Duh Speech

Is it really a speech if you need a teleprompter to sound coherent? Hmm.

Anyway, I weighed in on the speech yesterday at American Thinker.

Check it out: Obama Will Hit A Homerun With His Speech

Comments

[chris]

Funny how you sheep were perfectly fine listening to your 'leader' stutter, stammer and generally look like an uninformed ass for 8 years but now it's all different.

Good luck with that 'conservative' old geezer.

[IslamoLlama]

Ok, so something I'm sure Dan can get behind ranting about without looking like a complete and utter asshat.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventions/story?id=5668622&page=1

This one's on me.

"-- DENVER -- Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel. --"

For those of you not keeping up with some of the behind-the-scenes bullshit going on at the Democratic National Convention, there have been a number of lobbyist-sponsored parties and back-scratching events. The creme-de-la-creme of these was the AT&T event for Blue Dog Democrats in celebration of their passing the telecomm amnesty bill. You know, the one that gives the feds the right to tap your phones and read your email on the off chance you could be Osama Bin Laden.

The Blue Dog Dem sell-out of the 4th Amendment for a dinner party is just one of the various wankeries of insider beltway politics. But while national legislators are finding new ways to sell out our right to privacy, it's comforting to know that big ticket fund raisers and the legislators themselves are protected by Denver's Finest.

:-p What a trainwreck.

[seekeronos]

So much for freedom of speech on public rights-of-way/public easements such as public sidewalks.

Supposedly, the Brown Palace Hotel actually owns the sidewalk (or specifically, the land under the sidewalk) which is adjacent to a public road. As far as I knew, one could conduct their affairs on a public sidewalk.

I guess in the New People's Democratic-Socialist Regime, taking a picture of corrupt pols and their lobbyists/bribers is a crime against the Fatherland.

Or criminal trespass, as described by a publicly cigar-smoking cop. I suppose there's no problem with that cigar-chomping cop fouling up the public air whilst he cuffs-and-stuffs that illegal journo, no?

[templar knight]

Very interesting, Moe, but this little affair was chicken feed compared to the amounts of money George Soros has poured into the coffers of the Democratic Party and its related wanker-fests. One wonders what he wants for all that money he has invested.

[Dan Riehl]

Yeah, Islamo - saw that. Pretty lame. Good thing Republicans have all white country clubs out in the woods to do that kind of business at, huh? ; )

[Fred Beloit]

"An untested amateur desperately displaying the trappings of greatness before they were earned looks like someone out of his league."

A concise summary of the entire Obama campaign.

[seekeronos]

Video of the newsie, Asa Eslocker, getting pushed into traffic off of the "privately owned" public sidewalk, and then told he will be arrested for *obstructing traffic* as well as trespassing on private property:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QaIrut9rTc

And for those who care, this map:

http://www.denvergov.org/DenverMaps/report.asp?rpt=Amaps&a=mc&me=3143710%2C1696015.53846154%2C3144393%2C1696593.46153846&mc=s&ms=l&mcx=3143785.238&mcy=1696041.53888889&oml=1&zo=me&add=300++17TH+ST&sched=0234609038998&mapnum=02346&schedval=0234609038998&t_ml=1&t_l1=1&t_l2=1&t_l5=1&t_l7=1&t_l8=1&t_l9=1&t_l10=1&t_l11=1#mapcontrolelement

... shows the rights of way around the Brown Palace. It is the blue triangle toward the centre of the map (the Brown Palace is a three-sided complex.

The arrest took place on Tremont Place, the road on the north-western face of the building, under the overpass between the hotel and a "Comfort Inn" on the opposite side of the street.

Unless Denver has some unique zoning laws and restrictions regarding journalistic activity on sidewalks, there is a gross constitutional violation of this man's rights that has been committed, and the Denver PD and Mayor Hickenlooper need to held to a stern accounting of this criminal, unconstitutional behaviour.

[Fred Beloit]

Lies, old lies, stale lies, putrid lies, monotonous lies, badly-delivered lies, oft-refuted lies, dull and boring lies, cowardly lies, uncreative lies.

"The creme-de-la-creme of these was the AT&T event for Blue Dog Democrats in celebration of their passing the telecomm amnesty bill. You know, the one that gives the feds the right to tap your phones and read your email on the off chance you could be Osama Bin Laden."
(1) The bluedogs didn't pass the bill. They joined with Repubs in passing it, because it was the smart thing to do to enhance our security (which has been very good since 9/11 but could always be better).
(2) The earlier bill to tap calls refers only to calls between terrorist suspects overseas and Americans overseas or in America. It doesn't tap "your" phone call with Moe, assuming Moe is not a terror suspect living in Yemen, for example. Though should a terror suspect call me, for my part I invite the government to listen. Why wouldn't I? "Off chance" is simply silly.

[seekeronos]

Correction: it was a Boulder County sheriff that ordered/forced the newsie off the sidewalk and into traffic.

So not only is he out of his proper ordinary jurisdiction (Downtown Denver is part of Denver County), so this looks a bit fishier.

