Is McCain Out of Touch?

One of the things you don’t ask in a down economy is if people are better off today than they were four years ago with a silver spoon in your mouth. By all means if you are ever asked that question as a political candidate you don’t offer reasons why people are better off when that is just not true. Our economy is in a freaking nose dive and a millionaire politician has the audacity to tell you that things are just fine?

When it comes to reality and what the real American people are going through some folks just don’t have a clue. I found this little eye opener over at the Washington Post…



I’m just going to assume that Senator McCain does not pump his own gas or go grocery shopping for himself. Maybe he leaves all of those little details up to the little woman at home and the staff at her disposal.

And this guy thinks he is in touch with Americans? I think not.

Papamoka

Thanks to BJ for this tip!

Feel free to link to and borrow this post…

The Republicans Might Try Making History, Too

BY MICHAEL LINN JONES

It with with foreboding that I witness the acceleration of "Identity politics." There are great dangers in this; for while pundits gleefully fine comb election results showing who is voting for who, they are leaving a window open to a very nasty draft.

For example, in the Democratic race the buzz is that Hillary Clinton "has" the Hispanics and women. Barack Obama, on the other hand, "has" the young and blacks.

This is assuming that people vote FOR something all the time. They don't, and in fact vote against certain things when they have the opportunity. So, one could fairly conclude that women and Hispanics hate blacks and men, and that the young and blacks hate women. And whites, of course, hate everybody, including themselves.

Who knows? It's ridiculous to say the least. But identity politics is here and it's not going away anytime soon since it seems to "work" so well. This may sound quaint, but eventually elections will no longer appeal to Americans so much as selected "groups" of voters. What a shame.

The Republicans are apparently now experiencing that sinking feeling that Democrats have gone through for some years now. Their party somehow is not in sync with the voting public any more. People want a change. And right now their candidate is going to be facing either a highly qualified woman or a highly qualified black, or both, in November.

Suppose that John McCain wins the nomination. Democrats are going to find out exactly how conservative John McCain is within a few months. They are also going to learn that six years in the Hanoi Hilton somewhat immunizes someone from intimidation, to say the least.

He will choose a running mate. And that's where Condoleezza Rice comes in. If identity politics is the proper path to power, then why not use what is in your arsenal? There are two things that I can't help noticing about Dr. Rice...she's black and she's a woman.

More importantly, she has experience. Yeah, yeah, I know she has been serving the wrong boss, but that in itself should not be a disqualification. She has experience; deep experience. Many years from now I'm sure we'll hear the story of how to tried to educate and ineducatable president.

Like Hillary Clinton, she is a lady in public. In private I'm sure she's just as capable as the New York senator at peeling paint off the walls in expressing her displeasure. I could never over-emphasize that the human brain being carried around in a female body is a brain nonetheless. Some are bad ones while others are good. Sen. Clinton and Sec. Rice both are blessed with excellent ones.

Republicans need to stop despairing over the thought of a McCain nomination. They need to go outside that box and make as bold a political move as the Democrats. Secretary Rice is more than qualified to serve as vice president, or as president. Such a running mate would also totally skew the current assumption that all black and women voters are going to automatically gravitate towards the Democrats.

It's a suggestion, not an endorsement. There is that question as to whether or not Dr. Rice would be willing to serve. I figure if she could stand eight years around George W. Bush she wouldn't have a problem serving a McCain or a Romney. The idea is that she serves her country, and my feeling is that Condoleezza Rice would have no problem with that.

Without such a move, the Republican effort to retain the White House will be, as Lincoln once said, " like shoveling fleas across the barnyard."
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Cross-posted at Michaellinnjones.com

Hillary Sob Fest in New Hampshire

I’m reminded of the scene from League of Their Own starring Tom Hanks, Maddona and Rosie O’Donnell where one of the woman players starts crying. Tom Hanks as the crusty has been coach in charge of the all woman baseball team goes on a rant. “There is no crying in baseball!” Same thought process goes for politics.

Baseball is just a game that the next day you could win the game. Politics is life and our nations actions and reactions to national crisis and world events. There is no time to go see your shrink to get in touch with your inner child and feelings as President of the United States of America. As it stands in the Bush world of happy never ending bungles and oops, only 28% of Americans think the King is doing a good job. Did I say King? I meant Emperor… No that isn’t right either? Might I suggest new and improved founding son? Founding fathers is just to antique and so yesterday for the new and improved Republican Party courtesy of W.

This is politics and Hillary Clinton may have bitten off more than she can chew in running for President. People from all walks of life even in your own political party are going to come at you with every possible insult imaginable and you have to get past it. You have to sell your ideas and thoughts and where them like an iron pant suit. Get comfortable in that iron suit because the onslaught of media bashing is like artillery fire that you will also have to face from the Congress. It never ends. Never!



No question about it that she was on the verge of tears but she caught herself. Just barely. I give her some credit but there still are no tears in baseball or politics. Suck it up Hillary, Mitt beat you to the crying game when he pulled over his car and sobbed when African Americans were openely welcomed to the Mormon faith. Not clear if it was that he was glad or sad but he did sob, so he says.

We have a fundamental change needed in our government and in our politics in America. You will not see change from the Republican Party or any candidate running in the disguise of change since Iowa. Change is coming and God bless the process that makes it all possible. Vote for change and vote for democracy over a self styled Bush and Republican authored Monarchy.

Prediction for New Hampshire on the Democrat side of the race is Obama by eight percentage points. Over on the Republican side I'm guessing Romney by four percentages points over McCain. We shall see won't we?

Papamoka

Feel free to steal this post but please link back to it.

Cross posted at Michael Linn Jones and Bring IT ON!

