Obama Flops as a Gunfighter
August 21st, 2008 at 09:19am Mark Noonan
As Real Clear Politics points out, Obama said he’d bring a gun to the knife fight with the GOP - but it look like he’s only capable of shooting himself in the foot. The set up: Obama’s people run an ad in Georgia linking McCain to Reed in an attempt to tie McCain to Abramoff. Response from Team McCain:
“Barack Obama’s ad is ridiculous. Because of John McCain, corruption was exposed and people like Jack Abramoff went to jail.
However, if Barack Obama wants to have a discussion about truly questionable associations, let’s start with his relationship with the unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, at whose home Obama’s political career was reportedly launched. Mr. Ayers was a leader of the Weather Underground, a terrorist group responsible for countless bombings against targets including the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon and numerous police stations, courthouses and banks. In recent years, Mr. Ayers has stated, ‘I don’t regret setting bombs… I feel we didn’t do enough.’
“The question now is, will Barack Obama immediately call on the University of Illinois to release all of the records they are currently withholding to shed further light on Senator Obama’s relationship with this unrepentant terrorist?”
Now thats gonna leave a mark! Obama said the other day that McCain doesn’t know what he’s up against - I begin to think that McCain has taken the measure of Obama and heaved a sigh of relief that the Democrats didn’t pick Hillary, Richardson or any Democrat who actually has some experience in a hostile campaign environment. Obama is a man of many gifts, but there’s really no substitute for experience. Obama vs McCain is the difference between a recent business school grad and the guy who’s been in business for 20 years - the grad might have some really good things going for him, but he doesn’t know how things work in the real world.
As of this moment, I still place the advantage with Obama - in terms of money, friendly media and the continuing unpopularity of President Bush and the GOP, Obama still has all the ingredients a Democrat needs to win the White House. But there has been a noticable shift in the campaign, and McCain is now surging while Obama is trying to hold on to his early advantage.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Democrats, Republicans
67 Comments
1. Obama Flops as a Gunfight&hellip | August 21st, 2008 at 9:26 am
[...] Continue Reading [...]
2. '08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 9:34 am
Resorting to Sean-Hannity tactics word for word, sounds like a candidate in deeep desperation. IF the only poll you’re leading your opponent on is a ZOGBY poll, then you’re not leading anything.
Obama has already answered the Ayers questions on LIVE TV with a hostile moderator. Sorry you didn’t get the response you wanted from both Obama and the corporate media, but it’s time to move on.
next.
3. Jon Parker | August 21st, 2008 at 9:52 am
You might have a point, if William Ayers was hosting official fundraisers for Obama. Not the same thing at all.
4. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 10:03 am
Ralph Peters had a great piece in the New York Post a few days ago that illustrates the growing danger posed by a resurgent Russia bent on getting its empire back. I normally wouldn’t paste an entire article, but this one was emailed to me, and it’s pretty short.
Anyone who thinks that “talk-without-precondition” Obama is the guy to deal with these kinds of international thugs is residing in some parallel universe, completely devoid of reality.
5. Rana Quijotesca | August 21st, 2008 at 10:08 am
While it may seem that the McCain campaign’s response was clear and unambiguous… However, for all of their puffery, Reed was still a no show at the fund raiser that he was supposedly hosting…
It’s well known in Georgia that Reed is a corrupt politician with tons of baggage, that’s why he’s not our Lieutenant Governor now (granted, the guy who got the job is a moron who couldn’t even get a degree from GA Southern or Gainesville State).
Here… Read this
6. Rana Quijotesca | August 21st, 2008 at 10:10 am
link didn’t work…
here
7. Eric T | August 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am
http://www.nraila.org/OBAMA/
It looks like Obama would probably ban the gun he is talking about bringing to the fight.
If Obama picks Hillary or someone with an equally terrible record on guns for vp, this will become a major issue in the election.
