GOP Convention Opens: Did You Know McCain Was a POW?
| Tue Sep. 2, 2008 8:30 PM PDT
The first night of the Republican's hurricane-delayed convention didn't matter--thanks to John McCain's decision to place Sarah Palin on his ticket. By choosing the little-known Alaska governor, who a short while ago was mayor of a small town and who has come to the national stage with soap opera in tow, McCain made Palin the story of this shortened week. There's more anticipation for her acceptance speech (on Wednesday night) than for his (Thursday night). George W. Bush, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani—forget about 'em, only Palin truly counts.
But the first night did reveal what McCain's strategists are thinking—or worrying—about. The speakers focused over and over on McCain's experience as a Vietnam prisoner of war and devoted little time to his 21 years in the Senate. It was almost as if McCain's two-and-a-half decades in Congress were a dirty secret. And one of the main speeches of the night—delivered by former Senator Fred Thompson—was full of 1980s-styled Republican red meat. (Democrats support abortion rights and will raise YOUR taxes.) It seemed as if the convention planners were so concerned about the Republican base that they had to go back to the future and plagiarize the Reagan playbook. And throughout the night, there was practically no acknowledgment there's any economic pain in the world outside the Xcel Energy Center. The McCain people say, this election is about character, not issues. Tonight really proved that: McCain doesn't need to feel voters' pain; they need to feel his.
The Republicans were somewhat fortunate they only have three evenings to program, due to Hurricane Gustav. How many times can McCain's "service" be praised before a well-behaved, not-very-excited crowd of well-dressed, older and predominantly white Americans who sit in neat rows beneath an electronic billboard bearing the phrase "Country First" and who hold on their laps placards that proclaim, "Service"? And how many Teddy Roosevelt references?
McCain may be the top of the ticket, but Palin has been the main attraction. After the news of her teenage daughter's pregnancy emerged—and smothered rumors that Palin had faked a pregnancy to cover up a supposed earlier pregnancy—the convention seemed to freeze. At receptions, during panel discussions, and in hotel lobbies, there was no talk of Bush's speech, which was first canceled and then rescheduled (as a video address on Tuesday). And no talk of what would be in McCain's speech. The one question is, how will she do?
Continues Below
Continued From Above
Throughout the day, Republican officeholders and delegates at the convention appeared to be standing by their woman, telling reporters she was the perfect pick and expressing no concerns about her experience on national security or about the sideshow stories surrounding her selection. "There isn't a family in America that cannot relate to what Sarah Palin is going through," Republican Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. of Utah said at a reception for the Republican Jewish Coalition. At the same event, Republican Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia declared that Palin, "Will be a great soulmate in standing with John McCain against all evil in the world. He added, "She knows how to be a mother." (Perdue also blasted Barack Obama for "standing for appeasement of terrorists around the world.")
The only less-than-celebratory remark from a Republican regarding Palin I encountered came from Ken Khachigian, a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. (A well-regarded political strategist, Khachigian worked for McCain during his 2000 presidential bid, but he was frozen out of the current campaign.) "High risk, high reward," he said of McCain's choice. Asked if he had any concern that Palin's not ready to be president, he replied that she may not be able to get up to speed on foreign policy matters before Election Day, but doing so by January 20 ought not be a problem for her.
But while everyone waited for Palin's speech, there was still an opening night to get through. Several videos were played celebrating other presidents who put country first: Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan, Bush I. (Reagan "saved America," according to one of these films.) Senator Norman Coleman declared that McCain "has a face that says yes." A high school student appeared on the podium and told the delegates that McCain "is working hard to rebuild our country." (She did not explain why this rebuilding was necessary after nearly eight years of George W. Bush.) A woman who had served in the military as a public affairs officials told a long story of the medical horrors she encountered after suffering a life-threatening blood clot in Bosnia; her point seemed to be that life is wonderful, regardless of the challenges that come. And, of course, repeated references to McCain's POW days poured forth from the podium.
