ThinkFast: April 18, 2008
ThinkFast: April 18, 2008
According to a new Washington Post-ABC poll, nine in 10 Americans “now give the economy a negative rating, with a majority saying it is in ‘poor’ shape, the most to say so in more than 15 years.” Moreover, more than 60 percent reject “the notion that the United States needs to win” in Iraq “to effectively battle terrorism,” and “56 percent of Americans say the United States should withdraw.”
“The Justice Department is investigating whether agency lawyers improperly advised the military it could use harsh interrogation methods and concluded that President Bush’s wartime authority could not be limited by domestic law or international bans on torture.” A recently released March 2003 memo is being “included in an ongoing internal review about the CIA’s use of waterboarding.”
“Trying to stem the infiltration of militia fighters, American forces have begun to build a massive concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, the densely populated Shiite neighborhood in the Iraqi capital. The construction, which began Tuesday night, is intended to turn the southern quarter of Sadr City” into “a protected enclave, secured by Iraqi and American forces,” where the Iraqis can focus on reconstruction.
A company of Iraqi troops in Sadr City abandoned their posts today, after “they came under attack from Shiite militiamen who used the cover of a sandstorm.” This latest setback comes after “more than 1,300 Iraqi soldiers and police deserted or refused to fight” against Shiite militias during recent fighting in Basra.
An Air Force inspector general’s report says Maj. Gen. Stephen Goldfein and others “worked inside the Air Force contracting system to favor” Strategic Message Solutions and its owners, “despite an offer by the company that was more than twice as expensive as a competing bid.” As part of Goldfein’s efforts to help the company, he “arranged for President Bush to record a video testimonial” on the company’s behalf.
“Suicide bombers conducted 658 attacks around the world last year, including 542 in U.S.-occupied Afghanistan and Iraq.” The bombings, in dozens of countries on five continents, “killed more than 21,350 people and injured about 50,000 since 1983, when a landmark attack blew up the U.S. Embassy in Beirut,” 25 years ago today.
The Senate approved “a resolution asking the Justice Department to look into the circumstances surrounding the $10 million expenditure for a highway interchange in Florida backed by Rep. Don Young [R-AK].” Young has “denied that he pushed the provision as a result of receiving $40,000 in campaign donations from developers who owned 4,000 acres of land next to the proposed interchange.”
With Americans focusing on the increasing job losses, “the less-noticeable shrinking of hours and pay for millions of workers around the country appears to be a bigger contributor to the decline” of the economy. Total hours worked dropped last month compared to six months earlier, the first such drop since “February 2001, when the economy was on the doorstep of recession.”
An internal survey of employees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “found that only 58 percent were satisfied with their jobs, the same as results from a 2006 survey that measured job satisfaction across the government.” DHS employee satisfaction ranked at the bottom of the 2006 poll.
And finally: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is looking forward to the next president. Yesterday he talked to reporters about the three remaining presidential candidates: “Some of the things they will be in favor of I will agree with, some of the things they will be in favor of I won’t. But at least we’ll have an adult in office who can lead and can accomplish something.” Bloomberg refused to say whether he was criticizing President Bush.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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The Pentagon’s $1 Trillion Problem
The Defense Department has spent billions to fix its antiquated financial systems. So why does the Pentagon still have no idea where its money goes?
Since 2004, the Pentagon has spent $16 billion annually to modernize the military’s systems, but most are as unreliable as ever. According to federal regulators, the accounting process is so error prone that it’s virtually impossible to tell where much of this money ends up. Billions are still unaccounted for. The problem is so deeply rooted that the Pentagon still can’t be audited, 18 years after Congress required it.
Full unedited article:
April 18th, 2008 at 9:01 amhttp://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/04/14/Pentagons-Accounting-Mess?page=0&print=true
Olbermann challenges Rice to prove devotion to country, job and Iraq mission
MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann challenged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to prove her devotion to country, job and mission on his Countdown show Wednesday night. Taking aim at the Pentagon’s stop-loss policy which involuntarily extends the active duty status for its troops, Olbermann called it “de facto draft-gate.”
“There is no draft, no force service, right?” Olbermann continued. “Tell that to the kids who are stop-loss into their third, fourth, fifth tours in Iraq.” Olbermann added, “Tell that now again to the State Department for the second consecutive year, the State is warning its diplomats that there are about 300 openings in Iraq and apparently the number of volunteers is down to roughly zero.”
They may be forced to go there or quit,” the MSNBC host noted. “Secretary of State Rice said that those staffers who have protested the involuntary assignments are offensive to her and cast a very bad light on the Foreign Service.”
Olbermann then essentially challenged Rice to put her body where her mouth is.
“Well, here‘s the suggestion, Madam Secretary, your term is expiring in no more than nine months and four days, why don‘t you show your devotion to the country and that department you‘ve headed and show those who‘ve made those offensive remarks what you‘re made of,” Olbermann stated. “Why don‘t you ask the next administration to let you continue serve at State at one of those great jobs in Iraq.”
The Price of Body Armor $325, The cost of a plane ticket to Iraq $2,500, Condi taking a great diplomats post in Iraq – Priceless..
April 18th, 2008 at 9:05 amAnd the most historic news item of the day (from raw Story):
FRANK INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REMOVE FEDERAL PENALTIES ON PERSONAL MARIJUANA USE
Congressman Also Files Bill Permitting Medical Use of Marijuana in States that Choose to Allow it with Doctor’s Recommendation
Congressman Barney Frank today introduced bi-partisan legislation aimed at removing federal restrictions on the individual use of marijuana. One bill would remove federal penalties for the personal use of marijuana, and the other – versions of which Frank has filed in several preceding sessions of Congress – would allow the medical use of marijuana in states that have chosen to make its use for medical purposes legal with a doctor’s recommendation. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) joined Frank as a cosponsor of the federal penalties bill. The cosponsors of the medical marijuana bill are Rep. Paul, along with Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Sam Farr (D-CA).
This will be good for the country, in many ways.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:11 amTo quote the vice President of the United States of America: “So?”
April 18th, 2008 at 9:13 amThe brave Senate is “asking”. How effing nice.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:14 amHope they say “pretty please” with lots of cream and sugar.
!!! RUDE AWAKENING !!!
Earthquake rattles Illinois
CNN – 1 hour ago
(CNN) — A magnitude-5.2 earthquake, centered 131 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, shook southern Illinois early Friday, according to the US Geological Survey.
Earthquake Rocks States in Central US Wall Street Journal
5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; felt 450 miles away The Associated Press
if i NEVER feel anything like that again, it will be too soon…
April 18th, 2008 at 9:14 amand that was just a fiver… very very weird…
Pentagon institute calls Iraq war ‘a major debacle’ with outcome ‘in doubt’
http://news.yahoo.com/ s/ mcclatchy/ 20080418/ wl_mcclatchy/ 2913186;_ylt=Al3IZILVDtoBTlhaDTEj8WMUewgF
watergate era republican backs obama:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ 2008/ 04/ 17/ watergate-era-republican-backs-obama/ #more-6511
April 18th, 2008 at 9:15 amWhy did ghost of 9/11 get erased? Is freedom of speech (not even offensive in any possible way) and questioning the status quo not something a progressive site would want to have?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:15 amPentagon institute calls Iraq war ‘a major debacle’ with outcome ‘in doubt’
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080418/wl_mcclatchy/2913186;_ylt=Al3IZILVDtoBTlhaDTEj8WMUewgF
watergate era republican backs obama:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/17/watergate-era-republican-backs-obama/#more-6511
April 18th, 2008 at 9:16 am#7 katy Says:
——————————————————————————–
!!! RUDE AWAKENING !!!
