This has to hurt. Charles Freed, one of the most distinguished conservative legal scholars in the country, solicitor general under Ronald Reagan and a prominent member of several McCain campaign committees announced that he is resigning from the McCain committees and voting for Barack Obama. The reason? McCain's pick of Sarah Palin.
With all the announcements of conservatives switching parties and announcing for Obama, does anyone know of any prominent people who have switched the other way? I suppose you could count Lieberman, although I don't really count him as he is officially in the U.S. Senate as an Independent. Still, he was Al Gore's running mate just eight years ago, so I would give McCain that one. Anyone else?
Showing posts with label John McCain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John McCain. Show all posts
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Blogging the Third Obama - McCain Debate
Blogging the last presidential debate was a lot of fun. There's a lot of buildup to this one, with McCain threatening to "whip his you-know-what." Is McCain going to try to change the Obama momentum by a bold statement or will it be more of the same? We'll see. It starts in 7 seconds.
I like Bob Schieffer. He looks like someone's grandfather, (well, if your grandfather isn't Amish.)
They walk out. McCain doesn't take a punch.
First Question: Both proposed new economic plans. Ask both of you, "Why is your plan better than his?"
McCain: Americans are hurting and angry. Innocent victims of Wall Street and Washington, D.C. Won't repeat elements of plan. Need short term and long term fixes. The catalyst for housing crisis was Fannie and Freddie Mae (actually it was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.) But home mortgages so people can stay in their homes.
Obama: Everybody understands we are facing the worst financial crisis since Great Depression. McCain and I supported the rescue plan. Haven't yet seen a rescue package for the middle class. Have proposed four things: 1. Focus on jobs; 2. Help families right away by providing them with a tax cut and let them access IRA's without penalties. Have to help home owners. Disagree with Sen. McCain about how to do it. Could be a give away to banks. (McCain is smirking.)
McCain: Obama in Ohio had an encounter with a guy who is a plumber, Joe. He wanted to buy the business, but your tax plan would put him in a higher tax plan. Joe wants to reach the American dream. Joe, I want to help you buy your business. I will not have a tax increase on small business income. What you want to do to Joe the Plumber is having a tax increase.
Obama: Joe has been watching some ads of Senator McCain. I don't want to raise his taxes. McCain wants to give tax breaks to big business; Mobil Oil and Exxon. I have said if you make less than $250,000 a year, your taxes will not go up one dime. What I said to Joe the Plumber is that five years ago when you wanted to buy your business, you needed a tax cut then. I want to give a tax cut now. Ninety percent of small businesses make less than $250,000 a year.
McCain: Sen. Obama said to Joe the Plumber that "I want to spread the wealth around." In other words to take the money from Joe the Plumber, give it to Senator Obama and let him spread the wealth around. Why do you want to increase taxes on anyone?
Obama: I want to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans. It is true that my friend, Warren Buffet, could afford to pay a little more so that we can give more of a tax break to Joe the Plumber. Look, nobody likes taxes. I would prefer if no one had to pay taxe.
McCain: Let's not raise anyone's taxes. Businesses in American are paying the second highest tax rate of any place in the world. In Ireland, businesses are paying 11 percent; here it's 35 percent.
First Question winner: Obama
Second Question: Nonpartisan committee says each of your proposals will add $200 billion to the deficit. Won't some of your programs have to be trimmed, postponed or eliminated.
Obama: First, the $700 billion rescue package, if it is structured properly will mean that taxpayers will get their money back (McCain smirking again.) Every dollar of spending I propose, I have proposed an additional cut. I want to go through the federal budget line by line and cut programs that don't work. We need to invest in America. If invest in health care now, will save money in the future. If invest in energy program, will save money in the future. Can't go back to our profligate ways. All of us have to embrace a culture of responsibility.
McCain: During depression, had a corporation that bought up home mortgages and eventually made money. This was originally Senator Clinton's proposal. Need to become energy independent. Would have an across the board spending freeze. We have presided over largest increase in spending since the Great Society. I know how to eliminate programs. One would be Marketing Assistance program, subsidies for ethanol. I know how to save billions. Would fight for a line item veto. Obama has asked for $3 billion in earmarks.
Obama: Disagree about across the board spending freeze. Sounds good; been proposed before and hasn't happened. It is a hatchet. We need a scalpel. Earmarks account for one half of one percent of federal budget. No doubt there are a lot of screwy things we need to eliminate, but that's not going to solve the whole program. Bush has doubled the deficit. Pursuing the same kinds of policies is not going to bring down the budget. McCain voted for four out of five of Bush's policies.
McCain: Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against Pres. Bush, you should have run four years ago. Mayor Bloomberg in NYC proposed spending freeze. We can do that. I have fought against spending, special interests.
Obama: The first major bill I voted for was tort reform, voted for charter schools, performance pay for, clean coal technology. On core economic issues, you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush. You have shown independence on things like torture and I give you credit for that. But on fundamental economic issues, you have supported Bush administration.
Second Question: McCain
Third Question: Both pledged to take the high road. Yet, it has turned nasty. Are each of you willing to sit at this table and willing to say to each other's face what your campaigns have said about each other.
McCain: If Obama had responded to my request to have 10 town hall meetings, we could have gotten this done. Regret many of the negative tones of this campaign. One of them was when John Lewis said that Sarah Palin and I were associated with George Wallace, church bombings. Obama didn't repudiate those remarks. Very unfair and hurtful. Obama has spent more money on negative ads than we have. Obama didn't keep his word to take public financing.
Obama: Expect presidential campaigns to be tough. Looks at the record and the impressions of the American people. One hundred percent of McCain campaigns have been negative. Two thirds of the American people think McCain has been running a negative campaign versus one third that think we have. American people don't care about hurt feelings. I don't mind being attacked for another four weeks. But American people don't deserve to not have economic problems addressed. McCain campaign said last week that if keep talking about economics, we lose.
McCain: You're running ads right now that say I oppose federal funding for stem cell research. I don't. Didn't hear repudiation of Congressman Lewis.
Obama: Cong. Lewis is an American hero. He said, without any prompting from my campaign that he was troubled at rallies by your running mate in which people were yelling "terrorist" and "kill him," when my name was mentioned. American people have gotten cynical about politics because all they see is tit for tat. (McCain tries to interrupt.)
McCain: I'm proud of people who come to our rallies. I'm not going to stand for anybody saying that people who come to my rallies aren't patriotic. I have repudiated anyone whose been out of line whether they have been in my campaign or not.
Obama: We can debate about the merits of each other's campaign, we won't agree. To solve the key problems we're facing: Solve two wars, economic crisis. Democrats and Republicans are going to have to work together. Have to disagree without being disagreeable. Can't characterize each other as bad people.
McCain: Don't care about some old terrorist. Need to know your full relationship with Ayers; your full relationship with Acorn.
Obama: Ayers has been the centerpiece of McCain campaign. Forty years ago, he engaged in despicable acts, which I condemned. Ten years ago, he served on a board funded by Annenberg, one of Ronald Reagan's friends. Others on the board were various university presidents. He won't advise me in the White House and has no connection with my campaign. Let me tell you who I associate with: Warren Buffet and Paul Volker. On foreign policy, Dick Lugar, a Republican, and Joe Biden.
