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Sat Oct 11, 10:44 PM Pacific
FOX 'News' Edits Out Palin Hockey Boos
Even though Philadelphia Flyers hockey fans booed Sarah Palin from the very instant she was introduced, FOX 'News' claimed the reaction was "mixed." To make their case, they posted a video on FOXNews.com that:
- Completely edited out Palin's introduction, when fans booed her most loudly (the booing let up a bit as her daughters took the ice).
- Edited out a 27 second stretch during which which loud boos and some applause could be heard, presumably to allow the video to jump straight to the applause after Palin dropped the puck.
- In the video FOX did show, they used very poor audio quality, making it hard to discern the boos.
Here's a side-by-side video of the original broadcast and every moment of the FOX video up until Palin and her daughters start to leave the ice:
Sat Oct 11, 7:20 PM Pacific
Sarah Palin: 'How dare they boo Piper!'
This is simultaneously pathetic and hilarious. FOX News reports:
The GOP Vice-Presidential nominee said at an earlier fundraiser that she would stop some of the booing from the rowdy Philadelphia fans by putting her seven year old daughter, Piper in a Flyers jersey. She said, "How dare they boo Piper!"
So basically Sarah Palin has been reduced to the "human shield" defense.
Also worth noting: the video that FOX used on its web site cut off the most intense boing, which came right as the Palin's presence was announced.
Sat Oct 11, 7:10 PM Pacific
The Best And The Brightest
So the GOP realizes McCain is going to lose, but that doesn't stop some of their most brilliant minds from offering him some advice.
"The main thing he needs to do," said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota, "is focus on a single message -- a single, concise or clear-cut message, and stick with that over the next 30 days, regardless of what happens. He's had a lot of attack lines. But it's time to choose."
Emphasis added, because as smart as it would be for McCain to be a bit less erratic, 30 days from now is Monday, Nov. 10 -- six days after the election.
Sat Oct 11, 6:02 PM Pacific
Still Needs To Learn How To Read
NBC's Savannah Guthrie tonight claimed that according to the Branchflower Report, Sarah Palin "broke no criminal laws, but violated ethics rules."
Guthrie needs to learn how to read. From page 8:
Finding Number One
For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides
"The legislature reaffirms that each public offer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust."
I don't know about Guthrie, but where I come from, when you violate a statute, you're not just breaking the rules, you're breaking the law.
Update (6:48PM): Just to be clear, I'm not disputing the claim that Palin "broke no criminal laws." I'm disputing the claim that Palin merely violated "rules" when in fact she violated the law.
Update 2 (6:53PM): Another important point -- Branchflower never considered whether or not Palin violated Alaska's criminal code. He determined that while she had violated the state's ethics laws, the state's constitution gave her authority to hire and fire virtually whomever she pleased in Monegan's position. So the fact that his report does not find any criminal law violations is about as relevant as the fact that it does not contain the ingredients list for a pepperoni pizza.
Guthrie might as well have said: the report found Palin "didn't bake a pizza, but broke ethics rules."
Update 3 (7:01PM): As I note above, Branchflower did not explore whether or not there were any criminal violations. He limited his review to the state's executive branch ethics laws. However, given his finding that Palin violated those laws, it may be worth opening an investigation as to whether her behavior constituted official misconduct. That would involve a criminal investigation. (In Alaska, official misconduct is defined in AS 11.56.850.)
Sat Oct 11, 5:09 PM Pacific
Sarah Palin Booed At Philadelphia Flyers Hockey Game
America's most-booed hockey mom? (Updated: Better quality video.)
Sat Oct 11, 4:10 PM Pacific
Ari Melber On 'The Hate Talk Express'
Ari turns in another strong performance on MSNBC. Basically, these days he's mowing down whatever GOP hack they happen to put in front of him.
Sat Oct 11, 3:10 PM Pacific
Obama's Ghostwriters
Sat Oct 11, 3:05 PM Pacific
The Glass Is More Than Half-Full
Pollster.com's composite has Obama over 50% for first time.
Sat Oct 11, 2:36 PM Pacific
A Tale Of Two Fact Checks
Basically, McCain lies while Obama tells the truth:
- Politifact: McCain's claim that "(Bill) Ayers and Obama ran a radical education foundation together" is "pants-on-fire" false.
- CNN: Obama's claim that "McCain would shift the burden from lenders to taxpayers, guaranteeing a loss of taxpayer money" is true.
Here's video of CNN's report:
Sat Oct 11, 12:33 PM Pacific
You Gotta' Love These Guys
Newest wingnut paranoid extravaganza: Bill Ayers wrote Barack Obama's memoir. Keep it up, nutjobs!
Sat Oct 11, 11:20 AM Pacific
Still Wants It Both Ways
McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds just now on FOX confirms that the McCain campaign will center its attack on Obama around his "associations."
Also, he apparently thinks the election is on November 3, because he said there's only 23 days until the election.
Sat Oct 11, 11:02 AM Pacific
Serious Question
If Norm Coleman promises to run more stupid ads like this, should we donate to his campaign?
Sat Oct 11, 10:28 AM Pacific
If This Ad Doesn't End Norm Coleman's Political Career...
...then it was already over.
Here's the story, from AMERICAblog: Norm Coleman is running an ad in Minnesota featuring a video clip of what appears to be a furious Al Franken totally losing his mind. Except the video clip in the Coleman ad was actually taken from speech in which Franken is simply telling a story about how the late Paul Wellstone used to cheer on his son David in cross-country races.
These guys are going to be the laughingstock of the nation by the time this thing is over.
Sat Oct 11, 10:05 AM Pacific
Rant: The Incredibly Annoying Flash 2 Second Player Bug
For about a year now, I've noticed a horribly annoying bug with Adobe Flash on the Windows platform: if your browser has been open for awhile, at some point, embedded Flash video (such as with YouTube) just stops working.
When you first open your browser, everything works great. Then at some random point, videos will only play for 2 seconds, without audio. After 2 seconds, all playback just stops.
I am not alone -- thousands if not millions of other users have the same exact problem. I'm nearly certain Adobe is the culprit; the bug is most acute on Firefox, but it also happens when using Internet Explorer.
I have been searching for a solution to this problem for months -- to no avail. It's one of those bugs that is so mind-numbingly stupid (the product stopping working!) that I just can't believe that Adobe hasn't fixed it. It is incredibly unprofessional, totally incompetent, and shows no respect whatsoever to users of Flash video.
So if anyone from Adobe happens to be reading this post: please get off your butt and fix this problem. Now.
