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LIGHTNING ROUND: IGNORANCE IS BLISS.
- The New York Times reports on the large disparity between Democratic and Republican voter rolls, including those in some states that voted for the GOP in 2004: "In six states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, the Democratic piece of the registration pie grew more than three percentage points, while the Republican share declined. In only three states -- Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma -- did Republican registration rise while Democratic registration fell, but the Republican increase was less than a percentage point in Kentucky and Oklahoma."
- Barack Obama has hit back against John McCain on energy, mocking the "drill here, drill now" mantra so beloved of a Republican party starved for an issue it hopes it can win on: "Now two points, one, they know they're lying about what my energy plan is, but the other thing is they're making fun of a step that every expert says would absolutely reduce our oil consumption by 3 to 4 percent. It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant." And Nancy Pelosi makes the smart political move, encouraging Democrats in tough races to support drilling as a means of defusing the potency of the issue for Republicans.
- John McCain purchased $6 million worth of advertising time during next week's Summer Olympics, matching Barack Obama's $5 million buy, fueling speculation that each camp will unveil their VP selection during the highly publicized games.
- New McCain ad: "The Original Maverick." The usual disiegenuousness abounds ("he'll battle big oil") but let's get one thing straight -- this is the original Maverick as far as I'm concerned:
- Apparently McCain is fond of entering his wife in topless competitions. Also, from the press pool report from the biker rally McCain attended in South Dakota yesterday: "A larger-than-life stone sculpture stood in the middle of the large open field, depicting a woman lying horizontally over a bike in what looked like an uncomfortable position."
- Tyler Cowen finds an academic study purporting that Oprah Winfrey's stumping for Barack Obama might have contributed as many as one million additional votes during the primaries.
- National polling continues to be a source of inconsistencies. AP/Ipsos has Obama ahead 47-41, Gallup has Obama up 47-43, and Zogby has McCain ahead narrowly, 42-41. In Florida, Survey USA has McCain ahead six points, 50-44.
- Presidential debate moderators have been announced for the Fall. Vent your MSM hatred in the comments section.
- And Finally, Justin Schaffer, son of Colorado GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, posted some, shall we say, unprofessional posters mocking Barack Obama on his Facebook page, causing some consternation for the elder Schaffer's campaign. A sample: "Slavery Gets Shit Done."
--Mori Dinauer
COMMENTS (10)
"And Nancy Pelosi makes the smart political move, encouraging Democrats in tough races to support drilling as a means of defusing the potency of the issue for Republicans."
Isn't it pretty much this faulty reasoning that got us into Iraq.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 5, 2008 6:05 PM
To be fair about Justin Schaffer, I looked at the mirror and the Facebook app that allows the posters is one that based on giving them as gifts, to other people. His sin might well have been accepting the posters from other people, not posting them himself.
Very redeeming, I know.
Posted by: Zephyrus | August 5, 2008 6:19 PM
Sorry, Tom Cruise is just as much of an interloper as McCain. You can look it up.
Posted by: Vance Maverick | August 5, 2008 6:30 PM
So Obama's pastor makes some critical comments, like how many years ago, the media goes into a howling frenzy, but when Schaffer's son repeats this crap, I don't hear a peep. And I live in Colorado!
Posted by: palindrome | August 5, 2008 6:46 PM
Yesterday you didn't want to quote bad words in the blog and today you did. I just got fired from my job because of this.
Posted by: ACLS | August 5, 2008 7:09 PM
Hey Whippersnapper,
James Garner was the original Maverick, dagnabbit.
Posted by: Jim | August 5, 2008 8:33 PM
So "the smart political move" is to cave? There is literally no issue that she won't give in on. Dems like her are worse than Republicans.
Posted by: Bloix | August 5, 2008 10:57 PM
There is a good chance that the biggest story out of Beijing is going to be the massive amounts of smog in Beijing and I don't think that image is going to help John McCain.
Posted by: joejoejoe | August 6, 2008 2:18 AM
Bloix's right. How exactly is it a smart move to win (presumably) an election based on a DRILL DRILL DRILL platform? What, like all those Democrats are going to sweep into office in January and immediately start a lecture tour on the subject of how unsustainable energy consumption got us into this gas price mess?
I'm really starting to get tired of how any and all liberal blogs will blindly follow any leader with a D after her name.
Posted by: Marshall | August 6, 2008 8:45 AM
"And Nancy Pelosi makes the smart political move, encouraging Democrats in tough races to support drilling as a means of defusing the potency of the issue for Republicans."
Yeah, let me join in the pile-on. You know what would be an actual smart political move? Repeatedly pointing out how "drill everywhere" is stupid policy. You know what would be an actual smart political move? Taking a principled stand for something, rather than being seen to surrender to Republicans again and again. And if these "Democrats" in tough races think the only way they can win is by pandering to stupidity and big oil, well, why don't they just make it official, and run as Republicans? Because then Democrats might not "control" the House, the chamber where Republicans and Blue Dogs are already dictating the agenda?
Posted by: mds | August 6, 2008 10:47 AM