The Disturbing, Pathetic Reality of this Presidential Race . . . You Betcha!
A glance at the front page of today’s New York Times leaves readers with the impression that last night’s vice presidential debate was something of a wash, more or less a tie. Not until you reach the left hand side of the op-ed section do you get a more realistic judgment--Palin was “a wildly irresponsible choice,” which is nevertheless carefully balanced on the right side (no pun intended) by a David Brooks piece declaring Palin some sort of populist victor.
It’s all so drearily predictable.
For major media outlets, there is no upside to acknowledging the obvious: Palin is a know-nothing who should only be permitted into the White House as a tourist; McCain, far from putting “country first,” has gambled our lives and futures for personal gain; this race should be declared over.
But that wouldn’t do. Tens of millions of viewers are tuning in to these debates, flipping between political chat shows. Think of the ratings! Think of the ad revenue!
Acknowledging that Palin has no business on a national ticket or that John McCain often makes no sense, and frequently resorts to lies, risks derailing the gravy train.
I suspect there is a deeper reason as well, both for media types and the general public: the disturbing, pathetic reality of this presidential race is an indictment not only of our political system but of our sorry dwindling culture as a whole. Our tolerance for the absurdity of the Palin/McCain campaign reflects a dangerous lack of seriousness, a giddy, pudding-headed insistence on addressing even a presidential election with no more attention than we give to snarfing down high fructose cheeze wizzles. Our civic life has become just another narcotizing game show. It’s not a pretty sight; no wonder so few are interested in examining it.
Things look relatively good for the Obama campaign at the moment, but with a month to go and media in robotic denial mode, not to mention the hidden “race vote,” it is still conceivable that Sarah Palin could get her hands on the nuclear codes.
And that’s pretty gorsh darn frightenin’, you betcha.
- FILED UNDER: Host Posts, $700 Billion Bailout, Barack Obama, Campaigns, Congress, debate
- October 3, 2008
Ron - Sean here, producer
Ron -
Sean here, producer of The Lionel Show.
Just wanted to drop a line to say I loved this post, although it both scared and depressed the hell out of me. But most intelligent writing does these days.
Best,
Sean
Spear Chucker
Obama is a spear chucking nigger. Muslims are sand niggers. Only whites are qualified to be the leaders of our country not niggers. It is pretty bad when people in your own race don't even like your sorry butt, ala Jesse Jackson. Obama has no answers, he is just a problem starter. Anyone stupid enough to vote for him is wanting this country to fall, and yer all Nigger lovers. Go back to Africa.
Why hello, Hatey's sock puppet!
Having a racial discussion with yourself, again? Fuck off.
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
Why don't you bitch?
You nigger lover, did your Mom get out of Obama's bed this morning and did you say good morning Daddy. I think pretty soon I'll start having to write in Ebonics.
Get the fuck off this blog, Boy
Or I'll tell your massa. But then you like that S & M stuff, don't you Hatey? And what would your church think, hmmm? Maybe we'll let Huff handle that.
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
What a Little Nigger Tar Baby.
Awww, and what are you gonna do, beat me up? Your a lib so you'll probably hit me with your purse. Tell your Nigger to get off the ballot then I'll go away, but until then I will be around nigger lovers.
I knew that sooner or later
I knew that sooner or later you'd show your true colors, hatenomor. Your stint as a wannabe black person didn't work out too well, did it? You just didn't know enough. You thought that spouting the names of famous black people would fool us.
You will be around
Because you are a coward who would NEVER face any of us like a man, and will NEVER be held accountable for your animal behavior. Try spouting your bullshit in South Central, tough guy.
BTW, your mother called. Wanted me to tell you she's spending the weekend with "LaDamian" again so don't wait up.
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
Homo says "what", lawn jockey?
Git, boy. YOu have the white mans lawn to protect.
"She's Cheney in drag." Me
It is real bad
It is real bad when a senator who is a veteran , goes against veterans, and then says that he has been fighting for veteran benefits. McCain is a lier, The only thing McShame has been right on, is when he suspended his campaign.
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=406AB549C42A11AF0270C0C6...
Ok I see now,
That some one like you will never say the same crap that you are spouting right now in real life, and on say an Native American rez. Because you and every one on the blog know exatly what would happen to you.
Now unless you are man enough to back up what you say some where where you are not protected like behind a keyboard then come to oklahoma and see me first hand.
FREE LEONARD PELTIER
www.aimovement.org
www.layoffinhofe.com
www.autismrocks.org
www.andrewriceforoklahoma.com
Written by Sarah Palin's son in law to be. Figures.
.
Lost in Hell
Liberal Holocaust is lost in hell and will probably never find his way out without some kind of intervention. Anyone out there willing to love on this guy? Poor poor hater. I'm so so sorry that you have such a miserable life full of too much diversity. Life's not simple enough for you? More variety than you can handle? It's okay. Just stay home and take two aspiran. Your world will be much safer that way.
