Voice Your Vote

The One, The Only

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:14:06 -0800

Just Debate, Already

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:00:37 -0700

John McCain took the bold step yesterday of suspending his campaign so he could focus on the economic crisis. Cool. I think everyone with any potential to effect change should be focusing on the economy right now.

The Sound and the Fury: Why Democrats Need to Get Back on Message

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:04:36 -0700

"It is a tale...full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." � -- Macbeth, Act V John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate is a brilliant move. Why? Because Republican strategists are aware of a big weakness in the Democratic Party: that just a hint of hypocrisy and the use of buzz words like "creationism", "abstinence only education", "pro-gun" and "staunchly pro-life" will reliably send liberals scrambling for their soapboxes, ready to condemn with moral outrage and scorn. Meanwhile, they've seemingly forgotten the compelling message they've spent months crafting and honing, and in their self-righteous fury, risk providing juicy sound bites to be used against them later in the campaign. That's right. Sarah Palin is such a stunningly bad choice for VP that it might actually improve McCain's chances of claiming the White House in November.

The Myth of the 'Media Darling'

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:38:55 -0700

Complaints about a liberal media bias aren't a new phenomenon. Right-wing talk show hosts and conservatives have long lamented that the major news outlets have a leftward slant and that it took an upstart Fox News to provide us, finally, with The Truth. This election cycle is no different. Republicans and Fox News anchors have complained that the coverage of the candidates has been unfair. First, they were angry that the Clinton-Obama battle was being covered much more than John McCain was, and the claim continued after Obama shored up the Democratic nomination. Now, they're calling Obama the 'Media Darling', citing, for example, the journalistic frenzy to cover the Obama World Tour � leaving McCain in a relative press limbo. In terms of sheer hours of coverage, it does seem likely that Obama has had more screen time than Mccain, and I think there are several reasons for this.

Fuzzy Math - Candidate Style

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:32:47 -0700

We all knew that withdrawing from Iraq would be part of the rhetoric for this campaign. But, what does it really mean in dollars and cents?

McCain and Black Gold

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:39:05 -0700

It's a nice concept on paper - taking advantage of our own resources to reduce dependence on the Middle East. Gas prices theoretically make it easy to use oil as a talking point on the campaign trail, but it's doubtful that the majority of Americans are really that stupid.

The Invisible Candidate Makes An Appearance

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:36:20 -0700

Senator Barack Obama has a tough fight ahead of him. In addition to running against Senator McCain, he also has to run against what I like to call the Invisible Candidate. The Invisible Candidate appears to be non-partisan, and we've seen the effects of it in comments like Geraldine Ferraro's ("If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position"), during the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries, and on the lips of the Fox "Osama-oops-Obama" anchors week after week.

McCain - Winning hearts and minds?

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:57:23 -0700

All during the Dem primary, beyond the race/gender rhetoric, there was the whisper about the age gap between Clinton and Obama. If that was a gap, the difference between Obama and McCain can only be compared to the Grand Canyon.

See You in November

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:45:44 -0700

Now that Clinton officially backs Obama, it's time to start looking forward to November. But first, a tiny look back, if only to evaluate possible damage from the primary.

My Candidate Loves America More Than Your Candidate

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:56 -0700

A recent McCain ad features a voiceover pronouncing McCain the "the American president Americans have been waiting for." Perhaps I'm reading too much into this ad. Perhaps it's meant simply to highlight McCain's service to our country. But I don't think so. Why include the descriptor "American" before the word "president"? Haven't all of our presidents been American? The implication is that his opponent - let's assume this will be Obama - is un-American by comparison. It's simply an appeal to the people who think that McCain's military history makes him more of a real American than that guy with the weird name, Hussein something-or-other.

I'm taking my ball and going home!

Thu, 22 May 2008 10:43:50 -0700

Since I was old enough to have a clue, and have any interest in presidential elections, every four years I would look forward to the time when the "adults" would start acting like kids. As I got older, it ceased to be amusing.

More Coffin Nails for Clinton?

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:25:10 -0700

My mother always said to keep the stones to myself when sitting in a glass house. Makes me wonder what wisdom was passed down to Hillary.

Empty Victory in WV?

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:57:03 -0700

The Clinton campaign is basking in the glory of winning the WV primary. But is it really worth anything?

VP for Obama

Tue, 13 May 2008 07:02:49 -0700

It would be nice to hear a little bit more from the Obama camp about potential VP candidates.

The Party's Over

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:01:14 -0700

It's been a long, hard fight, and now it's time to say goodnight.

Ron Paul Revolution causes chaos in Nevada

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:32:52 -0700

On Saturday, Nevada Republicans conducted what turned out to be just the first chapter of their state convention in Reno. It was supposed to be a simple process, and completed in one day; with John McCain presumed to be the party's choice of nominee, what could go wrong? An earthquake? Well, yes. But perhaps it was only hinting other unexpected shifts to come.

Helen Thomas to get an answer to her question, "Where is everybody?"

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:13:05 -0700

The answer: They're on the Internet. On Wednesday Helen Thomas, veteran reporter and member of the White House Press Corps, pressed White House press secretary Dana Perino on the issue of torture - stating that President Bush had personally, specifically signed off on torture.

Hillary Shouldn't Quit

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:48:54 -0700

Hillary Clinton shouldn�t quit until she�s damn well ready. There, I�ve said it. God forbid the woman wants to see if she can win the popular vote, sway some superdelegates her way and have a run at McCain.

Philadelphia: How Not to Conduct a Debate

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:34:51 -0700

Last night in Philadelphia, the home of the Constitution, ABCNews hosted a debate between the two Democratic frontrunners, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Just six days ahead of a crucial primary, the debate could have been a final opportunity for voters to see key differences in the candidates' platforms and visions for the country. Instead, moderators Charlie Gordon and George Stephanopoulos chose to spend over half of the two-hour time slot throwing out gotcha questions about gaffes and implications of guilty by association. Not a single real policy question was asked until past the one-hour mark.

Gas Sale! Hooray!

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:49:34 -0700

The McCain plan is so blatantly counter-productive to our long-term goals. Just as Bush�s 2008 �let�s give everyone $600� plan will prove as efficacious as Antoinette�s �let them eat cake� manifest of 1780, McCain�s popularity play will only serve to catapult oil prices to record levels.