Wednesday Morning

Oh to wake up early on Wednesday morning to know that we did the correct thing by being on the right side of history. To wake up to a "job well done". That our nation voted for hope and the future. That we all put the racism aside that has plagued us for all these many years. That we elected Barack Obama as the next president of this glorious nation.

This is the dream that so many are hoping to experience. But we will have to get past those old negative tapes in our collective soul and reach for the noble lever on the eternal election machine. To go with youth, intelligence, and vision over age-old political think, pessimism, and a narrowing view of the world.

If one would look closely at the polls these past four weeks one would have great hope that all of this will be accomplished on Election Day. All of the signs point to a sweeping Democratic victory. An opportunity to once and for all change a trajectory that has favored the rich and pampered over the tired middle and the struggling poor. No, nirvana will not have been reached and much will be left aside that should be corrected. But a certain step towards making our nation whole for all its people will be something that should be applauded.

Yet until that Wednesday morning arrives, all of this will be a dream. So much can go wrong in this last weekend of the long election cycle. A final McCain arrow might actually find its fertile target deep within a haunted American psyche. It has not happened yet but with so many paying full attention and contemplating their vote, none of us can be certain what the final outcome will be.

So the next ninety-six hours or so will be nervous ones for those who see so much to be won by an Obama victory. The anxiety for those on the Obama side is not rooted in a hatred for McCain (although much negativity is instilled by McCain's VP choice) but by the expectations that the Illinois Senator's election will go a long way to heal our nation and bring us on a new path of righteousness and healing. Obama might not be a perfect messenger and he might still lack all the experience we would want in the person who will be at the helm of the country, but his candidacy really is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity that cannot go unfulfilled. May Wednesday morning bring beams of sunshine from one coast to another and may we all, no matter what our background, join in and and sing, "We Have Overcome!".

A Baseball Interlude

In a way it is poetic justice that rain has fallen on baseball's parade. The same rain that has been dampening the two presidential candidates' jaunts through the Keystone state that just happens to be the site of that very same World Series.

Sometimes it is good for the soul to experience the actual changing of summer into autumn. The suspension of the baseball championships is being viewed universally as a disaster for a sport hungering for a large post season viewing audience. But the rain drops and dark weather that have taken over Philadelphia are giving the players a moment to pause before taking the final actions in a season so unexpected for the participants of the two teams.

When if ever, has a game been stopped in the middle of the sixth inning with the score tied and so much riding on the outcome? When if ever, has one game gone from one day to another day to another day with nothing changing? This break, though torture for the FOX network, gives those baseball purists who like things to last as long as possible, a unique opportunity to wonder what each team's manager's strategy will be in what is essence a three and a half inning contest for the ages.

In a similar vein, seeing pictures of Obama in the rain and of McCain having to cancel a rally in Quakertown, gives a bit more drama to their own championship bout. On Wednesday, the two will have gone on ahead of the Phillies and Rays, to sunny Florida, where the senses and emotions of the four seasons never hit.

A chill in the air, some wind dusting up around the crowd, and some meaningful rain showers are what everyone needs as the long election race winds down to a dwindling few days. One would hope that all of us would take one last moment to contemplate the meaning of this election and the stark positions of the two men running for the presidency. One would hope that Americans would look hard at the young lanky man from Illinois and the grizzled Air Force veteran from Arizona and then go and cast a vote that all of us knows is so important.

But this moment of solemnity will only last for twenty four hours. Obama will be on the networks Wednesday night followed by those precious innings that the two baseball teams will compete. The ads and talking heads will come back to try and convince us to vote for our most shallow concerns. The hope here is that the time off will produce a crisp clean battle in Citizens Park in Philly and an Election Day where millions of Americans will vote their dreams and hopes over fear and doom.

Sarah Ambitious

The roaring locomotive that is Sarah Palin is moving out front once again. The woman whose ambition knows no bounds is finding her voice on the campaign trail. The new energy and confidence exhibited by the Alaska governor is aimed at being a boon to her own future not as a help towards her tired old running mate.

The irony is that John McCain's staff did not closely look into Sarah Palin's meteoric political rise. If they did they would have realized that Palin uses everyone for her own advancement. She ratted out the head of the Alaska GOP for making a few political calls/emails while he was on government time. Instead of looking the other way, she cast aside her one time mentor.

Indeed, scores of ordinary folks in hometown Wasilla were pushed away by the eager young mayor. Instead of forging alliances and moving slowly, Mayor Palin took a me vs. them approach to local politics and government in the once sleepy Anchorage suburb.

When she took over the reins of the state, Palin quickly exhibited the same propensity for putting her own cronies in power and axing all that were deemed blocking her agenda and her path to greater glory. Now as the presidential campaign hits its waning days, Palin is sensing that McCain is a wounded duck that needs to be drowned.

The best example would be the recent Brian Williams/NBC interviews where without much prompting, Palin chides in with her own opinions. Perhaps three or four weeks ago, Palin would have played the dutiful VP candidate and only speak up when specifically addressed. This is no longer the case. More and more, Palin's extreme views on abortion, government's role, climate change and other areas are coming to the forefront as she boldly breaks from the chains that the McCain camp thought they had tied securely to her.

All of this is being done to push Sarah. She is not a dummy and is looking beyond what is almost definitely going to be a Republican drubbing. Palin hopes to become the nominal head of a smaller, leaner, and more religiously conservative national Republican Party. This might be good for her but it is also good for the rest of America which looks poised to elect Barack Obama. The make-up, the clothes, the unwavering right-wing views, are not selling with the majority of the nation and are helping to finish that McCain drowning.

Palin is a character right out of Shakespeare. She is good in many things and knows it. She would never hesitate to plunge that proverbial dagger into a modern day Caesar. But what she does not realize is that most of the nation (if the current polling can be depended upon) has moved away from the niche group that she looks to take control of. The thought here is that she remains genuine to her cause and not feign a new independent course that would fool millions of Americans in a future election and take over the leadership of the country. As John McCain and so many others have found out, ultimate power is what drives this woman and we as a freedom loving people do not need to experience such cunning ambition.

Food Stamps & Fried Chicken

The now infamous "food stamp" broadside originates from right here - western San Bernardino County. Located some forty miles due west of Los Angeles, the growing communities of Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, and Chino Hills are now the focal point of national attention over the overtly racist political depiction of Senator Obama inside a food stamp bill decorated with ribs, chicken, kool-aid, and watermelon.

