Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

Russia’s top opposition leader (Navalny) likely poisoned, in a coma at the hospital

[foxhopper]

At least the democrats make that kind of politics look like a suicide or get media to cancel your ass.

[Ghengis Jon]

Reagan and Obama are clearly the best Presidential communicators in the past 50 years. Reagan used his acting skills to convey emotion and honesty with his words in a masterful way. He would look you in the eye and speak to you, not at you. Didn't hurt to be a likeable fellow either. Obama is an natural orator with with inherent skills not often seen. His ability to rapidly clear a cloudy subject or POV was a strong point. He didn't connect emotionally like Reagan, he connected intellectually. A differing style but just as effective. If you want to see the importance of an education earned versus an education handed, listen to a speech written and delivered by Trump versus one written and delivered by Obama.

Reagan and Obama stand above the rest.

Liney - "He and his family were the most self-serving bunch to ever live in the WH." Really? You been living under a rock the last 3 1/2 years?

[iam416]

Meanwhile your argument that the BLM platform is Marxist therefore anyone supporting BLM is Marxist is like claiming that anyone who votes Dem or votes Republican has read and agrees with 100% of what's written down in the party platform. They don't.

5. Make shit up.

BLM did support a Marxist platform in 2016 and their current website echoes that truth. My point w/ BLM is that it's easy to support the declarative slogan. Virtually everyone does. My comparison was to "Make America Great Again" -- another declarative slogan that most people support even if some may quibble w/ "again." But BLM as an organization and the positions it takes is nothing I want to support, much as I won't be voting for the sloganeer who came up with MAGA. My concern with BLM wasn't that if you support BLM you're a Marxist, but rather that it's a Trojan horse.First you support he broad concept, THEN the policies follow and (incrementally) and if you don't support them, well, you're racist. The key is the initial support and admission that, e.g., racism is "public health crisis." At that point, there is no piece of legislation that isn't off the table and if you push back, welp...you know...

I've been pretty clear on all of those points in various posts. So, either you don't pay attention to what I say -- understandable -- or you're just being willfullly dishonest after being called out for doing exactly what you did. Whatever.

[iam416]

Obama could be a good speaker, but his condenscion for anyone who didn't agree with him was not good. That, I imagine, comes from being such an "intellectual". PDJT certainly doesn't have to worry about that. He just goes for abrasive, hostile, mean and demonstrably false.

I personally think Clinton was a way better communicator as President than Obama. Obama is/was a great speech-giver at the DNC, but when he had to talk to the American people, meh. He had no flex. He had virtually zero olive branches. He had zero emphathy for half the country. Clinton was much better because he emphathized with fuck near everyone.

[Dr. Strangelove]

5. Make shit up.

BLM did support a Marxist platform in 2016 and their current website echoes that truth. My point w/ BLM is that it's easy to support the declarative slogan. Virtually everyone does. My comparison was to "Make America Great Again" -- another declarative slogan that most people support even if some may quibble w/ "again." But BLM as an organization and the positions it takes is nothing I want to support, much as I won't be voting for the sloganeer who came up with MAGA. My concern with BLM wasn't that if you support BLM you're a Marxist, but rather that it's a Trojan horse.First you support he broad concept, THEN the policies follow and (incrementally) and if you don't support them, well, you're racist. The key is the initial support and admission that, e.g., racism is "public health crisis." At that point, there is no piece of legislation that isn't off the table and if you push back, welp...you know...

I've been pretty clear on all of those points in various posts. So, either you don't pay attention to what I say -- understandable -- or you're just being willfullly dishonest after being called out for doing exactly what you did. Whatever.

Fair enough. I generally don't go back and read old posts and if I misunderstood your stance then you're right. I don't necessarily agree with your position that BLM is a gateway drug so to speak (I prefer this analogy over 'trojan horse') but that's different than what I claimed you said. Mea culpa

[Dr. Strangelove]

Liney - "He and his family were the most self-serving bunch to ever live in the WH." Really? You been living under a rock the last 3 1/2 years?

