The startling science behind Obama’s victory
The technological superiority of the Obama campaign has been well-covered, but Sasha Issenberg at MIT’s Technology Review offers us a deeper and even unsettling look at just what it accomplished. Along the way, he also introduces us to someone who may make Nate Silver of Fivethirtyeight fame not only envious, but downright anachronistic.
Political junkies will remember the hotly contested 2009 special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District. Issenberg, author of “The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns,” introduces us to Dan Wagner, who predicted the outcome of that election within a 150- vote margin. In 2010, Republican Scott Brown pulled off a surprising victory for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Ted Kennedy. Wagner, however, had predicted Brown’s victory months before the election took place. In the 2010 congressional midterms, which the Republicans won, he correctly predicted the outcome with uncanny accuracy five months before the fact.
That performance was enough to get Wagner’s data-mining project considerable funding and manpower from the Democratic National Committee and the Obama campaign. The result? As Issenberg puts it in a three-part series, while the campaign fielded all of the most sophisticated technology, that was only the beginning. In battleground states, they wanted the mind-boggling ability to identify and track individual voters, determine what would convince those individual voters to vote Obama, and then deliver that convincing material to them.
As Issenberg describes it:
“But underneath all that were scores describing particular voters: a new political currency that predicted the behavior of individual humans. The campaign didn’t just know who you were; it knew exactly how it could turn you into the type of person it wanted you to be….
Obama’s campaign began the election year confident it knew the name of every one of the 69,456,897 Americans whose votes had put him in the White House. They may have cast those votes by secret ballot, but Obama’s analysts could look at the Democrats’ vote totals in each precinct and identify the people most likely to have backed him. Pundits talked in the abstract about reassembling Obama’s 2008 coalition. But within the campaign, the goal was literal. They would reassemble the coalition, one by one, through personal contacts….
Before the polls opened in Ohio, authorities in Hamilton County, the state’s third-largest and home to Cincinnati, released the names of 103,508 voters who had cast early ballots over the previous month. Wagner sorted them by microtargeting projections and found that 58,379 had individual support scores over 50.1—that is, the campaign’s models predicted that they were more likely than not to have voted for Obama. That amounted to 56.4 percent of the county’s votes, or a raw lead of 13,249 votes over Romney. Early ballots were the first to be counted after Ohio’s polls closed, and Obama’s senior staff gathered around screens in the boiler room to see the initial tally. The numbers settled almost exactly where Wagner had said they would: Obama got 56.6 percent of the votes in Hamilton County. In Florida, he was as close to the mark; Obama’s margin was only two-tenths of a percent off.”
When you read things like that and compare it to Karl Rove’s plaintive Election Night plea that Ohio was still winnable for Mitt Romney, you begin to understand just how significantly the science of campaigning has changed, and how much of a march the Democrats have stolen.
– Jay Bookman
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304 comments Add your comment
Dunwoody Granny
December 18th, 2012
10:27 am
stands for decibels @ 10:05, amen! Amen! Amen!
Welcome to the Occupation
December 18th, 2012
10:27 am
An interesting time in this country will be when you libs. that work hard will start to tire of the moocher system.
Rubedom never learns.
larry
December 18th, 2012
10:29 am
Are you familiar with sky marshals?
A federally certified and trained officer versus a passenger , who probably doesn’t have the same type of training.
Big difference
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:30 am
Which party ?
Short answer is both. The failures to rebuild a sensible approach to rebuilding our mental health systems after they were dismantled is the failure of both parties.
GT
December 18th, 2012
10:30 am
Blain it took you this long to figure out you don’t think very good, amazing how that works. Obviously you did think wrong and still do.
Crazy Peeps
December 18th, 2012
10:31 am
Mathematically, we have a problem.
Millions of people own these guns and don’t do anything stupid with them. We have millions of mentally ill people, most of whom don’t do anything this stupid.
Statistically, the probability of any of these things happening is exceptionally small. But in the rare instance that these two things overlap, extremely bad things happen. Extreme gun control combined with trying to lock up eeryone remotely mentally ill would mostly solve the problem, but at what cost?
It seems to me the key is keeping the guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. Which is neither a gun problem or a mentally ill issue. And therefore I think trigger locks are probably the best solution, because no current or currently considered gun control law would have stopped this. But trigger locks would have potentially stopped the problem.
