The General American Politics Thread

[Patticus]

Did... did you just compare me to Rush Limbaugh? D:

I like that article though, and I hope that the Obama campaign does some of those suggested things over the coming days and weeks. It probably won't of course, political parties I support seem to have an infuriating tendency to avoid sensible strategies.

In other news, a group of hackers allegedly stole Romney's pre-2010 tax returns and are demanding a large sum of money (pocket change for the Romneys ) or they'll release them at month's end:

Mitt Romney’s tax returns are reportedly in the hands of a team of hackers who plan on releasing them publicly at the end of the month unless a ransom is paid.

The group allegedly obtained the files from PricewaterhouseCooper’s Tennessee office on Aug. 25, in what was described on PasteBin as a Mission Impossible-like caper:

The files are to be released to the public on Sept. 28, according to the PasteBin document.

The release, however, could allegedly be avoided if Romney’s camp were to wire transfer $1 million in Bitcoins— an online currency that is difficult both to trace and to identify.

“The keys to unlock the data will be purged and whatever is inside the documents will remain a secret forever,” states another PasteBin document. “Failure to do this before September 28, the entire world will be allowed to view the documents with a publicly released key to unlock everything. And the same time, the other interested parties will be allowed to compete with you.”

[Tornado]

Here's something Romney will have difficulty bouncing back from, assuming Obama's campaign is smart enough to capitalize on it:

Policies of the Obama Administration leads to the NFL regular season starting one day early.

Obama is clearly pro-football, and therefore pro-America. Let's see that fat asshole Limbaugh spin that.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Tornado

[The Kid]

Here's something Romney will have difficulty bouncing back from, assuming Obama's campaign is smart enough to capitalize on it:

Policies of the Obama Administration leads to the NFL regular season starting one day early.

Obama is clearly pro-football, and therefore pro-America. Let's see that fat asshole Limbaugh spin that.

By trying to make Baseball more American. "If Obama really cared he'd have made the baseball season start early!"

I don't follow sports, but yay?

[turbojet]

By trying to make Baseball more American. "If Obama really cared he'd have made the baseball season start early!"

I don't follow sports, but yay?

Baseball is pretty much a year around sport. They only get like 2 months break.

[Rinzler]

In other news, a group of hackers allegedly stole Romney's pre-2010 tax returns and are demanding a large sum of money (pocket change for the Romneys ) or they'll release them at month's end:

http://mashable.com/...ey-tax-returns/

Not sure if serious...

So if Romney pays people get more suspicious of his tax history and if he doesn't they (may) release his tax records. Damned if you do or don't scenario then.

Of course if he released his tax returns in the first place this would be a non issue sooooooo.........

Edited September 6, 2012 by Soundwave

[Sami]

I damn well hope they actually have the info; dirt like that definitely going to affect his reputation, and I'll take any hope I can get to keep this guy away from office.

I don't even really like Obama, but fuck, at least he's better than Romney.

[The Kid]

Baseball is pretty much a year around sport. They only get like 2 months break.

Haha okay. XD I rarely pay attention to that sort of stuff.

[Stacy]

In other news, a group of hackers allegedly stole Romney's pre-2010 tax returns and are demanding a large sum of money (pocket change for the Romneys ) or they'll release them at month's end:

http://mashable.com/...ey-tax-returns/

Not sure if serious...

If true then....

"Delicious!".

[Patticus]

Anybody else catch Bill Clinton's big speech last night? He went on for 48 minutes, even though he was only scheduled to talk for 28 minutes. I thought it would never end... but at least he took the time to pretty comprehensively counter most (if not all) of the GOP's major anti-Obama points. It's a shame that the Obama administration couldn't have done that itself over the past few months. This worries me, because I want to hope that it'll be vigorously defending itself between now and election night, and if it hasn't done it well enough yet then what are the odds it'll do it in the immediate future? Anyway, it was a pretty awesome speech, I hope it gets fact checked as much as the GOP's speeches and given a clean bill (lol) of health, hopefully and bring on the President tonight!

[Tornado]

Actually, and I'm being completely serious this time, a lot of Americans probably didn't see it. Hell, even I didn't watch it because of the Cowboys/Gia- ORPHANS. I WAS BUSY SAVING ORPHANS FROM A FIRE.

Clinton would be a good key to have in Obama's pocket, and if Obama was really savvy he would ask Clinton to back him up as much as possible (though I'm not sure how much Clinton would be willing to do it). Plus, it really doesn't surprise me if Clinton did a better job defending Obama than Obama has. I'm not really sure what game Obama has been playing thus far, because he seems to be content with letting Romney shoot himself in the foot. Which is alright if that was all Romney was doing, I suppose, but he should still try to counter what Romney says when Romney makes a point that at least appears to be valid. And he really hasn't been.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Tornado

[Patticus]

Even if more people were watching the game (have ratings for both events been made public yet?), this won't be the last we hear of this speech; news organisations online, on TV and in the printed press will be relaying clips/transcripts of bits of it for a while yet, and the attack ads on both sides will also be putting its best (or its worst, most out of context) moments out there in the coming couple of months too. They really needed to reschedule the DNC to avoid the game though, that timing was terrible.

