Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

McCain is what he is, another politician that will say and do anything to get elected and values be damned.

First post?

"McCain is what he is, another politician that will say and do anything to
get elected. . ."

Isn't that a requirement to run for president, EuroTom?

I honestly believe that the right wing has the goods on a LOT of people, McCain included.

I am starting to believe it's a requirement for ANY office. People say they will get inside the system and change it. But most often the system changes them, and their values to be a "winner" and get their own peace of the power pie.

Interesting post from late last night, Bethy. Especially this:

"Leon Uris wrote Armageddon years ago, about an American officer assigned to post-war Germany. He wants to understand how the Germans could have fallen so completely for Hitler, what there is in their natural character, if anything, that sets them up to be duped. It's rather interesting."

Visiting Dachau in 1970 had that effect on me. Instead of going back to my graduate studies in ancient history, I switched to European, and the WWII era in particular.

Mornin' Patsi,

I'm curious, what did Leon Uris believe allowed the Germans to be "duped"
by Hitler?

So, does the fact that the DNC has given Hillary a key note speaker
spot on the second night of the Dem convention mean she's definitely
out as VP?

Good Morning from U Penn.....

ET, You fell for the trap of Craig, as Craig reached on this one..... in this case McCain has not said anything, so how can one deduce a change? come on....

remember...that old man was a "maverick" republican...so what? he's a republican.

a maverick nazi is still a nazi. being a maverick doesn't automatically make a person noble.

a maverick who's for universal health care, who's against giving the richest few the biggest breaks, who's not in favor of aggressive, needless invasions of foreign countries, etc, etc...now THAT'S a maverick you can believe in.

"Instead of going back to my graduate studies in ancient history, I switched to European, and the WWII era in particular."

Patsi, I had nowhere near the life-changing experience you relate. It was simply the intense boredom of my year-long course in Hellenistic history that refocused me.

P.M., I don't want to step on Patsi's words, but I do offer two Uris historical fiction works for you--Battle Cry, and Exodus. Both are extremely well done and capture the War and its aftermath quite well.

Actually, Craig, I think McCain needs to save his political energy for BO.

Stevens isn't the one he's running against & making comments about another scandal, GOP or otherwise, would only serve to make him look like a crankypants. It doesn't do anything to substantially distance him from his party.

I think that once the Rep convention is over, the maverick will return & he will win in Nov. It's not like the far-right is gonna vote for BO...and they are a fearful bunch, so they won't stay home & risk BO getting into office because they didn't show up for McCain. (On the other hand, Dems who don't like BO aren't as fearful & won't vote for him no matter what.)

I also think David Schuster is missing the mark on BO. (I'll bet he & Meeker are sorority sisters in Alpha Omega Obama house.) Of course people care about the issues, but it's really difficult to pin BO down on anything; he just wriggles in the other direction. His character, however, remains constant...and it always betrays him. He seems to have much more than the ego one needs to run for office; it is beyond W-esque.

I also think the McCain spot with the Germans chanting BO's name was effective. Schuster says the visuals outweigh the message. Wrong; the visuals support the message. The whole German pep rally gave me both the heebies and the jeebies.

What flavor of kool-aid will be served in Denver?

JP, Should we all have the same size house despite contribution and effort? That which you cry has failed everytime.

Why are you so angery?

And, PM., if you haven't looked at Herman Wouk's work, please consider them. 'The Winds of War' and 'War and Remembrance' are riveting.

I prefer The Wind In The Willows. (Ya know, BO and Mr. Toad are alot alike personality-wise.)

Hi Flatus,

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll look for the Leon Uris books you
suggested. I did read the "Winds of War" ages ago and remember
I loved it. But, I seem to have forgotten a lot of it. I'll try to dig it out
of my book collection. It's worth a re-read.

Marcia -- Bethy may have read Uris since I have. For me it was decades ago. But as I recall, my takeaway from Armaggedon was more about post-war Germany and the cold War...

From my own readings and research, two things come to mind: a completely demoralized population and the demonization of a people.

cant go wrong with Uris.....there is also Clavell.....King Rat, Noble House, Tai-pan, etc

Sturg, Barbara Tuchman's work was also excellent.

"The whole German pep rally gave me both the heebies and the jeebies. "

It did me too, Blue. The only time I saw that many Germans chanting was after Nixon bombed Cambodia, and tens of thousands of them marched in the streets of Kassel, carrying banners that showed Nixon with babies hanging out of his mouth. I was out early that Sunday morning, visiting with the woman who sold bratwurst down the street from our apartment. We first heard the roar of the crowd, and when they marched around the corner, she told me to say nothing in English if approached.

I had my baby in the stroller, and so I felt the definite threat of mob violence. But they marched right on by us.

Red, Blue. I thought you knew!

"make him look like cranypants"
"David Schuster and Meeker. . .sorority sisters in Alpha Omega Obama house"
"the whole German pep rally gave me both the heebies and the jeebies"
"what flavor kool-aid will be served in Denver"

posted by blueInDallas

blue,

These lines made me laugh out loud. You're on a roll today.

That was a joke I heard a black comedian say. What kind of Kool-Aid was I drinking? Red! I thought you knew!

Sturge, we need to set up a dumbass schedule for this place. Make sure we have our quota at all times. LOL!

corey......lol..........scheduling underway...........

Eric Ambler, John LeCarre, Ross Thomas...........

