Blogger gets blanked by the straight talk express and his new friend

darkcrowdarkcrow Posts: 1,102
edited September 2008 in A Moving Train
http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/how-americablog-reader-asked-john-and.html

Our family today had an interesting encounter that I wanted to share with you. We were eating at El Pinto restaurant in Albuquerque. It is the most popular New Mexican restaurant in town, a large sprawling compound with a number of dinning rooms and patio spaces.

We were eating outside in the patio closest to the main road and had just finishing lunch when I saw the McCain bus drive by! It was followed closely by a number of police motorcycles, secret service SUVS, and press vans. It was obvious they were coming to El Pinto!

We figured we'd head out and see if we could get a closer look. I decided this might be my one chance, to ask one question of each candidate. I carried Caterina (16 months) along with me to meet the candidates.

I worked my way through a number of other dinners and secret service and finally got to the patio on the other side of the restaurant. I could see John McCain ahead of me shaking hands with folks. Sorry the picture is so blurry. I had a baby in one arm and an iPhone in the other!

McCain worked his way up to me and Cat and as I shook his hand, I asked, "Sir, I respect your service but, why were you against the GI bill?" Senator McCain, paused, he looked a bit surprised at the question and then he said, "Nice to meet you." I repeated the question and he repeated his non-answer. He quickly worked his way down the line. So much for straight-talk!

I have been genuinely curious as to why he wouldn't support a bill so important to veterans (McCain opposed this bill from the beginning and then skipped the vote). Also, I was surprised at myself as I as I almost involuntarily prefaced my question with, "Sir, I respect your service but..." No wonder he's gotten a free ride by the press, I think this reaction is not unique and the press must feel the same pressure that I felt. Perhaps that explains why his poor support for veteran issues isn't well known.

Sarah Palin was next! I couldn't resist trying for a better photo. It is still blurry, but talk about a close encounter.

Sarah first looked at Caterina said hello, and I shook her hand. I asked, "Are supporting Ted Stevens this year?" She replied, "He's under indictment you know...his trial is in September." I replied, "But are you voting for him?" She walked away without answering.

I don't think this question will be answered until after Senator Stevens' trial in September and perhaps never. After all, Ted Stevens is still running for the Senate this year and a Republican vote, corrupt or not, is still a Republican vote. I was amazed that she offered up, "He's under indictment you know." She's going to need some serious handling before they let her into the wild!

I followed Governor Palin out and they stopped to purchase some salsa. This whole stop was just a photo-op and my questions, any questions were obviously not part of the script. No townhall meeting here.

After less than 15 minutes at the Restaurant the Straight-NoTalk Express headed out.

My wife Angela was at the entrance with my son Andrea holding up a home made Obama sign and shouting at McCain, Palin and the press. It made me very proud. A memorable lunch at El Pinto.

Jim, Angela, Andrea and Caterina
Corrales, New Mexico
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    darkcrow wrote:
    My wife Angela was at the entrance with my son Andrea holding up a home made Obama sign and shouting at McCain, Palin and the press. It made me very proud. A memorable lunch at El Pinto.

    Jim, Angela, Andrea and Caterina
    Corrales, New Mexico

    yeah, i'll bet that while his family was out front shouting at and hassling everyone in sight, he was a model of respectful and humble questioning and not at all combative. :rolleyes:

    that said, i would like to hear answers to those questions.
    and like that... he's gone.
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Stupid blogger. While the question was valid, and I too would love to hear the answer, if the guy thought he was going to be able to engage the candidate and have a one-on-one discussion with him, he is an idiot. More likely, he asked the question knowing he wouldn't get the response he was looking for so he could write a stupid article about it.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    ok, let me understand...it was a valid question and everyone would like to know the answer...but the asker is "stupid" and disrespectful...

    Country First...
  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    inmytree wrote:
    ok, let me understand...it was a valid question and everyone would like to know the answer...but the asker is "stupid" and disrespectful...

    Country First...

    no, the asker was most likely a rude dickhead about it and was stupid to think he would actually get an answer in this environment. photo-ops are part of politics. candidates are taught not to answer these questions off-the-cuff and i don't blame them. go see obama's faith thread... the smallest out of context misstatement could be disastrous, especially since bloggers are not at all accountable to anyone.

    they don't have time to speak one-on-one with every person they see on the campaign trail and answer all their pet questions.

    what should be done is make a big national stink about the GI thing and force the mccain camp to step to the place and explain it. but it's not going to get answered this way.
    and like that... he's gone.
  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    catch22 wrote:
    no, the asker was most likely a rude dickhead about it and was stupid to think he would actually get an answer in this environment. photo-ops are part of politics. candidates are taught not to answer these questions off-the-cuff and i don't blame them. go see obama's faith thread... the smallest out of context misstatement could be disastrous, especially since bloggers are not at all accountable to anyone.

    they don't have time to speak one-on-one with every person they see on the campaign trail and answer all their pet questions.

    what should be done is make a big national stink about the GI thing and force the mccain camp to step to the place and explain it. but it's not going to get answered this way.

    most likely a rude dickhead...?

    wow...ass-uming is fun, ain't it...
  • OpenOpen Posts: 792
    catch22 wrote:
    no, the asker was most likely a rude dickhead


    WTF...were u there?
  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    Open wrote:
    WTF...were u there?

    nope. but based on his own words in his own article, and every video i've ever seen recording such a scenario, be it pro-lifers asking dems questions or left-wingers hassling republicans, the askers are always acting like petulant douchebags. thus why i said "most likely." because i don't buy for a second his portayal of himself as some sort of perfectly sensible, polite, and deferential voter while both candidates were stonewalling assholes. i'm 95% positive he was shouting combative and accusatory questions at them both like he admitted his family was doing outside and that they ignored him for good reason because no matter what they answered, it was going back on his blog as evidence of how evil they were.
    and like that... he's gone.
  • Easy (partisan) answers...

    McCain is old, and probably didn't hear the question.

    And Palin didn't have the answer on a teleprompter, so she instead answered a question that she knew the right answer to.

    :)
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • jeffbrjeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    catch22 wrote:
    nope. but based on his own words in his own article, and every video i've ever seen on such a scenario, be it pro-lifers asking dems questions or left-wingers hassling republicans, the askers are always acting like petulant douchebags.

    I agree. And even if he were perfectly polite and respectful, it is idiotic to think that a candidate who is working his way through a throng of people, pressing the flesh, smiling politely and trying to get into a restaurant is going to stop everything and engage in conversation or debate with someone.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • OpenOpen Posts: 792
    jeffbr wrote:
    idiotic to think that a candidate who is working his way through a throng of people, pressing the flesh, smiling politely and trying to get into a restaurant is going to stop everything and engage in conversation or debate with someone.

    If you want to use an inappropriate setting for the reason he didnt get an answer, that's completely reasonable. But to assume, that he was rude and a "dickhead" with his child in his arm is even more close minded, lazy, and idiotic.
  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    Open wrote:
    If you want to use an inappropriate setting for the reason he didnt get an answer, that's completely reasonable. But to assume, that he was rude and a "dickhead" with his child in his arm is even more close minded, lazy, and idiotic.

    no, it's sick. because i've seen people like this using their kids for exactly this reason. it's disgusting. the whole family was camped out friend shouting shit and waving obama banners. you really believe this guy was innocently trying to have his doubts answered? he was looking for ammunition for a blog and he found it.. the kid was just being used for a better photo.... big bad candidate gives the cold shoulder to cute cuddly child. it's bullshit.
    and like that... he's gone.
  • OpenOpen Posts: 792
    again...were u there?
  • catch22catch22 Posts: 1,081
    Open wrote:
    again...were u there?

    nope. again: "most likely." were you there? do you know this account is perfectly accurate and unbiased and without agenda? is this your blog?
    and like that... he's gone.
  • What is even funnier are the posts after the blog... These people make the blogger out to be some sort of superhero.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • chromiamchromiam Posts: 4,114
    And Palin didn't have the answer on a teleprompter, so she instead answered a question that she knew the right answer to.

    :)

    kinda sounds like Obama....
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  • this thread illustrated exactly why we are a shit-hole country run by shit holes voted in by shit holes.... of, by, and for the shit holes.
  • Solat13Solat13 Posts: 6,996
    chromiam wrote:
    kinda sounds like Obama....

    Until he changes his answer a few days or weeks later. ;)
    - Busted down the pretext
    - 8/28/98
    - 9/2/00
    - 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
    - 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
    - 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
    - 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
    - 8/2/07, 8/5/07
    - 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
    - 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
    - 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
    - 9/11/11, 9/12/11
    - 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
  • brandon10brandon10 Posts: 1,114
    this thread illustrated exactly why we are a shit-hole country run by shit holes voted in by shit holes.... of, by, and for the shit holes.


    Shit holes first
  • OpenOpen Posts: 792
    What is even funnier are the posts after the blog... These people make the blogger out to be some sort of superhero.

    No one is making him to be a superhero..wtf is wrong with you people... a guy is dismissed and called a dickhead b/c he is a blogger....painted by a brush based on other bloggers.

    Based on that logic you are all most likely dickheads since i know some people on these boards that are dickheads.

    I could care less about the blogger, its the logic that's alarming.
  • Solat13Solat13 Posts: 6,996

    You do realize that Obama and Biden voted to keep the Bridge to Nowhere instead of diverting funds to Interstate 10 that was destroyed by Katrina right. ;)
    - Busted down the pretext
    - 8/28/98
    - 9/2/00
    - 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
    - 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
    - 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
    - 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
    - 8/2/07, 8/5/07
    - 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
    - 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
    - 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
    - 9/11/11, 9/12/11
    - 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
  • Solat13 wrote:
    You do realize that Obama and Biden voted to keep the Bridge to Nowhere instead of diverting funds to Interstate 10 that was destroyed by Katrina right. ;)


    LOL!

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/24/AR2008042403456.html
  • Solat13Solat13 Posts: 6,996

    Didn't Obama just say yesterday he wasn't going to roll back the Bush tax cuts and instead let them expire after campaigning all along that he was going to remove them or did I miss that? ;)
    - Busted down the pretext
    - 8/28/98
    - 9/2/00
    - 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
    - 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
    - 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
    - 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
    - 8/2/07, 8/5/07
    - 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
    - 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
    - 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
    - 9/11/11, 9/12/11
    - 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
  • Wow, I did not realize Obama answers every question asked of him. I bet if I asked him about Resco while he was grabbing a quick bite to eat he would sit down with me for five minutes and discuss it.
  • Solat13 wrote:
    Didn't Obama just say yesterday he wasn't going to roll back the Bush tax cuts and instead let them expire after campaigning all along that he was going to remove them or did I miss that? ;)

    Where did I say Obama didn't flip? I'm just spreading the love. There's more than enough to go around.

    You neocons sure do seem to think your cronies can do no wrong. I find that quite precious really. So very loyal. Keep it up. They need you. The country needs you... ;)
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