Ex-Governor Palin: "This Is Our Morning In America...and it may take some renegades going rogue to get us there!"

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

From Sarah Palin's Facebook page:  "Congratulations, America! And thank you, voters!"

The ex-Governor sends her thanks to The Voters.  If the leaks are kosher, and what I've been hearing is true, the process of the GOP distancing themselves from her begins.  Right. Now.  

They Republicans, besides repealing the health care bill, axing spending (aside from the military), and lowering taxes, now have 2012 to focus on.  The race for POTUS really does begin this January.  Now, the big question is whether or not Sarah's fervent supporters can be so easily shunted aside. . .I'm hoping not.  Keep them in the mix, GOP!

Ms. Palin, in her Facebook post, also included a link to this inspirational YouTube video her staff put together:


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Get out there and vote!

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The Dems

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Evan Bayh slips a shiv to the President & Democrats, decides to make some real $$$, or maybe just run for President?

by Pablo Fanque,

All This Is That National Affairs Correspondent

I just wrote a 1,500 word piece about this topic that has now disappeared in Blogger. The title alone remains. How can you be angry about losing two and a half hours of work? Only a fool puts his full trust in a computer, as I've learned many times over the years. I remain the fool.

Let me just say after I lost all that profundity that a) Senator Mikulski is also rumored to be announcing she is stepping down this week; b) Evan Bayh caught both Harry Reid and BHO unaware of his plans (a nice public "Screw You" according to one pundit)); c) it is an amazing turn of events when a Senator with a $13 million war chest, way way ahead in the polls, and no looming sex or graft scandal throws in the towel; d) Huffington and others (like me) think he is biding his time for a run at the white house, of things go the right way; e) the Dems now stand the possibility of not only losing their filibuster-proof supermajority, but majority status period!; f) with a supermajority Obama was unable to pass any serioius legislation at all, let alone a health bill; g) this may not be a mortal wound to Obama, but unless he turns this around very very quickly, he could slowly bleed out well before 2012.
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The Best Obama Speech Yet

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor



I liked BHO's speech last night; it was his best speech yet, because it was the hardest. I liked the plaintive (as opposed to soaring) tone, liked that he hit at what he inherited, ripped into the GOP leadership, as well as the Democrats and the bi-party electioneering/posing and factionalism. Change 2.0. We could still get it right.

From another President's state of the union:

"Shit. I know shit's bad right now, with all that starving bullshit, and the dust storms, and we are... running out of french fries and burrito coverings. But I got a solution."


- President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, in Idiocracy
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Adlai Stevenson quote on Republican lies

By Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

Adlai Stevenson wasn't very good at winning Presidential elections, but he was a very wise man.

"I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.”

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Point<---->Counterpoint - Obama v. Cheney, or, Crawl Back Into Your Coffin Dick Cheney!

Editorial By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor (Saskatoon/Key Largo)
Illustrations by Jack Brummet, Arts Editor (Seattle)



President Barack Obama said yesterday that the U.S. Point--> "went off course" in fighting terrorism over the past eight years, and said his policies will "better protect" the country against al Qaeda.

And, moments later, across town, ex-Vice-President Dick Cheney crawled out of his coffin in broad daylight, transmogrified into a Republican Talking Points machine, and said Counterpoint--> that he supported the controversial policies "when they were made, and without hesitation would do so again in the same circumstances." "The point is not to look backward," Cheney said. "A lot rides on our President’s understanding of the security policies that preceded him. And whatever choices he makes concerning the defense of this country, those choices should not be based on slogans and campaign rhetoric, but on a truthful telling of history."

Point-->President Obama, in a major address at the National Archives, argued that waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods "did not advance our war and counter-terrorism efforts – they undermined them."

Point--> The president then methodically tackled (actually, decimated) the chain of national-security decisions that have drawn criticism from the shrieking banshees political right. He called the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay an inherited "mess" that "has weakened American national security" by providing a rallying cry for enemies.



