Suitably Flip

So He Chose Freedom. Running Around, Trying Everything New. But Nothing Impressed Him At All.

He never expected it to.

S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford arrived in the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this morning, having wrapped up a seven-day visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he said. Sanford said he had not been hiking along the Appalachian Trail, as his staff said in a Tuesday statement to the media.

Sanford's whereabouts had been unknown since Thursday, and the mystery surrounding his absence fueled speculation about where he had been and who's in charge in his absence. His emergence Wednesday ended the mystery.

Sanford, in an exclusive interview with The State, said he decided at the last minute to go to the South American country to recharge after a difficult legislative session in which he battled with lawmakers over how to spend federal stimulus money.
...
Sanford said he was alone on the trip. He declined to give any additional details about what he did other than to say he drove along the coastline.

Update:  Zoinks.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, his eyes red, admitted to having an extramarital affair Wednesday with an Argentine woman.

"I've been unfaithful to be my wife," Sanford said at a state capitol news conference.  

It began very innocently," he explained, saying that developed into an adulterous relationship in the past year.

He said he seen his unidentified mistress three times since they began the affair or, as he put it, "since the whole sparking thing."

Sanford said he was resigning his post as Chairman of the Republican Governor's Association.

Holy $#!&: Twin Democrat Defections Hand NYS Senate Back to GOP

I'm speechless.

The State Senate has fallen silent after Republicans introduced a resolution electing Pedro Espada Jr. as temporary president of the Senate and Dean Skelos as majority leader.

Hiram Monserrate and Espada, both Democrats, apparently will vote with Republicans on the motion, and are doing so now in the midst of a procedural fight.

UPDATE: At 3:47 p.m., Espada was sworn in as president pro tem, and Skelos as majority leader. They called for an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee. All the Democrats but Monserrate, Espada, Ruben Diaz Sr. and Carl Kruger (the original, nominally Democratic "gang of four") are gone from the chamber.
...
UPDATE: Espada just told reporters that he decided to cross over the aisle and support the Republicans because of the "quagmire" that had occurred since Malcolm Smith and the Democrats took over. He said it has been "chaos" and that he and Monserrate will form a caucus of "reform Democrats."

It's too bad that half of the Gang of 2 is so clutzy, but I ain't complaining.

The State Senate had been in Republican hands for more than 40 years, until the Democrats eked out a majority last November.  With all pillars of state government belonging to a single party (and with gerrymandering redistricting on the horizon), this sudden reversal is likely welcome news for millions of New York taxpayers.

To what do we owe the defections?  Did Monserrate and Espada catch sight of today's Rasmussen poll?

Update:  All class, all the time.

During the coup, Democrats fled the chamber, turned out the lights, and cut off the Internet feed of chamber proceedings, leaving Republicans and their two Democratic friends to take the vote in the dark.

For the record, CBS News (et al), it wasn't a coup, strictly speaking.  It was a leadership change effected through well-established, legal, democratic means, notwithstanding what erstwhile majority leader Malcolm Smith would have you believe.

Smith didn't see it that way. He said the coup was illegal and he was still the majority leader, although he only has about two dozen Democrats with him not the 32 he claims to have.

"Let's just be real clear. The Senate Democrats are still in the majority. Senator Malcolm Smith is still the majority leader," Smith said.

It is real clear, 3rd-person-self-referring Senator Smith.  You're out.  Skelos is in.

Decision Day For Manhattan GOP On Bloomberg's Candidacy

Tonight, members of the New York Republican County Committee will vote on whether to allow Mike Bloomberg a special exemption to run as a Republican (despite having quit the party in 2007) for his prospective third mayoral term.

I've noted in the past that I was at best skeptical that Bloomberg would be able to make a sufficiently convincing case to outweigh his track record of expedient party shifting and lifestyle regulation.  Following consultation with Bloomberg's staff in the weeks since, I'm somewhat more encouraged that the mayor's pitch may include what we (or I, anyway) need to hear - namely, that Bloomberg is willing to extend (and, tonight, to pledge with specificity) more overt and substantive support for local candidates, something that's been conspicuously missing over the last eight years.

No Manhattan resident has a Republican representative at any level of government, an imbalance that Bloomberg's staff acknowledges makes his job more difficult.  As growing some coattails would seem to be in his honor's own interest (irrespective of his access to the GOP line), I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll make a sufficiently strong commitment on this front to justify the party agreeing to serve as the mayor's doormat as he reenters City Hall.

I'll update tonight with the results of the vote.

Update:  What timing.  Two separate invitations in the mail today to parties at Gracie Mansion.

Update:  As the only candidate to appear at the screening, Bloomberg easily won the county endorsement (and thus access to the GOP primary ballot) with a voice vote that went roughly 30-1 in his favor.  More on this later.

"And I Hate... the F***ing Eagles, Man."

The Dude would not abide.

Eagles founder Don Henley and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell sued Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and a campaign worker Friday in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging that DeVore infringed on the copyright of their 1984 hit "The Boys of Summer."

According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court, DeVore, R-Irvine, and his Internet strategist Justin Hart created an online video in which new lyrics criticizing President Barack Obama replace Henley's words.

"The unauthorized use of Henley and Campbell's copyrighted work is synchronized with a series of photographic images of DeVore, Hart and President Barack Obama, among others," the lawsuit contends.
...
"Henley and Campbell did not, and would not, authorize the use of their song for this purpose," the suit said. "Viewers might also conclude that Henley and Campbell are political supporters of DeVore, which they are not."
...
DeVore is seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Barbara Boxer.

Henley, a longtime vocal supporter of Democratic causes, has drawn boos from fans in Orange County over the years for making political comments between songs during concerts.

E.M. Zanotti pens a preemptive amicus brief, in case it reaches the appellate stage.

"Mr. Henley has clearly missed that parody is a protected use of copyrighted material, through both the fair use exception and the laws explicit recognition that a derivative work, which this is, is a new work and therefore not subject to the copyright protections on the original work. Also, Mr. Henley clearly missed that this parody may, in fact, be better than the original song."

DeVore himself makes a similar argument at Big Hollywood.  Nonetheless, YouTube saw fit to ban the video.  It's supposedly still available here, but it doesn't work for me.

Update:  Justin Hart (one of the two defendants) weighs in further.

One one side of the coin we have an excellent case.  This was a parody (using a Don Henley son as a big trouble making lib) and a satire (on Obama).  The former being absolutely protected, the latter being less so but still viable.  Take, for instance, the Capitol Steps.  Their Wiki page indicates that they never ask for permission for their parodies and satires.

Still, there is the case against Jib Jab, which didn't turn out that way.

In short, it's relatively unsettled law in many respects.  But I still feel confident we can go forward with it.

Update:  More from Hart on the dead video link.

Here's the lowdown:

1) The YouTube video was pulled early last week at the request of Henley

2) We posted it on another streaming account (Hipcast)

3) We filed an objection to YouTube pulling the item

4) Henley had 10 days to rescind or file an actual lawsuit (which he did)

5) Hipcast subsequently pulled it without the ability to counter (the jerks)

6) We posted our second video of a Henley song "All She Wants to do is Tax, Tax" (which received 25,000 views)

7) Henley doesn't own the rights to that but the REAL owners yanked it from YouTube yesterday

We haven't decided whether to counter that one yet.

