Let's relive the Bush years!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Let's relive the Bush years!

Negative_Earth: Apr 18, 2002; BeiiN AlL ii CaN B

Nthing the enjoyment of this thread; some key international bullet points (because I've forgotten so much) skimmed from Wikipedia

Vicente Fox is elected president of Mexico as a right-wing populist (https://elpais.com/diario/2000/07/04/opinion/962661602_850215.html)
Bashar al-Assad is confirmed as Syria's leader: (https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/27/AR2007052701117.html)
Elian Gonzalez makes it to Cuba: (https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/08/world/cardenas-journal-the-town-that-s-proud-to-say-elian-lives-here.html)

# ? Sep 12, 2020 18:50

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# ? May 5, 2024 12:16

Martian: May 29, 2005; Grimey Drawer

Not to steal this (awesome) thread's future thunder, but this twitter thread that was posted in the general election thread is a great reminder of the utter insanity and corruption of the Bush years. God drat, I forgot how bad it really was.

https://twitter.com/mugrimm/status/1171794187609657345?s=19

# ? Sep 12, 2020 19:07

Minera: Sep 26, 2007; All your friends and foes,
they thought they knew ya,
but look who's in your heart now.

readingatwork posted:

Just for clarity people are welcome to post things not directly related to the news if they think they're cool or interesting. In fact it's probably a good idea since frankly we'll need the levity of discussing cool nostalgic video games or whatever as things get grim.

As far as PC gaming goes, id Entertainment dominated the late 90s era of PC gaming, with Doom and its sequels followed by Quake, but most members of that studio had left by the year 2000. Notable of which was John Romero, one of the original founders, who by the year 2000 had released his 3 years in development masterpiece, Daikatana. Of course, Quake III Arena also came out this year and pretty soundly showed that Carmack was the real brains behind Id, not Romero.

In addition the PC market was finally starting to open up to less hardcore gaming types, with The Sims coming out in 2000, which to this day is still the best selling PC game franchise of all time. Diablo 2 and Deus Ex both came out this year as well, three days apart in June 2000, both of which are some remembered as some of the best PC games of all time. PopCap games was also founded in the year 2000 as well, a studio that really helped open up the more casual gaming market, especially with their first hit, Bejeweled, although this didn't come out until 2001.

In console news, the PS2 comes out this year as mentioned, and the Dreamcast was still floundering a bit after its launch in 1999, although it did have one of the first online gaming services in SegaNet, which allowed dial-up users to play games such as Phantasy Star Online, well, online. While the PS2 and the Gamecube didn't launch with actual modem adapters, they both did come with slots to upgrade and use them post release. Online gaming wouldn't really come into its own outside of the PC market for a few more years.

Other notable 2000 game releases:

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Star Wars Episode 1 Racer
Paper Mario
Kirby 64
Perfect Dark
Baldur's Gate II
Final Fantasy 9
SSX

# ? Sep 12, 2020 22:54

Freakazoid_: Jul 5, 2013; Buglord

I think 2000 was also the year Newgrounds really took off after Tom Fulp added The Portal, which allowed flash artists to upload their content for everyone to see.

I think they finally got around to purging the old forums, too. I don't know if I should feel bad that my last remaining evidence of my presence on the early internet is gone, or glad that I can finally run for president without some jerk bringing up my opinion on guns before I was of age to vote.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 00:41

Incelshok Na: Jul 2, 2020; by Hand Knit

We did the Onion article, right? Because that's basically all you need to know.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 01:19

BiggerBoat: Sep 26, 2007; Don't you tell me my business again.

Code Jockey posted:

The perfect day to think once again about George W Bush

Well at least he got revenge for all those Iraqi's responsible for 9/11 anyway so that was a load off when we pulled down a Saddam statue. And I remember him saying he "didn't think that often" about Bin Laden when he promised we were gonna "smoke em out".

Not sure where we're at exactly in our timeline but remember these patriotic gems from 2002 and 2003?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruNrdmjcNTc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yLQRF-cEU

Don't read the comments. People think trash like this poetic and deep. Full of meaning. Brings tears to their eyes but seems like parody and satire to me. God drat, conservatives are idiots.

gently caress...I think I skipped ahead a little. Oh well. Have some lovely music anyway.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 21:42

Dancer: May 23, 2011

Folks, the second most tragic event to have happened on a September 11th hasn't even hapened yet, hold your horses, we'll get there before long :v:

# ? Sep 13, 2020 23:39

Incelshok Na: Jul 2, 2020; by Hand Knit

Dancer posted:

Folks, the second most tragic event to have happened on a September 11th hasn't even hapened yet, hold your horses, we'll get there before long .

What about the worst day of his presidency? Where are we in the build up to that?

# ? Sep 13, 2020 23:45

DalaranJ: Apr 15, 2008; Yosuke will now die for you.

readingatwork posted:

Just for clarity people are welcome to post things not directly related to the news if they think they're cool or interesting. In fact it's probably a good idea since frankly we'll need the levity of discussing cool nostalgic video games or whatever as things get grim.

Mario Tennis was released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan on July 21st, 2000. The first game to feature the character Waluigi.

# ? Sep 13, 2020 23:49

Minera: Sep 26, 2007; All your friends and foes,
they thought they knew ya,
but look who's in your heart now.

im curious if there's any news articles from 2000 or 2004 that proclaim it as the most important election of people's lives

# ? Sep 14, 2020 02:24

Eric Cantonese: Dec 21, 2004; You should hear my accent.

Well, the results of those elections helped put the world in its current lovely state, so saying that would have been justified (to me).

2004 really broke my heart.

# ? Sep 14, 2020 02:28

Incelshok Na: Jul 2, 2020; by Hand Knit

Eric Cantonese posted:

Well, the results of those elections helped put the world in its current lovely state, so saying that would have been justified (to me).

2004 really broke my heart.

Cheney killing Wellstone and then stealing Ohio (at least) in 2004 both really went a long way to making me transition from a violent antifa to an electoralist who helped gotv for 2006 and 2008.

The phase didn't last long, by 2012 I was back to advocating solutions outside of electoral politics.

# ? Sep 14, 2020 02:30

Eric Cantonese: Dec 21, 2004; You should hear my accent.

This might be more e/n and I don't know how interesting anyone else will find it, but I really got into GOTV work for 2008 and 2012 because of 2004.

I was not on a firm track until after I graduated law school, so after the bar exam in 2004, I had time to kill since job offers weren't going to come until after I could say I passed. I ended up agreeing to be an election protection volunteer for the Virginia Democrats and they asked me to go to Danville, Virginia to monitor a polling station in one of the Democrat-heavy areas on Election Day. We were suppose to stay outside the station as required by law, wear a nice non-partisan "Election Protection Volunteer" sticker and just ask people if they were having a hard time voting. The volunteer preparation was pretty light and we basically got a couple of copies of statutes regarding what kind of assistance voters could get if they need it. The Democrats told us to call headquarters in Richmond if the situation was really troublesome.

I had to show up at the beginning of the day. Most of it went okay because people in Danville are friendly, but I did have some "ching-chong" sounds shouted at me by a group of young white guys. (They were driving a Honda Civic, hilariously enough.) Unfortunately, around 11 am or so, one of the voters told me that the election officials were not helping multiple voters who were getting confused by the old style mechanical lever machines used at the site. This was starting to cause delays in the line and the person complaining to me was worried people might leave the line as a result.

So Virginia law (in 2004 at least) explicitly says that no one can be in a ballot booth except the voter, except when the voter requires assistance to use the machine. Then a worker can come in and guide the person through the machine and then leave the booth. Instead of doing that, though, the poll workers in Danville were reportedly just shouting vague instructions at the voters from outside the curtain. I called Richmond and they told me to remind the workers at the poll site that they could do this.

I went closer to polling site and tried to talk to the poll workers there. They sent out someone more senior and she immediately get testy with me and told me that it was against the law to help the voters in the booth. I responded that the law said she and her colleagues could go inside the booth to help explain how the machines worked. She whipped out a copy of the statute and said 'listen here, it says "no one may enter a ballot box but the voter EXCEPT!" She started tapping her fingers on the the word "except:" like that was the end of the sentence.

I responded, 'but look at this subparagraph after the "except" where it shows you the kind of help you can give in the booth' Then I start reading the text like a big dumbass who forgot that no one likes a lawyer...

