Women know what’s at stake
Gallup’s bump displays women aren’t fools. We know what matters.
And for any I will vote for McCain over Obama voters… please sign the attached form.
Tags: 2008 Presidential, Barack Obama, John McCain
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They were all bluster. Any Clinton person who ends up voting for McCain is both brainless and heartless.
Of course they were bluster. I have said repeatedly that if Obama hadn’t won the nomination I would have been angry and upset, but I wouldn’t be stupid. Most Clinton supporters aren’t stupid. Disappointed? Yes. Stupid? No.
heh, shoe dropping.
Jeez. Obama supporters using fear tactics to convince people to vote for him. That’s so old-school Republican. Please tell me how this is different than the 3am ad that had all of your panties in a knot. Your hypocrisy is showing, guys.
Not fear, Dom. Simply what McCain stands for. I’m assuming that issues figure- somewhere – into a person’s vote. Unless we’re back to who would you rather have a beer with?
There you go again Pandora, playing the “facts card.” Thinking you can sway people with your “evidence.”
Well, some folks are too smart to fall for “objective truth” and your Obama kool aid fueled “reason” and “logic.”
They see through your attempts to “inform” about McCain’s “record” – so save it for your Obama love-ins.
Hippy.
Chris Matthews had women suppoerters of Hillary on his show tonight — Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the woman in charge of Emily’s List, the woman in charge of Planned Parenthood and one other, I think. They all said when women find out how disasterous McCain’s policies toward women is, they couldn’t vote for him. Right now alot of them don’t know his record, but they will in time.
I don’t suppose it ever occurred to you guys that maybe, just maybe, a Democratic congress could actually…I don’t know…do its job and keep McCain’s more right-leaning policies from becoming law. Of course, that would be asking them to actually stand up and fight for something they believe in rather than just give it lip service when they’re so much more accustomed to just rolling over.
Dom – What has Congress done for you lately?
A McCain win could very well have abortions made illegal in many states in this country. It could also end up with yours and my sons getting an all-expenses paid trip to the Middle East.
I no longer give a shit about the abortion issue. The draft is a bigger issue, but it would be political suicide to even try to bring it back. Not gonna happen.
If the Democratic Party doesn’t have the balls to prevent those things from happening they should pack it in. Do you have faith in them? If not, what’s keeping you there? What’s the point of having a platform if they’re not willing to stand up and fight for it?
Obama supporters using fear tactics to convince people to vote for him.
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other shoe dropping
Do you no longer give a shit about the abortion issue because you don’t plan to become pregnant, or because you now see it differently because of a shift in your views on the subject? I ask because That is a huge capitulation for an issue that has plagued our politics for 40 years.
As for the draft, we will reimplement if we cannot support McCains war on Iran with a volunteer military. I predict it would become a possibility if the Dems want to give McCain enough rope to hang himself.
I guess you are planning to change your registration?
Dom, you sure seem to hate Obama when you use terms like ‘enormouse ego, empty suit, no talent etc.~
“Her speech was wonderful, but it didn’t change my mind. Obama is still just as unqualified as he was last week. I hope to god that his enormous ego keeps him from asking her to join the ticket. I have nothing but the greatest respect for her, but I can’t imagine voting for him under any circumstances. Not to mention it would be insulting for someone with her policy expertise and qualifications to have to play second-fiddle to an empty suit with no real talent outside of raising money and reading other people’s words. Best for her to go back to the senate – or maybe even run for governor of NY – and try again in four years than hitch her wagon to a losing ticket.”
I’m beginning to think that Hillary supporters who will switch to McCain should be (and should have been) classified as swing voters. I mean, if McCain and his policies are okay who’s to say these voters wouldn’t have gone with him over Hillary in the end?
If it’s not about issues… then what’s it really about? If you say experience, well… McCain wins.
Nancy –
That’s not hatred, it’s the opinion of someone who does not hold the senator in high regard. I would expect someone with your education to know the difference. I love that you have a catalog of every comment I’ve ever made, though. Bizarre and a bit creepy, but flattering nonetheless.
