The MinuteMan Gets Results!

My goodness - was it only yesterday I was urging Team McCain to push his energy plan?  And now Obama is tossing in the towel on his opposition to off-shore drilling.

This may simply be another manifestation of an Obama campaign tactic - adopt every position held by McCain and then ask voters to choose their next President on the basis of youth, energy, and speaking skill.  Could work!

But while I am still feeling eerily prescient, let me suggest that McCain's campaign should focus on a domestic agenda.  Energy is a real problem requiring leadership from Washington on a number of fronts (trying building a nuclear plant without a Presidential wind at your back).   McCain should be able to make the national security and economic cases for increased production, conservation, and alternative energy without annoying his base by getting sucked into Al Gore's global warming fantasies.

As a second topic I would urge McCain to talk about education reform.  Yes, this takes us a long way from the days when Reagan promised to dismantle the department of Education, but...

Education is a high-impact mom-friendly issue that has a relatively low budget impact, so it can represent compassion and caring on the cheap.  That said, it also represents a slow-motion crisis (or opportunity!) as David Brooks explained recently.

Finally, I think the McCain camp might enjoy taking the national press on a voyage of discovery down the mysterious waters of Obama's forays into education reform in Chicago.  There was his failed effort as chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge in 1995-2001 [my post, Wikipedia].  And dare we mention that Obama was tapped as chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge by unrepentant Weatherman Bill Ayers, with whom he subsequently worked for about five years?

Or a longer conversation about Obama and education would take us back to his first alliance with Bill Ayers back in 1987, an earlier failed stab at reform.

Obama's website offers a pleasing menu of high-minded platitudes on education.  Back in reality, Obama teamed up with Bill Ayers twice on education reform and accomplished nothing twice.  I wonder if voters will be more impressed by words (Just words?!?) or deeds?

I think McCain ought to find out.

Comments

[Sara]

I don't know, TM, education reform seems like a yawner as an issue. I know it is an important issue, but it just seems very boring and kind of yesterday's news.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Obama backpedal clarification begins in 5.. 4.. 3..

[Topsecretk9]

Jennifer Rubin had a little prescience to

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/18901

What Corner writer was it that predicted Obama's Rev Wright situation?

[centralcal]

Tom Maguire:

IE users cannot access your site. We are having to use Firefox. Red State, Gateway Pundit and others are recommending this fix:

"If you have sitemeter and us Internet Explorer, they are not working together and will not allow
you to get into your blog. What it also means that I cannot read any blogs with sitemeters on them.
THIS is a HUGE problem in blogspot land right now.
What you do is:
go to blogspot.com
log in
get to your dashboard
then layouts
remove sitemeter...."

And, that is that for the public service announcement tonite!

[anduril]

A few days ago on a different thread (duh!) I linked to Steve Sailer's David Brooks as the Kinder, Gentler Steve Sailer, which just happens to be devoted to the David Brooks column on education that TM linked (above). Before critiquing Brooks' column, Sailer explains:

One of the eerier feelings for me is to start reading a New York Times op-ed and realize partway through that the columnist is engaging in an argument with me, even though I'm not named. That happens several times per year with David Brooks's NYT columns. (I've been told on trustworthy authority that he is a regular reader, so I'm not just being paranoid here.)

A moderate amount of his stuff seems to be either echoing or arguing with me, (The last time Brooks mentioned my name in the NYT back in 2004, he got a lot of grief from the commissars about it.)

Without the Secret Decoder Ring, it's often hard to figure out what Brooks is talking about. Consider his recent column "The Luxurious Growth." (Here's John Derbyshire's reply.) Or here's his September 2007 column on "The Waning of IQ" that makes no sense at all except under the presumption that NYT subscribers are regular iSteve readers who are almost persuaded by my work. (Here's GNXP's response to it.)

As you know, my basic shtick is that, increasingly, specific government policies tend to matter less than the quantities and qualities of various populations. For example, Hong Kong became prosperous under free trade and laissez-faire, while Singapore became prosperous under protectionism and paternalism.

Thus, immigration policy is more central to the future of America than most of the controversies more welcome in the pages of the New York Times.

My impression is that Brooks finds my work highly persuasive, but also highly troubling, both from an ideological and career perspective. So, he sometimes seems to be groping around for some way to refute me, but all without mentioning my name. Thus you end up with weird columns that are structured like this:

1. The conventional wisdom is [something that only iSteve readers would dare imagine].

2. But, the latest research actually shows that this [utter heresy] isn't quite the sure thing everybody [i.e., my readers, not NYT subscribers] assume, and the reality is [pretty much what politically correct people everywhere assumed all along it was].

For example, today's column parallels my January 1, 2008 VDARE.com column on James Heckman's research on high school graduation rates, but then skids off the rails at the end.

