FTN: Debbie Wasserman Schultz Tells The McCain Campaign The Truth Matters...But Does CBS Care?
By Nicole Belle Saturday Sep 13, 2008 6:00pm
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If you ever wondered how it was possible that we could possibly have this close an election when the vast majority of the American people highly disapprove of the job George W. Bush has done, yet there is still a disconnect with John McCain supporters that his would be a third Bush term, look no further than what passes for political debate on this morning's Face the Nation. My head is still hurting from the stupidity of it.
Still playing to the media narrative that the selection of Sarah Palin should somehow bring women to the McCain camp, they bring on four female proxies--Kay Bailey Hutchinson and former Mass Gov. Jane Swift for McCain, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and FL Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz for Obama--to frame the debate as Obama vs. Palin. Strange that. All this time, I thought it was John McCain running for the office. You know, the same guy that calls his wife an unforgivable slur and laughs at Hillary Clinton being referred to as a b*tch, and now the Republicans saying they're going to call out sexism when they see it? Maybe my silly little female head got confused.
And when Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz throws down the gauntlet on all the GOP distractions and says that the truth matters and Gov. Swift opts to spin this into an inane deflection of whether Palin was actually in Iraq, wasting close to four minutes of airtime. Wasserman Schultz holds her ground, pointing out that these embellishments to her record just show what a lightweight Palin truly is, but it's host Bob Schieffer that has to side with the Republicans by pointing out that Palin's actions 'have been alleged' to be less than her claim, but it's up to the voters to decide "the truth."
Um, Bob, isn't that supposed to be your function? To help the voters know the truth from the spin?
Transcripts below the fold
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<![endif]-->NAPOLITANO: I have to say that one of the disappointmenting things about this campaign has been John McCain's ad, which now have been soundly criticized even by non-partisan groups as being sorely misleading, taking comments out of context, all the things that in the past, the old John McCain used to criticize. We're now seeing the rejuvenated Karl Rove-based John McCain and we see it every day and these kinds of advertisements that really don't assist voters in making the key decisions that's facing them right now, which is who should be the next President of the United States? A man who is standing with Bush 90+% of the time, who has not supported in 26 years in the Senate equal pay and other issues affecting women. Should he be the President or should it be Barack Obama, who has stood for all of these issues?
SCHIEFFER: Gov. Swift?
SWIFT: Well, first of all, let me just say that I think that the Democrats and many folks are just outraged that John McCain would actually call them on their words that are inappropriate about Sarah Palin and we do need to step up and say, "listen, when you say things that have nothing to do with her position on issues and with her record as Governor of Alaska, we are going to call you on it. And if that's painful, I'm sorry, but I do think that the point is we are trying to determine whether or not we are going to elect John McCain and Sarah Palin, proven ability to change Washington, to bring reform to Washington, or are we going to elect Barack Obama, who on the bill that we're talking about sides with the trial lawyers, one of the most pwerful special interests in Washington.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: On the bill that we're talking about, Governor, on the bill that we're talking about, John McCain was the deciding vote to defeat the bill in the Senate and Barack Obama voted for it. When it comes to putting up or shutting up... [crosstalk]
SWIFT: Which is why the trial lawyers are giving more money to Barack Obama.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: When it comes to...who is for equal pay and proved it and who's against it, John McCain voted no and was the deciding vote. Barack Obama voted yes. And you know what? At the end of the day, Governor, the truth matters. I'm a mom, you're a mom. We both have twins. I raise my kids and I'm sure Sarah Palin raised her kids to tell the truth and that the truth is important. But when she lies about the fact that she says she went to Iraq and she didn't, when she says that ...when she repeatedly...[crosstalk]
SWIFT: She did not lie about saying she went to Iraq.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: She did. She didn't go to Iraq. She went to Ireland...
SWIFT: She visited the troops, the general in charge...
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: She went to Ireland on a refueling stop...She did not go into Iraq. And the campaign said she did.
SWIFT: The general in charge said that they went to Kuwait and they went across the border. They went into Iraq to visit troops...
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: But they didn't. They were not in Iraq.
SWIFT: That's what the general says...
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: She's outside North America. She's been to Kuwait at the border and she stopped over in Ireland on a refueling stop. But the truth matters, and she's going to get called on the truth. So is John McCain for the entire campaign, because in this country we have to make sure that we move in a new direction. The American people are tired of the culture of corruption that has hung over the Capitol for far too long under Republican control. We do not need more of the same.
SWIFT: Well first of all, John McCain has [crosstalk]
SCHIEFFER: Let me interrupt for a moment, to clarify, because this just came up overnight, what Congresswoman Schultz is talking about. Last night the Obama campaign put out a report that says that Sarah Palin did not go to Iraq as she has stated to visit the Alaskan National Guard troops, but that she stopped at a border crossing with Kuwait and that she did not get more than a quarter of a mile inside Iraq. So that is the charge. You're saying, Gov. Swift, that that's overblown?
SWIFT: Yeah, I think it is overblown. The truth is she went to Kuwait to visit the troops who were going to be fighting in Iraq. She was accompanied by a general who will say they traveled into Iraq and if it has been misreported, but to say that she is lying, in all due respect to Congresswoman Schultz, is not appropriate. She is not lying.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: They said she went to Iraq and she didn't go to Iraq...
SWIFT: She was in Iraq; the general will tell you...
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: ...I mean, it's pretty black and white.
