will Obama be a good President?

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:14:53 AM
Author: trillionaire
Seems like Obama could be good news for everyone!

http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-voting-economy-and-stock-market.html

Interesting find, Trillionaire! I sent the link to my DH. Tick tick tock ... how long before someone brings up the "S" word.

(rhymes with "lists")

 

[luckystar112]

That's two day old snark....probably why it smells so bad!

She's apologized since then and posted on the vow not to snark thread.

I haven't yet, have you?

Can we snark each other?

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:36:04 AM
Author: luckystar112
the vow not to snark thread. Can we snark each other?

I''m not "a joiner"

but to each his own! Personally, I prefer the extremely wise existing forum policies that allow for many different styles of expression, as long as the content is appropriate.

 

[vintagecushion]

Eau de snark? Decodelighted, you made me laugh!

Unfortunately I''m boring when I try to be snarky so I try to be a peacemaker instead.

 

[trillionaire]

This is news to me... anyone hear about this before?

http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/gambling-on-mccain-stakes-are-big.html

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 10/20/2008 12:54:06 AM
Author: trillionaire
This is news to me... anyone hear about this before?
http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/gambling-on-mccain-stakes-are-big.html

Wonder if this suits the "McCain''s Anger Isn''t Presidential" thread too?

 

[vintagecushion]

Trillionaire, I do remember this article from a while ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28gambling-web.html?scp=1&sq=nytimes%20mccain%20gambling&st=cse

 

[luckystar112]

Sherman De Brosse, the peudonym for a retired history professor, is a contributor to The Rag Blog and also blogs at Sherm Says and on DailyKos.

Oh, I get it now. lol

I've heard that McCain likes to gamble. I'd assume any real concern about it would have been brought up by now, as it was by Bush in 2000.

ETA: This Time article also covers both McCain and Obamas gambling with politicians and lobbyists.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 10/20/2008 1:11:25 AM
Author: luckystar112

Sherman De Brosse, the peudonym for a retired history professor, is a contributor to The Rag Blog and also blogs at Sherm Says and on DailyKos.

Oh, I get it now. lol


I've heard that McCain likes to gamble. I'd assume any real concern about it would have been brought up by now, as it was by Bush in 2000.


ETA: This Time article also covers both McCain and Obamas gambling with politicians and lobbyists.

Thanks for the link, Lucky! I like to get the full picture.

In other news...

http://hardblogger.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/17/1563117.aspx

I think this entire line of questioning is ludicrous. Michele Bachmann walked into the trap after being badgered, but seriously, why would someone run for president, or congress or the senate if they hated America? Am I the only one who fails to see this logic?

 

[starsapphire]

Date: 10/16/2008 10:49:27 PM
Author: beebrisk

Date: 10/16/2008 2:48:10 PM
Author: decodelighted
I saw this comment by someone & I thought it was so interesting I had to post it:


Ponder the following:


What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage,including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

---*He''d be hailed as ''Father of the Year'' for keeping his family together despite the hardships and heartaches!



What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

---*People would simply note he was a former president of the Harvard Law Review.



What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

---*It might get one mention on the back page of the NY Times and you''d never hear about it again. Nah, actually you wouldn''t know his rank. Besides, we''re talking about the NAVAL ACADEMY...not Podunk Community Junior College, for spit''s sake!




What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

---*He''d be a divorcee. Like Reagan. But not an adulterer like Clinton.



What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

---*What if your wife was tirelessly supporting you in public while you were doing Monica Lewinsky in the oval office?



What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

---*How do you know he hasn''t had an affair? Oh yeah, I forgot--he''s closer to being perfect and more God-like than any human that has ever walked the earth...or at least run for president! Need we again bring up the Democrat''s man of the century, Bill Clinton?



What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

---*What if Michelle Obama''s dissertation called for black separatism? Oh wait. It did!



What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

---*What if Cindy McCain never went to college? Who gives a flip?



