h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

>>Actually, Jon Edwards was notably for his 100% positive campaign<<

Right on the money again, Dave.

From ABCNews, Jan 21:-

"The people of Iowa tonight confirmed that they believe in a positive, uplifting vision to change America," Edwards said to cheers.

But ABCNEWS has obtained an official "John Edwards for President" precinct captain packet that includes myriad personal attacks for Edwards caucus-goers to make against his Democratic opponents, perhaps belying this claim.

The document — marked "CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEDGED" (sic) and "NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION" and signed by the senator — encourages Edwards supporters to tell undecided caucus-attendees that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is a "Park Avenue elitist from New York City" and say Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts has "the stale record of a Washington insider" and "has been a part of the failed Washington politics for too long."

The Edwards document also slams Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who opted not to participate in the Iowa caucus, for trying to take "shortcuts to the nomination." The document adds: "Strong, national candidates do not skip states."

kerry is the only one with balls enough to face dubya

thanks Mycroft!

beware the ides of march

Always a pleasure, Dave.

Ok People, back from the hiatus. First of all Dave & Saturnine. I have conversed with you both. You are both highly intelligent, well educated (albiet in different fields) and generaly decent people. Do not launch into a flame war.

We all know that the US was not any sort of a military threat to the rest of the world prior to the second world war. During which there was not one battle fought in any US state. No damage to infrastructure or industry and we suffered the lightest in terms of casulties, almost no civilian and the least military. Of course the road was wide open for the US to become the dominant nation for a period of time that was yet to end.

The revolutionary war is not the enigma that it is being made out to be on this thread. A determined opponent fighting for their home and way of life on familiar territory conducting asymetrical warfare can very definately overthrough a numericaly and technologicaly supierior opponent. This has been demonstrated time and time again. US Revolution, Texas Revolution, Vietnam, USSR vs Afghanistan to name a few off of the top of my head. And those are only the wins not to mention the even more numerous examples of failed insurrections that came very close to being succesful.

Kerry. The Democratic party's biggest mistake to date. I was ready to vote for a rehsus monkey over bush until kerry won the primaries. The man is by far a worse evil than bush is. I didn't even think that would be possible. A man that has taken both sides of every issue. A man that if you read between the lines is even more (again who would have thought it possible) self-rightous than bush. Most of all a man who throws his wartime service around like it means something yet is one of three to vote against a bill to provide body armor and up-armored humvees to the troops in Iraq. Being able to very personaly attest to the Interceptor Body Armor's ability to stop AK-47 rounds I think that anyone who would vote against providing this equipment to our troops in combat is the biggest piece of sh!t that has ever walked the earth. Yes, even more so than the man who stuck us out there in the first place. Way to go America.

wait a sec tamberlaine. I heard Kerry didn't vote for the funding b/c he wanted a budget from the admin, or for the admin to include the cost of the war in budget. Maybe it's not the right way to go about it, but how would you, as a US senator, get the Admin to include the cost of the war in the annual budget?

bush is a nazi plain and simple

Dave, the bill was seperate founding specificaly for protective equipment. I have seen the massive amounts of money the sheiks are getting for the rebuilding process. Don
t ask me for details but I am fully aware of the corruption and downright bribary that is rampant in it (officers recieving "gifts of H&K MP5s) I can understand and support asking for accountability on general funding, not a bill for equipment that will save lives. Of cours eI am learning that a soldier's health and wellbeing is far less important than the bottom line.

Crazyhorse, I am no fan of bush but Bush is in no way shape or form a socialist. So accusing him of being a member of the National German Worker's Party is a bit confusing. Inflamatory remarks won't get you too far even when preaching to the choir.

<>

the cheque is in the post

Fair enough tamberlaine, I can't argue with that. I guess it really doesn't matter whose in charge, the money never makes it to the "front lines" whether it is in Iraq, or in a social program.

Tamberlaine, are you actually claiming to believe that the name of the Nazi party means that they were in any conceivable way actually socialist? Give me a break!
BTW, re Kerry, I have seen that assertion (that he voted against war materiel) on a right wing site, but as I understand it, it's not true at all! The Bushies can make Kerry look bad, by claiming a million things he voted against, but it was all in one big appropriation, he didn't vote them all down individually.

dave, you are an idiot. As most folks on this site know. Lets move on.

Della no I am not claiming that the NAZI party was truly socialist any more than the Soviet communist party was truly communist. The point was that the simple statement of "Bush is a Nazi" is in the end no more productive than "Dave your an idiot" Bush is not a member of the Nazi party, he fully supports Israel (a truly non-nazi activity) and has no resemblance to Hitler, the origional Nazi party or the neo-nazis in any way shape or form.

Make no mistake that is not a Bush endorsement. I can't stand the man. I fully belive that Iraq was a sham. Not over oil but over the fact that Bin Laden hid very well. I have watched people die to save bush's ass politicaly. I also don't think Kerry is worth a damn. The US is screwed either way.

Also I know that the US higher education system is in a sorry state for letting its standards slip but I think that MIT has not resorted to accepting idiots. Saturnine please let it drop and don't you think your going to come up with anything clever either dave.

Works for me Tamberlaine.

Pocket jeevus - I meant to say this awhile back, but yes, despite my view that Edwards ran a mostly (OK not 100%, but mostly) positive campaign, the majority of all campaigning in the US (higher offices) is negative. I just wanted to point out an example of a positive campaign.

dave

I've thought a lot about Kerry, and the accusation that he's wishy washy, ever since I heard that he had both served in the Vietnam war and protested against it.

One of the most patriotic things that anyone could do is volunteer to be part of the armed forces. Of any nation - not just the U.S. A soldier doesn't get to decide what war they want to fight. They trust in their government to choose their battles wisely. So Kerry had no honorable alternative other than to fight in Vietnam - his country told him to do so, and he had sworn to obey his government. Once he got out of the army, he immediately began protesting against the war.

I approve - this is a man who upholds his promises, and stands by his convictions. Whether I like the man personally or not, this tells me this is somebody I'm willing to trust.

I agree with that take on Kerry and his history Lentilla.
He was a leader of protests and I am sure it was not a popular decision at the time!

Kerry voted for or against particular bills (as with all bills)because unrelated are added at too high a price. It is not always the title of the bill they are making their decision on in reality. That is why there are numerous versions of the same Bill going around.

Kerry like many others voted for the Iraq War under the understanding ;it was a last resort, there would be a trip to the UN first, we would have the support of our allies, invested trust in the intelligence on WMD and Alcada links, believing the budget and timeline put forth for Iraq was accurate.

Kerry voted for the Patriot act while it was to have limited powers for a limited duration. Kerry voted against funding for certain aspects of the act - home searches and seizures without notification or warrants (notifications delayed for up to 90 days I believe) he did not vote for it because he thought it was going too far.

Kerry is more like the Republicans than any other Democrat.
He is also a member of the Skull and Bones club like Bush.
It is the first time two members have run against each other for President.

The Dems can put another candidate up for the office at the convention but I doubt it.