April 11, 2008
The Big News This Weekend

F-U-M-B-L-E-!

Hence the beauty of a long, drawn-out primary tussle.

Posted by Eric Earling at April 11, 2008 08:00 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Sen. Obama is NOT the superior candidate to lead ALL the people. Once again he has shown contempt for a segment of the population (in this case small town America). If the Democrats pick him as their candidate, I will do all I can to campaign against him. I urge others to spread the word. Obama is NOT the candidate to govern ALL the people.

Posted by: Smitty on April 11, 2008 08:06 PM
2. ""And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."" - Barak Obama


This man is not fit to govern ALL the people. He clearly is a bigot who should be nowhere near the White House.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 08:15 PM
3. "“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?” the senator said. “I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.”"

If his career in politics doesn't work out, he could make some serious bucks on the stand-up circuit with his side-splitting imitation of a clueless elitist politician. Probably land a couple of HBO specials, maybe even an ongoing gig in Vegas...

Posted by: TB on April 11, 2008 08:47 PM
4. Reason # 2,345 not to vote for Obama.

And what could he possibly have against people "clinging" to their religion?? That's probably one of the worst things he said in all of that "I'm-gonna-lose-Pennsylvania" blather. He just lost the "religion" vote, I guess.

When I've met people who live in deep rural areas, they've been happy and exceedingly welcoming people who showed kindness to those of us who were passing through. I came away with awesome impressions of those who had hosted me,and I felt admiration for their rural lifestyles. Quite frankly, they were some of the most serene, pleasant people I've met!

Posted by: Michele on April 11, 2008 08:48 PM
5. Smitty and for ALL the people,

Glad you got the lingo down. Does this mean you are voting for Governor Gregoire?

I know many here are having wet dreams over Senator Obama eventually becoming the dem presidential nominee. Two words, super delegates.

There is a lot of time between now and August and there are presumptive nominees and there are actual candidates who emerge from conventions. Who either party will nominate, we'll find out. The dem super delegates will have a say. Senator Mc Cain's mom is 96 and looks like she could kick some serious butt. I wish Senator Mc Cain well, but he is 71. All people can really say is the conventions will produce candidates.

Still, I am glad that folks are getting the concept that candidates need to govern for ALL the people. Is that two votes for Governor Gregoire?

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 08:59 PM
6. ..let's see: He has contempt for small town dwellers, goes to an anti-american church that thinks AIDS was invented by the feds so black people could be infected with it, and said church also supports terrorists group HAMAS and lauds the likes of Louis Farrakhan. Thinks birthing babies breech on purpose so that only their heads are still "in" and can thus be stabbed with scissors so the brains can be sucked out is cool. Shockingly, refused to let legislation out of his own committee that would require medical care be given to babies who survived abortion, instead preferring to let them be thrown in the trashcan to die alone and unattended....admires his father's total marxist beliefs (like 100% taxation and no private farm ownership etc), is friends with a guy who bombed the pentagon and capitol building and says he wished he's done more attacks like that, and Obama's wife has never been proud of America until last month?

People, does this SOUND like someone who belongs anywhere NEAR the Oval Office? I'm sorry, but the more I learn about this guy the more disturbing his candidacy is to me.

Posted by: Michele on April 11, 2008 09:03 PM
7. #5: "Is that two votes for Gov. Gregoire?"

Sadly, with King County Elections---YES, and then some. More votes than voters, etc.

Posted by: Michele on April 11, 2008 09:06 PM
8. Michele,

I sincerely hope that ALL elections departments have their acts together for the next election. I am a Gregoire supporter, but I want whoever wins to have won a fair contest. The next governor deserves the right to govern.

The two votes I was specifically referring to belong to Smitty and for ALL the people.

You can be disturbed by any candidate all you want but until someone comes out of each convention, all they are is presumptive. Besides, you are never going to vote for the dem or Nader. I think Bob Barr is running as a libertarian. So, your choices are either Senator Mc Cain, Rep. Barr or write-in Dr. Paul or some other person.

The only issue is not whether conservative posters will ever vote for the dem nominee, but whether moderates and independents will.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 09:37 PM
9. Gregoire has had cancer and is over 60 years old. Her health is a crapshoot. Has she released her health records? There is plenty of time for her to answer these important questions. When will she?

Posted by: Smitty on April 11, 2008 09:39 PM
10. #8. No, I never would vote for Obama or Hillary. But others might. And then I'd have to live with the consequences. And that wouldn't be good at all.

Posted by: Michele on April 11, 2008 09:46 PM
11. He might as well just go ahead and change his name from Obama to O'Bigot if he is going to keep saying things like this.

Posted by: JDH on April 11, 2008 09:56 PM
12. Americans don't like having their flaws pointed out.

Posted by: duh on April 11, 2008 10:07 PM
13. Smitty,

I expect she will release her medical records about the time Senator Mc Cain does. You can't be serious about the age issue, Senator Mc Cain is 71.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 10:14 PM
14. I just cannot buy into the Democrat Party. They talk a nice game when people are looking, but it appears their ranks are filled with bigots.

I recall a 1994 incident in which Democrat Party officials in Spokane called Asians "Chinks" and another mockingly bowed at a Japanese American who protested.

And then of course there is Democrat Cindi Laws,who blamed the Jews for the failure of the monorail.

These aren't long from ago history, these are recent history. I don't think any party which attracts such hateful people as these can make any sort of claim of being inclusive for ALL the people.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 10:28 PM
15. Obama screws up every time he doesn't stick to the script. Are his supporters so naive they haven't figured this out yet? Or are they so hoisted on their petards they hear and see only what they wish for?

Definitely not ready for prime time.

Posted by: deadwood on April 11, 2008 10:28 PM
16. The question is; what is problematic about Sen. Obama ? Seems like Jeremiah Wright is old news and not resonating much any more. Perhaps this gaffe by him will help Clinton win in PA, but what will it do for McCain ? Obama will still likely win the nomination.

McCain should really be addressing the economy in more detail, the economic dangers of universal health care and the unintended consequences of sudden withdraw from Iraq and contrast him with the more youthful Obama. He should also consider using the line "I am not going to exploit the youth and inexperience of my opponent" that Reagan used when running against Mondale.

Posted by: KS on April 11, 2008 10:30 PM
17. The Racist History of the Democratic Party

Wayne Perryman, an inner city minister in Seattle and the author of Unfounded Loyalty, in an editorial circulating on the Internet (Feb. 2004):

Most people are either a Democrat by design, or a Democrat by deception. That is either they were well aware the racist history of the Democrat Party and still chose to be Democrat, or they were deceived into thinking that the Democratic Party is a party that sincerely cared about Black people.

History reveals that every piece of racist legislation that was ever passed and every racist terrorist attack that was ever inflicted on African Americans, was initiated by the members of the Democratic Party. From the formation of the Democratic Party in 1792 to the Civil Rights movement of 1960's, Congressional records show the Democrat Party passed no specific laws to help Blacks, every law that they introduced into Congress was designed to hurt blacks in 1894 Repeal Act. The chronicles of history shows that during the past 160 years the Democratic Party legislated Jim Crows laws, Black Codes and a multitude of other laws at the state and federal level to deny African Americans their rights as citizens.

History reveals that the Republican Party was formed in 1854 to abolish slavery and challenge other racist legislative acts initiated by the Democratic Party.

Some called it the Civil War, others called it the War Between the States, but to the African Americans at that time, it was the War Between the Democrats and the Republicans over slavery. The Democrats gave their lives to expand it, Republican gave their lives to ban it.

During the Senate debates on the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, it was revealed that members of the Democratic Party formed many terrorist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan to murder and intimidate African Americans voters. The Ku Klux Klan Act was a bill introduced by a Republican Congress to stop Klan Activities. Senate debates revealed that the Klan was the terrorist arm of the Democratic Party.

History reveals that Democrats lynched, burned, mutilated and murdered thousands of blacks and completely destroyed entire towns and communities occupied by middle class Blacks, including Rosewood, Florida, the Greenwood District in Tulsa Oklahoma, and Wilmington, North Carolina to name a few.

After the Civil War, Democrats murdered several hundred black elected officials (in the South) to regain control of the southern government. All of the elected officials up to 1935 were Republicans. As of 2004, the Democrat Party (the oldest political party in America) has never elected a black man to the United States Senate, the Republicans have elected three.

History reveals that it was Thaddeus Stevens, a Radical Republican that introduced legislation to give African Americans the so-called 40 acres and a mule and Democrats overwhelmingly voted against the bill. Today many white Democrats are opposed to paying African Americans trillions of dollars in Reparation Pay, money that should be paid by the Democratic Party.

History reveals that it was Abolitionists and Radical Republicans such as Henry L. Morehouse and General Oliver Howard that started many of the traditional Black colleges, while Democrats fought to keep them closed. Many of our traditional Black colleges are named after white Republicans.

Congressional records show it was Democrats that strongly opposed the passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments. These three Amendments were introduced by Republicans to abolish slavery, give citizenship to all African Americans born in the United States and, give Blacks the right to vote.

Congressional records show that Democrats were opposed to passing the following laws that were introduced by Republicans to achieve civil rights for African Americans:

Civil Rights Act 1866
Reconstruction Act of 1867
Freedman Bureau Extension Act of 1866
Enforcement Act of 1870
Force Act of 1871
Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Civil Rights Act of 1957
Civil Rights Act of 1960

And during the 60's many Democrats fought hard to defeat the

1964 Civil Rights Act
1965 Voting Rights Acts
1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act

Court records shows that it was the Democrats that supported the Dred Scott Decision. The decision classified Blacks and property rather than people. It was also the racist Jim Crow practices initiated by Democrats that brought about the two landmark cases of Plessy v Ferguson and Brown v. The Board of Education.

