Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama made ground zero their common ground for one rare day, free of politics and infused with memory. Putting their partisan contest on a respectful hold, they walked together Thursday into the great pit where the World Trade Center once stood and, as one, honored the dead from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.We will put aside partisanship today as well.
KT, over at the Scratching Post, has written the article I wish I had. He makes the excellent point about the cocoon (or bubble if you will) in which Obama lives, along with the MSM. It has deprived him of the intellectual battle needed to sharpen his wit, leaving him mentally soft for the fight ahead. Now, he's not ready for the big leagues.Let me say of myself and almost everyone I know in the press, all the chattering classes and political strategists and inside dopesters of the Amtrak Acela Line:
We live in a bubble and have around us bubble people. We are Bubbleheads. We know this and try to compensate for it by taking road trips through the continent -- we're on one now, in Minneapolis -- where we talk to normal people. But we soon forget the pithy, knowing thing the garage mechanic said in the diner, and anyway we weren't there long enough in the continent to KNOW, to absorb. We view through a prism of hyper-sophistication, and judge by the rules of Chevy Chase and Greenwich, of Cleveland Park and McLean, of Bronxville and Manhattan.
If only the Democrats could contain their sense of entitlement to govern in a rational world, and their consequent distaste for wide swathes of the US Electorate, they might gain the unshakeable grip on power they feel they deserve. Winning elections would certainly be easier – and Republicans would have to address themselves more seriously to economic insecurity. But the fathomless cultural complacency of the metropolitan liberal rules this out.
Today, Treasury Secretary Paulson announced that the federal government was seizing control of the mortgage behemoths Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This provides us with an opportunity to see both candidates reactions and judge their judgment side-by-side. After all, Obama himself said that this election is all about good judgment. First the quotes:
From Obama:
"Given the substantial role that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac play in our housing system, I believe that some form of intervention is necessary to prevent a larger and deeper crisis throughout our entire economy," Obama said in a statement.
From McCain
Republican McCain supports the federal takeover of mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac but wants eventual privatization, his advisors said.
"The long-term reforms are to scale down Fannie and Freddie so their size is no longer a threat. And then privatize them. Get them off the taxpayer's books entirely," said McCain's chief economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin.
Note the sleeves rolled up a little higher on Mr. Suit, pictured at right, campaigning in Indiana. According to Politico reporter Carrie Brown's article, he looks and sounds like a candidate who realizes time is running out. Well, we here at TILoBO certainly hope so. So here is Obama's biting criticism of Governor Palin:
“I know the governor of Alaska has been, you know, saying she is change,” Obama said at a town hall here. “But when you [have] been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you are the champion anti-earmark person. That is not change, come on. I mean, words mean something. You can’t just make stuff up.”
Rezko's trial raised a host of questions. Was Mr. Obama able to save $300,000 on the asking price of his house because Rezko's wife paid full price for the adjoining lot? How did Mrs. Rezko make a $125,000 down payment and obtain a $500,000 mortgage when financial records shown at the Rezko trial indicate she had a salary of only $37,000 and assets of $35,000? Records show her husband also had few assets at the time.
Sarah Palin seemed to have a hit a home run with her acceptance speech at tonight's Republican convention, or did she? After watching the speech on Fox, and listening to a little commentary, I switched channels to MSNBC. I could hardly believe I had watched the same speech. The talking heads with Chris Matthews were going on about what a terrible negative, unconvincing speech it was. But when they switched to Andrea Mitchell interviewing an ebullient Rudy Giuliani on the convention floor, it all came into focus for me. Andrea, seemed drunk or very depressed. I called for my teenage son to look and he immediately asked, "What's HER problem?"
"He's found the time to write two memoirs but not any major piece of legislation or reform."
"We tend to not like candidates who don't talk to us one to our faces in Scranton, and another way in San Francisco."And a decent joke delivered well:
"What's the difference between a hockey mom and pit bull?" "Lipstick."UPDATE #1
I think Obama needs to read more. Yesterday, Anderson Cooper, on his "360 Show," asked Obama (hurricane Gustav was background.)They’ve in fact said that Governor Palin has more executive experience as mayor of a small town and as governor of a big state like Alaska. What’s your response?
Well, you know, my understanding is, is that Governor Palin's town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We have got 2,500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. You know, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month. So, I think that our ability to manage large systems and to execute, I think, has been made clear over the last couple of years. And, certainly, in terms of the legislation that I passed just dealing with this issue post-Katrina of how we handle emergency management, the fact that many of my recommendations were adopted and are being put in place as we speak, I think, indicates the degree to which we can provide thekinds of support and good service that the American people expect.
You go Barry!
