If I Vote For Obama...

If I vote for Obama do we get four more years of Bipartisan Bill?

Appearing on Good Morning America Thursday, Clinton told ABC News' Chris Cuomo that McCain's push to postpone the debate would only be a good political move if both candidates agreed. McCain announced on Wednesday that he would "suspend" his presidential campaign to come to Washington to help negotiate a financial bailout bill.

"We know he didn't do it because he's afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates," Clinton said, adding that he was "encouraged" by the joint statement from McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

"You can put it off a few days the problem is it's hard to reschedule those things," Clinton said, "I presume he did that in good faith since I know he wanted -- I remember he asked for more debates to go all around the country and so I don't think we ought to overly parse that."

Hair-tearing from Matt Yglesias and Jason Zengerle, but Don Surber has a question:

Your party has won only 2 of the last 7 presidential elections. Shouldn’t you listen to the man who won those contests.

That's 3 out of 7, Don, and what does Big Al think about this?  Al was filming an ad to be run in West Virginia.

MORE:  Let's not overlook Bipartisan Bill's recent defense of Sarah Palin.  Is there a theme?  Sure.  Set aside the high likelihood that Clinton loathes Obama after the whole "race card" trashing Clinton took this spring.  Back in 1992 Clinton ran as a centrist.  he probably still is one and it can not have escaped his attention that the national mood seems to be receptive to a post-partisan moderate.  Obama pretended to be that guy (but isn't).  McCain is trying to assuage his base by pretending not to be that guy.  And now comes Bill to fill the space in the center.

And sure, if Obama loses Hillary is her party's nominee in 2012.  I'm not saying Bill has no practical poltiical self-interest in play. I'm just saying that some of this goes beyond his immediate self-interest and may represent the "real" Bill Clinton, if such a thing exists.

For some reason, this all makes me think of Mike Bloomberg, who should have been McCain's VP pick and ought to be Hillary's.

Comments

[Neo]

The short view .. Leadership by Invitation

KROFT: Why you? I mean, why do you think you would be a good president?

OBAMA: Well, I was going to get to that.

KROFT: Go ahead.

OBAMA: You know, I’m a, I’m a practical person. One of the things I’m good at is getting people in a room with a bunch of different ideas who sometimes violently disagree with each other and finding common ground and a sense of common direction. And that’s the kind of approach that I think prevents you from making some of the enormous mistakes that we’ve seen over the last eight years.

Isn’t his what McCain is doing ?

So it now takes an invitation from the President to get Obama to join in the discussions

or the long view .. What a scam

The federal government creates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac who procede to produce securities of questionable value (but they are assumed to be backed by the federal government). Then when the securities are determined to be of questionable value, the federal government sets up a program to buy them back, on the cheap, while possibly making up to $1 trillion by reselling them when their value is cleared up.

Brings a whole new meaning to "Windfall Profits Tax" .. LOL

Tom Sawyer couldn't think this big. Samuel Clemens must be laughing in his grave.

There must be a sucker born everyday.

[Neo]

If there is a profit and the banks that lost money on this deal don't get some of it back. The government won't ever be able to sell a Fannie Mae or Freddie mac security product again.

[Semanticleo]

Billy has been out there with subtle underpinnings for a while now.

He has no agenda which favors a McCain win.....(Pffttt)

Suddenly his virginity is restored by a miraculous Maguire vindication.........
(pffttt)

[GMax]

Neo

If that means that FNMA and FHlMC get truly privatized and out of the implicit guarantee business, I think that is a fine result. As Blutto said " you effed up, you trusted us."

[Thomas Collins]

I think it is 2 out of 7, TM. Reagan, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, Clinton, George W. Bush, George W. Bush. Two out of seven, three out of eight.

[clarice]

Neo--it's one of those hybrid public-private partnerships designed (sub rosa0 to fund social security.
Next time though I think the govt ought to go after "non profit" foundations and grab their dough before they do any more harm to the country.

