Your Abbreviated Pundit Round-up

Did you know Obama was in Europe?

EJ Dionne:

The conventional wisdom on certain subjects is so deeply rooted that no amount of evidence disturbs its hold. That's how it is with those dreary predictions that young Americans just won't vote.

If and when they do, of course, they rewrite history.

David Brooks: Eh, I'm not impressed about that Obama speech. Where were the unicorns? Compared to Shakespeare, this was merely Faulkner.

Eugene Robinson: Obama's not lucky, he's good. But don't tell Brooks.

Charles Krauthammer: Obama will probably win. That snake in the grass Maliki just threw the election Obama's way. And he doesn't even wear an American flag lapel pin.

Ilan Goldenberg: If McCain wants to pretend to be a counterinsurgency expert, he'd better start listening to Maliki. That's Counterinsurgency 101.

Joe Scarborough (MSNBC, vlog): McCain wins the image contrast by campaigning at Sausage Haus. No kidding, I really said that.

Kathleen Parker: It's all about pride and arrogance. And presumption. How dare he not buy into right wing frames and admit The Surge Is Working®? He must be a left wing commie pinko that hates America. Just like Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed.

•  fotget the "surge" already Maliki has said that

  the Iraqi people want American combat troops out in 2010   that should end all the BS conversations   now all that is left is to decide on how to get them out   the last time I heard Iraq is supposed to be a free nation  and they are asking us to leave

  by testvet6778 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:14:21 AM PDT

  •  But obviously they don't know what they want

    McCain has determined via Vulcan mind meld that when they stay to pull out, they really want us to stay in.

    Hmmmmmmm, that sounds like something else entirely.

    Never mind.

    Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

    by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:17:30 AM PDT

    •  It's really the same thing

      "I will put my cock/military might wherever I want, and I will assume that I'm entitled by the Grace of God to do so.  Requests to stop are assumed to be sly come-ons."

      by slippytoad on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:56:03 AM PDT

      •  Droit de signeur....

        As satirized by Mozart in "The Marriage of Figaro."

        Actually, what they want to do is to penetrate with their Halliburton. That thing has money-snagging teeth at its business end.

        Combo of a worm and a dog.

        The cock analogy became inoperative decades ago, in spite of the Bob Dole ads.

        BTW: Cheney was a self-aggrandizing bad manager all the way back. He had purchased a company facing massive asbestos claims while at Halliburton, then failed to buy a dishonest fix at the Federal Courts.

        So the V.P. slot and the fat-$$$ Iraq war have been something of a miracle for Halliburton shareholders.

        FOLLOW THE MONEY !! -- the Zeroeth Law for any part of thermodynamics that so much as touches the modern Republican Party.

        by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:27:05 AM PDT

    •  Krauthammer knows better and disagrees

      He's claiming that Maliki is throwing the election to Obama because he knows that he'll be able to run roughshod over Obama when it comes to the terms of the troop withdrawal, of the permanent bases and of the oil.

      In other words, how dare that stinking Maliki govern the country that we installed him to govern?

      I love how Krauthammer projects his scheming, power/oil profits uber alles mentality on the rest of the world.

      by gsbadj on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:10:49 AM PDT

  •  Not only that

    The surge aint one of the top 4 reasons for violence being down accorind to that De Speigel interview with Maliki

    by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:26:38 AM PDT

    •  You're being REALITY-BASED again.

      Poo-poo liberal.................

      by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:27:53 AM PDT

  •  They may be a free nation, but they're sitting on

    OUR oil!  If we leave, gas prices could go through the roof!!!

    oh, wait...

    by Chrispy67 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:49:14 AM PDT

•  Scarborough

  Still shaking my head at his assessment that McCain at a German restaurant is the image that will better resonate with middle America.

  Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

  by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:14:57 AM PDT

  •  He's wrong

    The picture of McCain in the cheese aisle is the one that brought me to tears and sent a shiver up my leg.

    Lisa

    by Boston to Salem on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:18:08 AM PDT

    •  When you're cheesin' do it in front of your

      constituents:
      Colby
      Cheddar
      and Monterey Jack.

      by MariaWr on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:34:26 AM PDT

      •  Nothing speaks to America's heartland like

        individually wrapped slices.

        Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

        by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:36:10 AM PDT

        •  Swiss Cheese Cost Kerry The Election

          "Neutral" country my ass!

          by bernardpliers on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:03:04 AM PDT

        •  Of processed cheese food product.(n/t)

          by puppet10 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:03:47 AM PDT

        •  Slices???

          What're you, some kind of elitist? Real Americans use Velveeta or nuthin'!

          Slices...

          by kingubu on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:04:12 AM PDT

          •  Velveeta is nothin'

            Kraft is the largest 'cheese'-maker in Wisconsin, but we really are not proud of that fact, not with so many good cheesemakers here.

            by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:19:05 AM PDT

          •  Screw that boxed cheese, you elitist

            Every American knows that REAL cheese comes in an aerosol can. ;)

            Velveeta IS good though.  Especially microwaved with salsa or with a can of chili...

            Years ago, a friend of ours brought his French-born girlfriend (an exchange student) to the tavern where there ensued a heated discussion (more so on her part) about which country loved cheese more: France or the US.  

            Statistics on per capita consumption be damned (France wins big time), we argued that Americans loved cheese more by virtue of our determination to produce it, sell it and consume it in every conceivable form.  The girl's very obvious anger (and obviously the beer) is what kept the discussion fueled.

            by gsbadj on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:25:10 AM PDT

      •  Hey, That Could Be a New ...

        Nickname for McCain: "Monterey Jack McCain".

        by D in Northern Virginia on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:01:39 AM PDT

        •  Good except McCain doesn't know Jack----

          by GreenDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:40:32 AM PDT

          •  I Thought He Was the Cheese Wiz n/t

            by D in Northern Virginia on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 07:54:05 AM PDT

    •  Hey

      Cheese needs proper refrigeration.  No wonder your leg is shivering.

      by gsbadj on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:12:08 AM PDT

  •  I just heard that too

    I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic and I just didn't catch it because it's so early in the morning. I guess he was serious.

    by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:41:00 AM PDT

    •  now he's pressing the question with

      Harold Ford Jr.

      Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

      by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:50:33 AM PDT

      •  Ah Harold

        The tool.

        Is he still CONCERNED...

        by Lava20 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:01:37 AM PDT

        •  I think that Harold ford is playing them....

          for fools.

          Now, he kinda counts as a conservative-Dem spokesman for DINO opinions.

          Git to dem Last Days in September and October, Harold gits to savage McCain like nobody else.

          by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:30:49 AM PDT

      •  And Harold CAVED!

        Harold tried to make the point that the issues are bigger than the photo image and then relented that "McBush had a good day yesterday"...

        WTF, Harold? You caved in the face of Scarborough's withering "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" attack, you Republican-apologizing MORAN.

        by frisco on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:26:17 AM PDT

        •  McCain did have a good day

          for someone running for President of the local Kiwanis Club.

          by MKSinSA on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:46:56 AM PDT

  •  i like the part where he picked his teeth or

    dentures or fangs

    by timbuck on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:47:18 AM PDT

  •  Scarborough

    what a poster child for the MSM.

    Scarborough doesn't know his bratwurst
    from a hole in the ground.

    by XajaX on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:53:03 AM PDT

    •  And who-all would follow Morning Joe ???

      Who would believe his line of dittohead shit ???

      He's a 30%-max, Bush II-lover, Dominionist fruitcake.

      If he'd been at Annapolis with McCain, they'd have finished 894th and 895th in that class with 899 Cadets.

      Still, girls fall for dumb guys who look great. I first noticed that about 6th Grade.

      Yeah, its fuckin' envy..................

      by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:34:29 AM PDT

      •  scarborough

        scarborough looks great?  the guy has beady little eyes.

        and for those who watch morning intern killer, HIS RATINGS ARE HORRID. 5times as many people are watching spongebob, I kid you not.

        by dark daze on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 08:51:26 AM PDT

        •  Hey, Spongebob is funny !

          We do got an addict, here, though.

