TW: I know some Republicans say screw the economists lets have the moose hunters run things. While economists like everyone else are fallible, one should heed their advice...
From the Economist:
"...80% of respondents and no fewer than 71% of those who do not cleave to either main party say Mr Obama has a better grasp of economics. Even among Republicans Mr Obama has the edge: 46% versus 23% say Mr Obama has the better grasp of the subject....
A candidate’s economic expertise may matter rather less if he surrounds himself with clever advisers. Unfortunately for Mr McCain, 81% of all respondents reckon Mr Obama is more likely to do that; among unaffiliated respondents, 71% say so....
On our one-to-five scale, economists on average give Mr Obama’s economic programme a 3.3 and Mr McCain’s a 2.2. On his plans to fix the financial crisis, Mr Obama averages 3.1, a point higher than Mr McCain. Still, some said they didn’t quite know what they were rating—reasonably enough, since neither candidate has produced clear plans of his own.
Where the candidates’ positions are more clearly articulated, Mr Obama scores better on nearly every issue: promoting fiscal discipline, energy policy, reducing the number of people without health insurance, controlling health-care costs, reforming financial regulation and boosting long-run economic growth. Twice as many economists think Mr McCain’s plan would be bad or very bad for long-run growth as Mr Obama’s....
Mr McCain gets his highest mark, an average of 3.5 and a clear advantage over Mr Obama, for his position on free trade and globalisation... Neither candidate scored at all well on dealing with the burgeoning cost of entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security."
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2008/10/which_candidate_do_economists.cfm
Thursday, October 2, 2008
As If McCain Needed Another Negative Meme
TW: The last thing McCain needs is another negative trope pulsing through the media, but this McCain is an angry man idea is growing and with reason. McCain was borderline condescending during the first debate, exhibited barely contained rage in his Des Moines interview, apparently could barely greet Obama in the Senate chamber last night. McCain's anger is legendary. Not what McCain's handlers need right now...
From Marc Ambinder at Atlantic:
"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 that Sen. McCain seems flustered, angry, inconsistent-in-tone, and his campaign seems angry and off-kilter. His refusal to look at Obama during last week's debate was evident in just about every clip."
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/metathought_of_the_day.php
From Marc Ambinder at Atlantic:
"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 that Sen. McCain seems flustered, angry, inconsistent-in-tone, and his campaign seems angry and off-kilter. His refusal to look at Obama during last week's debate was evident in just about every clip."
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/metathought_of_the_day.php
The Greatest Hits You Knew It Was Coming
TW: Yes it is piling on at this point but I did not foist this not ready for primetime time person into the nomination, John McCain did.
Trip Back In Time: 1992 VP Debate
TW: It was a 3 way featuring Adm. Stockdale's infamous "why am I here" quote but also some words from Gore that would be relevant tomorrow (btw skip the first 3:30 minutes it is irrelevant intro stuff)
Some Whoopi Ass Unleashed on Hasselbeck
TW: A bit of a free for all (skip to about minute 5:00 if u r in a hurry but stay through the end). One of the many problems when you attempt to defend the indefensible is that your surrogates are left open to looking like fools.
One Woman Wrecking Crew...
TW: The new Pakistani President Ali Ari Zardari managed to get himself in some quick doo doo during his meeting with "Dave" Palin. I posted earlier that Pakistan was complex.
From Christan Science Monitor:
"A radical Muslim prayer leader said the president shamed the nation for "indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt....Clerics declared the act a "great sin" and, though less vocal about it, similar sentiments were shared by many among Pakistani's middle classes...
For the feminists it's less about cozying up to a non-Muslim woman and more about the sexist remarks by Zardari.
"As a Pakistani and as a woman, it was shameful and unacceptable. He was looking upon her merely as a woman and not as a politician in her own right," says Tahira Abdullah, a member of the Women's Action Forum. "
From Christan Science Monitor:
"A radical Muslim prayer leader said the president shamed the nation for "indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt....Clerics declared the act a "great sin" and, though less vocal about it, similar sentiments were shared by many among Pakistani's middle classes...
