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Another Dull Debate or Blue Touch Paper, Lit?

The McCain team is feverishly attempting CPR on the lifeless thing that is their campaign. Will the third and last debate provide the super-defibrillator they need?

The possibilities for excitement on stage today all hinge on McCain. To what do you ‘throw the switch’ in these circumstances, in which you are 8-10 points down nationally with 3 weeks to go? Vaudeville won’t help. He’s already tried that with Sarah the ventriloquists’ dummy. Perhaps you say, “We’ve got nothing to lose, let’s go for the goolies.”  If Rove and his ilk are now running things, that is probably what McCain will attempt. Even winning the talking points in the debate is not sufficient for him.

Of course, this debate could be as dull as the “Town Hall” dirge-fest if Obama gets to run it his way. He ‘won’ the last debate by simply appearing cool. It didn’t matter a jot what he said, providing it wasn’t ‘courageous’ or even stimulating. It was all about Presidential poise. Due to that success and the Dems lead in the polls, Obama is highly unlikely to deviate from the minimalist approach now.

The danger for Obama is if McCain manages to wreck the debate with accusations, taunts and dirt, and succeeds in getting Obama down in the gutter with him. The aim would be to diminish the Presidential aura that Obama now has, and that McCain certainly does not. But this is also dangerous for McCain. If the tactic fails, and Obama stays above the fray, McCain will appear to be nothing other than the stumbling, flailing old dope he is.

McCain has already said he will be raising the Ayers ‘connection’ in the debate – ho hum – but that may only be an indicator of a full-on effort to unbalance Obama and prevent him from staying ‘in charge’ during the event.

Unless something radical is done now, the game will just slip away for McCain. The issue is whether he graciously accepts the impending crushing loss, or uses a last opportunity to tip over the card table which could, in the Rovians grotty little worldview, just possibly even things up again. One thing is certain: McCain shaking hands with a war veteran in the audience and saying ‘My friends’ 50 times won’t do the job.

My prediction is of a 70% chance of fireworks from McCain, and if so, a 95% chance of Barry holding the high ground.

626 replies on “Another Dull Debate or Blue Touch Paper, Lit?”

More on Joe the plumber.

Oh McCain! You’ve done it again!

One week ago, Joe Wurzelbacher was just another working man living in a modest house outside Toledo, Ohio, and thinking about how to buy the plumbing business where he works. But when he stopped Senator Barack Obama during a visit to his block last weekend to complain about taxes, he set himself on a path to becoming America’s newest media celebrity — and as such suddenly found himself facing celebrity-level scrutiny.

May need registration.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/us/politics/17joe.html

A Liberal Supermajority
Get ready for ‘change’ we haven’t seen since 1965, or 1933.

If the current polls hold, Barack Obama will win the White House on November 4 and Democrats will consolidate their Congressional majorities, probably with a filibuster-proof Senate or very close to it. Without the ability to filibuster, the Senate would become like the House, able to pass whatever the majority wants.

Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven’t since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s. If the U.S. really is entering a period of unchecked left-wing ascendancy, Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting, especially with the media cheering it all on.

Chris B says 64 senate seats. Including Texas and Maine. 😈

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122420205889842989.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Sen. John McCain tried today to make amends with David Letterman, telling the late-night comedian that he “screwed up” when he stood him up last month to focus on the country’s economic crisis.
McCain’s appearance on “Late Show” –- his 13th time on the CBS program –- came after Letterman mocked him incessantly for three weeks.
The Republican presidential nominee took extra precautions to ensure that he made today’s long-awaited visit, traveling by helicopter from Philadelphia to skirt a weather delay, fearful that another cancellation would further enflame the host.
When the candidate walked onto the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater, he pretended to cower in fear as Letterman strode over to greet him.
“Can you stay?” the comedian asked, as McCain settled in his chair.
“Yes, sir,” responded McCain. He then added with a wary grin, “Depends on how bad it gets.”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/10/david-letterm-1.html

Evening all.
Sheesh, you get dragged away from the computer for a couple of days, miss the debate and come back to discover the sky has fallen in.
Where to start. An Irish bookie called Paddy wants to pay out before the race is over??? Bloody Irish jokes. 🙂

Steven Conroy has decided to shut down the internet?
(Perhaps he’s Irish too.) Bloody wanker needs his arse kicked from here to China.

