Obama's future

[ToadBrother]

He's even a beauty-king, of sorts. At least a centerfold ... Cosmopolitan ... not bad.

I don't think you give the ex-governor of Alaska sufficient respect. What you are decoding as simpleton could equally well be decoded as country yokel. Palin does not talk in the urban style, she has no tattoos or piercings, and she makes makes down to earth into a virtue. Not only that, she's does actually juggle her kid sometimes while she makes speeches. No wonder so many people dislike her.

The woman was a geographically illiterate twit who had to basically be given a quick high school geography course after she made a fool of herself (more than she already had).

But if you look at the quality of her decisions, as a politician in office, you can't help be impressed with her gutsiness, and that fact that she puts community priorities before party priorities. She ran out a bunch of Republican grafters, and negotiated a gas deal that actually pays the taxpayers of the state a royalty. She has real political accomplishments.

A retarded monkey could have run Alaska while oil prices were going through the roof.

Scott Brown drove around in a pick up truck that has become his symbol. Nobody expects a Massachusetts man to field-dress a moose, but the guy looks like Holmes, except slimmer. He's the old-fashioned work-ethic type that'll do the job right. "No, sir, it's the peoples' seat ..." -- it could have been Patrick Henry. I mean, that is definitely not the way they talk around the Haw-vard Yawd.

You may not like the people of America, when they get stirred up, because a lot of them go to church and a surprising number of them like country and western music. But don't think they're stupid, or that they don't mean it when they say something.

I don't give a damn about what somebody drives, or how they talk. The woman had about as much wits as GWB, which is to say, both are morons. The only reason Palin was picked was because McCain needed to mollify the religious right in the GOP. It's pretty obvious that even he and his strategists regretted that choice by the end of it.

Edited January 20, 2010 by ToadBrother

[bush_cheney2004]

...I don't give a damn about what somebody drives, or how they talk. The woman had about as much wits as GWB, which is to say, both are morons. The only reason Palin was picked was because McCain needed to mollify the religious right in the GOP. It's pretty obvious that even he and his strategists regretted that choice by the end of it.

.....yet far more American voters are regretting their choice for a president with more "wits".

[sharkman]

You forgot one thing Toad, she had more experience than Obama, which is now becoming increasingly apparent as he has frittered away goodwill and a super majority in the senate while he learns the ropes. At least Palin would have only been a VP and me thinks would have done better than the gaffe a minute Biden.

I love it how Palin haters are still so bitter even after Palin and the Mccain express didn't get voted in. No doubt you still bring up how Bush stole the election in 2000 when you all get together.

[Guest American Woman]

The only reason Palin was picked was because McCain needed to mollify the religious right in the GOP. It's pretty obvious that even he and his strategists regretted that choice by the end of it.

Too many Republicans thought Lieberman was too liberal. They definitely wanted a more conservative running partner for McCain:

John McCain's chief campaign strategist Steve Schmidt had a major role in choosing Sarah Palin. Just days before the Republican National Convention, John McCain thought he'd be running with Joe Lieberman.

Schmidt told CNN's Anderson Cooper why McCain pivoted from Lieberman to Palin.

"Roughly up to a week before the convention, we were still talking very seriously about Senator Lieberman. But once word leaked out that he was under serious consideration, the blowback was ferocious," Schmidt remembered.

"Ferocious," because many conservatives thought Lieberman was far too liberal. Schmidt says they feared the Republican National Convention might reject him.

McCain couldn't risk that, so they needed a last-minute replacement.

*****

After an ethics investigation of Palin, when the Alaska legislature issued a report, Schmidt says she mischaracterized that report. "She went out and said that, you know, 'This report completely exonerates me.' And in fact, it didn't. You know, it's the equivalent of saying down is up and up is down. It was provably, demonstrably untrue," he told Cooper.

And Schmidt said it just kept happening. "Stuff like the Alaska Independence Party that her husband had been a member of for seven years. She wanted to put out a statement saying that he was not a member of it. He was a member of it," he said.

*****

Schmidt now believes if Palin is the Republican presidential candidate in 2012 it will be catastrophic for the party, even though he is one of those most responsible for making her a national figure.

link

[Oleg Bach]

Obama's presidency is probably the most challenging in history. I have noticed this eleqent speaker is faltering - He is stuttering and the magical delivery is losing it's spark - It could be that he might not have the physical, spiritual and emotional endurance to sustain as long as needed. This boy king may be a delicate and fragile entity.