For the feminists it's less about cozying up to a non-Muslim woman and more about the sexist remarks by Zardari.
"As a Pakistani and as a woman, it was shameful and unacceptable. He was looking upon her merely as a woman and not as a politician in her own right," says Tahira Abdullah, a member of the Women's Action Forum. "
Wright Peeks From Behind the Curtain
TW: This is not a McCain ad, it is from an independent group. But the Rev. makes a cameo with the wingnuts' other Obama "pals" Ayers and Rezko. By the way I have posted on this but I always feel the right is far more focused on the Supreme Court than the progressives but as this ad mentions there are potentially four seats up for grabs with the next POTUS.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Wing Nuts Turn Inward
TW: Kathleen Parker, conservative but not crazily so columnist Chicago Tribune, attained notoriety last weekend for stating the obvious- Sarah Palin's nomination is irresponsible. As a result the right-wingnuts have pounced. Yes they exist on left as well but presumably are not as well-armed.
From Parker:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traitor and an idiot. Also, my mother should have aborted me and left me in a Dumpster, but since she didn't, I should "off" myself.Those are just a few nuggets randomly selected from thousands of e-mails written in response to my column suggesting that Sarah Palin is out of her league and should step down.Who says public discourse hasn't deteriorated?The fierce reaction to my column has been both bracing and enlightening. After 20 years of column writing, I'm familiar with angry mail. But the past few days have produced responses of a different order. Not just angry, but vicious and threatening...
Such extreme partisanship has a crippling effect on government, which may be desirable at times, but not now. More important in the long term is the less-tangible effect of stifling free speech. My mail paints an ugly picture and a bleak future if we do not soon correct ourselves.The picture is this: Anyone who dares express an opinion that runs counter to the party line will be silenced. That doesn't sound American to me, but Stalin would approve. Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different than one's own, then we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks.)"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1001parkeroct01,0,3151779.column
From Parker:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traitor and an idiot. Also, my mother should have aborted me and left me in a Dumpster, but since she didn't, I should "off" myself.Those are just a few nuggets randomly selected from thousands of e-mails written in response to my column suggesting that Sarah Palin is out of her league and should step down.Who says public discourse hasn't deteriorated?The fierce reaction to my column has been both bracing and enlightening. After 20 years of column writing, I'm familiar with angry mail. But the past few days have produced responses of a different order. Not just angry, but vicious and threatening...
Such extreme partisanship has a crippling effect on government, which may be desirable at times, but not now. More important in the long term is the less-tangible effect of stifling free speech. My mail paints an ugly picture and a bleak future if we do not soon correct ourselves.The picture is this: Anyone who dares express an opinion that runs counter to the party line will be silenced. That doesn't sound American to me, but Stalin would approve. Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different than one's own, then we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks.)"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1001parkeroct01,0,3151779.column
Biden v. Palin Round 1: TKO
TW: This Couric video is the best for the simple reason they get Biden and Palin to answer the same questions re Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court. Not surprisingly when you take a highly intelligent, experienced person like Biden you get sophisticated answers. With Palin gibberish, but far worse due to her complete lack of knowledge beyond canned points, she steps into serious doo doo. Will love to see how the wingnuts rationalize her support for a women's right to privacy (other than by admitting the truth which is that she had no idea what she was talking about).
Watch CBS Videos Online
TW: In the second video, the topic is separation of church and state. Couric had no follow-up probes in the clip at least. So Palin delivered a serviceable talking point. Biden provided a nuanced answer speaking to the implications of the concept, in other words some depth. These answers delineate the nominees even more than the first in many ways.
Watch CBS Videos Online
Watch CBS Videos Online
TW: In the second video, the topic is separation of church and state. Couric had no follow-up probes in the clip at least. So Palin delivered a serviceable talking point. Biden provided a nuanced answer speaking to the implications of the concept, in other words some depth. These answers delineate the nominees even more than the first in many ways.
