Campaign 2008

• Kentucky to Mac (8 electoral votes and a horse) and Vermont to Obama (3 electoral votes and a buttload of maple syrup). Check out the Rocky's electoral map, which is scores cooler than the other one, as ours shows which way the state is leaning or if it's currently too close to call.
• I wanted to take a moment for a shout out to my mom. She was going to cover her ears and have my dad break the news to her gently at the end of the night, but she gamely agreed to read this liveblog instead.
• Maine is currently reporting a whopping two votes for Obama and one for McCain. That's either a mandate, or a sign that voters would rather be out catching lobster.
• Poll watching entertainment: Remember the South Park "Vote or Die" rap?
• A reminder from K-Lo: Don't call Florida yet... because people are, like, STILL VOTING.
• Liddy Dole got slammed in North Carolina Senate race. Sununu lost New Hampshire. Yikes!
• A source in California just e-mails me and says a robo-call from the Obama camp is going around: "The call opens up with the voice stating that the call is 'breaking news' and that Obama has run away with the battleground states." For the record, California polls don't close until 8 p.m. Pacific time. Trying to dissuade people from the polls is low.
  
• Real Clear Politics is showing McCain edging Obama out on the popular vote. That won't last, but it's an interesting scenario to look at for a little while.
• We're coming up to the next round of poll closings, looking at not only a grip of electoral votes but Al Franken's Senate race.
• Colorado polls have just closed. The Rocky home page is keeping tabs on key races and amendments.
• So far, Dems have gained three and the GOP have lost three in the Senate, and Dems have gained four and the GOP have lost four in the House. If there's any emotion I'll come away with tonight, it will be mourning the loss of checks and balances in D.C. Depending on the presidential outcome, I'll start mourning the loss of originalist justices to "creative" justices.
• We're now calling Mark Udall as Colorado Senate winner. I'm just glad that nasty race is over.
  
• Amendment 47 is losing early on. Come on, people, firefighters will be able to fight fires even if people aren't forced to join unions. Which one of these is not like the other??
  
• From my grandmother: Imagine if they took all the money that had been spent on these presidential campaigns and put it toward paying down the national debt. Go Grandma.
• Ohio has been called for Obama. Ed Stein is a happy guy. On the positive side, Amendments 58 and 59 are failing.
  
• Vodkapundit reveals his libertarian loyalties: "I'll remind you of something I wrote on VodkaPundit earlier this week: That I would vote my conscience and drink heavily. Bob Barr, this one's for you!" On that note, I think I'll have a shot for Ralph Nader, not because I agree with his politics but because he has the chutzpah to always hang in there in a climate that values third parties about as much as Obama likes guns and religion.
• Only about 235 precincts out of 3,215 in Colorado are reporting. This is due to the state's sophisticated voting system, whereby paper ballots are secured first and then brought by burro to processing stations.
• The popular vote between McCain and Obama is razor-thin, but this is without California polls having closed yet. I know the Dems have gotten screwed on popular vote vs. electoral college before, but if this holds it will be far from a mandate, just as eked-out-two-wins Bush didn't have one.
• Joe Biden won a seventh term to his Senate seat. Meanwhile, Joseph Biden is going to be vice president. Busy guy. I bet that lousy neighborhood he always waxed about on the campaign trail is proud.
• Amendment 51 is failing. That saddens me, because the legislature here has been unresponsive to the needs of the developmentally disabled and The Arc was driven to this statute as a last resort. It would have done such good for the most vulnerable of Colorado's citizens. It's not too surprising, though, that the thought of any tax increase in tough economic times would make voters recoil and start spitting up pea soup.
• Fox News is pegging Udall-Schaffer as too close to call, even though we called it a while ago.
• Gamblers (and community colleges) rejoice: Amendment 50 passes.
  
• Someone on our YouTube site just left a comment on Amendment 55, even though it was tossed a long time ago (we left the videos up because they're still interesting): "This amendment would force the companies to give you a better reason to fire than they just don't like you or you don't belong to a click." Can they fire you for bad spelling?
• Cali is going to put Obama over the top for the electoral votes he needs. It's over.
• BUT it's still too close to call on Amendments 46 and 54, and the gaps are closing on 58 and 59. Unfortunately, Jon Caldara's sock puppets didn't push Amendment 49 to victory. How can you win, though, when the union Godzilla has mailers like this stomping all over you?
• Republicans have lost nine in the House and five in the Senate. This is part because the party has lost the meaning of "Big Tent."
• Al Franken and Norm Coleman are locked in a dead heat. This is DISASTEROUS.
• Karl Rove just was explaining the Franken race. Seems that a third-party candidate is sucking away GOP votes.
• Square State reported this afternoon, "We are hearing reports that Sheriff's vehicles and uniformed officers are being placed close to the entryways of voting locations in heavily Democratic precincts of Weld County. Weld County Democrats are registering their concern that this might have a chilling effect on voters approaching the polls." I'm not buying it. Who's afraid to walk past cops unless they've done something wrong? Really!
• Mount Virtus said a mouthful: "It's hard to live up to the promise of live-blogging when there isn't much good news to report."
  
• Jeralyn at TalkLeft lists these as the reasons McCain-Palin tanked: "1) President Bush (the McCain=Bush III argument) 2) The Economy 3) Sarah Palin 4) McCain's bad judgment in picking Palin 5) McCain's age, lack of leadership qualities, and temperment problems.6) No one bought his change or maverick arguments and everyone hated his negative attack ads." ... Let's be serious, Obama didn't exactly run a clean campaign!! But I have to agree with Nos. 3 and 4. And if GOPs start blaming this loss on Kathleen Parker and Peggy Noonan, I'm gonna scream.
• From The People's Cube: "Glorious news from Colorado, polls show 52% of our comrades voted early and often! They say Co is a purple state right now, it will be purple once the nightsticks are properly applied! Our time is at hand comrades, I must go sharpen my shovel." But did anyone see the dead voting?
• Greg Gutfeld reasons that "of the two candidates, Obama is more likely to bomb the hell out of something." A treatise well worth reading.
• Coleman has slightly pulled ahead of Franken. Please, please...
• Let me pause to explain why I'm glad 58 and 59 tanked. On the severance tax, you don't penalize a major state industry, oil and gas, and encourage it to go elsewhere in a time of economic need, when industry folks need their jobs. Plus, Ritter's random scholarship plan was just cockamamie. On 59, I just thought the campaign was so disingenuous. I mean, look at our own pro-59 video. The teacher just presented it -- as the scripted campaign did -- as a savings account for education, something needed for the kids. In reality, it was TABOR deconstruction. Smoke screens suck, and sometimes the voters thankfully see through them.
• Dirty Harry offers a little prayer: "Lord, we've taken our beating. We're listening. We'll be better. So if you could see your way clear to not make Al Franken a Senator, that would be great."
• Speaking of that beating, GOP has lost 13 House seats and 5 Senate seats.
• And these horn-honkers on Colfax are driving me crazy.
• Was just getting beaten up on via Facebook by an old colleague saying "you guys" (GOP) when I had to remind him I'm an independent.

