Seriously, delay the debate

[Haylo]

Yes, the debates are largely pointless, heck Kerry really "won" the debates, look what good it did him; but Diekan, have you seen the latest round of interviews from Palin, are you seriously saying that PALIN is better qualified to handle foreign issues, economy, labor, energy etc., etc. than Obama? Because let's face facts. Statistics say that McCain will croak before his term is up. That's if he was healthy, he's not. The man has a history of illness and looks like he's close to death. Yes some stats are bull but do you want to take the chance that the woman who thinks that "I don't know the answer but i'll get back to you" is freaking acceptable is this " " close to leading this country. Honestly I just can't see how anyone who is not a social conservative can vote for McCain/Palin. I just don't get it. On top of that McCain's behavior lately is freaking erratic, I wonder that he's not starting to be a little "off". We probably all have grandparents around his age, we know how old people start to get. Do you want your crazy ass grandpa running the country? I wouldn't want mine running a preschool.

I saw some line on some political blog that said under Obama things will only get a little better and under McCain things will only get a little worse. At this point i'll take won't get much better because we sure as fuck can't take even a little worse.

[Haylo]

PS I just saw three McCain ads while watching Dr. G. I thought he was pulling them all while his campaign was suspended? Funny.

[brinstar]

The debates are basically just a lot of rhetorical bullshit anyway. It’s a dog and pony show to see who looks and sounds the most presidential – IMO.

Voting record, voting record, voting record… this is the best way to determine which candidate really and truly fits YOUR belief system.

Obama sounds horrible without a teleprompter telling him what to say. When he’s asked a question out of the blue he stumbles and dances around the answer. McCain is plain BORING and makes me want to take a nap after listening to him.

We’re screwed with either of these two in the White House. Add to that the do nothing Congress we’ve had for what… the past two years… and we’re double screwed.

We’re in a war we had no business starting in the first place – because one boneheaded president just had to revenge his daddy – costing us TRILLIONS of dollars. And now we’re stuck until the job is complete.

Our jobs are gone with little chance of coming back.

The government has grown many times larger than what it should be.

Taxes are out of control.

Government spending is out of control.

Our Civil Liberties have been eaten away with laws (that would make Hitler proud) to /cough "protect us" from the boogie man.

Wall Street is full of more corruption than the back room of an Italian owned New York Strip Club.

Our economy is in complete shambles to the point it makes the S&L scandals of the 80s look like a cake walk.

And… the best we can do for the future of our county is an empty suit, teleprompter junkie and a 72 old career politician who is about as inspiring as a drunken birthday clown. At least Palin gives us something to spank it too while we wait for the complete collapse of our country.

We're F.U.C.K.E.D

and you're voting for the problem, you fucking idiot

[Diekan]

Yes, the debates are largely pointless, heck Kerry really "won" the debates, look what good it did him; but Diekan, have you seen the latest round of interviews from Palin, are you seriously saying that PALIN is better qualified to handle foreign issues, economy, labor, energy etc., etc. than Obama? Because let's face facts. Statistics say that McCain will croak before his term is up. That's if he was healthy, he's not. The man has a history of illness and looks like he's close to death. Yes some stats are bull but do you want to take the chance that the woman who thinks that "I don't know the answer but i'll get back to you" is freaking acceptable is this " " close to leading this country. Honestly I just can't see how anyone who is not a social conservative can vote for McCain/Palin. I just don't get it. On top of that McCain's behavior lately is freaking erratic, I wonder that he's not starting to be a little "off". We probably all have grandparents around his age, we know how old people start to get. Do you want your crazy ass grandpa running the country? I wouldn't want mine running a preschool.

I saw some line on some political blog that said under Obama things will only get a little better and under McCain things will only get a little worse. At this point i'll take won't get much better because we sure as fuck can't take even a little worse.

The fact is that Palin does have more *experience* in those areas than Obama - which isn't saying much because her so-called experience is pretty limited in itself. Obama was a community organizer and is a first term US senator (most of which he has spent time running for president). Neither of them are qualified for the job IMHO. But at least Palin has served as a gov. running a state - regardless of the population of the state the mechanics are essentially the same. What has Obama run? I mean seriously... what has Obama done in the arena of foreign issues or economics? While Palin has little to no experience with foreign issues she at least has some economic experience.

You have to understand I don't hate Obama the man - I am sure he's a decent human being with all the intentions in the world of really wanting to do a good job if he's elected. But, he has NO experience in ANY of the areas that are of the utmost importance to this country in the here and now.

McCain does. In fact McCain was predicting this cluster (the economy) a few years ago and the warnings were ignored. McCain DID run on the premise of putting in more controls on special interests the last time he ran - which is why - by and large he lost. Americans didn't care about that sort of thing then... now? Now they do, too little too late.

Will McCain live through his term? I don't know, no one does.

As I've said before I don't like either choice... I really don't. And I think it really says a lot about the population of this country when those two are the best we can do.

We have to accept that this entire situation is OUR fault. Yep, it's the fault of the American people. It's our fault because the average American was traditionally more concerned with who wins American Idol than with who wins the White House. The irony is that with the advent of the Internet and our moving into the Information Age we *should* be much more intelligent now than ever before - but the sad fact is - the average person is a moron and even dumber now than ever before.

I know that was a tangent from the original post, but I digress.

This is easily the most important election of three generations (boomers, X'ers and Y'ers) and look what we have to choose from. It almost makes me want to move to Spain.

The left is attacking Palin for her lack of experience - but no one has ever really delved into the lack of experience of Obama... why is that?

[Diekan]

The debates are basically just a lot of rhetorical bullshit anyway. It’s a dog and pony show to see who looks and sounds the most presidential – IMO.

Voting record, voting record, voting record… this is the best way to determine which candidate really and truly fits YOUR belief system.

Obama sounds horrible without a teleprompter telling him what to say. When he’s asked a question out of the blue he stumbles and dances around the answer. McCain is plain BORING and makes me want to take a nap after listening to him.

We’re screwed with either of these two in the White House. Add to that the do nothing Congress we’ve had for what… the past two years… and we’re double screwed.

We’re in a war we had no business starting in the first place – because one boneheaded president just had to revenge his daddy – costing us TRILLIONS of dollars. And now we’re stuck until the job is complete.

Our jobs are gone with little chance of coming back.

The government has grown many times larger than what it should be.

Taxes are out of control.

Government spending is out of control.

Our Civil Liberties have been eaten away with laws (that would make Hitler proud) to /cough "protect us" from the boogie man.

Wall Street is full of more corruption than the back room of an Italian owned New York Strip Club.

Our economy is in complete shambles to the point it makes the S&L scandals of the 80s look like a cake walk.

And… the best we can do for the future of our county is an empty suit, teleprompter junkie and a 72 old career politician who is about as inspiring as a drunken birthday clown. At least Palin gives us something to spank it too while we wait for the complete collapse of our country.

We're F.U.C.K.E.D

and you're voting for the problem, you fucking idiot

To bad you're too stupid too see what the problem really is, you fucking idiot.

Oh by the way since you're soooo smart - why don't you provide us a list of the experience Mr. Change has that qualifies him to run the country in a time like this.

[leah]

dude diekan alex isn't even voting for obama, that's a pointless argument

[brinstar]

no man, all i ever see from you on this board (aside from misogyny) is bitching and moaning about the way things are. look at you, you're doing it RIGHT NOW. i have also seen numerous examples of how you are unhinging your jaw just so the McCain Train and their stooges in the corporate media can shovel their shit down your throat unimpeded. McCain is counting on you and people like you to cling to his previously-earned rep as a "maverick" that is interested in "change" and shut your minds long enough to let him creep his way into the white house. here's a hint: it's the Republicans we're talking about, NO ONE truly interested in change would hold a DROP of water in that party.

so yeah, complain about the bullshit war we're in, and then give McCain the keys to the jeep. complain about corporate corruption, and then give McCain your checkbook. complain about taxes being too high, and vote against the guy with the plan to lower yours and hand it to the fatcats. complain about the government raping you, and then pull down your pants and bend over. they are playing you for a fucking FOOL, and you are grinning and thanking them for it. wake up!

[Arlos]

OK, time out, I call bullshit on many of Diekan's allegations.

First, how can you not know that Obama spent 8 years as a State Senator as well? Plus, insult community organizer all you want, but they actually do a hell of a lot. Work with the poor, help get jobs into neighborhoods, work with the police to cut down crime, etc. You know that Martin Luther King was a community organizer? Cesar Chavez too. Also remember that's he's a professor of Constitutional Law at Chicago University. So, at least he's READ the damn thing, unlike our current President, who's apparently never heard of constitutionality.

