Which Joe Are We Gonna See?

I don't have the faintest clue how to even predict this debate. I mean, we know Ryan will be on his game, the dude has mastered the facts unlike anyone else and knows policy inside and out.

No my friends, the real wildcard here is Joe Biden. He won't be saved by something the media can glom on to like Sarah Palin winking or other such garbage. Old Joe will have to actually perform well and he's got the campaign riding on his shoulders after the Obama meltdown last week.

So what Joe will we see? Perhaps the folksy Joe who's everyones friend? Probably not since that Joe always says something incredibly stupid. How about foreign policy Joe? Possibly since Ryan is smarter and will pummel him on all issues, especially since Obama's in the midst of a self-inflicted wound that has lasted a month today with the embassy debacle in Libya.

I'm really not sure but I'm guessing even if Joe makes about ten mistakes and Ryan destroys him and leaves him slobbering in the corner, the media will call it a draw at least because they know full-well that Obama's campaign can't survive another disaster.

The Arrogance of Obama

Humility. The dude has none and that is one of those character flaws that always sinks people.

Barack Obama actually believes his press clippings. Going back to his Hawaii daze and his Chicago days, he was showered with accolades and told just how smart he is. No one ever told him he was just a man with luck, an above-average intellect and some powerful second city backers.

Kind of like the kid who can throw a 70 MPH fastball at the age of 11. By 15 he's popping it at 87 and the everyone is still praising him. But then he hits 16 and the other kids can hit a fastball really far and he's brought back to earth and realizes he has to actually work at throwing a curve, change-up or slider.

Except Obama never was exposed to the kid who could pound the shit out of a ball. Obama never actually was stretched out intellectually during his debates and never had any vision guiding him to, I don't know, vote yes or no or write a bill that actually could get passed. Sure, he faced Hillary Clinton but in spite of what the media says, she's not all that bright either. I mean, think about it, after Juanita Brodderick, Gennifer Flowers and the endless others, she was still shocked that Slick Willy was getting a hummer behind his desk. Hell, any guy paying attention knew it just by looking at the smug bastard.

But Obama has never been challenged and you saw it on his face during the last debate. He thought himself the school yard bully and instead of beating the little Mormon kid, the little Mormon kid popped him right square in the mug, broke his nose and made him bleed on his tailored shirt.

But just like the bully, Obama would never admit he got an ass-whipping of epic proportions. The bully dances around and screams "lucky shot" or some other such bullshit while his friends stand gaping and everyone else snickers. And just like the bully, Obama will never, ever admit he lost or could have done something better to prepare because the bully, stud pitcher or so-called smartest man ever doesn't have to:

When President Barack Obama stepped off the stage in Denver last week the 60 million Americans watching the debate against Mitt Romney already knew it had been a disaster for him. But what nobody knew, until now, was that Obama believed he had actually won. In an extraordinary insight into the events leading up to the 90 minute showdown which changed the face of the election, a Democrat close to the Obama campaign today reveals that the President also did not take his debate preparation seriously, ignored the advice of senior aides and ignored one-liners that had been prepared to wound Romney.

I love that the arrogant SOB really believed he won. He probably still does and that's where I believe Romney can land some serious body-shots. Obama doesn't believe in practice, he will go through the motions just like the 15-year old fireballer does. Instead of getting down to business and learning his facts, he'll act like he's preparing.

You see, Obama has never been challenged and thinks he's smarter than all of us. But like i always tell my son, there's always somebody better out there. Someone is working their ass off and looking to take your starting position. Some people eventually get it and some end up second string. Let's hope this is the latter.

No Way to Spin That Beat Down

Last night, I asked my wife to sit and watch the debate and made it a point to say nothing while it all played out. I said to her to just give me her honest opinion when it was over. Now, my wife is essentially apolitical, a fiscal small c conservative but a social center lefty. She pays the bills and wants less taxes to be taken but overall is pretty middle of the road.

So I sat there quietly--no small feat for me--because I usually holler at the TV during the debates. I didn't want to sway her even a little. About 9:30 she turns to me and says "Romney is kicking Obama's ass".

