So Big Speeches Are a Qualification, Now?
David Weigel | September 3, 2008, 11:58pm
Let's be honest about what we saw: a woman who was thrust into the presidential race in a farce worthy of Preston Sturges, reciting a speech written by Matthew Scully, faking as hard as she could fake, and lying as fast as she could lie.
You can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man.
This is the John McCain who
grumbled about how much he hates immigration restrictionists before caving and ceasing to support his own immigration bill, yes?
I... championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.
Says the woman who
requested millions for her town and many more millions for her state.
I told the Congress "thanks, but no thanks," for that Bridge to Nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, we'd build it ourselves.
Not even close to true.
For six months I've heard Republicans attack Barack Obama, on point, for having nothing to offer but a bunch of speeches. Tonight they're willing to overlook the falsified spin that got her this job, the blundering lack of vetting that sealed the deal, and the telling refusal of Palin to face questions from media tougher than
People.
I guess this is the GOP coming to its sense on Obama. The idea that the country would reject a charasmatic, history-making fortysomething who makes great speeches wasn't working. So they looked for their own Obama, and they think they've found her, in the crudest sense.
John Thacker | September 4, 2008, 1:15am | #
But Obama does more blurring of his record (community organizing=healing towns hurt by plant closings? um, okay) and less repetition of utter bunk that we know is bunk.
Wait, "community organizing" as healing isn't utter bunk?
Eh, she knocked off an incumbent governor in a primary by riding, among other things, the anti-earmark, anti-Bridge to Nowhere wave. In the end, she did help kill the project, and that does make a difference. "Utter bunk" is quite strong. "Not even close to true?" How? "Taking credit for noticing a trend and getting in front," sure. In any case, I'd prefer that she run on it, because those sorts of political promises do have a way of being somewhat binding.
Yes, Alaska still gets more from the federal government than it pays in taxes (though several things about the state would guarantee that that would happen anyway.) Is it her fault if her lieutenant governor barely falls short against Rep. Don Young? It doesn't appear to be, but it might just be Dr. Rep. Ron Paul's fault.
This is the John McCain who grumbled about how much he hates immigration restrictionists before caving and ceasing to support his own immigration bill, yes?
And he's still grumbling about it, as your link shows. But the way he can be so delightfully bad at pandering when he doesn't really agree with it can be endearing. "Alright, this is the position that the majority of people apparently want, you deluded bigots. Fine." Given that I both agree in expanded immigration and believe that my position is wildly unpopular, and believe that politicians do have to be elected, transparent pandering of that nature where it's obvious what he really thinks is by far the closest that I think a politician can come to a combination of both honesty and agreeing with me. "John McCain: When he's pandering and doesn't believe what he's saying, at least it's pretty obvious."
But hey, perhaps I should just join others in hoping that Sen. Obama has just been biding his time, voting exactly the wrong way on trade, ag subsidies, ethanol, the minimum wage, the "Patriot Corporation Act" of his with Sen. Sherrod Brown, the "Free Employee Choice Act"/ card check act, and everything else, but he doesn't really mean it? But rather than pick a moderate on economic issues, he picks a guy whose "moderate"
bona fides include bragging about writing the Patriot Act 6 years before it was adopted ("John Ashcroft sent up my bill" from 1995) and being a huge drug warrior.
Or of course I could go with the Libertarian candidate who also had his own conversion after leaving Congress.
joe | September 4, 2008, 9:32am | #
Milena,
Here's a place to start.
The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act
Introduced by Sen. John McCain in May 2005, and cosponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy. Barack Obama added three amendments to this bill.
While the bill was never voted on in the Senate, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Acts of 2006 and 2007, respectively, drew heavily upon the wording of this bill.
The Lugar-Obama Cooperative Threat Reduction.
Introduced by Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Dick Lugar and Sen. Tom Coburn.
First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, this bill expanded upon the successful Nunn-Lugar threat reduction, which helped secure weapons of mass destruction and related infrastructure in former Soviet Union states.
Lugar-Obama expanded this nonproliferation program to conventional weapons -- including shoulder-fired rockets and land mines.
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
This act of Congress, introduced by Senators Obama and Coburn, required the full disclosure of all entities or organizations receiving federal funds in FY2007.
Despite a "secret hold" on this bill by Senators Ted Stevens and Robert Byrd, the act passed into law and was signed by President Bush. The act had 43 cosponsors, including John McCain.
The act created a Web site, which provides citizens with valuable information about government-funded programs.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act
This law helped specify US policy toward the Congo, and states that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the African nation.
The bill marked the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor. Following this legislation's passage, Obama toured Africa, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. He spoke forcefully against ethnic rivalries and political corruption in Kenya.
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
In the first month of the 110th Congress, Obama worked with Sen. Russ Feingold to pass this law, which amends and strengthens the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Specificially, the changes made by Obama and Feingold requires public disclosure of lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act
Following the Republican-sponsored voter intimidation tactics seen in mostly black counties in Maryland during the 2006 midterm elections, Obama worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer to introduce this bill.
The bill has been referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Obama said of the bill, "This legislation would ensure that for the first time, these incidents are fully investigated and that those found guilty are punished."
The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill
The Obama-McCain bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050.
Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007
Introduced by Obama, this binding act would stop the planned troop increase of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also begin a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008.
Amendments to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill
Obama worked with Sen. Kit Bond to limit, through this bill, the Pentagon’s use of personality disorder discharges in the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
This provision would add additional safeguards to discharge procedures and require a thorough review by the Government Accountability Office. This followed news reports that the Pentagon inappropriately used these procedures to discharge service members with service-connected psychological injuries.
The Comprehensive Nuclear Threat Reduction provision
Working with Sen. Hagel and Rep. Adam Schiff, Obama authored this provision, which would require the president to develop a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose.
That doesn't even get into his accomplishments in the Illinois Senate, such as the bill requiring the videotaping of confessions and interrogations in homicide cases - remember the death row scandals in Illinois?
Pro Libertate | September 4, 2008, 12:03pm | #
Hmmm. I don't know about Episiarch, but for me, Hit & Run and Urkobold are a way for me not to go insane at work. Contracts and my other legal duties rob my soul, like a ringwraith.
joe, I still think you should avoid the Palin-Obama experience comparisons. I honestly believe that was the primary reason she was selected, to rope-a-dope the other side into fighting that precise fight. No matter how you parse it, they have comparable backgrounds, whether you give her a nod for being a governor or give him one for being in Washington longer. Either way, they're both weak, but only one has the arrogance to think that thin background is enough to run for president on. Compare Obama with Warner, who is going to add Senator to his experience as governor.
As for legislation he's been associated with, yeah, so what? Like I said, I knew he'd been in the Senate for three years. Senators are going to co-sponsor bills, make speeches, throw in earmarks, etc. His record is not at all remarkable, and he hasn't been the prime mover behind any major legislation. Fluffy and fluffier.
P Brooks,
I'd like to use Thunderdome for this race. I suspect that Palin would win that, with her crazy Alaskan ways, but the proof is in the actual dirty infighting, not what's on paper.
And yes, I don't like sitting anybody running for office--whether they hold a state or federal position.