And finally…. Now I’ve finished catching up with all the posts.
@405
I discover that Barack (Steven) Obama is auditioning for a spot on The Daily show. :mrgreen:

Great clip asanque.

I’ll tell Conroy. If I wanted the Internet shut down, I would have voted Liberal. If any knows any politicians, let me know and I’ll give then a piece of my mind.

Cheers and have a nice day. 😈

Story of Joe the Plumber springs many leaks.

A couple of things about Joe the Plumber, the icon of the authentic working-class voter who was declared the “winner” of the final presidential debate.
His first name isn’t really Joe. It’s Samuel.
He’s not really a plumber – at least, not a licensed one.
He’s concerned about increased taxes – but hasn’t paid his own income taxes.
And he’s not exactly just a guy from Ohio.
He’s lived in Arizona … and Alaska.
And as for that unscripted moment that ended up on Fox News, the one at a rally where he questioned Sen. Barack Obama about the American Dream – and whether he’d have to pay higher taxes under Obama’s plan?
Seems Joe, who is actually Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, told the conservative Web site familysecuritymatters.org that catching the Democratic presidential candidate off guard “was actually my intent.”

I think he succeeded in catching…………

McCain off guard.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/17/MNQ013J6JV.DTL

That Barry is doin’ a Kevin and messin’ with Grandad’s head.

All this talk about moving the campaign into red states will have Team McCain running around trying to plug holes in the dyke every which way. Trouble is, they have to pull the money from somewhere to do it and they don’t have enuff to go round. It’s kinda like the water’s pouring through 21 holes – and you’ve only got 20 digits.

Well….unless you use some lateral thinking. But I reckon McCain’s extra digit ain’t been pluggin much for a while

Ferny-
“But I reckon McCain’s extra digit ain’t been pluggin much for a while”
and Cindy gets on her knees and Praises the Lord.

Well Jen, I’m sure knowing McCain (in the biblical sense) has given Cindy a greater interest in dykes too.

Black Vote May Help Downticket Democrats

John McCain has strongly supported the surge in Iraq, but there is another surge coming up he may not support so much–the expected surge in turnout among black voters this year who want to tell their children and grandchildren that they voted for the first black President. Black voters are overwhelmingly Democrats, probably 90-95% this year and most are likely to vote a straight Democratic ticket. That could have enormous implications downticket. For example, in 2006 in NC-08, an unknown high school teacher, Larry Kissell (D), decided to make a completely pointless run against a well-entrenched, multimillionaire Republican congressman, Robin Hayes (R). The national party completely ignored Kissell and he had to run his campaign on a shoestring. But somehow he came within 329 votes of defeating Hayes. He is running again this year. DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen certainly took notice of Kissell this time and has pumped over $300,000 into ads attacking Hayes. Furthermore, and perhaps the determining factor, 25% of the population in the district is black and Obama has run a massive voter registration effort in North Carolina, especially targeting blacks and young voters. Polling has been scarce there and in many similar districts around the country, but there is a good chance that Kissell not only wins, but wins in a landslide.

http://www.electoral-vote.com

When the Voice of (Redneck) America trashes King Neocon Kristol of PNAC and his cohorts on E-Day minus 19 you know it’s all over. In politics disunity is death.
A reasonable equivalent would have been Alan “Gloria” Jones savaging PPMcG and the board of Quadrant a couple of weeks out from our last Federal election.

The GOPpers are gonna get flogged come November.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/16/limbaugh-fox-elites/

http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2003/10/sawer.html

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=BVaT2EM2Qm4

Latest Friday Senate polls on RCP – Repugs +2 in Georgia, +1 in Mississippi Special and +6 in Texas.

Mornin’ All,
E-Day minus 18, pollin’ continues apace and the passing parade keeps rollin’ like a river….and all is well.

