Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Days Half Over - Time to get moving if you want to CHANGE things.

Tonight could be the game changer?

Film at 11

A++ for today

It is hard to hear through the noise - so you have got to be very clear- and listen really close.

I do hear McCain - He is talking about fiscal responsibility - McCain will not let social and political policy overrule sound fiscal policy. But can he get this message out? So far not.

Obama not so clear on fiscal responsibility - but could he energize in a positive manner - which is a big part of the problem ?

Good morning

New poll out by cbs says only 3 point spread after the Palin and Biden debate.

"So long as the candidates offer so few specifics about the future, they might as well argue about the past."

Craig nails it. A country in crisis and neither of these clowns has any ideas.

"Those who counsel troubled borrowers have a different view. Pam Canada, executive director of Sacramento's NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center, fears Friday's rescue might now make banks less likely to help borrowers.

If lenders can, "in one fell swoop, get rid of a couple hundred deals rather than negotiating each one, I'm afraid that could make it easier for them, again leaving the homeowner with no rescue," she said."
http://www.sacbee.com/142/story/1287910.html

Heckuva job Bushies!

the only thing which seems to trickle down is sewage.

Patsi,

People can't handle the truth. Truth is not popular. The truth is that we are in deep do do.

I thought it was interesting yesterday that after the way Obama has treated Bill Clinton he pointed to the great economy of his administration. Obama is no Bill Clinton.

"raindrops keep falling on my head"

"It's a hard rain's a'gonna fall"

P'sssst..........it aint rain........

patsi or any other of our ilk near nashville, are you going to the townhall tonight? heard that it was to be limited (or at least the comm/host requested or wished or hoped that it be limited) to the undecideds and the unaffiliateds.... how can they be sure about that, have em sign affidavits? run thru lie detectors when they're being checked out for hidden campaign buttons and signs?

anyone venture to guess who is making big money out of all this market mess? who's benefiting big time? even soon after the '29 crash there were some who did well....kinda like vultures or maybe on the order of hyennas, laughing as they gorge themselves.

along those same lines, how is all this global meltdown affecting bin laden's gang? wasn't he touted as some sort of financial genius?

KCG..
Heckuva job Bushies! + Nancy, Harry, Barney....

Once again, it's time to get the big money out of political contributions.

Flatus - Good Morning !!
How was the BX? was that last week?

Big Money - My things and players may change but still remain the same.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Republicans at Palinsaurus Clearwater Florida event show just how they feel about murdering a Presidential Nominee.

""And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'" she continued.

"Boooo!" the crowd repeated.

"Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience."

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/10/6/184450/172

Typical Republican Fascist Nazi's.

She also supports pulling baby Wolf Cubs out of their Dens and murdering them. You cut a piece of their leg off and bring it in to collect your bounty. And lets not forget hunting them from helicopters, yes she is a true Sportsman indeed. Way to go NRA, your a real bunch of Sportsman that you have to shoot your victims from the air instead of hunting them on the ground like a true human being and true Sportsman.

When will she put a bounty on people who disagree with her? Only heaven knows.

Ping, it was the commissary. Grandpa forgot his checkbook. Fortunately, they took plastic--$259 dollars worth. But, it was our first 'heavy' shopping in six weeks. Price increases since our last shopping were _very_ apparent.

AP - She is actually one tough chick !! Be careful - she is a make it happen women..

Actually she handle a heckler well yesterday and acknowledge their right to show their @$$

For the early crowd this is a repeat - a must watch with actual foot in mouth statements

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=related

this cannot be a good idea

Fed reportedly looking into unsecured lending
By Steve Goldstein
Last update: 5:43 a.m. EDT Oct. 7, 2008
Comments: 25
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. Federal Reserve is reportedly looking at getting into unsecured lending, an extreme step that could allow it to directly purchase commercial paper, according to a report in the Financial Times. The report said the Fed had never done so in its history, but doing so could allow it to participate in the frozen inter-bank money market and the contracting commercial paper market. The Fed doesn't believe it has the legal mandate to make unsecured loans, so it would need the Treasury to guarantee any losses. The Fed had said in a statement on Monday that "the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department are consulting with market participants on ways to provide additional support for term unsecured funding markets." End of Story
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fed-reportedly-looking-unsecured-lending/story.aspx?guid={FE856AB9-B78B-485B-9209-676B8E898EBB}&dist=msr_4

The Real Obama
David Freddoso's book should be read by those people who want to know what the facts are. But neither this book nor anything else is likely to change the minds of Obama's true believers, who have made up their minds and don't want to be confused by the facts.

http://www.creators.com/opinion/thomas-sowell/the-real-obama.html

Here's an interesting article about military voters:

Military voters may lean left this year
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/NEWS01/809290309/1009

Compare the Gallup Poll findings they cite with the Military Times poll:
http://www.militarytimes.com/static/projects/pages/081003_ep_2pp.pdf

Hey, McFailin started the hammering. Obama just responded in kind. I'm sure the GOP was hoping for a Kerrey-esque non-response. Thankfully, Obama has a bit more starch these days.

Team Obama needs to answer every attack and then, quickly, tie McCain to Bush Cheney & move back to his solutions for positive change. (After Palin's verbal power-grab in the debate, it might even be possible to equate her ideas for veep-ship with Cheney.)

McCain looks like a desparate man whose ambition has clouded his thinking. Palin is ambitous, uninformed & unprofessional, making her ill-equipped for the office. The more McCain/Palin speaks, the crazier & more dangerous they sound.

