I was sitting next to some asshole at a wedding rehearsal dinner

[maseman]

Never met the guy before. He was the father of the groom from Austin, TX. (By the way I love Austin for being the most progressive city in Texas.) I was talking with a friend across from me about the BO speech and how we both loved it. The guy I didn't know next to me said "Did you hear about the female that John McCain picked for VP...ISN'T SHE GREAT?"

I said "Great?" "No, she's awful!" I went on to say that "She has ZERO experience and is not fit to be the President if McCain becomes unfit." He says, "She has twelve years experience..." I looked at him and said "If all it takes is working for the government for 12 years than I am voting for my fucking mailman because at least I know the guy." He said "I see this conversation needs to be over."

If I have to sit at his table tonight at the reception I'll kill myself.

[Coexist]

1. LOL!

[terip64]

2. Don't kill yourself!

We need your vote. ;)

[maseman]

4. Too funny

:rofl:

[Island Blue]

3. That means I'm qualified to be VP.

I've worked for county government for 12 years. :woohoo:

[baldguy]

5. Your mailcarrier would be a better choice.

[maseman]

7. Tell you what

He's a former Marine who is now anti-war. He is in great shape. He's dedicated since we are in Ohio he's either walking through 85 degrees and humid (like today) of 10 below zero and blowing snow. Mail is here within one hour no matter what.

[FreakinDJ]

6. Tell it like it is

Tell these idiots

If they support propaganda such as the Bush Cheney administration used in the pre-war lead up, raiding the treasury by means of abusive No-bid contracts in Iraq, and the demise of the middle class by tax loopholes the Wall St. uses to export jobs to China


there is No Way in Hell they can claim to be Patriotic or American

That is what I do

[ErinBerin84]

8. haha

I got upset this morning because a local news channel had an "analyst" on (I've never seen this format on this local news station...he was the head of some organization that I was not familiar with, but he was clearly a Republican and the news channel did NOT identify him as one)...he said that the Obama speech was a B- on an "Obama scale, that his speech had no specifics, and that the Palin choice completely deflated Obama's speech. And then he went on to regurgitate the Repuke talking points of "Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Obama, Biden, AND McCain, and said that Obama's choice of Joe Biden showcased that he has "no experience, particularly in foreign policy". And of course, the news anchor just nodded along. Again, the fact that he was presented as an "objective" analyst, when I was literally able to guess the next talking point that would come out of his mouth, was so disappointing.

[Meshuga]

9. She has 12 years of experience

Being a mayor of a HUUUUUUGE town of 5000 people! Isn't that great that she is so close to being president? We should all feel safe now with that possibility. So please, tonight at the wedding, go apologize to the guy! :-)

[Divernan]

13. That 12 years includes her PTA Committee chairmanship!

She was mayor for 6 years, and got elected to the governorship in the anybody-but-Murkowski election. After she left, her little one-horse town got sued for her actions in illegally taking over land for a building, and got hit with paying a $2 million settlement.

From an earlier DU thread:
The $15 million multi-use indoor ice arena was supposed to be her legacy as the mayor. This was a very big deal for a city that had a budget of $3.9 million in 96 (increased to $5.8 million in 2002). Although the city subsidy has gone down from the initial $600k per year to about $125k per year, the sports complex still does not break even.

The biggest problem, however, was the process of how the land was acquired. The whole thing was handled with exceptional incompetence and arrogance, ultimately costing the city an extra $1.7 million in settlement and court cost for a piece of land that would have costed only $125k if they had handled it right from the beginning in 1998.

This involved a developer by the name of Gary Lundgren. Here is the whole scoop:

Lundgren negotiated with the national office of The Nature Conservancy to buy the land. Meanwhile, Wasilla city officials decided they wanted the land too, and began negotiating with the Alaska office of The Nature Conservancy. Offers were extended to both parties. Lundgren closed the deal.

Without the title in their hands, the city went ahead with the sales tax increase and started the construction. Then in typical Bush fashion, as Palin was leaving office in 2002,

Wasilla sued both Lundgren and The Nature Conservancy for title to the land. The case went to a federal appeals court, where Lundgren won rights to the property.

The court case was finally settled several years after Palin left.

The real legacy is, that the city is still paying for this today, while having to cut budget in library service, postponing capital improvement projects, and raising fees.

Can we afford this kind of incompetence on the national level?

[undeterred]

92. We live in the era of the inflated resume.

[liberal N proud]

10. THIS IS HOW STUPID AMERICANS ARE

[eShirl]

11. twelve years??? what, is that including PTA??

