McCain Has Faced Longer Odds

Senator John McCain has faced longer odds as a POW than those he faces today. With the election still three days away many bloggers and of course the “fair and balanced” media have announced that he has already lost. Light a candle for him as well as the GOP, good people. Both are effectively history.

The funny thing about history is that by definition it can only relate to past events. There will be plenty of time for postmortems after Tuesday should McCain not prevail and, regardless of his success or failure, it is time for a GNP (Grand New Party). But that can wait until Wednesday. Until then there is work to be done.

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

More: The Anchoress – America goes truly post-racial

And more: TIME/Mark Halperin – McCain Camp Memo on the State of the Race

And more: Power Line/John Hinderaker – The Fat Lady Is Still Warming Up

 

Obama Accepts Bogus Donos But Not McCain

With full coffers does Obama really need to accept donations from John Galt, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Bill Ayers? A Powerline reader reveals his “suspicious” credit card donations were accepted by the Obama campaign but not at McCain’s site.

Patrick Ruffini conducted his own test and discovered

The Obama campaign has turned its security settings for accepting online contributions down to the bare minimum — possibly to juice the numbers, and turning a blind eye towards the potential for fraud not just against the FEC, but against unsuspecting victims of credit card fraud.

Voter fraud (ACORN) and illegal donations should be a death knell for any campaign. But the ‘O’ faithful including the media are so mesmerized that they are willing to excuse such activities as either “no big deal” or Republican lies. This is surely a tainted election with unethical actions both accepted and excused. It is creating a culture of “the end justifies the means” along with making personal integrity a convenience rather than a creed.

Therein lies the real divide in this country, a difference in morals that transcends race, religion, and gender. The absence of leadership in this vital area means it must start at the bottom and work its way up. That leaves it to voters to demand better from the governing class or suffer the consequences.

More at CommentaryMagazine/Jennifer Rubin: Plenty To Worry About

 

McCain or Obama – Which candidate will deliver?

There have been a lot of promises and proposals made during this election cycle, some good, some questionable, some trivial. With less than a month to go, Senators McCain and Obama have probably made the bulk of their promises and proposals. Voters and pundits can examine them down to the most minute detail and decide which proposals have merit, are based in reality and will lead to a better future whatever that means to any individual. None of that matters though if the candidate making the promise will not also make it a reality.

Don’t waste your vote on a candidate who lacks the wherewithal to make your expectations come to fruition. Think about it. Will your candidate stand and deliver? Look to his history, character and trustworthiness for clues to his actions in the future. Will his campaign promises become a distant memory or a future reality? Will he lead or will he acquiesce to party leaders, special interest groups and Members of Congress? Despite all demands and invitations to do otherwise, will he represent the people who elected him?

If you remain undecided, consider this. Character and toughness are always important but never more so than during harsh times. What counts is who will deliver. That is the candidate who deserves your vote. Rhetoric is inspiring but results will determine our future.

 

A Winner, a Loser and Two Runners-up

Results of the October 7th presidential debate (insert drumroll)

Winner: Belmont University for providing a terrific venue

Loser: Tom Brokaw for over-scripting a usually spontaneous format

First Runner-up: John McCain for one new idea, the mortgage rate reset proposal

Second Runner-up: Barack Obama for best teflon suit (nothing stuck to him)

More: The Anchoress – Final Thought: Brokaw hurt both men

 

We are “One Nation”

The current financial situation is explained very well by Gordon Chang at Commentary.com in his post, “The Real Reason the World Financial System Is Collapsing.” He concludes with

Yet one thing is obvious: we’re not going to get where we need to be if we let the presidential candidates avoid the real issues by blaming the greed of Wall Street’s financial intermediaries.

Indeed. The list could be expanded to include Paulson, Cox, Reid, Pelosi and others. Any discussion would serve us all better if done in a non-partisan way. Blaming either the left or the right perverts the truth and that compounds the misunderstandings and the mistrust that permeate current political discourse. We are “ONE NATION.” McCain, Obama and the others have forgotten this fact and we are all the worse for it.

 

McCain, Obama and Governing Styles

McCain took action. Obama took phone calls. It’s that simple.

