I’m old enough to remember the imbroglio that erupted when Rosie O’Donnell declared in 1999 that times had changed, and “we have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun, I think you should go to prison.” Of course, the other shoe dropped the following year, when Rosie hired an armed bodyguard to protect her and her adopted kids. “I don’t personally own a gun,” she said. “But if you are qualified, licensed and registered, I have no problem.”
In short, principles, schminciples. When your physical safety and personal security hit the fan, all bets are off. But isn’t that the sort of crucible where we should expect public figures to prove that their principles actually mean something?
Barack Obama had a similar moment this weekend in the Middle East.
You may remember that Obama has been rather critical of the role the private security firm Blackwater USA has had in helping to rebuild postwar Iraq. “I don’t believe that they should be able to run amok,” he told The Nation in March, “and put our own troops in danger, get paid three or four times or ten times what our soldiers are getting paid. I am the one who has been opposed to those operators.” Obama even suggested in an interview just three weeks ago with Defense News that Blackwater and other private security firms are “eroding the core of our military’s relationship to the nation and how accountability is structured.”
Guess who provided Obama’s personal security detail during his trip to Iraq and Afghanistan?
You can’t make this stuff up folks. And at U.S. News & World Report, Paul Bedard has Obama satisfied enough with the company’s expertise to say that “Blackwater is getting a bad rap.”
Whaddya think, folks? Hypocritical? Or, given all the Messiah-like metaphors being thrown around lately, maybe this is his “Paul on the road to Damascus” moment. Either way, if I’m Blackwater right now, I’m planning the Mother Of All Christmas Parties, complete with vodka-spewing ice sculptures and Keffiyah-clad strippers.
Hat tip: Memeorandum
Obama is a total hypocrite. Obama has said in the past that he would support school vouchers “if empirical research showed that they improved educational outcomes,” now that he is the Democratic party nominee he has flipped another flop and said that he is against the idea of giving parents of poor kids the same chance to send their children to private schools as rich folk. Obama said in prepared remarks before the American Federation of Teachers convention “What I do oppose is using public money for private school vouchers. We need to focus on fixing and improving our public schools; not throwing our hands up and walking away from them.”
Which would be fine and dandy except that Obama himself has thrown up his hands and walked away from public schools because he sends his own two daughters to private schools.
Well, I’m no schoolteacher. Is there empirical evidence to show that vouchers make kids better educated or isn’t there? If not, Obama’s being completely consistent on that one.
Show me — don’t tell me.
I’m so unsure as of who to vote for this year. Can I vote for the Oversneer?
Well, let’s be fair. McCain has done/said some extremely hypocritical things. Turning around on his support for a ban on offshore drilling. You can look at the big-oils campaign finance numbers to see why.
Criticizing Obama for going abroad, when he himself went abroad to Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Changing his position on a timetable.
Politicians will be politicians. I myself try to look beyond just hypocrisy to ferret out the reasons behind. An honest change of heart? Or a calculated campaign tactic?
Right on. And we’re trying to be equal-opportunity truth-seekers here.
Click and you shall find: http://deceiver.com/index.php?s=john+mccain
I will vote for the Oversneer/Pastafarian ticket. Obama is proving he is not the change that his devotees are looking for, I fear they will not be able to see him for what he really is - a meglomaniac.
McCain, when the facts changed, changed his mind (look up Keynes for more on that). The area in ANWR is tiny and has enourmous oil reserves. Obama, on the other left hand, has yet to hold to any principle in his campaign save one: Obama is the Hope and Change and the Way forever and ever amen. The man has bought his own hype, is apparently unaware of the real world around him and believes no one can hold him accountable for his actions/words.
The criticism of Obama’s European vacation is that his campaign staff are treating the whole thing as a presidential event. (He hasn’t actually been elected yet. Hell, he hasn’t, technically, been nominated yet.) Rather than assuming corporations are evil and Republicans are crooks, read some non-mainstream news sources and check the facts. Obama isn’t a deciever, he’s totally honest about his messianic communist goals.
Yep. Right on. Vote for me and you’ll be sorry. I mean vote for me or you’ll be sorry. I mean… you know what I mean. Me and the big O will run this place right.
Who to vote for?
1. Taxes
2. Judges
3. National defense
The differences are as clear as they can be. The choice is simple.
Good lord, to think for a second about voting for another republican makes me want to vomit. To look at Barack and call him a megalomanic… you must be insane. After what this current administration has done to us and by us I mean the entire world, how the hell could you possibly think about voting for a man that aligns himself with that?
