Author Topic: Great Read!  (Read 1677 times)

Colossus_500

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Great Read!
« on: September 27, 2007, 10:26:09 AM »
Can't wait to see Stephen Green's take on the Republican candidates:

Why I Can’t Vote for Any of These Guys (or Girl)
September 23, 2007 12:02 AM

So many presidential candidates and no one to back….Stephen Green, aka the Vodkapundit, surveys the Democratic field in despair.

By Stephen Green
Pajamas Media

Not even Mike Gravel is crazy enough to vote for Mike Gravel. Let’s pretend that he were to win the Democratic nomination—it’s not that big a stretch, having been won in real life by the likes of John Kerry, Michael Dukakis, and Jimmy Carter (twice!). The morning of the election, Gravel would close the voting booth curtain behind him, and then catch himself shouting, “Who’s got the Prell?” At which point, he’d pull the lever for Mitt Romney and breathe a sigh of relief that he’s not the only person running.

Bill Richardson won himself a reputation as the genial, tax-cutting governor of a western state—and thus maybe the true heir of Ronald Reagan. Then he got on the national stage carrying a giant “Surrender Now!” banner. If I hear him say “no residual presence” one more time about Iraq, then…then…I must be listening to Bill Richardson talk about anything, even issues not quite tangentially related to Iraq, including switchgrass conversion, Hispanic birthrates, and standardized testing for Balinese rickshaw consumption. We get it, Bill, you want out. Next issue, please—and the next potential nominee, too.

Hillary Clinton has a likeability problem. Everybody says that, but I can prove it. For example, I really don’t like her. Also neither does anybody else. Democratic voters who lo-o-o-ove Hillary still don’t like her. She’s the most polarizing candidate since, well, George W. Bush, and not even Republicans like him anymore. Bush himself is the most polarizing president since that other Clinton. Really, don’t we deserve a break? I know I do, so I won’t be voting for Hillary.

Barrack Obama makes empty suits looked stuffed, and stuffed shirts seem positively exploded, like Mr. Big at the end of “Live and Let Die.” Barrack’s big brave stand is that he’s all in favor of hope and people and stuff and things. Except, of course, that Obama claims he’s tough enough to invade Pakistan already, to root out al Qaeda. Look, buddy, I’m sure we’ve already done such things, but quietly. You don’t go saying things like that out loud—or else you risk turning precarious allies like Pervez Musharraf into the stars of major international funerals. Obama is at once too timid and too bold to be President.

You and I are from Earth. Dennis Kucinich is from somewhere entirely else. I mean, even his attempts at merely appearing human aren’t working out too well—how do you think his Administration would go over? Maybe Dennis is, like the book title, actually from Venus. Near as I can tell, his defense policy consists of some stuff he read on the back of a Volvo. Or maybe Kucinich is from slightly closer to home, like Syria, where he was recently seen on television giving figurative aid and comfort to our enemies. Wherever he’s from, I’m not sending him to the White House. “Straight to the moon, Alice!” would be more like it.

Joe Biden reminds me of Gary Hart, only without the bikini girl in his lap. Here’s a guy who has taken the time to give some real thought to some really serious issues, and come up with solutions that, if not novel, are at least strikingly brave for a Presidential candidate. That alone disqualifies him for higher office in this country. Also, the Hart comparison makes me think of Biden as Bill Clinton without the bikini girl in his lap, or maybe as Bill Clinton without the oral sex jokes, or maybe as Bill Clinton without the endless parade of used-up women. And if we need one thing out of our Presidents today, it’s gravitas. OK—gravitas and entertainment value. Biden is only half a candidate at best.

The apparent fact that Chris Dodd wakes up in the morning, stands in front of the mirror, examines his face with a razor in his hand and thinks, “Mr. President” is reason enough not to vote for him. Oh, he could’ve been a contender—had his name been Walter Mondale and if 2008 were actually 1984. Even so, we know what happened to Mondale. Unfortunately for Dodd, the New Deal coalition is dead, and so is his campaign. Which means that, on the Zombie War Preparedness Scale, Dodd rates a zero. And I can’t vote for a guy who can’t recognize the walking dead, much less whack its head off with a machete.