Patsi,

Thanks for your thoughtful response. I have an aunt in Canada married to
a German whose father, during WW2, was chosen and taken to one of those "stud" farms. His father was a handsome, dashing, blond and blue eyed German. So, it's true that those places existed.

flatus.....eggsackly.....there are none better than Barbara W. Tuchman.......A Distant Mirror, The March of Folly, The Proud Tower.....etc.....excellence in prose and thought..................

I remember a stand-out phrase from BWT:

"......strong opinions in ill-formed minds......"

There all you old folks go talking about books.
Don't you know that is sooooo 20th century.

btw
Good morning all

and I'll repeat one last time......for a look inside the movie business and most of the movies he was in:
from the eyes of Marlon Brando, his book
Songs My Mother Taught Me
is a good solid, even beautiful book......

I've been sort of following this, I wonder how Stevens got away with getting so many gifts and nobody noticing. Were they just seeing how far he'd go and then nab him?

It is "sad"

I've been sort of following this, I wonder how Stevens got away with getting so many gifts and nobody noticing. Were they just seeing how far he'd go and then nab him?

It is "sad"

LOS ANGELES — Their feud finally having gone up in smoke, Cheech and Chong say they're eager to get back on the road for their first comedy tour in more than 25 years.

"We had such a legacy, such a history. We couldn't escape it, even if we tried," Tommy Chong told reporters at a news conference Wednesday at the Troubadour, the Los Angeles nightclub where the pair were discovered more than 35 years ago.

The duo said their "Light Up America" tour will kick off Sept. 12 in Philadelphia.

"It's going to be very theatrical," said Cheech Marin.

If Wednesday's news conference was an indication, it won't spare the pothead humor, either.

"We're definitely still smoking," Chong said when asked.

"I get transfusions now," quipped Marin.

"I like the taste," Chong said. "I'm old fashioned."

from Huffpo.

JP, Should we all have the same size house despite contribution and effort?

Often the ones who work the hardest on day to day toils don't get "the big house."

50 Cents CT house is huge

I know I already brought this up, but no one responded. So, I'll try
one more time, then give up the topic as a dead subject.

But, I'm curious what all you policio smarty pants think.

Does the fact that the DNC "graciously" gave Hillary a major
speaking slot on the second day, at the Denver convention, mean definitely she is out as VP? (not that I ever thought Obama was ever really considering her).

McCain Tries to Define Obama as Out of Touch

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/us/politics/31campaign.html

The sentiment seeped onto television on Wednesday with Andrea Tantaros, a Republican strategist, saying on MSNBC that the use of Ms. Hilton in Mr. McCain’s commercial was “absurd and juvenile,” and that he should spend more time promoting his own agenda.

Prof Marcia,

I don't know about that but Huckabee is in Florida right now trying to win the VP nod there with a "Wake Up Conservatism speech" in which he will say that "This is the time to fight, the very foundation of marriage is being threatned."

Exxon mobile second quarter profits 11.68 billion.

Misses street estimate.

mornin' all.

Thanks to Dex's good work, here's a copy of a link to the grounds for Kucinich's articles of impeachment of Dumya.

http://www.pubrecord.org/docs/vega/kucinich-bush-articles-of-impeachment-violations.pdf

Ping, when a campaign spokesperson says something, It is atributed to the candidate unless he disavows it. On two counts, McCain is silent, and he, as the presumptive head of his party and candidate for president, can and should certainly take a position when the senior member of his caucus is indicted on 7 felony counts. This is not much of a reach on Craig's part.

Rob - when "gifts" are in kind - in Stevens' case they were in the form of home renovation - who's gonna notice that no bills were submitted to him for materials or the work performed? It's the flip side of the underground economy - people do work, get paid in cash, and neither the customer nor the worker reports it. Unless someone squeels on the contractor no one is the wiser. And people get things comped to them all the time and don't report them as gifts - in Stevens' case, it just happened to be huge ones. This is going to be fun - it's the basis for the Clinton impeachment coming home to roost. Stevens shouldn't have lied to the investigators. Saying he paid every bill that was submitted to him was probably technically true, but it was too cute by a half.

Marcia, the Tuesday speaking slot does pretty much indicate that HRC is not going to be the VP nominee, but we knew that. The VP nominee normally speaks on Wednesday.

Pogo,

Okay, that makes sense then.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/mccain-takes-a-pass-on-stevens.html#comment-122363

UB, that was MoJo's position this morning. He is of the belief that the McCain camp has decided he can't win the election, but Obama can lose it, so they are throwing negative images out there about Obama, hoping to help him lose.

It all depends on who goes to the polls....I think Obama has to stress that registering to vote is only part of the process...Student are notorious for not getting their absentee ballots or getting to the polls.

"cast your vote"

I wonder just how ugly McCain is willing to get?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/john-the-ripper-attacks-barack.html#comment-122327

EuroTom
It would be a much different story if it were an apology letter to Senator Clinton. :)

I cannot believe Stevens thinks he can be elected again...of course Republicans who get in trouble always seem to need someone else to tell them it's time to leave. Didn't Goldwater have to tell Nixon to leave.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/business/01oil.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Exxon Mobile hits new record for oil company profits - time to drag the oil execs before congress for another ceremonial come to Jesus meeting again, I guess so they can deny that they are profiting from high gas prices again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/business/01econ.html?hp

And the stimulus package wasn't very stimulating. Thanks for the strong fundamentals, George. And to everyone, welcome to the Bush economy - you'd think he would have learned from his father's inheritance of the Reagan economy, but nooooo. OK, everyone sing, "Cut taxes, go to war, Cut taxes, go to war."

