On the Issues: Why Obama Was Right and John McCain Was Wrong on the Surge

In January of 2007 John McCain wrote an editorial about the need for a surge of American troops in Iraq. He wrote, “During my visit to Iraq last month, it was clear that security is the precondition for political progress and economic development.” He went on to say, “Until the government and its coalition allies can protect the population, the Iraqi people will increasingly turn to extr-governmental forces, especially Sunni and Shiite militias, for protection. Only when the government has a monopoly on the legitimate use of force will its authority have meaning, and only when its authority has meaning can political activity have the results we seek.” It has been more than a year since that surge and in a safer more secure Iraq we are still seeing a government not up to the challenge.

At the same time that John McCain was moving closer to President Bush on the war in Iraq Barack Obama was laying out the case why the surge wouldn’t work. In his floor statement he said this, “The fact is that we have tried this road before. In the end, no amount of American forces can solve the political differences that lie at the heart of somebody else’s civil war.”

So who was right and who was wrong? The GAO who conducted a report on the surge in September that hasn’t much changed said that Iraq had “failed to meet all but nine of the security goals Congress had set as part of a list of 18 benchmarks of progress.” Two of these goals had been the elimination of havens for militia forces and the deployment of three Iraqi military brigades that would be there to assist the U.S. in the security plan that was created for Baghdad. Two other benchmarks that had been described as one being economic and the other political the GAO rated as partially met. Speaking of political goals this same report said that only one of the eight goals in that arena had been met, and even today the Iraqi Parliament has missed deadline after deadline to set a date for new national elections that are pass due.

So if the true meaning our purpose of the surge in Iraq was just to secure the nation than John McCain is right. However he is being less than honest when he suggests that to be so. His own comments saying, “During my visit to Iraq last month, it was clear that security is the precondition for political progress and economic development,” prove this to be the case.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

Can She Do It? When Democratic Insults Go Too Far.

John McCain rocked the political world this week when he named first term Governor of Alaska his Vice Presidential nominee. Some call it calculated. Some call it dump, stupid, and petty. However it did the job. Took the story off the great convention the Democrats threw and placed it on John McCain. It also energized the conservative base in ways they haven’t been all year long. Now the major question is can she do it? Can she take away those Hillary Clinton voters that haven’t and still aren’t warming up to Senator Obama? My guess is it might.

To answer this question you have to really understand the Clinton voter. To get off to a start, they aren’t just the liberal I support abortion women of Emily’s List. Women made up the base that sustained Hillary Clinton in the hardest days of her campaign. They became unwavering votes and supporters as volunteers and donors. They are the brick her campaign was built on, but they aren’t the audience that Sarah Palin will be reaching out to.

In the end of the primary season Hillary dealt Barack Obama a series of major blows in small towns and big states like Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. These victories came with the support of women but built more on the middle class blue collar workers. These are those voters that Sarah Palin was selected to reach out to.

The Democratic response to this nomination has as often with bolted leaders who are more full of themselves then what is good for the country or the party been offensive. My grandmother who has never voted for a republican sent me this email today: ” I never considered voting for McCain before today. Every day I see (John) Kerry, Barbara Boxer, and others speak of her in their dissmisive tone my blood boils. The fact is she knows how it is to have children and higher ambitions at the same time. They don’t appeal to my type of Democrat. Never have and never will. I suggest Obama tell them to shut the hell up before they cost him the election.”

After John McCain nominated Palin Barack Obama said this about the selection, “Yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics. While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign.”

Upon hearing of the Palin selection Clinton said, “We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin’s historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the debate.”

These statements are a realization that playing the small town America doesn’t count, no experience card, and tokenism won’t work. It is time others did as well and focus on what matters.

It matters that Sarah Palin is in favor of more drilling at the expense of focusing on alternatives.

It matters that Sarah Palin agrees with John McCain that universal health-care is unneeded.

It matters that Sarah Palin believes that the Supreme Court was right to overturn the DC gun ban.

It matters that Sarah Palin is supportive of the McCain foreign policy agenda.

When did we start to ignore Obama’s campaign of an issue focused debate instead of personal and unhelpful attacks? I know when we allow idiots who have proven themselves to be unable to win national elections like Daschel, Dodd, and Kerry to issue these attacks on our behalf.