Here’s how the American Bar Association views corporations. Each one has a giant Scrooge McDuck-style vault, filled with giant bags full of hundred dollar bills and gold coins. The corporation’s job is to heave the bags over the head of jurors, and directly into the wallets of ABA members. If elected, John Edwards will turn this vision into law.

It’s not as if I’m a registered Democrat, so I’m not exactly likely to vote for any of these guys, anyway. Technically, I’m a Republican — I changed my registration from Libertarian to Republican, in order to vote against John McCain in 2000.

Does that mean voting Republican is the solution for me? Hardly—I’ll take their candidates on next time.

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2007, 11:07:18 AM »
Can't wait to see Stephen Green's take on the Republican candidates:

Why I Can’t Vote for Any of These Guys (or Girl)
September 23, 2007 12:02 AM

So many presidential candidates and no one to back….Stephen Green, aka the Vodkapundit, surveys the Democratic field in despair.

By Stephen Green
Pajamas Media

Not even Mike Gravel is crazy enough to vote for Mike Gravel. Let’s pretend that he were to win the Democratic nomination—it’s not that big a stretch, having been won in real life by the likes of John Kerry, Michael Dukakis, and Jimmy Carter (twice!). The morning of the election, Gravel would close the voting booth curtain behind him, and then catch himself shouting, “Who’s got the Prell?” At which point, he’d pull the lever for Mitt Romney and breathe a sigh of relief that he’s not the only person running.

Bill Richardson won himself a reputation as the genial, tax-cutting governor of a western state—and thus maybe the true heir of Ronald Reagan. Then he got on the national stage carrying a giant “Surrender Now!” banner. If I hear him say “no residual presence” one more time about Iraq, then…then…I must be listening to Bill Richardson talk about anything, even issues not quite tangentially related to Iraq, including switchgrass conversion, Hispanic birthrates, and standardized testing for Balinese rickshaw consumption. We get it, Bill, you want out. Next issue, please—and the next potential nominee, too.

Hillary Clinton has a likeability problem. Everybody says that, but I can prove it. For example, I really don’t like her. Also neither does anybody else. Democratic voters who lo-o-o-ove Hillary still don’t like her. She’s the most polarizing candidate since, well, George W. Bush, and not even Republicans like him anymore. Bush himself is the most polarizing president since that other Clinton. Really, don’t we deserve a break? I know I do, so I won’t be voting for Hillary.

Barrack Obama makes empty suits looked stuffed, and stuffed shirts seem positively exploded, like Mr. Big at the end of “Live and Let Die.” Barrack’s big brave stand is that he’s all in favor of hope and people and stuff and things. Except, of course, that Obama claims he’s tough enough to invade Pakistan already, to root out al Qaeda. Look, buddy, I’m sure we’ve already done such things, but quietly. You don’t go saying things like that out loud—or else you risk turning precarious allies like Pervez Musharraf into the stars of major international funerals. Obama is at once too timid and too bold to be President.

You and I are from Earth. Dennis Kucinich is from somewhere entirely else. I mean, even his attempts at merely appearing human aren’t working out too well—how do you think his Administration would go over? Maybe Dennis is, like the book title, actually from Venus. Near as I can tell, his defense policy consists of some stuff he read on the back of a Volvo. Or maybe Kucinich is from slightly closer to home, like Syria, where he was recently seen on television giving figurative aid and comfort to our enemies. Wherever he’s from, I’m not sending him to the White House. “Straight to the moon, Alice!” would be more like it.

