What You and Joe the Plumber Have in Common

During the first 10 minutes of the third and final debate between Obama and McCain, someone named "Joe the plumber" was mentioned 13 times, according to Philip Elliott of The Associated Press. Fox News says, the now famous plumber's name was mentioned by McCain and Obama a total of 26 times throughout the debate.

Already, every major news organization has done a piece on Joe the Plumber. He's been interviewed by CNN, Fox News, and the rest. And there's more to come. In fact, I just came across this on the Fox News website:

"Joe Wurzelbacher will appear on FOX News Channel's Huckabee program in an exclusive prime time interview to air this Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The show will re-air on Sunday night, also at 8 p.m. ET. Wurzelbacher will appear on the program with his son and father."

During the October 15th debate, McCain injected Joe into the debate by telling Obama, "Joe wants to buy the business that he has been in for all of these years, worked 10, 12 hours a day. And he wanted to buy the business but he looked at your tax plan and he saw that he was going to pay much higher taxes... You were going to put him in a higher tax bracket, which was going to increase his taxes, which was going to cause him not to be able to employ people, which Joe was trying to realize the American dream."

Isn't it ironic that someone from an Obama campaign event ended up being McCain's best hope for points in the debate? Politics is a game of sudden twists.

McCain grabbed onto the Joe thing with bulldog tenacity, sensing that Joe gave him a golden opportunity to dress up the tax issue in flesh and bone. Later in the debate, McCain, said with emphasis, his eyes fixed on the camera, "Joe, I want to tell you, I'll not only help you buy that business that you worked your whole life for and I'll keep your taxes low and I'll provide available and affordable health care for you and your employees. And I will not stand for a tax increase on small-business income."

That came across as quite effective, and it probably scored the most points for McCain in the whole debate. Joe the Plumber might have become a winning ticket for McCain the Candidate.

Who is this average Joe, who has become the standard bearer for America's middle class, and an effective weapon on McCain's lips, if not the anchor of the senator's presidential hopes?

His full name is Samuel Joe Wurzelbacher, and he is a plumber who lives in Ohio. The plumber attended an Obama rally in Toledo. At the event, Joe told the Democrat nominee that Obama's plan to raise taxes on those making $250,000 or more would prevent him from buying the plumbing business, where he currently works. Obama responded to Joe by using the phrase "spreading the wealth", words which McCain seized upon to drive home his point that Obama's tax plan is bad for small business. Joe said Obama's response made him "uneasy".

Joe the Plumber is not saying who he'll vote for. To those who are curious to know how Joe will vote, the plumber says, "That's for me and a button to know."

Obviously, Joe the Plumber has given voice to those who are troubled by Obama's plan to increase the tax burden on individuals and businesses making $250K and higher. To make matters worse, Obama has not yet explained if his $250,000 ceiling refers to gross or net income. That clarification could mean a world of difference to so many Americans, and could mean votes too. That's important.

When asked later about his new-found national fame, Joe replied, "It's pretty surreal, man, my name being mentioned in a presidential campaign." Then he indicated that he might just capitalize on his popularity for his plumbing career.

All the tabloid juice aside, here is the really important question for those who care about higher taxes on anyone. What happens if Joe decides to buy the plumbing business, begins to make $250,000 per year, and President Obama raises his taxes?

He will do exactly what every "rich" business person does every time they have to pay more in taxes: Joe will reckon the new taxes as additional cost of doing business. Then he will find a way to pass that cost on to his customers by charging them more for his plumbing service. That's the way it works in the real world of business, and that's what it means when you hear people say, "Rich people don't pay taxes."

Every entrepreneur went into business to make a profit. While higher taxes may reduce the profit margin, a true entrepreneur will always find a way to "trickle down" the tax burden in the same way that the business passes down the cost when the business owner has to pay more for supplies, equipment, real estate or anything having to do with operating the business.

The same math magic works in the fuel industry: Say, politicians raise taxes on Exxon Mobil, the rich oil company. OK. All right. What does Exxon Mobil do? Don't worry, Exxon Mobil knows the game. Here it goes: raise the price gas stations pay for their supply of fuel. What will the owner of the gas station down your street do? That's right: raise your gas price at the pump.

So who ends up paying for the higher tax that Obama will levy on "Joe the Plumber" (the typical business)? You and I do. How? The next time you need a plumber, you'll pay for fixing your kitchen sink or unclogging your bathtub.

In a free market economy, higher taxes on business always mean higher prices for consumers who pay for goods and services.

One more point: If it does not make business sense for Joe the Plumber to raise the price on consumers, then he'll cut cost, say, by laying off an employee or two, or by not hiring a new worker. Also, the employer can respond to a tax hike by not giving employees a pay raise or a promotion that might require higher pay. Whatever way you cut it, it's the little guy who ends up paying the burden of higher taxes "on the rich". Beware!

Bottom line is whenever Uncle Sam raises taxes on Joe the Plumber (small or big business), we all end up paying more or losing more. That's what the rich and the politician have figured out, and what everybody else has yet to.

Actually, Joe the Plumber is not a licensed plumber yet. He has to take his state test first. That means his question to Obama was little more than a hypothetical, though the same cannot be said of Obama's response. Anyway, Joe the Plumber is the one Joe that's no longer an average Joe. Not bad for a guy who became famous at an event he never attended, a debate to which he was not even invited.

Conservatives Will Vote for John McCain Anyway; Here is Why

In a previous article, I highlighted 8 reasons proving that John McCain looks more like a Democrat than a Republican. For practical purposes, Senator McCain is a Democrat in disguise.

That is one of the main reasons why the senator's presidential race with Barack Obama remains a close one. He's running as a moderate Democrat, similar to what Hillary Clinton did during the latter part of the primary election season. By the way, former President Bill Clinton used the same strategy; he ran as a moderate Democrat.

Worse than being a Democrat impostor, Senator McCain has been consistently bashing and blasting President Bush, the real conservative and current standard bearer of the Republican Party. McCain is running against Bush, as though Bush were his opponent or enemy. As one who voted for President Bush, the "compassionate conservative", I really have a problem with McCain's angry Bush bashing.

So, if McCain is more like a Democrat, and he's dumping on the Republican President Bush, why are millions of conservative Republicans gearing up to vote for this man, rather than holding him accountable for betraying his party and conservative principles, and turning on the leader of his own party under the cover of "maverick"? Here are some reasons...

1. Conservative voters have talked themselves into the "lesser of two evils" philosophy. McCain is a lesser evil than Obama. What a smooth way to compromise your core principle!

2. Conservatives don't want to be branded "single-issue voters". They've believed conservative radio talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity that, in the 2008 elections, winning is everything. Even if we conservatives have to vote for an alien, let's do so; at least that's not Obama.

3. Conservatives have nowhere else to go, short of not voting at all. But if you really stand for principle, shouldn't you be able to do just that some times? Or at least, you should vote for a third-party candidate, who may not win, but you would have not sold your soul in the name of voting the party line. Whatever happened to "our conservative principles"?

