Colin Powell set to endorse Obama

Ciaran500

Paragraphs please. Thats impossible to read.

Hobbes

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Paragraphs please. Thats impossible to read.

I had a bash. Basically the Ayers crap again. Seriously if people haven't gotten by now this is a non-story then there is no hope for them.

tinker_52

'Looks like the Obama Kool-Aid swillers may get their every wish answered, soon. That, with the aid of some massive voter fraud, and a Main Stream Media that's "in the tank." Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves, to see how the once-vigorous U.S. has morphed into a bloated, self-involved, nation of spoiled children, all clambering to get into the wagon, pulled by a few. It has just begun to grind to a halt.

brianthebard

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Heard comments on the radio by Obama about Powell today, regarding Powell as a valued adviser. There was also some hint that if elected president, he might be talking to Powell about a "permanent" relationship. Although Powell is a Republican, my guess is that Obama will overlook that and consider him for Secretary of Defense. He would make a grand one, having reached the highest uniformed position in the US military as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, plus his emphasis on diplomacy first, unlike Bush, who likes to "shoot first and ask questions later."

I think whichever one becomes president is going to have to think about how they can create serious co-operation between the two parties because the rifts this campaign, and even just politics in general, have made in the US are becoming more and more damaging.

tinker_52 wrote: »

'Looks like the Obama Kool-Aid swillers may get their every wish answered, soon. That, with the aid of some massive voter fraud, and a Main Stream Media that's "in the tank." Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves, to see how the once-vigorous U.S. has morphed into a bloated, self-involved, nation of spoiled children, all clambering to get into the wagon, pulled by a few. It has just begun to grind to a halt.

Voter fraud? Is this the acorn bull? Are you a "real American"?

Victor

tinker_52 wrote: »

'Looks like the Obama Kool-Aid swillers may get their every wish answered, soon. That, with the aid of some massive voter fraud, and a Main Stream Media that's "in the tank." Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves, to see how the once-vigorous U.S. has morphed into a bloated, self-involved, nation of spoiled children, all clambering to get into the wagon, pulled by a few. It has just begun to grind to a halt.

Are you one of the nation of spoiled children?

Trojan

tinker_52 wrote: »

'Looks like the Obama Kool-Aid swillers may get their every wish answered, soon. That, with the aid of some massive voter fraud, and a Main Stream Media that's "in the tank." Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves, to see how the once-vigorous U.S. has morphed into a bloated, self-involved, nation of spoiled children, all clambering to get into the wagon, pulled by a few. It has just begun to grind to a halt.

Whatever it takes. We'll be swilling Kool-Aid and cheering all the way.

Actually I might order in some Kool-Aid in specially for election night. Sweeet...

brianthebard

Why is kool-aid an insult??

CPT. SURF

brianthebard wrote: »

Why is kool-aid an insult??

Because drinking poisoned Kool-Aid was used in a mass suicide once. I think the poster is trying to equate voting for Obama with participating in a mass suicide. No, I am not kidding.

tinker_52

I certainly don't see it that way. I'm from the old school. I've worked for a living all my life. I have a positive attitude, I don't litter, or use profanity in the presence of young people. I get along with people from all backgrounds and persuasions. I am a community volunteer (though I wouldn't call myself an organizer). I'm a veteran. I stand, and place my hat over my heart when the National anthem's played, and most of the time, it tends to choke me up a bit. I go visit the fine young fellows in the VA Hospital. I am a grandparent. Never been on the dole. I give to charities and put a contribution in the plate each Sunday morning. Right now, the money I earn until May goes to pay income tax. So, no I don't think so.

Victor

tinker_52 wrote: »

I certainly don't see it that way. I'm from the old school. I've worked for a living all my life. I have a positive attitude, I don't litter, or use profanity in the presence of young people. I get along with people from all backgrounds and persuasions. I am a community volunteer (though I wouldn't call myself an organizer). I'm a veteran. I stand, and place my hat over my heart when the National anthem's played, and most of the time, it tends to choke me up a bit. I go visit the fine young fellows in the VA Hospital. I am a grandparent. Never been on the dole. I give to charities and put a contribution in the plate each Sunday morning. Right now, the money I earn until May goes to pay income tax. So, no I don't think so.

So you aren't American? Not of that nation?

CPT. SURF

tinker_52 wrote: »

Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves, to see how the once-vigorous U.S. has morphed into a bloated, self-involved, nation of spoiled children, all clambering to get into the wagon, pulled by a few.

Imagine if they met Sarah Palin!

Trojan

CPT. SURF wrote: »

Because drinking poisoned Kool-Aid was used in a mass suicide once. I think the poster is trying to equate voting for Obama with participating in a mass suicide. No, I am not kidding.

