Are Tightening Polls a Sign of a John McCain Surge?
Reader Comments
McCain a hero?
An outside perspective:
Is Mr. McCain a war hero? Americans have a strange sense of heroism.
The facts are McCain finished 4th from the bottom in his naval academy, a big class, nearly 900 people, and this in spite of the fact that both his father and grandfather were admirals. Wow, me must have a naturally gifted military mind.
He also crashed two of his training planes, plus a private plane -- and the only reason he became a prisoner was that he disobeyed direct orders to return to his carrier (it is said and again hit the ground in a US plane. What a superb pilot!
He was a prisoner of war in Vietnam while his father was the acting Admiral, and his captors referred to him as "The Prince". Just think about it a little, how would that work? The other prisoners called McCain something like "the bird", because he spilled the beans on more then just his name, rank, and serial number -- while many others (who's fathers weren't admirals) did not. Hero, are you sure someone is not pulling the wool over your eyes yet again? Are you sure you are not confusing Hollywood with reality again?
On the other hand, you have a man Obama, who came from zero means, raised by his single mother and grandparents, a black kid living in a split society with every disadvantage in the US against him, yet he fought and worked his way to the top of his class at Harvard and is now actually running against someone who left his crippled wife to marry a millionaire's daughter, who conveniently financed his rise in politics.
Someone above suggested that the reason the rest of the world would prefer Obama as your president is because he is weak. Please let me speak for the rest of the world... no we prefer Obama because we would one day hope to be visited by a real American hero, someone who is intelligent and inspiring, not the under-achieving son of privilege who will thrash-about and cause everyone else a world of headaches like the last wonder-boy you sent us.
Is the BS? You're welcome to Google away: try "Vietnam vets against McCain" for a start.
Cheers,
Frank
To Jane of WA
Are you really Hillary Clinton? Your last comment about how when elected his wife had better "keep an eye on him".Was a dead give away...
embarrassed
I'm addicted to reading these comments on new articles, yet always embarrassed at how unsophisticated we are politically. Can it be that true that most people are unable to spew anything other than a catch phrase or flat-out bogus information? Come on guys, let's get to know the issues (not the distractions) on both sides and weigh what's best for you as well as what's best for the country and its citizens. Factcheck.org anyone?
The Election
As a reasonably well educated fifty-three year-old white male (born in a US Republican family and a former US Army officer), I do not believe that the US is currently the "land of the free, and the home of the brave". More accurately, this is a land largely ruled by major corporate interests.
There are several developed countries that fare substantially better off than the US in many regards (simply check out the most recent Economist Pocket World in Figures sometime if you're curious).
People who possess reasonable critical thinking skills don't buy such overly simplistic rhetoric, propaganda, etc.
I also don't believe that just because someone served in any nation's military (including former POW status) necessarily makes anyone particularly well qualified to be president of the United States.
Recent (and longer-term) experience demonstrates that there are clear limits to US military and economic power, and that either one can and have been squandered by misguided and delusional alleged leaders.
Hence, it is particularly important now for us to choose our leaders wisely. With this in mind, my money (and heart) is on Obama.
John McCain and Propaganda Campaign Ads
McCain's Ad:
Voice states: "Who is Barack Obama? He says our troops in Afghanistan are...
Obamas voice: "...just air-raiding villages and killing civilians..."
What Obama actually said: "More troops are needed in Afghanistan." "We've got to get the job done there, and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous pressure over there."
Voice states: How dishonorable. Congressional liberals voted repeatly to cut off funding to our troops, increasing the risk on their lives...
The fact is Obama voted in 2007 against a measure to put $94 billion into the Iraq War, because there was no timetable of troop withdrawals in the proposal. Obama supports our military. He wants the troops to come home from Iraq. Obama agrees with McCain to funding the military.
McCain voted against funding the troops in Iraq because a different proposal contained a timetable of withdrawal of troops in Iraq. McCain said in the first debate that Iraq is "the hundred year war". MCain equals military ruler.
