McCains running partner.

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:13 am

Just to give you an example of HOW shallow this thing is, this just in from that fountain of American youth education, mister P. Diddy. Take it away:

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Fuel prices have grounded an unexpected frequent-flyer: Diddy.

Sean "Diddy" Combs complained about the "... too high" price of gas and pleaded for free oil from his "Saudi Arabia brothers and sisters" in a YouTube video posted Wednesday.

The hip-hop mogul said he is now flying on commercial airlines instead of in private jets, which Combs said had previously cost him $200,000 and up for a roundtrip between New York and Los Angeles.

"I'm actually flying commercial," Diddy said before walking onto an airplane, sitting in a first-class seat and flashing his boarding pass to the camera. "That's how high gas prices are. I'm at the gate right now. This is really happening, proof gas prices are too high. Tell whoever the next president is we need to bring gas prices down."

PS: @VonDondu: ROTFLMAO! Thanx for that.... oh, and I agree about the "wow" thing.

Rexidan · Post by **Rexidan** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:44 am

In order to enlighten certain people here...

Sarah Palin is McCain's VP selection!! - www.hillaryclintonforum.net

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:23 pm

Is that a spoof site, or are there really that many brain-dead 'Democrats'?

OK, they obviously aren't democrats, just a bunch of nutjobs, but posting that link on an international forum doesn't exactly enhance the US' world reputation. Now there's people all round the world saying 'I told you so, Americans are all head cases'. They aren't of course, the vast majority of them are rational human beings, it's just that the idiots have a way of grabbing all the attention.

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:10 pm

galraen wrote:Is that a spoof site, or are there really that many brain-dead 'Democrats'?

OK, they obviously aren't democrats, just a bunch of nutjobs, but posting that link on an international forum doesn't exactly enhance the US' world reputation. Now there's people all round the world saying 'I told you so, Americans are all head cases'. They aren't of course, the vast majority of them are rational human beings, it's just that the idiots have a way of grabbing all the attention.

Don't you see, this is all we really needed to get our understanding on this issue! I feel so much better now!

:laugh:

I made a pretty good round today. One that I've been doing for over 20 years: Find one single useful item in a Norwegian shop of any kind that has been produced in the USA. Just one, that's all I ask. During those 20 years I've found a Zippo lighter, a very few guns, since even Colt and Browning are made outside the US nowadays, and a skateboard.

Now, try to explain to Miss Pageant+Oil+God+Guns = Vice President that a nation can't survive on only consumption....

Oh, and one thing in Xan's initial post that I've failed to adress: What they do over there has meant less every year for the past decade or so. By the end of the decade they'll all be watching Chinese TVs and driving Korean cars, and unless they find a reason to start a war in your backyard, what they do over there has no importance what so ever for your everyday life and Europe as a whole.

EDIT: Oh brilliant. Now her teen daughter is knocked up, and has decided to keep the baby and marry the father. Apparently McCain knew this before he chose her. Is there still any doubt that this is a show for the yokels?

penguin_king · Post by **penguin_king** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:30 am

i thought Obama's VP was Hilary Clinton? didn't hey have some kind of deal where she stepped out of the running and he took her on as VP if he won?

i guess i dont keep track of american politics that much...

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:17 am

penguin_king wrote:i thought Obama's VP was Hilary Clinton? ...

So did she!:laugh:

Argonian Thief · Post by **Argonian Thief** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:33 pm

I know this is off-topic but I've heard Hillary Clinton a lot so I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. Did any of you know hillary was gonna get rid of video games? I personally think that even if she was elected, she wouldn't have enough power to get rid of all the video games in this world. So I call her Hitlery, for even thinking of it.

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:53 pm

Moonbiter, I don't think the source of quality of life is the products which your 'nation' produces. Which might not seem that obvious but the best things in life don't have to be 'premium'. Thats a generalizations that all americans think the rest of the world should think how great they are. Its probably part of the media as well. Most americans have enough problems and really have not that much to do with politicians and other moguls which catch the eye of the media. Sure Americans are mistrustfull of the outside world and think their values and particulars (likes and dislikes) are the best but big deal? I think the problem is not with 'americans' but rather with particular americans....

Right?

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:14 pm

Now, about the fact that Palin's 17 year-old daughter is pregnant...

