This is a lazy post because I’m going to point you to another blog. Scott Cole is a friend in Birmingham, AL. I like reading his blog, Southern Sojourner…It is an eclectic mix of theology, politics, music, food, etc. I respect him and value his friendship (despite his obvious character flaw: a love of University of Alabama football). A recent post of Scott’s collected several video clips of Sarah Palin being interviewed by Katie Couric and Charles Gibson. Theses clips are chilling. (click the link above and check them out).
One of the scarier things about this whole Sarah Palin fiasco is the fact that so many people will believe absolute unsubstantiated lies about Barack Obama and yet dismiss her very own words as “attacks by the liberal news media.” To anyone who would claim her words were taken out of context, there is no context imaginable that can excuse such obvious and absolute ignorance. This is truely scary.
so here we are in the field... 
Thanks for the props my friend. For some reason I didn’t know you had a blog, but I have it RSSed now. You are right it is very scary. But not as scary as your continued blind allegiance to your Bayou Tigers. The Crimson Tide is rising and we welcome all comers. Avoid the rush and join us now!
I’ll concede that Palin has a long way to go before being ready to be president. Fortunately, she is not running for president. After reviewing the video you provided, I dug a bit deeper to find that Palin has a track record of overachieving, albeit it a very large state that is nevertheless a political small pond. She can point to real world accomplishments.
I would counter however, that you should concede that Barak Obama has an equally long road to being ready to be president. Unfortunately, he is running for president. If you look at video of Obama when he first started campaigning, you find an equally terrifying picture. What is the difference, he has now been campaigning for nearly two years and when he was screwing up nobody paid any attention and when he still screws up nobody wants to report it. Moreover, his resume boasts notable positions with a history of underachieving in terms of real world accomplishments.
That is why I am happy to support John McCain for president. He is the only one running who has had his character actually battle tested. He is the only one running who hesitates to blow his own horn. Look at his personal life and decisions. His one major flaw is that he has forsaken his historic reputation for directness, and maverick action in the face of the realities of the presidential campaign process. In this sense, he has demeaned himself but none of those running have escaped becoming political whores. To his credit, he still seems uncomfortable in those clothes.
Joe Biden is Joe Biden. You could make an entire Palin like reel on him even w/o the latest FDR gaffe.
Vote for Obama if you wish, but don’t do it because Palin is unqualified for a job she isn’t running for without facing the fact that he is unqualified for the job he is running for. Be honest enough, to acknowledge that if you were really voting on qualifications, you would have to vote McCain.
What scares the hell out of me is that the emperor of “HOPE and CHANGE” has no clothes. What’s more the naked emperor doesn’t show much personal substance either.
Thanks for the post Mike.
H.Kay, I shiver when attempting to “debate” you an any issue…but I’ll respond to a couple of things…
1. I am basically a cynic when it comes to the political process in this country. I am not confident that either party can lead us out of our present mess. Frankly, I’m not sure the current evolution of our government into a two party system is conducive to substantive change. More voices need to be heard and conversation needs to be much broader than the distillation of two large parties self-interests.
2. I have voted for Republican and Democrats throughout my life. The majority of the time I’ve been a registered voter, I have been an Independent. I went through some “single issue” years where I voted Republican strictly on the issue of abortion. (Frankly, I’m still pretty conservative on that issue.) However, the Bush debacle over the last 8 years has pushed me over the edge.
3. I’m not voting against Sarah Palin (or necessarily against John McCain for that matter). I’m voting for Obama. From what I can see on my trips to Europe, what Obama might lack in experience he more than makes up with influence and credibility around the world. I believe he will be a very effective statesman worldwide and will be able to accomplish some things in the way of foreign policy that the Republicans simply will not be able to do. I am tired of our first action is terms of foreign policy is saber rattling. We need substantive conversations with other nations/cultures. We have led from our arrogance for way too long and it simply doesn’t work in the world in which we live.
Whatever anyone thinks of Bush, worldwide his credibility is ZERO! McCain is viewed simply as more of the same. I believe our rep in the world goes hand in hand with most of the major issues of this campaign: the war, terrorism, the economy, etc. Frankly, I believe the Republican party has become completely out of touch with the issue of poverty and healthcare: (this is a global issue…the middle class is shrinking everywhere, rich…richer, poor…poorer, yada yada). Something has to change. The policies in place now are not fixing the problems, they are causing them.
4. If McCain would display more of the so called “maverick” characteristics he loves to bring up, he would be much more attractive. Right now by “demeaning” himself to the Republican machine, he negates what would be a positive in my personal ledger. If he’s such a maverick, he should show it. (He can’t hide from the fact that he is complicit in the governmental policies that have led us to our current economic crisis.)
5. If his judgment in selecting a VP running mate is any indication, it calls his ability to make sound decisions into serious question. His first act as Presidential nominee was to select someone who can’t negotiate basic questions about serious issues in this election. As much as Palin scares me, it is probably more scary that the one with all the so called experience and independent judgment would select someone so utterly incompetent when it comes to the Vice Presidency. Is that really the best the Republicans have to offer? Frankly, this is way too important of an election for a gimmick pick at VP.