He then offers a critique of where Brooks goes off the rails (which you can discover by following the link, above) and concludes:

But, obviously, the current immigration system of large amounts of unskilled illegal immigration and large amounts of highly skilled legal immigration widens "the skills gap." And, nice as it is to imagine that, after 45 years of failing, we'll suddenly somehow dream up a way for "boosting educational attainment at the bottom," the much more plausible thing that we can actually get done before hell freezes over to slow the widening of the skills gap is to fix immigration policy.

Of course, TM is talking about how to win an election, not necessarily how to do anything constructive after winning the election. Nevertheless, I can't resist adding a few comments. When TM suggests that:

McCain's campaign should focus on a domestic agenda.

one is reminded that McCain's likely domestic agenda will be eerily similar to his national security agenda: I become president. What follows then will be a day to day adventure, or as Daniel Henninger described it the other day, impromptu policy making. Something along the lines as described by Robert Kaiser in his WaPo article today:

For example, in a speech this past spring, McCain called for expelling Russia from the Group of Eight, the club of leading economic powers, on the grounds that Russia is not a real democracy. Not long after, he gave a speech in Denver on arms control and suggested that the United States "can work in partnership with Russia to strengthen protections against weapons of mass destruction."

"Would that happen before or after we kick them out of the G-8?" quipped a Republican arms control expert who held high positions in previous Republican administrations.

Asked about this, McCain seemed to back off the threat to expel Russia from the G-8. "Well, you know," he said, "I'd like to send them a hard signal [but] . . . you need to work with them in areas of common interest." But Sunday on ABC's "This Week," McCain returned to the idea of expelling Russia from the G-8. "We need to improve their behavior," he said.

A day to day adventure or impromptu policy making--take your pick. And TM's further suggestion that

McCain should be able to make the national security and economic cases for increased production, conservation, and alternative energy without annoying his base by getting sucked into Al Gore's global warming fantasies.

fails to account for McCain's unique personal qualities. One can agree that McCain should be able to accomplish this perfectly simple and reasonable task, but there is no guarantee--not even a likelihood--that he will do so. It's all an adventure.

[Ann]

In two days, Obama has gone from Inflate your tires to I'll give $1,000 to ya from oil company profits, to I may back offshore drilling. I think I would call this "lakin in lojik", bad!!!

Go McCain and the Republican Congress! I sure missed a good day at JOM. Catching up, I felt the excitement and want to thank everyone and TM. What a day!

On a side note, the must have fall purchase for middle school, here in Ohio, is a T-shirt with "The Joker" on the front. I kept thinking all day of one with Nancy Pelosi "It's a Hoax" on it instead for the grown ups. :)

[Gideon7]

OT: Sitemeter.com is delivering buggy JavaScript code.

To fix IE7: Click on the menu Tools -> Internet Options. Click on the tab Security. Click on the icon Restricted Sites. Click on the button Sites. Type the text '*.sitemeter.com' (without quotes). Click the Add button.

That will fix the problem.

[Rick Ballard]

TM,

I agree 150% about ed reform - McCain need only point at the Annenberg Domestic Terrorist Support Program and at Fiske Elementary (8 entire blocks from BHO Manse) where the NCLB has pushed teachers to the point where almost 4 in 10 kids are able to perform basic skills (that's up from 2 in 10 during the time when Obama was hustling city money for Uncle Tony's new slums and making sure that Bill the Bomber had pocket change).

McCain could just push for regulatory relief for the 24 nukes now in planning. That would catch The One rather flat footed.

[centralcal]

Gideon7: Hey, thanks! That worked!

[RichatUF]

There was a disturbance in the force.

[Sue]

Well, yippee, skippee, Gideon7. It worked. I love geniuses.

[ben]

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/straw-poll

AOL has a straw vote up...McCain is kicking ass...

[kim]

Heh, I finally get it; on the two biggest issues of the election, Obama has adopted McCain's positions, long after McCain has. Energy and the Surge in Iraq. He's leading him around like a puppy.
===============================

[glasater]

Anduril--you poop! Will you quit knocking McCain? He's correct on Russia--what with that government taking control over their oil industry and now have plans to do the same with their wheat industry.

[kim]

There gonna have to hide him just like they hid Kerry. Remember, no press conferences for 6 weeks smack in the heart of the campaign? Granted it was because of the Swifties, but Obama is not gonna be able to handle the questions the press may come up with, now. They are a herd and they are predators. And they've been in love with that angry old man a long time.
=======================================

[kim]

Hey Anduril, get in touch with McCain's anger. From here on in, he'll be able to express it a little and Obama will not.
==============================

[Sara]

Okay, here it is, something for TM on education, something for all of us about gas prices:

RUSH: What are...? (interruption) Interrupting for what?

THE PRESIDENT: Hello!

RUSH: Oh, jeez. The president?

THE PRESIDENT: Rush Limbaugh?

RUSH: Yes, sir, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: President George W. Bush calling to congratulate you on 20 years of important and excellent broadcasting.

