Advertisement In a recent blog entry, Gillman contended the wedge issues the GOP has successfully used in recent elections won’t be in play in the race between presumptive presidential nominees Barack Obama and John McCain.
Some of his readers agreed; others were skeptical:
Bugs Raplin wrote: “Right on target, Jimmy. All McBush has is the wedge issues. And they aren’t going to play in Peoria or anywhere else. If there are no ‘terror’ attacks between now and November, and if Obama is not assassinated, he will win in a landslide.”
Michael Welch: Sky Rockets In Sight ... wrote: “Gas prices in the Phoenix Valley are over $4/gal now, the war in Iraq still has ‘no end in sight,’ and McCain’s premise that it COULD be over by the end of his prospective term is simply wishing. Those who constantly repeat the usual litany of abortion, no same-sex marriage, et al. were ALWAYS going to vote for whatever the Republican Party handed them, but the two issues that matter to MOST voters will be the war and the economy, and neither benefits McCain or any other Republican. The party indeed fears that states usually GOP will not be this time. In the rural south for instance, folks are spending nearly TRIPLE what they were on fuel, almost 15 percent of their incomes. With oil hitting $150/barrel by July 4, inflationary pressure will ‘skyrocket.’”
Figures wrote:“Liberals like Jimmy, Mike Welsh, Harsch, Bugs and Brian Smith will all ignore the fact that the McCain-sponsored ‘surge’ is working. Iraq isn’t the quagmire that liberals hoped it would be. McCain’s position on Iraq is the winning one. Barack Hussein Obama’s position on any Arab-based issue is a losing one (for America that is).”
Dear Figures wrote: “Yeah ... that ‘surge’ is working all right ... oil is flowing, Iraqis are giving our soldiers chocolates and flowers, electricity is better than in Saddam’s time, and the Iraqis are now paying for the occupation themselves. Oh ... and pigs are flying and it’s freezing in Hades. Let McSame run on ‘the surge’ ... he’ll get smoked. The war was based on lies ... ain’t nothin’ nobody can do to put lipstick on that pig. You’re welcome to keep trying. — BrianGSmith”
Machiavelli wrote: “Really? ‘GOP wedge issues like gay marriage won’t work this time around?’ Nope, this time they’re going after the Mexican immigrants to rake in the Lou Dobbs crowd. When the peasantry’s crops go bad, when the king messes up his kingdom, any monarch who wants to stay in power looks to tag the hated ‘other’ as scapegoat. It’s Machiavelli 101!”
At the movies ...
“Critic at Large” alerted visitors this week to a documentary about legendary writer/director Billy Wilder, sharing a few favorite film titles and asking readers for their input. Here are a couple of the responses:
Bugs Raplin wrote: “I’ll pick two that really contrast — ‘Double Indemnity’ and ‘The 7 Year Itch’ — as my favorites. Good topic, Jimmy. Welch, of course, will be giving us all a much more detailed responses.”
Michael Welch MUCH More ... wrote: “‘Bugs knows! Wilder is one of my very faves and one of the best of the MANY fine American directors. Bugs’ own two choices have merit, especially the incomparable ‘Double Indemnity,’ which Woody Allen calls his personal favorite and ‘the best movie ever made.’ Fred MacMurray, so stereotyped as the mostly absent but understanding, wise old ‘Dad’ in ‘My Three Sons,’ plays a murderer! And a sympathetic one at that! Edward G. Robinson, a truly GREAT film actor, portrays Mac’s betrayed friend-mentor and Barbara Stanwyck is, appropriately, the ice cold femme fatale. Fast, smart dialogue by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, the now classic ‘hard-boiled’ detective author. And the verbal ‘seduction’ sequences between MacMurray and Stanwyck contain some of the great ‘lines.’ How FAST was I going, Officer? FAST! Breathtakingly FAST indeed! ...”
By the numbers
Marc Wehrs can be reached at mwehrs@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8218.