Earthquake rattles Illinois
OMG Katy did you feel the earthquake, and are you okay??
April 18th, 2008 at 9:18 amFreedom Rebel Says:
Olbermann challenges Rice to prove devotion to country, job and Iraq mission
Olbermann stated. “Why don‘t you ask the next administration to let you continue serve at State at one of those great jobs in Iraq.”
April 18th, 2008 at 9:18 am—————————-
I’d rather see her being tried at the Hague for War Crimes.
Matzoh sales will go up heavily this weekend for Passover. This may just help to get us out of the recession.
Murray Trillionaire
April 18th, 2008 at 9:19 amhttp://blog.murraytrillionaire.com
According to a new Washington Post-ABC poll…
Regarding all the polls. It sure is nice to know that the Sheeple have finally awoken from their long sleep. This will not bode well for the Republicans in November.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:20 amWhy did ghost of 9/11 get erased?
It’s spam. Same topic, same posts, EVERYDAY.
We’re more than a little tired with it.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:20 am#12 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda Says:
——————-
I’d rather see her being tried at the Hague for War Crimes.
I couldn’t agree with you more. But if we can not get that kind of satification. I would love to see her on the next flight to Iraq in a diplomatic post. (IN THE SAFE GREEN ZONE)
April 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am“The Justice Department is investigating whether agency lawyers improperly advised the military it could use harsh interrogation methods and concluded that President Bush’s wartime authority could not be limited by domestic law or international bans on torture.”
In other words, if the President thinks that he is in a war (remember, war was never declared or approved by Congress) then our President becomes an omnipotent being who can do anything he/she wants to do. That is very scary and needs to stop.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:22 amI guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:23 am> concluded that President Bush’s
> wartime authority could not be
> limited by domestic law or international
> bans on torture.
when saddam did it, it made him a tyrant. but should we ever need to do it, its just because “its necessary”…
April 18th, 2008 at 9:23 amI’m a little tired with a lot of stuff, I am not going to trample someone’s right because it’s a message I don’t agree with and is an easy target
April 18th, 2008 at 9:24 amI guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
Blow it out your a$$ clown.
This site is not for conspiracy whack-jobs.
Nothing disturbs me more than idiots who believe there were no airplanes used either.
Get a life, pan handle for change, then go buy a brain stem.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:26 amA rather large “elephant in the room” that has been ignored from the Philadelphia debate debacle:
http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1208474728200710.xml&coll=7
This is very scary and I hope that Obama uses that snippet of the debate in an advertisement against Clinton. This pretty much proves that Clinton will be as much of a war-monger as Bush or McCain.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:26 am…post script blued-
Your continued rants are derailling the thread, THAT’S WHY IT GETS DELETED.
You’re next.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:27 amI guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
The messenger bears some responsibility in the way he presents it. If he/she were simply posting on Thinkfast, it wouldn’t be so bad.
Look to 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda, for the proper, respectful way to address readers.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:27 amYou are the one that needs flagged for abuse. No wonder you don’t like freedoms. You are an intolerant person on a slippery slope to everything you say you don’t like. Progressive indeed……
April 18th, 2008 at 9:28 amThe construction, which began Tuesday night, is intended to turn the southern quarter of Sadr City” into “a protected enclave, secured by Iraqi and American forces,” where the Iraqis can focus on reconstruction.
Gee, will that be something like the “protected enclave” they call the Green Zone? I think that the insurgents have shown that there is nowhere in Iraq that can be protected from the insurgents.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:28 amBluedahlia Says
April 18th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
__________________________________________
I doubt that anyone found the message itself to be disturbing. What is annoying is that the exact same message appears by the same person in the same place, day after day, and it added nothing useful to the conversation.
It has nothing to do with being progressive. Spam is irritating to everyone, regardless of ideology.
Now, if “Ghost of 9/11″ wished to expand his message a bit with some additional thoughtful points, or at least VARY his message from day to day, that would be a different matter.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:29 amI seem to remember way back when, people got mad at 2 millionn for posting, too. I defended that back then, too.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:30 amGee, will that be something like the “protected enclave” they call the Green Zone?
More like the protected enclave of WW2 Warsaw.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:30 amA company of Iraqi troops in Sadr City abandoned their posts today, after “they came under attack from Shiite militiamen who used the cover of a sandstorm.”
The only way the Iraqi’s will ever have a military capable of defending anyone is when we leave. Then they will have no choice. They can either step up to the plate or allow their country to devolve into chaos. It will be their choice and they will be forced to bear the consequences. The way it is now, they always have the American forces to cover them when they can’t handle something, so why should they step up to the plate and put their lives on the line?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:31 amI seem to remember way back when, people got mad at 2 millionn for posting, too. I defended that back then, too.
2 Mil doesn’t spam the threads with old stuff.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:32 am“Some of the things they will be in favor of I will agree with, some of the things they will be in favor of I won’t. But at least we’ll have an adult in office who can lead and can accomplish something.”
I don’t know about that. I don’t think one could classify McBush as an “adult”. Senile old man, yes..adult, no.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 amPetulant Joe Scarborough walked off the set at MSNBC (David Gregory) yesterday because he was upset with Rachel Maddow. He interrupted her and she called him on it and went on with questions for McCain which have not been given any media attention. Scarborough left the show — hmmm, do all conservative know-it-alls behave the same? Robert Novak did the same didn’t he?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 amoh, yes i’m fine… no reports of injuries, and only some of minor damage…
but it was the strangest sensation ever… i thought that’s what it was, but
couldn’t be sure – it’s very rare here in illinois…
my daughter is in chicago, and she called at 7 to check on me… said SHE didn’t
feel it, but it’s reported buildings swayed… she is on 42nd floor…
and my son is in california – news earlier this week about “the big one” coming
has me freaked about him being so far away…
all’s well… thanks for asking!
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 amBluedahlia Says
April 18th, 2008 at 9:28 am
You are the one that needs flagged for abuse. No wonder you don’t like freedoms. You are an intolerant person on a slippery slope to everything you say you don’t like. Progressive indeed……
____________________________________
Huh? Are you addressing somebody in particular, or is this collection of words that make no sense directed at everyone?
Who doesn’t like freedoms? Who is an intolerant person? Where are these accusations coming from?
If you want to post a rebuttal of any sort, please indicate the person you are responding to, as well as what comments you are rebutting. It just makes things clearer for the rest of us.
If you fail to do this, your post just looks like a raving nonsensical rant and is likely to be flagged.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 am#1 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda Says:
The Pentagon’s $1 Trillion Problem
The Defense Department has spent billions to fix its antiquated financial systems. So why does the Pentagon still have no idea where its money goes?
If any company were audited by the IRS and had the same problems, the owners would be fined and sent to jail for tax evasion. Wow no accountability, image that.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 amConcrete walls seem to be the “answer” for every problem in the world.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:37 amI expect to hear of moats and drawbridges soon.
Huh? Are you addressing somebody in particular, or is this collection of words that make no sense directed at everyone?
I think they’re directed at DNFP, who she thinks flagged Ghost. All I know is, it wasn’t me – but I agreed with the sentiment.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:38 amBluedahlia Says:
Why did ghost of 9/11 get erased? Is freedom of speech (not even offensive in any possible way) and questioning the status quo not something a progressive site would want to have?
