>> ^nibiyabi:
You're not insinuating that the McCain/Palin ticket were not worse offenders in this regard, I assume. This process is necessary if one wishes to be elected, or even nominated for that matter.


Agreed. There were a lot of superfluous discussions that became necessary on the Obama side simply because issues were brought up on the McCain side, and to ignore them would most likely lead to a drop in the confidence in the "brand" (as the Swiftboat Veterans campaign against Kerry proved).

At the same time, I am listening to Obama speak now on various news shows and he is way more careful now that selling the brand is no longer an issue. Reporters (reflected by an extent in the public) are still pushing for him to react like he did during the campaign, with "Yes/No" answers and straightforward responses, but the reality of it is that there are no real Yes/No answers, especially as far as the Middle East and the economy are concerned.

Jon Stewart makes fun of liberals all the time. It's just that Republicans are easier to pick on. He did a number of jokes on John Kerry. Pretty much anything in politics and the news that is humorous is put on the Daily Show.

^Yes, but I am sometimes deeply offended by the stinging criticism represented in such gems as "John 'Ketchup Company' Kerry."

>> ^BillOreilly:
Bush has done a way better job than Al "Internet" Gore or John "Ketchup Company" Kerry would have done, thanks to him we've had a safe 7 years since 9/11, which was mostly Clinton's fault...

Oh yeah, I forgot how we used to live under the constant fear of terrorist attacks, them happening every few weeks and all. Oh Wait...

9/11 wasn't Clinton's fault, try getting your news from somewhere other than FOX.

Bush has done a way better job than Al "Internet" Gore or John "Ketchup Company" Kerry would have done, thanks to him we've had a safe 7 years since 9/11, which was mostly Clinton's fault...

The American people have spoken, and, in overwhelming numbers, they’ve said they want change.

Very well.

Just so we all know, here’s a partial list of the changes we’re likely to get more of:

* High Taxes
* Gun Control
* State ownership of capital
* Constitutional reconstructionism through the courts
* Nanny government and oppressive regulation
* A weak, impotent military
* Inept foreign policy
* Trial lawyers and liberal judges
* Socialism
* Internationalist subservience to the United Nations
* Socialized medical care
* Stronger labor unions
* Racism (hiring- and college enrolment quotas)
* Class warfare
* Voter fraud
* Lax immigration controls
* Wealth redistributionism
* Hostility towards business, and capitalism in general
* Over-aggressive environmentalism
* Support for failed social programs
* Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Tom Daschle, Pat Leahy, Maxine Waters, Jim McDermott, John Kerry, Charles Schumer, Dianne Feinstein, and Dick Durbin running Congress.

So we’re going to get the changes we asked for, and we’re going to get them "good and hard".

Kerry led Bush in all the polls before he lost bigtime.

Better get out and vote, and take your hamster with you.

I really can't see how it could be misinterpreted. I also don't see how you could use "is" in that sentence. "considered is natural-born"? It was written over 200 years ago but it seems pretty clear to me that it's defining that children born outside of U.S. territory to parents that are citizens are to be regarded with the same natural-born status as those born within.


>> ^dgandhi:
>> ^burdturgler: considered as natural-born citizens of the United States.
What's with the extra "as"? Do we treat them as if they were, or are they? Since natural-born status is only legally relevant in running for president, for all practical purposes for any citizen-by-birth they will be treated as if they were natural-born, but this is the one special case where "as" vs. "is" makes a difference.
It's certainly debatable, attacking Obama on this issue is like W's campaign trashing Kerry for being a rich elitist, accuse your opponent of your own greatest flaw, and nobody will look at you.

>> ^burdturgler: considered as natural-born citizens of the United States.

What's with the extra "as"? Do we treat them as if they were, or are they? Since natural-born status is only legally relevant in running for president, for all practical purposes for any citizen-by-birth they will be treated as if they were natural-born, but this is the one special case where "as" vs. "is" makes a difference.

