Thread: US Presidential Campaign 2008

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Rob, I have to say that you're painting a really impressive picture of yourself, mate. Well done.

Yes, much easier to jump on the populist bandwagon rather than personally shuffle through the issues and form an opinion.

That's what I dislike most about issues. If you disagree with the media-driven popular opinion, your painted by other posters as being wrong.

Too many opinions here are expressed as facts.

Tex, we were decrying the emerging disaster of Iraq long before the popular press.

Your premise is wrong. Just to make you feel worse, I decried it myself quite some time before that. Correctly so- your big government was wrong, wrong, utterly wrong.

Thank goodness they are history. World powers should not lose wars- it's a bit disconcerting for the rest of us, especially when a significant percentage of us told you the end before your beginning.

Originally Posted by sabang

Tex, we were decrying the emerging disaster of Iraq long before the popular press.

Emerging disaster?
Guess who hasn't been paying attention to the facts on the ground, eh?

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^ Geez, Attaboy, I thought you were joking! AFP has some pretty good coverage, but best to read a range of reports to get an all-round view.

Jet I'm saying I don't believe it to be neutral. The EU is much more left then we are and they will report news slanted to encourage greater leftism in the USA. They want their world to be more familiar to them. It makes people more comfortable and they feel more secure if the world is more like how they'd prefer it to be. The Euros had John Kerry bamboozled. He'd rather ski in Europe, preferably France, than the good ole' US of A. The ass licking of Democrat Senators in France is superb.

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

The general public don't want a FARC sympathizer in the White House.

1. the 'general public' have no idea what the FARC is. I'd wager less than 10% could even find columbia on a map.
2. provide a link to obama expressing sympathy for FARC.

^ Only coz he was mentioned in the computer files taken from a FARCer. But, you never know.

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

AFP and Reuters are biased, same Euro-leftist slant as the beep. Fox is biased as well, but is nearer to the truth.

Beep = Beeb? Yep, the IHT, the NY Times, and most of the Euro newspapers are all lefty and the Euro papers are anti-US, too. They are however redefining backtracking as Europe discovers that the nasty racist US may have a black leader when their folks are still mired in racial hatred.
FOX needs to be taken with a grain of salt as well tho, IMO.

Originally Posted by Texpat

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Rob, I have to say that you're painting a really impressive picture of yourself, mate. Well done.

Yes, much easier to jump on the populist bandwagon rather than personally shuffle through the issues and form an opinion.
That's what I dislike most about issues. If you disagree with the media-driven popular opinion, your painted by other posters as being wrong.
Too many opinions here are expressed as facts.

Well, I beg to differ, Texxie. It's tough to make an opinion in Issues. Wanna quote facts with a linky, fine. State an opinion and the lefties wimper and whine.

Obama leads in battleground states: poll

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is leading Republican John McCain in four battleground states, according to a survey released that pollsters say could point to a broad Obama victory in November.

The Quinnipiac University poll found Obama leading McCain in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which strategists view as among the closely fought states that could determine the outcome of the race.

"If these numbers were to hold, it would be very difficult to see how Senator Obama doesn't win the presidency by a very comfortable margin," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the poll.

The poll found Obama leads 49 to 44 per cent in Colorado, 48 to 42 per cent in Michigan, 52 to 39 per cent in Wisconsin and 54 to 37 per cent in Minnesota. The margin of error in each state was around 2.6 percentage points.

The US presidential race is not determined by a simple popular vote, but instead by counting the electoral votes of the states each candidate wins. Populous California has 55 electoral votes, while sparsely populated Montana has three. A total of 270 is needed for victory.

Candidates recently devoted most of their campaigning to a handful of "swing" states that could line up behind either candidate.

A Quinnipiac poll last week found Obama leading McCain in the largest swing states - Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.

In this week's poll, Obama held strong leads among women, minorities, independent voters and young voters. McCain led among men in Colorado and white voters in Michigan, where Obama's overall lead was narrower. Roughly three-quarters of those polled said their minds were made up.

