SpaceCadet

Recent comments by this user

Obama Cancels Military Base Visit: "Inappropriate"

"The senator decided out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign."
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You know if Obama had gone, the McCainanites would be saying "It was inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign." If Obama said it looked like it was going to rain, they'd attack him for being a pessimist about America's future. Attack attack attack. That's all they do. And I'm afraid it just might work. I think Obama needs to start running some "contrast" ads showing McCain's many flip-flops, gaffes, and outright lies. posted 07/24/2008 at 18:29:47

Another John McCain Gaffe -- Iraq Was the First Major Conflict After 9/11

In all likelihood, this was a simple mental mistake for McCain, among a litany of others recently.
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He also made a similar mental mistake when he talked about the trouble on the Iraq/Pakstan boarder. I don't think this mistakes stems from ignorance (and many of them do). I think he just has Iraq on the brain to the exclusion of all else. posted 07/24/2008 at 18:20:11

Photos: McCain's Week Of Horrible Images

But except for Olbermann and perhaps Dan Abrams, the media won't show these images. That's why McCain can pretend he's upset with the lack of coverage. If they DID give him the same scrutiny as they give Obama, his poll numbers would be in the toilet. And it's clear they're covering for McCain by not covering him much, except on the rare occasion when they can show him in a favorable light. posted 07/24/2008 at 13:37:57

Reports: McCain Closing In On VP Choice

If McCain picks Jindal, all the wingers who post pictures of monkeys at Politico to insult Barack Obama would be VERY disappointed. They just wouldn't tolerate another dark-skinned guy on the Republican ticket. Jindal is an Indian, just like the kid whom the former Republican front-runner called "Macaca." posted 07/21/2008 at 23:14:00

Democrats Ecstatic Over Maliki, But May Lack Vehicle To Burn McCain

schoolmaster "We have a sacred principle as far as elections go. They should not be influenced foreign governments one way or other. Democrats feeling jubilant over prime minister Maliki's statement regarding our troop pull out is unseemly, as such statements have a tendency to influence our elections irrespective of how genuine they are."

Huh? You're saying that the government of Iraq, which the Bush regime says is "sovereign," doesn't have any right to say when the US withdraws its troops from its SOVEREIGN territory?

Bush/McCain are sounding more and more like the Soviets, who were "invited" to "liberate" eastern European countries but never left once their troops got there. Al Maliki better stay away from open windows on upper floors. He might end up like the leader of Czechoslovakia who accidentally defenestrated himself after he opposed the Soviet presence in his country (which, by the way, no longer exists, John Syndey McCain notwithstanding). posted 07/21/2008 at 23:02:01

Maliki Endorses Obama Timeline in Huge Blow for McCain, Bush

CNN is already reporting that an Iraqi government spokesman says this must have been a "mistranslation" of what Maliki actually said. I don't know how difficult it is to translate Arabic into German, but there didn't seem to be anything all that complicated about what Maliki said that would cause a competent translator difficulty. If there's a transcript or voice recording, maybe some Arab language scholars could determine if Maliki really was mistranslated or if the later denial was, indeed, a response to Bush administration pressure to back off. posted 07/19/2008 at 20:45:58

Senator McCain Isn't Funny, So Stop Encouraging Him

The "serious" media types at Politico and MSNBC are spinning these alleged jokes as "McCain being McCain." I think we've had a joker in the White House for 8 years too many. I don't think we need another one, whose jokes are even worse. posted 07/18/2008 at 13:58:19

Barry Blitt Defends His New Yorker Cover Art Of Obama

McCain supporters are too stupid to understand satire, but they're not going to vote for Obama anyway. The problem is with the "low information" voters that the Publicons are counting on: they may just vaguely remember something about a liberal magazine that had some article or another about how maybe Obama and his wife were terrorists. Maybe not, but we can't take the risk, so guess we'll vote for McCain. He'll keep us safe, because the corporate media tells us he will. posted 07/13/2008 at 22:49:16

Yikes! Controversial New Yorker Cover Shows Muslim, Flag-Burning, Osama-Loving, Fist-Bumping Obama

Is it the New Yorker's job to write uniformly flattering profiles of Obama? Do they have a duty to avoid controversial imagery that plays off the most dogged and damaging campaign smears? Of course not.
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Avoiding offensive smears is not quite the same as writing uniformly flattering profiles. I understand that the cover image was satirizing the fear-mongers and not Obama, but the "low information" voters who will decide the election won't connect with the satire; they'll connect with the smear. Doesn't Obama have enough of that to contend with as it is? posted 07/13/2008 at 19:46:34

Sunday Roundup

Fresh not bitter sez "The bad news: In firing Phil Gramm on the spot - with a humiliating joke about Phil Gramm being unworthy of an appointment as Ambassador to Belarus - John McCain showed the kind of decisiveness that contrasts to his advantage with the recent wishy-washy Obama..."
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The bad news is that McCain actually did NOT fire Gramm. Gramm is going to continue advising McCain on how to make government better serve corporate interests. He's just not going to do it in public anymore. posted 07/13/2008 at 18:33:52