Point--> The President then turned to one of Republican's most ridiculous but potent and emotional arguments: "Let me begin by disposing of one argument as plainly as I can: we are not going to release anyone if it would endanger our national security, nor will we release detainees within the United States who endanger the American people."

Point--> Obama rejected calls for a "truth commission" (as if something confected by the republicans could possibly even have a whiff of truth) about the Bush administration's handling of the war on terror, saying he has "no interest in spending our time re-litigating the policies of the last eight years."

Mr. Ex-Vice-President, isn't it time you put a cork in it? I don't know who out there is clamoring to hear you emit wisdom other than say, Anne Coulter, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh.

In every poll since November 2008, the Republicans are rapidly losing ground--and, most importantly, voters--and while Dick Cheney may succeed in drawing support from the lunatic fringe of the party, in general he seems to be helping hammer a stake into the heart of the G.O.P. I'm all for that, but baffled why party functionaries (let's face it, it won't be Michael Stelle) have not yet found a way to muzzle the attack dog, before he drags the entire party of Lincoln into the gutter. On the other hand, keep it up Ex-Veep Cheney! At this rate, by the next election, the Republican Party will have roughly the stature and vote-getting ability of the libertarian, green, or communist parties.
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Counterpoint: Pablo Fanque: when do we get your retraction on Arlen Specter?

By Jack Brummet
All This Is That Folklore and Poetry Editor

It was less than two weeks ago that you, Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor, befouled All This Is That with a euphoric encomium (Celebrate! Sen. Arlen Specter extricates himself from The Hive--> The GOP begins to succumb to The Sickness) on Arlen Specter, illustrated with The Spec' wearing a halo.

It's been a week since I questioned your sanity on that one (Rebuttal: Pablo Fanque, are you out of your f***ing mind? Arlen Specter: Hero?). And yet, we have seen nothing on these pages even faintly resembling a retraction or apology. Are you waiting for the heat to die down? Or, are you not man enough to stand up and defend your boy now that he has stepped in the proverbial pile? Or have you switched parties yourself?
Since your anointment of the turncoat Senator as The Second Coming, Arlen Specter has:

• Said on Meet The Press that he never told President Obama that he would be loyal.
• Voted against BHO's budget only a day after he announced his party switch.
• Voted against a Democratic bill designed help homeowners in bankruptcy court
• Told the New York Times has was pulling for Norm Coleman to win in court against Al Franken.
• Announced his national health plan, based on diet and exercise.
• Seen the democrats strip away his seniority in retaliation for his disloyalty.
• Claimed the The President "would seek my advice, especially when I disagree with him.”
• Virtually admitted he switched parties only to save his own skin. He makes Crazy Joe Lieberman look like a Yellow Dog Democrat.

As Gail Collins said in the New York Times "Specter’s theory is that his propensity to do whatever he wants should not only be tolerated, but constantly rewarded. That’s not character. It’s self-indulgence. "

In the end, Democrats foolishly gave Arlen Specter a face-saving subcommittee; he got off with just a slap on the wrist. And a halo, from you, Pablo Fanque. How do you like your angel these days, Pabs?
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Rebuttal: Pablo Fanque, are you out of your f***ing mind? Arlen Specter: Hero?

By Jack Brummet
All This Is That Arts and Lifestyles Editor

In Pablo Fanque's misguided recent posting on Arlen Specter (Celebrate! Sen. Arlen Specter extricates himself from The Hive--> The GOP begins to succumb to The Sickness) on All This Is That, Pablo makes the error of postulating Arlen Specter's party-switch as an heroic act. In fact, Pablo, Arlen Specter has explicitly stated that he switched parties to save his own skin. He was basically run out of his own party on a rail, and faced a primary battle which pollsters said he was sure to lose. So he jumped ship, and came on over to our party. And within one day, admitted he may not follow his new party's line, on Senate procedural issues a/k/a The Filibuster), or on whomever BHO nominates for the Supreme Court Associate Justice slot. That's possibly OK. It's not just the G.O.P. who like their mavericks. We like people to get "mavericky" too. But, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, "a rat is a rat is a rat."