This has nothing to do with who is right or wrong or who had the best ideas regarding the Wall Street bailout. The events of the last few days just make it more obvious what we can expect from the candidates’ different approaches. Acting/negotiating vs. talking/thinking.

Even in the debate two days ago, the different approaches were plain. McCain reminds us of what he did and Obama reminds us of what he said. McCain is a man of action. Obama is a man of words. No wonder the Dems fear a McCain presidency for surely it means things will get done and not just discussed.

 

Biden, Taxes and Patriotism

Joe Biden always was more of a gamble than Sarah Palin. His legendary track record with foot-in-mouth disease promised to make his candidacy entertaining and sure enough his remark this week about patriotism and taxes was perfect fodder for the McCain campaign.

Certainly there is room for individual acts of voluntary patriotism encouraged by government like the “buy bonds” and plant a victory garden pleas during WWII. At that time Americans could really contribute to the war effort and with the bonus of something in exchange, either return on investment or food on the table. Go team!

Biden on the other hand just wants people who have (done their jobs) to be forced to give to the government that hasn’t (done its job). Is this patriotic or idiotic?

More: The Anchoress: Dems run away/McCain shows leadership

And More: Commentary Magazine/John Podhoretz: Where Joe Biden’s ‘Patriotism’ Shtick Comes From

 

McCain needs to attack Obama on Fannie Mae

David Frum has sorted this out but McCain needs to hammer it home. Here’s a simple approach for a commercial that ought to be running now.

Since 2002 John McCain has fought the forces that led to the troubles at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. By contrast Barack Obama asked its former CEO to help him find a Vice Presidential nominee.

John McCain fought them. Barack Obama cozied up to them. Which candidate has done more to protect the American people?

 

More on the “McCain doesn’t use email” non-issue

Comment #4 to the “McCain’s injuries limit computer use” post claims “it’s a republican lie” and linked to HuffPo as proof. Then claimed McCain could “type an email on his blackberry.” Well, let’s take a look at how this plays out.

1. If it’s on HuffPo, that makes it questionable “data” at best. Consider the source.

2. Typing on a Blackberry can be slow and grueling for someone who has hand or arm problems. Senator McCain’s injuries may or may not “prohibit” use of such a tiny keyboard but it may not be worth the effort especially when he has supportive people around him who can do it faster and better.

3. What difference does it make whether or not he sends email? Is this relevant to being President of the United States?

4. Can Senator Obama really afford to alienate the 1 in 5 voters who are disabled and have found a true advocate in Governor Palin? Is he just writing them off?

This whole brouhaha just looks like a trumped up issue that has zero bearing on anything save to ridicule someone with a disability. The Obama camp showed poor judgment and supporters are trying to justify it. Dollars to doughnuts Senator Obama would like to see this non-issue die before it does him even more damage. But if the left wants to keep it alive, so be it. Tiger4Truth will be happy to oblige.

9/15/08 Update: Allahpundit posted a video today in which Obama spokesman, Bill Burton, admitted they knew McCain didn’t use a keyboard due to the effects of his war injuries. Kudos to Bill Hemmer who pressed the issue for nearly 2 1/2 minutes to get an answer.

So for Obama this attack is fair and ethical. Hey, just remember Obama people, what goes around comes around…

 

What happened in Michigan could happen to us all.

Too good to miss…

Barack Obama delights in calling McCain George W. Bush’s “twin” or “clone.” It may be that McCain’s best counter is to suggest that Obama will do for the country what Granholm did for Michigan. That’s enough to scare some voters — and not just in Michigan. – Jennifer Rubin

WSJ. com/Phil Gramm and Mike Solon – If you Like Michigan’s Economy, You’ll Love Obama’s

Commentary Magazine/Jennifer Rubin – The Michigan Example

Commentary Magazine/Jennifer Rubin – More than Kilpatrick (August 12, 2008)

 

McCain’s injuries limit computer use

Ed Morrissey explains why Senator McCain isn’t a wiz on a computer. Makes sense and shows poor judgement by the Obama camp. Well, that or an appalling lack of online research skills. Don’t expect any apologies though. “I’m sorry” isn’t in Senator Obama’s repertoire.

