The 2008 US Presidential Election Thread

[strangegrey]

news flash folks...presidential candidates get secret service protection....I don't know why some in this thread think otherwise...

Who said he didn't? And what planet are they from??? Ever since Bobby Kennedy in '68.

If I recall, Tito was commenting to this effect re: Obama...in that he was surprised he was given SS protection.

[Rick]

Assassination plot targeting Obama disrupted

This country will melt down to the fucking ground if he gets assassinated in office.

It would for sure...the lunatic fringes are both heavily armed as well...it would be UGLY.

It would be worse than the O.J. and Rodney King riots.

Think '68 times 10. Hell, maybe times 100.

This is a road we do not want to go down, at least from my perspective.

Absolutely. They need to protect him as well as they can.

[finalfight]

Obama's was excessive and rivaled the President's protection.

Maybe they were getting in practice.

[finalfight]

From ITN news -

Two men who had plans to shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and "as many non-Caucasians" as possible, have been arrested in Tennessee.

Two neo-Nazi skinheads, named as Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tennessee, and Paul Schlesselman 18, of West Helena, Arkansas, planned to target an unnamed high school with predominantly African American students, court records have showed.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the two men planned to shoot 88 black people and decapitate another 14.

"They said that would be their last, final act - that they would attempt to kill Senator Obama," Mr Cavanaugh said.

"They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."

They are charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally-licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

The investigation is continuing and more charges are possible, Mr Cavanaugh added.

A spokeswoman travelling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate has accused rival John McCain of scaremongering in the last major speech of his White House campaign.

Speaking in Canton, in the battleground state of Ohio, the 47-year-old Illinois senator said his rival did not represent change for America, adding: "That's why he's spending these last weeks calling me every name in the book.

"Because that's how you play the game in Washington. If you can't beat your opponent's ideas you distort those ideas and maybe make some up.

"If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run away from."

He went on: "In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

"In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change it needs."

The latest average of national polls by RealClearPolitics.com puts Mr Obama more than seven points ahead of Mr McCain with just eight days to go until the presidential election.

[ProgRocker53]

What fools....

I'd hope that America would be above this nonsense by now, and hope that Obama stays safe throughout his whole term(s) if elected.

[Enigma869]

It's his race Tito..as much as I don't want BO as POTUS, we all have to realize the man is walking into uncharted territory. There is a fraction of this population that is going to really really hate that he might be their Leader because of his skin color. Some may act out and that was the reason he was protected so early. I give the man credit for his bravery, don't care for his policies as I've seen them so far but he's got the guts to go first, and he needs protection as would anyother minority type candidate. It was the right thing to do.

Holy shit! All this election talk must be wearing everyone out, because this is the very first logical and rational post from Rush Limbaugh, in this whole thread


John from Boston

[AlteredDNA]

[Skylorde]

<--- Love that pic!

[finalfight]

Not sure if this musical tribute to the Obama campaign has been posted yet but it's certainly humorous and well conceived -

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ijYVyhnn0

[Voyager]

McCain/Obama/Palin Dance Off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzyT9-9lUyE

[The_Noble_Cause]

Just imagine if it was a white trailer park owner in the South with Obama in effigy.

Already happened.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I should probably wait to see how this plays out but I'm pretty sure it'll go largely unnoticed. RVR is correct, the hypocricy will be that this will get very little media attention.

Don't know about the other channels, but Olbermann covered it tonight on MSNBC.

[Rick]

McCain/Obama/Palin Dance Off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzyT9-9lUyE

That was really well done. I love Palin's booty shaking.

Great av dude.

[Voyager]

McCain/Obama/Palin Dance Off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzyT9-9lUyE

That was really well done. I love Palin's booty shaking.

Great av dude.

It was funny, wasn't it?

I figured it was time to give the banana girl a rest for a while. Her jaw was getting sore from all that in-and-out action.

[Rick]

McCain/Obama/Palin Dance Off:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzyT9-9lUyE

That was really well done. I love Palin's booty shaking.

Great av dude.

It was funny, wasn't it?

I figured it was time to give the banana girl a rest for a while. Her jaw was getting sore from all that in-and-out action.