SWIFT: ...that they traveled into Iraq.
WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: No, what the general said is that she never ventured beyond the border crossing. That's what they said. And that's the bottom line...the truth matters
SCHIEFFER: All right, I'm just going to call time here and let people make up their own minds on this.
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You want my head to hurt too? No thanks - I know what I'll hear.
*
Wow, send this to Bob Schieffer on a poster, bold and highlight the last line. Um, yes, that is their job, isn't it?
This bodes poorly for the first presidential debate, I'm afraid.
"...look no further than what passes for political debate on this morning’s Face the Nation. "
You could say that about anyone of these moronic "news" shows.
Scjeifer just demonstrated his unfitness for his job...he knowingly sided with what he knows to be a lie. Shame on him.
I was at the nursing home visiting my mother today and I listened to a middle aged woman try to convince her mother not to vote for Obama. She even had her cute dog with her or and a jar of pickles. This woman told her mother that "Sarah Palin is just wonderful mom. She has an 86% approval rating in Alaska. Everybody loves her in Alaska. She's just wonderful and you know she's friends with John Ashcroft. He supports her. And one more thing....John Ashcrost is friends with Bill. You know Bill our friend? They're friends mother. She is a wonderful person."
Too bad I couldn't have gotten my mom out there. She would have said. "Oh God, what an idiot."
After reading about it, I shan't dare watch it.
Edwin Hussein @ 6:
Ditto.
My wife, a liberal French national, believes McCain made a master-stroke by selecting Palin thus diverting attention away from his link to GW. She further believes, much to her consternation, that McCain will thus secure the election.
We both surely hope she is wrong.
I was just in OH and witnessed a bumper sticker that read something like this:
"I won't be forced to learn a second language to accommodate illegals in MY country."
The Repubs have been masterful at getting the (ignorant) middle class to vote against their best interests. I fear they're succeeding again.
The Republicans are counting on the stupidity of the American voter.
They will not be disappointed.
Jeanne @ 5:
These women that are supporting Palin, like this, are giving women a bad name. They're digging the sexism pit deeper.
Geez, what is it these Repugs are drinking?
What a sorry bunch to say the least
I think I see the problem. Truth and facts are something you vote on. I didn't even have to watch it and my brain hurts.
"The truth matters..." Yes, the truth certainly does matter, but those truths will not emerge during the upcoming presidential debates since the two major presidential candidates are more alike than not, especially in regard to foreign policy. But for the American people to be given the straight skinny on the two corporate candidates Obama and McCain, a third party candidate such as Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney should be allowed to participate, which is something that one would normally expect to happen in a true democracy, where many voices are heard, instead of just Democrats or Republicans. But as John MacArthur points out in his most excellent and relevant book You Can't Be President: The Outrageous Barriers to Democracy in America, the chances of that happening in the [alleged] land of the free are slim and none.
The Republican philosophy: claim every virtue of your opponent as if it were your own and accuse your opponent of every shameful offense you commit.
Liberal AND Proud @ 9:
Funny you should mention this. This is verbatim, from one of my emails, today. (I went in there to copy it.):
After following the election since Nov. 2006, I have come to the conclusion, Americans are fucked in the head. There's no other possible conclusion. No one uses reason; it's all smears and lies. Barack Obama is the most forthright to come along for a while and he gets labelled an elitist because of his "fancy talk". (Words with three or more syllables.) Small town America doesn't go for that. They'd rather elect "someone they could have a beer with," like bu$h.
The masses have certainly been dumbed down. And then, somehow, God got infused into the mix. Talk about a disaster.
God, I hate television. Look no further than who owns the networks, then turn it off, and leave it off.
I hope that I don't hurt someone here, but I came to the conclusions Republicans are either very stupid, ignorant or mentally ill
Bob @ 8:
Barring some sort of Republican caused minority holocaust, the Republican party is a dying breed. White people will be a minority by 2042, and with their actions over the last few years they can kiss the latino vote goodbye. I just hope our country is still standing by then, and hasn't collapsed from idiotic Republican rule.
THIS is why the world is going to marginalize us and shut America down if McCain is elected. America haeemed too dangerous to mankind to continue as a power. Elect who you will America. It really makes little difference.
Why is it generally "ok" to call a man a 'dick' or a 'prick' but it's "unforgivable" to call a female the 'c'-word? I thought we were all working towards equality? What happened to that?
Wasserman Schultz needs to be the next speaker of the House.
Cannot believe she's a dem—SHE'S GOT BALLS.
And, all of this is soooo painful to watch———
If Obama would just get out there and stop sounding so cerebral, tell
us in 5 words or less why we're screwed if these hybrid Neocons get in again,
no one would care about McCain/Palin.
Everyone knows that McCain is more of Bush. But, recognize that 50 percent
of the population are knuckle draggers.
Those of us who were Clinton supporters saw this coming.
Its soooooo painful because Big Dog would have "BobDoled" McCain back in August.
The whole issue of her being in Kuwait or Iraq was whether she was visiting troops from The Alaska National Guard. That should be the only question in this matter. It's another F*cking distraction.
Thsis is what we should be concerned about.
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/NEWS0108/...
Peter G @ 12:
I wanted to say something similar. But, I've watched this several times now, and read the transcript provided. Am I going nuts?
Nicole Belle says:
He didn't exactly say that. What's quoted is not what was said.
He noted that the Obama campaign put out an ad the night before, and asked whether Swift thought it was "overblown." That's not exactly siding with Swift.