Obama leads in battleground states: poll - Breaking News - World - Breaking News


It ain't over yet, but an emerging Issue is how will the GOP respond to the likely fact that the neo-Conservative cabal that defined the Bush administration has spelt absolute electoral disaster for the Republican cause- from a position of dominance in the Senate, Congress and the Whitehouse to a minority in all three.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Originally Posted by sabang

Tex, we were decrying the emerging disaster of Iraq long before the popular press.

Emerging disaster?
Guess who hasn't been paying attention to the facts on the ground, eh?

^Yeah, what he said.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

It's tough to make an opinion in Issues. Wanna quote facts with a linky, fine. State an opinion and the lefties wimper and whine.

No shit...

Heh...you really have to enjoy this election - The Telegraph quotes “a senior Democrat” saying that Bill Clinton told friends if Barack Obama wants his support, Obama will have to “kiss my ass.”

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

Fox is biased as well, but is nearer to the retarded.

well spotted, robert.

We discussed the influence of the Low-Info Voter. And here's an article about influencing the low-info voters.

Jim Peterman, a retired Cooper Tire employee who bought his home in Findlay, Ohio, in 1959, says he's trying to sift through rumors about Democrat Barack Obama, but "it's hard to ignore what you hear when everybody you know is saying it."


By Eli Saslow
Sun., June. 29, 2008

FINDLAY, Ohio - On his corner of College Street, Jim Peterman stares at the four American flags planted in his front lawn and rubs his forehead. Peterman, 74, is a retired worker at Cooper Tire, a father of two, an Air Force veteran and a self-described patriot. He took one trip to Washington in 1989 -- best vacation of his life -- and bought a statue of the Washington Monument that he still displays in a glass case in his living room.

He believes a smart vote is an American's greatest responsibility. Which is why his confusion about Barack Obama continues to eat at him.

On the television in his living room, Peterman has watched enough news and campaign advertisements to hear the truth: Sen. Barack Obama, born in Hawaii, is a Christian family man with a track record of public service. But on the Internet, in his grocery store, at his neighbor's house, at his son's auto shop, Peterman has also absorbed another version of the Democratic candidate's background, one that is entirely false: Barack Obama, born in Africa, is a possibly gay Muslim racist who refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Link & Entire: Obama rumors fly in Flag City USA - Washington Post - MSNBC.com

Sounds to me like he's sifting through the garbage and reaching his own conclusions. He's admitted a smart vote is a high responsibility and he's doing what he can to ensure his is based on the best facts he can find.

Does one have to be at it 6-hours a day to be a high-info voter?

Do you consider yourself a high-info voter Milk? Tell the truth, you're not a voter at all, are you?

This guy is a typical voter. You're just making this shit up to try and smear low-intellect (military) types. He's everything you despise isn't he Milk?

Still, full of shit. It ain't working.

Received this e-mail from American Citizen Services the US Embassy today:

Overseas Absentee Voting

Act now to register to vote and request an absentee ballot for the 2008 presidential and general elections!

Eligibility to Vote

Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. Some states allow overseas voters to vote in state and local elections as well.

Voting eligibility and residency requirements are determined by the various U.S. states, and are available on-line at http://fvap.gov/pubs/vag.html. Your "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state where you last resided immediately prior to departure from the United States. Voting rights extend to overseas citizens even though they may no longer own property or have other ties to their last state of residence, and even if their intent to return to that state may be uncertain. For those who have never resided in the United States, sixteen states allow certain U.S. citizens to register where a parent or spouse would be eligible to vote.

Voter Registration & Requesting an Absentee Ballot

Voters who have not yet registered to vote and requested an absentee ballot should do so now.

1. Complete the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) using the instructions for your state in the Voting Assistance Guide. You may pick up a hard copy of the FPCA from any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or use the online version.

