Election Central Saturday Roundup
McCain Raised $48 Million In August, His Best Ever
John McCain collected a very impressive $48 million in August, less than Barack Obama's $66 million but still his best month ever. On top of that, the RNC has consistently out-raised the DNC, and McCain received $84 million in government money after the Republican Convention -- so Obama's much-vaunted fundraising numbers may not actually lead to an overall advantage.
Obama In Florida, Biden In Virginia
Barack Obama is campaigning today in Florida, where he held a rally earlier this morning in Daytona Beach, and has another one in Jacksonville scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Joe Biden is campaigning is campaigning in Castlewood, Virginia, where he'll be speaking to the United Mine Workers at 1 p.m.
McCain Attending Class Reunion, Palin Also Off The Trail
John McCain is off the trail today, instead attending his 50-year class reunion from the Naval Academy. Sarah Palin does not have any scheduled campaign events.
Obama Goes After McCain On Social Security And The Financial Crisis
Campaigning this morning in Daytona Beach, Barack Obama connected John McCain's stance on Social Security to the credit crisis. "But if my opponent had his way, the millions of Floridians who rely on it would've had their Social Security tied up in the stock market this week," Obama said. "Millions would've watched as the market tumbled and their nest egg disappeared before their eyes.
Palin To Meet With Karzai
Sarah Palin will be meeting this coming week with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, during Karzai's visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The meeting will likely attract a lot of press attention, as Palin seeks to make up for her lack of experience in foreign policy.
Rangel Calls Palin "Disabled"
Rep. Charlie Rangel could find himself in some more political hot water, as a result of some comment he made about Sarah Palin. When asked by CBS 2 in New York why Democrats were afraid of Sarah Palin's popularity, Rangel answered: "You got to be kind to the disabled." When called out on the faux pas by the interviewer, Rangel stood by his comment.
Obama's second day in Florida. It'll be interesting to see the poll numbers in a few days.
September 20, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
There was a huge crowd in Jacksonville. They closed Metropolitan Park as full. One TV website said 10,000 in, 8,000 turned away. Another station reported 20,000 in, 6,000 turned away. We'll find out what the inside capacity was, but as one left on the outside, I'd agree with 6,000 turned away or listening from the outside. For a bible-belt town in the deep South, this racially mixed crowd of many thousands was a sight for sore eyes!
September 20, 2008 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great to hear. From the live feed on CNN, it looked liked a nice crowd. Like here in Indiana, Florida is about getting the Dems pumped up and GOTV.
September 20, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Today's Gallup poll, BO 50 JM 44
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/20/122836/353/431/604702
September 20, 2008 3:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain stuck at 44% which is where he was before Palin and the convention. Obama is rising by taking in the undecideds as result of the economic crisis. Hard to see how McCain regains the momentum.
September 20, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why can't mcShame break 50%?
September 20, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I always knew that Politico.com was right leaning. Are they now trying to help out JM seeing that he is now dropping in the polls. This article about race in the Democratic party on Politico's front page serves no purpose and imo is full of shi*.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13669.html
September 20, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Get the real analysis here: http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/ap%E2%80%99s-ron-fournier-racial-arsonist-and-unethical-journalist
Complete BS. I wrote the author of that Politico article complaining. He hasn't gotten back to me.
September 20, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess Repugs need some motivation to renew their dead corpses. Throw in race and make it all confused.
September 20, 2008 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kuhn, the author of the piece, released a book earlier this year (I read it - not fully convinced but he does make some valid historical points) about how Dems can't win over white, male voters. Whenever he sees any evidence to support his thesis, he jumps all over it and writes a piece. Check out his past 4 or so months of stories - they almost always touch on the standard, "Why can't Dems/Obama win over white people?", theme.
September 20, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, thanks Franklyn, glad somebody finally said what I've been thinking. I have followed all the political sites since the early days of the primaries. It really is noticeable that Politico.com is a "lean McCain" site. Much of their material is either so generic as to not be of much value, and their commentary on Obama and McCain is always more tolerant of the McCain campaign.
