As one might imagine, the U.S. election campaign has attracted tremendous attention in Mexico, where people are concerned about migration issues and other border-related topics like narco-trafficking, human smuggling and NAFTA-based bilateral trade of about $300 billion per year. This editorial from Mexico's El Universal explains that with all of the deep and intricate ties … [Read more...] about The Obama-McCain Debate: A ‘Warning’ to Mexicans – El Universal, Mexico
Violence Against Religion: Road Toward Freedom (Guest Voice)
Is the West's goal respecting all religions? And, if it is, is this truly happening? In this Guest Voice post Iranian freelance writer and blogger Kourosh Ziabari takes a look at the issue of religion and respecting religions.TMV runs Guest Voice posts of various viewpoints. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Violence against … [Read more...] about Violence Against Religion: Road Toward Freedom (Guest Voice)
NBC’s Chuck Todd: No Chemistry Or Trust Between McCain And Palin?
Since the death of NBC's journalistic giant Tim Russert, NBC's News' Political Director Chuck Todd has quickly blossomed into a media presence whose credibility and journalistic solidity have steadily grown. So Todd's blunt comments about what he observed in watching Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and his increasingly-controversial running mate Vice … [Read more...] about NBC’s Chuck Todd: No Chemistry Or Trust Between McCain And Palin?
Six John McCains, But No Sale
The Instant Information Age goes a step further with a retrospective about the failed McCain campaign in the New York Times Magazine next Sunday, nine days before the election and, true to the spirit of déjà vu on steroids, available online four days earlier than that. Time-scrambling aside, "The Making (and Remaking) of McCain" offers a compelling inside view of how the man … [Read more...] about Six John McCains, But No Sale
America the Conservative?
The lead article in this week's Newsweek describes the United States as a "center-right" nation, and that Democrats must realize that fact or risk defeat. Author Jon Meacham writes: The argument I am making—that we are at heart a right-leaning country skeptical of government once a crisis that requires government has passed—is probably going to look dumb, or at least … [Read more...] about America the Conservative?
The Blame Vote (Cartoon)
In our media soaked world, it's amazing how complex issues are turned into simplistic stories. “Simplifying” doesn’t describe it enough. Our news stories are abstracted and truncated. They are shrunk down and then blown up. They become huge fuzzy images, losing all detail. As a cartoonist, I admit this is exactly what I do. And I don’t need a 24 hour news network to achieve … [Read more...] about The Blame Vote (Cartoon)
I Early Voted! And I Voted For…
Today I stood in line in Lawrenceville, Georgia for 2 hours and 15 minutes to cast my early vote in Election '08. I'd seen and heard enough this presidential election season to last me the next three presidential election seasons. As I stood there in line, I thought about the issues, the controversies, the slop, the unreal, the surreal, the joy, the passion, the sadness, and … [Read more...] about I Early Voted! And I Voted For…
Civil Rights Less Than Roundup
I didn't do a roundup today, but I did write two posts that are pretty directly tied to civil rights (not including the Sarah Palin's wardrobe post I just linked to below). First, the data is now out on how barring affirmative action affected minority enrollment at Michigan's state universities. The result? It's a mixed bag, but the overall trends are a shift in minority … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Less Than Roundup
The Origins of Political Lies
Hilzoy provides the background (h/t Mr. Sullivan) on this particular example of the following routine: 1. Take an assumption (any old assumption will do) 2. Extrapolate the hell out of it 3. Sound the alarms and declare disaster. I know. I know. This crap happens on the Left as well as the Right, but this is the example that caught my eye today. … [Read more...] about The Origins of Political Lies
Wardrobe Malfunction
What feminism can tell us about the high price of Sarah Palin's wardrobe (and whether she should pay taxes on it). … [Read more...] about Wardrobe Malfunction
Obama’s America: ‘A Real Catastrophe’ – WProst24, Poland
Much to the surprise of some - not all the world is pulling for Obama. Perhaps the most pro-McCain country is Poland. A case in point is this article by Leszek Szymowski of Poland's WProust, which considers the possibility of an Obama win - as the headline says, 'A Real Catastrophe.' In what will be a familiar refrain for those of us who observe the American media, … [Read more...] about Obama’s America: ‘A Real Catastrophe’ – WProst24, Poland
