Random Unqualified Statements

[sevendeadlyfun]

1.) Senator Clinton, can we talk? Come on, just us. Republican to Democrat, ghetto-girl to Ivy Leaguer, nerd champion to champion nerd.  Okay, here it is: Dude, let the plagiarism thing go.  Do you think anyone cares that Obama re-used some other politician's hackneyed lines? We, the voting public, are pretty sure none of you are using your own work when you open your yaps. We aren't shocked that Senator Obama didn't stick around and give us a bibliography afterwards. How often have your own speeches contained unattributed quotes? Let. It. Go.  And while I have you here?

2.) When your husband was President and your daughter was an itty-bitty not very attractive sixth grader? It was cool for you to take the press out to the woodshed regarding their coverage of her. After all, she was a little girl and she wasn't in any public office or campaigning for anyone. See, that's the thing. Now? She is campaigning for you, deliberately pushing herself into the public eye. Is saying that you're pimping her out a nice thing? No. Are you pimping her out? Kinda. If she's not a big enough girl to take the lumps, she's not a big enough girl to be making stump speeches. You just can't have it both ways, pookie.

3.) Senator McCain: I don't care who you may or may not have had sex with. Your wife might care. I am not your wife. In all actuality, I'm not sure I'd care if my husband was screwing a lobbyist, let alone anyone else's husband. If she put out sex and you put out political favors? That I care about. Give President Clinton his dues, baby. He got blowjobs in the Oval, but he didn't give up the goodies. You've built your reputation on being ethical (minus that Keating Five thing which supposedly taught you the price of politics and whatnot). Be ethical. Stand up, take your lumps and let's move on. I seriously don't want to hear about a seventy-plus year old penis for an entire election season. Some things should remain eternal mysteries, yanno?


Random Interjection: I have a new ring. It is pretty and my husband bought it for me (under strict supervision). I got an A on my Human Development paper. My new hair color is fabulous and I have several new episodes of CSI to watch. Life is occasionally very good. :)

Comments

[anxiety-junkie.livejournal.com]

Did Hilary actually say that she was 'pimping' out her daughter? 'Cuz eww.

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Nah. Some press schmoe said it and Hillary got all offended. But, as I said above, if your daughter runs around the country making speeches for you? Her "public figure" cherry is officially popped and that never grows back... :P

[jaded-jamie.livejournal.com]

I like Hillary.... Think she'll win?

[mithril-56.livejournal.com]

I hope so - go Hillary! She has my support all the way!

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Personally? No, I don't think she'll make it past the primaries. Senator Obama is much too popular. He's got a groundswell of support that is Kennedy-esque in it's fervor. Truthfully, while I won't be voting for him, I think it will be President Obama in November. He is, as Bill Clinton used to boast, a "uniter" while Senator Clinton is entirely too divisive. Senator Obama appeals not only to Democrats, but to independents and liberal Republicans.

If the race becomes (as I think it will) McCain versus Obama, it will be a close one. They appeal to same voter bases: moderate and middle-income. They differ in that Obama will pull from traditional liberal voting blocs such as unions while McCain will trying to appeal to the Republican base of business. It'll be darn close, but I truly think Obama will win.

(I'm still not voting for him though. Anyone who wants to raise taxes just can't have my vote. The government gets enough of my money.)

[jaded-jamie.livejournal.com]

Who do you think will become president?

