Indiana Jonesing

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  • Russell Brown,

    BTW, in one of those delightful moments of libraries immitating life I've just taken delivery of a shiny new copy of Andrew Sullivan's The Conservative Soul. Please restrain your snickers, because it's worth a look.

    Book review, please. For PA Radio, then I'll post the text along with the podcast? Or a guest post?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Nick D'Angelo,

    But isn't Bush a a complete bastard

    and

    McCain is also running the appeaser line.

    It appears the Repubs (GOP) are going all out to smear Obama as 'Anti-Israel' and therefore 'Pro Terrorism'.

    John 'I Got Swiftboated' Kerry has jumped to Obama's defence in HuffPo about another outrageous smear:

    I've been around politics long enough to know that it's a contact sport. Words will be abused. Phrases will be taken out of context.

    But the latest distortion from the GOP, frankly, shouldn't give us all pause -- it should spring us into action....

    Rep. John Boehner and Rep. Eric Cantor - senior leadership in the House GOP -- decided to ignore the actual meaning of English words and simply invent something Barack Obama didn't say...

    ...how can we actually have a debate on foreign policy, if the other side simply makes up statements on which to base phony, contrived outrage?

    You need to follow the link to understand the whole issue. As __The Daily Show __proved the other night, voters really are easily misled by smears (they ran a news clip of Dem voters articulating why they wouldn't vote for Obama - he's black and he's a Muslim) (and am I wrong to think those voters wouldn't know what the word 'articulate' means?)

    Simon Laan • Since May 2008 • 162 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    John 'I Got Swiftboated' Kerry has jumped to Obama's defence in HuffPo about another outrageous smear

    Nick! You need to try that again with the actual URL in there ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Nick D'Angelo,

    Simon Laan • Since May 2008 • 162 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'll work something up and have it for you on Thursday -- rather dense (in the sense of closely argued rather than stupid) so not sure 180 seconds would do it justice. But we shall see... In another life, I could easily imagine Sullivan following in the footsteps of Michael Oakeshott -- living the don's life at the LSE, and not supervising Mary Ann Thompson's phantom Ph.D. :) Its also rather nice seeing someone you're more familiar with as a blogger and columnist having the space to develop and tease out an argument at book length.

    I'll also pull digit from backside, tidy up my script for this week's piece and get it to you before lunch. Two commissions in one day makes one feel frightfully grown up.

    Apart from the utter unfairness to Obama the whole debate about the Middle East is hard enough without crap like that.

    Bugger, we finally agree on something Neil. :) I wish McCain had given me a little more time to get illusioned before becoming disillusioned, but the post Russell linked to is not screaming 'serious foreign policy' to me. It's that fricking '3 am, the phone rings' ad all over again. And, Neil, it would be hypocritical for me to criticise Clinton for that crap without pinging McCain for the same old bullshit in a brand new box.

    Still, I'm cautiously impressed that on the day the California Supreme Court struck down the ban on same-sex marriage, McCain hasn't gone wide with the rhetorical fag bashing. Yet.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    I've just taken delivery of a shiny new copy of Andrew Sullivan's The Conservative Soul.

    Sounds like you need one of those 'No Pamplets' stickers on your letterbox.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    *Pamphlets

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Saw McCain on Telly last night. He doesn't look well. Being a POW & 74yrs old I'm concerned as to whom his running mate may be.

    West Virginias support for Clinton & their reasoning must stand as an inditement for Clinton, not any wide form of credibility.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report

  • Neil Morrison,

    Bugger, we finally agree on something Neil.

    I'll drown my sorrows with extra chardonnay his evening.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Saw McCain on Telly last night. He doesn't look well.

    He's looking a damn sight healthier than Obama or Clinton at the moment. If anything is guaranteed to turn you into an over-caffinated, malnourished and chronically sleep-deprived loon try running in a modern American presidential campaign. On the other hand, it would go a long way to explaining why they tend to become increasingly bizarre and incoherent as they grind on.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Saw McCain on Telly last night. He doesn't look well. Being a POW & 74yrs old I'm concerned as to whom his running mate may be.

    Cheney? Rumplesveld? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
    On a serious note, is there a limit to the number of terms a vice pres can run?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    On a serious note, is there a limit to the number of terms a vice pres can run?

    Nope. The 22nd amendment only applies to the president.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Deborah,

    Neil, any chance you could e-mail me? Clicking on the envelope symbol under my gravy-cat will bring up my e-mail address.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Nope. The 22nd amendment only applies to the president.

