The Media Cynic: Independent Political Blog

Will Hillary Clinton be Obama's Secretary of State?

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST

The big rumor going around political circles today is that Barack Obama has offered the Secretary of State position to Hillary Clinton. Chris Matthews was babbling all kinds of incoherent nonsense this evening: something about she was offered the job but first demanded that Joe Biden wouldn't get in her way and that she know who all the other cabinet positions are. It was absurd. Here's what we know: Hillary and Barack met in Chicago privately today. At a transit gathering in Albany, Hillary said she would be making no comment about the President Elect's selection process: all questions should be posed to the transition team. Period.

It's possible he offered her the job and she wants the weekend to think about it. It's also more plausible that the meeting was to sound her out about her interests over the next four years: that's what ABC is reporting. ABC also reports that no formal offer was made, but that they will speak again. That seems more likely to me. Does Hillary even want the job? That is the question.

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Throwing Money Into a Hole in the Ground

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST

The Onion pretty much nails our current economic policy: throwing giant amounts of money into a hole in the ground. Love the righteous indignation of all sides. Take a look:

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McCain Aides: Sarah Palin Did Not Know Africa Was a Continent, Not a Country

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST

The election is over and the blaming has started in full force in the McCain camp. Newsweek unveiled new revelations about Sarah Palin's shopping spree. The story quotes two high-ranking McCain aides who said Palin spent much more than $150,000 on clothing, that she answered the door to McCain staffers wearing only a towel and that she made low ranked staffers charge things on their credit cards for her. An angry aide summed up the incidents as follows: "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast."

But it gets worse. Fox News Channel political correspondent Carl Cameron today said there will be an "avalanche" of unflattering stories about Palin coming in the near future. Aides to McCain said Palin did not know that Africa was a continent, not a country and did not know what countries are in NAFTA (U.S., Mexico and Canada). And she threw temper tantrums, the aides said. Take a look:

Another aide told Bill O'Reilly that Palin did not know which countries made up North America. And this is who McCain chose as a running mate at the urgings of Bill Kristol? It's mind-boggling.

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Obama Heading For Victory

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 22:30:00 EST

Voting turnout today was very high across the nation. Although there were the usual reports of broken voting machines, incorrect voting rolls (activist and actor Tim Robbins was turned away from his polling location), and long lines, generally speaking things went smoothly.

As of 9:26 pm central time, Obama appears to be sailing ahead to an easy victory. Both CNN and Fox have called Ohio for Obama. He's also projected to have won New York, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Delaware, Maryland and Delaware. With California and the west coast still to be counted, it looks like we have a President-Elect Barack Obama. The Senate races are looking interesting. Elizabeth Dole (R - North Carolina) lost her senate seat to Kay Hagan (despite the Godless ad) and so did John Sununu (R-New Hampshire). It doesn't look like the Democrats are getting to 60 seats. In the House of Representatives, John Murtha did manage to hold on to his congressional seat, despite calling his own constituents a bunch of racists.

CNN has the latest electoral map with projections and popular vote counts. As for television coverage, the CNN coverage is competent: we always perk up when James Carville starts ranting. That's always fun. Alex Castellanos looks horribly depressed. The coverage took a sci fi tone when Jessica Yellin beamed in via hologram from another planet to talk about...something. That bit was so odd, I totally missed what she was saying.

Over at Fox News the tone is positively funereal. Bill Kristol literally had his head in his hands at one point. He looks miserable: he can't seem to summon up the energy to make his usual snide remarks. He is, of course, the one who convinced McCain to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate. The other day he was talking about how Palin will be president in 2012, which seems highly unlikely to me.

Fox has a new set and everyone seems confused about where they are supposed to sit and/or stand. Karl Rove predicted the result last week when he said that McCain would need a miracle to pull this off. No miracle today. As for MSNBC, Rachel Maddow appears to be drinking cocktails which surely violates some kind of FCC rule. Then again, it's election night so hey -- go ahead and have a celebratory (or consoling) drink.

