The 2008 Fall Campaign

[Penelope]

C'est magnifique!

[Mister Tee]

My favorite snark of the day:

"Pressed about what insights into recent Russian actions she gained by living in Alaska, Palin answered: 'They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.'

And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Does it make me a fucking astronaut?"

[Big Magilla]

Magilla, are willing to put money on that?

On what, that it will be a close election or that McCain will win? I think it will be close unless as I said, the "older white men and women" wake up, but even though I think it will be close, I think Obama will win but not by the landslide he should.

[Mister Tee]

Magilla, are willing to put money on that? I continue to say Election Night is a breeze for Obama -- like Bill Clinton said yesterday, he'll win handily. Polls -- ESPECIALLY tracking polls -- are caca. Reagan trailed Carter by 3 points in mid-October '80. But the fundamentals said Reagan would win easily, and, son of a gun, he did. This whole idea that elections are personality contests decided on whim by idiot voters is a media invention, never backed up by the slightest empirical evidence.

James Fallows has an excellent piece up today about Palin's Gibson interview (which even honest right-wingers -- the few -- are admitting was no triumph). He said you can tell the difference between someone who's generally conversant with a subject and one who's just learned enough to get by, and Palin last night showed she was on many issues in the latter camp. We all have out strong and weak subjects: get me going on baseball, politics or film/theatre, I can run with the best. Change the subject to pro football or European affairs, I know less but still am capable of keeping up. But move on to college sports, and I'd only be able to throw out a few buzzwords or factoids ("Bear Bryant"; "Hook 'em, Horns ", Northwestern -- my alma mater -- sucks) -- if I tried to go beyond, I'd quicky expose my ignorance.

Palijn last night sounded like one of criddic's posts -- she'd absorbed the phrases, and was throwing them back on cue; but there was no sense she'd put them through her own thought process and was sending them back out value-enhanced. It reminded me of a friend of mine in high school doing an oral report on a book he'd palinly not read. He kept looking in the book, reading phrases, and repeating them in other words. It was transparent to the class, and we were all helpless with laughter at his audacity. Many are having the same response to Palin today.

By the way, Eric: I'm flattered by your remarks. I'll do my best to maintain a standard.

[Big Magilla]

I've given up applying logic when it comes to the Presidential race. I'm looking at it now from the perspective of what plays to the masses.

Like it or not, this election could still very well be decided on personalities. Those for whom integrity and what's best for them as well as the country have long since made up their minds as to how they're going to vote. It's up to the "undecided" and the easily manipulated wishy-washy ignoramuses who go by surface appearances that will tip the balance one way or another. Unless McCain or Palin slip up and say or do something to alienate the poorly educated, low paid, "rural older white men and women" who see themselves in them, this will continue to be a race down to the wire when logic says it should be a slam dunk for the Democrats.

[flipp525]

I suppose from a "campaign" point of view, he answered them well; but as a public servant who is seeking the most powerful position in the world, to see him parrot a lie when confronted directly about the fact that he has lied is, to me, just abominable. The man has no honor or shame.

Not to mention his face is melting off.

[Penelope]

I suppose from a "campaign" point of view, he answered them well; but as a public servant who is seeking the most powerful position in the world, to see him parrot a lie when confronted directly about the fact that he has lied is, to me, just abominable. The man has no honor or shame.

[Big Magilla]

I watched and thought he answered them very well, not that I agree with his answers, but he held his own. I can't say the same about Cindy, who was visibly annoyed that Barbara Walters dared to ask her how many houses she actually owned and refused to answer the question.

[Penelope]

John McCain on The View; Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg ask stronger questions than we've seen from the mainstream press.

[Greg]

Here's a strong anti-McCain ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZQGxaXGqe4

[flipp525]

It's like we're living in a bad science fiction movie.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, perhaps? I just imagine Sarah Palin stretching her mouth wide open and screeching like Donald Sutherland does at the end of the film.

[danfrank]

But how did it play to all those "older white women" who are allegedly so impressed by her?

On the discussion thread on the ABC News website, huge numbers of posters keep saying how "mean" and "biased" Charlie Gibson was, and how well Sarah did. And these are people who are paying attention to the election. It's like we're living in a bad science fiction movie.

[taki15]

On a related note I haven't seen the new Obama ad they're talking about in the news, but I think it may be a mistake to ridicule McCain as not being able to use a computer or send an e-mail. There are still plenty of people in this country who can't do either.

But then again, they are not running to become President.

[Big Magilla]

But how did it play to all those "older white women" who are allegedly so impressed by her? Hopefully not very well, but as the wise man once said "never underestimate the bad taste of the American public."

On a related note I haven't seen the new Obama ad they're talking about in the news, but I think it may be a mistake to ridicule McCain as not being able to use a computer or send an e-mail. There are still plenty of people in this country who can't do either.

[Penelope]

That portion of the interview on video. Alternately horrifying and hilarious at the same time.