September 20, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is not showing up on the main page again.
Not that there is, frankly, that much to discuss.. but in case you guys were unaware.
September 20, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
What, if anything, can McCain do with $48M from August? Was that already spent prior to the convention or does that all go to the RNC?
September 20, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mason: Well, as usual, he is cheating and lying through "legal" loopholes he fought for so long, yeah, right. Most dishonest joke of a human being ever.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/us/politics/20donate.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
September 20, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
September 20, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, well I "met" Obama. Shook his hand. Does that make me an expert in anything? Maybe I should be angling for a cabinet position now.
September 20, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
TheraP FOR VEEP!
'Cause I can see her house from here!
September 20, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Makes one wonder if he was the only one there to agree to meet her. Originally they had talked about her meeting leaderS at the UN.
September 20, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Traditionally, it was sort of a diplomatic no-no to give the appearance of influencing another country's election. Especially America's!
Palin has absolutely no official business at the UN nor diplomatic standing. Her only credential for being there is that she is a political aspirant challenging for power in her home nation. MOST countries would be appalled if foreign heads of state met with their politicians under such circumstance.
If Karzi can be used for campaign support in America; Obama could be used to support an opposition politician in Kenya. That probably scares the bajezus out of many smaller nations. Diplomatic protocol exists for a reason.
IMO this just makes McCain look even smaller.
September 20, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just have the feeling that the Europeans told McCain to go to hell.
September 20, 2008 6:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpWnYvBT84
This is Obama's Dem Response to Mr. Irrelevant's -- I mean, President By-Stander's -- weekly radio address.
I LOVE OBAMA IN FIGHTING MODE!!
September 20, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpWnYvBT84
To make your links clickable, you need that "http" incantation.
September 20, 2008 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks jzap! I sometimes leave it and/or the www. off to save space...
PS - I've been liking your comments lately. Keep it up dude...
September 20, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks. Snarky comments are easy and fun. Stuff with real content actually takes a bit of work :-)
September 20, 2008 10:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here is Obama pounding McCain on SS and Health Care via Kos.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/20/152236/173/287/604846
September 20, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's in his groove. This economic crisis has put into high relief just how much McCain would be four more years of the last eight years.
Maybe that's why he's not on the trail today and going to a reunion. Yeah that's good use of the remaining days of the campaign.
September 20, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've a feeling the MSM is going to pinch hit for McCain all next week. This looks like a done deal, otherwise.
September 20, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it's a done deal at this point no matter what the MSM does. Perhaps something else huge could change things, like another terrorist attack? I hate to think about it, but it's the only thing I can think of that would dramatically change the race.
September 20, 2008 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has been giving the finger to the MSM for weeks now. I think they are no longer swinging on a tire anymore. And they are effected by this economy too, and McCain probably scares them as citizens as much as he scares us.
September 20, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
One thing is that, for some reason, some of them seem more scared that Obama isn't giving concrete details than they are of McCain's reckless responses. What is Obama supposed to say and do? I mean, I get that he should respond, but when even the Federal Government doesn't know how to properly respond, how can Obama come up with a proper solution?
The smartest thing he's doing is just waiting to see where things go, and giving vague answers. You need all the information to give an informed response. That's something McCain needs to learn.
September 20, 2008 6:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is that erroneous meme that the president sits in the oval office and makes decisions, rather than bringing in the experts to discuss possible solutions.
Since neither Obama and McCain had access to all the information, they should have both reacted the way Obama did.
September 20, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
My point exactly. The Presidential quality of the way Obama handles situations like these astounds me. It really does. You don't see that kind of responsibility from Presidential candidates. Never.
September 20, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It has been something that has frustrated me since the primary season. One of the reason I have supported Obama is that he seems to get the idea that to solve the big problems we face, it is about getting everyone to the table and on the same page, both in developing a solution and in implementing the solution. Both Clinton and McCain are so much more about "I will do this.." and "I will do that..." Obama has had to go more down this route simply for the reason you stated above.
