DamnYankees: Eh, they said the same thing about the Dems in 2008. Not really true.

The major difference is that in 2008 we had two contested primaries, and you could see the derp from both sides as they split the news cycle. In this case, there's only one, and its derp dominates.

Hard to believe? The more these morons talk, the worse they look.

Dude in chief is gonna have like a billion dollars to spend. If the republicans are still getting their shiat together at the convention, he doesn't have to start spending much of it until after. Meanwhile the GOP nom will be bruised and battered and desperately trying to raise enough to put up a fight.

TPM had it on a couple days ago that Obama already has more campaign offices in Iowa than all of the GOP combined. As in, right now. Think about that.

Yeah, the system sucks but if they'd had a credible candidate at any point it wouldn't be going like this.

Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama -- only lessen the air time he can devote to his own.

Bacontastesgood: TPM had it on a couple days ago that Obama already has more campaign offices in Iowa than all of the GOP combined. As in, right now. Think about that.

Obama's one of the strongest campaigners in history, and he's going to be up against some total farking moron with 45 debates under their belt to pull clips/quotes from. It's like handing your secret diary to the guy you're about to rap battle.

James!: DamnYankees: Eh, they said the same thing about the Dems in 2008. Not really true.

2008 turned out terribly for Obama.

He was not running against an incumbent he was running against McCain\Palin which was under attack from their GOP foes.

i'm just waiting to see when romney will be forced to ask gingrich directly, in a debate or in a commercial, why a sleazebag like him should be president. what is holding romney back anyway?

and of course, the longer the gop consumes itself, the longer before obama starts having to spend his money.

DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama -- only lessen the air time he can devote to his own.

Uh, yeah it is. The GOP may be eating up the Newt/Romney fight, but Indies really hate Gingrich.

The problem is that the Indies like Romney more than the GOP base does. Catch 22.

Dr Dreidel: The problem is that the Indies like Romney more than the GOP base does. Catch 22.

i don't think anyone "likes" romney. we just don't care for the comrade in chief. the "hold your note and pull the lever" expression was invented for lame-0s like romney...

oops nose

proteus_b: we just don't care for the comrade in chief.

It's quite sad that the choices are between "the unfavorable, less-than-mediocre current president" and the absolute ruin of your country by the hands of the Republican candidate(s).

what_now: That worked out pretty well for President Kerry.

yes, history will sing the praises of these two fine men... i'm not claiming that romney will be elected. in fact, it may not be wise for america to change its leadership whilst we are in the middle of wars with afghanistan, pakistan and iran....

Dr Dreidel: DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama -- only lessen the air time he can devote to his own.

Uh, yeah it is. The GOP may be eating up the Newt/Romney fight, but Indies really hate Gingrich.

The problem is that the Indies like Romney more than the GOP base does. Catch 22.

"Likablity" and the party platform are two different things. Whether or not Romney or Gingrich will be able to endear themselves with the electorate has nothing to do with how long the Republican Primary lasts. The duration remains the same to election day-- what does change is how much of that media time will be devoted to what Obama and what the GOP plan on doing once elected. And an extended GOP primary will lessen the amount of time Obama has to make his case.

If the choice is between a greasy McDonald's cheeseburger and a moldy, cyanide-laced, maggot-infested bagel, I'm going to vote for Obama every single time.

This is just an extension of the "money decides the election" crap. Nothing really matters up until the national conventions; that's when Joe SixPack actually starts tuning in as the official start of the 'election season', you know, just like the start of football season. They're going to watch the debates and yell at the TV and call the "other team" names. The fact that there was a long primary months beforehand will not matter to anyone outside of the political geeks inside the beltway, on the major networks, and on the boards of Fark.com.

sprawl15: Bacontastesgood: TPM had it on a couple days ago that Obama already has more campaign offices in Iowa than all of the GOP combined. As in, right now. Think about that.

Obama's one of the strongest campaigners in history, and he's going to be up against some total farking moron with 45 debates under their belt to pull clips/quotes from. It's like handing your secret diary to the guy you're about to rap battle.

