Obama should respond to the GOP smears at tonight's debate
By John Amato Tuesday Oct 07, 2008 11:20amThe McCain camp, or should I say the Hannity campaign of PA released a vile press release that says: A TERRORIST'S BEST FRIEND." That's pretty disgusting even by Rovian standards. A C&L reader sent this in as a response to the despicable politics the GOP has resorted to as McCain has fallen in the polls.
Tonight is the second Presidential debate, and the race has changed dramatically since the last one. Sarah Palin lost her bid to become viable in the VP debate according to all polls, and the McCain strategy has turned ugly. In PA, the GOP is taking the "terrorist" guilt by association a step further, and saying that Ayers was his "best friend." The campaign and the GOP are successfully whipping their accolytes and sheep into a frenzy as we saw at two rallies Monday.
The train has left the station, the media will get on board, and there is a real potential for this type of crap to have a serious impact on the outcome in less than thirty days, unless ...
UNLESS Barack Obama confronts this crap head on and in person, and makes McCain own up to this type of character assasination. Senator McCain has said numerous times that he intends to run an "respectful" campaign, his wife Cindy went on the Today Show and said that there will be no negative campaigning from their side. Well, we know that's out the window, and it will continue no matter what happens.
But Barack Obama has the opportunity to call Senator McCain out at this debate and if he doesn't, he will put his historic campaign at risk. They have learned the lesson of the swiftboating of '04, and put out a good response with the Keating Five video, but that's not enough. They need to remember the lesson of '88 and FIGHT BACK. Dukakis lost that race when he looked weak on the "rape and murder" question. Obama can't look weak in the face of these people questioning his character and claiming that he pals around with terrorists. American's want to know that the person they are voting for will fight for what they believe in, and if you can't defend your honor it's hard to believe you will fight hard for anything else.
He did it once for his wife, and he needs to come out swinging for himself!
Login or Register to post comments.
I am frist.
Obama is a terrorist.
not
I finally figured out how I might vote for McCain: if the only other choice was Sarah Palin!
1. Bring up legislation you worked on in the state legislature to highlight your knowledge of grassroot problems and solutions.
2. All it takes to expose these creeps is to accentuate their own crassness - imagine Palin describing Ayers as a domestic terrorist with some slightly ominous music draw this out
3. In response to unfair attack simply litanize the attacks already made - elitist - who has how many houses? Taxes - state the tax difference between the two of you and challenge the media to scrutinize - nebulous associations - a concrete keating or maybe council of world freedom. Leadership - McCain's performance in bailout votes. Country first? - community organizing why you did it, because it paid well?
Then quickly move on to the issues but preface or include in every answer the motivation - a love of America and it's people.
Obama MUST counter these attacks with the same arsenal: McCain on neo nazi right wing board, keating 5, Anheiser Busch corruption, drug attack wife, causing airplanes to crash, Palin & her secessionist associations, anti semitic pastor, rascist, anti gay crazies galore, etc, etc--not just HIS associates.
Here's the culprit who set the "terrorist tone" to the McCain/Palin rally for which the two principals hosting the rally smilingly replied....Mike Scott, Lee County, Florida sheriff needs immediate removal.
This man's name needs to be tied to the terrorist death threat that erupted during Palin's rally in Florida by Obama in some way this evening.
This flagrant disregard for the laws of this country by this Sheriff needs to be denounced and consequences outlined - he needs to be removed from his position - summarily and immediately.
The people are outraged that McCain and Palin simply sit back and condone by smiles and encourage this violence publicly....she sat there with the most vile grin on her face and did/said nothing. She's become a complicit "co-conspirator" to these hate-filled, venomous bigots in the Republican Party.
This has to end - right now. The people have to rise up against this type of domestic terrorism being perpetuated by two people who SHOULD KNOW BETTER.....ENABLED BY A BIGOTED SHERIFF WHO BEGAN IT ALL.
There needs to be a petition formulated by one of our civil/legal rights organizations for the immediate removal of one, Mike Scott, Sheriff, Lee County, Florida.
This type of dispicable violation of the laws (incitement to riot) by a law enforcement officer is a huge miscarriage of justice and the laws of this country.
This man needs to have his badge stripped immediately for his actions.
Then we need to move to McCain and Palin and hold them personally responsible as individuals, as well as the GOP and their campaign, for provoking death threats and domestic terrorism during their rallies.
The people need to stand up to these bigots and law-breakers. We all know that issuing a public death threat directed at a specific individual is punishable by law. Let's go after these criminals now before the reichwing takes this as tacit approval of their illegal crimes.
Yeah, there ought to be a law against such threats!
If this man who publicly made this death threat is not prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, there will be total mayhem among the people.
This man's actions were actually condoned by Sarah Palin with her now-infamous phony smile. She didn't know what the hell to do about it and was clueless about how to handle it. She should have immediately halted everything and issued a public repudiation of this death threat; instead, she smiled and went on as if to say "you betcha!". This was appalling for someone seeking the highest office in this country.
John McCain did likewise during his rally....when members of the audience began issuing threats, he simply smiled like a walking jacka$$ as if to say "well....well....". This must be stopped. The american people will not tolerate this flagrant violation of the laws of this country - particularly during a rally for the highest offices in this country.
John McCain and Sarah Palin have made a mockery of our political system and now they're "hell bent" on making a mockery of our system of laws, ethics, and justice.
These two maniacs must be stopped and stopped abruptly.
Obama's campaign has made few if any mistakes so far. I say we trust them to continue on the same path. They know how to handle things.
From what I have seen, the media has not gotten on board with the bs from the McCain camp. In fact they have been blowing it off and saying the public is not interested in bs right now, their mind is on the economy.
