I am getting tired of defending Obama

[angrycarpenter]

I work as a carpenter. During the day there are many people who come by the construction site. I am continually hearing about how he is a "moslum" or any of the other rumors.

I have been continually trying to set them straight and it is getting the best of me.

Carpenters tend to be a misinformed reactionary group. Many of them are unashamed bigots. Some of these discussions have become heated. Now word has gotten around that I support Obama and the others are saying things just to piss me off.

It seems like my beliefs are continually under attack. I try to talk about the issues and all I get in rebuttal is more "his wife said she didn't like America". I am done. No more will I try to set the record straight with these people who start a political discussion with "I got this E-mail last night it said Obama hates ________ and that he did ________ with his ______.
I have had enough. They have made-up their minds and I no longer care to try to change them.

It's hot,I am tired, I just want November to get here.

[greeneyedboy]

1. Change the subject to McCain and Bush & put them on the defensive? n/t

[Overseas]

9. Casually ask if John Sidney McCain III has bought another house for his collection of seven so far?

Or just-- "The Right Wing is working overtime to defeat Obama. Why are the super rich right wingers so afraid of him?"

[angrycarpenter]

15. They don't like McCain either

These men will not vote come november. They will stay home. That is the only thing I see that is good here. McCain is doing little to get anyone to vote for him. I guess he is counting on the all-important Diebold vote.

[jwirr]

22. At least try to get them to vote for the congress. You do not have to

vote for all the candidates for your vote to count. We have a few like that around here also. If the economy continues to tank I think even they will change their minds. I saw an article today about how housing starts had dropped - that alone should tell them we cannot afford more of the same.

[ingac70]

2. Tell them if they like the direction this nation is taking, to vote McCain...

and to STFU.

[babylonsister]

3. You need some facts to back you up, on paper, hand them out

if you can have that much influence over other people. Let us know. We'll get something fabulous together for you.

Here's a start:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=32240&mesg_id=32240

[orleans]

43. i was thinking the same thing

let's put it here:

SUBJECT: Fwd: The Truth About John Sidney McCain III

If you only forward one email this year, make it this one... America needs to know the truth about John Sidney McCain III and the disaster that awaits us if he becomes president.

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain came back from Vietnam and cheated on his disabled wife before leaving her and his three children and marrying a rich heiress 17 years his junior. McCain obtained a marriage license for his second marriage while he was still married to his first wife. (1)

DID YOU KNOW? The McCains own ten homes, valued at more than $13 million, including TWO swanky beachfront condos in California. The McCains failed to pay taxes on one of those beach homes for the past four years. (2)(3)

DID YOU KNOW? The McCains have been known to charge hundreds of thousands of dollars IN A SINGLE MONTH on their credit cards. (4)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain's chief economic adviser, rich Swiss Bank lobbyist Phil Gramm, recently told the Washington Times that the current economic crisis is a "mental recession" and said that America is a "nation of whiners." (5)

DID YOU KNOW? Earlier this year John McCain said, "I don't believe we're headed into a recession, I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong and I believe they will remain strong." He also stated that, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should." (6)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain regularly plays craps for "a few thousand dollars at a time." He loves to gamble and is extremely superstitious. (7)(8)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain recently called Social Security "an absolute disgrace." McCain was a big supporter of President Bush's unpopular plan to ditch Social Security and replace it with private accounts. (9)(10)

DID YOU KNOW? American taxpayers spend $340 million EVERY SINGLE DAY in Iraq. Yet John McCain thinks it would be okay to keep our brave troops there for up to "one hundred years." (11)(12)

DID YOU KNOW? Disabled American Veterans give John McCain a 20% rating on his voting record for Veterans, the worst score among all 100 senators (tied with Mike Crapo and Larry Craig). The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave him a "D" rating. (13)(14)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain says he wants to save the environment, but the League of Conservation Voters currently ranks him DEAD LAST among all 535 members of Congress, with a 0% rating. (15)

