Barack Obama!

Re: Barack 2008!

Julia said:

I wonder how the competition would be stacking up had the media got behind McCain to the extent that they have been all over Obama?

Personally I don't really care. Don't like either of them.

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I don't like the way the mess in the US over the past year has been dragging the world down!
... A global economy led by US special interest corporations and an inept government.

I heard tonight that our Reserve bank is considering dropping interest rates to avert a recession in Australia.
We'd be a banana republic without our iron and coal!

At least the price of oil has dropped again due to the reduced demand by the slowing economies in the US and Europe.

Note the AUD has concomitantly dropped.

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris said:

I don't like the way the mess in the US over the past year has been dragging the world down!
... A global economy led by US special interest corporations and an inept government.

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...and you expect Obama to change that?




























AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Re: Barack 2008!

wayneL said:

...and you expect Obama to change that?



AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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Wayneepoo... I see you've polished your emoticons!

Do you actually read his policies? I've put many of them on here. http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

Don't you get the message that this man is the first in history to try to change the abhorrent wiles of politicians and actually represent what people want and need? He listens. His photographic memory assimilates and recalls as his advisers tout their wisdom. He will be the puppet of the millions of donors who own his campaign.

Today he told supporters, "WE have a good chance of winning".
He is not a dictator. His payoff is success in reform by cooperation.

He will turn the corporations on their heads. (Or is it ears?)

Do you watch video clips of his stump and public speeches and watch his eyes and his body language?

Oh ye who have little faith! Put some of your energy into audacious hope! Yes... you can!

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris said:

He will turn the corporations on their heads. (Or is it ears?)

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He can try... but he will have to avoid all grassy knolls from thenceforth.

Re: Barack 2008!

Obama has sunk in the daily Gallup tracking polls. That trip around the world is coming back to haunt him:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109219/Gallup-Daily-Race-Tied-44.aspx

August 1, 2008
Gallup Daily: Race Tied at 44%Registered voters evenly split in their support for Obama versus McCainUSA Election 2008 Gallup Daily Americas Northern America PRINCETON, NJ -- According to Gallup Poll Daily tracking from July 29-31, John McCain and Barack Obama are now tied at 44% in the preferences of national registered voters.
This is not much different from the results reported in Gallup Poll Daily tracking on Thursday, when the two were nearly tied with 45% for Obama and 44% for McCain. However, it is a substantial turnaround from earlier this week when Obama held a statistically significant lead coming off his high-profile trip to Europe, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.

Obama and McCain were closely matched in each of the three nights of interviewing included in today's result, with neither candidate ahead by more than three percentage points. This suggests that the recent surge in voter support for Obama has truly subsided.

The contrast between Obama's recent advantage over McCain (ranging from six to nine points) and today's result is particularly notable because this is McCain's strongest showing in over a month. The last time Gallup found the race exactly tied was in late June. By contrast, in the weeks just prior to Obama's overseas trip, he had led the race by an average of four points. (To view the complete trend since March 7, click here.) -- Lydia Saad



Survey Methods

For the Gallup Poll Daily tracking survey, Gallup is interviewing no fewer than 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide each day during 2008.

The general-election results are based on combined data from July 29-31, 2008. For results based on this sample of 2,680 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.

Interviews are conducted with respondents on land-line telephones (for respondents with a land-line telephone) and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell-phone only).

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.


By the way, this is even more ominous for Obama because this is among registered voters, not likely voters. Obama is not wearing well on the American people.

Re: Barack 2008!

wayneL said:

He can try... but he will have to avoid all grassy knolls from thenceforth.

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Which has gotta be the saddest post I've read for a while.
Probably why McCain won't take the oil companies on for instance.
(was that why LBJ was so gung ho about gearing up in Vietnam? - and as I recall there was speculation that the oil companies benefitted with his ascension to the throne)

Re: Barack 2008!

Much of the commentary on Barack's sudden loss of momentum focuses on three issues:

1) His refusal to consider new drilling on the outer continental shelfs of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico. Along with complete "no we can'ts" on nuclear energy, clean coal, and the enormous oil shale deposits in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. (By some estimates the oil shale deposits equals more than 3 times the oil in all of Saudi Arabia)

2) His "world tour" that seemed to care more about being President of the world than President of the United States.