Watch CBS Videos Online
European Schadenfreude
TW: I am not a fan of chest-thumping Americans. Chest-thumpers are insecure. I am, however, a nationalist. I like it when our friends and enemies are worried about US hyper-power. I would just walk softly with it while appreciating the big stick. In other words the opposite of George W. Bush, Rush Limbaugh and even at times John McCain.
It is time for a change, and thumping our chests harder is not the answer. Yes the world is not all about fighting "terror", the US needs to lessen the focus on its own navel and evolve our policies as world wealth and power dis aggregates across the world. Certainly the US must get its economic house back in order as the financial problems are not merely a "Wall Street" problem but a "Main Street" problem fueled by too much debt and too little savings.
Many of us have been embarrassed by our country's policies but not our country over the past eight years sometimes this differentiation is lost in translation. But what will happen when we are no longer embarrassed but looking for aggressive partners in place of snarkers.
The schadenfreude emerging from Europe and elsewhere relative to the US' latest crises is annoying, if expected and even understandable. If Rush Limbaugh were to comment on the attached article, he would inevitably rant for three hours about those bastard Europeans. I say lets get our act together first.
If Barack Obama becomes POTUS things will have to change on the Europeans end as well. To a certain degree they have received a pass. Due to the increasingly universal derision associated with Bush they have been able to snipe endlessly about Bush and American policies generally without offering much in the way of alternatives. Come February 2009 much will be expected not only from the US in re-building its image and policies but it will also be time for the Europeans to leave the snark behind. They will need to figure out whether they want to merely recede like meek puppies in the face of the Putin's and Taliban's of the world or engage fully alongside in the US in attacking the political, military and economic challenges we all face.
From Der Spiegel (the major German news magazine)
"George W. Bush has grown old, erratic and rosy in the eight years of his presidency. Little remains of his combativeness or his enthusiasm for physical fitness. On this sunny Tuesday morning in New York, even his hair seemed messy and unkempt, his blue suit a little baggy around the shoulders, as Bush stepped onto the stage, for the eighth time, at the United Nations General Assembly..."Absurd, absurd, absurd," said one German diplomat. A French woman called him "yesterday's man" over coffee on the East River. There is another way to put it, too: Bush was a laughing stock in the gray corridors of the UN...the ridicule was a new thing. It marked the end of respect.
And now, of all times, the world is faced with a preeminent power that no longer seems capable of leading and a US president who is not even able to unite his divided country in an hour of need...A new America is on display, a country that no longer trusts its old values and its elites even less: the politicians, who failed to see the problems on the horizon, and the economic leaders, who tried to sell a fictitious world of prosperity to Americans.
Also on display is the end of arrogance. The Americans are now paying the price for their pride.
For far too long, the Americans and the British made fun of the Germans for their risk-averse, savings-oriented mentality, says Bernd Pfaffenbach, Merkel's chief negotiator on foreign trade issues. But now the relative conservatism that Germans have shown in financial matters is paying off. "One can see that we are on a more solid base," says Pfaffenbach, who refers to the crisis as a 'purifying storm...'
...In the past, the US government's solo efforts provided the Europeans with an all-too-comfortable excuse for simply doing nothing. But that excuse is no longer valid."
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,druck-581502,00.html
It is time for a change, and thumping our chests harder is not the answer. Yes the world is not all about fighting "terror", the US needs to lessen the focus on its own navel and evolve our policies as world wealth and power dis aggregates across the world. Certainly the US must get its economic house back in order as the financial problems are not merely a "Wall Street" problem but a "Main Street" problem fueled by too much debt and too little savings.
Many of us have been embarrassed by our country's policies but not our country over the past eight years sometimes this differentiation is lost in translation. But what will happen when we are no longer embarrassed but looking for aggressive partners in place of snarkers.