Arlen Specter has always been one of my favorite Republicans, mostly because he would cross the aisle, and has co-sponsored bills with Democrats like Joe Biden. He is an intelligent man. I've never quite forgiven him for what he did to Anita Hill in the Thomas confirmation hearings.

He's no Hero, Pablo, and certainly not deserving of the halo you awarded him. Sure, I'm glad he's on our side; but let's face it, he's on our side as long as it suits his purposes (e.g., being re-elected at all costs). He jumped to our party because he has nowhere else to go.

I recommend we welcome him into the party, and "trust, but verify." In short, sure, bring him in, but don't trust him any further than you can throw him. What's to say he won't jump ship on us once the prevailing winds change direction? For now, let's bring him along. . .even if he ends up as a double agent. But let's not call him a hero. He's a politician, with all the treachery, ambition, and madness that entails.

Pablo, I wonder, from your anointing of Senator Specter, if you don't have a Republican streak yourself? And, as for you Arlen Specter, if you're going to abandon ship, why not jump the shark and become a full-blooded Yellow Dog Democrat? You'll be leaving behind the festering cadaver of the G.O.P., but you'll be gaining a brother and sisterhood of The Right Stuff.
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Celebrate! Sen. Arlen Specter extricates himself from The Hive--> The GOP begins to succumb to The Sickness

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

Wow. This is, to quote John Sebastian at The Woodstock Festival, a "mindf***er of all mindf***ers." We DID know Specter's break with the Party in voting for BHO's budget was not just a break, but a massive, and perhaps irreparable breach. Arlen Specter! He's been a Republican longer than most Republicans have been alive!

It's no secret to political junkies that Specter is a close friend of the Vice President. Biden has cajoled Sen. Arlen Specter to jump to the Democratic Party for six years. In the last week, he talked to the heroic party-switcher no fewer than 15 times, officials close to Joe Biden told Fox News. Ever since Specter voted against his party, and for the massive Obama stimulus package, Biden seems to have been pressing his case.

A decade ago, Republicans had nine senators in the 11 states stretching up the Interstate 95 corridor north of the Capitol. Today, they have three senators from those states, and one, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, will retire in 2010.

"This has been a long time coming," said the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity [cluck cluck cluck]. "He's been having this conversation with Specter for half a dozen years. They're close. You'd be hard-pressed to find a senator he's co-sponsored more bills with." The two are also Amtrak buddies, riding from D.C. to Biden's home in Wilmington, Del., and Specter's in Philadelphia. And they've served together forever on the Senate Judiciary Committee, often in concert, sometimes in opposition.

Yeah, they did split over the sexual harassment allegations by Anita Hill against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with Specter taking the low road and endlessly hectoring Hill during her testimony and attempting (in the end, successfully, and shamefully) to derail her charges.

The White House official told Fox that "Biden views the stimulus vote as 'a clarifying event' for Specter, one where he decided to back Obama's economic approach and risk retribution from his party." When Specter was faced with a dogfight with a very well-funded conservative challenger, Republican Patrick Toomey, it was the last straw, and he joined The Good Fight.



Readers of All This Is That--when they do not immediately recoil and click away upon seeing an article on The Greys--are well aware of the Alien Lore regarding "cerebral eviction" practices, or, the "Alien Rejection Technique", first used by John Loengard as a method of ganglion removal for human hosts implanted by the Hive. During the final moments of an A. R.T., the human host usually coughs up the ganglion,which must locate a new host. . .or succumb. In this case, however, Senator Specter ejected himself from the diseased host and immediately jumped to a new, healthy, positive host, leaving the former host to the pathetic ministrations of Rush "Oxy" Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, and Bobby Jindal.

