Next President of the United States

[Tchocky]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13747.html

I know that few voters will make their decisions on stuff like this, but still...

lol

[Platapus]

Unfortunately since few Americans really understand the complexity of the issues, it is exactly this sort of tripe that does sway voters.

A large portion of our population wants "sound bytes". They want simple black and white answers regardless of the complexity of the issue. Unfortunately the world is not black and white but a constant spectra of grey.

What really amazes me is that in this age of the Internet, where so much information is available concerning our government, that so many people are simply too lazy to do the simplest research.

Want to find out why Senator McCain voted against Bill X? Go to the Senate website and read what Bill X actually said.

Want to find out if Senator Obama co-sponsored Bill Y? Go to the Senate website and find out.

But it seems that people would rather exchange emotional rumours either glorifying their candidate and vilifying the opposing candidate.

Want an argument against universal suffrage? Just read some of the CNN blogs

These are the people who vote.

So no, Tchocky. I have to respectfully disagree with you. Many people will have their votes influenced by exactly this sort of tripe.

The only good news is that 60% of them probably won't vote.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by dean_acheson

while Harry Truman was the only one not to go to college?

Small nit to pick. Harry Truman was the only President in the 20th Century that did not graduate from college. Harry Truman did attend Kansas City Law School for two years.

[Von Tonner]

The survey also found that the strong initial public reaction to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate, has cooled somewhat. Overall, her unfavorable rating has gone up by 10 points in the past two weeks, from 28 percent to 38 percent. She remains broadly popular -- 52 percent of voters view her positively -- but there have been some notable declines. Over the past two weeks, the percentage of independents with favorable views of Palin dropped from 60 percent to 48 percent. Among independent women, the decline was particularly sharp, going from 65 percent to 43 percent. Her favorable rating among whites without college degrees remained largely steady, but among those with college degrees, it dropped nearly 20 percentage points.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2303897&s_pos=

I am still of the belief that this was a real bad decision on the part of McCain to choose her as his running mate and one which will come back to haunt him.

[TDK1044]

I think this will be a very close race. I think we'll see more Americans voting than at any time in my lifetime, and I think a lot of the swing voters will move to Obama because they will associate the current financial fiasco with a Republican Administration.

[Konovalov]

I have heard that the state of Virginia is a very tight run thing as shown by opinion polls taken in that state over the last month. I thought that this was a deep red state that the Dems had no chance in winning. Any thoughts on Virginia which has become a battleground state? :hmm:

Would it be fair to say that if McCain looses Virginia on election day then it makes his chances of being the next President of the United States of America highly unlikely?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Konovalov

I have heard that the state of Virginia is a very tight run thing as shown by opinion polls taken in that state over the last month. I thought that this was a deep red state that the Dems had no chance in winning. Any thoughts on Virginia which has become a battleground state? :hmm:

I have been living in Virginia for 14 years now. The very fact that the race between Senators Obama and McCain are so close is telling in itself. You are quite correct. Virginia used to be so solidly red that Democrats a lot of the time never bothered to campaign here.

Virginia is, practically speaking, two separate states. There is North Virginia and the rest of Virginia. North Virginia is where the money is. Our population has been growing, in some opinions way too fast, for many years.

In my opinion, Virginia is still a conservative state, it just happens that it is rejecting what the Republican Party has become in the last 8 years. I know that is this conservative's feelings.

I don't think that Virginia will remain a blue state forever. If the Republican Party can get back to its core values of being fiscally responsible and for smaller government, I am sure that many conservatives, in Virginia and other states, will return to the Republican Party.

So Virginia will turn blue due to the dissatisfaction of the North Virginians with the current state of the Republican Party. But I would not say that Virginia is turning Democratic.

Hopefully in 2012 the GOP will be able to pull its collective heads out of the respective arses and offer up a real candidate. I know that if the GOP wants this life-long Republican voter to come back to the party the GOP better start fixin itself.

[dean_acheson]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Small nit to pick. Harry Truman was the only President in the 20th Century that did not graduate from college. Harry Truman did attend Kansas City Law School for two years.

Why is that small? The whole point of the original post was that BHO and the JB had more College degrees.

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I have been living in Virginia for 14 years now. The very fact that the race between Senators Obama and McCain are so close is telling in itself. You are quite correct. Virginia used to be so solidly red that Democrats a lot of the time never bothered to campaign here.

Virginia is, practically speaking, two separate states. There is North Virginia and the rest of Virginia. North Virginia is where the money is. Our population has been growing, in some opinions way too fast, for many years.

In my opinion, Virginia is still a conservative state, it just happens that it is rejecting what the Republican Party has become in the last 8 years. I know that is this conservative's feelings.

I don't think that Virginia will remain a blue state forever. If the Republican Party can get back to its core values of being fiscally responsible and for smaller government, I am sure that many conservatives, in Virginia and other states, will return to the Republican Party.

So Virginia will turn blue due to the dissatisfaction of the North Virginians with the current state of the Republican Party. But I would not say that Virginia is turning Democratic.

Hopefully in 2012 the GOP will be able to pull its collective heads out of the respective arses and offer up a real candidate. I know that if the GOP wants this life-long Republican voter to come back to the party the GOP better start fixin itself.

Thanks for that terrific post. Nice to get a local view on things.

[Torps]

I for one as a Independent voter have made up my mind. I watch a lot of news, more then 4 hours a day to make sure I cast what I believe is the right vote. I switch around between ABC and FOX. I can tell you guys the best chance at unbias coverage is definately FOX News, specifically Hannity and Colmes is a great one to watch Rep vs Dem.