What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?(The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

---*What if he had? He would be completely cleared of any involvement. Oh wait, he was! What if he palled around with anti_Semitic pastors and guys who tried to bomb the capital??



What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

---*Actually, he might poll better in the debates. I for one, am not voting for charisma.



What if Obama couldn''t read from a teleprompter?

---* What if he couldn''t? Maybe his opponents don''t actually need to read a script?.



What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

---*He''d be hailed as hero. (Nice impugning the integrity of a man who nearly died for his country. You know, the one with all the freedoms that allows you to ask such ridiculous and vile questions.)


What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

---* You''d call it ''intense passion'' and probably bubble over with emotion so deep you''d be brought to tears.



What if Michelle Obama''s family had made their money from beer distribution

---* I''d say ''God Bless America''!



What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

---*Uh..a child would have a good home?


LOL....That was the most fun yet!

I love the answers to those questions!!!!

 

[luckystar112]

Obama campaign selling Chicaco election night packages to news outlets.

That''s no way to treat your friends. lol

 

[trillionaire]

On Obama''s tax on Small businesses

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/21/fact-check-would-obama-hike-taxes-on-small-businesses-that-employ-16-million/

 

[trillionaire]

The world wants Obama!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081021/ts_afp/usvoteworld_081021232937

 

[trillionaire]

another Repub for O.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/20/ken_adelman_backing_obama.html

 

[trillionaire]

Um, doesn''t the Obama campaign have enough money that they DON''T need to charge for this? Give me a break...

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/obama_campaign_selling_chicago.html

 

[ksinger]

Good riddance. It''s about time people got sick of this rhetoric and gave some serious push-back. I hope Palin is enjoying the taste of crow and I hope the other two are left to swing in the wind gusting from their own nasty, divisive, bloviating mouths.

Palin Apologizes for ''Real America'' Comments
Two Congressmen Face Backlash After Their Own Remarks Questioning Others'' Patriotism

This clip from the article pretty much says it all.

Republican Rep. Robin Hayes, who is locked in a closely contested House race in North Carolina, has also been criticized after telling a crowd Saturday that "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God." Hayes initially denied making the remarks, but he was forced to acknowledge them after an audiotape of the speech surfaced.

"I genuinely did not recall making the statement and, after reading it, there is no doubt that it came out completely the wrong way," Hayes said in a statement released by his campaign. "I actually was trying to work to keep the crowd as respectful as possible, so this is definitely not what I intended."

Hayes had spoken at a campaign rally in Concord, N.C., where Sen. John McCain appeared. The 10-year congressman told the crowd he wanted to "make sure we don''t say something stupid, make sure we don''t say something we don''t mean."

He then went on to praise Palin. "Folks, there''s a great American," Hayes said. "Liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God."

 

[ksinger]

*** Post above should have gone in Palin thread, hey what can I say, the coffee wasn't ready ***

ETA - any comments should probably go over there... I may in fact re-post it over there.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/22/2008 6:28:51 AM
Author: trillionaire
Um, doesn''t the Obama campaign have enough money that they DON''T need to charge for this? Give me a break...

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/obama_campaign_selling_chicago.html

That does sound pricey, but then I have no idea how much everything really costs. And, while they do have a ton of money now, I wonder how much they will spend in the next two weeks. I guess they don''t want to be caught without enough? I dunno.

I have a question if anyone knows. Where does any leftover campaign money go?

 

[ksinger]

Date: 10/22/2008 8:50:07 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 10/22/2008 6:28:51 AM
Author: trillionaire
Um, doesn''t the Obama campaign have enough money that they DON''T need to charge for this? Give me a break...

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/obama_campaign_selling_chicago.html

That does sound pricey, but then I have no idea how much everything really costs. And, while they do have a ton of money now, I wonder how much they will spend in the next two weeks. I guess they don''t want to be caught without enough? I dunno.

I have a question if anyone knows. Where does any leftover campaign money go?

Was attempting to find out that very thing this morning, but didn''t (don''t) have time....