And, hey, Republicans. . .the tent is big! Come on Senator Olympia Snowe, Senator Susan Collins, Senators McCain and Lamar Alexander. We will welcome all of you actual and alleged centrists. Even you, Joe Lieberman, you sub-human, sawed-off P.O.S. . .come into the big tent! There's lots of room, and we have lots of work for everyone.
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POTUS 44: President Obama portrait on day five

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President Barack Obama, still smiling on Day Five of the new administration. Godspeed, bro'.
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BFF: Best Friends Forever? Hillary and Barack start down the road of world affairs

By Pablo Fanque,
All This Is That National Affairs Correspondent

Painting by Jack Brummet


Click the BFFs to enlarge

Global warming definitely exists, at least in the relationship between the two former arch-rivals Ex-Senator Obama and Senator Clinton. They are now unquestionably the most powerful man and woman in the Democratic Party (and soon, arguably, the world).

After all the bitterness on the campaign trail, Hillary's masterful speech at the Dem's convention this summer sealed it. In fact, Obama's top aides jumped out of their seats backstage and gave her a standing ovation as she walked by.

Obama soon called to thank her. Fast forward to when--->>

Late last week future President Obama reassured Clinton she would have direct access to him and that she could select her own staff as secretary of state. And the deal was done.

Some people even think ('though most people doubt) that Obama and Clinton could become close friends. There is a lot of mutual respect and they are both extremely intelligent. As it turns out, Obama is much more a centrist that the rabid Obamanistas could have ever believed, which seems to be a page from the Bill Clinton playbook. Dean Acheson was no friend of President Harry Truman and Henry Kissinger, while in agreement with Dick Nixon intellectually, clearly was no personal friend. Rusk, McNamara, et al. were not JFK pals, and were, in fact, more conservative. It will be fascinating to watch the relationship unfold between Clinton and Obama. . .whether it becomes a train wreck, or whether they become close, or even BFFs, as they work the world.
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Barack Obama: "Off to a good start" says Republican leader

By Pablo Fanque, All This Is That National Affairs Editor

On Friday, the head Republican said that Democratic U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is "off to a good start" and admitted he was glad to see President George W. Bush on his way out the door.

"Our members, in one way, are kind of relieved by the departure of an administration that became unpopular and made it very difficult for us to compete," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters on Capitol Hill.

In large measure because of Bush's extreme unpopularity, Barack Obama won the White House in the November 4th election, as Democrats increased their majorities in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Two weeks later, their wins continue, as Senator Ted Stevens conceded the Senate seat he has owned for 40-some years.

Two more races remain undecided: the Georgia runoff election for Saxby Chambliss' seat. At this moment in the polls, Saxby has a four point lead over Democrat Jim Martin. And then there is the Minnesota race, where Norm Coleman is hanging on to a razor-thin lead over Al Franken. With 64 percent of the 2.9 million ballots recounted, Coleman is ahead by 120 votes. Anything can happen here. If by chance, both Chambliss and Norman Coleman were to fall, the Democrats would achieve their long-dreamed-for veto-proof supermajority. In a season of surprises, you just never know.

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Obama set to name Senator Hillary Clinton head of State Department

By Pablo Fanque,
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
on hiatus in Bucerias, Nayarit, Mexico

Paintings/sign by Jack Brummet

This could get very interesting. It already is. Both Obama and The Clintons each have three negotiators haggling over the Secretary of State cabinet position. How many other top slots in the history of America have ever involved six negotiators? I can tell you authoritatively. None. Ever.

Is this a harbinger of factionalism in the nascent Obama Administration? Bill Clinton has said he would do "whatever it takes" to open the way for Hillary to get the State Department nod. Whatever it takes includes forgoing many lucrative (to the tune of millions a year) speeches, disclosing major donors to the William J. Clinton Foundation, naming and forgoing many consulting clients, and in general, clearing most of his activities with the Administration. That is a heavy load for a guy that has done it his way for the last 16 years or so. It is interesting enough that he is being let out of the doghouse after his angry and often race-baiting performances on Hillary's road to the White House.



click fo enlarge

Future President Barack Obama is on track to nominate The Senator as secretary of state after Thanksgiving an aide to his transition disclosed Thursday.

It is utterly fascinating the way this has played out in the press, with leaks, and positioning on both sides. No Drama Obama is wrapped up in this fascinating minuet under the full glare of the press [1] and bloggers. She is a fascinating choice for SoS.