[Left Is Write]

91. I think the official "government experience" going back that far is city council.

[slackmaster]

12. Zero points for tact - Politenessman clonks you with the Iron Hankie

When someone tosses you a casual question like that at a formal social event, you do NOT have to engage them in a political discussion. You have no obligation to respond at all. The key to handling a boor at a wedding is to not make one of yourself. You failed.

If I have to sit at his table tonight at the reception I'll kill myself.

If you are truly unable to put yourself into the proper festive mood for a wedding, I suggest that the socially correct course of action is not to attend.

[PCIntern]

16. Actually, the poster did the RIGHT thing...

the reason that these bastards have been able to take over the country to the extent which they have is because we are so polite. I would have done, and have done, exactly what the poster did and I applaud it. Make these RWers back down from their BS...they have 2 or 3 points and then they run out of ideas and debating points. Fuck 'em I say.

No prisoners this time around!

"Let 'em burn" - Saving Pvt. Ryan

[slackmaster]

18. Bullshit! A wedding is not about saving the country.

You fail too.

[PCIntern]

19. Spoken like a true...

whatever.

Go kiss some Rethug ass and see how far it gets you.

[slackmaster]

21. I think you and the OP never leaned any real manners

It's probably not your fault, just the way you were brought up.

[PCIntern]

26. thank you for your concern...

I'll take it under 'advisement'.

After the election, you can go back home...

On edit...don't you EVER impugn my family of origin. Got it?

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PCIntern]

38. Yes, I am.

And aren't you just the little disruptor...speaking of Democrats in the third person rather than 'costing us votes."

KMA.

[cboy4]

66. Based on your behavior at such an important event, the

bride and groom must be petrified about how you're going to act at the wedding, including exactly how many people you plan on telling to kiss your ass over stupid politics.

What a disgrace.

[maseman]

71. Now you must be off the meds my friend

Get off the pregant imagination rocket ship and please come back down here to the earth. Why are you wound so tightly?

[slackmaster]

37. You're defending someone who bragged about dropping an F-bomb at a wedding rehearsal dinner

That says quite a lot about your upbringing, actually.

[PCIntern]

39. and you are obsessing about someone else's personal behavior

That qualifies you as an attendee this weekend in the Twin Cities, if not in body, at least in spirit.

[slackmaster]

42. Unlike the OP, I am treating this as a "teachable moment"

I know how to behave at a formal social occasion. Some of you just won't learn.

[PCIntern]

51. to the manor born...

...and IIRC "Politenessman" wasn't even that funny a cartoon all those years ago.

typical...

[demodonkey]

17. Tact, my foot! Ever see the movie "Gentleman's Agreement"?

A lot of it is about polite people using "tact".

There is nothing wrong with telling the truth in a respectful way.

[slackmaster]

20. There was nothing respectful about the way the OP responded

I can see a whole spectrum of possible truth-telling replies between what the OP did and saying nothing.

One of those is "I really don't agree with you, but I think we should put politics aside for this occasion."

[DU9598]

25. Hey Slack

It was the rethug who butted in the poster's conversation about how great Obama had done. Lay off or go make nice with the idiots. Education and confrontation is required if we are ever to get our nation back.

[slackmaster]

35. Again, there are polite ways of handling that sort of thing without making an ass of one's self

Education and confrontation is required if we are ever to get our nation back.

Education is great. Confrontation that does not educate it is just rude.

[demodonkey]

32. I respectfully disagree: We have to TELL THE TRUTH.

In my experience Fundies and neocons never hesitate to speak on behalf of their side no matter what the occasion including weddings and funerals. Being "nice" doesn't cut it anymore. We have to speak up, especially when confronted.

The OP didn't start the conversation, disengaged at the right point, and didn't get into a shouting match with the boor, so I think OP's actions were just fine.

(except perhaps saying "fucking mailman" lol)

On edit to cboy: I stand by my statement regardless of whether or not the boor was the father of the groom. He had no right to butt into OP's conversation and he got what he deserved.

And no, I am not retarded, either socially or any other way. There is nothing wrong with me. Is there something wrong with you? Because I am just fine, thank you. (no offense)

[slackmaster]

41. We can and IMO must do that without acting like dickheads

That's all I'm saying.

(except perhaps saying "fucking mailman" lol)

I imagine there may have been young children present. The OP was just plain rude. That's the kind of thing you can say while watching a football game among adults, not at a wedding rehearsal dinner that someone else is paying for.

[demodonkey]

54. Um, would you say "dickhead" at the dinner, or was that just on here...

... because I am wondering if OP actually said "fucking" mailman or perhaps just added that embellishment for DU.

