Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

McCain really screwed himself this time. Instead of just letting Congress deal with this issue, he runs up Capital Hill, guns a blazin', ready to show the American people how he can solve problems. The trouble is that his gun had one of those funny flags shooting out of it. Now, he has a bit of a dilemma. He now "owns" this issue. He can vote for the bailout and piss off conservatives, or vote against it and be responsible for the Great Depression, 21st Century style. Today is when the McCain campaign died. Oh, and Palin is dumb as a bag of rocks. If the good folks of Roanoke (I've been there MANY times) want help, they need to stop voting for dumb candidates.

craig c posts are later and later '' he must be
working on his book into the wee hours
or maybe watching hitchcock movies again

This charade is paying off alright..for OBAMA! He's killin' 51--38 in Michigan now! Best news of the month!
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/NEWS15/80925082

I live in the most rural of Ohio counties which will go for McCain 3-1 in November. Folks here vote on NRA and abortion stances, mostly.
For me, the issue is Iraq. The repuggs drained the treasury for that debacle and must be turned out of office.
McCain the "reformer" has voted for deregulation for 26 years straight...he's also part of the problem the nation has with the collapsing financial institutions. WaMu just fragmented and JPMorgan picked up the pieces. McCain is part of the problem here.
But the crazy coot's ideas of winnability in Iraq id the deciding factor for me..VOTE OBAMA.

Do I have this right?

The Repubs are NOT for Bush's current economic bailout?

Has hell frozen over?

WaMu bit the dust. Soon there will be one bank, one Communist Chinese bank. Ironic. eh?

Check your bank's health:

http://www.bankrate.com/gookeyword/safesound/ss_home.asp

tt

If Craig keeps going forward, he can eat breakfast at night to save him time in the morning.

Or:

If he keeps moving forward, it'll be the next day.

tt

i'm glad craig found some normal everyday people
to talk to'' watching cable news you would
think the fate of the universe hangs in the balance
on whether or not the debate takes place tonight.
would the world come to an end if they postponed
it till monday '' or tuesday.

i think obama would have preferred to stay out
of washington on the campiagn trail' that way
he woud'nt have to vote one way or another
on the bailout'' then he could adjust his
position on the outcome.he has been campaigning
for office for most of his political career'' he may have
forgotten as senator he has to represent his state
and vote every now and then. or will it be '' present''
for the senator from illinois

Craig, Flip Flop - I liked this video.. Normal Americans trying to work hard to do the right things. This is the back bone and FOUNDATION of the American Economy!
Observation - You find the McCain supporters at work with depth and core values. You found the Obama supporters at the bar.
Interesting........
A+ for today

NO EASY BUTTON.
The plan must be completed to the best possible result.
Give it the weekend.
This is a difficult process and I know hard for the instant gratification crowd - which is sadly becoming most of America

Most of small town America doesn't have a clue what is happening in the financial market nor have they tuned into the election very much. They are also much more peaceful. I know this because I asked people at work and they don't have time to watch the news.

This bailout crisis feels so much like what happened during the run up to the Iraq war. This time I have been impressed, not usual for me, with some of the Republicans. I always tended to blame them for everything that has gone wrong in this country.

Shelby (R) has most impressed me. He said last night that he had a letter with signatures from 200 of the top economic experts in the country that says do not do this deal. He is being very careful.

I also think it was right for the candidates to go to Washinton to help. That is the job they were elected to do. It is not presidential to say call me if you need me. A debate is not more important that our financial well being in this country. Obama again just seem aloft, above it all. If he doesn't think he can be useful to his party how can he be useful for this country.

Carol

What Obama did was very much like if a Doctor had a patient dying in the ER and he says I am busy recieving an award, the ER docs can handle it. McCain wants to help save the patient.

Thank you John McCain and the House Republicans for representing the voice of main street America to the current government that has failed us in these economic times (current government = dem congress and Bush – see picture of Nancy and Harry with George = losers)

Thank you for forcing a dialogue and review of the plan. And for not just settling. Taking the time to get it right – not just a patch

I look forward to the final rescue bill that is optimized for the American People. This will be known as the McCain rescue plan.

Regarding the debate... There is no debate that McCain is best prepared on foreign policy and to protect this country

Have fun Barack - you like to hear your voice anyway

We have the largest banking collapse in US history and Barack is more concerned about a debate on foregin policy?
Help me understand

DOES HE NOT GET IT?

At 7:34 this morning it's clear to me that Mr McCain has completely flummoxed Mr Obama.

Yeah, it's hard to respond to a shape-shifter like McShame. (I think Mac is starting to channel Bahgdad Bob.)

"...a problem that college students have encountered in many states for many election cycles--where it is, exactly, they should register to vote..."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/20080925/ts_usnews/confusingvoterregistrationlawscouldaffectpresidentialelection

A little foreign-policy tidbit in case tonight really happens; back to the USSR.

"...hoped to revive the shattered pro-Western coalition with the president or form a new government with a Moscow-friendly opposition party."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080926/ap_on_re_eu/eu_ukraine_tymoshenko;_ylt=AoHBVAO4K6OUYPW.WKvR0K1bbBAF

Craig....
excellent video!..... just like yesterday's video, these people come across as warm and genuine...

I've been invited to do a special showing of my work at one of my best selling galleries in 3 weeks..... I'm not going to let the all the bad news about this economy stop me...... I'm going for it......

all those poor politicians having to work so hard...... I feel for them..... NOT...

Off to my evil job creating foundation of the AmericanEconomy of Free Enterprise and Capitalism.

I will check back later to see the Obama suppoters response to the question - not diversions.
Does Barack understand the extreme nature of the current situation?
Why did Barack's statement at the meeting ask John McCain for his direction?
Where is Barack

Based on this an Obamination is very scary

Actually, Obama sounds more measured & sane.

McShame, however, helped create this mess and is doing what he can to cover himself. Sort of political Munchausen syndrome; create a problem & then get attention for fixing it. Except that I don't think he has the remedy...but he will surely take credit if someone does. He is dispicable. Maverick, my Aunt Ida...he's political scum.

rr - Congrats & I'm sure your beautiful weavings will do well. Wearable art is also practical for these times.

Posted this last night, but wanted the early crew to see it if you did not read last ight thread.

Greta =On the record = show on Fox last night as tje question. Do do you think President Clinton will vote for? Total votes tallied 18996
McCain 15,342 3,654
Could have been in response to yesterday Clinton agreeing that McCain was right to come to Washington for the bailout issue.
This voting information to me was priceless.

"Obama is trying to defeat a party that has robbed and pillaged the country for much of the last 12 years"

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09262008/news/columnists/barack_has_a_huge_advantage___and_the_mo_130826.htm

I am getting that same feeling Julie.

Julie
Thanks very interesting.....

Sorry, that should have read
Who do you think Clinton will vote for ?

McCain 15,342 Obama 3.654
too early in am..

Good luck on your upcoming show, Renee.

When I went to the dentist on Wednesday, I asked her to go ahead and bill me for the rest of my treatment--the last $4k of $50k--putting the money on my account and drawing against it.

My doc is a smart woman so I told her I had no idea of whether or not the banking system will be around when the money was otherwise due. She agreed with my appraisal of the situation.

I'm not ignorant about money. My undergraduate major was finance, and finance was a major interest when I did my MBA. And I was on the board of a major regional economics club. And the commissioner of finance for a municipality, And treasurer of an insurance pool covering many of Florida's municipal governments.

But, I don't have the foggiest notion of the value of the assets our government is going to jump out and buy. And, I have no confidence that anybody knows their value. That scares the hell out of me.

Back to the dentist's office. I pulled out my plastic and paid the $4k. No problem. Which will raise my balance on that card to close to $16k--all of it medical related. But, it's cheaper for me borrowing with the card at 7.5-pct than taking investment money out my tax deferred accounts.

Then, yesterday, I got another envelope of those blank checks asking me to borrow more money interest free for the next year.

So, at least right now, I personally don't feel a credit pinch. Hopefully, your potential customers will be similarly fortunate.

mornin' all.

mqw, I agree that both presidential candidates have an obligation to do thepeople's business in DC - but you can't single out Obama - when McOld came a gallupin' into town yesterday, it was the first time he had seen the Senate Office Building since April.

Ping, as you know, IMHO Obama is the lesser of the two evils only, but to answer your question - no less than McCain. McCain has forced no discussion - that has been done by the House Republicans. Harry Reid said that in the tete-a-tete with Dumya yesterday McCain spoke last, had nothing substantive to say, and that anyone trying to figure out what he was trying to say couldn't. It's a stunt - he doesn't know what the hell is ging on anymore than Obama does, and certainly hasn't had the time while out suspending his campaign to learn enough about the issues, let alone economics and finance, to contribute anything to the debate other than the opportunity for some of his colleagues to have their pictures made with one of the two guys who will be president in January.

