Election Central Morning Roundup
New Obama Ad Hits McCain And Palin On Health Care Taxes
The Obama campaign is right out of the gate with this post-debate TV ad, set to air on national cable, featuring video of Joe Biden taking apart Sarah Palin on health care:
"Taxing your health care benefit," Biden says. "I call that the "Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere."
Obama In Pennsylvania
Barack Obama is campaigning today in Pennsylvania, with an event at 11 a.m. in Abington. Joe Biden does not have any public events.
McCain In Colorado
John McCain is holding a town-hall style event today in Pueblo, Colorado, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Sarah Palin does not have any public events.
WaPo: McCain's Senate Chief Of Staff Is Former Freddie Lobbyist
The Washington Post reports this morning that John McCain's current Senate chief of staff, Mark Buse, was hired by Freddie Mac to lobby McCain back in 2003 and 2004 on the issue of executive pay. Freddie hired Buse specifically because of his closeness to McCain.
Poll: McCain Takes One-Point Lead In Minnesota
A new SurveyUSA poll is giving John McCain a narrow lead in Minnesota, a state that hasn't voted Republican since the 1972 Nixon landslide. The numbers: McCain 47%, Obama 46%, within the ±3.7% margin of error.
Poll: Obama Takes Big Lead In New Hampshire
A new Rasmussen poll of New Hampshire gives Barack Obama a 53%-43% lead in this swing state, which voted narrowly for George W. Bush in 2000 and then switched to John Kerry in 2004. Just a week ago, Rasmsussen gave McCain a 49%-47% lead.
Palin Got Troop Levels Wrong
On top the McClellan/McKiernan gaffe, here's another mistake that Sarah Palin made last night: Getting the number of troops in Iraq wrong. Palin claimed forces are now down to pre-surge levels, FactCheck.org notes, but in reality there are still about 14,000 more troops than were there in January 2007.
It's clear Biden was trained for this debate at Obama School:
http://strategy08.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/my-take-on-vp-debate-biden-was-trained-at-obama-school/
October 3, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Another New Hampshire poll gives Obama a double-digit lead in the state--49/37. It didn't get much attention.
http://www.politickernh.com/brianlawson/3984/st-s-poll-obama-12
October 3, 2008 9:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep I saw that poll. I think it is safe to say the Obama has taken a significant lead in NH with these two independent polls having him with over 10 point leads.
That new Minnesota poll from SUSA looks to be entirley wrong...CNN/Time has the race at 54% Obama and 43% McCain. In the tracking polls Obama is leading McCain by double digits in Midwest states. There is no way Obama leads Iowa or Wisconsin by large amounts but is behind in more liberal Minnesota. Come on now.
October 3, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
That SurveyUSA MN poll seems odd given the state of the race. But it is what it is.
October 3, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
If you look at the internals, it has Obama winning the Twin Cities 47-44. That seems really odd to me.
October 3, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
In fact, according to the 2004 election results, Kerry beat Bush by over 20% in the Twin Cities. So that number should be either really worrisome or is a big outlier.
October 3, 2008 9:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently the folks living in the Twin Cities have been swayed by the last four years of sterling governance by the Bush administration.
October 3, 2008 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Obama winning the 50-and-above group while losing the 49-and-younger group.
October 3, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm relieved to see the SUSA numbers on this and I'll tell you why: now I know SUSA is crap this election. Then, I can also discount the SUSA MN Senate numbers as well, which were also quite upsetting- Franken way, way down. Outliers, all of them, all of the SUSA.
I know Obama is doing better than this here- the numbers are waaaaay too low for the Cities. Obama is huge here. Franken is more of a question, but I think SUSA is off there as well.
October 3, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. I don't buy it one single bit.
October 3, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry but every marching band in America still plays Susa marches. He is patriotic musioc personalizified. Why do you hate America?
