A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...10-14-04...The Afghan and Australian elections...bad news...

johnhuang2;dutchess | johnhuang2

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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The Afghan and Australian elections - bad news for Kerry. Here's why.

by JohnHuang2

Recall how the media last week predicted the elections were bound to be wracked by violence, voter intimidation, wholesale fraud, and how they complained that polling staff were too lightly trained, easily bribed, and that the drug-funded opposition, which hates democracy anyway and knows it can never win power back in a free and fair vote, will do anything to disrupt the elections? But enough about Florida.

(Frankly, aren't you sick and tired of Campaign '04? We have to get back to the place we were, where Kerrytistas are not the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance -- like gambling and prostitution.)

Now, regarding the elections in Afghanistan, the sages of major media said the chances of mostly peaceful elections in a terrible, war-wracked 'Quagmire' like Afghanistan, nearly 3 years after the fall of the Taliban, were slim to none. I took this optimism to mean the chances of mostly peaceful elections were pretty good. Sure enough, the elections went mostly peaceful Saturday, with exit polls on Monday showing interim president Hamid Karzai, accused by al-Qaeda and the Deaniacs of being a neocon puppet of Christian Crusaders, not only winning the nation's first free election, but Afghans giving the neocon puppet the outright majority required to avoid a run-off. (Taliban leader al-Gore immediately demanded a recount.)

But, for the Kerrytistas, the mostly peaceful election wasn't the only bit of bad news during the past week. On Friday, the U.S. reported the nation's jobless rate held steady at 5.4%, below Clinton's election-year 5.6% rate; then came news on Saturday that Australia's Prime Minister John Howard wasn't being punished by voters for angering those pesky little 'Nuisance'-makers known as al-Qaeda in supporting the Iraq war; then came news late Sunday that followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had agreed to hand over their weapons, ending months of Nuisance against U.S. and Iraqi forces. (The only good news for Camp Kerry came late Tuesday, with word that Saddam's hernia operation was a success.) So, with mostly peaceful elections in Afghanistan and a key U.S. ally reelected in Australia and al-Sadrtistas disarming in Iraq and very low unemployment here at home, "evidence of (Bush's) failures (keeps piling) up all around him," wrote Kerry in a fund-raising e-mail recently. With Mr. Failure piling up a job approval rate above the key 50% mark, how much more Bush failure can Kerry withstand?

Actually, the Kerrytistas, with their boss coming off a very weak performance in the second debate, had spent the whole week on defense. They tried and tried to spin it as a win for Kerry, but look, you can put lipstick on a horseface, but it's still a horseface. Indeed, seconds after the second debate, you knew who won and who lost -- just by looking at the glum faces at MSNBC and CNN. Both cable nets said Kerry had put in a much weaker showing in the second debate, while Bush, his face wired-up with muscle motion detectors implanted by ABC News to track the tiniest scowl, more than held his own. Almost alone, Fox News commentators lauded Kerry's performance in the second debate. (My guess is that they were watching the first debate that night.)

Yet, as bad as Kerry's second debate showing was -- and, make no mistake, these debates are central to Kerry's White House bid since he wants to show that he, unlike Bush, can out-debate the terrorists anywhere, anytime -- more self-inflicted wounds were on the way. In an interview published Sunday in New York Times Magazine, Kerry said that "We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists aren't the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance," like gambling and prostitution. And blogging.

Absorbing the lessons of the tragic Nuisance attacks of 9/11, Kerry vows to go after terrorists and to hit them using the only language these blood-thirsty killers understand: Search Warrants and Court subpoenas. In fact, as I wrote back in March, just wait till Kerry rattles those Tora-Bora caves with Indictments! And strongly-worded U.N. resolutions. That'll teach 'em to mess with Massachusetts! To show these Nuisancists he means business, Kerry will summon the rough justice of ol' Martha's Vineyard, hanging posters saying, Wanted: Osama, Alive or . . Alive. Pretty Please? It's all part of Kerry's plan for waging a smarter War on Nuisance. And if, after all this, al-Qaeda still doesn't get it, then -- but only then -- will Kerry deploy that ultimate weapon of last resort: He'll hold a summit. In town hall format.

Today, of course, is the third and final presidential debate (I'm writing this early morning Wednesday). Just Bush and Kerry again -- Nader (whose motto is, 'Work like your 90 points down!') won't be joining, of course, but Kerry sounds more and more like Nader these days -- a clear sign he's worried about Mr. 'Unsafe At Any Speed', who's on the ballot in key battleground states, and that he's underperforming among core Democrats with just three weeks to go. In contrast, Bush enjoys near unanimous support among Republicans and right-leaning independents. Do the math: Bush won 271 Electoral votes and 48% of the popular vote in 2000. That's 48% of the popular vote for a governor against a sitting vice president in 'prosperous' times (the 'prosperous' stuff is debatable, I know, but let's leave that aside). You'll recall the late breaking DUI charge which rocked the Bush campaign and broke Bush's late momentum. Still, Bush got 48% of the vote and 30 states. Bush is now Commander-in-Chief, in wartime, with 50 approval in most polls and leads his challenger on major issues by whopping margins. If anyone here doubts Bush will get that 48% and rack up another 7 or 8 percentage points, let me know. I've got some lovely submarine property for sale.

Anyway, that's...

My two cents

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[Kitty Mittens]

That was a good speech, Pippin, with many excellent points! I loved reading it!

[Kitty Mittens]

That's a wonderful picture, MrsTank! Your have a sweet face that is radiating love. Thank him for me for all he is doing for our country! God bless you both!

