A New McCain on the Campaign Trail
Side note: Reason number seventy-nine million I hope Obama wins is so that I never have to hear the word "maverick" again.
September 18, 2008
Depressing NYTimes article of the day...
...all about how McCain has basically abandoned his ideals to get elected.
Side note: Reason number seventy-nine million I hope Obama wins is so that I never have to hear the word "maverick" again.
Side note: Reason number seventy-nine million I hope Obama wins is so that I never have to hear the word "maverick" again.
The Day Has Come
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that, as predicted, Barack Obama is now squarely ahead in national numbers. In the RCP Average, not only is Obama ahead, but he's ahead or tied in every component poll, save one. And that poll, which I linked to because I thought it was interesting, is only still McCain because it has week-old data; Obama led by 7% in their Sep. 17 polling.
Another thing I thought was interesting - 70% of the respondents were 45 or older, and 30% were 65 or older. Is this the turnout we should expect? Because I sure didn't think so, and if it's better (younger) than that, this election may be a landslide afterall (though you won't catch me using the "L" word again).
But here's the point: There may be a hiccup here or hiccup there, but I firmly believe that today is the day we take the lead and essentially don't look back, at least in the national polls. The electoral math and election turnout make predicting those much more difficult, but McCain will not have a substantive polling advantage between now and November 4th. (Unless of course there's something major, like Obama saying he doesn't want to lose to an ancient cripple who hates our country)
Another thing I thought was interesting - 70% of the respondents were 45 or older, and 30% were 65 or older. Is this the turnout we should expect? Because I sure didn't think so, and if it's better (younger) than that, this election may be a landslide afterall (though you won't catch me using the "L" word again).
But here's the point: There may be a hiccup here or hiccup there, but I firmly believe that today is the day we take the lead and essentially don't look back, at least in the national polls. The electoral math and election turnout make predicting those much more difficult, but McCain will not have a substantive polling advantage between now and November 4th. (Unless of course there's something major, like Obama saying he doesn't want to lose to an ancient cripple who hates our country)
There's a lot today
Sheesh I'm posting quite a bit, but this could not be passed up.
UPDATE: There I am, trying to find Obama's interview on O'Reilly's website, only to find he's totally stolen Obama's marketing fonts for his site banner.
UPDATE2: OK, here's a couple more:
Fake McCain tape worrying about a Palin presidency
You can't make it up: GOP Minority Outreach rally features 2006's George "Macaca" Allen (p.s. George, thanks for the Senate Majority!)
UPDATE: There I am, trying to find Obama's interview on O'Reilly's website, only to find he's totally stolen Obama's marketing fonts for his site banner.
UPDATE2: OK, here's a couple more:
Fake McCain tape worrying about a Palin presidency
You can't make it up: GOP Minority Outreach rally features 2006's George "Macaca" Allen (p.s. George, thanks for the Senate Majority!)
A Little Levity
Who do you think Barack Obama's most ardent supporter in this country is? Outside of his immediate family, whose life would change the most if Barack Obama is elected president?
The answer? Levi Johnston. I mean, just think about it. If McCain wins, he's got to marry his on-again off-again hookup (whom he apparently isn't head over heels for), but if Obama wins, he's off the hook, free to knock up all the college girls he likes.
Also, I've been trying to turn "John McCain," "Sarah Palin," and "earmarks" into a dirty joke for about 10 minutes now with no luck.
UPDATE: This version corrects an earlier version of the story, in which I used "who's" instead of "whose" and died a little inside.
The answer? Levi Johnston. I mean, just think about it. If McCain wins, he's got to marry his on-again off-again hookup (whom he apparently isn't head over heels for), but if Obama wins, he's off the hook, free to knock up all the college girls he likes.
Also, I've been trying to turn "John McCain," "Sarah Palin," and "earmarks" into a dirty joke for about 10 minutes now with no luck.
UPDATE: This version corrects an earlier version of the story, in which I used "who's" instead of "whose" and died a little inside.