Update: I just found a well-hidden beta version of Flash -- the Flash player version 10. I've downloaded it and installed it. I've got no idea if it'll be any more reliable, but it can't be much worse.
Sat Oct 11, 9:18 AM Pacific
McCain Respects His Opponent
The invocation at McCain's rally in Iowa today:
"There are plenty of people around the world who are praying to their god, be they Hindu, Buddah, or Allah, that (McCain's) opponent wins. I pray that you step forward and honor your own name." Ends with "in Jesus' name."
Sat Oct 11, 2:27 AM Pacific
The New McCain Attack Ad That Praises Obama
Maybe the real question isn't "who is John McCain?" Maybe it's "how many John McCains are out there?"
Sat Oct 11, 12:46 AM Pacific
Wants It Both Ways
He's a coward and a joke, says one thing when the heat gets close, but let's his campaign say something else when he's out of harm's way.
Sat Oct 11, 12:15 AM Pacific
Time To Learn How To Read
debrazza writes:
What irritates me is that people don't know how to read. CNN reports that she abused her power but broke no laws. That is false. The abuse of power comes from her breaking the state ethics law.
She did not break the law in firing Monegan because he was at-will and it did not matter why she fired him, as long as she had a reason not related to personal gain. So all of her late excuses about budget are legitimate in the sense that it is a reason. It doesn't matter if it is valid, because that is an executive decision. The abuse of power was in her allowing her husband to use the Governor's office to pressure subordinates to fire Wooten. I don't understand what is so complicated for these idiots. SHE ABUSED THE POWER OF HER OFFICE, THAT IS A CRIME. Firing Monegan was not a crime, but pressuring subordinates to fire Wooten was.
MSNBC's First Read made a similar mistake in its initial report, inaccurately stating that the AP had said Palin broke the law in Monegan's firing. As a result, they were forced to update and correct their original post. Ultimately, they softpedaled the legal violation, saying Palin broke the state "ethical code" as if it were some Girl Scouts thing.
Update: Tapper gets it wrong too. Hopefully he'll realize his mistake was minor and just do a simple correction rather than bending over backwards to accept the McCain spin as others have done.
Fri Oct 10, 11:35 PM Pacific
Nothing To Fear
Perhaps equally damning, the report essentially accuses Palin of dishonesty. It also contradicts the best Palin spin, which isn't about the details but about the big picture: That she and her family were afraid of the fired trooper, who had allegedly abused her sister. The evidence is "inconsistent with such claims of fear," Branchflower writes, adding that the allegation of fear was "not bona fide."
Fri Oct 10, 9:25 PM Pacific
He Did The Bare Minimum
I just watched the video of McCain "denouncing" his supporter who called Obama an untrustworthy Arab.
First, he did the only thing could do, which was to disagree with her. If someone wants to explain how he could have done anything less than disagree, I'm all ears.
Second, he did the absolute minimum that he had to do. That's his choice; he's running a campaign and isn't obliged to show any decency towards Obama.
So spare me the plaudits for McCain. This was not a maverick act of decency. He did what needed to save his own skin, and nothing more.
McCain lit this fire. All he's doing now is trying to get just far enough away that it doesn't burn him alive. He's not trying to put it out.
Fri Oct 10, 9:09 PM Pacific
Back From Meeting
Well, it seems like a lot of news happened while I was away, but it also seems like the news doesn't really change that much.
For example:
- Sarah Palin is a sleazy, lying, illegally power-abusing politician. (No kidding!)
- Republicans are still bailing on McCain's campaign.
- John McCain still speaks out of both sides of his mouth, denouncing allegations made about Barack Obama, allegations which never would have been made had he not inspired them in the first place.
Oh, and did I mention, Barack Obama is still destroying McCain in the polls.
Fri Oct 10, 3:17 AM Pacific
Obama Knew It Was Coming All Along
Remember in late July when Barack Obama predicted John McCain's attack strategy? Remember McCain's howls of protest in response? Well, it turns out that Obama was right about McCain's attacks. As it turns out, he knew McCain better than McCain knew McCain. I guess that means we can call him "Nostrobamus."
Fri Oct 10, 2:31 AM Pacific
Housekeeping Note
I've got a meeting that will last all day Friday, so I will unfortunately not be able to post blog entries until late Friday night. I do, however, have one new video that I'll be putting up in a little bit.
Fri Oct 10, 1:09 AM Pacific
GOP Strategist: It's Over, Obama Will Win In Landslide
Ed Rollins ran Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign in 1984, so he knows a thing or two about landslides -- and he's predicting one for Barack Obama. At this point, he says the only question left to answer is whether John McCain will take the Republican Party down with him.
Thu Oct 9, 8:27 PM Pacific
Palin And The Alaskan Secessionists
Rachel Maddow and Max Blumenthal discuss Sarah Palin's secessionist problem:
Along with David Neiwert, Blumenthal has a new article on Salon.com about Palin and the secessionists. Here's some interesting points:
- Walter Hickel, who served as governor of Alaska under the Alaskan Independence Party's banner before switching back to the GOP, was co-chair of Palin's gubernatorial campaign.
- Mark Chryson, a former AIP state party chair, has been a key political ally to Sarah Palin. Chryson, who has a cheery disposition, is a bit of a political nutjob. For example, he not only supports Alaska's secession from the union, he also thinks the wrong side won the civil war.
- In Palin's first mayoral campaign, she called herself "the Christian candidate," implying that her opponent, John Stein, was Jewish. (Stein was actually Lutheran.)
Thu Oct 9, 7:18 PM Pacific
Palin Cleared Of Wrongdoing!
Thu Oct 9, 6:02 PM Pacific
A Landslide Strategy
You don't buy 30-minute chunks of national TV time if your goal is to eke out a narrow victory. You do it if your goal is to blow your opponent out of the water. And you do it if you realize that the bigger your margin of victory, the more you can get done in your first few months as President.
In short, you do it if you're as interested in governing effectively as you are interested in winning.
Thu Oct 9, 5:33 PM Pacific
NYT: Palins And Aides Pushed For Trooper Firing
The New York Times drops a hammer on the Palins' claims that they never pressured Walt Monegan to fire her sister's ex-husband, finding evidence for dozens of calls pressuring Monegan to fire the state trooper. The NYT also found that Monegan's successor was pressured as well.
Perhaps most importantly, the NYT uncovered clear evidence contradicting the Palins' claim that Monegan's own firing had nothing to do with his refusal to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law.
