Obama’s Inexperience Tough to Ignore

[sheepshead]

Obama’s Inexperience Tough to Ignore

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 8:56 AM

By: Ronald Kessler Article Font Size

A close look at Barack Obama's career reveals it has been even more mediocre than generally recognized.

Before being elected to the Illinois state Senate, Obama worked as a community organizer and a lawyer in Chicago.

In his memoir, Obama says being a community organizer taught him how to motivate the powerless and work the government to help them. His chief example is an effort to remove asbestos from Altgeld Gardens, an all-black public housing project on Chicago’s South Side.

But those who were involved in the effort say Obama played a minor role in working the problem and never accomplished his goal. A pre-existing group at Altgeld Gardens and a local newspaper, the Chicago Reporter, were working on the problem before Obama came on the scene, yet Obama does not mention them in his book, “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.”

“Just because someone writes it, doesn't make it true,” says Altgeld resident Hazel Johnson, who had been pushing for a cleanup of the cancer-producing substance years before Obama showed up.

Rep. Bobby L. Rush, D-Ill., says it was Johnson's work, along with asbestos testing by the Chicago Reporter, that got Chicago officials interested in the issue. Rush, who launched an inquiry into the situation when he was a member of the Chicago City Council, says he is “offended” that Obama did not mention Johnson in his account.

“Was [Obama] involved in stuff? Absolutely,” says Robert Ginsburg, an activist who worked with Johnson and Obama on the problem. “But there was stuff happening before him, and after him.”

After three years working as an organizer, Obama could say he helped obtain grants for a jobs program and got asbestos removed from some pipes in the project. But as the Los Angeles Times has noted, the “large-scale change that was needed at the 1,998-unit project was beyond his reach.” To this day, most of the asbestos remains in the apartments.

Fruitless though his efforts were, Obama devoted more than 100 pages to his experiences at Altgeld Gardens and surrounding areas. Michelle Obama has said his work as a community organizer helped him decide “how he would impact the world,” assisting people to improve their lives. Yet, in a revealing passage in his book, Obama wrote, “When classmates in college asked me just what it was that a community organizer did, I couldn’t answer them directly.”

Instead, he said, “I’d pronounce on the need for change. Change in the White House, where Reagan and his minions were carrying on their dirty deeds. Change in the congress, compliant and corrupt. Change in the mood of the country, manic and self-absorbed. Change won’t come from the top, I would say. Change will come from a mobilized grass roots.”

Thus, Obama admitted that he accomplished little but that he was able to cover that up with fancy talk about change.

After going to Harvard Law School, Obama returned to Chicago, where he briefly headed a voter registration drive and then became a lawyer. While Obama’s campaign has touted him as a civil rights lawyer, “Over the nine years that Obama’s law license was active in Illinois, he never handled a trial and mostly worked in teams of lawyers who drew up briefs and contracts in a variety of cases,” according to David Mendell’s “Obama: From Promise To Power.”

A review of the cases Obama worked on during his brief legal career “shows he played the strong, silent type in court, introducing himself and his client, then stepping aside to let other lawyers do the talking,” the Chicago Sun-Times has reported.

“A search of all the cases in Cook County Circuit Court in which Obama made an appearance since he graduated from Harvard in 1991 shows: zero,” the article said.

Instead, his practice was “confined mainly to federal court in Chicago, where he made formal appearances in only five district court cases and another five in cases before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — a total of 10 cases in his legal career,” the paper said.

If Obama had virtually no impact as either a community organizer or as a lawyer, he was even more invisible in the state Senate and later in the U.S. Senate.

In both bodies, Obama had a reputation for voting “present,” thus avoiding controversial decisions that could be used against him later. In the U.S. Senate, he has missed more than one in five votes.

Only one of the measures Obama has sponsored as a U.S. senator was enacted: a bill to “promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Contrary to Obama’s portrayal of himself as a unifier, on every bipartisan effort in the Senate to forge compromises on tough issues, Obama has been missing in action.

In sum, it would be difficult to imagine a more mediocre record. Most candidates for dog catcher have contributed more to society. Yet with the help of adoring reporters, Obama has managed to parlay extraordinary speaking and political skills into a presidential campaign built on sand.

The idea that America might entrust its security and future to someone who has never demonstrated an ability to get anything of significance done is scary.

Look for John McCain to begin exploiting this vulnerability after Labor Day.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Wow. Another unbiased journalist. Hello Newsmax.

Fawning books on Bush and Laura...yep, no conflict of interest.

Watching Kessler/Newsmax flip flop on Mccain is HIGH COMEDY.

The McCain that Kessler wrote about:

June 27 - "McCain has misused his chairmanship of the Indian Affairs committee for two years to attack me and Ralph Reed because he thinks we beat him in South Carolina," Norquist said, referring to McCain's primary battle for the presidency. "He has told people I personally spent $12 million to defeat him in South Carolina. He is delusional."

July 5 article asking: "does McCain have the temperament to be president?" According to "insiders," Kessler writes, "McCain has an irrational, explosive side that make many of them question whether he is fit to serve as president and be commander in chief."

What about Newsmax employee and former NY Repub John LeBoutillier?

June 2005 column, LeBoutillier calls McCain "an arrogant, condescending prima donna," "a spoiled brat with a gigantic chip on his shoulder" and, last but not least, "a false image who, upon further reflection, is a total nothing. He stands for nothing; he says nothing; his record is filled with nothing."

In a February 14 column, LeBoutillier called McCain "the angriest candidate of them all" and "the single worst human being any of us have ever met in the poilitical world – period!" (Italics his.)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Harlan Huckleby]

He looks like he's been around the block to me.

http://gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2008/07/original.jpg

[Freak Out]

I love the fact that she's wearing combat boots.

[texaspackerbacker]

I'd condemn that little piece of crap, Obama for a helluva lot of other things before arriving at his inexperience.

I ask conservatives, if some equally inexperienced wonderful America-loving conservative was in position to become president--J.C. Watts, Bobby Jindal, maybe Paul Ryan, would you be bringing up the experience factor? Hell no. So let's not be hypocritical here.

Let's just stick to condemning the God damned America-hating socialist shithead, Obama, for his horrendous extremism on the ISSUES. I'm talking meat and potatos--skip the damn salad course which is his inexperience.

[sheepshead]

Bigguns, you doubt any of the facts of the article or better yet can you disprove them? You dont think we're going to get this information from NBC do you?

I think his experience or lack there of is huge. Why should we listen to anything the guy says if on paper, he's not remotely qualified for the job? As for Jindel et al, they're smart enough not to put themselves out there until they're ready.

The bloom is off the rose on this guy, he should be up 20 points on McCain and his numbers are declining right along with his buddies in Congress.

