Steve - maybe since McCain has flip-flopped on, count'em, 75 different issues, he's bound to agree with Obama at least once in a while?

Homer

There is an excuse if the AP is willing to mention that McCain flip-flopped to endorse Obama's position on Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba...

There's just no excuse for such blatantly phony GOP propagandizing.

Fixed.

I think it's because Ron Fournier wants to be Tony Snow.

He's still negotiating for that job with McCain, just like he did for months in 2007.

This , of course, is all about the CORPORATE / REPIGLICAN/ MEDIA=MAFIA totally desperate effort to get their corporate stooge McEvil installed as the next president so as to maintain the absolute greed of the corporations themselves. Thus, they lie, deceive, manipulate, and create these very narratives to that end. Simply witness the fact that almost all the coverage of the DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION is filterd thru almost all REPIGLICAN COMMENTATORS .. just look at the evil of CNN for this, FOX PROPAGANDA SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND MSNBC IS DOMINATED BY REPIGLICANS with a few democrates 'sprinkled' in. The presidental debates, and the vice presidential debate, will all be 'moderated' by , of course, REPIGLICANS. Never mind that only 29 percent of the electorate identify themselves as REPIGLICANS. Never mind that 80 percent of our country wants to go in another direction. None of this makes the slightest fucking difference to the CORPORATE/ REPIGLICAN media .. they don't give a fuck and are attempting to manipulate yet again how people think and perceive......how their 'frame' their 'analysis' ........ THE CORPORATE MEDIA SHOULD BE CHARGED, TRIED, AND CONVICTED FOR PURPOSEFULL , CRIMINAL, FRAUD COMMITTED AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ...

I just noticed that the RSS feed is not a full feed, which I thought it was supposed to be. I don't see a webmaster address to email to, so I will post that info here in comments.

There are "only shades of difference" between them.

Black and white. Those are shades, right?

Well, IF (

McCain and Obama are both oxygen breathers. That you can't deny.

In a similar asinine vein, All Things Considered on NPR -- generally at least left-leaning if not downright liberal -- had a story on the similarities of McCain and Obama's global warming plans. If you did nothing but listen to this show, it was clear that McCain and Obama were equally serious about "cap-and-trade," and that the only differences had to do with a technicality like whether to give the pollution allowances away or auction them. Which is, of course, the whole point of the exercise: if you give away pollution credits, why on earth will industries reduce greenhouse gas emissions? For all the parsing of words that goes on in this campaign, the idea of sincerity in rhetoric and action has been lost. Obama sincerely wants to stop global warming; McCain sees it as a way for another corporate tax giveaway. Nope, no differences there....

If anyone would like to send the AP "reporter" and email and correct his factual errors, you can do so at: cwoodward@ap.org.

Be nice. Seriously -- no need for profanity or personal insults. Just a nice list of reality.

Haha. The intertubes at my comment.

Anywho. They're different.

But if you think they aren't, vote for the person least likely to die of natural causes in the next four years. No brainer.

They both have an Irish surname as well.

(Do you think if I post this all over the internet, it will become true?)

Well, maybe the setting for Obama's speech will emphasize the differences, but I don't have a good feeling about this:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08282008/news/nationalnews/temple_of_dem_on_mt__o_lympus_126450.htm

DENVER - Democrats will kneel before the "Temple of Obama" tonight.