Republiwhat?: There are therapy classes available for what ails you. I know sick people aren’t in the postition to notice that they are sick but take my word for it. You are. Get help. And remember- everything will be ok. Bush is not hiding under your bed.
As a vet of Iraq and Afghanistan, I have really mixed feelings about the ’security firms’ (mercs) we’ve employed. Yes, they’re overpaid hotheads with a Rambo complex - but every bullet or IED that hits them is one that might have hit an Coalition soldier. Sounds crass, but who would you really rather get mangled?
As far as the election goes: rip on Bush as much as you want, but to be honest, it hasn’t been half as bad as people try to make it out to be and I think when we look back 20 years from now we’ll have a much different perspective.
We’ve been at war for about 7 years now, liberated some 50-60 million people, while suffering fewer casualties in 7 years than we lost in a single day in France or Iwo Jima. We haven’t had a single successful terrorist attack on American soil since the anthrax attacks. Despite the lack of international support for Iraq, nearly every major nation has continued to support us in the global war on terror.
We’ve managed to draw most of the Middle East’s fighters into a single mass engagement, killing hundreds of thousands of foot soldiers and demolishing their command and communication infrastructure. The attacks meant to bully the Iraqi people into turning on coalition forces have served instead to alienate the hardliners from the populace, and the Iraqi military is becoming even more zealous than us in hunting them down and ridding the country of insurgents. Take the word of a guy who spent more than 3 years combined on the ground in Iraq - this isn’t South Vietnam. When we’re finally ready to pull out, these people will continue the fight without us, and they’ll be trained and equipped to properly do the job.
I have a feeling when the political motives fade a few decades down the road, this administration will be vindicated. No, Bush wasn’t the best President we’ve ever had, but he’s far from being what his detractors make him out to be.
The big O…? You mean Oprah?
“You mean Oprah?”
No I was replying to jenn. She meant you. Of course I’d be happy to be second banana. In case something happened.
To you.
I keep looking for the “None of the Above” box to check on my ballot but they don’t put them on the national elections.
Scott F.:
I thank you for your service to this country.
I don’t think that what Obama can compare to Rosie’s obvious hypocrisy. Obama didn’t say they shouldn’t be there, he just said they should be held accountable in some way. they have diplomatic immunity right now and the only way Obama would look like a hypocrite is if he said that he is now for keeping that immunity in place.
Of course, they are goign to guard him, they guard all politicians who go to Iraq.
But, wow Rosie is such a hypocrite on that one, but I think that she was probably being over passionate when she said that everyone should go to jail. We all say stupid things when we’re emotional.
Scott F. the anthrax was terrorism? I thought no one knew where they came from or who sent them? And what service are you in Scott F. so I can appropriately make fun of and mock your branch of service in a lighthearted manner, I’ll even give you a head start, I’m former Navy.
Oh, right, the topic, Barack’s a hypocrite? I know that, he’s a politician ain’t he? Is that how we’re deciding presidents now? Who’s less hypocritical?
Rocko - I only mention anthrax because I often post on political blogs, and I used to say ‘we haven’t had a terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11′, and some smart-ass would always point out the anthrax attacks or the beltway sniper. I like to cover all my basses so as to not appear foolish.
Should have known you were Navy when we were butting heads earlier - Marine Corps all the way. And yes, I already know My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment (and the more colorful ones).
Ninnies Are Very Yucky. LOL! (justkiddingohgodpleasedon’tkillme)
Scott F. i think you need to do a little research into the things you think went on in these illegal wars. who have you liberated?? you went into anotehr country and killed anyone with a gun, calling them extemists, al ciada in iraq, insurgents, etc. you guys just go around killing, raping and maiming civilians daily, and then say you are liberating people? no one asked you to come liberate them. things are far worse off since the ‘coalition’ came to town.
also im assuming your one of the oblivious ones left who still believe the officla lie of 9/11 that arabs pulled this off. you need to take your head out of your ass and do a little digging my friend. same goes for that obvious lie about the anthrax. this is stats sponsored terror and it couldnt be any more obvious.
all you need to do is stop believing every damn thing you see and are told by your controlled television and go do your own research.
9/11 was an inside zionist job with israeli/mossad fingerprints all over it. the anthrax shit/ come on man, give your head a shake. jesus christ it makes me sick how so many sheep just buy everything they are told on TV from the newsheads and the lieing president and his friends.
