Polls

I have my theory on how polls work and took time to research the subject. Honestly, who are these people that answer polls? I know I and many others are at work and are not being reached by poll takers. What group is left? Let's see. Most younger people are in school. Even younger children do not answer the phones and I'm sure their caregivers at that time have no time for polls. Who is left? Why retirees and stay home moms of course. Which just happens to be a group of people that favor McCain. Where then are we being given a true idea of how America really feel about the candidates? I'm sure there is no outreach to those that do not use landlines. Therefore, we are really seeing a picture of how most of the older generation and stay home surban mom feel about who they want to be president. Which is a far cry from seeing the picture of what all of America feel.

Let's face it, we have no idea what age group is being called, how the questions are phrased or what state the person is being called lives in. These factors may seem of no importance but it leaves the door wide open to interpretation. Has McCain's smear campaign being working? It's hard to tell. If you read the vast majority of bloggers and talk to people that are supporters then the answer is No. If you listen to the talking heads that puts much faith in using selective polls then the answer is yes. How much stock should we put in the polls? Very little. There are far too many Americans that are not listening and the polls are really skewed right now.

I am beginning to feel that most polls being used at this time is just another means for the talking heads to attack Obama. Because no matter how much McCain is losing in the polls their is never any intelligent conversation on what he needs to do to improve his polls. As I have noted, if the polls is not for the purpose of both parties but only for the downbeating of one the canidiates then polls, therefore, can not serve as a true tool for being used for monitoring how the election is going.

Subscribe in a reader

Saddlebrook meet the Talking Heads

I knew before Obama ever reached the stage that no matter what he said he would be considered weak by the Talking Heads. I can report with all honesty that they did not let me down.

However, before I go further I need to put it out there how I feel about this whole religious push this country has been operating on for the last 200 years. I'm tired of it. I'm a christian and I have clearly come to be able to live with Muslims, atheists and a host of other religions peacefully. Why is it that we must invade a political leader with taking a religious stance? Why can't we elect someone because they can lead and not which God they believe? That being said let me continue.

As usual the Talking Heads have tagged a new word to indicate Obama was viewed as weak. That new word is "nuance." Of course McCain was viewed as forceful and powerful and taking a strong stance. I could have believed that if I had not wasted the time to view the show. McCain was neither powerful or forceful. He was evasive and failed to answer some of the questions. He would instead give a stumping point to why he should be president. Let's give McCain brownie points for being dishonest. Most of McCain's answers lead to his being a POW, how he's going to follow Osama bin Laden to hell, blah, blah, blah.

McCain came off as just a little to prepared for every question. This is the same man who can not read a teleprompter straight, much less deliver any lines without stumbling. Yet on this night he was on target? When he was asked the question of when did he bucke his parties interest and maybe his own interest. McCain stated that would be over" climate control and wasteful spending?" He has got to be kidding. McCain has ♠not voted on improving our climate control at all and wasteful spending is a catch line he uses when he does not want to vote for a bill that is against any of his lobbyist causes.

What a crock the whole forum was. I don't need a president that can keep the faithful happy (remember Bush), I need one that can lead and lead with some form of truthfulness. I can not see how I should view McCain as the way to go when he has surrounded himself with powerful lobbyist and have corrected his policy stance to be reflected of meeting those lobbyist's clients needs (big oil, Georgia to name a few). McCain has consistently voted 100% with Bush thus far in 2008 and 95% of the time in 2007. Where in is this change? In fact, McCain wants to keep all of Bush's failed policies or enhance them to make it worst for me, middle of the road American. Who are the republicans kidding? McCain is not change you can believe in! He's just more of the same minus diplomacy (as he taught me this week with his rantings over Russia-Georgia).

I am so thankful Obama do not listen to the Talking Heads as intently as we other victims do. If he did he could hardly believe his own lead. I am so glad this day is coming to a close and I do not have to hear nuance one more damn time. But let me acknowledge what the talking heads did not bother to discuss:

• Why is the press giving McCain a pass on one of the biggest mistakes of foreign policy that America has committed when Bush invaded Iraq?
• Why on this fine Sunday was there no mention of McCain's unnecessary rhetoric earlier this week against Russia?
• Why was no one talking about McCain having declared himself president and sending emissaries to Georgia?
• Why did one of the biggest champions of the Iraq war (McCain) make statements in regards to "in the 21st century, nations do not invade other nations?"
• Why didn't we get any answers in regards to McCain saying that this was the biggest international crisis since the end of the cold war?
• Why is it that McCain has two lobbyist running his campaign and they are also in bed (or once was in bed) with Georgia and the DHL problem in Ohio?
• Why is Phil Gramm back on the scene and being touted as McCain's Treasury Secretary?