DID YOU KNOW? McCain has failed to vote on the last 19 environmental bills in the Senate, dating back to 2005. (16)

DID YOU KNOW? Every single day for the first four months of this year 1.6 million barrels of U.S. oil were exported to foreign countries - up 33% from last year - while our gas prices continue to go through the roof. The McCain/Bush solution is to give big oil companies even more opportunities to pollute our coastlines and despoil the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (17)(18)

DID YOU KNOW? The Department of Energy estimates that if we start the McCain/Bush offshore drilling plan today, we could lower gas prices by 6 cents - but not until the year 2025. (19)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain, like George W. Bush, supports using the form of torture known as waterboarding. (20)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain will continue George W. Bush's "rich get richer, poor get poorer" fiscal policies. If you make under $112,000 per year you will pay HIGHER taxes under John McCain than under Barack Obama. One quarter of McCain's tax breaks go to people making more than $2.8 million per year. (21)

(1) Infidelity: http://tinyurl.com/5k6f9r
(2) Ten homes: http://tinyurl.com/63wssh
(3) Tax default: http://tinyurl.com/6mxchp
(4) Credit cards: http://tinyurl.com/5hmyep
(5) Nation of whiners: http://tinyurl.com/6hsxo7
(6) No recession: http://tinyurl.com/585whv
(7) Gambling: http://tinyurl.com/57dxsd
(8) Superstition: http://tinyurl.com/68jfao
(9) Disgrace: http://tinyurl.com/6aus4k
(10) Privatization: http://tinyurl.com/69taza
(11) Cost of Iraq war: http://tinyurl.com/yv48rs
(12) 100 years: http://tinyurl.com/2pgk3t
(13) DAV rating: http://tinyurl.com/5h7j7r
(14) IAVA rating: http://tinyurl.com/5wqrwo
(15) Environment: http://tinyurl.com/557d4g
(16) Missed votes: http://tinyurl.com/6lq6j4
(17) Oil exports: http://tinyurl.com/5ruu3j
(18) Offshore drilling: http://tinyurl.com/5mg9cz
(19) 6 cents by 2025: http://tinyurl.com/5f2u8m
(20) Waterboarding: http://tinyurl.com/677m53
(21) Taxes: http://tinyurl.com/3pycml
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=32240&mesg_id=32240

[Captain Angry]

4. Simply ask some questions back.

Question: What has McCain promised that will improve your life from the position it's in now?

Question: Why do you repeat something that you received in an email before checking if it's false?

Question: Can't wait until football season, how about you? (if all else fails, go for the ooh! shiny!)

[Catherine Vincent]

5. Don't give up!

[MercutioATC]

6. It's not your responsibility to deal with this at work.

You work to feed your family. There's nothing wrong with refusing to get into political discussions at work.

Love your dedication, but don't let it impact how you put food on your table...at least not this time.

[Anexio]

19. I agree

Keep your eye on the ball.

If you really want to help, get involved with your local Obama for President group. I've been working with the Tampa, Florida group and couldn't be more impressed. Google "canvas for change" if you live near Tampa.

The swing voters is what is going to bring victory, not the knuckeldraggers you work with.

good luck...

[angrycarpenter]

24. I have not found one within 75 miles of me.

rural Florida. I feel like I am cut-off from the real world. Maybe that is why the others remain so uninformed.

[Botany]

30. Why don't you start one?

I bet you if you called Tallahassee information you can get the # of Obama's state HQ.

Right now Dean and Obama are taking the fight into the heart of the reddist of the red states.



I bet you that you find a lot of new friends and you might build something special.
Every vote you get in your area is worth double .... one for Obama and one less
for McCain

BTW want some good news?

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/07/17/politics/horserace/entry4267161.shtml

[Anexio]

34. Here the contact info

The main Campaign for Change office is in Tampa.

Tampa -- Florida HQ
1771 E 9th Avenue
Tampa, FL 33605

Fill this form out and someone will get in touch with you.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/flsignup

Good luck!