The economy is not good at all, I’m selling off some of my favorite guns to pay the bills, high energy costs, excessive bank interest, taxes ect… My dad’s house is going to a foreclosure auction.
John McCain’s record on guns is solid, it is very impressive to a collector like myself, this is one issue I hope he never compromises on.
8. '08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am
BREAKING NEWS ……
John McCain’s cousin’s milkman’s butcher’s girlfriend’s uncle’s half brother was caught on tape saying he hates America ……….. in 1972 !!!!!!!
I cannot see Mccain continuing his candidacy with THIS hanging over his head.
9. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Rana,
A link to an article by that partisan hack, Jonathan Alter with the following disclaimer:
(Disclosure: Newsweek.com has a partnership with factcheck.org).
Give me a break!
10. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 10:25 am
Wasn’t Russia retaliating against the imperialistic Gerogian government that invaded South Ossetia and tryed to destroy that small country’s attempt at independence from the opressive regime in Georgia ?
I think they were.
11. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 10:49 am
I think they were.
That’s what Putin would like suckers like you to believe, ‘08ama. Ralph Peters also had a pretty explosive article exposing that myth last week.
12. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 11:04 am
For those of you too lazy to click on the above link, I should have included the following from the second page of the article:
We’ll find out in 74 days just how many voters have the confidence that Obama has the intestinal fortitude to deal with situations like this.
13. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Obama tryin to cut and run from his record in Chicago as well. Good luck, Barry. McCain is withholding the really good stuff until after Hussein is officially nominated.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/08/obamas_lost_annenberg_years_co.html
14. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 11:31 am
McCain is withholding the really good stuff until after Hussein is officially nominated.
I’ll believe “The One” is officially nominated when he gives his acceptance speech at the Dem convention. This guy has more skeletons in his closet than the set at CSI. Until then I can’t help but think that the behind-the-scenes power brokers in the party of the jackass are having lots of second thoughts about having this turkey be their nominee. As the party that panders to both feminists and blacks, the dilemma they face is one of delicious irony. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in some of those smoke-filled back rooms, particularly the Clinton war room. Anyone here seriously believe that the Clintons have thrown in the towel?
15. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Hmmm …… Ralph Peters…
nope, doesn’t ring a bell.
what part of the GOP propaganda machine does he work for ?
16. jayhay | August 21st, 2008 at 11:41 am
I mean I know that Obama is the elitist, but I bet if you asked him he’d know how many houses he owns… John Sidney III will get back to you on that one…
17. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 11:50 am
Hussein and Ayers squandered $110 million in taxpayer money working side by side.
Barry and the libs have returned ALL of the 112 crates of documents to their UNNAMED donor, available to the public until someone wanted to see them, so the records can not be seen.
Another kind of politician. Hussein Obama.
Very juicy. Un, umh, ah, duh, bye, bye Barry.
18. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 11:59 am
Hussein and Ayers squandered $110 million
ok.
The Republican Party is squandering $10 BILLION a month in Iraq alone ! Thats NINE TIMES as much as Ayers and Obama, and in just ONE month.
Until you folks realize that THIS is the reason liberals AND (real) conservatives are rejecting the GOP in record numbers, you will continue to sink like a rock in a pond.
19. Rana Quijotesca | August 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Spook…
Would you care to point out in what way Factcheck’s coverage has been flawed? I mean, you can’t discredit a source without discrediting it’s content… that would be quite small minded…
Now… your New York post Article contends that the fact that Russia responded so quickly was the result of pre-planning, but he fails to note that Georgia borders Chechnya, which Russia has been fighting in for years now (admittedly, trying to hold on to what should be an autonomous region because of oil interests), so there were plenty of troops there to begin with, right on Georgia’s border. The Naval Blockade was easy because Russia has a nearby naval yard. While I don’t contend that Russia has acted in any way decently. South Ossetia declared itself, and was recognized by Russia as, an autonomous region in 1992.
