Originally Posted By ecdc <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/us/politics/09memo.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&oref=slogin" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11...f=slogin</a> >>That whole anti-American, friend-to-the-terrorists thing about President-elect Barack Obama? Never mind.<< Apparently a lot of those people so deeply concerned that Obama was pallin' around with terrorists and had anti-American views are now ecstatic he's President. From Liebermann, to Michelle Bachmann, to Hasselback, and even to Sarah "Ayers" Palin, they're all in love with the new guy. How people spread such vitriol and hate and then turn on a dime is beyond me. (In fairness, Liebermann never engaged in the kind of absurd rhetoric that the others did.) As Doris Kearns Goodwin so accurately said, "They don't want to be on the wrong side of history."
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I think it's that way for some but I'm relieved that other people are getting on board. I know it won't last forever (or even more than a few weeks or months) but it's nice. A lot of these people have said that they believe in supporting their President no matter what so at least they're trying to walk the talk. (I am not one of those people so I don't really have to worry about it.) ;-)
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< "They don't want to be on the wrong side of history." >>> If that's true, then either a) they view their position in history to be more important than the interests of the United States, or b) they believe that vitriol and hate they were spreading about Obama was never true to start with.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I think a lot of them were fully aware that what they were saying about Obama was untrue, or at best misleading. But they saw it as "just politics." Heading that list would be McCain himself, who always seemed struggling with himself as to whether he should spout this stuff that he knew was beyond the pale, or leave it to others to say, or not have his campaign say it at all.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I know people in my own life who are like this. They call it 'business.' You know, the executives who make you feel as if you're supposed to devote all your time and energy and passion to a job, and suck it up, and deal with all the B.S., pour your life's blood into a career. And then, when it's time for downsizing -- they toss you out the door with the comment 'Well, don't take it personally, it's just business.' Same with 'politics.' You can say nasty things, make up lies, talk all kinds of smack, but then when your candidate loses, you just toss out a one-liner like 'Well, we're happy for the President-Elect, and are planning on giving him our full support.' I used to be married to a... 'lovely lady' who always wanted to argue. About everything and anything. Just pick a fight with me. You like the blue one? The yellow one's better and here's why. Which would build and build and get louder and louder into an ugly argument that would go on for an hour. After it ended -- 90 seconds later she'd say 'So, what are we having for dinner.' As D.B. Sweeney said to Moira Kelly in 'The Cutting Edge' -- "I'm sorry, I don't downshift that fast!" In simpler terms, I have a hard time believing that those who were SO against Obama, are no totally on board. How do they downshift so fast? It makes me skeptical.
Originally Posted By gadzuux One of the biggest failures of the McCain campaign - and there are so many to choose from - was that they never gave their 'base' rational talking points to use for supporting him. The examples we'd see on tv of rank and file supporters saying that Obama's a terrorist or a socialist were few - most people have better sense than to actually say such patently absurd things. But there were throngs of people who didn't support Obama - for whatever their reasons - that needed something credible to point to as their "stated" reason. McCain didn't give them anything to work with. In fact, he removed some of the more valid reasons. They couldn't very well point to his inexperience with Palin on the ticket. Calling him a liberal didn't seem to help either - we already know that. So they went with Bill Ayers and the 'terrorist' angle - ensuring their own failure with all but the stupidest of voters. And then they muddied their own already dumb strategy with an even dumber one - the "joe the plumber" and the 'socialist' angle. They did this about a week after they authored the bill that amounted to a partial takeover of US banks and financial institutions by the federal government. They even tried to "suspend" the campaign and call off the first debate as yet another bone-headed tactic. It's is if they were deliberately making it hard to support the GOP. And it worked - they lost big. It was a miserable excuse for a campaign, so it's not surprising that these right-wing mouthpieces are suddenly seeing the light. It's better than trying to defend McCain in any post-mortem election wrap ups. And no - it won't be forgotten who was saying that our next president was somehow un-american at best, and a terrorist sympathizer with a socialist agenda at worst. What a bunch of weasels - Lieberman included. He may not have said these things, but he was more than happy to stand on the stage while they were being said.
