September 3rd, 2008
-Peter J. Lion
"Barack Obama is the least experienced presidential candidate in at least the last one hundred years. Fact." - Rudy Giuliani, keynote speaker, Republican National Convention
Not a fact. It is an outright lie.
HERE are the FACTS:
George W. Bush was elected President of the United States in 2000 after serving only 6 years as governor of Texas. Prior to 1994, Bush had never held public office.
Before becoming Governor of Texas in 1994, Mr. Bush worked for his father as a media liaison in his successful 1988 presidential campaign. Outside of helping his father, George W. Bush worked in the oil industry and was a partial owner of the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball team franchise. Now that is experience!
It can be argued that George Bush would not have won the election, or been nominated, had it not been for the name he shares with his father.
Barack Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996. Obama held the position until winning a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2004.
In 1989, Barack Obama was elected as the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduating from Harvard, magna cum laude, Obama organized voting registration drives in Chicago as well as teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Barack Obama continued to teach until elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.
Barack Obama has not ran on his name recognition. Barack Obama is not from a wealthy family. Barack Obama's wife is not from a wealthy family. Obama graduated from Harvard with honors- on his own. George Bush did not pay for college and did not graduate with honors...at all.
Recap of political office experience before presidential run:
George Bush:
Governor of Texas 1994-2000 / 6 years
= 6 years total
Barack Obama:
Illinois Senate 1996-2004 / 8 years
United States Senate 2004-2008 /4 years
=12 years total
So, it is a fact that George Bush was less experienced before his presidential run than Barack Obama.
It is also a FACT that Rudy Giuliani is wrong and a liar.
Rudy Giuliani is a LIAR.
Why I Will Not Vote for John McCain
Philip Butler @ Military.com
When I was a Plebe (4th classman, or freshman) at the Naval Academy in 1957-58, I was assigned to the 17th Company for my four years there. In those days we had about 3,600 midshipmen spread among 24 companies, thus about 150 midshipmen to a company. As fortune would have it, John, a First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!
John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our 4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink (watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.
People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 ½ years later, so he was a POW for 5 ½ years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.
John's treatment as a POW:
1) Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. President Ho Chi Minh died on September 9, 1969, and the new regime that replaced him and his policies was more pragmatic. They realized we were worth a lot as bargaining chips if we were alive. And they were right because eventually Americans gave up on the war and agreed to trade our POW's for their country. A damn good trade in my opinion! But my point here is that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals.
2) John was badly injured when he was shot down. Both arms were broken and he had other wounds from his ejection. Unfortunately this was often the case - new POW's arriving with broken bones and serious combat injuries. Many died from their wounds. Medical care was non-existent to rudimentary. Relief from pain was almost never given and often the wounds were used as an available way to torture the POW. Because John's father was the Naval Commander in the Pacific theater, he was exploited with TV interviews while wounded. These film clips have now been widely seen. But it must be known that many POW's suffered similarly, not just John. And many were similarly exploited for political propaganda.
3) John was offered, and refused, "early release." Many of us were given this offer. It meant speaking out against your country and lying about your treatment to the press. You had to "admit" that the U.S. was criminal and that our treatment was "lenient and humane." So I, like numerous others, refused the offer. This was obviously something none of us could accept. Besides, we were bound by our service regulations, Geneva Conventions and loyalties to refuse early release until all the POW's were released, with the sick and wounded going first.
4) John was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart for heroism and wounds in combat. This heroism has been played up in the press and in his various political campaigns. But it should be known that there were approximately 600 military POW's in Vietnam. Among all of us, decorations awarded have recently been totaled to the following: Medals of Honor - 8, Service Crosses - 42, Silver Stars - 590, Bronze Stars - 958 and Purple Hearts - 1,249. John certainly performed courageously and well. But it must be remembered that he was one hero among many - not uniquely so as his campaigns would have people believe.
continue @ Military.com
101 Reasons to Vote Against John McCain
Reasons #50-101
#50: John McCain mocks energy conservation. Barack Obama worked hard highlighting little things like properly inflating tires to help conserve energy, and McCain made fun of it.
#51: John McCain thinks we are better off now than we were eight years ago. Yes, his latest ad contradicts that, but in the Republican debate in January 2008, he said we were better off now than we were eight years ago. Fact is, inflation and unemployment rates are up.
#52: John McCain is in the pocket of big oil. He has accepted over $2 million in contributions from big oil companies, and has offered tax breaks to them as well. Barack Obama highlights these bad ideas in a TV ad.
#53: John McCain opposes the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). This plan would make it easier for American workers to decide if they wanted to unionize at their workplace, and McCain doesn't support giving them that right.
#54: John McCain played the race card. His ad featuring Paris Hilton and Britney Spears injected race into the campaign.
#55: John McCain promised a clean campaign, based on the issues - but has not stayed that course. He has started running negative attack ads, after saying he had respect for Barack Obama.
#56: John McCain flip-flopped on taxes. He once said he'd never raise taxes. Now - he's open to raising Social Security taxes.
