James Joyner, responding to a Howard Wolfson piece, says the following:
We’ve reached the seemingly inevitable part of the campaign where the trailing candidates start hurling charges out of desperation and the leader responds in kind. In the closing days of 1992, President George H.W. Bush, ordinarily among the most decent, genteel fellows you’d ever meet, was running around calling Bill Clinton and Al Gore “bozos.” He simply couldn’t believe that he, a war hero, seasoned public servant, and recent winner of the Gulf War, was losing to a draft dodging, dope smoking hick from Arkansas.
***Palin kicked it up a notch yesterday with this nonsense: “Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who target their own country.” To put it in a vernacular Palin might understand, that dog won’t hunt. (One presumes dogs are involved in moose hunting, although my expertise is limited.) It just comes across as a pathetic, desperate charge.
It ain’t over yet. Keep phone-banking. Keep canvassing. Keep working for Obama and the downticket candidates you support.
You know the drill.
Original Lee
On top of the resurrection of the Keating 5 scandal, this link from Lawyers, Guns, and money should be especially tasty.
fuddmain
Amen!
As someone who has been volunteering in Florida, let me tell you every volunteer I’ve spoken to is incredibly motivated. They don’t just want to win, they want to run up the score.
Ugh
She cheats on her taxes too.
TheFountainHead
My new mantra: "Release Sarah Palin back into the Alaskan Wilderness!"
Napoleon
If you plan to give to Obama at all again this season I suspect we are pretty much at the point where you should do it today, or sometime this week.
forked tongue
I don’t know why this isn’t more frequently remembered, but in the closing days of the ’92 campaign, that honorable Pappy Bush was also trying to raise doubts about just what exactly young Bill Clinton had been up to during his college trip to the Soviet Union.
SamFromUtah
…running around calling Bill Clinton and Al Gore “bozos.”
Ozone, man, ozone!
…honorable Pappy Bush was also trying to raise doubts about just what exactly young Bill Clinton had been up to during his college trip to the Soviet Union.
I remember that well. Bush made quite a dick of himself back then. At least he didn’t do it so visibly until he was nearly gone, unlike his boy, who was Ready From Day One to be a smug asshole.
Stuck in the Fun House
Nope, it’s not. Never underestimate the Right Wing Noise Machine, especially when it’s cranked with vicious smears.
Although Rasmussen has Obama at 52% Mccain 44% and It’s been steady at that level for nearly a week.
Was Just watching the Palin stump speech of lies. She can kiss my ass.
Davebo
It does make one wonder just what McCain/Palin would have to do to lose Joyner’s support.
Laura W
Really interesting recap by Giordano on what is involved in pulling off an Obama appearance (pretty flawlessly). He was up in Asheville yesterday.
The only flaw for me, 45 or so miles south, was the Asheville Citizen-Times tried to do their first live feed from the event.
FAIL.
Fortunately, MSNBC played some of it, but not without blathering over the first several minutes and cutting away far too soon.
Napoleon
Semi related matter, but if you recall after Sr lost a lot of Republicans were laying some of the blame on Greenspan for not flooding the economy with money to prop up the economy going into the election. I have wondered from time to time how that may have effected how Greenspan handled things when Jr was President, and if he became more reckless in an attempt to curry favor with the right.
jrg
So, let me get this straight… Ayers committed a crime when Obama was eight years old, lives in the same neighborhood as Obama, and has met Obama a couple of times. That makes Obama an American hating terrorist.
Palin is married to a former member of the Alaska Secessionist party, and has spoken at their events, but she really, really loves America.
The McCain campaign makes me want to puke.
Kamishna ya Watu Xenos
The only time Obama and Ayres worked together was on a program that was part of the Annenberg Challenge, funded and coordinated by Walter Annenberg, a Republican. The program had notable political and business leaders from all political parties, including Republicans, Democrats, and Socialists (like Ayres, for example).
It would be nice if some of those Republicans came out to clarify what was going on.
But did you hear Ayres was a mad bomber? Bombing statues while McCain was in prison after getting caught bombing civilians? Nevermind.
D0n Camillo
I seem to recall that this genteel decent, George H. W. Bush was more than willing to use a flag burning amendment, the Pledge of Allegiance and Willie Horton in order to win in 1988 when it looked like he was behind. When the chips are down is when you get to see what people are really made of.
The Grand Panjandrum
I am convinced that Barack Obama will be 44 but I also know that celebrating BEFORE you get to the end zone is a fool’s game. It is important to run up the score and help all Democrats. The only question I have now is how long will Obama’s coattails be. People worried about the economy and sick of the rat-bastard Republicans running the country still have a few so-called "true believers" as Larison says:
A certain percentage of the population will never get it. They are the "deadenders", as it were. I will not publicly speculate as to why they feel they could vote for four more years of a Republican so closely tied to Bush AND with a running mate so shamefully ignorant I will leave for others to analyze. I have my thoughts on the matter and they are many, but I think it is important to continue (as Cole says) phone-banking, canvassing, or donating cash if you don’t have the time to volunteer.
Keep up the pressure and run up the score. Its important.
Jay in Oregon
One presumes dogs are involved in moose hunting, although my expertise is limited.
It’s not. At least, not in any of the moose hunting I’ve taken part in.
…what? I actually grew up in rural Alaska, and that’s meat on the hoof.
Patrick Lightbody
Just wanted to let everyone know I’m doing my part in Oregon. Last week I helped with a fundraiser for Merkley (who is slightly ahead of Smith) and raised $13,000 with the help of a bunch of young professionals (mostly lawyers, though there were some tech dorks like me).
While there, I urged people I spoke to to also set up a recurring $50/week contribution to Obama. I think the recurring bit will make the most difference. If you can afford to do it (don’t look at your retirement savings when deciding), I recommend doing some recurring donation rather than a lump sum.
SGEW
As much as I loathe Gov. Palin, I believe that this sentiment is cruel and unusual. After all, if she’s released back into the wilderness she might get shot by a 12 gauge shotgun from a low flying plane and have her carcass turned into the Alaskan version of a Renn faire costume.
Also, re: Patrick Lightbody’s efforts, good job! Down-ticket efforts are what will really help the U.S. in the next 4 years. Super majority FTW!
(I, myself, am going to be stationed in and around Scranton on and off over the next few weeks, getting out the vote. Blah. I hate Scranton!)
Bubblegum Tate
I suppose this is as good a thread as any for me to flog my man DJ Z-Trip’s Obama mix. Basically, for the past month or so, he’s been doing shows called Party for Change, the proceeds of which he donates to the Obama campaign. He’s got a special set that he’s been playing related to Obama and this election that’s really something else. He’s recorded it each time he’s performed it, and at the link above, you can download the final recording. It’s a great bit of DJ work and entertainment, and it’s for a good cause. Download it, share it, play it for friends, spread it around!