Karl And Me
John McCain and Sarah Palin keep calling themselves reformers, and that word comes up every 10 seconds in light of the current financial meltdown. Yet, it’s the McCain/Palin camp that has the most ties to lobbyists.
More than Mr. Obama, Mr. McCain’s circle of advisers and contributors includes current and former lobbyists or directors for the companies, although since July he has called for a ban on any lobbying by the two firms [Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac].
Among the companies’ past advocates are Mr. McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, a longtime lobbyist; Mr. McCain’s confidant and adviser Charlie Black, whose firm worked for Freddie Mac for several years ending in 2005, and the deputy campaign finance chairman, Wayne L. Berman, a vice president for Ogilvy Worldwide and a former Fannie Mae lobbyist.
Mr. Davis previously was head of the Homeownership Alliance, a coalition of banks and housing industry interests led by Fannie and Freddie to stave off regulations.
My mention of this didn’t sit well with Karl Rove on Wednesday’s H&C. Conservative bloggers think Rove took me to the woodshed. I’m not the most objective observer, so you be the judge.
The New York Times? You mean that paper that never takes sides and is always on the side of what is right and true? The paper that has lost so much advertisement and readership that they shouldn’t even be in business. That New York Times? Right.
He did take you to the woodshed, Alan. He spanked you and it was pretty obvious that you didn’t like it.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Didn’t one of Joe Biden’s son’s just quit his job as a lobbyist? How much closer to lobbyists can you get? And yes, he handed you your tail in that interview.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Well Karl stood up to your misstatements Alan, you libs and lefties have been saying misinformation so often it must be a shock to hear the facts.
Karl said what Ive been saying to you, that a truthseeker general is better than that.
or youre welcome to your own opinions but not to your own facts
And still I havent seen anyone comment here about what I observe the left says they can lie as a 1st amendment right to free speech, why dont you comment, Alan?
I saw Karl standing up for the facts, I heard about this exchange and fortunately tuned in and watched it
Id like to see a continuation of this today.
its like a playoff, they dont just do one game they do a series of games. If you pick up the discussion with Karl today and show him to be wrong? Ill say so
stick with the truth Alan, and the truth shall set you free!
September 18th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Yes Ive been spanked metaphorically like that and I didnt like it. It caused me to want to research and know the truth
September 18th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
“Didn’t one of Joe Biden’s son’s just quit his job as a lobbyist? How much closer to lobbyists can you get? And yes, he handed you your tail in that interview.”
Yes, and the guy running his (Biden) senatorial campaign is a lobbyist. And he has more family members being investigated at this time. Alan likes to pick and choose the tidbits of information that slants in his direction and then gently help them turn a little more. Like the lead-in to the 94 vote thread.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hey Alan, don’t know where to post this, so I’m writing here.
I think you need to press the Republican/Conservative side on where oh where is George W. Bush during these perilous economic times. More than ever the country needs a leader, someone to calm it down, but he hasn’t even had a press conference in months. He truly will go down as this nation’s worst president. If McCain avoids being associated with him and his failures, it will be the magic act of the ages
September 18th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
He has had 2 press conferences this week if I am not mistaken
September 18th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Alan, as the polls turn to Obama’s favor, McCain makes a historic gaffe today… McCain wants to ignore spain? Read this and be prepared to mention it on Hannity and Colmes tonight on FNC. If Obama seizes on this, the election is ours! Barack Obama will be the next presdent. McCAin wants more war with our friends.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-bergmann/not-a-gaffe-mccain-campai_b_127486.html
September 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Dear Alan
I loved it. You and Mr. Rove attacked each other without your ” fighting gloves.” Old saying “stix and stones might break your bones but, words will not hurt you.” I remembered Mr. Rove was after Sen. McCane in year 2000 primory election. Now he is fighting for “McTalent.”
Hey Alen! I think McCane is a reformer because, he scared many Republicans with Sen. Liberman. And now a ”
Babe for Republican party.” He is reforming Republican party. To me————that is a real REFORM.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
He gave a lot, you gave a lot. It was great TV by someone doing a lot a spin, and someone else who seemed just a little annoyed with The Brain. Think he pushed your buttons just a little too much and wasn’t expecting you go get ticked off with all his talking points. It was a 65/35 split with you taking him Alan.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
You have to admire the Republican’s ability to stick with their faith-based message in response to reality-based questioning. Rove is better at it than any of ‘em.