This set off the woman even more and she starts shouting at me that I'm overstepping my bounds. She and colleague started crowding me closer to the red line marking where only voters can be and I know if I end up beyond that line, they technically have an argument that I'm breaking the law, so I start trying to leave and end the conversation. At that point, an older white woman saw the fray and butted in, saying "I'm a concerned Republican and I want to know what's going on. What is this? ELECTION PROTECTION VOLUNTEER? THIS IS A DEMOCRAT TRICK." I'm still trying to extricate myself and so I can just go back to my car and refer the issue to Richmond as a potential flag. As I turn around, the self-proclaimed Republican tore my sticker off and shouts "This is evidence and I'm calling the police! You guys aren't getting away with this!" The election worker saw it and shouted "thank you!"

There wasn't much else to do and while I didn't want to be intimidated away, I also didn't want to stand out really obviously, so I straightened myself out and just stood by my car. Shortly thereafter, a police car drove into the lot, paused for a while, and then just rolled out. I guess they must have thought "nothing is happening now so why bother looking further?"

I called the Richmond office and the call staff just laughed at me and thought it was the most hilarious thing ever, which wasn't terribly helpful or comforting. The rest of the day went without incident and then I spent 2 and a half hours driving home that night listening to NPR as Kerry lost.

And that's why I don't trust poll workers.

I also hope W rots in hell.

# ? Sep 14, 2020 02:41

Incelshok Na: Jul 2, 2020; by Hand Knit

Eric Cantonese posted:

This might be more e/n and I don't know how interesting anyone else will find it, but I really got into GOTV work for 2008 and 2012 because of 2004.

I was not on a firm track until after I graduated law school, so after the bar exam in 2004, I had time to kill since job offers weren't going to come until after I could say I passed. I ended up agreeing to be an election protection volunteer for the Virginia Democrats and they asked me to go to Danville, Virginia to monitor a polling station in one of the Democrat-heavy areas on Election Day. We were suppose to stay outside the station as required by law, wear a nice non-partisan "Election Protection Volunteer" sticker and just ask people if they were having a hard time voting. The volunteer preparation was pretty light and we basically got a couple of copies of statutes regarding what kind of assistance voters could get if they need it. The Democrats told us to call headquarters in Richmond if the situation was really troublesome.

I had to show up at the beginning of the day. Most of it went okay because people in Danville are friendly, but I did have some "ching-chong" sounds shouted at me by a group of young white guys. (They were driving a Honda Civic, hilariously enough.) Unfortunately, around 11 am or so, one of the voters told me that the election officials were not helping multiple voters who were getting confused by the old style mechanical lever machines used at the site. This was starting to cause delays in the line and the person complaining to me was worried people might leave the line as a result.

So Virginia law (in 2004 at least) explicitly says that no one can be in a ballot booth except the voter, except when the voter requires assistance to use the machine. Then a worker can come in and guide the person through the machine and then leave the booth. Instead of doing that, though, the poll workers in Danville were reportedly just shouting vague instructions at the voters from outside the curtain. I called Richmond and they told me to remind the workers at the poll site that they could do this.

I went closer to polling site and tried to talk to the poll workers there. They sent out someone more senior and she immediately get testy with me and told me that it was against the law to help the voters in the booth. I responded that the law said she and her colleagues could go inside the booth to help explain how the machines worked. She whipped out a copy of the statute and said 'listen here, it says "no one may enter a ballot box but the voter EXCEPT!" She started tapping her fingers on the the word "except:" like that was the end of the sentence.

I responded, 'but look at this subparagraph after the "except" where it shows you the kind of help you can give in the booth' Then I start reading the text like a big dumbass who forgot that no one likes a lawyer...

This set off the woman even more and she starts shouting at me that I'm overstepping my bounds. She and colleague started crowding me closer to the red line marking where only voters can be and I know if I end up beyond that line, they technically have an argument that I'm breaking the law, so I start trying to leave and end the conversation. At that point, an older white woman saw the fray and butted in, saying "I'm a concerned Republican and I want to know what's going on. What is this? ELECTION PROTECTION VOLUNTEER? THIS IS A DEMOCRAT TRICK." I'm still trying to extricate myself and so I can just go back to my car and refer the issue to Richmond as a potential flag. As I turn around, the self-proclaimed Republican tore my sticker off and shouts "This is evidence and I'm calling the police! You guys aren't getting away with this!" The election worker saw it and shouted "thank you!"

There wasn't much else to do and while I didn't want to be intimidated away, I also didn't want to stand out really obviously, so I straightened myself out and just stood by my car. Shortly thereafter, a police car drove into the lot, paused for a while, and then just rolled out. I guess they must have thought "nothing is happening now so why bother looking further?"

I called the Richmond office and the call staff just laughed at me and thought it was the most hilarious thing ever, which wasn't terribly helpful or comforting. The rest of the day went without incident and then I spent 2 and a half hours driving home that night listening to NPR as Kerry lost.

And that's why I don't trust poll workers.

I also hope W rots in hell.

I'm sorry this happened and also: this is what the DNC looks like and wants. Ill-prepared idealistic volunteers getting loving crushed and humiliated for no reason.

RNC is different. They want their voters to crush and humiliate people for no reasons.

I'd be fine with it if people weren't dying to satisfy certain people's kink.

# ? Sep 14, 2020 02:46

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

Martian posted:

Not to steal this (awesome) thread's future thunder, but this twitter thread that was posted in the general election thread is a great reminder of the utter insanity and corruption of the Bush years. God drat, I forgot how bad it really was.

https://twitter.com/mugrimm/status/1171794187609657345?s=19

I remember this because there was a Photoshop Phriday about it. Remember those?

# ? Sep 14, 2020 16:27

Pick: Jul 19, 2009; Nap Ghost

drat this is a very good thread. Thanks.

# ? Sep 16, 2020 01:07

Dapper_Swindler: Feb 14, 2012; Im glad my instant dislike in you has been validated again and again.

Pick posted:

drat this is a very good thread. Thanks.

its great, what sucks is i was mostly a dumb kid when it happened (9 in 2000) and i leaned right wing because my "cool" uncle and 9/11 patriotism and pro iraq war. but i mostly played with star wars figures and video games like spyro.

# ? Sep 16, 2020 01:12

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

I'm a British/American dual citizen and I was at university in the US in autumn 2004. It was my first term and the time of Bush vs. Kerry. I essentially grew up in a family of British commies and was completely disdainful of all politics from a young age - everyone was just oppressing the proles to me, and indeed they still are. However, I made the mistake that year of revealing that I could vote... bad idea. At that time I am living away from parents for the first time in a country that was still rather strange, and the last thing that I wanted was heat with anyone. I still have an incredibly vivid memory of me in class, the day after the election, with everyone staring at me angrily because I flat-out said that I did not vote and never intended to do so. It was in a state where Bush won easily; had it been 2000 Florida, they might have had a point, but it's a university so the self-righteousness is obvious. I refused to choose between two terrible options then and I maintain that stance to this day in both the US and UK. I'm still resentful of how awful people were to me and it's only fuelled my disdain for "two-party" (read: really just one party) politics.

With another miserable, pointless election looming I just play defence. I'm a college professor now and I just tell everyone that I cannot vote, which is a lie that fits the accent, and I flat-out tell my students on day one of class that I have a strict "no politics stance." I have the misfortune of being at a university, so full of liberal claptrap, but one that has close ties to the military and in one of the worst states in the US, so it's the worst of all worlds.

DalaranJ posted:

Mario Tennis was released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan on July 21st, 2000. The first game to feature the character Waluigi.

My favourite character in that game - I like purple and playing defence.

The PS2 was also the only console I ever bought on launch day, until the Switch.

Edit: Changed a demonstrative for clarity

JustJeff88 fucked around with this message at 14:51 on Sep 28, 2020

# ? Sep 28, 2020 02:09

Grouchio: Aug 31, 2014

It's a new day in America.

America survived Trump and an abortive Coup. Biden is president and Bernie is directing policy.

Can we pick this project back up? I think August 2000 was next.

Grouchio fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Jan 21, 2021

# ? Jan 21, 2021 22:10

Grammarchist: Jan 28, 2013

I was thinking of going back through "The Clothes Have No Emperor" about the Reagan years, but honestly I liked this thread's coverage of the Bush Years better. Reagan was stupid and evil, but drat we had so much farther to fall.

