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P.M. Carpenter
THE FIFTH COLUMNIST by P.M. Carpenter
God knows Democrats have reason to be neurotic. After the incompetence of 2004, the theft of 2000, the fecklessness of 1988, the despair of 1984, the mugging of 1980, the near inconceivability of 1972 and the crushing disappointment of 1968, they have acquired a not unreasonable resistance to confidence and aplomb. Gloominess and foreboding are now part of the Democratic DNA. They smile on occasion, when instructed to smile, but in general they sulk like temperamental, hormonally imbalanced teenagers. Oh Jesus, oh Christ, they brood … we're about to lose another one. And sure enough, the prevailing environmental winds of 2008 are no damn different. Yes, of course it's exasperating, even infuriating, that George W. McCain could be runni
 Technorati Tags: P.M. Carpenter obama mccain presidential campaign democrats
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 9:24am.
Reader Contribution
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Ben Vos
Sarah Palin is trying to accuse Barack Obama of asking for too much money in earmark spending.
Let's look at the facts.
1. Obama is a U.S. Senator for a population of over 12,000,000 people. It's the 5th largest state in the U.S. by population.
2. Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. It's one of the largest cities in Alaska. Population? 9,000. 12,000,000 divided by 9,000 = 1,333.33 times larger population in Illinois than in Wasilla.
3. Obama requested $1 billion over three years for the state of Illinois. He didn't receive most of this funding.
4. Palin received $27 million over 8 years for Wasilla. How? She hired a lobbyist.
$1 billion divided by 3 years = $333,333,333 per year, or $27.78 per resident per year. REQUESTED. Not received.
$27 million divided by 8 years = $3,375,000 per year, or $375 per resident per year. RECEIVED. Not requested. RECEIVED. (And actually, Palin's town of Wasilla had a population closer to 6,000 when she stared as mayor.)
Technorati Tags: Reader Contribution Ben Vos earmarks Sarah Palin Barack Obama
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 9:31am.
Reader Contribution
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Jacqueline Marcus
During election years, polls not only present voting percentages, but also they can be media tools of persuasion, depending on how voting polls are skewed. If you're baffled by recent polls that put the two candidates at an even 44% or by polls that put McCain ahead of Obama by 4 points, you may be equally baffled by the number of people who are asked to participate in the voting poll inquiries.
A mere 1,000 people represent the entire voting population in the United States. This is easy enough to discover by checking the footnotes at the bottom of most polls. Technorati Tags: Reader Contribution Jacqueline Marcus polls error margin
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 9:42am.
Reader Contribution
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Paula Dodd Aiello
THE LAST 2 WEEKS
In the first week, the word was change -- from what has been in the last 8+ years, with hope that at least some things could be done better. In the second week, there was also talk about "change" ... mostly to some kind of small-town, good-old-days America, where everyone is "nice" ("even the liberals"); however, some of last week's speakers were not very "nice" at all.
For example, Rudy Giuliani's demeaning chuckle when referring to "community organizers" was just plain crass and should have been met with horror rather than applause.
Unfortunately, it was an example of not-so-subtle condescension that we hear from true elitists disparaging those who REALLY effect change for the better. I encourage you to check out a wonderful video montage that honors and commemorates community organizers who have done much more good for the world than Giuliani ever did: Educating the GOP: A Photo History of Community Organizers.
Technorati Tags: Reader Contribution Paula Dodd Aiello community organizer Rudy Giuliani Sarah Palin Barack Obama
Submitted by Chad on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 10:41am.
Be-Elected
Perhaps I am spending too much time on this issue, how many countries Sarah Palin has been to in her life. And yes, I did make fun of her because she gave us a small list that included a refueling stop in Ireland. After being caught in that distortion, Palin doesn't mention Ireland anymore. But in her original list, she didn't mention Canada, the country that is a very short distance from Juneau, the state capital of Alaska. Since Juneau is the only U.S. state capital you can't drive to, getting to Canada might be a little difficult. But her people did admit later that she has been to Canada. And I thought we were done. After all, when you are asked multiple times how many countries you have visited, you should be able to come up with a thorough answer, especially if you don't have to take off your shoes to count them all. But last night, in her interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson, Palin mentioned Mexico. Mexico is a foreign country, one we have even been to war with, though we aren't asking Gov. Palin to know this. (We also fought against Canada, sort of, but this isn't a history lesson, is it?) Technorati Tags: Be-Elected Chad Rubel Sarah Palin Canada Alaska Russia Mexico Charlie Gibson
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 12:36pm.
