BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Cyril_Croydon

Listed below are comments made by Cyril_Croydon between Sunday, 31st August 2008 and Wednesday, 10th September 2008.

«Newer
Older»

Reactions to Obama's 'lipstick' comments 10:56pm on 10 Sep 2008 Justin, I saw your report on the 10 o'clock news.

Why are you giving the GOP free ad time, especially that ridiculous wolf advert?! Palin is the one who shoots wolves from helicopters.

It's so very depressing how the GOP always manage to successfully divert attention away from real issues.

The lipstick comment was foolish and perhaps indicative of the frustration he feels at the media love-fest for all things Palin. No-one seems to be talking about her dodgy religious associations or her abuse of public funds.

I feel so very depressed that Karl Rove and his scumbag friends are going to win again.

I don't know how Obama can get himself out of this. The only plus side is that there is a lot of time to go and many things can still happen.
America's answer to Thatcher? 10:36pm on 04 Sep 2008 [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

Brilliant clip from the Daily Show. Can't really add much more. It speaks for itself.

Call me an "elitist snob", but I find it very depressing that a person who believes the Earth was created 6,000 years ago and opposes abortion even in the case of rape and incest, has a good chance of becoming the most powerful person in the world.

America's image in the world is already at a very low point thanks to George W Bush. If McCain/Palin win in November, the perception around the world will be reinforced that America is being consumed by backward looking hatemongers and fundamentalists.

I know many Americans don't care what anyone thinks of them and many think they are better than anyone else, but in a globalised world with interdependent economies, it does matter what other people think of you.
America's answer to Thatcher? 6:51pm on 04 Sep 2008 Thatcher never played the sexism card and never accused the media of bias. Palin has yet to give a press conference or an interview. All she has done is give one speech (that was written for her) and appear on glossy women's magazines showing off her kids.

The GOP cannot hide her from probing questions forever and it's the media's job not to be afraid to ask them.

http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/thoughts_on_sarah_palin.php

Megan McArdle on the difficulties the Dems will have fighting another "culture war".

Probably best to just ignore her and keep talking about the issues like the economy, healthcare and foreign affairs. Joe Biden gave a good response today.

Amazing bias from Matt "Wonder woman" Drudge. Perhaps he's fallen for the GOP elitist trap. It's all very depressing and I can see Karl Rove laughing his head off again.

The Dems need to unleash Hillary now, if she is willing.
Palin's punches 11:58am on 04 Sep 2008 No doubt Palin and McCain will get a bounce from this week and something of a sympathy vote from some women.

However, over the long haul, people will want to look at issues and solutions. So far at the convention, there has been no mention of the economy, only partisan and nasty attacks on Obama. There have been no uplifting speeches, nothing to offer hope or a reason to vote FOR them, only reasons to vote AGAINST the other side. It's the same GOP strategy of Karl Rove and the Bush administration. Perhaps it will work again, only time will tell.

Anyway, she should enjoy the moment - even Matt Drudge is lapping her up!

However, there will be more revelations to come. The incident about her childbirth seems to have legs, not to mention her dealings with lobbyists, being for the Bridge before she was against it, the troopergate affair and a host of other things.

While she may play well in some rural areas and has fired up the right-wing base, more moderate folk in cities and suburbs may find her too aggressive and off the wall. If she becomes the poster child of the finger-wagging, conservative moralists, she risks appearing too extreme and too weird for maintstream America. Her energy and vitality also risks eclipsing John McCain, who is looking frailer by the day. Put side by side, the contrast between them looks too great. They look a very odd couple to say the least.

Swing voters don't want two impulsive mavericks in the White House. They want someone safe and reliable who can fix the economy and pursue a sensible foreign policy. Palin's comments about Iraq being "God's will" have yet to gain traction but will be brought up again soon.

One more thing she needs to work on is her voice! Maggie Thatcher underwent voice training in the late 70s to lower the tone and come across as less abrasive.
Carly Fiorina on Sarah Palin 10:34pm on 03 Sep 2008 No doubt Palin will read off a great speech tonight from the teleprompter and the media will fawn over her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJTJbqKuDDM

Lieberman on Obama back in 2006.
Carly Fiorina on Sarah Palin 5:12pm on 03 Sep 2008 Great interview Justin. You ask all the right questions and I hope your US counterparts do the same. The fact that she has to play the sexist card so forcefully underscores the weakness of her candidate.

