God, guns & guts - lets keep all three

[Harlan Huckleby]

Barack really stepped in it. BHO speaking of midwestern small towns:

"They fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or antitrade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

[BallHawk]

Stupid thing to say. Don't talk about what you don't know.

What he said at the beginning of the quote (which Harlan didn't post) was reasonable, about how people in these towns have seen their jobs taken away and nothing has been done about it. That was OK. The part that Harlan posted was not the right thing to say.

[Joemailman]

Yep, this was his worst gaffe of the campaign. He's had other problems, but this is something he said, not his wife or his Pastor. I think I know what he was trying to say, but he did a bad job of saying it. He is a good counter-puncher though, so it will be interesting to see if he can fight this off.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I watched Mark Shield's weekly political review friday. He spent several minutes discussing & praising BHO's TV commercials. Shields said the doubts about Obama are not whether he is smart or a good leader, but whether he shares the values of the voter. Sheilds indicated the family-oriented commercials would help close that gap.

Shields summarized Clinton's week by saying that Bill Clinton's gaffs once again call into question whether Hillary can be trusted.

How can Obama lose when virtually all of the analysts are in his corner? Obama will survive this latest mess just fine - Shields didn't mention it even tho story was already out. Most likely the story will be spun as Hillary going negative.

[the_idle_threat]

Erotic is when you use a feather, kinky is when you use the whole damn chicken.
-the_idle_threat, stolen from uncredited source

:lol:

Yep ... damn straight I stole it! Actually I read that long ago and don't remember where. I'd credit it if I knew.

[Harlan Huckleby]

He is a good counter-puncher though

he is not a good counter-puncher, the press simply accepts and praises his response.

After Michele Hussein Obama spoke of her first-time pride in America, Barack responded with, "well, my wife obviously was just expressing pride in the new politics I represent." What a laughable re-interpretation! Where were the columnists and commentators taking Obama to the mat? Only few mentioned the disconnect.

The Wright affair was even more ridiculous. The press generally accepted his explanation that he didn't know about his Pastor's views. Many columnists spun that this was a small and unrepresentative sample of Reverand Wright's philosophy. As opposed to the more realistic assessment that these are just the things he said that got caught on tape when the cameras were rolling!

And the fawning over Barack's speech on race! Good gracious. To repeat an analogy, this is like when a guy gets spotted by his wife or girlfriend flirting with women in a bar. He comes home and gets out of trouble by delivering a speech on the history of relations between the sexes.

I have NEVER seen any public figure so idolized and coddled by the press. Geraldine Ferraro had a valid point about liberals loving to be racially progressive.

[Joemailman]

Wait a minute. I seem to remember you saying some very kind things about the speech. I agree that the press seems to favor Obama over Hillary, but no candidate has been coddled by the press more than McCain.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Wait a minute. I seem to remember you saying some very kind things about the speech.

It was a fine speech. But really didn't account for fact that he stayed in the church. And his claim of ignorance about the rev's most extreme remarks was not credible. these points ignored in the fawning admiration of columnists.


I agree that the press seems to favor Obama over Hillary, but no candidate has been coddled by the press more than McCain.

sounds like u been listening to Air America, that's all they seem to talk about.

McCain is well liked & respected. I'll just say that in McCain's case, that respect grew gradually over 15 or 20 years, he didn't come out of the shoot as a media darling.

[Freak Out]

Flush them all and vote Nader you fools.

[Joemailman]

If Nader wanted to be President, he should have run for the Democratic nomination. He would have had a lot of support, and at the very least, would have had some impact on the debate. Given where he is now, it's pretty east for the Dems to ignore him.

[the_idle_threat]

I'm all for people voting for Nader. Have at it! Anybody foolish enough to do so would probably vote for Obama otherwise.

[Joemailman]

Of course, this year, Nader may be more than offset by Bob Barr.

[Harlan Huckleby]

hey, tex was saying McCain was only half a loaf. He can vote Bob Barr and get the full monty.

[Joemailman]

I think Barr is opposed to the occupation of Iraq. He hates America.

[Harlan Huckleby]

isolationists come from both ends of political spectrum. Pat Buchanon is example of old school conservative isolationist who is against every war. "liberal" used to mean internationalist. Nixon was considered a liberal back in 50's cause he took hard line against soviet union.

[Joemailman]

So if Barr is the Libertarian candidate, where would he draw the most votes from? Liberals would like his opposition to the Iraq war/occupation, and his defense of civil/privacy rights. Conservatives would like his stance on low taxes and limited government. I think some liberals would remember that he was one of the first to call for the impeachment of Clinton and hold that against him.