Joe Biden reminds me of Gary Hart, only without the bikini girl in his lap. Here’s a guy who has taken the time to give some real thought to some really serious issues, and come up with solutions that, if not novel, are at least strikingly brave for a Presidential candidate. That alone disqualifies him for higher office in this country. Also, the Hart comparison makes me think of Biden as Bill Clinton without the bikini girl in his lap, or maybe as Bill Clinton without the oral sex jokes, or maybe as Bill Clinton without the endless parade of used-up women. And if we need one thing out of our Presidents today, it’s gravitas. OK—gravitas and entertainment value. Biden is only half a candidate at best.

The apparent fact that Chris Dodd wakes up in the morning, stands in front of the mirror, examines his face with a razor in his hand and thinks, “Mr. President” is reason enough not to vote for him. Oh, he could’ve been a contender—had his name been Walter Mondale and if 2008 were actually 1984. Even so, we know what happened to Mondale. Unfortunately for Dodd, the New Deal coalition is dead, and so is his campaign. Which means that, on the Zombie War Preparedness Scale, Dodd rates a zero. And I can’t vote for a guy who can’t recognize the walking dead, much less whack its head off with a machete.

Here’s how the American Bar Association views corporations. Each one has a giant Scrooge McDuck-style vault, filled with giant bags full of hundred dollar bills and gold coins. The corporation’s job is to heave the bags over the head of jurors, and directly into the wallets of ABA members. If elected, John Edwards will turn this vision into law.

It’s not as if I’m a registered Democrat, so I’m not exactly likely to vote for any of these guys, anyway. Technically, I’m a Republican — I changed my registration from Libertarian to Republican, in order to vote against John McCain in 2000.

Does that mean voting Republican is the solution for me? Hardly—I’ll take their candidates on next time.


Spot on.  I watched the second half of the debate last night and I was just appalled at how awful these candidates are.  Just terrible.  We can do better than this. 

Colossus_500

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2007, 07:41:28 AM »
Spot on.  I watched the second half of the debate last night and I was just appalled at how awful these candidates are.  Just terrible.  We can do better than this. 
One would think so, but it appears this is the best we have to offer.   :o

headhuntersix

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2007, 07:48:25 AM »
Newt says that if he can raise 30 million he's in. I just want to see somebody who identifies the problem and says here's what I'd do..not what my opponent won't do..or hasn't done..or didn't vote. Problem...solution.....n ext issue. And then tell people....yes this will cost money to solve or no we wil cut this program to fund this solution and that governmnet can't do it all. We need a sobering assesment of where we are and how we plan on surviving the next 100 years as a nation.
L

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2007, 08:01:26 AM »
Spot on.  I watched the second half of the debate last night and I was just appalled at how awful these candidates are.  Just terrible.  We can do better than this. 
If you want to see a truly deplorable performance by a presidential candidate, go back to some of the 1999-2000 republican debates and watch the performance a certain George W. Bush.

His responses rarely were coherent and they generally trailed off into non-sequiturs as his vocal volume decreased.  The other candidates would blush at his gibberish.

"Consider the colloquy between Bush and Steve Forbes. During the second half of the debate, Forbes asked Bush a wonky but fairly clever question: How would you, as president, reduce the domestic price of oil? Bush's initial answer -- "more exploration" -- was convincing enough (and, as important, non-threatening to his many supporters in the oil industry). But when Forbes pushed him to explain how, precisely, his administration would respond to rising oil costs, Bush fell apart. His answer: "We'd keep plans in place to say to our drillers, 'Keep on exploring.'" "

"Read that sentence again. Try to figure out what it means."

http://archives.cnn.com/1999/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/07/carlson.debate/index.html

The man was train wreck at the debates (and lost every single presidential debate) but he still became president.  That's a hell of a lesson.

headhuntersix

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2007, 08:09:56 AM »
Nobody said Bush was a great speaker :P.... Bush got elected because of Clinton and the Dems....people had plenty of money but wanted something else...they were sick of Bill and Hil..now we're sick of Bush and we might get Bill and Hill back...go figure.
L

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2007, 09:14:33 AM »
If you want to see a truly deplorable performance by a presidential candidate, go back to some of the 1999-2000 republican debates and watch the performance a certain George W. Bush.

