Actually, McCain was in financial meetings all morning....sm
Posted By: ms on 2008-09-24
In Reply to: Obama contacted McCain first today. nm - oldtimer
and what I read on CNN is that McCain wasn't told of the content of Obama's first call. I can't find the link to it now, because their news keeps changing.
I believe McCain decided this on his own, without any input from Obama, or even knowing about the call.
I'm willing to bet that he won't give a darn if he loses the debate if he doesn't show up, as it sounds as if Obama refuses to cancel the debate to another time.
Just proves to me that McCain does, indeed, put the country first. He's acting like a true leader.
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mcCain blames financial
crisis on Obama. Get that man a posey and some Aricept.
Okay....let's see...McCain picked the financial meltdown...
as the #1 issue. OBama picked his run for the Presidency. Meaning he is always going to put Barack first. McCain put his country first. End of story.
On CNN this morning, John McCain picked...sm
Sarah Palin because of her ideology. She was never veted. Investigators are in Alaska now doing so. Smart move John. 
I found the comments on Morning Joe this morning
about Palin rather disgusting. A bunch of overweight old men talking about how hot she is, the feelings (implying those sexual type of feelings) they get when 'near' her in person - Pat Bucanan (spelling?) jokes to stay away from his girlfriend. It was like watching men talk about Playboy centerfolds.
Where are all the women who normally attack that type of behavior? This woman has a husband, children. The fact I would never vote for her does not stop me from being completely nauseated at how they disrespected her.
Should this type of talk be accepted regarding a presidential candidate at all, period?
Is she beautiful, yes. Is she funny, yes. Is she a hunter who kills animals, yes. I appreciate all of those things, but someone who cannot get men to respect her...that would be worrisome in a serious job or say, running an entire country, we are told is in crisis. Not so sure I understand what is so 'gosh-darn' funny about it.
Town hall meetings
Did Bush have town hall meetings with Gore? Kerry? Clinton with HW Bush? Dole? Reagan with Mondale? what's the big deal here? Aren'tthe nationally televised debates enough. Just because he declined town hall meetings with McCain does not in any way mean he "snubbed" New Orleans. Ridiculous. This is a non-issue.
Secret meetings, bribes of
high power positions, media cartels, dead rabbits . . . kin I play the lead in your mind-movie?
Judging by some of the prior town meetings
1. Gimme a house.
2. Make my boss pay me more (than I'm worth).
3. Gimme.
4. Gimme.
5. Fix everything for me.
This is more the behavior of subjects toward a monarch than citizens toward a president. Thanks, think I'll just stay home and improve my own life.
I don't believe Obama doesn't want town hall meetings....
because of the format...not to snub any particular town. He does not do when the questions are not scripted. No one knows what is going to be asked at a town hall meeting, and they are asked by regular folks, not paid commentators. Not enough control to suit Mr. Obama. I don't blame him. He doesn't have the experience to handle one, he would come off looking bad and he knows it. Politics 101. You would think, though, as much as he talks about hope and change and the people, he wouldn't mind answering a few questions from the people...?
Abramoff Attended staff-level meetings at Bush White House
White House Silent on Abramoff Meetings
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2006
(AP) The White House is refusing to reveal details of tainted lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits with President Bush's staff.
Abramoff had a few staff-level meetings at the Bush White House, presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday. But he would not say with whom Abramoff met, which interests he was representing or how he got access to the White House.
Since Abramoff pleaded guilty two weeks ago to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion charges in an influence-peddling scandal, McClellan has told reporters he was checking into Abramoff's meetings. I'm making sure that I have a thorough report back to you on that, he said in his press briefing Jan. 5. And I'll get that to you, hopefully very soon.
McClellan said Tuesday that he checked on it at reporters' requests, but wouldn't discuss the private staff-level meetings. We are not going to engage in a fishing expedition, he said.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, along with three other Democratic senators, wrote Bush a letter Tuesday asking for an accounting of Abramoff's personal contacts with Bush administration officials and acts that may have been undertaken at his request. The American people need to be assured that the White House is not for sale, they wrote.