In the first two hours of the night's program, there was essentially no mention of anything McCain had done in the U.S. Senate—until George W. Bush, speaking from the White House, praised McCain for supporting the so-called surge in Iraq. Bush said nothing else about any other specific McCain action in the Senate, yet Bush described McCain's stint as a POW in great detail. Citing his POW experience, Bush proclaimed that McCain's resolve will not be broken by "the angry left."
Then came Fred Thompson. He pooh-poohed Democratic talk of economic hard times. "Listening to them," he huffed, "you would think we were in the middle of a great depression...We know we have challenges.....We also know we live in the freest, most prosperous" country in the history of the world. Deriding Barack Obama as the creature of the Washington media, Thompson blasted Washington talk shows and the inside-the-Beltway cocktail circuit. (Political reporters in the arena snickered at this, knowing Thompson has always been a big fan of that cocktail circuit.) He criticized Obama for being a smooth talker who delivers speeches off TelePrompTers (while reading his own speech off a TelePrompTer). He promised that McCain will "drain the swamp" when "he gets to Washington." (Hasn't McCain been there for a quarter of a century?) He then offered another long detailed account of McCain's POW experience. ("Incredible heat beating on a tin roof....Boils the size of baseball under his arms....John McCain knows about hope. That's all he had.") He added that "being a POW doesn't qualify you to be president, but it does reveal character." But that was exactly what Thompson was suggesting.
After Thompson finished a highly partisan speech, Senator Joe Lieberman strode out and praised McCain as a bipartisan maverick, citing his legislative initiatives regarding campaign finance reform, immigration and climate change. (Subjects that did not draw cheers from the crowd.) "If John McCain is just another partisan Republican," Lieberman remarked, "then I'm Michael Moore's favorite Democrat." The applause faded quickly after Lieberman left the stage. And the delegates started filing out.
A low-energy evening was done. But McCain's strategists had revealed that they believe the Palin pick was not enough to galvanize the GOP base. And they played the POW card as if it's the only one in their deck. There was little, if any, mention of what McCain would do to help American voters in need should he become president. The arena this night was a policy-free zone. With its backward-looking emphasis on McCain the POW, the McCain camp appears to be betting that voters will neither ask, what have you done for us lately, or what will you do for me if elected? Now on to the main event: Sarah Palin.
Comments
SARAH PALIN choice
Amazingly sound and authentic choice.
1. The starting base is that this has galvanized the core Republican conservative base which will ensure massive and enthusiastic turnout for McCain in the elections. Pro life, evangelical, pro gun supporters and conservatives are now solidly behind the McCain/Palin ticket. Even with all the petty liberal elitist media led revelations the support for McCain/Palin is rock solid.
2. The Palin choice in retrospect was a no brainer. Any other choice (e.g. Liebermann) would have just sunk the McCain Presidency bid like a stone unless something scandalous appeared about the Democratic ticket. McCain was holding his own but there was no edge for him to move forward beyond his present base. Without Palin it would have been impossible in spite of his proud and record for McCain to battle the Republican malaise after the neocon denial of conservative principles that placed the country in trouble on so many fronts.
3. Women and particularly the HRC supporters who are not behind Obama now have no reason to even think about the Democratic ticket and this goes for many women now sitting on the fence. Those that are lost in the abortion camp will never come down from their selfish 1970's mindset that sees the destruction of a viable life as just a choice like fries with your hamburger.
4. McCain can now concentrate on swing voters and independents.
5. This crucial Palin choice will attract a significant target: blue-collar, white men. In some swing states (Ohio) in the Democratic primaries they went for Clinton 2-1. Whereas Sarah Palin has been touted as a sop to HRC women , this group will actually just be the gravy on the top if they come over.
6. The distrust by key voters for Obama is magnified by the choice of a woman who represents what a lot of America is about. Palin with her speech tonight has now to make that connection. She should not get diverted by trying to get to or simply respond to the worst attacks by the nervous liberal elitist Democratic mainstream.
7. Palin has to careful of the neo-cons. These are the same persons who ignored core conservative beliefs and have diverted the true course of conservative by bankrupting the Treasury, and showing a complete lack of prudence in the handling of the nation's affairs.
