Comments on: Let Us Now "Change" The Campaign Rhetoric

Slate's Timothy Noah Says The Buzz Word Du Jour Doesn't Help The Political Discourse

[jea1012]

This is getting to be ridiculous. What McCain and Palin have done equates to plagiarism. They have stolen the theme of Obama''s campaign. If they were so impressed by the Senator''s ideas, then why don''t they just vote democratic. The idea that McCain and Palin are agents of change working to help "regular" Americans like myself is a joke. Regular Americans like myself are the community organizers they joke about. They use dirty tactics, personal assaults, and plagiarism to launch themselves into the White House so they can keep the status quo, maybe even improve the lives of the already overly wealthy corporate America. And "drill baby drill" is a frightening chant which every person who cares about the environment should be concerned with.

[caldwellptr]

Have you been safe the last 8 years? Have the terrorists attacked us again?

Terrorists have not attacked the United States since September 11th, 2001 - about 8 months after President Bush took office. Seven years after the mass murders that were committed on 9/11, Osama Bin Laden, accused of plotting and implementing the attack, has not been captured.

[caldwellptr]

Have you been safe the last 8 years? Have the terrorists attacked us again?

Terrorists have not attacked the United States since September 11th, 2001 - about 8 months after President Bush took office. Seven years after the mass murders that was committed on 9/11, Osama Bin Laden, accused of plotting and implementing the attach, has not been captured.

[samthetvcat]

PS Also, maybe if you were to ask independents why they''re not on board with either candidate, maybe they wouldn''t articulate their ''cynicism'' quite in the same terms as I just did, but if they''ve lived through cycles of parties coming in and out and in and out of power after promising change but never delivering, then maybe their instincts are leading them to sort of ''sense'' that same stagnation?

Like every single time Republicans come into power, there''s a bank failure crisis. Every single time Dems come into power they start talking about the government taking over healthcare, and expanding social security and medicare and they want to tax corporations to do it.

The world changes, but has the government? Shouldn''t it? Can it? I don''t know . . .

That''s why I''m just going to vote for the girl! Go Sarah!!!!! :)

[samthetvcat]

pt 1

---"What do independents want? If you could generalize, they wouldn''t be independents! They''d have a party of their own. In addressing this diverse group of disaffected people, it pays not to promise anything specific. Hence, "change."---

How many times to I keep getting asked the question ''what side are you on'' . . . I''m not that complicated, but maybe I''m expecting too much of people I don''t know . . .

I look at Barack and McCain and to me they both seem for the most part stereotypes of their party platform. In terms of national security, McCain''s a hawk and Barack''s a dove who''s trying to fake acting like he''s also a hawk because that''s what people want. In terms of the economy Barack thinks of big-business as ''greedy'' and wants to basically do the Robin Hood thing, while McCain is pro-big business screw the ''little people lazy whiners'' who he doesn''t even seem to be trying all that hard to court on economics but rather social values.

[samthetvcat]

pt 2

To me, change would be a war hawk who would show some signs of realizing that the world is changing and we may have to pick our battles and court alliances. If injecting ourselves into the Georgia/Russia kerfuffle was such an imperative, why were we the only ones to do it? Or change would be a dove who didn''t talk big about going after Bin Laden when Russia is the one wielding all the power these days - what''s worse, he''s not even going to go after Bin Laden. Like ***?!?

In terms of the economy, a GOP that understood that ''laissez-faire'' for business means somebody''s going to have to watch them like a hawk would be ''change'', wouldn''t it? Because people suffer when only business gets bailed out. A Dem that understands that big-business is the engine that drives all else and that competition, aggression, confidence, and pushing profit to the limits is what makes it thrive and therefore wouldn''t be looking to ''punish'' their ''greed'' would be change wouldn''t it?

Like there''s no cross-over of policy, no thesis/antithesis/resolution, no insight or growth, is there?

McCain likes to rebel, and Barack likes to be liked - not the same as seeing the merits of what the other side brings to the table . . .

[wogerwabbit]

Have you been safe the last 8 years? Have the terrorists attacked us again? The terrorists WANT Obama in the White House. That is enough for me NOT to vote for him!

Are you a legal citizen of the United States?


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Posted by annnort at 01:09 PM : Sep 07, 2008

Hysteria Alert! Hysteria Alert! A simpering coward sells out his country for a little perceived security!

"The terrorists WANT Obama in the White House."

I bet that was from a reputable source.

Hey buddy, Fox News is just propaganda for the weak minded... they don''t do news... don''t quote that trash here, you could cite the National Inquirer with more authority than those wingnut hacks. The mind is a terrible thing to waste... shame on you.

[dashortround]

From the Anchorage Daily News:

State Trooper''s union files an ethics complaint against Palin

WOOTEN: Investigation sought into possible breach of confidential files.

By WESLEY LOY
[e-mail]

Published: September 5th, 2008 02:53 AM
Last Modified: September 5th, 2008 08:02 AM

The union representing state Trooper Mike Wooten has filed an ethics complaint against Gov. Sarah Palin and members of her administration charging a possible unlawful breach of Wooten''s confidential personnel and workers'' compensation files.


http://www.adn.com/politics/story/516746.html

[jon2012-2009]

annnort: no one is without fault or beyond reproach. And it certainly could be that there have been no attacks on American soil because "we''''ve been fighting them over there", but it is a common logical fallacy to assume that because something did NOT happen, that it was somehow PREVENTED.
Posted by ses22 at 02:13 PM : Sep 07, 2008

You are quite correct. The other thing I can add is that although there were no attacks on American soil, we still suffered casualties to our troops, about 4,120 of them todate and the war is costing our economy $3 trillion that will be paid for by taxpayers. These costs, in money and lives, exceed 9/11 by far and away and it''s not over yet. So Iraq is just like 9/11 only bigger and we don''t see the bodies all in one place here at home.

