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akaTurkish_delight

Listed below are comments made by akaTurkish_delight between Friday, 31st October 2008 and Tuesday, 4th November 2008.

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What victory would mean 4:08pm on 04 Nov 2008 Sorry to interrupt the rather interesting debate that is going on between my fellow bloggers but I wanted to share extracts from an excellent article which was published in The International Herald Tribune on 10 October entitled, "One bomb after another" by Garrison Keillor.

"It was dishonest, cynical men who put forward a clueless young woman for national office, hoping to juice up the ticket, hoping she could skate through two months of chaperoned campaigning, but the truth emerges: The lady is talking freely about matters she has never thought about. The American people have an ear for untruths. They can tell when someone's mouth is moving and the clutch is not engaged.

When she said, "One thing that Americans do at this time, also, though, is let's commit ourselves just every day, American people, Joe Six-Pack, hockey moms across the nation, I think we need to band together and say never again. Never will we be exploited and taken advantage of again by those who are managing our money and loaning us these dollars," people smelled gas.

Some Republicans adore her because they are pranksters at heart and love the consternation of grown-ups. The ne'er-do-well son of the old Republican family as president, the idea that you increase government revenue by cutting taxes, the idea that you cut social services and thereby drive the needy into the middle class, the idea that you overthrow a dictator with a show of force and achieve democracy at no cost to yourself - one stink bomb after another, and now Governor Sarah Palin.

She is a chatty sportscaster who lacks the guile to conceal her vacuity, and she was John McCain's first major decision as nominee. This troubles independent voters, and now she is a major drag on his candidacy. She will get a nice book deal from Regnery and a new career-making personal appearances for 40 grand a pop, and she'll become a trivia question, "What politician claimed foreign-policy expertise based on being able to see Russia from her house?" And the rest of us will have to pull ourselves out of the swamp of Republican economics.

Your broker kept saying, "Stay with the portfolio, don't jump ship," and you felt a strong urge to dump the stocks and get into the money market where at least you're not going to lose your shirt, but you didn't do it and didn't do it, and now you're holding a big bag of brown bananas. Me, too. But at least I know enough not to believe desperate people who are talking trash. Anybody who got whacked last week and still thinks McCain-Palin is going to lead America out of the swamp and not into a war with Iran is beyond persuasion in the English language. They'll need to lose their homes and be out on the street in a cold, hard rain before they connect the dots."
Fighting to the end 3:23pm on 04 Nov 2008 Here are extracts from an article which was published in The International Herald Tribune on 10 October entitled, "One bomb after another" by Garrison Keillor.

"It was dishonest, cynical men who put forward a clueless young woman for national office, hoping to juice up the ticket, hoping she could skate through two months of chaperoned campaigning, but the truth emerges: The lady is talking freely about matters she has never thought about. The American people have an ear for untruths. They can tell when someone's mouth is moving and the clutch is not engaged.

When she said, "One thing that Americans do at this time, also, though, is let's commit ourselves just every day, American people, Joe Six-Pack, hockey moms across the nation, I think we need to band together and say never again. Never will we be exploited and taken advantage of again by those who are managing our money and loaning us these dollars," people smelled gas.

Some Republicans adore her because they are pranksters at heart and love the consternation of grown-ups. The ne'er-do-well son of the old Republican family as president, the idea that you increase government revenue by cutting taxes, the idea that you cut social services and thereby drive the needy into the middle class, the idea that you overthrow a dictator with a show of force and achieve democracy at no cost to yourself - one stink bomb after another, and now Governor Sarah Palin.

She is a chatty sportscaster who lacks the guile to conceal her vacuity, and she was John McCain's first major decision as nominee. This troubles independent voters, and now she is a major drag on his candidacy. She will get a nice book deal from Regnery and a new career-making personal appearances for 40 grand a pop, and she'll become a trivia question, "What politician claimed foreign-policy expertise based on being able to see Russia from her house?" And the rest of us will have to pull ourselves out of the swamp of Republican economics.

Your broker kept saying, "Stay with the portfolio, don't jump ship," and you felt a strong urge to dump the stocks and get into the money market where at least you're not going to lose your shirt, but you didn't do it and didn't do it, and now you're holding a big bag of brown bananas. Me, too. But at least I know enough not to believe desperate people who are talking trash. Anybody who got whacked last week and still thinks McCain-Palin is going to lead America out of the swamp and not into a war with Iran is beyond persuasion in the English language. They'll need to lose their homes and be out on the street in a cold, hard rain before they connect the dots."

If after reading this people can still compare Sarah Palin with Margaret Thatcher, well, I think you clearly are delusional.
Fighting to the end 07:44am on 04 Nov 2008 Dear Mr Price,

Thank you for your articulate, well thought out and fair message about the likelihood of John McCain winning the US Presidential elections.

You were right to pick up on clues as to how he is not the best man for the job when you wrote, "his campaign seemed to change tack with alarming regularity, suggesting to some a lack of leadership at the helm." Constant indecision, lack of leadership, mediocrity, blundering mistakes and ineptitude are hardly sought after prerequisites in a candidate who is applying for any sort of position let alone the highly responsible position of the President of the United States of America.

With his shock of snowy white hair and his diminutive and shrunken stature together with the hissing sound produced by his dentures when he speaks which effects the timbre of his voice, McCain looks and acts like a character out of the British soap opera "Dad's Army". I would rather have a Harvard educated, articulate, young, prescient, inspirational leader like Obama any day, particularly today, the 4th November 2008.

