ROFL...I have NOTHING against rednecks, I just don't want to see them running the country, that's all..."pompous windbag" is a little harsh though...:LOL:. I prefer "f***ing Brit", or "g'damn ferner", or "who saved yer asses in WWII?"...but "pompous windbag"...THAT one hurts...LOL

Glyn

Turnpike Boy,
I forgot to mention;
McCain is more comfortable in the town hall format than Obama. That gives him a BIG advantage. McCain had the stage at the GOP convention rebuilt so that he could be 'in' the crowd.
I agree that it would be nice to have both candidates go at it in formats that they were not as comfortable in. McCain didn't go for it to the extent that Obama wanted him to. I don't blame McCain at all. I think McCain would actually be weaker in Obamas favoured format that Obama would in McCains.
McCain has a devastating sense of humour that works well in the town hall format, but a lot of that is negated in a structured debate where Obama can use his better memory to throw obscure facts at McCain. McCains temper may also get the better of him when he feels like his countering remarks are not hitting home; and Obama will not react to McCains barbs nearly as much as a crowd will.

hang on a sec...I never called anyone a redneck...I just reproduced something that I saw. NOT MY WORDS! :)

ROFL...only 90%. I think we'll take claim for the problems in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, slavery, class systems, Pakistan, South Africa, and probably most of the problems over here in the US...oh yes, and Canada...hmmm...and Australia...but surely there is some small corner of the world we didn't f***k up?. Ooooh, and I may stand corrected, but didn't ALL the problems start in those countries ONCE WE HAD LEFT? Everything was running fine until we left them to their own devices...:p

Glyn

PS I left three on my own, one under escort and one I cannot talk about...:LOL:

PPS I agree with you completely about the problems in Britain...why do you think I came here?

PPPS I am still dealing with "pompous windbag"...:(

Steve, what exactly is 'O'NO!'s favoured format?. I don't recall McCain being afraid of anything, anywhere, any time.

IMHO, Obama is the better orator (giving a prepared speech in front of a large crowd), as he knows how to get a crowd involved.

As far as debates go;
Obama will be better at a moderated debate where he can use stats better than McCain, and not have to deal with hostile crowd responses to his answers.

McCain has a sharper sense of humour that is not as effective in a structured debate as a town hall meeting.

My prediction is that Obama will win the majority of structured debates, and will cause McCain to lose his temper in one of them.

I think they should do an equal number of town halls, and structured debates. I would love to see them tear into each other and finally expose the crap that both sides have been dishing out.

Source: USA Today Editorial Monday Sept 15th:

" What next for Palin?

So now that Sarah Palin has done her first extensive national TV interview, how much more do we know about her? Not all that much.

Watching the Republican vice presidential nominee's performance was a bit like watching a gymnast navigate the balance beam. Under persistent questioning by ABC's Charlie Gibson, Palin teetered at times but never fell to the mat.

As expected for a candidate new to the national stage, she showed no particular savvy or insight on many of the issues Gibson probed. And, as many reviews have noted, her responses often came across as limited and rehearsed, particularly on foreign policy questions.

One might hope for more from someone who could potentially be president of the United States in a few months. But sound-bite responses are the norm for many candidates, and if Palin didn't turn in an Olympian performance, she nevertheless showed herself to be unflappable and made her points clearly.

The guess here is that few voters' minds were changed. Her supporters will cheer her personal qualities and positions they support; her opponents will focus on her inexperience and issues they oppose. The more important question is, now what?

Will the McCain campaign carefully script her appearances and limit access to her, or will it allow her to engage in the kind of free-wheeling give-and-take with reporters that McCain used to build his reputation?

There might be no better measure of her readiness for office than that judgment. Dribbling her access out in a controlled fashion invites the question that if McCain can't trust her enough to expose her to the rough-and-tumble news media exposure that running mates normally receive, how can Americans trust her?

To expect journalists to treat her with "deference," as one McCain aide absurdly demanded, is to misunderstand not just the role of a free press but also the American character.

Candidates are supposed to be tested and to weather the invasive vetting process — not just campaign in a bubble, protected by squadrons of spin meisters.

The focus of the campaign should soon begin shifting back to where it belongs: onto McCain and Barack Obama (remember them?). But in the 50 days remaining before the election, Palin plainly needs to be challenged further. She passed her first test, but there's plenty of room to improve her grades. "

Applies to all four candidates: Obama, Biden, McCain Palin:

Parade Magazine, Sunday Sept 14th: The Secret's of America's Great Presidents

Source: Doris Kearns Goodwin, Author of " Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Pulitzer Prize for her book Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

" Focusing on the qualities that have made some of our leaders exceptional provides a better perspective on our current candidates than what's often reported-mistaken words, glib replies, fundraising capabilities and TV ads. "

Doris Kearns Goodwin has identified 10 attributes that distinguish truly great Presidents taking Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt as guides. How would you rate each of the candidates with the following criteria.

The courage to stay strong

Self-confidence

An ability to learn from errors

Emotional Intelligence

Self-control

A popular-touch

A moral compass

A capacity to relax

A gift for inspiring others


http://www.parade.com/hot-topics/200...eat-presidents

As a former Mayor of a small town I feel it is time to educate some of you.

