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Breathe a tentative sigh of relief, fellow Democrats. We actually have the economy to thank for something right now, and that something could also speak volumes about John McCain’s character.
In all fairness, Obama did renig on a promise to accept only public funds if McCain did. Obama currently outspends McCain on advertising, with a ratio of about 4:1. McCain is limited to $84.1 mil for the entire campaign. Obama’s popularity has helped him to raise $100 mil in September alone, an unfair advantage, although you should take note that this happened in a bad economy. If that is any indicator at all of Obama’s popularity, I would say he’s well liked. If that is any indicator of Obama’s fundriasing capability, the economic crisis had better watch its “six” if we elect him. But how much would McCain have raised if he’d chosen to stay away from the Federal Election Commision’s public funding?
Tyrannosaurus McRex...the advertising he's stuck with.
McCain, however, did choose public funding, which might not have been so bad if he was a popular enough candidate to coast on the “sound bytes” and catchy slogans (remember “Country First”) that come from the campaign trail…usually passed on for free by word of mouth. If we were in a better economy, maybe McCain’s friends in big business would be willing to donate, not money, but services that are allowable. Or, consider who pays for independent advertising, on behalf of the campaigns? How exactly does that money get donated to congressional politicians during the election cycle–so that the Republican National Committee can split costs with him (and they don’t earn as much in this anti-Republican atmosphere).
Geez, I’m starting to sound like a Republican, characterizing McCain as the underdog.
Underdog or not, McCain has not chosen to take the “high road” in a majority of his ads, even with the limited funds he has to work with. If we Obama supporters (growing daily!) have been unimpressed with McCain, it is because a) Obama can counter any negative ad McCain puts on the air, and b) Obama’s positive messages far outnumber McCain’s often within moments of the negative spots. Perhaps if the economy were better for the richest among us, they would be coming out of their pockets in support. Perhaps if McCain’s message were more clear, they would know their independent efforts would help him in the eyes of the American voter.
Maybe his most influential supporters are such die-hard capitalists that they would rather let this market–John McCain, himself–fail.
“That which is not, shall never be; that which is, shall never cease to be. To the wise, these truths are self-evident.”
–William Hazlitt
Yes…I am a supporter of Barack Obama.
Yes…I will be voting for him on November 4th.
Yes…WE CAN vote him into office to face the most tumultuous times since Nixon. WITH CONFIDENCE.
Yes…you may call me a socialist, if that means that I care more about giving back a little bit of what I have been able to earn, thanks in part to this great nation, to those less advantaged so that they might one day be able to know the dream I’ve realized.
And, yes…I did merge all of these images together to create this support thingy for my widget bar. =)
I’m not old and wise, but I’m not terribly young and naive, either. I know there are things that are true, false and/or reside in a grey area that is open to interpretation. This election cycle has opened us up to all of these realms and I know a few things are true for me, personally.
I know that John McCain is not a racist: this is not fair (as character assassination), and there is really nothing in his history that suggests he is. However, his campaign advisory staff (and perhaps Sarah Palin) might be, or are simply so cut-throat that they can’t make a distinction between exploiting weakness in an opponent and exploiting the weakness in Americans’ understanding of stereotypes–one way, honorable and the other, not so much. If he is upset (and rightly so!), he needs to tell his staff and supporters what his wishes in this area are. This is really a matter of his judgement because, if he is turning a blind eye on their actions when he has the power to stop the momentum…well, you get the idea.
Sarah Palin ≠ Hillary Clinton: Naturally, they share the XX chromosomal designation, roles as politicians while being women while being wives while being mothers, and have great hair styles, but this is where the similarity ends. The only thing that tore me to pieces about this campaign was having to choose between Hillary and Barack. Unfortunately, you can’t vote “present” on a primary ballot. Palin just doesn’t compare (ha ha…she’s ‘Pal-in comparison’) to what Senator Clinton has worked for and achieved over her lifetime. I would still like to meet her, and pick her brain for a few hours. If anyone is my Role Model, it is not Sarah Palin–it’s Hillary–and McCain chose a poor substitute for disenfranchised Clinton supporters.
