McCain's Concession Speech Audience

I listened to McCain's concession speech last night. Aside from the fact that he gave a very gracious speech and that it was apparent the McCain that spoke last night was the guy that should have been the one in 2000, one other thing stood out. The reactions from the crowd were troubling. There were very bitter boo's and some were shouting out things I couldn't quite hear clearly. Given the recent problems with foul things being yelled out at McCain/Palin rallies, I can only assume the shouts at the concession speech had some equally foul content.

What troubles me is the comparison between the reactions to the McCain speech and the reactions to Obama. When McCain complimented Obama, there were boo's. When Obama complimented McCain, there was applause and people cheered. That was the difference. That was the division speaking out. That is the sentiment we do not need. I am still waiting to hear any news coverage shedding light on this behavior. Not even The View this morning was willing to dive that deep.

I wish I could remember the reactions at the Gore concession speech. I know there were chants and occasional outcry when Gore said things which implied he was conceding. I do not remember any real foul remarks or reactions when Gore mentioned Bush in this concession speech. In any competition, you give credit and respect to your opponent.

There are agreeably bad eggs on either side of the fence. I will not argue with that. However, the negative attitude on the Right is not the American way. The result of the election last night sent that message. We will not stand for the politics of hate.

(EDIT)
After watching Bill Maher on Friday night, the 7th of November, I can add a little more to this post. Maher brought up this very subject and I'm glad he did. He showed footage of the Kerry concession speech. Guess what? When Kerry mentioned congratulating monkey boy (Bush), you did not hear a single boo. You didn't hear anyone applaud, but you did not hear outrage and disgust.

Be Ready for Post-election Humor

If and when John McCain loses the election, comedians should take this one tip.

Write jokes related to Joe the Plumber.

Imagine every joke you possibly can about Joe the Plumber dealing with a campaign that got completely flushed down the toilet.

Plungers, toilets, pipes, and butt-cracks, oh my!

Lipstick on a pig

Barack Obama used the Lipstick on a pig analogy yesterday when talking about how the McCain campaign is trying to look like the party of change when they're just more of the same. The McCain response tried to claim Obama's comment was "disgraceful" because they thought Obama was referring to that bitch Sarah Palin. If he were referring to Palin, he would have called her something much worse than a pig. I have and I always will from this point forward.

According to the late night/early morning ABC News, McCain has used the same analogy in response to the Hillary Clinton Health Care Plan. You can bet rednecks ate that pig slop up when McCain said it. They probably forgot he said it. Their attention span is limited, you know. How else can so many watch Nascar where cars go around in circles?

Sorry soldier boy. It's open season on pigs wearing lipstick. Get used to it. By the way, I think Sarah Palin is ugly.

I used the analogy shortly after the Palin speech as did many other bloggers. It was the logical next step in my opinion. Somebody in the McCain campaign should have expected this analogy when Palin cracked the lipstick joke. As I said before, she did come across as a dog, but it wasn't a pit bull wearing lipstick. It was just your run of the mill bitch.

Yes, I'm throwing some vicious punches to groups who flat out deserve a beating.

Bouncy Polls...Fixed?

The media has been posting poll numbers lately that either put Obama and McCain neck and neck or give McCain a slight advantage. These numbers of course, come after both conventions. Online articles are suggesting that Obama did not get a post-convention bounce and somehow McCain did.

I don't get it.

Obama gave a speech to, from what I understand, about 38 million viewers right? How can a speech that moved so many people to tears not give the man a bounce in the polls? The speech was moving and inspirational. Specific plans were set and for many, the idea that someone will get this country back on the right path seemed within reach.

McCains VP pick gave a speech to almost as many viewers from what I read, but her speech was riddled with insults, juvenile comments, and flat out lies. Her political stance is that of an extreme right winger even though she tries to portray herself as some sort of rebel. She was also able to show off her Jesus Freak side. None of the aforementioned qualities play well to independent voters. Somehow McCain got a bounce.

The mismatch makes me wonder if the numbers are fixed. I haven't been polled by anyone over the course of the entire campaign season. Who are they polling? Where are the young voters who supported Obama in the primary?