Yep. Here's another good one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHSiqQpg7Uc

[Enigma869]

Here you go. McCain's senility is kicking in. WTF is this guy talkiing about? The only unfortunate thing about this is the youtube clip cuts off Cindy McCain. Her face (on the local news) was priceless. She looked mortified listening to this guy. I'm sure the nursing home will be glad to have him back next week, when this is all over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh9_QvJicy4


John from Boston

[Lula]

you can see cindy a little better in this one. man oh man it is painful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vaCnjF ... re=related

[treetopovskaya]

the opposition drum beats getting louder...

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=6099188&page=1

[treetopovskaya]

http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/10/27/frj_1027/

[7 Wishes]

Hi, Miss Cut-and-Paste.

http://www.mlive.com/elections/index.ssf/2008/09/palin_defends_qualifications_i.html

Wow...you're right. SHE'S ready for the Presidency.

Oh, and there's this, too.

BTW...Fox News is NOT a "source".

You guys rip the NY Times all the time for being a bastion of liberalism...yet they have not written ONE article about McCain's close friendship with that lunatic G. Gordon Liddy (he was one of the guys in the Watergate break-in, BTW, and was prepared to murder someone for Nixon to cover the whole thing up). Oh, and he has advocated the murder of federal law enforcement agents, too. Unlike Obama, whom is is known had at WORST a very casual and infrequent professional relationship with Ayers...McCain and Liddy are the best of friends.

So, take your "liberal media bias" illusion off the table. You're dead wrong...YET AGAIN.

On October 4, The New York Times published a 2,140-word front-page article about Sen. Barack Obama's association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers -- at least the 18th Times article this year mentioning that association. But the Times has yet to mention, let alone devote an entire article to, Sen. John McCain's relationship with radio host and convicted Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. Indeed, in its October 4 article, the Times quoted Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman denouncing Obama's association with Ayers but did not note that Chapman has described Liddy as McCain's "own Bill Ayers" and has written that "[i]f Obama needs to answer questions about Ayers, McCain has the same obligation regarding Liddy." The Times, moreover, quoted McCain criticizing Obama for his association with Ayers without noting that Chapman has faulted McCain for what Chapman described as McCain's "howling hypocrisy on the subject."

As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary"; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention -- a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled "John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07" includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an "old friend." During the segment, McCain praised Liddy's "adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great," said he was "proud" of Liddy, and said that "it's always a pleasure for me to come on your program."

Additionally, in 1998, Liddy reportedly held a fundraiser at his home for McCain. Liddy was reportedly scheduled to speak at another fundraiser for McCain in 2000. The Charlotte Observer reported on January 23, 2000, that McCain's campaign vouched for Liddy's "character":

His [McCain's] campaign officials said Liddy's character will appeal to many voters because he was following orders from President Nixon and kept silent afterward.

"His (Liddy's) judgment might be in question, but I don't think his character is," said Ed Walker, the York County chairman of McCain's campaign. "He was following orders just like any good soldier, and he didn't tell on anybody. He felt like he was on a mission and kept his silence."

Liddy's 2000 speech was reportedly canceled due to bad weather.

Media Matters has documented that as of September 19, the Times had published 15 news articles and four opinion pieces referencing Obama's ties to Ayers. Since then, in addition to the October 4 article, the Times has published two more articles mentioning the association.

But despite having apparently judged Chapman's opinions on the candidates' controversial associations as being newsworthy, the Times has ignored entirely McCain's relationship with Liddy, according to a search of the Nexis database from January 1 through October 4*.

In his May 4 Tribune column, Chapman wrote:

What McCain didn't mention is that he has his own Bill Ayers -- in the form of G. Gordon Liddy. Now a conservative radio talk-show host, Liddy spent more than 4 years in prison for his role in the 1972 Watergate burglary. That was just one element of what Liddy did, and proposed to do, in a secret White House effort to subvert the Constitution. Far from repudiating him, McCain has embraced him.

How close are McCain and Liddy? At least as close as Obama and Ayers appear to be. In 1998, Liddy's home was the site of a McCain fundraiser. Over the years, he has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to the senator's campaigns -- including $1,000 this year.

Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as "an old friend," and McCain sounded like one. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed. "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."

Which principles would those be? The ones that told Liddy it was fine to break into the office of the Democratic National Committee to plant bugs and photograph documents? The ones that made him propose to kidnap anti-war activists so they couldn't disrupt the 1972 Republican National Convention? The ones that inspired him to plan the murder (never carried out) of an unfriendly newspaper columnist?

Liddy was in the thick of the biggest political scandal in American history -- and one of the greatest threats to the rule of law. He has said he has no regrets about what he did, insisting that he went to jail as "a prisoner of war."

All this may sound like ancient history. But it's from the same era as the bombings Ayers helped carry out as a member of the Weather Underground. And Liddy's penchant for extreme solutions has not abated.

[...]

Given Liddy's record, it's hard to see why McCain would touch him with a 10-foot pole. On the contrary, he should be returning his donations and shunning his show. Yet the senator shows no qualms about associating with Liddy -- or celebrating his service to their common cause.

How does McCain explain his howling hypocrisy on the subject? He doesn't. I made repeated inquiries to his campaign aides, which they refused to acknowledge, much less answer. On this topic, the pilot of the Straight Talk Express would rather stay parked in the garage.

That's an odd policy for someone who is so forthright about his rival's responsibility. McCain thinks Obama should apologize for associating with a criminal extremist. To which Obama might reply: After you.

And in an August 22 blog post about an anti-Obama ad highlighting Obama's association with Ayers, Chapman wrote:

But conservatives may not want to draw attention to the issue of ties to violent radicals -- since John McCain is longtime pals with convicted Watergate burglar Gordon Liddy, who once plotted a journalist's murder (which was never carried out) and has advocated the shooting of federal law enforcement agents.

If Obama needs to answer questions about Ayers, McCain has the same obligation regarding Liddy. How about they both get started?

From The New York Times' October 4 article "Obama and '60s Bomber: A Look Into Crossed Paths":

Their relationship has become a touchstone for opponents of Mr. Obama, the Democratic senator, in his bid for the presidency. Video clips on YouTube, including a new advertisement that was broadcast on Friday, juxtapose Mr. Obama's face with the young Mr. Ayers or grainy shots of the bombings.

In a televised interview last spring, Senator John McCain, Mr. Obama's Republican rival, asked, "How can you countenance someone who was engaged in bombings that could have or did kill innocent people?"

[...]

Since earning a doctorate in education at Columbia in 1987, Mr. Ayers has been a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the author or editor of 15 books, and an advocate of school reform.

"He's done a lot of good in this city and nationally," Mayor Richard M. Daley said in an interview this week, explaining that he has long consulted Mr. Ayers on school issues. Mr. Daley, whose father was Chicago's mayor during the street violence accompanying the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the so-called Days of Rage the following year, said he saw the bombings of that time in the context of a polarized and turbulent era.

"This is 2008," Mr. Daley said. "People make mistakes. You judge a person by his whole life."

That attitude is widely shared in Chicago, but it is not universal. Steve Chapman, a columnist for The Chicago Tribune, defended Mr. Obama's relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., his longtime pastor, whose black liberation theology and "God damn America" sermon became notorious last spring. But he denounced Mr. Obama for associating with Mr. Ayers, whom he said the University of Illinois should never have hired.

"I don't think there's a statute of limitations on terrorist bombings," Mr. Chapman said in an interview, speaking not of the law but of political and moral implications.

"If you're in public life, you ought to say, 'I don't want to be associated with this guy,' " Mr. Chapman said. "If John McCain had a long association with a guy who'd bombed abortion clinics, I don't think people would say, 'That's ancient history.' "

[treetopovskaya]

allo yourself mr. copy and paste.

Hi, Miss Cut-and-Paste.

[7 Wishes]

[quote="treetopovskaya"]allo yourself mr. copy and paste.

I was proving a point.

Besides, the articles I quoted use actual FACTS to make their points, unlike slanted Fox "News" blogs.

Former Liberal, my ass.

[treetopovskaya]

"luke... i am your father"

}:C)

allo yourself mr. copy and paste.

I was proving a point.

Besides, the articles I quoted use actual FACTS to make their points, unlike slanted Fox "News" blogs.