The content of your questions was inconsequential. Rove already had canned “answers’ prepared and he was only regurgitating his script. His “answers” can be heard each day on any rightwing talk radio show. The “answers” often sprout on the Limbaugh show and spread from there, like a virus.
Their faith-based message is the only leg they have left to stand on, expect them to try and keep the balancing act going until they finally fall to the floor.
Karl trying to tell us McCain “took on Jack Abramoff” is a pretty silly thing to say since Ralph Reed was fund raising for McCain in Atlanta this summer. We all know how close Reed and Jacko were, almost like Batman and Robin or the Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy.
No, Rove didn’t take you to the woodshed. If you erred, it was only in remaining civil while Rove was loud and pushy. These people are a cancer in need of some chemo.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
JOEL:
I wouldnt get too excited about those poll numbers. The internal poll numbers tell the story and most of those don’t look good for Obama. He’s running 12-15 point behind his party and that ain’t good. Also, historically, he polls higher that his actual vote count. So, unless the outside of the poll (general percentages) start running 10-12 points across the board ahead of McCain, I am not going to get concerned.
And I wouldn’t get overly exicet about that ‘historic gaffe’ either. Obama has one of his own and it’s a big one. In fact, I’m not sure it doesn’t border on treason via the Logan Act. He tried to convince the leaders of Iraq to hold off on a troop withdrawal (albeit, here he screams to bring them home now) until after the election because of the ‘weak and confused Bush government (that would be the US Government)
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09152008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_tried_to_stall_gis_iraq_withdrawal_129150.htm?page=0
Yes, the New York Post leans right, but this story has legs and is backed up by several sources both Iraqi and American. And it is still being developed.
I doubt either one of these gaffes will elect or beat either candidate, but I don’t think Obama wants to go gaffe to gaffe with McCain. They both need to stop the gotcha thing and get back to what is good for this country.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Alan B
Karl D
Karl “don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind’s already made up” Rove.
I guess Karl thinks that if he can keep saying something over and over, that makes it magically the truth.
Nice job, Alan. You stuck with the facts. Karl chose to bully you and make things personal.
Typical conservative tack(y) these days.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
“Karl trying to tell us McCain “took on Jack Abramoff” is a pretty silly thing to say since Ralph Reed was fund raising for McCain in Atlanta this summer. We all know how close Reed and Jacko were, almost like Batman and Robin or the Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy.”
You mean close like this?
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/busted-ceo-of-fannie-mae-in-2005.html#links
September 18th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Here is the Obama-sponsored site on this matter for those interested:
http://mclobbyist.com/
Rove has to stick to the “McCain is honorable, and Obama’s campaign is worse” when it comes to lobbyists, because it’s impossible to show that McCain is not being influenced by his closest advisors. The money he’s raised from lobbyists is public record (as is Obama’s).
September 18th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Amir Taheri, you’re joking right??? Any article written by him is not going to go anywhere.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Notice Rove keeps saying the number 19 and the term ‘a few lobbilists’ while the facts are just the oppposite. It’s obvious that he was losing the argument and then he drops into this ‘your embarassing yourself’ line. If he can’t win arguing the facts then quickly demean your opponent. Karl Rove is a tool. Keep fighting for the truth, Alan.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
“Amir Taheri, you’re joking right??? Any article written by him is not going to go anywhere.”
Sorry, couldn’t find anything on the Daily Kos or Huffington Post or Salon. Was afraid you wouldn’t believe this one. But, like I said, the story is more than one place and the sources are solid, so make up your own mind.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
“So what?”
The inevitable answer of Karl Gustav and his brother-in-tyranny Dick Cheney and all the rest of the radical totalitarian right-wing zealots whose only concern is with their own personal power and the further engorgement of their personal fortunes.
They are not Americans, they don’t understand the meaning of the word “America”, and they pose as great a threat to freedom and democracy as Osama bin-Laden, because in truth they despise the principles, values and traditions which make this country great.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Karl Rove ran a campaign in 2000, claiming that John MCcain was unstable as a result of his military service.
(the right wingers never met a veteran they weren’t willing to trash if they get in the way).
Is he right, or just completely without honor?
Also, Bush Sr fired him for playing dirty in HIS campaign.
I guess Bush Jr just fell in with a bad crowd.