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Obama's Grandmother Dies

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST

On the eve of the presidential election Barack Obama learned that his beloved grandmother Madelyn Dunham had died. She passed away early this morning in Hawaii at the age of 86. She has been suffering from cancer. Barack called her "Toot" which is short for Tutu, the Hawaiian name for grandparent. Barack Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng issued this statement:

"It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.

"Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer."

What a sad day for Barack and his family. Mrs. Dunham sounds like an extraordinary woman who raised Barack for a large portion of his childhood. May she rest in peace.

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Saturday Night Live Takes Aim at Keith Olbermann

Sun, 2 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Saturday Night Live took aim at MSNBC's Keith Olbermann last night with a skit in which Ben Affleck did his best Olbermann imitation. He was pompous. He was bombastic. He made outrageous charges over minor incidents: pretty much what Olberman does every day. And when he, his mother and his persian cat are turned down by a Manhattan co-op board, well, things get ugly. This one is for the Hillary Clinton supporters who will find it very, very funny.

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Barack Obama Visits Jon Stewart Again

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:00:00 EST

After his infomercial last night, Barack Obama appeared via satellite on The Daily Show. But that wasn't all. After that, he had two more rallies to attend. Considering his grueling schedule, he seems amazingly upbeat and rested. Being ahead in the polls will do that for you. Take a look:

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Elizabeth Vargas Asks Sarah Palin About 2012

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:00:00 EST

Sarah Palin has a new interview with ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas that will air on Good Morning America Thursday and 20/20 on Friday. Vargas asked Palin about her plans for 2012 if she doesn't win but Palin remained focused on the current election.

ELIZABETH VARGAS: If it doesn't go your way on Tuesday ... 2012?

GOV SARAH PALIN: I'm just ... thinkin' that it's gonna go our way on Tuesday, November 4. I truly believe that the wisdom of ... of the people will be revealed on that day. As they enter that voting booth, they will understand the stark contrast between the two tickets. ...

VARGAS: But the point being that you haven't been so bruised by some of the double standard, the sexism on the campaign trail, to say, "I've had it. I'm going back to Alaska."

PALIN: Absolutely not. I think that, if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we've taken, that ... that would ... bring this whole ... I'm not doin' this for naught.

Sarah Palin is probably thinking about her political future with the McCain-Palin ticket down so far in the polls. However, she's not going to slip up and start talking about 2012 with the election just days away. Even so Palin saying she's "not doin' this for naught" possibly referring to a run in 2012 left a senior McCain aide speechless. John McCain and Sarah Palin appeared together in Pennsylvania yesterday and both remain optismitic about their chances on November 4th.

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McCain and Palin Appear Together in Pennsylvania

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:00:00 EST

The two mavericks John McCain and Sarah Palin appeared together in Pennsylvania in an attempt to battle ongoing accusations that there is a rift between the McCain and Palin camps. McCain focused on taking shots at Obama's tax plan and Obama's comments that he would redistribute wealth. The goal of the McCain campaign now is to win Pennsylvania. The consesus is they have given up on states like Colorado and Michigan. The one big problem with a Pennsylvania strategy is that most recent Pennsylvania polls show Obama with a 10-point lead. The McCain camp believes they can close this big gap before Election Day next week.

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Saturday Night Live Skewers Murtha and Biden

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

This weekend Saturday Night Live took aim at the infamous John Murtha comments about how Western Pennsylvanians are a bunch of racists. Joe Biden helps out. Take a look:

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Sarah Palin's Last Minute Strategy

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Politico reports that tensions between the Palin and McCain camps are rising during these final weeks of the campaign. There are also reports that Palin is off the reservation and is ignoring her talking points, putting forth her own opinions.

Four Republicans close to Palin said she has decided increasingly to disregard the advice of the former Bush aides tasked to handle her, creating occasionally tense situations as she travels the country with them. Those Palin supporters, inside the campaign and out, said Palin blames her handlers for a botched rollout and a tarnished public image - even as others in McCain's camp blame the pick of the relatively inexperienced Alaska governor, and her public performance, for McCain's decline. "She's lost confidence in most of the people on the plane," said a senior Republican who speaks to Palin, referring to her campaign jet. He said Palin had begun to "go rogue" in some of her public pronouncements and decisions. "I think she'd like to go more rogue," he said.

