This is the Presidential Campaign Thread.

Barack Obama Vs. John McCain.

Edited November 6, 200817 yr by Toups

Darn... I can't keep up with this thread on a short lunch hour... AAAGGGGHHHH!!!!

^^^ True. I have missed about a day and reading through the posts since my last visit is exhausting. I saw several things I wanted to respond to, but there are waaaay too many, so I will just post a few of my thoughts about recent discussions instead.

Firstly. when did someone say that Obama's full name was off limits? That's an exaggeration. I personally don't really care if you post his full name or not. It's public record, for cryin out loud. I think the point was that the opposition is using the fact that his middle name is Hussein to railroad him. And it's another example of politics by fear typically used by the opposition when there is nothing else they can attack. As someone else said, he was given that name over 40 years ago by his parents. Even if his father is of the Muslim faith, how does that play into this election? Someone needs to explain that one to me because I don't get it.

Secondly, the fact that someone brought up yet again Obama's church and the Reverend Wright reeks of hypocrisy (surprise surprise). When they are claiming their candidate's religious beliefs are "off limits".

Lastly, I do feel that for the most part, Obama supporters have been taken to task for not "proving" their candidate's position moreso than McCain supporters.

This is all JMHO of course and my impressions of the goings-on in this thread over the last day or so.

oops never mind, the post in question was not addressed to me. :lol:

Wost, I read your posts and I think most people do. You make good points -- even when you do engage in circular arguments :lol: Really, I was just kidding.

Edited September 19, 200817 yr by Jess

Casey didnt you leave?

About eight times a day. :lol:

Casey didnt you leave?

Nope. Still here.

An economist explains why he thinks McCain's economic policies make more sense

National polls from realclearpolitics.com

RCP Average 09/09 - 09/18 -- 47.3 45.4 Obama +1.9

Gallup Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 49 44 Obama +5

Hotline/FD Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 45 44 Obama +1

Rasmussen Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 48 48 Tie

Battleground Tracking 09/11 - 09/18 47 47 Tie

CBS News/NY Times 09/12 - 09/16 49 44 Obama +5

Quinnipiac 09/11 - 09/16 49 45 Obama +4

Pew Research 09/09 - 09/14 46 46 Tie

Reuters/Zogby 09/11 - 09/13 47 45 Obama +2

Newsweek 09/10 - 09/11 46 46 Tie

Large shifts towards Obama in the last couple of days. McCain's lead from the RNC are completely gone. We are back to where we were before the conventions.

I wonder what has caused the recent shift? My guess is the financial troubles on Wall Street...or maybe the perceived negativity from the McCain camp..

Edited September 19, 200817 yr by Casey008

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/...ioans/#comments

This Will Cost Obama/Biden The Election

National polls from realclearpolitics.com

RCP Average 09/09 - 09/18 -- 47.3 45.4 Obama +1.9

Gallup Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 49 44 Obama +5

Hotline/FD Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 45 44 Obama +1

Rasmussen Tracking 09/16 - 09/18 48 48 Tie

Battleground Tracking 09/11 - 09/18 47 47 Tie

CBS News/NY Times 09/12 - 09/16 49 44 Obama +5

Quinnipiac 09/11 - 09/16 49 45 Obama +4

Pew Research 09/09 - 09/14 46 46 Tie

Reuters/Zogby 09/11 - 09/13 47 45 Obama +2

Newsweek 09/10 - 09/11 46 46 Tie

Large shifts towards Obama in the last couple of days. McCain's lead from the RNC are completely gone. We are back to where we were before the conventions.

I wonder what has caused the recent shift? My guess is the financial troubles on Wall Street...or maybe the perceived negativity from the McCain camp..

Casey. I admit I was wondering if you were gloating when you posted McCain's boost in the polls a couple weeks ago. Obviously you were not.

In the end....polls schmolls. I don't know if they mean anything at all, but thanks for posting this.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/...ioans/#comments

This Will Cost Obama/Biden The Election

I like JB, but his big mouth is a big problem. What is this, like the 3rd time he's put his foot in his mouth? The DNC have to be going nuts on how they are going to control what comes outta his mouth.