[mraynrand]

Wow. Another unbiased journalist. Hello Newsmax.

Fawning books on Bush and Laura...yep, no conflict of interest.

Watching Kessler/Newsmax flip flop on Mccain is HIGH COMEDY.

The McCain that Kessler wrote about:

June 27 - "McCain has misused his chairmanship of the Indian Affairs committee for two years to attack me and Ralph Reed because he thinks we beat him in South Carolina," Norquist said, referring to McCain's primary battle for the presidency. "He has told people I personally spent $12 million to defeat him in South Carolina. He is delusional."

July 5 article asking: "does McCain have the temperament to be president?" According to "insiders," Kessler writes, "McCain has an irrational, explosive side that make many of them question whether he is fit to serve as president and be commander in chief."

What about Newsmax employee and former NY Repub John LeBoutillier?

June 2005 column, LeBoutillier calls McCain "an arrogant, condescending prima donna," "a spoiled brat with a gigantic chip on his shoulder" and, last but not least, "a false image who, upon further reflection, is a total nothing. He stands for nothing; he says nothing; his record is filled with nothing."

In a February 14 column, LeBoutillier called McCain "the angriest candidate of them all" and "the single worst human being any of us have ever met in the poilitical world – period!" (Italics his.)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Once again, Ty rushes in to address the issues in the article. Ty exhaustively defends Obama's experience and seasoning, never thinking of resorting to ad hominem attacks on the article's author or trying to deflect the issue by concentrating on the other candidate.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Wow. Another unbiased journalist. Hello Newsmax.

Fawning books on Bush and Laura...yep, no conflict of interest.

Watching Kessler/Newsmax flip flop on Mccain is HIGH COMEDY.

The McCain that Kessler wrote about:

June 27 - "McCain has misused his chairmanship of the Indian Affairs committee for two years to attack me and Ralph Reed because he thinks we beat him in South Carolina," Norquist said, referring to McCain's primary battle for the presidency. "He has told people I personally spent $12 million to defeat him in South Carolina. He is delusional."

July 5 article asking: "does McCain have the temperament to be president?" According to "insiders," Kessler writes, "McCain has an irrational, explosive side that make many of them question whether he is fit to serve as president and be commander in chief."

What about Newsmax employee and former NY Repub John LeBoutillier?

June 2005 column, LeBoutillier calls McCain "an arrogant, condescending prima donna," "a spoiled brat with a gigantic chip on his shoulder" and, last but not least, "a false image who, upon further reflection, is a total nothing. He stands for nothing; he says nothing; his record is filled with nothing."

In a February 14 column, LeBoutillier called McCain "the angriest candidate of them all" and "the single worst human being any of us have ever met in the poilitical world – period!" (Italics his.)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Once again, Ty rushes in to address the issues in the article. Ty exhaustively defends Obama's experience and seasoning, never thinking of resorting to ad hominem attacks on the article's author or trying to deflect the issue by concentrating on the other candidate.

And, i see rand pretty much does the same thing..but, to me. :lol:

Questioning the source material of an attack is quite valid. Or, is that only fair when liberals do it to Bush...ie, the "siniser, evil media" that tex deplores.

Funny, i never see you saying anything then.

Your hypocrisy is showing again. :oops:

[mraynrand]

Wow. Another unbiased journalist. Hello Newsmax.

Fawning books on Bush and Laura...yep, no conflict of interest.

Watching Kessler/Newsmax flip flop on Mccain is HIGH COMEDY.

The McCain that Kessler wrote about:

June 27 - "McCain has misused his chairmanship of the Indian Affairs committee for two years to attack me and Ralph Reed because he thinks we beat him in South Carolina," Norquist said, referring to McCain's primary battle for the presidency. "He has told people I personally spent $12 million to defeat him in South Carolina. He is delusional."

July 5 article asking: "does McCain have the temperament to be president?" According to "insiders," Kessler writes, "McCain has an irrational, explosive side that make many of them question whether he is fit to serve as president and be commander in chief."

What about Newsmax employee and former NY Repub John LeBoutillier?

June 2005 column, LeBoutillier calls McCain "an arrogant, condescending prima donna," "a spoiled brat with a gigantic chip on his shoulder" and, last but not least, "a false image who, upon further reflection, is a total nothing. He stands for nothing; he says nothing; his record is filled with nothing."

In a February 14 column, LeBoutillier called McCain "the angriest candidate of them all" and "the single worst human being any of us have ever met in the poilitical world – period!" (Italics his.)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Once again, Ty rushes in to address the issues in the article. Ty exhaustively defends Obama's experience and seasoning, never thinking of resorting to ad hominem attacks on the article's author or trying to deflect the issue by concentrating on the other candidate.

And, i see rand pretty much does the same thing..but, to me. :lol:

Questioning the source material of an attack is quite valid. Or, is that only fair when liberals do it to Bush...ie, the "siniser, evil media" that tex deplores.

Funny, i never see you saying anything then.

Your hypocrisy is showing again. :oops:

Just commenting on your first instinct. Mine was to get in a barb, because I dislike you, and you returned the favor. I'm sure now, you'll do an about-face and explain how being head of the Law Review at Harvard made Obama the strong candidate he is today. Oh, BTW, I noticed he pitched his "The Surge Won't Work" position from his website. Like I predicted, he's getting closer to what will likely be his eventual position: that he was really in favor of the Surge in the first place.

[Joemailman]

He looks like he's been around the block to me.

http://gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2008/07/original.jpg

Michelle looks ready to kick some Cindy McCain ass. I like it.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Wow. Another unbiased journalist. Hello Newsmax.

Fawning books on Bush and Laura...yep, no conflict of interest.

Watching Kessler/Newsmax flip flop on Mccain is HIGH COMEDY.

The McCain that Kessler wrote about:

June 27 - "McCain has misused his chairmanship of the Indian Affairs committee for two years to attack me and Ralph Reed because he thinks we beat him in South Carolina," Norquist said, referring to McCain's primary battle for the presidency. "He has told people I personally spent $12 million to defeat him in South Carolina. He is delusional."

July 5 article asking: "does McCain have the temperament to be president?" According to "insiders," Kessler writes, "McCain has an irrational, explosive side that make many of them question whether he is fit to serve as president and be commander in chief."

What about Newsmax employee and former NY Repub John LeBoutillier?

June 2005 column, LeBoutillier calls McCain "an arrogant, condescending prima donna," "a spoiled brat with a gigantic chip on his shoulder" and, last but not least, "a false image who, upon further reflection, is a total nothing. He stands for nothing; he says nothing; his record is filled with nothing."