McCain: While on board of Woods Foundation, you sent money to Acorn. Your political career was launched in Ayers living room.
Third Question winner: Obama
Fourth Question: Why would country be better off if your running mate became president rather than his running mate?
Obama: Biden one of the best public servants in the country. Never forgotten where he came from. His consistent pattern has been to fight for the little guy. (Not true. He helped pass a bankruptcy bill that is devastating to the little guy.) After eight years of failed policies he (Biden) and I both agree we have to reprioritize. Give help to small individuals; get energy independence. On key issues, Biden has always been on the right side.
McCain: Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin. She's a role model. She's a reformer. Has given money back to the taxpayers. Reduced the size of government. Time we have that breath of fresh air coming in to the nation's capitol. She understands special needs families. Understands that autism is on the rise. Has united our party and people all over America. Can't tell you how proud I am of her.
Obama: Up to the American people whether she's qualified. Commendable the work she has done in special needs. Autism and other special needs will need some additional funding. If have an across the board spending freeze, won't be able to do it.
McCain: Biden is qualified in a lot of respects, but has been wrong in many respects. Wrong on first Iraq war. Had this wacky idea to divide Iraq in three ways. Notice every time Obama says we need to spend more. Why do we need to spend more? He has proposed $860 billion in new spending.
Fourth Question Answer: Obama
Fifth Question: Energy and Climate Change. Every president since Nixon has said we import too much foreign oil. Would each of you give me a number on how much we can reduce foreign oil during your first term?
McCain: Can eliminate dependence on Middle East and Venezuela oil in four years. With nuclear power, etc. within 7 or 8 years, can eliminate our dependence on oil from dangerous places.
Obama: Within 10 years, can eliminate dependence on oil from middle East and Venezuela. Need to expand domestic production. Tell oil companies to use or lose the 68 million acres they currently have leased that they're not using. Can't drill our way out of the problem. Need to put our resources in solar, wind, geothermal. Need to have an efficient car built in the U.S. rather than Japan. Believe in free trade. For far too long, in the Bush Administration, there was the attitude that any free trade agreement is a good agreement. I have said that we should make sure the rules are enforceable. South Korea is sending hundreds of thousands of cars into the U.S. and we can only get four thousand or five thousand cars into South Korea.
McCain: Admire Obama's eloquence, but have to listen to his words. He said, "look at offshore drilling." Look at. We can do offshore drilling right now. Obama opposes the Columbia free trade agreement. Hasn't traveled south of our border. Free trade with Columbia is a no brainer. Maybe you should travel down there.
Obama: Understand it pretty well. Labor leaders in Columbia have been targeted for assassinations. Have to make sure human rights are protected. Have to have a president who understands the benefits of free trade but will stand up for American workers. Auto industry is being hammered right now. Need to get them loan guaranties, but need to hold their feet to the fire to produce energy efficiency cars.
McCain: Obama doesn't want free trade agreement with our best ally in the region, but wants to sit down without preconditions with Hugo Chavez. No doubt that Sen. Obama wants to restrict trade and he wants to raise taxes. The last president who did that was Herbert Hoover.
Fifth Question winner: Draw.
Sixth Question: How to control health care costs.
Obama: This is the issue that will break your heart over and over again. My plan lets you not do anything if you have health insurance. Will try to lower costs so those savings are passed on to you. If you don't have health insurance, will provide you the option of buying into the same kind of federal pool that McCain and I are a part of. Will make sure the insurance companies don't discriminate on the basis of preexisting conditions; put more money into preventive care. This will cost some money on the front end, but in the long run the only way that can control the costs of health care.
McCain: Need to do a lot of things: Put health care records on line; have physical fitness and nutrition programs; give every American family a $5,000 tax credit. For Joe the Plumber, if you don't adopt the health care plan that Sen. Obama mandates, he's going to fine you. I still want to know how much that fine is going to be.
Obama: I will be happy to talk with you too, Joe, if you're out there. Here's your fine: zero. Exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty. For large businesses, they have to provide health care for their employees or someone has to. The average family pays $900 a year because of the uninsured. Joe, if you want to provide health insurance for your employees, we'll give you 50 percent credit. Sen. McCain says he will give you a $5,000 tax credit, that sounds pretty good. Older, less healthy folks won't be able to get health insurance. Sen. McCain will tax health benefits for the first time in history. Sen. McCain will strip away tax regulation of health insurance.
McCain: Joe, you're rich, congratulations. Joe wanted to buy the business he's been working with. You'll have to pay a fine if you don't buy the health plan that Sen. Obama mandates. That's big government at its best. Calls Obama, "Senator Government." Have too much government and too much spending. Grown by 40 percent by last eight years.
Obama: You heard my plan. If you have an employer based health care plan, you'll keep it. Don't take my word for it. U.S. Chamber of Commerce says McCain's plan could lead to loss of employer based health plan.
Winner: Obama
Question: Roe v. Wade. Would you nominate anyone who disagrees with your position on Roe v. Wade?
McCain: Disagree with Roe v. Wade, but would never impose a litmus test. Obama voted against Justices Breyers and Roberts because they disagreed. Would consider anyone in their qualifications. Don't believe anyone who supported Roe v. Wade is qualified.
Obama: Shouldn't apply a strict litmus test. Most important test in any judge, is their capacity to provide fairness and justice. One of us will be appointing one and maybe more judges. Roe v. Wade is a good decision and a moral decision. Women need to be able to make this decision. Constitution has right of privacy in it that should not be subject to state referendum. Will look for judges who have outstanding judicial record, intellect. McCain and I disagreed recently when Lilly Ledbetter pressed her job for pay discrimination. The Supreme Court said she couldn't bring her claim even though she didn't know about it.
McCain: Obama as a member of the Illinois Senate voted against a bill that would provide immediate medical attention to a child born alive after an abortion. Voted against a ban against partial birth abortion. Voted present 147 times instead of voting.
Obama: Sounds incredible that I would vote to withhold life saving treatment of an infant. That's because it isn't true. There was already a law on the books that required life saving treatment. The Illinois Medical Society opposed it too. Completely support a ban on late term abortion as long as there's an exception for health or life of the mother. Abortion divides us. There surely is some common ground where both those who believe in choice and those who oppose abortion can come together. (McCain smirking again.)
McCain: "Health of mother" been stretched to include almost everything. Cindy and I are adoptive parents. We know what joy that can be.
Question winner: Obama
Last Question: U.S. spends most per capita on education, but by every measure, trail the rest of the world.
Obama: This has more to do with the economic future than anything. Also has to do with security. Typically been a debate between more money and reform. Need to do both. Blah, blah,blah. Parents need to show more responsibility.
McCain: The civil rights issue of the 21st century. Have achieved equal access to schools after long, difficult struggle. Need to have choice. Need to reward good teachers and put bad teachers in another line of work. blah, blah, blah.
Last Question winner: Draw
Final Statements:
McCain: These are difficult times and challenges. America needs a new direction. Can't be satisfied with what we've been doing the last eight years. I have a record of reform. Been a careful steward of your tax dollars. Have to stop the spending. All of our committments will be based on whether you can trust us. Spent my entire life putting this country first.
