Is the country on the wrong track?

More politics coming at you. Yahoo has a story courtesy of the AP that reports that at a recent campaign stop Obama criticized McCain for thinking the country is on the right track.

"These anxieties seem to be growing with each passing day," Obama said on a campaign trip in this economically ailing battleground state. "We can either choose a new direction for our economy or we can keep doing what we've been doing. My opponent, John McCain, thinks we're on the right track."

The audience booed and hissed at such nonsense but thank goodness we have Obama offering up "something new". Like middle class tax cuts (that almost every politician including Bill Clinton was for). Obama is also for the ever popular "change" which is always a crowd pleaser. It worked for Bill Clinton against Bush playing on the country's need for change from the status quo (Republican Presidents for 12 years) and Obama is using the same ploy, hoping for similar results.

The Yahoo Story also noted that when asked (based on an AP-Ipsos poll) "77 percent said they thought the country was on the wrong track. The same poll set President Bush's approval rating at 28 percent." So of course Obama is also linking McCain to President Bush and the President's low approval numbers. But heads up Obama. You may want to check your own party's approval numbers for its leadership. A similar AP-Ipsos poll has Congress' approval rating at 18%, actually better than the current President. Seems like the "public" wants change also in Congress. I didn't find that mentioned in the AP Story. So the question is, will Obama make a break with the current Democrat leadership like Speaker Pelosi?

Seems like McCain may have at least a nice rebuttal as opposed to a good political platform.

OS

McCain does not offer much originality but then neither does Obama

Ok, so here we are in full swing of the campaign season. I don't understand the fascination with Barack Obama - what are Obama's credentials for President? Is the fascination with Obama that he is something new and fresh? Or is it something a little more "on the surface". Something to explore in the upcoming months.

So thanks to Yahoo News we get a story that McCain is promising to cut Government spending. Wow - how original. I think even John Kerry mentioned something about cutting out the waste in Government. I think he was thinking of focusing on the non essentials like the C.I.A. and other intelligence agencies but maybe I have that wrong (sarcasm...).

So does the story think this is a good thing? Well news is supposed to be unbiased right - (there is no liberal bias according to Helen Thomas). Well Yahoo states:

"In just about any election, candidates promise to save money by cutting waste. It’s a pledge line in a speech that draws cheers from conservatives, but can become white noise to voters who’ve seen too many elected officials pledge fiscal responsibility, only to fail to deliver. Indeed, the path is so strewn with broken promises, there is little risk for candidates making the pledge because expectations are so low that they’ll make good on it."

So McCain is probably lying about this right? And more so, since expectations are so low there is little risk to McCain for such a pledge. I wonder if Yahoo and other news stories will remember this if McCain is elected or will they dodge him at every step asking how he has reduced the size of Government. I will leave it up to the reader to draw their own conclusion.

Second thing I would like to highlight is this quote:"It’s a pledge line in a speech that draws cheers from conservatives,...". Let me get this straight...liberals don't want to cut waste? Why does a line like this draw conservative praise only? I just checked Obama's website and saw at least two major sections under his "Fiscal" Issues.

1. Make Government Spending More Accountable and Efficient
2. End Wasteful Government Spending

And as far as I know Obama's rhetoric is not only intended for conservatives. Oh, and one more thing. Part of Obama's platform is to "Restore Fiscal Discipline to Washington". I seem to have read something similar in John McCain's platform. Yep, I did.

So color me confused. John McCain is not the conservative candidate, he is the candidate that the Boston Globe and the New York Times wanted because of that exact reason. McCain has a lot more to worry about then his urge for fixed-price contracts (which aren't always a good thing). But I find it funny that the Yahoo Story is telling the reader how difficult it may be for McCain to sell this plan since he admits that economic issues are not his "strong suit".

So noted Senator McCain. You have plenty of other issues that you are "strong" in. It was nice for the Yahoo story to point that out. Just what issues are not in Obama's strong suit? Where is he weak? I am sure that will be part of the next glowing portrayal of the Democratic contender.

OS

McCain is right about something

Not too jazzed about the race for the White House as the differences between the candidates are not as distinct as I would like them to be - but no one is listening to me anyway.

McCain is reported (at ABC News' Political Radar Blog) as suggesting:

"...Sen. Barack Obama may alter his promise to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months after meeting with US. General David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Iraq.

"I'm glad that he [Obama] is, for the first time, asking for a sit down briefing with Gen. Petraeus and I'll be very interested in what his position on Iraq is when he returns," McCain said during a satellite interview with ABC News' Charlie Gibson Wednesday from Pittsburgh."

