phdave wrote:

Woody wrote:

phdave wrote:

VoxOrion wrote:I'm most shocked that 49% of people who go to PBS websites think she is qualified.

I voted on one of those polls. I voted, yes, she is qualified. Because she is. I don't want her to be president, but she is qualified.

I'll assume you mean she's 35 and a naturalized US citizen

Yes, of course. Also, she hasn't already been elected president twice.

What else goes into it? There are candidates who have more or less experience or better or worse experience, more or less talent, better or worse policies, etc. and these are the things that voters evaluate when choosing between two or more candidates, but to be qualified is a very basic characteristic established in the constitution.

I'm not sure what people voting no are thinking. Maybe they have their own criteria for the minimum type of experience that someone needs to have before they will vote for them, but that is different from being qualified. The constitution doesn't specify prefered qualifications, just minimum qualifications. So she is qualified.

Laexile wrote:

phdave wrote:

Woody wrote:

phdave wrote:

VoxOrion wrote:I'm most shocked that 49% of people who go to PBS websites think she is qualified.

I voted on one of those polls. I voted, yes, she is qualified. Because she is. I don't want her to be president, but she is qualified.

I'll assume you mean she's 35 and a naturalized US citizen

Yes, of course. Also, she hasn't already been elected president twice.

What else goes into it? There are candidates who have more or less experience or better or worse experience, more or less talent, better or worse policies, etc. and these are the things that voters evaluate when choosing between two or more candidates, but to be qualified is a very basic characteristic established in the constitution.

I'm not sure what people voting no are thinking. Maybe they have their own criteria for the minimum type of experience that someone needs to have before they will vote for them, but that is different from being qualified. The constitution doesn't specify prefered qualifications, just minimum qualifications. So she is qualified.

I think that question is stupid too. And it brings in the Republican argument that Obama also lacks experience. Why not ask, "Do you think (fill in blank) would do a good job as President?"

Woody wrote:

Palin pre-empts state report, clears self in probe

Trying to head off a potentially embarrassing state ethics report on GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, campaign officials released their own report Thursday that clears her of any wrongdoing.

Well there you have it. That clears that up!

A legislative investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power in pushing for the firing of an Alaska state trooper who was once married to her sister.

The report by investigator Steve Branchflower was made public late this afternoon by a 12-0 vote of the Legislative Council, which authorized the investigation.

Branchflower's report contains four findings. The first concludes that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

As the town hall started, McCain was off with more pep than usual. Making the same old jokes, but with energy that reminded us of "the old McCain." But would he use his power for good or evil? An audience member teed up a great big softball that could totally hit a dark side home run, asking, "We want you to fight at your next debate... we want to see s REAL fight at the debate, we want a STRONG leader for the next four years." That is Minnesota nice for "RevWrightACORNAyers," etc.

But then something weird happens: He acknowledges the "energy" people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, "I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments." People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: "I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."
...
And then later, again, someone dangled a great big piece of low-hanging fruit in front of McCain: "I'm scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president."

McCain replies, "Well, I don't want him to be president, either. I wouldn't be running if I did. But," and he pauses for emphasis, "you don't have to be scared to have him be President of the United States." A round of boos.

And he snaps back: "Well, obviously I think I'd be better. "
...
Indeed, he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..."

"No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."

dajafi wrote:I'm pretty sure that Palin is the farce to Bush's tragedy. Of course, this abuse-of-power scandal is just as frivolous and politically motivated as all the Bush abuses of power. (And my elliptical allusion to a Marx quote there obviously and entirely proves that I hate America as much as Cartman hates hippies, maybe more.)

But McCain did do at least one thing today for which I'm sincerely grateful:

As the town hall started, McCain was off with more pep than usual. Making the same old jokes, but with energy that reminded us of "the old McCain." But would he use his power for good or evil? An audience member teed up a great big softball that could totally hit a dark side home run, asking, "We want you to fight at your next debate... we want to see s REAL fight at the debate, we want a STRONG leader for the next four years." That is Minnesota nice for "RevWrightACORNAyers," etc.

But then something weird happens: He acknowledges the "energy" people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, "I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments." People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: "I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."
...
And then later, again, someone dangled a great big piece of low-hanging fruit in front of McCain: "I'm scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president."

McCain replies, "Well, I don't want him to be president, either. I wouldn't be running if I did. But," and he pauses for emphasis, "you don't have to be scared to have him be President of the United States." A round of boos.

And he snaps back: "Well, obviously I think I'd be better. "
...
Indeed, he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..."

"No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."

As with his convention speech, it's like he sometimes remembers that he's better than what the Little Roves have made of him. Or at least he realizes that he can't serve red meat with a side of sexy the way Palin can.

dajafi wrote:I'm pretty sure that Palin is the farce to Bush's tragedy. Of course, this abuse-of-power scandal is just as frivolous and politically motivated as all the Bush abuses of power. (And my elliptical allusion to a Marx quote there obviously and entirely proves that I hate America as much as Cartman hates hippies, maybe more.)

But McCain did do at least one thing today for which I'm sincerely grateful:

As the town hall started, McCain was off with more pep than usual. Making the same old jokes, but with energy that reminded us of "the old McCain." But would he use his power for good or evil? An audience member teed up a great big softball that could totally hit a dark side home run, asking, "We want you to fight at your next debate... we want to see s REAL fight at the debate, we want a STRONG leader for the next four years." That is Minnesota nice for "RevWrightACORNAyers," etc.

But then something weird happens: He acknowledges the "energy" people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, "I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments." People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: "I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."
...
And then later, again, someone dangled a great big piece of low-hanging fruit in front of McCain: "I'm scared to bring up my child in a world where Barack Obama is president."

McCain replies, "Well, I don't want him to be president, either. I wouldn't be running if I did. But," and he pauses for emphasis, "you don't have to be scared to have him be President of the United States." A round of boos.

And he snaps back: "Well, obviously I think I'd be better. "
...
Indeed, he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..."

"No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."

As with his convention speech, it's like he sometimes remembers that he's better than what the Little Roves have made of him. Or at least he realizes that he can't serve red meat with a side of sexy the way Palin can.

phdave wrote:Uh oh, now I'm confused:

A legislative investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power in pushing for the firing of an Alaska state trooper who was once married to her sister.

The report by investigator Steve Branchflower was made public late this afternoon by a 12-0 vote of the Legislative Council, which authorized the investigation.

Branchflower's report contains four findings. The first concludes that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

Laexile wrote:

phdave wrote:Uh oh, now I'm confused:

A legislative investigation has concluded that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power in pushing for the firing of an Alaska state trooper who was once married to her sister.

The report by investigator Steve Branchflower was made public late this afternoon by a 12-0 vote of the Legislative Council, which authorized the investigation.

Branchflower's report contains four findings. The first concludes that Palin violated the state's executive branch ethics act, which says that "each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."

The above section is true but misleading. While the investigator concluded that she abused her power that conclusion wasn't adopted by the Legislative Council. All they did was approve the report. I have yet to read any actual evidence that she did anything to violate the state's executive branch ethics act. Thinking that she did and actually producing evidence that she did are two different things.

While I certainly applaud what John McCain said about Barack Obama it sounds like a concession speech. Sadly I doubt Barack Obama would do the same about his rhetoric.

mpmcgraw wrote:I didn't know being Arab was such a horrible thing.