"Is McCain's Gamble Paying Off?"

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/is_mccains_gamble_paying_off.html

Blue.... thanks....

you brought up a good point and article about the confusion college students have with registering to vote..... most don't realize that you have to register where you claim you legally reside......

and it's not just college students who don't get it..... as some may know.... I worked as an election official for many years..... in NH, one can register the day of an election and in every presidential election we would have some adults who had business in our town but resided in another ask if they could register to vote with us.... they thought because it was a "national" election, they could vote anywhere..... it never failed to surprise us.....

Washington Mutual should have taken JP Morgan's offer last spring of $4. a share. Greedy. Too bad the people who are getting stuck are the shareholders. I know AFSCME held a lot of Wamu stock. If you look at Wamu closely they are the poster child of why the bail out is wrong. They failed, the fed swooped in and sold them. Not a dime to tax payers. They failed because of their own mistakes and refusal to own up to them. The Office of Thirft Supervision was already all over them for other violations and their own failed mortgage policies were the nails in the coffin.

I guess the House Republicans didn't care what David Shuster said about their strategy to separate themselves from Shrub. Senator Shelby was on this morning saying...what is the rush and that the Shrub proposal was fundamentally wrong. I think the Democrats should scrap the "Paulson" plan and introduce their own with all the bells and whistles they want and none of the crap the Cantors and McHenry's want. Or just limp through until the next administration.

Best line so far....Can't we put the bankers in fema trailers.

Flatus....
the gallery is in Peterborough NH..... home of the MacDowell Colony.... and full of well-to-do and wealthy retirees.......

and if you don't get this economic mess it makes me feel better about not getting it either..... all I have is a bachelor's in English from some lowly state college.....

I don't know who to believe at this point.....
oh well..... back to work....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/business/26bailout.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

"Mr. Boehner pressed an alternative that involved a smaller role for the government, and Mr. McCain, whose support of the deal is critical if fellow Republicans are to sign on, declined to take a stand. "

Yes, Ping. Thank you Mr. McCain for standing up for the concerns of Main Street - well, thanks anyway.

Actually, Richard Shelby probably is leading the constructive opposition to the plan.

"Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican who appeared on the same show, said many GOP lawmakers dislike the proposal that has been pushed on the administration's behalf principally by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

''Basically, I believe the Paulson proposal is badly structured,'' Shelby said. ''It does nothing basically for the stressed mortgage payer. It does a lot for three or four or five banks . ... ''

I almost hate to admit I agree with Shelby on anything, but what he said here does reflect my own concerns withthe plan.

"I don't know who to believe at this point.....
oh well..... back to work...."

It's clear to me. People should believe in themselves and take confidence from the basket of skills they can draw on.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us/politics/26campaign.html?pagewanted=2&hp

Hmmm, I wonder why McCain might be trying to suggest he supports Boner's plan?? Re: a New York Times/CBS News poll released Thursday -

"In a finding suggesting the difficult terrain Mr. McCain needs to navigate as Congress considers the Wall Street bailout 52 percent of respondents said Mr. McCain care more about protecting the interests of large corporations, compared with 32 percent who said that he cared most about protecting the interests of ordinary people. By contrast, 16 percent of respondents said that Mr. Obama was more concerned with protecting the interests of large corporations, compared with 70 percent said he was more concerned about ordinary people."

I guess the people really aren't that stupid after all.

Let me get this straight--Democrats are upset because Republicans don't agree with the Bush plan and they do. Huh? Bizzarro World.

Setting aside what polls tell us. I have no faith the public has enough information or unbiased information to make a decision about the bailout plan or either party's agenda. Once again so-called journalism has failed us.

The media picks up a "narrative" it doesn't need to be fact based. That becomes the story and too often the truth is left far behind.

Pogo--Is your firm getting nervous inquiries from clients regarding their individual financial situations in light of the current uncertainty?

"McCain the "reformer" has voted for deregulation for 26 years straight" -Dex

" If the good folks of Roanoke (I've been there MANY times) want help, they need to stop voting for dumb candidates."
-MrD

I agree with you both, but those people stretch across the country and there are even McCain supporters right on this blog.

Facts be damned. Full speed ahead.

______________________________
In the biggest bank failure in history, JPMorgan Chase will acquire massive branch network and troubled assets from Washington Mutual for $1.9 billion.

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

ubns

It's not the Bush-Paulson plan anymore...it's more the Dodd plan

Key Changes Made To Plan

The proposed deal would codify many of the basic tenets of the Bush administration's initial plan, released last week, but it includes several key changes.

The money would be made available to the U.S. Treasury in stages. Treasury would have access to $250 billion immediately and an additional $100 billion later, "when the president certifies this emergency continues," New York Sen. Charles Schumer said. If needed, the final $350 billion would be available in May 2009, he said. Congress would be allowed to assess the program after the initial payment and block any additional funds if it deemed them unnecessary.

The agreement could require all companies participating in the program to agree to limits on executive pay — such as restrictions on "golden parachutes." Schumer said the plan would also give the government a financial stake, in the form of warrants, in all participating companies.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95042937

"Let me get this straight--Democrats are upset because Republicans don't agree with the Bush plan and they do. Huh? Bizzarro World." Posted by: ubns

Ha! ubns. I haven't caught up with all the posts yet, but got a laugh at how right on you are with that statement. Bizarre indeed.

"So many Americans are weary of politics because the repetitive gotcha games and tactical brinksmanship come across as little more than intramural competition for a really boring sport. They'd rather watch fleas wrestle."

Craig I love that paragraph! It say's it all. You have such a way with words.
It is so nice to hear ordinary working people talking about how it's all affecting their lives on a personal level. Truth without slant.

"craig c posts are later and later '' he must be
working on his book into the wee hours
or maybe watching hitchcock movies again"
Posted by: mqw | September 26, 2008 2:23 AM

I was kinda surprised to read that mqw. I thought Craig's midnight posts were 'earlier' than ususal. :)

For those who may want to read the proposed legislation proposed by Dodd with regard to the "bailout/rescue"

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html

ubns - I'd say it's more accurate to say that congressional democrats are upset that the house republicans let a day and a half of negotiations go wasted while they sat on their opposition to Bush's plan. We regular democrats not holding national elected office just sit and watch with amusement as the Repugs have an internal party struggle, with the rebels who are defying their president pushing a package that has even less chance of passing than the Paulson plan did - and hope that the financial system doesn't melt down before some plan that is based in reality and rationality is worked out. One thing you can be sure of - whatever plan eventually results has to come out of the Senate Banking Committee, and Chris Dodd really has no interest in seeing John McCain cast as Wyatt Earp.

flatus - not that I know of - but I'm in litigation, and those inquiries would come into our business group.

Nice post.

Listening to the rants of the unhinged left makes me want to lock my doors and buy new batteries for our intrusion alarms. I am totally disinclined to vote for any candidate they support.
Posted by: Flatus Author Profile Page | September 25,PM

Flatus,
Thanks. I fully understand and appreciate your comment but sadly the intrusion seems ubiquitous and is not so easily contained.

regards,
toast

toast, how's this - Sarah Palin is an immoderate and intemperate conservative idealogue and the thought of Sarah Palin as POTUS (should John McCain somehow not be able to serve) scares me even more than the thought of another term of George Bush as POTUS. You'll note nothing about Attilla the Hun or Palin's credentials as a liar (which has been pretty well documented) or porn star (which I doubt).
Posted by: pogo

Pogo, when you criticize it's on point and that's fair game. Palin is indeed accomplished in the arts of mendacity, but then again so is Biden, McC and BO. My issue was porn star and the linkage of vicious and liar which was needless, IMO. To be sure I have read some recent post of yours in which you mildly rebuked others in much the same manner.

regards,
toast

"Setting aside what polls tell us. I have no faith the public has enough information or unbiased information to make a decision about the bailout plan or either party's agenda."

Katherine, You are so right!
We never get all the straight facts, and it is impossible to make a decision on partial information. The media is not only failing us, they're fooling us too.