• First question: We're all hardened and cynical about politics! Tell us about a promise that you made that you might not keep... huh? Udall starts waxing about the economy. Is this answering the question? I thought he's supposed to talk about how he might jack up. Oh, it's a promise he'll keep. Schaffer is committed to lower tax rates and stronger economic growth. He's looking unusually friendly tonight."
• Here goes our own Lynn Bartels asking about one word to explain debate Schaffer says "explaining" and repeats the word Boulder many times in his answer. Udall says "rude" -- LOL!! The closed captioning on TV says that Udall just said "filly blusstering," Schaffer fires back -- still with that forced smile -- about how he would represent values in U.S. Senate.
• The question is bipartisanship, something you'd regret on the campaign trail, etc. Udall starts talking about veterans, health care, wildlife, fuzzy puppies who wag their tails every time they see him... OK, almost that. Schaffer is smiling broadly while talking about how vicious Udall's campaign has been. I'm waiting for the word "Boulder," or the word "liberal," or hopefully some combination thereof. Bob reminds us of Congress' 9 percent approval rating (good call) and how you gotta replace the folks there.
• Udall rebuts by saying his feelings haven't been hurt by the campaign. Kumbaya.
  
• Raj is up with the negative ad watch -- woohoo! First up is shadowy evil looking oilman Bob Schaffer. Next up is Boulder Liberal Mark Udall. Now is veterans wanting to shoot down Schaffer. Next up is shadowy evil looking Mark Udall.
• Schaffer is asked about Udall voting against body armor and troop funding. Schaffer says it's cuz he voted against defensive bills that included such items. Fair enough. Udall says he served on armed services committee, so take that! Udall is now asked about the Schaffer Big Oil claims when Schaffer did vote for renewable energy. Udall ducks the question about why he won't give Bob credit, and waxes about wonderful renewable energy.
• Schaffer points out the obvious -- Marky Mark didn't answer the question. He's still forcing the smile, but his hands are starting to flail. This is Schaffer more in his element. Going for the jugular. You'd think he would have arrived at this point as soon as Udall called him rude earlier.
• Udall responds to veterans funding ads. Schaffer says it's "baloney," that he has a super-pro-veterans record. Raj did a good job of bringing these two gents out of their shells.
• Schaffer poses question to Udall about not caring about kids with disabilities, why he would direct the dough to education research. Doesn't want to "rob Peter to pay Paul." But what about little crippled Peter??
• Udall asks what Schaffer even did in Congress. Bob is on a tear, rattling off stuff from the CDC to ranchland to missile defense.
• Schaffer asks Udall why the National Endowment for Humanities was more important then clean coal technology. This is an awesome debate -- which is more important to you, humanity or coal?? Udall calls them gotcha votes.
• Udall needles him on going to Kurdistan for oil stuff, a question that we asked Bob about when he came to our edit board. We have his answer in our video player. But he stresses to Udall that China will take over Kurdistan if we don't jump into the economic opportunities.
• Greg from Arvada asks about S&L regulation. Schaffer says regulation wouldn't necessarily save the day and Congress should learn its lesson. Udall said he's the only one who stood up to Fannie and Freddie. It's like "Meet the Press" revisited.
  
• Kathy in Aurora asks about securing the border. And she's right -- nobody's talking about immigration. Udall says physical borders "where they make sense," more Border Patrol, bringing "undocumented workers out of the shadows." Schaffer should be in his element. Brings up Udall's votes on tuition subsidies for illegal immigrants, etc. He looked really happy at that question.
• Marilyn in Straburg wants to know why we should give $$ to other countries when there are poor people here. (Um, because we care about other people who are worse off than we are??) Udall talks about funding community health care, but didn't really answer the question. Schaffer thinks the question was cool. He's not going to be joining in on the next "We Are the World' anytime soon, and nitpicks on funding to Africa.
• Glenda of Denver asks about gay marriage. Schaffer says it's too much to expect the state to sanction it. Udall takes the safe road with civil unions and domestic partnerships.
• Back to the panel and question about success in Iraq. Schaffer sums it up nicely if wordily by saying it's about Iraq maintaining its territorial integrity. Why doesn't he see when he's on to a good point and wrap it up in a nice little soundbite package? Udall calls Iraq a "misadventure" twice and then declares that we have won the war and it's time to get out and hand it back to Iraqis. (Um, we already handed it over. That's when it went from the coalitional authority to the Iraqi government.)
• Lynn asks about Department of Peace moonbattery proposal. Udall said it was "duplicative" and "made some sense at the time." He said he made his point and then it was time to move on. Is Congress just for grandstanding, then? No wonder nothing gets done.
• Lynn asks Bob about school choice being No. 1 issue for GOP. Schaffer says he can't speak on behalf of all Republicans but feels for poor kids who can't go to a better school. He just doesn't feel for poor African kids. :(
• Both are asked about political ideological independence. Schaffer is asked about the Dream Act, college for kids of illegal immigrants. Schaffer open to foreign students,but not tax dollars subsidizing kids of illegals. Udall looks like he's now in his element, and says you can't punish kids for their parents' illicit border crossing.
• Udall is asked on card check, without the panel describing that it's a labor bill for the folks at home. Schaffer happily provides the explanation and goes after Udall's jugular on it. The closed captioning called it "car check." This debate is so unfair to the deaf.
• Lightning round! Zapp! Schaffer advocates "belt-tightening" in Congress and Udall says Congress should be sure that "liquidity is injected into banks." He counters how Schaffer dissed Congress for taking vacation. We're all campaigning, counters Udall. Fair enough, but they were voted into office to get things done, not hit the trail again.
• Schaffer is on a cool tear against socialism. No redistributing of wealth and take from those of ability to give to those in need, he says.
• Schaffer reminds us that he's unemployed and had to buy his own health insurance. Another reporter grumbles about Bob's $200K severance check. I suggest that maybe he donated it to African children, and that's why he's in financial straits. Udall says we all can't eat out that much. The closed captioning is talking about "welsh spending." That's right. Our economy depends on how much the Welsh sink into the U.S.
• What do they drive? Bob drives a Ford-whatever. He doesn't know the model. Oy. Udall, of course, is driving the powdery blue Prius I saw parked in the lot. Remember the "South Park" episode where they called it the Pious? I'm thinking of that know.
• Closing statements. Udall tries to paint himself as super-independent. Schaffer barks that Udall drives a "bus... big luxury motor home." Udall just looks down at his podium. He's entitled to say, "Yeah... you don't even know what you drive!!" Schaffer makes the case that he's new blood and that the current Congress stinks.

