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McCain and The Evil Empire
Pepe Escobar: McCain insists on demonizing Russia - he's not even listening to his own heroes.
At the second US presidential debate, Senator John McCain once again raised the specter of a renewed Cold War, displaying a very confrontational position towards Russia. Even Senator Barack Obama accused Russia of promoting "mischief around the world". McCain don't seem to be listening to his own heroes - certified Cold Warrior Henry Kissinger, who advises him, and counterinsurgency ace Gen. David Petraeus.
Pepe Escobar, born in Brazil is the roving correspondent for Asia Times and an analyst for The Real News Network. He's been a foreign correspondent since 1985, based in London, Milan, Los Angeles, Paris, Singapore, and Bangkok. Since the late 1990s, he has specialized in covering the arc from the Middle East to Central Asia, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has made frequent visits to Iran and is the author of Globalistan and also Red Zone Blues: A Snapshot of Baghdad During the Surge both published by Nimble Books in 2007. Pepe Escobar: McCain insists on demonizing Russia - he's not even listening to his own heroes. ... more -
Headline Comedy: 10.8.08
Good jokes in bad times go a long way. Watch Donna Lee, Eddie Gossling, and Jeremy Essig from rooftopcomedy.com and turn that economy frown upside down.
Check out some stand-up jokes from around the country, and for more laughs visit rooftopcomedy.com Good jokes in bad times go a long way. Watch Donna Lee, Eddie Gossling, and Jeremy Essig from rooftopcomedy.com and turn that economy ... more -
McCain loses ground with white working class
Maybe rednecks aren't as bad as I thought. I wonder who Levi's voting for
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Be careful what you vote for because you just might get it
"We are at the point of wrapping up the election season, and once again you have the liberals on one side and the conservatives on the other side. Once again, Americans have the choice of voting for a Democrat or a Repulican, and once again the notion of a viable third party option is not even entertained by the majority of the population.
After Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats failed to do what was demanded of them, which was to end the Iraq war and impeach the President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, one would have thought that the thought of voting Republican or Democrat would be completely unacceptable. Yet, here we are again, forced to between a Republican or a Democrat.
Since America, and the rest of the world for that matter, are locked in a left-right political box, so to speak, we are once again forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. And again, it is up to the media to decide who is the greater or the lesser of two evils. But no matter on what side of the political isle you stand, the lesser of two evils is still evil. This is why I say "be careful what you vote for-you just might get it." Don't get it? Well I'm sure you will, so just bear with me and let me explain."
Continue reading here
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/UnderTheRadarMedia/~3/41... "We are at the point of wrapping up the election season, and once again you have the liberals on one side and the conservatives o... more -
NRA Endorses McCain, Despite His Anti-2nd-Amendment Record
Does the NRA believe their members are idiots who do not remember anything beyond a few of months ago? Assuming that a vast majority of their members are capable of reading, members should not accept such a dramatic turnaround without extensive explanation (which was not given). Though the NRA is wordsmithing their statements on the “new McCain”... Does the NRA believe their members are idiots who do not remember anything beyond a few of months ago? Assuming that a vast majority o... more
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Obama-McCain dilemma puts NFL players in a state
Interesting article about the dilemma faced by a lot of professional athletes:
"As the presidential race revs up, political conversations in NFL locker rooms echo those in workplaces nationwide.
Taxes. Economy. McCain. Obama. War. Terrorism. White. Black.
And a dilemma for these high-paid athletes: principles or pocketbook?
'We're right in the middle,' said Washington Redskins veteran Philip Daniels. 'We've all got family members that are not doing so well. Democrats would help them out, but Republicans would help us out.'
The 35-year-old defensive end sat in front of his locker not far from the nation's capital and analytically explained how his political color has changed from blue to red and back to blue again. Everything about Daniels' upbringing screams Democrat. He's a black male who grew up in modest surroundings in a small Georgia town. He majored in social work in college.
Everything about his income screams Republican. He's made millions many times over in his 13 years as a professional athlete, and the thought of paying higher taxes under a Democratic administration led him to vote for President Bush in 2000 and support the president's re-election in 2004.
'I used to be a Republican,' Daniels said. 'I wanted Bush in there. The previous years I've been Republican because of what we make, but this year's a little bit different. I think this year more guys are not even thinking about the income part of it. They're just really thinking about the economy and the country. A lot of people want change'...
