The Senescent Man

A USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted Saturday, Sept. 27, shows that Americans who watched the first presidential debate gave Barack Obama the edge over John McCain as having done the better job, by a 46% to 34% margin.

And this one from the daily tracking poll?

I'm incredulous.

All things considered, McCain pummeled Obama in the first debate last Friday, but you wouldn't know it by the MSM or the infinite number of Leftist, liberal bloggers out there who, in my humble opinion, tend to be the young, computer savvy set, who will generally skew the real pulse of the nation.

Look, let me make my point about the debate like this:  Obama admitted at least eight times that McCain was right about a certain topic while the converse was zero.  On at least four occasions, McCain expressed in various forms that Obama didn't get something, was naive about something, and in one case, naive to the point of dangerous in his view.  Conversely, Obama chided McCain a couple of times for disagreeing with Obama on matters of history.  In an even handed world, that gave it to McCain.  But Zogby says his poll indicated the debate went slightly to Obama.  If you go on MSNBC (which I don't recommend) the unscientific polls have Obama winning the debate in a landslide.

In reality what does the rank and file voter think?  The voter, the one who will get off his or her duff in November and actually go to the polls and vote.  They will be a mix of young, old, computer savvy and not.  There will be veterans of wars, recent and far.  There will rich and poor.  Straight and gay.  People who listen to public radio and television, and people who don't even know that medium exists.  They won't just be those who dawdle on computers day and night either.

I would venture that we don't know yet what the outcome on November 4 will be, but I think McCain is more in the race than one might think from what they are bombarded with day and night. 

Labels: 2008 Election

My general (biased) view of the debate last night was that Obama did not fair that well. I know that polls are indicating that Obama purportedly had won (I don’t buy it – that generally people polled felt that way), but perhaps Obama's style was more winsome. On Fox News last night, a preliminary and unscientific poll had McCain way ahead in debate performance, but I surmise the viewers were already in tune with McCain.

Except, perhaps, for what seemed more like empathy for hardship rather than a leader ready to roll out real solutions to the economic challenge we now face, every other topic was clearly won by McCain in my view.

McCain started slowly, but eventually got into a stride, and demonstrated clarity of thought and decisiveness. Obama was frequently stuttering. Someone said that they observed that Obama had McCain stuttering – I didn’t notice that.  I thought McCain was crisp and clear, and that Obama rambled.  Toward the end of the debate, Obama clearly was blabbing into every corridor of topics he could throw at McCain, which I believe his own people coached him not to do – he sounded like an academic, and his arguments were academic and not very substantive or even factual.

Today, the daily Gallop poll had Obama back up by 6 points, after McCain had gradually gotten to a tie in the recent days. I consider that the discrepancy was developed by the economic panic, which most people think was caused by a lack of leadership on the part of Bush and his team – and McCain is stuck with his association with Bush by Party lines.

I’d say McCain did a decent job separating himself from Bush in the debate, and probably helped himself, so I am predicting that the daily Gallop poll will tighten in the days leading up to the Vice Presidential debate next Thursday.

The tidbits of root cause analyses that seem to be popping up in the more reputable quarters of the main stream media (e.g., WSJ, etc.) indicate that the Democratic Congress had their fingers deeply into promulgating the Freddie and Fanny fiascos which are at the root of the great fall of the financial titans, which have been falling like dominoes.

Nonetheless, I would say at the moment, the Republicans have the greater liability in the eye of the average voter, and that is adversely affecting McCain, regardless of the debate performance.

I’ve never been a huge fan of John McCain, though I admire his patriotism, and honor his self sacrificing service to the nation, I do agree that free market economics is not his strong suit. But likewise I believe we face significant foreign policy challenges, and I have a difficult time picturing an Obama presidency facing both foreign policy and economic challenges on the scale we are facing today.

It brings to mind the comment made by the late Whitaker Chambers who remarked that he had struggled with the fact that his efforts to reveal a sinister communist infiltration of communists in the State Department in the 1930’s because, he felt, his efforts would eventually deemed as fruitless – that ultimately the bad guys would win, in his dour view of the future of the country at that time. When Reagan won the Cold War, several had indicated that, thank God, Chambers was wrong on that count; but in my view, the game perhaps isn’t over. We could still lose. Were Obama to win, his views being so far to the Left that there is no equivalent parallel in US history to compare, then Chambers warnings reemerge as prescient, terrifyingly and tragic.

Labels: 2008 Election

Rush Limbaugh said today that Tom Brokaw is the latest liberal to say, "Jesus Christ was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor."

Limbaugh also added that "This is offensive to Christians. Why do these people think this is a good thing for them to say?"