After all the gaffes and blunders committed by McCain and his surrogates this week, Time Magazine's Mark Halperin has declared McCain the "winner" of the week in the presidential race. Halperin then seemed to contradict himself when he was on CNN by blaming the Democrats for McCain's bad week, which kind of suggests that McCain actually "lost," but only because the Democrats weren't playing fair (waaaahhhh). If you think Halperin sounds suspiciously more like a paid Republican operative than an objective journalist, consider that Time is owned by Time-Warner and that John McCain has been one of the best friends the telecommunications industry ever had in the Senate. posted 07/13/2008 at 18:30:32

AP: Road Still Bumpy For McCain's Retooled Bandwagon

Gee, the AP didn't even mention "Gramm-gate" and "Viagra-gate." I don't know which was worse: Gramm calling America a nation of whiners, or McCain wriggling and squirming in his chair trying to avoid answering why he voted against insurance coverage of birth control for women while coverage for Viagra is OK. posted 07/12/2008 at 20:07:30

Obama Won't Commit To Event At Military Base

This would make sense if 50% of the audience were Iraq Vets Against the War or other like-minded veterans organizations. This is the sort of trap for Obama that McCain hoped he could catch him in: a pro-Bush crowd that will lob softballs at McCain and attack Obama. posted 07/12/2008 at 19:53:08

Sticking A Wrench In The Gearbox

Well, if these pinheads want to see McCain as president, they'll be getting what they deserve: an end to choice on abortion and continued support for wage discrimination against women (because law suits for equal pay clutter up the courts and what women really need anyway is better "education and training," according to McCain). posted 07/12/2008 at 17:29:18

Bush Official Denies German Press Reports On Obama Speech

I suspect that Bush could get a big crowd in Germany, too. But the riot police would be able to control them. posted 07/11/2008 at 23:09:47

McCain's Problem: Not Age, but Condition

I'll admit to having made fun of McCain's ancientness in the past, but there are people much older than him whom I greatly admire, like Justice Stevens of the Supreme Court. The guy is in his 80's but he seems much younger than McCain. And there are many other seniors, famous and not so famous who seem not only wise, but full of life. I think it's mainly being chained to G.W. Bush, who's a decade younger than McCain, that's weighing him down like an anchor. posted 07/11/2008 at 23:19:50

Incoherence from McCain

McCain flip-flops so often it could make you dizzy trying to keep track of him -- almost as dizzy as McCain seems to be. But it's not going to stick. Just as the corporate media parroted the Swift Boat Liars' claims that Kerry's war record was dubious while they promoted the coward in the White House, they're furiously trying to paint Obama as the flip-flopper. I believe this tactic is called "projection" when you accuse a political opponent of having the worst traits your own candidate. It's worked in the past for the radical right and their allies, the corporate media, and it probably will work again. The Democrats just don't seem to be able to come up with a way of countering it. They certainly can't use projection; they'd have to accuse McCain of being too intelligent to be president. posted 07/09/2008 at 22:39:46

Killing Iranian Civilians Isn't Hilarious, Senator McCain

The clowns at Politico and MSNBC's FirstRead both wrote, almost in unison, that McCain's cigarette joke is the kind of thing that explains why "people" love him so much. By "people" they apparently mean themselves and other alleged journalist in their elite pampered profession, who seem to like jokes about killing and who don't like politicians who say things that make them think too hard like Obama..

The rest of us don't really count at people. The corporate media has already decided the outcome of this election: it's going to be the Straight-Talkin' Mr. Mavick McKill-em-all-and-let-God-sort-em-out.. posted 07/09/2008 at 15:30:45

Surge Amnesia: The Media's Newest Affliction

Haven't you heard? The surge is so successful that the Iraqi government thinks it's time for the Americans to leave. It's now demanding that the US set a timetable for troop withdrawal. Apparently, the Iraqi government is closer to Obama's position than to McCain and Bush, who seems to want to ignore the wishes of the democratically-elected Iraqi government because he needs to bomb a little more democracy into them before the US withdraws. That will probably happen in a hundred years according to McCain's plan for "victory" or whenever the last drop of oil is drained out of Iraq by Bush's cronies. posted 07/08/2008 at 14:08:00

McCain Focuses On Iraq While Afghanistan Boils

"General David Petraeus believes Iraq is the central front in the war on terror. Al Qaeda has even said it is."
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Yes, Bin Laden did say that Iraq was the central front of his war against the west. And Bre'r Rabbit said to Bre'r Fox: "Please don't throw me in that briar patch!"