RUSH: Well, thank you, sir. You've stunned me! (laughing) I'm shocked. But thank you so much.

THE PRESIDENT: That's hard to do.

RUSH: (laughing) I know, it is.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm here with a room full of admirers. There are two others that would like to speak to you and congratulate you, people who consider you friends and really appreciate the contribution you've made.

RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much. Put 'em on.

THE PRESIDENT: How you doing? This is my swan song? If this is all you got for me, I'm moving on.

RUSH: (laughing) No! The show's yours; take as much time as you want.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm just calling along with President 41 and the former governor of Florida. We're fixing to have lunch here, and I said, "Listen, we ought to call our pal and let him know that we care," for you. So this is as much as anything, a nice verbal letter to a guy we really care for.

RUSH: Well, thank you, sir, very much. I'm overwhelmed. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this and how much you've surprised me.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, that was the purpose of the phone call.

RUSH: You succeeded.

THE PRESIDENT: Good.

RUSH: They were waving at me trying to tell me you were on the line, and I didn't know what was going on. So you succeeded here in the surprise. How are you doing, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: I am great. We're doing very good, thank you very much, sir. Concerned about our economy, obviously, but know we need to be drilling for some oil and gas in order to take the pressure off the gas prices -- and I'm pleased with the progress in Iraq.

RUSH: Have you heard what Senator Obama wants to do? He wants another stimulus check of a thousand dollars to every American paid for by the oil companies.

THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. Well, what we ought to be doing is encouraging oil companies to find oil, and that's the best way to take the pressure off the gasoline prices. We're on a very strong push to get the Congress to allow for there to be offshore drilling, and most Americans understand now that an increase in oil, particularly here in America, will help take pressure off of price. And I tell people I'd rather, you know, be buying American oil instead of sending our money overseas.

RUSH: You know, Mr. President, it's amazing. In 2004 during your campaign, Senator Kerry was constantly criticizing you for not "jawboning" with the Saudis enough to bring the price of oil down. Now, four years later, they're doing everything they can to keep the price from coming down. They apparently want it to remain high.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, they may want to, but the American people want to see some relief. It would be like a massive tax cut when the gasoline prices decline. So we're in times of economic uncertainty and the more money people have in their pockets the quicker we'll be able to recover, in my judgment. You asked how I'm doing. My spirits are high; I'm going to finish strong. I love my family and I'm spending two days here with mother and dad before I head overseas.

RUSH: Well, that's right. You've got China on your agenda.

THE PRESIDENT: I do. But listen, President 41. You might remember him.

RUSH: I do. (laughing) Yes, I do. We all do.

THE PRESIDENT: You know what? He remembers you.

RUSH: Good.

THE PRESIDENT: Fondly, I might add. Anyway, here he is. Congratulations.

RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much, again.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, sir.

BUSH 41: Hey, Rush?

RUSH: Mr. President, sir.

BUSH 41: How are you doing?

RUSH: I am never better. I'm so glad that you three called me. I'm stunned here. It's great to hear from you.

BUSH 41: I've got some advice for you.

RUSH: Tell me.

BUSH 41: Slow down your backswing.

RUSH: (laughing)

BUSH 41: (laughing) That's what I'm doing is giving advice. I remember playing with you and enjoying it. How are you?

RUSH: I'm great.

BUSH 41: Proud of you, always.

RUSH: Well, thank you. I'm doing great. And you? You're looking well, too.

BUSH 41: Well, yeah. I'm kind of on the sidelines, but I can't do golf and all that stuff anymore. But life is good. It's wonderful, and it's great having the family up here in Maine, and all is well. Do you see our man Ailes at all?

RUSH: Oh, yeah. I saw Roger at Tony Snow's funeral.

BUSH 41: Oh, did you?

RUSH: And a couple of times earlier this summer.

BUSH 41: Are we on the radio, are we?

RUSH: (laughing)

BUSH 41: I didn't know that. I'll clean up my act here. I'm glad they told me.

RUSH: Yeah, we're on the radio.

BUSH 41: It's wonderful talking to you, I'll tell you.

RUSH: Thank you, sir. Same here.

BUSH 41: Wait a minute, Jeb -- Governor Jeb -- wants to speak to you.

RUSH: That's great.

BUSH 41: We've got the whole family lined up.

RUSH: Put him on.

BUSH 41: All Limbaugh fans. Just a sec. Here.

JEB: Hey, Rush, congratulations on your longevity.

RUSH: Thank you, sir, very much. This is a thrill.

JEB: One of the highlights, one of the great things about your show is it's broadcast in the Sunshine State for which a whole lot of Floridians are very grateful, including me.

RUSH: It's a great place to live, governor. It really is, as you well know.

JEB: We've got a few challenges, but it's not a bad place at all.

RUSH: What's your future? What are you going to do?

