McCain Weasels: "I can't debate. It feels like my head is on fire."

"What Are You Going To Do If You're Elected
And Things Get Tough? Suspend Being President?" [1]


By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

In a stunningly desperate move, Senator John McCain "suspended" his campaign for President. He also said he was cancelling or postponing the debate scheduled for Friday night.

With his lead long since obliterated, the Palin bounce now a momentary flash in the pan, and the backlash following his calling the economy "strong" only last week, McCain threw a desperate Hail Mary Wednesday afternoon. The announcement was mocked by the Democrats and seemed to puzzle the Republicans. One Republican congressman, who refuses to be named, told me "I just about s**t my pants! He must have gone off his meds."

McCain's surprise announcement that he was suspending his presidential campaign was met by a statement from Barack Obama saying it's ``more important than ever'' for the candidates to tell voters how they would deal with the crisis." They can work with Congress while campaigning, Obama said.

"It is going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once,'' Obama said.

The move by McCain is "desperate,'' said Linda Fowler, a government professor at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. "He has been trying to change the conversation every time the press and public starts paying attention to the issues."

Presidential Campaigns have not been suspended before, even during the Civil War, the Depression, World War II, and the Vietnam War. "McCain's move should be judged too clever by half,'' said Stephen Hess, a scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

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[1] Some other choice remarks David Letterman made Wednesday:

"In the middle of the taping Dave got word that McCain was, in fact just down the street being interviewed by Katie Couric. Dave even cut over to the live video of the interview, and said, "Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home?"

Earlier in the show, Dave kept saying, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." And he joked: "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

"He can't run the campaign because the economy is cratering? Fine, put in your second string quarterback, Sarah Palin. Where is she?"

"What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"
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VP nominee Sarah Palin defends John McCain "the deregulator" (with bonus Palin painting)

In an interview today between Katy Couric of CBS News and Governor Sarah Palin, Couric probed Palin on Senator John McCain's credentials as an economic reformer:

Couric: You've said, quote, "John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business." Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more example of his leading the charge for more oversight?

Palin: I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie - that, that's paramount. That's more than a heck of a lot of other senators and representatives did for us.

Couric: But he's been in Congress for 26 years. He's been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.

Palin: He's also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he's been talking about - the need to reform government.

Couric: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you've said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?

Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.

Couric: I'm just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

Palin: I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to you.

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Behind the scenes: a John McCain thought bubble.

Click to enlarge...and for intelligibilty

Behind the scenes: a John McCain thought bubble. I don't usually like the snarky caption-photograph school of humor, but when I saw this photo of John McCain and his running mate Governor Palin, I had no choice but to do one. /jack
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Revisionist history: Bill Clinton says Hillary didn't want the Veep job

On The View, Bill Clinton says Hillary Clinton did not want to be Barack Obama's VP. Bill also discusses John McCain's support for diplomatic relations with Vietnam during his second term as president. Clinton claims he supports Obama, but goes onto effusively praise "Crazy" John McCain...


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George Bush's Sewer Treatment Plant

According to the Associated Press, a measure seeking to honor George's Bush's years in office by placing his name on a San Francisco sewage plant has qualified for the November ballot.


The referendum was certified Thursday and will rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.


Supporters say the plan is to commemorate the mess they claim Bush left behind in Iraq. What better facility to honor the President, who has been steadily emitting crap from the White House for the last 7 10/12 years?
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Dead Heads for Obama, with a video message from Barack to the Heads

Click to enlarge...

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The Palin bump is over; it's all downhill from here

"McCain is being viewed as running for Bush's Third Term. The Palinpalooza is basically over, despite the attempts of some to keep it going." - From Big Ticket Democrat/Talk Left
]




Another piece in Talk Left said: "Obama [is] regaining the momentum in the presidential race and leading John McCain. It's not just the economy. It's also McCain's opportunistic pick of Gov. Sarah Palin for Vice President. A majority of those polled (pdf)find her unqualified and 3/4 of them believe she was selected primarily to help McCain win. "




"More than half of registered voters do not think she is prepared for the job of Vice President, and a majority express concern about Palin being able to take over the presidency, if necessary. Even supporters of John McCain cite “inexperience” as what they like least about her. Palin’s unfavorable rating is also up eight points from last week."
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Palin-McCain Halloween Card

From the often amusing blog site, BartCop.com, a Halloween card. . .
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John McCain: "I have oversight over every part of the economy." Nice job, John. You're starting to look like Herbert Hoover.

"Sen. McCain bragged about how as chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, he had oversight of every part of the economy. Well, all I can say to Sen. McCain is, 'Nice job. Nice job,'" said Barack Obama to a rally at a baseball stadium in Las Vegas.

"Where is he getting these lines? The lobbyists running his campaign?"

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60 Frames campaign ad video: "I masturbated to Sarah Palin."

Get tough. get mad, supporters tell Obama

According to an Associated Press story today, "Worried Democrats want Barack Obama to get tougher, show more passion. Why is he so calm, supporters ask, so close to an election that looks so tight.

"Just keep steady," Obama tells the nervous Nellies. "I'm skinny but I'm tough. I'm from Chicago."

"Obama hears the concern, from senior Democrats and big-money contributors, from columnists and supporters along the rope lines at campaign events. He heard it again as he stood in an hour-long receiving line in Hollywood to pose for pictures with donors who paid $28,500 to be with him Tuesday night." The full story can be found here.
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Still. . .the latest Obama campagn ad

An amusing ad about John McCain's not understanding computers, email, or the economy.


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Pamela Anderson weighs in on Governor Sarah Palin: "Suck it"

Pamela Anderson, a PETA member, and anti-fur model, weighed in on Sarah Palin after she heard about the Governor's bear-skin rug.

