Matt Damon: Sarah Palin Presidency Would Be Like a 'Really Bad Disney Movie'

[agricola]

Regarding my Russia and America as future allies remark, check back in ten years.

Putin's a thug, but he loves Russia.   

We have a lot of "nice" people who don't much love America.

This is perhaps true - certainly the Russian Foriegn Minister Sergei Lavrov has managed to brighten my day today with this report of his dressing-down of our David Miliband, our Blairite Foriegn Secretary:

One unconfirmed report suggested that Mr Lavrov said: "Who are you to f------ lecture me?"

He also asked Mr Miliband in equally blunt terms whether he knew anything of Russia's history.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2667840/David-Miliband-subjected-to-F-word-tirade-from-Russian-foreign-minister.html

[Perd Hapley]

I'm quite glad none of our candidates share Putin's resume.  I want a thug president no more than I want a "hockey mom".

OK, come on.  What is this big, burning problem you have with Palin's "hockey mom" image?  You're not being unduly influenced by marketing slogans, I hope. 

[Wildalaska]

Welcome back Ken !  Did you bring Spiff with you ?? grin

Spiffs in love, I get to see him once a month and he is all calf eyed and moonstruck

[ArfinGreebly]

Well, there's the quintessential "soccer mom," who is a vicious, unforgiving, referee-beating proponent of "fairness" ("Hey, ref, you make another call against my kid, I'm gonna kick your ass!"), and then there's the "hockey mom," who says to her own kids, "So what?  Teeth can be replaced.  Now get out there and kick some ass!"

I'll take the "moose shooter" hockey mom, thanks.

[Dntsycnt]

OK, come on.  What is this big, burning problem you have with Palin's "hockey mom" image?  You're not being unduly influenced by marketing slogans, I hope. 

Aside from it being an idiotic, meaningless, ambiguous term?  I don't want a "hockey mom" to have access to nuclear weapons.  I don't want a "hockey mom" to lead the most powerful nation in the world.  I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.  (Or stateswoman.)  What makes it worse is that she calls herself a hockey mom.  A sense of humor is great in a politician, but come on, if you're going to represent the people of the United States you should at least take yourself seriously.

"Hockey mom".  Good lord.  I'm going to go vomit.

[ArfinGreebly]

A sense of humor is great in a politician, but come on, if you're going to represent the people of the United States you should at least take yourself seriously.

Nah.

We have too many arrogant, self-important, affectedly-serious, throat-clearing, eyglass-adjusting, down-the-nose-scowling, affronted, stentorian uber-menschen in Washington DC as it is.

I want her to take the CONSTITUTION seriously.

If she wants to roll on the White House lawn with her dog and kids, I'm good with that.

[Gowen]

I'm gonna laugh my ass rear off when all these 'woman follows man' evangelicals get Palin as POTUS. 

No, that super secret group that orders Dick Cheney to boss GWB around is who will be pulling the strings.  She is too stupid to do it for herself, like GWB.

[longeyes]

Aside from it being an idiotic, meaningless, ambiguous term?  I don't want a "hockey mom" to have access to nuclear weapons.  I don't want a "hockey mom" to lead the most powerful nation in the world.  I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.  (Or stateswoman.)  What makes it worse is that she calls herself a hockey mom.  A sense of humor is great in a politician, but come on, if you're going to represent the people of the United States you should at least take yourself seriously.

"Hockey mom".  Good lord.  I'm going to go vomit.

"Expertise" is more often than not a myth when it comes to foreign policy.  Madeleine Allbright?  Like her "expertise?"  And I hate to say this, but Condi Rice, with her advanced specialty in Russian Stuff, didn't see "Georgia" coming or deflect it, nor does she seem to be doing much good in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian problem.  Palin can read up on what's happening abroad, and of course she'll get briefed by U.S. intell.  In the end it's about animal cunning and intuitive risk-taking.  You don't get that in grad school.

[Perd Hapley]

OK, come on.  What is this big, burning problem you have with Palin's "hockey mom" image?  You're not being unduly influenced by marketing slogans, I hope. 

Aside from it being an idiotic, meaningless, ambiguous term?  I don't want a "hockey mom" to have access to nuclear weapons.  I don't want a "hockey mom" to lead the most powerful nation in the world.  I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.  (Or stateswoman.)  What makes it worse is that she calls herself a hockey mom.  A sense of humor is great in a politician, but come on, if you're going to represent the people of the United States you should at least take yourself seriously.

"Hockey mom".  Good lord.  I'm going to go vomit.

Well, after a rant like that, certainly no one will take you seriously. 

I would ask you, if Palin has not proven herself as a statesman, then who has.  But of course no one would be interested in your answer. 

[Dntsycnt]

I'm not sure I'd call it a rant, barring the last three sentences.  You certainly got a good nut-jab in on me on your last sentence, I'll give you that.  But I'd rather you address the issue directly:  How is "hockey mom" a desirable label for your President?

[Perd Hapley]

Have you never seen an election before?  It's called folks appeal.  In the same fashion, Lincoln cultivated his image as a frontier rail-splitter.  Like I said, it's a marketing slogan.  It's how the game is played. 

[dogmush]

I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.  (Or stateswoman.)

Me too.

However our choices are McCain or Obama, So I'll just have to go for whoever is least damaging to the Constitution.

[roo_ster]

It's how the game is played. 

If democracy is a 'game' to you, maybe you don't deserve it anymore.   Maybe its overstayed its welcome.

Lighten up, Francis. 

fistful is describing some of the rules & means by which successful policritters get elected. 

If you have difficulty with the use of humor and/or colloquialisms, there are plenty of places on the web for the humor-impaired to congregate and stoke their indignation.

[MicroBalrog]

If democracy is a 'game' to you, maybe you don't deserve it anymore.   Maybe its overstayed its welcome.

Read Johann Huizinga. There are elements of a 'game' in practically every major human activity.

That something is a game doesn't mean it's not important.

[Ben]

I don't want a "hockey mom" to have access to nuclear weapons.

I want someone who knows how to use AOL and who is cognizant of the strategic importance of arugula prices to have access to nuclear weapons. I won't feel safe until then.

[Matthew Carberry]

Regarding my Russia and America as future allies remark, check back in ten years.

Putin's a thug, but he loves Russia.   

We have a lot of "nice" people who don't much love America.

This is perhaps true - certainly the Russian Foriegn Minister Sergei Lavrov has managed to brighten my day today with this report of his dressing-down of our David Miliband, our Blairite Foriegn Secretary:

One unconfirmed report suggested that Mr Lavrov said: "Who are you to f------ lecture me?"

He also asked Mr Miliband in equally blunt terms whether he knew anything of Russia's history.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2667840/David-Miliband-subjected-to-F-word-tirade-from-Russian-foreign-minister.html

Ironically, that's the kind of person you can deal with, once you get your terms and positions defined.  This mealy-mouthed diplo-speak, such as that used in the recent cease-fire, that seeks to avoid making demands lends itself to deliberate or accidental misunderstanding.

I'm not saying you need be blunt or rude in public, but when real negotiations are going on, there's nothing wrong with letting your position and firmness be clearly displayed. Even if it means you use a little vulgarity.

[agricola]

Regarding my Russia and America as future allies remark, check back in ten years.

Putin's a thug, but he loves Russia.   

We have a lot of "nice" people who don't much love America.

This is perhaps true - certainly the Russian Foriegn Minister Sergei Lavrov has managed to brighten my day today with this report of his dressing-down of our David Miliband, our Blairite Foriegn Secretary:

One unconfirmed report suggested that Mr Lavrov said: "Who are you to f------ lecture me?"

He also asked Mr Miliband in equally blunt terms whether he knew anything of Russia's history.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2667840/David-Miliband-subjected-to-F-word-tirade-from-Russian-foreign-minister.html

Ironically, that's the kind of person you can deal with, once you get your terms and positions defined.  This mealy-mouthed diplo-speak, such as that used in the recent cease-fire, that seeks to avoid making demands lends itself to deliberate or accidental misunderstanding.