Poss, some time back you wrote a lengthy piece in the comments of Nate Silver’s 538.com suggesting why looking at individual State Intrade market activity was a more accurate way of viewing the Big Picture. Furthur, you pointed to evidence of someone playing “silly buggers” with the Intrade BHO V JMc market.
Don’t believe Mr. Silver replied (he’s a busy man ‘n’ all) but it turns out that all the “silly buggers” was coming from one li’l ol’ source not tangential to the centre of McCain’s campaign.
Wonder if Nate, who made his name analyzing baseball stats, would have let something like this go through to the catcher.
🙂

Ripple Effects
Intrade users first noticed something amiss when a series of large purchases running counter to market predictions sparked volatility in the prices of John McCain and Barack Obama contracts.
An internal investigation by the popular online market Intrade has revealed that an investor’s purchases prompted “unusual” price swings that boosted the prediction that Sen. John McCain will become president.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002976265

(cross posted the above earlier today at Pollytics)

———————————————
OBAMA, Barack 1.09
MCCAIN, John 7.00

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61425

Fri Oct 17:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/billday;_ylt=AmfT9jXIVqESc__1qMHhGefV.i8C

Fri Oct 17:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/ettahulme;_ylt=Au9FpXUL9maDga6cYNEV2KLV.i8C

Fri Oct 17:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/billschorr;_ylt=An4Ro4aCZEKlT9lKUUweo3DV.i8C

Math America —2008
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61421

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61419

Morning EC. I’m not sure we should complain if a McPalin supporter wants to put a lot of money on the team when the odds are running so strongly to Obama. It makes the odds better for Obama punters and removes money that might otherwise be available from the McPalin campaign?

Network news executives said they are preparing for an unusual Election Night challenge: How to be honest with the audience, and still keep them tuned in, if the race between John McCain and Barack Obama is effectively decided before most Americans have finished dinner.

After two elections in which the suspense went far into the evening (and, in the case of 2000, for 36 days afterward), the executives said they are contemplating how to manage their newscasts in the event of an Obama blowout — in which the Democrat’s victory would be obvious while polls are still open in most of the country.

😆

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14660.html

To Avoid Being ‘Depressed,’ Palin Skimps on Campaign News.

No wonder GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin harbors such hostility toward the mainstream media: her staff imposes limits on her access to it.

During a fundraiser here that raised $800,000 last night, Palin admitted that her aides often dissuade her from tuning into televised coverage of the presidential campaign.

“So North Carolina, I appreciate you all so much, who are here who already get it. You know, maybe I’m preaching to the choir a little bit here, but being here encourages me because I know that I’m not alone and I’ll send this message back to John McCain also. At those times on the campaign trail when sometimes it’s easy to get a little bit discouraged, when, you know, when you happen to turn on the news when your campaign staffers will let you turn on the news,” she said, prompting laughter from the group. “Usually they’re like ‘Oh my gosh, don’t watch. You’re going to, you know, you’re going to get depressed.'”

May need registration.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/17/to_avoid_being_depressed_palin.html

After hearing that Senator Conroy wants to give us a crappy 15 mb/s instead of the 40 mb/s originally promised, when for 25% of the cost the could be putting in a broadband network through the sewer in half the time at 100 mb/s that is really needed. Then we hear that Senator Conroy is going to introduce a draconian censorship program that will drastically slow the network down and restrict its usefulness, I cannot wonder what sort of LOONIES we have working in that department. No one who seems to have any sort of idea or understanding about telecommunications. I was under the misapprehension that Labor would do a much better job. Instead we got the Liberals part II. Senator Conroy you do not know what you are doing resign and get out. Put someone in there that can get the job done.

“It makes the odds better for Obama punters and removes money that might otherwise be available from the McPalin campaign?”

Can’t argue with that, Wakefield.
🙂

Not so much “complaining” as pointing out a widespread American character trait that I’ve observed in my dealings with many Americans over the years. As part of their propagandistically reinforced hegemonic mind-set, many Americans can’t stand to be shown to be wrong about anything. Sort of a boorish triumphalism that borders on the punishing.
Too many of them believe that a simple “touche” is a sign of weakness, wheras more culturally sophistcated folk when presented with verifiable data say, “Yes, that’s quite true…well done”.

Voters contend they were duped into registering as Republicans.

YPM, a group hired by the GOP, allegedly deceived Californians who thought they were signing a petition. YPM denies any wrongdoing. Similar accusations have been leveled against it elsewhere.

Dozens of newly minted Republican voters say they were duped into joining the party by a GOP-hired contractor with a trail of fraud complaints stretching across the country.

