[Terez]

I don't think anyone expects either candidate to fix it, Shin, but there's all sorts of room for exacerbation...

[Chance]

The 20th, on Oct 6 2008, 04:08 AM, said:

I don't think either candidate has a prayer of handling it. What is fundamentally wrong goes beyond what the executive branch can hope to do.....

No one expects miracles after all its just politics but handling it is not fixing the problem (as Terez say no one expect that ) but it would be nice if they could do more then just patch up the leaking ship...well perhaps I'm dreaming but if not I guess we can expect financial trouble world wide at regular intervals from now on just cause america can't handle it

Offtopic: But it's kinda scary and irritating that american missmanagment has sever consequences in the little city of gothenburg, sweden...globalization at its best

/Chance

This post has been edited by Chance: 06 October 2008 - 03:49 AM

[Terez]

Dunno if all of you have been following, but this video upset me a good bit. And then this one, a few days later, was too little too late. I'm still glad that he stood up to his ignorant, intolerant supporters, even if it was only to save face.

This post has been edited by Terez: 12 October 2008 - 10:25 AM

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I think it's delightfully ironic that these people are "pro-lifers" and up in arms about abortion, but have no problem inciting murder against someone who holds mildly different political views.

[Terez]

This is sad, but hilarious even still, just because of the way he tries to be nonchalant about taking the sticker off the monkey and passing it off to a kid, lol. Scroll down a bit for video...

This post has been edited by Terez: 12 October 2008 - 04:07 PM

[amphibian]

From another board:

Quote

I'll be on XM Radio Potus '08 at some point from 7 to 9 on Monday, October 12, to discuss polling and other miscellany. Don't know the exact time.

Second, at this point I think there's value for Obama at .78 right now. I think proper valuation is probably around .9 right now. There's a chance that this is like 1976 or 2000, where the undecideds break heavily toward the better known quantity, but I could make an equally compelling argument that this is more like 1980 or 1996 where they break toward the "challenger" Regardless, I think running this thing through 10 times, Obama probably wins nine of them.

Actually, given the composition of the undecideds in Gallup and a few other things, I'd wager they break toward McCain (they're by far disproportionately older, white, uneducated, and Obama's pretty well maxed out among young, educated voters). But with Obama scraping 50%, it wouldn't matter if they broke 2-1 toward McCain.

It's still not likely that it'll be a 10 plus point landslide, but things are looking up for Obama.

The following is in no way scientific, but may be interesting: I asked a few women I know if they'd already made up their minds regarding who they were going to vote for. They said that they had. I asked them when they'd made the decision one way or the other. All three of them said they'd broken for Obama when McCain chose Palin.

[Terez]

pollster.com

For those of you who are interested in keeping up with polls, that's a good bookmark.

[Mentalist]

Interesting side note:
since 1990, 90% of the Presidential elections were won by the physically taller candidate. People subconsciously like the taler person more and tend to assign them greater titles

EDIT: since 1900
Who's taller--Obama or McKain?

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 13 October 2008 - 05:00 AM

[Terez]

lol...pretty sure Obama's taller.

[Adjutant Stormy~]

Terez, on Oct 12 2008, 07:25 PM, said:

lol...pretty sure Obama's taller.

Who knows? McCain's not that tall, but neither is Obama. I'd guess the 'Bamster. Yeah, we've got nicknames for each other. We're close. Real close. WE'RE LIKE BROTHERS OK!?! I AM GOING TO HAVE HIS GAY-BABIES. THERE I SAID IT. PERSECUTE ME, BECAUSE I LOVE HIS SMILE, AND HIS VOICE, AND HIS PROMISES OF SWEET NOTHINGS.

But for a moment of seriousness. And no flames for this one.

No, but aside from slightly exaggerated stereotypical Obama-fervor, I have to say that in the time since I voted in the poll, for McCain mind you, I am slightly ashamed to say I've become undecided.
Four months ago, McCain seemed a sure thing. An experienced politician, with similar political views to my own, who was more moderate than anyone regularly gives him credit for, was my pick.
Obama didn't seem to have the goods to back up the message, not to mention the fact that I have about as much political experience.
And then Palin enters the fray. And the election becomes a crazy-contest. Not a contest that is crazy, but a contest to become as crazy as humanly possible. I literally cannot watch the major news outlets for pure obnoxiousness and prevalence of bad sound-bites and pretty heavy-handed bias. On both sides.
But, some might say, that's just election season!

So, I had to turn away. To the internet. I really don't know what I'll do. If I can get another sound convincing argument about the superior qualifications of one candidate over the other, all the better- my mind may be made up. But I have to say I really don't hear it. Nobody talks about substance. For Christ's sake, where's the goddamn beef!? I don't care for Republican party members waving the bloody flag, crying national security, or apologizing for the current Administration. I really couldn't give less of a crap how Obama makes me feel inside, the color of his skin, or what his religious beliefs are/were/will be.

EDIT: there have been less than 10 presidential elections since 1990, making it impossible for 90% to have gone to the taller candidate.
EDIT EDIT: I just read that edit.

Now, I am obviously not the typical voter, or I'd have been convinced one way or the other by the aforementioned bullcrap. But I wish someone would campaign for MY vote. Why does anyone stand where they stand today? And don't send me videos, soundbites, or links. I want your opinion as a thinking being, because, fuck lets admit it, I've exhausted everything else.

This post has been edited by Adjutant Stormy: 16 October 2008 - 06:29 AM

[Terez]

I dunno if I can convince you, because I've supported Obama since the time he announced he would run because I agree with him on most issues and because he seems to me to be extremely intelligent, charismatic, and sincere (which is important for the person whose main job is to represent us to the world).

McCain has not been a moderate since the last time he lost the presidential nomination - he learned then that being a maverick wasn't going to help him gain the Republican vote, so he started toeing the party line, voting with Bush almost unfailingly.

I think that Obama has proved he's intelligent enough to handle issues that he doesn't have any direct experience with, such as foreign affairs. I think his plans for dealing with the current economic crisis make a great deal more sense than McCain's, and I think that Obama is spot-on about the lack of regulation being the main cause of the problem. The PM of Iraq is offering a plan to get us out of Iraq, but Bush wants to stay long enough to get McCain elected, and McCain wants to stay forever. That issue is important to me, but it might not be to you, seeing as how you favored McCain before Palin.

[Osric]

Obama does seems smaller. My subconcious is telling me things when I see that picture.

To be honest your elections amaze me, it all seems like a popularity contest.. Who will win prom queen?? and rule the world!!
My opinion is mostly based on the bad job republicans did in the past years, and imo it's a good time for a change. Neither candidates are that great imo, but obama is better than mcain. Palin was a disaster to me as well, if they found out in holland about the fraud she did and all that crap she'd be thrown out of the goverment.

But what do I know, our prime minister is harry potter.

[Terez]

For those who don't mind links...

Palin as President

Have fun, and be sure to open the door three times.

[Adjutant Stormy~]

Terez, on Oct 16 2008, 03:24 AM, said:

For those who don't mind links...

Palin as President

Have fun, and be sure to open the door three times.

You know, as good as it is for the comedic value of politics at large, Palin would never actually become president...
(because she's a woman)

No but really, when was the last president to die in office who wasn't shot?

FDR: And he was a cripple who was never in good health.

Then Harding. And that's because his snowy-rainy-day inauguration speech was sooooo loooong he got pneumonia and died.
Now McCain might have the boring side, but I doubt he's got the endurance for such a thing.

This post has been edited by Adjutant Stormy: 18 October 2008 - 01:46 AM

[Terez]

McCain is 72, and no one's ever been sworn into a first term at that age.

Oh, and check it out: here's a Real American.

[Osric]

I dont understand, Obama is a charismatic man, looks good and respectful, he's a good speaker and debater. While mccain is an old ugly weirdo that isn't a good talker at all imo. Why is mccain candidate? Granted, their standpoints are more important, but it seems to me that if they had a candidate like Obama they'd have a much better chance of winning.. Or is there only ugly old guys for the republicans? that guy is nearly my grandad's age, and my grandad sits in a home doing puzzles.