As if a Rocky Mountain coronation were not lofty enough, Barack Obama will aim for Mount Olympus when he accepts his party's nomination atop an enormous, Greek-columned stage - built by the same cheesy set team that put together Britney Spears' last tour.
~~~~~~~

Good Lord, did it have to be just the "cheesy set team" that Britney employed, on top of that "celebrity" ad from McSame? Is Obama out of it? It looks too late to stop, but please someone/s call and email your contacts anyway and plead to do something, if they can.

I also note the irony, that if the media frame Obama and McCain as being so much alike, that will contradict and work against the notion that Obama is so radical, too much change, etc. However, the media are so cagey and most voters so weak on critical thinking skills that the Meme could shift quickly to, "No wait, Obama really is radically different from McCain after all" [and therefore dangerous], and few would notice - they'd just lap that right up.

I am so sick of the blovating talking heads. They have become parodiies of themselves all looking and sounding like an overwrought Eric Idle playing a breathless reporter on the old Monty Python show. Like Jon Stewart says "You're stealing my shtick why don't they leave the comedy to me - its my job."

I am so sick of the blovating talking heads. They have become parodiies of themselves all looking and sounding like an overwrought Eric Idle playing a breathless reporter on the old Monty Python show. Like Jon Stewart says "You're stealing my shtick why don't they leave the comedy to me - its my job."

DENVER - Democrats will kneel before the "Temple of Obama" tonight....

Oh.Ho.
Looky the repug try to catapult the propaganda...

What's wrong boy... got a hurricane bearing down on your convention?

My Southern perspective: There are quite a few people who are noticeably distressed by the direction of the country, and are receptive to the Democratic Party's ideas, but still have residual antipathy to voting for a "different" (read "black") candidate. The Publicans are trying to stoke the fears of these voters that Barack is "different," even though these voters may support his ideas. If the corporate-controlled media can convince these voters that they'd still get the same policies with McCain, then they can feel okay about not voting for the "different" candidate. They don't have to face up to any latent racist tendencies. (For the record, I'm a middle-aged white guy from GA.)

Hey, I think PJ's "O'Bama " idea is cute, let's do pretend he's Irish ... Remember too, the Irish were treated like blacks in UK and USA back in the day.

As I've said, one of the two lessons the GOP learned from Watergate is to own the media. Now, they do.

The other lesson was: count the votes yourselves. They did that in '00 and '04, and anyone who doesn't think that they'll try to do so this year is either a cockeyed optimist or an idiot. Or both.

-Z

I'll tell you the excuse: corporate media.

Corporations fear someone in government taking notice that they have more rights than actual, you know, people. Voting human beings.

They are trying to get John Keating McCain elected by saying he's just like the popular candidate.

CHANGE = OBAMA = McCAIN

Vote for Change - but only cut out that stinking middle man and cast your vote for John Bush, no, George McCain!

Q: Some members of the [Iraqi] government have made it clear in the last month or two that they might want to withdraw before complete stability, before totally secure borders, before some of the completeness of victory as you described. Is there any change, do you think there is some wiggle room there because what you described with Petraeus was an end point that was rather complete — a peaceful, stable country.

MCCAIN: "Its a peaceful and stable country now."

And when I say now, I mean 8/28/2008!

Like two peas in a pod. So it's come to this. The last gasp of the "free liberal press" to anoint McAce to the Presidency based on , not his own earned credential, but that of his opponent's clearly thought-out positions via deciding that both have positions so close that they are indistinguishable. Holy horse puck Batman. Well, they have tried everything else. If they can convince a racist America that this is the case it will be the back breaker for Obama. These closet racists have been waiting for an excuse to not vote for the black dude and it's being served to them on a silver platter.

Man-o-man. Low information voters given their get out of jail free card. Wait till they find out after the election that they have placed into office someone who will make absolutely certain that they will all die in debtors prison...

Off topic but,

please please please please let the McCain camp be so stupid as to leak the name of his VP tonight!!!

I know they *think* it will take the wind out of Obama's sails, but in reality it will just be swallowed up by the bigger real story.

pretty pretty please let them get too cute by half on this one!!

