Cunningham here...

[reason]

Originally posted by Lew:
Reason-

I attended a political fundraiser last night for the campaign I work on and I was surprised at how many people there (and bear in mind these are mostly business conservatives who worship Ronald Reagan) actually echoed much of your sentiment. One guy flat out told me that in his opinion conservative talk radio has "jumped the shark." He was a fan of William F. Buckley's and compared the late WFB to the likes of Ann Coulter and Willie.

I think it will be interesting to see if it does backfire. And if so, I agree that's a sign of progress. The public so often complains about negative campaigning, but study after study has shown that it works. It would be nice to see evidence of negaive campaigning not working.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is why I think this will backfire: The Limbaugh-types have long espoused personal responsibility and have villified the black victimhood pimps. Now that we've got a well-groomed, well-spoken, well-educated, successful and intelligent black man with a legitimate shot at the big prize, those very same people are going out of their way to point out, "yeah, but he's still a black man with a 'controversial' name."

In a nutshell, the message from these family values folks is, we don't like you if you're a black thug, and we're going to continue to point out the differences of your blackness if you're successful. Kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

It also doesn't help when that very same group is identified with fucking up the country over the last 8 years, so along with the bigotry is a healthy dose of arrogance.

I won't be surprised if McCain wins, but I think the hard right better watch out what they say. The Cunninghams of the world need to shut up.

I saw a clip online of the Colbert Report where Colbert mocked Cunningham. In an age where people get their political views and news from places like the Daly Show, this type of exposure bodes well for the Dems.

<font color="#0000FF" size="1">[ February 29, 2008 02:59 PM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>

[gae]

Reason, PLEASE tell me what Obama has done.

I don't dispute that he is well spoken, but really, what has he DONE?

He's done jack and you know it.

I've told Trav time and time again that if this were 2012 and Obama had something more than than a business card bearing his name, I'd probably vote for him -- just to make the poverty pimps STFU. We all know that's never going to happen, so don't count on a female black president soon. (Something I'd personally love to see.)

You liberals love to divide us by race and gender. Just STFU. WE are the ones who don't care about color or race. Y'all do. Get over it.

I don't like Obama because he is as vacuous as JackTheCat. He says nothing. His wife is a flaming bitch, and I don't want her pimping up the White House. Nor do I want her or him representing MY America.

Funny, isn't it, that we have MLK day and no one remembers what he said?

[Lew]

Reason-

I concur with your assessment of right wing radio and the quandary it's in right now. In fairness, I did listen to Hannity a few weeks ago and he was explaining why he was against McCain and how so many of his listeners had been getting on him for it. And his contention was that he has a core group of principles on which he stands, and just because a candidate has an "R" after their name, in and of itself, means nothing. And to that end, I'll grant him that.

However, the bigger problem involves some of the things to which you alluded. A huge part of the rise of right-wing radio was the end of the "Fairness Doctrine" during the Reagan administration. Couple that plus the Clinton presidency, and the market was right for Limbaugh and others like him to thrive. People tuned in because they were hearing things on radio they'd never heard before, and something new is always going to capture interest.

However, once the "newness" wears off, there has to be some kind of substance to keep it going. And if you visit Rush's site (or Mike Gallagher, Hugh Hewett, Laura Ingraham, et al), it's pretty much the same schtick it was 10 years ago- the drive-by media is out to get us, we need to lower taxes, reduce government, etc. And that all sounds fine and good, but the fact is, our government now is as big as it has ever been, and we haven't had a Democrat in the White House since 2000. ANd what you come to realize, in the end, is that, in the world of Limbaugh, anything (or anyone) that is ostensibly conservative is good, anything or anyone that is ostensibly liberal is bad. There's nothing good that Clinton ever did, there's nothing bad that Bush ever did.

Well, obviously, the majority of Americans don't feel that way because the majority of Americans are not idealogues. And again, I realize that Willie's comments were not aimed towards the majority, they were spoken to a group of partisans. But it will be interesting to see if these kinds of things recur during the election season.

And Gae, I'll grant you that Obama really hasn't said or done anything, but would you not agree that's the best platform upon which you campaign? And, if you're going to be consistent about it, couldn't the same things have been said about George Voinovich when he was Governor? He sat up there in Columbus and didn't do anything, and as a result, when he ran for Senate, there was nothing for anyone to attack him.

