. But that's the problem here; there are people who believe exactly what I just typed. And not just a few of 'em. We're talking millions (AND MILLIONS) of folks who literally believe in that manner. Hell, don't some polls in this country still say that about fifty percent of Americans still disbelieve the theory of evolution? Trying to act like the conservatives are a loose collection of scattered fringe lunatics who are out of touch with the general population will not help the liberal cause. They are the general population. Or, like I said weeks ago, don't expect the Republicans to just roll over and die come November. It'll still be a fight.

[At Home 0]

I don't know what you're trying to say, Jingus. Of course he's going to talk like that. This isn't CNN, you're allowed to be biased.

[At Home 0]

 

A Liston punch from a Democrat, finally.

 

Damn you, feeding into my worst vices. Youtube comments from truthers and shit are pretty hilarious.

 

"WE GAVE OSAMA MONEY LOOK AT THE FACTS OMG"

 

We gave Osama Bin Laden money in the 1980s to fight Russia in Afghanistan, as well as to plan 9/11 HAHAHA SUCH WONDERFUL FORESIGHT.

[Jingus 0]

I don't know what you're trying to say, Jingus. Of course he's going to talk like that. This isn't CNN, you're allowed to be biased.

I just get this feeling of uncomprehending disbelief from Jerk when he talks about some of this stuff, like he literally cannot seem to understand how anyone could possibly disagree with his positions. We'd sort of touched on it before a few pages back, when he was basically insisting that Obama was going to stomp all over McCain and walk off to the White House without even breaking a sweat.

[SuperJerk 0]

his unequivocal support for one of the worst foreign policy disasters in American history, the economic deregulation that helped cause the mortgage crisis, the tax cuts that helped cause our current budget crisis, taking away a woman's right to choose, and expanding the war into Iran.

You mean his support for spreading democracy and fighting terror, cutting through red tape so that businesses can operate in the most efficient manner, cutting unnecessary taxes to give money back to the little guy, protecting the lives of helpless unborn children, and spreading more democracy and fighting more terror?

 

It's almost painful to read some of the discourse with Jerk because it seems like he really truly cannot believe that anyone really holds those views. Like he thinks they're all just kidding and have some kind of hidden ulterior motive. But that's the problem here; there are people who believe exactly what I just typed. And not just a few of 'em. We're talking millions (AND MILLIONS) of folks who literally believe in that manner. Hell, don't some polls in this country still say that about fifty percent of Americans still disbelieve the theory of evolution? Trying to act like the conservatives are a loose collection of scattered fringe lunatics who are out of touch with the general population will not help the liberal cause. They are the general population. Or, like I said weeks ago, don't expect the Republicans to just roll over and die come November. It'll still be a fight.

Yes, I see what you're saying...the Republicans are going to drag out the same tired old talking points. And I'm saying that the talking points are pretty easy to refute, so long as you can get the public to listen. I don't think its that hard to get the public to acknowledge the complete failure of the Republican Party to govern the country for the last 8 years. Bush's approval rating is in the toilet. So, yes, I honestly DO have a hard time believing people still think the Republican way is best, and recycling George W. Bush's campaign speeches isn't going to win any elections anytime soon.

 

Conservatives are not the general population. A majority of Americans believe the Iraq War was a mistake. A majority of Americans probably think rich people don't pay enough taxes. A majority of Americans are probably worried about the mortgage crisis. A majority of Americans don't want the government telling women they can't have an abortion. A majority of Americans would rather focus on fighting terrorists than reshaping the world in our own image. The Democrats are actually where the general public is on these issues, but there is no general population that the majority of Americans fit into. Conservatives, at most, make up 1/3 of the country. In order to win an election, the liberals (also probably about 1/3) have to convince the remaining third that they deserve a chance instead of doing things the old way. You see, that's the advantage the Democrats have this time around...its pretty easy to effectively demonstrate the Republican way DOESN'T WORK because of how screwed up the country is right now.

[Guest]

This is just a question, but if you think the country is proportioned politically in such a way, why do Republican candidates have to "go to the right?" Bush getting re-elected is all the proof you need to show that your one-third's aren't really the case. And also, why do Democrats need to become more-centrist?

 

For that matter, can you define liberal for me? Bleeding-heart? There ain't as many of those as you think, even in good 'ol California. The vocal left that is so anti-Bush doesn't constitute 1/3rd of the population. 1/3rd of the voting population, matter of fact.

[SuperJerk 0]

This is just a question, but if you think the country is proportioned politically in such a way, why do Republican candidates have to "go to the right?" Bush getting re-elected is all the proof you need to show that your one-third's aren't really the case. And also, why do Democrats need to become more-centrist?

 

The voters in Republican primaries, and this has been proven time and again, are far more conservative than the majority of Americans. A Republican needs to move to the right to get the nomination, then move to the "center" to win the general election. The voters in Democratic primaries are more liberal than the majority of Americans, so Democrats campaign as liberal in the primaries, then move to the "center" for the general election.