It’s not that hard. This concludes my verbal statistics and Venn diagram lesson.
Moderate Line
December 18th, 2012
10:33 am
Obama followed the stategy that Bush followed in 2004 which was designed by Karl Rove. Trash your opponents which will discourage independents from showing up and pump up your base.
Here is the election breakdown.
Non-voters 41%
Obama 30%
Romney 27.9%
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
10:34 am
Leave it to the “Black Guy” to TOTALLY revolutionalize the campaign and electoral process in the Unites States. I cannot help but wonder after we are all dead and gone how “history” will portray such a MONUMENTAL thing. It is just a shame that “American History” has so many times done this very thing. You don’t have to like the fact that I say it, but it’s true.
The Obama campaign just had it all figured out and are leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. My kid’s room mate took off last semester to go to Washington because she was hired to come work on the re-election campaign. They are bold and know where to go find the best and brightest to pull this whole thing off. That’s why in spite of all the echo chambering on TV, radio, and blogs like this one by whoever, it’s all just that – TALK! Thorough data ANALYSIS does not lie and will win every time and Nate Silver and the Obama campaign proved that.
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
10:34 am
The children were actually killed be a deeply disturbed mentally ill person…
with a gun. Yes, we know.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:34 am
Big difference
Not really because you could implement the same inside schools keeping the security personnel in plain clothes and blended in with the school staff members. Another approach would be to train certain teachers or teachers with prior military training and experience.
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
10:36 am
But trigger locks would have potentially stopped the problem.
Trigger locks have to be applied to work. If you don’t think your mentally ill son will do anything crazy with guns you’re probably not gonna be conscientious about applying the darn things.
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
10:39 am
@Moderate Line
December 18th, 2012
10:33 am
BS!!!! The MINORITY base was “pumped up” by constant attacks and demonization by the GOP along with attempts to suppress OUR vote. I would have stood in line for a WEEK to cast MY vote, rain, sleet, snow, or hail – if nothing ELSE but to send a message. You better believe it when I tell you this.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:39 am
with a gun. Yes, we know.
In a case of vehicular homicide do we say the driver committed the act of homicide or do we say the vehicle committed the act and therefore vehicles should be banned.
Dave
December 18th, 2012
10:40 am
And, I don’t much like it whether done by Rove or Wagner. I long for a politician that would tell me what they want to do, not tell me what they think I want them to do. I know, pigs flying….
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:40 am
Recon — “Are you familiar with sky marshals?”
Sky marshal does not equal passenger. Fat, balding passenger from Oklahoma does not equal sky marshal.
Since you’ve obviously never read it any of the other times I’ve posted it, I’ll repeat myself once again.
I don’t have a problem with trained, licensed and properly vetted LEOs on planes, in schools, banks or anywhere else providing security. What I have a problem with is every fat, dumb chunk in America thinking that he’s effing Rambo because he can qualify for a concealed carry permit.
More than that, I have a problem with fat, dumb chunks thinking that they have some sort of legal dispensation to hit whoever the hell they want while they’re trying to put rounds downrange on whoever they’ve decided to go OK Corral on. I don’t trust the marksmanship skills of fat, dumb chunks with concealed carry permits, and I think that if they’re so sure of their skills, then they ought to have the courage of those convictions and work without a net — and that means taking legal and financial responsibility for EACH AND EVERY ROUND THEY PUT DOWNRANGE.
You’re trying to stop a carjacking, but you manage to shoot the vic dead? And you’re not a cop? WTF is wrong with you? Civil suit and jail.
You whip out your piece because of gunplay in the Home Depot parking lot? Thanks for effing up that undercover cop’s collar of the drug dealer, nitwit. Civil suit and jail.
We deputize LEOs to pack heat and use firearms in the course of their jobs because they’ve volunteered, been trained and because they agree to work under a code of conduct that includes punitive measures. Whereas fat chunks with concealed carry permits only have Cheeto stains on their shirts and no sense of responsibility.
If you want to become a sky marshal, great. I’m all for that and I think you should get the best possible training and preparation for the job.
