Tag: John McCain

Torture

I read a survey today. It says most Americans think torture is OK. I’m in the minority, again. It makes me sad.

By a margin of almost 2 to 1 — 59 percent to 31 percent — those interviewed said that they support the CIA’s brutal methods, with the vast majority of supporters saying that they produced valuable intelligence.

In general, 58 percent say the torture of suspected terrorists can be justified “often” or “sometimes.” – Washington Post

Everything I know and believe says torture is wrong, producing few results. Former POWs, like John McCain say it’s wrong. We have even signed agreements saying there are no circumstances under which we would use torture.

I watch Dick Cheney, General Hayden and the others on TV and get sick to my stomach. My enemies don’t influence my moral compass.

Game Change: HBO’s Sarah Palin Movie

I just sent a former co-worker a note simply saying “Sarah Palin is” then continued with the name of a well known former TV newsie.

I just finished watched the Sarah Palin HBO movie, “Game Change.” Wow. Scary. Palin is portrayed as a woman of strong convictions and weak understanding. Not that she isn’t smart. Running for national office demands things she’d never learned.

I wish I could tell you I never worked with telegenic anchors or reporters who could grab an audience by the force of their charisma, but were really intellectually empty. I have. Even a few are too many.

I just sent a former co-worker a note simply saying “Sarah Palin is” then continued with the name of a well known former TV newsie. Sorry, I’m not talking.

I choose to believe the movie is mainly true, but immediately headed to the extremely conservative Breitbart.com for a differing opinion. Stacy Drake writes their defense of Palin against the movie.

“I’ve seen the entire movie, so don’t mind me while I go ahead and judge this piece of high-dollar propaganda.”

Her “10 Lies” were mainly small or dwelled on inconsequential details. Stacy’s Twitter home page lists “Conservatives 4 Palin” as her link. Sorry. Not persuaded.

As stated in the movie neither Lincoln nor Jefferson couldn’t be elected today. Sad. In the 21st Century you must connect via TV (or whatever comes next). We have to hope there’s substance beneath the charisma.

Julianne Moore is amazing. I believed she was Sarah Palin.

Moore was on with Jon Stewart earlier this week. He asked a softball question about prep and she opened up. It was impressive to hear her explain how she went about ‘learning’ Palin and what nuances she learned.

Ed Harris, someone I dislike on a personal level&#185, was excellent as John McCain. Harris didn’t do as much of a McCain impression as Moore did of Palin, but his personality rang true to the John McCain I’ve watched over time.

Does McCain throw the “F” bomb around that much?

From an entertainment standpoint it held my interest. From a historical standpoint it confirmed my fears.

&#185 – I met Ed Harris at the junket for Apollo 13. There were dozens of reporters passing through for interviews and he acted like a jerk when it was my turn. I hope it was just a bad day. He’s a fine actor. He wasn’t a nice man. Ask Helaine.

I Cried

“Never,” was my father’s answer tonight when asked if he ever thought he’d live to see a black man in the White House.

I cried. I cried when John McCain spoke from Phoenix. He was gracious, eloquent and uncharacteristically warm as he conceded defeat.

I cried some more when Barack Obama spoke from Chicago a few minutes ago. It was an inspiring speech. When his wife came out and they embraced, I read her lips as she said, “I love you.”

What a wonderful night to be an American. What a transformational moment.

“Never,” was my father’s answer tonight when asked if he ever thought he’d live to see a black man in the White House. Never is a strong word. It’s a long way from never to where we are today.

I remember, probably when I was around ten, walking past the F.W. Woolworths in a little strip shopping center at Parsons and Jewel-a block from where I grew up. There were men walking in a circle, carrying signs. I didn’t understand at the time, but it was a picket line. The protest had to do with the Woolworths lunch counters in the south that would not serve ‘colored.” It was the beginning of the civil rights movement. It’s a long way from those pickets to where we are today.

We face immense challenges. Obama comes in off-the-bench with the team down a few touchdowns and time running out. I don’t know if he, or anyone, can get us out of our dilemma. We are in so deep.

Tonight, at least, there is hope.

The Question

No one is predicting the Democrats win without throwing in a list of provisos. No one will be shocked if John McCain is selected even though every barometer of public sentiment says otherwise.

“So, who’s going to win?” It’s a question I’ve asked and been asked dozens of times in the past few days.

Back when I thought the Iraq War was going to be the big campaign issue I was predicting a Democratic rout. That scenario still looks likely, but most people remain sheepish. No one is predicting the Democrats win without throwing in a list of provisos. No one will be shocked if John McCain is selected even though every barometer of public sentiment says otherwise.

Are we more distrustful of polls or pols?

