« NYT confirms startling detail about Palin child's name! | Main | A critique of Dahlia Lithwick's debate advice to Joe Biden »
Monday, September 08, 2008
Trials and turmoils of The One on the rough, tough campaign trail
Quoth The One, on the subject of his many sacrifices, 'midst high-dollar donors ($2,300 or $30,800, the higher price presumably including unlimited shrimp and a photo op with The One) at one of two back-to-back New York events hosted by the (notably lesser) rock star Jon Bon Jovi and a neighbor:
"I hope you guys are up for a fight. I hope you guys are game because I haven’t been putting up with 19 months of airplanes and hotel food and missing my babies and my wife — I didn’t put up for that stuff just to come in second," he said. "I don’t believe in coming in second. The American people can’t afford for us to come in second."
Opponent John McCain, meanwhile, has not been heard to complain about spending nineteen months riding on airplanes and eating hotel food on the campaign trail. Of course, his baseline for comparison is a five-year stay at the Hanoi Hilton and various of its affiliates.
Mr. Bon Jovi, an eminent political philosopher and theologian of international reputation ("We've got to hold on to what we've got / 'Cause it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not"), succinctly explained the difference between The One and Sen. McCain in introducing the former:
“You don’t have to be 72 to have experience,” he said, referring to the age of Mr. McCain. “It’s the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. This 21st century man has an aura of hope wrapped around him.”
Ah, the hopey-changitudinous force field!
But little did The One and his Bon Jovian supporters realize, however, that Gov. Sarah Palin, a/k/a the 21st Century Woman, has figured out how to generate her own hopey-changitudinous force-field — one which incorporates a caribou-hide, a briefing book, and a burp-cloth — except that it's a superior version whose user is not rendered politically impotent, such that she can actually get things done from within it!
Tune in tomorrow for further adventures!
-------------------------
UPDATE (Wed Sep 10 @ 6:30pm): Obama is apparently repeating this complaint widely on the campaign trail, now to high school students in Norfolk, Virginia.
Obama visited a freshman leadership seminar at Granby High School, and a student asked what kind of advice he'd give to them about how they could get to where he is now.
"I'm not sure I'd advise everybody to run for president," Obama said with a smile. "I've been sleeping out of hotel rooms for two years now and I miss my kids."
Color me unsympathetic. This whining is pretty pathetic for someone who wants to be commander-in-chief.
Posted by Beldar at 06:03 PM in 2008 Election, Humor, McCain, Obama, Palin, Politics (2008) | Permalink
TrackBacks
Other weblog posts, if any, whose authors have linked to Trials and turmoils of The One on the rough, tough campaign trail and sent a trackback ping are listed here:
» I didnt put up with crappy food to lose! from The Anchoress
Tracked on Sep 9, 2008 6:52:16 AM
» Obama Has It Rough from Sierra Faith
Tracked on Sep 9, 2008 8:15:30 AM
» 2008.09.09 Politics and National Defense Roundup from Old War Dogs
Tracked on Sep 9, 2008 3:35:44 PM
Comments
(1) kate made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 6:26:58 PM | Permalink
Accepting the consequences of our personal decisions is what adults do.
(2) EW1(SG) made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 7:12:12 PM | Permalink
I noticed looking at pictures of the candidates on the campaign trail that the McCain team, from McCain all the way down, stay in the same kind of hotel/motel rooms that I stay in when I'm picking them out.
I don't mind staying in nicer rooms, but I also don't see much point in it. When I was working as a defense contractor, I was also very mindful of who was ultimately paying for the room.
(3) Gregory Koster made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 8:57:33 PM | Permalink
Dear Mr. Dyer: The One doesn't realize the strain he puts us under when he issues what he thinks are pronunciamentoes on parchment, but are actually straight lines. After listening to an hour of Michelle Obama speaking, the notion that he misses her induces snickers.
A little more seriously, note The One assigning blame again:
"YOU GUYS, better be up for a fight BECAUSE I don't want to have to put up with hotel and airplane food for 19 months, just to come in second."
