YellowLinesandArmadillos

Oh I beg to differ. 10x, no McCain is Joe's equal if not worse. Obama, I don't know as well and can't make an informed opinion on that side of him. Part of my problem with him.

Biden and McCain are of the same ilk and who said I was support OBama. I won't vote for McCain, but I am not sold on Obama either. Although Palin and her fundalmental religious views make it more likely for me to vote against her. Up until this point I was thinking of voting for Donald Duck. Remember the last Jimmy Griffin election?

P.S. Biden has a simliar deal to McCain as far as that goes. Could hurt him in his debate with Palin if he reacts badly.

First off, I don't think I can win this argument. I agree. But, I don't think I made a mistake... it is a political thing... Seriously, leadership in a POW deal is a different animal then being a "Leader of Men." Admirable, courageous yes! , But McCain's infamous temper and arrogance makes me believe he will not make a good leader of this country.

I had to bite didn't I? Nice set up. While I disagree with you, I don't think I could ever get you off your high horse on this one.

Man, I am not debating that part of his experience... and it took guts, but up until then his qualification as a flyer didn't mean he was a leader of men. That part I admire about JM, but he still shows to much flyboy do it by himself mentality. That doesn't work as a President. Carter was a case in point. He thought he was smarter than everyone else and ended up becoming a joke because he couldn't work with folks. McCain shows those same tendencies and that is not leadership.

Yes, you have never done community organizing and McCain was a fly boy. It is different. I have done community organizing work and know what that leadership is like and have plenty of family that have served with Fly Boys and know a few fly boys myself, and I wouldn't call them leaders. Most are good people but they are more akin to race car drivers then leaders. More important to me is John McCain's service in the US Senate. That is where he learned to lead "men".... or not ...depending on your political view.

A leader of men? When? He was a fly boy. Those guys tend to be arrogant maverick pricks. It makes them good at what they do, but not leaders. My dad was a frogman and ordinance explosive expert during the time McCain served. My Dad served his team was a leader of Men. Yes, during the time McCain was a POW, where he served his fellow prisoners admirably, but calling him a "leader of men" a opposed to Obama a community organizer in the Southside ghettos of Chicago is a stretch. "Leader of Men" What is that suppose to mean?

Now you are denegrating OBama and Biden's experience, not much different then McCain's experience politically. That being said her response was lacking because she probably was trying to be a team player, may personally disagree with some of Iraq from what I have read and was not going to say anything not according to script. Problem is it came off sounding niave. Once again, a politician unwilling to show a spine in the face of a difficult if not potentially embarrassing question. A better response could have been that I have had some concerns about Iraq, but obviously not been directly involved in FP decisions and as VP will defer to John McCain as part of his team. I will make my views known to him in an appropriate manner.

Viva Viagra

What has that got to do with political leadership. I know many executives and businessmen who couldn't/can't handle the give and take of politics. You have to have a thick skin, a quiet ego and an even temper. Something hard for anyone to be able to handle. Being a good businessman means you take the bull by the horns and go after it. In politics you have to bring everyone along with you and those that disagree with you, you make sure they stay even closer, giving all praise and credit when it was your idea in the first place. How about the same for McCain and Palin. McCain did PR work for his father-in-law and Palin was a soccer mom before getting politically involved. Not that there is anything wrong with either. All were involved in Politics early in their careers and I believe that at least is a better qualifier for President... working with people.

No... never have. They are always short term anyway and mean little in November. Problem is Kerry did, sat on his laurels and went wind surfing. I knew at that point he had lost the election, so no and I am glad it is small because regardless Obama needs to keep working if he wants to win.

No, wasn't with Hillary ever, though help her staff out a couple of times. Agree that LA State and Local Agencies were caught with their pants down, but the Bush response was pathetic as well initially and then is was SNAFUd until he final fired the FEMA guy and got the General with the National guard in there. Miss has hit hard but wasn't flooded and they have a heckuv a time too but they were not flooded. Helped that Halley Barbor was the Governor both from a partisan standpoint but more so because he knew Washington from his days at the RNC and new which strings to pull and which phone calls and forms to fill out. Sorry, I still believe the WH played politics with this one initially. The Texas response to Rita in the Port Charles area was a joke. They never got an audience on TV so no attention was paid to it. NO actually had a better response as pathetic as that sounds. Port Charles looked like a bomb had gone off, but no one was there to help out even in January when we went through. NO had tons of folks helping out, Miss had more. Port Charles had nothing, don't give me that crap.

And less movement overall, which I believe is more accurate. I am sorry, I just don't believe in these short term aberrations (bounces) in the first place. Give me a trend line and if a couple of significant things happening, usually on the ground, not in the press, they show up a couple of weeks later in the polls. Which is why McCain has been closing. While Obama was recuperating from its primaries and to an extent mending fences with HRC folks, the McCain campaign unencumbered and has been more aggressive on the ground. That is what is really being missed by the press and showing up in the polls. Obama seems to be returning to ground and things have stabilized. Now lets see where all this goes.

Thank for the clarification. And it is a surprise that Palin is giving McCain some short term energy? Duh!

I remember a few Republican right wingers making similar statements about NO before Katrina because of NO reputation for how shall I say this promiscuousness. If I remember correctly they said that is was God punishing the godless. Either way I don't wish bad on the people of NO and hope the Republican admin is able to make amends.

I just another poll stating the Obama was up by 3. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_con...l_tracking_poll

Sorry, I was a lurker for a couple of years. Mostly on the football side of things, but when I worked on the Hill, I couldn't respond on the political side because of my job. Also, I think that I had another avatar for a while. Can't remember my avatar (likely North Buffalo) but not sure and decided on this one in '06. So whatever. I remember the debate on this board and got active in '06 when I was in San Diego after driving through NO.

Statistically speaking you are right, but as we both know stats can't account for all the error and often way off. Furthermore, they are moment in time reaction and I still don't believe the error margin no matter who is taking the poll. Stats are off way too much to be given much consideration at this point in time.

An initial positive reaction for Palin, I get, but a 2,000 sample size is hardly conclusive. Wait until this poll has been repeated a few dozen times. Also, the initial poll after the Dem convention was a positive 10. I think the biggest help she is going to be is on fundraising with energizing the conservative base. But McCain and she both buck the Republican political establishment occasionally and remains to be seen between now and November, how many they piss off. But the Republicans, as typically the do, are already overselling her. This is going to get ugly.

We have been through this on an earlier post. At first she supported it, then flip flopped when it became politically expedient.

No you understand them, you just don't like the realities of politics. Bashing your opponent wins elections. The math is simple, it is easier to soundbite put your opponent down then to explain in the same amount of time nuanced policy proposals without opening yourself up piece meal attacks. Sorry, it just doesn't work. Even Obama's proposal to lower taxes on the middle class and balance the budget (a fairly simple policy proposal) has been met by Republican attacks that he plans to raise taxes... on large corporations and the rich. It is just too easy to do, even on a dummied down lacking specifics policy proposal. Hence it is easier to attack and hopefully keep your opponents supporters disgruntled and change to vote of the few fence sitters to be against your opponent. It is reality, come out from under that idealist rock and if you want to be constructive, work on a way to inject maturity into politics and have it be a winning formula. I will believe when I see it.

LOL

If you are commander in chief obviously you don't, if you are a candidate, especially a primary candidate you do. So why did McCain announce his plans too?

You forgot to mention even metro Buffalo (900,000), now there is a slap... at who I am not sure.