But of course none of that is important. What's important is that Democrats need to be more like republicans and scream for blood, shoot from the hip, and take charge and be large. God forbid we elect some one to be president that actual is presidential and intelligent too. It would be so much better if we just elect another dumb puppet and let the neocons rule as they have for the last 8 years.

Subscribe in a reader

Where do America go from here?

Well after a week of BS where we have seen a staged (at the cost of real people) crisis for the hopes of McCain scoring brownie points, how do we as Americans feel towards what we do next?

Do we once again cringe with fear of being attacked? I'd say yes if we let that warmonger McCain get into the white house. Do we really want someone postulating about how they will keep us safe while keeping us poor (of course for the benefit of all their big business friends and lobbyist)? We would spend countless months of going from yellow to orange alerts (even though there would be no evidence for the alert warnings). As soon as a country that McCain has a pet peeve against (Russia, Iran, and any other country he hates) we would be confronted with going to war.

He would be the perfect puppet that the neocons could hope for (after Bush of course). No avoiding he would stop immigration into this country by any means. Picking and choosing the races he felt should not participant in the great American dream (which is dumb since we are a melting pot). I am not talking about screening terrorist. This can be proven by looking at the "No Fly List" or the spying by the telecoms companies. He sole purpose is to keep us in a state of fear (not because we live in a world that is out to get us, but because fear is a good control lever.

We have spent the last 8 years with a president committing every crime that a person could commit and get away with it (thank god he wasn't black, because the screaming and the prosecution would be on).

When do we, as Americans wake up to WTF! Every presidential campaign it is always boiled down to some religious objective. Why? This is a nation of various religions so religion should never be an issue. I'm talking about same sex marriages, Christianity, birth control, etc. People should be able to practice their belief without encroaching on others belief. Yes, I mean those that believe in no abortions make that a point that they live by and leave those that do not believe in that point of view alone. If it is not a person of your faith, my question is simply, why are you bothering them? This whole religious aspect is similar of the Salem witch hunt. If a person was different just kill them, no questions asked. What the hell did we make laws for if someone is committing an unspeakable act? Instead of law we let the religious take care of it? Hell no. So we need to stop making our every election based off of what an individual believe religiously.

But none the less every 4 years we have election with the duty and responsibility to make the decision of picking some one that is the lesser of two evils and hoping all ends well. Will for once in our lives we have a chance to pick a winner and not the lesser of two evils. Irregardless of the sickos that pretend they go under the title of right, extreme right or right winger (which they are not) to finally get a president that wants to put us first? Why do we let people shay us with what we know is not the truth to justify being torn in our position of what is right? Do anyone think McCain is the anti-Christ? No. We may think a many other things about him, but it is not pure evil. Yet, just because a sicko calls Obama one I should believe it? I'm so stupid now that the neocons can tell me how to think?

I face the fact that a racist will continue to be one and will rather see all us go to hell then make this world a better place (just like the neocons). But the bulk of us can not be so childish. We are all seeing hardship and we all know why. The last puppet in the white house we easily became aware of how ignorant he was and how the only conclusion we could come to is that he was just a tool for a shadow government. Why would any sane person give that shadow government another chance by voting McCain into the white house?

McCain has desperately wanted to president for too many years. Now that he is old he is a prime target for being used. He and his campaign barely are on the same page, he has let his new campaign manager morph him to the person that he hated in the year 2000 and 2004, he no longer has any integrity, or honor.

When I hear McCain I like him, personally, but like a grandfather; however, I would not put him in charge of my life, finances, personal problems (that could lead to war) or my children. I would let him visit and we would all go out and I would probably be in charged of the finances. No McCain is a nice old man, but the problem is he is falling for his own delusions of ruling the free world (not for me and you, but just like another trophy wife -- sorry Cindy, it is what it is).