Hi Coreen

If any of your clients had wamu loans ...take heart
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/jpmorgan-adopt-dodds-subprime-lending/story.aspx?guid={20D1FF55-D3CA-4B42-BDE4-0EDD2ADCFDAF}

from a 2007 agreement with Senators Dodd and Shelby
Dodd "has focused the country's attention on the challenges faced by many hard-working families trying to hold on to the American dream," David Lowman, chief executive of Chase Home Lending, said in a press release. "We at Chase will employ the principles as we work with Chairman Dodd and his committee as well as our regulators, borrowers, investors and community representatives to develop solutions."
The principles include an agreement that lenders will seek to restructure a loan's terms if a borrower can't afford to make the monthly payments after an adjustable-rate mortgage resets upward. Also, lenders agree to contact a borrower before the rate resets to discuss whether a borrower will be able to afford the new rate. The principles also include an agreement to offer low-cost refinancing.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/09/mccain-turns-heads-with-debate.html#comment-150728

if Rez is around... Hey Rez... Jean was out "clubbing"??? WOW! After Cheryl passed away I was charged with the responsibility of doing an initial evaluation of the candidates for the Library Group's Administrative Assistant. I read every friggin' one of the applications, and Angie's stood out far up and above the rest. I was happy when she was hired.

I hope Jean is doing well... Can you send my greetings and well wishes? I really miss Evergreen. I haven't been back in Washington State in 10 years !!

Thanks for the update Rez... hard to imagine Jean clubbing... LOL :-)

Eurotom,

A few months back I mentioned to you that I was making & drinking kombucha and kefir.

Results? Excellent. All of the messes brought on by six years of chemo and steroids are rebalancing. Blood pressure and sugar levels in normal range. No more IBS or reflux. I lost (so far) 25 pounds. So many bodily functions restored as both "live foods" bring the body to a state where it can healthily address the usual and unusual challenges.

Plus... both are a joy to make.

How are you?

Tony,
Thanks for linking that article. It had quite an interesting take on the events of the last few days. It's always interesting to hear both sides.

"This is a presidential campaign, however - you check your morality at the door. Like it or not, McCain is prepared to do whatever it takes to win."

"So the chances are that there is a deal there for McCain to be able to take credit for. But it's highly unlikely that would be before Friday evening - which means that McCain could well raise the stakes by not turning up for the debate in Oxford, Mississippi.

Conventional wisdom is that this would be a disaster for McCain. But it could turn out be the opposite."

"The Republican nominee's gambit may have been irresponsible. If it had failed it could have left Obama cruising towards victory. Against all the odds, however, it just might be paying off.".

Palin has far more experience than Obama.
He has zilch, none, executive experience. All he has done significantly is campaign. He did not even want to go to Washington yesterday. They could call him. The height of arrogance. He just wants to campaign. Obama is not ready, not even marginally..

Observation - You find the McCain supporters at work with depth and core values. You found the Obama supporters at the bar.
Interesting........
A+ for today

Posted by: Ping Pong | September 26, 2008 6:15 AM

Now Ping.. really... you're a nice person so I don't want to be snarky. But your observation is derogatory! You are implying that the video proves McCain supporters are hard workers and Obama supporters are drunks. Even Republicans would have to say this isn't fair. For one thing, being at a bar makes does not mean a person isn't a hard worker. That's just silly. And this Obama supporter ... moi ... almost NEVER goes to a bar, doesn't drink, except fine wine with some meals, and works his ass off day in and out.

Considering that the Republicans are the party by and for the rich, I would surmise that in many situations, it is the Repugs who don't do any work. Living on unearned income is easy, but it doesn't make someone industrious or creative in any sense.

Your Grade for this observation: D+ (the rating is based on the fact that you took the time to make the evaluation and extrapolate from it. For that I give you an B. For the final analysis, you get an F. .... I'm a tough grader.

Someone probably Republicans are trying to push the idea that small businesses are going to be unable to meet payroll because of the lack of action --the reaction in comments tells the story...

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/09/25/small-businesses-cant-get-cash/?mod=googlenews_wsj

Plus, if you business requires a consistent flow of capital infusion, you must establish a line of credit or maybe even a syndication of lenders. This is the business owner’s task, not bank’s. What are they expecting, bank knocking on their doors, handing over duffle bags of cash?
Comment by Alternate Reality - September 25, 2008 at 8:05 pm

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/09/local-economics-trumps-dc-game.html#comment-150808

Sure Palin has experience, as a fundamentalist right wing christian nut, the LAST thing any country needs are such people in the realms of power. The argument that Palin has executive experience would then have to be backed up by a wealth of accomplishment and good government. She fails on both accounts. In terms or pure intellect and knowledge, Obama wins handily.

Resentment, resignation in North Bay

By JEREMY HAY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Friday, September 26, 2008 at 7:51 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, September 26, 2008 at 8:02 a.m.

The Wall Street meltdown and plans to stem it reverberated Thursday along the North Bay’s Main Streets, where skepticism, worry and anger seemed to prevail.

“Am I angry about it? A lot,” said Richelle Panthen, 57, a Forestville esthetician. “But I don’t blame capitalism, I blame the government.”

Panthen laid the blame for the mess with Democrats who, she said, pushed for affordable housing programs that made it too easy for people to get home loans, and with mortgage companies that developed loan products that enabled people to buy homes they couldn’t afford.

“Now they all made money, and we’re all going to pay for it,” she said of the federal government’s proposal to buy troublesome mortgage-backed securities from Wall Street firms and other lenders — at a cost of at least $700 billion.

At the Asia Mart grocery store in Santa Rosa, owner Chao Dai said urgent calls to act quickly, such as President Bush’s statement Wednesday “that the entire economy is in danger,” remind her of the rush to war after 9/11, and that, so far, the plan seems unfair.

“When I do business, if I don’t do good, no people help me,“ said Dai, 50. “Why do we have to take the people’s money to help them?”

Such sentiments appeared representative of most North Bay opinion.

The offices of Reps. Lynn Woolsey and Mike Thompson reported getting nearly 4,000 constituent phone calls, letters and e-mails about the crisis, virtually all opposing the proposal to prop up the staggering financial markets.

Of 1,800 e-mails her office received overnight Wednesday, just 10 supported the plan, said Woolsey, D-Petaluma.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080926/NEWS/809260299/1349?Title=Resentment_over_bailout

Dog, BBC always has EXCELLENT news coverage, on television, on the BBC World Service radio (which played a big role in informing citizens about what was going on with the Nazis in WWII) and on their website. http://www.bbcnews.com . Good information and up-to-date

toast, thanks - when it comes to the candidates I try to stay on the issues and be substantive for the most part - but hen again I do have a mischievous side and will make the occasional (sometimes though not infrequent) snarky remark. But I like to think that even those are based in fact although stated sarcastically. I thought your criticism of the porn star comment was warranted. I'm not even sure how being a porn star would disqualify someone from high office. :-)

Porn star pols...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih9MxbVarVw

Must see tv NOT
Heeeere's Huckabee.

Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee announced on his Web site that he has a new show debuting 8 p.m. EDT Saturday and Sunday on the Fox News Channel.
Fox News Channel spokesman Richard White said that Huckabee's new show would air on the channel but referred all questions about the show to Huckabee's agent.

Sarah Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor's daughter and head of his political action committee, said the same show will air both nights. She said his guest on the show will be Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the conservative co-host of ABC's "The View."

This is the election you wouldn't want to win
The bad news: November's victor could be a one-term disaster. The good news: a great president may follow him

"It is highly probable that that moment, the very hour that he takes office, will be the high point of his presidency. Whoever wins on November 4 will be ascending to the job at one of the most difficult times for an American chief executive in at least half a century. When the votes are counted his people might ruefully conclude that the victor is not Barack Obama or John McCain. The real winner will be Hillary Clinton, or Mitt Romney, or Mike Huckabee, or some now happily anonymous figure whose star will rise in the next four turbulent years.

2008 may be the best year there has been to lose an election."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4827820.ece

KC, what a thought - Huckleberry hosts Chucklehead. Well, maybe Matt will watch.

And in the most sexual football game of the year, how 'bout them Beavers? I gotta say that when the Trojans meet the Beavers, and the Trojans fail, there's the possibility of transfer of stds and of offspring in 9 months, right.

Katherine,

Your post illustrates the mood on "Main Street" that the politicians have failed to understand.

And the media this a.m. have absolutely lined up to
place the blame for the failure to reach an agreement on McCain & the to a lesser degree those pesky house republicans. It remains to be seen whether the media will change "Main Street's opinion" of the need for this bailout/rescue--which I still believe will be passed in some form.

Coreen

I think a lot of people see Shrub as the boy who cried wolf and this time they are not buying it.

Coreen

If a bailout goes throughand it does not calm the markets and free up credit (which it isn't going to do imo) and shore up the bottom of the housing market, it will look like another grabass for the rich and if that is the conclusion before the election, it could be very good news for Ralph Nader~~~~~~~~.

"Palin has far more experience than Obama.
He has zilch, none, executive experience. All he has done significantly is campaign. He did not even want to go to Washington yesterday. They could call him. The height of arrogance. He just wants to campaign. Obama is not ready, not even marginally.."
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/09/local-economics-trumps-dc-game.html#comment-150808

You're right Julie, And he's running for president. Palin is merely in the vp spot, Yet they continue compare the two as though they were running for the same office.