• Stand up, sit down, fight fight fight -- the position of the candidates changes every time (sitting tonight), and lo and behold their positions also change with the polls! :) Drum roll, por favor!
• First question is on Wall Street. McCain says Americans are angry. He must have had access to our letters to the editor queue. Mac wants to take $300B of the $750B allocated for financial bailout for his cockamamie mortgage bailout. I didn't know the cash was for divvying up. Won't AIG wail?
• Obama on Wall Street. He's concerned about fat cats getting fatter. Redistribute that wealth, baby! He's outlining his economic plan of jobs, middle class tax cut, is concerned that banks could profit from McCain's home bailout. Rattling on about energy policy, health care, etc. again -- I thought the moderator said they were going to talk about NEW policies!
• OOOHHHH yes, Mac is hitting on the Ohio plumber!! (See my morning roundup and the WealthSpread.) Now Mac is talking directly to Joe the Plumber. Tee-hee ... this debate might actually be good. Obama is grinning.
• Obama fires back by saying Joe the Plumber listened to too many McCain ads, then Mac fires back with the WealthSpread comment of Obama's. He's off to a good start. We've head Joe the Plumber's name about 20 times by now.
• Obama's excuse is that he just wants to help Poor Plumbers.
• Next question is on trimming programs because, er, you can't have everything!! Obama wants to cut programs line by line. He'll probably cut a program to not gouge Small-Business Plumbers. Mac is going back to buying up mortgages. Either he can explain it better and sell people on it, or he'll just ruin all the ground he gained with Joe the Plumber.
• OK, I'm bored. Same ol' talking points. Now on to balancing the budget. Ooh, another good zinger from McCain. "I'm not President Bush... if you wanted to run against Bush you should have run four years ago." He's kind of on his game, though lapsing back to the same talking points now and then.
• Mac challenges Obama to talk about standing up to his party. Obama only brings up examples where he voted against some Democratic lobbyists: trial lawyers, teacher unions, etc. Obama seems to be falling into a trap a bit: "If I've mistakenly..." compared Mac ecnomic policies with Bush's... sounds like he's acknowledging some sort of confusion, which is obviously not true considering the comparison of Mac to Bush is well-calculated.
• Schieffer rattles off how mean they've been to each other in the campaign. McCain brings up John Lewis comments about their campaign and segregation and challenges Obama to repudiate remarks. Obama basically says no one cares about hurt feelings and that voters just want them to debate on the issues, and says GOP 527s are mean. No mention of Rep. Lewis...
  
• Joe the Plumber's 15 minutes of fame have stretched to 31!!
• Now on to Lewis -- Obama justifies the comments with Palin rallies (Obama must read Paul Campos). Then he says that they put out clarification statements. Mac focuses on the good people that come to GOP rallies and says there are some things yelled -- and T-shirts worn -- at Obama rallies that are nasty.
• Great line from Mac on Ayers: "I don't care about an old washed-up terrorist, but..." does want to know extent of Obama's relationship with him. Obama says Ayers is a professor of education in Chicago. Says Ayers committed despicable acts when he was 8 years old, but 10 years ago he served on an education board with Ayers. Made clear that Ayers won't be a cabinet member. :) Says ACORN had nothing to do with his campaign.
• Wow -- Obama's on the defensive so far. Color me surprised. Mac brings up that Ayers said he wished he had bombed more. Will American voters see Mac as positively on the offensive or as angry guy?
• Question is whose running mate would make a better president. Obama brings up that Biden came from hardscrabble Scranton. I'm cracking up thinking of the Biden-Palin SNL skit. Let's be serious, though... this is a much harder question for Mac to answer: McCain says she's a "freth of bresh air." Seriously.
• Obama is stumped with many uhhs when asked by Schieffer if Palin is qualified, then he shifts to needing more spending for kids with autism. McCain is asked the same on his friend Joe the Senator (no relation to Joe the Plumber, who I'm missing right now), and says basically, yeah, but he kinda sucks on foreign policy.
• McCain has the best exasperated quote of the campaign: "Why do we always have to spend more?" Cha-ching!
• Question on reducing oil imports: Mac says Canuck oil is fine, Venezuela oil is icky. Yeah!! On free trade: Mac says it's a no-brainer with Colombia and maybe Obama should actually travel down there. Obama says too many labor leaders are getting assassinated.
  
• I wonder if the only people still watching are Frank Luntz's poll group...
• Now on the health care plans. Notice how Obama never mentions the bouncing baby bureaucracy National Health Insurance Exchange when explaining his plan, though he talks about establishing it on his Web site.
  