[mucifer]

7. That's gotta suck! I can't relate I work for a nonprofit hospice in Chicago

No one I work with likes mccain. I'm spoiled.

[Tarheel_Dem]

29. Get out. I work for the nonprofit hospice in High Point. And I share your joy.

I think management could best be described as moderate Dems, middle management is mixed, the nurses are mostly conservative, and all the Social Workers are uber liberal. But the one thing we all have in common is our hatred for Bush.

[mucifer]

32. as far as I can see all us nurses where I work are liberal maybe a few moderate

[Tarheel_Dem]

39. That must be so nice. Are you unionized? That could be the difference.

It's just the weirdest thing that most of our nurses are rightwingers. I had a very nasty argument with the QA Nurse about Bush/Cheney, and we didn't speak for months, but she's finally talking to me again. Even though I'm very outspoken, I don't back down when they start spouting that Fox News crap.

[blue sky at night]

8. Please read the real truth about John McCain we sent out.....

the other day as a DU Activist Corps Project...Print the son of a bitch out and nail it up on the job site, put the ball in their court for a change....its easy for them to be stupid when they don't know what they are talking about.

here it is:


SUBJECT: Fwd: The Truth About John Sidney McCain III

If you only forward one email this year, make it this one... America needs to know the truth about John Sidney McCain III and the disaster that awaits us if he becomes president.

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain came back from Vietnam and cheated on his disabled wife before leaving her and his three children and marrying a rich heiress 17 years his junior. McCain obtained a marriage license for his second marriage while he was still married to his first wife. (1)

DID YOU KNOW? The McCains own ten homes, valued at more than $13 million, including TWO swanky beachfront condos in California. The McCains failed to pay taxes on one of those beach homes for the past four years. (2)(3)

DID YOU KNOW? The McCains have been known to charge hundreds of thousands of dollars IN A SINGLE MONTH on their credit cards. (4)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain's chief economic adviser, rich Swiss Bank lobbyist Phil Gramm, recently told the Washington Times that the current economic crisis is a "mental recession" and said that America is a "nation of whiners." (5)

DID YOU KNOW? Earlier this year John McCain said, "I don't believe we're headed into a recession, I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong and I believe they will remain strong." He also stated that, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should." (6)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain regularly plays craps for "a few thousand dollars at a time." He loves to gamble and is extremely superstitious. (7)(8)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain recently called Social Security "an absolute disgrace." McCain was a big supporter of President Bush's unpopular plan to ditch Social Security and replace it with private accounts. (9)(10)

DID YOU KNOW? American taxpayers spend $340 million EVERY SINGLE DAY in Iraq. Yet John McCain thinks it would be okay to keep our brave troops there for up to "one hundred years." (11)(12)

DID YOU KNOW? Disabled American Veterans give John McCain a 20% rating on his voting record for Veterans, the worst score among all 100 senators (tied with Mike Crapo and Larry Craig). The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave him a "D" rating. (13)(14)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain says he wants to save the environment, but the League of Conservation Voters currently ranks him DEAD LAST among all 535 members of Congress, with a 0% rating. (15)

DID YOU KNOW? McCain has failed to vote on the last 19 environmental bills in the Senate, dating back to 2005. (16)

DID YOU KNOW? Every single day for the first four months of this year 1.6 million barrels of U.S. oil were exported to foreign countries - up 33% from last year - while our gas prices continue to go through the roof. The McCain/Bush solution is to give big oil companies even more opportunities to pollute our coastlines and despoil the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (17)(18)

DID YOU KNOW? The Department of Energy estimates that if we start the McCain/Bush offshore drilling plan today, we could lower gas prices by 6 cents - but not until the year 2025. (19)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain, like George W. Bush, supports using the form of torture known as waterboarding. (20)