Hey Kneel B, my worry is that this will look bad and it *will* play into Republican propaganda ("elitism" etc.) Don't downplay the potential negative effect. Of course the Gustav angle may be more cogent, but I don't want Obama setting himself up to be skewered as a pretentious pop star.

I'd bet anything that the McC*nt campaign's internal polling numbers SUCK and they are desperate for any meme that will change the equation. Trying to argue that voting for McC*nt gets you the same policies as voting for Obama doesn't change one important different.

Voting for McC*nt gets you McC*nt, and the country doesn't need a senile tempermental and ignorant leader.

I don't want Obama setting himself up to be skewered as a pretentious pop star.

The skewering- elitist, pretentious, etc.- would happen no matter what Obama did. Remember: this is a political party which prides itself on not being based in reality.

Of course, the media is very much complicit in this. Without their wholehearted co-operation, there's simply no way that propaganda suggesting that a son + grandson of Admirals, who married money and owns (at least) 7 houses could be portrayed as being more of a 'man of the people' than the son of a single mother who worked his way to the top. No, no, no- Obama's the elitist, not McCain.

Like I said, the GOP owns the media now, + use this to their best advantage.

-Z

As if a Rocky Mountain coronation were not lofty enough, Barack Obama will aim for Mount Olympus when he accepts his party's nomination atop an enormous, Greek-columned stage - built by the same cheesy set team that put together Britney Spears' last tour.

Ah, Republicanism at its finest: berate the Democrats for doing the exact same thing Bush did at his convention 4 years ago while concealing the fact that Bush had the same set design.

Apparently if you play dumb long enough and pretend that, gosh, no, you don't remember that Bush did the same thing, some people will buy it.

PBS's coverage of the debates is actually quite good. There isn't all of that fighting - they are low on nonsense and they allow you to watch the speeches.

I hear McCain's convention is being ENTIRELY PLANNED AND EXECUTED by exactly the same team who brought you George W Bush, miserable failure extraordinaire.

Seriously, who cares who built the %$^$#^ backdrop?

Surprise!!! The AP is breathtakingly dishonest! Americans want and need to be lied to, even when they know in their hearts that what they are reading and hearing cannot be true, because it makes it so much easier after the catastrophe to wail, "We just didn't KNOW!! We were MISLED!!" And then no one is punished, and the country settles down to Republican business as usual for another 4 years.

Major media outlets support the continued deregulation and push for private ownership of major media outlets. One party is ready to give them what they want, and one party is more reluctant. Which one is going to enjoy broad media support, even if they have to make up shit to do it?

This, of course, is the same game the Republicans played in 2000, when Bush was promising to be "a uniter", with a "humble" foreign policy, and to regulate carbon emissions.

All lies, of course. And the media regurgitated every fetid dollop. Bush was "likable" and Gore was boring. Other than that, not much difference.

But since when does the corporate media care if people are lying? Hell, they went to court to argue that they have the right to distort the news.

Remind the swing voters how we've seen this play before.

my worry is that this will look bad and it *will* play into Republican propaganda

Maybe. But how bad would it look if Barack changed his style to please McCain's lame attempt at re-framing?

I say: Nuts.

This is a country that worships celebrities. This is a country that lusts after celebrity-hood. Screw the old boy. Nothing can be done to stop the shouting. Nothing should be done to stop the shouting. I want to hear 70,000 chanting USA USA USA...

Let it rip...

Please do not freak out over a SET for peter's sake. Is anyone going to decide or not about voting for Obama based on the platform he stands on? Everyone harping about "mount olympus" is already voting for Captain Grumpy.

The tilt-a-whirl media on McCain is making me nauseous.

The media is making America nauseous, its making us sick, and afraid of our own future.

When free media sells out to one interest over another, a country dies from the inside out.

pj, the only question I have for you is how did the Irish man Obama lose his apostrophe? -Kevo

What about torture, hmmm?? I'm pretty certain that by example, they're pretty completely different on that issue. Too bad the RNC isn't in the Gulf this year, or perhaps maybe it is!

-William the trollop