Now having lived in Colorado a fair part of my life, I've always reckoned Boulder to be far to the left and burdened with more than its fair share of leftist nutballs (though not as bad as San Freaksicko) ... but sheriff's deputies from a few counties over just might not be up to 100% speed on the particulars of Denver's zoning laws, no?

[Fred Beloit]

Ring, ring, ring.
Person one: Yes, hello.
Person two: ello, iz dis, Ali?
Person one: No, this is Fred. I think you must have the wrong number.
Person two: OK. Peace be upon you. Goobye.

[Fred Beloit]

The "off-chance" call.

Ring ring ring.
Person one: Hello.
Person two: Ello, is making the boom here now. You should see. Iz wonderful big.
Person one: Hhmm. Really? I would like to see it. Where are you?
Person two: I am weeth Ahmed.
Person one: Oh. Look, what's the address, I'd like to come over there to see it.
Person two: Iz 4421 W. 3rd St. Secon floor.
Person one: OK. I'll be right over.
Ring ring ring
Person three: FBI.

[Fred Beloit]

Good work, seek.

[joeb]

Fear the one party system if the Democrats win the White House and the Senate and the House of Reps. Then will come more and more Nazi like tactics as described in that story. One party in control of all the govt. is really something scary to think about.

[Fred Beloit]

Victor Hanson on the Repub and Dem conventions and speeches:

"The Triumph of the Therapeutic
Let us hope that the Republicans avoid the teary-eyed, drippy stories that almost all these Democratic speakers insist on inflicting on us: in this Oprah world, one would think that there is mass starvation, depression, and general mayhem. In every introduction, we hear that the speaker to come was poor, deprived, and a multifaceted victim. Not since reading the Attic Orators has one heard how horrible life has been to such heroic figures, who nonetheless somehow ended up in such a cruel country with big salaries, enormous homes, and influential jobs."
More here: http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/conventional-nights/

[Fred Beloit]

As for the "depression" the Dems are hanging their a--hats on:

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- The economy shifted to a higher gear in the spring, growing at its fastest pace in nearly a year as foreign buyers snapped up U.S. exports and tax rebates spurred shoppers at home.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product, or GDP, increased at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter. The revised reading was much better than the government's initial estimate of a 1.9 percent pace and exceeded economists' expectations for a 2.7 percent growth rate."
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080828/economy.html (via Drudge)

[joeb]

You are right on Fred. What Oprah and her crowd don't realize it that things can get worse before they get better. You don't know what you have until it is gone. We all want what we don't have. And be careful what you wish for you might just get it.

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

---Funny how you sheep were perfectly fine listening to your 'leader' stutter, stammer and generally look like an uninformed ass for 8 years but now it's all different---

Funny how you sheep have been excoriating Bush for his speaking ability for eight years but now have no problem with your 'Caesar' mouthing innumerable "uhhhhs" around his his hope and change, two word vocabulary.

[Fred Beloit]

Mr Wiener, would you like to hear an anthology of the great speeches of the Western world? I thought you would. Via Hot Air: http://hotair.com/archives/2008/08/28/video-barack-obamas-greatest-hits/

[SacTownMan]

Lou Gehrig was a great American icon and hero.

Barry is a socialist wanna-be that couldn't hold Lou Gehrig's jock strap!

This ego maniac just doesn't get it. With every example of "holier than thou" elitism he displays he distances himself from those bitter, clingy, bible thumpers even more.

After the Euro-trip debacle and choosing Biden you have to wonder what his handlers are going to next to sink this guys campaign

[Richard Peter Wiener III]

We will see what happens when Obama is forced to work off the cuff, in front of the cameras and with his opponent nearby ready to respond.

Obama has a LOT to answer for on things he has skated away from so far, I will be interested to see him stumble bumble his way through those issues when under the live-debate gun.

[Fred Beloit]

"After the Euro-trip debacle and choosing Biden you have to wonder what his handlers are going to next to sink this guys campaign"

I've got it, Sac. They will send him to address the UN. There he will acknowledge that our government must agree that the UN shall have primacy on all matters foreign and domestic, that we have some high-level war criminals that need to be tried in world court, and that our Constitution shall be expunged of any conflicts with UN policies.

That ought to do it.

[IslamoLlama]

"-- Very interesting, Moe, but this little affair was chicken feed compared to the amounts of money George Soros has poured into the coffers of the Democratic Party and its related wanker-fests. --"

Wow, really? George Soros was holding an even more lavish party for the Blue Dog Democrats elsewhere? And he was donating even more money than the telecomm industry?

Those donations must be pretty under-the-table, because I can't find records of him donating anywhere near approaching what the telecomms have done.

George Soros:
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=Soros&state=&zip=&employ=&cand=&all=Y&sort=N&capcode=x8cd9&submit=Submit

Telephone Industry:
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=B08

Seriously, I know we all love the "George Soros did it too! And worse!" meme, but you're absolutely full of shit.

"-- Yeah, Islamo - saw that. Pretty lame. Good thing Republicans have all white country clubs out in the woods to do that kind of business at, huh? ; ) --"

I guess some people could call that a "good thing".

