McCain Quote Of The Day

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

He didn’t actually say it today, but I’ll bet he wished he never said it at all: "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation." Yeah.  Good call.  Let’s make the … Read More

North Carolina – The Presidential Race

Ken AshfordElection 2008, Local InterestLeave a Comment

It looked for a while like NC might become a swing state.  But the Palin-mania did well here, and it looks — right now — like NC is safely in the McCain column. BUT… not so fast. Let’s start on August 2, 2008, with the following numbers  of registered voters Democrats: 2,669,616 Republican: 1,937,735 And then the week by week additions: Week  … Read More

Prognostication

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

John McCain, one month ago… "You know," said McCain, "there’s been tremendous turmoil in our financial markets and Wall Street and it is — people are frightened by these events. Our economy, I think, still the fundamentals of our economy are strong…" MSNBC headline, moments ago: BREAKING NEWS: Dow Jones plunges 504 points as market reacts to Lehman demise

Lying As A Stategy

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

A nice NYT article about McCain’s new "strategy" of lying through his teeth. Mr. McCain came into the race promoting himself as a truth teller and has long publicly deplored the kinds of negative tactics that helped sink his candidacy in the Republican primaries in 2000. But his strategy now reflects a calculation advisers made this summer — over the … Read More

St. Petersburg Times Uses The “L” Word

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Important editorial, not only because it’s on the money, but because it’s in the crucial swing state of Florida: This nation is facing real challenges on the economy, health care, jobs and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are significant differences between how Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain would address them. But McCain’s recent campaign ads … Read More

One More Time — The Tax Policies

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS Here’s how the average tax bill could change in 2009 if either John McCain’s or Barack Obama’s tax proposals were fully in place. MCCAIN OBAMA Income Avg. tax bill Avg. tax bill Over $2.9M -$269,364 +$701,885 $603K and up -$45,361 +$115,974 $227K-$603K -$7,871 +$12 $161K-$227K -$4,380 -$2,789 $112K-$161K -$2,614 -$2,204 $66K-$112K -$1,009 -$1,290 $38K-$66K -$319 -$1,042 … Read More

Palin Links Iraq To 9/11

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

The Washington Post reports: Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans." Uh, Sarah? The September 11 Commission said there was … Read More

Well, Now She’s Just Out And Out Lying

Ken AshfordElection 2008, Environment & Global Warming & EnergyLeave a Comment

On global warming, this time: MORE PALIN FUN —  AP reports: Pressed about what insights into recent Russian actions she gained by living in Alaska, Palin told Gibson, "They’re our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska." Riiiight.  And I can look up and see the stars and moon.  … Read More

Stumped

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Sarah bluffs her way through a foreign policy question on "the Bush doctrine".  She doesn’t know what it means, even after he gives her a hint. I’m not sure what makes her a unique politician.  She’s slick! the way she bluffs through that. Of course, there’s a reason she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  This is Sarah in December … Read More

Sick Of Lipstick

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Steve Benen gets it right: When these manufactured campaign controversies come up, there’s a fascinating dynamic in which the various actors play their roles. When it comes to the "lipstick" stupidity, for example, McCain’s job is to push the story, Obama’s job is to dismiss it, and the media’s job is pretend it’s worth talking about. All three know exactly … Read More