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[zmix]

My girlfriend has a friend who is going to vote McCain't because of the following "important" reasons...
(and here come the talking points):

"We don't know him"
"He's Muslim"
"The Ayers thing"
"Reverend Wright"

Are there gentle online resources to help clarify such misinformation and dispell fear?

[Nick Sevilla]

Hi,

Depending on the subject's Iq, you may or may not be able to help:

IQ < 120 - Can't help the guy. He will try to deflect your reasoning with unintelligible drivel.

IQ < 120 - Can't help the guy. He will try to convince you that he's right.

So, the real quesiton is, How can you make him FEAR McCain more than Obama?

This is the real key to getting these Republicans to sway.

FEAR. the only way to sway.

Cheers

[rnicklaus]

There has been SO much misinformation spread about Obama it's nutty.

Obama has spend the last 2 years running for President.  He is certainly vetted by the media. We "know" him as much as we "know" any candidate. (uniter vs divider, anyone?)

Not Muslim - OR

Why would have been part of Rev Wrights' church for 20 years?  Secret Muslim?

Ayers - All charges dropped.  There is no there there.

Wright?  20 years of Obama being a member of his church and 3 or 4 videos surface?  Nothing worse than Falwell or Robertson say daily.

http://factcheck.org/

[Jay Kadis]

"We don't know him"   ...   "You don't know any of them"
"He's Muslim"    ....    " All religions are equally wrong."
"The Ayers thing"    ...   "The Keating Five" (they were not a rock group)
"Reverend Wright"   ...    "George Bush"

There, that ought to do it.  (Or not...)

[Berolzheimer]

Just make that person read this:

 http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_mav erick_the_real_john_mccain


And if they're more ambitious & want some deep perspective they should read this (I think EVERYONE should read this):

http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/the-book

[rnicklaus]

It's interesting that the McCain campaign has accused Obama of being every "enemy" the US has ever had or feared.

Communist
Terrorist
Socialist
Muslim
Radical
Black pastors

Oh..... and....... psssssssst - He's not one of "us".

[Steve Hudson]

Politely point out to her that it's McCain who has the solid track record of driving things into the ground, like jets and his own reputation.

[Berolzheimer]

And an ultralight.

[Jay Kadis]

And the savings and loans.  (See above)

[tom eaton]

I second the http://www.factcheck.org suggestion.

The best site I've found for unbiased criticism of BOTH candidates, their claims and their advertisments.

Lately it seems pro-Obama only because the arguments coming from the other side are so flawed.

t

[wwittman]

zmix wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 14:18

My girlfriend has a friend who is going to vote McCain't because of the following "important" reasons... (and here come the talking points): "We don't know him"

yes.
we KNOW McCain and that should be reason ENOUGH to vote against him.
We KNOW that everything he stands for has been amply proven by this last bunch of morons to not work for anyone except the super rich.

How about this: the McCain tax plan will give the McCain's themselves an estimated $730,000 tax break.
That help?

this is fairly interesting and straightforward:

http://www.wegoted.com/uploads/resources/37/gr2008061200193. gif

does this person live in NY?
if so, forget it.
NY isn't in play.

It's what i tell my right-wing loony friends who live in NY: 'knock yourself out, it won't matter'.

[John Ivan]

zmix wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 14:18

My girlfriend has a friend who is going to vote McCain't because of the following "important" reasons... (and here come the talking points): "We don't know him" "He's Muslim" "The Ayers thing" "Reverend Wright" Are there gentle online resources to help clarify such misinformation and dispell fear?

If these are the reasons this late in the game. Tell her to please Stay home., or go ahead and vote for McCain..

"HE's a Muslim"?
If you can, make it so she can't vote..

She's an idiot. I would rather she note vote, or drive, or have kids, well, you get the idea.

He's a Muslim.. ?

What the fuck..

Ivan...............

[Steve Hudson]

And as many have pointed out, when McCain responded to someone at one of his rallies who shouted out that Obama is a Muslim, McCain's response was, "No, he's a decent family man", as if there is something inherently bad about Muslims. But to call out the bigots in his base by pointing out that it's just Muslim extremists we should fear (as we on the other side of the political aisle loathe Christian extremists) would just piss off the bumpkins.

[PRobb]

Nick Sevilla wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 14:32

So, the real quesiton is, How can you make him FEAR McCain more than Obama? This is the real key to getting these Republicans to sway. FEAR. the only way to sway. Cheers

John McCain is 72. He has had multiple cancers. If he wins there is a real possibility that Sarah Palin could become the President of the United States.

If that doesn't scare him shitless he probably does not possess a functioning brain.