So I''ll second that.....anyone?

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Here is what I was able to find regarding what happens to leftover campaign funds.

 

[Ellen]

Thanks Irish, you posted that while I was in search of! So I''ll post my link anyway, since it''s a different, and more complex link for those that want the nitty gritty.

http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/13814199/detail.html

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/22/2008 9:35:20 AM
Author: Ellen
Thanks Irish, you posted that while I was in search of! So I''ll post my link anyway, since it''s a different, and more complex link for those that want the nitty gritty.

http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/13814199/detail.html

Thanks, Ellen! That one gives a much more in-depth answer!

 

[Ellen]

Welcome!

 

[trillionaire]

Do you think that Obama will pursue Bush''s power abuses after he leaves office?

The 35 articles of impeachment

 

[trillionaire]

Obama Helped Stranded Stranger 20 Years Ago

Oct 05, 2008

The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge. The blog "Leisha''s Random Thoughts" has translated the story.

It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn''t be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge:

When it was finally Mary’s turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.

-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.

Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.

-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.

As tears streamed down her face, she heard a "gentle and friendly voice" behind her saying, "That''s okay, I''ll pay for her."
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.

-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?

Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.

-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.

She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.

Who was the man?

Barack Obama.

Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated 100 dollars to his campaign:

-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.

She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.

Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him:

In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.

And Obama replied:

In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes:

‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator’.

The parents sent the letter on to Mary.

Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the kind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office.

Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now.

http://theladnerreportblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/amazing-obama-helped-stranded-stranger.html

 

[luckylux]

That''s wonderful- I had a lump in my throat reading that story. It warms my heart to know that he IS a good person.

 

[iheartscience]

Aw, single tear. That Obama has a heart of gold!

 

[miraclesrule]

Awwwwww, isn''t that sort of like that Tom Cruise story? ::::ducks::::

 

[MoonWater]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:38:53 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Awwwwww, isn''t that sort of like that Tom Cruise story? ::::ducks::::

ewww, you mentioned Tom Cruise!!

Heh, but that was a sweet story.

 

[trillionaire]

This Is Not a Test:
Sitting on an aircraft-carrier deck in 1962 didn''t prepare John McCain for the presidency.
By Fred Kaplan
Posted Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, at 3:57 PM ET

In the last few days, Sen. John McCain has told crowds that he''s "been tested" when it comes to dealing with international crises, and as proof he cited the big enchilada of crises, the showdown over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962. "I had a little personal experience in that," McCain said in Ohio. "I was there."

But where was "there"? Was McCain a White House fellow or a junior aide in the Pentagon, watching, albeit from a distance, while President John Kennedy or Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara grappled with the dilemmas?
Related in Slate
Tom Blanton wondered what would have happened if the Cuban Missile Crisis hadn''t been a secret. Warren Bass argued that the crisis was scarier than we thought. Christopher Beam described why the McCain camp rejoice when the senator''s war record is attacked, and Fred Kaplan explained why Gen. Wesley Clark questioned whether McCain''s military experience was relevant to the presidency.

No, he was the pilot of a naval attack plane on an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean. As he put it at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, "I sat in the cockpit on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise, off of Cuba. I had a target." Then he added: "My friends, you know how close we came to nuclear war. Americans will not have a president who needs to be tested. I''ve been tested, my friends."

I mean no disrespect for carrier pilots, especially those poised for combat. The job requires a special sort of skill, nerve, and bravery that few of us have ever faced. (Certainly I never have.) But it is not at all clear how this experience tested McCain—or any of the other pilots on the four aircraft carriers off the coast of Cuba—for the job of making strategic decisions in a crisis, any more than working an assembly line tests someone to be president of a major manufacturing corporation.

As a 26-year-old Navy lieutenant in October 1962, John McCain was prepared to follow orders, fly his plane along a predetermined path to a preselected target, drop his preloaded bombs, and fly back. Again, this is not to be minimized. But neither does it constitute being "tested" to be—either then or 46 years later—the president of the United States.

