In 2008, will media recall 2004 declarations of Bush "mandate"?
November 04, 2008 11:21 pm ET
SUMMARY: President Bush was re-elected in 2004 with 286 electoral votes, the smallest popular-vote margin since 1976 (excluding the 2000 election) and the lowest electoral vote count for an incumbent president's re-election since 1916. Nevertheless, many in the media were quick to echo Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion that "the nation" gave Bush "a mandate." It remains to be seen whether the media will apply the same standard in assessing the results of the 2008 election.
In 2004, President Bush was re-elected with 286 electoral votes, defeating Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) by 3.3 million votes -- the smallest popular-vote margin since 1976 (excluding the 2000 election) and the lowest electoral vote count for an incumbent president's re-election since Woodrow Wilson drew 277 electoral votes in 1916. Nevertheless, many in the media were quick to echo Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion that "the nation" gave Bush "a mandate." It remains to be seen whether the media will apply the same standard in assessing whether the results of the 2008 election constitute "a mandate" for the projected winner.
Among the many media outlets that declared Bush's victory a "mandate" (identified by affiliations and titles from 2004):
- Paula Zahn, CNN host: "A president with a mandate, a 10-seat majority in the Senate, at least 25 seats in the House. So everything should be smooth sailing for Republicans, right? Well, maybe not." [CNN's Paula Zahn Now, 11/8/04]
- Chicago Tribune editorial board: "In trying to advance an ambitious second-term agenda, President Bush has made it clear he intends to make every use he can of the assets at his disposal, starting with the electoral mandate he got last week." [Chicago Tribune, "Memo to Bush: Just say 'no,' " 11/8/04]
- John Roberts, CBS News chief White House correspondent (now with CNN): "With the majority of the popular vote behind him [Bush], with the Electoral College win, with a mandate that perhaps many people didn't allow him to have in the first term, can he afford to be more magnanimous with the press?" [CNN's Reliable Sources, 11/7/04]
- Andy Serwer, CNN host and Fortune magazine editor-at-large: "Interesting time for the president, obviously, he [Bush] seems to have a mandate from the people to go ahead and do what he wants to, his bidding. Where do you think this is going to take him?" [CNN's In the Money, 11/7/04]
- Christine Romans, CNN anchor: "When I talk to Democrats and people who watch the Democratic machine, they're furious that this was so close again and that now the president has a mandate." [In the Money, 11/6/04]
- Michele Kelemen, National Public Radio diplomatic correspondent: "Others doubt President Bush will change much given his election mandate and his strong convictions in foreign policy." [NPR's Weekend All Things Considered, 11/6/04]
- Carol Costello, CNN anchor and reporter: "To American politics now and the mandate. President Bush is promising to use his election mandate to push his agenda forward." [CNN Daybreak, 11/5/04]
- Ceci Connolly, Washington Post staff writer: "Well, I certainly think that there is a mandate [for Bush]. I think we have to go a little bit careful in terms of what specifically it is a mandate for. I mean as we've all agreed, a lot was discussed in this campaign. Interestingly, what you heard President Bush focus on was tax reform, Social Security changes, partial privatization. And continuing what he calls the war on terrorism." [Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, 11/5/04]
- David Sanger, New York Times White House correspondent: "But Mr. Bush no longer has to pretend that he possesses a clear electoral mandate. Because for the first time in his presidency, he can argue that he has the real thing." [The New York Times, "Relaxed, Certainly, but Keeping One Eye on the Clock," 11/5/04]
- Dan Chapman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution global economics and business reporter: "Bush, buoyed by a popular mandate and a more Republican Congress, will probably receive the financial and military wherewithal to fight the insurgency and rebuild Iraq." [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Bush gets voters' nod on Iraq, but outlook risky," 11/4/04]
- Keith Miller, NBC News correspondent: "Bush, who won by more than three and a half million votes, has a solid mandate that will force the attention of America's enemies and allies." [NBC's Nightly News, 11/3/04]
- Rafael Lorente, Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Washington bureau: "Americans not only gave President Bush a mandate, they also gave him the necessary tools in the form of more Republican House and Senate colleagues to push through his conservative agenda." [Sun-Sentinel, "Bush now has the tools to energize his priority programs," 11/4/04, syndicated by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services]
- Doyle McManus and Janet Hook, Los Angeles Times staff writers: "Four years ago, George W. Bush won his first term with fewer votes than his opponent, but governed as if the nation had granted him a clear mandate to pursue conservative policies. This time, Bush can claim a solid mandate of 51% of the vote, which made him the first presidential candidate to win a clear majority since 1988 -- a point Bush aides made repeatedly Wednesday." [Los Angeles Times, "Majority Win Could Make Second Term More Partisan," 11/4/04]