In a February 14 column, LeBoutillier called McCain "the angriest candidate of them all" and "the single worst human being any of us have ever met in the poilitical world – period!" (Italics his.)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Once again, Ty rushes in to address the issues in the article. Ty exhaustively defends Obama's experience and seasoning, never thinking of resorting to ad hominem attacks on the article's author or trying to deflect the issue by concentrating on the other candidate.

And, i see rand pretty much does the same thing..but, to me. :lol:

Questioning the source material of an attack is quite valid. Or, is that only fair when liberals do it to Bush...ie, the "siniser, evil media" that tex deplores.

Funny, i never see you saying anything then.

Your hypocrisy is showing again. :oops:

Just commenting on your first instinct. Mine was to get in a barb, because I dislike you, and you returned the favor. I'm sure now, you'll do an about-face and explain how being head of the Law Review at Harvard made Obama the strong candidate he is today. Oh, BTW, I noticed he pitched his "The Surge Won't Work" position from his website. Like I predicted, he's getting closer to what will likely be his eventual position: that he was really in favor of the Surge in the first place.

Sorry, but as usual, you are wrong again. does it ever get tiring for you?

My first instinct was to ignore it...which i did for several hours. There is no point is countering "facts" as presented by "unbiased" journalists.

But, of course, you focus on the small portion of the post devoted to Kessler..completely igonoring the McCain portion. What a surprise.

However, there is legit concern about the source material. Or, if we take that source and use it as credible...then, i guess we have to take their opinion of McCain seriously. Which is it my conservative little friend? Ah, the conundrum.

As for Obama, i guess it would be better for him to remain rigid in his beliefs. That would be the smart thing to do...never waver.

Like Mccain. He would never flip flop.

1. SS privatization. "I’m not for, quote, privatizing Social Security. I never have been. I never will be.”

On November 18, 2004, for example, McCain announced, “Without privatization, I don’t see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits.” And in March 2003, McCain backed his President, declaring, “As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it - along the lines that President Bush proposed.”

2. Defense spending. One minute we are going to spend more, now he is against it.

3. First Term Balanced Budget Pledge. Oops.

4. Estate Tax. June 8, 2006, McCain on the Senate floor expressed his agreement with Teddy Roosevelt that “most great civilized countries have an income tax and an inheritance tax” and “in my judgment both should be part of our system of federal taxation.”

Now, he insists, “the estate tax is one of the most unfair tax laws on the books.”

5.FISA, Domestic Surveillance and Telecom Immunity

“I think that presidents have the obligation to obey and enforce laws that are passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, no matter what the situation is,” McCain said. The Globe’s Charlie Savage pushed further, asking , “So is that a no, in other words, federal statute trumps inherent power in that case, warrantless surveillance?” To which McCain answered, “I don’t think the president has the right to disobey any law.”


Holtz-Eakin
“[N]either the Administration nor the telecoms need apologize for actions that most people, except for the ACLU and the trial lawyers, understand were Constitutional and appropriate in the wake of the attacks on September 11, 2001.”

mccain
“It’s ambiguous as to whether the president acted within his authority or not,” he said, saying courts had ruled different ways on the matter. “I’m not interested in going back. I’m interested in addressing the challenge we face to day of trying to do everything we can to counter organizations and individuals that want to destroy this country. So there’s ambiguity about it. Let’s move forward.”


6. Restoring the Everglades.

“I am in favor of doing whatever’s necessary to save the Everglades.”

McCain not only opposed $2 billion in funding for the restoration of the Everglades national park, he backed President Bush’s veto of the legislation in 2007. “I believe,” he said, “that we should be passing a bill that will authorize legitimate, needed projects without sacrificing fiscal responsibility.”


7. Divestment from South Africa. Yep, calling on sactions against IRan like we had against S.AFrica.

Despite voting to override President Reagan’s veto of a bill imposing economic sanctions against South Africa in 1986, McCain voted against sanctions on at least six other occasions.

OOPS!!

8. Fighting Job Losses in Michigan

“false hopes that somehow we can bring back lost jobs,” adding that it” wasn’t government’s job to protect buggy factories and haberdashers when cars replaced carriages and men stopped wearing hats.”

But, after getting trounced by Romney

He would fight for new jobs and the state wouldn’t “be left behind.”

9. Opposing Hurricane Katrina Investigations

"I’ve supported every investigation and ways of finding out what caused the tragedy. I’ve been here to New Orleans. I’ve met with people on the ground.”

However he neglects to mention that in 2005 and 2006 he twice voted against a commission to study the government’s response to Katrina. He also opposed three separate emergency funding measures providing relief to Katrina victims, including the extension of five months of Medicaid benefits.

I wonder if this is on his website?

[bobblehead]

I'd condemn that little piece of crap, Obama for a helluva lot of other things before arriving at his inexperience.

I ask conservatives, if some equally inexperienced wonderful America-loving conservative was in position to become president--J.C. Watts, Bobby Jindal, maybe Paul Ryan, would you be bringing up the experience factor? Hell no. So let's not be hypocritical here.

Let's just stick to condemning the God damned America-hating socialist shithead, Obama, for his horrendous extremism on the ISSUES. I'm talking meat and potatos--skip the damn salad course which is his inexperience.

I'm with ya tex(minus the superlatives), we are no good at playing there game....critique, attack, put the other side on the defensive cuz we have nothing to offer...you know, like certain libs here do.

Unfortunately the republicans put up a candidate that isn't on the right side of the issues either, so where does that leave them??

Recent McCain work:

1) Voted against bush's "tax cuts for the wealthiest americans"
2) cosponsered "its not amnesty" despite immigrants around the world trying to do it the right way.
3) cosponsered liebermans $.50 a gallon gas tax to combat global warming.
4) headlined campaign finance free speech infringement.

I can't vote for that guy. Go bob barr

[texaspackerbacker]

A vote for Barr is a vote for Obama.

Which would you prefer, the SURE THING of the horrors of an Obama Administration, or whatever percentage you want to ascribe to the prospect of McCain flip-flopping in the good direction on those issues, as he claims (I'm not sure what his current position is on Campaign Finance reform)? You actually left out McCain's far and away worst foible: his stance on manmade global warming. In addition, you have the large slice of issues where McCain IS solidly on the good side.

Anyway, I don't think Barr is much of a threat. It would be a disaster is he costs McCain Georgia, but chances of that are slim. Any other state he won't make any difference at all.

[The Leaper]

I love the fact that she's wearing combat boots.

Are those Prada? Is she certain that no one else in the room can afford the shoes she is wearing?

[The Leaper]

I have no problem with anyone changing their mind.

I have a problem with people who vote by party lines continually and have no real direction of their own.

Obama to me seems like someone who has voted by party line and abstained from voting at all when it is in his best interest. I sincerely doubt he has what it takes to "unite" anything.

[mraynrand]

But, of course, you focus on the small portion of the post devoted to Kessler..completely igonoring the McCain portion. What a surprise.