          Her 7-year old hand moves inexorably to the tv-clicker any time there's no adult in the living room....

          by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 10:51:56 AM PDT

  •  Scarborough Repeated The NAFTA/Canada Story

    He did that about 7:35

    by bernardpliers on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:08:41 AM PDT

  •  That's because Scarborough is a tool

    and has to do his best to lift up his GOP pal.

    by Madam Blu in Peoria on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:42:17 AM PDT

•  Why must you do this to me...

  ...so early in the morning.  It's just too damned early for my head to bleed.

  by juliewolf on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:17:46 AM PDT

•  On Brooks & Scarborough

  I find it interesting that the NY Times always has a comment board for Frank Rich's columns, but never Brooks.

  I imagine they really don't want several hundred comments saying what a moronic asshat Brooks is.

  Scarborough is right in a way- if you are older than dirt, seeing another older than dirt chowing down on wurst, etc. is something you'd relate to more than some young guy talking to a quarter-million people.

  I'm sure that across the more conservative senior citizen retirement villages, there will be a rush on early bird specials at the local German restuarant.

  by oxfdblue on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:19:41 AM PDT

  •  I can relate to McCain

    I know what it's like to make mistakes, blow it, and come across badly in a job interview as a result.  I think this is familiar territory for most of us.

    But being able to relate to him in the sense of thinking he's every bit as pathetic as the rest of us doesn't really encourage me to vote for him :)

    by juliewolf on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:22:21 AM PDT

    •  I like when McCain cracks up hysterically

      at his own jokes.

      Like about the huge crowd Obama is going to get in France "and that's just the American press corps" ...

      Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

      by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:26:27 AM PDT

      •  lol exactly

        I was like, "man McCain you just think you're so funny."

        He reminds me of my AP World History teacher last year, who would tell horrible jokes, laugh hysterically at them, and then get annoyed because we didn't laugh :P

        by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:43:46 AM PDT

        •  Flashbacks

          I had a college professor who thought he was a comedian. We used to all fake-laugh at his jokes to stay on his good side.

          Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

          by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:00:49 AM PDT

          •  heh

            In my friends class (who had him a different period) would all fake laugh at his jokes too, and compared to my class he was treating them like royalty. It was just too early in the morning for my class to work on fake laughs. That's how I feel about McCain.

            by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:03:22 AM PDT

          •  I don't think he's funny...

            he's trying to trigger the crowd to laugh.  It's forced.  The audience is just being polite.

            by Lava20 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:04:20 AM PDT

            •  well actually he is funny

              though mostly in an unintentional way.

              The joke sort of reminded me of a typical Bob Hope one-liner.

              Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

              by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:19:27 AM PDT

  •  Don't want to upstage Brooksie

    This column was especially vapid. For someone who has bought into the fantasy idealism of the Right, Brooksie should really shut up about how meaningless idealism is.

    Of course, there are no comments for Brooks because any NYT reader could pen a column with more substance than Brooks manages on an average day. Not to say that he's projecting, but every single criticism he made of Obama could more legitimately be turned back on Brooks's writings.

    by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:22:43 AM PDT

  •  Brooks makes rebuttal too easy

    The great illusion of the 1990s was that we were entering an era of global convergence in which politics and power didn’t matter. What Obama offered in Berlin flowed right out of this mind-set. This was the end of history on acid.

    Since then, autocracies have arisen, the competition for resources has grown fiercer, Russia has clamped down, Iran is on the march. It will take politics and power to address these challenges, the two factors that dare not speak their name in Obama’s lofty peroration.

    Yet no mention that the "since then" is the 8-year disaster of the Bush administration.

    Obama's optimism is indeed justified, once we elect a President who isn't a corrupt, criminal, lying, xenophobic, oil-guzzling, moronic sumbitch who thinks he can piss on the rest of the world and tell them it's raining.

    by ReEnergizer on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 07:20:49 AM PDT

•  Brooks

  concludes that Obama is running a "Disney" campaign.

  I think, though, that McCain's Goofy campaign is much more Mickey Mouse.

  Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

  by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:22:13 AM PDT

  •  Gibson and Stephanopolous are the standard

    for Mickey Mouse coverage.

    by DemFromCT on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:25:15 AM PDT

    •  An accident of employment

      by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:45:16 AM PDT

  •  Its almost sad that the best faux outrage

    that Brooks and the Right-Wing can muster is that Obama is too optimistic. I mean, heck, isn't that their whole Reagan worship mantra?

    I urge David Brooks to take a stand against optimism and Tear Down Something named for Ronald Reagan.

    by aggressiveprogressive on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:31:35 AM PDT

    •  The day that happens is the day him and

      Obama eat in Applebees at a salad bar.

      by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:33:17 AM PDT

    •  that's not faux outrage. that's absolute panic.

      they fear he is the Democrat's Reagan, creating a new political landscape that leaves them in the dust.

      by Chrispy67 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:53:40 AM PDT

      •  they bring up Reagan only to try and reclaim

        any last memory of him to ease the pain of seeing Obama. He is literally their worst nightmare.

        by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:57:01 AM PDT

      •  Obama = = Reagan.

        Get over it, folks. They're both dyed in the wool studs.

        Both in love with their wives.

        Both have rock star status with their political supporters.

        Both have knock-out demographics.

        Both can raise money like Disney.

        Both are core America.

        by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:42:02 AM PDT

  •  Ouch! On Brooks, DemFromCT: bad meme!

    Why do you want to invoke 'Sound and Fury, signifying nothing'?

    Ouch!

    by Clem Yeobright on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:16:23 AM PDT

    •  because that's what Brook's column says

      read it. and thank you for getting the reference.

      by DemFromCT on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:30:09 AM PDT

      •  Ahhhhh! No, you read Brooks

        and I'll read you ... more respectfully.

        by Clem Yeobright on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:32:24 AM PDT

  •  Shit, man, a "Disney" campaign is a blockbuster.

    Does that dumb-ass have any idea how much money disney makes ???

    Or how good they are at developing properties ???

    Consider "High School Musical."

    Think about any other organization tyring to turn that little piece of fluff into a success.

    Disney turned it into a locally-owned and controlled U.S. Mint.

    by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:38:55 AM PDT

•  And remember, McCain's speech in Canada and...

  trips to Columbia and Mexico (where I'll go out on a limb and guess that he spoke to 3 or more people at one time -- but probably not any more than that, as most people in those countries had more important things to do than listen to the hot-bottled-water meanderings of Bush Lite Heavy Wannabe) were just fine because, after all, no one really cared.

  It's only when people show up and applaud that there's a problem.

  bg
  _____
   

  by BenGoshi on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:23:46 AM PDT

  •  I hate when Obama

    actually has people that like him, the media always asks, "Can this be bad for Obama?" NO dammit.

    by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:46:17 AM PDT

    •  Yabbut

      some of them are (gasp) French!

      Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

      by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:47:16 AM PDT

      •  But the Germans like him, too.

        Maybe, when he retires as President of the USA, the EU will finally have a new constitution and make him their first elected president.

        by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:25:14 AM PDT

    •  I like when the media is with him

      and complains that the media is with him. Like they're being held hostage or something.

      by MKSinSA on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:27:59 AM PDT

  •  But when you ask the McCain campaign

    Canada and Mexico were no big deal because they're on the same continent... yeah, I'm not making that up.

    And I guess it could be argued (via McCain 'logic')that one doesn't HAVE to cross an ocean to get to Columbia, so that doesn't count either...

    by Madam Blu in Peoria on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:47:25 AM PDT

  •  Tiny Nit re Colombia

    Unlike the District, the River, the University or everything else with that name in English, the English name of the country is spelled with an o, the same way it is spelled in Spanish.

    I've made that mistake often enough.

    by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:49:27 AM PDT

    •  Noted for future reference. Thanks. nt

      by BenGoshi on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:15:25 AM PDT

    •  Wait, I *did* use a "u". - nt -

      by BenGoshi on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 06:17:03 AM PDT

      •  Ah

        So you misspelled it properly.

        by freelunch on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 07:19:46 AM PDT

•  Sometimes, I wonder if the hate

  from both of these men, especially Brooks, for Obama will lead to them killing themselves. I swear

  by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:24:42 AM PDT

  •  Self-castration would be fun to watch....

    and deserved, for the both of them.