- Tony Karon, Time magazine columnist and senior editor: "George W. Bush took the reins of power with the confidence and certainty of one who had carried a landslide mandate to implement his own agenda. This time, of course, his claim of a popular mandate is incontrovertible. His party has strengthened its grip on both branches of the legislature, and freed of any first-term restraints that might be thrown up by reelection concerns, President George W. Bush is well positioned to even more vigorously pursue his agenda." [Time, "Victorious Bush Reaches Out," 11/3/04]
- Wolf Blitzer, CNN anchor: "My sense is that the president will see this as a mandate on his policies, because the Republicans also did very well in the House of Representatives, did very well in the U.S. Senate, picking up seats in both. He gets over 50 percent, 51 percent. And he's going to see this as a mandate in the next four years to try and move the country in the direction he wants it to move. He will try to bring the country together in the short term, but he's going to say, he's got a mandate from the American people, and by all accounts he does." [CNN election coverage, 11/3/04]
- Renee Montagne, NPR host: "Well, as you say, the president's people are calling this a mandate. By any definition I think you could call this a mandate. How will he govern?" [Morning Edition, 11/3/04]
- Chris Matthews, MSNBC host: "Good evening. I'm Chris Matthews. And welcome to MSNBC's post-election coverage live from Democracy Plaza in New York's Rockefeller Plaza. Yesterday voters went to the polls and reelected President George Bush, giving him a mandate in his second term." [MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, 11/3/04]
Several conservative media figures and outlets also quickly declared Bush's narrow victory a "mandate":
- Wall Street Journal editorial board: "The voters did [decide the election] -- including millions of conservative first-timers whom the exit polls and media missed -- emerging from the pews and exurban driveways to give President Bush what by any measure is a decisive mandate for a second term. ... Just because an election is close doesn't mean it isn't decisive. ... ... that Mr. Bush has been given the kind of mandate that few politicians are ever fortunate enough to receive." [Wall Street Journal editorial, "The Bush Mandate," 11/4/04]
- Bill Bennett, conservative author and nationally syndicated radio host: "Having restored decency to the White House, President Bush now has a mandate to affect policy that will promote a more decent society, through both politics and law. His supporters want that, and have given him a mandate in their popular and electoral votes to see to it." [National Review Online, "The Great Relearning," 11/3/04]
- Then-CNN host Tucker Carlson: "[N]obody has done it since 1988. The president wins reelection with a majority of the vote. It is a mandate. What will he do with it now? [CNN's Crossfire, 11/3/04]
- Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal contributing editor: "He [Bush] has, I would argue, a mandate now. You can bet he's going forward boldly. He announced it today in his victory speech. He said, 'Honey, I'm not just going to lower your taxes. I am transforming the tax system.' " [Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, 11/3/04]
- Pat Buchanan, MSNBC political analyst: "There's no doubt about it, this was a vote against, by the red-state folks who gave the victory to George Bush, it was a rejection of blue-state America. It was a rejection of their values, their attacks on the president. ... And the idea, it seems to me, that somehow the folks who won should now surrender part of whatever mandate they have to the folks who lost -- I can tell you, what we're hearing on this panel, people out there in red-state America are finding it very offensive." [Hardball with Chris Matthews, 11/3/04]
- William Kristol, Weekly Standard executive editor: "The hair-pullers and teeth-gnashers won't like it, of course, but we're nevertheless inclined to call this a Mandate. Indeed, in one sense, we think it an even larger and clearer mandate than those won in the landslide reelection campaigns of Nixon in 1972, Reagan in 1984, and Clinton in 1996." [The Weekly Standard, "Misunderestimated," 11/15/04 issue]
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YYYEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President Barack Hussain Obama!!!!!!!
I've only just stopped crying!!!!
I was born by the river in a little tentOh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knocking me
Back down on my knees
Ohhhhhhhhh.....
There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
Great sentiments from Sam. Thanks for sharing our joy UK!
Guess how CNN is framing the victory already? Yes, they're calling it a mandate for change. A "mandate for change from the center." (!)
Yeah, they just never let up, do they? Always got to play the spoil sport when it comes to Dem victories. Always warning us that we're not a liberal country, and beware, beware, beware.