October 3, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
SUSA takes a a gazillion polls a day. By definition, a few are going to land outside the confidence interval and several are going to be at the far ends of the MOE.
Plus, let's face it. If there's anywhere in the country where Palin's accent doesn't cause people to screw up their faces into a perplexed "WTF is she even saying?" expression, it would be Minnesota.
October 3, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
We should not be fooled by Palin's Acting abilities to sucessfully weave and bob and her canny ability not to answer questions she does not like in contradiction to her being able to answer intelligently complex questions on the spot! It seems as if she feels the American people have no need to be given intelligent, thoughtful answers to the pressing questions of today, and that we would rather be winked at and called hockey moms and Joe Sixpacks while our economy is in ruins!
Starting to question McCain's mental fitness
McCain's interviews have become increasingly angry, hostile and unhinged. He seems to be on the verge of some kind of mental collapse. A big part of McCain's erratic behavior is due to Obama having gotten deep, deep, deep inside his head. If McCain's brain was x-rayed, it would reveal Obama sitting comfortably upon McCain's cerebral peduncles. But, it is more than that. I believe McCain's increasing instability is being caused by the stress of the campaign and his 72 year old body not being able to get the rest that it requires to function properly. That isn't ageism—that is a simple fact of life. I wondered how McCain, being in advanced years, would respond under the grueling pace of a general election. I think we are all beginning to find out and it really isn't a pretty site. He is on the verge of some kind of mental collapse.
http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/?p=1986
October 3, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
My 15 yr. old daughter succinctly summed up Palin after watching her for about 10 seconds: "What a bimbo." 'Nuff said.
McCain strikes me as someone who bitterly resents the one encroaching on the position he covets by right of entitlement and privilege. McCain believes that after 2000, he is owed the presidency and Obama is usurping his claim. I expect that his dour mood will only grow more morbid and dark as time and events progress. What I don't expect is a public explosion that will sink his fate permanently: he rarely flares dramatically on camera and I predict his slow simmer is about all we'll see.
October 3, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I think Obama can get McCain to explode simply by saying "people who tell lies and distort the truth for their own political gains is dishonorable."
He doesn't need to call McCain dishonorable, just make a clear statement that we are left to interpret.
Did you watch McCain with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register? He could bearly contain his temper. Call his honor into question on a national stage, then stand back. Way back.
PEACE
October 3, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I did watch (that's an hour of my life that I'll never get back). I could see him fighting for control. I believe it is possible to ignite him, but that would take some persistence from the gadfly. All of the reporters in the room were mindful of his temper and clearly backed off when the big dog growled.
Given Obama's demeanor this campaign, I don't think he has either the interest nor the inclination to try to get McCain to go ballistic. He tends to be very polite and congenial in public, so I don't think it's in his nature to become incendiary.
October 3, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Say it isn't so, Joe...trailing in Minnesota?
October 3, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yay, let's play the who's ahead in non-traditional states game! Okay, I'll start. Obama is tied or ahead in IN, NC, VA, CO, NV, NM, FL, OH. Now you go.
October 3, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dude...relax...Chuck Todd says it's over you won...Homer Simpson's even voting for Obama...
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/6037441.html
We may as well not even hold the election...
October 3, 2008 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
That was kind of funny. But, jesus, the Simpsons haven't been funny for like 8 years.
October 3, 2008 9:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nah, let's go ahead an hold the election so you McCain supporters can get a sense of catharsis.
October 3, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Most likely no.
October 3, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I must admit...I went back this morning and checked out the commentary by you Tena CTVoter and Schnodlinger...none of y'all picked up on the one point I thought would drive all of you crazy...
October 3, 2008 9:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
What did we miss?
October 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah Palin pronounces nuclear just like Bush.
Nucular...I was actually laughing thinking about one of y'all saying "OMG!"
October 3, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, yeah. I think I saw it mentioned a few times last night. She's always pronounced it like that (except when it's spelled phonetically on a teleprompter for her) so I didn't expect any different last night.