That's because the article was about Obama and his lack of experience and/or achievement in the jobs he's held. Not about John McCain's changing positions over the 20+ years he has been in the Senate. Wasn't it you who recently scolded others for getting off topic? The facts of the article are essentially correct - Obama really hasn't done much of anything. Gosh, I hope you don't ignore this post like you did the last one with another 20 year, 9 point romp through McCain's sordid past.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

But, of course, you focus on the small portion of the post devoted to Kessler..completely igonoring the McCain portion. What a surprise.


That's because the article was about Obama and his lack of experience and/or achievement in the jobs he's held. Not about John McCain's changing positions over the 20+ years he has been in the Senate. Wasn't it you who recently scolded others for getting off topic? The facts of the article are essentially correct - Obama really hasn't done much of anything. Gosh, I hope you don't ignore this post like you did the last one with another 20 year, 9 point romp through McCain's sordid past.

20 year romp...lol. I think 80% are pretty recent.

[bobblehead]

A vote for Barr is a vote for Obama.

Which would you prefer, the SURE THING of the horrors of an Obama Administration, or whatever percentage you want to ascribe to the prospect of McCain flip-flopping in the good direction on those issues, as he claims (I'm not sure what his current position is on Campaign Finance reform)? You actually left out McCain's far and away worst foible: his stance on manmade global warming. In addition, you have the large slice of issues where McCain IS solidly on the good side.

Anyway, I don't think Barr is much of a threat. It would be a disaster is he costs McCain Georgia, but chances of that are slim. Any other state he won't make any difference at all.

Ah, man made global warming. That is a thread all its own that no one has started. Lotta fun that issue. Personally I use more than one square of TP therefore I'm a bastard.

[mraynrand]

Forget about inexperience, Obama will bring back some sense of humility to the Presidency.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/obamaseal.jpg

[The Leaper]

Forget about inexperience, Obama will bring back some sense of humility to the Presidency.

You mean like telling middle America that they are pathetic jokes who cling to their guns and religion?

[sooner6600]

Or good ole Americans should speak Spanish and not the other way around?

This man is a Chauncey Gardener at best and
a Hitler at worst.

So there I said it.

Whew! What gargage the Dimocrates run for president.
What sick revenge they have on the unsuspecting public. :oops:

[mraynrand]

If you look on his Imperial Emblem, you'll note the phrase "vero possumus" - although this has been said to translate into "Yes we can" it really means, "I am a Possum." Kind of like "I am citizen of Berlin" versus "I am a jelly doughnut." But Obama probably knew there were some problems with his Latin translation, since he is fluent in French and Spanish, which he wants the rest of us to master as well as he has.

BTW, as I wrote this, I realized someone might make some sort of comment about the use of 'Possum' and suggest some sort of intentional racial implications. I would suggest that such corrupt thinking should be sucked into a black hole.

[Freak Out]

If you look on his Imperial Emblem, you'll note the phrase "vero possumus"

You're making this up right?

[Harlan Huckleby]

i don't blame Obama for seizing his opportunity in 2008.

If the public doesn't care that Obama is a blank slate, then let them have their American idol candidate.

By my way of thinking, we have plenty of experienced politicians in the country who have a track record that we can access. If Obama is really hot shit, he will be steaming feces in future election cycles as well, and then we will know more who he is and what he wants to do.

[mraynrand]

If you look on his Imperial Emblem, you'll note the phrase "vero possumus"

You're making this up right?

No. Look on the image on the previous page. Obama actually had his own personal Imperial Emblem, an altered Presidential Seal, with the phrase "vero possumus" on it. You can see it. I guess the thinking was to make him look presidential, but it really made him look like an imperial elitist.

[Freak Out]

If you look on his Imperial Emblem, you'll note the phrase "vero possumus"

You're making this up right?

No. Look on the image on the previous page. Obama actually had his own personal Imperial Emblem, an altered Presidential Seal, with the phrase "vero possumus" on it. You can see it. I guess the thinking was to make him look presidential, but it really made him look like an imperial elitist.

Blog mayhem.

[mraynrand]

If you look on his Imperial Emblem, you'll note the phrase "vero possumus"

You're making this up right?

No. Look on the image on the previous page. Obama actually had his own personal Imperial Emblem, an altered Presidential Seal, with the phrase "vero possumus" on it. You can see it. I guess the thinking was to make him look presidential, but it really made him look like an imperial elitist.

Blog mayhem.


From the NYT June 20.


The Great Seal of Obamaland?
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/promos/politics/blog/obamaforamerica190190.jpg
By John M. Broder
The Great Seal of Obamaland?

At a discussion with a dozen Democratic governors in Chicago on Friday morning, each of the governors was identified with a small name plate but Senator Barack Obama sat behind a low rostrum to which was attached an official-looking seal no one had seen before.

It is emblazoned with a fierce-looking eagle clutching an olive branch in one claw and arrows in the other and is deliberately reminiscent of the official seal of the president of the United States. Around the top border are the words “Obama for America;” across the bottom is the campaign’s Web address. It also contains the logo of the Obama campaign, variously interpreted as a sunrise or a view down an open road.

Just above the eagle’s head are the words “Vero Possumus,” roughly translated “Yes we can.” Not exactly E Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One), the motto on the presidential seal and the dollar bill. Then again, Mr. Obama is not the president.

[The Leaper]

That seal is one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.

What is this? Is he running for the high school presidency?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

things must be tough on the republican side when they are rehasing things that happened a month ago..for barely a day or so.

Hey, don't forget:

1. Terrorist fist jab
2. Flag pin
3. Madrassa
4. He is a MUSLIM

[Freak Out]

things must be tough on the republican side when they are rehasing things that happened a month ago..for barely a day or so.

Hey, don't forget:

1. Terrorist fist jab
2. Flag pin
3. Madrassa
4. He is a MUSLIM

...and America hating leftist!

:rs:

[mraynrand]

things must be tough on the republican side when they are rehasing things that happened a month ago..for barely a day or so.

Ooooo, a WHOLE month ago. Sounds like someone has ADD. It's hard to go back much further with a guy who is scrubbing his record. Hey Wha happened to all those records from Obama's State Senate days? Hey, how about the billing for service to Tony Resko. Pretty soon, The Imperial Emblem may be absent from virtually every site. Tony Who? Sorry, never heard of him. Emblem, what emblem? Hey Winston, how goes the cleansing of the past? Well, you know what they say in the Obama camp: the future is certain, but the past keeps changing...Change you can sort of believe in.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

4 months to go and you guys are rehashing the emblem "scandal." :lol:

[sheepshead]

4 months to go and you guys are rehashing the emblem "scandal." :lol:

Oh, now were not allowed to discuss anything in the campaign?