September 18th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
This was just another example of an Alan “the Republicans are doing it too, so there” Colmes broken record response. This is his response to virtually every guest who offers criticism of the great Snobama. When it comes to insightful political commentary, Colmes is the World’s Oldest Lightweight.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thought you really wobbled him, Alan. You’ve done that a few times now. He’s not used to it, clearly. With Rove, it’s all distortion and too many people are afraid to take him on because he’s a skilled debater. Of course, by “skilled debater”, I mean he’s a master of forceful persuasion.
He’s used to talking down to people, as he just throws out distortions and tries to blind people with “facts” and spin. He’s the sort of guy who, even if you hit him with true facts and logic, he’ll still position himself as the victor by sheer force. It’s smoke and mirrors and seems to be a trait shared by many Republicans!
September 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Alan
He sliced and diced you.
Next time be prepared, it will helpyou sound smarter than you are.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I just saw the YouTube.
Wow! I guess everyone see what they want to see.
Rove seemed to me to be like the little kid whose strategy is to stick to your story and never admit you are lying.
Like:
Mom: Put the milk away.
Kid: I did.
Mom: It’s still there.
Kid: I put it away.
Mom Why is it still there?
Kid I don’t know, I put it away.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Alan,
I think you handled Rove well until he went in the direction of saying that you were embarrassing yourself.
I wish you’d just respond in a different way.
Like Carl, I’m not embarrassed in presenting the truth!!!!!
The truth isn’t embarrassing Carl, I thought you knew that!!!!
He always seems to try to turn an interview around to where it is like he is the village elder trying to reign in you, the liberal prodigal son.
It is disingenuous of him. As always!!!!!!!
September 18th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Karl Rove is like Palin – if their lips are moving – they’re lying.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Loki, you toss around “lying” as if youre not even seriously talking about anything. Just accuse someone of lying for no reason, just a bunch of words that you freely slander with, doesnt bother you, but you hope it bothers other people.
doesnt cost you anything to toss out lies with no direction, no focus, no intent other than to falsely accuse.
For you to say Karl Rove or Gov Palin have lied? who are you to make such a statement? Someone who apparently has no interest in any authenticity. So why bother? its your right to expression but you waste it
September 18th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
“Loki, you toss around “lying” as if youre not even seriously talking about anything. Just accuse someone of lying for no reason, just a bunch of words that you freely slander with, doesnt bother you, but you hope it bothers other people.”
Bradley, didn’t you just post the quote below a day or two ago? Do you have a good reason for calling Obama a liar, or are you feeding us a bunch of words?
“Obama is like OJ Simpson in that they are both pathological liars, so far gone there is nothing to say. they both live in their delusion world”
September 18th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Um, yeah… Allan, Rove had you by the short hairs.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I saw the love fest…err… tough Palin interview on HC tonight. I wonder what the conservatives would say if Obama agreed to be interviewed for HC but would only take questions from Alan.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Alan, he didn’t take you to the woodshed, he got defensive and angry so pulled a Stupid Hannity and did nothing but interrupt you. He is the master of confusion, that’s why rightwing wacos that say you got slammed think that- they just got confused by their own grand dragon.
I thought women whine- man…..
September 18th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
They would really be questions from TP, MM, HP, or DK. I dont think Alan actually has a mind of his own.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
They say Obama doesnt have the experience but look at what we have had a president who is supposed to have the experiance and look where we are now. So i think a president with out as much experience would be better. Obama will help the middle class and stop the tax cuts for the wealthy.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Alan, you asked him a question and he wouldn’t/couldn’t answer it..he starts yelling questions at you. Sounded to me like he was avoiding your question..did he have something to hide? No, he just new the answer wouldn’t sit well with his position ( what ever the Hell that is, oh yeah, it’s expose our CIA agents.)
September 19th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Colmes,
You have to intellectually challenge Karl Rove and not let yourself be intimidated. You looked like you were afraid to loose your job. These conservatives walk all over you ever day. If you need help just ask Rachael Maddow she will show you how it is done. She apparently has more cojones then you do. Disappointing.
September 19th, 2008 at 1:32 am
Rick, you said “Bradley, didn’t you just post the quote below a day or two ago? Do you have a good reason for calling Obama a liar, or are you feeding us a bunch of words?
“Obama is like OJ Simpson in that they are both pathological liars, so far gone there is nothing to say. they both live in their delusion world”
”
Rick thanks for pointing this out, if I said it then Ive got to back it up. It was a harsh thing to say and I try to never say anything that I wouldnt say to a persons face.
