Woman: How did you like the great kick-off presidential debate? Man: It made me think - I thought anyone who wants that job that bad ain't fit to govern. Punk: Campaigns are like a box of chocolates.
This cliché works for CEOs too, alas; but sometimes a board will pick the best-qualified person without regard to their personal ambition.Occasionally I remember the old Bloom County: “A statesman…is a dead politician. Lord knows we need more statesmen.” (And no, I’m not suggesting accelerating the natural process.)
As the late and great Douglas Adams taught us, “Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job”
There might be something to that Motivemagus. When the party out of power tears itself apart it looks weak to the outside and divides its strength on infighting. If they work together and have a common message then they can attack the other party in multiple places and non-stop. The loyal base on each side won’t turn. Those are already won R or D votes. It will come down to how the independents/moderates/undecideds distribute themselves. Civility is a good way to go this far from the actual nomination. Now I agree with others that anyone who wants to be president shouldn’t be- so I expect that as time goes on this will degrade into the typical primary mudflinging.
^^Good point, and that is really why the debate did nothing more than allow Michelle Bachman to introduce herself and for Newt to try and recover some face. In fact, the entire “debate” was a reideration of the basic Conservative Republican platform (free market, gov’t is bad, God is good but only if it is a Christian God) and repeated Obama-bashing.
I watched the real time ticker that were being used by a group of N.H. Republicans and “independents” (i.e. “Republicans”), and every time anyone spoke, both lines representing the two groups trended positive (except when Bachman balked on the Elvis vs. Cash question…can she really be trusted to make the tough political decisions if she can’t make a simple stand on dead musicians?).
Interesting note: most of the candidates scored 70 out of 100 on the ticker when they spoke, and only Ron Paul and Bachman consistently scored close to 90, yet Bachman and Romney were declared the “winners” by all pundits.
Not heard during the Republican debate: “education” and “middle class”.But they did mention abolishing the Environmental Protection Agency, reinstating Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, undoing Wall Street reform, repealing health care, phasing out social security and Medicare…and even how Palin would have made a better VP than Biden.
Anthony, there are some things that are just inappropriate to bring up in polite company. Education could lead to people learning things and there will be NONE of that! Or asking questions, which leads to challenging Dogma…and then where would we be?
All that was was a bunch of Obama bashing and gay bashing by a bunch of people who claim that they’re all about small government but want Mommy Government to go in and snatch away civil rights of American citizens by whatever means necessary.
While I don’t agree with him on many issues, Ron Paul did demonstrate he was the only one not totally clueless an EVERY issue except, “We hate Obama”. The “candidates” responses made me think of a few of Slim Pickens’ lines in “Blazing Saddles”.
I still stand by my lifetime observation: People who go to work in government as civil service employees tend to do so for what they can do FOR people. Politicians get into government for what they can do TO people.
Anthony, that Carlin video is much too true. Only the jester can speak the actual truth, and he can be ignored because he is only the jester. I just wish somehow someone could figure out how to fix the situation. The government may be broken, or maybe the government IS fixed; either way we’re screwed.It seems to me that Obama, who is in fact and policy a “moderate” Republican from 20 years ago, wins the next election by default. Unless, of course, everyone is so disgusted they stay home and only the Teabaggers vote. Then doG help us all.
Brockie almost 13 years ago
Like a box of chocolates….chocolate covered nuts.
bdaverin almost 13 years ago
This GOP crew more so than usual. Five grifters, two politicians, and those two aren’t worth a tinker’s dam in a smelter.
Motivemagus almost 13 years ago
This cliché works for CEOs too, alas; but sometimes a board will pick the best-qualified person without regard to their personal ambition.Occasionally I remember the old Bloom County: “A statesman…is a dead politician. Lord knows we need more statesmen.” (And no, I’m not suggesting accelerating the natural process.)
Simon_Jester almost 13 years ago
My answer would have been…“As if the world needed MORE hot air.”
iamthelorax almost 13 years ago
As the late and great Douglas Adams taught us, “Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job”
Motivemagus almost 13 years ago
^jack, based on what? Because a bunch of nay-saying GOP people decided it’s better to hit on Obama than any of each other?
Kylop almost 13 years ago
There might be something to that Motivemagus. When the party out of power tears itself apart it looks weak to the outside and divides its strength on infighting. If they work together and have a common message then they can attack the other party in multiple places and non-stop. The loyal base on each side won’t turn. Those are already won R or D votes. It will come down to how the independents/moderates/undecideds distribute themselves. Civility is a good way to go this far from the actual nomination. Now I agree with others that anyone who wants to be president shouldn’t be- so I expect that as time goes on this will degrade into the typical primary mudflinging.
txmystic almost 13 years ago
^^Good point, and that is really why the debate did nothing more than allow Michelle Bachman to introduce herself and for Newt to try and recover some face. In fact, the entire “debate” was a reideration of the basic Conservative Republican platform (free market, gov’t is bad, God is good but only if it is a Christian God) and repeated Obama-bashing.
I watched the real time ticker that were being used by a group of N.H. Republicans and “independents” (i.e. “Republicans”), and every time anyone spoke, both lines representing the two groups trended positive (except when Bachman balked on the Elvis vs. Cash question…can she really be trusted to make the tough political decisions if she can’t make a simple stand on dead musicians?).
Interesting note: most of the candidates scored 70 out of 100 on the ticker when they spoke, and only Ron Paul and Bachman consistently scored close to 90, yet Bachman and Romney were declared the “winners” by all pundits.
SABRSteve almost 13 years ago
Conservatism and the God of the Bible will save us yet, but probably not in the near future.
phuhknees almost 13 years ago
The cons are good at creating jobs for writers writing anti-gay legislation…
riley05 almost 13 years ago
The result of the debate is that we now know that the main difference between the Republican candidates is that they all hate Obama.
riley05 almost 13 years ago
I was being sarcastic, Phlegmatic.
riley05 almost 13 years ago
Not heard during the Republican debate: “education” and “middle class”.But they did mention abolishing the Environmental Protection Agency, reinstating Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, undoing Wall Street reform, repealing health care, phasing out social security and Medicare…and even how Palin would have made a better VP than Biden.
TELawrence almost 13 years ago
The presidential race is a cross between a popularity contest and a liar’s competition, with a bag of cliches as the grand prize.
Kylop almost 13 years ago
Anthony, there are some things that are just inappropriate to bring up in polite company. Education could lead to people learning things and there will be NONE of that! Or asking questions, which leads to challenging Dogma…and then where would we be?
Jaedabee Premium Member almost 13 years ago
All that was was a bunch of Obama bashing and gay bashing by a bunch of people who claim that they’re all about small government but want Mommy Government to go in and snatch away civil rights of American citizens by whatever means necessary.
Dtroutma almost 13 years ago
While I don’t agree with him on many issues, Ron Paul did demonstrate he was the only one not totally clueless an EVERY issue except, “We hate Obama”. The “candidates” responses made me think of a few of Slim Pickens’ lines in “Blazing Saddles”.
I still stand by my lifetime observation: People who go to work in government as civil service employees tend to do so for what they can do FOR people. Politicians get into government for what they can do TO people.
AlbertNonyMouse almost 13 years ago
Anthony, that Carlin video is much too true. Only the jester can speak the actual truth, and he can be ignored because he is only the jester. I just wish somehow someone could figure out how to fix the situation. The government may be broken, or maybe the government IS fixed; either way we’re screwed.It seems to me that Obama, who is in fact and policy a “moderate” Republican from 20 years ago, wins the next election by default. Unless, of course, everyone is so disgusted they stay home and only the Teabaggers vote. Then doG help us all.