Elizabeth Edwards, the Woman of the Century

Courage comes in many forms that some would call heroic and yet others would willingly argue the act portrayed was not courage but simple human emotion gone haywire. One can not explain why one man would toss himself onto the tracks of an inbound train to save a complete strangers life other than he just did what he felt was right. Then again in the same thought pattern you can never truly understand why the six Worcester, MA firefighters lost their lives trying to save what was thought to be homeless people supposedly still in the Cold Storage building fire not long ago. They were firefighters and that is what they do for their fellow man.

In both of the cases I’ve sited the individuals choose a road much higher and greater than the normal every day person would have. Self preservation would have been the normal attribute associated. In the case of the New York man diving to the rails to cover a fellow rider suffering a seizure there were many other people waiting for the same train and yet he alone let go of his children’s hands to save another’s persons life. The firefighters of Worcester knew the building was close to collapse and yet each of them knew there was still hope to save a life and walked into the heart and soul of Worcester’s history by paying the ultimate price as firefighters.

Elizabeth Edwards, with her second battle with cancer just on the horizon reminds me that some things in this life are bigger than oneself. She has the courage of her convictions and I could honestly picture her diving onto the tracks of an oncoming train or racing into a burning building if America’s future were at risk. Her personal and honest belief in her husband’s ability based on what he can do for America as President is that strong.

Ready for Another Tough Campaign
Her Cancer Back, Elizabeth Edwards Remains Open and Upbeat
By Lynne Duke and Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, March 23, 2007

Not once did the shadow of fear cross her face. Elizabeth Edwards stood before the nation, a graceful fighter steeled for personal tragedy again. The cancer is back and in her bones, a lung and possibly elsewhere. The news seemed worse than bad. Yet Edwards conveyed no hint of being hobbled by an incurable cancer. Self-pity was nowhere on the scene.

Snip

A staunch advocate for her husband’s campaign and his closest adviser, she made clear yesterday she wanted her husband to continue campaigning because “it’s unbelievably important that we get his election right. And in my view, there’s nobody who’s offering people in this country a more positive and delineated vision about where we can go than John.”

“Of course” John Edwards would have offered to suspend his campaign, says Chris Downey, the former wife of former Rep. Tom Downey, who befriended the Edwardses when they first came to Washington, “because he cherishes her. He cherishes his family. That’s what he would do. He would stop everything.”

But Downey and other friends say it would be Elizabeth’s way to insist that her husband campaign on.

“Quite frankly, I suspect she was the one to say, ‘Don’t suspend the campaign.’ She is not a quitter,” said Debbie Dingell, a friend of Edwards. “She wouldn’t think of it. They are a total team. She’s sensitive to people, trends and political situations in a unique way. She is a very strong and a very decent woman.”

Edwards has long been the center of her husband’s world, the one whose advice he has always sought and for whom who he would practice his opening statements before a trial, said Bonnie Weyher, a friend from law school. She recalls a well-told story about Edwards having to make a split-second legal decision during a trial and looking to his wife in the gallery for her nod.

During the 2004 presidential race, Elizabeth Edwards almost always traveled with her husband, and aides knew she was the ultimate gatekeeper and her husband’s closest adviser. She sat in on every debate practice and “not as a cheerleader,” said one person involved in that campaign.“She was very well versed in all the issues and had no trouble telling him, ‘That was an awful answer,’ ” the source said. “He clearly relied on her heavily.” – The Washington Post

I’m finding that the more I hear of John and Elizabeth Edwards the more I believe that behind every great man is an even greater woman propping him up. I’m not saying that Mr. Edwards would be a lump of babbling political flesh without her support but she is the steel supports of his platform. She is the driving force of the Edwards campaign.

John Edwards first instinct upon hearing of her cancer was I’m sure to shut down his campaign for President and gather his family around the mother of his children to support her and be there for her during the toughest battle the human mind and body will ever face. That would be the simplest path to take and Elizabeth Edwards will never take that route and what more she will never allow the love of her life do so either.

John Edwards is facing an amazing and complex situation in his life and yet he has the greatest asset bar none that supports him for the greater good. His wife could have been selfish, self centered and cowering in the face of her Cancer and yet she is willing to go full steam ahead for him. I honestly admire them as a couple and my heart felt prayers are with them both through what will be a very difficult road to travel.

Elizabeth Edwards has redefined courage in a new way that defies logic until you really sit down and think about it. She alone has shown us all through her actions that even in the facing of ones own mortality you must still stand strong in support and defense of what you believe to be the best path for your nation. This my GTL friends is a very amazing woman and her husband has been blessed to be able to say that she is my friend, my best friend, and my wife.

God Bless you and your family Elizabeth Edwards. My personal best wishes for your own personal campaign against Cancer and with the political campaign of your husbands.

Papamoka

Cross Posted at The Gun Toting Liberal

Other people discussing this story…

Our good friend Steve Soto over at The Left Coaster has this to say… The best case scenario, given the fact that they saw a need for a press conference and cancelled an event earlier today is that Edwards sees a need to put the campaign on a hiatus in the coming weeks and months while they deal with whatever medical challenge she now faces. The worst case scenario is that she is facing a setback and, well, the campaign then becomes an afterthought.

Say your prayers tonight for the Edwards family.

Our good friend Joe Gandelman over at The Moderate Voice has this to say… John Edwards’ dramatic press conference announcing that his wife Elizabeth’s dreaded breast cancer had returned, but that the couple decided he should press on with the campaign anyway, truly seemed the real thing. It was a moment in Presidential campaign 2008 — which actually begun about a milli-second after the calender changed to 2007 — that transcended politics.

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