6. I am not enamored with the Joe Biden pick either. However, of the two VP choices…seriously…no contest.
That’s enough for now. You are about to rip me a new one I know. I can’t hang with you in a debate. (I actually believe the GOP would be much better off on Thursday night if you debated Biden rather than Palin). Peace!
There is no need to argue with people who are hell bent on defending positions rather than listening or having an actual exchange of ideas. I have waited and waited for a compelling case from Republican as to why they should have another 8 years in the White House to no avail. If they can’t scare you with terrorism or taxes, then they have nothing. Scare, scare, scare that’s all they have. They have no new ideas.
Since far righties dismiss any constructive criticism as “liberal media” bias, I will simply offer two, unquestionable conservatives who make their own case regarding McCain (which also addresses the previous post’s “experience” issue) and Palin (while not running for office, she is second in line behind a 72 year with 4 instances of cancer, add 8 years to that and you have an 80 years with 4 instances of cancer, so don’t tell me it is not an important judgment call).
Here are the links.
This one from George Will- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html
This one from Kathleen Parker- http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=
And not to drag the conversation down, but the gentleman asked us to look at his personal life. He cheated on his wife and married his current wife within month(s) of divorce. He is a compulsive gambler (not that there is any wrong with that) and one of the biggest supporters of the gambling industry in Washington. He is ill tempered, impatient, impetuous grump who can’t even look at those who disagree with him (cf. Debate number 1). And if I have listened to this campaign (and I have) he is shameless in blowing his own horn. Which is fine, it is a campaign, but he had the gall on network news to try and take credit for the bailout package that they are trying to pass. Most agree (on both sides of the aisle mind you) that he disrupted the whole affair. Please….
Mike, et. al,
My facebook page lists my political views as disgusted. Not being a far rightie, I don’t mind folks who point out McCain’s flaws. I know he and all of us are flawed.
I am not a McCainite by any means but I will admit that a man who experiences torture and declines to dishonor his country under that pressure carries a bit of weight with me. How you reconcile that with his treatment of his first wife, I’m not sure. So I reluctantly will vote for a proven patriot, who has pissed off folks on both sides of the aisle(also appealing to me), and has also navigated the Washington reality for many years. So I have to give the qualification edge to him.
Unfortunately, while Obama is no doubt charismatic, the “world likes him” argument ain’t enough for me. Mainly because the only people I trust less with U.S. interests than our politicians are the rest of the world’s politicians.
You both have told me why McCain’s clothes are dirty, but neither of you explained why Obama ain’t wearing any or told me what you think he is wearing.
Finally, I confess I don’t care about the VP pick, we’ll survive whichever buffoon gets in because if they are elevated it will be due to a national tragedy and the country will hunker down around them. Really Parker’s article says it best when she admits that if Palin were a man we would be laughing out loud at her like we do at Biden.
Still disgusted, but I like your blog. I would welcome a balanced pro Obama rather than anti Bush approach that looks at the accomplishments and failures of Obama, as well as troublesome associations that call his judgment into question.(such as McCain’s Keating five associations).
Peace.
im intrigued! as a *usually* democrat, i have such a hard time supporting Obama because as a preacher’s kids, lifelong church-goer, etc. i have never been able to get past the Jeremiah Wright debacle. I am almost willing to forgive anything other than blatant racist attacks and the obscenities that his pastor so often talked about. so here we are faced with this and can come at it from 2 angles:
1. Obama really didnt give a rip about what his pastor said and was only there for votes, etc. That is probably the case. That to me is not enough. I want a president who would walk out of the room if those things were said. I have walked out several times from sermons i disagreed with here in Baton Rouge, and at that moment when i am there and hearing it- nothing can keep me in the seat!
2. Obama agrees and doesnt mind that his “lifelong pastor” and “spiritual advisor” is this kind of person.
I’m interested to hear your views 🙂 To me that is such a big thing to me that i cannot see past it. Once again- its an issue of personal judgement and conviction, and for some reason, McCain seems to be a little more stable in that department.
This may be a “single issue” thing, but to me, it is more than that. Character is more than a “single issue.” It is THE issue that has the most influence on everything else.
Thoughts???
all this to say- i enjoy your blog!
This is sort of a “flash” response so feel free to poke holes in it. That is a disturbing video and I’m not going to simply write it off. However, I think white America, particularly evangelical white America would be shocked to know how many very similar sermons are preached each Sunday across our country. I think Jeremiah Wright’s views reflect a segment of the population who feel completely disenfranchised from the United States and its systems. (I’m already hearing most of my family say “that’s BS”, but bear with me.)
As much as I would like to write that reality off, it is simply true. It is out of my personal frame of reference, totally. I’ve always been proud to be an American; always felt the American dream was achievable by anyone willing to work hard and reach for it; yada, yada… However, over the past 10 years or so, my travels and conversations have brought me into contact with real people who very literally have no hope that those dreams of American as a land of opportunity can ever be a reality.
