"Republicans are panicked about [Obama's] trip"
By SilentPatriot Sunday Jul 20, 2008 8:00pm 
Barack Obama's trip overseas is off to a great start -- with Prime Minister Maliki endorsing his withdrawal plan and the White House accidentally informing every news organization about it -- and Chuck Todd is hearing that Republicans are starting to worry.
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MR. TODD: Republicans are panicked about this trip because they think that this is going to be a home run. And arguably, you've got some Obama folks who actually think he ought to come home right now. It's never going to get as good as it's gotten in the last 48 hours. You've got McCain suddenly in the White House parroting what Obama has been saying in Afghanistan. The McCain folks will say, "Hey, we're not parroting. We've been there before." But they clearly caught McCain flat-footed there. And then what Maliki did, even in the backtrack statement that the spokes--the government spokesperson over there said, he threw in the word "timetable."
In order to really appreciate the importance of the Maliki development, consider what would happen if the opposite occured:
To really understand the importance of Maliki's comments, you need to consider their opposite. Imagine if Maliki had walked in front of the cameras and said, "at this stage, a timetable for withdrawal is unrealistic, and we hope our American friends will not bow to domestic political pressures and be hasty in leaving Iraq just as the country improves." It would be a transformative moment in this election. John McCain would talk of nothing else. The cable shows would talk of nothing else. Magazines would run thousands of covers about "Obama's Iraq Problem." Obama would probably lose the race.
Exactly. And this is what Marc Amibinder has to report:
Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, "We're fu*ked."
If McCain loses the foreign policy debate, which is becoming increasingly likely, he'll have an insurmountable problem on his hands.
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i am too, will he continuie to keep selling us out?
All this and a judge rules no coerced evidence for Guantanamo detainees today, which leaves the possibility theyre going to get off. The proverbial house of cards is falling like the proverbial cookie crumbles.
The Iraqis want us, their occupiers, out of the country. Let's get out, tout de suite
If McCain wins the election- we'll all have an insurmountable problem on our hands.
Not that we wont have a problem in either case but an Iraq war believer would be almost certain doom, imo.
I'm voting for obama- but am convinced Mccain will win- because the Republicans are going to play the fear and hate card- and as most Americans are hateful and fearful people- they will releate more to the insanity of the right wing..very sad..This country is doomed..A revolution should have happened, but sadly we seem to live in a nation of docile sheep...
I had to laugh. McCain should be more careful about what he asks for next time...
McSame is going to have a problem keeping his pecker up during all this. Maybe he can do a commercial for Viagra.
High-larry-us! How delicious to see and hear the right squirm...
Be careful what you wish for ...
Hell, just send McSame out on his own trip.
Let's see...he could hold talks with the leaders of Czechoslovakia, and take a look for himself at the Iraq-Pakistan border.
You do realize thought that most dim-witted voting Americans will never even know that this happened, because they don't even know who the leader in Iraq is - and couldn't find Iraq on a map!
They are more worried about jobs, gas and evil terrorists trying to turn them gay.
In 3 weeks, no one will remember that Maliki said this. Just like how the media quickly dropped the story about McCain having improper close relations with a lobbyist (Vicki Iseman) - remember how people said that would end McCain's campaign?
Let's just hope McCain keeps making stupid mistakes.
McHorizon can always buy another house in the Iraq/Pakistan border!
General Zod @ 5:
geee thanks for the doomsday report general......i hope
your wrong.....i have to admit i understand how you feel.....
I KNOW they are!
McCain has been posting Obama's GPS numbers in Iraq and Afghanistan!
You can see them at www.terroristspleasekillObama.gov
"The repugnicants are panicked"
Please do tell more! By the way, here is an outstanding example of the Amurkan public:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WALIARHHLII
"for our children"? Please donate to the Contraception Giving Tree!
McShame has foreign affairs experience.
Obama lacks foreign affairs experience.
Why does no one ever question statements like this. They are just simply accepted as fact even though I see nothing that qualifies McShame over Obama. Wes Clark said it succinctly - getting shot down and spending time imprisoned is not a qualification for president.
McCain's people had better trot out Joe Lieberman right away! He is like kryptonite to Barack Obama.
constituent @ 13:
I'm not worried about who will get the most votes, Obama. I'm worrie about who counts the votes, Diebold.
They've been fu#ked for quite some time now by choosing a weak, feeble, and dishonest candidate with no chance of winning in November. Now it's obvious.