LG –
I am no longer willing to vote for a candidate I do not like solely for the sake of defending the reproductive rights of a generation of women who take those rights and the women who fought for them for granted. Some of the most venomous remarks made about Clinton, her surrogates and her supporters this election season came from women. Contrary to popular belief, it didn’t hurt my feelings or leave me bitter and angry (well, maybe temporarily, but it’s passed), but it pretty much squashed my desire to compromise my beliefs for their sake.
I love that my son is politically active, but most of his generation is apathetic and unappreciative. Maybe if they had to fight for some of their freedoms they would appreciate them a little bit more, or, at the very least, try to be a little bit more respectful of those who sacrificed on their behalf.
Excellent point, P. I’ve never really been a swing voter in the past. I’ve always voted for the Dem candidate, though less passionately with each election. This year, however, I would definitely describe myself as a swing voter. It could be because I’m completely disgusted with the Dem Party and the DNC, but my politics have gradually moved to the center over the years as well.
LG –
Yes, my registration will change on Sept 10th.
I love that my son is politically active, but most of his generation is apathetic and unappreciative. Maybe if they had to fight for some of their freedoms they would appreciate them a little bit more, or, at the very least, try to be a little bit more respectful of those who sacrificed on their behalf.
Ha! You are now old. Was your generation any less apathetic? I doubt it, but you have the revisionist eyes of someone of McCain’s generation.
Fair enough (in regards to being a swing vote). I can’t argue with that, although I’m sure Hillary wouldn’t be thrilled to hear it! 🙂
As far as fighting for our rights… Come on, Dom. You and I never fought for women’s rights. We benefited, in fact we were the first generation to benefit. And while we may be older than most bloggers… we aren’t that old!
We’re too young to have fought for the right to vote or for abortion rights pre-Roe, but I marched on Washington for reproductive rights more than once. More importantly, I always respected the women who won those rights for us and never once took them for granted.
LG – Maybe I am old. All I know is that this crop of kids is different than ours. We weren’t passionate, but we weren’t too far removed from the years of illegal abortions to appreciate having the choice.
I love my son and I really like and respect all of his friends. They’re great kids who will do great things with their lives, but they are part of a generation that has never really had to work for anything but good grades. That’s our fault as parents, but it’s happening across the board.
Dom, they’re marching now. They’re working on electing a President. I’m really proud of them.
I am fifty and I was pretty active when I hit college. My crowd marched against apartheid, practiced guerrilla theatre on the UD mall and picketed the UD Board of Trustee to try to embarrass them into divestiture from South Africa.
Many of our older brothers and sisters had been active against the Viet Nam War and it was an inherited ambition to commit to civic duty (I had both a brother who became anti-war at MIT and a brother who went MIA as a Marine).
I am surprised that someone’s values could tank so greatly over the years, D. You marched for reproductive rights and yet now don’t give a flying fuck that a vote for McCain is a vote against those rights.
Dom, I call bullshit. If you got nothing better than “They never had to work for anything…” then you are really ready to tell kids to get the hell off your lawn.
My generation was a bunch of disinterested assholes, so was yours and so was Nancy’s. There was a small minority that was politically active. The rest of them didn’t care. Most of them still don’t.
In the election of 72 (the first that 18-20 year olds could vote), only 50% of them turned out. And that is the high-water mark. And guess what, Tricky Dick got reelected.
Since the depression, we have all had it relatively easy. And when you were marching for that issue that you used to care about, your parents were looking at each other thinking that they had spoiled your ass. I can hear them now “Ya know, I like Donna and her friends, but their generation doesn’t know what growing up used to be like…”
My values haven’t tanked, Nancy, I’ve just grown enough to step back and look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on only one issue – especially when those who directly benefit from that freedom don’t even care enough to respect the women who attained it for them.
Times have changed. Electing someone with a strong knowledge of the military and national security is more important to me than electing someone who will appoint liberal judges. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have values; it just means that the things I value differ from the things you value. That’s also not to say that I don’t value the things you value; it just means that I prioritize them differently.
LG – How do you call bullshit on someone’s opinion?
