The 2008 US Election thread

[J70]

The only reason she didn't fall flat on her face was because she didn't answer a single f**king question. And the reason she didn't answer a single questions is simply because she didn't know the answers. She'd had a memory bank of about 10 spiels that she regurgitated over and over again, always managing to shift the focus of the question over to what she had memorised, with the useless moderator letting her away with it every time. 

Are there people that are seriously going to vote for the ticket with this half-wit on it because she comes out with a few 'gosh darnits' and 'you betchas' just to show everyone how normal and down to earth she is? God, how I wish they would invite Jeremy Paxman to the states to chair one of these debates, if he'd been there tonight Palin would've left in tears, exposed as the lightweight she is.

Yes, there is a huge swathe of America whose only concern is that Palin is "like them". They like that she's evangelical, pro-life, pro-guns, pro-hunting and anti-the-so-called-elites and the "mainstream" media. They don't give a crap if she can't wax lyrical on supreme court cases or foreign policy or economics. Her looks and her snowmobile-racing, fisherman/oil worker husband don't hurt either. Populism works (on all sides).

You rarely see US politicians answer the forceful questions that a Jeremy Paxman-type would ask in that type of setting. Christ, I've heard Irish politicians get a far tougher time from Aine Lawlor on Morning Ireland than I've ever seen here. Surely you can't have forgotten the uproar when Carol Coleman had the temerity to ask Bush a few tough questions some years back? Sometimes, when politicians dare to, they'll get a tough time from journalists of an opposing ethos, but it often degenerates into screaming matches (did anyone see the preposterous exchange between Bill O'Reilly and Barney Frank earlier? ). Tim Russert used to ask probing questions of all of his guests, but unfortunately he isn't around anymore.

[Tyrones own]

when it was him and his ilk that played no small part in causing the whole shit fight in the first place.

This has been doing the rounds here on left wing radio stations too, could you please explain how McCain can be tied to this
crisis but with not a single mention to the fact that Bill Clinton signed a Bill in '92 that got this whole thing on the path to
the slippery slope, then please enter Barack and his association to Acorn, Raines, Johnson not to mention Barney Frank and co...
Do you honestly not see the other side of the coin here

I'd still prefer empty rhetoric than watch more civilians and US troops lose their lives in Iraq and other places than the not so empty rhetoric of bringing them home.

Bring them home... then what?

over the last 8 years.

Ye see this is my whole point.... is there absolutely no substance in the Obama campaign that they have to
constantly go back to the Last 8 yrs, how many times did Biden regurgitate that? move on FFS, as Obama
says himself even if it is a tad contradictory..there'll be lots of time for blame.

"Man is Fully responsible for Global warming" FFS.............

[J70]

Come on TO, if the shoe was on the other foot, you'd be cheering your candidate pointing to "the last eight years". Bush is an unpopular president: of course Obama is going to try and tie his party's candidate to him. The Republican's would do the exact same thing.

Maybe Obama will stop with the "last eight years" stuff if McCain drops the "maverick" talking point.

[Tyrones own]

They like that she's evangelical, pro-life, pro-guns, pro-hunting and anti-the-so-called-elites

-Christian-

What in hell is so wrong with that, weren't most of us here brought up with similar values in Ireland...... No?

[Tyrones own]

Maybe Obama will stop with the "last eight years" stuff if McCain drops the "maverick" talking point. 

I would go with that...

[J70]

"Man is Fully responsible for Global warming" FFS.............

Its not as ridiculous as man having no impact as most of the republicans (including Palin) would have you believe, although I believe McCain accepts (or at least did unless he sold his soul on this issue) that man is at least partially responsible for climate change.

[Tyrones own]

although I believe McCain accepts (or at least did unless he sold his soul on this issue) that man is at least partially responsible for climate change.

Oh I agree whole heartedly and Palin said just that tonight.

[J70]

They like that she's evangelical, pro-life, pro-guns, pro-hunting and anti-the-so-called-elites

-Christian-

What in hell is so wrong with that, weren't most of us here brought up with similar values in Ireland...... No?

Didn't say there was anything wrong with it. I said it was part of her appeal to many Americans. That she is a creationist is a big turn-off for me personally.

[J70]

although I believe McCain accepts (or at least did unless he sold his soul on this issue) that man is at least partially responsible for climate change.

Oh I agree whole heartedly and Palin said just that tonight.

I missed that bit. She said that was McCain's view or her own?

[Tyrones own]

I missed that bit. She said that was McCain's view or her own?

She said "I share John McCains view"

[Tyrones own]

Bush is an unpopular president: of course Obama is going to try and tie his party's candidate to him.

That would be fine if he wasn't speaking at rallies and the debate actually that now is not the time for finger pointing
with regards to the crisis we're in.......wonder why  

[DrinknHarp]

They like that she's evangelical, pro-life, pro-guns, pro-hunting and anti-the-so-called-elites

-Christian-

What in hell is so wrong with that, weren't most of us here brought up with similar values in Ireland...... No?

Do you believe that the Earth was only created 5,000 years ago?

[stephenite]

[This has been doing the rounds here on left wing radio stations too, could you please explain how McCain can be tied to this
crisis but with not a single mention to the fact that Bill Clinton signed a Bill in '92 that got this whole thing on the path to
the slippery slope

What piece of leglislation was this specifically?

Bring them home... then what?

Pay others to clean up the mess you left behind, maybe some private security firm could do it for you? They've shown themselves to be very efficent in the past, eh?
Seriously though - republicans have proven themselves to be way out of their depth on this, the only answer is for the UN (I know you don't really recognise them because you don't really believe in democracy) to send in peace keeping troops to sort it out because the Americans are beat.

to the Last 8 yrs
[\quote]

You've just had the most unsuccssful president in the history of the USA - do you think the dems are not going to link him to the republicans that are trying to success him? Seriously?

[J70]

Bush is an unpopular president: of course Obama is going to try and tie his party's candidate to him.

That would be fine if he wasn't speaking at rallies and the debate actually that now is not the time for finger pointing
with regards to the crisis we're in.......wonder why  

Well there's more to talk about than just the current financial crisis, but I take your point.

[J70]

I missed that bit. She said that was McCain's view or her own?

She said "I share John McCains view"

Well its good to see she's not totally impervious to science, even if only for prime time!