READ THIS

[ourbluenation]

It was a deeply substantive speech, full of policy detail, full of people other than the candidate, centered overwhelmingly on domestic economic anxiety. It was a liberal speech, more unabashedly, unashamedly liberal than any Democratic acceptance speech since the great era of American liberalism. But it made the case for that liberalism - in the context of the decline of the American dream, and the rise of cynicism and the collapse of cultural unity. His ability to portray that liberalism as a patriotic, unifying, ennobling tradition makes him the most lethal and remarkable Democratic figure since John F Kennedy.

What he didn't do was give an airy, abstract, dreamy confection of rhetoric. The McCain campaign set Obama up as a celebrity airhead, a Paris Hilton of wealth and elitism. And he let them portray him that way, and let them over-reach, and let them punch him again and again ... and then he turned around and destroyed them. If the Rove Republicans thought they were playing with a patsy, they just got a reality check.

He took every assault on him and turned them around. He showed not just that he understood the experience of many middle class Americans, but that he understood how the Republicans have succeeded in smearing him. And he didn't shrink from the personal charges; he rebutted them. Whoever else this was, it was not Adlai Stevenson. It was not Jimmy Carter. And it was less afraid and less calculating than Bill Clinton.

Above all, he took on national security - face on, full-throttle, enraged, as we should all be, at how disastrously American power has been handled these past eight years. He owned this issue in a way that no Democrat has owned it since Kennedy. That's a transformative event. To my mind, it is vital that both parties get to own the war on Jihadist terror and that we escape this awful Rove-Morris trap that poisons the discourse into narrow and petty partisan abuse of patriotism. Obama did this tonight. We are in his debt.

Look: I'm biased at this point. I'm one of those people, deeply distressed at what has happened to America, deeply ashamed of my own misjudgments, who has shifted out of my ideological comfort zone because this man seems different to me, and this moment in history seems different to me. I'm not sure we have many more chances to get off the addiction to foreign oil, to prevent a calamitous terrorist attack, to restore constitutional balance in the hurricane of a terror war.

I've said it before - months and months ago. I should say it again tonight. This is a remarkable man at a vital moment. America would be crazy to throw this opportunity away. America must not throw this opportunity away.

Know hope.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ourbluenation]

2. see ya, wouldn't want to be ya. buh bye

[smokey nj]

3. Hey, it's the moran guy!

[jaxx]

5. LOL I figured they'd be carving him a tombstone.

[Catherine Vincent]

6. How about a nice cup of.....

SHUT THE FUCK UP!

[hootinholler]

29. Looking for this?

-Hoot

[kestrel91316]

7. This is DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND. Support for McSame is forbidden.

You are in violation of the basic rule, you FUCKING REPUBLICAN TROLL.

Go home to your mom's basement and FUCK YOURSELF>

[colorado thinker]

8. I'm sorry, have you lost your freaking mind?????

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. I see.....I see.....a hard stone in your future...one quarried in the Northeast.....

Hopefully it will land on your head and knock some sense into it.

[tblue37]

10. Enjoy your pizza, pal. n/t

[moc]

11. That's all you've got?

:rofl:

Goodbye troll. Your time literally on this board and the repub's control of this country will quickly come to an end.

Thank God.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

12. You are so uninformed, it's pitiful - but just like your Repuke brethren.

Go back to the hole you crawled out of.

[Fuzz]

13. You're cut and pastes are funny

[mzmolly]

14. Paris?

I'm sorry if you've had a rough week.

[elshiva]

41. Don't insult Paris Hilton's intelligence.

She's Einstein compared to this stupid freep. :puke:

buffy

[notadmblnd]

15. if you were fed up with sub-par politicians, you wouldn't vote for McSame.

your little rant is very funny:rofl:

[silverweb]

16. Typical Libertarian drivel.

You lie and deep down inside, you damn well know it.

[Blue Diadem]

17. John McCain is that you? Doesn't your wife own the business?

Enjoy your stay, I'm sure it will be short.