At the turn of the century (1900), Southern Democrats continued to oppress African Americans by placing thousands in hard-core prison labor camps. According to most historians, the prison camps were far worst than slavery. The prisoners were required to work from 10-14 hours a day, six to seven days a week in temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees and in temperatures that fell well below zero. The camps provided free labor for building railroads, mining coal-mines and for draining snake and alligator invested swamps and rivers. Blacks were transported from one project to another in rolling cages similar to the ones used to transfer circus animals. One fourth of the prison populations were children ages 6 to 18. Young Cy Williams age 12, was sentenced to 20 years for stealing a horse that he was too small to ride. Eight-year old Will Evans was sentenced to 2 years of hard labor for taking some change from a store counter and six-year old Mary Gay was sentenced to 30 days for taking a hat. While authorities sent whites to jail for the same offenses, they sent blacks to the prison camps with much longer sentences. Thousands died from malaria, frost bites, heat strokes, shackle poisoning, others were buried alive in collapsing mines, or blown to pieces in tunnel explosions, and still others drowned in swamps or were beaten and shot to death. Every southern black citizen was a potential prisoner for any alleged small offense, including violating evening curfews. Through the prison camp system, southern owners of railroads, mines and farms had an unlimited source of free labor. The black prisoners played a major role the South's economic development. Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, said, in his opinion, "the prison camps were a new form of slavery, but far more inhumane."

History reveals that it was three white persons that opposed the Democrat's racist practices who started the NAACP.

Dr. Martin Luther King, several Civil Rights leaders and many historians reported that during the first two years of his administration, President John F. Kennedy ignored Dr. King's request for Civil Rights. The chronicles of history reveal that it was only after television coverage of riots and several demonstrations did President Kennedy feel a need to introduce the 1963 Civil Rights Act. At that time, experts believe the nation was headed toward a major race war.

History reveals that it was Democratic Attorney General, Robert Kennedy that approved the secret wire taps on Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., and it was Democratic President Lyndon Johnson that referred to Dr. King as " that nigger preacher." Senator Byrd referred to Dr. King as a "trouble maker" who causes trouble and then runs like a "coward," when trouble breaks out.

Over the strong objections of racist Republican Senator Jessie Helms, Republican President Ronald Reagan, signed into law, a bill to make Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. Several Republican Senators convinced President Reagan this was the right thing to do.

Congressional records show after signing the 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act and issuing Executive Order 11478, Richard Nixon, a Republican, that started what we know as Affirmative Action.

On December 15, 1994, federal Judge David V. Kenyon issued a court order to the Clinton Administration in the Case of Fairchild v Robert Reich Secretary of Labor (#CV92-5765 Kn). The order demanded that Secretary Reich and the Clinton Administration force 100 west coast shipping to develop an Affirmative Action plan to stop discrimination against, African Americans, Hispanics, Female and Disabled Workers. Female employees were being sexually harrassed, Hispanic were being denied promotions and training, Disable Workers were being laid off, and African Americans were being force to work in an environment where they had job classification called " Nigger Jobs." Clinton left office six years later and never complied with the court order. The companies still do not have an Affirmative Action Plan.

President Clinton sent 20, 000 troops to protect the white citizens of Europe's Bosnia, but sent no troops to Africa's Rwanda to protect the black citizens there. Consequently over 800,000 Africans were massacre

During the 2003 Democratic Primary debates, the Rev. Al Sharpton, said the Democrat take the black vote for granted and treat African American like a mistress. They [Democrats} will take us to the dance, but they don't want to take us home to meet mama."


On December 3, 2002, President Clinton spoke to Democratic Leadership Council in New York regarding the future of the Democratic Party and how they could retake the White House. At no time did he address Civil Rights issues for blacks or doing things to improve the conditions of African Americans. His only reference to Civil Rights was Civil Rights for Gays. His only reference to improving communities was his recommendation to revisit the Marshall Plan to re-build communities in other countries. His entire speech was aired on C-Span.

After exclusively giving the Democrats their votes for the past 25 years, the average African American cannot point to one piece of civil rights legislation sponsored solely by the Democratic Party that was specifically designed to eradicate the unique problems that African Americans face today. Congressional records show that all previous legislation (since 1964) had strong bi-partisan support, even though some Democrats debated and voted against these laws.

After reviewing all of the evidence, many believe America would have never experienced racism to the degree that it has, had not the Democrats promoted it through:

Racist Legislation
Terrorist Organizations
Negative Media Communications
Bias Education
Relentless Intimidation
And Flawed Adjudication.

The racism established and promoted by members of the Democratic Party affected and infected the entire nation from 1856 with the Dred Scott decision, to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case. But they never offered or issued an apology.

Today both parties must remember their past. The Democrats must remember the terrible things they did to Blacks and apologize and the Republicans must remember the terrific things they did for Blacks and re-commit to complete the work that their predecessors started and died for.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 10:36 PM
18. For All,

You said this:

"These aren't long from ago history, these are recent history. I don't think any party which attracts such hateful people as these can make any sort of claim of being inclusive for ALL the people.

Posted by ForALLThePeople at April 11, 2008 10:28 PM

A couple of questions to you:

1. Do you know ANY race, religion, political party or organization that is absolutely totally free of bigotry. Is there any group that you can name that has never had at least one of its members that could not reasonably be accused of bigotry?

2. Do you ever read BIAW newsletters?

3. Are you a moral relativist? If one individual or group is a bigot, does that let bigots that you favor off the hook?

Now, if your next question is have I condemned the remarks of Rev. Wright and Farrakan, I have. So, do you condemn conservatives and republicans who make similiar remarks or is it only dems you go after.

Again, for the record, the list you posted, ALL should be condemned.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 10:38 PM
19. Who is Wayne Perryman?

A former newspaper publisher and radio talk show host and in his current profession as a fact-finding investigator in discrimination cases for the plaintiff, Rev. Perryman devotes much of his time serving his church and the inner-city
community

As a community activist, Rev. Perryman has received commendations from members of the United States Congress, former Washington State governor, Booth Gardner, and former Seattle mayor Charles Royer. In addition to this recognition, Perryman's work with children, professional athletes, gang members, and major corporations has resulted in local, national and international media coverage, including Sports Illustrated, Parade Magazine, Sports Illustrated For Kids, Seattle Times, Seattle P.I, Ebony Magazine, Upscale Magazine, EM Magazine, Christianity Today, The Personnel Administrator, ABC Home Show, TBN, The 700 Club, and Italy's Speak Up Magazine. Rev. Perryman is a former recording artist, a former radio talk show host, the author of several books and publications, the father of four, Associate Minister of Mt. Calvary Christian Center Church of God in Christ, and the owner of Consultants Confidential.

He has written a very interesting book:

Unfounded Loyalty

Here is a review:

In his review of this book R. Lau attempts to "prove" that all Republicans are racists by misquoting Barry Goldwater's famous acceptance speech at the 1964 Republican Convention. Lau "quotes" Goldwater as saying that "Extremism in defense of SEGREGATION is no vice." Every sentient American knows tat what Goldwater actually said was this: "Extremism in defense of LIBERTY is no vice." Barry Goldwater was no racist. And neither is the Republican Party

This dishonest attempt to portray Republicans as racists has been perpetrated by the Democratic Party for the past thirty years. Anyone who watched the performance of Democratic Senators like Teddy Kennedy in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Judge Sam Alito appointment to the Supreme Court this week has witnessed the absurd and dishonest lengths to which they are willing to go to perpetuate that myth.

What the Rev. Perryman points out in this book is that for over a hundred years from 1854 to 1964 the Republican Party was the sole champion of emancipation, of equal rights for blacks, of putting an end to racial segregation, and of anti lynching laws; while the Democrats precipitated and fought a civil war to preserve slavery, enacted and enforced the Jim Crow laws that created the segregated South, and invented and repeatedly used the Senate filibuster to block the enactment of anti lynching bills introduced by Republicans.

It is true that by the 1960s the effort to end segregation and discrimination had become a bi-partisan effort. Democratic President Harry Truman took a courageous stand against segregation in 1948, splitting his party; and Lyndon Johnson introduced the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But neither of these laws could have been enacted without Republican support. Republican Senators and Congressmen overwhelmingly voted in favor of these bills, while one third of the Democrats in both houses of Congress voted against them, and mounted a filibuster in the Senate to prevent their enactment -- a filibuster that was broken only with Republican votes.

It is also a fact that the first crack in the wall of legal segregation came in 1954 with the Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education outlawing segregation in the public schools. It was a unanimous decision supported by both the Republican and Democratic Justices; and the opinion of the Court was written by Republican Chief Justice Earl Warren.

It is also a fact that Republican President Dwight Eisenhower was the first President since Republican President U.S. Grant to send federal troops to the South to enforce the rights of African Americans, by upholding court ordered desegregation of the Little Rock public schools.

It was also a Republican, Richard Nixon, who established affirmative action as federal policy by issuing an Executive Order requiring that federal construction jobs be given to minority firms.

And finally, Republican President George W. Bush has appointed more minorities to high ranking administrative and judicial positions than any other President before him, including eight out of fifteen Cabinet posts (three Blacks, two Hispanics, two Asians and one Arab American) -- more than all of his Democratic predecessors combined.

The claim that the Democratic Party has been the only advocate of civil rights for blacks and other minorities is a myth invented and perpetuated by partisan Democrats. It is this myth that the Rev. Perryman seeks to dispel with his book UNFOUNDED LOYALTY.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 10:48 PM
20. The thing I found funny, was when McCain's people start criticizing him, his first reaction isn't to apologize, but to talk about "tax cuts for the wealthy".

Wow... I pray this is on video somewhere, and if he gets the nomination, the McCain camp starts running this nonstop (along with all the incredibly condescending things his wife has said about America). This could be priceless.

Posted by: Mike H on April 11, 2008 11:01 PM
21. Before people here engage in selective reading:

1. I do not think ALL conservatives are racist

2. I do not think ALL republicans are racist.

3. I do not think All people of ________race, religion, or creed are racist and I do not advocate killing any one because of their race, creed or religion.

ALL flavors have engaged in racism, bigotry, or even genocide at different times in history.

Now, to balanced, here is an article on the "Southern Strategy."

Lott, Reagan and Republican Racism
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002 By JACK WHITE Southern Strategy: The race question has haunted Reagan and the GOP for decades

Article ToolsPrintEmailReprintsSphereAddThisRSSYahoo!

Buzz Here's some advice for Republicans eager to attract more African-American supporters: don't stop with Trent Lott. Blacks won't take their commitment to expanding the party seriously until they admit that the GOP's wrongheadedness about race goes way beyond Lott and infects their entire party. The sad truth is that many Republican leaders remain in a massive state of denial about the party's four-decade-long addiction to race-baiting. They won't make any headway with blacks by bashing Lott if they persist in giving Ronald Reagan a pass for his racial policies.