The sad part of this episode is that the area is truly a melting pot of various ethnic groups and economic classes. The perpetrators of the guilty hit piece are the usually quiet and dignified Chaffey Community Republican Women. The group of leading civic women (and by association, elected Republican men) are now being seen as an insular, out of touch, and perhaps racist group. The action of a few of their members who put together the newsletter where the offending Obama depiction was found, casts aspersion on the rest of the area's population.

In so much as something like this has not happened before, one must go outside the women's group to find the real source of such hateful politics. And that is not hard to trace. The campaigns of Senator McCain and Governor Palin over the last three weeks have gone over the line in their portrayal of their Democratic rival.

It is one thing to point out inconsistent statements, perceived lack of experience, and a "liberal" voting record. Unfortunately, it is entirely not right to paint your opponent as "palling around with terrorists", "not sharing American values", and using other coded messages to stir up fear and anxiety among many voters.

Once the national campaign gets sidetracked with such negativity, it would not be hard to imagine local grassroots followers picking up the theme and putting their own take on the message. We would have to assume that the Chaffey women (and most likely other groups throughout the nation) got caught up in the anti-Obama hysteria as they put out their offensive material.

Much has been written about the growing anger being shown at McCain/Palin rallies. The Chaffey incident is a direct response to all of this. With only a bit more than two weeks left in the hard fought campaign, one wonders that if McCain did a 180% about face and called off all the negativity, whether it would be too late as the proverbial cat has already been let loose from its box.

Joe Six-Pack; Joe the Plumber; Joe ...

Desperate campaigns try desperate things. The writing was on the wall when before the end of the Democratic Convention in Denver, John McCain plucked the obscure Sarah Palin from far away Alaska. As reported here earlier, the McCain campaign had to know that they had to shake things up to have any chance at this election. Ducking and hiding the new VP candidate, McCain was able to pull into a virtual tie with Senator Obama for about two weeks. But reality struck when Palin finally began talking to the press and the world markets began to crash. The close race evaporated and Obama has now pulled out a lead of between seven and ten points.

Realizing that the Palin effect was going sour, the McCain camp began a series of bizarre efforts to turn the race around again. First, the Arizona Senator decided to "suspend" his campaign to help with the passage of the $700 billion bail-out plan. When he did not receive many kudos for that performance, the McCain leadership decided (and decided in a very public manner) that they were going to defeat Obama on his "weak personal character". Out came speeches and ads trying to connect Obama with former 1960's radical turned college educational professor, William Ayers. Sensing that this supposed relationship was not hurting Obama, McCain had Palin ratchet up the rhetoric at her rallies, decrying the Illinois Senator as a "terrorist" and "not one of us". Crowds picked up on this angry line of attack and soon some in the rabid crowds were calling for Obama's head.

With the third and final debate quickly coming upon them, someone in McCain's camp came across the video of Obama talking to a bald headed, tough looking white guy from Toledo. The single dad, Joe Wurzelbacher, complained to Obama that the Democrat's tax plan would punish him if he purchased the plumbing company he currently works for.

Sensing an opening, and a chance for McCain to finally show his economic bona fides, "Joe the Plumber" was born. McCain used Joe's moniker over twenty times in last night's Hofstra University debate. Joe was to be seen as the real life cousin of Sarah Palin's fictitious, Joe Six-Pack. It was not too hard a stretch to imagine Joe out with his beer drinking buddies at the local bowling alley, pouring disdain on the "effete" Obama and his "class warfare" tax policies. From a distance it would seem that the plucking of the once unknown Toledo Joe might in fact become a last minute brilliant move.

Oh, but just like Palin before him, no one in the McCain campaign decided to get down and dirty and check out Joe's background. As this blog is posted we are learning more and more about this American everyman. We now know that Joe goes to your house without a license. We know that he has worked for about six years as a plumber. We know that he is not a fan of Social Security or any government health care. We also know that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average plumber (licensed) made $47,350 in 2007. Judging by his house, where Joe basked in the light of one interview after another, we can tell that Joe is probably in the lower end of the middle class. With credit tight and things difficult, we also can question whether Joe is as close to making the business purchase that he so boldly stated that was so imminent, when he confronted Obama. We also do not know why Joe is a single dad and whether he has ever gotten that government assistance that he so readily dismisses.

It is now crunch time in the election. No more face to face meetings between the candidates. In fact, thousands of citizens in most states are already finished with their voting. The clock is ticking away. Everyone and everything that the McCains have thrown at Obama has failed. In one last desperate move, here comes Joe Wurzelbacher. You can bet that his background and all his opinions and his political ties are being investigated by the mainstream media and thousands of bloggers. If McCain's past choices are a clue, we could expect in a day or two, to no longer see Joe in the bright light of the TV studios as he disappears under that kitchen sink in an anonymous home on a quiet street in Toledo, Ohio.

State Of The Race

We have been spending most of our time dissecting the various issues, personalities, and major events of this epic presidential campaign. But as we move ever so closer to Election Day (literally three weeks plus two days from now), it would be prudent to take a snapshot of where the candidates are at this moment on the all important electoral college.

We would refer our readers to three excellent websites to get latest polling numbers and trends: 538.com, Real Clear Politics, and USA Today.com. These sites hold no particular allegiance to any of the candidates and digest information from a large number of sources. Numbers are crunched and projections are made.

538 places a percentage of winning certitude. Just four weeks ago, McCain was actually at a 52% chance of winning the presidency. Oh, but that was four weeks ago. How things have changed so quickly. As of today (Sunday, October 12), Obama is listed as the favorite at 94%. That leaves McCain at less than a one in ten chance of pulling out a victory. If you are rooting for the Republican, you should take heart that as mentioned above, things can change in a hurry. You also know that Wednesday night's debate will be the last major political event of the season. Unless McCain scores at a minimum, a three run homer, the game changer that everyone is looking for will not happen. On the other hand, there can always be the outside event (i.e. bin Laden's spooky election eve video four years ago) that neither candidate can control and can spice things up.

Over at USA Today, Obama is listed with 248 electoral votes to McCain's 135 (remember 270 is the magic victory number). An incredibly large swath of southern states are considered toss ups. These include: Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Based on past elections and projections by many other experts, this seems a bit of a stretch at this time. It would be hard to believe that McCain is in that much trouble in his base states.

