This is the Presidential Campaign Thread.

Barack Obama Vs. John McCain.

Edited November 6, 200817 yr by Toups

It was just announced on a news break here that another Republican that was an ex press secretary for Bush has jumped ship and is backing Obama.

This trickle of GOP support kind of reminds me of the primaries when the super delegates were rolled out periodically. What this seems to be doing is slightly upsetting McCain's ability to take complete control of news cycles.

I guess the interview with Brian Williams didn't produce anything onto which the media could latch. I liked the little bit of it where he and Palin were like I'll see your one former Secretary of State and raise you four and five and raise you 200 former generals.....classic child's play.

Say what happened to the joy of standing in the long long lines on Election Day? I still have my ballot sitting on my desk but I'm going to get it out this weekend.....or Monday at the latest.

Rachel Maddow said yesterday that early voting in Florida is being constrained by some outrageous new Republican created rules....which make it harder for people who work during certain hours to do it without missing significant time from work.

Wales! Well, I guess I'm a flip-flopper! I would still love to vote on election day, but we're thinking of just doing it and getting it over with. He wants to vote now so he can ignore politics for the next week or so. Not a bad idea, really....

I've heard stories of that as well. Florida is a classic "Good ol Boy" state and it doesn't surprise me one bit.

There's talk now that Palin is being positioned for a run at the White House in 2012. IMO, if they lose this election there is going to be some power play going on and maybe some significant change in what's considered their base. I don't think they can go on as is regardless of the outcome.

If they are going to try to "groom" Palin for 2012, I don't think that would constitute a change to what their base is today. Evangelical, rural caucasions. She's nothing more than GWB in drag, if you ask me. On the other hand, if they were to go with someone more moderate - like Giuliani - then that would be a considerable shift in what they consider their base.

I believe that the Republican party's fortunes will continue to dry up as long as they continue to nominate extreme right-wingers to the Presidency. If and when they do shift to the center, the former base might feel so "left out" that they splinter off. Either way, I couldn't care less to be honest with you.

Dressed Down

A THUMBS DOWN simply must go out to Brad Blakeman, a Republican strategist (or so he was billed) who came up with an intriguing defense this week of Sarah Palin’s reported $150,000 makeover courtesy of the otherwise cash-strapped Republican National Committee. Appearing on MSNBC, Blakeman declared that the even greater outrage was the fact that Barack Obama was “taking a 767 (jet) campaign plane to go visit Grandma (in Hawaii).” This is the grandmother who helped raise Obama and is now gravely ill; Obama left the campaign trail Thursday to see her and plans to return Saturday. “Forget about the energy that is wasted, what about the hundreds of thousands of dollars to take a private trip when this guy should be humping his bags on a commercial plane or taking a smaller plane,” Blakeman said. “Taking a 767 of campaign money from people who could least afford it is more of an outrage in my opinion.” That kind of inanity speaks for itself.

He's an idiot. How do you compare a gravely ill grandmother to a discretionary purchase for a wardrobe? I've not heard this on any major news network, but if they do pick it up in wider rotation, it will hurt McCain. I have noticed that they haven't let up on the attacks at all since Obama's been in HI.

Anyway, the victim's story has now changed

In a shock to very few I'm sure, the "victim's" story has changed again - to the truth this time. She made it up.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/1...356/detail.html

Oct 24, 2008 1:39 pm US/Eastern

Police: Campaign Worker Admits Making Up Story

A Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Ashley Todd confessed to making up the story & is facing charges

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ? Police sources tell KDKA that a campaign worker has now confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter "B" in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker.

Ashley Todd, 20, of Texas, initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield and that the suspect became enraged and started beating her after seeing her GOP sticker on her car.

Police investigating the alleged attack, however, began to notice some inconsistencies in her story and administered a polygraph test.

Authorities, however, declined to release the results of that test.

Investigators did say that they received photos from the ATM machine and "the photographs were verified as not being the victim making the transaction."

This afternoon, a Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story.

The commander added that Todd will face charges; but police have not commented on what those charges will be.

According to police, investigators working on the interview process detected several inconsistencies in Todd's story that differed from statements made in the original police report.

