lostfan

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 09:32 PM) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWZHTJsR4Bc She. Didnt. Know. Africa. Was. A. Continent. Holy s***. Before that he said she didn't know what countries were in NAFTA, but it's completely overshadowed by what he says after that.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 09:25 PM) well that goes to the assumption that if you voted McCain and not for Bush you're a racist. Ok so if you voted Bush and voted Obama you're then an sexist cause obviously they didn't vote for McCain because a female was on the ticket? both are suspicious, and honestly this whole 'only racists vote mccain' thing and 'anyone who criticizes Palin is sexist' are both garbage. i've had about enough of it to last at least another 4 years. then it starts over again i guess. which sucks. No... it shows people who otherwise voted Dem in '04 and voted Republican in this election. All the places where that happened in large numbers were concentrated in the same places. Seriously I can't think of any other reason to explain that trend, it's not saying that a vote for McCain is a vote for racism, that's kind of an absurd conclusion to draw, it only illustrates the obvious. It didn't really affect the election though b/c they were all in red states except WV.

You know though, if you look at that map Balta posted, there's a little indication that Murtha was onto something. Now as far as calling it out publicly... that was just pretty dumb and it made me cringe.

More rumors I saw on Olbermann (lol, I swear it's my wife who watches it, not me): Gates to stay on for a few months for continuity to eventually be replaced by Chuck Hagel for Defense, Caroline Kennedy for UN ambassador, Colin Powell for Education. All rumors of course.

I want to know why Murtha got re-elected, I figured this was a good place to post this. How long is his leash?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 05:00 PM) For a fascinating trend...here's an NYT map breakdown by county of which areas of the country Senator McCain outperformed President Bush's 2004 numbers. Make your own assumptions about what drove this effect. That is as big a piece of slam dunk data as you're ever going to get.

Well I suppose he could just appoint a bunch of random apolitical people to his cabinet, but then wouldn't people think he was a flaming moron?

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 06:07 PM) The problem was McCain chose to take the statement that Lewis was comparing him to Wallace as a man, with his policies and everything, when he was speaking to how McCain would sweep into these rallies using heated language and an us vs. them mentality and fueling hate, and then leaving feeling like his hands are clean. Of course this is a intricate analogy, so naturally the press could never get past the face value of McCain=Wallace!! OMG Very very true. Don't ask anybody to actually interpret anything the way it was meant...

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 11:35 AM) -- The Obama campaign was provided with reports from the Secret Service showing a sharp and very disturbing increase in threats to Obama in September and early October, at the same time that the crowds at Palin rallies became more frenzied. Michelle Obama was shaken by the vituperative crowds and the hot rhetoric from the GOP candidates. "Why would they try to make people hate us?" Michelle Obama said to a top campaign aide. I'm going to vouch for this as 100% true. I didn't want to bring it up while people were arguing about who was inciting whom because there is a fine line about stuff I can talk about and what I shouldn't or just plain can't.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 04:50 PM) That made me laugh. I wish it were true! I couldn't imagine why?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 04:47 PM) He was giving his speeches on his own, he presumably picked his own VP, etc. Just because a consultant tells you something will work doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. I mean, if a classic consultant got its hands on Senator Obama's campaign, how different would it have been? "A large rally in Berlin? Are you nuts? And that middle name, can we do something about that?" I thought it was hilarious when Obama said his october surprise was going to be that his middle name was actually Steve.

You know, I think McCain was genuinely hurt by what Lewis said. But Lewis didn't actually call him a racist, he more like gave a warning. Still, yeah, McCain clearly didn't like it.

QUOTE (Steff @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:51 PM) Thanks. It enabled me to take a step back and think before posting another response to him. In these kinds of situations what we say isn't really iron-clad because everybody sees things differently, so if someone disagrees, feel free to speak up. Even the mods don't necessarily agree about everything.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:51 PM) I would as well. I just think the goal of each scenario is similar enough where they can be compared to each other. And I think thats what ss2k was trying to do I get what he's getting at, I just don't really think there is an equivalency there because there's a difference between the older Black Panthers and the newer anti-white separatists. Although maybe the logic is valid after all, because people wouldn't know the difference and most would assume they have bad intentions on sight alone (since we really don't know which one it is, or why he was even standing there).

QUOTE (Steff @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:46 PM) Obviously open to interpretation. It is, we mods are human which is why I posted that in the open.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:47 PM) I believe any desired effect of Black Panthers hanging out in front of a polling place of a predominantly black area would be roughly equivalent to the same desired effect of KKK members standing outside of a polling station of a predominantly white area I would still go in the polling place past them and cast a ballot for Obama. I'd act like they weren't there.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:41 PM) Egging on stuff? OK, if that is egging someone on, please feel free to have me suspended. If I have broke the rules, I have no problem paying the price. You're good at this point and clearly in-line IMO. Now if your answer had been refuted and then you kept pressing on with it to the point of being obnoxious that's different, but you're not. Just trying to carry out your argument.

QUOTE (Steff @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 03:30 PM) I think his previous response is clear. But you keep asking. I'm sure eventually someone will fit your mold. ETA: isn't this egging on stuff not allowed from the sign and agree thread? I don't think so, he's just trying to make his point and get someone to answer his question. Although I don't think the logic is valid personally.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 02:48 PM) I think it's critical that Obama picks Gates. Bush's presidency died at the hands of Groupthink within his staff. If Gates was there instead of Rumsfeld I think more people would've respected Powell and taken him seriously, which could've been a decent administration as opposed to a flaming, miserable failure.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 02:43 PM) Wesley Clark? I wouldn't mind him, but I just think Gates is better. I have the utmost respect for the guy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 02:41 PM) I really dislike the idea of keeping that notion around that Democrats can't be trusted on defense and they need a GOP type daddy to take care of them otherwise the mean military will hurt them. I understand that's not the only reason for keeping Gates around potentially, but it's so deeply ingrained in the media that I'd really like to see that be the one position given to a Democrat in the cabinet. That and energy. No Republicans for energy. He is flat-out the best option for the job IMO, if he will take it. I couldn't care less about party affiliations.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) It appears that will happen. I'd like to know more about Bob Gates, he seems to have no ego, or rather, a non-politician forced to work with politicians. Just a man very good at his job that cares about how it's done. He's served in mostly Republican administrations but you pretty much hit it on the head. He has universal respect between both parties. He's the polar opposite of Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld was a typical bureaucrat who had an agenda that included grabbing as much power and authority as he could. When I write papers about the intel reforms and whatever else I always end up bashing Rumsfeld. Gates doesn't play that game, he's all about the government as a whole and not just his department, and he's built some really good cooperative relationships within the intel community. I have nothing bad to say about the guy.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Nov 5, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) There was some discussion that it's possible he'll stick around.. if only for a few months. A few months is better than nothing at all. I know he wants to retire, but he's really too awesome to do so.

Michelle Malkin was all over that s*** yesterday. "I call her Peggy Moocher." Uh, Michelle, she was talking about the economy, how and why would she expect that Obama is going to pay for those things for her...? Literally, the only reason I can think of is that she is a black woman supporting Obama so she automatically drew the conclusion that she was a welfare queen looking for a handout, if a white McCain voter said the same thing using different words, she wouldn't have thought twice. I cannot stand Michelle Malkin.

I hope Bob Gates stays on as Secretary of Defense.