Obama says he has been to 57 U.S. states. Fact: There are only 50 U.S. states.
Obama, while in South Dakota, called Sioux Falls 'Sioux City' and then said, "I've been in Iowa for too long." Fact: Sioux City is in Iowa. Sioux Falls is in South Dakota.
Obama said, regarding why he was trailing in Kentucky, "Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it's not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle." Fact: Obama's home state of Illinois borders Kentucky. Arkansas does not.
Obama, while in Florida said, "How's it going, Sunshine? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everybody. It's good to be in Sunshine!" Fact: Obama was in Sunrise, Florida.
Obama said his uncle "...was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps." Fact: American troops didn't liberate Auschwitz; Soviet troops did.
Obama said, "We only have a certain number of . . . [Arabic language translators], and if they are all in Iraq, then it's harder for us to use them in Afghanistan." Fact: Afghanis speak Pashto, Farsi, or other non-Arabic languages.
Obama said, "I trust the American people to understand that it is not weakness, but wisdom to talk...to our enemies, like Roosevelt did, and Kennedy did, and Truman did." Fact: FDR did not talk directly with any enemy axis powers before the outbreak of hostilities, and his policy once war began was their unconditional surrender. Fact: Truman kept FDR's policy for WWII. Fact: Truman did not meet unconditionally with Kim Il Sung. Truman sent troops. Fact: Kennedy said of his meeting with Kruschev, "He beat the hell out of me." The Berlin Wall started being built 2 months later. The Cuban Missile Crisis soon followed. New York Times columnist James Resto said, "Khrushchev decided he was dealing with an inexperienced young leader who could be intimidated and blackmailed." Fact: Obama is an even more inexperienced young "leader" who can be intimidated even more than Kennedy. Fact: The best analogy to Obama's desire to meet unconditionally with U.S.-hating dictators is Neville Chamberlain. WWII soon followed resulting in over 62 million deaths.
U.S. HISTORY
Obama said, "There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they [his parents] got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born." Fact: Obama was born in 1961. The Selma march took place in 1965.
Obama said, "I'm not familiar with the Hanford, uuuuhh, site, so I don't know exactly what's going on there." Fact: Obama had already voted on a defense-authorization bill that addressed the "costs, schedules, and technical issues" dealing with the Hanford site, the nation's most contaminated nuclear-waste site.
Obama said, "On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today -- our sense of patriotism is particularly strong."[Emphasis added.] Fact: Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in Military Service to their country. Despite Obama's claim, there were no dead Military Members in the audience.
Obama said, "Since the Bush Administration launched a misguided war in Iraq, its policy in the Americas has been negligent toward our friends, ineffective with our adversaries...No wonder, then, that demagogues like Hugo Chávez have stepped into this vacuum.[/b ]"[Emphasis added.] [b]Fact: Chávez was first elected president in 1998, and reelected in 2000, both occurring while Bill Clinton was serving his second term as President.
NUMBERS
Obama said tornadoes in Kansas killed 10,000 people saying, "In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed." Fact: 12 people died in the tornadoes.
Also see Obama's assertion that the U.S. has over 57 states.
Also see Obama's inability to comprehend the year he was born.
Also see Obama's inability to comprehend different years regarding when Chávez came to power.
MISC.
Obama told Larry King on CNN, "We don't have the technical capacity to create something like that," referring to an anti-Hillary YouTube doctored video based on the classic Apple Macintosh "1984" ad. Fact: Such technical capacity does, obviously, exist, since the video was – and still is – on YouTube.
Obama said he saw an article in Life magazine with photographs of a black man physically scarred by his efforts to lighten his skin. Fact:Life magazine says no such article or photographs exist.
BELIEFS
Obama says it isn't fair to criticize his spouse while she is on the campaign trail. Obama has no problem criticizing Hillary Clinton's spouse while he is on the campaign trail.
Obama (ever since gaining the lead in delegates) has said superdelegates must vote in accordance with their constituents. Obama, however, has no problem with superdelgate Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia voting for Obama, even though Senator Byrd's West Virginia constituents voted for Hillary Clinton.
Obama said he wants to meet with Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez to discuss Chávez's support of Marxist FARC terrorists in Colombia. Obama insisted (the very next day) any country supporting FARC terrorists should suffer "regional isolation."
Obama said, "[Iran doesn't] pose a serious threat to us." Obama said (the very next day), "I've made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave."
Obama believes the corncob-smokin', banjo-strokin', inbred, hillbillies who live in fly-over country are bitter and cling to religion as a result. Obama clung to his religion (with his bitter pastor and spiritual mentor) for over 20 years.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
John, please copy and save this post. I am in the midst of doing some site work (OK, I'm having site work done.), and I do not want to lose this. I will also copy it, but it will look better if you re-post it if necessary. The work may take a few days.
Posts: 16956 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
There are maybe a couple of statements signifying significant policy muddles or misunderstandings there - What the FARC Was Obama Talking About? - but it's pretty much a collection of bloopers, isn't it? The world according to Obama? Hardly.