• JOE THE PLUMBER FOR PRESIDENT!!!
• Who establishes which small businesses can afford to give employees health insurance?? I smell more bureaucracy, more commissions, more panels, more... ick.
• Mac: "Hey Joe, you're rich, congratulations." Heh. This is fun. McCain is articulating his plan better. Are we sure the townhall format was his best?
  
• Prediction: Joe the Plumber, Fox News analyst
• Judicial nods! Finally a new question. Would they nominate a Roe disagreeing justice to the Supreme Court? Mac says no litmus test; base on qualifications. Obama briefly says no litmus test, but says Roe was right and starts justifying his abortion position. Says he would have judges who have more of a sense of what "real world" folks are going through. How about a justice who studies the constitution as our most important, bedrock document and leaves the emotion out of it??
• Smackdown -- Mac brings up Obama and the infants born alive after botched abortions. Obama just says it's not true, but claims the law would have "underminded Roe" and there was something already on the books. Steers topic toward both sides joining to help prevent unintended pregnancies. Mac digs at Obama over the health of the mother exception that Obama wants for late-term bans -- how the meaning of "health" has been stretched. He should have stayed on that point for a little longer instead of veering to his adopted daughter.
• Education: Obama is in his talking-point comfort zone now. Early education, teacher training, affordable college, yadda.
• Editorial comment: My diamond dove is making throw-up sounds.
• Mac: "It's the civil rights issue of the 21st century." Take that, John Lewis! Pushes school choice and finding bad teachers a "new line of work." Love it.
• Vouchers and eduzk lnv;kodf;jv sipvjsvsai vsdvodjs... sorry, fell asleep on the keyboard.
• Joe the Plumber for schools superintendent!!
• Closing statements: Do or die, gents. ACCKKKK!!! No more "my friends," Mac! He's stumbling a lot. But it's a pretty good speech. This is the time for each of their standard talking points. Obama is harping on the Bush years again. You know, both candidates are banking their closing statements on change. But they're vastly different genres of change.
  

"Initially, I started off asking him if he believed in the American Dream and he said yes, he does - and then I proceeded to ask him then why he's penalizing me for trying to fulfill it. He asked, 'what do you mean,' and I explained to him that I'm planning on purchasing this company - it's not something I'm gonna purchase outright, it's something I'm going to have to make payments on for years - but essentially I'm going to buy this company, and the profits generated by that could possibly put me in that tax bracket he's talking about and that bothers me. It's not like I would be rich; I would still just be a working plumber. I work hard for my money, and the fact that he thinks I make a little too much that he just wants to redistribute it to other people. Some of them might need it, but at the same time, it's not their discretion to do it - it's mine."

• Questions from the audience: Any bets on whether there's a Ronulan planted in there?
• Tom Brokaw just gave permission for all of you at home to have outbursts. Do him proud.
  
• First question from Allen is section A. How cute. Obama's working the crowd. "Worst financial crisis since the Great Depression." Blames Bush administration. And McCain, for deregulation. Make sure rescue package "works properly." Crack down on CEOs for "golden parachutes" (why does that phrase always crack me up?). "Middle class need a rescue package." Taxes, keep jobs, keep homes, health care, energy.
• Mac's turn: Directly addressing Allen instead of working the crowd so much. Energy independence, low taxes. "Let's not raise taxes on anybody today." Cool! Went from China to home values. Would order secretary of treas. to buy up bad home loans and renegotiate so people can stay in homes. "Is it expensive? Yes!" Yep.
• Who would Mac appoint as Treasury secretary? "Someone Americans immediately identify with." The next American Idol, maybe? Obama likes buddy Warren... Warren Buffett, that is. Obama's working this like a stump speech.
  
• Brokaw tsk-tsks 'em on the rules.
• Oliver Clark is next... what there is in bailout that would actually help people out? McCain: Because of "greed and excess" on Wall Street, Main Street pays price. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac. Said Oliver probably never head of them before this crisis. Said Obama was second-largest Fannie/Freddie recipient in history. "Match that started this forest fire." Next up Obama... addresses his original question, kind of. Starts explaining need for bailout pretty well, relating it to payroll, and Oliver nods... but he goes back to deregulation and Oliver really couldn't give a hoot about the he said/he said. Says he never reaped Fannie/Freddie benefits.
• Brokaw: Will economy get worse before it gets better? Obama says no. Coordinate with other countries. Help ordinary families stay in home, health care, energy, yadda yadda. Mac: Depends on if we act effectively. Buy up bad home loans. Said he and other senators sans Obama warned of crisis in a letter. American workers are best in world and need a chance. 
• Question from Teresa: How can we trust either of you when both parties got us in this mess? (paraphrase) Obama goes to blaming Bush. OK -- so the woman's sick of partisan BS, and he leans on blaming GOP. Will anybody actually get their question answered? Mac is up... touts his maverick reformer credentials, goes into bipartisan record, which actually kind of addresses the point. "Let's look at our record as well as our rhetoric." Touts watchdog organizations' view that liberal Congress is a big-spending one.
• McCain said pork! Take a drink!
• Brokaw asks priorities: health care, energy, entitlement reform. Mac: You can work on all three at once. Even Tom won't get his damn questions answered. Obama: Says you have prioritize, but then won't prioritize them. Oh, wait: No. 1, energy; No. 2, health care; No. 3 education??? That wasn't one of the options.
• First Internet question from 78-year-old Fionna from Chicago: what will you make us sacrifice? Mac: support housecleaning of federal programs, projects, earmarks, etc. Wants spending freeze. Obama's turn: brings up 9/11... thinks Bush's call to stimulate economy was not a call to service. Wants us to save energy in our homes and buy clean American cars. Wants volunteer corps. Community organizer!!
• Brokaw: How would you make Americans break bad economic habits? Obama: Starts with government cleaning up its act. Stiff the rich, he stresses. Isn't redistribution of wealth a bad economic habit for a supposed democracy to have? Mac: Nailing down Obama's specific proposals was "like nailing Jell-O to the wall." Sen. Obama's secret is that 50% of small biz revenue would get hit with tax increases. Stresses he's not in favor of tax cuts for the wealthy. Tax credits for health insurance. Create jobs and not raise anybody's taxes.
• Another Internet question about entitlements, Brokaw revises question asking them to address "big ticking time bomb" of Social Security. Obama: take care of it in first term, not two years. Diverts back to tax plan, even though Brokaw had tsk-tsk'd them on sticking to format and topic. McCain wins if he sticks to the friggin' question and addresses entitlements. Obama is blaming Bush -- once Bush cleanup is done, he basically says, you can worry later about Social Security.
• McCain: Not that hard to fix SS. Said Reagan and Tip did it. Medicare a little tougher. Have a commission to come up with recommendations, like base-closing commission. Then have Congress vote up or down. Then Mac is back to the tax argument.
  
