McCain would have to fall very very far in order to loose the sympathy of his supporters, or even of those who are indifferent. Can't pull the "disappointment" trigger too early -- if at all.

Posted at August 1, 2008 10:25 AM in response to Joe Klein: I Was "Wrong" To Call McCain An Honorable Man

If someone's attacking you with negative ads, you can either go negative yourself, or take a higher road.

I agree that the higher road isn't as effective as we would like it to be. In many ways you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. But Barack has nothing to gain from going negative. Even if there's not net positive from the high road, at least he keeps some principles, or has the right at some later point in the campaign to call McCain on the negative shit.

Posted at August 1, 2008 10:19 AM in response to Joe Klein: I Was "Wrong" To Call McCain An Honorable Man

Ashcroft's point, by the way.

Posted at July 17, 2008 1:08 PM in response to Ashcroft: Sometimes I Confuse What People Tell Me With Reality

His point is that it was precisely that preparation that had got him all confused. All that reading and studying what other folks said got jumbled up with his own recollections.

If they don't prepare, then they aren't prepared. If they do prepare, they still can't answer your questions, because of the confusion of all those pesky facts.

As Rummy would say, "Oh, my!"

Posted at July 17, 2008 1:08 PM in response to Ashcroft: Sometimes I Confuse What People Tell Me With Reality

I don't see this as pandering at all.

In fact, I think it meshes quite nicely for his call for increased civic participation. They address the same values of participatory service vs. passivity.

Posted at July 15, 2008 10:58 AM in response to Obama Speaks To NAACP; Reiterates Call For Parental Responsibility

Actually, I love Fournier's point here. I think it is a mark of a great society that allows people to grow and learn to the best of their innate abilities. I think that's the foundation of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness."

This is a wonderful country, a noble experiment. It is also desperately fragile, as the Founders themselves realized. It's far too precious, to paraphrase Hunter Thompson, to be left in the hands of greedy fucks like Bush and Rove.

ps - Tillman was an atheist, so to hold him up as a standard of patriotism = christianity is and added injustice.

Posted at July 15, 2008 10:51 AM in response to Fournier to Rove: "Keep Up the Fight"

...watched Dr. Strangelove last night. YEE-HAW!

Posted at July 14, 2008 4:59 PM in response to Joe Biden: Military Commanders Want Obama To Visit Iraq

Why on earth would they try to deny what is so obviously -- I wouldn't say fake, because I don't think the producers thought they would fool anyone -- two people NOT in the same room?

I'm supporting Franken, but this is a fine ad, as these things go.

Posted at June 20, 2008 11:44 AM in response to Did GOP Senator Fake An Ad Showing Him Cozy With Wife?

...and so is their base, which is what they count on. How many people will hear, for example, that domestic oil drilling will do NOTHING to reduce the price of gas at the pump? And yet, the repubs still push that as a selling point.

Posted at June 19, 2008 11:41 AM in response to McCain Team Falsely Charges That Obama Opposes Capital Punishment For Bin Laden

my favorite line so far:

My approach is guided by a simple premise: I have confidence that our system of justice is strong enough to deal with terrorists; Senator McCain does not.

Posted at June 19, 2008 11:03 AM in response to Obama: You Wanna Talk About 9/11? Well, Let's Talk About 9/11!