Enough Already–Let’s Vote

In 1972 I waited in a long line at the Mallard Creek 2 polling place in Charlotte, NC to vote for Eugene McCarthy. “If you vote for him things will be awful,” I was told. I did vote for him. Things did turn out to be awful.

What makes this election different from the 11 other presidential elections I actually remember (Sorry Ike, I don’t remember ’52 or ’56) is how long it’s been heavily covered.

In the pre-Internet, pre-cable days candidates were on the stump, but mostly unnoticed by the general population. If you spoke in Chillicothe, you might have gotten some local TV coverage (in fact you prayed for local TV coverage) and maybe a short AP/UPI write-up, but no one else knew. Now, every breath you take, every move you make, they’ll be watching you!

Democrats pulling for Senator Obama equate this massive coverage to vetting and use it to thwart Senator McCain’s claim we know nothing of Obama. I don’t think McCain’s getting much traction here. We all feel, right or wrong, after all this time we know the candidates.

I remember reading somewhere that Bush-41 knew he was going to lose to Bill Clinton a few weeks before the election (I cannot find a citation fo this–but it is my memory) and then just went through the motions. It doesn’t look that way with John McCain, who I saw speaking from a town on the Tennessee/Virginia border a while ago. Still, it’s got to be tough to know you’re as far behind in the polls as he is.

I’ve always thought it was students and young adults who drove Lyndon Johnson from office. And yet when franchised as a very liberal young voter I never voted for eventual winners. Very frustrating.

In 1972 I waited in a long line at the Mallard Creek 2 polling place in Charlotte, NC to vote for Eugene McCarthy. “If you vote for him things will be awful,” I was told. I did vote for him. Things did turn out to be awful.

No one I knew was voting for Nixon and yet he ran away with North Carolina and the election in general. Since then I voted voted both Republican and Democratic in presidential elections. To be kind, I am not a bellwether.

At work I asked Intern Jacob if he was excited about this election and if he thought students were involved. He quickly answered yes. I found that encouraging.

Back in 1960 the election results were on all-night. The election itself wasn’t decided until the pre-dawn hours. Though I was just 10, I remember how exciting that night was (and I also remember primarily watching NBC). I was prepped for the same fun in 1964, but everything was decided quickly. Not every election goes down to the wire. In fact, most do not.

Tomorrow’s results will probably be known early and Barack Obama will go-to-bed President Elect Obama. In football he’d be seen as a prohibitive favorite… and yet they still play the games.

John McCain On Saturday Night Live

If you don’t want to vote–don’t.

I watched most of Saturday Night Live tonight starting with the cold open. Earlier today I’d read a reporter on the political trail with John McCain who said McCain was starting to look tired. That was not evident tonight.

Say what you will about politics and policy–this was a gutsy move for McCain and i think he was rewarded by a script that was, by and large, complimentary to him and his cause. And he showed a good sense of humor… or more succinctly, didn’t seem like the “Hey you kids, off my lawn” old guy he’s often portrayed as.

Maybe I’m too politically immersed this season, but how can anyone still be undecided?

The candidates, their policies, their styles–totally different. It’s a young, liberal, black guy versus an old, conservative, white guy. Have we ever seen that before on a national stage?

I worry about the undecided. Are they conflicted or just so removed from the world around them their indecision is a product of their lack of knowledge. How much racism is involved? I know it’s there, but I suspect it’s inconsequential. I’m not saying there aren’t large numbers, but these people wouldn’t have voted for any Democrat.

Every year at election time, but especially for the presidential elections, there are get out the vote drives. I’m a non-believer. The real goal should educate the vote. Why do we want people to vote out of a sense of guilt? Shouldn’t voting be motivated by intellectual conviction?

If you don’t want to vote–don’t.

Blogger’s note – A long comment that was originally attached to this entry has been deleted. It was heavily in support of John McCain. I have no problem with that. However, I removed the message because, as is pointed out below, it was not original content and has been posted on dozens of other sites. My policy is original content only.

One More Debate

The politics of slime is distasteful to me. However, what if you’re running for president and feel you have all the answers and your opponent will be taking us to hell in a handbasket

There’s a presidential debate tomorrow night in Hempstead. It will be at Hofstra University–the Harvard of Hempstead. Wow! The election just is three weeks away.

Is there anything that can be said or done tomorrow which will turn things around–save the day for John McCain? What over-the-top trick could he have up his sleeve? Is there an October surprise?

The cable buzz is McCain will bring up William Ayers and possibly Reverend Wright. Is it too late for those associations to resonate? It’s no longer a matter of helping the undecideds make a decision. At this point John McCain will have to turn some people around to win.

The politics of slime is distasteful to me. However, what if you’re running for president, feel you have all the answers and your opponent will be taking us to hell in a handbasket? At that point does the end justify the means? Is it acceptable to slime if in your heart-of-hearts you’re sliming for “all the right reasons.”

