This just in from Andy Ostroy. But ever since Sen. John McCain added plucky Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to his ticket, the old adage nice guys finish last is beginning to take on new meaning in this year's presidential contest. It's time to dump Biden and replace him with Sen. Hillary Clinton. I don't care how it's done. Campaign chief David Axelrod can figure that out. And the … [Read more...] about The Biden-Hillary Swap
Sarah Palin and the full “Dairygate” Timeline
I need to thank alert reader Lee Indiana for pointing me to what is now, unfortunately, being called "Dairygate" in some circles and setting me off on a morning's expedition with The Google. Even if you are already aware of the strange goings on between the Alaska state government and the long, winding tale of the Matanuska Maid dairy in Anchorage, (later referred to as "Mat … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin and the full “Dairygate” Timeline
Lehman Brothers To File Bankruptcy, BOA Buys Merrill Lynch, Washington Mutual and AIG Uncertain
Note: This is a corrected version of an earlier post in which I demonstrated Sunday Afternoon Brain Fog. Thank you to our attentive readers for pointing my error out. As we feared (and as I tried to overlook) Lehman Brothers has announced they will file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, probably ending the 158 year history of the corporation. Hopes for a buyout by either … [Read more...] about Lehman Brothers To File Bankruptcy, BOA Buys Merrill Lynch, Washington Mutual and AIG Uncertain
Why McCain Became “McNasty”
Cross-posted at The Square Deal: Reading a lot of the blogs, the most common complaint about John McCain is that he has gone negative. "Why O, Why isn't he the McCain of 2000?" People ask. Alex Massie and Ezra Klein give a very plausible answer. Klein shares an article from Politco that talks about how McCain tried to be a "different kind of Republican" going on … [Read more...] about Why McCain Became “McNasty”
How the World Sees Palin—and Us
If you don’t give a hoot about how the rest of the world views our country, proceed no further. If you have a little bit of curiosity as to what other people, other countries think of us, then join me in taking a look at such views. As a translator for WatchingAmerica.com, I scan the Dutch and Spanish newspapers for articles that, when translated, will give Americans a … [Read more...] about How the World Sees Palin—and Us
The September 11 that Washington Ignores … 1973: Bottup, Spain
General Augusto Pinochet and associates: Brought to power in a bloody, CIA-sponsored coup on September 11, 1973 As any Chilean will tell you, 2001 wasn't the first time something horrific happened on September 11th. On that day in 1973 and in the crucible of the Cold War, the democratically-elected government of Chile was toppled in a CIA-sponsored coup. Examining the … [Read more...] about The September 11 that Washington Ignores … 1973: Bottup, Spain
Financial Crisis on Wall Street
When Bear Stearns sold out in a panic to JP Morgan this March, Wall Street breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, one of the most venerable institutions in American financial history bit the dust. But JP Morgan prevented an even greater catastrophe by buying Bear Stearns out at $10 per share. Today, Wall Street is facing a graver crisis as Lehman Brothers faces total collapse, and … [Read more...] about Financial Crisis on Wall Street
Cartoonists Views Of Sarah Palin, Lipstick And The News Media
Dems GOP agree on bias: Eric Allie, Caglecartoons.com Lipstick, pigs and the press: John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune The Pigs Respond: Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner … [Read more...] about Cartoonists Views Of Sarah Palin, Lipstick And The News Media
Sign McCain Went Too Far In Ads: Criticism From Karl Rove
Once upon a time you would never think that GOP political maven Karl Rove would ever even think of remotely criticizing a Republican presidential candidate for going too far in campaign ads -- but Rove has done just that in comments to Fox News in which he suggested that McCain's campaign ads have started to go over the line. What does this mean? Rove's comments … [Read more...] about Sign McCain Went Too Far In Ads: Criticism From Karl Rove
Uncanny Palin Imitation
Just in case you somehow missed it, Tina Fey's imitation of Sarah Palin on SNL isn't just good... it's downright scary. The accent, the pronunciation of certain words, the lilt in her voice on exclamatory points. And the look, with very little effort, is such that you could really confuse the two. (UPDATE below) UPDATE: Via Hot Air, another one from Lisa Nova which is … [Read more...] about Uncanny Palin Imitation
Rove: Fact Checking Organizations Can’t Be Trusted
Early 21st century America has been noted for a trend: increasingly, fact-based journalism is under fire from partisans who demonize and try to discredit reporting and reporters who dare to run material that doesn't advance their party's agenda or vigorously challenges their party's attack lines. And now this is heading towards its most (il)logical conclusion: fact CHECKING … [Read more...] about Rove: Fact Checking Organizations Can’t Be Trusted
Obama Raises Record-Breaking $66 Million In August: How Will He Use It?
In terms of money, Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is riding record-high on the fund raising front. Which begs the question: will he make efficient use of his big bucks? The Politico reports: Sen. Barack Obama raised $66 million in the month of August, making it his best month ever and the best in American political history, an aide said Sunday … [Read more...] about Obama Raises Record-Breaking $66 Million In August: How Will He Use It?
Obama’s Sagging Polls And Campaign And McCain’s Ascent
Meet the Press today reviewed some key overall and internal polling numbers that show major erosion for Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. The Democratic explanation -- which is spin unless polls show otherwise -- was given by New York Senator Chuck Schumer. Details the polls: Schumer now argues that the McCain campaign has peaked: Time will tell if Schumer's … [Read more...] about Obama’s Sagging Polls And Campaign And McCain’s Ascent
Candidate Profile: Wayne Allen Root
All through our coverage of Campaign 2008, I have focused on the candidates from the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties. If you count the vice presidential picks, there are six of them, but I have, admittedly, only covered five. On several occasions it has been brought up by readers that the math seems a bit off. This was mentioned yet again this week in my virtual … [Read more...] about Candidate Profile: Wayne Allen Root
What McCain Once Said About Mayors And Governors Experience
Further proof that the outrage and seemingly passionate beliefs in politics often need to be taken with grains of salt enough to create a new Dead Sea: On the other hand, the case can be made also that in primary mode McCain wasn't being fair to governors. In fact, a Democratic governor has now come to GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's defense in terms of her … [Read more...] about What McCain Once Said About Mayors And Governors Experience
Hurricane Season
Petar Pismestrovic, Kleine Zeitung, Austria … [Read more...] about Hurricane Season
A Deeper Background: Franci Havemeister
While we touched on this in my earlier column, various questions and responses around the net make this story worthy of a closer look. (For the record, I'm willing to bet that as recently as last year Franci never thought she would be on the cover of the New York Times.) We noted the somewhat "thin" resume (to be charitable) of Ms. Havemeister at the time that Sarah Palin … [Read more...] about A Deeper Background: Franci Havemeister
When Will Sarah Palin Go to Baghdad?
Does anyone remember the GOP Obama Clock that measured how long it had been since Barack Obama visited Iraq and Afghanistan? If memory serves, it was vitally important to Team McCain that they establish how unprepared the junior Illinois Senator was for high office, since he couldn't make decisions about an area he hadn't visited. RNC Chair, Mike Duncan, is quoted … [Read more...] about When Will Sarah Palin Go to Baghdad?
Do people even care about Sarah Palin’s dishonesty?
Some politicians thrive in spite of their reputations for dishonesty. Republicans like Richard Nixon and Democrats like Hillary Clinton carried serious baggage with the electorate for their repeated mendacity. But they maintained a core of committed supporters because they were highly knowledgeable and competent, and always stood willing to fight back against their enemies. … [Read more...] about Do people even care about Sarah Palin’s dishonesty?
Bridge to Nowhere Claim
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Bridge to Nowhere Claim