Anatomy of a Smear

Since the media isn't going to to the job (unless the smear is directed at Obama), here is the McCain $5 million quote in full:

On August 16, Pastor Rick Warren asked John McCain how much money someone would have to make to be considered rich. McCain didn't answer directly. "I think that rich should be defined by a home, a good job, an education and the ability to hand to our children a more prosperous and safer world than the one that we inherited," he said.

Then he made a joke: "So, I think if you are just talking about income, how about $5 million?"

The audience laughed, immediately understanding that McCain was being facetious. Just in case there were any doubts McCain started his next comment by saying "seriously," to underscore the joke. Then he made a prediction.

"I'm sure that comment will be distorted," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Thinking people should be able to figure out that McCain was joking. Apparently Obama couldn't figure it out, since he's repeatedly used it to smear McCain.

Do we want someone so dense running our country? Unless ... you don't think Obama KNEW it was a joke and is simply using it to smear McCain? That can't be true. He was going to be the ONE of HOPE and CHANGE. New Politics. Not the politics of destruction!!11!

Certainly The One wouldn't use cheap smear tactics to lie about his opponent in order to win? Time tells me it's McCain that is using dirty tricks, and we all KNOW there is no such thing as media bias.

The phrase by any means necessary keeps running through my head. And it makes me very nervous.

Smear Campaign? Who Me? HOPE! CHANGE!

"I'm Barack Obama and I .... mumble mumble mumble."

So who did pay for the ad that smeared Sarah Palin? The ad that was pulled merely hours after connections between it and a major PR firm close to Obama and Axelrod were discovered by bloggers?

"Time" mag just recently had an article about how dirty a campaign McCain was running. Yet, which candidate has raised "record" amount of money to spend on advertising? Which candidate has the likes of Time, CNN, MSNBS, Oprah, 90% of Hollywood and friends to push it's message? Which candidate had Matt Damon tells LIES on national tv?

And now, which campaign is (most likley) using a major PR firm to produce and distribute ads under the guise of "grassroot movements?"

Hope. Change.

It's working ... but ...

I'm going to Florida this week. So ... I'm not sure how much I'll be posting.

Besides, I had/have so much to catch up on.

In limbo

My satellite is dead. boohoo. No internet until I don't know when. Pity me.

ZOMG, this show is AWESOME

Is it new?



h/t Ace.

The Hammer takes it to Charlie

Gibson, that is. Regarding Palin's handling of the "Bush Doctrine" question.

[T]he most sweeping formulation of the Bush approach to foreign policy and the one that most clearly and distinctively defines the Bush years: the idea that the fundamental mission of American foreign policy is to spread democracy throughout the world. It was most dramatically enunciated in Bush's second inaugural address: "The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world."

This declaration of a sweeping, universal American freedom agenda was consciously meant to echo John Kennedy's pledge in his inaugural address that the United States "shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." It draws also from the Truman doctrine of March 1947 and from Wilson's 14 points.

If I were in any public foreign policy debate today, and my adversary were to raise the Bush doctrine, both I and the audience would assume -- unless my interlocutor annotated the reference otherwise -- that he was speaking about the grandly proclaimed (and widely attacked) freedom agenda of the Bush administration.

Not the Gibson doctrine of preemption.

Gibson got it WRONG. There is no "ONE" Bush doctrine. The policy has changed over the years; pre and post 9/11, for example.

Yes, Sarah Palin didn't know what it is. But neither does Charlie Gibson. And at least she didn't pretend to know -- while he looked down his nose and over his glasses with weary disdain, sighing and "sounding like an impatient teacher," as the Times noted. In doing so, he captured perfectly the establishment snobbery and intellectual condescension that has characterized the chattering classes' reaction to the mother of five who presumes to play on their stage

Indeed.

Obama Camp sinks to new low

This reported on Huffpoo

"The McCain campaign's lies make it clear that John McCain would rather lose his integrity than lose this election. The fact is, John McCain has voted for millions in earmarks and his running mate has requested more pork per person than any governor in America -- including $2 million to study the mating patterns of crabs. Barack Obama has stood up to the lobbyists and corruption in Washington, and will bring real change that puts middle-class families first," said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.

I don't think the Obama camp should go in this direction. Fact is, Obama has also voted for (and requested) millions in earmarks. $740 million to be exact.

You know who else was a community organizer?

Lenin. That's who.

And Pol Pot.

Shamelessly stolen from a comment from here

Bob should be proud of himself

His satire/parody has turned into full-blown propaganda used by Matt Damon.

Matt Damon and Maureen Dowd (among others), repeated your satire as fact. Honestly, I just don't know what to say.

Look,you asshats, if you hear stupid things attributed to Sarah Palin, just PERHAPS you should research before you look like a total idiot. Remember this, friends, next time ANY celebrity talks about politics.

In addition, ole Matt is wrong about the actuary tables. He says it's a one-in-three chance that McCain will die in office. Wrong Harvard drop-out. It's one in seven.