3) The fact that he just can't help from inserting race into every one of his speeches, therefore implying that McCain and many Americans are racist (which they are not - despite what many non-Americans think).

All of these, plus the constant media attention is causing the American people to wake up and reject him. 3 months from now, many people in America and the world will wonder "What happened to President Obama"? There will be much gnashing of teeth and excuses made. And of course, they will blame it on race. But the real blame will be on Barack Obama himself.

Re: Barack 2008!

well ZZzdad, a few months ago when Doris started this thread, she was greeted by copious yawns .... you gotta admit that it's getting curiuouser and curiouser by the day If it goes down to the wire, it will be worth following (imo). But watch for GOP tricks - they are good (at that at least).

And you're right that Obama has not taken the easy road, and has had to talk his way out of some tricky situations - Rev Wright etc - turning that for instance into a watershed speech that all thinking Americans seemed to enjoy.

applauded by black and white alike.

This from mid March :-

Obama's lead over Clinton evaporates

WASHINGTON -- For Barack Obama, it hasn't been this bad since it started to get better.

Battered by primary losses, criticism of his lack of experience and a controversy over incendiary and racist remarks by his pastor, the Illinois senator's national popularity is in danger of melting away.

A Reuters/Zogby national poll released yesterday showed Mr. Obama holding a paltry three-point lead over challenger Hillary Clinton, which is within the poll's margin of error. Mr. Obama enjoyed the support of 47 per cent of voters, while Ms. Clinton claimed 44 per cent.

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He came through then (to beat Hillary). Worth watching to see how they go in the next 100 days whatever to election day.

Back to the speech on race, ... he wrote that overnight himself. You'd have to believe he believes it.

Obama's race speech

Re: Barack 2008!

Looks like Mr. Obama is feeling the heat, and looking at his poll numbers drop.


Obama shifts, says he may back offshore drilling

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday he would be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling if that's what it takes to enact a comprehensive policy to foster fuel-efficient autos and develop alternate energy sources.

Shifting from his previous opposition to expanded offshore drilling, the Illinois senator told a Florida newspaper he could get behind a compromise with Republicans and oil companies to prevent gridlock over energy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_el_pr/obama

Oh yeah, that Barack Obama is really a man of principle, right? Al Gore is probably gnashing his teeth at this very moment - seems he is the latest to be thrown under Obama's bus. Yep, Obama is really a different kind of politician LOL

Re: Barack 2008!

I said no and I mean no!
I will not listen to you. I've made up my mind.
So there are other parameters I should consider?
No. I won't make the effort to listen.
I will not be seen as backing down.
To the electric chair he goes!
Oh... DNA evidence proves he was innocent?
Well... I was seen to be consistent... a man of my word.
His death proved that!

Re: Barack 2008!

ZzzzDad said:

Oh yeah, that Barack Obama is really a man of principle, right? Al Gore is probably gnashing his teeth at this very moment - seems he is the latest to be thrown under Obama's bus. Yep, Obama is really a different kind of politician LOL

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Let him gnash them! (While he fills up the limo as he's speaking to his broker about getting on the the IPOs)

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris said:

I said no and I mean no!
I will not listen to you. I've made up my mind.
So there are other parameters I should consider?
No. I won't make the effort to listen.
I will not be seen as backing down.
To the electric chair he goes!
Oh... DNA evidence proves he was innocent?
Well... I was seen to be consistent... a man of my word.
His death proved that!

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Doris, presumably the above is directed at others.
Have you considered it could equally be directed at you?
You are less than objective about Obama.

Re: Barack 2008!

Julia said:

Doris, presumably the above is directed at others.
Have you considered it could equally be directed at you?
You are less than objective about Obama.

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Julia - as well as illustrating a preference for a president who has the guts to change his mind on policy:

It was a soliloquy of an arrogant, egotistical president not acknowledging others.
... not at all intentionally directed at 'others'.

I had GWB in mind... not flexible, ego driven, even though he is doing flip flops now!

Last Tuesday, GWB approved the execution of an army soldier on death row since 1988 after a military court conviction. US law requires the president's signature for his execution to go ahead.

Twenty years and five presidential terms later, it seems odd to me that GWB suddenly now signs his death warrant.

The last president to approve a military execution was Dwight Eisenhower in 1957!