• Ingrid Jackson question: would Congress move fast on climate change, environmental stuff, green jobs? Mac: "I disagree strongly with the Bush administration on this issue." Best way of fixing: nuclear power. "Safe and clean, creates hundreds of thousands of jobs." Obama: one of biggest challenges of our time and opportunity. Can create 5 million new jobs with new energy economy, like how computer creation made new jobs. Favors nuclear power "as one component of overall energy mix."
• Brokaw tells them to mind the damn stoplights to know when their time is up. He's nice and fed up.
• Question about development investment from Brokaw, which Mac briefly supports then is back to fighting Obama's assertion that he voted against alternative energies. Brokaw's gonna chuck a legal pad soon.
• Next question from Lindsey Trella: Health care is profitable industry, should it be treated as commodity? Obama: moral and economic imperative to do something. If you have insurance under his plan, OK, if you don't you can get the federal workers' health care. Mac: no government fines to penalize small business on coverage. Under his $5,000 health care tax credit 95 percent of Americans could better their coverage, he says.
  
• Brokaw goes back to her question: health care a privilege, responsibility, right? Mac says responsibility. Nervous about government mandates. Obama says it should be a right because our country is wealthy. (Er, not now it ain't.) Brings up mom dying of cancer arguing with insurance companies.
• Foreign policy! Whee!!
• Phil Elliott: How will economic instability affect our ability to act as a peacemaker? Mac: It is a challenge, but "America is the greatest force for good in the history of the world." He's in his element now. He's running with it. Has to know when American military power is worth expending. Now it's tangent time. Obama does not understand national security challenges. Obama's turn: Says he doesn't understand how we invaded country that had nothing to do with 9/11, called McCain a cheerleader for war, says it's put "enormous strain on our budget." Says we lost international respect, can't act on Darfur, etc.
• Brokaw asks about military force in humanitarian crises like Rwanda that don't affect national security. Obama says we have moral obligation. "When ethnic cleansing is happening somewhere in the world and we stand idly by," that knock us down. AHEM... has Obama ever head of Halabja, the genocide of the Kurds, the mass graves left by Saddam??? McCain's turn: says if Obama's quick withdrawal was done in Iraq, would be a mess. "Must do whatever we can to prevent genocide." Requires a "cool hand" who knows what the limits of our capabilities are, uses Somalia as example.
• Katie Hamm: Should U.S. respect Pakistani sovereignty in going after al-Qaida? Obama: Blames difficult situation in Afghanistan on going into Iraq. Answer her question, dude. She asked about "respecting sovereignty." Obama says we can't "coddle" a dictator. Musharaff's gone, dude. Wants to encourage democracy. Yeah, Barack, the opposition already took over after their election mandate. Mac: Says Teddy Roosevelt speaks softly, Obama speaks loudly. Says getting them to "act in a cooperative fashion" is necessary. Relationship with Pakistan is critical, "get the support of the people... not threaten to attack them."
• Obama insists quite arrogantly on a follow-up even though it's not part of their mutually agreed debate plan. McCain says he deserves equal time. They fight over "Bomb Bomb Iran" and what Obama said on Pakistan.
• Brokaw asks about probability of success in Afghanistan. Obama: Get out of Iraq, go to Afghanistan. Mac: Do something like the Iraq surge.
• Internet question: How to apply pressure to Russia without starting another Cold War? Mac: There won't be another Cold War, but Russia is acting badly because of petrol dollars. Uses the KGB line again. Watch Russia beat up on Ukraine and back their NATO bid. Obama: Can't just provide moral support to former Soviet states but economic support. Says he predicted Georgian crisis back in April. Says we all have to be seers. (Hey Obama: Iran.... Iran.... Iran....). Obama says if we conserve energy it will take away Putin's petrol cash.
  
• Brokaw: Is Putin's Russia evil empire? Obama: They have evil behavior and impulses. Mac: "Maybe." If he says yes, he'd reignite Cold War; if says no, ignores their behavior.
• Terry Shirey question: If Iran attacks Israel, would you support with troops or wait for U.N. Security Council approval? Mac: Don't wait for U.N. Russia and China "would pose significant obstacles." Goes back to Obama meeting with Ahmadinejad without preconditions. (Oh brother, he's gonna wanna fight back...) "We can never allow a second Holocaust to take place." Obama: Can't allow Iran to get nuclear weapon, would threaten Israel. (Yeah, but would you snub the Security Council to do the right thing?) Important to use all tools at disposal before having to make the choices. Reduce energy consumption so Iran has less money.
  
• The real question is, if Netanyahu gets back in power would they even need our military forces? :)
• Brokaw has last (whew) Internet question: What don't you know and how will you learn it? Obama: Wife has list. Expects challenges that you don't expect. Doesn't really answer question but is giving a closing statement at a stump speech. Mac: Doesn't know what all of us don't know... what's going to happen here and abroad. "I know what it's like in dark times." Now it sounds like the end of his convention speech.
• Some of the audience looked suicidal. They can exhale now. It's over. Now it's press the flesh time.
• Pundit time: Mort Kondracke said there were no game-changing moments. Bill Kristol: Conventional talking points. Nina Easton: was the "sinking ship of free-market Republicans." Jumped on his really expensive plan to buy mortgages before criticizing Obama for spending. Fred Barnes said it's a mortgage buy-down, not buyout. Barnes thought it was "dreadful," not a real townhall meeting. Barnes has a point -- there've hardly been any other question topics at these debates, such as immigration.
• Pollster Frank Luntz time: People thought it was interesting. Obama has edge in show of hands. One says Obama answered his questions and McCain didn't. Um, neither of them really did!! They liked Obama's health care response.
  
