Republican Convention Thread

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She and Ted Nugent were probably among the few rock musicians to allow their songs to be used.


I was wrong -

TMZ.com is reporting that Ann and Nancy Wilson are upset that their 1977 rock hit "Barracuda" was used without their permission in the Xcel Energy Center at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
 

If you read down in the comments though, there's some question as to how the money was allocated, and what they've determined to be additions to the budget for special needs kids was actually for at risk teens to enter some sort of pre-military training educational facility...

Or something like that. I only had time to skim.
 
If you read down in the comments though, there's some question as to how the money was allocated, and what they've determined to be additions to the budget for special needs kids was actually for at risk teens to enter some sort of pre-military training educational facility...

Yeah, I just noticed that. My feeling is that this isn't really something she should use often (or at all). Neither is the "Bridge to Nowhere." Nor fighting earmarks.

....Except they'll all be used! :lol:
 
Yeah, I just noticed that. My feeling is that this isn't really something she should use often (or at all). Neither is the "Bridge to Nowhere." Nor fighting earmarks.

....Except they'll all be used! :lol:

:up: I think that these things do need to be exposed, but that it should probably be left up to the media. The Obama campaign should probably just focus on McCain.
 
If you read down in the comments though, there's some question as to how the money was allocated, and what they've determined to be additions to the budget for special needs kids was actually for at risk teens to enter some sort of pre-military training educational facility...

Or something like that. I only had time to skim.

this breakdown shows a net decrease of 1% for special needs, independent of the jr. military program: Daily Kos :: Comments Palin cut Special Education budget by 62%

the original blog post also indicates that special needs funding is set to increase in the future.

it doesn't seem like a strong angle to take at this point. better stick to the "i was for the bridge to nowhere before i was against the bridge to nowhere but even after i said no thanks to the bridge to nowhere i kept the money and used it on other projects" attack.
 
this breakdown shows a net decrease of 1% for special needs, independent of the jr. military program: Daily Kos :: Comments Palin cut Special Education budget by 62%

the original blog post also indicates that special needs funding is set to increase in the future.

it doesn't seem like a strong angle to take at this point. better stick to the "i was for the bridge to nowhere before i was against the bridge to nowhere but even after i said no thanks to the bridge to nowhere i kept the money and used it on other projects" attack.

Thanks for the clarification. I'll have to take a closer look at it tonight.
 
i find it curious that the article pointed out that "The party has been plagued by earmarks...", but then failed to mention the millions of dollars palin secured from the federal government for wasilla and the state of alaska in her executives roles as mayor and governor.

Obamas side needs to be careful if they start bringing up earmarks.

Obama, Biden's Son Linked by Earmarks


also


Pork in the Presidential Race
Posted on August 28, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis

CCAGW’s 2007 Congressional Ratings came out yesterday and you may be wondering how the presidential nominees did.

• Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) 2007 rating was 10 percent, making his lifetime score 18 percent. The 2008 Congressional Pig Book contained 53 earmarks worth $97.4 million for Sen. Obama, including $1,648,850 for the Shedd Aquarium.

• Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) received the worst possible rating in 2007 with 0 percent, while his lifetime rating is 22 percent. According to the Pig Book, Sen. Biden had 70 earmarks for a total of $119.7 million in fiscal year 2008, including $246,100 for the Grand Opera House in Wilmington.

• Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) received a score of 100* percent and has a lifetime rating of 88, has never requested nor received a single earmark, and has pledged to veto any spending bill that contains any earmarks.


Are you sure you guys want to go there????
 
Obamas side needs to be careful if they start bringing up earmarks.

Obama, Biden's Son Linked by Earmarks


also


Pork in the Presidential Race
Posted on August 28, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis

CCAGW’s 2007 Congressional Ratings came out yesterday and you may be wondering how the presidential nominees did.

• Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) 2007 rating was 10 percent, making his lifetime score 18 percent. The 2008 Congressional Pig Book contained 53 earmarks worth $97.4 million for Sen. Obama, including $1,648,850 for the Shedd Aquarium.

• Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) received the worst possible rating in 2007 with 0 percent, while his lifetime rating is 22 percent. According to the Pig Book, Sen. Biden had 70 earmarks for a total of $119.7 million in fiscal year 2008, including $246,100 for the Grand Opera House in Wilmington.

• Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) received a score of 100* percent and has a lifetime rating of 88, has never requested nor received a single earmark, and has pledged to veto any spending bill that contains any earmarks.


Are you sure you guys want to go there????

:doh:
 
Is Obama running on a "You will know their names those evil earmarkers!!!" platform?
 
IN addition ......Governor Palin State of the Sate address from this year in Jan. Long before any thought of a VP nomination.



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Governor Sarah Palin Speaks Truth to Power
Posted on January 25, 2008 by Leslie Paige

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin delivered her State of the State on January 15, 2008 and I was intrigued by this excerpt:

"To cultivate timber and agriculture, we’re encouraging responsible, economic efforts to revitalize our once-robust industries. We can and must continue to develop our economy, because we cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks. Instead, let us power up and produce for Alaska and America. We can do this – we’re 50 years old now, and it’s time!"

Compare that statement with the mantra of her state’s reps in Washington, D.C. who constantly rationalize their plunder of the U.S. Treasury and rapacity for earmarks by saying that Alaska is still a “new state,” with so many needs. This has been the mantra of Rep. Don Young (R) for years, even though the state has $38.9 billion in cash “in a coffee can,” as Young has described it, enough to distribute annual dividend checks to Alaskan residents. In 2007, that dividend was $1,600 per Alaskan.

So, Governor Palin gets it even though Don Young doesn’t.
 

Care to respond to this article?

McCain had criticized earmarks from Palin - Los Angeles Times

I would say her actions speak louder than her words, but then even her words contradict her words:

From her convention speech:

"I suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress."

Just earlier this year, in a newspaper column:
"The federal budget, in its various manifestations, is incredibly important to us, and congressional earmarks are one aspect of this relationship,"

Doesn't appear too reform minded when it comes to earmarks. :hmm:

And then there's this convention speech nugget:
"I told the Congress “thanks, but no thanks,” for that Bridge to Nowhere."

And yet: (from the Anchorage Daily News)
In September, 2006, Palin showed up in Ketchikan on her gubernatorial campaign and said the bridge was essential for the town's prosperity.

She said she could feel the town's pain at being derided as a "nowhere" by prominent politicians, noting that her home town, Wasilla, had recently been insulted by the state Senate president, Ben Stevens.

"OK, you've got Valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere," Palin said, according to an account in the Ketchikan Daily News. "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project."
 
IN addition ......Governor Palin State of the Sate address from this year in Jan. Long before any thought of a VP nomination.



The Swine Line
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Governor Sarah Palin Speaks Truth to Power
Posted on January 25, 2008 by Leslie Paige

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin delivered her State of the State on January 15, 2008 and I was intrigued by this excerpt:

"To cultivate timber and agriculture, we’re encouraging responsible, economic efforts to revitalize our once-robust industries. We can and must continue to develop our economy, because we cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks. Instead, let us power up and produce for Alaska and America. We can do this – we’re 50 years old now, and it’s time!"

Gee, that's interesting, because in this same year she also submitted to Congress a list of Alaska projects worth $197.8 million. (from the LA Times story)

She seems to be gifted in talking out of both sides of her mouth.
 
Gee, that's interesting, because in this same year she also submitted to Congress a list of Alaska projects worth $197.8 million. (from the LA Times story)

She seems to be gifted in talking out of both sides of her mouth.

What is the issue with projects that were submitted including improvement to their airports and research that effects their economy??
 
I'm not trying to deny that there were earmarks in Alaska. You still have to look at the records of Obama and Baden on the subject...very poor. And McCain...who practices what he preaches.

Well good for him.

But they're not preaching on earmarks, so I'm not sure why you are drawing a comparison here.
 
I'm just saying that is the Dems try to attack Palin on it, they are going to have to face up to their own pork. I dont think it is a battle that they will pursue if they are smart.

They are attacking her for the hypocrisy because she is now running on an anti-earmark platform when in fact she's knee deep in pig shit.

Obama isn't running on such a platform and as far as I'm aware neither is Joe Biden.
 
How so? If McCain tries to go after them on their earmark record, all Obama has to do is say "take a look at your own VP pick before you go attacking others."
 
Drudge is saying that the Republican convention was the most watched convention in history, including 40 million watching both Palin and McCain. Though people in here may be skeptical, I think that's good news. :up:
 
Drudge is saying that the Republican convention was the most watched convention in history, including 40 million watching both Palin and McCain.


That's because people wanted to see who the hell Sarah Palin was. The focus of the convention changed from the presidential nominee, John McCain, to the VP pick, Sarah Palin. I don't think that's good news for McCain. Moreover, McCain may have had as many viewers as Palin, but I don't think that was necessarily "good" for any reason. People may have watched to see if he could top Palin; he didn't. People may have watched simply to compare his speech to Obama's; I think it paled in comparison, from the superficials of appearance and delivery, to the meat of specifics (Obama didn't offer many, but he offered more than McCain did). The remainder of people watched because they wanted to see the guy they're voting for anyway.

It doesn't matter how many people watched if the message wasn't successfully delivered. A billion people can watch the Super Bowl, but that isn't good news for football if they're all watching it for the commercials.
 
The five reasons why John McCain had a good convention

September 5, 2008, 08:42 AM GMT

John McCain’s speech was not exactly a classic—he spoke for too long and amid the heart tugging Vietnam tales were too many constipated smiles and wolverine grins—but the Republican candidate can leave St Paul very satisfied



After Barack Obama’s overblown but impressive performance in Denver and the Democrat’s final mending of fences with the Clintons, it seemed unlikely that McCain could match that success.

In fact, McCain has had an even more successful convention than Obama.

Here’s what he achieved.

1) FIRED UP HIS BASE

Picking Sarah Palin as his running mate has invigorated the Christian conservative base of the party no less dramatically than crack cocaine, people who had remained sceptical of McCain. That eliminates the enthusiasm and fundraising gaps to Obama, which could have been a major handicap as the election goes on. I also sense that people in St Paul warmed to McCain not just because he picked someone they liked but because he had the guts to do something different. Which brings us to…

2) REASSERTED HIS MAVERICK PERSONA


Again the Palin pick was decisive here. McCain picked her because she challenges the establishment and does her own thing. McCain saw a soul mate and in so doing showed that he is his own man rather than captive of the right of his party who have pushed him into conservative policy orthodoxy on a whole range of issues and risked undermining his appeal to floating voters. Because the right loves Palin, McCain is now free to drift to the centre and win over independents.

3) FOUND A MESSAGE TO APPEAL TO SMALL TOWN AMERICA

McCain and Palin both used their outsider credentials to make a bold pitch for small town blue collar votes. These are not the Hillary supporters who want government help, but those small “c” conservatives who want the government to leave them alone. In short McCain-Palin have put the Reagan-Democrats back in play and shown that they have a message that will make them competitive in all the swing states. Team Obama’s attacks on Mrs Palin’s small town background will only help.

4) DISOWNED THE BUSH YEARS


Obama’s favourite line of attack has been to denounce McCain for offering Bush’s third term. Hurricane Gustav helped keep George W. Bush from performing a live address this week. McCain banished the president (and Dick Cheney) to a video message (like being banished to Alaska), put out before the US television networks were broadcasting live. He then talked about reaching across the aisle and effectively sliced Bush from the history of the party he has dominated for eight years. Obama’s line of attack was never very plausible, given McCain’s history of stubborn independence and antagonism with Bush, now it is even less so.

5) KILLED OBAMA'S BOUNCE


A poll yesterday suggested that the national numbers are again a dead heat, a leeching of Democratic support, which had swelled Obama’s lead to 6-8 points by midweek. Only the debates and the unexpected (a terrorist attack, for instance) now have the power to change the dynamic dramatically before November 4th.

McCain has eliminated the prospect of an Obama landslide. Republicans now think they can win and some think they will win. Others, even some close to McCain, still think they are on the back foot, but it now seems unlikely that Obama has the time to build a dominating lead.
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Drudge is saying that the Republican convention was the most watched convention in history, including 40 million watching both Palin and McCain. Though people in here may be skeptical, I think that's good news. :up:

But the diehards at the convention looked bored during the McCain speech. They were anything but "fired up" Thursday night - their applause was not enthusiastic, etc. The McCain camp has to be worried about that.
 
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