4. Conservatives are betting on McCain for the sake of judicial appointments. They have convinced themselves that John McCain will appoint "strict constructionists", who will "interpret the constitution", not "legislate from the bench". That means pro-life judges, of course. Good talking points, but how do they know McCain will keep his campaign promise on this? If the man has flip flopped on numerous issues before, who's to say he won't do so when it comes time to appointing judges?

5. Many conservatives will vote McCain, because they say Obama is "Muslim", which may be code for "He's black." (Check out the article, "6 Other Ways to Say 'He's Black'.) These conservatives' fear of or hatred for Obama drives them into the arms of McCain, who is actually ashamed to be lumped together with conservative Republicans, except for their votes come elections day.

6. Millions of conservative voters are hoping that a vote for John McCain is actually a de facto proxy ballot for Sarah Palin, the true conservative. These conservatives see McCain as merely a front, a figurehead, the shortest route to electing President Sarah Palin. Now, they may be onto something there, when you take Senator McCain's age and health into account. If elected, it is likely McCain may not serve out his term(s), and when that happens, the conservative grassroots will get their big wish of keeping the White House.

For these and other reasons, our conservative fellow citizens don't mind leaving this country in the hands of the party that has brought us this low, with our international reputation in the trash bin, our economy in the dumps, our president having no clue of how to fix any of it.

John McCain, A Democrat in Disguise; Here Is Proof

We know John McCain. A conservative he ain't. And conservatives know that. McCain is what Democrats typically used to be in the 1960s, what some Southern Democrats still are. Today, to shield the true identity of such politicians, we call them moderate, or in McCain's case, "maverick".

What's the evidence that Senator McCain is a moderate Democrat rather than a conservative Republican? I could give you a long list, but let's cite the major points.

1. Joe Liberman would not passionately support a true conservative. The only difference between John McCain and his pal, Joe Liberman, is party tag. To be fair, McCain has a pro-life voting record, but since he does not campaign on that record, we could assume that he votes pro-life as membership due in the hierarchy of the Republican Party.

2. Until John McCain flip flopped on illegal immigration, he was for putting undocumented immigrants on the path to citizenship. That's a Democrat position.

3. Until John McCain converted, he had been against offshore drilling for years. That's a liberal stance. Now, he's all "drill, baby, drill" or "drill here, drill now, pay less."

4. John McCain supports embryonic stem cell research. That's a liberal posture. Truly pro-life conservatives are set against the destruction of human embryos for stem cell research.

5. John McCain agrees with Al Gore that global warming is man-made. That is a liberal ideology. Conservatives who accept the notion that the global climate is warming do not attribute the rise in temperature to human activity. So McCain sides with liberals in this debate.

6. Since the Wall Street melt down, Senator McCain has railed against greed on Wall Street. If you didn't know he was a Republican, you would think the man is a populist like liberal John Democrat John Edwards.

7. John McCain says practically nothing for the pro-life agenda, which is the holy grill of Christian conservatives. Again, it seems like he doesn't want America to know that he's pro-life. Oh yeh, he mentions that he's against abortion, when he's behind closed doors with conservatives.

8. Senator McCain's latest liberal stunt came during his debate with fellow Democrat Barack Obama on October 7, 2008, at Belmont University. McCain proposed to spend $300 billion of taxpayer money to buy all the bad home mortgages in America. This new proposal seals McCain's Democrat credentials. This, in addition to the $700 billion bailout that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson got from Congress. Wow! McCain wants to get the federal government $1 trillion deep into the home mortgage business? What is fiscally conservative about that? Based on this stunt, who's the greater liberal, who's the socialist, Barack Obama or John McCain? I say, John McCain wins the label hands down!

This idea did not originate with McCain by any means. It's been talked about and written about by some economists and regular people alike, in fact by Search Warp's own Terry Mitchell. And let me add that I really like the proposal to help out homeowners by buying up their distressed mortgages in order to restructure their loans. I just want to point out that this plan does not fit the profile of the fiscal conservative that McCain claims to be. He may be putting forth this plan as a way to resurrect his falling poll numbers, but the fact remains that McCain doesn't mind winning this election as a pseudo conservative, an actual liberal.

Yes, he's still talking tax cut, but what national politician is not offering to cut our taxes these days?

So if John McCain has so little in common with conservative Republicans, why will they vote for him? Well, that's the subject of the next article, "Conservatives Will Vote for McCain Anyway; Here is Why."

Obama and McCain Break Even in Second Presidential Debate

With barely 28 days before the November 4th presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, just about broke even in their second debate that took place on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at Belmont University, a Christian (Baptist) institution in Nashville, Tennessee. Tom Brokaw of NBC served as moderator.

The candidates were asked 21 excellent questions, to which they responded with fewer specific answers but more talking points from their campaign trails. Some of the questions were asked by members from a special audience of 80 undecided voters, who enjoyed special seating in the debate hall. I have listed the questions here, with the answers or no-answers from the candidates.

1. From the audience: What's the fastest and best way to help Americans suffering from the economic crisis?
=> Obama: general response
=> McCain will use $300 billion of taxpayer money to buy up all bad mortgages. This is a new plan from the McCain camp.

2. Who would you appoint as Treasury Secretary?
=> McCain: somebody Americans can trust.
=> Obama: William Buffett is one possibility.

3. From Oliver Clark: What's in the bailout package that will actually help American homeowners?
=> McCain: "You call it a bailout; I call it a rescue package." He spoke about how the Democrat-run Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac caused the current economic crisis.
=> Obama said without the package, credit would dry up, companies would be unable to borrow and meet payroll, and that may lead to job losses.

4. Do you think the economy will get worse before it gets better?
=> Obama: the bailout will help.
=> McCain praises the strength and ingenuity of American workers.

5. From Teresa Finch: How can we trust either of you with our money when both parties got us into this crisis?
=> Obama: I understand your frustration and cynicism. He contrasts the economy under President G.W. Bush with that under former President Clinton. Obama says his targeted spending will result in net spending cuts. (Independent sources dispute that claim.)
=> McCain: "I understand why you feel cynicism and mistrust." He recites his record of bipartisanship, saying solving our problems will require reaching across the aisle to work with members of all parties. He calls Obama a liberal, who has proposed $850 billion in new spending.

6. What will be your order of priorities: health care, energy, and entitlements (Social Security and Medicare)?
=> McCain: "We can do them all at once." He then recounts his bipartisan record that will help him do all of the above without giving one priority over the other.
=> Obama: "We're going to have to prioritize just like families do." He'll prioritize not just spending but taxes as well. His priority order is energy, $15 billion per year over 10 years; health care; education. He'll eliminate programs that don't work.