You do realize that the impression of a close race between these two opponents will generate ratings, don't you? I am one person who chooses to raise an eyebrow when something smells fishy. Well folks, this stinks to high heaven. If the powers that be are able to introduce just enough apathy in voters about the campaign, several will be discouraged and won't show up to the voting booth. The impression that the race is close has also left pundits suggesting that mud slinging is Obama's only option to gain a lead. Americans need TV drama in their lives and they are going to eat it up should Obama's gloves really come off. Obama has always said he isn't going to really campaign using the dirty tricks of the past. The media is left scrambling to fabricate anything they possibly can to heat things up and give off a sense of real live strife.

I am not convinced the current polls are correct. I have a feeling Obama really has a good 8 to 10 point lead, if not more. I will be interested in seeing how Rove and Company are planning to steal this one. The current numbers are suspect.

McCain's Speech - Not Enough To Sway

This is going to be a brief play by play while I watch his speech.

McCain's speech so far is nothing but cliché lines and anecdotes about his service. I'm at the part where he's talking about who he fights for and I'm left asking what he's going to do to help those people. You're going to change Washington, are you? How? Reform government? How? How are you going to change the lives of the people you mentioned?

Lots of what's, but no solutions. Lots of stories about what he's done, but not what he will do. "We're going to change that" is not specific.

Ho Hum...
Did I mention Cindy McCain's speech was both boring and pathetic? The teleprompter was her friend. That sigh/subtle laugh got old really quick too.

How long until I start hearing plans?

Okay. Plans.
Mine vs His became party line fodder, most of which can be debunked by multiple sources. I have a feeling listeners are not hearing what they need to know. Seems anticlimactic. Not a strong economic plan, but I don't think we were expecting him to give one to begin with. When in doubt, say your opponent is going to raise taxes.

Now I suppose these next few small ideas are going to bring about that change you mentioned earlier. School vouchers? More cliché lines?

He said we'll drill off shore, but what about Alaska? Didn't Palin say she was going to help bring drilling to Alaska? Didn't she say they had plenty? So which is it? Are we having a policy difference between the President-elect and the VP-elect? Obama's energy plan will bring the same kinds of jobs and bolster the economy. One keeps us on oil and the other moves us away. The question is, which one are you ready to do?

Now comes the fear. "They'll strike us again if they can." He might have also hinted at attacking Iran by saying he'll stand up to certain evils. Great. That's what our stretched military needs.

Now it sounds like we'll have his closing remarks. He played up his military service and POW experience again because that's all he's running on. Let me remind you guys out there that if you support McCain for his outstanding service that he was the guy that got captured. That's skill? Hmm.

Sharing ideas? According to Palin, Liberals don't have good ideas. According to Romney, Liberals need to be removed from Washington. Who does that leave to extend your arm to Mr. McCain?

More POW stories...we get it dude. You were a prisoner of war and it was hell. That's not a qualification for President and although you don't feel you've been anointed, your supporters seem to feel that it makes you fully qualified to lead the country.

I'm not sure how this speech sways undecided voters unless they have a special place in their heart for POWs. Your closing remarks were uneventful and drab. Wow. PBS just had a commercial interruption in there. Somebody hit the wrong button. I'm sure it woke up viewers that fell asleep.

Boring speech. I'm done. That was 49 minutes? Ugh...Not more country music.
The Conservative spin on the speech will be that of less talk and more action instead of talking less about action he will take.

You Supported Hillary, Now McCain?

How can you go from a Hillary Clinton supporter to a John McCain supporter overnight? Just because Hillary didn't get the nomination you're going to sacrifice your political stance? Policies are completely different when comparing Hillary Clinton to John McCain. You are doing a complete 180 degree turn. What the hell is wrong with you?

Vote based on policy, not on gender. Don't vote based on resentment or because you lost and now choose to protest. Protest by writing in her name, not by voting for someone who will lead the country in the opposite direction Hillary was planning on taking it. Compared to McCain, Barack Obama has more in common with Clinton. You want universal health care, you won't get it with McCain. Want out of Iraq? Can't get that with McCain. Want independence from foreign oil? Won't get that with POW soldier boy. I have to ask...are you on drugs?