September 20, 2008 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. The issue is that a vast number of Americans prefer the "I'll do this..." "We have to do this...", shoot-from-the-hip approach. Americans worry when there isn't immediate action. They never seem to learn that an informed and educated response is a better one than a rushed, reckless one. McCain has epitomized why we can't afford more of that gun-ho politics.
September 20, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I should have said Bush and McCain has epitomized it... That's more accurate.
September 20, 2008 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ya gotta say one thing for The Decider: He doesn't blink!
September 20, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eyes wide shut.
September 20, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin: So....
Karzai: So.
Palin: What a pretty dress you're wearing!
Karzai: It's not a dress.
Palin: Oh! Well, if you say so.
Karzai: Hmmm.
Palin: So...you ever shot a moose?
September 20, 2008 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Karzai: Uh, I have to go.
Palin: Have you thought about bringing Jesus into your heart?
September 20, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know McCain is going to his 50th Annapolis reunion - he was 5th from bottom of his class and now he's the Republican nominee for VP!
September 20, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, and he was a POW, too. You might not have known that, 'cuz he doesn't really like to talk about it. But, you know...it might come up, when he's, you know, catching up with his old pals.
September 20, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
NEW DEM MESSAGE (suggestion): Economic recovery in 2009 or 2013. Your choice.
Or...
Economic recovery in 2009-2012 (3 yr turnaround) or 2013-2023 (10 yr turnaround). Your choice.
September 20, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's kinda funny. On Monday, when I left VT, Obama was down in the national and state polls, and things seemed to be pretty steady, with no major developments. Granted, the Lehman Bros. issue came up Monday, but...
Anyway, on Thursday, when I arrived in WA and was able to get online, Obama was surging ahead in the national and state polls, and the economy was in a crisis. ...Three days. That's all.
September 20, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anything can happen. Which is why we must fight til the last dog dies late Tuesday Night on Nov. 4th.
Let's cattle drive 'em to the polls people! Nothing short of the future of the country depends on it.
September 20, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Precisely. Things really do change in the blink of an eye. Let's make sure they continue to change for the better.
September 20, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
DONT' BLINK. Can't Blink. Sarah says so.
September 20, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love your imagery, Wade.
Saddle 'em up, boys!
September 20, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Yipee ki yay" has finally been translated as meaning rougly "yes we can."
September 20, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Geez - you went from VT to Seattle! That's one hell of a journey. Did you pass through Coeur d'Alene?
I don't know if you are aware of the sitch in WA ... 2 words: Stop Rossi! You DO NOT want 4 years of him as your governor (as bad as Sali over here in ID).
September 20, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Both Oregon and Washington are interesting cases of a urban corridors vs. the rest of the rural state. I know eastern washington has grumbled about breaking off and join Idaho because the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia corridor control state politics.
September 20, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but Idaho doesn't want 'em! Spokane and Liberty Lake actually tried to float a "federal urban zone" idea with us ... not too popular in Idaho.
There are billboards in Spokane saying "Don't Let Seattle Steal Another Election!" (allusion to recount drama). The Rossi campaign vibe is very much "marginalized us" vs. "elite them". I recently read that he's got a completely different tone over in Seattle (surprise).
September 20, 2008 11:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry for the late reply. Anyway... I did pass through Coeur d'Alene. Beautiful. Holy shit, it was amazing.
And thanks, glad to hear it. I'm really trying to adjust to local politics. I knew VT politics so well. Now I'm having to completely relearn everything. But I had a feeling Rossi was bad. A sister of my neighbor has a yard full of signs, including McCain/Palin and Rossi. I figured if the two were being put together, he couldn't be that great.
September 21, 2008 12:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mccain stepped on his crank on Monday and in that goofy article in reference to health care. These two "nuggets" should haunt him all the way to Nov 4th.
September 20, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin to meet with Karzai? That'll make her a foreign policy expert.
Whhhhheeeeeeeeee! Today I went to the story and bought a Little Deebie's Pound Cake.... NOW I'M A BAKER!
Good God....how dumb are these Republicans?