Immediately after Mr. Monegan's firing, Ms. Palin said her intent was to change the department's direction. (She declined to be interviewed for this article.) She has since offered a variety of explanations for his ouster, most recently accusing him of insubordination and opposing her fiscal reforms.
As evidence, she has contended, among other things, that Mr. Monegan arranged two unauthorized lobbying trips to Washington. But according to interviews and records obtained by The New York Times both trips were authorized by the governor's office.
Can you imagine the vindictive personal drama that would ensue if Sarah Palin were ever actually elected Vice President or President?
Thu Oct 9, 3:50 PM Pacific
Joe Biden Tells It Like It Is
Thu Oct 9, 3:23 PM Pacific
He Wouldn't Make The Attack To Obama's Face
John Cole is right: "McCain is a coward."
Thu Oct 9, 2:35 PM Pacific
McCain's Troubling Association With Morons
John McCain's campaign is sending him back to Iowa.
If he were to win (don't worry, he won't), and he ran the country's economy like he's run his own campaign, then God save us all.
Update: And his stupid staff is keeping him out of swing-state Nevada.
Thu Oct 9, 2:30 PM Pacific
"I'm Yours 'Til Death Do Us Part"
Thu Oct 9, 2:13 PM Pacific
McCain's Attacks vs. What Really Matters
Aravosis looks at the headlines.
Meanwhile, the candidate who is actually talking about issues that matter (yes, that would be our guy, Barack Obama) purchases a 30-minute ad block on CBS, scheduled for Wednesday, October 29 at 8:00pm.
Thu Oct 9, 2:10 PM Pacific
Voter Fraud vs. Registration Fraud
Ben Smith explains the difference, which is huge. Basically, vote fraud is when a vote is fraudulently cast (by a dead person, a farm animal, etc.). Registration fraud is when the voter rolls are fraudulently padded. The former is a fundamental breech of democracy, the latter is a clerical issue.
Every single paranoid Republican fantasy about fraud is focused on the latter. In other words, they are freaking out about a database problem.
Thu Oct 9, 1:35 PM Pacific
Conservative Revolt Against McCain
The fact that John McCain has totally lost George Will is nothing new, but now he's even lost the National Review. In a truly spectacular editorial, NR actually praises legislation by Barney Frank and Chris Dodd as superior to McCain's new mortgage proposal:
We never thought we would defend the Frank-Dodd legislation, which we bitterly opposed last summer. But it looks downright prudent compared to what McCain has proposed.
Basically, for all the paranoids, racists, and angry people McCain may win over with his character attacks on Obama, he's losing at least as many sensible conservatives who realize that McCain is totally nuts when it comes to the economy.
Thu Oct 9, 1:12 PM Pacific
McCain's Rage
This has got to be BNF's best work so far:
Thu Oct 9, 1:01 PM Pacific
Oh, Tucker
Tucker Bounds gets himself humiliated once again, this time by Andrea Mitchell. The issue: the Palin-McCain campaign's Bill Ayers attacks.
Tucker says that the McCain campaign doesn't have a problem with the Annenberg board that is the centerpiece of the Palin-McCain smear strategy. I guess that should settle that, right? I mean, if they don't have a problem with the board, then there is nothing to have a problem with. Then again, there never was anything to have a problem with.
Here's video:
Thu Oct 9, 12:45 PM Pacific
Dow 8000?
Yikes! Update: Right now it's a little below 8800. It crossed 9000 on April 6, 1998.
Thu Oct 9, 5:46 AM Pacific
McCain's Troubling Association With Morons
Someone really ought to grill Palin about the AIP today. In other news:
- John McCain's hilariously stupid new Ayers ad calls the Annenberg Foundation a "radical" group. Of course, it was funded by Walter Annenberg, a Republican. His wife is still living -- and supports John McCain for president. Does that mean McCain asked for and received support from a terrorist?
- Steve Doocey on Fox & Friends says that because the media is biased, McCain needs to spend money on attack ads. He then proceeds to play a 1:40 McCain YouTube attack ad that will never be run as an ad.
- Channeling my inner Gail Collins, I think I'm to blame for all this crap because I started my political career at Joe Lieberman's house (I doorbelled it during the 1992 campaign).
Thu Oct 9, 4:46 AM Pacific
Best Comment On "My Fellow Prisoners"
...if i got a nickel every time i called americans "fellow prisoners"...lol
Thu Oct 9, 4:36 AM Pacific
John McCain Has Gone Totally Bonkers
This hilariously stupid web video about Bill Ayers is McCain's new "strategy" to beat Obama? LOL! McCain wants us to believe he honestly thinks Obama is too risky for America, but that he couldn't bring himself to say it to Obama's face? Ha! This guy McCain is a total joke.
For those of you who haven't seen it, here's the video McCain needs to explain: the one showing that his running mate, Sarah Palin has for years been involved with the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party and is in fact married to a former member!
Thu Oct 9, 4:21 AM Pacific
"Barack Obama Is Winning"
So says George Will. The amazing thing? Even Democrats agree.
Thu Oct 9, 4:18 AM Pacific
Debate Prep
Thu Oct 9, 2:06 AM Pacific
The Voting Problem
When it comes to voting, it seems to me that the difference between progressives and conservatives is fairly simple: progressives think the problem is that not enough people vote, conservatives think too many people vote.
Who's right? Well, considering the fact that 2004 was the highest turnout presidential election since 1968, yet barely 60% of registered voters showed up at the polls, it's pretty clear that not enough people are voting.
Thu Oct 9, 12:47 AM Pacific
"My Fellow Prisoners"
Just a quick update: 13 hours after posting the video, the view count is at 325K and rising. There's still 20 simultaneous viewers, and my YouTube channel is currently the #2 most watched channel of the day.
Wed Oct 8, 11:21 PM Pacific
McCain's Mortgage Fraud
Okay so on Tuesday night McCain's mortage plan includes this line:
"Lenders in these cases must recognize the loss that they've already suffered."
But on Wednesday, McCain's campaign said the line was included accidentally, and that his plan is for the government to pay above-market prices for mortgages, bailing out the lenders.
That's a ginormous change, and it's nearly impossible to fathom how the sentence above could have been inserted accidentally. Even more puzzling is why the price tage on both documents was $300 billion.
Whatever the case, I simply cannot understand why any economic conservatives would continue supporting McCain at this point.
Wed Oct 8, 10:53 PM Pacific
Hilarious
Wed Oct 8, 7:46 PM Pacific
Barack Obama Sits Down With Charlie Gibson
Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but doesn't it seem like Barack Obama has finally gotten Charlie Gibson to warm up to him, at least a little?