Second, McCain has ALWAYS been for no oversight, no regulations, no nothing on the financial markets, which is EXACTLY how it got into this mess. Hell, McCain said himself on multiple occasions that he doesn't know much at all when it comes to the economy. You want someone who predicted this mess, just look at Warren Buffet, who warned about where things were going as early as 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2817995.stm

As for Palin's economic qualifications, when she became Mayor of Wasila, it had no debt whatsoever and 5000 residents. When she left, it was up to about 8000 people, and was 22 MILLION in debt. In 6 years. She hired one of Ted Steven's aids specifically to beg for earmarks for the town. Oh yeah, some economic expert SHE is.

And as for Obama's experience, let me leave you with this to think about:

I was an Illinois lawyer
I took on the political establishment
I ran on a platform of change
I served in the Illinois congress for 8 years
I had only 2 years experience at the national level before running for president.
I gave famous speeches and was considered an excellent orator.
When I ran for president, one of the worst presidents in the country's history was in office.
Who am I?

Spoiler for :

Abraham Lincoln

-Arlos

[KaiineTN]

What's so bad about freeing up the market as much as possible to let it work? Let the failures go under, and let new opportunities be created. Yes, we would suffer greatly in the short term, but only because we're so used to things being valued at unrealistic levels. Houses are NOT worth what they are trying to be sold for. The supply of houses is too large, the cost is too high, and the demand is too low. Common sense says let the market work, let the prices drop, and find equilibrium. Yes, that means your home value will go down, and probably significantly, and if you were stupid enough to borrow based off your equity, you are fucked, and you should be. The government doesn't exist to take money from me to bail you out. You can't take from all to give to some, and it's especially absurd to take from all to give to people who made poor decisions and want to get out of paying the price of them. That is not freedom.

What we are proposing is something so far from a free market society as can be comprehended. This bailout should NOT pass. It's not about executive compensation or other silly cosmetic details, it's about the principle. They made bad business decisions, and they should fail. Just because others will be dragged down with them doesn't mean we should save a failure. Just look at what the public thinks of it? I think I heard a number around 7% approval rating. How the hell can Congress pass something (I'm sure it will get passed) when the public is so strongly opposed to it? It's just like the Iraq war, the majority is against it, but that doesn't matter.

This isn't a problem that people can fix. This isn't something that regulations and money can fix. It is a fundamental flaw in our economic system that must be allowed to correct itself, by letting it collapse. Anything we do will only postpone such a collapse and make it worse when it happens.

This country would be better off after an economic collapse. If nothing else, it will put the government in its place... or open the doors to socialism. Sure seems like a lot of people are leaning that way these days.

Have less faith in supposed leaders and more faith in freedom.

[Gypsiyee]

just stepping in for a particular quote that perplexed me

McCain does. In fact McCain was predicting this cluster (the economy) a few years ago and the warnings were ignored.

dude, McCain wasn't even predicting it last week.

I've said it before, and I'll say it 509749587345 more times - this McCain is not the same McCain of years long gone. This McCain is another trigger-happy Bush, and everything he's done in the past 2 years is indicative of that. His campaign is even a mirror of Bush's campaign against HIM in 2000. I mean the man has become Bush to a T. I don't care what McCain's record reflects from 10+ years ago - his stances now are much different than they were then, so his voting record is moot. He has lost sight of who he is in the name of conservative votes - he is now running on the platform of selfish politicking, and he is in 'anything to get elected' mode. His "suspending the campaign" (which didn't really suspend much of anything except maybe the debate tonight) put that on proud display.

The left is attacking Palin for her lack of experience - but no one has ever really delved into the lack of experience of Obama... why is that?

As far as this, they have attacked him, relentlessly. People seem to ignore that Obama has already been through what Palin is going through now ten-fold. He's been in the public eye longer, so he's been through the ringer already. We're also comparing someone who taught constitutional law after graduating magna cum laude from one of the top schools in the world to someone who went to a few different schools to get her journalism degree and thinks that seeing Russia from a mountaintop qualifies as foreign policy experience.

Anyhow, I digress. The point is, do we really want an erratic, clueless, feeble-minded man who's contributed to all of the mess we're in running the country?

Experience means shit if your experience is what helped bring the US to ruins. I'll take what you perceive as lack of experience over experience that epitomizes what we don't want any day.

[Haylo]

Look just like Couric said in her interview, other than two years ago calling for regulations on Fannie and Freddie, when has McCain ever, in his 26 year career called fore oversight regulations. The answer is never. He's always voted for less.

