Relax guys, I think we’ve won.
Wingnuts: still crazy. Fortunately, it’s easy to spot when they’re desperate. I was reading an ABC News blog from about a month ago which revealed that Obama had fallen off the non-smoker wagon.
Everyone knows a smoker. To most people, it’s not a big deal… unless you’re a conservative tool and the smoker is a Democrat running for President.
Seriously, people?
I have a love-hate relationship with blog comments on news websites. On one hand, it’s useful for finding out what people are saying. On the other, it is almost always a stunning manifesto of futility.
According to the commenters at abcnews.com, these are the reasons Obama shouldn’t be president, with appropriate responses by yours truly:
“Smoking shows his bad judgment.”
Yes. Because Republicans have been paragons of good judgment. Just look at the decision to fight in Iraq. Or how about the response to Hurricane Katrina? Jesus, that’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet of incompetence. Let’s see, we have the military telling volunteers and aid agencies that they can’t enter the area to help. What else… oh, levy maintenance, the failed implementation of an evacuation plan, formaldehyde-contaminated FEMA trailers…
How about education? Republicans, your judgment has led to all these fine outcomes of the NCLB Act: lowered standards/expectations, a steep decline in the availability of advanced placement courses, lowered taxes causing schools to cut back other programs and activities, and requires schools to provide all the students’ information to military recruiters (caught ya, you warmongering bastards).
If we have a question about yachting or golfing, or things like denying health care to sick children, we’ll come to you. You’re in no position to lecture about judgment. Hell, you don’t even recognize bad judgment when you see it. Per Bush: “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job!” ‘Nuff said.
“Smoking means that he has a flawed character and an illogical mind.”
…said the guy who thinks teaching Creationism/ID is a viable alternative to teaching science.
“Smoking means he can’t handle stress and needs a crutch.”
It’s better than being a boozed up coke-head throughout your twenties and thirties. Again, no moral high ground here.
“He’s a liar because he said he quit!”
And you’re an idiot who doesn’t understand the nature of addiction.
“He’s sending a bad message to our children!”
This is one I heard a lot of. “What about the children? My kids might start smoking!” Look, if your kids start smoking, it’s because you didn’t teach them not to. Got that? You’re the parent, their failure is your failure. Don’t you have any control over your life or your kids? Why are you asking others to do it for you? Isn’t that what you cons accuse the liberals of doing?
Ah, res ipsa loquitur.
“We condemned Bill Clinton for having an affair, so we should condemn Barack Obama for smoking.”
Yes, because both are ethically equivalent. He might as well have raped a child, right?
“Smoking is not a noble behavior, and we can’t have a man with a non-noble behavior as president. And I hate him.”
Hatred isn’t a noble behavior either.
“He’s not showing us his birth certificate, so he can’t be president!”
It’s good to know that the Republicans still care about the important things in this election. But wait, what’s that? McCain smoked two packs a day for 25 years? Go, go gadget Implacable Outrage!!
*chirp*chirp*
July 9th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
But he does have to deal with Michelle and she made his giving up smoking as a condition.
Oh boy….
:)
Psst: if that is all they have, they are in, ahem, deep doo-doo.
July 9th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Michelle oughta go easy on him. After surviving Hillary, the man deserves his breathing treatment.
At this point the wingnuts are grasping at straws. I see he voted with the good guys on FISA.
July 10th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Bill Clinton smoked. They were very careful not to have those images in the press. Little was talked about it. He used to enjoy cigars.
Obama has been very upfront about it. It makes him more human because there are many many others like him who would like to quit but struggle to do so.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Oh I’ve walked a mile or two in those shoes. I’m trying to quit now. I’m supposed to start some medicine, shitkix or something, to help me do it. I think the hardest part is going to be when I’m driving to and from work.
But I can’t start it for another nine days, as I’m on some other medicine. I appear to have broken a rib below my ribcage, or at least that’s what the theory is at this point. Funny thing is, I have no idea how I could have even tickled the damn thing.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:27 am
“Look, if your kids start smoking, it’s because you didn’t teach them not to. Got that? You’re the parent, their failure is your failure. Don’t you have any control over your life or your kids?”
Hmm… I can’t tell you have little kids, not big ones. (My kids don’t smoke, but at this point, if they started, it wouldn’t be because we “didn’t teach them not to” but because, damn it, the darn buggers have minds of their own and don’t always make great decisions!)
But I’m not trying to be disagreeable, I actually agree on all the other points. It’s silly that this is even an issue.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:37 am
No worries, adolescence is a whole other game. All bets are off by that point.
The whole thing is absurd, anyway. Nobody sees a politician smoking and suddenly aspires to be a smoker someday. It just doesn’t happen that way.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Somewhere a Vonster’s head is exploding.