McCain is just the kind of candidate that Bin Laden would like to see elected, so I'd expect that a few weeks before the election, Bin Laden will come out with a video tape warning Americans of the terrible consequences of voting for McCain, just as he warned them against voting for Bush in the 2004 election. Bin Laden is a master of reverse psychology, which may not be saying much given the stupidity of Republican politicians and the ignorance of the electorate kept that way by the media. posted 07/07/2008 at 14:13:18

McCain Struggles To Regain Footing

The assertion that McCain is an underdog is as laughable as the claims that he's a straight-talkin' maverick. Anyone who has the media spinning for him like McCain does is not underdog. McCain is the darling of the corporate media, which has protected him from the consequences of his own lies and breathtakingly stupid gaffes. Obama is under constant attack on cable news for nonsense like Clark's common-sense observation and the "firestorm" (as CNN put it) over Obama making an equally common-sense statement that he would refine his Iraq policies based on what military commanders told him.

Right now, I don't see that Obama has any more chance of winning than John Kerry did at the same point in 2004 (Kerry led Bush by several point in the polls in July, too). And John McCain has just begun to bring the "dishonest and dishonorable" Swift boaters into his campaign. By the end of August, the Republican fear and smear machine and its corporate media echo-chamber will be in high gear. posted 07/05/2008 at 15:22:14

Turning Obama Into A Punchline: How Democrats Can Lose

I agree that taking principled stands is more important than all this triangulating. Obama called the "gas tax holiday" a gimmick during the primaries, and it may have helped in against Clinton in Indiana, where he finished only a few points behind her. And I don't think it's hurt him at all against McCain, despite the fact that the Repubs could use his position to label him a tax & spend Democrat.

The Republicans have a better chance of making the "flip-flop" charge stick. Even though McCain is a much bigger flip-flopper than Obama, the corporate media are going to ignore them while they'll seek to magnify ever deviation made by Obama no matter how trivial.

BTW: Obama's moving more toward the center from the left of center. The worrisome thing about McCain is that he's moving from the right of center toward the lunatic fringe of the far right, especially with his vote for Bush's torture policy and his ranting against the Supreme Court ruling regarding habeus rights for detainees. posted 07/03/2008 at 14:13:22

McCain Backer's Firm Pleaded Guilty To Funding Terrorist Group In Colombia

Paying off right-wing death squads is not surprising for a corporation with a decades-long history of backing such groups in South America and assisting in coups against democratically elected governments that were not to its liking. What's really surprising in this story is that they also paid off FARC, the left-wing terrorist organization that McCain is railing against.

This would be very bad new for McCain, but fortunately for him he's got the corporate media covering up for him when unflattering stories like this pop up. I doubt this story will make it out of the liberal blogosphere and into the corporate media.

If Nico ever gets onto "Straight Talk" airplane, he's not going to be allowed to sit up in the front before the Great Man's throne from which he dispenses amusing quips and words of wisdom to worshipful journalists. For breaking this story, they'll make him sit at the back of the plane near the lavatories, or maybe in the baggage compartment. posted 07/02/2008 at 14:49:21

All of McCain's Base Belongs to Us: Why It Won't Even Be Close

This is all very cheery, but I think Obama's prospects are iffy at best, and not because of John McCain who's a thoroughly wretched candidate. Obama's problem is the corporate media. They've already decided on the "narrative" that they think will save McCain's bacon:

Obama is an elitist flip-flopper with no principles. McCain is a straight-talking maverick who can't be criticized by anyone for anything because (1) he's a war hero and (2) he's old and it's politically incorrect "agism" to criticize an old man for saying something one week and then denying he ever said it the next.

The media simply won't inform the public about all the disturbing facts on McCain such as his association with convicted Watergate felon G. Gordon Liddy, and those of his lobbyist campaign handlers. I'll bet most people don't realize that McCain's off-shore drilling scheme won't do a thing to lower anybody's gas prices.

Obama may have moved from the center-left closer to the center, but McCain has flip-flopped his way from the center-right not toward the center, but all the way to the lunatic fringes of the radical right. The direction McCain is going -- and wants to take the country with him -- is pretty obvious to anyone who follows non-corporate news sources. posted 07/03/2008 at 17:15:40

Defending Wes Clark

Wesley Clark's argument that John McCain isn't qualified to be Commander-In-Chief (C-I-C) just because he hasn't yet held executive office or yet ordered the bombs to fall and so forth is ridiculous.
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Your characterization of what Clark said is ridiculous. Clark did NOT say that he wasn't qualified; he said he was untested. Big difference. Sure, you could fairly say the same thing about Obama. But Obama is at least smart enough to know that he's not going to get a real picture of what's going on in Iraq by going where the military let him go and seeing what they want him to see like McCain. Obama also does a much better job of keeping his cool than McCain, which is a good quality for an office that has control over nuclear weapons. posted 07/03/2008 at 17:54:34

McCain Uses Swift Boat Vet Bud Day To Rebut Wesley Clark

It's interesting that the media seized on this phony controversy about Clark's accurate observations right after the revelation came out that McCain is a tax deadbeat. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but the media silence about McCain's tax problems is more deafening than the uproar they're creating about Clark. posted 06/30/2008 at 14:32:51