Once this snowball of domestic terrorism being invoked at their rallies is NOT condemned by our media, then the people will no longer turn to the media for anything. It's "do or die time" for the mainstream media on this flagrant public death threat and actions to incite violence by a member of the Lee County Sheriff's department in Florida (Mike Scott).
This should be all over the media right now. If the media fails the american people in bringing these people to justice and highlighting their crimes, then the consequences to them will be that the people will have no respect for them at all.
Obama needs to address the ugliness of John McCain and Sarah Palin's smears then tell the American people the truth. That these smears are nothing more than an attempt to distract the voters away from the Republican Party's responsibility for wrecking the American economy and the country in general with a war in Iraq based on lies and the shredding of our Constitution over the past eight years. Admittedly, many Congressional Democrats were going along to get along with much of the Bush agenda, which is painful to all of us on these threads. That's a problem Obama should not try to skate away from.
But the fact remains that a Republican Administration has been steering our ship of state right down the drain for the past eight years and the American people cannot afford to continue on the same path.
Obama needs to make it clear that a vote for McCain/Palin would mean four more years of the same policies or worse.
Obama should steer the conversation into the fact that this Wall Street collapse due to a lack of meaningful Congressional oversight, deregulation and flagrant greed and criminality on Wall Street is already gouging into the pensions of senior citizens about to retire. And to add insult to injury McCain is suggesting CUTS in Medicare!! "Kick em' when they're down, right Senator McCain???"
It is STILL "the economy stupid" and Obama needs to flat out say, "Senator McCain. I'm not going to allow you to try to change the conversation we're having here tonight away from the number one issue on everyone's mind. And that is the economy. I'm here to do the people's business and you and your running mate seem to be here to change the subject. This tactic may have worked in past elections, but it's not going to work in this one. The American people are too smart and too economically hurt right now to allow the subject to change."
I agree with patricia, Obama should stick to the high road and the issues. He should not take the bait from the right wing nut jobs like Rush and Hannity who are obviously desperate. Don't forget to vote. Take a friend too.
Larry King asked some of these "GOP operatives" if they really believe Obama is a terrorist, and they all said NO.
Obama should ask John McCain.
Obama: John, you and I sit in the Senate together, and have done for some time. Do you really believe I am a terorist? (Complete stop-- silence, wait for answer.)
McSlime: _____________________ (answer here)
And continue along this tack. A yes or a no, both look bad!!!!
I also trust the Obama campaign to do what's right. They have been brilliant in letting McCain and his campaign bury themselves. They have been very smart to shun public wisdom about "taking the gloves off".
At the debate, Obama's best move is not to get off issues, unless the first rock is thrown his way by McCain. Let the old man's anger and petulance do himself in. Let him not make eye contact with his opponent for the entire debate again, while Obama faces him directly with an outreached arm, and see how that plays with the undecided voters.
Most of all, let him launch the first personal attack. If McCain dares to pull out one of these discredited stories, then Obama should dismantle it by quoting one of the many refutations of it out there in the mainstream press. He should do it concisely, and without sounding defensive.
Then, if Obama wants to go on the counteroffensive, he should do it in great detail, with a litany of factual references, and attributions to quotes from trusted media sources. All done very calmly and impersonally.
unpatriotic? grew up in most beautiful places in the world - and it's in America (just like alaska is) and in one of the greatest cities in the world and it's in the heartland of America, got the most opportunities in the world and they were in America, met the most beautiful woman in the world raised a family in America, but just look at the news - the economy - America is in peril. This is not about me it's about America. then put on a flag pin.
Obama would be wise to keep the moral high ground and dredge up shit about mccain or PALIN's past associations ONLY in direct response to a statement made to him.
Like in a debate if mccain brings up Ayers, then Obama can say, dismissively something along the lines of:
"Well Senator, we've both known a lot of people in our lives, you perhaps more than I, do you really want to play the guilt-by-association game? For instance, I wasn't going to mention it, but since you want to play, weren't you part of the Keating Five? Didn't you sit on the council of an organization with neo-nazi ties? Didn't Gov. Palin speak at and offer her support to an organization that hates America and wants Alaska to secede? In fact I believe her husband is a member. But really there is no need to bring those issues up because what the people care about, what the people want to know is WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE ECONOMY?! People are worried about their savings, their retirement, their job security, putting food on the table and gas in their car!"
The town-hall, while a supposed advantage for McCain is a perfect way for Barack to have a heart-to-heart with the American people about how he fully expects OBL to put out a tape or create a commotion right before 11/04 and how it is meant to manipulate them into voting for McCain.
Very simple: John McCain is actually OBL's man, the same way George Bush was OBL's man in 2004 and this is why...etc.
... such as the crazy minister she associated with. He spent time in Africa, where he labeled a woman a witch and hounded her out of town. Is he not a terrorist? And what about her husband's ties to the Alaska secessionist? Isn't that guy a traitor to his country? And wasn't the First Dude a member of the secessionist group for awhile?
I mean, anyone at any time might know someone of dubious background. The fact is, Ayers was an anarchist, not a terrorist, was acquitted of charges and is now a professor. Universities do not hire terrorists nor give them tenure.
McCain-Palin can't point to their own positives, so they use fear to try and drag down the opposition. After eight years of this nonsense, most of the American people are not fooled.
Keep the Moral High Ground, But If Its Low & Slow, Swing At It.
Tue, 10/07/2008 - 12:32 — FilthyHarry (not verified)
Obama would be wise to keep the moral high ground and dredge up shit about mccain or PALIN's past associations ONLY in direct response to a statement made to him.
Like in a debate if mccain brings up Ayers, then Obama can say, dismissively something along the lines of:
"Well Senator, we've both known a lot of people in our lives, you perhaps more than I, do you really want to play the guilt-by-association game? For instance, I wasn't going to mention it, but since you want to play, weren't you part of the Keating Five? Didn't you sit on the council of an organization with neo-nazi ties? Didn't Gov. Palin speak at and offer her support to an organization that hates America and wants Alaska to secede? In fact I believe her husband is a member. But really there is no need to bring those issues up because what the people care about, what the people want to know is WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE ECONOMY?! People are worried about their savings, their retirement, their job security, putting food on the table and gas in their car!"
