We swallow things that are crammed down our throats by the media so easily these days... maybe we always have. Some of the strongest proponents of global warming have never done anything other than read the headlines and hype. Based on what I've read, I'm not a believer. I know, I know, that's almost heretical these days... At least I'm in good company.
Scientists abandon global warming 'lie'650 to dissent at U.N. climate change conference
A United Nations climate change conference in Poland is about to get a surprise from 650 leading scientists who scoff at doomsday reports of man-made global warming
– labeling them variously a lie, a hoax and part of a new religion.Later today, their voices will be heard in a U.S. Senate minority report quoting the scientists, many of whom are current and former members of the U.N.'s own Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83323
2008: The Year the “Consensus” Collapsed
Posted in Cause/Effect, Economics, Junk Science, Mythical Consensus on December 12th, 2008 by Dan McGrath
Perhaps the debate isn’t over, but the tables have turned. Truth is an indomitable force. Suppressing it requires constant effort, because it can’t be changed. What is is. People can be convinced of a lie for a short time, but in the end, the truth reveals itself. Truth is patient because it is eternal, unchanging and has no agenda. It can be covered up, but truth outlasts any contrivances devised to hide it. It’s indestructible.
http://www.globalclimatescam.com/
Global Warming Skeptics: http://www.globalwarmingskeptics.info/
Global Climate Scam: http://www.globalclimatescam.com/
http://blog.heritage.org/2008/12/11/scientists-make-their-anti-global-warming-case/
“has added about 250 scientists (and growing) in 2008 to the over 400 scientists who spoke out in 2007. The over 650 dissenting scientists are more than 12 times the number of UN scientists (52) who authored the media hyped IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers.”
Showing posts with label debate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debate. Show all posts
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
What They're Saying About John McCain Debate
"McCain Has Best Debate Yet In Final Face-Off," With "Aggressive, Assertive" Performance
Time's Mark Halperin: "McCain has best debate yet in final face-off. ... McCain: A- ..." (Mark Halperin, "Enough (!)(?)" TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
· Halperin: "During the first half of the debate, showed off the best of himself -- dedicated, sincere, patriotic, cheery, earnest, commanding--all without seeming old or anxious. Even scored some points in the 'change' category, against the candidate who has owned the theme. Clear, upbeat, and totally on message." (Mark Halperin, "Mark Halperin's Grades For The Final Presidential Debate," TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
· Halperin: "[I]f a majority of persuadable voters watched the debate, they saw why McCain's advisers have faith in him and still believe he can win this race." (Mark Halperin, "Mark Halperin's Grades For The Final Presidential Debate," TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
CNN's John King: "It was by far McCain's best performance of the three debates. ... It was by far McCain's most aggressive, assertive." (CNN, 10/15/08)
The Associated Press' Liz Sidoti: "John McCain Kept Barack Obama On The Defensive ... By That Measure, McCain Won The Last Debate Of The 2008 Campaign." "This time, John McCain kept Barack Obama on the defensive. The feisty Republican tried hard to find a lifeline Wednesday night, challenging his Democratic rival at every turn over his truthfulness, associations and record. By that measure, McCain won the last debate of the 2008 campaign." (Liz Sidoti, "McCain Puts Obama On The Defensive," The Associated Press, 10/15/08)
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell: "I thought John McCain had a very strong night. I thought it was his best debate, clearly." (MSNBC's "Post Debate Analysis," 10/15/08)
Former Clinton White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers: "I thought it was a stronger night for McCain, though, than the last debate, and he got in some licks, like the one that Dan was talking about where he said you know, if you wanted to run against George Bush you should have run four years ago. I think he brought up Joe The Plumber and used that quite effectively for most of the times he brought it up, which was a lot of times. So a stronger performance from McCain." (CBS's "Presidential Debate," 10/15/08)
CNN's Candy Crowley: "I would agree this was not Obama's best debate." (CNN, 10/15/08)
CNN's Gloria Borger: "John McCain finally got to say tonight I am not George W. Bush. ... That was his best line. That's the line he has been waiting to say." (CNN, 10/15/08)
CNN's David Gergen: "I thought that McCain had the best start than he's had in any debate. The first 30 minutes I thought he excelled, I thought he played very well to his base. Obama started to look, I thought, flat." (CNN, 10/15/08)
"McCain Has Done Much Of What He Needed To Do Tonight" "he Was Aggressive. He Was Strong. He Was On Offense."
ABC News' Rick Klein: "My sense is that McCain has done much of what he needed to do tonight..." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News' "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/15/08)
· Klein: "The 'long line of McCains' remark a slightly emotional, and probably effective, close." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News' "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/15/08)
Fox News' Charles Krauthammer: "I thought McCain was feisty and tough." (Fox News' "On The Record," 10/15/08)
ABC News' Charlie Gibson: "It was interesting -- my only thought, when he said that, first of all, very good line." (ABC News' "Vote 08: The Final Debate," 10/15/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "McCain's best line of attack in this debate: Obama talks about bipartisanship but doesn't get it done." (Chris Cillizza, "The Fix Twitters The Final Debate!" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, www.washingtonpost.com, 10/15/08)
CNN's Bill Bennett: "Well remember last time I said I didn't think that McCain broke through. I think he did this time. He had a very strong debate." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/15/08)
· Bennett: "Here is what I saw in John McCain -- he was aggressive. He was strong. He was on offense. I thought Obama was flat, professorial -- didn't rise to the occasion. ... McCain was just hammering and I think he scored a lot of points. The most interesting thing about it to me -- thematically - was you saw a real contrast between a conservative and a liberal. You saw a consistent, conservative refrain ... and a liberal refrain mantra from Barack Obama." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/15/08)
MSNBC's Pat Buchanan: "I think it goes to McCain on the issues..." (Pat Buchanan, "Buchanan And Maddow: Live Debate Commentary," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 10/15/08)
Fox News' Greta Van Susteren: "We certainly saw a different side of John McCain tonight. He came out swinging a little bit more, a little more aggressive." (Fox News' "On The Record," 10/15/08)
Townhall's Amanda Carpenter: "If there is any winner in tonight's debate it's Joe the Plumber and that certainly puts McCain closer to the 'W' column than Barack Obama. By speaking directly to Plumber Joe McCain was able to explain why 'Senator Government,' a welcome Freudian slip, is wrong for the economy during these turbulent economic times." (Amanda Carpenter, "The Wrap Up," Townhall's "Amanda Carpenter" Blog, www.townhall.com, 10/15/08)
· Carpenter: "McCain finally showed he was not afraid to bring up Obama's relationship to the radical William Ayers and hit him for associating so closely with a fraudulent non-profit engaging in rampant voter registration fraud this election." (Amanda Carpenter, "The Wrap Up," Townhall's "Amanda Carpenter" Blog, www.townhall.com, 10/15/08)
Time's Mark Halperin: "McCain has best debate yet in final face-off. ... McCain: A- ..." (Mark Halperin, "Enough (!)(?)" TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
· Halperin: "During the first half of the debate, showed off the best of himself -- dedicated, sincere, patriotic, cheery, earnest, commanding--all without seeming old or anxious. Even scored some points in the 'change' category, against the candidate who has owned the theme. Clear, upbeat, and totally on message." (Mark Halperin, "Mark Halperin's Grades For The Final Presidential Debate," TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
· Halperin: "[I]f a majority of persuadable voters watched the debate, they saw why McCain's advisers have faith in him and still believe he can win this race." (Mark Halperin, "Mark Halperin's Grades For The Final Presidential Debate," TIME's "The Page" Blog, thepage.time.com, 10/15/08)
CNN's John King: "It was by far McCain's best performance of the three debates. ... It was by far McCain's most aggressive, assertive." (CNN, 10/15/08)
The Associated Press' Liz Sidoti: "John McCain Kept Barack Obama On The Defensive ... By That Measure, McCain Won The Last Debate Of The 2008 Campaign." "This time, John McCain kept Barack Obama on the defensive. The feisty Republican tried hard to find a lifeline Wednesday night, challenging his Democratic rival at every turn over his truthfulness, associations and record. By that measure, McCain won the last debate of the 2008 campaign." (Liz Sidoti, "McCain Puts Obama On The Defensive," The Associated Press, 10/15/08)
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell: "I thought John McCain had a very strong night. I thought it was his best debate, clearly." (MSNBC's "Post Debate Analysis," 10/15/08)
Former Clinton White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers: "I thought it was a stronger night for McCain, though, than the last debate, and he got in some licks, like the one that Dan was talking about where he said you know, if you wanted to run against George Bush you should have run four years ago. I think he brought up Joe The Plumber and used that quite effectively for most of the times he brought it up, which was a lot of times. So a stronger performance from McCain." (CBS's "Presidential Debate," 10/15/08)
CNN's Candy Crowley: "I would agree this was not Obama's best debate." (CNN, 10/15/08)
CNN's Gloria Borger: "John McCain finally got to say tonight I am not George W. Bush. ... That was his best line. That's the line he has been waiting to say." (CNN, 10/15/08)
CNN's David Gergen: "I thought that McCain had the best start than he's had in any debate. The first 30 minutes I thought he excelled, I thought he played very well to his base. Obama started to look, I thought, flat." (CNN, 10/15/08)
"McCain Has Done Much Of What He Needed To Do Tonight" "he Was Aggressive. He Was Strong. He Was On Offense."