[Blue_Tires]

18. you employ 3/4 of your city's population?

you run the local meth production/dealing racket?

[silverojo]

43. Isn't it great, how this cretin thinks a monopoly is a good thing?

Just what America needs, an employer with no competition who can screw people over at will.

Ever notice how Repukes never know how to spell or punctuate properly? No wonder they can't see how stupid Bush is...they're dumber than he is!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

60. ...

Fortunately, s/he will be able to "hire the rest of the city" under a McNasty admin!

[NeedleCast]

19. 3....2....1

.....

[ohtransplant]

20. Beneath contempt

You're obviously just fishing for a response. It's all about you. Yada-yada-yada...

Bu-bye

[RainDog]

21. you're an idiot. Obama's tax plan on the middle class is the better for you than Bush's

and go check out Bartel's study. democrats are better for the economy - over a 50 year period - for all Americans... except for the richest 5%. If that's you (which I sincerely doubt) then you should be paying more PERSONAL taxes. but no doubt you're not part of the richest of the rich so your position is simply wrong.

[classof56]

22. Rush? Rush Limpballs is that you??

Since you're still here, I have a suggestion about where you can drill.

Adn just in case you're not Tombstoned in the next 30 seconds, I'm delighted to put you on my IGNORE list!

[puerco-bellies]

23. Dude you don't even employ half your brain.

..3/4th's of your town, dream on dipshit.:rofl:

[HughMoran]

24. Heheh - you used the "nazi" argument - that's an automatic failure!

BZZZZZZZZZZZ - nice knowin' ya!

:rofl:

[jrockford]

25. hahahaha

you're shutting the business down, hahaha your drivel made me laugh. I hope something obnoxious falls on your face and stains your shirt.

[FatDave]

26. I realize tonight was hard for you to swallow.

But really, do you think lashing out is going to numb the pain of the realization that you are a hollow shell of a human?

And oh yeah, fuck off and die.

[elshiva]

28. FUCK OFF ASSHOLE. GO BACK TO FREEPVILLE.

No one is drinking your kool aid here. :puke:


buffy

[ourbluenation]

30. Ben - before you get tombstoned, if you really want to understand democrats...

read anything by thom hartmann.

You are confusing the importance of the common good with socialism. They are very different.

Good luck.

Try and have an open mind.

Turn off Rush Limbaugh

We are all Americans, both you and I.

Peace.

[Errrica]

31. Why is this fucktard

Not tombstoned yet?

[Brazenly Liberal]

32. Now Benny, sweetie, how many times have your father and I told you

not to pretend to be an adult on the intertubes? My goodness, there are ickybad people on those things and you could get hurt!

Now go on upstairs and finish your homework and maybe we'll let you go to the waterpark Saturday, 'kay dumpling????

[SpookyCat]

79. LOL! Exactly!

[Jokinomx]

34. Your an idiot! Plain and simple. Your self rightous I, I, I,....

You make me sick. You twist and distort sound principles to fit your self centered point of view. Your a republican. ... Where you ask first..."How does this affect me?" ignoring all the other people that are affected differently.

Go on keep patting yourself on the back on how good you are. How many people YOU help.

Your what's wrong with America buddy. You backed the patriot act... taking our privacy away... you backed attacking a country without provocation...You backed a liar and a murder for president.

Go back to where you came from.

[libnnc]

35. Yay! A little freepie-crawlie to play with

just before it gets smushed by a big 'ol chunk of granite!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[cayuga]

37. Relax George.

The only 'city' that I am aware of where 3/4 of its residents are employed by one business is - Washington, DC.

So, therefore, you must be the incumbent and are understandably jittery about the upcoming election. And your legacy. You can kiss the legacy part goodbye but you will be fine financially with President Obama at the helm. You see, the wealth will be more evenly distributed so everyone will benefit. And the country will benefit. And the world will benefit. See how easy it could have been?

Now go rub Jeff Gannon's head and snort another line. Everything is going to be alright.