The fact of the matter is that “Who started” the conflict is still debatable. While there is no question that Russia wants an unstable Georgia and has interests in and has been supporting both financially and militarily both of the breakaway regions (especially South Ossetia), Georgia also has a large incentive to subdue any separatist movements within their borders, given that the reason they were initially denied entrance to NATO was that their territorial integrity was “de facto not enforced.” Frankly, it will be a while before we can know exactly what caused all of this, but we can be sure that both sides had there incentives to act shadily…
20. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
“The Republican Party is squandering $10 BILLION a month in Iraq alone ! Thats NINE TIMES as much as Ayers and Obama, and in just ONE month.”
Uh, duh,NINE times. uhh, duh. I knew you were a genius from your other posts, but uh, duh.
21. Danish Artist | August 21st, 2008 at 12:12 pm
08ama - the official Obamaton:
“Obama has already answered the Ayers questions on LIVE TV with a hostile moderator. Sorry you didn’t get the response you wanted from both Obama and the corporate media, but it’s time to move on.”
Here was his FIRST “answer”:
“This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who’s a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He’s not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis. And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was eight years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn’t make much sense, George.”
There have been other versions since.
“Some guy who lives in my neighborhood” and “not received some official endorsement fund” is nothing but trying to downplay his association and completely disregarding the business relationship they had while serving on the Woods Fund.
He apparently needed Ayers blessing for Obama’s introduction to Chicago politics. Obama was introduced to Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn in 1995 at a “meet-and-greet” political meeting the couple held for Obama at their home in the Hyde Park section of Chicago, where all three lived. State Senator Alice Palmer introduced Obama as her chosen successor at the meeting of her past supporters at Ayers’ house.
If there is nothing untowards Obama’s relationship to Ayers, why is he downplaying or trying to hide it? Goes to character with the people he chooses to associate with, just like so many others - Rev. Wright for example.
His so-called “answer” is the equivalent of Bush saying that Abramoff was some guy who I saw in the security line at the White House.
The point is he never comes clean with his answers to relationships with radical individuals. Maybe he liked what the individual believed. But still in all, these relationships no matter how innocent or otherwise do not fit his “IMAGE CAMPAIGN”. The campaign he needs to run because of his lack of political experience.
22. '08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Sew:
You’re right, it’s NINETY times, not nine. My bad.
Of course, pointing this out not only exposes my lack of math skills, it also does strengthen my original point, which is that the GOP is wasting hard-earned tax payer money like a drunken sailor on leave.
Thanks SEW, I owe ya one.
23. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Danish Artist:
Thank you for proving my point.
Like I said, YOU may not be happy with the answer he gave, but the rest of America is satisfied and we’re moving on.
btw..
Rev Wright served for 6 years in the US Marines. Are you saying that Obama should not associate with someone who has put his life on the line for this country ?? Why do you hate our troops so much ?
24. OldEuropean | August 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
@SEW: You see - the problem with this level of discussion that you all seem to be enjoying so much, let’s see if we can rethink your über-genius calculation…
One billion has how many zeros in it?
One million has how may zeros in it?
See if you can figure out the rest of the story, and don’t forget insult people again whenever there is a chance to show your superior genius.
25. OldEuropean | August 21st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
@ SEW. Shame on me. I misread your post since you quoted twice - my fault, ignore my gibberish.
26. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Country club elitist
Ivy League brat
illicit drug abuser
bumbling speaker
inexperienced
clueless
overwhelmed
partisan
corrupt
moron
big ears
Funny how in your attempt to distance McCain from Bush by applying Bush’s attributes to Obama, you simply keep reminding us why it is we need change in the White House as soon as possible.
keep it up, it’s working.
27. LaMano | August 21st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“Reverend Wright served …..”
So did Timothy McVeigh.
Try again.
