Jay Bookman

By Mike

September 3, 2008 7:19 AM | Link to this

“As always, keep it respectful out there.”

Are you kidding? This blog is a daily cesspool of liberal bigotry and hatred.

What on earth is your standard of “respectful”? Just not attacking your fellow liberals?

I also have to lack that your partisan bile prevents you from commenting on Lieberman’s speech. We have the Democratic VP candidate from 2000 addressing a Republican convention and you can’t even address it because of your own pathetic partisan biases.

How many real reporters were sacrificed to preserve the job of a talentless and predictable partisan like you? I can pick up mindless liberal partisan views on any news outlet in the country. I’d prefer to have some decent local reporting instead of your undifferentiated pap.

By Charles

September 3, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this

I think Fred said it best last night:

“She is from a small town, with small town values, but that’s not good enough for those folks who are attacking her and her family ….. Some Washington pundits and media big shots are in a frenzy over the selection of a woman who has actually governed rather than just talked a good game on the Sunday talk shows and hit the Washington cocktail circuit…..Well, give me a tough Alaskan governor who has taken on the political establishment in the largest state in the Union - and won - over the Beltway business-as-usual crowd any day of the week.”

• Sen. Fred Thompson (last night at the GOP Convention)

By JAY BOOKMAN

September 3, 2008 7:44 AM | Link to this

And yet, Mike, here you are once again, waiting breathlessly outside until the store doors open and adding to this blog’s hit count and popularity.

Your continued patronage is very much appreciated. Y’all come back now, y’hear?

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 7:54 AM | Link to this

Fred has not lost his ability to act. There’s no way I could have said some of those things and kept a straight face. Was that really broadcast live or will we be seeing bloopers aired in the near future. With that performance, Fred could probably even get a spot on a TV show again.

By TW

September 3, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this

Is Levi really gonna rap with Daddy Yankee before they introduce McSame?

Amazing.

Despite the obligatory media hype, anybody who’s watched both knows last night looked like it needed a quart of blood.

Old, tired, and then a plug from the worst president in the history of the United States who didn’t even have the brass to show in person?

It’s over. It’s sooooooo over.

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this

Gosh darn — I fell asleep last night during Dubya’s satellite feed and I missed the right-wingnuts’ chant of “FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!”

Boy, I was really looking forward to hearing that again.

By janet

September 3, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this

when I see Ms. Palin standing next to Mr.McCain I am reminded of all the “dads” who were on vacation with their “daughters” at beautiful hotels. The age contrast is so defining. So tonight the RNC will introduce the father of the unborn child. I thought that the family insisted on privacy. His appearance will be hailed as more proof that they are a loving, inclusive family. I don’t think so. I think it is grandstanding. To protect this young couple’s privacy would suggest that they both be left out of the spotlight not thrust upon a National convention stage. I would prefer to never hear again criticism of Hollywood unwed mothers or minorities who get pregnant in the same breath with Christian or Evangelical values. I do believe they are hypocritical on this issue. And if I recall, Jesus, condemned the Pharisees for the great sin of hypocrisy. I think the current Evangelical movement and their leaders are wearing their ‘whited sepulchre’ just a little too often.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Oh, the wibbies didn’t wike what dee Repugs had to say, boo hoo hoo.

Yes, fully defining the heroism involved in a five year ordeal as a POW is devastating, especially when compared to other characterizing life moments such as time spent as a “community organizer” or even a drug addled angry existence while swaddled safely within the confines of thee elite college dormitory.

Sucks, don’t it?

Now can we get back to smearing the woman, please?

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Oh, but this morning I did hear some of the replay of Joe-Mentum’s lies last night about Obama — shameful, but expected from McBush’s poodle.

And it was breathtaking to hear Joe-Mentum mention that one of McBush’s accomplishments in the Senate was his support of the FREE TRADE AGREEMENT — now that would’ve been worth trying to stay awake for, to hear that one last night… I’m sure there are some right-wingnuts quaking in their combat boots this morning!

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this

Here comes thee economy, moonbats:

Oil price of $100 a barrel on horizon

Vvrrrrooommm.

Vvvrrrroooommm.

You’re fixing to get run over.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this

8:11, please cite specifically the ‘lies’ Lieberman told. And the evidence to back up your accusation(s).

Thompson, though quirky, was brilliant. Lieberman was excellent as well. While the wackos, like Bookman, love to look at him as a party traitor and discount his message as they did Zell’s, they refuse to understand why those have bailed from the dem party as they did. In fact, because the two voted in the senate the same as other dems most of the time INCREASES their believability in country before party, not decreases it. You don’t understand that because your party blinders get in the way.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this

I love to watch MSNBC coverage of the two party’s events, as it is so obvious that Olbermann and co., way left nutjobs, are doing everything they can to get their candidate, the annointed one, elected.

A reporter, one of Olbermann’s minions, interviewed Newt Gingrich last night after the event and Newt was brilliant. He skewered the poor reporter. It was masterful. I wish I had the text at hand. All the reporter could say at the end was something like “I can’t argue with you…back to you, Keith”. Beautiful.

By Redneck

September 3, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this

TW, if you knew what they were going to say why did you watch it?

I’m a conservative and I didn’t watch it because I too knew what they were going to say. After reading the left wing blasts this morning the speeches must have been right on for the conservatives!!!

By Eric1

September 3, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this

Mike, do you know what it means when I say you’re the pot calling the kettle black? Go back and read your vile comments. Hypocrisy seems to be rampant among you “holy folks”. And we’re supposed to count on the likes of you to “bring the country together”…..yeah, right. You do so much more to advance the liberal cause than anything I could do. I’m outta here.

By WillM

September 3, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this

Good observations, Jay. But I would qualify a couple of your points here:

1) The observation that last night was emotional overkill bordering on schmaltz is beside the point: this stuff works! Large parts of the voting public who are watching it will eat it up. Even I was moved watching it — and I’m a leftist!

2) I disagree with your observation that the delegates still give President Bush favorable ratings because “they don’t want to admit a mistake.” I don’t see it quite as stubbornness. Rather I think it’s because to admit what a failure Bush has been would require that one acknowledge a huge crack in the foundation of the very ideological attachment that they hold so dear. They would have to admit that their passionate attachment is build on a fraud, which would be pretty painful. In a way you almost have to admire their loyalty.

By T

September 3, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

I tried to watch last night, but it was really dull. That and hearing Bush speak just irritates me. I’ll try again tonight with a big pot of coffee.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

I was appalled when I saw that the redneck baby daddy is going to be at the convention. This grandstanding is really disturbing. If they want privacy, then stay the hell in Alaska - what kind of parents are these people?

Didn’t see any of the convention - sleep was needed more.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this

Here is the Gingrich interview. I love the part at the end when the reporter questions Palin’s experience and Newt slays him.

Remember, she isn’t running for president, like the inexperienced lawmaker (note, not executive) from the other party.

By Copyleft

September 3, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

I think Bookman is overestimating the intelligence of the pitiful remainder of Bush backers. They really DON’T see what a failure King George has been; they honestly DO think he’s the greatest thing to happen to this country since Jim Crow.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this

T, Laura and GWB were dull, admittantly. It got better when Thompson and Lieberman spoke. Find their speeches on the net.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this

I wonder who it was who suggested to Bush, “Why don’t you just speak via satellite?” That must have hurt.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this

By Bosch September 3, 2008 8:32 AM I was appalled when I saw that the redneck baby daddy is going to be at the convention. This grandstanding is really disturbing. If they want privacy, then stay the hell in Alaska - what kind of parents are these people?

Bosch: I’m trying to remember, if you could help me out here, but I can’t seem to recall you having the same concern when the Klintoons were shopping Chelsea out to all the dhimmi delegates.

Perhaps I missed something, no?

By Road Scholar

September 3, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

AJC/DNC: Well with the price of oil down during and right after the whole Gulf oil supply was shut down is really interesting. Could it be because of the election and timing with the Repub convention? Or maybe we do not need to open more lease areas and drill more?

Redneck: Why clog your brain with facts; just react to what you want to feel! Or mimic the conservative talk show hosts!

By Redneck

September 3, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this

Janet, I know the teaching of the bible is foreign to most left wing loonies but since you brought it up, Jesus also said “go forth and sin no more.”

We, conservatives, would have liked for this to be a private matter much as the fact that BHO is a B——-d since his mother and father were not married but since your party, Dems/dailyKos/MoveOn.org, has seen fit to publicized information about the Palin family I think we should publish all the dirt about BHO and his family.

Oh, I also don’t believe BHO was sincere when he made his statement that the family is off limits, especially after he waited over 24 hours to make it.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

Andy,

If you can’t see the differnce here, then God help you.

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this

McBush wants the American voter to believe that only he will be able to keep us “safe” from terrorists — which can never happen, because we can’t kill them all. And McBush is about 2 days away from another cancer bout, and he decides to select Palin as his stand-in to keep us “safe”…

“Thanks, But No Thanks!”

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this

Despite having been written off as a hopeless cause by political insiders and media know-it-alls, the Grand Old Party is about to renew itself amidst catcalls from the opposition. The same sort of swells who laugh at Sarah Palin as trailer trash categorized Ronald Reagan as an amiable dunce when in a charitable mood, spelled his name Ray-Gun, and felt ashamed to have a graduate of Eureka College, not some Ivy League campus, representing America on the world stage.

Ronald Reagan never let the contempt of the cultural, literary and journalistic elites bother him. He simply spoke over their heads directly to the American people. And changed the world. In Sarah Palin, we may well have a figure able to do the same. All eyes will be on her tonight.

Indeed.

By DebbieDoRight

September 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

I missed it and I didn’t watch it!!! I’ll watch tonight, I usually get a bad case of insomnia during the mid-week and tonight will be a great way to get some sleep without having to take a sleeping aid! This stuff is better than baseball! Better than a no-hitter Baseball thingy!!!!!