Wed Oct 8, 7:39 PM Pacific
A Wink, A Nod, And A Stolen Line
Okay, this video is a little bit self-indulgent, and it's really not the most important issue of the campaign, but I still thought it was sort of funny and I hope you do to. Here's what it's about: Earlier this week in Florida, Sarah Palin stole one of Hillary Clinton's strongest lines of the primary (itself borrowed from Bill Clinton) -- and she she does it with a wink and a nod, literally. h/t to John Lumea for catching this.
Wed Oct 8, 7:03 PM Pacific
The 2012 Campaign Has Already Begun
After watching Pat Buchanan on The Rachel Maddow Show just now, I get the sense that some conservatives are more interested in insulating Sarah Palin from John McCain's near-certain defeat than they are in fighting for McCain up until the end.
For these conservatives, Sarah Palin represents the future of the Republican Party; they can see that McCain is losing this election, and they just want to make sure that he doesn't take Palin down too.
So we may very well be looking at the person who will oppose Barack Obama four years from now. That's not a challenge to take lightly -- a Sarah Palin who has had three or four years to study will be a much stronger candidate than the Sarah Palin who has had four weeks to study.
So while priority number one remains winning, and winning by as much as possible, it's worth keeping in mind that discrediting Palin now will have a payoff in the future, asssuming that you don't like the sound of President Palin. With that in mind, there are three questions I'd like to see answered:
- If Sarah Palin wasn't a secessionist, why was she palling around with them?
- Did Sarah Palin cheat to avoid paying taxes on her per diems?
- Is there any evidence whatsoever that Palin gave birth to Trig?
None of these questions have been satisfactorily addressed. If they aren't addressed by the time the campaign is over, we mustn't forget them.
Wed Oct 8, 6:34 PM Pacific
McCain's Domestic Terrorism Problem
Keith O. raises several of John McCain's domestic terrorism problems in this segment, including Nick Juliano's report on John McCain's 1993 speech before a hate group in Oregon. As McCain prepared to take the stage, Marilyn Shannon (who happens to be a 2008 delegate for McCain) praised the shooter of Dr. George Tiller simply because Tiller had performed perfectly legal abortions surgeries. Only one thing was missing: the fact that John McCain that very same year voted against legislation to protect abortion clinics from such terrorists.
Wed Oct 8, 4:29 PM Pacific
Obama: "[H]e wasn't willing to say it to my face"
Via Oliver Willis: On ABC News, Obama knocks McCain for being unwilling to say to his face what the GOP ticket has been saying on the trail for days.
Wed Oct 8, 3:45 PM Pacific
Off With His Head?
My god, they are totally nuts:
As seen at recent McCain events, this afternoon's crowd was vocal in their support for McCain and their anger with Senator Obama. At one point one man could be heard yelling, "Off with his head," when McCain spoke about Obama's tax plan.
Wed Oct 8, 3:36 PM Pacific
FOX Freakout Over Unretouched Palin Photo In Newsweek
This is just hilarious...FOX News is livid that Newsweek put up a photo of Sarah Palin without retouching her facial hair. It's awesome that they are focusing on such petty, stupid, meaningless stuff.
Wed Oct 8, 2:57 PM Pacific
A Veteran's Perspective
Brandon Friedman, who served as an infranty officer in both Iraq and Afghanistan and is now Vice Chairman of VoteVets.org, offers his take on McCain's "my fellow prisoners" line. An excerpt:
Of course, this is incredibly sad. This is probably the sign of a war wound--of mental scarring--sustained on behalf of each and every American. We're talking about a guy who literally sacrificed his own body and mind in the service of his country. And we shouldn't forget that.
But it warrants our full attention. Because that combat injury now has the potential to color John McCain's judgment in ways that we can't predict. It can be the thing that drives his motivations and his decision-making process. For John McCain to make such a statement--regardless of the cause--shows us that his experience in Vietnam takes up so much of his mental space that it affects each aspect of his thought process. And frankly, that's not something we can accept from someone in the position to which he aspires.
Wed Oct 8, 2:30 PM Pacific
Google Trends
My fellow prisoners was #3 as of about 1:45PM Pacific time. Update (2:53PM): Now #6.
Wed Oct 8, 1:57 PM Pacific
Obama In Indianapolis
An excerpt from Barack Obama's amazing speech in Indiana earlier today:
Wed Oct 8, 1:11 PM Pacific
Seems To Be Going Viral
McCain's "my fellow prisoners" video is taking off something fierce. I just checked the clip I posted on YouTube, and it showed 20 simultaneous viewers, which is the most they ever report. Keep in mind that the clip I posted is just one of many clips posted, and it's only 14 seconds long, so 20 viewers at a time is huge.
Also, even though the digg link on TJR is tied to the video post on youtube.com, there has been a huge traffic spike to jedreport.com which you might have noticed if you've had any trouble getting into the site. Perhaps it's time for another hosting upgrade?
Finally, MSNBC just played the video.
Wed Oct 8, 11:41 AM Pacific
McCain Loses It: Calls Americans 'My Fellow Prisoners'
Update (12:26pm): I've posted an extended version of the clip in the vodpod so you can see the context. McCain was talking about his domestic policies, and clearly meant to say "Americans" or "countrymen" or somesuch.
Original post: This is the kind of mental mixup that really makes you wonder what is truly going on inside of John McCain's mind. Here he is, campaigning in Pennsylvania, accidentally calling Americans "my fellow prisoners":
Wed Oct 8, 11:29 AM Pacific
McCain's War On Planetariums
More on that $3 million dollar projector for Chicago's planetarium.
Wed Oct 8, 10:30 AM Pacific
Palin's Press Avail
Sarah Palin has a press avail -- though not a press conference. She takes a question on Bill Ayers. But none of the reporters ask why she was palling around with the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party. If she's going to keep up these terror attacks, she needs to explain her involvement. Period.
Update: Everything above 2x now that they are doubling down on their stupid "Hussein" strategy.
Wed Oct 8, 10:21 AM Pacific
Conservatives Loathe The McCain Resurgence Plan
I don't agree with Michelle Malkin on just about anything, but I'll give her this: she's not afraid of dumping on Republicans, and when it comes to McCain's new mortgage bailout plan, she's livid.
I just don't understand the McCain campaign. They've been running this hard-right campaign, and now they've embraced this mortgage plan that is almost sure to alienate the people they've spent months wooing.
It's as if they have totally lost their minds.
Wed Oct 8, 10:13 AM Pacific
Indianapolis
Barack Obama just wrapped up a rally in Indiana -- I can't post the video as the speech was a half-hour long, but I'm sure the campaign will put it up before long. It was fantastic -- a great way to start the morning.