If pressed to answer a question, I can envision McCain going off on a 'roid rant tonight. Maybe the meltdown we were looking for last week will actually happen tonight.

""raindrops keep falling on my head"
"It's a hard rain's a'gonna fall"
P'sssst..........it aint rain........"

ROFL, sturge!

Craig presents the most important issue---

"But what matters now to voters is what (is) next, not what then"

Neither of the candidates has shown any ability to address real concerns facing voters---both are clueless--McCain appears incoherent & Obama offers words strung together with no solution--just evasion.

patd -- God no -- I wouldn't go to that circus if they wre paying people to show up. I don't know how they're picking the participants. I'm having lunch with a friend who lives near Belmont University, and he says he's going to rush back home after lunch and hole up. The security in the area will be a nightmare.

And, I loved your point about somebody getting rich in this crisis. You know some people are pocketing mega fortunes. I worked on a project with a Forbes 400 guy a few years ago, and he once said this: "Rich people love recessions. That's when they buy everything out from under everyone else."

McCain is a creep and a phony......regardless of whatever Obama is......If you dont believe it, I dare you to read this article.....it's not a "hit job" on McCain.....it simply lays out the facts of his entire life and the fiction of "maverick" which "maverick appearance" he with the help of his dad and grandad has managed to put out.

Make believe Maverick

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

My favorite McCain nickname

Maverickety

From the story in Rolling Stone:

"On the grounds between the two brick colleges, the chitchat between the scion of four-star admirals and the son of a prizefighter turns to their academic travels; both colleges sponsor a trip abroad for young officers to network with military and political leaders in a distant corner of the globe.

"I'm going to the Middle East," Dramesi says. "Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran."

"Why are you going to the Middle East?" McCain asks, dismissively.

"It's a place we're probably going to have some problems," Dramesi says.

"Why? Where are you going to, John?"

"Oh, I'm going to Rio."

"What the hell are you going to Rio for?"

McCain, a married father of three, shrugs.

"I got a better chance of getting laid."

Dramesi, who went on to serve as chief war planner for U.S. Air Forces in Europe and commander of a wing of the Strategic Air Command, was not surprised. "McCain says his life changed while he was in Vietnam, and he is now a different man," Dramesi says today. "But he's still the undisciplined, spoiled brat that he was when he went in."

Blue - you think McCain will pull a Howard Dean? naaa - that’s a Dem thing

I would love to hear Obama Answer a question and not do the legal redirect, spin, confuse - but he and his Gibbs crew certainly win the best campaign program in just about everyway. And if the vote ends up being based on Campaign and facade - Barack will win by a landslide

John – Sarah kept the team in the game, now tonight it is up to you to turn it around

Get out the Accountability message and sound fiscal policy that you have been saying - but you gotta to deliver it in a simple manner.

Sturg, I met Col Dramesi in '78. He visited our small group to discuss tactics. One of my associates, who was also of Greek ancestry, thought Dramesi was great. I thought he was quite taken with himself.

Katherine,

Associated with your comments above, this is something that has been lurking in the background that many believe will be the next crisis---credit card debt.

"Another shoe to drop--Bad credit card debt could be next shot to economy, researcher says"

It is expected that banks will charge off $18.6 billion in delinquent credit card accounts in the 1st quarter of 2009 & $98 billion in all of 2009--adversely affecting some of the major card issuers.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bad-credit-card-debt-could-next/story.aspx?guid=%7bDE0C0B15-4760-491C-A0F4-D34CBD96F7B7%7d&dist=TNMostRead&print=true&dist=printMidSection

"will pull a Howard Dean? "

Ping Pong -- There was no Howard Dean moment except the one that CNN invented. Yet another case of the media trying to rig an election. The crowd noise was removed from the tape of Dean's rally, making him sound like a lunatic. When CNN finally played it with the crowd noise, it was a non-story. But then, in all their glory, CNN and the other a-holes kept right on playing the manipulated tape.
.

Bad Credit Card debt
Over extended on home loans

Both Personal poor judgement from society that has come to believe they are ENTITLED = Barack Obama

These are counter to the FUNDMENTALS of which our soceity was built.

Sound fnancial judgement on the personal or corp level has gone astray

We must get back to our FUNDAMENTALS = John McCain

"There you go again ..." The fair and balanced press is making McCain's case for him. Is the Keating 5 scandal the equivalent of a trivial association between two neighbors? Shame on you Craig. How could you possibly weigh the magnitude of McCain's involvement with the Keating 5 with a rather trivial association between Obama and Ayers. Did Obama help Ayers lose $3 Billion? Are you kidding Craig? Is there any more equivalence? I heard Cable News drones say essentially the same thing ... accusing Obama of playing the "guilt by association" game. Hello. McCain was guilty.

Pardin my spelin -

Ping, the entitlement thing gets back to your earlier post and the link you provided:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=related

David - you are factually deprived - it is OK to hate Bush - but you need to take your blinders off. Are you one of the paid bloggers by Obama?

David, in politics you are one with your closest political allies--and vice versa.

"Sound fnancial judgement on the personal or corp level has gone astray" Ping Pong

There is plenty of blame to go around, that's for sure. So now we have to take what comes from lack of oversight, and many looking the other way. Personally I was against the bail out......in my opinion is was a rash decision. ( but's that already been done)

" Fundamentals " is only one spoke in the wheel to bring thiseconomy back to life......McCain's sound bite is an easy concept for "joe six pack" to understand.....

