[US Politics & Weather] Bush not speaking at RNC, looking after hurricane instead

[I'm Cleo!]

This is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. With so much of the Democratic Convention devoted to painting John McCain as "four more years" of the spectacularly unpopular Bush administration, I was wondering how the Republicans were going to manage having Bush speak and not come across that way. I thought it was a great move on the Democrats' part to do that, since it would be unthinkable for the sitting Republican President not to speak at the convention. And now this.

They're good.

Cleo

 

[FriendlyFire]

McCain is lucking out this time...

At least she (VP) has the abilitiy to speak her mind, I hope this isnt another bushism but rather a honest and frank truth.

In a recent BusinessWeek interview, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) admitted that she believes the Iraq war was fought because of oil:

We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources, which is nonsensical when you consider that domestically we have the supplies ready to go.

 

[Arwon]

Maybe one of thme can explain why the hell the joint military's Northern Command is running things instead of FEMA and why Homeland security is contracting Blackwater to run relief efforts.

 

[Dubai Vol]

At least she (VP) has the abilitiy to speak her mind,

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) the reasons for war are fights over energy sources, which is nonsensical when you consider that domestically we have the supplies ready to go.

Too bad her mind is full of garbage. I dare anyone to find a single serious oil industry analyst who thinks the US can produce enough oil domestically to meet demand. Hint:

Official Energy Statistics from the US Government

U.S. Crude Oil Production 5,064,000 barrels/day
U.S. Crude Oil Imports 10,031,000 barrels/day
U.S. Petroleum Product Imports 3,437,000 barrels/day

Anyone think the US can more than triple its domestic oil production, or replace it with biofuels, or reduce demand by more than two/thirds, or any combination of these?

I'll tell you one thing: anyone who seriously believes that is not fit to be vice-president.

Most Americans, however, are so ignorant of the numbers that they believe that garbage.

 

[JollyRoger]

My questions for creationist Palin regarding her cheerleading of Big Oil:

Do you think that Big Oil's geologists base their analyses of where to look for oil on the Bible? Do you think those geologists and scientists working for Big Oil believe the earth is 6,000 years old? Would they be able to do their jobs if they believed that?

 

[bhsup]

If you believe God made the earth 6,000 years ago, is it really so hard to believe that he placed oil in the ground for us?

 

[Arwon]

I think JR is saying that geology makes some accurate predictions about where that stuff is.

 

[Abaddon]

What a surprise, having Bush say anything would lose voters.

 

[JohnRM]

The White House engineered Hurricane Gustav so that they wouldn't have to speak at the convention.

/sarcasm-making fun of conspiracy douche bags

 

[Azale]

Maybe one of thme can explain why the hell the joint military's Northern Command is running things instead of FEMA and why Homeland security is contracting Blackwater to run relief efforts.

I guess when you offer a source better than a far left blog and DemocracyArsenal.com, someone might take you seriously.

Not saying your wrong, but I personally don't take news from KCNA or Pravda very seriously either.

 

[JollyRoger]

If you believe God made the earth 6,000 years ago, is it really so hard to believe that he placed oil in the ground for us?

Then shouldn't she just have Big Oil pray for it to show up where they already have the right to drill?

 

[LucyDuke]

The White House engineered Hurricane Gustav so that they wouldn't have to speak at the convention.

/sarcasm-making fun of conspiracy douche bags

No, but it sure worked out great for 'em, didn't it?

 

[History_Buff]

For NO, this a new natural hazard do mostly to the federal government wanting to keep NO a deep water port city and the channelization of the Mississippi Delta. I remember when we talked about this in class.

In short, back like 50 years, NO had a much greater protection from hurricanes do manily from sediment left by runoff of the Mississippi river. This was bad for port operations, so it was cleared away. (lol very short and non-technical) I googled this fast if you want to get technical. http://www.issues.org/22.2/sparks.html

EDIT: also the city is sinking because of this too.

I only skimmed the beginning of the article before I lost interest, but that's very cool, thanks.

 

[GenMarshall]

Not sure if this will help John McBush if Dubya is absent from the Royal Order of Snooty Elephants convention.

 

[LucyDuke]

Well, he's supposed to address the convention via satellite tonight now.

I wonder if it'll be an abbreviated speech, or if they just think they can't get away with skipping over him now that the 'cane wasn't that catastrophic?

 

[Patroklos]

"Anybody who's caught looting in the city of New Orleans will go directly to Angola [Louisiana State Penitentiary]. You will not have a temporary stay in the city. You go directly to the big house, in general population," he said.

In the brief moment between reading that and the disclaimer I was greatly entertained.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

If you believe God made the earth 6,000 years ago, is it really so hard to believe that he placed oil in the ground for us?

Then why did he put it all under the Muslims?

The White House engineered Hurricane Gustav so that they wouldn't have to speak at the convention.

/sarcasm-making fun of conspiracy douche bags

I do hope you're not "making fun" of me. I think it's dumb not to think that the White House took advantage of the opportunity to avoid the convention. It's obvious to anyone who follows American politics that one of the main themes advanced by the Democrats is "McCain is four more years of Bush." (Because, you know, Bush isn't very popular right now.) It was repeated endlessly at the Convention, and I don't think it takes a genius to see that the Democrats were setting the Republicans up for their own convention, where, presumably, Bush would speak in prime time and endorse McCain. Now they don't have to worry about that.

Earlier this year at CPAC, the crowd spontaneously started a chant of "Four More Years!" when Bush spoke. That would be disastrous for the McCain campaign if that happened in St. Paul. It would be a complete confirmation of everything the Democrats said, and irretrievably link him to Bush. (Who, you know, isn't very popular right now.)

The Republicans have to distance their ticket from Bush. To me, that's been the most interesting part of the whole election season -- to see how a major party throws away a sitting two-term President. They're just taking advantage of the hurricane to do that. At the very least, I hope they actually help some people while they're down there.

Cleo

 

[LucyDuke]

Now they don't have to worry about that.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/rnc.day/index.html

First lady Laura Bush will later talk to the delegates, as will President Bush via a video link from the White House.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/rnc.day/index.html

Ooh, cool! I can't wait to see what he says. Will he really help McCain distance the Republican Party from himself?

Cleo