Well, the Washington Post formally endorsed Barack Obama (no real surprise), and they list several good reasons. So I figure I’d give some critical reasons for why I believe Barack Obama should be the next President of the United States of America.
1. He is “The Messiah”
2. He sinks 18ft jumpshots with ease
3. He is left [...]
What hasn’t been said by now? Obama didn’t screw up, and McCain delivered a better show but didn’t do what was needed. Big props to Bob Schieffer for asking tough, direct questions (at least in the first half of the debate). He actually got the largest applause in the watching party I attended for his [...]
Today FiveThirtyEight released a set of polling data regarding early voting in swing states, all which had Obama very much in the lead. The final debate is tonight, and it’s clear that Obama just has to stay calm — no need to go out on a limb and the win will go to him. McCain [...]
Headline from CNN:
About 2,500 flee chemical leak in Pennsylvania
PETROLIA, Pennsylvania (AP) — A corrosive liquid overflowed from a tank at a chemical plant in western Pennsylvania on Saturday, evaporating into a toxic cloud that snaked along the ground and forced about 2,500 people to flee. At least three residents were believed to be injured.
Season 7, [...]
David Brooks, former columnist for the staunchly conservative National Review, has an op-ed in the NYTimes where he describes what I consider the fundamental failing of today’s Republican Party: the rejection of the intellectual class.
But over the past few decades, the Republican Party has driven away people who live in cities, in highly educated regions [...]
After McCain’s campaign suspension stunt, the public was already feeling a bit uneasiness about McCain being too erratic with the economy. At the 2nd presidential debate, McCain announced a plan for the Treasury to buy up bad mortgages to prevent foreclosures and evictions. The criticism came in swiftly, but the one from the editors of [...]
As Mike has noted, last night’s debate was good for Obama, even though no knockout punches were delivered. Fivethirtyeight is now showing a 90.5% win percentage with 346 electoral votes projected.
The race seems to be settling at a higher ‘energy state’, to use a science analogy, in Obama’s favor. Now, three issues in particular have [...]
A few thoughts before I go AWOL this weekend.
@ Bailout: Good to see the House finally doing their job. And by doing their job, I mean adding in some sweeteners to bribe make Congressmen into voting for it.
@ VP Debate: Biden left no question that he’s capable and ready for the role of vice president. [...]
From Time magazine:
After the bailout bill went down in defeat, most of the legislators who had voted against it sang this refrain: The voters made us do it. Indeed, before Monday’s vote, angry constituents overwhelmingly panned the plan championed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The volume of e-mail crashed the House’s website. After Wall Street [...]
One notable exchange with both candidates from the Jim Lehrer debate was in regard to how their administration would change their plans in light of the impending economic slowdown. Obama reiterated his talking points list of what he aims to do, and McCain was equally evasive. Lehrer tried pushing the candidates on this, but neither [...]
One of many, to be sure.
Some classmates and I were talking with our finance professor (in the Stanford Graduate School of Business) regarding the bailout plan turmoil and I got a tiny glimpse into what the GSB is thinking. Note: I don’t pretend to represent their views.
Several people are skeptical whether the Treasury itself buying [...]
My roommate Charles (international policy studies program @ stanford, polisci undergrad @ GW, two years @ DoJ) observed that it’s more likely the next vote in the House on the bailout plan will pass, even with only a few revisions to it. The rationale is that those representatives who voted nay (due to their tight [...]
More excerpts of Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin are trickling out.
Asked what newspapers and magazines she reads, Palin - a journalism major in college - could not name one publication.
“I’ve read most of them, again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media,” she said at first. Couric responded, “What, specifically?”
“Um, all [...]
Let’s get some perspective as we head into US daylight hours. This past weekend, intense efforts of Congressional leadership of both parties, the Bush administration, and Treasury Secretary Paulson resulted in a bailout plan in which all sides took some compromises. Despite optimism from up high, lawmakers from the ends of both parties revolted and [...]
I posted earlier about my thoughts on the bailout, but here’s a well written article by Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (a progressive economic think tank).
He writes:
The main cause of the economy’s weakness is not insolvent banks and lack of credit; it’s the loss of $4 trillion to $5 [...]
Looks like we could be seeing more from the now famous Katie Couric interview of Sarah Palin. A Palin aide apparently is hinting at another possible embarrassment:
After noting Roe vs. Wade, Palin was apparently unable to discuss any major court cases.
There was no verbal fumbling with this particular question as there was with some others, [...]
Regardless, now is not the time for complacency. I’m going to Nevada in late October. Let’s get involved people!
via FiveThirtyEight
House minority leader Boehner said there will be no re-vote today on the bailout package. Seems like Thursday is the next voting date, which gives people 2 more days to point fingers at each other and whine.
The Republican House leadership blamed Pelosi for giving a partisan speech before the voting that they said alienated House [...]
A tidbit from the inner circle, this time from Ed Schultz (a progressive radio host in Fargo, SD):
Capitol Hill sources are telling me that senior McCain people
are more than concerned about Palin.
The campaign has held a mock debate and a mock press conference; both are being described as “disastrous.” One senior McCain aide was quoted [...]
The $700B ‘bailout’ plan just failed to pass the House, losing 228 Nay to 205 Yea.
Dow dipped momentarily ~700 points, currently holding at 551 down @ 10,591.
Wachovia’s banking group was acquired by Citigroup.
Morgan Stanley sold a 21% equity stake to Japan’s Mitsubishi Financial Group for $9B to shore up investor confidence.
Two large European banks had [...]