His responses rarely were coherent and they generally trailed off into non-sequiturs as his vocal volume decreased.  The other candidates would blush at his gibberish.

"Consider the colloquy between Bush and Steve Forbes. During the second half of the debate, Forbes asked Bush a wonky but fairly clever question: How would you, as president, reduce the domestic price of oil? Bush's initial answer -- "more exploration" -- was convincing enough (and, as important, non-threatening to his many supporters in the oil industry). But when Forbes pushed him to explain how, precisely, his administration would respond to rising oil costs, Bush fell apart. His answer: "We'd keep plans in place to say to our drillers, 'Keep on exploring.'" "

"Read that sentence again. Try to figure out what it means."

http://archives.cnn.com/1999/ALLPOLITICS/stories/12/07/carlson.debate/index.html

The man was train wreck at the debates (and lost every single presidential debate) but he still became president.  That's a hell of a lesson.

But this thread is about how awful our Democrat presidential candidates are, not Bush's performance in a debate 7 or 8 years ago.  These guys are terrible. 

Colossus_500

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2007, 09:32:41 AM »
But this thread is about how awful our Democrat presidential candidates are, not Bush's performance in a debate 7 or 8 years ago.  These guys are terrible. 
'Nuff said there, bro!!! 

OzmO

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2007, 10:54:27 AM »
But this thread is about how awful our Democrat presidential candidates are, not Bush's performance in a debate 7 or 8 years ago.  These guys are terrible.

It almost looks like it's being done on purpose.   >:(

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2007, 11:16:31 AM »
It almost looks like it's being done on purpose.   >:(

It's a shame for Democrats too, because they have a golden opportunity in 08.  The race is wide open.  Instead they put guys like Kucinich, Biden, and Gravel on the national stage.  But this is the same party that legitimized Al Sharpton. 

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2007, 12:01:24 PM »
But this thread is about how awful our Democrat presidential candidates are, not Bush's performance in a debate 7 or 8 years ago.  These guys are terrible. 
You did not read my last sentence :

"The man was train wreck at the debates (and lost every single presidential debate) but he still became president.  That's a hell of a lesson."

See, I'm not mentioning Bush and his pathetic performances just b/c I can--the man was elected president in spite of his performance debating.  Therefore one's performance at a debate is hardly conclusive of his or her ability to win the whitehouse.




ieffinhatecardio

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2007, 12:09:03 PM »
You did not read my last sentence :

"The man was train wreck at the debates (and lost every single presidential debate) but he still became president.  That's a hell of a lesson."

See, I'm not mentioning Bush and his pathetic performances just b/c I can--the man was elected president in spite of his performance debating.  Therefore one's performance at a debate is hardly conclusive of his or her ability to win the whitehouse.





That's a good and valid point but good Lord those Dems were horrible. There was not a candidate in that debate that I would even contemplate voting for.

IMO the candidates have to perform at the top of their games now to separate themselves from the pack, they're not.

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #12 on: September 28, 2007, 12:13:22 PM »
That's a good and valid point but good Lord those Dems were horrible. There was not a candidate in that debate that I would even contemplate voting for.

IMO the candidates have to perform at the top of their games now to separate themselves from the pack, they're not.
If the standard for candidacy is excellence then we are shit out of luck in both parties.  The republicans I dismiss outright b/c they are just Bush redux (except for Paul--but his privatization platform is just crazy).  The democrats have a 1/2way decent candidate in Edwards but I don't know if he can get the funding to challenge the big guns.

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #13 on: September 28, 2007, 12:13:54 PM »
You did not read my last sentence :

"The man was train wreck at the debates (and lost every single presidential debate) but he still became president.  That's a hell of a lesson."

See, I'm not mentioning Bush and his pathetic performances just b/c I can--the man was elected president in spite of his performance debating.  Therefore one's performance at a debate is hardly conclusive of his or her ability to win the whitehouse.