From such entitlement and pretension, Good Lord and McC, deliver us!
Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster
(4) Paul Gordon made the following comment | Sep 8, 2008 10:56:25 PM | Permalink
The Anchoress ( http://theanchoressonline ) had a dandy take on this.
http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/09/08/i-didnt-put-up-with-crappy-food-to-lose/#comments
When a commenter chided her for being too "taunting" she laid into him with:
------------------------------
One of the issues is whether Barack Obama has the stones to endure an office that brings heavy criticism, and the occupant is under constant fire and constant pressure. Obama is complaining about the food he has had to endure for 19 months, but excuse me, it was HIS idea to start campaigning before he'd even put in 200 days work in the Senate. He's not being FORCED to do this; he presumably wants it, and yet he is petulant and whiny about the SOP food, travel, etc.
...
One man endured unthinkable, enforced punishment - a hell-on-earth - and survived it partly because he looked forward to seeing his country again, the other one endures some minor, standard inconveniences in pursuit of an office he wants, and he complains all the time. About everything.
...
This is not taunting. This is saying, "grow a pair or give it up; I want a president who doesn't whine."
------------------------------
Check it out.
(5) Alex Knapp made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 12:04:12 AM | Permalink
And apart from leaving her hometown in debt, raising taxes, and seeking out pork barrel projects until it was no longer politically expedient to do so, what change did she accomplish?
Yes, yes--she cut some spending with her line item vetos. And then put a good portion of those projects under the umbrella of a large scale bond package. Yes, she was a whistleblower, but I fail to see how that would affect her governing style should she end up having to serve as President.
What change has she really and truly brought that wasn't already inevitable as a result of the indictments Young and Stevens?
(6) A.W. made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 12:43:41 AM | Permalink
All this reminds me of a video from kid rock, where it shows him getting off a private jet about to have pretty startling sexual adventures.
In the pop up version of the video, they mention that this scene was meant to show how hard his life was. Mmm, yeah.
(7) hunter made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 7:18:32 AM | Permalink
Alex,
Gov. Palin is not running for Prez. Obama is. And your question only begs for the same standard to be applied to Obama. And the only way he can answer your question honestly is to admit that he has done literally nothing his entire career.
As to your assertions about Gov. Palin, you are entitled to your opinion, no matter how fact free you choose to make them.
(8) sharinlite made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 11:06:18 AM | Permalink
Hunter, I say "amen". We must not ever forget that the Alex Knapps of this world are deaf, dumb and blind to the reality that is. They are unable to see, hear or feel anything else. I know, I have a son just like Alex.
(9) Alex Knapp made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 12:09:19 PM | Permalink
As to your assertions about Gov. Palin, you are entitled to your opinion, no matter how fact free you choose to make them.Please let me know which of my assertions is inaccurate.
(10) Alex Knapp made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 12:11:59 PM | Permalink
We must not ever forget that the Alex Knapps of this world are deaf, dumb and blind to the reality that is. They are unable to see, hear or feel anything else.It has always been my experience that, when a person results to insults rather than arguments, it is because they have no argument to offer.
Pray tell, do enlighten me as to which of my assertions is incorrect. Or are insults all you have to offer?
(11) Gregory Koster made the following comment | Sep 9, 2008 8:05:16 PM | Permalink
Dear Alex: I think we need some specifics here:
a) "leaving her hometown in debt." A substantial portion of Wasilla's expenditures came in the capital budget, a different animal from an operating budget. It could be that some or all of this money was wasted on boondoggles. Do you have any examples?