7. What sacrifices will you ask every American to make to ease the economic crisis?
=> McCain will implement a spending freeze; will cut defense spending.
=> Obama will provide incentives for Americans to buy fuel-efficient cars. He will double the size of the Peace Corps, so young people can serve.

8. How do Americans break the bad habit of too much debt and easy credit?
=> Obama agrees with the premise of the question, but he does not answer the question; goes on to spout unrelated talking points.
=> McCain says Obama wants to raise taxes. "I'll leave tax rates alone." He will increase child tax credit to $7,000 per dependent child. (That dodges the question too.)

9. Will you give Congress a date (2 years) to reform Social Security and Medicare?
=> Obama: we can't fix entitlement programs without addressing taxes. He will cut taxes for anyone making $250,000 or less.
=> McCain: "It's easy to fix Social Security; it's not hard." Medicare will be tougher to fix. It will take bipartisan effort. He says Obama has voted 94 times to raise taxes and has never in his political career supported a bill to lower taxes.

10. From Ingrid Jackson: What would you do within your first 2 years on the environment?
=> McCain bemoans the seriousness of a "damaged planet". He says the best fix is nuclear power, which does not pollute. He favors drilling for oil here at home, which will lower energy cost for Americans, though the use of petro may further pollute the environment.
=> Obama will create a new energy economy that will hire 5 million new workers. He sees the energy issue as a national security issue, because using alternative fuel will mean not buying petro from nations that mean us harm. He will invest in solar, wind, and other alternatives to petroleum. He says McCain voted 23 times against alternative fuel.

11. Should we fund one big energy project or several alternative energy efforts?
=> McCain will use a government effort coupled with the private sector.
=> Obama: no answer

12. Do you think health care should be treated as a commodity?
=> Obama speaks of lowering health care cost by using electronic records. No one should be excluded from coverage because of pre-existing condition.
=> McCain supports using online record too. He will set up community health care centers. He says Obama will impose mandates and fines on small businesses and families, if they don't participate in the Obama health care plan. McCain will give health care tax credit of $5,000, which people can use to shop around, even across state borders, for the best health care deals.

13. Is health care a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?
=> McCain: health care is a responsibility for every individual.
=> Obama: health care is a right for every American. He says the $5,000 tax credit that McCain promises will be taken back from the taxpayer through payroll deductions. "What the right hand giveth, the left hand taketh away."

14. How will the recent economic distress affect the U.S. ability to be peacemakers?
=> McCain: The United States is the greatest force for good in the world in history.
=> Obama agrees with McCain's statement on America being a force for good.

15. What is your doctrine for using the U.S. military for humanitarian purposes?
=> Obama: We should use our military for humanitarian reasons, but we must work in concert with our international allies, because we can't be everywhere.
=> McCain: We should temper our decision to use the military with our ability to beneficially affect the situation. We don't want a repeat of what happened in Somalia.

16. From Katie Hamm: Should the U.S. respect Pakistani sovereignty or ignore it to pursue Al Qaeda?
=> Obama won't cuddle a dictator like the Bush administration did for General Musharraf, former leader of Pakistan, who received American money but was signing peace agreements with the Taliban. If Osama bin Laden is in sight, and Pakistan won't get him, we should act to kill him within the borders of Pakistan.
=> McCain: We won't telegraph our punches. He dismisses Obama's tough talk, which McCain says will turn the local population against the U.S.

17. How will you reorganize the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan?
=> Obama will withdraw troops from Iraq to send to Afghanistan. He'll work to have an Afghan government that is responsive to its people.
=> McCain agrees with Obama that more troops are needed. He won't abandon Afghanistan like the U.S. did in the past.

18. From Terry Shirey: How can we apply pressure on Russia without restarting a cold war?
=> McCain wants Russia to understand there will be penalties for aggressive behavior, like what Russia did recently by invading neighboring Georgia. He will support effort to bring former soviet democracies into NATO.
=> Obama will do more than give moral support to those nations. He will help them rebuild their countries. We must anticipate problems before they happen; we have been reactive. Russia is using petro money to intimidate her neighbors. When the U.S. and those other nations around Russa switch to alternative energy, Russia will have less money from petroleum to use against her neighbors.

19. Is Russia under Putin an "Evil Empire"?
=> Obama: No, but there are nationalists within the government.
=> McCain: No. "I looked in Putin's eyes and saw three letters: a K, a G, and a B." Putin still operates like the KGB that he was.

20. From the audience: If Iran attacks Israel, would you commit U.S. troops to support Israel?
=> McCain: Yes, even though that will mean we'll have to sort out some issues with China and Russia, who will not like our military action in support of Israel.
=> Obama: We don't give the U.N. veto power over what America would do in such a situation. But we must keep all options on the table, including talking to our enemies.

21. What don't you know and how will you learn it?
=> Obama will learn from his wife, Michelle, what he doesn't know. (A joke, I think.) He says the challenge of the presidency is not what you know but the problems you don't expect that can consume your time and energy.
=> McCain: "What I don't know is what all of us don't know." He says there will be new challenges, there will always be the unexpected.

Conclusion
=> The town hall setting is home turf for McCain, who enjoys engaging members of the audience. McCain was not as condescending towards Obama in this debate. This time, he did not repeat too many of those "Obama doesn't understand, Obama is naive, Obama's foreign policy is dangerous." And he did manage to say once, "I agree with Senator Obama", or something to that effect. Coming from McCain, that was huge. But he might have erased his points on congeniality when he referred to Obama as "that one". McCain needed to win big if he is to regain momentum in the national polls, but he probably fell short of that threshold.
=> Obama drastically cut back on his many instances of "I agree with John McCain, and John McCain is right" on foreign policy discussions. Also, Obama seems to be mastering the art of connecting with individual persons who ask him specific questions. It seems like Obama is behaving like former President Clinton in his personal touch and eye contact with voters. Obama is also Clintonesque in looking like a teacher-politician, who simplifies the issues. Either Mr. Clinton has been coaching Obama, or the latter has been watching Clinton campaign and debate tapes. There is just too much Clintonian similarity in Obama's style to be incidental.
=> Strikingly, McCain did not bring up Obama's association with Bill Ayres, an issue that the McCain camp has recently resurrected. Similarly, Obama bypassed McCain's link to the S&L scandal. A game of chicken there -- seems like either man was waiting for the other to go first on this line of mud-slinging attacks.
=> Over all, I grade the debate as a tie, but I do give Obama the edge simply, because McCain failed to dominate the town hall style that is his cup of tea, and Obama was able to hold his own on foreign policy. It should be pointed out that McCain is demonstrating greater knowledge of economic issues, and when he chooses to, he is naturally better at giving short, direct answers to questions than Obama.

The third debate between the candidates is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The theme of that final debate will be domestic and economic policy. Bob Schieffer will be the moderator. Many believe that theme should favor Obama in lieu of the current economic meltdown. But don't count Senator McCain out just yet; he's been doing much better at discussing economic issues. Keep in mind that McCain has made several comebacks in this campaign, not to mention the dramatic comebacks that form the narrative of his exceptional life.