================================================
The best response he can make.
ty
forget the keating 5...bring up singlaub, or the fact that mccrazy once shared the stage with a woman who supported bombing abortion clinics and killing abortion doctors
there is much we dont know about that crazy old man
But they may be setting up Obama for more serious shit than just smear. Naomi Wolf was speaking at a local library last night. She said that the plan may be to actually arrest Obama for terrorism. They truly can't have him winning, can they? I mean Cheney et al. And she also said we're most likely *this* close to martial law. Can that be the October surprise?
Talk me down, please.
No way! Not gonna happen. It would be insane to even attempt it.
Any specifics? A rep from the house (Sherman) said they were threatened with it and in part that's why many of them signed the bailout bill. I just can't believe that dead-eye dick will just allow Obama to take over their evil empire. And, THANK YOU. :)
To those who insist that it can't happen These type of coups have happened over and over in other countries. These fascists will do everything and anything to stay in power.
History just keeps repeating itself. Why would this country be immune?
Naomi puts forth a very compelling case. The best thing the average American can do now is to insist on your rights, don't back down, and encourage your Reps to enforce the laws. So far, they have not been doing so. Example: They should have locked Rove in the Congress basement, instead of writing nasty letters.
Don't be so sure, anything can happen. If they want it bad enough they will do whatever it takes to get it. These are desperate times and desperate people do desperate things. So don't put anything past them. What makes you think these people are sane?
...is to put a wall in their path.
Flying monkeys make crappy pilots.
and sometimes they just inexplicably stall out.
Here's why.
Though I think the smears are dangerous, I believe there is something far more incendiary going on.
In a echo chamber such as a rally, they do nothing but energize the base. But if, God forbid, bin Laden injects himself into this election like he did in 2004 via videotape or worse, the "ties to terroris.ts" claims take root. And a scared, panicked electorate will trust a crusty, old gigolo over a black man, every time.
That's why we need to take the smears more seriously and be proactive in our approach. More here
Tonight we'll be treated, once again, to a total study in contasts.
John McCain will be doing his best addled-brain interpretation of a noun, a verb, and a walking POW. Nothing positive to add except name dropping and puffing up his empty resume.
Barack Obama will be pure class, as he always is. McCain can't touch him when it comes to class which seems to ooze out of every pore on this man. He will be direct and sharp. He will let us in to see whom he actually is and what he plans for the recovery of this country.
The contrast will be intense and obvious. Next week we'll see an appropriate "Obama bump" in the polls as a result.
Most people's minds have been made up already except for a few I's who still need to be seduced. This will happen tonight and Obama will end the McCain candidacy tonight.
I'll certainly drink to that! I'll just wait until happy hour to do it.
I hope Obama addresses Grandpa's "hate" agenda. According to the Jim Crow Party's theory, since Obama associates with "terrorists", that makes him a "terrorist" and because we support the "terrorist" Obama, we're ALL "terrorists".
the GOP talk radio monopoly with its coordinated uncontested repetition is just going to make this worse until it becomes contested by progressives getting obama's back by listening calling complaining boycotting and picketing their LOCAL talk radio stations that blast the country from 1000 stations with lies distortions racism and hate. real democracy and bipartisanship is impossible as long as the radio monopoly continues uncontested and ignored.
Voters minds are already made up so the only thing these hate-radio personalities will do is make them look like bigots and domestic terrorists....aiding and inciting violence. Their careers will soon be in the toilet, if they're not brought to justice for inciting to violence by their hate-filled speech.
It's time that the people join with the civil rights organizations and bring suit against these domestic terrorists.
The beauty of Barack Obama is his subtlety...whereas McCain draw up his fists and reminds us about he's lashing back by his facial expressions and persona....Barack Obama will cut him to the quick in one fell swoop - outing him on his smears and his terrorist-inducing tactics at his rallies. The great thing about Obama is that he does it with the precision of a vascular surgeon; McCain's the bull in the china shop who never is able to articulate himself well. I expect that Obama will "pap, whap, and zap" McDouchebag before he knows what hits him on these smears and death threats.
I have to say that this guy's got it coming. The Feds are now investigating him. Here's the link:
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...
Take the badge and the gun of this scum bubble.
Totally agree. AND he should go to jail. Having lived in Florida for quite a few years, I'm not surprised at this. There are still a lot of "good ol' boy" racist sheriffs there.
Did I miss something? I couldn't find any quotes from the Sheriff saying anything racist or improper. You can hardly consider it actionable that he used Obama's middle name.
Unless he actually said something incendiary or improper, it's a mistake to be calling for his badge just for using Barack's full name, don't you think?
If he is disallowed by law or regulation from appearing in uniform at political events, then he should be held accountable for that.
But the articles I read kept referring to his "comments", but all they ever specified as objectionable was his use of Obama's middle name. If we start making something like that a hot button, then we are being absurd.
Yeah, I realize how it is being used by them to discredit Obama. Nobody uses George Walker Bush or Ronald Wilson Reagan or John Sidney McCain very often to refer to those people, except for encyclopedias. Their intent is obvious.
But hey... it's his middle name. Why validate such a cheap, brainless smear? Most reasonable people have gotten over any coincidental connotations associated with it. Those who haven't, will, when they realize he's not a stealth candidate for some Al Qaeda sleeper cell.