It's really sad that Obama caved to this nonsense. There was nothing wrong with what Clark said. The corporate media had no problem with spreading the lies told by the Swifties that destroyed John Kerry's chances. Obama may lose if he stands up to the media talking heads, but he will _certainly_ lose if he lets them run his campaign. They do not have his best interests at heart, nor the best interests of the country. The corporate media has a vested interest in seeing the continuation of Bush's corporate welfare state under a John McCain. posted 06/30/2008 at 14:01:20

Arianna On ABC's This Week Discussing Obama, McCain And More

I heard the Hugh Hewitt claim that the situation has stabilized not only in Iraq but in Afghanistan as well. The stability of Iraq is highly dubious, but the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly, with the Taliban now extending their control into Pakistan. Arianna made a valiant attempt to correct the record, but she was kind of drowned out in all the shouting. Now I know what they mean by the GOP "noise" machine: If you can't win an argument, make a lot of noise -- literally. posted 06/29/2008 at 20:27:01

McCains Defaulted On Home Taxes For Last Four Years, Newsweek Reports

The McCains own at least seven homes through a variety of trusts and corporations controlled by Cindy McCain.
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There's a perfectly reasonable explanation: When you have seven homes to keep track of, it's quite understandable that you might misplace one now and then. This is just another unjustified librul attack on the only minority that it's still PC to attack: the obscenely wealthy. Shame shame. posted 06/28/2008 at 20:29:05

Obama Undercuts His Brand

Sure, Obama is moving more toward the center like all candidates have done in the general election. The exception is John McCain, who is moving to the extreme radical right. Take your pick. posted 06/28/2008 at 14:52:52

McCain Flip Flops Again -- Praises GI Bill He Opposed

Get your facts straight. The GI Bill was the work fo Senator Jim Webb. Obama voted for it. It was McCain who didn't bother to vote for it at all:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00162

McCain likes soldiers when they're out fighting his wars, and he'll spend any amount of money to keep the wars going. But he doesn't seem to have much interest in veterans, especially if there's money involved. posted 06/28/2008 at 15:13:45

Keith Olbermann, Glenn Greenwald Feud Over FISA

You've just proven that the GOP doesn't have a monopoly on irrational voters. Go ahead and vote for Nader if you like. It's still a free country. Although how long that will last with an unending series of Republican presidents and an increasingly radical right Supreme Court, I don't know. posted 06/28/2008 at 12:24:20

I agree that Olbermann and Obama are wrong on this. I'm also annoyed that some of the cable news talking heads are opining that it's good for Obama to distance himself from "the left." Since when is not giving someone immunity in advance for crimes they may have committed a "leftist" position?

But to paraphrase somebody or other in reverse, I'd rather that Obama be wrong on a few issues than that he NOT be president. If you consider history, there's never been a president, no matter how revered, that hasn't gotten elected by making compromises that didn't pass the smell test. The "People" in their infinite wisdom must be appeased, and what they want is telecom immunity so that they won't be murdered in their sleep by terrorists.

I'd rather wait until Obama is president and see people blast away at him for his shortcomings than to see McCain elected and listen to purists who couldn't support Obama complain about the continuation of the unmitigated disaster of the Bush administration for another four years. posted 06/27/2008 at 23:05:35

Obama Leads McCain In Four Battleground States

"Besides that, the Repubs haven't even really started up on Obama yet. Just, a few jabs here and there. There are actually many danger signs for Obama. So, enjoy the happy days while they last."
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Where have YOU been? Obama has been under constant attack not only from Republicans but from the "mainstream" corporate media as well. Remember the "bitter-gate" non-scandal? posted 06/26/2008 at 14:30:58

If McCain were ahead in the national polls and sweeping the battleground states right now, the corporate media would be hyperventilating about it. The pundits would all be writing what they like to call "analyses" explaining how McCain's alleged maverick status and "strength" on national security was responsible for his lead over Obama, whom the public views as an "elitist" who's "too liberal".

But since that's not happening, they're not talking much about the polls and are instead stepping up their attacks against Obama. CNN seems to run at least one Obama hit piece of McCain puff piece every night. The only exceptions I've seen so far are on MSNBC. Olbermann is clearly a fan of Obama's and Abrams really does try hard for balance. David Gregory tries for balance, I guess, because he has Racel Maddow on along with Pat Buchanan, but I just don't trust anyone who's been video-taped doing the boogy-woogy with "Rap Master" Rove. posted 06/26/2008 at 14:15:08

Novak: Powell Will Endorse Obama

I'll believe THAT when I see it. Powell would probably wake up one morning with a horse's head in his bed if he endorsed Obama. posted 06/26/2008 at 13:32:10

WaPo's Cohen: McCain More Trustworthy Because He Was Taken Captive

Richard Cohen was also the clever wit who observed back in 2003 that you had to be French to refuse to see what a glorious victory Bush had won in Iraq. posted 06/24/2008 at 22:25:16

McCain's Campaign Funding Hypocrisy: Why Are the Media Looking the Other Way?