Obama: All know America is going through tough times. In worst economic times since the Great Depression. Biggest mistake would be to adopt same failed policies we've had for the last eight years. Brighter days are still ahead. Will have to invest in policies that will lift wages and grow our middle class. Not going to be easy or quick. Will require all of us to come together.
Conclusion: I thought McCain did well. The split screen showed his facial reactions, and his smirking didn't go over well. He sure didn't whip Obama's you know what. This was not the debate to be a game changer. I think the debate was a draw and McCain couldn't afford a draw. So, Obama wins.
I like Bob Schieffer. He looks like someone's grandfather, (well, if your grandfather isn't Amish.)
They walk out. McCain doesn't take a punch.
First Question: Both proposed new economic plans. Ask both of you, "Why is your plan better than his?"
McCain: Americans are hurting and angry. Innocent victims of Wall Street and Washington, D.C. Won't repeat elements of plan. Need short term and long term fixes. The catalyst for housing crisis was Fannie and Freddie Mae (actually it was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.) But home mortgages so people can stay in their homes.
Obama: Everybody understands we are facing the worst financial crisis since Great Depression. McCain and I supported the rescue plan. Haven't yet seen a rescue package for the middle class. Have proposed four things: 1. Focus on jobs; 2. Help families right away by providing them with a tax cut and let them access IRA's without penalties. Have to help home owners. Disagree with Sen. McCain about how to do it. Could be a give away to banks. (McCain is smirking.)
McCain: Obama in Ohio had an encounter with a guy who is a plumber, Joe. He wanted to buy the business, but your tax plan would put him in a higher tax plan. Joe wants to reach the American dream. Joe, I want to help you buy your business. I will not have a tax increase on small business income. What you want to do to Joe the Plumber is having a tax increase.
Obama: Joe has been watching some ads of Senator McCain. I don't want to raise his taxes. McCain wants to give tax breaks to big business; Mobil Oil and Exxon. I have said if you make less than $250,000 a year, your taxes will not go up one dime. What I said to Joe the Plumber is that five years ago when you wanted to buy your business, you needed a tax cut then. I want to give a tax cut now. Ninety percent of small businesses make less than $250,000 a year.
McCain: Sen. Obama said to Joe the Plumber that "I want to spread the wealth around." In other words to take the money from Joe the Plumber, give it to Senator Obama and let him spread the wealth around. Why do you want to increase taxes on anyone?
Obama: I want to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans. It is true that my friend, Warren Buffet, could afford to pay a little more so that we can give more of a tax break to Joe the Plumber. Look, nobody likes taxes. I would prefer if no one had to pay taxe.
McCain: Let's not raise anyone's taxes. Businesses in American are paying the second highest tax rate of any place in the world. In Ireland, businesses are paying 11 percent; here it's 35 percent.
First Question winner: Obama
Second Question: Nonpartisan committee says each of your proposals will add $200 billion to the deficit. Won't some of your programs have to be trimmed, postponed or eliminated.
Obama: First, the $700 billion rescue package, if it is structured properly will mean that taxpayers will get their money back (McCain smirking again.) Every dollar of spending I propose, I have proposed an additional cut. I want to go through the federal budget line by line and cut programs that don't work. We need to invest in America. If invest in health care now, will save money in the future. If invest in energy program, will save money in the future. Can't go back to our profligate ways. All of us have to embrace a culture of responsibility.
McCain: During depression, had a corporation that bought up home mortgages and eventually made money. This was originally Senator Clinton's proposal. Need to become energy independent. Would have an across the board spending freeze. We have presided over largest increase in spending since the Great Society. I know how to eliminate programs. One would be Marketing Assistance program, subsidies for ethanol. I know how to save billions. Would fight for a line item veto. Obama has asked for $3 billion in earmarks.
Obama: Disagree about across the board spending freeze. Sounds good; been proposed before and hasn't happened. It is a hatchet. We need a scalpel. Earmarks account for one half of one percent of federal budget. No doubt there are a lot of screwy things we need to eliminate, but that's not going to solve the whole program. Bush has doubled the deficit. Pursuing the same kinds of policies is not going to bring down the budget. McCain voted for four out of five of Bush's policies.
McCain: Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against Pres. Bush, you should have run four years ago. Mayor Bloomberg in NYC proposed spending freeze. We can do that. I have fought against spending, special interests.
Obama: The first major bill I voted for was tort reform, voted for charter schools, performance pay for, clean coal technology. On core economic issues, you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush. You have shown independence on things like torture and I give you credit for that. But on fundamental economic issues, you have supported Bush administration.
Second Question: McCain
Third Question: Both pledged to take the high road. Yet, it has turned nasty. Are each of you willing to sit at this table and willing to say to each other's face what your campaigns have said about each other.
McCain: If Obama had responded to my request to have 10 town hall meetings, we could have gotten this done. Regret many of the negative tones of this campaign. One of them was when John Lewis said that Sarah Palin and I were associated with George Wallace, church bombings. Obama didn't repudiate those remarks. Very unfair and hurtful. Obama has spent more money on negative ads than we have. Obama didn't keep his word to take public financing.
Obama: Expect presidential campaigns to be tough. Looks at the record and the impressions of the American people. One hundred percent of McCain campaigns have been negative. Two thirds of the American people think McCain has been running a negative campaign versus one third that think we have. American people don't care about hurt feelings. I don't mind being attacked for another four weeks. But American people don't deserve to not have economic problems addressed. McCain campaign said last week that if keep talking about economics, we lose.
McCain: You're running ads right now that say I oppose federal funding for stem cell research. I don't. Didn't hear repudiation of Congressman Lewis.
Obama: Cong. Lewis is an American hero. He said, without any prompting from my campaign that he was troubled at rallies by your running mate in which people were yelling "terrorist" and "kill him," when my name was mentioned. American people have gotten cynical about politics because all they see is tit for tat. (McCain tries to interrupt.)
McCain: I'm proud of people who come to our rallies. I'm not going to stand for anybody saying that people who come to my rallies aren't patriotic. I have repudiated anyone whose been out of line whether they have been in my campaign or not.
Obama: We can debate about the merits of each other's campaign, we won't agree. To solve the key problems we're facing: Solve two wars, economic crisis. Democrats and Republicans are going to have to work together. Have to disagree without being disagreeable. Can't characterize each other as bad people.
McCain: Don't care about some old terrorist. Need to know your full relationship with Ayers; your full relationship with Acorn.
Obama: Ayers has been the centerpiece of McCain campaign. Forty years ago, he engaged in despicable acts, which I condemned. Ten years ago, he served on a board funded by Annenberg, one of Ronald Reagan's friends. Others on the board were various university presidents. He won't advise me in the White House and has no connection with my campaign. Let me tell you who I associate with: Warren Buffet and Paul Volker. On foreign policy, Dick Lugar, a Republican, and Joe Biden.
McCain: While on board of Woods Foundation, you sent money to Acorn. Your political career was launched in Ayers living room.
Third Question winner: Obama
Fourth Question: Why would country be better off if your running mate became president rather than his running mate?