# ? Jan 21, 2021 22:18

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

Sorry about that. Doing this ended up taking way more out of my time than I originally planned and it kind of fell off the map when work started picking up and other projects took priority. If people were enjoying it that much I'm willing to give it another go but the pace will probably be a bit slower. I'll try and get something put together by this weekend.

# ? Jan 22, 2021 00:38

Grouchio: Aug 31, 2014

readingatwork posted:

Sorry about that. Doing this ended up taking way more out of my time than I originally planned and it kind of fell off the map when work started picking up and other projects took priority. If people were enjoying it that much I'm willing to give it another go but the pace will probably be a bit slower. I'll try and get something put together by this weekend.

As long as the stream flows, it flows. And we'll help too.

# ? Jan 22, 2021 02:46

V. Illych L.: Apr 11, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT LUMBER

readingatwork posted:

Sorry about that. Doing this ended up taking way more out of my time than I originally planned and it kind of fell off the map when work started picking up and other projects took priority. If people were enjoying it that much I'm willing to give it another go but the pace will probably be a bit slower. I'll try and get something put together by this weekend.

this is a good project, and i'd be happy if you kept on with it

# ? Jan 22, 2021 02:54

Sarcastro: Dec 28, 2000; Elite member of the Grammar Nazi Squad that

We have to at least get up until September 2001 and then decide it's all just too depressing to re-live and drop it entirely.

# ? Jan 22, 2021 15:27

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

Alright, let�s pick up where we left with :siren:

August of 2000 :siren:

:

So let�s start with a brief reminder that while they aren�t talked about much these days, tobacco companies are some of the most evil montherfuckers on the planet

Aug 2 - W.H.O. Says Files Show Tobacco Companies Fought Antimsoking Efforts

New York Times posted:

By Barry Meier

Tobacco industry documents show that cigarette makers took part for years in a sweeping campaign to influence and undermine the World Health Organization's anti-smoking efforts worldwide, the agency contends in a new report.

The report also accuses the leading tobacco companies of using a network of front organizations and groups with industry ties to thwart W.H.O. The study adds that industry consultants obtained positions at W.H.O.-affiliated groups and that new rules are probably needed that would require the agency employees, consultants and advisers to disclose their industry ties.

The special report, a copy of which the World Health Organization provided to The New York Times in advance of its release today, is based on industry documents, including those uncovered by states during lawsuits against the tobacco industry. Some have been previously cited in news reports. But others shed new light on the biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris, and the role apparently played a decade ago by its chairman in devising ways to undercut the World Health Organization. The report includes some documents and citations to others.

The report is being issued as international health groups like the World Health Organization are trying to keep attention focused on smoking after settlements in lawsuits under which major cigarette makers agreed to restrict advertising and finance anti-smoking campaigns. Those accords do not extend outside the United States, and antismoking groups have maintained that producers will operate under different rules abroad.

''Nobody who is working in the area of tobacco control is surprised that tobacco companies are trying to limit our influence,'' said Dr. Thomas Zeltner, a top Swiss public health official who headed the panel that oversaw the report. ''But,'' Dr. Zeltner said, ''the surprise is how elaborate and well financed this whole activity was.''

In a statement, an official of Philip Morris, David Davies, did not dispute the report's contents but said that the decade-old documents that it cited reflected a different time in the company's history and that the company has changed its practices.

''Our goal today is to create a different environment, one of less rancor, where there can be real progress in resolving important issues relating to the regulation of tobacco,'' said Mr. Davies, a vice president of the international tobacco subsidiary.

Michael Prideaux, a spokesman for British-American Tobacco, another company cited in the report, was more critical. ''It is very sad that the W.H.O., of all people, have succumbed to the plaintiffs' obsession with old documents,'' Mr. Prideaux said, ''rather than how we might work together constructively to move things forward.'[LMAO what a loving tool.]'

The report is based on documents that extend from almost a decade ago, when the suits were filed, and is thus largely focused on the manufacturers' activities at a time when producers felt little pressure from the threats of suits or public condemnation. In 1988, top officials of Philip Morris gathered in Boca Raton, Fla., to develop a broad strategy for undermining antismoking efforts and other threats to the industry, the report states.

The meeting was overseen by Geoffrey Bible, who was then head of the company's international tobacco division and is now its chairman. Executives at the meeting identified 26 threats to tobacco, foremost of which was international health agencies like the World Health Organization.

The report says officials then devised a set of ''redirection/containment strategies,'' though it said it was difficult to determine how many of them Philip Morris carried out because company documents were incomplete. But in one memo sent to Mr. Bible, a subordinate wrote, ''The antismoking movement is now so intertwined and interrelated that chopping off one arm, or the head, should not be viewed as a quick fix to containment.''

A spokeswoman for the company, Elizabeth Cho, said Mr. Bible was not available for comment.

Other parts of the report say the industry tried to use front organizations or surrogates to influence the World Health Organization. One section details industry dealings with Paul Dietrich, a lawyer who is also head of the Institute for International Health and Development, a research group in Alexandria, Va. According to the report, Mr. Dietrich attended the meeting in Boca Raton and subsequently wrote opinion pieces for The Wall Street Journal and The International Herald Tribune that attacked W.H.O. without disclosing that he and the institute had received money from the tobacco industry. In 1990, Mr. Dietrich was appointed to a committee of the Pan American Health Organization, a group that is a W.H.O. regional office, and sought to lower tobacco as a priority for the agency, the report asserted.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Dietrich disputed the findings, calling them ridiculous. He said he had been critical of W.H.O. because he believed that the agency was wasting its money on ineffective anti-smoking efforts rather than concentrating on major health initiatives in the developing world.

''In my speeches, I talked about vaccination programs and childhood health,'' Mr. Dietrich said. ''I never mentioned tobacco. My mantra was we have 'x' amount of dollars, and that needs to be spent on the diseases that were killing children.''

Mr. Dietrich has denied that the industry financed his writings. But he acknowledged that British-American Tobacco hired him as a consultant in the mid-1990's, when he was also an official of the Pan American organization. Mr. Dietrich said he agreed to prepare a report for the company that would be an overview of the World Health Organization and the issues it confronted.

Asked about disclosing his work to the Pan American organization, Mr. Dietrich said he had not and added: ''I didn't feel like it related to anything we were doing with tobacco. So there was no conflict.''

An official of the World Health Organization, David Nabarro, said some of the report's findings raised concerns that the agency and related United Nations units needed better safeguards from industry interests, including a review of guidelines on disclosing possible conflicts of interest.

Now realize that literally every industry is doing this same poo poo with at every level of government and dispair.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED I GUESS!?

Aug 4 - THE REPUBLICANS; Bush Outlines His Goals: 'I Want to Change the Tone of Washington'

New York Times posted:

Following is a transcript of Gov. George W. Bush's speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination last night in Philadelphia, as recorded by The New York Times:

Mr. Chairman delegates, and my fellow citizens, I proudly accept your nomination.

Thank you for this honor. Together, we will renew America's purpose.

Our founders first defined that purpose here in Philadelphia.

Ben Franklin was here. Thomas Jefferson. And, of course, George Washington, or, as his friends called him, ''George W.' [HAHAHAHAH-gently caress YOU!]'

I am proud to have Dick Cheney by my side. He is a man of integrity and sound judgment, who has proven that public service can be noble service [Did he though???]. America will be proud to have a leader of such character to succeed Al Gore as vice president of the United States.

I'm grateful for Senator John McCain. I appreciate so very much his speech two nights ago. I appreciate his friendship. I love his spirit for America. And I want to thank the other candidates who sought this office as well. Their convictions have strengthened our party.

I'm especially grateful tonight to my family.

No matter what else I do in my life, asking Laura to marry me was the best decision I ever made.

And to our daughters, Barbara and Jenna, we love you a lot, we're proud of you, and as you head off to college this fall, don't stay out too late. And e-mail your old dad once in a while, will you?

And Mother, everybody loves you and so do I.

Growing up, she gave me love and lots of advice. I gave her white hair.

And I want to thank my dad, the most decent man I have ever known. All my life I have been amazed that a gentle soul could be so strong.

Dad, I am proud to be your son.

My father was the last president of a great generation. A generation of Americans who stormed beaches, liberated concentration camps and delivered us from evil.

Some never came home. Those who did put their medals in drawers, went to work, and built on a heroic scale. Highways and universities, suburbs and factories, great cities and grand alliances -- the strong foundations of an American century.

Now the question comes to the sons and daughters of this achievement: What is asked of us?