[ses22-2009]

annnort: no one is without fault or beyond reproach. And it certainly could be that there have been no attacks on American soil because "we''ve been fighting them over there", but it is a common logical fallacy to assume that because something did NOT happen, that it was somehow PREVENTED. But you cannot prove a negative. We have no way of knowing what might have happened. You cannot assume that because there were no attacks, the actions of this administration had anything to do with it. By the same token, McCain argues that the surge has worked. Well, by some measures there is less violence in Iraq, but one could also postulate that the Iraquis are just biding their time. They know at some point we''ll leave, especially if it looks good over there, and then they''ll have their civil war without unwanted interference. You know what really just drives me crazy, though, is that Bush ran on a policy that was specifically AGAINST "nation building" and yet, here we are.

[paulstewart9]

Slowly since 911, America is coming out of the Rabbit Hole. McCain, Ghouliani et al need to put you back in the tank to win. So, new fear sources are created - anything foreign, Iraq, Iran, Obama, liberals. And particularly for eg South Side organizers, and well... anyone not in the Hole.

The message? Fear, fear, fear, fight fight, fight. But not the real enemy! Let him live in his cave and plot again. More for you to fear. The underlying message from McCain? Get back in your Hole - now. Or, you will suffer character destruction, vilification, ridicule and a lot of hate. Maybe death threats too.
What is happening? Is this not God''s country? What would Jesus say about mockery, hate and divisiveness? The personal attacks and vilification? I know - do you?

Americans need to see clearly. If there is a fight, let it be one to get off the reality TV Rabbit Hole show. And then ask, do we really need another couple of secretive, threatening, angry, pistol packing, dangerous Misleaders-in-Chief.

I believe P4 - Pistol Packing Pitbull Palin is McCain''s enforcer. Cheneyesque. So don''t stray from the party line. She will round you up like loose moose. Back deep into the Rabbit Hole where you and your good vote belong.

Welcome to the American Hilton.

[paulstewart9]

More for atze3 - you know what, the terrorists are here. They are running this country now. Don''t you see that?

I am glad so many tuned in to the Republican convention to see what McCain represents. And it makes a mockery of his own mockery of Obama as the vacuous "star".

The Rabbit Hole is a drug. People like Ghouliani and Palin can say anything and its okay! You know, give direction to all Americans to trash Obama and implicitly you and me too. They say the h*ll with real issues of America. Its time to talk character. They are proud of hateful, derogatory talk. Fantasy is lovely and easier to live than reality.

[paulstewart9]

atze3 who posted at 01:15 PM : Sep 07, 2008 is obviously a complete idiot. You are entitled to say what you want. But everyone is entitled to decide what is sensible.

[paulstewart9]

It is clear that Obama is the real McCoy. McCain ain''t chaing. He is attempting to be a chameleon. It won''t work. He is taking Obama''s vision of change but limiting it to shaking up Washington. Let me say very clearly - the change we need is a lot more than Washington. The entire direction and fundamental approach to democracy, to liberty, to fiscal responsibility, to international relations, to war needs changing. And changing Washington, while required will just be a bit of collateral damage in an Obama administration. With McCain, the change will be back to the status quo from his photo op maverick stance of today and moose stew.

[sparks224]

The Democrats have the facts on their side.

So in order to level the playing field, the press lets the Republicans get away with lying.

What Obama needs to say is, "McCain''s looking to our campaign for a direction, but what I''d say to him is: You can''t import change. Ctrl+C means copy, not change!"

What Obama needs to say is, "McCain''s looking to our campaign for a direction, but what I''d say to him is: You can''t import change. Ctrl+C means copy, not change!"

[Atze Akkerman]

Yes, I agree with jmurrieta. Obamas message of change is clear. "Change" means dumping the Bush/Cheney policies and ways of governing. If America goes to war, we attack the 9/11 terrorist, not subsidize the oil companies interests with billions of dollars and thousands of Americans soldiers lives in an Iraq war.

The Republican convention showed how much McCain has fallen away from his maverick ways to appease the Republican base so he can be elected. Palin''s past shows "change" comes from lust and ambition for power. Palin is a Bush/Cheney with lipstick on.

I think the many issues of change are pretty clear in the Obama''s campaign. The McCain message of change will have to be a generic or safe message or he might loose his republican base and the election.

Atze

[annnort]

jmurrieta1

Never has the present White House been an "incompetent, corrupt and illegal Bush/Chaney regime."

Check out obamacrimes.com on the internet.

Those behind Obama speak to the "incompetent, corrupt and illegal regime" you cite. That includes the so called Rev Wright. Not to mention Sharpton and Jackson. He has them under wraps for now but you had better believe they will raise their heads if Obama is elected. Michele Obama is certainly not fit to be wife of a President.

Have you been safe the last 8 years? Have the terrorists attacked us again? The terrorists WANT Obama in the White House. That is enough for me NOT to vote for him!

Are you a legal citizen of the United States?

[jeffc2008]

Dishonest politicians win in America. I wish I had more confidence, but watching Bush in the last 2 elections, it was obvious he would be a disaster and he got elected anyway. McCain historically has supported Bush over and over and could not even recognize that Bush was a looser. He has distanced himself from the policies of Bush now, but that seems a little to convenient based on his voting record.

Unfortunately, I assume he will win and in 4 or 8 years we will again say - "what the heck were we thinking"