I don’t expect Mat’s generation to be politically active, but it would be nice if they weren’t so disrespectful and dismissive of those who cared enough to improve things for them. I can’t speak for my entire generation. I know that most of us weren’t terribly politically active, but I don’t remember open mockery of those who went before us. I could deal with indifference, but the open disrespect is a little hard to swallow.
those who directly benefit from that freedom don’t even care enough to respect the women who attained it for them
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what is this supposed to mean?
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An executive picks a team and the first one chosen is the VP. What do you want to bet that he picks someone with those strengths in foreign policy? Not that it hasn’t been the message from his campaign all over the media for days.
Obama is a smarter campaigner than Clinton by a long shot. That is what was clear for many people and is what turned most of his supporters to him over the course of the primary process. That is my perception anyway and that is why you drive me crazy with all of your talk of drooling, dreamy worshiping bots :-).
We really want to prevail on the Beltway in order to preserve the issues that DEMs hold dear (no matter where we prioritize them).
Huh? Please tell me when you turned 20 (give me a decade if you are afraid of us guessing your age). Every generation had disrespect of their elders. Have you heard of the 60’s? Shit the kids in the 60’s were rebelling against “the greatest generation.” And I can call bullshit on an opinion. I call it because you are unable to look at yourself, your time, or people younger than you in an objective way.
I’d say the same if you said that you thought the sky was generally more pink than blue.
Feel free to call bullshit on my opinion. I suspect that I am younger than you… 😉
I’m 42.
I’m not talking about disrespect for parents and teachers, I’m talking about disrespect for and complete disinterest in the history of those who broke barriers; people who stood up and screamed until laws were changed.
I went to a peace march in Washington with Mat a couple of years ago and most of the participants were 30+. Where are the outraged students? They’re all wrapped up in Obama because that’s the new cool thing. If they really gave a shit about the war and the state of our country they’d have been speaking up long before this. If Barack doesn’t win in November, they’ll disappear in a flash. Again, why should I feel inspired to stand up for them if they don’t care enough to stand up for themselves?
I agree LG. I know plenty of kids in HS/college who don’t fit D’s stereotype. My best friend’s kid is at St. Andrews and is very active in the off-shore wind farm issue.
I wouldn’t expect Mat to have been so involved if his mom hadn’t been an example for him to follow.
My dad was active in politics and volunteered as NCC Park Commission Chair (he bought Canby and Banning Parks and founded the county park system). Giving back is a learned behavior.
Kids need to be guided if they are too caught up in their own egos. We should be concerned that the parents aren’t doing their job in waking the kids up.
My mom probably was concerned about where my head was because she made me volunteer summers as a teen at the Southbridge Head Start and at Nemours’ Camp Manito for youngsters with Cerebral Palsey.
Dom, I am 4 years behind you. I bet that less than 5% of my class could identify Gloria Steinem in a lineup. Same for Rosa Parks. Or James Madison. Or Abbie Hoffman (my personal favorite).
You have overestimated the political acumen of the Breakfast Club generation. You have also overestimated the struggle that yours and my generation went through.
Obama is the catalyst. Why scream and kick at what coulda, shoulda when you have a go ahead and get it done nowa ready to take to the next level.
Generational movements need leaders to inspire and swell until the sheer strength of the numbers makes the changes happen.
One thing that the earlier years of the War on Terror did was be used as a means by Bushco to fear-monger and prohibit our freedoms of assembly and protest with new and worrisome tactics. What kid would jump that shark?
Definately, the lack of a draft was deliberate in avoiding the sentiments that ended US -at-war in 1970’s.
I didn’t say we struggled. I also didn’t say we were all well-versed on every aspect of the history of our civil liberties. All I’m saying is that we didn’t take them for granted like Mat’s generation does. Again, that’s not to say that some of them aren’t involved. It’s just a different vibe – one of entitlement – that emanates from that generation.
Watching a movie (Bella), will continue tomorrow if you guys are still in. 🙂
Most women are more into caring for their children than aborting them. Keep hoping but you have an even chance to say President McCain over President Obama. Practice them both because this is shaping up to be a close one.
I can’t let this post end on David’s note!
