An astute comment perhaps, but unfortunately it would seem to have derailed this thread .
No, I don’t think so - I had already indicated that I wouldn’t say anything more on the subject. However, if you don’t think abortion is an important issue in the context of US politics then you have rocks in your head.
Re Spengler,
I suggest we meet up for a coffee after the US election Rob, coffee’s on me if Obama and the old timer win, coffee is on you if McCain and the dreamboat win. What about it?
I’m sure no one holds you responsible; and don’t think that because the likes of Luke, Alan, David and myself speak as though we know something - doesn’t mean we actually do. The ‘pearls of wisdom’ usually come from an unexpected quarter.
David Palmer 06 September 2008 04:01 pm
I suggest we meet up for a coffee after the US election Rob, coffee’s on me if Obama and the old timer win, coffee is on you if McCain and the dreamboat win. What about it?
You’re on: I expect the winner will be able to select where and when? ;-)
Rob
PS. Dreamboat? So you like a gal who can kill, cut n’ dress her own moose.
PPS. Sorry about the Doggies - but I still look forward to them beating Collingwood in the finals again, as they did two years ago.
Of course that would mean…
Th US economy is in the toilet and they’re stuck in an unpopular and illegal war. Their taxpayers have bailed out Bear Sterns and are now bailing out Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac to the tune of many billions of dollars. The only reason Obama isn’t 15 points in front of McCain is because he’s black. There are a lot of older white voters who could never vote for a black person. Ask these voters if they could vote for a black person and most say yes, but when asked if their white neighbours could vote for a black person many say no. The American media knows this, but yet still go through the charade at being surprised at how close this election is.
I’m with you on this one Angus - I think the race card will be there and from what I’ve heard Obama isn’t helped by his wife.
I think an assasination bid is also possible.
I think the threats to Obama’s success are the race card, his lack of experience vis a vis McCain, poor choice of running mate - should have gone for Hilary and likely failure to pick up small town America especially in the South. The fact that Afro Americans will be so raucous in their support for him actually won’t help him.
What do you reckon?
Rob is very confident that I’m going to lose our little wager.
I hope Rob’s right but I still think Obama’s got his work cut out.
Here’s my favourite video clip for the week, and this one gave me a laugh last week just to show I’m not a total Obama-maniac :)
Other than maybe staying or pulling out of Iraq, have any other real policies been discussed or is this just personalities? I’m over it.
I think I agree with Bob Carr that if Australia ever became a Republic, the President should just be chosen by Parliament. I’d hope that we the people didn’t have to choose a President in an expensive election procedure, let alone the horrors of eventually ending up with an American system. The American system seems to be the worst on earth, with the whole silly candidate election procedure dividing parties and burning out the country before the real election. It makes the whole country focus more on personality and less on policy. If only that much time had been spent dealing with the American debt, their economy, their commitment or lack of to global warming, peak oil and energy security. They could have had half the country’s problems solved by now if they’d put as much time and energy into discussing ideas as they have personalities.
Who has the time for that much politics? It makes me wince.
The historic, twisting, cliffhanger White House race is swinging into an eight-week sprint to the finish, with John McCain and Barack Obama locked up in the polls and bare knuckle-rhetoric flying.
The only reason Obama isn’t 15 points in front of McCain is because he’s black. ... The American media knows this, but yet still go through the charade at being surprised at how close this election is.
Someone in the media is finally prepared to acknowledge that Obama’s race is a significant issue with voters.
The only reason Obama isn’t 15 points in front of McCain is because he’s black. ... The American media knows this, but yet still go through the charade at being surprised at how close this election is.
Someone in the media is finally prepared to acknowledge that Obama’s race is a significant issue with voters.
Angus, since you’ve raised the issue, do you really think that a first term Senator with no distinguished legislative or executive record would have attracted any attention at all, were it not for his self-identification as a member of an historically disadvantaged racial minority?
....since you’ve raised the issue, do you really think that a first term Senator with no distinguished legislative or executive record would have attracted any attention at all, were it not for his self-identification as a member of an historically disadvantaged racial minority?
Alan, please don’t mention the elephant in the room.
Change in America ? Well, the polls have already started to change :
September 7, 2008
Gallup Daily: McCain Moves Ahead, 48% to 45%
McCain enjoying increase in support following convention
PRINCETON, NJ—The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update shows John McCain moving ahead of Barack Obama, 48% to 45%, when registered voters are asked for whom they would vote if the presidential election were held today.
Where’s the big discussions about policies like dropping 50% oil consumption over the next decade, about rebuilding a train, tram and trolley bus electric transport system that will give America some energy independence so they don’t have to duke it out with China and Russia over oil? That’s the stuff of our worst nightmares… and we’re worried about verbal slip ups and personality issues? The world is mad.
I agree. But that’s the way the media seems to work today - and our politicians, in turn, attempt to “work” the media with their deliberate “30 second grab” statements ( usually consisting of glib repeated phrases ) intended to make life easier for the news editor who’s on a tight dead-line to get that ‘news’ out there - and then condenses a 40 minute speech into two ‘key’ sentences.
If you analyse the news, current affairs and morning chat shows ( which is what Sunrise and Today have become ), you can see what total fluff they are. ( True journalism is a long lost art. ) At least SBS and the ABC sometimes attempt to provide ‘thinking’ programmes worthy of our attention - albeit some of them often appear to have pre-conceived and biased leanings instead of impartially approaching a subject.
Yes, where are the policies in the US election ? Maybe some of them will just follow Kevin Rudd’s example and just promise to ‘look into it’ once they get elected and then they will set up committees, enquiries, commissions, panels, bureaus, agencies etc. Let’s see if the US media does indeed get sick of all the spin and smoke-and-mirrors stories - but, then again, certain media are addicted to it and unable ( or unwilling more likely ) to change.
They seem to just want to stick to the trivial and titallating. ( Look at all the vile ‘reporting’ that comes out of Hollywood on the daily ‘Entertainment Tonight’ - surely the lowest gossip show that pretends to be news. ) After all, most media’s credo seems to be that it’s not good news that sells newspapers etc - only scandal and putting people down. But maybe that’s what ‘the public’ want ? Just look at all the scandal sheets and magazines that we pass-by even on our supermarket shelves. Talk about a dumbing down of the population - and catering to our sinful natures.
Where is today’s Jerry McGuire journalist willing to scream at the candidates - “SHOW ME THE POLICIES” ?
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