Voters contacted by The Times said they were tricked into switching parties while signing what they believed were petitions for tougher penalties against child molesters. Some said they were told that they had to become Republicans to sign the petition, contrary to California initiative law. Others had no idea their registration was being changed.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fraud18-2008oct18,0,1216330.story

Poll: Voters souring on McCain, Obama stays steady.

When it comes to the public’s image of John McCain, it’s as if somebody dialed the electricity down in the past month. For Barack Obama, the juice is still flowing.

People’s regard for the Republican presidential nominee has deteriorated across the board since September, an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll showed Friday, with McCain losing ground in how favorably he’s seen and in a long list of personal qualities voters seek in White House contenders.

Perceptions of Obama have improved or remained steady. Beyond views of the two rivals’ character traits, McCain faces another problem — Obama is more trusted on the economy, the contest’s commanding issue, including a 15 percentage-point edge for better grasping how the raging financial crisis is affecting people.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPJUoUeIanXw2SKL4rs1JIN0TIKAD93SGRT00

Why the Powell Endorsement (Could) Matter.

The news that retired Gen. Colin Powell will appear this Sunday on “Meet the Press” has set off a frenzy of speculation that former secretary of State could throw his endorsement to Barack Obama.

Powell has made little secret of his admiration for the Illinois senator in the past but has always stopped short of outright endorsing him.

Will that change on Sunday? And, if it does, how much is Powell’s endorsement really worth?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/why_the_powell_endorsement_cou.html?nav=rss_blog

Northern Politics Creeping South in Virginia.

Ahead in state polls and outspending John McCain three to one on TV ads in Virginia, Barack Obama is poised become the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since Lyndon Johnson.

But money and polls alone don’t explain how a state that voted Republican in the last 10 presidential elections has put its 13 electoral votes within Democratic reach.

Democratic and Republican activists point to two major factors: changing demographics and momentum that began in 2001 with the election of Democrat Mark Warner as governor.

The rapid growth of high-tech jobs and government contracting has flooded the state with new voters — 352,579 this year — and analysts say these transplants are bringing their politics with them.

http://www.mgwashington.com/index.php/news/article/northern-politics-creeping-south-in-virginia/1936/

Ohio Democrats Win at Top U.S. Court in Voting Fight.

The U.S. Supreme Court, siding with Democrats, freed Ohio officials from a lower court order that might have limited participation by new voters in next month’s presidential election.

Today’s ruling means Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner doesn’t have to provide county election boards with lists of new registrants whose information doesn’t match up with government databases. A federal trial judge had ordered Brunner, a Democrat, to supply the lists by today.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a74yORYw2CEM&refer=home

Obama wins Chi. Tribune endorsement.

The editorial page of the Chicago Tribune this afternoon endorsed Barack Obama for president, the first time in the newspaper’s 161-year history that it has backed the Democratic Party nominee for president.

Comparing the choice to the paper’s decision to endorse Abraham Lincoln, the editors called Obama “deeply grounded in the best aspirations of this country” and called for a return to those ideals.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obama_wins_tribune_endorsement.html

African-American Turnout for Obama Could Pad Democratic Majorities in Congress.

This year’s 3rd District Democratic candidate, Joshua Segall, has been competitive in the money race, and Davis said he has seen polling that shows Segall trailing by single digits. CQ Politics is changing the rating of the race from Safe Republican to Republican Favored.

So it may be that the GOP is in for a surprise in the east-central 3rd District and in as many as a dozen other Republican-held House and Senate seats if Barack Obama draws black voters to the polls in record numbers.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002975892&cpage=1

A Catholic Brief for Obama
Why the faithful can in good conscience back the Democrat.

George Weigel and his fellow McCain advisers are growing frustrated at the state of the campaign, and they should be. This election rightly continues to focus on the millions of Americans at risk of losing their jobs and their homes. The issue of abortion, of course, is tied to the nation’s economic fortunes. In part, we endorsed Senator Obama because his tax-reduction plan focuses on the betterment of average families and those living at the margins. Center for Disease Control statistics reveal that prosperity directly affects the abortion rate far more significantly than Republican rhetoric pledging to outlaw abortion—a feat John McCain has failed to accomplish with nearly three decades in Congress.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/164445

La Opinion endorses Barack Obama.