The schadenfreude emerging from Europe and elsewhere relative to the US' latest crises is annoying, if expected and even understandable. If Rush Limbaugh were to comment on the attached article, he would inevitably rant for three hours about those bastard Europeans. I say lets get our act together first.
If Barack Obama becomes POTUS things will have to change on the Europeans end as well. To a certain degree they have received a pass. Due to the increasingly universal derision associated with Bush they have been able to snipe endlessly about Bush and American policies generally without offering much in the way of alternatives. Come February 2009 much will be expected not only from the US in re-building its image and policies but it will also be time for the Europeans to leave the snark behind. They will need to figure out whether they want to merely recede like meek puppies in the face of the Putin's and Taliban's of the world or engage fully alongside in the US in attacking the political, military and economic challenges we all face.
From Der Spiegel (the major German news magazine)
"George W. Bush has grown old, erratic and rosy in the eight years of his presidency. Little remains of his combativeness or his enthusiasm for physical fitness. On this sunny Tuesday morning in New York, even his hair seemed messy and unkempt, his blue suit a little baggy around the shoulders, as Bush stepped onto the stage, for the eighth time, at the United Nations General Assembly..."Absurd, absurd, absurd," said one German diplomat. A French woman called him "yesterday's man" over coffee on the East River. There is another way to put it, too: Bush was a laughing stock in the gray corridors of the UN...the ridicule was a new thing. It marked the end of respect.
And now, of all times, the world is faced with a preeminent power that no longer seems capable of leading and a US president who is not even able to unite his divided country in an hour of need...A new America is on display, a country that no longer trusts its old values and its elites even less: the politicians, who failed to see the problems on the horizon, and the economic leaders, who tried to sell a fictitious world of prosperity to Americans.
Also on display is the end of arrogance. The Americans are now paying the price for their pride.
For far too long, the Americans and the British made fun of the Germans for their risk-averse, savings-oriented mentality, says Bernd Pfaffenbach, Merkel's chief negotiator on foreign trade issues. But now the relative conservatism that Germans have shown in financial matters is paying off. "One can see that we are on a more solid base," says Pfaffenbach, who refers to the crisis as a 'purifying storm...'
...In the past, the US government's solo efforts provided the Europeans with an all-too-comfortable excuse for simply doing nothing. But that excuse is no longer valid."
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,druck-581502,00.html
Dick Morris Is Not a Patriot
TW: In a post entitled "There Is Still Time McCain" to save his candidacy Dick Morris (Fox commentator/toe sucker) clings to his hope that McCain goes for the "win" instead of the compromise to pass a bailout bill.
From Dick "The Toe" Morris:
"But there is still time for him to make his move. The House Republicans bought McCain another shot by turning down the $700 billion bailout package on Monday. With no House vote scheduled until Thursday, McCain still has time to do the right thing.
He should publicly announce his support for the House Republican alternative package of insurance, loans and tax changes to deal with the financial crisis. He should attack Barack Obama and the Democrats for supporting the use of tax money for a massive bailout when the same purpose can be accomplished by other, cheaper means. McCain should draw a line in the sand and take a firm position.
From Dick "The Toe" Morris:
"But there is still time for him to make his move. The House Republicans bought McCain another shot by turning down the $700 billion bailout package on Monday. With no House vote scheduled until Thursday, McCain still has time to do the right thing.
He should publicly announce his support for the House Republican alternative package of insurance, loans and tax changes to deal with the financial crisis. He should attack Barack Obama and the Democrats for supporting the use of tax money for a massive bailout when the same purpose can be accomplished by other, cheaper means. McCain should draw a line in the sand and take a firm position.
The "Dave" Chronicles: Now I Get It
TW: It is all clear to me now...Obama/Biden/McCain and all other previous candidates for POTUS and VP were lazy folks with plenty of time of their hands to feed those media monsters..."Dave" no she is biiiiizy...