As I noted in my previous post Obama cannot (IMHO) hold to his current timetable to withdraw from Iraq in 16 months or less. Welcome to the party Senator McCain. Here is another softball for you - USA Today (and others) are reporting that Obama said "that the nation's chief priority should not be for immigrants to learn English, but for American children to learn Spanish". Any chance you want to chime in on this asinine statement? This is an easy one. Sure he said "immigrants should learn English" but my question is what policies is he putting in place to support that? Stick up for America Senator McCain - recapture some of your conservative credentials that so far in this campaign have been lacking.

YouTube video is here.


Outspoken Roman

Obama begins to get real on Iraq

I wrote previously on a story that came out of CNN back in September 2007 about the Dem candidates not willing to vow a pullout of Iraq by 2013. My feeling is that cold realism would hit the new president in the face come Jan 2009 and he (or she) would realize that this issue is a lot more complex than the right or the left thinks it is (like the lefties who think a President Obama will sign a withdraw order the first day he is in office).

So MSNBC has a story (this is also all over the news) that Obama has opened the door to potentially changing his Iraq Policy. So what is his policy - well if I can trust Obama's own website I get this info:

"Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq."

So I think that is a load of crap but at least it seems clear to understand. So the MSNBC story had this quote from Obama when asked about his upcoming trip to Iraq. When asked Obama stated "“I am going to do a thorough assessment when I’m there,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll have more information and continue to refine my policy.” So his policy may be refined? Does this imply that he fully didn't grasp the issues before he chose to criticize Clinton and the President? Probably.

The MSNBC story also states:

"But later in the session, he said it is possible the 16-month timeline could slip if the pace of withdrawal needs to be slowed some months to ensure troop safety. “I have always said ... I would always reserve the right to do what’s best,” Obama said."

Nice to give yourself a back door isn't it Obama? Yahoo News, following up on the probably shift in Obama's policy stated why Obama is different than President Bush:

"I'm not somebody who, like George Bush, is willing to ignore facts on the basis of my preconceived notions. I want to pay attention to what is happening on the ground."

That is rich!! In my opinion it is the left's preconceived notions about Iraq that has driven Obama to strike his course to the extreme left on this issue and to garner their support he has been unwilling to examine the issue himself (he has not even been to Iraq - something McCain has called him on). I can see the front page when/if he gets elected - "To do the best for the troops and because President Bush's inability to plan I am extending the Miltary action in Iraq". You left wingers are actually trusting this guy.....?

We will see.

OS

A thought on the passing of Jesse Helms

Yahoo News by way of Reuters reports on the death of Jesse Helms:

Former Sen. Jesse Helms, a die-hard anti-communist firebrand who championed a wide range of conservative causes in his 30 years in the Senate, died early on Friday, aged 86, a foundation dedicated to his legacy said.

Helms was a leader in many of the issues critical to this country and its survivability as the nation it was set up to be in my opinion. But he of course had his critics. I love it when someone who apparently wants to be non-judgmental criticizes the deceased senator since he just can't help it.

Note this entry by David Waters over on the Newsweek Blog "Under God". Entitled "Judgment and Jesse Helms" Waters begins with this:

"Most of us have strong opinions about public figures, especially politicians and especially those we've never met. But my grandfather taught me never to speak ill of the dead.

So I'll pass on passing judgment on the late Sen. Jesse Helms, who seemed to spend so much of his life passing judgment on anyone who didn't fit his narrow view of what is right and good and Christian."

So while avoiding passing judgment on Helms, Waters does call Helms "bigoted" and "mean-spirited" and a "product of a particularly exclusive, judgmental and nationalistic strain of Christianity."

This is the liberal view of being non-judgmental. I love the hypocrisy!! Waters starts off describing how magnanimous he is going to be out of respect for the deceased and then starts to rip into Senator Helms because he was mean to certain groups and misconstrued the teachings of Christ. If only we all had the insight that Waters has!!

Well my father taught me never to speak ill of stupid hypocrites who want to explain to me how misguided we all are on the major issues of the day - so in my most non-judgmental way I will ask Mr. Waters to have the courage to own up to the fact that you couldn't resist taking a few last potshots at Jesse Helms to demonstrate your witty repartee (especially your closing line).

One more thing - Waters has a quote that "Helms saw atheism, socialism and liberalism "infecting" his Christian nation." Obviously this nation is mainly Judeo-Christian but guess what - Helms had that right!!

OS