Getting off the phone with a potential lawyer for our side we feel even more confident.  The orchestration was a karaoke track from iTunes "(in the style of Don Henley)"

http://tinyurl.com/d4bet6

He says our case is even stronger since Henley's lawyers indicated that they would have NEVER allowed permission for the use of the song.  Which indicates that it's not about money but about politics.

John Campbell (R-CA) On Bonus Confiscation

Rep. Campbell apparently isn't a fan of the federal legislature wielding its tax authority to nullify valid contracts.

I firmly opposed and voted “no” on HR 1586. Let’s first understand exactly what the bill does. It imposes a 90% federal income tax on any bonus paid to any employee of any company that has received over $5 Billion in federal rescue funds. ... The tax would only apply to people with total joint incomes over $250,000 or single individuals with income of over $125,000. When combined with California Income taxes which now top out at 10.55%, this can be a tax just short of 101% of the income.

Under this law, a bank teller at Wells Fargo could receive a bonus of $1,000 for doing a great job. If that bank teller was married to a physician who made $175,000 and they had some additional investment income, that bank teller would pay a tax of $1,055 on the bonus of $1,000 that they received for doing a good job. This is horrible!
...
You may or may not realize it, but embezzlement income is taxable today, but at normal rates. So if you steal money, you will not have a tax higher than normal. You may be forced to give the money back because you stole it, but it will not be taxed away from you. This bill makes a bonus from Bank of America a more egregious offense under the tax laws than bank robbery.

All of this was caused because we nationalized companies that are created to make a profit. Throughout time, governments have shown themselves to be particularly inept at such an enterprise. This is another example of why.

(Probably) Not If I Can Help It

The Observer weighs in on Bloomberg's prospects to get on the Republican line as he campaigns for the first of his potentially endless mayoral terms beyond the two that everyone believed to be the limit.

Manhattan Republican chair Jennifer Saul is not expected to make a decision in the next few days about whether to allow Michael Bloomberg to run in their primary. "We will do our screening process before the assembled district leaders and members of the executive committee," said the organization's executive director, Jason Weingartner. "A vote will take place afterwards." Those screening meetings historically have taken place in the first week of May, which means that the potentially tie-breaking decision of Saul and the committee—she would be the third of the five city chairs to approve Bloomberg's participation in the G.O.P. primary for mayor—may not be made for weeks.

As one of those district leaders, I'll certainly be delighted to hear what hizzoner has to say (assuming he comes in person to make his case), but I can't say I'll be going in favorably disposed.

A Democrat until he first ran for mayor eight years ago, Bloomberg conspicuously disavowed his nascent Republican status in 2007 (amid rampant rumors he was exploring a self-financed, half-billion dollar bid for the Presidency), saying:

“I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party,” he said in a statement issued while he was in California delivering political speeches. “Although my plans for the future haven t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city.”

In the current political environment, I'm loath to advocate against anyone who wants to participate in Republican politics.  But in light of Bloomberg's history of calculated party shifting, his jaw-dropping track record of nanny statism, and his correct acknowledgment that his policies have not been in keeping with any brand of Republican (nor, frankly, even mainstream Democratic) ideology, rolling over for sake of notching up an electoral win (an admittedly rare event, as no Manhattan resident has any Republican representation at any level of government) seems nearly as cynical as the mayor's penchant for expedient party affiliation.

As noted, I'm not making up my mind before hearing his argument (and my opinion may well carry minimal weight during the screening process anyway), but shame on Bloomberg for fooling us once in 2001.  In the words of our erstwhile President, "Fool me... we can't get fooled again."

Judd Gregg Withdraws To Spend More Time With His Principles

Ah, change.  Finally, a Cabinet withdrawal not prompted by tax, nanny, or corruption issues.

“I want to thank the President for nominating me to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce. This was a great honor, and I had felt that I could bring some views and ideas that would assist him in governing during this difficult time. I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle.

“However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy.

“Obviously the President requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives.

“I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position.

“As we move forward, I expect there will be many issues and initiatives where I can and will work to assure the success of the President’s proposals. This will certainly be a goal of mine.

“Kathy and I also want to specifically thank Governor Lynch and Bonnie Newman for their friendship and assistance during this period. In addition we wish to thank all the people, especially in New Hampshire, who have been so kind and generous in their supportive comments.

“As a further matter of clarification, nothing about the vetting process played any role in this decision. I will continue to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate.”

Bloomberg's Political Dysmorphia

This is a joke, yes?

Mayor Bloomberg has begun reaching out to city Republican leaders to gauge whether he could run on the GOP line in his re-election bid this year, several sources told The Post.

The maneuvering began in the past two weeks, and sources said the mayor is expected to try to run on a major-party as well as a third-party line, likely one of his own creation.

Several sources said Bloomberg's political aides have started reaching out to GOP chairs in the five boroughs, including Manhattan's Jennifer Saul.

"I've heard from Republican leaders he's been making phone calls," said Gristedes supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, who for months has been campaigning for the GOP nomination for months.

Bloomberg, a lifelong Democrat who joined the Republican Party for his first mayoral bid in 2001 but then abandoned it in 2007, must mend fences if he wants to secure the Republican line, several sources said.

I Smell a Reality Show

Think Punk'd meets The Running Man.

President George W. Bush took the very rare step Wednesday of revoking a pardon he had granted only a day before, after learning of political contributions to Republicans by the man's father and other information.

Bush pardoned 19 people on Tuesday, including Isaac Robert Toussie of Brooklyn, N.Y., who had been convicted of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and of mail fraud. On Wednesday, the White House issued an extraordinary statement saying the president was reversing his decision in Toussie's case.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the new decision was "based on information that has subsequently come to light," including on the extent and nature of Toussie's prior criminal offenses. She also said that neither the White House counsel's office nor the president had been aware of a political contribution by Toussie's father that "might create an appearance of impropriety."

Asked to comment on his successor's decision to reverse a pardon due to the possible appearance of impropriety or quid pro quo, Bill Clinton's head exploded.

The title of the pilot, I assume, will be "Worst Christmas Ever".  And with another 4 weeks in office, there's time to film at least a season's worth of episodes.  Production costs would be minimal - it's just Bush phoning various felons and congratulating them on their pardons and commutations, followed by a montage of happy commutee footage over the following few days (collecting personal effects from the prison's outtake office, making plans with loved ones to make up for lost time, the inevitable "Things will be different now" speeches, etc.), then the devastating follow-up call.  If the deluded kids who don't get the yellow slip on American Idol are glorious train wrecks, just imagine the ratings potential of those "reveal" scenes at the end of each episode.  And since they're all criminals, you don't need to feel guilty about delighting in the spectacle.

(HT: JWF)

PETA vs. Palin

Long-time readers know there are few things I enjoy more than dumping on PETA - particularly during the holidays, as it's the holidays (Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, et al) when PETA typically tries to spoil the good time for we non-enlightened meat eaters.