By "The Corporal"

September 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

Jay

And why won’t you address what Lieberman said? The truth hurts doesn’t it?

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this

Redneck @ 8:45 — you’re so wrong again. Obama’s parents were MARRIED for two years. That’s means Obama is not a b@stard, and you’re still an ignorant Redneck.

By TW

September 3, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

Redneck - I watched it because I’ve already seen ‘Deliverance’ too many times.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this

Personality, not policy. Oh, well. On a number of issues the policy differences aren’t all that great, so I suppose this was predictable.

There’s a parallel between Thompson and Sen Obama. Thompson’s campaign showed that one who does well with a script or teleprompter can come off poorly when unscripted. There is thought that maybe Sen Obama has the same difficulty, while it’s said Sen McCain comes off poorly when scripted but does well in unscripted settings – such as “town hall” debates. So even debate format plays to personality.

Y’know, there was nothing preventing the Democratic Convention from highlighting the sacrifices of the likes of Mike Monsoor. Or of making a big patriotism pitch. If you think it’s tiring now, you haven’t seen anything yet. Democrats went first, they could have preempted the Republicans, but they didn’t. They turned the issue over to the Republicans.

The paragraph on Pres Bush illustrates the recurring characteristic of polls – positives responses to the grand theme, negatives on the specifics. Such as “do you favor a clean environment?” “Yes!” “Are you willing to pay a two grand more for a car, have your utility bill go up 15 percent or pay the gov’t $1,000 a year even if you do not pay any income tax for a clean environment?” Answer: “Uhhh, well…. Are you nuts?!!?” (Note: the example contained fictional numbers).

Lieberman? I think he’d be an interesting topic. I referenced the DailKos website yesterday, stating they are all about Party, not ideology. But disagree on an item they hold important (Iraq) and you see the ostracism that drove Lieberman to become an Independent. Democrats could have kept him within their party but chose to drive him away, providing him the position he now occupies as a refutation to Sen Obama’s platform of “change” and “bipartisanship.” Sen Lieberman made a couple of points that have to make one smile – on change, reaching across the aisle, he cited McCain’s history of bipartisanship, while Sen Obama evidently came up empty. He then compared the bipartisan similarities of Sen McCain with Pres Clinton, citing the latter’s work with Republicans (to the consternation of many Democrats) on welfare reform and free trade. Yeah, he’s an interesting guy.

One off-topic comment: I caught part of Sen Biden’s speech carried on CSPAN yesterday. If you like (pick your word) military intervention, invasion, imposing America’s will on other governments through military means, you’re going to love VP Biden. He’s lining up the areas for future US strikes.

Which brings up another interesting parallel (this campaign is full of ‘em). 2000 - candidate Bush, inexperienced in the ways of Washington, brings on an old Washington guy as his VP, lending “gravitas” and “experience” and “foreign policy capability.” The foreign policy advisors were essentially the same guys who’d been hanging around for years. And look where that got us. Now comes Sen Obama, somewhat inexperienced in the ways of Washington, who brings in an old Washington guy as his VP, lending “gravitas” and “experience” and “foreign policy capability.” And his foreign policy advisors are essentially the same guys who’ve been hanging around for years.

The more things “change,” the more they stay the same.

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this

Corporal-Communist @ 8:52 — you mean Joe-Mentum’s “truth” is his lies about Obama having “never” reached across the aisle with Repugs in the Senate? Have you now disowned Richard Luger from the Repug Party? Shame, shame — the lies your Party tells!

By marko

September 3, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

When I watch political conventions my favorite part is not the speakers; it’s the delegates. The G.O.P. has shown up in force, and these people are passionate. The past two elections have been close and divisive. I expect nothing less this time around. Still as I looked into their face’s I think I spotted a fatal flaw. these people are too old, too white and too few. The crowd in Denver looked a lot more like the Americans I meet on the street everyday. The Republicans are good soldiers, and they will put up a good fight. Still, when the dust settles in November I don’t think they’ll have the horses to pull it off this time.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

Fear this man, and any justices he would appoint.

“Obama advocates abortion rights even more sweeping than those enacted under Roe v. Wade. “The first thing I’d do as president,” he assured the Planned Parenthood Action Fund last year, “is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.” The measure would not only codify Roe, it would eliminate even restrictions on abortion that the Supreme Court has allowed - the federal ban on government funding of abortion, for example, or the law prohibiting partial-birth abortion.

During last month’s forum at the Saddleback Church, Obama was asked when “a baby gets human rights.” He fudged: “Answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.” But there is nothing hesitant about Obama’s abortion stance. As an Illinois lawmaker, he opposed a bill making it clear that premature babies born alive after surviving a failed abortion must be protected and cannot be killed or simply left to die. Even after virtually identical legislation passed unanimously in the US House and Senate, Obama continued to oppose the state version. On abortion, no presidential candidate has ever been so extreme.”

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

The number of summer job cut announcements reached its highest level since 2002, according to a report released Wednesday. From May through August, employers said they would cut 377,325 jobs, according to employment consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. That’s nearly 30% more than during the first four months of the year…During the summer of 2002, in the wake of the 2001 recession, companies said they would cut 378,777 positions, according to the report.

So much for that strong economy.

By "The Corporal"

September 3, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

P.S.

Sorry Jay.

Normal people look up to athletes more than they do newspaper columnists and they look up to war heroes more than they do community organizers. Get over it.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

No confirmation of Lieberman ‘lies’…didn’t think so. So you know, lib pundits like to point out that Obama worked on the budget bill with Republicans….well, duh, all lawmakers work on the budget, lobbying for ways to spend money. That isn’t news.

And if you are trying to pick apart Lieberman’s comments, desperately looking for these ‘lies’ about Obama, make sure you get the quote right…he said, “In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.”

Note: SIGNIFICANT, indicating minimal, not zero, such as working on a budget like the other 99 senators.

McCain co-authored McCain-Feingold to help protect free speech and impose campaign finance limits.

McCain co-authored McCain-Kennedy in an attempt to do something fair with citizens in this country that want to stay and work.

McCain co-authored McCain-Lieberman in an attempt to address global climate change.

Obama? Bueller? Bueller?

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

On a number of issues the policy differences aren’t all that great,

Paul @ 9:00 — I do believe the Repug Party’s policy platform is a throwback to 1988, except even worse. The issue once again for the extremists is abortion, only now their platform says no exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of the mother… and this goes against what McBush himself has stated when he says we should allow those exceptions.

It’s the “culture wars” all over again for the Repugs, so get out your barf bags — we’re heading back to the 1980’s!

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this

I saw someone make a comment about Deliverance. Was someone playing a banjo again at the Republican Convention. I’ll bet it was Bush or Cheney. Anyway, you know what they say down here in Georgia when you hear that certain tune on the banjo — don’t…well, you get the picture.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

A bill to limit nukes? That is it? Who wouldn’t sign a bill to limit nukes, which by the way, will have no teeth to it?

C’mon….cite some more of those Obama ‘accomplishments’.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Bosch: I knew the answer before I even asked the question.

The Palins will stand together as a family tonight, just like hundreds of others have done before them on the campaign trail, now, all of a sudden, it is an issue?

It ain’t like they are sending her out to shamelessly schmooze a bunch of politicians, toady.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

Some facts about the mythical Obama-Lugar bill

Bueller?

By Paul

September 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Corporal 8:52

I suppose one could say (in refutation to Sen Lieberman) that Sen Obama has ‘reached across the aisle’ in a spirit of bipartisanship. Y’know those ads showing Sen McCain as voting with Pres Bush 90 percent of the time? Seems analysis of the time frame shows Sen Obama voted with Pres Bush 40 percent of the time! So if Sen Obama wins, relax. He’s nearly half the same as Pres Bush!

(The above was provided to show ‘fun with numbers’ and what happens when one accepts a conclusion without examining the process leading to the conclusion. Most Senate votes are unanimous. Many of the ‘votes’ are for benign items such as “National Weedpulling Day” - an area in which our Congress excelled. So to say such votes, or legislative votes which Pres Bush signed, such as debt extension, constituted ‘agreement’ - you get the idea).

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

John McCain touts Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a force in his battle against earmarks and entrenched power brokers, but under her leadership the state this year asked for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain’s top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. That’s more than any other state received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year, and runs counter to the reformer image that Palin and the McCain campaign are pushing. Other states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based watchdog group. Palin actually reduced the state government’s requests for special projects this year to 31 earmarks totaling $198 million, about $295 person, in the wake of President Bush’s demand for a cutback in earmarks.

Wow, what a porker. She will fit right in, in DC, won’t she. Maybe she was just for it before she was against it — sort of like that bridge to nowhere.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

A senator that hasn’t spent time in the WH as VP hasn’t been elected president since Kennedy did it in 1960, 48 years ago. There is a reason…senators aren’t responsible for anything. Unless former govenors, they haven’t had any executive experience at all. They aren’t accountable to anyone, yet wield enormous power. Remind me of old Roman senators, in a way.

This year, a senator will be elected president. Pick one that has worked for years in a bi-partisan fashion, or pick a rookie that for a very short tenure has done PRACTICALLY nothing, while voting the party position almost every time. It is that simple.

By Willie

September 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

By Taxpayer September 3, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this yeah….those liberal representativies and liberal congress are doing anything are they? I bet its Bush’s fault huh Goldie. We all know bush is making those liberals in charge of the legislature do nothing. He commands them! Those liberal legislatures will not do anything without Bush’s approval. Do you understand? Hey the liberal media got permission to attack a teenager and family member. I wonder if HBO little girls are having sex….

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

‘per person’, taxpayer? What does that amount to in total dollars? Contrast that to other porkers like Murtha, Clinton, Durbin and company.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

Other fun with numbers, regarding the voting with Bush 90% of the time, means that the bill has to have passed the democratic congress and get to Bush’s desk before he can sign it (effectively voting with the congress). Bush doesn’t get to vote (sign) bills that don’t make it to his desk.