Meanwhile at Real Clear, Obama is over the top with 277 votes to McCain's 158. Real Clear lists 103 votes as up for grabs. What makes this amazing, is that Real Clear gives the aforementioned southern group of states to McCain, and still has Obama winning the election. Even if McCain turned things around and pulled in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Colorado, Obama would still become the next President.

Obviously, the once in a lifetime economic situation, has boosted Obama's campaign to the stratosphere. Hard pressed Americans are looking beyond the cultural issues that Republicans prefer elections to revolve around, and are truly seeking that proverbial change. McCain and his cohorts have tried desperately in the past ten days to turn the election back to a referendum on Obama, his supposed inexperience, his mysterious alliances, and his unorthodox background (read Ivy elitism, his middle name, and if you would, his skin color). As of this moment, almost none of these attacks seem to be sticking. Indeed, Obama's new (perhaps old as we have been watching it for over a year and a half) way of presenting the issues and trying to make elections more of a dialogue, has been working to an extent no one would have thought possible.

As we watch the clock wind down on these twenty-three crucial days, the question will be is the election Obama's to lose or McCain's to win. How each candidate answers will determine how they conduct themselves on the campaign trail, in that crucial debate, and in the advertisements that continually bombard us everyday.

Out Of Ideas

The action is coming quickly now. We used to talk about twenty-four hour news cycles. Now things seem to be changing on the hour. Last night's debate is so yesterday. A speech in the morning is superseded by an attack or response ad in the afternoon. A poll in one state garners attention until another one comes along just minutes later.

The world is spinning at incredible speed. While we sleep, foreign markets seem to be melting down. The Dow is down in the morning but up in early afternoon trading. A bomb blast in Iraq catches our attention until we hear about civilians being killed in Afghanistan.

With so much happening it would seem that the presidential campaigns would have more than enough on their hands to fill their advertisements, speeches, and advocates' appearances on cable talk shows. But for at least one campaign, John McCain's, the real life tragedies are no longer relevant.

Recently, a top McCain aide admitted that if the focus remained on the terrible economic news his candidate would lose the election. True to his words, the campaign with the able help of Sarah Palin, has gone on an irrelevant tangent, targeting Obama's inconsequential brief association with Chicago educator William Ayers. Using Ayers as a jumping point, Palin and to some degree McCain himself, have tried to paint the Illinois Senator as dangerous to America.

The amazing thing is that in past elections, such low- down techniques do get traction, causing doubt about the attacked candidate. But not this time. The always reliable Gallup Poll has shown consistent growth for Obama until this very day when the Democrat has now reached an 11% point lead over McCain.

Based on his debate performances and stump speeches, Senator McCain has shown that he is not in touch with the fast moving serious domestic and foreign issues that now confront us. Totally devoid of positive ideas, the Republican tag team is throwing out invectives that are designed to stir racial hatred. Thankfully, at least at this moment, the American public has shown itself to be too smart for such gutter warfare.

No one should tell Senator McCain to not stop fighting for this election. But do it on the issues, and if he loses, at least he will not have polarized such a large percentage of the population that it will seethe at any ideas brought up by a new President Obama. Our myriad problems are serious and an honest discussion is needed. Anything less demeans all of us and will cause more turmoil in the future.

Decide Already

Every election cycle it comes down to the same thing. Hard core Republicans choose life and family issues and rally around their candidate. Left leaning Democrats see government as a help towards the bettering of the lives of the lower and middle classes and enthusiastically follow their nominee. And a growing number of so called "Independents" sit on the sidelines and act like they need to know more about each candidate and pontificate that they wish someone else was running and refuse to commit to the last moment.

If anything was apparent from the first presidential debate held Friday night it was that there are stark differences in the two contenders. For anyone looking for something new there was nothing there. Both stuck to their well worn ideas; ideas that have now been out there for over a year and a half. Anyone who has had even a passing interest in the election already know where the two men stand. McCain is going to clean up Washington, give tax breaks to the corporations, and will fight America's enemies over there. Obama wants to expand health care for most people, pursue alternative energies, and end the conflict in Iraq. Nothing new was sounded at the debate.

So the question is who are these undecideds (the new buzz word for them is the "persuadables")? And why can't they make up their minds?

For one, many might be following CNN's Lou Dobbs, who recently held his virtual reality "Independent Convention". In Dobbs' view, all problems are so simple. There is an immigration problem so build a wall that reaches to heaven. Take care of the problems at home by totally withdrawing from the world. Fix education with a strong dose of the three R's. But life is much more complex and like them or not, the candidates of the major parties realize that there are millions of people in competing camps over every issue. A skilled politician (leader) must bring many from all sides together to form a consensus.

A second reason, is that labels are out. Being a donkey or elephant is so last year. Be free to pursue whatever you want. Well we have just gone through a few years of this total freedom from rules lifestyle and have now been hit with the ongoing Wall Street crisis. People do not realize that their acceptance of tainted mortgage contracts when they had such little personal equity has now led to a foreclosure meltdown where the greedy lenders have been left holding the bag. A I'll get mine and the hell with everyone else mindset is not the way to function if our nation is to thrive.

Finally, most of us would like those fifteen minutes of fame. As Election Day draws nearer and the debates march on, who are the networks going to ask to be part of their focus groups? Obviously, those who seem not to be partisan and are undecided. Like we mentioned above, can anyone this late in the game truly not know who he or she is going to vote for? That is why the best thing to do is change the channel when these inane debate watchers are being interviewed. It is always the same. So and so seems to be so presidential. So and so seems to really know the facts. So and so seems to be such a strong leader. Please give us all a break. Cut the bull, choose a candidate, and go about your business. And after the election be counted and register for the party that best represents your interests.

A Pox On All Houses

Tear it all up and start all over again. Let the nukes fall where they may as long as the bombing takes place far from America's shores. Wall Street be damned. Brokerage houses, banks, and the established money market can all fail as long as the man on Main Street receives his just recompense. The icebergs can melt and the polar bears can drift off and drown as long as we can get oil for our gas guzzling SUV's. The abortionists, the college elite, and the gays better head for Canada because there is no place for them in this new USA.