Double Standard Politics

The 2008 presidential election season has no doubt been historic. For obvious reasons, which have been cited to death: Hillary Clinton, the first female candidate to win nearly 18 million votes; Barack Obama, the first black candidate to win the nomination of a major political party in America; Sarah Palin, the first female VP candidate for the Republican Party.

This election season has also been historic for another reason, a more personal one. Millions of people, myself included, are rethinking our political alignments. The double standard with which leading conservative Evangelicals have treated John McCain and Barack Obama has given me sufficient cause to question my politically conservative tendencies. In fact, I'm kicking the whole partisan bin; it's no longer my thing.

An article entitled "The Double Standard of American Politics" spells out some of the downright hypocrisies of my conservative buddies throughout this electoral season. Concerning Barack Obama, the writer says, "if you're black, raised by a single mother, lived on food stamps, help the community, get into Harvard, become the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, build a great campaign organization from scratch, and are voted to be the presidential nominee by millions of people, you are just uppity."

Based on the above referenced article, let's pose some rhetorical questions for reflection, or just for the fun of it:

Educational Background

• Is it true that at the Naval Academy, John McCain graduated 894 out of 899? If the name were changed to Barack Obama, would not conservative radio and media personalities be shining the spotlight on his qualification to lead America?
• Had John McCain graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, as Barack did, would conservatives not be cheerleading him as the smartest man who ever ran for the highest office, instead of painting him as an empty suit puffed with nothing but sweet-sounding words?

Approach to Diplomacy

• Did not this Republican administration (John McCain's political cousins) hold talks with Iran and North Korea? And did they not call that diplomacy? But then we should label it "appeasement" when Barack Obama proposes talking not only to our friends but to our enemies as well?

Charisma & Political Skill

• If it were possible under the sun for John McCain to motivate and appeal to more than two million Americans and bring them into the political process, won't McCain be hailed as the political genius of our time? But when Barack Obama achieves this great feat, he is attacked as having an over-inflated ego, thinking he's the Messiah?

• If John McCain had defeated the politician machine of the Bush dynasty, as Obama overcame the combined political talents and charisma of both Bill and Hillary Clinton, would McCain not have been lauded as nothing less than a political Albert Einstein for having the organizing skills to win that uphill battle?

It is getting more and more evident that the ability to keep America divided along partisan lines has become a booming industry to both the left and right wings of American politics. One can only hope that were not the case.

Will John McCain Be America's Temper Tantrum President?

Barely two hours after being on the phone with Senator Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for president, Arizona Senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain took to a microphone to announce to the world he was putting his campaign on hold. He announced he was headed to Washington to play superman in making sure that Congress produces the $700 billion bailout for Wall Street.

In the same photo-opp stunt, Senator McCain also said he was not going to show up for his scheduled debate with Obama in Oxford, Mississippi, unless the bailout package was certain.

That was around 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 24.

Obviously the move blind-sided Senator Obama, who responded with shock at McCain's impromptu announcement. Of course, Mr. Obama might have been faking ignorance, as politicians often do. Or did McCain give him no hints at all?

Did Mr. McCain even consult the Presidential Debate Committee, which has been planning the first of three debates between the two candidates? Perhaps, but who can be sure?

While staunch McCainaics call the senator's move "brilliant" or "patriotic" (it seems everything McCain says or does is patriotic to some degree), some of us are left scratching our itchy heads as to what Candidate John McCain is up to now. Who can tell what other unseen rabbit he'll pull out of his hat next. But whatever his political motive is this time, Senator McCain may have helped to reinforce suspicions about his shaky, bumpy temperament.

These suspicions first took on steam back in 1999 when McCain faced off Mr. George Bush during the Republican primary. Fellow politicians who know the Arizona Senator best have often testified to his fiery temper and outbursts of tantrums.

Scott Thomsen, writing from Phoenix on Sunday, October 31, 1999, cites The Arizona Republic, which wanted "the nation to know about the 'volcanic' temper McCain has unleashed on several top state officials."

That article stated, "Those who have been on the receiving end of a McCain uproar include Republican Gov. Jane Hull, former Republican Gov. Rose Mofford and former Democratic Mayor Paul Johnson of Phoenix... If McCain is truly a serious contender for the presidency, it is time the rest of the nation learned about the John McCain we know in Arizona. There is also reason to seriously question whether he has the temperament, and the political approach and skills, we want in the next president of the United States."

Other colleagues of the senior senator label McCain's temper tantrums as "passion" for his constituents and for the issues he believes in.

It should be noted that political science professor, Larry Sabato, points out that a President McCain would not have a monopoly on presidential tirades. Professor Sabato says Presidents LBJ, Nixon, and Clinton displayed First Temper before the eyes of the American people.

While that may well be the case, it was not true that those leaders were KNOWN as temperamental, on their way to the oval office. Well, I guess one could say, with McCain, we know exactly what we're getting. Still, it is one thing for a national leader to get angry every now and then. That's called being human. But erratic flares and sudden emotional flips are quite something else. And that has been part of the McCain experience we are supposed to adore.

Now, one of the most important prerogatives of the American President is to be the only one who has full access to the doom's day button of the nation's nuclear weapon arsenal. In that vein, ponder this somber scenario: President McCain has his fingers on the nuclear button, sort of stroking it. No problem there. Well, then the Russian army invades Georgia again. Is the American Commander In Chief getting a bright idea already, one of those hot Phoenix summer feelings? Next, Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev, being coached by Prime Minister Putin, and tagged team by his visiting buddy Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, dials up the American President and intentionally tries to get under his skin, tick him off, knowing he's a man of sudden rage. Mr. Medvedev warns, no, he threatens President McCain, "Chief Yankee, you've better butt out of Russian affairs. We're taking Georgia back, and there's nothing you can do about it. We've got the Chinese, the South Americans, and most of the Arabs on our side. As for Europe, they can't do without our oil, so we're not even worried about them. We are back! Now, smoke that, or as we prefer to say here in wintry Russia, drink that hot stuff -- vodka, that is! What you're gonna do, Mr. President of the ever dwindling empire? Ha-ha-ha!"

Did I say, that by noon on Thursday, September 25, Senator McCain had suddenly flipped, saying he was ready again to walk into the presidential debate hall? What had changed about the bailout? Well, no much, really. Only looks like the senator's superman feat had fallen flat, failing to impress most Americans, except McCainaics, of course.

This man keeps turning presidential politics into a better soap opera than any politics addict could ever dream of. He may well be destined for Hollywood, after all. He already has a great story line anyway. Add all the drama and waterfall emotional highs and lows, and you've probably got a thriller there, especially with the Vietnam hero and veteran politician playing himself, Maverick par excellence.