OTOH, if you’re a fat chunk and you want a CC permit so you can go argue online about plinking people with turbans on your next Southwest flight, then just order up some more Cheetos and Mountain Dew from that online grocery store and stay the hell out of Hartsfield, okay?
Wait a minute
December 18th, 2012
10:41 am
Big Brother knows way more about you than you’ll ever know. And don’t think that the info isn’t being used every day for all sorts of purposes, both good and bad.
The real question I have, did the info predict accurately that 100% of certain precincts would vote for the President and that turnout in some of those districts would exceed 100%? THAT WOULD BE REAL SCIENCE
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 18th, 2012
10:42 am
“This is the single most spitty idea since Free Republic posters claimed that passengers on commercial airlines should be allowed to pack heat when they lfy home to visit Memaw in Wichita for the holidays.”
They did by the hundreds of thousands (can’t you just imagine the number of guns on a flight from Dallas to Atlanta) back before terrorism entered the picture (about 1970).
I haven’t been able to find the first incident of a problem before that time.
The CULTURE has changed !
guy
December 18th, 2012
10:42 am
NEWS FLASH, I JUST WITNESSED obama WALKING ON WATER! WOW!!!!!!!
larry
December 18th, 2012
10:43 am
Not really because you could implement the same inside schools keeping the security personnel in plain clothes and blended in with the school staff members
Then little Mary asks, ” Who is that guy with the gun in his holster?” There goes the blended in part right there. And as far as training teachers , with the state cutting education budgets ,who’s got the money for training. Our little school system, combining state budget cuts plus the loss of taxable value of property ,lost 5.9 million last year. Where is the money comming from ?
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:44 am
Recon — “Not really because you could implement the same inside schools keeping the security personnel in plain clothes and blended in with the school staff members. Another approach would be to train certain teachers or teachers with prior military training and experience.”
Sorry, but IMO, that’s a stupid, stupid idea.
Security personnel need to have their minds SET on providing security, not on diagramming sentences or the melting point of lead and ZOMG THAT DOOD’S GOT A PIECE AIMED AT MY (BLAM).
One employee, one job. FWIW, I wouldn’t be opposed to plainclothes officers in schools, but the kids would dope out who’s who inside of a week.
Bobby
December 18th, 2012
10:44 am
Butch Cassidy (I):
Proof? Google it… Its a fact dems bus their voters to the polls… Watch something other than MessNBC once in a while…
http://dailycaller.com/2012/11/06/wisconsin-conservative-radio-host-local-and-federal-taxpayer-funded-vehicles-were-used-to-transport-dem-voters-to-polls/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2611955/posts
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 18th, 2012
10:45 am
Pilots can now choose to be armed which was an outstanding idea (fought by liberals who lameted that they would be shooting up the cockpit) !
Keeps those pesky terrorists guessing.
Bobby
December 18th, 2012
10:46 am
JamVet:
I’m certainly not worried about losing here in the bright red state of Georgia where we have free and FAIR elections…. lol…
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:46 am
I don’t have a problem with trained, licensed and properly vetted LEOs on planes, in schools, banks or anywhere else providing security. What I have a problem with is every fat, dumb chunk in America thinking that he’s effing Rambo because he can qualify for a concealed carry permi
Didn’t see where non-vetted, non-trained personnel were being proposed.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 18th, 2012
10:46 am
larry:
New football stadiums and uniforms or secuity.
It’s always a matter of what you choose to prioritize.
Crazy Peeps
December 18th, 2012
10:47 am
Aqua Girl
Modern technology is an amazing thing. Require fingerprint recognition devices on all new guns purchased, set only to the purchaser at the time of purchase. Only the purchaser can use them then. Combined with background checks, we’d be in pretty good shape.
Granny Godzilla
December 18th, 2012
10:47 am
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:39 am
with a gun. Yes, we know.
In a case of vehicular homicide do we say the driver committed the act of homicide or do we say the vehicle committed the act and therefore vehicles should be banned.
.
.
.
Are formula 1 cars allowed on public roadways?
We do ban some vehicles from public streets and restrictions are placed on those that are allowed.
Why is that too much to ask for in relation to firearms?
BTW, Vets who come back with a taste for violence should not be allowed to own guns.