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No Politics Tuesday

This Presidential race is about to make me huck.
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Painting: The Endorsement

Click the image to enlarge.

We are entering the season of endorsements, most of which are not worth the oxygen or ink used to emit them.

On the other hand, it's always to nice to know what your local newspaper or alderman or labor union is thinking.

The NRA in particular, finally has an excellent poster-child in Governor Palin. I don't think John Kerry's quail hunting ever really rang their bells. They undoubtedly liked Dick Cheney, but then when he shot his hunting partner, that had to have cooled their ardor somewhat (Dick Cheney incidentally is under extremely deep cover this election season...the kind into which they wish they could slip George Bush).
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Obama Photo: "Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

Republican convention was most-watched convention on television--ever

Closing night of the GOP convention - click to enlarge


By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor



Party unity, a TV ratings bonanza, an "energized base," and the Democrats on the run have resurrected what might have been a moribund convention. A few months ago, John McCain almost dropped out of the race, and the party was in shambles. The Republicans leave Minnesota with a new lease on life and the stunned Democratic Party once again playing catch-up.


According to Rasmussen Reports polls, the choice of Sarah Palin as VP candidate is only slightly more popular that Obama's choice of Joe Biden. However, the buzz seems to belie that, when coming off the convention Obama/Biden seem--for the moment--to be little more than a footnote, and an irritating presence to disposed of later in the fall.


The Rasmussen Reports now say that Palin’s favorable ratings are .a point higher than either man at the top of the ticket. As of Friday morning, Obama and McCain are each viewed favorably by 57% of voters. Biden is viewed favorably by 48%.


Senator Obama, however, vowed yesterday to fight back: "We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about," Obama said. "I don't believe in coming in second."


Unlike McCain, Obama is still madly fundraising. Last night, Obama attended a $2,300-per-person party at the .home of party fundraiser Phil Murphy. About 200 people, including the Bon Jovis and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, attended.


Republican nominee John McCain can raise no more campaign money because he accepted about $84 million in public funding and the restrictions that go with it. Obama turned down the public funding (and broke an earlier pledge to the voters), in hopes he can raise and spend more on his own.


This next eight weeks promise some excellent political theatre.
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Oprah Winfrey refuses to have Sarah Palin on her show. Sarah: Give All This Is That a call!

That self-important battleaxe Oprah refuses to have Sarah Palin on her show. She HAS had any number of celebrities, felons, junkies, and liars on, but somehow the Republican VP candidate doesn't make the cut. Come on, Oprah! Aren't you a little bigger than that? Yeah, your man Obama is starting to sweat bullets. . .but you acting like this just plays into the hands of what the Republicans were saying all week. We've at least got to act bi-partisan!

Dear Governor Palin:

Consider yourself lucky to avoid The Oprah Show. We may disagree with you on just about everything, but we'd love to have you here for a chat.

Yours,

The Editors

All This Is That

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John McCain's acceptance speech: "We have failed you. Re-elect us."

John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican Convention, after kudos to the unnamed 41st and 43rd Presidents, and even Barack Obama and Joe Biden, was less a celebration of the G.O.P. than an admission of failure. He hammered away at the failures of the Bush administration over and over and over. After this speech, it's hard to imagine George Bush ever campaigning for McCain/Palin. I've never heard anything like it. It wasn't a great speech, but then John McCain is not a great orator. He didn't offer a lot of substance, but he probably got the job done. And he left the democrats an incredible array of sound bites on failed Republican policies.

Even his own party blanched at the excoriation and abuse he heaped upon the Bush Administration and all of their enablers (including, of course, many Democrats):

Of the 67 paragraphs in his speech, six focused on Barack Obama. One of those paragraphs praised Obama, and five took issue with his policy. But the most interesting paragraph was one that was met with near silence from the assembled multitude.

He did mention his predecessors, George Bush, although he could not bring himself to actually name them:

"I’m grateful to the President for leading us in those dark days following the worst attack on American soil in our history, and keeping us safe from another attack many thought was inevitable; and to the First Lady, Laura Bush, a model of grace and kindness in public and in private. And I’m grateful to the 41st President and his bride of 63 years, and for their outstanding example of honorable service to our country. "

And then, McCain began to talk about his own President, his own party, and the failed policies of the last eight Republican, years.

"I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption."

"We’re going to recover the people’s trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics."

"We need to change the way government does almost everything"

"I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy and it often seems your government hasn’t even noticed."

"We have to catch up to history, and we have to change the way we do business in Washington."

"All you ever asked of government is to stand on your side, not in your way."

"when we tell you we’re going to change Washington, and stop leaving our country’s problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it."

"I’ve fought corruption, and it didn’t matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust, and had to be held accountable. I’ve fought big spenders in both parties, who waste your money on things you neither need nor want, while you struggle to buy groceries, fill your gas tank and make your mortgage payment.
"

"I’ve fought to get million dollar checks out of our elections. I’ve fought lobbyists who stole from Indian tribes [Jack note: coincidentally, yesterday, Jack Abramoff received an additional four years in prison]. I fought crooked deals in the Pentagon. I fought tobacco companies and trial lawyers, drug companies and union bosses."

"We lost their trust, when we valued our power over our principles."

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John McCain blows a metaphorical kiss to Barack Obama in the McCain acceptance speech

"...to Senator Obama and his supporters. We’ll go at it over the next two months. That’s the nature of these contests, and there are big differences between us. But you have my respect and admiration. Despite our differences, much more unites us than divides us. We are fellow Americans, an association that means more to me than any other. We’re dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal and endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. No country ever had a greater cause than that. And I wouldn’t be an American worthy of the name if I didn’t honor Senator Obama and his supporters for their achievement. "

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