By then, any sane person will have come to their senses, and realize how laughable the whole issue of his middle name was. Then it can actually be said out loud without some artificial shame attached to it. Then the opprobrium will fall where it belongs, on those who contorted a middle name into an accusation. And thus it will take its proper, shameful place in history.
guess mccain didnt google how obama started his political career
dude worked in chicago politics....where down and dirty is a part of the landscape
obama didnt want to go there...he really didnt
but now the old man will feel the sting of barack's strong pimp hand
tonite....the old man goes down
go ahead mcliar...bring up the whole "i was for regulation before i was against it" yet you never can explain why the regulation bill never got out of committee
About time someone in the MSM noted that all these bat-sh*t "commentators" (because we can't call them journalists) are saying the most ridiculous things and everyone including the NYT just nods their heads and puts in the front pages of the papers.
But did you read the entire article in the NYT? They concluded that there was no there, there.
Call every member of the media now to protest the incitement by the McCain campaign to death threats and violence.
Evidently, the Lee County Sheriff's office in Florida has been bombarded with calls protesting this man's flagrant violation of the Hatch Act; frankly, I believe he should be relieved of his duties immediately for inciting the violent death threats that ensured following his invocation of Obama's middle name.
This man doesn't deserve to wear a badge of justice; he's as much a domestic terrorist by his words and actions as the man who uttered the public death threat.
Hopefully someone in the audience will bring up the smears in a question and that way the door is already open for Obama to take on the subject.
We all know McCain is desperate. He thinks town hall meetings are his safe places. Of course tonight he doesn't have only his fans in the audience so it might get a little anxious for him. If only someone just mildly ticks him off, he could get snippy. Oh let it happen.
For a week or so now on other sites.
If McCain brings up the smears, or if they are referenced by a questioner, and he doesn't denounce them, then Obama should speak up.
My ideal thing for him to say would be, "John, do you honestly believe that?", then talk about how attack ads don't help solve our problems.
If McCain keeps bringing it up with refuting them, then my hope would be to directly confront McCain. "John, we're ten feet apart from each other. No commercials, no surrogates. Look me in the eye. Look America in the eye. And tell us that you believe every smear that your campaign has said about me. Many are in commercials that you gave your approval to. But there are others, too. So tell everyone, do you, Senator John McCain, really believe that I am a terrorist? Or a terrorist sympathizer? A traitor? Do you honestly believe I don't care about American troops? Do you really believe I'm a Muslim? Do I really pal around with terrorist? Tell us, John. Take as much time as you want."
It's win-win for Barack. If McCain disowns the comments, then it proves he's nothing but a liar who will say or do anything to win.
If he doesn't, then he owns those comments. And it proves how dishonorable and sleazy he is.
Barack shouldn't pounce until provoked.
Some people I've talked with about this think it's out of his character to challenge McCain like this. I think if it comes about organically, he could and should do so.
That should say, If McCain keeps bringing it up without refuting them
sorry
That is exactly the right thing to do and what I would do. I would confront him directly, clearly and concisely. Keep the questions short and simple to not give him an easy way to distract from answering. If he doesn't answer the question directly, keep asking him until he does. Put him on the ropes and as you said, call him out as a liar or a coward.
Looks like Sheriff Mike Scott will be investigated for violation of The Hatch Act and I hope that criminal charges are brought against this sick man for inciting the death threats and violence at this rally in Lee County, Florhttp://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081006/NEWS0107/81006002ida.
in my entire life, i have never seen an officer in full uniform appear at a political rally to attempt hate speech towards a specific candidate
i was disgusted
obviously you're too young to remember the sixties.
My take on this one, McCain has already won this second debate.
The homestate matters, this debate is hosted at one of the most conservative Christian colleges in the US, the people attending in this debate already have a skewed view of the US, of race, and their divine purpose in this world, and history.
This will be one of the biggest challenge for Obama, McCain does not have to show anything, he just have to show up and he would have won the debate. Hence the cockiness that McCain is showing today. If Obama can convince these socially conservative Christian devotees to vote for him in this debate, then he won. If not, then he lost, period.
the problem with your theory is that REAL Christians dont side with the GOP. we real christians are for peace, love, inclusion, feeding, medicating, clothing, and housing the poor, elderly, sick, and homeless. we dont run our campaign and policies based on greed, hate, and exclusion. we beleive that Jesus has a vision and the GOP is not following that vision. I think Obama will do just fine.
There aren't enuf wingnuts in the country to put McCain over the top. The 22%ers are going to be overwhelmed in this election by honest, decent Americans who understand the bill of goods they've been sold by the GOP, and now are left standing with the bill and wondering how they are going to feed their families.
There is no way Obama or his staff would be so dumb to blindly venture into redneck country without being assured that the audience AND the questioners will offer represented diversity. If things materialize to be as bias as you claim it will be, that would be the story.
Obama needs to start the debate DEMANDING an apology for the smears against him and what Mccain and his party have done to this country. DEMAND IT !!!! come right out and say Senator Mccain i think you owe me and the American people an apology for the lies and smears you, palin, and fox news shills have been vomitting around the country the last two days. I will not continue until you apologize for taking this campaign down the BUSH GUTTER !!! is that the SAME OLD BUSH STYLE CAMPAIGN you praised in 2000?? You sir are a not an honorable man !!!
It's obama's to lose and in doing what you state, that would just about do it. after the election, let it all hang out then.
The Republican presidential candidates' life has revolved around the public need.
^^From msnbc.com, while about Obama they have a neutral statement. Yay.
This IS going to come up tonite, whether Brokjaw brings it up or not.
Obama will say something, and anything less than a denunciation and a call for ALL to cease and desist by McCain should be covered on every major network and every major paper.
This is the night, so watch carefully. This issue is the one that is going to set McCain off like an MX missile. He can't run from this...he is supported by racists and bigots. HIS VP nominee is a closet bigot. His campaign is filled with convicted criminals, two faced lobbyists and Bush lackeys.
Barack won't hammer him...but he won't have to. Just the simple insinuation is going to make McCain's blood pressure go up.
