Electronic Writer

Have you ever wanted proof that the Republicans have lost sanity, clarity, and have become virulent and hurtful? (It is in this article.) Do you feel that one party has become so hypocritical and hurtful that they are destroying America and the democratic process–to further their political agenda?  (Proof is in this article.)  Do you feel that sometimes your politicians simply don’t reflect your values?

Well, proof is in this article.

After a much needed break, I am back for the last few weeks before the magical election day.  While time is short, there are a few noteworthy videos circulating around these days, like the one below.

This is a very funny Video from MoveOn.org where college-age voters are having a nice discussion with their parents about not voting for McCain.  Make sure you watch until the very end . . . it is funny.

There are over 1000 pages of Medical Records for Senator John McCain, but we are not allowed to know what is in them.

In the last 2 weeks, John McCain has irresponsibly picked an unqualified Vice Presidential candidate that he says will merely “inquire about the health of the president and attend foreign funerals.”  If elected, John McCain, would be the oldest President of the United States.  Inquiring about the health of the President may be a full-time job.

Here is a video by Brave New Films about doctors, and their justification for, requesting the health records of John McCain and making them available to the public.  We know about his 4 bouts with skin cancer.  We know about his high blood pressure and high cholestoral.  We know about the 6 medications that he takes daily.  What else is there?

A little video footage of John McCain on the campaign trail.  A young kid questions Senator McCain directly about his age and the affects of age upon his ability to lead.

John McCain answers the question, then calls addresses the guy, “You Little Jerk.”

Do you remember the movie Fight Club?  Brad Pitt’s character is constantly asking the question, “How’s that working out for you?”  That is EXACTLY the sentiment I have for the John McCain/Sarah Palin team:

How is your campaign STRATEGY of lying to the public working out for you?

Last week, I wrote about the Campaign strategy of the John McCain/Sarah Palin team as outlined by John Feehery.  (Read that post here >>)  But, I was surprised to hear that some of the mainstream media has followed suit.

On Sunday, CNN had two one-hour shows: Sarah Palin Revealed and Joe Biden Revealed.  Sarah Palin’s show was the opener and quite a piece–not so favorable.  Joe Biden’s show as a bit more balanced–but, in my opinion, Joe Biden is a bit more balanced–and the show was merely reflecting it.

On Monday, however, even more news took a bite at the McCain/Palin campaign of lies:

• As Mayor of Wasilla, Palin Cut Own Duties, Left Trail of Bad Blood, was published Sunday on the front page of the Washington Post.  If you think the title is ominous for Sarah Palin, wait until you read the article >>
• Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes, was published Sunday on the front page of the New York Times.  Again, this is NOT a glowing review.  It describes Palin and her staffers efforts at censorship, nepotism, and the use of unqualified people/advice for making decisions.  The NY Times describes it as making politics “personal.”   Read the entire article here >>

Some may call it a witch-hunt, but to be honest, this is the vetting process that John McCain should have done.  In the last two weeks, the media is doing the job of the McCain campaign–determining whether or not Sarah Palin is qualified to be Vice President (and a heartbeat away from the Presidency).

Apparently, some of us are not buying the lies . . . .

There are a few problems in the John McCain/Sarah Palin campaign.  For the last 2 weeks, we have been talking about the huge problem that appointing Sarah Palin has become.  The other problem is a bit larger: John McCain’s actions.

In the Brave New Films video, we see a little double-speak going on.  Or, is it flip-flopping.  Or, perhaps John McCain just cannot make up his mind.  Regardless, it is not looking so good . . . .

This was added last November, in which an elderly woman asked Senator John McCain a question about beating Senator Hillary Clinton.  Her phrasing was:

How do we beat the BITCH?

I certainly hope that this Republican cheerleader is not part of the faction calling Barack Obama a sexist.

Unfortunately, there are no responses from John McCain in the video clip that say anything like, “Senator Clinton is my long-time friend.”  Or, “she is a skillful politician” to reuse the words that the Obama campaign used to describe Sarah Palin.

There is no response–other than laughter.

Part of my reaction has to do with the direct misquotation that is happening.  The lies on the part of John McCain, Sara Palin and company have gotten out of control–especially when they alleged that Obama’s remarks about putting “lipstick on a pig” were about Sarah Palin–when in fact, they referenced McCain’s plan for the economy.