Dom, I honestly don’t see how this conversation became about respect. My support for Obama was not a slap in the face for women. Just like your vote for Clinton wasn’t racist.
I admire all of the women who came before me and fought. Always have, always will. But that doesn’t mean I must vote for a woman. It also doesn’t mean that a vote against a woman is a vote against all women. Geez, I thought feminism was about choices.
I also think you’re being too hard on the kids. Afterall, wasn’t it our generation that ushered in the Reagan era? (BTW, I never voted for Reagan) The 80s were nothing to brag about when it came to political activism.
“They’re all wrapped up in Obama because that’s the new cool thing.”
I have to admit to seeing overwhelming evidence of this, which is disappointing. As someone who has always try to get people involved and interested, especially younger ones as I have gotten older, I thought perhaps the silver lining of all the Obama hype might be a better-informed, more engaged “youth” generation than I had seen through the years when I was a “youth”.
It simply isn’t the case, though. The vast majority, at least from my attempts to converse with Obama youth, is what Dominique said : it is just the cool new thing, more to do with peer pressure/flocking than substance.
Most can barely articulate a coherent answer for why Obama is substantively compelling. (Gee, I wonder why, what with such a substantive candidate). But they could certainly recite a few meaningless slogans and parrot a few shallow talking points. When they could summon any firm reason for their choice, it was more about what (or who) they were against (Bush/war) than what they were for.
[Perhaps I am a bit spoiled having worked with young Ron Paul supporters. Nearly all of those I met, regardless of what you think of Paul or his ideas, were remarkably informed and thoughtful. They could cite the Constitution verse and chapter. They could discuss things like monetary policy, foreign policy, and governmental excesses in real detail. I was amazed. But I came to realize that, like Paul supporters generally, they were only a small exception to the larger populace.]
This is not a knock on youth. It takes work and study to understand what is going on and make an informed decision. Let’s face it, sustained effort to study and understand politics, policy, and government is nothing for which the vast majority of youth have ever been known, in any generation. It is why the vast majortity of uninformed youth eventually become the vast majority of ill- or under-informed voters that plague this country like a stampeding sheep herd, driven by political manipulators and sloganeers reinforced by blathering mass media.
It is unrealistic to expect a generation more overwhelmed by (99%) useless information and multimedia distractions, than any in human history, to suddenly become more engaged and informed (sustained beyond transient election season hype) than previous generations.
There are always fine exceptions like Mat Marshall, but let’s not kid ourselves that suddenly in 2007-08 mass demographic realities will suddenly be radically altered.
Even Abbie Hoffman eventually sold out.
“Afterall, wasn’t it our generation that ushered in the Reagan era?
Yeah, we got it right. Unfortunately it also gave us the Bush junta…Reagan’s biggest mistake.
I do admit that of the small slice of Obama youth who I have found well-informed, educated, and thoughtful in their support, I see parallels with the youth who supported Reagan with the same admirable intensity and engagement.
While it is too much to expect masses of youth to become better informed/educated/thoughtful, it is certainly inspiring to know that the ones who fit this bill will provide solid leadership for their generation.
I don’t suppose it ever occurred to you guys that maybe, just maybe, a Democratic congress could actually…I don’t know…do its job and keep McCain’s more right-leaning policies from becoming law.
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you conveniently forget that signing statements are the ultimate defeat of congressional law at the hand of the executive.
WHEW the Bounce has finally come all of us Hillary supporters are not as dumb as some of you folks may think we know what’s at stake here and besides that we were all loyal Dem’s something that some of you may have forgotten.
My son reminded me that his mother and I had JFK before he was born and now is the time for him to have his dream how could I as his father argue against that besides I love this country too much to see it go down the tubes With a Senile Old man that’s not why I joined the service when I was seventeen
I really hate the ‘senile old man’ meme that seems to be eminating from the Obama campaign (though, they are a little more subtle; calling him ‘confused’). I know it’s just politics, but it’s yet another ism…agism…and it’s really uncalled for and offensive. Obama should be able to debate McCain on the issues without attacking him on his age and trying to pain the picture of a doddering old fool. Wasn’t that supposed to be what made Barack Obama different? Wasn’t he supposed to transcend old-school politics and focus on the issues?