Vice President Kay Bailey Hutchison Sounded Better
In their endorsement of Barack Obama for President, the Houston Chronicle had this to say about a lost opportunity for John McCain: McCain has an illustrious record of service to America, first as a pilot taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, and then with a distinguished Senate career. To his credit, he has broken with his own party in the past to fight for campaign … [Read more...] about Vice President Kay Bailey Hutchison Sounded Better
Please Excommunicate Me
Raised in a Protestant home, I converted to Catholicism after the birth of our only child, to help give him a consistent religious framework during his formative years. It was neither a significant nor difficult change: I had long believed Christianity is Christianity, period. Of course, I now appreciate how that belief in the equivalence of Christian faiths might hold true … [Read more...] about Please Excommunicate Me
Google Get Out the Vote Gadgets
Jacqui Cheng describes a couple of new web services Google has launched to help us find registration information and voting locations: First up is Google's US Voter Info site, which is just a version of Google Maps with integrated voter information. Users can enter their addresses in order to find their designated polling place, and even get directions right from the map. If … [Read more...] about Google Get Out the Vote Gadgets
Who Knew Neiman’s Was on Main Street?
Well, so much for Joe the Plumber. He couldn't replace washers fast enough make the kind of money John McCain was willing to spend on outfitting his vice-presidential candidate. We won't be hearing about Joe any more. Another silver lining: Sarah Palin won't be saying much about Main Street America any more, where the question of the day is no longer about the economy, per … [Read more...] about Who Knew Neiman’s Was on Main Street?
Sarah Palin and Princess Grace
A headline asks, "Could Palin Factor Save McCain?" and their story brings back memories of another Cinderella tale--how Grace Kelly came to rescue Prince Rainier of Monaco half a century ago. In the New Yorker, Jane Mayer says of McCain and Palin: "By the time he announced her as his choice, the next day, he had spent less than three hours in her company." Their whirlwind … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin and Princess Grace
The Politics of Wardrobe Costs
By now everybody has probably heard the story about the RNC spending $150,000 on Sarah Palin's clothing and makeup. I mentioned this story to my wife this morning and, while she detests Sarah Palin, she came to her defense on this. Clothing (and hair and makeup) just cost a LOT more for women than for men. Anybody who reads the regular fashion and Hollywood journals knows that … [Read more...] about The Politics of Wardrobe Costs
Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Obama Increases Lead Over McCain In Possible “Blowout”
Pollster John Zogby reports that Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is now increasing his lead over Republican Sen. John McCain in what could be shaping up as what Zogby calls a "blowout." Zogby predicts this could be a politically-transformative landslide like Ronald Reagan's. Democrat Barack Obama moved very close to a double–digit lead over Republican … [Read more...] about Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Obama Increases Lead Over McCain In Possible “Blowout”
Florida Focus Group: Independents Break For Obama And Are Anti-Palin
The respected St. Petersburg Times has been keeping tabs on a group of Tampa swing voters and it finds them now breaking heavily for Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama -- and GOP Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential candidate has a lot to do with it. That mirrors an NBC poll that shows Palin is now clearly … [Read more...] about Florida Focus Group: Independents Break For Obama And Are Anti-Palin
Searching for a McCain Tech Policy Supporter
A couple weeks ago Wired ran an Obama vs. McCain Tech Scorecard. McCain earned a D; Obama a B. [See comment below, thank you BBQ for correcting my error.] Nicholas Thompson then contacted the two campaigns and asked for representatives to debate over tech issues. Obama offered up former FCC chair Reed Hunt. Here's Thompson's tale of the McCain campaign response: My first … [Read more...] about Searching for a McCain Tech Policy Supporter