text:
They Retort, You Decide!
Hundreds of millions of dollars, countless hours on the trail—it all comes down to this. For three debates, 270 combined minutes, the candidates will actually talk to each other. One botched response, a roll of the eyes, or—heaven forbid—a truly revealing moment will mean the difference between winning and, well, being John McCain. Robert Draper goes behind the scenes, talks to an army of strategists, and reveals the dark-arts trickery and clever gamesmanship that could ultimately determine the next leader of the free world
You have been battered into a stupor of disaffection by a locust swarm of attack ads and unctuous doublespeak, courtesy of the most obnoxiously long campaign in history since the Crusades. Understood. But here is your reward: Beginning on October 3 and concluding two weeks before the presidential election, you will have three opportunities to watch the two leaders of the offending parties, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, crumble to pieces before your eyes.
Oh, it can happen. All sorts of things can happen—most of them bad—when two of the world's most insulated creatures are suddenly thrust into an oppressive atmosphere consisting of a desolate stage, grim-faced inquisitors, a stone-silent live audience, and an invisible American electorate monitoring every blink and stammer. And whatever happens in these three presidential debates will, in all likelihood, determine who takes the oath of office three months later.
That's not an overstatement. "The reality of what determines a presidential campaign, among the small percentage of voters who move back and forth," says former John McCain strategist Steve Schmidt, "are the debates, where 50 million people watch what these guys have to say. In the aftermath of a presidential campaign, the importance of the debate is so understated, almost an afterthought—when in reality it is absolutely, exponentially the most important thing that happens, times 100,000."
So consider the stakes, the pressure. And then consider something that might strike you as odd, given how long Obama and Romney have dwelled on the public stage—which is that neither man is skilled at this sort of thing. "Barack Obama, I would submit, is not a very good debater," says David Birdsell, the dean of Baruch College's School of Public Affairs and a renowned debate expert. "He's very cautious, he ramps down the arch of ambition that we otherwise see in his prepared spoken material—and it's distancing. He has that vocal tic where he says, 'Look,' and then pauses. The 'Look' is a gesture of impatience—saying that at best we don't fully understand the situation, or at worst 'I'm tired of dealing with these idiotic inquiries.' It's deeply condescending. Then he chooses his words very carefully, but they don't sound like they're coming from the human heart."
Wait—could that last sentence be describing someone else? Here is Birdsell's even less charitable view of Mitt Romney as a debater: "He shows an excess of caution in declaring his interests and perspectives. And he shows a degree of deftness at avoiding commitment—and consistently a failure to provide a compelling narrative of what drives him, either personally or in the policy arena. Now, he remembers figures well, and he looks great in doing what he does. But it's possible to rattle him. Remember when Rick Perry got under his skin? He replied with, 'I'll bet you 10,000 bucks.' When rattled, he runs to his inner Eddie Haskell."
So why do we put them through it? Probably because debates force these starchy, overrehearsed, vainglorious pontificators to be human, more or less. We need to see them fidget and fume and (maybe) flash some greatness; and (maybe) we enjoy making them suffer.
But why do we put America through it? Why permit the fate of our country to hinge on three ninety-minute performances that are unlike anything the winner will be expected to do as president?
If you look at history and talk to the experts of the art and science of presidential debates, you find that, during these ninety-minute proto-reality shows, some vital information we can't seem to get anywhere else is exchanged—even if the candidates screw up or if we take the wrong message from their screwups. You'll also find, if you talk to people who have directly advised Obama and Romney, either currently or in the past, that this year's verbal cage fight is anybody's game.
*There We Go Again—A Secret History of Debates *
Political consultants, historians, and debate gurus are united in their opinion that debates are at once absolutely crucial and utterly meaningless. "Obviously on a substantive level debates don't mean much," says former Al Gore strategist Carter Eskew, "because nothing discussed is really relevant to what happens when you're president. But then you go to this other level: Do they reveal character and personality? And I think that in some ways they do."
Many such "revealing moments" are codified in our political mythology—which is to say, they're cruel reductions or outright misrepresentations of what took place. There's John F. Kennedy pitted against Richard Nixon in America's first-ever televised debate on September 26, 1960—the young senator looking as poised as James Bond, while Nixon sweats like a death-row inmate. In fact, the long-held belief that Nixon actually won this debate according to those who heard it on the radio is a myth, says Birdsell: "That poll of radio listeners wasn't at all a random sample and was mainly of rural Protestant listeners who didn't have TVs. The more convincing studies have Kennedy winning on both the visual and nonvisual dimensions."
Twenty years later,** **there's Ronald Reagan instantly diffusing charges of extremism by quipping, "There you go again," and trotting out one soothing narrative after the next while Jimmy Carter strangles on his bureaucratic minutiae. Fast-forward four years, by which time age had replaced ideology as the chief knock against him, and there's Reagan's ancient mind going blank as he falls silent in his closing remarks of the first debate against Walter Mondale—and then, in the second debate, there's Reagan adroitly dispatching the age question once and for all with the twinkly-eyed "I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." "Roger Ailes fed him that line," one Reagan strategist told me with a laugh. Be that as it may, Mondale later admitted to debate moderator Jim Lehrer, "That was really the end of my campaign that night, I think."
There's Michael Dukakis in 1988, sounding every bit the bloodless technocrat in his reply to Bernard Shaw's startling question "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" (Stone-faced, Dukakis blinks. "No, I don't, Bernard.&") And there's out-of-touch George H. W. Bush in the 1992 town-hall debate, fumbling to understand a woman's query about how the national debt had personally affected his life ("I'm not sure I get it—help me with the question and I'll try to answer it")—and by merciless contrast, there's Bill Clinton "launching out of his chair and engaging her, relating to her," recalls Clinton strategist Paul Begala, who adds, "That was the defining moment of the election."
Most such "moments" are caricature-reinforcers at best and gross distortions at worst. Which is why most debate pros see their chief role as making these face-offs something other than on-the-level arguments about issues. "Debates aren't a game of Jeopardy!—it's not about question-and-answer," says debate coach Brett O'Donnell, whose clients have included President Bush in 2004 and candidate McCain in 2008. Instead, it's about looking "presidential," not screwing up, and whenever possible, making sure your candidate doesn't reveal what he or she actually thinks.
*"America, Jesus, Freedom"—How to Prepare a Candidate *
Sometime this past january, after Mitt Romney suffered his second consecutive disappointing debate performance against Newt Gingrich and the GOP field in South Carolina, O'Donnell got a phone call from the governor's campaign. Romney needed his help.
Brett O'Donnell is the only full-time political-debate coach in the country. Earlier this primary season, he'd guided Michele Bachmann to a brief lead in the polls. Now he flew to Florida and exhorted his new client: No more using qualifiers that feed the perception of you as a flip-flopper. Attack Gingrich constantly. Call him a Washington insider and a Fannie-Freddie lobbyist. Make him so apoplectic he can't talk. It took some convincing before the mild-mannered Mitt became confident he could ecute such an aggressive strategy. But he did, crushing Newt in the next debate and subsequently in the Florida primary. "There was a discernible change in his performance," recalls University of Pennsylvania professor of public policy Kathleen Jamieson, the country's foremost debate scholar. "They cleaned up the tonal problem, and they cleaned up the nonverbal problem. I immediately started making calls to see if they had hired a new staffer."