"Blood pressure and sugar levels in normal range. No more IBS or reflux. I lost (so far) 25 pounds."--9/11

congrats on the bp and sugar levels and the weight loss. My doctor has said several times that if I lost 25 lbs my sugar level would drop to normal and I would not have to take meds. Again congrats.

The stock market is relatively quiet.

"The stock market is relatively quiet."

Calm before the storm?

KC, considering the WaMu and bailout collapses, it is amazing the market is holding its own for the most part. What happened - crude prices go up?

plus 2nd 1/4 GDP was revised down 1/2 % to 2.8%

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/economy/27econ.html

There's just not much good financial news out there.

Nope, crude was down a little (to $105) Gold was up 24 though.

http://www.nymex.com/index.aspx

I think "day traders" have put their money into safe securities likes treasuries or are sitting on the sidelines.

Likely.

A picture is worth a thousand threads

How blistersyeahbutchannel feels about the choice election 2008.

http://triptronix.net/ishbadiddle/images/cpins02.jpg

Graham suggests McCain will be at debate
"Aides say Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is lobbying congressional colleagues furiously today to get a mortgage bailout deal, and a close adviser suggests McCain will attend tonight’s opening presidential debate."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13952.html

Today's market gives new meaning to the term
"to the mattresses"

dog, good post - right on point. Biden certainly has sufficient experience with the affairs of state to serve competently as VP. IMO that is the issue - "executive" experience is no measure for either of the top 2 slots, although it certainly does not disqualify a candidate. GWB came into the office with plenty of executive experience - of course most of it was failed executive experience, but I digress - and look at how well that worked out. In the end, there is no set of experience building experiences (sorry for the repetition) for either of the 2 top offices. Apparently repugs think that this time around the No. 1 slot requires you to have been a WP grad, fighter pilot, POW and long term Senator on the Armed Services and Commerce committees, and No. 2 slot has a requirement that the candidate had to be a mayor, governor and good shot.

No one has answered the fundamental question (imo)
who is getting the 700 B. Until I see that, I think I'm opposed to any bailout.

Hey Tom,

More FYI:
I don't run around in bars/taverns like I used too so It's really an exaggeration for me to use the word clubbing. Jean, Angie and a few other lib admin folks were out for a few brews after work yesterday, kinda an after lunch BS session. . btw Angie's moved onto Bellingham, so having her in town was a special reason to kick back.

Just in case you might be wondering

In structured finance, a tranche (misspelled as traunch or traunche) is one of a number of related securities offered as part of the same transaction. The word tranche is French for slice, section, series, or portion. In the financial sense of the word, each bond is a different slice of the deal's risk. Transaction documentation (see indenture) usually defines the tranches as different "classes" of notes, each identified by letter (e.g. the Class A, Class B, Class C securities). The term "tranche" is used in fields of finance other than structured finance (such as in straight lending, where "multi-tranche loans" are commonplace), but the term's use in structured finance may be singled out as particularly important. Use of "tranche" as a verb is limited almost exclusively to this field.

Pogo......in all fairness you never know when the VP will have to step up to the plate and skin a moose.

Well off to buy some left chicken wings for tonight's festivities

If McCain doesn't show up maybe they can invite some of the third party candidates previously excluded.

dog, duh, I meant Annapolis, not WP.

sturg, of course. My oversight - lots of Moose in DC, hanging at the lodge for $.50 beer night and playing video poker - but I'm not sure their wives would let Sarah skin them when they probably wnat to do that themselves.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/09/local-economics-trumps-dc-game.html#comment-150826

Hi Dog,

The Belgians are frustrated, as are most of the Europeans. Our stock markets are diving too over worries about what is going on in the USA. Like it or not, the direction the American economy goes either builds up or tears down the rest of the world's economies. People I talk to are also quite annoyed at the speculating in the energy markets. It has caused also enormous price increases here, and with our social systems financed partially from extra taxes on fuel, the costs are much higher here. Belgian companies are largely pessimistic about the future. Belgian people are holding on to their money, which they largely do when they feel unsure about the economy. Europeans are truly "savers", unlike in the states where most live beyond pay check to pay check, augmented by over-reliance on high interest credit. The banks here are also suffering financially, with Fortis being the big loser overall.
I was going to go into a different business, but in this market and climate I decided that I would remain with my franchise. There is less freedom, but far less risk.

That's all I can report on here. We are still grappling with a government teetering on the brink of collapse. Here's the latest from the Flemish side:

http://www.flanderstoday.eu/jahia/Jahia/cache/offonce/pid/2525;jsessionid=C521C4525FAFE1C9D2279360F056F047

dog, we share the same weather systems. It's just toying with us right now, but it should hit in earnest this evening.

Rez, thanks for the update. Is Lee still the Dean of Library Services? Who's the Admin Asst?? I still say the best Dean was Sarah, though I know she sure was glad to get out of that and into the regular faculty...

lunch then work - probably won't be back around today. Everyone have a good weekend.

McCain will go to debate
"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announces: "The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13970.html

ogo......in all fairness you never know when the VP will have to step up to the plate and skin a moose.

Posted by: sturgeone | September 26, 2008 11:09 AM

Great Sturg, now I am cleaning coffee off my iMac !!! That was one of the funniest posts I've read here...

I'm heading back to work. It's EuroMillions Day and the pot is €130,000,000, guaranteed that at least one person will win today. Now I sell lotto, scratch cards and the like. I know it's regressive, but it's right now EuroMillions mania and I'm staying open an extra half hour.

Bye for now.

And please... friends... let's keep the blog lively but not falling into childish behavior. I was pretty appalled at what I read in the last topic. We're all better than that!

From that same link:

"The difference between Barack Obama and John McCain was apparent during the White House meeting yesterday, where Barack Obama’s priority was political posturing in his opening monologue defending the package as it stands. John McCain listened to all sides so he could help focus the debate on finding a bipartisan resolution that is in the interest of taxpayers and homeowners. The Democratic interests stood together in opposition to an agreement that would accommodate additional taxpayer protections.

Senator McCain has spent the morning talking to members of the administration, members of the Senate, and members of the House. He is optimistic that there has been significant progress toward a bipartisan agreement now that there is a framework for all parties to be represented in negotiations, including Representative Blunt as a designated negotiator for House Republicans. The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners."

Posted by: pogo | September 26, 2008 11:38 AM
McCain will go to debate
"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announces: "The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13970.html

Posted by: chloe | September 26, 2008 11:39 AM

Yeah, well he sure shot himself in the foot with his "cancel the debate" debacle. He's become a total laughing stock for his excuse to try and get out of the debate. Run and Hide John... Run and Hide...

Sheesh...

Pollster says election could end in landslide

""This may be and probably is the most important election in our lifetime," Zogby said. "I don't say that lightly."
These voters are looking for a problem-solver, someone who can manage the government competently, he said.""
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20080925/NEWS01/80925009/1002/NEWS

RealClear Poll Avg...
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

Democrats surrender on drilling
"...The House gave away a quarter-century's worth of coastal protection to get Republicans to go along with a stopgap spending bill. And it is a gamble putting the calendar ahead of principle. The rollback moves the goal posts for any future compromise."
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article827466.ece

Have a good day!

KGC

Any press release coming out of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is always to the benefit of global corporate interests. It's just the nature of the beast. They have a "small business" department, but nothing they do benefits that dept unless the interests are those of the big corporations. The small businesses are just a source of dues money.

ct,

Patient's doctor recieving an award is not a very apt metaphor. A better one would be that doctor mccain avoids a staff meeting, held to determine which doctor can best care for the patient.

Here's are other metaphors:

Since he was first elected, mccain has stood for deregulating financial institutions, because he says that regulating decreases market efficiency.

Caulking a boat decreases it's speed and efficiency.

Braking decreases automobile efficiency.

Using a saftety mask decreases a welder's efficiency.

Wearing a parachute decreases a flyer's efficiency.

Employing guards decreases a bank's efficiency.

chloe,

Isn't it interesting that problem solving wasn't on mabny people's minds at the beginning of this campaign, a few million years ago ?

The parties picked candidates for whom problem solving was not the strongest suit. Fortunately, there are many competent people who can fill the Cabinet posts - if they have the guts to jump into the job after the country has been gutted by the bushcheney gang.

Jamie

The comments in response to the claim, as I pointed out, refuted the contention. However, the US Chamber isn't the only one making that claim. Bush does also. So do many Democrats. It is one of the arguments for the bailout to free up the credit markets.

