Reading The Pictures: A Crude Salute
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1. I guess it's a lot easier to pump offshore drilling while standing in dusty, dry, late-summer Bakersfield, especially the week after a cancelled photo-op on a Gulf rig coincided with a massive, local oil spill.
2. In the midst of a U.S. occupation of an oil-rich Persian Gulf country (initiated under false pretenses), conservatives obviously don't get the irony of having their presidential nominee and wife billboarding militarism while standing next to an oil derrick. Given John's worn NAVY hat and Cindy's sparkly rhinestone USMC pin (not to mention the stars-and-stripes), I guess the only real question here is whether the Army is feeling left out.
3. And then, if you check this piece at the NYT, you'll understand the only thing this photo is about is ... skin cancer.
For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.
(image: Mary Altaffer/AP. Red Ribbon Ranch Oil Lease, San Joaquin Facilities Management Inc., July 28, 2008. Bakersfield, Calif)
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That isn't a derrick; it's a pump jack.
Cindy McCain always wears a USMC pin and a blue star flag pin in honor of her son serving in the Marines. Sometimes she wears a Navy pin for her son in the Navy. John McCain served for over 20 years in the Navy, and has another son who also served in the Navy. Most people think they have earned the right to "billboard the military", as you call it.
I wish th eRepublian would stop the the drill, drill, drill mantra. I've done some calculaltions that suggest that we won't need carbon fuels nor nuclear for any of our energy needs. Wind and solar will take care of almost all of enrgy needs (heat, cool, transporatation) with zero-carbon. Shortafalls can be handled with home-sited revewables, tidal and waves, and last but not least, CUTTING our voracious energy appetite in half (to be more in line with European use). So let's get on with it and catch up with the rest of the world!
1. Interesting that the oil spill shown has nothing to do with the oil derrick in the gulf unless it got the oil from there. Why isn't the comment about the accident that caused it?
2. Do you dislike the military that much that even wearing a hat is cause for a complaint? Occupation? Look at our history what state have we added to the US by our foreign wars? We bleed our precious blood and then leave freedom for the locals. What is wrong with that.
3. Nice way to make a mountain of a a molehill
Would you rather have Obama standing in front of the same oil derrick decrying the use of oil?
IHMO
Attn DS1Roger - Have you ever heard of the Mexican War? The US added California, Arizona, New Mexico, parts of Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and parts of Utah. Gee, and here I thought that home schooling was better than that.
Just so you know - the real reason for McCain being in Bakersfield, CA was to pick up campaign money from a $1000 a plate dinner at some elitist country club - wonder if McCain wore his $500 shoes?
I believe Senator McCain's time has come... and gone. But Mrs. McCain's son James is a Marine. If she wants to wear a USMC pin in his honor, fine. I will not criticize a mother's expression of sentiment for her son. And Senator McCain is a Navy veteran. Lots of 'em wear Navy hats. The man needs to be wearing some kind of hat, don't he?
GOP candidate standing in front of an oil derrick for a photo op. Have they finally found a way to spin their being oil company lapdogs into a campaign positive?
How's the Mississippi looking?
...Nah..
The sad fact is that many FOLKS are buying the BS that O and the Dem congress are obstructing Off shore drilling and therefore the cause of this unbridled run-up in crude prices.
Sadly, this administration and the MSM are wholly owned subsidiaries of big oil/weapons. The message mass marketing machine is in full swing and the props and propaganda are flying by at imprint speed.
Release 20% of the SPR and offer it at $45 per barrel for domestic consumption only. Do this and put every dime from the sales into 50-100mpg auto rebates from domestic manufacturers only and you will break the manipulated oil/gas price run-up, create true conservation, reduce emissions and create green jobs all at once.
Or
Continue on the same failed path of centralized energy for the profit of the few, the proud, the barons of big oil.
Your are so right.
And isn't that some kind of Saudi jihadi scarf that Mrs. McSame has around her neck? Sending props out to Bandar Bush, I suppose.
Oh, it's ok because CINDY is wearing one...and you know she's ALWAYS been proud of HER country.
He's just appealing to his base. All that's lacking is the pickup with gun rack and the mobile home.
Ha Ha now that was funny!
You left out the preacher(with the Southern accent) who looks like Elvis squawking about "GAWD" who has hypnotized said base.
McCain's primary reason to be in Bakersfield was to raise money from the oil types in Kern County - he probably decided to stand next to the oil rig to show the common folks that he shares our pain - isn't that special?
FYI - the oil men in Kern County and across the world are doing real fine these days thanks to Bush/Cheney/McCain. I wonder how much of the $4.00 plus a gallon of gas profits managed to make it into Johnnie Mac's campaign fund? It was a $1,000.00 a plate dinner at the local country club - the expensive one not the other one.
Go see the movie "War, Inc" or rent it when the DVD comes out. Though unintentional on the part of McCain's handlers, this photo fits too well with the premise of the movie. And I agree with SamEllison -- Why aren't Sen. and Mrs. McCain wearing the "I Love America" pins, now required to prove one's patriotisim? What a country!
Any clue when it will come out on DVD? I'm DYING to see it!
Senator McCain doesn't customarily wear a US flag pin. Mrs McCain always wears a Blue Star flag pin in honor of her son's servicein the military.
WHAAAAT??!! Senator McCain doesn't wear a lapel pin?! But, but, but how can he be patriotic without a lapel pin?!?! It must be his Panamanian loyalties showing through, the traitor.
Don't worry, conservatives never get irony. Stay the Course. Business as Usual. SSDD
Yep. Irony is too sophisticated a form of humor for those dolts.
Rhinestones? I don't think Cindy would stoop to Rhinestones.
If it's in the ground, McCain and Co. are determined to dig or mine it out.
Wait a minute- He ain't wearing no lapel flag pin!!!!!!
He don't love America then, right????
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