N.Y. Times sued

I love this story. The lobbyist, who the Times implied had an affair with Sen. McCain, is suing the rag for defamation asking $27 million in damages. That is some amount more than the company is actually worth today.

Not only can they not sell papers but now they're being sued like "The National Enquirer" for rumor mongering. They couldn't be bothered to report the actual affair of candidate John Edwards, but they printed an article that was totally without facts. Reading it was embarrassing due to the lack of actual sourcing.

The lesson, to me, is when journalist adopt an agenda instead of just reporting they will get hurt.

McCain doesn't want to win

The first topic of the debate is the economy and taxes. Joe the plumber was told by Senator Obama that "he would have to sacrifice so we can spread the wealth around." McCain brought that out, but when Obama said he was going to cut taxes for 95% of earners, McCain did not point out that giving a tax cut to the 50% who don't pay taxes is impossible. This is a redistribution of taxes from taxpayers to non-taxpayers through refundable credits not a "tax cut".

I really don't have a problem with taxing those who make the money, but it is wrong to take that money and give it to people who contribute nothing to the treasury. That is classic socialism, and McCain is either uninformed or too much of a pussy to point it out.

McCain deserves to lose if he can't explain the fundamental differences between himself and Senator Obama. A pox on both their houses.

End of rant.

ADDED:

If I were gullible enough to believe Senator Obama rather than knowing how easily he dismisses his past, I might vote for him. Unfortunately, if any time is spent looking into his past as a community organizer, Chicago politician and his association with the very worst people in American society; from the Chicago mob, William Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Acorn and on and on, then it is impossible to believe that he is really reformed from his past self.

A pox on both their houses. Intelligent men playing the American public for total fools. I might vote for Cynthia McKinney, at least she is honest about her stupidity.

OODA

Today Michael Barone visits the effect that McCain's fighter pilot training seems to have on his campaign. This is something I referenced here a couple of weeks ago. The OODA loop; Observe, Orient, Decide, Act.

The two weeks since my original post have only confirmed my belief that McCain is solidly inside the Obama campaign's decision making process. He is forcing them to react rather than act. They are constantly reacting, and it makes them seem ragged and undisciplined.

Fighter pilot

I have my doubts about McCain, but despite the lack of excitement, he is very good at one thing. He is a trained fighter pilot which means he knows how to get inside his opponents decision loop and stay a step ahead. As a fighter pilot he was trained to "Observe, Orient, Decide, Act" and repeat. The object in a dogfight was to work through the loop faster than your opponent, therefore gaining the edge that would result in a kill.

What he did today in naming Gov. Palin as his VP choice was to undercut the energy that Sen. Obama gained with his excellent acceptance speech last night. The Obama campaign might very well call foul, as a matter of fact, their statement yesterday was that if McCain did this it would be political malpractice. But, if they are protesting today, no one is hearing. As the pundits like to say, McCain sucked all of the oxygen out of the room this morning.

Props to the McCain camp for a dexterous political maneuver.

McCain's military experience

Senator McCain retired from the Navy with a rank of Captain. This is equivalent to the rank of Colonel in the Army. This would make him the most militarily experienced President since Eisenhower.

Being a captive during the Vietnam War is not necessarily applicable experience for Commander in Chief, but moving up the career ladder to the rank of Captain is certainly good experience.

McCain's military service questioned

Some on the left, far left it appears, are questioning Senator McCain's war record. It is the usual garbage about war crimes and fighting in an unjust war. Outside of San Francisco and Berkeley, I'm doubtful that anyone will buy this particular line of unreasoning. This will play well in the old hippy echo chamber, but it is not likely to hurt McCain. It is more likely to damage Obama if it gains any level of press coverage. Though, he has clearly stated he considers McCain to be a war hero.

Susan Sarandon to leave U.S.

If you don't really like any of the Presidential candidates, then here is a reason to vote for Senator McCain.

Of course, we've been hearing celebrities say for years that if they don't get their way they will leave the country. They never have the courage of their convictions. But if Susan Sarandon would take her (and her husband's) whining elsewhere, it would be worth a vote for McCain.

Vietiraq

The left has been squalling about the Iraq war since before it began. It took them about two seconds to start screaming it is another Vietnam.

This seems to be because they are a bunch of babyboomers, stuck in the 1960's and unable to see anything without fond memories of how they stopped the war in Vietnam. It has to be Vietnam all over again or the U.S. might actually achieve its goal.

But now Senator McCain is being accused of reliving the Vietnam War and it is just awful.

According to Dan Amira of the NYMag :

A 71-year-old who is still reliving the Vietnam War in his mind? That’s not scary at all!

What is scary is how this generation is incapable of growing up and moving on.

End of rant.

McCain and the Hispanic vote

Senator McCain is well positioned to garner a significant part of the Hispanic vote. He has spent his entire career connecting with the Hispanic community in Arizona. According to Ruben Navarette he is well respected. He got 70% of their vote in his last election.

He also benefits from being on the sane side of immigration arguments. He has never endorsed the Republican party's stupid and suicidal positions on immigration. Clearly he knows the Hispanics for what they are; an honest, hard-working, family oriented culture.

Additionally, there is an antipathy by Hispanics to blacks. The Republicans managed to nominate the one candidate that moderate Hispanics don't mind fleeing the Democratic nominee to vote for.

Pleasant Monday

No rant today; well yet anyway.

I spent the morning helping my Daddy vaccinate heifers. The weather was cooperative, cool and overcast, so the cattle were fairly cooperative. We only had to chase a couple of them. They were late to the party and didn't really act like they wanted to come into the pen. I got more exercise than I am accustomed to, running across the pasture to head them off. Other than that it went smoothly and we were done in less than two hours.

The spring so far has been kind, but if it doesn't rain soon the kindness will be over. Damn Al Gore and his pet, Global Warming.

Speaking of global warming; I did hear John McCain declaring the debate over and declaring humans responsible. I guess the fact that the climate has actually cooled is not "true" evidence. So much for the wisdom that comes with age. Of course, there is the very small possibility that he is taking the politically smart path of least resistance... Nah, that can't be it.

I think I will make the link of the day the kid who imitates President Bush talking about global warming. If you haven't watched this video do so, it is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.

I read articles from "The Guardian", "The Times", "Financial Times" and sometimes "The Sun", as well as the occasional piece from Australia, because it is nice to get a perspective of America from the outside. (Cousin Mark is in shock I'm sure.)

This opinion piece in todays "Times" is interesting in that it rings true. I definitely agree that for all the many flaws of the Republican party the primary produced the only electable candidate in John McCain. He is not a right-wing conservative, he doesn't have the baggage of the lunatic religious right and he is on the sane side of the immigration issue.

Go. Read.

How McCain was selected

We all came together…Republicans came together; "the Mexican haters, the Muslim haters ,and the oil executives, and the gun nuts, and the gay bashers, and the home schoolers, and the clinic bombers and we put aside our differences,... all except for the Ron Paul nuts." (Profanity)