Sorry (imo) McCain and his cronies had their chance - look where they brought us.

Good morning everyone.

Flate.........I'd have to respect that your first hand experience is certainly worth a lot......the fact of where mccain was going and why remains unrefuted however by the observation that Dramesi may be a bit taken with himself......
and the dramesi moment is only a couple of paragraphs out of a ten page article.....McCain has concocted his completely false image with the help of powerful friends and lots of money.........I had no use for men like him when i was in a military high school, when I was in the military, and even less now.

The reagans shunned him, for instance, because of the kind of man he revealed himself to be. Just one example.

"...CNN and the other a-holes kept right on playing the manipulated tape."

Patsi, that's why I have no sympathy for 'big media'; they made their bed, now they can sleep in it. Some people suggest that poor 'big media' is being victimized by the political establishment. I think they are just afraid they won't be invited to the party.. Poor 'big media'.

Flatus -
This is my concern and the key to our future,

The airplane lost pressure - put the oxygen mask on take care of yourself – then you can help others.

I love the vision that Barack Obama portrays – But it cannot and must not be a Federal program. All true republicans share the same desires for the People – based on entitlement to work hard and contribute to the good of OUR Country.

We must return to sound fiscal behavior – then we can pay for more – but until we get solid leadership that will not compromise fiscal policy for political or social agenda – we are in trouble.

The Choice could not be clearer and Barack Obama is more of the same fiscal irresponsibility.

Coreen

I'm so disgusted with the "rush to bailout" and the lack of honesty by the government is discussing the issues. Talk about rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic..this is it.

What is worse is the posturing by the "oh so serious class" that we had to give Hanky Pank the blank check. What a canard. The world markets and wall st both knew that it was a solution that might buy time for the Shrubies to get out of town before the complete meltdown. Didn't work.

I see rich people in panic-and they aren't happy!

That's one major difference, because the wealthy are feeling the economic pain ,(all be it on a different level). Poor people and unemployed people, average Americans have been feeling this way for years...

When Kramer says "take your money out!........"

We have a huge problem....to bad we sat on out asses and thumbed our noses at alternative fuel automobiles.....we should have started that in the 70's ....Tax breaks (Bush's for SUVs) to pump up an auto industry that is making the wrong products for the times....to increase oil consumption....to help his oil buds....and a ridiculously expensive war.....

Republicans do not deserve to remain in power.

okay..off to dog park.... Have a great Tuesday!

"Flate.........I'd have to respect that your first hand experience is certainly worth a lot......the fact of where mccain was going and why remains unrefuted however by the observation that Dramesi may be a bit taken with himself......"

Sturg I certainly agree with you. Let me add just a little. Dramesi was impeccably groomed with his polished eagles perfectly positioned on his blue uniform. He could have been going for a photo-shoot. In other words, he was the complete opposite of how I would imagine Capt McCain would have looked under similar circumstances. (I've never met McCain and have no desire to do so.) I think they are probably polar opposites in personality.

Among other things the government could have done ....and now we will have to wait until after Jan.

"Direct capital injections: Instead of buying up bad debts to prop up faltering institutions, Uncle Sam could just write those companies a check. That might sound outrageous, but if the money bought an ownership stake in those institutions, this approach might have a bigger upside. When Sweden faced a banking crisis in the early 1990s, the government spent billions of dollars but extracted warrants giving it a stake when troubled assets were sold - so it ended up recouping most of its investment."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/06/MNJC13CBCD.DTL&tsp=1

seems like dramesi is one of those types who caused a draft-evading (ie USCG, in 1968) hippy musician F-up like me a LOT of grief.......lol

still.....respect is due.............

McKeatings and Palinsaurus are trying to incite the Assassination of Senator Obama and the Secret Service and FBI need to put a stop to this now.

If anything happens to Senator Obama they will be held personally responsible and I doubt that there will be anyplace on this Earth they will be able to hide.

The next Civil War is just around the corner if Obama is killed and this time it won't be the North against the South, but the People against the Republicans and there will be blood on the streets of America.

And believe me when I say that I don't believe for one minute that Martial Law and Troops or Blackwater on the streets will stop the Revolution when the American People follow the Constitution and take Our Country Back from the Republican Fascist Nazi Party.

The way to fix the economy is for the USA to create products and produce them in our own country. These products have to be sold BOTH domestically and globally successfully.

We need to be innovative....in all fields quickly.

What happened to Godwin's Law?

Godwin hasn't woken up yet.

Anyone who is not yet convinced that Sarah Palin is nothing more than an Elmer Gantry for the new milennium needs to read Dana Milbank's account of her spin through Florida yesterday. He takes you right inside those large crowds to reveal that many of the cuddly and adorable "real Americans" we're all supposed to emulate are nothing more than racists and bullies.

And she just whips them into a frenzy. She is just sickening:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602935.html

"still.....respect is due............."

Absolutely

Sturg, he did write a book about his POW experiences. Don't know whether it's a good read or not. But, it may be relevant.