Update: Here's the full text of the speech.
Wed Oct 8, 2:55 AM Pacific
New Obama Ad On McCain's Health Care Tax Plan
The Obama campaign continues pounding away at the Achilles' heel of John McCain's health care plan: the fact that it would for the first time ever levy a tax on health care benefits.
Wed Oct 8, 2:51 AM Pacific
McCain Report Blog Forgets To Claim Victory
Are they starting to mail it in over in McCain-land?
The campaign's official blog, The McCain Report, seems to have forgotten to claim victory. After the first debate, campaign blogger Michael Goldfarb was on the ball. And after the VP debate, he remembered to declare victory. But tonight? Crickets.
I'm sure he'll have the official victory statement posted by the AM. The question I have is whether he really believes it.
Wed Oct 8, 2:01 AM Pacific
The McCain Resurgence Plan
McCain-land actually has a new for his "new" mortgage proposal: The McCain Resurgence Plan. Could they possibly come up with a more desperate sounding name?
I wonder how conservatives will react when they internalize the fact that John McCain has now proposed having the government step in and refinance the mortgages of "irresponsible" borrowers?
Six months ago, mind you, McCain promised never to do such a thing. Now he says he'll do it. I wonder if any of them still think he's a man of his word?
Wed Oct 8, 1:40 AM Pacific
Palin's Per Diem Problem
One of the things that we learned when Sarah Palin released her taxes was that she did not pay taxes on either the per diems that she received for working at home, or for the travel expenses the state paid for her children.
Well, the state of Alaska is now reviewing whether or she should have have paid taxes on the per diems. Or, to put it in slightly more blunt terms: officials are now investigating whether Palin cheated on her taxes.
Wed Oct 8, 12:32 AM Pacific
McCain's War On Planetariums
John McCain says he wants to send a man to Mars. Surely, then, he believes it is in the national interest that Americans understand the cosmos and our place in it.
What better place to educate children about that relationship than the planetarium? I know that when I grew up, I loved the Hayden Planetarium; it wasn't just educational, it was fun.
So when the most ridiculous earmark John McCain can find is an unfunded (but reasonable) request to replace a forty-year old projection system for Chicago's planetarium (serving a population of millions), I have to wonder if his war on earmarks hasn't just totally jumped the shark.
I mean, what does he have against planetariums? Seriously.
Wed Oct 8, 12:16 AM Pacific
Chasing Goldwater
GOPers think "that one" was one of McCain's best moments of his debate.
Tue Oct 7, 11:48 PM Pacific
Memo To McCain's Advance Staff
Next time, get him a shorter stool, one he can comfortably sit on.
I mean, his butt barely reaches the seat. Seriously, as much as I don't like McCain, his staff has failed him bigtime during this campaign.
Tue Oct 7, 11:29 PM Pacific
McCain Lied About Ties To Nazi Collaborators
The AP picks up on an observation made by debrazza last night: despite McCain's claim, he hadn't cut off ties with the "U.S. Council for World Freedom" in 1984.
Tue Oct 7, 11:16 PM Pacific
ThatOne 08
The logo has arrived! LOL. This is getting fun.
Update: The website has arrived!
Tue Oct 7, 10:00 PM Pacific
That One Was Cold As Ice
Tue Oct 7, 8:47 PM Pacific
Voters: McCain's 'That One' Remark 'Childish,' 'Unrespectful'
Tue Oct 7, 8:05 PM Pacific
McCain Refuses Handshake With "That One"
Tue Oct 7, 7:56 PM Pacific
CBS Poll - Obama Won; CNN Poll - Obama Won
CNN: 54-30, Obama
CBS: 39-27, with 35 saying it's tied. Most striking number: 80% say Obama understand their needs and problems compared to just 46% for McCain.
Update: CBS actually was 40-26-34, despite what was initially reported on TV.
Tue Oct 7, 7:10 PM Pacific
McCain Calls Obama 'That One'
Tue Oct 7, 6:41 PM Pacific
Debate Open Thread #2
Obama is beating Tom Brokaw and John McCain.
Tue Oct 7, 5:40 PM Pacific
Open Thread For Tom Brokaw's Debate
One day, I'd like to moderate one of these things.
6:11: McCain said 1.3 million people make their living on Ebay. Wrong. And as pointed out in the comments, the company just laid off thousands.
6:15: I'm going to stop doing live updates here and I'll stick to the comments. But I will say that it seems like on that second question, Barack Obama may have scored a first round knockout.
Tue Oct 7, 4:38 PM Pacific
Debate Donation/Volunteer "Money Bomb"
barath's set up a debate donation/volunteer "money bomb" at Daily Kos.
Tue Oct 7, 3:31 PM Pacific
Here's What I'm Expecting Tonight
In general, I think Obama will continue avoiding personal attacks, but will be plenty tough on McCain on the issues. He might say that McCain's response to the economic crisis was erratic, but in general the contrasts will be about his substantive policy differences with McCain.
I don't think McCain will launch any personal attacks. Sure, he'll make some false accusations about policy issues, but I don't think he's going to voluntarily raise any of Sarah Palin's lines of attack, and if a voter raises it, he's going to try and say "well that's a question Obama needs to answer."
On a substantive level, Obama will aim to make the case for why we need a clean break from the economic and foreign policy philosophies that have guided the last eight years.
McCain will try to avoid those issue as much as possible, instead trying to muddy up the debate with his false Fannie/Freddie tale and his equally false attacks on taxes.
Although the economy in general will be the overriding theme of the debate, my hunch is that the most significant clashes will come over taxes and health care. I also have a feeling that McCain might not be prepared for the aggressiveness of Obama's pushback on his tax and health care plans, particularly McCain's plan to tax health care benefits for the first time ever.
If McCain can't figure out how to handle Obama's pushback, tonight could be a devastating loss for him. I'm not saying that I expect that to happen, but one can dream, right?
Anyway, that's what I'm looking for tonight. What about you?
Tue Oct 7, 3:13 PM Pacific
Running From The Issues
You gotta' love the internet. The coolest stuff just pops up from nowhere:
Tue Oct 7, 3:04 PM Pacific
Palin Takes Cheap Shot At Biden While He's At Funeral
A new low: she attacks Joe Biden while he's at his mother-in-law's funeral.
Tue Oct 7, 2:34 PM Pacific
Alaskan Independence Party Sponsored By Iran. Seriously.
