Democrat Math

Michael Flynn | August 26, 2008

Tonight, Sen. Bob Casey (PA) took to the podium at the Democrat Convention, an opportunity his father was famously denied. I realize Sen. Casey doesn't run the risk of being tagged as a modern-day Pericles, but I would have hoped he would have basic math down.

As he wove his take on the theme that a McCain Presidency would be an extension of the Bush Administration, he struck a rhetorical note that we don't want four more years, but just "four more months." This sparked the beginnings of a convention hall chant of "four more months", which pretty quickly petered out.

Someone must have looked at a calendar.

In four months it will be December 26^th. The next President is sworn in on January 20, 2009. So, in "four more months", we'll have about one month left for the Bush Administration.

And these people want to set my tax rates?

Comments

BDB|8.26.08 @ 10:17PM|#

This convention is a trainwreck, and I doubt Hillary wants to rescue it. It's over, congratulations President Elect McCain. The Dems blew it again!

rawdawg|8.26.08 @ 10:24PM|#

McCain is one step from senility, I don't want an old jones running my country, do you?

BDB|8.26.08 @ 10:26PM|#

Doesn't matter. Even a senile guy, apparently, can beat the Democratic Party.

|8.26.08 @ 10:35PM|#

Moderate Democrats apparently just don't have anything to say. And tonight was apparently moderate Dem night up until the Hillary keynote. The only interesting and remotely inspirational bit was the only non-moderate Dem -- Kucinich.

I can't say I'm surprised.

|8.26.08 @ 10:37PM|#

Even a senile guy, apparently, can beat the Democratic Party.

I wouldn't describe it as McCain beating them so much as the dems fucking it up all by themselves. I'm still boggled at how Obama's been pissing away his lead by getting cocky.

Will he be the Walter Mondale of his generation?

-jcr

|8.26.08 @ 10:39PM|#

Wow. You think the world was actually created in 168 hours, don't you? The end of the year is in 4 months. Have you noticed the bumper stickers that say "Obama 08"? Do you know what the "08" stands for? It's a speech. A SPEECH. Actually, a really good speech. Got a clever comeback for the sidekick line? Waa waa waa. Don't let the door hit you!

Sandy|8.26.08 @ 11:10PM|#

"Democrat convention"? Really? We're looking to Fox News and Sean Hannity for lessons on English? Do we have to go back to Freedom Fries?

I missed the memo where being a libertarian meant I had to toe the GOP line.

SIV|8.26.08 @ 11:13PM|#

Sandy

It is spelled "DemocRAT Convention" Uppercase on the 'RAT

Anonyrat|8.26.08 @ 11:17PM|#

"Democrat convention"? Really? We're looking to Fox News and Sean Hannity for lessons on English?

Silly libertarians. Don't you know that calling someone a Democrat is a code word for RACIST?

The true lightworkers believe in democracy, under which heros like Chavez rose to glorious power, and we call ourselves the Democratics. Get it right, you goose-stepping wing nuts, or I'll shout you down to make you feel as powerless and stinky as I actually am.

Mr. Burns|8.26.08 @ 11:28PM|#

Because it'll be worth dealing with the end of Bush's term as long as the NFL playoffs are going on?

|8.27.08 @ 7:56AM|#

Come on, man... it was a rhetorical device... "4 more months" was the alternative to "4 more years". Contrast this to: "4 more years" vs "5 more months". Just doesn't have the same ring.

And you guys say DEMOCRATS have no sense of humor... Lighten up.

|8.27.08 @ 9:21AM|#

Wasn't Casey rounding down? August 25th -> September 25th, September 25th -> October 25th, October 25th -> November 25th, November 25th -> December 25th (yay, Christmas!), December 25th -> January 25th. I count four full months and not quite another.

I want someone who rounds down setting my tax rates. What's wrong with you?

DNC supporter|8.27.08 @ 9:34AM|#

RAWR

jtuf|8.27.08 @ 9:43AM|#

This reminds me of the push for a "millinare tax" on all people earning 500 grand per year or more.

David Flores|8.27.08 @ 11:03AM|#

Dude, seriously... come up with something better than this or just give it up. You sound like those 2nd rate physics undergrads who are always complaining about how unrealistic the Star War films are because there's no sound in space, you can't travel faster than light, it's unlikely other planets would have breathable atmosphere etc. Just as you have to suspend a little disbelief to enjoy "Star Wars" & its ilk, the rest of us "get the point" Casey was making and feel little need or inclination to bust out the calendar to see what date he was talking about specifically.

Sandy|8.27.08 @ 11:13AM|#

Anonyrat,

Last time I checked, "Democrat" is a perfectly acceptable thing to call someone who is, you know, a Democrat. Like, say, "Hillary Clinton is a Democrat. Obama is a Democrat."

But last time I checked, the adjectival form wasn't identical to the noun. It has nothing to do with racism, it has everything to do with stupid inferiority complexes on the part of Team Red Fanbois who can't distinguish between Big D and little d adjectives.

Kinda like some people have trouble distinguishing between Big L and little l libertarians.

|8.27.08 @ 11:46AM|#

Cesar-as-BDB,

Your concern is noted.

|8.27.08 @ 3:54PM|#

Frankly, I don't think this was worth writing a blog entry for. Four months and change (even "a lot" of change) is still four months, and would not have had the same rhetorical effect as saying "almost five more months!" Certainly there must be other substantive things to complain about at the DNC shin-dig?

/Still voting for Barr, but better Obama than McCain for Liberty.

Christopher John Brennan|8.27.08 @ 5:44PM|#

"Reason provides a refreshing alternative to right-wing and left-wing opinion..."

Not this time it didn't.

Flynn's post, based on a quibble over rounding 4.8 down to 4, is something I'd expect to see on a partisan right-wing Republican site not on Reason.

(Bonus partisan points are awarded for the grammatically incorrect use of "Democrat Math" and "Democrat Convention".)