McClellan has said Abramoff attended three Hanukkah receptions at the White House, but corrected himself Tuesday to say there were only two _ in 2001 and 2002.
McClellan said Bush does not know Abramoff personally, although it's possible the two met at the holiday receptions.
Abramoff was one of Bush's top fundraisers, having brought in at least $100,000 for the Bush-Cheney '04 re-election campaign and earning the honorary title pioneer. The campaign took $6,000 of the contributions _ which came directly from Abramoff, his wife and one of the Indian tribes he represented _ and donated it to the American Heart Association. But the campaign has not returned the rest of the money Abramoff raised.
I know everyone's focus is on the financial...sm
news of the last several days just heard about a special on CNN tomorrow night and Sunday where Colin Powell, Madeline Albright, Henry Kissinger, Jim Baker and Warren Christopher engage in a forum and talk about foreign policy. I heard a few sound bites and it sounds very interesting. I am glad to see a forum where respected people from both parties with experience get together and express their views, agree or disagree respectfully. I will definitely be watching.
A financial attack?
Tell that to the thousands who lost their lives or their loved ones that day. Wow, how cold can you be?
Financial bonuses
Two days ago on C-Span they seemed to congratulate the bigwigs of the financial companies who got BILLIONS in BONUSES. They ran down the list of those that were being questioned and how much they received. It's absolutely sickening. I had to turn it off.
I think most know that Air America has had financial woes.
Once it was learned that they had misappropriated monies which were supposed to have been used for charity, they lost some good backers. I would think it most probably is financial. There is not a plot behind every business dealing.
We have had our financial plan in order
for quite some time for just such a thing. We haven't spent foolishly or lived above our means. New toys and technology don't impress us much. We have been fortunate and blessed.
Well....buck up little soldier. I think the financial...
well being of the country trumps your party. Oh wait...what am I thinking.
I do agree with you about financial irresponsibility
they need to find some sort of middle ground ......
looked at her financial records lately?
she is definitely not a poor girl in my opinion. I think she could afford to buy her own clothes...
Financial crisis meeting;
November 14, 2008
World leaders dine in style as they discuss financial crisis
(CNN) – The global economy may be undergoing a significant downturn, but the White House's dinner budget still appears flush with cash.
After all, world leaders who are in town to discuss the economic crisis are set to dine in style Friday night while sipping wine listed at nearly $500 a bottle.
According to the White House, tonight's dinner to kick off the G-20 summit includes such dishes as "Fruitwood-smoked Quail," "Thyme-roasted Rack of Lamb," and "Tomato, Fennel and Eggplant Fondue Chanterelle Jus."
To wash it all down, world leaders will be served Shafer Cabernet “Hillside Select” 2003, a wine that sells at $499 on Wine.com.
The exceedingly pricey wine may seem a bit peculiar given leaders are in Washington to discuss a possible world financial meltdown, but Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for Laura Bush, said it "was the most appropriate wine that we had in the White House wine cellar for such a gathering.
McDonough also said the White House purchased the wine at a "significantly lower price" than what it is listed at.
"Of course the White House gets its wine at wholesale prices," she said. "Given the intimate size of the group, it was an appropriate time for The White House to use this stock."
The leaders of the U.K., France, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and 11 developing economies have all come to Washington at the behest of President Bush in an effort to express confidence in the fundamental underpinnings of the world's economy.
– CNN's Becky Brittain contributed to this report
With the looming financial situation...... sm
I don't think Obama's current "plan" will hold much water. A plan is just that....a plan, and we know what John Steinbeck had to say about that. Even if he could tax the upper crust enough to cover the financial crisis, his redistribution of wealth would be moot point because there would likely be nothing left to distribute.
