Opinion differs

Mike:
With all due respect to Craig Hansen, I'm not so stahved for any tidbit of Red Sox news that I care to discuss his sleep apnea or deviated septum surgery.

 

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Al:
Seriously. And the prospect of standing around here wasting breath on Roger Clemens is equally unappealing.

 

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Mike:
Though I did crack up ovah Finn's "In prison, you have to carry your own bags" line.

 

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Doug:
Yeah, only problem is the chances of Clemens serving any time in jail are about as good as the chances of Obama becoming the Democrats' nominee.

 

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Al:
Dude, what are you talking about? After yesterday's sweep, Obama is like Jacoby Ellsbury getting waved around third — He's going to come across home standing up.

 

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Doug:
Look, it's like this. The Billary Clinton Political Machine can be turned up to 11 and so fah it's only running at a 3.

 

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Doug:
When all is said and done, the Clintons will have a majority of the electorate convinced that Obama is a coke-snorting jihadist with a toe sucking fetish who is soft on crime.

 

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Mike:
C'mon, Doug, aren't you're letting your right wing demonization of the Clintons get the best of you.

 

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Doug:
Know your enemy, dude.

 

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Al:
You're forgetting that Hillary and Obama are on the same side, they aren't enemies.

 

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Doug:
Oh, you bleeding hahts are always so blind — Don't forget the Supah Delegates.

 

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Doug:
Hillary is going to reach for those like Bucky Dent reaching for a corked bat. Game ovah.

 

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Mike:
Nonsense.

 

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Doug:
Bwahahahaha.

 

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Comments

[h.b]

Since the characters opened the political discussion door and left it ajar, consider today a freebie with regard to political discussion in the comments, if you wish.

[Bob]

Doug is right. Sadly, IMO, but right.

In terms of sleep apnea, my GF tells me I stop breathing for minutes at a time. Which explains the brain damage.

But doesn't explain why she refuses to wake me up.

Heh. Silly girl. My life insurance all goes to the family. She gets NOTHING.

[jamesfrmmaine]

Well in my opinion blah blah fucking blah.

The problem with political discussions is that they are almost always meaningless, politics is sports to 99 percent of the country, you could show them a picture of their candidate sucking on a fat tranvestite cock and t hey would say its doctored or something. People just want to root for their team, and for most them thats just whoever their parents voted for or some other stupid reason.

Whats the point in a country that elected W twice?

[yazbread]

Hey, anyone have any idea where Dick Cheney is these days?

[h.b]

//Hey, anyone have any idea where Dick Cheney is these days?//

Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

[louclinton]

//Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.//

sweet merciful god, please do it.

[Kaz]

The superdelegates are going to cowtow to the electorate for fear of losing the party's good favor this year. If Obama has the lead in delegates (likely) then the remaining undecided superdelegates will go to him and not Hillary no matter what she or Bill says.

Also, Hillary and Bill saw what going past 5 on the 1 to 11 scale back in South Carolina when she let Bill off the leash. This election has a woman (aggrieved party) vs. a black (aggrieved party). Any whiff of mudslinging gets turned into a perceived slight due to either gender or race between them. It's at a tipping point and Bill found out the hard way when he started to attack Obama and ended up getting the scorn of many.

Finally, everyone is starting to recognize that Obama can beat McCain. Hillary can't. That is what's important now.

[NolaSox]

Bob, perhaps she doesn't wake you, because the apnea induced snoring actually stops for a few minutes, as well.

[therev]

Kaz, as always you are right. Perhaps that honorary degree is coming in handy. Perhaps more people caught on to the realization that Obama is the dude when it comes to beating any republican nominee. Perhaps Obama's last few victories will get the mindset solidified. Or maybe not. I am still voting for Nader- wait, where did he go?

[Bob]

I agree with everything Kaz said, except one point: Hillary will still get the nomination.

Billary is/are ruthless, nasty people who will do anything to win. Either could take over for Bellichick and do quite well.

[COD]

My wife has never voted in her life. She is going to register if Obama wins the nomination to vote for him. My wife is far more conservative than liberal. I think there are millions like her that will vote for Obama, or won't vote at all. The guy is inspiring, and I think we need that in the White House. No matter who gets elected, party politics and special interests will negate their good intentions.

[denversoxfan]

If Obama doesn't get the Democratic nomination, I'm voting third-party this year.