If my wife had that opinion, I'm guessing a great many others did as well. It was such a beat down that the only people I heard even remotely insinuate that Obama won were Juan Williams and David Axelrod (and I'm not really sure about him). Hell, Stephanie Cutter was left with only one play and that was to call out Jim Lehrer. Oh yeah, Al Gore blamed the altitude, what a fucking douche that dude is.

I can't recall ever seeing a take down like we saw last night. Mitt came in with a plan and Obama looked stunned that he was actually required to be there and answer to a mere Republican. Think about it, who has Obama had to answer to or who has told him he was wrong on any issue in the last four years? No one, including the media or his advisors. The media kisses his ass, his advisors kiss his ass, members of his party kiss his ass and the GOP establishment has been marginalized by the racial card (excepting Allen West).

So the shock Obama must have felt to have Romney come in and tell him he has failed the country was something to see. Obama looked peeved that he even had to be there and even more pissed that he now has a record to defend that is indefensible.

This should give Romney a nice little boost in the polls and more importantly, it shifts the momentum to Romney in a big way. 68-million people watched last night. Of those, perhaps 3 or four million were undecideds. Romney may just have stole them last night in what typically is the most-watched debate. I imagine many moms who watched that may have only heard that Romney wants to ban abortion and cut school funding were impressed by him. They may have been inclined to vote Obama but after seeing that ass-kicking last night may just go the other way.

Debate Liveblog

Jeez, McCain not only didn't attack Obama when given the opportunity, he proposed a socialist policy of buying up seniors home mortgages and renegotiating the loans down. My Lord, Maverick.

The Maverick should have hit Obama hard on Fannie Mae and opted to go to the talking points. Ughh!

That's more like it, why did he wait? He did it wrong, he sounds like it was talking points. Where's the fire?

Obama is stealing McCain's format and looks comfortable...McCain should have been the true Maverick and come out against the bailout. Obama's lying through his teeth on the Fannie Mae mess.

For the record, my hotel isn't getting Fox so I'm watching it on CNN with that ridiculous flatline doohickey on the bottom.

I've had enough of this, I'm going over to Ed's to hang.

2nd Debate Preview

Expect fireworks.

McCain has two more shots but this is the one to change the momentum. With the way things are trending, it's mucho important

How will the Maverick play it? If he goes with the talking points Maverick, probably not so good. Should he opt for the take no prisoners, get down and dirty Maverick, he could put The One on the defensive and turn him into a stuttering fool like he has a tendency to do sans teleprompter so it could be an enjoyable evening. I foresee a free-flowing debate in which the MSM will immediately declare The Messiah the winner but the public may see it differently. I also foresee McCain playing the Ayers/Wright/Fannie Mae card in which case I see the MSM calling it for Obama and saying McCain was mean, grumpy, surly or racist (or maybe a composite of all four).

Either way, The Maverick has to come out swinging and ready to take Obama down a few pegs. Take it to him from the opening bell and not let up for the duration. Yes, it could backfire, but as I noted earlier, these issues I mentioned above are new to those who have been living life and not reading blogs daily so if McCain hammers it home, it could be a game changer.

Debate Review. Update: Biden a Slacker?

I tend to be on the side that says Palin did good but not great. She stuck to her talking points entirely too much when she had some great opportunities to hammer Biden hard.

In the first minute of the debate answering the lead-off question, Biden said this with regard to the current financial quagmire:

I think it's neither the best or worst of Washington, but it's evidence of the fact that the economic policies of the last eight years have been the worst economic policies we've ever had. As a consequence, you've seen what's happened on Wall Street.

If you need any more proof positive of how bad the economic theories have been, this excessive deregulation, the failure to oversee what was going on, letting Wall Street run wild, I don't think you needed any more evidence than what you see now.

So the Congress has been put -- Democrats and Republicans have been put in a very difficult spot. But Barack Obama laid out four basic criteria for any kind of rescue plan here.

He, first of all, said there has to be oversight. We're not going to write any check to anybody unless there's oversight for the -- of the secretary of Treasury.

Palin should have said something to this effect: How can Senator Obama be trusted to lay out any plans to get us through this when he took the second most money from Fannie Mae behind only another Democrat; Senator Dodd? Your own party, Senator Biden, said in 2003 that Fannie and Freddie were in good shape while Senator McCain was prescient enough to see this disaster brewing back in 2005 and earlier.

