US Presidential Elections 2008 (2 Viewers)

[jane]

I'm so disappointed in the Clintons. I think my disappointment in their behaviour goes some way towards understanding how former Bush supporters must feel right now. Angry and embarrassed, yeah, but almost mournful. I wanted to think better of them, but I can't.

I hope Obama wins. I think he really has integrity, or as much integrity as someone can have and still get anywhere in the presidential race. I'm so hoping that he wins because if he doesn't, I think all our dystopias will come at once.

It's not that I have so much blind faith in him, it's that he's the only one who definitely won't fucking destroy the planet.

I still feel doomish.

 

[jane]

Well, not true, really. All the evidence suggests that a split electorate at this stage of the campaign is no harm when it comes to the actual election -- people from each camp tend to get behind their party's candidate. The republicans are split four ways, after all, the democrats only two.

McCain has to get the nomination. Romney, the only Republican candidate with financial backing anywhere close to Obama/Clinton, has already lost Iowa and New Hampshire, and I'm not sure if anyone has got their party's nominations without these. Huckabee is just too weak a candidate. I find this year interesting because in McCain you have a candidate who would attract some wavering democrats, like Reagan in the '80s, and in Obama you have someone who would attract many wavering republicans -- something you couldn't say for Hilary. I think it would come down to a battle of personalities, and McCain has lots of charm. But will Obama get it? I think the South Carolina caucus could be the clincher for the democrats. There are lots of black voters there.

And McCain, like Reagan, is really conservative. I hope he does get the nomination because he's totally beatable. Last night my friend was likening the republican party to Ireland's Eurovision field, like they can't afford to rule the country anymore, so they're just fielding shite candidates who can't win.

Which could be true enough, maybe the democrats have filthed themselves up so much that the republicans don't need to do all the dirty dirty work anymore.

I just want to reiterate that Ron Paul is a scary fucker.

 

[Wobbler]

I can't see anybody but McCain getting the republican nomination.

 

[snakybus]

And McCain, like Reagan, is really conservative. I hope he does get the nomination because he's totally beatable. Last night my friend was likening the republican party to Ireland's Eurovision field, like they can't afford to rule the country anymore, so they're just fielding shite candidates who can't win.

Which could be true enough, maybe the democrats have filthed themselves up so much that the republicans don't need to do all the dirty dirty work anymore.

Yes, I think at the moment the Clintons are doing some great work for the Republican party. Fox News are having a party. This election is totally winnable by the Democrats, and the Clintons are somehow managing to fuck that up, as Flashback said. It's unbelievable. Please, South Carolina, give it to Obama!

 

[CitySickness]

Politics.ie are hosting a Super Tuesday party on Tuesday Feb 5th, with 24 US presidential election primaries that night. It's one of the most significant day in American politics where the presidentential candidates for the Republicans and Democrates will become known. It also happens to be the 5th birthday of Politics.ie.

This might actually be fun. The Superbowl for people who can't stand sport.

 

[Wobbler]

This might actually be fun. The Superbowl for people who can't stand sport.

They seem like a pack of gee bags on politics.ie

 

[CitySickness]

They seem like a pack of gee bags on politics.ie

1/3 gee bags, 1/3 windbags, 1/3 decent sorts, according to the most recent Zogby numbers. It's no boards.ie.

 

[flashback]

http://www.politics.ie
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I might have said it before... but, its sad and amazing to me.

There is more interest, and I am talking amongst the general population here, in the US elections in Ireland it seems than the US.

Virtually everyone here does not really give much of a fuck, or have any real idea of what any candidate is actually about. It is almost 100% based on a vague personal fondness, (or BUT SHE'S A WOMAN!!11, but interestingly not BUT HE'S BLACK!). People are not really talking about it, or discussing it, there is some coverage in the media but most of it is hearsay and gossip.

Its almost entirely about X made a nasty face at Y, rather than X challenges Y regarding her total whoring herself to cooperate lobbyists...for instance.

So, there are two options for this, I feel.
a) people genuinely are far more interested in funny faces, and Britney's sister getting her hole
or
b) there is a general conspiracy (?)/ agreement amongst a number of major news outlets to report fluff rather than issues. (And now this has been the norm for so long it is what people want to hear?)


Its a mystery.

 

[CitySickness]

I might have said it before... but, its sad and amazing to me.

There is more interest, and I am talking amongst the general population here, in the US elections in Ireland it seems than the US.