[GMax]

TC

I think TM was riffing on the selected not elected crowds insistence that the winner of 2000 was Al Gore? See his reference to Big Al in WVA? TM is a sly and clever one, you have to look for these little digs to the poodle lady over FDL.

[Neo]

Al Gore in West Virginia ??

After he said that the should be "civil disobedience" to stop coal plants, he must be there to help the McCain - Palin ticket.

[Rick Ballard]

Neo,

It's very easy for the banks to participate. They need only to hold on to their MBS portfolio instead of peddling it to B&P Enterprises and - viola! - they have 100% of the profit (mark to real market increase, actually).

[clarice]

And I thought I was missing a finger or something--thanks GMax..TM was too subtle for me this morning.

[centralcal]

The main reason I am a skeptic about Obama winning - is Bill and Hillary.

[Just Desserts]

"Next time though I think the govt ought to go after "non profit" foundations and grab their dough before they do any more harm to the country."

We should (while this 9/11 style fever gives the opportunity)go after the very profitable
Oil/Gas as well as Medical and Pharmaceuticals
and Nationalize them the way the Bush WH has
Nationalized the Finance Industry (or Wall Street Bankers, if you will).

We could pay off China and restore the health of Social Security, which had to be created after the Crash of 1929 (which was
the result of the same Greedheaded Bankers)
followed by the Great Depression.

A new Depression could still occur when the $700 Billion is 'invested' in the failed institutions referred to above.

[clarice]

I was JOKING,JD..

The non profits are sitting on more dough than the federal govt, have no oversight and have demonstrably been immiserating us and undermining democracy.
The corporations--not even close.

[Just Desserts]

"The non profits are sitting on more dough.....The corporations--not even close."

Exxon's 2nd qtr profits almost $12 Billion.....not even close.....

http://suvs.about.com/b/2008/08/04/exxons-quarterly-profit-sets-new-records.htm

[Just Desserts]

Just add fed and state tax on each gallon, and you've got some shekels

[matt]

Doesn't Harvard alone have an endowment in the $40-80 Billion range? Sort of makes Exxon's profit look small, huh?

[JM Hanes]

Just Desserts: Thanks for the comic relief!

[Just Desserts]

"Doesn't Harvard alone have an endowment in the $40-80 Billion range? Sort of makes Exxon's profit look small, huh?"

OK, Einstein. You want to raid the financial aid for the lower economic half?

Go for it. I beg you

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2007/08.23/99-endowment.html

[Just Desserts]

"Thanks for the comic relief!"

I would consider that a compliment if I thought you had a sense of humor

[Thomas Collins]

GMax, thanks for clearing that up. I totally missed TM's wit there. Now that I see it, I have a big smile on my face (which I haven't had since this financial markets mess started).

[Ranger]

OK, Einstein. You want to raid the financial aid for the lower economic half?

Go for it. I beg you

Posted by: Just Desserts | September 25, 2008 at 12:10 PM

You do realize that a couple of studies have proven that Harvard could waive all tuition and fees for all of its students and not barely dent their endowment income, let alone principle. Taking half of their endowment wouldn't practially effect the level of "financial aid" they could provide to the "lower economic half" (which BTW makes up about 1% of their entire student body).

[Charlie (Colorado)]

The government won't ever be able to sell a Fannie Mae or Freddie mac security product again.

Promise?

[clarice]

And all these $$$$$ are virtually unregulated.

The govt allowed their creation during the depression to take up the costs of public services govt could not fund--but if you examine what these giant non profits like Rockefeller, Ford, Heinz are doing with these funds, you'll see they are largely distributed by leftist boards and administrators for anti-American actions like the Durban conference.
It is past time to rein them in, make them be more accountabe, make them spend much more of their pots of gold than they are spending--

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Oh and actually JD, Exxon isn't all that profitable --- something like 10 percent on sales. They just sell a lot.

About half what they pay in taxes, in fact.

[MayBee]

Don't call him JD. JD is one of my favorite commenters elsewhere. Maybe JusDes.