Perhaps...I will finally get my wish.
He did it once for his wife, and he needs to come out swinging for himself!
________________________________________________________________
Talk about coming out swinging:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFhRIhucgvE
)O(
"Supporters like you can make a huge difference by taking a short trip to a key battleground state or making phone calls to undecided voters.
Will you commit right now to volunteer on one or more of the four crucial days leading up to Election Day?
Watch David Plouffe's strategy update, then sign up by filling out the form to the right."
It's time for Obama to demand accountability for McCain's intentional use of debunked lies and smears. Then it's time to suggest that the McCain campaign is now being accused of "enciting violence" at their rallies.
The american people will not tolerate this level of violent behavior while these two smirking jackasses simply lose control (or pretend to) and condone it.
Keating did a lot more damage to this country then Ayers ever did or would!
I sure hope President Obama is ready for McShame because McShame is like a cornered cat right now. I have faith that Barak will be on top of it when McMelanoma blows his top and forgets his name.
Gotta run. Talk to you tonight. Correct?
What was Obama supposed to do when he and Ayers were on the same committee, not look at him or speak to him the way McCain acted toward Obama at the first debate?
Sorry dude, I can't look at you or talk to you because you did some awful things when I was eight years old.
Maybe he didn't even know in the beginning. I work on committees with people who graduated from college the year I was born. Do you investigate the past of every person you are on a committee with before agreeing to participate? You could be on the PTA with someone who has a past, would you know?
Don't fall for it BO! Stay above the fray until McSame brings it up, then it will be impossible for him to disavow it.
Don't worry, Blue. Obama is way too smart to fall for bullshit.
The GOP are bullies. We know that. They're followers are mindless children. They will be treated as such, and get the proper smackdown they deserve.
Obama needs to call out McBush, the questions will all be scripted, laundered, and scrubbed clean of anything remotely intelligible or poignant.
Obama will need to do this himself, he needs to make sure the American Public knows that he is dedicated to getting us out of the impending Depression (caused by Republicans yet again for Republicans), energy independence (not drilling...which is insanely stupid), and a return to the rule of law (constitution, supreme court).
Don't let McBush get away with idiotic soundbytes....answer quickly and decisively...you know the BS that Rove is going to pull out, stomp hard on it and move on to answering the questions.
No comment.
Gulp!
No comment.
Here's the violator of the Hatch Act. Evidently, his constituents think so, too.
This man stood there in uniform and proudly incited the people to violence. So then someone utters a public "death threat" and he permits it??
Then at the next rally, when the press show up, the people shake sticks and clubs at them? What's next?
This behavior cannot be permitted in our public areans and, above all, not displayed by a police officer.
This man needs to be stripped of his badge and his pension and maybe prosecuted under federal violation of the Hatch Act. Somehow by the looks of him, I fear that he's not smart enough to even comprehend the full scope of the Hatch Act though.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20081006/NE...
Mike Scott is just more proof that the spirit of Bull Connor is alive and well in the assbackwards world of the South.
Typical Coaster. Typical ignoragnce with such a broad statement. People vote on their beliefs and just because it's different than yours dosen't make it wrong. There are crazy idiots that bleed both blue and red. Try to be smarter the next time you sweep broad filth everywhere.
I post here quite often, but I would like to remain anonymous for what I am about to say.
I contacted the McCain campaign yesterday. You see, I'm an Independent who felt John McCain was robbed of his nomination in 2000, by smears and underhanded political tricks instigated by Rove and Co. I advised the McCain campaign that although I wanted to support McCain, I just could not longer do so, that he was no longer a viable candidate due to the following:
1) his choice of such an unqualified and undignified VP candidate represents a purely political choice and is quite contrary to "Country First",
2) the political ploy of suspending his campaign to inject politics into sensitive and serious negotiations added to an already weakened economic situation and proved fruitless,
3) the recent deterioration of his honor and integrity by relying on smear tactics and race baiting was the nail in the coffin.
I further explained that there are Independents and people among his base whose criteria for voting consist of more than just paying lower taxes. I advised McCain's campaign that although I know I will be seriously impacted by Obama's tax plan (that raises taxes for those who make over $250k), I feel it is a moral and civic responsibility to choose the right candidate for the country and not just for me. I added that in my opinion, a McCain-Palin ticket fundamentally represents the same failed policies of the Bush-Cheney Era, except that the stakes for continuing such policies are even greater now. We simply cannot afford more of the same.
(I'm certain that I am not the first to share these sentiments with the McCain campaign, nor will I be the last. Thank you for allowing me to share this with all of you.)
Your welcome and thank YOU.
while we scream about Obama,
amex is screwing credit card holders
http://redtape.msnbc.com/2008/10/how-credit-c...
Just what the American people need now. First, it's 17 day months to get you on late fees and now this.
32% is absolutely outrageous! Especially if it is the result of the bank lowering your credit limit putting you over the limit based on the banks own actions. Totally fucked up.
I have one credit card (under the limit) which will go straight into the circular if they pull that shit on me.
I urge people to keep a close eye on Brokaw. He has already used Meet the Press as a forum to interject his opinion that the public sees McCain as a better commander in chief. He is obviously uncomfortable with the reputation of the network as a result of Olbermann and Maddow.
Remember that it was an NBC anchor as debate moderator, Russert, who undermined Hillary when she was the front runner. I don't trust Brokaw
any more than the right trusted Gwen Ifill.
I'd say this guy is about as hardened a criminal as they come. He publicly stated that he "doesn't regret what he said". It's time to relieve him of his duties in Lee County, Florida because the people of the State do regret that he stands there in uniform - smiling - and intentionally attempting to incite and elicit violent reaction by his words.
This man is dangerous and needs to be relieved of his duties immediately.
Let's see what a jury will say about his flagrant violation of The Hatch Act.
http://blog.reidreport.com/2008/10/under-colo...
