2008 Election Talk

[mlm828]

Oct 23, 2008 11:11:16 GMT -5 inuvik said:

And, just for another view, I really think the criticism of her clothes is unwarranted. You can absolutely be whoever you want to be (at one with the people or whatever) on your own time and still dress for the job. When you are not at work, you wear what you want. When you are a governor and at work, you are going to wear tailored suits, possibly expensive. I see no conflict there.

Of course a candidate (male or female) for national office is expected to dress well. No one expects Palin to run for VP looking like this:



But that's not the point. The first political problem with the spending on Palin's wardrobe is the sheer amount. Many people don't spend $150,000 on clothes in a lifetime, let alone two months. It's politically boneheaded to spend that kind of money at high-end stores like Neiman's and Saks at a time of economic crisis, when so many people are struggling financially, and your opponents are successfully characterizing your party as the party of the wealthy. Second, she didn't buy the duds; they were paid for from funds donated to the Republican National Committee. I hear some of the RNC's donors are quite unhappy about this. Finally, there's the hypocrisy mentioned upthread. "Hockey moms" or "Joe the Plumber" don't spend that kind of money on fancy clothes. It's no different from the criticism John Edwards received over his $400 haircuts, when he was campaigning as a "man of the people" and talking about his humble origins.

[mlm828]

If you haven't checked "Margaret and Helen" recently, here's what Helen has to say on the wardrobe issue -- and other things. ;D Be sure to scroll down to "Harold Isn't a Muslim Either."

In the latest boneheaded move by the GOP, a so-called "Republican strategist" criticized Obama for using his campaign plane to fly to Hawaii to visit his seriously ill grandmother, Madelyn Dunham. He thought Obama should take a commercial flight. I think the Secret Service might have something to say about that. As a donor to the Obama/Biden campaign, I have absolutely no problem with their using all of my modest donation to help pay for the trip. By the way, I have yet to hear a word from the McCain-Palin campaign wishing Mrs. Dunham a speedy recovery, or anything to that effect.

My thoughts are with Sen. Obama and his family at this difficult time.

[maggiethecat]

Oct 23, 2008 11:11:16 GMT -5 inuvik said:

I wear jeans on the weekends and fancier clothes when at work--we all do.

Um . . . to add to mlm's response, all I can say is that NONE of us go around in $150,000-worth of clothing that was paid for by other people -- said donations, BTW, that were made by people who no doubt thought their money was going to be spent on infinitely less frivolous purposes. And part of that money went for fancying up the wardrobe of Palin's husband. WHO IS NOT RUNNING FOR ANYTHING. This is about as palatable as the AIG execs who, after the Fed bailed them out, went on a multi-thousand dollar spa spree.

The point, really, to all of this is the hypocritical aspects of calling yourself a maverick and a representative of the middle classes and then parading around in a ridiculously expensive wardrobe . . .

. . . which doesn't even look that posh.

[shmeep]

Sorry I've been too busy to join in lately, but...I'm having a ball at this point in the election season. Nate at fivethirtyeight.com has McCain as winning only 3.7% of the time in his current simulations. The lowest it's been yet. I hate to start celebrating early because Democrats are famous for losing spectacularly in the face of winning odds, but this time I really feel we'll pull it off. And in a way that embarrasses McCain for years. Okay, I'm going to go knock on all the wood I can find now.

As for the wardrobe...I think it's a silly thing to focus on, but I also agree that the issue is really that it was an extremely frivilous use of money donated to the RNC for other purposes. Something McCain spoke out against very specifically back in 1993. I love how no matter what McCain says or does these days, there's video footage of him saying the opposite at some earlier point in his career. This can't be helping him. Aw, shucks, doggone it!


Modified to add:

Karma for this:

Oct 23, 2008 12:29:15 GMT -5 mlm828 said:

I'm already having nightmares about this outfit and I'm not even asleep yet.

I think I had that little pink miniskirt in the sixth grade.

[matilda]

And more to the point, despite said oodles of money, she doesn't even look nice.

Sorry team, I'm old fashioned. I consider the spirit of campaign donations important.

And let's keep in mind, as the Australians say who are running around REALLY cold parts, that this is the most important election of our generation (ps mlm, we have all donated to the campaign and donated to shooing mates off to the US to work on it in all kinds of ways - none of us would have a problem with said actions for goodness' sake).

