WWTBAM Bored

Kucinich drops out of the Presidential race. He won't endorse another candidate.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound?

silverscreenselect wrote:If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound?

Maddie said that he went back to Munchkinland. The Lollypop Guild just isn't the same without him.

dropped out or beamed up?

NBC News reports that there are four people running for his seat in Congress. Gotta protect the day job.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

silverscreenselect wrote:If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound?

Maddie said that he went back to Munchkinland. The Lollypop Guild just isn't the same without him.

While waiting for Princess Pudding Frankenstein to have her second scalp surgery finished, I was reading some type of men's health magazine. There was a short piece about the various Presidential candiates' athletic backgrounds.

I was interested to see that Kuchinich played high school football (at 4'9" tall and maybe 120 pounds soaking wet, in full gear.) He was the 3rd-string QB.

Obama played for a state championship basketball team. (It was Hawaii, IIRC, so I can not speak to how impressive this might be. I have read of his current basketball prowess in SI. )

Edwards played football at Clemson (or at least was on the team).


The big losers in the "athletics as a sign of training in leadership and life skills": Mitt Romney and Hillary, who each had essentially zip in this background area.

Appa23 wrote: While waiting for Princess Pudding Frankenstein to have her second scalp surgery finished, I was reading some type of men's health magazine. There was a short piece about the various Presidential candiates' athletic backgrounds....

The big losers in the "athletics as a sign of training in leadership and life skills": Mitt Romney and Hillary, who each had essentially zip in this background area.

Since this obviously is an area that is important to you, I will assume you are aware that Hillary had approximately zero opportunity to participate in athletics on any kind of team basis. Before Title IX took effect in 1972, American schools offered virtually no team sports in which women were permitted to take part. Some young women took up sports such as golf, tennis, or figure skating on an individual basis and at their own expense, but they normally were offered no encouragment, coaching, or recognition by high schools or colleges. (Private girls' schools probably were an exception.)

There may be reasons to question whether Hillary would make a good president. Her lack of participation in sporting activities for which she was forbidden to participate isn't one of them.

I hope the surgery for the Princess went well and she is recovering quickly.

Kucinich might not endorse anybody, but his 4% will have to vote for somebody. I can bet even money that they won't go for Hillary unless her name is on the ballot on November 4, 2008. In a February 5 state like Kansas or New Mexico (where there is a <5% difference between Clinton and Obama in the polls), that extra 4% for Obama can keep him in a good position to win the nomination.

Now, if Edwards drops out and endorses Obama, that will all but guarantee that Obama will win the nomination (and the White House). If Edwards places third in his home state of South Carolina (he was born in Seneca) tomorrow, he should drop out.

Appa23 wrote:While waiting for Princess Pudding Frankenstein to have her second scalp surgery finished

Was this some more news I missed while I was away?

I hope Princess Pudding can discard that Frankenstein moniker, soon!

silvercamaro wrote:

Appa23 wrote: While waiting for Princess Pudding Frankenstein to have her second scalp surgery finished, I was reading some type of men's health magazine. There was a short piece about the various Presidential candiates' athletic backgrounds....

The big losers in the "athletics as a sign of training in leadership and life skills": Mitt Romney and Hillary, who each had essentially zip in this background area.

Since this obviously is an area that is important to you, I will assume you are aware that Hillary had approximately zero opportunity to participate in athletics on any kind of team basis. Before Title IX took effect in 1972, American schools offered virtually no team sports in which women were permitted to take part. Some young women took up sports such as golf, tennis, or figure skating on an individual basis and at their own expense, but they normally were offered no encouragment, coaching, or recognition by high schools or colleges. (Private girls' schools probably were an exception.)

There may be reasons to question whether Hillary would make a good president. Her lack of participation in sporting activities for which she was forbidden to participate isn't one of them.

I hope the surgery for the Princess went well and she is recovering quickly.

I wouldn't say that it is important to me, although I am interested in the overall examination of the impact that having a foundation in athletics can have regarding one's future. (There was a book by one of the Fox News morning guys on the subject, where he talked to various political, business, entertainment, and broadcasting people about how it affected their lives.) I am talking about athletics, both in the team environment and individually. (I recall the discussion of Condi Rice and her ice skating, for example.)

One of the interesting parts of this magazine piece was that Hillary recognized that theer was some import, so she tried to play up a more-impressive background. It reminded me of her attempts to try to claim being a hard-core Cubs and Yankees fan at the same time. In any event, it is somewhat disingenuous to state that there were no opportunities for girls to play sports during the 1960s. Certainly, there was much less then than there has been for the past quarter-century. Still, many of her female contemporaries have been able to reference stories of learning from athletics.