Another point, I love the black and white clips in Obama's rebuttal ad, ties McCain to the last century. Old timer living in the past, playing dirty politics. Clear imagery .

I believes you meant McCain HAS surrendered his maverick stance since SC 2000 primary......he also surrendered every bit of whatever credulity and integrity he may have had along with it.........empty shell left behind........

reading DOUBLE MUSCADINE a story about a slave woman accused of poisoning her masters in ante-bellum Mississippi, and the defense mounted by a first trial "sandhill" poor boy lawyer.......not bad so far.......

UB, McCain will go as low as Schmidt can take him, and I'm betting that Schmidt was just warming up when he planned Bush's ads against Kerry. Obama is a much easier target.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/us/politics/31campaign.html?hp

That will be McCain's legacy a low grade dirty politician....I think that is close to the mark......based on what he thinks is funny, and words he uses in public.....

People don't change, he is perfect for this type of campaign.....he fits the bill and has nothing to lose.

GAITHER, FRANCES ORMOND JONES (MRS. RICE): 1889 - 1955.

When a writer is labeled a "Southerner," he is given an identity; he is linked to his region in a way that the Northerner or Easterner or Westerner is not. Flannery O'Conner once said that Southern writers are "stuck with" being Southern. If so, then the fact of Southern history that they're stuck with is slavery. When Frances Gaither published DOUBLE MUSCADINE in 1949 she remarked, "I've been in slavery ten yairs." She was referring to the decade spent in completing the three novels DOUBLE MUSCADINE, THE RED COCK CROWS (1944), and FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD (1940), a trilogy of sorts dealing with slavery.
"The lot of Negroes has always affected me poignantly," Mrs. Gaither says. "Slavery, of course, was a great moral wrong. I think it's very hard for people now to believe that decent people could permit it--and permit it to last."

In her novels, however, Mrs. Gaither confronts not just the immorality of slavery, but the mystery that surrounds the whole subject. In one interview she observed: "The lot of Negroes in this country has always touched me. I have lived among them all my life; but for a long time the whole subject of our effect on one another seemed to me so painful, so obscure, that I did not dare broach it. I used to wonder if a white person could ever really know how a Negro felt. I still wonder." Ultimately it is the lack of understanding between white and blacks, and the tragic consequences of this ignorance, that is the real subject of her three major novels.

http://mlsandy.home.tsixroads.com/Corinth_MLSANDY/mw003.html

link for above post

Prof Marcia:
Not necessarily. If the polls around convention time indicate trouble in River-City -- particularly in some of the large Blue swing-states -- the Hillary's name will re-circulate for VP nomination at the Convention. If OH, PA, MI, MN are close, and with the extent of the"Bradley" effect unknown, who knows . . .

one last.....sorry to belabor.....

One character in DOUBLE MUSCADINE observes that it is the "debasing," the "undervaluing, of the individual that is the very root and core of the evil of slavery." Ultimately this is Mrs. Gaither's position too. She implies that a society's real strength, its foundation, is its humanity. Without this humanity, this respect for the individual, the society is doomed. Slavery was a denial, or at least an evasion, of this simple reality. It was a lie and, as such, it could do nothing but alienate and isolate the whites, not only from the Blacks but from themselves.

Ronald L. Davis

I suppose I meant credibility and not credulity.......lol

It's hysterical that people are getting all jacked out of shape over those ads. They are NOTHING compared to many campaigns. Silly, maybe -- but certainly not vicious.

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0GeVdrPxSw

like craig said, I guess for now they're just setting up the hoped-for narrative to pave the way for the nastiness to come............

pats, like craig and sturg said - in essence, this is the beginning, not the end.

At the Navel Academy : (wiki)
McCain came into conflict with higher-ranking personnel. He did not always obey the rules, and this contributed to a low class rank (894 of 899) that he did not aim to improve.

Sound to me like he's been a hot-head his entire life. He's like a time bomb, that everyone is watching, waiting to see him explode..... " you little jerk! "

tick tick tick.....................................

"pats, like craig and sturg said - in essence, this is the beginning, not the end."

Probably very true. Cause if that ad is the best they've got....

I thought the Letterman joke about Obama being so arrogant he was trolling for chicks with John Edwards was a lot worse....and I'm usually a Letterman fan.

JH, let's assume you're right - and of course you could be. We are one month out from the convention now - Obama is fairly comfortably ahead in PA, is ahead in MN & MI is essentially tied in OH & FL, and is behind in MO (one of this cycle's reported swing states). He's ahead by what, 4 pts and falling in Gallup's daily tracking poll, and CQ has him as holding a formidable EC lead based on current polls. What's your take should those states and polls be about where they are in a month? I'd say Tim Kaine better go see a better barber since if the word on the street is correct, he'll be standing next to Obama with their arms raised and fingers laced on the last night of the convention.

