The 2008 Presidential Campaign: What Happened and Why?

[Holbytla]

We never hated America. We hated where Bush brought you.

Well it starts there, but as you know with things like this it rarely ends there. "Oh and while we are at it, what is it with you Americans and your attitude?" etc.
And in some instances it was deserved, but like in many cases, generalizations don't work.


Di wrote:

by electing a black/biracial President

Well only speaking for me, I elected a democrat because I had had enough of the republicans for now. He happened to be black, but for me race played no part positively or negatively.


Di wrote:

Lurch further to the right???? Oh boy, that can't be good. The last thing America and the world needs is a deepening of those divides in the US.

Not in the eyes of conservatives. Conservatives couldn't get behind McCain even though he essentially sold himself out to get their backing. I don't believe a republican could have won in this climate anyway, but I do think a dyed in the wool conservative will be what reunites this party. I think the 3 elections banning gay marriage is something of a testament that there is still a strong conservative base in this country. Even in liberal California.

The Republican Party will walk that road before they again control Congress or the White House.

A more likely event will be that the dems shoot themselves in the foot like they did after the first two years of Clinton's term and like the reps after Bush's.

[Pearly Di]

Well only speaking for me, I elected a democrat because I had had enough of the republicans for now. He happened to be black, but for me race played no part positively or negatively.

I wasn't suggesting that people voted for Obama just because he was black. Those who voted for him did so because he was a Democrat, not because of the colour of his skin.

I could not fail to observe, however, what a landmark moment this was.

And I've been reading various political and religious blogs and not a few Republicans who did not vote for Obama because they disagreed with his policies, made the same observation.

[Holbytla]

Oh I know. Maybe it was just the way it was worded. "Who happens to be black" seems more apt to me.

[Inanna]

[Quote="Alatar":
Make no mistake, Obama's policies if implemeted will hurt American interests here in Ireland, but I have to believe that a strong America is good for Europe and if we have to take the hit on some US jobs based in Ireland for that to happen, we will.

How will Irish interests be hurt, Al? *feels naive*[/quote]

Akin to India, Ireland benefits from the offshoring of jobs like business-processing, call centers, transcripters, some financial services etc. I didn't know that firms were actually getting tax cuts to do that (it makes NO sense to me). If Obama starts giving tax cuts for firms to create these jobs in the US, as he is saying, then there will be to some extent, a reverse exodus. Ireland and India will suffer. The question will come down to a cost-benefit analysis for these firms, tax breaks in both countries (US and the outsourcing country) and lower wages (in the outsourcing country). Business as usual.

I, too, want a strong America. Look at it this way: America is still the planet's only superpower. As strong as the Chinese and Indian economies are becoming, they too have been hit by the global crunch. China may be a rival yet for superpower status, but I think it would be good for the world if America stayed strong.

Well, the Chinese and Indian economy depend on the US economy to a large extent for their growth.

I am worried, and always will be, of a non-democratic country rising to superpower status.

[Primula Baggins]

I liked the note yesterday's Doonesbury struck.

Link

[Inanna]

I know! I loved that.... and its true.

[Ellienor]

Apparently some newspaper editors refused to run the Doonesbury strip when it was submitted last week and ran a substitute. My hometown paper ran the real thing.

[sauronsfinger]

They run Doonsesbury here in the Detroit paper on the editorial and columns page. I thought it was so effective because - like all good political cartoons - it is based on truth.

[Ellienor]

Wow, the McCain insiders seem to be setting up Palin to take the fall for the loss:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article ... 7QmO35faSg

It seems all of a piece along with the fact that she claimed "per diem" for 300+ nights in her own home and spent Alaska funds on thousands of dollars for travel for her own kids, as well as lobbied hard and inappropriately for the firing of her former brother in law.

She seems quite ethics-challenged if all of these reports are true.

edit: forgot to add that she didn't pay taxes on the per diem and the travel for the kids. So let's add potential tax-dodger.