Sturge,

A very damning depiction of McCain for sure. Also written by the former editor of far-left Mother Jones magazine, of whom biographical info is difficult to find beyond that, for a left-leaning music publication that is rife with criticism of the Republican ticket, yet with none for the Democratic ticket. The "Make-believe" article is most certainly a hit job, though that doesn't mean it's erroneous, to be fair. I'm sure it was commissioned by Jann Wenner, rather than just submitted to Rolling Stone's editorial board, given the timing and tone of the piece. Not being familiar enough with McCain to defend him, and not really wanting to do so, the article does remind me of the same type of "swift-boating" used against John Kerry. In fact, I find a lot of parallels between Kerry and McCain regarding their service and impetus for it.

"What happened to Godwin's Law?"

Consider it invoked.

patd--

re: tonight's "debate"

I heard this morning that Gallup chose the "truly undecideds" for tonight after questioning them extensively. I don't know if they are locals, regional, or maybe even nationwide. Questions (hundreds of them have been submitted in writing) will be screened by Tom Brokaw and he will decide which ones are asked. So this town hall meeting should be quite civil(boring) unlike the town hall meeetings here in my town and many small towns around the country.

champ......points valid and taken......gotta run......

Whichever candidate wins the election they certainly are not going to have any money to do grandiose plans. 1992 Bill Clinton ran on tax increase to rich and tax cut for middle class. By election time he was backing off. It just was not feasible. Neither will Obama be able to produce a tax cut. Money will so tight you probably could not squeeze a dime from a miser.

In 1931 there were 124 million people , 30%unemployed during the depression . Now there are 305 million with a 6% unemployment but rising. Economist say that unemployment will not get as high as during the depression, therefore they think it will just be a deep recession.. lol

U.S. warplane forced down in Iran--breaking news. Argh!!

Posted by: Flatus Author Profile Page | October 7, 2008 9:14 AM

Shrub must read about the depression and how it was a war that brought it to an end.

us plane story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1537128.stm

Well, sounds like the Iranians now have an F-16 in their inventory.

LardLib..
Question - In any of Palin's comments did she quote Obama incorrectly - Nope?
She has pointed only to his actual Words Just Words that came out of Obama mouth,

Why does the Entertainer that wrote article not challenge the facts?

Obama did say that our troops in Afghanistan are just, quote, 'air-raiding villages and killing civilians - and yes now he is more supportive. On Track with his campaign of CHANGE

And sadly each party does have supporters that are extreme and out of touch, With this point I agree.

two flatus.... they also got one last month

maybe they're planning on breeding them lil rascals

A U.S. plane was forced to land in Iran after it violated Iranian airspace, Reuters reported Tuesday.

Five senior U.S. military officials were interrogated at an Iranian airport and released the next day after it was found that the U.S. plane had not entered intentionally, Reuters reported, citing the Fars news agency.

It was not immediately clear when the incident occurred.

Flatus

The story from BBC that patd posted said Iraq. Not Iran.
Could there be two stories ?

Mudcat gets a shout out --kind of

How important is that in this region? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with something Mudcat Saunders said. (Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while...just ignore the hanging dead animals on his walls. Please.)

The Democrats don't come here [to rural America] and campaign, because they don't think they can win here. The Republicans don't come here and campaign because they take the votes for granted on cultural issues. What happens is there's no debate over rural America, and who gets hurt? Rural America....
tp://firedoglake.com/2008/10/07/good-gravy-obama-git-this-here-ad-on-the-radio/

Pogo if you are around this article is about your peeps

patd = link to old out of date story

I'd like to know exactly why Obama considers himself a Christian. I would assert that most assume the religion of their parents at one point or another in their life. Obama's biological father was a Muslim/atheist, his step-father, with whom he lived in Indonesia was a Muslim, and his mother was a atheist/agnostic of a Christian upbringing. Has Obama been confirmed or baptised into any Christian faith, and if so, when? He offers conflicting statement as to the origin of his current "faith", which strike me as disingenuous at best. I don't assert Obama is a Muslim, but I do question his convictions as a Christian and his credibility regarding the matter. He strikes me as yet another Christian of opportunity, willing to pander to matters of spirituality for political gain.

From wiki:

"Dunham's best friend in high school has said that she "touted herself as an atheist, and it was something she'd read about and could argue."

Maya Soetoro-Ng, when asked if her mother was an atheist, said, "I wouldn't have called her an atheist. She was an agnostic. She basically gave us all the good books — the Bible, the Hindu Upanishads and the Buddhist scripture, the Tao Te Ching — and wanted us to recognise that everyone has something beautiful to contribute." "Jesus, she felt, was a wonderful example. But she felt that a lot of Christians behaved in un-Christian ways."

In his 1995 memoir Dreams from My Father Barack Obama wrote, "My mother's confidence in needlepoint virtues depended on a faith I didn't possess... In a land [Indonesia] where fatalism remained a necessary tool for enduring hardship... she was a lonely witness for secular humanism, a soldier for New Deal, Peace Corps, position-paper liberalism." In his 2006 book The Audacity of Hope Obama wrote, "I was not raised in a religious household... My mother's own experiences... only reinforced this inherited skepticism. Her memories of the Christians who populated her youth were not fond ones... And yet for all her professed secularism, my mother was in many ways the most spiritually awakened person that I've ever known." Religion for her was "just one of the many ways — and not necessarily the best way — that man attempted to control the unknowable and understand the deeper truths about our lives," Obama wrote. In 2007 Obama described his mother as "a Christian from Kansas." "I was raised by my mother," he continued. "So, I’ve always been a Christian." Also in 2007, he said in a speech, "My mother, whose parents were nonpracticing Baptists and Methodists, was one of the most spiritual souls I ever knew. But she had a healthy skepticism of religion as an institution.""