This is EXACTLY what I’ve been talking about when I refer to nastiness and disrespect that comes from Obama supporters (mostly the young ones, but also in the blogging community). They attacked Hillary – vicious, personal attacks that had NOTHING to do with her policies – and now they’re moving on to McCain.
How can you respect a candidate that encourages this kind of behavior – even if it’s just by sitting silently while it happens? He knows full well that his flock will jump at his every command. All he has to do is hold up his and and say ‘enough’ and it would stop (think Jesus; maybe he could even wear a robe and sandals). He could have done it in the primaries as well. That’s what I would expect from someone who fancies himself the reincarnation of J/RFK. Thing is, he’s not JFK or RFK. JFK was a military commander in WWII. RFK traveled to poor communities to shed light on their issues and fought for the rights of African Americans in 1968 when it was NOT the popular thing to do. They were brave men who actually stood for something. WTF has Obama ever done that could be considered brave? When has he stood up in the face of adversity? Real adversity, not campaign finance reform, for fuck’s sake. From where I’m sitting, the bravest thing he’s ever done is run for president a year after he got to the senate. That took balls. Other than that, I see absolutely nothing in his character that puts him on par with JFK or RFK. Please. The only thing he has in common with them is good speechwriters. Love him all you want as a candidate, but PLEASE stop with the Kennedy comparisons.
DOM
The Senile Old man tag comes from all his misstatements on Iraq which he claimed to be an expert on. Look he didn’t know the difference between Sheia and Sunni or how many of our troops were in Iraq for a guy who claimed to have visited that country more times than Obama he sure didn’t learn much he is either stupid or just a forgetful old man
“it is just the cool new thing, more to do with peer pressure/flocking than substance.”
Jeebus….at least they are INVOLVED!!!!!!
Let them do it their way (facebook, etc)…..I am thrilled to see these “kids” (I have two 20-something sons) this “fired-up”!!!!
We should also stop referring to McCain as a war hero but more as a Victim. The reason I take this position is because if it wasn’t for his father and grandfather being Admirals in the navy a man who finished 5th from the bottom of his class of over 800 would have never been accepted into Naval Air. So we were stuck with an incompetent pilot who got shot down and captured through no fault of his own but because he had political pull. Also we will never know that by giving him this spot in Naval Air if we didn’t eliminate a more qualified person from it’s ranks
“They” blamed the 60s & 70s on Dr. Spock child rearing methods….
Now Mr. Rogers is taking the rap for this generation (“You are special”).
Let’s go find some salvia and relive the good old days…whatever they mean to you.
TT –
You’re way off-base. Don’t try to swiftboat McCain. It was obnoxious when it was done to Kerry, it’s no less repugnant if it’s being done to a Republican. I don’t know his entire life story, but my understanding is that he had an opportunity to be released but didn’t want to leave his men. Regardless of what you think of his politics, there’s no denying that he’s a war hero. Frankly, anyone who went over there was a hero in my book – even if they were only supply clerks and never fired a gun.
Um… welcome aboard, TT.
As a black man growing up in a rascist country, I would say he has handled adversity pretty well. His mother was on food stamps, they were poor and he worked his way through college with some scholarships….and he is the nominee for the President of the United States. There’s much to be said for his accomplishments.
When the Vietnam vets (who were POW”S with McMad) tell their stories, and some have been doing so for many years….that he was the first to tell his captors “I am the son of an admiral” so he wouldnt be tortured…and they claim he gave up names of other soldiers.
Its not aswiftboating like the lies told on Kerry, these vets have been telling their stories for years. The Vets that served with him, didnt like him because of his actions, they arent coming out now to swiftboat him because they support Obama…some don’t. They are just telling the truth as it happened in Viet Nam. For some reason they have a problem with leaving POW’s there, not sure what they mean by that. Its all in a book coming out on McMad.
Its interesting to me the right wing find it okay to go after Michele…another black woman who came from modest means, got herself educated through working and scholarships. These two came up “by their boot straps”, as opposed to McMad the son of an Admiral, and a list of “military elites”.
