Yesterday, I read a lot of articles and blog posts about Sarah Palin. Somewhere in there I read that she couldn't be bothered with the more mundane every day tasks of managing the city of Wasilla when she was mayor so she hired a city manager to do it for her. She was the first mayor of Wasilla ever to do this. I thought mentioning this would be a perfect response to her line about a mayor being like a community organizer but with real responsibilities. I can't track down mention of it anywhere. Have you seen this? I think this is worth digging up and also pointing out that when she became mayor the town had zero debt, and when she ended her term it was over 20 million dollars in debt despite nearly 30 million dollars in federal earmarks. 

I think one of the best antidotes to McCain's POW-POW-POW'ing is to constantly mention that the democratic nominee for Vice President's son will be serving in Iraq with the Delaware National Guard at the time of the election. Then watch the Rovites, unable to help themselves, try to belittle his service by pointing out that he won't be in combat on the front lines. (He'll be serving as a JAG lawyer if I'm not mistaken.) Don't believe me? Ask Rep. Patrick Murphy.

I'm not suggesting that Russia's invasion of Georgia and annexation of South Ossetia is motivated by some desire to influence our election. They're doing it for their own reasons, but the disastrous policies of the last eight years have made it possible in the first place. They're doing it because they can and there's basically nothing we can do to stop it.

The hot tempered McCain is feeling is oats more and more as he embraces full neoconservative warmongering rhetoric. If Bush has led us to this place where we can do little to stop Russia from invading a sovereign ally, surely McCain will lead us to a place where Russia can far more drastically do whatever it pleases.

People often worry about the growing influence of China threatening American security and our way of life. The truth is China is more than happy with their economic relationship with us. They make everything and we're their best customer. It works.

Putin has long stated that he wishes to see Russia's power restored to what it was at the height of the Soviet Union. He's done a good job, and Bush, unintentionally, has done a spectacular job of helping to make this possible. Putin is happy to gaze into Bush's dim witted eyes and make the best of the stupid cowboy's mistakes. Who do you suppose Putin would rather see in the white house? On the one hand, a crazy war mongering maniac like McCain could be unpredictable and destabilizing in ways Russia would not want. It might be refreshing for him to deal with a thoughtful, intelligent American president again. On the other hand, commitment to misadventures like Iraq and the possibility of starting new ones, over extending our military further, could give Putin a blank check to do whatever he wants. What are we going to do about it?

I think they should use Biden to cut McCain's experience and so called maverick credentials at the knees, illustrating his full transformation to Bush partisan by saying something like this: "I've known John McCain for thirty some years now, and after the last eight, I can say to you, John McCain, you're no John McCain.." or "I've known John McCain a long time, and it's sad to say, but the John McCain I knew eight years ago would be ashamed and embarrassed of the campaign John McCain is running today."

There's been a lot of discussion about the media giving McCain a pass due to their man crush on him or fear of... I'm not sure what they're supposed to be afraid of, but they are. They can continue to give him a pass as long as they just keep talking to him. This gaffe of not knowing how many houses reminded me that John McCain runs into trouble as soon as he opens his mouth. This is why his campaign took away his cell phone and have kept him away from reporters. Talk is definitely something they don't want on the Straight Talk Express. The media can continue to fluff him on his war record and fail to fact check any assertions he makes as long as they just talk to him. He's good enough at sabotaging himself.

Please John. I want to hear more from you.

There's been a lot of discussion about the media giving McCain a pass due to their man crush on him or fear of... I'm not sure what they're supposed to be afraid of, but they are. They can continue to give him a pass as long as they just keep talking to him. This gaffe of not knowing how many houses reminded me that John McCain runs into trouble as soon as he opens his mouth. This is why his campaign took away his cell phone and have kept him away from reporters. Talk is definitely something they don't want on the Straight Talk Express. The media can continue to fluff him on his war record and fail to fact check any assertions he makes as long as they just talk to him. He's good enough at sabotaging himself.

Please John. I want to hear more from you.

I listen to Marketplace, and I always enjoy the odd financial indicators that economists sometimes look at. Like how increased freight comes ahead of good economic news, or how fast food restaurants see increased profits in hard times.

It's hardly scientific, but I feel like I've gotten a good impression of where the enthusiasm is in this election based on campaign bumper sticker sightings. I commute four days a week from Philadelphia to Baltimore. Yes, I know I make Al Gore cry. I feel terrible. The point is, I see about 200 miles of I-95 every day, so my bumper sample group is diverse.

I see dozens of Obama stickers every day, but I can go weeks without seeing a single McCain sticker. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw one, and I am looking. In fact, I've seen more Bush Cheney stickers from 2004 than any McCain 2008. Going back to early 2008, I've even seen more stickers for Romney and Guiliani than McCain. McCain might be holding his ground in polls, but the view from my Subaru tells me no one cares about his candidacy.

Have you noticed the same thing where you live?

If you can afford it, I think you should give some money to the DNC. I'm sure Obama will do spectacular fundraising, especially with Bill and Hillary Clinton's help, but it just looks bad every time you read an article that mentions the RNC has a 50 million dollar advantage over the DNC. Closing the gap will go a long way to more positive media coverage of the Democrats' chances this fall.

I'd like to make a quick point that will demonstrate that the telecoms should have known what they were doing was illegal regardless of whatever assurances they had from the white house. Of all the companies asked to violate our civil rights, one company refused to cooperate. Quest. If Quest knew what they were being asked to do was illegal, every other company knew it was illegal.

During the primaries we all became familiar with this idea of an "I told you so" campaign.  I know one person who can start printing "I told you so" t-shirts today. Ned Lamont.  Seriously, I can't believe Connecticut could fuck that one up so badly.  Actually, I can.  The Lieberman Lamont race demonstrates the need for party unity.  Lieberman was able to peel away democratic support for Lamont and conservatives in the state were all too happy to reward Joe for his support of the war.

We're past the time of playing nice with this shit stain.  I want Lieberman out of office post haste, and I'd like to see him humiliated and shamed.  Let's do some ball parks and figures on making that happen.  The most effective way is for someone to track down a prossy or rent boy he slept with. Beltway readers should get on that.  What else can we do? What can the people of Connecticut do?  Thoughts?

I remember hearing Hillary Clinton promise to work her heart out to get whomever the democratic nominee is elected. Yesterday Terry McCauliff said Sen. Clinton would acknowledge Barack Obama as the nominee as soon as he reached the magic number of delegates. He has reached that number and then some. We have a nominee. Sen. Clinton is not working to get the nominee elected. Only she can get her most dedicated supporters to rally behind Senator Obama and her non concession speech sends a confusing message to those supporters. If this is a gambit to get offered the vice president spot, crow baring herself into the ticket puts Barack Obama in a lose lose lose situation. If he takes her on, he'll seem weak for bowing to pressure. If he doesn't ask her, he'll alienate her most ardent supporters. If he offers it with a face saving agreement that she will turn it down, he weakens himself later by having a running mate who wasn't officially his first choice. How does any of this amount to working to get the democratic nominee elected in November? It doesn't. We have a nominee. It's time for Senator Clinton to live up to her promise.

I often click links to New York Times Op-Ed pieces from other sites thinking "Oh, New York Times. This might be good." Only to load the article and see the author is David Brooks or Paul Krugman and silently curse to myself "God fucking damn it.." My first idea for this post was to discuss which one was a bigger D-Bag, but then I remembered that Bill Kristol is a contributor now too. He obviously wins for biggest turd sandwich. Let's not forget Maureen Dowd and her ridiculous use of metaphor and opinions that conflict with her own writing from just weeks before. It made me realize how often I'm disappointed when I click on an NYT link and how relieved I am when I click on something like a piece from Eugene Robinson at WaPo. Is the New York Times totally rubbish? Should they be "on notice" or "dead to me" a la Stephen Colbert?

Those of you pondering Hillary's reference to the assassination of Bobby Kennedy might find this illuminating.

I just read a great piece over at huffpo about why Obama/Richardson is the real dream ticket.

I just want to link to a great diary at dailykos about what the electoral map will look like for Obama in November.