Obama Abroad

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  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 12:08:44 PM

    McCain campaign chief: Obama "played the race card"
    Politico Jonathan Martin Jul. 31, 2008

    John McCain's campaign manager is accusing Barack Obama of unfairly using the issue of race, a significant accusation in a campaign featuring the first African-American major party nominee.

    "Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck," said Rick Davis, in a statement issued from the McCain campaign. "It's divisive, negative, shameful and wrong."

    Yesterday in Missouri, Obama predicted McCain and the GOP would use racially-tinged attacks against him.

    "What they're going to try to do is make you scared of me," Obama said. "You know, he doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."

    An Obama spokesman denied that the line about "dollar bills" was related to the Democrat's race.

    McCain's campaign has stepped up their attacks Obama since his overseas trip and began airing an ad yesterday comparing the Illinois senator to a vacuous pop star. But for months, both McCain and his campaign have been careful to avoid anything that approaches an assault based on race. McCain has rebuked outside parties, including the North Carolina GOP and an Ohio talk show host, whose attacks cited Obama's controversial pastor and his middle name.

    Now with the contest entering a new, more negative phase -- one largely brought on by McCain -- the Republican campaign is clearly seeking to preemptively rebut any attempt by Obama to attribute race to their attacks. Davis, in effect, is laying down a marker.

    But by flatly accusing Obama of having "played the race card," Davis ensures that the issue, already looming over the historic campaign, will now take a front-and-center position in a contest that is increasingly being fought more over character than issues.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 07/31/2008 11:33:48 AM

    Governorship: State-Regional "Experience" is Not National-International "Experience"

    Obama's Just as Qualified as Bush Jr. who was Governor for only 1 Full Term (4 years) Jimmy Carter, Ga. Governor, Bill Clinton, Scandal Ridden Governor of Arkansas...

    Being a Governor is State-Regional Experience... ONLY

    Not National-International "Experience"

    George W. Bush Jr: Texas Governor (1 Term) State Regional Experience Only and his National and International Policies "Experience" or Lack therof Shows, Glaringly


    So Much for "Experince" Huh !!!


    Jimmy Carter: Georgia Governor State-Regional..Well at least Carter has 2 Pluses, He Brokered the Middle East Peace Agreement and the USA & Russian Strategic Arms Agreement and so far, those 2 Agreements Still Stand...Not Bad.


    Bill Clinton: Arkansas Governor State-Regional Experience Only Scandal Ridden Before, During and After his Governorship and During his Term as President. So Much for "Experience" When Clinton left office we had No Debts to my Knowledge ?


    PS: John F. Kennedy was (43 Yrs Old) D'Mitry MedVedev, Russia's New President is (42 Yrs Old) and Barack Obama is Older than Both Presidents, Obama is (46-47 Yrs Old), McCain is a Career Politician that Voted Against Offshore Oil Drilling and in ANWR, along with a Majority Republican Ruled Congress and Senate, when Bush Jr. asked to Drill Years Ago, though Oil Corporations already have 38 Million Offshore Leased Lands and and 68 Million Leased Lands and yet they want MORE !!! Vote for John "Semi-Senile" Mccain, he'll get You, what You want...Nothing

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 11:05:40 AM

    Spouting Hate in Support of Obama - Hints of the Future?
    Audacity Watch July 30th, 2008
    Posted by admin in Obama

    It was only a matter of time before more of Obama???s supporters decided to come out of the closet. Up until now, the message has all been about hope and change and coming together. Now that he has all but locked up the nomination and carries a slim, but consistent lead in the polls, the tune has changed to hate and rage and divisiveness.

    Rapper Ludacris has released a new song in which he not only supports Obama ??? and expects radical results ??? but also takes sophomoric pot shots at Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. McCain and President Bush. Is this the change Barack Obama says we deserve and that we???ve been waiting for? How many other hate-mongers fill the ranks of not only Obama???s supporters, but Obama advisers? Barack has shown a long history of associating with unsavory types ??? terrorists, scam artists, hate-spewing preachers ??? but he has done so with the goal of climbing up the political ladder as quickly as possible.

    For now, Obama???s ambition has allowed him to suppress those influences (though some feelings slip out, such as when he condescendingly talks about bitter folks clinging to guns and Bibles).

    But what happens once he gets into office? Other than running for a second term, there is nowhere else to go, no higher office to which to aspire. No longer will he be able to silence the voices demanding he take radical action. And perhaps he won???t want to silence them.

    We already know that he harbors a god-like image of himself. He sees himself as a historical figure who will be discussed hundreds of years from now ??? someone like the great emperors of Rome or Asia or the pharaohs of Egypt (are his people already land-shopping for his own pyramid?).