ABC News' Rick Klein: "My sense is that McCain has done much of what he needed to do tonight..." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News' "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/15/08)
· Klein: "The 'long line of McCains' remark a slightly emotional, and probably effective, close." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News' "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/15/08)
Fox News' Charles Krauthammer: "I thought McCain was feisty and tough." (Fox News' "On The Record," 10/15/08)
ABC News' Charlie Gibson: "It was interesting -- my only thought, when he said that, first of all, very good line." (ABC News' "Vote 08: The Final Debate," 10/15/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "McCain's best line of attack in this debate: Obama talks about bipartisanship but doesn't get it done." (Chris Cillizza, "The Fix Twitters The Final Debate!" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, www.washingtonpost.com, 10/15/08)
CNN's Bill Bennett: "Well remember last time I said I didn't think that McCain broke through. I think he did this time. He had a very strong debate." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/15/08)
· Bennett: "Here is what I saw in John McCain -- he was aggressive. He was strong. He was on offense. I thought Obama was flat, professorial -- didn't rise to the occasion. ... McCain was just hammering and I think he scored a lot of points. The most interesting thing about it to me -- thematically - was you saw a real contrast between a conservative and a liberal. You saw a consistent, conservative refrain ... and a liberal refrain mantra from Barack Obama." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/15/08)
MSNBC's Pat Buchanan: "I think it goes to McCain on the issues..." (Pat Buchanan, "Buchanan And Maddow: Live Debate Commentary," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 10/15/08)
Fox News' Greta Van Susteren: "We certainly saw a different side of John McCain tonight. He came out swinging a little bit more, a little more aggressive." (Fox News' "On The Record," 10/15/08)
Townhall's Amanda Carpenter: "If there is any winner in tonight's debate it's Joe the Plumber and that certainly puts McCain closer to the 'W' column than Barack Obama. By speaking directly to Plumber Joe McCain was able to explain why 'Senator Government,' a welcome Freudian slip, is wrong for the economy during these turbulent economic times." (Amanda Carpenter, "The Wrap Up," Townhall's "Amanda Carpenter" Blog, www.townhall.com, 10/15/08)
· Carpenter: "McCain finally showed he was not afraid to bring up Obama's relationship to the radical William Ayers and hit him for associating so closely with a fraudulent non-profit engaging in rampant voter registration fraud this election." (Amanda Carpenter, "The Wrap Up," Townhall's "Amanda Carpenter" Blog, www.townhall.com, 10/15/08)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
McCain-Palin Campaign Conference Call On Barack Obama's Health Care Lies
"Barack Obama says that Washington is broken, but he's running his health care system through it. It doesn't make sense." -- Doug Holtz-Eakin, Senior Policy Adviser
Today, the McCain-Palin campaign held a press conference call with Doug Holtz-Eakin, McCain-Palin senior policy adviser, to discuss Barack Obama's lies concerning John McCain's proposed health care reforms:
Doug Holtz-Eakin: "At the moment, the Obama campaign has several ads up on radio and television attacking the McCain health plan and quite frankly these ads can only be described as cynical and deceitful. Despite the fact that Barack Obama has not shown the judgment to choose well in other policy areas, on this one it cannot possibly be a lack of knowledge or judgment. His adviser, Jason Furman, advocated for what is essentially the McCain health tax reform in the journal Democracy, in the summer of 2006, and so he could easily be informed as to how wrong these ads are. So it cannot be a lack of knowledge. It has to be a lack of honor.
"They are saying several things about the McCain tax plan that are just flat out wrong. The first thing was Senator Obama himself, in the first debate, said that John McCain would tax employers on the insurance they provide their employees, that is false. Nothing changes for the employer under the McCain healthcare reform. Nothing. They have the same incentives to provide health care insurance. They can still deduct all compensation cost, health insurance, wages, and others. They still want to attract high quality employees and providing a rich benefits package, pensions, health insurance, is a way to do that. Their incentives will be unchanged.
"They are saying that it is a big tax increase, and that, my friends, is also false. This is a plan where if you are receiving from your employer the health insurance that Barack Obama has decided that every American should have, whether they decide that or not, Barack Obama has decided everybody should have health insurance like a Congressman. That would be a $12,000 family plan. If you are receiving that from your employer you will have more money for healthcare left over after this tax reform than you do right now. If you are in the very bottom tax bracket, the 10% bracket, a $12,000 health insurance plan would yield a tax liability of $1,200. A $5,000 family refundable credit would more than offset that tax liability, leaving you with $3,800 to put in a HSA. If you are fortunate enough to be in that top bracket, the liability would be $4,200, more than offset by the $5,000 credit, $800 in your HSA. Now, it is the case that there may be some people at the very top who have a liability greater than their health tax credit. Now, under the current system as a result, the one that Barack Obama wants to defend which is attacking John McCain's system, we are having the middle class pay taxes and subsidize the gold plated coverage of the most affluent in America. And it perplexes me, even given his flexible policy principles, how he could walk around saying the things he says about the middle class and defend the status quo which rewards to greatest subsidy to the most affluent of Americans.
"He's called this a middle class tax increase. As I've pointed out, you've had to be getting an enormous amount of health insurance, one the middle class can only dream of, in order to have a net tax liability. For some Americans, they are actually paying out-of-pocket and getting no help whatsoever. This would give them the same help, $2,500 for an individual, $5,000 for a family, that those receiving from an employer get. Simple matter of fairness. And, there are many Americans who are uninsured, 47 million, roughly. This would give them money toward a health insurance policy, and it basically is nearly the cost, in the individual market, for a family policy of an individual policy, nationwide.
"Now, they're also saying that John McCain's health care plan would mean they never saw the money -- it would go straight to insurance companies. Well, that's just a ridiculous charge. Individuals control the insurance they choose under the John McCain plan. They decide the insurance company. It's essentially the same, I think, as the Associated Press pointed out, it's like saying money for a car loan will go straight to the car dealer. This is money in control of the individuals -- in control of families. John McCain trusts the judgment of the American people. He's willing to put the money in their hands because they know what's best. They can then shop, across state lines as the Senator has pointed out, to find a policy that fits their family's needs and, by producing greater competition among the 12,000-odd insurers, nationwide, generates some genuine policies at a reasonable cost, and a high quality of service, holding some insurance company's feet to the fire -- have them work for the American people, not the other way around.
"Senator Obama has leveled two charges on that particular approach: Number one, that that the most vulnerable -- those with previous conditions or high costs will be left exposed. He knows that's false. John McCain has proposed a Guaranteed Access Plan at every state in this country. It would provide federal and state assistance to make sure that individuals could buy a policy, at no more than 150% of the comparable policy in that state. Any denial would be immediately referred to a board which would adjudicate whether it was acceptable or not, and if it was not, that company, that had denied the claim, would be fined. He's going to take care of the most vulnerable population.
"He's also made the assertion that John McCain wants to deregulate health care like you would want to deregulate banking. This is the situation where it's the equivalent of having a consumer deregulation of banking to allow you to get off a plane and get money out of the ATM, in any state in the country. That's the kind of deregulation that allowed Americans to travel and not have to open a bank account in every state. They should equally be able to get a financial service for their health insurance across state lines.
"They also suggest that, somehow, that there will be no consumer protections. That's an insult to the 50 state insurance commissioners that are working very hard to ensure that in those states, insurance policies are well documented, that there is suitable coverage, there is safety and soundness regulations for every company that's headquartered in the state. None of that goes away under the John McCain plan. There's also the assertion that somehow the John McCain plan is going to shred employer coverage. The McCain plan is meant to build on the foundation of employer coverage which is the largest source of health insurance in the United States. There is no incentive for a young, healthy worker to walk out of an employer plan as the assertion goes. Suppose you're a 25-year old who has got about $5,000 in health insurance from your company. Under the McCain plan you're in the bottom bracket, you'll have a $500 tax liability, a $2500 c redit, a $2000 net addition to your HSA. Why would you trade that $5,000 policy with nothing out of your pocket for an inferior $2,500 policy bought in the individual market? No individual is going to walk out. Even someone in the 25% bracket comes out $1250 ahead. The assertions don't match the numbers in the McCain plan. It's simply an attempt to scare individuals.
"The McCain plan does stand in stark contrast to Barack Obama's plan. Obama has said that he would prefer to have a single payer system if that's where the United States had started and he is certainly making a strong push for much more centralized, government run health insurance. He has a mandate that parents must cover their children. Parents want to cover their children but they can't afford to. He will have to enforce this mandate somehow -- presumably with a fine -- for a mandate on parents who are unable to cover their children. It's a play-or-pay mandate on employers. Employers are going to take one look at that mandate, cover the $12,000 for workers or pay a fine, and they'll pay a fine. Where will those individuals end up? Well, either uninsured or in the new government-run insurance plan that Barack Obama is proposing. At a time when Medicare is already broken, he is going to have a new government insurance progr am for Americans, and it'll be run through a large new health bureaucracy, the Health Exchange, which all leads you to have mandates on employers, mandates on kids, a big push for new bureaucracies and new government programs. It's been estimated that his program will cost $240 billion a year. Now, that's not a way to improve prior coverage. That's not a way to improve the functioning of health insurance markets. That's enlarging government bureaucracies. That's like having your health insurance run by the DMV. Barack Obama says that Washington is broken, but he's running his health care system through it. It doesn't make sense. So it's time to set the record straight. John McCain's health care plan should be presented to the American people. They should compare it to Barack Obama's plan and make their choice. We trust the people that if they're given the fair information they'll make the right choice."
Listen To The Conference Call
Today, the McCain-Palin campaign held a press conference call with Doug Holtz-Eakin, McCain-Palin senior policy adviser, to discuss Barack Obama's lies concerning John McCain's proposed health care reforms:
Doug Holtz-Eakin: "At the moment, the Obama campaign has several ads up on radio and television attacking the McCain health plan and quite frankly these ads can only be described as cynical and deceitful. Despite the fact that Barack Obama has not shown the judgment to choose well in other policy areas, on this one it cannot possibly be a lack of knowledge or judgment. His adviser, Jason Furman, advocated for what is essentially the McCain health tax reform in the journal Democracy, in the summer of 2006, and so he could easily be informed as to how wrong these ads are. So it cannot be a lack of knowledge. It has to be a lack of honor.
"They are saying several things about the McCain tax plan that are just flat out wrong. The first thing was Senator Obama himself, in the first debate, said that John McCain would tax employers on the insurance they provide their employees, that is false. Nothing changes for the employer under the McCain healthcare reform. Nothing. They have the same incentives to provide health care insurance. They can still deduct all compensation cost, health insurance, wages, and others. They still want to attract high quality employees and providing a rich benefits package, pensions, health insurance, is a way to do that. Their incentives will be unchanged.
"They are saying that it is a big tax increase, and that, my friends, is also false. This is a plan where if you are receiving from your employer the health insurance that Barack Obama has decided that every American should have, whether they decide that or not, Barack Obama has decided everybody should have health insurance like a Congressman. That would be a $12,000 family plan. If you are receiving that from your employer you will have more money for healthcare left over after this tax reform than you do right now. If you are in the very bottom tax bracket, the 10% bracket, a $12,000 health insurance plan would yield a tax liability of $1,200. A $5,000 family refundable credit would more than offset that tax liability, leaving you with $3,800 to put in a HSA. If you are fortunate enough to be in that top bracket, the liability would be $4,200, more than offset by the $5,000 credit, $800 in your HSA. Now, it is the case that there may be some people at the very top who have a liability greater than their health tax credit. Now, under the current system as a result, the one that Barack Obama wants to defend which is attacking John McCain's system, we are having the middle class pay taxes and subsidize the gold plated coverage of the most affluent in America. And it perplexes me, even given his flexible policy principles, how he could walk around saying the things he says about the middle class and defend the status quo which rewards to greatest subsidy to the most affluent of Americans.