True to form, the group recently posted a profoundly boring holiday game in which kids can throw snowballs at famous transgressors who deign to feed and clothe themselves with animal flesh.  One of the villains is a bikini-and-fur-clad Sarah Palin, a casting choice that ultimately led to an entertaining flurry of emails between the Governor's office and Ingrid Newkirk (Queen of the malnourished malcontents, who we've featured in these pages in the past).

There's some debate over the lead-up to this email exchange, but suffice it to say that PETA claims that someone called PETA's office claiming to represent Governor Palin and threatened to sue over the game.  PETA failed to obtain any identifiable information about the caller, but went ahead and published word of the threatened lawsuit on their website, crediting Palin's office with the threat, without bothering to verify any of the details with her office.

Via Politico (as reported to them by PETA), the following exchange ensued.

From: McAllister, William D (GOV)
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:26 AM
To: christined@peta.org
Subject: The PETA Files

Your website claims we have threatened to sue you. What do you base this on? Be specific.

Bill McAllister
Director of Communications/Press Secretary
Office of Governor Sarah Palin

From: Ingrid Newkirk [mailto:ingridn@peta.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:52 AM
To: McAllister, William D (GOV)
Subject: To answer your enquiry:
Importance: High

Dear Mr. McAllister,

We base this on a phone call. Why don’t you ask in your office and be specific as to on what grounds you can sue us? We know that we can use the game as it’s pure parody. I thought people in Alaska had a sense of humor? Ingrid Newkirk

From: McAllister, William D (GOV) [mailto:bill.mcallister@alaska.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 3:54 PM
To: Ingrid Newkirk
Subject: RE: To answer your enquiry:

That’s not very specific. Who called? Name and title given? Did you even attempt to verify it was genuine? Or are facts just cumbersome?

From: Ingrid Newkirk [mailto:ingridn@peta.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:56 AM
To: McAllister, William D (GOV)
Subject: RE: To answer your enquiry:

Do they train you to be rude?

From: McAllister, William D (GOV) [mailto:bill.mcallister@alaska.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 3:58 PM
To: Ingrid Newkirk
Subject: RE: To answer your enquiry:

OK, so the bottom line is, you have attitude, but no facts. Sounds about right.

From: Ingrid Newkirk [mailto:ingridn@peta.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:21 PM
To: McAllister, William D (GOV)
Subject: So, are you backing down up there?

No, YOU have attitude, and it’s a bad one, and so did your legal emissary who must have gone to the same charm school.

From: McAllister, William D (GOV) [mailto:bill.mcallister@alaska.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 5:03 PM
To: Ingrid Newkirk
Subject: RE: So, are you backing down up there?

Our still unnamed legal emissary, huh? Whether or not I’m charming in your eyes, at least I’m accountable.

From: Ingrid Newkirk [mailto:ingridn@peta.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 1:59 PM
To: McAllister, William D (GOV)
Subject: sorry?

You will be when you die, don’t you think? Did someone put Red Bull in your water cooler? Are you now saying that no one called from your office, that’s my question, or did the person who called overplay his hand, or what, not that I really care any more?

From: McAllister, William D (GOV) [mailto:bill.mcallister@alaska.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 6:09 PM
To: Ingrid Newkirk
Subject: RE: sorry?

To answer the question in your subject line, yes, you are sorry.

I wouldn’t know if the person who (allegedly) called overplayed his (a man, then? – still waiting for more details) hand. No one here knows what you’re talking about.

Oh, you used to care? Which decade was that?

Politico adds:

McAllister says he is miffed about the alleged call Newkirk received. "This allegation about a lawsuit is just too much," he said. "No one in our office knew anything about it. And PETA has refused to say who called."

I know I get testy when I'm hungry.  Poor Ms. Newkirk has been hungry her whole life.  If she could only manage to get over her cibophobia once and for all and chow down on a nice, protein-rich Christmas ham this year, I suspect she'd have a much happier holiday season.

The Romney Plan

If only:

• Lower corporate tax rates
• Eliminate capital gains and dividend income taxes (at least for some income brackets)
• Focus stimulus spending on "shovel-ready" and genuinely necessary military projects
• Fund energy research, including nuclear
• Slash state governments (reduce headcount, eliminate duplicate and wasteful agencies)
• GOP blocks en masse any pork-infused spending bills
• Avoid knee-jerk over-regulation of financial services
• Don't grant unions any more power than they already have

I'll be pleasantly dumbfounded if more than one of these proposals - as paraphrased by me - comes to pass.  (The last four are pure fantasy.)  The country's just in too much of a collectivist, protectionist, Keynesian funk these days.  We've got an inbound administration whose rhetoric in the face of economic turmoil is equal parts Roosevelt, Hoover, and Carter; and the public by and large is signing on as if we hadn't been to this rodeo before.

Spoiler alert: it ends poorly.

That Was Fast

It's now Franken by 280?  That's a 14,000% reversal of Coleman's lead just this morning.

If this clown manages to pull it off, we're just a single Maine RINO away from a filibuster-proof Senate.

Paterson To Rob New Yorkers Blind

See what I did there?  It's a pun.  At his expense.  It's okay - he's a good sport about these things.

Plus, he's earned a bit of rebuke with this one.

Trying to close a $15.4 billion budget gap, Paterson called for 88 new fees and a host of other taxes, including an "iPod tax" that taxes the sale of downloaded music and other "digitally delivered entertainment services."

"We're going to have to take some extreme measures," Paterson said Tuesday after unveiling the slash-and-burn budget.

The proposal, which needs legislative approval, did not include broad-based income tax increases, but relied on smaller ones to raise $4.1 billion from cash-strapped New Yorkers.

Movie tickets, taxi rides, soda, beer, wine, cigars and massages would be taxed under Paterson's proposal. It also extends sales taxes to cable and satellite TV services and removes the tax exemption for clothes costing less than $110.

Paterson managed to peeve folks on both sides of the aisle with this move - Republicans because it serves to further bloat the hideously bloated state government, and Democrats because sales and usage taxes tend to be less "progressive" (read: fairer) than steeply graduated income taxes.

Observe:

Assembly Speaker [Democrat] Sheldon Silver, who supports a so-called millionaire tax, has said he'd "rather have a broad-based tax than nickel-and-dime" people.
...
Republican lawmakers expressed concern with the tax and fee increases.

"Instead of raising taxes, we need to be reducing them," said Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R-Schenectady).

Rather than slashing the budget during such tight times (or even holding the line), Paterson has managed only to slow the rate of growth.

Paterson's 2009-10 budget proposal represents only a 1% increase in total spending from this year's budget - the smallest increase in a dozen years.

As bad as all this is, I do have to credit Paterson with a comprehension of the behavioral impact of "progressive" taxation that tends to elude most others in his party.

Paterson did not rule out income tax increases but said spending reductions are the priority. He also defended the fee and sales tax increases, saying they would be less harmful to the state's economy.

"If you start taxing at times when [revenues are] receding, you'll drive job creators out of the state," Paterson said.

