7 posts tagged “presidential debate”

Sean asks...

One of the analysts last night made an important observation: What is John McCain for?  These days it seems that all John McCain and Sarah Palin ever talk about these days is why Barack Obama and Joe Biden bad for America while not talking about what they - McCain and Palin - are going to do for America.  There is a lot of talk about "fight," staying the course in Iraq, and not raising your taxes.  There is no talk by McCain/Palin about hope and a "call to arms" to Americans to employ self-sacrifice and do their part in "fixing" what is wrong with America. All McCain talks about lately is what is the definition of rich, who attended what party/board meeting/fund-raiser with Obama 5 years ago, and who someone says sounds like a socialist. Obama is not the perfect candidate on the negatives of campaigning, but at least there is a huge amount of hope and pride in what he see our nation becoming rather than a celebration of what we were and why the other guy sucks. Some will say that this is the mainstream media's fault, but in the end isn't it really McCain's for not getting his message out in the first place even when he is interviewed?

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The McFreeds would like to share some political humor with you... from the candidates themselves!

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama attended the Al Smith Memorial Fund dinner in New York last night and brought out the jokes and the barbs (although some are subtley present). This dinner has a tradition of being like the National Press Club dinner in Washington, DC - a time for politicians to poke fun at themselves. Enjoy this last joke between the two candidates that you will probably see in the next 18 days!

John McCain did a great job here. His Hillary Clinton schtick was great!  The man did host Saturday Night Live once after all!

Barack Obama does an OK job here but his jokes are not as well greeted by the dinner guests because it really goes after Wall Street. But wait until the last minute where he has a hysterical comment about "Who is Barack Obama?"

The McFreeds present...

The third debate between the presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain introduced us all to Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher. Below is the actual interchange between Obama and Joe. Listen and make your own judgements.

Here is a follow up interview with Joe "The Plumber" that captures his personal impressions of the debate and who he will vote for based on what he has heard so far. Again, make your own judgements.

Sean is all a titter...

This interview by CNN's Campbell Brown of John McCain Presidential Campaign Spokesman Tucker Bounds was an excellent one where the interviewer didn't let the answer given get away as acceptable. The McCain campign is apparrantly complaining about this interview now.  The best part is at minute 2:10 where Brown asks about what decisions Governor Sarah Palin made as head of the Alaskan National Guard. Sounds to me that the McCain campaign needs to be better prepared with this answer. This focuses on the facts rather than the tabloid and I applaud Brown on this line of questioning. To show what she is made of I think have Brown interview Palin would be a big gamble the campaign should take since she is a tough questioner.

Sean provides some perspective...

During my years in the political game (I was a paid Democratic political organizer in the field for 4 years and grassroots organizer for 5 years prior to that), I have learned to never underestimate opponents. This week, John McCain shocked the political establishment by selecting Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate in the 2008 presidential election. So far criticism of her - without anyone truly knowing anything about her - has been that she is not qualified and lacks experience to be ultimately the President if something happens to McCain. Now I share these concerns with all of you and because of the social choices both McCain and she have linked themselves too The McFreeds will not be pulling the lever for McCain-Palin. However, despite the rhetoric I think Palin will impress us as a fresh face. I warn you all not to put her in a corner. She might not be the Dan Quayle many are putting her out to be.

This woman has run on the idea of "perspective" being her guide. Sure her state is small but its issues are just as great as our own. She has first hand knowledge of what it is to be a woman, a mother, a small business owner, a town mayor, a state commissioner, and a governor. She has the heart of a reformer more than McCain ever did. Anyone remember Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire?  Now she isn't as focused as Proxmire was, but she is one to stand up and point at corruption and attempt to kill it with daylight. She did this in Juneau on many occasions already. Yet she works across the aisle on issues of economic necessity as well. That drive is seen as naive in the Washington world as well as the world of other states for that matter. But she has put it in practice and won on it. Her track record indicates that she is not afraid of defeating Don Quixote's windmill. And that spirit shouldn't be so easily dismissed.

Here are a few clips that show me that Palin may surprise us with not only depth but of approachability. Enjoy!

Recent interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC's Closing Bell With Maria Bartiromo concerning energy policy. This shows how this woman thinks as well as showing some maverick nature on how the status quo isn't working. (LONGER INTERVIEW SEGMENT [10 mins] and Transcript):

Here is Governor Palin on being Vice-President and where if she was picked (the interview is from August 25) she would want to be. But listen to her method of talking about her perspective as a mother and an Alaskan in terms of energy independence and the Iraq War.

This clip of Palin on CNBC's Larry Kudlow show really shows her ability to carry a long interview and really answer things well. The sound and mouth movements are off on this but it is well worth your listen to cut through the noise and listen to her before the announcement for an extended period of time.

