RightWave

Ok, so I’ve been terrible about posting over the past few weeks.  And, with all that fun and electoral drama even!  Shame on me.  Certainly, there will be LOTS more to come in the coming months/years/etc.  And, we’ll all gear up and have that fight and it’ll be fun – though probably more depressing than not.

In the meantime, just one relatively minor observation.  This has been bothering me a lot since the election of The One.

As I was perusing Facebook status updates and tweets a’plenty, a theme among my lefty friends began to emerge.  Something to the effect of “I can now be proud to be an American again!” or “Finally, Americans woke up!”  Boy that tweaks me.

I’ve tried to be gracious and kind to my Obama-loving friends.  And, I intend to continue to be…for the most part.  I think it’s an important part of our political system.  We fight, we battle, we debate, and then, when it’s over, we get a drink.  But, tonight, I need to let loose a bit.

Look.  I don’t like Barack Obama.  It’s true.  I don’t like him or pretty much anything he stands for.  I don’t think that’ll come as a shock to anyone.

But you know what else?  I’m no less proud of my country or of being an American than I was on November 3rd.  I don’t have the desire to move to Canada.  (Though Switzerland is lovely…)  I won’t be out revoking my citizenship or talking about how the country has gone to hell in a handbasket because it elected this man to be President (though I may say it’s gone there for other reasons!).

I’m an American. And, I’m damn proud of it.  No, it’s not blind patriotism.  And, no I don’t think we’re all perfect and coming up roses.

The fact remains: America is NOT our government.  America is the American people.  It’s the hard work and ingenuity of our workers and entrepreneurs.  It’s our free enterprise system.  It’s our republic and our freedom that allows for political debate.

So, to my liberal friends, first, I say congratulations.  Your man won, and he deserved to.  But, if that’s what it took to “restore your faith in America,” frankly, I’m disappointed in you and the political leaders you admire who sadly are saying the same thing.

I know it’s not every lefty.  And to those who believe as I do in the fundamental pride in country and belief in American exceptionalism, I’m glad to stand beside you.

To the rest, well, in four (or, God help us, eight) years, I guess Canada’s still an option.  I’ll still be proud to be an American.

===

Coming soon…bailouts, taxes, and GOP leadership, oh my!

Given that Congress has an approval rating hovering around 15%, why wouldn’t the McCain campaign be saying something along the lines of:

“Do you really want the people who’ve been running Congress the past two years to be running the whole country?”

I’m sure someone else can put it better, but why wouldn’t he make the case that Democrats have run Congress through the most unpopular time in history and he’s been fighting them (and GOP leaders) every step of the way?

He’s actually got a legitimate case to make on this front, but I’m lost as to why there haven’t been more attacks (from both sides, frankly) on Congress.

Oh well.  It’ll all be over in a few days.

So, it’s sad, but I re-jiggered the map I’d posted earlier… and even with the big states I think are still “out there” left as undecided, Obama still wins.  Oy.  It’s going to be a long next few years…

>2008 Election Contest: Pick Your President – Predict the winner of the 2008 presidential election.

AFP’s Phil Kerpen has some great ideas about next steps on the bailout/credit crunch in NRO today.  What Phil lays out seems like a legitimate role of government in addressing the issue without a massive taxpayer-funded bailout, which few (even its supporters, save, perhaps, Hank Paulson) thought to be a particularly great plan.

The Crux:

But the key to solving this problem is to direct the tax relief at the purchase of troubled assets.

A Treasury facility could be set up to operate exactly as suggested by the original Paulson plan. As such, it would buy troubled assets to provide markets liquidity and serve a price-discovery function. However, instead of funding the facility by selling Treasury bills that would impose a debt on future taxpayers, some or all of the fund could be constructed of capital that is voluntarily committed by private entities.

And here’s the tax-cut sweetener: All funds invested in the facility for a five-year holding-period would be tax-free, exempt from the capital-gains tax, the corporate tax, the death tax, the repatriation tax, and any other tax that would otherwise apply.

Read the whole thing!

-All in all, I’m underwhelmed.

10:38 p.m. – Well…who knows?  I’m not sure who won that one.  I thought they were both frankly not too great.  McCain clearly dominated on the foreign policy section.  Obama probably did a little better on the economic things, which is what most people are thinking about now. But, Obama came off, to me, as a young punk.  With the “John” rather than “Senator McCain” and his pompous, knowing smiles throughout.  I think most people in America have a good solid respect for our elders, and Obama totally threw that to the wind.  I don’t know. I don’t have a clear sense of a “winner.”  Thoughts?  Also, the Cubs are losing.  Boo.

-Any of those children (save the ones in Madras schools) he speaks of who apparently look at America in a different light wouldn’t give anything to come be a part of the American dream.

-Here we go again with the Dems portraying veterans as victims rather than heroes.

-Does Senator Obama really believe that President Bush doesn’t desperately want Osama Bin Laden captured or killed?  What a disingenuous comment.

10:32 p.m. – This is a good little closing by McCain there.

-Oh, geez.  “The way we’re perceived in the world…”  This is one of the more ridiculous arguments of the Left today.  To quoth the West Wing, “They’ll like us when we win.”  Not that diplomacy doesn’t have a place.  But we’re not a target because we didn’t (again quoting WW) “take the Arab world out for ice cream.”  They hate us and everything we stand for.

-Ugh.  Reaching across the aisle again.  Don’t remind me.

-Ooh – back to energy!  C’mon McCain.  Use this to go after drilling!

-Was the “looked in Putin’s eyes” comment a dig at President Bush?  Will anyone get it if it was?

-The Russia v. Georgia conversation should throw up some sparks.

-McCain: “Oh, please.” Nice.

-Obama is so arrogant.  I wonder if it comes off that way to “normal” people? (aka. not political junkies)

-Agree with McCain on legitimizing the comments.

-”Invite them over for tea” ??  Not a beer or a drink or a ballgame?

-”Senator what about talking?”  Was a huge opportunity to say something about action vs. talking.

-Let’s talk more about trade!!  TRADE STOPS WARS!

-Good hit on Obama about the Iranian situation.

-League of Democracies?  I don’t like the sound of that Senator McCain.  Maybe as long as they don’t have any real power.  Trade agreement, maybe?

-”You don’t muddle through…” … this debate.

-”I’ve got a bracelet too.”  Is it the battle of the bracelets?

-Sorry I don’t have as much to say on the foreign policy stuff.  Obama drives me nuts.

-Interesting debate about Pakistan.

-Ha.  He’s still ticked about the strategy vs. tactics line.

-There was no Al Qaeda in Iraq before?

-Obama seems a little peeved.  He’s back to “John” though.

-”Senator Obama doesn’t understand the difference between a tactic and a strategy.”  NICE!

-Was Senator Obama there when our troops came in?  Can he prove we weren’t “greeted as liberators.” There’s evidence to show we were in some quarters.

-He really is mumbly off the cuff and has a really strange speaking rhythm.  Finally, at least, he says “Senator McCain.”

-Strong statement on Iraq from McCain.  How dove-ish will Obama be?

9:39 p.m. – First Palin reference, I think.

-”John it was YOUR President…”  Rude in so many ways.  He’s your President, too, punk.

-Seems to me McCain should focus a little more on taxes rather than spending.

-Oh no.  Not climate change… Interesting Senator Clinton reference…

-Thank you, Senator McCain, for mentioning drilling and nuclear power.  Hit him harder!

-Well, it’s nice that Senator Obama admits we can’t afford everything he wants to do.

9:27 p.m. Interesting that McCain refers to his opponent as “Senator Obama” and Obama refers to McCain as “John.”  Young whippersnapper…

-McCain needs to fight back a little more, I think.  He’s letting Obama get the better of him on this market vs. government question on health care.  Someone should mention that employee-sponsored health care is one of the root causes of the problem!

-My friends, my friends.

-Alright, some fun.  Good for McCain for mixing it up and going after Obama on earmarks.

-A friend on Twitter just notes that Obama is the third largest recipient of Fannie and Freddie funds in the Senate.

-Bring on the class warfare!

-”First we have to get spending under control.”  Amen, Brother John.

-Shouldn’t someone mention the conversion of Main Street and Wall Street with the tremendous number of Americans who are stockholders?  I like Jim Lehrer trying to get them to mix it up!

-Senator McCain, is it really Chris Cox’s fault?  Let’s not go for the figurehead to make people feel better.  Talk about the government’s role in causing this mess.

-YES, Senator Obama, we should ask how we got here.  Though he talks of the “subprime mortgage mess” as though he’s somehow removed from it.  It’s MORE government intervention that caused these problems, not the free market.  REGULATION IS (almost) ALWAYS BAD.

-Nice little shot at the end there about needing more domestic energy production!

-It does not help American confidence to make this sound any worse than it is.  It’s bad enough without all the dramatic rhetoric.  Nice little age joke from McCain, though it threw him off since the crowd apparently took a vow of silence from Jim Lehrer.

-Man, Obama struggles off the ‘prompter (at least compared with his prepared speeches).  My wife: “Is that really how he talks off the cuff?”

-First drinking game rule triggered – Wall Street and Main Street mentioned in the same train of thought.  That didn’t take long!

9:03 p.m. – Here we go.  Dispensing with the timestamps for ease of reading and typing from this point on…

9:01 p.m. – Ah, Jim Lehrer.

9:00 p.m. – Waiting for the debate to begin.  Getting my Drinking Game rules together.  Cubs/Brewers tied 1-1.

I’ve got to tell you – I’m tremendously confused as to why the “equal pay for women” issue is hot in this campaign.  There’s a new Obama ad running in Virginia that hit’s McCain on opposing equal pay.  That coupled with the prime time spot given to Lilly Ledbetter, bless her heart (see previous post), and a handful of other occurrences makes this a central attack line for the Dems this year.

Yeah, I get that he’s making a strong play for the woman’s vote given the PUMA situation.  But, really?  This is the best you can do.  Didn’t Phyllis Schlafly kick the heck out of that debate like 30-40 years ago?  Frankly, I find it a little disgusting and disingenuous (I guess it’s just politics, right?).  Sure the NOW crazies and hard left feminists have been fighting the fight on this issue, but I haven’t heard it much otherwise in mainstream debate.

Not to mention – I’m pretty darn sure it’s ALREADY illegal to pay women and men (or whites and hispanics, or Catholics and Jews, et al) differently for doing the same job.  Do we need more laws?

I guess I’m just out of touch with my inner woman.

My lovely wife went on a TIRADE in the car the other day when she heard the ad.  Hippie feminist crap makes her do that. It’s one of the reasons I love her so.  But, I suspect she’s not the only one.  It’s one in a long line of lefty ideas that tries to make women victims and tries to create a separate class for women.  (ERA anyone?)

Any women readers out there have a different viewpoint?  Is this a real issue politically (we know it’s a falsehood in real life – see Carrie Lukas’ recent commentary)?  Or a desperate attempt by the Obama campaign to attract PUMAs?  Are they THAT scared of Sarah Palin?

UPDATE: My, again, LOVELY wife, reminds me of this wonderful West Wing scene where <heart flutters> Ainsley Hayes rips into Sam Seaborn about the ERA.  One of my favorite WW scenes of all time.

Jake Tapscott, who works as an investigative journalist/blogger for ABC News leads today with this criticism of the McCain-Palin ticket:

Combine that with the facts that Sen. McCain has gone 41 days without taking questions from the press corps following him around, and that Gov. Palin has gone every one of  the 25 days since she was introduced to the nation as McCain’s running-mate without holding a press conference.

It all adds up to a campaign that seems to think it should be handed over the keys to leadership of the Free World without having to answer straight-forward, substantive, tough questions from the Fourth Estate.

That’s called lack of accountability.

Which begs the question if a McCain-Palin administration would even hold press conferences.

Really?  That’s the biggest beef?  That they haven’t held a press conference.

I mean, certainly, I think the media has an important role to play in a free society/republic, but I don’t know where in the Constitution it mandates the holding of press conferences.  To me this comes off as whiny and indicative of a press corps that has a tremendously heightened sense of importance. Particularly the so-called “main street media” outlets.

Members of the news media should feel free to dig, root, report and, in the form of commentary, criticize the candidates for positions they’ve held or actions they’ve taken.  But, this “he never returns my phone calls” line of attack is weak and childish.

Apologies for being dark for a few days.  I’ve been on the road for work quite a bit, but I’ll try to do better about keeping up with the posts!

So, did you watch the Palin/Gibson interview?  I haven’t yet seen the whole thing, but I’ve seen bits and pieces, and did see the first part of the 20/20 portion Friday night.  First, let me say I’ll be interested to see how many people actually watched it.  Friday night?  During football season?  Frankly, this is why the “post-game” analyses are relevant – because most folks will hear about it from commentators rather than actually watching the interview…far different than the convention speech. 

My take: Charlie Gibson was a perfect caricature of the “Washington media elites” as Palin likes to call them.  He was snotty, condescending, smart (too smart?) and very ivory-towerish.  He was looking for “gotcha” (and was proud over the Bush doctrine controversy.  Sidenote: see Charles Krauthammer’s take.) and wasn’t going to stop until he got there.

Though, I think what bothers me is not that he was a tough questioner or clearly thinks he’s too good to be in Alaska for the interview (I think he’d rather be in Connecticut or even Minnesota!), but that he wouldn’t act the same way if he were interviewing Joe Biden…or Barack Obama even.  If anyone questions the media double standard that exists, here’s your proof.  When do we get the Biden interview?

An interesting thing will happen though over the next week that must worry the McCain campaign – they’re going to campaign seperately.  Will be interesting to see what the crowds are like at the McCain events vs. the Palin events.  Frankly, I think neither will garner the crowds they got together, but it will be interesting.  Hopefully for the campaign, the McCain ground operation is such in the states where he’ll be next that they can churn out solid crowds.

Three final quick thoughts:

1. First, if you haven’t signed up for Americans for Prosperity Foundation’s Defending the American Dream Summit October 10-11, I’d recommend you do it now!  Early registration ends Monday – only $49!  I’m sure I’ll be writing more about this in the couple of weeks to come!  Featured speakers include: George Will, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), bestselling author Dinesh D’Souza, John Stossel of ABC’s 20/20, Fred Barnes, John Fund and Steve Moore of the Wall Street Journal, Erick Erickson of RedState, and many more.  Check out the site for all the details and to register.  I’ll be there and so should you!

2. Speaking of George Will, be sure to check out his latest column regarding Russ Roberts’ new book, The Price of Everything.  Professor Roberts has written a couple of great novels based on free-market economics, including a love story!  I haven’t read the new book, but I highly recommend anything by this gifted writer.  Will’s column, and presumably by extension Roberts’ book, is highly reminiscent of Leonard Read’s classic essay I, Pencil.  Also a must read.

3. Finally, did you see Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter tonight against the ‘Stros?  Nice!  (Actually, I didn’t see it per se, as WGN didn’t broadcast it nationally – well at least not here – but thankfully ESPN broke in with the final three outs.)  Go Cubs Go!

P.S. I still welcome your thoughts on my post on Experience below.

Apparently, there was a sale on silver ties in St. Paul.  Many of the male anchors seem to be wearing them.

My quick take: He got WAY off early on.  He seemed uncomfortable with the prompter, the protesters were distracting and the first part was a little, well, eh.  The middle was so-so.  I think the text was good in the middle, bu the delivery was poor, frankly.  But then, he came alive.  There was a good message, a good cadence, good crowd reaction.  It was very impressive.  The call to service and the call to action was both impressive and inspiring.  I have NO idea how this will play.  At the end of the day, however, McCain was McCain.  He’s not an orator.  He’s a hero, he’s a statesman, and he’s his own man.  He took the party to task in some places - and mostly in the right places.  Now, if he wants to take this to victory, he’s got to hit the road and do his town halls and roundtables and win over voters one by one.  Let’s hope he keeps with the good conservative message, though.  And uses Sarah Palin often.  Your thoughts?

11:18 p.m. – I’ve just learned from CNN that John McCain likes confetti “more than anything else.”  I kind of doubt that, but okay…

I’ll be honest.  I really love these balloons.  Republicans do this so much better than Democrats!

MSNBC: Chris Matthews just predicted a big bump for McCain.  “Americans want to support a winner.”  Interesting…

Nice shot of all the Fox anchors turned around looking at the balloons.  You gotta love them.

I like the fireworks – does it beg comparisons between this and the ACTUAL fireworks at the DNC?

Oh, thank goodness.  Here come the balloons.

COME ON - BALLOONS!  Are we going to have a 2004 DNC moment?

Where are the balloons?  And the families?  Make the celebration happen!

Excellent ending.  If only he’d done that throughout the speech.  But, excellent end.  I have goosebumps, even though I wasn’t terribly impressed with the rest of it.

“Fight with me.  Fight for what’s right for our country.”  GOOD – KEEP TALKING!  This cadence is great!

11:00 p.m. “I wasn’t my own man anymore.  I was my country’s.” (P.S. My wife says he sounds like Casey Kasem.) 

Hey, we’ve got some crying folks, too!!  Not just the provence of “The One.”

I do wish he’d do better about talking through the applause – only stopping at the right times.

Nice visual with the servicemen giving the standing ovation.

He seems very comfortable now.  The cadence is better, his voice is better, his eyes are better connecting.  He does seem more grown up than Senator Obama, no question about that.

“I hate war.”  Good.

This should be the best part of the speech.  This is where Senator McCain shines.

I don’t think I heard Cap and Trade mentioned.  That’s good, I guess!

DRILL DRILL DRILL

10:43 p.m. “Help bad teachers find another line of work.” I LOVE IT.  That may be the line of the night so far.  Smack around the NEA some more!

Woo hoo – shout out for school choice!  Preach on.

He needs to do this “I will…He will” section with a bit more umph.   Sadly, it’s clear there’s a big gap between the oratory skills of Palin and McCain.  But, the substance is pretty good.

10:38 p.m. I like this “we believe” section. Define the Republican party.  This is a section that’ll both rile the crowd but also define the broader priciples for the viewing audience.  Good.  I wonder how many people are watching?

“The Party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics!”  Good!

We’ve got a little economic populism going here.  Not that I always agree with it, but I think, at this point and time, it’s effective. 

Good, now we’re getting into his accomplishments – which tie directly into the vision.  This is much better.  He is speaking with conviction (even deviated from the text there for a bit on the earmarks issue) and better rhythm.  Also, a MUCH better background.

Boy, I think it’s a mistake for McCain to spend time taking about Gov. Palin.  She had her night.  Focus on your agenda, your plans, your vision. 

Biggest applause line of the night so far for Palin.

Wow.  This is not good.  The crowd needs to stop chanting and ignore the protesters.

HOW DID THESE PEOPLE GET IN???

10:22 p.m. – The folks I’m watching with just pointed out we should start the “my friends” drinking game.

I don’t like this background at all.  I’ll be honest – it does seem a little small – this whole night.  One can’t help but make mental comparisons to Obama’s speech event.

Perhaps Governor Palin could take a few warning shots at the protester?  Why do the networks feel the need to show them and give them credence?

Shouting down the protesters.  The Left really is classless.

Why is the background bright green?

Brokaw: “He knows he can’t top Sarah Palin from last night or Barack Obama from last week.”  Ugh.

A few initial observations.  The podium mirrors the traditional Presidential podium.  His appearing on the stage was, perhaps, a little too dramatic.  I’m on NBC - Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams talk over the applause.  Talking about age.  Shut up.  Let this moment happen.

10:12 p.m.  Here comes the Mac.

MORE FRED! 

Nice “sea to shining sea” imagery.  “The change will come from strength from a man who found history in a tiny dank cell thousands of miles from home.”  The change drinking game should start now…

You know, even though we’ve heard it before, every time I hear the fact that he was a POW for more than five years.  It really is incredible – I can’t fathom how you make it through that.  I really can’t.  Regardless of everything else, it is a remarkable story – and a remarkable life.

Here we go with the video…

10:02 p.m.: Getting ready for John McCain’s speech.  Cindy’s speech was…ok.  But I was having a hard time paying attention.  I wonder if Sarah Palin still steals the show, even tonight.  McCain really needs to shine.

Experience.  Yep, that “E” word.

With all the talk about Senator Barack Obama and Governor Sarah Palin and all their various experience”(or, of course, lack thereof), it got me thinking.  What is it we expect of a Presidential candidate?  What is the “right” experience?  Is it about quantity or quality?  Is it a specific set of things – boxes one must check?  I certainly don’t know what I think the “right” experience is.

And isn’t “President of the United States of America” a pretty unique job?  Is there any experience that can really prepare you for it?

I suppose I tend to value executive/leadership experience over legislative – whether it’s in the private sector, in politics or in the military.  Primarily, though, I’m casting my vote for the person I think would make decisions closest to what I think I would make in similar situations.  To me, it’s important to know that the person has a “quality of leadership” that would allow them to process information and make a good decision – and in a timely manner.   More ideology than experience, really.

It’s the same strategy I take in making hiring decisions in many ways.  I understand that the folks I’m interviewing very often don’t have (necessarily) tremendously analagous experience to the position I’m hiring.  They show the qualities and capabilities necessary to perform the job functions.  And, indeed, some base level of experience is valuable, no question.

I suppose I value the McCain/Palin ticket – at least on the experience front – based on a few factors: McCain’s military leadership and long history of political involvement (though that’s not always a positive), Governor Palin’s specific political leadership as a Governor of an oil-rich state and Mayor of a town.  These are all positions where decisions have to be made and executed – then consequences paid.

I’m not sure I feel the same way about Barack Obama and Joe Biden. There’s nothing I can point to with either of them that’s particularly noteworthy.  But, I’m certainly open to challenge.  At the end of the day, though, it’s about ideology.  I’m not going to vote – ever, regardless of experience – for someone who believe like Senators Obama and Biden do.  Never.

What do you think?  Are there experience factors I’m missing?  Should there be a formula for evaluating the “right” experience?  Are there specific qualifying factors – or, alternatively disqualifying factors?

Or, at the end of the day, is this a “red herring” for the media – and detractors of whomever the public official or candidate is – to beat up on someone?

I’m not sure – what do you think?