Let's be really honest about how it is right now - nobody is spending money. Everybody is holding on to to what they have. It's scary. Those of us who were raised in the shadow of the Great Depression are really scared.

The spirit of how people dress is important to me - I was raised to believe that if you are in the privileged position of representing your people, however that might manifest, you do that with pride. Pride, it would seem to me, is gettin yourself dressed without help from elsewhere.

So yeah, I could kit myself out well, if I was running for office at K-Mart or Target or whatever (again Oz references), for $150 AUS because I was raised to believe that if I am privileged enough to represent my people, I will do it with pride.

In my mind, this DOES NOT mean coppin 150K worth of other people's money to look like a dag (Oz term, if you're really interested, look it up). Another fundamental mistake of the Palin campaign - if she looks like what they aspire to, they'll vote for her.

And the real message is - if we vote for her and her family, we can all be kitted out like this. People aren't that silly, I don't think.

I don't think ordinary people are going to fall for it this time.

Margaret and Helen are SUCH a lesson - ordinary people with pride, dignity and the taste and discernment that goes with being ordinary. Bless.

M

[maggiethecat]

Okay, this is really frivolous but, you know what's frightening about that icky pink dress of Sarah Palin's? Somehow, just somehow, she just looks more at home in it than she does in her new duds -- and it sorta goes with the schlumpy boots and her messy outdated beehive hairdo. I think that's the real Sarah Palin. You betcha.

Lovely to see you again in therse parts, Shmeep!

[matilda]

Yes that dress is FOUL. FOUL.

And yup lovin observations Shmeep. Just can't get self too optimsitic. Eternal election pessimist.

Of course you're all there and I'm here. What's the feeling?

M

[maggiethecat]

The feeling?

Frightened -- trying to keep frantic despair at bay -- but cautiously optimistic . . . and nibbling away on the fingernails.

[housemouse]

This right here?



...sums up our choices in this election perfectly.

[bump]

I took advantage of early voting and cast my ballot for Obama.

I don't know how many states are doing early voting nor what the turnout's been in states doing so, but the lines in Florida have been pretty long. I got to the polling place about 45 minutes before it opened and there were already about 50 people in line. By the time the doors opened, there had to have been close to 200 and it was still about that long when I left.

I was only there for about an hour total, which was a far cry from the 2, 3, and 4 hours that I'd heard it'd taken earlier in the week. Let's hope that it's a sign that people are fed up with the way things are going and they want change.

I'm sure this'll be all over the news, but I thought I'd post it here in case anyone missed it: www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/25/palin.tension/index.html.

[matilda]

Poor old Thomas, being maligned like that ...

I just want to record my formal thanks, mlm, for the gift of Margaret and Helen. Helen is keeping me cheery in these dark days.

M

[mlm828]

The ATF has broken up a plot to assassinate Obama and kill more than a hundred other African-Americans.

And Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has been convicted on all counts in his corruption trial.

Edited to add: For those like mags and me who are in an uncomfortable state of cautious optimism mixed with high anxiety, here is some excellent advice: Eight Ways to Survive the Next Eight Days Without Losing Your Frigging Mind. ;D

[mlm828]

If you missed Michelle Obama on the Tonight Show last night, you can see video of her appearance here. She is such a class act. The more I see of her, the more I like her.

[mlm828]

I just found this excellent analysis of how Republicans rule by, of all people, John Dean, former White House counsel to Nixon. For those who remember Watergate (and we should), he's the "there is a cancer on the Presidency" guy. For anyone who is still on the fence, three days before the election, this should knock you right off that fence and into the Obama/Biden column.

I also found it interesting that Dick Cheney finally came out from his "undisclosed location" and endorsed McCain. Huh? What took you so long, Darth? But, seriously, thanks for reminding everyone that McCain is joined at the hip to the Bush-Cheney disaster.

[mlm828]

I'm sure y'all are tired of my election posts, but I found two articles which seem to sum up what this election is about.

The first is about a woman who denied Halloween candy to children of Obama supporters.

The second, written by a conservative, is about what he learned canvassing for Obama.

And has anyone else seen the ad with Paul Simon's "American Tune"? Very powerful. I'm sure it will be up on YouTube or elsewhere soon. I'll post a link, whether you want me to or not.

As promised, here is the link to the ad: American Tune ad.