For those who dont know who OJ Simpson is, he was a famous football player who became famous as a host on Monday nite football, did the famous rental car commercial and funny movies. But in the mid 1990s he was suddenly on the tv on every major station (not as many channels then) in a slow speed police chase with 20 cops, apparently suicidal. It was graduation day and the thinking was of celebrating, but coming home to that? it was bizzare. From that point the terrible details came out, and the speculation started about was OJ guilty. Since then and to this day there has never been any thunderbolt of closure or assurance of what happened.
The case in court was televised, OJ was accused of the double murder and OJ sure appeared guilty, nothing gave the impression to me or anyone I knew that he was innocent. OJ’s side said some foreigners did the killing. and he was declared not guilty, the astonished defense team who almost fainted as not guilty was read out, kind of shows how they knew how guilty he was. After release OJ said he was moving on with his life and was not interested in finding the real killers. Now OJ is in court for new charges, an armed robbery. To the people who are very informed about the OJ case there is a certain arrogance about OJ’s dishonesty. Listening to him talk about his story that doesnt make sense and denying things he was caught doing? it makes him appear to be so totally dishonest as to be a pathological liar. OJ does not appear to get it. The most believeable person is Mr Goldman.
I dont include any links, but I think the above is accurate.
With Mr Obama’s credibility, he was interviewed by Bill OReilly/the OReilly Factor 2008; Mr Obama was interviewed by the Time and PBS journalists? and Saddleback Church. Then there are the documents presented by nay sayers of Obama’s ability; There is the Obama book “Audacity of Hope” and other official documents outlining his life.
Im sure if a background check passed? this says alot.
On the Factor show, Bill asked Obama to name a far right winger who was friends with him. Since Obama said he has friends on the far conservative right. Bill said who? name ONE?
What was Obama’s reaction? he couldnt name even one and was embarassed. This said he was lying.
When the Rev Wright debacle was cooking, Sean Hannity was one of the only people on news shows talking about it. Obama boldly defended Rev Wright saying he would never deny his grandmother nor the Rev? (not sure if this is verbatim or not). Days went by, Obama defended Wright. the story didnt go away. It was every day Rev Wright in flamboyuant outfits yelling extremist racist remarks to a cheering church audience? and Hannity just wouldnt let it go.
One day Wright holds a press conference, cameras click and flash as video cameras record his racist extremist remarks to a suprised bunch of reporters. Obama was probably having a D’Oh! moment with the gesture of holding the top of ones nose. Thats my supposition.
Hours or days later its official, Obama is as they say politically, tossing Wright under the bus. It figures. But its not over, what gets said next was more useful and telling, Wright says, smiling, yeah Obama said he has to say some things politically that people want to hear but it doesnt change us at all. Obama goes on the record saying he denounces things Wright has said. So that means if Wright is telling the truth? Obama’s denial of Wright is a lie and is phoney.
Obama says that for 20 years in that church he didnt know Wright said racist anti American things. Sorry that doesnt make sense, and when something doesnt make sense its usually not true.
There are clues in things Obama says, some of which Ill reserve for later; But enough things, cues, gestures and struggling and thinking too much about answering simple questions that says he is dishonest. My personal reaction is that Obama has the vibe of a dishonest person, but more, a deeply dishonest person. And I stand by this belief.
Now how is Obama reflected off of other known people? Going on the tv show “The View” he gets treated a certain way, loved and is endorsed by a certain Hollywood crowd. He goes with Babs and gets endorsement. Each of the Hollywood people has a specific history of things they have said and done; Enough of them being known to be dishonest (saying errored things about the war effort is just one);
There are enough things, that I outlined here and can outline later that indicate not only dishonesty but deep dishonesty on the part of Obama. I said that this pattern is consistent, it has been there and its there yesterday, today and will most likely be there tomorrow, next week and next year. I summarily said I think Obama is a pathological liar, one sentence versus 10 pages. Maybe this is not the best label to use, but a habitual planned use of deception? This is offensive and in some venue’s it is illegal.
I evaluate the claims that President Bush and staff have “lied” and do not find any supporting evidence, and whats more, do not hear any apology or retraction when the claims are offronted.