These are the sentiments of a growing number of Americans fed up with the ways things are. Salaries are down, prices are up, paying the monthly mortgage is problematic, and the Islamic fascists are growing despite two wars in the Middle East. Maybe, just maybe, it is time for a new revolution where God and guns are given equal value, church attendance would become compulsory, and everyone would stop their education after the twelfth grade.

It is this anti-government, anti-science, anti-liberal, and anti-international opinion that John McCain is ultimately trying to tap into. He has decided to run not as a traditional Republican but as a loose cannon, anything goes, wild west independent. Wall Street is not working so why not fire the bums who caused all the problems. Those terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan need to be ultimately wiped out so why not embark on a one hundred year crusade. And to show up the elite Ivy snobs, why not install the woman from the last frontier to stick it to everyone.

If you look closely at this election it is not hard to see that McCain is running a radical, populist, almost revolutionary right wing campaign. He really is the change agent that will tear down the system that we have now. Of course what will replace it is another thing altogether. McCain increasingly desperate to win the presidency is cobbling together any and all wacko concepts that appeal to the fears that many are now feeling.

It is an interesting twist that ultimately the one who started out on a campaign for change is the true conservative. Obama almost definitely will tweak the military, economic, and governmental engines but embrace what is out there nonetheless. He will protect the minorities, the educational system, and the gay population from the unknowns that could easily boil up from the hate spewing McCain-Palin team.

Obama is the nuanced thinking man who will attempt to bring everyone together to preserve the American way of life that has been with us at least since the days of Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930's. McCain is the wild man who with the help of his Alaskan running mate will destroy the steps that have been taken towards cleaning up our environment, reaching cultural acceptance for our diverse population, and bringing an end to the unpopular Iraq war.

As the economic crisis continues the question will be how many are willing to chuck the institutions that have been leaned on for so many generations to bring such bounty to this country. Those who rail against the eastern establishment and the so called big government folks will hold much of this election in their hands.

McCain Quits

Dateline: Harrisburg, PA Friday October 24 10:30 am
Event: McCain-Palin Joint Rally in front of state capital

First Speaker: Sarah Palin
Thanks to all of you for coming out today. We all know how important this election is. Oh, I see that NRA sign over there. Yes, no one is going to take away our hunting rights. You know, my favorite food is fresh moose stew. I also see those drilling signs. C'mon everybody, Drill, Baby, Drill! Drill! All we have to do is get that Alaska oil pumping and our problems ...

John McCain grabs the microphone from Governor Palin. He interrupts her and asks her to sit down.

Second Speaker: John McCain
I'm sorry to be so rude with Sarah but I can't go on anymore. You know I once was known as the straight shooter. A guy who would tell the truth no matter the consequences. This has always been my guiding principle. It helped me get through that prison experience, my failed first marriage, the Keating loan scandal, and so many other tough situations.
For the past ten days or so I have come to realize many truths. I no longer can look myself in the mirror. Perhaps there were those who pressured me and hijacked my campaign for this most noble of positions. But I can't blame anyone but myself. If I was to be the leader of this great nation then I know that the buck really does stop with me.
So here in Harrisburg in front of all you fine folks who have come out and given up your day of work I want to level with you. I have grown ashamed of this campaign. The lies that have been heaped upon my rival, Senator Obama. The racial innuendo that has crept into my media messages. The simplistic slogans that my running mate has been leading you into. The truth is, that the energy crisis is a lot deeper than the small amount of oil we can get from Alaska and offshore. It is not worth the effort to our beautiful environment and those creatures that inhabit it. None of this oil will eat the market for years to come and will not effect you for at least a decade.
It has been exciting going from town to town talking to so many Americans. But my friends, I am in my early seventies and I now know that I do not have that bounce and stamina that I once had. To think that if I can't give my all to you how unfair that would be. And as much as I have come to enjoy my running mate's positive can-do spirit, I also know that there is no way that she is ready to run this country. If something should happen to me, well, I think many of you get my point.
I will be forever branded and hated by many of my Republican friends for what I am going to say but I am urging all of you to vote for my Democratic opponents, Misters Obama and Biden. They have shown themselves to be fair campaigners and will be honest leaders. Our ticket has run out of any reasons to continue and I love this country too much not to support them and therefore I am going to withdraw from this protracted battle.
Obviously, my name will still be on all ballots. But I am going to direct my campaign leaders to pull all ads and stop all expenditures. I am no longer the man I once was but I want to know that I did the right thing...

Governor Palin takes the microphone.

Isn't this what we have been waiting for. Vote for McCain and I will take over for him and create an America...

Finally, McCain wrests the mic away from Palin.

Sarah, go back to Alaska and finish out your term. Go back to the wilderness and leave the leadership of our precious nation to those trained and ready to govern...

Cindy McCain starts to shake a seemingly disturbed John McCain who is evidently experiencing a bad dream.

My darling, what is bothering you so much? C'mon, get up. We have breakfast planned with Todd and Sarah and then we are on to that rally at the state capitol building.

John looks up at his wife and his sour demeanor gives way to a mischievous smile.

Don't worry honey. I'm okay today and boy, do I have a surprise for everyone.

(Mr. Straight Talk Express please heed the call and follow the dream and let our country move on to a glorious new phase where for the first time in many years we can be truly united as we tackle the tough problems befuddling America.)

The Mugging Of John McCain

What exactly are they doing to John McCain? The so called straight talker and maverick of Washington is looking more and more like a smiling version of Dick Cheney. The man who pleaded for honesty and decency in campaigning is following every move in the Karl Rove playbook.

Something happened to McCain during the Democratic Convention. The polls were pretty close to even but someone on his strategy committee had to have shown him that the "fundamentals" of the election were not in his favor. The economy was in the doldrums and the wars in the Middle East had no end in sight. Democratic registration and enthusiasm and fund raising were through the roof. Defeat was inevitable.

McCain is known as a lone wolf. He is hard headed and certain about his ways of doing things. So why at that moment when the Democrats were meeting in Denver did McCain give in to the neocons and the fundamentalist religious right and change directions?

Why would he pick the unknown Sarah Palin? The real John McCain had to believe in his heart of hearts that she was no way prepared for Washington, DC. Not a shrinking violet, but McCain also became convinced that he might as well throw out that old kitchen sink and attack Obama with lie after lie. Why did this once honorable man become so convinced that he had to run against himself to gain the White House?

