Just my thoughts/opinions...so allow me to put on my thinking cap (reluctantly so as I always opt for easy talks/not serious). But here goes:Biden is a safe choice for Obama. He's strong and experienced in areas where BO is perceived weak. He balances out the ticket.Now I have to make a confession, I only liked Obama to win the primaries as to be the nominee of the Democratic Party for this Election. As a McCain supporter (I don't vote so no worries) - I'm very relieved and slightly surprised that he didn't go w/ Hillary. Even though I'm sure he can't stand her (and I could understand why!), from a sheer strategic position, Clinton seemed like the smarter choice. There are so many people that would have supported her but will not vote for BO (the PUMA folks and other die-hard Hillary fans are p'd off!). If she was on the ticket, it may have been easier to bring some of them back over. Even more noteworthy is that swing states were disproportionately for Hillary over Obama. Biden is a moderate though and may be able to appeal to her suporters. I also think the selection of a Governor (Kaine) would have given him an extra edge. The DN convention should give his campaign a bounce. I personally can't wait to find out who McCain picks. If I was going to bet tonight, I'd put my money on Romney. Anyone for a bet??... :) PS. Hubby doesn't follow any of this. The only words he uttered on seeing on tv Biden name side by side with that of Obama is BIDEN (Ob/sama Bin Laden)... Very astute, isn't he?... :lol:
American Politics, sigh.[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8[/url]I am Bert Vierstra, and I approve this post
Hey Milan!How many houses do YOU have? :lol: :lol: Is it just me, or is that huge lump on McCain's left cheek getting bigger and bigger? :shock: Sure, Romney would be a great choice for McCain. Rich and richer...just what Americans need more of in the white house! :roll:
Now that REALLY hurt: McCain I just told me that I don't qualify as [u]rich[/u] since I don't make US$5Millions/year. :cry: The man is totally senile. Lucky for him, he does not remember [b]The Keating Five[/b], the 5 US Senators who received campaign contributions from Charles Keating in exchange for obstructing the investigation into the collapse of a particular S&L that Keating was head of. It came out that these senators had been beneficiaries of $1.3 million (collective total) in campaign contributions from Keating. But I understand that Obama is about to make him remember this fiasco and share it with the rest of the US electorate...Like General Wesley Clark rightly said, "I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president." :lol:
Oh Roy... Obama lives in a 1.5 million dollar house, just bought another and is coming off his 2 week vacation on a private beach in Hawaii. Glass houses and all that you know! :D
America will always have millionaire presidents and presidetial hopefuls because you need to be one to become one... (I learned that on the west wing :D :D ) So who cares how much the guy's house is worth.My brother lives in 3 million dollar house - and he is just a public servant who has done well in real estate in a booming market. So what? The flat I bought for less than 130k 7 years ago is worth over half a million, nearly every house in my suburb is worth over 1 million.I'm not surprised that Obama didn't go for Clinton because he believes he can win - and he knows that he wouldn't want to have her as his VP. Perhaps he is not into winning at any cost - i.e. if he has to have her on the ticket to win, then he doesn't want the job? Yeah ok, not likely. Maybe he also thinks Clinton can't win either, so why have her on the ticket?
Roy, :D :D That's all I'm going to say.I leave it to you, guys, to debate further on this as you're all much more in-depth thinkers on this Forum. I'm more of a broad-thinker and an Agent Provocateur (actually it's the name of the Victoria Secret equal by Vivienne Westwood - an eccentric British designer). You know my position now although initially, I wasn't enthused by John MacCain either. Voila!
Ah, come on Jim! You know as well as I, that a 1.5 million dollar house in the US is nothing these days...especially if bought at a foreclosure auction with 5% down! :shock: Let's face it...Obama's net worth is less than a few percent of what McCain is worth, (primarily through his marriage). Freo, if you did some homework, you might find out that Obama has the lowest net worth of any party endorsed candidate for US President in modern time. He didn't personally finance his primary election expenses, nor did he loan his campaign money by writing checks! His campaign was, and still is, being financed on a grass root level by individual donations. Spot on Daniel, and only General Wesley Clark could get away with that very astute and true observation!
America will always have millionaire presidents and presidetial hopefuls [/quote]Elect me. As a campaign promise I'll reverse that trend overnight.
Just came on the wire. An assassination plot on Obama has been uncovered in Denver.Great speech by Michele Obama but still, I found the Convention's first night rather hollow. I wonder what's in store tonight as the Clintons camps are still at odds with the Obamas/Kennedys despite of their attempt to show a unity but you could feel it in the air in my opinion.
Jim,Big deal! Obama lives in a US$1.5M house. Maybe this sounds like a palace in Bumf**k, Iowa, but certainly not in a fancy Chicago suburb...? In my own town of 21,000 residents, near Boston, MA, the median housing value is $720,000 (and that is for local tax valuation, not for the real market value, which is always higher), so you can bet there are MANY $1M+ houses in my community. Just behind my house, there is a relatively new development (6 years old) with 11 McMansions, which are now all appraised in excess of $1M.The fact that John McMansion has 7 or 10 houses is not the problem. The problem is his casual attitude, which clashes with his pretence that [u]he[/u] understands the problems facing the "average" American. His attitude is most arrogant and elitist, and shows him for what he is and not as he wants to appear. And, of course there is his remark about what constitute a "rich" person: $5M or more. Now that shows how disconnected he is from reality.Besides, it also shows McMansion's parochialism and his total lack of imagination: out of his 10 or so houses, he doesn't even own one in Bali... :lol:
Milan,I did not watch Michelle Obama's speech, so I cannot comment (I started reading a great biography of the Che, by Joe Lee Anderson, instead, which is certainly more inspiring). But why "hollow?" Teddy's speech was simple and great: now there was in front of you (all US historians agree) one of the greatest US Senators ever. As for the rest of the Conventions, Democrate and Republican, they are one BIG circus to amuse the plebeians.
