08/01/2008
Barack Obama Slams McCain's 'Politics as a Game'
At a rally yesterday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Obama responded to the Britney Spears-Paris Hilton attack ad that John McCain's campaign put out earlier this week.
Said Obama: "Given the magnitutde of our challenges when it comes to energy, and health care, and jobs, and our foreign policy, you'd think that we'd be having a serious debate, but so far all we've been hearing about is Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. I do have to ask my opponent, 'is that the best you can come up with? Is that really what this election's about? Is that what is worthy of the American people?'"
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
The Republicans, not surprisingly, have no intention of stopping playing politics as a game, and today launched a site called Who Said It? - Celebrity Edition in which Obama's statements are mocked...
But the Huff Post makes a good point:
"But one can easily imagine the Democratic alternative. It would probably look something like this: "Who said the following about the Iraq War: George Bush, Dick Cheney, John McCain, or Paul Wolfowitz? 'There's no doubt in my mind that once these people are gone that we will be welcomed as liberators.'"
Posted 10:30 AM EST by Andy Towle in Barack Obama, Britney Spears, Election 2008, John McCain, News, Paris Hilton | Permalink
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THATSRICH, your political outlook seems to revolve 100% around I, I, I, I, I and me, me, me, me, me. Just read your last comment. And you say MY world is small?
When I became a husband and a father I lost the luxury of looking at the world through the I/me lense. How's that for being a "gay clone"? My guess is that you're wrong in your assumption that no one here cares about or loses sleep over the war in Iraq or the torture of prisoners. I think most people who comment here actually do care about what happens to people other than themselves; even people they don't personally know. Radical idea, huh? It seems that it's you who lives in a very small world. A world of ONE (talk about gay stereotypes). You sound much more libertarian than Green but I suspect that you're neither when it comes right down to it; just another McCain shill concern trolling the pro-Obama sites.
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 1, 2008 5:10:04 PM
"And by the way, I don't give a rat's as about the war in Iraq or the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay..."
Aaaaaand scene. Fade to black. Exit, stage left.
Wow. No wonder so much of the world hates us.
Posted by: The Milkman | Aug 1, 2008 5:56:19 PM
"You sound much more libertarian than Green but I suspect that you're neither when it comes right down to it; just another McCain shill concern trolling the pro-Obama sites."
You're right that I have some libertarian sympathies but I am voting for Nader. And no I am not a shill for McCain -- although for some pathological reason it gives you some comfort to think so. Isn't it possible to dislike both McCain and Obama?
And perhaps I am selfish by not caring about the war in Iraq and the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay. But most voters in America and most people in the world are selfish. Do you think the people of Iraq or the typical soldier in our armed forces gives a rat's ass about whether you or me have the right to get married and enjoy protection from discrimination on the basis of our sexual orientation? So you qualify for sainthood, Zeke, good for you; you obviously are a much better person than me. But I seriously doubt whether you lost a single's night sleep over all those people killed in Iraq.
What I want to know is why some many Democrats care more about the abuses in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay than about the way American citizens are treated in U.S. prisons. Guantanamo Bay is a paradise compared to your typical American prison . . . the reality is that the majority of Democrats don't care about the Bush human rights but are raising the issue only to score political points.
Posted by: Thatsrich | Aug 1, 2008 7:01:33 PM
Excellent point, rationalize your own selfishness by pointing out that of others. That's rich.
Posted by: David R. | Aug 1, 2008 10:47:06 PM
I Hate Obama
Posted by: I hate Obama | Aug 1, 2008 11:00:52 PM
David R.:
The self-righteousness of the fanatical Obama supporters simply is the flip-side of the self-righteousness of the religious right. Indeed, Obama's constant self-references as a good Christian man, his repeated appeals to the religious right and his proposal to expand George Bush's unconstitutional Faith-based Initiative Program is downright freaky. The Obama phenomenom is a case study in mass hysteria, and his cult followers are in serious need of professional de-programming.
The truth is that Obama is just another political hack from the South Side of Chicago: he has made a deal with the Teamsters to end federal oversight into mob influence that has been in place since 1989; he wants to appoint John Edwards as his attorney general although Mr. Edwards is nothing more than a personal injury lawyer with no law enforcement background and has campaign ties to several convicted racketeers; he has flip-flopped on off-shore drilling, wiretapping policies and public financing of campaigns. That's Change We Can Believe In.
Posted by: ThatsRich | Aug 2, 2008 11:32:43 AM
WOW! I am so sorry that I came to this thread so late! However, Thatsrich, you do not know Zeke, my friend and brother. TRUST ME, Zeke and I do not see eye to eye on political issues, but he is NOT a small world guy!!! Zeke is an incredible individual that believes strongly in his family and NOTHING about him says I, me or selfish.
He has made me see how someone can be a "liberal" and have family values AND be a wonderful person all at the same time. We do not always agree, but he is my friend and I am proud to defend him. (and trust me, he needs no defense as he can hold his own)
Now on to your comments. The green party? Really? Dinner party for one now available. What do you want to accomplish. I am clearly NOT a dem and have always identified as a republican, maybe a little libertarian but green? NEVER! What would Nader do if he were actually elected president? And we are not even going to talk about the green party's political relationship with Cynthia McKinney, nut job from GA! At least they kicked her to the curb.
