Live Blog I : VEEP PEEP Show

Posted: October 11, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: 2012 elections, 2012 presidential campaign | Tags: , , , | 88 Comments

Here we go!

Just thought I‘d drop this CSM article on the faux right wing outrage over the debate moderator tonight in as our first topic on a live blog series tonight. She’s actually a war correspondent but you know, it’s part of the lower expectations game.

On Wednesday, the conservative Daily Caller posted a blog about Ms. Raddatz, alleging bias because of her short-lived marriage in the 1990s to an Obama administration appointee, Julius Genachowski, the head of the Federal Communications Commission.

This shot comes on the heels of an avalanche of criticism aimed at last week’s presidential debate moderator, Jim Lehrer, ranging from GOP commentatorLaura Ingraham to Democratic contributor Bill Maher.

“There have always been questions about moderators,” says Atlanta-based GOP strategist David Johnson, who consulted on Bob Dole’s 1988 presidential campaign. Targeting moderators is simply a political strategy, he says, giving “each side a way to say, the debate was stacked against them if their candidates don’t do well.”

Mounting such a strategy before the debate even starts, Mr. Johnson adds, “makes the moderators go out of their way to be evenhanded.”

In one of the GOP debates earlier this year, CNN’sJohn King took withering heat for asking Newt Gingrichabout allegations made by his second wife. A variety of sources challenged Gwen Ifill’s objectivity in 2008 because she had written a book related to Barack Obama.

Now, both ABC News and the Commission on Presidential Debates have dismissed charges of bias against Raddatz, a senior foreign affairs correspondent. As reported in Politico Wednesday, The Washington Post’s conservative Jennifer Rubin tweeted that “this whole mini flap was obnoxious, dumb.”

Here’s the link to CPSPAN. 

The Meme That Just Won’t Die: Hillary as VP

Posted: May 23, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: U.S. Politics | Tags: , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Here we go again. Today Michael Tomasky discusses the possibility that Hillary could switch jobs with Joe Biden. Tomasky was reacting to a snarky piece in the Washington Times, so take it with a large grain of salt. Tomasky writes:

Clinton’s positive numbers are off the charts. Biden’s are so-so—both approval and disapproval sit in the 40s. Biden’s putative asset, that he helps a bit with white working-class and Catholic voters, is even truer of Clinton, the famous drinker of shots in those proletarian Pennsylvania bars. And women—forget about it. An Obama-Clinton ticket would pulverize any Romney ticket on the distaff side (is that insulting? I’m just trying to avoid repeating the word “women” too much). It wouldn’t matter if he put Carrie Underwood on his ticket.

I know, I know. It’s silly. I can right now picture the friends reading this who will write me to say, “Mike, that’s silly.” It probably is. But here are a few points for your consideration that aren’t silly at all.

Actually, I don’t see anything silly about the idea, but then I’m “on the distaff side.” Tomasky notes that in the recent NYT-CBS poll, Romney is actually leading among women. Is it really possible that Romney has narrowed the gender gap. If so, Obama would be in big trouble.

In other words, it may well be that Romney could close the gender gap. And if he could close it to 5 points, it will be an extremely close election.

Now bring in Hillary. Forget about it. The most consistently admired woman in America over the last 20 years? The gender gap would be 20 points. And the Obama and Clinton machines fused like that—it’s like Secretariat and Zenyatta breeding. And the signal sent to Democrats and women across the country that the whole thing is being teed up for her in 2016. This would be a blowout.

And Biden, you ask? Well, the gay-marriage thing might finally have been the straw that made Obama think it’s not so great having Joe around. But don’t feel bad for him. He benefits from the fact that the White House would have to do this smoothly, which means Biden can’t possibly just be hung out to dry. So he’s going to be landing on a $300 goose-down pillow. He gets to be secretary of state—the job he’s dreamed of for years anyway!

It makes a lot of sense, but it probably won’t happen–not because it’s a “silly” idea, but because Obama doesn’t have the guts to do it. If he did, it would be a real “game changer.” Suddenly this deadly dull election season would become very exciting. And Hillary would be teed up to run in 2016.

What do you think?

You’ve just taken then Oath of Office and …

Posted: January 2, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: president teleprompter jesus, Team Obama, Voter Ignorance | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

You take off across country on a ‘barnstorm tour’ to support your economic stimulus plan.

What?  Wasn’t that what the election was all about?

According to Fox news this morning,  Obama will meet with congressional leaders this week to get them started on an economic stimulus plan.

The first order of business for Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress is to enact the still-emerging economic recovery plan as soon as possible.

The plan, which some Obama aides think could swell to about $850 billion after negotiations with lawmakers, would be the largest investment in public infrastructure since the federal highway system was established in the 1950s. It also would provide tens of billions of dollars in aid to financially strapped states

Biden, Reid and Pelosi will be forming and enacting economic policy after a few kumbhaya, come to jesus moments with Republicans.  Then President Obama will begin a ‘barnstorming’ tour of the country to drum up support for the plan while every one else back in Washington does all the work.

gall_clinton_giMeanwhile, at the CNN Political ticker: Clinton Likely in for Bumpy Ride.  Evidently the news media thinks that the Secretary of State is in charge of foreign policy.

Has anybody read the constitution recently or are we about to see the birth of the European-style presidency here in the U.S.?  Will Obama become a constitutional monarch like Queen Elizabeth waving his pretty hands to his subjects while His Majesty’s minister’s do all the hard work.  This was something that I’d never really given thought to during the election, but as of late I’m speculating about it continually.

Instead of one Cheney, will we get two?

I have to admit that I’m going to be pretty happy if Secretary of State Clinton and Vice President of the Middle Class Biden can effectively use their joint knowledge and experience to improve the country and the world situation.  Both of them are without a doubt two of the most qualified people on the planet.  Maybe I’m wishful thinking on one level because the degree of inexperience and lack of depth and breadth of knowledge by president teleprompter jesus just continually flabbergasts me.  He’s hopeless off script.  HOWEVER, and this is a HUGE HOWEVER, is this in keeping with the spirit of democratically elected officials as well as our form of government?

Are we moving from an imperial presidency to a historical symbol presidency ?  And by whose authority have we morphed the role of the president?

Pinch me if I’m wrong here.  Tell me on one level to relax and be glad the grown ups are in charge.  Still, there’s that little bit of Colonial Dame/DAR member (my mom registered me, really) that worries about the role of the presidency in terms of our Constitution.  (Silly me.)  If we’re going to amend the constitution, shouldn’t we at least get to vote first?