The clear preferences from some athletes stand in contrast to former NBA superstar Michael Jordan's unwillingness to take a stand in the 1990 North Carolina Senate race between Republican Jesse Helms and Democrat Harvey Gantt, who was bidding to become the first black southern senator since Reconstruction.
'Republicans buy sneakers, too,' Jordan famously said, though he later endorsed Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in 2000...
The discussions and mini-debates, however, always seem to come back to money. Days after Daniels expressed his feelings inside the Redskins locker room, teammate Ethan Albright held up a stamped envelope containing his absentee ballot, ready to be mailed to his home state of North Carolina. As he put the envelope in his locker, cornerback Shawn Springs called out: 'Why you like McCain?'
'I like him,' Albright replied with a nod, 'because he ain't raising taxes.'
That's a sentiment reiterated by New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles, also a McCain supporter.
'He is going to tax the wealthy, which is what we are,' said Feagles, referring to Obama. 'We are in that category. You look at those kinds of implications, and I hate using that word, it will affect us.'
Feagles' teammate, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, couldn't disagree more.
'It's insulting to think you would vote based on how it affects you financially,' Kiwanuka said. 'I had that conversation even before I got my signing bonus. It's a matter of general policy and what you believe in and what that person stands for. ... When you look at it, I spent the majority of my life with an average upbringing to say the least, and that has shaped how I vote a lot more than the last couple of years living this lifestyle."
Full article at link... Interesting article about the dilemma faced by a lot of professional athletes: ... more -
Candidates as...
You might have noticed (or ignored) the emerging meme on the intertubez of folks using simple visual analogies to convey how they see the presidential and VP candidates' 'attributes' and 'differences'.
Here's one I found on Flickr depicting "Candidates as Telephony"
If you got one, found one or made one, upload or clip it below and we'll make a collage after afternoon snacktime/naptime! You might have noticed (or ignored) the emerging meme on the intertubez of folks using simple visual analogies to convey how they see ... more -
McCain Drops Ayers Bomb for First Time
John McCain has attacked Barack Obama for his links to political radical Bill Ayers for the first time, Politico reports. McCain, who had previously left the assault to Sarah Palin, told a raucous Wisconsin rally that booed every mention of Obama's name that the issue went to the heart of whether his rival "is telling the truth to the American people or not."
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"We don't care about a washed-up terrorist," McCain said. "The point is Sen. Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. We know that's not true." Obama, who served on the board of non-profit organizations with Ayers but has said they were never close, continued attacking McCain for his "erratic" approach to the financial crisis. McCain "would rather launch personal attacks than talk about the economy," said a statement. John McCain has attacked Barack Obama for his links to political radical Bill Ayers for the first time, Politico reports. McCain, who... more -
Obama knew what McCain was going to do
Remember in late July when Barack Obama predicted John McCain's attack strategy? Remember McCain's howls of protest in response? Well, it turns out that Obama was right about McCain's attacks. As it turns out, Obama knew McCain better than McCain knew McCain. Remember in late July when Barack Obama predicted John McCain's attack strategy? Remember McCain's howls of protest in respo... more
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Half sister of Cindy McCain dies
The half sister of Cindy McCain, wife of presidential candidate John McCain, has died of Alzheimer’s disease, the family announced.
Dixie Lea Burd, 74, died on Tuesday in Phoenix. She had been in a nursing home for the past two years, and Cindy McCain arranged for her to go into hospice care, son Bob Burd said. The half sister of Cindy McCain, wife of presidential candidate John McCain, has died of Alzheimer’s disease, the family announced. ... more -
Obama Criticizes McCain's Hate Rallies
McCain's campaign has taken a Hitler-esque turn
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Parties wage war over voter fraud, intimidation - msnbc.com
The fiercest shouting match of this campaign season isn’t necessarily “vote for Obama!” versus “vote for McCain!”
In some states, it is “voter fraud!” versus “voter intimidation!”
Republicans allege Democrats and their allies are trying to subvert the voter registration system, and perhaps the election itself, with an avalanche of inaccurate or fraudulent new voter registrations.
But Democrats charge Republicans are trying to deter would-be voters by discouraging registrations and by requiring voters to identify themselves, in some cases with state-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license.
In one sense, this is simply the intense political combat one would expect to see three weeks before an election, with each side using an issue to fire up its loyal supporters.
But some election officials are struggling with substantial problems as they try to avoid a fiasco on Election Day, Nov. 4.
Republicans have made a group called ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the chief villain in the home stretch of the campaign.
Their allegation: that ACORN has been flooding election officials in states from Nevada to Connecticut with thousands of erroneous and fraudulent voter registration forms.
