Politicana

I just saw this for the first time. It was done by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. Not as good as the Will I Am, but not bad.

After thoughtful discussion, Russ and I have decided that that last season of The West Wing is a prophetic look at this year’s election.  Observe:

Continue reading What Would The West Wing Do?…

Troy expressed concerned in my “A new poll” post about an AP article he read that was fairly critical of the Biden VP choice (I addressed that article specifically in the comments section of my other post).  However, I wanted to say something about my overall impression of the press coverage.

Continue reading Reactions to Biden…

Click the “Take a Poll” tab and check out the new poll I just put up.

From the “we knew that already but it’s good to be reminded” department:

The reason so much political coverage on cable is crap is that there is an effort to portray the campaign as this floating spectacle; it’s devoid of public interest. Not to be too conspiratorial, but there is an economic interest at stake because you want people to come back and watch the same drivel the next day, in the same way that I obsessively check the sports section to see how the Cubs did. That’s why the VP speculation is so perfect for cable; you can fill up all that airtime without any reporting. There are studies of the content of cable news that show that something shy of 10 percent of the coverage is original reporting. They’re constantly re-running the one time they got some hapless anchor to stand in front of a hurricane, or it’s just incessant talking head speculation.

Six questions for Chris Lehman on “Moronic” campaign coverage and the “Press Bubble” at Harper’s Magazine online.

 [Posted by Troy] Do you remember the Obama campaign’s “Open Convention” program?  After the stadium finale was announced, they said they would pick 10 people from those that made donations before July 31 to be flown out, all expenses paid, for backstage passes for Obama’s speech.  Since it was a lottery, the small print said you could also enter without making a donation by going to a different website (like all those promotions– “no purchase necessary to enter or win”).  So, I understood that my odds were very low, and had already donated, but thought, “What the hell, it’s an excuse to give a little more and put my name in the hat”.  I sent a small amount in to enter. 

So today, I got the email announcing the 10 winners (you may have as well).  I’m not unhappy that I didn’t win– didn’t expect to- but I was a little perturbed when i read though the list (with bios after the jump).  It appears to me that to actually win, you have to be A) from a swing state or one Obama is expanding the map to and B) preferably, have a good crossover bio.  I mean, c’mon.  Think about all the people that donate from CA, NY, WA, IL, the entire Northeast..  and there was not a single ticket for us?  And the fact that there were 2 Iraq vets, 2 Evangelicals, 2 ex-GOPers, and a retired Navy officer knew McCain in Vietnam, wanted him to win in 2000, but is *now* for Obama??  C’mon.  They can’t be random sweepstakes winners.  Did I totally misunderstand this promotion? 

Maybe i did.   Happily, I have a backstage pass to Peter’s apt. for the big speech.

Update:  Oh, and for the right price, I am willing to scalp that ticket.

Continue reading A criticism…

Here are my top 5 preferences for Obama’s VP amongst all the names I have ever heard mentioned:

1- Wesley Clark

2- Colin Powell

3- Hillary Clinton

4- Joe Biden

5- Kathleen Sebelius

This is not a list of who I think would be the best VP and best future president. On that list, Edwards would be number 1. However, that boy has roughly a 0% chance, if you round up, of being chosen. That list, by the way, would not include Gore (a favorite of most folks); he has done the VP thing and really has nothing to add in that regard (I believe he can do a great deal more in a cabinet position). Having said all of that, though, I do think most of these folks are great choices. I put Clark above Powell only because of age (he is 63 & Powell is 71) and I just can’t see an 80 year old running for president, which forces another showdown like we had this year. I have come around more and more to the idea of an HRC VP, though I still think it is an unlikely possibility. Of the last two, Biden is a strong choice given his huge experience (and should I read nothing into his visit to Georgia this week?) and solidly Democratic bent. Sebelius, on the other hand, is too moderate for my tastes (pro-life, pro-gun), though I choose her over other folks because it adds to the revolutionary factor of this year’s elections. Unfortunately, I think they are all a bit of a long shot, though the bottom two are more in the ballpark. As boring as it is, my guess is Obama chooses someone like Bayh, Kaine or (maybe) Daschle.

I guess we will know if a few days.

I know y’all read Poblano every day, but if you don’t, don’t miss this.

It’s extraordinarily important. It describes what it is exactly that the Obama campaign is doing right now, and why that matters.

For someone who is as nervous as the rest of you (?) about the ultimate outcome in November, my posts so far would seem to say: “Don’t strain yourself.”

You may have missed this little nugget from Willie Brown’s column on SFGate today:

Here’s a prediction: Colin Powell is going to endorse Barack Obama.

I’m not pulling this out of thin air. I’m basing my forecast on a series of phone calls that I received this week. I can’t say who called me, but I can tell you one of the questions I was asked:

“What do you think the reaction would be if former Secretary of State Colin Powell – a Republican – introduced Democrat Obama at his big acceptance speech at Mile High Stadium after being made the nominee?”

My reply: “It would seal the deal. It would be the presidency.”

I don’t think Powell will go to Denver for the Democratic National Convention, but based on the recent conversations, I have to believe that something big is in the works.

Unlike Willie Brown, I *do* think Powell will in Denver.  I’ve recently be predicting that he will be there the night before to give an acceptance speech as Obama’s running mate.  A surprise introduction of Obama on Thursday night is conceivable as well, I suppose.