Pittsburgh Police Public Information Officer Diane Richard released a statement earlier today, saying: "Because of the inconsistencies in her statements, Ms. Todd was asked to submit to a polygraph examination which she agreed to do."

No photos of Todd are being released by Pittsburgh Police at this time.

The investigation is continuing as officials determine what charges will be filed.

^ ^ ^ Wow. Thanks for the update, Darcy. It never ceases to amaze me what some people will do for politics.

I saw this yesterday and it was one of those head shaking moments. I could almost see his using this defense if David Schuster were questioning him about Palin's charging Alaska for taking her children on trips to events where they weren't invited, but he just made himself look callous and he seemed to be dead serious too.

You did notice that David Schuster was laughing in his face the whole time Blakeman was rambling on about Obama.

You did notice that David Schuster was laughing in his face the whole time Blakeman was rambling on about Obama.

I think Katie Couric took David Schuster's "unbiased journalist" card away from him for whatever it was he said when he was covering the Obama team during the primaries. Now he might as well say "go ahead McCain supporter and give this a shot."

I was just watching a little while ago where they were discussing the hoax and McCain's biggest fan (Joe I forgot his last name but not the plumber) said the girl needs prayer since she's sick and disturbed and the Democrat agreed with him. Then he went on to say how McCain is the under dog and has always been the under dog (uh huh because the media has always asked why he can't close the deal and what he needs to do to get blue collar workers to vote for him and upset Hillary supporters yada yada) and blah blah he can win. Then The Democrat added his blah blah I don't think so and David Schuster seemed to be getting a kick out of all that blah blah blah.

He's more animated than David Gregory who is totally lost on MSNBC's world of show hosts. They should have ditched him for Dan Abrams. He and Andrea Mitchell should only be allowed in the news segments and on NBC. They both can kill a buzz in way less than a second.

I don't know if this one has been mentioned but this man was actually part of the campaign.

McCain Adviser Endorses Obama

Rachel Weiner

The Wall Street Journal today rounds up the horde of prominent Republicans jumping ship to Barack Obama. Now one of John McCain's actual advisers has switched sides:

Charles Fried, a professor at Harvard Law School, has long been one of the most important conservative thinkers in the United States. Under President Reagan, he served, with great distinction, as Solicitor General of the United States. Since then, he has been prominently associated with several Republican leaders and candidates, most recently John McCain, for whom he expressed his enthusiastic support in January.

This week, Fried announced that he has voted for Obama-Biden by absentee ballot. In his letter to Trevor Potter, the General Counsel to the McCain-Palin campaign, he asked that his name be removed from the several campaign-related committees on which he serves. In that letter, he said that chief among the reasons for his decision "is the choice of Sarah Palin at a time of deep national crisis."

Wales! Well, I guess I'm a flip-flopper! I would still love to vote on election day, but we're thinking of just doing it and getting it over with. He wants to vote now so he can ignore politics for the next week or so. Not a bad idea, really....

I've heard stories of that as well. Florida is a classic "Good ol Boy" state and it doesn't surprise me one bit.

Now you know you're so not going to ignore politics until Election Day

If they are going to try to "groom" Palin for 2012, I don't think that would constitute a change to what their base is today. Evangelical, rural caucasions. She's nothing more than GWB in drag, if you ask me. On the other hand, if they were to go with someone more moderate - like Giuliani - then that would be a considerable shift in what they consider their base.

I believe that the Republican party's fortunes will continue to dry up as long as they continue to nominate extreme right-wingers to the Presidency. If and when they do shift to the center, the former base might feel so "left out" that they splinter off. Either way, I couldn't care less to be honest with you.

I find this kind of thing interesting. Newt Gingrich has been seemingly positioning himself for a run as well. I think they are going to back away from the extreme but that does depend on who ends up trying to become the new leader. All I can tell now is that McCain is not the leader and even if he does get elected, someone else is going to make a push for power not including Palin.

He's an idiot. How do you compare a gravely ill grandmother to a discretionary purchase for a wardrobe? I've not heard this on any major news network, but if they do pick it up in wider rotation, it willhurt McCain. I have noticed that they haven't let up on the attacks at all since Obama's been in HI.

From the few times I've seen Blakeman on MSNBC shows, I've gotten the impression that he's a bit out there.