    What is to stop him from implementing ???history-making??? policies at the urgings of the sycophants in the media and in his inner circle? Recent news reports tell of Obama already being treated like the President by Democratic members of Congress. It wouldn???t be a surprise to learn that Reid or Pelosi kneel to kiss his ring. That is dangerous, dangerous stuff. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    Does Obama have the maturity to be President? Does he have the character to resist those who will demand that he take radical action once he is in office? Can we afford to take that chance?

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 10:59:43 AM

    Continued - Spouting Hate in Support of Obama - Hints of the Future?

    NOTE: A spokesman for Obama has said that they denounce the song on the grounds that it isn???t something they want their kids to hear and go so far as to say that Ludacris is a ???talented individual??? who ???should be ashamed.???

    This is a minor scolding at best. Note that the core of the offense is taken because it would be bad for KIDS to hear.

    Obama also didn???t throw Ludacris under the bus, as he has with so many others that risked damaging his place in history. Either??? they???ve run out of room under the bus??? or they don???t want to offend the large percentage of Obama supporters that endorse the sentiments??? or Obama is simply doing the least amount necessary to publicly distance himself from ideas he doesn???t necessarily find personally troubling.

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 10:56:12 AM

    Hillary Supporter - A 3rd Bush Term Before Obama

    Audacity Watch Published July 31st, 2008
    Posted by admin in Obama, PUMA

    People ask who these ???PUMA??? people are and if they are going to have a serious impact on the November election. Howard Dean and Barack Obama have grossly underestimated Hillary???s supporters. Unlike the ???big tent??? GOP, the DNC views their party as being made up of distinct constituencies, with some holding more sway over the party than others.

    Some, like the radical Leftists at MoveOn.org are the tail that wags the dog. Along with the spittle-mouthed liberal bloggers, they push the lie that the Far Left is actually mainstream ??? but because they control so much money and Internet exposure, the DNC doesn???t argue.

    Other constituencies, especially minorities, get lip service from the Democratic Party, but little is truly done. Why not? Because the Dems have always taken those groups for granted. Their position is that African-Americans, Hispanics and others have nowhere else to turn. And the Democrats invest in enough PR to keep the groups believing it.

    The good news is that some minorities are waking up to the fact that the GOP ???hand up??? is far better than the Democrats??? patronizing, but often phantom, handout. They???re recognizing that the Republican Party doesn???t look down on them like the Democrats do. They may not get special treatment, but they will get fair and equal treatment. They will be treated with respect by the GOP ??? the party that abolished slavery and was at the forefront of women???s suffrage and the Civil Rights Act.

    That same level of disrespect is now being shown by the DNC to the millions of men and women who support Hillary Clinton. Dean and Obama once again take them for granted and presume that they???ll vote blue because there is nowhere else for them to turn. They are WRONG.

    Groups like PUMA aren???t sitting still for this patronizing treatment. They will not be ushered back to the kitchen with a pat on the butt while Dean, Obama and the MoveOn folks suck on stogies around the dinner table and make plans without them. Remember Obama???s dismissive ???sweetie??? comment to the female reporter? Does anyone really think that was a one-time slip?

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/31/2008 8:00:53 AM

    Davole- 'You-know-who' has decided that you are behaving a bit too familar with someone you don't know. You don't know me. I don't know you. I'd like to keep it that way and none of your comments to me are going to change that. I'm sorry I had to post this but you are getting out of hand with this.

    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 9:57:47 AM

      Pia1981 -

      You're entitled to your opinion, and I do support your right to express it.

      Have a great day!

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 7:02:42 AM

    Boehner Asks Pelosi to Have the House CAO Beard Fired
    by Klaus Marre and Jordy Yager The Hill
    07/30/08 11:31 AM [ET]

    House Minority Leader John Boehner on Wednesday called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to fire House Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard, arguing he is too partisan for the office.

    Much of Boehner's criticism centered on actions Beard has taken, with Pelosi's support, to green the Capitol, such as by purchasing carbon credits to lessen the Capitol's environmental footprint.

    ???Mr. Beard???s complete disregard for the interests of American taxpayers and the recklessly partisan manner in which he has carried out his duties make him unfit for this office,??? the Ohio Republican said in a letter to Pelosi (D-Calif.).

    ???He has on many occasions exceeded his authority by involving himself and his staff in supporting and advocating the partisan policy objectives of the majority,??? Boehner added.

    A Democratic aide called Boehner???s request for Beard???s firing a ???politically-motivated stunt,??? adding that ???the timing makes it clear that it is designed to grab headlines.???

    The GOP leader said Beard, a former Democratic staffer, has taken several trips at taxpayer expense and wasted money on carbon credits and a $700,000 lighting system for the Capitol Dome. Beard has touted the new lights to illuminate the Capitol Dome as more energy efficient than the current system.

