These Toned Arms Are Causing Quite A Flap

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Sunday March 29, 2009 · 9:41 PM PDT

2009/03/29 · 21:41

Today I feel compelled to venture off my usual beat to comment on an issue of national, perhaps even international, importance. The arms race. Specifically, Michelle Obama's arms.

First it was the stuffed shirts of the recently departed Bush administration who were complaining about the newly elected president shedding his jacket and working in his shirt sleeves while in the oval office. Now some fashionistas are flipping out over Michelle wearing no sleeves.

With the President showing up lately on 60 Minutes, Leno and ESPN, he was starting to draw criticism for permitting himself to become overexposed. Turns out the only thing that's overexposed are his wife's arms.

craigsmithsblog

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Tuesday November 04, 2008 · 7:32 AM PST

2008/11/04 · 07:32

Cross-posted at Craig Smith's Blog.

On the day before the election, Wendy McCaw's Santa Barbara News-Press finally tells us, it is endorsing John McCain in the Presidential race.

Looks like Wendy was one of those "undecided" voters heading into the last weekend before the election.

In fact, the News-Press is endorsing Republicans in each race for partisan office that it is making an endorsement in. In addition to McCain it is endorsing Tony Strickland over Hannah-Beth Jackson in the 19th District State Senate race and Matt Kokkonen for Congress over Lois Capps in the 23rd Congressional District race.

craigsmithsblog

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Wednesday October 22, 2008 · 11:39 PM PDT

2008/10/22 · 23:39

Cross-posted at Craig Smith's Blog.

I am well aware that there's a certain segment of the Santa Barbara blog reading public that would prefer that I stay away from the presidential race as a topic to write about.

But ever since Sarah Palin jumped off the glacier and onto the Republican ticket, it's been too much of a target-rich environment to ignore.

And besides, in less than two weeks it will all be over, for better or worse.

craigsmithsblog

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Thursday October 16, 2008 · 3:24 PM PDT

2008/10/16 · 15:24

Cross posted at Craig Smith's Blog.

All of the talk at Wednesday night's presidential debate about "Joe the Plumber," reminded me of a joke I tell my students every year.

It goes like this; Some years ago I called a plumber to unclog a pipe in the kitchen. The guy spends a grand total of 20 minutes under the sink. After which he presents me a bill for $100. I say, "$100 for 20 minutes of work, that's $300 an hour. I'm a lawyer and I don't charge $300 an hour!" To which the plumber replies, "when I was a lawyer, neither did I."

As a group, plumbers are generally not reputed to be among those who struggle economically. In fact, the plumbers I know of here in Santa Barbara seem to do pretty well. For example, there's a retired plumber I'm aware of who is quite the man about town. I'll leave his name out of it because although I'm acquainted with him, I don't know him well enough to be putting his business out on the Internet. But he's in his late 70's, perhaps older, drives a Mercedes SL500 and lives down at Fernald Point.

craigsmithsblog

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Wednesday October 08, 2008 · 6:37 PM PDT

2008/10/08 · 18:37

Cross-posted at Craig Smith's Blog.

For my money, no one bottom-lined last night's Obama/McCain debate better than James Carville who was taking part in the post mortem over on CNN.

"You can call the dogs in, wet the fire and leave the house."

In other words, it's over for McCain.

craigsmithsblog

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Friday October 03, 2008 · 5:51 AM PDT

2008/10/03 · 05:51

Now that the school year has started up again, I'm working three nights a week. Working at night has its advantages, as in my days are largely free to enjoy the beautiful weather we're enjoying right now. It it also has it's drawbacks. I miss out on some "must see TV" in the evenings.

Take last night. There was the Vice Presidential debate starting at 6 pm, and the Dodgers vs. Cubs playoff game starting a half hour later. Because I had to be in Ventura to teach a class from 6:30 to 9:30, I would miss both of them.

The Dodgers, by virtue of having won the first game of the best of a five game series, only had to play "500" ball (that is win 2 out of the next 4 games) to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

For John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin, merely playing "500" ball, that is debating Joe Biden to a "draw," wouldn't be good enough.

craigsmithsblog

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Tuesday September 16, 2008 · 10:41 PM PDT

2008/09/16 · 22:41

I think it's safe to say that voters in the Santa Barbara area appear to be solidly behind Barack Obama. In last June's presidential primary the number of Democrats in the county voting for Obama was almost twice the number of Republicans voting for John McCain.

And a McCain bumper sticker or yard sign is about as rare a sight in these parts as a telephone booth.

So what do Santa Barbara's columnists and commentators think of Sarah Palin, McCain's choice for VP?

RSS

These Toned Arms Are Causing Quite A Flap

In A Blue Town, This Paper Is Red All Over

Joe The Plumber, Meet Sarah The Clotheshorse

This Plumber Was A Bathtub Ringer

How Last Night's Debate Looked From A Couch In Santa Barbara

One "Bullish" Performance

In Santa Barbara, Palin May Keep A Billionaire Publisher On The Sidelines