offtopicrant

She wasn’t a fan of the troop surge, which is a good thing.  But, she’s an idiot.

Former Governer of Arkansas

At least the Rerun. I was going to live blog the debate but the idea bored me so much I took a nap. 

But I’m up in time for the rerun. Anderson Cooper, Mr. Closet, is the moderator.  Good choice, CNN. 

This is the gimmick debate.  America’s Home Video:  The Debate. People are supposed to send in videos of themselves asking a question.  

The debate leads out with showing a bunch of slightly entertaining videos that they “wont use”.  Sure.  At least I guess they won’t use the questions. I couldn’t understand the first question.  He was talking way to fast and it was more a comment about politicians than a question, although I’m not sure exactly what the comment was that he was making. 

But the candidates don’t need to know the question to be able to answer, they aren’t going to address the question anyway. “Will you be different than do-nothing officials who can’t do their jobs?” is how CNN phrased the question, although I think he asked “How will you be different”. 

Biden has experience.  Obama brings perspective as a community organizer. 

Next is a question for Dennis Kucinich “How would American be better off with you as President than Hillary or Obama”? 

Kucinich is the only one who voted against funding the war from the get go.  But don’t forget his daddy and brother were Marines, so he supports the troops. Hillary thinks Democrats are united for change.  She’s ready to lead. 

Obama thinks “this” is not just a Republican problem.  I’m not sure what the hell that has to do with the questions, which didn’t discuss Republicans at all. Next Question.  To Hillary.  “How do you define the word liberal and would you use that word to define yourself”. 

In the last 30-40 years the word has been made to seem that it’s a word that means big government.  I prefer the word progressive, I consider myself a moderate progressive.  She said more but my eyes glazed over. Mr. Closet asked Gravel if he was a liberal.  He said he wouldn’t use that word.  Then he talked about Obama taking money from lobbyists and special interest groups. 

Obama said that’s not true. I missed a question going to the kitchen.  CNN framed it “If you had to choose any Republican as your running mate, who would it be?” 

Biden answered by saying something about public financing for public elections. Edwards wants to bring about big change. 

Then they showed candidate produced UTube 30 second spots.  What the hell? Chris Dodd did one about having a lot of hair that’s all white. 

Edwards is asked if African Americans will get reparations for slavery. Edwards isn’t for reparations.  But he wants to address the issue of blacks paying higher interest rates on mortgages than whites. 

Obama thinks we need to invest in schools as a form of reparations.  Asking for a show of hands, Kucinich says yes, he’s in favor of reparations.  He quotes the Bible that seems to have said something about reparations and schools and defense contractors. 

A question for Dodd.  Would the response to Katrina been different if the people had been white instead of black. Dodd says yes.  I guess he doesn’t realize how many white people got ignored along the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Katrina. 

Richardson thinks some of the lack of response was politics because the state was run by a democrat. The next question was to Obama and Clinton.  I couldn’t understand the question.  Mr. Closet asked Obama to respond to those who say he’s not authentically black enough. 

Obama wouldn’t answer the question.  He talked about healing racial division. Clinton was asked about whether she was feminine enough.  She said she’s running as a woman because that’s all she can do, she’s not running because she’s a woman. 

Mr. Closet asked Edwards about his wife saying he’d represent women better than Hillary.  He responded by talking about minimum wage laws. Then the idiot Cooper asked Hillary if Edwards was a better advocate for women than she is. 

What the hell kind of waste of time is this nonsense.  I’m done with it.  I’m switching channels to a Law and Order re-run. 

Update:

The Agitator has a list of questions he’d like to ask.

Update:

Althouse actually thinks CNN did a pretty good job.  Maybe she just has a longer attention span than I do.

I think who becomes our next President is very important.  But all this staged circus crap just puts me to sleep.

Lynn Westmoreland, of the 3rd district of Georgia is busy protecting our language from the ravages of immigration.

He seems to think that English is a dying language that must be protected.  Without government support our language would not survive.  Lynn Westmoreland would make a good frenchman.  

Why is it that we have so many southern politicians that make me embarrassed to admit I’m a southerner? 

Sam Brownback seems to think access to dirty movies is an issue that presidential candidates should take a position on.

His position seems to be

“Sam Brownback was a leader on pro-life, pro-family issues long before he decided he was running for president. I have worked with him on the issue of pornography and there is no question that a President Brownback would appoint an Attorney General who would make sure federal obscenity laws were enforced. If you want a safer internet and prosecution of hard-core pornographers, Sam is your man.”

But, if you’ll look at, for example, what Ed Meese did it’s not clear what that means.

Ed Meese used government power to seize and destroy truckloads of magazines he considered sexually offensive but prosecute anyone, he just used goverment power to financially destroy people. 

I’ve asked Brownback for clarification of his position on the role of government in restricting or monitering the distribution or possession of adult oriented films with strong sexual content.

Globalism is an issue raised by Ron Paul.

He describes it this way

The basic idea is that foreigners cannot manage their own affairs so we have to do it for them. This may require sending troops to far off lands that do not threaten us, and it may also require “welcoming with open arms” people who come here illegally. All along globalists claim a moral high ground, as if our government is responsible for ensuring the general welfare of all people. Yet the consequences are devastating to our own taxpayers, as well as many of those we claim to be helping.

I’ve asked Sam Brownback his opinion (July 17)

I’ve asked John McCain his opinion (July 18)

The guy is just pathetic

Here’s what he says about himself in his bio

David Vitter is dedicated to making life better for his young family and all Louisiana families. He’s focused on putting Louisiana first as an independent and outspoken reformer, and on advancing mainstream conservative principles.

His four kids are all under 13. 

It’s not clear what Mitch McConnell thinks about the war in Iraq.  He says he’s outspoken, but he’s outspoken without saying much.