One has to wonder if the addition of Karl Rove henchman, Steve Schmidt, was the beginning of a change for the McCain campaign. Surrounded by a new group of radical advisers who would not stop at anything to gain power, McCain became cornered. Joe Lieberman and the rest of the America first foreign policy folks got into McCain's brain and won him over to their extreme positions. McCain could not have made the decision by himself to pick Governor Palin. Christian leaders like James Dobson must have had input on this new darling of the Evangelical movement.

So a moment of crisis was reached. Remember that Palin was essentially picked before Obama's incredible Thursday night speech. McCain had to decide if he would lose honorably (like a Bob Dole) or come out swinging in one last attempt at the prize he had eyed for so long. Money and important endorsements were being held from him if he did not give in to these powerful Republican forces. The maverick faced the reality that his go it alone ways would seal his doom. He looked into his soul and made a deal to give himself up to the political operatives who so masterfully lied and defeated both Gore and Kerry. It was the way of truth or the way of deceit that McCain had to choose from. Mugged from the right, the Arizona senator chose the dishonorable course.

Under his new direction, McCain still might win the presidency. But at what cost to a nation teetering on the abyss and to his own personal values is an answer that we will have to reckon with in the not too distant future.

A Time For Truth

Ironically, it might have been the anti-religious HBO TV host, Bill Maher, who has best put this election into the proper context. On his most recent "Real Time" episode, Maher explained to his guests that it was time to separate the political (i.e. winning strategies) from the truth (i.e. what is best for America).

On CNN, a similar appeal was made by Harvard trained legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. Exasperated by the turn of events in the tone of the presidential campaign he told viewers that it was time for journalists to tell the truth whether people wanted to hear it or not.

Continuing this theme of turning to television for wisdom, we also should mention Stephen Colbert. For Colbert has seen through the political bull for a long time. His entire show is premised upon the concept of "truthiness" where those in power wantonly disregard real truth and throw out claims with no reference to reality or fact knowing that there is a large portion of the American public who are easily swayed by such nonsense.

With lies coming so quickly (yes, often from both sides) and the mantle of religion, morality, and a specific brand of Christianity coming from the Republican Right, we should heed the calls to step outside the bounds of the presidential horse race and face the reality that truth should triumph in this election for the good of us all.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul exhorts, "... whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, ...whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue...think on these things."

With the addition of Bible believing, Evangelical church going Sarah Palin to the McCain ticket, there has been a surge of support and enthusiasm among those who claim a similar view of Jesus. Right or wrong, Palin seems to have a spiritual (and for many a gender and racial and class) connection with this large bloc of voters. No matter how she has performed in the past or how she answers questions in an interview series with ABC, she is seen as the champion of God's causes and the natural pick for Vice-President.

To most Evangelicals, it is imperative that their lives and words reflect God in order to win converts to their side. This is an admirable quality for a group of people who feel they have found Jesus and have the gift of eternal life. But in their zest to win over the unsaved, some may have lost the essence of their Christianity.

God is holy. God is love. God is truth. Whether at the daily work place, in school, at home, or in the arena of politics, a real Christian must reflect these time honored virtues. No one can doubt Sarah Palin's sincerity and life long commitment to her religion. But as she continues her rapid ascent from mayor to governor and perhaps on to Washington, D.C., all of us must suspend our inner prejudices and judge who she is by the only standard we have in these important presidential elections - truth.

Thus, when Palin tells Charlie Gibson that she was always for the "Bridge to Nowhere" when all evidence proves this assertion false, she comes short of the truth. She says she is against earmarks knowing that Alaska is in a unique position and must depend upon such money gathering. When she attempts to speak around the question of the "Bush Doctrine" without honestly saying she does not quite understand the definition, she is being ingenious. We admire her son's decision to join the conflict in Iraq yet she demonstrates no real understanding of the underlying causes of the war by telling the assembled troops in Alaska that they are going overseas to avenge the destruction of September 11.

Politically, Palin might have escaped unscathed from this first set of interviews. She was sometimes forthright, direct, and is always able to connect with the television viewer. But, in this time of trouble, politics as usual must be set aside. Truth is the measure of a candidate's ability. Truth is what is needed to avoid another eight years of a leader who although he went to church and prayed, was not ever prepared to be the President. This political choice by the American people resulted in Iraq, Katrina, and an economic destruction that is ripping away the pillars of our nation.

This is a call for all of us, Christian and non-Christian, black, Hispanic, white, and Asian, male and female, rich and poor, John McCain and Sarah Palin, to look to God, seek for truth and vote for what is best for this nation and the world. Anything short of that will bring continued catastrophe.

Barack Huxtable vs. John McCain Brady

If everything was just so neat and easy. Obviously, Barack, Michelle, and those two adorable children are the twenty-first century Huxtables. Good looking, law abiding, upwardly mobile, urbane African-Americans. Examples to both their own people and the rest of America as to how inner city blacks can put away poverty and reach the upper middle class. A real American success story.

But life is just not that simple. Up against our modern Huxtable show is another program. This one features John and Sarah Brady. You know, a lovable white middle class family. One that looks and acts like so many of the majority white population. There is grandpa patriarch John and his stunning wife, Cindy. Sarah and Todd have a bit of a malfunctioning family that still manages to go to church every Sunday, enjoy the great outdoors, and are content to live within their accepted social status. No going on to Harvard for their children. One is so patriotic that he joined the Army right out of high school while another is having a baby while still in school. And to make things a bit more exciting there is Sarah's sister who takes refuge in the house from a mean spirited husband.

The older John and the younger Sarah are the stars of this new Brady show. They are tough when they have to be and yet so easy to relate to. Especially to the majority white population. TV executives are always looking to reach the desired demographics. The Huxtables are dominating with fellow African-Americans, professional cosmopolitan types, and the college age that always looks for ways to act different from their parents. The Bradys still draw higher ratings because for all its diversity, the nation's TV viewers still skew older, small town, and overly white.

If things were just so simple, we could understand how these two shows would split the ratings with the Bradys perhaps having a bit of an edge. But life is more complicated than that. The folks behind the Bradys were in a panic because the original pilot featuring John and Cindy was not drawing much of a buzz. So back to the drawing board they went and came up with the idea of adding another family to the show. Now this blended family that stretches from seventy-two year old John all the way to newcomer baby Trig has the opportunity to reach all ages. Their new found love of guns and God reach the church demographic. Their home in the Alaska wilderness sits well with those who used to watch Little House On The PraiCrie.

