I would love to vote for a black woman for POTUS.  It would send an amazing message to the rest of the world and would inspire America's black men and women and women of all races to strive for greatness through hard work and education instead of looking for free handouts for all of the needs of their lives.  

So why get in a meaningless argument with your friends, right?  

He and I have enough meaningless arguments over sports and fantasy football so we reserve politics as sacred ground.  We know that no matter what the other says, we'll remain loyal friends.   But it is that bluntness which makes our conversations so much fun and interesting.  -And useful.  

Yesterday another of my friends forwarded an article to Steve and me which began the fireworks.  

http://megs.blogtownhall.com/2008/03/03/the_obama_tidal_wave.thtml  

Excerpted:  Subject: The Obama Tidal Wave  
It is an article that argues the political phenomenon of Barack Obama is due to his speeches which have inspired millions and yet most of his followers have no idea of what he stands for except platitudes of "Change" ...but for many Americans out there feeling just like a surfer who might be ecstatic and euphoric while riding a tidal wave, the real story is what happens when it hits shore...

Just Some of What Defines Barack Obama:
. He voted against banning partial " birth abortion.
. He voted no on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
. Supports affirmative action in Colleges and Government.
. In 2001 he questioned harsh penalties for drug dealing.
. Says he will deal with street level drug dealing as minimum wage affair.
. Admitted marijuana and cocaine use in high school and in college.
. His religious convictions are very murky.
. He is willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
. Has said that one of his first goals after being elected would be to have a conference with all Muslim nations.
. Opposed the Patriot Act.
. First bill he signed that was passed was campaign finance reform.
. Voted No on prohibiting law suits against gun manufacturers.
. Supports universal health-care.
. Voted yes on providing habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
. Supports granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
. Supports extending welfare to illegal immigrants.
. Voted yes on comprehensive immigration reform.
. Voted yes on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
. Wants to make the minimum wage a "living wage".
. Voted with Democratic Party 96 percent of 251 votes.
. Is a big believer in the separation of church and state.
. Opposed to any efforts to Privatize Social Security and instead supports increasing the amount of tax paid.
. He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax
. He voted No on repealing the "Death" Tax
. He wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax.
. Has repeatedly said the surge in Iraq has not succeeded.
. He is ranked as the most liberal Senator in the Senate today and that takes some doing.

To this I added the column by Peggy Noonan, Try a Little Tenderness
...when you go on the Internet and get a transcript of the speech and print it out and read it--that is, when you remove Mr. Obama from the words and take them on their own--you see the speech wasn't all that interesting, and was in fact high-class boilerplate. (This was not true of John F. Kennedy's speeches, for instance, which could be read seriously as part of the literature of modern American politics, or Martin Luther King's work, which was powerful absent his voice.)

But his big draw is this. In a country that has throughout most of our lifetimes been tormented by, buffeted by, the question of race, a country that has endured real pain and paid in blood and treasure to work its way through and out of the mess, that for all that struggle we yielded this: a brilliant and accomplished young black man with a consensus temperament, a thoughtful and peaceful person who wishes to lead. That is his draw: "We made that." "It ended well."
People would love to be able to support that guy.Ms. Noonan then launches a series of fair thoughtful questions at the Obamas

Additionally I threw in a third writing with biting sarcasm;
A PAID POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT BY SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D- ILL)
My fellow Identity-Americans:
As your future President I want to thank my supporters, for their ... well, support.
Your mindless support of me, despite my complete lack of any legislative achievement, my pastor's relations with Louis Farrakhan and Libyan dictator Moamar Quadafi, or my blatantly leftist voting record while I present myself as some sort of bi-partisan agent of change.
I also like how my supporters claim my youthful drug use and criminal behavior somehow qualifies me for the Presidency after 8 years of claiming Bush's youthful drinking disqualifies him. Your hypocrisy is a beacon of hope shining over a sea of political posing.
I would also like to thank the Kennedy's for coming out in support of me. There's a lot of glamour behind the Kennedy name, even though JFK started the Vietnam War, his brother Robert illegally wiretapped Martin Luther King, Jr. and Teddy killed a female employee he was having an extra marital affair with who was pregnant with his child. And I'm not going anywhere near the cousins, both literally and figuratively.
And I'd like to thank Oprah Winfrey for her support. Her love of meaningless empty platitudes will be the force that propels me to the White House.
Americans should vote for me, not because of my lack of experience or achievement, but because I make people feel good. Voting for me causes some white folk to feel relieved of their imagined, racist guilt.
I say things that sound meaningful, but don't really mean anything because Americans are tired of things having meaning. If things have meaning, then that means you have to think about them.
Americans are tired of thinking.
It's time to shut down the brain, and open up the heart.
So when you go to vote in the primaries, remember don't think, just do.
And do it for me.
Thank You

What my good friend Steve wrote back was so fun and typical I felt I would share it with you.  But I want to share the copy of his letter that I deconstructed line-by-line so that everyone can use these counter-arguments conversationally when liberals hurl at you these talking points fresh from their Orwellian "two minutes hate."  

Steve's comments are in bold and blue.  Mine are not bold and in red.  I hope Rightmichigan can display it that way.  