"He's called this a middle class tax increase. As I've pointed out, you've had to be getting an enormous amount of health insurance, one the middle class can only dream of, in order to have a net tax liability. For some Americans, they are actually paying out-of-pocket and getting no help whatsoever. This would give them the same help, $2,500 for an individual, $5,000 for a family, that those receiving from an employer get. Simple matter of fairness. And, there are many Americans who are uninsured, 47 million, roughly. This would give them money toward a health insurance policy, and it basically is nearly the cost, in the individual market, for a family policy of an individual policy, nationwide.
"Now, they're also saying that John McCain's health care plan would mean they never saw the money -- it would go straight to insurance companies. Well, that's just a ridiculous charge. Individuals control the insurance they choose under the John McCain plan. They decide the insurance company. It's essentially the same, I think, as the Associated Press pointed out, it's like saying money for a car loan will go straight to the car dealer. This is money in control of the individuals -- in control of families. John McCain trusts the judgment of the American people. He's willing to put the money in their hands because they know what's best. They can then shop, across state lines as the Senator has pointed out, to find a policy that fits their family's needs and, by producing greater competition among the 12,000-odd insurers, nationwide, generates some genuine policies at a reasonable cost, and a high quality of service, holding some insurance company's feet to the fire -- have them work for the American people, not the other way around.
"Senator Obama has leveled two charges on that particular approach: Number one, that that the most vulnerable -- those with previous conditions or high costs will be left exposed. He knows that's false. John McCain has proposed a Guaranteed Access Plan at every state in this country. It would provide federal and state assistance to make sure that individuals could buy a policy, at no more than 150% of the comparable policy in that state. Any denial would be immediately referred to a board which would adjudicate whether it was acceptable or not, and if it was not, that company, that had denied the claim, would be fined. He's going to take care of the most vulnerable population.
"He's also made the assertion that John McCain wants to deregulate health care like you would want to deregulate banking. This is the situation where it's the equivalent of having a consumer deregulation of banking to allow you to get off a plane and get money out of the ATM, in any state in the country. That's the kind of deregulation that allowed Americans to travel and not have to open a bank account in every state. They should equally be able to get a financial service for their health insurance across state lines.
"They also suggest that, somehow, that there will be no consumer protections. That's an insult to the 50 state insurance commissioners that are working very hard to ensure that in those states, insurance policies are well documented, that there is suitable coverage, there is safety and soundness regulations for every company that's headquartered in the state. None of that goes away under the John McCain plan. There's also the assertion that somehow the John McCain plan is going to shred employer coverage. The McCain plan is meant to build on the foundation of employer coverage which is the largest source of health insurance in the United States. There is no incentive for a young, healthy worker to walk out of an employer plan as the assertion goes. Suppose you're a 25-year old who has got about $5,000 in health insurance from your company. Under the McCain plan you're in the bottom bracket, you'll have a $500 tax liability, a $2500 c redit, a $2000 net addition to your HSA. Why would you trade that $5,000 policy with nothing out of your pocket for an inferior $2,500 policy bought in the individual market? No individual is going to walk out. Even someone in the 25% bracket comes out $1250 ahead. The assertions don't match the numbers in the McCain plan. It's simply an attempt to scare individuals.
"The McCain plan does stand in stark contrast to Barack Obama's plan. Obama has said that he would prefer to have a single payer system if that's where the United States had started and he is certainly making a strong push for much more centralized, government run health insurance. He has a mandate that parents must cover their children. Parents want to cover their children but they can't afford to. He will have to enforce this mandate somehow -- presumably with a fine -- for a mandate on parents who are unable to cover their children. It's a play-or-pay mandate on employers. Employers are going to take one look at that mandate, cover the $12,000 for workers or pay a fine, and they'll pay a fine. Where will those individuals end up? Well, either uninsured or in the new government-run insurance plan that Barack Obama is proposing. At a time when Medicare is already broken, he is going to have a new government insurance progr am for Americans, and it'll be run through a large new health bureaucracy, the Health Exchange, which all leads you to have mandates on employers, mandates on kids, a big push for new bureaucracies and new government programs. It's been estimated that his program will cost $240 billion a year. Now, that's not a way to improve prior coverage. That's not a way to improve the functioning of health insurance markets. That's enlarging government bureaucracies. That's like having your health insurance run by the DMV. Barack Obama says that Washington is broken, but he's running his health care system through it. It doesn't make sense. So it's time to set the record straight. John McCain's health care plan should be presented to the American people. They should compare it to Barack Obama's plan and make their choice. We trust the people that if they're given the fair information they'll make the right choice."
Listen To The Conference Call
The Lies Biden Told
"For all the focus on Sarah Palin's graceful performance in Thursday's vice presidential showdown, a more significant spectacle was taking place behind the other rostrum. That's where Joe Biden, speaking with the pompus self-importance befitting his 36 years in the Senate, told one baffling fib after another." -- New York Post
"The Lies Biden Told"
Editorial
New York Post
October 4, 2008
For all the focus on Sarah Palin's graceful performance in Thursday's vice presidential showdown, a more significant spectacle was taking place behind the other rostrum.
That's where Joe Biden, speaking with the pompus self-importance befitting his 36 years in the Senate, told one baffling fib after another.
Some, of course, were just Biden being Biden. He smeared Dick Cheney as "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history."
To which we must take specific offense: After all, the founder of this newspaper, Alexander Hamilton, was killed in a duel by then-Vice President Aaron Burr. (Certainly Burr was a better shot than Cheney.)
But that's a matter of opinion.
Not so, some other Biden gems:
* It's "simply not true" that Barack Obama said he'd meet Iran's president without preconditions, Biden insisted.
Yet when Obama was asked if he would in a debate during the primaries, he said yes - a position Biden back then termed "naive."
* Biden said he's "always supported" clean-coal technology - after stating emphatically only last month, "We're not supporting clean coal."
* Biden asserted - repeatedly - that the US spends more money on three weeks' combat in Iraq than it's spent in Afghanistan since the war began.
That claim's only remotely intelligible if he limits Afghan expenditures merely to US rebuilding efforts - and even then, he's off by a factor of three, according to State Department numbers.
* Also on Afghanistan, Biden insisted - repeatedly - that "our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work" there.
That may not be an out-and-out lie, but it took supposed foreign-policy neophyte Sarah Palin to bring any context or nuance to the statement.
What Gen. David McKiernan had said was that tribal realities in Afghanistan are very different than in Iraq - requiring a different form of cooperation.
But he flatly said more troops, and more local engagement, are needed.
Sounds like a surge to us.
* Then there was what might have been the biggest head-scratcher of the night. Said Biden of the Bush administration's supposed Middle East follies:
"When ... along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't, Hezbollah will control it."
Huh?
Assuming that Biden was referring to when, in 2005, American and French pressure helped the Lebanese people kick Syrian troops out of Lebanon, who ever thought NATO occupation of that deeply divided country was a good idea?
As if America's NATO allies would have gone in the first place.
But hey, as long as it makes Biden sound presidential.
At some point, Americans have to wonder: Is this a fellow who should be a heartbeat away from the White House?
Read The Editorial
"The Lies Biden Told"
Editorial
New York Post
October 4, 2008
For all the focus on Sarah Palin's graceful performance in Thursday's vice presidential showdown, a more significant spectacle was taking place behind the other rostrum.
That's where Joe Biden, speaking with the pompus self-importance befitting his 36 years in the Senate, told one baffling fib after another.
Some, of course, were just Biden being Biden. He smeared Dick Cheney as "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history."
To which we must take specific offense: After all, the founder of this newspaper, Alexander Hamilton, was killed in a duel by then-Vice President Aaron Burr. (Certainly Burr was a better shot than Cheney.)
But that's a matter of opinion.
Not so, some other Biden gems:
* It's "simply not true" that Barack Obama said he'd meet Iran's president without preconditions, Biden insisted.
Yet when Obama was asked if he would in a debate during the primaries, he said yes - a position Biden back then termed "naive."
* Biden said he's "always supported" clean-coal technology - after stating emphatically only last month, "We're not supporting clean coal."
* Biden asserted - repeatedly - that the US spends more money on three weeks' combat in Iraq than it's spent in Afghanistan since the war began.
That claim's only remotely intelligible if he limits Afghan expenditures merely to US rebuilding efforts - and even then, he's off by a factor of three, according to State Department numbers.
* Also on Afghanistan, Biden insisted - repeatedly - that "our commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work" there.
That may not be an out-and-out lie, but it took supposed foreign-policy neophyte Sarah Palin to bring any context or nuance to the statement.
What Gen. David McKiernan had said was that tribal realities in Afghanistan are very different than in Iraq - requiring a different form of cooperation.
But he flatly said more troops, and more local engagement, are needed.
Sounds like a surge to us.
* Then there was what might have been the biggest head-scratcher of the night. Said Biden of the Bush administration's supposed Middle East follies:
"When ... along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't, Hezbollah will control it."
Huh?
Assuming that Biden was referring to when, in 2005, American and French pressure helped the Lebanese people kick Syrian troops out of Lebanon, who ever thought NATO occupation of that deeply divided country was a good idea?
As if America's NATO allies would have gone in the first place.
But hey, as long as it makes Biden sound presidential.
At some point, Americans have to wonder: Is this a fellow who should be a heartbeat away from the White House?
Read The Editorial
John McCain's Weekly Radio Address
DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO FILE HERE: http://www.johnmccain.com/Downloads/100308_wra.mp3
Good morning, this is John McCain. And this week our government finally took a decisive step to regain confidence in our financial markets. It took Congress a while, but a majority finally awakened to the danger. And by the week's end, with the unity that this crisis demands, Congress acted to restore stability to the American economy.
On Thursday night, millions of Americans got to see a little more of why I chose Sarah Palin to be my running mate. In her debate with Senator Joe Biden, she showed the intelligence, heart and grace under pressure that our nation's capital desperately needs. I couldn't be prouder of my choice, or more certain that she's the right person to help me shake things up in Washington. And there were moments when I almost felt a little sorry for my old friend, Joe.
Pressure and crisis often have a way of revealing the best within us -- of showing what we are made of, and how much we can achieve when we are put to the test. This is true of the grave challenges we face in Washington today. Yet it should not require extreme emergencies to bring out the best in us, or to bring us together in service to the common good. We are supposed to do that even in the calmest of times. And if we worked together more often in that spirit, perhaps there would be fewer crises, close-calls, and near-disasters confronting our nation.