Proud mother moment: My son started drawing cartoons when he was two even though I wasn't thrilled with crayola lions on the bed sheets following nap time. Fast forward 42 years and the cartoons keep coming.

http://doodlechris.blogspot.com

A surprising source defends Palin
ATRIOS -lefty blogger and McCain hater

I'm actually a little sympathetic to Palin. Her problem isn't so much that she speaks in gibberish, the problem is that she doesn't speak in Official Washington Gibberish. John McCain spouts gibberish all the time, as do all politicians, but it's often the kind of gibberish which is part of the Beltway dialect. It's pundit-approved gibberish. Whether or not it makes any sense is irrelevant. Whatever Palin's knowledge of domestic or foreign affairs, her biggest problem is that she's obviously completely unfamiliar with the basic contours of the core political discourse of our country. Gibberish is fine as long as it's the right kind of gibberish.
http://www.eschatonblog.com/2008_09_21_archive.html#741453395482521275

You knew it was only a matter of time before Bill Clinton would get blamed for the housing crisis with his programs to promote home ownership.

He explained it best, but when they were encouraging people to buy homes, they had a lot of money because the economy was booming, adding millions of well paying jobs. Real estate wasn't the only thing moving the economy forward.

When Bush took office and especially after 9/11, the government realized that the only real growth in the economy was coming from real estate since rates were so low. People could speculate on the market with no real consequences and that's what they did.

Bill Clinton pursued Al Qaeda and when Bush took over, he and McCain wanted missile defense and a way to attack Iraq...9/11 happened even though they were warned.

People had been warning that there would be a major bubble in real estate going back to 2006 and the administration ignored it and now we have this calamity. Had they acted a year ago with a similar measure, I think they could have gotten away with only needing half the money and we'd be well on the way to recovery. The administration felt no need to regulate.

Looks like all the Republicans signed up for the kulture ware

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/26/national_review/index.html

think Fry is really on vacation or ghosting writing for the National Review?

If a guy can't be trusted to tell the truth about a little, insignificant thing like Letterman, how can he be trusted to tell the truth about something big, nasty, and embarrassing ?

For instance, how can you trust him to admit that, counting in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, his party's lunatic deregulatory obsession has cost Americans nearly $10TR!LL!ON ?

That's roughly $33,000 debt per man, woman, and baby, or $132,000 debt suddenly dumped on the family of 4.

And if he is so untrustworthy, how can anyone support him ?

Throw the bums out !

Ms Cracker,

What a scathing assessment of the national review staff !

torpedo,

Thank you!

I will mention something which is significant to me.

Due to both that high ludicrous steroid level and how these particular leukemia cells physically bound themselves to leukatrine receptors, I have had what I'd call an intense, chronic level of inflammatory pain for seven years.

Since I began making and drinking that kefir, the inflammation has subsided by what I'd call confidently 95 percent, even during steroid withdrawal after treatment.

So no pain, much gain in the joy of living (though much loss of weight as well).

Mr. Xrep

Deserved don't you think. What a bunch of tools.
Wamu failed because they are a bunch of greedy gits.
Morgan offered to buy them last spring but noooooooooooo

I don't think it was a person of color who turned down the offer.

kgc,

Unless the color is a burning beet red of shame or a justly black mixed with blue.

If the Republican House caucus is so sure that there is private money to bail Wall Street, why hasn't it hit he market to start the bottom feeding frenzy? Is it because they can't get the financing to do it because of the seized up credit markets?

If your Fed Chair, an expert on the Great Depression, tells you he's scared by the current conditions and you repudiate him, does that mean you think you know more than him? If so, explain to me how a Capital Gains tax cut fixes the markets.

I accidentally caught a little bit of Rush L. on the radio while driving home from work. Purely an accident since usually he stimulates my gag reflex.

He finally did say something I agreed with, hell is going to freeze over. He said Obama would rather handle this mess over the phone because he has others telling him what to say. That is how I see Obama, a puppet with others pulling his strings.

Carol

This can't be good if Alberto is rolling on W...

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/plausible-denia.html

9/11

Nice to see you and glad to hear you are feeling better.
Unfortunately I think they have no shame. I thought it was interesting the fed took over Wamu while the chairman of the board was on an airplane. Andy we have a surprise for you and it's not we lost your luggage.

"In February, Washington Mutual's human resources committee, which sets executive pay, decided not to count mortgage-related credit losses and foreclosure costs in setting bonuses."

they already got theirs.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/09/local-economics-trumps-dc-game.html#comment-150895

Yes, Carol, we know. You and several others say nearly the same thing at some point nearly every day...Obama bad, McCain good.

It looks to me as though how we see things simply breaks down along political lines.

From where I'm sitting, McCain's grandstanding of the past couple of days has made him look weak, ineffective and foolish. Isn't it interesting that I would see it that way, having decided that my vote will go to...drum roll, please..

OBAMA/BIDEN 2008!!!

kgc,

Well, I kept bugging a news producer I know to do a current version of "Mad Men" by going to the creatives and account people at Leo Burnett which did WaMu's bizarrely funny TV campaign involving herds of "stodgy" bankers bewildered by WaMu's cool, funny (and, on reflection, Obama-esque) spokesman.

Given that everybody I know (starting with my recently widowed aunt) who had accounts at WaMu has been panicking for at least a year and a half... be kind of cheerfully brutal look at advertising's practiced indifference to the reality of its clients.

HW.

I am not a Republican and have never voted Republican. I was a big Hillary supporter. I have tried hard to get on the Obama wagon but just can't yet.

I will keep trying but there is just something that screams... Nobama. I just don't want him as the Captain of our sinking ship. I will keep trying. Maybe the debates will help. If McCain dies during one of them that would help me with the decision.

OK, I really can't get caught up in this today, but HW, LOL. And (hw, the following is NOT intended as a dis to you) Carol is certainly not the only predictable poster, nor the most predictable - of course Gallup daily (national) is O+3 pts today, down from +5 about 3 days ago and down from +7 around 3 weeks ago and -7 two weeks ago. Exactly what national trend can the VA results be following? Yeah, polls are big.

9/11

That would be funny....

My first "real" job was at Downe Communicationswhich owned the Ladies'Home Journal and American Home magz and a bunch of other stuff and Mad Men captures the times perfectly. Ugly disgusting people.

Wheeeeeeeee

the obots are out in full force today

Wheeeeee

let's not tolerate anything that's not worshipping his majesty

Wheeeeeee

Hi pogo

CT: Exactly what I feel, thank for taking the words out of my mouth. Cannot get connected to Obama, and neither can about 10 of my friends and all their families.

Where do you live Mama? I live in a big Republican area and have pissed off many people over the years with my support of Democrats. I came close to suffering bodily injuries when Clinton was in office, especially after monica.

Carol

Sorry for the delay in responding, Carol...I slipped away for awhile to take care of family stuff.

I laughed out loud at your post...your decision will be easier if McCain dies during one of the debates...lol...truly!

I am an independent...have been independent pretty much all of my voting life. When I came close to choosing sides, I came close to being a card-carrying Republican. A lot of research into the whys and wherefores of decisions regarding big business cured me of that. My personal belief is that both sides have sold out, and are largely owned by the big business interests that support their campaigns. I recognize that there are politicians who are not for sale...but I don't there are enough of those to compensate for the larger numbers who are. In terms of ideology, I believe that we (the people) have a marginally better shot at being considered with the Democrats in power. But the truth is, the two major parties and their partisan crap have come very close to destroying our once great country. I hope it can be pulled back from the brink of whatever its on....

As for this election, I have chosen to support Obama/Biden because they seem much better equipped to lead. I really want a president who has a powerful brain, and who thinks before acting. McCain/Palin don't qualify, IMO. I am insulted by McCain's selection of Pain as his running mate. I don't think her problem is that she doesn't speak the lingo of Washington. I think her problem is that she's blinded by her own ideology...both religious and Republican...and can't see the forest for the trees. I think McCain's day has come...and gone. He's not equipped to lead this country out of the mess Bush/Cheney have gotten it into. And he would surround himself with some of the same characters who have helped Bush/Cheney lead us into disaster. Just can't follow. No way.

9/11

KInd of appropriate Wamu's last ad was whahoooo

harry reid'''senate majority leader
nancy polosi''' speaker of the house
frank dodd '' senate banking committee chairman
barney frank'' house financial services committee
chairman
were there no warning signs of an impending
banking crisis
what have these people been doing
they've had thier heads so far up obama's ass
they have'nt even seen the sun for over a year

Hi, pogo...

I recognize that Carol is no more predictable in what she posts than many others...on both sides. Guess she just gored my ox with the repeated Obama slams.