Obama: Biden one of the best public servants in the country. Never forgotten where he came from. His consistent pattern has been to fight for the little guy. (Not true. He helped pass a bankruptcy bill that is devastating to the little guy.) After eight years of failed policies he (Biden) and I both agree we have to reprioritize. Give help to small individuals; get energy independence. On key issues, Biden has always been on the right side.
McCain: Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin. She's a role model. She's a reformer. Has given money back to the taxpayers. Reduced the size of government. Time we have that breath of fresh air coming in to the nation's capitol. She understands special needs families. Understands that autism is on the rise. Has united our party and people all over America. Can't tell you how proud I am of her.
Obama: Up to the American people whether she's qualified. Commendable the work she has done in special needs. Autism and other special needs will need some additional funding. If have an across the board spending freeze, won't be able to do it.
McCain: Biden is qualified in a lot of respects, but has been wrong in many respects. Wrong on first Iraq war. Had this wacky idea to divide Iraq in three ways. Notice every time Obama says we need to spend more. Why do we need to spend more? He has proposed $860 billion in new spending.
Fourth Question Answer: Obama
Fifth Question: Energy and Climate Change. Every president since Nixon has said we import too much foreign oil. Would each of you give me a number on how much we can reduce foreign oil during your first term?
McCain: Can eliminate dependence on Middle East and Venezuela oil in four years. With nuclear power, etc. within 7 or 8 years, can eliminate our dependence on oil from dangerous places.
Obama: Within 10 years, can eliminate dependence on oil from middle East and Venezuela. Need to expand domestic production. Tell oil companies to use or lose the 68 million acres they currently have leased that they're not using. Can't drill our way out of the problem. Need to put our resources in solar, wind, geothermal. Need to have an efficient car built in the U.S. rather than Japan. Believe in free trade. For far too long, in the Bush Administration, there was the attitude that any free trade agreement is a good agreement. I have said that we should make sure the rules are enforceable. South Korea is sending hundreds of thousands of cars into the U.S. and we can only get four thousand or five thousand cars into South Korea.
McCain: Admire Obama's eloquence, but have to listen to his words. He said, "look at offshore drilling." Look at. We can do offshore drilling right now. Obama opposes the Columbia free trade agreement. Hasn't traveled south of our border. Free trade with Columbia is a no brainer. Maybe you should travel down there.
Obama: Understand it pretty well. Labor leaders in Columbia have been targeted for assassinations. Have to make sure human rights are protected. Have to have a president who understands the benefits of free trade but will stand up for American workers. Auto industry is being hammered right now. Need to get them loan guaranties, but need to hold their feet to the fire to produce energy efficiency cars.
McCain: Obama doesn't want free trade agreement with our best ally in the region, but wants to sit down without preconditions with Hugo Chavez. No doubt that Sen. Obama wants to restrict trade and he wants to raise taxes. The last president who did that was Herbert Hoover.
Fifth Question winner: Draw.
Sixth Question: How to control health care costs.
Obama: This is the issue that will break your heart over and over again. My plan lets you not do anything if you have health insurance. Will try to lower costs so those savings are passed on to you. If you don't have health insurance, will provide you the option of buying into the same kind of federal pool that McCain and I are a part of. Will make sure the insurance companies don't discriminate on the basis of preexisting conditions; put more money into preventive care. This will cost some money on the front end, but in the long run the only way that can control the costs of health care.
McCain: Need to do a lot of things: Put health care records on line; have physical fitness and nutrition programs; give every American family a $5,000 tax credit. For Joe the Plumber, if you don't adopt the health care plan that Sen. Obama mandates, he's going to fine you. I still want to know how much that fine is going to be.
Obama: I will be happy to talk with you too, Joe, if you're out there. Here's your fine: zero. Exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty. For large businesses, they have to provide health care for their employees or someone has to. The average family pays $900 a year because of the uninsured. Joe, if you want to provide health insurance for your employees, we'll give you 50 percent credit. Sen. McCain says he will give you a $5,000 tax credit, that sounds pretty good. Older, less healthy folks won't be able to get health insurance. Sen. McCain will tax health benefits for the first time in history. Sen. McCain will strip away tax regulation of health insurance.
McCain: Joe, you're rich, congratulations. Joe wanted to buy the business he's been working with. You'll have to pay a fine if you don't buy the health plan that Sen. Obama mandates. That's big government at its best. Calls Obama, "Senator Government." Have too much government and too much spending. Grown by 40 percent by last eight years.
Obama: You heard my plan. If you have an employer based health care plan, you'll keep it. Don't take my word for it. U.S. Chamber of Commerce says McCain's plan could lead to loss of employer based health plan.
Winner: Obama
Question: Roe v. Wade. Would you nominate anyone who disagrees with your position on Roe v. Wade?
McCain: Disagree with Roe v. Wade, but would never impose a litmus test. Obama voted against Justices Breyers and Roberts because they disagreed. Would consider anyone in their qualifications. Don't believe anyone who supported Roe v. Wade is qualified.
Obama: Shouldn't apply a strict litmus test. Most important test in any judge, is their capacity to provide fairness and justice. One of us will be appointing one and maybe more judges. Roe v. Wade is a good decision and a moral decision. Women need to be able to make this decision. Constitution has right of privacy in it that should not be subject to state referendum. Will look for judges who have outstanding judicial record, intellect. McCain and I disagreed recently when Lilly Ledbetter pressed her job for pay discrimination. The Supreme Court said she couldn't bring her claim even though she didn't know about it.
McCain: Obama as a member of the Illinois Senate voted against a bill that would provide immediate medical attention to a child born alive after an abortion. Voted against a ban against partial birth abortion. Voted present 147 times instead of voting.
Obama: Sounds incredible that I would vote to withhold life saving treatment of an infant. That's because it isn't true. There was already a law on the books that required life saving treatment. The Illinois Medical Society opposed it too. Completely support a ban on late term abortion as long as there's an exception for health or life of the mother. Abortion divides us. There surely is some common ground where both those who believe in choice and those who oppose abortion can come together. (McCain smirking again.)
McCain: "Health of mother" been stretched to include almost everything. Cindy and I are adoptive parents. We know what joy that can be.
Question winner: Obama
Last Question: U.S. spends most per capita on education, but by every measure, trail the rest of the world.
Obama: This has more to do with the economic future than anything. Also has to do with security. Typically been a debate between more money and reform. Need to do both. Blah, blah,blah. Parents need to show more responsibility.
McCain: The civil rights issue of the 21st century. Have achieved equal access to schools after long, difficult struggle. Need to have choice. Need to reward good teachers and put bad teachers in another line of work. blah, blah, blah.
Last Question winner: Draw
Final Statements:
McCain: These are difficult times and challenges. America needs a new direction. Can't be satisfied with what we've been doing the last eight years. I have a record of reform. Been a careful steward of your tax dollars. Have to stop the spending. All of our committments will be based on whether you can trust us. Spent my entire life putting this country first.
Obama: All know America is going through tough times. In worst economic times since the Great Depression. Biggest mistake would be to adopt same failed policies we've had for the last eight years. Brighter days are still ahead. Will have to invest in policies that will lift wages and grow our middle class. Not going to be easy or quick. Will require all of us to come together.
