Letter of the week, 9/8/08: McCain, Obama and rumors

[David]

McCain, Obama and rumors
Editor:

I would like to respond to the recent letters published by a few McCain/Palin supporters, but unlike them, I will not attack their candidates or spread rumors.

Senator Obama is clearly ready and able to lead our country. After graduating from law school, he practiced as a civil rights attorney before being elected to the Illinois State senate 1997-2004, and was elected to the U. S. Senate in November 2004, where he has served since. Log onto the Library of Congress website where you'll find that Senator Obama has sponsored over 129 bills in Congress, including the Ethics Reform Law, the Illinois Campaign Finance Reform in 1998, was an original co-sponsor of legislation to expand U.S. cooperation to destroy conventional weapons, keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists, and has sponsored and passed numerous health care, education and veterans laws.

As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised. In 2006, Congress passed a Veterans Affairs Committee bill which included Obama's SAVE Act and Homes for Heroes Act, which provides homeless services for our veterans. He also passed welfare reform in Illinois that moved people from welfare to work and was praised by Republicans for this.

On that note, he was also praised by our own Senator Lieberman in 2006, where in a televised speech reported by the AP in every major newspaper, he said, "He is a blessing to the United States Senate, to America and to our shared hopes for better, safer tomorrows for all our families. As his mentor, as his colleague, as his friend, I look forward to helping him reach to the stars and realize not just the dreams he has for himself, but the dreams we all have for him and his blessed country."

On a personal level, I feel that Senator Obama has the passion, conviction and integrity to lead our country and make us even more proud to be Americans. Senator Obama represents all Americans, not just the elite. He gives us hope, pride, and inspires us and our younger generation to care about the future of our great nation. He will push for alternative fuels, fight for affordable health care, provide an economic plan that will cut taxes for working families and help small businesses. He stands up for the very people who make up the majority in this county - the middle class. I believe in him.

I would like to hear McCain supporters talk about why they think their candidate can lead us, rather than mocking the candidate they choose not to vote for.

JACKI CHARETTE, PLANTSVILLE

[Kathy]

Thank you, Jacki. A beautiful letter I hope everyone will read. I could not say it any better. Kathy Lupack, Meriden

[rapuda]

The republicans mock Obama supporters because it works.
McCain said he would take the high road on the campaign trail until he found out that it was getting him nowhere. Once he started attacking Obama, he noticed a difference in the polls. Both sides are guilty of dirty tactics but the republicans only have dirty tactics and fear tactics. They can't talk about the issues because they would lose. Their strategy is to divert attention away from the issues and concentrate on the opponents personality and character. They do this because it works. Many Americans believe the garbage they hear from the republican spin masters, so who's more at fault, the people creating the lies, or the ignorant people that believe them? The democrats should've won the last two presidential elections. They were the favorites going in, but lost. Are we going to see history repeat itself?
After 8 years of incompetence, is there actually a chance McSame could be our next president?
The democrats keep being out smarted by the republicans. This election should be a land slide win for the democrats, but so far it's close.
Hopefully when the debates start, people will realize Obama talks issues, McSame talks Bush policies.

Insanity is doing the same thing but expecting a different result.

McCain is Bush. Voting for him is voting for Bush again. Many people seem to have forgotten about the idiot we currently have in office and are hoping McCain will be different. To those people, your insane!

[alwaysright]

people are realizing that the damaged man is up to regular no good repub politics just like little george and his ilk.

Did anyone catch the great video of palin at that goofball church of hers???
so....she says it's gawd's wish that the pipeline be built- tells the people to pray for that- and then tells them that the war is gawd's plan as well. NICE gentle gawd there.

[Falls Plain Resident]

I am having a hard time believing that our compassionate, caring, honest, capable Democratic candidate is neck-and-neck with evil, cantankerous, impulsive, DANGEROUS, OLD McCain.
I have been criticized often by people who do not want their taxes increased to care for the elderly, poor, or disabled---as if these complaining worker bees are even cut out to be REAL Republicans, whose entire platform is based on rich-get-richer and to hell with the rest of you. It's not these members of the working class, the MIDDLE class (if they are lucky!) who should be paying more taxes anyway! It's the very wealthy, who often pay no taxes or very little. Yet these people seem oblivious to the fact that their salaries do not allow them to travel in the wealthy circles of the REAL Republicans, who only want them in their party for their sheer numbers!
If they knew what was good for them, they would unite with the other 99% of the American populus who has only 1% of the wealth. The Have-Nots should be sticking together and voting as one block. But no, some people have fallen for the work of Rove, who has actually convinced these dopes that they can be real Republicans and driven a wedge between the laboring class, separating the compassionate from the callous.
It's amazing, because many of them claim to be very religious; yet they turn their backs on their sisters and brothers, not caring if the underpriviledged or impoverished even survive. From what church did they glean this nasty philosophy, I wonder?
I am stupified that Rove has managed to convince people to vote against their own best interests! But if we Democrats lose in November, it will be proof that some people are so dumb that they do not even know what is good for them anymore!

[rapuda]

But if we Democrats lose in November, it will be proof that some people are so dumb that they do not even know what is good for them anymore!

Remember the last election?
We knew what we had and we kept it.

Is three times a charm?

We shall see.

[alwaysright]

I've read that over half of americans are really stupid. If McCaged wins- I'd have to say that number is even higher.

[flatrat]

The Republicans are masters of the political campaign process. They know the issues work against them so they create a carnival of diversion and gimmicks, like Sarah Palin and attacking Obama over all sorts of erroneous superficial stuff.

A certain number of people will not vote for Obama because he is black. It appears that older people still hold those prejudices much more than younger people. Yet its McCain who is attacking social security.

The Republicans pander to the basest fears of people.

McCain's latest ads, Lipstick on the Pig, taken totally out of context, and Obama and sex education for children, show how desperate the republicans are to avoid the huge issues facing America today- the economy, the war, the deficit, and the carbon crisis.

Obama is still leading McCain in electoral votes. When the press finally gets to interview Palin, some of her buzz will fade. Hopefully when she is finished being indoctrinated by Joe LIE-berman and his ilk, she will know what a vice president does.

[rapuda]

Absolutely correct flatrat.
How blind can people be? It's obvious whenever the democrats get traction on something the republicans create a diversion. They will attack someones character but won't attack the issues. They do this because it works. It works because people vote from sound bites and 15 second TV ads. (swift boat) The republicans are smarter than the democrats. They have better strategies and know what works and when to do it. So far, the McCain campaign is doing a brilliant job against Obama. Anything the Obama camp does against Palin, turns into an unfair sexist attack against her. The lipstick comment is being made out to be a bullying attack against Palin from Obama. Give me a break. Stop the whining. Take the skirt off and fight back Palin. Oh wait a minute, that's the strategy. Make Palin look like a victim. Why? Because it works.

I'm tired of the democrats being wimps. It's time to take the gloves off and fight. Stop worrying about how it will look. Stop worrying about energizing the conservative base because it already is. Do what needs to be done. Stop tip toing around the republicans. Put up or shut up.
When will the democrats realize thier strategy hasn't worked and still isn't working?