Thursday, September 11, 2008

America Can Win In Iraq

FT: "Democratic jitters about the US presidential race have spread to Capitol Hill, where some members of Congress are worried that Barack Obama’s faltering campaign could hurt their chances of re-election. Party leaders have been hoping to strengthen Democratic control of the House and Senate in November, but John McCain’s jump in the polls has stoked fears of a Republican resurgence. A Democratic fundraiser for Congressional candidates said some planned to distance themselves from Mr Obama and not attack Mr McCain."

RealClearPolitics reports McCain beats his opponent in the polls, on favorables, and on Intrade. But that's not the most worrying news facing Dems: the generic congressional gap has closed to 3 points, as even the popularity of George W. Bush continues to inch upwards, although Dubya is still loathed at a rate of roughly 2:1.

Dem internals are probably far worse. This week saw the candidate of hope scrambling to spin an 'innocent' version of his 'stinks like old fish' remark, lining up one of his celebrity buddies to find a place for him. Letterman clearly didn't get the job done cause a second appearance on Saturday Night Live follows this weekend. That may have been the plan all along.

Or the candidacy may be cratering. Smooth-to-slick-to-creepy isn't the transformation the campaign had in mind. But Obama's famous smile seems increasingly forced. There's a tension in his strut that suggests the writing on the wall is coming into sharper focus. Obama has been pandering to the Republican base. Young people are famously fickle. Time to shuffle the deck.

Goofing for the camera and abasing himself for a few cheap laughs may add some temporary lustre to a campaign clearly gone stale and cold. What comes after that? Another temple? More insults? Obama offers nothing new, although it seems clear a large number of Americans are still waiting for a message. Therein lies the tension. Obama has nothing new to say. Every appearance the message is the same: 'I'm cool'. An increasing number of voters are now asking: 'So what?'

'We're cool, together.' doesn't cut it with a war in Iraq to win and rising fuel prices stalking American families. Among older voters, especially women and independents, enthusiasm for the Obama campaign has shifted dramatically. The 'what ifs' are endless. Had the press decided not to protect John Edwards a different candidate might have won the Dem primary. But the real blame can be placed on the shoulders of the candidate himself, who continues to alienate voters with his arrogance, his elitism, his breezy condescension and his volatile impatience with any who question his honesty and integrity.

Dems are paying attention and are genuinely fearful of finding themselves on the wrong side of a President America trusts and admires.

Domestic and foreign policy concerns meet on the questions of energy and Iraq. Jobs, government expenditures, national security and the environment are all affected.

An American victory in Iraq is necessary and achievable. Victory means political stability, with bases for US troops who will remain in the ME fulfilling the mission of the Carter doctrine. Complete support for US troops and their families is the cornerstone of McCain's policy. Service merits nothing less. A ticker-tape parade or two is likely in the offing as well.

Nuclear energy is America's only option if Americans are serious about reducing dependence on foreign sources of carbon fuels. McCain will build 45 new nuclear plants, creating energy and jobs. McCain's pro-nuclear position and clear specifics stands in stark contrast to that of the Dems.

President John McCain and Vice-President Sarah Palin, along with a reformed and genuinely chastened Republican party are ready to lead America into the reality of the 21st century. The alternative is a dream.

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Monday, September 8, 2008

Back in the Saddle

It's been a while, but the resurgence of the right warms my heart. Time to put my tiny shoulder to the wheel and put the boot to bad times and bad actors.

Barack Obama Claims That He Actually Wanted to Join the US Military, But Didn't Cause There Wasn't a War To Fight. Seems what held back this terrible Dem tiger was an unfortunate lack of blood and gunfire.
The Vietnam War had come to an end. We weren't engaged in an active military conflict at that point. And so, it's not an option that I ever decided to pursue."
Waaaa...!! Damn that Viet-Nam ceasefire!! The Telegraph notes Barack omitted any previous mention of this deeply-held desire to join the US military. Nothing appears in any interview or publication. Memory loss? Scouring the formative years of his own past, Obama writes nothing about considering a military career, or any form of military service, in either of his two celebrity self-profiles.

Dems savaged Dick Cheney for masquerading as a patriot while doing everything possible to avoid suiting up. And why not? Called to duty five times, college student Dick Cheney received five separate dispensations from Selective Services, thus denying the would-be warrior the chance to guard America's future.

Grandpa Biden Has His Own Pain to Deal With: Five Deferments. Just like Dick, Biden, the 'bare-knuckle' Dem Vice-Presidential candidate was 'denied' the right to serve five times. The silver-maned patriot waged a different kind of war, waddling through mountains of Congressional pork, waging war on drugs, and shrieking about morality.

George W. Bush stands head and shoulders above this crowd. It's that bad. What with Barack's crap about the 'route-march' not traveled and Biden-Cheney's identical five deferments, Dubya, who actually made it into a recruiting center and into uniform, is positively heroic.

Barack, Bush both claim to have considered' going to Viet Nam. Barack-Dubya both use exactly the same excuse to to 'explain' why staying home seemed a wiser path. With Viet Nam ending, Barack-Bush would have no chance of shedding blood for country.

Damn! Now it all makes sense. Obama wanted to wear the uniform! It's so easy to picture Rambo-Obama on the roof-top of the US Embassy protecting the last helicopter out. True! Pesky peace kept the youthful patriot from achieving his high-school dream of serving Uncle Sam. If only Nixon had kept the war going until Obama had a chance to suit up! Totally believable. The One simply forgot to tell anyone of his secret ambition to head into combat!

Dubya-Barack are as patriotic as every other American. Both served in elite Ivy League schools, 'toughing it out' on term papers and all-night cram sessions before going on to pursue individual national political ambitions.

And the Dubya-Obama similarities don't end there. Obama now claims the Bush tax-breaks for the rich are necessary.

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