Conclusion: I thought McCain did well. The split screen showed his facial reactions, and his smirking didn't go over well. He sure didn't whip Obama's you know what. This was not the debate to be a game changer. I think the debate was a draw and McCain couldn't afford a draw. So, Obama wins.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Cranky Old Man Report: McCain's Transition Chief Lobbied for Hussein
The ineptness of the McCain campaign is unbelievable. Now it comes out that the head of his transition team, William Timmons, headed up a lobbying team for Saddam Hussein right after the first Iraq war. The same guy who vetted Governor Barracuda must have been in charge of vetting Timmons for his job.
Speaking of Governor Barracuda, she's still at it. She's telling people that she was vindicated by the Republican legislature's investigation of her role in firing the head of the Alaska State Police because he wouldn't further punish her ex-brother-in-law. The Anchorage Daily News says that she is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian. The Anchorage Daily News is too kind. I don't think Palin could possibly be that ignorant nor smart enough to know what Orwellian even is.
I love Rachel Maddow. There is no smarter pundit on television right now. As usual, she nailed Governor Barracuda for her lies about the ethics investigation better than anyone.
Speaking of Governor Barracuda, she's still at it. She's telling people that she was vindicated by the Republican legislature's investigation of her role in firing the head of the Alaska State Police because he wouldn't further punish her ex-brother-in-law. The Anchorage Daily News says that she is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian. The Anchorage Daily News is too kind. I don't think Palin could possibly be that ignorant nor smart enough to know what Orwellian even is.
I love Rachel Maddow. There is no smarter pundit on television right now. As usual, she nailed Governor Barracuda for her lies about the ethics investigation better than anyone.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Does McCain Have The Temperment to be President?
A lot of people, not just Democrats, are concerned about John McCain's judgment when he gets mad, and he apparently gets mad a lot. Here is a video, in which the former head of the Republican party in Arizona and former Republican senator Dennis DeConcini say they wouldn't want McCain's finger near the nuclear button.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Blogging the Obama-McCain Debate
Here are my real time observations about the Obama-McCain Town Hall debate tonight. Remember, I am usually wrong about who has won these debates.
First question: Global economic conditions. Kojack reads his question. What is the fastest way to help people in these economic conditions. Obama says it's a final verdict on the failed economic policy of the last eight years supported by Bush and McCain. The middle class needs a rescue package: tax cuts, help for homeowners, fix our health care system. McCain says Americans are angry and upset. Way to fix this problem is with energy independence; keep taxes low -- all Americans keep their taxes low. Don't raise taxes on anyone. Have to do something about home values. McCain gets right up close to Kojack. McCain says he wouldn't appoint Tom Brokaw as his treasury secretary. What's that all about? Generously notes that Warren Buffet supports Obama. Obama says the next treasury secretary has to realize that help can't start at the top. First question winner: A draw.
Second question: Oliver Clark, a young black man. Asks what will actually help people out in the bailout package. McCain: Problem is greed on Wall Street. I suspended my campaign. (Does he really want to mention that fiasco?) Problem is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac supported by Obama and his cronies were making loans to people who couldn't afford them. (This is just ridiculous. This didn't all start with Fannie and Freddie.) Obama: What's in the rescue package for you, Oliver, is that right now credit markets are frozen up. If companies can't get loan, can't meet payroll. Have to correct a little bit of Senator McCain's history. McCain as recently as March said we need more deregulation. I wrote to Paulson and said we need to tighten up these regulations. Hits back at McCain about his campaign manager being a paid lobbyist for Fannie Mae. Second question winner: Obama
Third Question: Blond woman has trouble reading her lines. "How can we trust either of you when both parties got us into this crisis?" Obama: Understand your cynicism. Remember a little history. When Bush came into office, we had a surplus. Now we have a huge deficit. Over last eight years, McCain has voted for four out of five of those George Bush budgets. Proposing a net spending cut. McCain: "I have been a consistent reformer." (What a joke. Don't forget to tell us you're a maverick.) Obama has never taken on the leaders of his party on a single issue. Obama is the most liberal big spending liberal in the U.S. Senate. He proposed $860 billion in new spending. McCain refuses to prioritize between health care, entitlement programs such as social security and energy. Can do all of them at once. Obama: We have to prioritize. Energy have to deal with today. Have called for $15 billion a year over 10 years so we can be free of middle eastern oil in 10 years. Invokes JFK going to the moon. Second priority is health care. Third is education.Have to prioritize tax side as well as spending side. Third question winner: Obama
Fourth Question: What sacrifices will you ask every American to make? McCain: Have to eliminate some programs that aren't working. Defense spending is one. Have to eliminate earmarks. Some are really good projects. Recommend a spending freeze except for defense and veterans programs. "We're not rifle shots here; we're Americans." (What????) Obama: Remember 9/11. Bush did some smart things at the outset, but one of the opportunities that were missed is when he said "Go out and shop." American people are hungry for leadership that will tackle these problems not just in government but outside of government. Energy for example. Need to learn to conserve. Need to get young people involved, such as renewing the Peace Corps. Fourth Question winner: Obama
Fifth Question: Would you give Congress a date certain to reform social security and medicare? (Brokaw's question makes a wrong assumption. There is nothing wrong with social security.) Obama: The Straight Talk Express lost a wheel. I want to make a tax cut for everyone making under $250,000. McCain: Not that hard to fix social security. Medicare is a little tougher. Need a commission to give recommendations, and then Congress vote up or down. Fifth Question: Draw
Sixth Question: Young black girl, Ingrid Jackson. What would you do in first two years to make sure Congress moves fast on issues like climate change, green jobs, etc. McCain: Disagreed strongly with Bush Administration on climate change. Obama: One of the biggest challenges of our times. Also an opportunity. Can create 5 million new jobs with an energy economy. Sixth Question winner: McCain
Seventh Question: Middle aged white woman: Should health care be treated as a commodity? Obama: Health care is the single biggest question I get. (McCain strolls into the picture. He's trying to play psychological games.) Obama goes on to explain his health care plan; doesn't really address the question. McCain: Agrees with Obama about putting health records on line. Fundamental difference between myself and Obama. He will impose mandates. Obama will fine you if you're a small business and don't give health insurance to your employees or a parent and don't insure your child. (That's stupid. Obama has never proposed that.) McCain: Health care is a responsibility; not a right or a privilege. Obama: Should be a right for every American. Seventh Question Winner: Obama by a big margin.