[hootinholler]

38. Note to Mods: Please leave this one up when you deliver the pizza.

It's drawing too many responses and it's just not that imaginative. This asshole will get more credit than he's due if you remove it.

-Hoot

[Wednesdays]

39. Let's see...

let me guess, your next line is "Sieg Heil!" Right?

[Ghost in the Machine]

40. .............. here's your sign......

[flvegan]

42. Being a democrat is a side effect of thinking.

Bye, douchebag.

[Swede]

44. Fuck you're stupid.

You couldn't run a ice cream stand. Join the Marines,man up,of to Afghanistan you go.

[Fire Walk With Me]

45. Welcome to DU!

:toast: :hi:

[InternalDialogue]

52. ...

:rofl:

[billyoc]

46. When you shut your business down, we will seize it and turn control of it over to the workers.

So, you see, you have nothing to worry about. :hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

55. They'll all just go on welfare and allow the company to fail.

:cry:

[CC]

47. I smell fear...

Might want to call your mommy to clean that up.

[Errrica]

49. Dang

All those ferrets are really yours?!
Sorry to go off-topic from talking about this Freeper loser, but I was in awe of all of them! They're adorable!

[CC]

54. They are all mine or have been mine.

Some have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.(They have little halos) Most I got as babies but some I fostered for a rescue. I only foster the older un-adoptable ones so that they can have a forever home for the end of their life. I can never see myself with out ferrets sharing my life. The rescue has made it hard for me to even think about buying a pet shop ferret.

[Errrica]

70. Awww

That's so nice to hear :)

[stuntcat]

50. you beat me!

That's exactly what I was fixin to say. Somebody's reekin'


Next week's convention's gonna be all about fear, mark my word.

[CC]

58. What else do they have?

Thing is now their version of fear has to compete with economic fear. Hard to worry about a terrorist in another country when you are worried about heating the house (double fuel oil prices here) or keeping a roof over your kids heads.

[Stellabella]

48. Your ears are stuffed with something.

You obviously didn't hear the bit about CUTTING TAXES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

See ya. NOT.

[AlCzervik]

51. Sut your ignorant Hate Hole troll.

[Left Is Write]

53. Bad grammar? Check. Nazi reference? Check. Tired, meaningless rhetoric? Check.

Self-important power trip ("I control my city's economy! ME! It's MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!)? Check.

This freeper will self-destruct in 3-2-1...

[Indenturedebtor]

56. Hahaha what your arrogance and ignorance blind you to is the fact that you are not special

If you "shut down" your movie theatre another person would open one up. It's not the product that sells the product - it's the DEMAND for that product.

Without living wages there will be no demand for your products. Not for long anyways. Go open a movie theatre in one of the great ultra capitalist countries in the world like Burma. See how many tickets you sell.

Your paycheck is written by consumers. Consumers who have been constantly undermined and attacked by America hating self centered Republican morons, and who are now on the brink of not being able to pay for your crap and your services anymore.

But I'm quite sure that I'm wasting my breath. The small percentage of the world who believes in this completely unregulated free market utopia fantasy is either lacking the will or the ability to actually learn anything about economics. Adam Smith would literally take a piss on your "feed the rich" monetary policy. As a matter of fact he did.

Go learn something you moron.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

57. worst case of pms I have ever seen, ben. There is medicine for that.

good lord.

[Danger Mouse]

59. Yes, vote for McCain, he'll get hot bottled water to dehydrated babies!!!

[beac]

61. Why?

Because Barack Obama, the NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, is a better man than you could ever hope to be and you are lucky that he set such a wonderful example of respectfully disagreeing with out fellow citizens tonight or I would tell you what I really think of you!

[Gormy Cuss]

64. Your post has disgraced all American teachers.

Is you learning?

[bluesbassman]

65. IBTL & pizza!

Don't forget to put some bag balm on those knuckles. Buh-bye!:hi:

[HEyHEY]

68. Dude, your country sucks

Seriosuly. Compared to other countries it blows ass. Know why? Because idiots like you don't understand the concept of teamwork.