The smear campaign from the McCain/Palin camp certainly grabbed headlines as well as occupying valuable discussion time that the candidates could be talking about issues like: economy, energy independence, health car, war in Iraq, war in Iran, veterans’ benefits . . . .

Here’s the clip:

There has been a recurring theme, of late:

“I don’t care what they say about me, but I love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and swift boat politics. Enough is enough.”

The New York Times has an interesting article about Barack Obama defending himself over the lipstick on a pig garbage.

The Republicans published an advertisement that asserted that Barack Obama made sexist remarks.

Read the article and watch the video of Barack Obama’s response >>

I talk politics a lot–even with people who do not like politics.  I have found, in all my talking about politics, that people who do not like politics ESPECIALLY think that politicians are liars.  There is usually some quip like, they are all a bunch of lying, thieving . . . .  It clearly is an overgeneralization, redactive thinking, and for many hard-working legislators, it is simply not fair.

But, I can see why someone would think that.  The media is on the witch-hunt.  Gossip and dirt sells stories in the form of online viewers, television viewers, and it newspapers.  The public hears every story about every bad thing that every politician has ever done.

Never before have I seen a politician ADMIT that lying was indeed part of their campaign STRATEGY until this quote from John Feehery–a Republican strategist (BIO here >>).

John Feehery, a Republican strategist, said the campaign is entering a stage in which skirmishes over the facts are less important than the dominant themes that are forming voters’ opinions of the candidates.

“The more the New York Times and The Washington Post go after Sarah Palin, the better off she is, because there’s a bigger truth out there and the bigger truths are she’s new, she’s popular in Alaska and she is an insurgent,” Feehery said. “As long as those are out there, these little facts don’t really matter.”

Let me see if got this correct: “the facts are less important than the dominant themes”– you can add whatever you want after this point because you have lost me.

I disagree.  The facts ARE important.  The ends DO NOT justify the means.

John Feehery’s admission, however, articulates something larger.  With the pending Republican loss of 20+ seats in the House of Representatives and perhaps losing 8 or more Republican seats in the Senate, and conservative lamenting that “the Republican brand is tarnished” (see HERE, HERE, HERE — heck, Google “republican brand is tarnished” and see what happens), the Republican Party is acting out of sheer desperation.

Like the falling Roman Empire, the Republican Party is clearly willing to do whatever that takes to keep control of their power: including but not limited to lying, manipulating the facts, manipulating the media, and agitating (or energizing–depends upon your perspective) your base voters with an unqualified candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin.

There is a simple truth: John Feehery and other strategists are really out of touch with the American people.  This is not some game.  We tell our children that lying is not acceptable, and that facts are important.

Perhaps I missed the memo saying that all that had changed . . . .

(Quote from Washington Post)

There is this game going on right now in this presidential campaign, and it could particularly cost the Democrats this Presidential election–especially because this is our election to lose.  The entire UNIVERSE is fed up with the Bush Administration and the Republican party letting corporations, big-oil, and big-government run amuck.

Now is clearly the time to restore some sanity to our country, and now is CLEARLY the time to restore the United States to pre-bush levels on just about everything: privacy, economy, world standing, military levels, etc.

Instead, we are playing this game since the VERY moment that Sarah Palin was announced as Vice President.

• Karl Rove and Steve Schmidt have held up a blank canvas.
• John McCain and Sarah Palin are painting their WILDEST fantasies upon that canvas.
• The MEDIA are ooohhing and ahhhhhing over the contents of the canvas.
• No one is addressing the facts versus the fiction that is emerging on that canvas.

The problem is that Barack Obama is waiting for the media (or someone else) to correct those falsehoods.  The media is eating up the website traffic, tv traffic and newspaper sales.  And the liars are patting themselves on the back in disbelief that this scheme is working.

Steve Almond, a writer at the Huffington Post, has done a little fictionalizing.  His fiction is what would happen if Barack Obama actually called the Republican liars what they are–liars.  Almond posits that if Barack Obama was strong about it (the same truth and strength we would want from him as President of the United States), that it would force the media to deal with it.  And, us outsiders could watch us win the election . . . as opposed to the liars stealing another one . . . .

Read Steve Almond’s entire article >>