8. The attacks on Palin are gleeful and reek of self-righteous but this will backfire over the next month if Palin can connect with core target markets.
9. It is said that Ms. Palin is a quick study and her record proves that. It will now depend upon her ability to deal with the issues starting from tonight that will determine the course of this elections. This is now the Palin show ? not McCain, not Obama. She is all about what is right about America and wrong about American politics, which is the opposite of what can be said about Barrack Obama.
FACTCHECK.ORG-------
We checked the accuracy of Obama's speech accepting the Democratic nomination, and noted the following:
Obama said he could "pay for every dime" of his spending and tax cut proposals "by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens." That's wrong ? his proposed tax increases on upper-income individuals are key components of paying for his program, as well. And his plan, like McCain's, would leave the U.S. facing big budget deficits, according to independent experts.
He twisted McCain's words about Afghanistan, saying, "When John McCain said we could just 'muddle through' in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources." Actually, McCain said in 2003 we "may" muddle through, and he recently also called for more troops there.
He said McCain would fail to lower taxes for 100 million Americans while his own plan would cut taxes for 95 percent of "working" families. But an independent analysis puts the number who would see no benefit from McCain's plan at 66 million and finds that Obama's plan would benefit 81 percent of all households when retirees and those without children are figured in.
Obama asked why McCain would "define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year"? Actually, McCain meant that comment as a joke, getting a laugh and following up by saying, "But seriously ..."
Obama noted that McCain's health care plan would "tax people's benefits" but didn't say that it also would provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for families.
He said McCain, far from being a maverick who's "broken with his party," has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time. True enough, but by the same measure Obama has voted with fellow Democrats in the Senate 97 percent of the time.
Obama said "average family income" went down $2,000 under Bush, which isn't correct. An aide said he was really talking only about "working" families and not retired couples. And ? math teachers, please note ? he meant median (or midpoint) and not really the mean or average. Median family income actually has inched up slightly under Bush.
Analysis
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination Aug. 28, speaking before more than 84,000 people in Denver's Mile High football stadium. Some of his comments were worthy of a ref's yellow flag.
Compliments of Factcheck org----
We checked the accuracy of Obama's speech accepting the Democratic nomination, and noted the following:
Obama said he could "pay for every dime" of his spending and tax cut proposals "by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens." That's wrong ? his proposed tax increases on upper-income individuals are key components of paying for his program, as well. And his plan, like McCain's, would leave the U.S. facing big budget deficits, according to independent experts.
He twisted McCain's words about Afghanistan, saying, "When John McCain said we could just 'muddle through' in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources." Actually, McCain said in 2003 we "may" muddle through, and he recently also called for more troops there.
He said McCain would fail to lower taxes for 100 million Americans while his own plan would cut taxes for 95 percent of "working" families. But an independent analysis puts the number who would see no benefit from McCain's plan at 66 million and finds that Obama's plan would benefit 81 percent of all households when retirees and those without children are figured in.
Obama asked why McCain would "define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year"? Actually, McCain meant that comment as a joke, getting a laugh and following up by saying, "But seriously ..."
Obama noted that McCain's health care plan would "tax people's benefits" but didn't say that it also would provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for families.
He said McCain, far from being a maverick who's "broken with his party," has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time. True enough, but by the same measure Obama has voted with fellow Democrats in the Senate 97 percent of the time.
Obama said "average family income" went down $2,000 under Bush, which isn't correct. An aide said he was really talking only about "working" families and not retired couples. And ? math teachers, please note ? he meant median (or midpoint) and not really the mean or average. Median family income actually has inched up slightly under Bush.
Analysis
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination Aug. 28, speaking before more than 84,000 people in Denver's Mile High football stadium. Some of his comments were worthy of a ref's yellow flag.
SARAH PALIN choice
Amazingly sound and authentic choice.
1. The starting base is that this has galvanized the core Republican conservative base which will ensure massive and enthusiastic turnout for McCain in the elections. Pro life, evangelical, pro gun supporters and conservatives are now solidly behind the McCain/Palin ticket. Even with all the petty liberal elitist media led revelations the support for McCain/Palin is rock solid.
