Rocky Mountain News Troll

I recently came across an opinion piece in the Rocky Mountain News by Mike Littwin titled, "Obama trip likely to rob McCain of, well, limelight." A good read, you should check it out not only for the article, but for the troll fight I got into with a commenter named "GetReal."

Actually, when I come to think of it, is it possible that I'm the troll since the majority of the comments (only a few comments to this point) are skewed to the right? Well, here's our exchange so far.

July 19, 2008,10:50 a.m.
GetReal writes:

Not surprising that Littwin barely touches on the fact that all three network news anchors are accompanying Obama for his entire trip, even sharing his personal plane. How cozy.
We will be bombarded with nightly satellite fed "reports" on how "Stately, Diplomatic and Presidential" Obama is viewed, complete with selected video of fainting foreign fans.
In contrast, the Repub nominee John McCain has made three trips overseas since March, with little coverage if any. In his most recent, he went to the middle east and Europe for a week and the networks didn't send any anchors at all, and had a total of four small stories in their nightly newscasts, one of which was dedicated entirely to a verbal slip by McCain.
If anyone ever represented the Mass Media, it would be Williams, Couric and Gibson.
They are behaving like cheer-leading political groupies, and the whole trip will be nothing but a travelling press release for the Obama campaign.
This glaring double standard highlights the imbalance of coverage by the supposedly neutral Mass Media-
But apparently it isn't important to Littwin, for obvious partisan reasons.

Well, this struck me as a bit silly, complaining about the anchors going on the trip and reading his "through the looking glass" comment on how the media is behaving like groupies and the "glaring double standard." Oh yeah, that's right, McCain had to battle with his relationship with his pastor for six weeks when the media wouldn't leave it alone as well as having to deal with attacks on his wife, didn't he?

I couldn't leave well enough alone and I had to bite. I thought I'd take a whack at the hornets nest.

July 19, 2008, 2:07 p.m.
BroadwayCarl writes:

Get Real said: "...In his most recent, he went to the middle east and Europe for a week and the networks didn't send any anchors at all..."

Anchors were originally scheduled to go, but when they saw "Czechoslovakia" on the itinerary, they decided to forego the trip, realizing (as McCain should have multiple times) that Czechoslovakia doesn't exist anymore!
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I thought that would be the end of it. But GetReal wants to "get real." I'll also include a comment from "T1anda" as he/she also gets into the act.

July 19, 2008, 4:46 p.m.
T1anda writes:

Will Obama be cued with the answers from a teleprompter when interviewed by the three kiss-arse anchors? He can't seem to say anything without it being scripted first!!
It's amazing how the liberal biased media made sure this "out of no where guy" got the nomination. Obama supporters are starry-eyed zombies!!! Neither candidate is a good choice for President. However I will be voting for John McCain!!!I will take experience over clueless, socialist, any day!!
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July 19, 2008,5:16 p.m.
GetReal writes:

BWCarl-
I call B.S. with your explanation of why the Network Anchors didn't go with McCain, or are you just being cute?
Why do the anchors even have to go? Obama outlined his policy on Iraq right before he left the U.S., without waiting to even talk to any commanders on the ground for updated, first hand information.
I saw today's big overseas accomplishment was he played basketball. Get ready for this important live report and video by Katie and Co. on tonight's CBS, NBC, and ABC newscasts. You want to see how Katie, Brian and Charlie will behave on Air Obama?
Just like these hypnotized, star struck, swooning, giggling, and fawning "journalists" did earlier this year, when they witnessed OBAMA WEARING JEANS!-http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/05/08/obama.jeans.cnn
And yes, CNN interrupted it's regular programming with that as a "BREAKING NEWS" video. I kid you not. Look at the scroll at the bottom.
So much for impartiality.
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Then he writes this, in response to "T1anda":

July 19, 2008, 5:43 p.m.
GetReal writes:

T1anda-
It doesn't matter what Obama says or does, he is immune from criticism in the eyes of the liberally slanted Mass Media, and anybody who tries to question his many questionable associates or activities is instantly branded a racist.
The press, when not outright ignoring his many controversies and gaffes, will actually make excuses for them providing what they see as needed cover. What ever happened to journalistic standards?
How about just sticking to the Who, What, When, Where,
and Why?
To get an idea of the sheer number of Obama's non-teleprompter screw-ups, most of which have yet to be reported on by the MSM http://gaffenation.wordpress.com/category/gaffes/

Dan Quayle was villanized for misspelling potato,
Why does Obama get a pass?
Three words-
MISPLACED WHITE GUILT
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Well now we see where this is coming from. "Misplaced white guilt" spells it all out, doesn't it? Also amazing that you can replace the name "McCain" with "Obama" in that last comment and it would be all the more truthful, but that doesn't seem to matter to GetReal. GetReal doesn't get it. And he sites an anti-Obama website that's concentrating on his "gaffes" but a brief trip to that site shows that it looks like they don't know the definition of "gaffe."

So I respond:

July 19, 2008, 7:35 p.m.
BroadwayCarl writes:

GetReal-
Once again it is proven that sarcasm is lost on Republicans. Yes, I was making a joke at the expense of McCain and the fact that he can't seem to remember that Czechoslovakia ceased to exist as a country since 1993.
And you're not really serious in comparing Obama's teleprompter gaffes to McCain's, are you? Really?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/us/politics/06mccain.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1216516357-CKSDypKRvnmtqVAAnIB4gg

T1anda-
As far as non-teleprompter gaffes, you really need to start watching something other than Fox News. Did you miss McCain fumbling for an answer asked by a reporter about health insurance companies covering Viagra but not birth control? Or are you just conveniently forgetting that?
Besides the fact that either McCain can't really remember how he voted on certain positions when asked, or doesn't want to answer where he stands on the issues now for fear of contradicting his vote!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IlGXhCUHo
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July 19, 2008, 7:45 p.m.
BroadwayCarl writes:

GetReal-
I just checked out the link you provided regarding McCain's town hall meetings. Perhaps Obama would be more apt to participate if the audience was a true mix of citizens and not just invitees of the McCain campaign.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06...
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July 19, 2008,8:57 p.m.
GetReal writes:

Carl-
I saw that lame article by the loony NY Times and couldnt help but laugh at the irony. Obama has at least two dozen documented gaffes in the last 9 months and all occurred without the help of his beloved teleprompter.The NYT's and the rest of the old media ignored virtually every one. Do YOU really want to compare gaffes?
For every one you have on McCain I can show you 10 recent ones on Obama. The guy is a walking gaffe machine when forced to think on his feet.

Concerning the Town Hall Meetings-
Are you that naive that you honestly believe Obama doesn't do the same? Or were you one of the many chosen "faintees" conveniently dropping like flies at The Messiah's numerous appearances?
Wait until the debates start to see your boy fold like the cheap suit he is. That is if he ever has the nuts to actually show up. **************************

July 20, 2008, 8:37 a.m.
BroadwayCarl writes:

GetReal -
You keep saying you can show me the "many" Obama gaffes and I'm sure there are some. But you have yet to show any examples. And by gaffe, I don't mean a misreading of a teleprompter, like "Lex-eeg-ton Project" or vetoing "beers." I'm talking about major mistakes like confusing Sunni and Shia when trying to make the false claim that Iran is helping Al-Qaeda.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/18/780688.aspx

Or using "Czechloslovakia" multiple times on different days. You'd think someone in his campaign would correct him after the first time so he doesn't make the same mistake, but there he is, the very next day saying "Czechoslovakia."

So please give me some examples of Obama gaffes. If you really think you can name 10 Obama gaffes to every 1 of McCain's, I'll be expecting at least 300 or 400 examples. And please back up your argument with links to reinforce your stance, like I've done above.

I'll come back to this page over the next couple of days to look for your response.
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We'll see where it goes from there. I didn't know poking the bear was so much fun! If you'd like to participate in the fun, head on over to Rocky Mountain News and have a rip-roarin' good time, but at the minimum read the Littwin piece. It's pretty good.

UPDATE (7/21/08, 10:15am): The debate continues.

July 20, 2008, 8:02 p.m.
GetReal writes:

BWCarl-
Here are just a few, do a quick YouTube or Google search yourself for many others. They are not hard to find, except if all you watch is the MSM.
Funny how none of these made the evening news like McCain's Sunni/Shia gaffe.
Bristol Va. brain melt-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI5Eo9...

Dead people in audience-http://www.youtube.com/watchv=2ogexqs4XVQ&feature=related

Al Qaeda not in Iraq-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_gJpP...

57 states of America-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrsBKG...

10,000 dead Kansans-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjO8Qc...

Hugo Bush1 flub-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxrhWT...

Compilations of lies and gaffes-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IErnij...http://youtube.com/watch?v=xZ8ykt1Ry5M

Look for more to come with any unscripted speaking appearances, that is if his advisers let him.
Obama said he would debate anytime, anywhere.
McCain requested 10 debates and Obama now says maybe one. He now has extremely limited press access and his wife has finally been muzzled, ala Theresa Heinz Kerry.
Why do you think that would be?

Regarding McCain's "Czechoslovakia" slip, and the slew of stories it generated implying he is senile or losing it-Sam Nunn, a veteran retired senator, former chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and an oft-mentioned Democratic vice presidential running mate or sec of State/Defense within the Obama admin,Has made the same gaffe three times just recently-http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washi...
Where are all the stories critical of Nunn?