...doesn't it say something about Palin's priorities and character that she'd choose the national spotlight for herself and her family, destroying any privacy that her daughter might have had? It baffles my mind a bit that she'd willingly put her daughter on the spot like this.

Maharlika · Post by **Maharlika** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:57 pm

@Nightmare: She prolly thought it better that the news comes from her since she's pretty much sure that people will find out anyway and likely make a circus out of it.

It's sooner or later and I guess she'd rather take the issue now and be done with it before others start using it against her with "timing" on their side.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:06 am

My thoughts? Generally speaking, the circus has come to town. I suppose we'll see where this leads.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:48 am

Nightmare wrote:Now, about the fact that Palin's 17 year-old daughter is pregnant...

...doesn't it say something about Palin's priorities and character that she'd choose the national spotlight for herself and her family, destroying any privacy that her daughter might have had? It baffles my mind a bit that she'd willingly put her daughter on the spot like this.

You know.. I tend to agree with those who are saying that it's dirty to bring family into any of this.. in my view one's private life should be sacrosanct, no matter who you are. However, all of that being said, what really rankles me is the utter hypocrisy involved... Palin allegedly represents conservative "family values," and amongst other things promotes abstinence amongst teens. Yet meanwhile, her daughter is running around at parties engaging in under-aged drinking and premarital sex.
Hey... no big deal in my books personally, I kind of expect teens to behave like that. BUT, if you are going to endorse a particular set of values, then you had better make sure you are squeaky clean yourself, family included.
I can't stand hypocrites of any stripe...

Obviously, none of this really impacts how well qualified Palin is for the position, but like others have said, I seriously have to wonder how being mayor of some podunk Alaska town qualifies as experience. IMO, McCain took a huge gamble and it could well bite him in the ass.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:06 am

dragon wench wrote:You know.. I tend to agree with those who are saying that it's dirty to bring family into any of this.. in my view one's private life should be sacrosanct, no matter who you are. However, all of that being said, what really rankles me is the utter hypocrisy involved... Palin allegedly represents conservative "family values," and amongst other things promotes abstinence amongst teens. Yet meanwhile, her daughter is running around at parties engaging in under-aged drinking and premarital sex.
Hey... no big deal in my books personally, I kind of expect teens to behave like that. BUT, if you are going to endorse a particular set of values, then you had better make sure you are squeaky clean yourself, family included.
I can't stand hypocrites of any stripe...

Obviously, none of this really impacts how well qualified Palin is for the position, but like others have said, I seriously have to wonder how being mayor of some podunk Alaska town qualifies as experience. IMO, McCain took a huge gamble and it could well bite him in the ass.

I can only agree.
The children as such should not be made a target, but a key platform for Palin are these specific values, and the entire attitude towards the situation smacks of hypocrisy.

The "Abstinence works 100%, and contraception only 99%" type argument have just been shot down because it is impossible to get 100% abstinence from "well raised model family" kids (clearly), then it is important they know about the 99% security in contraception.

Also the marriage between Palin's daughter and the father of the child is not at all going to seem forced now, is it....

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:54 am

Sarah Palin herself might have been a pregnant bride. She gave birth to her first child eight months after she and her husband eloped. She claims that she eloped because she couldn't afford a big wedding, but maybe there was a rush because she found out she was pregnant. However, I wouldn't bet on it--she could have gotten pregnant right after she eloped. I'm just saying it was very close.

I have decided to refrain from making any other personal observations. All I really wanted to do was mention the possibility that Sarah herself might not have practiced what she preaches to others (abstinence, that is).

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:41 am

I personally am yet undecided as to whether the nomination of Palin was a stroke of genious, or a ridiculous and poorly thought out act of panic. At the moment I'm leaning more towards the latter. With the dirt that is already coming out and her blatantly hypocritical rhetoric, any half-conscious member of a high school debating team should have no problem tearing her a new one. It's still only early September! Just her apparent failure as a parent to instill her own set of values in her offspring should be enough to blow her out of the water. That is before we even touch any real political issues. I fail to see how they can get out of this one, but then I have been wrong before. Like I've said before: Presidential elections in the US ain't about real issues any more, it's all about superficial hyperbole.

Obama scored a major point when he played it large and said that families should be kept out and shielded, but that's just another point scored for him, and as we get closer to November that notion is gonna have as much substance as a fart in a wicker chair. I'm just waiting for what they dig up next, and I completely agree with Tricky: The circus is definetly in town, more than ever before.