2. The Palin choice in retrospect was a no brainer. Any other choice (e.g. Liebermann) would have just sunk the McCain Presidency bid like a stone unless something scandalous appeared about the Democratic ticket. McCain was holding his own but there was no edge for him to move forward beyond his present base. Without Palin it would have been impossible in spite of his proud and record for McCain to battle the Republican malaise after the neocon denial of conservative principles that placed the country in trouble on so many fronts.
3. Women and particularly the HRC supporters who are not behind Obama now have no reason to even think about the Democratic ticket and this goes for many women now sitting on the fence. Those that are lost in the abortion camp will never come down from their selfish 1970's mindset that sees the destruction of a viable life as just a choice like fries with your hamburger.
4. McCain can now concentrate on swing voters and independents.
5. This crucial Palin choice will attract a significant target: blue-collar, white men. In some swing states (Ohio) in the Democratic primaries they went for Clinton 2-1. Whereas Sarah Palin has been touted as a sop to HRC women , this group will actually just be the gravy on the top if they come over.
6. The distrust by key voters for Obama is magnified by the choice of a woman who represents what a lot of America is about. Palin with her speech tonight has now to make that connection. She should not get diverted by trying to get to or simply respond to the worst attacks by the nervous liberal elitist Democratic mainstream.
7. Palin has to careful of the neo-cons. These are the same persons who ignored core conservative beliefs and have diverted the true course of conservative by bankrupting the Treasury, and showing a complete lack of prudence in the handling of the nation's affairs.
8. The attacks on Palin are gleeful and reek of self-righteous but this will backfire over the next month if Palin can connect with core target markets.
9. It is said that Ms. Palin is a quick study and her record proves that. It will now depend upon her ability to deal with the issues starting from tonight that will determine the course of this elections. This is now the Palin show ? not McCain, not Obama. She is all about what is right about America and wrong about American politics, which is the opposite of what can be said about Barrack Obama.
FACTCHECK.ORG-------
We checked the accuracy of Obama's speech accepting the Democratic nomination, and noted the following:
Obama said he could "pay for every dime" of his spending and tax cut proposals "by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens." That's wrong ? his proposed tax increases on upper-income individuals are key components of paying for his program, as well. And his plan, like McCain's, would leave the U.S. facing big budget deficits, according to independent experts.
He twisted McCain's words about Afghanistan, saying, "When John McCain said we could just 'muddle through' in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources." Actually, McCain said in 2003 we "may" muddle through, and he recently also called for more troops there.
He said McCain would fail to lower taxes for 100 million Americans while his own plan would cut taxes for 95 percent of "working" families. But an independent analysis puts the number who would see no benefit from McCain's plan at 66 million and finds that Obama's plan would benefit 81 percent of all households when retirees and those without children are figured in.
Obama asked why McCain would "define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year"? Actually, McCain meant that comment as a joke, getting a laugh and following up by saying, "But seriously ..."
Obama noted that McCain's health care plan would "tax people's benefits" but didn't say that it also would provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for families.
He said McCain, far from being a maverick who's "broken with his party," has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time. True enough, but by the same measure Obama has voted with fellow Democrats in the Senate 97 percent of the time.
Obama said "average family income" went down $2,000 under Bush, which isn't correct. An aide said he was really talking only about "working" families and not retired couples. And ? math teachers, please note ? he meant median (or midpoint) and not really the mean or average. Median family income actually has inched up slightly under Bush.
Analysis
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination Aug. 28, speaking before more than 84,000 people in Denver's Mile High football stadium. Some of his comments were worthy of a ref's yellow flag.
Compliments of Factcheck org----
We checked the accuracy of Obama's speech accepting the Democratic nomination, and noted the following:
Obama said he could "pay for every dime" of his spending and tax cut proposals "by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens." That's wrong ? his proposed tax increases on upper-income individuals are key components of paying for his program, as well. And his plan, like McCain's, would leave the U.S. facing big budget deficits, according to independent experts.