I don't care that Palin ran Alaska for a whopping 20 months, because obviously she didn't do a stellar job at it and has had myriad issues. I'm so tired of seeing that executive experience card thrown around. Just because you've been in charge of something does not mean you can run the country. Just because you've never been in charge of something does not mean you can not run the country. Frankly nothing is going to prepare you for the job except the job. Bush was governor for what 8 years? What good did all of that "executive experience" do him.

I want a President who seems to know what the heck they are doing and talking about, who would rather think than rashly act. If I believe that someone can do that, regardless of their experience, that's who i'm going with. At this point and with the choices we have, i'd rather give Obama a shot than bend over for four more years of the Republicans.

[Evermore]

McCain is just posturing to try and get more votes.


why even pay attention? It's just more bullshit

[Martrae]

I have a glimmer of hope this morning that the bailout will not happen. Apparently, the House splintered last night during talks and devolved into a huge argument. Maybe some of them DO have a clue.

[Eziekial]

No, they are bickering over how to divvy up the pie.

[Martrae]

Hope killer!

[Evermore]

i thought they were trying to figure out how to funnel some of the money to their own pockets...

[ClakarEQ]

I just wanted to throw in a penny or two. Some of Obama's education was international relations (or something to that effect), that in of itself is more that Palin can say. I would even go so far to say that just because Obama comes from an international interacial family, spent time through his life in other countries, is WAY more experince that Palin ever had.

WTF, she just got her passport last year. She has NEVER been out of the fucking country except flying over canada until recently.

[vonkaar]

It's on...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26900453/

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a McCain supporter, said the Republican made a "huge mistake" by even discussing canceling the debate.

"You can't just say, 'World, stop for a moment. I'm going to cancel everything,'" Huckabee told reporters Thursday night in Alabama before attending a benefit for the University of Mobile. He said it's more important for voters to hear from the presidential candidates than for them to huddle with fellow senators in Washington.

To quote Mindia,

[Martrae]

This whole canceling things and running back to Washington just made McCain look desperate. Whatever his plan was it's backfired tremendously.

[Gypsiyee]

This whole canceling things and running back to Washington just made McCain look desperate. Whatever his plan was it's backfired tremendously.

I tend to agree, and for the very reason you posted, I was uncontrollably giddy yesterday~

[Drem]

i think it's slowly turning obama's hair gray. all this silly shit

why is obama a teleprompter junkie? he came to eugene twice and never used one. during his public addresses at the local ice cream parlor to his huge speeches at Mac Court on UO campus. he swayed so many votes to his side after his visits here that it's stupid. i haven't seen one single McCain/Palin bumper sticker yet here. the dude's legit and you republicans can't handle it. your candidate's too afraid to even debate him apparently

the only ppl voting mccain will be stupid adults that have no clue (surprisingly fewer than you think anymore), and senior citizens maybe

if the minorities in this country finally go out and vote, i really think obama has a great chance to win

usually i vote libertarian but this time around i like everything the democrats are saying

oh shit i finally took a stance and i'm fragmenting all my paragraphs tikker-style

[Evermore]

[url=
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26900453/?GT1=43001] apparently McCain is folding to the pressure.[/url]

[Gypsiyee]

i think it's slowly turning obama's hair gray. all this silly shit

why is obama a teleprompter junkie? he came to eugene twice and never used one. during his public addresses at the local ice cream parlor to his huge speeches at Mac Court on UO campus. he swayed so many votes to his side after his visits here that it's stupid. i haven't seen one single McCain/Palin bumper sticker yet here. the dude's legit and you republicans can't handle it. your candidate's too afraid to even debate him apparently

the only ppl voting mccain will be stupid adults that have no clue (surprisingly fewer than you think anymore), and senior citizens maybe

if the minorities in this country finally go out and vote, i really think obama has a great chance to win

usually i vote libertarian but this time around i like everything the democrats are saying

oh shit i finally took a stance and i'm fragmenting all my paragraphs tikker-style

haha

good on you drem!

[KaiineTN]

I bet part of the reason Bush had that meeting with Obama and McCain is to make sure they both make it sound as if the bailout is absolutely necessary during the debate. They wont even be questioning whether or not the 700 billion will go through at this point, they'll just argue about the stupid details of what else goes in the bill, if that.

[ClakarEQ]

I doubt the ground rules will even allow the economy to enter the picture, i thought this was to be on foreign policy and things around it