Update:  Jammie Wearing Fool makes an apt cinematic comparison.

George P. Bush For Senate

With Caroline Kennedy now confirming that she would very much like to be hand-picked to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate, I feel compelled to advance another candidate:  George Prescott Bush, son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, nephew of the President, and grandson of Bush 41.

It's true that "P." doesn't currently live in New York, but as Hillary aptly carpetbagged demonstrated in 2000, one doesn't need to establish residency in New York (until the day of election/appointment) to become one of its Senators.

It's also true that Bush has not demonstrated any particular political ambition or experience, beyond campaigning for family members.  Of course, the same can be said for Caroline...

So far as I can tell, Bush and Kennedy's qualifications are remarkably well-matched: both are at least 30 years old and both count several family members who have held high office.  If the latter represents Kennedy's primary qualification, I'd say Bush likely edges her out with his doubly Presidential family resume.

Yes, the American people carry a certain nostalgia for the image of young Caroline romping around the Oval Office in the 1960s (and I don't mean to diminish the relevance thereof as relates to Senatorial qualifications).  But let's not forget George P.'s adorable leading of the Pledge of Allegiance at age 12 at the 1988 Republican National Convention.

Finally, while I'd hesitate to play this card under normal circumstances, here it's worth pointing out that P. is of Hispanic descent.  And New York Governor David Paterson - upon whose shoulders falls the terrible burden of picking Clinton's replacement - has explicitly stated that he wants to pick "a woman or an Hispanic candidate."

Thus vanishes any advantage Caroline might have over George.  If we're going to incorporate familial considerations into Senate appointments, we may as well be orderly about it.  There's been a George Bush or a Prescott Bush in Congress, a Governor's mansion and/or the White House for 42 of the last 57 years (20 of the last 28 as part of a Presidential administration).

This one's a George Bush and a Prescott Bush.  And he's a member of the largest and fastest-growing minority in the country.  It's as if he were bred in a lab to be the ultimate American politician.  I can see it being debatable if Caroline's middle name were Teddy or Bobby, but that incongruous first name and gender tend to muddy the dynastic symmetry.

Update: The incomparable S.E. Cupp has an op-ed in the New York Daily News questioning why Paterson ought to feel compelled to fill Cilnton's seat with another woman.

Fool Me Once, Shame On You.

Fool me twice... er... can't get fooled again.

In a series of hang-up and follow-up calls that appears to have taken up much of the afternoon, [Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)] first received a call on her cell phone, from a Chicago phone number, and was informed by the caller that Obama wished to speak with her. When a man sounding like Obama got on the line, Ros-Lehtinen cut him off, saying, “I’m sorry, but I think this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks.” She then hung up, according to a statement issued by her office.

A little while later, Chief of Staff-designate Rahm Emanuel called the congresswoman back.

“Ileana, I cannot believe that you hung up on the president-elect,” Emanuel said, according to the congresswoman’s office.

Her response?

“Ros-Lehtinen told Rahm that she didn’t believe the call was legitimate and hung up on Emanuel,” her statement said.

Hat tip to Alalhpundit, who's offering a kidney as bounty for the audio (assuming it exists).

You can't blame Ros-Lehtinen, after Sarah Palin's not-particular-clever-but-publicly-embarrassing prank call from a radio DJ impersonating President Sarkozy during the campaign.

I must say I'd be erring on the side of calling BS on the caller if I were in her shoes.  Particularly when the call comes in unannounced to her cell phone.  There's got to be some minimal established protocol for the President-elect dialing up a member of Congress, wuncha think?  And then Manny calls back to chastise her for her insolence?

This outcome has to be a fair bit better than making the alternate mistake - having the audio mockingly parroted by every major media outlet the next day, followed shortly thereafter by Jesse Jackson demanding her resignation in light of her patently racist credulity in the authenticity of the caller based on a discernible tinge of "blackness" in the impressionist's voice upon playback.

In any event, I share Allah's eagerness for the audio.  Even though Ros-Lehtinen will bear an undeservedly large brunt of the mockery, it's still comedy rhodium.

Mitt the Michigander Prescribes Auto Failure

Amen.

(HT: Hot Air)

McCain's Concession Speech

For those of you watching networks that didn't bother to carry it.

(HT: Allah)

Red S.E. Cupp

Co-author of Why You're Wrong About the Right, incisive columnist, and insta-media darling S.E. Cupp has a new online home.

You should go pay her a visit.

Rasmussen: McCain More Trusted On Economy, Taxes

More confirmation that revelations of Obama's socialist leanings are sinking in nationwide and that Americans are gradually waking from their Hopenchange hypnosis.

After several weeks of John McCain’s campaign attacks on Barack Obama’s tax plan and idea of “spreading the wealth around”, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds voters trust McCain more than Obama on taxes, 47% to 45%.

Two weeks ago, Obama had a one point-advantage on the issue of taxes and a month ago, he had a three-point edge.

The swing on the economy question is even more dramatic.

McCain also has gained ground as the candidate to trust on economic issues. Forty-eight percent (48%) now trust the Republican hopeful more than the Democrat while 47% hold the opposite view. This is the first time McCain has led on the issue that has hurt his campaign since September 17. One month ago, Obama held a nine-point advantage when it came to economic issues.

(HT: HA Headlines)

Gallup Shows Bulk Of Obama Lead Disappearing Overnight, Notices "Slight Narrowing"

Gallup's latest daily poll of traditional likely voters gives Barack Obama a 2-point lead over John McCain (49-47).  The gap has shrunk from 5 yesterday and 7 on Friday.  The headline of the poll: "Presidential Race Narrows Slightly."

Only the 3rd and final day of the latest polling window followed the discovery of Obama's 2001 tragedy of non-redistribution interview, so the actual swing over the last couple days may be larger than the rolling average currently lets on.

Ted Stevens Guilty on 7/7 Counts

He'll be sentenced on February 25th, when he could get up to five years.

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) was convicted today on seven counts of failing to report more than $250,000 in improper gifts he received from 1999 to 2006, a stunning blow to a political career that has lasted more than 40 years and marked Alaska’s entire history as a part of the United States.

Stevens, 84, now faces a question over whether he will resign, and if he does not, whether he can win reelection Nov. 4 in an already tough race.
...
The heart of the government’s case against Stevens centered on the nearly total overhaul of Stevens’ home in Girdwood, Alaska, during 2000-2001. Bill Allen, a close Stevens’ friend and former CEO of VECO Corp., an Alaska oil-field services company, paid for much of the renovation work and used VECO employees to carry it out. That work cost more than $180,000, and Stevens never paid for it or reported it on his annual financial disclosure forms.
...
Stevens, in particular, was argumentative and crotchety when questioned by prosecutors, and his testimony failed to convince the jury that he was an innocent man.

Inconceivable: Oliver Stone's W. So Bad Not Even the Critics Like It

If ever there were a movie guaranteed to win gushing plaudits from the critics, it was a biopic critical of a sitting Republican President, directed by American cinema's most celebrated political dramatist and starring the progeny of certified anti-Republican royalty in the role of the titular antagonist.