And of course, the going counter argument is that "Adolf Hitler was a community organizer, and FDR was a governor."

Now let's all agree not to use these stupid analogies ever again.  Okay?

Labels: 2008 Election

The New York Times is leading the charge against Palin this morning.  Byron York at National Review is thinking that these hyped up charges are "getting kind of amusing."  This is how they characterized the attack.

Here's the headline — "Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes" and here's the crux of it:

Throughout her political career, she has pursued vendettas, fired officials who crossed her and sometimes blurred the line between government and personal grievance, according to a review of public records and interviews with 60 Republican and Democratic legislators and local officials.

The strong language above isn't remotely justified by the thin gruel that follows. Jen Rubin goes through the article thoroughly and finds it seriously wanting. 

But again, the whole thing is just appalling. The New York Times hasn't begun to investigate Obama's deeply problematic background, nor have they run anything about him that has such an obvious and cringe inducing negative slant. Alas, it's just par for the course at the Times.

The rest of the MSM is picking up on this story and running on it without critique.  I saw it on the front page at MSNBC (no surprise), but not yet on Fox News.

IMHO this will backfire, and in the same way former Nixon VP Spiro Agnew seemed to draw energy from his opponents, Palin could as well.

Labels: 2008 Election

From John J. Miller at The Corner of National Review:

In this Mother Jones interview, former senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island essentially admits that if he had won re-election in 2006 — as a Republican, and with enormous help from the national party — he already would have switched to the Democratic Party by now:

MJ: If you were in Congress today do you think you would caucus with the Democrats? Today do you have more in common with the Democratic than the Republican Party?

LC: Yes.

Labels: 2008 Election

I've been following RealClearPolitics of late, checking both the poll for national popular vote and the state by state talley of electoral vote. They do this based on: states solidly in a candidate's camp; states leaning to a candidate; and states considered a toss up.

A couple of weeks ago, before the two conventions, Obama had a significant lead in their estimation, I think it was 232 Obama (solid and leaning) to 147 McCain (solid and leaning). They currently show it 217 Obama 216 McCain, based on the following recent changes in state polls.

on 9/9 New Jersey from solidly Obama to leaning Obama
on 9/9 North Carolina from toss up to leaning McCain
on 9/11 Georgia from leaning McCain to solidly McCain
on 9/11 Florida from toss up to leaning McCain
0n 9/11 North Carolina (again) from leaning McCain to solidly McCain.

Including all states, and allocating the toss ups to a candidate according to the poll, they show Obama 273 McCain 265.

The most significant thing is the rapid movement in North Carolina (check this link). In two polls the movement is clearly to McCain. At the same time nothing is moving towards Obama; five out of five recent changes are away from him.

I'm not ready to call it for McCain/Palin, but clearly they have the big Mo at present.

 One man's point of view

Labels: 2008 Election, Terrorism

Now here's a fine how-do-you-do.  Chafee calls Palin a "cocky wacko."  The man needs help.  Someone get him some horse shoes.

Labels: 2008 Election

From the memorial ceremonies outside the Pentagon this morning, the words of Donald Rumsfeld:

Men and women of the Pentagon — military and civilian — what a high honor it is to be with you again. We went through a great deal since September 11th, and I will always treasure our time together.

This morning we gather to dedicate this ground, where a great building became a battlefield, where stone became dust, steel became shrapnel; and where flame, smoke and destruction stole the lives of 184 men, women and children.

This Memorial tells the story of their last, terrible moments on this earth — moments when families were destroyed, when a symbol of America’s strength was scarred, and when our country became, in the words of an American poet, “acquainted with the night.”

Today we renew our vows to never forget how this long struggle began, and to never forget those who fell first.

Remembered and honored are fellow workers, friends, and family members. They were men and women at their desks in the Pentagon, who one morning kissed their loved ones goodbye, went off to work, and never came home. And they were the passengers and the crew aboard Flight 77, who in their last moments made phone calls to loved ones, and prayed to the Almighty, before their journey ended such a short distance from where it began.

Each with different backgrounds and different dreams, it was here that their fates were cruelly merged forever. In the flag that flies above this memorial, we will be reminded of what they had in common. They fell, side by side, as Americans. And make no mistake, it was because they were Americans that they were killed here in this place.

Those of us who were in the Pentagon on September 11th, share — and we will always share — a very special bond with each member of their families and with each other. We will not forget the way this huge building shook. We will not forget our colleagues and friends who were taken from us and from their families. And we will not forget what that deadly attack has meant for our country.