JFK was the most recent president asked to approve a death sentence and he commuted it to life imprisonment.

In his six years as governor of Texas, GWB signed for 152 executions, more than any governor in recent history.
This leader of the free world is barbaric. No wonder Guantanamo happened.

Believe me, I do have private thoughts when I read Obama's campaign emails updating news and strategies and I actually resent the 'donate $5 and you may be one of ten supporters to be flown to Denver, put up in a hotel and get to meet Barack backstage'. But it keeps up the momentum on donations.

I resent the attempts to con... raffling a reward for donating.

But I have not as yet seen any reason to doubt my original gut instinct, almost two years ago now, about Obama being who that country, and consequently the troubled parts of the world, need to lead.

Re: Barack 2008!

Protesters Interrupt Obama Speech

At a town hall meeting yesterday, three African-American men stood up the back holding a banner and called out 'What are you going to do for the black community Obama?'

The crowd tried to drown out the protesters by chanting 'Yes we can'...

Obama didn't have his security people haul them away -

“It’s okay, you can ask a question later,” Obama said to the men.

“Yeah, that’s right,” they said. And Obama went back to delivering his speech on the economy.

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The main protester got to ask the first question. He cited the way blacks were treated in post-Katrina New Orleans and other current events. “In the face of the numerous attacks that are made on the black community by the same U.S. government, the same government you want to be…Why is it you haven’t not one time spoken in the interests or even on behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community, the black community?”

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The man was booed but Obama tried to silence the crowd.

“This is democracy at work. He asked a legitimate question.”

“I think you’re misinformed when you say not one time. Every issue you’ve asked about, I have spoken about,” Obama said. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to always satisfy the way you want these issues framed. It gives you the option of voting for someone else. It gives you the option of running for office yourself. But the one thing that I think is important is that we are respectful towards each other and what is true is that I believe…the only way we’re going to solve our problems is that everyone comes together, black white.”

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This altercation was handled amicably... phew!
Three months to go...

Re: Barack 2008!

It is intriguing to see what the McCain camp comes up with as negativism sure helped win GWB's two terms!

I have to say they evoke a chuckle rather than a gnashing of teeth that Hillary provoked with her negativism.

John McCain’s campaign is sticking with its argument that Barack Obama is an aloof celebrity, as aides privately acknowledge that previous efforts to label Obama as a flip-flopper have been nowhere near as effective.

After Obama’s campaign announced Saturday it would accept three presidential debates with McCain — and not the kind of town hall meetings McCain had wanted — McCain spokesman Brian Rogers again invoked the comparison.

“We understand it might be beneath a worldwide celebrity of Barack Obama’s magnitude to appear at town hall meetings … but we hope he’ll reconsider,” he said in a statement.

McCain has struggled to stick with one label for Obama, casting him as a pessimist, a liberal and more recently a flip-flopper.

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Obama said Saturday he doesn’t think McCain is racist, only cynical. He ridiculed McCain for the celebrity ads.

“You’ve got statistics that say we’ve lost another 50,000 jobs, that Florida is in a recession for the first time in a decade and a half and what was being talked about was Paris and Britney,” Obama said.

“They’re clever on creating distractions from the issues that really matter in people’s lives,” he said. "We’ve got to make sure we keep focused on people’s day-to-day concerns.

We don’t take the skill of the Republicans in engaging in negative campaigning lightly.”

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http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/02/mccain-aims-to-drive-home-obama-celebrity-label/


McCain's new cynical ad mockingly compares Obama to Moses:

Subtle subterfuge. Quite clever and entertaining.

Re: Barack 2008!

Doris
You would have to agree (I believe) that the youtube age will mean that there's a lot more discussion of dubious political stunts - especially amongst the young who are obviously more computer-literate, and a good nose for Dodgey Bros tactics. (?) Politics has entered a new age. Dirty tricks campaigns will be less effective you'd have to assume. Then again, lol, with USA you never know which way they'll jump.

Bludy hard to generalise across a country where the education standard ranges from Einsteins to illiterate. Sometimes I sit in awe at how Americans in the street can answer questions so articulately; sometimes, they are even worse than Aussies lol - on average they're probably like me , lol

(btw, how is the book coming along? )

Re: Barack 2008!

Talking about dirty tricks, it is Obama that is the culprit. "He doesn't look like all those Presidents on the dollar bill" - the same thing he said earlier when he said "and did I mention he's black", etc., etc.

