I did hear for a while they were wondering if they should postpone the convention or not, first I've heard of a telethon though???? You can bet they don't want another "heck of a job Brownie" situation so they wouldn't want to come off as not caring.



TIS

I say there is no way they can have the convention next week. What will it look like when the news is showing destruction and devastation one minute, then cutting away to delegates partying at a convention? The Republicans are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Yeah, if only by default.

My initial reactions upon hearing both:

Biden=Meh/Mediocre
Palin=What the F*ck?

But really, its amazing how the GOP had a good argument of a punch against Obama in the "Experience" question, and now they're tripping over themselves saying how despite having less years than Obama, that 18 months as Governors means more than 4 years in the Senate.

Sorry guys, but its convulted argumentation like this that fucked Kerry 4 years ago.

If that happens, I would like to see Joe Scarborough's reaction.

Back in 05, that former Florida Republican Congressman fucking ripped Bush a new asshole on MSNBC, about how he acted like he gave a damn in '03/04 with the numerous hurricanes that slammed Florida, but Bush acted indifferent to New Orleans in an off-election year.

Making the RNC into a telethon will be a bit weird, won't it?

"Please donate $100 to help the people down in Louisiana...oh, and Democrats will let Bin Laden kill your kids."

That's pretty much what I'd expect it to be.

I don't see any harm in postponing it a week or so. He can still campaign, he has his VP pick. It's really just a formaliity no?

Not that the media will cover it, but they also estimate 50-60,000 protestors Tuesday as well.

Protest


TIS

Actually, that's TWO (2) years in the Senate. The U.S. Senate, that is.

And he's spent about half that time running for President and (in Hillary's own words) voting 'present'.

It appears to me that BOTH sides oughta stay clear of the 'experience' issue. Because one is going to have serious egg on its face come November.

Anybody wanna guess which one...???

Apple

I don't think it would be that simple. Getting all of the most powerful Republicans, and all the delegates to change their schedule at the last minute, isn't going to be an easy task. Plus the venue has to be available all week, and all of the Networks have to change their plans.

It is a logistical nightmare. I don't see how they can postpone it, and I don't see how they can hold it. It is a pickle!!

Poor McCain. Screwed in 2000 when the nod went to W, and now this. It's like he's got a tiny cloud right over him.

3 Actually.

January 2005 to September 2008.

Again, if anything that issue disarmed helps Obama more than McCain.

I mean its like a Dirty Harry movie, you know how Eastwood always has a .44 Magnum? Why? Because it KICKS ASS and good at shooting holes into people.

Alright, then replace that weapon with blanks. There goes Dirty Harry's great advantage over creeps besides one-liners.

But more than anything, I don't know Democrats who ever thought Obama was more "experienced" than McCain, but more like "He's right more" or "His ideas are better" or "He proposed more troops in Afghanistan before McCain" or whatever.

I mean come on, nobody was gonna argue that. But now those that try to argue Palin is more experienced than Obama...

How about we say neither are experienced enough for the job? Neither side can argue that he or she is more "experienced," you just fucking can't.

Exactly. National conventions are a monumental undertaking all around. It would be like postponing the Superbowl or Olympics. Also, September is the month during which various legislative bodies such as local governments and state legislatures make last minute adjustments to their upcoming fiscal year budgets and grant approval to them. Many elected officials are delegates and have already arranged their schedules.

What I don't get is why the GOP decided to have the '08 RNC in Minnesota this year.

Politico has been running tales of how while those 80,000 something tickets for the Obama speech sold out quickly, the GOP as of earlier this week had been having trouble in getting a sell-out for a 12,000 seat joint for McCain's speech. Nevermind that GOP apparently had to actively recruit local Minnesota folks as workers/activists for the RNC, while scores and truckloads of folks volunteered in Denver for the DNC.

Then again, what you expect from the same state that went for Mondale in 1984?

JL, Olivant, sure you are right there. I do understand as an average Joe, the enormous planning that a campaign must involve, with all the things it must entail from hotels, decorations, seating, all those attending making plans, etc. yea, that's gotta be a big deal.

I guess my point, or what I was trying to say(obviously not effectively) was it won't be a political disadvantage to McCain as far as being able to continue to campaign and promote himself, right? The convention itself is to make it "official". He can continue with his VP choice to campaign throughout the States just as Obama/Biden are doing.

TIS

That's right...sorry, my mistake. For some reason I thought he was elected in 2006 but it was 2004.

As for the 'experience' issue, I don't recall McCain himself using it against Obama as much as Hillary (and Biden) did during the primaries.

Apple

It's a bit more than that, TIS.

While the conventions to 'officially' nominate the candidates, and we see get to see the big speeches in prime time, there's alot more going on behind the scenes. Party officials from all over the country gather & decide on 'platform' issues, and lots more shoulder rubbing etc. that would probably bore us ordinary citizens to tears.