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Dunham

grrr working link

http://firedoglake.com/2008/10/07/good-gravy-obama-git-this-here-ad-on-the-radio/

Tha BBC article linked by patd is from 9/11/2008

sorry, my bad. too fast on the trigger... saw bbc on google and went for it. will try to read date before posting next time.

interesting tho't tho that history's maybe repeating itself

Report: U.S. Plane Forced to Land in Iran
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433762,00.html

Best link I can find so far.

U.S. flying mission over Iran? Dumb.

Iran letting flight crew go? Smart.

Of course, the Pentagon is denying the incident even happened, according to FoxNews.

one more try
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/7/9137/29255/865/622550

It was an interesting article, patd, and worth reading. I'd like to know why Iraqi officials call the US the 'enemy', and why they're shooting down our planes un-apologetically.

Flatus

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/forget-the-future-why-not-the.html#comment-155419

The Military Times poll debunked itself by saying it wasn't a scientific poll. I followed that up yesterday with a personal observation that in an area with heavy military population, I sensed a lean to the left. That fits with the Gallup poll.

Ping Pong

She misquoted him by leaving out the word "not". He was saying to put more men into Afghanistan so that we are "Not limited to just

Here is the actual words from You Tube

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

this excerpt from my 9:42 link by dos:

BBC Link

A US warplane has been forced to land in Iran after violating Iranian territory, the Iranian semi-official Fars news agency has reported.

The Falcon aircraft entered Iranian airspace from Turkey, flying at low altitude to avoid radar, Fars said.

The agency said it was detected by Iranian fighter jets, which forced it to land at an undisclosed airport.

Passengers included five senior American generals and three civilians, the report said.

The agency said the group was interrogated at the airport and then allowed to leave after it was realised they had entered unintentionally.

More details to follow.

BBC News updated;

"Pentagon says no war plane missing."

McCain gets lambasted in Rolling Stone, Obama gets praised by and put on the cover of Vibe magazine. Sucks to be McCain, eh?

"...so we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there" is the quote from the link Jamie provided.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/forget-the-future-why-not-the.html#comment-155461

Julie,

A consideration about that 6% unemployment is that it does not count those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, nor does it count those who have never worked full time such as newly graduating students, drop outs, those on welfare for whatever reason.

Back in the 1930s, the US was much more rural. People were actually a lot more able to feed themselves from local growers or their own gardens. Now in a nation largely paved over or with "single crop" agra business, and importing food from central and south america, an actual depression could be much harder to survive.

Sucks to be McCain, eh?

Posted by: Corey Author Profile Page | October 7, 2008 9:53 AM

Being married to a beautiful beer-brewing billionaire doesn't sound too bad.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/forget-the-future-why-not-the.html#comment-155466

Pingy,

The point isn't whether Obama actually used that phrase. The relevant point is how Palin cynically twists it to imply something that couldn't be further from the truth -- that Obama doesn't "support" U.S. troops. That's just a lie. Ridiculous on its face. It would be like saying you can't talk about Abu Ghraib because that wouldn't be "supporting" U.S. troops.

But that's what demagogues do. The whole structure of McCarthyism was built on a thousand fragments of "fact" that were then assembled by an unshaven drunk from Wisconsin into the picture he wanted to create.

The ugliness of the McCain/Palin campaign is just startling to watch. After reading the Palin piece by Milbank, I then found the video clip of McCain in New Mexico asking the crowd: "Whose the REAL Barack Obama?" and someone shouted out "terrorist!" and even McCain visibly grimaced. But those are the forces the GOP ticket is now openly and deliberately unleashing.

Remember how Hillary was hammered back in the primary if she didn't categorically and strongly REJECT the relevance of issues like Wright and Ayers? Her silence on the subject or lukewarm rejection was considered damning to her.

But hell, now McCain and Palin are personally playing those issues up like never before and stoking the fires of some of the worst and most hateful strains of American culture.

I hope this strategy totally backfires, and they tank in the polls like never before.

champ, is the pentagon's operative word "war" in its "no war plane missing" denial or the word "missing" since plane was allowed to return.

Oh please, LL, as if the Obama campaign is beyond reproach. It's October, both sides are playing dirty pool.

Champ

As an adult, Obama turned to Christianity in the late ’80s in Chicago, at Trinity United Church of Christ, where he was baptized, married‹and baptized his kids. As a new U.S. senator, Obama took his oath on the family Bible.”

I have no idea, patd, I don't speak Pentagon.

Jamie, this is from the Montgomery Advertiser article:

"Recent polling data back up his assessment. In August, Gallup polls found that among veterans who are registered voters, 56 percent favored McCain compared to 34 percent for Obama.

Overall, 47 percent of veterans lean toward the Republican Party while 39 percent say they are Democrats, according to Gallup Poll daily tracking for Aug. 5-17, the most recent released by Gallup for that demographic. But Snow said there is another reason that the military may support McCain."

That seems to track with the Military Times poll. And, I disagree with your characterization of the Military Times having "debunked itself".

Having described their sampling and methodology leaves it to the reader to decide on its credibility.

Based on their past polling, I suggest that it may be accurate. Their article does give a contact point for more nitty-gritty on their endeavor.

When we went to Ft Jackson last week, I only saw two cars with Obama stickers on them. I heard absolutely no political talk in the places we went.