Former Liberal, my ass.

[7 Wishes]

That was actually very funny...heh heh.

Seriously, that was good.

[fredinator]

Here's another McCain blooper with poor ol' Cindy cringing, lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZySQ64XKSA&NR=1

This one is pretty hilarious, watch the lady on the right behind McCain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHh0oAiWdp8

It's amazing she got in there right behind him .

[Skylorde]

BTW...Fox News is NOT a "source".

There's bias *everywhere* you look 7. I agree Fox definitely has a right leaning bias, the left isn't without their hired guns either. The American people are the losers with this type of shit journalism.

Both sides of aisle rip MSNBC

In a room full of television industry executives, no one seemed inclined to defend MSNBC on Monday for what some were calling its lopsidedly liberal coverage of the presidential election.

The cable news channel is "completely out of control," said writer-producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, a self-proclaimed liberal Democrat.

She added that she would prefer a lunch date with right-leaning Fox News star Sean Hannity over left-leaning MSNBC star Keith Olbermann.

Entire article here

Although there is an element of personal responsibility too. This quote from the article is very telling....

On a more serious note, Luntz said it's a problem that the electorate chooses to watch news programs not for information but to confirm already-held beliefs, and that applies to viewers of CNN and Fox News as well.

[strangegrey]

On a more serious note, Luntz said it's a problem that the electorate chooses to watch news programs not for information but to confirm already-held beliefs, and that applies to viewers of CNN and Fox News as well.

This is the dirty little secret that no one wants to admit with respect to news/media bias.

Liberals watch Olberman because they get an entertainment factor out of watching Olberman spew his worst person in the world bullshit....and Conservatives enjoy that blowhard Oreilly because he's got a history of cutting into politicians...

However, both rarely tune in to the shows in an effort to get a clear picture of the news of the day. They couldn't give 2 shits about that. They've already read about it on the net at work, formulated their own opinions on it...and want someone on TV to tell them they're right. It emboldens them to go back out into the workforce the next day (or worse, log on here) and spew their opinions with more spit and spew than they had previously....because Olberman or Oreilly made them feel better about themselves.


Really, the sad, cold hard truth is that there are very few news anchors out there that are truly doing their jobs....instead, they're playing the roles of head shrinks, psychiatrists, drinking buddies or vollyballs with a face drawn in blood.


I used to retreat to business news networks, in an effort to get truly distilled news...instead of continuous op-ed peices from 'news' personalities....I don't need Olberman, Oreilly, Blitzer or the world's ugliest cvnt on TV, Gretta...to tell me what to think. Instead, I want real news, un-altered. The problem there, is with the current financial mess, business news has turned into just another wing of political commentary.

[Skylorde]

This is the dirty little secret that no one wants to admit with respect to news/media bias.

Liberals watch Olberman because they get an entertainment factor out of watching Olberman spew his worst person in the world bullshit....and Conservatives enjoy that blowhard Oreilly because he's got a history of cutting into politicians...

However, both rarely tune in to the shows in an effort to get a clear picture of the news of the day.

Really, the sad, cold hard truth is that there are very few news anchors out there that are truly doing their jobs....instead, they're playing the roles of head shrinks, psychiatrists, drinking buddies or vollyballs with a face drawn in blood.

You nailed it. I've fled virtually all right wing news shows because I simply cannot stomach the lop sided analysis. As far back as 2004 when it was PAINFULLY obvious the Republicans were simply out of control, people like Hannity were towing the party line. That's when I left the Republican party.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Blitzer or the world's ugliest cvnt on TV, Gretta...to tell me what to think.

I don't think Blitzer or Greta are in the tank for either party.
Blitzer, in particular, tries to be fair to both sides and ends up serving noone.

[Tito]

news flash folks...presidential candidates get secret service protection....I don't know why some in this thread think otherwise...

Who said he didn't? And what planet are they from??? Ever since Bobby Kennedy in '68.

If I recall, Tito was commenting to this effect re: Obama...in that he was surprised he was given SS protection.

I wasn't surprised he got. I was a little mad that he got it and didn't pay for it. Then I got really pissed when I found out it rivaled the President.