    ???When Mr. Beard hasn???t spent money on carbon credits or lighting, he has seen fit to forfeit millions of dollars owed to the taxpayers,??? Boehner added. ???Mr. Beard exceeded his authority by making significant changes to the House food service contract, after it was approved by the Committee on House Administration, which will result in the loss of more than $5 million dollars in commission revenue that could be used to make up for some of Mr. Beard???s reckless spending.???

    The minority leader also stated that Beard had launched an attack on Rep. Vernon Ehlers (Mich), the ranking Republican on the House Administration Committee.

    Boehner argued that ???from the mismanagement of his office, to his penchant for partisan attacks and waste of taxpayer-funded resources, the case for dismissing Mr. Beard is clear??? and called on Pelosi to fire the CAO immediately.

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 6:56:02 AM

    Video source claims prayer note snatched by man in Obama's "entourage" by Reuven Koret israelinsider (Israel???s Daily Newsmagazine) July 30, 2008

    Under pressure from mainstream publications, a spokesman for Israel's Maariv Hebrew-only daily newspaper has now denied that the paper ever claimed that the Obama campaign pre-approved publication of the prayer note attributed to him. This despite the fact that four other Israel newspaper published on July 28 a prior statement from another unnamed Maariv spokesmen that made this claim: "Barack Obama's note was approved for publication in the international media even before he put in the Kotel [Western Wall], a short time after he wrote it at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem."

    But posting of a video that allegedly shows the purloining of the note, and the claim of the cameraman that the pilferer was connected to the Obama entourage, adds yet another wrinkle to the fast unfolding mystery.

    The latest twist in the byzantine "Kotel-gate" affair comes from The News Republic's Zvika Krieger, writing in TNR's "The Plank" Blog and then updates: "I just got off the phone with a Ma'ariv spokesman who says that the accusation is 'completely false,' and that he has no idea who these papers were quoting from Ma'ariv. 'No official spokesman for Ma'ariv told this to any of the papers.'" Krieger added: "He told me definitively that "the Obama campaign did not give us a copy of the letter or approve it for printing."

    Krieger is now following up with the papers who published the original quote -- The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, The Marker and Globes -- to find out who at Maariv issued the prior statement. It remains curious that neither Maariv spokesman appears willing to be named, and the whole conduct of the paper, which let the claim of pre-authorization remain unchallenged and uncorrected for more than a day," deeply undermines its credibility.

    Krieger, again without naming names, updates that "I just spoke with an editor at one of the four publications who quoted the alleged "Ma'ariv spokesman." This editor broached the possibility that Ma'ariv was trying to deflect criticims of it by releasing these spurious rumors about the Obama campaign, but upon realizing that they'll have to back up those accusations, is now disavowing them. This editor is going to look into this alleged "Ma'ariv spokesman" they quoted in his publication so we can try to ascertain if this is a Ma'ariv cover-up."

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/31/2008 6:49:57 AM

    Continued - Video source claims prayer note snatched

    Maariv has been roundly criticized in Israel for revealing the alleged prayer note, and has even been subjected to a threat of a lawsuit or a consumer boycott unless it apologizes for the note's publication.

    If Maariv is now contradicting itself, the Obama campaign, characteristically has been acting coy, refusing to confirm of deny that the prayer note even comes from the hand of Barack Obama. An AP report notes: "Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs would neither confirm nor deny the note was Obama's [but] The handwriting appeared to match a message Obama inscribed Wednesday in the guest book at Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial, and was written on stationery from the King David Hotel, where Obama stayed while in Israel. Obama signed the Yad Vashem message. The note from the Western Wall was unsigned."

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/30/2008 2:47:57 PM

    Davole- Of course you must respond to oyur call to duty and disagree with me. That's nothing new.

    The reason I posted in defense of Sky was because I was partly to blame. It takes two to tango!

    This strings attached comment- I don't think that. How can there be any strings? We are in cyber space after all.

    You have a nice day too. Btw, I saw your chiachiarella comment. How would you know the word unless you are Italian? I'm not one though, a chatterbox, in fact I'm demure in person.

    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 10:47:15 PM

      Pia1981 -

      I do apologize for incorrectly referring to Skypoint as Skyview.
      That was an error on my part, and no - repeat no - disrespect was intended.

    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 10:23:22 PM

      Pia1981 -

      In response to the 4 points which you stated:
      1 - OK
      2 - OK
      3 &4 - Ask Skyview - he might care to explain them to you. I trust his ability in this regard if he chooses to do so.