Any word yet on whether Obama's speech tonight will be outdoors or not? Last I heard it was being moved into the much smaller indoor stadium, due to forecasts of storms, but I also heard the chances of rain, lightning etc were so small as to be insignificant. What's going on there? Will the move inside hurt the speech?

[turbojet]

I don't watch the Campaign Conventions because it is pretty stating how great the candidates are and pandering for votes at one party. Sure, the theater and spectacle are sights to behold, but I already know who I am voting for and have no need to reaffirm my selection.

Although it is pretty fun to watch zealots fight each other. Hilarious shit.

Edited September 6, 2012 by turbojet

[Patticus]

Elizabeth Warren, who is running for governor in the state of Massachusetts, also spoke last night. I didn't get to hear much because CBS' people there wouldn't quit interviewing the Castro brothers (and don't they look freakishly alike!) or yammering on about Obama's surprise visit as Warren spoke, but there were a couple of pretty good moments when they shut up and listened to her, of which this is but one:

Warren's speech in full is below, if you want to watch it; her voice is a bit annoying but she's clearly a very good woman and I hope that she wins the governorship:

Edited September 6, 2012 by Patticus

[Candescence]

Warren made a fantastic speech, which was mostly spot-on, and a spectacular dismantlement of Republican favoritism towards big corporations.

And Rush can go fuck himself, for all I care.

[Solkia]

hahaha what

What the hell counts as "authentically black"?

what a clown.

[Patticus]

Mr. Obama's father was born in Kenya, and his Caucasian mother's side is, according to the article, descended from a family begun in Virginia by a slave. He is actually the 11th great-grandson of the first African to be declared a slave on US soil, apparently.

You just don't get more "authentically black" than that, which makes Rush's comments see even further removed from reality.

[turbojet]

hahaha what

What the hell counts as "authentically black"?

what a clown.

Being descent from Africa which Barack Obama definitely is. Sure, he may be disillusioned from black America, but Kenyans,hell, all of the Black diaspora, suffered the same shit except the whole colonialism, neo-colonialsm due to western liberal theory bit so he is not that far off

[Nepenthe]

I generally don't care much for either convention, but I do like Warren a lot. I've heard some of her prior speeches and

and she makes sense to me, so I'm really glad she's got a more visible platform to speak here at the convention. Good on her.

And Rush stoking racial resentment? Again, this is what the man does for an extremely-profitable living. Why are we surprised and giving him attention?

[turbojet]

On the bright side, the Avengers are fighting off the New Texas Republic in the Ultimates...

[Patticus]

In other news...

Republicans signaled this week that they might have given up hope in two important swing states.

The Romney campaign and conservative groups like Crossroads GPS have pulled TV ads in Michigan, Romney’s home state, according to the Detroit News.

Nor are the campaign and super PACs running advertising in Pennsylvania, after unleashing a barrage there over the past five months.

It is still possible for groups to purchase TV advertising in either state at a later date.

The PollTracker Averages show President Obama ahead 48.9 percent to 45.4 percent in Michigan, and in Pennsylvania, where he leads 49.9 percent to 41.4 percent.

http://2012.talkingp...?ref=fpnewsfeed

I don't think they've given up at all, personally, I think that they're probably putting together a raft of new ads using just-recorded DNC footage.They'll be on the offensive again by next week.

I just don't see the GOP giving up on two swing states (is PA a swing state?) so easily. Assuming every blue-leaning state actually goes to Obama, they'll need to win in considerably more of the swing states than Obama will need to. The challenge facing them is considerable, even if the race looks tight.

[Tornado]

PA is a massive swing state. More often than not, it (along with Florida) is the one that is fought over the hardest right up to the bitter end.

[Patticus]

I wonder if they might be winding down advertising there because they think the Voter ID laws that sadly still stand in that state will be enough to swing the vote decisively in their favor?

I mean, if you rig an election by suppressing the vote, and said suppression goes unchallenged in the courts... if you are assured victory, why bother with spending money on ads there when you could be spending that money to win in other swing states? Just sayin'...

[Stacy]

hahaha what

What the hell counts as "authentically black"?

what a clown.

I would hate to think of what he thinks is "authentically white".

[Tornado]

I wanted to comment on this, but forgot:

Edit: Rush is at it again, folks, claiming that Obama isn't "authentically black," and that he didn't struggle. Claims which The Raw Story have shown not to be grounded in reality.

So, wait. He's an illegal immigrant straight from Africa (he even plays basketball for crying out loud) with no right to Presidential power until he shows his long-form birth certificate... except now he isn't?

Come on Rush. Make up your mind.

Edit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdl2MmLxDPI

Edited September 6, 2012 by Tornado

[Sami]

So hey, this exists.