Can Obama Stay Above the Fray?

Have you guys seen the new animated version of Get Your War On? Whichever side of the aisle you're on, I'm pretty sure you'll find this video funny, whether you're a terrorist, non-terrorist, or simply a neglected unlisted terrorist: http://www.236.com/video/2008/get_your_war_on_the_watch_list_1_8056.php

5 Democrats (moderate) and 5 Republicans (moderate) have come together to discuss our current energy crisis. They have come up with ERA of 2008. ENERGY REFORM ACT of 2008. Under the leadership of Senator Conrad (D-ND) and Senator Chambliss (R-GA), today, they submitted a bill that is fully paid and offers a BALANCE of Finding More US oil, Funding alternative energy, and conserving energy. It will open up the southern eastern offshore - but NOT around FL nuclear weapons testing area and NOT WITHIN 50 miles of FLORIDA COAST. It will be funded by levying ROYALTIES on all offshore drilling. (Not just minor lease payments)

This is the only WIN-WIN solution offered on the Senate floor in the past 1 1/2 years.

Please contact your Senators to support the ENERGY REFORM ACT OF 2008, by Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).

Eleanor, who are you kidding? Obama is the person creating the "fray".

What an empty suit!!! Obama has a tissue thin resume and can only win by manipulation and scamming.

He has played the race card over and over since the primaries. He, unlike McCain or Hillary, has NO mastery of public policy and he shows NO willingness to do the hard work necessary to gain that mastery.

Obama is a lazy pol who wants to win by misdirection and manipulation. In his case, he has used his blackness masterfully to be where he is.

Please Eleanor, you are a smart woman, don't embarrass yourself any further by excusing Obama's abominable behavior. He will go down in flames and he will take down all of you media who are in the tank for him.

Dear Eleanor,
Come on now, you know Barack Obama is nothing new and acting any different than the typical politician. Whether thats good or bad is up for debate. When he would rather read a prepared text than debate across the U.S. in town hall meetings, you claim thats new and different. Many more examples of his Chicago political background to long to list.. I'm disappointed you've drunken the Kool-Aid and been swept off your feet ,normally steadfast to the ground. Honest up, Eleanor ! Come on !

This election is 'unlike no other', is an often stated opinion this year. While there are obvious things that are new and different this year, I would say that there is a somewhat familiar model for this general election cycle from our recent history. I submit the election year 2008 will be compared to 1980. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Republican Voter, but I do not believe you will awaken happily the November morning following the general election. The comparisons are a nagging national narrative Iraq/Iranian hostages of U.S. Embassy personnel in Teheran. A deep rooted sentiment of disappointment and frustration with the direction of this country. A sputtering economy, and a feeling that those in Washington, nor the well healed pundits, really 'get it'. An unpopular incumbent (like it or not, McCain is seen as the incumbent), coupled with a well spoken and charismatic opponent. Like 1980, there is some unease with the challenger - would this man make a good Commander in Chief? Is he up to the job? If this model holds, we will have differing polls up until the final weekend, when a subtle shift will tilt the tide to the challengers favor. This year's challenger appears up to the task at hand, given his strength as a campaigning champion,and a sea change may indeed occur. One probable campaign post mortem may reflect the sentiment of
then Vice President Dan Quayle the morning following the 1992 election, 'Well, if he runs the country half as well as his campaign, then we'll all be in good shape...'

Please...... neither candidate is as pure as the windswept snow in this regard. It is what American politics have become.
Dems create caricatures just like the Repubs do. Remember when McCain was a "maverick" for going against his part and crossing the aisle to work with the opposition party? He has been painted as another George Bush. Tell a lie loud enough, and often enough, and it becomes the truth. Rove didn't event that, the Clinton's did. So save the "zen" like tears. Both parties have mud on their hands.

Well we're in another week and another shot from the Newsweek bureau of the Obama campaign to explain Obama to us poor dumb working folks, and dirty up McCain. Clift asks if Obama can stay above the fray....well the answer to that is he doesn't want to. He's way down in the sewer this week playing the race card yet again saying the Republicans will try and scare people because he does't look like dead Presidents. The when he realized how tired the country is getting of him playing the race card his campaign denied that his reference was not a reference to race. Oh yeah! I suppose he meant he doesn't wear powdered wigs like George Washinton? And Eleanor Clift has the nerve to label the McCain campaign as producing lies. So while Obama plays the race game again like he did with Hillary.......remember Geraldine Ferraro??.....McCain has supposedly taken the low road with an ad comparing Obama to .......Stalin? Hitler? Mao? Castro? Osama?......no he's compared Obama to Brittany Spears! :-) What a dastardly campaign tatic!!!!! Wow Eleanor.how could McCain sink so low???? Brittany Spears???? And why......could it be that Obama is arrogant and elitist....even you seem to think he's coming across that way......so what's wrong with McCain pointing out how arrogant and out of touch Obama really is.....remember Obama the man who thinks the working class are bitter, gun toting, bible thumping, bigots! Some of us Eleanor think that McCain is saying it like it is.....just because its against "The One" you are ga ga over doesn't make it a lie.. Obama plays race and McCain hit him with Brittany Spears.........I've got news for you......Obama is not above the fray...he is deep in the sewer!!!!! And you know it!

There are approximately 60 miillion voters out there that never see a national news show, read a newspaper with serious, national coverage, read any organ of opinion, watch a cable news channel, or visit a news website. Being a"news junkie" myself, it is hard to judge how all this summer re-run of the "Playing the Race Card" show is impacting them, but, I suspect a lot less than our media with space and time to fill can
admit (What's the fun in pontificating if no one cares what you say?) From the ratings they get the coventions (now apothoses of 7th grade pagents) and those joint press, conferences we persist as calling "debates" will be the next time these "low information" (descriptive not judgmental) voters engage.
Unless, of course, Obama's New Model Politics --depenent on it is on word-of mouh for information as well as--persuasion actually succeeds in reaching them.