*****

Between Palin's internal detractors and her allies, there's a middle ground: Some aides say that she's a flawed candidate whose handling exaggerated her weak spots. "She was completely mishandled in the beginning. No one took the time to look at what her personal strengths and weaknesses are and developed a plan that made sense based on who she is as a candidate," the aide said. "Any concerns she or those close to her have about that are totally valid." But the aide said that Palin's inexperience led her to her own mistakes: "How she was handled allowed her weaknesses to hang out in full display."

Palin has been talking more to reporters lately, but it's hard to see how she can make up for past mistakes at this late date. The current electoral map has Obama winning in a virtual landslide. The minute the economic crisis hit, it became very clear that Mitt Romney would have been the better VP pick.

Mitt is smart, he understands finance and economic policy: the campaign could have put him front and center from the first day. He could speak fluently about economic policy without needing to study up the night before and could have had daily press conferences during the time that Congress was dithering around on the bailout package. Instead the McCain camp had Sarah Palin, who is so out of her depth on economic matters it's shocking. That was a major misstep by the McCain campaign, and probably sealed the deal for Obama.

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New John McCain POW Footage Released

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:00:00 EST

Here is some footage released by the French national audiovisual archive which shows young POW John McCain being interrogated in 1968, while he is bedridden. It was first broadcast on French television program Panorama in January 1968. How very young -- and how verybrave -- he seems.

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Alec Baldwin Defends Palin's SNL Appearance

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Alec Baldwin wrote a blog post critical of those who think Sarah Palin should not have been allowed to appear on Saturday Night Live. Baldwin appeared in the skit with Governor Palin on SNL.

Saturday Night Live is a comedy show. It's not Meet the Press. It doesn't "ask the tough questions" or "set the agenda." It attempts, with varying degrees of success, to make people laugh. That's it. Whether they skewer and savage people in order to do so, they don't care. When you come on a show like that, you are prepared in advance to get worked over. Palin knew that. Palin came on to be a good sport. And she was. She was polite, gracious. (More so than some of the famous actors who come through there, believe me.)

However, I assume that, like Meet the Press, SNL feels an obligation to offer their special forum to any and all public figures and officials who are current. Headline making. And in SNL's case, would make for a hit show. Several people decried SNL for giving her a spot on the show. You're kidding, right? The woman is the Vice Presidential nominee of one of the two major parties in this country. Don't put her on SNL? With all of her exposure and the Tina Fey performance? What reality are you in?

If you think an appearance on Saturday Night Live would sway voters and actually affect the outcome of the election, you may have more contempt for the electorate of this country than the Republican National Committee does. And that's a lot of contempt.

It would have been very unfair and awkward if Sarah Palin had been barred from SNL especially after all of Tina Fey's funny skits. If you haven't already seen the two Sarah Palin skits from Saturday night you can watch them here and here.

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Hank Williams, Jr.'s Sarah Palin Song

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Sarah Palin has inspired Hank Williams, Jr. to write a song. Some on the right might enjoy the song because it has plenty of red meat. Below is the video clip of Hank Williams, Jr. singing his song at a Sarah Palin rally at the Richmond International Raceway. You can read the full lyrics here. ABC's Political Radar said Hank once sang the song with the line "Why do you hunt? God why do you fish? How can you be so smart and be such a good lookin' dish?" Either Hank was flirting with the Governor or he just needed a word that rhymed with fish.

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Palin Booed at Philly Hockey Opener

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Sarah Palin dropped the puck at the Philadelphia Flyers hockey game and was roundly booed by the crowd. A few fans were cheering but the booing was overwhelming and just went on and on and on. The Times hockey blog said that the boos were "resounding (almost deafening)." Here's the video clip:

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Bush to Call for World Economic Summit

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

The Fed helped coordinate an unprecedented rate cut this morning: U.S. rates were dropped by half a point. The markets rallied a bit, but closed down for the day. Meanwhile, President Bush is expected to convene an emergency summit of world leaders to discuss the economic crisis.

The Prime Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, spoke with the United States President by telephone. Mr Bush urged his European counterparts to coordinate efforts to solve financial crisis spreading around the globe. All are expected to agree to attend a meeting if the details can be thrashed out.

Downing Street said it was "a good idea" and welcomed the President's close attention to events in Europe. The idea was floated by Mr Sarkozy, who holds the presidency of the European Union. Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, said: "The president obviously talked to President Sarkozy about his idea to have a meeting. The president's open to that." The venue for the meeting would still have to be decided, although Washington is the likely destination.

A summit is an excellent idea; it needs to happen as soon as possible. So much of our economy is based on consumer confidence. At this time it is crucial that world leaders make every effort to show true leadership. Having a summit sends a message of cooperation and world coordination that has never been seen before. The Fed is already coordinating with other major countries on interest rates and liquidity issues. This is a good next step to help get the world economy back on its feet.

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Oliver Stone Talks W

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Oliver Stone was recently on Larry King talking about his upcoming movie W about the life and presidency of George W. Bush. Larry King says Bush comes off as sympathetic in the film. Stone says "empathetic."

Here's some of what Stone had to say: "I couldn't make a movie with hate or malic. There is none in this movie. I see the guy as more like John Wayne which is to say I don't like his politics but he is endearing in a strange, goofy, awkward way and he did capture the imagination of the public."

You can see a humorous collection of posters from the W film here. The film's official website is here.

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SNL Does Biden Palin Debate

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST

Saturday Night Live recreated the Joe Biden-Sarah Palin debate and it was very funny. Queen Latifah played Gwen Ifill. Tina Fey is so good at her Sarah Palin impersonation that it's just eerie. She's hilarious. And SNL ratings are up 46% from last year. Take a look:

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Joe Biden and Sarah Palin on Dick Cheney

Sat, 4 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Katie Couric recently quizzed the Vice Presidential candidates on what they think of current Vice President Dick Cheney. Joe Biden said there aren't many good things that Dick Cheney has done. He did say that Cheney has done harm by "shredding the constitution" and condoning torture. Sarah Palin admires Dick Cheney for his support of the troops. She said the worst thing Cheney has done was when he accidentally shot someone during a hunting trip.

For something more lighthearted take a look at Biden's and Palin's favorite movies.

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What Does the Rest of the World Think About the U.S. Election?

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

The Economist has an interesting interactive map that show what people in other countries think about the upcoming presidential election. The other countries are overwhelmingly for Barack Obama. What we don't know yet is what the majority in the United States think. Some of the electoral maps - see here and here - seem to giving Obama a slight edge but it's way too early to make a call.

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Obama's Logo as Breakfast

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

"Taste we can believe in." This is a yummy interpretation of Barack Obama's logo. Donuts and bacon is a breakfast that a lot of people would vote for. (via Cynical-C Blog and J-Walk)

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All Eyes on the First Presidential Debate

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

All eyes will be on the first presidential debate tonight in Mississippi. No one was really sure whether there was even going to be debate after McCain's political stunt. Suspending his campaign to focus on the bailout deal that no one in Washington wanted him involved in was a mistake.

It really wasn't a bad idea to have a meeting between the current president and the next president (McCain and Obama had a meeting with President to discuss the situation), but the timing was off. Polls showed that the public wanted the debate to go on and so McCain had to suspend his suspension and head for Mississippi.

The topic tonight ostensibly is foreign affairs, but the economy is sure to play a large role in the questioning given current events. McCain has to make sure not to lose his temper and his sarcasm will not be welcome tonight. The mood of the public is ugly -- they don't like the bailout and sniping between the candidates won't go over well. As for Obama, his challenge is to seem calm, in control of the facts and ready to lead. McCain's best argument is that he has faced many big crises such as the current one and that he's captain our ship of state through the stormy waters ahead. Both candidates must show a full command of the economic facts at hand. If either candidate makes a major gaffe that makes him look as if he doesn't understand the economy, he's toast.