Clinton merely said something about McCain acting in good faith. Outrage!
My favorite part about the response to Clinton is that Obama was the one that was supposed to bring us all together. His supporters, however, actively hate any non-Obama cheerleader.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Can I call him "moron"? Or would that be too ambiguous?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via Instapundit:

SUN-TIMES:Obama state earmark being probed. "A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent. The garden was never built. And now state records obtained by the Sun-Times show $65,000 of the grant money went to the wife of Kenny B. Smith, the Obama 2000 congressional campaign volunteer who heads the Chicago Better Housing Association, which was in charge of the project for the blighted South Side neighborhood."

Sheesh, this guy is dirty every which way you look.

[Jane]

Call him baked Alaska.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

The Obama-Ayers Connection At The Chicago Annenberg Challenge Comes Into A Little Better Focus — In Spite Of The Efforts Of The Obama Campaign To Obscure It

[matt]

if it screws Harvard, absolutely. They are sitting on a massive endowment that obviates the need for tuition, and instead use it for social engineering. If they were true to academic standards and freedoms it would be different, but its just one more bunch of out of touch academics for the most part. Try paying $40K/year for tuition when you're not rich and you're hocking everything you've got to put a kid through school and tell me how I shound be understanding of their earnest goals...what a crock.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Killer Pix @ Beldar.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

And the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round ...

Leftwing Blogosphere Enraged Over Bill Clinton's Defense of McCain Debate Delay Request

[Charlie (Colorado)]

New thread, clean cups.

[bio mom]

To completely confuse everyone more, today gallup has the race tied at 46-46. Yesterday it was Obama +3. And two polls out today from Michigan have a tie or Obama +10. Take your pick.

I think polls are just junk. Pay no attention.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Gallup Daily Tracker has it tied at 46 - 46.

[LindaK]

Whatever McCain's motive was in suspending his campaign during this period it was a smart and appropriate decision. As an influencial Senator who has demonstrated his ability to negotiate with opposing parties, his skills are need. And, gee its his current job. Second, as a candidate for president, he has a vested interest in being part of a critical negotiation that will affect his presidency. Meanwhile Captain Zero belatedly was forced to conceed that the $700 bil rescue bill was "significantly important" to warrant interrupting his campaign. Oh, and the President summoned him to Washington. (But Captain Zero was correct in his initial rejection of McCain's request to reschedule, Captain Zero really is irrelevant to the rescue discussions being that he is a 0.)

McCain really has Captain Zero's number.

[LindaK]

concede

[JBean]

Clarice --

if you examine what these giant non profits like Rockefeller, Ford, Heinz are doing with these funds, you'll see they are largely distributed by leftist boards and administrators for anti-American actions like the Durban conference.

The problem is that these foundations are bulletproof. They're philanthropists, in the eyes of politicians and mediabots who either haven't the vaguest idea of the agendas being promoted, or of those who do know, and agree with the goals. After all, it's heartless to attack a "charity" that does so much "good" among the "poor and disadvantaged."

That's why I don't think it's the nature of the CAC that caused such a vehement reaction to Kurtz by the Obama campaign -- the public would never get too excited about an education reform group, unless the record proved they were openly advocating violence among 10-year-olds or some such, and Axelrod knows that.

It's the toxic Ayers connection and where it may lead.

[M. Simon]

New thread, clean cups.

Charlie,

It's not the Navy way. A good coating of coffee crust is a badge of honor. Extra points for grounds at the bottom.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Re: Clean cups

LOL. Simon, you remind me of the time my husband brought home from the ship his favorite coffee mug when he was on transfer orders. It was so gross, I threw it in the trash. The next day, there it was on the kitchen counter with a note in it .. "DO NOT TOUCH UNDER PENALTY OF SEVERE BODILY HARM!"

[clarice]

I think it's worse JBean--all the Congressmen have their fave honeypots..Really. It's a huge problem to have so much unregulated cash and even worse that it's not being used to generate more capital and even worse than that what it is being used for in large part. The means to fix it are easy to grasp--Congress will not do it--won't even hold hearings on doing something.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

It's not the Navy way. A good coating of coffee crust is a badge of honor. Extra points for grounds at the bottom.