There are a bunch of things that pushed me away from being a Obama support to McCain and I quite frankly do not think Obama is fit to be president, " Call me if you need me" (statement in reference to going back to DC to handle the economic bailout ), that really sealed the deal, just like his previous votes in the senate... PRESENT! If he is not willing to put his personal goals aside and put us first then he's not worthy of my vote. And PRESENT does not count! Besides he still gets his $175,000 for being a senator, its time he earns his pay!

I have voted both Dem and Rep in the last 2 elections, "The Swift Boat Vets for truth" greatly annoyed me when they went after Kerry but this election has flat out p***** me off with these attacks on Gov Palin. The media especially NY Times and MSNBC have pushed my every button for the extreme bias!
MSNBC got what they deserved on this night.






For our fellow members across the Atlantic and Pacific, I would not take anything the NY Times publishes to heart, its a bunch of garbage. MSNBC fired Olbermann and Matthews for a reason, know if I can remember how to unblock them and see how they are.

Sorry if I offended anyone I just want this election over!

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Torps

I can tell you guys the best chance at unbias coverage is definately FOX News,

Sure, sure. Even here in distant Germany mentioning Fox has become a running joke. I have seen so many examples of their unbiased coverage and manipulative reporting that I understand them to be the prime example of how to abuse the label of journalism to pour heavily biased - and often very mean and aggressive - propaganda amongst people, and declare the bancruptcy of jpournalism that way.

If you see FOX as "unbiased coverage", then I conclude that they just are telling what you probably want to hear.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Torps

just like his previous votes in the senate... PRESENT! If he is not willing to put his personal goals aside and put us first then he's not worthy of my vote. And PRESENT does not count! Besides he still gets his $175,000 for being a senator, its time he earns his pay!

You are aware that you are confusing Obama's State Senatorial career and his Federal Senatorial career.

As a State Senator Obama voted "present" for 3% of the votes over almost eight years. It is a rather common way of challenging the wording of legislation in that state.

As a Federal Senator, Senator Obama has never voted "present" for the very good reason that no one can vote "present". The rules of the US Senate do not allow anyone to vote "present". The only thing Federal Senators can do is simply not vote.

When talking about Senator Obama's legislative history and conduct, it is important to identify what happened when he was a State Senator and a Federal Senator.

As for Fox news being unbiased, I can accept that as your opinion. It is just not one I share. :rotfl:

[Skybird]

He wanted to delay one debate. He wanted to gather special public attention to present himself as the savior of the nation. what he really is described to have caused just supports earlier info I read that suggests that economics are a field where McCain simply taps around almpost blindly, having no clue of what, where, why and when. I take note of that whenever economics are being talked of, he remains even more vague and evasive than Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us...hp&oref=slogin

[Torps]

Originally Posted by Platapus

As a State Senator Obama voted "present" for 3% of the votes over almost eight years.

Obama is a first term U.S Senator and he has spent more then half of his term running for office, I know we disagree on a lot of things however I find it puzzling no one seems to ask him the tough questions. And I know you disagree with my opinion of FOX, saythey are bias, 1 Rep station vs 4 Dem stations, do I need say more about coverage. Its a surprise the race is neck and neck considering the coverage. Since I posted my original post no one ever mentioned anything about Olbermann and Matthews being fired.

I have family in Germany, France, Hungary as well as Britian and I can say we disagree on politics, so it is a topic which we avoid unless we have common ground. On the Iraq war we agree "know" that it was unjust however it needs to be finished not abandoned. I will not go off on Europe, the media gives them what they want to hear. My folks left Hungary back in 82 and Germany in 84 and they have lost some very long time friends over politics, my folks didnt stop calling there friends in europe, they stopped talking to us. I am glad europe is not voting in our elections, europe has a terrible history when it comes to political decisions atleast we in the US agree to disagree and still talk and thats better then our friends overseas.

I am sure one thing we all can agree on is let this election be over already.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Skybird

He wanted to delay one debate. He wanted to gather special public attention to present himself as the savior of the nation. what he really is described to have caused just supports earlier info I read that suggests that economics are a field where McCain simply taps around almpost blindly, having no clue of what, where, why and when. I take note of that whenever economics are being talked of, he remains even more vague and evasive than Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us...hp&oref=slogin

He is not looking to be the savior of the nations for this financial crisis. He is attempting to not have a swift resolution that is not looked at in detail. The dems just wanted to throw out a big check on the tax payors backs without taking a good look at the plan or what it might generate down the road. It is the likes of John McCain that slowed the process, created some arguments and generated conversation instead of just cutting a check and moving on with the election. Obama has not said a darn thing either other than what we want to hear....tax cuts. Just another political ploy. I know as well as the rest of America knows, there are no tax cuts coming. It is a pipe dream.

Furthermore, why am I who pays his mortgage on time have to bail out the banks and people who have lived beyond their means? Why are we rewarding those that ran credit cards up and fell behind in their mortgage? Why does my neighbor who had not made a house payment in 6 months have a large screen TV and a brand new SUV in the driveway? Why are they booking a cruise? Where the hell is my bail out for doing the right thing? Where is my reward? Why am I getting screwed by meeting my responsibilities? T


The good old Dems want to cut a check in three nano seconds without taking a second look. Screw it! What do they care? They don't. Per Biden....it must must be my "Patriotic duty". Well you know what, I do not feel very patriotic bailing out bums and rewarding those who conduct poor business practices. So, you know what, I'm glad John has put some reigns to the quick to cut check on the tax payors backs. It is obsurd that I as a tax payer has to produce cash for the bail out. Where is my reward for doing the right thing? Sometimes I think you look at America with rose colored glasses.