Not in tonight's debate, unless McCain brings this stuff up himself.
Which he may be crazy enough to do!!!
People are looking for CALM and rationality right now, in the midst of this financial panic, and Obama can do that just fine.
He's actually begun to impress me, this last week or two.
Some Suggested Responses by Barack
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=3782
It is sad, but Obama must counter McCain's attacks. That's simply the nature of the beast. When Kerry didn't, it allowed the Swift boat scum unimpeded access to the media and the narrative was such that it cost him the election as lacking a balance the low information voter accepted the attacks as truth.
If Obama counters, yes, it brings down his numbers a bit, but because of the way in which traditional media tries to always balance a story, the narrative will include both McCain's and Obama's attacks, as well as some "sage" meta advise from the reporter about how this is all October campaigning. The low information voter will be turned off by both but the dual attacks will tend to cancel each other out. Which is all Obama's needs.
It kinda sucks it's comes down to this, but since someone is also going to be behind in October, there will always be one side that will feel it HAS to go negative.
... and we all know how that ended up. I'm confident Obama will address all these ridiculous smears.
The GOP is pure slime.
Obama should act disappointed in McCain that he started mudslinging but say "if you want to sling mud I can play that game. If you want to make an issue out of the fact that I was on a few charity boards with Bill Ayers, lets talk about your running mate's husband and his membership in the Alaska Independence Party. Why is it ok for your running mate's spouse to have belonged to an organization for 8 years who's goal was to secede from the union, who's founder repeatedly professed his hatred of America? Why aren't you talking about that. Maybe people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Through my work with ACORN I accomplished a lot of good for Chicago. What has AIP accomplished for Alaska and America?"
Funny McCain would pull the old 'guilt by association' ruse on Obama, seeing how John was an invited house guest of North Vietnam. They clothed him, fed him, gave him free medical care, free room too. If you ask me McCain must have been down right chummy with those kind folks. He stayed with them long enough....
McCains supposed advantage at townhall meetings is non exsistent!
Townhall meetings are forums where McCain can lie about and smear his opponent in front of a friendly crowd with no one there to rebut his claims. He excells at smearing people behind their backs.....Loser!
This townhall meeting will not be like that.
First: The people will not be screaming in support, they will be asked to remain quiet throughout the debate.
Second: Obama will be right there to rebut any lies or smears McCain makes in real time!
This takes that so called advantage away from McCain!
McCain is now in a tough spot.
I don't think he has the balls to make the terrorist accusations to Obama's face. It's one thing to do it from a safe distance but it's another when the victim is in the same room and can talk back! if he doesn't then he will look weak and come across as pussified.
And if he does he will come off looking Vicious and unpresidential and it will ultimately doom him.
He's screwed either way...........Nice strategy Idiot!
It's not just that he doesn't have the balls to state the accusations to Obama's face like a man (because he's not one) but to be in a position of condoning the death threats during one of his own rallies???
This does not play well for McCain regardless of how you dice it. The Sheriff in uniform is being investigated by the Feds right now for what he did and he claims to "not regret a word of it". Good, maybe he'll have plenty of time to think about that statement in one of his prison cells soon?
As for Palin standing there smirking as though encouraging these death threats and violence at the rally, this is a disgusting reminder of how ill-equipped this bimbo is to have the clout or presence of mind to do what's right - and immediately call out this individual and admonish him for his criminal death threat.
McCain, the moron, falls into lockstep as though he doesn't hear what's going on....he smiles and seems to luxuriate in the violent behavior of his rally crowd.
This is a new low for the american people - that we've decended into such a dark abyss where police officers in uniform incite domestic terrorism and violence....and the two candidates who sponsor the event are clueless and classless, nevermind totally incapable of controlling the crowd, but who stand there with SEG's condoning this obvious criminal behavior.
I think McCain and Palin need investigation by the Feds as well for "aiding and abetting" the crowd to violence and death threats. I think these two need to answer to the american people on this and the gent who made the death threat (does anyone know his name?) needs to be charged by the Feds as well for making a public death threat.
Agreed. McCain has been his own worst enemy all along. Obama would be making a mistake to take the low ground. He has cultivated a very statesmanlike demeanor - one that McCain could never match on his best day.
That doesn't mean Obama shouldn't address the mud slung his way, but coming out "demanding" that McCain apologize isn't going to make Obama look good.
He simply needs to confront McCain and put McCain on the ropes. Let McCain sink himself no matter what answer he gives.
Seriously the best answer McCain could give would be something along the lines of, "I'm truly sorry. I know those things aren't true." It won't be a winning answer for McCain but every other reply he could give would be worse.
This is beginning to be "de rigeur" for the McCain/Palin domestic terrorist rallies. This is really getting out of hand. Today the attendees shook sticks at the media? Really? I find this juvenile behavior almost too ridiculous to imagine.
If this is not stopped by McCain and Palin, then the law will have to intervene at their rallies...unless you've got someone in uniform representing the law like Mike Scott, Sheriff of Lee County, Florida more than willing to "fan the flames of bigotry" and "incite the people to violence".
And that's preicely what occurred - under the veil of domestic security (a law enforcement officer in uniform), he personally perpetuated the death threats to Obama which ensued. This man needs to be in one of his own jails right now. This man is reponsible for condoing these acts of verbal violence. This man, along with John Sydney McCain and Sarah Palin, need to be investigated by the Feds right now for "inciting people to violence".
This is a disgusting commentary for the state of our criminal justice system which has just gotten a "huge black eye" thanks to bigots like Michael Joseph Scott.
Isn't he the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin, Scanton Branch?...Just sayin'
I'd say thats about right for PALIN/mccain supporters. Did they bang rocks together too?
It really is hard to believe that this country is going to go through this AGAIN.