Don't mean to scare anyone, but Mr. McCain behaves too panicky. And please spare us this military bravery stuff -- for the millionth time. We're talking TODAY. And right now, Mr. McCain acts erratic, a little too temperamental to ease our minds in a nuclearized world, where America is being, not only hated by a growing number of countries, but also isolated and often provoked on purpose.

Will we be able to sleep soundly come night time, knowing who's manning that nuclear remote, as our Commander In Chief? Will he be able to keep his cool when provoked by a rogue nation, or a global power player? Serious doubts.

Frankly, a person of my ilk may have little choice but to keep his heart in his throat, or give up the ghost far ahead of an aging CIC, not to mention one who's experienced in temper politics. No wonder the folk keep reminding us that John McCain has "the experience".

Fred Thompson Makes the Best Case for John McCain, But...

After watching former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson give the keynote address on Tuesday night at the Republican Convention, one comes away wondering where all that fire power was when Mr. Thompson ran in the Republican primary earlier this year. Senator Thompson's speech is the first rousing speech at the Republicans' show to nominate Senator John McCain for president of the United States. Even President Bush's address via satellite was rather flat and lifeless, which is not surprising, judging from the tenuous relations between the President and Senator McCain, dating back to Mr. Bush's campaign's hostile treatment of the senator during the 2000 Republican primary season. John McCain did not really want Mr. Bush on the floor of the convention, and with the satellite deal, the Republican candidate can somewhat dodge the "McCain-Bush twain" mockery from Democratic quarters.

Senator Thompson, the former actor, took the stage and took the delegates for a ride. He gave a narrative of Senator McCain's life that succeeded in painting a much more graphic portrait than even the videos of the McCain's life shown at the convention into its second day. I was simply moved by Mr. Thompson's presentation of the presidential candidate. One might even say, Thompson introduces McCain better than McCain himself is capable of doing. It was an A+ speech that underscored the generational military service of the McCain clan, stretching as back to the 19th century, and as current as deployment in Iraq. Thompson narrated McCain's 5-year torture-laden captivity in Vietnam with the touch of a master story teller, punctuating every little important detail, yet holding the greater theme of service and "Country First" right before the nation's eyes.

Simply put, Senator Thompson's portrait of Senator McCain seemed to have lit the flame of pure patriotism in the hearts of all grateful and proud Americans, especially the delegates assembled at St. Paul.

Yes, Senator Thompson did manage to slip through some red meat for partisan Republicans by taking numerous jabs at the Obama-Biden Democratic ticket. He poked fun at Obama's inexperience and the Democrat's tendency towards higher taxes on businesses, which Thompson humorously pointed out will affect everyday Americans. It was amazing how Mr. Thompson tactfully wove all that together, especially with the added bonus of making it hard to tell if the speaker was reading from a teleprompter. Simply brilliant.

Nevertheless, like the thematic banners and background images displayed at the Republican Convention, Mr. Thompson's speech missed the boat in no small way by sticking almost exclusively to a national security genre. American voters have made it clear in no uncertain terms that this presidential election is not going to be primarily decided on which candidate will do a better job at defending America against terrorists and other enemies. The real bump in the road for the "Country First" security-minded Republican Convention is that we already have a president of McCain's kindred spirit in the White House right now, a president who is as militant about national security as any patriotic American can get. Yet there is no real proof that America is more secure now under President Bush than when he first took office. Except for the vague explanation, "There has not been another attack since 911," there is no solid evidence that our nation's security has improved under G.W. Bush.

So one big question begs to be answered: What will President McCain do to secure America that President Bush has not done, or is not currently doing? And if President McCain will do nearly or exactly the same things that President Bush has done for our national security, then how can Candidate McCain still contend that electing him to succeed Mr. Bush represents bringing change to Washington?

Thus, while it is true that Fred Thompson succeeded in making the best case for McCain as the war hero, who has served this country his entire adult life, it may be the wrong case that Senator Thompson has laid out in such a strong way. It's like going in the wrong direction at a faster speed; you may get there quicker, but you'll soon find out it's not the destination you desired.

Unless the remaining two days of the Republican Convention makes a U-Turn and puts the spotlight on the economy, rather than mention economic issues in passing, like using partisan attack lines about "tax and spend" liberals, the McCain-Palin ticket may be in for an ice-cold shower on November 4th. According to poll after poll, when millions of Americans choose a president on that day, they won't be thinking so much of Osama bin Laden as they will be about runaway foreclosures, unemployment, the rising cost of health care and college, bank closings, less money for the family's groceries, alternative energy that will eventually wean America off of petroleum, and other bread-and-butter matters.

While securing America remains an important agenda for whoever will be elected president, the majority of American voters have made it known that a Democratic administration will do just as good a job defending and protecting this land of liberty as a Republican one will. What Americans doubt is that whether a Republican president will do any better to turn this economy around than the current administration has done. Right now, it seems like Democrats have the edge when it comes to the question of, "Who is more likely to improve the economy for the folk on Main Street?". Until the Republican ticket can make a strong case that McCain-Palin will do a better job at restoring the economy to health, I'm afraid the war-hero path may not lead to Pennsylvania Avenue for the Republicans, not this year.

Senator McCain has admitted that the economy is not his strong suit. The time may be ripe for the senator to change suits. But even if Mr. McCain chooses to remain in his military suit, that should not take away from Mr. Thompson's great speech about his one-time rival for the Republican nomination.

The Unluckiest Man in American Politics

This addict of politics is beginning to feel sorry for Arizona Senator John McCain, presumptive nominee of America's Republican Party. How can one not sympathize with a man who keeps getting the raw edge of circumstances and fate tag-teamed against him? The man has been through so much, from his five years of torture at the hands of his Vietnamese captors, to being crudely booted by the campaign of George W. Bush in the Republican 2000 primary season. Let's highlight McCain's catalog of woe.

Because of President Bush's abysmal popularity rating (I still think Mr. Bush is the same good man I voted for), coupled with a pained economy, the senator is forced to run against the current standard bearer of his own party. One would think George Bush were some kind of left-wing tax-and-spend liberal from the extreme wing of the Democratic Party. How can John McCain be trying so hard to win the hearts and minds of the ultra-conservative base of the Republican Party, those who believe exactly like George Bush, while distancing himself from President Bush, one of the most conservative leaders the party and country have ever seen? The biggest problem with this anti-Bush campaign is that Senator McCain has a voting record that shows most of the time he has voted with the President on the major issues. It's hard to duck that voting record, and the Democrats are making it harder for Mr. McCain with their "Bush-McCain" tag and "John McCain has voted 90 percent of the time with George Bush".

