The Big Republican Gamble - Cheney/Miller - Has it backfired? - The O'Nerdling Factor

Chris Matthews voted for Bush in the last election.

If you have watched him over the years, he is hard on both sides.

He can also spot a liar 1000 yards away!!!

I love his Sunday morning show, his round-table of press is always interesting.

I couldn't watch the Rep convention, but now I wish I did!!

[edit on 2-9-2004 by Tesla]

Matthews voted for Bush? I find that hard to believe. Matthews is a Kennedy liberal who is out for one of his own. He' s a Kerry apologist.

Originally posted by Nerdling

Its my firm estimation that tonights "events" at the Republican National Convention in New York may have cost Bush this election already.

It was pure red meat served up to a rabid, seething party. Will it win anyone over? That's hard to say. I'm a Republican and I will tell you this, my party's belliscosity has driven me straight into Kerry/Edwards' camp. I'm beyond sick of the vitriol. We are all Americans. Just because someone disagrees w/your position, it doesn't make them a coward, or unamerican. And.. to question Kerry's patriotism or courage is just plain pathetic. If I'm no Republican, as some like to claim, than Zell Miller sho ain't no Democrat.

Nobody really knew the contents of the speeches and that was something that immediately angered the networks, for when they televise speeches they like to know whats in them so they can prepare talking points for their anchors/talking heads to go over so it makes them seem so much smarter.

What do you expect from the dolt choir? They wouldn't know independent thought if it smacked 'em on the temporal.

So, before the speeches have even begun we have a series of angry networks all vying for a copy and not knowing what their about to air or whether they can legally show it.... The problems really start to begin then.

Hail the anger-fest! You know, Zell Miller looks like one of the meanest, angriest people I've ever seen. It's just plain creepy.

And then, it all hit the fan. SMACK. I sat there open mouthed all the way through it thinking "oh my god, they cant be doing this," well they have. And it is an INCREDIBLY risky strategy.

But it sure plays well with the angry, racist, homophobic crowd.

They've completely abandoned independents, swing voters and everyone else sitting on the fence to solidify their base.

I can only hope it will make all the sensible undecideds out there see these people for what they really are.

Very risky play guys.

I don't know how risky it is, considering so many veterans have bought into that swift boat nonsense.

Kerry's numbers among vets since the smear campaign took hold has dropped about 18% All I can say there is Go Delta category military! You're proving exactly why you're there.

Cheney also had a large part in this, he spoke calmly and coldly (ice cold) about how Kerry was a danger to this nation and how Kerry has done this that and the other. It was NEGATIVE.

He only invoked terra about 20 times in 30 minutes.

And he failed to mention what, if anything, BushCo. intends to do about health care, the economy, the environment, jobs...etc. It's clear why, but heck, they could at least try and fake the vision thing.

All they got is you better be afraid.. very afraid.

Aren't ya'll sick of this yet? This economy STINKS and I AIN'T AFRAID OF DICK'S BOOGYMAN!

He paused for a few seconds (they knew they had him now) and Miller mumbled a "non answer" about how Kerry had voted against weapons etc. Completely disregarding Jeffs point.

Evade, evade, evade. Cheney et al are masters of evasion. Think back to the veeps' excellent maneuvering back in his youth. FIVE draft deferments. Now there's an American hero for ya.

there was no mention of the future at all.

Exactly! With these pirates, we have no real future; only death and destruction.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens and how Kerry responds. They've effectively handed him control of the game.

It's Kerry's race to lose. I listened to Edwards' comments this morning on ABC's Good Morning America. He called it just like it was - they had NO plan for the future. Not one mention. NADA. And he also pointed to the fact that working people - honest, law-abiding, hardworking citizens - can no longer afford to pay their bills. Indeed. We are living in two Americas, as he has said. The wealthy Bush crowd lives in their fortified, moneyed walled off ivory towers while the rest of us work harder and harder and fall farther and farther behind.

This year, for the first time in my life, I am going to do everything in my power to see that the Republicans are driven so far from power, they forget what power ever was.



[edit on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

ECK, what kind of Republican are you? Miller is a consrvative southern Democrat. never claimed to be anything else. Hey If you stand up for Kerry because he's your guy, good on you. I hope you do all you can to get him elected. I see nothing wrong with voting for the person of choice. what I find disturbing is all the hatered being spewed out. I don't question Kerry's courage and I agree that his service to the country in his four months was honorable, but I question his truthfulness and a flaw in character that I see as his need to be the limelight of everything. Clinton lite. Self absorbed with himself.

That's because you've been told over and over again how to view Kerry.

The GOP's convention has been nothing but a hate-fest. You're not stupid, you've got to see that.