More here.

 

Lipstick, pigs, and 100 years in Iraq

Pundits are going wild over the most recent gaff by Senator Obama. Did he really mean to compare Governor Palin to a pig wearing lipstick? No one will ever know whether it was intended as an insult or not. Running tape of Senator McCain using a similar joke several years ago though is just plain stupid. It has absolutely nothing to do with Obama’s stepping in deep doodoo over using it yesterday. Nada, Fox News, nada!

Still the McCain campaign and the right wing of the blogosphere have taken this fertile opportunity for payback and made the most of it. Not surprising though it may have more to do with past offenses than the current slam at Governor Palin. To date the most egregious misuse of a candidate’s statement taken out of context remains Obama’s offense. He repeatedly and knowingly paraphrased Senator McCain’s “100 years in Iraq” down to the most damning statement he could. Fox News details the whole story but here is the short version.

McCain first uttered the comments in question during a January town hall meeting in New Hampshire, saying he’d be fine with a long-term U.S. commitment in Iraq.

“President Bush has talked about our staying for 50 years, maybe 100. We’ve been in Japan for 60 years, in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or killed,” McCain said at the time.

Really, Senator Obama. What you did was worse, far worse.

“John McCain wants to continue a war in Iraq perhaps as long as 100 years,” Obama said during a town hall meeting in Lancaster, Pa.

The Obama campaign attributed “100 years in Iraq” to Senator McCain for months as though McCain wanted a 100 year war! “A lie repeated often enough becomes the truth” and so Senator Obama has sought to brand Senator McCain as a warmonger. While it might work with a few independent voters, it most assuredly would alienate others and has only added to the perception that Obama is just another opportunistic politican. Same old, same old.

Think twice, Senator Obama, if you think you can take the moral high road. You are guilty of the same or worse and that is hardly presidential.

 

Do newspaper endorsements mean anything?

Endorsement season has begun with the NY Post’s commitment to the McCain/Palin ticket. It’s nice and all and will get lots of coverage in the blogosphere if nowhere else. But do such things really matter these days?

Perhaps if the NY Times, LA Times, SF Chronicle or any one of a dozen other predictably left-leaning major newspapers endorsed Senator McCain, well, now that WOULD be news. Of course that won’t happen but since everyone knows it won’t, does a newspaper’s obvious political bent devalue its endorsement? Or does its predictability “make it one” with its readership and further cement its hold on circulation?

Ah. So much for principle. It’s all about the money.

 

McCain is his own man

Lieberman: “God made only one John McCain and he is his own man.” Does that counter the Bush 3 adverts?

 

Sarah Palin and the apoplectic press

Governor Sarah Palin is sure to shake up the race but it is stunning how quickly the left has become apoplectic. Proof positive was mild-mannered moderate Mort Kondracke’s performance on Fox News “The Beltway Boys” this afternoon. He acted like he felt betrayed by Senator McCain’s choice of running mates. You would think the Republican candidate just lost Kondracke’s vote!

Be that as it may, Kondracke asserted that anyone who would have voted for Hillary Clinton is now lost to McCain specifically over the issue of abortion and only now that Palin is on the ticket. True, the Alaska governor is opposed to abortion but abortion just isn’t the deciding issue this time around except for those voters who would agree with Palin anyway.

Whether or not Palin can deliver independents and disaffected Hillary supporters remains to be seen. But Kondracke’s over-the-top performance just proved again how personal bias can make even mild-mannered reporters turn rabid. And, folks, it ain’t a pretty sight.

 

Cindy heads to Georgia while Michelle takes the stage

While Michelle Obama was giving her big speech (Did we really learn anything new about Barack?), Cindy McCain was on her way to the embattled country of Georgia. Did the media miss this or did the story get ignored?

 

McCain’s VP in Denver?

Now that most of the VP candidates on Senator McCain’s short list are in Denver, could there be a better place to get coverage for a juicy leak or even the big announcement? The media would be all over the newly anointed VP nominee stealing thunder from the Democrats at a critical moment, crafty strategy and high drama in one simple move.

Don’t expect a  text message though. This is too good an opportunity to waste like Obama did on a 3AM call.