Hatemoron - can you hold off on your meltdown for a wee bit?
I want to make sure I have enough beer and snacks on hand to sit back and watch your nuclear meltdown.
"She's Cheney in drag." Me
... Already long ago, from
... Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man,
the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time
handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now
restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things:
bread and circuses....Juvenal
Here's a Reagan I would DEFINITELY vote to elect...
Ron, for a number of years I have been following your clear-eyed, level-headed approach to politics. Your half-brother Mike...not so much.
Thank you for always having the balls to say what's true and best for everyone. If you ever run for ANYTHING, I will be there voting your way.
All the best to you and your family.
This Reagan
This Reagan's a bitch faggot.
Half of America is below average in intelligence.
For the last 30 years, they have been making fun of the top as the "elite". Even though they want to go to an "elite" doctor, they don't believe in the foundation science of biology, botany and physiology.
It has become so bad, they view "science" as another "religion" which is why they want to teach "mysticism" as equal to science. They go to a doctor, but don't believe in the foundation science which is the basis for that doctor's knowledge.
Palin stood up there and said every old cliche in existence. "I will fight fight fight for ya" "Doncha know it?" "You betcha".
This is pathetic. The rest of the world is laughing at us.
reading this post
let me tell you something... not all "libs" are "fags" or "wussies".
You wouldn't dare talk to people like that in person. Hiding behind the keyboard, snorting cheerios and spouting that kind of stuff, wow. You are one miserable human being.
And I dare you to talk like that in my presence. Because you'll receive a "liberal" helping of fist in your face. Yeah, I'm behind a keyboard, but I'm not afraid to come out from behind it. I run every day, I lift weights, I'm an intelligent, married man. But if you talk like that and I hear it, I'll put all that on the line in the hopes of breaking your arm off and ramming it down your yapper.
Yeah thats right. We don't all run and hide when the bully throws his crappy ass words around. There are plenty of us in the military and are trained in h2h. And we're working on Obama's campaign. That's right, because your decrepit candidate cares nothing for his fellow veterans and has proven so with his senatorial vote time and time again.
If you'd like to take me up on my little dare, let me know where you're at. I'll be glad to come to you. You have a 1st amendment right to say what you think. You also have the right to face the consequences for it.
I am a CO, and I hate violence,
but I am a former boxer (in my teens), a marathon runner, and I am a nationally-ranked masters athlete today. I also worked security, and I was a bouncer in college, and I am another individual who could put you in the hospital without breathing hard.
I'm married and have three kids. My ex-wife is a Jew (2), and my present wife is black (1).
The number of Americans who marry someone of a different race or religion has exploded over the last two decades. You and your ilk are shovelling shit agains the tide, you pathetic masturbating little boy.
How liberals disguised
How liberals disguised themselves as tolerant is beyond me. Sure they are tolerant, just as long as you agree with every thing they stand for, otherwise they gang up like a bunch of fascists to shout you down and shut you up any way possible.
Oh yeah, and like all lib "tough guy" bitches here, you are all bark.
By snofro
Well, it worked on you. You didn't get the results you expected, did you.
He who barks for free shouldn't go to the Republican members-only sites. What a dildo.
By snoopfroggyfroggOctober 3, 2008 - 10:29pm
You're actually sticking up for that racist piece of shit? You've really fucking lost it, froggy.
Support the Troops.
End the Occupation.
re read my post.
i said he had a first amendment right to say what he wanted. I don't have to like what he says and I can certainly decide to try to knock him the fuck out if I'm willing to accept the consequences, which I would gladly do. I'm no peacenik, I hate violence as the other poster said, but I know there's a time for fighting too.
Call me whatever you want, if I were to hear you talking that hateful trash when I'm around, I'm coming after you. You wouldn't know whether I bark or bite, either, behind-keyboard-hider, but you would surely find out if I heard that kind of crap in my earshot.
However, I never will because you pansies would never say that stuff in front of another human being unless it was one of your wife beater t-shirted drinking buddies who felt the same way.
You and your little parrot friend would never say that shit in mixed company because ALL RACISTS are scared shitless of 2 things: 1) other human beings and 2) other human beings finding out they're ignorant racists.
Now that you've stooped so low as to support open racism, you can take my dare too. Then we'll see who barks and who bites.
On youtube,
I post my sports videos under the user-name "Scyllax".
How many trucks
have you lifted?
My Mercedes in the shop?...no...you're driving it.
I think there's been an unwarranted overuse of the phrase, "I'm in stocks, hgh finance, and government, and I know what I'm doing."
Palin remindedd me powerfully
of a beauty queen contestant answering the MC's questions.