DID YOU KNOW? John McCain will continue George W. Bush's "rich get richer, poor get poorer" fiscal policies. If you make under $112,000 per year you will pay HIGHER taxes under John McCain than under Barack Obama. One quarter of McCain's tax breaks go to people making more than $2.8 million per year. (21)

(1) Infidelity: http://tinyurl.com/5k6f9r
(2) Ten homes: http://tinyurl.com/63wssh
(3) Tax default: http://tinyurl.com/6mxchp
(4) Credit cards: http://tinyurl.com/5hmyep
(5) Nation of whiners: http://tinyurl.com/6hsxo7
(6) No recession: http://tinyurl.com/585whv
(7) Gambling: http://tinyurl.com/57dxsd
(8) Superstition: http://tinyurl.com/68jfao
(9) Disgrace: http://tinyurl.com/6aus4k
(10) Privatization: http://tinyurl.com/69taza
(11) Cost of Iraq war: http://tinyurl.com/yv48rs
(12) 100 years: http://tinyurl.com/2pgk3t
(13) DAV rating: http://tinyurl.com/5h7j7r
(14) IAVA rating: http://tinyurl.com/5wqrwo
(15) Environment: http://tinyurl.com/557d4g
(16) Missed votes: http://tinyurl.com/6lq6j4
(17) Oil exports: http://tinyurl.com/5ruu3j
(18) Offshore drilling: http://tinyurl.com/5mg9cz
(19) 6 cents by 2025: http://tinyurl.com/5f2u8m
(20) Waterboarding: http://tinyurl.com/677m53
(21) Taxes: http://tinyurl.com/3pycml

[angrycarpenter]

26. This is great

I will send it along to my family.

[KurtNYC]

31. but why memorize facts when the exchanges seem to be about

slinging fun lies around? Just make stuff up about McCain. Try to have some fun.

It doesn't sound like these guys take voting all that seriously.

A: "I hear Obama's wife doesn't like America."
B: "I hear McCain's wife doesn't like rehab."

A: "I think Obama is a moslum."
B: "I think McCain worships Bush."

[crickets]

33. Great list!

Thanks for posting that, especially with the links to back it up.

[Richardo]

10. I'm hip, my brother

I line in one of the reddest of red states, and live and work around a number of reactionaries, but they're not nearly as bad as the carpenters you describe. I feel for you. What I do, for whatever it's worth, is to let the spew flow over me and if questioned, I'll say "I hadn't heard that" and then gently test them: "Where did you hear it? "Did they say what their source was?" "What proof did they have?" "Why would Obama say that?" "Why would Obama do that?" "I've seen him (salute the flag/say the pledge/wear a lapel pin/etc/etc)".

If nothing else, you demonstrate critical thinking skills. You don't have to defend him, you just show that not everyone accepts everything they hear at face value, some people THINK about what they're being told, etc.

As I said, it may not work with the carpenters, but I've had some success with it. Some of the RWers are now a LOT more tentative in their approaches, rather than assuming they know the gospel truth.

Good luck, in any event. :patriot:

[patrice]

11. Ask them why they're still carpenters since they probably received that email about

helping some deposed royalty from somewhere to transfer his money and making millions on the deal.

[VP505]

12. Think I would be inclined

to say, your entitled to believe whatever you want, if you were really intested you could educate yourself on the truth but its obvious that you prefer to be ignorant and will continue repeating whatever lie you hear some talking head say.

[ZombieHorde]

13. I think that most of the atheists here know what you are going through.

[Botany]

14. Just do the best possible job you can at your craft and don't talk ....

... politics w/ them. Only an idiot will debate a fool. No need to make
your work any harder than it already is and if they are proud of being
stupid nothing you say will change their minds.

[angrycarpenter]

21. We have 8 hours a day to fill up.

Carpenters are terrible gossips and the bullshit can get pretty deep.

[Botany]

27. I work in the Nursery & Landscape industry

I called a friend @ his company ..... his younger brother answered the phone and told
me that Barack was a moooo-zzlime and black. And then told me that bush didn't lie
about Iraq. I know the type .... don't take the bait.