All the other races are wary of Obama going racial on the rest of us. It is a huge turn off. He needs to do a better job of not becoming perceived as "entitled". It is a sickness in the Black culture similar to Tourettes Syndrome. Hard to sympathize with someone who is cussing you out al the time.

JOHN MCCAIN'S RECORD -- HE DOES NOT SUPPORT OUR TROOPS -- OUR TROOPS DESERVE BETTER THAN WHAT MCCAIN OFFERS::
September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments.
July 2007: McCain voted against a plan to drawdown troop levels in Iraq.
March 2007: McCain was too busy to vote on a bill that would require the start of a drawdown in troop levels within 120 days with a goal of withdrawing nearly all combat troops within one year.
February 2007: For such a strong supporter of the escalation, McCain didn???t even bother to show up and vote against a resolution condemning it.
June 2006: McCain voted against a resolution that Bush start withdrawing troops but with no timeline to do so.
May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.
April 2006: McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
March 2004: McCain once again voted for abusive tax loopholes over veterans when he voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating abusive tax loopholes. Jeez, McCain really loves those tax loopholes for corporations, since he voted for them over our veterans' needs.
October 2003: McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322,000,000.
April 2003: McCain urged other Senate members to table a vote (which never passed) to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.
August 2001: McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650,000,000. To his credit, he also voted against the 2001 Bush tax cuts, which he now supports making permanent, despite the dire financial condition this country is in, and despite the fact that he indicated in 2001 that these tax cuts unfairly benefited the very wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
So there it is. John McCain is yet another republican former military veteran who likes to talk a big game when it comes to having the support of the military. Yet, time and time again, he has gone out of his way to vote against the needs of those who are serving in our military. If he can???t even see his way to actually doing what the troops want, or what the veterans need, and he doesn???t have the support of veterans, then how can he be a credible commander in chief?

Jon McCain sucks. I used to like him because he didn't suck but clearly he sucks now. YOU SUCK MCCAIN!

JOHN MCCAIN'S RECORD:
September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments.
July 2007: McCain voted against a plan to drawdown troop levels in Iraq.
March 2007: McCain was too busy to vote on a bill that would require the start of a drawdown in troop levels within 120 days with a goal of withdrawing nearly all combat troops within one year.
February 2007: For such a strong supporter of the escalation, McCain didn???t even bother to show up and vote against a resolution condemning it.
June 2006: McCain voted against a resolution that Bush start withdrawing troops but with no timeline to do so.
May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.
April 2006: McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.
March 2004: McCain once again voted for abusive tax loopholes over veterans when he voted against creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans' medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating abusive tax loopholes. Jeez, McCain really loves those tax loopholes for corporations, since he voted for them over our veterans' needs.
October 2003: McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd that called for an additional $322,000,000 for safety equipment for United States forces in Iraq and to reduce the amount provided for reconstruction in Iraq by $322,000,000.
April 2003: McCain urged other Senate members to table a vote (which never passed) to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests.
August 2001: McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650,000,000. To his credit, he also voted against the 2001 Bush tax cuts, which he now supports making permanent, despite the dire financial condition this country is in, and despite the fact that he indicated in 2001 that these tax cuts unfairly benefited the very wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
So there it is. John McCain is yet another republican former military veteran who likes to talk a big game when it comes to having the support of the military. Yet, time and time again, he has gone out of his way to vote against the needs of those who are serving in our military. If he can???t even see his way to actually doing what the troops want, or what the veterans need, and he doesn???t have the support of veterans, then how can he be a credible commander in chief?

Evax,

Some quick examples that come to mind of black presidents who have led (to borrow your words) with "construction over destruction" include Nelson Mandela, Thomas Sankara, and all post-independence presidents of Botswana.

Even David, (a man after God's own heart), had to fight fire with fire. He prayed for the Lord to make his enemies his footstools, and he went into battle full throttle. David did not ignore his enemies, or suggest that they change their tactics, and be nice. He prayed for their slaughter, and then fought. Tell the Obama campaign, it's time to fight. McCain is old & senile. He's a cheater, liar, adulterer, etc.. It's time to highlight these facts, and fight fire with fire.

With this petty campaign approach, McCain has shown himself unfit to be president. I have not said this before. I always thought Obama would be a better president, but that McCain would be a capable president. I now withdraw that opinion. He is a gutter-feeding pond-scum wuss. He is not fit to be in this campaign.

This whole non-event was pounced upon by McCain to see if yet again they could make something (anything) negative stick to Obama. This is their primary strategy since Karl Rove's minions slimed their way into the McCain campaign. The champions of the Big Lie and Smear are now managing McCain to keep him on track and on message. The stench that arises from the Swift Boat style attacks on Obama is all too familiar. McCain himself was a victim of this filth in 2000. The fact that he needs to rely on this type of "thuggery" is proof positive of his feebleness as a candidate.


The Obama campaign managers have to take the gloves off and give back to McCain what his Karl Rove handlers dish out. Its time to remind people about McCain's less than straight talk about he Keating Five for example. Many of the younger voters don't know anything about those sleazy dealings. How about his blithering comments about Iraq when Lieberman had to practically wipe the drool off McCain's face as Joe whispered corrections about Iraq into his ear. When the Swift Boaters went after Kerry he stood there like a deer in the headlights. Obama needs to strike back and quickly. The Rove team is counting on his stumbling in in the face of their relentless smears