• It's T. Boone Pickens time!! And a George McGovern commercial saying that unions now suck and private ballots are necessary.
  

• OK, we're rolling. Bailout bill. Biden gets first shot. Blames Bush administration. Bad oversight. "Letting Wall Street run wild." Well, there is absolutely nothing wild about Joe...
• Biden looks like he's lecturing Gwen. Wants to focus on middle class.
• Palin is up. Says soccer moms should be asked about the economy. Looking at camera instead of Gwen. "Our economy is failing and our government has not provided sound oversight." Biden giving her a squinty look. Politics aside, country first, etc.
• The whole dynamic of the VP debate is interesting: Defend your future boss.
• Good dig by Palin at Obama's party line voting record. Biden is laughing at Palin. 
• Palin on subprime lending crisis: "Darn right there were predatory lenders." Going back to the soccer mom thing. Wants more government oversight of lending. Capitalists are cringing. "It's not the American people's fault that the economy is hurting like it is." I like blaming Hugo Chavez for anything. Can we blame him and his greedy OPECing?
• Biden shoots back with McCain's efforts for deregulation and self-regulation. I am kinda wondering if Palin and McCain are on the same page here. Joe asked Joey at a gas station how much it cost to fill up his tank. That's his humanizing anecdote.
• Palin: "Darn right we need tax relief!" Biden is laughing at her again. Obviously he didn't hear Tammy Bruce on O'Reilly a few minutes ago, talking about how he'll need to play it respectfully to not raise the specter of sexism.
• What is Biden's teeth whitener? He matches his shirt.
• Hammering each other on taxes. Palin slips away from Biden's challenge on her take on Obama's voting record and McCain's on budget bill, and starts talking about her mayor and governor ship. Gwen interrupts her and says time to move on. Prolly because Palin dissed the moderator and said she wanted to talk straight to American people.
• Yes, Joe, we all love the middle class. 10-to-1 he brings up McCain's houses.
• Palin brings up small businesses among the upper tax brackets. Taxes ain't patriotic, she says. Biden laughs. Damn, those are some pearly artificial whites.
• Moderator wryly asks, "Are you interested in defending Sen. McCain's health care plan?" Um, yes, Gwen, there's no other reason I'd be hanging out here, she should have answered. Palin brings up credits to buy insurance.
• Biden on higher taxes on certain brackets. "We don't call that redistribution, we call that fairness." I call that kinda socialist. Steve Forbes, where are you and your flat tax, mi amor?
• Biden calls McCain health care plan "the ultimate bridge to nowhere." Audience laughs.
• Promises not able to keep: Gee, in the span of the ordinary presidential campaign, isn't that about 90-95%?
• Biden answers with what they're going to keep their promises on. Health care, taxes, yadda. What a cockeyed optimist. Palin goes on energy plan, engaging Joe directly. Back to Alaska -- taking on oil companies. Biden laughs. I think I'll start a Biden Laugh-O-Meter. Brings up energy plan that Obama voted for oil tax breaks and she had to pick up the pieces. Gwen asks the promise question of her. Palin: I've only been on the campaign trail five weeks, not time to make many promises.
• Biden fires back against her tax assertions. 
• Palin talks about "toxic mess" on Wall Street. I want to see Biden on split screen. He's talking about how he disagreed with Obama. Glass half empty, glass half full. Biden is good and wonkish. Palin talking about energy independence (how are we switching from subject to subject with no new questions?) and right away Biden is laughing!
• Gwen says it's finally time to actually formally talk about energy. Don't think she likes Palin (or the tangents) very much. Palin goes into climate change. All of the above approach. Biden says climate change is man-made. "If you don't understand what cause is, it's virtually impossible to come up with a solution." Rattling off McCain votes against alternative energies. Palin got in a laugh of her own.
  
• Palin brings up the "drill baby drill" chant. Brings up oil and gas in her state. Focusing too much on Alaska-specific stuff. Biden is laughing. Both support capping carbon emissions.
  
