quote:

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But Pawlenty on Friday told WCCO Radio in Minneapolis-St. Paul that he will not be in Dayton, suggesting that he will not be McCain's choice.

Thursday night's arrival of a private jet from Alaska at the Middleton, Ohio, airport raised speculation that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be McCain's pick. Middleton is 25 miles from Dayton.

Rich Bevis, an airport manager at the Middleton airport, said that a woman, two men and two teenagers were onboard.

"This is the most secretive flight we've ever had," Bevis said.

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[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Ghislaine ]

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
I have read that Sarah Palin (currently Alaska's governor) is also a strong possibility.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
The CBC's Henry Champ reporting from Denver said McCain is constrained in his choice of a Veep by having to choose a pro-life candidate. He had a larger crowd to draw from, but many of them supported choice, and his handlers said having a choice candidate would kill the GOP's evangelical base.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]

---

Palin is definitely
pro-life:

quote:

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Only one year into her governorship and with four children at home already, a child with Down syndrome would present serious challenges. Studies in the late 90s showed that more than 80 percent of prenatal Down syndrome diagnoses end in abortion.

Ending the pregnancy, however, was never an option for the Palins. On April 18, Sarah Palin gave birth to a 6-pound, 2-ounce son, Trig Paxson Van Palin.

"We've both been very vocal about being pro-life," Palin told the Associated Press, speaking of herself and her husband, Todd. "We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential."

The day after the birth, the Palins released the following statement: "Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed."

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
I have read that Sarah Palin (currently Alaska's governor) is also a strong possibility.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lard Tunderin' Jeezus:
With near-Katrina intensity Hurricane Gustav due to hit on Monday (currently a 'tropical storm', expected to hit hurricane level 3 by Gulf coast landfall), there is talk of postponing the Republican convention.

Wouldn't want all that guilt bringing the delegates down.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:
She would be McCain's best choice.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
I have read that Sarah Palin (currently Alaska's governor) is also a strong possibility.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Both the Dem and GOP conventions have a lot of music to offer - the Dems will be oriented to the MTV generation, and GOP's will be oriented to CMT. Yee haw!

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quote:

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Originally posted by It's Me D:
Palin might be an interesting choice for US arctic policies; of interest to both Canada and Russia. I wonder if an Alaska governor as VP would have any substantial effect on American foreign policy in the arctic?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sven:
Why do you think so?

---

2. Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders, she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary. Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest. After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine. Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles. Palin's tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies, while still promoting resource development.

3. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane. Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana when it was legal in Alaska, but says that she did not like it.

4. She briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd. Todd is a Native Yup'ik Eskimo.

5. Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples.

6. In 1984, Palin was second-place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, winning a scholarship to help pay her way through college. She is 44.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lard Tunderin' Jeezus:
With near-Katrina intensity Hurricane Gustav due to hit on Monday (currently a 'tropical storm', expected to hit hurricane level 3 by Gulf coast landfall), there is talk of postponing the Republican convention.

---

I heard Henry Champ this morning say that McCain's camp is suggesting the convention continue as planned, but that McCain himself fly down to NO as a show of concern, and that he is different than GW Bush.

quote:

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:
3. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:

1. All those Hillary Clinton voters.

2. Brought to statewide attention because of her whistleblowing on ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders, she won election in 2006 by first defeating the incumbent governor in the Republican primary. Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, where she served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her whistleblowing complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest. After she resigned, she exposed the state Republican party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, one of her fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time, and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who both resigned; Ruedrich paid a record $12,000 fine. Despite the lack of support from party leaders and being outspent by her Democratic opponent, she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles. Palin's tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies, while still promoting resource development.

3. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane. Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association. She admits that she used marijuana when it was legal in Alaska, but says that she did not like it.

4. She briefly worked as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations while also working as a commercial fisherman with her husband, Todd. Todd is a Native Yup'ik Eskimo.

5. Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples.

6. In 1984, Palin was second-place in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant after winning the Miss Wasilla contest earlier that year, winning a scholarship to help pay her way through college. She is 44.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

---

quote:

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Originally posted by 500_Apples:
. . . it serves as a quasi-transparent attempt to poach Hillary Clinton supporters.

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quote:

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3. She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Wow! I'd vote for her!

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However, I do wear a baseball cap every day, I drive a skidoo all winter, and I drive a pickup truck, I have a chain saw, I listen to the Dixies, Willie, Kristofferson, Cash, Merle Haggard (of "Okie From Muskogee") fame, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, so maybe I do have something in common with her, after all.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]

But she is a woman so nothing else matters.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Left J.A.B. ]

quote:

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Originally posted by remind:
Frankly, I do not believe that Hilary Clinton feminist supporters would ever consider voting for the Republicans just because the VP might be a woman. Especially when said woman's views are anti-choice. They know the threat woman's rights are under from the Republican right and have been fighting to stop them.

It would be equivalent to she who writes her name all in caps running for the leadership of the CPC. Canadian feminists would not vote for her just because she was a woman and a leader of a party.