And no handle. I've got a set of milk glass ones from WWII and eight big heavy modern stoneware ones with either USN or a ship's emblem on them.

[sbw]

GMax: As Blutto said...

Otter said...

[JBean]

Clarice --

I think it's worse JBean--all the Congressmen have their fave honeypots..Really. It's a huge problem to have so much unregulated cash

No argument there -- I'm just stuck on the current specifics.

But if the master manipulator of local honeypots, O, gets the ultimate prize, the problem of unregulated cash becomes a nightmare scenario knocking at everyone's backdoor.

[GMax]

Sbw

So sue me, you clearly got what I meant! Seriously it was Otter?

[Enlightened]

Warning-Kudlow is hearing that some pay caps and ownership warrants are getting pushed into the bailout....McCain better stop that crap.

[Enlightened]

Hot Air says Bambi might turn the debate into a townhall if McCain is a no show?

He won't do townhalls when McCain is present, but will do them when McCain is absent.

What a Class A Wussy. I wish attendees for McCain, or undecideds would boo his ass off the stage.

[sbw]

Heh, GMax. Look it up on IMDB.COM.

Otter talking to Flounder. But your point is well expressed and well taken.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Here is another piece to the missing years of Barack Obama’s life uncovered by the Los Angeles Times on their “history of LA” site.

It appears to be a contemporaneous snapshot of Mr. Obama from the March 19, 1990 edition of the Harvard Law Review:

[Barney Frank]

Warning-Kudlow is hearing that some pay caps and ownership warrants are getting pushed into the bailout....McCain better stop that crap.

Now I'm not saying I'm for either but most of the people pushing the AIG bailout had no problem with warrants for what amounted to a bridge loan without them. Why are warrants for buying up bad debt different?
And, per Hotair, the limits on compensation are related to golden parachutes and bonuses based on erroneous earnings.
I'm against the feds sticking their nose into these things but I wish corporate boards would do something about them voluntarily on behalf of their stockholders.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Zogby, McCain up by 2

[bad]

Has Ayers ever been asked about his relationship with Obama? Will Ayers stay silent like so many others from Obama's past?

[pagar]

"about whether the money might have been misspent."

Public money may have been misspent in Illinois. Quick,alert the MSM. Oh, you're talking about the millions with CAC. Sorry, our news stories are only allowed to talk about $100,000 or less. Call us when you get the figures down to something ordinary people can understand.

[MayBee]

I'm against the feds sticking their nose into these things but I wish corporate boards would do something about them voluntarily on behalf of their stockholders.

I'm against the feds sticking their nose into these things when it isn't the feds putting $700 billion of our tax money into keeping their jobs alive.

I understand they can go elsewhere and make more, but on principle, I'm a believer that if people get something from the government, they give something in return.

[clarice]

Yes, but IIRC he was riffing off of something Blutto said..

[Ranger]

The Rs are saying no deal yet. My bet is they hold a meeting tonight after the White House confab and demand more negotiations to begin tomorrow morning. When the deal is struck, McCain will be out front for the Rs, and Obama will be out of town.

McCain should offer to do the debate via teleconference. Then about halfway through he can be called away for an urgent meeting and Obama would be left there standing by himself out of the action while McCain does his job.

[Jane]

I am so opposed to having any congressional oversight on anything they do. These guys are all crooks. I don't trust them with a damn thing.

[M. Simon]

Barney,

As long as compensation caps are only for Corps that take bail out money I see no problem.

[M. Simon]

Has Ayers ever been asked about his ownership of Obama?

FIFY

[viva ron paul]

"McCain should offer to do the debate via teleconference."

He should, you're right. But he won't.

Has it really not sunk in yet that the man does NOT want to debate.

[MayBee]

I am so opposed to having any congressional oversight on anything they do. These guys are all crooks. I don't trust them with a damn thing.

It is the great catch-22 of democracy. You can't give one person all the responsibility with no oversight, and you can't have oversight without someone grandstanding and demagoguing.