In the sinister logic of its perpetrators, and in the suffering of its victims, September 11th was among the darkest of days for Americans. But it was also the day that America can be said to have rediscovered its special grace — the American people’s capacity for courage, for goodwill, and for sacrifice.

Here, beneath the sloping fields of Arlington National Cemetery — fields that hold our nation’s fallen — this building stands as a silent monument to the resolve of a free people. And so too this Memorial in its shadow will stand not only as a symbol of a nation’s grief, but as an eternal reminder of men and women of valor who saw flame and smoke and stepped forward to save and protect the lives of their fellow Americans on September 11th.

Let it also remind us of each of those who have volunteered to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces, before and every day since. Our nation’s military has stood guard in this new age of peril, determined that what happened here, seven years ago, must not happen again.

We have been “acquainted with the night.” We have taken its measure. In the darkest of times, we have stood together. In defiance, our nation has pressed on toward morning. With resolve renewed, and with the certain strength of the American people, our nation will force the dawn.

My constant prayer is that God will bless the families of those we remember this day. And that the good Lord will bless all of those who have lost loved ones in the long struggle that has followed. We are deeply in their debt. And each of us will remain so for the rest of our lives.

Labels: Terrorism

Lardball, Chris Matthews, and lard-brain Keith Olbermann finally got their due.  The two have been (appropriately) bumped from political events covered by MSNBC.  Their ratings during the conventions were rock bottom.  The only problem is, NBC replaced these two doofuses with nincompoop David Gregory; and Olbermann and Matthews get to remain around for their day jobs unfortunately, for now at least.

Labels: 2008 Election

This CBS video is an interview with former Marine, writer and military expert, Bing West of Newport, RI who quickly explains what turned the tide in Iraq, and why General David Petraeus was a success (also why McCain was right to support it and Obama and Biden were wrong).  What West describes gives appropriate kudos to National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and General Petraeus . 

It also points out the ages old error (which we seem to repeat by ignoring history) of the troops on the ground knowing what to do yet being misled by the leaders behind the lines who don't. 

Is there something wrong with our war colleges?

Repeat after me: Obama and Biden were wrong, and McCain and Pereaeus were right!

Labels: 2008 Election, Terrorism

I just watched a replay of Meet the Press with Tom Brokaw in interview with Senator Joe Biden.  My conclusion is that we no way want this guy a heartbeat away from the Presidency. 

Biden miraculously rationalized how he was against the surge, yet it was McCain - one of the few for it - who was "out of touch" and "wrong."  This guy is supposed to be the Foreign Policy wonk on the Democrat ticket?  Palin will eat him alive in a debate.

Then Brokaw revealed how Biden - he and his son - have liberally benefited from donations and jobs from MBNA and their lobby.  Talk about baggage.  The MSM has been scouring Palin's record, but scratch the surface of a guy like Biden and you find a sewer hole.

Obama has an ad where he says something like "give me a break..!"  Those are my sentiments exactly.

Labels: 2008 Election

Gallup daily tracking poll now showing McCain ahead at 48% to Obama at 45% +/- 2%.

Here is a place you can go to follow the malicious rumors spawned by the MSM. (HT: Weekly Standard)

This, my friends (as John McCain likes to say) is overtly sexist (this is also a word I prefer not to use in my own lexicon - I guess I would propose the phrase: "prejudiced against women" or "against the female gender").  And here is what a  long time Democrat from Florida has to say in response.

Again, as Michael Phelps said during the Olympics, all this does is fuel the fires and the desire to win.  And in this case, the fires will be of Republicans and Independents who are coming out now to support McCain-Palin.

Labels: 2008 Election

So let's compare "Commander in Chief" qualifications,...

I went to my bi-weekly writers critique group last night. Seven of us sat around the table in the reference room at the Gravette, Arkansas public library. I've only been attending this group since June, and I don't really know any of them well. This is a stick-t0-business writers group. We don't have discussions about life or children or community or church or politics. Straight to the task at hand. Pull out what you've brought to be critiqued and let's get going.

The unofficial leader of the group, the only one with significant publishing credits, had on a political button that simply said "1-20-09". I immediately took this to be an anti-Bush button, but said nothing. Before we started our business, another member asked her what the button meant. She said, "That's when we'll be rid of Bush, and I'll be ecstatic. Unless McCain wins, which I'm starting to worry about." (loose quote)

Several others at the table seemed to nod or use other body language to indicate agreement. Seeing myself in what looked like a 1:6 minority, I still thought I should state my position, so said, "And I'll be ecstatic if that does happen. I'm for the McCain-Palin ticket." The leader said I'd find that they were all in agreement. The matter dropped and we began critiquing.