John McCain has positioned himself to run as a Washington outsider. He's now making the case that he will be an agent of change. And with his recent pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his veep, Senator McCain has argued that like, Gov. Palin, he is the maverick who can change Washington just like the Governor has done in Alaska. This is a very awkward position for the senator, since Mr. McCain has been in Congress for 26 years, and he has little record to show for taking the lead to bring the major change he now wants to champion. Why wait until your 72nd birthday before you wake up to your destiny as the change agent America has been waiting for all these years, the change agent who can end our dependence on foreign petro, transition us to alternative energy, fix Social Security, healthcare, and immigration? Again, Senator McCain has a difficult case to make as Mr. Maverick Change Agent.

To make matters worse, Candidate McCain has made experience a centerpiece of his campaign against Barack Obama, whom, we must admit, has very little public service experience, compared to Mr. McCain. However, for McCain, the problem with this "ready to lead from day one" argument is that it emphasizes Washington experience, the very thing that Mr. McCain now sounds like he hates and wants very much to change. If Washington is the problem you want to solve, how can you in the same campaign brag about your experience in Washington as a primary reason for your qualification to be president? Are we missing something here?

Unfortunately, the senator was forced into another "rock and a hard place" situation when it came to choosing a running mate. He wanted to make sure he won over those female voters from the other side, those Hillary Clinton women who are angry with Obama for slighting their beloved feminist fighter with her 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling of a male-dominated society. The thing is that the vast majority of those Hillary girls are stauchly pro-choice, wanting Roe v. Wade to remain the law of the land. At the same time that McCain badly wanted those pro-choice Clintonites to win, he had to also please the one-issue pro-life members of his party. He sought to solve this dilemma by selecting Gov. Palin, a woman, yes, but who is as conservative as you get in American politics. Well, the senator did deliver the red meat the right wingers craved, but he might have sent those Hillary pro-choicers scattering to the winds. The guy just doesn't seem to get any easy choices.

As if that were not enough problem for Mr. McCain to sort through, here comes Gustav, that massive storm, which has already killed 80 people in Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica, according to an AFP report. News report of the storm has all but taken McCain and his historic VP pick off the television screen, off the front page. To add fuel to fire, McCain, who is already running against George Bush, against Washington, and against Obama, must now contest Mother Nature also? How unlucky can you get! If John McCain pulls off a win against the media coverage of Gustav, rather than the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, he may yet add another medal to his war hero image.

But at this point, in the McCain vs. Gustav match up, it seems Mother Nature has the upper hand, though we don't want to count the good ole soldier out just yet. Plans for the first day of the Republican Convention have been scraped to just absolutely necessary business agenda, stuff you could do in a committee meeting, the really boring stuff that deserves no news coverage. President Bush and Vice President Cheeney have cancelled plans to attend the GOP show. Now that may be a God-send, since it provides the perfect caveat for McCain to avoid the Bush fever of unpopularity by association. Mr. Bush's presence would have strengthened the Democrat's "Bush-McCain" attack, especially had President Bush spoken at the GOP Convention. For once, Senator McCain can breathe a sigh of relief there. Even an unlucky man deserves a break every now and then.

On this Gustav crashing of John McCain's party in St. Paul, if we were in an African village we would quickly see it as witchcraft for sure, a curse, an omen, a spell from hell. But of course, in these civilized parts of the globe, we are not that superstitious, so we settle for calling Gustav storming down the opening day of the Republican Convention a mere coincidence, pure chance, or perhaps an "Act of God", but just that and nothing more.

It never ceases to amaze me just how unfair life can be, despite our modern tolerance for positive thinking, "the law of attraction", and motivational tips like that. Life remains flat out unfair at times, and in Senator McCain's case, that has been exactly the case, with few exceptional breaks notwithstanding. Someone tell us, Why must John McCain have to get the blunt of the blade for what seems like most of the time? Vietnam tortured him for five years. He returned from his POW experience only to be shunned by a nation ungrateful for his immense sacrifice. In 2000, the George Bush campaign sabotaged Senator McCain's chances for the White House. Lately, Obama and the Democrats had their big political show in Denver without distraction, coming out of there better than expected. And now when it's McCain's time to shine on a stage all to himself, here comes Mr. Gustav, or is it Mrs. Gustav? It's just not fair, and this political junkie feels mighty sorry for this brave American. I may vote John McCain after all, though I have not appreciated some of his so-called maverick treatment of conservatives. Call it a sympathy vote, but the man deserves a break, and voting McCain would be much better than sitting this election out anyway. Yeah, make America's unluckiest man President McCain, so he can get double for his trouble.

John McCain's Pick for Vice President: What It Reveals About the Man

By selecting Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain has revealed several things about his character. Is he brilliant? Has seen proven that he is now a listener to his partisans? Or McCain has shown something not so flattering about this man?

By choosing Mrs. Palin, Senator McCain has done the following, for better or for worse:

Senator McCain has destroyed his most persistent attack on Barack Obama as lacking the experience to be commander-in-chief. This 44-year-old first-term governor of two years is hardly the one with the experience to take over as president should anything happen to John McCain. How can experience be such a big deal for Obama but not for McCain's running mate?

The senator has lost credibility on the national security issue, which he says is the most important issue in this presidential election. How can he, with a straight face, say that Sarah Palin is ready to serve as national security champion, especially with reference to international affairs, when he at the same time alleges that Obama is not qualified to play that role? With all due respect, Mrs. Pilan is a close to zero international experience as Senator McCain could have come. The whole experience attack is now off the table; it no longer has credibility on the McCain side.

Mr. McCain has certainly lost his maverick credentials. It's a pathetic joke to say that McCain's choice of Palin is a "maverick" move, because the governor has been a maverick change agent in Alaska just as McCain has been in Washington. McCain chickened out of his original leaning to have picked a pro-choice running mate. Remember that McCain floated the idea of a pro-abortion VP in some of his town hall meetings, until Republican partisans began to shoot down the notion. Whatever happened to Maverick McCain? Poof, he's vanished! We are left with this new McCain who bends over backwards to kiss the feet of die-hard right wingers, who insisted on a prolife running mate for the senator.

Senator McCain proves he is a desperate man. He is desperate to win this election at all costs and by all means. His selection of Palin is for one reason alone: get those Hillary Clinton female voters, who just can't get over the defeat of Mrs. Clinton. But wait! Didn't 27% of Mrs. Clinton's supporters already say they'd vote for McCain anyway? Perhaps the senator did not want to take any chances by taking those Clintonites at their word. Mr. McCain seems to be admitting that there is no way he can become president of the United States with those precious female voters of Clinton's.

Age seems to have played a major role in driving Mr. McCain to this desperate end. The senator, who turns 72 today (August 29, 2008), realizes that age is not on his side. This is probably his one last shot at the presidency, and this sense of desperation has driven the man to pick this virtually unknown governor. Simply put, McCain picked Palin, a woman, because Obama did not pick Hillary Clinton, a woman. McCain wants to outdo Obama on the female twist. And with that, we are supposed to start looking at McCain as the history maker, attempting to give America its first female vice president? Boy, are we impressed?!