Our government is on the wrong track, our economy is struggling, and we got even more bad news with yesterday's unemployment report. It is a time for leadership and a plan to create jobs and get our country on the right track.
I believe in low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets. I believe in rewarding hard work and letting people keep the fruits of their labor. We will keep tax rates low. We will simplify the current tax code. We will double the child exemption from 3500 dollars to 7000 dollars. We will give every family a 5000 dollar tax credit to buy their own health insurance or keep their current plan, and we will open up the national health-care market to expand choices and improve quality. And my administration will reduce the price of food by eliminating the subsidies for ethanol and agricultural goods. These subsidies inflate the price of food, not only for Americans but for people in poverty across the world, and I intend to abolish them.
I believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans, so they can create more jobs and keep our economy growing. So we will cut business taxes from 35 percent to 25 percent, to give American businesses a new edge in competition. We will spur new investment through R&D tax credits and expensing of equipment. And we will protect the right of workers to decide for themselves, by secret ballot, whether to unionize.
As president, I will also set this country on the straightest, swiftest path to energy independence. We will attack the problem on every front. We will produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells offshore, and we'll drill them now. We will build more nuclear power plants. We will develop clean coal technology. We will increase the use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas. In all of this, and more, we will create millions of new jobs, many in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity -- jobs that will be there when your children enter the workforce.
If I am elected president, I will also act immediately with reforms to restore fairness, integrity, and financial sanity to the institutions that have failed us on Wall Street. We will apply new rules to Wall Street, to end the frenzies of speculation by people gaming the system, and to make sure that this present crisis is never repeated.
We must also realize that this rescue plan has serious implications for future spending. We cannot dedicate more than a trillion dollars to rescue failing institutions, and then go right back to business as usual in Washington -- as if there were no end to the resources of government or to the patience of taxpayers. Therefore, as president, I will impose a one-year spending freeze on every agency of the federal government, excepting only national defense, the care of our veterans, and a few critical priorities. Leadership requires candor. And I will tell you bluntly that America is already ten trillion dollars in debt, and to make our economy strong again we must reduce the burden of federal spending. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. I am committed to billions in spending reductions that will balance the budget, and get us on the path away from ruinous debt.
The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems in Washington isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.
Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it.
Instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. This great country can do anything we put our minds to. I will ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability. We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit.
Thanks for listening.
Good morning, this is John McCain. And this week our government finally took a decisive step to regain confidence in our financial markets. It took Congress a while, but a majority finally awakened to the danger. And by the week's end, with the unity that this crisis demands, Congress acted to restore stability to the American economy.
On Thursday night, millions of Americans got to see a little more of why I chose Sarah Palin to be my running mate. In her debate with Senator Joe Biden, she showed the intelligence, heart and grace under pressure that our nation's capital desperately needs. I couldn't be prouder of my choice, or more certain that she's the right person to help me shake things up in Washington. And there were moments when I almost felt a little sorry for my old friend, Joe.
Pressure and crisis often have a way of revealing the best within us -- of showing what we are made of, and how much we can achieve when we are put to the test. This is true of the grave challenges we face in Washington today. Yet it should not require extreme emergencies to bring out the best in us, or to bring us together in service to the common good. We are supposed to do that even in the calmest of times. And if we worked together more often in that spirit, perhaps there would be fewer crises, close-calls, and near-disasters confronting our nation.
Our government is on the wrong track, our economy is struggling, and we got even more bad news with yesterday's unemployment report. It is a time for leadership and a plan to create jobs and get our country on the right track.
I believe in low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets. I believe in rewarding hard work and letting people keep the fruits of their labor. We will keep tax rates low. We will simplify the current tax code. We will double the child exemption from 3500 dollars to 7000 dollars. We will give every family a 5000 dollar tax credit to buy their own health insurance or keep their current plan, and we will open up the national health-care market to expand choices and improve quality. And my administration will reduce the price of food by eliminating the subsidies for ethanol and agricultural goods. These subsidies inflate the price of food, not only for Americans but for people in poverty across the world, and I intend to abolish them.
I believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans, so they can create more jobs and keep our economy growing. So we will cut business taxes from 35 percent to 25 percent, to give American businesses a new edge in competition. We will spur new investment through R&D tax credits and expensing of equipment. And we will protect the right of workers to decide for themselves, by secret ballot, whether to unionize.
As president, I will also set this country on the straightest, swiftest path to energy independence. We will attack the problem on every front. We will produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells offshore, and we'll drill them now. We will build more nuclear power plants. We will develop clean coal technology. We will increase the use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas. In all of this, and more, we will create millions of new jobs, many in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity -- jobs that will be there when your children enter the workforce.
If I am elected president, I will also act immediately with reforms to restore fairness, integrity, and financial sanity to the institutions that have failed us on Wall Street. We will apply new rules to Wall Street, to end the frenzies of speculation by people gaming the system, and to make sure that this present crisis is never repeated.
We must also realize that this rescue plan has serious implications for future spending. We cannot dedicate more than a trillion dollars to rescue failing institutions, and then go right back to business as usual in Washington -- as if there were no end to the resources of government or to the patience of taxpayers. Therefore, as president, I will impose a one-year spending freeze on every agency of the federal government, excepting only national defense, the care of our veterans, and a few critical priorities. Leadership requires candor. And I will tell you bluntly that America is already ten trillion dollars in debt, and to make our economy strong again we must reduce the burden of federal spending. We cannot tax our way to prosperity. I am committed to billions in spending reductions that will balance the budget, and get us on the path away from ruinous debt.
The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems in Washington isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.
Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it.
Instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. This great country can do anything we put our minds to. I will ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability. We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit.
Thanks for listening.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Some more comments and headlines on Sarah
"Palin Stands Her Ground" -- "She's The Real Deal"
The Associated Press Headline: "Palin Stands Her Ground In VP Debate With Biden" (Liz Sidoti, "Analysis: Stakes High, Palin Tops Expectations," The Associated Press, 10/2/08)
The New York Times' Peter Baker: "Palin Meets A Test." (Peter Baker, "Palin Meets A Test," The New York Times' "The Caucus" Blog, thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com, 10/2/08)
NPR's Michelle Norris: "[S]he delivered a performance that filled in the resume and also helped people perhaps connect to her on a very visceral level." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
CNBC's Larry Kudlow: "I Think She's Going To Be The Clear Winner In This." "I think she's going to be the clear winner in this, and oddly enough, it's directly symmetrical to what happened with McCain and Obama. In this case, she held her ground. She was informed and she was strong. ... And I'll tell you what, she made very strong distinctions on energy drilling for lower prices and lower taxes not higher." (CNBC's "The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch," 10/2/08)
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire Blog: "A confident, folksy Sarah Palin attacked the Democratic presidential ticket on taxes and partisanship, holding her own against her senior vice-presidential rival." ("Who Won The Vice-Presidential Debate?" The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)
The Wall Street Journal's T.W. Farnam: "Joe Biden tried to critique Sarah Palin's call for using successful techniques from Iraq and moving them to Afghanistan, but her response seemed to leave him uncharacteristically at a loss for words." (T.W. Farnam, "Palin Gives Biden Pause On Afghanistan," The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)
NBC's Savannah Guthrie: "She really played to her strengths saying in words and demeanor, I'm one of you, and she was not afraid to go on the attack." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
National Review's Andy McCarthy: "She's the real deal." (Andy McCarthy, "Sarah," National Review Online's "The Corner" Blog, www.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
National Review's Mark Levin: "I have been involved in and observed politics for a long time. Governor Palin is a truly unique national figure. She is down to earth, personable, and smart as hell. That's right. She has been on the national scene for a little over a month, she has been campaigning everywhere, she has had to bone up on all kinds of national issues, and she has shown class throughout. Too often too many are persuaded by the mainstream media's opinion and react to that. This should be another lesson in that regard. As for some of her populist views, she cannot openly campaign against the positions of her presidential running mate. She is the bright light in this campaign from my perspective." (Mark Levin, "Palin Tonight," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
NBC's Ron Allen: "The [Obama-Biden] campaign was saying today she's a very skilled debater, and that's what they got." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
Democratic Strategist Paul Begala: "Sarah Palin's strategy was to defend Sarah Palin and repair her damaged image and I think she did pretty good job of that." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/2/08)
The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer: "I am speaking as the resident Palin, and representative of the effete Eastern establishment, I thought that she did extremely well. ... I think over all, as an impression, she left a very good one" (Fox News' "Vice Presidential Debate," 10/2/08)
CNN's Alex Castellanos: "[W]hen you look at Sarah Palin, you saw America, you saw outsiders, you saw Main Street, not Wall Street. The Republican brand needed to see that tonight and they got it." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
· Castellanos: "There were two debates, the first on economy and energy. I thought Palin won that. In that, she established herself as a legitimate contender for the vice-presidency of the United States." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "AND THE WINNER IS ... Sarah Palin is the breath of fresh air on the political scene so many hoped she is. And she'll be honored to beat the guy who's been in the Senate since she was in the second grade." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "And The Winner Is," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
(Hi all, I'd love to take credit for compiling these headlines, but they come from the McCain campaign. Other than these headlines, all else in this blog are my words and thoughts!!! I am a member of the not-liberal-media and get these. I share these at times with friends who also post them on their blogs. You are all welcome to copy and paste and use them however you'd like! The more good news we can spread about our Sarah, the better!)
The Associated Press Headline: "Palin Stands Her Ground In VP Debate With Biden" (Liz Sidoti, "Analysis: Stakes High, Palin Tops Expectations," The Associated Press, 10/2/08)
The New York Times' Peter Baker: "Palin Meets A Test." (Peter Baker, "Palin Meets A Test," The New York Times' "The Caucus" Blog, thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com, 10/2/08)
NPR's Michelle Norris: "[S]he delivered a performance that filled in the resume and also helped people perhaps connect to her on a very visceral level." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
CNBC's Larry Kudlow: "I Think She's Going To Be The Clear Winner In This." "I think she's going to be the clear winner in this, and oddly enough, it's directly symmetrical to what happened with McCain and Obama. In this case, she held her ground. She was informed and she was strong. ... And I'll tell you what, she made very strong distinctions on energy drilling for lower prices and lower taxes not higher." (CNBC's "The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch," 10/2/08)
The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire Blog: "A confident, folksy Sarah Palin attacked the Democratic presidential ticket on taxes and partisanship, holding her own against her senior vice-presidential rival." ("Who Won The Vice-Presidential Debate?" The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)
The Wall Street Journal's T.W. Farnam: "Joe Biden tried to critique Sarah Palin's call for using successful techniques from Iraq and moving them to Afghanistan, but her response seemed to leave him uncharacteristically at a loss for words." (T.W. Farnam, "Palin Gives Biden Pause On Afghanistan," The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)
NBC's Savannah Guthrie: "She really played to her strengths saying in words and demeanor, I'm one of you, and she was not afraid to go on the attack." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
National Review's Andy McCarthy: "She's the real deal." (Andy McCarthy, "Sarah," National Review Online's "The Corner" Blog, www.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
National Review's Mark Levin: "I have been involved in and observed politics for a long time. Governor Palin is a truly unique national figure. She is down to earth, personable, and smart as hell. That's right. She has been on the national scene for a little over a month, she has been campaigning everywhere, she has had to bone up on all kinds of national issues, and she has shown class throughout. Too often too many are persuaded by the mainstream media's opinion and react to that. This should be another lesson in that regard. As for some of her populist views, she cannot openly campaign against the positions of her presidential running mate. She is the bright light in this campaign from my perspective." (Mark Levin, "Palin Tonight," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
NBC's Ron Allen: "The [Obama-Biden] campaign was saying today she's a very skilled debater, and that's what they got." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
Democratic Strategist Paul Begala: "Sarah Palin's strategy was to defend Sarah Palin and repair her damaged image and I think she did pretty good job of that." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/2/08)
The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer: "I am speaking as the resident Palin, and representative of the effete Eastern establishment, I thought that she did extremely well. ... I think over all, as an impression, she left a very good one" (Fox News' "Vice Presidential Debate," 10/2/08)
CNN's Alex Castellanos: "[W]hen you look at Sarah Palin, you saw America, you saw outsiders, you saw Main Street, not Wall Street. The Republican brand needed to see that tonight and they got it." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
· Castellanos: "There were two debates, the first on economy and energy. I thought Palin won that. In that, she established herself as a legitimate contender for the vice-presidency of the United States." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)
National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "AND THE WINNER IS ... Sarah Palin is the breath of fresh air on the political scene so many hoped she is. And she'll be honored to beat the guy who's been in the Senate since she was in the second grade." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "And The Winner Is," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)
(Hi all, I'd love to take credit for compiling these headlines, but they come from the McCain campaign. Other than these headlines, all else in this blog are my words and thoughts!!! I am a member of the not-liberal-media
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Ha! You go girl!
Sarah Palin showed them.
Ha.
I was just listening as Rove listed ten factual, not debatable, errors by Biden. So much for knowing the facts and being the vaulted experienced one.
Rove looked up the votes and Biden was wrong.
But back to the best stuff: Sarah did fantastic!
Here's a statement from the campaign:
I loved it when she turned things back to what she wanted to talk about!
Oh man the media is going to tear into her for the next few weeks! They've been proved wrong so they are going to have to go after her with a vengeance.
Ha.
I was just listening as Rove listed ten factual, not debatable, errors by Biden. So much for knowing the facts and being the vaulted experienced one.
Rove looked up the votes and Biden was wrong.
But back to the best stuff: Sarah did fantastic!
Here's a statement from the campaign:
McCain-Palin 2008 Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker issued the
following statement on tonight's Vice Presidential Debate:
"Tonight, Governor Palin proved beyond any doubt that she is ready to
lead as Vice President of the United States. She won this debate, putting Joe
Biden on defense on energy, foreign policy, taxes and the definition of change.
Governor Palin laid bare Barack Obama's record of voting to raise taxes,
opposing the surge in Iraq, and proposing to meet unconditionally with the
leaders of state sponsors of terror. The differences between the Obama-Biden
ticket and the McCain-Palin ticket could not have been clearer. The American
people saw stark contrasts in style and worldview. They saw Joe Biden, a
Washington insider and a 36-year Senator, and Governor Palin, a Washington
outsider and a maverick reformer. Governor Palin was direct, forceful and a
breath of fresh air."
I loved it when she turned things back to what she wanted to talk about!
Oh man the media is going to tear into her for the next few weeks! They've been proved wrong so they are going to have to go after her with a vengeance.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
More on Gwen Ifill and her book
I've been glued to the television watching the bailout, flipping between Fox News and CSpan. The topic of Gwen Ifill's book was a topic of discussion on a number of shows and the more I heard, the more upset I became.
She did not disclose the fact that she was writing the book to the debate commission.
If Obama is elected she will make a minimum (best guess by Dick Morris I believe) of $350,000. She could make a million on this one.
Can you imagine the uproar if she were writing a book supporting Sarah Palin? or John McCain? or, heaven forbid, President Bush? The Democrat candidate wouldn't show up, it would be front page news and the outrage would be over the top.
If you don't think the fact that she is openly biased is wrong, or that making money if her candidate wins (her book is worthless if Obama doesn't win) then think of it in a different context.
If someone was going to write her a check for $500,000 if Obama won, would it bother you? If we found out she'd get a new car if Obama won... if she had a guaranteed paycheck of $500 a month for a year if Obama won... you get the picture.
This is outrageous and PBS should be ashamed, she should be ashamed and the debate commission should be ashamed. She should have the grace to step down as the moderator.
On the flip side, maybe now she'll be more cautious with her questions.
I'm going against the grain here as I expect great things from Sarah tomorrow night.
I just found an interesting blog on the subject by Michelle Malkin: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/30/a-debate-%E2%80%9Cmoderator%E2%80%9D-in-the-tank-for-obama/
She did not disclose the fact that she was writing the book to the debate commission.
If Obama is elected she will make a minimum (best guess by Dick Morris I believe) of $350,000. She could make a million on this one.
Can you imagine the uproar if she were writing a book supporting Sarah Palin? or John McCain? or, heaven forbid, President Bush? The Democrat candidate wouldn't show up, it would be front page news and the outrage would be over the top.
If you don't think the fact that she is openly biased is wrong, or that making money if her candidate wins (her book is worthless if Obama doesn't win) then think of it in a different context.
If someone was going to write her a check for $500,000 if Obama won, would it bother you? If we found out she'd get a new car if Obama won... if she had a guaranteed paycheck of $500 a month for a year if Obama won... you get the picture.
This is outrageous and PBS should be ashamed, she should be ashamed and the debate commission should be ashamed. She should have the grace to step down as the moderator.
On the flip side, maybe now she'll be more cautious with her questions.
I'm going against the grain here as I expect great things from Sarah tomorrow night.
I just found an interesting blog on the subject by Michelle Malkin: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/30/a-debate-%E2%80%9Cmoderator%E2%80%9D-in-the-tank-for-obama/
Gwen Ifill is writing a book supporting Barack Obama!
Gwen Ifill of PBS fame is writing a pro-Obama book. In case you're wondering why that is important, it's because she is also the so-called independent moderator of the Palin - Biden debate tomorrow night.
She's known for her zinger questions and we can expect she'll shoot a few of the unexpected at Sarah Palin, but will she be even handed in her questions? Are we getting ready to see another attempted attack on Sarah?
How can expect anyone not to question her credibility when she's openly for one of the candidates?
I hope all my blogger friends will bombard PBS with emails telling them to at least try to fake being non-biased and get another moderator for the debate.
Of course, we run the risk of getting an even more biased moderator who's a lot better at hiding their partisan views.
What a crock this is going to be! I am so tired of the media running our lives and leading the American pubic by the nose. Even the staunch supporters of Sarah Palin have been letting the media get to them at times. It's so subtle, they are so sneaky!
I once did a blog (on another of my blogs) about how the media leads us down the path they choose without our knowledge. We think we're independent and that our views aren't shaped, but oh it is so subtle. I may dig that up and reprint here.
Anyway be aware, tomorrow night is yet another ambush of Sarah and John McCain.
She's known for her zinger questions and we can expect she'll shoot a few of the unexpected at Sarah Palin, but will she be even handed in her questions? Are we getting ready to see another attempted attack on Sarah?
How can expect anyone not to question her credibility when she's openly for one of the candidates?
I hope all my blogger friends will bombard PBS with emails telling them to at least try to fake being non-biased and get another moderator for the debate.
Of course, we run the risk of getting an even more biased moderator who's a lot better at hiding their partisan views.
What a crock this is going to be! I am so tired of the media running our lives and leading the American pubic by the nose. Even the staunch supporters of Sarah Palin have been letting the media get to them at times. It's so subtle, they are so sneaky!
I once did a blog (on another of my blogs) about how the media leads us down the path they choose without our knowledge. We think we're independent and that our views aren't shaped, but oh it is so subtle. I may dig that up and reprint here.
Anyway be aware, tomorrow night is yet another ambush of Sarah and John McCain.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Even MORE from the press on the debate!
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: "These guys came to play on each other's turf. It was really surprising to me is that John McCain came in here with a disadvantage on the economy. Barack Obama had a big advantage, yet I think he spent the 30 minutes very effectively pounding home the points that have to control spending and earmarks." (ABC News' "Vote 08: The Candidates Debate," 9/26/08)
· Stephanopoulos: "I thought other interesting stylistic differences, John McCain, good on emotion, good on establishing emotional connections with his stories." (ABC News' "Vote 08: The Candidates Debate," 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Pat Buchanan: "John McCain clearly won this battle on points. He was aggressive all evening long. He was very tough. He constantly portrayed Barack directly and indirectly as sort of weak and indecisive and inconstant making these statements. He also had a most powerful, emotional moments. I think that Wolfsborough story and that 640 guys re-upping in Iraq, and that woman giving him that bracelet--I think those things reached the heart and the gut. I will say this about Barack Obama. He did what he had to do in the sense that he came off as a tough fellow, a counterpuncher who would stand up to John McCain, and I think he helped himself in that regard, but overall I really think John McCain came off as the winner of this debate, but I go directly to Chris' point." (MSNBC's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
"Obama To McCain: You're 'Absolutely Right'" (Susan Davis, "Obama To McCain: You're 'Absolutely Right,'" The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 9/26/08)
CBS' Jeff Greenfield: "I also think that McCain in the section on foreign policy also gave a strong performance when he said we can't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." (CBS News' "Campaign '08 Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
NBC's Tom Brokaw: "That was the most distinctive difference obviously once we got into the area of national security. John McCain bored in on Barack Obama. He's been reading the same polls we all have. There are grave reservations in most of the polls about whether Barack Obama has enough experience and whether he's qualified to be commander in chief. And tonight Senator McCain went right after that vulnerability in Barack Obama." (NBC's "Presidential Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
The New York Times' David Brooks: "I think McCain was sharp and experienced." (PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
The Politico's Jeanne Cummings: "When we moved into foreign affairs, clearly john McCain hit his stride. It is his strength, and he showed, demonstrated that he is quite knowledgeable." (PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
ABC News' Rick Klein: "9:12 pm CT: ... This is another area where McCain is in his comfort zone. He's having a long discussion on the preconditions line." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
· Klein: "9:20 pm CT: Meaty discussion on Russia -- with lots and lots of Russian names for McCain to pronounce. If people care about this, McCain looks strong." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell: "He [McCain] had a good night on the very issue of taxes and spending. He did seem to dominate the first 30 minutes." (MSNBC's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "10:19: McCain's strong on non-Iraq foreign policy issues." (Marc Ambinder, "The Debate: Liveblogging IV," The Atlantic's "Marc Ambinder" Blog, marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
National Review Online's Jim Geraghty: "From where I sit, McCain had a surprisingly strong night." (Jim Geraghty, "A Surprisingly Strong Night For McCain, While Obama Energizes His Base," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, campaignspot.nationalreview.com, 9/26/08)
· Geraghty: "But the overall message of the night was clear - McCain is smart, familiar with the issues on a striking level of detail, knows what he wants to do: 'I don't think I need any on the job training. I'm ready to go right now... I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I know how to deal with our friends.'" (Jim Geraghty, "A Surprisingly Strong Night For McCain, While Obama Energizes His Base," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, campaignspot.nationalreview.com, 9/26/08)
· Stephanopoulos: "I thought other interesting stylistic differences, John McCain, good on emotion, good on establishing emotional connections with his stories." (ABC News' "Vote 08: The Candidates Debate," 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Pat Buchanan: "John McCain clearly won this battle on points. He was aggressive all evening long. He was very tough. He constantly portrayed Barack directly and indirectly as sort of weak and indecisive and inconstant making these statements. He also had a most powerful, emotional moments. I think that Wolfsborough story and that 640 guys re-upping in Iraq, and that woman giving him that bracelet--I think those things reached the heart and the gut. I will say this about Barack Obama. He did what he had to do in the sense that he came off as a tough fellow, a counterpuncher who would stand up to John McCain, and I think he helped himself in that regard, but overall I really think John McCain came off as the winner of this debate, but I go directly to Chris' point." (MSNBC's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
"Obama To McCain: You're 'Absolutely Right'" (Susan Davis, "Obama To McCain: You're 'Absolutely Right,'" The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 9/26/08)
CBS' Jeff Greenfield: "I also think that McCain in the section on foreign policy also gave a strong performance when he said we can't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." (CBS News' "Campaign '08 Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
NBC's Tom Brokaw: "That was the most distinctive difference obviously once we got into the area of national security. John McCain bored in on Barack Obama. He's been reading the same polls we all have. There are grave reservations in most of the polls about whether Barack Obama has enough experience and whether he's qualified to be commander in chief. And tonight Senator McCain went right after that vulnerability in Barack Obama." (NBC's "Presidential Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
The New York Times' David Brooks: "I think McCain was sharp and experienced." (PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
The Politico's Jeanne Cummings: "When we moved into foreign affairs, clearly john McCain hit his stride. It is his strength, and he showed, demonstrated that he is quite knowledgeable." (PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
ABC News' Rick Klein: "9:12 pm CT: ... This is another area where McCain is in his comfort zone. He's having a long discussion on the preconditions line." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
· Klein: "9:20 pm CT: Meaty discussion on Russia -- with lots and lots of Russian names for McCain to pronounce. If people care about this, McCain looks strong." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell: "He [McCain] had a good night on the very issue of taxes and spending. He did seem to dominate the first 30 minutes." (MSNBC's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "10:19: McCain's strong on non-Iraq foreign policy issues." (Marc Ambinder, "The Debate: Liveblogging IV," The Atlantic's "Marc Ambinder" Blog, marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
National Review Online's Jim Geraghty: "From where I sit, McCain had a surprisingly strong night." (Jim Geraghty, "A Surprisingly Strong Night For McCain, While Obama Energizes His Base," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, campaignspot.nationalreview.com, 9/26/08)
· Geraghty: "But the overall message of the night was clear - McCain is smart, familiar with the issues on a striking level of detail, knows what he wants to do: 'I don't think I need any on the job training. I'm ready to go right now... I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I know how to deal with our friends.'" (Jim Geraghty, "A Surprisingly Strong Night For McCain, While Obama Energizes His Base," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, campaignspot.nationalreview.com, 9/26/08)
More from the press on the McCain debate
"The Mac Is Back," As "McCain Not Only Found A Central Theme But Hit On It Repeatedly"
Politico's Roger Simon: "John McCain was very lucky that he decided to show up for the first presidential debate in Oxford, Miss., Friday night. Because he gave one of his strongest debate performances ever. While Barack Obama repeatedly tried to link McCain to the very unpopular George W. Bush, Bush's name will not be on the ballot in November and McCain's will. And McCain not only found a central theme but hit on it repeatedly. Obama is inexperienced, naive, and just doesn't understand things, McCain said. Sure, McCain is a pretty old guy for a presidential candidate, but he showed the old guy did not mind mixing it up. He stood behind a lectern for 90 minutes without a break -- you try that when you are 72 -- and he not only gave as good as he got, he seemed to relish it more. At least twice after sharp attacks by McCain, Obama seemed to look to moderator Jim Lehrer for help, sa ying to Lehrer, 'Let's move on.'" (Roger Simon, "The Mac Is Back," Poltico, 9/27/08)
· Simon: "But McCain seemed to get it Friday night. He certainly knew enough to try to turn his age into a plus and not a minus. 'There are some advantages to experience, knowledge and judgment,' McCain said. ... McCain seemed to be enjoying himself. He smiled a lot, mostly when Obama was talking, though his smile was really more like a smirk. ... Both avoided their negative stereotypes: Obama did not seem aloof or condescending. McCain did not seem erratic or wild. You could imagine either one of them in the Oval Office, but only one is going to get there. 'I don't need any on-the-job training,' McCain said. 'I am ready to go at it right now.' He certainly seemed like it Friday night." (Roger Simon, "The Mac Is Back," Poltico, 9/27/08)
"It Was One Of The Most Substantive Debates In Recent Presidential Campaign History And John McCain Won It. The Arizona Senator Was Cool, Informed And Forceful ..."
The Des Moines Register's David Yepsen: "It was one of the most substantive debates in recent presidential campaign history and John McCain won it. The Arizona senator was cool, informed and forceful in Friday's first presidential debate of the general election campaign. He repeatedly put Barack Obama on the defensive throughout the 90 minutes session. Obama did little to ease voter concerns that he's experienced enough to handle foreign and defense policy. That was his number one task Friday night and he failed." (David Yepsen, "McCain Wins Round 1," The Des Moines Register's "On Politics" Blog, www.desmoinesregister.com, 9/26/08)
The New Republic's Michael Crowley: "McCain also had a clarity of message that Obama lacked. His core message is easy to sum up: Let's cut waste and spending. I'm a tough leader. Obama is naive and unprepared. Obama, by contrast, had no single message that he repeatedly drove home." (Michael Crowley, "McCain Was Good. But Good Enough?" The New Republic's "Stump" Blog, blogs.tnr.com, 9/26/08)
· Crowley: "And stylistically, McCain was more in control. He was the one setting the tone and introducing nettlesome topics, forcing Obama to respond and defend himself." (Michael Crowley, "McCain Was Good. But Good Enough?" The New Republic's "Stump" Blog, blogs.tnr.com, 9/26/08)
ABC's David Wright: "McCain, too, not only had a strong performance tonight, but seemed to have a strategy throughout. As George said, you heard him mention over and over again, Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand. He also kept mentioning his travel schedule. I've been to Waziristan, I've been to South Ossetia, and at the very end he paid it off with his humdinger of a line at the end, saying that basically, he doesn't need on the job experience. I think the McCain campaign is very pleased with it." (ABC's "Vote '08: Presidential Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
The New York Times' Bill Kristol: "I think McCain won the debate. I think there will be a deal this weekend and he will be vindicated in his efforts to some degree to have actually dealt with reality as opposed to going around giving stump speeches and the McCain campaign will have momentum going into next week and that will set up the Palin-Biden debate." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/26/08)
Real Clear Politics' Blake Dvorak: "[M]cCain performed well, putting Obama on the defensive on several occasions and getting in some good one-liners." (Blake Dvorak, "Who Won...?" Real Clear Politics' "The Real Clear Politics" Blog, time-blog.com, 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Ross Douthat: "A Win For McCain." (Ross Douthat, "A Win For McCain," The Atlantic's "Ross Douthat" Blog, rossdouthat.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
Commentary's Jennifer Rubin: "Only the most devoted partisan could deny it was a very, very strong outing for John McCain. On foreign policy he was devastating -- making clear how much more resolute and experienced he is." (Jennifer Rubin, "The Winner," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 9/26/08)
"McCain Was Repeatedly On The Offensive And To Some Extent, Obama Was On The Defensive"
Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss: "[J]ohn McCain was repeatedly on the offensive and to some extent, Obama was on the defensive. I was surprised by that. in terms of strategy, we'll see what works. But often times in debates, if a candidate does go on the offensive, it does tend to work. That's what Kennedy did in 1960. It's what Ronald Reagan did in 1980 and it is what Bill Clinton did in 1992." (PBS's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "McCain's strongest moment of the debate also happened to be Obama's weakest. McCain absolutely hammered Obama over his pledge to meet with rogue foreign leaders without preconditions and Obama had no ready answer -- odd since he had to know this attack was coming. McCain was able to turn a single question about meeting with rogue leaders into an extended colloquy that ended with him hitting Obama for misunderstanding Henry Kissinger. A very good moment for McCain." (Chris Cillizza, "The Mississippi Debate: First Thoughts And Who Won?" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
· Cillizza: "He poked fun at his age several times, jabbed Obama playfully yet effectively (I don't even have a presidential seal') and seemed in command of the subject matter and the stage. When moderator Jim Lehrer said at one point that the two candidates had spoken for almost the same amount of time, we were surprised; McCain seemed from our perspective to command more time." (Chris Cillizza, "The Mississippi Debate: First Thoughts and Who Won?" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
Los Angeles Times: "But McCain closed strongly, becoming more assertive in the debate's final 30 minutes and zinging Obama time and again as out of his league on foreign policy." (Don Frederick and Kate Linthicum, "Live-Blogging The Presidential Debate: McCain, Obama Start Out Sparring Over The Economy," Los Angeles Times' "Top Of The Ticker" Blog, latimesblogs.latimes.com, 9/26/08)
CNN's Alex Castellanos: "The old fighter pilot I thought hit the target. He demonstrated great command, names, places, name dropping is not a bad thing in a foreign policy debate like this sometime and he even got under Barack Obama's skin." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
· Castellanos: "I thought McCain was successful, even though Barack Obama scored a lot. I think on a few more points, McCain kind of dragged him down into the foreign policy debate and worked him over, I thought pretty good. ... It looked almost a little bit like at times Obama was looking for the flash cards and he'd crammed for the exam and McCain obviously didn't have to do that..." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
Politico's Roger Simon: "John McCain was very lucky that he decided to show up for the first presidential debate in Oxford, Miss., Friday night. Because he gave one of his strongest debate performances ever. While Barack Obama repeatedly tried to link McCain to the very unpopular George W. Bush, Bush's name will not be on the ballot in November and McCain's will. And McCain not only found a central theme but hit on it repeatedly. Obama is inexperienced, naive, and just doesn't understand things, McCain said. Sure, McCain is a pretty old guy for a presidential candidate, but he showed the old guy did not mind mixing it up. He stood behind a lectern for 90 minutes without a break -- you try that when you are 72 -- and he not only gave as good as he got, he seemed to relish it more. At least twice after sharp attacks by McCain, Obama seemed to look to moderator Jim Lehrer for help, sa ying to Lehrer, 'Let's move on.'" (Roger Simon, "The Mac Is Back," Poltico, 9/27/08)
· Simon: "But McCain seemed to get it Friday night. He certainly knew enough to try to turn his age into a plus and not a minus. 'There are some advantages to experience, knowledge and judgment,' McCain said. ... McCain seemed to be enjoying himself. He smiled a lot, mostly when Obama was talking, though his smile was really more like a smirk. ... Both avoided their negative stereotypes: Obama did not seem aloof or condescending. McCain did not seem erratic or wild. You could imagine either one of them in the Oval Office, but only one is going to get there. 'I don't need any on-the-job training,' McCain said. 'I am ready to go at it right now.' He certainly seemed like it Friday night." (Roger Simon, "The Mac Is Back," Poltico, 9/27/08)
"It Was One Of The Most Substantive Debates In Recent Presidential Campaign History And John McCain Won It. The Arizona Senator Was Cool, Informed And Forceful ..."
The Des Moines Register's David Yepsen: "It was one of the most substantive debates in recent presidential campaign history and John McCain won it. The Arizona senator was cool, informed and forceful in Friday's first presidential debate of the general election campaign. He repeatedly put Barack Obama on the defensive throughout the 90 minutes session. Obama did little to ease voter concerns that he's experienced enough to handle foreign and defense policy. That was his number one task Friday night and he failed." (David Yepsen, "McCain Wins Round 1," The Des Moines Register's "On Politics" Blog, www.desmoinesregister.com, 9/26/08)
The New Republic's Michael Crowley: "McCain also had a clarity of message that Obama lacked. His core message is easy to sum up: Let's cut waste and spending. I'm a tough leader. Obama is naive and unprepared. Obama, by contrast, had no single message that he repeatedly drove home." (Michael Crowley, "McCain Was Good. But Good Enough?" The New Republic's "Stump" Blog, blogs.tnr.com, 9/26/08)
· Crowley: "And stylistically, McCain was more in control. He was the one setting the tone and introducing nettlesome topics, forcing Obama to respond and defend himself." (Michael Crowley, "McCain Was Good. But Good Enough?" The New Republic's "Stump" Blog, blogs.tnr.com, 9/26/08)
ABC's David Wright: "McCain, too, not only had a strong performance tonight, but seemed to have a strategy throughout. As George said, you heard him mention over and over again, Senator Obama doesn't seem to understand. He also kept mentioning his travel schedule. I've been to Waziristan, I've been to South Ossetia, and at the very end he paid it off with his humdinger of a line at the end, saying that basically, he doesn't need on the job experience. I think the McCain campaign is very pleased with it." (ABC's "Vote '08: Presidential Debate Analysis," 9/26/08)
The New York Times' Bill Kristol: "I think McCain won the debate. I think there will be a deal this weekend and he will be vindicated in his efforts to some degree to have actually dealt with reality as opposed to going around giving stump speeches and the McCain campaign will have momentum going into next week and that will set up the Palin-Biden debate." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/26/08)
Real Clear Politics' Blake Dvorak: "[M]cCain performed well, putting Obama on the defensive on several occasions and getting in some good one-liners." (Blake Dvorak, "Who Won...?" Real Clear Politics' "The Real Clear Politics" Blog, time-blog.com, 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Ross Douthat: "A Win For McCain." (Ross Douthat, "A Win For McCain," The Atlantic's "Ross Douthat" Blog, rossdouthat.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
Commentary's Jennifer Rubin: "Only the most devoted partisan could deny it was a very, very strong outing for John McCain. On foreign policy he was devastating -- making clear how much more resolute and experienced he is." (Jennifer Rubin, "The Winner," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 9/26/08)
"McCain Was Repeatedly On The Offensive And To Some Extent, Obama Was On The Defensive"
Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss: "[J]ohn McCain was repeatedly on the offensive and to some extent, Obama was on the defensive. I was surprised by that. in terms of strategy, we'll see what works. But often times in debates, if a candidate does go on the offensive, it does tend to work. That's what Kennedy did in 1960. It's what Ronald Reagan did in 1980 and it is what Bill Clinton did in 1992." (PBS's "Presidential Debate," 9/26/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "McCain's strongest moment of the debate also happened to be Obama's weakest. McCain absolutely hammered Obama over his pledge to meet with rogue foreign leaders without preconditions and Obama had no ready answer -- odd since he had to know this attack was coming. McCain was able to turn a single question about meeting with rogue leaders into an extended colloquy that ended with him hitting Obama for misunderstanding Henry Kissinger. A very good moment for McCain." (Chris Cillizza, "The Mississippi Debate: First Thoughts And Who Won?" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
· Cillizza: "He poked fun at his age several times, jabbed Obama playfully yet effectively (I don't even have a presidential seal') and seemed in command of the subject matter and the stage. When moderator Jim Lehrer said at one point that the two candidates had spoken for almost the same amount of time, we were surprised; McCain seemed from our perspective to command more time." (Chris Cillizza, "The Mississippi Debate: First Thoughts and Who Won?" The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
Los Angeles Times: "But McCain closed strongly, becoming more assertive in the debate's final 30 minutes and zinging Obama time and again as out of his league on foreign policy." (Don Frederick and Kate Linthicum, "Live-Blogging The Presidential Debate: McCain, Obama Start Out Sparring Over The Economy," Los Angeles Times' "Top Of The Ticker" Blog, latimesblogs.latimes.com, 9/26/08)
CNN's Alex Castellanos: "The old fighter pilot I thought hit the target. He demonstrated great command, names, places, name dropping is not a bad thing in a foreign policy debate like this sometime and he even got under Barack Obama's skin." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
· Castellanos: "I thought McCain was successful, even though Barack Obama scored a lot. I think on a few more points, McCain kind of dragged him down into the foreign policy debate and worked him over, I thought pretty good. ... It looked almost a little bit like at times Obama was looking for the flash cards and he'd crammed for the exam and McCain obviously didn't have to do that..." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 9/26/08)
Friday, September 26, 2008
What the press is saying about the debates (from McCain Campaign)
Fortune's Nina Easton: "I thought it was a really good night for John McCain In the first 35 for a couple of reasons. The first 35 minutes I counted seven or eight attacks. He just went after Obama. Everything from accusing him of supporting earmarks to accusing him of supporting a -- what did he say? An energy bill that was festooned with goodies. And it seemed to knock Obama off balance. It did two things it knocked Obama off balance he really had trouble getting his sea legs again and secondly, it moved this whole conversation about the financial crisis back to a conversation that John McCain is comfortable with, which is spending. They didn't really talk about the financial crisis that much. And so I thought and the other thing is, just in terms of style, John McCain comes off as very clear, direct, you know, I looked at Putin and I saw KGB in his eyes. He talks directly. There's still something bland and policy-speak about Barack Obama that I don't think does really well in these settings. He comes off as -- and I know people use the term 'cool,' but I find it policy-speak in rounded edges and not direct." (Fox News' "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren," 9/26/08)
CNN's Bill Schneider: "McCain scores a good point, that under Obama's original plan on Iraq, US troops would have been out last spring, before the implementation of the surge." (Bill Schneider, "Schneider: McCain Hits Stride On Iraq," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
· Schneider: "McCain, in talking about Afghanistan and Pakistan, is drawing on his vast experience for the first time in this debate, and it really sounds very convincing." (Bill Schneider, "McCain Scores Points On Experience," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
· Schneider: "McCain's scoring points on Obama's opposition to the so-called surge in Iraq, a buildup of forces that McCain vigorously supported." (Bill Schneider, "McCain Scoring Points," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
Fox News' Mosheh Oinounou: "Obama has said 'John is right' five times in the debate so far." (Mosheh Oinounou, "'John Is Right'" Fox News' "Embeds" Blog, embeds.blogs.foxnews.com, 9/26/08)
· The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "Barack Obama repeatedly saying: 'I agree with Sen. McCain' or 'I agree with John.'" (Jonathan Martin, "A YouTube You Will See Before The Clock Strikes Midnight," The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
The Politico's Ben Smith: "McCain's sharp and focused; he hasn't landed a really hard punch, but he's scoring on a lot of jabs." (Ben Smith, "McCain's Turf," The Politico's "Ben Smith" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
· Smith: "McCain points out -- accurately -- that Henry Kissinger has suggested diplomacy at the Secretary of State level, not presidential summitry with Iran." (Ben Smith, "Kissinger Fact Check," The Politico's "Ben Smith" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
ABC News' Jake Tapper: "9:53 - 'You don't do that, you don't say that out loud,' McCain says about Obama's threat to sent US troops into Pakistan to strike at high-level al Qaeda operatives if given high level intelligence, with or without Pakistani government permission. McCain quotes George Schulz saying don't point a gun unless you're prepared to pull the trigger. Credible riff here, I think." (Jake Tapper, "Live-Bloggin' The Debate," blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
ABC News' Rick Klein: "9:08 pm CT: You knew this was coming -- a blistering attack on the preconditions line Obama has long wished he never delivered. This is a McCain layup." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "McCain has a strong moment early, drawing an implicit contrast with President Bush. Noting the criticism he took from his own party for calling on SEC head Chris Cox, the GOP nominee promises in firm language: 'As president of the United States people are going to be held accountable in my administration.'" (Jonathan Martin, "McCain Forceful On Accountability," The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
· Martin: "Instead, in what surely made weary McCain aides smile, their guy just was able to set off a protracted discussion of earmarks and spending, getting in repeated references to Obama's requests for Illinois. Never bad turf for Republicans, but especially for this Republican." (Jonathan Martin, "The 'Foreign Policy' Debate..." The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "An extended debate on meeting with foreign rogue leaders without preconditions = good for McCain." (Chris Cillizza, "The Fix Twitters The Debate," The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "McCain demonstrates a solid understanding of the region [Afghanistan and Pakistan] here..." (Marc Ambinder, "The Debate: Liveblogging III," The Atlantic's "Marc Ambinder" Blog, marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Carrie Dann: "McCain's is the message that tests more strongly with voters. The latest NBC/WSJ poll showed that respondents prefer 'a president who will go in and clean up Washington and take on the waste and fraud in the system' to 'a president who will end the Bush administration policies, and have active government oversight.' by a margin of 67 to 29%" (Carrie Dann, "The Two Money Messages: How They Test," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 9/26/08)