Once again, Obama has buried whatever malignant feelings he might have ever held toward her. He is an amazing pragmatist and practicioner of the forgive and forget school of politics.



Sure, many people believe he wants her on the inside, because as President Lyndon Johnson often said, "it's better to have them inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in." While many Democrats and beltway insiders openly question whether Clinton is too independent and ambitious to be the effective Secretary of State we desperately need, it is clear that Obama values her intelligence, diligence, experience, and yes, even chutzpah and moxie.

Large numbers of other Democrats believe in her too. Recent polls indicate that Hillary Clinton would have beaten John McCain by greater margins than Obama. Of course, that doesn't take into account the fact that her political organization collapsed in the face of Obama's clearly superior one. Would they have been able to put aside their infighting long enough to beat McCain? We will never know.

Clinton's nomination appears to be nearly a fait accompli. It will be fascinating to see whether she can live with the high degree of discipline Obama requires from his underlings. And that also applies to the 300 pound gorilla, Bill Clinton, who will need to spend a lot of the next few years sitting on his hands.

[1] Maybe not the full glare, with all the layoffs and downsizing of news organizations, including the latest one today: AP is cutting 10% of its workforce. Nearly every other major news organization has recently announced broad and deep cuts. "I guess this internet thing may actually really take off, after all."
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The Obama "Infomercial": A knockout, virtuoso performance

By Pablo Fanque, All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Illustrations: Jack Brummet



Barack Obama's televised "infomercial" was politically brilliant--a virtuoso performance that made it's case intellectually, as well as working the retail politics angle. You'd have to be a hard-hearted American to have not been touched by the message. To view this masterful talk and not be emotionally affected, in place of your beating heart would be a lump of bituminous coal.

Despite the never ending mud-slinging from the other side, all the name-calling, accusing him of "not being one of us," and the bitter invective being hurled from the desperate Republicans, Obama rose above it all and connected with the American people. No one needs to be scared of Obama. This was not the talk of a Molotov-cocktail flinging Bolshevik; this was a fellow American who mostly ignored party politics because he was talking along the heartline. Obama was talking to you. He almost completely ignored partisan politics and John McCain and Sarah Palin. He was there to close the deal with the voters.



I have been highly critical of Obama's cool in the past, and his inability to show emotion. He made up for all that tonight, with six days left in the campaign. His performance reminded me of Bobby Kennedy, who also knew how to connect with the people, and who also knew how to put politics aside. Tonight we saw the real maverick in the race. After this showing ( a speech?, a talk?, a message?, a multimedia assemblage?), if I was John McCain, I'd just concede the race tomorrow.
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Painting of soon-to-be former Senator Barack Obama

Click the Senator to enlarge

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Painting: Senator Obama poster

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Don't pop the cork yet — with two weeks to go Obama himself admits anything can happen.

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By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

Some of my friends say I am too pessimistic about the Democrat chances of regaining the White House. I think I've been realistic. Senator Obama agreed and warned supporters that the election is not over yet!:

“Don’t underestimate our ability to screw it up,” said Barack Obama just last week.

1) The polls now show Barack Obama solidly in the lead, ranging from 14 points to 2 or 3, with a sweet spot somewhere in the middle, about 7 points in Obama's favor.

But: we have to remember that Hubert Horatio Humphrey was also well ahead weeks before the election. Harry Truman was at least 7 points behind Dewey until that election night surprise.
2) Obama is already speculating about his cabinet. including names like John Kerry, Chuck Hagel, a republican who may become the next defense secretary. Surely his foreign policy advisor Susan Rice will have a slot somewhere in the administration. Former NATO general Jim Jones may be on the list, and Republican Richard Lugar as well.

But: Obama has to tread a fine line here. How many Senators does he, or do we, really want in the cabinet? John Kerry, while loyal and capable, surely doesn't play well to the theme of change. And change will be important coming out of the gate January 21st. Obama will undoubtedly name at least a couple of Republicans to top posts.

George W. Bush brought in a handful of old veterans to his administration, and it did not work out well. Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Colin Powell were the "experienced" ones who would help the green President Bush.