Moreover, he never said it was up to the voters to decide "the truth." He was running out of time as several members of his panel were talking over one another. So he "called time," and said he'd "let people make up their own minds."
Granted, truth is not achieved by plebiscite, and it would have marked more journalistic integrity to have admitted that he himself could not give the truth to the people because he didn't have it, but it seems unfair to accuse him of saying that it's "up to the voters to decide 'the truth.'" It's not like he stated that as matter of journalistic fact-finding policy. He was out of time, and clumsily wrapped things up.
I likewise don't think it's fair to accuse Swift of "deflection." Wasserman-Schultz put the accusation out there, and she was saying it wasn't true. Whether she lied about this is one thing. But creating an inane deflection? Swift wasn't the one who brought it up.
Besides, that's a stupid issue for the Obama campaign to go after. No one's going to buy it. If it's a matter of technicality, like whether she was in Iraq proper when visiting the troops or just outside of it, it's going to look petty to call them out on it. Especially when there are so many other lies that genuinely make them look grotesque.
I dunno. I'm not sure I get the gist here. Am I missing something?
Lou Slobbs and Howard Putz just called the mainstream media liberally biased!!!
Now saying Obama is the media darling!!
Putz is saying he is troubled by the media sexism of Palin.
I've always said, the mainstream media is the ENEMY of liberals and the Democratic Party
This is an example of the lies from the right wing media, folks!!!
Boycott CBS
http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/palin-has-visited-iraq-war-theater-visited...
this is a blog for palin
banner is the mccain lie
note that palin was allowed to bring in camera people while visiting wounded troups in germany
the other thing to note is the "wounded" soldier in the hospital bed dressed in full fatigues
someone wanna tell me why a soldier in germany getting treatment is in bed fully dressed in fatigues?
btw, this pic was scrubbed from palin's official site and replaced with a soldier dressed in a hospital gown
but its ok if the mccain camp lies about palin
its not ok if you fact check those lies
this isnt about palin...this is about mccain using her to lie and lie again
treestump @ 20:
I've often wondered the same thing about the word "bitch." While the dreaded C-word has some sort of special taboo status, "bitch" doesn't. At least not in my circles. And I've often wondered why it's "sexist" to call a woman a "bitch," but not "sexist" to call a man a "prick."
wakeupobama @ 21:
ya...he needs to dumb it down
maybe he should get elocution lessons from 50 cent
I don't think 'technically' sociopathy is a mental illness, it is sort of an identity.
Karen @ 27:
but you can call everyone a pussy
Have the Corporate Media merely abdicated their responsibility or have they actively joined the NeoCon Conspiracy?
Seriously!
Are they tools of the Right? Or just Tools?
If I recall correctly, wasn't Wasserman on the shit list for backing The repug congresswoman from Cuba...oopppssss, I mean Florida. Ileana somesuchthing.
Karen @ 23:
Karen, I often think faster than I type and so not everything comes out the way I intend, and I wasn't lying when I said this made my head hurt.
My material point is that Swift claims that the GOP will call out sexism when they see it (a laughable statement in and of itself) and DWS says it's not sexism to call out lies.
Then Swift goes into a 4 minute distraction about some mythical unnamed general that can confirm that Palin has stepped one foot inside Iraq. This passes for political debate, apparently. I'm not thrilled that DWS allowed it to go off into that tangent, but she at least held her ground.
Schieffer, rather than putting on a journalist's hat and getting to the truth, back pedals that this is an Obama allegation and it's up to the viewers to decide who is telling the truth.
Well, frankly, that's just wrong. The media is supposed to provide the truth, not a platform for spin, so that voters can be educated. It's evidently too much to expect from the Fourth Estate now, sadly, who will give truth and spin equal footing.
Scheiffer is a tired old whitebread hack, just like the person he is apparently supporting.
ENOUGH with these troglodytes. Enough with their Depends and their Viagra and their trophy wives.
Enough, already.
Liberal AND Proud @ 9:
It's so disappointing to realize how truly stupid the American public is. You don't know how many times I've heard someone say 'I don't keep up with politics; it's too confusing'. It's quite easy to develop some basic knowledge that would allow one to make a half way informed choice. Instead, we'll have millions of people voting for McCain because they think Palin is such a nice lady, and seems to be one of them?????
Well, I have a news flash; she is just like them; an uninformed, naive, doofus who is totally unqualifed to hold the position she is seeking,
If Democrats cannot win this election, we will NEVER win one.
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 30:
And you can call all men a DICK.
I think it has to do with men respecting women. That's just my opinion.
Remington Hussein Steele @ 31:
Did you just wake up Rip Van Winkle? They have been complicit for over 30 years.
btw...there is still no evidence that she has ever visited either canada or mexico
her campaign will not release details of those trips...both which were done for pleasure
im waiting for john fund to tell us how 90 percent of the american public never leave the country, so its no big deal
Nicole Belle @ 33:
Made my head hurt too. ;)
Oh, absolutely. The Republicans are now coopting women's rights. It's not just ridiculous. It's DISGUSTING!
Fair enough. I just didn't think it counted as "deflecting" to respond to a direct accusation. Her answer was awful, just not a deflection. :)
I don't disagree. The media's primary problem is that it has substituted neutrality for objectivity. Some things are facts, and some aren't. Some things are empirically true, or they are not. And it doesn't matter what side you're on.
