McCain picks woman for VP slot

[Stephen Best]

Palin wrote, "Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support." What are "explicit sex-ed programs"? Are such things taught in high schools? Examples? Anyone?

[bush_cheney2004]

She just convinced me she is a very good politician. She knows the fine political art of being clear and unclear at the same time. I wonder if she will mention the "discussions of condoms are relatively benign" when talking to her Evangelical supporters.

Further proof that she is at least as qualified as Senator Obama.

[Guest American Woman]

As for the book about Sarah Palin, I don't think it was a matter of someone thinking she was "valuable enough to write home about" as much as Sarah Palin's not a writer.

It was a book written for Alaska by an author who writes books about Alaska and Alaskans. According to Slate, "In it, we learn that '"Sarah shot her first rabbit at age ten' (Page 3) and that her brother, Chuck Heath Jr., says one of Palin's strengths is 'being able to hold her tongue when she's been unfairly attacked' (Page 9). Some journalists have complained that the book 'lacks depth' ..." But I haven't read the book, and I don't plan on reading it, so I won't comment on it myself. I'm just pointing out that I don't think Palin commissioned the book and I don't think it's the same type of book that Obama's written.

Obama's a writer and has thought about matters which, it seems, enough people care about to turn his books into best sellers. Perhaps when Sarah Palin learns to speak for herself, she'll have much to share with us too.

I haven't read Obama's books but I have "The Audacity of Hope" which is supposed to be quite good, according to my Dad and my BF-- two people I have a lot of admiration and respect for. So when I'm done reading it, I'll be able to say for sure, but I think it's about his "hopes" for the future, not so much his past life.

Edited September 6, 2008 by American Woman

[bush_cheney2004]

The first step is admitting you have a problem. Well done.

Yes, you are superior.....in every way except for actually being able to vote on this matter. Funny how that works...huh?

[kimmy]

She just convinced me she is a very good politician. She knows the fine political art of being clear and unclear at the same time. I wonder if she will mention the "discussions of condoms are relatively benign" when talking to her Evangelical supporters.

I think that's about as likely to happen as Obama giving a straight answer on NAFTA while he's addressing Michigan auto-workers.

-k

[Stephen Best]

Yes, you are superior.....in every way except for actually being able to vote on this matter. Funny how that works...huh?

Not so much "funny" as "frightening." It's a cruel irony, and frightening, that control over the most economically and militarily powerful country in the world--the country blessed with the greatest capacity in all of human history to do good--might remain in the hands of close-minded, hateful, avaricious, irrational, easily-frightened, anti-intellectual--and often very, very stupid--Christian fanatics.

[bush_cheney2004]

Not so much "funny" as "frightening." It's a cruel irony, and frightening, that control over the most economically and militarily powerful country in the world--the country blessed with the greatest capacity in all of human history to do good--might remain in the hands of close-minded, hateful, avaricious, irrational, easily-frightened, anti-intellectual--and often very, very stupid--Christian fanatics.

Don't worry about that....you've got smug superiority instead...and isn't that much more satisfying in the end?

....America is "blessed"....too funny!

[capricorn]

More of the claims made against Palin are also coming unravelled:

"Families with special needs children will have a friend and advocate in the White House? Yeah, right! She slashed funding for special needs education!"

The real feeling of those making that claim is: "Can you imagine having a child with Down Syndrome cavorting around the White House or worse live there if McCain dies? My, but she should have had an abortion to prevent this spectacle".

This child reminds radical pro-abortionists day after day that their message isn't getting through to all women, that some women reject it and that with Palin near or in the White House their goals will be set back.

"She says she supports her daughter, but she slashed funding to support pregnant teens in Alaska!"

Hidden in the message: "How can she say she supports her daughter when she apparently did nothing to steer her to get an abortion and get rid of the problem".

In their minds the only option was that Bristol should have aborted her baby.

"Maybe her daughter wouldn't be pregnant if she didn't ban sex education from Alaska schools!"