We are better advised to follow Obama’s lead on this one. She can’t win the Hillary vote unless we push them to her.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

PTA President is not Vice-Presidential Material

Senator McCain celebrated his birthday by picking a hockey mom turned governor as his running mate. It was an interesting day to make the pick because,  it was also the senator’s birthday. John McCain turned 72 on Friday, this means, if elected, he would be the oldest president in our nations history.

The Governor talks with a slightly squeaky voice. She wears glasses and fashions a hair style that give the appearance of a cold and rigid attitude.

Palin listed her less than impressive resume:

Kids Basketball Coach

“Hokey Mom”

PTA President

City Council of Wasila

Mayor of Wasilla Alaska (town of 5470) This is the same town that she said she cut government spending….one has to ask how much spending there really in such a small town…

Governor of Alaska (Alaska is the same size as Charleston, South Carolina)

She said in her speech that she rejected the Alaskan, “Bridge to Nowhere.” This was an interesting statement, because the legislation was drafted by Alaska senator and John McCain loyalist, Ted Stevens.

When I heard of the decision, I thought:”This must be the only woman that would run with John McCain.” After all this is the same John McCain that voted against the Violence Against Women Act. The same John McCain that has supported anti-choice legislation time after time after time again. This is the same John McCain that did not support an equal pay/equal wage bill, just last April.

This woman is not qualified to be vice-president. John McCain’s age makes this pick questionable and even dangerous. In a world where the United States is liable to numerous national security threats, I don’t believe this “Hokey Mom” would be fit to serve as commander in chief, in the event of something happening to John McCain. A McCain/Palin White House would be a recipe for disaster and America cannot afford another one of those.

Sarah Palin- A Leader of Her Own But No Hillary Clinton

Alaska’s first female governor is making history today. She is the first woman in the GOP to be tapped to lead a national ticket as Vice President. Many will make great arguments on her readiness and her record. Let there be no debate that she is by far a spectacular individual with an powerful story full of wonderful accomplishments. She has a great record as a student, a daughter, wonderful marriage, inspiring mother, successful business woman, motivating Mayor, member of the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and the most popular Governor in America.

Her story is a great one. The daughter of two educators and public servants dedicated to moving the newest state in the union forward. She grew up working hard and valuing her education. Her marriage has been one of strength and unity. To look at her family it tells the story of America. Talented children with the oldest willing to give of himself to serve America aboard. She can tell the story of growing developmental problems in American children having one herself recently born with a developmental challenge. When one looks at her political career not to be inspired is hard. She took on the sitting Republican Governor whom she saw is corrupt underachieving. She took him on and then won. After that she took on the former popular Democratic Governor and won. In one election this woman beat two male governors.

Her story is great. Her abilities are greater. However let no mistake be made. Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton.

Senator Clinton has worked hard to combat the negative effects that guns have on our community. Sarah Palin has spent her life working with and being a member of the NRA.

While in 2002 Sarah Palin was running for Lt. Governor as the the best pro-life candidate any candidate can be Hillary Clinton was fighting to ensure that President Bush and the GOP majority didn’t restrict a woman’s right to choose.

While Senator Clinton has joined Senator Obama in an unprecedented effort for universal health care for all Americans, Sarah has joined a team that degrades the need for health care for all as socialism or Hillarycare.

So yes we all should congratulate the historic moment of her nomination. We should take note of the road she has traveled. However it is important to remember…Sarah Palin is a woman…she is not Hillary Clinton.

Tha-Kid JK

tha-kid@revkitchen.com

Stop acting like we won! And vote the right way.

I was not pleased with the Democratic convention last week, when all the big Democrats were acting like we won this election and there is no need to attack John McCain’s negative personal record. I could tell you, during next weeks Republican national convention, the Republicans won’t be talking about how  Barack Obama is a great patriotic American, and how he is only wrong on the issues! We have to stop playing Mr. Nice Guy and attack McCain for running a campaign based on his POW record. We need to swift boat him!

I was recently talking to a progressive, and asked him who he is voting for, and he said ‘McCain’.  I asked why, and he said ‘ Well, Obama will win New York anyways, so lets give the underdog some respect’. The Obama camp must talk to these crazy voters!!!!

Obama’s speech last night…

Apparently over 84,000 people were at Invesco Field last night, and about 38 million people watched the speech on television.

I definitely thought it was a good speech, just not amazing. There weren’t really any great one-liners to stick in your head following the speech. It wasn’t like his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. When comparing the two speeches, even Obama himself said that, “there’s a special moment there that we can’t recapture.”

