tdaxp - 2008_presidential_election

Punish Friends, Reward Enemies?

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:34:51 -0600

Rove, K. (2008). Obama's new vulnerability. The Wall Street Journal. February 21, 2008. Available online: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120355939956381797.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries.

Karl Rove's new article on Barack Obama is partisan (of course), but his best paragraph also outlines an attack that Hillary Clinton will use to try to save her campaign, as well:

Mr. McCain, too, raised questions about Mr. Obama's fitness to be commander in chief. Mr. McCain pointed to Mr. Obama's unnecessary sabre-rattling at an ally (Pakistan) while appeasing our adversaries (Iran and Syria). Mr. McCain also made it clear that reining in spending, which is a McCain strength and an Obama weakness, would be a key issue.

This is a serious concern. While John McCain and Hillary Clinton have done hard work, such as supporting the Orange Revolution in Eastern Europe even beyond legislation, Obama's adaption of leftist rhetoric would make foreign states happier being our enemies than our friends. This position is typical of the anti-American left, and if Barack Obama actually believes it (as opposed to pandering to the liberal/left flank of his party that gets him his caucus wins), it is very dangerous.

A best-case outcome for Obama is that he will get us involved in some wars in Africa, helping us build up our SysAdmin Industrial Complex and increasing Army-USMC expertise in counterinsurgency and shrinking the Gap.

In other words, Obama's substance has been so weak, support for him on international relations have to hope that his race trump his rhetoric -- that his ancestry trump his actions.

And that's too bad.

You're a big Barack supporter?... Name his legislative accomplishments... Can you name any?

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:30:00 -0600

Of course, if Obama's beliefs actually match his voting record (unlikely, I think), this would be a good thing. From Red State:

Relatedly, Adrian (through Google Reader) links to this bizarre Slate piece, which wonders why criticism of Obama as a liberal doesn't hurt him in the Democratic primaries and caucuses.

Will America get the debate out of Obama that we need?

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:36:37 -0600

This post is not about Barack Obama refusing to debate Hillary Clinton before the Wisconsin primary. Clinton's camp have been masterful at spinning debates to their advantage, so of course he wants to limit how much damage they can do. In this way Barack Obama is like George Bush in 2000: ineloquent in a debate format, and therefore rationally hesitant to submit to it.

Useful?

Rather, I'm thinking of the debate between the reasonable approaches of Barack Obama and John McCain that I used as justification for supporting Barack Obama for Democratic nominee. To enter the debate, Obama needs to keep his words and accept public financing.

I'm writing this because Obama is considering betraying those who supported him up to now and attempted to win the general election in an ad blitz.

I hope Obama stays true to his words. I hope his first act as Democratic nominee is not to stab in the back those supported him while he was fighting to get there.

Obama: Clinton's "phony charges and false attacks"

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:12:42 -0600

Barack Obama responds to Hillary's attack ad. From MyDD:

Relatedly: Clinton wins New Mexco.

John McCain: The 80% tdaxp candidate

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:20:00 -0600

Following a link from Half Sigma, I took Glassboth's Election 2008 comparison test. Top candidates for me were

John MccCain... 80%
Mike Huckabee... 71%
Ron Paul... 60%
Barack Obama... 50%
Hillary Clinton... 43%
Mike Gravel... 43%

Regarding John McCain, the tdaxp Candidate, my results by topic were:

Taxes and Budget... very similar
Iraq and Foreign Policy... very similar
Trade and Economics... very similar
Immigration... very similar
Health Care... similar
Abortion and Birth Control... similar
Medical Marijuna and Drug Policy... very different

Vote McCain!

What a wonderful Reception!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:45:00 -0600

I had the happiest day of my life on the 9th, when so many people I knew both physically and virtually showed up to South Dakota, to attend our (American) reception.

Shane explaining something

Dan tdaxp... or Daniel Craig?

A table that could launch a coup

Myself, Fei, Aaron, Rachel, Jerry

Sean, with cool beard

Brendan and Jason

Next up: Beijing! Come for our Chinese Reception.. stay for the Olympics!

Obama's going to win: Vote Clinton!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:55:05 -0600

When I endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain, both were given only about a 30% chance of getting a nomination. That is, there was less than a 10% chance of both of them winning their parties before I endorsed. But tdaxp spoke, and the world changed.

Now McCain and Obama are all-but-inevitable nominees of their party. It's time to look to the general election. And while the McCain is generally stronger than Obama on the core issues (Iraq, Russia, Immigration, tax policy, etc.), the overwhelming difference is on abortion: Obama supports infanticide; McCain doesn't.

The objective therefore has to be to weaken Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, to save as many lives as possible.

Fortunately, Hillary Clinton is willing to help the cause. She has started taking attack ads out on Barack Obama

And of course, her race/sex war rhetoric does little to bring the Democratic Party together. So with this understanding: that Barack Obama is and should be the Democratic nominee, but must not be President, I hereby request that you

VOTE CLINTON.

If Hillary can pull of a good showing in Ohio and Texas, she can extend the Democratic primaries to Pennsylvania. If she can do well there, she can fight for the party's nomination. Either Obama wins far weaker than he would have, or Clinton wins so discredited that the harm she does to the Democratic Party outweighs the miniscule chance that she can defeat Obama.

Clinton: Because the infanticidaires deserve the very worst.

Beating Hillary

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Fri, 8 Feb 2008 20:07:05 -0600

Here's how Obama can do it.

The new design. McCain. Obama.

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Wed, 6 Feb 2008 09:20:00 -0600

Until Mitt Romney, the John Kerry of the Republican Party, withdraws, the new design stays up.

Vote McCain.

Or if you're a Democrat, Vote Obama.

Another reason to vote McCain

noreply@blogspirit.com (Dan tdaxp) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:13:07 -0600

Because Meghan McCain wants you to.

(Courtesy Blogette, Half Sigma and gnxp.)