"Why Are the Media Looking the Other Way?"

The answer is simple: McCain is the candidate who will continue Bush's corporate welfare state, so the corporate media are naturally going to help him win the presidency. Plus, McCain feeds "journalists" free food and booze at the parties he throws at his Arizona estate. What's not to like? posted 06/24/2008 at 22:48:22

Friday Talking Points [36] -- End The Media's Pro-McCain Bias! Now!!

The media SHOULD spend some time examining McCain's background and record objectively. But they won't. Today I heard Schieffer and some pooh-bah from Politico opine sternly that Obama definitely "flip-flopped" on public financing. McCain has clearly flip-flopped on Immigration, torture, off-shore drilling, "agents of intolerance" he now is sucking up to, and countless other issues. But no one in the corporate media ever have explicitly condemned him for flip-flopping. All they'll do is write something like "Democrats accuse McCain of flip-flopping on ..."

But of course, the Democrats are "biased" so you've got to consider the source. Only the all-wise talking heads of the priestly punditorcracy can pronounce with metaphysical and cosmic certitude that a candidate (always a Democrat) has flip-flopped.

McCain has been a very good friend to the telecom industry, and the "new" outfits they run. So don't expect much real journalism to be committed that might cast McCain in a bad light or Obama in a good light. posted 06/22/2008 at 20:58:00

McCain: I 'Didn't Love America' Until Held Prisoner (VIDEO)

If the Democrats were as sleazy as the Republicons, they could just delete the last part of McCain's sentence so that it reads: "I didn't love America." Period. Michelle Obama said she was "for the first time in my adult life I'm _really _ proud to be an American. The GOP slime-molds who put together that campaign ad that smeared her deleted the word "really", although you can hear the leading "r" sound of the word in the ad. Their audio editing skills are not so hot. posted 06/20/2008 at 14:26:59

Press Dissatisfied With Treatment From Obama Campaign

The only reason the corporate media want more access to Obama is to get more opportunities to catch him making an off-hand comment they can use against him. They're out to help out their preferred candidate, John McCain, the best friend the telecom industry ever had. posted 06/19/2008 at 22:46:46

McCain Appears To Trail In Trio Of Battleground States

The Rasmussen and Quinnipiac polls for Florida aren't as different as they look. The Rasmussen poll shows Obama losing 39 to 47 and the Quinnipiac poll shows Obama beating McCain 47 to 44. But the Rasmussen poll had only 500 people and a margin of error of 4.5%. The Quinnipiac poll had a much larger sample of 1453 and a margin of error of 2.5%.

So the race is a tie within the margin of error of both polls: Obama could be winning 43.5 to 42.5 for McCain in by the Rasmussen sample and losing with 44.5 to 46.5 for McCain by the Quinnipiac sample. posted 06/19/2008 at 14:06:58

Poll: Obama Sweeps McCain In Swing States For First Time

Check out this poll:

Obama is actually ahead by one point in Indiana! Obama has no real chance to win that state, but it looks like the Indiana GOP may have to put their new "voter ID" law to good use there, just in case.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/in/indiana_mccain_vs_obama-604.html posted 06/18/2008 at 14:47:54

I'm not sure, isn't Obama doing MUCH better than Kerry did at the same time before the 2004 election? I don't think Kerry was ever ahead in Florida or Ohio.

In any case, I think things are still in a very dangerous state: the Republicons don't yet have their slime machine operating at full speed (the reappearance of Larry Sinclair from the sewers is not an encouraging sign). And we don't yet know what tricks they're going to pull this time to keep black people from voting, although the voter ID laws and the bogus "felons lists" will no doubt play a major role.

I say that the very real possibility that McCain could win is a "dangerous" situation because he has made it clear that when he says we are in a "transcendent war against Islamofascism", he means that he wants war powers that transcend the United States Constitution. He and his surrogates have even attacked Obama for saying he believes that terrorism can be dealt with within the constraints of the Constitution. McCain wants to operate with no such constraints. He wants to rule as a despotic war lord, not govern as the leader of a free country. posted 06/18/2008 at 14:41:55

The Coming Obama-McCain Mudfight

"If John McCain liked to hang around Nazis and Klansmen, if his church gave a lifetime achievement award to David Duke, we would all think those were legitimate areas of inquiry
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If that's true, then why isn't McCain's cozy relationship with G. Gordon Liddy being scrutinized by the media? Liddy is the convicted Watergate felon and self-admitted Hitler admirer. McCain appeared as a guest on Liddy's hate radio show, where he gushed: "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/_100134.html
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0504chapmanmay04,0,6238795.column