Water
This is weird. I don't know what to make of it.
He doesn't pay for it, but he sells it, why would we pay for it? Is his just the better option of bottled waters, if I am forced to buy a bottle of water? (me and my nalgene...we don't like buying water.) It is obviously reducing the carbon footprint of someone who just insists on buying bottles of water, so that's a positive. But still, packaging is fundamentally not environmentally friendly- but I suppose people who regularly buy bottles of water probably don't concern themselves with their footprint as much as, say, Nalgene or Klean Kanteen users.
He doesn't pay for it, but he sells it, why would we pay for it? Is his just the better option of bottled waters, if I am forced to buy a bottle of water? (me and my nalgene...we don't like buying water.) It is obviously reducing the carbon footprint of someone who just insists on buying bottles of water, so that's a positive. But still, packaging is fundamentally not environmentally friendly- but I suppose people who regularly buy bottles of water probably don't concern themselves with their footprint as much as, say, Nalgene or Klean Kanteen users.
September 17, 2008
September 16, 2008
September 15, 2008
Does Google Scare You?
I love Google, but sometimes it seems like they're going too far. Today they're planning on putting data centers offshore, which shields them from taxes and regulation. Maybe this is innocent, but I feel like you've got to be wary of any company becoming as powerful as Google has.
As an aside, I know Drudge Report is a right-wing news source (like Huffington Post is for the left) but I find that they link to more interesting news article (like the one above) than most sites I read.
As an aside, I know Drudge Report is a right-wing news source (like Huffington Post is for the left) but I find that they link to more interesting news article (like the one above) than most sites I read.
September 12, 2008
Corner Pic
Instead of droning on to myself everyday about the Electoral College, I was thinking maybe I'd just try to keep this picture up here in the upper right corner and keep it updated. I'm not married to it, though, so feel free to rebel. Peace.
Oh, and btw, when I said yesterday I thought the election was about 70-30? Yep, I'm a badass.
Oh, and btw, when I said yesterday I thought the election was about 70-30? Yep, I'm a badass.
September 11, 2008
Palin Drops the Ball
I just saw part of the first interview Palin has done since becoming the VP nominee, and she couldn't answer a question about the Bush Doctrine (pre-emptive strike) because she didn't know what it was.
UPDATE: From a 538 commenter:
"I am shocked with the reviews of Palin's interview yesterday. Had it been Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or any of the people on McCain's short list (Romney, Lieberman or Pawlenty) we would not be hearing things like, "it wasn't a disaster but it wasn't a home run either" or "she passed". We would be saying they are wholly unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. This is not a high school exam, this is possibly running the most powerful country on earth!
I feel just like I felt when we found out Iraq didn't have any WMDs and that the war was based on a lie - completely and utterly powerless."
UPDATE: From a 538 commenter:
"I am shocked with the reviews of Palin's interview yesterday. Had it been Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or any of the people on McCain's short list (Romney, Lieberman or Pawlenty) we would not be hearing things like, "it wasn't a disaster but it wasn't a home run either" or "she passed". We would be saying they are wholly unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. This is not a high school exam, this is possibly running the most powerful country on earth!
I feel just like I felt when we found out Iraq didn't have any WMDs and that the war was based on a lie - completely and utterly powerless."
Undecided voters = unicorns?
Not that I'm trusting National Geographic for election coverage, but this was kind of interesting:
"Undecided" Voters' Minds Already Made Up, Study Says
It supports one of the bedrock ideas behind my attitude towards (and frustration with) Presidential campaigns: Undecided voters don't exist.
Well, they exist, certainly, but not in the numbers that this or any Presidential race would lead us to believe. Especially at a time when the country is so polarized, especially in an election between two fundamentally different candidates, I just don't believe that there are enough people out there who (a) are registered to vote (b) will actually leave their houses on election day, and (c) genuinely don’t know at this point which candidate or party they prefer, to make an inpact on the outcome of the party faithfuls’ vote. In order to be a true undecided in this day and age, you have to feel neutral about so many fundamental issues, like abortion, the economy, and Iraq. Neutral or apathetic, I suppose, and if you’re truly apathetic you’re not going make the effort to vote anyway.