ECK, I like you, but to call the RNC a hate-fest? what I have seen is an old fashioned poltical process. They challenged Kerry on his record in the Senate. I agree that Zell Miller seemed Angry, but I think that he was venting about what he see's as his party leaving him behind. But hate-fest, I think that's on the outside of the Garden. Democrats intemidating delegates, invading the proceeding and trying to shout down the speakers. That my friend is what hate is all about. The personal attacks that the Democrats have made against Bush and Cheney and the termerity to claim the high ground after the Swift boats and others came out against Kerry.

Here's what an older Christian lady I know had to say about the convention:

accidentally caught "Bush-Fest" cpl times & so alarmed & sickened by so lil. I'd prob need recussitation if I HADDA be there, like worker or reporter. I've told you I saw 'handwriting on the wall' 25 yrs ago when Republicans under Reagan found out how to milk fundamentalist & charismatic Christian element & that Bush I folks learned well & are teaching Bush II t'do SAME, presenting ol' Georgy boy as one o'THEM....well...the other night when I accidentally got that channel, I HADDA be seeing things - the "Convention" had morphed into a huge Christian "Praise Fest" - SERIOUSLY! (that's what they useta call certain type of Christian gatherings. It was a WORSHIP SVC lead by George - I promise you, those fools in convention hall woulda looked you in the eye & told you it was/is, all about Christ, & Dubya was just leading the service.....well, SOME people aren't on that Dubya drug.
Last eve I took call fm elderly black lady (she said so!) who demanded to speak to our chief editor! When I calmed her down enuf t'tell me what had her upset she DECLARED - "The Lord said, 'You shall have no other gods before me!' - Last nite I saw on the TV that whole Republican Convention bowing down and WORSHIPING George Bush like he was God himself! You need t'TELL people that!" on and on......but honestly, she was really right!
The tragic thing is that in their little sunshine/goody-two-shoes self-image, THEY DON'T KNOW IT!
This country headed toward theocracy! It'll be (in western garb) - as tyrannical, dictatorial as Taliban ever was if this fool isn't stopped somehow!
Any history book tells you where church-involved govts wind up - at least people under them! That's why ours prohibits such. We've trashed economy, next his Inquisition priests'll be out there wearing button-down shirts & ties checking out all non-Republicans. I no more believe George Bush is a "Born=Again Christian" (xcept in name only than I'd fly to the moon).
Have you seen/read Maureen Dowd's book "The White House....Enter at Your Own Risk?" - I saw her interviwed by Charlie Rose recently & sure enjoyed it.
OH - JUST TOOK A CALL FM A GUY (I think this is sposed t'be one of our more "posh" areas? Not exactly where you'd xpect to find 'thugs'??? Front of his house, mailbox etc was vandalized because he had Kerry-Edwards signs out. signs ripped out, trashed.....yeah, our great "free" political system!
oh well, shut up & get back t'work...

Incidentally, I havta mention Michael Reagan's appearance last night. It was very strange to me. The response he got seemed to be quite tepid. The tribute to Reagan was great, tho. I got a little emotional thinking back to a time when our nation was led by a good man with a great vision. I wish we could get back to his style: walking tall, but softly, with a big stick. And owning up to error by correcting course when needed. Those were the days.

As for what kind of Republican I am.. I'm a proud REAGAN Republican.

Yes, there is at least a half-million angry folks outside the convention hall - that have gotten scant attention by the lap-dog press. Poverty and domestic destruction tend to piss people off. If you work 50 hrs a week and still can't pay the light bill and feed your family, how would you feel?

One thing that has most troubled me about this administration is the fact that they have completely ignored WE THE PEOPLE in their dealings; and completely ignored the millions of voices from around the world, most especially of our allies. This is a dangerous course and they must answer that.

ECK, Which allies have we ignored? The French, the Germans, The Russian? We have a coalition going now. What get's me about Kerry is that when the Republicans did go to the UN and get a resolution to attack Iraq and formed a strong Coalition in 91, Kerry voted against it. Now he complains that we are not doing enough to appease the French, Germans, or Russians. The Biggest reason why the French, Germans, and Russians did not want us to go into Iraq was because they would lose millions in ecomonic contracts with Saddam.

I caught the interview with Matthews, and Miller last night.

Matthews would ask a question and Millers responce was drowned out by Matthews babble and the hostile audience cheers, which I thought were somewhat distracting from the interview.

I really wanted to hear what Miller had to say, and Matthews does this all the time on hardball, when he does not like what he hears he changes the subject or screams.

Now the end of the interview was prefesssional and I thought went well, once Matthews calmed down.

Someone from PMSNBC must have told him through his ear peice to cool it, because the interview changes directions and did you notice the screaming crowd was gone midway though the interview.