La Opinion, the nation’s largest Spanish-language daily newspaper, endorsed Barack Obama for president on Friday.

The nation “is at a crossroads. The country needs a different vision and a new focus to the problems that have been dragging on for decades. Barack Obama is the right person to begin a new cycle of renewal,” the newspaper wrote.

The paper noted that it backed John McCain in California’s Republican primary in February “but he is not the same today as he used to be. He has replaced his moderation with a rigid ideological orientation to please his party’s conservative base. His attacks and negative tone of his campaign have taken the place of fresh ideas.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10748482

Alert, alert , alert. More boat people coming! Tell the border patrol!

More Letters: Headed for Down Under.

Australia, of course, is my destination. After the collapse of capitalism and the U.S Senate’s socialism rescue to pay for all of the shady deals, the escape of any honest taxpayer is inevitable.
Now the Republicans are not stupid especially when it comes to collecting taxes from the poor and the middle class.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/opinion/99953.php

Chris, you’ll never walk alone, mate.
It’s what they call a slow blog day.
🙂
——————————————
Plus ca change!!

Allons, mes amis, take a short journey with me down memory lane….

Once again the Nightbreed have emerged with their strident ratfuckery from the sewers beneath what was once the House of Un-American Activities or HUAC.

Step 1. Select appropriately primed zealot.

Step 2. Seat in front of friendly major Network TV camera.

Step 3. Wind up (tightly)

Step 4. Release and allow to spew forth shrilly at camera .

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/prominent_mccain_supporter_im.php

When SBSTV Australia showed the movie “Good Night and Good Luck” recently, the following scene was censored in toto. The speaker is Republican POTUS, Dwight D. Eisenhower; “actual footage” from his step down speech in Jan 1961.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kCaBCdJWOyM

The owner of Fox, former Adelaide copy-boy made good, Citizen Rupert, has just endorsed McCain for POTUS. Fox pay BillO megabucks to do his hate-mongering schtick.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=QgrM20nP8yU

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee

Watching O’Reilly eat caga on Nov. 5 will be one of the sweetest initial thrills of Obi’s victory.

456
Where is everyone?
Err …..*cough*…….Caulfield. 🙂

Meanwhile…I’m still waiting for teh narrowing.
I mean.
The Repubs are desperate for it.
The MSM are sobbing and begging for it.
The pollsters (the naughty ones) are dying to provide it.
And Barak Obama is telling us it’s inevitable.

So where’s it got to?
The only narrowing I can see is in my punting account!

Forgot about that, might catch a train to Caulfield to watch the naughty drunk ladies stagger out of the racecourse! It provides some fun entertainment, especially for the men. 😈

Naughty drunk ladies 🙂
Must be an omen Chris.
Absolutely Fabulous just ran third and saved my bacon in the 6th!

Obama leads among white independents.

Barack Obama has taken a slight lead with white independent voters for the first time in the presidential race, positioning him to capture a key demographic group that has eluded recent Democratic nominees, according to a Politico analysis of independent voting patterns.

According to Gallup’s weekly average of some 6,400 registered voters, Obama now holds a 45 percent-43 percent edge over Republican John McCain with white independents. About eight in 10 independents are white.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14683.html

Back in Sydney now.

Now I have real, personal reason to be irritated by John McCain. Streets were cut off and he caused a traffic jam when we were heading for the JFK airport, for his appearance on Letterman. I thought it was ridiculous at the time – something that should be reserved for the President, visiting heads of state (maybe), or someone that would actually pull the crowds, like Obama.

Seems to be possible evidence of narrowing, per this link at Five Thirty Eight.
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/todays-polls-1017.html
I note that site has Obama’s predicted ECVs at 349, down from a high of 361. But still, effect of the debate has not flowed through.

From FiveThirtyEight:

Over in Indiana, PA and Northern Cambria, PA, volunteers fielded complaints of a massive wave of ugly robocalls both paid for by John McCain’s campaign and those paid for by third parties. The third party call was interactive, and purported to be from Barack Obama himself. The call starts out reasonably, and then “Obama” asks what the listener thinks is the most important issue. Whatever the response, “Obama” then launches into a profane and crazed tirade using “n***er” and other shock language.