Virtually everyone here does not really give much of a fuck, or have any real idea of what any candidate is actually about. It is almost 100% based on a vague personal fondness, (or BUT SHE'S A WOMAN!!11, but interestingly not BUT HE'S BLACK!). People are not really talking about it, or discussing it, there is some coverage in the media but most of it is hearsay and gossip.

Its almost entirely about X made a nasty face at Y, rather than X challenges Y regarding her total whoring herself to cooperate lobbyists...for instance.

So, there are two options for this, I feel.
a) people genuinely are far more interested in funny faces, and Britney's sister getting her hole
or
b) there is a general conspiracy (?)/ agreement amongst a number of major news outlets to report fluff rather than issues. (And now this has been the norm for so long it is what people want to hear?)


Its a mystery.

Hang on a second, Britney's sister got her hole? When THE FUCK did this happen and why did nobody think to mention it on this thread before now? Pls post pics.

 

[Froog]

Hang on a second, Britney's sister got her hole? When THE FUCK did this happen and why did nobody think to mention it on this thread before now? Pls post pics.

she got blocked alright. and only 16 too. here she is with sis:

 

[timbot]

Yeah, Britney's mum had to recall her book on successful parenting from the publishers.

 

[Wobbler]

Yeah, Britney's mum had to recall her book on successful parenting from the publishers.

The straw that broke the camel's back

 

[jane]

I might have said it before... but, its sad and amazing to me.

There is more interest, and I am talking amongst the general population here, in the US elections in Ireland it seems than the US.

Virtually everyone here does not really give much of a fuck, or have any real idea of what any candidate is actually about. It is almost 100% based on a vague personal fondness, (or BUT SHE'S A WOMAN!!11, but interestingly not BUT HE'S BLACK!). People are not really talking about it, or discussing it, there is some coverage in the media but most of it is hearsay and gossip.

Its almost entirely about X made a nasty face at Y, rather than X challenges Y regarding her total whoring herself to cooperate lobbyists...for instance.

So, there are two options for this, I feel.
a) people genuinely are far more interested in funny faces, and Britney's sister getting her hole
or
b) there is a general conspiracy (?)/ agreement amongst a number of major news outlets to report fluff rather than issues. (And now this has been the norm for so long it is what people want to hear?)


Its a mystery.

My theory is that there is no longer much of a difference between reality TV and political coverage (on the mainstream major networks, anyway), so it's easier to watch Which Celebrity Are You and get exactly the same amount of worthwhile information as you would watching CNN go Let's Go Talk To People On Suburban Street Corners Holding Campaign Placards. The reality TV is way more bright colours and snappy edits.

Also, I wonder if people have kind of given up, like we're fucked either way.

 

[magicbastarder]

can we have another election ourselves?

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0124/breaking75.htm

 

[jane]

Sad. I don't care if he hangs around with Shirley Maclaine.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2246735,00.html

Not that he had a hope, but still.

 

[Froog]

McCain at a rally yesterday:


"For the first time in American political history a candidate, senator Clinton, has called for surrender," he told reporters after the rally. "We put at risk everything that's been sacrificed, all the service and all the success, and I think it's terrible. Americans don't want to throw away the hard earned gains that we have made, in succeeding against al-Qaida in Iraq." At a campaign rally at a convention centre here, the Arizona senator, and former Navy pilot and prisoner of war, said he's the most qualified to lead the country through the violent global situation. "We've been attacked and we're in two wars, we're in a struggle against radical Islamic extremism," he reminded rally-goers. "It's a matter of this titanic struggle that we are in now, which gives me the qualifications and the experience and the background and the judgement to lead." - The Guardian



fucking hell.

 

[snakybus]

That has been McCain's tack from the start - hard on "security". It's his unique selling point, as a war veteran. The other candidates don't have any credibility in this area, apart from maybe Giuliani, who was mayor of a city that was attacked.

 

[CitySickness]

McCain at a rally yesterday:


"For the first time in American political history a candidate, senator Clinton, has called for surrender..."

fucking hell.

How is this any different from the Bush TERRA spew that's served the GOP so well to date?

 

[Mormon Nailer]

Can we PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have an embargo on anyone saying anything resembling the following for the rest of this thread.

"I think if Hillary gets the nomination a Republican will win......blah blah blah.....polarise....blah blah blah undecided.......middle ground....blah blah blah....moderate republicans ..."

Please.

It's really starting to bug me. It's one of these stupid snippits of analysis that suddenly become gospel simply cause it's parroted everywhere.

 

[Froog]

How is this any different from the Bush TERRA spew that's served the GOP so well to date?

yes i know. but i thought any republican running this time round would try to distance themselves from that.