A response like that would have put Biden on the defensive immediately and got the country paying attention more deeply than they did. I was a lost opportunity.

Second she mainly stuck to talking points and canned responses, which was to be expected but c'mon, let's interject something besides McCain talking points. Another lost opportunity was when Biden said this:

Here's what the president said when we said no. He insisted on elections on the West Bank, when I said, and others said, and Barack Obama said, "Big mistake. Hamas will win. You'll legitimize them." What happened? Hamas won.

When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, "Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it."

Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel.

This is pure and utter BS and Biden knows it. A group that became Hezbollah attacked the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 with backing from Iran. They grew stronger throughout the 1990's and have become the dominant party in Lebanon. When exactly did we kick them out and when exactly did Biden or Obama say to "move NATO forces in there"? Whe they were kicked out, where exactly did Hezbollah go to? Also, I'd like to see one example of Obama's prescience on Hamas winning in "the West Bank" or even Biden mentioning it. The fact that Hamas rules in Gaza and Fatah still controls the West Bank must have escaped Biden. Charles fact checks the hell out of Biden on this one and the proof of his out and out lie is damning. These were such bald-faced lies that it should have been whacked out of the damn park by Palin if she had more insight into the events that shape the world. More on this at Wizbang!

Biden looked old and wasn't especially sharp. He talked like a politician and was good for a lie here and a senior moment there, about what one expects from the Delaware Senator.

Don't get me wrong now, Palin won it but did she do enough to convert Independents? I don't really believe so.

Update: A ratings bonanza! I would bet many who watched say "you betcha" and liked what Palin had to say. We'll see in the next few days.

Update: Joe Biden only lied fourteen times last night. For Biden, that's a slacker effort.

It's Gut Check Time for Sarah Palin

Tonight we can see Sarah Palin redeemed and a new wave of euphoria enter the McCain campaign. The media at first ridiculed Palin and then was gripped by fear when she delivered spectacularly at the convention.

Since then, they've pummeled her daily and her interview appearances have been suspect at best. Her grasp of events that will shape the next presidency has been--I'll be kind here--not reassuring. Granted, there's not many governors who can come onto the world stage and answer every question asked in the manner of someone who has spent every other weekend on the Sunday talk shows.

So tonight, Sarah Palin has one last opportunity to prove she has what it takes. One last chance to say to America that she can do it and do it well. She has to be Sarah Barracuda and not Sarah the Nice Alaskan. Go for the jugular but not in a mean style, address every question head on and put Biden on the defensive, look America in the eye and say that she is not only qualified but the best person for the job.

It's crunch time and the real leaders step up at crunch time. It's the bottom of the ninth, down by one with a runner on second and two outs in Game 7 of the world series with Brad Lidge on the mound. Will she be Willie Wilson or Joe Carter. It's 3-seconds on the clock and she needs to nail a 47-yard field goal in the Superbowl kicking into the wind. Will she be Adam Vinatieri or Scott Norwood? Enough of the sports analogies but you get the point

But hey Sarah, no pressure.

Palin Vs. Biden

The consensus is that Biden is going to destroy Palin in their debate. Or, he may hold back so he doesn't come off as a tough male who's overbearing and misogynistic. A tough sell for a man who can't control one single word that escapes his piehole.

I'm looking for Palin to be fresh and ready for anything. Biden is a pro but Palin could put him off his game, plus, no plagiarized words allowed so Biden will be at a disadvantage.

Palin's element is one-on-one with the voter and from all accounts, she's the real deal. She's genuine and smart. I've not seen video of her debating but when she knows the material, she's on.

Here's a picture taken this weekend in Philly with Palin and a Councilwoman from my town. They're both hockey moms and both were athletes. Note what Palin is wearing, a Nike sweatsuit just like most sports moms (my beautiful wife is a baseball mom so I know). Councilwoman Sarcone reports that Gov. Palin is awesome and is a good choice for VP. We're hoping she cleans Biden's clock later this week.

Debate Highlights

On the whole, McCain was better informed as was expected with the topic. He had a clear idea of where we are and should be going. Obama, er, uh, er...not so much. He comes off as unsure in any format that isn't scripted.