It will be interesting to watch the battle unfold. I suspect Obama will try to go on offense before McCain can. No matter what, I’ll bet fewer people watch than last time.

It’s Time To Turn Down The Incendiary Language

What is wrong is to fire up zealots through incendiary language and vitriol. That can’t be turned off and could easily become a ticking time bomb.

Zealot –noun

1. a person who shows zeal.

2. an excessively zealous person; fanatic.

Zealots are easy to fire up. They are much more difficult to calm down. It looks like the McCain campaign has realized that and, at least John McCain himself, is getting a little uneasy with what’s been unleashed.

Sam Stein/The Huffington Post: McCain was responding to a town hall attendee who claimed he was concerned about raising a child under a president who “cohorts with domestic terrorists such as [Bill] Ayers.” Despite the fact that McCain and his campaign have repeatedly used Ayers to hammer Obama in recent days, the Arizona Senator tried to calm the man.

“[Senator Obama] is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared about as President of the United States,” he said, before adding: “If I didn’t think I would be one heck of a better president I wouldn’t be running.”

The crowd groaned with disapproval.

Later, McCain was again pressed about Obama’s “other-ness” and again he refused to play ball. “I don’t trust Obama,” a woman said. “I have read about him. He’s an Arab.”

“No, ma’am,” McCain said several times, shaking his head in disagreement. “He’s a decent, family man, [a] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that’s what this campaign is all about.”

It’s important for this election to be heartily fought–for ideas to be vetted before the voting public. We should know what each candidate stands for. What is wrong is to fire up zealots through incendiary language and vitriol. That can’t be turned off and could easily become a ticking time bomb.

Do I need to go into specifics here for you to know why we need to worry? The language needs to be toned down now. Senator McCain’s answers today are a good start.

All The Dirt That’s Fit To Print Or Broadcast Or Browse

If Obama cured cancer, Drudge would find a downside.

As I write this a Chris Shays for Congress ad is on during the Emmys. Even Republicans are running against the Republican Party. Shays is. Everyone’s a rebel.

I’ve read a lot about this presidential race being the meanest, dirtiest ever–and then I’ve read it’s not. Who knows? There’s no shortage of bullshit available on both sides.

This is probably our most partisan election as far as media goes.

There’s Fox–strongly Republican, though publicly in denial. Rupert Murdoch was on Fox last week saying what awful would happen if Obama is elected.

MSNBC has turned sharply Democratic and otherwise left-of-center with Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow. It’s a little less comfortable for MSNBC. Unlike Fox, there is an affiliation with a non-partisan news organization (NBC) and no Roger Ailes. They’d do better with a Roger Ailes to run interference.

I am most intrigued with politically slanted coverage on the net. I’ve been a big Drudge reader for years. He is heavily out in support of McCain/Palin. Tonight on Drudge:

OBAMAPELOSI DEMAND ‘OVERSIGHT’ ON BAILOUT…

PALIN DRAWS CROWD OF 60,000 IN FLORIDA

If Obama cured cancer, Drudge would find a downside.

Drudge is now balanced by Huffington Post. Wasn’t Arianna Huffington once a conservative? On Huffington McCain can do no right.

Obama: Bailout Plan Must Address “The Crisis On Main Street And Around Kitchen Tables Across America”

Here’s the problem with all this vitriol. Once the election is over there’s going to be a huge segment of our population unhappy and ready to hatchet whomever wins. No matter what the result, this promises to be the most divisive (and derisive) election I can remember.

Intrade’s VP Scoop–We’ll See

I am paying attention because I sense Intrade is insightful.

The New York Observer’s website has “Intrade Loves Pawlenty’s Chances” as a headline this evening.

What kind of day has Tim Pawlenty had? The kind where your value on the Intrade Republican vice-presidential future markets shoots up by more than 50 points — while your chief opponent’s stock plummets by 31. The Minnesota governor is now trading roughly where Joe Biden was just before word of his selection by Barack Obama broke.

I don’t know a lot about Tim Pawlenty. Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t know anything about Tim Pawlenty. However, I am paying attention because I sense Intrade is insightful. It’s a conversation I had online last night with my friend Farrell. Intrade now has Tim Pawlenty as the prohibitive favorite to be John McCain’s vice presidential running mate.

We’ll know more tomorrow or over the weekend. Can you beat the wisdom of crowds? In the Internet era, can 60 million Frenchmen still be wrong?

My Dad’s Offer

He’d probably be the youngest one there. I’m used to my students being in their eighties

The word is out. John McCain is not on the Internet. I know because I spoke with my dad last night.

“I’m sending an email to the McCain campaign,” he said.

“What are you talking about,” I asked. I wasn’t sure I really wanted the answer.