The way the media is run today, however, Scheiffer would have the baseball team that scored 92 runs on to debate the team that scored 0, and would let both sides talk about who really won. In the name of balance and objectivity. Disgusting.
As for this particular example, though, I'm not totally sure he didn't just clumsily wrap things up when time was out, but different guests were still talking.
mudshark @ 36:
My friends and I have decided awhile ago to use the dreaded "C" word (a mixture of men and women). It is applied in only the most dire of circumstances and seems to really be the mot juste for some occasions; most recently, Ms. Palin. Not to be too corny, I am a woman and have found it kind of liberating to use the word.
Jo @ 34:
scheiffer is usually good...here he drops the ball because he feels it doesnt matter
it does matter, because you have a person running for high office who is attempting to pad her resume
palin first said she visited kuwait, a base in iraq, germany and ireland
they then say that she was in the war zone in iraq
they then say that she went to a border crossing in kuwait and her visit to ireland was a stopover for fuel...she never left the airport
the reality is...it kills her to be away from alaska and her kids...which makes very good sense, but doesnt make sense for a vp candidate
Fanon @ 40:
Yes, liberating! I use it often. At my age I need all the liberating I can get.
Fanon @ 40:
if we lived in england...this wouldnt be an issue
everyone there calls everyone else the c word
mudshark @ 36:
It is about respecting women. Curious, though, isn't it? That women should be afforded special respect, and not to afford us that respect is "sexist?"
If I call a man a "dick," I'm just expressing an opinion. Not very nicely, but I'm not sexist. I don't look down on men or think men as a sex are all inferior. But, if, in return, he calls me a "bitch," even if I'm out of line, he's necessarily a "sexist?"
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 43:
Interesting you should mention that, the origin of our beginning to use the word was our friend from the UK telling us how silly we were that we wouldn't.
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 41:
Scheiffer also thinks that a navy pilot that gets shot down and is captured is a hero. The Media is not liberal left.
Karen @ 39:
Actually the end part wasn't as objectionable to me as his interrupting to point out the "allegation" by Obama -- and again, to me, this is showing that there is no empirical truth to it, but a "he said/she said" -- rather than try to tell the truth. It also goes to the larger truth that the media is failing at its job and allowing Republicans to frame all the issues.
Karen @ 44:
I don't want respect. I want Equality. I'll earn my own respect dammit.
Ron @ 37:
Yes.
When I went into the coma we had just elected a bad Hollywood actor as president.
I woke up to see his Veep's cocaine addicted, alcoholic business failure son was being re-elected.
I'd go back to soleep if you could convince me I wouldn't wake up to President Track Palin.
Ron @ 46:
Heh, not just a hero, but necessarily qualified to be president! That was what was so fucked up about the Wes Clark interview. Clark said that merely being a POW does not qualify McCain to be president. And Scheiffer blurted out his obvious disbelief that Clark would say something so crazy.
Remington Hussein Steele @ 49:
LOL!
"Billy's joined the national front.
He always was a little runt.
He's got his hand in the air with the other c**ts.
You've got to humanize yourself."
The Police
If it's good enough for Sting, it's good enough for me.
Isn't it obvious that Schieffer is racist?
Che's Lounge @ 52:
True, but the National Front is Britain's KKK. They are a bunch of C---s.
Jane Swift was an abjectly awful governor--among the worst Massachusetts has ever had. She was Lt. Gov until Bush named Paul Celucci as ambassador to Canada--and her tenure, such as it was, was marked by scandal and borderline malfeasance. In all the time she was governor, I never heard anybody, Democrat or Republican, say a good word about her. That's the calibre of guests they have on Face The Nation these days.
One of the saddest things I've seen in this election cycle has been Bob Schieffer's whoring for John McCain. He used to be one of the very few fairly responsible anchors. I don't know if he and McCain have some kind of relationship, or if McCain has something on him, or if he just hates black people, but his performance has been absolutely shameful and disgusting. He's been a huge disappointment to me.
lp @ 14:
KKKarl Rove looks in the mirror and sees Cary Grant.
We look at KKKarl and understand how important it is to support a woman's right to choose.
The Republicans are co-opting women's rights? Who's fault is that?
They co-opted workers and unions by waving the flag. Then destroyed unions and worker rights.
They co-opted minorities by focusing on minority "insiders" within their party, while at the same time doing everything to cut programs to minorities.
Now, they will co-opt women, and reward them with the elimination of abortion rights, and probably less opportunity in the work place.
So....as I said before...the GOP has always played on the stupidity of the American people, and the American people have not disappointed them.
I'd feel bad about my chances if Wasserman was my Sunday morning surrogate.
They dont mention McCain because everyone knows he will be dead before his term is up and Todd and Sarah Stalin will the Co-Presidents of the USA. Brush up on your Revelations people. A highschool graduate, part time oil field worker will be in charge. Talk about a moron. You think W was bad. Do not think for a moment that Mrs. Stalin is the leader in their duo. Their religion says she must be subservient to her husband. People are so dumb saying he was the "stay home dad". That dude spends all day at the State office with her and rubbing elbows with the oil guys. Those kids are in daycare.
DID YOU ALL KNOW THAT JOHN MCCAIN IS THE ONLY POW IN THE WORLD YEAH IT'S TRUE JUST ASK HIM
Is John McCain a human being or, in fact, the hind quarters of a horse? We'll have both sides debate this question tonight--but you decide.
