Two Hundred Forty Nine Days And Counting
No, President Bush wasn’t attacking Barack Obama in his hugely inappropriate smack down before the Israeli Knesset yesterday in which he criticized a certain politician who would appease America’s enemies by speaking to “terrorists and radicals,” White House officials said on the record today while telling reporters off the record that Obama is of course who was being targeted.
Two hundred forty nine days and counting.
Obama fired back in a speech in South Dakota today:
“After eight years, I did not think I could be surprised by anything George Bush says, but I was wrong. That’s exactly the kind of appalling attack that has divided our country and has alienated us from the world. That’s why we need change in Washington.”
Two hundred forty nine days and counting.
Meanwhile, John McCain picked up on the theme of the man with the 27 percent job approval rating and tag teamed his presumptive rival in the fall campaign by asserting that Obama would appease Hamas, although in the past he himself has suggested that the U.S. should talk to the terrorist group.
Two hundred forty nine days and counting.
Obama also laid into McCain, pointing out that he had given a speech yesterday calling for civility and bipartisanship but then embraced Bush’s attacks.
“So much for civility,” Obama said.
Two hundred forty nine days and counting.
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22 Responses to “Two Hundred Forty Nine Days And Counting”
[...] Phillybits wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptTwo Hundred Forty Nine Days And Counting May 16th, 2008 by SHAUN MULLEN, TMV Columnist No, President Bush wasn’t attacking Barack Obama in his hugely inappropriate smack down before the Israeli Knesset yesterday in which he criticized a certain politician who would appease America’s enemies by speaking to “terrorists and radicals,” White House officials said on the record today while telling reporters off the record that Obama is of course who was being targeted. Two hundred forty nine [...]
[...] BlueHerald 2.0: News You Can Abuse! wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptTwo Hundred Forty Nine Days And Counting May 16th, 2008 by SHAUN MULLEN, TMV Columnist No, President Bush wasn’t attacking Barack Obama in his hugely inappropriate smack down before the Israeli Knesset yesterday in which he criticized a certain politician who would appease America’s enemies by speaking to “terrorists and radicals,” White House officials said on the record today while telling reporters off the record that Obama is of course who was being targeted. Two hundred forty nine [...]
“My friends, let's start with some straight talk. You have to vote for me because Obama loves Hitler…” – McCain
This was an obvious mis-step by Bigger. When Bush began speaking about appeasers, it was dumb of Bigger to take offense. Let me make my example with a little story. I'm an American, I lived in Sydney Australia for about 7 years when I was about college age. I had a very neutral US accent and was often mistaken as being a Canadian or a New Zealander. Australians don't care much for Kiwis, so, sometimes when I was out in bars, to try to get a rise out of me, other patrons would tell make disparaging comments about Kiwis. It didn't bother me because it took a while for it to dawn on me that the insults were directed at me. I didn't take offense because, hey, I'm not from New Zealand.
Bigger, took offense to Bush's remarks because, well, he thought that the remarks were directed at him. Whether they were or were not, is a matter of debate. However, because Bigger took offense, he forever linked himself to the remarks.
I don't often go into comments but what is this nickname you're using.? I'd appreciate it if you use the name “Obama”. Thanks. Just so there is no misunderstanding in more ways than one.
I refer to him as Bigger after Bigger Thomas, the main character in the novel, 'Native Son'. Much as he may try to hide it, deep down, I believe that underneath it all, Mr. Obama is Bigger Thomas.
As a bonus, Bill Ayers can be represented by the character, Jan – a subversive communist.
[...] The Moderate Voice – Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporti… wrote an interesting post today on Two Hundred Forty Nine Days And CountingHere’s a quick excerptTwo Hundred Forty Nine Days And Counting May 16th, 2008 by SHAUN MULLEN, TMV Columnist No, President Bush wasn’t attacking Barack Obama in his hugely inappropriate smack down before the Israeli Knesset yesterday in which he criticized a certain politician who would appease America’s enemies by speaking to “terrorists and radicals,” White House officials said on the record today while telling reporters off the record that Obama is of course who was being targeted. Two hundred forty nine [...]