Think about that one for a while.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this

Paul,

And don’t forget National Watermelon Day. Didn’t you tell us about that?

Hmmm…40% v. 90% - I’ll take the less than half a Bush. :-)

How’s your son? I don’t know if you saw my reply yesterday - I had gone out when you wrote it and you were out by the time I responded. I hope he’s doing better today.

Andy,

There is no comparison and you know it - I’m done with that line of comparison. Throw me an apple or even an orange and we’ll discuss apples or oranges, but I don’t compare the two together.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

This is my favorite lib crying jag about thee economy, shame that today it comes from a “Conservative:”

Superficially, the conventional wisdom seems convincing. Census found that median household income in 2007 was $50,233. Though up 1.3 percent from 2006, that was still less than the peak of $50,641 in 1999. (The median is the midpoint; all figures are in inflation-adjusted 2007 dollars.) Meanwhile, the share of people below the government’s poverty line — about $21,000 for a family of four — rose to 12.5 percent from 11.3 percent in 2000. Finally, the uninsured have increased in six of the past eight years. They’re now about 15 percent of the population.

Unchecked illegal immigration, no?

Duh?

In thee liberal quest to transport a whole new generation of low wage slaves to America, not only do they get yard work done dirt cheap, they get to harp on the declining wages and “harm” to the “middle class.”

Convenient, isn’t it?

What’s next, will they ban all domestic energy production and the whine about energy prices?

Lunacy.

By Pat

September 3, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Hey Taxpayer, The cuts in summer jobs can be directly linked to the increase in the minimum wage. There’s only a certain amount in the payroll. Therefore, higher pay means fewer jobs.

http://www.cafepress.com/nobamarx http://www.cafepress.com/IdVeepHer

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

understand that 87.5% of all statistics are made up anyway.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this

Goldie

Hello again.

I’m not sure the policy positions of the Parties translate much to the policy positions of the candidates, let alone what they’d do once they gain the White House. Seems an effort to rally the base or the faithful - your illustration on abortion shows that. I seem to recall the vast majority of respondents don’t cite abortion nor not aborting as a major issue or problem - but it is a hot-button issue for many on both sides.

I was speaking of what I see as the major issues - such as Iraq. On the withdrawal, it appears the new Pres will inherit a withdrawal in progress, rather than a decision on when to withdraw.

Post-withdraw, there are differences. McCain strikes me as more willing to go with the traditional “lots of forces, lots of bases in the region” model - but Obama’s said almost the same thing.

Taking on Iran? If negotiations and international pressure fail, they sound about the same.

Tax policy? For the bulk of Americans’ personal income, not a lot of difference. McCain still takes the hits for top-tier cuts.

I used to think there wasn’t all that much difference on health care - until I read a column asserting McCain’s was much more likely to break the back of employer-provided care and put more Americans on an equal footing. It would also increase the taxable income of those with employer-provided plans. I’ll see if I can run it down (read it in print) after I return from my appointment.

We’ve talked long enough for you to know my earlier post on advisors being the same guys who’ve been around for a while - well, that’s the nature of the beast. But I think it very important to watch the advisors, as they’re the guys working behind the scenes, setting in motion actions that can have serious repercussions.

And Biden’s interventionist tendencies? For all I know they may be shared by McCain/Palin. But they haven’t said and no one’s asked them. Maybe it’ll come up in the debates.

Bosch

Thank you, very much. He just called, tube came out, remaining intestine seems to be doing its job. Back on liquids, soft foods this afternoon, could be released as early as tomorrow.

“It came to pass” - it came, and it has almost passed.

out for a bit -

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

Since ending his own bid for the Republican presidential nomination in February, Romney has done everything asked of him to advance McCain’s candidacy. He played attack dog in media interviews arranged by the McCain staff, enduring hoots and hollers last week as he visited news sets on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. He recommended one of his best advisers, former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, to McCain. And he and his team raised more than $20 million for his once cash-strapped rival, all of which prompted McCain’s top advisers to chat up the possibility that Romney might become the Arizona senator’s running mate. Yet last Thursday, as Romney traveled the California coast urging supporters to give McCain’s campaign more money, McCain offered the vice presidential nomination to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. McCain told Romney his decision Friday, the day Palin’s selection was announced.

OUCH. Don’t you know that has to hurt. What was McCain thinking. Oops. Did I use the word “thinking” in conjunction with “the Maverick” — my bad. It just seems like good old Mitt was the one with the real experience. It’s sort of like the hard working person in a company that does all the real work only to get tossed aside in favor of promoting the owner’s irresponsible no good lazy son. When he got the news of the son’s promotion, all he could say was “Well, son of a bush.” or something like that.

By GMAN

September 3, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

Bush/McCain - Gambling with our children’s future!

By CommunistAJC

September 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

Obama’s Years at Columbia Are a Mystery He Graduated Without Honors

By ROSS GOLDBERG,

Senator Obama’s life story, from his humble roots, to his rise to Harvard Law School, to his passion as a community organizer in Chicago, has been at the center of his presidential campaign. But one chapter of the tale remains a blank — his education at Columbia College, a place he rarely speaks about and where few people seem to remember him.

Contributing to the mystery is the fact that nobody knows just how well Mr. Obama, unlike Senator McCain and most other major candidates for the past two elections, performed as a student.

The Obama campaign has refused to release his college transcript, despite an academic career that led him to Harvard Law School and, later, to a lecturing position at the University of Chicago. The shroud surrounding his experience at Columbia contrasts with that of other major party nominees since 2000, all whom have eventually released information about their college performance or seen it leaked to the public.

For better or worse, voters have taken an interest in candidates’ grades since 1999, when the New Yorker published President Bush’s transcript at Yale and disclosed that he was a C student. Mr. Bush had never portrayed himself as a brain, but many were surprised to learn the next year that his opponent, Vice President Gore, did not do much better at Harvard despite his intellectual image. When Senator Kerry’s transcript surfaced, reporters found that he actually had a slightly lower average at Yale than Mr. Bush did.

Some political observers cite such disclosures as proof that candidates’ intelligence cannot be judged solely by their political careers or the schools they attended. Grades provide a rare measure of intellect that is immune to political spin, proponents say.

“We like to pretend IQ doesn’t matter, but it really does with a lot of jobs, including the presidency,” a professor at Smith College who studies the effects of human intelligence on the economy, James Miller, said. “We can’t trust the information that candidates give us, so it’s important to look for objective data that they can’t falsify or distort.”

Mr. Miller acknowledged that Mr. Obama displayed academic achievement at Harvard, where he graduated magna cum laude and led the Harvard Law Review. Still, Mr. Miller said, he would like to see information about how Mr. Obama performed in various subjects at Columbia.

That view is not shared by other election observers, including some who have themselves indulged the public’s interest in candidates’ academic records. One of them is Geoffrey Kabaservice, a political historian who in 2000 published Senator Bradley’s relatively low score of 485 on the verbal SAT. Mr. Bradley, a Rhodes Scholar who was a star basketball player at Princeton, was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“It’s awfully hard to correlate anything, really, about a person on the basis of their grades,” Mr. Kabaservice said, explaining that he published Mr. Bradley’s score to highlight limitations in intelligence testing. He said he doubted that candidates’ grades have affected the outcome of any recent presidential elections.

“For people who didn’t like George W. Bush, for example, the grade aspect only confirmed what they thought about him,” Mr. Kabaservice said. “And for everybody else, it made him more of a regular guy.”

The Obama campaign declined to comment for this article and did not offer an explanation for why his transcript has not been released. But observers speculated that one reason might be the racially charged nature of the election. Mr. Obama has acknowledged benefiting from affirmative action in the past, and details about his academic performance might open him up to critics eager to accuse him, probably unfairly, of receiving a free ride, Mr. Kabaservice said.

“Anyone who is a minority and who’s come up partially through the meritocracy — getting into good colleges, and subsequently good law schools — is going to come under suspicion that there was some kind of affirmative action boost,” he said. “I suspect this is an area of discomfort for Obama.”

In contrast with the rest of Mr. Obama’s life story, little is known about his college experience. He attended Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years before transferring to Columbia in 1981. The move receives only a mention in Mr. Obama’s 1995 memoir, “Dreams from My Father,” which instead devotes that chapter to his impressions of race and class struggles in New York.

An article in a Columbia University publication, Columbia College Today, reported that Mr. Obama has portrayed Columbia as a period of buckling down following a troubled adolescence. He did not socialize much, he has said, instead spending a lot of time in the library, “like a monk.” He has also stated that he was involved to some extent with the Black Students Organization.

Federal law limits the information that Columbia can release about Mr. Obama’s time there. A spokesman for the university, Brian Connolly, confirmed that Mr. Obama spent two years at Columbia College and graduated in 1983 with a major in political science. He did not receive honors, Mr. Connolly said, though specific information on his grades is sealed. A program from the 1983 graduation ceremony lists him as a graduate.

More is known about Mr. McCain’s experience at the United States Naval Academy, where he was a self-described troublemaker and graduated in the bottom 1% of his class. The McCain campaign has declined to release his transcript, saying that his performance at the academy can only be viewed in the context of his larger military career.

“His record stands on its own,” a McCain spokesman, Peter Feldman, said. “His time spent in college was part of the transformative years that made him who he was.”

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this

Shawny — maybe you and Corporal would feel better about Joe-Mentum’s lies last night, if he had only used your words PRACTICALLY NOTHING… which is all that your Party is offering to America to help stop this disaster you’ve created.

“Obama/Biden — a LANDSLIDE for change in November”!

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this

Shawny: I doubt if taxpayer thee clown will answer your question so here:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure more than $340 million worth of home-state projects in last year’s spending bills, placing her among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly known as earmarks, according to a new study by a nonpartisan budget watchdog group.

And Klintoon is actually a failed senator, who spends most of her time running for president while the NY economy flounders.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

“Therefore, higher pay means fewer jobs”

Oh, so many layers there - like an onion - a stinky onion that makes you cry.

