U.S. Elections 2008: General Elections -- Analysis and Commentary

[Koga No Goshi]

In order to combat extremism, militancy, ultra-partisanship, and uncivility within our own nation in its hour of need, we need to give credit where credit is due, to people on all sides of the aisle who don't succumb to the partisan noise machine.

We need to bring sanity back to this country, and negative attacks that have nothing to do with the issues, "Crossfire"-style shouting matches, debates without moderation or ideas, and smearing our ideological opposition as the devil incarnate needs to end.

I blame general stupidity and complacency first and foremost. Few people take voting as a real civic responsibility worthy of time and research and attention. Most view it as something to cast based on 1 issue or whoever comes off with the snazziest one-liners in the campaign and feels like a homeboy to you.

But I also think this indirectly brings us back into the discussion CR and I were having. I think that when the sole calling of news is to make money and sell ad space, this is what we get. Jerry Springer style screaming and dramatic partisanship and conflict and sides trying to destroy each other. It's exciting, it sells. How many people said they fell asleep during the debates, or didn't bother watching? I bet if a headline had said "McCain throws coffee mug at Obama in debate" they all would have woken up and made sure to watch it.

We're looking at years of concentrating on, and elevating, the "lowest common denominator" as the "real America", the "patriotic America", "the true Americans", etc. And aiming at that audience as the baseline norm of discourse and marketing in our news and political machinery.

Look at, as another example, the heat Obama took for how often he said "Senator McCain is right." You, Pizza, would say that is pushing the discourse towards being more reasonable and elevated. ANd I would agree with you. Know what about half the people out there would say? It was weakness, it invited attack, it made him look wussy. That's the maturity level of a lot of the viewership out there, that we're deciding who should run the frathouse.

[m52nickerson]

Ah, another "the people are too stupid to think for themselves" liberal. Funny how the leftests always have so very little trust in citizens - but never fail to trust in the government as the answer. All the arguments against the fairness doctrine apply to your wished for government control over journalism standards, or whatever. It's unconstitutional, hampers free speech, and can be used as a tool to attack opposition press.

Yes when in doubt make broad over reaching statements about teh liberals.

While I am not for the fairness doctrine let me point out that it would not be unconstitutional or hampers free speech any more then the FCC rules do now.

[Koga No Goshi]

Yes when in doubt make broad over reaching statements about teh liberals.

While I am not for the fairness doctrine let me point out that it would not be unconstitutional or hampers free speech any more then the FCC rules do now.

Holy crap. m52 you just condensed my entire argument into two lines.

[m52nickerson]

Holy crap. m52 you just condensed my entire argument into two lines.

Your welcome.

That's what we do hear on mythbusters, we take large thing and make them small.

[Koga No Goshi]

Your welcome.

Wanna be my Cliff's Notes?

[Strike For The South]

According to Palin I dont live in "Real America" What a tool.

[Koga No Goshi]

According to Palin I dont live in "Real America" What a tool.

Don't feel bad. If you eliminate all the blue states too, then the majority of Americans aren't real Americans. We have more votes than they do so who cares. ;)

[PanzerJaeger]

According to Palin I dont live in "Real America" What a tool.

Score another point for the media spin machine.. Did you read what she said and her further clarification?

[Strike For The South]

Score another point for the media spin machine.. Did you read what she said and her further clarification?

At this point I'd much rather tale what they feed me but if you insist

[Incongruous]

I read something today, whioch I felt was rather sad.
Apparently the constitution of the U.S.A used to be suchg that, it was the man with the second highest vote count who was appointed VP.

In light of the two candidates, It is a shame that the 12th amendment (is that it?) changed that I feel.

[Strike For The South]

"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation,

I grew up in the a city with about 1.5 million people. Not a small town not the best of America not hard wroking

[Koga No Goshi]

At this point I'd much rather tale what they feed me but if you insist

Even if Palin backpedalled on the comment, it is a widely-held notion among the far right fringes. Hell, it's not even the fringes. It comes up in practically every election, and accusation that the left is unpatriotic and not the real America has been a cornerstone of every Presidential campaign since.... can anyone even remember when it started?

Michelle Bachmann was happy to hop on Chris Matthews and comment about Palin's remark that yes, Obama is very anti-America and affiliates closely with radical left-wing parts of America that are anti-America in their views. I'm sure a lot of rightie pundits, definitely on the radio if not elsewhere, were quick to parrot agreement. It's nothing different than what they're saying and implying about the left a great deal of the time, so I'm just surprised people act like it's a shocking news-bit that Palin would mention it.

"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation,

True story: we don't work in California..... while paying more for almost everything than people in little under-5,000 people towns. We just lay around dreaming up ways to sabotage America and sleeping in till 2pm everyday.

[PanzerJaeger]

Seems like your standard playing to the crowd. Also, she has since said that no insult was implied.

[Koga No Goshi]

RE: Palin's "real America", I don't think it needed to be implied, I think it was already understood what she meant. When people go to these little nothing towns and pander to how they're the real heartland America and work hard and this and that... the implication is always... as opposed to those godless war protesting hippies in big cities. If she didn't say it, people in that town probably did and do.