David Talbot reports on what would have been the crowning achievement of Alaskan Independence Party founder Joe Vogler had he not been first killed in a plastic explosives deal gone bad:
Vogler's greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States "tyranny" before the entire world and to demand Alaska's freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue.
That's right ... Iran. The Islamic dictatorship. The taker of American hostages. The rogue nation that McCain and Palin have excoriated Obama for suggesting we diplomatically engage. That Iran.
The following year, Todd and Sarah Palin attended the AIP convention, and Todd Palin joined the party shortly thereafter.
Tue Oct 7, 2:26 PM Pacific
There will be follow-up questions
Ben Smith says that Tom Brokaw wasn't a party to the agreement between the campaigns that forbade follow-up questions from the debate moderator. Therefore, Ben says, both campaigns expect follow-ups.
Tue Oct 7, 1:44 PM Pacific
Loaded For Attack
Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott received criticism for his "Hussein" comment at yesterday's Palin rally, but the thing that I really had a problem with was the fact that he appeared onstage not just in uniform, but also with his holstered firearm on clear display. If that wasn't an attempt to intimidate voters -- dare I say, terrorize them -- I don't know what is.
Moreover, Scott showed incredibly bad judgment. Taking a loaded gun onstage while attacking Barack Obama could easily have been misconstrued as an attempt to incite nutjobs.
By the way, Federal authorities are now exploring whether Scott violated the Hatch Act by appearing in full uniform at yesterday's Palin rally, using his position of authority to interfere with the election.
Tue Oct 7, 12:58 PM Pacific
Dishonorable
In a 2000 debate, McCain attacked Clinton for ordering bombing raids where they were "flying at 15,000 feet where they killed innocent civilians" instead of planning ground operations. Now that it's 2008, McCain says Obama is "dishonorable" for saying essentially the same thing.
Tue Oct 7, 12:49 PM Pacific
New CNN State Polls
Ohio: 50/47 (Obama); Indiana: 46/51 (McCain); New Hampshire: 53/45 (Obama); North Carolina: 49/49 (tie); Wisconsin: 51/46 (Obama).
Tue Oct 7, 12:27 PM Pacific
McCain Loves Him Some Town Hall Action
Not to play the expectations game, but tonight's debate is taking place on McCain's turf -- all campaign long, everybody from McCain to the media have talked about how great he is at town hall meetings.
Check out this new DNC web video to see what I mean:
Tue Oct 7, 12:15 PM Pacific
'Pro-Life' Terrorist Praised At 1993 McCain Speech Event
Nick Juliano at Raw Story makes a great catch: it turns out that in August, 1993, John McCain spoke before an ultra-right wing organization in Portland, Oregon.
Marylin Shannon, the vice chairwoman of the Oregon GOP, had a spot on the program to give an opening prayer. In short order, she praised the Grants Pass woman accused of shooting an abortion doctor in Wichita.
McCain accepted Shannon's kind words for the shooter without protest. Indeed, just a few months later he voted against legislation to protect abortion clinics from such violence.
The shooter was subsequently convicted of attempted murder.
Tue Oct 7, 11:51 AM Pacific
Four Million
I just heard Axelrod say that Obama has now received contributions from four million people. That is just remarkable.
Tue Oct 7, 11:36 AM Pacific
Scrambling To Reclaim Some Dignity
In the midst of economic discontent, George H.W. Bush ran against Bill Clinton on character and experience. Clinton pledged to fix the economy. Bush had little or nothing to offer the middle class, while Clinton (like Obama this year) promised those voters a tax cut.
So, by all means, McCain should highlight Obama's troubling friendships, but he has to be careful. If it's the candidate of "change" versus the candidate of "change the subject," he'll lose in an electoral landslide.
Tue Oct 7, 1:09 AM Pacific
Sarah Palin: Palling Around With Secessionists (NEW VIDEO)
Mon Oct 6, 8:42 PM Pacific
Defending The Flanks
I hear this question a fair bit: why, when the economy is in shambles, would any Obama supporter want to talk about anything but the economy? Isn't changing the subject what McCain wants? Won't talking about non-economic issues play into his hands?
I understand where that concern is coming from, but the reason why it doesn't worry me is simple: at the end of the day, nothing is going to change the fact that the economy is the number one issue for most voters. Nothing.
And nothing is going to change the fact that while John McCain is ignoring the economy, Barack Obama will continue to focus on it.
But that doesn't mean that some elements of his campaign, or his supporters, can't or shouldn't engage McCain wherever McCain may be playing the game. Sure, McCain isn't on the main field of play, but think of it this way: while a subset of us are sparring with McCain on the sidelines, Barack Obama is marching down the field towards victory.
In battlefield terms, McCain is attempting a flanking maneuver, albeit a highly implausible one. We're just making sure it won't work.
I'll close with a related thought: keep an eye out for a new TJR video sometime in the next 12 hours or so, focusing in on "Secessionist Sarah."
Mon Oct 6, 6:21 PM Pacific
Keith O.'s Special Comment On Palin-McCain Terror Campaign
One of Keith's best ever:
What I particularly liked was that while he was appropriately indignant, mostly he just mocked the Palin-McCain campaign.Mon Oct 6, 3:59 PM Pacific
John McCain Is A Liar
The New York Times documents the falsehoods in McCain's attack speech.
Mon Oct 6, 3:32 PM Pacific
McCain = Bush = More Of The Same
CNN's newest poll, which shows Obama with an eight point lead, also shows that 56% of voters believe McCain's policies would be "the same as" Bush's.
Update: Obama leads by 6 in the new NBC/WSJ poll, which also shows that by a 50/29 margin, voters think the Obama-Biden ticket is outperforming Palin-McCain in the debates.
Mon Oct 6, 3:15 PM Pacific
John McCain's Domestic Terrorism Problem
McCainiacs managed to bury this video on digg, so I'm reposting it with another digg link to help get the word out. You can view the original post here.
Mon Oct 6, 3:07 PM Pacific
What A Tool
David Gregory: "Sarah Palin had a successful debate." I guess if you use Queen Latifah's standards, he's right, but everybody else thinks she lost.
Mon Oct 6, 2:35 PM Pacific
Trump Won't Say Palin Is Qualified
Even The Donald just can't bring himself to say the words:
Mon Oct 6, 1:37 PM Pacific
McCain On His Keating Role: 'It Was The Wrong Thing To Do'
So it appears as if John McCain is now recanting his confession that the Keating Five scandal was the "worst mistake" of his life. Let's go to the videotape, from shortly before the New Hampshire primary in 2000:
Mon Oct 6, 1:12 PM Pacific
McCain Camp On His Domestic Terrorism Problem
Referencing an NYT article about Obama, McCain spokesman Nancy Pfotenhauer today proclaimed:
If Senator McCain had hung out with somebody who had bombed abortion clinics, no one would consider [raising the issue] illegitimate.