If Michele is open season, certainly that twit Cindy McMad is as well. Lets hear about her drug addictions, and alcoholism exposed. The beer “heiress” and her hubby are the “elitists”.
Sham Hammity has admited he is a McMad surrogate (as if we didnt know that). What I love is the fact checkers….as soon s the McMad crew tell a lie…the fact checkers on the ball, with the truth. This will be one of the dirtiest, politrick election this country has ever seen. As they say its “going to be a bumpy ride”, hope our country can get through it.
McMads dirty tricksters are calling for “agent provacteurs” to go to Denver to make mischief, just like Jim Baker did in Miami in the 2000 election. They will start riots, and do everything they can to make the convention appear…like the democrats are “out of control”, all for the media who will be more than willing to exploit it, and the dumbest sheeple in the country to buy into it.
Dominque: I respect your right to feel however you wish. I am 65 years old, and I can tell you being an activist for 40 of those years, I respect every stride women have made. I recall when women were secretaries, there was no chance for advancement, not even the thought of it. Having kids we couldnt afford, being forced to carry babies we knew were deformed mentally or physically, cuz there was no abortion. (Ibore one of those babies). I recall meeting women at the Uof D and planning and plotting “how to get women to stand up for their rights”, push the envelope. Many got fired, because we were considered too”aggressive” “too pushy” someone to be feared by management types. I worked in NY for 20 years and broke the glass ceiling for women in management at film studios. I was the only woman who was a VP which opened the door for many after me.
Marching for civil rights, we white women on the outside perimenter with black men on the inside marching in Rodney Square, being called every filthy name in the book, soda cans thrown at us. Viet nam, the horror of it all, being followed by FBI home., our phones tapped. Being knocked down in Rodney Square by 6 cops with their boots on my throat, escorted from the park to the Post office across the street, filled with every weapon you could think of. Cops on horseback chasing us down streets baricaded off. Cops/FBI on top of the dupont, Library and Post office with guns pointed into the square. (Spiro Agnew was visiting). The Pentagon Papers were written and sat at the NY Times for 18 months, while Ellsberg and Tony Russo were on the run for their lives. I recall the Quakers at 4th street, and going to meetings, we ran a Peace office downtown. One of the women told me that Tony Russo was being brought to Wilmington (while on the run) needed a “safe house”, my vietnam husband and I took him in. Hid him on our 3rd floor for months waiting for the next safe place to take him. Opening the door to a man in drag, who just happened to be one of the Watergate plumbers, who knew that Tony was in my house, and just wanted me to know that they knew…having to figure out how to get him out, fearful of these people and what might happen to us as a result. The Gainesville 8, 8 vietnam vets who threw their medals on the WHouse steps, and then charged for crimes against the government, all made up by the way. One of the 8, Bill Paterson, was my best friends son, watching him be carted off in chains, and treated like a terrorists Going to Gainesville with food, and money, cuz they were starving to death on a farm outside town, the government witness a psycho who lied…they were all acquited …I got stories and more stories…and there is no way in hell, I would ever vote for a republican for president. I have lived long enough to know they hate the Consitution, they hate citizen’s having the right to protest, they despise anyone who doesnt follow “their” rules. McMad is exactly the same or worse than Nixon, Reagun, Bush 1, and Bush 2. There is no way I would not vote for a black man who has the vision, an outlook on the future that is so different from McMad, that I would ever turn my back on history, or the experiences in life I witnessed, fought for, would die for. I support the Consitution of this country over any party or party hack. Obama has flaws of course he is only human. But his flaws are minor compared to the “experienced political artistry of McMad the throwback to the days of , not having the right to choose, wars without end, violations of consitution. You can vote for McMad if you wish, but get your kids ready for another war for corporate america…the draft will have to come back…our current military is exhausted and broken. We are only one war away from the draft.
The age issue with McCain plays whether he is mentally able and fit to lead. After Bush, who doesn’t want a candidate’s prowess better vetted?