Be-Elected
BE ELECTED
by Christine Bowman
"Enough!" Did everyone see and hear Barack Obama say that? If not, you need to. The video link is posted at BuzzFlash. Addressing a small group at a school in Virginia Wednesday, Obama's demeanor morphed away from his accustomed campaign attitude -- a gentle disdain for and dismissiveness of campaign nonsense -- and veered into a serious and emotional indictment of John McCain. Keep watching as Obama gradually lets his feelings show. He carries his audience with him as he expresses movingly the frustration so many Americans feel: Politicians need to ditch the sarcasm and get serious. Get real. Technorati Tags: Be-Elected Obama Enough Leadership Emotion
Submitted by Chad on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 2:53pm.
Be-Elected
Imagine if you were a candidate for high office in the United States, and your supporters were shocked, shocked that there were Internet rumors about the candidate.
Sarah Palin fans, welcome to Barack Obama's world.
Seriously, Republicans act as if there were no Internet rumors until Sarah Palin was selected by John McCain on August 29.
Technorati Tags: Be-Elected Chad Rubel 2008 race Barack Obama Sarah Palin Internet rumors Bristol Palin Trig Palin
Submitted by AmyW on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 3:08pm.
Analysis
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Amy Weiss Since John McCain selected Sarah Palin as his running mate, the media and the Obama campaign (wisely or unwisely) have focused a great deal on her. There are a few reasons why: she injected a lot of energy into the Republican campaign, she's new and fascinating, and she has a better shot at inheriting the presidency in the next four years than any other vice presidential candidate has in quite some time.
McCain has acknowledged the "enhanced importance" of his vice presidential pick due to his age. He also said, "We all know that the highest priority is someone who can take your place." Either John McCain no longer believes that is the highest priority or he actually believes Sarah Palin can jump right in. Both are cynical and scary prospects.
Talking life expectancy and the probability of a man dying in the near future is morbid and uncomfortable. Nobody, Democrat or Republican, wants John McCain to die. But as Paul Begala noted immediately after the Palin selection, this called McCain's age and health into question, when it had largely been left alone before:
Palin, a first-term governor of a state with more reindeer than people, will have to put on a few pounds just to be a lightweight. Her personal story is impressive: former fisherman, mother of five. But that hardly qualifies her to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Technorati Tags: Analysis
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 3:16pm.
BuzzFlash Mailbag
BUZZFLASH MAILBAG Want to join the conversation? Share your thoughts with other Mailbag readers by clicking here. You also may comment below; post articles yourself at BuzzFlash.net; or send urls for BuzzFlash to post to: www.buzzflash.com/contact/newstip.html. Subject: The CIA's Out To Topple The Democratically Elected Governments Of Bolivia, Venezuela & Ecuador "Based on?" "Past CIA topplings of democratically elected governments in Guatamala, Iran and Chile, as well as failed CIA attempts to do the same five years ago in Venezuela." Technorati Tags: BuzzFlash Mailbag Array
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 3:22pm.
Dave Lindorff
Sarah Palin stated again, most recently in her interview yesterday by ABC's Charlie Gibson, that she has foreign policy experience because as governor of Alaska she has been in charge of that state's National Guard, and because Alaska is, doggone it, "right next" to Russia. This made me feel pretty good, because it made me realize that I have a whole lot of skills and experience that I hadn't really appreciated before, and that I could perhaps use to get myself out of this freelance journalism profession, which is not all that great from a financial perspective. I, for instance, live very close to the garage where my mechanic works (I mean, I drive past the place every day and even buy my gas there), so I'm ready to be a car mechanic (I can't tell you how many cars I've seen go over there, and have even sometimes watched a bit as my own vehicles were up on the lift). I also live literally across the street from a large forest, which qualifies me to be a number of things -- forest ranger, lumberjack, and perhaps naturalist. Technorati Tags: Dave Lindorff Sarah Palin Alaska VP Charlie Gibson experience ABC
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 4:32pm.
Shirley Smith
MS. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON BuzzFlash, "It is horrible to see everything that one detested in the past coming back wearing the colors of the future." -- Jean Rostand, 1894-1977
Judging from what has been in the news this last week from McCain and Palin, the thought comes to mind, "out of the mouths of babes." One has to wonder how much blood has to be spilled before these bloodthirsty Bush Republicans will be satisfied. Technorati Tags: Shirley Smith Election Palin McCain War Republicans
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 5:40pm.
Reader Contribution
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by James Curiel
Greedy brats we can't trust are destroying our country. Americans losing their family homes to foreclosures. Hurricanes of disaster brought on by climate change. Corporate collapse with Enron, World Com, etc. Torture, abuse of power, lies and cover-ups. Ken Lay and Karl Rove, it all started long ago with the same patterns of brats cultivated in arrogance.
Technorati Tags: Reader Contribution Election
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