Humorless Politics Thread

[Sarah]

That woman? The upper midwest's version of stupid w**** t**sh. I know the type.

Yeah, we've got our share up here, too.  That woman was a very familiar type.

It's so handy for McCain/Palin that it is considered semilegitimate to fear Arabs/Muslims these days.  Otherwise, they'd be forced to be racist in the more obvious way, which would fly far less well. 

[sleepytako]

To those people, Arab = terrorist. And has ever since the Iranian hostage crisis, really. The irony that they are also the party and ideological brethren of Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh escapes them.

I doubt they remember the pre-OK city bombing days of AM talk radio with its successionists. I remember the station that had Art Bell back then (KOGO 600, San Deigo) had this completely insane dood syndicated from Medford, OR. The stuff he said then couldn't fly now, but I bet those same people calling Obama a terrorist were all for this guy back in 93.

[Steve of Bloomington]

Fully agree.  Trying not to be lulled into a false sense of security by what increasingly seems like McCain's effort to throw the election.  Also, 2004 almost thoroughly erased my ability to feel optimistic about the future.  All this shortly after the birth of my child.  So actually, for me it is personal, I suppose.

McCain is too decent and human to run on the GOP ticket.  WTF.  He doesn't even want to win. 

I think he has his flaws (his temper) but I also think he's compromised his own integrity along this path and is regretting it deep down.  I suspect you're right.  Some day he'll look back on this and come clean about being feeling that he lost control of his campaign.

Personally, I can forgive and forget down the road when it comes to this guy.  Just don't want him to win.  Nothing personal.

Palin, not so much.  She's a nut and always will be.

[Sarah]

And so the spinning begins.  During the portion of the stump speech I heard today, Palin said not one word about Troopergate and spoke more specifically than ever before about McCain's plans for rescuing the economy.  More, she is being refashioned as a new Madonna, mother of the holy infant Trig and patron goddess of the disabled.  I suspect anyone who alludes to the virulent hate mongering of the past week or the finding that Palin acted unethically in her campaign to get Wooten fired will be scolded for once again looking to the past instead of the future.  It makes me sick at heart.

[wwwes]

Don't worry, Sarah. It's being noticed in Alaska, I'm sure. And once she goes back there, I bet they'll have more questions that she won't be able to duck quite so easily. That's the problem with picking a two-year governor, really. High approval ratings are commonplace in two years time for someone runnin as a "reformer". It takes time to properly flame out.

[Trembling Eagle]

Don't worry, Sarah. It's being noticed in Alaska, I'm sure. And once she goes back there, I bet they'll have more questions that she won't be able to duck quite so easily. That's the problem with picking a two-year governor, really. High approval ratings are commonplace in two years time for someone runnin as a "reformer". It takes time to properly flame out.

Alaska is a pretty red state though, would most people mind?

[John Junk 2.0]

I'm sure you all know this already, but I have to chortle.  First, "For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act."

Also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6YKOkfFsE

It just occured to me that maybe Tom is to FOT vs. Shut Up Weirdo as McCain is to GOP vs. Obama.

[Chris L]

It just occured to me that maybe Tom is to FOT vs. Shut Up Weirdo as McCain is to GOP vs. Obama.

That old woman was about to start talking about her dog before McCain heave ho'd her.

[Fido]

It just occured to me that maybe Tom is to FOT vs. Shut Up Weirdo as McCain is to GOP vs. Obama.

I thought the same thing yesterday, JJ!  Which means that Tom thinks he has some loose cannons among his partisans, which is kind of funny, but maybe not off-base.

I'm worried about our economy, but not too worried about the scary McCain fringe elements. America has encountered and rejected ideologues at many times in its history, and I still think we're capable of doing so in the future, as long as our economy doesn't completely hit the skids, which hasn't happened just yet.

[masterofsparks]

That woman? The upper midwest's version of stupid w**** t**sh. I know the type.

Yeah, we've got our share up here, too.  That woman was a very familiar type.

I'm related to women like her. In fact, if asked, I would imagine my grandparents would say something similar. Which is why I haven't asked.

[Sarah]

You'll be glad to hear the happy results of a poll of one I conducted yesterday:  a young woman of my acquaintance, a pretty mainstream type, fairly politically apathetic but conservative/Republican by habit, told me yesterday she's voting for Obama.  When I asked her why, she said, "Because we don't need more of what we've had for eight years."  When I asked what she thinks of Palin, she said, "She's an idiot--I mean, 'I can see Russia from my house'?"  I was cheered.

[Julie]

I had dinner with my mom yesterday. She told me she saw some couple on tv who lost their home because of medical bills, and she said, "Tough shit! Why should the government pay for their mortgage because someone in their family had cancer?" She thinks the bad economy is a good thing because Americans need to get away from having so much stuff and get back to family values. Fuck if I know what she means by family values, though! Small towns in Ohio are full of people who might not be crazy as my mom, but who think along the same lines, and Ohio is important in not electing a republican. I was feeling pretty good about the outcome because usually Cincinnati is covered with yard signs and bumper stickers for Republican candidates and I've only seen two. Now I'm nervous.

[Gibby]

I had dinner with my mom yesterday. She told me she saw some couple on tv who lost their home because of medical bills, and she said, "Tough shit! Why should the government pay for their mortgage because someone in their family had cancer?" She thinks the bad economy is a good thing because Americans need to get away from having so much stuff and get back to family values. Fuck if I know what she means by family values, though! Small towns in Ohio are full of people who might not be crazy as my mom, but who think along the same lines, and Ohio is important in not electing a republican. I was feeling pretty good about the outcome because usually Cincinnati is covered with yard signs and bumper stickers for Republican candidates and I've only seen two. Now I'm nervous.

Maybe it's because I'm a pinko liberal left-wing factonista (and British, even worse), but this kind of attitude strikes me as absolutely insane.

[masterofsparks]

Cincinnati is usually overwhelming Republican. In my experience, the rural areas and the southern half of the state are typically red while the cities in the central and northern parts of the state (Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo) are typically blue. I'd be surprised if Cincinnati (where my afore-mentioned grandparents live, not to mention my uncle who still sends me "Obama is a muslim" emails) votes Democrat.

I had dinner with my mom yesterday. She told me she saw some couple on tv who lost their home because of medical bills, and she said, "Tough shit! Why should the government pay for their mortgage because someone in their family had cancer?" She thinks the bad economy is a good thing because Americans need to get away from having so much stuff and get back to family values. Fuck if I know what she means by family values, though! Small towns in Ohio are full of people who might not be crazy as my mom, but who think along the same lines, and Ohio is important in not electing a republican. I was feeling pretty good about the outcome because usually Cincinnati is covered with yard signs and bumper stickers for Republican candidates and I've only seen two. Now I'm nervous.

[Gibby]

Every right wing type I know over here wouldn't say something so heartless. "Am I not my brother's keeper?"