The issues I have with angry, bitter McHillbots like Dom are reflected in the scurrilous memes she injects:
He compares himself to RFK/JFK
He manipulates a naive flock
He is acoward
He does’t/can’t write his own speeches
Ad nauseum/no proof/no citation
Dom has a contorted sense of reality. She thinks that if you weren’t ‘there’ like she was when it all Really Counted then you don’t count. Somehow, those who were active in the past are being dissed by the next generation. She wants and deserve fealty and petals thrown at her feet and seems to feel that Hillary’s not winning is some unforgivable disloyalty.
DOM
I am not swift boating McCain but pointing out that his family connections got him into Naval Air where he wasn’t qualified for that position. He had several air crashes while in training when one would have resulted in another trainee being washed out, so the fact that his dad and granddad were Admirals help him stay. The result of which was sending an unqualified pilot into harms way which led to his capture. So it’s this fact that i believe that McCain was a Victim as far as the hero status goes I agree with you that all those who served are hero’s in their own right
Nancy – Why can’t you just accept that I have a different opinion than you do about Obama? Why is that so difficult for you to grasp? I never said he was a coward. I simply asked for some proof that he has faced adversity.
Liz – He was not poor. He has used the food stamp line in stump speeches because it plays well. His mother was on food stamps because she was living alone and pursuing her PhD so she happened to qualify for them. He was living with his grandparents at the time (his grandmother was a bank VP…hardly poor). He grew up in Hawaii – an extremely diverse state – and has said that he never really faced real racism directly outside of some kids making fun of his name. I know the more romantic story would be the son of a sharecropper becoming president, but that simply isn’t the case. I don’t know how he got into Columbia. Perhaps someone here who read his book can fill me in because I’m a little confused by it. I was under the impression that he went through his drug period as a teenager, so I would infer that his grades were bad at the time (I could be wrong, tho). There is very little information available online about it. My understanding is that Columbia does not offer merit scholarships; however, they offer substantial financial aid. If his mother was not married at the time he entered college, he probably got a substantial break in the tuition. I’m sure being an African American didn’t hurt, either. His father went to Harvard, so my guess is he was a legacy student.
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t hate Obama. I do, however, have little patience with otherwise intelligent people buying into a media narrative without asking questions. The same media that brought us GWB and Iraq is now wrapping Obama in a pretty bow and presenting him as The Next Big Thing and so many of you are gobbling it up. We’re all starved for an honest, pure politician, so I can kind of understand why so many have put their faith in him. I’m just of the belief that honest, pure politicians are only found in the land of unicorns and leprechauns.
All I ask is that all of you Obama supporters remember that, regardless of how much you like what he says, it’s imperative that you ask questions. I have yet to hear any of you express even the slightest bit of doubt about him. I expect that from the students, but not from the more experienced political observers.
Dominque: he was poor….and his mother was on food stamps….and its been fact checked…dont know where your getting your information that he was some wealthy kid…just cuz he spent some early years in Hawaii…do you believe everyone who lives there is rich…come on, Hawaii has just as many poor as every other state. And yes, he had great grades, his grandmother got him up early for school and worked on his school work with him, before she went to work. He got scholarships and worked through college. Lets not discredit the guy by using the right wing lying talking points. Leave that to the fake fox news experts working with McMad. The right has no platform except to continue the horrific Bush policies, so all they can do is demonize, lie, deceive and hope that it will latch itself to a majority of sheeple who listen to the rush,hannity, savage, right wing media.. Got to give credit where its due. I would turn it around and say that John McMad is the elitist whose parents were admirals and check out that pay grade. McMad cant compete with Obamas excellent grades…and you dont get to be the Editor of the Harvard paper without being “excellent”.
At the very least, Obama understands, read and comprehends the Consitution, as opposed to McMad who like Bush thinks its “just a piece of paper”.
His Mother died at the age of 42! Of course his white grandparents had great influence on his life. Good for them, good for him, and great for us.
Dom: reread your post…I have a couple of concerns….one that he went to AIPAC and shamelessly supports Israel 100%, instead of being a fair and honest broker as President who could have changed that horrendous situation. Many on the left including some moderate Jewish voices are making those statements on the net.