Whether Obama or McCain were elected would make no appreciabe difference in our tax situation because this huge bailout has to be recouped in some fashion and it will be off the backs of ALL Americans.....at least the ones who pay taxes.
No, unions DO put them in a financial hole.
nm
Right back at ya...with the addition of financial ruin...
if Obama and Biden are "hired."
Financial crisis a democratic scandal....sm
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/09/16/financial-crisis-a-democrat-scandal/
Read all the comments underneath this, if you have time.
financial disaster, war, health care
You decide what is most important to think about.
How The Democrats Created The Financial Crisis....sm
How the Democrats Created the Financial Crisis: Kevin Hassett
Commentary by Kevin Hassett
Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The financial crisis of the past year has provided a number of surprising twists and turns, and from Bear Stearns Cos. to American International Group Inc., ambiguity has been a big part of the story.
Why did Bear Stearns fail, and how does that relate to AIG? It all seems so complex.
But really, it isn't. Enough cards on this table have been turned over that the story is now clear. The economic history books will describe this episode in simple and understandable terms: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exploded, and many bystanders were injured in the blast, some fatally.
Fannie and Freddie did this by becoming a key enabler of the mortgage crisis. They fueled Wall Street's efforts to securitize subprime loans by becoming the primary customer of all AAA-rated subprime-mortgage pools. In addition, they held an enormous portfolio of mortgages themselves.
In the times that Fannie and Freddie couldn't make the market, they became the market. Over the years, it added up to an enormous obligation. As of last June, Fannie alone owned or guaranteed more than $388 billion in high-risk mortgage investments. Their large presence created an environment within which even mortgage-backed securities assembled by others could find a ready home.
The problem was that the trillions of dollars in play were only low-risk investments if real estate prices continued to rise. Once they began to fall, the entire house of cards came down with them.
Turning Point
Take away Fannie and Freddie, or regulate them more wisely, and it's hard to imagine how these highly liquid markets would ever have emerged. This whole mess would never have happened.
It is easy to identify the historical turning point that marked the beginning of the end.
Back in 2005, Fannie and Freddie were, after years of dominating Washington, on the ropes. They were enmeshed in accounting scandals that led to turnover at the top. At one telling moment in late 2004, captured in an article by my American Enterprise Institute colleague Peter Wallison, the Securities and Exchange Comiission's chief accountant told disgraced Fannie Mae chief Franklin Raines that Fannie's position on the relevant accounting issue was not even ``on the page'' of allowable interpretations.
Then legislative momentum emerged for an attempt to create a ``world-class regulator'' that would oversee the pair more like banks, imposing strict requirements on their ability to take excessive risks. Politicians who previously had associated themselves proudly with the two accounting miscreants were less eager to be associated with them. The time was ripe.
Greenspan's Warning
The clear gravity of the situation pushed the legislation forward. Some might say the current mess couldn't be foreseen, yet in 2005 Alan Greenspan told Congress how urgent it was for it to act in the clearest possible terms: If Fannie and Freddie ``continue to grow, continue to have the low capital that they have, continue to engage in the dynamic hedging of their portfolios, which they need to do for interest rate risk aversion, they potentially create ever-growing potential systemic risk down the road,'' he said. ``We are placing the total financial system of the future at a substantial risk.''
What happened next was extraordinary. For the first time in history, a serious Fannie and Freddie reform bill was passed by the Senate Banking Committee. The bill gave a regulator power to crack down, and would have required the companies to eliminate their investments in risky assets.
Different World
If that bill had become law, then the world today would be different. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, a blizzard of terrible mortgage paper fluttered out of the Fannie and Freddie clouds, burying many of our oldest and most venerable institutions. Without their checkbooks keeping the market liquid and buying up excess supply, the market would likely have not existed.
But the bill didn't become law, for a simple reason: Democrats opposed it on a party-line vote in the committee, signaling that this would be a partisan issue. Republicans, tied in knots by the tight Democratic opposition, couldn't even get the Senate to vote on the matter.
