Binders of Women - Corporations Get In On The Act

The strange turn of phrase uttered by Mitt Romney at last night's 2nd presidential debate was so odd, it instantly became a Twitter meme and spread throughout the intertubes like wildfire.

"“I went to a number of women’s groups and said, ‘Can you help us find folks,’ and they brought us whole binders full of women.”"

But even I was mildly shocked at the email solicitation I received today:



"We've got tons of binders full of sales. Women will love them!"

[Insert spit take here.]

Mitt Romney the Liar - Tax Cut Edition

 You're welcome.

Debate No. 1 - Romney Wins. But Did He Really?

Watching the debates last night, I pretty much think I had the same initial reaction as everyone else. Romney played the schoolyard bully, President Obama let him, and Jim Lehrer was wondering where his waiter was so he could order soup. I avoided CNN because of silly snap polls and those distracting live graphs showing immediate reaction of undecided voters, as if I care what people who are still undecided at this point actually think.

The MSNBC pundits were ranging from disappointing anger (Ed Schultz and Chris Matthews) to devil's advocates (Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes) to Romney pom-pom shaking (Steve "I gave you Sarah Palin" Schmidt) to rational thought (believe it or not, Al Shaprton). So I slept on it and tried to think logically before writing about it to avoid sounding like Chris Matthews blowing a gasket.

The perception was that Mitt Romney won the night because he dominated the discussion. I wouldn't so much call it dominating as much as hijacking, bullying his way through the evening and running roughshod over moderator Lehrer, who obviously should have been in bed by the time the debate began and most likely forgot to take his vitamin supplements. But perceptions are key and anyone watching last night who was still "undecided" (if your definition of undecided is low information moron) probably leaned Romney. I doubt that anyone voting for Obama had their mind changed last night.

Here's my take:

While most of us were waiting for Obama's knockout punch with the 47% line, or Bain Capital, or Romneycare, or Massachusetts job creation numbers while Romney was governor, the realization is that President Obama is NEVER that guy. While his stump speeches are fiery, he has always been reserved and muted in his debates which Bob Cesca rightly pointed out in one of his tweets last night, complete with a video link to the first debate of 2008 with John McCain. 

That being said, Obama's had better debate performances in the past, maybe in part due to the "no rules" format last night - or at least rules that didn't seem to apply to Romney, because the rules seemly never apply to rich people. I do agree that the President didn't seem prepared with counter arguments to Romney's Gatling gun barrage of bullshit. But don't expect to see stump Barack "Fired Up! Ready To Go !" Obama behind the debate podium, though I hope they recalibrate for the next debate. Romney's aggressiveness and playing fast and loose with his policy positions, along with the low expectations of his performance (zingers, anyone?) won him the night.

I believe there is a very concerted effort on the part of the Obama campaign to avoid at all costs, the appearance of President Obama being angry or worked up for fear of the "Angry Black Man" moniker. He's the Jackie Robinson of the Presidency and it seems they feel he has to go out of his way to look measured and calm, and never get riled up when challenged in these types of situations.

As far as the substance of the debate went, how do you debate a man who completely abandoned everything that got him the nomination in the first place? When Romney stumps for the last year on his 20% across the board tax cut then flat our states that he has no intention of lowering taxes for the rich, how do you counter? 

When faced with the fact that his tax policy of making the Bush tax cuts permanent, plus cutting taxes 20% across the board, plus eliminating the estate tax, plus eliminating the alternative minimum tax (something I personally get hit with and would like restructuring) without raising revenue, thereby causing a $5 trillion hole, Romney completely did a 180 and denied that he'd approve of any tax cut that would add to the debt; something he touted for 18 months shrugged off at the drop of a hat. How do you debate that?

But here's the thing, and something that I agreed with when it came to Al Sharpton's analysis: Romney being able to say whatever he wanted to, whenever he wanted to, is going to come back to haunt him with his base. You can't run as a right wing ideologue for a year and a half and then change stride without raising the hackles of the people who voted you as their nominee based on the red meat. Romney can't say he's not going to cut education funding when education cuts are part of Paul Ryan's plan that Romney said he'd sign into law without a double take from your voters. Romney can't say he will save Medicare while admitting his Medicare program is a voucher program, and then add that he'd repeal Obamacare which extends the life of Medicare until 2024.