Ron @ 18:
no shxt..........seriously
constituent @ 20:
And don't forget we have 5 anti-democratic election throwing conservative activist justices on the Supreme Court just in case it's close. No doubt about it thanks to the GOP The deck is stacked against free and fair elections in this country.
Alice X (Chomsky Nader) status quObama - change you can pretend in - @ 3:
"The problem with the French (Iraqis) is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur (Timetable)."
General Zod @ 5:
I have bet $ on it.
Let me get this straight. First McCain challenges Obama to go to Iraq, and now that it is a great success (depends on who you ask). McCain is now parroting what Obama has been talking about? Now we hear that McCain is saying that he plans to stay in Iraq for only two years. What happened to 100 years? I'll tell you what happened. Iraq wants our asses out of there.
General Zod @ 5:
After all the damage the GOP has done to this country over the past decade the fact that Obama lead over McCain is just 8 points I think proves your concerns are valid.
McCain and his sidekick Graham have also received kick in the groin from the judge in the Gitmo trials who has just come out and said evidence from torture will not be allowed in the military tribunals. One tends to forget that there are many, not the a** kissing generals seeking promotion, in our Armed Forces who believe in the traditional American values. They went in because they believed what we all believed about America which is we don't torture, imprison without hearings, or kidnap people. That America should lead in asserting its ideals and not crawl in the gutter. Kudos to the judge.
Ruthless People @ 21:
Government, by the dollar, for the dollar.
Ruthless People @ 21:
there are and have been two to three steps ahead of us(D). this is what scott mcClellen was talking about perpetual politicization....they are mostly made up of black and white thinkers they keep it simple. they know the opposition's counter moves and have their response ready before it's needed. that's what rove was all about. your correct about being stacked.. paper thin legislative majority,veto,signing statements,executive privilege all for the fight against terrorism/middleclass.
to me it was more about keeping shareholders happy.
Ruthless People @ 25:
I think that is just representative of the US people as a whole opposed to any kind of rigging.
Why should I vote for a democrat? When in July 2007 senate judiciary committee subpoenas Karl Rove and her told them to stick up there A** and they did nothing
Iz @ 30:
A better question. Why should you vote for any republican for any office?
Iz @ 30:
To laugh and be amazed at how your vote counts for nothing ?
Impeach week
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/4987-impeach-dick-cheney
Vets call for 7 days of Impeachment actions...this week
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/
My vote is solidly for Obama. Was he my first choice? No. Do I expect him to bring in a profound shift to the left in terms of foreign policy and the domestic economy? No.
Do I expect that he will represent that segment of our ruling elite that has a sense of pragmatism and social responsibility even if it is just nobles oblige? Yes. Will he help to restore the image of America around the world and marginalize extremists by prioritizing diplomatic engagement with enemies and allies alike? Yes. Will he work to reduce pollution and act to fight against global heating? Yes.
Is all that better than what a McCain Presidency would offer? Definitely yes!
I live in Indiana, a red state that has some promise to turn blue. I also know that every vote that goes to the Greens or Nader will not be counted by the establishment not as a popular push to the left but rather will be spun as being "Independent" and thus defined as "centrist" (i.e. right wing) by the Corporate Media who will then claim that Obama didn't get those votes because he was too left wing. They did it with Gore and Kerry, they'll just do it again and few will be the wiser.
If you know someone planning to vote for McCain, please tell them about his divorce (injured wife, 3 kids, rich mistress named Cindy) and that he doesn't know Iraq from a hole in the ground--and that's the least offensive thing I can say about him. If that person is a woman, you might mention his position on birth control and viagra. Or maybe just endless war at $12 billion dollars a month in Iraq.
Just because a candidate has an R after his name, doesn't make him right. Especially if he has an R after his name, it makes him wrong. See Ronald Reagan, see Karl Rove, see George Bush. Americans need to wake up. Unless you like the endless giveaways to the oil companies.
I see today where McCain in increasing desperation again dredged up the banal "Obama has no military experience" insult. Like only military veterans need apply. I missed that clause in the Constitution somehow.
listen closely to video comment from iraqi gov't spokeperson...this isn't the elcection timetable this is the
iraqi people timetable
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/21/republicans-are-panicked-about-...
BobbyG @ 36:
that was forty years ago now they use computers johnny
http://www.juancole.com/2008/07/obama-in-iraq-der-spiegel-proves-al.html
by Juan Cole...