I don't see how someone can go from supporting a Democrat one day and a Republican the next like that when political stances between the two are so very different.

You are indeed an idiot.

I just saw a woman on BBC News America that said she was going to write in Hillary's name, but now with McCain's VP pick, she's going to vote for McCain. The thing is, this crazy fat dolt of a woman couldn't remember Sarah Palin's name.

Hillary, if you are listening, your message to back Barack Obama was not received by your supporters. SAY IT LOUDER so these deaf morons can hear you.

Paris Hilton Responds To McCain

Well, at least we got Paris to respond to the ad by McCain that uses the images of both Paris Hilton and Britney Spears to portray Barack Obama as a pop culture superstar that isn't ready to lead.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64ad536a6d

I don't usually watch anything that has Paris Hilton in it to begin with, but this one is hilarious. When I stopped by, it already had more than 3 million views and over 6000 diggs.

McCain is called "the oldest celebrity in the world" characterized by such visual aids as The Golden Girls, the Tales from the Crypt Crypt Keeper, Larry King, the KFC Colonel Sanders, and Yoda.

The folks at Funny or Die were right. McCain bit off more than he could chew when he decided to enter the realm of pop culture. It falls in line with my belief that Republicans get their asses handed to them when we take things into the private sector and out of the regulated world of political campaigns. Sorry, I couldn't resist using the words "bit off more than he could chew," a common phrase used by rednecks when you piss them off, but they can't do anything about it aside from fall back to their sewing circle.

"I'll see you at the debates bitches."

McCain's New Obama Commercial

This damn commercial displays classic Republican behavior in this country. It's why I hate rednecks and it's why we ended up with Bush for eight years. I am definitely not going to hold back and I'm going to throw some hard punches on this one. I know how Republicans are going to play this out online, so there's no need to tippy toe around it.

You can look at the commercial in one of two ways or both of the following ways in context of each other.

The first is straight out of the Karl Rove playbook. Remember when Cheney said that if Kerry would be elected we would be attacked again? Evoke a sense of fear or uneasiness/doubt in the public and then apologize for it once the damage has been done. Make Obama out to be a 15 minutes of fame sensation and downplay his importance. See if somehow the McCain campaign doesn't come out and say something to put out the flames. I guarantee it'll resemble someone putting out a fire with their own urine. For some reason, I have images of McCain straining to get out even a dribble of urine with an old man's enlarged prostate.

The second way to look at the commercial is to realize it's just another way to mobilize their base. Every redneck asshole Republican on every political forum to the right of center is going to be full of idiots making jokes amongst each other to make their hurt feelings go away. It's a commercial that makes their base feel good about themselves. Play a little dirty and make yourself feel better even if it was uncalled for. The types of Republicans I just mentioned will be on forums using nicknames like Barack Obama Spears. They'll call Obama supporters Britney or Paris in a condescending tone to offset actually responding to a question asked by an Obama supporter on a message board. Shaved head jokes and paparazzi outburst gags will run rampant. I wouldn't be surprised of some Republican dolt used a green filter over Obama footage to make it look like a Paris Hilton sex tape. The possibilities are endless and redneck Republicans will just think they're being humorous. Kind of like laughing at fart jokes, you know? They feed off of these sorts of nicknames. Just look at how they talked about Kerry, Hillary, and Bill. You had Lurch, Hellary, and Slick Willie among others. The redneck Republican crowd eats this crap up like they do grits.

On top of all this, you'll have an outcry by Liberals saying exactly the same thing the Obama campaign came out with. It's politics as usual and they are right on the mark. It's dirty politics. The Republican party is willing to say or do anything as long as they can be assholes about it. I'll say it again. Redneck Republicans can relate to that sort of mentality and at the same time take pleasure in it. The RNC will go as far as using the likenesses of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton without permission. I hope some sort of legal response is taken on behalf of both of them. Let's completely disregard the legal way to set up commercial footage and run with it, right? Should be an open and shut lawsuit and quite possibly defamation.

(As I'm typing this, that damn commercial about Family Dinners with Bush is on again. Who believes that shit? The man became an alcoholic.)