JEB: I'm staying below the radar. That's what I'm doing. I love policy, and I have an education policy to try to help folks that are running for office be bold on education reform, which I think is a huge challenge and a great opportunity for our country. So my political stuff is really focused on that, which I love.

RUSH: Well, good. Keep at it, because if there's something that needs reform in this country, it's certainly that.

JEB: Absolutely.

RUSH: Particularly public education. Well, thank you guys so much. This is unexpected and a real honor for me to hear from all of you guys at the same time.

JEB: All right. Take care.

RUSH: Thanks, sir, very much.

JEB: Bye-bye.

RUSH: Wow. And as I was saying... As I was saying... (laughing) Anyway, we gotta go to commercial break. See, folks, I got a note from a friend -- a little instant message flash -- right before the program started that said, "You're going to have so much fun this afternoon."

I said, "Yeah. The thing is, I'm sure there are going to be lots of surprises, and I don't know what they are, and they always make me nervous."

When they were waving their arms, they had given me a written note on the computer monitor here: "President's on the line! President's on the line!" and I was looking at my story here talking about Obama and his stupid idiot idea for Big Oil to give everybody a check for a thousand bucks. Then, finally, Brian starts waving his arms and so forth, and that's when I noticed it. So we're off to a rousing start. Who knows what's coming? Certainly I don't.

END TRANSCRIPT

[Sara]

RichatUF, told you GWB had the cajones. Got his point across, to what, 20 million listeners. The guy amazes me.

[kim]

If this is all you got for me, I'm moving on.
==========================

[dualdiagnosis]

Now that McCain is getting aggressive, putting Obama on his heels and tightening up the polls I am getting nervous that he might be peaking too soon! Damn.

[Pagar]

Good Morning to all!
From all the comments yesterday, I missed a great day at JOM. Maybe the Republicans are getting limbered up at last and today will be even better.

[Ralph L]

I'm glad I managed to get the right site to work (by stopping before the whole site had loaded) and see Gideon7's fix. I thought I'd picked up a virus since the blogs I had open yesterday weren't working. Does this mean our visits won't register on TM's sitemeter?

[Jane]

Good Morning from me too.

Obama has a trainer with him all the time? WOw - I guess that's what time and disposable income does for you. Perhaps he should spend some of that time boning up on the issue.

[SWarren]

Listened to Mark Levin yesterday interviewing Jerome Corsi about his new book "The Obama Nation". Fascinating research he's done, exposing Obama!

LUN

[PeterUK]

The stand by the Republicans on the floor of the House is attracting attention Dozy Pelosi has dropped a bolloque on drilling.

[Jane]

So the Messaih is about to hold a press conference at 8:30 AM EST presumably to tell us he now supports drilling.

What's the point of the early hour? Is he catering to PUK? Does he hope CA doesn't get the message (boy Pelosi has got to be mad).

And how soon can he airbrush his anti-drilling positions?

[Jane]

Mr. Hopey changey is late for his press conference. Must be all those reverse curls.

[Jane]

O starts out by saying Florida is in recession. He will put an end to the failed economy and change policy. Oil companies make too much money and McCain wants to give them a tax break. Obama has a 2 part emergency plan. $1000 to every family in an energy rebate, and a $50 B stimulus.

I will: Create an American green energy sector, and guarantee health care., build roads bridges and make college affordable.

Q: Now you are for Drilling?

It wasn't a new position (here we go) We can't drill our way out of the problem. The gang of 10 bill has some of the elements of my plan. (prove it) "I remain skeptical of the drilling provision, but they crafted them carefully". If we can come up with a genuine bi-partisan compromise, I am open to it, and I will send a strong signal because I'm anti-bickering.

Q; You are a flip flopper - oil, Fisa etc

I'm interested in getting things done. I have clear ideas and I won't support a plan that says drilling is the answer, but as long as it meets my goals I will consider it.

Q: What is different this year, from kerry and Gore

We've had 4 more years of a bad economy, and they recognize that John McCain offers nothiing new which creates a profound shift in attitude.

Q:Drilling is a huge shift, are you going to discourage?

We don't have a bill yet. There have been constructive conversations. I won't sign off yet. (TV bugs out - damn you Charter)

[PeterUK]

Say what you like about Obama,but he does have two positions on every point.The human weather vane,he makes Kerry look positively static.

[Sue]

Well, shoot. Fox is bugging out on Obama. What you wanna bet CNN and/or MSNBC is carrying it?

[Sue]

MSNBC...no. I'm shocked. CNN...no. I'm shocked again.

[PeterUK]

"I will: Create an American green energy sector, and guarantee health care., build roads bridges"

What are the roads and bridges for? Are the existing ones not sufficient for horse drawn transport and pedestrians?

[Neo]

Maybe McCain could pick Obama for VP.

John could lead .. Barry could follow.

[Jane]

My TV froze for 15 minutes. Did he say anything?

[boris]

Heh McCain should do an ad "If Obama wants to get on my VP short list he needs to ...".

