Obama has won the nomination

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by tw

Bill exonerated to become a Senator from Nevada?

I don't care what Bill does. If any state is stupid enough to elect him a Senator that is their problem. I mean look at NY.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Radar

. . .but I'd take an illiterate crack whore over any Republican.

It's cracks like this that tell me you have a lot to learn about being a political man, Radar. A lot. And you had such a good chance at it, too. At least I think being rather well placed in the regional Libertarian Party might have been a good chance. Was it somehow not so? Or did such seeds as fell really only scatter upon rocky ground?

The Republicans, at least, are often doing things -- chiefly in foreign policy -- that I recognize as wisdom. At this moment I'm sure you're scoffing, but with time, I think you will recognize that however little credit this Administration is being given, whether GWB is comparable to a Reagan or to a Truman (per T.P.M. Barnett), this Administration will be the one that began the joining of the Non-Integrating, economically- and security-disconnected Gap into the richer life of the world's Economically Functional Core.

[deadbeater]

Really now? GHWB will be compared with James Buchanan, and unfavorably at that.

GHWB is reviving the Cold War with Russia, stopped cold in his imperialist war vs the axis of evil only when North Korea announced they got nukes, and played kissyfoot with China and Saudi Arabia when elements of these two countries are wreaking the most havoc around the world, militarily and financially.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

The Republicans, at least, are often doing things -- chiefly in foreign policy -- that I recognize as wisdom. At this moment I'm sure you're scoffing, but with time, I think you will recognize that however little credit this Administration is being given, whether GWB is comparable to a Reagan or to a Truman (per T.P.M. Barnett), this Administration will be the one that began the joining of the Non-Integrating, economically- and security-disconnected Gap into the richer life of the world's Economically Functional Core.

Anyone is invited to translate, empathize, clarify, or vindicate that paragraph.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Don't be silly, we just use him as a bellweather of how crazy the extreme right is at the moment.

[Undertoad]

UG is just as impervious to counter-wisdom as you are, t.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

The Republicans, at least, are often doing things -- chiefly in foreign policy -- that I recognize as wisdom. At this moment I'm sure you're scoffing, but with time, I think you will recognize that however little credit this Administration is being given, whether GWB is comparable to a Reagan or to a Truman (per T.P.M. Barnett), this Administration will be the one that began the joining of the Non-Integrating, economically- and security-disconnected Gap into the richer life of the world's Economically Functional Core.

The Republicans are indeed doing things with foreign policy. Specifically they are starting unprovoked, unwarranted, unnecessary and unconstitutional wars of aggression against nations that posed no threat to ours, didn't attack ours, and had no connection to those who did. Wars that have resulted in the deaths of more than 4,000 Americans, a million Iraqi people, thousands of our allies, etc. Wars that have nothing to do with defending America but will ensure that Americans will be born into debt for the next 10 generations. Republicans have made America the scourge of the world even among our allies, and made us known around the world for being the most dangerous rogue nation. Republicans have made our government a laughing stock everywhere. Republicans have made the dollar worthless, pushed up the cost of everything through the price of oil, have wrecked our economy, have infringed on our freedoms, violated the Constitution, emboldened our enemies, recruited terrorists, given a valid reason for people to hate us, etc.

I'd say you're right. The Republicans have been pretty damned busy. I'd rather have someone who wasn't to busy, though it may take the next 4 or 5 presidents to undo the damage this one has caused.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Radar, read Thomas P.M. Barnett's works, both of them, and get a clue why I didn't even finish your post before replying.

Hell, son, tw of all people has read at least one of the two.

[Radar]

I already know why you don't finish my posts before replying. You actively avoid anything remotely resembling the truth, facts, reason, or logic. You've devised a system of hiding your head deep within your own ass to avoid seeing such things. From these depths, things that annoy normal humans seem pleasant sounding. For instance the voices of liars and idiots like Coulter, Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Dobbs, Bush, Cheney, Rice, Ashcroft, Gonzales, Rove, Rumsfield, Petraeus, Roberts, Alito, etc. might even sound believable and not make you want to vomit like those of us breathing from outside our rectum.

