Endlessly we have endured this campaign, now with less than 40 days left. Recently McCain has sought to make his campaign about “Change”, after having tried Country First, and Straight Talk Express, etc. We all know the glaring policy differences between McCain and Obama. However, for me, the most significant difference is in temperament- Obama radiates cool reserved strength of thought- perhaps too much so at times, when a kick of passion would be nice to see. McCain, it is said, has shown anger bursts throughout his career http://www.johnmccaingry.com/drupal-6.1/node/22
While I have not observed these anger bursts first hand, I have seen the following –
1. Choosing an incredibly poorly vetted VP pick, clearly in qualifications not at all what he said he was looking for++++
2. Saying at the start of this week that the economy is stable, then “suspending his campaign” due to the newly found economic crisis.
3. The refusal to attend the debate unless an agreement is reached on the buyout
4. And then the switcheroo to attend
Think about pivotal times in our recent history- for example, the Cuban missile crisis. Anyone dare to guess how McCain and Obama would have responded? I have no doubt that Obama would surround himself by informed advisors, taking a long term, cautious global view of the situation, and then making a solid decision. I believe Obama’s response would stand the test of time.
McCain- anyone care to guess? How about several contradictory statements in the span of a few days (or hours), a threat of “taking the fight to them over there”-
Even worse- what would Sarah Palin’s response be? Do you beleive today she could even describe the Cuban misslie crisis? (Dana Perino could not earlier this year…)
These are the questions Americans need to ask before November 4.
The BackChannel Blog 
In keeping with the Newman chat from the prior thread if you want to see a great film with both Paul and Joanne rent Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (I love that film, will probably watch it later today)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._and_Mrs._Bridge
Spot on Kathy, nothing about McCain’s actions over this entire campaign could lead one to believe this man is fit to be president. The Dr. Strangelove of our time!
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/27/movies/20080927_NEWMAN_AUDIOSS/index.html
Kathy,
You nailed it. McCain’s erratic behavior is not what we need in a time of crisis.
Obama’s post debate ad:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1185304443/bctid1819798543
LOL, Obama campaigning in NC today, good size crowd too!
Kathy, I agree with you completely and have been saying that McCain is too hot-headed and dangerous to run this country.
Don’t have much time to chat today but wanted to check in. I miss posting with you and see the group is growing. That’s great.
Many of you have heard me talk about my SE Ohio relatives who were for HRC and could not be swayed toward Obama at all. My aunt and I have been close all our lives, but during this election our relationship has been strained with both of us not talking politics, something we both like to do.
Well, this morning I received the call. She had an epiphany after the debate last night. She said she called to tell me that she is voting for Obama and indicated that most of my family in SE Ohio would be voting for him. She did hope he would come down that way in person, though, which I also think would be good for him, especially to win Ohio. I have always thought he would send one of the Clintons since that was Hillary’s territory.
I think last night’s debate was a winner for Obama. McCain not being able to look Obama in the eye was another indicator that he is intimidated by him.
Good news from family there Karoleena, we miss you, try not to be such a stranger!
PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama leads John McCain, 49% to 44%, when registered voters are asked who they would vote for if the election were held today, according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/110737/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Holds-5Point-Lead.aspx
Karolenna,
That’s great news. Tells me that Obama is finally connecting. Email the Obama campaign about visiting SE Ohio.
The Obama Relationship: A Major Benefit Nobody’s Talking About
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathlyn-and-gay-hendricks/the-obama-relationship-a_b_128896.html
RIP Paul Newman. Sweet Bird of Youth was excellent and atmospheric. Cannot imagine he was ever bad in a film, even the lesser ones.
Great news Karolenna, re the Ohio relatives. I think that’s going to start happening.
re no Palin interviews after the debate: did it seem odd to anyone else that ABC would not interview Biden since Palin was not available, in the name of “fairness”? Haven’t you just handed a politician another tool for eluding the press and public accountability if you go with that policy?
Shame on ABC. Shabby.
Excellent column, Kathy. Temperament tells.
Brian,
Haven’t you noticed the Fair and Balanced ABC has had since Peter Jennings Passed away?
Thanks Kathy, well written piece. Maybe you should pass it on the papers across the country. All of them haven’t talked about it yet.
I don’t watch ABC news, why are yuo asking me Sheila?
