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Post by mlm828 on Oct 3, 2008 12:31:30 GMT -5
The fact that most polls show Biden as winning the debate gives me hope that we have finally chosen substance over fluff. To me, the biggest difference between the two nominees was that Biden knew what he was talking about. The only ability Palin demonstrated was the ability to memorize her talking points and repeat them, regardless of whether they were responsive to the question.
Palin's "folksy" bit seemed totally phony. We were encouraged, four years ago, to vote for President based on whom we'd like to have a beer with. We all know how that worked out. So I'm cautiously optimistic people are not going to fall for that pitch again.
To me, the most revealing moment of the debate was when Biden talked about losing his wife and daughter and not knowing if his sons were going to survive, and Palin didn't react at all. That speaks volumes about who she really is.
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 3, 2008 15:36:48 GMT -5
To me, the most revealing moment of the debate was when Biden talked about losing his wife and daughter and not knowing if his sons were going to survive, and Palin didn't react at all. That speaks volumes about who she really is. Oh, yes. That was a lovely moment -- a strong and tested man caught in the grip of genuine and heartfelt emotion -- and she didn't turn a hair. A tad self-absorbed, I'd say. I also loved it, loved it, loved it, when, after another round of "Stop referencing the past administration; we're mavericks "(yeah, right) -- Biden just smiled and quoted one of my favorite aphorisms of all time: "What's past is prologue."  I am also sick to death of that woman trotting out her sweet little Down Syndrome baby to make points, as she did at the end of the debate when the families came onstage. For the love of God, woman, it's 10:30 at night -- that little boy should be home in bed asleep. Well, he was asleep, on her shoulder, and she kept absently patting him while she chatted to everyone. Then she handed him off to her seven year old daughter, who, by all appearances, genuinely adores that little baby even though she can barely lift him! Willow -- isn't that the daughter's name? -- then stopped and had what looked like a very sweet conversation with Gwen Eifel (sp?). I wish I could lip read! All by way of saying that I hate that Palin is using that baby to garner sympathy, and it makes me sad. Have we ever heard her talk about the decision to continue the pregnancy when she learned he had Down Syndrome, which is a wrenching and difficult decision for any woman, and would humanize her in a way nothing else has? Have we ever heard her refer to the child in any way but her stock "special needs child" phrase? Has she ever referred to him by name in an interview? Personally, it sort of looks like Willow's going to be raising him! I haven't said much yet, since it's sort of implied, but I thought Joe Biden was extremely fine last night. Very smart of him to keep doing an end-run around Palin and keep his focus on McCain; there was no way he could have attacked her directly without looking paternalistic and condescending, and I think he avoided that trap very neatly. I can't quite believe that she still doesn't know that the Veep's ONLY involvement with the legislative branch is to break ties in the Senate. Then again . . . maybe I can.  Thanks, as always, for your well-reasoned and perceptive comments, mlm.  I can't wait for SNL tomorrow!!! |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 3, 2008 18:36:36 GMT -5
To me, the most revealing moment of the debate was when Biden talked about losing his wife and daughter and not knowing if his sons were going to survive, and Palin didn't react at all. That speaks volumes about who she really is. Oh, yes. That was a lovely moment -- a strong and tested man caught in the grip of genuine and heartfelt emotion -- and she didn't turn a hair. A tad self-absorbed, I'd say. My reaction was somewhat stronger, along the lines of "cold-hearted bitch." I can't quite believe that she still doesn't know that the Veep's ONLY involvement with the legislative branch is to break ties in the Senate. Then again . . . maybe I can. What's really scary is that she wants the Vice-Presidency to have more power, even more than Dick Cheney, whom Biden aptly described as "the most dangerous Vice-President in history." By the way, was I the only one who thought Palin didn't know the meaning of the phrase "Achilles heel"? Here is my local paper's cartoon this morning on the debate:  I can't wait for SNL tomorrow!!! Me, neither! |
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 3, 2008 19:10:29 GMT -5
Oh, definitely karma for having the balls of steel to say "cold hearted bitch."  Of course she didn't know the term "Achilles heel." The only Homer she knows is . . . Homer Simpson. ;D |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 3, 2008 23:21:44 GMT -5
In case you haven't already seen it, here is the "Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart":  |