[Steve in MD]

/Finally, everyone is starting to recognize that Obama can beat McCain/

and

/Perhaps more people caught on to the realization that Obama is the dude when it comes to beating any republican nominee/

Heh. And the Giants were the "B-team from the NFC". The GOP still holds an edge in the electoral college. Obama may win the popular vote, but still go down. Complaining about the electoral college is like an mfy fan complaining that the mfy scored more runs than the Sox in the 2004 ALCS. So what? The rules of the game are the rules of the game until someone changes them, at which time both sides would adjust their strategy accordingly (but it ain't happening anytime soon).

[Natalie]

If a Republican wins the election, I am moving out of the country.

Oh. Wait...

[louclinton]

The Clemens thing is ugly.

Andy Pettite has a wife? And she is throwing Roger under the bus. Suh-weet.

As for the POTUS, that Obock Barama dude sure can wind a stem.

It's not my original thought, but agree with what was said last night:

Do not. REPEAT. Do not be the guy speaking after OB on election night.

John [Did I mention I was a POW?] McCain looked like he was speaking to the Royal Order of Buffaloes meeting at Denny's in Naff, Virginia. Oh, and if you want to appeal to someone under, say 68, you might not want to have someone who hit Elizabeth Taylor 35 years ago standing next to you like a dusty pair of underpants.

During this voting season, I had the oppurtunity to vote for BO, and I was pleased to do so. The guy is uplifting.

lc

[Daubie]

Obama is one of the most liberal politicians out there. If you're a moveon liberal, you'll be very pleased. If you are a conservative and vote for him, say good night to any "principles" you might have had. Uplifting and hopeful is one thing but the meat and potatoes is where the rubber meets the road. (Alright, enough metaphors)

[NolaSox]

I can't believe New Orleans reelected this guy: trust me, it's worth a look just for the WTF factor? http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/no_police_show_off_new_crimefi.html

Sorry, I forgot how to do that link thingy that Kaz sent.

[therev]

Steve in MD, why did you have to bring up the electoral college. The ugly, red headed step child of the political machine. I prefer to stick my head in the sand and think that my vote really counts. too bad I am still voting for Nader. BTW, anyone seen him lately?

[iwanttobealion]

Unlike the rest of the country the fine people of Seattle are a bunch of Obamatons and it doesn't feel like Clinton has a chance.

Is anyone else watching the live feed of the Clemens hearing? I just heard:

Clemens: Mr. McNamee injected me with b12 4 times in Toronto and 3 times in NY.

McNamee: I had never heard about B12 until 60 mins... I don't really know what it is.

politics + baseball = best soap opera ever!

[Pocono Sox]

The biggest reason I can't vote for Barack, besides having the most liberal voting record for any Senator in 2007, is the middle name. Hussein--my 30-year serving Navy father would gut me in front of the family at Thanksgiving.

[Kaz]

Bob: Billary is/are ruthless, nasty people who will do anything to win. Either could take over for Bellichick and do quite well.

Yes, but even Belichick lost when it mattered most...just saying.

Steve in MD: The GOP still holds an edge in the electoral college. Obama may win the popular vote, but still go down.

You're living in the past 8 years. Democrats are receiving 2-to-1 votes against Republicans...in normally heavily Republican states! Obama is easily carrying states in the Heartland and South, while McCain is carrying Blue States and losing to Mitt or Huckabee in previous Republican strongholds. It's not just the national popular vote where surveys show Obama winning over McCain, but also the state polling...even in states where McCain should be able to hold sway.

lc: Do not. REPEAT. Do not be the guy speaking after OB on election night.

Did you see NBC cut away from McCain in the middle of his Super Tuesday speech because Obama had walked up on stage to prepare for his speech? Hahaha. It won't behoove you to speak after OR before OB is ready to go. :)

[pudge]

"If Obama doesn't get the Democratic nomination, I'm voting third-party this year."

Yep. That is just what us Republicans are counting on.

"My wife has never voted in her life. She is going to register if Obama wins the nomination to vote for him. My wife is far more conservative than liberal."

That makes no sense to me. I read his Blueprint for Change. I like Obama, he's a neat guy and all, but he is just one step to the right of Castro. Daubie is right on here.

Honestly, if I were voting only for statesman to inspire people, it would be Obama. But if I want someone directing foreign and domestic policy ... hells no.

I don't need a President spending my money on a five-star rating system for credit cards to tell me which ones are good and which ones suck.

I don't need a President who thinks costs of health care will be reduced by MORE regulation.

I don't need a President who thinks we should talk to our enemies with no preconditions, who doesn't understand the kind of symbolic victory message that sends to those enemies.

I don't need a President who will try to take away the right of employers to hire and fire at will by outlawing the permanent firing of striking workers.

I don't need a President who will attempt to get rid of the whole concept of payroll taxes by giving lower income people, literally, a free ride on Social Security and Medicare.

I don't need a President requiring my employer to sign me up for a retirement plan.

Everything above is in his Blueprint for Change, and it's just a few of the many things he wants to do, that I do not want him to do. I will not vote for him, period.

I am no big fan of Bush either, but I do like McCain. And besides, Schill endorsed McCain, that should be good enough for any Red Sox fan.

Right?

... Right?

(Is this thing on?)

[pudge]

Kaz: Democrats are receiving 2-to-1 votes against Republicans...in normally heavily Republican states!

That is irrelevant. Democrats are more excited about their primary races, but there's no reason to think that Republican enthusiasm won't return come November (ESPECIALLY if it is Hillary; though, even if it is Obama, there's a great chance people will come out in large numbers to reject his leftwing agenda).

It's not just the national popular vote where surveys show Obama winning over McCain, but also the state polling...even in states where McCain should be able to hold sway.

Yes, but those polls are meaningless because Obama's actual policies have barely been looked at by most people. All most people know is "universal health care," and they don't even really understand the full, and nasty, ramifications of that.

Before the election is over, if, they will. And that is his biggest problem.

[Ryan with a capital "R"]

Sorry, pudge. A Schilling endorsement is worth the less than the sock it's written on.

What I'm most curious about is what will happen to all of the serious conservatives when McCain wins the nomination. Are the Christian conservatives really going to work the way they did in '00 and '04 for him when many don't seem to care for him all that much?

And Doug is an idiot. Why would Hilliary's machine only be turned to 3 at this point? What's she waiting for? It would seem as though you turn it to 11 a couple weeks before Super Tuesday. Does Doug realize that's come and gone?

And what Swift Boat did Doug ride in on? He seems to be projecting his own party's actions onto the Clintons.

[birthofasoxfan97]

Politically, I don't know what's what anymore. Massachusetts electing Romney? What? The country electing W not once but twice? What? I give up on this show, frankly. I mean, I do care and I do vote routinely but this is a seriously f***cked up process and it gives me a headache. I prefer to read political history as opposed to pay attention to any of this CNN-driven, Southern evangelical-kowtowing nonsense.

[Kaz]

pudge: there's no reason to think that Republican enthusiasm won't return come November (ESPECIALLY if it is Hillary; though, even if it is Obama, there's a great chance people will come out in large numbers to reject his leftwing agenda).

From this article today: To hear conservative bloggers and radio talk show hosts tell it, McCain is a dangerous RINO (Republican In Name Only) willing to sell out Republican principles for political expedience. Day after day, callers to talk radio say McCain is so unpalatable that they will either sit out the elections or vote for Hillary Clinton if she becomes the Democratic nominee.

How widespread are such sentiments? According to a straw poll taken at last week's Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC), an annual event which drew more than 6,000 activists from around the country, 10 percent of the 1,558 polled will not vote in the November elections and 19 percent will vote for someone else.

Hey, good luck with that...

[Scott]

I will try to be more civil in my comments from now on.

Does anyone think that Hilliary's 8-years in the White House is an advantage? Wouldn't you choose somebody with a bit of a clue of the workings of the executive branch?

Also what about having Bill travel the world and help repair all the relationships that have been destroyed over the last 8-years? Isn't that important? Or is the USA going to go it alone from here on out? That's been working out really well.

The whole electoral college/popular vote issue was hotly debated at the Constitutional Convention. Who knows how the whole election process would have evolved if the vote had swung the other way.

[COD]

Obama doesn't have a universal health care plan. He has a plan to subsidize insurance for low income folks, while leaving you free to go through life uninsured if that is what you want to do. There is quite a bit of free market left in his plan. Hillary Care is much more authoritarian in nature in that it will require everybody to have insurance. Neither plan is particularly good as they ignore the fundamental problem that it shouldn't cost $150 for a 5 minute appointment with the nurse in which you never actually see the Doc. However, since some sort of federal action on health care is a political inevitability, Obama's plan ain't that bad.

Anyway, voting on policy positions has never done me any good. No president in my lifetime has actually followed through. Remember, Bush was going to the compassionate conservative with a sensible foreign policy. We all see how that worked out.

So I'm voting on honor and integrity. Obama's ability to inspire people has the potential to set in motion some things that will clean up some of the mess in Washington. He probably can't pull it off, but some hope is better than no hope at all. I don't agree with a lot of the policy positions of Obama or McCain, however I see them both as honorable people that will be a huge improvement over the current administration. From that POV, I'm not going to very upset if we end up with President McCain.

[yazbread]

I would only consider voting for Hillary if she promised to stash Bill down in Gitmo for her entire term.

[pudge]

Ryan: McCain has long been a strong conservative. He breaks with many conservatives on a few issues, but he is essentially conservative, and regarding Christian conservatives, on their one most important issue -- abortion -- McCain has a very good record.

As to Hillary ... heh. The Clintons are, bar none, the dirtiest politicians we've seen since LBJ. Please. It's hilarious to me that so many people were feigning shock at some of the things the Clintons said about Obama. That is what they ALWAYS do. If Karl Rove were a Democrat, he'd be working for the Clintons ... well maybe not, I don't know if he is "up" to their "standards."

Kaz: yes, many conservatives say that about McCain. Won't matter come general election time. (In fact, McCain is much more conservative than our current President, on almost much every issue.) They say they won't vote, but they will. If you want to believe they won't, however, don't let little ol' me stop you ...

[COD]

@yaz - if Hillary thought that win win her the White House, she would personally escort Bill to the southbound plane.

[Steve in MD]

The next POTUS will likely appoint 3 supreme court justices, and will likely have a Democrat-controlled Senate to approve the nominations - once that sinks in, the social conservatives will vote McCain big time.

Regarding the electoral college, you need only look at the debate over last year's changes to the Insurrection Act to see how strongly the States feel about thier sovreign rights. And that fight was led by a democrat from Vermont! The electoral college is here to stay.

[Ryan with a capital "R"]

pudge: while the National Journal rated Obama the most liberal senator, they point out that McCain did not vote enough in 2007 to draw a ranking. They gave him a score of 59 on social votes, which makes him about the 170th most conservative law maker. Not very conservative.

On abortion: he supported the National Right to Life positions 75% in '05-'06, 82% in '03-'04, 33% in '01-'02, and 66% in '99-'00. That's middling support: a C, a B-, an F, and a D.

The John Birch Society Conservative Index scored him at 38 for 2006. Other scores from other groups are up and down the scale, from 40s to 80s. Liberal groups most often rate him in the 40s.

You want to call that a "strong conservative," you're welcome to it. I'd call it solidly middle of the road with a slight lean to the right.

[louclinton]

"The next POTUS will likely appoint 3 supreme court justices, and will likely have a Democrat-controlled Senate to approve the nominations"

Fuck yeah. Hence my support of BO

[Griffin]

//If you are a conservative and vote for him, say good night to any "principles" you might have had.//

What principles are those? Interfering with people's private lives, dishing out corporate welfare, spying on your own citizens, and destroying the environment?

[Steve in MD]

/"The next POTUS will likely appoint 3 supreme court justices, and will likely have a Democrat-controlled Senate to approve the nominations"

Fuck yeah. Hence my support of BO/

And mine for McCain, a "solidly middle of the road with a slight lean to the right" conservative, (UNLESS Joe Lieberman runs an independent campaign, since he is actually qualified for the job...)

[louclinton]

Steve in MD, your mileage may vary. Aside from taking the manacles off of stem cell research, the SCOTUS appointments are the most important to me.

[MattFoley]

Who in their right mind would vote McCain? The guy is pushing 80 and has said he would only be in for one term. One term? If you go into the job with that attitude what can you really get done?

Besides he wants us in Iraq for 100 yrs. After the complete shitshow Bush got us in how could anyone vote Republican?

[Bob]

//Interfering with people's private lives, dishing out corporate welfare, spying on your own citizens, and destroying the environment?//

Griffin, as a true independent, I would say that the first two of these are Democrat strongholds, while the last two belong to Republicans. Although I trust Billary will take number 3 and make it her/their own as well.

Therefore, I will vote for....

[Griffin]

//Griffin, as a true independent, I would say that the first two of these are Democrat strongholds//

Really? no offense, but I didn't know Democrats were anti-choice.

[pudge]

birthofasoxfan97: you would rather they would kowtow to YOU, obviously, but from where I sit, that wouldn't be much of an improvement.