[And what's actually wrong with this one - "Since the Bush Administration launched a misguided war in Iraq, its policy in the Americas has been negligent toward our friends, ineffective with our adversaries...No wonder, then, that demagogues like Hugo Chávez have stepped into this vacuum."[Emphasis added.] Fact: Chávez was first elected president in 1998, and reelected in 2000, both occurring while Bill Clinton was serving his second term as President.'?
Obama didn't say that Bush's foreign policy disasters got Chavez elected, but that Chavez has stepped in to the vacuum they've created - which he has, with various stunts and maneuvers.]
The US public didn't seem to mind Bush's inarticulateness, or Reagan's vagueness - it's the policies and actions that cause the hoo-ha. Clinton and McCain haven't been gaffe-free in this campaign either. If this is the worst those opposing Obama can come up with, he's home free, isn't he?
I am always pleased to see jg's contributions to this forum. And I have always wondered why NNN and fred don't vent their spleen on what is happening in Ottawa and London, respectively. Seems there is plenty of grist for the mill going on there.
Posts: 7646 | Location: On Vacation | Registered: 06-06-02
For the last 50 years or so, when the US coughs, the world hears. While this may pass, for right now, paying attention to US politics is paying attention to the world's events. A Canadian being interested in US politics is more understandable than an American (US version) being interested in Canadian politics.
Posts: 16956 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
A Canadian being interested in US politics is more understandable than an American (US version) being interested in Canadian politics.
But one would think that a Canadian would be interested first and foremost in the political events taking place where he or she lives. Wouldn't it be the same in the UK as well?
Originally posted by juanruiz: And I have always wondered why NNN and fred don't vent their spleen on what is happening in Ottawa and London, respectively. Seems there is plenty of grist for the mill going on there.
Don't know about Ottawa, obviously ( but not much grist there if roog and dg's Canadian news is anything to go by )
Ah, but what 'grist' is there for me in London? Give me a clue. Today's lead headline stories are :
"Sales a month early as stores struggle" [Daily Telegraph]
" Top police boycott official paperwork" ( a story that three police forces object to form-filling to give details of every incident, however trivial,which stuff the government has been demanding for statistical purposes)[The Times]
" Shocked! How the oil crisis has hit the world" [The Independent]
"Be nice to Mr Huntley" ( a story that a child murderer, who is serving life without parole, is being treated gently by prison staff.As he is on permanent suicide watch , after two failed attempts,and for his own safety goes nowhere outside his cell without two guards, this isn't surprising) [Daily Mail]
" Private school chief: state pupils face anarchy in class"( the head of an organisation representing private schools says some children in state schools are unteachable) [The Guardian]
and "Holiday from Helmut !" ( a British tourist gets judgment for £750 damages against his tour operator because he was put in a hotel resort in Greece which was full of Germans.Everything there was in German ) [The Sun]
And there's always the Cambridge News: "Calls to remove 'taunting' sign" ( an off-licence [liquor store] has a sign reading 'rehab is for quitters' as an ad. in its window. Unfortunately it's opposite a hall where Alcoholics Anonymous meet )
Not a lot of grist there, however splenetic I'm feeling If we invade a country on duff intelligence and with no valid reason, I'll have something (Damn! Too late!)
A Canadian being interested in US politics is more understandable than an American (US version) being interested in Canadian politics.
Perhaps. But being the one non-Canadian who has contributed most to the dg-Roog thread, I think I have shown my interest in Canada. I just find it strange that non-Americans have vented so much on US threads, when their interests are, at best, tangential.
Posts: 7646 | Location: On Vacation | Registered: 06-06-02
Canadian politics are pretty parochial. At the moment we have a bunch of right-wing Alberta boys (mostly boys) in power nationally, because the last lot had been in too long. The pendulum will swing back again, inevitably. It's not riveting.
An example of how the economic clout of a nation of 300 million can simply override the interests of a nation of 30 million - For Sale: Arctic Sovereignty?.
I'm also always glad to see John Galt posting - although I hardly ever seem to agree with him. He's articulate and informed. Like the US Presidential election, he's interesting.
Originally posted by juanruiz: I just find it strange that non-Americans have vented so much on US threads, when their interests are, at best, tangential.
I'm afraid I don't know what 'vent' means in American. However,it seems polite to talk about what the other guests are interested in (themselves and their business) and not about one's own business. One would not ordinarily talk of politics or religion but if that's what, in their own business, they want to talk of, so be it.
For myself, I'm always interested in the alien and strange, and any world where the thinking, traditions and culture are much unlike mine own. The United States is all of those, "in", as I believe you say, "spades" .