October 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nah...you must've missed a couple of my posts because I did comment on it. It's my pet peeve - worse than nails on a chalkboard.
With all of the notes she had at her disposal, you'd have thought someone would've included the phonetic pronunciation of it for her.
October 3, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry I'm so late. Did I miss anything? I wanted to watch the debate, but all my Markets were hungry and I had to run to the Maverick Mart, but they were out of fuel so I had to wave the white flag of surrender to get a ride back. Do I still get extra credit? Can I call you Joe?
(Misposted earlier)
October 3, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Details, details...there's only so many that she can track - and it appears to be pretty limited. Her trainers decided that it was best to let that one slide.
October 3, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, by the by SFC. See the latest attempts at vote suppression by Repubs in Montana? You were looking for proof of this kind of activity, and suggested it was a myth.
Bad day for you and your like.
And, forget Todd. Your boy Kraut has given O the race.
October 3, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
So if I move, I don't need to register in the new county or state I move to? I can vote where I want? Or do these residency rules only apply to Democrats?
October 3, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. You're really running on fumes SFC. No longer a worthy opponent to anyone out here.
October 3, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
SFC running on fumes? Fogu2 banned? McCain pulls out of Michigan? Unemployment sets records?
California cannot meet payroll? Is there no end to bad headlines? OH, her's what we need. PALIN EXCEEDS LOW EXPECTATIONS.
October 3, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ha...as if a Morlock were ever a "worthy opponent" for you Elois.
October 3, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's erratic, shoot-from-the-hip style will be his undoing. Had he not tried to smear Obama with a tenous Freddie/Fannie connection, we never would have known how tangled up he is with them and their lobbyists. He simply doesn't think long term. It's all tactics and no strategy.
October 3, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm from MN and absentees like me got our ballots by email today.
Never felt better filling out a ballot in my life. So no matter what the poll says - it says here that Obama leads McCain 1-0.
I sure would like to see some Obama coattails help out Franken.
Palin's personal financial records are due today.
October 3, 2008 9:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Losing in Minnesota? And Franken down 10%?
That poll seems WAY messed. MN is usually more blue than Michigan and Iowa, and those polls have O up huge.
October 3, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just look at some of the internals quoted above. Completely ridiculous. This poll is crap.
October 3, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
seems franken's down because the independence party candidate has steadily become an effective spoiler.
October 3, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Charles Krauthammer has ceded the election to Obama:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203043.html
October 3, 2008 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I love the "deeply troubling associations". Krautfucker never saw the day when he was fit to shine either Wright's or Ayers's shoes.
October 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Uh...when you are setting a bomb in place, you don't want shinny shoes...nothing that may create a static charge and prematurely detonate the device.
October 3, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Too bad he didn't blow you up, asshole.
I happen to hang around with a (very sharp and dedicated) education professor who has done a sabbatical at UIC. So unlike you I know that Ayers is a very well-respected guy in his field.
October 3, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Which field?
American elementary education, sexual relations (Smash Monogamy) or demolitions?
October 3, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
As if you'd have any clue what he does, you dumb prick. Go find yourself a nice men's room stall and meet some fellow Republicans.
October 3, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
...oh yeah, I forgot to reiterate, she gave them cigarettes to go vote! Why don't you address that with some of your vitriol?
October 3, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh so weak. The discourse between SFC and other folks on this blog has reached McCain like levels, starring SFC as McCain.
I understand your disappointment, buddy. All that time serving your country and your party, and they give you Sarah Palin and Larry Craig.
Poor SFCWallace.
October 3, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sarge Wallace, take a gander at this kid. If we still had a draft and he couldn't get deferred, he'd first end up in OCS then with a toe tag after a well deserved fragging. I do, however, think he has a point. Let me know if you find it.
October 3, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's pretty weak that the MSM keeps blabbing how Palin "beat expectations." Well that's easy when they're aren't any.