Pogo

and leave Va with a conservative Republican as gov..not likely. I'm sticking with Biden

KC, I agree that Biden would be a much better choice - I'd like to see him as the No. 2 position on the ticket - but aside from you, no one seems to be talking about him seriously.

but aside from you, no one seems to be talking about him seriously.

he's on everyone's short list and I think his "people" are responsible for all the Kaine chatter. Obama's perceived weakness is foreign policy experience. Again perception only, Biden's ideas about Iraq etc would have been a better policy. Biden does have strong negatives especially with the criminal justice community and his support of the bankruptcy bill but I still think it will be him.

and not just me..Fast Eddy too

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell gave Biden a boost this week, saying on Bloomberg Television that the Delaware senator's foreign policy experience and Scranton, Pa., roots make him the strongest running mate. Few disagree that Biden, whose own presidential bid ended after a poor showing in January's Iowa caucuses, is on the short list of contenders for the No. 2 slot.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080730/NEWS02/807300328

Federal judge disagrees with the WH on top aides' ability to be subpoenaed by Congress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/31/AR2008073101238.html?hpid=topnews

"The House Judiciary Committee wants to question the president's chief of staff, Josh Bolten, and former legal counsel Harriet Miers, about the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. But President Bush says they are immune from such subpoenas. They say Congress can't force them to testify or turn over documents.

"U.S. District Judge John Bates disagreed. He said there's no legal basis for that argument. He said that Miers must appear before Congress and, if she wants to refuse to testify, she must do so in person.

"Harriet Miers is not immune from compelled congressional process; she is legally required to testify pursuant to a duly issued congressional subpoena," Bates wrote.

"He said that both Bolten and Miers must give Congress all non-privileged documents related to the firings. "

Isn't there some other guy - I think his name is Rove or Stove or something like that who has taken that same position?

heheheh.

KC, I happily stand corrected.

Great Ted Stevens cartoon:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/215/index.html

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2882.xml?ReleaseID=1196

McCain should not campaign. He should go back to Az and sit on the front porch of one of their haciendas and drink Bud. He does better when he says nothing.

I love the Grampa McSame celebrity ad! Nothing like showing your opponent being cheered with American flags to really get voters angry!

Pats, great cartoon.

On Sunday, BHO said, and I'm paraphrasing, 'For America's tragic history, we should offer not words, but with deeds.'

Deeds, what is his meaning of deeds? Well it can't be reparations, as BHO was against reparations when he ran against Alan Keyes during the Illinois' Senate race. Of course BHO has been known to change his mind on many things even after he has initially agreed with them. Is he talking about more Affirmative Action programs? Is he talking about more job skill education, job placements, more free health programs? Since LBJ's War on Poverty in the mid 60's up until today, the Federal government has spent several trillion $$$ on such programs. In the black communities the % of unwed mother went from 25% to 70%, drop out rate for black inner-city youths stands at 50%, and 40% of our nations prisons are composed of black males.

BHO totally misses the mark. BHO coming from a single parent home, raised mostly by his grandparents, not coming from wealth, is a great example to portray of what one can do if they want to, but instead he goes for the easy target of, 'you are the victim'. Now if he didn't want to point to himself as an example of what you can become, there are numerous other black males he could have pointed to, but not BHO. No he rather play the old tried and true victimization card, 'Yes I made it, but you can't without my help', such BS. This is so similar to what John Edwards was preaching before he dropped out of the primary. Why is it people like Edwards and BHO can over come their life's obstacles and go on to become successful, but the audience they are targeting can't?

We need more mccain ads that show:

being popular around the world is a bad thing,
and because no one likes mccain, he is the guy we should vote for.

I hope he spends all of his campaign money on these ads, and that he takes out a $100MM personal loan so he can show even more of them.

obama believes himself to be the second coming….

“I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions,” he said.

Seriously?

This guy, who openly admits to illegal drug use, has Reverend Meeks, Reverend Wright, and Father Phleger as his spiritual leaders, hangs out with terrorist William Ayers, is best bussies and does illegal business with slumlord Tony Rezko, has an American-hating wife who complains constantly about America, makes sexist attacks on the Former First lady, pays his female staff members less than their male counterarts, calls women *sweetie* and offers up kisses for votes, tells reporters that the *vibrating* in his pocket is *just his cell phone*, makes up fake Presidential seals, and play acts that he is already President, removes the American flag from his lapel pin, his airplane, and (which I now believe) doesn’t place his hand over his heart for the National Anthem, cancels trips to visit wounded Iraq vets, because he can’t bring a camera, flip flops on major party policies, lies to the American people, and HE is the symbol of America returning to the best of our traditions????"

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/07/31/obama-believes-himself-to-be-the-second-coming/#more-3883

My second favorite Uris book after Exodus is Mila 18 since it covers the uprising in the Warsaw ghetto. A view of both the German and Jewish populations

http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/uris.htm

51% of Californians back offshore drilling
Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer

Thursday, July 31, 2008

(07-30) 22:28 PDT San Francisco -- A majority of Californians favor more oil drilling off the coast, according to a statewide survey released Wednesday, for the first time since oil prices spiked nearly three decades ago.

The support by 51 percent of residents polled this month by the Public Policy Institute of California represents a shift caused by renewed Republican advocacy for drilling as well as motorists' reaction to soaring pump prices, according to the pollster.

With high oil prices and calls from President Bush and Republican presidential aspirant Sen. John McCain to open coastal waters to domestic production, support for drilling has jumped, particularly among Republicans, the poll says. Support increases with age and is slightly higher among men than women.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/30/BAHL122B1T.DTL&tsp=1

I am shocked

pogo,

This judge only said she has to appear. Appearing and answering are 2 totally different issues. "Executive privilege" will be the phrase of the day when this dog and pony show starts.I think I'll setup a hot dog and popcorn stand for this upcoming fiasco.