I suspect it had something to do with the daily repetition of the same post. That can be called spamming and this site has rules against it. Personally I was getting sick and tired of his daily post on the Thinkfast thread. This person never posted anywhere else on this site, just the daily post on the Thinkfast thread. If TP had banned him after the first or second post, I would agree with your assessment. But he has been posting the same thing for over a month now, so I don’t think they are trying to shut down what he has to say because they don’t want us to hear it, but more so because they were sick of hearing it daily.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:38 amKaty,
Kind of make you want to move to sunny California?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:38 am#34 katy Says:
and my son is in california – news earlier this week about “the big one” coming
has me freaked about him being so far away…
all’s well… thanks for asking!
My grandmother use to live in California and they had tremors more often back then. She had a few broken dishes after a few of them. Glad you are okay!!!
April 18th, 2008 at 9:38 amAn Army that is unwilling to follow orders, to fight when necessary, is not an Army–it is a fiction. It is not committed to the goals and objectives of its commanders, it will never stand on its own against committed fighters! Failure to understand the motivations, religions, and systems of loyalties of the Iraqis has led to a debacle of incomprehensible proportions.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:38 ambarfly Says:
More like the protected enclave of WW2 Warsaw.
that’s what i thought… “they’re building ghettos… how nice…”
April 18th, 2008 at 9:39 amI am done here. You guys are a bunch of people who have control issues, like to eat your own and display characteristics reminiscent of the conservatives you bash. You all deserve each other.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:40 amkaty Says
April 18th, 2008 at 9:14 am
!!! RUDE AWAKENING !!!
if i NEVER feel anything like that again, it will be too soon…
and that was just a fiver… very very weird…
_______________________________________________
In Illinois, that must have been a very rare sensation indeed.
I spent most of my life on the West Coast, and I’m no stranger to earthquakes. But no matter how many I have felt, it’s still disconcerting each time (when the ground starts shaking, you never know how bad it’s going to be!).
I’m glad you’re all right.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:41 amWhat did we miss?
NATO forces inadvertantly supplies the Taliban with arms and food:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/18/nato.afghanistan
April 18th, 2008 at 9:41 amBluedahlia Says:
I guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
It’s not the message, it is the daily posting of the same message. Once is great, twice is fine, three times is OK, but after a month it became irritating. Kind of like plunger/ace’s three page cut and paste plagiarized posts.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:41 amBluedahlia Says:
I’m a little tired with a lot of stuff, I am not going to trample someone’s right because it’s a message I don’t agree with and is an easy target
Well, following your line of reasoning, TP should never ban trolls then. Would you advocate that? Would you like any troll who wants to come here and stink up the place to be able to post at will? This place became intolerable for the couple of days that the Report Abuse buttons were unavailable.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:43 amBriseadh na Faire Says:
Katy, Kind of make you want to move to sunny California?
no, not really… heh…
but i am anxious for my son to return to illinois (2 more years)…
April 18th, 2008 at 9:44 amand the irony of this mornings jolt is not lost on me…
I would think that there should be a constitutional question as to whether a bill changed after House and Senate approval and after resolution in a joint committee of the two houses before being sent to the President for signature could be valid? Any specialists out there can answer this?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am#37 Marie Says:
Concrete walls seem to be the “answer” for every problem in the world.
I expect to hear of moats and drawbridges soon.
Thanks for the laugh Marie, I love it. It is so true, we are turning medieval.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:46 amPetulant Joe Scarborough walked off the set at MSNBC (David Gregory) yesterday because he was upset with Rachel Maddow. He interrupted her and she called him on it and went on with questions for McCain which have not been given any media attention.
I truly admire Rachael Maddow. She should have had the slot they gave to David Gregory. I read that Gregory’s show isn’t doing very well. It’s no wonder. He has become a shill for the Righties. He danced with Karl Rove and became enchanted with the right.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:47 ammarie – did YOU feel the earthquake up there in your part ot chicago?
also:
April 18th, 2008 at 9:49 amDoes Scarborough Leave The Set After Rachel Maddow Hurts His Feelings?
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/04/17/does-scarborough-leave-the-set-after-rachel-maddow-hurts-his-feelings/
Bluedahlia Says:
I am done here. You guys are a bunch of people who have control issues, like to eat your own and display characteristics reminiscent of the conservatives you bash. You all deserve each other.
Bye. Don’t let the door hit you on the backside on the way out.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:50 amBluedahlia Says
April 18th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I am done here. You guys are a bunch of people who have control issues, like to eat your own and display characteristics reminiscent of the conservatives you bash. You all deserve each other.
_______________________________________________
I’m sorry you feel that way. I don’t know what we have done to you to deserve this blast of vague vitriol from you. With the exception of one poster, our responses to you this morning have been given with civility and respect.
I realize you have probably already left, and won’t be reading this. But if you are still hanging around for whatever reason, please let us know how our responses to your posts indicated control issues, how we eat our own, and how we display characteristics of conservatives merely because a daily post from a spammer got removed.
If spam removal violates your personal standards for some reason, then perhaps this isn’t the site for you after all.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:50 amWhile this statement is true, I don’t think you should leave. Certainly not over ghost of 9/11’s repetitive commentary.
Though I will note it appears no one is going to criticize/flag Katy for her grossly OT comments regarding the earthquake. Are we really going to start discussing geological issues now?
Then again, maybe the earthquake was Bush’s fault. If only “ghost of earthquake” was here…..
April 18th, 2008 at 9:51 amdid anyone see COLBERT last night?
do try to catch the rerun… excellent show…
(i have good feelings about obama’s standing in pennsylvania, judging by
April 18th, 2008 at 9:54 amthe audience reactions)
Also glad to hear you are OK,Katy. Never heard of a quake in Illinois before.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:55 amlessfree Says
April 18th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I found some stuff
________________________________________
Way to go! I’m glad you still have the ability to use Google.
Do you have a point to make? Do you have comments on any of these linked articles? Did you wish to begin any kind of intelligent discussion on any of these topics (this IS a free thread, after all, so this would be the place to do that)?
Or are you just dropping in some troll turds to be disruptive?
April 18th, 2008 at 9:59 amwhat do you mean “grossly OT comments” ???
this IS the OPEN thread…
jeesh… fook off then…
about ghost’s 9/11 posts… they made me smile… like watching your kid finally
April 18th, 2008 at 10:00 amget a math problem or something… so, ghost just woke up and discovered the information we all hashed out years ago…
glad he did, but it was getting annoying…
#52 katy Says:
Thanks for the link katy. That was hysterical. I loved it when Joe said “I don’t mean to be condescending” and Rachael made a face like she had eaten something really bad. He certainly did mean to the condescending. Joe Scarborough is so full of himself it’s a wonder he doesn’t implode.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:00 amHey, TP! How come we can’t sort comments by “top-rated” anymore? Is this something you are still working on?
April 18th, 2008 at 10:01 amdim wit Says:
Though I will note it appears no one is going to criticize/flag Katy for her grossly OT comments regarding the earthquake. Are we really going to start discussing geological issues now?
dim wit once again lives up to his moniker. Why should we criticize katy for posting about the earthquake on the open thread Thinkfast? That’s what it is here for.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:04 am55=brainfree
April 18th, 2008 at 10:07 am1)Obama never really knew his father,had very little contact with him. Of course the right uses the socialism word like crazy anyway.I don’t think they really know what it means?
2)Link to POWERLINE :( NEXT!
3)CHINA SUCKS! Why do you think that anyone here would disagree?