It's like giving a bad driver credit he didn't crash his car on his way home from work.
October 3, 2008 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I see it as sort of a backhanded compliment. To say she beat expectations only reminds people how abysmally low they were to begin with.
October 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
The "beat expectations" comment always makes me think of this old saw:
"A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse, but not a remarkable mathematician."
Not looking like an idiot hardly qualifies one to be president of the United States.
October 3, 2008 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I give that comment a solid "yup yup".
October 3, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
On that ad- beautiful. I've been waiting for weeks for a hard-hitting ad on McInsane's ludicrous health care plan, and it's poetic justice that Caribou Barbie handed it to Biden on a silver platter. Great work by the campaign to turn that into an ad so quickly. Now run the hell out of it in every contested state! It's pure poison for the Republicans.
October 3, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
If health care benfits were taxable income, employees would be paying $126 billion/year more in income taxes. (By way of the back door employer provided healh care is a $126 billion/year government health insurance system.)
October 3, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone know of the link to the story last evening that the Alaska court ruled that the State Legislature indeed has juristiction to investigate Troopergate and the abuse of power thingy?
The McCain folks must most certainly be amused, so there should be more coming out on the subject today.
October 3, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here ya go (wink-wink):
http://www.adn.com/troopergate/story/544566.html
October 3, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the good news from Alaska, bvd!
Some courageous people up there going against the McCain camp and the legal arm of The [Dobson] Institute for the Family.
To discredit the judge they claim he was in favor of same sex marriage. I consider that a plus in his resume.
So Todd, First Dude, Snowmobile Champion, will have to testify or face jail time. First Dude in the slammer. How's that for folksy?
October 3, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
First Dude in jail will be added as a sweetner to get House Repubs to support some sort of bail out.
October 3, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wonder how Camp McCain will feel about obstruction of justice and witness tampering charges being piled on the abuse of power investigation?
Palin will be luck if she manages to complete this, her only, term as governor without impeachment charges.
Said it before, Palin should have blinked.
PEACE
October 3, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
That MN poll is wacked. Out of the 4 recent polls listed at RCP this is the only one that doesn't have Obama ahead. Ras has him 8 points up, CNN/Time has him 11 points up. That's a 12 point spread from CNN to Surveyusa.
This poll is an outlier, I betcha.
October 3, 2008 9:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
It gives McCain a 9 point lead among voters younger than Obama. Who's going to believe that?
October 3, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, McCain for one. And Palin for another. Heck, that there's the whole kit & kaboodle, ya
know?
October 3, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I did just download the McCain app for my iPhone.
I keep getting error messages, though, saying it can't detect the punch card.
Anyone know what that means?
October 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I heard there was also an I/O configuration error 031. Something about incompatible vacuum tubes....
October 3, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Even when it works, it starts asking "Do you want to play a game?" And it goes downhill from there.
October 3, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
haha!
October 3, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ally Sheedy was so hot in that movie.
October 3, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yes.
October 3, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm ready for so global thermonuclear hockey, Mom.
October 3, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's "global thermonucyaler hockey," buster!
October 3, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ya know, I was just kerfuffled what with all those white flags wavin around and what not.
All of the above.
(posted earlier below by mistake thinking I was ordering Chinese with McCain-Palin 08.)
October 3, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent. Democrats really have to nail him to the wall on taxing our health benefits. And I was especially pleased that Biden used the 20 million figure -- the number of Americans who would be likely to lose their employer-provided health benefits thanks to McShame and Failin'.
Just gets sleazier and sleazier. The one thing I wish Biden had done -- though overall, I agree with the consensus that he kicked ass last night -- was to call Failin' out when she kept claiming over and over again that McShame had gone after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I wish he'd pointed out that Davis was on the Freddie Mac payroll just last August. And this would have been further ammunition. Hopefully, Obama can raise this in one or both of the next two debates.