Eighth Question: Phil Elliott, middle aged white man: How will recent economic stress affect our ability to act as a peace maker in the world? McCain: America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world. Have gone to all four corners of the world and shed our blood. We are peace makers. Have to have knowledge and experience and judgment to know when to go in. Obama doesn't understand national security challenges. Obama: McCain says I don't understand. There's some things I don't understand. Don't understand why we invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. McCain has had the wrong judgment and it has been costly to us. We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. We need that $10 billion a month here to put our people back to work. Eighth Question Winner: Draw
Ninth Question: Should U.S. pursue Al Queda in Pakistan? Obama: Have a difficult situation caused by being distracted with Iraq instead going after bin Laden. That's the central front on terrorism. The defense secretary Gates said that's where the war on terror started and where it has to end. Have to change our policies in Pakistan. Can't coddle the dictator and give him billions of dollars while he's making peace treaties with the Taliban. If we have bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to act, then we have to do so. McCain: Hero is Teddy Roosevelt. He used to say, "Talk softly and carry a big stick." Obama wants to talk loudly. Can't announce that you're going to launch an attack on another country. Relations with Pakistan are critical. Have to work with them, not threaten to attack them. Ninth Question Winner; McCain
Tenth Question: How apply pressure on Russia to prevent another Cold War. McCain: Not going to have another cold war with Russia. Long ago warned about Putin. Has shown aggressiveness in Georgia. Watch Ukraine. Have to offer them moral support. Work to get them in NATO. Obama: Resurgence of Russia is one of central issues will have to deal with in next presidency. Can't just offer moral support. Also have to offer economic and concrete assistance. In April, I put out a statement saying the situation in Georgia was unstable,because had Russian peacekeepers. Part of job as commander in chief is to anticipate problems before they happen. Tenth Question: Draw
Eleventh Question: Is Russia under Putin an evil empire? Obama: They've engaged in evil behavior. McCain: Maybe. Eleventh Question: Draw.
Twelfth Question: Retired navy chief: If Iran attacks Israel, would you commit U.S. troops to defend Israel? McCain: Buddies up the questioner. Shakes his hand. "Everything I ever learned was from a chief petty officer." If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, will ratchet up tensions all over Middle East. Obama wants to sit down and negotiate with them without preconditions. I want to modify their behavior with sanctions. Obama: Can't allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. Would be a game changer in the region. Would create possibility of nuclear weapons falling in hands of terrorists. Would never take military action off the table. Important to use all the tools at our disposal to prevent having to make those choices. True that I believe we should have direct talks not only with our friends but also our enemies. It may not work. When we take that approach, we have a better chance at better outcomes. Twelfth Question Winner: Obama
Thirteenth Question: What don't you know and how will you learn it? Obama. My wife Michelle is there, and she would have a long list. Most of the time I would ask her. Talks about his roots, everything he has is due to this great country. McCain: Don't know what all of us don't know. What's going to happen here at home and abroad. Don't know what the unexpected will be. Spent my whole life serving this country. Believe in this country and its future.Great honor of my life was to put my country first. Thirteenth Question Winner: McCain.
Overall impression: I don't think this was a game changer. Mostly it was the same talking points. McCain needed a game changer and didn't get it. Obama wins overall.
Later Update: McCain wouldn't shake Obama's hand. This is going to be the big story tomorrow. People don't like poor sports. See the video.
Latest Update: McCain did shake Obama's hand right after the debate. The video below is a little later when they were getting ready to leave. So, maybe McCain figured he had shaken Obama's hand once and didn't need to do it again. It still looks churlish and small.
First question: Global economic conditions. Kojack reads his question. What is the fastest way to help people in these economic conditions. Obama says it's a final verdict on the failed economic policy of the last eight years supported by Bush and McCain. The middle class needs a rescue package: tax cuts, help for homeowners, fix our health care system. McCain says Americans are angry and upset. Way to fix this problem is with energy independence; keep taxes low -- all Americans keep their taxes low. Don't raise taxes on anyone. Have to do something about home values. McCain gets right up close to Kojack. McCain says he wouldn't appoint Tom Brokaw as his treasury secretary. What's that all about? Generously notes that Warren Buffet supports Obama. Obama says the next treasury secretary has to realize that help can't start at the top. First question winner: A draw.
Second question: Oliver Clark, a young black man. Asks what will actually help people out in the bailout package. McCain: Problem is greed on Wall Street. I suspended my campaign. (Does he really want to mention that fiasco?) Problem is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac supported by Obama and his cronies were making loans to people who couldn't afford them. (This is just ridiculous. This didn't all start with Fannie and Freddie.) Obama: What's in the rescue package for you, Oliver, is that right now credit markets are frozen up. If companies can't get loan, can't meet payroll. Have to correct a little bit of Senator McCain's history. McCain as recently as March said we need more deregulation. I wrote to Paulson and said we need to tighten up these regulations. Hits back at McCain about his campaign manager being a paid lobbyist for Fannie Mae. Second question winner: Obama
Third Question: Blond woman has trouble reading her lines. "How can we trust either of you when both parties got us into this crisis?" Obama: Understand your cynicism. Remember a little history. When Bush came into office, we had a surplus. Now we have a huge deficit. Over last eight years, McCain has voted for four out of five of those George Bush budgets. Proposing a net spending cut. McCain: "I have been a consistent reformer." (What a joke. Don't forget to tell us you're a maverick.) Obama has never taken on the leaders of his party on a single issue. Obama is the most liberal big spending liberal in the U.S. Senate. He proposed $860 billion in new spending. McCain refuses to prioritize between health care, entitlement programs such as social security and energy. Can do all of them at once. Obama: We have to prioritize. Energy have to deal with today. Have called for $15 billion a year over 10 years so we can be free of middle eastern oil in 10 years. Invokes JFK going to the moon. Second priority is health care. Third is education.Have to prioritize tax side as well as spending side. Third question winner: Obama
Fourth Question: What sacrifices will you ask every American to make? McCain: Have to eliminate some programs that aren't working. Defense spending is one. Have to eliminate earmarks. Some are really good projects. Recommend a spending freeze except for defense and veterans programs. "We're not rifle shots here; we're Americans." (What????) Obama: Remember 9/11. Bush did some smart things at the outset, but one of the opportunities that were missed is when he said "Go out and shop." American people are hungry for leadership that will tackle these problems not just in government but outside of government. Energy for example. Need to learn to conserve. Need to get young people involved, such as renewing the Peace Corps. Fourth Question winner: Obama
Fifth Question: Would you give Congress a date certain to reform social security and medicare? (Brokaw's question makes a wrong assumption. There is nothing wrong with social security.) Obama: The Straight Talk Express lost a wheel. I want to make a tax cut for everyone making under $250,000. McCain: Not that hard to fix social security. Medicare is a little tougher. Need a commission to give recommendations, and then Congress vote up or down. Fifth Question: Draw
Sixth Question: Young black girl, Ingrid Jackson. What would you do in first two years to make sure Congress moves fast on issues like climate change, green jobs, etc. McCain: Disagreed strongly with Bush Administration on climate change. Obama: One of the biggest challenges of our times. Also an opportunity. Can create 5 million new jobs with an energy economy. Sixth Question winner: McCain
Seventh Question: Middle aged white woman: Should health care be treated as a commodity? Obama: Health care is the single biggest question I get. (McCain strolls into the picture. He's trying to play psychological games.) Obama goes on to explain his health care plan; doesn't really address the question. McCain: Agrees with Obama about putting health records on line. Fundamental difference between myself and Obama. He will impose mandates. Obama will fine you if you're a small business and don't give health insurance to your employees or a parent and don't insure your child. (That's stupid. Obama has never proposed that.) McCain: Health care is a responsibility; not a right or a privilege. Obama: Should be a right for every American. Seventh Question Winner: Obama by a big margin.