The same could be said, of course, about such Republican heroes as, Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon or George Bush the elder, all of whom used coded racial messages to lure disaffected blue collar and Southern white voters away from the Democrats. Yet it's with Reagan, who set a standard for exploiting white anger and resentment rarely seen since George Wallace stood in the schoolhouse door, that the Republican's selective memory about its race-baiting habit really stands out...."

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,399921,00.html?cnn=yes

The opinion piece was written in 2002 and appeared in Time.


Again, for those selective readers, bigotry comes in all flavors.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:01 PM
22. For WVH:

You said this:


A couple of questions to you:

1. Do you know ANY race, religion, political party or organization that is absolutely totally free of bigotry. Is there any group that you can name that has never had at least one of its members that could not reasonably be accused of bigotry?

2. Do you ever read BIAW newsletters?

3. Are you a moral relativist? If one individual or group is a bigot, does that let bigots that you favor off the hook?

Now, if your next question is have I condemned the remarks of Rev. Wright and Farrakan, I have. So, do you condemn conservatives and republicans who make similiar remarks or is it only dems you go after.

Again, for the record, the list you posted, ALL should be condemned.
Posted by WVH at April 11, 2008 10:38 PM


Here are the answers to your questions in the order asked:

1) I am not the one who has chosen guilt by association as my means of selecting my gubernatorial candidate. Or should I say "selective" guilt buy association.

2) No I do not read them. Do you read Rev Farrakahn's newsletters?

3) No I am not. Wrong is wrong. Why do you make such a presumption? In fact moral relativist might best describe yourself who has admitted to knowledge of the racist treatment given prominent African Americans such as Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele and Condi Rice yet you press on with that Democrat Party, going so far as to state that Gregoire will be for ALL the people.

Well that is actually quite ironic because, Mrs Gregoire has history of NOT being for ALL the people.

In 1966, she joined the racist Southern Based Kappa Delta sorority at the UW. When she learned that it only allowed White Christian women, she stayed.

King County Councilman Larry Gossett, who was president of UW's Black Student Union at the same time Gregoire was president of Kappa Delta, says Gregoire's brand of activism was a toothless response to racism.

"If we had listened to the kind of logic that Christine Gregoire was putting forth, it would've been another 20 years before we saw any significant gains," said Gossett.

Gossett said Gregoire would have had more impact if she had shunned Kappa Delta and publicly exposed the sorority's discriminatory policy. He acknowledges it would have been hard for Gregoire to take such a stand, especially on an overwhelmingly white campus.

"But that would have been something she could really be talking about now in her campaign for governor," said Gossett

For the record, I could give a flip about Rossi, so let's get that one out of the way alright?

Your integrity would be intact had you said you refuse to vote for either. Yes, one of them will be governor, but you would have a clear conscious and intact principles. Instead, you went for the feel good choice that requires you to trash the very principles you say you support.

Now,I want to ask you a question:

1) Germans in WWII looked the other way as the Jews were hauled away. Whites looked the other way when African Americans were sold as slaves, were lynched and were not allowed EQUAL access through institutionalized racism.

Which was worse?

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 11:11 PM
23. For All,

I have a lot of respect for Rev. Perryman. He echos many of the same thoughts of Bill Cosby.

Just curious, many conservatives in a argument will drag out the one person of color who argees with them on the particular point they are attempting to make because it then allows them to call anyone who doesn't agree with them liberal, socialist or victim. There are a range of opinions in any community, but there seems to be a uniformity in conservative circles of attempting to argue the only racists in US history were those bigoted dems. Truth be told, I owe the fact that I am not a slave to the Christians and other people of faith who were civil rights advocates. These people of faith were from all political persuasions. The three civil rights workers whose story was told in Mississippi burning were two Jews and a Christian. It was people of faith, I give credit to. Parties do what parties always do, they do what is politically expedient.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:12 PM
24. You also wrote:

"So, do you condemn conservatives and republicans who make similiar remarks or is it only dems you go after."


If there is a dearth of attention payed to such remarks by any party, I will focus on those.

Do you feel there has been a dearth of coverage on racist remarks made by Republicans or conservatives in comparison to coverage given to those kinds of remarks by Progressive/Liberals Democrats?


Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 11:17 PM
25. For All,

1. You didn't answer the question posed. The answer is that all groups have members that are bigoted. Bigots come in all flavors. You are correct, I am chosing my candidate for governor on the basis of the type of MAJOR support that Senator Rossi is getting from certain groups and individuals. The Nazi envios article was a major factor.

2. No, I don't read Farrakan's articles, I have read about him in other publications. One article on Nazis was posted here. Did you read that?

3. Governor Gregoire was wrong in the way that she handled the Kappa Delta incident. Now, here is what I have said, she is the best candidate to govern ALL the people. We have two viable choices and in my opinion, she is the better choice.

4. To the question you asked:

"Now,I want to ask you a question:

1) Germans in WWII looked the other way as the Jews were hauled away. Whites looked the other way when African Americans were sold as slaves, were lynched and were not allowed EQUAL access through institutionalized racism.

Which was worse?"

There is no moral equivalance. They were both wrong, neither was worse. When one is confronted by evil, one has to act.

There were German patriots:

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a patriotic German and theologian, opposed Nazism and even participated in a plot to kill Hitler.

The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Home Page offers a biography, bibliography, and links to on-line resources

http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/PEOPLE/resister.htm

The abolitionists were people of faith.

Because a lot of the resistence in Germany and slavery came from people of faith, they acted out of a universal ethical judgement, not moral relativism.


Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:31 PM
26. I have a lot of respect for Rev. Perryman. He echos many of the same thoughts of Bill Cosby.

Have you read his resume? He appears to be a genuinely concerned person try to make a difference. He is by no means a Republican stooge.

Did you know Bill Cosby is Dr. Cosby?

Just curious, many conservatives in a argument will drag out the one person of color who argees with them on the particular point they are attempting to make because it then allows them to call anyone who doesn't agree with them liberal, socialist or victim.

First off, I don't consider this an argument, do you? I thought it was a discussion?

Have I called you any of those things? Do we have to hate each other if we disagree?


There are a range of opinions in any community, but there seems to be a uniformity in conservative circles of attempting to argue the only racists in US history were those bigoted dems.

You may be too narrow in the conservative circles you interact with. Is SP the only avenue you use to get your world view of conservatives?

Because in my opinion, no one should get their opinion of any group off the internet. I have found that on the internet you get the extremes of all sides. Do you think if one limited their interaction with liberals to HorsesAss.org that they would have an accurate opinion of liberals?


Truth be told, I owe the fact that I am not a slave to the Christians and other people of faith who were civil rights advocates. These people of faith were from all political persuasions. The three civil rights workers whose story was told in Mississippi burning were two Jews and a Christian. It was people of faith, I give credit to. Parties do what parties always do, they do what is politically expedient.

Yes they do. That is why I cannot lock step with any party.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 11:33 PM
27. For All,

I condemn the dem bigots as well. But, in terms of the media attention, probably many dems get a pass. The reason is moral relativism. Most journalists are probably dem or leaning dem and they write their votes. It is more difficult to keep things quiet because of the net.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:36 PM
28. WVH:


You wrote:

"1. You didn't answer the question posed. The answer is that all groups have members that are bigoted. Bigots come in all flavors. You are correct, I am chosing my candidate for governor on the basis of the type of MAJOR support that Senator Rossi is getting from certain groups and individuals. The Nazi envios article was a major factor."

I reject the notion that one must choose between the lesser of two evils. Evil is evil. There is no favorite bigot in my world. If there in yours? None is a valid choice when faced with two evils.

"Now, here is what I have said, she is the best candidate to govern ALL the people. We have two viable choices and in my opinion, she is the better choice."

I disagree. I think what you mean to say is that she is the less evil choice in your eyes. Judging by her cowardice to stand up for ALL the people, I disagree that she is the best choice to govern ALL the people. Don't presume to think I am arguing Rossi is either.

None. I will not sanction any bigot or their parties in order to gain something for myself as a lesser of two evils choices. For when I accept that flawed reasoning, I become no better than the power seeking bigots I claim to reject. The enablers of bigots are just as guilty.


You wrote:

"When one is confronted by evil, one has to act."

Did Christine Gregoire act in 1966? Why is that all of a sudden excusable?


Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 11, 2008 11:44 PM
29. For All,

1. Yes, Dr. Bill got his Ed.D, from UMass, I believe.

2. I never considered Rev. Perryman a republican stooge. My observation is that many conservatives look for a person of color or quote that will back up their ideology.

3. I live in Seattle and I am trying to broaden my education. One only has so much time. There are a couple of what I consider principled conservatives who post here. This site is good because it is good training for dealing with wackos. There seems to be a range of types of conservatives.

4. I am an independent. The problem with this state is that it is pretty much one-party. For city races, there really isn't any opposition party. Reading this site has answered my question as to why this is a one-party state. If this is the majority conservative thought, you say that it isn't, the republican party will be holding their meetings in a large bathroom. There is no way some candidate espousing these ideas will get elected in an urban area.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:46 PM
30. For All,

Interesting discussion. In the real world we have two choices. Governor Gregoire is the better choice. What she did 20-30 years ago was wrong. She is still the better choice. I suppose you don't have any act of moral cowardice in your background which is why you feel you can judge her. That is your choice. At this point in time, she is the better choice. If you don't agree, don't vote for her. She doesn't have to threaten, intimidate, investigate, or force anyone to vote for her. Vote your conscience.

I not only plan to vote for her, but to urge others to do the same. Interesting discussion, but we part company on the governor's race.

Posted by: WVH on April 11, 2008 11:53 PM
31. WVH:

1. Yes, Dr. Bill got his Ed.D, from UMass, I believe.

Even though he is *AHEM* get up in age, he is wise beyond his years.


My observation is that many conservatives look for a person of color or quote that will back up their ideology.

Don't people in general look for quotes to back up their points? Why is is it more sinister if a conservative does it than if a liberals or other person does it? Does it make the quote any less true or false?

I live in Seattle and I am trying to broaden my education. One only has so much time. There are a couple of what I consider principled conservatives who post here. This site is good because it is good training for dealing with wackos. There seems to be a range of types of conservatives.

You don't find any variation anywhere else in the political spectrum? There are conservative whackos and no liberal or other types of whackos?

I am an independent. The problem with this state is that it is pretty much one-party. For city races, there really isn't any opposition party. Reading this site has answered my question as to why this is a one-party state. If this is the majority conservative thought, you say that it isn't, the republican party will be holding their meetings in a large bathroom. There is no way some candidate espousing these ideas will get elected in an urban area.