September 20, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's sad is that the concept you speak of is really pretty mainstream. Look at a lot of advertisements and commercials for food like Hamburger Helper and things like that. They pass it off as a home-cooked meal, or make it out like you can do it as well as professional chefs - RIGHT IN YOUR VERY OWN KITCHEN! - but it's all a gimmick.
September 20, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I sent this dumb reply to your post! Now I'm a publisher!
September 21, 2008 7:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain took in $48 Mil for Aug and got another $84 Mil for the general that's a total of $132 Mil.
Obama took in $66 Mil in Aug. If Sept fund raising keeps pace, that also totals $132 Mil. The EXACT same as McCain with all of October remaining.
September 20, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
But McCain had to return any money he didn't spend, didn't he? From the money he raised, I mean. Which means that he only has the $84 million. Unless I'm mistaken.
September 20, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
No he just had to donate it to the RNC. There is a NYT article about how McCain is really gaming the system now to try and get the most money out through loopholes to his own bill.
Obama should have taken the public money, and continued to raise through the DNC. He's get the same donations and have the $80M+ public money to spend as well.
But Feingold still thinks McCain is a stand-up guy. Obama opted out, but McCain is destroying the McCain-Feingold Finance Reform Bill into uselessness.
September 20, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the link to the NYT article. Amelie posted it up-thread.
Dunno. I think Obama did (and will have done) better by sticking with private financing.
According to the NYT article, McSame stands to gain maybe five to ten percent more dough from those loopholes. Even if he cheats like crazy (and gets his knuckles rapped later), I can't imagine him getting more than 50% extra. I think Obama will beat even that.
McCain-Feingold was swiss cheese since it became law. I really don't think any law that restricts spending (within Constitutional limits) can be really effective. Public financing holds promise, but it has pseudo-philosophical hurdles to overcome.
Maybe this new-fangled series of tubes thing really does have the potential to break big money's lock on politics.
September 20, 2008 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not a helpful comment from Rangel. I am not even sure what he was trying to do there. He is usually much smarter than that and I wonder if he is starting to lose it a little.
September 20, 2008 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
No kidding, I don't see what's wrong with it. Picking her was like picking a person with mental disabilities. Sad but true, and not politically correct to say, but not a very patriotic move.
Some crazy women's group was endorsing Palin jsut yesterday, being tied to that rich-witch Hillary fundraiser and her faithless "gender feminist" friends. If those vile people can put out this inaninty to the public saying how great is Palin, why can't the Distinquished Member offer the voters an alternative perspective by calling her a retard?
September 21, 2008 7:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
What % of McCain's graduating class is still alive?
September 20, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
virginia update (very, very small):
i'm in northern virginia (fairfax county) and just canvassed for barack and joe this morning (and mark warner). knocked on 54 doors, and only 5 were home (understandable on a beautiful saturday).
of those 5, ALL 5 were "strong obama" and "definitely will vote," and two want to volunteer for the campaign.
the five is likely much more, as one said that his wife would be interested in volunteering, but wasn't home, and one had two grown daughters who were at work, but she told me they're solid obama voters.
September 20, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for your volunteer work, and for the nice update.
Has Biden been getting much coverage locally while he has been in VA.
September 20, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
i don't know. i don't really watch the local news (pretty much just stay glued to msnbc).
one of the women who was at the launching site for the canvassing (which, by the way, there were like 60 volunteers there ... perhaps more) said she was at the sterling event yesterday, and said joe was phenomenal. she said it was only a few hundred people, but that joe was "so real" that it was touching. she also said that jill gave a great speech, and while jill was speaking, she (the canvassing volunteer) looked over at joe, and joe had tears in his eyes.
September 20, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully the media will give Jill some attention in the near future. She is an asset to the campaign.
September 20, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you'll forgive me for re-posting a comment from the previous thread...
Where's Joe?
From this article in the NY Times...
For the many who have been wondering aloud why we haven't been hearing more from Joe Biden... I wouldn't blame Joe. He's been doing his thing, but the MSM spends its coverage according to where the ratings lie.
And I don't think I'd like to hear him whining about his coverage. That's just bad form, especially from the designated primary "attack dog".