    So, should we all start worrying?
    The Democrat's have effectively divided their supporters, I have heard so many times "if Hillary wins I won't vote for her" and vice versa so a Republican in the white house looks likely. god help us all if McCain becomes President and has that whole dark backroom full of warmongers behind him. Doesn't anyone in the states remember Roosevelt's warning about the Military Industrial Complex?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    god help us all if McCain becomes President and has that whole dark backroom full of warmongers behind him. Doesn't anyone in the states remember Roosevelt's warning about the Military Industrial Complex?

    I have no idea who McCain will choose as his running mate, but I can't imagine it'll help get him elected if he picks Dick Cheney. As far as I can tell shooting a friend in the face, and then making the friend apologise to him, is about the best thing he's done in eight years.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    As far as I can tell shooting a friend in the face, and then making the friend apologise to him, is about the best thing he's done in eight years.

    Every now and then, I still giggle at Jon Stewart's unabashed glee on the first Daily Show after that incident. 'He shot... an old man... IN THE FACE!'

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Doesn't anyone in the states remember Roosevelt's warning about the Military Industrial Complex?

    I doubt it, becaise neither Teddy or Franklin were that fussed. Think you're This you're referring to this speech Dwight Eisenhower made just before leaving office in 1961.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Just checking to see if you were awake Craig. I knew it was Eisenhower all along. No I did really.....honest....did did did did did.
    I think I should go into Politics ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • WH,

    So, the ends always justify the means?

    I'm going to let Meatloaf take that question, Craig.

    Ha ha this song is so bad. I watched three drunk and presumably single English girls do a harmony karaoke version the other night. So very, very wrong. What some people do for love would rightly shock us all I suspect.

    Seriously though, conservatism is incoherent, especially as far as race relations is concerned. You should revise your viewpoint while you still can.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    75,000 people - to listen to a politician. In Portland, Oregon. Population 568,380.

    Obama, an Illinois senator, drew his biggest crowd to date in Portland, estimated by a fire and rescue official at 75,000 people. Oregon also votes on Tuesday.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    Video confirming the crowd size.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    The Bag also riffs on the phenomenon in Portland.

    No one has been more skeptical than I have about the celebrity factor in politics. (And, in this case, idolatry might be the more accurate construct.) As the pendulum turns and gains speed, however, away from the last eight year of punishment, what we see exemplified is Obama as the focal point, conduit and recipient of great relief and (at least the stirrings of) a tremendous emotional release.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Nick D'Angelo,

    the phenomenon in Portland

    Obama has succeeded because American's want 'change' ie change from politics-as-usual. They always do, having previously rallied behind (to a lesser extent) Ralph Nader and (more successfully) Ross Perot. (Bob Jones found similar favour with the NZ electorate). But voters have learnt the two major parties are too strong and an independent will never win, so Obama is percieved as the next best thing. McCain also tries to win over some of that 'plain folks' vote with his 'straight talk' persona. The rally in Portland is heartening, but who knows what will happen by November. McCain (ie the RNC/Fox) could still pull something out of the bag. Especially if there is another 'terror incident' (a real one, not just the bogus threat of one).

    Simon Laan • Since May 2008 • 162 posts Report

  • Neil Morrison,

    Obama has succeeded because American's want 'change' ie change from politics-as-usual.

    It's certainly a large part of his appeal and many other politicians have marketed themsleves in the same way - the Outsider who'll change Washington.

    But "Americans"? - with Obama getting 0.7% more than HRC of the Democrat voter participation in the primaries that might read better as "some, and not a majority, of Americans".

    It may be a winning strategy come Nov, it worked for Reagan and Bill Clinton, but those big crowds don't necessarily mean all that much.

    There's a great fervor amongst Obama supporters - but that's restricted to his supporters. He seems to be offering his supporters Redemption - we Amerians have sinned and Obama being fresh and new seems to offer that redemption. But it's a message that might not have a broader appeal.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    He seems to be offering his supporters Redemption - we Amerians have sinned and Obama being fresh and new seems to offer that redemption. But it's a message that might not have a broader appeal.

    Well, on the QT, Neil, reality-based Republicans aren't quite so sanguine -- losing three special elections in three months (all in solidly Republican districts), and leaders warning of the real prospects of Democrats making double digit gains in the House and winning a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate?

    It could be turned around, but McCain is going to have to do a lot better than trying to tar Obama as Neville Chamberlain in a burnoose.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

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