Here''s what the president at the time, John F. Kennedy, did during the crisis.

The confrontation began when U-2 spy planes detected the Soviets surreptitiously shipping missile launchers and nuclear warheads to Cuba and, in some cases, already setting them up on Cuban bases.

Kennedy assembled all his top advisers in the Cabinet Room to discuss how to respond. (Lucky for historians, he secretly tape-recorded all these deliberations. You can buy copies of the tapes from the JFK Library or read Sheldon Stern''s book Averting "The Final Failure": John F. Kennedy and the Secret Cuban Missile Crisis Meetings, an excellent account.)

On the first day of deliberations, Kennedy figured that he would have to bomb the missile sites. McNamara suggested blockading the island as an interim measure to buy some time. Kennedy agreed.

By the third day of the crisis, Kennedy was musing about Soviet motives and wondering what kind of "face-saving" gesture he might offer to get them to back off. One possibility, he said, might be a trade: We''d withdraw the missiles we had in Turkey—on the Soviet Union''s southern border—if they withdrew the missiles they had in Cuba. None of the advisers reacted to this remark.

On Oct. 26, the 13th and final day, Khrushchev sent Kennedy a telegram offering just such a trade. Kennedy favored taking the deal. "To any man at the United Nations or any other rational man," he can be heard on the tapes saying, "it will look like a very fair trade. … Most people think that if you''re allowed an even trade, you ought to take advantage of it."

All of Kennedy''s advisers—his brother Robert Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff—vociferously opposed the deal. All of them at this point—even McNamara—urged Kennedy to bomb the missile sites. They protested that trading the missiles in Turkey would amount to appeasement; it would wreck NATO, betray the Turks, advertise our weakness. On the tapes, they sound hysterical; you can hear the quivering in their voices.

Kennedy remained preternaturally cool. He recalled that the attack plan, drawn up a few days earlier by the Joint Chiefs and endorsed by McNamara, was calling for 3,500 conventional bombing sorties against the Soviet missile sites and air bases in Cuba—500 sorties a day for seven days—followed by an invasion of the island.

"I''m just thinking," Kennedy said, with remarkable calm, "about what we''re going to have to do in a day or so … 500 sorties … and possibly an invasion, all because we wouldn''t take missiles out of Turkey. And we all know how quickly everybody''s courage goes when the blood starts to flow, and that''s what''s going to happen in NATO … when we start these things and the Soviets grab Berlin" in retaliation, "and everybody''s going to say, ''Well, this Khrushchev offer was a pretty good position.'' " At another point, Kennedy noted that if we went to war and it was later learned that this deal had been on the table and we had rejected it, it was "not going to be a good war."

At the end of the day, without telling more than a handful of his advisers, President Kennedy ordered his brother to tell the Soviet ambassador that he accepted Khrushchev''s deal—as long as it was kept a total secret, as indeed it was until the tapes came out 20 years later. (Not wanting to appear weak, Kennedy himself contrived the cover story—and ordered his palace historians, Arthur Schlesinger and Ted Sorensen, to perpetrate the myth—that he''d stared the Russians down.)

And so, the point is even more clear-cut than it might seem at first glance: Just because John McCain sat in a cockpit on a flight deck during the tensest five days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, that doesn''t mean he absorbed the slightest bit of wisdom about how to handle a crisis from the top.


What about Sen. Barack Obama—has he ever been tested for a crisis of this sort? There''s no evidence that he has. In this sense, former President Bill Clinton''s evasive remark a few months ago when he was asked about Obama''s qualifications—"You can argue that nobody is ready to be president"—may well be true.

The lesson of Kennedy''s performance in the Cuban Missile Crisis is that a president should be cool-headed, ask the right questions, listen to a wide range of advice, then exercise his own judgment.

With this history in mind, which of the two candidates—McCain or Obama—seems best-suited to handle a crisis? That''s the appropriate question.