If the world could vote... Barack or John

[sels1]

A bit ironic how his name is so similar to Osama, and Hussein for a middle name.....

Yes, it may do wonders for international diplomacy...something Dubbya failed miserably at!

[ital916]

Nothing against Obama, just think McCain is a better choice.

Obama reminds me of Billy Graham, with even more magnetic charisma and a whole lot less history of 'actual' achievements.

I love change but I have yet to hear or read how or what he is going to change! John.

you love change but will vote to keep thngs the same, I personally think obama will be exactly the change america needs to pull its head out of its arse. y vote is with obama and come election day so will be the majority of voters.

[Street Gerbil]

Obama bin Biden scares the hell out of me
Behold brainwashing Pavlik Morozov style:

From the official Barack Obama website:

...Even if you are still unsure of your path in life, and even if your parents and friends occasionally wonder about you, your grandma and grandpa love you and have faith in you.

That is your weapon! "Precious" needs to get on the phone and say, "Grandpa, Grandma, I am asking you to vote for Barack Obama. This is really important to me. It's about my future. It's about the world I will be living in. It's about the world I want for my future children. (They will love that one!) Please! Do it for me!"

...The really great part of this strategy is that everything you could possibly say to your grandparents about how important Barack's election is for you is one hundred percent true...

Sorry, guys, even Helen Clark has not stooped *that* low.

[oldrider]

you love change but will vote to keep thngs the same, I personally think obama will be exactly the change america needs to pull its head out of its arse. y vote is with obama and come election day so will be the majority of voters.

Fair enough but just what change is Obama offering, maybe you have actually heard him say what his proposed changes are!! I have not.

John McCain is not George W Bush and that alone is significant change IMO.

It will be interesting to see if America does on the day what the polls have been saying they are going to do. Only in America! John.

[jrandom]

Obama's a smart cookie.

McCain seems like a good cunt, even if he is a bit on the old side, but he's gone and lumbered himself with that awful Palin woman, and he's buried in GOP tradition and back-room deals... if I were voting over there, I'd run screaming, hold my nose and tick Democrat.

That is, of course, if the 'secure as Swiss cheese' electronic voting machine didn't arbitrarily change my vote for me.

Long may New Zealand stick with paper ballots!

[jrandom]

Fair enough but just what change is Obama offering, maybe you have actually heard him say what his proposed changes are!! I have not.

He's not going to go into detail in front of American TV cameras, is he?

He has extensive policy papers posted on the internets; have a poke around if you're interested.

[MisterD]

Obama = even more protectionism by the US. This is bad for us.

[jrandom]

Obama = even more protectionism by the US. This is bad for us.

McCain = the world will burn. That is also kinda bad.

[MisterD]

McCain = the world will burn. That is also kinda bad.

I don't believe that - personally I reckon the best person to be in charge of a big army is someone who has been at the sharp end themselves. On which subject, it's a pity Colin Powell's wife talked him out of running for pres...the best "first black president" the US will never have.

[jrandom]

I don't believe that - personally I reckon the best person to be in charge of a big army is someone who has been at the sharp end themselves.

I disagree. A soldier is the last person you want making policy for the use of military force. Implementing it, yes. Making it, no.

Did you read that 'smart cookie' link I posted earlier?

On which subject, it's a pity Colin Powell's wife talked him out of running for pres...the best "first black president" the US will never have.

It's a truism that the best-qualified leaders are always the ones who don't want the job.

[Bren]

it certainly looks like the first black president is gonna be voted in soon...bugger about the woman thing...i liked that race with hillary in it, was interesting....the other guy who is in the running bores me....just an old fart at 72 years old...older than Reagan was when he got voted in...and Reagan was an old fart too at 70...

my vote will go to that black guy...not the old whitey stiff!

[pete376403]

Much of mcCains military career was spent as a guest of the NVA. He qualified almost last (4 from the bottom IIRC) in his navy academy class. Crashed at least two planes in non-combat activities - owes most if not all of his survival in the navy (prior to capture in Vietnam) to his father. can't see much there that qualifies him to be "leader of the free world"
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/cov...al_john_mccain

[MisterD]

I disagree. A soldier is the last person you want making policy for the use of military force. Implementing it, yes. Making it, no.

Really? Which of these was most "hawkish" in the Bush administration that opted to invade Iraq: Donald Rumsfeld or General Colin Powell?

[jrandom]

Really? Which of these was most "hawkish" in the Bush administration that opted to invade Iraq: Donald Rumsfeld or General Colin Powell?

I knew you'd bring up Powell.

But, equally, we have McCain and Obama, and if you read their respective statements on foreign policy and the military, it becomes clear that Obama's ideas are superior - he's less likely to fuck up in his use of the military.

Some interesting comments on the foreign-policy issues which will face the next Murkn president here:

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/medve...rican_strategy

There are exceptions to every rule, but until he proved otherwise (as Powell has done) I would look with a jaundiced eye upon any ex-soldier claiming that his perspective on diplomacy and conflict resolution was not dangerously skewed by his professional background.

[terbang]

Were talking about electing the leaders here, but there are merkin voters out there who still believe Saddam dropped the world trade centre, Obama is a Muslim in disguise and that there is a bridge between NZ and Australia (Only If they know about New Zealand!). That's the real problem with whoever gets elected.
My vote: Obama.