Sheila: I had not noticed ABC’s “fairness” until the Pennsylvania Clinton-Obama debate, when Gibson (especially) was a crusader with questions on tax cuts. Wholly different agenda than the PA middle and working class probably had.
Had liked Gibson best of the net anchors until then; that was a wakeup call and started evaluating him more.
Katie Couric’s star may have risen with the Palin interview — I have avoided CBS since her ascension since hate the “infotainment” practiced on the Today show.
It was great to see someone conducting a tough interview (impressed Katie could keep a straight face during some of Palin’s refrigerator magnet word collage answers).
It was sad to notice how well Couric did — shouldn’t that be the standard? But it is not anymore.
Watching clip from McCain appearance in Media, PA.
Arlen Specter (and Lieberman) standing behind him, Specter with virtually no hair. Kind of new Marine recruit type, and looking gaunt and wan and tired. Sorry to see he’s had some health reverses; I rather like Specter.
I’ve been getting response from Vets who watched the debates. Here is one;
Hello Everyone,
The debate get together in Tacoma was great last night, I don’t think I will attend another one though – my mind is made up and it did not take too very long for me to realize how nice it is not to have television – Andrea and I have not had TV for many years now.
While I believe the debate outcome was pretty much a tie between the two candidates I really came away disliking John McCain all the more, similar to Bush, McCain’s tone was condescending and so insulting. What a neo-lithic curmudgeon. How he appeals to anybody is beyond me.
Here are some links I received this morning, while I won’t claim to be religous the “Religous Blog” entries are interesting and seem to lean a little more in favor or Obama:
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/in-first-mccainobama-debate-th.html
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/factchecking_debate_no_1.html
http://tinyurl.com/6d9xqb
And here is another;
I’m a vet of the Viet Nam Conflict. What really ticks me off with Mr. McCain is his constant use of his service and imprisonment in that war. Evidently he didn’t learn a damn thing from his incarceration in that conflict. If I had gone through that and were now a presidential candidate, I would be totally against the way our armed forces are now being used. I would have learned that while the N. Vietnamese were capturing and imprisoning our captured forces, now our enemies are summarily executing them – sometimes by cutting their heads off!
As Sen. Obama pointed out in the debate, we should have been executing military strikes in Afghanistan to rid the world bin Laden and his lieutenants. Not wasting the billions of dollars and thousands of soldiers in Iraq. Corrolating this “war” if the tactics were applied to WWII, Rooseveldt would’ve called for attacks into South America!
http://www.democracycorps.com/focus/2008/09/first-presidential-debate-obama-makes-important-personal-and-national-security-gains/
You know after thinking some more about McCain truning the negotiations over the bailout into a big circus, i am starting to think he is mentally unstable.
I think he is too, Steve. A risk taker by nature over his life, but he has progressed to often poor decision-making skills and grandiosity. Not what you want in a president.
I think he would have been a very different nominee and candidate in 2000, but the passage of 8 years and all the dreadful events and compromises that have been forced upon him (and all of us).
Would love to know what some of his clearer-eyed associates and handlers think of him, in private.
Paul Newman memory, last time I saw him, oh wow —as I write this —-was about 23 years ago, he was racing in Vegas…..he’d loved the fast cars….anyway…r.i.p. I feel he had a “good life”, and he lives on in film and in the hearts of those who knew him and admired him……
One good looking man, who turn to helping others with branding – very early on, he was a pioneer so to speak in that regard.
—-Karo glad to hear the update….. Barack the vote!
“mentally unstable” that how McCain got the nickname Maverick…the polite what to say “loose cannon”
McCain has been that way his whole life, how he did in school, how he behaved as a POW, how he treated Carol and their children….the man would be considered scum if not for that POW gig.
ooops, I forgot to add…IMO
Kathy loved your posts -thank you.
I did not go to tonight’s Obama-Biden appearance in Fredericksburg, VA — and rather glad not to have made the trek down 95, because over half the hopeful did not make it into the event. (Was kicking myself about not going, but it would have been for naught. Besides which, have seen him 4-5 times now already, in several states….)
Estimated 12,000 got into the U of Mary Washington Fieldhouse; about 14,000 did not — mile for security was over a mile long and those waiting were drenched in a rainstorm.
Bodes well for turning Virginia blue, and may those who got soaked stay healthy and happy.