[Fred Beloit]

About $13 mil in dollars in 2008. All to Democratic from Actblue.

http://www.opensecrets.org/overview/topcontribs.php

[Fred Beloit]

Abt $3.7 mil to Repubs from Telephone industry, $2.9 mil to Dems. Ho Hum.

[seekeronos]

Soros is an evil little monkey, but he ain't the only one donating to MoveOn.org's copiously endowed coffers:

# Linda Pritzker has donated at least US$4,000,000.
# George Soros has donated at least US$1,460,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MoveOn#Financial_contributors

[IslamoLlama]

Uh, yes Fred. That's a fund specifically designed to raise money for Democrats running for office. They're like a RedState fund raiser but, you know, successful.

And Seek is slightly more prescient than the average chumba-womba in discovering that Soros isn't even the leading contributor to Democratic 527s and candidates. So please, leave your George Soros hate baggage at the door when apologizing for Telecomm lobbyists who are literally buying legislation.

[seekeronos]

Ah, but the DNC also likes to dance to the tune of the Bankrolled Pipers...

... but not to one of their supposed key constituencies, the "Iraq Veterans Against War".

Of course, we all have heard about the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who repeatedly donated small-dollar amounts to Obama's campaign ... but when it comes to trying to get a little speck of time to read a letter at the convention, they are roundly ignored.

Granted, it is kind of a stretch to expect that they'd be given much of a chance at a very time-compact convention, but the Dems are supposed to be the "party of the common folk and workers", are they not?

But tell that to this Marine and his fellow soldiers who were turned away by the Dems, like so much other campaign trash that will litter the convention floor come Saturday morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jVOCD7-Q14&feature=dir

[Fred Beloit]

Islamolegal is whining because his future suing telecoms has just gone down the drain. Why don't you try to get into some ethical field, Moe? Why if I had your writing and propaganda skills I would have been laid off by the LAT by now and have already sent a resume to AlJazeera.

[templar knight]

Oh, Moe, just so you know, I googled biggest donors to 527s and guess who is #1. That would be George Soros with $23,000,000 and some change. That was several million more than the nearest competitor. And none of the money he gave supported Republicans or conservative causes. All supported Democrats and their wanker-fests.

[IslamoLlama]

"-- And none of the money he gave supported Republicans or conservative causes. All supported Democrats and their wanker-fests. --"

I'm not sure what the point there is, other than sour grapes. Freedom's Watch, the Republican's counterweight to MoveOn.org, has a $250 million bankroll (which is funny, because the RSCC can't raise the funds to counter Schumer's $48 million ad buy... even the Republicans don't trust the Republicans with their money anymore), coming in from such notables as Sheldon Adelson - Forbes Magazine's 3rd richest person in the US - and mega-millionaire land owner Bob Perry of Texas.

We could go back and forth all day with "Which rich guy is donating money to which partisan agenda" without really addressing the issue of money in politics.

That said, the question you have to really ask yourself is this. What did George Soros get for his $23 million investment in 2004? What legislation did he buy? What favors did he get to call in? Which Congressmen voted to enrich him or protect him?

I saw a Protect AT&T Act get passed a few months back, and the DNC suddenly gets AT&T bankrolling its shindig. Where is the Protect George Soros Bill of 2008? What, exactly, did Soros buy that makes him so much worse than the Telecos you are so happy to dismiss?

Why are you perfectly complacent to let the next administration - be it Obama the super secret muslim or John McPOW! - spy on your phone messages and emails, but horrified at what nebulous threat some old investing tycoon is going to do to you? What is he going to do to you that he couldn't do more easily by utilizing the access he's gained from a friendly federal government that records all your cell phone calls? It's completely baffling that Soros leaves you peeing your britches at the end of the day.

[SacTownMan]

Please Brother Knight do not disparage the owner of the Democratic Party like that.

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=89BC7BB2-298F-4B8D-99DF-A9EA273A0559

It is Blasphemy to degrade "the One" or his puppet master Soros.

It is a total crack up that anyone would try and say that George isn't at the front of the Leftist movement in this country. As the founder of Move-On and with his other extreme leftist buddies bankrolling the Anti-McCain campaign even the resident trolls can't try and bullshit their way out of the facts.

[seekeronos]

"--- Why are you perfectly complacent to let the next administration - be it Obama the super secret muslim or John McPOW! - spy on your phone messages and emails, but horrified at what nebulous threat some old investing tycoon is going to do to you? ---"

The fact that any combination of lobbyists - especially corporate lobbyists - have our legislature on speed dial is rather unsettling at the end of the day.

Political parties, multimillion dollar campaign finance, and corporate involvement in politics may well be the enemies of freedom and liberty.

George Washington had it right when he spoke against the formation of political parties.

[templar knight]

Moe, where did I say I didn't have a problem with anyone buying off a particular party? You're not a mind reader, dude, so stop making shit up. I just wanted to call bullshit on your defense of Soros, who is by far and away the biggest player for Leftist/Democrat Party wank-fests. And the biggest fat-cat of what you pretend to hate, yet you take up for the wanker at every chance. Your hypocrisy is shining through.