"Race war"? Wingnuts can't escape the 1960s, and don't think anyone else can, either. McCain is re-fighting the Vietnam War again and again until we WIN, dammit, and wingnut "strategists" are seeing Black Panthers behind anyone who isn't as pasty as McCain.

I'm sooo glad this is the last presidential election where we'll have a candidate from either party who's stuck in 1968.

Posted at August 1, 2008 4:09 PM in response to GOP Strategist Accuses Obama Of Trying To Start "Race War"

Despite Eric's summary, I don't see much evidence in the article that Kurtz is turning on McCain. The opening sentence is pretty close to the standard media excusing of any slime or pandering from McCain as not being something he really believes: "In a celebrity-driven culture that has left little space for John McCain..." (Ignoring the fact that he's been a celebrity his whole career, somehow it's unfair that he can't get any attention now.)

The rest of the article is mostly about whether it worked or not, and while the article mentions criticisms of the ads, it "balances" them with statements from the McCain campaign in the usual he-said-she-said fashion, and even the blatant falseness of ad statements is couched in "according to news organizations, there is no evidence to support them."

Posted at August 1, 2008 11:26 AM in response to Election Central Morning Roundup

I'm happy every time I see the word "desperate" in the responses from the Obama campaign. That's certainly my first reaction to each of these insanely over-the-top attacks.

On any matter of substance, it's clear they've really got nothing. This is where having established a clear message of "changing the atmosphere of Washington" pays off -- rather than getting down in the dirt in response, they can fight back by simply pointing to the ad and asking "do you really want four more years of this?"

Posted at July 31, 2008 7:02 PM in response to Obama Slams McCain For Saying He's "Proud" Of Britney Ad

I'll bet they're disappointed. Pretty much all the Democrats their corrupt Justice Department tried to put in jail on trumped-up charges have been freed!

Posted at July 30, 2008 5:07 PM in response to White House Finally Responds to OIG Report

If Tim Kaine is Obama's running mate, the Republican fear mongering machine will be working overtime between now and the election. The 3AM ad Hillary used will be child's play.

And think there's someone he can choose where that won't happen?

If there's one lesson to take from 2004, it's that trying to choose a candidate they can't attack is a sucker's game. Their attacks are not remotely based on reality, they have no compunction about lying through their teeth (as we've seen with McCain this week), so the only consideration on that front is to choose an effective campaigner who can respond, not someone whose background will magically neutralize the attacks, 'cause that's not gonna happen.

Posted at July 29, 2008 3:28 PM in response to I just fell in love- THE STRONG CASE FOR OBAMA KAINE 08

On abortion, he's what many so-called "pro-life" politicians claim to be, but few are -- he's against abortion because he's Catholic, but he's not in favor of outlawing it. In particular, he's in favor of practical ways of reducing abortion, such as promoting contraception. (References here.)

Not my political position, but one I can respect, unlike the so-called "pro-life" types who are against contraception and more concerned with making sure that women are "punished" for sex than with reducing the number of abortions.

Posted at July 29, 2008 3:21 PM in response to I just fell in love- THE STRONG CASE FOR OBAMA KAINE 08

Yeah, that's why our country has always been run by generals rather than civilian leaders... Oh, wait -- it hasn't!

A president has the National Security Council, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs, and numerous others by his side in a crisis. The VP should be someone who could step in as president and do a good job for the country in the long term, not someone who can be the Boy Wonder "in a crisis."

There's more military expertise in the US Government than anywhere else in the country. What's needed, both "in a crisis" and at other times, is intelligent, competent decision-making and inspiring leadership.

(No knock on Clark, who I generally like, but I don't see that formulation as automatically putting him ahead of numerous other people either.)

Posted at July 29, 2008 3:11 PM in response to I just fell in love- THE STRONG CASE FOR OBAMA KAINE 08

How do you "interpret" this to mean "I'm just waiting for Obama to call":

Let me be clear about this: I have been working very hard these last few months to ask the people of Virginia to give me the honor of being their United States senator. I will not seek, and I will not accept, any other opportunity.

I was there. He wasn't being coy. There's no "nuance."

Posted at July 29, 2008 3:00 PM in response to I just fell in love- THE STRONG CASE FOR OBAMA KAINE 08

He also frequently pretends in his responses (like the "one month" one) that 16 months is when the withdrawal would start. When the only position you're actually firm on is one the majority of voters disagree with, I guess you have no choice but to lie and obfuscate.

Kinda sad, though.

Posted at July 29, 2008 2:48 PM in response to Election Central Morning Roundup

They've been doing joint Obama campaing/DNC fundraisers; DNC contribution limits are much higher, so they can have levels higher than $2,300 where the additional part of the contribution goes to the DNC.

Posted at July 29, 2008 2:44 PM in response to Election Central Morning Roundup