The cringe-inducing moment came when Obama said that he wears a bracelet given to him by the parent of a dead soldier. He had to actually look at it to remember the mans name:



Democrats look so uncomfortable talking about our troops and the sacrifices and daily travails they face. They treat them like every other bloc they're supposed to like but forget after November: blacks, Hispanics, Jews and unions.

The consensus from those who write of such things is that Obama won. Of course, they believed Obama had won before it even started. McCain would have had to come up with a stellar performance such as Sarah Palin did at the RNCC to win outright, yet when it comes to a debate, the MSM continues to be in the tank for Obama.
Any way

Debate Thoughts

I'm alternating between the Phil-Nats game and the debate but I have some pre-game thoughts:

Foreign policy is definitely McCain's strong suit so Obama decides to lower expectations.

How much of the foreign policy questions be displaced by queries on the financial crisis? Obama may have an edge on that front and that may blunt the decidedly strong edge McCain has in foreign affairs. If I were the McCain camp, I'd push hard for all foreign policy and ask to add an additional debate in the next few days concerning strictly economic policy. In other words, put Obama on the instant defensive.

Lehrer is a straight-shooter so I would expect a tight, well run debate.

Don't expect any type of in-depth coverage from me until tomorrow as I will be watching the Phillies and flipping back and forth. Unless of course we have a rain delay, which is a strong possibility.

The Phillies currently lead 3-1 and have the bases loaded with two out and Chase Utley at the dish. The Nats starter Balester is at 45-pitches on the night in the second inning. Utley just belted a three-run double to take the lead 6-1!

Update: MVRWC will be live blogging. Ed Morrisey as well.

Live Debate Thoughts

A few things that crossed my mind i the last hour and twenty-two minutes:

Huckabee is a likable and funny little zealot, isn't he?

What the hell is Ron Paul doing there?

I've got to get up to the Reagn Library and see that friggin' plane.

Nancy Reagan came out to watch...good for her.

McCain hasn't hurt himself and this is nitpicking but he has Rudyitis where he has to bring up his being in the Reagan revolution and his time in a Vietnam prison. I respect that the Senator survived that and didn't break but we all know the story just as we know the story of Rudy and 9/11. I know he did it to turn the knife on Romney who didn't serve but it rang a bit hollow.

Romney is holding his own but who's actually watching? I'd like to see the ratings asap.

Florida Debate Thoughts

The major thing to strike me didn't even occur during the debate, it is (or is not) occurring this morning: no fevered shrieking about how unfair Tim Russert or Brian Williams are for asking tough questions. After the last MSNBC Democrat debate, Hillary front group Media Mutters and the other left wing outlets were chastising them for asking questions that might actually get to their thoughts on matters of great import. These are debates, isn't the point to get the candidates to answer substantive questions?

Second, I liked Rudy's answer to the question Williams asked about the NY Times endorsing Maverick and Shillary, he could have expanded on it by saying something like "the NY Times is the third best-selling paper in NY City behind the NY Post and the Wall Street Journal, why would I care about what they think" or something akin to that. Brian has it right when he says that an endorsement by the NY Times mean slightly less to conservative voters than an endorsement by Rosie O'Donnell and Keith Olbermann.

Video of that moment here:



Otherwise there were no earth shattering moments. It was a straight-forward debate about issues and the verbal attacks were minimal. I liked the candidates asking questions of other candidates, it was a nice difference.

Overall I don't think too many minds were changed and votes lost, I'd say Romney won but it won't mean much. It was analogous to a late season game between two teams who are out of the playoffs and playing out the season for pride instead of two teams battling for the number one seed and home field throughout.

Did She See the Same Debate I Did?

Taylor Marsh has been a Hillary shill for years and today she takes it to new heights:

Edwards was a significant force, but he cannot win the nomination.

Clinton was steady, strong and unflinching, playing beyond South Carolina.

Obama was tight from the start, but when it came to defending his votes, health care, or Rezko, he just didn't meet the bar needed for a bruising general election.

But everyone following this primary race better savor it. Reflect on it now and drink it in. You will not see the likes of this in a lifetime. It was the super bowl of debates -- sorry, excited about the Giants -- and I don't say that lightly.