Well, there's no evidence that McCain hung out with any clinic bombers.
But he did vote to protect them from the law, siding with radical "pro-life" terrorists and putting women and their doctors at risk.
Mon Oct 6, 12:46 PM Pacific
To Put This In Context
CNN just put up a poll, +/- 3%, conducted Oct. 3-5:
Question: Is Another Depression Likely?
- Yes: 59%
- No: 42%
No matter what John McCain does with his campaign, no matter what his surrogates say, no matter what I might post, there is just one thing that matters now: the economy.
And McCain has nothing to say. All he wants to do is turn the page.
Mon Oct 6, 12:34 PM Pacific
Holy $@^&!
So I just got up and going about forty minutes ago...and my god, the Dow Jones lost a digit.
McCain is going crazy on TV right now, by the way, accusing Obama of being responsible for the bailout package's initial defeat.
He's really losing it, in every sense.
Mon Oct 6, 5:36 AM Pacific
John McCain's Domestic Terrorism Problem (new video)
When it came to fighting violence against abortion clinics, John McCain put his radical "pro-life" politics first -- putting women and their doctors at risk:
::: ::: :::
barath gets a big shout out for picking out the perfect music for this video.
::: ::: :::
Here's how the New York Times summarized the legislation John McCain voted against (not just once, but twice):
The Senate voted overwhelmingly today for a Federal law to prohibit bombings, arson and blockades at abortion clinics, and shootings and threats of violence against doctors and nurses who perform abortions.
The vote was 69 to 30. Twenty-eight senators who voted against Federal financing of abortions six weeks ago supported the measure, seeing it as a law-and-order matter rather than as an abortion issue.
As you can see, McCain was one of a distinct minority of radical "pro-life" senators. A number of senators who opposed abortion nonetheless voted for the legislation because they thought it would protect women and their doctors. It was only the extremists who opposed the bill -- and McCain was one of them.
One important detail about this legislation is that it was a standalone bill. In other words, McCain was opposed to this particular policy; he can't say that he opposed the bill for some unrelated reason.
::: ::: :::
Clearly, this issue is not the most pressing issue in the campaign -- the economy is, and I fully expect Barack Obama himself to stay focused on it.
However, John McCain has basically waved the white flag of surrender on the economy, and since he's going to spending the rest of the campaign talking about anything and everything but the economy, it's useful to have issues like this, the Keating Five, and the Alaska Independence Party to throw back in his face.
This isn't about going negative on McCain, this is about giving the media the tools they need to be able to provide balance. If we didn't put these kind of issues out there, much of the debate would be dominated by whatever attack John McCain has made. But by putting things like this out there, it deprives McCain of the opportunity to take an unfettered shot.
And depriving him of that opportunity is one of the most important tactical considerations of the next 29 days.
Mon Oct 6, 12:16 AM Pacific
We Revere And Respect...
...the honorable service to this nation performed by...the Los Angeles Times, which reports (emphasis added):
Mishaps mark John McCain's record as naval aviator
McCain was on his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam when a surface-to-air missile struck his A-4 attack jet. He was flying 3,000 feet above Hanoi.
A then-secret report issued in 1967 by McCain's squadron said the aviators had learned to stay at an altitude of 4,000 to 10,000 feet in heavy surface-to-air missile environments and look for approaching missiles.
h/t: VetVoice
Sun Oct 5, 8:23 PM Pacific
Politico: Obama to hit McCain on Keating Five
Politico's Mike Allen reports that Barack Obama will unveil a 13 minute documentary tomorrow at noon eastern time on John McCain's role in the Keating Five scandal. The video will be hosted at keatingeconomics.com.
In the meantime, here's a 97-second summary of the issue I put together for HuffPost:
Sun Oct 5, 6:28 PM Pacific
Getting Tired?
Politico reports that John McCain is till taking weekends off, even with just one month to go in the campaign. According to Politico's count, McCain has has held 35 events since the GOP convention, just seven shy of Obama's 42. That doesn't include press conferences, however, of which Obama has had six or seven, while McCain has had only one.
Sun Oct 5, 5:46 PM Pacific
Two Problems For McCain On Tuesday Night
First: the debate is likely to be framed as a showdown between a candidate who is focusing on the key economic issues facing America (Obama), and a candidate who desperately wants to stop talking about the economy (McCain), even if that means making false personal attacks about his opponent's character.
That's never a good frame, but it's a particularly brutal one for a town hall setting (edit: even with Brokaw moderating). McCain is basically going to forced into one of two positions: either he's going to live up to the frame, which will turn the audience against him, or he's going to push back on it, and renounce the character attacks, which would basically shoot his campaign strategy in the foot. (It's enough to make you wonder why they stupidly leaked it to the press.)
Second: because it's a town hall, whether McCain likes it or not, issues are going to dominate, and Obama has been building up a tremendous case against McCain on the one issue area where McCain might be able to secure an advantage: taxes. For weeks now, Obama has been pounding away at the message that he will not raise taxes on anybody making less than $250,000 per year.
But now, he's adding in a brilliant new line of attack: McCain's health care tax plan, which would levy taxes on health benefits for the first time ever. Obama is going to put McCain on the spot about this on Tuesday night, so at the same time that Obama is pressing the case that he will cut middle-class taxes, he will also be pressing the case that John McCain will raise them.
I'm oversimplifying things to make my point, but I think the key thing to recognize is that on domestic issues, Obama has been steadily whittling away at McCain's one area of strength -- taxes. If on Tuesday he manages to put McCain on the defensive on taxes, denying him oxygen on the one issue area that he might be able to gain traction on, it's hard to see any policy-based argument that McCain could succesfully make to win the presidency.
As far as the character stuff, I think most voters have already made their judgment about each candidate's character. What matters most know is who has the right ideas to move this country forward.
Sun Oct 5, 4:49 PM Pacific
What Is Tom Brokaw Talking About?
Brokaw on The Today Show, talking about Palin's attack:
It's been a little curious to me by why the Obama campaign didn't address it earlier.
Brokaw on Meet The Press:
Would it have been wiser for him, however, to get at that much earlier than now, when--30 days before the election?
Excuse me, but WTF is Brokaw talking about? Barack Obama addressed this line of attack six months ago on a nationally broadcast debate. There is absolutely nothing new about it.