Karen @ 44:
I'm not sure I follow you Karen, but I think I might. It's somewhat of a double standard. Not to me mind you. It doesn't bother me one way or the other. If a persons an asshole, their an asshole. regardless of sex.
But I'm from the old school I suppose. I was taught to respect women. Now, that doesn't mean I respect assholes.
Just real women.Or should I say, Real People. Either way, a little kindness goes along way.
14All @ 61:
We spew gobs of lies, innuendos and mindless information in 10 second sound bytes 24/7.
You decide.
moondancer @ 58:
And Jane Swift is somebody you look forward to have represent McShame? The reality is that CBS didn't get anybody good so they went for what was left. Although DWS is not as bad as.... well I guess she is. lol
moondancer @ 58:
ya...well i bet she could kick your ass
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 38:
Not sure about Canada, but as someone who lived in SoCal for much of my life, I went to Tijuana a couple of times, parking on the CA side and walking over the bridge into Mexico. I drank, brought back a few M80's, some Mexican jumping beans and a cheap sombrero. But I don't consider it visiting Mexico, nor do most Californians.
Given Palin's supposed "trip to Iraq" was really just to the Kuwaiti border, I suspect she has a set of cowhorns from TJ hanging on her wall somewhere with all her other animal parts....
Scheiffer should be ashamed. He's old enough to know better. What a putz.
mudshark @ 62:
I can call Palin a bitch because she is a bitch. After reading this NY Times article today. If she was a man/guy/dude/male I would call him an asshole. It is kind of weird when you break it down though. When I call her a bitch it is not to disrespect her as a woman but to describe her as the way she operates. I guess I should not have commented on this becasue I can't explain it well in this little space. The short of it is that I don't call her a bitch to disrespect her as a woman I do it because she is an asshole.
lets get back on point
someone care to explain to me how fixing the law that allows a woman to sue who has found out that she has not gotten equal pay for equal work will benefit trial lawyers?
Liberal AND Proud @ 9:
I hope you're wrong, but past record is definately on your side.
fastfeat @ 66:
Send McCain your resume. You could be the next Ambassador to Uruguay. They speak Spanish there and you have visited a Spanish speaking country. Kind of.
"The Truth Matters": a good slogan for a new anti-McCain ad.
Alice @ 59:
Was listening to a discussion on David Bender's Air America program today about this as well. If true (about the subservience within their religion), Mrs. Soccer Mom may indeed be nothing more than a front, intended or not, for Todd Palin, POTUS. Maybe he's more qualified?
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 69:
You're correct. These ladies are the same as than the asshole men that get on. They just throw shit out there to see if it sticks. What was that comment suppose to mean? so McCain didn't want to help women get better pay because a lawyer would be able to sue the lawbreaker?
sarah palin on charlie rose
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZlWnCcBFpo&feature=user
she compares being the gov to being a waitress and baby sitter
this is how she connects to people...she has dumbed down a rather important job
not to put down waitresses or baby sitters...but i dont think they would compare their jobs to what a governor is supposed to do
oh, and she finds cs lewis challenging reading....that should scare the living shit out of you
JT Draper @ 72:
The way McShame is going it will be his slogan.
Omigod, Jane Swift? I wonder if Schieffer made it clear for the people outside Massachusetts that Swift's political trajectory was just like Palin's. (She did Palin one better by being preggers when she assumed office after the Governor bolted for Canada.) Swift was sent back to Palookaville, MA at election time when her fellow Republicans recruited Mitt Romney to run, forcing Swift to drop out. Swift is an example of the poor judgment in choosing an unknown, not-ready-for-prime-time running mate from the hinterlands. She's smart and articulate, but didn't have what it took to be Governor. She was Cellucci's pick to be Governor, not ours, and we didn't like her. Now McCain has done the same thing Cellucci did, but with much higher stakes. The same poor Republican judgment.
Captain ENOUGH Kangaroo @ 71:
i have been to vancouver, toronto, and montreal and have friends from edmonton
i want to be ambassador to canada
This is dangerous...and the Obama campaign should immediately seize on Bob Schieffer's remark that it is for voter to decide.
REMEMBER ... SCHIEFFER PRESIDES OVER THE FIRST DEBATE!!!
Does this mean he is just going to throw out scurrilous attacks, have Obama refute them, and let voter decide.
This is not a joke.
He has a chat on WashingtonPost.com tomorrow. The link is here.
I think it is of the utmost importance that the blogosphere use this opportunity to find out what he really means, and preempt him from creating another Charles Gibson debate.
This is serious people.
lay over in ireland on her resume. people are being criticized for challenging her foreign policy experience.
the world is flat and we know are very involved in a
global economy. she's a heartbeat/carcinoma away from
stepping in as commander in chief.
I ask you, what does it say about a political party that thinks that issues don't matter for the welfare of their populace? And lying is OK and only cosmetics are relevant to getting elected. The republicans are that party and it's an opening sore that's being shown around the world for all its ugliness. John Mcane and Failin' Palin are liars. THEY ARE LIARS. Sorry for the caps but how else do get the word out to MSM? Please give suggestions. It's amazing that the race is still close, yikes. If the republicans win, I've said it many times that I'll get the popcorn out and watch the US implode in real time. We, from the normal world (you're not, you voted those asses Republicans in), will watch as your schools get dumber, your graduates get less jobs (fuck off, the Earth is more than 5,000 years old) and your women in the US all of a sudden have no rights! Well done you fucking ass McCain. You and Failin' palin are fucking idiots, excuse my language
...And Debbie is way Hotter than Sarah!