Ah c'mon, that's exaggerating a lot. The origin is correct. However, "drinking the Kool-Aid" is used in normal conversation (in the US at least) to mean "not questioning the groupthink".

So the original use of it was something like "Obama supporters are not questioning the party line and they're going to regret that in hindsight."

My reply was "bring on the Kool-Aid".

A far cry from mass suicide comparisons to be fair.

Trojan

tinker_52 wrote: »

I certainly don't see it that way. I'm from the old school. I've worked for a living all my life. I have a positive attitude, I don't litter, or use profanity in the presence of young people. I get along with people from all backgrounds and persuasions. I am a community volunteer (though I wouldn't call myself an organizer). I'm a veteran. I stand, and place my hat over my heart when the National anthem's played, and most of the time, it tends to choke me up a bit. I go visit the fine young fellows in the VA Hospital. I am a grandparent. Never been on the dole. I give to charities and put a contribution in the plate each Sunday morning. Right now, the money I earn until May goes to pay income tax. So, no I don't think so.

Hi tinker_52, welcome to boards.ie. You'll find that people will (should!) respect you as a person here, but may vehemently disagree with you on a) your political views, and b) the politicals of US military history.

We try to keep people in line and make sure conversation is respectful, while allowing people of diametrically opposed viewpoints to have their say.

Most of the time it works.

CPT. SURF

Trojan wrote: »

Ah c'mon, that's exaggerating a lot. The origin is correct. However, "drinking the Kool-Aid" is used in normal conversation (in the US at least) to mean "not questioning the groupthink".

So the original use of it was something like "Obama supporters are not questioning the party line and they're going to regret that in hindsight."

My reply was "bring on the Kool-Aid".

A far cry from mass suicide comparisons to be fair.

Admittedly, I was being a little sly. Though the main point still stands that the poster was suggesting that the people voting for Obama are so stupid that they can be equated with similarly brainwashed individuals. It is just another dumb thing to say in my opinion, chill.

Overheal

Hobbes wrote: »

Surprised he didn't try for P/VP.

Far too associated with the Iraq War and the Bush Administration. He has years left on him though, its not unreasonable to assume he might try sometime in the next 12 years.

Going as a VP choice, The media would have a field day covering the laundry list of Race Card allegations (like they are already, but multiply that by 9001)

CPT. SURF wrote: »

Because drinking poisoned Kool-Aid was used in a mass suicide once. I think the poster is trying to equate voting for Obama with participating in a mass suicide. No, I am not kidding.

It was a Mass Suicide incident in the late 1970's. Lately its appeared again as a buzzword.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool_aid#.22Drinking_the_Kool-Aid.22

tinker_52

Read my profile/location: Yes, I am an American citizen. Unabashedly.
My maternal grandfather BTW (May God rest his soul), was from Cty Kilkenny. He passed in '63, at 65. He was a profound influence on me. I'm a "loveable curmudgin," like him now. Perhaps with a great portion of the same outlook he had. A WWI vet, he came to the 'States at the age of nineteen, with two of his five siblings. He could be a hard-ass, and didn't let much get past him. But he was always in a good humor, and loved his family. Worked 'til the day he died. That may probably describe me, after what's just happened to my 401K. And, hey, that's Okay.

Victor

tinker_52 wrote: »

Read my profile/location: Yes, I am an American citizen. Unabashedly.

But yet you deny part of that nation.

tinker_52

Clarify, deny, please. Your words - not mine.

Victor

On the one hand you bemoan America and on the other celebrate it blindly, while putting out the "the other guy is wrong" rhetoric.

tinker_52

Rhetoric, eh? Like that's a bad thing. So, I guess we're supposed to give any and every man's opinion equal weight, just throw up my hands and say, "Whatever, dude."
Boil it down; there are Opinions, and there are Facts.
I see an economic debacle that was unnecessary, brought about by an unhealthy combination of laissez-faire, corruption on Capitol Hill (they give mere lip-service after-the-fact, to more regs & oversight), Wall Street greed, law makers lacking the spine and cajones, to resist foolish notions like "affordable mortgages," for any and every applicant. If there's anything to be learned from this, let's not just give over-eager buyers a pass, in not being the least bit wary of fishy lending practices, throughout the Fannie May Housing "bubble" honeymoon period.
Obama's curious associations aside for moment; it was the widespread subprime lending 'house of cards' that collapsed, creating what everyone is, at the moment, pretty much affected by. And there definitely is a political component to it. How the Democrats managed to propagate the illusion that they held the high moral ground in that fiasco, is amazing! Well, Sen. Dodd (D) is now being investigated (likely soon to be indicted), and there ought to be others to follow.
Sadly, in the past, the shenanigans of numerous congressmen have been whitewashed, swept under the rug.

