History repeated itself recently when John McCain suggested that his running mate, Sarah Palin, is an experienced hand when it comes to national security issues because the state she serves as governor, Alaska, is close to Russia and because she commands the state's National Guard. It was reminiscent of a flashpoint in the 1992 presidential election. That year, attempting to … [Read more...] about Palin, Clinton, the National Guard, and National Security
What America Needs: ‘Politics Without Sex’ – Die Zeit
Exasperation over the standard of debate in the U.S presidential race is definitely global, and in 'Old Europe,' this exasperation centers on how sex and religion insert themselves into a debate that ought to be about better public policy. In this article, which might be regarded as a plea for rational political discourse in the United States, Carolin Emcke writes for … [Read more...] about What America Needs: ‘Politics Without Sex’ – Die Zeit
Financial Earthquake May Be Coming This Weekend: Lehman and Washington Mutual
While we are all properly focused on the progress of Hurricane Ike towards Houston there is another potential disaster this weekend and it could have a much greater impact on us that Ike will. Two of the biggest financial institutions in the country, Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual may be facing the last roundup this weekend. Both companies are in deep financial … [Read more...] about Financial Earthquake May Be Coming This Weekend: Lehman and Washington Mutual
Hurricane Ike: Houston (and especially Galveston) We Have A Problem
UPDATE: Latest news reports say that the storm may be as much as 900 miles across meaning the impact will cover much of the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Some people think as many as 100,000 homes may be flooded. I do think (or at least hope) that much of this is media hype but it is gonna be a rough Saturday for Texas. I realize that our readership is not as big as many other … [Read more...] about Hurricane Ike: Houston (and especially Galveston) We Have A Problem
Back to the cocoon
Last night's interview with Charlie Gibson has clearly sown ever more doubts about Governor Palin's readiness to be Vice President. Her impolitic response on Russia, complete avoidance of the Pakistan question, and ignorance over the Bush Doctrine has not sat well with the American people today. The McCain campaign clearly knows it, because now Sarah Palin will be holding her … [Read more...] about Back to the cocoon
Palin and the Polls
The CW at the moment is that McCain is surging in the polls. (And, indeed, he is ahead of Obama nationally, up by 2.8 points in the RCP Average.) But what are the polls really saying? Specifically, what are the state-by-state polls saying? Here's the indispensable Nate Silver with yesterday's numbers: [T]he popular vote and the Electoral College are significantly diverging. … [Read more...] about Palin and the Polls
More Close Encounters for the Campaign
Around their drive-by handshake at last evening's forum on public service, John McCain and Barack Obama showed voters their best selves, but there must be an alternative to the sliming of the past weeks and yesterday's arm's length politesse. Why doesn't Obama take McCain up on the offer he repeated last night for face-to-face town hall encounters? In such a setting, … [Read more...] about More Close Encounters for the Campaign
Democrats could win the election with a vote on SCHIP
Democrats have a trump card up their sleeve this year that could possibly win the election (or at least shift the momentum in Obama's favor), and they either don't know it or they for some reason are unwilling to play it. From the New York Times: Congressional Democrats have scrapped plans for another vote on expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program, thus … [Read more...] about Democrats could win the election with a vote on SCHIP
“Is Sarah Palin Politicizing Son’s Military Service?”
That's the question posed by ABC News. But it is even a question? Of course she is. Just as she seems to think that living near Russia gives her foreign policy expertise, so does she seem to think that having a son deployed to Iraq gives her military and national security expertise. Which is why she keeps bringing up Private First Class Track Palin's imminent … [Read more...] about “Is Sarah Palin Politicizing Son’s Military Service?”
Part of the Conventional Wisdom Starts To Shift?
The AP (criticized on the left which has claimed it is too pro-McCain) on Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain -- on the 2008 McCain versus the 2000 McCain and tactics that have begun to startle even seasoned journalists and political pros. … [Read more...] about Part of the Conventional Wisdom Starts To Shift?
Unuseable Absentee Ballots Mailed In Ohio
Can you guess which campaign mailed them? … [Read more...] about Unuseable Absentee Ballots Mailed In Ohio
Just Shoot Me Now, Okay?
It was reassuring -- in a Nightmare on Elm Street sort of way -- that Sarah Palin, in what can be considered her first foreign-policy address, repeated the discredited Bush administration mantra that the war in Iraq is being fought in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Even the president himself has rejected his oft-repeated contention that the Al Qaeda hijackers came … [Read more...] about Just Shoot Me Now, Okay?
Campaign 2008: The Great Debate
Adam Zyglis, The Buffalo News … [Read more...] about Campaign 2008: The Great Debate
John McCain’s Sleazapalooza: Too Big To Fail?
Do being honest and principled count for anything in an era when taking liberties with the truth is taken for granted and the high road is less traveled? The answer is a tentative "yes" coming from someone who could have voted for John McCain not that long ago because he seemed to be a man of conviction whose moral compass was pointed in the right direction, but has watched … [Read more...] about John McCain’s Sleazapalooza: Too Big To Fail?
What Can We do About 9/11 Conspiracies? … ‘Nothing or Little’: La Dapeche, France
'Truthers' as they are called, exist around the world. They believe that in one way or another, the U.S. government was involved in the 9-11 attacks. … [Read more...] about What Can We do About 9/11 Conspiracies? … ‘Nothing or Little’: La Dapeche, France
Barack and John Should Immediately Be Asked About Russiazuela
President Chavez of Venezuela says Premier Castro of Cuba is his role model. Cuba has long had ties with Russia. In the 60s, we had the Betelgeuse scared out of us during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when Russia began secretly-building missile bases in Cuba, a mere 90 miles offshore USA. President Kennedy told Russia that any aggression launched from Cuba against any nation in … [Read more...] about Barack and John Should Immediately Be Asked About Russiazuela
Americans Spying on Maliki? … What a ‘Joke’!! – Iraqi News Agency
Sometimes the level of derision with which Iraqis view their own government is truly striking. A few days ago it was revealed that Bob Woodward's new book, The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008, contains allegations that the United States intelligence services have been spying on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government - most of which lives and works … [Read more...] about Americans Spying on Maliki? … What a ‘Joke’!! – Iraqi News Agency
Just for a Moment: OK, Let’s Go! You Ready?
We could see pods of whales this time, and call it First Semester, and go up where they trap humongous crabs and call it Quarterly Exams, and we could look straight down on the AlCan, and tip a wing and wave at villagers, and hoist up over mountains all the way to the Chukchi, and call it Sociology and Cartography, and we could land in knee-high fog on a lake I … [Read more...] about Just for a Moment: OK, Let’s Go! You Ready?
Fox’s O’Reilly Defends Obama And Warns McCain On Pig Lipstick Charge
Fox News' mega-ratings winner Bill O'Reilly defends Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama against charges from GOP Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's camp that Obama talk about a pig with lipstick was a reference to Republican Veep candidate Gov. Sarah Palin. O'Reilly also takes (another) swipe at NBC News -- and warns McCain about the impact this kind of … [Read more...] about Fox’s O’Reilly Defends Obama And Warns McCain On Pig Lipstick Charge
Remembering The 911 Double Tragedy
As I battled the traffic this morning from Culver City to my San Diego home I knew what was on my mind as I shut off the radio after fruitlessly trying to find a left or right talk show that wasn't involved in angry partisan demonization. Usually it didn't bug me listening to talk show hosts spending three hours explaining why only one party (theirs) is honorable and has good … [Read more...] about Remembering The 911 Double Tragedy