Do you think the House will look into where Rep. Bob Wexler actually resides? Is it Fl or LA.? Does he vote in Fl but live in LA, or vise versa. Apparently he was using his parent's home address as his residence, but was actually had a home in LA. Now I see he is renting something in Fl under his own name to give him so cover of creditability. Wasn't the House in an uproar over accusations that Ann Coulter, lived in one state but voted in another state? Why isn't Nancy calling for an official investigation? I could sell even more hot dogs and popcorn.

"McCain should not campaign. He should go back to Az and sit on the front porch of one of their haciendas and drink Bud. He does better when he says nothing."

ROFL! True!

Prof Marcia

Most of the talking heads say the Tuesday night slot for Clinton is the last nail in the VP coffin. That is probable. I won't give up totally until Obama actually names someone else.

For me it is the difference between an enthusiastic vote and a yawn of a foregone but dull conclusion.

Mila 18, is sensational. The images of the Jewish resistance fighters in Warsaw during WWII, crawling through the sewers to escape the Nazis so they could fight them another day. Very impressive images of courage even though it has been 40 some years since I read that book.

"I'm sure Rove protege Steve Schmidt, newly installed at the McCain campaign's helm, is shocked...shocked, I say...to learn his mentor Karl Rove might be involved in a rule-flouting scheme to game the 2008 election. Especially when you consider the timely roll-out of prior Freedom's Watch campaigns which just happened to coincide directly with the McCain messaging roll-out of the week? (And with Congressional campaign strategy, which Blue America has already been fighting.)

Why is it that when we talk Republican corruption, all roads inevitably lead to Rove? And shouldn't we all be asking if Grover Norquist is up to his old launder the Republican money and take a cut tricks again? Is this yet another "follow the money" scheme? Inquiring minds and all...given that after Jackie Boy Abramoff, none of these people ever again get the benefit of any doubt."
http://firedoglake.com/2008/07/31/intersection-of-freedoms-watch-and-mccain-all-roads-lead-to-rove/

http://i36.tinypic.com/zw1006.jpg

today's Doonesbury

Marcia, the Tuesday speaking slot does pretty much indicate that HRC is not going to be the VP nominee, but we knew that. The VP nominee normally speaks on Wednesday. [pogo]

maybe she really will be vp and they're moving the wed. schedule up to tues. making more room for the big speech on a better tv night. don't forget they tried to end the primaries earlier. then they'll call for j mc to step aside to speed things up in nov and next make inauguration day dec 25th instead of jan 20th....

KGC

That is why McCain is hammering Obama with the off shore drilling. It is a winning issue. Obama may have a energy policy but it is vague and hard to understand. drilling for more oil is such a simple statement that everybody gets the connection.
Not only Californis but also florida supports of shore drilling. For those of us without a coast it is a nobrainer.
For McCain it is also a 2fer as it paints Obama as an out of touch liberal, who probablly never has to worry about the price of gas or having enough gas in the tank to make it to work and pick up your friday paycheck.

Jack

Jack
I am shocked. I thought Californians loved their coast more. I guess it's been so long since a spill people have forgotten the damage. They need to haul out the old news coverage and the costs of clean up to remind people this is not a good idea at all.

And with Obama leading in Cal by 24 points, it's quite a startling contrast.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080731/ap_on_go_ot/congress_contempt

Trail Mixers: Fasten your seat belts, tighten you chin straps.

Campaign manager Rick Davis issued a statement today saying, "Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It's divisive, negative, shameful and wrong."

The McCain camp is doing what Clinton dared not. Calling Obama out on the race card.

craig wrote: "But instead of publicly commenting himself, the expected GOP nominee's response has so far been left to a spokesperson who called the whole thing "sad.""

but craig, how many senators or their mouthpieces have said anything else? rules of courtesy, comity abide in those hallowed halls... to say nothing of the deals that had to be made with him when he headed the appropriations committee and may be hiding in his closet for retaliatory purposes.

KGC

More than they love their cars?
Remember the Oilspill that you remember is over 40 yr ago. The new technology/ safer chant is believable to people used to technological miracles. Also look at the hurricane ravaged gulf. The only major oil spills with Hurricain Katrina were from refineries and on shore storage.

Jack

Jack
Where is Maggisd? And all the others who picked up endless tar balls. There are have been a couple of minor incidents in the bay area recently and the beaches were cleaned up quickly but I think if people were reminded of the damage opinions would change.

Early in his career, Jon Voight must have been stationed somewhere on the far left of the Hollywood crowd. When he came up to Dartmouth in the spring of 1970 for a showing of "The Revolutionary," he clearly identified with the film's hero. In the question-and-answer session following the showing of the film, Voight explained in all seriousness that we should know "the revolution" was going to begin in Washington on November 15. Voight's radicalism was obviously no impediment to his livelihood. Indeed, it may well have facilitated a career of great prominence and distinction, including an Academy Award for his performance in "Coming Home."

Voight's career withstood his foolish radicalism, but his turn to patriotism and the middle of the road has raised a red flag, so to speak, in Hollywood. In his Washington Times column condemning Barack Obama, Voight speaks from his own experience:

The Democrats have targeted young people, knowing how easy it is to bring forth whatever is needed to program their minds. I know this process well. I was caught up in the hysteria during the Vietnam era, which was brought about through Marxist propaganda underlying the so-called peace movement.

Such testimony is not appreciated in Hollywood, where it has elicited a remarkable column by Jeffrey Wells. Wells comments:
[I]t's only natural that industry-based Obama supporters will henceforth regard him askance. Honestly? If I were a producer and I had to make a casting decision about hiring Voight or some older actor who hadn't pissed me off with an idiotic Washington Times op-ed piece, I might very well say to myself, "Voight? Let him eat cake.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/28/voight/

corey, corey, corey - Red is not a flavor. (And would they be serving a red-colored beverage at a Dem convention? That would just be poor party planning.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool-Aid

I think "Great Bluedini" sounds like a flavor the Obamabots would deem worthy of their leader. (Although, that doesn't really sound like flavor, either.)

(list of flavors at the bottom of the wiki link)

Ok
Bowmanc

Looks like we are starting the election early.
One of my favorite reads was Ed Rollin's "Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms"
Looks like a good brawl. Slam them in the nuts and then scold them for screaming.
LOL

Jack

I notice a lot of people are afraid that 200,000 Germans were waiving American flags and chanting Obama's name last week.

Never mind that they were thrilled to be in the company of an American political leader, the media and the Republicans are focusing on making Hitler references...

I think the bigger picture is being missed. Some on the right wing were saying the day of the speech that Obama was speaking in front of a monument to Hitler yet they fail to see the historical significance that in the city that Hitler cherished most, the heart of what was once Nazi German, 200,000 Germans were excitedly cheering for an American Black man.

"I think if people were reminded of the damage opinions would change."

Could be but for most folks all of that is a long time ago and far away. The gas tank is today in about 15 min for me. Oil slicks are abstract for 99% of us the gas tank is not. I suspect for environmentalist on this issue the choice is how to I slow it down, trying to stop it will only result in them getting run over and losing everything.

Jack

Marcia
I mostly agree with the others about the Tuesday slot.
I also say it is only the minimum respect due her and not any more than that.

Jack

"200,000 Germans were excitedly cheering for an American Black man."

But Bear if he had dressed in his fathers traditional muslim dress would they have cheered so loud?
Different peoples have differant prejudices.
In Mississippi it is a miracle.

Jack

Bear- " 200,000 Germans were excitedly cheering for an American Black man"

-excellent point !

Among other ideas, I think what you said highlights the differences between hope and positive thinking......and hopelessness and destructive thinking

Also,

oops got a phone call.....

Pogo:
Admittedly my scenario is improbable, even though Polls seem to be tightening instead of widening. Presuming Hillary to be out, most alternatives seem to have shortcomings:
Biden is a fellow Senator, who brings no constituency of his own, which means the Senate loses two Democratic Senators who would have to be replaced in special elections;
Kaine is Pro-Life (I believe) and would put a Republican in charge of the Virginia Statehouse. He can't help Obama outside Virgina;
Ohio's Democratic governor is popular within his State and can help deliver the State's winning electoral margin even though he is little known beyond state boundaries;
Same with Rendel in PA, a must-win Blue State, etc.

Jeez
not only can i not spell, I can't spell it wrong the same way twice.

LOL
Jack

Patsi,

"maybe she really will be vp"

Never in a million years will HRC accept 2nd place to the lesser 1st place contestant. Accepting VP would only bolster BHO's PC backdoor shoe-in. I am still holding out that HRC will be the D's nominee, as some states that were once in BHO's camp have moved over to McCain's side of the ledger. If that pattern should continue, HRC will become the D's presidential nominee.

Where did the flags come from & who was holding them? BO's staffers handing them out to passers-by & trying to stage the rally? American ex-pats? His staffers themselves? There really weren't that many flags; the media was just spotlighting them.

Would the crowd have reacted any differently to an appearance by their soccer (excuse me, football) team?

I think it was the cult of personality more than anything.

Is it nice to see an American flag on foreign soil that isn't on fire? Yes. But BO & his media-lackeys just used group psychology to try to influence voters in this country.

America falls out of favor with other countries as soon as we don't cowtow to them. A bit of love last week doesn't mean a marriage made in heaven.

That's the thing about mob psychology - the mob will turn on you in a second; fair-weather friends.

"Honestly? If I were a producer and I had to make a casting decision about hiring Voight or some older actor who hadn't pissed me off with an idiotic Washington Times op-ed piece, I might very well say to myself, "Voight? Let him eat cake."

This is the problem with today's political climate -- the one Obama says He will change. Just as the right boycotted and sought to destroy the Dixie Chicks, Democrats are now advocating the same ugly tactics when people have opposing opinions.

Frick/Frack. Makes me sick.

"highlights the differences between hope and positive thinking......and hopelessness and destructive thinking"

You forgot to include racist old bitch thinking.

I didn't forget to include anything......quit injecting yourself, it's not all about you!

"Obama Addresses 200,000 in Berlin" -- thus ran the AP headline
The estimates given by German public television ZDF actually during the event, however, were as little as one-tenth of that number.

http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/blog/blog.aspx?id=2492

"Patsi,
"maybe she really will be vp"

I didn't post that, Fry. I have never wanted her to take second place in the ticket. I fear Obama would have 99 Problems But A Bitch Ain't One piped into her office.

Any woman in that administration will have to know her place.

I've seen clips of BO saying he doesn't "look" like the other candidates. He's the one who keeps bringing it up. The Germans only showed up for the "rock star" created by the media. Yes, they've come a long way, so why does BO keep harping on it and then saying it's other people with the problem?

Patsi

It is one of those "teenagers and sex statements", I talked about yesterday. About all you can do is say, " yea, aint sex wunnerful"

Jack

I keep looking at all these possible VP names that float through the media and the reaction is the same ... blah, blah, and more blah, blah. Adequate, dull, and what is worse, they make the candidate look blah, blah and more blah, blah.

