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Tuesday Night Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 10:53:15 PM EST
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Your turn.

This is an Open Thread.

This is good humor in my opinion:

"Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld, a miracle made possible by John McCain."

-- The signature appended to emails sent by Obama spokesman Bill Burton.

< Think The GOP Will Use This? | Systemic Risk And The Extreme Republican Philosophy >

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    Tuesday Night Open Thread | 40 comments (40 topical)

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    Gore needs some avenging (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Alien Abductee on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:02:56 PM EST
    for the "invented the internet" smear. This is a start. Let the mocking begin.

    Indeed (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by andgarden on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:06:30 PM EST
    I'm sorry, but the Republicans have been begging for this.

    Parent
    Unfortunately (none / 0) (#3)
    by Alien Abductee on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:11:09 PM EST
    McCain doesn't seem to be a proper victim for it. He's not as culpable as some of the others, and to tell the truth, I feel a bit sorry for him. He really seems to be out of it.

    Parent
    Sorry, McCain stuck the knife into Gore (none / 0) (#14)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 05:43:42 AM EST
    on the "he invented the internet" smear/meme so he deserves anything he gets.  

    Parent
    heh (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:04:06 AM EST
    Vote John Sidney McCain III, he's like Edison without the brains.

    Parent
    Yeah that is great (none / 0) (#4)
    by IzikLA on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:20:35 PM EST
    I usually hate those standard notes on Blackberry's but that is brilliant and just funny.

    Parent
    Fair is as fair does. (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Mitch Guthman on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:52:29 PM EST
    I am not really comfortable with this.  It sounds like more of this "meme creation" stuff Josh Marshall and others are always talking about.   Sure, it's good snark----the basic fuel of the left blogs---and maybe you can argue that it's poetic justice, but I don't buy it.

    Over the years, I've written so many angry letters to newspapers, reporters, pundits, and bloggers setting the record straight and decrying the fact that they were promoting a lie about Al Gore.  Lots and lots of letters.  Lots and lots of anger at the causal spreading of a lie.   Sure, I did it because it was Al Gore.    And maybe I'm kidding myself, but I'd like to think that another reason why I spent the time writing those letters was that the truth, the ideal of truthfulness had meaning to me as did the ideal of fair play.  

    I think McCain's lost much of his honor during this race, because of the kind of race he's chosen to run.  But I don't think he's the only one who's lost his way.

    McCain jumped right on the Gore invented the (5.00 / 0) (#12)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 02:49:40 AM EST
    internet bandwagon back in 2000.  A little tongue in cheek ribbing from Democrats is definitely fair game. Besides its far from the first time a McCain advisor has tried to grab credit for McCain on mobiles/wifi/blackberries.

    Parent
    I see. They do it (none / 0) (#21)
    by rooge04 on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:15:30 AM EST
    so that means we should too.

    This is meaningless fun, IMO, however we get into dangerous territory when we decide we'll do what they do.  We've already ceded enough of the moral high ground, no?

    Parent

    There's a balance to be struck. (5.00 / 2) (#35)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:15:20 AM EST
    What good did the moral high ground do John Kerry and Al Gore?

    Turning the other cheek and allowing Republicans to walk all over you is not a winning strategy.  A little tongue in cheek playful mockery on this is all I'm suggesting,  and I think its completely fair game.

    Parent

    Am I the only one? (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by chrisvee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 06:22:51 AM EST
    I'm disgusted with both parties. This Blackberry thing, the names of Palin's kids, Gore inventing the internet, all of this stuff is just petty and ridiculous. I don't find it funny at all. It's just mean-spirited and a waste of my time.

    No. (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 06:58:28 AM EST
    I understand where you are coming from. It seems like both candidates believe that if they just hand out money it's going to solve all our economic problems.

    The mean spiritedness is typical of politics, however, it seems neither candidate really can relate to the voting public.

    Parent

    Jerome... (none / 0) (#5)
    by Brillo on Tue Sep 16, 2008 at 11:31:30 PM EST
    Has a great new post up about drilling at MyDD.  I don't particularly like him, in fact I really dislike him... but this is one of the only issues he's been spot on about this year.  

    Just watched 'SOLO' about Andrew McAuley (none / 0) (#7)
    by blogtopus on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 12:54:22 AM EST
    God, that guy came SO CLOSE to kayaking the Tasman (between Tasmania and New Zealand), he was lost 30km from his target.