You also wrote, "That race will be the deciding factor in this election. Americans like to be seen (in public) to back a winner. If the latent racism in this country is greater than I think it is, then we may be in for a surprise." I totally agree with your sentiments. The bottom line is that McCain supporters appear to have a stereotypical image in their minds of what someone who is the President of the United States of America should look like and that person in their mind is not black. All other arguments such as he is too European, too Socialist, too different appear to stem from this single underlying issue of race.

They need to question their entrenched attitutes towards race and racism. What happened to equal opportunity? Why pass up the chance to elect the best candidate for the post of President solely on the basis of race?

We need to embrace difference. As the English poet William Cowper said, "Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour".

I feel we are on the brink of history here. I sincerely hope that the American people think carefully before they cast their vote - it is of the utmost importance.

The results of the American election is not just contained within the territorial borders of America. It will have an impact on the rest of the world. Hence the reason for the international media coverage. America is a superpower and thus major events which happen there have repercussions in every other country in the world. So, I say to the people of America, the whole world is watching you and relying on you to make an informed decision.
Too 'European' 9:34pm on 03 Nov 2008 The BBC is an objective, impartial news organisation and its reporters and journalists are outstanding. Anyone who dares to say that either the BBC or Matthew Price is biased is out of their league and is most probably a McCain supporter.

Messages such as this are mere
sour grapes. Clearly, the McCain supporters can feel the election results slipping away from them and are therefore angry and disappointed so they appear to be lashing out and blaming the BBC and Obama supporters.

If you disagree with the BBC then perhaps you ought to try other blogs namely American ones which reinforce your own prejudices.

There is no point in McCain supporters trying to instill fear in to would be Obama supporters. I would rather have a Harvard educated, articulate, young, inspirational, prescient leader like Obama any day compared to the diminutive, shrunken, geriatric, blundering, inept McCain.

McCain supporters, the 4th November will be your wake up call. It is time for a much needed change.

(See also my message number 19 on the subject of Obama being "too European".
Too 'European' 08:43am on 03 Nov 2008 The bottom line is that McCain supporters appear to have a stereotypical image in their minds of what someone who is the President of the United States of America should look like and that person in their mind is not black. All other arguments such as he is too European, too Socialist, too different appear to stem from this single underlying issue of race.

They need to question their entrenched attitutes towards race and racism. What happened to equal opportunity? Why pass up the opportunity to elect the best candidate for the post of President solely on the basis of race?

We need to embrace difference. As the English poet William Cowper said, “Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour".
Breaking stereotypes with Cupcake 9:28pm on 02 Nov 2008 Dear Mr Jason Hill, akaCupcake,

Your interview with the BBC correspondent Matthew Price was like a breath of fresh air.
I must admit that I had a rather stereotypical view of rednecks as a whole before I listened to you being interviewed, but you have opened my eyes. It just goes to show that not all rednecks are racist.

It also made me realise that stereotypes in themselves are misleading because they make us judge people based on their personal appearance, accent, etc. We all need to learn be far more tolerant and accepting of each other's differences. As Aesop said, "United we stand, divided we fall".
Breaking stereotypes with Cupcake 9:02pm on 02 Nov 2008 Thank you Mr Price for a refreshing and encouraging interview with Mr Hill aka "cupcake". You have raised the profile the profile of "rednecks" a group of people whom I had previously associated with racism, far-right views and who believed in white supremacy.

Unfortunately not all rednecks are open-minded like cupcake. As cupcake eloquently said in his interview with you, "Obama has got a good heart and it should not matter if he is black or white".

McCain supporters please take note.
Nervous final days 9:40pm on 01 Nov 2008 Dear "aquarizonagal",

Good on you for voting for Obama.

No I have yet to hear back from the moderators as to why my post number 10 was removed from a mesage I had written in response to one of Matthew Price's blogs.

I was also posting messages in response to Matthew Price's blogs as there was a lot of untruths being written about Obama and his supporters and I felt the need to have my voice heard and stick up for Obama. He is an educated, young, inspirational and articulate leader who will change the way America is perceived in the rest of the world.
Nervous final days 4:23pm on 01 Nov 2008 Thank you Mr Hewitt. The excitement of the American Elections 08 is palpable even from the continent of Africa where I am currently living as an expatriate.

Like many other people, I have followed your blogs and also the blogs of your colleague Matthew Price to get a balance of opinions.

An excellent post from "acenavigator" message number 5. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said, I couldn't have written it better myself.

I sincerely hope that Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States of America.
No wiggle room 10:28pm on 31 Oct 2008 As I write it is 11:16pm and I still haven't had an email from the moderators as to why they felt that my message number 10 broke the house rules?

In the house rules, it states that if a message is removed, "you will be sent an email informing you why your message has been failed."

I believe you have my email address, so I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity.

P.S. What is the point of having rules if the moderators can remove messages but then they themselves do not abide by the rules which they have set out and send an email to that person explaining the reasons behind their action?

P.P.S. I would much rather be joining my fellow bloggers in debating Obama versus McCain then writing repeated messages to the moderators but I am genuinely puzzled as to why my message 10 was removed and even more puzzled as to why no explanation has been forthcoming.

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