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Obama "Old Man" Ad Attacks McCain's War Disabilities
NRO - The Corner ^ | 12 September 2008 | Jonah Goldberg

Posted on 09/12/2008 4:01:22 PM PDT by PhatHead

The Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."
Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):
McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.
In a similar vein I guess it's an outrage that the blind governor of New York David Patterson doesn't know how to drive a car. After all, transportation issues are pretty important. How dare he serve as governor while being ignorant of what it's like to navigate New York's highways.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ads; attackad; campaignads; danpfeiffer; election; electionads; emails; internet; mccain; mccainattacks; mccainpalin; obama; obamabiden; pow; typing
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To: unspun

Thanks for the wink and sorry to hear you have physical challenges.


181 posted on 09/13/2008 12:01:55 AM PDT by Lijahsbubbe
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To: PhatHead
"It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

A hundred bucks says Barry doesn't know how to send an e-mail either.

182 posted on 09/13/2008 12:03:35 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (What do Barack Obama and a bowl of chili have in common?)
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To: Lijahsbubbe

Sun Tzu himself, reincarnated and grafted onto Machiavelli’s DNA, wouldn’t be recognizable to his own legion.

Picking Palin was a masterstroke of mezmerizing mojo.

Stand fast; don’t flinch; fix bayonets and await orders.


183 posted on 09/13/2008 12:12:34 AM PDT by VigilantAmerican (We will not waver, we will not tire; we will not falter, we will not fail)
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To: PhatHead
Steve Gilbert of Sweetness & Light noticed what appears to be a more explicit case of Obama mocking McCain's war injuries. In Did Obama Mock McCain's Arm Disability, he writes:
Notice Mr. Obama’s body language starting at about 12:15, when he talks about John McCain:

Perhaps we are seeing things. But to our newly body language calibrated eyes it reads this way.

Obama starts talking about the McCain ad. He sets the scene. He says McCain is looking into the distance. Then he, Obama, looks into the distance.

And then Obama does the arm thing — and it gets a laugh from the audience. Even though the line itself isn’t particularly funny.

Obama's Impression of McCain.

O.K., so we have an email dig, lipstick on a pig, questions on the maternity of Trig, a disabled arm imitation thing, ... and all from an arrogant prig.


And, "lest we forget, Obama flipped off Hillary" (hat tip: Sweetness & Light).
184 posted on 09/13/2008 12:19:33 AM PDT by Wallaby
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To: piytar
McCain and his campaign need to stay out of this one.

Totally agree. Besides, do we really want to get in a discussion about disabilities and computer use? I worked with a woman who had very severe cerebral palsy and she worked as a technical writer at Motorola.

If McCain doesn't use a computer it's probably because he has secretaries and assistants to do it. Period.

185 posted on 09/13/2008 12:22:08 AM PDT by ARCADIA (Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
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To: Wallaby

It’s quick and tiny, but yeah. He does.


186 posted on 09/13/2008 12:53:12 AM PDT by HarryCaul (Verify Possums! Pogo's Enemy is Us!)
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To: babygene
If you used It’s called voice command programing to post on FR, you would be ridiculed with every post...

I don't know the program name or names but I do know a person who uses it ever day though. She can barely move her fingers. She moves them just enough to operate her wheelchair a keboard is out of the question. Actually she has been using trial or pre-release programs as well for a long time.

Another person who works in a hospital in a near by city where I live controls the HVAC system for the hospital by using voice commands. For that matter many of us likely every day use voice command or voice prompt computerized systems as many companies have gone to this type of system for customer service. The technology has been around a while. It's nice to have a spouse or family member help but having that independence is good also.

187 posted on 09/13/2008 1:55:56 AM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: Lijahsbubbe

NOBODY with any credibility ever said he doesn’t know HOW; the actual TRUTH is that the long-term results of the injuries Senator McCain suffered in Viet Nam make TYPING a laborious, and painful exercise, so he CHOOSES NOT TO do it.

Signing a book is a far cry from typing; even something as brief as this post.

But go back and look at the picture you posted.

See the raised shoulder? Note the leaning to the side in order to get the shoulder up, and elevate the arm sufficiently?

People with full function of their arms don’t lean to the side when they raise an arms; they simply raise the arm.

Your world is thick with clues to a reality you’ve never seen. Get one.


