Obama ad disses McCain adviser Carly Fiorina for golden parachute

6 comments September 29th, 2008

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/FWrHGL13rZ8" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

How weird is this?: McCain plays blame game and then denounces it

12 comments September 29th, 2008

 

John McCain seems to be losing it — in more ways than one. 

Today, his campaign issued a statement blaming Barack Obama for the economic crisis. Then, hours later, Mr. Straight Talk CAME OUT against finger-pointing.

That’s some pretty fast flip-flopping.

UPDATE: Here’s a video montage dramatizing the situation:

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/eohbbypEzNU" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Bailout fails! Stock market plunges!

5 comments September 29th, 2008

The U.S. House DEFEATED the proposed bailout this afternoon.  Stocks fell sharply on the news.

Another account HERE.

UPDATE: THIS GUY says he knows why the bailout failed.

Obama maintains lead in post-debate polls while McCain’s unfavorable rating rises

3 comments September 29th, 2008

 

Four national tracking POLLS released today show Barack Obama maintaining a healthy lead in the presidential race.

One of these surveys suggests that John McCain’s demeanor in the debate last Friday night has increased his unfavorable rating among voters.

UPDATE: Fox News polls SHOW Obama making gains in five swing states — Colorado, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

A bailout alternative that appeals to morons

2 comments September 29th, 2008

 

Viral political emails hold little appeal for me, mainly because they’re almost always full of malarkey.

Here’s a great example. It’s a brainstorm of uncertain authorship that’s been sweeping the Internet like wildfire in recent days. Oh, it has its populistic charms, to be sure, but it also has one particular flaw (which I’ll explain at the end):

Hi Pals,

I’m against the $85 billion bailout of AIG. Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85 billion to America as a “We Deserve It” dividend.

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200 million bona fide U.S. citizens over the age of 18. Since our population is about 301 million including children, it seems 200 million might be a good estimate of the total number of adults. So, divide 200 million adults into $85 billion, which equals $425,000. My plan is to give $425,000 to every person over the age of 18 as a “We Deserve It” dividend.

Of course, it would not be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual receiving this dividend is required to pay $127,500 in taxes. That sends $25.5 billion right back to Uncle Sam. On the other hand, it means every adult has $297,500 in his/her pocket. A husband and wife would have $595,000.

What would you do with $297,500 or $595,000 for your family?

• Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.
• Repay college loans - a boost for new graduates.
• Put money away for college.
• Put it in the bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
• Buy a new car - create jobs.
• Invest in the market - capital drives growth.
• Pay for your parent’s medical insurance - health care improves.
• Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else.

Remember, this is for every adult U.S. citizen over the age of 18 including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to redistribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out a puny $1000 economic “incentive” that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we’re going to do an $85,000,000,000.00 bailout, let’s bail out every U.S. citizen.

As for AIG, liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up. Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.

Sure it’s a crazy idea that can “never work.” But can you imagine the coast-to-coast block party? How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow Americans to know how to use the $85 billion We Deserve It dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington, DC. Don’t forget, this plan only costs $59.5 billion because $25.5 billion is returned instantly to the government in taxes.

Countless blogs and Web sites have endorsed this proposal — ignoring one little problem (beyond the bad writing): 85 billion divided by 200 million is not 425,000; it’s only 425.

So, the whole idea is ridiculous.

Betting on McCain

Add comment September 29th, 2008

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/zGq6UCIKEkM" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Sportsmen for Obama

6 comments September 28th, 2008

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ljlPkCacJE" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Polls now clearly show that McCain lost the debate and failed with “suspension” stunt

Add comment September 28th, 2008

 

As I said HERE yesterday, the true winner of a presidential debate is not determined by political pundits or rabid partisans on the basis of substantive points. Rather, it’s decided by the public as a whole on whatever criteria they choose, from the serious to the silly.

I also warned against giving too much credence to the first two quickie polls conducted in the hours immediately after the debate (both of which, by the way, gave the nod to Barack Obama).

But we now have a NEW POLL from USA Today/Gallup showing that 46 percent of those who watched the debate thought Obama did a better job than John McCain, whose performance was preferred by 34 percent of respondents.

On top of that, four tracking polls released today SHOWED, when taken together, that Obama’s lead has widened since McCain launched his campaign-suspension stunt. The period covered by these polls include one day after the debate.

The utter failure of McCain’s suspension strategy was illustrated in a POLL CHART I posted here the other day.

So, when you put all this together and add the disastrous publicity of late concerning Sarah Palin (who’s been a big disappointment even to some conservative Republican observers), it can fairly be said that it was not a good week for the McCain-Palin ticket. Indeed not.

POSTSCRIPT: Pay no attention to any unscientific polls on the presidential debate (or on anything else, for that matter). In the world of professional polling, the word “unscientific” means the same as “worthless.”

UPDATE: Even one of McCain’s top surrogates, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, is conceding the obvious.

Graham said this morning on Fox News: “Sen. Obama helped himself, according to the polls. Quite frankly, I thought he presented himself well.”

Searching for a Bullhorn Moment

2 comments September 28th, 2008

Georgia Logothetis has a TERRIFIC LITTLE ESSAY on John McCain and his quest for political heroism.

McCain is gambling industry’s biggest supporter in Congress

16 comments September 28th, 2008

One wonders how Republican evangelicals, who oppose gambling on moral grounds, reconcile their support of John McCain with his CONGRESSIONAL RECORD on gambling issues.