Ultimately, the night belonged to Romney and President Obama has to come out stronger in the next debate. The polls will probably tighten which will make us all wring our hands and sit on the edges of our seats, but if Romney continues to deny his policy positions and make shit up on the fly, I think it'll become a real problem for him. 

(Cross-posted at ABLC)

What The Fuck?!

Very presidential.

REUTERS/Jim Bourg

And the Winner of Obama/McCain III Is...

... Joe the plumber. Joe found out that under Obama's plans, he won't have his taxes raised (he makes less than $250,000 the year) and that Obama's health plan won't put him out of business. Joe the plumber should vote for Obama. But he probably won't.

I'm confused as to whether McCain's performance was his best or his worst of the three debates. His best line, "I'm not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago" did score some points for about a minute before Obama retorted that if he confused McCain's policies with Bush's, it's because McCain supports W.'s policies so vigorously. Nevermind the fact that McCain DID run against George Bush four years ago and got his wrinkly ass kicked.

Obviously Obama won the night. All polls show that uncommitted voters (jeez, there are still uncommitteds out there?) and independents called it for Obama.

CBS Uncommitted Voters:
Obama 53%
McCain 22%
Tie 24%

CNN
Obama 58%
McCain31%

McCain cannot help himself. There is no question that he is a condescending curmudgeon and he is incapable of it. Perhaps this is the main reason he is lost every debate. I would like to think that it's because of his policies and his confusing arguments when trying to make his points, but the dumbing down of America has gotten to the crossroads of whether or not you "like" the person. Too many people vote for the likable person instead of the qualified person - luckily in this case, the likable person is the qualified person.

McCain subverting his own argument off the bat when describing William Ayers as not caring about "an old, washed up terrorist" didn't help him and abrogated the whole Ayers debate even before Obama responded, which he did succinctly along with the responding to the ridiculous ACORN scandal.

Where I feel McCain truly went off the rails was the abortion rights issue.

McCain: Just again, the example of the eloquence of Sen. Obama. He’s health for the mother. You know, that’s been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything.
That’s the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, “health.”

No, Senator McCain. Two points: first, there is no "pro-abortion" position in this country, it's called "Pro-Choice." I think you can pretty much guarantee that everyone who is pro-choice is is not "pro-abortion." Second, consideration of the health of the mother is not the "extreme" position. In fact, it's the Supreme Court's position. And again, if McCain wasn't so worried about throwing a bone to his evaporating base, he might not have said something so stupid. Trying to make the health of the mother a dance around a talking point on Obama's "eloquence" was a huge mistake when the majority of Americans are pro-choice.*

The drinking word of the night? Joe the plumber.
________________________________________
* Still researching the numbers.

Debate On! Part Trois

Eight hours remain before Obama/McCain III: "The Horror at Hofstra™."

Is this the night McCain finds his balls and brings up Bill Ayers to Obama's face?

“I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised that I didn’t have the guts” to bring up Ayers, McCain said on KMOX, a St. Louis radio station. “I think he is probably ensured that it will come up this time.”

Let's see, Maverick. Let' s see it. Go ahead and bring Ayers up, then try to defend yourself regarding Rick Davis' Fannie and Freddie fortune, the Keating Five, and the bullshit excuse you're using for letting the animals at your rallies call for the killing of your opponent. Have your Colonel Jessup moment. It's all academic at this point anyway, you lying, miserable, gutless piece of shit.

When Is A Town Hall Debate Not A Town Hall Debate?

When the Republican spin operatives say is isn't.

As Logan Murphy at C&L makes clear, a half hour before the debate was even over, the GOP spin doctors were already sending out e-mails disparaging the debate as not really a town hall format and therefore a disadvantage to McCain.

Yeah, that's right. They saw the writing on the wall with McCain before the gig was over and didn't blame the debater, they blamed the style of the debate. The "town hall" debate that BOTH candidates agreed to - signing off on the rules of the debate in advance - the "town hall" setting that John McCain asked Obama to weekly. The "town hall" style that would've shown the country who connects with the average American - "Joe Six-pack," if you will.

How pathetic. But in a strange way, they spin machine is right. A real town hall would've had a back and forth between the audience member who asked the question and the debater. The rules gave the debater a chance to avoid answering the question or changing the subject. Perhaps if Obama had agreed to do the town halls in the first place, he would have had this thing wrapped up a month ago.