Wow, even Fox News admitted we're now becoming a left-of-center country
I'll let you in on a little secret: There is no center. It's all relative. You've been duped into believing that "center" is somewhere between rabid conservative evangelicals and democrats, between Fox News and PBS.
Between ideology and reality.
We're not seeing a shift to the left - we're seeing the realization of that apathetic segment of America that conservative ideology and Republican governance has failed them over the last 8 years. The conservatives don't see it that way because from their perspective, their ideology has the same validity as that of the rest of the country. An egalitarianism between theory and fact. They don't see the Obama victory and DemocratIC gains as an epiphany. They see it as a marketing failure on their part. To them, it's a game to be played, one field, two sides, ambiguous rules.
Fox doesn't really care about who wins the elections. They only care about giving their audience - a consciously-targeted minority share of the population who can be convinced to move as a herd - a tangible, easily-encapsulated environment in in which their intellectual laziness is rewarded by the acceptance of a group that shares and justifies their fears, prejudices and greed on tv, radio, and print 24 hours of every day. Saying that we're now becoming a left-of-center country only helps solidify their audience by identifying them as a righteous clan of commiserating "outsiders".
Well said. I think the truth is that most people are really a little more complicated that the FOXBOTS would have us believe.
However, I do believe that Conservatives are a little more vulnerable to Black & White thinking.... so the "Us vs. Them" mantra appeals to them.
I think that the "us vs. them" mentality is a major component of their thinking--they NEED a villain to work against or they cannot function.
By that I mean that I think they never work FOR anything; they are always AGAINST something else.
The right wingers are motivated primarily by superstition then fear, anger, hate greed, revenge and jealousy. These are the primary negative emotions and they all have many sub-sets. Right wingers are multifaceted for sure. The have to remember: Anything built on negative emotions will ultimately collapse under its own negative weight. The babybush misadministration is a perfect example. Evangelicals are driven by superstition and fear primarily. Negative emotions that are only deniable with hyperboli, dogmatic platitudes and mumbo-jumbo BS. May they crawl back under the rock whence they came. faucks news has someone (many someones) to pick on and I can't wait to see billybob o'really and shyawn inshannity with their right wing loons spewing forth from their pie-holes new negative vituperative diatribes. May dennis millerlighthead smoke a big bowl of his own excriment and pass it around to his fellow moronic posterior orifice goons. They can then dream up some more fanatical right wing concepts using their special brand of nomenclature. To me these automitons are funny.
I think bush had a mandate. It was in a mens restroom stall with larry craig.
Rosa sat so Maritn could walk.
Martin walked so Barack could run.
Barack ran so our children can fly.
Congratulations to the President-Elect and his running mate.
Silence, Oscar! Report to your nearest Planned Parenthood office. There you will exchange your firearms for your new Moozlem prayer rug.
Seriously, I almost forgive America for the past eight years. I don't expect the "mandate mantra" from the press. On the way home from work I heard Hugh Hewitt calling Tennessee for Grampy, with a "ha ha, no landslide for Obama!", I guess meaning BO had to clinch 50 states to be recognized by the wingnuts.
Pennsylvania? Ohio? I want to bag on my fellow Americans for taking two terms of Bush to finally catch on, but I'll just say "congratulations" instead.
And congratulations to John McCain, for locking in the big belt buckle states. I kid you, reasonable people in the big belt buckle states.
I thought that folks like Oscar would be sent to the nearest re-education camp right immediately after Obama won?
I'm still having a hard time forgiving my fellow Americans for the last 8 years of pain and suffering, but this is helping a lot.
No landslide? I think he trounced McCain easily. Real easy. The only easier victory Obama could get, would be if Palin runs in 2012, and he will destroy her worse I would imagine.
Don't forget Florida. And here in NC, we got rid of Liddy Dole in the Senate. You're welcome America!
A group of us are meeting in the morning over breakfast to determine our new direction. Does that count as re-education?
Oh, and no ham hock or turnip greens, They make me break out in hives.
Hey Oscar. Just eat arugula then ;-)
Heck, I can't even pronounce it, how am I going to order it?
Yes, thank you for booting Liddy Dole. If nothing else, I hope that we can see this as a repudiation of the Karl Rove model of political campaigning.
I always wanted to go to camp, but never got the chance when I was a kid, can I go too?
The cost of a new Moozlem prayer rug is my firearms? I thought it would be my firstborn. I may be able to go along with trading my cap pistol for a rug (at least one to cover the "chrome dome."
Your new "National Security Force" will have to hunt me down and the US is a whole lot larger than the mountains of Tora Bora.