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 10:33:51 PM

    Democratic Party maybe presumes too much - about women
    Robin Lakoff San Francisco Chronicle - Open Forum
    Tuesday, July 29, 2008

    It may seem as though the Democratic Party can give a sigh of relief: Women have returned to the fold, and will support Barack Obama for president - and presumably his party - after all. But not so fast.

    While I and many other women in my demographic (older, professional, liberal) are likely to vote for Obama in November, our feelings about his party (and ours) are not so clear. We remember the perpetual misogyny and sexism of the media during the primary campaign - misogyny aimed less at Hillary Rodham Clinton herself than at "uppity women" (like ourselves) in general. And many of us feel that the Democratic Party is even more to blame than the media.

    Let me mention a couple of reasons why I am thinking this way:

    First, of course, is the failure of the party leaders to comment on the sexism rampant in the media, especially the liberal media, for months on end.

    Second - and this factor bothers me, and no doubt others, perhaps the most: Why did the superdelegates move in such numbers to support Obama? Why did this occur, especially after Clinton victories? For example, I am thinking here of Robert Byrd. After Clinton's impressive victory in West Virginia, the senator and elder statesman representing that state came out in support of Obama. Because the superdelegates were created to ensure that the Democratic candidate be a centrist, why did so many superdelegates - including liberals and many women - support Obama? Two arguments were made: They wished to follow the will of the people in their district; and they believed that Obama was more electable. But as the Byrd case shows, the first claim was often false; and no one has any idea which of the two, Clinton or Obama, would be more electable in November. It seemed to me that the term was more often used as a kind of excuse, "I'm voting for Obama, but I can't really tell you why," than a reasoned argument.

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 10:30:12 PM

    Continued - Democratic Party maybe presumes too much - about women

    So many women feel that the election was somehow stolen, and by their own party, to boot. They thus feel much the way many Democrats feel about the 2000 election: bitter. When one side feels that they lost an election fairly, any bitterness recedes early on (think of the 2004 election, by comparison). But when the adjective "stolen" leaps to mind, bitterness is apt to prevail, vanquishing any desire for reconciliation and cooperation. That is what many former Clinton supporters are feeling now.

    We are disgusted with the party we have long trusted to represent our interests. We are disgusted with ourselves for being snookered - again. We assess the party leaders' rejection of Clinton as a cynical strategy. If Clinton had ended up as the candidate, the Democrats stood to lose the votes of many African Americans, who then might not vote at all. But if they made Obama the candidate? Well, then (the reasoning seems to have gone), the women always vote, and they will come around. Women always come around, no matter how badly they're mistreated.

    I am reminded of a particularly chilling passage in Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita." Humbert Humbert, after raping the 12-year-old, is pondering why she has come back to his bed. "You see," Humbert tells the reader, "she had absolutely nowhere else to go."

    That's just how I feel. And they want my enthusiastic support? The Democratic Party can fend for itself.

    Robin Lakoff is a professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley. She is the author of "The Language War," "Talking Power" and "Language and Woman's Place."

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/30/2008 8:33:53 PM

    Hello Sky.

    • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/30/2008 9:28:06 PM

      Hi Pia Z! There's a post for you 3 doors down.

      • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/30/2008 9:34:37 PM

        Meaning one of the other NW sites.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 07/28/2008 12:48:49 PM

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/26/224636/307

    McCain's New Ad and McCain's Hypocrisy

    by William Domingo

    Sat Jul 26, 2008 at 08:16:59 PM PDT

    McCain is using Obama's canceled trip to a U.S. militay base in Germany as a reason to claim that Obama is anti-troops, even though Obama's trip was canceled by the Pentagon, not by Obama. Now with McCain going on and on in a political attack ad about what a horrible and un-patiotic thing it was for Obama not to visit those troops, come to find out, McCain knows better. How does he know? Follow me after the jump.

    William Domingo's diary :: ::
    Barack Obama canceled a pre-planned visit to the troops in Germany yesterday after being told by the Pentagon that the trip would violate a Pentagon policy prohibiting campaign stops on military installations. No problem there.

    However, the McCain campaign is now blasting Obama:

    The McCain camp has nonetheless been using Obama's canceled trip to insinuate that he's anti-troops. "Barack Obama is wrong," McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers said in a statement yesterday. "It is never 'inappropriate' to visit our men and women in the military."
    It turns out the same thing happened to John McCain himself back in April of this year. But of course when it happens to him, he brags that it "was a good thing" that HE didn't visit the troops, "because he always follows the rules."

    The problem here is that the McCain campaign was denied a visit to a military base under the same policy back in April. Of course, there was no outcry or false outrage from Brian Rogers at that time.

    From CNN:

    With Department of Defense rules prohibiting political campaigning on military bases, it was determined that in some cases McCain could visit the installations as a senator but could not engage in any political activity or have news media present.
    McCain campaign officials said Thursday they intentionally did not campaign on military property.

