[ Posted Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 – 16:40 UTC ]
The past week may have been a crucial turning point for the presidential hopes of John McCain. Because finally -- finally! -- the mainstream media (including some very right-wing sources) have realized that it is not "McCain 2000" who is running this year, but "McCain 2008" -- a whole different breed of cat. This may have been McCain's biggest hidden asset, but ever since he hired the Karl Rove-trained campaign staff he's got now, he has carelessly tossed this potent secret weapon aside.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Monday, September 15th, 2008 – 17:23 UTC ]
What a difference a weekend can make! Barack Obama's campaign is strongly defending themselves in the air wars, and taking the fight to John McCain. Joe Biden has found his voice on the campaign trail, giving some rousing stump speeches. And Obama himself seems to be learning the "bumpersticker" rule of political slogans; keep it short and simple! But the real highlight of the weekend had to be CBS' Face The Nation, where Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz -- a former Hillary Clinton supporter, it should be noted -- showed everyone else what a surrogate is supposed to do. She had her facts ready, she knew her issues, and she was absolutely relentless in making her points. Her performance was so strong and so well focused that it would be foolish not to immediately send her out on the campaign trail and/or to as many television interviews as she can squeeze into her schedule.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Friday, September 12th, 2008 – 17:08 UTC ]
Yes, Volume 47 of the Friday Talking Points column is actually our one-year anniversary. The very first installment of this indomitable column aired on September 14, 2007.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Thursday, September 11th, 2008 – 17:24 UTC ]
As a public service, today I am running a full transcript of Craig Ferguson, host of The Late Late Show on CBS, from last night, 8/10/08.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 – 15:38 UTC ]
Barack Obama has been getting lots of advice recently about what to do out on the campaign trail. Since it seems to be "Give Obama Advice Week," I'd like to offer up a campaign ad script.
Part of the problem Obama's been having since Sarah Palin appeared is that he's been playing defense ever since. He needs to go back on the offense on McCain, and drive the news cycle instead of just reacting to it.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 – 15:01 UTC ]
Because Maliki's Shi'ite-dominated government has shown absolutely no inclination to hire any of their former Sunni enemies, either in the military or otherwise. And once the Americans are gone from the province, it's hard to believe that Maliki will continue paying them their $300 per month very much longer, either.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Monday, September 8th, 2008 – 12:22 UTC ]
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki seems to have the upper hand in the ongoing negotiations with the Bush administration. The talks continue, in an attempt to hammer out an agreement for U.S. troops to operate in Iraq after the United Nations framework expires at the end of this year. Upon reflection, it's easy to see why Maliki is getting stronger in this diplomatic tug-of-war, and Bush is getting weaker -- because the clock is running out on Bush, and because Bush's domestic popularity continues to fall while Maliki is using the international media to boost his own popularity with the voters in Iraq.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Friday, September 5th, 2008 – 17:09 UTC ]
moose poop (n.) -- (1) Synonym for "bullshit," esp. when used to describe falsehoods coming out of Sarah Palin's mouth, or indeed any Republican in the 2008 election. (2) Genteel term for the scat or feces of alces alces (North American moose). See also: moose shit. Usage: (1) I see Sarah Palin's spouting the same old moose poop. (2) Watch your step, there's some moose poop on the trail here.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Thursday, September 4th, 2008 – 22:21 UTC ]
For all the undecided and just-getting-interested middle-class voters out there, McCain's speech didn't really offer much. It certainly didn't offer any new ideas or policies I could get behind. In fact, Obama's speech was addressed directly to such voters, and McCain's speech all but ignored them. The image I got from McCain is that he's a "maverick" who is for exactly what his party is for. Not very mavericky, in my book.
Read Complete Article »
[ Posted Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 – 14:49 UTC ]
I open today with that Fargo quote for many reasons. The first of which, it's funny. As a matter of fact, it's so funny I think I'll make it the title of this piece, as well. The second of which, I think Fargo DVDs are going to be selling like hotcakes after Sarah Palin's speech tonight. Because, thirdly, this would be the perfect quote for Palin to use. Sarah Palin (I really hope Republican speechwriters aren't reading this) has a very similar accent to Margie in Fargo, and references are inevitably going to be made... so she could get out in front of it, and indeed turn such references to her advantage.
Read Complete Article »