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:48 am
0311 — “They did by the hundreds of thousands (can’t you just imagine the number of guns on a flight from Dallas to Atlanta) back before terrorism entered the picture (about 1970).”
And once terrorism *did* enter the picture, away went the guns in the passenger cabin. Precisely my point, and thanks for helping me make it.
“The CULTURE has changed !”
Certainly has. Now we have fat, dumb chunks thinking that they have some sort of Constitutional right to carry their piece onboard a flight just in case some brown dude looks at them funny and deserves blowing away.
People like those should either drive, take Amtrak or get a freakin’ HORSE IMO.
getalife
December 18th, 2012
10:48 am
The massacres are not over.
We are just waiting for another nut to go off.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
10:49 am
Yes, sir! Let’s have 200 armed passengers on a jet! What a great idea! If even one were to miss their target, i.e., the hijacker, they would blow a hole in the fuselage of the jet and everyone who wasn’t wearing a seat belt would be sucked out in the wild blue yonder never to be heard from again.
As far as this election stuff goes, I always rely on my buddy, Hanging Chad, to make predictions.
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
10:49 am
In a case of vehicular homicide do we say the driver committed the act of homicide or do we say the vehicle committed the act and therefore vehicles should be banned.
It depends on whether the driver pulled the trigger on the forward mounted turrets or if they were remotely controlled.
larry
December 18th, 2012
10:49 am
I dont think the security was the problem. The school set up a new security system. And if you have armed guards, the assult weapon would have killed them before they could get their guns out.
The problem was a young man with mental problems’ access to an assult weapon from his mothers’ collection.
And if you say, arm the armed guards with assult weapons, how long would it be before one of them snaps, because his wife is leaving him or other personal problems, and he himself shoots the school up? Then what.
moonbat betty
December 18th, 2012
10:50 am
JHM is going to blow a gasket!
Someone go to his house and take his gun away!!!
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and Ban the Gun Thug!
December 18th, 2012
10:50 am
Guns on a plane… ARRUUGGGHHH!
Do you have any idea what a bullet will do in a pressurized cabin? Stupid idea.
Silent Night
December 18th, 2012
10:50 am
For those of you that feel like a good cry this morning check out this moving tribute to the victims of the horrific massacre in Newtown.
http://youtu.be/nx1Hqxunv5g
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:51 am
0311 — “Pilots can now choose to be armed which was an outstanding idea (fought by liberals who lameted that they would be shooting up the cockpit) !”
Also a stupid idea. A pilot’s job is to fly and LAND the plane. If hijackers make their presence know, then land the plane. Presto, no more 9/11. Plot foiled.
“Keeps those pesky terrorists guessing.”
Maybe you’ll sit in your seat and wait for death to come for you if a hijacker’s on your next flight, but I won’t. I might die in the attempt, but I will do everything I can unto my last breath to make sure the bad guys don’t even get CLOSE to the cockpit.
“Didn’t see where non-vetted, non-trained personnel were being proposed.”
I was pretty sure I made that clear in the post to which you responded. It’s a been a strong point of contention on Free Republic since 9/11.
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
10:52 am
@guy
December 18th, 2012
10:42 am
…and you get to witness it for ANOTHER….FOUR….YEARS!!!!!!! lmao (I love it!)
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
10:53 am
BTW, Vets who come back with a taste for violence should not be allowed to own guns.
One VietNam vet I knew kept his pistol in his hand while he slept and you did NOT wake him up unless you wanted to be staring down that barrel hoping that he did not see you as the enemy at that instant.
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:53 am
M. Betty — “JHM is going to blow a gasket!”
Only if one of those fat, dumb chunks is on my flight.
No worries, tho; we usually fly in First.
“Someone go to his house and take his gun away!!!”
My attack cat will BITE YOU.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:53 am
Sorry, but IMO, that’s a stupid, stupid idea.
But you’re not a security professional. If you have multiple teachers trained to effectively use firearms and that information was public it would be very unlikely that the Adam Lanza types who all share a common profile would target that school. And should they there wouldn’t be 26 dead woman and children.
Welcome to the Occupation
December 18th, 2012
10:55 am
A Democratic president is in Washington as we speak working with the Republicans to cut the legs out from under the already shaky foundations of the hard-won social programs of the 20th C.