Black Swan

tinker_52 wrote: »

No, he simply has very poor judgment, in the associations he makes. Whether it be Ayers, whom he evidently knew well enough to blurb his book (that'd have to be a pretty good acquaintance), or the other rascals.

So are you suggesting that a political candidate should be judged by his associations? OK, what about McCain's close association with G. Gordon Liddy over the years, McCain appearing on his talk show last year? Liddy is a convicted and sentenced criminal from the Watergate break-in (a national scandal that forced former President Richard M. Nixon to resign). Furthermore, Gordon Liddy on his talk show advocated violence against ATF agents in Texas in the 1994.

Liddy told the Branch Davidian people near Waco, Texas:

“Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they’re going to be wearing bulletproof vests..."

Is McCain also exercising "poor judgment" when he associated with and became a member of the Keating Five? The House ethics committee concluded that he was indeed exercising poor judgment in associating with Keating, which resulted in the largest savings and loan crash in US history back then, with many retired persons losing their entire life savings. Keating was convicted of criminal charges too.

So if Obama can be said to be exercising poor judgment in his association with Ayers (who was not convicted), then McCain was also exercising poor judgment when associating with two widely known convicted criminals? (Liddy and Keating)

Trojan

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

So are you suggesting that a political candidate should be judged by his associations? OK, what about McCain's close association with G. Gordon Liddy over the years, McCain appearing on his talk show last year? Liddy is a convicted and sentenced criminal from the Watergate break-in (a national scandal that forced former President Richard M. Nixon to resign). Furthermore, Gordon Liddy on his talk show advocated violence against ATF agents in Texas in the 1994.

tinker_52, you gotta admit, he has you there.

tinker_52

On transparency, I give it to McCain over Obama all day long.

Liddy over Clinton-Reno. If you're a Clintonista, you and I may disagree here, but WJC's legacy is one of scandal, corruption, and enormous expenditure of public money to investigate a President for impeachable offenses. The Branch Davidian Raid on Waco was a debacle, another stain on the Clinton Administration. The Raid's after-action report/findings reveal Attorney General Reno's hubris, corruption, incompetence, and manipulation of public information throughout.

The Keating Five S&L scandal/episode is one which, although it placed Sen. McCain under tremendous scrutiny, culminated in McCain's being embarrassed for his admittedly poor judgment; yet, ultimately he's found to be truthful. He was not convicted of wrong-doing.

So, where's the transparency, with respect to Obama and the affiliations issues? Long-term associations. What he's counting on, is for people to remain focused on his persona, his charisma, and to sweep his path, clear to the White House.
Anyway, I do understand, Sir, that there is a trend toward Socialism in this society. May be OK for you, but it's not for me.

brianthebard

What associations? Because he knows someone who committed a crime forty-ish years ago he is tainted by that? McCain was a contemporary of the Keating Five, and afaik didn't blow the whistle or make any attempt to correct the situation. Isn't that a little more damning than being an eight year old and not stopping a terrorist? Do you expect kids to be out in vigilante patrol units or why is Obama being targeted on this non issue?
As for "socialism", man I wish. But just because the Bush administration is nationalising some banks does not mean you have become a socialist nation, mores the pity.

What is it with hardcore republicans signing up for boards with the sole purpose of posting in the election forum?

tinker_52

So, Brian, are you uncomfortable in the presence of opposing points of view? Let me see if I've got this straight? Here we are, at the site of a political forum - forum def- an opportunity for open discussion or, wait, is it a mutual admiration society, where people of a like mind can just get together and see how many different ways they can find to bash the absent opposition. Hmm. Tell me, what's wrong with that scenario?
I'm aware there are any amount of other forums and, fact is it was one of those others that attracted me to boards. Still, I happened to browse a bit, and noted that, Surprise! there was much interest in the topic at hand. And I didn't have to say too much, before it seems I'd struck a nerve somewhere. Here are all these nice folks, from away across the sea, who are evidently & inexplicably as caught up in the upcoming US Presidential/General Election as myself, a US citizen! So, what makes sense, should I just leave it to you, a non-invested bystander/observer to bandy words, & take pot-shots or, may I weigh in?

Black Swan

tinker_52 wrote: »

If you're a Clintonista, you and I may disagree here...

Anyway, I do understand, Sir, that there is a trend toward Socialism in this society. May be OK for you, but it's not for me.

You like making assumptions about people you don't know? First of all, I am not a "Clintonista," nor am I into "Socialism," nor am I a "Sir."

Furthermore, you mentioned "transparency" in the McCain campaign, but I have failed to see McCain discuss at length his continuing association with convicted Watergate criminal G. Gordan Liddy, except when Letterman nailed him with it a few days ago during an interview, and he sputtered Palin-like without an answer until the producer saved him further embarrassment by going to station break.

tinker_52 wrote:

The Branch Davidian Raid on Waco was a debacle, another stain on the Clinton Administration.

We were not referring to the Clinton administration, but rather why McCain continues to associate with G. Gordon Liddy after he advocated violence against members of law enforcement (ATF) on his talk show in 1994, decades after Watergate. And if you bother to investigate the Watergate case against Liddy, you will find that he was advocating kidnapping and violence back then too, so do you see a pattern between Watergate and Branch Davidian with Liddy advocating criminal violence?

Liddy has conducted fund raisers on behalf of McCain, and McCain appeared on Liddy's talk show in November 2007 when McCain was running for the Republican primaries (declared or otherwise). I will now go find the quote from that talk show and paste it here to show how close McCain and Liddy currently are and have been through the years.

Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as "an old friend," and McCain sounded like one. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed. "It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."

"Principles?" WaterGate convicted criminal, plus 1994 advocate of killing ATF agents in Texas over public radio?

And "transparency?"

"How does McCain explain his howling hypocrisy on the subject? He doesn't. I made repeated inquiries to his campaign aides, which they refused to acknowledge, much less answer."

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0504chapmanmay04,0,6238795.column

brianthebard

tinker_52 wrote: »

So, Brian, are you uncomfortable in the presence of opposing points of view? Let me see if I've got this straight? Here we are, at the site of a political forum - forum def- an opportunity for open discussion or, wait, is it a mutual admiration society, where people of a like mind can just get together and see how many different ways they can find to bash the absent opposition. Hmm. Tell me, what's wrong with that scenario?
I'm aware there are any amount of other forums and, fact is it was one of those others that attracted me to boards. Still, I happened to browse a bit, and noted that, Surprise! there was much interest in the topic at hand. And I didn't have to say too much, before it seems I'd struck a nerve somewhere. Here are all these nice folks, from away across the sea, who are evidently & inexplicably as caught up in the upcoming US Presidential/General Election as myself, a US citizen! So, what makes sense, should I just leave it to you, a non-invested bystander/observer to bandy words, & take pot-shots or, may I weigh in?

I guess I'm just wondering if the Republicans are doing so badly in this election that their supporters have to look across the Atlantic in search of someone, anyone, who will believe their empty rhetoric in light of the obvious facts, which have been put forward clearly and succinctly by B_L and others here and to which you clearly have no reply?

CtrlSource

brianthebard wrote: »

What is it with hardcore republicans signing up for boards with the sole purpose of posting in the election forum?

i think it's great! Makes it interesting. A whole load of Gobamans posting does not a debate make! tinker_52, welcome sir

tinker_52 wrote: »

Anyway, I do understand, Sir, that there is a trend toward Socialism in this society. May be OK for you, but it's not for me.

The S-word... spooooky. They're really everywhere these days :eek: The dirty, dirty b***tards! *runs to hide under the bed - AGGGGGGGGHH! REDS!*

brianthebard

Don't you know the reds are under the bed ctrlsource???

Although its mainly liberals these days....


Anyways I have nothing against debate, but find it rather annoying when people demand it and then are unwilling to engage the actual debating points.

tinker_52

Sorry Brian,
I stepped away a minute. So, do you honestly resent my visiting with the forum? Would it be your wish that folks such as myself dried up and blow away, leaving all you Homies to commiserate, or are you open to the notion of a voice of dissent (troubling, eh what?) interspersed with (as I observed) the ever-present, all-too-easy Bush-bashing, and Sarah-smearing, ad nauseum.
Hey, Miss B.L., Got it. What's up? Sounds like you're either over here on a student visa, or hooked up with Daddy Sugar. If your "harbor's" anywhere near San Fran, I know the area well (I've lived up 'n down the Left Coast, San Diego, Monterey, and Sonoma County), Good friends there. Lovely and enchanting as life in California is, I just came to the conclusion it wasn't the place I'd care to raise my kids.
Matter-of-fact, I was in the formation on the flight line at the Naval Air Station in '73 when the returning POW's came home, among them a young John McCain.
Oh, yeah - I served in the Navy in the same unit as G. Gordon's son, a real good guy. GGL was a guest at one of our reunions a few years ago. We'd have him or his son on a tough mission anytime. They're well-regarded.