Shawny,

I thought it was 72.6% - just kidding - can’t pass a smart a* moment sometimes.

By RealityKing

September 3, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this

The choice is clear.

An experienced maverick and small town mayor turned governor.

OR

An inexperienced community organizer and blowharded doofus.

By CommunistAJC

September 3, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

What I love about a lot of liberals is that they use the “what about the children line” yet a lot of them don’t even have children.

Goldie, Um, its the other way around. Mccain/Palin=landslide. Barack Hussein has proven himself an even bigger idiot than we suspected. Biden is change we can believe in? Picking a three decade old senator is change Washington needs? I’d challenge you to take a few economics courses and then look at Mccain and Obama side by side. Obama would destroy the economy and turn the USA in to New Orleans of 05. A liberal cesspool of corruption and poverty. Then again, liberals do love to whine and torment others, right?

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

He said Obama didn’t get anything ‘significant’ done, which is accurate. He didn’t. Don’t refer to the Lugar effort, worked on by many senators…see link above explaining that one. Don’t refer to working on the general budget…all the senators do that. C’mon…pony up with some real Obama co-authored, bi-partisan legislation…

Bueller?

By GMAN

September 3, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

The choice is clear…

An old dufus fart and an ambitious tart

OR

Obama/Biden - a LANDSLIDE for change in November”!

By CommunistAJC

September 3, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this

GMAN, Are you computer illiterate? Just wondering because you don’t have to hit the post button THREE times. Then again, democrats are usually uneducated people.

By AmVet

September 3, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this

Mr. Bookman, this is my first post on your blog.

And it is interesting and illustrative that you ask for civility on this forum.

As you most certainly know, many here are refugees from Luckovich’s. Let me just say that their track record is not particularly good in this area.

Yet, I see Bosch, Paul and a couple of others who do not fit that mold. Unlike the partisan, c0ck-sure hate mongers, they are bright, civil and clearly willing to learn.

And they do not insist on making their sometimes-diatribes personal.

Yet as you noted so well, that very first entry sets the tone for these other enraged, impotent, willfully intransigent and self-proclaimed/misnamed “conservative” bloggers.

But I digress.

That anybody watches and gives an ounce of credence to the tripe of the last few nights is to me somewhat amazing. Sadly, and irrefutably for many Americans, this neo-con infested Republican Party has become synonymous with professional liars, thieves and frauds making promises they have no intention or capability of keeping.

But keep on watching and believing if it makes you feel better about yourselves…

By GMAN

September 3, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this

Commie, oh Commie, how’s your hillbilly mommie this morning?

By Copyleft

September 3, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this

Commie:

Then why are all the Democratic voters supposedly “Ivy League elitists”? Can’t you settle on just ONE stereotype at a time—or is that asking too much of the simple fascist brain?

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

What need I say. The reporters are doing such a good job. I’m just spreading their word except I do it with links to real reporter’s published stories as opposed to those other run-of-the-mill cut and pasters who just toss out anything. Maybe we should just let all those reporters out there slug it out. Can you just imagine, Andy, of all people, electronically yammering through those phalanges about someone doing the cut and paste routine. Oh, Andy!

By CommunistAJC

September 3, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

GMAN, My hillbilly mom? Well, if you consider a woman, with a masters degree and is the CFO of a large company, a hillbilly then I guess she is doing well. How is the Waffle House working for your mom? She sure does know how to serve up a plate of hash browns. I’ll be sure to give your mom a big tip!

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

AmVet,

How’s it going. Yeap, learning is something I try to do everyday. Life is much better when you can just admit to yourself that - well, dammit, I DON’T know everything. How stressful would that be!

Now, Paul and I have started calling each other doo-doo heads every now and then because some were complaining about how boring we were. Sigh. We’ve succumbed to peer pressure.

By RW-(the original)

September 3, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

Still no outrage over MSNBC’s “refusal’ to air the Monsoor tribute. The shop keeper not only hectors his customers (7:44) he’s also a major league hypocrite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goldielox,

It’s true that The Dunce worked across the aisle with Lugar. Tough stuff working with the other party on an issue that every single member of Congress and all Americans other than Obama’s terrorist friends agree on.

Off to the forest.

Later!

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

Off to the forest?

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

I certainly don’t want a POTUS who thinks it’s funny to sing “BOMB, BOMB, BOMB— BOMB, BOMB IRAN”… how pathetic.

My choice is clear. I want a POTUS who shows more wisdom and restraint when it comes to invading and occupying a country in the Middle East. And one who does not sing stupid songs about bombing another country.

By rtr

September 3, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

what all of you fail to understand when talking about the “failed Bush policies”, is that the House and the Senate are responsible for all of the legislation that Bush signed. Bush did not originate any of the policies that are supposed to make his administration such a falure. The House and the Senate are responsible for all of the problems in the country. The problem with Bush is he did not have the backbone to veto the bills when they came to him for signature.

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

anyone get Obama on tape singing a stupid song? If so, post it so Goldie can change her vote. You know, that is a dagger in a campaign if you sing something stupid and a disqualification to everything else, like real legislation vs. simply voting on other’s work.

By Wyld Byll Hyltnyr

September 3, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

“….stubborn pride of people who don’t want to admit a mistake”, not quite, Jay. Allow me to tell you why I am proud of our President. He kept our country safe after 911. He took down a dangerous rogue dicatator and a sponsor of terror - if you don’t believe that is an adequate discription of SH, I suggest that you go to Israel and speak to the survivors of those killed by homicide bombers that were compensated by SH. The Bush doctrine resulted in Libya turning in the pink slip on its terror machine and Iran slowing nucular war head development. Our President stopped the North Korean nucular threat. W inherited a failing economy driven by the bursting of the tech bubble and unprecedented corporate scandal and he turned it around into a booming economy through the sucessful Bush tax rate cuts. Before you try to lay the mortgage mess at his feet, W wanted to dismantle the GSE mess (i.e. Fannie, Freddie, and FHLB) but was unable to do so because of lack of congressional support. On other reforms, W took on illegal immigrational and Social Security, but partisan politics blocked these needed reforms. W advanced unprecedented numbers of women and minorities in meaningful governmental leadership positions. If that were not enought, W’s leadership created two function democracies in the middle east and has virtually rid Iraq of Al Qaeda. He reached across the aisle to craft immigrational reform and NCLB which has greatly advanced education - and yes, I have heard teachers state that NCLB is all about teaching to the test, but that now appears to be more than they were teaching yesterday. Never has a US President had to confront a more dangerous, conniving, and immoral opponent than President Bush has AND on top of confronting the Pelosi and Reid congress he has had to fight the global war on terror led by the islamic jihad. I am, in short, very proud of President Bush and glad that I voted for him twice.

By FrankLeeDarling

September 3, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

Im so sick of Pallin,just another distraction tactic from the repugs.McCain is the real problem.

I remember years ago,My father a life long military man said you could never put a POW in the white house. Too many issues he said.

My father was a smart man for a repug Im going to listen to him.

McCain is dirty old D.C. money

McCain more of the same B.S that got us here.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

If anyone wants to see a real smear job by a partisan liberal outlet pretending to be a general magazine, check this out:

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/sarah-palin-very-difficult-to-work-with

This is their headline. The headline for Obama had a picture of him with his wife and read “Why She Loves Him”.

Tell us again there is no liberal media bias, Jay. Tell us about “swift boating” and smears.

You know, act like the miserable hypocrite you are.

And the rest of the liberals here can keep gulping up whatever propaganda the media slings at them and believe that they are the “thinkers” Just keep on bleating whatever the Democrat spinmeisters tell you.That’s what Bookman does and it got him the salary of two real reporters.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

“By JAY BOOKMAN September 3, 2008 7:44 AM | Link to this And yet, Mike, here you are once again, waiting breathlessly outside until the store doors open and adding to this blog’s hit count and popularity.”

LOL. So you think that you are delivering any value to your advertisers with these “hit counts”? You really think that most business owners are pleased to know that their ad is ignored by a small band of partisan wingnuts?

You have exposed yourself here. You know that your bosses want lots of ad views, regardless of their efficacy. You know what by putting up a bunch of mindless partisan crap, you will get intellectuals like Midori and GodHatesTrash turning a lot of pages and a lot of worthless ad views.

Bottom line is that you are gaming the system to keep your job. In the process, you are offering no value to advertisers, you are cheapening the political discussion, you are spreading ignorance and selling your soul to your corporate bosses. It is quite a scam and you know it is.

(I have first hand knowledge of this. In my previous life I ran audience measurement for an unnamed Atlanta media conglomerate that has newspapers, cable, radio and TV. I had to reign in editors who were putting up bikini contests to boost page views and get their bonus. Kind of like what you are doing.)

Are your worthless page views saving any jobs over there? Couldn’t the same views by garnered by non-partisan reporters who actually contribute to better understanding than another windbag hypocrite partisan?

By ByteMe

September 3, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

Bud,

I think ol’ Jack is in one of the stages of dementia. Prove me wrong! :)

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

And her experience as governor of Alaska, dealing with the oil industry and pipeline agreements with Canada, certainly compares favorably with that of Barack Obama, a community organizer who dealt in the mommy issues of food stamps and rent subsidies.

Where Obama has poodled along with the Daley Machine, Palin routed the Republican establishment, challenging and ousting a sitting GOP governor before defeating a former Democratic governor to become the first female and youngest governor in state history.

Blowhard/ Gasbag 08.

Not.

By hotlanta

September 3, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

When Bristol Palin comes on stage tonight I wanna see the crawl on television set that says BABY MOMMA the same way they did MARRIED Michelle Obama. It is just amazing how they are NOW saying that the pregnancy has nothing to do with politics whereas that was Obama same arguement with Rev. Wright. It is just amazing how when white folks, especially a white woman is involved the rules change. Folks are skurred to say anything or they will be accused of being sexist. I have not seen the MAVERICK McShame stand up and say anything. The media was alllll over Obama about Rev. Wright 24/7 until he was forced to say something. He needs to come out of hiiding himself and face the media instead of letting his folks talk for him. If that was Obama they would be saying he can’t handle the stress of a campaign he can’t be President.