That would be an awesome rap battle.

Remember, a vote for Obama is a vote for suspension of Habeus Corpus. Hes the one who wanted the language in the bill.


/nevar forget!!

Shaggy_C: Nothing really matters up until the national conventions

The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

DarnoKonrad: And an extended GOP primary will lessen the amount of time Obama has to make his case.

as a non-obama supporter, it's depressing to admit that obama's case is made most strongly by forcing the public to listen to the g.o.p. contenders...

Fart_Machine: The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

In wot respeck charlee? At the 2008 RNC, you had RINO Juan "Wet Start" McCain being cheered as the godsend coming to bring glory to the Republican party. Conservatives always fall right in line behind their leaders; they're authoritarians at heart. They like being told what to do.

This is bad news.... for Oba...

wait.

proteus_b: DarnoKonrad: And an extended GOP primary will lessen the amount of time Obama has to make his case.

as a non-obama supporter, it's depressing to admit that obama's case is made most strongly by forcing the public to listen to the g.o.p. contenders...

No, it's not, anymore than Bush's demonstrable incompetence made the case for Kerry.

Shaggy_C: Fart_Machine: The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

In wot respeck charlee? At the 2008 RNC, you had RINO Juan "Wet Start" McCain being cheered as the godsend coming to bring glory to the Republican party. Conservatives always fall right in line behind their leaders; they're authoritarians at heart. They like being told what to do.

The difference being that you have the GOP going full-court crazy after the 2008 elections to move even farther to the right. The current crop of GOP front-runners trying to out-crazy each other as to who is the most conservative. It's going to reach a fever pitch by the time the conventions roll around when they energize the party faithful.

Shaggy_C: Fart_Machine: The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

In wot respeck charlee? At the 2008 RNC, you had RINO Juan "Wet Start" McCain being cheered as the godsend coming to bring glory to the Republican party. Conservatives always fall right in line behind their leaders; they're authoritarians at heart. They like being told what to do.

Man, I'm going to have a big, hearty laugh when the GOP nominates the reincarnation of Joseph Stalin for President and all the hardcore GOPers fall in line behind him.

If the Republicans run a series of embarrassing faux-debates before the primaries even begin it will be good news for Team Obama.

Oh wait...

Fart_Machine: It's going to reach a fever pitch by the time the conventions roll around when they energize the party faithful.

Yes, and they'll direct all of that energy towards getting their guy elected. Not sure I get your point though - the 1992 DNC was a tightly run event and seen as a major success that made the Democrats look reasonable when compared to the hijinks that accompanied every DNC since the 1968 riots.

culebra: If the Republicans run a series of embarrassing faux-debates before the primaries even begin it will be good news for Team Obama.

Oh wait...

Those debates are the best comedy on TV. And there's more episodes of GOP Debate than Firefly.

Fart_Machine: Shaggy_C: Fart_Machine: The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

In wot respeck charlee? At the 2008 RNC, you had RINO Juan "Wet Start" McCain being cheered as the godsend coming to bring glory to the Republican party. Conservatives always fall right in line behind their leaders; they're authoritarians at heart. They like being told what to do.

The difference being that you have the GOP going full-court crazy after the 2008 elections to move even farther to the right. The current crop of GOP front-runners trying to out-crazy each other as to who is the most conservative. It's going to reach a fever pitch by the time the conventions roll around when they energize the party faithful.

I don't like this "full court crazy" talk. Their platform and policy positions have not changed. They're still for tax cuts, privatization, and social conservatism. And if that stuff wasn't popular, they wouldn't have had so much success for 30 years.

DarnoKonrad: proteus_b: DarnoKonrad: And an extended GOP primary will lessen the amount of time Obama has to make his case.

as a non-obama supporter, it's depressing to admit that obama's case is made most strongly by forcing the public to listen to the g.o.p. contenders...

No, it's not, anymore than Bush's demonstrable incompetence made the case for Kerry.