Some WaPost reader comments:
Anyone who lives here in Virginia, especial rural Virginia, knows the magnitude of the change that has already occured. We have a viable Obama office right here in the Gloucester/Middlesex /Mathews area. The First Congressional District was gerrymandered beyond belief to give it to any republican who was breathing. Democracy was dead. Now it is all different. Lots of volunteers, a going campaign. History has already been made and is being made every day. Bill Day may become our congressman. Mark Warner will certainly be our senator along side Jimm Webb. Yes we can and we will!
Posted by: Don Mikulecky | September 27, 2008 6:05 PM
Don M. and Andy – I too sense the sea change that is taking place in VA politics. I have lived here since 1980 and never have I seen the state so enthusiastic for a Democratic presidential nominee. In Loudoun, Obama signs and supporters are everywhere you look. One need only look the turnout today in Fredericksburg to realize the Old Dominion is no longer reliably Republican. We have a Dem for governor and will soon have 2 Dems as Senators. I truly think Obama can and will take VA on November 4 – a state that hasn’t voted for a Dem for President since 1964. The times, they are a changin’.
Posted by: Terresa | September 27, 2008 6:13 PM
Isn’t it amazing that after reading all about the storm, the mud, and (above all) the fact that more than half the crowd couldn’t even get in… I’m just kicking myself I didn’t go down there as well!
It sounds like the rally of a lifetime. The excitement and fun of an event like this is not just seeing the candidates (if you get to) but meeting all the other Obama supporters and volunteers. We are fired up in the commonwealth, and we ARE going to turn Virginia blue. Barack and Joe, come back again soon.
Posted by: Fairfax Voter | September 27, 2008 7:14 PM
Amazing crowd today! The line stretched block after block. An anti-abortion protester’s megaphone was drowned out by chants of ‘War is not Pro-Life!’ and ‘Obama’ from the thousands waiting to get in. I think Virginia can pull this off! YES WE CAN!
Posted by: Ryan | September 27, 2008 8:25 PM
Forgive me — not a fieldhouse — the Obama supporters were in the open air, in our Virginia rain.
Here’s the link to WaPost story on the rally:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/09/thousands_turn_out_for_obama_r.html?hpid=artslot
a few more pertinent WaPost reader comments (and I am finding too that Obama is drawing support in affluent areas — they are registered and excited about getting out there to volunteer and vote)…
I just got home from Fredericksburg. No, my husband and I did not get in, even though we were there by 4:00.
It was absolutely incredible to see the thousands and thousands of people that were there. Quietly waiting in this mile long line, talking with each other.
It was truly awe-inspiring!!!
If this is any indication of the way Virginia will go, I think it may turn blue!
Posted by: Karen C, Purcellville, Va | September 27, 2008 8:02 PM
By the bye, Virginia today swung back into the “Obama leads” category in the Gallup daily tracker.
I’ve been doing phone work for the Obama campaign in Loudoun Co., and anecdotally support for him is building.
Playing with some of the online electoral maps, it’s very conceivable that Obama will end up trouncing McCain by more than 130 electoral votes…or more.
Posted by: MartinZook | September 27, 2008 8:53 PM
We stood in line for over an hour today and didn’t get in, and there were thousands behind us. I was told they gave out 20,000 tickets, so I’m surprised the numbers are so low in this article. It was so good to see such a huge turnout; I am hopeful for the first time in many years. I hope those 50 or 100 McCain/Palin supporters waiving their flags and signs just outside the campus were enlightened by this turnout… but that’s probably impossible.
Posted by: Optimistic1 | September 27, 2008 8:58 PM
Dog,
When I first glanced at the length of your posts, I groaned. However, Thank you! So inspiring to read witnesses of the rally and their hope/enthusiasm
One more Vet reaction from the Dabate.
As a veteran of the Iraq War I need to have someone clarify �€” HOW IN THE HELL DOES BEING CAPTURED, IMPRISONED, AND THEN RELEASED ALIVE, MAKE SOMEONE A DAMN HERO. MC CAIN WAS A PRISONER!!!!! THAT DOES NOT MAKE HIM A HERO!!! NOW GET OVER IT…..
In my opinion McCain is a disgrace to the armed forces. He is a hypocrite, a liar and a sleezy politician that uses his imprisonment as a disgusting badge of honor, while he votes against Veterans Education benefits. He does not represent me and as a senior Officer in the US Army, I deplore him and all he stands for. Over 4000 of our men and women in uniform are dead because of the evil that festers inside Mc Cain and his Cronies.