Of those people who live in your neighborhood, have you ever met a single conservative person who considered themselves closer to Republicans than Democrats?

Did it ever occur to you perhaps that they vote for one party might be due to a "universal ethical judgement" as you mentioned in a previous post?

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 12, 2008 12:03 AM
32. I am an independent. The problem with this state is that it is pretty much one-party. For city races, there really isn't any opposition party. Reading this site has answered my question as to why this is a one-party state. If this is the majority conservative thought, you say that it isn't, the republican party will be holding their meetings in a large bathroom. There is no way some candidate espousing these ideas will get elected in an urban area.

I actually haven't polled all conservatives or all liberals. I have lived too long to make the presumption that any web site or indivdual or even small groups represents all thought of any particular group.


It will always be the cranks that get the most attention anywhere. It is the train wreck effect I guess. In our media society, the calm voices of reason are boring to media types.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 12, 2008 12:12 AM
33. For All,

You seem to have hit upon the problem which is labels. I believe in Seattle, there are many fiscally conservative types who want accountability in government and really want the trains to run on time as they say. They vote for dems because while they may not personally want an abortion, they want it available. Further, they are probably more accepting of gay issues. So, while they might vote republican on fiscal issues, they will never vote republican on social issues.

There are wackos of every persuasion too.

I don't think that universal ethical judgments have anything to do with urban voters. Don't know what kind of community you live in, but urban voters all over the country tend to be more moderate on social issues. I think because cities have all types of people living in a densely populated space. It seems that most conservatives are so focused on social issues that it would be hard to translate that into an electoral victory in urban areas.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 12:13 AM
34. Too bad this thread has already descended into another WVH topic tangent thread. Soon it's probably going to be time to start policing the threads like Jim Miller does, so that they remain on topic.

On that note, I'm consistently amazed at how the Democrats can fumble like this and snatch defeat from victory. Whether it's HIllary lying about dying pregnant women or her Rambo fantasies on the one hand, or Obama sidling up to a racist pastor and effectively calling Pennsylvanians gun-toting religious wingnuts, Democrats love to shoot themselves in the foot.

Is there no sanity filter in these campaigns. I imagine there are a few Dem campaign managers that have turned to heavy drinking to help them cope with such candidate behavior.

And I'm not saying that John McCain has not committed his own someone lesser gaffes. But it is truly remarkable that the so called amazing orator would let such a whopper out.

At this point, Obama's presidential hopes should be fading fast.

Posted by: Jeff B. on April 12, 2008 12:18 AM
35. Jeff B.

You said:

"34. Too bad this thread has already descended into another WVH topic tangent thread. Soon it's probably going to be time to start policing the threads like Jim Miller does, so that they remain on topic."

So, I guess that is one vote to have me banned, correct?

You said:

"At this point, Obama's presidential hopes should be fading fast."

I honestly don't know what will happen. It is in the hands of the superdelegates. Same comment that I made to Michele. You were never going to vote for a dem or Nader. Your choices are Senator Mc Cain, Rep. Barr, Dr, Paul or someone you write in. The issue is whether the super delegates think Senator Obama, Senator Clinton or another candidate can appeal to independents and moderates not you.

Now, when you say policing the threads, you really mean certain posters should be banned, don't you? How libertarian and freedom loving of you. Are those the kind of thoughts they have in Atlas Shrugged?

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 12:32 AM
36. I don't really see any acceptable choice in the gubernatorial race.

In truth, it really ought to be called the "Goobernatorial" race. Goober being a reference to the mechanic from Andy Griffith played by Jim Nabors.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 12, 2008 12:38 AM
37. "At this point, Obama's presidential hopes should be fading fast."

Speaking of fading fast.... *Yawn*

Good night all.

Posted by: ForALLThePeople on April 12, 2008 12:41 AM
38. WVH, Why not stay on topic. You have to a point. you mention that you feel that nothing will be determinied until the official nominating which is a fair thing to say, but I actually had to go back to the original post to remeber what the post was about. It is about what Obama said not about what Gregoire's/McCain's age health is. No one is calling for you to banned (that I am aware of), but staying on topic does help the flow of a truly honest debate.

Back on topic, I must say that I doubt this will make much of a difference. After the primary is over the press will do their typical love affair with the D candidate and it will take something truly damning to get them to jump overboard.

Posted by: TrueSoldier on April 12, 2008 12:48 AM
39. TrueSoldier,

First, hope you are well. You are wrong, there is a desire to ban thought.

9. Gregoire has had cancer and is over 60 years old. Her health is a crapshoot. Has she released her health records? There is plenty of time for her to answer these important questions. When will she?

Posted by Smitty at April 11, 2008 09:39 PM

That was the first mention of what some posters, I would suppose to be off topic. An offhand remark about two votes was answered and yes, people do want to ban thought. It is interesting, I don't post on every thread, but every thread that I post on draws a remark that is either an outright request for banning of discussion or a more subtle, stay on topic, but if you were banned, boy would I be one happy camper.

Many of the adherents of this site are followers of Ayn Rand, it is good to learn about that thought process. It seems that that philsophy leads one to be really intolerant of any other thought, is is that the objectivism thing?

From what I have observed many libertarians have become very similiar to what they hate most, those they consider intolerant relflexive progressives. I suppose life goes full circle. Like For All, time to say goodnight.

Anyhow, take care of yourself until you have a safe journey home.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 01:10 AM
40. suggesting that some people are bitter is a problem?

please....you guys sund desperate for turmoil.

if you want a big political story, why not focus on the fact that the president all but admitted that he authorized war crimes and that we have an administration of people who authorized torture.

re the "bitter" comments, here's obama's response in his own words....

"Here's what's rich," Obama said. "Sen. Clinton says, 'Well I don't think people are bitter in Pennsylvania. I think Barack's being condescending.' John McCain says, 'Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? He's obviously out of touch with people. '"

"Out of touch?" Obama said. "I mean, John McCain, it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he's saying I'm out of touch?"

Posted by: dinesh on April 12, 2008 07:37 AM
41. and I thought it couldn't get any richer after "God Damn America!"

This is the show that just keeps on giving :-)

Posted by: Andy on April 12, 2008 07:51 AM
42. #34 Spot On! Was this a F-U-M-B-L-E or not?..THAT is the question my friends. Obviously I'm hoping that it was (for Mrs Clinton's sake), but I'm not sure it's resonating enough?

Posted by: Duffman on April 12, 2008 07:59 AM
43. The big political story Dinesh might be the desperation of Democrats who now know they have two flawed candidates that have no business occupying the oval office. Thus the recent Dem talking point we hear every day now that McCain is "Bush 3". It's that old leftist game. Deflect, spin, and change the subject.

Obama's Pennsylvania gaffe reveals him for the snotty, big city elitist liberal that we knew he was. Big city libs will always vote for the Dems. As for the rest of the country? You might ask George McGovern about how flyover country feels about far left candidates.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 08:10 AM
44. Dinesh,

Your Obama-colored glasses have you missing the rather important point of what he implied in his statement. You try and pass it off that Obama simply stated that some people were bitter. If only that were what he said. If that was all he wanted to say, why not simply say something like:

There are plenty of people in these towns who have lost their jobs yadda, yadda. They have heard promises from the government yadda, yadda. It is understandable they might be bitter.

But that is not what came out of his mouth. What he implied was that bitterness is the cause of their fascination with guns and religion, and why they are racist and protectionist in their attitudes.

What Obama did was to paint with a broad brush and to malign a certain demographic.

I am guessing that the reason you do not see anything wrong with what he said is that you probably believe the truth in his judgment. You probably believe that all small town people are small minded, gun loving, racist, protectionists that cling to an antiquated and disproven religiosity.

In addition, you assume that since you and those who believe like you feel that government is the cause and the redemption of all your ills that people in small-town America must also believe that.

And herein lies the key points to Obama's "fumble". He has proven that he does not know these people. Obama had immersed himself into the Chicago inner-city culture. A culture, if we are to understand anything from Jeremiah Wright's preaching, that sees people as victims of the powerful who must look to others for their redemption.

Obama's mistake was not so much that he maligned a group of people, it is more that he has proven that he is a bigot. He has prejudged a segment of our population out of ignorance. This same mistake, made by a white person talking about blacks, or a man talking about women, or a Christian talking about Muslims would result in severe criticism by you and other apologists for Obama.

What Obama's statement proves is his rank parochialism and his unpreparedness to be a leader for this country.

Posted by: Eyago on April 12, 2008 08:34 AM
45. What Obama did was to paint with a broad brush and to malign a certain demographic.

Only an idiot would be able to take what he said and be able to twist it into a slight on a certain demographic. It's pathetic, and shows a certain fascination with unsubstantiated character assassination.

And if you think that McCain isn't elitist, I think that you probably haven't read his biography. He's not exactly salt of the earth, and it makes me laugh uncontrollably to think that dimwitted Republicans can think that this is not just rank hypocrisy.

Posted by: ancc on April 12, 2008 09:08 AM
46. Sorry ancc, but there is a certain snootiness about liberals. They look down their noses at the "great unwashed". They love to make snide little references about rural people who happen to own firearms and love NASCAR. Obama isn't even smart enough to avoid being caught at it.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 09:33 AM
47. Obama is showing his true bigot colors. Someone on his staff might clue him in that small town America is what gets him elected....luckily, they will reject his brand of bigotry and elect McCain so the point is moot. The sooner this flawed candidate is out of the media the better. Back to the drawing board B.O.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 09:37 AM
48. ..sometime that in eye of receiver, grasshopper; you must examine closely :)

Posted by: Duffman on April 12, 2008 09:37 AM
49. I've noticed Dinesh shows up when things really are getting tough for a Democrat. Trying to equivocate Obama's remarks misses the point. You do indeed have rose colored glasses for Obama if you don't understand that real voters don't simply look at the election as a balance scale with tit for tats. Candidates are evaluated by their ideas and statements. Scroll up to read Michelle's summary. Obama owns these gaffes, his poor choice in a pastor, and his Socialist agenda. He will now reap what he has sowed.

As for WVH, no banning, just deleting off topic comments. Have some respect for the discussion at hand. And when you continually take the bait of other commenters leading you down a tangent, you are at least half responsible.