This site is always fun -- thanks, and it is valuable to consider pros and cons of this so-called and weakly reported "sameness" -- the commentor from GA, above, may well be right, although I don't think corporate anything wants to make people feel better voting for Obama. I do think media (whether individual reporters who like their fancy lifestyle in DC, or their owners, who like their fancy yachts) refuses to report the obvious, which is: no matter your political preference, the biggest difference between the two candidates is that one is fit and the other is not. I mean that literally. I happen (big surprise) to think Obama is infinitely more fit on issues, ideas, moral authority, and judgment (for starters), but somebody will argue, confabulate opposition, and dig in to say otherwise. What seems indisputable, however, is that McCain is forgetful, not tracking, tone-deaf (in a way that suggests he is out of touch not just socially and economically, but in terms of sensible reactions to just about anything), given to unreasonable anger and temper outbursts, a lifelong member of the warrior class who thinks of war (preferably the Vietnam War) as a first resort, and who says -- this was reported several weeks ago, in explaining why his cell-phone access was apparently blocked by staffers, as if he were, um, not an adult -- whatever the last person he talked to said. There is no way that this essential difference between the two men can be or should be ignored. If elected McCain would be what the neo con wannabe permanent shadow government wants -- another puppet. Come to think of it, of the last four Republican presidential candidates, three seemed not quite with it, literally -- Reagan had signs of early onset before his last election; GW can focus but doesn't seem to want to and speaks coherently, as in coherent sentences, only on the subject of torture and punishment; and now McCain who cannot seem to remember his positions or his sponsored laws, or even his vigorous stance for good reason against torture, from one minute to the next.

Atrios has a post up that there's rustling over in Mittens' neck of the woods about increasing security, Secret Service protection, blah, blah, blah. I wouldn't doubt they are trying to leak stuff to the press about McCain's Veep to distract from Barack's speech tonight.

I'm sure McCain will accept his party's nomination on a stage that looks like his old POW cell, with dirt floors and no tables or chairs. You know he was a POW, don't you?

I opened up the article and just scrolled my mouse to a random section, which outlined differences in voting records and Supreme Court judicial nominations. Now, anyone who knows about politics or follows it at all knows that the latter is a HUGE, GAME-BREAKING difference. It really is just about the alpha and the omega. We are going to be stuck with the wingnuts Bush put into the SCOTUS for a long long time. That just by itself invalidates the premise of the article. Shame on AP for pushing forward even though they clearly know this.

But! I kept scrolling. It also talked about health care, which, in light of that McCainite's ridiculously idiotic statement today, is really a very large difference.

Everything else is a matter of degree. But I am, quite frankly, suspicious of what these candidates, especially McCain, say. Bush ran as a "uniter" and a "compassionate conservative". Then he aligned himself with the most far right wingnuts and monstrous neocons. Considering how quickly McCain has ran to these same people in his campaign, who says he won't when he gets into office?

oh my god! greek columns! how offensive!

in fact, I demand we tear down that elitist Lincoln Memorial. And the Jefferson, too! and hey - the Supreme Court building - they all have greek columns and look like Greek (were the Greeks part of the coalition of the willing or were they wusses like the French?)

look, Obama needs to turn this dumb-ass anti-celebrity campaign around, and tonight would be a fine time.

"Now, John McCain - instead of talking about things that really make a difference in people's lives like jobs and wages, health care and mortgages, security and energy independence - wants to joke about my being a celebrity. I think that's a bit beneath the importance of this race, but since he brought it up I have to say that I always thought the point of an election was to convince the most people to support your positions. If John doesn't think he's a big enough celebrity, that would seem to mean people just don't support his positions!

Indeed, when he calls me a celebrity, he is really making fun of the fact that all of you show up. It isn't just me he's attacking; he is attacking the millions of hard-working Americans who showed up to discuss the issues important to them in every state during the primaries and he is attacking all of you here tonight. How can John McCain run to be President of all Americans by attacking millions of them, just like you? Why doesn't John McCain like Americans?"

Sorry to post off-topic, but I have to say I hate that you typically complete your posts "beneath the fold". It is a very disruptive way to read your thoughts. Please consider using it only when you are absolutely certain that very few people are interested in finishing your thoughts on a subject.