The Iraqi government and the US government have been in negotiations about the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. The current pact states the US troops will leave Iraqi cities by the end of June 2009 with complete US troop withdrawals by December 31, 2011. Unless the Iraqi government requests the troops stay longer.
The pressure is on to have the pact agreement signed before the United Nations mandate expires on December 31, 2008, which would provide no legal basis for US military to be in Iraq. There are currently no negotiations with the United Nations to renew the mandate. Even if there were the mandate could be refused or not approved.
The current Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki and the ruling Shiite coalition have not come to any agreement. The United Iraqi Alliance want unspecified changes made to the pact before agreeing to it. The streets of Baghdad have been filled with protests of tens of thousands of mainly Shiites against any pact agreement. The Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers are against the signing of the pact as in its current form. Even Sunni lawmakers are against the current pact.
Besides the agreeing and signing a pact between the US government and the Iraqi government which is creating division and greater distrust of the US military in Iraq. The upcoming elections in January are creating division between Shiite tribes. This could be a major setback in any agreement signing before the end of the year. Since there are at least 200 different Shiite tribes a new internal battle for power and new riots and violence could be yet to come.
How is the US going to settle disputes between so many different tribal parties without a new religious war breaking out within Iraq? Government in Iraq is not based on political freedom but on religious beliefs.
The US needs to agree to having US troops leave a lot sooner, a whole lot sooner before it will be the Iraqi against the US.
Especially now after the Syrian people were attacked by US military. The US had no right to attack Syria. This was very wrong. This was an unprovoked attack on Syria by the US military in Iraq. The US military helicopters attacked a civilian building under construction, killing at least 8 people.
The US military needs to come home from Iraq as soon as possible.
Over 4,000 US troops have died and even more wounded. It is time to end this occupation.
Iraqi Freedom began March 19, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq. President Bush gave a Victory Speech on May 1, 2003. The objective was met. Now for over five and a half years the US military are trying to create a government, be law enforcement and maintain control over the country of Iraq. The US military are for the defense and protection of the US. The troops need to come home.
How many innocent Iraqi people have died from Iraqi Freedom? During the US occupation 88,656 to 96,766 are an estimate. During Saddam regime ethnic cleansing of 300,000 plus persons mostly Shiite and Kurdish people. These numbers are of human lives. People, not things. This has to stop now.
who wants a fraud as our next president?
america....this is our great country. who would want obama...a man with his associations..wright, ayers, khalidi, farrakhan, Pfleager,Rezko...and of course ACORN...a "non oartisan" organization that Obama donated 800,000 dollars to before he started running for rpes-and who is helping to insure voter fraud and irregularities to steal this election...
for a senator...who has done nothing...has no record of achievement in the US senate..and has a highly secretive past.
no records of obama of any kind have been released...WHY?
the media didnt do their job...what did they think-we voters would let that be? we will not and we wont on Nov 4th
vote mccain...the better candidate, the known man...the tru american...(not a racist or a socialist)
Obama 08!!
I WILL ALSO WRITE IN ALL CAPS TO AMPLIFY MY POINT. AMERICA WAKE UP!!! VOTE FOR CHANGE!! DON'T LISTEN TO THE NARROW MINDED!! MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS!! MCCAIN IS A HERO BUT IS OUT OF TOUCH, HE WILL STUNT INNOVATION AND PROGRESS!! FACE IT NEOCONS, ITS OVER. THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW!!!
OBAMA 08!!!!
clear minded
Obama offer a liberal policy - yes I said liberal, you can call it progessive, I prefer liberal. This is exactly what America needs. A new NEW DEAL. Put people to work as government employees building roads, bridges, restoring the VA healthcare system. Obama stands for competence in government. Finally the FDA, EPA etc. will be able to make decisions based on SCIENCE and not an agenda based on what Big Business wants.
To those of you who are condemning Mr. Obama's choice of church - exactly which of Rev. Wright's rantings are untrue?
Do tell.
Rev. Wright and his teachings are not anti-american. They're ANTI-POLICY.
Learn the difference. And don't equate acceptance of bad policy with patriotism. For God's sake - think!!!