Furthermore, rather than take initiative like a true leader with years of that important "experience", Mr. McCain has chosen to be purely reactionary in his choice of VP. He waited for Obama to make the first move in picking a running mate. Then McCain reacted to Obama's choice. There is no rule on the books that says McCain had to wait for Obama before he could pick his own running mate. Is that the kind of leadership America needs or wants ~ someone who will be reactive rather than proactive?

What a pitiful move on Senator McCain's part after the Democrats had such a blast of a convention this week! Let's hope the Republican convention to start on Monday, September 1^st, will help to rescue John McCain from the impact of this poor choice for a running mate.

If Senator McCain's VP choice proves anything at all, it is the deserved cynicism that politics is anything but a game. And in this case, the political game for John McCain was to change the subject. That, we must admit, he has done in such a crafty way here. Tell you who's going to be one of the happiest men in these weeks leading up to the November elections: Rush Limbaugh ~ that's who, that was the conservative heavyweight that McCain chose to please by placing the nationally unknown Mrs. Sarah Pilan on the Republican ticket.

Good play, John McCain, good game. That only makes Senators McCain and Obama little more than typical politicians fully devoted to the game of politics, which means almost nothing will change after the elections. Don't hold your breath, people, there will be no meaningful change in the daunting challenges that America faces. Come January 2009 and it will be same old same old in the United States of America. Oh, how I wish to be proven wrong by either President McCain or President Obama.

The Main Reasons Why Barack Obama May Lose the Elections

The wonder of the 2008 presidential contest between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain is that it is still a contest at all. Of course, we may tote the tired line that polls prior to the political parties' conventions mean little or nothing. But one can't help but wonder why this race is a contest at all.

You can bet your horse, if you have one, Democrats are very nervous already. Some party leaders are still questioning Barack's judgment. "Why didn't Obama put Hillary on the ticket as his VP, if winning the presidency was his number objective? How will Joe Biden help him win those angry Hillary supporters, not to mention those battleground states?"

Here is why John McCain should be trailing Barack Obama by at least 10 percentage points at this point in the game:

1. Economic Recession: The economy is in the tank, with failing banks, high gasoline price, rising food price, and floods of foreclosures as the housing sector swims in the sewer of recession.

2. Unpopular President: For months now, President George Bush's job approval rating has been in the 20s and low 30s. As of August 24, a CNN poll showed the president with a 30 percent approval by Americans.

3. McCain Attachment to the Bush Agenda: If you can believe some of the reports and talking points, Senator John McCain has voted with Mr. Bush about 90 to 95 percent of the time. That means, there is no way McCain can be regarded by American voters as a change agent, since he may be able to only deliver a 10 percent change different from the Bush agenda.

In spite of all these factors favorable to a Democratic landslide in November, Barack Obama is in a dead heat with Senator McCain. If this trend continues – Barack losing his lead over McCain, then tied with McCain, and now trailing McCain in the latest Gallup poll – the Democrats may actually see another Republican in the White House, to continue what Democrats like to call "a third Bush term".

What is going on? Political pundits are awash with theories as to the reason for the close contest between Obama and McCain. Here is my best bag of speculation.

One reason is that domestic issues have been truncated by international concerns. The leading culprit is Russia's invasion of Georgia. To make matters worse, Russia is on track to annex parts of Georgia. Such a turn of affairs usually favors the Republican hawkish tendency. It may actually be Vladimir Putin of Russia who who defeats Barack Obama on November 4^th. What does not seem to make sense about America's preference for McCain in dealing with the Russian-Georgian crisis, though, is that Russia has boldly marched into Georgia under the very nose of a Republican president, despite President Bush's warnings, rebukes and threats aimed at Russia. What is a President McCain going to do to the Russians that President Bush has not been able to do – start bombing Moscow?

Another reason: The harsh attacks on Barack Obama by fellow Democrats during the primary season have come home to roost. Those relentless attacks have taken their toll on the political junkie, and they may yet do further damage. The McCain campaign has seized the audios and videos of the repeated pounding against Obama of "lack of experience" and "not ready to lead" by Senators Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries. McCain does not even need to use his own words, except to say, "I am John McCain, and I approve this message", every time they play the words of Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden (now Obama's VP), slamming Barack for his perceived inexperience.

A third reason: Clever underhand maneuvers by the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party are starting to undermine Obama's chances of winning this race. As some of us have maintained for months now, it does not serve Hillary's presidential aspirations for Obama to be elected President of the United States. If Barack wins, Mrs. Clinton may have to wait for 8 years before she can make a second run for the White House. But if McCain wins, she can run again as early as 2012.

Fourth reason: Hillary Clinton supporters have now gone beyond partisan politics to religious zeal and devotion to their defeated candidate, whom they now treat as a feminist deity, a goddess, whose worship deserves any level of sacrifice they can make, even if it means the forfeiture of the presidency by the Democrats in 2008. There is hardly anything Mrs. Clinton can say to dissuade these ardent worshipers, not to mention that, to these disciples, Clinton's hidden actions and visible body language speak much louder than any clarion call she may send forth for her followers to vote Obama for president. Besides, the Clintonites will love nothing less than to suck it to the likes of Michelle Obama, Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi, and the entire Barack wing of the Democratic Party. Barack's loss will amount to the biggest "We told you so" from the Clinton establishment.

Sixth reason: The Rev. Jeremiah Wright hangover has helped to create or confirm doubts about a black man that may be too liberal for America. Though from everything the nation has observed so far, Barack does not seem to share Rev. Wright's militant spirit, a good number of white voters may harbor sufficient doubts to tilt the elections in McCain's favor. At present it seems the only black man some white voters can accept is someone like General Collin Powell, who has an approval rating in the 70s.

True, there is enough time for things to change, but right now, one cannot but ask, "Is there still hope for Barack Obama to win on November 4^th?"

If there is such a hope, it may come from two sources. One is Obama's own "audacity" to hope against hope. Boy, does he need that "audacity of hope" right now?!

The other source of hope is something that some die-hard Obamaians have floated. They suggest that the traditional polls being taken by CNN, Gallup, and other pollsters are missing an important demographic ~ the cellphone generation of young (college) voters, who proved to be firebrands for the Obama movement during the primary elections. Those who hold this view say that traditional pollsters normally call landlines, not cellphone numbers, to poll voters. Mr. Obama can only hope that there is some truth to that rumor, which may serve as his trump card come elections day. We shall see.

Note: Your comments to this article are more than appreciated.

Barack Obama & John McCain: Flip Flop Comparison Chart

Both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have done the flip on major issues. Saying that one man is a bigger flip flopper than the other is like getting out a scale to weigh their summer sauts to decide which man is the greater flipper flopper. Obama and McCain are well matched in the flip flop arena. It does not seem like McCain's greater age and experience give him an edge over the younger Obama when it comes to the skill of flip flopping.