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quote:

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Palin supports the aerial hunting of wolves and bears, and even spent $400,000 of state money to fund a media campaign to try and convince Alaskans to support aerial shooting (even though Alaskans have voted against it, twice!).

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quote:

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Originally posted by remind:
No

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
It is official - Sarah Palin will be John McCain's running mate.

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quote:

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Originally posted by It's Me D:
So Sarah Palin is now officially the first female vice presidential nominee for the GOP; if (when?) the Republicans win the election she'll be America's first female Vice President. Its not quite the first female President that might have been but its still a significant first isn't it? I'd be interested to hear what babbler's think about this, especially as she's a Republican and given some of the not-so-progressive elements of her record that have been aired here in the last few posts. Does this feel like another Margaret Thatcher? Why is it that women (seemingly) have a greater likelihood to achieve executive power on the right than on the left? (here in the Anglo-American empire anyway, I am aware that there is more to the world out there )

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quote:

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Originally posted by RosaL:

On a trivial note, it will be interesting to see the results of the (surely inevitable) "makeover".

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sven:
She looks like she's be a formidable campaigner (on the "retail politics circuit"). Debates may be a whole different story...

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Retail politics?

quote:

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Originally posted by 500_Apples:

Retail politics?

There are 300 million people to reach out to over the next two months.

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quote:

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Prior to being sworn in as the Governor of Alaska a mere 19 months ago, Palin served as the mayor and a city councilor of the small city of Wasilla, which according to 2005 census estimates had a population of 8,471. This is one of the two thinnest resumes of any major party vice presidential nominee since 1936, the only other nominee to match her level of inexperience being Agnew, who had also only served two years as Governor (though of the significantly larger state of Maryland) by the time he was sworn in as Vice President in January 1969.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ghislaine:
Oh - Belinda Stronach?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sven:

There are about a dozen states in play. She'll be living in those states for the next two months.

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The flip side is, she's going to appeal to a lot of people because of her "Average Jane" kind of background. She's the antithesis of the career politician.

quote:

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Originally posted by Sven:
Willowdale Wizard, it is incredibly thin.

The flip side is, she's going to appeal to a lot of people because of her "Average Jane" kind of background. She's the antithesis of the career politician.

This will be interesting...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Willowdale Wizard:
Well, it may be interesting. She could do three foreign-policy flubs in the first week and sink herself. Journalists are going to start poring over her entire history, things like her taking a plane flight 9 hours before giving birth.

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quote:

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Originally posted by remind:
Frankly, I do not believe that Hilary Clinton feminist supporters would ever consider voting for the Republicans just because the VP might be a woman.

---

On abortion, she will argue that she is a Feminist for Life and while that won't impress the Andrea Dworkins of the world I think the silent majority that is generally but not passionately pro-choice will find her more compelling than repelling.

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: ghoris ]

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Mercy ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Monday - Day One

No line-up of musicians, yet. I wonder if this will be RedneckStock.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Doug:
They were going to have Larry the Cable Guy do his routine, but he accidentally got seated as a delegate.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
I won't be watching this convention at all, because I'm afraid I'd put my foot through my nice new TV.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Doug:

I'm wondering just how hideous John McCain might look on HDTV especially as contrasted with a former beauty queen.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
Monday - Day One

No line-up of musicians, yet. I wonder if this will be RedneckStock.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Bookish Agrarian:
I'm sure the maverick will ask the Dixie Chicks to perform

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If Toby Keith plays, I hope the delegates all take disgust and yell out FUTK!

(but I won't be watching so someone else needs to report back)

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]

[ 29 August 2008: Message edited by: vaudree ]

Romney and Pawlenty are plenty pissed right now for being used as decoys in this whole VP selection thing. Interesting.

quote:

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Originally posted by ceti:
Toby Keith actually declared he was a democrat a couple of weeks ago. Heck, pigs are beginning to take flight.

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Gay Republican group backs McCain-Palin

Lisa Simpson: 'A Gay President in 2084' ??!

"I have one more suggestion to reduce climate change: Let's keep Al Gore's private jet on the ground."

Of course, he's a racist fuckwad otherwise:

"Radical violent Islam is evil and [McCain] will defeat it."

quote:

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Originally posted by Left J.A.B.:
Just when you thought America couldn't get any weirder.

Gay Republican group backs McCain-Palin

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[ 03 September 2008: Message edited by: Agent 204 ]

BA, I just don't like people using a fringe group supporting the Rethugs to take a shot at disadvantaged people. Save it for the white men clearing the planet.

quote:

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Originally posted by Michelle:
Okay, I have to admit, this was a good line on Romney:

"I have one more suggestion to reduce climate change: Let's keep Al Gore's private jet on the ground."

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quote:

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Originally posted by RevolutionPlease:
I should have explained better, it's drifting to attach gays to rethuglicans.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:

Um, no. It's a group of gay Republicans. The point is that it doesn't make any sense for anyone who is gay to back the Republicans. I'm not sure what you're taking from the link and the cartoon.