[Strike For The South]

Seems like your standard playing to the crowd. Also, she has since said that no insult was implied.

Of course she is going to say that. Her and T.Boone Pickens are on my poop list. That is a bad list

[PanzerJaeger]

Of course she is going to say that. Her and T.Boone Pickens are on my poop list. That is a bad list

If a little "We've got a great looking crowd tonight!" crowd working is all it takes to get on your poop list, I'll make sure I watch my mouth around you!

I don't think it needed to be implied, I think it was already understood what she meant. When people go to these little nothing towns and pander to how they're the real heartland America and work hard and this and that... the implication is always... as opposed to those godless war protesting hippies in big cities. If she didn't say it, people in that town probably did and do.

I don't think you can condemn a person based solely on what you assume is understood but was never said. On the other hand, the democrats have made it clear what they think of small town America on several occasions this election cycle. I would think Strike would be more upset over those implicit insults than a few words in a Palin address.

[Strike For The South]

If a little "We've got a great looking crowd tonight!" crowd working is all it takes to get on your poop list, I'll make sure I watch my mouth around you!




I don't think you can condemn a person based solely on what you assume is understood but was never said. On the other hand, the democrats have made it clear what they think of small town America on several occasions this election cycle. I would think Strike would be more upset over those implicit insults than a few words in a Palin address.

Panzer I think I called Obama nasty names to just look in this thread. Palin is pandering to the LCD and you know that.

[Koga No Goshi]

Palin is pandering to the LCD and you know that.

The liquid crystal display?

[Askthepizzaguy]

"Lowest common denominator". In other words, the Republican party.




I joke, of course. Some of them are all right.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Oh, be nicthe.

[Koga No Goshi]

Oh, be nicthe.

Since things seemed to have slowed down a bit, for the moment, in the 2008 Presidential Election/Campaign department, can I take this opportunity to order a large pizza with extra pepperoni, green peppers and onions delivered to an address which will be supplied in PM?

And, do I get the Orgah discount?

[Askthepizzaguy]

You certainly can go ahead and order, you don't need my permission. Oh, and about the discount, ask whomever it is you're gonna be ordering from.

[Koga No Goshi]

You certainly can go ahead and order, you don't need my permission. Oh, and about the discount, ask whomever it is you're gonna be ordering from.

Your name is "Askthepizzaguy"! So I asked the pizza guy!

[Marshal Murat]

"Socialist" is a racist word

The "socialist" label that Sen. John McCain and his GOP presidential running mate Sarah Palin are trying to attach to Sen. Barack Obama actually has long and very ugly historical roots.

Great stuff.

[Lemur]

Just so we're all clear, John McCain said today: "Western Pennsylvania is the most patriotic, most God-loving, most patriotic part of America... this is a great part of the country."

It follows logically that every other part of the country is less patriotic and less God-loving. Sucks to be you.

[m52nickerson]

"Socialist" is a racist word

Great stuff.

10 to 1 odds that McCain Godwin's himself before the end.

[Koga No Goshi]

Just so we're all clear, John McCain said today: "Western Pennsylvania is the most patriotic, most God-loving, most patriotic part of America... this is a great part of the country."

It follows logically that every other part of the country is less patriotic and less God-loving. Sucks to be you.

The rest of the country is every bit as God loving! How offensive! Just because all the rest of us worship a different God doesn't make us any less God-loving!

[Askthepizzaguy]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm torn between the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Invisible Pink Unicorn.

[Ronin]

Seems like your standard playing to the crowd. Also, she has since said that no insult was implied.

Backpedaling much is she?

does this mean that Palin is a flip-flopper?

you cannot say incredibly stupid, false things and then just laugh it off by saying you where just "playing to the crow"....there is a difference between saying "you´re a great crowd" and "those guys aren´t real citizens of this country"

If you have to stoop so low to play to your crowd, then that says something about your crowd that I won´t say here because I don´t want to get banned!

[Lemur]

I guess this belongs in News of the Weird, but it's too political, so here goes:

Al-Qaeda Endorses McCain for President

"Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election," said a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," President Bush. [...]

It further suggested that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.
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"It will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against al-Qaeda," said the posting, attributed to Muhammad Haafid, a longtime contributor to the password-protected site. "Al-Qaeda then will succeed in exhausting America." [...]

"The idea in the jihadist forums is that McCain would be a faithful 'son of Bush' -- someone they see as a jingoist and a war hawk," Raisman said. "They think that, to succeed in a war of attrition, they need a leader in Washington like McCain."

Islamist militants have generally had less to say about Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Leaders of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah expressed a favorable view of Obama during the primary campaign but later rejected the Democrat after he delivered speeches expressing support for Israel.

Personally, I think it's kind of silly, and I don't believe Americans should base anything on what Al Qaeda has to say. However I can't help but imagine the red flashing sirens on Drudge if this happened to Obama ...