The list of tumbles is too long to continue here. It includes changes of positions on national security, foreign policy, domestic policy, energy policy, etc. But you can find more flip flops by Senators Obama and McCain on these links:

=> For a complete list of Barack Obama flip flops, click here.

=> For a complete list of John McCain flip flops, click here.

What these men have done is make flip flops so common that before this elections season is over, Americans will be desensitized to flip flops by politicians. As we've been lied to by our parents, pastors, priests, players, politicians and other people of influence, so that we say hopelessly and simply, "Everybody lies". So, in future elections, whether local or national, flip flops (lying) will become a minor thing to worry about, unless it is something like perjury or "lying under oath". We are poised to start saying with reference to politicians, "Everybody flip flops".

Barack Obama Flip Flops Again - Good!

It was just yesterday that I blogged that Senator Barack Obama would lose the 2008 presidential elections to Senator John McCain over the biggest issue of this time: energy. My prediction was that Obama's insistence on toting the party line against offshore drilling puts him on the wrong side of the sensible majority of the American public, who have made it known that they want America to drill for its own oil.

I even emailed the Obama Campaign about this, and I suppose countless other Obama admirers did the same.

Well, guess what? It seems like Obama has already felt the heat and smelled the coffee. He is now modifying his position, saying he is open to offshore drilling, depending on how the plan is structured. Good for this guy, he's not afraid of flip flopping, since changing position on any issue fits right into his template of being the "change candidate".

Because Obama was/is a far left liberal, every flip flop moves him closer to the moderate end of the ideological spectrum. I kind of like that.

You know, something in me told me that Obama would prove to be a real politician by changing his position on this matter, once he was convinced that he was losing the popular support for more drilling.

So after months of singing the anti-drilling song, "We can't drill our way out of this," Barack Obama is about to join a different choir, singing, "We can partly drill our way out of high gas prices."

Instead of being upset with Obama for flipping, I'm actually elated that he's coming around to the American people's side on this all-important issue, while he still has time.

Next, let's watch, listen and see if Mr. Obama actually believes in offshore drilling now and will begin to hammer the point as part of a comprehensive energy solution that will both lower gas prices immediately and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil eventually.

Keep flipping and flopping, Barack Obama, and you might just become President Obama, after all. I'd rather have you do 360s on important issues that you are wrong on than stick to your far-left guns and bite the dust on November 4th.

There are bad flip flops, and there are good flip flops. This was certainly a good one. Is there another on the way, Obama, Sir? I sure hope so...

Is Barack Obama Arrogant? That's a Good Thing!

What is this thing about Barack Obama being arrogant, having a big ego, and so forth?

In lieu of Obama being a black man, it is good that he comes across as proud and large. In America, a black man is supposed to appear timid and ignorant, not knowing what he's doing. After all, the black man is supposed to look and act inferior to the white man. And when he does not fit the mold, he's attacked as if he's out of place.

What John McCain and some in the US media are describing as presumptuous and arrogant is rather seen by millions of us as confident and intelligent. And it's about time for us to see a black man cast himself as a natural leader.

Yes, a black guy that dares to know what he is doing! What a change! And the McCain camp just can't stand it, or may be they choose not to understand it.

Call Obama arrogant, because he dares to look presidential. But it is McCain who continues to be whinny and nick picky. You call him presumptuous; we call him presidential. You call him arrogant; we see him as confident and intelligent.

What am I missing? When a white presidential candidate does and sounds the same as Barack Obama, he is called presidential and confident. But when a black guy follows suit, he's attacked as presumptuous and arrogant.

I guess arrogance is in the eye of the beholder.

Mental Recession? What was John McCain’s Phil Graham Thinking?

In response to what many Americans are feeling and saying about the dire condition of America’s current economic downturn, Senator Phil Graham, with the McCain campaign, said, “You’ve heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession”. That’s a new one for me and for many others: “mental recession”.

Some consider Phil Graham the “econ brain” of John McCain. If that’s the case, then McCain really has a serious problem on his political hands. His primary economic policy craftsman is calling this pinch millions of us are feeling just a “mental” thing? Just a figment of our imagination? It’s all in our heads and not in our pocketbooks, bank accounts, and paychecks?

Tell that to my wife, the lovely Harriet, who would be glad to take Phil Graham to Wal-Mart to buy groceries for the Matally family. She tells me that our grocery bill has more than doubled; that’s 127% to be exact. I thought that was real. But Graham says we’re only dreaming? It’s all in our minds? Wow.

So, what’s mental about four-bucks-per-gallon gasoline? Actually it’s three pennies less, thanks to the Kroger Plus Shopper’s Card.

While Mr. Graham may call our economic woes mental, there is nothing mental about the damage he has done to his candidate. Ouch! If John McCain had been struggling to get a grip on America’s economic reality, then his econ brain has just set him way back and dug him into a very deep, dark hole. It will take much more than distancing himself from Phil’s remarks for McCain to begin to recover from this devastation.

To make matters worse, John McCain was the guy who confessed that the economy was not his strong suit.

If John McCain loses the November 4th election, it will be because of the economy. And the callous, careless bashing of hurting Americans by Phil Graham will be a big part of the reason for McCain’s great loss.

This election won’t be about Iraq or the war on terror, unless Iran does something really stupid or scary. The elections will be about the American economy and its woes, and if McCain’s econ brain considers that a fantasy problem, he’s in for a rude awakening on November 4th.

“Mental recession”! Tell that to the truck drivers. Tell that to the airlines. Tell that to Dana Corporation that has just closed its doors, leaving hundreds of employees in the heat. Tell that to the Executive Inn Hotel, and its workers, who just went out of business. Tell that to God’s Outreach, the food distribution warehouse in Western Kentucky, that has lost so many of its donors due to the sluggish economy. Tell that to the one million people who have just filed bankruptcy. Tell that to the millions facing the prospects of losing their homes, because they can no longer afford to make mortgage payments on their homes.

All this means one thing: real people are finding it hard to eat, pay their bills, and get around, Mr. Phil Graham. And you dare call it “mental recession”? Have you seen that the price for a barrel of oil hit $147 just this week? What is Phil Graham smoking? A cigar called Senatorium or something worse?

If McCain really understands the seriousness of this issue, he would not only distance himself from Senator Graham’s rants, but he would dump this guy who seems to have no clue. Phil Graham is the one who’s sleeping, who’s shielded by Washington’s veil from the every person’s plight on Main Street. This guy is imagining the recession away; he and McCain will need to do more than blast us for saying things are bad out here.

No, we are not acting like “a nation of whiners”, and there is nothing mental about our financial straights, except for the mental frustration some of us are experiencing. It is Phil Graham who is suffering from a mental non-recession. He is the one that needs to wake up.

Thanks in advance for your apologies, Phil, but I’m afraid you’re cooked. It’s over for you, man; you may be losing your Senate seat over this, unless you fight like hell to hold on with the skin of your teeth.

“Mental recession”! Boo…