Politics: This and That

  • Pam's been getting lots of mailings from the Obama campaign. She must be in some heavily-targeted demographic (married 40-something white women without kids????). Printing companies are having a heyday.
  • An illuminating Time story about Troopergate and the ham-handedness of the Palin administration (and her husband's out-sized role). Doesn't inspire confidence.
  • I greatly respect how John McCain has handled some of the loony comments being made in town-hall meetings about Obama. While his own campaign has shamefully spawned and encouraged some of these comments, McCain is very publicly denouncing comments from his own supporters. Interesting.
  • Last week, Anderson Cooper (CNN) did a report detailing all of Obama's interactions over the years with William Ayres. It was pretty extensive, far beyond what Obama admits. (Though I have trouble getting worked up about it.)
  • I really enjoy "The Vote Blog," from the Christian Science Monitor website. Balanced and witty.
  • With all the attention on the presidential campaign, I'm not hearing anything about other important races, like Senate seats. Usually, these gets plenty of press.
  • Watched Mike Huckabee's new show on Fox, Saturday night at 8:00. Kinda interesting. Interviewed Chuck Norris--interesting, but not much substance. But loved the band number at the end (all band members being Fox employees, with Huck on the bass). They did "Mustang Sally" this week.
  • General Petraeus talks about negotiating with your enemies and preconditions. Good stuff.
  • Turns out the National Security Agency has been listening to calls from any US citizens calling from the Middle East--aid works, journalists, tourists, soldiers--"Americans who are not in any way, shape, or form associated with anything to do with terrorism....Calling home to the United States, talking to their spouses, sometimes their girlfriends." NSA monitors would jokingly share recordings of pillow talk between US military officers and their spouses. Protecting the world for democracy and freedom, by violating civil and privacy rights.
  • The general who led the Abu Ghraib investigation, Antonio Taguba, believes the Bush Administration should be charged with war crimes for the torture and mistreatment of prisoners. I agree. But it'll never happen (unless the Europeans take the lead).
  • So Sarah Palin will appear on Saturday Night Live this week. Smart move for her. Really. She'll gain points. Says Palin of Tina Fey, "I love her, she’s a hoot and she’s so talented. It would be fun to meet her and keep on giving her new material."

Posted on October 13, 2008 10:53 AM|

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