No, the media will gleefully go after Obama over the vaguest connections he has with any "controversial" person, as they carefully cover up McCain's disturbing associations, his adultery, and legitimate questions about his war record. posted 06/15/2008 at 10:37:08

McCain: Guantanamo Decision One Of the Worst Ever

This was the town-hall meeting that McCain tried to taunt Obama into attending. I think Obama would be wise to stay away from fascist rallies. They could prove physically as well as morally dangerous. posted 06/14/2008 at 14:26:41

McCain is backing the philosophy that people are guilty until proven innocent. That's one of the McCain values that make him so appealing to "values voters." posted 06/13/2008 at 23:02:47

McCain Stacks Fox News 'Town Hall' With Supporters

Obama could be stepping into a trap if he agrees to these town-hall meetings. McCain will try to load the audience with his supporters. Obama will get pounded with questions from the audience about Rev. Wright and the bogus "bitter-gate scandal." And McCain will get Steven Colbert type questions: "Will you be a great president or the greatest president?" posted 06/13/2008 at 14:20:00

More Evidence of An Obama Bounce, Other Thoughts on The Fall Election

It's still too early for these polls to be taken very seriously. Right now, McCain is being dragged down by his association with Bush and by his own lies, gaffes, and blunders and associations with scumbag lobbyists like Charlie Black. But the corporate media are desperate to keep his head above water. McCain is one of the best friends the telecom industry ever had. They'll do anything to put him in the White House. Whether or not Obama can withstand the deluge of smears and rightwing spin that the media are unleashing on him remains to be seen. posted 06/12/2008 at 23:07:03

L.A. Times Predicts: More Negative Ads On Michelle Obama Coming

The candidate's wife drew the attention of critics while on the stump in Wisconsin back in February, where she said, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country." That statement provided the grist for a raft of attacks, and, as the Times warns, it's one of a host of issues that "show[s] no signs of going away."

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What hasn't been commented on by anyone is that the Republican attack ad that used Michelle Obama's comment clipped out the word "really." It sounded like she said "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am proud of my country." When the word "really" is included what she was saying, in an admittedly awkward way, was that she was the proudest she'd ever been of her country. That's how the word "really" is interpreted in the vernacular. She obviously didn't mean she was only "falsely" proud up until then.

So what she said wasn't expressing the ""un-American" sentiment the ad wanted to make her appear to be saying. The Republican's gross dishonesty is what should be considered un-American. posted 06/11/2008 at 17:03:35

McCain Iraq Comments: Bringing Troops Home From Iraq "Not Too Important" (VIDEO)

The Democrats missed a significant problem with McCain's latest gaffe: the Iraqi people and their government DO think it's important how long US troops occupy their country. The Iraqis want the US occupation of their country to end IMMEDIATELY. But of course, McCain doesn't really give a damn about what the Iraqi people want despite all of the GOPs drivel about bringing "democracy" to the Middle East. Muslims can see that McCain and Bush's fine talk about democracy is a despicable lie.

The longer America stays in Iraq, the more intensely we are despised in the Muslim world and the more recruits Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations get, which makes Bush's so-called "war on terror" self-perpetuating and never-ending. That's just fine with war mongers like Bush and McCain, who claim they need dictatorial powers to keep America safe as long as their never-ending "war" lasts. posted 06/11/2008 at 14:10:36

GOP Insiders Worry About McCain's Chances

This article is just the conventional "wisdom" (i.e. crappola). The only thing Obama has to worry about in a town-hall meeting is an audience with Republican plants in it who will waste air time with demands that Obama "explain" his relation to Rev. Wright. Obama accept the town-hall meetings, as long as it's not ABC or other corporate media involved in the debate. He should stick to the League of Women Voters or other independent organizations to manage debates.

McCain has strong ties to the telecommunications industries as this USA Today article exposed:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-03-23-mccainlobbyists_N.htm

McCain has done many favors for the corporate media and they are going to do many favors for him to get a friend elected president, as Gibson and Steph with their disgraceful antics in the last Clinton-Obama debate, When McCain says "my friends," he's talking about the corporate media. posted 06/08/2008 at 23:10:37

Remembrances of Things to Come

Like Martin Luther King, the sanitzed myth of Robert Kennedy departs from the reality. Back when he was running for president, the news media were calling Kennedy "ruthless Bobby" and the supporters of Gene McCarthy, the original anti-war candidate, were resentful of Kennedy's intrusion, just as many of Hillary Clinton's supporters are angry at Obama. And, as noted by a CNN story a few days ago, Barack Obama was indeed ruthless on occasion in his ascendancy in Illinois politics. At the same time, CNN also is going with the contradictory -- and bogus -- narrative on Barack Obama as a "weak" candidate who is weak on national security.