That such a reckless political stand could have been taken by the Democrats was obscene even then. Wallison wrote at the time: ``It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit. The Democrats and the few Republicans who oppose portfolio limitations could not possibly do so if their constituents understood what they were doing.''
Mounds of Materials
Now that the collapse has occurred, the roadblock built by Senate Democrats in 2005 is unforgivable. Many who opposed the bill doubtlessly did so for honorable reasons. Fannie and Freddie provided mounds of materials defending their practices. Perhaps some found their propaganda convincing.
But we now know that many of the senators who protected Fannie and Freddie, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Christopher Dodd, have received mind-boggling levels of financial support from them over the years.
Throughout his political career, Obama has gotten more than $125,000 in campaign contributions from employees and political action committees of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, second only to Dodd, the Senate Banking Committee chairman, who received more than $165,000.
Clinton, the 12th-ranked recipient of Fannie and Freddie PAC and employee contributions, has received more than $75,000 from the two enterprises and their employees. The private profit found its way back to the senators who killed the fix.
There has been a lot of talk about who is to blame for this crisis. A look back at the story of 2005 makes the answer pretty clear.
Oh, and there is one little footnote to the story that's worth keeping in mind while Democrats point fingers between now and Nov. 4: Senator John McCain was one of the three cosponsors of S.190, the bill that would have averted this mess.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_hassett&sid=aSKSoiNbnQY0
I am not in favor of the financial institution bailout either..... sm
I think it was just the first in a long line of folks parading to the White House with their hands out. I think we have opened a huge can of worms by bailing them out and there does not seem to be an end in sight.
I'd sure like to know when MTs are going to get their bailout! I'd probably get in line for that one! LOL
25 people to blame for the financial crisis
You can vote on each of these.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/
No debates, true...but townhall meetings are not debates....
and it is true that Barack refused all of them. I think it had to do with the format of a town hall meeting. Just my opinion...
I'm sorry, you are aware of what caused the financial crisis aren't you?
or you will just blame BUSH BUSH BUSH/CHENEY.
Please, do some research.
If my memory serves me, it started going downhill when a democratic congress took over.
Not only that, this MORTGAGE crisis was set into effect by the CLINTON administration and helped by a DEMOCRATIC congress.
Now let me be clear, I do not think Bush was a great president and he made mistakes, but DO NOT tell me that this financial crisis was his doing. I know you are going to flame me, but don't ignore the facts! Actually, that's what liberals do so nevermind, go ahead anyway.
I agree. I am helping the victims with all the financial support I can spare BUT
if we don't ask the question what happened to the levees, what can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again, where did the funding go? then we will find ourselves in the same position again. We can not afford to be policing other countries when the funding is bankrupt for our own needs. That's just the truth.
Best friend to Hillary, a democratic supporter and financial contributer,
a member of the DNC's (Democrat) platform committee has decided to endorse John McCain. Lynn DE Rothchild is best friends of Hillary and gave her 100,000 for Hillary compaign. She had not even spoke to Hillary yet about her news, but Lynn announced on CNN today that she was resigning the DNC and voting for McCain. Lynn stated that our country is divided due to the Democrats and Congress. She also stated that we need to vote only for the president who will get us through what is going on with our country (which is a lot of things currently) and she stated the only one would be McCain and Palin. She stated, "I care more about my country right now than I do my democratic party." Wolf Blitzer stated to Lynn "You know you are are going to get a lot of flack from this?" Lynn stated that she knew this and just cares more about our country. Even Joe Lieberman endorses McCain who used to be AL Gore's running mate. I am sorry, but I agree that our country is divided.
war, depression, recession, collapse of financial system, people losing
homes, natural disasters unattended to, collapsing bridges, earmark bridges. Address those first, save flag for later.
This morning on TV,...
...I heard that so far, there were 325 Palestinians dead and TWO Israelis dead. (I realize this figure is no longer accurate, but I bet the ratio still is.) 