[Zakari39]

McCain is a good candidate for a lot of Republican voters because he is: White, Male, and a War Veteran.

The fact that he didn't do much in the War besides being captured, and is descended from slave owners, and has a woman as his VP candidate - doesn't seem to matter.

The BBC had an article today from a reported who went to SW Pennsylvania. Some of the locals there are almost mystifyingly dumb apparently - one woman is voting for McCain because she can't pronounce Obama's name, another because 'well I'm a Democrat, but I just think Blacks cause more touble', another because 'well, he's not from America, I heard he was from Africa', and another because Obama is just like Osama with plastic surgery.

Admittedly - McCain will lose many votes because of Shrub's failure to get a grip with the Economy, with Disasters, with...well..anything, even eating pretzels.... but it's worrying that people anywhere, let alone the US, vote for people based on race and ignorance.... gah! makes me mad!

[HoosierDaddy]

Zakari39, on Oct 24 2008, 05:29 AM, said:

McCain is a good candidate for a lot of Republican voters because he is: White, Male, and a War Veteran.

The fact that he didn't do much in the War besides being captured, and

Quote

is descended from slave owners, and has a woman as his VP candidate - doesn't seem to matter.

And shouldn't matter. Now, the fact that that woman is inept... that's a different story.

Quote

The BBC had an article today from a reported who went to SW Pennsylvania. Some of the locals there are almost mystifyingly dumb apparently - one woman is voting for McCain because she can't pronounce Obama's name, another because 'well I'm a Democrat, but I just think Blacks cause more touble', another because 'well, he's not from America, I heard he was from Africa', and another because Obama is just like Osama with plastic surgery.

There are ignorant people the world over. We all find reasons to do what we really want to do, and in this case, there is a lot of residual, yet extremely concentrated areas of the country where racism is far less subtle than in American society as a whole. There are people who won't vote for McCain because he is old... ageism is just as prejudicial as racism. Now a compelling argument could be made that his vice-presidential selection makes his age a far greater factor, but this sentiment existed before that selection as well.

Admittedly - McCain will lose many votes because of Shrub's failure to get a grip with the Economy, with Disasters, with...well..anything, even eating pretzels.... but it's worrying that people anywhere, let alone the US, vote for people based on race and ignorance.... gah! makes me mad!

Finally, in any society racism exists. Take a society that is as almagamated as ours, biases exist everywhere. While most of those biases don't rise to the level of out right prejudice, they still exist. America is no different from the rest of the world... how many black prime minister's, president's, or chancellor's have their been in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy? Yes, you have voted in women chief executives... but there have been many women governor's here as well, and Hillary Clinton would probably be beating John McCain at this point as well. The Consitution was written to ensure a "more perfect union" that ever seeks to become more perfect. The election of a black candidate would surely be a large step forward, but not the only step that still needs to be taken.

[Terez]

This woman is scary.

[Falco]

Thought the Obama infomercial was well done. Think he'll get the Presidency with something like 330-350 EC votes, definitely taking PA, Ohio, Nevada etc. Maybe Florida, North Carolina. Funny that McCain is having to play defence in Arizona

Dems will end up 57 Senate votes, not the filibuster-proof majority, but enough to see most legislation get passed comfortably. McConnell will hold on in Kentucky, and Wicker will too. Chambliss will go I think, as will Dole in North Carolina. Warner, Udall etc. will pick up the open seats easily. Dems will sweep most of the Congressional races too.

Palin might stay on as a future Republican leader, but it'll be hard. There are people like Bobby Jindal out there who appeal to the base, and aren't absolute morons at the same time. Charlie Crist of Florida is another governor who looks far more appealing than Palin. Energizing the base but losing the moderates/independents is a not winning tactic except in the Republican primaries. If Obama is looking good in 2012, she migh tbe set up as a sacrificial candidate, but I can't see her being the real future of the party.