This is a remarkable moment in the life of our nation. Never has the promise of prosperity been so vivid. But times of plenty, like times of crises, are tests of American character.

Prosperity can be a tool in our hands, used to build and better our country. Or it can be a drug in our system, dulling our sense of urgency, of empathy, of duty.

Our opportunities are too great, our lives too short to waste this moment. So tonight we vow to our nation: We will seize this moment of American promise. We will use these good times for great goals.

We will confront the hard issues -- threats to our national security, threats to our health and retirement security -- before the challenges of our time become crises for our children.

And we will extend the promise of prosperity to every forgotten corner of this country.

To every man and woman, a chance to succeed. To every child, a chance to learn. And to every family, a chance to live with dignity and hope.

For eight years, the Clinton-Gore administration has coasted through prosperity. The path of least resistance is always downhill. But America's way is the rising road.

This nation is daring and decent and ready for change.

Our current president embodied the potential of a generation. So many talents. So much charm. Such great skill. But, in the end, to what end?[a legit good question actually]

So much promise, to no great purpose.

Little more than a decade ago, the cold war thawed and, with the leadership of Presidents Reagan and Bush, that wall came down.

But instead of seizing this moment, the Clinton-Gore administration has squandered it. We have seen a steady erosion of American power and an unsteady exercise of American influence. Our military is low on parts, pay and morale.[spoiler alert: The war in Iraq will be terribly mismanaged and will force soldiers to go on way more tours of duty than normally required with insufficient gear despite spending unholy sums on the military]

If called on by the commander in chief today, two entire divisions of the Army would have to report, ''Not ready for duty, sir.''

This administration had its moment. They've had their chance. They have not led. We will.

This generation was given the gift of the best education in American history. Yet we do not share that gift with everyone. Seven of 10 fourth graders in our highest poverty schools cannot read a simple children's book.[Curious that Bush doesn�t actually say how he plans to fix any of this]

And still this administration continues on the same old path with the same old programs, while millions are trapped in schools where violence is common and learning is rare.

This administration had its chance. They have not led. We will.

America has a strong economy and a surplus. We have the public resources and the public will, even the bipartisan opportunities, to strengthen Social Security and repair Medicare.

But this administration, during eight years of increasing need, did nothing.

They had their moment. They have not led. We will.

Our generation has a chance to reclaim some essential values, to show we have grown up before we grow old.

But when the moment for leadership came, this administration did not teach our children, it disillusioned them.

They had their chance. They have not led. We will.

And now they come asking for another chance, another shot.

Our answer?

Not this time.

Not this year.

This is not the time for third chances, it is a time for new beginnings.

The rising generations of this country have our own appointment with greatness. It does not rise or fall with the stock market. It cannot be bought with our wealth.

Greatness is found when American character and American courage overcome American challenges.

When Lewis Morris of New York was about to sign the Declaration of Independence, his brother advised against it, warning he would lose all his property. But Morris, a plainspoken founder, responded: ''drat the consequences, give me the pen.'' That is the eloquence of American action.

We heard it during World War II, when General Eisenhower told paratroopers on D-Day morning not to worry. And one replied, ''We're not worried, General. It's Hitler's turn to worry now.''

We heard it in the civil rights movement, when brave men and women did not say ''We shall cope,'' or ''We shall see.'' They said, ''We shall overcome.''

An American president must call upon that character.

Tonight, in this hall, we resolve to be the party of, not of repose, but of reform.

We will write not footnotes, but chapters in the American story.

We will add the work of our hands to the inheritance of our fathers and mothers and leave this nation greater than we found it.

We know the tests of leadership. The issues are joined.

[/b]We will strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the greatest generation, and for generations to come.[by cutting/privatizing it][/b]

Medicare does more than meet the needs of our elderly, it reflects the values of our society.

We will set it on firm financial ground, and make prescription drugs available and affordable for every senior who needs them.[THIS is what he ultimately ended up passing. Note the way it prevents the government from negotiating costs and has massive (donut) holes in it�s coverage.]

Social Security has been called the ''third rail of American politics'' -- the one you're not supposed to touch because it might shock you.

But, if you don't touch it, you cannot fix it. And I intend to fix it. [Spoiler: It shocked him and he couldn�t privatize it thank God.]

To seniors in this country, you earned your benefits, you made your plans, and President George W. Bush will keep the promise of Social Security. No changes, no reductions, no way. [This means that boomer shitheads get to keep their sweet benefits while everybody under 65 gets screwed.]

Our opponents will say otherwise. This is their last, parting ploy, and don't believe a word of it.

Now is the time, now is the time for Republicans and Democrats to end the politics of fear and save Social Security together.

For younger workers, we will give you the option -- your choice -- to put part of your payroll taxes into sound, responsible investments.

This will mean a higher return on your money, and, over 30 or 40 years, a nest egg to help your retirement, or to pass on to your children.

When this money is in your name, in your account, it's just not a program, it's your property. Now is the time to give American workers security and independence that no politician can ever take away.

On education, too many American children are segregated into schools without standards, shuffled from grade to grade because of their age, regardless of their knowledge.

This is discrimination, pure and simple -- the soft bigotry of low expectations.

And our nation should treat it like other forms of discrimination. We should end it.

One size does not fit all when it comes to educating our children, so local people should control local schools.

And those who spend your tax dollars must be held accountable.

When a school district receives federal funds to teach poor children, we expect them to learn. And if they don't, parents should get the money to make a different choice.[He�s subtly advocating for private school vouchers which will be a hotbutton issue early in his presidency]

Now is the time to make Head Start an early learning program, to teach all our children to read, and renew the promise of America's public schools.

Another test of leadership is tax relief.

The last time taxes were this high as a percentage of our economy, there was a good reason -- we were fighting World War II.

Today, our high taxes fund a surplus. Some say that growing federal surplus means Washington has more money to spend.

But they've got it backwards.

The surplus is not the government's money. The surplus is the people's money.

I will use this moment of opportunity to bring common sense and fairness to the tax code. And I will act on principle.

On principle every family, every farmer and small-business person, should be free to pass on their life's work to those they love.

So we will abolish the death tax.[This is the Estate Tax you pay when you receive over $100k from a dead relative and is the main way we are able to recuperate literally any money from the wealthy.]

On principle no one in America should have to pay a, more than a third of their income to the federal government.

So we will reduce tax rates for everyone, in every bracket.[and he did (but mostly for the rich)]

On principle those in the greatest need should receive the greatest help.

So we will lower the bottom rate from 15 percent to 10 percent and double the child credit.

Now is the time to reform the tax code and share some of the surplus with the people who pay the bills.

The world needs America's strength and leadership, and America's armed forces need better equipment, better training, and better pay.

We will give our military the means to keep the peace, and we will give it one thing more, a commander in chief who respects our men and women in uniform, and a commander in chief who earns their respect.

A generation shaped by Vietnam must remember the lessons of Vietnam.

When America uses force in the world, the cause must be just, the goal must be clear and the victory must be overwhelming.

I will work to reduce nuclear weapons and nuclear tension in the world, to turn these years of influence into decades of peace.

And, at the earliest possible date, my administration will deploy missile defenses to guard against attack and blackmail. Now is the time, not to defend outdated treaties, but to defend the American people.

A time of prosperity is a test of vision. And our nation today needs vision.

That's a fact, or as my opponent might call it, a ''risky truth scheme.''

Every one of the proposals I've talked about tonight, he's called a ''risky scheme,'' over and over again.

It is the sum of his message -- the politics of the roadblock, the philosophy of the stop sign.

If my opponent had been at the moon launch, it would have been a ''risky rocket scheme.''

If he'd been there when Edison was testing the light bulb, it would have been a ''risky anticandle scheme.''

And if he'd been there when the Internet was invented ----[this is a legit good burn ]

He now leads the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But the only thing he has to offer is fear itself.

That outlook is typical of many in Washington, always seeing the tunnel at the end of the light.

But I come from a different place, and it has made me a different leader.

In Midland, Tex., where I grew up, the town motto was ''the sky's the limit.''And we believed it.

There was a restless energy, a basic conviction that with hard work anybody could succeed, and everybody deserved a chance.

Our sense of community was just as strong as that sense of promise.

Neighbors helped each other. There were dry wells and sandstorms to keep you humble, lifelong friends to take your side, and churches to remind us that every soul is equal in value and equal in need.[Reminder that Bush is the rich son of one of the most powerful people on the planet and has never dealt with any of that poo poo]

This background leaves more than an accent, it leaves an outlook: Optimistic, impatient with pretense, confident that people can chart their own course in life.