October 3, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wait...I thought Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were ok because Rainse and Johnson got millions from them...and it was greedy Republicans that were bad...are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bad again?
October 3, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
If the repubes were so worried about fannie, and freddie, they had 12 yrs controlling congress to do something about, including '05 when they also had the white house.
They did exactly what they set out to do, bankrupt the us treasury. "Starve it down to the size you can drown it in the bathtub."
October 3, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Umm, it's Palin's understanding that he was not...
October 3, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
St. Louis liked her...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKrk_6QjcNw
October 3, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
At the brewery... obviously drunk.
October 3, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since when have Democrats turned down the drunk vote? Remember this gem?
"Wisconsin officials convicted a New York heiress who was working for Al Gore by giving homeless people cigarettes if they rode in a van to the polls and voted."
October 3, 2008 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Naturally a shithead like you thinks that if people lose their homes they should lose their right to vote. It's scum like you who shouldn't be allowed to vote.
October 3, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
No one's talking about taking away a homeless person's right to vote...they traded cigarettes for votes. Why is it that you don't mind that actual exploitation by your party and make up some fake BS charge about me wanting to deny someone's rights...you need a serious reality check.
October 3, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
October 3, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Your fellow Gooper assholes in a bunch of states are even trying to prevent people whose houses were recently foreclosed on from voting."
Wrong again, verifying that a voter lives within the District and Precint in which they are attemping to vote is actually someone's job, and Patriotic I might add.
October 3, 2008 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Like paying taxes. Why does Wesley Snipes and Ted Stevens hates America?
October 3, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Still denying that voter suppression exists? Sad sad little man.
October 3, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
In my view he did well not to engage so much with her misstatements. He knows that will be done by others. He did what he had to do. And he did it well. Bash mcShame. Praise Obama.
Thank you, Joe! You have my undying gratitude and respect!
Even his manner of looking at her was just perfect.
October 3, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Overall, I'm in total agreement with you. In the grand scheme of things, his failure to talk about Rick Davis and the lobbyists running McShame's campaign is a minor quibble.
October 3, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Word TheraP!
October 3, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
His affect was almost perfect. I have not watched him speaking much before, his jaw seemed to drop in awe or shock several times, sometimes he turned sort of red, but he was great. She, doggone it, was smiling inappropriately, showing off, winking and generally a nervous wreck. She must have very strong ego defenses going for her, because she is very feisty and oblivious. They both seemed pretty exhausted toward the last 30 minutes.
October 3, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Love the new ad. Hits people where they care. Should be running non-stop in all of the blue-collar counties.
October 3, 2008 9:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
While I like the new healthcare ad, I'd like to see a follow-up ad that highlights McStain's intent to give that $5,000 tax credit directly to the insurance industry, and then follow that up with McStain's own statement that he wants to deregulate the healthcare industry just like he did the financial sector.
Now that would have some needed punch!
Give me a tax credit, but it doesn't come to me? Rather, it goes directly to some big healthcare company? Who will then raise my premiums accordingly? Not such a good deal for anyone outside of the industry.
PEACE
October 3, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree about a follow up ad on McCain aout his comment on healthcare. This is a critical issue to most Americans and McCain has a major Achilles Heel on this. Good ad by the Obama team and great that Biden picked up on tihs issue and ran with it. He was real good and attacking McCain.
October 3, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Concerning the troop levels thing, McCain got lots of criticism for making the same false assertion back in May:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/30/mccain_asserts_return_to_presu.html?hpid=topnews
So apparently the McCain folks who prepped Palin consciously chose to repeat the same lie.
October 3, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
The ad presents a tense Palin, not comfortable with her own words versus an assertive Biden correcting her talking points. Where is the promised pitbull that gave McCain his post-convention bounce?
October 3, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glad you brought up the Palin's tension, so far I haven't seen anybody else mention it. I think most people got distracted by the big teeth that were constantly on display. Behind the goofy grin, her rigid posture made her look like a deer ... er moose ... in the headlights.