Casey. I admit I was wondering if you were gloating when you posted McCain's boost in the polls a couple weeks ago. Obviously you were not.

In the end....polls schmolls. I don't know if they mean anything at all, but thanks for posting this.

I like JB, but his big mouth is a big problem. What is this, like the 3rd time he's put his foot in his mouth? The DNC have to be going nuts on how they are going to control what comes outta his mouth.

Judging from those poll numbers -- I believe they were originally posted by Casey and referred to in your post -- it looks like McCain retained his convention bounce and Obama returned to his post-convention levels. Not much happened with McCain, but it looks like Obama bounced back from whatever happened immediately after the GOP convention. Obama had popped up to around 48 or 49 after the Dem convention and then dropped back down during the GOP. McCain popped up to 46, 47 during the GOP convention. It looks like both of them have retained their post convention bounce now. They are fighting over a smaller pool of undecideds IMO.

I don't think all these groups are surveying the same group of people either. I think some must be polling registered voters and the others likely voters.

Edited September 20, 200817 yr by Jess

Why is Barack Obama qualified?

He can see Missouri from his house.

He can see William Ayers from his house!

plus he's far more educated than Palin is.

Elitist.

Obama holds a B.A. in political science with specialization on international relations from Columbia

That's really important, Redd... I'm sure that specialization will come in handy when Columbia begins threatening us with their nukes...

And let's just throw in Keating Five which isn't one of those Obama like guilt by associations but a case of actual guilt on the part of McCain.

Speaking of outright lies...

oops never mind, the post in question was not addressed to me. :lol:

Wost, I read your posts and I think most people do. You make good points -- even when you do engage in circular arguments :lol: Really, I was just kidding.

Thanks Jess...

Elitist.

Wow, I wasn't aware having a good education made someone elitist. Some logic that is.

That's really important, Redd... I'm sure that specialization will come in handy when Columbia begins threatening us with their nukes...

I was referring Columbia University where he obtained his degree, not the country of Colombia.

Edited September 20, 200817 yr by ReddFoxx

Time: New McCain Attack Ad Plays Race Card

Karen Tumulty writes:

When politicians interject race into a campaign, they seldom do it directly. Consider McCain's new ad, which the campaign says it will be airing nationally ...

This is hardly subtle: Sinister images of two black men, followed by one of a vulnerable-looking elderly white woman.

Let me stipulate: Obama's Fannie Mae connections are completely fair game. But this ad doesn't even mention a far more significant tie--that of Jim Johnson, the former Fannie Mae chairman who had to resign as head of Obama's vice presidential search team after it was revealed he got a sweetheart deal on a mortgage from Countrywide Financial. Instead, it relies on a fleeting and tenuous reference in a Washington Post Style section story to suggest that Obama's principal economic adviser is former Fannie Mae Chairman Frank Raines. Why? One reason might be that Johnson is white; Raines is black.

The AP digs into the thin claim that Raines is an Obama adviser:

Obama's campaign says Raines is not an Obama adviser and that McCain's campaign knows it because Raines said so in an e-mail earlier this week to Carly Fiorina, a top McCain adviser. Obama's campaign provided The Associated Press with a copy of the e-mail.

"Carly: Is this true?" Raines asks above a forwarded note informing him that Fiorina was on television saying he was an Obama housing adviser. "I am not an adviser to the Obama campaign. Frank."

Obama's campaign says Fiorina did not respond.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said he was not aware of the e-mail to Fiorina, but noted that the Post reported on three occasions, between July 16 and Aug. 28, that Raines was advising Obama.

"If he was not advising, obviously someone somewhere along the way should have corrected the record," Rogers said.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said he has since asked the Post for a correction. Burton said Obama only met Raines once briefly at an event, and that Raines sought an introductory meeting with Obama Senate aide Mike Strautmanis. At that meeting, Burton said no advice was sought from or given by Raines, who also had served as President Clinton's budget director.

Watch the ad:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/19/i...k_n_127670.html