But I hope CNN is right on their "ruthless Barack" story line. Obama is up against the criminal regime in Washington whose members and their corporate cronies are desperate to keep a Democrat from winning the presidency because they know they could be facing prosecution and conviction for their crimes with a Democratic president, Congress, and Justice Department. Obama will need to be ruthless if he's going to prevail over this desperate crowd of crooks with their backs to the wall. posted 06/06/2008 at 23:12:49

McCain Surrogate: I'm Simply Less Principled Than McCain

UPDATE: Think Progress has a post up poking holes in the argument that McCain votes against bills he likes because they include wasteful spending. Evidence to the contrary? Take Iraq. Though on some war funding bills the Senator has expressed reservations about "other spending" even though he votes for the measure.
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In the Iraq war spending bill, they should have cut out the Iraq war spending and left the pork. It would have been a much cheaper bill. It would also have been a much better use of money even if it was for Sen. Stevens' Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska. Think of all the lovely Bridges to Nowhere that could have been built with the money that's been wasted on antagonizing the entire Muslim world with the bloody occupation of Iraq. posted 06/06/2008 at 23:27:27

McCain Pressed On Past Marital Infidelities During Town Hall (VIDEO)

Hypocrisy is one of those core family values that Republicans cherish. In fact, it's THE Republican core value. posted 06/04/2008 at 14:14:59

Obama Casts Race Between Him, McCain

I think it's smart for Obama to concentrate on McCain. I might think better of Hillary if she, too, spent her time criticizing McCain rather than endorsing him over Obama. The Democratic nominee should be the candidate who's best at taking on the Republicans, not the one who's best at mud-slinging at a fellow Democrat. posted 04/01/2008 at 22:54:50

Lincoln couldn't get nominated to run for dog catcher in the modern Republican Party. Neither could Teddy Roosevelt. Granted, TR was something of jingoist, which would be fine with contemporary GOP neocons, but he was also definitely a progressive. posted 04/01/2008 at 22:51:12

Uh, what does the Rev. Wright have to do with McCain's demonstrated ignorance of foreign policy and the manifest failure of the "troop surge" in Iraq that he touted? Oh, yeah, I see. The Reverand is a diversion. posted 04/01/2008 at 22:46:53

Should Obama Drop Out of the Race?

Hillary and Bill have endorsed John McCain over fellow Democrat Barack Obama on more than one occasion. Therefore, Hillary should not only drop out; she should resign from the Democratic Party. Then she can campaign to be McCain's vice presidential running mate. posted 03/30/2008 at 18:53:35

Iraq Crisis Threatens Bush-Petraeus "Surge" Strategy As Bankrupt

But the media are claiming that Iran is the evil-doer that's stirring the pot again in Iraq, even though it's the Maliki who's an ally of Iran -- as well as the US. Al-Sadr seems to be more of an Iraqi nationalist, which apparently is why he is unacceptable to our neocon masters. Well, I guess if we're going to have another war with Iran, we have to have a good reason, even if it's not true. posted 03/29/2008 at 17:20:25

The big media aren't paying much attention to Iraq, despite the fact it's blowing up in the Republican warmongers' faces (or maybe theyr'e not covering it much _because_ it's blowing up in their faces).. CNN had to devote 2 hours last Wednesday to much more important stories. First they spent an hour on the Rev. Wright. Again. Then they spent another 30 minuts or so addressing the burning question: "Is Barack Obama too liberal?" They've sure got their priorities in order, don' t they? posted 03/29/2008 at 16:33:28

Why the Administration Won't Define Success in Iraq

I've got a definition of "success" for John McCain. He says that it would be OK for American troops to occupy Iraq for a hundred years, and complained that he wasn't talking about a hundred year war, because the occupation would eventually be something like the occupation of Germany and Japan. So here's a good working definition:

The Iraq war will be a success when American GIs are able to party in the cafes and bistros of Baghdad and flirt with the native girls like they did in Germany and Japan after WWII almost as soon as the ink was dry on the articles of surrender. I wonder how far into the hundred-year occupation of Iraq it will be until that happens. Ninety-nine years? posted 03/28/2008 at 14:18:30

Flashback: Wright's Letter To NYT About Obama

[[I have serious doubts of anything said about Rev. Wright. He has a friend in Louis Farrakhan and Obama has been with Wright for twenty years claiming to never have heard a racist comment.]]

I haven't heard anything that was racist in endlessly played video sequences of Rev. Wright. Much of what he said was true, although stated in an offensive manner, Some of it was untrue like the government using AIDS as a way to destroy African Americans. But none of it was racist as far as I know. It seems to be mostly white who are themselves racist who are continually calling Rev. Wright a racist to get at Obama. posted 03/31/2008 at 13:42:41

Where Did McCain Get What He's Got "in the Bank" with the Press?