ROTFLMLiberalAO, zeitgeist; *you* appreciate that Obama's columns are nothing to sneer at, but that of course isn't the point - the point is, how will it play with voters? I still think it will have a negative impact, and no not just inflame the scorn of those already voting for McSame. BTW of course it's too late to change the set, I was being poetic about calling people to actually do that.

Of course the right wingers hate Greek columns. The Greeks developed a working democracy.

And that is anathema to the GOP.

caerochren,

Typically?

Out of the 20 or so posts over the last couple of days there were maybe 2 or 3.

Can we all please agree to an embargo on layout and format complaints in the comment sections?

The domestic policy differences are more salient than the foreign policy and military ones.

What are the differences between the candidates' policies on military aid to Israel? On $500,000,000 military budgets? On escalating the conflict (bombing civilians) in Afghanistan? On regulating finance institutions and media corporations?

There are great differences in style between the two corporate candidtates and perhaps some small differences in how foreign policies are formulated, but not much. There are differences in reproductive rights, the environment, health care and taxation, but perhaps not on regulation of markets.

As to emailing the AP, use this, too:

Michael Oreskes, AP Managing Editor, moreskes@ap.org

And Bush spoke in front of columns, too. Apparently Rethuglican columns are OK.

More IOKIYAR.

Columns represent Washington!

Fucking Rethucglicans!

$500,000,000,000 military budgets.

As much as the candidates would be loathe to admit it, [...] -- Calvin Woodward, AP

Any native speaker of English, who earns his living by writing but doesn't know the difference between "loathe" and "loath" is, by definition, a clueless dimwit, with little to contribute to the conversation.

Neil B, please stop catapulting the propabullshit.
Bush accepted the 04 nomination in front of a similar set. D.C. is filled with similar architecture & no neocon blinks. The only dimwits trying to make this an issue are dimwits who don't want you to vote for Obama. The only dimwits who would be willing to believe this horseshittery are people looking for ANY reason to not vote for Obama without looking foolish..which, by virtue of the columns being a foolish issue...still makes them look foolish. Can't lose for losing.

Which bing us back to the original topic, the supposed similarities twixt Obama & McCain. The goal with this narrative is twofold. 1: piss off the voters who are actually paying attention. I swear, most Republicans would love nothing more than to go back in time to high school or college and fulfill every cruel adolescent fantasy they ever had. But since adult society frowns on convincing a retarded boy that the head cheerleader has a crush on him & is waiting for him at her house but wants him to walk in naked, they have to "settle" for willingly spreading disinformation in the hopes that liberals heads explode.

And
2: convince low-info voters it's OK - preferable, even, to vote for McCain. the narrative, in a nuthsell, is:
"Hey, you! Do you like the things Obama says about change & fighting for the working-class, but his Muslim past & radical terrorist wife skeeeeers ya? Aw, don't worry big guy, John McCain is just like Obama in all the ways that are important, and none of the ways that aren't! So do the right thing, vote for the WHITE GUY! COME ON! Why would WE lie?" "I'm John McCain & I approve this message."

Oh...THAT'S why.

here's the media's excuse:

"First, we are lazy f*cks! Second, investigating anything is hard and might get us in trouble.

Oooh look at Barack's hair, I think he's dying it black again. Hillary is soo mad at him"

It's the age of cowardice, kids. Comedians are the only ones telling the truth!

did you forget that the Justice Department sided with Fox News, that it is OK to 'lie' and 'distort' in their reporting? It's part of their first amendment right. Go figure.

It's up to the blogosphere and individuals like you (not counting the occasional trolls of course)to set the record straight.

This just goes to show how messed up our media really is and has been all these years. And I actually find it a bit scary that the media actually does this because a good number of voters depend on the media for information about each candidate. If voters actually listened to this, the election could be pretty messed up.

At the same time, people keep encouraging others to vote. A lot of people don't vote because they feel they don't know enough about the issues. so if they vote on the basis of this information, it might actually be better that they don't vote at all. I just thought that was interesting.

Steve,

As you noted in another article, the jerk running AP is a McCain supporter, at one point even having been connected with his campaign. Also, the outfit that bought up the LA Times is blatantly rightwing. There is no way that any of those groups are going to admit that Obama is in any way superior to McFlipFlop, which is what they would be doing if they pointed out the differences. The only hope that McFlipFlop has is to seem to be as good as Obama.