Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, October 3, 2012
2012 Email of the Evening
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 9:42 PM
This just popped into my inbox...
Daniel —
I hope I made you proud out there explaining the vision we share for this country.
Now we need to go win this election — the most important thing that will happen tonight is what you do (or don't do) to help in the little time we have left:
https://donate.barackobama.com/Tonight
Thank you,
Barack
I'll do my part in the little time we have left, Barack, if you'll do yours. Jesus.
1
Rob Delaney summed it up: “I was gonna vote for [insert candidate] but after watching the debate I’m going to vote for [that exact same candidate.] - Everyone"
2
I'm no cynic and I don't buy into the insta-poll mentality of the network pundits. So yes, tonight I made another donation to the Obama campaign. And to Marriage Equality.
Don't give up, you guys.
Don't give up, you guys.
7
Barry fucking blew it big time. My republican friends are gloating. My democrat friends are at the Madonna concert. I'm discouraged.
9
for the DNC and the RNC, this is just a football match. Both sides just want to win elections for the sake of winning elections.
There are real human lives at stake. And real human beings will be affected by the outcome of their football match. GLBT families will be able to marry-or they won't. 18 year old American kids will be sent off to fight yet another pointless war-or they won't. Women will have control over their own bodies-or they won't. Unemployed people will lose access to food stamps and an income-or they won't. The elderly will have access to healthcare-or they won't. College students will be able to afford college-or they won't.
Real American people will live or die because of who wins and who loses this election. Families will be held together or be torn apart. People will escape poverty or get sucked deeper and deeper into it.
But to the DNC and the RNC, this is just another game.
There are real human lives at stake. And real human beings will be affected by the outcome of their football match. GLBT families will be able to marry-or they won't. 18 year old American kids will be sent off to fight yet another pointless war-or they won't. Women will have control over their own bodies-or they won't. Unemployed people will lose access to food stamps and an income-or they won't. The elderly will have access to healthcare-or they won't. College students will be able to afford college-or they won't.
Real American people will live or die because of who wins and who loses this election. Families will be held together or be torn apart. People will escape poverty or get sucked deeper and deeper into it.
But to the DNC and the RNC, this is just another game.
11
@ 10,
Because they'll get pink chainlink fencing installed in the RepubliKKKans' hummuhsekshal extermination camps?
Because they'll get pink chainlink fencing installed in the RepubliKKKans' hummuhsekshal extermination camps?
12
If we step back from the minute-by-minute and think about what is going to win this election... It's feet on the ground, knocking on doors, checking that Obama-supporters have gotten off their ass and voted. Does he get people to come volunteer by looking strong and like he can do this all by himself? No, he gets people to volunteer by looking like he could use a hand.
14
@6
Exactly. It's called an insert-name-here email thrown together by some staffer sent to those who've made big enough contributions, in hopes of getting more.
Funny that Dan instantly assumed it was a special and personal email from the prez. Are you seriously that unaware of how the game is played? Yikes.
Exactly. It's called an insert-name-here email thrown together by some staffer sent to those who've made big enough contributions, in hopes of getting more.
Funny that Dan instantly assumed it was a special and personal email from the prez. Are you seriously that unaware of how the game is played? Yikes.
15
I'm having flashbacks to 2004 when Kerry handily trounced George W. Bush in the first debate. Do modern Presidents just not have the time for prep anymore?
19
@14: Yes, Dan is aware it's a form letter. Sending something like that out, even if it was a form letter composed days ago, is embarrassing. It was completely tone deaf to the realities of the debate. My bet is a ton of people responded to the message, not by giving $5, but by giving the campaign a piece of their mind. He didn't make supporters "proud" at all.
21
He only cited Mitt's plans verbatim as an argument against Mitt, a common Democrat strategy. Mitt only said Nuh-uh and then attacked with other lies, a common Republican strategy.
Mitt's Nuh-uh may actually be true since he was once for almost everything he's against now, but I think that we're going to get the smart guy in again. I think that he was skating to show that he can afford to ignore the moron. It may have been a show of power to just let it play like that: "I'm winning . . . what?"
Mitt's Nuh-uh may actually be true since he was once for almost everything he's against now, but I think that we're going to get the smart guy in again. I think that he was skating to show that he can afford to ignore the moron. It may have been a show of power to just let it play like that: "I'm winning . . . what?"
22
Obama fucked up but there is no way I will give a rich black guy (or rich white guy) money to run for national office. I fell for that before and got Bob Dole's plan for health insurance reform and a lawyer from one of the "too big to fail" banks on the supreme court.
23
Not a good performance from Obama, but not going to throw in the towel as yet. I'm sure President Obama is hearing all the criticism and will be better prepared for the next 2 debates.
24
Maybe Michelle should have taken a pair of scissors and cut off the President's tie 30 seconds before walking out on stage? (Yeah a SUPER West Wing reference)
Obama's head wasn't in the game and he had his ass handed to him. He should have taken Jimmy Fallon's advise and answered every question with "I killed bin Laden" and dropped the mic.
Obama's head wasn't in the game and he had his ass handed to him. He should have taken Jimmy Fallon's advise and answered every question with "I killed bin Laden" and dropped the mic.
25
I love Dan and I respect him as well as his advice. However, you'd think the Pres would have better things to do than email sex and relationship columnists.
Suffice it to say, I still won't vote for Obama.
Suffice it to say, I still won't vote for Obama.
28
"vision" LOL that's hysterical.
Agreement with Rmoney that we "tweak" SS like Ronald Reagan? The Grand Austerity a la Simpson-Bowles? Great fucking vision.
Agreement with Rmoney that we "tweak" SS like Ronald Reagan? The Grand Austerity a la Simpson-Bowles? Great fucking vision.
31
@24 - I've been saying that all morning. Also, it's too bad Uncle Fluffy showed up for the debate instead of the President.
32
I watched the first half (had to work) and I think Romney presented himself slightly better than Obama did. Most of what I saw was "Other guy will do X!" "I never said X! I said Y!" Time to hit ol' FactCheck.org.
34
What @22 said. I'll vote for the Dems when it's close, but I gave them a fair bit of money in 2008, relative to my income, and they shit in my mouth for 4 years. Bringing back every neo-liberal grifter from the Clinton administration who gave us the foundation of the financial crisis and passing 75% of the 1990 Republican agenda is NOT what I meant by "Change."
35
I got that email too, and the Prez used the shorter, informal version of my name. I guess I'm closer to Barry than "Daniel."
I'm still not writing him a check.
I'm still not writing him a check.
37
How is it that so many people didn't know what they were getting when they voted for or gave money to Obama? He's an American moderate and he's pretty much always been so. Of course you got a donkey instead of a pony - but instead of a donkey (or pony) the Republicans would be trying to take your shoes to sell them to the Chinese.
41
It's useless by way of excuse, by but way of explanation, I thought immediately of altitude sickness. I drooped around like that for days when I first moved to Colorado, many years ago.
42
Obama calls me "Empress Laura" in my emails because that is how I told him to address me. and I also got the email last night and sent him money, not without some firm words about taking his head out of his ass.
43
@14 - you're also wrong. The e-mail went to anyone on OfA's e-mail list regardless of prior contributions. (As a foreign citizen I can't donate, so I'd know...)
44
@ 41, I had thought of that, too, but he's been great at the Colorado appearances he's made so far.
48
O ye of little faith!!
C'mon guys, Obama's waaay smarter than you're giving him credit for... Not mentioning Bain Capital or the 47%?? And you think that's a mistake? C'mon...
Obama's playing the long game here. It was totally a part of his strategy to play this first of three debates as low-key as possible. Let Romney romp on out to the end of his leash, let him expend as much energy as he wants. Obama's like the canny boxer in the ring, holding his punches at first, feinting and dodging while he lets the other guy expend himself...
This was only THE FIRST debate... Obama knows what he's doing... The only question is: will he pull out the big guns (Bain, 47%, etc) in the second or third appearance?
C'mon guys, Obama's waaay smarter than you're giving him credit for... Not mentioning Bain Capital or the 47%?? And you think that's a mistake? C'mon...
Obama's playing the long game here. It was totally a part of his strategy to play this first of three debates as low-key as possible. Let Romney romp on out to the end of his leash, let him expend as much energy as he wants. Obama's like the canny boxer in the ring, holding his punches at first, feinting and dodging while he lets the other guy expend himself...
This was only THE FIRST debate... Obama knows what he's doing... The only question is: will he pull out the big guns (Bain, 47%, etc) in the second or third appearance?
49
I thought, and I guess I'm the minority here, that he did pretty well. How can you prepare for someone who's going to spend the entire debate making things up? Romney lied through the whole debate, in an epic way. He also came off as a coked-up bully (poor Lehrer).
50
Daniel knows its a form letter.
What caught his eye, and annoyed him, I suspect, is the 'end times' rhetoric ("...in the little time we have left"), and the incorrect shifting of the onus of responsibility, from 'Barack' (who had a little debate thingy on the night in question) to donors ("the most important thing that will happen tonight is what you do (or don't do)). The most important thing 'tonight' was the goddamned debate, not whether Daniel wrote a check (or not).
I don't fault Daniel for being annoyed: that's quite a big ball of annoying in such a brief e-mail, especially coming on the heels of such a lackluster debate performance.
What caught his eye, and annoyed him, I suspect, is the 'end times' rhetoric ("...in the little time we have left"), and the incorrect shifting of the onus of responsibility, from 'Barack' (who had a little debate thingy on the night in question) to donors ("the most important thing that will happen tonight is what you do (or don't do)). The most important thing 'tonight' was the goddamned debate, not whether Daniel wrote a check (or not).
I don't fault Daniel for being annoyed: that's quite a big ball of annoying in such a brief e-mail, especially coming on the heels of such a lackluster debate performance.
51
I think Barack threw this one on purpose...or just didn't bother to prepare cause he's smarter than Mitt but arrogant. He knew Mittsky was practicing in his mirror. Now Mitt will believe Fox's hype and Barack will stop being an arrogant prick and get prepared.
52
@50, there's also that unfortunate, 'I hope I made you proud". Um, well, I wish you had...
I was annoyed enough by that email to read it aloud to my husband.
I was annoyed enough by that email to read it aloud to my husband.
53
So oppression is okay as long as it is not happening to you, Mr. It-Gets-Better, Dan Savage?
What about Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), reported to be worse than the WTO and NAFTA combined, rendering all our environmental and human rights laws null and void in a world court run by corporations, allowing them to rule that we taxpayers owe corporations, like Monsanto, money for lost profits whenever our laws interfere with their profits...LOOK THE DAMN THING UP PLEASE!! www.rt.com/usa/news/tpp-obama-corporatio…
What about Obama's decision to close the investigation on the criminal bankers who destroyed the world's economy, while they walk off with $32 trillion in offshore accounts? (www.nationofchange.org/banks-global-elit… www.nationofchange.org/attorney-general-… )
What about the indefinite detention law (the NDAA law), detaining Americans indefinitely without charge or trial? Oh right, they're only doing that to protect is from terrorists. Nevermind those pesky 1,700 architects and engineers, pilots, and firefighters, who have hard scientific evidence that cancels out the government's version of events.
What about the $2 billion PER WEEK that is spent on the occupation in Afghanistan, while record breaking numbers of veterans are committing suicide from being unable to cope with the memories? Oh right, we need to protect ourselves from terrorism.
What about the drones killing innocent civilians which Obama covers it up by listing them all as militant combatants? (jesus the KKK could only dream of free range murder like that) Oh right, we need to guard against those terrorists.
What about Obama's persecution of Bradley Manning who obeyed the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal by blowing the whistle on war crimes committed by our military, and Obama's bragging about going after more whistle-blowers than all US presidents combined ( www.rootsaction.org/news-a-views/511-oba… )?
Wasn't the whole point of the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal to stop fascism from re-occurring by not allowing the old "I was just following orders" excuse to be used by those who went along with the Nazis? Now, by setting the example with Bradley Manning and others, Obama is making sure no one will dare obey the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal's ruling that individuals have the duty to disobey domestic laws to prevent crimes against humanity from occurring. Feel safe?
What about Obama's expansion of GMO's which are proven very harmful to our health and killing bees? (You see Dan Savage, there's this big protest with lots of information about it.) And Obama puts a Monsanto rep Vilsack in charge of food safety and refuses to even mention labels?
What about that climate change denial Obama gave to Rolling Stone magazine when he disputed NASA's own senior climatologist, James Hansen's assertion that it would be "game over" for the earth if the Keystone XL Pipeline went through? Can you say global climate change? Because Obama sure can't, at least not during the debate.
What about Obama permitting Shell Oil, with 270 major oil spills under their belt in just last year alone, allowing them to drill for oil in both the Arctic and the Gulf? (can you say "global climate change?)
What about Obama's expansion of coal sales, and then bragging about it? (www.act.credoaction.com/campaign/ofa_coa…) Global climate change anyone?
What about hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") which Obama touts as safe even though it is already destroying much of the earth and communities worldwide, with gas coming out of people's water faucets etc.? (www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/3039 )
What about the medical marijuana dispensaries that Obama is raiding "upholding the law," forcing taxpayers to spend more than the 13.7 billion per year they are already forced to pay for marijuana prohibition (www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/econom… )
In none of these cases can it be said that "Obama is trying to do good but the republicans won't let him." How about his corporate sponsors, the 1%, won't let him -eh? (Any chance of Obama supporters out there actually caring about Martin Luther King Jr's dream of judging by content of character only?)
There are too many other issues to mention. I mean I already wasted enough of my time on this. I mean it isn't like the Stranger, or its readers are unaware of all this is it? They know and they don't care... so tell me was there anything about Bush's POLICIES that you did not like? If so, can you name ONE that Obama has not expanded?
Tell me please, how does one switch from being dead against Bush's policies, to being in full support of the expansion of Bush's -er, excuse me, now Obama's policies, in just 3 years? How did 'Yes We Can' turn into 'No We Can't' get rid of Bush's ugliest policies?
Don't give me that "Romney will be worse" mantra because it takes a severe case of cognitive dissonance not to recognize that there is NOTHING worse than the irretrievable loss of human rights, democracy, and the earth, which re-electing Obama will guarantee!
'Arguments about how "the republicans are so much worse" have the sad logic of slaves trying to figure out which overseer will be more generous with the food rations, and more sparring with the whip.' -Dan Mage, OpEdNews
And the Supreme Court? Yes!!! What about the Supreme Court-- Obama appoints a Top Tea Party Advisor as US Attorney (www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/08/03…) and Elena Kagan just sided with the Alito/Scalia crowd on removing our Miranda rights last feb (www.emptywheel.net/2012/02/21/elena-kaga…) Let me get this straight. You someone who is a hair-split away from being identical to Romney selecting Justices for the Supreme Court? So all the 1% had to do to you Obama apologists out there, was pull a sleight-of-hand move and voila-- ALL of Bush's ugliest policies have been expanded but it all okay with you because there's a democrat in the White House?
It's bad enough that our corporate media (owned and controlled by the 1%) constantly tries to tell us that we can only choose between their "right" and "left" fists. But when the so-called "progressive" media joins in... well, clearly, the real reason the Stranger is "Seattle's only paper" is because it provides quite the platform for the 1% "left" fist.
...and No! I am not voting for RonPaul. I am voting for Jill Stein. And I anyone who voted for the NDAA, I will NEVER vote for again!
More...
What about Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), reported to be worse than the WTO and NAFTA combined, rendering all our environmental and human rights laws null and void in a world court run by corporations, allowing them to rule that we taxpayers owe corporations, like Monsanto, money for lost profits whenever our laws interfere with their profits...LOOK THE DAMN THING UP PLEASE!! www.rt.com/usa/news/tpp-obama-corporatio…
What about Obama's decision to close the investigation on the criminal bankers who destroyed the world's economy, while they walk off with $32 trillion in offshore accounts? (www.nationofchange.org/banks-global-elit… www.nationofchange.org/attorney-general-… )
What about the indefinite detention law (the NDAA law), detaining Americans indefinitely without charge or trial? Oh right, they're only doing that to protect is from terrorists. Nevermind those pesky 1,700 architects and engineers, pilots, and firefighters, who have hard scientific evidence that cancels out the government's version of events.
What about the $2 billion PER WEEK that is spent on the occupation in Afghanistan, while record breaking numbers of veterans are committing suicide from being unable to cope with the memories? Oh right, we need to protect ourselves from terrorism.
What about the drones killing innocent civilians which Obama covers it up by listing them all as militant combatants? (jesus the KKK could only dream of free range murder like that) Oh right, we need to guard against those terrorists.
What about Obama's persecution of Bradley Manning who obeyed the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal by blowing the whistle on war crimes committed by our military, and Obama's bragging about going after more whistle-blowers than all US presidents combined ( www.rootsaction.org/news-a-views/511-oba… )?
Wasn't the whole point of the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal to stop fascism from re-occurring by not allowing the old "I was just following orders" excuse to be used by those who went along with the Nazis? Now, by setting the example with Bradley Manning and others, Obama is making sure no one will dare obey the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal's ruling that individuals have the duty to disobey domestic laws to prevent crimes against humanity from occurring. Feel safe?