Its all about honesty. I hope this helps explain the what and why I said the harsh words.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:15 am
“You have to intellectually challenge Karl Rove and not let yourself be intimidated. ”
How could Alan do that when all he has a newspaper clipping? You dont think he knows anything beyond that do you?
He’s already ptoved on this blog that all he does is copy and paste with no value-add from DK, MM, HP, TP.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:05 am
I’ve never seen Rove lose his cool before. I think you struck a nerve. Great job for sticking to the facts.
I wonder why he’s so sensitive about the fact that the man who keeps banging on about reforming Washington employees more lobbyists, just the type of people who makes the system so corrupt, than any presidential candidate ever?
Can you be a status quo maverick?
September 19th, 2008 at 3:22 am
todd palin has refused to appear for the troopergate hearings. just what we need another administration that thinks they are above the law.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Big hole in your complaint: Legislatures don’t conduct criminal investigations.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:57 am
I am personally tired of politicians on both sides trying to send each other to jail. The Democrats will not be satisfied until they put a Republican President on the wall of the White House beside former President Clinton and Jackson for being impeached.There will never be any agreements for the good of the country until that happens.
September 19th, 2008 at 7:18 am
IS FOXY NEWS a REHAB station? The architect,karl rove,has failed and has no legacy.Why is FOXY news trying to rehabilitate this guy?
September 19th, 2008 at 11:26 am
“I am personally tired of politicians on both sides trying to send each other to jail. The Democrats will not be satisfied until they put a Republican President on the wall of the White House beside former President Clinton and Jackson for being impeached.”
As far as I know, only Kucinich is pushing for impeachment. Democrats right up to Pelosi have taken the issue “off the table,” and are not interested in impeaching Bush.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Bradley,
Thanks for explaining your position. I still don’t agree with you that Obama is a liar (although, like McCain, Palin, and most to all policians, he may stretch the truth).
Your quote (from “McCain: the Economy is Strong; the Economy is in a Crisis” thread started Sept. 15) stuck with me because you linked Obama with O.J. Simpson, which I thought was misleading at best, and it certainly did not sit well with me. I am no fan of O.J., and certainly am not here to defend him.
Thanks again for clarifying.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Alan–Mr. Rove had you for lunch and no amount of trying to speak over him got you anywhere. By the way–please see your hair dresser and get that ratty hair piece you wear replaced–lots of real looking ones on the market!
September 19th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Karl the Kabbage Patch Kid can’t even wait for Alan to get a sentence out. It’s like “Holy S! Come up with something, Karl, drown out the dangerous words!”
“Meh! Colmes! Shut up! You’re side’s worse! You’re embarrassing me– I mean, yourself! Will– not– answer hard questions!”
Anonymouse: “The content of your questions was inconsequential. Rove already had canned “answers’ prepared and he was only regurgitating his script. His “answers” can be heard each day on any rightwing talk radio show.”
Right on, mon ami.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Alan.
It’s becoming apparent that your conservative guests like Karl and Newt are not going to let you get away with your nonsense any longer. I find it refreshing that our side is finally fighting back and your side is shocked and can’t seem to handle it!
Karl & Newt are helping you make yourself a laughing stock. I especially enjoyed the laughter of the crew at your expense.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Walt,
It’s becoming apparent that Liberals and moderates are not going to let conservatives like Karl and Newt get away with their nonsense any longer.
I find it refreshing that our side is finally fighting back and your side is shocked and can’t seem to handle it!
Conservatives like you, Karl and Newt are helping to make yourselves a laughingstock. I especially enjoyed the way Rove became apoplectic and spluttered interruptions when he could see that Alan was about to barbecue him on what used to be a “friendly forum.”
Perspective is everything.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Sarah,
You must be joking! Your side, with the help of the admitted leftist biased mainstream media, has gotten away with outright lies for years. Your side says outlandish things and the press doesn’t question your statements nor their premises. Things have changed! Remember Dan Rather? He got caught this time, making up news and swearing it was true. Your side simply cannot get away with it any longer.
Your side is so fixated on digging for dirt against Sarah Palin yet gave Obama a pass for 18 months on his anti-American, racist Rev. Wright pastor of 20 years! They ignored his relationship (and still do) with self-confessed terrorist William Ayers. They missed his financial advisors’ complicity in cooking the books at Fannie Mae while earning millions in bonuses on the bogus figures.