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 4, 2008 19:35:48 GMT -5
WHERE did you get this?! Karma for the laugh, and I can't wait to talk to you after Tina Fey weighs in tonight. In case you haven't already seen it, here is the "Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart": |
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 5, 2008 0:07:05 GMT -5
Sorry for the double postin' but I'm just sayin' that I am lovin' the whole Tina Fey thing, ya know? You betcha! She out-Palins Palin! Yeah, of course I watched the first ten minutes of SNL, along with probably everyone else in the country. (You can pretty much turn off the show after that. :  But they plain nailed it, again. Great fun that, once again, SNL is doing what they once did better than any other show: scathing political humor with an unrepentant Liberal bias. Aaaaaah, this takes me right back to the good old days when Danny Ackroyd was Nixon wandering around the White House talking to the portraits on the walls, Belushi was Henry "Bomb 'em" Kissinger, and Madelyn Kahn was Pat Nixon writing her memoirs ("His leg swelled up again today . . . he was in intense pain . . . good.") Anyway, I just love that Tina Fey is pointing up -- more adeptly than any of the talking heads or pundits -- just how utterly ridiculous and chirpy and delusional this woman is. Best moment tonight? "Oh, we're not going to do the talent portion?" and then she pulled out the flute and played it. Heh. (And let me say right now, as a first chair flutist all throughout grade school and junior high school, that I resent that pinheaded ninny (Palin, that is) putting a cheesy slant on the instrument I once loved.  ) For those of you who have missed these great satirical sketches, apparently NBC (no fools, they) have put together a recap show that will air on Thursday night. Details to follow. Swear ta Gaad, half the time I thought I was watchin' Sarah Palin herself, ya know? ;D |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 5, 2008 18:50:48 GMT -5
The Boss weighs in on the election here. |
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Post by matilda on Oct 6, 2008 6:09:46 GMT -5
Tks mlm - oh how I adore that man. Gives yet deeper meaning to 'better with age' eh - loving his thoughtfulness.
Can I say that I realised how much this thread has become my first look at all things US election (hmmm could be cos I never read anything I disagree with here and am becoming grumpy as I get older, but I digress) when I saw where the link was to and realised that I had opened this up first rather than today's Huffington Post.
You are good ...
Matilda
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 6, 2008 15:03:15 GMT -5
Tks mlm - oh how I adore that man. Gives yet deeper meaning to 'better with age' eh - loving his thoughtfulness. He was quite eloquent, I thought. And I can so relate to this.  Matilda, if you're going first to the Huffington Post or the election discussion here, you can probably relate to it, too. By the way, how's the economy doing in Australia? I've heard of the meltdown spreading to Europe, but very little about what's happening in your part of the world. |
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 6, 2008 17:55:07 GMT -5
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Post by maggiethecat on Oct 7, 2008 17:02:03 GMT -5
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Post by matilda on Oct 8, 2008 5:05:06 GMT -5
And I can so relate to this. Matilda, if you're going first to the Huffington Post or the election discussion here, you can probably relate to it, too. By the way, how's the economy doing in Australia? I've heard of the meltdown spreading to Europe, but very little about what's happening in your part of the world.[/quote] Loved it! Thanks mate. In terms of things here, not great. AUSD down to 64c/USD today - when I was there in April it was 98c (happily for me at the time and let me say I made one heck of a personal contribution to your economy by way of retail spending - this country needs Gap, in the National interest, in my view - always go nuts on fabulous, good quality, longwearing clothes for kids when there, hmm let's not talk about International labour convenants, we members of Team Oz in no position to point finger given where our clothes are made, and maybe a few teeny cosmetics for self - again typically I digress). On topic, the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates by 1% yesterday - cash rates down to 6% - obviously this will help but of course we are very dependent on what's happening everywhere else. The local banks are doing quite well today but if they need to borrow there won't be anywhere to borrow from ... The local/regional insurance mobs are all talking about buying the various US ones' Asia-Pac operations, that will be interesting to watch. And of course many of your multi-nationals, especially the investment banks, operate here so it's a worry in employment terms both at that micro-level and more broadly at the macro in terms of how the whole bloody thing will affect other industries/investment areas. We have been heavily reliant on the mining boom over in the