I'm not saying you need be blunt or rude in public, but when real negotiations are going on, there's nothing wrong with letting your position and firmness be clearly displayed. Even if it means you use a little vulgarity.

A Cato for our times!

[divemedic]

I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.

 

When was the last time we had one of those as President? The last 100 years, and their previous occupations: (How is Palin any less qualified that the Presidents below?)

GW Bush Governor of Texas
Clinton  Governor of Arkansas
GHW Bush  Director of CIA (then Vice President), Ambassador to the UN under Nixon, Oil Millionaire 
Reagan Governor of California (actor before that)
Carter Governor of Georgia (farmer before that)
Ford Congressman
Nixon Lawyer, Congressman
LBJ Congressman
JFK Congressman
Eisenhower Military
Truman Congressman
FDR Governor
Hoover Mining engineer
Coolidge Governor, Lawyer before that
Harding Congressman
Wilson Governor of New Jersey
Taft, Lawyer

[Sergeant Bob]

I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.

 

When was the last time we had one of those as President? The last 100 years, and their previous occupations: (How is Palin any less qualified that the Presidents below?)

GW Bush Governor of Texas
Clinton  Governor of Arkansas
GHW Bush  Director of CIA (then Vice President), Ambassador to the UN under Nixon, Oil Millionaire 
Reagan Governor of California (actor before that)
Carter Governor of Georgia (farmer before that)
Ford Congressman
Nixon Lawyer, Congressman
LBJ Congressman
JFK Congressman
Eisenhower Military
Truman Congressman
FDR Governor
Hoover Mining engineer
Coolidge Governor, Lawyer before that
Harding Congressman
Wilson Governor of New Jersey
Taft, Lawyer

I don't know. Does she have any acting experience?

[agricola]

I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.

 

When was the last time we had one of those as President? The last 100 years, and their previous occupations: (How is Palin any less qualified that the Presidents below?)

GW Bush Governor of Texas
Clinton  Governor of Arkansas
GHW Bush  Director of CIA (then Vice President), Ambassador to the UN under Nixon, Oil Millionaire 
Reagan Governor of California (actor before that)
Carter Governor of Georgia (farmer before that)
Ford Congressman
Nixon Lawyer, Congressman
LBJ Congressman
JFK Congressman
Eisenhower Military
Truman Congressman
FDR Governor
Hoover Mining engineer
Coolidge Governor, Lawyer before that
Harding Congressman
Wilson Governor of New Jersey
Taft, Lawyer

I don't know. Does she have any acting experience?

She was a sports reporter for a bit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiOIEGM7XEs

[Perd Hapley]

Here's a better soundbyte from Palin:  What does a VP do, anyway?   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKI77iaF8k&feature=related

Watch out, there was a link on there that was NSFW. 

[Perd Hapley]

I want an informed, intelligent, experienced statesman.

 

When was the last time we had one of those as President? The last 100 years, and their previous occupations: (How is Palin any less qualified that the Presidents below?)

 (Llist)

Some of those guys may have been more qualified than Palin, but that doesn't make them "statesmen."  Palin has shown herself to be a statesman, because she has acted in the interest of her constituents, and dramatically so, rather than merely seeking power and prestige.  Witness her hocking the gubernatorial assets to help balance the budget.

[Matthew Carberry]

AND, putting the State Constitution ahead of her own beliefs when she vetoed the Legislative special session's attempt to prohibit (un-Constitutionally) the state from paying same-sex benefits (HB4001).

She said her oath as Governor required her to do so.

I want people of faith, or lack thereof, who put the Constitution, State or Federal, and their oaths to support and defend the same, ahead of their own beliefs when it comes to actions versus talk.

Palin has proven that.

Her religious beliefs have thus been shown to be a non-factor in her actual actions in power.

The "scary evangelical" talking point is just so much wind.