Between the lines: "If she wasn't so anti-contraceptive and so pro-abstinence, her daughter wouldn't be in this mess. What kind of a mother is she?.

Spreading lies is an obvious attempt to paint Palin as a failed mother who placed ideology and career before family, and consequently she will fail if elected Veep. It's working.

[jefferiah]

Palin wrote, "Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support." What are "explicit sex-ed programs"? Are such things taught in high schools? Examples? Anyone?

Suzi Landolphi's Hot, Sexy, Safer presentations to schools might certainly qualify. During the course of her presentation to Chelsmford High school in Chelmsford, Massuchusetts, she asked to students to make their best orgasm faces in front of a camera, asked a male student on stage to lick a condom with her, made comments about the cuteness of one male student's rear end, and suggested that one male student was wearing loose fitting pants as a clever means to hide his erections. Her presentation ended with having a girl place an oversized condom on a boys head and blowing it up.

[CANADIEN]

Suzi Landolphi's Hot, Sexy, Safer presentations to schools might certainly qualify. During the course of her presentation to Chelsmford High school in Chelmsford, Massuchusetts, she asked to students to make their best orgasm faces in front of a camera, asked a male student on stage to lick a condom with her, made comments about the cuteness of one male student's rear end, and suggested that one male student was wearing loose fitting pants as a clever means to hide his erections. Her presentation ended with having a girl place an oversized condom on a boys head and blowing it up.

We'll ignore the fact that nobody in their right mind, at any end of the spectrum, and includiing the authors of that farce can claim with a straight face that this qualify as sex-ed, explicit or otherwise.

[jefferiah]

We'll ignore the fact that nobody in their right mind, at any end of the spectrum, and includiing the authors of that farce can claim with a straight face that this qualify as sex-ed, explicit or otherwise.

Oh really, well the school certainly considered the sex ed presentation mandatory for students. When parents filed complaints about it, they were turned away. And courts told concerned parents if they don't like it, they can haul their children out of school. Maybe this is the sort of thing Sarah Palin is referring to. Just an idea, eh.

[jefferiah]

That is the point. So when you said Obama hadn't done anything, you were wrong? Is that correct? Perhaps substituting a little precision for bombast and falsehoods would be helpful.

OK Stephen. You win. Obama has probably done something. I think most people here understood full well what I meant when I said he wrote two memoirs without having really done anything. I am sure everyone understands that's not completely literal, except for you (although I think you understood it as well). For instance the very fact that he uses the washroom would make my statement literally inaccurate.

Do you leap down people's throats this way when they comment on the beautiful sunrise?

"You ignoramus, the Earth revolves around the sun, it doesnt rise, idiot!"

You probably don't. Unless they somehow mentioned the sunrise in an argument against Barack. Then you would be shreaking victory.

Edited September 6, 2008 by jefferiah

[Stephen Best]

I think most people here understood exactly what I meant when I said he wrote two memoirs without having really done anything.

I think most people--including me--understood full well what you meant. Despite the fact that Barack Obama has a CV and resume that very few people, let alone most 47 year olds, can match; despite the fact that Obama had to work for everything he has achieved (absent an influential military family and rich wives, McCain would not be where he is today); you choose to discount and denigrate all Obama's very real accomplishment for no good reason that I can ascertain.

I can fully accept people not agreeing with Obama's views or progressive political philosophy. Resorting to falsehoods and baseless personal attacks stinks of something more.

Edited September 6, 2008 by Stephen Best

[jefferiah]

I think most people--including me--understood full well what you meant.

Yep, that a 47 year old man who has not been on the political scene for so long as to warrant some sort of interesting memoir, thinks so highly of himself that he is his own favourite topic.

[jefferiah]

I can fully accept people not agreeing with Obama's views or progressive political philosophy. Resorting to falsehoods and baseless personal attacks stinks of something more.