I was a young boy, but I remember those times and it wasn't pleasant. It made my home a very tense place. As the son of a blue collar longshoreman, I'm sure that you can appreciate the turmoil of an open minded son confronted with his father's limited view of the world.
I remember the dogs, the hoses, the killing, the assassinations, the burning cities. Gawd, I never dreamed that it could ever happen again.
Bigotry and hatred really do die hard. I guess that one view of human nature may be true...that we are inherently evil...and must work to be good.
Sad...simply sad.
McCain is used to these little town hall meetings where everyone laughs at his lame jokes and claps each time he mentions POW or Vietnam. That won't be the case tonight.
I remember one town hall meeting he had some time back and a lady asked him about what he would do for disabled people. I can't remember the exact question but she was asking for his support on some issue. When it was time for him to respond to her he told her no he would not support her cause and for a second there you could hear a pin drop. He can be cold if the situation does not favor him.
Palin And McCain are now domestic terrorists.
Under current United States law, set forth in the USA PATRIOT Act, acts of domestic terrorism are those which: "(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
Keith Olbermann's Special Comment gives a good example of where the McCain Campaign got the idea to commit domestic terrorism.
The detainment and deportation of Jerome Corsi from Kenya.
It seems Obama's "Truth Squad" has long arms.. that reach around the world.
God help us if this man is elected President (Or Dear Leader) of the united States of America.
One less lying scumbag for a few hours (or days, weeks or whatever) is no great loss. I call it karma, myself.
And we won't need god's help if Obama is elected. He has enough strengths to start to untangle the clusterfuck your right wing assholes have thrust upon our society for too long.
Let's all hope and pray that conservatism is dead and buried forever.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/101979/jer...
Jane Hamsher: "You can watch the whole thing here. At one point I got to ask him how he felt about the fact that Swiftboating now referred to a malicious attack by a pack of liars. It was very satisfying."
I have to say I am not sure I like this new comment system. Maybe it just takes time to get used to it? I miss the numbered posts. I used to be able to scan so much easier at work.
Is there a way to make it so you don't have to do the math problem every time?
Obama should reply to any attacks with a simple and succinct rebuke to assert his own character and then tell the American people he's not going to waste their time getting in the mud with McCain.
Americans will respect Obama more if he speaks directly to the issues facing them and just keep pointing out how McCain is disrespecting them by playing dirty.
If Obama does that he will come off dignified and capture even more of the shrinking number of undecideds left out there.
Here's more on how Palin is responsible for inciting the violence of public death threats.
Why was this man not immediately ushered out? Why did Palin stand there like a fool and say nothing? I believe the case could be made that she not only incited it by her vile remarks but that she did nothing to stop it either.
This man should be under investigation right now under the Patriot Act and domestic terrorism. You can't make public death threats and get away with it - simple as that.
I want to see this criminal brought to justice.
Things are happening fast regarding Mike Scott and this Palin Rally and the people want justice. I'm thrilled to see it gaining attention in the media, as well it should.
Once we, as a society, condone violence and death threats in our public arenas, we, as a society, are done/finito/ extinct.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-feldman...
You can be arrested and imprisoned by Homeland Security under the Patriot Act for this. Ask those people in St. Paul.
Wrong call. Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.
Obama should simply point out that the country desperately needs leadership, not four more years of slander, lies and character assassination.
Agreed. He needs to respond affirmatively and decisively, but not lower himself to the sewer like his opponent. He also needs to remember that this isn't a college lecture, it's a debate, and it is perfectly OK to invoke impassioned responses.
As I think more about this situation where a uniformed police officer basically provides the cover for the violent death threat that ensued, is this not then the condonement by law enforcement of violent behavior in public?
Does this not constitute a police officer, in uniform, basically telling the attendees that it's "acceptable" by his own obvious hate based comment to make death threats in public?
I think Michael Joseph Scott is in heap big trouble right about now. Providing cover for public death threats becoming acceptable behavior at a public rally is in violation of his oath of office.
Should this man be trained to realize this which is so obvious to even lay people like ourselves? Let me see if I get this right: He appears in uniform and condones hate language which leads to a violent death threat by his own languaging? Is he not equally culpable under the law? Is he not in obvious violation of his oath of office at that point?
How is this man still walking around in uniform assuming his position as Sheriff of Lee County, Florida then? This man actually provided and cultivated an "atmosphere of violence" by his own speech and actions? And he shows no remorse for having done so?
It's time to move forward from an investigation to either an arrest of this man who abused the power of his uniform to condone violation of our criminal code or to strip him of his badge. I'd say that whatever Lee County governing body oversees the actions of this man, they need to take action immediately or their entire county will become a travesty and a sham. They rely heavily on elders moving to their area; with an officer so overtly inciting violence in the public arena which resulted in a criminal death threat made publicly...I'd say that no elder in the country would want to move to that locale.
The people want some answers and we want some justice. Michael Joseph Scott had his opportunity to repent for his comments; instead, like a total bigoted blowhard, he reinforced his position as a "public agitator" and "inciting criminal violence" at his rally.
It's people like this man who make life in this country dangerous. Remove him from office immediately.
When McCain goes after Obama personally regarding Ayers, etc., I hope Obama says, “we’re in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’re going to have to work together, across the aisle, all Americans, to solve it. This kind of divisive politics from the past just won’t work if Americans want to be able to keep their jobs, afford health care, and send their kids to college.”
Something like that.
check THIS out!! =)
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/djbur...
too much??
too crude??
My sympathies are with the kid.
Yeah, that is curious, isn't it. Just like the McCain's when they excluded their dark-skinned adopted daughter from the family photos that were recently taken.
These people are sickening. They use their families as props, inserting them here, and deleting them there, when necessary.
The way that Palin baby (special needs, no less) is trotted around at all hours of the night in front of screaming mobs constitutes child abuse.
Keep in mind this "Town Hall"(UGH!) is in Tennesee so the audience will be stacked with McCain acolytes.
It just so happens that Rethugs have botched the alleged "war on terror"by ruining diplomacy.McLame is central in their clueless pandering to dictators(Saudi Arabia,Pakistan,Uzbekistan,Georgia, et.,al.)who could care less about our interests.
It`s a given that by their own addmission they cannot win on the issues,so their going to tear into Obama with all the viciousness that so disgustingly identifies their party.
It`s maddening to see this shit.What is more maddening is that these kinds of smears have been very successful.
WAKE UP AMERICA.SHOW THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT WE ARE NOT THE MOST VIOLENT,STUPIDEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.
Unfortunately, as someone else once pointed out, the Dems. generally bring a knife to a gunfight. I hope it's otherwise tonight.
If any Obama staff are reading this thread, I would suggest that y'all do some quick research on Joel's Army and it's connections to Palin's church and her references to it through code words. That is a bona fide terrorist organization. After Mr. Obama shuts down the arguments about ayers, he should bring up Palin's affilation with them. He should further bring up McCain's association with that Freedom group 20'ish years ago.
He also needs, more than anything else, to finally and forcefully call McCain a liar, a deceiver and an unprincipled, power at any cost manipulator. This shit is never going to stop until he does. It's time for the "At long last, Mr.McCain, have you no decency...not even a little?" question.
I was going to send John a tip but thought I would get right to it .
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...
[I passed it along to the writers, Chi'68. Thanks! Site Monitor]
Boy, this reminds me of a clip I saw a long time ago, of McCain and Bush (GWB, natch) at a debate. Sitting at a table if memory serves. And McCain calling out Bush for what he did in South Carolina, demanding an apology. Bush just shrugging and trying to look innocent. Alfred E. Neuman innocent.
Maybe I'm remembering a dream I had, though.
In any case, this image of McCain calling out Bush for the smears in South Carolina during a debate keeps rearing its head as tonight's debate grows closer. I'd like to show the 2000 McCain the developments of the last couple of days (to say nothing of the past months). I wonder what he would say about the 2008 McCain.
I wonder if the 2008 McCain were shown that debate again, if he would feel any shame about what he has become. Maybe. Maybe he would just bust out with that Elliott Ness line from "The Untouchables": "I have foresworn myself...I have become what I beheld and am content that I have done right." Most probably Rove would be there, whispering in his ear, "Remember. You may have been right to call out Bush. But you still lost."
No matter what else is true about John McCain at this late date, the central fact of his political life has to be the reality that when he did what he thought was right, he lost. So all his pontification about "I'd rather lose fill-in-the-blank than win this election" is pure emptiness.
I say Obama doesn't betray that he's bothered in the slightest. Palin keeps talking about how they are gonna ruffle some feathers in DC...the last thing Obama needs to show is that his feathers have been ruffled.
Water off a duck's back, as my dad used to say.
Or, as Andrew Sullivan says, "Patience and steel."
... with a counter-attack that is rationally far stronger.
On that basis alone, I don't think he needs to go out of his way to bring it up during the debate.
But if you need additional convincing, take a look at the polls. The new tack of the McCain/Palin meltdown is only hurting their poll numbers, and will continue to do so. The difference between now and 1988 is that today we have an economic catastrophe on our doorstep, and ridiculous distractions are not just ineffective, they are counterproductive. Unless you are a GOP-bot prefilled with racism and hate, these attacks do not resonate, they repulse. By pandering to their base, the Republicans have further alienated themselves from the middle they need to win.
Obama will win points with these middle voters by speaking to their concerns. Those concerns do not include Bill Ayers. Their concerns are far more basic and immediate than that. They are worried about their Jobs, their homes, their savings, their ability to survive without going into an endless debt spiral. They are worried about their health coverage, and some are worried about whether or not the nation can survive the damage done over the past eight years.
If Obama speaks to those issues, he will do much better than he will by dwelling on McCain's tactics. Nobody cares about his tactics outside of the moron mobs who makeup the 25% club. The only way the attacks will have any benefit to McCain is if Obama gives them credibility by defending himself from them - abandoning his message and mission in the process.
No, this is not 1988.
Absolutely correct, and vindicated by the debate last night. And the continued unfounded attacks by Palin and McCain will just bury themselves further.
That kind of thing isn't going to work this time around, not now. People are dead sick of it. If they keep going on this tack, the only ones left hanging on to the McTitanic come election day, will be the incurably ignorant. Which may be a sadly large minority of the electorate to be sure, but still a decided minority.
Yes, some famous white people are actually for Obama...but not the ones you'd expect:
http://storefrontwindows.blogspot.com/
Two great YouTube videos about Palin's associations with the Alaskan Independence Party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BGc-B67MSY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vni5Rm1bSjQ
Check out Rachel Maddow's excellent comments at the end of the second one.
THIS IS NOT THE PLATFORM TO GET INTO A SMEAR DEBATE, THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, and should be respected by both McCain and Obama as such. Both should find another platform to debate/argue all the negative and slanderous remarks made. I am sure the American people would absolutely watch it.
Obama should right off the get-go let McCain know that all the smear tactics (character assassination) should be left out of this debate and answer the questions the American people want to hear. In our world (the American public) what Palin/McCain are doing is slandering Obama. In our world people are taken to court and tried for slander.
We keep hearing about the “plans”, but not much input as to how these “plans” are to be implemented. This is what the American people want to know.
I say take the moral high ground, but don't let McSlime get away with smears either. Ask him to elaborate, in detail: How meeting Ayers makes Obama a "suicide bomber", or "sleeper terrorist mastermind." We can decide.
[Disclaimer: I am not part of any rabid base that calls out "kill him" (Obama), so I have no idea how they think, other than with HATE.]
Login or Register to post comments.