That background may lack the polish of Washington. Then again, I don't have a lot of things that come with Washington.

I don't have enemies to fight. I have no stake in the bitter arguments of the last few years. I want to change the tone of Washington to one of civility and respect.

The largest lesson I learned in Midland still guides me as governor of Texas: Everyone, from immigrant to entrepreneur, has an equal claim on this country's promise.

So we improved our schools dramatically, for children of every accent, of every background. We moved people from welfare to work [love that 90s slan for �we gutted welfare�]. We strengthened our juvenile justice laws[we threw more kids in jail! ].

Our budgets have been balanced, with surpluses, and we cut taxes not only once, but twice.

We accomplished a lot.

I don't deserve all the credit, and I don't attempt to take it. I worked with Republicans and Democrats to get things done.

A bittersweet part of tonight is that someone is missing, the late lieutenant governor of Texas, Bob Bullock. Bob was a Democrat, a crusty veteran of Texas politics, and my great friend.

We worked side by side. He endorsed my re-election, and I know he is with me in spirit in saying to those who would malign our state for political gain: Don't mess with Texas.[I don�t know who Bob Bullock is but according to his Wikipedia page he was an alcoholic with five divorces under his belt so I�m sure he was a great guy]

As governor, I've made difficult decisions, and stood by them under pressure. I've been where the buck stops, in business and in government.

I've been a chief executive who sets an agenda, sets big goals, and rallies people to believe and achieve them.

I am proud of this record, and I am prepared for the work ahead.

If you give me your trust, I will honor it. Grant me a mandate, I will use it. Give me the opportunity to lead this nation, and I will lead.

And we need a leader to seize the opportunities of this new century -- the new cures of medicine, the amazing technologies that will drive our economy and keep the peace.

But our new economy must never forget the old, unfinished struggle for human dignity.

And here we face a challenge to the very heart and founding premise of our nation.

Couple of years ago, I visited a juvenile jail in Marlin, Tex., and talked with a group of young inmates. They were angry, wary kids. All had committed grown-up crimes.

Yet when I looked in their eyes, I realized some of them were still little boys.

Toward the end of conversation, one young man, about 15 years old, raised his hand and asked a haunting question: ''What do you think of me?''

He seemed to be asking, like many Americans who struggle, ''Is there hope for me? Do I have a chance?'' And, frankly, ''Do you, a white man in a suit, really care what happens to me?''

A small voice, but it speaks for so many: single moms struggling to feed the kids and pay the rent; immigrants starting a hard life in a new world; children without fathers in neighborhoods where gangs seem like friendship, where drugs promise peace, and where sex sadly seems like the closest thing to belonging. We are their country, too.

And each of us must share in its promise, or the promise is diminished for all.

If that boy in Marlin believes he's trapped and worthless and hopeless, if he believes his life has no value, then other lives have no value to him, and we are all diminished.

When these problems are not confronted, it builds a wall within our nation.

On one side are wealth, technology, education and ambition.

On the other side of that wall are poverty and prison, addiction and despair.

And, my fellow Americans, we must tear down that wall.

Big government is not the answer. But the alternative to bureaucracy is not indifference.

It is to put conservative values and conservative ideas into the thick of the fight for justice and opportunity.

This is what I mean by compassionate conservatism. And on this ground we will lead our nation.

We will give low-income Americans tax credits to buy the private health insurance they need and deserve.[gently caress YEAH TAX CREDITS!]

We will transform today's housing rental program to help hundreds of thousands of low-income families find stability and dignity in a home of their own.[he actually did this and it fueled the housing bubble that led to the great recession]

And, in the next bold step of welfare reform, we will support the heroic work of homeless shelters and hospices, food pantry and crisis pregnancy centers, people reclaiming their communities block by block and heart by heart.

I think of Mary Jo Copeland, whose ministry called ''Sharing and Caring Hands'' serves 1,000 meals a week in Minneapolis, Minn.

Each day, Mary Jo washes the feet of the homeless, then sends them off with new socks and shoes.

''Look after your feet,'' she tells them. ''They must carry you a long way in this world, and then all the way to God.''

Government cannot do this work. It can feed the body, but it cannot reach the soul. Yet government can take the side of these groups, helping the helper, encouraging the inspired.

My administration will give taxpayers new incentives to donate to charity[Cool more tax write offs for the wealthy], encourage after-school programs that build character and support mentoring groups that shape and save young lives.

We must give our children a spirit of moral courage, because their character is our destiny.

We must tell them with confidence that drugs and alcohol can destroy you, and bigotry disfigures the heart.

Our schools must support the ideals of parents, elevating character and abstinence from afterthoughts to urgent goals.[abstinence being the key phrase here as he was a big abstinence-only sex education guy]

We must help protect our children, in our schools and streets, and by finally and strictly enforcing our nation's gun laws.

But most of all, we must teach our children the values that defeat violence.[HAHAHAHAHA!]

I will lead our nation toward a culture that values life -- the life of the elderly and sick, the life of the young, and the life of the unborn.

Good people can disagree on this issue, but surely we can agree on ways to value life by promoting adoption, parental notification, and when Congress sends me a bill against partial-birth abortion, I will sign it into law.

Behind every goal I've talked about tonight is a great hope for our country.

A hundred years from now, this must not be remembered as an age rich in possession and poor in ideals.

Instead, we must usher in an era of responsibility.

My generation tested limits and our country, in some ways, is better for it.

Women are now treated more equally. Racial progress has been steady, if still too slow. We are learning to protect the natural world around us.

We will continue this progress, and we will not turn back.

At times, we lost our way. But we're coming home.

So many of us held our first child, and saw a better self reflected in her eyes.

And in that family love, many have found the sign and symbol of an even greater love, and have been touched by faith.

We discovered that who we are is more important than what we have.

And we know we must renew our values to restore our country.

This is the vision of America's founders.

They never saw our nation's greatness in rising wealth or advancing armies, but in small, unnumbered acts of caring and courage and self-denial.

Their highest hope, as Robert Frost described it, was ''to occupy the land with character.''

And that, 13 generations later, is still our goal: to occupy the land with character.

In a responsibility era, each of us has important tasks, work that only we can do.

Each of us is responsible to love and guide our children, and to help a neighbor in need.

Synagogues, churches and mosques are responsible not only to worship but to serve.

Corporations are responsible to treat their workers fairly, and to leave the air and waters clean.

And our nation's leaders are responsible to confront problems, not pass them on to others.

And to lead this nation to a responsibility era, a president himself must be responsible.

So when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not only uphold the laws of our land, I will swear to uphold the honor and dignity of the office to which I have been elected, so help me God.

I believe the presidency, the final point of decision in the American government, was made for great purposes.

It is the office of Lincoln's conscience, of Teddy Roosevelt's energy, of Harry Truman's integrity and Ronald Reagan's optimism.

For me, gaining this office is not the ambition of a lifetime, but it is the opportunity of a lifetime. And I will make the most of it.

I believe great decisions are made with care, made with conviction, not made with polls.

I do not need to take your pulse before I know my own mind. I do not reinvent myself at every turn. I am not running in borrowed clothes.

When I act, you will know my reasons. And when I speak, you will know my heart.

I believe in tolerance, not in spite of my faith, but because of it.

I believe in a God who calls us not to judge our neighbors but to love them.

I believe in grace, because I've seen it, in peace, because I've felt it, in forgiveness, because I needed it.

I believe true leadership is a process of addition, not an act of division.

I will not attack a part of this country, because I want to lead the whole of it.

And I believe this'll be a tough race, down to the wire.

Their war room is up and running, but we are ready. Their attacks will be relentless, but they will be answered. We are facing something familiar, but they're facing something new.

We are now the party of ideas and innovation, the party of idealism and inclusion. The party of a simple and powerful hope.

My fellow citizens, we can begin again.

After all of the shouting and all of the scandal, after all the bitterness and broken faith, we can begin again.

The wait has been long, but it won't be long now.

A prosperous nation is ready to renew its purpose and unite behind great goals, and it won't be long now.

Our nation must renew the hopes of that boy I talked with in jail, and so many like him, and it won't be long now.

Our country is ready for high standards and new leaders, and it won't be long now.

An era of tarnished ideals is giving way to a responsibility era, and it won't be long now.