Be nice if Jay Bookman thought the fact that a Democratic president is in effect opening the door for this dismantling is significant enough to warrant a passing word or two.
Why, otherwise, it might just look like an overblown fear cooked up by some “shrill” leftist.
Guess that
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 18th, 2012
10:55 am
“Do you have any idea what a bullet will do in a pressurized cabin? Stupid idea.”
Yes ………. we were taught in our training that even several bullet holes in an airplane causes no more of a pressure leak than is already present due to small leaks in the doors, baggage area underneath, etc., etc. The aircraft pressurizing system is easily able to keep up with it.
NEXT !
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
10:56 am
Didn’t see where non-vetted, non-trained personnel were being proposed.
Did the word “passenger” have too many syllables to sound out?
moonbat betty
December 18th, 2012
10:56 am
“My attack cat will BITE YOU.”
JHM, careful there, next thing you know we will be banning feisty cats
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:57 am
Goodness Taxpayer new one Vietnam veteran and Granny is an expert on the collective mental condition of returning combat veterans.
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
10:58 am
Recon — “But you’re not a security professional.”
Nor are you an educator. What’s your point?
“If you have multiple teachers trained to effectively use firearms and that information was public it would be very unlikely that the Adam Lanza types who all share a common profile would target that school. And should they there wouldn’t be 26 dead woman and children.”
We could also develop a foolproof system for preventing hijackings on planes, but then tickets would cost $150K apiece.
The job of a school is to EDUCATE, not to be an armed encampment. The task of an airline is to move pax and cargo around, not to put down potential threats like it’s one of those Javacode shooting games you see in internet banner ads. You’re talking about putting so MUCH security in place that education and transport would become secondary — it’s like avoiding traffic fatalities by making the national speed limit 25 MPH.
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
10:58 am
Who needs Mitt’s aircraft design with the roll-down windows when you got talk from gun rights advocates making planes “safe” by toting tons-o-guns on each flight. Holy DePressurized Cabins, Batman! Nahnahnahnahnahnah, BATMANNNNNN!
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 18th, 2012
10:59 am
“Mama”:
“Maybe you’ll sit in your seat and wait for death to come for you if a hijacker’s on your next flight, but I won’t.”
Being a former Federal Air Marshal ………. I know several things I can do.
O.K. All the “experts” have spoken.
Have to run.
Everyone be nice !!
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:59 am
Did the word “passenger” have too many syllables to sound out?
I know it’s difficult for you but try to keep up. The discourse pertains to security inside schools.
nathan's political arsonist
December 18th, 2012
11:00 am
bottom line, there aren’t enough angry, hatemonger, homophobic, racist, bigoted, narcissistic, sociopathic old white dudes left to sustain the GOP. and they’ve alienated every one else with their self serving policies. very entertaining to watch them devour each other as they wilt away into history.
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
11:00 am
M. Betty — “JHM, careful there, next thing you know we will be banning feisty cats”
It would have been our attack Chows, but both of them died last year and my wife’s still not quite ready to adopt any yet. We do love the breed, though. Quiet, clean, intelligent, observant and devoted guard dogs. Not a good ‘play with me’ breed, but definitely an outstanding guard dog breed.
Granny Godzilla
December 18th, 2012
11:00 am
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
10:53 am
BTW, Vets who come back with a taste for violence should not be allowed to own guns.
One VietNam vet I knew kept his pistol in his hand while he slept and you did NOT wake him up unless you wanted to be staring down that barrel hoping that he did not see you as the enemy at that instant.
.
.
.
Sadly at my age I have seen lot’s of Vietnam era vets far worse off then that.
Please tell me we are better at treating PTSD victims than we were then.
getalife
December 18th, 2012
11:01 am
Did you actually think del or scout will post something intelligent?
Come on.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
11:01 am
“Stands: If I understand your question, the Obama campaign contacted us through e-mail….email after email. Not one e-mail from any repub. The e-mails were signed by different people in their campaign.”
Surprising that sending out spam worked out in their favor. I would have voted against the spammer for filling my inbox with junk mail.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
11:01 am
JHM@10:58, nice dance steps.
