Classy Republicans!

George Bush At the G-8 Summit, he joked about us being the world’s biggest polluter.

The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

Mr Bush, whose second and final term as President ends at the end of the year, then left the meeting at the Windsor Hotel in Hokkaido where the leaders of the world’s richest nations had been discussing new targets to cut carbon emissions. [...]

John McCain: thinks that killing Iranians is funny?

Last year, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) joked about bombing Iran to the theme of the Beach Boy’s “Barbara Ann.” McCain was widely criticized for the remark, but simply told critics to “lighten up and get a life.” The Washington Post notes that McCain tried joking about “killing” Iranians again today:

Responding to a question about a survey that shows increased exports to Iran, mainly from cigarettes, McCain said, “Maybe thats a way of killing them.” He quickly caught himself, saying “I meant that as a joke” as his wife, Cindy, poked him in the back.

According to a report released today, U.S. exports to Iran “grew more than tenfold during President Bush’s years in office even as he accused Iran of nuclear ambitions and helping terrorists. America sent more cigarettes to Iran, at least $158 million worth under Bush, than any other products.”

John McCain’s campaign stood by Phil Gramm’s whining Americans remark. Ok, they did at first.

The McCain campaign is working hard to distance itself from statements made by economic adviser Phil Gramm describing the current economic downturn as a “mental recession” and saying America had “sort of become a nation of whiners.”

But in an initial statement published by Politico and then, seemingly, removed from its site, a McCain campaign aide actually stood by Gramm’s remarks, saying the interview as a whole was merely meant as a preview of the Senator’s economic agenda.

“Mr. Gramm was simply saying that we are laying out the economic plan this week,” the piece quoted a “McCain official” as saying. “The plan is comprehensive, providing immediate near-term relief for Americans hurting today as well as longer-term solutions to get our economy back on track, secure our energy future and deliver jobs, prosperity and opportunity for the next generation. We’re laying out that plan this week with an emphasis on the critical importance of job creation, and it’s been a great success so far.”

Only after the fallout from Gramm’s statement did the McCain campaign fully backtrack.

“Phil Gramm’s comments are not representative of John McCain’s views,” read a campaign statement. “John McCain travels the country every day talking to Americans who are hurting, feeling pain at the pump and worrying about how they’ll pay their mortgage. That’s why he has a realistic plan to deliver immediate relief at the gas pump, grow our economy and put Americans back to work.”

The two statements – the first one issued to Politico and the one offered to the press list this morning – are diametrically different. And they seem to reflect recognition, by the McCain camp, that Gramm’s remark on the economy is simply un-spinnable.

Barack Obama responds: “recession is not in your head“

“Today, one of [McCain's] top economic advisors, former Sen. Phil Gramm, said that we’re merely in a ‘mental recession,’” Obama told a crowd of about 2,800 today at a town hall meeting in Fairfax, Va.

“He didn’t say this but I guess what he meant was that it’s a figment of your imagination, these high gas prices. Sen. Gramm then deemed the United States, and I quote, ‘a nation of whiners.’ Ho! A nation of whiners. This comes after Sen. McCain recently admitted that his energy proposals for the gas tax holiday and the drilling will have mainly, quote, ‘psychological benefits,’” Obama said.

It is no secret as to what is going on: the Republicans are social darwinists, pure and simple. If you have the talent, luck and good start in life, then you deserve things like health care, housing, education and the like.

If you are not one of those, well, tough. They have no problems letting you drown.

Barack Obama

Says that our kids should learn another language.

Believe it or not, this was sent out by NewsMax. Why? Because NewsMax views what Obama said (that Americans ought to learn more languages) as a negative! In short, Newsmax thinks that the rank and file conservative is somehow proud of ignorance.

Obama’s speech on the economy (20 minutes)

Here is a 3 minute clip of a speech at a joint Clinton-Obama fundraiser.