Posted by: Jeff B. on April 12, 2008 09:38 AM
50. ancc,

Your rhetorical skills need some fine tuning. You start off with a little ad hominem, followed up by a failure to justify your point, and finish up with a little ignoratio elenchi.

If you are going to justify Obama's statement as not being woefully ignorant and bigoted, you will have to provide some sort of explanation and context for the rather highly connotative terms he used to describe those to whom he was referring.

Posted by: Eyago on April 12, 2008 09:50 AM
51. And what could he possibly have against people "clinging" to their religion??

He's an excellent role model here. He clings to his congregation of the G_d-Damned Americans no matter how many years the sorehead anti-American, down-with-middle-classness preaching continues to spew. He's the very picture of complicit loyalty.

Only, you know, just between us chosen few, them guys who cling to guns and pro-American Christianity are just loyal to the wrong things. When he 'brings the country together', it'll be in HIS church, not the Pennsylvanians.

Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on April 12, 2008 10:01 AM
52. Cograts Duffman.....you get to see Hillary on life support for another 2 months thanks to Obama and his size 12's sticking out of his mouth.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 10:02 AM
53. @46:
I was just getting ready to post something similar. Well without the "dimwitted" remark.
....
It's unfortunate that Obama has had to appologize for something Republicans, and his opponent, have blown all out of perspective. If this thread were morally honest they would read the comment alone, in its perspective, without all the conservative pundit diatribe.

What did Obama say? PA has been languishing through multiple administrations and their promisses to lift PA out of its fiscal and employment funk. That they are leary of any politician cause they haven't seen any action from anybody once they are in office. That people tend to focus on something, anything, religion, 2nd amendment, whatever, to make them feel better and have a focal point.

Yup, pretty threatening. I can't believe it.

I don't even know who I'm voting for yet. But McCain has pretty much promissed more of the same in regard to what Bush has done. Ummm. Yeah that's not working out so well right now. And hasn't been for a few years.

Posted by: Mr. RCguy on April 12, 2008 10:03 AM
54. Mr RCguy

Keep whistling past the graveyard...

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 10:13 AM
55. obama is no more qualified for any elective office than robert redford was in "The Candidate."

Posted by: arby on April 12, 2008 10:16 AM
56. Not only is Jeff B on the mark in # 50, I suggest that it is the collective weight of the sum total of all the things that Michele summarized so well that is the albatross Obama cannot easily minimize or walk away from; i.e.:

As has been only marginally mentioned in the MSM, both in the IL State Leg and the US Senate, Obama's voting record is one of if not THE most liberal of all members; by some accounting even more liberal than TED KENNEDY (reflect on THAT for a bit, and be afraid: Be VERY afraid).

Trying to be at least marginally objective here, I will grant that Obama's past voting record does not necessarily guarantee that all his actions if elected President would be hard over the radical left-wing edge. But from the ''look at what he's done and not just what he says'' perspective, I can't see how anyone could try and maintain that Obama has for his entire public political life been anything other than a hard-core liberal across the board.

The big problem is that hoi polloi do not get the ''hard-core liberal'' picture from their 30-second sound-bite world-view; or even if they attend Obama's rallies and take the time to listen to some of his longer speeches.

And don't underestimate this guy: Obama is very smart, he usually gives a great speech that makes him come across as not-too-far left of center mainstream (D), and has generated huge support from segments of the population that have largely been unenthusiastic about national politics; especially among recently minted voters.

OTOH, Eric's thread starter heading was a perfect summary comment; i.e.:
Major F-U-M-B-L-E-!
And not only is Obama's condescending statement about small town America going to be hard to smooth over, I sense that is it one of those revealing moments that might (maybe) get the MSM rolling on a more intensive and detailed public review of Obama's record. And if they don't; well...: That's what a national campaign if for, if (as it still almost surely will be) it ends up being McCain versus Obama in the fall. Stay tuned.

Posted by: Methow Ken on April 12, 2008 10:24 AM
57. @ 46. Only an idiot would be able to take what he said and be able to twist it into a slight on a certain demographic. It's pathetic, and shows a certain fascination with unsubstantiated character assassination.
Posted by ancc at April 12, 2008 09:08 AM

ummm yeah, if you switched out the word gun with the word fried chicken and the word religion with watermelon and if it was McCain speaking about people in Detroit...........Then you'd say it was a bigoted remark right?

I love how people try to justify bigoted remarks like what Obama said. At this point, working in the Obama campaign is akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.......she's going down folks.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 10:28 AM
58. Fascinating indeed is the fact that Obama made his gaffe at a private fund raising event in San Francisco.

Liberals make condescending comments like this about rural Americans all the time among themselves. Anyone who attends any sort of function in Seattle has experienced this behavior. Liberals tend to assume everyone else is one of them. I'm reminded of the woman who was astounded when Nixon was elected President. No one she knew had voted for him.

The irony here is almost beyond measure. It's so refreshing to see a liberal caught up in what I would describe as a case of reverse political correctness. How sweet it is!

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 10:29 AM
59. 14 - I'm pretty sure McCain said something along those lines too, maybe it was 'gook' instead of 'chink', though.

Posted by: Andrew Brown on April 12, 2008 10:39 AM
60. Barack isn't the only liberal bigot making the news. The Chief of the Village voice has decided to throw his size 12's into his gullet and feast on them for the weekend as well. Gotta love liberals don't ya?

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 10:46 AM
61. Mr. RCguy,

You are failing to understand the distinction between what you want Mr. Obama's point to be and what he actually said.

It is simply not sufficient to argue that "what he meant was blah, blah blah...." You cannot simply wipe away the pointed and bigoted caricature he painted of the people of Pennsylvania. You cannot simply ignore the context and the audience to whom he was speaking.

In a patronizing tone: "Well, you know those confused and misguided people in the small towns. They have been through some tough times and all. But we have to understand that they are simply a product of their environment. Their love of guns and religion and their hatred of foreigners...well, that's just because they are bitter because the government hasn't come and rescued them. They're just ignorant." (Nodding heads from the SF billionaire set.)

The point here is that Obama was talking to people who are not from that environment and have little to no commonality with them philosophically, so when Obama uses specific and connotative terms to describe them to people who have very specific biases against those who are pro-gun and pro-"religion", he was either specifically playing into their prejudices, or he was letting his own biases come through in a crowd where he felt safe enough to do so.

Either way, he framed the issue very differently than you and other apologists have when he made his statement, and that particular framing of the issue is far more significant than the issue that he was simply pointing out the plight of the people in that state. As I posted previously, he could have achieved what you claim he intended WITHOUT the connotative references. In other words, it is how he said it that matters, and no argument about what he was "trying to say" matters in comparison.

Posted by: Eyago on April 12, 2008 11:07 AM
62. "Liberals tend to assume everyone else is one of them. I'm reminded of the woman who was astounded when Nixon was elected President. No one she knew had voted for him.",

you're dead on right about this Bill. I think we've all had encounters with workmates, associates, etc. that just assume because you live and work in Seattle that you're a far left loon with a "free Tibet" bumpersticker on your subaru.

The fun part is watching them squirm when I tune into 570KVI or 770KTTH and you can practically see the steam coming out of their ears. You know they're dying to say something because you've turned their little imaginary world upside down, but instead..only silence.
I chuckle everytime.

I like to call Seattle the "echo chamber of ignorance".......a fitting term don'tcha think?

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 11:30 AM
63. When I first read about it, my thought was "own goal", not "fumble." The irony is that I'm much more a football than soccer fan. BO didn't just risk a lost possession; he actually scored.

One thing that keeps getting lost in the various recitations by the leftist apologists is the fact that the problem isn't "how he said it," it's the fact that he/they "think it" even if they don't say it. The fact that they can't effectively mount a defense for the continual series of gaffes only confirms that they don't see anything wrong with the general leftist mindset, but that it's politically expedient to hide their true orientation. It's like when one of BC's advisors admitted after an election that they had "lied" about how far to the left Clinton really was in order to get elected.

And it's sad/funny that in a discussion about BO, they keep bringing up McCain as if claiming him to be imperfect somehow lessens the habitual inappropriateness and lack of qualifications of BO. Or HRC.

In some ways, this election is starting to have a similar appearance to the Kennedy/Johnson vs. Nixon contest of my youth. It's just sort of the mirror image, with BO the flip side of Johnson and HRC enjoying the same blind loyalty and sense of entitled elitism Kennedy did. McCain really isn't much like Nixon, though, other than not really having appeal to the more conservative portion of the party. Besides, McCain doesn't enjoy Nixon's association with DDE as Bush 2 doesn't have the same emotional appeal, nor is he burdened by the House Committee etc. Nixon certainly wasn't the war hero.

Posted by: scott158 on April 12, 2008 11:34 AM
64. Any self respecting spouse would come out and defend her husband......which begs the question

Where is Michelle Obama? Doesn't she care to defend her husband? Why the silence Michelle?

I would hope my spouse would have a little more respect for me in troubled times, but I guess Barack isn't that fortunate.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 11:48 AM
65. "I'm pretty sure McCain said something along those lines too, maybe it was 'gook' instead of 'chink', though. Posted by Andrew Brown at April 12, 2008 10:39 AM"

Definitely not "Chink", only Democrats in Washington State call Asians 'Chinks'.

Posted by: Smitty on April 12, 2008 12:07 PM
66. To Rick D. at #63:
You are soooo right on.
Back when I believed in leftist tripe, I had "friends" who were big on framing issues as the left speaking on behalf of the masses/ working people/ proletariat/ blah-blah-blah. The funny thing was that they tended to have a very condescending attitude towards blue-collar people and their religious beliefs, hunting practices, clothing, etc. It was an odd kind of "we on Capitol Hill are the educated sophisticated folks and everyone-else out there who doesn't climb on our bandwagons is just plain ignorant". It didn't matter if you were a union guy working at Boeing who votes mostly with the Democrats. If you weren't enlightened about gay marriage, socialized medicine, the need for a state income tax, elimination of the Washington State initiative process, race reparations, etc. then you were part of the unclean masses. It's sort of like NOW having the chutzpah to claim they represent all women when in fact they represent a narrow slice of very leftist women. We're seeing the same behavior being reflected in Obama and I can't help but smile. Remember the 1980's presidential election and the phrase "civil war in a leper colony". It was used describe the republican candidates during the primaries. I find that phrase particularly appropro now for Obama and Clinton. Neither of them can resist the urge let their dishonesty and/ or toxic beliefs hang out. Their utterances won't impact Liberals because most Liberals share their vile beliefs but they will come back to haunt them in the general election.