[Dave_LF]

I said on another board that it appears Palin is exactly what I took her for: cruel, ignorant, vindictive, and utterly self-absorbed. The classic diva. The Republicans would do well to keep her out of the Senate; maybe they could offer her a position with a lot of trappings but no real power. They could also try throwing her under a bus, but you know what they say about a woman spurned, and that goes triple for divas.

[Ellienor]

Well, that is how she struck me too, Dave LF (which I know annoyed Hal to no end).

I also never, never liked John Edwards. Turns out the impression I had of him was correct. Anybody who parades their marriage like that.....you gotta wonder. And there just didn't seem to be any substance there.

Obama struck me, after just a little bit of time, as a far, far different person and an intensely ethical and intelligent person.

Ps. Where's that baby? ??

[Primula Baggins]

I liked Edwards early on, but you have to excuse me—I had been conditioned by 2000 and 2004 to expect that the Democratic nominee would be the white guy with major drawbacks and weak charisma who took the safest set of positions during the primary. I was trying to imprint myself on what I really thought would be the eventual nominee.

I don't even want to imagine what a disaster that would have turned out to be, for the country and the party.

[Dave_LF]

Ps. Where's that baby? ??

That's what I keep saying.

[sauronsfinger]

I strongly suspect Sarah Palin will end up as the next US Senator from Alaska when Stevens eventually sees the writing on the wall. It would be a good move for her since it puts her in Washington and she can gain valuable experience on that level. Four years from now, it will be difficult to paint her as the naive wide eyed innocent from the hinterlands when she has been in Washington for four years and appearing all over the land at fundraisers. Of course, she still will have to prove she is intelligent and worthy of higher office. But being a Senator will add a needed line to her resume.

[Primula Baggins]

Ps. Where's that baby? ??

That's what I keep saying.

Don't make Mrs. Dave run after you with the frying pan—I know how tired she must be.

Walk within range and take your punishment like a man.

[Ellienor]

ot

I recall all the wait, and the excitement, and the anticipation....all focused on the "due date". I recall the five days after my due date....with no baby, sitting around, hardly knowing what to do with myself. Kind of, what do I do now?

However, two children later, I wonder why I didn't enjoy my last few precious moments of complete and utter freedom a little more. What was the big hurry?

Hang in there Dave!

/ot

edit: I've seen the speculation about Palin as senator but not sure how much it would help her. Don't sitting senators under the c.w. have a hard time getting elected president, compared to governors?

[Primula Baggins]

I also wonder how successful she would be as a senator, since it's a job that requires a lot of collegial relationships with fellow senators (if you want to be effective and respected), and she seems to like to simply be in charge.

[Lalaith]

Okay, so my American friends (the ones not online) are asking, "Why do the non-Americans care so much? Why are they so thrilled that Obama was elected? Why did they hate Bush so much?"

I've given some answers as best I could, but I would be interested in hearing the direct answer from some of you.

Anyone game?


Lali

[halplm]

Wow, the McCain insiders seem to be setting up Palin to take the fall for the loss:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article ... 7QmO35faSg

It seems all of a piece along with the fact that she claimed "per diem" for 300+ nights in her own home and spent Alaska funds on thousands of dollars for travel for her own kids, as well as lobbied hard and inappropriately for the firing of her former brother in law.

She seems quite ethics-challenged if all of these reports are true.

edit: forgot to add that she didn't pay taxes on the per diem and the travel for the kids. So let's add potential tax-dodger.

Was wondering when the palin-haters would bring this up. It's all lies as far as I'm concerned, from bitter people who ran a terrible campaign. There is no evidence the stories are true. There is no evidence of wrongdoing with her per diem. She was officially cleared of everything in "troopergate." And she is NOT a tax-dodger.

baseless accusations don't belong here, or at least that's what I thought.

[TheEllipticalDisillusion]

Irish celebration of Barack Obama.

Tooral-U Tooral-S Tooral-A

It's a catchy little ditty.