Your guy is going down, big time! Plan on being bitter and angry for the next 16 years and keep blaming Bush if it makes you feel better.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Walt: “Your side is so fixated on digging for dirt against Sarah Palin yet gave Obama a pass for 18 months on his anti-American, racist Rev. Wright pastor of 20 years!”
– Your “side” (I don’t really have a “side,” I have a country– America) boasts Rod Parsley, Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Ralph Reed, Jerry Falwell (who Goldwater loathed), Hagee, and a host of other questionable bible-thumpers who have perverted the Christian religion with their politics.
By comparison, Wright’s a pussycat.
“They ignored his relationship (and still do) with self-confessed terrorist William Ayers.”
– Like “your” side ignores the gun-nut, Aryan Nation-tied militia groups THAT BOMBED THE FEDERAL BUILDING IN OKLAHOMA CITY, killing men, women and children.
And why? As your ally on here, Truth2Power, said, in an attempt to justify the biggest terrorist attack up to 9/11: “It was a response to Waco and Ruby Ridge.”
The gov’t, by the way, was exonerated in Waco by Republican sane-person John Danforth.
In the militia showdown Ruby Ridge, mind you, Randy Weaver and his family trained guns on law enforcement, rather than cooperate with them by opening their darn door.
“They missed his financial advisors’ complicity in cooking the books at Fannie Mae while earning millions in bonuses on the bogus figures.”
– Look, this whole Fannie and Freddie is just a repeat of Bush Sr.’s S&L scandal, only bigger and worse.
“Your guy is going down, big time! Plan on being bitter and angry for the next 16 years and keep blaming Bush if it makes you feel better.”
–Walt, treating this election like a football game is sinking this country faster than any other attitude.
If you think Bush has done an absolutely fabulous job running the country, then I have no doubt you’ll vote for your “team,” against the security and strength of this country.
Try to put America first, rather than a political party, Walt.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Sarah,
I am an American first and I’m damn proud of it! I’ve fought for this country, I didn’t just ’serve’.
I never said that I thought “Bush has done an absolutely fabulous job running the country”. In addition, I never mentioned Waco or Ruby Ridge, you did. Feeling a little guilt? And how does the right-wing kook that blew up the Fedral Building in Oklahoma figure into it? Was he a friend and advisor to John McCain? You’re really stretching there!
For you to dismiss Bill Clinton and his pals like Franklin Raines, who by the way was fined multi-millions today, and blame Bush 41 for this financial mess is ludicrous.
And as far as the preachers you named, have any of them ever spouted “God d*mn America?” or the “US of KKK”?
Sarah, you do have a side! It’s part of the far-left America hating crowd. Do yourself a favor, admit it and seek forgiveness! You might actually start to enjoy living in the greatest country in the world!
September 19th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Walt, to me, you seem clearly to be a Republican– first, last, and always– and screw the rest of America, unless they dances exactly to the tune you call.
I bring up Oklahoma City everytime someone brings up Ayers, because the forces that shaped the militia are the ones that are shaping today’s Republican Party, and I don’t like it. Again, I mention Waco and Ruby Ridge, because it freaks me out that one of your bretheren on here used those two examples to justify the right-wing militia bombing.
We have more to fear from right-wing militia and nazi groups, than we do from a former anarchist of the 1960s whose only bombing victims were the inept ones in his own group.
You refuse to assign any responsibility or accountability to Republicans for the current state of America? When they’ve been in power for the better of the last dozen years or so?
Do you really want me to list the travesties that today’s far-right religious leaders have perpetrated on Christianity in America? Even Goldwater said they’d ruin the party, and he was spot-on right. As an ex-Republican (currently), I miss Dole and Goldwater tremendously. You’d consider them part of the “far-left America hating crowd,” today no doubt.
Walt, I’m actually a moderate, so I don’t need to seek forgiveness. I was glad McCain got the nomination, until he started talking like a Neocon.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
The forces that shaped the militia are the ones shaping the republican party? Good Lord.
You need to analyze Obama as much as you have “your former party”.
He doesn’t only have ties to William Ayers, there is a LONG laundry list of anti-American, pro-muslim extremist, pro-socialist, pr-slum lord, pre-wealth distribution, far left wing elitists.
He comes out today and tries to act like he was working to prevent the Fannie and Freddie fiasco. What a joke. He was second on the list for politicians who received the most money from that group, and two of his top advisors got HUGE kickbacks from Fannie and Freddie.
