One of the most touching moments in the debate occurred when first McCain, and then Obama, mentioned that they were wearing bracelets given to them by mothers of dead soldiers in Iraq.
Of course, Obama had to look at the bracelet to remember the name of the soldier. It's funny how no one in the mainstream press saw fit to mention this during the post-debate analysis, when they were having so much fun deriding McCain for mispronouncing a couple of names and not maintaining proper eye contact.
Now it seems that the parents of the dead soldier asked Obama not to continue using the bracelet as a campaign stump speech talking point:
http://tinyurl.com/45q5r6
Yes, this is a right wing website, but the interview with the soldier's father was on Wisconsin Public Radio with a sympathetic, liberal host.
Don't expect to see too much made of this either, but imagine if the roles had been reversed and McCain bumbled the soldier's name and ignored the mother's request. The stories would be flying out there about whether McCain was merely senile or just plain callous.
Obama and His Bracelet
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silverscreenselect
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SportsFan68
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Info below is from Factcheck.com, nothing about the bracelet.
Here's what I posted the other day about the bracelent:
There was no applause when McCain tried to invoke Reagan or when he launched into the bracelet story. Admittedly partisan and no Reagan fan ever, I cringed when he started that story. It was so Reagan-like it was scary. Anyway, how can he be a maverick and at the same time think of Reagan as one of his most-admired? In other words, how can he be steeped in the Reagan tradition and at the same time pride himself on rebelling against it? His "I'm no Miss Congeniality" rang hollow.
I'm certain that Obama had no intention of mentioning the bracelet until McCain mentioned his. I think he glanced at the bracelet to show people he really was wearing it.
I sympathize with the Jopeks and the Stanleys on the loss of their sons. I believe Obama when he says that Mrs. Jopek gave it to him saying that she never wanted another mother to go through what she did. If she never wanted the bracelet mentioned again in that context, she would never have given it to a Presidential candidate; it would still be tucked safely away at her home. Jopek says in the interview that his ex-wife decided she didn't want the bracelet mentioned anymore when she started getting negative feedback in blogs.
I think the reason that BOTH candidates got a pass on this is because it's way too easy to look bad and National Enquirer-like when you report on family dynamics. Maybe Mr. Stanley objects to McCain wearing the bracelet just like Mr. Jopek does. The interview introduction talks about the smell test -- I think it's impossible for any responsible journalist to pass the smell test on this one. To get to the bottom of it, an interview with Mrs. Jopek would be necessary, and she has refused, as is her right.
McCain and Obama contradicted each other repeatedly during their first debate, and each volunteered some factual misstatements as well. Here’s how we sort them out:
Obama said McCain adviser Henry Kissinger backs talks with Iran “without preconditions,” but McCain disputed that. In fact, Kissinger did recently call for “high level” talks with Iran starting at the secretary of state level and said, “I do not believe that we can make conditions.” After the debate the McCain campaign issued a statement quoting Kissinger as saying he didn’t favor presidential talks with Iran.
Obama denied voting for a bill that called for increased taxes on “people” making as little as $42,000 a year, as McCain accused him of doing. McCain was right, though only for single taxpayers. A married couple would have had to make $83,000 to be affected by the vote, and anyway no such increase is in Obama’s tax plan.
McCain and Obama contradicted each other on what Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen said about troop withdrawals. Mullen said a time line for withdrawal could be “very dangerous” but was not talking specifically about “Obama’s plan,” as McCain maintained.
McCain tripped up on one of his signature issues – special appropriation “earmarks.” He said they had “tripled in the last five years,” when in fact they have decreased sharply.
Obama claimed Iraq “has” a $79 billion surplus. It once was projected to be as high as that. It’s now down to less than $60 billion.
McCain repeated his overstated claim that the U.S. pays $700 billion a year for oil to hostile nations. Imports are running at about $536 billion this year, and a third of it comes from Canada, Mexico and the U.K.
Obama said 95 percent of “the American people” would see a tax cut under his proposal. The actual figure is 81 percent of households.
Obama mischaracterized an aspect of McCain’s health care plan, saying “employers” would be taxed on the value of health benefits provided to workers. Employers wouldn’t, but the workers would. McCain also would grant workers up to a $5,000 tax credit per family to cover health insurance.
McCain misrepresented Obama's plan by claiming he'd be "handing the health care system over to the federal government." Obama would expand some government programs but would allow people to keep their current plans or chose from private ones, as well.
McCain claimed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had drafted a letter of resignation from the Army to be sent in case the 1944 D-Day landing at Normandy turned out to be a failure. Ike prepared a letter taking responsibility, but he didn’t mention resigning.
For full details, as well as other dubious claims and statements, please read our full Analysis section.
Note: This is a summary only. The full article with analysis, images and citations may be viewed on our Web site:
Here's what I posted the other day about the bracelent:
There was no applause when McCain tried to invoke Reagan or when he launched into the bracelet story. Admittedly partisan and no Reagan fan ever, I cringed when he started that story. It was so Reagan-like it was scary. Anyway, how can he be a maverick and at the same time think of Reagan as one of his most-admired? In other words, how can he be steeped in the Reagan tradition and at the same time pride himself on rebelling against it? His "I'm no Miss Congeniality" rang hollow.
I'm certain that Obama had no intention of mentioning the bracelet until McCain mentioned his. I think he glanced at the bracelet to show people he really was wearing it.