He twisted McCain's words about Afghanistan, saying, "When John McCain said we could just 'muddle through' in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources." Actually, McCain said in 2003 we "may" muddle through, and he recently also called for more troops there.
He said McCain would fail to lower taxes for 100 million Americans while his own plan would cut taxes for 95 percent of "working" families. But an independent analysis puts the number who would see no benefit from McCain's plan at 66 million and finds that Obama's plan would benefit 81 percent of all households when retirees and those without children are figured in.
Obama asked why McCain would "define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year"? Actually, McCain meant that comment as a joke, getting a laugh and following up by saying, "But seriously ..."
Obama noted that McCain's health care plan would "tax people's benefits" but didn't say that it also would provide up to a $5,000 tax credit for families.
He said McCain, far from being a maverick who's "broken with his party," has voted to support Bush policies 90 percent of the time. True enough, but by the same measure Obama has voted with fellow Democrats in the Senate 97 percent of the time.
Obama said "average family income" went down $2,000 under Bush, which isn't correct. An aide said he was really talking only about "working" families and not retired couples. And ? math teachers, please note ? he meant median (or midpoint) and not really the mean or average. Median family income actually has inched up slightly under Bush.
Analysis
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accepted his party's nomination Aug. 28, speaking before more than 84,000 people in Denver's Mile High football stadium. Some of his comments were worthy of a ref's yellow flag.
I just want to know why it is "a private family matter" when a politician's 16 year old unwed daughter gets pregnant and announces that she will keep the child, and why it becomes the government's business when pro-choice is the issue.
Lori Buel
Los Angeles
The convention tonight was all about Hermann Goering's tactics. Preach and drive the security issue to scare the electorate. Insist on security of the nation to wage war and jail anyone who voices opposition. Anyone who questions their ideology is a traitor and they will have their Totalitarian state. "Nazism"
please, can we not throw "nazi" around like the tired and almost never applicable cliche is it? if we are indeed the "angry left" (and how stupid do you have to be not to be angry at this point) then calling republicans nazis sounds even sillier.
sounds like the evening pretty much just sucked, which works out well for me, because i'm not about to waste a second of my time watching that crap.
Let's not forget what happened whilst Mr McCain was a POW.
He didn't garner the nickname 'Songbird' for nothing. He got the nickname for being a traitor to the US by passing information to the VC for preferential treatment, not to mention alledgedly helping with over 30 VC propaganda films. This from fellow POW's.
How could anyone consider this traitor as a prospective President.
Usually they turn traitor AFTER they get elected !
Submitted by 引越 (not verified) on Wed Sep. 3, 2008 2:22 AM PDT.
引越US by passing information to the VC for preferential treatment, not to mention alledgedly helping with over 30 VC propaganda films. This from fellow POW's.
If I hear one more person utter the word POW, I'm throwing the TV out the window !! This fraud and traitor didn't get the nickname "songbird" for nothing.
And...while we are on the subject, Mr. Corn...Why is it that you and your collegues in the MSM are not demanding that Mr. POW release ALL of his military records as Kerry did in 2004??
There are over 600 pages that are still classified...for a war fought 40 years ago with a nation we now call friendly. The only reason for this is that McCain would be in deep trouble if they were released......But do the American people not need to know his military records?
The left and the media don't like McCain talking about his war heroism because it's a pretty stark contrast between McCain's record of service to this country at the expense of his health, his popularity in his own party and sometimes even his popularity with the nation at large and Obama's years of community organizing, lecturing and jumping up the political ladder as fast as he can to try and reach the top as early as possible for no reason other than his own self aggrandizement.
McCain's campaign has been all about the country, Obama's has been all about his entirely media created psuedo-celebrity preening.
Yes, John McCain frequently brings up that he was a POW, just like John Kerry started every speech with "When I was in Viet Nam....". The difference is that McCain endured years of torture for his fellow soldiers, and Kerry came back to the TV cameras and spit in the faces of his fellow soldiers. Big difference.