What can the Huxtables do to regain the lead? Not much. If they spice things up and have one of their daughters become pregnant all the fun will come out of the show as viewers will be reminded about the lack of morals that inner city folks supposedly lack. If they give up those hard won jobs that both Barack and Michelle have gained they will look just like so many other African Americans that did not try in school. If they get angry and point out the lack of thinking, sophistication, and utter regard for the underclass that the Bradys exhibit, white viewers will increasingly become scared at the angry black Barack and never turn to that channel again.

Barack and Michelle Huxtable are cute and intelligent blacks. But really, do you want them on your boob tube day after day? Wouldn't you, Mr. and Mrs. white viewer, want someone who is no better than you, someone who you share so much with, someone who you can so easily relate to, to be in your home for the next four years? Wouldn't you?

The American Family

The Republicans have found a new way to focus attention on this election. Issues be damned. Who wants to think about all those pressing problems like high prices, mortgage payments, health care bills, terrorism, wars, and global warming to name just a few. No, what voters want is to feel a close affinity with the next presidential team. Remember in 2004 the real issue boiled down to who would be more fun to go out and drink a beer with - Kerry or Bush. The effete Kerry was no match for the former hard drinking Bush.

The GOP strategists realized that the McCain family could not be the Brady Bunch for the new century. John and his wife had older children (including a child adopted that was non white). That would not be the ticket. So now John and Cindy are taking on the role of the Mertzes and Sarah and Todd are the new Ricardos.

And what a family they are. Just like you and me. Gun toting folks who actually go out to the woods and shoot their own dinner. Die hard snowmobilers. Active parents who still are having children well into their forties. And to trump everything, a teenage daughter who is pregnant and will most likely get hitched as soon as she graduates from high school.

You see, the Palins are "The American Family". They are not black like that other couple. They did not go on to snooty Ivy League schools for educational enlightenment. (Gosh, it doesn't look like any of their kids want to go to college anyway). They are ravenous meat eaters while Michelle and Barack seem oh so picky about their diet. Yeah, they have two cute daughters, but they decided to put up stakes in a leafy Chicago neighborhood that most of us could not buy into.

The Republicans win elections because they have mastered the art of ethnic identification. The country can lose its moorings, thousands can die in a war, millions can lose their homes, and the air that most of us breathe causes all types of sickness. But what the heck? The President can't fix everything.

The advisers around McCain have found their way. They know that Sarah and Todd are relating to so many. Don't most families have pregnant daughters? Don't most families have children from ages 0 to 20 living in one house? Life is hard and the Palins are living proof. No fancy cars, college scholarship funds, or balanced eating plans for this family. Like Bush, the majority of Americans would much rather hang out at the hockey rink with Sarah and company than go to an urban playground and shoot hoops with Barack.

We could only wish that people would wake up to this ploy and realize the opportunity they will be kissing away if they elect McCain and his Northern Exposure partner. Perhaps, the Republicans might panic if the polls don't consistently show them with the best chance of winning this election. Children, guns, and pregnancy might not be enough to reach every American. So could the Palins stretch things out for just a short month or two? Maybe a new revelation that one of their children is gay? That would reach a new demographic. A little drunken driving episode (oh that already happened).

You get the idea. Use the Palins as the ultimate reality show. Keep the ratings up for the next sixty days. Fill the tabloids with all this junk and keep clearer minds from seeking the truth. Hey, what a way to win an election!

Juno For (Vice) President

She was a hit in Wichita, Peoria, and Spokane. She was sassy, outspoken, unnerved, quite articulate, good looking, and able to seduce both a high school friend and a married man who should have looked forward to having Jennifer Garner meet him in bed every night. But the fictitious Juno did not win over the millions of middle Americans who flocked to her quirky independent movie because of all the above strengths. No, she became a hero because she was willing to take her pregnancy to term and put the child up for adoption.

In the battle of life versus choice, nothing stands in the way of the anti-abortionists. No sin, no foul play, no promiscuous spirit can stop any pregnant girl from being a hero if she is willing to do like Juno, and have that baby. Rape, lust, teenage mistake be damned: That baby will be brought to term!

The issues in this presidential election are so strikingly serious: Iraq, Afghanistan, energy, the housing meltdown, loss of jobs, health care, etc. Yet John McCain (and whoever mysteriously counselled him) has turned the election into a real life reality show. Whether Sarah Palin is ready for the White House is not the issue. The McCainites have given us a real Juno story that many can relate to.

Who cares whether Mrs. Palin has only been out of the US only once in her life? Who cares that she has been an avid supporter of Pat Buchanan? Who cares about her somewhat limited educational experience when it comes to national and international issues? Who cares that she once belonged to the secessionist Alaska Independent Party?

What McCain is betting on is that enough Americans (read white women) will come to the defense of this damsel in distress. Her "everydayness" is the root of her appeal. Hey, didn't she show her toughness by keeping that down's syndrome child. And isn't she really America's mom by showering her love for her pregnant seventeen year old daughter (who by the way will marry her hockey star lover) after her high school graduation.

The concept is to take our eyes off of the real problems facing our nation. Really, this is not hard to do. How much of the misery and death happening everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan are ever shown on our TV tubes anyway? The concept for now seems brilliant. Hey bring on more problems. A drunken husband - how many can relate to that. The firing of that Alaska safety official - well wouldn't you do all you can to help your sister in her time of need.

If for two short months, the Palin drama plays out the way it is, McCain could have a good chance of upsetting Obama. But if the real reality ever gets a chance to seep into our minds and hearts, then McCain and his weirdly wild and often wonderful sidekick will be soundly defeated by a public who is tired of being fooled once again.

We Came To Praise Obama and ... Palin?

It's hard keeping up with the news. Imagine the plight of columnists and bloggers who were all set to sing the praises of Barack Obama and the Democrats: How they made peace in the imperial mile high city of Denver, held the coronation of the young Senator Barrackus Obamus, and symbolically put the political daggar into the heart of general Julius McCain even before his own convention circus in Saint Paul. Our words were getting sharpened, our points ready to be made, and our opinions set to be recorded for all posterity.

But just a scant twelve hours or so after the curtain fell on the 84,000 strong Democratic party, word came that McCain had an ace up his sleeve. More accurately, he had bagged big game from the far north. McCain surprised everyone by choosing first term Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, as his newly minted running mate. All of us who write and report on things political, had to "stop the presses" and reset what we were going to comment about.