I sympathize with the Jopeks and the Stanleys on the loss of their sons. I believe Obama when he says that Mrs. Jopek gave it to him saying that she never wanted another mother to go through what she did. If she never wanted the bracelet mentioned again in that context, she would never have given it to a Presidential candidate; it would still be tucked safely away at her home. Jopek says in the interview that his ex-wife decided she didn't want the bracelet mentioned anymore when she started getting negative feedback in blogs.
I think the reason that BOTH candidates got a pass on this is because it's way too easy to look bad and National Enquirer-like when you report on family dynamics. Maybe Mr. Stanley objects to McCain wearing the bracelet just like Mr. Jopek does. The interview introduction talks about the smell test -- I think it's impossible for any responsible journalist to pass the smell test on this one. To get to the bottom of it, an interview with Mrs. Jopek would be necessary, and she has refused, as is her right.
McCain and Obama contradicted each other repeatedly during their first debate, and each volunteered some factual misstatements as well. Here’s how we sort them out:
Obama said McCain adviser Henry Kissinger backs talks with Iran “without preconditions,” but McCain disputed that. In fact, Kissinger did recently call for “high level” talks with Iran starting at the secretary of state level and said, “I do not believe that we can make conditions.” After the debate the McCain campaign issued a statement quoting Kissinger as saying he didn’t favor presidential talks with Iran.
Obama denied voting for a bill that called for increased taxes on “people” making as little as $42,000 a year, as McCain accused him of doing. McCain was right, though only for single taxpayers. A married couple would have had to make $83,000 to be affected by the vote, and anyway no such increase is in Obama’s tax plan.
McCain and Obama contradicted each other on what Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen said about troop withdrawals. Mullen said a time line for withdrawal could be “very dangerous” but was not talking specifically about “Obama’s plan,” as McCain maintained.
McCain tripped up on one of his signature issues – special appropriation “earmarks.” He said they had “tripled in the last five years,” when in fact they have decreased sharply.
Obama claimed Iraq “has” a $79 billion surplus. It once was projected to be as high as that. It’s now down to less than $60 billion.
McCain repeated his overstated claim that the U.S. pays $700 billion a year for oil to hostile nations. Imports are running at about $536 billion this year, and a third of it comes from Canada, Mexico and the U.K.
Obama said 95 percent of “the American people” would see a tax cut under his proposal. The actual figure is 81 percent of households.
Obama mischaracterized an aspect of McCain’s health care plan, saying “employers” would be taxed on the value of health benefits provided to workers. Employers wouldn’t, but the workers would. McCain also would grant workers up to a $5,000 tax credit per family to cover health insurance.
McCain misrepresented Obama's plan by claiming he'd be "handing the health care system over to the federal government." Obama would expand some government programs but would allow people to keep their current plans or chose from private ones, as well.
McCain claimed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had drafted a letter of resignation from the Army to be sent in case the 1944 D-Day landing at Normandy turned out to be a failure. Ike prepared a letter taking responsibility, but he didn’t mention resigning.
For full details, as well as other dubious claims and statements, please read our full Analysis section.
Note: This is a summary only. The full article with analysis, images and citations may be viewed on our Web site:
-- In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.
-- America would be a better place if leaders would do more long-term thinking. -- Wilma Mankiller
-- America would be a better place if leaders would do more long-term thinking. -- Wilma Mankiller
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mellytu74
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Re: Obama and His Bracelet
silverscreenselect wrote:One of the most touching moments in the debate occurred when first McCain, and then Obama, mentioned that they were wearing bracelets given to them by mothers of dead soldiers in Iraq.
Of course, Obama had to look at the bracelet to remember the name of the soldier. It's funny how no one in the mainstream press saw fit to mention this during the post-debate analysis, when they were having so much fun deriding McCain for mispronouncing a couple of names and not maintaining proper eye contact.
Now it seems that the parents of the dead soldier asked Obama not to continue using the bracelet as a campaign stump speech talking point:
http://tinyurl.com/45q5r6
Yes, this is a right wing website, but the interview with the soldier's father was on Wisconsin Public Radio with a sympathetic, liberal host.
Don't expect to see too much made of this either, but imagine if the roles had been reversed and McCain bumbled the soldier's name and ignored the mother's request. The stories would be flying out there about whether McCain was merely senile or just plain callous.
Stepping out of the Moratorium Lounge to post this.
http://www.nbc15.com/state/headlines/29864149.html
I am pretty sure that "ecstatic" means happy.
Edited to add the ABC link.
According to Jake Tapper, the ex-husband's NPR interview was given in MARCH.
So, unless the guy has a time machine, it has nothing to do with the mention in the debate.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch ... -wars.html
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mrkelley23
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Stop diluting righteous diatribes with facts.
"Facts are stupid things." -- Reagan 1988.
(I know, I know, it was a misspeak of stubborn, but still. If McCain can invoke Reagan, so can I.)
"Facts are stupid things." -- Reagan 1988.
(I know, I know, it was a misspeak of stubborn, but still. If McCain can invoke Reagan, so can I.)
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. -- Richard Feynman
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danielh41
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- Contact:
"Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement."ne1410s wrote:mk:"Government isn't the answer; government is the problem." RWR"Facts are stupid things." -- Reagan 1988.
What a genial moron he was.
"Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States."
"Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them."
"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves."
"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress."
"I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life."
"I've never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a 'fat cat' and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a 'public-spirited philanthropist'."
"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first."
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means."
"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15."
He was an at times genial, at times deeply profound genius. And he was the greatest President of my lifetime. Someone needed to clean up the mess that Carter left...