But** **Romney's brain trust didn't like the credit O'Donnell was getting for Mitt's turnaround and, after the Florida debates, promptly cut him loose. A few weeks later, according to two sources familiar with the situation, O'Donnell was quietly enlisted (albeit off the payroll) to compile a lengthy memo in preparation for Romney's primary debate in Mesa, Arizona. Romney eviscerated Rick Santorum in Mesa: "While I was fighting to save the Olympics, you were fighting to save the Bridge to Nowhere." Now, however, O'Donnell's stint in Romney World appears to be done.
To O'Donnell, debates are about, as he puts it, "the messaging opportunity." Some of this involves adjusting how the debater looks, stands, moves, and emotes, but mainly it's about firing off catchy rhetoric that may or may not be technically accurate—a view that runs counter to that of some of O'Donnell's co-workers. "My view is that you should be yourself, with some augmentations and coaching," says one political strategist. "Brett's concept is to conceal yourself. And I don't think it works."
Whatever the philosophy, the first task of a debate specialist like O'Donnell is to get the attention of the candidate, which is not always an easy proposition. Before the vice presidential debate of 2004, a John Kerry aide recalls, John Edward, "would blow off a debate-prep session and say, 'I'm gonna go relax and get some sun. It's more important that I look rested next to Cheney.' And there's some truth to that. But it's also true that Cheney's really good at cutting people's balls off. And Cheney ended up taking him apart."
Romney was also reluctant during his gubernatorial run in 2002. "He really didn't like the mock debate with strict timelines and stopwatch and full run-throughs," recalls an adviser. "He's a smart guy, and he's like, 'I get it. I don't need to do this as much as you think I need to.' I think we only ended up having two full-dress rehearsals, and that's unusual."
By contrast, Obama's impatience with the process during the 2007 primaries** **had less to do with the prepping per se than with the aggravation of enduring debates that included as many as eight candidates. "He never thought those [multicandidate] debates were worthwhile, where you're standing up for ninety minutes and you'll have maybe three minutes to speak," recalls one Obama adviser. "So it was hard to persuade him to put aside the time to be ready for every eventuality." Agrees another adviser, "He could not have been less interested in prepping for them."
How engaged a candidate is during the prep process often depends on how good his sparring partner is. Some of the best include former New Hampshire Republican senator Judd Gregg, who was so effective at channeling Gore for the '96 vice presidential debates that GOP running mate Jack Kemp at one point shot him the finger. In 2008, Ohio senator Rob Portman excelled as Obama, though he wasn't the McCain campaign's first choice to play the young senator. O'Donnell initially wanted McCain to practice against a black man: former RNC chairman Michael Steele, who turned out to be, in the words of one McCain adviser, "a disaster."
For its part, the Obama team recruited an inspired choice to play Sarah Palin in Biden's VP-debate-prep sessions: Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm. "She became Palin," gushes one member of Biden's team, while an Obama adviser adds, "Jennifer had that flirty, aggressive thing going on—she was fabulous." Granholm, who now hosts_ The War Room_ on Current TV, recalls, "I became a Palintologist. I really did learn a lot about her background and what motivated her. We had to try all scenarios, including if she was very weak and would just crater. We anticipated almost every single question. The two things we didn't anticipate were her winking and the 'Can I call ya Joe?' "
Steve Schmidt, a member of the McCain team, says that they, too, anticipated every single one of moderator Gwen Ifill's questions in the VP debate, except for "the question about nuclear proliferation." Palin's first words presaged trouble—"Nuclear weaponry, of course, would be the be-all, end-all of just too many people in too many parts of our planet"—but she eventually found her bearings. When Biden responded that McCain had voted against a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty, Palin dodged the matter—which, says Schmidt, was "absolutely" what she was coached to do whenever she encountered a question that hadn't come up in debate prep: dodge.
Ever since Nixon melted under the camera lights in 1960, both sides have brought in their party's craftiest stalwarts to negotiate every imaginable feature of the debates: how many, which subject in which order, podium versus sit-down versus free-range, whether or not to permit glasses of water and prepared notes, et cetera. For the 2012 debates, two veterans in election law—former Obama White House counsel Robert Bauer and Romney legal adviser Ben Ginsberg—handled the negotiations. In the previous cycle, then congressman Rahm Emanuel and senator Lindsey Graham wrangled over the details. In 2004, two of Washington's greatest firs squared off: James Baker, who outfod the Democrats during the 2000 Florida recount, and Vernon Jordan, who in 1997 discreetly assisted Monica Lewinsky in finding a job 200 miles away from the Clinton White House.
"Baker said, 'I want the foreign-policy debate to be first,' " Jordan recalls. "I said, 'Well, if you want foreign policy first, I want Cheney to stand [in the VP debate against Edwards].' Baker said, 'He can't stand! He's not well!' I said, 'Why do you think I want him to stand, Baker?' " Cheney ended up sitting, and in return** for giving Baker foreign policy, Jordan was able to schedule a third debate for Kerry instead of two, as the front-running Bush camp originally wanted. **"Jim Baker and I are great friends," Jordan says. "When we prepared our final report, we didn't have a press conference. We just went down to the bar in the Waldorf and had a martini."
*5 Debate deciders
As elucidated by historians, gurus, and the politicians themselves*
Answering Dumb Questions
Here's a doozy from moderator Bernard Shaw to Michael Dukakis: "If Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered," would it change his stance against the death penalty? Bernie, dude. WTF?—Jen Shcwartz
Getting Zung
"Unless there is a zinger—the cute line, the quotable moment—there's no victor," George W. Bush once said. The best zinger ever zung? Lloyd Bentsen to a defenseless, nearly teary-eyed Dan Quayle: "You're no Jack Kennedy."
Public Brain Farts
From Rick Perry's "oops" to James Stockdale's "Who am I? Why am I here?" chestnut, "it's death on wheels to forget why you're running," says Birdsell. "There are too many variants of this problem to count."
Going MMA
"These events aren't fisticuffs," says debate expert David Birdsell. No one likes a bully—i.e., the hulking, scary Al Gore getting up in W.'s grill.
Remaking History
Gerald Ford claimed there was no Soviet domination in Eastern Europe. He didn't get a second term.
Baker's rigors not only didn't carry the day for Bush—they backfired. "A great example of overthinking the debate rules was in 2004," says Steve Schmidt. "You come up with your debate negotiating strategy; it's fundamentally about trying to achieve maximum strategic advantage for your candidate. So having studied Kerry's past debates in his Senate races, what dawned on us was that he ran through the end of the question time. We decided to stop that from happening. Basically we negotiated everything but a trapdoor and an air-raid siren if John Kerry went over the limit. There was literally a flashing red light. At the end of the day, it had the opposite effect. We would've been far better off with a loquacious and ponderous Kerry than a disciplined and focused Kerry."
The Republican negotiators outsmarted themselves again four years later. "We got everything we wanted in debate negotiations [for McCain-Obama]," Brett O'Donnell says. Among these was a town-hall debate, a format in which McCain excelled. "He'd done thousands of those," recalls one of McCain's advisers. "McCain said, 'I'll thrive at this.' Then he walks onstage, and it's dead quiet. People aren't asking him goofy questions, no guy's wearing a shark costume—all the carnival atmosphere he loves is instead replaced by this dead, eerie climate, almost like you're in that in-between land between heaven and hell. It's not natural. And everybody, including McCain, wanted him to be able to wander around. He didn't look good wandering around. It was his worst debate."
In some cases, a candidate's subpar debate performance can be spun into victory. Kathleen Jamieson cites a classic case: the first Bush-Gore debate of 2000. In Jamieson's view, Gore clearly won.** "When Bush keeps saying, 'That's fuzzy math,' and Gore responds by naming specific legislation, you have the clearest contrast I've ever seen." But this substantive moment of 2000 has long been buried under the weight of a more enduring debate gaffe—that of Gore sighing melodramatically after his opponent's answers and, in a later debate, stepping directly into Bush's airspace, moments that the Bush team seized on. **"My sense was that we had destroyed Bush in that first debate," recalls Carter Eskew. "When I went into the spin room, that was the overwhelming consensus of everyone there. So then we flew off to someplace in Kentucky without cell coverage—and in the meantime, we got destroyed in the next twenty-four-hour spin cycle, which was probably malpractice on my part."
Adds longtime Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, who also assisted Gore in debate prep, "Had the atmospherics not been used to say Gore lost the debate, I think that election would've been over. Because until then, we were on a roll."
It's widely acknowledged that the Bush team, led by Karl Rove and Karen Hughes, was peerless at the craft of post-debate spinning. Forgotten is their wizardry at _pre-_debate spinning. Both in 1994 against Texas governor Ann Richards and in 2000 against Gore, Bush's gurus all but begged pundits to assign long odds to the Misunderestimated One. Just prior to the 2004 debates, Bush strategist Matthew Dowd shamelessly insisted, "[John Kerry] is the best debater since Cicero." Dowd now says, "It is always important in politics to lower expectations, so that when you exceed them, you have a good story to tell. And this is very true in debates. The problem in 2004 was that it would have worked only if Bush had exceeded the low expectations. In that first debate, he didn't even do that. So you can't spin that, no matter what."
Throughout much of his public life, Barack Obama's debate performances failed to measure up to his oratorical prowess. But that changed on the evening of October 30, 2007, during the fourteenth of what would ultimately be twenty-six Democratic-candidate debates. By then, the young senator was trailing Hillary Clinton by a staggering twenty-one points. Befitting her front-runner status, Clinton was assigned the center podium in Philadelphia's Drel University auditorium, with three candidates on either side of her. Hillary appeared indomitable. Republicans already spoke of her as the Democratic nominee.
Senator** John Edwards was in third place behind Obama at the time, but as we now know, he was having formidable **domestic issues. His wife, Elizabeth, had recently discovered her husband's affair with videographer Rielle Hunter and was so incensed at the candidate that, according to Jonathan Prince, one of his strategists, she was interfering with the campaign. "She wouldn't let us do debate prep. It ended up being like a caricature of a spy movie: We had to wait till her car pulled out before we'd pull in and do secret prep sessions."
Despite the drama, Edwards had been performing surprisingly well in the debates, while Obama's disinterest showed. His answers were discursive, instantly forgettable. "It was almost as if he thought the debates didn't matter," recalls Edwards strategist Joe Trippi. But as Trippi well knew, his guy needed a tag-team partner to take down Hillary. "We would game things out: 'If you do this and Barack does that, wow, that'll really move the needle against Clinton,' " he says. "And Edwards would do it, and then it would be like, 'Wow, why didn't Obama see the opportunity?' Edwards had to do all the heavy lifting."
And so it went during the early stages of the Philadelphia debate. Clinton gave her crisp answers, Edwards responded with sharp jabs, and Obama shadowbod around the periphery. During the first commercial break, the candidates went backstage to huddle with their gurus. Obama ran into Edwards and, according to two people with knowledge of the conversation, complimented his relentless attack on Clinton. But Edwards wasn't in the mood for flattery.
"Focus, Barack," he snapped. "You've got to focus!"
Obama returned to the stage a different debater. He immediately raised his hand the next time Clinton spoke and laid into her—concluding by saying, "Part of the reason that Republicans, I think, are obsessed with you, Hillary, is because that's a fight they're very comfortable having. It is the fight that we've been through since the '90s. And part of the job of the next president is to break the gridlock and to get Democrats and independents and Republicans to start working together to solve these big problems, like health care or climate change or energy. And what we don't need is another eight years of bickering. And that's precisely why I'm running for president."
Then, with only six minutes left in the debate, co-moderator Tim Russert asked Clinton whether she supported then New York governor Eliot Spitzer's initiative to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Her response appeared to be sympathetic. But a minute later, after Senator Chris Dodd said he disagreed with the policy, Clinton committed her infamous equivocation: "I just want to add, I did not say that it _should _be done.&"
"Wait a minute!" Dodd pounced. Clinton protested. Russert pressed her. Clinton complained that "this is where everybody plays gotcha." When co-moderator Brian Williams tried to change the subject, Edwards wouldn't let him. "Unless I missed something," he said, "Senator Clinton said two different things in the course of about two minutes." And when it came Obama's turn, he said to growing laughter, "I can't tell whether she was for it or against it, and I do think that is important."
What was actually important—both then and now—was that Hillary Clinton lost her aura of inevitability that night and Barack Obama learned to throw a punch. One year later, with the economy nose-diving, voters would measure Obama the debater not by his aggressiveness or his warmth but by his sober resolve. When I visited O'Donnell at his condo in Alexandria, Virginia, the debate coach and I watched a DVD of the first Obama-McCain duel. It started off with a rather predictable question about whether Obama supported TARP. "You know," Obama began, "we are at a defining moment in our history&"
O'Donnell smirked: "Here's a dead giveaway that he's giving a scripted answer—Obama's turning to the camera instead of the live audience." But then, as Obama proceeded over the next two minutes to define the economic stakes, describe his own economic-recovery proposal, and finally rip into his opponent for supporting Bush's failed economic policies, the former McCain adviser conceded, "It's a perfect debate answer. He starts with the 40,000-foot view, the vision thing, which is one of Obama's greatest strengths. And then the attack comes at the end, which forces the opponent to go on defense."
After watching his old boss's response—an unsteady monologue that began with lamenting Ted Kennedy's recent hospitalization, acknowledging the House Republicans' lack of support for TARP, and finally concluding, joltingly, with a call for energy independence—O'Donnell let out a sigh. "Yeah, the contrast is pretty substantial," he said. "There's no vision. One of his weaknesses from way back is that McCain** **tends to go down a rabbit trail in his answers. And the other is that he would talk like a senator. Now, once you get past the twenty or thirty minutes and they're debating foreign policy, Obama gets off-script, and I think he comes off poorly. I think McCain won the rest of the debate."
Still, against McCain's erratic composure, Obama's mentholated calm would carry the day, and, says an Obama adviser, "voters had a chance to see him as president."
But now that he _is _president, the circumstances are far less favorable. A listless economy has dragged his approval rating at or below 50 percent. Indeed, going into the three debates, Barack Obama seems to have only one thing in his favor: his opponent's own undistinguished history as a debater.
The first person ever to play Mitt Romney in a debate-prep session was David Smith, who had served as a policy adviser to Romney's opponent in the 1994 Senate race, Ted Kennedy. "Romney'd never been a candidate before, so we had to intuit what kind of debater he'd be," says Smith. "We watched everything he'd done on TV and read all of his interviews, but it was a matter of inferring. One thing turned out to be exactly right, and I think it's still right: He has a very tough time when pressed with follow-up questions. So we prepped to try to exploit that, and it largely worked."