Finally, here is a clip to show Palin's sense of humor. She is really quick on the stump and someone willing to have jokes made at her expense. Remember with John McCain did Saturday Night Live?  I can really see how he picked her. Funny thing is that the name of this HYSTERICAL clip from Craig Ferguson's CBS late night show and his label of her is what I used to call Stefan when we first started dating! I even sent him this clip in July because I was looking at Craig Ferguson clips on YouTube after seeing him on the PBS 4th of July coverage with the Boston Pops! Ironic! [3:13 mins]

My point in this blog post in the end is do not let the media define a person in 30 second clips. Read up and watch clips of a person via the Internet or other traditional sources so you can either make a decision or strengthen your position on the 2008 Presidential race. This is not a time to just go immediately partisan. Each of the four people in this race believe in America and we shouldn't cheapen that with rhetoric. Let the issues decide and then pull your own lever. Perspective is important.

And in that interest, here is a link to a Washington Post article about Governor Palin and her husband Todd Palin concerning the investigation surrounding her involvement with the dismissal of former Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.  She claims his dismissal was due to his lack of action on issues related to the department. Others claim otherwise. This issue involves Monegan's reluctance to fire Palin's former brother-in-law Mike Wooten from his state trooper job. Wooten was suspended from his position independent of the allegations the Palin family provided. Monegan's successor resigned several weeks after being appointed because of previously unknown sexual harrassment charges that were pending against him. This article does a great job of getting the facts straight so you can make your own judgements.  Here is an article from KTVA in Anchorage on the probe by the state legislature and on the dismissal itself for a little local flavor.

The McFreeds share the following letter from Barack Obama with you...

Barack Obama

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the opportunity to welcome everyone to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club's Pride Breakfast and to congratulate you on continuing a legacy of success, stretching back thirty-six years.  As one of the oldest and most influential LGBT organizations in the country, you have continually rallied to support Democratic candidates and causes, and have fought tirelessly to secure equal rights and opportunities for LGBT Americans in California and throughout the country.  

As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law.  That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, and the passage of fully inclusive laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.

For too long, issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.

Finally, I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks. My thanks again to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club for allowing me to be a part of today's celebration.  I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years, and I wish you all continued success. 

Sincerely,  
Barack Obama

Sean reports...

Dr James Dobson

Dr. James Dobson of Focus on The Family said the following on the radio yesterday in response to a speech (link to text) by presumptive Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama to the Call To Renewal's Building A Covenant For New America on June 28, 2006:

"He's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology."

Dobson, Tom Minnery, and Dr Bill Maier go on to talk about how Obama talks about the application of Bible teachings from Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. Both Dobson and Minnery talk about how the Levitical law no longer applies today because it was only meant to apply to the Israelites after they came out of the desert. And in the same breath they say that the principles - such as on the issue of same-sex marriage - still apply.

HUH?

Does that make any sense? Aren't these two then doing what they are accusing Obama of doing?

Dobson even says that he isn't a reverand and a Bible expert but then responds to Obama like he is. For me I thought faith was a personal gift to yourself; a tool guided by your personal covenant with God and your own intrepretation of his vessels/prophets dictating a higher power's word - be it the Jewish God, the Catholic God, the Protestant God, the Islamic God, Buddha, Vishnu, or what even being your faith recognizes (Not to leave other faiths or Jewish/Christian/other denominations/sects out, I do want to say I am condensing here). In the end it is all a personal interpretation of how to live one's life well with the people and environment around us.  My personal view in this instance is in deference to Jesus Christ's declaration of a Golden Rule in the Bible's New Testament, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

I respect Dobson's right to give his opinion and have it heard. Many Christians utilize 1 Corinthians by Saint Paul as a counter to Levitical Law and maybe this is where Dobson and Minnery are coming from. But is it right to accuse people of hypocrisy and commit it in the same breath using his own interpretation? Funny how people don't even listen to their own voice sometimes.

For instance, Dobson and Minnery agree there are other faiths in America but since Christianity is the majority their views and morality should take precedence.

On the other side, Dobson and Minnery take presumptive Republican presidential nominee to task for not villifying same-sex marriage stong enough and supporting anti-gay marriage amendments on the state ballot in several states in November. So no side is left out in criticism from Dobson's moral view in this radio presentation.

It's funny to listen to someone feign that he isn't an expert than go on like he is and at the same time accuse someone of reinterpretation of the Bible while doing it in the same breath.

I will let you decide though in your own mind if Dobson is right or not. In deference to Dobson, here is a link to the full radio show. I am all for at least respecting disparaging views even though I think they are without real reason and hypocritical.