Keep digging around in your arse,you might find your brain yet!
specialist f – thanks… yes, there have been a few… and we get reports occasionally about a “big one” to eminate from the NEW MADRID FAULT – an historical one did hit from there, but when illinois was sparsley populated… THIS quake came from another fault… still rare, but we are warned when a big one hits, it WILL be devastating… … yay…
April 18th, 2008 at 10:08 am#52 Katy, at 4:30 AM, I was sound asleep, and didn’t feel a thing. My husband was up though and when he comes home, I will ask him.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:11 amThe Center for American Progress is an American political policy research and advocacy organization.
Political. Not geological.
Bluedhalia is right. The people on this site will rant and rave and flag any supposed “troll” for veering the slightest bit off topic, but when its one your TP elitists, all is forgiven.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:12 amkaty Says:
!!! RUDE AWAKENING !!!
Earthquake rattles Illinois
CNN – 1 hour ago
(CNN) — A magnitude-5.2 earthquake, centered 131 miles east of St. Louis,
if i NEVER feel anything like that again, it will be too soon…
April 18th, 2008 at 10:13 amand that was just a fiver… very very weird…
———————————
And I slept right through it. Damn.
Has Bluedahlia been name jacked?
Who’s ghost_of_earthquake? Mr.P?
Was the 5.4 magnitude here in the Midwest a sign of the upcoming “rapture”? Daryll of Parodyll?
And finally, why oh why could I not have been with my wife amorously this morning? Just to hear her exclaim: “Wow hon! You really shook the house for real this time!”
;-)
(Man, I love being snarky this early!)
April 18th, 2008 at 10:15 amCatch the rerun of the Colbert show last night: his last show in “Chilidelphia.”
April 18th, 2008 at 10:15 amClinton, Edwards and Obama appeared, and an interview with a new Rep. who endorses Obama.
Freedom Rebel Says:
#1 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda Says:
The Pentagon’s $1 Trillion Problem
The Defense Department has spent billions to fix its antiquated financial systems. So why does the Pentagon still have no idea where its money goes?
If any company were audited by the IRS and had the same problems, the owners would be fined and sent to jail for tax evasion. Wow no accountability, image that.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 am
April 18th, 2008 at 10:16 am——————————
I have two words to say as to where the “missing” money is going: BLACK PROJECTS. (No, not the Housing Projects where many poor black people live). I mean “secret” “government” programs.
71=ditto-head. You’re missing the rantings of your fat, Oxy-lovin’, ass boiled HERO. You are good at repeating talking points like a good little SHEEP. I say don’t flag this buffoon,leave his drivel so we can wonder at the AMAZING STUPIDITY!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:18 amIf I was a hysterical, lunatic religious fanatic I’d blame the Earthquake on ABC News for their outrageously insulting Democratic debate on Wednesday.
Since both Hillary and Barack have their roots in Illinois (birth and residential) I proclaim that it was the lords’ way of showing ABC news the rath of an angry and vindictive ‘Land of Lincoln’er’.
Hallelelujah!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:21 amDon’t know if this will make it here on the pro-Hillary site, but this is what appears on my “headlines” at yahoo.
Obama leading
SWEET!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:21 amghost_of_earthquake
Please don’t take Obama’s words, nor the words of his pastor out of context.
Obama was talking about people whose government has repeatedly let them down, frustrated and clinging to the things in their lives that remain constant, family, church and tradition. I don’t find anything untrue about that.
Rev. Wright included in his sermon those words from our Iraq Ambassador who was saying that our policies cause hatred for us around the world.
Where are the comparisons to the republican ministers who have condemned all muslims, who have blamed 9/11 on homosexuality, and who have also claimed that our “evil” society has brought the wrath of god upon us.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:22 amThey “cling” to the old testament and the vengeful god who asked horrific sacrificies from people, and who punished them terribly if they misbheaved, and so on, while ignoring the teachings of christ (hence, the name “christian”) who slammed everyone for their prejudices, greed, and uncharitable acts.
There was a hue earthquake in the center of the country back in the early part of the 19th century. It changed the path of the Mississippi River and supposedly even rang church bells on the East Coast.
I read a few years ago that they found traces of seismic activity under NYC whilst digging a tunnel. Ouch… all those unreinforced brick buildings?
I live in CA, BTW. I was here in 1989 for the little shaker that almost brought down the Bay Bridge. I’ve never gotten used to earthquakes.
Some of the posters here seem a bit cranky this am. I suggest switching to decaf for a while.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:22 amfrom the comments at C&L – this guy has posted the clips from colbert:
April 18th, 2008 at 10:23 amhttp://www.foxnews-follies.com/
“Trying to stem the infiltration of militia fighters, American forces have begun to build a massive concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, the densely populated Shiite neighborhood in the Iraqi capital.
Building a wall around a ghetto. That sounds familiar. Where have I heard this story before? Oh yeah, now I remember:
The Warsaw Ghetto wall
To create the Warsaw Ghetto, the Germans built 11 miles of brick walls around the Jewish quarter; this area was then closed to outsiders on November 15, 1940.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:23 amMarie,
April 18th, 2008 at 10:24 amYou might as well be talking to a wall.
The ditto heads have their talking points, and they’ll be damned to actually research facts.
2 million and DRxJ – you are in illinois? where?
i am about 50 miles north-northwest, as the crow flies, from the epicenter
April 18th, 2008 at 10:29 amof the quake… weird, but i felt it more while in bed than when i got up to see
what was going on… it went on for at least 10 seconds, seemed longer…
Republic of Stupidity,
April 18th, 2008 at 10:29 amI remember the 5.1 of 1987. Felt like a truck had hit and rocked my apartment. I remember feeling a little disoriented (vertigo?)as I went outside to see what the heck was going on.
A good friend of mine was fishing at a small lake that day, and said the entire body of water bubbled up, as if it was boiling.
I can’t even imagine experiencing a 6.0 or larger.
Nearly 1 in 5 troops has mental problems after war service
WASHINGTON – Roughly one in every five U.S. troops who have survived the bombs and other dangers of Iraq and Afghanistan now suffers from major depression or post-traumatic stress, an independent study said Thursday. It estimated the toll at 300,000 or more.
LINK
April 18th, 2008 at 10:32 amkaty,
April 18th, 2008 at 10:32 amKalamazoo, Mi here.
I was at the gym @ 5:37 this morning, and felt nothing.
My wife said she did felt it, but because she was still in a deep slumber, just thought it was a sudden brisk wind or two.
She called her parents (who live near Mt.Vernon, IL), and said it was quite strong, but thankfully, no damage.
oooh, mt.vernon – almost equidistance from it as me… yes, they felt it!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:36 ami’m in effingham… corner of I 57 & I 70…
katy Says:
2 million and DRxJ – you are in illinois? where?
i am about 50 miles north-northwest, as the crow flies, from the epicenter
of the quake… weird, but i felt it more while in bed than when i got up to see
what was going on… it went on for at least 10 seconds, seemed longer…
A friend of mine who lives in central Illinois was jolted awake by this and has a similar description. From what I’ve read, the geography of the Midwest lends itself to quakes traveling a long distance and doing a lot of surface action. This was the first time he’d ever felt a quake, so it was a real eye-opener. My first was in a 25-story office building in San Francisco and I didn’t like it one bit; everyone else around me was unimpressed.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:37 amDRxJ
The one in 1989, that interrupted the World Series, scared the Cheney right out of me. I know there’ll be a really big one in CA one of these days and I’m not looking forward to it.
I was doing my laundry. After the shaking stopped, I ran out on the street. All the big street lights were still swaying back and forth, back and forth, and big plumes of smoke were already billowing up from several different fires.