I will not agree with all that Mr. Obama proposes over the next four/eight years, but he will be the President and I respect that office. In looking at the results, he won a "landslide" in the electoral votes, but the popular votes still suggests we are not a united country. Will be interesting to see how that might change over the next election cycle.
I can get prayer rugs cheap from the bazaar on my FOB. I will start taking orders now
Finally! We can now start our plan of eliminating christianity and replacing it with almighty Islam! We can tax the crap out of republicans and give all the money to democrats! We can eliminate free speech and turn our schools into liberal concentration camps, and most importantly we can force republicans to drive small fuel efficient cars! Bwaahaahaa! The power! Oh non existant god, the power!
Soon the wingnuts will be forced to take overseas vacations without sewing maple leaf patches on their luggage, and forced to have the wealth spread around from the wealthy elite to their own pockets. The Horror!
I've waited a long time to tell the GOPers that troll here this news: Barack Hussein Obama will be your president until (at least) Jan 20th, 2013.
Enjoy!
Just hearing FOX refer to him as President-elect Obama is gratifying. Imagine how fun it will be when they have to drop the adjective.
Living history and honored by it. Congrats to President-elect Obama.
Who will earn the coveted first MMFA post on Wed, RashL, Shamity, Michael the Dolt, Bull OhReally? (whom we haven't heard about in a while), Billy the Twerp (Cunningham) or? Anyone taking bets yet and what are the odds?
My money's on Flush, Oscar ... I'd put the over-under at about 12:02 Eastern time ....
Probably correct, but your timing will be off by about 5 minutes, due to the top of the hour news break. And we can't forget the possibility that the other "bottleblonde" aka Laura Ingraham gets about a 3 hour headstart on RashL (at least locally).
This morning during my five minute visit to Quinn and Rose, Radio Rosie stated that there is a positive about this election. She said that God made it possible for John McCain to run so that he could introduce Sarah Palin to the world. No one on this site could make something up like that even if they tried. It wasn't harsh towards Obama but it is insightful to the religious frame of mind when involved in politics.
Wow. According to them, God does VERY mysterious political stuff like that. I don't think they consulted God before this conjecture, but hey, most of these folks don't really want to hear from any higher authority.
Nah, Rush will need some time to spew first and then a response will need to be composed. There were a hundred "political commentators" on the various cable and network broadcasts, many of whom made some lame comments last night and at least a couple of those will be first.
I just hope we don't have too many of the "failed to challenge" type of posts.
Yeah, those are necessary, I suppose, but kind of wonkish. I prefer posts about the absurd comments made by Troglodyte Screechmonkeys.
Assuming the sun will still rise in the East in a few hours, we "Vill be Bach."
But how will you be Bach? Will it be as Sonata no.2 in A minor, or Partita no.2 in D minor? Or will you do something wild and crazy like Sonata no.1 in G minor?
Sonate #1 in G minor, adapted for the harmonica.
I've been trying not to want this too much. I feared disappointment and hid my true emotions behind anger. At this point, I'm letting it all out.
I'm hopeful in a way that I have never been before. I don't expect the impossible, for there is a lot to repair in this country -- too much for Obama to do alone, too much to do in one term. But, we have broken a barrier.
YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Pearlene-- Congratulations! I was wrong and I apologize for all the rough words. This is indeed a great day!!
Carlileb, thank you!
I was no angel myself, so let me offer you a sincere apology for my sometimes harsh language.
It's a beautiful day!
Hey Pearlene,
I've got a box of wine here with your name on it:-)
I'm ready to party anytime you are!
Congratulations to our new President-elect Barack Obama.
And here's to a new beginning for America. A more hopeful America & hopefully a less divided America.
*Now if Lynn would just come back to the forum...Lynn if you read this, you've been missed!!*
Oh Jeter, you're such a sweet young man.
As for the wine, anytime, any place!
America did good last night.
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect the sky to open, or our world to radically change, because frankly that is too much to ask of any one man. But we, as Americans, did good last night.
*Lynn, if you're reading this, let me second Jeter, you are truly missed!*
Just wanted to drop in and offer my thoughts from the evening:
Congradulations are in order for our new President elect, Barack Obama. I cannot begin to describe the pride I have in this country for what occured tonight. I do disagree ideologically with him and I will say that I did not vote for him based on the issues, but as one person of mixed-race to another, my hat is off to him.