Oscar
December 18th, 2012
11:02 am
There are high schools in the Atlanta area where the students have been carrying concealed weapons for years.
After Columbine, at one such school, the kids joked that they were not worried, if any one tried to start shooting, there were plenty of kids there that had guns who would blow them away.
True story.
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
11:03 am
Recon — “Did the word “passenger” have too many syllables to sound out?”
“Pax” is an accepted industry abbreviation for ‘passengers,’ and I need neither your approval nor your permission to use it.
“I know it’s difficult for you but try to keep up.”
Take a hike, threadmarm.
“The discourse pertains to security inside schools.”
And *I* brought up planes over an entire page ago. If you don’t want to talk about them, then don’t, but don’t act like you’re in control of the conversation or any of the posters here.
In short, take a flying leap, pal.
getalife
December 18th, 2012
11:03 am
Guns on a plane is just another rabbit hole.
Deflecterbation.
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
11:03 am
I mentioned something that I remembered about a vet that I knew. I don’t recall claiming that I just knew one as though that meant something. That would be like Republicans and their claims of knowing a black couple or a Mexican, etc., in a conversation about how unbigoted and diverse they are or something and that would be just so wrong in so many ways…
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
11:04 am
Recon — “JHM@10:58, nice dance steps.”
Your concession and surrender are noted, accepted and appreciated.
moonbat betty
December 18th, 2012
11:05 am
JHM,
Guard dogs are probably the best home defense…Until they get out and maul the neighbor’s children.
Ronald Reagan
December 18th, 2012
11:05 am
Is the multiple voting per voter factored in also?
Erwin's cat
December 18th, 2012
11:05 am
Are formula 1 cars allowed on public roadways?
Don’t think for a minute that there aren’t race cars on the street aka dual purpose cars
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
11:06 am
JHM, don’t get emotional I did compliment you on your dance steps didn’t I. BTW…do you and aquagirl have a blog thing going on?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
11:07 am
Hmmm. amazing that our Ftroops prefer a defensive “reaction” rather than taking “proactive” steps to try to keep guns out of certain hands. Certainly is not representative of most well-thought military training. These same minds want a war with Iran to proactively keep nukes out of their hands.
Erwin's cat
December 18th, 2012
11:09 am
in a conversation about how unbigoted and diverse they are or something and that would be just so wrong in so many ways…
this from a poster who already posted a bigoted comment today
GT
December 18th, 2012
11:12 am
Crazy Peeps what you have is millions of people who are selfish and really don’t care that children are dying, their toys are more important. To paint yourself as the one being cheated when your attitude is indirectly killing people everyday is what we call nuts.
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
11:12 am
I know it’s difficult for you but try to keep up. The discourse pertains to security inside schools.
Then you better tell Jay somebody’s namejacking you, since somebody with your handle was discussing Sky Marshals back at 10:26.
On the other hand I can see how you’d wander off into discussing placement of Sky Marshals in schools or have completely forgotten what you said a half hour ago. If your memory is that bad please get someone to collect your guns and go for a medical checkup.
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and Ban the Gun Thug!
December 18th, 2012
11:13 am
http://www.upworthy.com/the-most-rational-2-sentences-about-gun-regulation-on-the-internet-right-now?c=upw1
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
11:13 am
Betty — “Guard dogs are probably the best home defense…Until they get out and maul the neighbor’s children.”
Fortunately, if there are no squirrels or cats standing right at the door when you open it, Chows are usually too mellow to make a run for it.
Recon — “JHM, don’t get emotional I did compliment you on your dance steps didn’t I. BTW…do you and aquagirl have a blog thing going on?”
Look, I get what you’re saying about loading up schools with security, but you’ve got a military background — so put yourself in the shooter’s position. You want to off a bunch of people, but you know the schools are chock-full of plainclothes security. What do you do? *Pick another target.*
Shopping Mall (Oregon)
Movie Theater (Colorado)
College Campus (Virginia)
My point is that we can’t make *everywhere* totally safe — it’s just not practical in our current legal situation. Something’s got to give. Now, whether that’s got something to do with firearms availability or psychiatric intervention or site security or what, I can’t say.
I’m not *against* plainclothes security in schools, but I think that solution is a stopgap at best. Eventually, the threat moves somewhere else.