September 20, 2008 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
As long as he's getting good local coverage, there isn't that big of deal that the cable networks aren't covering him, as long as they carry Obama's message.
September 20, 2008 8:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's right, and I'm interested to hear from others whether there is good local coverage of these events.
At this point, there is a finite number of "battleground" states.
The Democrats have, arguably, FOUR legitimate rock stars to deploy into these states to campaign -- I'm talking about Obama himself, Biden, Hillary and Bill Clinton.
The Repbulicans have one rock star -- Sarah Palin -- and one other guy (oh yeah, the guy actually running for President), but they mostly want to appear together. So it's 4 to 1-and-a-half.
We need Hillary and (especially) Bill to step up their number of appearances. And we need to make sure these all get big local coverage.
It should be possible to get two or three of these people per week into every battleground state between now and November 4.
And Bill is the perfect guy to be out there talking about the economy. "I feel your pain!" Plus, "Here's what we did during my administration to ensure economic prosperity for all -- Obama will do the same."
-- ARG
September 20, 2008 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
ARG, aren't you one of those that's that's getting bailed out? But seriously, what you're talking about the heavy hitters is so true. Hillary will be in Michigan, but Bill should be in Florida and PA. But I'm not sure that Bill has bought in as Hillary has to campaigning for Obama.
And they're heavy hitter. No where today. Must be studying about that thang called foreign policy and international banking.
September 20, 2008 8:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
CNN picked it up, at least.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/20/biden-gets-tough-on-mccain-in-virginia/
September 21, 2008 7:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read the NYT piece and thought it was good. I don't remember Joe complaining about lack of press. I know Joe has some trouble with his mouth but, lordy day, like Obama said, Joe's mouth is just as big when he is wrong as when he is right. And you gotta like him. I think he is doing EVERYTHING he can humanly do to get Obama in the white house. Not only for himself but because this is about everything he has said he believes in all these years. For Joe, like any person in this country with 3/4 of a brain, the idea of having dumb and dumber in the white house is TOO FFING SCARY.
September 20, 2008 9:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
And just how many of those "I just don't know about Obama" Democrats are reassured by Biden? My guess, quite a few.
September 20, 2008 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Full disclosure - I'm from Delaware and I like Joe Biden (and have for years) almost as much as the NYtimes does! Anyway, I was home for a visit when Obama named Joe his VP. I've posted this before but my mother said "I wasn't going to vote for Obama but I will NOW". I do think her reaction was not that abnormal. She is 80+ and fairly smart. McCain doesn't make any sense to her and Palin is too too tooo much of whatever she is. Joe talks to and connects to people like my mother.
September 20, 2008 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
My sense is Sarahcuda will not be alone at this meeting, and the intent is to trump up neocon support for the continued rape of middle east by the West.
In short, more preaching to the choir, assuming the choir were both heavily armed, and had the rolling eyes of a horse attempting to escape a burning barn.
September 20, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good point and nice (and scary) imagery.
September 20, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
this one doesn't pull any punches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJThPjvscFs
September 20, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good one. Obama should use it as template.
September 20, 2008 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. That is an excellent ad! Very hard hitting. I loved it! Where is it running? Who paid for it. We need that on every news and cable show running in a loop.
September 20, 2008 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Karzai is a Bush puppet. I bet he'll profusely praise her afterwards as well.
September 20, 2008 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
No doubt. But I think the fact this will be her very first meeting with a foreign leader will not be that impressive to any undecided voters out there.
September 20, 2008 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama has picked the right moment to hammer McCain on Social Security, and, as I figured, when he finally visited Florida. An interesting side note is that when reading an article on his speech noticed that in the picture he has brought with him Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Smart move. She'll work well with the Florida constituency.
September 20, 2008 7:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is Biden going to keep touring Virginia or is he moving somewhere else on Sunday?
I can't find Biden's schedule anywhere.
September 20, 2008 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
SORRY ABOUT THIS BUT since I can't get anything to an initial post I'm gonna put this here because IN YOU WILDEST DREAM YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT JOHN MCCAIN SAID IN the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Contingencies, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries.
