Barack Obama needs some fat friends fast. US pundits claim that he is "too thin to win", and is alienating the vast, waddling hordes of Americans nurtured on mega Macs and super Subs. The two thirds of voters who are over-weight - 30 per cent of them classified as obese - are turned off by the Democratic contender's lean and hungry look.
So Obama should take heed of new British research. Scientists at Warwick University reported recently that surrounding yourself with fat people makes it more likely you'll pile on the pounds too. Skinny Gwynnie Paltrow, the star of a new advertisement aimed at galvanising ex-pat Americans to vote for Obama, is not much use to him. He'd be better off relying on the chunkier charms of long-term supporter Oprah Winfrey. After the passionate, issue-led debate that dominated the Obama vs Hillary Clinton contest, and the high-minded rhetoric of Obama's world tour, we are entering a new, unedifying but highly entertaining phase of the US election. It's been triggered by the Republicans "attack ad" strategy that so far has ridiculed Obama's messianic appeal, and likened him to Paris Hilton.
As a result, John McCain is neck and neck with his rival. But if Obama fails to make the White House, it will have less to do with his physique than with his colour. That's what the racist underbelly of America, yet to emerge in all its ugliness, simply can't stomach. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/08/06/do0602.xml&page=2
My apologies, Doris. Didn't take in the quotation marks. Glad to know you haven't descended to that level.
# it was so nice of Obama to come visit us in Boston where we drive around in our cars and melt the ice caps
# How gross is the logic that because Germans love anything, we should. The USA's own citizens are the ones to decide what is best for them and not anybody else. Think for yourself.
# one more thing before you stomp off in your prius to a Fauxbama Kool Aid rally.....OBAMA'S POLL NUMBERS ARE DROPPING FASTER THAN BILL CLINTON'S DRAWERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE........sniff, sniff.....I guess socialism doesn't play well to those of us knuckle draggers, clinging to our guns and religion.....
I quite liked McCain until he let Steve Schmidt loose on his nasty war-mongering campaign which has created animosity instead of informed opinion. Where is the fun in setting voters against each other?
- Obviously, to stir the pot to get some attention as the media haven't found McCain policies news.
- and to stir people so they will be inspired to get out to vote?
Everyone here seems to be so looking for faux negatives and not willing to think of what this country could be with an intelligent man making decisions after listening to *all* sides.
McCain needs to show he can bring this country together - How is a civil war going to solve our problems?
# Only 168 days of Bush left. Yay!!!! Is it so wrong to have a popular, intelligent president? McCain might want to bomb bomb bomb more than Bush did! Yikes. Please no. Think long and hard before poking the hole next to Dr. Strangelove. The man is certifiable.
# That's great that GWB got Osama bin Laden, isn't it? Oh, wait, he didn't! But he got 4000 soldiers killed in the wrong country instead. Because that bad man Saddam "tried to kill my daddy". That's the real reason we are there, after all.
# McCain a down to earth guy? With his millionaire wife and jet set friends( Arnold, Warren Beatty, etc.) He's the real Mr. Hollywood. And the mouth on that guy, I've heard what he called his own wife. Obama may be a socialist but doesn't that mean he cares about society, not just corporations
Amen to that!I am so sick of people talking about "the race card" and every other subject that detracts from the important question: If we are to choose between McCain and Obama, which one will be the best president? McCain still subscribes to the erroneous "trickle down" theory of economics, and he is a computer illiterate. And on and on and on. I admire his service to our country, but that doesn't qualify him to be the president. Obama is a true leader, has a good character and is outrageously intelligent and well-educated. McCain has been shown on video to be a nasty hot head. We don't need some guy with a very bad temper in the White House. Meanwhile, Obama is right when he points out that some people have a problem with his name, background and race. How is this playing the race card? He's just stating the obvious.
So then I googled 'moonbat'... then crashed. It was fun!an endless stream of airhead moonbats...just when you think you've given them enough facts to chew on for a while...one of their "intellectuals" throws the un-debateable...on and on and on argument at us...it's righteously comical, and at the same sadly telling of the cultists delusions
Professor Geoffrey Garrett is the chief executive of the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
GEOFFREY GARRETT: Well, all the research tells you that negative campaigning really doesn't work very effectively, but as I said I think the thing that's emerging that makes this campaign look quite different is it's not an up or down referendum on the Bush administration and it's not really a contest between the ideas of McCain and the ideas of Obama. It's all about Obama.