28. MMoser | August 21st, 2008 at 1:46 pm
08ama, if your guy’s doing so great how do you explain the shift in the polls. Calculating in your guy consistently over polling in the primaries, by 5-7 points, (all those donk bigots that said they were voting for him when they really weren’t ya know!) he’s lost the sizable lead he held in June and now trails, while his numbers continue their freefall across a wide spectrum of categories in all the major polls. I can?t wait for the next debate if he performs like he did at Saddleback! Have another glass of Kool-Aid.
29. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
““The Republican Party is squandering $10 BILLION a month in Iraq alone ! ”
The Republican Party controls Congress? I thought that was Reid, Pelosi and the Democrats. Any links on Republican control?
30. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Mamoser:
“The only poll (Pole) I pay any attention to is my mother”
-Coach K. of Duke University-
31. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Any links on Republican control?
LOL, SEW, it’s stealth control, doncha know? Reid and Pelosi and just GOP stooges. It’s really Cheney that’s behind the curtain pulling the strings.
32. Ricorun | August 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Anyone who thinks that “talk-without-precondition” Obama is the guy to deal with these kinds of international thugs is residing in some parallel universe, completely devoid of reality.
Perhaps so. Then again, what’s the alternative? Shouting at them? Stomping around indignantly? Attacking them? What?
The “what” doesn’t seem immediately obvious from Peters’ articles. He basically just gripes. He offered no solution. There is no question that Russia did and is acting like a thug in Georgia. The potential is there for it not to be the last time, either. There are tinderboxes all over the place in that region. So… should we attack Russia? If so, should we do it before or after we attack Iran? And what if Russia turns off the oil and gas spigots to Europe? I’m sure that’ll go over well with everone concerned.
Russia is definitely an intractable problem. And the problem is particularly intractable because Europe can’t do without their oil. So here’s my long-term solution: work as hard and as fast as possible to render oil irrelevant. In the mean time it’s worth noting that every time Russia pull stunts like this they run the risk of getting themselves further bogged down. At this point in time that should be fairly obvious — especially to us.
With that in mind, getting back to the original topic…
Obama vs McCain is the difference between a recent business school grad and the guy who’s been in business for 20 years - the grad might have some really good things going for him, but he doesn’t know how things work in the real world.
Yeah boy, those seasoned veterans at IBM, DEC, and Xerox sure gave Bill Gates the what for. And Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Robert Noyce, Vinod Khosla, and, oh, gazillions of other young whippersnappers. Or Einstein — he’s perhaps the quintessential example of a guy who turned the common wisdom at the time on its head at a young age.
And where does Bush stand on the experience spectrum? Of Cheney? Or Rumsfeld? Or Ashcroft?
This comment of mine should not be construed as an endorsement of any particular candidate. My intent is only to indicate that (1) tough talk alone doesn’t count for much without a workable plan, and (2) experience is a limited virtue.
33. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Don’t forget the evil Rove. Hey, why don’t we just subpoena the entire coequal executive branch and impeach them all? Or do the omnipotent fools in the legislative branch supercede the coequal thing? The brilliant Reid/Pelosi team.
34. MMoser | August 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
08ama, not paying attention to the poles would explain your apparent delusion concerning Obama’s relationships with Ayers and Wright no longer being an issue with the electorate.
Rock Chalk Jayhawks!
35. MMoser | August 21st, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I think your right Rico, but it shold be noted that limited virture is better than the total absence of virture!
36. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
MM:
Outside of Sean Hannity’s audience (of wich I am one of), no one knows or CARES who William Ayers was or what he did 40 years ago or how he feels about it now.
What we do know and care about is that the current administartion has been asleep at the wheel of America for 7+ years and it’s time to kick the drunken captain out and replace him with a responsible adult.
37. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
So here’s my long-term solution: work as hard and as fast as possible to render oil irrelevant.