Butch Cassidy (I)
December 18th, 2012
11:20 am
Bobby – “Proof? Google it… Its a fact dems bus their voters to the polls… Watch something other than MessNBC once in a while…”
Wow, tweets a van, ice cream and sample ballots. I’m convinced. Now I guess we know how Obama won. For the record, I don’t watch MSNBC, I get most of my news from the WSJ and I didn’t vote for Obama either time despite the allure of free ice cream.
Oscar
December 18th, 2012
11:22 am
If someone can access information and predict how people will vote, there should be a way to predict who may become violent.
People with known personality disorders need people around them who are aware of warning signs and can get help if they start getting worse.
One of those signs is when one starts to injure himself, animals or other people. The shooter in this case did one of those, and his condition became worse, but nothing was done.
GT
December 18th, 2012
11:24 am
Most of those people who have those mauling dogs have guns too, it comes with the ego problems they suffer. Use to be in my father’s time these losers would go out and buy some supped up car or dye their hair, now they want to scare anybody and everybody, shock and aw doesn’t that sound familiar?
deegee
December 18th, 2012
11:25 am
Isn’t the key to better government an informed electorate? If the democrats can use technology to do a good job of informing the electorate than what’s wrong with that? Romney is like your grandfather’s old Buick. It looks nice but it’s not very efficient.
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
11:26 am
“People with known personality disorders need people around them who are aware of warning signs and can get help if they start getting worse.”
I figure about 18 trillion in tax increases should cover it.
Seriously, you think everybody in the nation with a diagnosis of Asperger’s should be under 24 hour watch?
Redcoat
December 18th, 2012
11:27 am
They know you and therefore know how to direct your thoughts to control and mislead your decisions by changing or presenting the information you process. If someone presents contradictory information, that person is discredited with more misleading information and on and on……….Who can you absolutely trust outside your closest relatives and friends? What is real and/or true information?
Oscar
December 18th, 2012
11:29 am
riously, you think everybody in the nation with a diagnosis of Asperger’s should be under 24 hour watch?
________
I didn’t say that, and there was more wrong with the shooter than Asperger’s.
Mike Fitzgerald
December 18th, 2012
11:32 am
Mr. Bookman,
Please don’t change the subject. While your commentary on The state of the art in modern Presidential campaigns is very interesting, I think our community and national conversation is solely focused on working out how to stop a mass shooting of first graders from happening ever again.
When an almost identical event happened in Scotland in 1996, handguns were banned. Some may consider a Total gun ban reactionary, but I think it deserves an open and fair discussion alongside other options.
Did you read the editorial in yesterday’s New York Times about the NRA’s slogan, “An armed society is a polite society.” I can summarize for those who missed it, but my point is – we need to continue this dialogue until a consensus solution emerges or at the very least a majority opinion that we can agree to act on in the next month or less.
deegee
December 18th, 2012
11:33 am
Redcoat, if you have to rely on your friends and relatives then you aren’t doing enough reading.
Tundra Dude
December 18th, 2012
11:35 am
The startling science behind Obama’s victory
While this “startling science” may be intellectually interesting, if someone just wanted to know in advance who the winner would be, see Allan Lichtman, of American University.
He knew back in 2011 (from his system, “Keys to the White House”) that the incumbent would not be ousted. His most recent prediction was 30 days before the election.
What’s Not “startling” is it was a big victory for the status quo. One of my fav Lefty economists calls Obama “Romney-Lite”.
Oh, what a shock….
this Headline at Huffington Post:
RAW DEAL
Obama’s Latest Fiscal Cliff Offer Targets Middle Class, Elderly
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
11:35 am
“I didn’t say that, and there was more wrong with the shooter than Asperger’s.”
Okay – while I wish it was possible to prevent these incidients, I’m very wary of any kind of involuntary commitment, not-arrested-but-kind-of solution targeting people that don’t act exactly like someone thinks they should.
The only “official” diagnosis I’ve heard on the shooter is Asperger’s. Can you link me to another? I’m very interested.