I suppose the really accurate polling will be shown by which side claims the military absentee ballots aren't being handled properly.

Flatus

The Miliatry Times said it was a "volunteered" response and that most respondents were older, retired, and of higher rank. That means it was not a balanced or scientific poll and did not reflect the whole of the military. You can't base a judgement of an issue on one demographic. Sorry about that.

"Obama lacks experience? Well, I could be the one to give it to him!" -Betty White last night on Craig Ferguson

Betty was introduced as McCain's speech writer. When asked how she and McCain communicated while he was on the road (since he doesn't use computers), Betty White said they communicated by carrier pigeons. She that was difficult because Sarah Palin kept shooting them! She said, "She is one crazy bitch!" Betty even rapped a little Jay-Z last night.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/forget-the-future-why-not-the.html#comment-155488

Champ...

Sure, Obama's hitting hard too. But I don't see him whipping up crowds into shouts of "Kill the Geezer!"

The moral equivalence train has left the station with this new line of attack from McCain/Palin.

For goodness sake, Jamie, that was fully disclosed.

If the Gallup polling included a broader sampled population, then it could be considered supportive of the MT's conclusions despite the skewed sampled population.

It was not a volunteered response; it was a volunteered participation--as it is in all polls. And it wasn't one demographic. Look at the clear difference in the AA response on the most important characteristic in their choosing of a candidate as compared with other segments of the sampled population. Those responses certainly seem to reflect what we're seeing in non-military polls.

I realize you're an information guru--I just think you're looking at things from your predisposition on this topic.

The Dems have learned Rove's lessons well, LL.

Not a good year to be a Republican

PRINCETON, NJ -- President Bush's job approval rating is at 25% in the latest Oct. 3-5 Gallup Poll, the lowest of the Bush administration, and only three percentage points above the lowest presidential approval rating in Gallup Poll history.

speaking of the past

mudcat, was that a ralph lauren polo logo on your shirt in yesterday's video? hope you got it second hand at the goodwill store or all the dead animal decor in the world won't repair the hit to your rural cred.
agreed with what you said tho. thanks for sharing the insight.
and, craig, your hair's not so bad that you have to wear a hat now just because we teased you about it.

Here's the sound of the moral equivalence train leaving the station:

http://www.dieselairhorns.com/sounds/BM_RS-3B.mp3

geez Craig make up your mind! Less than 36 hours ago you "chide" Obama for not be forthcoming enough about Ayers, now you chide him (and McCain) for dwelling in the past.

Flatus,

All i'm saying is that you cannot extrapolate to the whole by only looking at one piece. Unless the poll is balanced across ALL demographics with measured criteria selected by the pollster then it might as well be counting noses on your block and deciding that they are the only kind of people living in your city.

Unless you are at a Commissary where there are a lot of retirees (again older, more likely to be conservative), you aren't likely to see too many bumper stickers if only that it doesn't pay to discuss politics, particularly if your view is not in agreement with your senior officer. :-)

Yes the military at a whole is more likely to be conservative, but in the last decade it has trended more to the middle of the road and this year just might tip to the Democratic side both because they are damned tired of Iraq and because of the very integrated racial composition of the forces.

Ping you are a broken record

Bush: Used cocaine
Obama: Used cocaine

Bush: Born-again Christian of convenient timing
Obama: Born-again Christian of convenient timing

Bush: Supports Faith-based initiatives
Obama: Supports Faith-based initiatives

Bush: Coronated by party elites
Obama: Coronated by party elites

Bush: Picked D.C. insider VP
Obama: Picked D.C. insider VP

Bush: "Humble" foreign policy
Obama: Restore America's standing in the world

Need I go on?

New poll out by cbs says only 3 point spread after the Palin and Biden debate.

Posted by: Julie Young | October 7, 2008 6:21 AM

I wouldn't be surprised. Americans have voted STUPID most of my life. They voted for Nixon over Hubert Humphrey, they re-elected Nixon. If there was a Republican that could have deserved to be elected in his own right, that would have been President Ford, though I was pleased to see Jimmy Carter elected. Then the idiots voted for one of the worst Presidents we've had at the time. Ronald "clueless" Reagan, and voted for him a second time. Then, even with all the corruption and mismanagement of the Reagan Administration, the idiots voted in George Bush. Only twice have I been impressed, since then... the election and re-election of Bill Clinton. But to be fair, Bush Sr. was put out to pasture largely due to the effect of Ross Perot in the election. In 2000, Gore actually won, but the Republicans on the Supreme Court made sure the ballot re-count was stopped in Florida, thanks a lot to John Bolten and Theodore Olson's interference. Then the idiots actually voted him in on his own the next time. If the Democrats cannot take the White House this time, they might as well hand the whole damn thing over to the right wing.

What is that old saying? "Beam me up Scotty, there is no intelligent life on this planet".

Everyone who doesn't agree with you is stupid, eh Tom?

ET

The newest CBS is a 4 point difference and the newest NBC is a 6 point difference.

http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/

Hey Champ, your knicks are showing again.:-)

Today's thread on the BackChannel Blog

Sarah Palin, Dubya in Skirts by Chef Sheila

http://clistersbackchannel.wordpress.com/

RE: Latest CBS poll--it could be a 3 point (Julie's post)
or a 4 point (Jamie's post) advantage depending on which group is cited.

Likely voters: Obama 48%; McCain 45%--a 3 point advantage to Obama

Registered voters: Obama 47%; McCain 43%--a 4 point advantage to Obama

tom
the democrats lost in all those past presidential
elections because they had weak candidates'
who failed to communicate their message'calling the american people stupid'what is that ? what are you french now

Lardass: thank you for putting up that Dana Milbank column on Palin's Florida politicking. Had missed it.

Ugly woman, ugly message, pretty face.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602935.html

Do you dispute anything I've said Rez?

LL,

Over the years lived by the tracks many times :-)

Now, we only hear the fog horns in the distance.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Polls in five key battleground states in the race for the White House released Tuesday suggest that Sen. Barack Obama is making major gains.

The CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation polls of likely voters in Indiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin reflect a significant nationwide shift toward the Democratic presidential nominee.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/07/cnn-polls-new-obama-gains-in-battleground-states/

Looks like it's time to move NH into the blue column, two polls last week showed Obama with a double digit lead in the state and the CNN poll is showing 8 points for Obama.

Champ,
Just having my first shot of java as I catch up. I'll get back with you. Actually, I'm not disputing your comments as much as I'm questioning your BIG Indie badge you wear.

Rez just think of Champ as Gordo Lite and it's much easier to deal with him, coffee or no coffee, LOL.

geez Craig make up your mind! Less than 36 hours ago you "chide" Obama for not be forthcoming enough about Ayers, now you chide him (and McCain) for dwelling in the past.

Posted by: BrianInNYC | October 7, 2008 10:29 AM

Actually Brian, you do make a good point.

Everyone who doesn't agree with you is stupid, eh Tom?

Posted by: champ | October 7, 2008 10:44 AM

Yes... :)

That's fair, Rez. As well you should; I'd be a hypocrite to assert otherwise.

CBS Poll: Presidential Race Tightens

"The Obama-Biden ticket led by a wider margin, nine percentage points, in a CBS News poll released last Wednesday, before Joe Biden and Sarah Palin faced off in the vice presidential debate.

In the new poll, the Democratic ticket leads by 3 percentage points, 48 percent to 45 percent, among likely voters."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/06/opinion/polls/main4504633.shtml

tom
the democrats lost in all those past presidential
elections because they had weak candidates'
who failed to communicate their message'calling the american people stupid'what is that ? what are you french now
Posted by: mqw | October 7, 2008 10:53 AM

I have always called the American people (Repugs basically) stupid. I have always felt like an outsider in my own country. That's why I moved finally to Europe when I had the chance. And I am not French...

I'm in a very bad mood... I'll visit another time... nothing to do with this blog or politics... bye

"All i'm saying is that you cannot extrapolate to the whole by only looking at one piece. Unless the poll is balanced across ALL demographics with measured criteria selected by the pollster then it might as well be counting noses on your block and deciding that they are the only kind of people living in your city."

Jamie, you are correct about inappropriate extrapolations. Yesterday, we already discussed dumb headline writers and how they do not well serve either their writers or readers. This is one of those cases.

FWIW, the first page of the survey asked the right questions. Age, military service, grade, military status, specialty, education, race, family status---in other words, enough questions to normalize the sampled population into groups from which statistically valid conclusions could be drawn. Obviously, your cautions are still absolutely valid.

It was not one of the partisan push polls that make everyone crazy.

Live Blog Tonight -- Presidential Debate
Real-time Chat on Trail Mix at 9:00 PM EST

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

Brian,

538 has had NH blue for quite a while now. I'm waiting for today's posting to see if there is any change off of their 343 to 194 projection

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

Craig

Will there be a link to the live blog at that time?

ET

I was listening to Gore Vidal the other day and he said it wasn't that Americans were stupid, it was that they were massively uninformed. Given some of the swill that is peddled, I find that very believable.

ET

I was listening to Gore Vidal the other day and he said it wasn't that Americans were stupid, it was that they were massively uninformed. Given some of the swill that is peddled, I find that very believable.

Posted by: Jamie | October 7, 2008 11:23 AM

That's probably more like it Jamie. I think this election is getting to me. :) Though as a former political activist and voter registrar in Washington State, I was and remain frustrated by the TOTAL apathy in the general populace. People would say "oh it's just politics" and I would reply "these are the people who have control over what happens to your country and your lives". It isn't just 'politics', it's living! " The personal is political and the political is personal.

Lardo,

I like the Gantry reference because i think you you're on target.

Sister Sarah sure is a humdinger.

Good afternoon all,
Wow Craig, looks like you ate your Wheaties today! Good post.

"Craig
Will there be a link to the live blog at that time?
Posted by: Jamie"

just gonna do it again here. but will put up a new thread at 9p dedicated to debate chat, then another right after to resume our usual free-for-all. don't want to get into a moderated chat room thingie. our threads are basically chat rooms anyway

champ. your 10:39 AM post.
An enjoyable laundry list.

regards, toast

A country in crisis and neither of these clowns has any ideas.

Posted by: Patsi

Patsi, While the above is quite true, other clowns helped Obama gain the stage.

regards, toast

I believe this is the year of Pierrot, Pierette and Harlequin, who are depicted in theatre, mime, and often make an appearance at the Masquerade Ball. The MSM and the left have cast McCain as the sad clown Pierrot, pining for love of nation, and associated with the moon (McInsane) and identified by his broad-brimmed, conical hat.