WAKE UP!!!!!!!
you were illegally occupying 2 other countries. killing the citizens by the hundreds of thousands. you are liberating no one until you ppl get the hell out of their country. which wil never happen, will it. thats the plan right, to get american bases in tghe middle east to make it easier in assisting israel in its take over. right? do some research for the love of humanity.
I think Bob Dobalina’s tin foil hat is a little too snug. You should think about getting yourself one with an adjustable strap or something there Bob.
I like to put ‘em on my cats so peta can’t get inside their heads.
http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/11/cat-in-tin-foil-hat.jpg
He does have a good point about the stats sponsored terror, though. My fantasy football league is planning a fake terrorist bombing even as we speak.
Scott F. - A Marine? Former Corpsman here. And thanks Simon, now I feel welcome.
Bob - You know the best thing about conspiracies? You don’t need proof. In fact, lack of proof is indicative of a cover-up. And I love a good cover-up story. Yours I’ve heard before and it’s not that good. I like Bush/Cheney neverending Presidency one better. I mean sometimes the truth is just too disheartening.
“al ciada in iraq”
Al ciada in Iraq? Just last summer here in Chicago we had the 17 year al ciadas. They were everywhere. You know that noise they make was the sound fx for the original “War of the Worlds”?
hmmmmm … this Presidential decision will be a tough one. Either a bottom of his class Naval Academy graduate or an honors student at Harvard Law. Sounds like voting for Bush all over again. To be honest I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about this war. I have been opposed from it from the start and I am the furthest thing from a hippie. I am voting for a President that will have the fortitude to get us out of this fiscal hell hole that we have been put in over the past 8 years.
Can you imagine Bush/McCain being the CEO of the company you work for? Oh thats right, it wouldn’t be in business long enough to collect a paycheck much less a pension.
Good luck if we elect another “wanna be!”
Republicans laugh at hope but facing reality is what scares them. Wake up people! Living in fear is not living!
I believe he meant Al Cialis, inventor of Viagra.
John Kerry was an honors student?
John McCain graduated at the bottom of his class huh? I wonder if Effero can fly a fighter jet.
Al Qaeda invented Viagra?! Man know wonder why there are so many of them.
I thought Al Cialis invented the ED medicine Ciallis…..
I firmly believe that anyone who uses the term ‘Zionist’ should be automatically kicked in the nuts. Can anyone here cite a single incidence where the word Zionist was followed up by a rational and well thought out argument?
Yeah Roco - 8 years of fun in the sun. Thunder Run vet, Kuwait to Baghdad in 30 minutes or less :~)
guess this is the wrong place to speak about TRUTH. tinfoil hat? proofs? where is the proof of your offical 9/11 story? there is absolutely none. the 9/11 commission did nothing, thats why we still have families asking them to answer questions that were never answered. they couldnt evewn explain building 7 falling down in the exact same way the other towers did. seriously, they could not explain why that happened. but i guess you guys can tho eh.
did u notice how the secret service came into the clasroom telling bush america was under attack, and then he just sat there? how did they know there were no planes or missiles coming at him? shouldnt he have been whisked away to safety? instead of just sitting there continuing o listen to the kids read?
what about NORADs complete stand down? what about the lack of any boing wreckage at the pentagon? how did jet fuel melt steel causeing the steel framed towers to crumble into their own footprints. the collapses were totally symetric. how does this happen with an uneven crash sites in the towers. how do they both just fall directly straight down into the path of resistance?> this is impossible. if you would open your eyes you would see. its pretty blatant.
instead you ppl are cool to just say oh yea hwere we go, crazy conspiracy theorists here. well i could be saying the same about you, and make fun of you fools for buying such a weak bullshit story.
seriously, think about it. how did those towers fall? its impossible. consult your local physicist. or get a little common sense back into your head. its not hard rto see. you ppl just dont want to, cuz that, on the other hand, is hard to accept. so instead you would like to continue on living in your bubble of obliviousness.
hows that patriot act doin? thats all good eh? nothin like taking away your civil liberties to gain a little safety, eh?
a person who gives up their freedom for safety deserves neither. you dummies are sitting by while the whole country is hijacked by a bunch of maniacal treasonous [pottymouth]. and u do nothing but deny it.
good luck in life.
I can’t tell if your 15 or Canadian, eh!
Well moron, can I call you moron? We did consult our local physicists (really local, I live in Indianapolis and the study was done at Purdue, the school most notable for producing more NASA astronauts than any other) and you know what they told us? You’re retarded.