GT
December 18th, 2012
11:37 am
Oscar I think they could do exactly that, profile the next nutcase, but some of those in that universe are your rightwing nut jobs that hide behind the 2nd amendment as they plan their horrors. I think that is the number one reason the right is so possessive of their privacy, one thump on their head in the right place and they too are the man in a clown outfit and semiautomatic. That Tea Party guy chasing Obama around the campaign crowd in Ohio demanding to know why Obama called his group terrorist, you are getting a load of them now, refusing to connect the dots. When you are losing a national debate just start lying, great strategy, if you are a selfish person.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
December 18th, 2012
11:39 am
“…and you get to witness it [Obama in the White House] for ANOTHER….FOUR….YEARS!!!!!!! lmao (I love it!)…”
Never, ever underestimate the appeal the mindset betrayed by this gloating has with some voters.
There’s no Algebra in the world that will make both sides of this equation balance:
Obama + Accomplishment = Four More Years
unless you add ‘+ Sticking it to The Man, Mister Charlie, whatever’ on the left side. Heck, more like replace “Accomplishment all together. It’s been awhile since I was in school, but I believe in BHO’s case, “Accomplishment would be the null set.
Redcoat
December 18th, 2012
11:41 am
deegee……….who said “rely”?……..”trust” was the word I used……Who do you really trust?…..
Oscar
December 18th, 2012
11:41 am
Can you link me to another?
____
The report I heard was on tv. The report said he showed a lack of sensitivity and empathy, as I recall. Not sure I have it exactly right.
But that sounds like something similar to a social path or psychopath.
Lack of emotional feelings.
My point was that people around troubled individuals should educate themselves about the disorder.
guy
December 18th, 2012
11:46 am
Krystal’sBalls, I love that man,obama. He’s my everything!
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
11:47 am
Does this mean that Democrats can now be referred to as “the Party of Spam”?
GT
December 18th, 2012
11:49 am
Mike Fitzgerald I think the country pretty well has decided they want gun control, the polls even before this last explanation of the freedom to bare arms was in the favor of taking this stuff off the streets. What I notice in your manner is the control you are trying to have over Jay, one of the traits that these gun nuts seem to find in their worship for weapons and power. “Mr. Bookman”, the formality of a soldier a humble soldier yet the control demands of a small ego looking for attention.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
11:49 am
guy – you’re having an obasm.
Oscar
December 18th, 2012
11:50 am
There were also reports that during the last week or two his condition had worsened and he was injuring himself by burning. Self injury is always a red flag that something is wrong.
Time at least to take away all access to weapons, if nothing else.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
11:53 am
Hmmm. Freedom to “bare” arms. (= the ability to wear short sleeve shirts without retribution)
GT
December 18th, 2012
11:55 am
Nunna now that we can agree on. Short shirts too.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
11:58 am
I suppose that t-shirts, basketball jerseys, etc. would also be permissable.
getalife
December 18th, 2012
11:59 am
Media decided to move on from the victims and wait for the next massacre.
The gop ran a rich fraud that could not speak the truth or give specific plans.
That is why they lost.
Next.
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
11:59 am
Oscar, There was so much false information coming out about this (they identified the wrong guy as shooter, for crying out loud!), that I take these “reports” with a grain of salt. I’ll wait until I see a reliable link before I take it as gospel.
SheleekiaBarackisha
December 18th, 2012
12:17 pm
“They would reassemble the coalition, one by one, through personal contacts….”
Did people who received Obama phones get bombarded with campaign text messages from the mother ship?
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
1:01 pm
this from a poster who already posted a bigoted comment today
For all I know, you may be the bigger bigot that’s just trying to throw up a diversionary furball.
guy
December 18th, 2012
1:44 pm
Nunna Yobinnes,, I am having an obasm and my legs are tingling! Ali used to be the greatest but now it’s obama. He’s a great American hero!
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
1:44 pm
@Escaped from Email Purgatory
December 18th, 2012
11:39 am
FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS!!! Those who desire to can gloat all they want….AT LEAST…. for FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!!
MmmmMmmm my grapes taste soooooo goood!!! How bout yours?????
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
1:47 pm
@SheleekiaBarackisha
December 18th, 2012
12:17 pm
Nope! But the ones who cannot seem to stop b–tc—g about the MYTH has been bomabrded with SOUR GRAPES and HUMBLE PIE for a little over a month now. You would think they’ve had their fill by now.