McCain is the media's favorite candidate because he throws barbecues for them. Free grub is all you need to do to get the media on your side. And the press is afraid to criticize a sitting president because if the Prez gets mad at you, you won't be invited to the big White House parties anymore and then you won't get your fair share of the free booze and cocktail weenies. Understandable that "journalists" wouldn't question Bush's justification for the Iraq debacle; the personal stakes were just too high for them. (And they'd have missed out on their personal steaks as well -- filet mignon if they're good boys and girls). posted 03/27/2008 at 14:51:51

McCain Recycles 2001 Pro-War Column For 2008 Speech

What makes you think McCain actually wrote those words to begin with? He's obviously a man of limited verbal skills and he must depend on his speech writers to put together coherent sentences. I don't know what skill McCain has that is _not_ limited, except maybe how to ditch a sick wife and marry money. posted 03/26/2008 at 14:38:10

McCain lied when he denied ever saying he didn't know much about economics. McCain lied when he claimed that he never said that the Iraq war would be easy. McCain lied when he claimed he corrected his imbecilic assertion that Shia Iran was training Sunni al Qaeda terrorists by himself, since it's clear on the video tape that Lieberman had to corrrect him. The proof of these lies was caught on video.

And then there's McCain's "preacher problem." He's got two nutjobs who endorsed him because they expect -- correctly -- that he will start the apocalyptic war they want so that Jesus will come down and rapture all good little conservatives to Heaven. McCain is likely to give them the apocalypse they want, but they and a lot of their fellow nutjobs will probably get "raptured" someplace other than Heaven. posted 03/26/2008 at 14:35:44

McCain Says US Succeeding in Iraq

[[To underscore his view of the stakes in Iraq, the certain Republican presidential nominee twice referenced a recent audio tape from Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader urged followers to join the al-Qaida fight in Iraq and called the country "the greatest opportunity and the biggest task."]]

The fact that Bin Laden views Iraq as his greatest opportunity might be a clue, to anyone with a clue, that maybe Iraq is not the best place to fight him. Al Qaeda will be in big trouble if dimwit McCain doesn't succeed the current dimwit in the Oval Office. posted 03/25/2008 at 13:50:07

A McCain Moment: Do You Want Four More Years of This?

How about the three pastors of Hate Churches whose endorsements John McBomb eagerly and obsequiously sought? That would be Jerry ("9/11 was the gays fault") Falwell, John ("the Catholic church is a whore") Hagee and Rod (let's have a Holy War against the "false religion of Islam") Parsely. Wright got carried away by his anger at the white power establishment a few times. McCain is sucking up to preachers who make their money preaching hate every day of their miserable lives. posted 03/24/2008 at 22:32:45

One definition of a "gaffe" is that it's what happens when a politician accidentally tells the truth. The truth that McCain accidentally told is that he is either a liar or an imbicile, or most likely, both. posted 03/24/2008 at 22:26:06

Obama Tells Smerconish That He Confronted Wright On Statements

[[Dude, I haven't seen this much contempt for the truth since Gonzalez's "I don't recall" fest.]]

I think your own contempt for the truth is pretty impressive. Obama said he had been present when Wright made some "controversial" statements but he had not been aware of Wright's MOST OFFENSIVE statements. What's so hard to understand about that? That's a perfectly plausible assertion.

posted 03/24/2008 at 14:58:12

Another Bill Clinton Moment On The Campaign Trail

Bill and Hill want Old Man McCain to win because they know he probably won't run for a second term and Hill can run in 2012. If Obama won, and proved to be a capable leader, which he probably would, then he'd win two terms. Then Hillary wouldn't get another chance at power until 2016. I used to like her as well as Obama, but it seems now that all she has motivating her is lust to gain power no matter who or what she and Bill have to destroy. posted 03/21/2008 at 23:08:45

Bill O'Reilly Needs to Enroll in "Understanding the Internet 101"

[[Finally, I find it laughable to be lectured on hate speech by Bill O'Reilly, who has done as much if not more than anyone else in the media to debase the public dialogue. He spews hate as readily as he breathes. It's his lifeblood.]]

This is what's called "projection," and the radical right are experts at it. While they're in the midst of doing something despicable, they accuse the victim of doing the same thing. I've noticed the white racists are now calling Obama a racist for sitting through the Rev. Wright's "God d*** America" tirade, even though it's known that Obama was not present for that sermon. Well, say the racists, maybe he wasn't at that particular sermon but he must have been at others we don't know about where Wright cussed out America, so therefore Obama is a racist.

And nothing that has come out about what Wright has said could even be considered racist, such as white people are mentally inferior or born evil, etc. Wright is an angry black man, no doubt justifiably so, who let his anger get out of control sometimes. His outbursts seem more the exception than the rule and there's no indication that Obama was present for his most extreme statements. But that's not the story the media wants to go with. Not just Fox News, either; I've heard CNN pundits like Bay Buchanan claim that Obama sat through "God d***" tirades and another allowed how Obama was lying when he said he had never heard anything that extreme from Wright.

Obama gave two important speeches last week, one on Iraq and one on the economy, but the cable news networks barely mentioned them. It's going to be race, race, race, all the time until they've brought down Obama, I'm afraid.

posted 03/22/2008 at 12:07:37