Recap 08/15/08

I've decided to start a weekly recap on Friday nights.

This week we've heard McCain get loud and strong on the first day of the situation of Georgia. We've also listen to McCain commit gaffes (as usual -- "We are all Georgians" and "In the 21 Century nations should not invade nations"). We've heard how by day two McCain toned his rhetoric down by a notch and by day three he was sending emissaries to the nation of Georgia to appease the American's minds. At the same time President Bush made two non-effectual speeches and then promptly went on vacation to give McCain his time to shine.

We also noted that while McCain was acting presumptuous nobody was listening and thought he had lost his mind. Even though McCain acted like his bags were already on their way to the white house we all had to say not so fast, it takes us for you to shine.

Mean time Obama is still enjoying his vacation but putting out wicked ads to knock McCain's BS down. Obama also managed to have gotten the most money from Wall Street (employees) and the Military. Obama also managed to get the most votes from the religious sector.

Talking about Obama's ads it must be pointed out that they awesome an the equivalent of 1-2-3 knock outs. He exposed McCain's fraud all over the place and the DNC, and Union helped too. They exposed McCain's DHL deal (even through factcheck want to call it a partial truth, 30 seconds do not give you time to write a thesis), his millions, his lobbyist connection, his lies and his bogus character (without getting nasty like McCain).

We also got to listen to the talking heads (minus the Keith Olbermann show, sometimes MSNBC and ABC's J. Trapper) try to tie Obama up with who came out swinging against Russia-Georgia situation with McCain winning (shocking). This is the usual pattern for every week. The cable news have nothing but negative things to say about Obama 2 to 1 when it comes to McCain.

We saw Hillary names and the RNC tried to make us feel pain pretending that their was friction where none existed. We also heard the dumb PUMA's and Hillary sickos fight a dumb cause.

Truth be known even when McCain is given the stage he still can't make it work. All America got see was someone who's age is showing and a young man, even on vacation, makes our hearts swell with hope.

Finally, since the republicans are happy to pick a vice president that is ready to take over since they feel McCain will die while being president, who do you thing will be the choice for these conservatives and neocons.? Leave a comments and let's discuss. (F**ked as that is, it's true.)

Peace out.

I will add some facts and videos tomorrow.

A Night of BS

Well the talking heads were going tonight. What was the most important topic of the night? Obama of course. How Obama compared to McCain regarding Georgia, How much Clinton factors into the convention, Obama's new celebrity ad from McCain, Obama's ad against McCain as a celebrity. What's Hillary's agenda? The Race Factor. Why isn't he leading in the polls? Blah, blah, blah!!

The man can not even go on vacation without being the talk of the town. Of course while they focused their undivided attention on Obama such great topics concerning McCain and other news was ignored:

1. McCain being presumptuous
2. McCain holding a fund raiser with an ex-fundrasier of Abramoff, Ralph Reed
3. Did McCain Plagiarize His Speech on the Georgia Crisis?
4. Obama on Russia Invasion
5. Ike's Granddaughter calls Obama "Future of America"
6. In Loose Style, McCain leads a Camp Divided
7. McCain's attacks on rival fall flat with vets group
8. Why Doesn't Bush want Veterans Voting
9. McCain: Let's Compound The Blunder!
10. Enthusiasm gap plagues GOP convention

I could go on with more political coverage the talking heads could have participated in and by chance given the American people a better perspective of where McCain stands. But atlas, no. This is all about Obama in the most negative light the talking heads can shine.

Just Got Word to be Educated is a No-No for Presidents

I just read an article where the RNC would be coming out to attack Obama on his Education to prove he is an elitist? Please, don't make me laugh so hard. After Bush with his "C" grade average who would want another dummy in the white house? Oh lest I forget, that would be McCain. McCain came up 5th from the bottom of his class which had over 800 students.

Let's talk about pointless topics.

• Let's see, Obama was raised by a single parent on food stamps and then later raised by his grandparents. He got lucky and was able to attend a private school through scholarship and later attended Columbia and Harvard. Considering who Obama is and his race, he must have been one very smart cookie to get into Harvard. In fact he and his wife only just finished paying off their student loans.