Going back a few years, I imagined a wonderful panel of our brightest business, engineering, and economic minds getting together to rebuild New Orleans properly after Katrina. I thought it was the only way the government should agree to give $$. But no....people wanted input.

[JM Hanes]

Clarice:

"I think it's worse JBean--all the Congressmen have their fave honeypots."

Unfortunately, in trying to clean up the political mess, you'd end up hamstringing a lot of other foundations and non-profits which make incredible contributions to communities and altruistic endeavors across the country -- supporting everything from museums to symphonies, emergency, social & legal services to those in need, the list is a long one. They are a big chunk of those astronomical philanthropic numbers which distinguish the U.S. from other countries around the globe.

You would also end up concentrating a lot of charitable giving & funding in meta-organizations like the United Way. They do great things, but centralizing philanthropy in fewer hands means higher costs per dollars in bureaucratic infrastructure and makes corrupting the distribution process politically all the easier.

[clarice]

I drafted a reform package once a long time ago and I think you can and should easily exempt for rules making a quicker pay out of assets, smaller foundations designed to support at particular institution--like a school,museum or hospital.
The big outrages are in those which are multi purposed.

[sbw]

D-Day: Hey, quit your blubberin'. When I get through with this baby you won't even recognize it.
Otter: Flounder, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes! You f***ed up - you trusted us! Hey, make the best of it! Maybe we can help.
Flounder: [crying] That's easy for you to say! What am I going to tell Fred?
Otter: I'll tell you what. We'll tell Fred you were doing a great job taking care of his car, but you parked it out back last night and in the morning, it was gone. We report it to the police, D-Day takes care of the wreck, the insurance company buys your brother a new car.
Flounder: Will that work?
Otter: Hey, it's gotta work better than the truth.
Bluto: [thrusting six-pack into Flounder's hands] My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.
Otter: Better listen to him, Flounder, he's in pre-med.
D-Day: [firing up blow-torch] There you go now, just leave everything to me.

[clarice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-K7JwwV0U

[Charlie (Colorado)]

They'll roll over: "The realisation that one is to be hanged in the morning concentrates the mind wonderfully."

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Augh, wrong thread.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Biden's Latest Iraq Gaffe Timely; Disproven Same Day

Biden's tough-talking Cincinatti, Ohio foreign policy speech was designed to boost Obama's credibility on the War on Terror and foster confidence in the Illinois Senator's ability to handle international issues. The Dem veep pick discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and attempted to talk down McCain's positions while portraying Obama as the true expert.

In the process, Biden laid the bluster on thick and appeared to either be dishonest or unable to keep up with the news--or both--by claiming “... the surge is over, and the political reconciliation it was supposed to produce has not materialized." (transcript)

Unfortunately for Biden, news broke that same day about Iraq's “major step toward national reconciliation." CNN wrote (all emphasis mine):

As violence flared near Diyala, the Iraqi Parliament in Baghdad passed a law setting guidelines for elections to select local governing bodies, Sunni legislator Salim Abdulla told CNN.

The bill's passage by 191 of the 275 members of Parliament is considered a major step toward national reconciliation among Iraqi Sunni Arabs, Shiites, and Kurds.

(...)

The long-awaited election law, which outlines guidelines for the balloting, was sent to the Presidency Council for its vote. All three members must approve it unanimously before it can go into effect.

Once accepted, Iraq's electoral commission will set a date for the provincial elections, which authorities hope can be held by the end of the year.

Abdulla said Kirkuk, center of the northern Iraqi petroleum industry, is excluded from the elections at the moment. The law passed Wednesday would give lawmakers until January 31 to draft a separate law for for that region, he said.

... much more

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I've finished my piece explaining everything --- it turned out to be 2000 words. Any volunteers to read it and see if it's in English?