Originally Posted By Lil Mermaid Fairweather fans! I was just telling my husband this morning how shocked I was at all the Obama/08 bumper stickers I've been seeing it. We live in the OC and I think we are 1 of 6 democratic couples in our Newport Area. We proudly stuck our Obama sticker in the back of our car and I think we saw a couple of other cars with it in the 2 months prior to the election. Well now, i see them EVERYWHERE!! It kinda pisses me off. Like when something all of a sudden becomes trendy and you've been doing it for years! /rant
Originally Posted By DVC_dad You know it's possible that SOME of those people are just being patriotic, that they believe in the process, that the people have spoken. It makes sense to get on the same team after the election is over. That's what it is for me anyway. Not all Conservatives and Republicans are haters.
Originally Posted By planodisney gadzuux is exactly right. The McCain campaign never gave us a reason to vote for him, and instead tried to rely on the worries that many of us had about obama. I would like to make one point however. Someone posted on here thatmany of these people new what they were saying about Obama wasn't true or was at best misleading. This is simply false. It does bother many of us that Obama feels very comfortable in far left circles. It does bother many of us that Obama want's to take America in a direction closer to European socialism. It does bother many of us that Obama had associates like Rezco, Rev. Right and Ayers. I will never understand why it was considered dirty by the left to point this out. I have not been anything but gracious to Obam and willing to support him because I am so sick of the political hatred in this country. Clinton realy got plastered, but the last 8 years have been like nothing I could have ever imagined. When we have millions of Americans who liken our president to hitler and compare our government to fascism, something has gone horribly wrong. I think, honestly, that alot of republicans like me are just sick of it and don't want to participate in the anger anymore. I have been very pleasantly surprised by the support many Republicans are giving obama. I hope the next time a republican is elected, that the campaign to destroy him doesn't begin the day after the election. The hatred for Bush began the day after the supreme court made it's decision and groups like MoveOn started up and began a campaign of destruction and national division. many of these far left liberal groups who donated so much money to the Obama campaign have already begun deliverring the meassage that if he doesn't deliver what they want, that he will pay. I hope he doesn't give in to these people and wish all of these orgasizations from MoveOn to Swiftboat would die.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***The hatred for Bush began the day after the supreme court made it's decision and groups like MoveOn started up and began a campaign of destruction and national division.*** Bush was extremely popular early in his presidency (granted, tragic events helped him...no question there). So, cry me a river on this one. He could've taken it to a better place..he dug his own grave to put it mildly. ***many of these far left liberal groups who donated so much money to the Obama campaign have already begun deliverring the meassage that if he doesn't deliver what they want, that he will pay.*** It's fair to say that there are lunatics on both sides of the aisle. What's your point?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I think, honestly, that alot of republicans like me are just sick of it and don't want to participate in the anger anymore.< Amen to this ! I also agree with almost the entire rest of the post
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>It does bother many of us that Obama feels very comfortable in far left circles.<<< Um, there are not that many far left circles in the US, the democrats are actually right of center.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>It does bother many of us that Obama want's to take America in a direction closer to European socialism.<<< I hope he does, I would be very much more likely to return home. I love knowing I don't have to sell a car if my family member gets sick, the fact my Batchelor's degree was free, as were my braces, and the economy (while not great) is stronger than the US. I would have thought people would welcome some of the socialist ideals with open arms (let's just not talk about the difference in price for gasolene though, ok ;-)
Originally Posted By Mr X Dave, how DARE you point out the obvious that everyone ignores? (remind me to email you a conversation I recently had with a TRUE "Socialist", and his funny conclusions regarding Obama's "Horrific tax plan")
Originally Posted By Mr X ***and the economy (while not great) is stronger than the US.*** You're wrong on this one, though. I hate to be a fortune teller (yet again), but the reality will become painfully obvious to you soon enough. Europe is in FAR WORSE shape than the U.S., but doesn't know it yet. Don't bother replying now. Write back in a year and give me your thoughts.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't live in Iceland thankfully, to be fair, yes, some of the Northern States are really struggling. The UK is no cake walk either, but we don't have the same level of national deficit, personal debts, and still have some interest rates that could be reduced. But yes, the economy problem is global, and with unemployment reaching 2m, I am not kidding myself, we are now heading into recession.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Dave - what is your personal tax rate again ? serious question as I believe it to be higher- not sure how much. I agree there are some benefits- there are also drawbacks too the healthcare in Ireland for instance resulting in my wifes cousin who was diagnosed with the big C- and the different places she had to go for treatment ( including in England) - and the length of time between treatments concerned the heck out of me.
