# Republican National Convention thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 3, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817 "2008-09-03T04:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/81 "2008-09-04T23:01:29Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Here’s the money shot: They believe whatever the media tells them I guess, and the media’s been telling then that the media is out to get Sarah palin. And yet, they’re still going to elect Barack Obama. Whadda ya know. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/82 "2008-09-04T23:04:12Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Meanwhile, McCain supported the war, parroted the Bush talking points about how quick and painless it would be. And Palin she, um, she…her thoughts on the war were, ummm…well regarding the surge she was, hmmm…She read about it in the paper, she said, so she’s got that going for her… Ha ha ha! Yeah, not like Obama, who called his opposition to the war in Iraq the toughest decision he’s ever had to make, while conveniently omitting the fact that he was a state senator at the time and nobody was ASKING him for his opinion. He had no vote! What did he do? Stand up at the breakfast table while his kids were eating their Frosted Flakes and forcefully denounce the war in Iraq? Wow, that’s some leadership, I’ll tell you. And, by the way, since when is it a “brave” decision for a radical liberal to oppose a Republican-led illegal war for oil? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/83 "2008-09-04T23:07:41Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Meanwhile, Obama tells Bill O’Reilly tonight that he was totally wrong about the surge in Iraq. (Well, not in those words!) > > “I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated,” Obama said while refusing to retract his initial opposition to the surge. “I’ve already said it’s succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.” > [2026 Election Results, Latest News & Updates | Fox News Elections Center](http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/04/obama-surge-succeeded-beyond-wildest-dreams/) > > So let’s recap: Biden blew it with his initial vote in support of the war, and Obama was absolutely wrong to oppose the surge. Yep, this certainly is a pair of foreign policy brainiacs, huh? The troop escalation actually failed in its political goals, which were the only goals that mattered. And it’s debatable whether it really had anything to do with violennce going down, but it’s all basically irrelevant and moot. There was never a reason to go into Iraq, “surge” or no “surge” (the correct military terminology is "escalation. “Surge” is a political tard word which has no military significance or meaning). Obama was right that the escalation would fail in its political goals and he was also right that going into Iraq in the first place would lead to a debacle. Once you drive a car into a ditch, it’s stupid to crow about being able to rock it in the mud a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/84 "2008-09-04T23:13:18Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The troop escalation actually failed in its political goals, which were the only goals that mattered. And it’s debatable whether it really had anything to do with violennce going down, but it’s all basically irrelevant and moot. There was never a reason to go into Iraq, “surge” or no “surge” (the correct military terminology is "escalation. “Surge” is a political tard word which has no military significance or meaning). Obama was right that the escalation would fail in its political goals and he was also right that going into Iraq in the first place would lead to a debacle. Once you drive a car into a ditch, it’s stupid to crow about being able to rock it in the mud a little bit. Wait a minute. So you’re saying Obama is actually wrong about being wrong about the sur----uh, I mean escalation? He’s wrong when he says it exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations? Is this guy right about anything? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/85 "2008-09-04T23:18:40Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Ha ha ha! Yeah, not like Obama, who called his opposition to the war in Iraq the toughest decision he’s ever had to make, while conveniently omitting the fact that he was a state senator at the time and nobody was ASKING him for his opinion. He had no vote! What did he do? Stand up at the breakfast table while his kids were eating their Frosted Flakes and forcefully denounce the war in Iraq? Wow, that’s some leadership, I’ll tell you. Really? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EhpKmQCCwB8/hqdefault.jpg "Barack Obama on Iraq, Opposition from the Start") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8) ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/86 "2008-09-04T23:22:51Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Really? > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8&feature=related) Wow. Barack showed up at a backyard anti-war rally and managed to get onto community access TV. His message must’ve reached hundreds of people! ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/87 "2008-09-04T23:34:11Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Here’s the money shot: > > > [@Rasmussen](#): > > > > _Last night’s polling shows that, by a ten-to-one margin, voters believe reporters are trying to hurt Palin’s campaign rather than help. Republicans and unaffiliated voters strongly believe that a double standard is being applied to Palin because she is a woman. Democrats disagree. Perhaps most stunning is that, among unaffiliated voters, just 42% believe Obama has better experience than Palin to be President. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say Palin has the edge on experience. Again, most of the interviews for this survey were completed before Palin’s well-received speech last night._ Yes, this is proof that, for the moment, the spin campaign has worked. And let’s not delude ourselves; the Republican Noise Machine is simply doing what it does best. If you need proof, check out [this brilliant clip from last night’s _Daily Show_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1lCMH8rlHE). There is no refuting the right’s shameless political hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/88 "2008-09-04T23:36:24Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Wow. Barack showed up at a backyard anti-war rally and managed to get onto community access TV. His message must’ve reached hundreds of people! He was a local politician and his stance on the war is clear. Yes, it is too bad he couldn’t go on David Letterman and lie about the anthrax attack coming from Iraq, to stir up support, thankfully we had McCain to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/89 "2008-09-04T23:45:07Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Wait a minute. So you’re saying Obama is actually wrong about being wrong about the sur----uh, I mean escalation? He’s wrong when he says it exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations? Is this guy right about anything? That’s correct. He’s full of shit when he says he believes the escalation “worked.” he’s talking to a moron and shining him on. It’s a pat on the head to move on from an irrelevant topic. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/90 "2008-09-04T23:47:08Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > That’s correct. He’s full of shit when he says he believes the escalation “worked.” . Well, that shuts ME up! ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/91 "2008-09-05T01:29:55Z")
So. Use of video from 9/11 showing the plane going into the WTC and subsequent destruction: Defensible? Or a repulsive, cynical, callous abuse of tragic images? Probably obvious which side I pick. Sweet Jesus, these people are fucking _despicable_. I keep thinking they’ve reached bottom, and then they reveal a still deeper layer of grime. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/92 "2008-09-05T01:41:38Z")
Just watched Lindsay Graham (who has done well despite being saddled with the gayest name in American politics) tell me that we have won, or are winning, a great victory in Iraq, despite the sniveling cowardice of Barrack, MoveOn, and me. The last spark of doubt is snuffed. _McCain delenda est._ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/93 "2008-09-05T01:47:52Z")
I’m probably going to hell for saying this, but… Cindy McCain looks drunk. I know she’s not, but that slow blink she does, and the vaguely glassy-eyed expression, combined with the slow, drawling speech. Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/94 "2008-09-05T01:52:42Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I’m probably going to hell for saying this, but… Cindy McCain looks drunk. > > I know she’s not, but that slow blink she does, and the vaguely glassy-eyed expression, combined with the slow, drawling speech. Yikes. I am probably going to hell for saying this, but I don’t think it’s booze. Oxy? ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/95 "2008-09-05T01:53:23Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I’m probably going to hell for saying this, but… Cindy McCain looks drunk. > > I know she’s not, but that slow blink she does, and the vaguely glassy-eyed expression, combined with the slow, drawling speech. Yikes. If she is, can you blame her? I think I would be in her shoes! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/96 "2008-09-05T01:53:26Z")
Its kind of like a deer in the headlights, if the deer is loaded on oxycontin. (Yes, you may, Canadians go to Hell, too, but they are usually asked to leave…) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/97 "2008-09-05T01:55:25Z")
Her eyes look unfocused, and I think her pupils are dilated. She’s got a little bit of a Paula Abdul vibe going on. I don’t think it’s booze, though. I think she’s back on the goofballs. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/98 "2008-09-05T02:05:39Z")
it could be the mix of very light coloured eyes with very bright lights. also some of it will be the effects of the stroke she had. her parents seriously named her cindy lou? ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/99 "2008-09-05T02:06:30Z")
"John McCain is a… [grandma pops up] …Mama’s boy!" Weird, wild stuff ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817/100 "2008-09-05T02:08:12Z")
This video is not working. All this grainy old B&W footage just makes him seem old as fuck. Holy shit. John McCain was a POW? I did not know that. They should talk about that in this campaign. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-thread/461817.md?page=6)