Posted by: Attila on April 12, 2008 12:36 PM
67. It's so instructional to watch how the left reacts when one of their own steps in it. The usual reaction is "oh yeah? well, (fill in the blank) Republican said this, and besides what about Bush's illegal war, etc..

Alan Colmes is a master at this, constantly interrupting conservative guests with this sort of litany when anyone speaks ill of Hillary or Obama.

Liberals are so much like little kids when they don't get their way.

Once people realize that liberalism doesn't have a single success story they can point to Democrats in their present form likely will never win another election.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 12:43 PM
68. A lot of great commentary in this thread. Obama is in deep trouble.

It's instructive to see how Democrats / Progressives are forced to apply their relativistic / fixed pie world view in their analysis, because this is all that their closed ideology will allow them to do. In other words, in their limited thinking, rural Pennsylvanians must be gun -toting religious wingnuts. Makes perfect sense to them. And all blacks are by definition victims. Etc.

And the fixed-pie relativist thinking comes in their obvious attempts to equivocate everything. As Michelle Obama puts it, they are willing to take one group's pie and give it to another group. THUS: if for example it came out that Obama once shot a man, then the left would reciprocate with, well yeah, McCain once shot a squirrel. At all costs they are unwilling and unable to acknowledge absolute differences and absolute right and wrong. This is the core of Progressive philosophy. Know thy enemy.

The point is not to try and explain away Obama's gaffes, but to understand what they mean in total context. And this is the objective and meritorious ideology of the right, and in large degree independents and Americans in general.

American are great scorekeepers. And candidates get elected after Americans do a mental tallly of the score formed over the course of the election cycle. The mental tally for Obama is nearing a devastating loss, if it is not there already.

If the Dem powers that be were smart, at this point, they would start to gravitate towards Hillary Clinton, but there is the usual component of Kennedy-esque messianic adoration for Obama. This will blind them until it is far too late.

Progressive ideology is fundamentally based on flawed concepts, that don't work, don't adhere to human metaphysics, human psychology, etc. It's no wonder they almost always implode. There is nothing there of substance to begin with.

Posted by: Jeff B. on April 12, 2008 01:04 PM
69. It is a very revealing comment, and not one even he can talk his way out of. I don't know if it will cost him the election, as Norquist said, but I agree with Rove that it will kill him in Pennsylvania.

Posted by: stu on April 12, 2008 01:07 PM
70. Liberals are so much like little kids when they don't get their way.

Once people realize that liberalism doesn't have a single success story they can point to Democrats in their present form likely will never win another election.

Liberalism doesn't have a single success story? So conservatives are really racking up the successes, eh?

Posted by: ancc on April 12, 2008 01:08 PM
71. Wow Bill, we were thinking basically the same thing.

Posted by: Jeff B. on April 12, 2008 01:08 PM
72. #71. I rest my case.

Posted by: Jeff B. on April 12, 2008 01:10 PM
73. Classic "oh yeah?" reaction from ancc at #71.

All the more fun to read when one has just mentioned it.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 01:13 PM
74. And the sorry truth is that NONE of the candidates are liable to show the deference to the "common folk" that it seems like you require. If you get McCain, Clinton, or any other major party figure in the Democratic or Republican Party off the record, I'm not quite imagining that they're going to be paragons of sensitivity for the plight of rural Pennsylvanians.

The difference, of course, is that the policies of Republicans seem especially designed to sell out these people, at the expense of seeming as if they're identifying them on some of the more superficial things. I don't give a crap if the president likes opera, bowling, basketball or NASCAR... just as long as they're presenting policies that aren't essentially going to eviscerate already declining communities.

Posted by: ancc on April 12, 2008 01:18 PM
75. And Jeff I heartily agree. Liberalism has no record of achievement to stand on.

The fallback position for the libs when challenged is always, "well, Republicans suck". Such meaningful dialogue.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 01:20 PM
76. ancc- Care to respond to post @ 58?

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 01:21 PM
77. From what I've seen of ancc's posts Rick he's a classic Obama supporter. These people, Obama included, are all foam and no beer.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 01:30 PM
78. Such hatred exposed by the tolerant diverse left.

Posted by: Independent Voter on April 12, 2008 01:31 PM
79. ancc said:

The difference, of course, is that the policies of Republicans seem especially designed to sell out these people,...

Specifics would really make your postings more useful. Your postings amount to little more than Democrats rule, Republicans drool. So, could you state the specific policies that you allude to and how they specifically sell out "these people"?

Posted by: Eyago on April 12, 2008 01:36 PM
80. I agree Bill. I'm just glad the free ride is over for Senator Obama. The media can no longer keep hiding his and Senator Clinton's remarks and still maintain a sense of legitimacy, let alone objectivity, which they don't have.

McCain is clearly the only viable candidate at this juncture and while not my first choice, I'll gladly vote for him in November given the limited field of choices.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 01:39 PM
81. @80 - let me try out my Carnac the Magnificent hat here and see if I can predict the response you'll get:

TAX CUTS "FOR THE RICH!!!!"

(ignoring the fact that taxes were cut for all, and that it is "the rich" who provide those crazy "job" things for people - thus interfering with the duty of the Nanny State)


Posted by: RookieRick on April 12, 2008 02:12 PM
82. "I agree Bill. I'm just glad the free ride is over for Senator Obama. The media can no longer keep hiding his and Senator Clinton's remarks and still maintain a sense of legitimacy, let alone objectivity, which they don't have."

Unfortunately, that is simply not true. Because you want to think rationally, you wish to assume rational and/or honest behavior from leftist scribes. Don't fall into that trap. Al Gore repeatedly steps in it and always has...and always gets a free pass, perhaps even an undeserved award or two. He wrote a book that Dr. Ray skewered point by point, and it's Ray that the press went after. And how many free passes has Jimmy Carter received?

There's simply no end to the "Get out of jail free" cards available to those who champion the lunacy of the radical left.

They may appear to strive for the guise of legitimacy, but that is really not the source of their compelling drive--it's to further the agenda, no matter what the cost. The mantle of objectivity and legitimacy is really the proverbial sheep's clothing.


Posted by: scott158 on April 12, 2008 02:27 PM
83. I don't think Hillary will be able to capitalize on Obama's revealing remarks. After all he was just spouting what most of his base believes. By the same token I think that explains why the Rev. Wright comments have failed to hurt Obama with leftists.

Where Wright's comments and Obama's remarks will end up damaging him is among undecided voters and so-called moderate Democrats in the general election. He may already be unelectable.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 02:34 PM
84. @ 83. Which is why I had the qualifier re: legitimacy and objectivity-
"which they don't have".

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 02:34 PM
85. Correction: @ 82

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 02:36 PM
86. Rick, I read what you wrote. My point is that BO will continue to enjoy a mostly free ride. Libs get a free ride from the msm, the propaganda arm of the left. Until they "shuffle off this mortal coil."

Sure, the great unwashed in Penn will react appropriately, but you won't observe the msm leading the charge against him. Or them.

The treatment BC received while misbehaving in office should serve as an object lesson that no sin is too great to ignore when carrying the mantle of leftist leadership.

If/when BO falls by the wayside, however, all bets are off. The left eats it's dead.

As a quasi- member of the great unwashed, I can't help but ponder if the antics of the left in BO and HRC is more like stock eliminators or figure 8 racing. Or perhaps it's more like the Viking concept of Valhalla, where they arise each morning from the debris of the previous days misadventures and attempt to figure out how then can fool 'em again today.

Posted by: scott158 on April 12, 2008 03:10 PM
87. 81. let me borrow your Carnac the Magnificent hat here and see if I can predict the response you'll get if a democrat gets in the white house:

MASSIVE TAXATION, MASSIVE SOCIAL PROGRAM SPENDING,

Posted by: GS on April 12, 2008 03:11 PM
88. I hope this is on topic, so no one gets upset. /s/ The super delegates will decide the dem contest as neither candidate will have a sufficient number of delegates. My understanding of the rules is they are bound only by their honor. If it looks deadlocked, who knows what they may do. So, your target practice on Senator Obama and Senator Clinton might be for naught.

All candidates make stupid remarks and remarks which show they don't know what they are talking about. I believe Senator Mc Cain has had some "issues" regarding foreign policy topics. Most posters here aren't going to vote for any dem no matter what they say. Similarly there are some in the dem base that aren't going to vote for a pubbie, no matter what they say. The battle is for the indies and moderates.

If the dem contest actually goes to the convention, it might be Gore/Obama, sorry Duffman and Stefan can go into Global warming 2 million.

What Senator Obama said probably convinced people that were already convinced they would never vote for him, their choice was right. How moderates and indies feel several months from now, is anyone's guess. You can't always assume that people vote for a candidate, many vote AGAINST. Right now, you are assuming all the AGAINSTs are against the dem candidate. This may or may not be true in November.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 04:27 PM
89. WVH, can't you just get straight to the point of your posts rather than taking us all on a circular merry-go-round?

Please, spare us.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 04:41 PM
90. Bill C,

This pithy enough for you, Gore/Obama 08. You and your pals may have wasted good ink before you knew the candidate of the dems. Many people will be wearing their parkas to vote for that ticket.

How did I do?

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 04:48 PM
91. Briefly put and right to the point. Nice work, WVH.

Gore/Obama 08? Could a conservative possibly hope for a better ticket?

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 04:58 PM
92. A gore/obama 08 ticket is an easy win for the Republican nominee McCain.

I say bring it!!

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 05:09 PM
93. I shan't be happy 'till Mrs Clinton is our POTUS. This WILL happen, the unusual dynamics are playing out as we speak. Someone mentioned 'super-dels'....BINGO...you hit the nail on the head. This fine lady will NOT go away, despite opposition including MSM. Mrs Clinton has a strategy that has been in place for a long time now and even tho it seems at times like she is being overtaken, that is NOT so. You folks are going to have to SUCK IT UP. :)

Posted by: Duffman on April 12, 2008 05:20 PM
94. I'll take the bait, Duffman. Tell me what is so wonderful about having lying, socialist, angry Hillary Clinton as President of the United States. Bet you can't come up with a single thing that she'd actually DO.

And while you're pondering that, Duffman, you might want to come up with a list of Democratic policy success stories.

As a starting point, I'd suggest LBJ's "war on poverty".

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 12, 2008 05:32 PM
95. Hillary is on life support.......her only chance is a political hindenberg via Michell Obama....she just might get it.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 12, 2008 05:38 PM
96. Speculation is mounting that McCain/Lieberman will be the Republican ticket.

OK now, hold onto your hats - I considered Senator Daniel Patrick Moynahan, Although on the left of me as one of the truly intellectual giants in Washington. I used to, when I had one of the damn things, watch him on the Sunday tv shows and always had an appreciation for his point of view.

Where am I going with this?
Should John McCain indeed select Senator Joe Lieberman as his running mate, I would be impressed.

It isn't so much traditional Democrats I have serious problems with, so much as it is the loony leftists that have taken that party over, lock, stock and barrel.

McCain/Lieberman and it's all over, it will be a rout of Biblical proportions, it will be all over but the crying. Who will be left out by this? The screwball left hate Lieberman with a passion because he won't cow-tow to their agenda.

Lieberman is definitely a social leftist, but he is a reasoned, and reasonable, man. He is also a man of his convictions though, and there will be policy positions he takes that I will disagree with, but I will still respect his integrity.

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 07:29 PM
97. Duffman,

I'm with you on Gregoire, but it will be Gore/Obama because there are just too many global warming groupies. I don't know if global warming is real, but tons of folks think so. The republicans tipped their hand early on this one by running Rev. Wright 24/7. If this goes to the convention, it will be Gore/Obama and I know this will make Bill C and Rick D work extra hard or pee in their pants, Hillary for the Supremes as part of the deal that is cut so everyone is all family again.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 07:32 PM
98. JDH,

I agree with you on the quality of Senator Lieberman. I doubt that it will happen because too many of the libertarian types are also anti-Israel. I believe those in your party call those who support Israel, neo-cons or something like that.

But, Senator Liberman is certainly a quality candidate.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 07:42 PM
99. Did all you people get out and enjoy the sunshine today? If not, you're pathetic.

Posted by: pbj on April 12, 2008 08:03 PM
100. pbj

Even if you look at the time folks are posting, there is an invention called laptop or notebook computer and other gizmos with Wi-fi. People can be any where in the world and posting. So, don't be so quick to label as people could be on a terrace, patio, or even at the beach. Instead of reading a novel, they might be here.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 08:11 PM
101. O'Bigot is damaged goods - his supporters did not recognize that all their histrionics, backed up, and pumped up, by the msm would feed his melt down. The progressives do not respect "the wisdom of the ages" and a saying like "the bigger they are the harder they fall." He WAS the messiah, the oracle, the savior, according to the popular message of the day. Should the Wright stuff come out before his rise to national notice - he would have weathered it better. He would not have risen so quickly to the height he did, but it would have been "old news." Now he is being watched very closely and ANYTHING he says that can be construed to corroborate bigotry will be highlighted. This is a man that cannot "misstate" anything that slights ANYONE without him having to defend himself against charges of bigotry. Ya' live by the sword..... he lived by the unquestioned adulation of the media until there was a breach in his bulwark, now don't tell me others in the msm didn't have the same info that ABC did, it just doesn't wash. I knew of the Wright tapes months ahead of their "debutant ball." I figgr'd that the Obama strategy was to cow Republicans into not playing that card under threat of a charge of racism. Hillary/ABC made a calculation, actually they had no choice, desperate times demand.... Who wants to go on record as saying without the Wright stuff Hillary would be alive today? I've been privy to Wright's recorded words for six months now. Ergo, everyone with political connections has had it. It "came out" nationally

The McCain camp has no reason to engage either Democrat individually, it would have been much better as an "October surprise" for the Republican. Hillary, by way of ABC, using it now thoroughly PO'd a lot of Republicans. The Obama team was naive if they thought they could "cow" McCain if he was behind in October and had this in reserve. IMHO they were giddy with their success today and were feverishly trying to figure a strategy to deal with the Wright video eight months from now. they have been sh*tting their pants over this for a year now. BUT, they were successful beyond their wildest dreams, (Obama's run this cycle was a "test run" that took off. This left Obama with no four to eight years to "see the light" and put the Wright stuff in his rear view mirror. Obama's wife is a vicious hate monger, Obama - I'm not so sure of, but he is an opportunist who clung to Wright for political expediency. He knew that Wright would have to go before any serious national campaign. I believe that he and Wright have been discussing this for years. Michele Obama is a vicious hate mongering ideologue, on whom all of this was lost, she still doesn't "get it." She thought Barak was "down with" the Wright message. She's a political idiot and neophyte. She is an idiot, she's a buffoon, she has single handedly taken the "we were not aware" defense off the table.

Obama is a great politician, if you recognize pandering as an asset. His wife, is a political MORON. With a wife with some political smarts, Obama could have gotten out of Chicago and gone national. With her - he's sunk. She simply did not understand that Wright's "church" was to be used as a stepping stone.

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 08:18 PM
102. It is too bad that Barack Obama fumbled this one. Better phrased, his comments would have been quite appropriate. He should have said that this country is so screwed up -- especially the last eight years under Bush, that he can understand why people need to pray to God for deliverance and keep a few guns in their home in case hell breaks loose.

Posted by: Richard Pope on April 12, 2008 08:21 PM
103. JDH,

Just say what you really feel.

1. If this goes to the convention, Senator Obama might not be at the top of the ticket.

2. Now, regarding Mrs. Obama, I seem to remember when Clinton was running the first time and similiar allegations were made against mrs. Clinton as a negative draw. There seems to be one safe model for presidential spouse and that seems to be the Lady Bird Johnson or Laura Bush model. I am not disparaging either First Lady. Spouses who don't fit this model probably should have prepared remarks always and read from a teleprompter.

I have to agree with you, if you have got negative info about a candidate, don't you spring it just before an election? I don't know if the dem grandees will be able to put someone at the top of the ticket at this point, but many of them are sure thinking about it.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 08:40 PM
104. Not to worry about me sitting in the basement pbj, I started my day by reflecting on yesterday (something someone I idealize taught me, Grand pa) and then headed out to do ~ four hours of volunteer work for the "mobility challenged" ie the wheelchair bound with my unabashedly liberal wife helping. According to the politicians - I am Tacoma's biggest asshole, according to the handicapped population (who rely on me to do what their taxes pay for) I can do no wrong. The truth is somewhere in between.

So now the JDH is sitting here, drinking beer (normally reserved for Fridays, but because there was volunteer work to do) listening to Blind Boy Fuller and just thinking out loud (typing).

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 08:41 PM
105. JDH,

You got a liberal wife. Duffman has a conservative wife. Just goes to show the women of the world are into charity cases. :-)

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 08:45 PM
106. WVH,
Hillary is a politician's politician. A master manipulator - I have always acknowledged that Michele Obama is an unabashed and demonstrable bigot and impresses me as either not very smart or not very politically savvy. When Obama's politics was limited to Chicago, a dumbass wife ain't a liability... want to go national....

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 08:53 PM
107. WVH,
Sycophants ~ yea sycophants, joiners etc. Not for me. I look for a Mrs H to challenge me, not go along or agree. I,m tough, Mrs H is tough. We fight over most things political. Now you should have some appreciation for a guy that said a few months back that you would be welcome at our dinner table any time. Bring it on, outnumber me, I don't care. The only way for me to grow is for me to be challenged. I don't like being stymied in my arguments by an accomplished opponent, but should I not be - where would I be? Left with an unfinished argument myself, that's where. Corner me, try to check-mate me, that is what life is about. But don't cry foul when I return the favor. I'm going to use everything at my disposal, I bite in the clinches, to see victory so long as I feel I am correct. Should you prevail, I will adjust my philosophy accordingly.

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 09:09 PM
108. And by the way, WVH, the Mrs JDH is with child, and therefore since I'm a grouchy old bastard, that doesn't like high pitched noises, you will soon both be obligated to spot me a few. Got that, even though my argument may be pure unadulterated bullshit, you are obligated to concede the win to me. I'm soon to be a "victim," a protected class, I demand that my arguments be considered valid, whether they are or not, because (from all reports) I will be starting a lap down soon in formulating my opinions due to loss of peace and quiet in my abode and loss of sleep.

Posted by: JDH on April 12, 2008 09:22 PM
109. JDH,

Dude, I may take you up on that. I'm sure that Mrs. JDH must be quite a lady and something of a lion tamer to keep you in check. Anyhow, I have some respect for both you and Duffman for marrying some brainy women. Much Joy and Happiness to both families.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 09:28 PM
110. I think it only appropriate we now refer to the presumptive Democrat nominee as Snobama.

Posted by: willard on April 12, 2008 09:52 PM
111. Speaking of political spouses, has anyone been paying attention to what has been happening to Bill Clinton lately? Weeks after the Hillary Bosnia gaffe, just when people were forgetting it, Bill picks at the scab and says she got railroaded. This infuriates Hillary and then Hillary tells him she'll handle it, to which Bill says "yes maam".

Now when Bill was asked about the Obama small town gaffe, he replied "I agree with whatever Hillary said."

Posted by: pbj on April 12, 2008 10:24 PM
112. "Even if you look at the time folks are posting, there is an invention called laptop or notebook computer and other gizmos with Wi-fi. People can be any where in the world and posting. So, don't be so quick to label as people could be on a terrace, patio, or even at the beach. Instead of reading a novel, they might be here."

Reading a novel might be more educational and better for the soul. Sometimes the bitter arguments of the internet just get too drawn out and bizzare. And does anyone really feel they are solving any of the world's problems throwing invectives back and forth in cyberspace? Really, does anyone?

On our death beads are we going to pump our fist in the air and say "yes!I showed that so and so!"

Besides, the cat prefers a nice sunny spot in in the corner to the internet. Sometimes I gotta go with the cat and her simple pleasures.

Posted by: pbj on April 12, 2008 10:32 PM
113. Hillary is probably more focused than anyone in the Presidential race on the "brass ring". Those who know nothing about her might see her as the most desirable candidate - of course everyone knows about her and besides - she has run a horrible campaign - she should have been a shoo-in, but she was Obaminated on the way to the convention - the fat lady hasn't sung yet, but she has gone thru a prolonged warmup. The betting money in Vegas and in London are heavily against her - face it, Duffman - it will take a miracle for her dream to have a chance this time around, but there will be 2012.