Rico, as you know, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I also agree that Russia certainly has much, if not all of Europe over a barrel (pun intended), as well as, to a large extent, the rest of the world. As Peters said in one of the 3 or 4 articles he’s written over the last 10 days or so, we’re not going to go to war with Russia over their incursion into George, and Putin knows it. At this point the only realistic responses are diplomatic. So I guess my questions are, how much of the former Soviet Union is likely to be resurrected before we “render oil irrelevant” and which candidate is most likely to deal effectively with the Russian thugs? I would submit it’s McCain, because I just don’t think Obama even has a clue about international politics. Experience may be “a limited virtue” but I would suggest that total lack of experience is an even more limited virtue. McCain has plenty of Military experience while Obama not only has none, in the one area in which he might have acquired some (his subcommittee on Afghanistan), he’s never even held a meeting. Obama really epitomizes the old song “running on empty.”
38. Kahn | August 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
‘08ama, thank you for confirming liberal bias in the “main stream” media. I see Time is putting Obama on the cover - again. Seventh time in a year. No bias there.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html
39. Kahn | August 21st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
By the way, that bias was the subject of the “celebrity” ads McCain won. They were attacks on how he was being shut out of news coverage and an obviously extremely biased press was actively promoting Obama.
40. Kahn | August 21st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
McCain ran.
41. '08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Kahn:
Thanks but sorry, I had NOTHING to do with Time putting Obama on the cover for a seventh time.
But why are you so concerned ??
News magazines, newpapers, in fact, ANY news publication widely distributed is falling on hard times. People just dont subscribe to these publications like they used to. Most people I know get their news from multiple sources across a wide spectrum of mediums.
I dont have the numbers, but I doubt Time magazine has even HALF the subscribers it had just 10 years ago. We live in a WORLD community really, thsi blog can be visited by anyone on EARTH and even beyond it, free to read any post they want.
Information really is power, and now even the common folk have it.
42. MMoser | August 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Bush is a lame duck and a red herring in this conversation as he’s gone, no matter who wins, in January. Obama has made error after error during this campaign of which, Ayers and Wright are only two of many. All errors made by either side count and reminding the electorate of Obama’s associations with these two can only work to McCain’s advantage. Obama got spanked, again!
43. Danish Artist | August 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
08ama, obamaton….
Obama could have answered “4″ to that question and you would have been satisfied.
He did not answer the question. He danced around the question, like many times before.
Now the real question is: when obama answers a question, who is answering:
Obama the candidate,
Obama the Senator,
or
Obama the man.
If you apply the answers given during the Wright controversy, you can tell which personality answered at the time.
Obama the man: “Cannot disavow…”
Obama the Senator: “a dissappointment….”
Obama the candidate: “no the man I knew for 20 years” and then dropped him like a hot potato.
3 personalities in one body…………….
whoa! scary.
44. '08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 3:37 pm
MM:
I cannot blame you for desperately trying to remove George W. Bush from this presidential election, but the truth is he’s stuck to McCain and the GOP like flies on Mcaca. He was the face and policy dictator of the GOP and of most if not all of the disasters we find ourselves in today.
YOU may not want anything to do with him and beleive me, neither does America. But the debris field he has left behind in this country is something WE THE PEOPLE are going to have to clean up, and we will never forget who it was that made the mess in the first place.
45. Danish Artist | August 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
“it’s time to kick the drunken captain out and replace him with a responsible adult”
Responsible adult????
Okay, Obama smokes cigarettes - that goes against party doctrine - he supports BIG TOBACCO!
Obama used hard drugs cocaine for example.
Obama drank.
All these FACTS are in Obama’s books. His campaign chief is giving Obama an image makeover and the campaign he is running proves that. Sweeping bad habits, relationships and beliefs under the rug and giving us candidate Obama……but his true self is coming out, we’ve seen it at the forum.
“Drunken captain” still has more experience than your self-admitted drug using, alchohol consuming, smoker.
46. \'08ama | August 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pm
DA:
Oh lord…
No one’s Sweeping bad habits, relationships and beliefs under the rug . It’s just that not every single tiny detail about a person is something Americans weigh when they elect a leader.