And I refer to PWT as Wigger after Lones Wigger, winner of the 1964 Olympic gold medal in the three-position, small-bore rifle event. Both are such straight shooters.
Come to mention I am indeed aware of that book and we even ran a review of it on TMV. Even so, the author of that book came up with that name by adding a “B” on the “N word” and since this is election year where people are already ready to spring at the slightest perceived slight or offense, let's NOT use that name on this site.
Just call him Obama or Barack and life will be beautiful and no one can then turn the name into an issue (if they don't know about the book) and will focus on your actual comments on the posts and the political scene in general.
Part of the reason that I came upon this nick-name, is my desire to have more people exposed to the novel. Mostly, of course, I chose the name because I knew that it would stir people up, especially his supporters (barack straps?).
“knew that it would stir people up”
Ah, so it's a Volksverhetzung kinda thing. Lovely.
Actually I thought your nickname was a cross between 'Bama and Nigger as well. In fact, I'm pretty sure you knew we would. Considering that seems to be a similar motivtion of your source too, why not knock it off.
And Obama took offense to the remarks because they were certainly, without a doubt, directed at him. Which again I find funny because talking instead of invading is exactly what we need to do.
I think we made ahuge mistake in not recognizing Hamas as the elected party in Palestine. It was a complete win-win for us. Hamas is a terrorist organization because blowing up things is all they've ever had to do. Compared to getting anything done thats actually pretty easy work. Them being elected democratically would have produced one of two results had we backed them:
1) Hamas continues to be immoderate terrorists that do nothing but blow things up. As a result they fail miserably in making life better for the palestinian people, lose their respect, and get voted out for the ineffectual psychopaths they are.
2) Hamas actually knuckles down and makes the trains run on time. In order to govern successfully and produce any prosperity for the people they would HAVE to moderate themselves. In which case they cease to be a terrorist organization as they have and become more like something we can actually begin to deal with. A win.
The only way we screw that up is to do with Bush did, invalidate the people's votes, further support Hamas' propoganda that we don't care about democracy at all in other nations, and provided Hamas with an excuse to fail which otherwise the palestinian people would have held them accountable for. All because of this incredibly stupid misconception about dealing with today's problems.
Once again, thanks neocons. I really can't wait until you guys are out and grown ups are in the White House. Its going to be a good day for the world.
Yes, I'm not going to keep commenting on this. We can't do that on this site. We don't mind people debating issues or ideas but we don't want it for all the reasons outlined above. It's not that hard to lambast Obama, or McCain, or Bush or Clinton by using their real names. When this kind of thing starts we get complaints from readers and TMV cobloggers and it winds up with comments being pulled,etc. Consider this section your op-ed page. I don't think a newspaper would allow that name, even with the literary sourcing, to be used in an op ed piece for the same reason. And with that…I move onto other things……………..And all of you can debate the issues raised by Shaun above and say whether you agree or disagree and outline why.
[Sorry Joe]
I wonder which one PWT likes better, McSame or McBush
[/Sorry Joe]
Slamfu,
You make an excellent argument about dealing with Hamas. For what it's worth, I think a big problem with our foreign policy is its focus on a top down approach. We can change Iran by pressuring its leaders, we can change Pakistan by pressuring its leaders, etc.
By doing that we've lost focus on how we appear to the average Iranian, Palestinian and Pakistani. If the goal is democracy world wide, then we have to influence things from the ground up and as well as from the top down.
A misstep by Obama? Not a chance. No, this was exactly what the doctor called for. It called attention once again to the sheer buffoonery of George Bush as he appears on the international stage. Not that we really needed reminding, but in doing so, Obama also tied John McCain ever tighter to the man. It demonstrated Obama is ready, willing and more than able to punch back, whether it be against the sitting Republican President or his Republican heir in waiting. And as an added bonus for Obama, it once again shuts Hillary out of the news cycle, while allowing him to act like the convention is over.