“He can come to my beginning computer class at the condo. He’d probably be the youngest one there. I’m used to my students being in their eighties!”

Is there anyone hipper than my dad? He’s the Bill Gates of Boynton Beach!

Dear Friend

They both started their letter, “Dear Friend.” That gives me the opportunity to tell anyone reading, I find that particular greeting to be, on its face, insincere

In today’s mail, solicitations from John McCain and Barack Obama. They’re both looking for money. There’s a surprise.

They both started their letter, “Dear Friend.” That gives me the opportunity to tell anyone reading, I find that particular greeting to be, on its face, insincere. In many ways, it reminds me of how President Clinton called Monica Lewinski “kiddo.” We all know how that turned out.

I am surprised to see hardly any difference in either envelope. Both make points by underlining and bolding words (in one case, Obama does both simultaneously) in their text presentation.

Check boxes for contributions start at $25 for McCain and $35 for Obama. I assume that extra ten spot is based on research which shows there’s little extra resistance to the extra $10. In other words, those who give $25 would probably give $35.

Each envelope had a four page letter, postage paid return envelope, contribution form and in Obama’s case, single sheet glossy brochure. That implies research in fund solicitation is mature and both sides know the shortest route to my dollars.

In my moments of daydreaming, I have pondered running for political office some day. I’m just not sure how I could get past the fundraising part, which I find unappealing, but know is necessary.

No Way To Make Friends

I’m a non-partisan complainer here, because all three candidates have heard another candidate’s faux pas and latched on to it. Politics gets defined in the gotcha moment.

Barack Obama has said stupid things.

Hillary Clinton has said stupid things.

John McCain has said stupid things.

Geoff Fox… please… you have no idea how many times I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth in nearly 40 year of radio and television ad libs.

In private, I’ve said stupid things that have offended friends in ways I never meant. Actually, I can think of a horrendous example from two weeks ago. These are words I wanted to reel back in as they were going out.

Ask Helaine. She’s been on the receiving end too.

I didn’t mean what my friend heard on the phone, or the words said to my wife in the car seat next to me. They know that. Why can’t politicians act that way too?

I’m a non-partisan complainer here, because all three candidates have heard another candidate’s faux pas and latched on to it. Why must politics get defined in the gotcha moment.

That’s not the way I want to live my life. I don’t want to be picked on because I’ve briefly screwed up. Take me for the sum and total of who I am.

Some of my friends have been friends for 30-40 years. Yes, it’s accomplishment. But if any of my friends, or my spouse, reacted the way ‘pols’ do, our relationships would be over.

I can’t respect anyone who acts that way. I can’t be alone. Are you candidates listening?

If The Democrats No Longer Need Lieberman

So, what happens if the Democrats sweep the House, Senate and elect a president? It’s certainly not out of the question. I think the loser is Lieberman and by proxy, Connecticut.

I suspect we’re about to face an interesting political dilemma in Connecticut.

Right now, the Democrats control both branches of Congress. The majority in the Senate is razor thin. Democrats control by two, but only if you include Senate independents, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Though he ran against, and beat, the endorsed Democratic candidate in the last election, Lieberman enjoys the benefits of the Democratic majority. From his own website:

In 2006, Senator Lieberman was elected to a fourth term as an Independent, because of the strength of his record and his accomplishments for the state. He won the general election by more than 100,000 votes. He remains committed to caucusing with Senate Democrats, but will be identified as an Independent Democrat (ID-CT).

That last sentence was written before Senator Lieberman endorsed Republican Senator John McCain’s Republican bid for president. That followed two years where Lieberman sided with the president (and against the Democrats) on many issues, including Iraq and National intelligence.

So, what happens if the Democrats sweep the House, Senate and elect a president? It’s certainly not out of the question. I think the loser is Lieberman and by proxy, Connecticut.

Why would the Democrats keep Lieberman in a position of power while their own loyal members wait? I don’t think they will.

  • Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  • Member of the Armed Services Committee
  • Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Member of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee

This is really all academic. Whatever happens will play out behind closed doors and without consulting the people of Connecticut. We’ll only feel its effect in Lieberman’s reduced power… though it’s tough to quantify that power right now.

This is one of those unintended consequences no one anticipates.

A New Word for Me

I just read Senator John McCain’s letter to the president of Sinclair Broadcasting concerning their decision not to air Ted Koppel’s reading of the names of our Iraq War dead.

As is my policy here, I won’t venture an opinion on this war… or even Sinclair’s decision. However, in reading McCain’s statement, I was presented with a word I had never seen before.

It is, in short, sir, unpatriotic. I hope it meets with the public opprobrium it most certainly deserves.

Opprobrium! It’s there to add effect to an already brutally harsh paragraph.

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