2. Sign, date and mail the completed FPCA to the address listed in the Voting Assistance Guide. If you are sending the FPCA through international mail, please affix appropriate airmail postage. Alternatively, you can print out a postage-paid address label and ask any U.S. Embassy or Consulate to send your FPCA postage-paid through diplomatic pouch or the military postal service. Some states allow voters to send in the FPCA by fax, but they also require you to send in the hard copy by mail. Follow your state’s regulations precisely.

3. Send in a new FPCA if you have moved or changed your name since the last time you voted.

4. Check your state’s voter registration verification website (http://fvap.gov/vao/stregissites.html), or follow up directly with your local election officials, to confirm that you are registered.

Voting

Your local voting officials should mail your absentee ballot 30 to 45 days before the November 4 general election. Return your voted ballot as early as possible. Be aware of your state’s ballot receipt deadline, as well as any postmarking requirements.

Originally Posted by Texpat

Sounds to me like he's sifting through the garbage and reaching his own conclusions. He's admitted a smart vote is a high responsibility and he's doing what he can to ensure his is based on the best facts he can find.

Does one have to be at it 6-hours a day to be a high-info voter?

IMO, no not at all. It's the sources that matter, not how much time one spends perusing and canvassing the issues.

Do you consider yourself a high-info voter Milk?

I cannot judge myself, because that would be biased. In 1993, when I took a series of tests, the results claimed I was on the higher end. But, I'm a political/economic/news junkie, who follows this....exciting?....stuff.

Tell the truth, you're not a voter at all, are you?

I voted in my first national and local election when I was 18 years old. I have voted ever since. I will be voting again for this national, congressional, and local round.

This guy is a typical voter. You're just making this shit up to try and smear low-intellect (military) types. He's everything you despise isn't he Milk?

I don't know what "typical," is. I'd have to see extensive polling data.

No offense to this man, but he doesn't seem very well informed. And people like him are a huge demographic, that both parties are aiming to win favor over. It works this way in many countries.

I don't recall the article saying he was in the military. Therefore, he's not what I'd call a "military type," which are your words. I am not sure what you mean by this term. I've never heard of it.

Still, full of shit. It ain't working.

You're a poorly informed poster. You contribute little. You make general statements, but often omit details nor add specifics to reinforce your opinion.

This is OK, Tex. The rest of the board reads your posts, too.

Heh...

Obama's for Equal Pay, Yet Pays Female Staffers Less Than Males. "That is in contrast to Republican presidential candidate John McCain's Senate office, where women, for the most part, out-rank and are paid more than men."

Yeah, right...

Another Heh:

The Saddest Thing About Barack Obama's Available Military Expertise...

...is that though he has Wes Clark in his corner, the only person he knows with the experience of getting a bomb on target is Bill Ayers.

BO's the MAN!

Obama rumors fly in Flag City USA - Washington Post - MSNBC.com


I see a journalist who fancies himself a novelist. Journalists tell a 'story'. Peter Jennings used to say we bring you the 'story'. From what I remember of my English grammar, 'story' is not the truth. Story is nearer the truth then myth or legend. It can be based on facts but it is not necessarily the truth. I think the Washington Post printed a journalist's story.

^ Google or other teams?

Originally Posted by Bugs

I'll take a candidate to task on some flip-flops and yet I am willing to applaud them for others. On long standing issues like gun rights I don't really have much tolerance for flip-flopping, as it is unlikely that something new or illuminating will develop to allow one to change their point of view on the issue. On the other hand on issues like taxes I would be more willing to forgive a flip-flop as I can see justification for change/revision of one's position depending upon economic conditions at a given point in time.

Yes, I'll agree with this, and also with flip-flopping on health care, and even the economy. These are such huge, multi-dimensional and complex problems that no candidate can ever hope to articulate the correct end-game position on large issues like these. I do agree with you that fundamental rights like gun control, same sex marriage, pro-choice, and other such issues are not flip-flop-able...., so to speak.