What are your thoughts about the speech? Was it really Obama at his best?

Melissa Etheridge at the DNC last night.

In the Pepsi Center.

I’m currently sitting in the blogger seating area of the Pepsi Center. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn is now speaking. It’s 5:42 and I’m getting more and more excited for the prime time speeches.

Update 6:15: Harry Reid Is talking. The Convention has officially transitioned into the “Securing America’s Future” theme.

Update 6:48: One of my favorite Senators, Jack Reed, is delivering a speech right now. The crowd isn’t paying attention. At all. I’m trying to hear over their talking.

Update 7:08: Former President Bill Clinton just took the stage and the audience went absolutely wild. He got an equally grand reaction when he, in no uncertain terms, endorsed Barack Obama. President Clinton’s speech is absolutely amazing so far. One of his recent lines: “Barack Obama is ready to be President of the United States.”

“People have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.”

This is the speech that every Democrat should be giving!!! It’s tough, hopeful, and extremely well-delivered simultaneously.

More Flickr photos and a write-up of Biden’s speech will follow.

Hillary nominates Obama at the DNC

When it looked certain that Barack Obama was going to be nominated President of the United States, the state of New Mexico yielded to the state of Illinois who had passed earlier in the roll-call vote. Illinois, knowing that Obama was close to being put over the top, then yielded the floor to the state of New York. In a surprise twist, Hillary Clinton came out, suspended the roll-call vote, and ended the process.

The crowd went wild, people in the audience were in tears, and Barack Obama became the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

Busy day in the Big Tent.

I’ve been in the Big Tent since the early morning hours and the time has just flown by due to the madness that has been happening around me. Markos Moulitsas, founder of the super-influential Dailykos.com, spontaneously started signing free copies of his book - Taking On the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era - for his many admirers in the Big Tent. I was lucky enough to come into acquisition of one of these books and thoroughly enjoyed the brief conversation that I had with him.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer then made a surprise appearance and was immediately surrounded by bloggers and photographers who were, like myself, quite impressed with his convention speech last night.

Lastly, I would like thank Internationally-famous swiftboater, T. Boone Pickens, for sponsoring today’s lunch in the Big Tent from “Wahoo’s Fish Tacos!”

John McCain at the DNC

While I was walking into the Pepsi Center tonight, Mitt Romney was walking out. He was walking so fast, and unfortunately I was unable to get a picture. It was unusual to see what could have been the Republican nominee at the Democratic Convention. It was as if Hillary Clinton were to make an appearance at the Republican Convention next week. There are easy ways to explain unpredictable events such as this. Mitt Romney must have been a guest on one of the network news shows.

Romney was at the DNC to provide John McCain’s side of the story. A side of the story that was already being told all night by the numerous Democrats and the few Republicans that spoke.

What we’ve learned tonight from the Democrats is that a President McCain would not be good for the economy, healthcare, women, minorities, and America. What I wanted to hear more about is why John McCain won’t be good for future generations, and young people specifically.

I guess it can also be said that all of those issues I mentioned above do have a direct influence on America’s young people. A strong economy for the future depends on what we are doing right now to plan for it. And a strong America today can lead the way for a stronger America tomorrow.

Warner’s keynote speech: A Liveblog.

Gov. Warner’s speech has begun. He says that the most important contest of our time is the race for the future. He’s now using his personal success story to illustrate the American Dream.

Gov. Warner is being more fierce than I expected him to be. I’m impressed so far! Warner’s playing to the Virginia crowd big time, while simultaneously making points on a national scale. Very effective stuff. He’s reminding me why he left office with a 70% approval rating.

He just wrapped up. A wonderful speech! Go, Governor Warner!

Madness in front of MSNBC’s Hardball

On Tuesday, during a taping of MSNBC’s Hardball, 9/11 Truthers were shouting, “Do your job!” After their mini riot, Code Pink showed up. They began singing a song about bringing the soldiers home. During a commercial break, David Shuster tried to quiet down the crowd, and for the most part it worked. We didn’t want to risk getting sprayed with teargas, so we left.

Here is the video:

Behind the Podium at the DNC

One perk of being a blogger at the DNC is the access to the upper stage behind the podium while the speeches are being made. During Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s speech I was able to take some photos and videos of the the delegates and the media. It’s an overwhelming experience as the crowd is chanting and cheering.

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