Look, I am totally terrified by Obama, yes I said it, terrified! He is absolutely the last person we need running the country but Nader? I would vote libertarian in a heart beat if they could leave the whole "drug" issue behind. Obama will bankrupt the country, worse than we already are and yet I cannot bring myself to vote for Nader nor Bob Barr. I am not always happy with candidate A or B, but at least A and B have a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected. The last time I checked Nader and the green party couldn't get elected dog catcher.
And as for Zeke, love you my brother! I am still hoping that some of your conservative rural upbringing will come back to you. : )
Thatsrich, you are way off base on Zeke. Zeke, Thatsrich makes some vaild points; we are not getting any rights from the democrats anytime soon. They pander to us but like us no better than the repubs. You and I have talked about this in the past. Just because you are not hated "as much" does not mean that you are loved. Having said that, no Pelosi and her congress have NO intention of granting us rights election year or not. Sorry, in that endeavor Thatsrich is not wrong.
Take care
Posted by: RB | Aug 3, 2008 3:53:28 PM
"Obama will bankrupt the country, worse than we already are . . . "
Since Bush has already done this so well, with huge deficits and the disastrous Iraq war etc., and McCain promises to carry on the Bush legacy, in addition to thinking gay people are unworthy of union recognition and parenthood, somehow I'm more terrified of McCain than of Obama. But I guess terror, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder.
Posted by: Ernie | Aug 3, 2008 4:59:16 PM
Thanks Ernie. Perhaps I should have clarified something. I have NEVER voted for W, do not believe that he has been a good president and therefore stated it correctly, "worse than we already are".
Obama fully intends to double taxes and yes, make things worse than they currently are! There is aboslutely NO way he can implemend his programs without not only rolling back the Bush tax cuts but increasing taxes on top of that. Thereby doubling our taxes.
I find it amazing that many here are not capable of looking beyond the dem party for any reason other than they are "better for us"! What have they done for us and why are they better? They pander for the gay vote and then give us nothing in return. We will get our rights one day, but much like civil rights it will be a bi-partisan effort to get it passed.
Just tell me why you are a dem for once without saying they are better for us. Zeke did this and I understand what he believs in and why. Many here cannot do that. All I hear is "they are better for us"! Obama is not financially sound. McCain is not a great candidate, but Barr and Nader are not an option.
Posted by: RB | Aug 3, 2008 5:49:20 PM
Obama's and McCain's tax plans evaluated, in Time:
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/why_obama_offers_a_net_tax_cut.html
Not to ruin the suspense, but the article's titled "Why Obama Offers a Net Tax Cut."
Posted by: 24play | Aug 3, 2008 6:21:28 PM
If you're more interested in looking at how families' tax payments are likely to change under Obama or McCain, check out the graphic (created by the Tax Policy Center) that's included in this post by Matthew Yglesias at the Atlantic:
http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/tax_policy_made_simple.php
NOTE: The bars represent changes in after-tax INCOME under each candidate's plan NOT changes in taxes paid.
Under McCain, the richer you are the more money you'll save. Under Obama, the opposite happens.
Posted by: 24play | Aug 3, 2008 6:28:04 PM
"Just tell me why you are a dem for once without saying they are better for us."
The same could be said for many Republicans here, who bash Obama without saying specifically why they support McCain/the Republicans, especially with regard to gay rights. (As I've said on previous threads, RB, I don't accuse you of this. I know where you stand and respect your views, however much I disagree with them. Re: Bush, I respect McCain more than Bush--or used to, when he could legitimately be called a "maverick"--but I see their policies as currently very similar, particularly as McCain goes about wooing the right wing.) On gay rights the Democrats are better for us, locally and nationally. They just are. Compare the platforms and policies; compare who votes with us and who votes against us. (I'm not saying there aren't good Republicans; I voted for James Jeffords in VT, before he left the Republican party in disgust. And not all Democrats are worthy of gay support.) I'm also pro-choice, for strict environmental and gun regulation, against Republican tax plans that favor the rich and corporations like Exxon . . . and so on. I can't speak for others here, but if I say that Democrats/Obama are better for us, it is because they/he represent my views far better than the Republicans. (Zeke isn't the only Democrat of intelligence here, believe it or not.) Frankly, on gay issues (generally the topic on Towleroad), I've yet to hear anyone convincingly argue why the Republicans are better. In fact I feel silly even writing that sentence.
Posted by: Ernie | Aug 3, 2008 9:46:46 PM
"just tell me why you are a dem for once without saying they are better for us"
RB, was that really a response to a post that cited "huge deficits and the disastrous Iraq war etc., and McCain promises to carry on the Bush legacy"? What part of deficits and war do you not understand?
And re gay rights, yes, it will be a bi-partisan effort, when the last few bigoted holdouts in the Republican party join the Democratic majorities and vote for them. The votes on gay issues are always lopsided, ALWAYS with a higher proportion of Dems voting for them than Repubs. Always.
Posted by: Kevinvt | Aug 4, 2008 10:32:21 AM