#57: John McCain flip-flopped on affirmative action. He used support it...now he changed into the wrong direction and supports a measure on the ballot in AZ to end the policy.
#58: John McCain is two-faced on lobbyists. He has constantly said he wants nothing to do with 'big-moneyed special interests'...but he has taken in $181,000 in donations from lobbyists.
#59: John McCain's priorities for health insurance companies are flawed. He is all for them covering Viagra, but not birth control.
#60: John McCain is still fixated on the 'surge.' He doesn't get that the surge is over - he believes it's still going on.
#61: John McCain isn't fit to be commander in chief. He lost five Navy aircraft during his flying career.
#62: John McCain needs a geography lesson. He brags he's been to Iraq so many times, but he said Iraq borders Pakistan. Look at a map, John....there's a little country called Iran in between.
#63: John McCain supports the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy in the military. He believes the anti-gay policy is working.
#64: John McCain has slammed Obama for only attending one Afghanistan hearing...but McCain's even more guilty! The Arizona Senator has not attended any committee hearings on Afghanistan.
#65: John McCain says the war in Iraq is not related to the war in Afghanistan. Barack Obama pointed out that the Senator from Arizona is dead wrong.
#66: John McCain's top economic advisor thinks the poor economy is just a 'mental recession.' Phil Gramm called America a 'nation of whiners.'
#67: John McCain's Gas Tax Holiday is a joke. Virtually every economist has shot down McCain's idea of a gas tax holiday. It just won't work!
#68: John McCain flip-flops on immigration. First he applauded a clear route to citizenship, now he's changed to a "fences-first" stance.
#69: John McCain gives us double-talk on Iraq. He says on the one hand, we gotta keep it going with no timetable. Then, more recently, he says we'll balance the budget by winning the war in Iraq and getting the troops home.
#70: John McCain represents the third term of Karl Rove. Steve Schmidt is the latest person to be at the top of the campaign - another name involved with McCain who worked closely with Karl Rove.
#71: John McCain is taking money from Swift Boat veterans. In 2004, he called them dishonest and dishonorable.
#72: John McCain flip-flopped on swiftboat veterans. In 2004, he condemned the swiftboat veterans, now, he endorses them, with Bud Day back on the scene.
#73: John McCain is a tax cheater. Cindy McCain failed to pay property taxes on time - that is not the type of responsibility that we want in the White House.
#74: John McCain is an opponent of helping rail transit. When he chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, he opposed public financing of Amtrak - a service very important in this day of high fuel prices.
#75: John McCain's healthcare plan would not help Americans. It would tax your healthcare benefits and leave working families at the mercy of big insurance companies.
#76: John McCain is a fear monger. Adviser Charlie Black suggested another terrorist attack would help McCain and the Republicans win.
#77: John McCain is more of a game show host than a candidate, offering up gimmick after gimmick. First it was the gas tax holiday, but now - he wants taxpayers to give $300 million to whoever develops the next new electric battery. Too bad the Japanese are already five years ahead of the US in developing the next generation battery.
#78: John McCain does not have a good environmental record. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a zero rating when it comes to pro-environment votes.
#79: Cindy McCain criticizes Michelle Obama for not "always" being proud of her country. Guess what - John McCain said the same thing.
#80: John McCain graduated fifth from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy. Out of 899 graduates, he was ranked 894.
#81: John McCain uses scare tactics. John McCain accuses Barack Obama of having a "September 10" mentality. We've heard this before from George W. Bush. Republicans have NO problem using September 11 for political gain.
#82: John McCain is in favor of offshore drilling for oil. Of course, this is AFTER he was opposed to it. Drilling for oil off the shores of the United States WON'T ease the gas burden.
#83: John McCain was part of the Keating Five. John McCain was part of the five Senators who were tied to dirty deal with Charles Keating.
#84: John McCain doesn't support prisoner's rights. The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Gitmo detainees. John McCain says that the ruling "concerns" him.
#85: John McCain doesn't care about women's interests. He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade (among other things) - Planned Parenthood gives him a zero lifetime voting record on women's issues.
#86: John McCain won't repeal George Bush's tax cuts. This is another issue that he has flip-flopped on, and his plan will continue to put this country into a deeper budget deficit.
#87: John McCain agrees with Bush's illegal wiretapping policy outside of FISA. At one point he did disagree with Bush on the subject, but he flip-flopped and now supports the President.
#88: John McCain doesn't know anything about the economy. He himself said he doesn't know as much about it as he should.
#89: John McCain voted with George Bush 89% of the time through his administration. Just more proof that if he's elected, it's more of the same.
#90: John McCain is a fake campaign finance reformer. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) presented this reason during his in-studio visit, and believes McCains back-room dealings need to be exposed.
#91: The Supreme Court. John McCain himself has said he wants to appoint clones of Alito and Roberts to the high court. With that, Roe v. Wade and other important decisions will go right out the window.
#92: His bad "comb-over," that he won't admit to. He won't just be honest and admit he's balding - what else won't he be honest about?
#93: John McCain supports the war in Iraq. He stated he would stay in Iraq for 100 years.