Sarah Palin's daughter is 17 idiots. Why isn't there an article out there asking "Did you know Barry Sotero was a Muslim?" Check the facts he definately was a Muslim as a youth it's clearly written on his enrollement papers.
So what?
Obama wasnt dropping bombs indiscrimately on men, women and children for the glory of the US of A. He wasnt crashing plane after plane in acts of sheerlike bravery.
So what does Obama, this community worker (*sick*), know about helping America? Does helping out a few jobless bums really compare to killing for America?
McCain is a real WAR Hero. He has killed and will kill again. Obama is a weakling, soft, liberal, wuss.
God bless America (unless you are a liberal in which cas may you die of Aids as you are probably a homo anyway).
So many of my fellow Republicans seem so excited by Sarah Palin because "she's just like us!" But why would you want a "president" who's just like everyone else, average. You wouldn;t want your surgeon to be average, why should we expect less from leaders. I know she'll just be VP but McCain is not in the greatest health. This reminds me of Bush, when people could relate to him because he was an "average" (C) student. Is the well so dry? Do we need "average" people representing us?
Mccains POW experience shows what kind of Character he has....Unlike empty suit Obama who really has questionable character...Racist Hate Moner Preacher, Terroist business partner , and Corrupt Fellon which he bennefitted from....Hmmmmm now who would i rather have a s president??
I have the utmost respect for McCain's service record, but being a POW isn't a qualification for president, he has 21 years in the senate, why aren't they talking about that? My uncle was a POW who is still in a wheelchair and I love him dearly, but wouldn't vote for him to be our president. McCain shouldn't be trying to garner votes this way, he has a record in Congress, he should be talking about that. And the convention needs to start talking more about the economy, Americans are suffering- our bad economy is not propaganda conjured up by the left- its real and deserves to be addressed. And enough about Obama's character- I can't believe we're playing this old game again, the Bush campaign attacked McCain's character in 2000 and it was low then and its low now.
Interesting question... the media seems to be throwing out any decency when it comes to vetting GOP candidates and their families. This is very disappointing and only reveals more liberal bias in a media which at best ignores that accusation. So, if the Palin pregnancy is the new standard, I wonder if this same media has looked into whether or not Michelle Obama or Mrs. Biden have had abortions. Surely there is nothing wrong with this in the eyes of the liberal media - abortion is a good thing, right? Wouldn't that make for a great headline - "Mrs. Obama Reveals Herself as Great Champion of Abortion Rights." After all - Mr. Obama himself views unwanted children as punishment - he slipped up and let that one come out of his eloquent mouth.
Who needs a former pow when we can get a community organizer....is that code for an up to date member of the corrupt Chicago machine that Obama has sucked up to for his entire political career..if anyone can tell me one useful thing that Obama has done in his career, I'll look at him a little closer..until that time, he has done zip, nothing, nada to help anyone but himself...as far as change, what does going along with his party 100% of the time have to do with courage or change
I don't know why people get so defensive. No one is slighting McCain's service (not even Obama and the Democrats), but why is it too much to ask that they address the economy? Is that too much to ask? I think that's a pretty important subject. This is about what the Republican party will do, not what the Democrats will do. They already had their convention. The economy HAS languished under a Republican president, so I don't think it's too much to ask that the party address what will be different this time. Nobody is saying Obama has a great plan, but why is it so horrible that we need answers from our party now.
I'm gleefully looking forward to seeing the faces of my left leaning friends the morning after the election. It will be like waking up from a nasty hangover and trying to figure out who you're lying next to. How in the hell did this happen they'll begin to think. Where did we go wrong? I'm sorry you've got a candidate with no backbone let alone credentials. I'm sorry you're all in a state of self loathing and you feel you must propagate your hate towards self and state on one another. You've dropped the ball once again and it feels like we'll be having another republican running things as it should be.
"You've dropped the ball once again and it feels like we'll be having another republican running things as it should be."
Even more gleefully I look forward to seeing what little there is left of America's economy go down the pan with McSame, his amazing graps of economics and the same self serving Rovian Acolytes running the show.
Did you know Obama is coward?
