Yellow Dog

I agree with much of the analysis of Friday's debate, which noted that--while the debate, arguably, could have been declared a draw in terms of substance--McCain lost points on style, with Obama exhibiting the more presidential temperament. McCain came across as old, grumpy, and angry, and you half expected him to yell at Obama, "Get off my lawn, kid!"

But while I was irritated with McCain constantly and arrogantly telling Obama that he was naive and "didn't understand," I thought Obama had a good comeback in his interview today with Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation:

SCHIEFFER: Senator Obama, it seems to me that the whole debate came down to a couple of questions. You questioned Senator McCain's judgment repeatedly, he repeatedly said you just didn't understand; that you didn't have the knowledge or the understanding to deal with these issues, both the financial issues and foreign policy issues.

Sen. OBAMA: Right. Well, the interesting thing is he kept on asserting I didn't understand, but beyond saying the line never indicated what exactly I didn't understand. It's true I don't understand Senator McCain's positions on a whole host of issues, because given how the Bush administration has created an extraordinary crisis in the economy and considering that we remain bogged down in Iraq--al-Qaeda is resurgent, Iran is developing nuclear weapons--that our foreign policy is, if not in a shambles, then certainly not in a place that I think anybody is comfortable with. Given those facts, what I don't understand is that Senator McCain continues to promote them. There was not one instance where Senator McCain could support his assertions with some indication that, in fact, he had some secret understanding of what the Bush administration was doing that made sense. In fact, he essentially is defending a status quo that is not working for the American people.

SCHIEFFER: Some Democrats said that they thought he was being condescending to you. Did
you take it in that way?

Sen. OBAMA: Well, I think it was a--it was a debating trick, which is to essentially just keep on asserting that because of my vast years in Washington, somehow I'm better qualified to be president. And one of the points that I've made consistently in this campaign is that if the length of tenure in Washington is a measure of your wisdom, then people should vote for somebody else. But I think the American people understand that the conventional wisdom in Washington, which John McCain has followed for the last eight years, is exactly what needs to be changed.

Obama: "No Welfare For Wall Street", Nominee Is Inclined To Support Congress' $700B Bailout Package If It Also Protects Main Street - CBS News

Great op ed by Frank Rich in today's NYT:

On McCain's "stunt" to suspend his campaign:
"When John McCain gratuitously parachuted into Washington on Thursday, he didn’t care if his grandstanding might precipitate an even deeper economic collapse. All he cared about was whether he might save his campaign. George Bush put more deliberation into invading Iraq than McCain did into his own reckless invasion of the delicate Congressional negotiations on the bailout plan."

On McCain's (lack of) knowledge of economic issues:
"To put these 24 hours in context, you must remember that McCain not only knows little about the economy but that he has not previously expressed any urgency about its meltdown. It was on Sept. 15 — the day after his former idol Alan Greenspan pronounced the current crisis a “once-in-a-century” catastrophe — that McCain reaffirmed for the umpteenth time that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong.” As recently as Tuesday he had not yet even read the two-and-a-half-page bailout proposal first circulated by Hank Paulson last weekend. “I have not had a chance to see it in writing,” he explained. (Maybe he was waiting for it to arrive by Western Union instead of PDF.)"

On McCain's close ties to Freddie and Fannie:
"What we were learning — through The New York Times, Newsweek and Roll Call — was ugly. Davis Manafort, the lobbying firm owned by McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, had received $15,000 a month from Freddie Mac from late 2005 until last month. This was in addition to the $30,000 a month that Davis was paid from 2000 to 2005 by the so-called Homeownership Alliance, an advocacy organization that he headed and that was financed by Freddie and Fannie to fight regulation."

I can hardly wait to see what the next gimmick or campaign stunt will be. October surprise, anyone?

Op-Ed Columnist - McCain%u2019s Suspension Bridge to Nowhere - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

Four years ago, born-and-bred Kansas conservative-turned-liberal, Thomas Frank wrote a popular book called _What's the Matter with Kansas?_ In the book, Frank explored why Republicans--particularly low-income or middle-class individuals--choose to vote against their economic interests. He posits that they have embraced cultural wedge issues over the economic good of the country.

I have long wondered why people like my family, who are squarely middle class, would embrace a Republican free-market ideology--like the one that has led to our recent financial crisis--or why they would look down on welfare to the poor but avert their gaze when it comes to corporate welfare. And honestly, unless you are making over $250K and will gobble up even more tax breaks from a McCain presidency, why wouldn't you vote for Obama, who will give tax breaks to 95% of US citizens?

Puzzled by this seeming disconnect, I've set out to answer the question, "What's the Matter with GOP voters?" Here's my attempt at a response at why anyone would vote McCain/Palin:

1) You are a rich CEO enjoying "voluntary regulation" and the privatized profits and socialized risks that go along with deregulation (which McCain promoted);

2) You are part of the 24% who still think Bush is doing a good job, and you want to see a continuation of the disastrous policies that got us where we are today;

3) You are part of the "values voters" who are more interested in the fact that the Pentecostal Sarah Palin can speak in tongues than whether she can speak coherently about any other domestic or international issues;

4) You are woefully misinformed and only listen to right-wing talk radio, FOX news, or WorldNet (Nut) Daily and therefore have a very warped view of reality and along with a deep hatred of anyone who is different, which leads to my last point:

5) You are a racist who would never vote for a black man for President, even if the alternative is a doddering old white guy who has spent 30 years in Washington and failed to change it and who picked a frighteningly inexperienced running mate and put her a heartbeat away from the presidency--all for a gimmick and not the good of the country.

Online NewsHour: Economic, Social Issues Play Part in Voters' Decisions -- October 28, 2004

Following calls from right-wing conservatives, like the Washington Post's Kathleen Parker, for Sarah Palin to step down "to spend more time with her family," comes this scathing article from Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek, who is usually pretty moderate. Here's his lede:

"Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony?"

Citing the recent interview with Katie Couric, Zakaria notes that "Palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers, simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can. ("We mustn't blink.") But if forced off those rehearsed lines, what she has to say is often, quite frankly, gibberish."

In fact, she's so much of a joke, that on SNL last night, Tina Fey--doing a spot-on impersonation of Palin--was able to recite direct quotes from the interview. Instant comedy! Here's Palin's actual answer to a question from Couric re: the bailout:

"That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that."

Huh? Gibberish indeed. This would be hilarious if it weren't the case that this woman is one 72-year-old's heartbeat away from the Presidency. Great call, McCain--way to go in putting "country first."

Fareed Zakaria: Palin Is Ready? Please. | Newsweek Voices - Fareed Zakaria | Newsweek.com