Kennedy had visited the JFK library a few hours before the first debate, sitting at the replica of his brother's desk for two hours—"communing with ghosts," as an adviser would put it—and was very focused onstage. "We planned some moments," the adviser recalls. "With Teddy in '94, we planned to have him say, 'My family didn't go into politics to make money, and quite frankly, we paid a price.' But then there was a spontaneous moment when Romney couldn't describe what his health care plan would be, and Teddy said, 'Well, Mr. Romney, that's what you have to do when you legislate.' "
Romney would go on to lose handily to Kennedy, and as he prepared to run for governor against state treasurer Shannon O'Brien in 2002, he was still somewhat gun-shy. "Going into the debates in '02, there was a lot of trepidation on Mitt's part," says a senior official from the gubernatorial campaign. "He knew it wasn't his best format."
Indeed, Mitt "got pummeled by Shannon," says the official. O'Brien was feisty, while Romney made a feeble crack that went over poorly about how these debates were boring voters to sleep. A month before the election, Romney was suddenly ten points behind the Democrat. Searching for answers, the Romney brain trust encamped in Mitt's basement in Belmont, Massachusetts, and put together a new strategy. Mitt had previously refused to do more than one additional debate. Now he would agree to do two others, but only if they included three third-party candidates—all of them female, like O'Brien, and, says the adviser, "they were all nuts. Under the guise of being fair and open by letting the other three candidates in, making Mitt look like a hero, what we were really doing was making it Mitt versus the four crazy women. And it worked!"
Meanwhile, Romney strategist Mike Murphy had sought to game the final debate. Rather than it being organized by The _Boston Globe _as in years past, Murphy had entered into backdoor negotiations to have this debate hosted by NBC and moderated by Murphy's pal Russert. The hope among the Romneyites was that Russert would be stretched thin by all the races he had to cover that year and would therefore be somewhat reliant on research material furnished by Murphy, who "thought he could get the edge in backgrounding Russert and nudging the debate in a certain direction," says a second adviser.
The outcome could not have been better for Romney. On the very first question to O'Brien, Russert asked why the candidate favored a teenager being able to have an abortion without parental consent when, under Massachusetts law, the same teenager wouldn't be able to get a tattoo without her parents' sign-off. "That question had never come up in the campaign," says O'Brien's campaign manager, Dwight Robson. When O'Brien responded with an awkward joke—"Would you like to see my tattoo?"—the crowd laughed nervously. "Then Tim hit her with a two-by-four: 'Ms. O'Brien, this is a serious issue!' " crows the first Romney adviser. "And we were just like, 'It's done.' "
"I give the Romney campaign a tremendous amount of credit," says Robson. "The funny thing is, she doesn't even have a tattoo."
Both sides agree that Romney's performance in 2002 was uneven but that O'Brien's implosion helped cost her the election. As a presidential candidate in the 2008 cycle, Romney exhibited more polish. But he was battered by charges of flip-flopping—so much so that the McCainites began to call him the Small-Varmint-Killing, Gun-Toting, Civil-Rights-Marching Fantasy Candidate. Fed up with his elusive counterpart, McCain uncorked this memorable put-down: "We disagree on a lot of issues, but I agree: You are the candidate of change."
O'Donnell would instruct McCain, "He equivocates all the time. Just listen for the moment you hear a conditional, then jump on it." Such a moment came on September 5, 2007, in a Durham, New Hampshire, debate, when Romney said, "The [Iraq] surge is apparently working."
"No, not 'apparently'—it's working," McCain shot back. Romney looked like he had been stabbed in the kidney.
During this year's primaries, Romney was still haunted by the occasional equivocation—most memorably when he answered "Maybe" to whether he would follow in his father's footsteps by releasing more than a decade's worth of tax returns. ("The debate team had discussed it," says one Romney adviser. "We thought the answer was supposed to be either yes or no, but not maybe.") Otherwise, the candidate has unquestionably improved—partly from experience, partly due to the economy replacing the Iraq surge as the key issue, and partly because the field was far weaker than in the previous election cycle. ("Newt and Santorum talked themselves out of a job," says a GOP strategist.) One former Romney adviser evaluates his candidate's progress thusly: "He is a quick thinker, well-spoken, well prepared. Generally speaking, if you ask him to ecute a strategy of 'do no harm,' he can do that. By contrast, if you ask him to move the ball forward, that becomes something outside of his comfort zone."
And so on October 3, two brainy Harvard graduates will do as each man has done dozens of times before—though never against each other, and never with the stakes so high. The president comes in with a historical disadvantage. As one top Obama adviser points out, "It's very difficult for an incumbent to win the first debate." And according to Brett O'Donnell, it's that first event that resonates most with voters—and in particular, he says, "debates are won or lost in the first thirty minutes."
But Mitt Romney will bring his own disadvantages with him to Denver on October 3. "He's much better than he was in 1994 or 2002," says a former adviser. "However, I'm very concerned about how he'll do in a one-on-one against Obama. There's a much higher degree of difficulty in thinking on your feet, and the focus always ends up being something that nobody predicted going in. I'm not sure how he'll do, because he doesn't have that core philosophy to guide him. So I give Obama a huge advantage going into these."
Then again, says one veteran GOP strategist, perhaps Romney will rise to the occasion out of necessity: "I think he's advantaged by the debates, because a debate will force him to take control of his own narrative. I think he's got no choice but to stand up there and to articulate a vision for why he wants to be president—which, at the moment, is unclear to me."
What's clear is this: When the feed goes live, both men will be as assiduously trained and groomed as two spaniels at Westminster. But then the leashes will come off, and for ninety minutes Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will perform an American tradition that has historically not brought out their best.
"For all of their ego and confidence, it's a huge amount of pressure," one Republican veteran of the debate trade told me. With a forlorn chuckle, he added, "The only thing that's worse is to be someone like me who spends months and months working with these guys—and then they go onstage, and you're absolutely helpless."
Robert Draper_ is a GQ correspondent. _


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Farrell among finalists for AL Manager of the Year
BOSTON -- From the first day of Spring Training until the final day of the World Series, Red Sox manager John Farrell was uncomfortable taking direct credit for the terrific results of his team.
Instead, he was more comfortable crediting his players, general manager Ben Cherington and ownership.
BOSTON -- From the first day of Spring Training until the final day of the World Series, Red Sox manager John Farrell was uncomfortable taking direct credit for the terrific results of his team.
Instead, he was more comfortable crediting his players, general manager Ben Cherington and ownership.
But there's no hiding the impact Farrell made on a team that won the World Series after finishing in last place in 2012. And it should come as no surprise that Farrell is one of three finalists for the American League's Manager of the Year Award, which is voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Indians manager Terry Francona and Athletics manager Bob Melvin are the other two finalists.
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz doesn't have a vote, but if he did, it's pretty clear whom he would select.
"Our manager is outstanding," Ortiz said after the clinching Game 6 of the World Series. "He showed to all of us since Day 1 that he was the master piece that we need to get to this level. John did such a nice job with all of us. And our focus was coming in and doing nothing but playing baseball, which is different than last year."
Yes, that was Farrell's motto from the day the season started. He demanded his players put all of their attention into the game that day, and nothing else.
Though there had to be some minds that might have strayed here or there on a given day, the mission was pretty much accomplished.