What do you think America would think if the ‘liber media’ let everyone know how McCain dumped his first wife because she was so mangled from a car accident that he had no use for such an ugly wife, he wanted a hotty and went out and got one ?
The point is taht we are in a Bush-created disaster RIGHT NOW.. We need to have intelligent discussions about how to not only fix things, but how to prevent these huuuge mistakes from ever occuring again and costing this country hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of precious lives. We dont have time for bright and shiny distractions that add no substance to the discussion at all whatsoever.
What Obama snorted in college or what brand of cigarettes he smokes today is not exactly at the top of our priority list. It’s insulting to America’s intelligence to dwell on meaningless crap that no one even cares about.
47. David B. Schmidt | August 21st, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Ricorun,
Bill Gates III was nothing more than a slick salesman–kind of like Obama. He personally had little if nothing to do with the nuts & bolts of the least secure operating system to date. Keeps making claims like “first to design and sell a, say, 64-bit OS years after, and last, everyone else has brought a 64-bit OS to market.
Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Robert Noyce, Vinod Khosla, and, oh, gazillions of other young whippersnappers failed and they were save to try again in their garages. Not to take anything away from them but failure didn’t mean the possibility of ICBMs raining down.
I’d comment on Obama08 but he doesn’t have a clue. I like Coach K… but I think it is time to move out of the basement.
48. jayhay | August 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
No Timetables!!! No Timetables!!!
49. mmoser | August 21st, 2008 at 5:28 pm
08ama said… which, brings us back again full circle to my original question. Why is Obama suffering so at polls? If America hates Bush and equates McCain with Bush shouldn’t Obama be polling way out in front? I know you don’t follow those…. Have another glass of Kool-aid.
50. mmoser | August 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Rico, I know you know this but…. Bill did not invent windows. He bought DOS “Down and Dirty Operating System” from his “friend” when IBM came to him looking for a platform for desktop computers and the guy they really wanted to talk too was unavailable. His brilliance (greed?) really stems from his insight in licensing software to consumers instead of selling it to them. That way you get to buy the same overpriced over bloated OS over and over and again. Open source rules!!
51. SEW | August 21st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
And now the Obama camp is trying to make something of not knowing how many houses his wife owns. Thanks Barry for letting the cons advertise your joint venture house purchase with your buddy convicted felon Tony Rezko. Sounds like Karl Rove is cooking again. Thanks Karl, thanks Barry. Your Rezko relationship and house purchase needs to be vetted.
52. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Rock Chalk Jayhawks!
Right on mmoser! My oldest daughter is a KU grad — still lives in Lawrence. I have at least 4 or 5 KU T-shirts.
53. Retired Spook | August 21st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
And now the Obama camp is trying to make something of not knowing how many houses his wife owns.
SEW, that would be sort of like Bill Clinton getting in a pissing match with a political opponent over groping women. I keep hearing our resident Lefties claim how the Obama campaign staff are a bunch of pros, but, seriously, they keep making really amateurish mistakes. These aren’t the people we want running the greatest country on the planet. I wouldn’t hire this crowd to haul away my trash.
54. Ricorun | August 21st, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Spook: So I guess my questions are, how much of the former Soviet Union is likely to be resurrected before we “render oil irrelevant” and which candidate is most likely to deal effectively with the Russian thugs?
To me, the answer to the first question has more than a little bearing on the second. And the answer to the first question is dependent upon what the price of oil has to be in order for the Russians to continue to make a profit. The closer the price gets to that point, the less bellicose Russia is likely to be. It’s not just Russia either — the same logic (though not necessarily the same price point) applies to Iran, Venezuela, and whoever else.