In Jackson County, Missouri, (which includes Kansas City) election officials said this week that fraudulent registration forms had been handed in by ACORN canvassers.
In Las Vegas, investigators from the office of Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat, served a search warrant Tuesday on the ACORN office, as part of an investigation into allegations of voter registration fraud. Miller’s agents seized computer hard drives and boxes of documents.
ACORN defended itself in the Nevada incident, saying its workers verify the information on new voter registration cards before turning them in to election officials.
But ACORN did acknowledge that some errors were made.
“While the vast majority of our voter registration canvassers do a great job, there have been several times over the past ten months that our Las Vegas Quality Control program has identified a canvasser who appears to have knowingly submitted a fake or duplicate application in order to pad his or her hours,” the group said in a statement.
It complained that “It was surprising that law enforcement officials appeared suddenly at our Las Vegas offices yesterday, because ACORN and its attorneys have already been proactive in providing information about problematic cards and any employee suspected of misconduct.”
President Bush won Nevada in 2004, but recent polls show Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain statistically tied in the state with his Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama.
(more at the link) The fiercest shouting match of this campaign season isn’t necessarily “vote for Obama!” versus “vote for McCain!” ... more -
Madge calls Palin B*tch
With politics in the air, Madonna disses Palin, The Foo Fighters fight McCain, and CBS says no to Obama shirt. Shows are cancelled, records are broken, and digital advances are made. All of this and more on your Weekly Fix. With politics in the air, Madonna disses Palin, The Foo Fighters fight McCain, and CBS says no to Obama shirt. Shows are cancelled, r... more
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A Bad Ad Election
Never have campaign ads added so little. Conor surveys the strikingly similar attempts to sell the American public on McCain and Obama.
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at current.com/infomania. Never have campaign ads added so little. Conor surveys the strikingly similar attempts to sell the American public on McCain and Obam... more -
We've Got You Covered 10.09.08
Sarah Palin's Pores, America's Richest People, and the Battle of the Money Honeys in roundup of the week's magazines.
We've Got You Covered is a recurring segment on Current TV's weekly television show, infoMania. In each episode of We've Got You Covered, Conor Knighton catches you up on everything you need to know about what's in this week's magazines.
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at current.com/infomania. Sarah Palin's Pores, America's Richest People, and the Battle of the Money Honeys in roundup of the week's magazines. ... more -
The Week in Media
Porn in space, cheating your way to prosperity, the debate in 30-seconds, Kimbo Slice’s beatdown, Putin’s judo vid, and saying goodbye to (most) drunk emails.
infoMania is a half-hour satirical news show that airs on Current TV. The show puts a comedic spin on the 24-hour chaos and information overload brought about by the constant bombardment of the media. Hosted by Conor Knighton and co-starring Brett Erlich, Sarah Haskins, Ben Hoffman, and Sergio Cilli, the show airs on Thursdays at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific Times and can be found online at current.com/infomania. Porn in space, cheating your way to prosperity, the debate in 30-seconds, Kimbo Slice’s beatdown, Putin’s judo vid, and saying goodbye... more -
Panic attacks: Voters unload at GOP rallies
The unmistakable momentum behind Barack Obama's campaign, combined with worry that John McCain is not doing enough to stop it, is ratcheting up fears and frustrations among conservatives.
And nowhere is this emotion on plainer display than at Republican rallies, where voters this week have shouted out insults at the mention of Obama, pleaded with McCain to get more aggressive with the Democrat and generally demonstrated the sort of visceral anger and unease that reflects a party on the precipice of panic.
The calendar is closing and the polls, at least right now, are not.
With McCain passing up the opportunity to level any tough personal shots in his first two debates and the very real prospect of an Obama presidency setting in, the sort of hard-core partisan activists who turn out for campaign events are venting in unusually personal terms.
"Terrorist!” one man screamed Monday at a New Mexico rally after McCain voiced the campaign’s new rhetorical staple aimed at raising doubts about the Illinois senator: “Who is the real Barack Obama?”
"He's a damn liar!” yelled a woman Wednesday in Pennsylvania. "Get him. He's bad for our country."
At both stops, there were cries of, “Nobama,” picking up on a phrase that has appeared on yard signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers.
And Thursday, at a campaign town hall in Wisconsin, one Republican brought the crowd to its feet when he used his turn at the microphone to offer a soliloquy so impassioned it made the network news and earned extended play on Rush Limbaugh’s program.