The Obama campaign have to be very careful not to appear snooty and condescending about Palin and so far they have been. They don't even need to attack her at all. She is such a flawed candidate with so many contradictions and skeletons that the next 2 months will expose her as not a viable potential commander in chief.

Alice Miles in the Times today. No-one can accuse her of being sexist.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/alice_miles/article4662805.ece

Of course, the GOP are very good at playing the elitist card. Any criticism of their candidates is immediately branded as coastal snobbery and as we all know you can't be patriotic unless you are a Republican!

Great analysis here from Danny Finkelstein. The demographics favour a Democrat, but Palin may turn out enough cultural conservatives in swing states like Bush in 2000 and 2004.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/daniel_finkelstein/article4663145.ece
The Palin pregnancy 6:53pm on 02 Sep 2008 www.gallup.com/poll/10996...

Obama hits the magic 50 for the first time!

So much for the Palin bounce
The Palin pregnancy 10:30pm on 01 Sep 2008 Palin's views on abortion, even in the case of rape or incest aswell has her views on contraception and IVF will hopefully get full exposure. Add to this her lack of experience, the ongoing "troopergate" affair and her flip-flop on her only "great" achievement -the "bridge to nowhere." She was for the bridge before she was against it.

She only got a passport last year. How will she deal with the Russians, Iranians and all the other global problems? What about AIDs in Africa and the use of condoms?

Does she even know anything about the rest of the world? She probably thinks it's flat. After all she thinks the Earth was created 6,000 years ago.

As for global warming, I don't know if Gustav, Hanna and Ike have anything to do with man-made carbon emissions, but it will open up the debate again.

Many of the Independents and moderate socially liberal Republicans who like McCain will be mystified at his choice of VP. Do they really want to risk letting this woman be a heartbeat away from the Presidency?
'Events dear boy, events!' 11:04pm on 31 Aug 2008 McCain has turned the GOP convention into a charity fundraiser, and Bush will not be attending so perhaps it wont do them any damage. However, they will also miss a week of free publicity to attack Obama and talk about tax cuts etc.

As for Palin, whilst she may boost turnout among evangelicals, her presence will sadden many independents and moderate Republicans who want the party to distance itself from the religious right.

The nagging question voters will be asking is whether she was picked only because of her gender. If McCain wanted an evangelical creationist, why didn't he go for Mike Huckabee? An experienced governer who won the Iowa caucus. If he wanted a token female, why not go for Kay Hutchison? A moderate, pro-choice experienced lady who may have genuinely attracted Hillary crossovers.

The choice of Palin totally undermines the main attack against Obama - "Is he ready to lead?" Only the most die-hard Republican would think that Sarah Palin, a woman with a newborn disabled child, is ready to step in as commander-in-chief. Presumably, conservative evangelicals would also think she should be at home on maternity leave?
A clever performance 1:48pm on 31 Aug 2008 Ref: 464 allymarbles

Yes, Palin knew the child had Downs long before it was born. I have no issue with her carrying the child to term, but she wants to take all choice away from women, including those who have been raped. She has an even more extreme viewpoint than most conservatives.

She used to support Pat Buchanan and believes in Creationism. For all her plus points, her views on social issues and lack of any experience will make it difficult to attract independents and liberal Clinton women.

After the initial exitement wears off, the voters will learn more about her and realise that she is just not ready to be a potential commander-in-chief.
She even said herself recently that she doesn't know what a VP is supposed to do and McCain said in April that his VP choice would be experienced enough to take over immediately. There are videos of this which would make a good attack ad, but attacking a woman is hard without looking sexist.

She may be more than capable of running for the second highest office in a few years time, but thus far, she has shown no interest to do so. She has expressed no views on foreign and domestic policy on the national stage. Two months is not enough time to win the trust of swing voters.

Anyway, here's a good article from Simon Jenkins in the Sunday Times

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/simon_jenkins/article4642035.ece

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

Cyril_Croydon