You might want to be seated before reading this.
Here’s what McCain has to say about the wonders of market-based health reform:
Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.
So McCain, who now poses as the scourge of Wall Street, was praising financial deregulation like 10 seconds ago — and promising that if we marketize health care, it will perform as well as the financial industry! THANK YOU PAUL KRUGMAN!
look HERE:
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/mccain-on-banking-and-health/
September 20, 2008 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lordy loo, he really doesn't know WTF is happening does he?
September 20, 2008 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Old Man is definitely confused.
September 20, 2008 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aren't actuaries the people who've got the statistics that say McSame probably won't survive a full term as prez? If I were he, I'd be staying away from those guys.
September 20, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how many of these guys are voting for Palin for president.
September 20, 2008 8:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I don't know what the hell an actuary is supposed to do ... but their comparison of the two plans was absolutely worthless.
The only thing I could glean from their analysis is that they feel both candidates need to address medicare insolvency better.
Both candidate's full articles and the actuaries' "analysis" can be found here:
http://www.contingencies.org
Everyone's focusing on the unregulated market quote, but I think the last 2 paragraphs in McCain's writeup are pretty damn harsh.
September 20, 2008 8:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for getting me to read the analyis... and McSame's last two paragraphs. I just couldn't get myself to read three whole pages of his drivel :-)
An actuary is someone who deals in statistics used by the insurance industry to set premiums.
Like you say, the analysis is mostly content-free except for concern about Medicare insolvency. IMO, that's not likely to be an issue if the basic paradigm for health-care coverage changes. Of course, the insurance industry is not likely to be happy about such prospects.
This excerpt from McSame's writing stuck out for me:
Recent research has shown a link between bisphenol A (BPA) and diabetes and heart disease. BPA is widely used in plastics for food containers. The FDA has pronounced it "safe" but that seems to be a very political finding.
I mean, why risk additional regulation when you can blame individuals for their lifestyle failings?
September 20, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's an excerpt from the BPA article:
Ya think?
September 20, 2008 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's closing line seems to fit just about now...
Soooo ... I guess it's our own fault - but really, we're better off because we didn't have someone on our backs telling us what to put baby's formula in!
What a fucked up way to conclude a health care plan!
September 20, 2008 11:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Biden not getting MSM is a plus actually. Local news is usually easier on candidates, and with out MSM chasing gaffes and dramas, the only narrative folks are getting about Biden are from local coverage, or seeing him themselves.
He also fits the "No Drama Obama" approach. Remember his biggest drawback as a potential running mate was his foot-to-mouth propensity and knock wood, he;'s one month in with a month and a half to go and hasn't been an issue.
September 20, 2008 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good point.
It seems like 2/3 of the "gaffes" the MSM pick up on are nothing more than a bit of excessive familiarity that some see as inappropriate. It's as if they're primed to look for that stuff and comb through his remarks to find examples of it.
I've seen very few true foot-in-mouth utterances from homey Joe since he was picked.
September 20, 2008 11:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Okay then for Homey Joe.
What about Traitor Joe, though, what is he down in Florida doing black voter suppression, or just what has the oily little dick been up to?
Looks like no cabinet post for him the way things are going. Will he speak again at R. Convention in 2012, as a private citizen/analyst emeritus?
September 21, 2008 8:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Disabled? I don't think so. Intolerable second rate governor who's running on looks and not much else? Most certainly.
Btw, when is Bush going to resign?
Oh, you're not welcome in the United States of America.
Say goodbye to Freemasonry! The real question is whether Obama will go after the wealthy or liscensed pros.
Ha ha, lol, wink wink nudgie nudgie?
Michael Lippner Jr 630 257 9174
I'm attempting to prevent any assasination attemps. McCain, too.
September 21, 2008 6:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Palin to meet Karzai? That's like Bambi meets Godzilla. Palin being Godzilla.
September 21, 2008 8:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Think of what an honor this will be for lucky Karzai! Presumably Cheney had to call him up and "request" this.
September 21, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink