We all know the old adage "to buy a pig in a poke" which we use to underscore hopeless credulity.  One who buys such a pig does so without any inspection of the animal.  It's something one does on pure faith.

This is what the McCain campaign is asking us to do with regard to their VP pick. What should our answer be? Well, let's take a clue from McCain who criticized Obama for waiting so long to revisit Iraq.  Didn't someone construct a clock showing the number of days it had been since Obama made his first trip there?

What about putting a clock on Obama's website showing the number of days gone by since the Republican Convention and a press conference with Sarah Palin.  This would put great pressure on the McCain/Palin ticket and provide the basis for any number of attack lines: "Where is she?  Why is she hiding?  It's been X days and she still hasn't met with the press"; "Why is a pit bull afraid to respond to questions from the press," etc.

We all know the old adage "to buy a pig in a poke" which we use to underscore hopeless credulity.  One who buys such a pig does so without any inspection of the animal.  It's something one does on pure faith.
This is what the McCain campaign is asking us to do with regard to their VP pick. What should our answer be? Well, let's take a clue from McCain who criticized Obama for waiting so long to revisit Iraq.  Didn't someone construct a clock showing the number of days it had been since Obama made his first trip there?
What about putting a clock on Obama's website showing the number of days gone by since the Republican Convention and a press conference with Sarah Palin.  This would put great pressure on the McCain/Palin ticket and provide the basis for any number of attack lines: "Where is she?  Why is she hiding?  It's been X days and she still hasn't met with the press"; "Why is a pit bull afraid to respond to questions from the press," etc.

We all know the old adage "to buy a pig in a poke" which we use to underscore hopeless credulity.  One who buys such a pig does so without any inspection of the animal.  It's something one does on pure faith.
This is what the McCain campaign is asking us to do with regard to their VP pick. What should our answer be? Well, let's take a clue from McCain who criticized Obama for waiting so long to revisit Iraq.  Didn't someone construct a clock showing the number of days it had been since Obama made his first trip there?
What about putting a clock on Obama's website showing the number of days gone by since the Republican Convention and a press conference with Sarah Palin.  This would put great pressure on the McCain/Palin ticket and provide the basis for any number of attack lines: "Where is she?  Why is she hiding?  It's been X days and she still hasn't met with the press"; "Why is a pit bull afraid to respond to questions from the press," etc.

We all know the old adage "to buy a pig in a poke" which we use to underscore hopeless credulity.  One who buys such a pig does so without any inspection of the animal.  It's something one does on pure faith.
This is what the McCain campaign is asking us to do with regard to their VP pick. What should our answer be? Well, let's take a clue from McCain who criticized Obama for waiting so long to revisit Iraq.  Didn't someone construct a clock showing the number of days it had been since Obama made his first trip there?
What about putting a clock on Obama's website showing the number of days gone by since the Republican Convention and a press conference with Sarah Palin.  This would put great pressure on the McCain/Palin ticket and provide the basis for any number of attack lines: "Where is she?  Why is she hiding?  It's been X days and she still hasn't met with the press"; "Why is a pit bull afraid to respond to questions from the press," etc.

I haven't been a member of the TPM community for long but I enjoy visiting this site several times a day.  I think I have a lot to contribute, but I don't know what to do to have my posts recommended.  Would someone tell me how this might be achieved.
Thanks for your assistance.

Someone in John McCain's campagin has apparently told the Republican nominee that a winning strategy would be for him to repeat ad infinitum that Obama "just doesn't understand."
Whatever the occasion (Townhall Meeting, Interview), McCain repeats this attack line over and over (It's quite funny because it makes him seem so desperate).
The Obama camapaign should make a series of ads commencing with McCain saying "He just doesn't understand about four or five times" and then show him making one of his many gaffes.  The choice in unlimited: Iraq-Pakistan border; Putin President of Germany, etc., etc.

We've heard it a thousand times from the Republicans:  "You can only rely on us, the true patriots,  to keep you safe.  If you vote for the weak-on-defense Democrats, all kinds of scary, horrible things will happen to you.  They are weak, naive appeasers.  And, by the way, don't forget that there hasn't been a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11." Why have we Democrats just sat around and allowed the Republicans to depict us in this way?  We have excellent arguments to counter these stupid assertions, but we don't use them in any consistent way.  Isn't it obvious that the National Security issue is the ONLY issue the Republicans can run on with any degree of credibility in the fall?
I offer a few salient talking points that we can use to turn the National Security issue to our immediate advantage when we are accused of being soft on national defense: (1)  Who was at the helm when the terrorists attacked on on 9/11?  Why didn't Bush take seriously the many warning signs that a plan to attack the U.S. was underway? Conclusion:  It was the Republicans who let us down, who did not protect us.  (2)  Democratic presidents have always risen to the occasion when our security was threatened:  Wilson during WWI, Roosevelt and Truman during WWII, Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Clinton who did not hesitate to strike at Al-Qaida in Afganistan. (3) Bush and Cheney talk tough on defending America, but theirs is only a lapel-flag patriotism.  Where were they when their country needed them to fight communism in Vienam?  Have their children or any of the neocons' children volunteered for service in Iraq?
No, fellow Democrats, don't give an inch on the National Security issue.  You have much ammunition to fight back.  USE IT!  And while doing so,  remind the voters over and over that it was the Republicans who dropped the ball on 9/11, not the Democrats.

I read many political blogs on a daily basis and watch a lot of CNN. I am utterly amazed that some perfectly obvious(to me) questions are rarely asked.  For example, when Senator Clinton makes the assertion that she would be a stronger candidate in the GE because she would carry the "white working class vote," why doesn't someone in the media ask, "Since only one out of nine African Americans is currently supporting you, what argument would you make to this group to change their ways and back you in the GE?"I think her answer would be tortured in the extreme and very revealing of the devious campaign she is waging.  When a McCain surrogate makes a statement casting doubt on Obama's patriotism (and this will be happening more and more frequently), why doesn't someone ask McCain the simple question, "Do you think it is fair and honorable for your supporters to impugn the patriotism of your opponent?  If you agree that it is not, what moral persuasion can you use to stop these attacks?" To the argument that there are some whites who would never vote for Obama because he is black, why doesn't someone ask, "Well, you know, Obama is black AND white.  He is a part of both worlds.  His father was African but he was raised by WHITE people: his mother and his maternal grandparents." By always referring to him as the "black candidate," this very, very important fact is never put out there for voters to ponder.  To those pundits who insist on bringing up Rev. Wright's offensive remarks, why doesn't someone ask, "Do you think the Reverend is worthy of your forgiveness?  As a Christian, would you consider condemning the sins but not the sinner?"What I am suggesting with these questions is that the current political discourse could be framed in a way that would actually help voters appreciate complexity and become skeptical of biased labels and slogans.  Don't we deserve more?