This morning on TV,...
...I heard that so far, there were 325 Palestinians dead and TWO Israelis dead. (That was about 18 hours ago, and I realize this figure is no longer accurate, but I bet the ratio still is.)
Sat. morning laugh
Anybody interested, watch the short animated video at:
http://www.batemania.com/bateman365/day009.html
It only takes a few seconds, it's really funny....until you think about it too long anyway.
My thoughts this morning
I don't know why I find certain posters/postings so darn disturbing. I know in my heart they do NOT represent most right-wingers. I have two very close friends who are right-wingers and quite a few acquaintances. These folks in no way resemble the posters I refer to. I also know they are pretty much a lunatic fringe. I know I should just ignore them....but I can't sometimes, especially when I see postings that are so grievously factually erroneous (i.e., this country takes care of its poor - which I might add in many ways this country TRIES to help its poor but there is still much to be done). I just think I could address these factual errors without becoming personally embroiled.
The up side is that I learn so much from the research I have ended up doing as well reading some of the eloquent and inspiring posts I have seen on this board. That by itself is worth a lot.
Yesterday I felt my blood pressure rise and felt sick to my stomach for a while. But at sunset I took my three ill-behaved dogs-of-uncertain-heritage for a walkl in a snowy woods out here in the boonies where I live and my appreciation for the world that l am able live in came back to me....and I mean my own personal space, my mental place as well as geographic world.
good morning
Get a cup of coffee or juice and enjoy....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJk6MeBx54
I can't find it either....this morning....sm
I saw a .pdf file and when I clicked on it for the new bailout plan as worked out by the Senate, nothing came up on my screen. It was blanked out. Now it isn't there, so it may still be evolving, I dunno.
What I did hear on one of the money talk shows this morning , is that the bill is now up to something ridiculous like 450 pages long. I cringe if I try to wonder what all it does and does not contain.
However, one bright spot in this bill is that it sounds like they are going to get rid of the mark to market rule (dunno if it's going to be temporary or permanent). But from what I understand, that little thing alone, getting rid of the "mark to market" will free up money for all banks to want to begin the lending process again. This is a very, very good thing.
Oh, did you finally get out of bed this morning? nm
x
I can only tell you what my feelings were this morning...sm
when I saw CP on Meet the Press. We already knew from the lead in that he was going to support one candidate or the other. I respect him so much that I was praying he would endorse Obama but had no real feeling of which way he would go. I listened to what he had to say and felt his pain that he was a republican through and through but just could not endorse McCain. He spoke of their friendship over many years and how much he respected him but could not abide the far right direction and the negative tone that the campaign had taken. He said he is an American first and thinks that Obama is better for America than McCain.
Morning backatcha, Dee
I'm on my way out the door campainging for the restoration of the local grist mill that dates back to the 1830s. Maybe I was born 100+ years too late. LOL
Well, I usually watch the morning
news shows local and national,then a few others after that, but they're all yaking about it. It just seems like the news doesn't have any news. Don't get me wrong. They do it with every little story. I counted 2 weeks at least on little Caylee, then nothing. I counted more than that on the 911 tragedy. After a few days of any news story, it gets really old.
How can the O be painting a room. Doesn't he have all kinds of celebrations/parties/speeches to make somewhere? I thought the three days was going to be spent doing that before THE day.
And that's why I vented this morning.
Of course, I was awake for a couple hours, so I had my coffee and was wide awake when I heard that. LOL
I'm a little calmer now, except I'm now listening to C-Span and they are debating the SCHIP program, about increasing the program. I have to turn it off pretty soon. I can feel my BP going up again with some of the asinine remarks being made by certain members of the senate that don't want to wait to debate or discuss the amendments CAREFULLY. Some want full disclosure of the cost and amendments, others think it's not necessary. What jerks!
wow, nasty this morning,,,
in our area there are people struggling but not to the extent that seem to be here on this board every day. Certainly don't live in a glass house; have struggled before in the past and have figured out a way not to. We are in a fortunate situation at the moment and have taken steps to ensure that we will be okay financially should the rug be pulled out from under us; so be it if that is considered snooty. Bash away as is your style; it humors me.
