Republicans will do whatever it takes to win. Credit them with that much. This is only the beginning of their "swiftboating" campaigns against Obama. It is not about truth or honor, is about erasing (or at least neutralizing) the other guy's strenghts. Popular = Celebrity Young = Inexperienced Progressive = Too Liberal The worst part of it is that people still buy into these tactics.
By the same token, the dems do the same. It's amazing to me how this election is still so tight considering how much bashing the Republican party has taken. It must be for a reason.....
Yes, I think its because while the Republican party is taking a beating, the media, until this week has given McCain a free ride on his policy stances, choice of running mate, and repeated lying on the campaign trail. His POW status has so far innoculated him to the vetting process of journalism. I am hopeful that once media coverage balances out, we'll see the election start to fall more along national party approval as you suggest.
Good points there. I am still very very much in doubt about whom to vote for. Neither convinces me on several issues and it's quite frustrating how the issues don't get discussed. I feel that once the issues are discussed, some of the fogginess is going to clear up. In my opinion, this election is going to be decided on principles and on the way people want to steer this country for the next 8 to 12 yrs. In the meantime, I'm tired of the attacks going back and forth.....I'm still waiting until they go mano a mano with issues such as energy, economy(taxes included), health care and war on terrorism.
Well, to a large degree the McCain campaign has been trying to keep discussion away from the issues. As his campaign manager, Fred Davis, mentioned at the Republican Convention their strategy is to make this a campaign about "personalities rather than issues." That said, another important factor is that many Americans first met McCain on a national stage in his famous 2000 primary run against W Bush. He was decimated by dirty politics (Bush's team accused him of having an illegitimate black baby), and at the time was running on a platform of reform on various counts. Unfortunately, he made the strategic decision in 06 to move closer to Bush in order to win the Republican nomination, and has reversed on almost every position (was pro choice now pro life, was against bush tax cuts for the wealthy ... is now for them, was against off shore drilling now the biggest proponent, was against dishonest politics now runs two untrue ads in a week and goes on the View and lies openly to the hosts). So I think most Americans probably don't yet digest that the McCain of 08 is on the opposite side of the issues they got to know him for between 00 and 06. With debates, that should change...
Overall both campaigns have had some contradictions with current and past positions. What i want is for them to present the case for Americans not with feel good ideas and good lines, but with hard numbers and pros and cons of each the opposing candidates ideas. I think any politician leaves a "honesty" question in doubt and Obama is no exception. He has yet to come across as an honest person in my opinion no matter how "good" his promises sound( which are often idealistic proposals and in some cases unrealistic). I remain on the fence on both candidates.
Obama is black im brown.... he got me there haha but seriously I havent heard Maccain talk in forever or about anything but that Obama is too young to lead... his old ass is almost dead..... and never on tv.... I like that Mccain likes Colombia and was there the day we got the hostages out but he is going to be Bush part 3, and the dumbass has said before that u can walk threw the streets of bagdad with no problems when he uses 1/4 of the milatary to follow him around and um gun torting animal killing vp he has there is just a publicity stunt to get retarded women to vote for him to "break the glass ceiling" bullshit Way more racism towards brown people in america than there is towards women and she is way under qualified, and is in the smallest fing state in teh country that is far as fuk from the rest of us I think people are retarded if the vote republican because of the woman or democrat because the guy is black or not vote for him because he is black but its going to happen.... sadly the only good/smart part of the US is the east coast and part of the west coast the middle of the country are just a bunch of religious fanatical hicks that will again ruin it for the rest of us.... thank them for bush america(yea im talking about u Ohio)
Yikes!!! do you really believe that??? So i guess we should break the country in two...the smarts and as you say,,,,,,,,,,,,,the people from mid america who aren't "smart"........Good thing I'm Florida then
That's a really convenient way to glaze over the difference between the two campaigns. Politicians may exaggerate their achievements and certainly they have a right to change their minds on issues, but the McCain campaign has completely misrepresented Obama's positions on various issues of late and has based their campaign in support of Palin's selection on an absolute misrepresentation of her stance on earmarks. Just as Obama does NOT support sexual education for children before they can read (I still shudder to think that McCain could approve such slander get put on air), Palin cannot be considered a crusader against earmarks when she personally requested more earmarks per capita than any other governer in the country THIS YEAR.