As a woman, however, I must say I've been waiting for this moment for a lifetime. Clinton doesn't blink when bashed. She doesn't flinch when fighting back. You never worry about a gaffe or that she can take the attacks. Hillary Clinton simply never gives up or hands her opponent a point. Watching this, I'm having the time of my life and it's on nights like these that the fatigue, the pains, the sleeplessness and all the rest are worth it.

Edwards was horrific at best and Obama kept his wits mostly about him and took on Hillary with out halting. He was respectful of the fact that she's a candidate but also hit her when he had to.

I have no dog in that there fight but was Taylor Marsh watching what I was watching? Edwards should have dropped out of the race a week or more ago and Hillary has done nothing to ingratiate herself to those Democrats who were on the fence about her. Worse for Hillary, she has done even more to damage her reputation among the coveted Independents who will truly be the deciders of this election in November. Marsh can't look past her own prejudices about Obama (and no, not racial prejudice) and see just how well he's playing to the base.

Marsh's finale:

What a depressing night to be a Republican.

No, to be honest I am buoyant. The Dems did nothing to make anyone respect them or like them any more than before. They've not talked about the the War on Terror and it's core component the war in Iraq, Social Security or the economy except for worthless platitudes. The Dems will have a far more difficult time coming back to the middle than the GOP and that will kill them in the general.

Marsh and her ilk have never actually thought that this is one campaign in which the GOP should be a non-issue, yet the quality of candidates on the Dem side has ensured us that it will be close up til election day. That speaks volumes.

Arguing About Who is the Anti-Reagan

In what can only be described as a joke, Barack Obama and Hillary fought to be the one most unlike the greatest President of the last sixty years:

Clinton and Obama clashed over who really fought Republican icon Ronald Reagan, their relationships with special interests, and how they would pay for their proposals.

...He objected particularly to the way the Clintons hammered him for saying recently that Reagan transformed American politics, insisting he was stating the obvious and not praising Reagan.

While he fought Reagan's policies as a community organizer in the poor neighborhoods of Chicago, he said to Clinton, "you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of Wal-Mart." The corporation is anathema to many Democratic voters for resisting efforts to unionize its employees.

Clinton served on the Wal-Mart board from 1986 to 1992. But in 2006, her Senate campaign returned $5,000 to the company's political action committee citing differences with company policies.

Just a note to the two esteemed candidates: Reagan won in two landslides and got more cross-over voters from the opposing party than anyone since. He destroyed Soviet communism and allowed millions oppressed in Eastern Europe to become Free and flourish. He also brought the country back together after suffering through the dismal Carter years. That seems like something the candidates should want to emulate, not spit on. One would think that is what the Dem candidates want being that the country is pretty split about now, but I guess not.

Anyway, Hot Air has all the video you can stomach and take note of John Edwards, the guy looks like a little kid on the stage in stature and the way he fought to get a word in every so often. Pathetic.

Update: More flip-flopping on the Gipper.

GOP SC Debate Recap

That was a rather raucous event last night. We had it all, a fire in Fred's belly, Romney looking cruel, Huckabee being hammered, Giuliani not really making any impression and Ron Paul coming off as a cranky, doddering old fool. All in all, the best debate of the entire campaign on both sides. If you read the Inquirer/AP recap, you wouldn't know this of course, was the reporter, Liz Sidoti, even in the building or did she watch it on Fox? Never mind, members of the MSM never watch Fox.

Anyway, aside from Ron Paul, I think Rudy Giuliani turned in the worst performance--uninspired and droll. I think he was just playing it out as he knows there's no chance in hell of winning in SC. Rudy's a Yankee and a Yankees fan, not a good combo in Dixie.

Romney had some moments but again, when he could have taken the high road with Paul stuttering and stammering, he chose to go for his jugular. It wasn't a smart move in my opinion because Paul was already on the ropes. Policy-wise, he to seemed uninspired and going through the motions.

Huckabee had some good one liners but it's like nails on a blackboard when he quotes scripture. That may have worked in South Carolina once but this is the new SC, a state that has had large-scale emigration over the last decade. You've gotta credit Fox for asking the question about his wife "submitting". In Huck's defense, he was ready for it and, while he didn't hit a homer, he at least hit a Texas League single.