Got a call early this morning, was
not truly awake when I answered the phone, and my stepson stationed in Japan gave me the dreadful news, news I NEVER wanted to hear...he is going to Iraq. My husband was not here when I received this horrifying news, he was working the midnight shift. My stepson said not to tell his dad, that he would tell him. So here I am, with husband now sleeping, and he still does not know that his son is nearing the time of deployment to this God-awful, senseless, maniacal, perverted, ill-fated, unjustifiable war in Iraq where innocent Iraqis by one hundred thousand and American by the thousands are dying because WHY???? Someone please give me an unabashed truthful, reasonable answer as to WHY we are even there?! You must know that when the Bush admin even started talking about invading Iraq, I was 100 percent against it. I knew our presence there would only enrage, create a hornet's nest of more terrorists and fanatics, and lead to devastation for WHAT!? To get rid of Saddam, to get the oil, to enrich Halliburton?! None are good enough reasons to kill people. This murdering bunch of thugs who are *elitists* sitting on their money, getting richer on the lives and deaths of our American troops....It's all too much for me. As I said, I have been against this war before troops were even deployed, and my son has to go....very very sad day for us. I pray for all those have gone before my son, and pray to the dear Lord that this will all end soon. God forgive this prez for all the killing and misery he has caused for nothing, NO THING!
Thanks for the reminder....went first thing this morning....
and you are right...every vote makes a difference, just like every "non" vote. Have a great day!
Here is an issue that I just read this morning. sm
McCain says he opposes using federal $$ for teen pregnancy prevention programs and Palin had said she opposes funding sex-ed programs in Alaska.
I'm not a conservative, but not a total liberal either as I don't believe in abortion - so, what do the conservatives think of this. Do you agree or disagree? Please don't start with the bashing each other, I am sincerely curious and am not trying to get a rise out of anyone.
I saw Biden in an interview this morning....
he got realll agitated when confronted about an issue they really did not want to break. Talking to a reporter and he almost got loud. They are not on the run, but they are definitely concerned. The debates will be verrryyyy interesting.
To Biden's credit, though, he was almost snarly to the press for sexism and attacking Palin's family. Much more forceful about it than Obama. Good for him!
The little experiment I conducted this morning...
proves my point. The attack "machine" on this board will attack anyone who posts in opposition to them...whether I post as Indy Observer or as sam. It makes no difference. So changing the moniker means nothing. It is not the individual poster; we are all lumped together as the "great evil." lol. Sigh.
Did someone miss their morning meds?...nm
This endorsement happened this morning....
She formally announced she is supporting McCain and will campaign for him.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/16/prominent-clinton-backer-and-dnc-member-to-endorse-mccain/
I heard this morning it was over $850 billion...
with added stuff...one particular one I saw was for wool research and wooden children's arrows of all things. The Republicans did manage to get some tax cuts in there that will help to a point so that maybe not so much of the $700 billion will have to go out...because people will be encouraged to invest again. A drop in the bucket probably, but at least a try. Now it has to go back to the house and no telling what they will want to add. The bill went from what was posted on the internet (about 10 pages I think) to 450+. Sigh. THAT kind of experience we don't need anymore of. Bring on Sarah Palin. I wish we could replace every member of congress with common sense folks like Sarah Palin. THAT is change I can believe in. I am sick to DEATH of Washington Politics as usual.
As to Dodd and Frank...I hear that! Not willing to accept one iota of the blame when they should have all of it. And where is the mainstream media? Out to lunch? Can you imagine what will happen to this country if Obama is elected, with a Democrat majority and mainstream media cover? What is WRONG with people? Hellooo. Sigh.
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