Southern Whites and Obama, the changing face of American politics

In this year’s state Democratic primary, more than 400,000 voters went to the polls compared with 76,000 who voted in 2004. Traditionally, for a Democrat to win state office in Mississippi, a candidate needs high voter turnout among blacks, and the support of 30 per cent of whites.

http://en.afrik.com/article14699.html

I wonder whether there will be a “Reverse Bradley Effect”. People not saying they support Obama, because they don’t want it to get out.

468
No way! are you kidding me?

btw,,,

Err …..*cough*…….Caulfield

That was a good meet fella 😉

you should see what happened elsewhere after that! 🙁

Analysis: McCain jumps around in bid to stop Obama.

The misadventures of Joe the Plumber were just the latest stumble for Republican John McCain as he veers from one idea to another in a thus-far elusive quest to slow Barack Obama’s momentum.

Joe Wurzelbacher was supposed to be the Republican presidential candidate’s ace in the hole — an average, working-class Joe whose dreams of something better might be thwarted by Obama’s plans. The Ohio plumber challenged Obama’s tax policies and got the Democratic presidential nominee to say he wanted to “spread the wealth around.” McCain told Wurzelbacher’s story at the final debate Wednesday in a bid to paint Obama as a tax-raiser out of touch with regular Americans.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/18/america/NA-US-Elections-McCains-Search-Analysis.php

So paddy, it seems I took your money at Caulfield, but somebody gave you theirs in the 6th!. Some arse, in fact four of em took mine shortly there after. 😉

Lets link up, 😉

Otherwise I’m forced to spend the whole evening dicking around with trying to decide who has filled their dog with water and who filled it with crystal 😉

Well spammy, I fortunately decided to only visit Caulfield via the TV.
Otherwise, I’d be in for a long walk home.
The afternoon was not too flash around this house.

Any time a Billionaire, wins a multi-million$ horse race.
God kills another kitten.

Still…….the day has not been an entire waste.
Discovering that Michelle Bachman is running against an opponent
called……………Elywn Tinklenberg!!!!
Where do Americans get their names from? :mrgreen:

G’day Ticsters
I see Chris has ben keeping us abreast of all the relevant news.
How are the odds doing? We all quote Intrade – here’s Sportingbet:

Sen. Barack Obama – DEM 1.13

Sen. John McCain – REP 5.25

paddy @ Caulfield

See, thats where you went wrong!… puppies buddy, would kill puppies!

it’s the small things 😉

7th in the 1st at Wentworth… good odds! 😆 sure it’s a big ask but?! 😆 lol

😮 … please nobody bet on that!, was a joke…ok!

Although, if it wins, twas part of a cunning, cunning plan 😉

The conservative commentariat continue to abandon McCain. Here’s Peggy Noonan from the WSJ (who in the same article tells us McCain won the 3rd debate):

“In the end the Palin candidacy is a symptom and expression of a new vulgarization in American politics. It’s no good, not for conservatism and not for the country. And yes, it is a mark against John McCain, against his judgment and idealism.

I gather this week from conservative publications that those whose thoughts lead them to criticism in this area are to be shunned, and accused of the lowest motives. In one now-famous case, Christopher Buckley was shooed from the great magazine his father invented. In all this, the conservative intelligentsia are doing what they have done for five years. They bitterly attacked those who came to stand against the Bush administration. This was destructive. If they had stood for conservative principle and the full expression of views, instead of attempting to silence those who opposed mere party, their movement, and the party, would be in a better, and healthier, position.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122419210832542317.html

For the first time ever, the Chicago Tribune endorses a Democrat:

“On Dec. 6, 2006, this page encouraged Obama to join the presidential campaign. We wrote that he would celebrate our common values instead of exaggerate our differences. We said he would raise the tone of the campaign. We said his intellectual depth would sharpen the policy debate. In the ensuing 22 months he has done just that.

Many Americans say they’re uneasy about Obama. He’s pretty new to them.

We can provide some assurance. We have known Obama since he entered politics a dozen years ago. We have watched him, worked with him, argued with him as he rose from an effective state senator to an inspiring U.S. senator to the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.