On to Fred. The consensus is that Thompson made the best showing of the night. If he did enough to win in SC and ride some momentum to Super Tuesday, anything can happen in this race. He's won raves from some heavy-hitters and left us all wondering where was this guy before?

Now Paul. Ron Paul has had a bad week, TNR revealed that his newsletter contained some serious anti-Semitic and racist language. He denied writing the materials but it was under his name and the facts say that he was at least responsible for some of the content. Last night was the final straw for the public who had heard about this "savior" and what they saw was a flop--a guy who is one-dimensional politically regardless of the Paulians who clapped at his every word like some trained seals in a circus. I was embarrassed for him and I'm sure I wasn't the only one cringing when he repeated he couldn't hear. Don't get me wrong, Paulistinians crawled back out of their holes last night and responded to my posts--and in some cases defended the man, but it's over guys.

Fred Thompson Won It!

Hope is alive folks.

Yes, I previously supported Rudy because Fred never stoked the fire. This is the Fred we waited for and he delivered tonight.

Will it work? Who the hell knows but he smacked it out of the yard and based on the Frank Luntz survey he made a great impression.

Finally, the only Conservative in the group made his mark and hopefully it gives him some life.

As for the leaders--McCain not bad, but Huck...the end of his campaign is mercifully in sight so we never have to witness this again:



Jeez Huck, who the hell authorized this abortion?

Update: It's unanimous, Fred won the debate by a landslide.

Ron Paul Discusses Israel--It Ain't Pretty

The Paulistinian's are there in force and they are cheering their boy as he meanders through his inane theory of Israel being a "stepchild of the US". Dude is having and absolutely horrendous night.

Fred Thompson May Have Just Won South Carolina

"You can tell the news is good in Iraq because you read so little about it in the NY Times"

Amen brother.

That'll win over the bloggers, Fred. But will it win over the voters in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and the other outlying counties? One could hope.

This is the Fred we all wanted and hopefully it's not too late.

Brit Hume Hammers Last Nail in Ron Paul's Coffin (Video Added)

Wow, Hume hammered Paul when Paul seemed a bit out of touch with what was going on around him. Paul's excuse he couldn't hear was brutal and to be honest, I squirmed watching an old man struggle with the answer.

Romney may or may not have gotten a good line in, time will tell. Paul was an easy target and Romney should have backed down and let it go. It seemed damn cruel.

Yes, I'm defending Paul because he seemed like an old man who was way out of his league.

Line of the night is Fred going to the 72 virgin's card.

A vicious debate by any measure.

Update: Random thoughts from around the 'sphere.

Video!

A GOP Debate Sans Iraq & Immigration?

The three most-important issues on the GOP side of the presidential slate are the War on Terror, Iraq and Immigration. It should then be assumed that those topics would be front and center in the last debate prior to the Iowa Caucuses, should it not?

Try not. Des Moines Register Editor Carolyn Washburn failed the voters by not engaging the candidates on these crucial issues:

The problems went beyond Washburn's lack of mad moderating skillz. From the outset, Washburn announced that the candidates would not be discussing either Iraq or immigration. Swell! It's the biggest debate of the season, so let's take the two biggest issues off the table. For what it's worth, Washburn brought all the charm to her assignment of a latter-day Nurse Ratched.

At some point, the political parties will have to begin to wonder why they entrust such a critical part of our president-choosing process to people like Carolyn Washburn, people who obviously aren't up to the task.

Aside from Dean Barnett using the word "skillz", he does have a point, while the situation in Iraq is indeed improving, it's not over and will remain the single biggest issue for the eventual new President. Immigration is also a hot-button topic that will be a central issue in the general election. There's very little nuance with the public, you either support open borders and granting amnesty to those here or you seal the border and deport those who broke the law in crossing the border illegally.

Fred Thompson (who Barnett believes won a much-needed victory) saw this debate for the sham it was and took a stand against the idiotic showing of hands tactic. More on Thompson later.

I didn't see the debate live but have watched most of it online and it seems that Thompson may be finding his stride. More on that later.