I also will note that the most impressive thing about Mike Huckabee's athletic exploits was recent: the fact that he decided to get into shape and lose over 100 pounds. In fact, in the midst of his Presidential campaign, he is training to run the Boston Marathon this year.

Appa23 wrote: I also will note that the most impressive thing about Mike Huckabee's athletic exploits was recent: the fact that he decided to get into shape and lose over 100 pounds. In fact, in the midst of his Presidential campaign, he is training to run the Boston Marathon this year.

Is he? I'm surprised that anyone could find time for that during a campaign, but it'd be awfully good publicity for him to complete the marathon, if the nomination isn't decided by then.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Appa23 wrote: I also will note that the most impressive thing about Mike Huckabee's athletic exploits was recent: the fact that he decided to get into shape and lose over 100 pounds. In fact, in the midst of his Presidential campaign, he is training to run the Boston Marathon this year.

Is he? I'm surprised that anyone could find time for that during a campaign, but it'd be awfully good publicity for him to complete the marathon, if the nomination isn't decided by then.

By the time the Boston Marathon comes around, I doubt seriously that Huckabee will be worried about the nomination - it looks like it's coming down to a two-man race between Romney and McCain.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Appa23 wrote: I also will note that the most impressive thing about Mike Huckabee's athletic exploits was recent: the fact that he decided to get into shape and lose over 100 pounds. In fact, in the midst of his Presidential campaign, he is training to run the Boston Marathon this year.

Is he? I'm surprised that anyone could find time for that during a campaign, but it'd be awfully good publicity for him to complete the marathon, if the nomination isn't decided by then.

I saw an interview with Huckabee this morning on CNN. He has been having issues with his staffers, as they have not been leaving enough time in his schedule for long training runs. He noted that he will be lightening his Sunday schedules and will try for the long runs then (with shortyer runs during the other six days. So, on the 7th day, Mike doesn't rest.)

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:Kucinich might not endorse anybody, but his 4% will have to vote for somebody.

No they don't. They can become disillusioned and stay at home on primary day. I suspect that many of his followers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for either Hillie or Barry.

gsabc wrote:

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:Kucinich might not endorse anybody, but his 4% will have to vote for somebody.

No they don't. They can become disillusioned and stay at home on primary day. I suspect that many of his followers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for either Hillie or Barry.

You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

earendel wrote:

gsabc wrote:

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:Kucinich might not endorse anybody, but his 4% will have to vote for somebody.

No they don't. They can become disillusioned and stay at home on primary day. I suspect that many of his followers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for either Hillie or Barry.

You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

earendel wrote:

gsabc wrote: No they don't. They can become disillusioned and stay at home on primary day. I suspect that many of his followers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for either Hillie or Barry.

You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

Well, I would say yes. All decent Americans will be happier if a Republican wins

Appa23 wrote:

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

earendel wrote: You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

Well, I would say yes. All decent Americans will be happier if a Republican wins

I guess that I am not decent.

Obama is "too Republican"? I'd hardly call his voting record "too Republican".

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

earendel wrote:

gsabc wrote: No they don't. They can become disillusioned and stay at home on primary day. I suspect that many of his followers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for either Hillie or Barry.

You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

They'll be happy that they didn't "compromise their standards" by voting for someone other than Kucinich. They are ideological zealots and nothing will suit them.

Appa23 wrote:

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

earendel wrote: You're right. I know several who support Kucinich and they have said they will sit at home rather than support either Clinton or Obama because they're "too Republican".

They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

Well, I would say yes. All decent Americans will be happier if a Republican wins

I do believe I've been insulted.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

Appa23 wrote:

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote: They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

Well, I would say yes. All decent Americans will be happier if a Republican wins

I guess that I am not decent.

Well, I don't know, but you seem to take things too seriously at times.

earendel wrote:

Appa23 wrote:

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote: They are going to be happier if a Republican wins?

Well, I would say yes. All decent Americans will be happier if a Republican wins

I do believe I've been insulted.

No, you mistake a clear tongue-in-cheek joke for something serious.

As much as I dislike Hillary, if she were to get the nomination, I will hold my nose and vote for her on November 4.

I have always held that one can only be insulted when one cares about the opiner's opinion.

Earendel, you might want to start holding that as well.