We have tremendous confidence in his intellectual rigor, his moral compass and his ability to make sound, thoughtful, careful decisions. He is ready.”

Good evening all!
I’m pleased that the Republican’s latest attempt to steal Ohio blew up in their faces! We should be glad there is a Democratic Governor in Ohio this time!
According to today’s AUSTRALIAN, Obama will soon visit West Virginia, and start advertising in Montana/North Dakota/Georgia/Kentucky

484
Spammy
You’re clearly a very sick and twisted individual.
Thank God there’s still a few of us left. :mrgreen:

485
Ferny
It’s all getting to be a bit of a worry Ferny.
There’s still weeks to go and at the rate the rats are jumping ship, it simply won’t be any really juicy targets left.
I don’t want any of them to escape.

Also from the above Chicago Tribune endorsement:

“We might have counted on John McCain to correct his party’s course. We like McCain. We endorsed him in the Republican primary in Illinois. In part because of his persuasion and resolve, the U.S. stands to win an unconditional victory in Iraq.

It is, though, hard to figure John McCain these days. He argued that President Bush’s tax cuts were fiscally irresponsible, but he now supports them. He promises a balanced budget by the end of his first term, but his tax cut plan would add an estimated $4.2 trillion in debt over 10 years. He has responded to the economic crisis with an angry, populist message and a misguided, $300 billion proposal to buy up bad mortgages.

McCain failed in his most important executive decision. Give him credit for choosing a female running mate–but he passed up any number of supremely qualified Republican women who could have served. Having called Obama not ready to lead, McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. His campaign has tried to stage-manage Palin’s exposure to the public. But it’s clear she is not prepared to step in at a moment’s notice and serve as president. McCain put his campaign before his country.”

Polls: Good AND Bad news for Obama

BAD:
Survey USA puts McCain ahead in Florida(49-47)

BETTER FOR OBAMA:
Rasmussen polls put the kid well ahead in
Nevada
Missouri
Colorado

And in the Washington Post’s endorsement of Obama yesterday, it says this of McCain:

“But the stress of a campaign can reveal some essential truths, and the picture of Mr. McCain that emerged this year is far from reassuring. To pass his party’s tax-cut litmus test, he jettisoned his commitment to balanced budgets. He hasn’t come up with a coherent agenda, and at times he has seemed rash and impulsive. And we find no way to square his professed passion for America’s national security with his choice of a running mate who, no matter what her other strengths, is not prepared to be commander in chief.”

488
I do what I can! 🙂

Although right now, the troops are not doing what they could for me!

491

Progressive, that wouldn’t make any sense whatsoever, as Obama is virtually certain to retain all the Kerry States, and if you add the EVs of Iowa, New Mexico and Colorado that gives Obama 272 Electoral Votes. McCain would literally be surrendering the election.

KatieLou, home safe ‘n’ sound after that pesky delay on the way to JFK. Don’t worry, after Nov 4 the only way the old warmonger will be stopping traffic will be if he throws himself under his Babel Express.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OafqYNCzq5U

http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?image=17&topicid=162

Sat Oct 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur;_ylt=AjC.8BZN5hqM7aRDL72XRSHmcLQF

Sat Oct 18:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/doonesbury;_ylt=Ai958vCsJebWC3v89ip9Rwwl6ysC

Fri Oct 17:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/mikeluckovich;_ylt=AhNbzfhZW2Sndbd.ClaldubV.i8C

Glad you like ‘em, Spammy.

*cliché alert*

It’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it. Every picture tells a story and saves a thousand words.

Ferny rides the zeitgeist again!
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61439

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=x0YDuh1aGyY&feature=related

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61436

Somewhere in Virginia…or Florida…or North Carolina….
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61217

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/61435

Thanks EC. And thanks to everyone who sent their wishes while I was in NY. I was only on the puter intermittently.

GhostWhoVotes @468

Those reports about the robocalls are just frightening. I know there’s some unattractive behaviour on both sides, pulling the racist card in the US is truly dangerous, I think. I know lots of people think McCain is a good person, but I’m unconvinced of that. He may have talked back to the nutter who said Barack was an Arab, but he continued to allow Palin a free hand to insight that shit. I’m not buying this thing about McCain being better than his campaign.

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