Personally I think it is an honest mistake, done out of habit and no big deal.
I will also admit SOME of Obama's gaffes are that also, no big deal, but the number of larger "misstatements" seem to happen anytime he opens his mouth to talk candidly.
*******************************

July 21, 2008, 8:12 a.m.
BroadwayCarl writes:

Get Real -

Thanks for the list. I will admit there are some doozies on that list, although they can be easily explained, for example:

"57 states gaffe" (obviously he meant to say 47 states)

10,000 dead Kansans (he meant to say "at least 10" and corrected himself in the same appearance which was absent on the video:
"As the Illinois senator concluded his remarks a few minutes later, he appeared to realize his gaffe.
“There are going to be times when I get tired,” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18564159/)
Of course the larger point he was trying to make was that 60 percent of the Kansas National Guard's equipment is in Iraq, making the recovery process slower.

Your "Dead people in audience" link didn't work but I found it myself. Verbal flub? Yes, but obviously he was speaking to the LIVING veterans in his audience on Memorial Day.

Al-Qaeda not in Iraq - well, the video shows that this is a trip of the tongue was he was saying that there is "no Al-Qaeda LEADERSHIP in Iraq." If you want to argue that point, it's a separate debate, but if Bin Laden or his number two, Ayman al Zawahiri were in Iraq, don't you think we would have found them by now?

The compilations you linked I won't comment on as they can be easily edited to make gaffes seem worse than they are. The same goes for the other side. I try to avoid those and stick to any news items or unedited video. And I won't comment on Sam Nunn since we're comparing Obama and McCain. If we were to start debating on possible VP candidates and their flubs, we'd never finish.

The Va. Brian melt down? Yeah, I guess that's going to happen on occasion with both Obama and McCain in the midst of non-stop campaigning and very little rest. But as far as gaffes go, I'm not talking about a slip of the tongue or a teleprompter misread.

Let's go to my own McCain list (off the top of my head) to explain what I mean, starting with the Sunni-Shia gaffe on March 18, 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWf7w--TwyU&feature=related

This isn't just a flub. If McCain doesn't know or can't remember the fundamental difference between Sunni and Shia, and may make decisions based on that lack of knowledge or misremembering, I find that a major problem.

If he had done it once? No big deal. But he had said it on February 28, March 17, March 18, and then he did it again on April 8.
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15146.html

Here's McCain avoiding a question regarding his vote on health insurance companies covering Viagra but not covering birth control.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IlGXhCUHo

If you can't remember how you voted, that's one matter, but when you don't answer the simple question of "what is your stance now?" for fear of contradicting your vote or hoping not to anger the Religious Right base, that's another matter entirely.

How about McCain as a comedian?

Bomb-bomb-bomb Iran - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg

Killing Iranians with cigarettes - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=I9HuY_0VZBI

McCain's inmate joke and lawyer joke - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=o2iqFhHM88o&feature=related

McCain's Chelsea Clinton joke: (This was back in 1998, but remember he ran for POTUS in 2000.)
http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html

McCain's Daily Show appearance and his IED joke : http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=85762&title=sen.john-mccain-pt.-1


Now, it may be okay for you or I to joke about these things (although I don't think it's something to joke about) but we're not running for President. When you are a nominee for President of the United States, then your words and their meanings and your JOKES are taken in a different context. It's not funny for a possible next President to joke about cigarette exports to Iran as a way of killing its civilians or to joke about giving Jon Stewart an IED as a gift. It's embarrassing. It's not funny. It's. Not. Presidential.

Let's also not forget the events of the past week (which I've posted above, July 20, 1:31pm), as the White House has sent Secretary of State Rice to meet with leadership in Iran, the agreement with the White House and Iraq for a "general time horizon" which is doublespeak for a withdrawal timetable, and McCain's flip-flop on sending troops to Afghanistan; all positions that Obama has held long before they happened. For someone who's wet behind the ears and doesn't have any forgeign policy experience, he was pretty spot on.

I'm going to assume that we're going to agree to disagree. That's fine. But please don't assume that every Obama supporter is a "faintee conveniently dropping like flies at The Messiah's numerous appearances." This is just my opinion but the difference I've seen between Dems and Reps is that Dems don't automatically follow in lockstep for who the party tells us to follow. Why do you think it took so long to get the primary race over with?

I have been disappointed in some choices Obama has made, the FISA vote in particular. We don't believe Obama is the next coming or that he's perfect and infallable. But if my choice is between Obama and McCain, I'll vote Obama every time. We've seen what's happened over the last 7½ years and in my opinion, a President McCain would be more of the same. And even Republicans have to acknowledge that more of the same isn't what we need.