COD: call it what you want, it is a terrible idea. It will bankrupt us, we will lose our freedoms, and it will eventually become a universal plan whether it is now, or not. But you and I do agree on the basic point: it is not the lack of insurance that is the problem, it is the high COSTS. And Obama's plan does not address that, and neither does Hillary's.

Federal action is perhaps inevitable, but it should be action that moves toward DEREGULATION, because that is how costs go down, and all Obama's plan does is INCREASE regulation.

As to Bush and compassionate conservatism: are you serious? We got nothing BUT compassionate conservatism from Bush. Massive increases in spending on Medicare, education, AIDS, and more.

Ryan: look at McCain's ratings overall, for his career, issue by issue. On many issues important to conservatives, he is at or near the top, like on pork, government waste, conservative judges, abortion, and so on. On others, he is way down near the bottom, like on immigration and embryonic stem cells.

And that is why he gets relatively low ratings from NRLB. Actual abortion votes, he is right at the top, but on other related "life" issues like stem cells, not so much.

And these ratings systems often tend to overemphasize certain issues. There was far more action on stem cells in 01-02 than on abortion, so he gets a much lower rating.

louclinton: sorry man, but there ARE NO MANACLES ON STEM CELL RESEARCH. Anyone can research anything they wish to. There's simply no *government funding* of *embryonic* stem cell research on *new lines.* If you want to do *embryonic* stem cell research on *new lines,* fund it in some other way.

No offense, but that kind of talk is what marginalizes the left: pretending that if government isn't doing it, then it isn't being done, or can't be done, or isn't being done as it should.

MattFoley: first, no, McCain never pledged to run for only one term. Second, you have it backward: someone running for only one term can get MORE done because he doesn't worry about trying to get re-elected.

And third, no, he never said he wants us in Iraq for 100 years. Never happened. What he said is that it doesn't matter to most Americans if we are. We've been in Germany for 60 years, and how many Americans care? Maybe you do, and that's fine, but most people don't. Most Germans don't care either.

[louclinton]

really, Pudge, I had no idea. What a silly boy I am.

If the restriction aren't all that important, why do the asshole republicans attach themselfs to it like shit on a goose's ass. Just saying.

as stated, your mileage may vary, but don't fucking attack me and think you're gonna skate.

[Bob]

Griffin, my take on "interfering with people's lives" includes:

No smoking (or tax it until there's none), no trans-fats, no gambling (unless the state needs money and the gov wants to raise the budget), no mention of any religion in any context outside of campaigning in a Baptist church, no spanking, no health care options other than the government's, no alternatives to a dying Social Security System, no alternatives other than a dying public school system...

[Bob]

Jeez, H.B., look what you've done to us.

So, did anybody else see the pic of Dice-K in the Herald? Looks pretty bulked up, no?

[kinyah]

i'm about as disenfranchised as a motherfrakker. there's nobody in this election i want to support.

the libs want to tell you how to think, what language you show use (f'n and blindin' not english/spanish) and how much you should weigh.

the cons want to tell you who and how to fu(#, and eliminate your liberty to ensure your safety.

they all want you to rely on them for everything cradle to grave.

as for ought eight, i'm stocking up on cash and ammo.

thank muhammed/jehovah/buddah/christ/xenu/etc or no one that pitchers and catchers are tomorrow.

[soxdownunder]

How 'bout them Sawx?

[Kaz]

pudge: there ARE NO MANACLES ON STEM CELL RESEARCH. Anyone can research anything they wish to. There's simply no *government funding* of *embryonic* stem cell research on *new lines.* If you want to do *embryonic* stem cell research on *new lines,* fund it in some other way.

pretending that if government isn't doing it, then it isn't being done, or can't be done, or isn't being done as it should.

As someone in the field, I'd like to point out that government-sponsorship of research in this area is critical. New cell lines are necessary to satisfy problems with the currently available cell lines but can not be federally funded (the primary source for this type of research, it's not close enough to a potential therapy for industrial involvement).

So, yes, if the government isn't doing it, it isn't being done, can't be done, and definitely isn't being done as it should.

[h.b]

This is why we don't do this very often.

It's fun, though, to see on which side of the aisle so many of the regulars here line up on.

[Bob]

Whichever side of the aisle the beer cart is on, I'm there.

[iwanttobealion]

Did anyone else notice that all of the R's seemed to be on the side of The Rocket while the D's sided with McNamee?
Congressman Davis really should've crawled out of Clemens' ass for a little while during the proceedings...