I posted quickly last week about C-SPAN's Debate Hub, an improved version of their very successful Convention Hubs. Since then I've had the opportunity to spend some time getting to know the site better with Leslie Bradshaw, the Communications Manager at C-SPAN project partner New Media Strategies and President of the design agency, JESS3, which created and built the … [Read more...] about C-SPAN Debate Hubs: Blog Heaven!
‘Casino Capitalism’ & World On The Edge, But…
I agree with the The Economist that in this global crisis the governments must work together. But no one talks of the world's ordinary people who have to bear the additional burden in the wake of this and other crisis, which in the first place can be attributed to the callousness and greed of the governments/leaders and financial institutions themselves (especially the … [Read more...] about ‘Casino Capitalism’ & World On The Edge, But…
What Would Happen if ‘Santa’ Was Elected U.S. President?: Argumenty i Facty, Russia
It's that time of year again! Here's a recent article from the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Facty that examines the question of what would happen of Santa Claus was elected U.S. president. And why would a Russian newspaper examine such a thing? According to the article: "The United States has a new presidential candidate: His name is Santa Claus. More precisely, he is a … [Read more...] about What Would Happen if ‘Santa’ Was Elected U.S. President?: Argumenty i Facty, Russia
Report: Palin Will Go After Biden In Debate Bigtime
With the minutes ticking down to what many are calling the most important Vice Presidential debate in American history, The Politico reports that Republican Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin's new strategy is to go after Biden -- bigtime: Sarah Palin plans to go on the attack in tonight’s debate, hitting Joe Biden for what she will call his foreign policy … [Read more...] about Report: Palin Will Go After Biden In Debate Bigtime
Last Minute Thoughts on Tonight’s Debate
As a Democrat sick to my heart over almost eight years of the Republican Bush administration's squandering of our human and financial treasure and resources, of course I hope that Barack Obama will be our next president. And, to that end, I hope that Joe Biden will do well in tonight’s important debate. His opponent, Governor Sarah Palin, has spent the past three or four … [Read more...] about Last Minute Thoughts on Tonight’s Debate
Racism and the Union Voter
The blogosphere is abuzz about this speech by AFL-CIO chief Rich Trumka, talking to the United Steelworkers about racism in the labor movement and how they need to fight against it to get the right candidate, Barack Obama, into office. My thoughts, and the reactions of other bloggers, over at The Debate Link. … [Read more...] about Racism and the Union Voter
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Registration Wars & Senate Sensibilities
Rhodes Cook on DEMOCRATS WINNING THE REGISTRATION WARS The presidential debate season is just underway. The polls are in flux. The issue agenda--which has already shifted in the last month from the Sarah Palin effect to "lipstick on a pig" to the nation's worst economic crisis since the Depression--may shift again before Election Day. But one important factor has remained … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Registration Wars & Senate Sensibilities
More Live Veep Debate Coverage
While the Politico notes that Sarah Palin's new plan is to "go after Joe Biden" we shall all have to draw our own conclusions. Tonight I will be working on an analysis of the debate as it happens, to post here shortly after the conclusion, but there will also be another live chat taking place. Over at Hot Air, I will be moderating and participating in a uStream TV chat as the … [Read more...] about More Live Veep Debate Coverage
Civil Rights Roundup: 10/02/08
Your daily dose of civil rights and related news A Nebraska law intended to stop the abandonment of newborn babies is now seeing parents drop off older kids -- including teenagers -- saying they can no longer care for them. The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh will decide whether to leave the national church in protest of its ordination of a gay bishop. GLBT voters in … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 10/02/08
Sarah Palin on a Motorcycle
Waiting for tonight’s vice presidential debate is like being passed by a motorcycle on the freeway. I’m going 70 and the motorcycle is going 90. This is very aggravating because nobody should be going 90 on four wheels, much less two, and if this guy cracks up right in front of me, I am going to be stuck with a dreadful nightmare for the rest of my life. You can say jeez, … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin on a Motorcycle
Political Stunner: McCain Pulling Out Of Michigan
This has got to be one of the most stunning political stories of the post-Labor Day presidential campaign season: Republican nominee Sen. John McCain is reportedly pulling out of Michigan: John McCain is pulling out of Michigan, according to two Republicans, a stunning move a month away from Election Day that indicates the difficulty Republicans are having in finding blue … [Read more...] about Political Stunner: McCain Pulling Out Of Michigan
Raising Expectations: Talking Up Palin’s Debating Skills
Here's a sample of some of what the media was saying yesterday: WSJ: "Palin Proved to Be Formidable Foe in Alaska Debates." NYT: "Past Debates Show a Confident Palin, at Times Fluent but Often Vague." LAT: "Underestimate Palin at your own risk, former rivals say." ABC: "Sarah Palin, Debate Champ." HuffPo: "Why Sarah Palin Is A Better Debater Than You … [Read more...] about Raising Expectations: Talking Up Palin’s Debating Skills
Memorable Lines At The VP Debate
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about Memorable Lines At The VP Debate
Some Democrats Can’t Wait Until Tonight’s Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate
But there's a good chance that by the end of the debate they (and Barack Obama) could feel quite differently... … [Read more...] about Some Democrats Can’t Wait Until Tonight’s Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate
What Sarah Palin Must Do
My last post focused on Biden's task: stay disciplined, ignore Palin, and go after McCain. Now for Palin's task. First off, ignore the expectations game. It doesn't matter how poorly people think she'll do, there is a real threshold that she must cross. Completing a sentence won't be enough. Not making a complete fool of herself will not be enough. She must be a credible … [Read more...] about What Sarah Palin Must Do
What Joe Biden Must Do
This is the first of a two-part entry on what each of the candidates must do at the VP debate. Biden must do three things tonight: 1) Discipline himself. The debate format, with limited response times, may help him a bit. But he needs to keep his answers succinct and on-message. He knows how to do this, but doesn't always follow through. 2) Ignore Sarah Palin. Speak to … [Read more...] about What Joe Biden Must Do
Tearing Down Jefferson’s Wall: Palin on the Separation of Church and State
I was going to write a post debunking Palin's response to Katie Couric's question about the separation of Church and State, but my friend Steve Benen, who knows a lot more about this than I do, beat me to it. Make sure to read Steve's post here, as well as this interesting article by his former colleague from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rob Boston, … [Read more...] about Tearing Down Jefferson’s Wall: Palin on the Separation of Church and State
Biden’s Burden
Simply put, he knows too much for snappy hockey-mom images and I-put-it-on-eBay sound bites as answers to serious questions. Three decades of real experience will weigh him down in what viewers expect to be a mud-wrestling match. What to do? Joe Biden is caught between the devil (looking mean by showing up Sarah Palin's ignorance) and the deep blue sea (appearing to be an … [Read more...] about Biden’s Burden
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Sarah Palin is toast. Or, at least that is how a lot of conservatives are feeling (myself included) after Palin's disastrous interviews with ABC's Charlie Gibson and CBS's Katie Couric. Blogger Alan Stewart Carl thinks those die-hard Palin supporters are throwing out accusations of "gotcha" journalism and questioning Gwen Ifill's integrity (Ifil is the moderator of … [Read more...] about Sarah, Plain and Tall
Quote of The Day: John McCain’s Anger As Political Liability
Our political Quote of The Day is this entry by the Atantic's Marc Ambinder on the 2008 edition of Senator John McCain that replaced the 2000 "Happy Warrior". We don't usually run an entire blog entry but we will this time: If there's one thing that worries Republican strategists more than the polls today, even more than the listlessness of the Republican Party, it is … [Read more...] about Quote of The Day: John McCain’s Anger As Political Liability