[Sue]

Jane,

Yeah, he isn't playing the race card, McCain is. He isn't going negative, McCain is. He's wore out. It's politics as usual.

Let me change that, he didn't say anything worth repeating.

[Sue]

McCain needs to call his own press conference, ASAP. He should tell everyone he is glad Obama is coming around to his position on drilling.

[Ranger]

John could lead .. Barry could follow.

Posted by: Neo | August 02, 2008 at 09:23 AM

I think you just hit on an entire range of taglines here for the McCain campaign:

Obama: Judgement to lead or just following along?

By now McCain has a entire list of things where Obama has 'come around' to McCains positions:

Visit to Iraq

The success of the Surge

and now Offshore Drilling

[Jane]

I can't believe he does it with a straight face. There is something pathological going on.

[anduril]

Having earlier said that I liked McCain's "The One" ad, I read Dick Morris this morning: McCain Should Stop Pathetic Attacks, Hit Obama Where It Hurts - on Policy. That seems to be the point TM was making--which I suggested was dangerous ground to tread on with McCain doing the talking. I mean, ya just never know what he might say. But Morris insists:

Were I a donor to McCain's campaign, paying for these pathetic spots, I would demand a refund. Or sue for malpractice.

...

Are the McCain people waiting for September to get serious? If so, they are making a big mistake and missing an important opportunity. History indicates that the best time to beat a new candidate is in the summer. August to be precise. [He goes on to cite the examples of the Dukakis, Mondale, and Kerry campaigns, all destroyed in the summer.]

He also has some specific suggestions. Leaving aside the national security issues, Morris' choice for domestic issue emphasis is traditional: taxation, which he prefers even to oil drilling.

Oil drilling is an issue, but it does not provoke the fear that the McCain campaign needs to elicit to win. It's just an issue disagreement with bad consequences for the nation. Obama's position on the issue is not a recipe for national disaster.

But his tax plans and their likely economic consequence are very much a plan for catastrophe. Doubling the tax in invested capital, and ratcheting up the top tax bracket to an effective 60%, will plunge the nation into a real depression. Not a recession or a downturn or a correction or a slowdown. A depression. McCain needs to hammer this point home again and again and again in his advertising. He has to put top level economists on television talking about what the Obama tax program will mean to America. Obama is suspect as an ideological liberal, anyway. And nobody thinks he has the experience to be a good president. So the potential to scare voters by accurately elaborating what his tax plans will mean to the entire country -- not just the rich on whom the burden will directly fall -- is enormous.

When Obama says he will only tax the rich, it's like saying he won't shut down the entire ship, just the engine room. If McCain just talks about Obama's tax program in the abstract, most voters will shrug and note that the tax hikes won't really apply to them. Only 2% of Americans earn more than $200,000 a year and only 6% make more than $100,000. But if McCain explains the economic impact of Obama's tax proposals on all Americans, he will score points and could score a knockout.

[Jane]

I'm not a fan of Morris. I think he makes stuff up. Nothing he says seems all that well thought out.

[anduril]

Anduril--you poop! Will you quit knocking McCain? He's correct on Russia--what with that government taking control over their oil industry and now have plans to do the same with their wheat industry.

Posted by: glasater | August 02, 2008 at 01:13 AM

This is what I come here for--the brilliant repartee.

Uh, which time was he right: when he wanted to kick them out of the G-8 or when he didn't want to?

[anduril]

Here's a fun kind of article, gets into such matters as the probable IQ's of recent presidential candidates: The arrogance of uneducated liberals.

[anduril]

And here's a follow-up by Robert Kaplan on that Indian Embassy bombing story from yesterday, explaining the dynamics among Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Hey, this is important for the next president: of the three countries, two are nuclear powers (or is that nook'-yuh-ler?) and the third hosts a major US and NATO presence fighting a war against a foe that controls large parts of one of those nuclear powers and has the sympathy of its intel service.

Behind the Indian Embassy Bombing

[anduril]

Oh, OK. I'm not sure which part of this you think he made up. As I said, Morris' suggestion is very traditional--it also happens to be tried and true. Taxes are always a strong issue, and it has the added benefit that it's a natural fit with one of McCain's few consistent positions: wasteful appropriations and spending by Congress. With O scoring own goals virtually every day and destroying his credibility (such as it was), offering nutcase nostrums like "inflate your tires" and much of the electorate uneasy about the economy, the time may be ripe to hit him on his spending plans. I agree with Sara that education--a huge issue for married people with children--is nevertheless a yawner as a campaign issue for a Republican. Most people instinctively known, as Sailer wrote, that

nice as it is to imagine that, after 45 years of failing, we'll suddenly somehow dream up a way for "boosting educational attainment at the bottom,"

the likelihood of constructive reform getting through Congress is essentially nil. Only hopeless centrists like Brooks would even dream that.