• Now let's take a look at McCain's less than stellar school attendance. McCain attended St. Stephen’s, an exclusive school in Alexandria, Va., and then Episcopal High, a private boarding school in the same city and then he later went to The Naval Academy. Considering that McCain was not the brightest star in school his just graduating was good enough; but, I don't remember any reports about him paying off student loans.
  

The RNC trying to paint Obama as an elitist is beyond the average person's comprehension; especially, considering that McCain can afford to wear $500 shoes, owns several homes, and have a heiress for a wife. Where is the comparison that leaves Obama as an elitist? Because he's educated is the yard stick that Americans should use for establishing the post for elitist? Yet those same Americans should ignore that the other guy is rich beyond an average person's belief? Can anyone, anyone believe that the RNC's new plan can possibly be an effective one? Or, are the republicans still believing that the American people are such gullible fools that they can be told anything and will easily bite the bullet?

Is The Negativity of McCain's Campain just petty jealousy?

After reading a very interesting article by David Border concerning the negativity that this campaign has taken, it caused me to ask the question of whether McCain's real reason for embarking into that arena was due to his petty jealousy?

David Border asked John McCain "How do you feel about the tone and direction of the campaign so far?" McCain's response was very interesting:

"I'm very sorry about it," McCain said in a Saturday interview at his Arlington headquarters. "I think we could have avoided at least some of this if we had agreed to do the town hall meetings" together, as he had suggested, during the summer months."

Does McCain know how petty that sounds? Clearly from the blogs I have read regarding this topic a lot of people are just ready to write McCain off as a bitter old man. But not so fast. That statement is plagued with a wealth of tell alls about McCain's mind set. Whereas some people want to push the statement as coming from an old man, I see it coming from the other end of the age spectrum and it shows that McCain has very jealous juvenile tendencies. Since I have children the analogy was very easy to see. When one child will NOT play the game the other one wants, the first child considers that an act of war and ventures into the realm of striking back by any means, short of physical harm (although sometimes it does come to blows between children).

The picture McCain is portraying to me is one of a petty jealous juvenile-bully. Doubtless not one that beat you up for your lunch money everyday, but one that gets so jealous and angry because the other person won't do what they want and then when that person is looked favorably on for rejecting the petty jealous juvenile-bully, the petty jealous juvenile-bully then looks for ways to hurt that person in an emotional way and be damn how that will make the petty jealous juvenile-bully look. They don't care. They just want the the world to know how enraged they are. Sort of the "be damn of the consequences" approach.

I agree with Obama when he said that he and McCain have ultimate control over their campaign (unless McCain is really just a puppet, which for now I will give him the benefit of the doubt). So when Obama denied McCain the opportunity to travel with him to the middle east and then Obama had the nerve to turn it out and be labeled as a rock star. McCain's petty jealousy and juvenile-bully came out in full force and (maybe) when his campaign asked how he wanted to handle the situation he probably told his inner circle to find someway to destroy Obama. Thus we got the "media love Obama ad," the Obama is willing to lose a war to win an election, the infamous "celebrity" ad and of course the "he played the race card."

Of course the consequences was probably not what McCain wanted. There was an immediate backlash from the media over McCain's false claim that the media didn't notice him, he got a public and government out cry over Obama not being patriotic enough and of course we know he got an even uglier responses for the celebrity ad and the race card accusation.

McCain's actions can not be viewed as anything less than a jealous temper-tantrum of the petties kind. But my question to McCain, if he can answer one in between yelling Surge, Surge, Surge and Drill, Drill, Drill, what about what's troubling the American people (who really do not have time for watching your petty jealous juvenile-bully in action)? Your petty jealous juvenile-bully actions may make the RNC, neocons, and right winger happy but keep in mind that you need more votes then just that base. We need answers, not skits. You should give full concentration towards answering the big questions (and not in the key of one note -- drill, drill, drill) if you want to win or much less stay in the game.

A Leader or a Puppet?

As I've been comparing President Bush to the presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, it has become some what glaringly clear that they are similar in too many ways, which makes me feel that McCain winning the election will not bode well for the growth of America. I've done this comparison because I really feel that we are heading in the same path by electing McCain. Why? Well because most people agree that Bush was not the force behind the destruction of America even though he is taking the blame. He just isn't smart enough. Plenty of people agree that Bush was not smart enough. Hum...neither is McCain for that matter. That begs for the question that needs an answer: if McCain wins who will really be running the government? Big Business, again? The neocons? The religious right? Dick Cheney? Karl Rove? Or will it be just a joint effort by all of them?