And yet "W." couldn't quite swing it.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, it scores positive reviews from just 55% of all critics and just 37% of "top critics".

Some representative samples:

• "W. is a scattershot attempt at stylized portraiture that plays like a half-baked editorial cartoon."
• "Bush haters will love it; Bush lovers will hate it; and those in between will be bored to death."
• "Hee-Haw meets Dr. Strangelove."

Managing to screw this up was no small feat.  The entire film could've consisted of a 90-minute title card that read "Bush sucks" and still done better than 37%.

By comparison, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" won over 50% of those top critics.

And it's not a problem of Stone's stock among the opinionistas.  Kooky conspiracy fugue "JFK" scored 86% fresh among top critics and even the slightly-less-exciting-than-a-medically-induced-coma "Nixon" managed to woo 65%.

"W." was a ready made, paint-by-numbers shoe in for multiple Oscar nominations (and in all likelihood, multiple wins) for best actor, best picture, best director, etc.  All it had to do was not be laughably horrible and it would've seen the kind of rave critical reviews (if not box office success) that similarly opinioned movies invariably enjoy.

I haven't seen it myself and I have no intention to do so, but I'm highly confident - based on the unbelievably unworshipful response from the critics - in my declaration that "W." is an uncommonly atrocious film.

Any folks out there who subjected themselves to the experience and want to weigh in?

Palin On SNL

The long-awaited appearance finally came to pass, in all of its widely expected mediocrity.  Amy Poehler's rap was amusing, but overall, the show has somehow found its way back to the comedic depths plumbed during that horrendous 1994-95 season with Janeane Garofalo, Chris Eliot, Michael McKean, et al.

I don't understand it.  The talent roster's doing fine (Hader, Samberg, Wiig, Poehler), but the writing is just painful.  Fart face?  Fall foliage?  Are these even jokes?  Did Fey get all the decent writers to decamp to "30 Rock"?

Until some new talent can be scared up for what Bucky calls the "Jew room", just have Hader and Samberg do impressions for 90 minutes from now on.

Debate 3: Mac's Last Stand

How many minutes into the proceedings will McCain first bring up Bill Ayers?  I'm guessing 15.

In addition to hammering Obama's on his circle of terrorist buddies, McCain - as has been endlessly opined - needs to make his economic case.  He's got plenty of ammunition (particularly with regard to investment income taxes and windfall profit taxes), as Obama's plans to punish capital represents the surest parth to devaluing stocks and killing jobs.  If the economic theory eludes McCain, he can point to Obama's closest historical analog, our 39th President, and remind Americans how well this worked last time.

Whether McCain elects to finally fire those bullets is another story.

Reminding people that Obama and his Democratic colleagues were the ones who thwarted the attempts of McCain and other Republicans to rein in Fannie and Freddie is also important, but McCain's already proven willing to make this point (and likely will again tonight), so I don't expect this to be a source of major annoyance this evening.  The expected infuriations involve 1) McCain letting Obama get away with his whopper that 95% of Americans won't be hurt by his tax increases and 2) kid gloves remaining on during the Ayers exchange.

Ideally, I'd like to see McCain ask Obama why, if he believes "spreading the wealth around" helps everybody, he hasn't simply been cutting an extra check to the IRS each year to bring his own effective tax rate up to the "fair share" he'd like to see imposed on high income earners.

It doesn't matter how bad a year this is for Republicans.  A terrorist-sympathizing candidate with strong socialist leanings (and former socialist party membership) shouldn't even be polling in the double-digits.  McCain can still put him away, but he needs to get in the fight tonight in a way he hasn't even approached in earlier rounds.

100 million eyeballs will tune in again tonight, but after this the election goes on auto-pilot, save a true October bombshell.

Update:  Significantly better than expected.  A solid B- for McCain, possibly bumped up to a B for his Herbert Hoover zinger.  Not enough pushback on Obama's minimization of his Ayers relationships, nor on the 95%-of-taxpayers baloney.  Not a knock-out by any means, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

Update:  Heh.

Obama called on people to put down their video games, but as a McCain staffer e-mails: “But he advertises on them? Disingenuousness.”

What Obama actually said was that he was going to take away our video games.

Update:  Joe the plumber weighs in on the debate that featured him some 20 times.

In Ohio on Sunday, Obama was approached by one man who said, "Your new tax plan's going to tax me more."

A video clip caught by Fox News shows Obama replying, "It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance at success, too. And I think that when we spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

McCain referred repeatedly to that voter, Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Toledo, Ohio.

Wurzelbacher watched Wednesday night's debate and said he still thinks Obama's plan would keep him from buying the small business that employs him.

About McCain: "He's got it right as far as I go."

McCain Has Something Up His Sleeve [Update: Wa-Waah - It's a Web Ad]

Tantalizing.

McCain camp making news in the morning

On what, they won't say.   

"We'll have something to talk about," is all a campaign aide would allow.

I'm willing to entertain the possibility that it's actually something exciting, but I'm bracing for disappointment (or worse).

Let's see...

• Ticket inversion?
• Newfound documentation of the true genesis of the Obama-Ayers relationship?
• Something ACORNy?
• A copy of the pledge Obama signed with the socialist New Party in 1996?
• Details on the new, new bailout?
• An intended Treasury Secretary appointee?
  
  • If McCain were able to convince a heavy hitter with big cross-party cred (Mike Bloomberg?) to join his camp, this might be sufficiently newsworthy to justify the pre-announcement.
• Bubba as Secretary of State?

Hat tip to HA Headlines, where commenters offer a couple more ideas:

• Endorsement from Colin Powell
• Production of a foreign birth certificate for Obama

And from Ace:

• The identity of the ghostwriter of Dreams From My Father (and the possibility that it was Ayers)
• Other prospective cabinet members, including Rudy Giuliani and/or Mitt Romney
• Dwight Schrute as Treasury Secretary (and a currency migration from U.S. Dollars to Schrute Bucks)
• Production of the untold "thing Hillary has on Obama" (and the possibility that it's a tape of Obama and Ayers discussing radical political philosophies)
• Palin to appear on SNL this Saturday

Ace also notes that someone sold a big lot of Obama Intrade contracts Wednesday night, enough to drive down the price (in this admittedly illiquid and relatively easily buffeted market) from the high 70s to the mid 60s.

Update:  That disappointment bracing came in handy.

That "news" in the morning

Sure enough, it's Bill Ayers.

The McCain campaign is launching a web ad accusing Obama of trying to hide his ties to the 60s-era radical.

It's a pretty good ad, but... meh.

Mr. Freud Goes To Tampa

Whoops.

[At a Joe Biden campaign event]

And no matter what your party, gender, or race or religion, please help me today in welcoming the next Vice President of the United States - John McCain!

(HT: The Corner)

Obama Campaign Offended By McCain's Pejorative Pronouns

There must be a slur in here somewhere.

Barack Obama’s campaign did not like it when rival John McCain referred to the Illinois senator as “that one” during tonight’s presidential debate. Obama spokesman Bill Burton sent a one-line message to reporters after McCain made the comment that said, “Did John McCain just refer to Obama as ‘that one’?” And again at the conclusion of the debate, the Obama campaign e-mailed reporters, “Did John McCain refer to Obama as ‘that one’?”

McCain made the remark tonight when discussing a 2005 Senate vote on an energy bill. “There was an energy bill on the floor of the Senate loaded down with goodies, billions for the oil companies, and it was sponsored by Bush and Cheney. You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one,” he said, pointing to Obama, “You know who voted against it? Me.”

What a racist.

Gotcha-Journalistic Karma Thwacks Katie Couric On 5th Avenue

So what magazines and newspapers do you read, Katie?

This is a totally unfair ambush, of course, but - well - you can't help but kind of enjoy it.

And to her credit, she was eventually able to identify a periodical.

(HT: The Corner)

Sarah Palin: The New Nightmare

A month ago, Slate's David Plotz detailed the horrific nightmares he and his colleagues had begun having about the "scolding ominous figure" that is Sarah Palin (inspiring this blog to post the artistic rendering at left).

After weeks of what we mistook for relative nocturnal peace, it appears that the liberal subconscious has once again succumbed to Palin's nightly torment.

Three weeks ago, I met with a therapist for the first time in my life. I'm a very happy guy -- great family, great job, great girlfriend, tons of Facebook friends -- no problems that a glass of scotch couldn't fix. But ever since the beginning of September, I've gone 100% bats*** crazy. Why? Because come next year, John McCain and Sarah Palin might be running this country. I can't concentrate at work. I can't hold a normal conversation about anything besides politics. At night, I'm afraid to go to sleep because I know that Sarah Palin is waiting for me in Dreamland, like Freddy Krueger but dumber and more evil.

Several commenters at Huffington Post commiserate with this wretched sufferer of "MPSD" (McCain/Palin Sleep Disorder).

Previously:
Palin the Tormentor
Palin the Commander
Palin the Debater

McCain To Make the Argument McCain Won't Make

Yes, yes.  Much more of this.

To borrow from Mark Twain, the "George Bush caused the credit crisis... somehow" lie is fully halfway around the world by now, but at least the "Democrats' ideologically driven market interventionism is largely to blame, despite McCain's warnings and attempts to rein in Fannie and Freddie, which were busy shoveling protection money to Chris Dodd and Barack Obama" truth is finally lacing up its shoes.

Previously: Thomas Sowell Makes the Argument McCain Won't

Update:  Ace is blogging the McCain conference call.

Yes, they are now saying the CRA/Fannie/Freddie disaster was one the Democrats lobbied for, one that McCain attempted to avert in 2005, and that McCain's efforts were blocked by a party-line vote.
...
They are focusing on regulation of Fannie and Freddie -- conceding, implicitly, that sure, Republicans are generally reluctant on regulation, but not on this issue.
...
[Doug Holtz-Eakin, Senior Policy Adviser] notes that Barack Obama has been lying -- or "miscaracterizing" -- McCain's and Obama's respective positions on regulating Fannie and Freddie for the past two weeks, and that it's time for McCain to set the record straight.

Update:  Via Allah, here's video of McCain making the case on the campaign trail.

"What Just Happened?"

Good ad - makes a relatively complex point fairly effectively.  If only McCain would deign to vocalize this argument in the debates.

(HT: Ace)

See also: The 12 ways the government contributed to the financial crisis.

Update: Also via Ace, Fox digs up the intriguing nugget that Barney "There Is No Crisis at Fannie and Freddie" Frank's partner is an executive at... wait for it...

Unqualified home buyers were not the only ones who benefitted from Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank’s efforts to deregulate Fannie Mae throughout the 1990s.

So did Frank’s partner, a Fannie Mae executive at the forefront of the agency’s push to relax lending restrictions.

Now that Fannie Mae is at the epicenter of a financial meltdown that threatens the U.S. economy, some are raising new questions about Frank's relationship with Herb Moses, who was Fannie’s assistant director for product initiatives. Moses worked at the government-sponsored enterprise from 1991 to 1998, while Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie.

Both Frank and Moses assured the Wall Street Journal in 1992 that they took pains to avoid any conflicts of interest. Critics, however, remain skeptical.

"It’s absolutely a conflict," said Dan Gainor, vice president of the Business & Media Institute. "He was voting on Fannie Mae at a time when he was involved with a Fannie Mae executive. How is that not germane?

Intrade's "Who Will the VP Debate Benefit" Contract Swings 28.5 Points Toward McCain

If you want to cut through the clutter of faulty polling and biased outlets, consider the market price action.

The contract's price represents the cost of a contract that pays out $100 if Obama's Intrade price improves versus McCain's one day after the VP debate.  It closed yesterday at $61.00 and plummeted to $32.50 shortly after the debate.

Ace Has a Theory

I hope he's right.  And if he's wrong, I hope someone with McCain's ear reads his blog.

Palin vs. Biden

After a half hour without notable fireworks or gaffes, I have only one reaction...

I hope the McCain/Palin campaign has solid polling data that suggests the debate hinges exclusively on which candidate decries the evils of Wall Street more frequently.

Because this vacuous more-populist-than-thou shtick is getting old fast.

Where's the pre-nomination free marketeer we fell in love with on Kudlow this summer?  The media's too invested in the "igloo trash" image to suddenly recast her as a white-shoed elitist.  And it's a lay up to outscore Biden on points in an economic debate, when he's forced to argue his runningmate's clearly articulated pseudo-socialist agenda.

Update:  Mark it.  9:43 pm: the first highlight reel-worthy moment goes to Palin.

Responding to Biden's description of his and Obama's "plan" in Iraq: "Your plan is a white flag of surrender."

Update:  9:47 - Biden channels the Goracle with a long off-camera sigh.

Update:  9:52 - Biden channels Bob Dole with the line, "No one has been a better friend to Israel than Joe Biden."

Just be yourself, Joe!

Update:  9:55 - Can someone compile a smirk montage?

Update:  10:18 - Gutfeld thinks Joe's botox makes him look "like an angry bat."  I'm inclined to agree.

Update:  10:20 - Quite literally in the same breath, Joe laments, "I'm not gonna change..." and then goes on to boast about his record of change.

Update:  10:24 - After an unsteady beginning, Palin seemed to get consistently more comfortable (and more effective throughout the debate).  In the home stretch, she's managing to stay on positive notes, enunciating her and McCain's strong points, and thus keeping possession of the ball, leaving Biden to spend much of his times grouchily refuting her.

Update:  10:28 - On the final question regarding "changing the tone" in Washington, Joe claims he has never - not since his freshman year anyway - questioned the motives (or opposed to the judgment) of a fellow Senator.

Fact check away.

Update:  10:38 - Was anyone else bracing for an awkward "hot mic" moment after the debate ended and they left both candidates' mics open?

Update:  Biden's 14 lies.

McCain/Palin Nerv-o-Meter For Tonight's Debate: 5

This causes me to notch upward from 5 to 7.

Asked by reporters in the media room here at Washington University how nervous he was about tonight’s debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said that he was “an even-keeled five.”

