2008 Primaries Thread 2: THE QUICKENING

the republican party was basically dead in the 40s, it was recreated in grassroots movements in the 50s, thru PTA/PTO organizing, john birch society, anti-communism/'flouride in our water!' movements etc

Fox News Radio host Tom Sullivan took a call from a listener who stated that when listening to Barack Obama speak, "it harkens back to when I was younger and I used to watch those deals with Hitler, how he would excite the crowd and they'd come to their feet and scream and yell." Sullivan then played a "side-by-side comparison" of a Hitler speech and an Obama speech. Sullivan mimicked the crowd during both speeches, yelling, "Yay! Yay!" When a later caller complained that Sullivan was "denigrating" Obama with the comparison, Sullivan said he wouldn't play it again, then begged: "Can I, please, one more time? Just one more time? Then I won't do it again. ... Until the next time."

Oh, hurray.

also ayn rand-ish libertarianism

primary victory of goldwater in '64 the first signal that 'real conservatism' had returned. Repubs today prob see Ike as an even milder Clinton-esque moderate figure

Meanwhile, don't count out McCain at all: Tough Guys Win GEs. He's a war hero, he was a POW, he's a hawk, he's supposedly a hotheaded tough guy. This election cycle may be different for a lot of reasons, so maybe a McCain-type won't win, but if it is such an election cycle, it will run against prevailing trends.

I don't want to get complacent, but I do take some comfort from articles like this:

Policy Shifts Likely As Candidates Share Some Similar Views

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AP406_CONSEN_20080213195214.gif

hillary should support waterboarding to distinguish herself from mccain

the dems have been in a sort of freefall since the 50s, more or less, when conservatism was declared 'dead'

-- deej

I don't know that I buy this, not entirely. The aspects of 60s style countercultural thinking that the Republican party use to so effectively to foment anti-liberal hysteria really are part of the heart and soul of the modern Democratic party, at least as far as the electorate goes. City folk, pro-choice, pro homosexual marriage, pro relaxation of drug laws, worried about militarism, big on gun control, suspicious of country folk and people who wear religion on their sleeves. Those factors are arguably as key to the Democrats appeal as any representation of labor interests.

I support boogieboarding.

uh yeah carter reagan bush clinton all real tough guys

http://southdakotapolitics.blogs.com/south_dakota_politics/images/reagan-thumb.jpg

check out the Gipper's chub.

the dems have been in a sort of freefall since the 50s, more or less, when conservatism was declared 'dead'

-- deej

I don't know that I buy this, not entirely. The aspects of 60s style countercultural thinking that the Republican party use to so effectively to foment anti-liberal hysteria really are part of the heart and soul of the modern Democratic party, at least as far as the electorate goes. City folk, pro-choice, pro homosexual marriage, pro relaxation of drug laws, worried about militarism, big on gun control, suspicious of country folk and people who wear religion on their sleeves. Those factors are arguably as key to the Democrats appeal as any representation of labor interests.

-- contenderizer, Thursday, February 14, 2008 3:11 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

yeah sorry that should have read 60s, obv civil rights etc. were huge successes from the dem side

unbelievable

fuck time magazine

Bob Dole is a tough guy. BOB DOLE.

primary victory of goldwater in '64 the first signal that 'real conservatism' had returned. Repubs today prob see Ike as an even milder Clinton-esque moderate figur

the FDR remaking of the party had so demoralized the GOP that Nixon was considered the "true" conservative when he campaigned for Ike's VP seat; all they had to run against Stevenson the first time was a return to a "cleaner" Washington.

why do you hate reagan/freedom so much and what?

i hate reagan, too, and time magazine kind of sucks, but to their defense, don't they generally make the presidential winner the "man of the year?" i don't know. i thought GWB got it both times he won

i dont think weve had a major candidate w/mccains sort of bad angry vibes since nixon

Reagan was also a cover boy during the "Lady Liberty" hoohah of July '86.

"man of the year" just means "newsmaker of the year" you guys - i mean i even won it a couple years ago

http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1986/1101860707_400.jpg

okay, so it looks as though both the SEIU and the UFCW are both set to back Obama. that's a big chunk of union support.

http://i.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2004/1101041227_400.jpg

loooooooooooooool

uh yeah carter reagan bush clinton all real tough guys

Uh, except for Carter, yeah. Maybe not real tough guys, but perceived tough guys, and certainly perceived to be the toughest guy in the GE in that election cycle. And yes, Bill Clinton was considered more of your tough guy "Daddy" than Bob Dole.

Whereas Barack is like your cool uncle who lets you crash on his couch whenever your Dad is being, like, a total toolbag.

i dunno man, ross perot was pretty tough

In their own ways, I think both HRC and Obama are exceptions to that rule, btw. Obama can win without being the toughest guy in the GE (tho I think he'll lose to McCain). HRC can lose while being the perceived toughest gal in the GE (and I think she'll lose to McCain.

http://earthhopenetwork.net/bush%20art/time_cover_bush.jpg

is this real?

yes

yah i feel yr pain clinton and that wouldnt be prudent ghwb were considered tough WHAAAATEVEEEER try again la times

old ass shining city on the hill reagan and im a uniter not a divider gwb can be added to the list

daniel from whence the mccain boner

it's the portrait of bush on the cover of time up there that i can't believe is real -- it is really really bad!

http://www.hermeswashere.com/images/TimeCover_BushResigns.jpg

i dont remember this happening

OK romney endorsing live now.

i like that he's an "american" revolutionary, too, it helps all those absent-minded people with american flags on their front porches who find it difficult to remember what country they live in

A-W-K-W-A-R-D

live?? the last thing they did was some pre-game concert in milwaukee!

that would be so awz if bush resigned and gave the big thumbs up on the way out

like "i know guys, i fucked up! good times ahead!"

"no hard feelins, right stretch?"

The "tough guy" thing makes a certain amount of sense. Except that it's wrong. Might be more accurate to say that America picks the father figure that it wants - or thinks it needs (I'm speaking historically and don't intend to slight Hillary, who could change this dynamic). So victory does entail winning a masculinity contest, but you'd have to be an idiot to say that masculinity = nothing more than toughness.

daniel from whence the mccain boner

I don't like McCain at all. But I think he will be the favorite (slightly, perhaps) to win the GE once the conventions are over.

why? cause he's a rootin tootin tough dude + the press loves him? he doesn't have much else going for him

none of us has the slightest idea what politically suicidal things Hillary's desperation, McCain's bluster, or Obama's Jesusness might cause them to say in the next 8 months.

Obama's Jesusness

lol

both dem candidates are more charismatic than john kerry, people have largely turned against the iraq conflict since '04, mccain is HELLA old, republican base is pretty shaky on mccain's qualities, huge dem voter turnout in primaries, republicans routed in midterm elections ... bad bad signs for mccain dude

im scared of a mccain presidency and i dont rule it out but the balls not really in his court right now

cause he's a rootin tootin tough dude + the press loves him

Yes.