So, in some sense I guess the Republicans have really not much option other than to point to what they consider the liabilities and weaknesses in Obama.
EDMOND ROY: So the creatives in advertising are now working hard presumably.
GEOFFREY GARRETT: There's no doubt that's going on, I mean it's a very big business in the US and it's really the way that one communicates with the general public.
And of course the gloves are off there because Barack Obama decided … did some flip flopping on whether the campaign should be limited to public finance; he said no and so now one can spend whatever money you've got.
EDMOND ROY: Which is exactly what both sides are doing. The McCain camp claims they have another ad that compares Barack Obama to Moses; yes Moses from the Old Testament. Clearly the creatives have been busy
The soaring price of oil will leave the Iraqi government with a cumulative budget surplus of as much as $79 billion by year's end.
The unspent windfall, which covers surpluses from oil sales from 2005 through 2008, appears likely to put an uncomfortable new focus on the approximately $48 billion in American taxpayer money devoted to rebuilding Iraq since the American-led invasion.
Over all, the report from the Government Accountability Office estimates, Iraqi oil revenue from 2005 through the end of this year will amount to at least $156 billion.
And in an odd financial twist, large amounts of the surplus money is sitting in an American bank in New York -- nearly $10 billion at the end of 2007, with more expected this year, when the accountability office estimates a skyrocketing surplus.
He's at it again... McCain feeding false fodder based on fear! (1 hour ago)
Jealousy is such a curse! - This is not funny! - How can he sleep at night?
The new ad plays off a theme that the McCain campaign has been pushing ever since Obama's tour of Europe — that Obama is a worldwide celebrity but not a leader ready to be president.
This was Hillary's theme. Will she be able to neutralize McCain when she starts her campaigning for him in a few days?
An announcer poses the question, "Is the biggest celebrity in the world ready to help your family?"
The ad goes on to criticize Obama as promoting higher taxes, more government spending, both leading to fewer jobs.
This is why the world so dislikes nasty Americans!
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb4b2f38-6417-11dd-844f-0000779fd18c.htmlMr Obama said his campaign was engaged in a "constant internal debate" on how to respond to attack advertising.
"[McCain] brought in a team that is adept at this kind of politics," he said.
"This kind of politics has been successful in the last two elections in terms of getting people elected.
It has not been successful in governing or bringing the country together to tackle big problems."
"Washington is broken," the phrase that opens the ad, became former McCain rival (and current potential running mate) Mitt Romney's catch phrase in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary.
Romney was looking to make the case that it would take a Washington outsider like himself – not a "lifelong politician" like McCain – to fix Washington's problems.
Clinton said she wanted her supporters to leave the convention feeling as if their voices were heard and satisfied with Obama as the nominee.
"I mean everybody comes, and they want to yell and scream and have their opportunity, and I think that's all to the good, because then, you know, everybody can go, 'OK great. Now let's go out and win.' "
The senator from New York immediately shot down the notion that she might try to upstage Obama.
"Since the delegate count is so close ... what if you are called up for nomination and what if you do win by a narrow margin?" a questioner asked her at last weekend's event.
"That is not going to happen, not going to happen. Look, what we want to have happen is for Sen. Obama to be nominated by a unified convention of Democrats," she said.
"The best way I think -- and I could be wrong -- but the best way I think to do that is to have a strategy so that my delegates feel like they've had a role and that their legitimacy has been validated and that kind of ... you know, there is a catharsis," she said.
The grass-roots group 18 Million Voices Rise Hillary Rise is planning a big march in Denver, Colorado -- where the convention is taking place. The group is coordinating the march with others across the country as well as planning a festival in downtown Denver.
The group said its goal is to celebrate Clinton's achievement and advocate for women's rights. The group also said it is dedicated to seeing Clinton in the White House.
Because Clinton suspended her campaign instead of dropping out, she held on to the pledged delegates she earned in the primaries and caucuses. The superdelegates -- a group of party officials and leaders -- can endorse any candidate at any time.