But taxes--here you're talking simple up or down votes (to simplify a bit).

[Sue]

All I know is McCain was being left out of the news cycle a week ago and this week he is back in it. And, they are all tied up. He must be doing something right.

[Sue]

And...Obama was forced to give a news conference, one where he took questions. When was the last time that happened?

[bad]

Is anyone out there?

[anduril]

Sue, what he has done right is to capitalize on the almost palpable groundswell of uneasiness over O's arrogance, clear lack of sound policy offerings and overall nuttiness--again, inflate my tires? Puh-leeze! Morris pitched it strongly, but I think he's right: it's not enough in the long run to tag along with public sentiment. He needs to go beyond opportunism and go for the knockout, now that O is reeling.

[Sue]

I like Dick Morris, but I keep hearing him proclaim loudly and often that the only person who could beat Hillary was Condi Rice. I think he is somewhat out of touch, which would be expected after being out of the inside polling, etc., for the last 10+ years. He makes some good points but McCain seems to be doing okay without listening to Morris. And I loved the ads and will, for the first time, send money to McCain.

[Ranger]

And...Obama was forced to give a news conference, one where he took questions. When was the last time that happened?

Posted by: Sue | August 02, 2008 at 09:59 AM

Obama's internal polling must be showing real and continuing damage if he is answering questions in an uncontrolled situation. No more playing the frontrunner and dodging the press apparently.

Talkleft things the news conference was bad for Obama not because of the flip-flop on drilling but because the main topic of the Q & A was the "race card."

I think Obama came up with his new position on drilling to try and change the subject. Their internals must be telling them the "race card" backfired big time and they need to make Obama look more like McCain... "work across party lines, get things done, not bound by ideology."

[bad]

The "trainer" who is always with Obama raises a couple of questions for me. Remember BO went to a hospital to get his hip checked out recently from a "basketball injury." The last couple of brief action shots of BO shooting hoops shows a guy who is not moving like an athlete, rather someone who is stiff and in pain.

Is the "trainer" really a trainer or someone who is more oriented to pain management and or physical therapy?

I want more comprehensive medical exposure from BO.

[Sue]

Ranger,

I think Talk Left is right (if only!). Their internals have to suck for him to be using the race card to begin with. In the past, it has stopped his bleeding. I said yesterday he was beatable if McCain keeps up the pressure and I still feel that way. McCain has to apply pressure to Obama so he is forced into explaining his positions. Because his positions are horrible.

[anduril]

Hey, TM, food for an interesting thread, from the big anthrax story: Suicide of an Anthrax Suspect: Heinous terrorist, or innocent but flawed man driven to suicide by an FBI investigation?

This is a long article that gets into some detail. Given the history of the case, it's worth looking at for all amateur sleuths/legal beagles.

[centralcal]

anduril: "He needs to go beyond opportunism and go for the knockout, now that O is reeling."

I think it is liklier that O is gonna knock himself out! If he is reeling, it is mostly his own doing, so he may yet deliver his own KO punch.

[Sue]

I wonder how much is world tour cost him in dollars? It has to suck to have spent all that money for nothing. ::grin::

[bad]

McCain hasn't done any damage to BO. BO is hurting himself. If a knockout blow is landed, it will come from BO, to BO.

(full disclosure, I predicted in Feb. 07 a Hillary/Guiliani race)

[Sue]

It also should be noted that Obama denies again this morning he was referring to his race in the speech in MO. His #1 man, Axelrod, admitted, on television, video at Hot Air, that Obama was indeed referring to his race. Even the very liberal Dr. Mark Hill finds Obama's claim he wasn't disingenuous. Doesn't know why Obama is tring to deny it.

[anduril]

centralcal, bad, that was what I was saying: McCain is tagging on with minor attacks that mirror public sentiment, while O scores one own goal after another. O may do himself in but McCain should try to pile on here and land some solid punches--it will make him look more Presidential, and less like he "backed into" the WH. That perception is very important for a likely one term president.

[Ranger]

Yes, and calling a news conference for 8:30 am on a summer saterday really smacks of desperation. They are trying to get back in front of the news cycle. The problem for Obama is that if he falls behind McCain in the tracking polls next week and can't get back in the lead the superdelegates may still revolt. It will be interesting to see if Obama can handle the pressure of the next week or two.

[Ranger]

McCain is tagging on with minor attacks that mirror public sentiment, while O scores one own goal after another. O may do himself in but McCain should try to pile on here and land some solid punches...

Posted by: anduril | August 02, 2008 at 10:22 AM

Actually, I think McCain is following the pricible of 'don't interupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.'

[Sue]

while O scores one own goal after another

I don't think Obama is scoring well at all. In fact, he is on defense today.

[Soylent Red]

Doesn't know why Obama is tring to deny it.

I know why- Because when the rubber meets the road, skin color is all the Obamessiah has, and it is his go-to issue when people start questioning his wonderfulness.