October 3, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Heh, yeah, I notice the nuk-ular thing as well. I think she did okay, but then she was playing defense the whole night. Not against Biden, mind you, but against her own perception.
And people, chillax on Sarge Wallace. Yes, he can be a dick. Okay, so he likes to be a dick. But it keeps us honest and he's got a hell of a lot better sense of humor than the sack of trolls that like to pop up from time to time.
To paraphrase the saying, sure he can be a dick. But he's our dick. Huzzah Wallace!
October 3, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
You have to BE honest yourself to keep anybody else honest. Let him fuck off to Red State or Powerline where he belongs.
October 3, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've always thought of him as a guy who comes here because he can't find anyone among the people he agrees with with whom he can have an intelligent conversation. And if he doesn't keep us honest, at least he keeps the rust knocked off of our fencing skills.
October 3, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
"To paraphrase the saying, sure he can be a dick. But he's our dick. Huzzah Wallace!"
Ha ha! Thanks
October 3, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY, SARGE. There's injuns here on the Little Big Horn. I just knows it. Soon this place will be crawling with targets. Stick around if you want action.
October 3, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
And if that lady friend with the smokes comes by, snag us a few. I'm plum out.
October 3, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
WTFF MINNESOTA???
fucking christ.
October 3, 2008 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Minnesota has got to be an outlier. Do SUSA polls call cell phones or just land lines?
After Morning Roundup, I always check out Morning Whiskey
October 3, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
doesn't matter since there's no correlation between cell-only households and support for obama.
October 3, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
SFCWALLACE is losing focus. "remember when someone gave out cigarettes 8 years ago?" Hmmmmm well how about...
"Remember when George Bush started a war in Iraq to line the pockets of his already wealthy friends in order to keep their support and fill his campaign coffers?"
Hahahaha! Good times!
October 3, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
SFCWALLACE is losing focus. "remember when someone gave out cigarettes 8 years ago?" Hmmmmm well how about...
"Remember when George Bush started a war in Iraq to line the pockets of his already wealthy friends in order to keep their support and fill his campaign coffers?"
Hahahaha! Good times!
October 3, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry I'm so late. Did I miss anything? I wanted to watch the debate, but all my Markets were hungry and I had to run to the Maverick Mart, but they were out of fuel so I had to wave the white flag of surrender to get a ride back. Do I still get extra credit? Can I call you Joe?
October 3, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wink, wink! :)
October 3, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Palin came across as cute and quirky, but more reminiscent of a cheerleader than an informed second-in-command. All that was missing were the pom-poms. I can only hope that the current financial crisis is sobering enough that undecided voters are looking for knowledgeable, effective leadership, not entertainment.
I am disappointed that Ifill seemed to let her run amok, but perhaps it had something to do with the rules that disallowed follow-up.
October 3, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, anyone playing a drinking game based on how many times she winked at the camera would have been seriously under the table in no time flat.
October 3, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is Obama advertising in Minnesota?
October 3, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
No. Just Jet.
October 3, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
We all need to keep the pressure on the Obama camp, though. They still keep making fundamental mistakes by letting certain things go answered which can still be corrected and addressed starting now and with next week's debate:
1. Palin said last night and McCain has, too, that "McCain knows how to win wars". WTF? Really? Which wars has McCain won?
2. The Dems & Obama want to surrender in Iraq. They need to begin showing OUTRAGE over such an inflamatory insulting disgusting false statement.
3. They will increase your taxes. Simply say, "No. You will receive a tax break". Don't get caught up in the minutia of $250k limits. Just saying that statement ALREADY speaks to 95% of Americans.
There is still a LOT of work to do, folks.
October 3, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. Take nothing for granted. The polls are encouraging, but we still have a long way to go until November 4th, which in political terms is an eternity.
