Joe the Senator

Kenneth W. Chandler

Sarah Palin threw her hands in the air and she waved them like she just didn’t care, as Amy Poehler rapped about her killing moose and stumping about Billy Ayers. Palin’s record-breaking appearance on Saturday Night Live certainly helped introduce some light-heartedness into an otherwise increasingly intense, contentious, overwrought campaign season. The problem for the McCain camp is that it increased her celebrity role while continuing to negate any substance. Ironic, sense Obama had been accused of the same thing a few short months ago. I feel like the campaign has descended into fifth grade antics anyway – “don’t vote for him, he hung out with that meanie who said bad things”; “vote for us, I’m so popular and hot.” Sadly, just like in fifth grade, some will follow-suit accordingly. Meanwhile, Senator Biden sits in the corner spectating, advocating strongly for his President, speaking directly to the issues and we failed to notice. It’s as if we waved our hands in the air and we really didn’t care in his case.

Sarah Plain and Perilous

Lewis C. Miller

I really wanted to avoid making a full-length post about Sarah Palin. Really, I did. For the past few weeks I’ve contemplated whether or not to devote my energy to the topic – my colleague Kenneth can attest to that. However, with the convenient outlet that this new blog provides, I can no longer refrain from adding my own diatribe to the ever-growing list of anti-Palin polemics.

I understand that some may read this and label me elitist. Fine. I’m so over that equivocal branding at this point. As I explained in my previous posting, Failure Abounds, “I am not typically a demanding person; however, I do demand that anyone who seeks to run this country be a remarkable individual.” The reality is that Sen. McCain is 72 years old and has had multiple battles with a particularly vicious form of cancer. Such acknowledgement is not “playing the age card,” but rather the simple statement of a relevant fact. If the Republican ticket is elected, Gov. Palin will be closer than a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Failure Abounds: More of the Same

Lewis C. Miller

If there were any residual doubts that a John McCain administration would indeed be “more of the same,” the candidate himself put those doubts to rest earlier today.

During an interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC’s “This Week,” McCain was asked about the extent of the role he played in helping Congress reach a consensus on the “bailout plan” and the claims coming from many Democrats, and even a few Republicans, that his intervention was counterproductive to the process.

 “Whether I helped or hurt, I’ll be glad to accept the judgment of history,” is how the Senator responded. 

It is unprecedented (and almost pitiable) to witness a candidate making such an overt effort to set a disclaimer on a failed presidency that has not yet occurred. And it reeks of George Bush.

Cold, Hard Facts

Lewis C. Miller

One of the most unfortunate consequences of the recent economic crisis that culminated in horrific fashion this week is the crippling blow that has been dealt to agenda of the next President.

When either Senator Obama or Senator McCain takes office in January, they will do so with an increasingly diminished ability to change the course of this country, a goal that a substantial majority of Americans believe is necessary. Before proceeding, I must confess that, like Senator McCain, I am not well versed in the intricate fundamentals of the economy (I do however acknowledge that those fundamentals have been exposed as deficient, unlike Senator McCain).

A Unique Creature?

Gov. Sarah Palin, much like the current Vice President, appears unwilling to specify which branch of government her position would belong to should the McCain-Palin (Palin-McCain?) ticket win in November. 

This blatant reluctance of Gov. Palin to provide an answer to this most straighforward of inquiries (no unwarranted blaming an overzealous media on this one, Barracuda) raises two important questions.

The first is whether this is an indication that a McCain administration would continue to puruse the unrestrained (and unmonitored) role that Dick Cheney has made for himself as VP? Secondly (and relatedly), does Gov. Palin not wish to place a limit on the extent of her potential power or does she simply not understand the nature of the vice presidency? 

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Posted by Lewis