188 posted on 09/13/2008 2:48:54 AM PDT by HKMk23 (To the church without mixture I will give the Spirit without measure. -- YHVH)
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To: comebacknewt
So far I must say I am really enjoying Obama’s new tone.

And I hope he gets even "tougher."

Maybe he can rip older people as being useless to our society and a drag on our resourses.

And tell young adults they are jerks and should shape up, stop being so vacuous, and vote for him.

Then he could do a national, not just New Pennsylvania, attack on those of us who cling to our religion and guns.

Then he could go after people who have more than one child and trying to hog resources. Same for fat people.

Then he could attack white women for being racist for not voting for him and sexist for supporting Palin.

Then he could blast the media for not asking him tough questions, not digging into every detail of his life, and not questioning his drug use.

Then he could go after black people for not being more like white people.

And this is just the start.

189 posted on 09/13/2008 4:13:04 AM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: PhatHead; VigilantAmerican
I remember that - it burned me up that Bush did not make an issue of that vandalism.

When he decided to sweep that under the carpet in the name of a new tone in politics I knew we were in trouble.

Probably the worst damage they did was to switch all the phones around. In our system, removing a phone from its jack for more than a certain number of minutes causes the extension assigned to that jack to evaporate, and it has to be reassigned at the server, even though the wires are still connected to the panels. Thank God the little weasels didn't have keys to the closets, or they'd have pulled the wires out of the patch panels (if they'd been able to recognize them). I bet the White House phone team was ready to go to their houses with ballbats.

190 posted on 09/13/2008 4:20:30 AM PDT by nina0113 (If fences don't work, why does the White House have one?)
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To: mylife

I wouldn’t be surprised if they come back with some stupid comment to cover themselves, like “Well he could use a voice recognition program.”

And he could.

I use such programs for preparing curriculum, reading articles, pamphlets, and textbook excerpts into my computer, and it types it for me.

But it STILL requires some keyboard work, ‘cause even using the high dollar programs, one must do some editing and correcting, and some formatting, using the keyboard.


191 posted on 09/13/2008 4:27:35 AM PDT by John Leland 1789
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To: Yaelle

Thanks! :)


192 posted on 09/13/2008 4:32:32 AM PDT by maggief (Read my lip-stick!)
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To: Harry Wurzbach

Perfect response. I admit, I did not know that this was the reason he didn’t use the Internet. And you’re right, the McCain campaign should respond quickly and as sharply as you have. We’ll see how the weekend unfolds.


193 posted on 09/13/2008 4:57:13 AM PDT by SueRae
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To: lady lawyer

Well, if I hear anyone complaining about McCain not being able to use the internet, I’ll certainly set them straight.


194 posted on 09/13/2008 5:13:32 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: PhatHead

195 posted on 09/13/2008 5:19:18 AM PDT by RetroSexual
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To: cartoonistx

I LOVE it! Obama really is an idiot. God help us if he's elected!

196 posted on 09/13/2008 5:26:52 AM PDT by Sooth2222 ("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)
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To: comebacknewt
"Either they really do have amateurs running the Obambi campaign or else Hillary! has completely infiltrated their camp and is sabotaging them from within. The stupidity in their ranks is staggering."

It's like the Obama campaign is being run by 3 to 5 year-olds.

197 posted on 09/13/2008 5:28:54 AM PDT by cake_crumb (Terrorist organizations worldwide endorse Obama.)
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To: Lijahsbubbe
1: that's not a keyboard, it's a pen. 2: Though I wasn't beaten by the Viet Cong, I have arthritis in my hands badly enough that there are days when I can barely type and can't write at all. I recognize that expression on his face, you see. It's hard to write or type when your fingers won't bend and you have to consciously direct each little movement.

Your post shows an ignorance similar to that of whatever wit in the Obama campaign came up with the sneering "can't use the internet" ad.

198 posted on 09/13/2008 5:34:02 AM PDT by cake_crumb (Terrorist organizations worldwide endorse Obama.)
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative
to picture Cindy checking his email for him and him sitting there. I dont know. it just. whoa.

I know...it's so sweet.
199 posted on 09/13/2008 5:35:18 AM PDT by Miss Didi ("Good heavens, woman, this is a war not a garden party!" Dr. Meade, Gone with the Wind)
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To: cartoonistx

1 pic is worth 1,000 words!!!

McCain Ccampaign should be using this!!


200 posted on 09/13/2008 5:38:08 AM PDT by Freedom56v2
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