To all of you who post here, I offer my congrats to you as well. You have lived through eight years of a misguided and philosophically detached Republican rule, drunk with power and spending like sailors in a foreign port, and I am probably just as happy to see it end as you. I naturally have my doubts as to where the country will be steered in the coming years, but at least I can say it will be different. And at this point, anything different is good. Time will naturally tell the tale and the devil will always be in the details, and I'm sure that it won't be long until we will all be right back on these message boards at each others throats over the same petty garbage.
But tonight, this night, I hold my head high, smile, and look with renewed confidence at my American flag, knowing that we still DO hold the absolute power in this country. We went to the polls today and settled our differences with BALLOTS in a world where too often differences are settled with BULLETS. We exercise freedoms that others only dream of, and we do so without thought of what our lives would be like without those freedoms. Are we spoiled by freedom? Maybe. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Our country has taken a great step forward today, make no mistake about it. I honor and respect Barack Obama for what he has accomplished this day.
I honor and respect America for what WE have accomplished today. Our united voices have put the leadership of this country on notice:
To the Democrats: it's your turn, show us what you've got, but don't you dare betray us. If you do, just look at what we did to the other party.
To the Republicans: get off your high horse and remember who you serve. Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done. Maybe someday we'll call on you again, but not right now.
Now, as for me personally, I am filled with hope and doubt at the same time, but that's just me being me. And in this country, I have the freedom to be myself.
Now let's cut the taxes, cut the spending, fix the economy, kill the bad guys, bring our boys home, protect our borders, grab some guns, and by God LET FREEDOM RING!!
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!!!
Eloquent response. However, you argued vehemently here that Obama needs to produce his original birth certificate, even though the state of Hawaii doesn't provide that document. If you really believed that Obama was not born in America, you wouldn't be posting such a hopeful statement. After all, a mixed-race candidate that attains office but is not eligible constitutionally to be president can only be illegitimate, right? Can you now admit that challenging Barack's natural citizenship was merely a ploy to derail a candidate that you disagreed with? Can you now see that "anything goes" politics has been rejected soundly by the American people in favor of a candidate that strongly an consistently stuck to his beliefs and vision for the country? Or, as I suspect, will you reserve the right to play such gutter politics in the future when it suits your ideological agenda?
Can't you put down your cudgel for one day and take the gracious statement for what it is? I guess this is the "change" you voted for?
Former Dem, thanks. Tbone, it's up to all of us to change the tone, and yes, we can.
It's one thing to bury the hatchet with those that simply disagree on policy. It's another to accept the nonsense above from a person that deliberately tried to smear Obama with the birth certificate canard. We have the following possibilities:
1. ProudDemocrat never believed the BS he was shoveling about Obama's citizenship. In that case, then he was propagating a smear in order to gain political advantage.
2. ProudDemocrat's well-wishing above is BS, after all who would want to wish an "illegitimate" president well? After all, he blew up a thread here to over 300 posts arguing over and over that Obama was being decptive about his birth certificate.
Either way, his epiphany should be appraised in the right context.
Tbone, the short answer for OYGB is NO, he can't and here's why:
Because I DARED to challenge the "chosen one" and OYGB and those like him will respond in kind every time this occurs from now on. They have falsely annointed Obama as infallible and omniscient and this will cause them a great deal of let down and disappointment in the future. They look to him for guidance and inspiration instead of looking inside themselves.
I NEVER ONCE stated that I believed that Obama was born in Kenya. In fact, the whole basis for my doubt is that I have NO IDEA where he was born. No one seems to know for sure. But his birthplace is, nevertheless, in doubt. Why? LOOK AT OBAMA AND HIS OWN FAMILY.
Barack says he was born at Queens Hospital.
Sister Maya says he was born at Kapiolani.
Kenyan grandmother says he was born in Kenya.
This doubt wasn't generated by anyone but the Obamas themselves, and I still think it appropriate for him to clear the air and put this issue to rest, if not for those who question him, but for his own sanity as well. So, I simply asked one thing of Obama: Get the story straight. Show us, on paper, where you were born and what doctor delivered you. But OYGB didn't like that, did he?
It's in Obama's best interest to make this issue go away, believe me. But there are those like OYGB who, in spite of all logic, will attack anyone who questions the almighty Obama. And when his insults and fist-waving have left him exhausted, he will resort to endlessly repeating this literary masterpiece:
"Flagged as Troll. Move along."
A bit of advice for OYGB: Learn from Pearlene Scott who wrote:
"Don't get me wrong, I don't expect the sky to open, or our world to radically change, because frankly that is too much to ask of any one man. But we, as Americans, did good last night."