If you're a Conservative and not a redneck, I'm not sure how all of this looks to you. I suspect you're taking a Bill O'Reilly or Rush Fatass Pain Killer Limbaugh stance on this. If not, I'm sure those two will be telling you what to think about it in the near future. If you are in fact an undecided white voter, do not condone campaign moves like this. Are you taking a ride on the Low Road Express? We're Americans and we are better than that. Are you that eager to be a snake in the grass? I don't think you would want to set that kind of an example for your kids.

I'll leave you with these celebrity comparisons for John McCain.

Wilford Brimley, an angry old cuss pissed off about his "diabetis"

From the movie "The Rock"
FBI Agent played by Philip Baker Hall
He is my age now, for Christ's sake. I have to get up three times a night to take a piss!

Grumpy Old Men (Walter Matthau & Jack Lemmon)

Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller)
Maybe McCain will make Festivus a government holiday

Talk about qualified to lead...David Letterman, keep telling those TV dinner jokes.

Iraq Welfare

Whether you look at welfare as government financial assistance for basic material needs or an effort to promote the basic physical and material well-being of people in need, I think it's fairly obvious that we have created a welfare state in Iraq.

For most conservatives, welfare is a bad thing. They typically argue that people on welfare abuse the system and are just mooching off of taxpayers. Besides the fact that their take on welfare is based on a fallacy that people on welfare are lazy when in fact they are usually hard working or stuck between a rock and a hard place with no opportunity for upward mobility, one must raise an eyebrow when these same conservatives come out in favor of providing similar assistance for Iraq. You'll often hear soldiers and chicken hawks alike almost resort to tears and cry that the Iraqi people need our help. While it is true that Iraq needs to stand up on its own two feet with a little push from America, the military isn't going to be what gives them that push. As long as our military is over there, the Iraqi government can play the helpless victim and sit motionless. I would argue the Iraqi goverment is mooching off of American money and military aid when they are fully capable of taking back their country. I could also make the point that the people we went in to help are either dead or left the country in droves numbering millions. So who exactly are we helping? It's perhaps nothing more than a ruse.

McCain said he knows how to win wars. Did you hear him say that? Well, he sure didn't know how to fight because his ass was captured. See if anyone on the news throws that one at you.

This war is going to keep putting a strain on our economy and wasting our tax dollars. At some point, the government is not going to be able to put up the money to help any of our problems at home. Maybe that's the way the republicans like it, but we've let things go too far to the right. Everything this administration has botched up has to be corrected. Unfortunately, something like inflation will have to correct itself.

Ever since Bush was "elected" on day one, I've said this country would be in for very bad times. I was already right about going to war and now it seems my prediction that we'll have about 20 years of hard times thanks to shit-for-brains is becoming a reality. That's what you get when you elect an idiot.

Gas Tax Cut A Stupid Idea. Here's Why

So here's my take on McCain's idea to suspend the gas tax. Let me know if I'm missing something because it sounds like a stupid idea to me. It doesn't attack the problem directly. It only gives us a warm and fuzzy feeling like we think we're doing something important when we really aren't doing anything substantial.

Four things friends...
First, it really is like grandpa giving ya five bucks. Anyone remember that "Oh boy, a quarter" feeling? We're not kids anymore grandpa. We need real money. You'll see my math later.

Second, removing 18 cents isn't going to stop the oil companies from jacking the price some more.

Third, if it drops, are we going to feel all warm and fuzzy and suddenly decide we can afford to buy gas more often? We're going to drive demand up and affect prices some more.

And finally, when all is said and done and the 12 weeks are gone, the tax will come back. We are gonna be pissed off about that. What kind of crazy person decides to do something they know will leave them pissed off in the end?

So here's some rough math assuming gas prices are the same when we get 18 cents off per gallon. I'll also assume that most Americans gas up once a week. If you're doing more than that, you're either one hell of a commuter or you've got a gas guzzler that even Cookie Monster would idolize.

So I'm paying about $3.44 per gallon right now and I fill up when I get to about 1/8 to 1/4 of a tank left. I'm usually adding about 14 gallons by that point, so that comes to $48.16 and I usually top it off to the next highest dollar amount, so we'll say $49. The time period McCain is talking about being tax free is approximately 12 weeks. 49x12 is $588. Keep that number in your head.