George Bush handed a golden baton to Obama to run with, and Obama is running hard, while beating Bush and McCain over the head with it.
Just curious but how is Barack Obama Bigger Thomas? I see Bigger Thomas as the stock self-destructive uber-black fellow, like the gangsta rapper, the drug dealer, Huey Newton, the Mack, Stagger Lee and the like. Obama is about as far from that character as you can get.
I make the characterization of Barak Obama, Southside Chicago's own native son, to the main character of 'Native Son' because Mr. Obama, Southside Chicago's own native son, is the black man let in to the white family bacause of white guilt that repays the favor by murdering the family's only daughter. I believe that white guild may propell Mr. Obama, Southside Chicago's own native son, into the White House and that America will be sorry for having done so.
Because he's black? Niiiiice.
A Warren mayor used the claim of saying “bigger” when he actually used the N word. Stop the charade PWT…
Careful, Chris. With “My Friends,” as Al Franken can demonstrate, you could also be having some wicked fun at the expense of Rush Limbaugh. (McCain starts his sentences or phrases that way, Limbaugh ends them that way.)
“A Warren mayor used the claim of saying “bigger” when he actually used the N word.”
1. Warren — I got off the freeway today and went south, into Warren — past the police car already on duty before noon (hmmm), drove a couple more miles south, and then turned around. (Those big old automotive plants are fascinating in their own way, even though they don't qualify for fully-fledged Gritty City perverse fascination status, the way Newark, NJ, does. They're impressively large, though.)
2. [paraphrasing a Georgia sheriff from about 70 years ago to save others the trouble] “When a looter kills a nice man, it's murder; when a nice man kills a looter, it's justifiable homicide, and when a looter kills a looter it's one less looter.”
As far as not naming names….. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who Bush meant (others in the president's party have made the same charge)….
I still can't help but wonder what Bush was thinking by not mentioning Obama's name. Bush shouldn't have left his statements open for interpretation…. he is the president of the US speaking in an official capacity before the legislative branch of a foreign government. Given that the whole world (especially the Arabs and Israelis when Bush is before the Knesset) listens to the US president's words to glean some meaning from them, to be squirrelly in his speech is just so…. un-presidential…. and more fitting of a mafia don who is ordering a hit on someone but doesn't want to say that person's name…
In my mind Bush was was showing disrespect to Obama (and disrespect to his own office as POTUS) by not mentioning Obama's name and being squirrelly about the whole thing. This is just as bad as using inappropriate nicknames….
Personally I wouldn't use McSame or McBush but I think it's probably OK to use those names because we're talking about two politicians very closely related on policy and methods (and they are in the same political party and one hopes to succeed the other). And to use “McSame” or “McBush” is, IMO, a literate way to tie Bush and McCain together and get one's meaning across without further explanation. Though I still wouldn't use either nickname but that's just me.
As far as Obama… we shouldn't use PWT's preferred nickname, and I think it's interesting that PWT, by his own admission, intentionally used it to stir people up, especially Obama's supporters. I don't think it's appropriate to use hateful racist (or sexist or whatever) names to stir up that person's supporters. Anyway my reaction to that name was to dismiss PWT as someone who just wanted to start a fight rather than engage in a respectful dialogue. Just like Bush was trying to do a little Obama bashing in Israel.
So if one wants to be taken seriously (and I would imagine that Bush would have wanted to be taken seriously when he addressed the Knesset) it's important to be clear and steer away from inflammatory names (and remarks). I agree completely with Joe that we can debate the issues and use acceptable names. To do otherwise (as Bush showed in his speech and as evidenced in some of the comments here) invites a certain amount of disrespect, hostility and dismissiveness.