[glenda waggoner]

Oh my--this is kinda OT, but, did anyone catch the Obama walking into the backgate at the White House this afternoon?....my gracious--he looks like a tall P-diddy who is going to the candy store-he struts-this is getting scary-he is so far from presidential material-why do the press continue to campaign and coverup for this empty suit? Where are the republican ads about this democratic Congress being the worst, most vapid in history? I see the main polls are back even, but so many of the regular folk are being bombarded with lies and hate from the Obama campaign(McCain will tax your pensions-take away medicare and social security,..) People need to call them on this tripe-and these young, smart? vote Obama new voters need to actually study history and these candidates' background--This is not a student-body President type job! I think, by, say, October missile crisis time, Bill will actually campaign for McCain! It is so evident he is not on Obama's team.

[clarice]

glenda--we're lucky--Austria is now letting 16 y.o. kids vote. You can imagine how thoughtful their choices are.

[viva ron paul]

"Bill will actually campaign for McCain! It is so evident he is not on Obama's team."

This isn't a bug, honey, it's a feature.

[Porchlight]

This isn't a bug, honey, it's a feature.

You wish. The only Democrat to be elected President in the last twenty years, and the only one to be re-elected in the last seventy years, is deliberately helping the Republican candidate. Why? Because he knows that the Dem nominee is a POS.

And the nutroots are wailing and gnashing teeth.

It is truly sublime.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

A little Jossip trivia to brighten your day.

Obama's cover for Rolling Stone's July double issue edition sold pretty poorly with only 204,064 copies (the semi-annual double ish usually sells around 250,000).

The last time a summer double did that poorly was when Jessica Alba appeared on the cover in 2006, promoting the Fantastic Four. Maybe America is just not ready for ambiguously ethnic people on the cover of their Rolling Stone summer issues.

[M. Simon]

I once drafted a reform package for an engineering dept in trouble.

They did the right thing. Fired me.

A year later the dept was gone.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Sorry, hear is the Jossip link

[M. Simon]

Sara,

That says the "yout vote" is not all it is cracked up to be.

[pagar]

Charlie,
I'm a volunteer.

[JM Hanes]

Don't know if you or anyone else has already posted this, TM, but per Gateway Pundit, there's more! Clinton also had this to say:

Going very much against the media meme that the current financial crisis is all George W. Bush and the Republicans’ fault, Bill Clinton on Thursday told ABC’s Chris Cuomo that Democrats for years have been “resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

[bad]

Bill Clinton...tighten up a little on Fannie Mae...

[glenda waggoner]

don't call me honey, viva--are you a ron paul devotee or a constituent? It's easy to pretend to be one, but demanding, if you are the other!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

WJBC reported:

Sources tell CBS 2 News Chicago that Federal agents claim to have enough evidence to indict Blagojevich on fraud and conspiracy charges. However, the report says the investigators aren't the ones who make the decision to prosecute. That would be up to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the Justice Department in Washington.

WBBM reported on a possible Rezko connection:

Prosecutors also mentioned Blagojevich in an indictment as the intended beneficiary of at least one extortion attempt by Blagojevich fundraiser and businessmen Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

Rezko was convicted June 4 on 16 of the 24 counts against him. He awaits sentencing in October on mail and wire fraud, aiding and abetting bribery and money laundering convictions. He still faces two more trials.

The Chicago Sun-Times has reported Rezko could cut his prison time significantly by cooperating in investigations of other public figures.

[pagar]

Adding to Clinton's remarks is Larry Johnson @ noquarter with several different posts today, including one on Clinton and McCain's remarks.
But the one I is think is most commendable is:

"Foxes Guarding the HenHouse? The Actions of Barney Frank, Charles Schummer, and Chris Dodd"

" So let’s look at who did what over the last two years. The Democrats were in charge of the Congress. Did they try to avert the problem? Did they warn? Did they reign in the abuse? Here are the facts for 2007, you tell me"

I agree, it makes no sense to have these people working on a bailout. At the very least they need to recluse their selves.

I know a lot of JOMers were upset with his
work in support of Plame (as I was and am), but he seems to be genuinely working to keep Obama out of the WH and we need all the support we can get on that effort. I suggest a look at his current posts.

LUN

[Charlie (Colorado)]

pagar, let me know how to send it to you.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Thanks, Pagar.