Now let's get the tax break
3.44 - 0.18 = 3.26 per gallon
3.26 x 14 gallons = $45.64, so we'll say $46
That's $3 less than what I paid before per week. Whoopeee.
46 x 12 = $552

588-552 = $36
or you could say the $3 saved x 12 weeks = $36
Whatever

I only save $36??? Pathetic. Considering that gas prices will only continue to go up, that number is likely to be significantly less.

• Ice Queen McCain

If you think Hillary is an ice queen, then you should not have any problem with me pointing out that McCain's wife looks like an icy witch too. That shrew makes Hillary look like a princess. We don't need cryogenic technology to freeze John McCain's body. Just let him kiss his wife and he'll be turned stone cold instantly. Why has she suddenly stepped up to stand at his side in almost every public appearance? If anything, the prude hurts his image even more. I'd rather see Al Gore kiss Tipper on a video loop connected to a big screen TV in high definition. I find it amusing that the pundits on the Right find her attractive. I bet they think Ann Coulter is hot too. These Republicans wouldn't know hot if it sat on their face. They love their shrewy blonde stick figures, don't they?

• Eli Stone On Shaky Ground

The first episode of the show Eli Stone featured a story about a woman taking a vaccine company to court over a mercury/autism claim. There isn't a proven assocation between the preservatives and autism, but the episode portrayed it as such ending in the company cutting a deal with the mother. At the end of the episode, they put up a black screen with white text with a disclaimer that the story was fictional, that the association has not been proven, and information is available at the CDC web site. What? You can have a completely fictional yet controversial and incorrect story line and get away with airing it as long as you cover your ass with a silly disclaimer? I guess you can only expect underhanded goings-on from people who try to revive George Michael. This show stinks of hidden messages. Faith?

Let's talk about the mercury/thimerosal autism association crazies. Look, scientists have studied it and can't find a statistically significant connection. Science showed that the Earth wasn't flat. The world accepted it. The people jumping all over vaccines causing autism are just as hell bent with their cause as the people who don't believe in evolution. The science says otherwise. I could go through all of the data, but the one thing you need to consider is that the preservative was taken out and no impact was seen in autism cases. Oh, that's right. There's a huge cover up behind the science. If you don't get the answer you want, bitch, moan, and groan about it being a conspiracy until somebody kisses your ass. Americans have become the poster children for conspiracy theories. There are people that say there is a connection and I say those people probably can't sit down with you and have an in depth discussion on live attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, toxoid vaccines, or component vaccines, let alone discuss the immunology involved. I challenge any one of you skeptics to do just that, and yes, I want it in essay format, not internet rant format. I want to know you are able to organize the information and understand it. Doctors can. Shouldn't I expect you to if I want to take you seriously?

How about you use those noggins and start thinking of other causes? You know, all the crap we eat, all the pollution in air and water, and let's not leave out genetics. We're surrounded by things that can harm us. Think about how people, including yourself, dispose of batteries, televisions, and computer parts. If you were as passionate about finding a cause as I think you'd want to be, you would be turning over every rock in search of a reason and trying to remedy the easy stuff first. If you can't find something in one place, you probably need to go looking somewhere else. As a medical professional, that's what I will be telling my patients in a much calmer and more charming tone. Who taught you how to look for things? What in the hell happens to these people when they lose their keys? Let's be a little systematic in our search. There's being reasonably skeptical about corporations and then there's having your head completely up your arse. The idea that we all believe our own truths is the real problem. We all get it in our heads that we believe something and we are uncompromising in nature, so these people will never get it into their heads that any other answer is even remotely possible. The quest to be right no matter what is sickening.

Stop hunting zebras when similar four legged creatures in your area don't have stripes.

Don't have a background in statistics or health care? Don't know what a p value is? People in this country don't seem to have enough education to process information anymore. The medical community is going to be the only group that will be able to find out what's going on with autism. When you allow people like McCain to say there is strong evidence supporting a link with vaccines and autism, you're effectually tearing down the one institution that is willing to find the cause.