[mithril-56.livejournal.com]

Okay, gotta disagree with you on some points (though I completely support your right to be in opposition to me ;> hehehe ) Plagerism? As a writer, I find it deplorable. Using well coined, oft-quoted phrases is fine and dandy, but using someone else's speech, word for word - plagerism and badbadbad. Re the Chelsea issue. The press itself, as a journalistic industry, made a huge outcry, not about Chelsea being used in her mothers campaign (so many children of politicians support them in this way, like the 5 sons of M. Romney did), but about the use of the word 'pimp'. Yes, it's become part of the common venacular among certain age groups and demogrqphics, but from a journalists perspective, again badbadbad. Gotta disagree with you on these points, kiddo. I even disagree with you on the McCain thing. I'm a dyed in the wool liberal democrat ( love the Clinton's and support Hillary all the way). Like you, I could care less who some politician sleeps with unless it's done in exchange for political favors. In this case, though, I think the NYT story was not well researched before being released. It was thin of fact and heavy on inuendo - not good journalism imo. I do agree with you re the 70 year old penis thing, though ;>

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Mithril, I'm not pro-plagiarism. But,when a politician speaks, s/he is rarely (if ever) using their own words. They have speechwriters, people paid to write for them. Now, at my university, we call that plagiarism. In politics, it's seldom if ever even touched upon. So to me, the idea that Senator Obama "plagiarized" is ludicrous. Frankly, they all plagiarize. No politician is citing the actual authors of the words, and it certainly isn't themselves. So how is Obama any different from any other politician in that respect.

As for Senator Clinton's daughter, she is pimping her out. Well, in my opinion, she is and it's not that fact that bothers me. Sending your (grown) child hither and yon to drum up political support for you isn't bad. But acting as if she's a journalistic "untouchable" is. Chelsea Clinton voluntarily made herself a public figure. Ergo, she has to take her lumps like any other public figure. Was the statement in bad taste? Sure. But, I don't believe it was wrong per se nor do I believe the journalist who made it should have had to make the "walk of shame". Chelsea put on her big girl panties, now she has to walk in them.

As for Senator McCain, I agree that the article was thin of fact. But, he has in the past done legislative favors for "friends", sexual or otherwise (I don't want to know). His denials are suspect, particularly when they come into headlong contradiction with earlier sworn statements. I'm immune to scandals, but not to lies. I think Senator McCain should get back to his famed "Straight Talk" and leave the politicking to someone else...

Liberal Democrat? Gasp! I thought they were extinct? :P

[mithril-56.livejournal.com]

But,when a politician speaks, s/he is rarely (if ever) using their own words. They have speechwriters, people paid to write for them. Now, at my university, we call that plagiarism.

Ah, but not at my university. Hiring a speech writer to write your speeches is not the same thing as lifting another politiciain's speech verbatim. The first (the way I was taught) is not plagerism, but the second, without attribution - even with the other politician's permission - is the literal definition of the word.

But acting as if she's a journalistic "untouchable" is.

The Clinton's protested, true - and good for them. But the largest outcry by far didn't come from them, but rather other jounalists. They were appalled by DS's choice of words, from a journalistic standpoint.

Re McCain, well, as a good liberal democrat, I supported a republican enough for one day, so he's all yours ;>

Liberal Democrat? Gasp! I thought they were extinct? :P

Nope, a bunch of us card-carrying members of the ACLU out here, alive and kicking! :>

Pax

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Pax


Very much agreed. There should be porn now! :)

[mithril-56.livejournal.com]

Agreed agreed agreed! Wow, who woulda thunk it was porn that the dems and rebuplicans had in common?! hehehe!

[staticspinning.livejournal.com]

well put! congrats on your A --what was your human development paper about?

[sevendeadlyfun.livejournal.com]

Thank you! My paper was on the underlying causes of anorexia nervosa, covering both gender and cultural specific causes. Yeah, it's about as interesting as it sounds. But, still...A!

way delayed...

[staticspinning.livejournal.com]

sorry i'm so slow to respond.--my computer died months ago and access to a computer had been sporadic until recently (yay! new computer!)..
i have a family member who had struggled with anorexia nervosa--to the point where she had the forced feeding thing, then therapy for a year or so...so do find it interesting...actually pretty much find all of the human development/psychology types of things fascinating-- anyway, i'd have difficulty understanding how you, with your obvious understanding of human nature, as well as your ability to write, could get much less than an A in any psych/human development course--