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legion- I agree with arkday – There was little to be proud of under the Bush Administration and I understand exactly what Michelle Obama meant when she said that. Considering all the horrid racist and anti-gay commentary coming from the Republican right, the idea of picking on her statement is laughable. Much ado about nothing to whip up an anti-Obama frenzy.
I agree with your analysis. even if McCain had gotten it together though, the overwhelming tide was historical.
I don’t think Palin was ready at that point.
Legion — a democrat shouldn’t be close up in that district under any circumstances. I expect a backlash in 2010, but I wouldn’t overread 2009 — those elections were too soon and too local.
Her accomplishments were her own & all the more impressive for that – she had to overcome tremendous odds to get where she did. I think her statement is a lot more authentic than, for instance, Clarence Thomas’s denying that affirmative action had helped him. Having lived abroad (as an adult) during the Nixon years & cringing at perceptions of the US & going through it yet again during Bush years – only somewhat during Bush 1 but massively in Bush 2 – & having been appalled during the Reagan years, I am more proud to be an American than I have been for most of my adult life – I’ve lived longer than she has.
I agree with Arkady’s 2:39 post
The fact remains that the ME is a place where young men in particular are completely disenfranchised and are frankly depressed and don’t have hope in this life, so they fall prey to these horrible terror leaders who convnice them they have nothing to gain by living here on this earth but they will have a better time in the afterlife after they blow up a few or many innocents, usually their own countrymen. It’s just so sad
I was up all night and slept most of the morning so I’m just checking in after having finished lunch. Anyone familiar with Pimento Cheese? I tried it first in Texas years ago and I woke up with the most enormous craving for it. It’s basically shredded cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers (lots) diced and mayo. I add half the mayo and some low fate cottage cheese instead. I also put red pepper flakes and some black pepper for kick. Tastes much yummier than it looks in print. So it was that and ham and split pea soup for lunch.
what happened in upstate NY was a simple case of incompetence. the “republican” in name only, dropped out.
the election board idiots kept her name on the ballot even though she was no longer a candidate, and she still got 6% of the vote by people who didn’t know better. The democratic winner still only won by 4%.
would have been different if the conservative in the race was also on the republican line.
as I recall dems lost big in virginia and nj that day. in much larger races.
Legion, I really think McCain blew it on his own, and he blew it in two places. His calling card was as an independent, take charge, no nonsense guy. Great resume, too (not that I was supporting him, but . . . ). In a democratic-leaning year, a perfect match-up on paper against Obama’s thin resume. But he conmpletely blew his own brand.
1. It wasn’t just that Palin was a bad choice, but he let himself get bullied into it by party regulars and movement conservatives. He didn’t stick to his guns, which is what “mavericks” are supposed to do. He also blew the experience argument by making a pick that shows he doesn’t think experience matters for much of anything. (You can say what you want about 17 months as governor and mayor of a small town, it doesn’t tip the scales against 4 years as a high profile senator, not much worse but certainly not quantititively better, even before we put apparent smarts on the scale).
2. The “suspension” of the campaign to deal with the financial crisis made him look ridiculous. First he announces he is suspending the campaign so he can rush back to help save the economy. Country over politics — so far, so good. But he doesn’t rush back, he takes his time waiting to be interviewed in NY by Katie Couric. Letterman killed him with live footage of him sitting in a chair, slowly being made up for television when he was supposed to be on his way back to DC. Instantly, country over politics began to look a lot like a political ploy itself. The next day, he’s back in D.C. and says nothing, nothing, in the big meeting he rushed back to be in. Not only that, a group of republicans come forward with a counterplan and McCain can’t articulate at the debate which plan he’s for. He can’t bring them into teh fold and he doesn’t embrace their plan as an alternative. So much for leadership o n display. At the debate, in the middle of the crisis, we got an audition of the two men as president and Obama, for all his lack of experience, just looked more ready. So much for any claim that he’s not. With that, the biggest knock on Obama simply dissolved as a factor in the election.
The crisis and Palin’s self destruction happened at mroe or less the same time. It was just too much for a big chunk of the middle. The polls moved and Mccain never found a way to undo the damage having essentially disarmed himself.
legion- I agree with arkday – There was little to be proud of under the Bush Administration and I understand exactly what Michelle Obama meant when she said that. Considering all the horrid racist and anti-gay commentary coming from the Republican right, the idea of picking on her statement is laughable. Much ado about nothing to whip up an anti-Obama frenzy.
slopefarm,
I agree with your analysis. even if McCain had gotten it together though, the overwhelming tide was historical.