Americans are not STUPID: swayed in emotionally charged times of crisis, yes, but not “the dumb masses” of the Medieval Holy Roman Empire. We all want to know that we have a bright future, myself included. Just look across the web, at all the blogs, websites, and comment sections at the end of “legitimate” newspaper articles. This election has stirred us in an unprecedented way. We all have our opinions–some articulately thought out, some filled with garbage–from the Right and from the Left. People are very worried today. But, we were also worried yesterday and we are still terrified about tomorrow too. This is the most important election in my lifetime, if not only for our domestic troubles, but also for the troubles of the world, our role in the world, and our perception by the rest of the world.
Barack Obama really isn’t an experienced politician: It’s true. But I DON’T WANT AN EXPERIENCED POLITICIAN LIKE WE’VE BEEN GETTING!!! I want a thinker who will face each crisis with an intelligent approach, one who will seek out the wisest people as cabinet members or for advice on a course of action. I want a diplomat who will deal with other nations–friends and enemies alike–in a manner that is dignified and objective at the same time. I want a president who is a composite of many of us Americans, because the man that understands different perspectives (from experience) can apply different perspectives to problems and really grasp their interconnectedness (if that is a word). People attacked Obama for reading The Post-American World on the campaign trail, a book written, in the author’s words “not about the decline of America, but the rise of everyone else,” because it was written by Fareed Zakaria–a “Muslim-sounding” author. Actually, the book looks really interesting, and I’m going to order it. Even with a librarian for a wife, can you even imagine President Bush reading this book to try and understand what’s going on?
But back to the topic at hand. Obama’s persona could be an extremely elaborate hoax, but the sincerity with which he delivers his message to so many Americans simply cannot be faked. If he fails to deliver a fraction of what he proposes after being elected, he knows his daughters will lose, his sister’s children will lose, his entire multiracial family will lose. So I feel that, from everything he has said, and yes…even the things he has changed his mind about…he has the United States’ best interests at heart. I will be the first to criticize if he makes a decision that really is going to hurt us.
If you cannot vote for the man on these principles alone, keep watching, keep digging out the truth for yourself, and keep questioning these candidates, a la Joe the Plumber. I know I will.
Ok, so I really never liked Rush Limbaugh in the first place, but this has obviously gone too far.
For the record I am not a terrorist. I have never trained to fly planes into buildings, mail envelopes filled with anthrax, or strap explosives to my body and stalk public places, etc. I am a little hurt that my 4 1/2 year relationship with a–read–Caucasian man has been an elaborate secret, kept only from his bigoted parents, but that does not make me an extremist.
To further clarify my position: I am a college graduate; I have a well-educated and successful family—where many have served in the armed forces; I pay my bills; I do not live in a housing project or receive welfare benefits; I never heard of Bill Ayers or Jeremiah Wright until this election. I am basically unemployed, but that is a matter of stereotype, since many Americans are going through the same hardships I am. Simply put, I am your average American citizen.
With that said, I hope that most of “Main Street” America does not share Limbaugh’s sentiments, excerpted below. This is extreme, and almost laughable—except that there are small corners of the United States where I’m sure this myth could grab hold.
I think at least some of these "ladies" might be MEN...
Here’s some of what Limbaugh said:
…it seems that a majority of the black population has remained angry, frustrated, and behind. They’ve been left behind. They are acting like they’ve been left behind, and of course we’ve heard that this is because of racism, natural systemic institutional racism in America, that we are unfair, that this country is just horrible and rotten.
…But as you study more and more of this ACORN stuff, you find that it has been part of an entire movement that has been going on for two, maybe three decades, right under our noses.
We thought that it was just liberal welfare policies and all that that kept blacks from progressing while other minorities grew and prospered, but no, it is these wackos from Bill Ayers to Jeremiah Wright to other anti-American Afrocentric black liberation theologists with ACORN, and Barack Obama is smack dab in the middle of it, they have been training young black kids to hate, hate, hate this country, and they trained their parents before that to hate, hate, hate this country. It was a movement.
…It has been a movement, it has been a religion, and Obama and Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers were all up to their big ears in it.
The only thing I agree (marginally) with is that some African-Americans act as though they’ve been left behind. Consider the rationale that crumbling inner-city schools, poor (often self-created to some extent) living conditions, and a cycle of negativity and neglect at home and in society might make people simply give up hope. But Television is widely available, so my solution is for media to show more rocket scientists and diplomats as more glamorous than movie stars and rappers…fat chance.
Read the entire transcript and/or watch the video here. Usually, at the end of any blog entry, I might make an appeal for you to decide. Not this time; all I’m asking is for America to please prove his views wrong.
The Meaning of SIGMA 