By hotlanta

September 3, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

When Bristol Palin comes on stage tonight I wanna see the crawl on television set that says BABY MOMMA the same way they did MARRIED Michelle Obama. It is just amazing how they are NOW saying that the pregnancy has nothing to do with politics whereas that was Obama same arguement with Rev. Wright. It is just amazing how when white folks, especially a white woman is involved the rules change. Folks are skurred to say anything or they will be accused of being sexist. I have not seen the MAVERICK McShame stand up and say anything. The media was alllll over Obama about Rev. Wright 24/7 until he was forced to say something. He needs to come out of hiiding himself and face the media instead of letting his folks talk for him. If that was Obama they would be saying he can’t handle the stress of a campaign he can’t be President.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

Mike,

Are you seriously worried about an article printed in US magazine? You do know that’s a tabloid don’t you, with as much credibility as say, the National Enquirer? You did notice the link to the article underneath that said something about gossip girls.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

It’s not so much authenticity as independence, and self-reliance, which have always been the basic characteristics of frontier people. They think for themselves. They have to think outside the box, because there’s no available box for them to think in. If they accepted the conventional wisdom they wouldn’t be on the frontier, they’d be in some city and they’d brag about their degrees from the failed institutions of higher education. They’re not big on “conflict resolution,” they prefer zero-sum games. If you go up against a grizzly, you’re poorly advised to look for a win-win solution.

And who would you rather have in charge of national security, a realist or a teleprompter reader?

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this

“By Bosch September 3, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this Mike,

Are you seriously worried about an article printed in US magazine? You do know that’s a tabloid don’t you, with as much credibility as say, the National Enquirer? You did notice the link to the article underneath that said something about gossip girl”

Well, yes I do care. When a widely read general interest magazine praises one candidate and attacks the other, it is actually worse than an attack from Fox or MSNBC. We have come to expect partisan hackery of one kind or another from all of the news outlets, but when it is a new level to see this garbage from mainstream mags.

We are all obviously really interested in politics and read a lot of sources. There are a lot of folks who just don’t care that much about politics and get their insights in bits and pieces. (Before you start, I am not saying that they are dumb or gullible. I am just saying they don’t care. I should know more about health matters, I just don’t care that much.) When constant liberal bias is inserted into mainstream magazines, TV shows, music and film it slants the political debate. I also wouldn’t want to see conservative propaganda in the entertainment field, but I just don’t see much. I’d be happy to see some good examples outside of country music.

The other thing is that the complete cynacism it takes to have such a double standard just bugs me. But a lot of things bug me ;)

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

Prediction for the pinko press commentary tomorrow:

Sarah’Cuda’s great speech proves nothing.

By TW

September 3, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

What’s this about Palin’s preacher saying terrorist attacks on Isreal are God’s judgement of the Jews unbelief in Christ?

Enough already about this chick having been vetted.

No way.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

Hey Bosch

Gotta watch Fox/Bill O’Reilly Thursday night. Sen Obama’s going to appear.

I’d been watching for this ever since Sen Obama told BOR to his face he’d appear on his show after the primaries. It’s a credibility thing for me - do you say something and back out, or do you say “no” to someone’s face? Glad to see he’s doing it - BOR was ready to air a 25-part piece on Sen Obama because, he said, Obama won’t take questions so we don’t know all that much about him. Wonder if BOR’ll cancel it now?

The backstory is here:

Link: Sen Obama to appear on Fox

Okay, okay, okay, cheap shot: according to some here, is Sen Obama now a liar and because only liars appear on Fox? And you can’t believe any Democrat who’d ‘sell out’ to appear on Fox?

Seriously, I’m afraid I might’ve given getalife a coronary when I told him Howard Wolfson, formerly Sen Clinton’s comm manager, is now a Fox News contributor.

After the last election Sen Kerry appeared on BOR and told him a big mistake was not appearing on his show before the election - and he added he got a fair shake. Appearing didn’t turn it around for Sen Clinton (too little, too late) but it may make a difference for Sen Obama.

I believe it’ll air about the time Sen McCain gives his acceptance speech. Tells you who Sen Obama is not going after as an audience.

BTW - made the point over the holiday weekend - giving credence to all this “my candidate team has more experience than yours” - as it is structured - means no one other than those with Federal (elected) experience (or maybe a governor) has the ‘experience’ necessary to be president. I don’t buy that; consequently, much of this ‘experience’ debate is pretty meaningless.

later, doo-doo head.

:-)

By Copyleft

September 3, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

Mike… you DO realize that you’ve just described the Faux News business model, right? Pure partisan hysteria and “analysis” disguised as reporting?

The difference is this: Bookman’s blog is in the OPINION section, clearly labeled as such. Faux pretends they’re doing actual reporting.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

Jay -

I heard the Pulitzer is adding a category “Best Click Generation”. Let me know if you need a nomination. Then again, you aren’t even particularly good at that.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

TW 12:08

First Obama’s preacher, now Palin’s preacher.

Maybe they should run on the same ticket?

By Hmmmmm

September 3, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

I think somebody has got your number, Bookman! How ABSURD the democratic party has become! Landslide in November???? LMAO!

By Swami Dave

September 3, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

As was the case last week, much of this week’s Republican Convention is more theatrical & drama than substance. Both campaigns are putting on extended marketing efforts for what is becoming a shrinking pool of votes who can honestly be declared “undecided”.

On the President Bush front, he has been infinitely better for this country than either of the previous Democratic candidates Gore or Kerry would have been. Moving forward, the last thing that it now needs is a more liberal candidate whose policies will further drive our economy down.

On Lieberman, is your problem with him that he actually holds an opinion of his own or that he would dare oppose the “annointed one”?

-Swami Dave (Truth, History, and Common Sense refute Liberalism.)

By Swami Dave

September 3, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

As was the case last week, much of this week’s Republican Convention is more theatrical & drama than substance. Both campaigns are putting on extended marketing efforts for what is becoming a shrinking pool of votes who can honestly be declared “undecided”.

On the President Bush front, he has been infinitely better for this country than either of the previous Democratic candidates Gore or Kerry would have been. Moving forward, the last thing that it now needs is a more liberal candidate whose policies will further drive our economy down.

On Lieberman, is your problem with him that he actually holds an opinion of his own or that he would dare oppose the “annointed one”?

-Swami Dave (Truth, History, and Common Sense refute Liberalism.)

By Truth

September 3, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this

Copyleft… you just used an Olbermanism… That says soooooo much about yourself….

By TW

September 3, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

JAY - is it true the president did not refer to McCain’s treatment in Vietnam as ‘torture’ because in doing so he would incriminate himself?

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

“By Copyleft September 3, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this Mike… you DO realize that you’ve just described the Faux News business model, right? Pure partisan hysteria and “analysis” disguised as reporting?

The difference is this: Bookman’s blog is in the OPINION section, clearly labe”

Well, you shouting at me in caps sure helps me understand.

I am not defending Fox. Instead if any of you angry liberals would read my posts before applying your crude and ignorant stereotypes on me, you would see that I criticize Fox plenty. In fact, I have always said that Bookman and Hannity occupy the same low ground.

Yes, Fox’s news coverage is biased, but if you can’t see that the AJC’s is as well, then you are the one who needs to be shouted at in caps.

The main difference is that Fox does not have monopoly on the Atlanta market, as does the AJC. I was an AJC subscriber for over a decade before I decided that I no longer wanted to pay for ever thinning local coverage, selective reporting of facts (remember Iraq casualty rates?), and blatent mindless hatred from the opinion section, in which any who dare not share the hyper-liberal views of the editorial board are decried as racists and chickenhawks.

What makes it even more egregious is the the owner of the local newspaper monolpy has an obligation to serve the comminity. If not for reasons of civic virtue, then just for business. The AJC has recklessly driven away its large conservatve constuuiency in the interest of partisan propaganda. The result is that the AJC is dying at a faster rate than the most of the newspaper industry and we won’t have any local paper soon. Of course, that doesn’t matter as the news staff has been getting slashed in favor of keeping generic windbag pundits who add nothing original to the public debate.

Just curious: what do you think of MSNBC’s “straight” reporting? Do you find it to biased? or are you only capable of seeing bias in conservative outlets?

By "The Corporal"

September 3, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

To Paul:

Thanks for your reply but I am not talking about reaching across the aisle which should always be done except when the issue is a strong moral one which cannot be compromised.

I am talking about a former Democrat V.P. candidate who said vote for McCain as the national security issues are just too important !

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

Swami Dave,

“he has been infinitely better for this country than either of the previous Democratic candidates Gore or Kerry would have been”

How can you justify how a candidate MIGHT have been?

I mean I know you’re a swami and all, but pray tell.

And if you are such a great swami and all, don’t you KNOW why Jay has a problem with Lieberman?

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this

Copyleft -

I meant to ask about your comment that my description of Bookman’s cynical and destructive scam was Fox’s business model. What do you mean? Did you understand what I was saying about clicks and internet advertising?

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

“By Bosch How can you justify how a candidate MIGHT have been?”

Would Gore have been better than Bush? How would you know?

By TW

September 3, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

Is it true that Levi and Daddy Yankee are gonna rap McSame’s introduction?

From 91% approval to laughing stocks.

God I miss real Republicans.