I don't see Obama as some sort of savior. Like you, I've chosen the ticket I believe to be the better one, given the choices we have. And I've stated my reasons as clearly as I can. But I can't be accused of coming on this blog every day and repeating myself. It seems silly to me to do that. It's not only not going to change anyone's mind, it really irritates those who would like some new ideas to mull over...IMO.

Hi, SEE. SEE, indeed. :-)

No, Gallup is not the be all and end all, it's the one you have cited about 900 times this year to show how inevitable and indominable Obama's lead over first Clinton and now McCain has been and is among the ones Rasmussen would cite as showing the national trends it now sees, and that don't really exist for more than a week. Looking at Rasmussen's own data, which differs little from Gallup's, the trend it cites is a trend back to its own results both following the two conventions and PRECEDING them by a month. My point is that the trends Rasmussen and Gallup see don't exist as anything more than farts in a stiff wind, but rather are transitory and meaningless at this point since they have trended toward both candidtes over the past couple of months.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/general_election_match_up_history

Now, I'm outta here.

hw, but I certainly appreciate your coming on and giving your two cents' worth on whatever is happening on that day. Now I do gotta run.

Carol, when I moved from Chicago here over 30 years ago, there was no such thing as a Democrat. It seemed like I was the only one with signs in my front yard supporting Democrats running for office. I moved to Park Ridge, IL, yes home of Hillary Clinton. We still have never had to my knowledge a mayor who was a Democrat. In fact, our current mayor supported Giuliani.

However, we are getting more Democrats every year. Just to add a note when they were saying in the media that Hillary did not pay her bills, especially at Maine South HS when she had a rally there. It was a lie, the Mayor, the head of the school district wrote in our local newspaper that it was not true, she had paid her bill on time. Yet, the media kept saying it (MSNBC) for 2 days.

Yes, I know all about Chicago Politics and they have been running Obama's campaign, and play a different kind of dirty politics.

Why doesn't Sarah Palin realize that from Moscow, one would fly east or over the North Pole to get to New York?

I think the only Russians who go past Alaska are fisherman or bomber pilots...

If she has foreign policy experience by being next to Russia and Canada, does that mean Paris Hilton has more foreign policy experience because she's gotten drunk in Mexico and most of Europe?

HW, If I thought that Obama was not under the influence of other powerful people, who I may not trust so much, I might be more willing to vote for him. He has to be backed by some powerful people because there has to be something that accounts for the fact that a pretty much unknown quantity with a weird name is our nominee. Moreover he even whipped up on superwoman, Hillary. He had lots of help there and that started my disappointment with my Party

I think that having a Republican, who I don't see as a typical Republican, as president and the Dems controlling congress might not be such a bad idea.

In the past I have always listened to the news, and a lot of it, with my Democratic hearing aids in. It is only now that I have listened with a more unbiased ears. I wanted to blame the Republicans for everything that went wrong.

Now I have split my time between watching networks with both biases and have come to understand that the Dems are just as responsible, if not at times more responsible for our woes. Too much big money back these politicians and we know the golden rule-he who has the gold makes the rules.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have Palin, a mother and inexperienced as she is, involved in the ticket. She did some bold things for her State, not just push the Party position. She fought the big oil companies and other Republicans. For that I have respect for her. She also hasn't had the time to prepare like Obama has and no one gives her a break like Obama has been given over and over and over

.Carol

Bear,

Plus she has a chihuahua.

And... HER NAME IS PARIS!!! IS THERE A FOREIGN PLACE CALLED SARAH OR JOSEPH OR JOHN OR BARACK????

Nope.

And Hiltons are, of course, located worldwide.

In whose beds she has slept with foreigners worldwide, too.

And she has an Hungarian aunt named Zsa Zsa married to a German con man!!!!

Hear that McCain? Paris Hilton is NO mere celebrity -- she is a foreign affairs PHENOMENON.

Dump Palin for Paris.

NOW.

Carol...

I see Palin's rise to power differently than you, also. I think she's been given many breaks...the biggest of them being her selection to run on the Republican ticket...and I don't think they're deserved. If she can't run with the big dogs, she has no business trying at the vice presidential level...and especially not now!

In my opinion, our government is in crisis...not just our economy, but our government. It is difficult for me to look back to 2000 and even begin to grasp the incredible damage that's been done to our country in the past eight years.

I definitely don't want the Republicans to control the White House...and Supreme Court nominations...for the next four years. But I'm not blindly expecting that an Obama presidency will be the best thing ever to happen to the US. I hope he wins, I hope you're wrong in your fears, and I hope we can begin to get the country back onto a healthier track in all respects.

I probably post as little as I do because I'm not screamingly partisan. I'm just one woman with one vote, a deep concern for our country, and hope that we can make it better.

Why is Eric Cantor talking about insuring pools of MBS that are already being insured? I thought this guy was an expert on this topic?

I must weigh-in on the financial crisis, which sadly reminds me of Dickens' Bleak House, and how each page grew steadily gloomier. At a time when horsepower was their lifeline, and horses streamed down the roadways, we like the denizens of that bygone era smell the stench of it, the only difference is ours emanates from Wash., but the offense to the nostrils is just as real.

PUMA/Clintons4McCain - "Obama, a weak man for tough times."

toast

Why is Eric Cantor talking about insuring pools of MBS that are already being insured?

He probably got the idea from his best friend Patrick McHenry

The two biggest gooper maroons in the House.

Carol: I don't have much time to comment and I don't have the confidence all of you do. Many of you write beautifully and make great points. When replying to Harborwoman, who I think also writes beautifully, again, Carol you took my thoughts and put them into great writing.

Thanks mama. I am glad I can speak for someone other than my little dog and myself.

Carol

Toast,

If this were a kung fu fight, McCain is acting like the tough bully, always charging and flailing wildly, while Obama is the meek looking ju jitsu master, calmly redirecting the energy of his attacker against him.

I can understand the anger Clinton supporters may feel but to call Obama a weak man only serves to diminish Hillary Clinton further because she was unable to beat him.

I can't imagine a greater reversal of fortune if Palin misspoke like Biden recently did regarding the crash of 1929, FDR, and television. How the long knives would have eviscerated Sarah mercilessly in the MSM, and been ridiculed by every comedian living or dead.This and more would have occurred, I know with certainty, remember I supported Hillary.

When I watched the Palin interview with C. Gibson I thought she did well and appeared confident and resourceful. Which leads me to an unfortunate incident whereby my curiosity won over my better judgment. I have sworn never to watch any news programs that are conspicuous in their biased reporting. Foolishly I watched the "Ivory Tower" on PBS which consisted of six panelists, all espousing the far left views of academia.
They attacked Sarah dripping venom, vitriolic tirades flying and I sat there transfixed and blushed with pride. Each fortified the other in their assault, so great were the sins of this PTA mom. In rapid crescendo {flight of the bubble bees roared in my head} they shamefully distorted Palin's comments to Gibson, with such practiced and cruel purpose, I was awe struck. They hated Palin and everything she stood for, plain and simple..

The people on the panel looked normal, faculty lounge gentry all, yet acted like judges from darker, authoritarian days. I could not escape the haunting visual from those darkest of days, and a scene from "Cabaret," conjured itself, and I thought any ideology that suppresses moderation and treats it as an enemy combatant is something to be avoided, resisted, and feared. I certainly wouldn't want a visitor's pass to see inside their head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMVql9RLP34
I know of no cure for the extremes of the left or right but their supercilious demeanor would be much improved if they inhaled vast quantities of nitrous oxide {laughing gas}, it would at least give the affectations of being agreeable.

PUMA/Clintons4McCain - "Obama, a weak man for tough times."

toas

kgc,

I'll have to differ a little.

McHenry IS a gooper maroon.

Cantor, though, is a gooper macaroon.

bear, thanks for the 1:14 post. an excerpt warrants a repeat for those that didn't see it:
"Sources say Alberto Gonzales now claims that President Bush personally directed him to John Ashcroft's hospital room in the infamous wiretap renewal incident—and that in another instance the President asked him to fabricate fictitious notes."
wow! wonder what's behind this, a little taste of plea bargain maybe. not that the ex ag ag is the model of credibility, but when it comes to dissing his shrub bud you gotta listen for the drop of that other shoe. big story here.

9/ll

Corrected and laughing.

Sure this is getting linked here and there...

From National Review Online, Kathleen Parker's doesn't plea that Sarah Palin bow out.

She demands it.

(I'm having trouble connecting with NRO. Salon.com features enough of it in their War Room.)

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/

Did you know and is it true that Paulson is a Democrat?

ct,

That I don't know. What I've read is that he is an ardent environmentalist.

Also that he was wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong on the state of the markets and banks in every statement he has made since at least last winter.

I wonder if he and Bernanke ever look at each other and wonder if they should shave each other's unshaved portions of head.

Toast...