If you are going to take my assertion that Obama has done nothing so literally that you are now calling it a baseless falsehood, then you should also be out there barking at anyone who mentions the "sunrise". Or maybe you were referring to my claim that Obama uses the washroom, when you say I am resorting to falsehoods and baseless personal attacks.

Edited September 6, 2008 by jefferiah

[Stephen Best]

Yep, that a 47 year old man who has not been on the political scene for so long as to warrant some sort of interesting memoir, thinks so highly of himself that he is his own favourite topic.

Are you seriously arguing that 47 years is insufficient time for someone to have done something worth writing about in a memoir? If that's your position, it is as unsupportable as your notion that Obama had never done anything. I won't waste my time on you, but if you have intellectual integrity at all, go to amazon.com enter the keyword "memoir" and gaze on the list of books of people 47 years and younger who've published memoirs.

Where oh where do you come up with these wild, completely unsupportable, generalized opinions?

As for Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope and Dreams of My Father, the fact is that they are best selling memoirs because ipso facto he has something interesting to say or people wouldn't buy them. I know you won't do this, but if you had any intellectual integrity you'd log onto Amazon.com and read the comments about The Audacity of Hope. If you did that you realize that your notion about 47 years not being enough time to have something interesting to write about is pure nonsense, once again.

[jefferiah]

Are you seriously arguing that 47 years is insufficient time for someone to have done something worth writing about in a memoir? If that's your position, it is as unsupportable as your notion that Obama had never done anything. I won't waste my time on you, but if you have intellectual integrity at all, go to amazon.com enter the keyword "memoir" and gaze on the list of books of people 47 years and younger who've published memoirs.

Sure, so alot of people are just as celf-centered as Barack.

[jefferiah]

As for Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope and Dreams of My Father, the fact is that they are best selling memoirs because ipso facto he has something interesting to say or people wouldn't buy them.

That's true. One cannot discount the fact that many people will read what ever Oprah tells them to.

[jefferiah]

Where oh where do you come up with these wild, completely unsupportable, generalized opinions?

Where oh where do you come with all this energy to feign moral outrage and great personal offense?

[jefferiah]

Are you seriously arguing that 47 years is insufficient time for someone to have done something worth writing about in a memoir? If that's your position, it is as unsupportable as your notion that Obama had never done anything.

I think I pointed out that I didnt mean that literally as you are taking it, about 17 times already. I am aware that in spite of the fact I said Obama did not do anything, that he has gone to the bathroom several times in his life.

(note: now Stephen Best will count how many times I actually pointed this out, and if it's been less or more than 17, we'll be hearing indignant outrage at another one of my horrid falsehoods.) Oh where oh where do I come up with them?

[bush_cheney2004]

(note: now Stephen Best will count how many times I actually pointed this out, and if it's been less or more than 17, we'll be hearing indignant outrage at another one of my horrid falsehoods.) Oh where oh where do I come up with them?

No sweat....he plays the "pedantic" card whenever it suits him....but protests when it doesn't. It's all good......

[Stephen Best]

I am aware that in spite of the fact I said Obama did not do anything, that he has gone to the bathroom several times in his life.

And nothing more that you consider of any worth whatsoever? Not one thing? Is that your view? Is there nothing you personally could name that Obama has done that has worth? If you can't, it means you don't know much about Obama, which doesn't mean that that he hasn't significant accomplishments to his name. It's your ignorance that's on display here, not Obama's CV, resume. and publications.

This may come as a huge shock, jefferiah, but just because you're not aware of something it doesn't follow that it doesn't exist. It just means as a previous poster suggested that you are, by definition, an ignoramus.

[jefferiah]

And nothing more that you consider of any worth whatsoever? Not one thing? Is that your view?

Ok. Look, I'll explain it to you Stephen. I am pointing out that the fact that I said Obama did not do anything, is not to be taken so literally as you mean it, when you declare it such a horrid lie. If I meant it so literally as you suggest, then one could not use the "didnt do anything" about anybody, since one could always say one has gone to the bathroom. I am making fun of your over analysis of my comment.