I think Clinton was in power for two terms, right? And we have had a democratic Congress for the past two years, right?
If you are assigning the name “far right wing militia” to republicans who want to protect unborn babies, the family and family values, grow the economy by NOT raising taxes, and not redistributing wealth to those who didn’t accumulate that wealth then count me in. PROUDLY.
September 19th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Team Obama Has Fingerprints All Over Financial Crisis – Updated
Strata Sphere ^ | Sep 19 2008 | AJStrata
Now we know why Obama wants to raise taxes – to bail out those jerks who tanked our mortgage markets and nearly sent us into a real depression. First off it is good to get a little history on what led to this mess. Michael Reagan does a good job of laying out the story, but this part is worth noting and remembering:
To find the donkey, you need to go back to the Clinton administration, which decided that everybody and his kid brother was entitled to a mortgage even when they didn’t begin to qualify for a home loan.
In saner days, banks designated certain areas as no-loan zones — depressed neighborhoods where lending money to potential home buyers was not just a risky investment, but a certain future foreclosure.
Critics of the practice called it “redlining,” and President Clinton and his chums on Capitol Hill decided that banks should no longer act like banks and lend money only to home buyers who could afford to handle the monthly payments.
Remember, Clinton left office with the economy a mess after the dot.com bubble burst too. This is what happens when you let inexperienced people with radical and naive ideas become president. One of the people key to this mess is Franklin Raines – who has ties to both Clinton and Obama:
Franklin Delano Raines (born January 14, 1949 in Seattle, Washington) is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Fannie Mae who served as White House budget director under President Bill Clinton.
…
In 1991 he became Fannie’s Mae’s Vice Chairman, a post he left in 1996 in order to join the Clinton Administration as the Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, where he served until 1998. In 1999, he returned to Fannie Mae as CEO, “the first black man to head a Fortune 500 company.”[1]
In 2006, the OFHEO announced a suit against Raines in order to recover some or all of the $50 million in payments made to Raines based on the overstated earnings [2] initially estimated to be $9 billion but have been announced as 6.3 billion.[2].
As everyone noted this guy was the first black CEO of a fortune 500 firm it becomes clear we cannot select leaders based on their race, or whether it advances their race. We need to pick leaders based on the content of their character, judgement and plans. Anyway, after setting up this mess and stealing a few million Raines ended giving advice to the Obama campaign.
Even more troubling is the fact that the two top beneficiaries of political donations from failed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the last 9 years were Sen Chris Dodd (#1) and Barack Obama (#2). First off, I cannot fathom how a quasi-government company controlling 100’s of millions of dollars in mortgage payments from Americans across this country can line the pockets of the politicians supposedly overseeing them.
This is criminal. They take our mortgage payments and send some of it to the politicians – all the time running the entire thing into the ground? Folks, they took our mortgage payments, got rich, bribed some pols and sit fat and dumb in million dollar homes – paid for by us. And now we will pay more to fix the mess they left behind. Obama is in this up to his neck, since he got more money than any other senator save one, and he did it while in office only three of the 9 years covered.
September 19th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Actually, McCain took almost 2 million from the banking industry, and has ALWAYS been for deregulation.
There’s no proof either way if Raines was an ACTUAL advisor or just made a few phone calls.
Obama did warn this would happen when he spoke at the Nasdaq in 2007.
It amazes me how they want to say Obama did NOTHING, but when there are problems, he’s responsible for EVERYTHING!
September 19th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I never said he was responsible for it.
I said he claimed he was working to prevent what happened, and the fact is he was not. He might of warned this would happen, but that didn’t stop him from taking over 100,000 from Fannie and Freddie did it?
And yes, two of his economic advisors are former Fannie and Freddies.
The Obama-Fannie-Freddie Connection
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Obama’s two economic advisors are former Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEO’s who may have pulled strings to give Obama a “heads up” on the recent government bail-out plan. Washington Prowler has the story:
When President George W. Bush nominated Henry Paulson to serve as Treasury Secretary, Republicans raised a red flag that Paulson, who, along with his wife, has strong ties to the Democrat party, would not be an honest broker with Republicans.
That seems to have been borne out, with sources inside of Treasury reporting that Paulson briefed Sen. Barack Obama and his campaign advisers on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailout plan before offering such a briefing to the McCain campaign.
In fact, the McCain campaign had sought a similar briefing several days ago as word spread that a bailout plan was to be unveiled and had been turned down by Paulson’s senior staff.