Palin was the mayor of a town that had a "City Manager" form of government where all aspects of hiring and dismissal were the duty of the manager. The Mayor and council hold the responsibility of budget and policy. A Mayor almost never in small towns can dismiss any employee unless the community has a "Strong Mayor" form of government which are fast becoming obsolete.

Where is the cry we heard just a week or so ago that she was only was just a figurehead and cut ribbons?

If you can't understand how the smallest forms of government work in our Country are you sure you are competent to comment on the highest offices?

........

I once had to remove several books from the towns library and dismiss a assistant librarian. The assistant had found some books that were in the State Library and had them transferred to ours that had graphic pictures of young girls and boys of various ages and development.

Would you have left the books on the shelves? I am sure if I were to run for higher office someday some loony leftist would make the same claim of me as Palin.

Scott S

Scott,
Liberals get their panties in a twist when it comes to God,the Bible and Christianity but are all over supporting pictures naked kids.:rolleyes:

Good to see you're aware of that...it WILL include you.

Wrong. He is on record at 28% on capital gains (you selling your house, Steve? - pony up!) and 39.6% on ordinary dividend income.

What does that matter?? Inheritance taxes, at ANY level, are piracy. Pure and simple. Taxes on those estates were paid all along...what makes you think the Gov't is ENTITLED to take more? Get real, willya?

No, you won't. You will get as much as a $1000 credit (only if you're married - as much as $500 if you're single), which is an enormous difference from a tax cut - Obama has not offered out a single tax cut to date.

Apart from your misapplication of just how much will come back to you, and in recognition that the cost of living (i.e., food, heat, transportation) is what is crushing those on the low end of the income stratus, what basis do you have for thinking that any business is suddenly going to "stand to make a lot more"? Any more than the $300 did? This is fantasy - Obama's tax credit will only offset taxes due - it is not a $1000 (maximum) check in hand. Please - read what this syncophant of the Democratic Party is saying - it sure ain't what YOU think it is.


-Roger

In other words, Obama is the winner in a scripted, manipulated, utterly controlled environment. Just like everyday life is, right?

Obscure facts are devastating in an academic world - they're f*cking useless in the real world.

Speaking for me and me alone, I would much rather be represented by a thinking man than an automaton with a better memory.


-Roger

yes, yes, yes...I understand ALL these comments, but what about me being a "pompous windbag"...THAT ONE hurt me...:(. Can I NOT get an apology here...rofl? :D

turnpikeboy...thanks. THAT one got me two free drinks tonight...god, I love this country...LOL

AND your well-stated point on Obama's view on capital gains tax is the ONE reason why I shall (unfortunately) ignore Palin's complete and utter incompetence for major international office, redneck husband (no offense meant to rednecks), hobby of killing animals, bizarre and extreme views on religion, and total unsuitability for any kind of office outside "small town mayor" (and THAT one is in some doubt!!!!) and vote for McCain...rats....and, she has moved me back to prayer after abandoning the one true religion ('Church of England' for all you heretics) ..."please god, let John McCain live for 4 years, IF he gets to be president, as I do NOT want to leave this country")...:D

Glyn (aka "pompous windbag")

We all have a bit a pompous windbaggage in the Lounge.

P.W. (aka Glyn),
It's good to see you walking out of the darkness and towards the light.:LOL:

Now if you can get Ernie to reverse his dead end walk,all will be good.:)

..don't hold your breath, but that shouldn't be a problem for such a big wind bag, er, pompus windbaggage, or something like that, what he said. :D

Now, as a stranger in a foreign land, with a tendency to verbose pomposity (i.e. "pompous windbag"), I just wondered on something. I am sure the more erudite among the xenophobic Republicans (if there are any...LOL) can answer the following for me as I am a little confused, floundering here in my undereducated liberality. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If your name is Barack, you're accused (incorrectly) of being a radical, unpatriotic Muslim BUT name your (3 too many) kids , Bristol, Willow, Trig, Piper and Track (some of them are destined to be beaten up in school with THOSE names!!), and you're a maverick.

* If you graduate from Harvard Law School and were President of the Law Review, you are "unstable" BUT if you attend 5 different small and totally insignificant colleges before graduating, then you are "well grounded".

* If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience, BUT if your total resume is: local weather girl, beauty contestant, 4 years on the city council of a place no one has ever heard of and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people (although you can see Russia on a clear day...which is nice), then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian BUT if you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married said heiress the next month, you're a real Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age-appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fibre of society BUT if , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's BUT if your husband is nicknamed 'First Dude', with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25, once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, and whose only claim to somewhat minor fame is that he won a few snowmobile races (!) then your family is extremely admirable.

Obviously, as a poor, undereducated foreigner, and an unfamiliarity with your superior political system (THAT is sarcasm...:D), I now think I understand how it works...it is SO much clearer to me now. I just wish someone had explained the rules to me before !

Sure...but first you have to assplain why y'all bow to a German Queen.

BTW...your stats are just a bit skewed...four years in the US Senate? :p

A book about gay fathers, as Sienfield would say, "Not that's there's anything wrong with that..." :LOL:

I can just imagine how many bloody noses you ended up with carrying around a moniker like Glyn. :LOL:

And no you won't get an apology. :p