Haha, you don't remember all those shady backroom deals Malia Obama was cutting, trading Pokémon cards for 15 minutes with her dad? So hard to find examples of self-dealing in the current WH.

It's long forgotten but remember when Jared Kushner's sister got caught on tape promising ChiCom investors EB-5 visas (and a pathway to US citizenship) if they bought a shitty condo from her? She had 'connections'

https://apnews.com/0e3341cd594a49d69...a%27-investors

[Dr. Strangelove]

Obama could be a good speaker, but his condenscion for anyone who didn't agree with him was not good. That, I imagine, comes from being such an "intellectual". PDJT certainly doesn't have to worry about that. He just goes for abrasive, hostile, mean and demonstrably false.

I personally think Clinton was a way better communicator as President than Obama. Obama is/was a great speech-giver at the DNC, but when he had to talk to the American people, meh. He had no flex. He had virtually zero olive branches. He had zero emphathy for half the country. Clinton was much better because he emphathized with fuck near everyone.

Maybe it's because I was a Republican in high school but Clinton's style never did much for me. I hated the lip-biting. I will agree that he worked better with people he disagreed with.

EDIT: To be clear, I was only referencing speechifying...not overall skill at governing, in which Clinton > Obama

[iam416]

I guess I've broken it down into 3 general categories -- general speaker; speaking to your people; speaking to the country (Presidential speaking).

I would rate Reagan the best overall. I can see the split between Obama and Clinton. My D in-laws are teenage girls at a Beattles concernt when he speaks. Whereas I often feel like I'm being scolded. That's probably the most partisan take of the bunch, but I'd argue that sort supports my point re Obama and speaking to the country.

I agree with your addendum to Clinton (lip-biting, etc.) I think he's a very good speaker and he's had very good homefield convention speeches. And when it comes to Presidential speeches, I prefer the "lip-biting" and such to scolding and condenscion.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Speaking of Bill, I thought he looked and sounded bad during his quick little speech. Not delivered badly, just very old. Almost beyond his years. His voice was very raspy. Jimmy Carter (who only narrated -- no video) might've actually sounded better.

[iam416]

And he's younger than both candidates. JFC.

[Dr. Strangelove]

BANNON ARRESTED...lol, enjoy prison, Steve

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/20/former-trump-advisor-steve-bannon-arrested-on-charges-of-defrauding-donors-in-fundraising-scheme.html

[Dr. Strangelove]

Also, Trump lost in court again over his taxes...same case that the Supreme Court remanded back down and told Trump to think of a new argument. Judge no more impressed the second time around.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/20/judge-throws-out-trump-challenge-to-manhattan-da-subpoena-for-tax-records.html

[lineygoblue]

Referring to Obama's self-serving nature, he and Michelle probably flew more miles on Air Force One for personal vacations and retreats more than any President and family that I can remember. During his eight years, he and Michelle and her mother flew to California many, MANY times, to appear on talk shows, and raise campaign funds for the DNC. Michelle and her mother regularly hopped on board AF1 and went to Aspen for shopping weekends with the daughters. Its not cheap to hop on AF1 and zoom off to Cally. I think I read somewhere that the operational cost is somewhere around $100,000 per minute? Given all the support personnel that have to go along.

And I'll correct the "sneer". Obama had the sneer for his political enemies. Clinton had the "smirk", like a college sophomore who knew he got caught in the women's dorm, and got away with it on a technicality.

And finally, I'll agree that all Presidents have taken advantage of the perks of office, but Trump doesn't take a salary.. He donates his pay to charity. I don't recall anyone else that has done that. Not even the lovable, rich, old peanut farmer. And I'm still waiting for Melania to take her first AF1 shopping trip.

[Da Geezer]

Obama's 2004 convention speech was the best Democrat speech I've ever heard.