I read it.  I don't agree that Bush was terrible in all of his debates.  In fact, from what I recall, he actually performed pretty well in several debates.  I think (for me anyway) part of the reason he performed well was the expectations were so low.  There was a lot of talk about how Gore was going to dismantle Bush in the debates.  That didn't happen.

I agree that debate performance is not conclusive of an ability to win the presidency.  But the debates do tell us a lot about the candidates and they are one of the primary ways we can make judgments about the candidates.  They have certainly told me a lot about these duds.  They really suck.    

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #14 on: September 28, 2007, 12:21:59 PM »
I read it.  I don't agree that Bush was terrible in all of his debates.  In fact, from what I recall, he actually performed pretty well in several debates.  I think (for me anyway) part of the reason he performed well was the expectations were so low.  There was a lot of talk about how Gore was going to dismantle Bush in the debates.  That didn't happen.

I agree that debate performance is not conclusive of an ability to win the presidency.  But the debates do tell us a lot about the candidates and they are one of the primary ways we can make judgments about the candidates.  They have certainly told me a lot about these duds.  They really suck.    
Gore not only dismantled Bush, he destroyed him in each debate.  It was not even a close call.

I'm glad that you pointed out the setting of the stage of the debates by the millionaire 'liberal' pundits who claimed that if Bush could grunt his way through the debates, he'd be a winner.  Bush did grunt and more: he lied repeatedly about his own platform and made a grand fool of himself. 

But in the eyes of his supporters and the millionaire "liberal" pundits, Bush didn't screw up therefore he won the debates.

That's just not right.

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #15 on: September 28, 2007, 12:27:47 PM »
Gore not only dismantled Bush, he destroyed him in each debate.  It was not even a close call.

I'm glad that you pointed out the setting of the stage of the debates by the millionaire 'liberal' pundits who claimed that if Bush could grunt his way through the debates, he'd be a winner.  Bush did grunt and more: he lied repeatedly about his own platform and made a grand fool of himself. 

But in the eyes of his supporters and the millionaire "liberal" pundits, Bush didn't screw up therefore he won the debates.

That's just not right.

That's your opinion.   :)  I thought he did pretty well.  BTW, I went into that election completely undecided about who I was going to vote for, after having voted for Clinton twice. 

Still, this isn't really relevant to this sorry group of Democrats running for president. 

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #16 on: September 28, 2007, 12:45:32 PM »
That's your opinion.   :)  I thought he did pretty well.  BTW, I went into that election completely undecided about who I was going to vote for, after having voted for Clinton twice. 

Still, this isn't really relevant to this sorry group of Democrats running for president. 
You are right about the relevancy but come on, he did well in the debates?  Oh brother. 

Decker

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #17 on: September 28, 2007, 12:50:16 PM »
Have a great weekend Beach Bum.  As always, it's a lot of fun talking with you.

Colossus_500

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #18 on: September 28, 2007, 12:57:51 PM »
From what I remember of the 2000 debates, Al Gore show his "butt" with his arrogance.  The first debate between the two was horrible, but I felt like Bush reeled himself back in, but Gore kept up with his antics.  It was embarrassing to watch, IMO.  To this day, I don't even want to imagine what this country would be like under Al Gore.   :o   And he's proven me right with who he's become since then. 

Best debate I've ever seen was with Joe Lieberman vs. Dick Cheney. 

Dos Equis

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Re: Great Read!
« Reply #19 on: September 28, 2007, 05:19:20 PM »
From what I remember of the 2000 debates, Al Gore show his "butt" with his arrogance.  The first debate between the two was horrible, but I felt like Bush reeled himself back in, but Gore kept up with his antics.  It was embarrassing to watch, IMO.  To this day, I don't even want to imagine what this country would be like under Al Gore.   :o   And he's proven me right with who he's become since then. 

Best debate I've ever seen was with Joe Lieberman vs. Dick Cheney. 

That's my recollection too.  Gore came off as arrogant.  Wasn't nearly as good as advertised. 

Thank God we didn't have president Gore.