National Review Online's Jim Geraghty: "Judging from CNN's scrolling chart, independents also seemed to like McCain citing Tom Coburn calling earmarks a 'gateway drug.'" (Jim Geraghty, "'Gateway Drug' And 'It Corrupts People!' Seem To Move The Dials," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, 9/26/08)
CNN's Bill Schneider: "McCain scores a good point, that under Obama's original plan on Iraq, US troops would have been out last spring, before the implementation of the surge." (Bill Schneider, "Schneider: McCain Hits Stride On Iraq," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
· Schneider: "McCain, in talking about Afghanistan and Pakistan, is drawing on his vast experience for the first time in this debate, and it really sounds very convincing." (Bill Schneider, "McCain Scores Points On Experience," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
· Schneider: "McCain's scoring points on Obama's opposition to the so-called surge in Iraq, a buildup of forces that McCain vigorously supported." (Bill Schneider, "McCain Scoring Points," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com, 9/26/08)
Fox News' Mosheh Oinounou: "Obama has said 'John is right' five times in the debate so far." (Mosheh Oinounou, "'John Is Right'" Fox News' "Embeds" Blog, embeds.blogs.foxnews.com, 9/26/08)
· The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "Barack Obama repeatedly saying: 'I agree with Sen. McCain' or 'I agree with John.'" (Jonathan Martin, "A YouTube You Will See Before The Clock Strikes Midnight," The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
The Politico's Ben Smith: "McCain's sharp and focused; he hasn't landed a really hard punch, but he's scoring on a lot of jabs." (Ben Smith, "McCain's Turf," The Politico's "Ben Smith" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
· Smith: "McCain points out -- accurately -- that Henry Kissinger has suggested diplomacy at the Secretary of State level, not presidential summitry with Iran." (Ben Smith, "Kissinger Fact Check," The Politico's "Ben Smith" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
ABC News' Jake Tapper: "9:53 - 'You don't do that, you don't say that out loud,' McCain says about Obama's threat to sent US troops into Pakistan to strike at high-level al Qaeda operatives if given high level intelligence, with or without Pakistani government permission. McCain quotes George Schulz saying don't point a gun unless you're prepared to pull the trigger. Credible riff here, I think." (Jake Tapper, "Live-Bloggin' The Debate," blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
ABC News' Rick Klein: "9:08 pm CT: You knew this was coming -- a blistering attack on the preconditions line Obama has long wished he never delivered. This is a McCain layup." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate Blog," ABC News, blogs.abcnews.com, 9/26/08)
The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "McCain has a strong moment early, drawing an implicit contrast with President Bush. Noting the criticism he took from his own party for calling on SEC head Chris Cox, the GOP nominee promises in firm language: 'As president of the United States people are going to be held accountable in my administration.'" (Jonathan Martin, "McCain Forceful On Accountability," The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
· Martin: "Instead, in what surely made weary McCain aides smile, their guy just was able to set off a protracted discussion of earmarks and spending, getting in repeated references to Obama's requests for Illinois. Never bad turf for Republicans, but especially for this Republican." (Jonathan Martin, "The 'Foreign Policy' Debate..." The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 9/26/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "An extended debate on meeting with foreign rogue leaders without preconditions = good for McCain." (Chris Cillizza, "The Fix Twitters The Debate," The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, voices.washingtonpost.com, 9/26/08)
The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "McCain demonstrates a solid understanding of the region [Afghanistan and Pakistan] here..." (Marc Ambinder, "The Debate: Liveblogging III," The Atlantic's "Marc Ambinder" Blog, marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 9/26/08)
MSNBC's Carrie Dann: "McCain's is the message that tests more strongly with voters. The latest NBC/WSJ poll showed that respondents prefer 'a president who will go in and clean up Washington and take on the waste and fraud in the system' to 'a president who will end the Bush administration policies, and have active government oversight.' by a margin of 67 to 29%" (Carrie Dann, "The Two Money Messages: How They Test," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 9/26/08)
National Review Online's Jim Geraghty: "Judging from CNN's scrolling chart, independents also seemed to like McCain citing Tom Coburn calling earmarks a 'gateway drug.'" (Jim Geraghty, "'Gateway Drug' And 'It Corrupts People!' Seem To Move The Dials," National Review Online's "The Campaign Spot" Blog, 9/26/08)
McCain did great!
I thought John McCain did great tonight. I was a bit concerned given the events of the past few days. I thought the running back and forth, the stress of the situation and the loss of preparation time might adversely impact his performance. He rose to the challenge fantastically.
I thought Obama's facial contortions were very UN-Presidential. His smirks and the continual interruptions were NOT Presidential. It was rude. While McCain is talking Obama's off to the side going, "me, me, me, let me talk" like a child who just can't wait his turn.
I didn't see any major flubs by Obama, definitely none by Senator McCain.
I did NOT like the lack of respect Obama showed by calling Senator McCain "John" while Senator McCain was respectful of Obama in using his title.
I thought Senator McCain did a very good job of driving home the fact that Senator Obama does not have the experience to lead. After tonight's debate it was clear that Obama does not have the temperament and maturity to be President.
Overall I thought the debate was very good. I enjoyed the lack of formality and the way the debate was conducted (despite the fact that I wanted to put a curtain over Obama's side while he was jumping up and down trying to get attention while McCain was talking).
McCain got the last shot in and I liked his zinger ending.
I thought Obama's facial contortions were very UN-Presidential. His smirks and the continual interruptions were NOT Presidential. It was rude. While McCain is talking Obama's off to the side going, "me, me, me, let me talk" like a child who just can't wait his turn.
I didn't see any major flubs by Obama, definitely none by Senator McCain.
I did NOT like the lack of respect Obama showed by calling Senator McCain "John" while Senator McCain was respectful of Obama in using his title.
I thought Senator McCain did a very good job of driving home the fact that Senator Obama does not have the experience to lead. After tonight's debate it was clear that Obama does not have the temperament and maturity to be President.
Overall I thought the debate was very good. I enjoyed the lack of formality and the way the debate was conducted (despite the fact that I wanted to put a curtain over Obama's side while he was jumping up and down trying to get attention while McCain was talking).
McCain got the last shot in and I liked his zinger ending.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live?
I don't think so, but there was some speculation on Fox News & Friends this morning CLEARLY stated as speculation. Seems the Secret Service have been checking out the floor where Saturday Night Live is shot, which is something they do before one of the candidates appears.
I think it's going to be Barack Obama. He postponed his appearance before due to the hurricane.
He won't postpone the debates due to a financial hurricane and doesn't want the topic changed. National security and related? Who care right now when most of us are thinking about our stocks, 401K's. retirement and our future financial well-being?
I don't want Sarah on SNL after how they were so nasty to her husband and children with the incest skit. Unless the reason she's on there is so the entire cast can walk up front and APOLOGIZE profusely.
Now, if Barack goes on there during this financial crisis it'll show what he's really thinking about (which we already know), and that is numero uno, Barack Obama.
We have a financial crisis and he's having $30,000 a ticket fund raisers. We're wondering where our next dollar is coming from to pay for gas and he's flying a plane back and forth to debates. How much gas is THAT going to take? Why aren't the environmental types out protesting?
The Left is trying to spread the idea around that John McCain is scared to debate Obama. Sure guys, show your intelligence on that one! John McCain is the one who wanted around 10 town hall meetings with Barack Obama and your guy is the one who turned them all down, couldn't handle talking to John McCain and a group of people at the same time. Gee, isn't that multi-tasking? What is so scary about talking to the American People and answering their questions?
Which has me thinking about Barack Obama's talks to the public. Has he done any talks where he answered questions from the "regular" people or just from the press? Every talk I've seen has him standing behind a teleprompter.
I think it's going to be Barack Obama. He postponed his appearance before due to the hurricane.
He won't postpone the debates due to a financial hurricane and doesn't want the topic changed. National security and related? Who care right now when most of us are thinking about our stocks, 401K's. retirement and our future financial well-being?
I don't want Sarah on SNL after how they were so nasty to her husband and children with the incest skit. Unless the reason she's on there is so the entire cast can walk up front and APOLOGIZE profusely.
Now, if Barack goes on there during this financial crisis it'll show what he's really thinking about (which we already know), and that is numero uno, Barack Obama.
We have a financial crisis and he's having $30,000 a ticket fund raisers. We're wondering where our next dollar is coming from to pay for gas and he's flying a plane back and forth to debates. How much gas is THAT going to take? Why aren't the environmental types out protesting?
The Left is trying to spread the idea around that John McCain is scared to debate Obama. Sure guys, show your intelligence on that one! John McCain is the one who wanted around 10 town hall meetings with Barack Obama and your guy is the one who turned them all down, couldn't handle talking to John McCain and a group of people at the same time. Gee, isn't that multi-tasking? What is so scary about talking to the American People and answering their questions?
Which has me thinking about Barack Obama's talks to the public. Has he done any talks where he answered questions from the "regular" people or just from the press? Every talk I've seen has him standing behind a teleprompter.
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