I saw neither a confident woman nor a resourceful one when I watched Palin with Charlie Gibson. As I said earlier, I suppose we each see through our own prism, try as we might to be objective, but I saw a woman who has a very thin grasp of the huge issues she's being asked to exercise good judgment over.

It was mentioned earlier that she stood up to big oil. What she did...and certainly should have done...is to pinch off more from big oil for the state of Alaska. People behave as though she has personally given a rebate to the citizens of Alaska. Much to the contrary, Alaskans have been getting annual checks...because their state is oil rich...for many years. She is merely one in a long line of governors who have presided over that happy task.

patd,

I wonder if that has to do with the fact that he can't get any kind of job in Washington these days...seems like his work did not bring him much opportunity to cash in after leaving office.

I don't know if Paulson is a Democrat now but his job was in the Nixon whitehouse

is a Democrat now but his FIRST job was in the Nixon

9/11,

I heard it from Rush L that Paulson was a Democrat. I promise it was an accident that I was listening to him. Got into the car to go home and he was on a station I was listening to earlier. I do admit I did listen until I got home. That took about 8 minutes.

Henry M. Paulson Jr. was just a few years out of business school in 1972 when he landed a coveted job on the White House staff for President Nixon. His friends at the time couldn't believe it. Yes, he had a business degree from Harvard and was also an all-Ivy tackle for Dartmouth, but, after all, he was just 26 and new to the ways of Washington.

"I was the top of my class at Harvard Business School and I was magna cum laude at the law school, and they picked the football player from Dartmouth," said Walter C. Minnick, whom Mr. Paulson beat out for the job and who is now chief executive of a landscaping company in Idaho.

"He was a bulldog, very much like a young Dick Cheney," said Mr. Minnick, who remains one of Mr. Paulson's closest friends. "Hank is a salesman's salesman, and this combination of being tenacious as well as enthusiastic made him very effective.
http://www.nixonlibraryfoundation.org/index.php?src=news&prid=129&category=News%2C%20Reviews%20%26%20Commentary

Politico's quote of the day...

1:44 p.m.: Quote of the Day

“In the end, [McCain] blinked and Obama did not. The 'steady hand in a storm' argument looks now to more favor Obama, not McCain…My guess is that plasma units are rushing to the McCain campaign as we speak to replace the blood flowing there from the fights among the staff.” – Craig Shirley, a Republican consultant and former McCain adviser, shaping a dangerous storyline for his former boss in an interview with the Huffington Post.

To be fair HW
Palin added an "energy rebate" an extra 1200 because despite being oil rich Alaskans pay among the highest prices for gas/

House takes up Palin energy rebate

Tue, July 15, 2008
Posted in Alaska News

The one-time, $1200 resource rebate Governor Palin has proposed sharing with all Alaskans is not based on financial or geographic need for the money. A House committee this morning learned it is based on the state’s revenue.

Dave Donaldson, APRN - Anchorage

I look forward to the debate tonight. It should be interesting..

WAMU is a big bank here in Oregon. They have lots of branches, good hours, and are very service oriented.

ct,

Why apologize for having Rush L. on in your car?

We're here, yes? And there are more than enough (one is more than enough) local Limbaughs here, too, whatever their causes and beliefs may be.

At the peak gas in Alaska was over $7 a gal.

Katy Crack...

Thanks for the info. That's a bit of knowledge I didn't have. Not sure I fully understand what you're saying she did, though...gave Alaskans a larger, one-time rebate of $1,200 in addition to the annual rebate they've gotten for years? Nice...but as evidenced by Bush's one-time rebate this past year, not unheard of.

Toast,

I can understand the anger Clinton supporters may feel but to call Obama a weak man only serves to diminish Hillary Clinton further because she was unable to beat him.

Bear,

First, I feel an august freedom to use the term "weak", it was one on the most used criticisms used by Obama's supporters. I can't see how I can be in error when DOWD, HERBERT, RICH, R. COHEN. MATTHEWS all used that very term repeatedly.

The reference to Hillary takes us down a sorry path of "rotton ( weighted} boroughs," Clyburn, the DNC, and the MSM. All this fused to make her quest a near impossibility. Fact check the above names I used as my sources {full list available upon request} and you will also find these "key words and phrases" "spineless," "inner toughness," "pugnacity" or lack thereof. Just a sampling of "key words" I gleaned from Obama's in the tank supporters.

Also, I'm not angry, bittersweet perhaps.
regards,
toast

KGC et al...I can see why she's popular with Alaskans, however. I'd like someone who gave me an extra $1,200.

WaMu is my bank...Imagine my pleasure. Actually, I moved enough money to handle expenses for a couple of months earlier this week, just in case. But it looks as though things will just glide along as they always have. It's just that those who choose to remain will now bank with JP Morgan. For now.

Having been to Alaska many times, I can tell you that the cost of living there is extremely high. $7 per gallon for gas is shocking, but likely in line with other exaggerated costs because of the added costs of transporting goods to Alaska. Doesn't seem as though they should have additional problems with oil products, though.

MSNBC has beome a bigger joke than Fox. Most of the commentators and newspeople?? are flacks for Obama. Rachel Maddow is almost as offensive as Olbermann and O'Reilly.

If these people posted on this blog, they would be on my knotheads list..They are predictable, boring, and add nothing to the discussion.

sign here' on the dotted line'we will fill you in on the
details later
that's what the democratic congress wanted to do
with 700 billion dollars that we don't even have
thats how this whole mess started in the first place
i'm glad the house republicans and john mccain
at least slowed down the process so somebody
will have time to read the fine print
who gets the money ? how much? when ?
what about ceo compensation
will the tax payers be reimbursed ?
what kind of oversight we will have ?
congress feels free to spend our money
our childrens money' and our grandchildrens
future without any thought or planning
what a bunch of damn fools

Jane, no surprise, the news has screwed us over and over. They are never there to keep us informed. You get less real news from all the cable networks than we used to get when there were only 30 minutes on the major networks.

Where were the journalists in the run up to war? Where were they before this financial crisis came to a head?

They work harder to try to create the news than carefully cover the news.

Anyone ever watch "You are what you eat" on BBC America?

I think I'm going to quit eating after watching the crap this family eats...they freakin fart 50 times an hour...wtf...would you rather be locked up in that room or the committee room working this bailout plan?

Jane,

That's one interpretation, to be certain.

McCain became coy about his medical records but he always appeared publicly post-surgery, however superficial or serious. All of those images are ones his appearances encouraged.

As someone who has had aggressive melanoma, I was startled by his choice of Palin given the intensity of these times worldwide.

There is a progression to many (almost all) varieties of melanoma that exists aside from the metastasizing from skin cancer to either brain, liver or bone is quickly lethal.

If that is avoided, there is another serious to severe outcome ahead for most survivors.

Melanoma is caused by the same herpes zoster virus which manifests both lymphomas and leukemias.

At Senator McCain's age the likelihood of developing either CLL, SLL or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is rather strong.

Previously with the first two of those illnesses, hematologists would take a "watch and wait" approach. But the enhancement of diagnostic tools has brought them to a better understanding of the dangers of these conditions.

Given McCain's history of physical abuse, stress and suffering, the hematologists with whom I've spoken (as I am back to interviewing 'em) have felt that, yes, there would be a pretty good chance someone with his history could develop a blood based cancer.

The options available to older patients are often considered too harsh. Which leaves them using a general single monoclodal antibody which may or may not be specifically effective for their condition.

Stuff like that is important to consider.

New Dylan album to stream on NPR.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26904906/

"Melanoma is caused by the same herpes zoster virus which manifests both lymphomas and leukemias"

This is an off the wall question --but since there is now a shingles vacccine --all you over sixties-- do you think there could be a melanoma one coming?

Bear
http://www.metalsludge.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=176198
I never thought I would think about this story again.

KGC,

Oh, yes. It's called a vaccine but it is pretty unmeasurable leap away from what began with smallpox virii a long time ago.

I've talked about it here before. It was developed on an open source basis by Dr. Ralph Steinman of Yale University Hospital and The Rockefeller University (he is head of pathology at both institutions and used to be the same at Memorial Sloan-Kettering).

Short version -- it uses an individuals dendritic DNA and RNA to develop specific treatments by injection for individual viral cancers and auto-immune diseases.

Ones that have been successfully for it include both tumor and blood based cancers, auto-immune disease like lupus, MS and Crohn's and AIDS.

The Bush administration and the insurance/pharmaceutical industries manipulated the FDA for years from keeping the clinical trial from starting.

Many times the backers (which were led by Disque Deane who has funded many GOP candidates) were turned down for help by Republicans in DC.

John McCain was one of them.

Happily the first FDA clinical trial is now in its second stage.