    For Scarborough, from the Florida Panhandle, there's a history in that area of literally breeding slaves -- for shipment off to the cotton fields in Texas.

    The hold over hatred is that they'd rather have their balls cut off than see a nigger in the White House.

    Seeing that bunch of idiots get both fates ???

    Oh, yeah.

    by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:46:50 AM PDT

•  Does anybody else get the sense

  that we're on the verge of a revolution?

  Looking at Al's pictures yesterday from Berlin, images of 1968 started flowing through my head.  Difference this time, though, seems to be that the good guys might win.

  by litho on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:24:50 AM PDT

  •  I figure good will have to triumph over evil

    one of these days. Goodness knows it hasn't for around 8 years.

    by vacuumslayer on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:27:16 AM PDT

    •  make that 100 years

      this was roughly about the time Edison and Dupont and Ford were about to change the world forever by choosing electricity for community power plants and gasoline for automobiles.  this was, of course, after they had invented electric cars and already had plans to recharge them.

      sorry for the wiki reference, it has plenty of other ref's if you are interested:
      "Silverberg, Robert, Light for the World, Edison and the Electric Power Industry. Princeton: Van Nostrand, 1967, pp. 229—243."

      by TexasTwister on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:34:27 AM PDT

    •  Good will never triumph over evil.

      Good people, working tirelessly, with all they have, may.

      by Crashing Vor on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:13:25 AM PDT

      •  As Vonnegut said

        "Good will only triumph over evil when good starts being as ruthless as the Mob."

        by privatewl on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 08:20:26 AM PDT

        •  "Nice little iniquity you got here.

          Be a shame if something happened to it. . ."

          by Crashing Vor on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 09:12:26 AM PDT

  •  Yes, and the "pundits" are pissed about it

    by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:27:24 AM PDT

  •  the problem is

    that the numbers in swing states are not really moving Obama's way.

    This country remains divided, as far as I can tell.

    We are going to have to fight hard, organize properly, and keep telling the truth, loudly, to fight the media complicity on the side of the elite.  They are NOT going to give up any privilege easily.

    by KibbutzAmiad on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:20:38 AM PDT

    •  I'm not worried about the polls

      Most people in the country aren't really paying attention to the presidential race.  On the things that matter -- fundraising, state-by-state organizing, development of a consistent and coherent message -- Obama is kicking ass.

      You're absolutely right that we can't stop fighting.  It may even wind up being a close election.  The campaign in MA is organizing volunteers to canvass in NH, and I'm going.

      Still, I am confident we will win.  When we win, I expect our government and society to change substantially.

      by litho on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:43:43 AM PDT

•  Dionne column is a thank you and a slap right

  back to the stupdity and meaness of Todd Harris unoriginal comments on the youth vote on Hardball yesterday

  by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:29:06 AM PDT

•  ms. parker, at least he wasn't picking his teeth

  on national tv yesterday!

  by timbuck on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:31:19 AM PDT

  •  Kathleen Parker = Uppity Negro

    that all there is.

    by IamTheJudge on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:40:02 AM PDT

    •  no question about that one

      by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:48:00 AM PDT

    •  "Uppity nigger."

      Git it right.

      Eliminating "nigger" from the language is a grave mistake.

      You lose the sense of madness inside racial hatred.

      If you think that someone else is an "uppity nigger," then what are you ???

      What all is running around between those ears ?

      "Nigger" is actually one damn good word. It says exactly what it intends.

      In fact, it says one helluva lot more than the speaker intends. Rare prize, that.

      by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:52:20 AM PDT

  •  lol

    I think we need a looping animated gif of that

    Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

    by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:53:05 AM PDT

    •  and so is this dude on with Joe Schumb

      he is more quiet than Bill Clinton right now

      by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:00:01 AM PDT

•  general pundit CW

  "Obama's speech was a great photo-op, but LOOK HOW CLOSE THE POLLS ARE! Obviously this must be bad for Obama, because in a year like this he should be up by 50 points! He says he is a citizen of the world, which brings his patriotism into question! And his speech wasn't specific enough, because we don't have enough real things to criticize in it!"

  Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

  by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:31:57 AM PDT

  •  Don't fall for that narrative!

    The media loves a close race and I have noticed they have been all over this single Poll. They spent little or no time on the previous polls that showed Obama consistantly ahead. Obama has been 6 points ahead of McInsane for a months and no one in the TM has bothered to tell us this is a sign that BO support is solid. This SINGLE poll has been taken out of context by the media for their "Close race" narrative.

    by eddieb061345 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:40:39 AM PDT

    •  yeah, it was the same deal vs. Hillary

      "If he's so great, why hasn't he sealed the deal by now?"

      Of course, he already had it locked up.

      Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

      by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:44:48 AM PDT

      •  I remember that

        "Why hasn't he sealed the deal?! Why hasn't he sealed the deal?!"

        Pundits admit that polls aren't all that reliable, but whenever it looks like Obama is down or McCain looks like he's closing in, of course the polls is the standard to go by.

        by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:49:34 AM PDT

        •  "Surge" Questions Are Like Rev. Wright

          Couric asked the same question over and over for a half hour using straw man arguments, just like when they were going after Wright. I guess it's easier than actually preparing.

          by bernardpliers on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:07:56 AM PDT

          •  Williams did the same shit yesterday

            just in a slightly less obnoxious way.

            by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:09:01 AM PDT

            •  They gotta git Bush III nominated.

              The riskiest thing could happen, now, is for Obama to go up by 10- or 15-points.

              Having the media help out McCain ???

              YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

              by vets74 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:55:30 AM PDT

•  Following the Lieberman mold

  Watch out here it comes the Lieberman/McInsane express. During the Conn Sen race Lieberman took the tact of "I really want to get out of Iraq as much as my opponent". We all knew then that it was an outright lie but it worked and he won by a large margin.
  Now McInsane is begining to follow that strategy. Over at Think Progress there a story about Ken Pollack saying

  Well, I actually think his timeline, Obama’s timeline, even McCain’s timeline are actually pretty close.

  . One thing I have learned observing the wingnuts they know how to get their spin out and cordinate every thing they do. Pollack IMHO is point man on this one.

  by eddieb061345 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:32:22 AM PDT

  •  I would respond to wingnuts

    with, "Your right, 100 years is pretty close to 16 months!  I guess it's just a rounding difference!"

    by TampaCPA on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:44:00 AM PDT

    •  And that will end that "talking point"

      by sluggahjells on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:11:56 AM PDT

•  I lost MSNBC

  when ComCrap decided that it was part of their "digital starter" package that I probably have to pay more for (despite the fact that this household has 2 digital boxes already!).

  That being the case, I watch very little cable news any more. Thanks ComCrap, your profit-making ploy lowered my blood pressure and increased the amount of time I spend interacting with my family in one fell swoop.

  Now when you come on the air to tell me that You Care(tm)... I can actually wonder if you really mean it. :)

  by Tiny Wurlitzer on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:35:43 AM PDT

•  And what about the Pentagon leaning on Obama

  and 'suggesting' he not visit the troops after the speech..plus the US embassy folks not being allowed to attend the speech in Germany.
  That's just petty, the hallmark of this administration.

  by MariaWr on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:38:50 AM PDT

  •  Same crap that banning employees from

    going to the Berlin Rally b/c it was partisan

    JMC's Canada speech was organized by the frakking Embassador

    by IamTheJudge on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:42:41 AM PDT

  •  Desperate people do desperate things

    And to think this is just the BEGINING!

    by eddieb061345 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:43:53 AM PDT

  •  I cannot wait to see what VoteVets does with this

    I am hard pressed to think of anyone more deserving of a hat tip from a US Senator than our troops serving overseas or anywhere for that matter.

    by GreenDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:47:48 AM PDT

  •  Yep, and it gave McBush a ready-made cheap shot

    that not even HE could screw up...the whole thing about "It's ALWAYS appropriate to visit the troops, and well he visited them in Iraq and Afghanistan, blah, blah, blah...

    by Madam Blu in Peoria on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:53:07 AM PDT

•  The good news is

  these pundits can wax poetic all they wish. Nobody can change the perception of those images in Iraq among the troops and among the German citizenry yesterday. Nobody. Those are etched on the minds of the American people. Only the cynics, and the die-hard neo-cons and crusty old Goopers don't want US image in the world to improve because they cream themselves at the thought of the macho, tough-guy action-hero who is too narcissistic to take his eyes off the mirror. Sounds rather homoerotic to me, but let's save that for another therapy session. They also like bullies. Bottom line: this trip was a huge coup for Obama. McCain=in the dust.

  by RevJoe on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:45:25 AM PDT

  •  Joe S.

    is seriously asking whether Obama's visuals or McCain's visuals won the week. Really? Is there ANY competition?

    by Artchess on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:51:19 AM PDT

    •  But McCain had cheese! (n/t)

      by puppet10 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:52:29 AM PDT

  •  So true

    Listening to that crap is just so infuriating. As soon as McInsane started to complain that the media was unfair they became very weary of praising Obama, couching everthing they say with qualifacations and quotes of criticisisms from the McInsane camp. GO MEDIA- YOU SUCK!  

    by eddieb061345 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:52:39 AM PDT

    •  This goes to show

      that the traditional media is intimidated (not by politicians) but by Republican politicians. They swoon for Republicans. They ridicule Democrats. Because they think they can.

      by RevJoe on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:59:26 AM PDT

•  McCain's bad decisions this week helped create...

  ...his bad luck.  Instead of spending the week commenting (very poorly, I might add) on Obama's trip, he could've spent the week focusing on the economy in swing states.  Had he done that, he might have created his own narrative (of where he wants to take the country) that truly competed with the Obama's successes this week.  But as we all know, McCain's campaign is simply rudderless...as clueless as any presidential general election campaign in decades.

  by stevedubya on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:51:27 AM PDT

  •  Focus on economy with Phil Gramm's advise?

    I think the safest advantage for McCain is in the number of pets -- Obama owns none, while McCain has 17 dogs, some, presumably, adorable puppies who could provide excellent photo ops.  Anyway, old dogs may have some charm too.

    And why doesn't Obama have ANY PLANS WHATSOVER on what to do about the critical situation on Iraq-Pakistan border?  A good statesman does wait until such a border starts to exists and takes us by surprise!  Commercials just write themselves.

    by Piotr on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 03:03:53 PM PDT

•  Harold Ford, Jr.

  "I think McCain had a good day yesterday."

  Dole McCain yesterday:

  

  by Sam Loomis on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:53:15 AM PDT

  •  From a subliminal point of view

    look at all the "Dole" in the background...

    Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

    by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:54:43 AM PDT

    •  Worse than Mark Penn

      McCain's campaign managers are.

      by Sam Loomis on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:55:54 AM PDT

      •  Better than the Green Jello background.

        I guess they're improving - by October they may be up to the standard backgrounds for press coverage - blank blue curtains, boards with the talking point written all over them, or lots of flags.

        by puppet10 on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:55:37 AM PDT

    •  Citrus juice backgrounds make Charlie Crist proud

      by GreenDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:05:39 AM PDT

    •  I never noted the Dole (as in Bob)

      until Jon Stewart pointed it out. I thought the backdrop was cheese.

      by MKSinSA on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:32:06 AM PDT

  •  First the lime green jello

    Now the pale flourescent glow.  This guy sure knows how to stage a photo op.

    by Sam Loomis on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:54:52 AM PDT

    •  Did you see where Fox News

      used some old footage from 2000 when doing a piece on McCain, so that he looked younger and more energetic?

      Funny McCain Pics archive updated regularly

      by InsultComicDog on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 04:56:47 AM PDT

      •  Yeah, I feel bad for Fox.

        Having to swallow their pride to support this douchebag.

        I saw that the other day as well, they don't want you to be reminded that this guy is 239 years old.

        by Sam Loomis on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:00:45 AM PDT

    •  LOL yep:) Something tells me the oil spill

      isn't looking so bad to the McCain people now, after the week he's had...

      by Madam Blu in Peoria on Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 05:56:19 AM PDT

•  Cheetos brigade?