Before coming out of the closet, revealing myself as a McCain supporter and a Republican, I should have asked the reason for her concern, but I didn't think of it at the time. This was before McCain's speech. The only change in the election upon which this concern was based had to be Governor Palin, whose speech was the previous night. It appears that Palin does indeed have these Obama voters worried. I didn't detect panic, at least not yet.

I suppose they see the Republican base now solidly united around the ticket, and they know that McCain will appeal to a number of moderates, and so they are panicing worried. Good on you, John and Sarah.

And that's the view from Gravette, Arkansas.

I just caught a glimpse of MSNBC's coverage of the RNC and had to go running for the vomit bag.  Keith Olbermann was yapping about some innuendo about VP nominee Sarah Palin's transcript from the University of Idaho at Moscow, and that Palin moved in and out of the college several times over a period of years, but horror! No one knows why, and why the McCain campaign did not adequately vet her.  MSNBC further insinuated that no one from the McCain campaign contacted the school for information (which BTW is protected under privacy rules).

Horrors.

Here you will find an excellent piece by Jonathan Last on why Palin is despised by the liberal MSM.  It's worth a peek.

Labels: 2008 Election

I almost never read anything that goes from Maureen Dowd's fingers to the keyboard to either print or fingers, figuring it didn't originate in her brain, but I followed a link from Real Clear Politics to a NY Times op-ed piece by Dowd concerning Governor Palin. Dowd has hit a new low, I believe, by accusing the Republican party of playing the sexist card when her comments drip of it. Here are some excepts.

...the comely, crackling form of Sarah Palin. ...[o]nly four days into her reign as John McCain’s "soul mate," or "Trophy Vice," as some bloggers are calling her, on the ticket known as "Maverick Squared," Palin, the governor of Alaska, has already accrued ...Troopergate and Broken-watergate ...a lawyer ...a future son-in-law ...described ..."sex on skates", and a National Enquirer headline about the "Teen Prego Crisis" with 17-year-old daughter Bristol.

...Republicans have been defending Governor Palin ...saying ...while she has no foreign policy experience ...she has a lot of domestic policy experience as a supercharged P.T.A. and hockey mom.

As more and more titillating details spill out about the Palins, Republicans riposte by
simply arguing that things like Todd’s old D.U.I. arrest or Sarah's messy family vengeance story will just let them relate better to average Americans....

Even as they push Sarah Barracuda as the glamorous but tough hunting and fishing mom who can juggle it all ..."who knows how to properly field dress a moose" they rant at reporters who wonder how she will juggle it all and question some of her judgments.

At a ...rally Ms. Palin left Bristol baby-sitting Trig, who has Down syndrome... while... still absorbing the shocking news that she was about to turn into tabloid roadkill ...she’s getting married sooner rather than later.

When you make a gimmicky pick of an unknown, without proper vetting, there's bound to be a sticky press conference sooner or later....

The political unknowns ...want that tantalizing brass ring, so they're not always completely forthcoming about their skeletons, if they're lucky enough to be ineptly vetted. This is ironic, since the nominee who gets blindsided with these crises--Did McCain really know that this Palin reality show was about to pop and swallow his convention-- is presenting them to voters as the most trustworthy people to inherit the nuclear codes. [emphasis added]

...Republicans are pulling out the sexist card.

Hillary cried sexism to cover up her incompetent management of her campaign, and now Republicans have picked up that trick. But when you use sexism as an across-the-board shield for any legitimate question [emphasis added], you only hurt women....

Dowd needs to get a clue. American tradition is for older siblings to help out with younger ones. Todd Palin's DUI was before he and Sarah were married, but even if it weren't, how does that in any way affect how SLP would govern? It doesn't. The pregnancy of her daughter has no bearing. The moniker of her future son-in-law doesn't. These are not "legitimate questions", and Dowd is no reporter. When she repeats the sexist trash of blogs and low-life magazines she only hurts women.

As for who is most trustworthy to "inherit the nuclear codes", the questions asked about Governor Palin's family have no bearing on that. And, I remember that Obama, at two different times when he was asked about votes he made in the Illinois legislature that seemed out of character for him and the policies he promoted, said "I pushed the wrong button." I believe I would rather have a modern frontier woman as VP than a lazy, wrong-button-pushing establishment candidate as prez.

I've come around.

From The Weekly Standard:

Bristol Palin, the governor's 17 year-old daughter is 5 months pregnant; she plans to marry the father. Here's the official statement of Sarah and Todd Palin provided by the McCain campaign:

"We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.

"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy as has always been the tradition of children of candidates."