Melt steel? You do understand that materials don’t need to melt (turn completely to liquid) before they lose structural integrity right? Try bending a crowbar some time, then heat it up in the middle with a blowtorch and bend it - it’s not magic, it’s fucking science.
Why did they fall straight down? Because they had 30-40 stories of weight sitting DIRECTLY above the damaged sections. When a few thousand tons of building is being supported by steel girders with the tensile strength of string cheese, it’s coming down, STRAIGHT down. That’s how gravity works when there is no lateral momentum - seriously, help yourself to a Goddamn physics book.
Here moron. I wouldn’t normally call someone I didn’t know a moron, oh wait, yes I would. Anyway since I won’t really be bothered to argue with someone that so obviously needs to be punched, I’ll let Popular Mechanics do it for me. Try to read it all. I know its a lot of words.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html
I’m going to move to Zion, Illinois so I can be a Zionist. They have a nuclear power plant there. I wonder if there’s a connection?
On a more serious note..
Regardless of how you feel about the war, Sept. 11th, or our country, there are men and women who have selflessly given their lives for you. They spend their days away from their families and risk their lives so we can go on living ours. Have some respect!
They don’t ask where they’re going or why, and it’s not their decision. Take out your anger somewhere else. God put them on this earth so you can sit comfortably in front of your computer looking up conspiracy theories while they face reality in things you’ve never dreamt of.
Speaking of Rosie O’Donnell, I think Bob Dobalina has been watching a little too much of her, O’Donnell of the “never before in history has fire ever melted steel” fame.
But don’t take it from me, Bob, take it from a team of experts in aviation, engineering, and the military.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html
“To investigate 16 of the most prevalent claims made by conspiracy theorists, POPULAR MECHANICS assembled a team of nine researchers and reporters who, together with PM editors, consulted more than 70 professionals in fields that form the core content of this magazine, including aviation, engineering and the military.
In the end, we were able to debunk each of these assertions with hard evidence and a healthy dose of common sense.”
Scott, Rocko, others, thanks for the service. Gotta respect the soldiers putting themselves in harm’s way, even if you disagree with the war.
Bob, every time somebody says something about civil liberties being taken away I wonder what it is they could do before September 11 that they can’t do now? If anything now you know the government could be tapping your phones. If you think they wouldn’t or couldn’t do it before and not inform you and get away with it, you ARE more naive than you THINK I am.
Honestly, Bob, you think that there is a cabal of individuals who clandestinely set up the explosive charges to demolish two 110 story buildings and some other building no one would care about, took a commercial airliner and replaced it with a missile aimed at the Pentagon, making an entire airline, its passengers and crew disappear, never to be heard from again and disposing of the bodies without a trace? This is more believable than 19 psychos hijacked 4 planes and flew 2 into 2 separate buildings causing the buildings to collapse and flew 1 into the Pentagon which caused the plane to disintegrate?
But you’re right I don’t believe the crazy conspiracy theory but you do. You believe over 3,000 American citizens, including members of the military at the military’s headquarters(!!), were killed and the government was, at worst complicit, at best, indifferent, to this act and what are you doing about it? It took less than that for the colonists to tell the King of England to f**k off, it took less than that for half the nation to tell the other half to f**k off and what are you doing? Posting to an internet message board. Posting to an internet message board?! You’re not on the street screaming for revolution? You’re not locked up in prison on charges of “treason?” No, you’re posting to an internet message board. Oh right, you’re trying to wake up us sheep. Well, you did a great job as you can tell by the replies.
OMG, McCain didn’t break every campaign promise he made to the American people. How many times are you people going to continue to make excuses for Obama? How many more times does he have to outright lie to the American people to better serve his interests? How much more of this s*it are you going to take before you start to question his motives? What the hell is wrong with you? This isn’t my first rodeo, and I know an egotistical, arrogant, criminal when I see one. Is there something wrong with your eyesight? Your hearing?
It is beyond me why anyone would want to associate themselves with a man who has no character whatsoever, who says and does anything in order to gain what he wants, a man whose longest friendships are with known criminals. Does this not make you stop and think? We surround ourselves with like-minded people, don’t you think Obama does too?
I wonder where your minds are, what you could possibly have left to hold onto after one by one, he broke every promise he made to the American people. I smell a skunk, a Chicago style, say anything and do anything it takes to gain the prize you seek at the end, thug.
I would like to make a very important point though. Ruling a country means being able to communicate with the rest of the world. How many times have I been verbally abused while travelling abroad because I am an American? Many. How many of those times was the name of our president evoked as the reason for this extreme hatred? Every time.