Thats right, he wasn't brave enough to serve in the military.
He hasn't been brave enough to make a stand on legislation.
He never published a piece of scholarship while editing the Harvward Law Review.
Keep it up Obamabots.
If you win, you will run corporations right out of America. You think shipping jobs overseas is bad now? Wait till corporations change their home country.
I can't wait to listen to UH-bama in a debate with McCain. He better hope he gets leaked questions because stumblena won't be able to hide his Heroic indecisiveness in front of national TV.
I really can't wait for you nuts to lose this election.
David Corn,
It's funny that you would mock McCain's service. We can assume you have never overcome anything in your life so troubling.If you were a POW how long would it take for you to surrender your fellow soldiers?. I guess
5 minutes or less
Because the argument of the pro-lifers swirls around the phrase contained in the American Constitution it says we should have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
That is why the question of when life begins is so important, so is it at conception? or some other time during pregnancy....you decide
So, if you believe as the Palins do, that life begins at conception, then they should be entitled to their privacy because they believe they are on the right side of the pursuit of "life"
Barack Obama's mother also felt that way even though she was only 17 when she became pregnant with Obama
40,000,000 human babies aborted
since Roe (who by the way recanted her support). That is 40,000,000 liberals not born and not voting for the least qualified democrat in history. Obama,like fred Sanford(period) coordiatin and organizin. Fewer democrat,liberal,progressive,socialist,communist ,all now pretty much the same label for the far left. Another generation and they'll all be gone!
It's appropos that you invoke Reagan.
Landslide ahoy! History will indeed repeat itself: likable American boosters, family values, god and country versus sneering effete elitist downers that only the "in crowd" loves.
See you November 5th! Hee!
You nutjobs truly are off the deep end. Since when is being a war hero bad? I guess only when you are a knee-jerk anti-war coward. I don't care if you dodged the draft, you should at least be able to recognize courage when you see it. I know you all recognize it whether you admit it or not.
SARAH PALIN choice
Amazingly sound and authentic choice.
1. The starting base is that this has galvanized the core Republican conservative base which will ensure massive and enthusiastic turnout for McCain in the elections. Pro life, evangelical, pro gun supporters and conservatives are now solidly behind the McCain/Palin ticket. Even with all the petty liberal elitist media led revelations the support for McCain/Palin is rock solid.
2. The Palin choice in retrospect was a no brainer. Any other choice (e.g. Liebermann) would have just sunk the McCain Presidency bid like a stone unless something scandalous appeared about the Democratic ticket. McCain was holding his own but there was no edge for him to move forward beyond his present base. Without Palin it would have been impossible in spite of his proud and record for McCain to battle the Republican malaise after the neocon denial of conservative principles that placed the country in trouble on so many fronts.
3. Women and particularly the HRC supporters who are not behind Obama now have no reason to even think about the Democratic ticket and this goes for many women now sitting on the fence. Those that are lost in the abortion camp will never come down from their selfish 1970's mindset that sees the destruction of a viable life as just a choice like fries with your hamburger.
4. McCain can now concentrate on swing voters and independents.
5. This crucial Palin choice will attract a significant target: blue-collar, white men. In some swing states (Ohio) in the Democratic primaries they went for Clinton 2-1. Whereas Sarah Palin has been touted as a sop to HRC women , this group will actually just be the gravy on the top if they come over.
6. The distrust by key voters for Obama is magnified by the choice of a woman who represents what a lot of America is about. Palin with her speech tonight has now to make that connection. She should not get diverted by trying to get to or simply respond to the worst attacks by the nervous liberal elitist Democratic mainstream.
7. Palin has to careful of the neo-cons. These are the same persons who ignored core conservative beliefs and have diverted the true course of conservative by bankrupting the Treasury, and showing a complete lack of prudence in the handling of the nation's affairs.
8. The attacks on Palin are gleeful and reek of self-righteous but this will backfire over the next month if Palin can connect with core target markets.
9. It is said that Ms. Palin is a quick study and her record proves that. It will now depend upon her ability to deal with the issues starting from tonight that will determine the course of this elections. This is now the Palin show not McCain, not Obama. She is all about what is right about America and wrong about American politics, which is the opposite of what can be said about Barrack Obama.