Palin, is cast as Pierrette, loyal friend and confidant who also faces the trials of ill will with grace, strength and resolve. These tragic star crossed candidates have history and geography against them, yet held the stage briefly with an attentive, captivated audience, when suddenly an economic comet burst upon the scene, and the terrified audience fled for cover, muttering my 401k, my 401k..

Then there is Obama as Harlequin, an acrobatic trickster who dons a trifold, black Napoleonic hat, and a diamond-patterned costume. He is sometimes seen carrying a magic wand or stick (Clyburn) for spanking his victims, and is often depicted in the theater surrounded by "clowns," (MSM), whose grotesque appearance and biased commentary merrily entertained their partisan audiences. The clowns journalistic standards reached a new benchmark for acerbic malice, when they treated misogyny as a corker, and decency itself as a comic pratfall, while receiving thunderous applause from the far left.

It is a melancholic tale best left to mime; whereby Harlequin holds the moment firmly in his grasp, people forgetting how ill prepared and untested he is to gain the limelight, yet P'rette made her mark with her strong performance, so too the clowns who continue to bow and curtsey in unrestrained self admiration.

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

toast

Fascinating column in The Times Online UK

Could Obama be the new Roosevelt?
The world is facing another crisis of financial confidence - we need an exceptional American president to deal with it

William Rees-Mogg
No one can yet know when the world economy will reach its low point and begin what may be a long climb to recovery. In the past week we have seen a couple of political events that have already proved not to be turning points: the summit meeting in Paris and the passage of the Paulson plan through Congress. These were no more than village halts on the railroad to depression.

However, we do know when the last global banking crisis was turned round, when confidence started to recover. Indeed, the Great Depression has precise dates for its beginning, which was the Wall Street panic on October 24, 1929, and for its recovery point, which came with Franklin Roosevelt's inaugural address on March 4, 1933.

**********************************************************************************

The article takes a comparative look at the candidates of 1932 and 2008.

Oh and I've just read that Iceland is on the verge of insolvency and is asking Russia for a loan. What a strange time we are in.

Oh bloody hell, I forgot to include the link

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article4887392.ece

From The Times
October 7, 2008
The camp that 'cures' homosexuality
At a Christian 'boot camp' in the US, those struggling to reconcile faith and sexuality are taught to overcome gayness

Lucy Bannerman
"How many of you are in need of some hope here tonight?” A murmur passes through the dark auditorium, pleasing the man with the microphone. Heads nod. “How many of you are at the end of your rope?” he continues. “How many are ready for an encounter with the Lord?” The man on stage, dressed in chinos and a crisp white shirt, is Alan Chambers. The clean-cut, married father of two is the leader of Exodus International, an organisation that believes it can help people to “find freedom from homosexuality through the love of Jesus Christ”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4893735.ece

yeah right, whatever...

"Oh bloody hell, I forgot to include the link"

ET, you did that just to make me feel better about myself. Thanks!

It's kind of "funny" how so many on the other side of this election battle have accused us Obama supporters of being a cult. Yet more and more the McCain crowd is taking on the feel and sound of a lynch mob!

Obama Hatred At McCain-Palin Rallies: "Terrorist!" "Kill Him!" (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/06/mccain-does-nothing-as-cr_n_132366.html

It's very disturbing frankly and more than a little scary. People yelling "kill him"? What's that about?

Brian...that's the same rally that I was talking about earlier, as captured in the Dana Milbank piece. Very disturbing.

http://lateshow.cbs.com/latenight/latelate/comedy/video/20081006.shtml

For EuroTom. Hope this makes you smile.

Obama supporters predict McCain's death.

It's very distrubing frankly and more than a little scary.
People saying McCain drop dead!. What's that about?

I like the Gantry reference because i think you you're on target.

**********************

No one in the race has resembled Elmer Gantry as much as Obama. From his televangelism campaign to the hero-mythical, ficititious auto-biography, and signage, I've been yelling "It's Elmer" since January.

Obama has used his religion as a qualifier for the office of POTUS more often than any other candidate.

In a triumph of Obama-loving unreality, Bill Maher suggested on The Daily Show recently, that Obama really was non-religious but that Sarah Palin was scarily religious. It's this kind of altered reality expressed by Obama supporters that concerns me more than Obama, himself.

linkee didn't work

ChiTrib Debunks Media's 'McCain Will Die Soon'
.
By Noel Sheppard
September 14, 2008 - 13:54 ET

Tom, they're a bunch of lying snake oil salesmen.

“find freedom from homosexuality through the love of Jesus Christ”.

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Settle down, Tom, Just a joke.

find freedom from jesus christ thru martinis and cuban cigars.......

Champ,
Have you considered that God made some people gay? If you're such a good Christian and lover of Jesus, surely you know that He said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged."
If that doesn't get you, try this: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Live and let live.

Well the final piece of the Champ puzzle falls into place.

"“find freedom from homosexuality through the love of Jesus Christ”.

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!"

I'm neither Christian, nor have I considered that "God made some people gay". That's ridiculous.

Then stop posting the crap you've been put here. Are you just trying to annoy people with your BS?

Well I don't know about the god part, and frankly don't care. But Champ you don't believe people are born heterosexual or gay?

Lighten up, nan.

you first.

On a lighter note, I think it would be hilarious if Craig could get the IT folks at CQ to rig his blog with something like this for some of our late night debates:

http://gawker.com/5060018/google-will-curb-your-drunk-e+mails