[Steve Hudson]

I'm so glad I live in Austin, the only true Blue part of Texas. Seems that a quarter of Texans polled by UT think Obama's a Muslim.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/aust in/politics/entries/2008/10/29/poll_finds_nearly_one_in_four .html

[John Ivan]

OK, zmix,

If she is going to ask these questions about Sen. Obama. Tell her that I want her to please do the following.


"We don't know him"

Explain what this means. And explain what it is she believes she knows about McCain. She might be shocked to find that she actually knows more about Obama in the end. There are some pretty scary questions about what we may not know about McCains' activity over the years. We can account, almost literally, for  every DAY of Obamas' life.

"He's Muslim"

Please have her find any serious evidence of this. When and where did he commit to this religion? Where does he "worship"? Is his wife also a Muslim?.. If there IS such evidence, is there something "wrong" with Muslims to begin with?

"The Ayers thing"

Ask her to find out how many republicans were on the same board with Obama and Ayers. Ask her who requested the presence of each of these men on this board and then ask her to find out how many of THEM are supporting and/or know Sen. McCain. Also, look into how many serious criminals McCain has hung out with. How completely reckless was John McCain throughout his life? It's amazing and troubling.

"Reverend Wright"

If she is worried about a whacked out Christian guy where Obama used to go to church, why is she concerned that he's a Muslim? Which is it? Is Obama a Christian or a Muslim?.. Also, have her take a look at the mentally ill preachers that Mr. McCain seems to except as supporters of his bid for the White House.

Then, have her read what some of the most serious people in the country have to say about Mr. Obama. Some of these people really are seen as being among the very smartest public officials in the country, from BOTH the conservative and Liberal "think Tanks" around the country.

If she is not willing to do a couple days of reading about who this cat is, where he came from, what he believes, and what drove him to run for office, then she has to admit she is part of the problem. This might be a wonderful woman, and she is clearly a friend to your lovely wife so I wont beat her up anymore, and I'm sorry if I've been harsh on one of your friends. But we are IN THIS MESS because otherwise good people like her refuse to pay attention!

There really is a responsibility we have as Americans to know something about the issues and vote. I know we have the right to stay home, or vote based on nothing if that's what we decide to do. But I think this speaks to the least in us. Not the most. Ask her to get serious for the sake of our kids.

Ivan...........................

[Larrchild]

I would guess, based on his misinformation, that he is probably a 4-bit processor. So, as mentioned, "fight or flight" instincts are all you have. Therefore.. FEAR. It's what got him to this point.

Play the trial scene from "The Cain Mutiny" where Bogart melts down, and say "Is this what you Want?"

[John Ivan]

zmix,

I referred to your girlfriend as your wife.. Sorry..

I also assumed for some reason that this friend was female. Sorry..

I don't know why I made these mistakes except to say that I woke up at 4:00 PM. I'm all turned around..

Again, sorry for the mistakes.

Ivan.............................

[Larrchild]

We don't know male or female here actually.
But available bits matter more to know how to program.

[RSettee]

zmix wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 13:18

My girlfriend has a friend who is going to vote McCain't because of the following "important" reasons... (and here come the talking points): "We don't know him" "He's Muslim" "The Ayers thing" "Reverend Wright" Are there gentle online resources to help clarify such misinformation and dispell fear?

First they would have to not be a racist, Chuck. Good luck fighting that one.

As for the other people who perhaps aren't racist, but have bought into the boogeyman mentality that the Republicans have harvested, as other people have mentioned, the next way to solve this problem is to get to the root of the fear tactics. But good luck on that one, too, because once a child is convinced the boogeyman is under his/ her bed, once you convince them that they're not under the bed, they're not entirely convinced that the boogeyman hasn't moved to the closet.

In other words, there's a shifting of fear tactics that have been both actually imposed by the Republicans, and then there's the fear that's created by letting the human mind fester under the paranoia of what they think that the NEW fear might be.

[danickstr]

Just show them this picture...




That should put them at ease....

[Edvaard]

John Ivan wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 19:07

"The Ayers thing" Ask her to find out how many republicans were on the same board with Obama and Ayers. Ask her who requested the presence of each of these men on this board and then ask her to find out how many of THEM are supporting and/or know Sen. McCain. Also, look into how many serious criminals McCain has hung out with. How completely reckless was John McCain throughout his life? It's amazing and troubling. Ivan...........................

On this issue, tell the friend also to ask Chicago's Mayor Daley about Ayers;


"I also know Bill Ayers. He worked with me in shaping our now nationally-renowned school reform program. He is a nationally-recognized distinguished professor of education at the University of Illinois/Chicago and a valued member of the Chicago community."

Yes, Daley is a Democrat but as pointed out above, at least several republicans have every bit as much "ties to this terrorist" as Obama.

[Berolzheimer]

Tell your friend to watch Rachel Maddow's interview with Obama:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/30/rachel-maddow-inter views_n_139402.html