The next question is: Why was the Obama campaign so keen on getting advanced word about the bailout?
“They have a huge problem with the mortgage and housing market story, and everyone is missing it,” says a Republican political media consultant with ties to the Obama campaign due to the bipartisan nature of the firm he does work with.
“You look at Obama’s economic advisers, the guys he has counted on from day one and who have raised him a ton — and I mean a ton — of money: Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, both of them are waist to neck deep in the mortgage debacle.”
Both Raines and Johnson have served as CEO of Fannie Mae, with Raines taking over from Johnson. Both are key political and economic advisers to Obama.
“How can Obama go out with a straight face and saw it was Republicans who made this mess, when it is his key advisers who ran the agencies that made the big mess what it is?” says a Democrat House member who supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. “It’s his people who are responsible for what may well be the single largest government bailout in history. And every single one of them made millions off the collapse that are lining Obama’s campaign coffers. If the McCain campaign lets this one go, they deserve to lose.”
It isn’t just Fannie Mae where Obama has a problem. Another close political adviser, in fact the one man responsible for rallying support for Obama early on among Congressional Democrats, is Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who served on the Board of Directors for Freddie Mac after leaving the Clinton White House. According to Freddie Mac insiders, Emanuel during his time on the board opposed every reform proposed by the Bush Administration that would have impacted Freddie and Fannie Mae.
Emanuel claimed to be neutral in the primary race between the wife of his old boss and his longtime Chicago acquaintance, Obama. But the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, who would be first in line for the vacated Senate seat of Obama should he win the presidency, quickly dumped Clinton when it was clear Obama had a head of steam for the nomination.
“We ought to be able to — rightly — hang the Fannie and Freddie scandal around the neck of Obama, if they can get out in front,” says a House Republican. “Middle-class folks’ mortgages are probably safe, but the American taxpayer will also be paying for this scandal for years to come.”
September 19th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Sarah,
I’, a conservative, not necessarily a Republican. In truth, the Republican party has disappointed me over the past few years. And I do feel strongly about what I feel is right and wrong. You, being a moderate may not understand such a belief. You say you’re fearful “because the forces that shaped the militia are the ones that are shaping today’s Republican Party”. Are you kidding me? It’s the far left forces, the militant environmentalists and eco-terrorists, the animal rights militants that have shaped the Moveon.org and Daily Kos nutroots. These people are hateful and vile and delusional! They want to destroy America and all of the institutions that this great country was founded on. The ACLU, a left wing group whose founder was a Communist, wants to remove anything Christian from the public domain but fights for allowing and requiring Muslims to be allowed to worship in the public schools. It really appears that it’s the left wing in this country that wants to tear it down, remake it and make it socialist or worse!
September 19th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
The ACLU has fought for everyone in this country — including Sean Hannity. And as for your allegation of religion– I, as a Christian, don’t need to be surrounded by Christian doctrine in my daily life, because I realize that’s what Jesus preached against– The Phillistines are the ones who pray loudly on street corners, after all.
Walt, there are left-wing weirdos, radicals, and extremists, but they’re not the ones who are arming themselves to the teeth and threatening law enorcement and gov’t officials — and they didn’t blow up a federal building full of men, women and children.
Walt, the fact that Dole and Goldwater were both freaked out about the Republican Party, right before Fallwell and Gingrich started perverting it, gives me an indication I’m not just imagining things.
It bewilders me, how “family values” conservatives like yourself can identify with the likes of Gingrich, McCain, etc.– Men who, in their personal lives, ripped their families apart. Men who want to make women have babies they can’t take care of, and then kick welfare out from under them. Men who think NAFTA’s so great, when it reduces family earning power. Men who want school vouchers to take funding away from public schools.
I can assure you, Walt, based on today’s Republican Party, I’m much more conservative than they are.
Conserve spending, conserve involvement in foreign affairs, conserve energy, conserve resources, conserve our families, conserve businesses. I believe in conserving access to guns, because I believe in the rights of the already-born.
I also believe in separating religion and politics, because a mix of the two perverts both. And I’m damn well sick of supporting other churches with my taxes, when they pay none.
Walt, the Republican Party is not what it’s supposed to be about. The wealth redistribution it embraces rewards the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class, make no mistake. And that’s villified in the Bible, remember.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Sharen…
Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same….
October 25th, 2008 at 3:39 pm