November 3rd Election Poll

[Silence]

Originally Posted by Eyashusa

I bet Obama uses a Mac.

He uses Linux on a Dell, actually.

[Frax]

'Renegade' joins 'Twinkle,' 'Rawhide,' 'Lancer' on list of Secret Service code names -- chicagotribune.com

'Renegade' joins 'Twinkle,' 'Rawhide,' 'Lancer' on list of Secret Service code names

Rex W. Huppke

Tribune reporter

12:36 PM CST, November 10, 2008

When John Kerry was running for president, his daughter Vanessa joked that if her father beat George W. Bush she wanted her Secret Service code name to be "the hot one."

Dad didn't come through for her, and the Bush twins probably got a good laugh out of it, knowing that for another four years they'd carry the awesome aliases "Twinkle" and "Turquoise."

Since the time of Harry Truman, commanders in chief and their families have been assigned security code names. Truman's was "General." Dwight Eisenhower was known as "Providence." And John F. Kennedy, perhaps suggesting a Camelot theme, was "Lancer."

The Obama family recently received its new (and alliterative) names: "Renegade" (Barack), "Renaissance" (Michelle), "Radiance" (Malia) and "Rosebud" (Sasha).

Vice President-elect Joe Biden's security name is "Celtic."

These not-so-secret names are chosen by officials at the White House Communications Agency, which was not inclined to comment on the selection process. In a previous news report, an agency spokesman said the names are assigned by "sheer whim."

Thus Ronald Reagan became "Rawhide" and Rosalynn Carter "Dancer," Jacqueline Kennedy "Lace" and Caroline Kennedy "Lyric."

Though not always perfectly fitting the individual, the White House Communications Agency does a commendable job generating names that carry a certain grace or gravitas, unlike, say, the meteorologists who name hurricanes.

Of course anything is a step up from the generic names: POTUS (President of the United States); FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States); and the barely pronounceable VPOTUS (Vice President of the United States).

And even the lesser characters in and around the White House get special names.

Press Secretary Scott McClellan was known as "Matrix." Kennedy buddy Frank Sinatra had his own code name: "Napoleon." Pope John Paul II was "Halo."

Then there are the fictional political characters from the long-running television show "The West Wing." First daughter Zoey Bartlet was dubbed "Bookbag," while Dee Dee Myers-like White House spokeswoman C.J. Cregg was "Flamingo." President Jed Bartlet--the greatest fake president of our time--was known at different times as "Eagle" and "Liberty."

Fictionalized or real, the very idea of code names swings open the door to comedy.

On David Letterman's show in 1993, Al Gore read a Top 10 list of good things about being vice president. No. 1: "Your Secret Service code name: 'Buttafuoco'!" And in the years since, Gore has repeatedly quipped about being so boring that his Secret Service code name is "Al Gore."

During this year's campaign, Jay Leno mocked some of Sarah Palin's foot-in-mouth moments by saying: "It's gotten so bad her Secret Service code name is now 'Joe Biden.' " (Palin's code name actually was "Denali.")

And Conan O'Brien said this about Obama: "They say that Barack Obama has been successful in politics because he's a black man who doesn't make white people feel threatened. Yeah, which explains Obama's Secret Service code name: Al Roker."

rhuppke@tribune.com

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

[Leto Eu`Acumen]

This made me laugh:

Team of Rivals - The Atlantic (November 9, 2008)

[dak]

You just compared a computer on the level of a dvd player? In an office?

Haha nice.

As for not having a computer in his office, he is the president of the United States. Probably has a 24 hour team of people who have the job of "looking shit up" at his request, another that takes dictation and another that takes dick. He probably even plays minesweeper using RL. What does he need a computer for?

[Silence]

Originally Posted by dak

Haha nice.

As for not having a computer in his office, he is the president of the United States. Probably has a 24 hour team of people who have the job of "looking shit up" at his request, another that takes dictation and another that takes dick. He probably even plays minesweeper using RL. What does he need a computer for?

Surfing FOHSS, of course.

[Malakriss]

Or for defacing Al Gore's wikipedia entry...

[Baazl]

Broun (R-Georgia) Godwins Obama

Republican Congressman Warns of Obama Dictatorship - FOXNews.com Elections

"We can't be lulled into complacency," Broun said. "You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential."

[Sharmai]

Obama is Hitler. I am not comparing Obama to Hitler. I am saying he will be Hitler.

Fixed.

[Eyashusa]

I love this comment under that article:

"I would just like to add as an educator the problems that have risen in our public school systems since Obama has been elected. Currrently in Southern public schools students have shown an increase in behavior issues in and outside of the classrooms. Incidents such as students saying they don't have to pay for their lunch because Obama will get it, disrepectful behavior to teachers and administrators followed by comments such as "Now that Obama is President I can say and do what I want". Continuous dress code violations due to the now popular trend of Obama t-shirts has also become an issue. We have also had several students inform us that their parents said, "You don't have to do what your teacher tells you anymore now that Obama will be President". Many students are recieving 0's on assignments because they don't feel they have to do them. I never thought I would see such a thing as this. Students know all of the rules and know what is expected. It is unfortunate that "children" are also considering taking the "FREE RIDE" that evidentally they believe is what Obama stands for. I would hope that Obama would stand up and address our country's students by making them realize that "hopefully" this is not what he wanted or expected to happen in our education system. If Obama's TRUE concern was "Change" it is already happening here and not at all in a positive manner."

Amazing things happening in the South!

[Astrocreep]

some of you people were definitely dropped on your heads as kids. just because you dont see a pc in that room doesnt mean Bush doesnt use one. i tried to tell you this earlier by pointing out there is no technology in that room except 2 lamps. there isnt even a phone. that room is for show and photo ops. im sure the president has a real command room somewhere else with all the wires, laptops/pcs and technology. its sad that you need me to explain that to you people.

[Malakriss]

Originally Posted by Astrocreep

some of you people were definitely dropped on your heads as kids. just because you dont see a pc in that room doesnt mean Bush doesnt use one. i tried to tell you this earlier by pointing out there is no technology in that room except 2 lamps. there isnt even a phone. that room is for show and photo ops. im sure the president has a real command room somewhere else with all the wires, laptops/pcs and technology. its sad that you need me to explain that to you people.

You are a fool. The obvious answer is that Bush moved all of his equipment under the desk so he can build a pillow-and-blanket fort around it and operate from the cover of his fortification.

[Mageling]

Originally Posted by Astrocreep

some of you people were definitely dropped on your heads as kids. just because you dont see a pc in that room doesnt mean Bush doesnt use one. i tried to tell you this earlier by pointing out there is no technology in that room except 2 lamps. there isnt even a phone. that room is for show and photo ops. im sure the president has a real command room somewhere else with all the wires, laptops/pcs and technology. its sad that you need me to explain that to you people.

+1 to this.

Apparently people forget that the White House isn't like your little shanty towns. It actually has more than one room!

C'mon, you know there is all that crazy bunker shit below the White House anyway. Who wouldn't want to take some crazy elevator down and have a damn supercomputer down there? Hell, I'm willing to bet that Obama puts a damn waterslide downstairs. He'll get custom suits made that you ran rip off like track suits and then dive down that motherfucker.

[I'm Rich Bitch]

Originally Posted by Astrocreep

some of you people were definitely dropped on your heads as kids. just because you dont see a pc in that room doesnt mean Bush doesnt use one. i tried to tell you this earlier by pointing out there is no technology in that room except 2 lamps. there isnt even a phone. that room is for show and photo ops. im sure the president has a real command room somewhere else with all the wires, laptops/pcs and technology. its sad that you need me to explain that to you people.

All the evidence points to the fact that Bush does not use a computer. I will go so far as to say he has never used a computer before. The "email" thing in clue #3 is a lie.

Clue #1

HOST: I’m curious, have you ever googled anybody? Do you use Google?

BUSH: Occasionally. One of the things I’ve used on the Google is to pull up maps. It’s very interesting to see — I’ve forgot the name of the program — but you get the satellite, and you can — like, I kinda like to look at the ranch. It remind me of where I wanna be sometimes

Clue #2

"Internets" is a Bushism-turned-catchphrase used humorously to portray the speaker as ignorant about the Internet or about technology in general, or as having a provincial or folksy attitude toward technology.

Clue #3

Mr. Bush stopped e-mailing when he entered the White House, citing security worries, and the Oval Office does not have a computer in it.

[Zerai]

Originally Posted by Astrocreep

some of you people were definitely dropped on your heads as kids. just because you dont see a pc in that room doesnt mean Bush doesnt use one. i tried to tell you this earlier by pointing out there is no technology in that room except 2 lamps. there isnt even a phone. that room is for show and photo ops. im sure the president has a real command room somewhere else with all the wires, laptops/pcs and technology. its sad that you need me to explain that to you people.

See, that post here makes sense. And it's obvious. The Oval office isn't actually an office. It's a living photo op.

However, you compared the computer to dvd players, vcr and TVs. Aka, a bunch of shit you don't use in an office to do work (unless you work in Media, which you can make a case that the president does).

[Jabberwhacky]

Well, you can't quite slight him for saying "the Google." In Southern California, we properly say "I drove on the 101 for an hour" whereas in the retarded North, they would say "I drove on 101 for an hour." Sometimes you just need the.

You know what's weird, the word the, if you really look at it. It almost looks foreign.