Let's put the ducks in a row and compare President Bush and McCain on several factors with the intent of finding the difference:

1. Educational accomplishments,
2. policies,
3. campaign tactics, and
   
4. speaking capabilities

Let's look at Bush's and McCain's records shall we:

Bush received a C during his tenure at Yale and McCain was 5th from the bottom of his class that had over 800 students during his tenure at the U.S. Naval Academy. It seems they are pretty equal in the educational department.

Overall McCain has voted 95% FOR Bush's policies and in 2007 McCain voted 100% FOR Bush's policies. In fact McCain plans to keep most of Bush's failed policies and give the oil companies and big business more cuts and Tax Breaks. As Glenn Grernwald puts it:

"John McCain delivered what was billed as a "major foreign policy" speech and today, David Brooks gushed that it was "as personal, nuanced and ambitious a speech as any made by a presidential candidate this year." In particular, Brooks said that the speech demonstrates just how different McCain's foreign policy approach is from that of Bush/Cheney: "Anybody who thinks McCain is merely continuing the Bush agenda is not paying attention." The reality is exactly the opposite. Thematically, rhetorically and substantively, McCain's speech, particularly as it concerned the Middle East, was essentially a replica of the speech George Bush has been giving for the last seven years. It trumpeted virtually every tenet of the neoconservative faith: to be safe, the U.S. must slay tyranny around the world, spread democracy, bring freedom to the grateful peoples of the Middle East so they turn towards us and away from the Terrorists, using "more than military force"

As well as Think Progress puts it:

"McCain’s speech last week represented a feeble attempt to distance himself from Bush, something his top surrogate acknowledges is futile. Strangely enough, McCain economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin said recently that Obama’s economic polices, not McCain’s, would represent a third Bush term (a claim ultra-conservative Robert Novak even found absurd).

But the simple fact is that Graham is right. McCain is proposing massive tax cuts that primarily benefit higher-income households, ignore other priorities and drive up the national debt by trillions. And McCain’s health care policy would raise costs and abandon the uninsured. That sure sounds like an “extension” and “enhancement” of Bush’s policies."

Just like his predecessor McCain has embarked in running a campaign lacking integrity and substance when it comes to using ads. As Bush had in 2004 against Kerry with the use of the infamous swift boat mudslingers, McCain has his campaign running mudslinging ads as well (the only differences is that Bush was not the one slinging the mud, McCain must have felt that it would be better to cut the middle man out of the picture). The Wall Street Journal writes:

"John McCain has edged toward more negative ads lately – a strategy he took in his previous presidential bid and one that “has been and may still be problematic - if not disastrous,” writes The Huffington Post’s Thomas B. Edsall. “For McCain, negative ads have by and large been poorly conceived and minimally effective. In 2000, his decision to go negative against George W. Bush was a crucial factor in McCain’s eventual defeat.” For those who don’t remember, McCain compared Bush to Bill Clinton, which was “at that moment, beyond the pale,” Edsall notes."

For the final comparison let's just let the visuals do the job:





Enough said, another puppet waiting to get in the White House.

Good vs. Evil

This campaign is shaping up to be a real fight of good vs. evil. Not that either candidate is really good or evil but their policies are. Will we vote for a candidate that have new ideas and is new, charismatic, charming and have the power of a rock star or will we hide in fear of change (just like the republicans want us to) and elect a candidate that is old, no real new ideas (voted 95% for Bush's policies), ill-tempered, lacking in real policies and also employs dirty tactics?