3) Colin Powell finally came out today and said in public what many people already knew. He is endorsing Obama. He will no doubt remain a top advisor to Obama, but will probably not take a post in the administration. Iraq is still too much in the forefront, and his role in that is still in everyone's memory. This morning's endorsement by Powell, who was often mentioned as a possible VP candidate for McCain, feels like one of the last nails on the coffin, whether he is part of the Obama administration or not (and in any case he will be an important advisor, as he has been in the campaign).

But: There is Joe the Plumber Wurzelbacher out there making a lot of noise and being trumpeted by Sarah Palin. Actually, I think we all know Joe the Plumber is just a blip on the screen of the rapidly eroding, sometimes deranged "base."

4) Obama is on the offensive now, storming into, and doing well in, longstanding Republican strongholds like Virginia and scaring the beejesus out of the G.O.P.

But: he may not pick up many traditional stronghold states like Florida and Ohio. Fortunately, he may not need them because he's strong in the blue states and making inroads into several red states. The possibility still remains that this election will be an electoral college pile-on.

5) The economy looms over nearly every decision and every action in these last few weeks. Obama has a strong flank of economic advisors, including people like Warren Buffet and Paul Volcker. He has proffered a coherent economic plan and seriously knocked Senator McCain off whatever game he still had left.

But: Paul Volcker is 81, and Buffet is not a young man either. Buffet also owns chunks of several financial institutions now. It doesn't seem likely wither of them will be in an Obama cabinet. . .but there are plenty of highly qualified people waiting in the wings.

Obama will clearly come out of the gate strong on the economy. I think we know where he will get his advice. It's not so clear who the front men and women will be. McCain is making no headway on the economy, and has, in fact, lost support following the recent economic meltdown.

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It's too early to celebrate or be cocky. Democrats need to stay focused the next 15 days. Obama has a strong game going into the last two weeks. The Promised Land lies just around the next corner.

It's now up to the voters to actually get to the polls, mail in their ballots, harangue their neighbors, send money to the campaign, and then get ready to celebrate for the first time since 1996.

The celebration may become even sweeter before it's all over. Just last week, an editorial in The Wall Street Journal last week warned of the distinct possibility of a “liberal super-majority” in the Senate (e.g., 60%). The Dems could end up with a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, basically ensuring they can pass whatever they want, and get at least two left of center candidates onto the Supreme Court.

There is one (former) Democrat who may end up out in the cold after the election: the dwarf from Connecticut, Senator "Crazy" Joe Lieberman. If the 60 person supermajority does not need to include his votes, Joe Lieberman may well find himself handing out towels in the Senate Cloakroom.
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Presidential Debate Three: Obama edges out McCain, but just barely

"I love you, man." "I love you too." Click to enlarge.

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

Our verdict on the third Presidential debate?: Obama edged out McCain, but just barely. . .exactly what he needed to do.

"You didn't tell the American people the truth," Senator John McCain charged. McCain delivered his best debate performance to date. However, his face told the tale. He was blinking at an alarming rate, mugging, and flashing a smile that bordered on a grimace, or even a rictus [1]. At times he seemed to be involuntarily mugging like The Joker.

As always, cool, cerebral, charming, unflappable, and surging ahead in the polls, Obama expertly parried each thrust, and, at times, lobbed a few Molotov cocktails of his own, all the while appearing absolutely Presidential. At the end of the debate, there was little question of who the voters would want to lead America until 2013.

Obama held fire, wisely. Ahead now in every single poll, and in some by 14 points, there was no reason to jump on the ledge in any issue. Obama performed admirably. . .probably his coolest performance in all three debates. But he is on top: he had nothing to win and everything to lose. And he expertly worked that angle. McCain offered him a chance to decimate his running mate Sarah Palin and Obama held back. What could he possibly gain from attacking the wildly popular Palin? Obama effectively diffused the Obama-Palin campaign's unending attempts to link him as some sort of acolyte of college professor and former Weather Underground mastermind William Ayers. A.C.O.R.N. was also mentioned repeatedly by McCain and Obama--rightfully--basically brushed off the association, leaving McCain pounding sand.

Arguably, the key exchange of the debate was when the frustrated McCain finally said in a clearly scripted remark, "Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago."

Obama fired back and dismissed McCain's claim of political independence from The Administration:

"If I've occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people - on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities - you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush," he said.

Senator McCain passed up the chance to say his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, was qualified to become President (and Obama, also wisely, didn't touch it). McCain did praise her performance as governor and expressed admiration for her work on behalf of special needs children (which according to Alaskans is not a given at all).

McCain referred repeatedly to a voter, Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Toledo, Ohio Obama had an exchange with. They both directly spoke to "Joe" several times, and in the end, it went nowhere.

McCain's most critical debate mistake was seeming to dismiss the mother's health exception on the abortion issue. "I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life, and this did not contain that exception," Obama clearly stated.

McCain sarcastically paid tribute to "the eloquence of Senator Obama. He's (for) health for the mother. You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything." "mother's health," he seemed to be saying, "...who cares?" And with that statement, Senator McCain lost virtually every potential swing vote from pro-choice voters.
McCain tried to raise the issue of public financing, but was effortlessly slapped down by Obama. Yes, Obama did go back on his pledge to consult with McCain and hopefully use only public financing in the campaign. While McCain opted for public financing, any possible ethical or moral advantage has been utterly neutralized by the RNC with its massive war chest relentlessly--and indirectly--pumping gushers of money into the McCain campaign.

With only a couple of exceptions, the Presidential campaign is now being waged in battleground states that were solidly Republican in 2004 - states like Virginia, Colorado, and Iowa - and in most of them, Obama holds significant leads in the polls. In the end, this debate changes nothing. It's on to November 4th!

[1] A gaping grimace: "his mouth gaping in a kind of rictus of startled alarm" (Richard Adams). We often think of the rictus as a death-grin.
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Painting of POTUS 8 - President Martin Van Buren a/k/a Martin Van Ruin

click to enlarge President Martin Van Buren a/k/a Van Ruin

Martin Van Buren was the first President born as a United States citizen. He was the last vice president to be elected to succeed the president under whom he served. . .until then Vice-President George H.W. Bush was elected.

He was described as a "dandy," much like President Chester Alan Arthur, and loved frenchified clothes, expensive wine and rich food. His muttonchops were even more impressive than those of another dandy, President Chester Alan Arthur.

Van Buren presided over the economic Panic of 1837--the worst recession the U.S. had ever experienced (ahem, up to that time).

Before he was President, Van Buren moved from the New York State Senate, to the New York attorney general's office, and onto the U.S. Senate. Unhappy with the policies of President John Quincy Adams, Van Buren aligned himself instead with Andrew Jackson, the war hero who wanted a return to the Jeffersonian policies of a small government.

In Washington, he continued his party-building efforts on a national scale. Jackson was elected and named Van Buren secretary of state, in recognition of his political skills (and his indispensible help during the 1828 election).

Van Buren oversaw the nation’s foreign affairs and continued to build the organization that would become our beloved Democratic Party. He was one of Andrew Jackson’s most trusted advisers and friends. Van Buren nimbly threaded his way through the palace intrigues and in-fighting that marked Jackson’s fractious cabinet. Toward the end of his first term, Jackson fired most of his cabinet, cut his relations with Vice President Calhoun, and dispatched Van Buren to the political calm of London as U.S. minister to England. He replaced Calhoun in the next election with Van Buren.

His enemies called him "Martin Van Ruin." He lost the 1840 presidential election, and became a one-term President. . .not quite as ignominious as a one-hit wonder rock band, but no picnic either.

Van Buren played key roles in the creation of both the Democratic Party and the so-called "second party system" in which Democrats competed with their opponents, the Whigs. He ignored calls from some Americans to respond to Canadian and British provocations with force, working instead through diplomatic channels to calm the roiled waters.

The two happiest days of his life, according to Van Buren, were the day he was inaugurated President and the day he left the office.
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