[slackmaster]

55. The groom's father's behavior was inappropriate as well

But rather than defusing the situation, the OP escalated it.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

[demodonkey]

56. Same argument was used in "Gentleman's Agreement".

"Nice" people don't make waves.

Sorry, lying down and taking it in the name of "nice" doesn't cut it anymore.

[maseman]

60. Oh, and the payoff

After we had a quibble about politics we discussed golf balls and drivers for about ten minutes. So no hard feelings from either side. Plus he told me two restaurants to eat at while in Austin two weeks from now. He must have been real offended.

[slackmaster]

70. I'm glad it came out OK for you

Enjoy the wedding.

[maseman]

58. Let's not start making stuff up Slack

I never denied that there could have been a better ending. Your over the top FAIL stuff is quite simply also rude.

There were no children present. There was no one there under 30 years old. The man I was speaking to was using much more colorful languange than myself. (Yes, two wrongs don't make a right...FAIL...) He was the only one who heard what I said. My wife sitting next to me said "What did you say and I didn't repeat it."

So before you get all FAIL on me be careful of context and lecturing. There is a time and place for everything. Would I have said this to someone at the symphony during Beethoven's Ninth? No. Would I shout in a public library? No. Would I do this a the Arlington Cemetary? No. Would I say it again to a guy getting very cocky with me in that setting? You bet.

[cboy4]

36. Are you socially retarded also? (no offense)

You don't fucking get into an argument with the father of the groom at the wedding rehearsal dinner.

What's wrong with you?

[NashVegas]

69. And a Southernor, At That

[OwnedByFerrets]

40. This person is one of the "millions" of voters

who helped, in a big way, to get this country into the shit it's in now. If a person voted for Monkeyboy, they are just as guilty as he is. Fuck them. They deserve nothing from us. No quarter.
I'm so tired of being nice. I'm tired of the bullies. I'm not giving them an inch anymore.

[slackmaster]

46. You're tired of the bullies...

...Except the ones you happen to agree with.

[OwnedByFerrets]

61. Who was the OP bullying?? I must have missed that part

of the story.

[maseman]

45. I am a much better person describing things verbally than

in writing. Let me explain the whole context.

The BRIDE's mother if the friend sitting across from me. She asked me point blank "Did you see Obama's speech last night?" So I didn't start (and by the way never would for all the postsers below attaching me) a political discussion at a wedding, funeral, birthday party or poker party.

I responded with a simple "Yes, I saw the speech." She asked if I like it and I said "yes, it was great." Her husband then chimed in and put his two cents about "We Need Change...McCain doesn't have it...more of the same..."

At that point, the asshole sitting next to me, starting saying things like "OHHHH...I have an adversary sitting with me. So tell me are you the typical liberal who will fall for the left-wing media bullshit...blah blah." At that point he asked me about the VP pick that I mentioned in the original post above and my response followed."

So I did NOT start a polticial conversation as you suggested. I really never said much of anything and this guy came for my juggler. I am tired of the lies, the bullshit, the spewing from right wingers and YES if someone, even at a wedding, comes at me with bullshit I am hitting back. The guy was loud, obnoxious, a know it all all evening and yes he was an ASSHOLE.

[slackmaster]

47. I never said you started it, but you FAILED to bring it to a dignified ending

F
A
I
L

[cboy4]

59. Yup, I absolutely agree.

F
A
I
L

[Yellow Horse]

63. And who appointed you two to be Miss Manners for the GOP?

If you're not for the GOP, you sure act like it because you use their same double-standard tactic: obscenities like dickhead and goddamn coming from both of you are OK in order to attact maseman for using what you consider to be bad manners?

:shrug:

[cboy4]

74. Listen asshat. Don't call me a Republican.

If you can't figure out why it's inappropriate to fight at weddings, I suggest you book the next available flight to the Jerry Springer show.

[Yellow Horse]

78. "Asshat?" Thanks for making my point.

:hi:

[cboy4]

80. Like the one on top of your head?

Don't mention it.

[PCIntern]

62. You GO, Pal...

I do the same thing...I've had it with their constant bullshit and lies...let THEM think twice befroe opening their filthy mouths.

[chascarrillo]

65. Thank you for your concern.

Sheesh.

[npincus]

14. 12 years? He left out the decimal point.

[nc4bo]

15. LOL. You'll probably be hearing many similar comments from here on out.

The quickest way to make people go off or go away is to start talking about religion or politics.

Better to sit alone than to hear someone drone on and on.

Take a date ;)

[maseman]

49. My wife will be there

It's all good.