The debate is on most major channels at 9:00 p.m Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central time.

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The Three Most Powerful Men in the World Today

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

So who exactly is in charge of fixing the current credit crisis? Three men hold the reins of power right now: Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Timothy F. Geithner, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Washington Post has an excellent piece about the three men and how they have learned to work together to try to avert a financial catastrophe.

It is this unusual collaboration among a consummate dealmaker, a professor and a seasoned public servant that could determine how the nation weathers the most profound threat to its economy in modern times. Despite their disparate backgrounds, the three men have formed a close, informal partnership built on rapid-fire phone calls and open debate that breaks the mold of Washington policymaking.

As they chart a government response to the crisis, the stakes could hardly be higher. If they succeed, they could tame the economic downturn and orchestrate a restructuring of Wall Street with minimal collateral damage. If they fail, the toll could be millions of jobs, trillions of dollars in lost wealth and a crisis of confidence in global capitalism.

Paulson, Bernanke and Geithner spent most of their careers in different worlds. They barely knew one another before beginning their current jobs and still rarely socialize -- though they have spent more time working together in recent months than with their wives.

Paulson, 62, is an investment banker who rose through the ranks of Goldman Sachs to lead the firm. A lanky former Dartmouth College offensive tackle and an intense workaholic, he said he agreed in 2006 to become the Bush administration's third Treasury secretary to prepare the government for a possible market crisis.

Bernanke, 54 and calm of demeanor, is one of the foremost scholars of financial crises, especially the Great Depression. Before being named Fed chairman in 2006, the largest organization he had run was Princeton University's economics department.

Geithner, 47, was a career staff member at the Treasury Department when Lawrence Summers, then a Treasury undersecretary, plucked him from obscurity in the early 1990s. He became a key member of the group that guided the Clinton administration's response to the international financial crises in the 1990s and has been honing his knowledge of Wall Street since taking over the New York Fed in 2003.

It's a lengthy article that's well worth reading. Because most of Congress wouldn't know the difference between a CDS (Credit Default Swap) and the RTC (The Resolution Trust Corporation), it will have to rely on the advice from these three men when it drafts bailout legislation. In fact, the current crisis is actually so complicated to explain that not one politician I've heard has tried to discuss it in any more than the most general of statements, such as "Wall Street is Greedy" or "Don't Worry, We'll Fix It."

In fact, I heard a noted economist this morning refer to the RTC as the Resolution Thrift Corp. If even he doesn't remember the correct name of that agency helped resolve the savings and loan crisis in the 1980s, then we really are in big trouble. Unless, of course, the Council of Three gets it right.

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Sarah Palin's Tanning Bed

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Merrill Lynch was sold to Bank of America, with the government's blessing and help. The stock market is heading south as the country's financial woes seem to be getting worse. But what's getting more coverage than these stories are the seemingly endless scandals surrounding Alaskan governor Sarah Palin. The latest? She installed a tanning bed in the governor's mansion.

This morning NarcoNews reported that that a tanning bed had been installed in the governor's official residence in 2007, sourcing a Department of Transportation employee familiar with renovations at the mansion. This evening, Politico's Ben Smith reported that Palin had paid for the tanning bed with her own money.

Now, Palin's own gubernatorial spokesman Bill McCallister has confirmed to TPMmuckraker that a tanning bed had been installed in the governor's official residence in 2007, and that it wasn't paid for with state funds. "She paid for it herself," McCallister told TPMmuckraker. "It was surplus from a local athletic club."

The news of Palin's luxurious purchase -- beds can cost as much as $35,000 -- presents a sharp contrast to the blue-collar persona she projects on the campaign trail.

She owns a tanning bed. She can see Russia from parts of Alaska. We've now read an in-depth profile of her hairdresser by The New York Times. Clearly, we don't need to know any more about her. It's not like she could become the leader of the free world or anything.

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Gina Gershon as Sarah Palin

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Gina Gershon does her best Sarah Palin imitation in this video from Funnyordie.com. Take a look:

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Michelle Obama Dances With Ellen

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Michelle Obama appeared on Ellen and -- as is traditional on the show -- she danced her way onto the stage. She even vogued a bit. She says she's a better dancer than Barack, and I think she's right. Take a look:

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NBC Demotes Olbermann and Matthews

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

The New York Times reports that NBC has removed Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as anchors for the presidential debates and election night coverage. They've both been demoted back to analyst. David Gregory will become the political anchor.

After months of accusations of political bias and simmering animosity between MSNBC and its parent network NBC, the channel decided over the weekend that the NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host David Gregory would anchor news coverage of the coming debates and election night. Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews will remain as analysts during the coverage.

The change - which comes in the home stretch of the long election cycle - is a direct result of tensions associated with the channel's perceived shift to the political left. "The most disappointing shift is to see the partisan attitude move from prime time into what's supposed to be straight news programming," said Davidson Goldin, formerly the editorial director of MSNBC and a co-founder of the reputation management firm DolceGoldin.

Executives at the channel's parent company, NBC Universal, had high hopes for MSNBC's coverage of the political conventions. Instead, the coverage frequently descended into on-air squabbles between the anchors, embarrassing some workers at NBC's news division, and quite possibly alienating viewers. Although MSNBC nearly doubled its total audience compared with the 2004 conventions, its competitive position did not improve, as it remained in last place among the broadcast and cable news networks. In prime time, the channel averaged 2.2 million viewers during the Democratic convention and 1.7 million viewers during the Republican convention.

It's true that the on-air sniping between Olbermann and Matthews has reached ridiculous extremes lately. But if MSNBC had been first in the ratings, instead of third, we think execs would have happily allowed those two to stay. But their behavior was an embarrassment without any accompanying ratings boost, so they were demoted.

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Karl Rove's Conundrum

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 21:00:00 EST

John McCain is under fire for not properly vetting Sarah Palin before picking her as his running mate. For one thing, he's completely negated his argument that Obama doesn't have the experience to be president. Sarah Palin, who could be a heartbeat away from being the most powerful person on the planet, has been on the national political stage for all of six days. She's clearly not qualified: she's served as mayor of a tiny town and then for a mere twenty months has been governor of a state with a population less than that of the District of Columbia. This is obvious to GOP insiders. But McCain's choice has forced them to grit their teeth and rally to the cause, with hilarious results. Take a look:

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Who Is Sarah Palin?

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Republicans and Democrats alike are still reeling from John McCain's shocking announcement Friday that he was choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate. So what do we know about Sarah Palin?

--She's only been in office for one year and eight months.

--When asked about the Surge in Iraq, she responded "surge? What surge?" She has no stated foreign policy positions, other than a video of her speaking to her Church about the Iraq War being a mission from God.

--She supported the Bridge to Nowhere until it became a national joke, then she quietly allocated the funds elsewhere.

--Billed as a tax cutter, she actually raised the sales tax and instituted a windfall profits tax on oil companies when she was governor.

--She loves to hunt and has photos of her next to a bloody caribou she shot and of a bearskin of a bear she shot. She loves to eat moose stew and caribou burgers.

--She used to smoke pot (it is legal in Alaska, although not under federal law) but said she has stopped smoking. Her comment in an interview was "I can't say, like Bill Clinton, that I didn't inhale."

--Her husband had a DUI at 22, and is a champion snowmobiler. He works for an oil company in the winter and is a fisherman in the summer.

--She has five children, including a four month old infant who has Down's Syndrome.

--She is rabidly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in cases of incest or rape.

--She opposes all sex education and birth control for teens.

--She has an unwed 17 year old daughter who is four months' pregnant.

--She has a Canadian accent and a squeaky voice.

--She used to be a sports reporter.

--She likes midnight runs.

--She knows how to rock the sexy librarian look.

--She said in an interview that she doesn't know what a Vice President does.

--John McCain had talked to her on the phone once before he invited her to Sedona, chatted with her and then offered her the job.

--She was raised in the Pentecostal Assembly of God church. She is an evangelical Christian.

--Reporters are still investigating whether it's true she first received a U.S. passport in 1997.

-- Her mother-in-law commented to a reporter "I don't see what she brings to the ticket."

Well, there you go. What else could we possibly need to know about a woman who is a heartbeat away from being the leader of the free world? Heckuva job, McCain.

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No Love Lost Between Mattews and Olbermann

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EST

One of the odd things during the convention coverage has been the increasing hostility that the MSNBC anchors are showing towards each other. The wheels are really coming off at the news station. I knew Olbermann and Matthews had their differences, but this is really getting ridiculous. Jon Stewart has the report:

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Bill Clinton Gets Rockstar Welcome at Convention

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST

Former President Bill Clinton got a rock star welcome at the Democratic convention this evening. He used his time very effectively, showing that he's still the best politician living today. When he speaks, you just have to listen. Clinton did not equivocate: he clearly told Hillary's 18 million supporters to support Obama and made the case why Obama is qualified to be president. He is an incredibly effective speaker. Between Hillary's soaring speech last night and Bill's speech tonight, the Obama campaign should be thrilled. Here's the video:

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Hillary Clinton Rocks the Convention

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

Wearing a bright orange pantsuit, Hillary Clinton took the stage at the Democratic convention and gave the speech of her life. She was focused, inspiring and really made the case for Barack Obama. She was really amazing. The only problem with this speech was that it pointed out how much more qualified she is to be the nominee than Barack Obama. It seems clear she didn't intend to do that: she gave it her all to convince her supporters to vote for Barack in the fall. But the reality is, when she speaks she radiates purpose and strength. She should have -- at the very least -- been the VP pick. Here's the video.

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Democratic National Convention Begins Today

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:20:00 EST

The Democratic National Convention began today and so far the highlight was the surprise, live appearance by Senator Ted Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg introduced a tribute film to the senator, and he appeared when it ended. He looked quite well, actually. He gave a speech echoing famous speeches he has made in the past, including the theme that all Americans have a right to healthcare, that it is not a privilege for the wealthy. He talked about passing the torch to Obama as a new generation and echoed Obama's general campaign themes. He also promised to be on the Senate floor in January.

California's first lady, Maria Shriver, was crying during the speech and Caroline looked pretty misty too. Clearly they were all wondering if this is the senator's last major speech. It was a moving moment. After a few more speakers and two breaks, Michelle Obama will speak. The released text of her speech indicates a very mild, generic speech. It's sort of the "Michelle as Soccer Mom" speech -- no fiery rhetoric, no telling Americans that Barack won't let them sit home and be complacent. Will she add some punch to the prepared text? We'll see.

Update: Claire McCaskill's three kids are urging everyone to text "change" to 62262 to be sure to get all the updates (at 3 a.m. or otherwise) from the Obama campaign. Now they're introducing their mom.

Update: Michelle Obama is now speaking. She looks fantastic, but why in the world didn't her stylist fix that bra strap that's showing? It's a wide necked turquoise blue dress: the strap should have been secured. Someone needs to get fired for that. Ok, I'm trying to ignore the white bra strap peeking out, but it's driving me crazy.

She's the best speaker tonight, next to Ted Kennedy. I've seen the text of this speech and she's really selling it: it sounds unscripted. She's so much better as a speaker than Claire McCaskill. The video and the speech were carefully crafted to make her seem softer, focusing on her role as a mother. She gave a shout out to Hillary Clinton for putting "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, which will inspire our daughters and sons." She also talked about how she loves the country. Her daughters Sasha and Malia then came out and talked to Barack via videofeed. Sasha stole the show saying hello to her dad, telling him she loved him and generally being adorable.

Overall, it was very well-done. I can't help but compare this speech with the disastrous self-centered diatribe given by Teresa Heinz Kerry at the last Democratic convention. The Obama campaign will be happy with her performance.