[Shady]

There's an interesting dynamic at play when it comes to Palin and Obama. When it comes to Obama, everyone puts more weight into what he said and says, especially during speeches and interviews, than his actual political record and political actions.

When it comes to Palin, everyone again puts more weight into her speeches and interviews, rather than her actual record in office, as mayor and governor.

When you compare the two records, she's head and shoulders above Obama. She has many more real accomplishments. But people like to ignore all of that, and instead focus on one or two interviews. I think because it reinforces their own biases.

It's a shame, becaues actions always speak louder than words. Palin has actions and accomplishments, while Obama has just words, and more words, backed up with even more words. Yet she's supposidly the idiot, and he's supposidly the geninus. All I know, it that one of them got things done, and one of them hasn't. Who's really the genius and/or idiot?

Edited January 20, 2010 by Shady

[punked]

There's an interesting dynamic at play when it comes to Palin and Obama. When it comes to Obama, everyone puts more weight into what he said and says, especially during speeches and interviews, than his actual political record and political actions.

When it comes to Palin, everyone again puts more weight into her speeches and interviews, rather than her actual record in office, as mayor and governor.

When you compare the two records, she's head and shoulders above Obama. She has many more real accomplishments. But people like to ignore all of that, and instead focus on one or two interviews. I think because it reinforces their own biases.

It's a shame, becaues actions always speak louder than words. Palin has actions and accomplishments, while Obama has just words, and more words, backed up with even more words. Yet she's supposidly the idiot, and he's supposidly the geninus. All I know, it that one of them got things done, and one of them hasn't. Who's really the genius and/or idiot?

Palin had not accomplishments, her biggest one was a pipeline which wasn't even done when she quite. Facts are facts Shady she did nothing in a State that runs itself.

[Shady]

Palin had not accomplishments

Can you please stop lying?

She created the position of city administrator, and reduced her own $68,000 salary by 10%.

Palin kept a jar with the names of Wasilla residents on her desk. Once a week, she pulled a name from it and picked up the phone; she would ask: "How's the city doing?"

Palin cut property taxes by 75% and eliminated personal property and business inventory taxes.

Using municipal bonds, she made improvements to the roads and sewers, and increased funding to the Police Department.

Her first legislative action after taking office was to push for a bipartisan ethics reform bill. She signed the resulting legislation in July 2007.

Sarah Palin has pushed oil companies to move faster with projects to expand oil and gas production. She is widely credited with reviving a long-stalled effort to build a natural-gas pipeline from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay energy fields to the Lower 48 states.

And

In a state that is dependent for its operating revenue on taxes and energy royalties paid by oil companies, she has negotiated with the state's big producers, Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC and ConocoPhillips for better deals for Alaska.

Yes, other than all of that, she had no accomplishments. As oppose to Obama, who voted present several times while in Illinois.

[punked]

Can you please stop lying?

She created the position of city administrator, and reduced her own $68,000 salary by 10%.

Palin kept a jar with the names of Wasilla residents on her desk. Once a week, she pulled a name from it and picked up the phone; she would ask: "How's the city doing?"

Palin cut property taxes by 75% and eliminated personal property and business inventory taxes.

Using municipal bonds, she made improvements to the roads and sewers, and increased funding to the Police Department.

Her first legislative action after taking office was to push for a bipartisan ethics reform bill. She signed the resulting legislation in July 2007.

Sarah Palin has pushed oil companies to move faster with projects to expand oil and gas production. She is widely credited with reviving a long-stalled effort to build a natural-gas pipeline from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay energy fields to the Lower 48 states.

And

In a state that is dependent for its operating revenue on taxes and energy royalties paid by oil companies, she has negotiated with the state's big producers, Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC and ConocoPhillips for better deals for Alaska.

Yes, other than all of that, she had no accomplishments. As oppose to Obama, who voted present several times while in Illinois.

OK so again she hasn't done anything. Seriously this is all you got? That is less then Obama has done on his first day in the white house. You are reaching, AND giving her credit for many things she didn't even do.

My bad I know what she did, she left with a 1.7 billion dollar deficit, in the most oil rich state in the Union.