John McCain has never been that way, and even Obama has had to completely back off this after the backlash by claiming they didn't mean what they inferred.

The Obama campaign is using race and claiming he is not.. All this stuff is causing quite a backlash here in America.

The Democrats are the true master of the dirty trick, and claiming that the Republicans are "going to give us the dirtiest campaign in history". The Dems accuse the Republicans in advance every time.

Re: Barack 2008!

ZzzzDad said:

Talking about dirty tricks, it is Obama that is the culprit. "He doesn't look like all those Presidents on the dollar bill" - the same thing he said earlier when he said "and did I mention he's black", etc., etc.

John McCain has never been that way...

The Obama campaign is using race and claiming he is not.. All this stuff is causing quite a backlash here in America.

The Democrats are the true master of the dirty trick, and claiming that the Republicans are "going to give us the dirtiest campaign in history". The Dems accuse the Republicans in advance every time.

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Subtle subterfuge is the name of the McCain game.

How subtle is what was inferred in this McCain ad?

With all this false hoopla raised by McSame's folks about Obama's being racist,

... here is the McCain Ad that Obama was responding to when he said his face didn't look the same!


(25 seconds)


Have a look at the McCain ad I inserted three posts back.

* The quote about himself being the 'symbol of America returning to its best traditions' was out of context and exactly the opposite of what they're trying to make it look like.

It was about the crowd in Berlin not being about HIM, but about AMERICA, and his being merely the symbol of it.


* When Obama was asked "do you have any doubt?" ... watch his mouth say 'NO'
... and yet they have adulterated it to say 'NEVER'!

Re: Barack 2008!

Rove protege unleashing Obama attack

DEMOCRATS are worried Barack Obama is not doing enough to hit back at John McCain in the face of a barrage of personal attacks mocking the candidate - crafted by the same people who helped scuttle John Kerry's presidential ambitions in 2004.

The McCain camp's tactical move in the past week to negative campaigning with biting advertisements has dominated the airwaves and is credited to Steve Schmidt, who is leading McCain's new push after formally taking up a role in the campaign last month.

Mr Schmidt, 37, was a chief player in the George W. Bush re-election campaign in 2004 and seen as a Karl Rove protege, who President Bush dubbed "the architect" of his victories. Mr Schmidt was one of the masterminds of the attack ads on Senator Kerry in 2004, including the infamous windsurfing advertisement, which portrayed him as a weak leader going where-ever the wind blowed.

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"Some Obama backers are right to worry the relentless daily attacks on the candidate will take their toll on the campaign," says Donna Brazile, Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000.

"These types of campaigns - which the media often helps to drive as it analyses the effectiveness of the attacks before questioning the accuracy of the information - will continue from now until election day (on November 4)," she said.

"And it's time for the Obama campaign to build a political firewall by using outside surrogates unaffiliated with the candidate to debunk these misleading attacks."

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24122281-26397,00.html

Swiftboating was always expected.

I can't help thinking this is merely another tactical drama to sidestep. It will pass.

The main problem is with those who do not seek information and just believe what they are force-fed.

Re: Barack 2008!

Another example of Obama changing his mind on one thing after another, depending on where, and what group he is speaking to:

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/03/obama-wants-us-to-be-first-in-space/

Obama Wants U.S. to Be First in Space
Amy Chozick reports on the presidential race.

Barack Obama was accused of pandering to the space set in Cape Canaveral on Saturday.

During a town-hall-style event on Florida’s so-called space coast, the Democrat said he no longer favors slashing NASA’s budget, declaring that the U.S. “cannot cede our leadership in space.”

Obama had previously supported delaying NASA’s manned missions in order to pay for early childhood education programs. Aides say he has now found other means to pay for his education plans.

John McCain’s campaign immediately jumped on the announcement labeling it a flip flop. “Barack Obama once again demonstrated that his words don’t really matter,” the campaign said in a press release.

An Obama aide calls the criticism “a complete exaggeration” saying Obama found an alternative means of payment through reducing earmark spending and reforming federal contracting procedures. This frees the Illinois senator up to say he would continue to fund the space program.

“Sen. Obama supports the constellation program and he understands how critical NASA is to America’s scientific and economic edge,” a spokesperson for the campaign says.