'Celeb', Mc Cain ad tells it like it is

Wow, McCain. Way to focus on the issues that matter.

You know, it would be easy for McCain to fall back to personal attacks and grasping at straws as he falters in the Presidential race. But it's refreshing to see that he's taking the high road and discussing important topics like his actual policy ideas and fleshing out his ideas for change.

Oh, wait a minute....

The Colbert Bump: Confirmed

It's now official. The Colbert Bump not only leads to a direct boost in a politician's popularity, but also directly influences monetary contributions to their campaigns. In other words, Colbert has the Midas touch.

A new scientific report by the American Political Science
Association, Here , confirms what has long been suspected; an appearance on the Colbert Report will help your political ambitions, no matter how foolish you appear during the interview.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Democrats received more of a boost than their Republican counterparts, however, as anyone who remembers Mike Huckabee's and Ron Paul's appearances can attest to, the bump is not limited to Democrats.

Imagine if Colbert had actually been allowed to run in the Democratic primaries. With the benefit of a nightly Colbert Bump, he would have been unstoppable! Here's hoping we see the drive for "Colbert for Senate, 2010" start any day now...

Back on the Wagon

Looks like Bush had a "Great" time at the Olympics. Might have been celebrating a bit too much by the looks of these photos Here



And now, for a look back at one of Bush's "finer" moments:

The Inevitable Reply

Well, the Obama camp has hit back. They have officially labeled McCain as a "Celebrity". Is "Celebrity" the new "Flip-Flop"? Sadly, it appears to be headed that way. While the new Obama ad is certainly correct in it's assessment of McCain's pandering to whichever group he needs to that particular day, I can't help but feel as though that message could have been projected in a different way. Is the American electorate really so dumbed down that the only way candidates can express their message and platform views is by attacking their opponents with frivolous labels like "Celebrity" and "Flip-Flopper"? Wait, actually, I probably don't want to know the answer to that question.

Surely there are better ways to make the "McCain is a political Celebrity" argument than by simply resorting to copying McCain's ad techniques. Here's hoping that the Obama camp can get back to respecting people's intelligence and put out some ads that actually discuss something worthwhile. Leave the "Celebrity" name-calling and dumbed-down ads to the McCain camp, for it's a sign of desperation that he's already resorting to name-calling and it's only August...

A Word on Edwards

Alright, yes, he had an affair. Yes, he lied about it numerous times. Yes, this occurred while he was campaigning for the highest office in America. Yes, this will probably end any major political ambitions that Edwards might have held, as it well should. Yes, he is sleazy and should rightfully have a lot of work to do with his family to reconcile for his actions. But should we really be surprised? Furthermore, should we really disregard everything the man has ever said or stood for? There are a few things to bear in mind, while this story plays out in the public eye.

#1. Personal vs. Public
Edwards' conduct was, and should be, a personal matter. Yes, the public should know about it, but we don't need to delve into the sordid details of his affair. This is something that should remain between him and his family. His affair does not affect public policy or the direction that the United States is headed. If his campaign made improper payments for services this woman provided, then by all means, that should be investigated. But contrast Edwards' improper conduct with say, any top member of the Bush administration in the run-up to the war in Iraq. What were the consequences of the Bush administration's blatant lies and deceit, not only to the American people but to the Global community? I'll take a politician lying about a personal matter that is contained within his family to one whose lies negatively impact the entire globe for many, many years.

#2 Democrat vs. Republican
Republican pundits have been quick to jump on this story, taking a particular delight at the prospect of lambasting this "Southern do-gooder". Of course, they have every right to print whatever they'd like about the Edwards' affair. But let's keep in mind, this isn't an isolated incident among Democratic politicians. Have we forgot such Republican do-gooders as Larry Craig, Mark Foley, and Ted Haggard? These types of incidents take place on both sides of the aisle and we shouldn't forget that the Edwards' affair isn't an isolated incident amongst politicians. For a more detailed look into Republican Sex Affairs, click Here

#3 Conduct vs. Policy
As despicable as Edwards' actions were, this incident should not force us to disregard his policy ideas entirely. For a great number of Americans, Edwards' ideas represented a sharp contrast with current political policies and were seen as a beacon of hope on the political landscape. His proposed plan for truly universal health care, which he had laid out in very specific details, was just one of his policy ideas that should not be lost in this affair. His proposal for a Rural Recovery Act, his plan for tax simplification with "Form 1", his comprehensive plan to significantly reduce poverty, and his plan to shut down abusive lenders and create realistic alternatives are just some of his political platforms that should be embraced by current and future politicians, as they provide the groundwork for affecting real political change.



And now for something completely different:

Interesting Slate article here on how this whole debacle might actually hurt McCain the most... Here

McCain Ad, Take 2

So, McCain must have learned after his last "Celebrity" ad that people would much rather have him focus on the issues than make petty personal attacks on Obama....right? Wrong. McCain responded today by releasing another ad that proclaims Obama as a celebrity, which McCain then equates to Obama's inability to help out your family. Yes..I know..it is as pointless of an ad as it sounds.

American Public: Mr. McCain, we want to hear your stance on the issues that matter to us!
McCain: Well....have I told you how much of a celebrity Obama is?!?

At the end of the ad, McCain throws in some nonsense about how he is in support of developing alternative energy sources, which will create amazing numbers of jobs, which will help your family of course. If this were actually true, it'd be great. But does McCain realize that opening up Alaska to drilling is not exactly a source of alternative energy? Has he ever outlined any aspect of his plan to support the development of alternative energy sources? Not exactly. Until people hold him accountable for his outlandish statements, we can expect the "Obama as a demigod" attacks to continue.