[tabatha]

16. It is really crappy.

This page is being updated every day - and some of the stuff could be printed out:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fightthesmearshome/

Check the link at the bottom to see the people behind the smears:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/behindthesmears

[DaveJ]

17. This might be a low blow, but if this is what it takes....

Unashamed biggots eh?

Ask how they'd like being discriminated against for being XYZ.

That probably won't work, so get the skinny on their ethic backgrounds and see how they like it. Everyone has an ethic background whether they know it or not. Try Googling nasty things to say about the Italians, Irish, English, Germans, you name it. Or the non ethnic, short, tall, skinny, fat, bald, weird looking... broken homes....

They'll be calling you a bigot in no time flat. Then see how long it takes them to become card carrying Liberals.

[KurtNYC]

18. sometimes the best defense is a good offense

I find that when you hit back people no longer think it is fun.

[NattPang]

20. Just talk up Barr. At least you can neutralize them from

taking votes away from Barack.

[ColbertWatcher]

23. Not to jinx you or anything, but...

...the next time there is a near accident, ask them how their health insurance is doing.

And if they say shit about how it's all paid for, or they'll have the state pay for it, tell them, "Oh really." And just walk away laughing.

Laugh at them every time you see them.

And keep laughing.

[TreasonousBastard]

25. I hear ya! I'm lucky because I don't hear that...

shit all day long now, but I've been there.

You know you can't win an argument with these clowns, and since they don't like McCain much either, there's just no place to go with them. They know everything, but believe in nothing and won't bother to vote anyway. Or, worse, will vote and will automatically be for McCain because they don't know any better.

It hurts, but best to just quietly sort of slip away when they start and then laugh your ass off come November.

[pinto]

28. See your point. Find some fairly like minded friends and get folks registered to vote

Blow off a little political steam, make a difference. As you say, some people don't want to discuss the issues, they want to parrot propaganda. It's simpler. We may do well to ignore the drivel while working to rebuilding the federal government.

Hang in there.

[DailyGrind51]

35. Tell them that Bush & McCain are gay lovers!

If they say that it can't be true, respond with "It's as true as all your bull-shit about Obama!"

[Toasterlad]

42. Do We Have to Feed the Myth That Gay Is Bad to Shut Republicans Up?

I thought we were smarter than that.

[scheming daemons]

36. These are the folks that made up "Hillary's base" in the primaries.....

Union members who are bigots.

Their numbers are quite large.

[Coexist]

37. just say things like

"at least Obama doesn't want to send $20 billion a month in my tax dollars over to those Muslims countries you hate so much"

"at least Obama wants companies to invest in jobs HERE instead of paying companies to ship them overseas."

"at least Obama can turn on a computer without an aide to help him"

"at least Obama knows Czechoslovakia isn't a country anymore"

"at least Obama can remember the difference between shia and sunni"

Would those help? I think they are pretty low-information style.

[spanone]

38. you don't have to defend obama....ignorance is everywhere. it's not your job to solve it.

[EFerrari]

40. Your standard response should be "his mother was white".

That should take care of most of that bs. Let them go after a white mother and watch them trip all over their d!cks. lol

[lynettebro440]

41. Do what I do

Every repuke that tries that shit I just ask, "Did you vote for bush?" If the answers yes I simply say "and look how good he's doing." Then if they say yeah but I can't vote for a black man or a democrat then I just say, you must really like life like this because I guarantee it's going to get worse and then walk the fuck away. The first time the bitches whine about anything just say, that's YOUR guy. Good times.

I am so tired of these stupid people, they are the reason we are in the shape we are in. And I also like the person above that said make them quote their source. If they are too stupid to quote theirs then quote yours. Don't let down letting these people think they are smart. just keep shoving it in their faces. Turn it around and make it about them and how great their lives are. If someone is doing good in this economy their selling drugs. It's the only occupation guaranteed.