Pearlene takes from this election EXACTLY what it IS and realizes what it IS NOT. She lives in the real world, and I invite you to join us. There's plenty of room.
Barack Obama is not perfect. He is not immune to question or criticism. He will succeed at times, and he will fail at others. He will, at some point, let you down. The sooner you prepare for that, the better. Above all, you must realize this: this man that our country elected last night is OUR SERVANT, NOT OUR LEADER. WE steer the ship. WE lead the way. WE decide where to go next.
So are you going to grab the wheel and drive, or sit back and let someone else choose your path?
I bet I know what Pearlene would say.
Thanks for showing this thread that your previous good will was just an act.
The birth certificate canard was a ploy to distract and cast doubt in the minds of low-information voters. This is beyond obvious now.
Former Dem, Of all the dumb stuff to obsess about, this is the dumbest. Without a doubt, we have elected ourselves a wonderful, intelligent, thoughtful leader who has the potential to motivate people to act in positive ways.
If you can't get behind that, I feel sorry for you. Just spend some time with Snopes if you want to deprogram yourself from all those phony lies about Obama.
WOW!
Let me start with the "birth certificate" issue. It's a fake issue put out by right-wing bloggers and right-wing talk radio. How do I know that, you ask? Because anyone who's watched Republican politics over the last 30 years would realize that if the Republican party was losing an election, they'd use anything available, in order to win. The fact that Republicans didn't use the "birth certificate" issue should tell anyone, that the story is a joke. In the words of the 34 page decision, Berg's case was "frivolous and not worthy of discussion." The End!
I bet I know what Pearlene would say.
I wouldn't make that bet. You actually don't have any clue as to what I'd say.
By the way, Presidents ARE leaders, NOT servants, ALL of them.
Isn't it funny. We've been hearing the right screech for eight years about what a great a leader GWB is, and now that we've elected someone who will lead and inspire the world, we have to call him our servant.
I'm not the type to see hidden racism everywhere, but I do see it in FD's assessment of our new president.
King, I couldn't believe he actually wrote that crap!
I'm saying a pray for Former Dem, Lord knows he needs all the help he can get!
As it became clearer that Barack was walking away with the election,I turned on FOX.Never has there been such glee in watching the explanations,fumbles crow eating all on one station.
I must admit, however, that Brit Hume made some gracious comments after Obama's speech.
I too saw some lurch. billybob o'really and shyawn inshannity will be great tonite. I know, If there was a side show with a bearded lady or a two headed human I would not have to watch them to get my kicks. Unfortunately, I live where there are hill billies and that has lost its charm, and there are no side shows around here. 8 years with Obama and billybob and inshannity, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
T-bone, adjust your boxers. Of course, there's a time to be gracious. But when the right wing has spent the last six months dipping its hands in horse poop and throwing it at your guy, a little bit of a comeuppance is in order when they want to make nice all of a sudden the morning after the election.
Boxers adjusted...how did you know I wear boxers??????????? :0
It is customary for the winning candidate to be gracious in victory. Not sure BO reached out during his victory speech. He did say he would listen to the folks that didn't get his vote, but I don't remember hearing the kind of speech that even Pres Bush gave in victory in '04. Every election is hard fought and both sides can clain the poo was flung thier way.
I'm willing to help clean up the sty at least until Jan '09 before I put the partisan hat back on. I hope the dems will do the same. I'm not so sure it will happen though. BO just named Rahm Emanuel and John Podesta to head up his transition team. Two clintonistas. I was hoping he would bring some new blood to DC.
Good victory though. Enjoy the party y'all earned it.
"It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America."
"I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead."
"So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people."
"Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."
Dick Cheney's declaration of "mandate" was a devilishly brilliant ploy in 2004. Just think of it. They were able to temporarily convince people that the American voters were actually ORDERING the President to do whatever he wishes. It is extremely important to remember that the mandate that they supposedly had was never specifically defined. So, basically it was a mandate to do THE PRESIDENT'S WILL. And the first thing that the Bush Administratiion tried to do with this mandate was to privatize Social Security and they made a huge public relations push most of the next winter and spring. Thankfully many conservatives and Republicans were persuaded that spring of how horrible the privatization of SS was. If it had gone through, the housing crisis would have taken down SS right along with the stock markets.
Since we didn't get the pleasure of impeaching President Numbnuts, we can take some comfort as we watch him become the Incredible Shrinking President. His legacy will be abysmal.
babybush will go on a drunk
I wouldn't count on that nerzog. When Truman left office his popularity was abysmal. In hindsight he is now rated in the top ten presidents in those sorts of polls.