I think that campaigns are (or should) be more about motivating people to actually vote than convincing them to choose you over the other guy. Understanding why your vote counts, how democracy works, and how important it is (how elected officials effect your day-to-day life, forexample) is a bi-(or non-)partisan issue. I was actually more excited about this aspect of Obama’s campaign – the fact that a record number of people voted in the primary, that he got demographics (blacks, young people) out to the polls who hadn’t been there before – than any other, but I feel like it’s been lost since the primaries.
Thoughts?
"Undecided" Voters' Minds Already Made Up, Study Says
It supports one of the bedrock ideas behind my attitude towards (and frustration with) Presidential campaigns: Undecided voters don't exist.
Well, they exist, certainly, but not in the numbers that this or any Presidential race would lead us to believe. Especially at a time when the country is so polarized, especially in an election between two fundamentally different candidates, I just don't believe that there are enough people out there who (a) are registered to vote (b) will actually leave their houses on election day, and (c) genuinely don’t know at this point which candidate or party they prefer, to make an inpact on the outcome of the party faithfuls’ vote. In order to be a true undecided in this day and age, you have to feel neutral about so many fundamental issues, like abortion, the economy, and Iraq. Neutral or apathetic, I suppose, and if you’re truly apathetic you’re not going make the effort to vote anyway.
I think that campaigns are (or should) be more about motivating people to actually vote than convincing them to choose you over the other guy. Understanding why your vote counts, how democracy works, and how important it is (how elected officials effect your day-to-day life, forexample) is a bi-(or non-)partisan issue. I was actually more excited about this aspect of Obama’s campaign – the fact that a record number of people voted in the primary, that he got demographics (blacks, young people) out to the polls who hadn’t been there before – than any other, but I feel like it’s been lost since the primaries.
Thoughts?
Hi
Hi guys,
Thanks for inviting me to contribute!
Just wanted to share two links to begin with: my blog (katiesprobablybored.blogspot.com), which is mostly rantings about Palin, ravings about how much I like TV, and links to New York Times articles I like; and a New York Times article I like - it's a really long but fascinating look at Obama's economic policy - really helped to clarify some issues for me.
-Katie
Thanks for inviting me to contribute!
Just wanted to share two links to begin with: my blog (katiesprobablybored.blogspot.com), which is mostly rantings about Palin, ravings about how much I like TV, and links to New York Times articles I like; and a New York Times article I like - it's a really long but fascinating look at Obama's economic policy - really helped to clarify some issues for me.
-Katie
Discussion Topic: Drilling
What about this article do the American people NOT understand??
I find it clearly explores and highlights some of the issues that continuously baffle me, such as
-Palin and her lies
-oil dependence (foreign or otherwise): independence from foreign nations, still on oil rather than alternative energy solutions
-the ineffectiveness of drilling: not a long-term solution, not even a short-term fix
I find it clearly explores and highlights some of the issues that continuously baffle me, such as
-Palin and her lies
-oil dependence (foreign or otherwise): independence from foreign nations, still on oil rather than alternative energy solutions
-the ineffectiveness of drilling: not a long-term solution, not even a short-term fix
September 09, 2008
Discussion Topic: Senate
The Democrats have an outside shot at a filibuster-proof 60 senators. Let's assume Barack Obama wins the election. Is having one party, even if it is your party, with full control of both houses of Congress and the Presidency a good idea?
September 08, 2008
If you listen carefully, she didn't lie.
"And I told the Congress thanks, but no thanks, on that Bridge to Nowhere."
That's true, except there was a little bit more space in between the "thanks" (read: "please") and the "no thanks." Enough time for her to campaign for it as a gubernatorial candidate.
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