Eighth Question: Phil Elliott, middle aged white man: How will recent economic stress affect our ability to act as a peace maker in the world? McCain: America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world. Have gone to all four corners of the world and shed our blood. We are peace makers. Have to have knowledge and experience and judgment to know when to go in. Obama doesn't understand national security challenges. Obama: McCain says I don't understand. There's some things I don't understand. Don't understand why we invaded a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. McCain has had the wrong judgment and it has been costly to us. We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq. We need that $10 billion a month here to put our people back to work. Eighth Question Winner: Draw
Ninth Question: Should U.S. pursue Al Queda in Pakistan? Obama: Have a difficult situation caused by being distracted with Iraq instead going after bin Laden. That's the central front on terrorism. The defense secretary Gates said that's where the war on terror started and where it has to end. Have to change our policies in Pakistan. Can't coddle the dictator and give him billions of dollars while he's making peace treaties with the Taliban. If we have bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to act, then we have to do so. McCain: Hero is Teddy Roosevelt. He used to say, "Talk softly and carry a big stick." Obama wants to talk loudly. Can't announce that you're going to launch an attack on another country. Relations with Pakistan are critical. Have to work with them, not threaten to attack them. Ninth Question Winner; McCain
Tenth Question: How apply pressure on Russia to prevent another Cold War. McCain: Not going to have another cold war with Russia. Long ago warned about Putin. Has shown aggressiveness in Georgia. Watch Ukraine. Have to offer them moral support. Work to get them in NATO. Obama: Resurgence of Russia is one of central issues will have to deal with in next presidency. Can't just offer moral support. Also have to offer economic and concrete assistance. In April, I put out a statement saying the situation in Georgia was unstable,because had Russian peacekeepers. Part of job as commander in chief is to anticipate problems before they happen. Tenth Question: Draw
Eleventh Question: Is Russia under Putin an evil empire? Obama: They've engaged in evil behavior. McCain: Maybe. Eleventh Question: Draw.
Twelfth Question: Retired navy chief: If Iran attacks Israel, would you commit U.S. troops to defend Israel? McCain: Buddies up the questioner. Shakes his hand. "Everything I ever learned was from a chief petty officer." If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, will ratchet up tensions all over Middle East. Obama wants to sit down and negotiate with them without preconditions. I want to modify their behavior with sanctions. Obama: Can't allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. Would be a game changer in the region. Would create possibility of nuclear weapons falling in hands of terrorists. Would never take military action off the table. Important to use all the tools at our disposal to prevent having to make those choices. True that I believe we should have direct talks not only with our friends but also our enemies. It may not work. When we take that approach, we have a better chance at better outcomes. Twelfth Question Winner: Obama
Thirteenth Question: What don't you know and how will you learn it? Obama. My wife Michelle is there, and she would have a long list. Most of the time I would ask her. Talks about his roots, everything he has is due to this great country. McCain: Don't know what all of us don't know. What's going to happen here at home and abroad. Don't know what the unexpected will be. Spent my whole life serving this country. Believe in this country and its future.Great honor of my life was to put my country first. Thirteenth Question Winner: McCain.
Overall impression: I don't think this was a game changer. Mostly it was the same talking points. McCain needed a game changer and didn't get it. Obama wins overall.
Later Update: McCain wouldn't shake Obama's hand. This is going to be the big story tomorrow. People don't like poor sports. See the video.
Latest Update: McCain did shake Obama's hand right after the debate. The video below is a little later when they were getting ready to leave. So, maybe McCain figured he had shaken Obama's hand once and didn't need to do it again. It still looks churlish and small.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
If You Didn't Stay Up for Saturday Night Live
SNL's parody of the Biden/Palin debate is, as usual much better than the real thing.
When you're done laughing, read this scary article in Rolling Stone about The Make Believe Maverick.
When you're done laughing, read this scary article in Rolling Stone about The Make Believe Maverick.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Funnier Than A Saturday Night Parody
Here's Governor Barracuda valiantly struggling to explain to Katie Couric how Alaska being sandwiched between Russia and Canada gives her foreign policy experience. This is unreal! Now that Congress has agreed on a bail-out plan (and did so before McCain got there to "help,") what excuse is he going to use to try to keep Governor Barracuda from debating next week. I guarantee you that he will come up with something. She makes Bush sound glib.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Ask John McCain: Is Governor Barracuda Qualified?
When John McCain was in the Republican primary, he said Rudy Giuliani's eight years as mayor of New York City was not enough experience to be president. And, the four years that Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts was not enough experience. Sarah Barracuda has less experience than Giuliani and Romney had at their jobs. She was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (it's laughable to even compare that with being mayor of NYC) for six years, two less than Giuliani, and has been governor of Alaska for less than two years, two less than Romney. But don't believe me, watch what McCain said from his own mouth.
The main point though isn't so much whether Palin is qualified or not qualified as it is the willingness of John McCain to say whatever it takes to get votes, even if what he says directly contradicts what he has said before, and his impulsiveness in selecting a running mate without adequate vetting. Truth doesn't matter to the McCain campaign. They have adopted Karl Rove tactics, whole hog (and you can't put lipstick on that pig.)
The main point though isn't so much whether Palin is qualified or not qualified as it is the willingness of John McCain to say whatever it takes to get votes, even if what he says directly contradicts what he has said before, and his impulsiveness in selecting a running mate without adequate vetting. Truth doesn't matter to the McCain campaign. They have adopted Karl Rove tactics, whole hog (and you can't put lipstick on that pig.)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Truth Report: The Facts Don't Matter Anymore
It has been surprising to me that the McCain campaign keeps repeating lies it knows are untrue, like Governor Barracuda's opposition to the Bridge to Nowhere; selling the state plane on e-Bay for a profit, and on and on. Today's Washington Post has an article that clears up the mystery.
So it has really come to this. Just lie through your teeth. All that matters is that Governor Barracuda is new, is popular and is an insurgent. Unbelievable!
"John Feehery, a Republican strategist, said the campaign is entering a stage in which skirmishes over the facts are less important than the dominant themes that are forming voters' opinions of the candidates.
"The more the New York Times and The Washington Post go after Sarah Palin, the better off she is, because there's a bigger truth out there and the bigger truths are she's new, she's popular in Alaska and she is an insurgent," Feehery said. "As long as those are out there, these little facts don't really matter."
So it has really come to this. Just lie through your teeth. All that matters is that Governor Barracuda is new, is popular and is an insurgent. Unbelievable!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Sarah Barracuda Strikes Back
One of the few things Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has said about herself that is actually true is that she was known as Sarah Barracuda in high school. After last night's speech at the Republican national convention we know why. She sure wasn't Miss Congeniality (whether she was Miss Congeniality in the Wasilla, Alaska queen contest is open to some question. Her Wikkipedia entry used to say she was. Then the St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried an article that a St. Louis woman, Amy Gwin, is saying that was false; Ms. Gwin was Miss Congeniality. Now, the Post-Dispatch article has been scrubbed of the paragraph about the Miss Congeniality dispute. So who knows. Maybe the Post-Dispatch got threatened with a lawsuit. More about Palin lawsuits below.)
What the speech last night told us is that Sarah Barracuda can read really well. The speech was actually written by the McCain campaign when the speech writers still thought the vice presidential candidate was going to be a man and was tweaked of course with some personal references. I thought her joke about the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull being lipstick was probably something she inserted herself, maybe even ad libbed; it had that feeling of authenticity.
