In Contempt (10/14/2008): Backfire

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Yay! Another Non-issue!

Props to my friend Leah for noting what a dodge this is. Head full of cold germs, my first thought when I heard CNN breathlessly report this morning (“this just in!”) John McCain’s proposal to delay his debate with Barack Obama and renounce campaigning until a bailout program is developed was, “Ah. Good strategy. Makes him look ‘presidential’ – whatever that means.”

Such is the obvious gambit. But, hey, what a way to get out of answering questions about an economy McCain fails to understand. Sure, the debate is focused on foreign policy, but a global economy facing a widespread crisis as the world’s largest consumer and debtor drowns in its own stupidity might have some bearing on how the next Prez interacts with his peers on the world stage. McCain has found a handy way to deflect criticism for last week’s gaffes and wild demands for firing the SEC chief, while putting Obama on the spot. The Bloomberg article linked above quotes a perfesser:

“The suspension does bring the ‘ready-to-lead’ issue back into focus for McCain,” said Paul Light, a public service professor at New York University. “Obama is damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.”

Dana Perino helpfully chimes in:

“Bipartisan support from Senators McCain and Obama would be helpful in driving to a conclusion,” press secretary Dana Perino said.

But, hey, no pressure, “Barry”. So far, the AP reports that Obama is not, as Sarah Palin might put it, read to “blink.” If you’re thinking, “Er, isn’t this a non-issue meant to distract us from the sheer stupidity of the Paulson bailout plan,” I would chastise you for your cynicism. Really, just because neither candidate has anything more to offer than vague “principles” and is more interested in hedging their bets against either a full endorsement or a full rejection than, say, calling the Paulson bailout for the utter bullshit it is – that’s no reason assume they’re more comfortable arguing over porcine applications of lipstick. Are not presidential contests supposed to be about debate formats, the relative heights of podiums and microphones, the selection of bland moderators, and the arrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic?

In Contempt (7/29/2008): Messing With Romney, Part Two

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In Contempt (7/24/2008): Obama in Iraq

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In Contempt (4/10/2008): Sounding Board

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Oh. Great. A Second Wind. How…Nice.

CNN just projected Hillary Clinton the winner of the Texas primary, adding to her wins in Ohio and Rhode Island. I guess it pays to swing to the right on national security issues. Thanks for validating fear tactics, Democrats!

Speaking of which, Matt Bors does a hilarious job with the “red phone” thing.

One line that will come to haunt Clinton should she get the nomination:

“I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002.”

So in a toss-up between McCain and Clinton, who will independents go for?

In Contempt: And Still Resting

A new cartoon will appear next week Tuesday. Honest. The hand and arm no longer tingle, feel numb nor sore. Monday’s Wanderlost (aka Sheldon) will likely appear in B&W.

And now: McCain. I don’t feel the salient issue of the NY Times piece is his alleged affair with telecomm lobbyist Vicki Iseman. For one thing, I don’t think it coheres with McCain’s persona – i.e., it doesn’t “sound” or “feel” right. For another, it seems pretty sexist to assume that an attractive young blond woman has only ONE purpose for meeting with the Senator behind closed doors. After all, isn’t bribery sufficient enough to lock the door?

No, I’d say the problem is the less sensationalist, yet more important appearance of a conflict of interest. The Washington Post summarizes the problem nicely:

In the years that McCain chaired the commerce committee, Iseman lobbied for Lowell W. “Bud” Paxson, the head of what used to be Paxson Communications, now Ion Media Networks, and was involved in a successful lobbying campaign to persuade McCain and other members of Congress to send letters to the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of Paxson.In late 1999, McCain wrote two letters to the FCC urging a vote on the sale to Paxson of a Pittsburgh television station. The sale had been highly contentious in Pittsburgh and involved a multipronged lobbying effort among the parties to the deal.

At the time he sent the first letter, McCain had flown on Paxson’s corporate jet four times to appear at campaign events and had received $20,000 in campaign donations from Paxson and its law firm. The second letter came on Dec. 10, a day after the company’s jet ferried him to a Florida fundraiser that was held aboard a yacht in West Palm Beach.

It's Jack Bauer's World, And We're Just Living In It

Senator Joe Lieberman and SCOTUS Judge Antonin Scalia, having watched too many episodes of “24″, want to leave the “torture” option open just in case that “ticking time bomb” scenario ever comes up.

And apparently so does John McCain. Despite his own experiences as a tortured POW, McCain will back a Bush veto of the just-passed legislation banning waterboarding. Well, at least McCain showed up to vote against the bill. His Democratic rivals were too busy campaigning.

Oh, and: While the BushAdmin’s DOJ spokesman declared that waterboarding is indeed currently illegal, the BushAdmin reserves the right to change that in the future. Don’t worry, they’ll notify Congress.