The first paragraph above is more than enough talk about Obama. It is obvious with his large TV crowd (more watched his speech than did the opening ceremony of the Olympics), his newly minted eight point Gallup spread, and the general feel goodness of all towards the Clintons and Obama's own VP choice, Joe Biden, all seemed well.

McCain must have sensed as much as he made a last minute change in his plans and chose the photogenic Mrs. Palin. All eyes had fallen upon another conservative voice, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. All eyes were wrong. McCain must have seen strong internal polling data and was convinced that a last minute "Hail Mary" choice would be his only chance of winning the election.

By choosing Governor Palin here is what McCain gained:

- The loyalty and enthusiasm of the same Evangelical bloc that supported President Bush.

- A storyline for people to follow in St. Paul and an opportunity to have his own strong TV ratings.

- The chance to reinforce his western style outside the box maverick appeal.

- An opportunity to peel away some middle of the road Hillary Clinton supporters.

By choosing Governor Palin here is what McCain lost:

-Much of his credibility. Over and over again, McCain acknowledged that he was not young and needed the most seasoned person to be his number two.

-A large group of moderate, so called independent voters. By moving so dramatically to his right McCain will no longer be able to win over environmentalists, animal rights activists, moderate pro choice women and men, and many other groups who will look at Governor Palin's statements and record and realize how right wing she really is.

-The trust of GOP leaders. If he was going to pick a religious conservative why not Pawlenty or Governor Huckabee, the former Presidential candidate? If a woman, why now Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson of Texas or his own economic guru, Carly Fiorina? With little regard to gathering the opinions of his party veterans, McCain showed them that he himself would be in charge of things; not them.

-The trust of ordinary citizens. Perhaps Governor Palin will be an incredible quick learn, pick up the vital talking points needed to handle the press and used in debates, and turn this whole thing around for the GOP. But if she stumbles just a bit, people will wonder what other type of "knee-jerk" decisions will this future commander-in-chief make. He already went out on quite a limb with his cold war style reaction to the recent Georgia-Russia conflict. Is McCain the seasoned political pro who can make the nuanced diplomatic decisions needed to keep the country on an even keel or will he throw caution to the wind in order to make political hay?

Thank The Clintons

A little made up tension is not such a bad thing. Of course, anyone with any knowledge of politics knows that Bill and Hillary would come around to fully support Senator Obama. (This is being written just hours before Bill's Wednesday night speech). The two of them are Democrats and any longtime member of a major political party must find a way to bury the hatchet and move on with the majority. The Clintons are not fools and know where their bread is buttered.

But with a convention in Denver devoid of any suspense, as it is already preordained that Obama would receive the nomination, why not add a little drama to the mix to convince people that turning into the convention would be "must see TV". Without the Clinton angle what would the convention have looked like. A bunch of no name politicos praising Obama and raining damnation upon McCain and President Bush. After a few tired speeches (see keynote speaker Mark Warner as an example), the general population would have turned off the cable and broadcast channels airing the Denver love fest and gone back to more entertaining options on their cable boxes.

So in the long run, the so called "Obama-Clinton rift" will be looked at as a blessing. Monday night, over twenty-two million watched as Michelle Obama sang her husband's praises while giving the first salvo of recognition to Hillary. Tuesday night, millions more were riveted as Hillary herself
gave a concise twenty-three minute speech proclaiming her loyalty to Mr. Obama. Instead of a plodding speech by a former president, all eyes are now going to be glued to the screen as Bill reaches within himself to come to peace with his wife's former competitor. And of course, Thursday night promises more excitement as not only Barack Obama accepts an historical nomination but uses part of his precious time to thank the Clintons for their newly found love.

The Democratic Party's long primary battle squeezed the GOP and John McCain off the front pages for months on end and this last bit of suspense has continued the process. The Republicans will be hard pressed to create the Hollywood story that is playing out in Denver and will almost definitely come short in drawing the amount of Americans who watched the Democrat's convention. The fight for unity and hope just still might trump the call for a retreat to the past and a play for the politics of fear and hatred.

The Narrative In Beijing & Denver

NBC paid billions for the Olympics. They would be damned if anything got in their way of scoring high ratings and turning as many bucks as possible. The first week found the Michael Phelps journey falling into their laps. Coupled with the week and a half battle between America's gymnastic sweethearts and the allegedly underage Chinese tumblers, the Olympics took on a life of its own. Night after night the screen was filled with swimming, bikini clad American volleyballers, and high flying gymnasts. Although not quite as exciting to American audiences (at least to NBC's thinking), the network did get a second week boost through the incredible running of the charismatic Jamaican, Usain Bolt.

As long as their main properties were scoring gold, NBC's incoming narrative did not need to be altered. Little was mentioned on the prime time telecasts about the softball team losing to Japan, the lack of medals among America's boxers (usually a big draw), and the ongoing problems with China's government over human rights demonstrations and altering of the Opening Ceremonies. Of course, a bit of this and a bit of that was mentioned and shown, but the lion's share of coverage was already predetermined by the network executives.

We now fast forward to the next big event, this week's Democratic National Convention in Denver. Leading up to the first night's telecast, the cable pundits are all ablaze about the possibility of some of Hillary's ardent supporters holding out on Barack Obama. Interviews with holdout delegates are filling the screen. "Obama dissed us. He did not reach out to us. I will not vote for him."

So the narrative is already in place. Obama must genuflect toward Hillary and her backers or lose the election. This is one of the reasons why our last blog entry entreated Obama to pick Hillary to be his VP choice. If he could fully make up with this large group, the party would have been united before even setting foot in Denver, and all the energy would have been focused on John McCain.

Instead, Obama, for reasons he only knows, chose Joe Biden. Biden, if the Dems win, will be a great Vice-President and should be a great candidate. But Obama missed the point. Hillary came oh-so-close to the nomination and he really had little choice but to choose her as his running mate. Obviously, most of the Clinton folk do not want to lose abortion rights, curtail gay rights, expand medical coverage for most Americans, and end the war in Iraq. For those reasons and others, they will almost all come back in the fold.