[Darksheare]

LOL!
It was shortly after that election that the enviros started with the "we should burn buisinesses and homes regardless of economic impact in an area" crap.
And that was when I ducked out the side door with my 'heretical views' on the environment.
Stewardship, maintenence and actual use of the land rather than closing it off to everyone.
Removal of dead wood to avoid hyperfires, and promoting hunting to keep deer and bear herds and groups in check.

The local enviros are pretty ticked about such views... despite the 'great ones' they quote believed in such things.
*chuckle*

[Diver Dave]

Another knock out punch delivered by the tag-team from the right corner - JH2 and dutchess.

A perfect follow up after the debate last night.

Thanks you two. It's gonna take the rest of the day for the smiles to wear off. :)))))))))))))))

[dutchess]

Quick in and out...sorry I've been awol...getting ready to get my parents from "north" (Michigan") to "south" (Florida") The amazing news.... (listen to the drum roll DFU) they voted today.....mom (reluctantly) admitted to voting for GWB! YES!!!! (dad always votes dem so they wiped each other out) BUT...this was a good sign. She hated Kerry's "outing" of Cheney's daughter yesterday too! Prayers for the next month!

[dixie sass]

Hope you had a great day at work. Just came back on and found the FRmail from Maggie.

Special prayers for our dear friend.

[Kitty Mittens]

I just found it, too, and am joining my prayers to yours for our sweet sister.

[dixie sass]

Kitty and Nan, it breaks my heart...

Cuzzzzzz is definitely one of the very finest there is.

[Kitty Mittens]

She is precious to me, and her sweet life carries the Lovely Fragrance of our Loving Lord in Heaven.

[dixie sass]

Yes, yes it does Kitty.

I love to the pictures that you have, usually all of them come through but tonight for some reason there are a good many itty bitty red "x's". It's nice to know, through these pictures, that the President is a real person and not just a "stepford" person.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

041008-N-1919W-002 Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (Oct. 8, 2004) - Four F/A-18A Hornets assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the "Blue Angels," fly in formation over Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The team performed for thousands of spectators at the "Blues on the Bay" Marine Corps-Navy Air Show Oct 9-10, 2004. The Blue Angels fly the F/A-18A Hornet as they perform approximately 30 maneuvers during the aerial demonstration, which runs approximately an hour and 15 minutes. The last time the Blue Angels performed in Hawaii was 1995 at Barbers Point. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Devin Wright (RELEASED)

041009-N-2379C-070 San Francisco Bay, Calif. (Oct. 9, 2004) - Gunner's Mate Seaman William Sanders, of San Jose, Calif., fires a 40mm Saluting Battery from the signal bridge aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1). Canadian and U.S. ships sailed into the San Francisco Bay area to celebrate Fleet Week. San Francisco Fleet Week is a unique opportunity to share with the American public what today's sea services are all about. More than 2,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen visit San Francisco during the annual four-day event. U.S. Navy by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Ryan G. Child (RELEASED)

OVER IRAQ -- An F-15E Strike Eagle receives fuel from a 908th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender during a mission over Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Mark Moss)

[Kitty Mittens]

I think some of the pictures have disappeared, but others sometimes show, and then on other occasions, don't. I've been meaning to re-do my page, to add new pictures to replace the ones that have vanished, but I've been so busy working at my ranch, or Freeping, I haven't gotten around to it yet. Hopefully I can get to it in the next week or so.

I'm glad you like the pictures, my friend. I just wish some of the cutest ones hadn't disappeared! I love pictures of our President with babies; they are always adorable!

[dixie sass]

Night all, off to babysit for some friends tonight and tomorrow. Catch you when I return!

[mrstank]

I thought perhaps this link might remind you what America can be like when we lay aside political lines. I think sometimes we make ourselves so busy that we can forget the things that can really tie this country together when it counts.

http://www.marklarose.com/alwaysremember.htm

[Darksheare]

Thank you.
I remember turning on the radio to hear that a plane had hit one of the towers.
I turned on the TV, and a few minutes later saw the second plane hit.
My first question when I saw the second plane in the image was "What is he doing?"
And then he hit.
My first thought was "Terrorists".

My father was on the roof of a building across the river working on an elevator.
He saw the smoke, and figured it was merely a fire.
When he came back out of the motor room shed on the roof, the towers were gone.

My liberal neighbors were outraged that terrorists would dare do that.

[mrstank]

I remember not knowing where my then fiance was because he had not called to say he made it home from his Nat'l Guard drill the weekend before. And then we were on pins and needles for 2 months wondering if we were going to make it to our wedding day before he got called up. Thanks to others stepping up to the call, we had two years together to establish our marriage before he got called.

I think it's good for us to remember what looking at the world through the clouds of smoke we all saw that morning. It puts our priorities in perspective.

With that I bid everyone adieu for tonight.

[Darksheare]

I was leaving the uniform when that happened.
Made me mad too.
I'd signed up with the expectation that we'd be going back into Iraq to finish things.
(I pretty much guessed we'd be back there, and made that guess in 1996.)

Goodnight.
Pass along my 'thumbs up' to your husband, and thank him for being in uniform for me.
(I was in artillery, so you can say a 'former gunbunny says to say..')

[JohnHuang2]

G-R-E-A-T LAYOUT JOB, dutchess! Pictures and text go hand-n-glove :-)

And thank you all for the kind words!

((((((((((((((((((((Billie; Aquamarine; dansangel; dutchess; Mama_Bear;WVNan;Pippin;FreeTheHostages;Calpernia;Ladyx;GailA;dixie sass;Libertina;Lakeside;deadhead;JustAmny;DollyCali;kayak)))))))))))))))))))))

[Pippin]

Thanks, Kitty! :o)

[Pippin]

Having common sense is not heretical. but I suppose you can't tell that the the envirowhackoes! LOL!