[texaspackerbacker]

Hell No, Harlan (and Joe). Bob Barr is the political reincarnation of Ron Paul.

Thus, there's no way in hell I would ever support him, and the ones he potentially could take votes from would be the anti-war leftists i.e. Obama and Hillary.

Harlan, you talk about "how could Obama lose when all the commentators are for him" (paraphrased), yet you disparage the obvious concept of leftist bias of the media. How are those two positions not contradictory?

[Harlan Huckleby]

So if Barr is the Libertarian candidate, where would he draw the most votes from? Liberals would like his opposition to the Iraq war/occupation, and his defense of civil/privacy rights. Conservatives would like his stance on low taxes and limited government. I think some liberals would remember that he was one of the first to call for the impeachment of Clinton and hold that against him.

Barr isn't going to draw any liberal voters. He is a conservative ideologue by temperment.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Thus, there's no way in hell I would ever support him, and the ones he potentially could take votes from would be the anti-war leftists i.e. Obama and Hillary?

why would the abandon the dems for that curmudgeon? PLENTY of conservatives are anti-war, they are far more likely to break to Barr.


Harlan, you talk about "how could Obama lose when all the commentators are for him" (paraphrased), yet you disparage the obvious concept of leftist bias of the media. How are those two positions not contradictory?

the media is overall biased left, no doubt about it. But there are PLENTY of conservative outlets, FOX is largest news network by far, after all. Plus talk radio, etc.

The conservative view gets out there, the public has a chance to weigh both sides.

Clinton is uniquely screwed because she has virtually NOBODY in media making her case. And the love for Obama is truly unprecedented. Mailman says McCain receives favorable treatment, which is true, he is by far the most admired Republican. But it doesn't compare with what we're seeing with Obama. McCain does't have 90% of the pundits writing editorials defending him. ANY politician besides Obama would have been grilled over several issues: Obama's undemocratic ploys in MI-FL, his playing the race card unfairly over Martin Luther King comments, and the the mass acceptance that his diversionary Race Speech placed him above accountability.

I heard a pundit say this weekend that Obama's caucus popular vote should be extrapolated to the greater voter population. In other words, if 10K voted for him a caucus, and that was 60% of caucus voters, it should count as 300K popular votes if there are 500K registered Dems.
Insane. In the state where there was both a primary & caucus, Texas, Obama cleaned-up in the caucus even the Clinton had solid edge in primary vote! Obviously caucuses are not democratic, if anything his caucus votes should be excluded from popular total.

This weekend, Donna Brazile, a supposedly independent analyst, said Clinton needs a 15 point win in PA to consider it a victory. Ridiculous, that level is impossible in a contested primary, especially with Obama outspending Clinton 3:1.

The "as far as I know" smear job was unreal. It goes on and on. I've never seen such a one-sided media circus.

[texaspackerbacker]

But Harlan, don't you recall Rush Limbaugh telling his followers to vote for Hillary? And after Obama's elitist gaff, don't rule out Hillary winning Pennsylvania by 15 points.

As for Bob Barr, I didn't say unequivocally that he would take a lot of votes from the liberal candidate. Hell, I didn't even bring him up. But just where do you think Ron Paul got all that support from? Right, anti-war loonies--NOT garden variety Libertarians. And with Paul out, where do you think that anti-war loony vote would go if Barr hadn't gotten in? Don't worry, though, leftists. Barr is the antithesis of charisma. Most of the loonies will still support your guy (or gal).

[Harlan Huckleby]

But just where do you think Ron Paul got all that support from? Right, anti-war loonies--NOT garden variety Libertarians.
I got uncomfortable news for you, Tex. Ron Paul got more money and support from military people than any other candidate. I don't know whether a majority of military families want out of Iraq, but certainly a large, passionate group do.

Bob Barr will be dry-eyed if his candidacy is to John McCain what Ralph Nader's was to Al Gore in 2000. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/131748)

[texaspackerbacker]

You'll have to excuse me if I don't believe that, Harlan.

Bob Barr has practically no relevance at all, and I certainly don't see him as a threat to McCain. Can you HONESTLY say you do?

[Harlan Huckleby]

Bob Barr has practically no relevance at all, and I certainly don't see him as a threat to McCain. Can you HONESTLY say you do?

oh hell ya, he's a threat! if election is close, he could play a role in battleground states. I doubt he will have much appeal, but it doesn't take that much.

[Harlan Huckleby]

the first poll from Pennsylvania since the God & guns flap has Clinton bumped to a 20 point lead.

http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres08/padem8-705.html

I don't take it too seriously, polls will flop around.