I think I'm tired of all of them saying what America likes, etc.....except when they're talking about the economy and jobs. If McCain is right and America loves Palin then I guess I'm not seeing it.

Yeah, I'm glad to see Jess and Greg'sGL voting early for Obama. A couple things prompted me to go ahead and do it a few days ago. One, I want to work the campaign the full day on Election Day, so actually going out to vote would cut into that time. Two, I had already researched other issues and people on my ballot, so it wasn't like I was changing my mind there. (Although local politics affect you the most, why is it that we are always least informed on those). And finally, I'm really concerned about fraud and crap on Election Day this year. I'm so glad I did go vote early, because if the lines at my place were any indication, we may be waiting in long lines on Election Day. Granted, I had to vote in my county office rather than my local precinct, but it was a Wednesday at 10:30 in the morning, and there were twenty machines...I still had three or four people ahead of me.

Oh, boy, the McCain campaign is grasping at straws these days. The fake ATM attack...if I worked for McCain's campaign, I'd love to just shake the woman and yell, "What the heck were you thinking?" Sigh... Lots of hate. Lots of it. And I fear it will not cease when Barack is elected.

In a shock to very few I'm sure, the "victim's" story has changed again - to the truth this time. She made it up.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/1...356/detail.html

Oct 24, 2008 1:39 pm US/Eastern

Police: Campaign Worker Admits Making Up Story

A Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Ashley Todd confessed to making up the story & is facing charges

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ? Police sources tell KDKA that a campaign worker has now confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter "B" in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker.

Ashley Todd, 20, of Texas, initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield and that the suspect became enraged and started beating her after seeing her GOP sticker on her car.

Police investigating the alleged attack, however, began to notice some inconsistencies in her story and administered a polygraph test.

Authorities, however, declined to release the results of that test.

Investigators did say that they received photos from the ATM machine and "the photographs were verified as not being the victim making the transaction."

This afternoon, a Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story.

The commander added that Todd will face charges; but police have not commented on what those charges will be.

According to police, investigators working on the interview process detected several inconsistencies in Todd's story that differed from statements made in the original police report.

Pittsburgh Police Public Information Officer Diane Richard released a statement earlier today, saying: "Because of the inconsistencies in her statements, Ms. Todd was asked to submit to a polygraph examination which she agreed to do."

No photos of Todd are being released by Pittsburgh Police at this time.

The investigation is continuing as officials determine what charges will be filed.

Wow what an idiot. Didn't she think that she would get found out.

Did they also conclude that she did the B herself.

I do agree with Wales2004 that if it was an Obama supporter like she had claimed that it would have been an "O" cuz when I read the first part I honestly thought that the "B" stood for something else.

cct Posted Today, 09:02 AM

Yeah, I'm glad to see Jess and Greg'sGL voting early for Obama. A couple things prompted me to go ahead and do it a few days ago. One, I want to work the campaign the full day on Election Day, so actually going out to vote would cut into that time. Two, I had already researched other issues and people on my ballot, so it wasn't like I was changing my mind there. (Although local politics affect you the most, why is it that we are always least informed on those). And finally, I'm really concerned about fraud and crap on Election Day this year. I'm so glad I did go vote early, because if the lines at my place were any indication, we may be waiting in long lines on Election Day. Granted, I had to vote in my county office rather than my local precinct, but it was a Wednesday at 10:30 in the morning, and there were twenty machines...I still had three or four people ahead of me.

Oh, boy, the McCain campaign is grasping at straws these days. The fake ATM attack...if I worked for McCain's campaign, I'd love to just shake the woman and yell, "What the heck were you thinking?" Sigh... Lots of hate. Lots of it. And I fear it will not cease when Barack is elected.

Do you guys have to vote in a certain place.

We can vote at any polling place in our electorate or do an absentee vote if we are outside our electorate.

I have worked at a polling place here a few times and since the place where I worked even though was like a 20 mintue drive if that from where I live, I was in a different electorate, but I was able to do an absentee vote there.

It is interesting to learn how other countries vote for the leader of their country.