From Politico:
"According to her handlers, Sarah Palin’s schedule is light on media interviews and fundraisers because she’s so popular with the Republican base that her time is better spent on the campaign trail...But she hasn’t been hitting the hustings much, either, and her relatively sparse campaign schedule underscores the McCain campaign’s struggle to develop a strategy for effectively deploying its vice presidential candidate...'I’d also make her accessible to the local media,”' [the Republican strategist] added. 'Put a reporter in her car for 10 minutes, go on the local morning shows in these venues. They’re not out to get you. They’re so flattered that you’d even ask to do it.' ”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14136.html
From Politico:
"According to her handlers, Sarah Palin’s schedule is light on media interviews and fundraisers because she’s so popular with the Republican base that her time is better spent on the campaign trail...But she hasn’t been hitting the hustings much, either, and her relatively sparse campaign schedule underscores the McCain campaign’s struggle to develop a strategy for effectively deploying its vice presidential candidate...'I’d also make her accessible to the local media,”' [the Republican strategist] added. 'Put a reporter in her car for 10 minutes, go on the local morning shows in these venues. They’re not out to get you. They’re so flattered that you’d even ask to do it.' ”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14136.html
The Tongue Jut
TW: Watch this brief McCain video during an interview with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register then read Nate Silver's "Tongue Jut" analysis
TW: The natives are restless my new favorite Republican consultant is unhappy that McCain was even in Iowa...from Mike Murphy:
"...What the Hell was McCain even doing there in the first place?...1.) Obama is going to win Iowa...."
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/10/des_moines_register.html
TW: The natives are restless my new favorite Republican consultant is unhappy that McCain was even in Iowa...from Mike Murphy:
"...What the Hell was McCain even doing there in the first place?...1.) Obama is going to win Iowa...."
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/10/des_moines_register.html
Cafferty Follow-up To His Palin Couric Rant
TW: Well it appears McCain did not take my advice. Jack Cafferty received some feedback on his on-air rant last week re Palin which appears to support my advice.
Some Parts Of the World Economy Are Thriving
From Financial Times:
"Investors in gold are demanding “unprecedented” amounts of bullion bars and coins and moving them into their own vaults as fears about the health of the global financial system deepen...Industry executives and bankers at the London Bullion Market Association annual meeting said the extent of the move into physical gold was unseen and driven by the very rich...Johan Botha, a spokesman for the Rand Refinery in South Africa, which manufactures the Krugerrand, the world’s most popular gold coin, said the plant was now running at full capacity seven days a week. “Even so, now and then we have shortages,” he said."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bf8246aa-8f13-11dd-946c-0000779fd18c.html
"Investors in gold are demanding “unprecedented” amounts of bullion bars and coins and moving them into their own vaults as fears about the health of the global financial system deepen...Industry executives and bankers at the London Bullion Market Association annual meeting said the extent of the move into physical gold was unseen and driven by the very rich...Johan Botha, a spokesman for the Rand Refinery in South Africa, which manufactures the Krugerrand, the world’s most popular gold coin, said the plant was now running at full capacity seven days a week. “Even so, now and then we have shortages,” he said."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bf8246aa-8f13-11dd-946c-0000779fd18c.html
Expect Rev Wright To Appear Really Soon...
TW: These new Quinnipiac polls will get alot of press today (btw remember what can go up can go down). Barring a miraculous Palin performance Thursday night, I would expect Rev. Wright to appear no later than about Monday next week. I always thought Wright would come back the earlier of when McCain got down about 7-8% in the polls or the 3rd week of October (enough time to have an impact but not enough for it to dissipate). Regardless Obama will always have Hillary Clinton to thank for introducing the Reverend back in March. The impact of cultural porn, while potentially damaging on the second exposure, is never as titillating as the first.