Here's what Obama said at the April 16 debate:
This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.
And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense, George...
...So this kind of game in which anybody who I know, regardless of how flimsy the relationship is, that somehow their ideas could be attributed to me, I think the American people are smarter than that. They're not going to suggest somehow that that is reflective of my views, because it obviously isn't.
So Brokaw's "concern" is entirely misplaced. Moreover, I find it hard to believe that Brokaw believed the words that he uttered; for that to be the case, he'd have to be staggeringly ignorant.
Normally, such foolishness might belong below the radar. But the problem here is simple: Tom Brokaw is moderating Tuesday's debate. If he does as poor a job of moderating that debate as he did on Meet The Press earlier today, then it's going to be a long night.
Sun Oct 5, 4:19 PM Pacific
Must Read Of The Day
Tim Dickinson's Rolling Stone article on McCain: Make-Believe Maverick.
Sun Oct 5, 3:40 PM Pacific
Defending The Indefensible
Sarah Palin is now defending her false "palling around with terrorists" attack with another falsehood. Now she claims that Obama "kicked off his political career" in Bill Ayers' living room.
That's a bogus claim: although Obama did attend one meeting in Ayers' home, that meeting did not kick off anything. Obama was already a candidate. In fact, the meeting had been set up for him by Alice Palmer, with whom he soon had a falling out.
Palin's obvious intent is to distract attention from the pressing economic isssues facing this country; it's another example of the McCain campaign giving up on the economic debate.
But for Palin to be making these accusations about associations is a rather spectacular mistake. After all, her husband was for years a member of the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party, and she spoke to their annual convention as recently as last year. By attacking Obama, she's not only opened the door to accusations of lying, but also to an inquiry into her own past dealings with radical right-wing organizations.
Sun Oct 5, 2:08 PM Pacific
I'm Baaaa-ack
Well, I tried, but I just couldn't keep myself away from TJR. So I'm back, blogging away, doing videos, and generally having a good time as we finish off John McCain and head towards big victory in November.
I enjoyed my brief spell with The Huffington Post, and continue to love their site, both for breadth of the content and the depth of the reporting (yes, Sam Stein, that means you!). But I'm also committed to blogging about the 2008 campaign, at least through the election, and so here I am.
I'm putting back in place some of the features that I'd taken down (digg and reddit, for example), and am looking forward to the next 30 or so days!
I also want to say thanks to everyone for sticking around, and offering their encouragement; you guys make this both worthwhile and fun.
Sun Oct 5, 1:18 PM Pacific
Barack Obama On McCain's Plan To Ignore Economic Issues
Barack Obama in Asheville, NC earlier today, talking about John McCain's plan to "turn the page" on talking about economic issues by launching a negative Swiftboat-style attack campaign.
The key line: "November 4th, you and I are going to turn the page on the disastrous economic policies of George W. Bush and John McCain." Full transcript below.
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama-as prepared for delivery
Asheville, North Carolina - Sunday, October 5, 2008
With just a month to go until election day, I know you've all been hearing a lot about politics out here in North Carolina. I know you've been seeing a lot of ads, and getting a lot of calls, and reading a lot about this election in the newspaper.
But none of you need the papers, or ads on TV, or folks like me to tell you what this election is all about. You know what's at stake. You're living it.
Here in Asheville, and across America, you've seen your incomes go down as the price of just about everything has gone way up. It's harder to pay the bills. Harder to send your kids to college. Harder to save enough to retire.
And on Friday, we learned that we'd lost another 159,000 American jobs in September. It was the ninth straight month of job losses - more than three quarters of a million this year, including 24,000 here in North Carolina. And it came just as we finished a week in which our financial markets teetered on the brink of disaster.
Yet instead of addressing these crises, Senator McCain's campaign has announced that they plan to turn the page on the discussion about our economy and spend the final weeks of this campaign launching Swiftboat-style attacks on me.
Think about that for a second. Turn the page on the economy? We're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and John McCain wants us to "turn the page?" Well, I know the policies he's supported these past eight years and wants to continue are pretty hard to defend. I can understand why Senator McCain would want to "turn the page" and ignore this economy.
But I also know this:
You're trying to pay your bills every week and stay above the water - you can't ignore it.
You're worrying about whether your job will be there a month from now - you can't ignore it.
You're worrying about whether you can pay your mortgage and stay in your house - you can't turn the page.
In 30 days you are going to elect the next president, and you need and deserve a president who is going to wake up every day and fight for you, and fight for the middle class, and fight to create jobs and grow our economy again -- not another president who doesn't get it. Not another President who ignores our problems. Not more of the same.
Senator McCain and his operatives are gambling that he can distract you with smears rather than talk to you about substance. They'd rather try to tear our campaign down than lift this country up. It's what you do when you're out of touch, out of ideas, and running out of time.
I want you to know that I'm going to keep on talking about the issues that matter - about the economy and health care and education and energy. I'm going to keep on standing up for hard working families. We're not going to let John McCain distract us from what we need to do to move this country forward.
Because November 4th, you and I are going to turn the page on the disastrous economic policies of George W. Bush and John McCain.
Sun Oct 5, 1:14 PM Pacific
A Famous Person No Longer?
Will Peggy Noonan still be given the red carpet "famous person" treatment by McCain-land after dumping on Palin populism ("increasingly concerned about her," "not helpful for the country") during Meet The Press?
Sun Oct 5, 12:07 PM Pacific
CNN: Palin's "Palling Around With Terrorists" Claim Is False
The CNN Truth Squad debunks another McCain myth. Update: The AP (!) calls the attack "unsubstantiated."
Sun Oct 5, 3:17 AM Pacific
"And John McCain? Erratic In A Crisis."
Those are the key words in a new Obama ad due out Monday, all part of the Obama campaign's plan to thwart McCain's new attack strategy.
Update (9:54AM): Here's the ad. Also, a quick note - as of today, I'll be resuming posting directly at jedreport.com. (The Seahawks and Giants are just about to start playing, so you probably won't see much from me until this afternoon, but I wanted to let you know first.)
Sun Oct 5, 1:51 AM Pacific
Saturday Night VP Debate Open Thread
I'm pleasantly surprised that NBC has already got their embeddable player up, so without further ado, I present to you...Queen Latifah, as Gwen Ifill.
Update: I forgot to mention something that must be mentioned in this open thread. Al Franken...yeah, Al Freaking Franken...is LEADING Norm Coleman by nine points. Short of Barack Obama winning, nothing could give me more satisfaction than seeing Paul Wellstone's seat return to Democratic hands.
