newslamp

I agree about "thrown under the bus" being a cliche, but is it necessary for one, when being "self-deprecating" and "humble," to call grandma a racist? It may have taken "moral and intellectual honesty" to humiliate grandma, but it sure didn't take courage--nor consideration for her feelings and reputation. Maybe Candidate Obama will make a good president, but he appears to be a rotten grandson. posted 04/29/2008 at 19:50:02

Barack didn't throw the Ranting Rev under the bus? Then why does Wright feel the need to defend himself in this way? Just as he did with Wright, Obama threw his own grandmother and others he has called his friends under the bus. The man's an ambitious politician, nothing more. I'm enjoying the hell out of watching Wright expose Candidate Obama's hypocrisy. posted 04/29/2008 at 11:43:15

If the two candidates truly had the best interest of their party at heart, they would suspend the race and join hands, with Hillary, being older and wiser in the ways of evil Washington, as the presidential candidate. Eight years later, she and Bill would support Barack. The Dems could conceivably hold the White House for 16 years. But this will never happen because, as Barack's own pastor say, "He's a politician." So is Hillary. As such, their egos must come first. posted 04/25/2008 at 09:53:44

Saying the press has "jumped ship" implies members of the media were Obama shills. Doesn't that bother anyone? posted 04/25/2008 at 10:40:06

Obama's a politician? What a shock! posted 04/25/2008 at 10:27:10

Barry's "trickle-down" argument is fascinating. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Unfortunately, as you say, no one cares. You are a voice "crying out in the wilderness," Harry. I'll keep listening, even if no one else does. Maybe after the election. . . . posted 04/25/2008 at 10:11:09

Your CAPS LOCK is on. posted 04/20/2008 at 08:26:39

Wow! He thinks Obama's choosing a quest for power over truth? That sounds like something a politician would do. . . . posted 04/05/2008 at 11:12:57

Ventura V.P. posted 04/02/2008 at 15:40:14

There's a video on Youtube called "Draft Jesse." They want him to run with Ron Paul. posted 04/02/2008 at 12:25:39

Let's shake things up a little. Draft Jesse! posted 04/02/2008 at 06:54:29

Silverball--

Maybe my assertion that Hillary, if she were in Obama's position, would handle the matter in the same cynical fashion he has didn't make it clear that I am no fan of hers. Any smart, get-elected-at-any-cost politician would do what Obama has done, which is nothing. Why not allow the Florida and Michigan voters to have their votes counted? Is it the voters' fault that this mess happened? What's Obama afraid of, losing? I had once thought that he was different, but as each day passes, I become more convinced that he's not. Politicians lie, and Obama's a politician, one of the best, but not appreciably different from the rest. posted 03/31/2008 at 11:46:58

Without Florida and Michigan fully counted--that means every vote, every delegate--the whole thing becomes a sham election. It seems to me that any candidate who truly believes in democracy would demand that every vote be counted, whether he or she wins or not. But these are politicians we're talking about. As it stands, Obama is manipulating the system for his benefit, like one of the greedy fat cats he criticizes employing tax code loopholes to further enrich himself instead of paying his fair share. When it becomes clear to Obama and his handlers that Hillary has no chance, he will magnanimously allow Florida and Michigan to be counted. And if the shoe were on the other foot, Hillary would handle it exactly the same way.

If Obama demanded that Florida and Michigan be counted immediately, he would become a hero, a real leader. Voters would flock to him, and he would win decisively, dramatically improving his chances in November, but being the politician he is, he won't do that. posted 03/31/2008 at 07:44:48

How much do you want to bet that when the treacherous Bill Richardson reappears he will have shaved? With the beard, he looks too much like the Judas he is. What a coward! posted 03/27/2008 at 22:36:10

Addendum:

I e-mailed the Nader campaign and requested that they post a response to this thread. I'm not holding my breath, but we'll see. posted 03/30/2008 at 09:06:23

Harry and Steve--

I appreciate your responses. I confess that I am not as knowledgeable about the continuing problems in New Orleans as perhaps I should be and am most certainly not as well-informed about them as either of you. You guys are probably right about Nader's "solutions" or lack thereof. But, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I thought our original discussion had to do with what the remaining candidates bring to the table and whether journalists are "holding their feet to the fire."

We can denigrate where Nader posted his article, but he wrote it. We can continue to go back and forth about whether he's a dinosaur. He may be. But who among the remaining candidates has offered more ideas on this issue? posted 03/30/2008 at 06:35:30

Steve--

I don't pretend to be an expert on everything Ralph Nader says, but since I'm sitting at my computer, and you asked what his New Orleans reconstruction position is, I went to this neat thing called "Google" (it's an on-line thing; maybe you've heard of it), typed in "Ralph Nader New Orleans" and Bingo! I found the following article, written by Nader himself:

http://www.counterpunch.org/nader10182005.html

It's way too long and detailed to post here, so, Steve, if you have time, copy and paste it into your browser, and you'll be able to read it! It took me about fifteen seconds to find it. It's a bit dated. He wrote it shortly after Katrina happened. I'm sure that if one wanted to find more, one could, if one bothered to look.

As far as the "part of the same club" v. "lesser of two evils" thing, I'll take Nader over the creator of the internet and ghost author of "Love Story" any day.

Since you asked.
HARRY RESPONDS: Dated? It's from the 30s. Aside from conflating what happened in New Orleans with what happened on the Gulf Coast (the city wasn't "flattened", Ralph, honest), the whole piece is a well-intentioned call for the recovery to spotlight cooperatives instead of corporations. Nothing about the flood-control system, nothing about coastal restoration. Without strong planks on those two key issues, and aid for the return of affordable housing in the meantime, the national political class has nothing to offer the city. posted 03/29/2008 at 19:19:20

Thank you, Harry, for your legitimate criticism of this high-schoolish popularity contest being passed off to the American public as a serious presidential race. The three remaining candidates talk and talk and talk--about nothing. Who really knows what they stand for? I don't think they do. The ones who spoke about anything of substance are gone, except Nader, who no one will listen to. Whether you agree with Nader, or Paul, or Gravel, at least they could and would answer questions such as the ones you've posed. Don't hold your breath expecting answers from these three.

I'm sure you're not as cynical about politicians as I am, but your post exposes you as someone who expects intellectual integrity from our presidential candidates and the journalists who are supposed to inform the public about them. Don't hold your breath for that, either--because neither the candidates nor the journalists who cover them have any integrity. They're all part of the same club. I hold to the belief, passed down to me from my grandfather, that the great majority of politicians are nothing more than liars and egomaniacs. As far as I can tell, the three we have left to choose from (two empty suits and one empty pantsuit) fit Gramps's description perfectly. And the so-called "journalists" are their biggest fans. posted 03/28/2008 at 22:32:28

Barack's supporters like him because he makes them "feel good." Chris Matthews, on his endless Obama commercial, "Hardball," has a thrill run up his leg. Sounds like they're describing a prostitute. posted 03/26/2008 at 15:04:53

The voters interviewed here should provide everyone with great hope for our future.

Free Mary Ann! posted 03/26/2008 at 15:13:51

Another knife in Hillary's back by a treacherous Clinton "friend." posted 03/21/2008 at 08:54:21