It wasn’t until later that I heard the Nimitz had come down. It was hard to imagine at first. An entire freeway collapsing? A mile plus of it? WTF?
A few days later, I drove down to Oakland w/ some friends to take a look. It kinda took yer breath away. Looked like the set of a sci-fi movie, like “Planet of the Apes”, when the main character comes across the Statue of Liberty.
Ain’t lookin’ forward to tha Next Big One at… all…
April 18th, 2008 at 10:38 amThe Senate approved “a resolution asking the Justice Department to look into the circumstances surrounding the $10 million expenditure for a highway interchange in Florida backed by Rep. Don Young [R-AK].” Young has “denied that he pushed the provision as a result of receiving $40,000 in campaign donations from developers who owned 4,000 acres of land next to the proposed interchange.”
It wasn’t a developer that was involved but a single landowner. Here’s a snippet from our local paper today regarding this story.
“Many residents of Estero objected to seeing an interchange being built at Coconut Road, and the issue of whether to accept the earmark — widely believed to be connected to the fundraising visit U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, paid to Lee County in 2005 — became a drawn-out debate within the MPO.
Long-standing concerns about new development east of the interstate and scrutiny of the intentions of one large landowner in the area dovetailed with evidence that property owner, Daniel Aronoff of Agripartners, had been among Young’s contributors and had helped organize the fundraiser. Together with the change in the earmark after Congress voted and the fact that no one in Congress was taking credit for bringing the funding to the area, it was enough for some to say something didn’t seem right.”
It goes on to say that Young said the local residents supported this interchange, which is not true at all. There may have been a few, including Ben Nelson, the new mayor of Bonita Springs.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/17/criminal-investigation-urged-coconut-road-earmark/
April 18th, 2008 at 10:38 am#83 less free
April 18th, 2008 at 10:38 amYou don’t check your facts — do you?
I guess you are a “brick wall” and I am wasting my time pointing out all the contradictions and misconstrued information.
Heh… “didn’t like it one bit” seems to be the group consensus on earthquakes.
Surely the trolls have a contrary opinion?
April 18th, 2008 at 10:39 amJust flag lessfree and ghost_of_earthquake. Common, garden-variety trolls.
No point to make…
Somewhere, schools are be closed and Mummy’s at work, so somebody has free run of the dial up all day.
Let the flagging begin!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:43 amis it just ME, or does it happen to everyone here – unless my cursor (mouse) is off the page, all the type gets underlined and highlighted…
very annoying…
i have running to do… some folks are sure pissy for a friday…
April 18th, 2008 at 10:43 amhope that gets better… see yas later.
BRAINLESS@83:
April 18th, 2008 at 10:47 amYou ought to ask who bush’s preacher,Ted Haggard, who is in bed with him? ;)
katy Says:
2 million and DRxJ – you are in illinois? where?
i am about 50 miles north-northwest, as the crow flies, from the epicenter
of the quake… weird, but i felt it more while in bed than when i got up to see
what was going on… it went on for at least 10 seconds, seemed longer…
———————————–
10 minutes from O’Hare, 20 minutes outside Chicago.
I’m sure the NSA knows my exact location. Just in case they don’t, I’m not going to help them out.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:47 amlessfree Says
April 18th, 2008 at 10:26 am
None of those pastors are connected to any presidential candidate. But Wright is very much in bed with Obama!!
________________________________________________________
I see you have learned your wingnut talking points well. I’d like to point out a couple of things that your little soundbite doesn’t cover.
First, you are making the implication that everybody automatically always agrees with everything their pastor says, no matter what. I have attended church for many years, and have had a couple of pastors for as long as Obama has known Wright. In both cases, I can honestly say there have been things the pastor has said I didn’t agree with. But I didn’t switch churches over it because I knew the odds of finding anyone (let alone a pastor) that I agreed with 100% on all points were exceedingly slim.
Next, McCain is very much “connected” to Rod Parsley, whom he has declared is his “spiritial guide”. Rod Parsley has stated that he “do[es] not believe that our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed.” Do you honestly think McCain also believes that?
And then there is John Hagee, whose endorsement McCain sought out and got. So yes — McCain is “connected” with Hagee as well. Hagee has described the Catholic church as “a Godless theology of hate that no one dared try to stop for a thousand years produced a harvest of hate.” He has said about Muslims, those who live by the Qur’an have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews… it teaches that very clearly.” He has said Hurricane Katrina was an act of God, punishing New Orleans for “a level of sin that was offensive to God.” Do you really think that McCain agrees with Hagee on all these points?
But getting back to Wright. The man preached for over 20 years. We have heard about two short snippets cherry-picked from 20 years worth of sermons. I daresay one could go through any pastor’s complete body of work and come up with something that sounds offensive given the right context.
But if you are going to use a pastor’s talking points to discredit Obama, you must do the same with McCain.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:49 amThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
The one in 1989, that interrupted the World Series, scared the Cheney right out of me. I know there’ll be a really big one in CA one of these days and I’m not looking forward to it.
I’d moved away from the Bay Area by then, thank the gods. I lived fairly close to the freeway that collapsed and traveled on it regularly.
The only good part of that quake? When I lived in Berkeley, my then-girlfriend laughed at me for my reaction to quakes. After the ‘89 quake she phoned me and told me about crawling down the apartment hall sobbing in terror. Ha!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:51 amDieNowForPeace Says:
Nearly 1 in 5 troops has mental problems after war service
———————————–
I’d be willing to bet the actual number is significantly higher.
But did you know that…
Nearly 5 in 5 Neo-cons has mental problems, after serving at AEI or Heritage.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:52 amNearly 5 in 5 Neo-cons has mental problems, after serving at AEI or Heritage.
I thought it was a prerequisite for joining?!
April 18th, 2008 at 10:54 am2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda Says:
10 minutes from O’Hare, 20 minutes outside Chicago.
Umm, you must live in that hypothetical city that has no traffic?
April 18th, 2008 at 10:59 amWe have friends in Lake Zurich, and a trip to the big city is never less than 40 minutes.
And I-94 westbound through the city? Fogetaboutit!
Things continue to SLIDE for Obama. This Newsweek article is comparing Obama 08 to Kerry 04.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/132566
Are you out there Bilbo? If so, enjoy the article. Hillary is the way to go folks. If not her, then Al Gore would do nicely.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:02 amOngoing nomination fight hurting Clinton more than Obama
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a dramatic reversal, an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll found that a clear majority of Democratic voters now say Sen. Barack Obama has a better chance of defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in November than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
While Obama and Clinton are both sustaining dents and dings from their lengthy presidential fight, the former first lady is clearly suffering more. Democratic voters no longer see her as the party’s strongest contender for the White House.
LINK
Glad to see her tactics backfiring. Besides, nobody wants a POTUS who’ll cry at the first thing that doesn’t go her way.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:12 amSuper delegates are “super” for a reason, right? If so, then they need to wake up and realize the party hasn’t chosen a candidate that can win in November. Hillary would be the stronger of the candidates, but her negative ratings are horrible. She energizes the far right. Obama has been exposed the last five weeks. Why he wasn’t exposed before John Edwards quit the campaign is tragic.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:16 amlessfree Says:
Did McCain appoint any of these pastors to a position on his campaign trail?
___________________
Yer a petty, small-minded fraud.
Will you bring up the controversial “No Flag Pin” issue next?
McCain only went out of his way to plant a big, wet one right on Hagee’s Cheney, as I recall.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/29/john-hagees-mccain-endor_n_89189.html
John Hagee’s McCain Endorsement Sparks Uproar
The Huffington Post | February 29, 2008 11:44 AM
NEW UPDATE MARCH 21, 2008: According to a New York Times magazine interview this week, John McCain SOUGH OUT the endorsement of Hagee:
“It’s true that [John] McCain’s campaign sought my endorsement.”
Hagee believes in the Coming of the Rapture… I guess yer okay w/ THAT delusional nonsense, huh?
Me? I agree w/ Obama’s comment about angry white folk (I grew up in the middle of the country… Obama’s comment was VERY ACCURATE…)
And I alos agree w/ right’s comments.
The Rapture????? Coming to you soon… in a comic book…
April 18th, 2008 at 11:17 amFolks, if lessfree and ghost are still here, that must mean YER NOT FLAGGIN’!!!!!!
April 18th, 2008 at 11:17 amThe majority of white men would rather vote for a black MAN than a woman any day.
And most women I know can’t stand Hillary.
And McInsane? God help us if that two-bit political hack even gets close to the White House.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:18 amghost_of_earthquake Says
April 18th, 2008 at 11:10 am
McCain Surge. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows John McCain leading Barack Obama, 48% to 42%. The presumptive Republican nominee also leads Hillary Clinton 50% to 41%.
___________________________________________
Big deal. The Gallup polls shows Obama ahead of McCain and so does the latest ABC poll. However, until the nominations actually take place and the general election campaign begins in earnest, these polls are rather meaningless.
And even this fall, polls indicating the popular vote still should be taken with a grain of salt because the election outcome will be determined by Electoral College results, not national popular vote (alas!). So the only polls that will be really meaningful will be the state-by-state ones.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:21 amDieNowForPeace,
The majority of white men would rather vote for a white man. Especially since Obama has used the “typical white woman” phrase and his links to Rev. Wright and his “United States of KKK” and “God damn America” phrases. Those phrases are killing us in middle America. We have to have middle America or it’ll be 2004 again.
Obama can’t win in November with just the black vote. He needs the women and white male votes as well. Hispanics have been very strong for Hillary. Hillary would carry the women vote, hispanic vote, and the majority of the black vote against McCain. Hillary is the stronger candidate in the fall.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:25 amI was afraid of McCain getting the GOP nomination. Why? He has disagreed with Bush just enough to attract Independents. The Neocons will back McCain come November. The DNC is splitting itself down the middle. The writing on the wall is not good for us.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:29 amThose phrases are killing us in middle America.
Only in the minds of those who are all to willing to feel threatened when a black man says something negative, albeit true about America.
Middle America is a vanishing, quaint little portion of the electoral pie.
Hell, middle America’s biggest threat is the prosperity of the east and west coast economies – pulling jobs and people away from the doldrums of Mid-America.
Middle America is just a sound-bite.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:31 amWhen did name calling become a standard practice in political debate?
When your hero Mancoulter first reared her ugly-a$$ head.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:32 amThe writing on the wall is not good for us.
This “us” you speak of is wholly in your mind.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:33 ambarfly Says:
More like the protected enclave of WW2 Warsaw.
katy Says:
that’s what i thought… “they’re building ghettos… how nice…”
Maybe they’re just getting experience on controlling civilian populations to be ready to better protect us here at home!
April 18th, 2008 at 11:35 amCan anyone tell me why a fairly innocuous post would be “awaiting moderation”?
April 18th, 2008 at 11:37 amWell, let’s see. Kerry won California, New York, all of New England, Oregan, Washington state…. Yeah, he won all the coastal states except for the southeast coast and gulf states. Kerry lost.
When I say middle America I am referring to the midwest and southeast. The southeastern part of this country is the fasted growing in the country.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:38 amSODA POP Says
April 18th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Things continue to SLIDE for Obama. This Newsweek article is comparing Obama 08 to Kerry 04.
____________________________________________________
I realize you’re a Hillary fan, and will seek out anything in print or broadcast that will cast her in a good light and Obama in a bad one. For all I know, you may even be one of these people:
http://voteforhillaryonline.blogspot.com/2007/11/get-paid-to-post-positive-comments.html
However, I’d like to point out that the Newsweek “article” you linked is actually an opinion column, not a hard news article. But even this opinion column acknowledged that the debate discussed was an exercise in “gotcha” by Hillary, Stephanopolous, and Gibson. It also acknowledged that Obama was forced to spend more time on flag pins than on his strengths. However, its summation that this would be damaging to Obama isn’t entirely accurate — I think most viewers saw the show for what it was, rather than what Michael Hirsch was spinning it to be.
We’ll see what the next wave of primaries brings. Hillary will have to get 75% to 80% of the vote in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Indiana to even catch up to Obama’s delegate count. And in NC, where I live, Obama is leading in the polls by double digits. Even after the debate.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:39 amFor all I know, you may even be one of these people:
http://voteforhillaryonline.blogspot.com/ 2007/ 11/ get-paid-to-post-positive-comments.html
It’s painfully obvious to the most casual observer that whenever a new, silly sounding “name” suddenly appears, and is so concerned for “us”, it’s definitely one of those paid to post shills.
Get a life, trolls. What, a paper route to good for ya?
April 18th, 2008 at 11:45 amVeterans of the Tsahal (Israeli Military) denounce the excesses and abuses comitted by the military, colonists and police against palestinians at the zone of Hebron (sorry, it’s in Spanish, but you can’t find an equivalent article in English, its automatically translated with an online translator under the link):
http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=46&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=501636&idseccio_PK=1007&h=
“the colonists say it openly. Hebrón is Jewish and its strategy is to expel the Palestinians “, explains Idan, that served in Hebrón three years ago. “After two months”, he relates, “I began to ask myself what did I there protecting people who oozes hatred, rejects the laws of Israel and destroys its ethical foundations”.
In its retina they follow the outrages noticeable that it was present at. From Jewish children stoning daily to Palestinian students or taking hiyab of its mothers, to adults who sack the Palestinian stores, destroy their houses to hammer blows or destroy with saws their olive groves. “a day we tried to arrest a group that destroyed to blows a Palestine house”, Idán counts, student of Policies. “the Army cannot act against the colonists, so we called to the police. When arriving, they attacked to them with eggs. Nobody was arrested. There is complicity between police and colonos “. This luck of “pogromo”, in words of Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, apparently has the endorsement of the military. “Here is the gangster that issues the orders sheriff”, Yiftá third, of 23 years and excomandante of parachutists. “the policy of the Army is based on doing the impossible life to him to the Arabs so that they leave”. The numbers are eloquent. 40% of the 35,000 Palestinians that lived next to the colonos in the sector H2 de Hebrón has left their houses and commerce, according to B’tselem. For the soldiers, Hebrón is a nightmare. “There is much pressure and you burn yourself soon because of many guards of up to 12 hours”, confess Yiftá. “In my unit”, Idan says, “was taught to us to respect to the Arabs although in other ones had the criterion of which all are terrorist”. One of the routines consists of registering the Palestinian houses in search of arms and explosives. “Often they are chosen at random. By order of the commander, you enter at daybreak, you raise to everybody, including children and women, you aim to them with the weapon and you devastate with the furniture “, affirms Yiftah. Why is destroyed the home furniture? “the idea is that if you abuse them, you cause a reaction”.
“YOU ALREADY CAN SHOOT”, an example. “When children throw stones to you, you respond with tear gas knowing that a will later come an adult to throw you a molotov cocktail; then already you can shoot to kill and the sooner you kill them, less risks “, assure Doron, of 23 years. As a rule, it confesses, the murders are concealed internally. “a soldier of my unit killed to Palestinian of 19 years shooting to him with rubber bullets less than five meters. He spent days boasting until they called it to declare. Then he said that he shot from the 30 prescribed meters; the commander knew the truth, but she did not say anything “. Idan explains it with other words: “If you kill somebody, only you must say that it took a pistol”. Another one of the habitual guidelines seems to be the abuse. “In the control posts you decide who passes. If one saddens you, he can pass, but if you finish discussing with your fiancèe you leave him waiting”. “In my unit”, Doron third, “we used to arrest the shepherds to approach the base too much. I gave water to them and let them go bathroom but afterwards, if they arrived while another one was on guard the would give a beating to them “. For exmilitary interviewed, their experience in Hebrón finished being traumatic. “I did not kill or tortured to anybody by pleasing; but I feel that the war has destroyed my innocence “, assures Idan. In the case of Yiftá, their three years in the Army served to him, paradoxicalally, to understand the Palestinians. “I do not share the suicidal attacks, but I understand their right to resist”.
The page of the group, curiously without content (cyber attacked? denied service by the provider? Database erased?)
http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/index_e.asp
April 18th, 2008 at 11:45 ammisshusseinmolly,
I never said the Newsweek article was “hard news”. It’s just a sampling of what is out there.
I was for Chris Dodd, and if I’m correct he has endorsed Obama. But that was before Obama started being exposed. My second choice after Dodd was Joseph Biden. Experienced but infected with the “foot in mouth” syndrome. My third choice was John Edwards. I actually thought Edwards would be the toughest candidate for the GOP to handle. He’s a good communicator. When he dropped out it sickened me that we were stuck with Hillary, she struggles telling the truth about anything, and Obama, who has no qualification whatsoever to be President of the United States.
April 18th, 2008 at 11:54 amIf your post was “fairly innocuous” than it must have been somewhat offensive. You might as well rewrite it becuase it will never be approved.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:13 pmI’m with Marie. What the hell were you doing awake at 4:30 in the morning. Anyway, when you live in “tornado alley” why lose sleep over earthquakes?
April 18th, 2008 at 12:16 pmTrying to understand lessfree’s logic.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:21 pmHey lf, do you have any friends or family members that are, what you would call librul? If so, should everyone judge you and hold you accountable for that person’s words or beliefs? If any of you trolls actually read or listened to what Obama has said regarding this issue rather than simply ingesting what Faux News tells you, you wouldn’t be so confused.
Husseins Molly and Bobbins, good work with Bluedahlia. I just think that like me, he does not comment on the thread every day, and may be prepared to read over the various trolls and near trolls which inhabit the mud under the bridge here. There are others who cannot refrain from name calling that bore the hell out of me, and add nothing, no, actually distract considerably, from a respectful, thoughtful conversation. It seems that if these jerks are remonstrating against the neocons saying nasty, insulting things its OK, accepted here. I just reported abuse against one of them up thread. I like a good snark aa well as the next guy, but the vitriol is not necessary. I despise Rove as much as anyone, but I am really tired of the Turd Blossom comments.
I look for the names on TP that have original, or at least researched, logical comments. Keep it up. Lots of wisdom is received in my case…Thanks.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:25 pmSODA POP Says
April 18th, 2008 at 11:54 am
…and Obama, who has no qualification whatsoever to be President of the United States.
__________________________________________
OK, I’ll bite. What, exactly, are the qualifications to be President of the United States? Besides the constitutional requirements, that is? I’m sure you’ll agree that Obama is over 35 years of age and a natural-born U.S. citizen.
And just to save you from having to look things up, here are the last 10 presidents — feel free to examine their “qualifications”, too:
George W. Bush
April 18th, 2008 at 12:29 pmBill Clinton
George H.W. Bush
Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter
Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon
Lyndon Johnson
John F. Kennedy
Dwight Eisenhower
This is what I meant in 131 above:
DieNowForPeace Says:
I guess you are not as progressive as you thought if the message disturbs you this much.
Blow it out your a$$ clown.
This site is not for conspiracy whack-jobs.
Nothing disturbs me more than idiots who believe there were no airplanes used either.
Get a life, pan handle for change, then go buy a brain stem.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:34 pmmisshusseinmolly,
G.W. Bush – Governor of Texas (Governor = Chief executive experience)
Clinton – Governor of Arkansas
G.H.W. Bush – Vice President for 8 years, CIA director
Reagon – Governor of California
Carter – Governor of Georgia
Ford – House minority LEADER, Prez by default
Nixon – Vice president under Eisenhower
LBJ – Senate majority LEADER
JFK – Captain (leader) of Navy boat
Eisenhower – Command General (leader) of Allied troops in WWII.
Compare those to….
Obama – served in Illinois senate in which he voted “present” 90% of the time. First term junior senator from Illinois who is an attractive black man. Wow????
Hillary – First Lady. Junior Senator from New York. Not a great resume, but better than Obama.
Al Gore – Vice president 8 years under Bill Clinton and served in the U.S. Senate. Beats both Obama and Hillary hands down.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:45 pmSODA POP Says:
“Hillary is the stronger candidate in the fall.”
She’s not even winning, now, while it’s just Democrats that are voting. Why do you think that she can win while both Democrats and Republicans are voting in the General Election? You’ve lost it (and so will she).
April 18th, 2008 at 12:54 pmJ,
I take it your writing off Florida and Michigan? They will be counted and the convention is going to be a freaking mess and the result is going to be President McCain.
Hillary appeals to Independents better than Obama. Oh, Hillary is leading in every remaining state except for North Carolina. The majority of the states that Obama has won are solid red states. Hillary could pick off some of those states.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pmghost_of_earthquake,
Right now Obama is HOPING the media leaves him alone.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pmObama’s background as a community organizer, then as a state senator in Illinois is good enough for me.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:13 pmI’ll vote for Clinton if she’s the nominee, how about you soda can? Would you vote for Obama against McCain, or would you stay home?
SODA POP Says:
“I take it your writing off Florida and Michigan?”
Yes, just like Hillary did when she agreed to the rules.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:18 pmRUCerious,
Don’t forget, he wrote a book too. Oh, and he made money off slums in Chicago. Don’t short change him.
Hillary will win this. If Obama wins then McCain wins. I doubt my vote would even count.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:19 pmSODA POP Says:
“Hillary will win this.”
The polls even you have linked to don’t reflect this claim.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:23 pmSODA POP Says:
“I doubt my vote would even count.”
Now that’s the spirit! But, alas. You didn’t answer the question. You are a fraud.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:25 pmA fraud is electing someone to run against McCain who is emploding and too weak to carry middle America and thus hand the White House to McCain.
I haven’t linked any Hillary vs. Obama poll links. Just Obama vs. McCain links.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:32 pmSODA POP Says
April 18th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Obama – served in Illinois senate in which he voted “present” 90% of the time. First term junior senator from Illinois who is an attractive black man. Wow????
Hillary – First Lady. Junior Senator from New York. Not a great resume, but better than Obama.
Al Gore – Vice president 8 years under Bill Clinton and served in the U.S. Senate. Beats both Obama and Hillary hands down.
________________________________________________
OK — you didn’t really answer my question of what the qualifications should be for President, but you did put down what you think qualified the last 10 men for the job. I gather that it’s important to you that a candidate be a LEADER of something, even if it’s a PT boat.
