Three Ring Circus?

The advice that Mr. Romney's campaign staff should have given him before last Tuesday-

Have you added this one to Reminders?
Since you only see gender through blinders:
"Never ever declare
That the way to be fair
To women is keep them in binders!"

So, Mitt, if the reactionary shoe fits...

Mitt Romney's binders full of women just don't stack up

Emma G Keller
The Guardian, 10/16/2012

"Less filling!" "Tastes great!!" "Less filling!!!" Tastes great!!!!"

The Savant proposes the following simple test to be administered to prospective candidates for the police academy; Harvard professorships; and President of the United States. [N.B. This should not apply to candidates for the Vice-Presidency, so Sarah and Joe can quit sweating. After all we still need some entertainment.]

Fill in the blank:

A rule of diplomacy states:
When engaging in ________ debates,
You better use tact.
If you overreact,
You are certain to open flood Gates.

Choose the best answer:

a. legal
b. racial
c. ethnic
d. classroom
e. White House
f. press corp
g. heated
h. beer-fueled
i. all of the above

The Audacity of Hops
By Jake Tapper, ABC News, 7/30/09

McCain plumbs the depths

First, the Market's a bummer, we know.
Then we get dumb and dumber, in tow!
From McCain's bag of tricks,
He now offers this fix
We can call on a "plumber" named Joe?


Joe in the Spotlight
By Larry Rohter and Liz Robbins
The Caucus, NYT Blog, 10/16/08

I want that one

An in depth analysis of the second presidential debate

"That one" lent the evening some drama.
That one of the men remained calmer
While the other looked miffed;
That one was a gift
That won the debate for Obama.

No, I'm not so stupid to as to believe that that one single, rash, disrespectful comment on John McCain's part was the deciding factor in Debate No. 2 but it was representative of the unveiled contempt he seems to hold for Senator Obama and I think it was especially ill-advised in last night's forum. I will leave it to others to decide whether it was racist or not; or whether any person should address another in such a way in a civilized society.

It was clear, however, that last night's debate was about the economy and the American public's anxiety over the current crisis in the financial sector. I hold no misconceptions about either candidate's ability to bring about immediate change in this area. As the last "Zen" question of the night suggested, there is much that they don't know and that we don't know about where we are headed in the next four years. What is clear is that this is not only a financial crisis but also a crisis of confidence. That is what is causing the Stock Market to fluctuate so radically and for solid companies to be undervalued.

And what helps you when you are feeling anxious, fearful and unsure? Is it someone fretful and pacing and showing there own frustration; or is it someone who's demeanor is calm, confident and unruffled by attack. Normally, I would be the first on the "where's the substance?" bandwagon and truthfully I am tired of hearing stump speeches from both tickets at what are supposed to be debates. Yet in the vacuum created by the void of new, meaningful solutions to the current turmoil, I am much more likely to accept reassurance that comes in a cool peaceful tone than in an irritable and agitated voice. This was John McCain's mistake in losing his cool and why I believe Barack Obama will be "that one" I vote for.



Why Obama won debate No. 2
By Adam Lashinsky, CNNMoney.com, 10/8/08

Palin Comparison - Low expectations?

You betcha!

Folksy wisdom is kinda amusin';
But there isn't a chance we're excusin'
All the pale platitudes
About "kids," "moms" 'n "dudes;"
Or the notion "she won by not losin'."

Seems like the last time the American public allowed their low expectations of a candidate to influence their judgment in the debates, they got exactly what was expected; for eight long years! Let's hope we don't get fooled again.

Need I say that I was not impressed by Sarah Palin's bobbing and weaving to avoid answering questions? If you're going to employ a rope-a-dope strategy you better have the talent to deliver the knockout punch; and you better not be the dope. Joe Biden is certainly no dope. He presented authentic, thoughtful and articulate plans for how he and Barack Obama intend to bring about change and he clearly elucidated the differences between their ticket and the opposition. Sarah Palin's scripted performance, on the other hand, sounded like a broken record; stuck on "maverick, maverick, maverick" and offering assurances of change with no real substantive plan. She never delineated a difference between the McCain/Palin approach and that of the current Bush/Cheney administration.

After listening to Geraldine Ferraro comment on the debate last night, I remain surprised that talented, competent and experienced women are not showing more outrage at the Republican choice for VP. It's not that she is a woman but that she is a featherweight in a world of heavyweights. Why not choose Condoleeza Rice, for example, or any number of experienced conservative women who don't have a direct connection with the current administration? Are women so desperate for a female in the White House that they are willing to settle for less than the best they have to offer? Hillary must have been spittin' nails watching last night's bout. Eight years ago I said to a colleague that one would like to believe that their president is smarter than them, at least in the complex realm of world politics. I guess that holds true for my vice-presidential expectations as well.

In Debate, G.O.P. Ticket Survives a Test
News Analysis by Adam Nagourney
The New York Times, 10/30/8