[reason]

Originally posted by gae:
Reason, PLEASE tell me what Obama has done.

I don't dispute that he is well spoken, but really, what has he DONE?

He's done jack and you know it.

I've told Trav time and time again that if this were 2012 and Obama had something more than than a business card bearing his name, I'd probably vote for him -- just to make the poverty pimps STFU. We all know that's never going to happen, so don't count on a female black president soon. (Something I'd personally love to see.)

You liberals love to divide us by race and gender. Just STFU. WE are the ones who don't care about color or race. Y'all do. Get over it.

I don't like Obama because he is as vacuous as JackTheCat. He says nothing. His wife is a flaming bitch, and I don't want her pimping up the White House. Nor do I want her or him representing MY America.

Funny, isn't it, that we have MLK day and no one remembers what he said?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'd favorably compare Obama's current record with Dubya's pre-presidential record anyday.

Of course, Dubya's dubious "accomplishments" didn't stop the likes of you from voting for him, supporting him...then making excuses for him over the last 7+ years.

Dubya's done a good job of making sure those at the top get their's...just before he sends the economy into the abyss...OH WAIT...we're not going to a recession...

I don't think one can find a more divisive president than Bush. I'd bet that Obama wouldn't be worse, but that's setting the bar really, really, really, really low.

[reason]

In gae's world, we are supposed to scrutinize the black man's accomplishments and vote for any republican that comes along. Afterall, look who she voted for not once, but twice!

It's obvious she carries a different standard of scrutiny for Obama than she did for Bush:

RESUME GEORGE W. BUSH 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Law Enforcement: I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.

Military: I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.

College: I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE : I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland,Texas in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money. I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President of the United States, after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week. I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues. I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleezza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron. My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history. I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more convicted criminals to my administration than any President in U.S. history. I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States Government. I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 US election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history. I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind. I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. Citizens and the world community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime. In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES: All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. I specified that my sealed documents will not be available for 50 years.

<font color="#0000FF"><font size="1">[ March 03, 2008 11:01 AM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font></font>

<font color="#0000FF" size="1">[ March 03, 2008 11:04 AM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>

[Lew]

I've been away from the maritime field for over 8 years now, yet the slightest mention of anything maritime related gets the juices flowing. I read Reason's post and of course the part about the tanker being named afer Condoleeza got my attention.

This appears to be true. Apparently she was a Chairman at Chevron before she joined the Bush administration and they named a tanker after her (which is actually quite common for companies to do that). However, as the story goes, once she became a public official, they renamed the vessel ALTAIR VOYAGER.

From my research, there is most definitely a vessel called the ALTAIR VOYAGER that's operated by Chevron. I cannot verify 100% that it used to be named after Condi, but there was an article in the SF Chronicle about it. There are several "photos" of it floating around the net but they are clear photoshops, so I can't sit here and say for sure this is a true story. I'm leaning towards more true than not, and like I said,since the vessel was named prior to her becoming part of the Bush administration, I have no problem with that part of it.

What does any of this have to do with Reason and Gae's discourse? None whatsoever. But I love my boats. Had I stayed in the field, there's no doubt in my mind that plowing the waters of the mighty Licking River would be the SS BIG DADDY LEW MAN.

[gae]

Reason,

First, you don't know who I voted for. I voted AGAINST Kerry because he's a lying weasel who has never worked a day in his life.

Second, I don't care that Obama is black. I don't care that Hillary is female. I care that they are socialists. If I wanted that kind of government, I'd move to the UK.

Your Bush bashing has gotten old. Everything in your last post has been debunked again and again, and yet you still pull it out. Are you also one of those people who believes that William JEFFERSON Clinton (hate speech there, eh?) isn't a rapist?

You liberals amaze me. Maybe you make enough money that having your taxes doubled to fund "universal" health care won't affect your bottom line, but the rest of us don't.

Maybe you make enough money to see gas go to $5.00+ a gallon while bitching about oil companies' profits. but the rest of us don't.

Maybe you make enough money that you don't care that your Duke Energy bill keeps going up and up and up while the company spends $20 million in bribes, but the rest of us don't.

Couple of true stories:

Got an email from a friend in the UK this morning. She's on her way to London to attend the funeral of a 39 year old who died from complications from a hysterectomy. Sepsis and lack of adequate health care over there. Universal health care anyone?