She also answered the questions like a person primed for a debate with an unfamiliar topic (to that person) who is cued to respond to key words and phrases used by the previous speaker.
She was painful to watch and listen to.
Wow, Ron, you are an idiot.
Wow, Ron, you are an idiot. How can you call the other side's ticket pathetic when your side is headed by a guy that pals around with a domestic terrorist, gives out earmarks for financial favors, and does business with convicted slum lords? Not to mention the fact that your number 2 plagerizes his speeches and all of a sudden flipped on all oh his own criticisms of Obama the second he was placed on the ticket. All of this headed by the slogan of "change". Now THAT is pathetic.
You are confused. It is Bush
You are confused. It is Bush that pals around with terrorists and gives earmarks for financial favors, and does business with convicted criminals. You might think Ron Reagan is a Republican, but he isn't. He's much smarter than that.
Bush pals around with leaders
who are regarded as dictators in The Middle East such as the presidents of Egypt and Uzbekistan and the Saudi royalty.
He has received the president of Uzbekistan at The White House. Uzbekistan is a favorite place to render terrorist suspects because its police force is apparently trained like Holy Inquisitors, and it executes criminals by boiling them alive.
I might mention that Bush has been in business with members of Osama bin-Laden's family.
Bush's father called Reagan's economics "Voodoo Economics" until H. W. became his running mate.
Bush is running for
Bush is running for president again? Or could it be that Obama wouldn't stand a snowball's chance running against McCain, so he just decided to run against Bush instead??
I'm pointing out how vile
and hypocritical your boys already are.
We have a president who is a murderous sociopath. I judge Obama's qualifications beside the record of the 43rd president, and I can't imagine how George Bush's allies can improve on his legacy of malfeasance and failure.
John McCain repeatedly says, "We won't let this happen again." Well, Sparky, we're on our fourth financial panic since you were first elected to national office. How many more tries do you deserve?
Oh, and Ron, there is this
Oh, and Ron, there is this pesky thing called "the vote" that needs to be taken care of before the race can be declared over. I know you must hate the idea of an actual election taking place, but it's just how it works. I thought we all learned that polls don't decide elections.
Buhbye, dittobrain
Na na na na
Na na na na
Hey hey
Goodbye...
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
Puddinheads....good one Ron!
OB08
Frog changes his name again.
But still remains an amphibious piece of shit.
fro get over me..
I know when I have groupies, when they'd rather hang on MY words, than enjoy Honolulu.
I'm extremely flattered. Please, no fan club.
And just which words of
And just which words of yours have I been hanging on? Be specific now. I can't even recall the last time I responded to you once, let alone got hung up on anything you have said. I've taken shits that were more significant to me than you are. BTW, I am enjoying Honolulu just fine, but there is only so much beach chilling one can do. I pace myself.
Pace yourself?
Is that what you call beating off to pictures of Giuliani in drag?
" Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill.
You come off as chronic depression
Should have that looked after.
snoopfaggyfag ... yawn. You're boring.
"She's Cheney in drag." Me
It's over
Tell your friends. Obama is going up in the polls and McCain continues his downward spiral.
It really is over. The fact that it's over should start to seep into the public psyche so that if the republicans try to fix any elections it will be a shocker.
Sarah Palin
Hi Ron, You were unable to take my call, too many callers but I wanted to share my observation. Don't feel if Sarah Palin listened to the news and read newspapers she could at least get through a good part of the questions she is asked? Maybe if we were not in 2 wars, an economic crisis and an election a person can slack off and miss the news a day here and there but not someone running for VP? Think back to your own father when he was running for President. I am sure he had more newspapers than you ever knew existed and watched as many news programs as he could. How can we think about electing someone who is not in tune with what's going on in our country and around the world? She scares me!!! Thanks. Marilyn from Welaka, Florida
Cowards Hide
Liberal Holocaust is a coward. He won't even post his name.
-Madman, aka
Steven Hebert
Ron, yes
I have a 24-year old child who spouts the most inane right-wing stuff about anything political. It's as if some entity had taken hold of his thinking about six-years ago. He used to be a kind, rational, smart person. He now sounds like heartless monster.
I tolerate his behavior because I love him, but it breaks my heart.
Ron, you make a lot of sense. Why can't he be more like you?
Ouch.
Your story is breaking my heart. I would love to hear others' suggestions about how to help with this.
When I was growing up in 1980's rural Republican Pennsylvania, we all felt very comfortable with Ron's dad. We were low-information voters. A high school friend who used to re-enact the Napoleonic wars on giant maps in the basement rec room and was generally better informed (clearly!) about politics and history broke the small town rule of never talking politics because it can only cause trouble and we all have to live here, and tried to convert me. He showed me President Reagan's latest budget proposal, on the front page of our local paper above the fold. "Buxtehude," he said, "what's your first impression when you see this pie chart?" "Duh," I said. "No," he said, "defense!" Because R.W.R. was proposing that 60% of our budget go for defense. But, you see, I didn't know that that was weird, or that other countries don't do that, or what the costs of that are for us and the world.