If you listen to the media especially when they go to some rural town and ask the older population (I don't know maybe young people have moved away?) what they think of Obama you get a sense of desolation. They are usually bias and seem to have no access to real news (or should I say the internet?). But let's remember the media is not in Obama's pocket and they tend to skew the facts. The media usually pick a town that have no real voting power in the state they are surveying and the town's people seem to want to live in fantasy land compared to the rest of America. Does Obama have a real shot of being our next president? Hell yea! Too much time is spent looking at national polls. No offense to the national polls but I have no idea what states they chose to phone on that day. There's also the fact that cell phone owners (you know the people that only have cell phones) are not being taken into account. I strongly feel that most polls are skewed. The only problem with us Obama supporters though is that a lot of us want to tell Obama how to run his campaign. Let's see, we tell him how he needs to put out negative ads, how he needs to vote on legislation, whether to drill or not, who should be his VP, blah, blah, blah. Can we get a little faith going here. What is the alternative? McCain. McCain is so upside down I am having a hard time defining whether he is too old, nasty, a bigot or just a plan old puppet. Based on Obama's opinion McCain's campaign is cynical. But since I know McCain and his campaign does not always agree on his position I'm starting to wonder if McCain is a puppet more than any thing else. The last thing America needs is for another Bush (I firmly believe he was a puppet. He was too dumb to put forth the destruction that we've just experienced, just like McCain who was Mr. 6th or 5th from the bottom of his class. News to America, being rich (such as McCain is) do not make you smart, it makes you an an empty elitist.

McCain’s Temper is it Motivated by Contempt or Desperation?

For the past week we have been inundated with one negative ad after another by the McCain camp. Yet there is a very serious question that needs to be answered: is McCain’s temper motivated by contempt, desperation or a combination of both? At first I thought his ad was just tired lies being presented by someone who wanted attention, then as the next ad was presented I felt it had progressed into the land of stupid (the famous Paris Hilton/Britney Spears ad). Now he has moved on to Moses? That ad reeks with jealousy and contempt. I took note of the pattern emerging that illustrated the fact that for this pass week none of McCain's ads had anything to do with his policies really. McCain has not given any real time to stress what his campaign was about; especially, when it came to big issues that Americans are facing. You know like the economy, oil and Iraq, to name a few.

Then McCain went a step farther By daring to insinuate that Obama was playing the race card. Yet I can't help wondering what sane black man (even half white) would stand up and state that he is a symbol of America to all of the World including America? It would not be a black man that is sane by any measure; but, of course if that black man had been living on Mars for the last 40 years and had no knowledge of America’s history with racism that would explain it. Unfortunately such is not the case.

There was a time I started to wonder if McCain was obsessed with Obama; but, as I listened to the undertone of his messages and rhetoric it became increasingly clear that McCain had no respect for Obama as a person (not just as an opponent) and therefore must hold Obama in the highest contempt. How does one generate so much contempt unless it has a root in hatred possibly stemming from racism? But I am not the only one who has done the math and see that 1+1 does equal 2. Even McCain's base is starting to notice.

McCain and the GOP have used (and probably plan to use even more) every medium to project the image that Obama should be held in contempt by the American people. How dare someone of Obama’s low stature seek to be president of the free world? McCain and others have attacked Obama’s patriotism, his intelligence, his appearance, his wife, his children, what he eats, his weight, his race and the list can go on and on. None of McCain’s ads or rhetoric is about attacking his opponent’s policies which is what they should be about. To make it worst for McCain is the fact that the worst of his attacks against Obama comes directly from McCain, not his surrogates.

McCain has being attacking Obama from all fronts and the biggest problem with his attacks is that the bulk of them are all blatant lies, distortions and mockery and anything else that they can think of to lay at Obama’s feet. Yes, everyone acknowledges that McCain’s ads are clearly a sign of desperation but it also shows an obvious contempt McCain and company holds towards Obama. Obama is not some one who just showed up yesterday. Obama captured the most votes for a democrat in history. He has sponsored and helped enacted various legislation.

McCain can no longer stand behind the message of “…I respect Senator Obama greatly…” unless he greatly underestimate the intelligence of the American people. The only message that I can glean from McCain is that although he is desperate he also holds Obama in contempt and plans to make sure the American people know it and I'm sure he hopes we will join him in his sentiment.

Since Obama did not have the fortune of being born with a silver spoon, unless you count living off of food stamps as a sign of privilege. He came from a poor background and pulled himself up from his bootstraps to achieve great educational success. He did not turn his back on the people but instead of taking a high paying job he chose to tackled social issues and helping people. If McCain does not start refocusing his ads and rhetoric on substance he well start being viewed by more than just democrats and independents as a racist.