Trav and I foolishly opened our house and hearts to someone we belived needed only a hand up, and not a hand out. We are out many hundreds of dollars -- cash learned to jump out of my wallet while she was here -- and will probably never help anyone again. The house guest had the typical liberal excuse: we have so much and she has nothing. Talk about wealth redistribution!

Let me just add that the US has the fattest and richest "poor" people in the world, and that is not from lack of food choices. They are stupid and lazy.

Meh. I'm done here. That old saying about teaching the pig to sing? It's true.

[reason]

Originally posted by gae:
Reason,

First, you don't know who I voted for. I voted AGAINST Kerry because he's a lying weasel who has never worked a day in his life.

Second, I don't care that Obama is black. I don't care that Hillary is female. I care that they are socialists. If I wanted that kind of government, I'd move to the UK.

Your Bush bashing has gotten old. Everything in your last post has been debunked again and again, and yet you still pull it out. Are you also one of those people who believes that William JEFFERSON Clinton (hate speech there, eh?) isn't a rapist?

You liberals amaze me. Maybe you make enough money that having your taxes doubled to fund "universal" health care won't affect your bottom line, but the rest of us don't.

Maybe you make enough money to see gas go to $5.00+ a gallon while bitching about oil companies' profits. but the rest of us don't.

Maybe you make enough money that you don't care that your Duke Energy bill keeps going up and up and up while the company spends $20 million in bribes, but the rest of us don't.

Couple of true stories:

Got an email from a friend in the UK this morning. She's on her way to London to attend the funeral of a 39 year old who died from complications from a hysterectomy. Sepsis and lack of adequate health care over there. Universal health care anyone?

Trav and I foolishly opened our house and hearts to someone we belived needed only a hand up, and not a hand out. We are out many hundreds of dollars -- cash learned to jump out of my wallet while she was here -- and will probably never help anyone again. The house guest had the typical liberal excuse: we have so much and she has nothing. Talk about wealth redistribution!

Let me just add that the US has the fattest and richest "poor" people in the world, and that is not from lack of food choices. They are stupid and lazy.

Meh. I'm done here. That old saying about teaching the pig to sing? It's true.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That was one of the most ditzy rambling essays I've ever read!

Wow.

I suppose none of us really know for sure who you voted for, and gosh, none of us would ever have a clue.

Oh, and I love your anecdotes. A person dies and the entire universal health care system sucks!

Wow. That's *really* GREAT analysis.

Anecdotes? I'll give you anecdotes!

I had a partner who lost his job and got sent to the hospital due to extremely high blood pressure. His insurance was dropped two days prior. Instead of asking for help refilling his blood pressure medication, he'd just reduce or stop taking his dosage.

My next door neighbor was hit by a car. The local renovation business he works for does not provide health care insurance. He walked around for two weeks with a broken hand!

Then there's my 60 year old realtor friend who had an outpatient procedure to fix a heart that beat irregularly. In his words, he "felt like he was going to die" and prepared for his final day. The bill? $40,000. Not covered by his insurance. A charity took the case. He's trying to get new insurance now. The best quote he's gotten so far is $1,300. A month. In case you haven't noticed, there arent' a lot of houses being sold right now.

As for the person you helped and used you? Well I did the same thing (helped with job search, free place to stay, used car) and I'm out at least $12,000 (I really didn't really keep track).

Difference is, I have no regrets.

About the Bush bashing...biggest joke of a president ever, and you get offended. No...we have NO idea who YOU voted for! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaa.

<font color="#0000FF" size="1">[ March 04, 2008 04:58 PM: Message edited by: The Big Sexy ]</font>

[reason]

Quote of the day:

Maybe you make enough money to see gas go to $5.00+ a gallon while bitching about oil companies' profits. but the rest of us don't.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, some areas of the country are already at $4 a gallon. Bush's energy policy has been to "pump more oil" and be more dependent on areas other the the Middle East.

Unfortunately, Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, and a whole host of other oil producing areas are equally unstable, but thanks to the man you put into office, we will see your predicted $5 a gallon not because of any future president, but because of the president we have now.

But I'm sure you'll find a liberal to blame, even if one isn't in office.

[gae]

Lay down the crack pipe, Reason. There was a time when you could read and have reasonable discourse.

As far as real estate -- houses in our part of the hood are going for $250,000. Under contract.

Damned economy! It's awful!