Lets see..do not bring up the following:

my experience
my home loans
my friends
my church
my friends at church
my opinionated wife who campaigns for me
my resume
anyone on my staff
my ears
the color of my skin
my father
my nicotine habit
my record in the senate
my record as a state senator


just do what i say and listen to the pandering, waffling and flipping and flopping and everything will be fine.

[bobblehead]

more importantly forget that I want to double the capital gains tax assuring that all investment capital will run out of the country faster than ben johnson on roids.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

4 months to go and you guys are rehashing the emblem "scandal." :lol:

Oh, now were not allowed to discuss anything in the campaign?

Lets see..do not bring up the following:

my experience
my home loans
my friends
my church
my friends at church
my opinionated wife who campaigns for me
my resume
anyone on my staff
my ears
the color of my skin
my father
my nicotine habit
my record in the senate
my record as a state senator


just do what i say and listen to the pandering, waffling and flipping and flopping and everything will be fine.

Who said you couldn't discuss them?

[sheepshead]

Senator Obama and his followers in the MSM.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Senator Obama and his followers in the MSM.

McCain has made two trips to Iraq during this campaign, and both were barely covered.

Obama makes an overseas trip this week, and it is covered like an important international event. All three network anchors will be travelling to appear with Presdident Assumed Barrack Obama and capture history in the making.

The time that the TV news shows spend on Obama compared to McCain is nearly 3:1.

This campaign is hard to watch, there is no way that McCain is going to overcome the media advantages of President Obama.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Senator Obama and his followers in the MSM.

McCain has made two trips to Iraq during this campaign, and both were barely covered.

Obama makes an overseas trip this week, and it is covered like an important international event. All three network anchors will be travelling to appear with Presdident Assumed Barrack Obama and capture history in the making.

The time that the TV news shows spend on Obama compared to McCain is nearly 3:1.

This campaign is hard to watch, there is no way that McCain is going to overcome the media advantages of President Obama.

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them...openly courting the media, very tight with them. Then, he decided to cut them out...no longer the free wheeling McCain.

My god, McCain was the media darling in 2000.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

[Partial]

I have a big problem supporting someone that the uneducated and poor people support.

[Freak Out]

I have a big problem supporting someone that the uneducated and poor people support.
:lol:

[Harlan Huckleby]

The media reverence for Obama was on full display with the recent controversy over the New Yorker cover.

First of all, anybody with a six grade education could figure out it was a parody in support of Barrak Obama. They were mocking the stereotypes about the Obamas.

But then the notion that it might actually be interpreted as a negative statement about our Saviours was suggested, suddenly it was a crisis. There was a spasm of media self-reflection. I watched a 20 minute (!!) discussion with Gwen Iffil on PBS where Iffil was as somber as a priest giving last rites. The editor of the New Yorker was on to express his deep concern that some might have misinterpreted the cartoon as actually suggesting that Mr. or Mrs. Saviour hold radical views.

Compare this with McCain, who is constantly parodied as an old geezer. Can you imagine a backlash of panel discussions to decry the social evil of agism?

http://gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2008/07/original.jpg

[bobblehead]

Senator Obama and his followers in the MSM.

McCain has made two trips to Iraq during this campaign, and both were barely covered.

Obama makes an overseas trip this week, and it is covered like an important international event. All three network anchors will be travelling to appear with Presdident Assumed Barrack Obama and capture history in the making.

The time that the TV news shows spend on Obama compared to McCain is nearly 3:1.

This campaign is hard to watch, there is no way that McCain is going to overcome the media advantages of President Obama.

He is getting what he deserves for his free speech crushing finance reform. Anyone who couldn't see this coming is unfit to be president. Sorry John, you are a tool who was used by the left, now that they are done with you they will discard you as you rightfully deserve for being such a naive nitwit.

[Harlan Huckleby]

He is getting what he deserves for his free speech crushing finance reform. Anyone who couldn't see this coming is unfit to be president.

The comment is so disconnected I don't know where to begin. Media coverage has nothing to do with campaign finance.

Unless you are suggesting that without campaign finance, McCain could overcome the media bias with paid advertising. I guess that is the old Republican paradigm.

But even that makes no sense, McCain is not being hamstrung by Campaign Finance limits. On the contrary, he is at a crushing disadvantage in paid advertising precisely because Obama recently decided that Campaign Finance is a bad idea after all.

If anything, this election may be an argument for a mandatory version of McCain's weak legislation.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

Well, he certainly isn't speaking clearly now...confusing iraq and iran, sunnis and shia.

The whole obama media attention cracks me up. Sure, he gets a ton...a ton of negative....wright, emblem, muslim, madrassa, his wife, etc.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

The media reverence for Obama was on full display with the recent controversy over the New Yorker cover.

First of all, anybody with a six grade education could figure out it was a parody in support of Barrak Obama. They were mocking the stereotypes about the Obamas.

But then the notion that it might actually be interpreted as a negative statement about our Saviours was suggested, suddenly it was a crisis. There was a spasm of media self-reflection. I watched a 20 minute (!!) discussion with Gwen Iffil on PBS where Iffil was as somber as a priest giving last rites. The editor of the New Yorker was on to express his deep concern that some might have misinterpreted the cartoon as actually suggesting that Mr. or Mrs. Saviour hold radical views.

Compare this with McCain, who is constantly parodied as an old geezer. Can you imagine a backlash of panel discussions to decry the social evil of agism?

http://gawker.com/assets/images/gawker/2008/07/original.jpg

Media reverence? Look, i agree that many didn't get it, but reverence?

When the far right is against this type of thing...parody/satire..then i don't think you can criticize the leftist media.

P.S. McCain parodies himself has an old guy....witness SNL. Your argument really holds little water. Obama certainly couldn't parody himself as a muslim extremist...Fox, etc. would be screaming bloody murder about:

a) No joking about terrorism
b) Is he really an muslim extremist
c) We knew it all along
d) etc.

[Freak Out]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

Well, he certainly isn't speaking clearly now...confusing iraq and iran, sunnis and shia.

The whole obama media attention cracks me up. Sure, he gets a ton...a ton of negative....wright, emblem, muslim, madrassa, his wife, etc.

I had to laugh when I heard the "Iraq and Pakistan border" statement by Mac. He is old and works overtime so mistakes like that are bound to happen........yep. :lol:

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

Well, he certainly isn't speaking clearly now...confusing iraq and iran, sunnis and shia.

The whole obama media attention cracks me up. Sure, he gets a ton...a ton of negative....wright, emblem, muslim, madrassa, his wife, etc.