    My wife and I couldn't believe how crazy he was, going out in a small kayak among those waters. He left a wife and young boy behind, which puts him in my 'dumba**' category. If you have a kid, you've got to learn to put the 'extreme' away for a while.

    I recommend watching this special on National Geo HD channel if you get it... tough to sit through, but very interesting too.

    Drill Baby, Drill? (none / 0) (#8)
    by nycstray on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 12:56:41 AM EST
    House approves offshore drilling

    Re thread about the unusual Palin-family names (none / 0) (#9)
    by andrys on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 01:42:40 AM EST
    From August People Magazine article

     Todd's response...

    Q: "Where do your children's names come from?

     A:  TODD: Sarah's parents were coaches and the whole family was involved in track and I was an athlete in high school, so with our first-born, I was, like, 'Track!'  Bristol is named after Bristol Bay. That's where I grew up, that's where we commercial fish.  Willow is a community there in Alaska.  And then Piper, you know, there's just not too many Pipers out there and it's a cool name. And Trig is a Norse name for "strength."
    Honestly, I like that they went with (none / 0) (#11)
    by nycstray on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 02:04:40 AM EST
    uncommon names. None of them are school yard bully-bait names. Trig has 2 middle names, the second being Van. Shout out to Van Halen if I heard right. Track actually sounds like a good name for an Alaskan, imo. And the girls all have names that sound graceful but not weak. Same can be said for the Obama girls.

    I can't remember the origins of my name and my sisters aside from my parents not wanting them to be too ordinary. They aren't too uncommon, but not routine. Once in grade school, and once in college I knew another with my name but different spelling. I've only met a couple with my sister's name. Both of our names are also names of "celebrities" about our age. Now, my poor niece was always one of many with the trendy name, lol!~ when there's more than 2 in the class, it can get a tad confusing!

    Parent

    that would be: (none / 0) (#10)
    by cpinva on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 01:50:22 AM EST
    st. john mccain, to you mere mortals.

    I think McCain's lost much of his honor during this race, because of the kind of race he's chosen to run.

    no, sen. mccain lost his honor, such as it was, at least as far back as the 2000 election. if you want to be really nit picky about it (and why not?), dumping his first wife, who suffered injuries from a car accident, while he was a pow, was far from honorable. oh, did i mention he was cheating on her with future wife #2 at the time?

    of course, let's just talk about the honorable "keating 5", while we're on the subject.

    as near as i can tell, sen. mccain already used up his "honor quotient", long before this election.

    Oh (2.20 / 5) (#13)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 03:56:34 AM EST
    geez. Talk about condescending. That statement about honor is really dumb. Like Obama has run an "honorable" campaign either? It just sounds like whining. Talk about something else.

    Parent
    well (none / 0) (#28)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 08:52:00 AM EST
    McCain has been called out by republicans as well for his low-ball tactics. Both against Obama and in the primary.  The rightwing was calling him a liar in his Romney attacks as well.

    Everything is perfectly equal in life.   Even Carl Rove said that McCain's camp needs to get some adults willing to say "no" to some of this stuff.

    Parent

    It's the (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:06:41 AM EST
    good cop/bad cop routine the GOP always plays. Whatever. I'm sick of all this personality crap from either campaign. You can at least understand why McCain does it--he doesn't have any issues but why is Obama stupidly playing this game? It does nothing but help McCain. And he can't seem to issue a statement regarding personalities that doesn't come off as sanctimonious and arrogant.

    Parent
    correction (none / 0) (#29)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 08:52:28 AM EST
    isnt perfectly equal.

    Parent
    McCain lead is down to 1 point in Gallup and (none / 0) (#15)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 05:45:00 AM EST
    Rasmussen, and he is now 4 points behind in the Research 2000 and Diageo polls.

    Good news for John McCain!

    AP (none / 0) (#16)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 05:55:09 AM EST
    has a poll out where it's tied. I would discount r2000 though.

    Parent
    Given the trend in both Rasmussen (none / 0) (#17)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 06:13:21 AM EST
    and Gallup I suspect their most recent night of polling will have Obama ahead by a couple of points.  When todays comes out they will both presumably lose a good McCain day and possibly gain another day with it tied or Obama ahead.  I would be very surprised if all 4 national tracking polls don't show Obama ahead by the end of the week

    Parent
    Big New Obama Ad. (none / 0) (#20)
    by Brillo on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:08:28 AM EST
    From Politico.  Two minute ad, running heavily in battleground states.  It's basically the 2 minute version of his speeches on the economy he's given in Colorado the last couple days.

    First minute is 'I feel your pain.', and 'Washington has let you down.'  Second minute is a 4-point checklist of economic specifics including the $1000 middle class tax break bit.  Awesome.

    It's okay ... (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by Robot Porter on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:01:29 AM EST
    but I never understood why his campaign thinks these long, direct to camera ads work.

    He's not very good at them.  And in this one his voice sounds odd.

    And the unity pony stuff at the end made me throw up a bit.

    The message is okay though.

    Parent

    That really (none / 0) (#22)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:16:26 AM EST
    is a good ad. He's finally making an ad that's not about him and his feelings which is a good thing. He's not lecturing or talking at you either.

    Most of his ads are so annoying that I only can listen to the first few seconds before I have to turn them off.

    Parent

    Did Not Like (none / 0) (#25)
    by WS on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:57:01 AM EST
    the last part:

    We've met tough challenges before. And we can again. I'm Barack Obama. I hope you'll read my economic plan. I approved this message because bitter, partisan fights and outworn ideas of the left and the right won't solve the problems we face today. But a new spirit of unity and shared responsibility will.

    Post partisanship needed to be muted more.  Right now with Wall Street's meltdown, the right wing of ideology of de-regulation and let business do whatever it darn well pleases is to blame.  

    Parent

    Oh boy. (none / 0) (#26)
    by rooge04 on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:59:37 AM EST
    Why is he so afraid of being a Democrat?! The country does not need post-partisanship. It needs Democratic ideals and ideas implemented.

    Parent
    For what its worth (none / 0) (#23)
    by WS on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:39:24 AM EST
    Reuters/Zogby has O up 2.  If they're going to put up Zogby, they should put Research 2000 up too.  

    RCP (none / 0) (#24)
    by WS on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 07:46:02 AM EST
    Oops, I was referring to RCP.

    Parent
    well (none / 0) (#27)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 08:47:40 AM EST
    Look like the Palin probe in AK is about the die.  The AG in AK just said the subpoenas won't be honored or delivered by state employees.

    If it's "nothing" as they say, you have to wonder why they are fighting it so hard.  

     

    Palin appointed AG says state employees (5.00 / 2) (#36)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:17:24 AM EST
    will not honour subpoena's?

    Why does this remind me of the Bush Cheney White House?

    Parent

    That's (none / 0) (#33)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:08:09 AM EST
    why you can't rely on this kind of stuff.

    Parent
    well (none / 0) (#38)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:29:50 AM EST
    Her numbers are down. Whatever comes of it, it doesnt look for her to fight so hard against an investigation conducted mainly by republicans.

    Parent
    Palin keeps flogging the 'broken teleprompter' lie (none / 0) (#34)
    by Don in Seattle on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:54:11 AM EST
    Courtesy of Jake Tapper, from September 15:

    At a fundraiser in Canton, Ohio, this evening, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had an interesting description of her speech to the Republican convention.

    "There Ohio was right out in front, right in front of me," Palin said. "The teleprompter got messed up, I couldn't follow it, and I just decided I'd just talk to the people in front of me. It was Ohio."

    Now, of course there are more substantive reasons to dislike Sarah Palin than her all-too-human desire to embellish the legend of her biggest night in the public eye.

    But every time Palin repeats this tale from here on out, just like every time she reprises her  Greatest Hit ("Thanks But No Thanks"), the media are going to call her on it. Swing voters are forming an idea of Palin's general credibility, and her repeated lying can't help.

    The R2000 poll has shown Palin's (none / 0) (#37)
    by JoeA on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:20:03 AM EST
    net favourability ratings cratering . . . and I think its just gone into net negative territory for the first time with todays release.  Despite the McCain campaigns bet that they can just lie with impunity and the media calling them on it won't matter,  I think it is obviously sinking in and penetrating to Independents and persuadable voters.  The Palin pick,  the constant lying etc,  none of that matters to the base who are still enthused . . .  but the bald faced lying on everything is definitely hurting them with swing voters imho.

    Parent
    ya (none / 0) (#39)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:31:51 AM EST
    As much as I support Obama I feel so bad McCain when he lies like that.  I'm just embarrassed for him.

    Parent
    fix (none / 0) (#40)
    by connecticut yankee on Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 10:32:35 AM EST
    ..I feel so bad for McCain when McCain lies like that...

    Parent
    Tuesday Night Open Thread | 40 comments (40 topical)

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