Joe Biden (and John Kerry) did a wonderful job of laying out way on issue, after issue, after issue regarding National Security.
Nearly a year ago, the Iraq NIE established that the improvement in Iraq were NOT the result of the Surge &trade
August 24, 2007 : Yesterday, the National Intelligence Estimate reported "measurable but uneven improvements" in the security situation in Iraq. While the White House has rushed to suggest that the modest gains were the result of escalation, the improvement can more plausibly be the product of Iraqi expectations of a U.S. withdrawal.
" "[F]earing a Coalition withdrawal, some tribal elements and Sunni groups probably will continue to seek accommodation with the Coalition to strengthen themselves for a post- Coalition security environment" [...]
Even on the one thing he has supposed been "right" about - McCain is still wrong.
Anyone who has looked into the "swift boating" of John Kerry will quickly see that there was more going on than just a blind smear campaign. There was an underlying resentment against some of the actions John Kerry took that many military members saw as dishonorable or treasonous. There were veterans groups that had existing, non political, resentments who's military opposition research was tapped for the storyline that the media campaign created. The swift boat campaign ripped the scab off that wound that had not yet healed between John Kerry and some veterans and added some unsubstantiated claims on top of it as frosting. It was that cumulative effect that led to the success of the campaign.
What many people don't realize about John McCain is that his track record when it comes to military affairs is not the impregnable fortress many believe it to be. It takes only a little Google research to find out some surprisingly damaging facts about McCain as both a military officer and, surprisingly, as a POW advocate as well.
I have a confession to make.... I am a die-hard Red Sox fan and equally faithful Democrat. I’ve been slightly torn in trying to focus on this week’s moving and inspiring convention while the Red Sox and Yankees are matched up for a series the same week. Between the sports metaphors from political pundits and parade of New York and New England delegates / speakers, its easy to understand how one could easily digest these events simultaneously.
Unfortunately, shortly after the end of the Red Sox win over the Yankees last night and just before Biden took the stage, the media started to report that McCain’s VP choice has already been made and may likely shared to the public today or tomorrow. Sound familiar? If you are a Red Sox fan (or A Rod hater), the tune of this song has a strikingly similar ring to Game 4 of the 2007 World Series.
I think the Gallup Daily is a crap poll, and national polls don't mean much. For a realistic picture of the current state of the race, please see 538. However, for what it's worth, this is encouraging.
PRINCETON, NJ -- Democratic candidate Barack Obama has gained ground in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking average from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and now leads Republican John McCain among registered voters by a 48% to 42% margin.
As I posted in a diary two days ago , James Dobson's miserable failures have come to light again. He asked his people to pray fro rain to disrupt our convention, and God told him to stick it when the sun actually won't be shining tonight!
Tonight's forecast - PERFECT conditions.
You prayed for it Dobbers. God said no.
A little background - Focus On The Family, Dobson's organization, asked supporters a few weeks back to pray fto God for rain. Not to help any farmland, mind you. Not to help any areas in a drought. But to make conditions miserable at Mile High Stadium on the night of Barack Obama's speech.
John McCain will name his VP pick tomorrow. But there is no suspense. I know who it has to be. And why. And you will read it and agree and smack yourself in the forehead for not realizing it sooner. You'll urge me to include "BREAKING" in the title of this diary. (But I won't do it) Even though it is THAT important.
John McCain has no choice. On Friday he will ask Hillary Clinton to be his VP. Why? How? ...below the fold-----
One of the two slogans from the convention is "McCain: more of the same". The John Goodman Quote has been diaried more than a few times, but let's compare two statements:
Today John McCain announced that he has picked a Spork to be his Vice President. "This will show that I am a centrist" said McCain "favoring neither fork nor spoon. For too long, the fork has been on the left side of the plate, and the spoon on the right. We need a fork and spoon that can work together as one, and end partisan gridlock in Washington."
Originally reporters thought they heard "Bork" not "Spork." This would indicate Judge Robert Bork, who would not only be a favorite with conservatives, but at age 81 he would make McCain look young in comparison. However, it's not Bork, it's a Spork.
When incredulous reporters asked a McCain spokesman why he picked a piece of plastic cutlery to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, the spokesman angrily retorted "John McCain spent 5 years in a P.O.W. camp where they didn't have any cutlery at all!'
McCain's approach in this election is an interesting reversal of GWB; and every time people (especially Democratic Senate colleagues) cite his flip-flops, they feed right into McCain's best chance of winning. Here's how I think McCain's playing:
GWB had solid support from the right wing, so his main message was to woo centrist voters (Uniter, not a Divider; Reformer with Results), while he reassured the Right much more subtly.
McCains's most solid support is from the center, so his main messages have been to woo the Right (Country First, Secure the Borders). At the same time, he's been working very hard, but unofficially, to reassure centrists. His campaign has made huge feints like "considering" Lieberman and the "Hillary supporter" who "accidentally" got McCain's abortion position completely wrong.
The reason the McCain camp keeps bashing Obama's speech is quite obvious: they're terrified by the enthusiasm he generates and the stark juxtaposition it creates when contrasted with McCain's lackluster oratory and unenthused crowds. Now we receive word that McCain is having trouble finding 10K supporters for his speech, when Obama filled a 75K stadium with ease:
If security sweeps are the giveaway, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may be on the brink of being selected as Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) vice presidential running mate.
According to sources with strong Michigan ties, the Secret Service has conducted a security sweep of the home of Romney’s sister. Romney was raised in Michigan, where his father served as governor.
On June 12, John McCain called for an investigation into oil speculation, apparently due more to his total lack of understanding of commodity markets than to any actual indignation. This is what he said:
I believe there needs to be a thorough and complete investigation of speculators to find out whether speculation has been going on and, if so, how much it has affected the price of a barrel of oil.
Investigate speculators to find out if there's speculation going on? Next, we can go to the gas station and see if they're selling gas.
Now, usually when a politician calls for an investigation, that means they don't actually want to do anything about a problem, and hope by putting it off they can avoid dealing with it all together.
But don't worry Mr. McCain, the results are in- no need for that investigation!