It's certainly debatable, attacking Obama on this issue is like W's campaign trashing Kerry for being a rich elitist, accuse your opponent of your own greatest flaw, and nobody will look at you.

>> ^DavidRaine:
It looks like you missed Rachel's point (or perhaps you just disagree)...

>> ^Payback:
Oh no, I completely agree the "liberal" media is no where near the "conservative" media when it comes to the type and depth of "guilt" in this arguement. I'm just saying that the kettle, while being horrifically black in this case, doesn't give the pot a right to not be as white as possible.
Just take the two campaigns as example. McCain's campaign is far dirtier than Obama's. Although the Dems have been "dragged" down into the muck occasionally by McCain's omnipresent attack ads, Obama's campaign has been at it's most effective when it sticks to the issues and avoids character assassination attempts.


It sounds like we're largely on the same page here and I just needed an excuse to rant for three paragraphs in my previous comment. *smile* While I agree that Obama's best ads are those that stick to the issues and his plans, I also think these attacks and the false equivalencies have to be addressed lest they gain traction (as they have over the last few years). After all, Kerry tried the "nothing but respectful" card in 2004 and he was decimated by Republican attacks.

If Clinton or Gore or Kerry were in office, we wouldn't be in half of the shit we're in now.

>> ^chilaxe:
>> ^Januari:
What a classy fello... You know just once i'd like to see one of these people get told by someone else in line to grow up.
Still waiting... I have faith that it does actually happen... it just hasn't been caught on camera yet.

The race has been over since the last debate, and McCain was never a very exciting candidate, so I'm not surprised it's mostly only rednecks still going to McCain/Palin rallies.



Please, remember that Bush "lost" every debate against Kerry... ultimately people are going to vote for who they are going to vote for. Those blinded by their religion/gun control/racism are going to vote for McCain no matter what... While I cannot predict the outcome of this election, it is very dangerous to think that McCain hasn't got a chance. We had Bush for 8 years...

I think this is a pretty *quality discussion here, and I'm sorry that you're lumping in everyone who dislikes McCain in a neat group called "the left".

I've never voted for a winning president before, having only voted third party my entire life. This year is different.

I think you may be confusing the idea of "party-loyalty" with a whole shitload of citizens who are sick to death of what the neo-conservative movement has done to our country, our constitution, and our treasury.

Never before have I seen this happen; from authorizing torture of our citizens, to FISA, PATRIOT ACT, Iraq War, Katrina, My Pet Goat, the impending recession, "bomb bomb Iran", "you're with us or against us", giving up on the middle-east peace process, gutting regulations, making a laughing stock out of the EPA and the FDA....the list goes on and on and on.

So please, forgive us for getting a little fuckin' cranky about this. But this country, and this constitution is all we got. And the idea that a person like Barack (screw Kerry and the Gore of 2000) who not only possesses great oratory skills and a 360degree worldview, but who could also be the first black POTUS, brings a big goddamn smile to a lot of faces in this country.


cheers

(ps: i now have a gold star!)

I appreciate the fact that the video is targeting both McCain and Kerry.

It's amazing that the so-called "Swift Boat Veterans" aren't all over this one...

Oh, right, they're a propaganda tool of the GOP.

Wait did you just say that the Republican Party who have held a near dominant position for the last 8 years have been fiscally conservative and serving the American people?

You'd think to be more grateful that once these fakeservatives make it in they start acting exactly like liberals. Well, not exactly: a President Kerry or Gore (shudder) would've spent even more than Bush post 9-11, only they'd waste it on global warming fiction and expanded health care for illegals.

I think folks over in New Orleans would disagree.

You're confusing the natural ineptitude of Big Government + unprepared people depending on the same + living in a city below sea level + the fucking city was/is run by Democrats the past 50 years who skipped taking care of the levees with "Bush caused racist hurricane" tabloid fodder.

Biden you did OK on your little speech but now it's time to TAKE THE TRAIN and bow out.