October 3, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Don't get too worked up about the MN poll. It was commissioned by the arch-conservative Hubbard Broadcasting, the most biased of the local broadcast media. However, it is time for Obama to crank up the ads in MN. McCain has spent many times as much on TV ads.
October 3, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ya know, I was just kerfuffled what with all those white flags wavin around and what not.
All of the above.
October 3, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Joe Biden does not have any public events.
I'm pretty sure today is the day his son ships off for Iraq. The fact that he isn't turning this into a campaign event like Palin did should be recognized and lauded.
October 3, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually he's speaking at the event...not that there's anything wrong with that, just cut the Holy Joe shit.
October 3, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to see the little feller in the plaid jacket didn't bore you away, Sarge. Any sign of the Sioux yet? The lady with the smokes come back around?
October 3, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I gotta say that I am rootin tootin glad to read in this paper someone set in front of me that New Hampshire is so Mavericky and goin around to Obama. We in the states in the country of America that are near the New Hampshire state in this great country are tryin are darndest to get the good folks to see that our candidate stands for real change, and we is those states are workin and doin are jobs to bring that foreign state closer the vision of America which is Barack Obama before McCain rears his ugly head over the Connecticut River into our pure state of Vermont.
October 3, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Biden's son is leaving Delaware today for a month-long training session at Fort Bliss, Texas, before he ships out to Iraq.
October 3, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since Palin announced that she would not respond to Ifil's questions but would talk about whatever was on her note cards, Ifil should have just said "Ok, Gov. Palin it is now your turn to talk for 60 seconds."
October 3, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
SFC Wallace; Does John McCain remind you of George Armstrong Custer?
Custer was last in his class.
Left early to go to war.
Custer was personally very brave, he was a risk taker, very unconventional.
He tangled with his command preferring bold moves such as the "Custer Dash" to very limited and secure tactics just as McCain was a critic of "rolling thunder".
I guess that’s where symmetry ends.
Custer rode into an enemy ambush and into history.
McCain rode in to save the economy, got ambushed by his own side and.....
McCain has changed his staff four times in his election campaign. The mark of a good commander is being able to find the best to lead and to lead the best to be the best - True?
October 3, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
re: Palin Got Troop Levels Wrong
Maybe I heard it wrong, but I thought Palin was talking about levels of violence, that is US troop deaths today versus back then.
Of course, it's hard to know exactly what she is saying much of the time (and likely deliberately so with all of the obsfucation from camp grandpa).
October 3, 2008 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gwen did exactly what she did the last time she monitored a debate...ask a pre written question...ignore whether it got answered and just ask the next question. She's pathetic as a moderator, we knew this from last time just like we know what a partisan biased moderator Tom Brokaw will be yet we do nothing to prevent him moderating.
I wish we had a return to the league of women voters moderating the debates. This pretense of fairness by using talking TV heads who have a lot of public face time is nonsense. They represent such small portions of the population's real questions that debates have become unchallenged talking points.
"John McCain knows how to win wars"...WTF? When, what war? Isn't just the opposite true? He was a POW and everything he predicted about Iraq was wrong. btw...what's the point...by this time so much has been revealed by the McCain campaign that disillusioned supporters can no longer justify voting for McCain/Palin irregardless of the debate outcomes. Proof that the republican reign is over except for that 33% that are the republican loonies.
The debates are turning into entertainment for viewers when it should be a chance to clarify positions. Are we doomed to evolve the debates into a version of "American Idol", called "American President"??
October 3, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Obama's was the first post-debate ad.
October 3, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone else get the sense that SP is priming to run for president in 2012? She seemed eager to be in control of everything (thinking of the veep position as giving her lots of power in the Senate) and openly disagreed w/ the McC camp about abandoning Michigan, and stating that she and Todd would walk the streets and, presumably, convince the people with her invincible energy and "logic."
October 3, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Come to think about it, could be Palin's running for president NOW, consciously or subconsciously.
October 3, 2008 7:10 PM | Reply | Permalink