Quote of the Day 

Joe Biden: "Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I could walk from here to Lansing, and I wouldn't run into a single person who thought our economy was doing well, unless I ran into John McCain."

Uncle Joe grows a pair even though he's still saying "ladies and gentlemen."

Everyone laughed but... 

They didn't believe me when I said the Palin choice wouldn't age well, but I stand by the prediction. It might have worked had she had the depth, intelligence and curiosity of a Christie Todd Whitman or the experience and presence of Kay Bailey Hutchinson, or any number of male Republicans who would add to McCain's depth and would be genuinely good choices when viewed through the Country First lens. (Which is a very good way to look at things but not the way the Republicans are doing it.)

Imho, Palin is an empty suit. The kind of person who flunked out of pre-med at a party school in the Deep South (yes, I went to one). A person without curiosity, who doesn't read the Washington Post or the NY Times or Politico or watch Nightline or occasionally read a history book, or listen to a political podcast every once in a while. Could she name the other candidates of her own party in the Presidential race? How about in the Democratic race? Has she visited post-Katrina New Orleans?

They asked if she had ever been overseas but did they ask how many museums or monuments in Washington she had visited? Ever been to an opera or how about a baseball game? Which of the 50 states has she visited? My guess the answers to those questions would reveal that there are a lot of holes in her experience even for someone who has rarely left the United States. By age 44, if you want to lead our country, it seems there are some pretty basic things you should know and have done.

I think in their hearts Americans know that electing a President who was like the rest of us was a mistake. We need someone who is an over-achiever, not just curious, but a sponge for ideas, information, perspectives. Someone who can't stop reading and asking other people what they think. I think in the end we're going to do the right thing, and I stick by my belief that the Palin choice will start to smell really soon, not just to us elites with health insurance and education, but to the people in our country who desperately need those things for themselves and their families.

Getting ready for the next Rove attack 

1. I totally don't trust Rove when he says that McC has gone too far. I wouldn't take the bait and pass this on as the Obama folk are doing. There's got to be a virus in there somewhere. Some devious trap that springs later in this process. Rove is like the original wingnut idiot blogger, he's been practicing so long, he's the #1 troll in the USA, something I'm sure he's proud of. I've been fending off trolls almost as long as he's been one.

2. I don't trust McC when he says, again, that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. The first time he said it he didn't have coaches, we were seeing the original confused Mind Of McCain, raised in politics before Gotchas were such an artform. This new McC is always on message, so when he said this, it was part of, probably the beginning of, a campaign that's about to launch. Then almost immediately you can see what it is.

3. It's all part of the Obama is Elitist thing. He says the economy sucks because he doesn't respect the American working man and woman. That's what Pailin was in Denver getting briefed on yesterday. Okay that's not what Obama said, and now he's going to have to say that's not what he said, and he's going to look stupid saying that. Over and over and over and over. The reporters are going to spin, examining the "issue" in great detail. Did Obama actually mean to dis the American worker when he said the economy sucks? And why won't he let us drill? He said that mean shit in San Francisco. He's an elitist, like Oprah, unlike John McCain who stands up for us, just like he stands up for the soldiers in Iraq. Country First!!

4. So if you see this coming what do you do? Good question. I'm thinking about it. I bet there's not much time to think. Maybe you ask the press not to fall into the trap too? Good luck with that.

4a. I would probably start running the 100 years in Iraq ad again. It was good. It also annoys the hell out of them. And it changes the subject before they get a chance to make elitism the subject. Let the press debate whether McC meant 100 years of war or 100 years of whatever has been going on for the last 5 years (which is a hell of a lot like a war).

5. We need an independent non-corporate media to stand above these messes. Never has that been more clear.

6. Whatever you do Obama don't talk about these guys unless you're forced to and then think twice, three times, before taking the bait. This is not 1992, they're not running the same plays they were running then.

7. When I typed Mind Of McCain above I kept seeing Mind Of CoCaine. Who is CoCaine? Why that's Ms. Sarah of course.

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Everyone has advice for Obama 

Everyone knows what Obama should do to win, me too.

Steve Gillmor says he should throw caution to the wind and do some nutty things. After all, if it worked for McCain it might work for him. Sing a few bars of Me and Bobby McGee to get in the mood.

Use more women surrogates and listen to how they do and if they do well, use them more. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Claire McCaskill were great yesterday on CBS and ABC respectively.