As it can be for only one condition at a time... that condition is melanoma.

Another thing I mentioned here before is that this "vaccine" is what made Geraldine Ferraro cancer-free...

And that Congresswoman Ferraro voluntarily took herself OFF the program so it could adhere to the FDA requirements...

And she approached all the other patients in the experimental trial to do the same successfully.

A very unselfish act.

Somewhere in the WSJ archives is a terrific feature about the program with great color photos of dendritic DNA particles from five and a half years back.

yea mccain could fall over dead at any moment' or
he could live to be 103 ''obama could have a blood clot in his brain
he could already have lung cancer''he's looking
real thin lately'' now the obamacrats can predict
someone's demise in advance''must have
a hotline directly to god

kgc,

One more thing.

Yes, there is a shingles vaccine... but my two hematologists won't give it to me or any other lymphoma or leukemia patients because it is a live vaccine and those are so unpredictable.

(Lymphoma and leukemia patients are particularly prone to shingles -- that old herpes zoster blues begins to play...)

Ping Pong,

The local dangers here in NYC seem particularly strong.

Local businesses, the city's tax base, infrastructure and transportation system, its schools and medical services, public and private hospitals are all trying to find maintenance and survival plans.

Only kids comfortably supported by their parents seem to be the ones who aren't sweating things out.

mqw,

Speak to a dermatologist and hematologist about medical life expectancies for patients who have had recurrent melanoma attacks.

Also check insurance actuarial data for their take on that.

And be sure to look both ways when crossing the street or stepping in a shower.

As the sarge would say on Hill Street Blues, "Be careful out there."

Posted by: patd | September 26, 2008 3:08 PM : "Sources say Alberto Gonzales now claims that President Bush personally directed him to John Ashcroft's hospital room in the infamous wiretap renewal incident—and that in another instance the President asked him to fabricate fictitious notes."

There goes gonzales chance for a pardon.

9/11

Thanks so much. I never fail to learn something from your posts.

Ping Pong,

I haven't seen your analysis about the depth of our economic troubles except to say Obama is a coward and that Democrats don't know anything.

George Bush ignored the warnings and as a result we had 9/11.

Right after the attack, we had the anthrax, and John McCain came out in October 2001 to say Saddam may have been responsible. His first judgment was to attack Iraq. He endorsed fully, the administration war plans in Iraq and they have proven to be total failures because there was a lack of planning, a lack of troops and a lack or support and armor for those troops.

It seems like with this bailout issue, all the serious people in the markets say something needs to be done. All the House republicans can offer the process are more tax cuts for the business in trouble and an insurance policy that the companies in question don't have the cash flow to participate in?

That makes no sense to me.

9/11 so you with Pharma?
The risk for both Obama and McCain is Coronary, given the family history visable for McCain looks good, The Genetic factor is in his favor which is THE prime indicator.

Ping Pong,

Don't forget your Republicans are for smaller government as they have rescued Fannie, Freddie, AIG, Bear Sterns, created TSA, Homeland Security...

Republicans like to call Obama and Democrats socialists. As least they act truer to their core beliefs than the Republican party. As long as their friends gain financial benefits, they are all for skipping their beliefs.

Bear,
Please no words on the Pings Paddle !!

I would say the Dems know much of the problem as they are equal OR More responsible. Now to blame only the Republicans is very short sighted.
Remember the cleaning of 2006. Those fat cat idiot republicans ARE GONE. Now the most responsible individuals in the congress ARE THE REMAINING IDIOT DEMS.
Clean the Congress of these irogant idiot Dems.
Now I love my Dem Senator - leave him alone.

The Genetic factor is in his favor which is THE prime indicator.

Ping Pong, what is the factor that you speak of?

Ping Pong,

Nope, I'm a patient who is an activist for a few things.

One is stem cell research (which is not expected to help what I have), another is that dendritic DNA viral cancer vaccine.

I have spent a lot of time interviewing clinicians, researchers and patients to help with the fundraising and politicking.

McCain's melanoma may come a genetic source; however, the herpes zoster which causes the majority of cases is the issue. There are genetic pre-inclinations towards these. But once they are in the system -- whether as chicken pox, mono or a thousand other entities -- they stay there.

mqw,

Insurance company actuaries will tell you that the odds of a 72 year old man with a recurrent cancer living for 4 years are much worse than the odds for a person under 50, who is not so afflicted. Just a guess, but I'll say the under 50 year old is X3 as likely to survive the next 4 years.

Of course, mccain COULD live to 103. He could win the lottery, too. The odds are slim, either way.

The Republican house members keep citing Democrats who were with them in stopping the plan...who are these Democrats they speak of?

Why does Heather Wilson refer to Democrat and not Democratic?

If these problems with the plan were so clear to Republican house member on Monday/Tuesday, why didn't they speak up during the hearings this week?

Bear,
Genetic refers to our human DNA and propensity to contract a certain condition or disease. And also how our specific reactions to course of treatment may be impacted – thus bringing on Personalized Medicine.

So Genetic – what we get from our family – our in John McCains favor - Hey Mom !! A study released in recent weeks points to genetics as the primary factor for long life – possible even greater then life style.

'''9/11'all the fact and figures in the world still can't tell
you how long a particular individual will live'
if you have this god-like knowledge you should
share it with the rest of man-kind''
problem i have with doctors is they study disease
and death all thier lives
it would be to thier benefit to take a few courses
on life'' health'' and living
most of them i wouldn't let them change the
spark plugs on my car

Bear - Good Points - Why did not someone speak up (OK John McCain did years ago - and he should have kept protesting)
We are seeing the beginning of the end of the Old Gaurd Republicans - CHANGE CHANGE - is what you are seeing.
The Republicans are doing it - coming back to center as thank you (again I say) for the cleaning of 2006. This new set (and along with some mid road dems) will be the new voice.

By the time mccain's dad was john's age, he'd been dead 2 years.

Tobacco use, not genes, is the ruling factor. john mccain was known to be a cigarette addict. Did he ever quit, and if so, how long ago ?

Toast...
I saw neither a confident woman nor a resourceful one when I watched Palin with Charlie Gibson. As I said earlier, I suppose we each see through our own prism, try as we might to be objective, but I saw a woman who has a very thin grasp of the huge issues she's being asked to exercise good judgment over.
Posted by: harborwoman

harborwoman,

Your right, we each view Palin in our own singular way. Yet what is not well known is the comparable interview Obama did with Gibson earlier. He just chatted with Obama and asked him about his "book" and Obama's "personal bio." No questions of substance. The contrast between the two interviews was blatantly unfair.

regards, toast

mqw
Private industry and University, NIH - Account for the majority of the R&D.
There is so much happening that in 5 to 10 years the prevention and EARLY Detection will change the current out dated Health Care.

And it is the PRIVATE Sector that must continue to fund through free enterprise.

xrep - Correct - but once you get past an age close to 80 then the key factor is Genetics

Take my southern fat eating, smoking, drinking Grandfather that hit 91. I should be so lucky

NEW THREAD

mqw,

It is not a "god-like" knowledge.

It comes from spending a lot of time on treatment floors in hospitals with a great variety of patients.

I particularly work with children and teenagers as a volunteer.

One of the things about being a patient with an incurable cancer is that you have to live both with faith (though not in any particular outcome) and a certain grounded quality of hope... really on a daily basis and about a few good things.

You also have to have something of an understanding of what is occuring within your body... also your soul.

Serious illness is a mess and a few daily acts of grace.

A person has to be aware of the limitations on them and proceed without being thwarted by those.

Yes, my hematologist knows a few good things about me aside from my many reports. (My files are the size of two big city phone books.)

She also is most interested in what I am doing with kefir and kombucha.

But she also makes me aware of many limitations... including that I am no longer responsive to the chemos which have worked best for me; in fact, they have turned by leukemia into a number of other serious auto-immune conditions.

Do I have a day and a date for when I shall die?

No.

I do know what I can do. I know what my illness has done and is doing and most likely will do.

I do my best, mqw. I have taken care of me and taken care of my daughter when she was so seriously ill she had to withdraw from classes and be homeschooled by me for several years.

One thing I do not suffer from is fatuousity.

Unlike melanoma, the only possible cure for that is within someone's character.

I can tell you with some hope that it's never to late for a person to slip away from theirs.

But for some it is harder than others.

Best of luck to you.

Maybe you have a "godgiven" gift for that.

Ping Pong,

So, genetics won't become the ruling factor for the next 8 years. Even if he were elected, the genetics would be secondary.

Moot point. The night before last, mccain showed that he isn't trustworthy. His chance of being elected is slightly higher than bob barr's.

9/11
you where the one who was predicting
mccain wouldn't make to 2012 '' how do you
know this'' or was it just wishfull thinking