So sad. It is indeed sad. Here come the Republicans again dealing in distortion, Here come the Obama supporters with their disseminated talking points avoiding the meaning of  words and dealing in abstractions.  What have I presented that is a factual distortion? Don't want to talk about that?  Specifics or just name calling?   hypocrisy Where?, race baiting, This, my friend, is certainly not being done by my side, blame Hillary and Bubba or yourself at the close of this note. homophobia OK, we got it.  Your talking points are to call conservatives all the names you've been calling them since LBJ.  I guess it works on large crowds of people.  and deception And, of course, generalize us all as liars.  rather than building up their own candidate's attributes. How can you say that?  -Whether it be McCain`s campaign or the people in this forum we have looked at McCain`s strengths; Budget Hawk, judges, strong military, willingness to work with Dems, etc.  Do you know who just won the Republican nomination? McCain won after the last Super Tuesday.  Immediately afterwards Mitt pulled out at CPAC to confirm it.  You didn`t think Huck could really win, did you?   You're always so focused on trashing the other side -And blame us for bringing the heated rhetoric and the politics of personal destruction.  that I think you believe Romney will still be residing on Pennsylvania Avenue in January. Are you kidding? There is a point to be made about this last statement by you though; Because conservatives feel JM betrayed us, we're less enthusiastic about his candidacy but that doesn't mean that because we disagree with him twenty percent of the time that we're willing to also give up the other eighty percent to uber-Lib, socialist, surrenderists like Obama or HillBillary.   I hope John McCain will stick to his word and run a campaign based on which side of the issues he is on and his ideas for improving this struggling country Of course you don't want JM to fight back.  You might have to seriously examine your candidate.  When do you think the Dems are going to deeply discuss their issues?  The deepest I've seen them get on any issue is about their differences over how much socialism to force on America with rationing health care or how fast to surrender Iraq to Islamofacists.  rather than the standard spreading of negativity that his party uses as a crutch, Have you not heard the shit Obama and Hillary and the entire Dem Party have said about McCain and  Bush? but I doubt it. So far I have a lot more respect for McCain than that weasel More name calling?  in the White House. I just don't agree with him. Might we get into those substantive debates on your areas of disagreement?

In the be careful what you wish for category. I guess not. ..Rush motivated his flock to flip parties for the day and vote for Hillary which helped push her to victory. I don't think the data is in yet to tell us if ballot jumpers affected this election, but you may be right.  I don't think helping Hillary is the right strategy.  Mine is; if you get a chance to drive a stake in the heart of your biggest enemy, you do. I don't think you want to stoke those coals. Well put.  The Clinton's are fighters and know their craft. I was mentioning to someone yesterday that I feel that they are incredible tacticians using the root of the word like in sailing;  constantly adjusting your sail to capture as much of the wind in your sails for propulsion.   I know the GOP would love the chance to beat the Clinton's for once, but they haven't done it yet. Some feel the only way we'll be unified this year is if Hillary is nominated.  I don`t think the GOP will ever unify behind McCain.  The only benefit is it appears the Democrats will need to march on to the convention to determine their choice. -Which will shorten the amount of time McCain will have available to build an argument against the opposition nominee. Fundraising might tip his way though if that's where he can focus and the Dems are burning theirs fighting each other.  

Check me if I'm wrong Sandy, but I believe there have been three times the number of Democratic ballots cast versus Republican thus far in the primaries If you are using national voting stats on this statement, you are using the wrong facts. National polls show McCain neck-and-neck with Hillary or Obama.  State-by-state is how you have to look at an election by electoral college   Indeed the Dems are breaking their own records for turnout but there are two very attractive candidates on their side (to them).  Plus the first time woman or black will increase turnout too.  Our races have been over for some time and when the field was full we did not find consensus.  and likely that Clinton and Obama have collected nearly as many votes for themselves as total Republican votes period. Rush, Bill Cunningham, and "Fair and Balanced" (If you need to state this...you're not No, they say that because the others are not.  Do you really think NY times, Chicago and LA Times, CNN, CBS, ABC and all of the NBCs are not far left?  I wonder if your side vilifies Fox every chance they get because they want people not to ever watch Fox because they need to protect their brains from it? -Or if they do what our side suggests; watch all media and learn to point out the bias on an intellectually honest basis.) Fox News are not responsible for all of that. Based on those numbers the Republicans better motivate angry white man with a gun collection Ah yes, define the real enemy by wrapping him in a demagogic generalization,  Hmmm.  How is this not insultingly racists?  Next will you yell, "Black Power!!!" or "Woman Power!!"? to get to the polls in November in mass or this race will be a landslide. Angry white men who believe in our second amendment are not the only sector of people who need to get to the polls to protect their interests against the party who wishes to abolish the second amendment and do nothing about keeping them out of the hands of criminals.  You had better have your opinion known if you're one of the people who are against turning over to Big Brother the most incredible medical system in the world to be run like the DMV  simply because high value care is expensive.  -From people who think it's a good idea to negotiate with terrorists by sitting down with Ahmadinejad and giving him legitimacy and exactly what he wants; appeasement and a speedy withdrawal from Iraq. Not all change is good, my friend.  Prudent change is.  There is a lot about our heritage that is worth extracting and conserving.  Limited government, state's rights, strong foreign policy, individualism, capitalism, charity, order, standards, institutions, tradition.  To say we want to radically change them all is madness.  -And spitting on our founders and our children.  

Sincerely,
Above the Fray
Above the fray?  Are you kidding me?  You got right down in the mud and slung it. Let me count the ways:
"So sad. distortion, hypocrisy, race baiting, homophobia and deception  You're always so focused on trashing the other side ...the standard spreading of negativity that his party uses as a crutch... that weasel in the White House.
"Fair and Balanced" (If you need to state this...you're not)  
and of course painting anyone who's against you as,
angry white man with a gun collection...

Steve hasn't replied but I have his permission to post our ongoing fun and brutal conversations as replies on this thread so long as I keep him anonymous. Which should be easy because I am too.  I assume he's taking my post back to his regional director for Obama and asking how to argue these points.    Stay tuned....