Get some Republicans to defect. I bet now a bunch of them are privately very pissed. I bet you even know who they are. Send them a pointer to this blog post. Let's have fun making our country great again. Republicans are welcome too.

More celebrities! Matt Damon did a great passionate bit. Hey come to think of it, actors are good at this sort of thing. Get more actors. Wasn't SNL great! Who said celebrities were bad? Oh that's right, he's your enemy. Fuck him. Celebrities are good!! Take some of the most popular celebrities with you on the road. Surprise people about who you show up with. Heh. That might be the best idea on this page.

Update: Celebrities, like Chevy Chase.

If you do something that McCain doesn't like, do more of it.

I would say try to ignore McCain if possible or as much as possible. Let the surrogates trash him. Let bloggers like me trash him. See the next bit for an idea why you should not be down in the mud yourself on this.

It's okay to say McCain might die in office. It's not ageism, it's an issue. But let surrogates do it like McCaskill did it on This Week.

When something happens like Lehman going under, pretend it's a year from now and you won. Say what President Obama would say. You're good at that. Explain it in simple terms, but respectfully, and let us know what really happened. If the Republicans fucked up, it's okay to say that, but say it the way a President would. But most important think of ways you can help us. Voters appreciate shit like that.

Put a FAQ on your site that explains how to keep your money safe. Don't ask me to give you money on that page.

While we're on the topic of money, can you make it a game where our side wins! I want to help you break the $100 million barrier this month. But please please tell me how we're doing. How can you be a fan if you don't know the score? Keeping us in the dark on this doesn't build confidence that President Obama will clue us in when there's a problem. Remember, you're the guy who says you want us to do stuff that's good for the country. Right now you're it buddy. Trust us, we're really on your side (and the enemy can't raise money this way so this is one bit of info you can safely share with us, we won't let you down).

BTW, once we break $100 million, let's go for 1/4 of a billion!

And how about some cool new uses of all that money. Advertising isn't the only way to spread the love, you know. How about using a teeny bit of that money to build and staff a school in New Orleans?

I need Obama clip art for my blog.

Also by the way, I'd like to listen in on your conference calls. I've been asking for months, politely. Come on get a clue, we can help you communicate if you'd just listen a bit. Reserve a few spots for bloggers on your press plane. Not the kind of bloggers that work for corporate media, guys who do it for free because they believe in something.

For Joe Biden, John McCain is NOT YOUR FRIEND and stop saying he is and stop calling him JOHN. We're really tired of all you guys playing inside baseball with each other. John McCain is not a friend of mine. If he called me up to go cross the country I'd tell him to fuck off.

And Joe, you're a really nice guy, I get it, but drop the Ladies and Gentlemen thing. It's very old fashioned. Take a deep breath instead, cause I think that's what's really going on.

Barack you need more running mates. See the bit about celebrities above. It's important though to get them on the record first on the web so you know which ones are hits with the voters.

For all Democrats, it's time to stop saying John McCain is a hero who loves his country. I didn't like it when you said it repeatedly at the convention. You can say that after you win the election if it makes you feel better, but I don't think you're going to want to.

Get this guy to do an ad for you.

Get everyone on your campaign to watch Al Pacino's speech to his team in Any Given Sunday. Right now. Before doing anything else.

I want BarackTV, a site I can go to with live video of a campaign event going on right now. It's what I'm going to switch to when McCain comes on CNN. (Already 3 times this morning, to 0 for my team.)

More later...

To the nervous Nellies who think it's over 

Forget it!

None of you are Mets fans, I know that for sure.

This "home stretch" of the election season is like the World Series.

If you're an Obama fan, it's great -- your team made it into the World Series. Same if you're a McCain fan.

I'd say we're in the 2nd inning of the 2nd game. We lost the first one, they played the Suicide Squeeze and we were caught daydreaming. Shit happens. You can be sure that play won't work again. And I'm sure the other guys know it.

They have a old team a bit of young talent and a great manager.

We have an untested team which against all odds made it to the World Series.

We've got Tom Seaver on the mound and Duke Snider in right field. Somewhere out there is Ed Kranepool and Ron Swoboda. Ed Charles and Bud Harrelson.

Okay enough of that shit.

It's not baseball, it's politics, but there's still a lot of ball to play. Think about that in early November and try to come back then and read this blog and make a list of all the stuff that happened. It's kind of scary when you think of it that way.

Lipstick on a pig :-)