Edited January 21, 2010 by punked

[Oleg Bach]

When Obama team up with his supposed advesary, dearest Hillary..then it just shows you that they have a one party system and a great on going dictatorship - I just wonder who the real power is? Certainly not the brown boy with the big ears.

[Alta4ever]

OK so again she hasn't done anything. Seriously this is all you got? That is less then Obama has done on his first day in the white house. You are reaching, AND giving her credit for many things she didn't even do.

My bad I know what she did, she left with a 1.7 billion dollar deficit, in the most oil rich state in the Union.

This is not about what he has done since taking office as President, its about what he had done before.

Of course anyone upon taking up the office of the president would become busy have to start working since voting present as the president is not an option.

[Oleg Bach]

BEING a president that is the dramatic effect of affirmative action is not much to brag about.. Nor is some conspiratorial engineering feat that got the guy in though the emotional human door rather than the logical one.

[Born Free]

BEING a president that is the dramatic effect of affirmative action is not much to brag about.. Nor is some conspiratorial engineering feat that got the guy in though the emotional human door rather than the logical one.

Dont know how you managed to work in "affirmative action" into your equation cause it was never about that. The voters simply saw an alternative to the extreme dictatorship that existed under Bush/Cheney.

You might not like what Obama has done in his first year in office but he sure hasnt started yet another illegal war.

[Pliny]

You may be surprised. The feeling that the the present policies are wrong, and that too much money is being spent, is widespread. Haven't we all lived through a real estate boom? It is engrossing, suddenly you're going to parties and people are talking about their real estate, and feeling rich ... they start spending more than they really should. Others, jump into housing for fear that they will never be able to afford a house. They see other people making money on real estate, and they feel a little envy. Suddenly, the strangest people are flipping real estate.

It's been like that in the US for a decade.

I think Scott Brown did a masterful job of running as a tea-party person, rather than as a Republican calling on the Tea Party people for their support. He called himself the 'independent voice', and other times, the 'voice of independent Massachusetts' and he didn't advertise his Republican-ness at all. He made a big thing about driving a truck. He radiates some of the same kind of simple virtue stuff that Sarah Palin brings to the game.

You may not like it, but the Scott Brown won on the very sentiments that the Tea Party protests are expressing.

Scott Brown obviously ran a masterful campaign.

I was totally, and pleasantly, surprised that he won. He did have help from Obama who has accomplished nothing for the people of America in the past year. He has not listened to anyone but his closest advisers, he has planned in secret when he campaigned on transparency, he is partisan when he campaigned on being bi-partisan.

He is an ideologue with a vision that obfuscates reality. It seems he is not even aware of the existing scene in America and trundles along with his vision of creating Utopia now because he has the opportunity. He felt he was sanctioned with the power

to forge ahead with the progressive dream of the planned society and thus transforming America. He never looked at what he was elected for or why. He never saw what was.

What existed was a product of the Bush administration and nothing to do with him. The economy, unemployment, the housing crisis, all could be ignored by brushing it off as a remnant of the Bush administration. "It's not our fault...Let's get down to business.. now about cap and trade, healthcare, taxes on the rich and community activism.

I don't have any disillusionment that the MA voters will not return to their Democrat roots as soon as possible.

Since the thread has drifted to Palin, I'll make a comment in comparison to Obama.

Sarah Palin is at least grounded in reality. She sees what is there not what she would like to see. She is not an intellectual with designs of how society should be. It is fine the way it is except government has become a bit unwieldy and needs to notch down a few degrees. She knows governments responsibility in the housing crisis - it isn't all Wall Street. Wall street is doing as it always has done capitalized on any opportunity it sees, and government assurances that all was good opened the flood gates to capitalize on this rare event where "Ninja" clientele were encouraged by the likes of Barney Frank, backed by the CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) to be mortgage approved getting almost instant equity in their overpriced home - Sure...all was well. The Democrats in Congress were on their way to creating Utopia; as if government could do that. After 2006 they ignored George Bush, he was a lame duck President after that.

He could still be blamed for America's ills though.

Obama about three weeks ago said that his economic policies were working and getting America back on track. He better wear the economy now since he has claimed to save it.

But I have a feeling he will still blame Bush for all "his" problems; and - it is all about "him".

The sad thing is, in the wake of his devastation will the next administration just blame him for America's ills?

I think Oleg is correct he came through the emotional door and not the logical one.

[Pliny]

Dont know how you managed to work in "affirmative action" into your equation cause it was never about that. The voters simply saw an alternative to the extreme dictatorship that existed under Bush/Cheney.

The "extreme dictatorship" is gone so get over it. Hopefully, you will never have to experience an extreme dictatorship. I would hate for you to have to realize exactly what you mean.

You might not like what Obama has done in his first year in office but he sure hasnt started yet another illegal war.

Obama's first year in office can no longer be mitigated by the performance of the previous administration and your claim of an "illegal war", whatever that is, is preposterous. If you have evidence of one please report your claim to the proper authorities. I know the left likes to think in terms of all wars are illegal but let's get back to reality and understand that there are people who are not interested in being "nice" to everybody.

[August1991]

This struck me as a good quote and interview with Mark Steyn:

HH: Now do you believe that at the White House tonight they’re going to have the conversation that I confirmed again today with a Clinton White House veteran, after the ’94 vote, they sat around and they explicitly said we’ve got to get back in the game, we have miscalculated. Does the Obama White House have the ability to say wow, Alinskism is not so popular, we’d better go back and find the center?

MS: No, I don’t think so. I think that’s because this White House is surrounded, and this administration at its heart is surrounded by stupid people. Clinton was smart enough to hire smart people. Obama isn’t that smart. And I think that’s why in effect, he compounded Martha Coakley’s problems in the disastrous rally appearance on Sunday. You know, if the whole rap against you is that you’re the hack candidate of a discredited party machine, the answer isn’t to fly in Obama, John Kerry and miscellaneous, idiot princelings from obscure branches of the Kennedy family, and hold a so-called rally in a private school at which the President, having gone to the trouble to fly in and put his prestige on the line, can’t be bothered to string together a halfway coherent speech. I think that’s the arrogance of Obama. I think what this, what his appearance on Sunday had in common with the Olympic business in Copenhagen and the climate change appearance, too, is this arrogance that somehow, he can just fly in, and the sheer aura of Obama will transform the situation. And it doesn’t work anymore. He’s become a bore.

Link

I disagree with Steyn here. I think Obama is smart, even smarter than Clinton.

[sharkman]

He may be, but his actions beg to differ thus far...

[Shady]

I disagree with Steyn here. I think Obama is smart, even smarter than Clinton.

I keep hearing, and have heard, especially through the media over the last year or so, just how smart Obama is, especially compared to other Presidents. I'm beginning to wonder. At some point, we should see evidence of his so-called brilliance, no? Instead, he comes across as no smarter than the former peanut farmer President he most resembles. He may indeed be very smart. But he sure hasn't acted nor governed that way.

[punked]

I keep hearing, and have heard, especially through the media over the last year or so, just how smart Obama is, especially compared to other Presidents. I'm beginning to wonder. At some point, we should see evidence of his so-called brilliance, no? Instead, he comes across as no smarter than the former peanut farmer President he most resembles. He may indeed be very smart. But he sure hasn't acted nor governed that way.

You know that peanut farmer has a degree in nuclear physics right? No I wonder why that is?

[bush_cheney2004]

You know that peanut farmer has a degree in nuclear physics right? No I wonder why that is?

Because Admiral Rickover said so.

[ToadBrother]

You forgot one thing Toad, she had more experience than Obama, which is now becoming increasingly apparent as he has frittered away goodwill and a super majority in the senate while he learns the ropes. At least Palin would have only been a VP and me thinks would have done better than the gaffe a minute Biden.

Her experience doesn't add up to that much. Governor of say, New York or California, and I'd consider it, governor of a relatively small (population-wise) state rolling in oil revenues where even a dead monkey could probably do the job, not so impressed.

I love it how Palin haters are still so bitter even after Palin and the Mccain express didn't get voted in. No doubt you still bring up how Bush stole the election in 2000 when you all get together.

Bush did steel the election. He stole it from John McCain. The way those vile bastards who pulled GWB's strings assassinated a real live war hero's character to put a half-witted aristocrat's idiot son in the White House is one of the great crimes of the new century (you won't find me a big Gore supporter, I'm afraid).

Rove should be taken out into the middle of the Atlantic and dropped out of the airplane for what he masterminded against McCain.

Edited January 21, 2010 by ToadBrother