"Despite all the talk about Iraq being "calm," I'd like to point out that the month just before the last visit Barack Obama made to Iraq (he went in January, 2006), there were 537 civilian and ISF Iraqi casualties. In June of this year, 2008, there were 554 according to AP. These are official statistics gathered passively that probably only capture about 10 percent of the true toll.
That is, the Iraqi death toll is actually still worse now than the last time Obama was in Iraq!...
"You have people like Joe Lieberman saying silly things like if it weren't for the troop escalation, Obama wouldn't be able to visit Iraq. Uh, he visited it before the troop escalation, just fine."
Poor David Gregory, he looks so disappointed. Aw.
The repubs are panicking because McCrazy, on a daily basis, keeps straying into the sandtrap and stepping on a rake.
constituent @ 38:
Of course, the Manly George W. Bush had "military experience," 'eh? And, he [1] didn't wreck any aircraft, while he concomitantly [2] single-handedly kept the No-Fly Zone above the TANG golf course and NCO Club utterly free of Vietcong heavy fighter-bombers.
Iz @ 30:
Because it's better to be fucked slow with lube than hard without it?
calgarylady @ 40:
I found it delicious on "Hairball With Chris Matthews" today that Andrea Mitchell was all in this huge poignant pissy snit because Obama was, in her words, holding "fake press conferences" via his military hosts, and not allowing the "real" media to interpose themselves. They were reduced to observing as -- well -- reporters! Oh! The Impudence!
What I love is that the Media is not allowed to control the narrative of this trip. Andrea Mitchell looked pissed on Hardball, whining and complaining that they don't have access to Senator Obama the way they wish they could. I thought she was going to break out in tears especially when Roger Simons began laughing at her complaints.
Ironically she had to come up with a quick story for the Verdict with Dan Abrams. Andrea Mitchell is so pathetic it’s almost comical.
The McCain Campaign thought their Media Surrogates would help structure their story; first he tipped everyone off that Senator Obama would be in Iraq Saturday, why else did Andrea Mitchell rush to Iraq to report on how wonderful things were there but Senator Obama Big Footed McCain’s Media Surrogates by going to Afghanistan. They are so pissed and I am so glad… Senator Obama is beating them at their own game.
Off topic: Is it just me or did David Gregory look disappointed on Meet the Press this pass Sunday, First because Chuck Todd blunted his republican talking points, 2nd because Tom said we will be seeing more of Chuck Todd on Meet the Press and 3rd David Gregory didn't get to go to Iraq...
Just an observation.
/
BobbyG @ 36:
McGrampa's military experience consists of him destroying 5 military aircraft, surrendering to the enemy, finishing 894 out 899 at the Naval Academy, and willingly signing anti-American documents as a POW.
BobbyG @ 43:
I am so glad I wasn't the only one who notice this... What was so funny is that my co-worker was watching this with me and she is so not potically but she was wondering why she was so upset.
oops
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/46398-iraqi-government-we-want-u-s-troops-...
General_Rennenkampf @ 42:
how dop you know that?
Of course it's a home run for Obama and the Repugs should be worried.
Obama is no George Bush and he knows what to say and how to behave.
Carol @ 49:
Dubya said today that he's all ramped up about goin t' the 'Lympics, and supportin' our Ath-Ahh-Leeets.
jitter @ 4:
McGrampa isn't going to win. This country doesn't want a third term of herr dubyah's failed policies. More importantly, this country doesn't want McGrampa's perverse vision of a Supreme Court
BobbyG @ 50:
Lucky Chinese, they might even get a massage
There was a video today of Andrea Mitchell (dressed in fatigues) walking through an Iraqi market in which she says 'we can walk freely' and in her next breath says 'although under heavy guard'.
Unbelievable.
calgarylady @ 53:
to be expected from an elite troll
Snowball @ 34:
Foreign policy debate? BRING 'EM ON! Obama would wipe the floor with McCain's tushie.
The White House isn't helping either by adopting Obama's plan to "talk" to Iran. Talk about pulling the rug out from under your own candidate.
looks like the 'villagers' are the ones in a panic mode, as cnn goes with 'Obama: gone too far?'... l think they're addicted to the question mark, time for an intervention.
my life @ 55:
I couldn't have said it better myself... oh wait, I did.
{:^D
Obama can't come home yet.