McCain crash-landed 5 military planes. One of those was while flying back from a recreational Army-Navy game. The other was because he was flying too low in the Mediterranean and flew into power lines. Reckless. Have you ever wondered how a guy who graduated 5 from the bottom of his class managed to get flight school when those slots normally go to the top % of the class? Family name. He was unqualified to be flying those planes and while his service to country deserves recognition it does not warrant our blindly electing him to lead this country the way he flew planes. Reckless.
Ben_M,
Were you one of the mask wearing anarchists enjoying a Labor Day stroll? Next you'll be calling all the McCain supporters racists because we don't see the virtue in an Obama presidency. I'm not putting anyone in the white house that is okay with late term abortions or decides to pass up tough questions that are above his pay grade.
Have you ever wondered how a guy who graduated 5 from the bottom of his class managed to get flight school when those slots normally go to the top % of the class?
Well, there was a war on, they needed pilots, and class rank goes (later) to the prospective pilot's choice of aircraft. The "top" people want fighters. He flew light attack. And not all people in a class go into naval aviation - they go surface, sub, USMC, intel, and aviation, to name a few.
Of course the repugnics have to look back at the POW past! You see someone might just actually question why is it that he has been in Congress for 30 years and still doesn't have a clue about the "economy"! I mean being in Congress working on bills that need to be passed (involving $$$) what's not to understand!
Tex (and other Tex-like posters),
Firstly, I'd like for you, or anyone to explain what is cowardly about being diplomatic or as you would have it "anti-war"? You must be "off the deep end" if you somehow think that there are no unjust wars and that somehow opposing self-defeating wars that make no sense is somehow a sign of cowardice. Are you serious? How old are you? It doesn't take much elucubration to come to the conclusion that you can't just blow everyone up that you have a problem with! How many people would have blown you up by now? Seriously I can't believe there are people out there that believe this. Being diplomatic doesn't mean that you just bend over for everyone, it means you exhaust non-violent actions and you THINK before you blow something up! But I guess that's a foreign concept huh?
Secondly, there's nothing wrong with being a war hero. The question is how do you define the word hero. It is really sad and regrettable that John McCain was a POW, I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but the fact that it happened does not make him a hero. That will probably upset a lot of people, but that is because thinking has apparently gone out of style. No one signs up to be a POW, and no one signs up for military service expecting to be a POW (especially when your Dad is an Admiral). A horrible thing happened to John McCain, but I don't call people who live through horrible car accidents heroes. The fact of the matter is that John McCain's status as a former POW serves as a political shield, so much so that even a well reasoned and balanced assessment of his experience is out of bounds. I do not know whether or not there is any truth to claims that McCain gave up a lot of information as a POW, but I do know that to even suggest so or question any part of that experience as a qualification of some sort will entreat upon you a hailstorm of vituperation and critique simply because people have been conditioned to respond in a certain way. It really is absurd. My heroes would open their military records to the public, and would not be ashamed to do so because those records would support their heroism. My heroes would remember the wrongs done to them and would not pay them forward. My heroes would be modest and appeal to the reason in people, not their visceral reactions.
The funny thing is that there is a silver lining for the "angry left". They are about to get a 4-year renewal on their anger subscription, and they secretly love it. It's a happy anger. It fills them up. I'm serious. I've known these folks all my life. They wake up in the morning on their futons spitting like cobras, dose up on coffee and ciggies, and then read something about Bush that really gets their blood (merrily) boiling. They're never happier than at that moment. Nov. 5 will be quite a banner day for them. They are going to be mad as hell.... and loving it!
Mike Freehold New Jersey
One usually must go to a dog fight to hear such insight.
McCain claims that he was tortured while in custody. There were no other American witnesses to this torture and some former POWs doubt that it happened at all. In fact, McCain himself admitted in a 1973 interview with the magazine US News and World Report that he volunteered to give military information in return for medical treatment, even before being subjected to any torture.