By Tom

September 3, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

Ummm. Mike, Wyld Bill, Duh are especially upset here today. Lashing out with closed eyes, like crazed canaries in search of a cage. Don’t worry - Murcuns are well known for voting for grossly inferior types. We have Bush/Cheney, et al, don’t we? So not to worry about a lack of reasoned respect for phoney-combat man (3.8 hours) McCain and Bible-thumpin, Moose-Munchin Mama. It’s like “All In The Family.” Soon now Sanctimonious Sarah will have the entrance and exit of cousin Levi on stage. Then she’ll get back to what she does best- Bible-thumpin Geessussa ans slaughtering animals. So not to worry, Little People - settle down, relax, and just keep coveting one another.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Tom -

Nice to see that most liberals on this board, you are incapable of responding to a reasoned argument. Instead you just have a paragraph of random attacks pulled from partisan sources.

I’m not saying that there are not intelligent reasoned liberals who have thoughtful views. Most of them are. Unfortunately, because Bookman’s goal is clicks, not quality, we get your type of liberal.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Mike,

IMHO, a rabid monkey would have done a better job running this country than Bush. Now you might not think Gore is as qualified as a rabid monkey, and that is certainly your opinion, such as mine is mine.

Capiche?

But really, are you seriously that disturbed by an article in US magazine? Now, if such an article were published in a little more credible magazine, say Star or the National Globe, then, hey, yeah, I think you might be on to something there.

By AL

September 3, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

READ THIS..READ THIS…HILARIOUS!!!!

2 versions of a hypothetical fable. Really makes a point!

The Ant and the Grasshopper

OLD VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green.’

Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news stations film the group singing, ‘We shall overcome.’ Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake.

Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.

Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of single-parent welfare recipients.

The ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2008

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Bosch -

I wasn’t making any point about Gore or Bush at all. I was just pointing out your hypocrisy, which you mindlessly demonstrated again.

Let me break it down, as you seem incapable of holding too many ideas in your head at the same time:

“”How can you justify how a candidate MIGHT have been?”

Then you immediatlelty go on to justify how a candidate might have been. (I won’t shout in caps like you.)

I gave a detailed answer on your first question on US. Of course, you don’t respond to anything I actually said. You just throw out some stupid zinger that just demonstrates that like most liberals, on this board, you can only respond to a debate with boilerplate partisan crap.

Keep on bleating and clicking. Jay’s got a mortgage to pay!

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Tom,

Just as hillbilly ragger gave us “citizenship for an egg” yesterday, which I promptly thanked him for and told him that would keep me going all day; today, this:

“Bible-thumpin, Moose-Munchin Mama”

will keep me going for the rest of the afternoon well into the evening when I finally get home to my sweet family and warm bed.

Thanks for that. I think that’s T-shirt worthy.

By Hmmmmm

September 3, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this

I am glad you explained everything so well….:)) I have my eyes open. I am an independent who loves his country. In this case I will vote for the lessor of TWO evils. It’s a TRAGEDY that we as American people can’t come together, to take our country back from the scumbags that are on BOTH sides of the aisle! If I am lashing out, I apologize. The bottom line is that I will not vote for a SOCIALIST, and I will bet that the majority of people in this country will not vote for Obama.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

Huh-

Iran calls for production cuts as oil price plummets

They are cutting production to raise prices, hmmmmmm, I wonder why that would work?

By moonbat betty

September 3, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

Well hey, look at it this way…

Now Obama can recycle his “guns and bibles” speech toward Palin.

He’s due to use some new material anyway.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

“By Bosch September 3, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Just as hillbilly ragger gave us “citizenship for an egg” yesterday, which I promptly thanked him for and told him that would keep me going all day; today, this:

“Bible-thumpin, Moose-Munchin Mama”

That’s going to keep you going all day long? Some childish, bigoted and sexist name?

Wow. Your life must be very unsatisfying. No wonder you are so driven by hate.

By "The Corporal"

September 3, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this

Hey Jay:

Remember this subject that you were so unprofessional and disingenuous about even though I provided multiple sources ??

This columnist for a Philadelphia paper (9/2/08) is saying there will be a “race war” if Obama is not elected ………………

Hummmmm……………………..

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20080902FatimahAliWeneedObamanot4moreyearsofGeorgeBush.html

By frank

September 3, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this

Barack Hussein Osama was born a muslim in kenya and is ineligible to be president.

Not to mention he has used multiple alias’s in the past and lied about the use of such aliases.

enjoy being conned sheep

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

Mike,

Well, my apologies - I missed your response to me about US magazine - but you really shouldn’t get so worked up about that, really. The article was what? Less that 1000 words - but your right to the average reader of US, that’s a novel. And the typical attention span of US readers is like what? 5-6 seconds? Hell by the time they flipped the page, POOF, gone!

And if Palin said those things or the shock jock interviewing said those things, then seriously, why are you defending that?

But I’m glad you wrote that because otherwise I would have missed Paul’s response to me about the BOR show and him calling me a doo-doo head.

Plus, I guess sarcasm is wasted on some - you do realize my first response was to Swami - get it? Swami Dave. Right? Swami. You know, a swami. Nevermind.

Paul,

I read that article today in this very newspaper - how interesting. I guess doo-doo heads think alike! :-)

For the second time in my life - I think I’m still recovering from the first time - I will watch Bill-O. Just to keep tabs on the old fart, not Obama, Bill-O.

By Voter

September 3, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

What makes Obama a socialist? Where is your proof? I hear that a lot, but I never see anything that backs it up.

I am however VERY concerned about Palin and her husband being connected to the Alaskan Independence Party that is working to cede Alaska and all o fits oil from the Union. Do you right wing Republicans think THAT is a good idea? Palin even sent a video taped welcoming statement to the group’s convention this year telling them they are doing a great job. And the leader of the group is on tape calling the American flag — “that damn flag.”

You tell me who hates America…

By @@

September 3, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

Taxpayer:

I had a wonderful morning, thank you.

If you want to ignore, at the origin of our discussion on abortion, the fact that I said it was the “FORCED FUNDING” of abortion in which I had NO CHOICE, go ahead buddy.

Choosing to IGNORE displays IGNORANCE.

I also stated at the origin, that if liberals want to support, they can do so through private donations to Planned Parenthood taking me and the government out of the business of abortion.

$350,000,000 in taxpayer funding last year alone.

Also, I’d be interested in reading your interpretation of the scriptures I cited rather than just reading that they can be. Loose ends and all that…….

I’m off to read Jay’s column.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 1:09 PM | Link to this

Corporal 12:23

Thanks for the clarification. Interesting point about the morality issue – ties in morality with legislation, doesn’t it? Rather gives me pause… unless one’s talking nonreligious morality such as the morality of how we treat fellow citizens. Or the planet.

Regarding Sen Lieberman saying to vote for Sen McCain as the national security issues are just too important: I wonder, specifically, what he means? The Iraq drawdown? It’s in progress and neither camp is all that much apart, which is why we hear so much of “I was right five years ago” and “you were wrong two years ago.” Yawn. If it’s how to handle Islamic fundamentalists, well, Obama seems to defer more to the law-enforcement model on the domestic front. Outside our borders, though, he’s ready to go riding off to Pakistan to take on OBL (I love these Pres Bush cowboy similarities). And it seems one can make a case that he’s even more hardcore hawkish than Sen McCain regarding Iran if it comes to the point that talking’s failed.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

Paul,

AND I liked the way they said in that article that they met in “secret.” OOhh. Intrigue and mystery and all.

By Mike

September 3, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this

Bosch -

As usual, your “response” doesn’t address anything I said. I guess I should just be like you and not let these thing bother me, you being such a laid back guy and all who constantly shouts in caps and uses exclamation points like periods.

“And if Palin said those things or the shock jock interviewing said those things, then seriously, why are you defending that?”

What was I defending? You can’t answer anything I do say, but you want to respond to arguments that I never made. Why is a simple back and forth so hard for you?

And yes I got your sarcasm, it wasn’t very subtle or clever. The point that you were making was that it was unfair to claim that one can say how non-winning candiadtes would perform, then went on to do just that.

Go ahead and attempt to cover up your hypocrisy with “I was just kidding”. I’m sure that works well with your Mommy or on the playground.

By Hmmmmm

September 3, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Good Grief…… Voter, just invest a LITTLE time and find out how Obama votes on issues! OK, all you left wingers who will dictate the meaning of Socialism, please stop! I would just suggest that if you are not aware of his voting record, please look it up! His change will be more of the same, TAKE FROM ONE and GIVE TO ANOTHER!

By Shawny

September 3, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

If you have nothing on her, make something up. Gotta love that lafty-loosey MSNBC, NOT!

Headline reads, “Palin spouse was member of secessionist party”. Wow, secessionism… Kind of like SC seceeding from the union back in the day right? Read down, and it says he was a member of the Alaskan Independance Party, which advocates states rights (less federal intervention, more state power and ownership). You know, kind of like Thomas Jefferson. Read further down, and it says that some of the members of that party advocate seceeding from the union, but the party does not advocate that. Kind of like those wacko protesters destroying everything represent all of the democrats… right?

Read further down, and it references a blurb from a Miami paper that connects her to Pat Buchanan to the Nazis. Yeah…I am telling you, buddy…better watch our for her…she is a Nazi..

idiots.

By Voter

September 3, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

So Hmmmmm… like Sarah Palin and her association with the Alasskan Independence Party! Take Alaska away from the US and give it to Canada… Where you gonna get that oil then? I suggest you get to know your candidate a bit better than McCain did.

By AL

September 3, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

HEY VOTER Here’s a pretty good example of a Socialist speaking about Taxes. Their favorite subject. When given the facts that raising capital gains taxes would lower government revenue. Translated : make us poorer. When asked by Charlie Gibson well here’s part of the transcipt. Gosh he scares me. Oh yeah you hear that FAIR word. Socialist love that word.

Senator Obama dismissed concerns about falling revenue, arguing that a high rate was justified by “fairness.” In other words, Senator Obama is so fixated on punishing success that he is even willing to reduce the amount of tax revenue flowing to Washington that he and his buddies can redistribute.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

Mike,

Okay, this is what I said at 12:23 in response to Swami:

“How can you justify how a candidate MIGHT have been? “

in which you replied:

“Would Gore have been better than Bush? How would you know?”

and I later replied

“in my opinion, a rabid monkey would have done a better job running this country than Bush.”

Would it have made you happier if I’d responded:

“Well, Mike, I’m not sure how Gore would have done over Bush, now do I?”

If that will make you feel better, then consider the above sentence as an addendum to my 12:41 post.

I really don’t see any basis for your accusations, but hey, interpretation is part of life.

And, as I’ve pointed out before, I don’t run from my hypocrisy, I embrace it. We’re all hypocrites, I’m one of the few whose admitted it (but it was on another blog).

Also, as I’ve pointed out to @@ before, when you type in all caps, it’s not shouting, it’s typing in all caps - you know, for emphasis.

In order to shout, you need some kind of oral capability, and typing on a blog does not provide such a capacity. It’s called emphasis on a word, not “shouting” as that is impossible in this forum.

By @@

September 3, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

Apparently, John McCain was a POW and he hasn’t even spoken yet Jay.

I’ll take a POW over a community POW WOW ER anyday.

So how’s your little mercantile doin’? I’ve just been over to Wooten’s where the liberal “whine-os” are hanging out. Lots of intellectual discussion from them……

Let’s see, we’ve got — What defines a baby daddy. Is it one mama with one baby from one surefire daddy? Is it one mama with 10 baby from 10 daddy? Is it many mamas with many baby from one daddy?

Then there’s the left-wing “whine-o” that’s saying Mr. Palin, father to Bristol is his daughter baby daddy.

Another is awaiting the arrival of pictures of Bristol of Bristol flashing gang signs. He/she is all excited with the anticipation.

The liberal graffiti over there is boundaryless. Over 200 posts so far. I’ve got an idea……

mark the cheap “whine” down to half price. Put it in a brown bag, but be sure to save one for your head to avoid identification with….

By "The Corporal"

September 3, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

To Paul:

If you listened closely he said we know who McCain is but we don’t know who Obama is ………. that’s the scary part.

I have my own opinion about who Obama really is but I’ll just leave it at that ……..

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

Well it appears that I have contradicted myself. At 1:36 I wrote:

“this is what I said” which is totally wrong, because I didn’t “say” it at all, I “wrote” it. I mean, I might have “said” it my head to myself at the time, but anyway.

So there, I made a mistake - see that’s not so hard to admit.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

@@,

I wonder how getalife is doing? I thought about him this weekend while watching the idiot reporters in the hurricane being blown around while reporting and thinking to myself, “Um, get inside idiot.”

I hope he’s okay. Probably doesn’t have power.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

Corporal 1:42

Which is why I’m so looking forward to the BOR show on Thursday. He comes up with some off the wall questions and a theme of his has been “who is this guy, really?”

Bosch (or anyone)

I just received one of those “political action” emails from a family member who’s a bit on the conservative side. Was forwarded from ‘just a regular middle class, small business owner family guy’ with concerns about who to vote for - then morphed into a ‘here’s why I support Mccain’ pitch. The member’s request was to hear views on either candidate or what the person had to say.

Of course I couldn’t resist stirring the pot. People here have likely heard some of this before - but they’re points that are so darn much fun to make. (Note: I won’t quote the letter - the parts “in quotes” are what the writer wrote).

Okay, I’ll give this a go.

“They can’t understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public trust with pork barrel spending.”

“They don’t want government handouts.”

“They want the government to protect them, not raise their taxes for more government programs.”

“NOT ONE of them I’ve spoken to can spell out his qualifications.”

“Change what?”

“Political experience? Negligible. Foreign relations? Non-existent. Achievements? Name one. Someone who wants to unite the country?”

Many think the best person for the presidency is the one with extensive Federal elected experience. That eliminates millions from consideration. Or a governorship under their belt. Maybe. But state experience is not federal experience. And that still eliminates millions.

But there are other characteristics. Leadership is more than past accomplishments. There are elements of the ability to inspire others, to have a vision and a wllingness to work towards it.

Just like that guy who got his start as President of the Screen Actor’s Guild.

By ByteMe

September 3, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

Bud,

I’m sorry. Really. Seriously. Sorry.

I was totally kidding (that’s what the smiley was about) and didn’t really expect you to take me up on the challenge and waste your time like that hunting down info on the guy (although it sounds like you were enjoying it). Hadn’t heard of the guy before, but his prose sounded a bit off the deep end of things. More blog style than what I’d expect from someone with the background he’s claimed to have. So I went with a joke and you took the bait, but shouldn’t have, so I’m sorry if I wasted your time on this. Had I been around before now, I would have stopped you sooner, but I’m trying to get past a stupid migraine that is slowing my day down badly.

Have a good afternoon. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

By GMAN

September 3, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

The “old geezer” has two months left so he chose to spend them with the “queen of the hillbillies”. Just what America needs, and old fart and a hillbilly tart!

Bush/McCain - Gambling with our children’s future!

By CommunistAJC

September 3, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Voter, The fact that Obama Hussein wants government to provide welfare for everyone is the first sign. The second is socialist medicine that Europe has. The same health care system that causes tons of people to be on a waiting list to see doctors. A lot of those people end up dying. But then again, democrats don’t care about people. Just power. As for Palin, you need to steer clear of Daily Kos. They also started the rumor that she was not the mother of her down syndrome baby.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this

Paul,

I’m surprised you have friends. :-) Your friend is probably thinking “Paul, what a doo-doo head.”

Nice responses though.

I just delete all my politcal emails.

That’s the kind of thing I do to my mother when she goes off on her evangelical religion thing. I’m surprised she still talks to me. BUT (see emphasis, not shouting), she not only talks to me, she thinks I’m great.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

Bosch

I’m surprised, too! I was talking to a guy at church who I’d just assumed was quite liberal (okay, so really, how many conservative gay guys do you meet? so much for stereotypes) and he made a few derisive comments about Obama’s qualifications. I responded with my Reagan analogy. He looked at me and exclaimed “Paul! you’re not a liberal, are you?!!?” Dang, it was entertaining.

You have a mother?!!?

By ByteMe

September 3, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

Excellent responses, Paul.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

Paul,

YES, I have a mother - a very religious mother, go figure - my sisters and I took after my dad - agnostic. Yes, life was good in the Bosch household.

I was not spawned from an alien pod as some may think.

Conservative gay guys? Hmmmm.. Andrew Sullivan is the only one I can think of (well, that are honest about it anyway). I have a conservative lesbian cousin, well, really just extremely religious lesbian cousin - not so much conservative - she’s all about Obama.

I really enjoyed the other day when someone called you a liberal. I offered up my congrats and everything.

AND (see, again, emphasis, not shouting) I don’t know if you saw it yesterday in my response about your son, BUT - Congrats on being a grandpa.

Grandpa Paul.

By Taxpayer

September 3, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

And then there’s more of the story:

There is so little good economic news these days that we were cheered on Tuesday after the Census Bureau reported that in 2007 the income of the typical American household rose for the third year in a row. We weren’t cheered for long. A closer look confirms what Americans already know: most families reaped none of the benefits of the previous six years of solid economic growth. Median household income last year was still 0.6 percent less than it was in 2000, when the last economic expansion peaked. Households led by someone 65 or under made an average of $56,545 last year — 3.4 percent less than in 2000. The census offers the same mirage when it comes to health insurance. While the overall number of uninsured dropped — from 47 million in 2006 to 45.7 million last year — that still left the number of uninsured Americans 7.2 million higher than in 2000. The improvements were entirely attributable to an increase in the number of people enrolled in Medicaid and other public programs. What makes the news particularly bleak is that last year was probably the best year of the economic expansion that started at the end of 2001. Surveying the wreckage since then, it appears all but certain that this year’s census data will be worse. The report has other grim news. The number of people living under the poverty line rose by 5.7 million since 2000, to 12.5 percent of the population. And the number of impoverished children increased to 18 percent. There are multiple reasons why Americans are working harder and not getting ahead, including a weak labor movement, globalization, technological change and a slowdown in educational attainment. Except for a few years in the late ‘90s, wages and benefits have grown more slowly than the nation’s income for nearly 30 years. Under the Bush administration workers’ share of national income has fallen with a vengeance, to its lowest point since the 1960s. The Bush expansion may be the first in recorded history in which poverty rose and typical American families never regained the level of income they had attained at the end of the prior one….

That’s one mighty fine economy Bush is leaving us with. What a legacy!

By Common Sense

September 3, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

To Commu:

You are very funny complaining about a welfare system when we give corporations all kind of welfare.

When are you going to grow-up and speak some truth. You go mostly with here say!

I know this about John McClain

He did not earn anything in his life. McClain cheated repeated on his first wife! McClain did not study his air flight book therefore could endanger his teammates!

McClain does not even know we are not fighting a war in Iraq we are fighting factions of the country.

McClain recklessness cause him to destroy several airplanes! McClain is still with a party that lied about him having an affair!

By Paul

September 3, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

Bosch

I thought I was having a deja vu moment relating the conversation at church. Oh well, lots on my mind the last while - hopefully someone else got a chuckle.

I was trying to incorporate my earlier thanks from this morning with your post late yesterday.

Yea, I got the Grandpa message. It’s amazing, I have friends (leave it) my age who have kids in elementary school. Personally I think they’re nuts - had a friend I think I told you about who was mid-40s when twins were born. I started laughing and told him to add fifteen years to his life and imagine his daughter just started dating. He hung up on me.

But the gig isn’t a new one. Couple years ago we were shopping for Christmas presents for a rug rat and my wife picked up one of these bang’em loud toys. I asked my wife what she was thinking - the parents would not appreciate it. Her response? “Payback.”

We bought it.

By The Player

September 3, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

This should be great TV . The guy who got the VP candidate’s underage daughter pregnant being welcomed by the GOP bigs and her parents! I’d bet he’s been yakking w/ his redneck buddies , “Dude, I’m gonna smoke a huge joint, smile all the way through with everyone in the country knowing I was the 1 riding her daughter! Marry her? Heck NO! We’re just saying that to get through the convention w/o Mrs. Barracuda kickin my rear!”