The President of the US has often been described by US media as "the leader of the Free World" and the office itself has been described, again by US media, as "the most powerful office in the world." Given that, it only makes sense that people interested in world events take an interest in and have opinions about a US presidential election. -------- John, the word "nearby" has about a dozen or so meanings and synonyms besides adjacent or bordering. Of course, using one of them wouldn't suit your purpose. -------- I recall photos of the scarring and damage done to black skin, and, had I had to say what magazine I saw it in, Life would have been my choice. Perhaps it was in Look magazine (Look was to Life was Us today is to People.), or even one of the similar black magazines such as Ebony or Jet. -------- John, the sentence "We don't have that technology" could just as easily mean that his campaign doesn't have that technology. But, again, that would not suit your purpose. -------- Most, but not all, of John's complaints about Obama have been addressed in this or other threads. But some can't be easily explained, unless you want to consider that presidential candidates talk a lot and what they say gets recorded. Most people know that when you talk a great deal, and do so while you are thinking of something else, dumb things sometimes come out. Kennedy certainly can be forgiven for claiming (in German)to be a pastry. While First Lady Pat Nixon might have been offended, no one thought her husband really meant it when he said, “America can’t stand pat." Ford really didn't "watch the Detroit Tigers on the radio", or think that “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration.” Reagan really didn't mean that the US had "much to offer the Third World War." (I am not sure about his wife's comment, speaking to a crowd of both blacks and whites shortly after speaking at a nearly all black group, that she was glad to "see all the white faces in the crowd.") Bill Clinton made a few, and both Bushes, along with Dan Quayle, sometimes defied comprehension with their comments. -------- John, I guess you are still working on your response to McCain's repeated misunderstanding of Sunni, Shi'a and al Qeada (Fortunately, he has Lieberman to whisper in his ear when he forgets.) and his inability to understand that X number of troops does not mean X + 10,000. I can't tell you how much I await those responses.
Edited to correct typo.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
Posts: 16956 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Let me underscore that jg and I don't march lockstep. We are still at loggerheads about the Kennedy assassination. However, his participation here for me is always welcome; he brings a breath of fresh air, whether I agree with him or not. I hope he decides to post more frequently, even though I tend to avoid political comment.
Posts: 7646 | Location: On Vacation | Registered: 06-06-02
The only serious,relevant, error is where he says that Arabic translators are needed in Afghanistan.Afghanis use Arabic script but not an Arabic language. (But everyone, including Obama's critics,knows that, don't they?)
By the way, a speaker of Persian (Farsi), the language of Iran, will understand the official languages of Afghanistan."Phonological and lexical differences between Iran and Afghanistan cause little difference in comprehension" [Source: Afhgan-network ]
How does this mistake on foreign affairs compare with knowing whether invading Iraq is a wise thing to do? Obama got that right. McCain didn't. That quality of judgment may be more relevant to the post they both aspire to than 'gaffes' like these.
Here we have a young freshman Senator who is making a historical run for the White House. Obviously he has a very good organization behind him. Having gotten off to a fast start, the last couple of months has been pretty rocky & turbulant for Sen Obama. Yet he still maintains his lead over Hillary.
At this point in the campaign, Barack Obama is finding out what campaigning for President is really about. Yes he's already been at it for a year.
A Presidential candidate goes through a public rectal examination more thorough than what you find in a doctor's office. His whole life is laid out before the public. Nothing or no one is off-limits. No subject is taboo. Anything insignificant said months or years ago can & will be used against a candidate. Barack Obama is finding that out. Like it or not, he is going to have to learn to deal with it & get used to it. And the people he is associated with will be brought up.
Anyone who subjects themselves to this kind of scrutiny must want the job of President pretty bad.
Posts: 2277 | Location: Martinsville, IL | Registered: 06-03-02
"Anyone who subjects themselves to this kind of scrutiny must want the job of President pretty bad."
This made me think of an interview in the 1960s with Jack Paar of Tonight Show fame). He mentioned that, during his Tonight run, at a press conference, he was asked why he didn't pursue his film career. (He had made a couple of movies.) Paar replied that he just didn't want to be a star that much, saying, "I guess I didn't have it in my genes." Reporters being reporters and the entertainment business being the entertainment business, he was quoted as saying, "I guess I didn't have it in my jeans."
Posts: 16956 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Just found this a few minutes ago. Seems Barack Obama has resigned his church membership.
His speech and the press conference after it were what everyone would expect.He is improving by the day. What LR has said about Obama learning how to deal with the pressures and problems of running for President, as he goes, is being proved. The man is a 'class act' and he learns fast.The contrast between the raw, nervous, uncertain individual at the beginning of the campaign and the Obama we see now is very marked.
The man sticks his foot in his mouth whenever he deviates from the script prepared by his handlers.
Hmm. Did you see the 'press conference' in full? He chose his words well and thoughtfully and was well able to see the nuance in a question about his choosing his church and then 'turn the tables', very sweetly, on his questioner.Or are you to tell us that, in fact, he was wired up to HQ and his every word was coming down an earpiece. Hey, his thoughtful pauses must have been because of breaks in the signal !
Seriously, he impresses this outsider because he is patently a lot more intelligent than most politicians.Unfortunately, it shows.
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