God help us all if he wins
Borowitz:
With less than a week to go before the crucial vice-presidential debate, GOP presidential nominee John McCain announced today that he was replacing his running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin, with a startled deer.
According to campaign insiders, the decision to select a hoofed mammal to replace Gov. Palin evolved after Sen. McCain watched his running mate’s performance in a series of interviews with CBS’s Katie Couric.
“Good Lord, a startled deer could do better than that,” Sen. McCain reportedly said, prompting his aides to draw up a shortlist of startled deer.
The Arizona senator supposedly brushed aside concerns that a startled deer would wilt under the pressure of a televised debate, telling aides, “At least a goddamn deer won’t go on about Alaska being close to Russia.”
http://www.borowitzreport.com/
another on the scene report from Fredericksburg Obama-Biden in the rain tonight:
Just got home, soaking wet and cold to the bones. Didn’t mind one single bit. Walking in a line that wrapped the campus, 3-4 abreast, talking to people about what brought them to Mary Washington on this day. Amazing. Parents brought children and were quiety explaining to them why there were so many people there. Kids in a tree, in order to see better. Standing outside the barrier, along with thousands of others, listening to Joe Biden fire up the crowd (wanted him to hurry a bit while the sky began to look pretty nasty), then Barack came out, the place erupted, rain started pouring and he just took his jacket off, got soaked like the rest of us. So many people commented on the look of the crowd. I’d expected the majority to be students. I was wrong. Young, old, black, white, from what appeared to be a wide range of socioeconomic groups. Loads of students enthusiastically getting people to register to vote. My husband detests lines. He didn’t mind this one a bit. I’d twisted his arm to go- I don’t think he’ll regret it. In Virginia. Never thought I’d see this, but I do think he’s going to do it.
Posted by: Lisa | September 27, 2008 9:55 PM
Tina Fey’s back as Sarah Palin — interviewing with Katie Couric on SNL.
she was disheartened to see so many foreigners at the UN. She and John McCain are going to get those jobs back in American hands.
Next time you hear someone say conspiracy, remember everyone has their own conspiracies with which to deal.
I bet this woman is a voter.
Evening peeps, went to see The Duchess, don’t bother, it didn’t work
OH BROTHER…….Be still my heart….. 😦
“It Would Be Fantastic.”
I take everything I read about American politics in the British papers with a grain of salt. But giving what we’ve seen so far, I can’t say I’d be surprised if the moral jalopy that is the McCain-Palin Straight Talk Express sunk us even further into farce with something like this. From the Times of London …
In an election campaign notable for its surprises, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, may be about to spring a new one — the wedding of her pregnant teenage daughter to her ice-hockey-playing fiancé before the November 4 election.
Inside John McCain’s campaign the expectation is growing that there will be a popularity boosting pre-election wedding in Alaska between Bristol Palin, 17, and Levi Johnston, 18, her schoolmate and father of her baby. “It would be fantastic,” said a McCain insider. “You would have every TV camera there. The entire country would be watching. It would shut down the race for a week.”
–Josh Marshall
McCain and Team Have Many Ties to Gambling Industry
Tina Fey As Sarah Palin: Katie Couric SNL Skit (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/27/tina-fey-as-sarah-palin-k_n_129956.html
Very clever:
USA TODAY/Gallup Poll: Obama did better job in first debate
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/09/usatgallup-poll.html
Now video has surfaced of Rev. Muthee at Palin’s church – again with Palin present and in the video — telling the congregation that the Christians need to take over control of the business world, especially banking, from the Jews (“Israelites”).
http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=23051
That video needs to run down in Miami and West Palm Beach. If Rev. Wright was fair game then so be it.
George Will has a complaint—he doesnt like early voting…
http://www.newsweek.com/id/161202
I think he is out of his mind.
Steve: thanks. It’s a pitiful Geo Will column. Wrong on too many points.
An interesting reader comment:
I don’t buy Will’s argument. Early voting truncates the process? Sure, but it also minimizes the effect of a dishonest October surprise, a smear that comes out too late for its victim to respond. Early voting is bad because it’s easy? It is easy, but it also minimizes the effect of election-day problems like broken voting machines, bad weather, and dirty tricks at the polling places. Most of Will’s arguments sounds like misplaced nostalgia.
Hip,
Will’s argument has a logical flaw. He states:
“The benefit is that it makes voting easier—indeed, essentially effortless. But surely the quality of the electoral turnout declines when the quantity is increased by “convenience voting.””