By GodHatesTrash

September 3, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

Jews, Muslims, and Catholics must give their children names from their holy books, or the names of the sanctified/saints.

Most decent human beings who are Protestants follow that rule. Sometimes they will give their child the first name of a surname from their family tree.

Enter KKKhristian secessionist Sarah Palin.

What does this s/he-wolf and her drunk spouse name their child after? The trigger of a gun.

When you look up trash in the dictionary, there is Sarah Palin’s picture.

By ButtHead

September 3, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

By the way all the crap about Alaskan Independence Party is all lies put out by left wing nuts. I love how free speech to a lefty is a license to lie.

By GodHatesTrash

September 3, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this

Levi will be a big hit at the GOP convention.

Text messages galore from Tom Foley, and Larry Craig will make sure he knows where the restroom is.

By hotlanta

September 3, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Palin got chosen for VP because she gave birth to a baby with Down Syndrome. Her daughter is in the news because she is pregnant. I thought women rights was for us not to be known for our uterus. The Palin women sent the women’s movement back 50 years on that one.

By hotlanta

September 3, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Palin got chosen for VP because she gave birth to a baby with Down Syndrome. Her daughter is in the news because she is pregnant. I thought women rights was for us not to be known for our uterus. The Palin women sent the women’s movement back 50 years on that one.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

By Bosch September 3, 2008 3:02 PM Conservative gay guys? Hmmmm.. Andrew Sullivan is the only one I can think of

Bosch: Andrew “Farts” Sullivan is about as much of a Conservative as God’s Trash is a man.

Not at all.

Freaks.

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

I am dangerous, because I am intelligent.

LMAO— Oh, that’s made my whole day! I’m so scared of Non-Wiser who’s dangerous because he’s so “intelligent”… compared to whom? A 3rd grader?

Alright, I’ll admit you have the intelligence level of a FOURTH GRADER. Excuse me.

By GodHatesTrash

September 3, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this

Palin is the female version of Clarence “Uncle” Thomas.

She was nominated not for further progress on equal rights for women and minorities, but for the GOP to say it’s all done.

By Goldie

September 3, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

My choice for November is clear. I want a POTUS who shows more wisdom and restraint when it comes to invading and occupying a country in the Middle East. No more blustery war-mongering words (likes McBush prefers to use) just to show who’s the biggest bully in the world.

Blustery war-mongering does not a POTUS make.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

Paul,

I have lots of friends who have very young kids - the other Bosch and I started out early - and what do ya’ know I was in the exact same situation as the young Bristol Palin (but the other Bosch is a couple years older than me).

I laugh and laugh at my friends too. We are the parents people call to say, “did your kids do this? and we say, Oh yes, just wait.”

Still paying for daycare while I’m starting to pay for college. Hell, I’ll be 50 when my youngest graduates from college. Ha ha!

Okay, back to the topic. I have to say about celebrities at the convention: the Democrats had way cooler celebrities at their convention. I mean, they got Sheryl Crow and Steve Wonder, and the Republicans have - um, people that no ones ever heard of, and Jon Voight.

Well, we wouldn’t have Angelina Joile without Jon Voight and the blessings of hearing every detail of her life with her 17 kids and Brad Pitt - so that’s something, but really the Dem celebs were much cooler.

They did have Michael McDonald, who is kind of boring now, but he was a Doobie Brother, and I say, if you were ever in a band called the “Doobie Brothers” that pretty much makes you cool until you’re dead.

By The Way

September 3, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

McCain was a POW? I thought he was a guest at the Hanoi Hilton. I dont get it. Vietnam War? If you remember it, you weren’t there, okay? America’s greatest sin, and every General on the Joint Chiefs of Staff today admits that Vietnam was a mistake, a quagmire and a boondoggle. We went to war to force the Vietnamese to let us put a McDonalds on every street corner, (after we put in streets). Today, the Vietnamese welcome us to put whatever we want on any of their streets. We didn’t have to slaughter them for ten years.

Ditto Iraq. The end game in Iraq will conform exactly to my predictions. Just like Nam did.

I know all. I see all. I am a student of history.

By SaveOurRepublic

September 3, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

“Fraud” Thompson (like many of the Neocons) was a CFR member, so that speaks volumes for his true agenda (& ma$ters). Like the Dumbocrap convention, the Republicrud convention is staged, scripted propaganda meant to dupe the shepele into thinking there’s a true choice between the supposed “Left” & “Right” (which are in fact controlled by the same Globalist Elite).

The fact that RINO “McAmnasty” selected Palin speaks volumes for her. McSame wouldn’t select a non Neocon running mate, because his ma$ters wouldn’t allow a non-Globalist on the ticket. No doubt Palin was a “PC” gimmick selection to offset “Bacrock Obummer’s” minority/diversity factor. That in itself is a total crock, as the ruse of “multiculturalism” was spawned from socialism. However, the key is it’s a Neocon ticket running against a Marxist ticket…both controlled by the Internationalist Elite!!!

http://www.baldwin2008.com

By GodHatesTrash

September 3, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

There are headless chickens with more brains and intellectual capacity than the vast majority of the rightwingnut posters here.

The only rightwingnuts with any brains on all of AJC are Captain Freedom and Redneck Convert.

Mr. Bookman, how come all of the powerful voices for conservatism hang out over with the redneck trash on the Woo-ten Klan blog, and not over here with your redneck trash - they must be ducking me and Midori, afraid of getting their butts (as in rifle) kicked.

I must admit, though, that Captain Freedom is probably the most powerful voice for conservatism since Sonny Bono’s untimely demise…

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

Andy,

Andrew Sullivan is a conservative, a real conservative, not a wingnut, neo-con conservative.

How do you know God Hates Trash isn’t a woman? What an incredibly sexist remark.

By Bosch

September 3, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

Andy,

Another thing. You call God Hates Trash a woman, using in in a completely insulting manner, but yet, think Sarah Palin is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Got hypocrisy?

By Paul

September 3, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this

Goldie 3:35

And I’d like a President who’ll make it policy to get us out of the Middle East, who’ll make sure we don’t need anything essential from them (oil) and if they want to invade and slaughter each other, well, have at it.

That’s part of my recurring problem with Biden - intervention of US military in countries where there are no US security issues. Rather ad hoc, on a case by case basis. leads to problems.

Bosch,

And I still like the tribute song Frank Sinatra did for the Doobie Brothers. You know - the one that ends “doobie doobie doo, do dum da dee da… “(strangers in the night).

Time for a new topic, Jay. Past time. Waaaay past time.

By AJC/DNC Management

September 3, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this

Bosch: If you really think Sullivan is a Conservative and Trash is not a woman, it sure does explain a lot about you.

By Robin Delle Monache

September 3, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this

Can someone explain to me why the Republican party feels the need to tell fellow Americans and now the world how to think,when to think and what to think. For a party that preaches less government why do they want to interfere so much in telling us how to live our lives.I’ts to the point now that they want to tell us what to do in our bedrooms.

By Paul

September 3, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

Robin

[[they want to interfere so much in telling us how to live our lives.I’ts to the point now that they want to tell us what to do in our bedrooms.]]

Ummm, is the chorus of “why’s Palin’s daughter pregnant? Why’s she making her kid get married? Why’d she have all those kids and one so late? Why does she hunt animals? Why’s she want to be a VP when she has kids?”

coming from Republicans?

By Swami Dave

September 3, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

Bosch:

It takes no “swami” powers to recognize that either of the previous two Democratic Presidential candidates would have been worse for this country than has President Bush.

All it takes is the ability to look at the results (from the past) of policies that they supported (raise taxes, increase regulation, stifle energy resource with artificial constraints and fees).

It is called predicting the future (or, in this case, evaluating the past as it would have been) based on past results.

Glad to help you out!

-Swami Dave (Truth, History, and Common Sense Refute Liberalism!)

By Common Sense

September 3, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this

It’s amazing that women are even in the REPLUBLICAN party. Their is so little support for you why do you fall for that crap.

The country first statement is just stupid. Palin it takes 2 parents to raise a baby not one! Where is family first? If you are a christian you are putting your job first?

You must not be a real follower of Christ!

Also with the decision makers who have all this experience putting their country first I would rather pass on our candidate of John McClain.

I know he did not put his first wife first!

But that is o.k. because he was injured right! o.k. he is still injured right!

America the decision should be simply!

Obama/Biden 08

By @@

September 3, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this

Paul:

Jay opened up a new thread @ 3:29. You’re late for work.

By Bill Taylor

September 3, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this

Jay Bookman does not deserve the space the AJC allows for his rants. The man does not understand the concept of fair and balanced nor does he even pretend to present the full facts in his poor attempts to fill column space. Mr. Bookman , along with Ms. Tucker of the Editoral Board are the prime reason for decline revenue of this newspaper

By TW

September 3, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this

The decline in readership of the AJC has more to do with the average Georgian choosing to lay back in the recliner and drink backer juice while Bill O’Reilly tellls them what to think. That readin’ business is for them thinkin’ folks.

By dirty harry

September 3, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this

It’s getting nasty out there folks

Listen to Peggy Noonan and Michael Murphy both REPUBLICAN ADVISORS attack The Palin pick. Noonan also says this is Bll Sht!

They are starting to eat their own!

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

By dirty harry

September 3, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this

Oh, I forgot page down on the web page and listen to the REPUBLICAN NATIONAL Committee co=chair introduce Sarah Palin as Sarah Pawlenty.

Can the jokes get any better? I really think so!

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

By Copyleft

September 4, 2008 8:15 AM | Link to this

Wow. It seems that every day, another clueless Bushdrone comes on here and voices his ignorant outrage that there’s no “fair and balanced reporting” going on…

in the OPINION section!

This is really laughable.