Imploding Obama Campaign
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| Sat, 09-13-2008 - 10:47am |
The arrogance is astounding! This will defintely backfire on him.
Friday, September 12, 2008

Wondering No More
Yep. The day after 9/11, as part of its "get tough" makeover, the Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer, without caring why he doesn't use a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:
"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."
Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):
McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.
In a similar vein I guess it's an outrage that the blind governor of New York David Paterson doesn't know how to drive a car. After all, transportation issues are pretty important. How dare he serve as governor while being ignorant of what it's like to navigate New York's highways.
Update: Well, now the story is up on Drudge (You heard it here first!). Re: Mark's point about how the supposedly web-savvy Obama campaign can't handle Google, here's another story confirming he has difficulty using a keyboard. Ironically, it's from one of the most pro-Obama journalists out there, Jacob Weisberg, in an article in Slate in 2000:
"Six months ago, no one would have pegged McCain as the most cybersavvy of this year's crop of candidates. At 63, he is the oldest of the bunch and because of his war injuries, he is limited in his ability to wield a keyboard."
Now, in response to some angry criticism already coming in: Feh.
Some say, So what if he was handicapped? He could still learn how to send email.
Sure, but why would he? Bill Clinton sent two emails during his entire presidency and often admitted he didn't know squat about the internet.
One reader says "Steven Hawking knows how to use a computer!" Yes, because if he didn't he couldn't do his job or communicate. McCain, like Clinton, didn't have that problem. Here's a more sane version of t he same complaint:
You are ridiculous about this. While of course McCain probably can't type for long periods or in the manner in which many of us do, there are a tremendous amount of people that peck with just their index fingers. He also can surely use a mouse. How much typing do you really have to do to send emails and use the internet. Plus, when he was asked point blank about it he never said he couldn't type. I am sure he can't use a blackberry, but there are tons of people with far worse injuries than McCain that use a computer.
That's absolutely true, I'm sure. But they need to use computers to get through life. McCain doesn't. And the fact that he's not blaming his disability hardly sounds like a serious indictment. If he did blame his disability, many of the same folks yelling at me would be complaining that McCain's whining.
Now, I'd hardly be surprised if McCain could type for short stretches and all that. The point is, that it's perfectly understandable why he wouldn't get in the habit of it.
Oh one last point for now: Lord knows I think the chicken-hawk arguments are stupid. And I don't think the fact that Obama never served in the military should count against him in and of itself. But how stupid is it for the Obama campaign to claim that McCain is unqualified to be president because he can't grasp cyber-security issues based on the fact he has never sent an email when the McCain campaign can just as easily say Obama can't understand first order national security issues because he's never fired a rife, flown a plane, commanded men in battle, or faced an enemy? I mean which prepares someone to be commander in chief better, hitting "send" on AOL or fighting a war?
Update II: On the other hand: I don't know what to make of this interview with the New York Times. He sounds awfully web savvy in it, which makes the Obama ad sound unfair. And if you read it closely, it sounds like he knows how to surf with a mouse, but doesn't do much by way of typing.
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTliMTNiZjg5ZDEwZWNiZDYwZWFjN2JlNjNjNjkxZmM=

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Well, I certainly wouldn't have thought so....but then wingnut extraordinaire Jonah "Doughy Pantload" Goldberg started in with this silliness.....and immediately the wingnut wurlitzer shot that lie around the world, courtesy of the intertubes, before the truth could even get its boots on. I just go where the batcrap-insane wingnut lies are. Cripes, SOMEONE's gotta debunk 'em (or at least post up the debunking someone else has done).
Anyway, I'll agree that this seems not to be much of an issue any longer for you, now that you recognize that the research-derived facts aren't on your side. Though you did see fit to devote three separate posts to attempting to raise questions about it, as well as to making deprecating remarks about Obama and his supporters "desperation," before you realized this issue wasn't one you could credibly tar Obama on.
In fact, it wasn't until post #23 that you finally realized the handwriting - or rather, the text-messaging, LOL - was on the wall. Only then did you start in on the "oh well, this is all irrelevant and silly, anyway - nothing to see here" line - which you seem to be keeping up with here. Funny how, in those first three posts of yours I linked to up above, there was nary a peep about how "insignificant" or "irrelevant" this issue was. Back then - when you still thought you could get some anti-Obama mileage out of it - you were more like "Desparation does that. They are trying to move quickly to stop the McCain/Palin surge, and they will pay for these screw ups."
Oh, how the times, they DO be a-changin'.....ROFL.
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging
Obviously he
I see, so its just pansies who've attended Berkeley since the 1960's?
Are you simply unable to see your comment as the incredibly assnine bit of overgeneralization it is?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_California,_Berkeley_alumni
Whimps to a man, no doubt.
Rose
I didn't call anyone a pansy, your confusing me with another poster. What I said is that the college has changed quite a bit since the pre-1960's. Military training was part of the curriculum back then. There isn't much love for them now.
http://www.zombietime.com/berkeley_marine_corps_2-1-2008/IMG_0725.JPG
http://www.zombietime.com/berkeley_marine_corps_2-1-2008/IMG_0729.JPG
http://www.zombietime.com/berkeley_marine_corps_2-1-2008/IMG_0738.JPG
http://www.zombietime.com/berkeley_marine_corps_2-1-2008/IMG_0735.JPG
I also have degenerative disc disease. I had major neurosurgery in 2000. Let me explain. I have Neurofibromatosis. I have a 7 inch scar on my neck to my upper back. The surgery took 10 hours.I have tumors on my spinal cord that press on nerves, after that surgery, I could not raise my left arm over my head without pain or holding it there. I had weeks of physical therapy, I think McCain's problem with not being able to raise his arms up could be the level of care he received at the time he needed more extensive care and therapy. It gets more agrivated as you age. I had residents in the nursing home
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging
How about he prefers not to use email.
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