When all else fails, Obamessiah falls back on what has propelled him forward for his whole life.

I think that's all pretty obvious. What I'm curious about is whether the Obamessiah even even knows anymore when he is playing race, or if it has become habitual and unconscious.

[bad]

Hey Soylent!!! Good to "see" ya!!

[GMax]

Own goal Sue is a soccer term. It means putting a goal into your own net, scoring for the other team. Yes own goal is quite appropriate for recent Obama.

[anduril]

while O scores one own goal after another

I don't think Obama is scoring well at all. In fact, he is on defense today.

Posted by: Sue | August 02, 2008 at 10:29 AM

Somebody explain to Sue what an "own goal" is. I'm gonna start painting for the day.

[bad]

It is habitual. But he points out it out in such a way as to say, "I'm not the typical black man. I'm better."

Jesse knows what I'm talking about.

[MayBee]

I wonder how much is world tour cost him in dollars? It has to suck to have spent all that money for nothing. ::grin::

Heh.
Remember the flight was partially subsidized by the reporters that went along. They have to pay fair market value for their seats, which means they pay the campaign what profit-making airlines charge.

[MayBee]

Doesn't know why Obama is tring to deny it.

Because it's working. Read Eugene Robinson at WaPo or Joe Klein (or the commenters) at Swampland.

[MayBee]

Yes, and calling a news conference for 8:30 am on a summer saterday really smacks of desperation.

Kind of like suggesting a Townhall-style debate on 4th of July.

[glasater]

Somebody explain to Sue what an "own goal" is. I'm gonna start painting for the day

Good:-)

[centralcal]

Soylent: "When all else fails, Obamessiah falls back on what has propelled him forward for his whole life."

That has been painfully apparent for quite awhile to those of us who aren't in the thrall of His Oneness. Now, it is starting to ooze and seep slowly into the awareness of some of his acolytes. I think the flat lining of his poll numbers are indicating that.

[Danube of Thought]

"...adopt every position held by McCain and then ask voters to choose their next President on the basis of youth, energy, and speaking skill. Could work!"

I don't think so. The problem that causes for Obama is a huge drop in enthusiasm from the MoveOns and the DailKoses. I think we're already seeing that.

Remember when Morris predicted that congressman whose name I can't remember would defeat Hillary in the Senate race?

I'll be curious to see how Obama's punitive tax plan for the oil companies (to finance his stimulus) plays with the public. Quite some time ago some leftists put a punitive oil-company tax measure on the California ballot, and to my pleasant surprise it got trounced.

[Danube of Thought]

"Own goal" is now being used in cases where a terrorist's bomb blows up in his car on the way to the intended site. Never fails to bring a huge smile to my malevolent face.

[Porchlight]

Rasmussen has Obama 47, McCain 46 today, same as yesterday. But this was interesting:

Number of US Democrats declines in July

During July, the number of Americans who consider themselves to be Democrats fell two percentage points to 39.2%. That’s the first time since January that the number of Democrats has fallen below 41% (see history from January 2004 to present).

While the number of Democrats declined, there was virtually no change in the number of Republicans. In July, 31.6% said they were Republicans, the fourth straight month that number has been below 31.4% and 31.6%.

The Democrats now have a 7.6 percentage point advantage over the Republicans, down from a 9.5 percentage point advantage in June and 10.1 percentage points in May.

Steadily dropping. Looks like the excitement of being a Dem is wearing off now that the Dem candidate is no longer so exciting. I wonder how far it will go, and how all the formerly Dem, now independent voters will break. If they're sufficiently disenchanted with Obama as to no longer call themselves Dems, will they vote for him?

[SWarren]

Somebody explain to Sue what an "own goal" is. I'm gonna start painting for the day

Good:-)

Posted by: glasater | August 02, 2008 at 10:46 AM

Heh! He/she does kinda rival Obama in arrogance

[Tom Maguire]

Listened to Mark Levin yesterday interviewing Jerome Corsi about his new book "The Obama Nation". Fascinating research he's done, exposing Obama!

I had Corsi on, IIRC, Hannity and Corsi completely failed to mention the Ayers - Chicago Annenberg Challenge connection when he talked about the Ayers fund-raiser and their time together on the Woods Foundation. Groan!

[bad]

Hannity and Corsi completely failed to mention the Ayers - Chicago Annenberg Challenge connection when he talked about the Ayers fund-raiser and their time together on the Woods Foundation. Groan!

Send the info to Rush and detail your frustrations.

[Sue]

Somebody explain to Sue what an "own goal" is.

Someone already did.

[PeterUK]

I think the contest Obama v Obama is going quite well.All McCain needs to do is keep a list of the gaffes and contradictions and roll them to nearer the election,get them fresh in the voters minds.

[PeterUK]

"Steadily dropping. Looks like the excitement of being a Dem is wearing off now that the Dem candidate is no longer so exciting."