Andrea Mitchell doesn't pretend to be a journalist does she? She has been arguing with McCain supporters throughout the show and gushing at Obama supporters.

She knows the issues which may make her worse than the giggle and wiggle crowd. There could be hard hitting questions to both sides about the issues, but she is being so partisan that it becomes unbelievable.

If BO loves crowds so much, why not a Town Hall meeting full of Indies who aren’t chanting his name? Oh, yeah. People might ask questions that would show him to be a candidate of very little substance.

I never thought I'd say it, but I miss all of those debates, too.

Blue

There's another reason to name Clinton VP. He needs someone to answer the questions.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/07/mccain-takes-a-pass-on-stevens.html#comment-122421

Fry, that is correct - appearing and testifying are 2 different things - both she and Rove ignored the subpoenas to appear. This will start a legal process that will outlast this administration and will likely address some issues surrounding executive privilege, who can assert it, how broad the privilege is, and stuff like that.

The Coulter uproar was over her living in one district in NY and or FL, but voting in another district in FL, having registered using her real estate agent's address, as I understood it. As far as I know Congress wasn't involved other than to sit on the sidelines cheering for the Palm Beach prosecutor and FL Elections Commission office as they considered whether to bring charges. They never did.

I have no idea about the Wexler flap other than what I've read in such authoritative sources as Wikipedia. My understanding, based upon that ~~~ authoritative source ~~~ is that he is a long-time FL resident, stayed at his MIL's house in DelRay Beach when he went to FL, but owned his residence in MD. If Wiki is right, his offense may be accepting the double residence stipend when he didn't maintain 2 residences. If Wiki is even facially correct, your facts are mixed up, but it is Wiki after all.

Obamania Germania II

"I thought the whole 200,000 in Germany heil Obamessiah thing was fishy because my Berlin buddies keep making fun of me for living in a country where a 12 year old coke head is about to become president. When I asked them to look into it ... they told me what really happened.

... Reamonn Garvey and Patrice were playing. Think of it as the German equivalent a free concert in the park with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ziggy Marley.

... the German and Belgian beer distributors were running free beer for the first three hours (small cup) followed by marked up full size cups after everybody was hot and drunk.

Whatever his speech or message was is then completely lost on the drunk club kids ... waving banners they were given (and can’t read) and American flags because they think the American flag is funny and ironic i.e. evil (they can’t display swastikas to be edgy because it is prohibited by German law)."

More:

http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/obamania-germania-ii/

The link Gordo just put up is decidedly racist (Obama head on Josephine Baker's body), homophobic, and pretty ugly.

Some of the material within all that garbage such as the free beers, rock concert, and distributed flags would be worth looking into. Unfortunately giving any creedence to a report such as that could make you look guilty by association with all the other crud.

Jamie

Your braver than I am.

as far as drawing a crowd with a free concert..............
It wouldn't have been the first time and beer in Germany? I'm shocked.

Jack

Jamie

why didn't they give them all a cell phone and a list of people to call like they are going to do at the national convention. Give them a real tast of politics.

Jack

the huffpo reported "effort to urge Barack Obama to pick former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate is shutting down" but lanie evidently hasn't and spews forth poll numbers right and left to make his point:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745984626098717.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

I gotta agree with jamie - bad stuff to link Gordo. But I'm not concerned at all about the entertainment and beer - without it it would be a pretty boring event - Obama may have star quality here, but I'm betting his allure in other countries is exaggerated; who wants to go and listen to a politician from another country speak in a language you may not understand other than through an interpreter after all - although I bet more Germans speak and understand English than vice versa? Hell they have entertainment at our conventions here, and they don't really need it to draw a crowd. And I can't recall seeing a decent sized political convention crowd where I didn't think half the audience was toasted. All that's just marketing.

sorry, lanny, for the misspell.

"The Just Say No Deal Coalition issues the following statement in response to Sen. Obama’s address at the site of the Victory Column following a free rock concert on July 24, 2008 in Berlin , Germany

United States of America (Press Release) July 27, 2008 --
"While coverage of Senator Obama's Berlin speech provided audiences here at home nothing less that a visual "shock and awe," it neglected to mention that the well-hyped speech had an opening act: a gratis concert by two wildly popular groups, Reggae artist Patrice and rock band Reamonn. While we appreciate the Obama Campaign's hospitality, on behalf of furthering US international relations, offering free bratwurst, pizza and even beer for three hours during the free rock concert, we question whether or not the monies might have been better spent here on financially strapped US citizens. Furthermore the Just Say No Deal Coalition identifies this pattern as deceptive to media consumers. Similarly, back on May 20, 2008 in Portland, Oregon, the critically acclaimed local band The Decemberists performed a rare free concert prior to Senator Obama’s appearance (note: there are no reports of free refreshments being served during this appearance).

While news stories generated by both appearances focused on the enormity of the crowd size, few reports mentioned the accompanying perks, leaving some to question whether revelers are showing up for Senator Obama or for free food and entertainment. Without this additional information, Just Say No Deal contends that Americans are being misled about the presumptive Democratic nominee’s true popularity."

http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200807/1217183039.html

Jack,

Whenever there is the prospect of a crowd of drunk fans, my natural inclination is to run the other way as fast as possible.