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What point did it add? It's most likely a veiled shot. Why not point to the much worse groups, who in fact, threaten gay people?

Sorry to be sensitive. Always have been, always will.

Oh boy - a zinger!

"Being a mayor of a small town is kind of like being a community organizer - except with real responsibilities."

Ouch.

And all the speakers are really getting Obama on his flip-flops. The same ones we've been talking about here.

[ 03 September 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bookish Agrarian:
I don't think it will appeal to middle America. I think the Republicans have hit the wrong message they are being attack dogs, all of them and I think that will turn people off. Not to mention they are making stuff up that will allow the other side to run ads attacking their honesty.

Her eyes seem dead that's what creeps me out.

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The question is, did Obama leave himself open to some of the more substantial attacks? Sure, we're partisan and don't like Republicans so we have all sorts of arguments against it. But I do think the Democrats left themselves open to some of it.

My partner walked through the living room and said, 'wow she's a terrible speaker' and then walked back out. That took about 120 seconds. I think a lot of people will be put off because she went just that little bit too far. It is a delicate line between getting your shots in and being seen to be an attacking. People will put up with the former and not the latter.

quote:

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
A pundit on CNN today said Palin will be making the rounds of the GOP base - christian fundies - over the next few weeks until the debates start, to keep her away from the major pundit shows such as Face The Nation. Guess the GOP is afraid she'll f*ck up when experienced people ask the hard probing questions.

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Idiots. I still say the Republicans chose Palin, in large part because they're hoping to bring the Democratic misogynists out of the woodwork.

[ 03 September 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Michelle:
Whoopsie, looks like the Democrats took the bait again. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has referred to Palin as "shrill".

Idiots. I still say the Republicans chose Palin, in large part because they're hoping to bring the Democratic misogynists out of the woodwork.

---

Very idiotic.

quote:

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Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:
Watching the Republican convention is like a window into a bizarre, scary alternate universe.

Can these people really be that deluded?

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Maybe.

But their essential message has not changed since Reagan, and they have held the White House for 20 of the last 28 years.

Rolling our eyes does not stop them from amassing the legislative, judicial, corporate, and yes popular strength to be the natural political power centre of the USA.

It may be that the Dems will pull this one off.

quote:

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Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:
Watching the Republican convention is like a window into a bizarre, scary alternate universe.

Can these people really be that deluded?

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quote:

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Bookish Agrarian: I took to mean that the Log Cabin Republicans are like REAL Women in Canada in that they are actively working agaisnt their own interests. I see absolutely no anti-gay shot in there anywhere, only anti-Republican.

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[ 04 September 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]

2004: What Kerry did in Vietnam 30 years ago is irrelevant and has nothing to do with his ability to lead (and let's sweep the fact that both of our candidates were draft-dodgers under the rug while we're at it).
2008: John McCain is qualified to be President because he was a POW in Vietnam 30 years ago.

2004: Teenagers should not be having sex outside of marriage. It's a terrible sin and Jay-sus will condemn them to hell!
2008: Pre-marital sex is A-OK as long as it involves people who are middle class and white, won't even think of having an abortion, and are willing to have a quickie shotgun marriage.

2004: John Edwards is a one-term Senator - he's too inexperienced to be VP! He's not qualified!
2008: Sarah Palin has been Governor of a tiny state for 20 months - that's plenty of experience! She has foreign policy experience - Alaska is right next to Russia!

quote:

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Originally posted by ghoris:
I just find the hypocrisy of the GOP breathtaking.

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quote:

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Mitt Romney is trashing the "Liberal elite" in the east of the country.

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CNN's blog had good every 7-minute posts on the speeches.

Paul Begala:

quote:

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What's happened to Mitt Romney? He was a pretty strong campaigner, but at the convention he fell into self-parody.

A guy from Massachusetts who's worth $500 million, whose father was the president of American Motors, the governor of Michigan and a cabinet secretary — he's criticizing the "Eastern elite"?

Who is he kidding? Again and again he spat out the word "liberal." I was waiting for him to attack the pro-choice, pro-gay-rights, pro-universal health care liberal governor of Massachusetts — Mitt Romney.

I suppose Mitt has decided to rise above principle. Did you notice he never once uttered the word, "Bush."

---

Bill Schneider:

quote:

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How did chants of "USA" become a term of defiance and division? It sounds ugly, like they’re saying: "We're real Americans – and you’re not."

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I thought Huckabee's speech was effective in terms of addressing working-class Republicans. It was less ugly than Giuliani's. Apart from the creepy anecdote about school desks, and apart from quoting Gerald Ford and attributing it to Lincoln.

quote:

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My own father held down two jobs, barely affording the little rented house I grew up in. My Dad worked hard, lifted heavy things, and got his hands dirty. The only soap we had at my house was Lava. Heck, I was in college before I found out it wasn't supposed to hurt to take a shower. I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me.

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[ 04 September 2008: Message edited by: Willowdale Wizard ]

[ 04 September 2008: Message edited by: Caissa ]