Of course, there are two ways to force the price of oil down: (a) increase supply, or; (b) reduce demand. In either case the solution has to have an effect worldwide. Increasing domestic supply and/or decreasing domestic demand will certainly help in other ways (e.g., reducing our trade deficit, creating jobs, increasing our own energy security), but unless the impact is felt worldwide it won’t have much of an effect on Russia (et. al.)’s behavior. And based on everything I’ve read, we simply don’t have enough domestic oil resources to make much of a dent in the world oil price, even if we drilled everywhere we could as fast as we could.
So that leaves reducing demand. There’s a variety of things that can be done there. Some things are completely voluntary (e.g., keeping your tires properly inflated, changing your air filter regularly, drive less aggressively, car pool, etc.). Some are more structural (e.g., expand public transit, purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles, etc.). And finally there are those solutions which are directed at the ultimate elimination of oil as a transportation fuel (e.g., biofueled, hydrogen, electric, and hybrid vehicles).
Increasing supply is temporary, because resources run out so you have to keep finding more. In contrast, efforts to reduce demand are essentially permanent solutions (assuming you keep doing them, of course) — and especially those ultimate ones. Likewise, all of them are readily transferable worldwide.
So how far away are one or more of those ultimate solutions? Well, some are farther away than others. But most vehicle manufacturers are expecting to offer plug-in hybrids within 2 - 3 years. I read a survey recently that indicated most auto industry execs expect all new vehicles in 2020 will be hybrids of one form or another. My “back of the envelope” estimate is that if the world can reduce oil demand by about 30% off current levels, the price of oil would plummet. With the proper policies in place, I think that is doable in 10 years or less. However, the necessary policies will cost some extra bucks. But considering what’s at stake, what’s it worth? How about $15 billion/yr. How about $50 billion worldwide? Given how much military escapades cost, that sounds pretty reasonable to me. We defeated the USSR by burying them with our economic hammer. We can do the same to Russia. The only real weapons they have these days are oil and gas. Take those away and they’d be in tough shape. Too bad, so sad.
55. Rich | August 21st, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Spook- The question was how many homes do you own. McCain owns four homes. They also own several investment properties. There is a difference between a home and an investment propertie, ie, a condo or a rental house that a person owns. This is pretty funny and the KOS kids are all over it. The fact that Obama wants to talk about houses is unbelievable given his Tony Rezko funded house. Obama spoke today and actually said if you have “one house like you and I do”. Obama the populist, a man that made four million dollars last year is attacking McCain for wealth, which is something most aspire to. Odd. So how many houses do most Senator’s own, including rental properties? Doesn’t Nancy pelosi own half of San Francisco, or is that Barbara Boxer?
56. Ricorun | August 21st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
David B. Schmidt and mmoser, with all due respect, I think you’re missing the bigger picture. And that’s kinda the point — sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see it. Is a fresh pair of eyes all it takes? Certainly not. But the same could be said about experience. In fact, sometimes experience makes you myopic. With that in mind, point me to the candidate who you think has both? Failing that, point me to the candidate who has assembled a team which is most likely to provide both.
As something of an aside, one of the things that worries me most about McCain (besides his tendency to compartmentalize things, and his almost instinctual bellicosity) is his disinterest in cutting edge technology. Experience is easier to come by than acumen.
57. Danish Artist | August 21st, 2008 at 7:42 pm
08ama obamaton,
you brought up the drunken comment. I respoonded with your guys shortcomings. Hey it was important to you to bring it up, well it was only fair to bring up your golden boy’s shortcomings.
It is important to prevent these things from happening again? Well it is important to vette out competant candidates to see if that person is qualified to do so. Obama who stumbles on his feet and dances around straight-forward questions would not be that qualified candidate.
The American people do care about their candidates strengths and weaknesses. It was important for you libs to bring up Bush’s drinking, possible drug use, draft-dodging, etc. etc. etc. You libs cared about those issues as being important for President. Now, when the same tactics are used on your guy, there is more whining and crying from you leftists you’s think it was a nursery room full of babies with diaper rash!!!!