I don’t think Palin was ready at that point.
Dave,
re:HOTD post
http://www.lisajamesotto.com/6596-Groveland-Rd-a115811.html
Is that a barn or a Zen garden?
Not only does it look like a lot of lawn to mow, but I gotta rake the barn floor too?
Legion — a democrat shouldn’t be close up in that district under any circumstances. I expect a backlash in 2010, but I wouldn’t overread 2009 — those elections were too soon and too local.
Her accomplishments were her own & all the more impressive for that – she had to overcome tremendous odds to get where she did. I think her statement is a lot more authentic than, for instance, Clarence Thomas’s denying that affirmative action had helped him. Having lived abroad (as an adult) during the Nixon years & cringing at perceptions of the US & going through it yet again during Bush years – only somewhat during Bush 1 but massively in Bush 2 – & having been appalled during the Reagan years, I am more proud to be an American than I have been for most of my adult life – I’ve lived longer than she has.
I agree with Arkady’s 2:39 post
The fact remains that the ME is a place where young men in particular are completely disenfranchised and are frankly depressed and don’t have hope in this life, so they fall prey to these horrible terror leaders who convnice them they have nothing to gain by living here on this earth but they will have a better time in the afterlife after they blow up a few or many innocents, usually their own countrymen. It’s just so sad
Hiya Losers!
I was up all night and slept most of the morning so I’m just checking in after having finished lunch. Anyone familiar with Pimento Cheese? I tried it first in Texas years ago and I woke up with the most enormous craving for it. It’s basically shredded cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers (lots) diced and mayo. I add half the mayo and some low fate cottage cheese instead. I also put red pepper flakes and some black pepper for kick. Tastes much yummier than it looks in print. So it was that and ham and split pea soup for lunch.
Let’s revisit the bet in June.
Posted by: Arkady at January 7, 2010 2:42 PM
that’s ok, I can wait till June. 😉
what happened in upstate NY was a simple case of incompetence. the “republican” in name only, dropped out.
the election board idiots kept her name on the ballot even though she was no longer a candidate, and she still got 6% of the vote by people who didn’t know better. The democratic winner still only won by 4%.
would have been different if the conservative in the race was also on the republican line.
as I recall dems lost big in virginia and nj that day. in much larger races.
“I just can’t get over his half baked campaign.”
Legion, I really think McCain blew it on his own, and he blew it in two places. His calling card was as an independent, take charge, no nonsense guy. Great resume, too (not that I was supporting him, but . . . ). In a democratic-leaning year, a perfect match-up on paper against Obama’s thin resume. But he conmpletely blew his own brand.
1. It wasn’t just that Palin was a bad choice, but he let himself get bullied into it by party regulars and movement conservatives. He didn’t stick to his guns, which is what “mavericks” are supposed to do. He also blew the experience argument by making a pick that shows he doesn’t think experience matters for much of anything. (You can say what you want about 17 months as governor and mayor of a small town, it doesn’t tip the scales against 4 years as a high profile senator, not much worse but certainly not quantititively better, even before we put apparent smarts on the scale).
2. The “suspension” of the campaign to deal with the financial crisis made him look ridiculous. First he announces he is suspending the campaign so he can rush back to help save the economy. Country over politics — so far, so good. But he doesn’t rush back, he takes his time waiting to be interviewed in NY by Katie Couric. Letterman killed him with live footage of him sitting in a chair, slowly being made up for television when he was supposed to be on his way back to DC. Instantly, country over politics began to look a lot like a political ploy itself. The next day, he’s back in D.C. and says nothing, nothing, in the big meeting he rushed back to be in. Not only that, a group of republicans come forward with a counterplan and McCain can’t articulate at the debate which plan he’s for. He can’t bring them into teh fold and he doesn’t embrace their plan as an alternative. So much for leadership o n display. At the debate, in the middle of the crisis, we got an audition of the two men as president and Obama, for all his lack of experience, just looked more ready. So much for any claim that he’s not. With that, the biggest knock on Obama simply dissolved as a factor in the election.
The crisis and Palin’s self destruction happened at mroe or less the same time. It was just too much for a big chunk of the middle. The polls moved and Mccain never found a way to undo the damage having essentially disarmed himself.