• Biden talking again about exporting clean-burning coal technology to smog-spewing China. It's not a matter of having the technology; China wants to just take the cheapest route possible.
• Same-sex marriage: Biden says there will be no difference in couples under Obama administration. Property rights, hospital visitation, etc. Palin: Not if it grows closer and closer to threatening traditional marriage. Then stresses that she's tolerant. Says McCain administration would also support contract, visitation rights, etc. Biden says he doesn't support gay marriage. Leave to the states. 
• Foreign policy: Duck and cover.
• Gwen asks about Iraq solution. Palin brings up McCain supporting the surge, Obama not funding troops. Cannot afford to lose with early withdrawal. More troops in Afghanistan with NATO allies.
• Biden: Obama had "clear plan" to shift power to Iraqis and withdraw troops. Says for McCain "there is no end in sight." Palin: "Um... your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq." Says we're done when U.S. commanders feel Iraqis are ready to take over security. They ain't right now, that's for sure.
• Biden's laughing!! Palin brings up Biden's disagreements with Obama earlier during campaign. Biden: "John McCain voted to cut off funding for the troops." Because of timeline to end war. At least Joe was honest enough to throw that part in.
• Iran and Pakistan: Egads.
• Biden: Pakistan is already nuclear. Iran getting "not close to getting a nuclear weapon that can be deployed." He should talk to Bibi. Says terror attack would come from Pak/Afghan, we have to build schools to counter madrassas.
• Palin: Center of war on terror is in Iraq. Biden smirks. Brings up Israel and crazy Mahmoud's threats to wipe off face of the earth. Loony and can't get nukes. Brings up Obama wanting to meet with them without precondition. Will Biden bring up Kissinger to renew that fight?
• Uh-oh, Gwen brought up Henry and other secretaries on engaging Iran, etc. Palin brings up her chat with Kissinger. Says sitting down at presidential level unacceptable with peeps who hate the U.S. Biden says not true about Obama, and says Palin not smart if she doesn't know the mullahs run Iran instead of Ahmadinejad. Says if we're not diplomatic our allies wouldn't like us anymore.
• Now on to Israel: Palin says two-state solution is solution. Says commitment is there and brings up Israel's track record keeping peace agreements. Biden says no one in the Senate is a better friend to Israel than he is. (What about Joe Liebermann????) Says Hezbollah is legitimate part of Lebanese government. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that has killed U.S. soldiers, suicide bombed the Jewish center in Buenos Aires, and started the war with Israel in 2006 with a cross-border raid.
• Geez, she's on her excessive partisanship bringing people together thing again. Biden: How different will McCain's foreign policy will be different than Bush. Rattles off country after country. Wants to be respected country.
• Nuclear weapon: Palin: "Would be the be all, end all of too many people." Says Kim Jong-Il can't get nukes. Diverts to Afghanistan, says surge principles need to be implemented there. Biden responds on Afghanistan that commanding general said surge principles will not work there, spent three weeks of Iraq comparable money on Afghanistan in seven years there.
• This debate is like Wonk vs. Mom. For reference, see our videos on the pro and con of Amendment 59.
• Biden really wants to talk about Bosnia. Now he's wagging his pen. Palin is chuckling. Biden on Darfur: "I don't have a stomach for genocide." He's hammering the foreign policy. Knows it's his strong point and she can't bring up soccer games.
• Palin looking a bit frustrated and reverts to lighthearted talk about being a Washington outsider and not understanding how someone can vote for a war and then be against it. But agrees with him on Darfur. Then she switches right into Alaska natural resources. Line should be drawn on when to go in? Biden says yes, when they're evil enough. I call the line "Never Again."
• Biden jumps back on supporting the war or not. This debate just goes really badly with the quicko dinner I grabbed from Burger King. I'm not sure these two are even arguing about the same thing half the time.
• Gwen's next question: If your running mate keels over, what would you do?
• Biden says that would be a national tragedy of historic proportions. It's also pretty unrealistic. Biden would not to regime change but cooperation and kumbaya. Says it's most important election since 1932.
• Palin also says God forbid on question. Says they don't always have same opinions. Put government back on the side of the people. They're a "team of mavericks." Talking points, talking points. Biden tries to jump on Main Street points.
• Is this OVER YET????
• Palin talking about education. Comes from house full of schoolteachers. I know all of her friends and family by now. Says we need "more flexibility" in No Child Left Behind.
  
• Gwen asks about not wanting to be VP cracks or what VP does crack. Palin says she and Biden both made "lame attempts at a joke." I'm so tempted to go the next step here... this is a lame attempt at a debate. Sorry, the rehearsed nature is driving me nuts. Biden is going into his conversations with Barack about the job. Surely these answers bored Obama, too...
• Gwen asks if VP should be more under legislative branch. Palin: Our founding fathers were smart guys. Agree with Cheney, more flexibility. Biden is laughing. Talks about her executive experience. Biden says that article one of constitution defines VP as executive branch. Primary role to support president. Vote only when there's a tie.
• Gwen to Palin, you're inexperienced; to Biden, you're undisciplined. Palin is on the Alaska/hockey mom talking points. Idealistic prattling. What was the question again? Biden says his Achilles' heel is his "excessive passion." Bwahaahaaa!! He's back on Bosnia. He really digs Bosnia. Went off on a family story tangent.
• Biden says just because he's a man doesn't mean he doesn't know what it's like to raise children, to "not know if a child is going to make it." He chokes up. Palin doesn't address this but goes back on the maverick policy to change America.
• Biden hammers on whether Mac is a maverick. Six minutes left. I can't wait. It's like counting the minutes before getting out of calculus class. Palin is back on mayor and governor. I'm in pain.
• Something about Jesse Helms and a child with braces. Biden has hit the boring wall. I think this is the "I'm more bipartisan than you" battle, but it's like they've run out of steam and are mired in their rehearsed talking points.
  
• Closing statements. Palin: Fight for country, fight for freedom, quote Reagan, it's like she's rehashing her acceptance speech without the cheering crowd. Biden: Change. Change. Change. He seems to have stolen his boss' script. Talks about childhood. Time to get up and blah blah blah.
• It's over. Buíochas le Dia. Now come the packs of family members and the pundits. It's nice that they're actually hanging out and getting to know each other. Mac and Barack couldn't wait to get away from each other. Let's see what they think. Mort Kondracke: Palin was feisty and informal. Biden at his "soberous best." Thought Palin had better of it. Bill Kristol: Palin held her own. Kirsten Powers: Palin didn't make gaffes

"'We're in a time in this state when we need to do everything we can to keep this economy moving forward. Amendment 46 undercuts Colorado and destroys years of progress on education, health care and workforce development,' Ritter said at a Capitol news conference attended by Hispanic and African American business people, religious leaders and others."

"Jon Voight is so pleased with our efforts to elect Sen John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin to the White House that he is coming to a phone bank to show his support.

You can meet Jon Voight by coming to the Burbank Headquarters, 1903 W. Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank this Thursday at 8:30am and help support McCain-Palin by making phone calls to get voters out to vote."

"He said: 'I had John McCain gags pulled. And they asked me to tone down the gags about Sarah Palin. I wanted to say she was forcing her teenage daughter to have a baby because she is so anti-abortion.

'But also, as a Republican she is pro-execution so she is going to give her the electric chair for being a little slut.

'They weren't keen on that one.'"

Congrats, MTV, for having some taste. Now about honoring Brit-Brit's music...

"So once the GOP's postconvention bounce and Palinmania subside - and they will - how does Obama get the mojo back?

By sticking to his blueprint, painting McCain as a third Bush term, relentlessly hammering home bread-and-butter economic issues - and a debate performance on Sept. 26 as compelling as his Denver acceptance speech.

For all the Palin hoopla, not much has changed strategically. McCain still slogs under the same heavy baggage as before the St.Paul convention: an unpopular war and even more unpopular President, a sputtering economy and predatory gas prices."

