McCain Pulling Out Of Michigan

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

The GOP saw Michigan as a vulnerable blue state.  McCain and Palin have been there; they were planning to go back (that visit has been cancelled).  Staffers, offices and advertising have all been pulled from the state. What does that mean?  It means what we’ve known for a few days now: McCain is losing in swing states, and even being … Read More

Give It Up, Palin Handlers

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Another screw-up: In an answer to questions about her foreign policy experience ahead of tonight’s make-or-break vice presidential TV debate, her aides listed numerous contacts with foreign officials – including Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Sir  Nigel Sheinwald. However the meeting never occurred. Officials at the embassy swiftly contacted the  McCain-Palin campaign to inform them of the discrepancy. A British Embassy … Read More

VP Debate Prediction

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

If Palin tries to bolster her qualifieds by making the point that her state (Alaska) is 239 times larger than Delaware (Biden’s state), then — except for the handful of diehard rightwing monkeys who will go "Yeah!  She’s RIGHT!" — it’s over for the McCain campaign.

Rolling Stone On McCain

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

You know, if this is only half-truths, it is still very devestating and a must-read. For example, you know the story about McCain refusing an offer by his Hanoi captors to be released, because other servicemen weren’t also being released?  Well….. What McCain glosses over is that accepting early release would have required him to make disloyal statements that would … Read More

Sarah Palin’s Greatest Hits

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

Just in case you’ve been under a rock (or not reading this blog), here’s a nice TPM compilation of most of Sarah’s blunderings in interviews, all in one place. (Does not include her Roe v Wade muff-up)…

Palin On Roe V. Wade And Supreme Court Decisions

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Oh, Lord… Okay.  I’m not the first to say this, but I’ll say it for those who haven’t heard the analogy. You go to class — undergrad, law school, whatever.  You haven’t done the required reading.  You are asked by the professor some question relevant to the assignment you didn’t do.  For some reason, you decide to answer (rather than … Read More

Rebutting The Attack That Didn’t Happen

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

After Barack Obama’s speech today in Wisconsin, the McCain campaign sent out a press release, whining that: As Americans teeter on the edge of economic crisis, Barack Obama continued attacking John McCain today… And here is the "attack" by Obama: Let me lay this out, because I want everybody to know the differences between myself and Senator McCain in this … Read More

So What *Does* Sarah Palin Read?

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

As you probably know, Sarah dodged Couric’s question. (If not, here’s a reminder….) But since that time, a photo has turned up…. [Original photo appears here] Somebody enhanced the photo to read what she is reading…. What is she reading?  That’s the cover of The New American, the magazine of the ultra conservative John Birch Society.  More info here.

McCain In 1998, On Osama Bin Laden

Ken AshfordElection 2008, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

From an interview with Mother Jones, when asked about whether to conduct military strikes against bin Laden, John McCain said: You could say, Look, is this guy, Laden, really the bad guy that’s depicted? Most of us have never heard of him before… Ok.  Well.  It was 1998.  I’d venture to say that most of the public, and probably many … Read More

Scary: McCain Turns To Palin For Advice

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

NPR interview with McCain: NPR: Given what you’ve said Senator, is there an occasion where you could imagine turning to Governor Palin for advice in a foreign policy crisis. MCCAIN: I’ve turned to her advice many times in the past, I can’t imagine turning to Senator Obama or Senator Biden cuz they’ve been wrong, they were wrong about Iraq, wrong … Read More

What’s Up With McCain’s Eye?

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

I’ve mentioned it before. And now…. from today.  In the video, at about 5 seconds in, and then about 11 seconds in, McCain’s left eye and mouth twitches. Then he gets bewildered and doesn’t know how to leave the stage. It should be noted that McCain has had 4 bouts of melanoma, and did have a benign growth removed from … Read More

If The Election Were Held Today

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

From Real Clear Politics, based on the latest polls: Sadly, the election isn’t being held today.  We’re still five weeks out, and the recent (major) shift to Obama only happened within the past two weeks.  The race is still very volitile. But it’s nice to see Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania being all blue.  Oh, and North Carolina.