The Progressives don't want her - they want Obama. The Progressives are neo-Marxists in alot of ways. However, this is perceived as named calling - so they can referred to as the far left - who George Soros is pouring millions into the General election campaign and David Brock (one-time Republican turned left-wing wack job) is trying to focus on demonizing John McCain. Obama's economic plan is really an Obama-nation, where corporate taxes are raised to levels never attained before along with taxes of the wealthy to pay for socialized medicene (ie Universal Health Care) - Hillary's plan is similar, which makes the Democrat candidates downright scary !!

All three candidates including McCain do not have an effective solution for illegal immigration. Republicans want them for cheap labor for corporations and Democrats want them for illegal votes that they hope slip through and are somehow counted - this sounds like a blatant generation, but noone has been able to prove that this is not the case. Oh yeah - what about anyone's plan for Social Security reform ?

Posted by: KS on April 12, 2008 10:46 PM
114. should read:
this sounds like a blatant generalization, but noone has been able to prove that this is not the case.

Posted by: KS on April 12, 2008 10:49 PM
115. pbj,

Anyone who wants to eventually advocate for an unpopular position will find this the best training possible. Politics is very nasty and if one doesn't have thick skin, one won't last. I eventually want to work for charters. This crowd is a bunch of pikers compared to the ed establishment.

Posted by: WVH on April 12, 2008 11:07 PM
116. The only problem Hillary has is her Dumb Ass foot in his mouth husband, If she could reign him in (give him a few young women a a few cuban cigars)to play with in his $Million dollar a year tax payer funded high priced New York Office) who knows she would probably have won this race. As long as she keeps him out stumping for her with his foot in his mouth, she don't have a chance, and I'm loving watching her get her clock cleaned.

She only represents herself and how many millions she can for her retirement planning.

She doesn't have a chance in hell at that office, and they know it.

Posted by: GS on April 12, 2008 11:31 PM
117. The coming week will tell us if the Obama gaffe has legs.

I think in terms of the liberal base it's entirely meaningless and as I've mentioned I don't believe Hillary will get a bounce by exploiting it.

My take is that Obama has foolishly revealed to the country what condescending elitists liberals are. Oops!

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 13, 2008 07:18 AM
118. The folks in small town America aren't bitter. They do "cling" to their 1st and 2nd Amendment Rights though.

This points out where the dems are so out of touch with American values. They are the ones who "cling" to outmoded ideas - those refuted ideals of Marx and Stalin and other dead socialists. Those ideals that forced half of humanity to endure a half century or more of slavery and poverty.

Posted by: deadwood on April 13, 2008 09:31 AM
119. Their could be a Reaganesque reaction in the liberals' future.

Americans can only take so much pessimism, which is what liberals and their media toadies peddle every single day when their party is not in power.

Listen to Obama, and Hillary. They don't make a single speech without referring to people who are "only a paycheck away from the street", or who died,(a recently exposed Hillary fabrication), because they were refused medical care.

How well does that sort of negativity sell in a country so prosperous that high school kids drive nice cars to school and have $400.00 a month cell phones glued to their ears all day long?

Liberals can only win if they create a perception of misery and doom. "Global Warming" anyone?

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 13, 2008 10:41 AM
120. What continues to befuddle liberals is the idea that there are people on this country that refuse to trade their principles for a few baubles of silver.

That is why you get books like "What's the matter with Kansas" in which liberals put for the notion that there must somehow be something wrong with such people who wouldn't trade their principles in for a few dollars when the liberals come to town with a checkbook funded from confiscated funds.

In other words, they refuse to ally with Ceasar by accepting his ill gotten bribe money. Liberal sold out long long ago and have bought off constituencies along the way. These are people that won't give in and it just pisses liberals off.

Posted by: WhatTheMatterWithLiberals? on April 13, 2008 12:18 PM
121. Anyone who wants to eventually advocate for an unpopular position will find this the best training possible. Politics is very nasty and if one doesn't have thick skin, one won't last. I eventually want to work for charters. This crowd is a bunch of pikers compared to the ed establishment.
Posted by WVH at April 12, 2008 11:07 PM

You haven't convinced anyone of anything here. So you intend to go to the education establishment and call everyone a racist then?

Posted by: JuJu on April 13, 2008 12:22 PM
122. JuJu or karma overdose,

Hs anyone on this thread called EVERYONE of one group ALL of anything? Really, you simply can't read or either want to engage in selective reading. If you review this thread you will note that most of these posters are quite angry with Senator Obama for saying MANY people are bitter. Quite often libertarians in their arguments will use terms like ALL and use that to refer to a group of anything they hate or don't want to have power or be allowed to speak. NOTE that I said QUITE OFTEN and did not refer to ALL of anything.

So, point out where I used the term ALL to refer to anything.

One question for you, what does collectivism mean to you?

Posted by: WVH on April 13, 2008 12:37 PM
123. WVH

What a crock! You state :

"Hs anyone on this thread called EVERYONE of one group ALL of anything? "

And then proceed to do exactly that to libertarians, whom you despise as a group.

Now you thought you were quite clever by prefacing with 'quite often', however what you are saying is "quite often ALL libertarians..."

You should have said "Some libertarians quite often..." but that is not what you meant was it?

You despise libertarians as a group and use the implied all to do just exactly what you accuse them "to refer to a group of anything they hate or don't want to have power or be allowed to speak".

You do not want them to have any power, therefore you espouse voting Gregoire as you postulate that will keep them from power.

Posted by: JuJu on April 13, 2008 02:28 PM
124. JuJu,

Actually, I don't despite or hate any race, color, or creed. As for the libertarians and Ayn Rand crowd, I am trying to understand them. Maybe you can help my study. I did not use the term ALL.

This is what the Ayn Rand Institute said about abortion rights and I know many people are upset with Senator Obama, dems, and RINOS. Please help me undertand this:

Abortion Rights Are Pro-Life
Monday, April 19, 1999
By: Leonard Peikoff

A woman has the right to control her own body.

This week hundreds of anti-abortionists will demonstrate outside Buffalo's abortion clinics, bookstores and high schools. Where is their moral opposition? Today, no one is defending the right to abortion in fundamental terms, which is why the pro-abortion rights forces are on the defensive.

Abortion-rights advocates should not cede the terms "pro-life" and "right to life" to the anti-abortionists. It is a woman's right to her life that gives her the right to terminate her pregnancy.

Nor should abortion-rights advocates keep hiding behind the phrase "a woman's right to choose." Does she have the right to choose murder? That's what abortion would be, if the fetus were a person.

The status of the embryo in the first trimester is the basic issue that cannot be sidestepped. The embryo is clearly pre-human; only the mystical notions of religious dogma treat this clump of cells as constituting a person.

We must not confuse potentiality with actuality. An embryo is a potential human being. It can, granted the woman's choice, develop into an infant. But what it actually is during the first trimester is a mass of relatively undifferentiated cells that exist as a part of a woman's body. If we consider what it is rather than what it might become, we must acknowledge that the embryo under three months is something far more primitive than a frog or a fish. To compare it to an infant is ludicrous.

If we are to accept the equation of the potential with the actual and call the embryo an "unborn child," we could, with equal logic, call any adult an "undead corpse" and bury him alive or vivisect him for the instruction of medical students....

http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=1087&page=NewsArticle&id=5351

Now, JuJu, I have to apologize for using Cliff's Notes, but there is a lot to wade through discovering Ms. Rand as you have. I know people here are PO'd about Senator Obama's comments regarding the Common Man. So, could you help me understand Ms. Rand's views:

Critical Essays
The Role of the Common Man in Atlas Shrugged: The Eddie Willers Story
The heroes of Atlas Shrugged are men and women of great intellect. Dagny, Rearden, Francisco, Ellis Wyatt, and, above all, Galt are superb thinkers--even geniuses. The story makes clear the multitude of ways in which the great minds are mankind's benefactors. But an honest reader may ask: What about the common man? Do heroism and moral stature require extraordinary intellectual ability, or can individuals of more modest intelligence aspire to these lofty goals? What is the relationship between a man's intelligence and his moral character? In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand gives her answer to these questions through the character of Eddie Willers.

Eddie lacks the genius possessed by his boss, Dagny Taggart. He is her diligent, able assistant, but he's not capable of building the John Galt Line, judging the merit of Rearden Metal, identifying the nature of the abandoned motor, finding a scientist capable of reconstructing the motor, or resolving the chaos that the Taggart Tunnel explosion causes. Likewise, he doesn't possess the ability to run Taggart Transcontinental

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Atlas-Shrugged-Critical-Essays-The-Role-of-the-Common-Man-in-Atlas-Shrugged-The-Eddie-Willers-Story.id-7,pageNum-94.html

It seems that for those republicans who might have difficulty with those who want current abortion law to stay as it is could have problems with the followers of Ms. Rand. Am I correct?

Posted by: WVH on April 13, 2008 03:49 PM
125. WVH said:

"Actually, I don't despite or hate any race, color, or creed. As for the libertarians and Ayn Rand crowd, I am trying to understand them. Maybe you can help my study. I did not use the term ALL."


You used the implied all. If one says Black People quite often ... or White People quite often ... , one is referring to ALL members of that group. Trying to deny that only digs you deeper.


As for Ayn Rand, never heard of her. So your presumption that I am "one of those types" is false. In fact you know nothing about me other than your preconceived prejudices about those that don't agree with everything you say.

And one needn't be a libertarian to be point out flaws in your arguments. Offering up a straw man like Ayn Rand (straw woman?) points to a fundamental weakness in your ability to address issues head on. Those education folks will eat you up like last weeks lunch special.

You might want to start with a review of logic. And come back when you have some evidence to support your assertions.


Posted by: Smitty on April 13, 2008 04:30 PM
126. "...I know people here are PO'd about Senator Obama's comments regarding the Common Man."
Posted by WVH at April 13, 2008 03:49 PM

It takes a bigot to know a bigot I guess.

Posted by: Rick D. on April 13, 2008 04:59 PM
127. Smitty and Rick D.,

1. You must be one of the few people who posts here who hasn't heard of Ayn Rand.

a. Now, what do you think of her position on abortion as re-stated by the Ayn Rand insitute?

b. What do you think of her assessment of the common man?

2. Rick D. said this:

126. "...I know people here are PO'd about Senator Obama's comments regarding the Common Man."
Posted by WVH at April 13, 2008 03:49 PM

It takes a bigot to know a