Edited October 25, 200817 yr by SnCCorinthos4ever

Republicans are self destructing, and its a really bad sign when high up republicans start backing obama. Obama and his campaign don't even need to do anything to McCain, because the Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot, they are doing obama's dirty work. People keep saying that Palin has a future after this campaign ends, but won't she be a big reason why the campaign failed??? So why would they want to find a place for someone that potentially ruined the republicans chance of staying in the white house? Even the terminator doesn't think she's ready, heres an excerpt from an interview Arnold did with Cnn's Campbell Brown:

Brown: Do you think she[Palin] is qualified to be vice president?

Schwarzenegger: I think that she will get to be qualified.

Brown: She will get there? What do you mean? She's not ready yet?

Schwarzenegger: She will be ready by the time she is sworn in. I think she will be ready. You get up to speed. I know when I became governor there were a lot of things I did not know but it is not about what you know.Because Sacramento, for instance, in 2003 had all the knowledge and has all the experience, warehouse full of experience, but there was not the will for both of the parties to work together and solve the problems. So that's not the only answer, the experience. The answer is, do you have the will? Do you have the will to educate yourself? Do you have the will to get up to speed? Do you have the will? Are you a sponge that absorbs information very quickly? And I have read some of her stuff and she said, 'When I became governor, you know, I didn't know a lot of things but I absorbed information quickly and they could run with the state.' And that's the kind of person that she is. That is what I think she would also do if she becomes vice president.

=============

Is he for real????????????????

Bush endorsement

I voted. Early voting is wonderful. I went to the grocery store, voted and then did my shopping.

Is he for real????????????????

Nobody's supposed to notice how stupid he sounded when he said that. Yes, he's for real. He thinks she's going to read the special editions of How to Be Vice President for Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Vice Presidency. That's my governor for ya and when his term is up it won't be any Hasta la vista moment in politics unless he ever runs for the Senate or Congress.

Since yesterday was basically a Barack Obama free day where McCain had the best opportunity to dominate the news cycles without gimmickry, he was blessed with a few supporters to help hime out. There was his brother who called 911 to complain about being stuck in traffic then said a not so nice thing to the operator who questioned whether traffic was indeed the reason for his call. He said he didn't realize he hadn't turned off his phone when he said the not so nice thing but hey, they called him back and got his voicemail so they found out it was him and then he took it a step further. Now he says he's sorry and he won't campaign "no more" and he can go back to the real American part of Virginia.

Then there was the volunteer who was going to save McCain by causing a racial uproar over the big black Barack Obama supporter who aimed to teach her a lesson by etching a backwards B (which I'm sure would have stood for something else had it been true), in her face. Now she says she has had prior mental issues. I am sure she has but she knew enough to come up with that story full of inflammatory things so she's got to be disturbed in a pretty different way. I don't think it helped for a strategist to suggest that it would have been better to etch an "O" instead.

Lastly, we have Palin's special speech where she seemed to promise that all the special needs children in the country to go to the school of their parents' choice entirely on the taxpayers. To make this happen we can just cut out all that foolish fruit fly research on which we waste a lot of money. Only the fruit fly research seems to be an essential part of medical research for humans.....that didn't go over well with the people who know these things.

From CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby, CNN's Dana Bash

Tensions within the McCain-Palin campaign are spilling into the public. A McCain aide told CNN that Gov. Palin is a 'diva.'

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) – With 10 days to go until election day, long brewing tension between Sarah Palin and key aides to John McCain has become so intense, it is spilling out into the public.

Several McCain advisers have suggested to CNN they have become increasingly frustrated with what one aide described as Palin “going rogue” recently, while a Palin associate says she is simply trying to “bust free” of what she believes was a mishandled roll-out that damaged her.

McCain sources point several incidents where Palin has gone off message, and privately wonder if they were deliberate. For example: labeling robo calls “irritating,” even as the campaign was defending the use of them and telling reporters she disagreed with the campaigns controversial decision to pull out of Michigan.

A second McCain source tells CNN she appears to now be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign.

“She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone,” said this McCain adviser, “she does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else. Also she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: divas trust only unto themselves as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom.”

A Palin associate defended her by saying she is “not good at process questions” and that her comments on Michigan and the robo calls were answers to process questions.

But this Palin source acknowledged that she clearly is trying to take more control of her own message, pointing to last week’s impromptu press conference on a Colorado tarmac.

Lovin every minute of this.