(that's sooo sexist... maybe, but it's also the truth)
justmy2 @ 79:
But unfortunately, people aren't serious.
Boycott CBS? Riiiight. They broadcast football on CBS, don't they? Get serious.
mudshark 63 -- Nothing wrong with a little ol' fashioned chivalry. My only point was that mere usage of the word "bitch" does not automatically make the user a "sexist." Sometimes, it's simply the feminine form of the expression intended. Perhaps a nasty intent, but not a sexist one.
Uncle Joe 70 -- Gotta have a law for the basis of a lawsuit. If it's not a tort to discriminate, there's no discrimination lawsuits. This, of course, is only a bad thing if one is a Republican trial-lawyer bigot.
Captain ENOUGH Kangaroo @ 71:
And I have a rather extensive criminal background; that should help, no?
Thanks for that vote of confidence Captain!
raker @ 77:
swift is the head of the truth squad
hahahahahah
constituent @ 80:
That's why the guys that "create new realities" while we in the "reality based community" just study them have been sending the best of the AEI & AIPAC to make sure she's properly indoctrinated...did i say AEI & AIPAC?
I meant "Praetorian Guard".
wakeupobama @ 21:
stop talking about balls. it takes more balls to stand alone than follow the crowd
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 78:
I think that job is filled. have you ever had a stopover in anyplace exotic like Des Moines? Maybe we could get you into France.
Right @ 81:
Right--
No need to apologize for the CAPS; I've been using CAPS all day.
BTW, many in this country agree. What sort of visa restrictions does your country have? Look for a mass exodus from the US is McPalin is installed.
90:
That should have read: "...if McPalin is installed."
democrats aren't the best at linguistic framing/talking
points....we're grey area thinkers vs. black and white
both types have their virtues.....i'm not sure maybe
it was karen that suggested that when challenging
palin attach the criticism to mccain also. he had poor judgement in picking palin. personally i'm trying to avoid using 'he'r and 'she' just palin.....maybe i have this wrong it shouldn't be a gender battle/issue. all people are created equal.to me palin was a political pick to pander.
Is this the same Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz who said, "I believe Robert Wexler is off base." regarding impeachment??
F her.
Captain ENOUGH Kangaroo @ 76:
I expect it to come out any day now.
Schieffer is a Republican hack disguised as a newsman and is chairing one of the three Presidential debates. If Obama can win that one he should be carved into Mt. Rushmore before he is even elected.
constituent @ 92:
:) Yep.
If I were on the Obama campaign, his slogan would now be: Obama: Judgment You Can Trust.
And every speech would be about how Obama has the kind of judgment we need, and can rely on -- to do the right thing, to keep us safe, to help us when we need him, to spend our money wisely, etc.
There would not be a single point about McCain that I wouldn't spin as, "You can't trust him." Chooses Sarah Palin? Can't make his own decisions, is a prisoner of the Christian Right, so we can't trust what he's going to do in the White House. Flip Flopped on everything he once held dear? How can we trust someone like that? Makes constant gaffes? Can we really trust the soundness of his mind? He's a maverick? So even his own party can't trust him. Can anyone trust this guy? His wife? Oh, right.
Everything would be woven into this one simple, easily digestible narrative. You might not know everything about Obama, but you can trust his judgment. McCain? You might be a Republican in general, but you just can't trust this guy, not after the last eight years.
I want everyone wondering in the back of her head, "Can I really trust McCain?"
Johnny2Bad @ 93:
One and the same.
I'll admit I like her talk of late, but I can't forgive her her anti-impeachment spew:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzqpN58PgqY
She represents an adjacent District to the one in which I live. Fortunately, I won't have to worry about supporting her or some other candidate.
No. It is not the fault of the MSM. They suck. We know that. It is the fault of the Obama campaign for acting as if they didn't suck. Democratic politicians continue to falter (like Obama is doing now) because they are not blamed for their own failures. Yes, people complain about Kerry not hitting back and all that. But it wasn't just that he didn't hit back. It's that his messaging was abominable. As is Obama's (post-primaries). The MSM is awful - that's the given - their job is to make money for their advertisers (which they're doing). It's the JOB of the Obama campaign to work with that and win anyway. And their failing.
nomobull @ 88:
If Obama continues to campaign the way he has these past 2-3 months, he won't
be standing alone, he'll be one step away from Kerry.
Carol @ 17:
All the above!!
There are two issues here. One is the lie and the other (which I wish W-S would have mentioned) is that the Republicans are so desperate to create SOME kind of resume to cover for Palin's abysmal lack of foreign policy knowledge and experience that they're reduced to calling this a trip to Iraq. Apparently if you can see Russia from where you are you have experience with Russia, and if you can see Iraq from where you are you have experience with Iraq.
It is tatally hopeless. 99% of todays anchors are nothing more than trained monkeys. So Bob is going let the public make up their minds, as if there are no objective facts to be relayed to the public. It's enough to make your head explode.
Uncle Joe Mccarthy @ 75:
Her dad is a school teacher? A public school teacher?
Watching the Republican National Convention, I was impressed by Governor Palin's natural, layman's speech, that being her way of speaking. She seems to be an accurate representative of much of America- a parent undergoing the trials and rewards of parenthood, a worker experiencing the tribulations of a career, but most importantly, a person living life and attempting to make the most of what she has.