I hear that in his appearance last night on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, McCain said he was proud of the way his wife's father had built up a large business after fighting in World War Two.Well, he should not, according to Jerome Corci (Now "famous" for his anti-Obama book, "Obama Nation" which has been #1 on the NY Times Best Sellers list)) who wrote an investigating piece titled, [i]"McCain fortune traced to organized crime. Mob figures later implicated in Arizona savings and loan scandal."[/i] See for yourself at[url]http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57354[/url]But enough of US politics :lol:
Tintin,What this shows is the lengths people will go to defend what shouldn't be defended. Obama is a rich Chicago politician, he got his house through a felon at cut rate prices.He made 4 million dollars last year, his wife makes $350,000 a year. Both went to Ivy League colleges, for him to say that McCain is rich and out of touch is a bit hypocritical... Yes, a million dollar house is a lot of money in Bumf*ck, Iowa as you pleasantly describe my area but since I have lived in over 20 different places, including Chicago and it's suburbs, I am not as provincial as you would think. ISomehow people think that if you say something bad about Obama you must love his opponent. I am not a fan of either one. They are both crooks. They both will be bad for the U.S. The candidate pool continues to get worse and worse but some people will just ignore it and promote whoever their party says to promote.
Yes, the speech by Michele Obama was excellent, but the historic moment of the day was Ted Kennedy's courageous words. I'm betting that there will be re-runs of that speech, and it will go down in political history as one of the greatest. If you missed it live, don't pass on the chance to view it again.Jim I can surely understand your skepticism and distrust for all politicians. But, on the other hand, I haven't had a friend visit me in Bali from the US in many years that was even remotely happy with the state of affairs in the US...you included my dear friend. It seems to me for those still undecided, that it has to be worth the gamble to give Obama a chance...if only for four years, to make a difference. The alternative, as I see it anyway, is simply just not feasible.
It comes down to a few words.. we don't have anyone to vote for. Neither candidates have the leadership qualities we really need "right now"
I was moved to tears too by Teddy's speech. It was a great speech and I hope wouldn't be his last. But that aside, I've never been his fan ever since that Chappaquiddick incident where he fled to save his skin and not the girl he left dead. Yet, I was a little girl when that happened but yet have instinctively had the dislike for him ever since.Michele didn't mention Obama enough in my opinion but she was splendid just the same and their appearance (the kids) so au natural with Obama was impressive. Would have loved to hear his half-sister, Maya's speech but there wasn't any shown.I don't really care who wins actually; on one hand am curious of the outcome of Obama's government if wins and on the other, I'd like McCain wins gtiven that Obama could still run in the next 4-8 years to come. Btw, there's rumour that Clinton advisers will leave Convention early. It is exciting to watch though.
Jim,First, I would imagine you've been around and that Iowa just happens to be your last place (or is it?) of residence. Why? That's a personal matter and fate which only concerns you. To be honest, Winchester, MA, has some personal advantages (professional and a great music scene) being next to Boston, but it is still very provincial, as far as I am concerned (Although most here think it's a World city).I have not heard Obama complaining about McCain being rich, only that he is out of touch. But Obama did come from nowhere, and reached where he is now through his own determination and courage, which still leaves me in awe, compared to McCains who just followed his family military career. But let me fast add that there is nothing wrong with McCains' achievements, except they are more of the "run-of-the-mill,"type, just like mines (but I still have only one house: the Bali one is gone :lol: ). I am not a rabid Obama supporter, far from it, but there are two reasons why I will vote for him iso McMansion: Iraq and universal health care. For Iraq, it is because of his own position, and for universal health care, it's because of the Democrat's position. For everything else, he is still the same as everybody else, Republican or Democrat: he will carry on with the imperialistic policy which has as characterized this country, starting with the ethnic cleansing of the native population. Just look at his pronouncements regarding Afghanistan or Israel: see any differences with McCains'? I am afraid that "plus a change plus c'est la mme chose."
It comes down to a few words.. we don't have anyone to vote for.Neither candidates have the leadership qualities we really need "right now"[/quote]I have forgotten, though I could once quote the source and the words verbatim, something that goes like this:"The fall of every great civilization (by a conqueror) only occurred after it had fallen from within." Malaise and indifference are the seeds of destruction. IMHO, the absolutely worst thing that could happen this November 4 is that too many Americans have resigned themselves to wallow in self pity and malaise and declare their own defeat by not voting.
Milan writes...I don't really care who wins actually;[/quote]You should care, and you should care very much. Each candidate has a totally different view on America's role and responsibility in the greater world community that we all live.World trade, environment, and social issues affect us all, and there is no power on earth that can so effectively direct what turns those issues take than the US. That is fact.American foreign policy over the last eight years is a derelict. Moreover, it is an embarrassment for most Americans, especially those living abroad who are likely best able to asses the damage of these past eight years of foreign policy failures.John McCain doesn't give a rat's pituey about America's credibility and reputation with the rest of the world that surrounds the lower 48, Hawaii, or Alaska. With his administration, it will be four more years of isolationism and distrust by America's neighbors.McCain is subtlety playing to the fear factor...a guiding de facto reason for all of Bush's most deplorable decisions during his presidency. This is disgusting, and it is most decidedly not American to be guided by fear. The more this goes on, and it will with McCain, the more America isolates itself, and the more the US will be impotent in providing effective solutions to world problems. Eventually those problems will become VERY serious, and the past three weeks in Georgia are only a taste of what's on the plate in future years.The historical record will likely point to the 2008 US Presidential election as a deciding point in history...world history, and American history. The real beauty is that eligible American voters can determine in about 10 weeks how that history is written.