There is plenty of blame to go around for this reality (both “sides of the aisle”; racism, poverty, black, white, etc). The hard facts in all this is that a person’s perception of the world is real to the person perceiving it. And the facts are, many people in America perceive it in the way that Jeremiah Wright does. My response to those perceptions is to ask, “Why do they see things in that way?” One of the things that really bugged me during this campaign was the scoffing way Palin et.al. spoke about Obama’s community organizing. Community organizing is an attempt to bridge the gap between those who perceive themselves to be disenfranchised and the systems/opportunities available to them in this country. I think, until those type bridges are built, we will only see more Jeremiah Wrights rise up in our country (and around the world for that matter).
Do I fully understand Obama’s relationship with Wright? Not at all. However, I do not necessarily think you can immediately equate Wright’s radical views with Obama any more than one can equate the rants of fundamenalist Southern Baptists with all Baptists sitting there Sunday after Sunday listening. I grew up in a church with a pastor I love to this day. However, I would disagree at almost every point with the stuff he espouses every Sunday.
I’ll shut up for now. Thoughts? 🙂 (I like your blog as well…)_
“The hard facts in all this is that a person’s perception of the world is real to the person perceiving it. And the facts are, many people in America perceive it in the way that Jeremiah Wright does.” you are definitely right (“WRIGHT” haha) about this statement. That does not, however, mean that electing someone to office with these ideals is a good thing. as someone who understands these people pretty well because of my community outreach here in the BR inner city, i see it so often.
i guess i’m just seeing this from a perspective of my “family of faith” being those that i really do walk out my christianity alongside. this is not just about my relationship with the lord, etc. but more so just my community, people i identify with, etc. its so hard to imagine doing that with a person whose character is so racist and angry as is rev. wright being the leader/shepherd of this group. seriously, it would take about 2 seconds to realize that it was somewhere that was teaching more hatred than love and acceptance of all. i have left a couple of churches because of things being taught that were totally against what i stood for. i think that of all the years of the obama family sitting through that, he or michelle would have had the thought “We probably should not raise our daughters in this environment. To take it a step further- the fact that he made Rev. Wright his spiritual adviser is just horse crap. (excuse my use of crap!)
I almost always support the democratic party, but in this case, i just have a strange feeling about barack obama. i do not see him as someone who is trustworthy- this IS partially related to the associations he has with people such as ayers, wright, etc. I do not question as much “Why does he hang out with these men” as i question “Why do these men want to hang out with him? (more particularly bill ayers)” why was he selected to be groomed so early back in the day in Chicago? I think they selected him as someone who they could mold into a leader. Unfortunately, when doing that, the indoctrination of their views into him is inevitable.
About your statement above: “However, I do not necessarily think you can immediately equate Wright’s radical views with Obama any more than one can equate the rants of fundamenalist Southern Baptists with all Baptists sitting there Sunday after Sunday listening.” I disagree. People who sit through the rants of fundamentalist Southern Baptist churches should leave that church if they do not feel that way. This is something i am EXTREMELY familiar with. it is so very rare that i meet someone who is free-thinking person with good theology who attends one of those churches. i hate to say that but its true. Even if they attend, for some unknown reason, the selection of them (their pastor) as a spiritual adviser is just over the top.
i’m still getting thoughts together. also- im not a fan of palin. i think its ironic that mccain is being seen as so conservative. he’s significantly more liberal that biden. and then the same can be said with palin’s and obama’s inexperience. i guess this irony is just part of having free elections.
one more thing- this 2 party system SUCKS!!! dont you agree?? you have to totally sell out to one of these self-satisfying, self-seeking machines to even have a chance at public office.
“real people who very literally have no hope that those dreams of American as a land of opportunity can ever be a reality.”
Sorry I can’t get all teary eyed for these victims – when there are still people from all over the world busting their butts to get here because it is a land of opportunity. The difference is they know da** well that nobody is going to give it to them. Tell the latino who snuck across the border at risk of life and limb about how bad old america is keeping these folks down. Tell the restauranteur from vietnam that has painstakingly brought his entire family over after years of sacrifice and hard work. For that matter tell the guy who left the same hopeless situation as these folks because he wouldn’t believe the lie that America is denying you opportunity. Tell the business owner whose great granddad was a slave that there is no opportunity here. Tell the Jew who survived the death camps and immigrated here with nothing or the Irishman who fled the potato famine. There has always been opportunity here for all, but it aint necessarily easy. Admittedly some of us ride on the tails of those who went before us, but somewhere up the tree someone stood up and said I will rise above my circumstances and change my reality. So you are right …
“The hard facts in all this is that a person’s perception of the world is real to the person perceiving it.”
…and no politician or government or group is gonna change it, because it comes from within you.
All of that is said with the caveat that I will admit that I might not have what it takes to see or seize the opportunity. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
So endeth the rant.
Peace