West for spending etc in recent years and the big minings (Rio Tinto etc) have had huge drops in prices the last couple of days. For the first few days we were all (well all of us sane ones) smirkingly happy and generally being up ourselves about our financial markets' regulated nature, but of course with an impending sense of gloom which has now proven to be the sensible approach and of a deep, deep sadness that again, it seems that the fellow human beings affected by this mess all over our world will be the ones least able to deal. I was, and remain, pro-bailout (your place and Europe and did anyone else read what happened in Icleand yesterday???) on that basis as what we're used to here, culturally, is exactly that approach - it will be interesting to see what transpires on that front. So I think we're all worried, but many of us are happy that our Federal Government is taking a reasonably interventionist approach locally and appealing to this same sense in an international context - as I said earlier our PM's performance at the UN a fortnight ago was in that vein. Many of us are deeply relieved and grateful that the Third Wayers are in power right now rather than the neo-cons, and as you know there was a grave danger of that happening, as there's no doubt that there would have been further attempts deregulation. Google 'The Australian' or the 'Australian Financial Review' for an overview and for a cracker front page article today on Caribou Barbie - no doubt a re-print from somewhere but fantastic nonetheless. Oh she is scary, scary, scary. I suppose you've all read 'American Fascists'? Maaaaan she is right out of that book ... it's the diabolical STEALTH of it all that REALLY upsets me. The hide of her talking about, among other things, health care (a subject very dear to our hearts here as we have universal health care BUT just about didn't pre-last December's election result). I caught a bit of the debate today at an airport lounge (I know, Matilda's carbon footprint lookin' pretty bad but Matilda is total captive of business' approach of having a meeting about a meeting in as many capital cities as possible and she is trying to get others to video conference) and tonight's bulletins full of it - really looking forward to reading your collective take in a few hours. You are a bright spot, you mob, in what seems to be a world of despondency. So get typing you fullas - Beyond Justice, read before Huffington! Cheers and thinking of you all - I just keep thinking of you Democrats and how incredibly frustrating it must feel for you right now (among other things you so eloquently express!). And as my father says (on a daily basis but my father's irritating retirement activities principally involving obsessive media-watching and subsequent commentary as to what would be occurring if he ran the world are another story altogether), is FDR literally rolling in his grave or WHAT? ?  All love and strength M |
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 8, 2008 14:12:10 GMT -5
There's way too much in matilda's excellent post to respond to right now, so I'll just say that if anyone thought they were immune from the economic crisis, they'd better think again. We really are all connected, and the sooner we learn that, the better.
The strongest impression I took away from last night's debate is that McCain looked really, really old. He moved like an old man -- not an old man's shuffle, exactly, but close to it. I heard only a few passing references to this from the pundits or talking heads, but I have to wonder what effect this is having on undecided voters who have realized Palin is totally unqualified to succeed McCain if the need arises.
There were times when I wanted to yell at the TV, "Just answer the question, Barack!" but he definitely did a better job of responding to the questions than McCain. I thought he was quite deft at deflecting McCain's attacks, and his discussion of health care was outstanding. McCain kept talking about the country's need for a steady hand on the tiller, but it was Obama, not McCain, who showed steadiness. He was, in a word, presidential.
Now, if we can only stop the Republicans from stealing this election . . . .
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Post by mlm828 on Oct 9, 2008 0:49:16 GMT -5
Even if you haven't read anything at any of the other links I've posted, you must read this blog: Margaret and Helen. When I grow up, I want to be Helen. ;D |
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But they plain nailed it, again. Great fun that, once again, SNL is doing what they once did better than any other show: scathing political humor with an unrepentant Liberal bias. Aaaaaah, this takes me right back to the good old days when Danny Ackroyd was Nixon wandering around the White House talking to the portraits on the walls, Belushi was Henry "Bomb 'em" Kissinger, and Madelyn Kahn was Pat Nixon writing her memoirs ("His leg swelled up again today . . . he was in intense pain . . . good.")
)
Matilda, if you're going first to the Huffington Post or the election discussion here, you can probably relate to it, too. 
?