What is bad about this and why I hope the Obama campaign will cool it for awhile, is that he has been sounding good lately. His speeches have more content and issues are starting to be mentioned. He does have to drop that "look like" line an dhis spokespeople need to ditch "the Brady effect". It is the same crap pulled on Clinton and just because it is now being used on McCain doesn't make it less insulting to voters. He is either the President of all the people or he is the black President with a fan club.

Also I may be missing the debates as well. At least they talked about something of importance.

Obama's Berlin Moment

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/07/obamas_berlin_moment.html

Hillary Clinton is introducing Barack Obama for today's speech but it doesn't look as if C-SPAN 3 is covering. Anybody know if there will be full coverage anywhere?

Jamie,

"There's another reason to name Clinton VP. He needs someone to answer the questions."

LOL I can where something like that would really send the over 40 females who are already having problems with BHO send them right on over the edge.

BHO: "Hillary this is Barry. Uh uh Could you hold a press confess and explain to them what I meant if you had said that".

HRC: Sure Barry be glad to help you out AGAIN! What happen this time the batteries on your portable teleprompter die?

BHO doesn't do debates unless he knows the content of the questions he'll be asked. If he would, he would be having Town Hall debates with McCain, which he is staying away from.

I just thought of this, when McCain gets elected POTUS, this will push back the chances of any Afro-American from becoming president for decades. The D's have put all their eggs in one basket on this one, and after BHO's defeat , the D party will become very gun shy about nominating a AF for POTUS. Now common sense would dictate that a person with such a scant resume as BHO's, wouldn't be your first pick. It may be your second choice as VP, but not for top spot. HRC far outshines him. What were they thinking?

I just don't understand the hatred of McCain by so many democrats. I seem to remember that McCain's hearings on Indian Affairs took down Abramoff and lead to the defeat of Delay, Reed and Hastert. For my money, he cleaned out the most offensive homophobic wing of the republican party. How is that being in bed with George Bush?

Fry, what states that are currently polling as Dem or Dem leaning do you think will switch and become Repub in Nov?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/obama_vs_mccain/

National polls aside, this looks like where the rubber hits the road for the candidates,and McCain's chances to become POTUS look pretty dim according to RCP's take.

Dem No More, gimmeabreak. Do you really think those issues are what align McCain with Bush and are on voters' minds? Let's try Iraq, tax cuts and offshore drilling for starters - and throw in conservative jurists and resistance to anything that resembles an expansion of healthcare availabiliy to boot and you can start to get the picture.

Wait for the 527s. MSM viewers and listeners can't even begin to imagine what the Repubs have on Obama.

Gordo, "Wait for the 527s. MSM viewers and listeners can't even begin to imagine what the Repubs CLAIM TO have on Obama."

Having seen how valid the 527 attacks were 4 years ago, I took the liberty of fixing your typo.

"Let's try Iraq, tax cuts and offshore drilling for starters"

OK , lets try those
He was a more effective critic on Bush's Iraq war strategy than any Democrat has been
Was part of the pressure to remove Rumsfeld. Was a supporter of the current strategy that is working.
Has declared that while he is opposed to new tax's he is open to the subject.
Off shore oil drilling? lol He was there first , at the time Bush was supporting opening up the Arctic wilderness to drilling, something that McCain opposes.

Sorry, Pogo I know you would like to tie Bush and McCain together but he is and always has been his own man.
And as such has plenty of policies that can be opposed with just cause.

Jack

It is very likely that Obama would be attacked with material that is !00% true - no need for the Repubs to fabricate this time.

typo: !00% true should read 100%

Obama would claim the !00%

Jack, not so fast cowpoke. The operative word you are using is "was".

McCain WAS a critic of Bush and Rumsfeld's conduct of the war - primarily because they weren't warlike enough - but that WAS then and this is now. He now criticizes Obama for wanting to leave Iraq before we "win" there - whatever the hell that means. Sure he supported the surge (I assume that's what you are referring to as working) - it was more warlike in his view of appropriate troop levels. That WAS Bush's surge, btw. In other words, he has now bought the Bush approach to Iraqi diplomacy (read invade and occupy) hook, line and sinker, or Bush has bought the McCain approach - either way, they are the same.

He has called for making the Bush tax cuts permanent - just as Bush has. No difference. Being open to new taxes is nothing more than a grudging acceptance of the effect of the war and the Bush deficits have had on the vitality of the economy IMO. And we can guess where any new taxes he might consider or propose would hit hardest - my vote is on the middle class - again, Bushlike.

He has called for making offshore drilling a decision for the states by dropping the federal ban on it - the exact approach Bush is advocating, and which Dumya has in fact acted on by reversing Bush 41's Executive Order banning that drilling. And this is a reversal of McCain's prior opposition to the practice - and god knows Exxon needs the help - whether he or Bush changed their position first, their view on the practice is the same. And I do applaud his continued opposition to drilling in ANWR, but he also advocates opening up more public land to drilling without requiring that the current leases held by the oil companies be exercised or that the wells already on public land be exhausted before more leases are made available. Again, same position as Bush.

He is in fact his own man, and has in the past disagreed with many Bush policies, but on the issues that will decide the election in Nov. the man he is has reversed most of the views that distinguished him from Bush orthodoxy and his views and policy positions now are remarkably like the dimbulb he would like to succeed, and they trend more and more in the same direction.

Oh, and Gordo, says you. Put up or shut up.

But now, LP's soccer practice demands that I leave. Manana.

pogo --------------------------------

It's beginning today. Guess what it is? On Hannity's radio show. The most damaging info will be saved for use latter.