    "We follow the rules," said senior McCain adviser Steve Schmidt.
    I have to ask, just how much lies, hypocrisy, and double-talk is this man willing to resort to in his quest for the presidency?

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/30/2008 5:33:59 PM

      Omaar, thank you. I had no idea McCain did not visit the injured troops back in March because he followed the same rules Obama followed last week.

  • Posted By: Cloudosmoke @ 07/28/2008 8:42:04 AM

    Ok dudes and dudettes... Pakistan and Afghanistan are the "re-newed" fronts on the war on terror. The war on Saddam Hussein has been over since he was executed by a war monger. The civil war between the tribes after that should have been quelled by the Iragi Government. Sure you can argue that, "dude, there was no Iraqi government," which would be the big picture, there already was an Iraqi government even though we didn't like that Iraqi government which did not have WMD's nor links to Al Quaida.

    Barack Obama supported the war on terror, he didn't support the war on Saddam Hussein. He saw that it was a mistake to turn our attention away from Afghanistan and Pakistan. McCain was all for going into Iraq. McCain could have cared less about what would happen to Pakistan and Afghanistan since he was busy laying around in hospitals and his sick bed at the time.

    McCain is too frail, can't think on his feet (when we get attacked again on his watch), cannot connect with World Leaders, cannot manage the militaries, Is ready to plunder the land with drilling (destabilizing wildlife even more than it is today), he continues to draw Social Security even though he is ready to axe it along with our benefits, he is quick to judge his fellow countrymen that oppose him and so on and so forth.

    McCain would best be suited to remain in Congress which he is even jeopardizing re-election once he loses this election. So ask yourself GOPers, ex-Hillary supporters (which if you aren't backing Obama, then you turn your back on Hillary who supports him) and anyone else not up to date on the current GLOBAL situations, who do you reakky think is best suited for the leader of the free world?

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 9:06:43 AM

      GM Cloud. And it is a good morning because of your astounding comments. Thank you. You are 100% correct about everything. The last paragraph regarding Hillary supporters turning their back on Hillary by not supporting Obama, is the truth and they know it. Voting for McCain out of revenge for Hillary and to spite Obama, is childish and irresponsible.

      • Posted By: Cloudosmoke @ 07/28/2008 9:19:32 AM

        Hello Pia, see that you and the rest of the bloggers have been at it this weekend. Keep at em. Turn a few from the dark side. lol. Especially HR. That guy or gal needs Jesus. Lot of hate rolls off of that keyboard. And oh yeah, tell Sky I said what's up in whatever language you two deem fit.

        • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 10:30:29 AM

          Howdy Cloudy!!!!, Che cosa c'è di agitazione? (Italian for what's shakin'!) We missed your posts this weekend! Don't do that again... LOL

          -Sky

          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 10:40:14 AM

            Agitazione? Cute. Lol! You have a great personality, Libra. You go Sky!

            • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 11:14:14 AM

              E voi, Scorpione! I tuoi post sono il culmine della mia giornata!

              There I go.... I'm being bad again. I'll hold it down, lo prometto !

              • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 11:37:43 AM

                Il culmine? Veramente? Sky, your Italian is perfection indeed. That's good and that means that now you get to teach la piccola Scorpione the language all over again, since she has become lazy with it and speaks only slang with ther family. Che peccato mio Cielo, you can't leave the blogs now if that is what you plan to do. If you do, Il Scorpione may just have to sting you.... She would rather give you a bunch of bisous instead........Like Bill O on The Factor says, 'what say you?"

                • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 1:40:02 PM

                  What say me? bisous? J'aime les bisous! Je suis d'attente!

                  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 3:53:34 PM

                    Lol! Bisous on the way.

                    Catch ya later this eve, busy now. I spent some time on a couple of the new articles being featured and battled. Now I have to get some work done. Keep practicing rolling those R's. Bye...

                    • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 6:28:18 PM

                      Battled? You? So che stai scherzando! I'll have to look them up!

                      • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 10:35:43 PM

                        Buona Sera, Sky. Come vai?

                        Yes CA, do look up my 'bad' posts, you will find them on Obama's Sober Mood. I am a bit ashamed but I had to do it!

                        A domani... dormi bene...

                        • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/29/2008 8:16:31 AM

                          Wow. Tough night over there. Glad you had some help! I left a post or two... when you get the time.

                          Great post from "Seej". I agree with her, some simply cannot be reasoned with. IMO, your talents lie elsewhere....

                          Addio per ora, e hanno un grande giorno!

                          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/29/2008 9:28:04 AM

                            Sky, I saw your comments on that article and replied , thanks. I agree with you and Seej, no need to waste time on the hopeless.