How do you like them apples?

New smear

Obama = Jesus
Palin = Pontius Pilate

Another Obama Supporter

Comes out with his ringing endorsemen of the One™.

9/11 Who Done It?

While the folks at "South Park" declare that 25% of Americans are retarded, apparently in other countries this percentage is bit higher.


(click to embiggen)

I'd like to salute our friends in Germany for being total asses. Twenty-three percent think the US government was behind 9/11? It's sad that Kenya and Nigeria - countries with fewer opportunities - have more sense.

Also, rather startling are China's response. Fifty-six don't know? I thought those commie bastards were supposed to be so smart?


H/t Hot Air

Palin a bookburner!!Eleventy!!

This from Howie Carr

Twelve years ago, she considered banning books at the Wasilla Public Library, which is a chilling assault on the First Amendment, unlike Barack Obama, whose campaign 12 days ago tried to shout down an appearance on Chicago radio of an investigative reporter looking into ties between Barack and rabid terrorist Bill Ayers. But that mob of Barack brownshirts besieging WGN can in no way be compared to what Palin did because well, uh, um, it just can’t be, if you know what’s good for you

Book banning? Outrage! Actual squelching of actual speech? Bored now ...

Don't call it a comeback

Yesterday, while most of the world got to listen (if they chose) to the talking heads discuss Palin's speech, I was tortured with wall-to-wall Kwame coverage. As I predicted days ago, a deal was made. Kwame gets jail time, loses his law license, and needs to pay back $1 mill in five years. The head of city council moves into the role of mayor, and Monica Conyers become City Council President.

Last night, Kilpatrick gave a speech while surrounded by teary-eyed supporters. His closing comment? He promises to return and says This city always gets up. I want to tell you, Detroit, that you done set me up for a comeback.

A comeback? Dear lord no, young fella. You need to go AWAY.

He couldn't help but take a stab at Jennifer Granholm:

Rather than focusing on the huge issues that are facing our state -- from the record home foreclosures, the lack of affordable healthcare, a record unemployment in our state, Kwame Kilpatrick was at the top of her list," he said.

"I wish her well and hope that the same tenacity, the same professionalism, if you will, and intensity that went around putting together a quasi-administrative court will also be the same tenacity to solve the problem of the people of the state of Michigan."

That there statement could be used to explain the proper meaning of "irony" to Alanis Morrrisette.

Crossposted at the Protein Wisdom Pub.

Free at last ...

Detroit is free at last of Kwame Kilpatrick, as a plea was finally struck between the mayor and Kim Worthy.

As part of the deal, Kilpatrick will spend four months in jail and pay the city $1 million over a five-year probation period.

The embattled mayor entered his plea Thursday in the courtroom of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner.

Pride and arrogance led to this moment.

NEWSFLASH!

Gloria Steinem NOT won-over by Palin. I know, shocka!

This isn't the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women want and need. Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie.

Gloria Steinem doesn't speak for me. She offers me nothing. She has stood on the shoulders of giants, and then spat on women who don't support the radical feminist agenda.

I apologize

Because Karl Rove calling Joe Biden a "big fat doofus" is EXACTLY the same as the media frenzy currently swirling around Sarah Palin.

Exactly.

Update:
Huffingtong Post is on the case!

BREAKING NEWS: LEVI JOHNSTON STATES ON FACEBOOK PAGE THAT HE DOES NOT WANT KIDS!!11! Admits that he is a "F---in' redneck".

I smell a Pulitzer.

Update 2:Media, New and Old, Vet Palin, Do McCain's Job for him.

And someday, they may get around to vetting Obama and Biden, but right now they're just too busy.

Since I hate black people ...

I will obviously be all over the Kwame thing today. I mean, boy would I love to stick it to the black (shudder) mayor who has been serving his black constituency so well. Without Kwame to lead Detroit ... well, they're just no saying how low it will sink.

Yes, this was a perfect plan to destroy a "Chocolate" (thanks Nagin!) city. Prosecute the poor, innocent Mayor for doing practically NOTHING wrong. Since when was it a crime to use taxpayer's money to cover up an affair and lying to city council and a judge in the process? And, so he shoved a process server. Who hasn't? Am I right?

Us racists will stop at nothing. Of course, Didn't Oceancat say I mostly hated black people? Whatever. Same thing, right?

Michael Moore is a big pile of crap

Gustav is a gift from God.

Knowing that he must have looked like a big pile of crap, he then posts this on his crap-site.

h/t: Dan over at the Pub

UPDATE- Perhaps God does love Republicans. Gustav just downgraded to a cat 2.

Having trouble ...

...keeping up with the latest criticism and conspiracy theory related to McCain's VP pick? Jeff has got them all right here.

It's crazy-delicious.

A new one. Her earrings are disrespectful to GustoV victims. Even before Gustov hits. FOR SHAME MCCAIN/PALIN.