See, I think the reason that Obama finds himself in this position is that he never really had a hard-and-fast blueprint in the first place. Independents wanted to hear his specific policy plans, not the change rhetoric that grew more redundant and tiresome than the Carpenters' Christmas album. I also think he's played soft on those policies so that those of us in the middle wouldn't see how far he wanted to go to the left on economic issues, et al. I also don't think the "McCain as Bush, Part Three" argument will stick with a lot of people who understand this is a brand-new ticket, and not even the candidate that the GOP establishment would have originally preferred. (Trust me, I took a lot of heat on talk shows last winter for suggesting McCain should get the nomination.)

But will Obama be able to beat McCain in a debate? He'd better not replace that lost mojo with arrogance or condescension, which he seems to turn to when he gets flustered. And on the foreign policy questions, he'll get flustered. We saw it with the Hillary debates.

• I'm just grateful that, unlike the past two nights, I've actually finished my dinner before anybody starts describing torture in detail. I caught the Cindy McCain speech -- can't get much better than Bangladeshi orphans and Rwandan genocide (a Dem president's ball-drop) survivors in one speech. That's close to the color of dress Michelle Obama wore, btw. I wonder if they did a first-lady dress focus group.
• The McCain montage movie, narrated by Robert Davi, was like Mama McCain telling us to vote for Mac. That's a bit too mama's boy.
• Fred Thompson plays the Voice of God announcing McCain's entrance into dark arena. McCain comes out to a spotlight like a game-show host.
• Nice tie, Mac! He looks younger tonight.
  
• Two rude interrupters thus far: one, Iraq vets against the war T-shirt guy. Chanted down with "USA." Next was a Code Pinker with a floor pass wailing her head off twice. Mac makes a good quip to the audience about ignoring the static. Code Pinker tries fighting with security, hoping some flashbulbs pop off. Why do all Code Pinkers look the same? Maybe it's the bitter snarl.
• Good speech format with the runway. Still photos will look like he's in a sea of faithful.
• Not a Greek column in sight, btw.
• Good hat tip to Obama and the Obama Flock (TM). Not sure the convention crowd liked it but it will work well for the TV crowd.
• He hit domestic policy before foreign policy... sure that was intentional!
• He's kicking Russia's ass now. Cool.
• "I know how the world works." This is where he reaches thru the TV screen and slaps Obamaniacs.
• Veterans have place of honor up front. Stresses how he hates war and how he'll work to keep other families from going with it. This is a good speech.
• Will Obama sue Mac for trademark for hijacking his Change (TM)?
• Several bipartisan plugs. Reminding peeps of his maverick roots.
• No more "my friends"!!! No mas! No mas!
• The crowd really shouldn't have laughed at McCain being greeted by angry VietCong.
• Nice... I finished my dinner a full half hour before torture talk.
• He saved emotional part for the end of the speech... smart
• Either his speechwriter is better than Obama's, or Mac's speechwriter just had more material to work with
• Great part -- quit whining and get working if you're upset with America.
• Everybody's starting to tear up... this is his moment
• That was THE moment to end on, actually...
• Damn, I wanna play with balloons. Heart's "Barracuda" playing is obviously a nod to Sarah.
• Obama may have cited Lincoln in his speech, but the GOP convention actually HAS Abe in attendance... a few of them, actually
  

"...I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town. I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids' public education better. When I ran for city council, I didn't need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too. Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."

"...I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country."

"...Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems - as if we all didn't know that already. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines...build more nuclear plants...create jobs with clean coal...and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers."

"...Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."

• Hockey mom: I'm counting that under "down-homey aphorism." Take a gulp!
  
• Alaska governor reference: take a sip!
• Joke about her experience: celebratory toast!

Mike Huckabee: "Maybe the most dangerous threat of an Obama presidency is that he would continue to give madmen the benefit of the doubt. If he's wrong just once, we will pay a heavy price."

Mitt Romney: "Liberals would replace opportunity with dependency on government largesse. They would grow government and raise taxes to put more people on Medicaid, to work requirements out of welfare, and to grow the ranks of those who pay no taxes at all. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. It's time to stop the spread of government dependency to fight it like the poison it is! It's time for the party of big ideas, not the party of Big Brother!"

Rudy Giuliani: "And as we look to the future never let us forget that - when we are at our best - we are the Party that expands Freedom. We began as a party dedicated to freeing people from slavery... And we are still the party that is willing to fight for freedom at home and around the world. We are the party that wants to expand individual freedom and economic freedom... because we believe that the secret of America's success is not central government, it is self-government. ...And we are the party that believes unapologetically in America's essential greatness - that we are a shining city on the hill, a beacon of freedom that inspires people everywhere to reach for a better world."

• Natural disaster wipes out small American farm town
• Terrorist bombing inflicts a sizable death toll
• Landmark Supreme Court rulings or election results
• "American Idol"
  
• Arnold Schwarzenegger sparks wildfire with a cigar

"Mr. President Sarkozy, you know that in France, the presence of Barack Obama and what he's done in terms of breaking the barriers in the United States has sort of made a resurgence. The black people in France are very proud and very hopeful for their future. They also live many of them in poor situations and you know you've had your own riots here and protests and disturbances in the [...] city.

At one point, when we were covering those riots, when you were interior ministry, you called the rioters scum. And I am wondering if you feel today when you stand next to someone you so much admire, and who has broken so many barriers that you regret that term or wish you hadn't said it?"

And what does Barack Obama have to do with North African immigrant offspring torching hundreds of cars and killing a guy trying to put out a trash can fire? Nothing!! Apple, meet orange. Orange, meet apple. And cue the response from Sarkozy, who has brought entertainment and smugness where there used to be just utter Chirac smugness:

"I congratulate you, Madame, on your exceptional knowledge of French political life and your contribution to friendship between people. But precisely things change because there were certain things that weren't right and I'm very pleased, Madame, you're speaking in front of Barack about a situation that existed before I was President ...

"I'd like you to appreciate not one single shot was fired by the police in France. The only innocent person was a member of the police. But, since my election, there have been no riots because we have put into place a development plan which is considerable. ... The political adventure of Barack Obama is not just simply reserved for that great country of the United States. ... I don't know if it was to please me, but your question really pleased me. Do come back, thank you."