My brain just naturally gravitates to books, but: maybe Molly Ivins? Thomas Frank's new book The Wrecking Crew might give you some succinct talking points. Maybe if you follow the Republican criminal trials and keep up a lively commentary? GOP1 sang like a canary today; GOP2 was moved to a new prison because of fears for his safety; GOP10,000 is in contempt of Congress. Put copies of All the President's Men in each bathroom?
Who's been talking to your boy, anyway? Who's promised him a piece of what take if he mobs up? What's he hoping for? Can you send him to Berlin for a year abroad?
Right wing trolls are pissed
The failure of the republican party has been it's strategy of appealing to idiots.
So the right wing troll has to ask is the failure because he is an idiot? Or is the failure the parties fault for courting the idiot?
The Bush economy
Job losses signal that U.S. is in recession
There, there, f u ... Dumbya will say the economy is
still strong, just going through a difficult time, and the job losses aren't so significant. He'll continue to deny that we are, in fact, in a recession, and Phil Gramm will just tell us its all in our heads.
There, doesn't that make you feel better? ;-)
"She's Cheney in drag." Me
Secret Service must hand over Abramoff logs
The SS has been absent as a defender of American values in
the Bush administration.
The greatest insult to democracy was during the '04 campaign when SS agents removed any and all Democratic candidate signs or placards from routes taken by Bush/Cheney. It was nationally offensive in the nth degree.
Trickle Down cascades its fraud and failures .
Secret Service or Shutzstaffel?
It's getting hard to tell the difference.
Bwahahahaha!
Will they have to turn over their records on how many "reach-arounds" Abramoff got from Jeff Gannon?
You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury
First class post.
Bushie! Doin' a helluva job!
G0P Trinity: Failure, Fraud, Deceit.
Kudos, Ron. Very fine.
Trickle Down cascades its fraud and failures .
a repub woman on cnn...
says palin did relatively well in the debate because it is basically a scripted event.
and i heard an expert on npr...
who pointed out that "the medium is the message." meaning that palin did much better on tv than she did on radio. humans are more eye-oriented than ear-oriented.
he pointed out that jfk also did much better on tv than radio.
it looks like there are more posts...
on this message board than any of the others. i wonder why.
apparently....
ron reagan is popular. or the swim suits are popular.
Palin's taxes
We need to go after Sarah Palin on her travel and meal perdiems that the State of Alaska paid to her for her husband and children and her failure to report that income on her income tax return. The Internal Revenue code clearly states that travel expenses paid to a spouse or child who is not an employee of the taxpayer is fully taxable. She did not pay taxes on those perdiems. Here are my thougnts and I think they would be good talking points:
1. In light of Joe Biden's comments that wealthy Americans and corporations should do their patriotic duty by paying their taxes, she in fact failed that test by failing omitting that income.
should immediately amend her tax return to properly report that income(taxable perdiems) and pay the tax on it.1. In light of Joe Biden's comments that wealthy Americans and corporations should do their patriotic duty by paying their taxes, she in fact failed that test by failing omitting that income.
2. If she is truly patriotic, she should immediately amend her tax return to properly report that income(taxable perdiems) and pay the tax on it.
3. In light of the current economic crisis and how the middle class has taken a beating, the Palin's who are doing quite well financially are not bearing their share of the burden but are shifting that burden to the poor and middle class. Someone else has to make up for her failure to pay taxes.
Ignore Palin
She's made a fnord of herself. Her fifteen minutes of fame are over.
McJukebox is the one running for the Oval Office. He, therefore, is who the focus should be on. And if Palin happens to get splattered by some of the fallout, well, welcome to the Big Leagues, hockey mom. It's said that at a hockey game, the only nosebleed section is on the ice. Now she's in the thick of it. I hope she can take a little bloody nose from time to time without breaking down and crying.
Focus on how McJukebox voted against expansion of veterans' benefits, voted for deregulation of several key industries, and otherwise voted in concert with Cowboy-hat Oathbreaker's wishes 95% of the time. He's no "Maverick," that's for sure...he's nothing more than a rusted-out Pinto. And that engine is very suspect.
Obama/Biden '08: the cure for electile dysfunction.
your depressed state was to be expected
I mean, after all, you have invested a lot of time in that dwindling McCain campaign. Rubbing it in is a fleeting thrill.
I'm sure you will be milling about at AAR for years to come, being in some extent a President Obama haters mouthpiece. Don't forget--that didn't work to good for you as of yet. Perhaps sticking to the facts and backing viable candidates, would be my best advice to you. Mahalo.