However in the previous paragraph he cites John Fortier:
” the academic consensus is that mail and absentee-ballot voting “has little or no effect on voter turnout except in low-turnout elections.”
Well if the turnout is the same and as he notes the early voters tend to be well informed, then clearly the “quality” of the electorate is the same. Perhaps it hasn’t dawned on Will that those who won’t make the effort to go to a polling place, won’t make the effort to fill out a mail in ballot or go to an early voting polling place.
Like Will, I enjoy going to my local polling place on election day. But I don’t have a problem with early voting.
George Will is showing his age and quite frankly his comfort zone. 🙂 When he can’t walk anymore, early voting won’t seem so confounded and dishonest.
Brian,
Read about the gambling last night. It may not be dishonest…..totally. But it shows a man who takes advantage of his vote. Also a vice that has the potential for more corruption….I wonder if……
I love this. I know you guys have seen this. But for me, Obama’s words present a notion that we are not alone in this crisis and that he understands how to pull us together…
“The storm hasn’t quite passed yet. Sometimes the skies look cloudy. And it’s dark,” Mr. Obama said. “You think the rains will never pass, but here’s what I understand: As long as all of us are together, as long as we are all committed, then there’s nothing we can’t do.”
Saving cows and baby squirrels imperiled by Hurricane Ike.
McCain on This Week. He’s rambling. He’s mentioned he’s a “Teddy Roosevelt” Republican three times.
ooo thanks, I guess I can stomach listening to McCain then. 🙂
…Thats of course when it comes on here.
I’m beginning to like Seattle programing. MTP is on and 6am and then in the afternoon. Face the nation is on at 9:30 and ABC is on at 10. then right after that is Zakaria. So its pretty nice to be able to catch them all instead of fliping the remote the whole morning.
Well, turning to CBS for Obama on Face the Nation will be that much sweeter.
Politico on what the candidates are doing today; Joe Biden has just become a Virginia resident. Welcome! And what — no Palin media appearances?
“Barack Obama will appears on Face the Nation this morning, and at 1:30 he and ticket mate Joe Biden will join up at a Detroit rally, before the Delaware Senator heads back to his Wilmington, Va. home. to prepare for Thursday’s vice presidential debate in St. Louis.
John McCain will sit in the studio for an appearance on This Week with George Stephanopoulos for an interview, and has no other public appearances scheduled. Running mate Sarah Palin is off for the day, presumably for some debate prep of her own.”
http://www.politico.com/gameday/
McCain on This Week is a must see. If I had any thoughts about voting for McCain, they’d be dashed after this appearance. He appeared to be a bumbling old man.
Shelia,
Speaking of Zakaria, last week’s interview with former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was outstanding. Yew is brilliant.
If you missed it, it’s on cnn.com/gps.
dnd, I can’t wait. I need some stress relief 🙂
Here is another BIZARRE act. Small but telling.,
“Asked why Mr. McCain did not go to Capitol Hill after coming back to Washington to help with negotiations, Mr. Salter replied that “he can effectively do what he needs to do by phone.’’
I mean couldn’t he have been more effective this way instead of his much ballihoo’d return to DC to FIX the baliout?
I saw that interview. It was brilliant and Zakaria is old school brilliant.
on Palin’s readiness: why can’t he just say: “no” or — you would not find someone of her capabilities on a Democratic ticket.
“Asked why Mr. McCain did not go to Capitol Hill after coming back to Washington to help with negotiations, Mr. Salter replied that “he can effectively do what he needs to do by phone.’’
He said he didn’t want to “phone it in” on This Week. He said he would “leave it to history” to judge if he made any difference.
I stand by my vote for McCain in 2000. This is a completely different man.
BTW, the round table was great.
Morning peeps,
Rassmussen still holding at +6:
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday—including the first day of post-debate polling—is unchanged. Barack Obama once again attracts 50% of the vote while John McCain earns 44%. This six-point advantage matches Obama’s biggest lead yet and marks the first time he has held such a lead for two-days running (see trends). Obama is now viewed favorably by 57% of voters, McCain by 55%.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
My favorite curmudgeon, Ed Quillen, on the GOP’s election strategy:
http://www.denverpost.com/quillen/ci_10561003
Bill Clinton on MTP.
NEW THREAD
I fear that Quillen will give the GOP some ideas!