The Red Sox were always prepared, and that had a lot to do with the work by Farrell and his staff.
"He said we're going to be as well or better prepared than anyone," Cherington said of Farrell. "He made it about the players, held them to a high standard but empowered them at the same time. And those are easy things to say in the winter, but it's hard to pull off when you're going through a six- or eight-month season and a grind. It's hard to pull it off, and sure enough, he did. It's a great credit to him, the people around him. They made it about exactly what he said it was going to be."
After winning 69 games in 2012, the Red Sox rebounded to win 97 in Farrell's first season.
In other words, trading utility man Mike Aviles to the Blue Jays to secure Farrell's services wound up being more than worth it for the Red Sox.
One thing that helped Farrell hit the ground running in Boston was his instant familiarity. He was already widely respected by the front-office members and players who remained from his four years as pitching coach under Francona.
Farrell would be the first Boston skipper to win the Manager of the Year Award since Jimy Williams in 1999.
The Red Sox didn't have any other finalists for the BBWAA Awards, though Jose Iglesias, who was with the club until his trade to the Tigers on July 31, is one of three candidates for AL Rookie of the Year.
In 63 games for Boston, Iglesias hit .330 with one homer, 19 RBIs and a .785 OPS while playing spectacular defense at short and third.
After his move to Detroit, which was part of a three-way trade that brought Jake Peavy to the Red Sox, Iglesias settled in as the Tigers' shortstop, hitting .259 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 46 games.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne.

subset: commoncrawl


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fall ANS concerns
While the fall fishing bite will eventually fade, efforts to monitor the presence of aquatic nuisance species in North Dakota waters continue.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department urges local entities and water recreationists to check for new aquatic nuisance species infestations when pulling and storing fishing piers, boat docks and lifts prior to ice up.
Fred Ryckman, Game and Fish ANS coordinator, said it is especially important to look for zebra mussels during this winter prep work. Zebra mussels will attach to hard surfaces, such as fishing piers, boat dock and lifts. Inspecting these structures when pulled from the water is important to determine if mussels are present.
To date, adult zebra mussels have not been found in any North Dakota waters.
If mussels are found, citizens are requested to leave the suspicious mussel attached, take a digital picture, and report findings immediately to a local Game and Fish Department district office. Pictures of zebra mussels are available on the 100th Meridian Initiative website at 100thmeridian.org/.


text:
Rackmount Servers PowerEdge R210 II:
Enterprise-ready, ultracompact 1-socket rack server
Enjoy ultimate flexibility with the compact PowerEdge™ R210 II. Deployable in almost any environment, R210 II has the power you need to run your business and the scalability to help it grow. Share, manage and protect your data, all with one system.
- Business value: Performance and features to facilitate collaboration and sharing, data protection and easy scalability
- Easy to manage: Dell™ Lifecycle Controller and full OpenManage™ suite for simplified remote management
- Flexible, secure technology: Built-in redundant hard drives, encryption, security and data protection options
Serious Business
Business Value
The PowerEdge R210 II offers a range of options that deliver the value, processor performance and scalability to meet your business needs.
Easy to Manage
The Dell™ PowerEdge™ R210 II lets you focus on running your business. The optional advanced embedded management engine, Dell™ Lifecycle Controller, automates common management tasks and enables zero-media, low-touch deployment that is efficient, secure, and user-friendly.
Flexible, Secure Technology
Protect data with hardware- and software-enabled encryption.
Secure business information with hard drive RAID to make copies of data automatically.
Tech Specs
- Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 product family
Intel® Xeon® processor E3-1200 V2 product family
Intel® Pentium® G600 and G800 series
Intel® Celeron® G400 and G500 series
Operating System
- Microsoft® Windows Server® 2012
Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2011
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation SP1
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2, x86/x64 (x64 includes Hyper-V®)
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, x64 (includes Hyper-V v2)
Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008
Novell® SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server
Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®
Virtualization options:
Citrix® XenServer®
Microsoft Hyper-V, a server role in Microsoft Windows Server operating systems
VMware® vSphere® and ESXi™
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization®
- Intel® C202
- Up to 32GB (4 DIMM slots) 1GB/2GB/4GB/8GB DDR3 up to 1600MT/s
- Cabled hard drive options:
3.5" SAS (15K), nearline SAS (7.2K), SATA (5.4K, 7.2K)
Maximum Internal Storage:
Up to 6TB2
Drive Bays
- Cabled options available:
- Up to two 3.5" SAS or SATA drives
- Up to four 2.5" SATA SSD or SAS drives
- 1 PCIe x16 G2 slot
RAID Controllers
- Internal Controllers:
PERC S100 ( software based)
PERC S300 (software based)
PERC H200 (6Gb/s)
6Gbps SAS HBA
Network Controller
- One Dual port Broadcom BCM 5716
- Broadcom® NetXtreme® 5709 Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet NIC, Copper, w/TOE PCIe x4
Broadcom® NetXtreme® 5709 Dual Port Gigabit Ethernet NIC, Copper, TOE/iSCI PCIe x4
Broadcom® NetXtreme® II 5709 Quad Port Gigabit Ethernet NIC, Copper, w/TOE/ iSCI PCIe x4
Intel Gigabit ET Dual Port Adapter, Gigabit Ethernet NIC, PCIe x4
Intel Gigabit ET Quad Port Adapter, Gigabit Ethernet NIC, PCIe x4
- Single cabled power supply (250W) (80+ SILVER)
- Quad-pack LED diagnostic, ECC Memory, add-in RAID, TPM/TCM
Graphics Card
- Matrox G200eW w/8MB memory
- 42.4 H x 434.0 W x 394.3 D (mm)
ReadyRails™ static rails for tool-less mounting in 4-post racks with square or unthreaded round holes or tooled mounting in 4-post threaded and 2-post (Telco) racks
- BMC, IPMI 2.0 compliant
Dell OpenManage™
Unified Server Configurator
Lifecycle Controller enabled via optional: iDRAC6 Express, iDRAC6 Enterprise and vFlash
Environmental Operating Conditions
- Acoustics:
Typically configured3 3.5" cable chassis in 23 ± 2 °C ambient
Idle: LwA-UL4 = 5.2 bels; LpA5 = 40 dBA
- Regulatory Model: E10S
Regulatory Type: E10S002
Product Safety, EMC and Environmental Datasheets
Dell Regulatory Compliance Home Page
Dell and the Environment
The Dell PowerEdge R210 II has earned the ENERGY STAR® Enterprise Server designation.
ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered U.S. marks.
Dell offers a wide range of professional services to simplify the assessment, design, implementation, management and maintenance of your IT environment and to help you transition from platform to platform.
Dell Enterprise Deployment Services
Our end-to-end deployment services ensure your Dell PowerEdge installation, configuration and implementation is completed accurately and quickly—anytime, anywhere—with proven processes based on best practices acquired from thousands of deployments by our highly skilled experts.
Dell ProSupport
Dell ProSupport offers a suite of support services that enable you to choose support models based on how you use technology and where you want to allocate resources. We recommend Dell ProSupport Plus withSupportAssist for mission-critical systems or Dell ProSupport for premium hardware and software support for your PowerEdge solution. For hyper-scale data centers, we also offer ProSupport Flex for Data Center. Contact your Dell representative today for more information6.