Xan wrote: "Also the marriage between Palin's daughter and the father of the child is not at all going to seem forced now, is it.... "

Shotgun wedding! She's a card-carrying member of the NRA....

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:32 am

Maharlika wrote:@Nightmare: She prolly thought it better that the news comes from her since she's pretty much sure that people will find out anyway and likely make a circus out of it.

It's sooner or later and I guess she'd rather take the issue now and be done with it before others start using it against her with "timing" on their side.

Yeah, they definitely announced it to control the story. But, still... she decided to say "Yes" to McCain and join the ticket, knowing that she would have to announce the news about her daughter.

The hypocrisy that I see isn't necessarily with the so-called "family values", but in the fact that many on the right are arguing that they're now doing the right thing and all is good. If this exact same situation were to happen to a Democrat, the candidate and the daughter would be absolutely crucified publicly by the entire right for being immoral and unqualified. I fully agree that Obama shouldn't touch this at all, and that the private lives of families should stay private...but there is a certain double standard at work here in the media and with the right-wing.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:47 am

Nightmare wrote: The hypocrisy that I see isn't necessarily with the so-called "family values", but in the fact that many on the right are arguing that they're now doing the right thing and all is good. If this exact same situation were to happen to a Democrat, the candidate and the daughter would be absolutely crucified publicly by the entire right for being immoral and unqualified. I fully agree that Obama shouldn't touch this at all, and that the private lives of families should stay private...but there is a certain double standard at work here in the media and with the right-wing.

Entirely agreed, it's like VonDondu posted above in reference to McCain:

(As the new saying goes, "It's Alright If You're A Republican.")

They have two sets of rules... one for themselves and one for everyone else. It's sickening.

Another thing that disgusts me in terms of hypocrisy is that if Sarah Palin were so concerned about apparent "family values" shouldn't she be at home caring for the two-year-old with Down's Syndrome rather than chasing a career in politics? This isn't just any career either, politics is a brutally demanding task master and it's hard for anyone at all in that field to maintain a decent work/life balance.
I think anyone who knows me will be aware that I'm not exactly an advocate of traditional female roles..

BUT, I'm not a right-wing Christian fundamentalist either. Again, it's a case of putting your money where your mouth is.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:20 pm

dragon wench wrote:shouldn't she be at home caring for the two-year-old with Down's Syndrome...

I don't disagree with the point you made, but little Trig is actually less than five months old. He was born on April 18, 2008. (There has been a great deal of speculation that Trig is actually Bristol's baby, but I think the people who started the rumor made it up just to cause trouble.)

On an interesting sidenote, Sarah was about to give a speech at a governors conference in Texas when her water broke. (Trig was about one month premature, so Sarah wasn't expecting to have a baby that day.) She went ahead and gave the speech, then got a plane for an eight hour flight to Alaska, then checked into a hospital. The doctor induced labor a few hours later. That story is reminiscent of the time she was playing basketball at a state championship game. She was playing with a fractured ankle, but she still managed to score the winning point. She is one gutsy lady.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:34 am

VonDondu wrote:I don't disagree with the point you made, but little Trig is actually less than five months old. He was born on April 18, 2008. (There has been a great deal of speculation that Trig is actually Bristol's baby, but I think the people who started the rumor made it up just to cause trouble.)

Gah... I'd just been writing to a friend and discussing her two-year old's upcoming birthday... I can barely keep anything straight these days

Yeah.. I heard that rumour too, and I tend to doubt it. As I recall from some long forgotten biology classes women are at a higher risk of giving birth to Down's babies once they start getting into their 40s, so if that is true it would fit.
Still... that's a pretty sleazy rumour...
Ugh.. the whole damn situation disgusts me from one end of the spectrum to the other.

And on a more entertaining note:

Moonbiter wrote:Shotgun wedding! She's a card-carrying member of the NRA...

ROFL!:laugh:

Ode to a Grasshopper · Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:45 am

VonDondu wrote:Yes, Xandax, the American political climate IS that shallow. Isn't it obvious by now?[-snip]
[/snip]Under the circumstances, a lot of people are going to say that Sarah Palin is a pretty good candidate for national office. Don't underestimate "Sarah Barracuda". She could kick Hillary Clinton's ass. Be afraid.

That was a beautiful post @VD, cheers.

Was inspired to check out Palin's Wiki entry - be afraid sounds right.