“I’m mad; I’m really mad!” the voter bellowed. “And what’s going to surprise ya, is it’s not the economy — it’s the socialists taking over our country.”
After the crowd settled down he was back at it. “When you have an Obama, Pelosi and the rest of the hooligans up there gonna run this country, we gotta have our head examined!”
Such contempt for Democrats is, of course, nothing new from conservative activists. But in 2000 and 2004, the Republican rank and file was more apt to ridicule Gore as a stiff fabulist or Kerry as an effete weather vane of a politician.
“Flip-flop, flip-flop,” went the cry at Republican rallies four years ago, often with footwear to match the chant.
Now, though, the emotion on display is unadulterated anger rather than mocking.
(more at the link) The unmistakable momentum behind Barack Obama's campaign, combined with worry that John McCain is not doing enough to stop it, is... more -
Why didn't McCain say it to Obama's face? "It didn't come up i...
Sen. John McCain acknowledged he is trailing Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race, but says he long ago got used to being an "underdog" and willl keep fighting because he insists the Democratic nominee has neither the experience nor the candor to win the White House.
"This is a tough campaign," McCain told ABC News' Charlie Gibson in an exclusive interview. "I'm the underdog. I've always been the underdog from the beginning."
And in a surprising tactic, McCain repeatedly invoked Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton -- an unpopular figure among conservative Republicans -- while defending his campaign's most controversial strategies: spending $300 billion to buy up peoples' mortgages and linking Obama to 1960s anti-war radical William Ayers.
McCain was most heated when pressing his campaign's attempts to connect Obama to Ayers, a co-founder of the Weather Underground, a Vietnam-era group that executed domestic bombings and plotted attacks on the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon.
"[Ayers] wasn't a guy in the neighborhood. [Obama] launched his political career in his living room, in Mr. Ayers' living room. And I don't care about two washed-up old terrorists that are unrepentant about trying to destroy America. But I do care, and Americans should care, about his relationship with him and whether he's being truthful and candid about it," McCain said.
Obama says the personal attacks levied against him by the McCain campaign, particularly references to Ayers, are an attempt to "score cheap political points."
"Why don't we just clear it up right now," Obama told "World News" anchor Gibson in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. "I'll repeat again what I've said many times. This is a guy who engaged in some despicable acts 40 years ago when I was eight years old. By the time I met him, 10 or 15 years ago, he was a college professor of education at the University of Illinois . . . And the notion that somehow he has been involved in my campaign, that he is an adviser of mine, that . . . I've 'palled around with a terrorist', all these statements are made simply to try to score cheap political points."
But McCain was unrepentant when asked on Thursday by Gibson if Ayers is a "critical issue or factor in this campaign."
"I think it's a factor about Senator Obama's candor and truthfulness with the American people," McCain replied, before adding, "I don't care about Mr. Ayers, who on Sept. 11, 2001, said he wished he'd have bombed more. I don't care about that. I care about [Obama] being truthful about his relationship with him. And Americans will care."
Obama said on Wednesday to ABC News that the McCain campaign is making personal attacks "the centerpiece of the discussion in the closing weeks of a campaign where we are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and we're in the middle of two wars."
"I think that makes very little sense, not just to me but to the American people," Obama said.
McCain demurred when asked whether Obama's character or lack of candor disqualifies him to be president.
"I'll leave that up to the American people. But I have every right to insist that he be candid and truthful with the American people. And he needs to be asked about it, and he needs to be forthcoming," McCain said.
Obama had noted that McCain didn't raise the issue "to my face" in their debate on Tuesday, but McCain told Gibson he did not raise the Ayers argument during the debate because "it didn't come up in the flow of conversation."
But McCain told Gibson he felt comfortable with the subject as a focus in the last days of the campaign.
"I think it's something that needs to be examined. Sen. Clinton said it should be examined during their primary and it never was," McCain said.
(more at the link) Sen. John McCain acknowledged he is trailing Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race, but says he long ago got used to being a... more -
Sensitive Palin ethics report kept secret, for now
The first-term Alaska governor has been accused of firing a state commissioner to settle a family dispute. But the report is also expected to touch on whether Palin's husband meddled in state affairs and whether her administration inappropriately accessed employee medical records.
The inquiry, approved by a legislative committee's bipartisan vote, began before Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Palin his running mate. The first-term Alaska governor has been accused of firing a state commissioner to settle a family dispute. But the report is also expe... more -
McCain-Palin Continue Nasty Obama Attacks
McCain-Palin Continue Nasty Obama Attacks
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John McCain