What I found repulsive was her disdain for others in search of proper representation of people here - rather in pursuit of representing people here. How dare she use sarcasm to devalue the thoughts of others regarding the fruitful progression of a nation. Anyone who cannot respect and honorably accept the beliefs of another, what's more many others (at least half the nation) cannot feasibly represent us.
Furthermore, publicly criticizing the venerable goals of others in a nation created to recognize the pursuits of all is an affront to our very existence. Insulting the past is one thing, but maligning the possibilities of a radically improved future is quite another.
84
Karen Says:
Yeah calling a woman a bitch can come off as sexist. Don't ask me why, it just does.
And you don't see to many men calling women assholes either. Must be some kind of Cromagna Man thing.
But I'll tell you what. Just open doors for women and pull out their chairs for them and watch what happens.magic.: )
i know this off the point and kinda of a WTF are you talking about questiion, but damn schultz has some african-americaness, i dont know if its her features, voice or curly hair or what. I know she's from florida is she like half cuban or something, or jewish maybe? she took these old hoes to task and shes a badd ass in my book, anyway enough of my craziness.
pz crooks
It would really be wise of people to stop being so myopic in their discernment of others based solely on the color of their skin. Martin Luther King was beaten, jailed, and assassinated for his enduring efforts to open up the minds of all individuals that are mentally impaired by race that "A man should not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the contents of his character." Jails are full of all races of people, and these wars that America is fighting is being fought by all races of people. Obama is a kind, honest, compassionate man who cares about all people. People who know anything about him, knows that he was raised by a single white woman, who loved him very dearly and instilled these beautiful qualities in him. Other than his wife and kids, the rest of his family is caucasian. His mother, grandparents, and other relatives loved him dearly, and he mutually loves them dearly. Obama is not trying to be president to give any one set of people favoritism, he is trying to restore America in which he and we live to a state of security and well being for us all. His campaign for this change that America is in dire need of is respectable. He does not distort words or phrases to convey enmity towards others like McCain and Palin does. He does not play those juvenile games, that McCain calls political games, because he's too concerned about the serious issues facing America to be diverted with senseless B.S. Everyone should lay their political allegiance aside for a moment and think, with the knowing in your mind that whatever directly affects one of us - indirectly affects all of us (High food and gas prices, joblessness, no healthcare, foreclosures, unequal pay for employees, etc). By the way, him selecting Palin as his running mate was just a way of finessing the public in an act of usury to get the female vote. Just read some of the news articles that so many people have written about the history of McCain, and some of them are by Republicans.
(1.) http://www.realchange.org/mccain.htm - (John McCain's Skeleton Closet.
(2.) http://www.wakeupfromyourslumber.com/node/6065 - (The Most Flawed Presidential Candidate in History)
(3.) http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-10-12/news/mccain-shame/1 and http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/
(4.) http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2008/02/john_mccains_bimbo_and_...
(5.) http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/325.html - (website with lots of negative articles about McCain)
(6.) http://www.rightwingnews.com/mt331/2008/05/why_i_will_no_longer_support_... - Republican calling him a liar
There are so many negative historical facts about McCain, and not to mention how he used to be constantly hurling obscenities at reporters and others. He should have enough discipline and tact to respectfully answer questions, even if they're not the questions he wants to hear. Although this information can be found on one of the above listed websites, I wanted to recap on this historical fact about McCain...
Back in the old days, defendants in famous trials got numbers -- the Chicago Eight, the Gang of Four, the Dave Clark Five, the Daytona 500. McCain was one of the "Keating Five," congressmen investigated on ethics charges for strenuously helping convicted racketeer Charles Keating after he gave them large campaign contributions and vacation trips.
Charles Keating was convicted of racketeering and fraud in both state and federal court after his Lincoln Savings & Loan collapsed. Charles Keating gave the senators hefty campaign contributions, then called on them to meet with bank regulators to pressure them to go soft on an the investigation of Lincoln Savings & Loan, where Keatings stole the money of its bank depositors, which ultimately cost its depositors and the American taxpayers $3.4 billion dollars. His convictions were overturned on technicalities; for example, the federal conviction was overturned because jurors had heard about his state conviction, and his state charges because Judge Lance Ito (yes, that judge) screwed up jury instructions. Neither court cleared him, and he faced new trials in both courts.) How many of you remember that -- or was hurt by that?
And read - http://www.crooksandliars.com/ - to see what so many people in Anchorage, Alaska feel about Sarah Palin.
jcrump @ 106:
She's Jewish. Don't know about any African-American or Cuban heritage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Wasserman_Schultz
I saw Brokaw interview Guiliani.
Mere stenographers, all of them.
..
I caught about five long minutes this evening on tape delay while washing dishes.
At first, I thought "Yeah, Rep. Wasserman-Schulz! Take it to the hoop!"
Then Schieffer tasked Gov. Napolitano, whom I respect a great deal, with speaking for Sen. Obama. Gov. Swift talked points all over her, and I got so angry I had to turn off the radio.
Where do the Republicans get off telling such inane and obvious lies?
I think it's partly the complicity of the stenographic fourth estate. Not everyone is a Rachel Maddow (or a Randi Rhodes).
Part of the blame also lies with the volume of attacks. In soccer, the winning team is usually the one with the most shots on goal. (So blame the lazy halfbacks, not the keeper!) In politics, a shot is on goal if people think it's on goal. The media's job should be to call it fairly. Nuff said.