He tried several times to downplay the significance of tonight’s outcome, arguing that, historically, vice-presidential debates have not been decisive in determining the winner of the election.

Michigan Seems Like a Dream To Mac Now

Meh.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain is giving up on winning Michigan.

Republican officials with knowledge of the strategy said the GOP candidate is shifting resources to other states. Democrat John Kerry won here in 2004, but McCain had tried to make it a target to switch parties this year amid economic problems in the state.

The news came as Barack Obama campaigned in the state Wednesday.

The Arizona senator canceled a trip to the state next week, he won't run ads on TV after this week and is dispatching staffers to states that show him in stronger position.

Bailout Passes Senate 74-25

They easily surpassed the 60 votes needed, with Democrats and safe seats skewing a bit more favorably.

I pulled together a couple quick internals from tonight's roll call, as a potential preview of the House vote to follow later this week.

Senatorial subsets voted no in the following proportions:

• Republicans: 31%
• Democrats: 20%

• Up for re-election: 33%
• Not up for re-election: 22%

• Republicans up for re-election: 44%
• Democrats up for re-election: 17%

• Republicans not up for re-election: 23%
• Democrats not up for re-election: 21%

In the House, everyone's up for re-election.  So if the Senate disparity (particularly among Republicans) is any indication, it may be a significantly closer vote.

Lefty Heartache: Erin Brokovich Praises Sarah Palin

Chortle.

Placeholder Blogging Continues

Today's travel odyssey finally came to a close, but this weekend features a wall-to-wall offline agenda for your humble narrator, so I'm phoning in another post.

With the debate just minutes away, I'll make just one prediction.

If the sickeningly snide and patronizing demeanor showcased by Obama's economic adviser Robert Gibbs in his across-the-dial appearances today are any indication of the new, extra-butch, no-more-monsieur-nice-guy approach Obama's been teasing, expect a devastating backlash after tonight's performance.  The number of times I've today alone heard Gibbs use the word "erratic" in various interviews to describe Old Man McCain (faux-masking his disdain for the dottering old fool with that tremendosuly prissy giggle Gibbs sports) leaves me optimistic that this is indeed the bold new course they've charted.

Let's see how that works out.

Old people vote, Barry.  A lot more reliably than Gen Yers.  And the country's respect for John McCain is likely far less fickle than its amusement at your petulance.

Update:  Whether or not Obama had planned on belittling McCain Gibbs-style during the debate, having spent so much time on defense, he didn't have much of a chance to,  He did insist on calling him "John" (versus McCain's consistently respectful address of "Senator Obama"), which - combined with his frequent pleas to Lehrer to cut McCain off and give him back the ball - may have been part of an attempt to provoke that hair-trigger temper of McCain's we keep hearing about.  If so, it didn't work.  Both candidates did well, but McCain's unflappability (even during Obama's plaintive whining to Lehrer) surprised me most.  Obama, to his credit, managed to avoid stumbling bewildered through the uh-zone for any long stretches, which suggests he's been watching the game tapes from his debates with Hillary.

Update:  Wow.  That's quick work.  This McCain ad went up before the debate was even over.  (Which does beg the question: Could he have really "approved" the message?)

(HT: Ace)

McCain Asks for Debate Postponement

I guess he's confident the debate commission will grant the request, because if they don't, this would seem to give off the odor of McCain trying (and failing) to avoid squaring off with Obama in the first official round.

John McCain announced that he will suspend his presidential campaign on Thursday to return to Washington to help with bailout negotiations. He urged his opponent Barack Obama to do the same.

The Arizona senator also asked the Presidential Debate Commission to postpone Friday’s scheduled debate with Obama so that he can work on the financial crisis bailout plan now on Capitol Hill.

“America this week faces an historic crisis in our financial system. We must pass legislation to address this crisis. If we do not, credit will dry up, with devastating consequences for our economy. People will no longer be able to buy homes and their life savings will be at stake. Businesses will not have enough money to pay their employees. If we do not act, ever corner of our country will be impacted. We cannot allow this to happen,” McCain said.

It puts Obama momentarily on defense, I suppose, forcing him either to follow McCain's lead or to explain why his active Senatorial duties do not (for the next few days, at least) preclude him from extra-currciculars.

Hat tip to Allah, who notes that McCain should be eager about this debate, which ostensibly concerns only foreign policy.  But I have a hard time believing that the moderator wouldn't tolerate frequent tangents (if not a wholesale migration) into the economic realm.  With that in mind, a postponement preserves what should be McCain's best debate for a time when the public may be less singularly focused on the economy.

Update: And maybe that's why Obama's saying the show must go on.

The begrudging reluctance with which he's willing to return to Washington to do his job as a legislator (while the legislature contends with emergency legislation) is a nice touch.

An Obama campaign official told ABC News the Democratic presidential candidate called McCain this morning to suggest a joint statement of principles.

McCain called back this afternoon and suggested returning to Washington.

Obama is willing to return to Washington "if it would be helpful." But reiterated Obama intends to debate on Friday.

Update: Great chess move or epic fail?

VP Pick Increasingly Likely To Clinch the Presidency For McCain

Obama's pick, that is.

Bipartisan Score Doesn't!

[What an awkward post title...]

Via Ace, the Senatorial "Gang of 20" is hanging up their compromising hats.

A bipartisan group of senators who sought a compromise in the rancorous energy debate won't introduce their bill before lawmakers adjourn for the elections, several Senate aides said Thursday.

Instead, the so-called Gang of 20 will offer a statement of principals outlining their agreement on a host of divisive issues, including expanded offshore drilling.
...

Since the group won't offer a bill, it's unclear how the energy debate will unfold days before the scheduled Sept. 26 adjournment. Since consideration of the bill was expected to play a significant role in the debate, some senior aides expected Democrats would scrap next week's energy debate, in light of the packed scheduled before the recess and the heightened focus on the economic downturn. But no decisions have been announced, according to a Democratic leadership aide.

Democrats, under pressure to lift a nearly three-decade-old ban on drilling, seemed open to the plan to deflect criticism that they were standing in the way of finding more domestic supplies.

But many Republicans criticized the plan, raising concerns that by offering a compromise to Democrats and their presidential candidate Barack Obama, it would blunt a potent election-year attack that has gained traction at the polls.

Critics of the plan were also concerned that a "compromise" plan would be little more than Congressional lip service that wouldn't open any meaningful amount of new drilling.

That may sound cynical, but it's worth remembering that earlier this week, the House passed a compromise drilling bill that was little more than Congressional lip service that wouldn't open any meaningful amount of new drilling.

With a significant majority of Americans favoring the no-brainer lifting of the Congressional ban on new offshore drilling, there's no good reason for the party advocating that majority opinion to give up all the substantive ground on the debate, particularly in pursuit of purely symbolic bipartisanship.

Anyway, it sounds like the Senate will now not find the time to debate and vote on an energy bill before the recess (they need rest, darn it, they've been back at work for days!), but that seems better than passing a meaningless bill and taking the issue off the table for the foreseeable future.

For a change, the 110th's do-nothingness and partisan gridlock is a blessing.

The Palin E-mail Hack: The Inside Story

Michelle Malkin's got it.

(What a nifty prank.  I'm sure the Secret Service is going to let the scamps off with a warning.)

Prima Donna

Hillary Clinton was all set to attend a "Stop Iran Now" rally in New York next Monday, hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council.

I wasn't sure whether it might be a hoax when word of the announcement email went out last night, given the event's other headliner.

But according to Hillary's people, she wasn't aware that she'd have to share the stage with Washington's new it girl when she accepted. And when Hillary found out her limelight would be dimmed by the Alaskan upstart, she pulled out.

Some things are just more important than stopping Iran (now).

The Interview ABC Didn't Want You To See

Mark Levin has posted an unedited transcript of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin, which reads very differently from what was actually aired.

ABC yanked a bunch of Palin's answers (frequently her most substantive comments) as well as some of Gibson's questions.

Newsbusters annotates the edits, which include just about anything that made Palin sound knowledgeable, that detracted from the thesis that she's an empty-headed warmonger, or that revealed Gibson agreeing with or misquoting her.

Obama's Most Exquisitely Ironic Gaffe-Attack Yet

Since the day McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate, the Obama campaign has thrown its opponents into several briar patches - most notably, concerning inexperience and earmarks - inviting comparisons that Obama shouldn't want (and that the media has thus far been happy to ignore).

Today, Obama raised the art of unforced errors to new heights.  After declaring boldly for the severalth time that he's taking the gloves off and rolling up his sleeves and [insert third butch metaphor here], the campaign released a terribly clever ad informing America that John McCain is old.  The ad specifically scoffs that McCain "can't send an e-mail."  What a dusty old buffoon!

There's only one problem with this line of attack.  The fact that McCain (who does read political websites and blogs) can't send an e-mail has less to do with his lack of tech savvy than with his having endured years of beatings and torture.

McCain’s severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain’s encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He’s an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can’t raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.

After Vietnam, McCain had Ann Lawrence, a physical therapist, help him regain flexibility in his leg, which had been frozen in an extended position by a shattered knee. It was the only way he could hope to resume his career as a Navy flier, but Lawrence said the treatment, taken twice a week for six months, was excruciatingly painful.

”He endured it, he wouldn’t settle for less,” said Lawrence, who rejoiced with McCain when he passed the Navy physical. ”I have never seen such toughness and resolve.”

By now, Obama must be getting used to his attacks backfiring.  But the unprecedented reading on the ironicometer for this botched attacked stems from the ease with which Obama's hip, wired staffers and/or ad team could've discovered this information using the "information superhighway" (specifically, by making use of "search engine" technology to cull relevant information from the "world wide web").

The quote above is from a Boston Globe story from March 2000.  If you run a simple Google News search for articles published before last year, using the terms "john mccain keyboard", this Forbes article from May 2000 shows up on the first page of results.

In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the U.S. Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits.

What percentage of 64-year-olds do you suppose were daily e-mail users back in 2000?

This is a quadruple whammy for Obama.  The ad 1) is apparently wildly inaccurate, 2) makes Obama look like a jerk for needling McCain (if inadvertently) about his war injuries, 3) reminds people which of these two candidates is a hero, and 4) exposes the delicious tech-idiocy behind this initiative to demonstrate McCain's tech-idiocy.

(HT: Jonah Goldberg, via Ed Morrissey)

Update:  A fine idea from the comments:

Please, please run a response ad with Meg and Carli

Update:  Obama's tech geniuses update the campaign website with a call to help "the victems" of Hurricane Ike.  Spell check, champ.  It's even older than the interweb.

New Campaign Theme Song Suggestion For Obama

One Thousand Sarahs, by Eddie From Ohio.

Sarah's the kind of girl who's 3 feet tall, but she's built like an Amazon woman.
Sarah's the kind of girl who's 3 feet tall, but she's built like an Amazon woman.
And all the boys think she's pretty.
And all the girls think she dresses swell.
And all the teachers think that she's the smartest one in class,
But I think... she oughta go to Hell.

Sarah's the kind of girl who pierced her ears years before anybody else.
Sarah's the kind of girl who pierced her ears years before anybody else.
And all the mothers say her mother was-
And all the mothers say her mother was a slut
And we couldn't pierce our ears till we turned 12 no matter what
And I think... Well you know what I think.

1,000 Sarahs in my head (1,000 Sarahs in my head)
1,000 Sarahs circling me in my bed.
I thought I got rid of her but she multiplied instead.
1,000 Sarahs, 1,000 Sarahs
1,000 Sarahs, 1,000 Sarahs

I don't like her, I don't like her,
I don't like her and you can't make me!
I don't like her, I don't like her,
I don't like her and you can't make me!

It's actually a great song (you can hear some of it here).  And fitting for a campaign whose supporters are so haunted and tormented by McCain's running mate.

Noted Goonily Bespectacled Critic Fears Palin's Goony Spectacles

Um, what?

By Roger Ebert
...
[Sarah] Palin is a shallow, chirpy person with those vaguely alarming eyeglasses. Now her fans all want a pair. Remember back when women wore glasses that departed their ears in plastic swoops and swirls? My theory is, anyone who wears glasses that look weird is telling me something I don't want to know.

One, two... Sarah's comin' for you...

(HT: JWF)

Just Words?

This new brand of politics sure is refreshing and civil.

"You know, you can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said, "but it's still a pig."

The crowd rose and applauded, some of them no doubt thinking he may have been alluding to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's ad lib during her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

Nice work, champ. That's just the demographic you want to further alienate.

Palin the Tormentor

I like this woman more every day.

I rarely remember my dreams, but for the past week, GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been haunting me. Night after night, she appears in my dreams, always as a scolding, ominous figure.

When I mentioned my Palin dreams to Slate colleagues, they volunteered their own. One Obama-supporting colleague dreamed she had urged her young son to kill Palin with a string bean. Another dreamed she was at a fashion show and Palin served her crème fraîche on little scooped corn chips. A third says, "In the Sarah Palin dream I keep having, she has superhuman powers but is not really a person at all. In fact, she is more like the weather with glasses and an up-do, pushing clouds around and pitching lightning bolts."
...
In this spirit, we invite Slate readers to send us their dreams about Palin. E-mail them to IdreamofSarah@gmail.com. We will publish the most interesting

Is there any better indicator that Palin was a brilliant pick than that she's literally a nightmare to liberals?

That Slate post contains another noteworthy nugget:

Palin's supermom abilities provoke envy and anxiety in women, especially other working mothers.

Is there any evidence that Palin's ability to succeed professionally while raising a large family actually provokes "envy and anxiety in women" or is this reaction among working mothers simply knowable a priori?

By extension, should we assume that Obama's academic pedigree and success in swiftly climbing the ladder provokes envy and anxiety in black people?  On the contrary, Obama's backstory and unlikely rise, we are assured (largely by his two books on the subject), are a source of inspiration.  I wonder why it doesn't work the same way for Palin.

Update:  Oh, that's why.

(HT: HA Headlines)

Previously:
Palin the Commander
Palin the Debater