[Motown_Johnny]

22. Just mention that she could not even get through that one little speech without a lie

she was For the "bridge to nowhere" a the time, now she claims to ba against it

then ask if he wants another VP who's every statement is a lie

[renie408]

29. She also lied about sending the money back. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

43. Yep, this should be all over the MSM.. how the hell can she be a VP nominee?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

23. Sounds Like You Were The Asshole To Be Honest.

He sounded innocently naive, as most out there are. Instead of taking the opportunity to be mature and informative, while being rational and persuasive, you instead lashed out in an asshole type manner, totally turned him off, and ruined any chance of enlightening him whatsoever.

Just because someone's naive doesn't make them an asshole.

[renie408]

27. Ding Dng Ding...we have ourselves a WINNER!! You are completely right.

When someone says Sarah Palin is GREAT, the approach should be to put on a slightly worried frown and say, "Well, she seems like a really nice lady, but she doesn't have any national experience. And I am really concerned about how she is a member of an organization which wants the pill banned...etc, etc, etc"

If you attack her, it's just going to force conservatives into defending her. With gentle persuasion they might come around to worrying on her on their own.

[woo me with science]

24. That was rude. nt

[cboy4]

28. You're getting into a heated discussion about politics

at a wedding rehearsal dinner? :wtf:

You do realize that there's a time and place for everything, right?

Do you not realize how selfish it is to cause friction at such an important event ... especially with the father of the groom!?

Awful.

:thumbsdown:

[Perky]

30. Geesh. WHo raised you to trat strangers That Way?

[OwnedByFerrets]

31. lolol great

[Clear Blue Sky]

33. You can always spill some red wine on the guy...nt

[slackmaster]

48. Or just throw up all over him

:rofl:

[NoodleyAppendage]

44. BRAVO! We need more liberals who are not afraid to get in the face of the idiot Repukes. Well done.

A kick for your courage and convictions!

J

[cboy4]

50. At a goddam wedding rehearsal dinner with the father of

the groom?

Are you in favor of arguing at funerals also? :eyes:

No wonder Democrats have such a bad reputation as being extremists.

[maseman]

53. Read my post above Cboy

It explains what happened. Extremist? Haha.

[cboy4]

57. Yea, I read your post and you behaved like an

extremist.

You don't ruin a wedding over politics.

I'm surprised you didn't bring picket signs and hold a demonstration. :eyes:

[maseman]

64. Are you high? Hungover? Or are you always like this?

Extremist? Yes maybe I am if telling the truth to people is extreme. The hypocrisy of this lady from Alaska being qualified is just a hypocritical as my mailman running to the second highest office.

If stating a point (with a vernacular that agreeably could have been easily removed) is extreme to you then maybe you are just a wienie. I know it is easy to type a bunch of words on here and talk tough Cboy. But unlike you I'm tired of being called "Extreme" by the right wing because the word Liberal has become a dirty word. Too many of us hide from people when they start their right-wing bullshit, regardless of the venue, and back down.

[cboy4]

72. Oh please...her qualifications are not worthy of a heated

exchange with, of all people, the father of the bride at the rehearsal dinner.

You can backpedal all you want, but it was rude and inappropriate.

You're lucky the groom didn't drag your ass by the feet out the door.

If you want to act extreme during your own time, that's one thing.

But to act extreme during an important social event you were invited to, that's ridiculous.

Give me a break.

[maseman]

68. oh and who the hell said I ruined a wedding?

Get off the pregnant imagination rocket ship and come back to earth now.

[cboy4]

73. No, you didn't ruin the wedding....at least not

Y-E-T

However, since you don't think you did anything wrong at the dinner, there's no telling what you may do during the wedding.

[chascarrillo]

67. Thank you for your concern.

[NoodleyAppendage]

90. If anything Democrats have a reputation as WIMPS and ineffectual. n/t

J

[slackmaster]

52. I'm sure the OP's behavior changed some hearts and minds

But not in the way you or I would like them to be changed.

[NoodleyAppendage]

89. Screw that. I want Repukes to be AFRAID, ASHAMED, and SILENT.

You can't appeal to the "better natures" of peoples who think in black and white terms and are not given to reason. You must make them afraid and ashamed of their position.

[merh]

75. I was at a party last night and was told the same thing

and like you I said experience, mayor of a tiny town and governor for less than 2 years -

He said she had run a corporation, I giggled and asked him to do me a favor, to go read up on her when he got the chance and to pay close attention to her socialistic attempt in Alaska to run a dairy that failed misearabley - He promised he would - I'm sure I'll see him soon, lol.

Edit to add: I wish I had thought of your response, he used to work for FEMA and that would have hit home.

[NashVegas]

76. This Is A Perfect Example To Illustrate the Strategy Behind the Choice of Sarah Palin

McCain chose this person as his Veep as a taunt - a red flag waved in the face of Democrats. To Democratic women who voted for Hillary Clinton it says, "see? Not only are we going to put a woman on the ticket, but WE're going to praise her up the ying-yang." To Democratic men it says, "come on, let's see you piss off female voters even more than you already have. PS - she's a babe, ain't she?"

The whole purpose of Sarah Palin is to get Democratic men to behave like boors - and you're no disappointment, as far as Karl Rove is concerned.

[maseman]

77. You must have close ties to know Rove so well

So what else has he told you lately? To post here on DU?

[NashVegas]

86. Yes, Of Course

We have breakfast every morning right after I fellate him.

[Starry Messenger]

79. I don't understand your sentence here:

To Democratic men it says, "come on, let's see you piss off female voters even more than you already have. PS - she's a babe, ain't she?"

MPK

[NashVegas]

85. Bait

Remember that contingent of women who were pissed off at all the sex and gender and age/gender based attacks on Clinton that we got to see all over here and Kos?

Palin's not about winning the election for McCain, she's about splitting the netroots.

[charlie and algernon]

81. good thing most of us here aren't like you

otherwise we'd never win.

I take it you've never campaigned and gone door to door in your life? I could see it now, you go up to a house and are greeted by a republican, you tell them to fuck off and they proceed to tell all their friends how rude that candidate's staff is and if their staff is so bad, just think of how bad the candidate is.

I was volunteering for a local Dems group at a community fair and a woman in the booth next to us started to ask questions about Obama. Some of the other volunteers responded by almost interrogating her (How can you support the war, how can you this, how can you that...?) The woman had asked an honest question about Obama and was getting attacked for it. I step in, away from the others and speak to her like she's (gasp!) a fellow human being and explained all of Obama's platforms and (gasp!) she actually sat down and read our information sheets and promised she'd look at his website.

You may not know this, but not every republican is the enemy. If you had been civil with that person, you might have actually made some headway with him instead of probably turning him off to ANY discussion of how the Dems are good.

[maseman]

82. I had a follow up post somewhere

that addressed this guy was acting like an asshole before my comment. He came out swinging snidely which invoked my repsonse.

You can assume anything you want. I have been in booths, in cubes dialing numbers and door to door. I know how it works. But when someone attacks it is flight or fight. I couldn't fly so I gave it back.

As for winning? The last time we won was 1996. Not a great track record.

One other note...on edit.

I am reading posts on here talking about Palin's daughter being knocked up and claiming it is hers, incenst between Mr. Palin and his daughter, Palin is the queen of the Taliban, etc.

No offense but it seems like there are more nuts around here with this crap then me talking to this guy last night.

[charlie and algernon]

83. sorry, I didn't see that follow-up post

I've never seen a republican or an independent won over by being attacked, but I didn't see your follow-up post where you said you didn't initiate anything and I'll take your word on it. I've learned to allow some attacks and to be self-depricating when it comes to being a dem and supporting a particular candidate. If you at least say you agree with the tiniest morsel, it opens to the door to more discussion. When two sides go at it like competing, headbutting musk oxes, no one wins. Sometimes you (not addressing you, maseman, personally) have to give some ground, however small to even think about getting them to give up ground.

And yes, some of these attacks on Palin are getting a little crazy. If we want to win, bring up her inexperience, bring up up the fact that McCain is obviously pandering, personal attacks don't win votes.

[maseman]

84. I agree with you 100%

Too bad I didn't write the whole story in the initial post.

Matter of fact I have two friends who are radio talk show hosts. Both are local talk hosts in a mid-sized Midwest (battleground state) type of situation. Both happen to be either down the middle of to the left. One reason they have been successful is that they don't do the whole "BLAH BLAH BLAH" and then hang up on a caller. They don't screen calls and allow ANYONE on the air to chat. When a right-wing nut gets on and tries to domininate by yelling or saying stupid stuff they usually let them go for 60 seconds and then terminate the call. Instead of ripping on the caller they'll simply rebut a few things and move on. Soft persuasion as we call it.

Thanks!

[RadicalTexan]

87. I'm from East Texas, and I agree with you!

Keep it up!

[JVS]

88. Keep it real. Start FIGHT tonight.

[Cleita]

93. Good for you, for ending it there. That old coot will probably avoid you.

I know how awful these situations with family and friends are where you have to socialize with people you wouldn't share the same sidewalk with ordinarily.

[No Elephants]

94. A guy at a wedding I went to told me the father of the groom at the wedding you went to actually

hates Palin and McCain with all his heart and was only putting you on.