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Obama's 3 AM Phone Text Message: A Last Swipe at Hillary

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:10:00 EST

Barack Obama's campaign sent out a text message at 3:00 a.m. this morning announcing that Joe Biden is his VP pick. John McCain's blog immediately pounced on the news and had this devastating ad out by 6:00 a.m., in which Biden says how Obama is too inexperienced to be president. As for that 3:00 a.m. text message: that was clearly one last swipe at Hillary Clinton for her 3:00 a.m. phone call ad. It was a juvenile move that could have repercussions. Hillary supporters are not amused, to say the least.

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Obama to Announce VP Pick Saturday Morning

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:42:00 EST

All the hysterical speculation about who Barack Obama will pick to be his vice presidential nominee is about to come to an end. CNN is reporting that the Obama campaign confirmed that it will announce the VP pick tomorrow morning via text message.

Sen. Barack Obama's choice for running mate will be announced to supporters in a text message Saturday morning, senior Obama campaign officials told CNN on Friday night, and a senior party official said it won't be Sen. Hillary Clinton. Obama called some people on his short list for the vice presidential slot Thursday night to tell them he had not selected them as a running mate, a highly placed Democratic Party source said.

A senior Democratic official who had spoken with Clinton told CNN late Friday that the Obama campaign has communicated to her through private channels that she will not be Obama's vice presidential pick. Also, sources close to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said he has been informed he was not selected. One source told CNN that Obama personally made the call to Kaine. Another source said Kaine has flown to Denver, Colorado, for the Democratic National Convention. See who's in the running

It is not known who else may have gotten calls. However, late Friday two Democratic sources confirmed that Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh is also out of the running. Most of this week's buzz had been around Bayh of Indiana, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and Kaine. The contenders kept a low profile and Biden has avoided any lengthy interviews. Rep. Chet Edwards said Friday that the campaign had vetted him but that he hasn't talked to Obama. VideoWatch panelists weigh in on top VP contenders - Edwards, 56, is a nine-term congressman representing the Central Texas district that includes President Bush's ranch near Crawford.

So, it's not Clinton, Bayh or Kaine. That leaves Biden, Sebelius or the Other Edwards. Joe Biden? It's looking good for him. CNN even has a live webcam outside his house tonight, which is just beyond creepy.

Update: Jake Tapper at ABC says the Secret Service is on its way to Biden's house to begin protection duties. He's the guy.

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Pervez Musharraf Resigns

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:43:00 EST

Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has resigned.

Facing imminent impeachment charges, President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation on Monday, after months of belated recognition by American officials that he had become a waning asset in the campaign against terrorism.

The decision removes from Pakistan's political stage the leader who for nearly nine years served as one of the United States' most important - and ultimately unreliable - allies. And it now leaves American officials to deal with a new, elected coalition that has so far proven itself to be unwilling or incapable of confronting an expanding Taliban insurgency determined to topple the government.

"Whether I win or lose the impeachment, the nation will lose," Mr. Musharraf said, explaining his decision in an emotional televised speech lasting more than an hour. He will stay in Pakistan and will not be put on trial, government officials said. The question of who will succeed Mr. Musharraf is certain to unleash intense wrangling between the rival political parties that form the governing coalition and to add a new layer of turbulence to an already unstable nuclear-armed nation of 165 million people.

"We've said for years that Musharraf is our best bet, and my fear is that we are about to discover how true that was," one senior Bush administration official said, acknowledging that the United States had stuck with Mr. Musharraf for too long and developed few other relationships in Pakistan to fall back on.

Not only does this leave a power vacuum in a nuclear-armed country, it also throws our Afghanistan policy into more disarray. Islamic militants in Afghanistan are using Pakistan as a base for operations, and Pakistan has steadfastly refused to do anything about it. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto hangs like a pall over the entire political process. She was our only other hope of a U.S.-friendly regime that would assist us in keeping the nukes safe and rooting out extremist factions.

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