The difference is that Bush was a "known quantity" to voters - he'd just finished a term in office. Romney hasn't been President before and neither has Gingrich.

If anything, Obama's got the incumbent's advantage that Bush had in 2004. Demonstrable incompetence wasn't enough for the indies to force him out in 2004, and any perceived incompetence by Obama among that same cohort is dwarfed by a) perceived incompetence (or unfitness for office, or "electability"; anything a voter would hold against a candidate enough to not vote for them) on the part of Gingrich/Romney and b) the fact that indies just don't like their proposals. The GOP base does, so to get more of the base in line, they're going to turn off the moderates.

Basically, The Palin Effect: the more you let your opponent talk, the more they encourage people to vote for the other guy.

// I do worry about thinking it's "in the bag", so I want the GOP to keep talking
// I also want Obama to run a serious, competent campaign, just to be sure

Dr Dreidel: DarnoKonrad: proteus_b: DarnoKonrad: And an extended GOP primary will lessen the amount of time Obama has to make his case.

as a non-obama supporter, it's depressing to admit that obama's case is made most strongly by forcing the public to listen to the g.o.p. contenders...

No, it's not, anymore than Bush's demonstrable incompetence made the case for Kerry.

The difference is that Bush was a "known quantity" to voters - he'd just finished a term in office. Romney hasn't been President before and neither has Gingrich.

If anything, Obama's got the incumbent's advantage that Bush had in 2004. Demonstrable incompetence wasn't enough for the indies to force him out in 2004, and any perceived incompetence by Obama among that same cohort is dwarfed by a) perceived incompetence (or unfitness for office, or "electability"; anything a voter would hold against a candidate enough to not vote for them) on the part of Gingrich/Romney and b) the fact that indies just don't like their proposals. The GOP base does, so to get more of the base in line, they're going to turn off the moderates.

Basically, The Palin Effect: the more you let your opponent talk, the more they encourage people to vote for the other guy.

// I do worry about thinking it's "in the bag", so I want the GOP to keep talking
// I also want Obama to run a serious, competent campaign, just to be sure

Plus, Obama has a record to run on, and as the campaign heats up the perception of him as "incompetent" will probably diminish.

DarnoKonrad: Fart_Machine: Shaggy_C: Fart_Machine: The next GOP convention is going to be a Festival of Lulz. It will make the 1992 RNC look like the Summer of Love.

In wot respeck charlee? At the 2008 RNC, you had RINO Juan "Wet Start" McCain being cheered as the godsend coming to bring glory to the Republican party. Conservatives always fall right in line behind their leaders; they're authoritarians at heart. They like being told what to do.

The difference being that you have the GOP going full-court crazy after the 2008 elections to move even farther to the right. The current crop of GOP front-runners trying to out-crazy each other as to who is the most conservative. It's going to reach a fever pitch by the time the conventions roll around when they energize the party faithful.

I don't like this "full court crazy" talk. Their platform and policy positions have not changed. They're still for tax cuts, privatization, and social conservatism. And if that stuff wasn't popular, they wouldn't have had so much success for 30 years.

They've had success doing what, exactly? They haven't made it impossible for people to marry other people of the same gender. They haven't made getting or giving abortions a felony punishable by death. They haven't reduced the tax burden on the rich to 0%. They haven't pulled government out of the business of providing retirement annuities. About the only thing they HAVE been successful at so far is deliberately not reaching their endgame so they have more cards to play to keep voters marching to the polls.

qorkfiend: Plus, Obama has a record to run on, and as the campaign heats up the perception of him as "incompetent" will probably diminish.

Particularly as health care provisions start kicking in and people realize the bill isn't a horrible commie socialist muslin.

qorkfiend: Plus, Obama has a record to run on, and as the campaign heats up the perception of him as "incompetent" will probably diminish.

not to mention the danger of changing horses in mid-stream. obama's a good old shoe.

Serious Black: About the only thing they HAVE been successful at so far is deliberately not reaching their endgame so they have more cards to play to keep voters marching to the polls.