Dell Training Services
Dell Education Services offers PowerEdge Server training courses designed to help you achieve more with your hardware investment. The curriculum is designed in conjunction with the server development team, as well as Dell's technical support team, to ensure that the training delivers the information and practical, hands-on skills you and your team need to confidently deploy, manage and maintain your Dell Server solution.
Storage Solutions:
Dell OpenManage Systems Management portfolio
|The Dell OpenManage systems management portfolio, including Dell PowerEdge server embedded management feature integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) with Lifecycle Controller, helps IT Administrators efficiently manage Dell servers in physical, virtual, local and remote environments, operating in band or out of band, with or without a systems management software agent. Irrespective of the operating system or hypervisor you deploy, iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller automates the most essential and frequently performed server management tasks to help your IT resources become more productive and your IT environment more cost-effective and well-maintained. Dell OpenManage also integrates and connects to leading third-party systems management solutions you may already own, so you can maintain your single point of control and capitalize on your existing investment.
Solutions and Systems Management
Storage Options
|With Dell Compellent, Dell EqualLogic and Dell PowerVault, we have created a comprehensive and innovative portfolio of storage products, all of which are easy to deploy, manage and grow. Whether you use network attached storage (NAS), direct attached storage (DAS), internet SCSI (iSCSI) or Fibre Channel (FC), Dell has a product that can meet your business needs and reduce the cost and complexity of storage.
|The Value of Dell Storage:
Dell's open, standards-based solutions let customers of all sizes integrate new technologies without sacrificing performance or their existing IT investments.
|Direct-Attached Storage:
The Dell PowerVault MD storage family offers easy and economical expansion for Dell PowerEdge servers enabling high availability and scalability for demanding business applications.
|Disk-to-Disk Backup
Due to expanding volumes of data that must be backed up and protected along with shrinking backup windows, many IT departments have moved to or added disk-based backups.
|Network-Attached Storage
NAS is a specialized storage server with its own IP address that is made available to multiple clients and servers on a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN).
|Object-Based Storage
The Dell DX Object Storage Platform is designed to intelligently access, store, protect and distribute fixed digital content.
|Storage Area Network
A storage area network (SAN) is a network of shared storage devices, such as disk storage arrays and tape automation
|Tape Backup
Considered the first and last line of defense against data loss, tape and removable disks can be used for long-term data storage and backup.
|Unified Storage
Unified Storage is a term that describes the ability to manage both file- and block-level data.
Write Your Own Review
Additional Information
|Purchase Protection


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Mallon & McCool, LLC, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, receives Martindale Hubbell's highest "AV" rating in its
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. Our team of seasoned trial attorneys represents individuals and entities on a wide variety of matters before state and federal courts and government agencies in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia - and throughout the United States.
U.S. News & World Report, Washingtonian Magazine, Super Lawyers, SmartCEO
and The Ethisphere Institute have recognized our attorneys for excellence. We maintain our proven record of success in obtaining outstanding results for our clients through smart, aggressive, efficient and cost-effective representation. Our reputation is built on a foundation of exceptional courtroom advocacy, creative legal and forensic analysis, and meticulous preparation.


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- Home
- Blue Lagoon Cruises Blue Lagoon Cruises
- Fiji Princess Fiji Princess
- Escape to Paradise Cruise Escape to Paradise Cruise
$3535total per person Show cabin types
Hibiscus Deck Ocean ViewEach cabin features a private ensuite, TV/DVD/audio system, vanity, hair dryer, soft towels and fragrant soaps. All...
$4262total per person Show cabin types
Orchid Deck OceanviewEach cabin features a private ensuite, TV/DVD/audio system, vanity, hair dryer, soft towels and fragrant soaps. All...
Hibiscus Deck Ocean View
Each cabin features a private ensuite, TV/DVD/audio system, vanity, hair dryer, soft towels and fragrant soaps.
All cabins are above the waterline and feature large windows with ocean views.
The Hibiscus Deck Ocean View Cabins are below the Orchid Decks, but still has windows well above the water-line with gorgeous views. Situated on the same deck as the Saloon, it has 2 cabins with queen or twin single beds and 4 cabins with queen beds averaging 11 square metres (117 sq ft) in size with queen beds.
Orchid Deck Oceanview
Each cabin features a private ensuite, TV/DVD/audio system, vanity, hair dryer, soft towels and fragrant soaps.
All cabins are above the waterline and feature large windows with ocean views.
The Orchid Decks are situated over two levels and the cabins are approximately 13 sq m (142 sq ft) in size. The Upper Orchid Deck features 3 cabins with queen or twin single beds and 9 cabins with queen beds and the second Orchid Deck (middle level) features 4 cabins with queen or twin single beds and 12 cabins with queen beds.
All Orchid Deck cabins include a welcome fruit platter, complimentary daily stocked mini bar (beer, wine, soft drinks & bottled water), a Pure Fiji sun care pack, in cabin Nespresso coffee machine and tea making facilities.
Hibiscus Deck
Hibiscus Deck Oceanview Cabin
Multiple Decks
Orchid Deck Oceanview Cabin
Please note: All prices featured are per person (unless otherwise stated), and include non commission fares (taxes, fees and port expenses). Prices and availability are subject to change due to changes made by the Cruise Companies. Prices quoted are based on payments made via bank transfer. Visa and Mastercard payments incur a 1.5% transaction fee.
Day 1Modriki Island Depart: Fri, May 31, 2019 @ 15:00
Day 2Soso Bay
Arrive: Sat, Jun 1, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Sat, Jun 1, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 3Naukacuvu Island
Arrive: Sun, Jun 2, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Sun, Jun 2, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 4Port Denarau
Arrive: Mon, Jun 3, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Mon, Jun 3, 2019 @ 10:00
Day 4Yalobi Bay
Arrive: Mon, Jun 3, 2019 @ 10:00
Depart: Mon, Jun 3, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 5Blue Lagoon
Arrive: Tue, Jun 4, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Tue, Jun 4, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 6Sawa-I-Lau Island
Arrive: Wed, Jun 5, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Wed, Jun 5, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 7Drawaqa Island
Arrive: Thu, Jun 6, 2019 @ 08:00
Depart: Thu, Jun 6, 2019 @ 22:00
Day 8Port Denarau Arrive: Fri, Jun 7, 2019 @ 10:00
Onboard experience
Dining is a true delight due to the skilled work from the chef, the variety of delicious dishes and the beautiful locations you dine in. Exotic barbeques, magnificent buffets, freshly made omelets and beautifully designed traditional Fijian meals are all on the menu. Fiji enjoys an enormous selection of fine foods, including fresh fruits and fish and our menu reflects this. Examples of meals are:
- A la carte Captain's Dinner with a selection of entrée, mains and desserts
- On-board themed buffets with a vast array of local and international foods
- A traditional Fijian Lovo Feast served under the stars on our private beach
All meals plus morning and afternoon tea are included on your cruise. Tea, drinking water and juice are included in the cost of your cruise as is barista coffee (yes, we have a great coffee machine on-board!)
Bars and Lounges
Fiji Princess offers a shaded sky deck bar and saloon bar onboard.
Bars are also set up on some beaches or an Esky of cold drinks may be taken ashore to enjoy
Beach Fun
Small ship cruising allows Fiji Princess to tie up to coconut trees during the day. We can explore the lagoons and coves that would be inaccessible to a large vessel.
No matter which beach or island we visit, you won't be overwhelmed by crowds. Most the time, our passengers are the only people on the beach!
Whilst ashore, relax and enjoy the day or partake in other activites on offer:
- Challenge the crew to a game of beach volleyball
- Visit the sacred and spectacular Sawa-I-Lau Caves, which are steeped in history (4 and 7 night cruises)
- Scenic bush walks across Nanuya Lailai
Entertainment - Shows and Performances
Our all Fijian crew
Spend time with Fijian people... it just makes sense when you're cruising in Fiji!
One of the most memorable features of a Blue Lagoon Cruise is the friendly service and attention provided by the crew. All our crew, from the Captain to the stewards are Fijian, many coming from the island villages that we visit.
Fiji's people are renowned for great hospitality, friendly smiles, lots of time for laughter and most of all, the ability to make the most of 'Fiji Time', which pretty much means 'relax, unwind and enjoy the slower pace of life.' All this is in abundance on a Blue Lagoon Cruise and with our 100% Fijian crew, it really is an authentic Fijian experience.
Our Officers have a minimum of 5 years experience and our Captains have navigated the Fiji waters for 15-25 years. The Cruise Directors are trained to make your experience in Fiji memorable and are wonderful at organizing activities and setting the social, friendly atmosphere.
Limited number of passengers on board means every guest is a friend. The crew are eager to share their extensive knowledge and make your small ship experience a personal one.
Cultural Experiences
The Yasawa Islands are home to 27 remote villages. The villagers live a traditional way of life, and welcome Blue Lagoon passengers into their community to introduce you to their captivating and colourful culture. Yasawan villagers still practice traditional culture, dance, singing and ceremonies.
This heart-warming experience offers a great insight into the lives of the Yasawa people and includes a brief overview of the history of the village, followed by a traditional 'Yaqona Ceremony'. After the ceremony is Kava tasting as well as a 'Meke' (dancing and singing performance from the villagers).
Blue Lagoon passengers are invited to partake in the 'Fiji Shuffle' or the 'One step forward two steps back'. It always ends in lots of laughs! You'll also have the chance to purchase exotic souvenirs from the village shell market
Senikai Spa is Blue Lagoon Cruises on board pampering service! You can enjoy your massage on Fiji Princess or on the beach under a coconut tree. Bliss!
Helping the Locals
Many of our passengers fall in love with the friendly nature of Fijians and are especially taken with the wide-eyed curiosity of the children. The villagers do not expect gifts from our passengers, but many of our passengers ask us what items they can bring to give away to village children. School supplies (pens, pencils, crayons, drawing/colouring books, notepads and the like) are always most welcome as are sports items such as rugby and soccer balls. Items of clothing are also well received.
Water Activites
A range of activites are provided during your Fiji Princess Cruise. Partake in as many as you want, or relax on the beach or stay onboard and take advantage of "fiji Time".
- Glass bottom boat
- Stand up paddle boards
- Clear kayaks
- Splash pool onboard
- Snorkelling : The colourful underwater world will astound you. Our crew know all the best spots and can give lessons if required. Equipment is provided.
- Diving: Is outsourced and so is not included in the cost of the cruise, but is so worth it! The Yasawas and Mamanucas offer some fantastic diving opportunities with colourful reefs to explore. Diving is available on all cruises and can be booked once on-board. 'Discover Scuba' courses are also available with prior notification
- Handline fishing with the crew
Ship info
Take a magical journey through the stunning islands of Fiji, an archipelago of over 330 islands dotting the horizons of the South Pacific Ocean. Blue Lagoon Cruises takes you on a journey to see the 'real' Fiji, through the Mamanuca and Yasawa Island groups sitting off the western coast of Viti Levu, offering some of the most beautiful and striking scenery on offer in Fiji. You'll see traditional Fijian villages, swim in crystal clear lagoons and gaze out on idyllic tropical scenes you previously thought only existed in the movies!
The small size of Blue Lagoon Cruises boutique cruise ship, Fiji Princess is just one of the things that makes your cruise so special. Accommodating up to 68 passengers and measuring only 179 feet (55 metres) in length, Fiji Princess can access bays and islands that would be impossible to reach in a large ship. You can get so close to shore, that you can tie off a coconut tree and you can swim to the beach!
The facilities onboard include:
* An open-air dining room with views out over the sea to the rear of the vessel
* Shaded sky deck bar and saloon bar
* Sun loungers on the large upper sky deck
* Glass bottom boat
* Stand up paddle boards
* Clear kayaks
* A boutique with a range of souvenir items
* Senikai Spa offering a range of massage and beauty treatments
* Splash pool
* A library of reading materials and games
* In room DVD viewing
* Free WIFI (available where reception allows)
* Self-service guest laundry
- Vessel: Fiji Princess
- Year:
- Beam: 49
- All Main Meals Included:
- Crew: 28
- Free use of snorkelling equipment:
- Gross Tonnage: 1258
- Internet facilities:
- Onboard Currency: Fijian Dollars
- Passenger Capacity: 68
- Swimming Pool: 1
- Boutique
- Free WIFI
- Library
- Open Air Dining Room
- Satellite Phone
- Self-service guest laundry
- Senikai Spa
- Splash Pool
- Stand Up Paddle Boards
Fiji Princess - Deck Plans
Cruise code: BL7N31052019
- All main meals onboard
- Visit Blue Lagoon's very own private island beach Nanuya Island
- Entertainments and activities onboard
- Experience a traditional Fijian Lovo meal and cooking lessons
- Government Tax and Fuel Surcharge
- Passenger accommodation onboard cabins with private facilities
- Visit the sacred Sawa-i-Lau Caves
- Beach picnics and guided walks
- Dinner under the stars on private beach and visit island village
- Guided snorkeling safaris and glass bottom boat excursions
- Swim with the sharks
- Visit the film location of Tom Hanks' movie 'Castaway'
Terms and conditions for this cruise
You might also like these related cruise deals
You might also like these related cruise deals
Did you know?
Most cabins accommodate up to 4 guests. You might need several cabins.
No worries!
We can still help you.
- You will need to complete this booking first. Enquire now and proceed to the final steps.
- Once done, we will offer you a way to come back and book the next cabin.
Easier to talk? 0800122129


text:
Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
This is Part III of a three-part story on Muslims converting to Christianity. If you have not done so already, we suggest first reading From Islam to Christianity – Apostasy that Enlightens - Part I and From Islam to Christianity – Apostasy that Enlightens - Part II
"After hearing my father slamming the Jews so often, it seemed natural. I always thought it was normal to have a negative view of the Jewish people," said Jivanjee. "I almost felt that he had a kind of inferiority complex because the world's problems were pinned solely on them. At that time, I didn't question my father's words even though I didn't have any hostility towards Jews myself," he recalled.
Darwish voiced a more critical opinion of Muslims that, as she sees it, are obsessed with their hostility towards the Jews. "When I was a Muslim, I never dared to question why our religious leaders lie and preach hatred and violence from the pulpit of mosques. To the average Muslim, cursing Jews feels normal and even holy!" said the woman, who – after years of absorbing the anti-Israel propaganda – blamed the Jewish state for the targeted killing of her father, not realizing that he had brought it on himself by launching raids that murdered many Israeli civilians. "After a lot of thinking, analysis, research, and writing, I discovered that Jew hatred is a basic part of the Islamic belief that Muslims cannot rid themselves of".
Habib disagreed stressing that Islam has no problem with the Jewish people. "We have no issues with Jews. Just like Muslims, they worship one God. But we do have a serious dispute with Israel, the regime that occupied our land. Their aggression forces us to defend ourselves. It's only natural," he argued.
The cleric's arguments didn't convince Jivanjee and Darwish, who said that the conflict between the two nations was (and still is) solely religious, not political.
Darwish, who has studied the subject extensively and has authored several books, said the Quran was literally brimming with images of violence and hatred, promising fighters multiple rewards in this life and hereafter. After being rejected by his own tribe, she explained, Mohammed decided to flee Mecca and seek refuge in Medina, a city predominantly inhabited by Jews. Because they allowed him to move in, the Quran praised them, describing as "guidance and light" (5:44) and a "righteous" people (6:153–154), who "excelled the nations" (45:16). But as the Jews refused to convert to Islam, Mohammed's attitude changed, growing more hostile – something that found expression in the Quran.
Paz explains the change of tone by the prophet's desire to establish a state in Medina. "Mohammed's verses served the constantly changing environment and had to fit the conditions on the ground. He wanted to spread his religion, so he had to be tough to make people abide by the law," said the expert. "Initially, the prophet wanted to please the Jews, so he sought their recognition by directing his disciples to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. Following the eruption of the dispute with the Jews that caused an estimated 700 of them to die, he changed his mind, telling followers to face Mecca instead".
Nevertheless, according to Paz, despite Mohammed's reported brutality, he wasn't an evil man. Being an orphan, he was extremely sensitive to injustice and wanted to change things, like banning slavery and introducing equality. But once his power grew, things started to change, with Mohammed becoming more obsessed with control – something that was subsequently expressed in the Holy Book of Muslims.
However, Habib tries to justify the violent verses by claiming that they were meant to protect the religion. "Jihad, unlike what most westerners think, is a concept of self-defense. If religion is threatened, Muslims are allowed to defend it. And that's exactly what the prophet did," he explains.
According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, "jihad" is the "spread of Islam by arms… a religious duty upon
Muslims in general … Jihad must continue to be done until the whole world is under the rule of Islam."
Judging by this definition, Muslims are clearly losing the battle. Nevertheless, the surge in the number of Islamists leaves many wondering what to expect from those determined to spread Mohammed's religion by the sword.
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Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
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text:
Original Theatrical Date: March 9, 2007
The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation.
Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, 300 depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army.
Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.
Genre: WarSci-Fi/FantasyAction/Adventure


text:
Display Power Management Signaling
DPMS (Display Power Management Signaling) is a technology that allows power saving behaviour of monitors when the computer is not in use.
- 1 Setting up DPMS in X
- 2 Modifing DPMS and screensaver settings using xset
- 3 Examples
- 4 DPMS interaction in a console with setterm
- 5 Troubleshooting
- 6 External Resources
Setting up DPMS in X
Add the following to your
/etc/X11/xorg.conf in the
Monitor section:
Option "DPMS" "true"
Add the following to the
ServerLayout section, change the times (in minutes) as necessary:
Option "StandbyTime" "10" Option "SuspendTime" "20" Option "OffTime" "30"
Option "BlankTime" "30"
As with newer versions of X it is recommended to use different
.conf files instead of a
xorg.conf, an example file
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf could look like this.
Section "Monitor" Identifier "LVDS0" Option "DPMS" "false" EndSection Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "ServerLayout0" Option "BlankTime" "0" Option "StandbyTime" "0" Option "SuspendTime" "0" Option "OffTime" "0" EndSection
Modifing DPMS and screensaver settings using xset
It is possible to turn off your monitor using the
xset tool. Note if using this command manually in a shell you may need to prefix it with
sleep 1; for it to work correctly. For example:
sleep 1; xset dpms force off
To control Energy Star (DPMS) features (a timeout value of zero disables the mode):
xset -dpms Energy Star features off xset +dpms Energy Star features on xset dpms [standby [suspend [off]]] xset dpms force standby xset dpms force suspend xset dpms force off xset dpms force on (also implicitly enables DPMS features)
xset screen-saver control
You can use xset to control your screensaver:
xset s [timeout [cycle]] xset s default xset s on xset s blank xset s noblank xset s off xset s expose xset s noexpose xset s activate xset s reset
To see your current settings
$ xset q ... Screen Saver: prefer blanking: yes allow exposures: yes timeout: 600 cycle: 600 DPMS (Energy Star): Standby: 600 Suspend: 600 Off: 600 DPMS is Enabled Monitor is On
Turn off DPMS
xset -dpms
Disable screen saver blanking
xset s off
Disable DPMS and prevent screen from blanking
Useful when watching movies or slideshows:
xset -dpms; xset s off
Turn off screen immediately
If you leave your computer, you do not need to wait for the timeout you set that the display turns off. Simply enforce it by using the xset command.
xset dpms force off
Put screen into standby
xset dpms force standby
Put screen into suspend
xset dpms force suspend
Change Blank time from 5 min to 1 hour
xset s 3600 3600
xset display.sh
You could also copy this script:
#!/bin/bash # Small script to set display into standby, suspend or off mode # 20060301-Joffer case $1 in standby|suspend|off) xset dpms force $1 ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 standby|suspend|off" ;; esac
Make it executable (
chmod u+x /usr/local/bin/display.sh) and just run
display.sh off. For the latter to work you need to include
/usr/local/bin into your path.
DPMS interaction in a console with setterm
The setterm utility issues terminal recognized escape codes to alter the terminal. Essentially it just writes/echos the terminal sequences to the current terminal device, whether that be in screen, a remote ssh terminal, console mode, serial consoles, etc.
setterm Syntax: (0 disables)
setterm -blank [0-60|force|poke] setterm -powersave [on|vsync|hsync|powerdown|off] setterm -powerdown [0-60]
Prevent screen from turning off (in console)
$ setterm -blank 0 -powerdown 0
Alternatively you can disable console blanking permanently using the following command:
# echo -ne "\033[9;0]" >> /etc/issue
Pipe the output to a cat to see the escapes
$ setterm -powerdown 2>&1 | exec cat -v 2>&1 | sed "s/\\^\\[/\\\\033/g"
Pipe the escapes to any tty (with write/append perms) to modify that terminal
Note the use of >> instead of >. For permission issues using sudo in a script or something, you can use the tee program to append the output of setterm to the tty device, which tty's let appending sometimes but not writing.
$ setterm -powerdown 0 > /dev/tty3
Bash loop to set ttys 0-256
$ for i in {0..256}; do setterm -powerdown 0 >> /dev/tty$i; done; unset i;
xset DPMS settings do not work with xscreensaver
xscreensaver uses it's own DPMS settings. See the settings for xscreensaver for more information.
xscreensaver DPMS
You can configure xscreensaver's DPMS settings manually by editing your
~/.xscreensaver file as below, or using the xscreensaver-demo gui.
timeout: 1:00:00 cycle: 0:05:00 lock: False lockTimeout: 0:00:00 passwdTimeout: 0:00:30 fade: True unfade: False fadeSeconds: 0:00:03 fadeTicks: 20 dpmsEnabled: True dpmsStandby: 2:00:00 dpmsSuspend: 2:00:00 dpmsOff: 4:00:00