The combined IQ of all of these people and you, wouldn't make up 10% of mine or any other intelligent, well-educated, articulate, honest, and reasonable person like me.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Radar

I already know why you don't finish my posts before replying. ... You've devised a system of hiding your head deep within your own ass to avoid seeing such things.

No reason to comprehend. UG has a Rush Limbaugh political agenda to tell him how to think. All Republicans good; all Democrats evil. Same sources also proved that Saddam had WMDs, the Domino Theory, and rewrote the Pentagon Papers (which UG understood also without ever reading). Amazing what is known when one has conclusions; never bothers to first learn why. UG reads words; then comprehends what he is told to think.

Sometimes I wonder if his thesaurus had a swastika on it. Or just a Satanic verse. Imagine, UG in a tub of Jell-O - proclaiming a communist conspiracy because Jell-O is red. Fighting Jell-O now so that we don't have to fight them out in our streets. If Rush told him, UG would post it.

UG apparently read words in Barnett's book; never comprehended what was being said. Wacko extremists in the administration did same. Then as Barnett explained those reasons why, suddenly, Barnett was uninvited. If UG had comprehended Barnett, then UG also would be attacking Barnett; not creating a persona non gratis.

Extremists see only what they are told to see. UG never read what Barnett said just like UG need not read what Radar has posted. UG - like some others - ignore 'reasons why' and then get pissy when confronted for not grasping underlying facts.

A political agenda (and denials, insults, rhetoric) is sufficient to save us from ourselves. UG don't need bother reading. God tells him what Radar will post. Same reason why some automatically knew Saddam had WMDs.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Radar

The combined IQ of all of these people and you, wouldn't make up 10% of mine or any other intelligent, well-educated, articulate, honest, and reasonable person like me.

Now that's some funny shit right there.

[richlevy]

Well I'm still on the fence, but I did sign up for a discussion with Tony Lake and Cassandra Butts, Obama's foreign and domestic policy advisers. Speeches are fun to watch, but PA doesn't do town hall meetings very well so if you want real answers maybe it's best to talk to advisers rather than the candidates themselves. It's also instructive to meet with the people a candidate picks to advise him/her. If I had been able to meet James Witt and Michael Brown, Clinton's and Bush's FEMA heads, I think I would have been able to formulate a theory on the success of their administrations.

It's at 1pm in Center City.

Since foreign policy and domestic energy policy are going be even more linked going forward than they have been in the past, it's a good pairing.

Anthony Lake (born April 2, 1939) is an American diplomat, political figure, and academic. He has been a foreign policy advisor to many Democratic U.S. presidents and presidential candidates, and served as National Security Advisor under U.S. President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997. Lake is credited with developing the policy that led to the resolution of the Bosnian War. He is currently a faculty member at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, holding the chair of Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy.

Butts coordinated the formulation of policy on Rep. Gephardt's presidential campaign that included a universal health care plan. In her seven years of work for Rep. Gephardt during his tenure as the House Democratic Leader, Butts was a principal advisor on matters involving the judiciary, financial services, and information technology.

[TheMercenary]

Lake has an extremely impressive record. Anyone lucky enough to get him on their administration will have a star.

[richlevy]

It was a great presentation. Tony Lake spoke about 2/3 of the time and Cassandra Butts for the remainder. I asked a dual question about energy policy and she handled part and had him finish with the foreign policy aspects.

There were only about 20 people there and before and after the formal presentation both speakers were available so I got to ask them additional questions and listen while others asked them questions. Cassandra Butts' presentation was very good and Tony Lake's presentation was great. I kept thinking that to hear this anywhere else I'd have to sign up for a $100 a plate dinner or take a college class.

I went in undecided and I still am, but it would be nice if I could have found a similar event with Richard Holbrooke speaking for Hillary Clinton. Of course, if I did I would have asked why he thought the Iraq invasion was a good idea.

Still, I would have like the opportunity to give equal time. Unfortunately for Hillary, the Obama web site make it easier to find events and the Obama team is making themselves more available.

BTW, I forgot to bring my camera and so I had to make do with the cellphone.

Below are pictures of Tony Lake with Cassandra Butts and Tony Lake with me and the family.

[TheMercenary]

Very nice Rich!