#94: John McCain will be nothing but a third term of George Bush. He wants to continue the same policies that have failed for the last eight years, as Barack Obama pointed out.
#95: John McCain is too old to run the country. He'll be 72 this year. Back in 2000, he admitted to PBS's Jim Lehrer he's too old to be President!
#96: John McCain does not support the GI Bill. He's against giving our veterans full scholarships to college upon returning from service.
#97: John McCain has bad judgment related to the people he cozies up to. He was endorsed by, and was good friends with John Hagee - it took him three months to reject the endorsement! What other type of people might he get close to when he's president?
#98: John McCain doesn't know Shiite from Shinola. Even Joe Lieberman corrected him when he mixed up Shiites and Sunnis.
#99: John McCain doesn't want to change anything about our relationship with Cuba. He is attacking Barack Obama's willingness to meet with Raul Castro.
#100: John McCain will try to stir up war with Iran. We've seen this with his recent exchange with Barack Obama, saying we shouldn't talk - we should just bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
#101: John McCain's connection with Lobbyists. Special Interests, Special Interests. Ouch. The prime connection is Thomas Loeffler - who resigned from McCain's campaign because of his lobbyist connections.
-BillPressShow.com
Flip-Flop for Palin?
By Tom Kizzia
"I told Congress, thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere," Palin told the cheering McCain crowd, referring to Ketchikan's Gravina Island bridge.
But Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.
The Alaska governor campaigned in 2006 on a build-the-bridge platform, telling Ketchikan residents she felt their pain when politicians called them "nowhere." They're still feeling pain today in Ketchikan, over Palin's subsequent decision to use the bridge funds for other projects -- and over the timing of her announcement, which they say came in a pre-dawn press release that seemed aimed at national news deadlines.
"I think that's when the campaign for national office began," said Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Weinstein noted, the state is continuing to build a road on Gravina Island to an empty beach where the bridge would have gone -- because federal money for the access road, unlike the bridge money, would have otherwise been returned to the federal government.
McCain also claimed to have found, in Palin, "someone with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies" and "someone who has fought against corruption and the failed policies of the past" and "someone who has reached across the aisle and asked Republicans, Democrats and independents to serve in government." On those scores, Palin can fairly claim credit, according to Alaska political leaders and others who have followed her career here.
She did fight corruption as a whistle-blower, even before an FBI investigation burst into public view. She also stood up to "party bosses," as McCain claimed, running against Republican incumbents as an outsider -- though she has yet to unseat her nemesis, Randy Ruedrich, as state party chairman.
Palin told the crowd she had signed a major ethics law -- an appropriately modest claim, because although she pushed for the ethics changes, the main impetus had come from state legislators, especially minority Democrats.
COST-CUTTING CONSERVATIVE?
The trickiest defense of Palin in the national spotlight involves her reputation as a budget-cutting fiscal conservative.
Continue article @ Anchorage Daily News
Palin Brother-in-Law Scandal Grows
The Sarah Palin Brother-in-Law Scandal continues to take the spotlight off her selection as John McCain's running mate and instead place it on her ethics.
Palin is the Governor of Alaska whom McCain tabbed as his vice presidential choice on Friday.
When Palin became governor in 2006, her sister was in a messy custody battle with her ex-husband, Michael Wooten. Palin put herself into the middle of the divorce and tried to have her sister's ex-husband fired from his job as a state trooper in Alaska.
According to allegations, Palin pressured Walter Monegan, the Public Safety Commissioner she appointed, to fire Wooten. Monegan refused, and was promptly fired by Palin.
It's turned into a scandal in Alaska, and Palin is under investigation by the state for potentially abusing her power.
The Washington Post got an exclusive interview with Walter Monegan, the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner fired by Palin.
In the Washington Post interview, Monegan says he was never directly told to fire Wooten by Palin. But Monegan is turning over emails Palin sent him on the matter to investigators.
According to Sara Palin, six members of Palin's staff made at least 24 phone calls to Monegan's department, but for weeks she claimed none of the calls were about her former brother-in-law.
Then two weeks ago Palin called a press conference to announce a recording of a phone call from one of her staffers pressuring for Monegan to fire Wooten. Palin had learned of the recording from the investigators and was attempting damage control. Palin then changed her story and claimed that she never asked any staff members to make the calls, but was aware they were made.
In the recording, Palin's director of boards and commissions, Frank Bailey, says, "Todd and Sarah are scratching their heads, 'Why on earth hasn't this, why is this guy
still representing the department?'"Monegan said one of the staffers that contacted him was Palin's husband, Todd, who also wanted Wooten fired.
"I've tried to explain to him, you can't head hunt like this," Monegan told the Washington Post. "What you need to do is back off, because if the trooper does make a mistake, and it is a terminable offense, it can look like political interference.
"I think he's emotionally committed in trying to see that his former brother-in-law is punished."
In July, Alaskan legislators voted 12-0 to open an investigation into whether Palin abused her power in firing Monegan. They also approved hiring a special investigator to lead the investigation. The results of the investigation are not expected back for several months.
as reported by ickypeople.com