As regular readers know I have been underwhelmed by the choice of Joe Biden as Obama's running mate, and another thing last night's speech shows us is that she will eat Biden alive in the vice presidential debate coming up in October unless he has a major personality transplant. He is, as Karl Rove said, "a big blowhard doofus." When Biden tries to overwhelm the Barracuda with all of his "foreign policy experience," she will just wrinkle her pretty little nose, grin and say that she has lived "right next to Russia" all her life, and he won't know what to say. That is, if she lasts on the ticket long enough to debate Biden.
Gov. Barracuda has more skeletons in her closet than a Halloween costume shop. She is still making false statements, like the one again last night about opposing the Bridge to Nowhere, which is astonishing since it is well documented that she was all for it until Congress cut off the funds. Although McCain decided to go with his gut rather than bother to thoroughly vet her, the truth will out. We already know she lied about not pressuring the state police to fire her ex-brother-in-law (maybe the ex-brother-in-law, should have been fired, but that's not the point; the point is that Gov. Barracuda said she did not put pressure on the State Police and she did.) The Washington Post has now gotten hold of some of her emails. Now that the heat is on, she is refusing to be deposed under oath about what happened, after having once promised to cooperate with the investigation (which is by a Republican legislature, by the way.) The McCain campaign got the governor lawyered up, remembering what happened to Bill Clinton when he gave a deposition under oath.
Even more intriguingly, word is out that the McCain campaign is threatening the
National Enquirer with a lawsuit for printing that Gov. Barracuda had an affair with her husband's business partner. We all know you cannot believe a word the National Enquirer writes, just ask John Edwards.
Given the incredulity of the folks in Alaska to the Barracuda's sudden elevation to the national spotlight, I doubt we have heard the last of the revelations about her. I can hardly wait.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Less Than Underwhelmed By The Ex-Beauty Queen
I think all Obama supporters should send John McCain a "thank you" note. What a gift, his selection of Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor, to be the Republican vice presidential nominee. In one stroke, he has just given away the biggest argument against Obama, his inexperience. I don't think Democrats need to argue any more that Obama is ready to lead; I don't think they will have to, McCain would be an idiot to keep running ads claiming Obama lacks the experience to be president when his own vice presidential nominee has even less.
Alaskans are shocked. Republican Alaska State Senate president said, she thought it was a joke when someone called her to give her the news. "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"
Another joke is McCain's apparent belief that the selection of a vice presidential candidate with a vagina will get disappointed Hillary supporters to vote for him. It's an insult to the intelligence of the "PUMA's" to think they're going to support a right-wing, home-schooling, anti-choice ex-beauty queen, just because she's a woman. Gail Collins has a hilarious column here about how the pick of Palin couldn't have been because she is a woman.
For more on what the people who know Palin best are thinking, read this blog from Alaska, Mudflats with its picture of downtown Wasilla, Alaska, where Palin was mayor briefly.
Thank you, John McCain, you've cheered me up about Joe Biden.
Alaskans are shocked. Republican Alaska State Senate president said, she thought it was a joke when someone called her to give her the news. "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Green, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"
Another joke is McCain's apparent belief that the selection of a vice presidential candidate with a vagina will get disappointed Hillary supporters to vote for him. It's an insult to the intelligence of the "PUMA's" to think they're going to support a right-wing, home-schooling, anti-choice ex-beauty queen, just because she's a woman. Gail Collins has a hilarious column here about how the pick of Palin couldn't have been because she is a woman.
For more on what the people who know Palin best are thinking, read this blog from Alaska, Mudflats with its picture of downtown Wasilla, Alaska, where Palin was mayor briefly.
Thank you, John McCain, you've cheered me up about Joe Biden.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Top McCain Advisor Won't Oppose Obama
Okay, you want politics, I'll give you politics.
I find this story so intriguing and emblematic of why I get excited about a Barack Obama candidacy. One of John McCain's top political advisors, his chief media strategist, Mark McKinnon, has said that he will resign from McCain's staff if the Democratic nominee is Barack Obama. He says he disagrees with many of Obama's positions, but he admires him so much that he does not feel comfortable opposing him. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Can you imagine such a thing? Is there any other candidate that you have ever heard of, in any political campaign, that has shown the potential Obama has for fundamentally changing the way politics is done? Think about it, not only the ability to draw Republicans and Independents who agree with his positions to support him, but to get people who disagree with his positions from fighting against him? It's unbelievable, really, but here is a portion of the transcript from an interview with The National Journal on Air for today's edition:
You can read a transcript of the whole interview here.
Okay, enough politics. I got a card from Aunt Tillie about the prospects of her nephew's salvation which I will run tomorrow or Sunday.
I find this story so intriguing and emblematic of why I get excited about a Barack Obama candidacy. One of John McCain's top political advisors, his chief media strategist, Mark McKinnon, has said that he will resign from McCain's staff if the Democratic nominee is Barack Obama. He says he disagrees with many of Obama's positions, but he admires him so much that he does not feel comfortable opposing him. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Can you imagine such a thing? Is there any other candidate that you have ever heard of, in any political campaign, that has shown the potential Obama has for fundamentally changing the way politics is done? Think about it, not only the ability to draw Republicans and Independents who agree with his positions to support him, but to get people who disagree with his positions from fighting against him? It's unbelievable, really, but here is a portion of the transcript from an interview with The National Journal on Air for today's edition:
"Q: So you've said that you will leave the McCain campaign if Obama is the nominee. Does that still hold and why?
"McKinnon: Yeah. Well, this goes back to a memo that I wrote to the campaign when I came aboard more than a year and a half ago, and I simply let them know that I had spent time with Obama and read his book and I like the guy. I think he has strong character and a fascinating life story, and I disagree with him fundamentally on issues like Iraq and trade and a number of others. But I just flashed forward to the improbable scenario, at that time seemingly improbable, that John McCain and Barack Obama might face off against one other. And I just told them at the time that I thought that I would be uncomfortable being on the front lines -- being as aggressive as you need to be in a presidential campaign -- and not only that I would be uncomfortable, but that it would be bad for the campaign, and that if that circumstance were to come to be, that I would just take a step to the sidelines and continue to support John McCain 100 percent and be No. 1 fan and cheerleader. But just kind of take myself out of the front lines.
"Q: So you are still going to do that?
"McKinnon: I'm a man of my word.
"Q: And it's because, what, you don't want to run negative ads against Obama?
"McKinnon: Yeah.
"Q: Or is there also a concern on your part that you don't want to run ads against Obama, the first African-American candidate to have this kind of a chance? Is that a factor as well?
"McKinnon: I suppose that is in part, but it's more just that I like and admire the guy. I've come to a point in my life where I think character is important. I think he has great character. Again, I think he's really wrong on fundamental issues, but yeah, I just don't want to -- you know, I kind of want to put my guns down. It's just a matter of degrees, and like I said, I don't think I'm the best person to have in that slot for the campaign. So it would just be better for me to step to the sidelines."
You can read a transcript of the whole interview here.
Okay, enough politics. I got a card from Aunt Tillie about the prospects of her nephew's salvation which I will run tomorrow or Sunday.
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