9/25    I missed the debates and the rebroadcast was so late I fell asleep
        before it started.  Vote for who you think presented the best plan
        to restore California's economy and job situation:
        Arianna:  "Bush is bad!"
        Arnold:   "Bring business baaack."
        Cruz:     "I am so ashamed."
        Peter:    "Free Manifestos for all!"
        Tom:      "Keep your bloody gubmint hands off my money!"
        Gray:     "Am I still here?"
        \_ You know, this is pretty close to my intepretation of the debate.
        \_ I want Davis out because he's the type of coward that didn't want
           to face Riordan but the weaker Simon instead.  And he "sprung"
           the budget deficit on us.  Bustamante just seems slimy.
           I'm voting Yes on Recall, and I'll be voting for, between Arnold
           and McClintock, who is more likely to get more votes.
           I wouldn't be upset, though, if Bustamante won -- the main point
           is Davis gets booted.  Two weeks from now he better not be
           gloating over the failed recall and then going back to business as
           usual.
           \_ Oh man.  Bustamonte would be so much worse than Davis.
              \_ Keep repeating it, it must be true!!!
                 \_ Oh man.  Bustamonte would be so much worse than Davis.
                    \_ Make sure you spell his name right on future
                       repetitions, mmm kay?
                       \_ I thought that spelling looked wrong.  Thanks.
                          Oh man.  Bustamante would be so much worse than Davis.
        \_ Political debates are completely meaningless these days anyway -
           viewers only hear what they want to hear and see what they want
           to see, and it largely becomes a contest of who looks best on
           television.  This is nothing new  - the JFK vs. Nixon debate was
           probably where it started.  And even after the debate is over, who
           "won" is almost entirely a matter of media spin - cf George Will
           coaching Reagan for a debate, and then praising his performance in
           a later column.
           \_ I disagree.  We got to see Arnold wasn't a complete buffoon,
                Say what? We got to see that Ahnold believes that if _/
                you shout louder and repeat your words more, you can
                silence the opposition.  That's not going to change
                anyone's opinion of him as a buffoon. --erikred
              Bustamante is a oily politician, McClintock is a cut-taxes
              Republican, Camejo is the intellectual Green who has no chance of
              winning, and Arianna really is a be-yatch.
              \_ There you go, proving my point.  You see what you want to
                 see...
                 \_ Arnold didn't show himself to be a "complete" buffoon.
                    This would result if he were timid, became red-faced and
                    started shouting obscenities, or demonstrated a level of
                    political knowledge less than the average Californian
                    (which is pretty darn minimal already).
              \_ [I don't believe in censorship, but if you're going to use
                  that kind of language, you can bloody well sign your posts
                  or expect to be deleted.]
                 \_ You *do* believe in censorship.  You just deleted a post
                    expressing an opinion because they language used was too
                    spicey for you despite the fact that the motd is covered
                    in similar language every fucking day.  Oops!  Did I say
                    "fucking"?  Will do wield the Puritan Axe of Censorship
                    on this now, too?
                    \_ No.
                 \_ To put it another way, don't try to spin this.  You're
                    much better off deleting the "arianna is a c*nt"
                    comment and writing "That language doesn't belong on
                    the motd".  This is much more reflective of what you're
                    really thinking.
                    \_ True. [poster]
              \_ Arianna really disgusted me yesterday. I lost a lot of respect
                 for her vindictive attacks against Arnold. She really brought
                 some important issues to the table in previous debates and
                 news conferences, but yesterday with all the candidates at the
                 table and issues to discuss, she dropped the ball and came
                 to the table in order to try to destroy Arnold. She failed
                 at that, and destroyed her own credibility. As an independent,
                 and someone whose voice is suppose to be different, she
                 sounded like most of the drivel that is spouted in tabloids
                 and the hallways of sacramento. Arnold held his own against
                 her, but it wasn't pretty and kinda sad that two grown ppl
                 had to display such school yard antics. Whether you agree with
                 their politics or not, Camejo and McClintock were the only
                 ones that made a real impression on me. Both don't really have
                 much of a chance, though.
                       can't compete with men in politics so you're a
                 \_ someone overwrote this, I put it back for you
                       I think of Boxer or Feinstein, and I don't think they
                    \_ thx.
                 \_ If Arianna was a man, you wouldn't be saying this.  Sorry
                    but its true.
                    \_ I knew someone would say this, and you're wrong.
                    \_ doesn't Arianna radiate that "I am a woman, so you
                       better treat me nicely" attitude, combined with a
                       "If you insult me, it must be because you think women
                       can't compete with men in politics so you must be a
                       chauvinistic bigot" way of thinking?
                       I think of Boxer or Feinstein, and I don't feel they
                       operate in this way.
                       \_ When Ahnold kept offering her a role in the next
                          Terminator movie, I couldn't help but picture
                          him stuffing her upside down into a toilet.
                 \_ On a side note, the democrats keep saying this is a circus.
                    I'd rather have an inclusive circus, than the exclusive 2
                    horse pony of the usual democrats/republicans fiasco that
                    we usually have. If we had a more open political process,
                    then we wouldn't have had 2 such distasteful politicians
                    to choose from last election. Either choice, you lose. We
                    need a change in politics to make elections like this the
                    norm, instead of the exception. Bring on the circus!
                    -usually fat sysadmin/sheepfucker
                    - usually democrat/indie
                    [CENSORED: -usually fat sysadmin/sheepfucker
                    \_ So fat sysadmin/indie == fat sysadmin/sheepfucker? I
                       did not know that. Thanks for your enlightenment. If
                       Rhiordan ran instead of Simon, I would have voted for
                       him as a member of the fat sysadmin/sheepfuckers party.
                       Got wool?]
                       \_ The fat/sheepfucker motd censor is so funny.
                \_ I think Huffington rocked.
                   \_ She had my respect (not vote) until yesterday.