Positive (0.00 / 0)

One positive part of this is it may really drive down Republican turnout. They already aren't that happy with him. It's got to be depressing for them to see McCain pretending to be progressive. And there is always Ron Paul or Bob Barr as an alternative for their energies.

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by: Semblance @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:26:35 PM UTC

I didn't realize that (4.00 / 1)

SNL and The Daily Show were something other than entertainment.

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both

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by: Anthony de Jesus @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 21:58:42 PM UTC

I didn't think .. (0.00 / 0)

anyone watched SNL anymore(except to watch Tina Fey .. if she is still there) ... I can't remember the last time I watched SNL

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by: Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:42:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bob Roberts is a really great movie. (4.00 / 2)

The songs that Tim Robbins wrote for his character the "right wing Bob Dylan" are downright hilarious.

"times are changin'!... changin' back!"

he actually never issued a soundtrack though because he, rightly, assumed that the songs could be used for actual right winger campaigns and causes without a hint of irony.

example

[singing] Some people will have / Some simply will not / But they'll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain / Some people will work / Some never will / But they'll complain and complain and complain and complain and complain / Like this: / It's society's fault I don't have a job / It's society's fault I'm a slob / I'm a drunk, I don't have a brain / Give me a pamplet while I complain / Hey pal you're living in the land of the free No-one's gonna hand you opportunity

Darkly hilarious, but yeah out of context... very bad.

Grandma felt guilty 'bout being so rich and it bothered her until the day she died. But I will take my inheritance and invest it with pride, yes invest it with pride.

heh heh

Great performance by Gore Vidal as the out of touch, but well meaning Democratic incumbent Bob Roberts is trying to unseat.

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by: neutron @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 22:00:07 PM UTC

this is why we need to be ever vigilant. (4.00 / 1)

and call bullshit when we see it.

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by: neutron @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 22:01:06 PM UTC

Happened With Reagan, Too (4.00 / 1)

Especially in 1984.  There was one incident, where one of his younger staffers tried to raise his awareness of MTV, as a way of gaining insight into the youth culture--he taped a segment and gave the videotape to Reagan.

I remember reading one newspaper or magazine account that went right from telling that story--without even saying if Reagan ever watched it--to quoting some "ordinary young voter" type saying, "Wow! That's cool! Reagan watches MTV!"

It was impossible to tell in that instance just who was doing what part of the cultural manipulation, but obviously it was just one little piece of a much larger operation.

And, of course, the big example from that campaign was Reagan stealing ("appropriating" is too nice a term) "Born in the USA" as a supposedly patriotic blue collar anthem he was down with!

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:11:10 PM UTC

Sad to say (0.00 / 0)

but its the smart play on McCain's part.  Your comparison with Bush in 2000 is very apt.  What the GOP tries to do is basically establish the idea of equivalence.  "Obama's got a health care plan?  Well, shit, I have one too!"  And then they through out some statistics and the average voter is left scratching his or her head.  That's exactly what Bush did to Gore on health care and social security.

Its also interesting that McCain has specifically launched this "Health Care Solutions" national tour.  He seems to be intentionally imitating some of Clinton's messaging, which is really quite smart I have to admit.

John McCain: Health insurance for low income children represents an "unfunded liability."

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by: FuzzyDunlop @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:14:14 PM UTC

I Got Yer Sham Enviromental Campaign Too (0.00 / 0)

See McCain do the same bait-and-switch on the environment, carbon trading, alternative energy, etc etc. We just finished eight years of shamelessly broken promises from Bush, get prepared for more of the McSame.

The modus operandi is familiar by now, Stand on a podium, lie through your teeth about your commitment to Planet Earth, hire a few eager surrogates (who will quit in disappointed disgust 2 or 3 years from now) to promote your fictional policies, once in office issue a lot of happy talk bloviating press releases, while behind the scenes you delay, defund, demolish everything you stand for in public.

The toothless media lap it up without a question, the hapless environmentalists fret and fume, and the scientists issue another round of reports about the worsening, decaying ecology.

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by: T Maysle @ Mon May 19, 2008 at 23:40:04 PM UTC

McCain's Latino Cheerleaders (4.00 / 1)

As a Latina, I find this particularly disturbing and offensive. It's revealing (and not surprising) that McCain highlights the Diaz-Balarts, Ileana and Mel Martinez as his Latino supporters. The Florida triangle + Martinez hardly represent the interests of your average, working class Latino family. Lincoln Diaz-Balart's district includes 2 of the top 10 counties hit by home foreclosures this year, but he dragged his feet for months before finally coming out in support of loans and grants for his constituents, many of whom are Latinos. These kinds of pathetic attempts at feigning support for Latino interests are what, in part, have led to his vulnerability this election cycle.  

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by: Roady @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 02:17:14 AM UTC

He's stretching himself (0.00 / 0)

So sucker-punch him.

Humour his supposed progressive sensibilities. Ask him to sign on to all kinds of good legislation, throw his weight behind decent progressive causes like higher fuel-efficiency standards, funding for New Orleans, preventing health insurer malfeasance.

Do this with as much fanfare as possible. Ideally in a debate, but failing that, exploit the Sunday news roundtables.

If he won't back it, accuse him of hypocrisy. If he says he hasn't got time, accuse him of laziness and lack of interest. If he will, that's a) awesome and b) going to piss off conservatives no end.

Give him enough rope to hang himself, and start oiling the trapdoor.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue May 20, 2008 at 09:01:40 AM UTC