[Stephen Best]

Ok. Look, I'll explain it to you Stephen. I am pointing out that the fact that I said Obama did not do anything, is not to be taken so literally as you mean it, when you declare it such a horrid lie. If I meant it so literally as you suggest, then one could not use the "didnt do anything" about anybody, since one could always say one has gone to the bathroom. I am making fun of your over analysis of my comment.

Actually, you oppose Barack Obama. Which is a perfectly valid, and defensible position. However, you're unable to come up with any rational reason or facts for doing so. You're convinced there must be some, but you lack the intellectual integrity or rigor to actually figure out what they might be. So, you resort to jibes and silliness to cover up your lack of substance. American Woman was right about you.

If you're going to criticize Obama, and there are many reasons to criticize him, for example, his untenable position on Afghanistan and his weak heath care proposals, at the very least offer us some analysis, perhaps one fact, an informed opinion, anything, worthy of consideration.

I don't recall even one well thought out argument you've made about Obama. Perhaps you could remind me of one. If you can't come up with one, perhaps you should ask yourself why you oppose Obama.

[capricorn]

My colleagues in the American liberal press had little to fear at the start of the week. Their charismatic candidate was ahead in virtually every poll.

---

For once, the postmodern theories so many of them were taught at university are a help to the rest of us. As a Christian, conservative anti-abortionist who proved her support for the Iraq War by sending her son to fight in it, Sarah Palin was 'the other' - the threatening alien presence they defined themselves against. They might have soberly examined her reputation as an opponent of political corruption to see if she was truly the reformer she claimed to be. They might have gently mocked her idiotic creationism, while carefully avoiding all discussion of the racist conspiracy theories of Barack Obama's church.

But instead of following a measured strategy, they went berserk. On the one hand, the media treated her as a sex object. The New York Times led the way in painting Palin as a glamour-puss in go-go boots you were more likely to find in an Anchorage lap-dancing club than the Alaska governor's office.

On the other, liberal journalists turned her family into an object of sexual disgust: inbred rednecks who had stumbled out of Deliverance. Palin was meant to be pretending that a handicapped baby girl was her child when really it was her wanton teenage daughter's. When that turned out to be a lie, the media replaced it with prurient coverage of her teenage daughter, who was, after all, pregnant, even though her mother was not going to do a quick handover at the maternity ward and act as if the child was hers.

Hatred is the most powerful emotion in politics. At present, American liberals are not fighting for an Obama presidency. I suspect that most have only the haziest idea of what it would mean for their country. The slogans that move their hearts and stir their souls are directed against their enemies: Bush, the neo-cons, the religious right.

----

As it was, her family appeared on stage without a goitre or a club foot between them, and Palin made a fighting speech that appealed over the heads of reporters to the public we claim to represent. 'I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion,' she said as she deftly detached journalists from their readers and viewers. 'I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country.'

----

In an age when politics is choreographed, voters watch out for the moments when the public-relations facade breaks down and venom pours through the cracks. Their judgment is rarely favourable when it does. Barack Obama knows it. All last week, he was warning American liberals to stay away from the Palin family. He understands better than his supporters that it is not a politician's enemies who lose elections, but his friends.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/20...&feed=media

It seems that the only candid viewpoints on the Palin matter are to be found in other than the American press. This is the first election, both in Canada and the US, where I have felt genuine hatred spew not only for Governor Palin but for Senator Obama as well. I think this has to do with the fact that Obama is black and Palin is a woman. What does that say about today's society? All those years of working toward equality for all, and suddenly not being able to put that lofty goal into practice. It's a pity because whatever the results of this election, history is being made right before our eyes. I really hope this campaign rounds the corner and that the focus turns to issues. There is still time. But as others have said politics is a bloodsport so I won't hold my breath.

Edited September 7, 2008 by capricorn