Letters to the Editor
DQuintanaNY
Published Letters: 485 Editor's Choice: 22
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More respect for General Clark
[Read the article: Clark feels the heat, but stands his ground]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]For not backing down on what he said, and clarifying what he said in the face of the childish media storm that passes for information and discourse in our country.
Not only do I agree with what General Clark said, I am glad that he has the intelligence and the courage to stand by what he said. This is integrity that you don't see in our discourse. Usually, someone makes a statement, the statement is twisted and taken out of context by the opposition, and the person who made the statement is made to cower and apologize, thus justifying the distortions and spin of the opposition as being correct.
This happens especially if someone makes a statement that uncovers a painful truth or weakness in the opposition.
My hope is that Clark's clarification will get as much airplay and media coverage as the blatant spin and distortion the initial media reaction has gotten.
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Personal attacks are all McCain has
[Read the article: This time, it's personal]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]McCain has to do as much as possible to distract the American voters away from his policies- which are nothing more than a continuation of the massive failures perpetuated by the Bush administration.
Therefore, he has to try and hit Obama on what he feels he is weakest on - national security ("heroism") and the right wing version of "patriotism".
But he's failing at it. Obama's tactics have been absolutely brilliant. They have defused the situation in a neutral way. McCain? He's a hero. End of story. We don't get into an argument about service or heroism. By acknowledging McCain's heroism, Obama takes the topic out of play. There's no disagreement there.
Then there's patriotism. Obama states that he won't question anyone's patriotism. We're all patriots then. The topic is out of play. There's no argument there, either.
It leaves McCain with the ball in his court. If he makes attacks based on patriotism, it will be clearly coming from the McCain camp, not Obama.
Obama's tactics take two emotionally charged issues out of play - and leave us to focus on the issues. The issues are not McCain's strong suit. He doesn't have a prayer.
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@ ericurus
[Read the article: This time, it's personal]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It’s an issue that Obama is going to have to become more forceful about, but I think his tactic of remaining neutral in the beginning is the best way to go, because it allows the least opportunity for flame war incidents as we’ve seen in the media’s attack on Clark. I think that Clark was legitimate in the questions he raised. Then again, he’s not the Democratic nominee, so he can be more direct in his approach.
I think Obama’s stance will be to remain neutral, acknowledge and respect McCain’s service, but attack only when attacked. McCain will certainly call into question Obama’s lack of military service- and at that point I believe Obama will respond accordingly. As for any Swift Boat style attacks coming from McCain, I just don't see Obama taking that lying down.
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Maddie P
[Read the article: This time, it's personal]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree with you 100%
It's way past time that we hold the MSM accountable for their complete kid gloves handling of McCain, while they attack Obama over every little insignificant thing. McCain can flip flop like a fish on a dock, but God forbid the media question it.
I think we should deluge the networks in whatever way possible -call, email, send postcards and physical letters. They won't get the message that the people are sick of their biased crap unless we speak to them directly. The 4th Estate is to inform the people, not become partisan hacks beholden to lobbyists.
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Send in the Trolls
[Read the article: Obama takes a stand against gay marriage ban]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Just about everything posted about Obama on this site for the past few days has been met with supposed progressives lamenting that either:
-Obama is a flip-flopper
or
-Obama is throwing (insert group here) under the bus!!
They're even getting to the point where they're changing their screen names to make it seem like many progressives share their views.
Not true. Progressives realize that on every issue, Obama is light years ahead of McCain.
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John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years
[Read the article: McCain campaign gets greedy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He also wants to attack Iran.
He also thinks the economy is doing A-OK, and that we should start drilling for oil off the coast of California and in Alaska.
It's no wonder they blow comments like Clark's out of proportion. Get ready for more of this in the next few months. McCain can't run on the issues, because he knows the public doesn't want what he's selling. Petty stuff like this is all his campaign has.
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bearpaw 1
[Read the article: McCain campaign gets greedy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yeah, I agree.
I don't think the Rove tactics will work as well this time. In 2004 the GOP could use the God, Guns and Gays approach and it got a lot of traction. But this time, not really.
I have family that lives out west, and their state went for Bush big time in 2000 and 2004. But even there, people are fed up now. They're feeling the economic pinch and they want the war to end. I went back there a few months ago and opened up the local paper to the Opinion page, and even there - in a paper that was nothing but a love fest for Bush in '04- people were overwhelmingly in support of Obama. I was stunned.
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Worth considering
[Read the article: Could be Biden time]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Biden would certainly be worth consideration as Obama's potential VP.
He has immense experience in foreign relations, respects the rule of law, and won't roll over and play dead when the "bullshit" GOP smears start coming.
He could shore up Obama's strength with foreign policy. He could potentially pull in Catholic voters. And most importantly, if he becomes VP we can be sure that he won't be the monster that Cheney is- cutting sweetheart deals for oil buddies, wiping his ass with our rights and Constitution, and running his office like a secretive, vindictive thug.