For example the fiscal year (FY) 1991 capital budget ws $30,000. This figure is likely smaller than usual, because the country was heading for a recession. By 1996, the year Palin asumed the Mayoralty, the capital budget had marched up to $1,574,000. It fell the next three years, to 685,000 in FY 1999. Then it reversed course going to 4,298,000 in FY 2002, her last year as Mayor, before she went off to the Oil and Gas commission. It is worth noting that since she left, the capital budget has continued marching, reaching $17 million in FY 2006 and since declining to $7.3 million. It certainly appears that Palin uncorked the spending genie from its bottle. But these are capital expenditures. I don't know what they were used for. That would give us a better idea. Why don't you, as chief mud-thrower, come up with examples of boondoggles that all this capital spending led to? You know: "google it."
b) "raising taxes" You have a distinguished talent for absurdity crabbing about a mayor who raised taxes by millions with a wannabe Prez who proposes billions if not trillions in tax hikes.
c) "and seeking out pork barrel projects until it was no longer politically expedient to do so" Mayors and to a lesser extent governors, have to go for pork or do without. They lack the federal capacity for raising money they don't have. That Palin has accepted earmarks is true and regrettable. It's fair to say that her record has improved as time has gone on. Care to compare it to Biden's record? Or The One's? How about that million buck earmark that The One procured for the University of Chicago's Hospital System, his wife's employer, after his wife's salary went from ~$120,000 per annum to ~$315,000 per annum? Care to discuss that?
d) "Yes, she was a whistleblower, but I fail to see how that would affect her governing style should she end up having to serve as President."
So being a whistleblower is not a good thing? Was it a good thing for Palin to blow the whistle against a) one of her fellow commissioners who just happened to be the state chair of the GOP, getting him fined, though not tossed in the klink or b) the state Atty. Genl. Gregg Renkes, whose party affiliation is not readily available, but was Frank Murkowski's campaign chair, and hence is almost surely a GOPer, who quit after paying dough to settle a complaint.
I think this shows great strength of character. Certainly neither Obama, nor The One can show anything nearly comparable. The One coexisted with the Daley organization for years, showing no more distress than the faces on Easter Island. File an ethics complaint against hizzoner Daley? pardon me while I go outside to the football stadium to laugh. I will need the room. Palin, should she ascend to the throne and strap on the sword of George Washington, has a record that will likely prevent antics by her own party, something any candidate would consider an asset?
e) I do not understand this complaint of yours:
"What change has she really and truly brought that wasn't already inevitable as a result of the indictments Young and Stevens?"
Despite massive doses of alcohol, I can see no sense to it, merely idiocy and silliness, though the most distinguished brands of idiocy and silliness, to be sure. Only the best for The One's supporters. Could you elucidate for us with the superior wisdom that is your mark?
Alex? Alex? The old boy seems to have fled, possibly in the company of A. Sullivan (who, at this writing has fallen conspicuously silent after days of numerous foaming-at-the-butt posts that would pass neither a rabies, nor an IQ test), possibly in tears, bawling that it ain't fair and that I'm a racist. Well, well, it's part of the burden all McC-P voters will have to bear. Bring on the crown of thorns, if The One isn't wearing it.
Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster
(12) Mike Devx made the following comment | Sep 14, 2008 6:07:59 AM | Permalink
From the article:
A student asked what kind of advice he'd give to them about how they could get to where he is now.
"I'm not sure I'd advise everybody to run for president," Obama said with a smile. "I've been sleeping out of hotel rooms for two years now and I miss my kids."
----
Isn't it frustrating that Obama cannot speak to the hopes and aspirations of the young any better than this? The kid deserved an answer that would inspire him, and all he gets from Senator Obama is, "Nah, not worth it. What a pain."
It reminds me of his earlier response from about a month ago when a seven year old girl asked him why he wanted to be President. His reply:
“America is no longer … what it could be, what it once was. And I say to myself, I don’t want that future for my children.”
I'm starting to think that Democrats simply don't GET kids. I'm not talking about high schoolers here - who are ready for even such a debatable answer as that one. (I mean, exactly which future is Obama fighting against? Please name the year that he wants to go back to!)
But... a seven year old girl asks, "Why do you want to be President." And that is what you tell the little one?
The comments to this entry are closed.