Thats' the case with both parties, and including the Green/Libertarian/Reform and all the rest who put their candidates on the ballot every four years right along with the Dems and Repubs.

The Convention is a major undertaking and Gustav or no Gustav, I don't see how they can possibly postpone it. They could try to make it a bit more low key if things are going very badly with the storm and there will probalby be some key people who will have to cancel their appearances.

Apple

I'm glad I'm not the one that has to make the call on what to do with the convention.

I can't see anyone holding it against the Republicans if the convention goes on as scheduled and Gustav hits at the same time. Unfortunately for the GOP, they would get knocked off the front pages of newspapers, but that can't be helped now.

There's still time for Palin to change people's minds, but right now she has the lowest rating a selected running mate has had since Quayle.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Most voters are unfamiliar with John McCain’s new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and many question her qualifications to be president, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup poll.

Meanwhile, another Gallup poll shows Barack Obama maintaining an 8 percentage point lead over John McCain following the end of the Democratic convention Thursday.

Republicans begin their four-day convention Monday here even as Hurricane Gustav picks up steam as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Palin is scheduled to speak Wednesday.

In the poll taken Friday, 39 percent said she is ready to serve as president if needed, 33 percent said she isn’t and 29 percent have no opinion.

That’s the lowest rating any running mate has had since then-Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle was selected in 1988 to join George H.W. Bush’s team.

By contrast, 57 percent of voters rated Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as qualified after Obama selected him last week. Eighteen percent said he wasn’t qualified.

Meanwhile, the Gallup daily tracking poll shows good news for Obama, following the close of the Democratic National Convention and his high-profile nomination acceptance speech Thursday.

The poll, taken from Wednesday to Friday, showed Obama leading McCain by 49 percent to 41 percent for the second day in a row — a campaign high for him.

Before the convention, the two presidential candidates were tied at 45 percent.

I tell you what I am looking forward to the debates in the next coming weeks and months.

"The Bounce". After the convention, the candidate usually gets a surge in the polls. Clinton experienced the largest in history.

What I found amazing is how many people tuned in to see Senator Obama's speech - roughly 40 million.

The Gallup tracking poll has Omaba up 49% to McCain's 41% as of yesterday.
We'll have to see how the Republican convention impacts the Polls.

Rasmussen has it a little closer. Also, the electoral vote: 264 Obama and 247 McCain.

People just realizing now Michael Moore is an asshole...?

No. Moore's been an asshole for many years and most people know it.

However, when such a nasty, cold an callous statement is made especially by somebody who likes to portray himself as a compassionate fellow, it's going to make news.

Apple

There is a superstition that whichever canidates sells the most masks at Halloween will win the election.

Is this why people get mad at me?

I have nothing to add to any of this except that I just got off the phone with my dad and he informed me that me and my lefty generation decided to go ahead and elect ourselves a knee-gra--(jokingly, mind you)--referring to the fact that he thinks McCain just gave away the election with his VP choice. Personally, I think it's a brilliant move by the Republicans, I was saying just the other day that they needed to shake things up a bit to match the swagger and aura surrounding the Obama Campaign and this did IT!..I'll bet $1,000 McCain wins this November.

Exactly!! Well said, Ice.

Frankly, it's been hilarious these past two days listening to virtually ALL the left-wing, from Larry King & James Carville (CNN) to Chris Matthews (MSNBC) to Tom Brokaw (NBC) to Mark Green & Ron Reagan (Air America) fall all over each other questioning nothing but the 'experience' of Gov. Palin. They are ALL either missing the boat completely, or simply don't want to see the forest for the trees.

(Apologies for the cliche', but it was the best way to put it.)

Apple

The best part is that she looks sexy with a gun in her hands.

How can you not dig that kind of chick?

When I was growing up, I prided myself as a Republican for our argumentation being clear, straight, blunt, and forceful.

So McCain had a good argument against Obama on the experience issue, yes?

So yeah why disarm perhaps his best argument?

I've been reading GOPers trip over themselves of how her 16 months of being Governor is worth more than Biden's 20+ years of Senate work, which in token means that Palin is more experienced than McCain.

I doubt you Appleonya or DJ will argue that, right?

Remember 2004 when Kerry kept trying to trip himself over of how he voted for the Iraq War before he voted against it? Karl Rove called that quote the gift that kept on giving.

And Karl Rove earlier this year shat on the possibility of Tim Kaine as VP, saying that only 3 years as Governor is not enough experience for VP:

And Look what I found on youtube, Palin calling someone with cancer a "bitch."

Damn and I thought I was mean.

I'd venture to say McCain values her for the inherent attempt to sway women voters than any cons with regards to her experience. Considering his age, having someone so youthful is probably not a bad thing. I'm really not having too much of a problem with her as VP anyways; like with Biden, I really didn't care too much about the VP choices anyways.

If only we could resurrect Nixon!