Not saying W will climb the ladder like Harry did, but time and world events can help frame and change the way people think about the past.
It would be pretty hard to give shrub anything but an "F" now and in the future. If you can think of ANYTHING he did that was positive, let us thank him for it. I can't.
I don't know if this counts, Mary, but I finally thought of something: the Shrub made Franklin Pierce look better by comparison. Pierce, btw, is the only sitting president who did NOT get his party's nomination -- he was so bad that even the people who picked him before did not want him again. Until recently he was regarded as the worst president in U.S. history.
OT but thought this would be something of interest to everyone.
My wife, a hospice nurse in New York City, just sent me a message left on their office voice mail from the local McCain/Palin campaign office. I doubted it was real so i called the number they left and it was from the McCain/Palin office.
This is an exact quote from the message:
"Because I know some of them dying people would love to vote for John McCain and Governor Palin."
"I know those hospice patients would love to come out and do their duty for John McCain....and Sarah Palin"
The message went on to say that they'd bring a bus by to take all of the hospice patients to the polls. They'll have to be ready by noon though.
Sorry in advance, but is this "die hard with a vengence?"
I just accidently got the letter sent to gwbush from his dad
Dear son,
I'm writting this slow cause I know you dont read fast. We dont live where we did when you left. Your dad read in the paper where most accidents happen within 20 miles of home so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address as the last family that lived here took the numbers with them for their next house, so they wouldn't have to change their address.
This place has a washing machine. The first day I put 4 shirts in it, pulled the chain and haven't seen them since. It only rained twice this week, three days the first time, and four days the second time.
The coat you wanted me to send you, your aunt said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with them heavy buttons, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.
We got a bill from the funeral home, said if we didn't make the last payment on Granmas funeral, up she comes.
Your brother had a baby last nite. I have not found out if it is a girl or a boy so I don't know if you are an aunt or an uncle.
About your mother, she has a new job with 500 men under her. She cuts the grass at the cemetary.
Your uncle fell in the whiskey vat, some men tried to pull him out but, he fought them off playfully so he drowned. We cremated him, he burned for 3 days.
Three of your friends went off the bridge in a pickup. One rolled the window down and swam to safety. The other two drowned. They couln't get the tail gate down.
Not much more news this time. Nothin much has happened. Write more often.
Love ghw #41.
PS was going to send you some money but, the envelope was already sealed.
Christ, I feel like Sarah Palin, except for the still being able to use my cerebral cortex thing.
I just found out that the above incident was a prank that I fell for hook, line and sinker.
I'm very sorry.
SLightly off-topic, but remember all those "predictions" from the righties that there would be riots in the streets regardless of last night's outcome? I just did a Google search and found no riot stories. The street celebrations were peacefull and joyous, as mentioned in this article from the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/article/20081105/NEWS15/311050001/1007/NEWS
Just wait, though. They will try to make a big deal out of Obama's relatives celebrating in Kenya. When I saw that on MSNBC, I thought, "Oh hell.... here we go."
One of the celebrants was Obama's paternal grandmother. Which Troglodyte will be the first one to say "See? She's not really dead!"
Watch for it.
Worldwide there has been much joy to the prospect of President Obama. I know I felt very good.A tension within me just desolved. There will be no Scalia, Roberts clones on the Supreme Court. Air America gave MMfa a few kudos. No illusions here or there that magicaly the neocon voices in the media will be silenced or will somehow change their message in any significant way.
A few darker results here and there. Some legal challenges are no doubt underway. Some will involve voter suppression. Georgia looks to be having a run off election on one senate race. Al Frankin has just called for a recount.
The beat goes on, if my feet seem to move with a greater lightness, I know who to blame for it. Thanx to everybody here, from the thoughtful and funny to the idiots and full bore wingnuts.
For the righties, non-Caucasians in the streets is the definition of a "riot."
Off topic, but what's the deal with the Franken race? I know it's neck and neck, but has there been a determination. I hadn't the opportunity to watch the news this morning . . . .
It just got called for Coleman, with only a few hundred votes separating them. There will be a recount, however.
Last I heard, he's far enough behind that it doesn't look good. The other bad news is that the Troglodytes won on their anti-Gay Rights amendment in California. Fear and ignorance are still alive and kicking.
Fear and ignorance will never go away. But contrary to limpaugh, Hannity, Savageweiner, and Fox news, we're progressing in the quest to make them unfashionable.
I like that. With any luck, Archie Bunker will become a caricature again, instead of a Republican role model.