Obama claims McCain does not know what he’s getting into…….well, he’s right. Is McCain dealing with Obama the man, Obama the Senator or Obama the candidate???? Three different images for one man.
Why is Obama’s campaign based upon if he looks Presidential, sounds Presidential and acts Presidents then nothing else matters - including experience. That is the campaign Obama is running, unfortunately his past is catching up to him and his answers are very lacking in substance.
So are you libs going to hold Obama to the standards they expect from non-liberal candidates …. OR are they going to continue to play politics as usual???
WHAT AM I ASKING?!?
58. neocon | August 21st, 2008 at 8:48 pm
“….is his disinterest in cutting edge technology. Experience is easier to come by than acumen.” - Rico
That’s the dumbest argument I have ever read. McCain is not running for Chief Technology Officer. The President will have a quite competent staff to handle his “cutting edge technology” needs. Or are you just disappointed he doesn’t surf the internet at night.
I think I’d rather have a President fully versed in foreign affairs then someone who knows how to use a Garmin
just saying
59. Synthia O\'Toole | August 21st, 2008 at 9:09 pm
MCCAIN DIDN’T INVESTIGATE REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR ILLEGAL OR UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR
John McCain’s Indian Affairs Committee hearings failed to go after federal lawmakers who benefited from Jack Abramoff’s lobbying. McCain said his Indian Affairs “committee continues to examine all the financial angles of where the $82 million ended up, as well as other political and charitable contributions the tribes made at Abramoff’s request.” However, McCain “reiterated that he was following the money trail, not the legislative actions taken by Members of Congress,” saying, “We stop when we find out where the money went.” [Roll Call, 3/10/05]
MCCAIN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOME LEGISLATORS HAD COMMITTED “WRONGDOING”, BUT REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE
Asked if he believed that some legislators had committed a crime related the Abramoff scandal, Senator McCain said, “There’s strong evidence that there was significant wrongdoing, but I’m not a judge or jury.” McCain emphasized though that he would not investigate his colleagues in Congress, declaring: “I will not [investigate members of Congress], because I’m a chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee. This was brought to our–this whole thing started–was brought to us–attention by some disgruntled tribal council members in a small tribe in Louisiana, and we took it as far as we thought was our responsibility, which is where the money ends up.” [NBC, Meet the Press, 12/4/05]
And who was one of the biggest beneficiaries of McCain’s willingness to look the other way? Why, none other than Alabama Governor Bob Riley.
MCCAIN WITHHELD CONTROVERSIAL EMAIL IMPLICATING AL GOV. BOB RILEY DURING RILEY’S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
As chair of a committee conducting an investigation on Abramoff, McCain had access to an incriminating email involving Alabama Governor Bob Riley. Rather than including the email–which detailed what Abramoff wanted Riley to do in return for the contributions Abramoff’s tribal clients directed toward his campaign–in his report on the Abramoff scandal, McCain chose to withhold it, thus shielding Riley from becoming implicated in the scandal as he was waging a bitter re-election campaign. [Huffington Post, 2/25/08]
60. FmrMarine | August 21st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
sooooo
Should his name be changed to oBOMBa?
ayers, wright, fartacan, and every other looney Anti American marxist would be proud!
61. Synthia O\\\'Toole | August 21st, 2008 at 9:52 pm
A review of campaign finance filings shows that the Arizona Republican has accepted more than $100,000 in donations from employees of Greenberg Traurig, the very firm where Abramoff once reigned.
I would call that a reward to limiting the damage.
62. Mark Noonan | August 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
Synthia,
Have you checked to see how much that firm has donated to Democrats?
63. nanoon | August 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 am
As someone who despises the American public education system, how could you let your own daughter attend a public, liberal school Spook? Oh, it is just talk, you don’t really believe it as proved by your actions. I understand now.
She still lives in Lawrence as well, I live right by there - maybe we have met. Lots of crazy liberals in Lawrence, good place to live.
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