Jonathon Freedland of the Guardian newspaper in England had an editorial last month that puts the Europoean perspective in very basic terms. I hope that, a month later, he’s beginning to feel more optimism. I think he has summed up how most of the rest of the Western world views the upcoming election. Non-Americans sense that Obama will not ride […]

Back in 2006, during ethics reform debates in the Senate, Barack Obama sent John McCain a letter proposing a path forward, one that was not to John McCain’s liking. So John McCain sent him back what has to be the snarkiest, most sarcastic response I have ever read in what should be a professional communication. You can read both letters […]

Yesterday, Barack Obama appeared in East Lansing, Michigan, home of Michigan State University (my alma mater, 2 degrees and a daughter who goes there). There he spoke to a crowd of more than 18,000, mostly college students after having addressed a crowd of around 16,000 that morning in Grand Rapids. During his speech, he hit on a variety of topics […]

Last night’s vice presidential debate was very enjoyable for me. Joe Biden hit all the right notes and showed that he has a firm grasp on both domestic and foreign policy issues and supports his candidate’s positions on how to move forward. His demeanor was perfect: not too snarky and condescending but not too wishy-washy either. Sarah Palin, on the […]

Prediction: Palin will do just fine. The format pretty much ensures it. They each get 90 seconds to respond with an additional 2 minutes for discussion. No follow-up questions and a 2 minute closing statement. Palin is good at rambling on without saying anything of substance so filling 3½ minutes with nice-sound pablum will be no problem for her. Also, […]

McCain Giving Up on Michigan John McCain is pulling out of Michigan, according to two Republicans, a stunning move a month away from Election Day that indicates the difficulty Republicans are having in finding blue states to put in play. McCain will go off TV in Michigan, stop dropping mail there and send most of his staff to more competitive […]

Below is a composite photo of ten faces. The faces are people who attended one of Senator Obama’s rallies in Detroit, Michigan or the McCain/Palin rally in “Detroit” (Sterling Heights, actually). There are five of each. Try to guess which ones are which. And then add your own captions to each one, telling us what they are thinking/saying. I’ll publish […]

Sticks and stones make break some bones but words can scuttle an economic bail out and send the stock market tumbling. At least, according to House Minority Douchebag, John Boehner. Democrats were lined up to deliver 120 votes. They delivered 140. Republicans, under the wise sheparding of John “Mighty Mouse” McCain, were responsible for the rest, about 100. They delivered […]

Andrew Sullivan just wrote this: Palin is the Barbie doll attached to the front of a truck. I couldn’t possibly agree more. McCain, et. al. have put her on the ticket for two reasons. First to appeal to uber-right conservative fundamentalist Christians. Second, more importantly and related to the first, to add a little sexy fun to the ticket. Because, […]

Question: What’s wrong with this picture? Answer: Nothing. Another Question: What’s greater than minus ten (-10)? Another Answer: Everybody’s favorability ratings except Sarah Palin. I’m just sayin’…

I’m with Obama and Biden on this. The SurgeTM was a TACTIC, not a strategy. The overall strategy, to give “breathing room” for reconciliation to take place in Iraq and for diplomacy to achieve the kind of stability and negotiated peace necessary for Iraq to move forward without a USA presence has NOT been achieved. Here’s Biden, schooling “John” on […]