I also get a lot of, “Ah well, I don’t hate Americans. As individuals you are very nice. It is just your president.”
How could we wish that on ourselves again?
Everytime talk turns to politics in France, Ireland, England, Germany, the Western world, it is always, “Do you think Obama will be elected?”
I for one am ecstatic that the Euro-Peons are waiting excitedly for a new U.S. president. I have lost a lot of sleep worrying what the good people of Slovakia thought of our leader.
Personally I’ve always hated the president of that one country over there. You know the poorer one? The one where there was a war for like 10 years? With the guy, that president that always smelled like last nights vodka, and venison? Yeah that one. I hope they get rid of him. Because it matters to me.
Yes Pastafarian … a BA, BS and MBA give me some background as to call McCain a wannabe. Did you forget they let W fly a F-102 Delta Dagger for the Texas National Guard? Flying a plane doesn’t give any type of background as to intellect. Hell, we sent a monkey into space as the first “manned” vehicle.
As far as your disregard for our European counterparts. Please take a look at the global economy my friend and see where the USA ranks. It may surprise you! If you look at GDP and start yelling USA USA USA … then you absolutely know nothing about finances. Please consider debt in the equation. If it wasn’t for the Europeans helping carry our mortgages at the moment we might all be looking at a catastrophic financial meltdown.
This perception that we don’t need the world is for inbred troglodytes. A world economy is a WORLD economy and it is NECESSARY for the world to help invest in America. We all need to thank them for helping us.
Wake up brother!
I have a friend with a BS, BA, and an MBA. He sells wine for a living. I don’t think he could fly a fighter jet, or be president of the U.S. either.
Europeans own my mortgage? No wonder I keep finding French people in my basement.
“If it wasn’t for the Europeans helping carry our mortgages at the moment we might all be looking at a catastrophic financial meltdown.”
Funny - I thought China was in possession of far more American business investments than Europe.
“We all need to thank them for helping us.”
Yes! Because they’ve been so grateful to us for bailing them out of 2 world wars, rebuilding Europe with the Marshal Plan, cleaning up their messes in their former colonial holdings in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East - all while keeping Ivan from rolling over Western Europe like Hitler through Poland. We’d better get right on being grateful for all the they’ve done for us.
I’m thankful to Europeans for Michael Caine, Patrick McGoohan in “The Prisoner”, a beyond AWESOME series except for the terrible ending, and bunches of other stuff that didn’t really fit into a wise-ass answer but there you go.
Scott F “Funny - I thought China was in possession of far more American business investments than Europe.” You thought wrong my friend. Chinese manufacturing is a different story.
“Yes! Because they’ve been so grateful to us for bailing them out of 2 world wars, rebuilding Europe with the Marshal Plan, cleaning up their messes in their former colonial holdings in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East - all while keeping Ivan from rolling over Western Europe like Hitler through Poland. We’d better get right on being grateful for all the they’ve done for us.”
Check your history books … when did we enter WW2? It wasn’t to bail them out. It was because our own soil was attacked.
Why do I bother. As they say ignorance is bliss and I am writing back and forth with 2 jackasses who sound happy as hell. Good luck in getting your boy McCain elected. Our country can use another 4 years of misery.
Yeah Effy, it really matters WHY we entered the wars doesn’t it? Why not open a history book yourself you [Deleted. Cool it. -- MGMT]? It’s not like we weren’t helping BEFORE Pearl Harbor or anything! No, we didn’t pass Lend-Lease. We didn’t trade them destroyers and B-17s for bases in Iceland and Greenland that we started building up in preparation for our entry into the war. We hadn’t been helping the Chinese against the Japanese for nearly a decade. We never formed American squadrons in China and the UK to help them BEFORE we entered the war.
We surely weren’t sending supplies to the Soviets through Iran, the Arctic, and Siberia by way of Alaska. We didn’t provide millions of trucks, fighters, tanks, engineers, and tons of supplies. Absolutely NONE of those things was going on before we entered the war for our own selfish interest.
Why is it that so often those who accuse others of ignorance are f*cking morons themselves?
You shouldn’t bother. Because I know once the Obamassiah is elected he will lay hands on me, and with his mighty powers this jackass will be healed of my ignorance. But of course once I’m as smart as you I guess I’ll be damned to be forever unhappy. So it’s kinda like a Mobius strip. Now because of this I can’t tell whether I should commit suicide, or just go bowling.
My Savior?
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/5/8/2/obama_walking_on_water.jpg