Second, I am concerned that he will give cabinet positions to the same old democrat hacks who will not make real change…but am holding back until we see who his appointments will be.
I am concerned with the influence of Zbigniew Brezinski, and am not sure he is still on the advisory committee…but if he is that would concern me also.
Liz – Where has it been fact checked? Because I am very skeptical about the legend of Obama, I’ve read articles from several different sources (NOT Fox News, anti-Obama sites, etc.) and none of them describe anything but brief periods of time when money was short – nothing out of the ordinary and certainly not abject poverty. I’m not saying he was a trust fund baby, I’m simply saying that the ‘poor kid’ narrative is being spoon-fed to a public obsessed with Cinderella stories.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/politics/ny-usobam205657186apr20,0,7522975.story
Here’s an article about his mother (btw, I was wrong – she was on food stamps while she was getting her bachelor’s degree, not her PhD). There’s no mention of any racism that Barack faced. In fact, it describes a pretty exotic life…
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729524-1,00.html
I believe she died at 52 and, yes, his grandparents were a great influence on his life. In fact, outside of the few years he spent in Indonesia, it appears that they raised him (in a comfortable middle-class setting) and saw to it that he attended good schools. Again, not a poor family.
Liz, I would expect someone who endured what you did over the years (as indicated in your comments above) to be VERY skeptical about what the media is telling you. It seems as though you and many others choose to be skeptical only when it comes to those who oppose Obama (McCain, Clinton, etc.). Why is that?
Liz – thank you for listing your concerns. It makes me feel better to know that you’re not seeing him as infallible like so many others seem to be. Again, I’m not trying to bash Obama. I am simply expressing healthy skepticism and asking that others consider doing the same.
First, I would vote for a ham sandwich over John McCain.
Second, I agree with Obama on most issues – Not All, Most. Need I say again… I was voting Dem in Nov. no matter who?
But here’s the deal… I had no major concerns with any of the Democratic candidates. All would have signaled change from the Bush and Co. path.
Now, let’s move on to what matters: Winning in November. Over the next months the republicans’ main goal will be to tear Obama down. I will not aide or abet that goal in any way. I will keep my eye on the ball (the general election) and promise to keep my eye on Obama after he wins.
What I won’t do is sabotage his campaign. I should have defended Kerry more vigorously. I should have donated to his campaign. I should have read more about him. Instead I sat back and thought ‘who in their right mind would vote for Bush again?’ Big mistake, and one I won’t be making again.
As far as knowing where Obama stands on the issues… I actually know a lot. And what I know I like – for the most part.
What I know about McCain (shudder)? Actually, what does McCain stand for? How many issues has he flip-flopped on? I’ve lost count.
Which McCain will you vote for, Dom? Please tell me which specific policies of his you agree with and support. Policies, not personality traits.
oh for fuck’s sake woman
you are one heck of a tool
“They were brave men who actually stood for something. WTF has Obama ever done that could be considered brave? When has he stood up in the face of adversity? Real adversity, not campaign finance reform, for fuck’s sake. From where I’m sitting, the bravest thing he’s ever done is run for president”
= cowardice
admit it.
ass.
He has used the food stamp line in stump speeches because it plays well
proof?
ass
Nancy, please tell me you’re not stupid enough to think that a person who is not brave is automatically a coward. Is it everything that black and white for you? Isn’t there any middle ground? Sometimes people are simply ordinary. I’m surprised that someone with your extraordinary intellect would need to have that spelled out for you. He. Is. Ordinary. It’s what I’ve been saying all along. He’s not Satan. He’s not Jesus. He is Ordinary.
He started using the food stamp story after bitter/cling. It helped combate the ‘elitist’ label. What other proof do you need? Stop playing dumb. It doesn’t suit someone with your esteemed education.
Nancy
To quote a line from Blazing Saddles
“GOD I LOVE IT WHEN YOU TALK DIRTY”
heh, I had more to add but the pc wanked out and now I have to go pay some bills.
Dom ALWAYS must have the last word so, at least, I know what I am coming back to.
😛