Just recrding this snapshot in time. In case things change with the worsening situation in Georgia.back to
Obama $1.40
McCain $3.25
Bayr favoured as Dem VP. - But Biden tightening (makes sense)
Wesley Clark
Born December 23, 1944 (1944-12-23) (age 63)
General Wesley Clark
Place of birth Chicago, Illinois
Defense Distinguished Service Medal (5)
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (4)
Bronze Star (2)
Purple Heart
French Ordre national du Mérite
German Merit Cross of the Federal Republic (Order of Merit)
Wesley Kanne Clark, KBE (born December 23, 1944) is a retired General of the United States Army. Clark was valedictorian of his class at West Point, was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (Philosophy, Politics & Economics), and later graduated from the Command and General Staff College with a master's degree in military science. He spent 34 years in the Army and the Department of Defense, receiving many military decorations, several honorary knighthoods, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Clark commanded Operation Allied Force in the Kosovo War during his term as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000
I've always had in the back of my mind, the fact that superdelegates can change their mind... right up until the DNC convention... which is less than three weeks away!
McCain's negative campaign against Obama has to be overturned or else I can see Hillary putting her hand up again.
I've just found this item (out an hour ago) and reading between the lines, I think she is intending to do just that:
Clinton to supporters: 'Yell and scream,' then back Obama
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/07/clinton/
(CNN) — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he’s now comfortable with Sen. Hillary Clinton placing her name in nomination at the Democratic convention, but he admitted he was uneasy about the move at first.
“It's going to be placed in nomination in recognition of the 18 million votes that she got — her historic candidacy. But then she is going to pledge her delegates to Sen. Obama so that it's a unanimous — a unanimous election.
Is anybody else concerned about a back-room double cross here? How many superdelegates have been bought to switch from Obama to the Clintons? It would be their style to suddenly have more votes and rub Obama's face in it.
Obama's a fool to trust Clinton. Either of them. The Clinton's have only one credo: by any means necessary. Hillary's going to Pearl Harbor Barack at the Convention. She's not going to endorse him. She's going to try and supplant him in a coup. It's going to wreck the Democratic Party and put John McCain in the White House, but it's going to be great television. Primary Colors 2 might be just as good as the original. Stay tuned America!
We should all be cautious and apprehensive when it comes to the Clintons. After all, this is the dual that can't seem to digest the word "loss." Bill is still pouting, and Hiliary until recently seemed to be permanently in seclusion. We can only hope.
We are all worried by The Clintons; first bully into the Convention, then demand primary speaking time, then insist on husband Bill with his own timeline the following night, then amend the Convention platform to include language to "recognize" and give "respect" to Hillary and her voters and then, the final insult - a roll call vote with the 'backdoor' attempt to nominate Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Nominee….
I pray that Richardson is correct on his theory that Hillary will hand over her delegates..I still will not believe that until the convention is over!!! I do not have the faith in the Clinton's that Richardson does..I pray he is on the mark with this one.
YOU were a little uneasy? It will probably take a stake to the heart or silver bullet to get rid of this woman. I think she is hoping that somehow she will become the nominee. If she steals this from Mr. Obama, I will just simply stay home. I will not be an enabler. I was on her side until she started that 'hardworking, white nonsense' as though the rest of us don't work hard to make it. And she managed to 'tear up' which won her a primary. Sweetie, if you are going to join the boys club, you need to grow a pair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone
anemones are a group of water dwelling, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria; closely related to the jellyfish...
doris , howdy
gee with fronds like the Clintons, who needs an anemone
I have been watching this thread and the McLain thread for some time now and I am now prepared to jump in at the deep end and say what most people know, but are frightened to say for fear of being called racist.
Obama will not be elected president while he accepts the appellation of being an African-American. The description is one that can hardly be worn with pride. Most African countries these days are totalitarian basket cases, and the blame for this can be squarely laid at the feet of Africans, not Europeans. They have managed to turn their countries with rich resources into economic wrecks. On the other hand countries in Southern Asia with fewer resources are prospering.There would be very few black Americans who would rather have been born in Africa than America.
If I were an American I would want to vote for somebody who called himself "American"...without an appelation such as African, European, Indian, Hispanic, Chinese or anything else. To stand any chance Obama should now stand up and say "I am a proud American like John McCain, and I don't need any other labels". The only votes he would lose are those of the bigots.
If I were an American I would want to vote for somebody who called himself "American"...without an appellation such as African, European, Indian, Hispanic, Chinese or anything else. To stand any chance Obama should now stand up and say "I am a proud American like John McCain, and I don't need any other labels". The only votes he would lose are those of the bigots.
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