Prop 8 lost in California, which is horrible. On the plus side, demographics show that eventually gay marriage will eventually become leagal--younger people just don't care about it. Unfortunately, that time is clearly not coming quickly enough. Voting to DENY rights to people like that is horrible.
Yeh, I'm trying to figure that one out. BHO wins the state by historic margins and yet Prop 8 gets passed. What the heck happened? Just doesn't make common sense one way or the other.
The folks supporting Prop 8 were funded by religious groups all over the country. Millions of dollars poured in to California to run disgusting commercials using children to lie and smear.
Yes, it was a bittersweet day for us Californians. Yay for Obama, boo for Prop 8.
Oh well, the CA Supreme Court, who has already ruled that the former ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, will undoubtedly rule again that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. This time, it will be fought from the 'equal protection clause' angle.
Not stalking you nerzog....
The prop-8 was voted down in Califorina and two other states voted the same type of initiative down. Florida had a gay marriage initiative on the ballot and I think Arkansas had one. There may have been one more.
CNN was reporting this morinig that the breakdown of demographics for all but CA (they didn't have enough data yet) was that AA's voted in record numbers for Obama but they voted 70-80% in favor of banning gay marriage.
Are they the trog's you're refereing to? You know I jest, but I think the left will have to work on their agenda with that demographic!
"The prop-8 was voted down in Califorina and two other states voted the same type of initiative down. Florida had a gay marriage initiative on the ballot and I think Arkansas had one."
Proposition 8 was passed. It wasn't a "gay marriage initiative", it was a reversal of the California Supreme Court's ruling.
And more importantly, Prop 8 is to be added as an amendment to the state constitution. How sad.
When we use the constitution to deny rights to a certain class of people, it's wrong. Period.
As Dianne Feinstein said, 'No matter how you feel about marriage, nobody should face discrimination.' Well said, Senator.
Brab posted:
it was a reversal of the California Supreme Court's ruling.
Which was a ruling that overturned the PEOPLES choice of banning gay marriage in Prop 22.
A simple majority of the PEOPLE don't trump a state Constitution. What's your point?
I just have to link to this: http://mediamatters.org/discuss/200807110008#353768
As promised.
Clickable link.
http://mediamatters.org/discuss/200807110008#353768
And yes, I'm gloating.
CAN YOU DIG IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT?
That's funny, Fawlty. I don't see RIGHTWINGER!!!!! around. I don't see many of the regular wingnuts around here lately. They must be exhausted from all of that ineffective lying. It's probably tough to face up to the fact that you're in the bottom of the class, and it's much smaller than the bottom half.
They're in their caves, curled up in the fetal position, clinging to their guns and religion.
they are checking their calenders hoping it is just the end of bush's first term. They are hoping clarence thomas will step in and void the election. They are drinking from the holding tank of the straight talk express bus and telling mickey c. he really won. Who knows what they are doing and who cares.
...and the answer to the question posed on the article's headline is in, and it's a shocker!
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96628889&sc=nl&cc=progserv-20081105
Interesting. I notice that Mr. Oliphant writes for the Boston Globe. I don't know what Oliphant himself thought four years ago, but according to an article at FAIR, "The Boston Globe (11/4/04) reported that Bush's victory grants him "a clear mandate to advance a conservative agenda over the next four years."
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2001
We in Colorado are patting ourselves on the back for (FINALLY) sending Musgrave back to her double wide and her coin collection. Musgrave put out the absolutely most vile negative political ads money could buy.
What I find interesting about the "mandate" and "landslide" stuff is Bush is a pretty bad comparison. A much better one is Reagan in 1980. Does anyone ever think of that election as anything other than a landslide or mandate for Reagan Republicans? Not that I have ever heard.
And while he won more EV than Obama, the other numbers are very close. If you look at % of the pop vote, they differ by just a few points (Reagan got about 51%, Obama around 53%) and also the margin is about the same (Reagan won by 8 points, Obama 6-7 points). I think it is clear that if you consider the 1980 Reagan win a landslide (and I really can't recall anyone saying it wasn't) then Obama's victory must be looked at as a landslide as well.
SHHHHHH!!!!!! You're not supposed to notice!
Because, politically speaking, the GOP has a monopoly on man-dates. And, the Village knows it has to protect that...
Not only will the corporate media not recall the '04 declarations of a Bush mandate, they are already denying that Barack Obama has any kind of a mandate with his much larger win. The Daily Show -- past episodes available now (in full) on their website -- played a montage of several examples the other night.