I know how serious the task is before me.

I know the presidency is an office that turns pride into prayer.

But I am eager to start on the work ahead. And I believe America is ready for a new beginning.

My friend, the artist Tom Lea of El Paso, Tex., captured the way I feel about our great land, a land I love.

He and his wife, he said, ''live on the east side of the mountain. It's the sunrise side, not the sunset side. It is the side to see the day that is coming, not to see the day that is gone.''

Americans live on the sunrise side of mountain.

The night is passing.

And we are ready for the day to come.

God bless. God bless America.

Christ that took forever to get through. I forgot how tedious his speeches were. But I strongly recommend you look through it anyways to see that what Bush was offering people.

(Part 2 coming in a minute since SA limits how long these posts can get)

# ? Jan 23, 2021 02:25

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

Apparently on August 7 there was a protest against US sanctions on Iraq that a bunch of US citizens participated in:

https://www.democracynow.org/2000/8/7/mass_demonstrations_mark_10th_anniversary_of

I�m sure that story ended well�

Oh hey, August 8th was the day Gore chose Lieberman for VP! :toot:

https://www.democracynow.org/2000/8/8/gore_chooses_sen_lieberman_as_running

Spoiler: He a homophobic conservative bigot and sucks. It�s okay though because his fundraising efforts are very inclusive!

latimes.com: Lieberman fund-raising as inclusive as his politics

CNN posted:

By Elizabeth Shogren/Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

August 9, 2000
Web posted at: 11:14 a.m. EDT (1514 GMT)

latimes.com WASHINGTON (Los Angeles Times) -- Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph I. Lieberman, who for years has tried to move his party toward the political center, has also worked to expand its base of financial donors.

Lieberman is co-founder of a political action committee called the New Democrat Network that raises money for Democratic candidates from nontraditional sources.

"The new Democrat approach has been to unite the base and expand into a new pool of voters and supporters," said Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network. The PAC has raised $5.5 million this election cycle, and "Joe has done a great job of balancing traditional Democratic interests while expanding out into a new pool of donors," Rosenberg said.

This mix also is reflected in contributions to his own campaign for reelection to the Senate from Connecticut. His most generous donors are lawyers, pro-Israel givers and a donor category composed of banks and insurance, investment and real estate firms. His 2000 Senate campaign has received more than $200,000 from each of those donor groups since 1994. [the 2007 crash was going to happen regardless of who won, wasn�t it?]

An analysis of campaign finance records released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics also showed that Lieberman has received more contributions this election cycle from insurance companies than any other senator. And he ranks third among Senate recipients in contributions from drug companies, an industry Vice President Al Gore has repeatedly attacked during the campaign.

"He's got more in common with [GOP nominee George W.] Bush than he does with Gore," said Larry Makinson, director of the center, a Washington-based organization that studies campaign finance reports.

The Gore campaign countered that Lieberman should not be defined by the sources of his campaign money.

"Unlike Bush, he supports a prescription drug benefit under Medicare [that is] opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, and as part of the ticket he will fight for one," said Gore spokesman Douglas Hattaway. "The issue is whose side you're on and what you're fighting for."[Reminder: Lieberman is largely the reason that the ACA didn�t have a private option. But I�m sure all that pharma money has nothing to do with it, sure.]

Businesses accounted for three-quarters of the campaign contributions Lieberman has received since his last election, while labor union donations represented 11%, according to the center.

"His support from the business community doesn't imply that he's not a good Democrat who is right on the issues the party cares about," said one Democratic strategist. "In fact, in many ways he has shown other Democrats how to package themselves in an appealing manner for business."

It is unclear how some of Lieberman's financial backers will respond to the rhetoric of the ticket he just joined.

At an event earlier this summer in New Britain, Conn., Gore stressed his opposition to some of the industry groups that are among Lieberman's top donors.

"For all my public service, I've stood up to the big drug companies, the big oil companies, the insurance companies and the HMOs. That's what I'm doing now in this campaign--and that's exactly what I'll do as president of the United States," Gore said.

Gore reiterated Tuesday his plan to end the days of unlimited donations from corporations and wealthy individuals.

"Joe Lieberman and I have fought together for campaign finance reform, and that will be the very first bill of the Gore-Lieberman administration," he said.

Indeed, in 1997, Lieberman told the Hartford Courant that he would no longer solicit so-called soft money--huge and largely unrestricted donations from corporations, unions and wealthy individuals--for the New Democrat Network. Lieberman has also strongly criticized the fund-raising excesses of the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign.

In 1994, the Courant reported that Lieberman had garnered $23,000 in campaign donations from 15 students, including a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old, in the previous two years.[Wait is that legal!?]

Minors can legally donate to a political campaign if the funds are their own and they decide to give "knowingly and voluntarily." But campaign finance experts say that some affluent donors exceed federal contribution limits by contributing in the names of their children.[Oh cool so it�s a way for rich assholes to get around campaign finance laws. Neat!]

At least some of Lieberman's youthful donors were the children of friends and longtime financial backers. They said their children had donated on their own and with their own money. A spokesman for Lieberman said at the time that the campaign had no reason to believe otherwise.

But yes, Nader is why Gore lost.

Oh yeah, Nader is still Cool and Good btw:

latimes.com: Nader slams rivals for consumer rights record

CNN posted:

August 11, 2000
Web posted at: 2:12 p.m. EDT (1812 GMT)

By Massie Ritsch/Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

latimes.com LOS ANGELES (Los Angeles Times) -- Ralph Nader, whose campaign for consumer protections began long before his Green Party presidential bid, accused his Democratic and Republican competition Thursday of unfairly shielding corporations from consumer lawsuits and damage awards.

Nader promised to vigorously promote consumer rights in his third-party campaign, including a patient's right to sue an HMO.

In a position paper to be issued this morning, Nader faulted nearly every elected official and legislature in the United States for limiting the liability of negligent corporations, and he faulted several major industries for taking advantage of such protections.

Nader dismissed the tort reform efforts that Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has promoted as Texas' governor, calling it tort "deform."

"Bush is the worst of the worst on this," Nader said. "You couldn't have anybody worse. He brags about it, he boasts about it, it's one of his top 10 issues."[compare this to how Gore and the Democrats always call Republicans wonderful people even as they try and grind the poor into slurry]

Bush spokesman Ray Sullivan defended Bush's record, which has included legislation to cap punitive damages awarded in lawsuits. Bush has said that lawyers, not victims, profit unduly from such suits.

"The governor realizes that ultimately consumers are the ones that pay for frivolous and junk lawsuits in the form of higher prices for goods and services and higher insurance premiums," Sullivan said. "His view is that the system must have more balance and fairness built into it, and that balance and fairness is for plaintiffs, for consumers and for employers alike."

According to Nader, who dismissed the costs to consumers of liability suits as minimal, the Democrats have been no more supportive of consumers. He singled out President Clinton for signing legislation limiting lawsuits and Vice President Al Gore's running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, for his "passion to limit the liability of predatory corporations toward their injured or defrauded victims."

"He's got an obsession to immunize corporations," Nader said.

Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein countered that the senator has "a consumer protection and environmental protection record that is second to none." He credited Lieberman for a range of accomplishments, from controlling cable television rates to holding oil firms liable for spills.

"Ralph Nader's picking on one of his friends rather than doing what he does so well: challenging the polluters and corporations who take advantage of consumers," Gerstein said.

Nader, who for four decades has led public campaigns against corporate abuse, has also taken up rising California utility rates as an issue, citing the deregulation of utilities as the cause. He accused California's Legislature of bowing to utility and power companies by easing regulations on them in exchange for political donations.

Nader released a letter Thursday calling on Gore and Bush to support mandates for energy efficiency and renewable energy. He said he will focus on California's utility rates when he campaigns in the state Aug. 20-27.

But it worked right? Gore is winning right!?

Poll: Gore trails Bush on eve of Democratic convention

quote:

August 11, 2000
Web posted at: 5:54 p.m. EDT (2154 GMT)

By Keating Holland/CNN

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore is supported by just 39 percent of likely voters, compared to for 53 percent Texas Gov. George W. Bush in a hypothetical four-way presidential race, according to the latest CNN/Time poll conducted on the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.

Pat Buchanan, who is poised to wrap up the Reform Party nomination in nearby Long Beach this weekend, receives 2 percent and Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate, comes in with 4 percent.

Bush's support is almost identical to a poll taken just before the Republican convention, indicating that the bounce he received out of the Philadelphia gathering has almost completely faded -- although a 14-point lead is still substantial.

Bush's big advantage remains Gore's relative unpopularity: more than six in ten Americans have a favorable opinion of the Texas governor, while barely half of all Americans have a favorable view of Gore. Most Americans say that the vice president is not someone they admire, and only 42 percent consider him a strong and decisive leader. Nearly half say he is too close to President Clinton, although that number is down significantly since 1999.

Indeed, with Clinton's arrival in Los Angeles and his speech before the convention Monday night, media attention will be focused on the president and his effect on Gore's own presidential chances. Gore faces the challenge, as have previous vice presidents, of trying to emerge from the president's shadow without appearing disloyal -- something Bush's father was able to do successfully at the 1988 GOP convention.

Public opinion is split over whether Gore's candidacy is a creation of Clinton or based on Gore's own qualifications for the job. However, most Americans believe that Clinton's record on the economy and other issues is a good indication of how Gore would do as president -- an advantage for Gore, because more than three-quarters think things are going well in the country.

Even more important for Gore's chances, a majority of the public says that Clinton's ethical standards -- which they dislike -- are not a good indication of the ethical standards Gore would bring to the White House if elected.

The CNN/Time poll was conducted August 9-10, 2000, and consisted of interviews with 1,297 adult Americans, including 781 likely voters.

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10

Suppose the election for president were being held today, and you had to choose between Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman, the Democrats; George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, the Republicans; Ralph Nader and Winona LaDuke, the Green Party candidates; and Pat Buchanan the Reform Party candidate. For whom would you vote -- Gore, Bush, Buchanan, or Nader?

Now July

Bush 53% 52%
Gore 39 36
Nader 4 5
Buchanan 2 4

Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10

Suppose the election for president were being held today, and you had to choose between Al Gore and Joseph Lieberman, the Democrats and George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, the Republicans. For whom would you vote -- Gore or Bush?

Now July

Bush 55% 56%
Gore 42 41

Sampling error: +/-4% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10

Do you have generally favorable or generally unfavorable impressions of George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore?

Bush Gore

Favorable 62% 50%
Unfavorable 28 38

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
What is your opinion of Vice President Gore?

Yes No

Too close to Clinton 49% 45%
Strong leader 42 49
Someone you admire 40 56

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Is Gore too close to President Clinton?

Now 1999

Yes 49% 55%
No 45 37

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
In your view, has Bill Clinton been as success or failure since he took office?

Success 60%
Failure 34

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Do you think Bill Clinton's record on handling the economy and other important is a good indication or a poor indication of how Al Gore would do as president?

Good Indication

Yes 57%
No 31

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Do you think Bill Clinton's ethical standards are a good indication or a poor indication of how Al Gore would do as president?

Good Indication

Yes 30%
No 53

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
As a presidential candidate, do you think Al Gore is more a candidate in his own right, that is based on his qualifications, or more a creation of Bill Clinton choosing him as vice president?

Creation of Clinton 45%
Based on his own
qualifications 42

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Much has been made of the parallels between 2000 and 1988, when a successful convention was the turning point of the entire campaign, allowing Vice President George Bush to overtake his opponent after being down 17 points in the polls and march on to victory.

But Al Gore in many respects has a tougher challenge than Bush the elder faced 12 years ago on the eve of the pivotal GOP convention in New Orleans. Although the senior Bush faced a 17-point deficit against Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis at one point in 1988, by the time the Republican convention rolled around, the Democratic nominee was only leading by a 49 percent to 42 percent margin. Gore has to make up twice as much ground as the elder Bush did in his convention.

Gore is also considered less experienced than Bush in 1988, less credible at handling an international crisis, and less strong as a leader. However, Gore's big advantage is that he scores higher than the elder Bush on compassion. Gore also rates slightly higher than Bush did in 1988 when it comes to managing the economy.

But the current vice president also faces another significant problem that the elder Bush never really had to worry about -- a popular opponent. Dukakis' favorable rating in 1988 never rose above 54 percent; after the GOP convention it had dipped to 49 percent and by October had dropped further to just 44 percent. George W. Bush's favorable rating, by contrast, now stands at 62 percent. History indicates that Gore's task at this year's Democratic convention will be to lower his opponent's favorable rating as well as raise his own.
CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Choice for President Before 2000 Bush 53% Dem. convention Gore 39 ---------------------------------- Before 1988 Dukakis 49% GOP convention Bush 42 Source for 1988: Gallup poll Sampling error: +/-4% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Opinion of Candidates Gore Vice President Bush Now in 1988 Has experience 66% 80% Strong leader 42 47 International crisis 42 51 Sampling error: +/-3% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Opinion of Candidates Gore Vice President Bush Now in 1988 Cares about people 65% 51% Can manage economy 53 50 Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Earlier this week, Gore selected Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman as his running mate. Although nine in ten Americans say that the fact that Lieberman is Jewish would not affect their vote in November, four in ten say that they are very or somewhat concerned that he does not believe in Jesus Christ. Nearly half are concerned about his effect on U.S. relations with Arab countries in the Middle East. About a third say they are very or somewhat concerned that Lieberman might not be able to fulfill the duties of his office if they fell on the Sabbath or a religious holiday. In addition, Lieberman is still not well known to many Americans.
CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Does the fact that Jospeh Lieberman is Jewish make you more likely to vote for the Democratic ticket this year, less likely, or will it have no effect on your vote? More likely for Gore 4% Less likely for Gore 3 No effect 91 Sampling error: +/-3% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Are you concerned that if Lieberman were to become vice president it would affect relations with Arab countries in the Middle East? Yes 48% No 45 Sampling error: +/-3% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Are you concerned that Lieberman does not believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God? Yes 40% No 56 Sampling error: +/-3% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Are you concerned that Lieberman would not be able to fulfil some of his duties because they occurred on religious holidays or the Jewish Sabbath? Yes 33% No 64 Sampling error: +/-3% pts CNN/TIME POLL
August 9-10
Opinion of Lieberman Favorable 37% Unfavorable 14 Unsure 49 Sampling error: +/-3% pts

God drat the Democrats suck so bad.

Here�s a DN piece on Colin Powell speaking to the RNC. They also get input from the candidate for the Socialist party which is kind of neat:

https://www.democracynow.org/2000/8/1/democracy_now_confronts_president_bush

Fun fact: Republicans were using the phrase �access to healthcare� before the Democrats picked it up and ran with it.

Here�s your Daily Show for this month featuring the Republican National Convention and Bush getting a boner from winning the nomination:

https://www.cc.com/video/thzdm6/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-indecision-2000-convention-highlights-day-three

Also here�s a bonus Daily Show on a weird GWB tribute video that played at the RNC convention:

https://www.cc.com/video/myh5z3/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-republican-convention-2000-highlights-bush-tribute

Also here�s more Maher featuring uncomfortable attempts at trans humor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBJWWCPcHWQ

Next time: The second 2 weeks of August

readingatwork fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Jan 23, 2021

# ? Jan 23, 2021 02:30

V. Illych L.: Apr 11, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT LUMBER

that bush speech is actually pretty good imo - it absolutely does the job of conveying the urgency of regime change and the compassion of bush's social conservatism

lol

# ? Jan 23, 2021 03:05

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

Wasn't Lieberman the one who kept a public option out of the ACA, which in and of itself was a joke to give more public money to big pharma? You said "private" in your comments.

I could very easily be in error here. In my defence, I wasn't living in the US in 2000.

# ? Jan 23, 2021 03:43

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

JustJeff88 posted:

Wasn't Lieberman the one who kept a public option out of the ACA, which in and of itself was a joke to give more public money to big pharma? You said "private" in your comments.

I could very easily be in error here. In my defence, I wasn't living in the US in 2000.

Yup! That was him alright. And the crazy thing is that I had no idea how badly he sucked at the time because basically nobody reported it.

# ? Jan 23, 2021 04:04

Falstaff: Apr 27, 2008; I have a kind of alacrity in sinking.

JustJeff88 posted:

Wasn't Lieberman the one who kept a public option out of the ACA, which in and of itself was a joke to give more public money to big pharma? You said "private" in your comments.

I could very easily be in error here. In my defence, I wasn't living in the US in 2000.

At the risk of contradicting readingatwork, he was the "Reason," not the reason. Backroom deals were cut before pols like Lieberman were even an issue.

# ? Jan 23, 2021 11:49

Lawman 0: Aug 17, 2010

My impression from reading these articles is that Gore would have not made a very good president.
Anyways excellent thread op.

# ? Jan 25, 2021 00:24

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

Falstaff posted:

At the risk of contradicting readingatwork, he was the "Reason," not the reason. Backroom deals were cut before pols like Lieberman were even an issue.

Contradict away! Lord knows I�m not an expert and what I do remember happened over a decade ago.

But yes, I think you are correct. Though it could be a case of Democrats striking a lovely deal with lobbyists and then negotiating down even more for Lieberman. It will be interesting to revisit the Obama years if we ever get that far and see for myself.

# ? Jan 25, 2021 00:34

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

Lawman 0 posted:

My impression from reading these articles is that Gore would have not made a very good president.

Well, yes, of course, but I've softened to him over the years because I genuinely feel that he cares a great deal about environmental catastrophe. Of course, he heartily endorses the hosed-up social systems that lead to these problems, but that's literally everyone.

# ? Jan 25, 2021 01:11

Polygynous: Dec 13, 2006; welp

Lieberman for VP remains one of the more baffling things that has happened in my lifetime. People try to say the VP pick doesn't matter but I still think practically anyone else would have improved their chances.

# ? Jan 25, 2021 21:47

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

My little contribution to the thread is something I bought at a book fair and recently dug out of the bookshelf in my loft:

This was published a few weeks before Election Day 2008. It's a series of single-sentence quotes taken from Bush administration officials, in chronological order, designed to make them look as monstrous and stupid as possible--not that they need much help. The narrative runs from 9/11 until David Patraeus admitting that he doesn't know if the War On Terror improved US national security.

And like, it's fine. I got a kick out of it. It's not like these people are aren't war criminals who deserve, at least, to be ridiculed. The editors seemed not to realize that the problem with fascists is not that they're stupid, but that they don't have to care about sounding smart. The editor wisely chose to include only a bare minimum of commentary. But it still seems to convey that liberal tone of defeated snobbery--"Our opponents are downright evil, and I can't believe how stupid they are. How come they're in power and we're not?"

It's an implicitly partisan book, with almost all of the dum-dum quotes coming from Republican politicians and appointees. One page singles out Ed Kennedy, John Edwards, and President of the United States Joseph Robinette Biden for promoting the war. There's a quote two pages over from Robert Byrd, flanking them on the left.

# ? Jan 26, 2021 00:07

clean ayers act: Aug 13, 2007; How do I shot puck!?

Im glad this thread exists. In 2000 i had just discovered everquest and was entering 8th grade. It was not a good combo. My parents conservative so I was full on Bush supporter, especially after 9/11. That wouldn't change until 2004(after the election, unfortunately).
I had also just discovered the forums. My main source of news on 9/11 was the gbs thread and various threads on everquest community forums.
One thing i remember from those years was the prevalence of mortgages being hawked on radio. Like i was too dumb to understand at the time but it was a solid 5-6 years from 2002 on of breathless ads on the radio urging you to refinance etc. I'm still somewhat baffled no one saw the writing on the wall before 2007.

# ? Jan 26, 2021 00:19

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

clean ayers act posted:

Im glad this thread exists. In 2000 i had just discovered everquest and was entering 8th grade. It was not a good combo. My parents conservative so I was full on Bush supporter, especially after 9/11. That wouldn't change until 2004(after the election, unfortunately).
I had also just discovered the forums. My main source of news on 9/11 was the gbs thread and various threads on everquest community forums.
One thing i remember from those years was the prevalence of mortgages being hawked on radio. Like i was too dumb to understand at the time but it was a solid 5-6 years from 2002 on of breathless ads on the radio urging you to refinance etc. I'm still somewhat baffled no one saw the writing on the wall before 2007.

Complete 180 on the background here, but somewhat similar timing. I grew up in a family of British, Jewish communists and knew that everyone was in the pocket of big corps right from the off. My grandfather, who will turn 100 this year, called Clement Atlee "The closest thing to a decent human being in British politics this century" and threw a party when Thatcher died where he quoted "I said that would live to piss on her grave, and I did". He literally has a crystal jar of urine that he wants spread on her tomb after he dies. He also said "Anyone with any sense is glad that she died; I am sorry that she ever lived".

That said, I was in the US in 2004 and, then as now being utterly disdainful of both so-called parties, was treated like poo poo for refusing to take sides. For me, it was like being asked to choose my favourite between Hitler and Stalin, but it really showed me how easily people become polarised and fanatical. I honestly had no idea about the mortgage crisis, but I was brought up being told that capitalism will always inevitably lead to crisis and shortages despite abundance, so I wasn't surprised. I am not mocking anyone hurt during that period, it's just the nature of the beast.

I also started playing EQ in 2000 and played it too much, but you know that that was basically necessary to accomplish anything. I am slightly ashamed of it, but I do occasionally log into the Test server and muck about in old zones.

# ? Jan 26, 2021 00:32

clean ayers act: Aug 13, 2007; How do I shot puck!?

JustJeff88 posted:

Complete 180 on the background here, but somewhat similar timing. I grew up in a family of British, Jewish communists and knew that everyone was in the pocket of big corps right from the off. My grandfather, who will turn 100 this year, called Clement Atlee "The closest thing to a decent human being in British politics this century" and threw a party when Thatcher died where he quoted "I said that would live to piss on her grave, and I did". He literally has a crystal jar of urine that he wants spread on her tomb after he dies. He also said "Anyone with any sense is glad that she died; I am sorry that she ever lived".

Your grandfather is loving awesome. My political "awakening" ,embarrassingly enough,came via the atheist movement that started in the mid 2000's. "The End of Faith" was the first book that really made me think about things from a different perspective. Thankfully i left the militant atheism part behind

# ? Jan 26, 2021 00:38

readingatwork: Jan 8, 2009; Hello Fatty!; Fun Shoe

clean ayers act posted:

Your grandfather is loving awesome. My political "awakening" ,embarrassingly enough,came via the atheist movement that started in the mid 2000's. "The End of Faith" was the first book that really made me think about things from a different perspective. Thankfully i left the militant atheism part behind

I was part of the new atheist thing as well and it makes me sad to think about because it could have ended up as something cool. Many are probably too young to remember but religious institutions back then had a stranglehold on the moral imagination of the US and even starting to question the religion that underpinned it all was incredibly hard to do before the internet. At the time the movement was actually a breath of fresh air and exposed an entire generation not only to concepts like Russel's teapot but also to arguments for evolution and gay rights. Long story short it was a fight overdue to be picked and the world is a far less insufferable place for it.

Then they tried to do the same thing with Islam and things got... bad. Basically Americans didn't know jack poo poo about Muslims or Islam so all that energy ended up getting channeled into bigotry and stupid bullshit. Weaknesses in the movement's ideology also started to form over time, particularly a lack of proper class analysis, that made the NA worldview woefully incomplete and resulted in dumbass statements like "every war on earth has been caused by religion" which *looks at US coups of Latin American countries* is hilariously not true. I think the financial collapse of 07 probably also played a role since that was a very big problem everybody was facing that couldn't be blamed on Christianity. Also Obama was in power shortly after that so people just didn't feel under siege by the religious right anymore. So the movement broke down over time and those that remained became libertarian weirdos or Bill Maher Democrats and the rest is history. Which is too bad because there were some in the movement that had cool marxist-lite ideas like replacing religious institutions with community based secular ones as well as secular outreach to the poor without the religious strings attached.

I should make a point of revisiting Sam Harris et all as this project goes on. It will be interesting to see how they read all these years later. It will be particularly fun to revisit people like James Randi who went after the various supernatural con men and exposed their tricks which is always satisfying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24kpAClYmmQ

# ? Jan 26, 2021 01:24

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# ? May 5, 2024 12:16

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

I would never call myself a "militant atheist", but I am anti-theist for purely consequentialist reasons that aren't in the spirit of this thread. I just remember vividly everyone hating me in the autumn of 2004 because I didn't think that Bush's re-election was the sign of the end times. Of course that I thought that he was horrid - anyone with any sense would - but I was hardly a fan of the alternative either and I'm sick of "lesser of two evils" voting. There's an old Irish saying "If you're expecting a kick in the balls and get a slap in the face, it's a victory", but in these cases it's a sore orifice either way.

# ? Jan 26, 2021 02:54

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Let's relive the Bush years!

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