He's got to go to Kenya to get his real birth certificate.
Obama is a real leader, he makes the rethugs look like amateurs. They should get used to it, their days of corruption and war are nearing the end.
Ahahahahahahahahaha (maniacal laughter)
The republican house of cards is toppling... you got that right, republicans... you're absolutely fucked!! In more ways than one too...
as the captain looked out over the horizon, a shout came from the crow's nest: "Captain Gopper, forty ships off the starboard bow!"
The captain says the the First Mate: "Boy! Fetch me the brown pants!"
oh really @ 60:
Either you joke or no. Your comment does not reflect O'Reallys everywhere. Not funny enough if you're joking, troll like if you're not. Get out of the O'Really business, mon. No good for you.
ironic that McCain has been calling out Obama for months for not visiting the Middle-East and now when he does visit.. McCain wished Obama never went
"if" ... ???
Yes they have clearly screwed themselves on this one. I have to wonder what they thought Obama was going to do with the consistent taunting of his inexperience.
I say it all the time, but I am beginning to believe that these idiots, really do think that other people are as stupid as they are.
Well they are now receiving a real wake up call from one of the most intellegent individuals they have ever met, and in the form of a black man at that.
What a wonderful slap in the face they are getting, for all of the underhanded crap they have pulled on the people of this country. I could never think of a better way to slap the crap, right back out of them.
Go Bama
oh really @ 60:
LOL. You people have truly reduced yourselves to searching waste dumps to find anything remotely substantial on Obama....You've got nothing.
StCyrlyMe2 and Left&Left, well said. (hey, I'm still on patrol here)
ronhohn @ 16:
I find it even more ridiculous than that. When you fly OVER a foreign country and drop bombs on it, that's considered 'foreign policy experience.' When you've actually lived IN other countries, spoken to other kids in a language other than english, and seen what the world looks like OUTSIDE the U.S. (amazingly, something that only 20% of Americans have done) that's NOT considered foreign policy experience. It's considered being un-american. As if having a leader of the free world who DIDN'T get his impressions about other countries by visiting Disney World is such a bad thing.
Still, I have to admit I found it really funny that the press is making such a fuss about the 'success' of Obama's tour. Like it's news worthy that foreign dignitaries treated him with respect (certainly more than American dignitaries normally do), and that the soldiers DIDN'T throw tomatos at him and call him a 'cut and run librul' like the right wing noise machine expected them to.
FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ? FU*KED ?
it looks like above all their other problems the REPUBLICANS have printed so many MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT posters that they ran out of Cs
the smart DEMOCRATS have saved several of them for you------> and YES you are----->
FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED ! FUCKED !
Yes both parties are fucked. So lets get a little Green Party perspective.
Here is Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney and running mate Rosa Clemente on Democracy Now.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/21/first_all_women_of_color_presidential
How would you all have felt if Chuck Todd declared that Dennis Kucinich should have been excluded from the Democratic primary presidential debates?
Many of you would have been extremely pissed off, and rightfully so. I mean, who the hell does this "Todd" fella think he is?
Well, Chuck Todd does believe that it's up to him to determine who "should" and "shouldn't" be included in primary debates, and he decided and declared that Ron Paul shouldn't have been included in the Republican debates.
For that reason I say, now and forever, "Fuck you, Chuck Todd".
Thank you.
Democratic President
5 Seat Democratic Majority in the Senate (with Hillary Clinton as Majority Leader...here comes Universal Healthcare)
2/3rds Democratic Majority in the House.
You heard it from me first. Write it down.
Snowball @ 34:
Does anybody remember or care about "voter caging"? They did it in the Bush vs. Kerry election - got by with it so I am sure they will do it again.
Video compilation of McCain and surrogates response to the problem. Watch. http://www.tagg-lines.com/2008/07/feets-dont-fail-me-now.html
God help us if you all gain power. This blog is beyond comprehension with the foul language and lack of intellectual debate. Good grief, I'd love to put you all on an island and let you kill each other. LOL.
The Right is not panicked....you will self destruct in time, or if not, it's the end of the world as we know it. Either way, we win (read the back of The Book).
“We’re fu*ked.”
And on so many levels. Finally, for the first time since I became politically aware a Repuke says some thing I can get behind.
end_game @ 77:
In case you haven't noticed the GOP is self destructing right now, and you have BushCo and your little "genius" Karl Rove to thank.
end_game @ 77:
Someone who believes in the literal truth of Revelation decries the absence of "intellectual debate"?