That One

That is the moment of the debate that will be remembered for a long, long time. Senator John Sidney McCain III has such disdain for Senator Barack Obama, that he can't even bear to speak his name, instead referring to him as "That one." It was ugly. It was arrogant. It was dismissive. It was a quick peek at the real John McCain. Eyes wide open, nostrils flaring. Complete and utter disgust for having to prove himself against someone who he thinks is beneath him.

This is completely unbecoming of someone aspiring to the office of President of the United States. McCain's wanton ambition is to be the leader of the free world, yet he can't bear to utter his opponent's name. He can blurt out Hugo Chavez with ease. He can fumble through Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but he can't say "Senator Barack Obama." He calls him "That one."
And just in case you think it might be overreaction, take a look at the end of the debate. McCain pats Obama on the back, Obama puts his hand out to shake and McCain refuses. Instead he points to his beer heiress wife and Obama graciously shakes her hand.



Very unpresidential.

More on the debate later...

Debate On! Part Deux

Three hours until Obama/McThuselah II, "The Nastiness in Nashville." Will we see a blood vessel burst in McCain's temple? Will he have his Colonel Jessup moment? Will he lose it and physically attack Obama like Mickey goes after Kramer on Seinfeld?

We'll find out soon enough.

Meanwhile, the Dow shit the bed again, losing over 500 points, and fuckwad and the pig with lipstick want to talk about Bill Ayers. Morons.

And The First Debate Goes To...

...apparently Obama according to most of the analysis, which is surprising to me because I didn't see it as such a clear cut win. Here's my analysis for whatever it's worth:

Pre-Debate

With all the hoopla going on about the financial crisis we find ourselves in, a lot of the pre-debate talk was toned down. Then McCain pulled his one day "suspension" crap and the media ate it up, all the while not reporting that McCain probably didn't know what the word "suspension" means. The fact was that his ads were still running, he made three news appearances (getting lambasted by David Letterman in the process), attended the Clinton Global Initiative (drawing praise from Bill at the worst possible time for Democrats), made an attempt to postpone the debate and then decided to go to "Warshington" to throw a wrench in the bailout works.

Due to all the self-imposed scheduling wackiness, some including me, thought that McCain would be unprepared for this first debate, that he was an old white man running away from a black man asking for change, and that Barack Obama would wipe the floor with the doddering, old fool.

Misunderestimating

What we didn't think about, and by "we" I mean the logical thinking Democrats and liberals that live in the world of reality, was that McCain is a crafty, old codger who's been in debate situations before and knows that the truth doesn't matter, it's all about perception. He was on the attack and aggressive for most of the 90 minute debate and as we all know Obama's demeanor doesn't lend itself to angry outbursts, he seemed to be on the defensive most of the evening.

Ultimately, if you're looking at content alone and reading the transcript, Barack Obama did win the first debate. If you're looking at style points, I would have given the slight edge to McCain because of his aggressiveness but for the fact that while Obama came across as presidential and cool, calm and collected, McCain looked uncomfortable while listening to Obama's answers, seemed exasperated when Obama would zing him with the truth (did McCain say "horseshit" when Obama smacked him on the Spain gaffe?) and not once during the entire evening did McCain even look at Obama. He made no attempt at eye contact. That put me off because it was disrespectful of his opponent and came off as condescending, almost as if he seemed irritated that they had to go through this exercise. One thing's for sure, McCain is thin skinned (not just because he's old) and I have a feeling he's going to let his emotions get the better of him at the most inopportune time very soon. Maybe the next debate?

Round two will happen in two weeks. Next we get to see Joe Biden and Sarah Palin go at it on Thursday. That is must see TV.


Best Lines of the Night:

Obama: "... presidents have to be prudent in what they say. But, you know, coming from you, who, you know, in the past has threatened extinction for North Korea and, you know, sung songs about bombing Iran, I don't know, you know, how credible that is."

McCain: "Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate. It's hard to reach across the aisle from that far to the left."


Worst Lines of the Night:

McCain: "I looked into Mr. Putin's eyes, and I saw three letters, a 'K,' a 'G,' and a 'B.'"

Obama: Anytime he said "John McCain's absolutely right."


What did you think?


UPDATE (4:30pm): Here's FactCheck.org's fact checking on last night's debate.