Could it be that "You can't drill your way out of this problem" is sounding like "You can't farm your way out of starvation" to those with functioning brain cells?

[Danube of Thought]

The estimable Barone says the enthusiasm for Obama has waned, and notes that the perecentage of under-30's who say they are "certain" to vote has dropped from 66% to 44% since May. (LUN) Remember those days? The Jefferson-Jackson speech? The thrill running up Chrissie's leg? It all seems such a distant memory now. Sigh...

[kim]

I knew an old woman once who had to be fooled into wearing one of the 'help, I've fallen and can't get up' necklaces, who had steadfastly refused to take one because charitable funds helped finance it. She considered it 'going on the County'. She had been widowed during the Depression with about eight kids, granted, some nearing adulthood and able-bodied. She farmed her small plot, less than Forty Acres, with a Mule, and made it without 'going on the County'. I asked her one fine day how she had survived and she said 'I pulled the food up out of the ground'.
=======================================

[Porchlight]

PUK,

I was thinking it was tied to Obama but you're right, it could just as easily be tied to the Reid & Pelosi Follies. I hope you're right, as they can't correct course as easily as Obama can sweet talk the Muddle.

[glendawaggoner]

Tom--Hannity is having Corsi on his weekend show to finish the interview. Sat/9ET.
And thank heavens site fixed-I finally had to go to bed early- couldn't access- the one night with no husband and no grandangel and couldn't even read my faves.
Well, release the hounds!!

[Porchlight]

It all seems such a distant memory now. Sigh...

DoT,

It is no coincidence that the letter O is bubble-shaped.

Pop!

[Joan]

I only read halfway down, but in re Obama's statement about inflating tires correctly, and several calling it "nutty" (which I do agree with), please tell me, how could that idea be any nuttier than our political leaders thinking they should pass a law that forbids (?) future use of incandescent light bulbs and forcing consumers to switch to those squiggly florescent ones? Huh? Just think of all of the decorative light fixtures in the US being filled with those bulbs, plus, having to be recycled. Boggles my mind. We are already governed by (at times) corrupt idiots.

[Barbara]

This is such an informative site. I learn so much from all of you and send the links to the articles you post to all of my family. We really appreciate the information you share and especially all of your comments.

One question, what does LUN stand for?

[bad]

Joan

Be sure to read what you need to do if you should break one of those squiggly lightbulbs. Be prepared for several hours of mercury decontamination.

[bad]

LUN

Link Under Name

Click on my name, bad, to link to the article referenced.

Welcome and thank you.

[Danube of Thought]

I believe Rasmussen's Rep/Dem numbers were derived before the Republican demonstration in the House yesterday, which I think might shave another point off the difference. The Dems are stuck with Pelosi, and she's as stubborn as she is vicious and she comes from about as safe a district as there is in the country.

I just hope the Republicans have the wit to capitalize on this issue, which is a slam-dunk winner for them.

[GMax]

Lucky for them, both Pelosi and Reid are not the brightest bulbs in their houses or even close. I saw a Democrat strategist with a wry wit say this about San Fran Nan, " lets just say you would never copy off her paper."

[Danube of Thought]

Very kind words, Barbara--welcome to the group.

[SWarren]

Tom Maguire:
I had Corsi on, IIRC, Hannity and Corsi completely failed to mention the Ayers - Chicago Annenberg Challenge connection when he talked about the Ayers fund-raiser and their time together on the Woods Foundation. Groan!

Hannity's interviewing frustrates me. He tends to talk too much himself instead of letting the person get into details.
Levin had Corsi get into Ayers/Dohrn/Woods and others, Axelrod/Matrix movie. Good interview! You can listen to the Audio Archive-Aug.1st at marklevinshow.com (second hour)

[bad]

Krauthammer on Pelosi: LUN

The net environmental effect of Pelosi’s no-drilling willfulness is negative. Outsourcing U.S. oil production does nothing to lessen worldwide environmental despoliation. It simply exports it to more corrupt, less efficient, more unstable parts of the world — thereby increasing net planetary damage.

[centralcal]

SWarren: I agree about Hannity. Plus he is such a Johnny one-note. Sometimes his guest starts off in a new, more interesting direction, but Hannity (perhaps out of ignorance of the subject) always jerks the guest back to his (Hannity's) one talking point. Rush he is not, nor will ever be.

[Sue]

The same people who are going to sue OPEC for not providing enough oil are preventing us from drilling for more oil? How exactly do you square that?

[bad]

TM

Lefties exemplify what is wrong with our education system. Some people just refuse to learn.

[Joan]

Oh, I had decided LUN was 'laughing until numb." Made sense to me. :)

[Porchlight]

Welcome, Barbara! And Joan, I agree about the lightbulbs. I have them in a few fixtures around the house and outdoors, and I think they do save money, though they are ugly as sin. But it's insane to compel people to use them...especially with the mercury disposal issues that bad pointed out.