Turbolulz
Repubs are panicked because Obama is going abroad and meeting with foreign leaders like he is "The President elect." Perception is reality. McCain just looks like a bumbling old crazy uncle and Obama really hasn't even started to engage him directly in the campaign yet.
Obama looks like the President. McCain, eh, not so much.
end_game @ 77:
End_game
Move on when you see something you don't like. Perhaps some peoples frustration levels are at maximum due to the criminal nature (and capabilities of the current republican administration, I mean you couldn't really be proud could you?>) and blowing off some steam her is a way to deal with that. By the way, your God, can't help you, and wouldn't even if he/she did exist in the manifestation you have ascribed to him/her.
by-by now. Have a nice life.
good thing spending billions in Iraq and the economy at home are unrelated, otherwise McCain would be screwed.
Tom M @ 19:
Bingo. Like I said, just let Grandpa continue to open his mouth..it's all good. They seem to be following Obama's lead, because quite frankly his foreign policy and military advisors are miles above what the Neocon Fairies have.
two weenies and chuck todd.
Snowball @ 34:
Hahahah! Are you DONALD RUMSFELD writing in this blog under the moniker 'Snowball?' Sounded like it there for a minute, with all those nippy rhetorical questions. Loved it! :D
But speaking of Rummy, it just reminds me how incredible the Republican thought process is most of the time. Most people would have said they were Fu*ked when they found NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION in Iraq. Or when they found NO CONNECTION between Saddam and 9/11, or when we weren't greeted as liberators, or when the war didn't pay for itself, last six months, or turn the middle east into a secular democracy overnight, or when the Republican congress ran up 3 trillion dollars in additional debt.... All of those things would normally constitute being Fu*ked if they'd happened to a Democratic administration. But not to Republicans who normally have the media in their pocket, a noise machine to run interference for them, and thirty years of conservative propaganda to frame the issues for them. No, you're not Fu*ked for causing disasters on top of blunders on top of catastrophes for eight solid years, but you ARE Fu*ked when a Democrat actually scores a PR coup. What an amazing 'through the looking glass' world we live in.
Sweetest of all ... this wouldn't be anywhere near as devastating to the GOP if they hadn't've done something as moronic as implying that Obama was a chickenshit for not going to the front-lines of their glorious War On An Adjective, after McCain made such a total ass-clown of himself with his attack-helicopter-assisted Baghdad Shopping Spree.
McCain shoved a loaded political 12-gauge in his big mouth when he repeatedly taunted Obama about not going to Iraq & Afghanistan - & as much as dared him to pull the trigger.
BOOM!
At this point, in terms of optics, McCain is making Michael Dukakis look like Eisenhower.
He may as well try reverse-psychology with a photo-op where he comes right out & says "I'm becoming senile, have serious rage issues & don't even have a fucking clue what I'm saying most of the time - vote for me!"
In before the resignation of his entire campaign staff.
I find it very interesting that the McBush camp is "panicked" about the effects of Obama's trip overseas. It's obvious that they believe their own stupidity. This is what I mean: Obama is intelligent, graceful, and confident. Obama looks good. He looks like he's enjoying himself and appears to be grateful for the chance to learn about foreign affairs up close. Most of all, he looks engaged. The Repugs, for so very long, have gotten used to a clumsy, incompetent, lost-looking Pres. that they have actually begun believing that that's OK. They have all these media narratives about how GWB is just a cowboy, he's just a ranch-loving, regular "Amurikun", and we should think that's all OK; that the Europeans are all "stuck up" and elitists, and by gum! GWB just doesn't roll like that. They like 'em dumb. Here is a candidate who represents change, diplomacy, and a real vision who contrasts sharply with all that, and wins heads and hearts overseas, and they're freaking out. They can see quite obviously how good Obama looks in comparison to the Chimp and his chimptastic cabal, and they can't handle it.
My greater point is that I was puzzled why the poor Repugs keep denigrating Obama for being a good speaker, as well as being able to inspire enthusiasm. Now, seeing their histrionics in response to this trip, I can see why. He is so different than GWB that they can't deal.
Obama will win in a landslide this Nov. !!
ChrisM70 @ 11:
At least Barack's doing something to make peace with the Middle East. McCain (aka McBush) doesn't have a better solution.
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