Florida: Obama 51%, McCain 43%
Ohio: Obama 50%, McCain 42%
Pennsylvania: Obama 54%, McCain 39%
Said pollster Peter Brown: "It is difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign. In the last 20 days, Sen. Barack Obama has gone from seven points down to eight points up in Florida, while widening his leads to eight points in Ohio and 15 points in Pennsylvania."
Florida: Obama 51%, McCain 43%
Ohio: Obama 50%, McCain 42%
Pennsylvania: Obama 54%, McCain 39%
Said pollster Peter Brown: "It is difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign. In the last 20 days, Sen. Barack Obama has gone from seven points down to eight points up in Florida, while widening his leads to eight points in Ohio and 15 points in Pennsylvania."
Couric and Gibson Are Not Real Journalists Like Me
TW: So says Ms. "Dave" Palin in interview with right-wingnut Hugh Hewitt (he deserves his own separate post of derision but am just not up for it right now). This woe is me strategy is so pathetic.
From the interview (done in the Hannity/Hewitt prosecutorial style)
"HH: Now Governor, the Gibson and the Couric interview struck many as sort of pop quizzes designed to embarrass you as opposed to interviews. Do you share that opinion?
SP: Well, I have a degree in journalism also, so it surprises me that so much has changed since I received my education in journalistic ethics all those years ago. But I'm not going to pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrelful. I'm going to take those shots and those pop quizzes and just say that's okay, those are good testing grounds. And they can continue on in that mode. That's good. That makes somebody work even harder. It makes somebody be even clearer and more articulate in their positions. So really I don't fight it. I invite it."
From the interview (done in the Hannity/Hewitt prosecutorial style)
"HH: Now Governor, the Gibson and the Couric interview struck many as sort of pop quizzes designed to embarrass you as opposed to interviews. Do you share that opinion?
SP: Well, I have a degree in journalism also, so it surprises me that so much has changed since I received my education in journalistic ethics all those years ago. But I'm not going to pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrelful. I'm going to take those shots and those pop quizzes and just say that's okay, those are good testing grounds. And they can continue on in that mode. That's good. That makes somebody work even harder. It makes somebody be even clearer and more articulate in their positions. So really I don't fight it. I invite it."
Wagging the Dog: The Pelosi Sham
TW: House Speaker Pelosi was blamed by some Republicans for the demise of the bailout bill due to "partisan" speech on the floor Monday. Her speech was villified as either deeply hurtful causing spontaneous rebellion that afternoon by sensitive Congressmen (hear Rove below) or a devious Machiavellian move tipping her hand as a true opponent of the bill (see Hugh Hewitt/or the comments section on my Gingrich post). This has now been exposed as a "wag the dog" effort by those same Republicans.
From Politico:
"there was one issue on which the fractured caucus seemed to agree: The GOP leadership’s initial excuse for the $700 billion bailout bill’s demise — that some Republicans were upset by a partisan speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) prior to the vote — was a red herring...a parade of Republican lawmakers who opposed the bailout package denied the accusation against Pelosi by their own leadership, saying they voted against the legislation due to principle, not spite.
'The word came down from on high to drop it, so we’re dropping it,' said one GOP aide whose boss was told to stop attacking Pelosi."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14156.html
TW: Obviously I am skeptical of the "principles" involved but they could not have it both ways, they are either principled or whiners, or maybe they are merely principled whiners.
From Politico:
"there was one issue on which the fractured caucus seemed to agree: The GOP leadership’s initial excuse for the $700 billion bailout bill’s demise — that some Republicans were upset by a partisan speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) prior to the vote — was a red herring...a parade of Republican lawmakers who opposed the bailout package denied the accusation against Pelosi by their own leadership, saying they voted against the legislation due to principle, not spite.
'The word came down from on high to drop it, so we’re dropping it,' said one GOP aide whose boss was told to stop attacking Pelosi."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14156.html
TW: Obviously I am skeptical of the "principles" involved but they could not have it both ways, they are either principled or whiners, or maybe they are merely principled whiners.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)