They've successfully sold the "free market approach" and moved the entire country so far towards neoliberalism that even the Democrats are out there selling tax cuts and free trade agreements as cures for our economic ails. They redefined corporatism as freedom. They have accelerated the downfall of our country and both sides now are pouring gasoline on the fire in the battle to seem more friendly to "freedom".

DarnoKonrad: I don't like this "full court crazy" talk. Their platform and policy positions have not changed. They're still for tax cuts, privatization, and social conservatism. And if that stuff wasn't popular, they wouldn't have had so much success for 30 years.

The difference being Republicans hid their agenda in the past under more benign names like "Compassionate Conservatism". The current crop has said fark that and has gone full-retard thanks to the loonies running the GOP asylum.

Shaggy_C: Yes, and they'll direct all of that energy towards getting their guy elected. Not sure I get your point though - the 1992 DNC was a tightly run event and seen as a major success that made the Democrats look reasonable when compared to the hijinks that accompanied every DNC since the 1968 riots.

Except that the 1968 was more of a distraction by outside elements (the Yippies and the Police Riots that followed) than by the party members themselves. 1992 had the crazy uncles take the center stage with their message of culture war and it scared the bejeezus out of the independents and moderates. After that the party leadership put them behind the curtain. Now they're taking center stage in a record number of public debates.

Shaggy_C: Serious Black: About the only thing they HAVE been successful at so far is deliberately not reaching their endgame so they have more cards to play to keep voters marching to the polls.

They've successfully sold the "free market approach" and moved the entire country so far towards neoliberalism that even the Democrats are out there selling tax cuts and free trade agreements as cures for our economic ails. They redefined corporatism as freedom. They have accelerated the downfall of our country and both sides now are pouring gasoline on the fire in the battle to seem more friendly to "freedom".

I don't think they've so much redefined corporatism as freedom. It's the constant demonization of the government and other public institutions as anti-freedom, which leaves a large freedom void that corporatism has sneakily moved to fill.

PonceAlyosha: sprawl15: Bacontastesgood: TPM had it on a couple days ago that Obama already has more campaign offices in Iowa than all of the GOP combined. As in, right now. Think about that.

Obama's one of the strongest campaigners in history, and he's going to be up against some total farking moron with 45 debates under their belt to pull clips/quotes from. It's like handing your secret diary to the guy you're about to rap battle.

That would be an awesome rap battle.

I decree that all future debates be held in the rap battle format.

DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama

You mean the GOP platform of putting poor kids to work cleaning toilets in schools?

PanicMan: PonceAlyosha: sprawl15: Bacontastesgood: TPM had it on a couple days ago that Obama already has more campaign offices in Iowa than all of the GOP combined. As in, right now. Think about that.

Obama's one of the strongest campaigners in history, and he's going to be up against some total farking moron with 45 debates under their belt to pull clips/quotes from. It's like handing your secret diary to the guy you're about to rap battle.

That would be an awesome rap battle.

I decree that all future debates be held in the rap battle format.

Or naughty limericks.

There once was a man named Obama
who was busy railing Romney's momma
she rolled on her hide
exposed her supply side
and now has since lapsed into coma.

The Name: DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama

You mean the GOP platform of putting poor kids to work cleaning toilets in schools?

You are looking at that wrong, its the liberals who dont want to let poor people work.

I alone am best: The Name: DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama

You mean the GOP platform of putting poor kids to work cleaning toilets in schools?

You are looking at that wrong, its the liberals who dont want to let poor people work.

No, we want the rich kids to work too.

sprag: I alone am best: The Name: DarnoKonrad: Free publicity for the GOP platform is not going to help Obama

You mean the GOP platform of putting poor kids to work cleaning toilets in schools?

You are looking at that wrong, its the liberals who dont want to let poor people work.

No, we want the rich kids to work too.


I'd rather kids being paid less than minimum wage didn't put adults supporting their families out of work.