But by playing this game with their feelings, Obama has fed into the week's narrative. The broadcasters and reporters are now primed to play the Obama-Clinton rift to its fullest. Never mind, that by week's end the conflict will have settled down. Obama now will have to kiss up to the Clintonites while trying to stare down his up and coming Republican challenger. His need for a single purpose at the Denver convention is up in smoke. Instead of all news items being about the opposition, all we are getting are reports about "behind-the-scenes" negotiations with Hillary.

We will mention this one more time. Obama, this election is not about you. It is about the millions who want "change" and want it now. By being stubborn and refusing to fully embrace what should be his base, he continues to delay the full acceptance of his nomination and is losing the "wow" factor day after day. Time is running out. Biden was good. Hillary would have been better.

McCain Wins

Instant pundit analysis had John McCain the clear instant winner in Saturday night's Rick Warren faith forum held in Lake Forest, California at the huge Saddleback Church. McCain was hailed on CNN and MSNBC for his quick and decisive answers to Warren's questions, his storytelling abilities,and his overall connection to both the TV viewing audience and those watching live at the church.

However, as time moves on from the initial responses, one has to wonder if McCain will still be seen as the victor in the dueling one hour gabfests. A sober look reveals:

- McCain is quick to pull the trigger. When asked about merit pay for teachers and school choice (code for public vouchers for private schooling), McCain literally stopped Warren and screamed out Yes & Yes! No nuance there.

- McCain is playing to the farthest right of the Christian vote. McCain again did not pull any punches with his definition of conception, his support for a Constitutional amendment to ban abortions, and his opposition to gay marriage. McCain did not see any reason to pander towards women's groups, social libertarians, and other more moderate voters.

- McCain loves his military roots. McCain revealed that the most important person he will listen to in his administration will be Iraqi war general, David Petraeus. He told the Russians in no uncertain terms to get out of Georgia immediately. Once, he mixed up Russia with the Soviet Union, which would not be hard for a person weaned on the latter country's cold war dominance. Unsaid was how McCain would pay for possible future war efforts.

- McCain will give them what they want when he knows that what they want will never take hold (interpretation: Oil rules!). McCain is taking a all of the above approach to energy. He supports oil drilling, conservation, clean coal, nuclear,wind etc. Sounded good on TV. Left unsaid was that McCain has voted numerous times to withhold federal funding for many new technologies. Like we said above, he knows most Americans will not read the bottom line and like the snake oil he is pushing.

- McCain can throw out the red meat like the rest of the GOP leadership. He especially enjoyed attacking the four more "liberal" Supreme Court justices and claimed he will pick "strict constructionist" judges if elected. Once again, this was a line to the Far Right that he had their back on issues such as gay rights and abortion access.

Finally, one has to wonder if this initial faith forum will now be penciled in for future election cycles. There is no problem with two candidates discussing some of their faith and Christian values. However, what will be the disadvantage if someone from a different belief system or religion is chosen to be one of the two main party standard bearers. Will the discussion center on shared values and concepts, or become a witch hunt to demean the candidate's religion and put him or her on the defensive for most of the night. As enlightening as the Saddleback discussion was, it was a strong step toward putting a "religious test" upon our prospective president. The meeting went on last night, much was learned, but it might be quite difficult to put the genie back in the bottle.

Hawaii Obama-O!

It was the dog days of August that did in John Kerry. While he was out sailing, the GOP opposition was able to do him in. First, the act of sailing by himself fed in to the attack line that Kerry was aloof and "not one of us". Second, his summer vacation robbed Kerry of precious days to dig in in a key swing state such as Ohio, and eventually helped him to lose there. Finally, while he was drifting off, the Swiftboat ads were being unleashed, and Kerry was not in top campaign shape and did not realize how he needed to immediately fight back the over-the-top accusations.

Could the Obama campaign be such poor students of history and repeat Kerry's mistakes? Perhaps, they will be. Obama just recently returned from the Middle East and Europe. That trip was designed to prop up his somewhat lightweight foreign policy credentials. All in all the trip went well. However, the timing of the overseas expedition could not have come at a worse time. Just as he was leaving, the gas crunch and mortgage crisis had combined to make the national economy the number one concern among voters. So while Obama was basking in the applause of 200,000 Germans, most Americans had turned away from looking across the Atlantic and were focusing on their checkbooks. There can be no doubt that as the long week went on, many Obama advisors could only wish that their candidate would get home quickly to talk about monetary issues.

After Obama finally came back to the States, he faced the energy and economic crises head-on and has now begun to turn these issues into more favorable ones for his campaign. Still, his trip to Europe seemed to have frozen his lead over McCain to somewhere around a four or five national point lead in most polls.

There is something to be said about Republican strategists. They seem to have no trouble boldly going after their opponent and making outlandish claims and tearing down the character of the Democrat nominee. Turning the success that Obama had over in Europe, they have hit upon the weird idea that Obama is a celebrity that has a pretty face but has empty solutions. Whether these arguments are true or not, they do seem to have found some sticking power. Now would be the time for Obama to shed his above the fray aloofness, dispel these ridiculous ideas, and hit Senator McCain with as much stuff as possible to put the Republican on the defensive.

You would think all of this would make sense for the Obama campaign. So just as he is getting back in stride and hitting mid size and rural America, where will Obama be next week? That's right, thousands of miles across the Pacific in his home state of Hawaii. Time for vacation!

As we stated above, have the Dems not learned anything? There will be plenty of vacation time when and if Obama loses in November. He could go to the moon for all anyone will care at that point. There are less than three months to the election and Obama is going on vacation.

Oh you say, the Olympics will be going on. So, what about that? Except for NBC, the rest of the news outlets will have plenty of time to cover political stories. If McCain continues forging ahead with his town hall meetings across the American heartland, what will they show about Obama? Stretching out across some beautiful Hawaiian beach? Doing a hula dance? Trust me, the GOP can take a benign picture (i.e. Kerry's sailing) and turn it around to their advantage..

Most likely, Obama's handlers are still trying to paint his biography and want to fill in the blanks with this trip. But realistically, the time for all that has passed. People know more about him than you would think. He has been running for president for about a year and a half and has had more publicity that just about anyone else during that time (except of course - Paris and Britney!).

Cut the Hawaii trip down to a serviceable three days and get the hell back out on the campaign trail. When things get tough you have to fight hard for what you want. Remember, as Tom Hanks reminded us in "A League Of Their Own", there is no crying in baseball. And there damn shouldn't be any vacations in presidential politics.