August 31, 2008
The Palin Pick: McCrazy’s Disaster, or: How I Learned to Throw the Long Bomb (Emphasis on Bomb) (Peter Fenn)
Wow. We are all trying to analyze this VP choice with a straight face. And some with kid gloves. I just don’t get it.
The spin out there is incredible — now, after arguing for six months that EXPERIENCE is the message of the McCain campaign (as in the New York Times reported slogan for the St. Paul Convention: Not Ready ’08 — by the way, how is that for a nice, positive theme?), the McCain team decides that CHANGE is their BIG idea. All those signs printed up, Not Ready ’08, are being rushed to the St. Paul incinerator before anyone can get their hands on them. > Read More
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What's This Tale of the Tape (John Feehery)
In this corner, we have the wonder of Chicago, the silky left-hander, born in Hawaii, raised in Indonesia, educated at Harvard, Barack “The One” Obama.
In the other corner, we have the citizen-mom, the feisty point-guard, born in Alaska, raised in Alaska, educated in Idaho, Sarah “The Barracuda” Palin.
Well, this should be an interesting brawl. “The One” is heavily favored, having been running for President for at least a decade. “The Barracuda”, who recently gave birth to her fifth child, only learned last week that she would be on the ticket.
Let’s take a look at their records. > Read More
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What's This The Law of Quality (Bob Franken)
Step aside Isaac Newton for "The Law of Quality" which states that "What goes down KEEPS going down".
Look no further than just about every product and service we're offered these days. They're inferior.
Of course they are, because corporate leaders in every sector, from food, to communication, to media are desperately scrambling to overcome their previous disastrous decisions and keep profits obscene… their own personal compensation disgracefully high.
They pretend they are simply creating efficiencies. Instead of cutting corner, what they are really doing is shamelessly gutting large chunks of the structured that allowed them to deliver some semblance of decent product. > Read More
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What's This August 30, 2008
Palin Designation Nullifies Obama Bounce (Dick Morris)
It is incredible, but the designation of Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate seems to have totally obliterated Obama's bounce from his convention and after his magnificent speech. Zogby actually has McCain two ahead and Rasmussen's Friday only data shows Obama only three up! This confirms what we have suspected — that the linkage of McCain and Bush was the weak link in Obama's convention. By showing how different he is and by taking the step of choosing an independent, outspoken, gutsy, reformist candidate like Palin as vice president, McCain has shown how much he is the un-Bush. Bush chose Cheney. McCain chose Palin. That, apparently, says it all.
Palin, who I know personally, is articulate and very bright. She has courage and defied the entire corrupt Republican establishment in Alaska, causing the resignation of the State Party Chairman, the Attorney General, and the defeat, in a Republican primary, of the Governor (whose daughter is the Senator). She is very impressive up close and has a freshness and newness in her perspective that reminds one of a cold, bracing, clear Alaskan wind! > Read More
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What's This August 29, 2008
The Light Bulb Goes On (Bob Franken)
It's 3 a.m. in Arizona. John McCain is pacing the floor, wide awake.
"What's wrong, sweetie?”
It was Cindy. He had awakened her from a deep sleep. Still, her hair and makeup were impeccable. She was perfect, as always. But he was agitated.
"I can't remember which house I'm in.”
"I know," she said quietly. "I've had that problem all my life." > Read More
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What's This A Brilliant Choice (Doug Heye)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) speech in Dayton, Ohio, served as a perfect introduction to the American people. She was forceful, she was direct and she was in command. She also stayed positive.
And, in her first speech as Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) running mate, she made it clear that the women's vote is in play.
The Democrats have already started their attacks on Gov. Palin. This is not surprising. Whoever Sen. McCain picked was going to be attacked and, in fairness, one has to acknowledge the McCain camp was ready to do the same to whomever Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) chose. Yet it is almost comical to hear anyone supporting Obama question anyone else's readiness or foreign policy experience. After all, Barack Obama is hardly a Henry Kissinger or Madeleine Albright. With the exception of some time in Indonesia and a pandering speech in Berlin, Obama has no foreign policy experience. > Read More
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What's This Dems Wrap & McCain Picks Palin (A.B. Stoddard)
The Hill's A.B. Stoddard takes a look at Sen. McCain's VP, Gov. Sarah Palin (AK), and answers questions about the Democratic convention and Obama's presidential campaign.
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What's This 72-Year-Old Gent Picks Zero-Experience VP (Brent Budowsky)
When the dust settles, the major result of John McCain picking Sarah Palin will be the major emergence of the age and health issues that will plague the McCain campaign big time. Democrats were unwilling to raise it; McCain picking Palin will make the age issue go nuclear.
Net net: Palin will excite the right-wing base, but her total lack of experience makes Barack Obama look like a proven world statesman and ends, permanently, McCain's ability to raise age. This eliminates McCain's strongest argument and Barack's largest vulnerability. Yet it also dramatizes McCain's huge age vulnerability, which will now go nuclear. Right strategy, wrong woman, total desperation when McCain realized his demonization attack is backfiring and Barack blew the lid off the roof in his home run acceptance speech at Denver.
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What's This Reform Takes Center Stage (John Feehery)
John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin puts reform at center stage for the Republican Party, for the election and for the nation.
Palin is a comrade-in-arms with McCain in his efforts to change how Washington works. She is a citizen-mom who took on the increasingly corrupt Alaskan power elite, and won.
Much will be made about her being a woman, and the historic nature of her candidacy. For those women who put abortion as their No. 1 issue, Palin will be like Clarence Thomas. They will hate her. > Read More
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What's This McCain/Palin: Sometimes the Most Nonqualified VP Picks Rise to the Challenge (Jim Mills)
Despite my earlier post basically saying that Sarah Palin is not qualified (right now) to be commander in chief, sometimes even the really bad picks rise to the challenge.
Although the vice presidency might not be worth the “bucket of warm spit” suggested by John Nance Garner, whoever has the job truly is just one heartbeat from the presidency — a reality that has visited this nation more times than actuarial tables would predict.
Just one day after Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, newly sworn-in President Harry S. Truman gaggled in the Oval Office with some reporters, letting them in on Washington’s open secret of the day: He wasn’t ready for the job. > Read More
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