Something you all must remember, Chris Matthews and Hardball are TV shows, they are on the air to make money for the network this program is just a different form of the Jerry Springer show , shock tv.

I dont really know what the fuss is all about Zell Millers speach last night, it was quite impressive and here is a link to the speach.
news.yahoo.com.../ap/20040902/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_miller_text_1&printer=1

Virtually all our allies were ignored, or bullied and bribed. It was outrageous.

Don't think for a minute I agree with everything Kerry says. I don't. For example, I think he's dead wrong on not wanting to pull our troops out of Germany. Keeping them there serves only one purpose: To prop up their economy. I say WHAT ABOUT OUR ECONOMY?! My position is that we should decomission those bases in Germany, bring those troops home and station them along our Northern and Southern borders. Kill two birds with one stone. It would make our borders harder to penetrate, the economies in those areas would be bolstered and those troops would be a refresher force for overseas deployments. At the same time it would alleviate the stress on our Guard and Reserves. The troops in S. Korea should also be brought home.

The only thing I can think, is that Kerry first wants to mend fences with Germany. In today's climate, pulling that economic plug would probably make things much worse between us.

We could always say to Schroeder, you want us there? Send your troops to Iraq to help out.

Originally posted by jrsdls
ECK, Which allies have we ignored? The French, the Germans, The Russian? We have a coalition going now. What get's me about Kerry is that when the Republicans did go to the UN and get a resolution to attack Iraq and formed a strong Coalition in 91, Kerry voted against it. Now he complains that we are not doing enough to appease the French, Germans, or Russians. The Biggest reason why the French, Germans, and Russians did not want us to go into Iraq was because they would lose millions in ecomonic contracts with Saddam.

I think it was more because the citizens of nearly all european country's held marches and protests agaist going to Iraq, marches bigger then ever held before, millions and millions of people on the streets in every capital of every country. Because we here seemed to see what people in the US didn't see, that being the load of bull the 'evidence' of WMD's was.

The spanish goverment went along anyways and defied the will of the people with it. After the bombing, the spanish goverment got to know the hard way that the citizens are the ones that choose to go to war or not and the goverment is there to do what the citizens tell them to do.

So basically your saying that the Spanish government caved in after being attacked by terrorist. If this is the point you want to use, then why did we respond after the 9/11 attacks? that does not make sense.

The people of Spain were simply not buying into the whole terror thing. They rejected and ejected the leadership that got them into the war in the first place. Just like we should.

I commend the Spaniards for their wisdom and courage.

Oh comon, if you think Kerry is self absorbed, then what exactly is Bush?
His attitude and the image he gave USA is that of a self-centered, ego-centric arrogant country.
Kerry is not like that at all.

....do I want to see the fringe element of the Radical Right say anything about "HATE"!!
You folks completely own that franchise and have put off your crucially needed swing voters. Vile, fear and personal destruction have all that has been offered in this convention.
Where is the discussion of policies that make up the platform? It's very nice to scare the s**t out of everyone about "Terra" , but the country & it's programs still have to be administered!?! What's the plan?
"The world's changed after 9/11" is not an economic policy. It's not a health care policy. It's nothing but a failed foreign policy, as detailed by a former Republican Presidential candidate.

Yeah, really. In roughly thirty minutes Tricky Dick mentioned terra 20 times.

BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID! ONLY BUSHCO CAN SAVE YOU, FEEDERS!

WHATEVER!

Heard a pundit talking about this last night. Very insightful.

Knowing the GOP won't get swing votes on issues, the new plan was indeed hate. This was no accident as undecideds go to challengers by default when not discouraged altogther.

The goal was then annoying swing voters by going negative and forcing Dem rebuttal thereby frustating and suprressing the vote.

RNC strategy now is make people think it's a "lessor of two evils" game while they have a 1 point lead. Then hold it by derailing the campaign process.

It's brilliant really as most of their evil schemes.

Originally posted by jrsdls
So basically your saying that the Spanish government caved in after being attacked by terrorist. If this is the point you want to use, then why did we respond after the 9/11 attacks? that does not make sense.

They kicked them out, thats what I'm saying, they didn't cave in, the people told them to bend over and kicked their unobedient as OUT.

Same thing the US Citizens should do to Bush.

At least the spanish goverment didn't blatently lie to its people and went along with the US goverment because of the same economical and other presure the US goverment was putting on all EU nations.

But they disregarded the will of their people and paid the price for it when things got bad.

The previous Spanish government were backing the war on Iraq, then Al-Qaida attacked the train and the socialist/Communist party used to as a banner and promised people that if they were elected they would remove the spanish troops from Iraq, there by Al-Qaida would not attack them anymore. The Spanish people cave in. They thought that if they stayed out of Iraq, they would not be attacked anymore. Just like France.