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US Presidential Election 2008

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Josh started this discussion 16 years 7 months ago

A couple of interesting articles about the upcoming election:

More petty arguing by Democrats -- the interesting quote in that article is where the Republicans attack Obama on his strength:

Said Tucker Bounds, a McCain spokesman: "The remark underscores that John McCain has the strength to change America and move this nation forward. Barack Obama is a new face who represents old ideas."

I think it is obvious that Obama doesn't represent old ideas.

Another article shows campaign figures:

Barack Obama raised $41 million in March and had $42 million available to spend against Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in April...Overall, Obama had $51 million in the bank at the end of March, with nearly $9 million of that available only for the general election... [McCain's] campaign reported a debt of $707,000, much of it outstanding American Express billings.

Obama had $51 million in the bank and McCain was in debt $700,000. McCain also "had said the economy isn't his strong point."

Interesting...

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santa klaus

16 years

Interesting. Have you read the replies, too?

Apparently, people are really worried about the safety of this car. It IS safe.

The reason why so many people drive Smarts here is the parking situation. In Vienna, it´s really bad and e.g. in Italian cities it´s desperate. I sometimes use the hostel´s car over the weekend and once it took me over an hour to find a spot to park it on Monday morning. With a Smart that´s no problem for you, at least as long as there aren´t zillions of them!

It´s awkward they don´t want to sell the diesel version in America - it needs about 3.5 liters per 100km [= 65 miles per gallon]. The Smart Brabus (that´s the one your link refers to) is basically a toy for rich kids.

Apparently they peppered the motors up for the American market and the catalytic converters used in the USA result in higher fuel consumtion, too.

I guess what they think is that people would buy the Smart as a "fun car" there. If energy efficiency is your only concern, you are better off with e.g. a VW Lupo, which is by the way a 4-seater.

Re: Hillary´s plan. What do you think it is?

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santa klaus

16 years

Looks like Clinton is just about done.

Well! I still refuse to believe she is stupid!

She is even spending her own money now. For what!?

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Americans worry about car safety... they buy big cars partly because they think "they are safer when you crash".

I don't know what Clinton is thinking. I think you have to have a huge ego to run for president and she might be obsessed with it. Like Nader -- he helped elect Bush during the last couple of elections but was too full of himself and stubborn to do the right thing and back down.

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santa klaus

16 years

I don't know what Clinton is thinking. I think you have to have a huge ego to run for president and she might be obsessed with it. Like Nader -- he helped elect Bush during the last couple of elections but was too full of himself and stubborn to do the right thing and back down.

To be honest - in 2000 I didn´t think Bush would make such a huge negative difference. Gore is really well-respected now and Bush is an un-person. Back then, maybe many people were dissappointed by Clinton and thought it doesn´t matter if Gore or Bush wins. We have to start to vote for really decent guys. If we have to start at getting 1% of the vote, let´s start with that. That´s how the German Greens started almost 30 years ago, too.

On a lighter note, watch that:

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santa klaus

16 years

Maybe Hillary has a plan.

She does. Here :

Hillary Clinton must parachute into Pakistan while under heavy sniper fire, infiltrate al-Qaida using a fake beard, putty nose, and duct tape, and capture Osama Bin Laden, whilst singing the “Star Spangled Banner” with one hand over her heart and an American flag lapel pin prominently shown on her outfit. She must film all of this in HD and create a montage scored to Lee Greenwood's “God Bless the U.S.A.” Meanwhile, Barack Obama must publicly convert to Islam and change his name to Osama Hafez al-Mohammed Hussein Ayatollah Obama, while burning an American flag in the Crystal Cathedral as he replaces the crucifix with a do-it-yourself Piss Christ, while performing an abortion on the exhumed body of Terri Schiavo. He should also be naked. It should then rain frogs. That ought to do it.

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Back then, maybe many people were dissappointed by Clinton and thought it doesn´t matter if Gore or Bush wins.

Nader had made his points (which were great points). Then it got to the moment where the most important thing was not to let Bush get into office, but Nader was willing to sacrifice the election for his ego (twice -- and maybe 3 times now that he is running again). Terrible strategist. If Nader had backed down and let Gore into office then maybe Nader would have had a chance to make a positive change in politics later. Instead Bush got in twice and the country shifted further to the fundamentalist right-wing, not to mention a senseless war in Iraq. Nader never looked at the bigger picture -- there was just one hard-headed, blind goal. I think he tarnished his image very badly among his previous supporters...

Just read a poll today: "81% of the American people believe that the country is on the 'wrong track'"...

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santa klaus

16 years

Terrible strategist.

Indeed. I think with running for president, you start at the wrong end. The Greens should capitalize on their strength, which is organizing at grass-root level. Start with winning cities (I´m sure there are big cities in America which would elect a green mayor), then try to capture governor posts.

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Start with winning cities...then try to capture governor posts.

Good idea... I think the US Green Party alienated a lot of their supporters through Ralph Nader though...

In my opinion they have bad management. They are not even learning from their mistakes:
http://www.gp.org/organize/spoiled.html

They wrote:

Lie #3: “If Nader hadn’t run, everyone who voted for him would have voted for Gore!”
According to exit polls, Nader’s support came from Democrats, Republicans, independents, and many others. Many would not have voted for Gore if Nader hadn’t run, and some voters might not have voted at all.

If Nader wasn't taking votes away from Gore and Kerry, the Republicans wouldn't have been strongly supporting him.

Nader has bad judgement... despite everything else he has accomplished, I think he would make a terrible President.

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santa klaus

16 years

he would make a terrible President.

No need to consider that, he has zero chance to win and knows that. Running for prez is a good way to make it into the news and appear in debates and talk shows. I am sure that´s why he runs every time.

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Josh Hostels

16 years

Dr. Evil?
http://ycorpblog.com/2008/05/15/live-from-the-roosevelt-room/

(Yahoo Corporate blog)

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