[SeattleGirl]

69. We're too fucking smart to vote for McSame, ya freakin' troll.

Enjoy your pizza.

[MrScorpio]

71. Were you born this stupid or did you have to work overtime at it?

Smell you later

[XemaSab]

72. What do you run?

A whorehouse? :shrug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

73. I'm so glad you posted this!

I'm totally blown away by both your brilliance and the horse-sense of this post!

I'm just going to leave DU right now, abandon all those ridiculous principles like compassion and championing the little guy, and vote for McCain. Everybody knows that businesses like WalMart and Bank of America are the only real future for our country.

So, bye DU, I've finally seen the light.































:sarcasm:

[SpookyCat]

74. Wow! You're still here?

I clicked on reply mostly to see the Tombstone! Who knew?

Go away now...back to mommies basement! You're so cute when you pretend you're a man...woodgie!

[The Magistrate]

77. No, Ma'am, He Is No Longer Here

But people are having such fun with the post it seemed a shame to remove it....

[SpookyCat]

83. Ah sweet! Thanks! :-)

[countryjake]

76. Whoop! Finally!

That was one long alert!

[FedUpWithIt All]

80. Too many WORKING folks can barely afford their mortgages, groceries

and utilities. What makes you think that tax breaks are going to amount to a hill of beans when your consumer's financial struggles begin cutting into your profit margin. Do the math...seriously.

Are you planning to increase your employee's salaries significantly to cover the rising cost of living? You do realize that many of the businesses you mentioned are considered excesses when finances get tighter. People are going to spend their non rising salaries on rapidly rising food, housing and utility costs. Think things will be getting better any time soon? Maybe you should begin to take a look around and immerse yourself in the real world. Perhaps you could begin to educate yourself on how we got into this situation in the first place. Then come back and tell us that this election should rest solely on a debate about TAXES.

Years ago i spent months debating people like you on various message boards. I used to shake my head in disbelief at people who INSISTED that Bush was the only correct path for America's future. I wonder what those people have to say now. I wonder if any of them see things a little differently now that they are losing their homes and will be unable to feed or warm their children this winter. I wonder if YOU will one day see things differently. I will see you on the other side of HISTORY.

Wishing you all the good i would wish for myself and my loved ones because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO.

[PermanentRevolution]

81. Not often you see a one-post tombstone...

That takes SKILLS.

:applause:

[Damian the LHP]

82. That's funny.

But I give your trolling attempt a zero for the simple fact that I saw right through it. You've got to try harder to fool me.

[jaxx]

4. Great review.

I don't think America will throw it away...I think we'll elect Barack Obama and get down to business.

[kitkat65]

27. You know that billboard from the Daily Show in Minneapolis that says

"Welcome, rich, white oligarchs"? They should have added stupid.

[orleans]

33. yep. i heard him talking along these lines a few months back.

i actually said: wow--even andrew sullivan.

[ourbluenation]

36. In deference to Obamas call to raise up the rhetoric, lets not degrade the freeper.....

lets address the fallacies in his post.

[Indenturedebtor]

62. Can't we do both at the same time? n/t

[elshiva]

66. First fallacy is the ad hominem, or personal attack

Calling Nancy Pelosi "Nazi Pelosi."


buffy

[apnu]

63. Taking a page from Ali's book. "Rope a dope" baby. Sweet!

[Aristus]

67. Hey, benpms, after you shut your business down, you can join the Army.

Yessir, lots of opportunity in the Army. I hear they're running short of warm bodies. Why don't you take a trip over to Iraq and stand in front of the RPG's that are injuring and killing our troops? No, no, don't thank me for offering this suggestion. It's the least I can do to help you in your time of need...

[SpookyCat]

75. The idiot first poster aside, thank you for this. Nicely said!

I watched the speech at a viewing party here in The City and it was wonderful. All the energy and cheering...I can't wait til November!

[bertman]

78. Excellent post, ourbluenation. Thanks.

[sasori]

84. how dare you insult...

...Paris Hilton! :spank: