Day: September 26, 2008

Here it is a full four hours before the first presidential debate tonight and the McCain campaign is already running “McCain Wins Debate!” ads on Web sites. Is this a “Dewey Defeats Truman” moment, a screw up or just another instance of the Republicans knowing that if they say a lie often enough, people will believe it?

See a screenshot here.

Last week conservative pundit David Brooks threw in the towel on Sarah Palin as a serious vice presidential pick. Now Kathleen Parker, who first applauded Palin’s selection, is suggesting she do the Republican ticket a favor and announce she’s decided to spend more time her family.

It was fun while it lasted.

Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted…

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.

Parker acknowledges that McCain can’t admit his monumentally bad judgment without making his campaign suspension permanent. Which sounds like a great idea to me, but not to Republicans. Instead, she calls on Palin’s sense of patriotism.

McCain can’t repudiate his choice for running mate. He not only risks the wrath of the GOP’s unforgiving base, but he invites others to second-guess his executive decision-making ability. Barack Obama faces the same problem with Biden.

Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.

Do it for your country.

Nice try, Parker. But Palin isn’t all that committed to this country anyway, having participated in those Alaska secessionist conferences with her husband, a member of their party. And Lord knows, she can’t have that much maternal instinct if she’s pushing off on her five-months’ pregnant 17-year-old a 4-month-old with Down syndrome, as every photo shows. Experts say what happens in the critical early stages of development is crucial to the Down infant’s lifetime potential, yet Palin seems unconcerned.

As much as conservatives might wish, I don’t look for Palin to pull a Harriett Miers and go quietly.

Obama/Biden 49%
McCain/Palin 42%
Undec 7%

– Obama’s 7-pt lead is his largest since Diageo/Hotline tracking began on 9/2.

– On the economy, Obama has a 48-34% advantage over McCain.

– When asked how the financial news/events will affect their vote in Nov., 48% said it would not. Among those who said it would, 29% said it would make them more likely to support Obama, 16% said they’d be more likely to support McCain. Among those who say the economy is their number one issue, 34% say they’re more likely to support Obama, 16% pick McCain.

– Voters are also split on whether they want to see more or less gov’t involvement in the financial markets. 46% – including 35% of GOPers – say they’d like more gov’t involvement. 31% say they’d like to see less involvement.

Comedian Sarah Silverman is the foul-mouthed spokeswoman for a grass-roots movement to have Jews travel to Florida to convince their grandparents to vote for Barack Obama for president. Named “The Great Schlep,” the “movement” gets started with a funny, irreverent four-minute video hosted by Silverman. (Note: some profanity — you’ve been warned)

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.