What about Obama's expansion of GMO's which are proven very harmful to our health and killing bees? (You see Dan Savage, there's this big protest with lots of information about it.) And Obama puts a Monsanto rep Vilsack in charge of food safety and refuses to even mention labels?
What about that climate change denial Obama gave to Rolling Stone magazine when he disputed NASA's own senior climatologist, James Hansen's assertion that it would be "game over" for the earth if the Keystone XL Pipeline went through? Can you say global climate change? Because Obama sure can't, at least not during the debate.
What about Obama permitting Shell Oil, with 270 major oil spills under their belt in just last year alone, allowing them to drill for oil in both the Arctic and the Gulf? (can you say "global climate change?)
What about Obama's expansion of coal sales, and then bragging about it? (www.act.credoaction.com/campaign/ofa_coa…) Global climate change anyone?
What about hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") which Obama touts as safe even though it is already destroying much of the earth and communities worldwide, with gas coming out of people's water faucets etc.? (www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/3039 )
What about the medical marijuana dispensaries that Obama is raiding "upholding the law," forcing taxpayers to spend more than the 13.7 billion per year they are already forced to pay for marijuana prohibition (www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/econom… )
In none of these cases can it be said that "Obama is trying to do good but the republicans won't let him." How about his corporate sponsors, the 1%, won't let him -eh? (Any chance of Obama supporters out there actually caring about Martin Luther King Jr's dream of judging by content of character only?)
There are too many other issues to mention. I mean I already wasted enough of my time on this. I mean it isn't like the Stranger, or its readers are unaware of all this is it? They know and they don't care... so tell me was there anything about Bush's POLICIES that you did not like? If so, can you name ONE that Obama has not expanded?
Tell me please, how does one switch from being dead against Bush's policies, to being in full support of the expansion of Bush's -er, excuse me, now Obama's policies, in just 3 years? How did 'Yes We Can' turn into 'No We Can't' get rid of Bush's ugliest policies?
Don't give me that "Romney will be worse" mantra because it takes a severe case of cognitive dissonance not to recognize that there is NOTHING worse than the irretrievable loss of human rights, democracy, and the earth, which re-electing Obama will guarantee!
'Arguments about how "the republicans are so much worse" have the sad logic of slaves trying to figure out which overseer will be more generous with the food rations, and more sparring with the whip.' -Dan Mage, OpEdNews
And the Supreme Court? Yes!!! What about the Supreme Court-- Obama appoints a Top Tea Party Advisor as US Attorney (www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/08/03…) and Elena Kagan just sided with the Alito/Scalia crowd on removing our Miranda rights last feb (www.emptywheel.net/2012/02/21/elena-kaga…) Let me get this straight. You someone who is a hair-split away from being identical to Romney selecting Justices for the Supreme Court? So all the 1% had to do to you Obama apologists out there, was pull a sleight-of-hand move and voila-- ALL of Bush's ugliest policies have been expanded but it all okay with you because there's a democrat in the White House?
It's bad enough that our corporate media (owned and controlled by the 1%) constantly tries to tell us that we can only choose between their "right" and "left" fists. But when the so-called "progressive" media joins in... well, clearly, the real reason the Stranger is "Seattle's only paper" is because it provides quite the platform for the 1% "left" fist.
...and No! I am not voting for RonPaul. I am voting for Jill Stein. And I anyone who voted for the NDAA, I will NEVER vote for again!
55
Probably a high % of Obama staff younger campaign folks read Dan. Glad Dan is making fun of their efforts, Obama's messaging sucks.
Small businesses -- just once did Obama mention that 97% would save taxes. He never (not in 2008 debates nor this week) explained that there's no tax on gross, just net. A lot of small businesses make >$250k gross and the way Obama frames it makes it sounds like taxes will go up on anyone "making" more. If you're busy running a business you might actually think he wants to raise your taxes based on your gross.
Romney, whose policies suck, makes the messaging sound great for small businesses.
#53 yeah, it's a problem. Lesser of two evils as Dan says.
Small businesses -- just once did Obama mention that 97% would save taxes. He never (not in 2008 debates nor this week) explained that there's no tax on gross, just net. A lot of small businesses make >$250k gross and the way Obama frames it makes it sounds like taxes will go up on anyone "making" more. If you're busy running a business you might actually think he wants to raise your taxes based on your gross.
Romney, whose policies suck, makes the messaging sound great for small businesses.
#53 yeah, it's a problem. Lesser of two evils as Dan says.
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