                            Thanks for being nice, you are the kindest, most balanced and the most harmless person I know here.

                            Catch you later, busy this am. Ciao....bisou.

                            • Posted By: Cloudosmoke @ 07/29/2008 2:02:13 PM

                              Sweetness! You two still at it. I'ma buy the room for ya two. You want the generic accomodation (vibrating bed) or the "Presidential" suite. ; ) LOL. Just messin with ya. Been on other articles hamming it up.

                              • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/29/2008 2:33:29 PM

                                ROFLMAO!!! You crack me up!!! If you're not doing stand-up, you should be! Has it gotten that Cyber sloppy? LOL.. I'm sure P will get a kick out of this...

                                Looked for you this a.m., but had to wade through so much Omar and Davole that I'm not sure if you were here!

                                • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 1:57:30 AM

                                  Skypoint -

                                  Sorry - maybe I should apologize - how obnoxious of me to actually post political ideas on a political website.

                                  Maybe I should have posted them on a social or dating website instead.

                                  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/30/2008 8:05:35 AM

                                    Davole-

                                    I know I am interfering here but I feel that I must defend Sky on this. Please do not take any offense in his comment, he only meant to say, that this article has become very overcrowded that is all. Sky is the most gentle person I know on these blogs. He respects you. He has mentioned this in posts right here on this article. If you'd like to read the comments, you may find the posts way down below if you have the time and patience to get there.

                                    Okay- Have a good day.

                                    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 2:09:05 PM

                                      Pia1981 -

                                      OK, I am not comfortable doing this, but duty calls - and I must disagree with you again.

                                      No, definitely No - you are not interfering!

                                      And there is no need for you to defend Skypoint - I am sure that he could do that for himself, if he should ever have to do that. But he and I do appreciate your support of him.

                                      And as I have assured and discussed with Skypoint, no offense was taken by me. or he, or ye.

                                      If there's one of your beliefs that I would like you to reconsider, it's your professed statement that I (and possibly by inference - anyone else) cannot care for or about you (without any "strings attached").

                                      OK - Have a great and memorable day!

                                  • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/30/2008 8:51:58 AM

                                    Davole - I'm sorry you were offended, and Pia was right... I did not intend that and wasn't being critical of you. In hindsight I should have "used my head". I can see how you could have taken it in the wrong way. I do read your posts and deeply appreciate your point of view, and yes, have commented so. On a personal note, I will simply say that Pia and I enjoy each other's posts, and yes, it shows. For me, it brightens what can otherwise get pretty dark and gloomy. Neither of us, however, would ever want to overshadow the main purpose of this board. Thanks for your post, and once again, I apologize if I offended you.

                                    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 1:47:08 PM

                                      Skypoint -

                                      Thanks for your reply - actually, no offense was taken.
                                      I do apologize - my attempts at humour can, at times, be dripping with sarcasm - it's just my style, and no offense was meant by my reply.

                                      Also, thank you for your several complimentary comments in regard to my posts.
                                      Yes, I have noticed, and I do appreciate them.

                                      In regard to your personal note, I realize that Pia and you enjoy each other's posts, and yes, it shows. It brightens what can otherwise get pretty dark and gloomy. I believe that probably all of the bloggers on this website would "echo" that viewpoint. Pia1981 is a real "beaut", and I do mean that sincerely, even though she might have difficulty "grasping" that someone can get to "know" someone else beyond their screen or user name by the content of their comments.

                                      And your continuous back and forth language rapport is very dignified and informative.

                                      It appears as though there are no "hard feelings" all ways around. I appreciate that!

                                • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/29/2008 3:18:38 PM

                                  P is getting a kick out of it. Cute!

                                  • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/29/2008 4:32:37 PM

                                    Hope you haven't gotten all embarrassed here.... lol ; ) BTW, I must've missed the Obama's $$ thing...

                                    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/29/2008 10:17:23 PM

                                      Sky, not to worry, I'm not embarassed.

                            • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/29/2008 2:21:42 PM

                              Thank you for that very nice compliment!

                              I really enjoyed the posts on that board last night, at least until it reached the point of crudeness. I know we can all be a little crude sometimes, moi inclus! However I do my best not to point it directly at anyone. It's where I draw the line.

                              Funny, it surprised me a little... Je sais que vous pouvez défendre vous-même, mais je détestais les voir vous attaquer de cette façon. Obviously, a result of having gotten to know... comment gentil et doux vous êtes vraiment!

                              I hope that wasn't too much for you to decipher!

                              Thank you again for the nice compliment, mignon Pia Z!

                              -Ciel

                              • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/29/2008 3:13:13 PM

                                Hi Sky, how is your day going? Well, I hope.

                                You're welcome. I was being sincere.

                                Sky, your French is impeccable. You need lessons? Nah.

                                The posts last night, yes, very crude, esp. mine. I shocked myself posting the one about josemarti and
                                Obama's $$. I will never be that away again, it's not me. I hope you don't think badly of me because of it.. I will get to see those posts everytime I visit the article and I get to cringe. My punishment. Can't edit any of it.

                                Sky, if you need to brush up on your Italian and have time later tonight, I'll be here or perhaps we need to go to another article, this one is too full.

                                Later Sky.... take care, have a nice remainder of the afternoon.

                                • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/29/2008 4:08:59 PM

                                  Tutto bene... Been busy, but have had time to leave a post or two here and there.

                                  I've been lookin' for slang in all the wrong places... lol Thanks for the offer... Lessons, yep I really do need them. I've been finding decent fares to Rome right now for this fall. Don't have a clue yet for hotels or resorts.

                                  I agree, this site is too full. Leave me a post whenever you can donate some time! Later then -

                        • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 11:18:39 PM

                          You've had a long day! - Buona notte, e di riposo facile, Pia Z.

                          -Ciel

                          • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 11:24:50 PM

                            Grazie, Sky. Buona notte.

          • Posted By: Cloudosmoke @ 07/28/2008 10:58:21 AM

            LOL. Yeah, that. I tend to break away from the computer on the weekends. Like to get outdoors a little with my girls and go to park or just drive the countryside on our way to Granma's house over the hills we go, but since oil prices are up no thanks to BUSH!!!! we just settle for the park. LOL.

            • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 11:50:59 AM

              Quote: "but since oil prices are up no thanks to BUSH!!!! we just settle for the park. LOL" Funny stuff : ) .... I was watching CNNNNN the other day, and Lou Dobbs blamed Bush for the rotten tomato thing that was going around! Twas funny...

        • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 9:58:05 AM

          Hello Cloud. Nice of you to say have been at it but I have not. I was not productive on the blogs for Obama this weekend. I spent most of the weekend blogging with Sky in Italian and French! We are brushing up on your foreign language skills for his trip. I will try to be better this week and stay on topic even though it is not easy to do. I promise. It's all Sky's fault though..lol!

          • Posted By: Skypoint @ 07/28/2008 11:30:30 AM

            Lol... I'll take the blame here, however it's just because you.... si sono semplicemente troppo irrisistable

            Catch up with you all later!


            -Sky

            • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/28/2008 11:42:21 AM

              You should Sky! Thank you for the compliment. Likewise of course. You knew that already miele.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 07/30/2008 1:59:53 PM

    McCain: ???I Said We Would Have An Easy Victory??? In Iraq And ???We Did???»
    In late 2002 and early 2003, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was a fixture on cable television, assuring Americans that an invasion of Iraq would be ???easy.??? ???I believe that the success will be fairly easy,??? McCain told CNN in September 2002. ???We will win this conflict. We will win it easily,??? he told MSNBC the following January.

    Over the years, McCain has often claimed that he made never made rosy predictions, saying in 2006 that he ???fully understood from the beginning??? that Iraq ???would be a very, very difficult undertaking.??? In January 2007, however, he wasn???t sure what he believed. First, he said that he knew it was ???going to be long and hard and tough,??? but six days later he claimed, ???I said the military operation would be easy. It was easy.???

    On Larry King Live last night, when asked about the decision to invade, McCain went back to saying that he predicted America would have ???an easy victory??? and that ???we did???:

    MCCAIN: I think we did the right thing. I think that it was a colossal intelligence failure on the part of the United States and every other county as to whether he had them or not. But again, I would remind you, I said we would have an easy victory. We did.

    Watch it:



    Just as he can???t figure out his current position on timetables, McCain can???t keep his rhetoric straight on whether he???s a cheerleader or critic of the Iraq war. As Matt Duss points out in the Wonk Room, McCain believes it???s ???a job for the historians??? to figure out if invading Iraq was a good decision.

    With his haphazard declaration that the initial invasion was ???an easy victory??? and his refusal to reconsider the decision to invade, McCain ignores the numerous disastrous consequences of that invasion, including over 4,000 U.S. soldiers killed and over 30,000 wounded.

    Transcript:

    KING: If this would go back, start all over again, would you go into Iraq if you could go back?

    MCCAIN: I think the world is better off knowing what I know at the time and the fact that Saddam Hussein was bent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction, $12 billion Oil for Food scandal. American airplanes were being shot at. Sanctions were breaking down. It???s clear that he wanted to go back and acquire weapons of mass destruction and use them. I don???t think there is any doubt. I think we did the right thing. I think that it was a colossal intelligence failure on the part of the United States and every other county as to whether he had them or not. But again, I would remind you, I said we would have an easy victory. We did.

    And then we employed the wrong strategy which doomed us to failure and we were losing this war when I said we had to have this new strategy all along and stoop up for it when most political pundits said that my career was finished.
    ------------------------------------------------------

  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/30/2008 1:37:54 PM

    Davole- Skypoint and I left you a posts in regards to your comment to Sky. I don't know if you've seen them.

    Cloud's little comment down below- he was joking. I know you know that too. Sky and I are blog buddies who enjoy each other's company because we seem to have much in common, foreign language for one, even though, I am an Obama supp. and Sky is a McCain supp. Sky and I also respect one another very much.

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 1:14:19 PM

    Video source claims prayer note snatched by man in Obama's "entourage" by Reuven Koret israelinsider (Israel???s Daily Newsmagazine) July 30, 2008

    Under pressure from mainstream publications, a spokesman for Israel's Maariv Hebrew-only daily newspaper has now denied that the paper ever claimed that the Obama campaign pre-approved publication of the prayer note attributed to him. This despite the fact that four other Israel newspaper published on July 28 a prior statement from another unnamed Maariv spokesmen that made this claim: "Barack Obama's note was approved for publication in the international media even before he put in the Kotel [Western Wall], a short time after he wrote it at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem."

    But posting of a video that allegedly shows the purloining of the note, and the claim of the cameraman that the pilferer was connected to the Obama entourage, adds yet another wrinkle to the fast unfolding mystery.

    The latest twist in the byzantine "Kotel-gate" affair comes from The News Republic's Zvika Krieger, writing in TNR's "The Plank" Blog and then updates: "I just got off the phone with a Ma'ariv spokesman who says that the accusation is 'completely false,' and that he has no idea who these papers were quoting from Ma'ariv. 'No official spokesman for Ma'ariv told this to any of the papers.'" Krieger added: "He told me definitively that "the Obama campaign did not give us a copy of the letter or approve it for printing."

    Krieger is now following up with the papers who published the original quote -- The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, The Marker and Globes -- to find out who at Maariv issued the prior statement. It remains curious that neither Maariv spokesman appears willing to be named, and the whole conduct of the paper, which let the claim of pre-authorization remain unchallenged and uncorrected for more than a day," deeply undermines its credibility.

    Krieger, again without naming names, updates that "I just spoke with an editor at one of the four publications who quoted the alleged "Ma'ariv spokesman." This editor broached the possibility that Ma'ariv was trying to deflect criticims of it by releasing these spurious rumors about the Obama campaign, but upon realizing that they'll have to back up those accusations, is now disavowing them. This editor is going to look into this alleged "Ma'ariv spokesman" they quoted in his publication so we can try to ascertain if this is a Ma'ariv cover-up."

  • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 1:08:42 PM

    Continued - Video source claims prayer note snatched ...

    Maariv has been roundly criticized in Israel for revealing the alleged prayer note, and has even been subjected to a threat of a lawsuit or a consumer boycott unless it apologizes for the note's publication.

    If Maariv is now contradicting itself, the Obama campaign, characteristically has been acting coy, refusing to confirm of deny that the prayer note even comes from the hand of Barack Obama. An AP report notes: "Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs would neither confirm nor deny the note was Obama's [but] The handwriting appeared to match a message Obama inscribed Wednesday in the guest book at Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial, and was written on stationery from the King David Hotel, where Obama stayed while in Israel. Obama signed the Yad Vashem message. The note from the Western Wall was unsigned."

  • Posted By: Cloudosmoke @ 07/30/2008 8:41:15 AM

    Catch you all somewhere along the party line. And yeah D, I'm watching for those muts, I thought it was raining. Peace out.

    • Posted By: Davole @ 07/30/2008 12:55:27 PM

      cloudosmoke -

      Just looking out for you!
      Heck, somebody's "gotta" do it, after all, you do somehow appear to be a democrat.

      Using the mutt analogy, hopefully you won't "step in it" again, at least not until tonight or tomorrow.

      I must confess - I do enjoy doing battle (discourse) with you.
      What do you say - marshmallows at 10 paces?
      I'll even agree to giving you a marked advantage - I'll only lob 50% of your artillery back at you.

      Your offer to pay for a hotel room for the 2 enamoured was priceless - I'm glad that you're picking up the tab.

      Since this Newsweek site is on your side of the border, would you have any direct influence in convincing (coercing) the powers that be to institute a thread dedicated solely to peripheral concerns, such as socializing, dating, flirting, and language lessons?

      Nothing but respect for you!

      And that extends to all of the other bloggers on this site, even the misguided ones, usually democrats!

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