Quite interestingly that's the difference between the two campaigns: McCain and Palin's views that 'small town American's" and their "small town values" represent the true America is a strategy aimed at mobilizing the Republican base. The Daily Show did a great segment interviewing Republicans at their convention about what "small town values" are... http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184114&title=the-best-f#king-news-team-ever Obama's "50 state" strategy aims (bets) on the insight that Americans across party lines are so disapproving of the last eight years of Republican rule that they will vote for a change. His whole strategy is based on changing the electoral map based on the fact that traditional red states like Virginia and Colorado may be reachable for a Democrat if the campaign goes his way.
Either way, when someone comes in saying that they don't want to run the politics of yesterday and that the candidate intends to bring change Washinton but picks one of the longer standing senators as VP pick....then you have to question things....And I'm not saying McCain has not made similar moves....but I would expect someone like that to keep a same line of thought. Anyhow, both camps are quite flawed in my opinion.
Then you're gonna have to go on their websites or go out and listen to them speak in person, because they both explain their policies daily on the stump -> but the media could care less about those things...
I know what the issues are.....I meant more like a wider discussion of issues so other people understand what kind of decision they're about to make......some people do not quite read the underlyings of each proposal. I'm just for knowledgeable voters although that's a lot to ask for.................But again, as long as people know what they're voting for, I'm a happy camper independently if I agree with the person or not.
I hear that. I was a big fan of picking Gov Kaine of Virginia as Obama's running mate, it would have most built the equity of change for Obama's brand. That said, Biden balances the ticket with experience and with his selection eliminated one of the main criticisms McCain had of Obama. Tactically, I think it picked up a lot from W's pick of Cheney -> young guy picks the veteran under the guise it will help him make his agenda a reality. In a lot of ways, that worked too -> Cheney certainly helped make the Bush agenda a reality, the problem is that the agenda was itself a disaster....
I think we should annex Cuba as part of Florida. I can see myself in those beaches every summer by extending the bridges to the keys..... WHat ya think? ha ha ha ha j/k
No doubt about that. But Biden should've not said he's not as qualified as Hillary.....ha ha ha..what a blunder!
I went to those islands by Nicaragua that colombia owns and that is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy nicer than cancun or cuba and real cheap(well compared to cancun)
You mean San Andres y Providencia???? come on man!!! learn the names!!! you're not helping our case by saying those islands by Nicaragua.....ha ha
What exactly is it that you find dishonest about Obama? Although I wouldn't have put it quite as eloquent or colourful as you, I do agree with the sentiment. "East Coast" in this context generally means New York, New England and Philly. Not Florida which is included in the South. No offense to any Colombian-Floridians, but Florida is full of fanatical Cubans, rednecks and religious fanatics which lowers the average IQ in that state substantially. Obama is the one who is going to make the change. Biden is just there to offer his experience should Obama need it. Nothing strange or contradictory about that. What's funny is that McCain and co. are painting themselves as the ticket for change, when they're the ones that has been running the show for 8 years.
What I find dishonest about Obama? many things which would not serve a good purpose discussing in here right now. I don't want to light a fire. I do think we do need new blood in american politics. I do take offense about the comment about Florida......it is quite disrespectfully....to me and to the 17 million Floridians or so in this great state. The truth of the matter is that the Obama we have today...is not the Obama that won Iowa.....and some of the early primaries before super tuesday. Back then, he was really strong....not so much now and the polls reflect that. The "East Coast" comment did not refer specifically to the northeast and midatlantic. He said that the only smart people are the people in the east coast and some in the west coast.......and that midamerica basically made "poor decisions and choices"......per his comment as shown below: "sadly the only good/smart part of the US is the east coast and part of the west coast the middle of the country are just a bunch of religious fanatical hicks that will again ruin it for the rest of us.... thank them for bush america(yea im talking about u Ohio)" By the way, Florida is in the east coast. Mississippi, tennessee, alabama, kentucky.......lousiana could be called the south..Florida is both in the south and in the East Coast.
I'm sorry you're offended. I lived in Florida for a year, and I still have family there (Broward county), including my sister which I visit frequently. What I said was from experience as a former resident of that state. As far as Obama having changed or having honesty issues, I don't really see it, so I guess we have to agree to disagree on that.