For the third part of the blame, I get to use a phrase coined by a speechwriter for McCain's Dear Leader: "the soft bigotry of low expectations." We don't expect the Republicans to tell the truth, so we hold them to a lower standard, and allow them to slip through the cracks.
Unfortunately, unlike students betrayed by failing, underfunded schools, these dropouts from reality are running the country.
WMDs in Iraq, anyone? (Ketchikan Bridge to Nowhere refund? Obama's tax hike? It doesn't freaking matter they're lying when the lies are so thick that you doubt the hand in front of your face.)
Okay, this is unmanly of me but Swift seems like she's been guaranteed a booty-chew by none other than Governer Sarah (Harpy) Palin of Alaska if she say something slightly off-true!!! Are you for real girl??!
Abraham Jackemoff @ 16:
Absolutely.
My 'televised entertainment' now consists entirely of old public domain movies available on the web. And the vids provided here by the good folks at C&L, of course ;-)
Helena Montana @ 55:
You can't wrap yourself in honor and lie to the American people McCain.
How funny, When Bob said that decide the truth comment I was yelling at the screen "NO!! DECIDING WHAT PASSES FOR TRUTH IS YOUR JOB!!!!!!" My wife came in the den and was not amused.
What the heck is wrong with the state of journalsm. This was so frustrating to watch as it suggested that all of the points of view were correct. As long as we have people yelling at each other we have all of reality covered?? That is completely false.
Love when the lying Reslugs get busted time after time and slapped around while doing what they do best LIE. Good job Debbie!
Palin just lays on her back too much.
I Love Rep Wasserman Schultz stance on almost all issues. She can rip it up. "The truth matters" You go girl!
Not sure where she stands or how she supports the disproportionate amount of influence of the Israeli lobby or if she can address the Israeli Palestinian conflict fairly. If she could stand fair on these issues, I would support her moving up the ladder.
Helena Montana @ 55 is spot on concerning Jane Swift and Bob Schieffer. Regarding Swift, her title was "Acting Governor", due to the fact that she was not elected to the office and to be fair, she wasn't much worse than Cellucci. Just two incompetent members of the largest crime family in MA, the state government.
Schieffer has become an embarrassment, but is just reflecting what MSM has become.
Several years ago I gave up watching the Sun. talk shows. They are ALL nonsense. The questions are softballed, the lies and distortions are grotesque and interviewers and guests alike should be ashamed of themselves for expecting their audience to believe that this is serious stuff. Sadly, a lot of folks believe that what they're hearing is the real deal.
On every show like this, whenever someone is making a point, they ought to just mute all of the other participants. The repug talkers ALWAYS feel it's necessary to talk over whoever else is speaking never letting them finish their point. I always wind up yelling at my TV "would you just SHUT-UP already?!?!!??!?"
IT SHOULD BE SCHULTZ AND CLINTON UP THERE. WHERE THE F IS HILLARY? WHERE DID SHE GO? IS SHE A FERVENT SUPPORTER OF BARACK?
THEN WHERE IS SHE?
The fact spinning by McCain/Palin is ridiculous and an insult to all Americans. On my recent visit to Italy, I stopped in Frankfurt, Germany to transfer planes. So, according to McCain/Palin, I guess that makes me an expert in German foreign affairs. I sit in my office in San Francisco and can look at the Bank of America building (Russia is a bit far away). So now I am also an expert in economics, according to McCain/Palin. (Osmosis is a wonderful learning device.)
My guess is that McCain/Palin are counting on the stupidity of many of the American electorate to win the White House. God help us all if they are right.
It is NOT a matter of the polls showing a close race between McCain and Obama. Forget that load of B.S. Many of the same people who are conducting these polls are the same ones who are responsible for the MSM love affair with McCain. I cannot ascribe the comment (Mark Twain?) that said "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics!" It is easy enough to skew a poll -- just be selective of the group from which your sample is taken.
Perhaps I have a dark heart, or a suspicious mind, but it seems to me that the easiest way to lull the American voter back to sleep (like 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006 elections) is to report close polls right up to election day. It will not matter which party "rallied the troops" into the polling places, not one whit. The ONLY thing that counts is "WHO IS COUNTING THE VOTES!" The GOP has ably demonstrated in the past 4 elections that they are far better organized for (1) vote caging, (2) disallowing minority voters (by any means necessary), and (3) fraudulently miscounting the votes (especially with paperless electronic touch screen voting machines.
Unless the Democrats can organize an entire army of volunteers to do exit polling, to monitor the polling places for discrepancies, and observe the process of tabulating the vote, the 2008 election voter tallies will closely track the MSMs' pre-election polling data, regardless of the actual vote totals. Cynical? You're damned right I am cynical. What happened to the army of international volunteers from real democracies, like Germany, France, England, Russia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Iran, etcetera? We could sure use them here in the good old USA this election cycle. (Are you listening, George Saros?)
Bob @ 8:
I love it!!! I'm sooooo sorry that the liberal elites don't understand that perhaps the middle class is actually made up of people who can think for themselves! Perhaps that explains why McCain is ahead in the electoral count according to most polls, because we can actually evaluate the situation for ourselves and not be force fed this junk from people like you. And by the way, ask your liberal french national wife if she thinks that I should expect the French to have to speak english when I am visiting their county.
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