You dismiss Obama’s state senate experience with an out and out lie. Obama did vote “present” on six (SIX!) occasions. Hardly the “90% of the time” you claim. Furthermore, his “present” votes were a procedural tactic, not an effort to duck any issues. Check this out:
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2007/12/disparagement-o.html
During Obama’s eight years in the Illinois Senate, he gained bipartisan support for legislation reforming ethics and health care laws, showing he could work with both sides of the aisle to get things done. He sponsored a law enhancing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare. He led the passage of legislation mandating videotaping of homicide interrogations, and a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped. And he was praised by the president of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police for his work in getting death penalty reforms enacted. He also served as chairman (that’s LEADER) of the Health and Human Services Committee.
Yes, Obama also happens to be an attractive black man. But that’s only a part of who and what he is. He’s much more than just a pretty face.
I agree that Al Gore’s resume is most impressive. However, he’s not running. And you state that Hillary’s resume is “better” than Obama’s, but you fail to state why you believe that to be true. Hillary has been a U.S. Senator for only two years longer than Obama, and she has had no other elected office experience. Yes, she was First Lady for eight years, but recently released schedules showed she spent far more time hostessing tea parties than crafting policy, so that “experience” is a bit dubious. She is smart, she’s competent, and she does her homework — I’ll say that for her. But I’ll say the same for Obama.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:42 pms o d a p o p …
s o d a p o p …
s o d a p o p …
i hear and i obey…
it is as you say…
your words have changed my mind and my heart…
thank you for helping me see the light…
…
NOT.
jeesh…
April 18th, 2008 at 1:52 pmSODA POP Says
April 18th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
If Obama wins then McCain wins. I doubt my vote would even count.
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What does this mean, exactly? That if Hillary doesn’t win the nomination that it’s inevitable that McCain will win, so why bother even voting?
2008 will be my ninth presidential election. My vote has not counted in EVERY SINGLE ONE of the previous eight. Because of the peculiarities of the Electoral College, and because the state I voted in went to the “other guy” in every one of these elections, I have been effectively disenfranchised each time.
That hasn’t stopped me from voting. Even though I plan to vote for the Democrat (whoever it turns out to be) over McCain, and I live in a red state, I am hopeful that maybe this will be the year that my vote will count.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:55 pmMiss molly — great post – full of truthful information.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:02 pmmisshusseinmolly,
The “experience” you mentioned above, if Obama wasn’t black, would he be where he is? He has been elevated by the media. Yes, the same media that everyone is pissed about because they started asking some tough questions. Tough questions Hillary has been answering for 15 months. He’s whining about the media’s tough questions, after he was given a pass for 12 months. That’s presidential. He can’t handle the media, but he’s going to bring the country together? He’s going to bring “typical white women”, “religion clingers”, “gun lovers” together? He has lost this election. The GOP is going to tear him apart. He can’t handle Charles Gibson but he can handle the GOP attack machine? He has no leadership experience, and it shows right now. Serving in the Illinois senate has prepared him for leading the United States of America? As Katy would say, “jeesh”….
April 18th, 2008 at 2:03 pmClinton never complained about unfair treatment. /snark off now/
April 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pmShayne Says:
I’m with Marie. What the hell were you doing awake at 4:30 in the morning. Anyway, when you live in “tornado alley” why lose sleep over earthquakes?
haha! it woke me up! a very weird feeling, i’ll tell ya!
and then you realize things are jingling and clinking all over the place…
i was expecting and waiting for things to BLOW! … and that was just a fiver…
i missed an aftershock earlier while driving, but heard the news…
yes, the tornadoes are all around and way more frequent, except for my town…
and i don’t want to jinx that by saying anything else…
tornadoes are a huge fear i have… but would love to actually see one pass by…
out in the open… no injuries or damage done… from a very safe distance…
i’m a sky/cloud watcher…
i was in florida once when a “tropical depression” blew through – that’s much
April 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pmcloser than i ever wanted to be to a hurricane… the locals were acting like it was
a normal illinois thunderstorm… hurrican, tornado – same awesome difference…
.
Jeebus, we got some racist trolls on this thread.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:09 pmkaty,
I love earthquakes. :-) Of course, I’ve never had anything fall on my head during an earthquake, that might have something to do with it.
Tornadoes? Terrifying…
April 18th, 2008 at 2:11 pmwell, zooey, even without the experience, i’m pretty sure i’d much rather go
April 18th, 2008 at 2:21 pmthrough another earthquake than any tornado… terrifying, yes…
SODA POP Says:
“if Obama wasn’t black, would he be where he is?”
Obama IS black. Being black is as much a part of him as anything else. He would not be who he is if anything about him were different. The important thing is that he is American and he wouldn’t be where he is today if he wasn’t an American.
“He has been elevated by the media.”
He has been elevated by his supporters, who outnumber all of the other presidential candidate supporters and subsequently elevated by the media in relation to his gain of support.
“He’s whining about the media’s tough questions, after he was given a pass for 12 months.”
Please provide a link with evidence of him “whining”. He’s been answering all of the questions and not losing his cool as you seem to want to imply and yes, that IS very Presidential.
It was Hillary, who, in my opinion, acted innappropriately to complain, during a live debate, about always having to go first.
“He’s going to bring “typical white women”, “religion clingers”, “gun lovers” together? ”
Yes, exactly as he has been. Much to your chagrin, based on polls and after weeks of being constantly bombarded by the Reverend Wright issue, Hillary lost respect and popularity. He was practically unscathed.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:55 pmSODA POP Says:
“I haven’t linked any Hillary vs. Obama poll links. Just Obama vs. McCain links.”
You’re absolutely right and I apologize. I mistook your opinion article for a link of actual polls that I read earlier.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:06 pmJ
Sorry, I got busy here. Points you made….
I know Obama is black. I don’t have a problem with that. I think for General Powell would be a great President, because he is a proven leader, not because he is black. I have a problem with Obama’s background and qualifications as mentioned earlier.
Obama has said that, “words matter”. Insulting certain demographics of American society isn’t going to bring anyone together. Instead, it is going to do the exact opposite. Thus, those people feeling insulted will vote McCain and tip the balance to him.
I will find some links about Obama complaining/whining about the media.
The Clintons have whined about the media when the media isn’t kissing their butt.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:27 pmI predicted on TP yesterday that Obama would cancel the North Carolina debate on CBS with Katie Couric. He is running. This link has a little whining and a little running scared in it. But to each his/her interpretation.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/17/campaign.wrap/
This link is an example of what some are saying about Obama’s slide.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/opinion/18brooks.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
April 18th, 2008 at 3:50 pmSODA POP Says:
“I know Obama is black. I don’t have a problem with that.”
Then why did you bring it up? I don’t think that Obama will make a great President because he is black. I think that he will make a great President because of his policies, ideals, and what he represents to most Americans (change: for the better).
“Insulting certain demographics of American society isn’t going to bring anyone together.”
I don’t believe that he ever intentionally insulted anyone, and if you were just a little more honest about what was actually said, neither would you and you know it, but why let the truth get in the way of politics, right? That’s the kind of mentality you’re okay with, but I, and most Americans are sick of it and will prove it come next November. You are backing the wrong horse.
David Brooks? Really? I think I’ve found your problem :)
April 18th, 2008 at 5:24 pmI predicted on TP yesterday that Obama would cancel the North Carolina debate on CBS with Katie Couric.
Couric is a media whore, and hardly unbiased.
This link is an example of what some are saying about Obama’s slide.
Anyone who would consider David Brooks to be anything but a conservative hack, reveal themselves to be little more than a pablum-spooning synchophant.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:44 pm