I had to laugh when I heard the "Iraq and Pakistan border" statement by Mac. He is old and works overtime so mistakes like that are bound to happen........yep. :lol:

Yeah, i'm sure that won't happen if he is elected...the prez job ain't too demanding...plenty of time to rest...Bush showed us the way with all his vacay time.

I'm sure he can get in a nap every day. :roll:

[SkinBasket]

Judge Makes Girl, 9, Ward of the Court to Rid Her of 'Talula Does the Hula' Name

Thursday, July 24, 2008
AP


WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A family court judge in New Zealand has had enough with parents giving their children bizarre names here, and did something about it.

Just ask Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii. He had her renamed.

Judge Rob Murfitt made the 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name could be changed, he said in a ruling made public Thursday. The girl was involved in a custody battle, he said.

The new name was not made public to protect the girl's privacy.

"The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child's parents have shown in choosing this name," he wrote. "It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily."

The girl had been so embarrassed at the name that she had never told her closest friends what it was. She told people to call her "K" instead, the girl's lawyer, Colleen MacLeod, told the court.

In his ruling, Murfitt cited a list of the unfortunate names.

Registration officials blocked some names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, he said. But others were allowed, including Number 16 Bus Shelter "and tragically, Violence," he said.

New Zealand law does not allow names that would cause offense to a reasonable person, among other conditions, said Brian Clarke, the registrar general of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Clarke said officials usually talked to parents who proposed unusual names to convince them about the potential for embarrassment.

[bobblehead]

He is getting what he deserves for his free speech crushing finance reform. Anyone who couldn't see this coming is unfit to be president.

The comment is so disconnected I don't know where to begin. Media coverage has nothing to do with campaign finance.

Unless you are suggesting that without campaign finance, McCain could overcome the media bias with paid advertising. I guess that is the old Republican paradigm.

But even that makes no sense, McCain is not being hamstrung by Campaign Finance limits. On the contrary, he is at a crushing disadvantage in paid advertising precisely because Obama recently decided that Campaign Finance is a bad idea after all.

If anything, this election may be an argument for a mandatory version of McCain's weak legislation.

What I'm suggesting is that the media is very biased and now instead of being able to combat that with money, he has to try and do it another way. He basically put the media largely in charge of how information will be distributed. Now they have turned on him and back the democrat....shocker. In the past a ton of private money would be combatting that, but thanks to mccain fiengold they can not.

All mccain fiengold did is greatly strengthen the media...do you think obama beats hillary pre-mccain fiengold??

[MJZiggy]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

a friend pointed out to me the other day, that Obama got this coverage because he INVITED the network people to come along for the ride. McCain apparently forgot to mail the invitations....

[Kiwon]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

a friend pointed out to me the other day, that Obama got this coverage because he INVITED the network people to come along for the ride. McCain apparently forgot to mail the invitations....

HH meant "media creation."

I guess his coverage isn't influenced at all by the fact that 95% of the American media is planning to vote for him. :roll:

2008, the year that journalism died.

[MJZiggy]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

[Kiwon]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

[mraynrand]

Obama certainly couldn't parody himself as a muslim extremist...Fox, etc. would be screaming bloody murder about:

a) No joking about terrorism
b) Is he really an muslim extremist
c) We knew it all along
d) etc.

I don't think it would be just Fox. As evidenced by the uproar from the Obama camp about the Cartoon. There was an article about the late night guys saying they were having trouble making fun of Obama. I think it probably results from a politically correct sensibility (there's danger making fun of an ethnic and/or racial minority) and (with some comics, certainly not all) the reticence to make fun of Obama because they support the guy, and don't want to do anything to hurt him. But your list makes sense - if Obama went on SNL and did a terrorist skit it would be a disaster, mostly for (a) and (b). You can joke about terrorism, but I think the line separating what is and is not OK to joke about isn't well defined and I would guess differs a lot between libs and conservs.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Obama certainly couldn't parody himself as a muslim extremist...Fox, etc. would be screaming bloody murder about:

a) No joking about terrorism
b) Is he really an muslim extremist
c) We knew it all along
d) etc.

I don't think it would be just Fox. As evidenced by the uproar from the Obama camp about the Cartoon. There was an article about the late night guys saying they were having trouble making fun of Obama. I think it probably results from a politically correct sensibility (there's danger making fun of an ethnic and/or racial minority) and (with some comics, certainly not all) the reticence to make fun of Obama because they support the guy, and don't want to do anything to hurt him. But your list makes sense - if Obama went on SNL and did a terrorist skit it would be a disaster, mostly for (a) and (b). You can joke about terrorism, but I think the line separating what is and is not OK to joke about isn't well defined and I would guess differs a lot between libs and conservs.

WHat part of "Fox, etc." don't you understand?

[mraynrand]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

Some of the others: Agenda journalism - making the story fit your POV, making up facts, including documents, 'reporting' using single sources, bias in journalism by choosing what to print on page one, what to put above the fold(which has been around forever - just go look at the Hearst Papers), headline choices, story choices, and level of coverage: (for example, 'Greta' on FOX, choosing to focus her broadcast on the latest tragedy, making it seem as though there are rapists and child killers swarming around our neighborhoods thick as fleas; or media outlets choosing to focus on prisoner abuse at Abu Grahib at a level far higher than say, the murderous enemy Musab al Zarqawi).

[mraynrand]

WHat part of "Fox, etc." don't you understand?

The 'etc.' part

[Tyrone Bigguns]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

Some of the others: Agenda journalism - making the story fit your POV, making up facts, including documents, 'reporting' using single sources, bias in journalism by choosing what to print on page one, what to put above the fold(which has been around forever - just go look at the Hearst Papers), headline choices, story choices, and level of coverage: (for example, 'Greta' on FOX, choosing to focus her broadcast on the latest tragedy, making it seem as though there are rapists and child killers swarming around our neighborhoods thick as fleas; or media outlets choosing to focus on prisoner abuse at Abu Grahib at a level far higher than say, the murderous enemy Musab al Zarqawi).

Not that i disagree...but, your boy Kiwon said CNN was one of the first..so, pretty much everything you listed was well before that..and continues today.

So, i was listing things AFTER CNN/1980.

[MJZiggy]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

Some of the others: Agenda journalism - making the story fit your POV, making up facts, including documents, 'reporting' using single sources, bias in journalism by choosing what to print on page one, what to put above the fold(which has been around forever - just go look at the Hearst Papers), headline choices, story choices, and level of coverage: (for example, 'Greta' on FOX, choosing to focus her broadcast on the latest tragedy, making it seem as though there are rapists and child killers swarming around our neighborhoods thick as fleas; or media outlets choosing to focus on prisoner abuse at Abu Grahib at a level far higher than say, the murderous enemy Musab al Zarqawi).

Yes, I really hate it when Mortenson and Clayton do that...

[Kiwon]

Come on Harlan...this is News! McCain has done it..so it isn't at the same level of newsworthyness.

And, for the McCain crowd to complain about the media is laughable. McCain long got a free ride with them

Its true that McCain has been a media favorite for about 10 years.

I like to think he earned that through his reputation for speaking directly and clearly. He was a good quote.

The comparison on the earlier McCain trip and Obama's celebrated grand tour is apt. There has never been a media phenomena like Obama in my lifetime.

a friend pointed out to me the other day, that Obama got this coverage because he INVITED the network people to come along for the ride. McCain apparently forgot to mail the invitations....

HH meant "media creation."

I guess his coverage isn't influenced at all by the fact that 95% of the American media is planning to vote for him. :roll:

2008, the year that journalism died.



Putting Money Where Mouths Are: Media Donations Favor Dems 100-1

By WILLIAM TATE | Posted Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The New York Times' refusal to publish John McCain's rebuttal to Barack Obama's Iraq op-ed may be the most glaring example of liberal media bias this journalist has ever seen. But true proof of widespread media bias requires one to follow an old journalism maxim: Follow the money.

Even the Associated Press — no bastion of conservatism — has considered, at least superficially, the media's favoritism for Barack Obama. It's time to revisit media bias.

True to form, journalists are defending their bias by saying that one candidate, Obama, is more newsworthy than the other. In other words, there is no media bias. It is we, the hoi polloi, who reveal our bias by questioning the neutrality of these learned professionals in their ivory-towered newsrooms

Big Media applies this rationalization to every argument used to point out bias. "It's not a result of bias," they say. "It's a matter of news judgment."

And, like the man who knows his wallet was pickpocketed but can't prove it, the public is left to futilely rage against the injustice of it all.

The "newsworthy" argument can be applied to every metric — one-sided imbalances in airtime, story placement, column inches, number of stories, etc. — save one.

An analysis of federal records shows that the amount of money journalists contributed so far this election cycle favors Democrats by a 15:1 ratio over Republicans, with $225,563 going to Democrats, only $16,298 to Republicans .

Two-hundred thirty-five journalists donated to Democrats, just 20 gave to Republicans — a margin greater than 10-to-1. An even greater disparity, 20-to-1, exists between the number of journalists who donated to Barack Obama and John McCain.

Searches for other newsroom categories (reporters, correspondents, news editors, anchors, newspaper editors and publishers) produces 311 donors to Democrats to 30 donors to Republicans, a ratio of just over 10-to-1. In terms of money, $279,266 went to Dems, $20,709 to Republicans, a 14-to-1 ratio.

And while the money totals pale in comparison to the $9-million-plus that just one union's PACs have spent to get Obama elected, they are more substantial than the amount that Obama has criticized John McCain for receiving from lobbyists: 96 lobbyists have contributed $95,850 to McCain, while Obama — who says he won't take money from PACs or federal lobbyists — has received $16,223 from 29 lobbyists.

A few journalists list their employer as an organization like MSNBC, MSNBC.com or ABC News, or report that they're freelancers for the New York Times, or are journalists for Al Jazeera, CNN Turkey, Deutsche Welle Radio or La Republica of Rome (all contributions to Obama). Most report no employer. They're mainly freelancers. That's because most major news organization have policies that forbid newsroom employees from making political donations.

As if to warn their colleagues in the media, MSNBC last summer ran a story on journalists' contributions to political candidates that drew a similar conclusion:

"Most of the newsroom checkbooks leaned to the left."

The timing of that article was rather curious. Dated June 25, 2007, it appeared during the middle of the summer news doldrums in a non-election year — timing that was sure to minimize its impact among the general public, while still warning newsrooms across the country that such political donations can be checked.

In case that was too subtle, MSNBC ran a sidebar story detailing cautionary tales of reporters who lost their jobs or were otherwise negatively impacted because their donations became public.

As if to warn their comrades-in-news against putting their money where their mouth is, the report also cautioned that, with the Internet, "it became easier for the blogging public to look up the donors."

It went on to detail the ban that most major media organizations have against newsroom employees donating to political campaigns, a ban that raises some obvious First Amendment issues. Whether it's intentional or not, the ban makes it difficult to verify the political leanings of Big Media reporters, editors and producers. There are two logical ways to extrapolate what those leanings are, though.

One is the overwhelming nature of the above statistics. Given the pack mentality among journalists and, just like any pack, the tendency to follow the leader — in this case, Big Media — and since Big Media are centered in some of the bluest of blue parts of the country, it is highly likely that the media elite reflect the same, or an even greater, liberal bias.

A second is to analyze contributions from folks in the same corporate cultures. That analysis provides some surprising results. The contributions of individuals who reported being employed by major media organizations are listed in the nearby table.

The contributions add up to $315,533 to Democrats and $22,656 to Republicans — most of that to Ron Paul, who was supported by many liberals as a stalking horse to John McCain, a la Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos with Hillary and Obama.

What is truly remarkable about the list is that, discounting contributions to Paul and Rudy Giuliani, who was a favorite son for many folks in the media, the totals look like this: $315,533 to Democrats, $3,150 to Republicans (four individuals who donated to McCain).

Let me repeat: $315,533 to Democrats, $3,150 to Republicans — a ratio of 100-to-1. No bias there.

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=301702713742569#

[Freak Out]

The Mac camp is at it again. Just more wacky stuff on the campaign trail.

McCain memo is riddled with inaccuracies

McCain's campaign claims to have debunked "three prevailing myths about Obama's foreign policy," but it's the McCain camp that isn't connected to reality.

Alex Koppelman

Jul. 25, 2008 | On Friday, John McCain's campaign put out a memo that purports to debunk that "three prevailing myths about Barack Obama's foreign policy ... [that] work to Obama's benefit, are indeed propagated by his campaign at times, but have no real basis in fact." The memo, written by Randy Scheunemann, a senior advisor to McCain, is separated into three sections, each with its own "myth" and countervailing "fact." But it's the memo itself that's full of myths -- actually, as a colleague quipped to me, the memo would have been much more accurate if the "myth" and "fact" headers had been reversed.

Take the first section, which begins with this "myth": "Barack Obama Claims People Have Adopted His Unconditional Timetable for Withdrawal From Iraq." Under "fact," Scheunemann writes:

John McCain, our military commanders and the Iraqi government agree that our troops should come home based upon conditions on the ground -- not the unconditional timetable Barack Obama supports. Unlike Barack Obama, John McCain believes our troops should come home with honor and victory. Barack Obama's support for an unconditional timetable has led to an "open disagreement" with our military commanders. Even Iraqi leaders believe our troops should leave depending upon conditions on the ground. The only one advocating an arbitrary, unconditional timetable is Barack Obama. Everyone but Barack Obama agrees that a withdrawal dictated purely by politics invites chaos and the possibility that our troops would have to return.

Set aside for its pure silliness the implication that Obama wants American troops to come home in dishonor and defeat. There's also the implication that Obama wants to withdraw all troops from Iraq, something that's clearly not true. Nor has Obama advocated an "arbitrary, unconditional" timetable. After laying out his plan for withdrawal in his recent Op-Ed in the New York Times, Obama wrote, "In carrying out this strategy, we would inevitably need to make tactical adjustments. As I have often said, I would consult with commanders on the ground and the Iraqi government to ensure that our troops were redeployed safely, and our interests protected." And former Obama advisor Samantha Power has previously made clear that Obama's plan is a "best-case scenario" subject to change based on conditions on the ground.

Then there's Scheunemann's contention that "even Iraqi leaders believe our troops should leave depending upon conditions on the ground." McCain himself says he has heard that in private meetings he has held with Iraqis. But that's certainly not what Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said in public statements recently.

The second part of Scheunemann's memo is no better. The "myth" Scheunemann claims to explode is, "Barack Obama Claims the United States Has Adopted His Policy of Unconditional, Presidential-Level Meetings With Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

Ahmadinejad makes a great boogeyman for the McCain campaign to exploit. But as I've written in this space before, and as Time's Joe Klein has repeatedly done a superlative job of explaining, there's no real reason to believe that the Iranian leader Obama would meet with would be Ahmadinejad. In May, Klein wrote:

I promised to check into whether Obama had ever said that he would negotiate -- specifically, by name -- with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Indeed, according to the crack Time Magazine research department and the Obama campaign, he never has. He did say that he would negotiate with the Iranian leadership -- but, on matters of foreign policy and Iran's nuclear program, the guy in charge is the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. As of today, John McCain was still accusing Obama of wanting to negotiate with Ahmadinejad. Why doesn't the McCain campaign and other assorted Republicans ever accuse Obama of wanting to negotiate with Khamenei? Well, because Khamenei isn't quite the flagrant anti-Semite Ahmadinejad is.


McCain Campaign Memo on Obama’s Foreign Policy

All: Please see this memo highlighting three prevailing myths about Barack Obama’s foreign policy. The myths work to Obama’s benefit, are indeed propagated by his campaign at times, but have no real basis in fact.

To: Interested Parties

From: Randy Scheunemann, Senior Foreign Policy Adviser

Date: July 25, 2008

Re: The Barack Obama Foreign Policy Myths

In the past few days, Barack Obama has been trying to alter the reality of international developments to the benefit of his political campaign. Please find below the key Obama myths from this week.

MYTH: Barack Obama Claims People Have Adopted His Unconditional Timetable For Withdrawal From Iraq

FACT: John McCain, our military commanders and the Iraqi government agree that our troops should come home based upon conditions on the ground – not the unconditional timetable Barack Obama supports. Unlike Barack Obama, John McCain believes our troops should come home with honor and victory. Barack Obama’s support for an unconditional timetable has led to an “open disagreement” with our military commanders. Even Iraqi leaders believe our troops should leave depending upon conditions on the ground. The only one advocating an arbitrary, unconditional timetable is Barack Obama. Everyone but Barack Obama agrees that a withdrawal dictated purely by politics invites chaos and the possibility that our troops would have to return.

MYTH: Barack Obama Claims The United States Has Adopted His Policy Of Unconditional, Presidential-Level Meetings With Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

FACT: Barack Obama’s policy of unconditional, presidential-level summits between himself and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad undermines the current multilateral efforts between the U.S., our European allies and Iran. As they have been for years, the U.S. and our European allies are engaged in diplomatic talks with Iran and John McCain supports these multilateral efforts. Barack Obama’s stated policy of meeting unconditionally with leaders like Ahmadinejad undermines these efforts. As The Washington Post reported, our European allies “are uncomfortable” with Barack Obama’s unconditional pledge believing that grants unilateral concessions to Iran and undermines multilateral diplomacy. If Barack Obama is truly interested in listening to our allies, he will have to address these concerns.

MYTH: Barack Obama Claims Others Have Adopted His Strategy For Afghanistan

FACT: John McCain has long supported adding troops in Afghanistan and been in favor of the successful counterinsurgency strategy that Barack Obama continues to oppose. The situation in Afghanistan is about more than just about troops. We need to adopt and adapt the tactics and strategy that were behind the surge’s success in Iraq – opposed by Barack Obama. Without employing the strategy, tactics and unity of command that turned Iraq around, increased troop levels in Afghanistan will not result in the same improvement we saw in Iraq.

[mraynrand]

Harlan,

What's your take on Barack as 'Citizen of the World?'

[Freak Out]

Harlan,

What's your take on Barack as 'Citizen of the World?'

I think he's been just a little busy with the raging horde of jocklickers present these days to worry about some mulatto speaking in Germany.

[sheepshead]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

Plame was not outed. There was a very long very expensive investigation that Fitzgerald ran and the conclusion was , there was no "outing" - youre drinking the koolaide on that one from the zealots that cant let it go. They thought for sure they had Cheney in a striped jump suit.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Harlan,

What's your take on Barack as 'Citizen of the World?'

I think he's been just a little busy with the raging horde of jocklickers present these days to worry about some mulatto speaking in Germany.

Oh, I was able to tear myself away to watch a little of the tan Kennedy.

The only substantive point of his speech was when he said the world needs German participation in Afghanistan. So much for the love fest! The German media bitch-slapped Obama on that point.

In Obama's rhetoric, Afghanistan is the good war, Iraq the cauldron of American Imperialism. I think Obama is going to have a very hard go of it as president, the charisma is going to wear thin. I fear he doesn't know what he is doing.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

No journalism died when TV went 24/7. Blame CNN.

Actually, young lady (may I call you that?), you have a profound point. That was one of the first dominoes. Good observation.

Some of the others:

1. Gay escort Jim Gluckert
2. 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. Some by our State dept/bush.
3. Conservative columnists on Bush payroll. Michael McManus, Maggie Gallagher, and Armstrong Williams, a conservative African-American columnist, had been paid $240,000 by the education department to champion the administration's controversial policies in his print, radio and television outlets.
4. Bob Novak outing ms. plame..among other problems with his ethics.

Plame was not outed. There was a very long very expensive investigation that Fitzgerald ran and the conclusion was , there was no "outing" - youre drinking the koolaide on that one from the zealots that cant let it go. They thought for sure they had Cheney in a striped jump suit.

Plame was indeed outed. CIA operatives aren't supposed to be outed..nor discussed.

Please, go back and put on your tinfoil hat.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Obama couldn't have been in germany..i watched some sort of speech and large crowd attending, but there wasn't any flag burning. :oops: