The October Surprise 2008 Edition

Expect plenty of disagreement. Just keep it civil.

What do you think will be the "October Surprise"

Palin "resigns" and is replaced
0
No votes
Capture of Osama Bin Laden
0
No votes
Terrorist Attack
2
50%
Economy issues solved thanks to McCain
1
25%
Economy issues solved thanks to Obama
0
No votes
Rattling the sword at North Korea or Iran
0
No votes
Other
1
25%
 
Total votes: 4

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Beatlesfan03
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The October Surprise 2008 Edition

Postby Beatlesfan03 » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:00 pm

It's getting near that time...choose what you think the October surprise might be!
Craig

Bennett Cerf
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Postby Bennett Cerf » Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:02 am

McCain announces he will serve only one term, a move intended to reduce concerns over his age and excite the lunatics who can hardly wait to elect President Palin. Surrogates argue that this will allow President McCain to flex his mavericky muscles without concerns about being reelected.

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Rspaight
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Postby Rspaight » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:56 am

I voted "Terrorist Attack" because I'm in that sort of mood this morning.

But I think Bennett is closer to the truth. Something like that would be completely in character for the guy who's pulling wackier and wackier stunts in an effort to move the needle (Palin, flagrant lying, campaign suspension, claiming victory prematurely in the bailout).

Even taking into account my usual cynicism, I'm starting to believe that Obama could win in a landslide if he could successfully nudge "maverick" into "reckless." McCain has given him that opening, especially with his bailout-related antics of the last week. (Having typed the previous paragraph, I'm wondering why we haven't seen an ad yet that shows McCain's "I saved the economy" speech from yesterday morning with the "Mission Accomplished" banner photoshopped behind it. Says it all.)
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney

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Postby Rspaight » Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:01 am

Time to save the economy again!

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/220826.php
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney

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krabapple
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Postby krabapple » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:59 pm

The October "surprise' is going to be a more overt and aggressive push to link BO to 60's-type radical lefties. It's already begun.
"I recommend that you delete the Rancid Snakepit" - Grant

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Jeff
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Postby Jeff » Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:35 pm

I'm voting for The Rapture.

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Beatlesfan03
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Postby Beatlesfan03 » Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:34 pm

I'm with Ryan on a terrorist attack. The old "kick a man when he's down" thinking.

That said, I could see Palin being asked to leave if her performance is nothing short of craptacular Thursday. That said, who'd fill the gap and would her removal just collapse the GOP base and sink McCain even further behind.

If an attack doesn't occur and Obama is in, I'd expect to see one early in his administration. A testing of the boundaries if you will. Then hopefully, we'd get the job done this time.
Craig

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krabapple
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Postby krabapple » Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:59 am

Like I said...



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100303738_pf.html

Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations, several top Republicans said.

With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.

"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
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Postby Beatlesfan03 » Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:31 pm

I can't remember if I read it over at Kos or Talking Points Memo, Obama is already on the counterattack and not sitting on the sidelines like Kerry did.

EDIT - Here's the article with the new ad from Obama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14283.html
Last edited by Beatlesfan03 on Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Craig

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Jeff T.
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Postby Jeff T. » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:00 pm

Jeff wrote:I'm voting for The Rapture.


That is the most likely thing to happen. But it won't look anything like what they said it would look like. I'll be much more abstract and less entertaining.

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krabapple
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Postby krabapple » Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:40 pm

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isOF ... gD93KOHB80

Yes! It's about fucking time!

If McCain's going to countenance the 'Obama is a friend of terrorists' bullshit, Obama needs to ram home McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal.
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Jeff T.
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Postby Jeff T. » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:36 am

Obama's people have their strategy mapped out in advance. I have a feeling he has surrounded himself with bright people who know exactly what and when they are going to do things.

Look for Mr. nice guy to become a mean son of a bitch in the final 10 days, hammering away at McCain like McCain never expected or figured he had in him.

Obama does not need to be very smart and experienced because he can surround himself with a lot of brains. Just like our boneheaded Governor of California did. T2 is not a smart cookie, but he has managed to get some things done with knowing who to turn to.

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Postby Rspaight » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:49 am

You know, it's so weird to see a Democratic candidate actually hit back in a coordinated way. You just know all this Keating stuff was ready to go the second McCain went personal. If Obama can hammer on Keating in the debate and people actually pay attention, it could be devastating.
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney

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Postby Rspaight » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:35 pm

In Fla., Palin Goes for the Rough Stuff as Audience Boos Obama

By Dana Milbank

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- "Okay, so Florida, you know that you're going to have to hang onto your hats," Sarah Palin told a rally of a few thousand here this morning, "because from now until Election Day it may get kind of rough."

You betcha. And the person dishing out the roughest stuff at the moment is Sarah Palin.

"I was reading my copy of the New York Times the other day," she said.

"Booooo!" replied the crowd.

"I knew you guys would react that way, okay," she continued. "So I was reading the New York Times and I was really interested to read about Barack's friends from Chicago."

It was time to revive the allegation, made over the weekend, that Obama "pals around" with terrorists, in this case Bill Ayers, late of the Weather Underground. Many independent observers say Palin's allegations are a stretch; Obama served on a Chicago charitable board with Ayers, now an education professor, and has condemned his past activities.

"Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers," Palin said.

"Boooo!" said the crowd.

"And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'" she continued.

"Boooo!" the crowd repeated.

"Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.

Palin went on to say that "Obama held one of the first meetings of his political career in Bill Ayers's living room, and they've worked together on various projects in Chicago." Here, Palin began to connect the dots. "These are the same guys who think that patriotism is paying higher taxes -- remember that's what Joe Biden had said. "And" -- she paused and sighed -- "I am just so fearful that this is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America, as the greatest force for good in the world. I'm afraid this is someone who sees America as 'imperfect enough' to work with a former domestic terrorist who had targeted his own country."

"Boooo!" said the audience.
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney

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Xenu
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Postby Xenu » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:03 pm

Clearwater. Scientology and Sarah Palin...and I thought my day couldn't get any better.
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