Apropos of nothing, I really like this video

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It doesn't have to be this way

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TPM: In retrospect, Obama win was even bigger

From Josh:

In fact, I think it was a much bigger win for Obama than I was ready to figure last night. And that's for two basic reasons.

First, the pattern in the 2000 and 2004 presidential debates was essentially this: the Democrat generally won each debate on points and even in the snap polls of undecided voters. But there was usually some remark or bit of affect that -- ludicrous or not -- right-wing commentators and yakkers fixed in on and were able to parlay into the dominating conversation of the next few days. In this way, strong debate performances turned into weak debate performances.

I'm not seeing anything like that this time. Mainly that's because Obama just didn't make any mistakes. But I suspect it's also because there's now more meta-media parity between right and left.

Second was McCain's attitude. Whether it was contempt or condescension or some sort of fear or inability to -- in the most literal sense -- face Obama, it made McCain look small and angry.

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McCain worried he came off rude last night

Well, uh, yeah you think?. From Ben Smith:

I'm struck by this Mark Salter line in a pool report that just came out, which seems to suggest McCain's camp is a little worried about how McCain's demeanor toward Obama came across.

"It was very tough debate but I don't think our candidate went over the line. He stayed on offense in a respectful way," he said.

If it were obvious, he wouldn't have to say it twice.

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Very interesting debate analysis

Goes along with what I was saying on CNN last night. I think it's always about your gut, not your head, when voters judge presidential candidates. It was okay for Obama to be wonky because voters want wonk after 8 years of dumb. When your life savings is on the line, when you're calling the bank to see if your money is insured just in case there's another Great Depression, you want the biggest geek you can find to take over the presidency. And while I wouldn't call Obama THAT, he's clearly far more intelligent - and reassuring - than some guy who looks a little too old and a lot too angry. More from Fallows:

Everything John McCain did on stage last night was consistent with trying to score tactical points in those 90 minutes. He belittled Obama with the repeated "he doesn't understand"s; he was explicitly insulting to him in saying at the end "I honestly don't believe that Senator Obama has the knowledge or experience" for the job (a line Joe Biden dare not use so bluntly on Sarah Palin); and implicitly he was shockingly rude and dismissive in refusing ever to look Obama in the eye. Points scored -- in the short term, to the cheers of those already on his side.

Obama would have pleased his base better if he had fought back more harshly in those 90 minutes -- cutting McCain off, delivering a similarly harsh closing judgment, using comparably hostile body language, and in general acting more like a combative House of Commons debater. Those would have been effective tactics minute by minute.

But Obama either figured out, or instinctively understood, that the real battle was to make himself seem comfortable, reasonable, responsible, well-versed, and in all ways "safe" and non-outsiderish to the audience just making up its mind about him. (And yes, of course, his being a young black man challenging an older white man complicated everything he did and said, which is why his most wittily aggressive debate performance was against another black man, Alan Keyes, in his 2004 Senate race.) The evidence of the polls suggests that he achieved exactly this strategic goal. He was the more "likeable," the more knowledgeable, the more temperate, etc. Update: though he doesn't have to say "John is right..." ever again during this campaign.

For years and years, Democrats have wondered how their candidates could "win" the debates on logical points -- that is, tactics -- but lose the larger struggle because these seemed too aggressive, supercilious, cold-blooded, or whatever. To put it in tactical/strategic terms, Democrats have gotten used to winning battles and losing wars. Last night, the Democratic candidate showed a far keener grasp of this distinction than did the Republican who accused him of not understanding it.

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A few words on McCain's corporate tax talk

I've launched a few American companies overseas so in my own line of work the subject of corporate tax rates is a familiar issue. Yes, Ireland currently has a 10% tax rate for certain industries (software being one of those) though I'm sure McCain knows it's increasing to 12.5% which is also a low figure. Many American companies have established their European HQ in Ireland (not world, but Europe, where Spain is located) to take advantage of the special tax rates. Microsoft, Dell and others have all done this and it's been fantastic for the Irish economy. Switzerland also has a few cantons where the rates are in a similar range. To that end, I have yet to see where Ireland or Swiss cantons are threatening to take US businesses from the US. These tax rates are there to help encourage foreign companies to set up *regional* business. The same rates also apply to local companies but McCain suggested this was drawing American companies away and to suggest this is just false and naive.

The US is generally at the top or near the top year after year after year for offering an easy and support business climate. My own belief is that it's been more focused on helping large companies through anti-competitive help from the Republicans not to mention ridiculous tax code assistance for the richest of the rich, but still, the US remains a good place to create business. The World Economic Forum listed the US as the number one country last year. It was McCain's party who let so many US companies move their official headquarters to Bermuda or Cayman or heck, even Dubai, as Halliburton has recently done. (I should note there that any US individual who attempted such a move would have serious problems, because walking away would result in legal action by the IRS.)

For McCain to shed tears for corporate tax rates first gives us some insight as to who he really cares about and second, is just wrong. McCain still thinks it's the 1980s with his Reagan trickle down economics talk. It didn't work then and it definitely isn't working now. Corporate America does not need a tax break, especially while the middle class is stuck with yet another bill. Let them be good citizens like the middle class and pay their fair share and modernize the tax code to prevent this offshore nonsense that is illegal for regular Americans. Regardless, the entire McCain pitch was yet another 1980's retread with the same tired old talk that brought us here today. It doesn't register with McCain that we've been trying the 1980's GOP theory for a few decades and it just imploded. After last night, it wasn't clear to McCain that the event even occurred. Read More......

Oh just watch it

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Obama's "A Stronger Economy" Ad

Barack Obama released this ad on Thursday and I've started seeing it crop up on television more frequently:



This is exactly what Obama needs to do right now. The polls clearly indicate the public's desire for change. That the race is still tight indicates that the public isn't yet sold on Obama. And that's okay - think about the state of the campaign and the country.

McCain's campaign picked a really bad time to implode. It's almost October and politically it's really game on now. But on top of that, our country is in the midst of a massive financial crisis. That's when McCain decided with dramatic flair to pull another Palin, "suspending" his campaign and saying he wasn't going to debate. I wondered, which John McCain would show up when he suspended the campaign? Was this a classic maverick John McCain of 2000 move? Or the twisted Frankenstein of McCain 2008? David Letterman pretty much answered that question for the American people and by the end of the week McCain blinked - and hard.

And so last night Barack Obama had his chance - a chance to stand man to man on the stage with McCain. He more than held his own and, as Joe pointed out earlier, in key constituencies Obama won the night. That's huge.

Average voters are starting to pay much closer attention to the race and undecided voters are getting down to making up there minds. Multiple states with early voting are already giving voters a chance to cast their ballots. As people are making up their minds, they know they want change. They might respect McCain, but in a crisis they've seen him flail and flame out. The only alternative is Obama.

I believe in their hearts the American people want to trust things will change with Obama. This isn't the America they know and love anymore, it's something quite different and facing a foreboding future. But they've been burned by politicians so many times, they're loathe to trust them.

It's in this environment that the 1 minute, direct-to-camera ad format works. It's almost "fireside chat"-esque. It's delivered with the tone of a steady hand of confident leadership and it answers the questions of change. There is a clear call for change - now. And a renewed call for made-in-America new jobs and energy independence. Here's the script:

BARACK OBAMA: For eight years we’ve been told that the way to a stronger economy was to give huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest. Cut oversight on Wall Street. And somehow all Americans would benefit.
Well now we know the truth.
Instead of prosperity trickling down, pain has trickled up. We need to change direction. Now.
I’m Barack Obama. Here’s what I’ll do as president: End the Wall Street free for all with commonsense safeguards that put homeowners and struggling families first -- not corporate greed and CEO bonuses. Jumpstart our economy with a middle class tax cut, paid for by closing special interest group loopholes. Get serious about energy independence. A ten-year mission to create millions of good paying jobs by investing in made-in-America energy and infrastructure. You can read my whole plan to rebuild our economy on our website, Barackobama.com.
It’s time to get our economy back on track and put the middle class first again. And that’s why I approve this message.

I love this format, as do the commenters on YouTube. Cynical media and DC types really hate this format (particularly Joe Scarborough at Morning Joe) - but I think they just don't get it. This shouldn't be the only kind of ad he runs, but he needs to run these kinds of ads - a lot.

This is how Obama closes the deal with the American people. The only way he'll get any chance to gain their trust is by looking the American people in the eye and telling them what he wants to do and who he'll be as President. He did that in the debate and he does it here in this ad. I hope the American people get to see more. Read More......

John McCain on George Bush: "I did everything I could to get him elected and re-elected"

John McCain kept telling us he wasn't "Miss Congeniality." Does he even remember that proudly he votes with Bush 90% of the time? Does he even remember that he worked hard to be the "Best Surrogate" for George Bush in 2000 and 2004. Or, does John McCain just think he can lie and get away with it? Either he's forgetting or he's lying.



Now, McCain wants to get Bush re-elected in 2008. Read More......

McCain's Keating Five problem - this is a must see

Jed has a video summary of John McCain's Keating Five problem. What will it take for the corporate media to start making this part of the discussion? Since McCain loves to drone on about his extensive history in Washington, this is how he started his career in politics, so it needs to be covered. It's simply unimaginable that we have not heard more though now that an Ohio news team dared ask the question (the video link is in Jed's report) maybe the national media will jump on board. Maybe. Read More......

Americans met angry John McCain last night

Angry John McCain showed up at the debate last night. It didn't sit well with undecided voters:

McCain was seen as the more negative of the two—by 7 points before the debate and by 26 points after. The audience did not like it when he went after Obama for being "naïve" or used his oft-repeated "what Senator Obama doesn't understand" line. When the two clashed directly in the second half of the debate, with Obama repeatedly protesting McCain's characterization of his statements or positions, the voter dials went down. Voters appear to have judged McCain too negative in those encounters and Obama more favorably.

Jed put Angry John McCain on video:



Further confirmation: Just talked to my cousin in Boston who, unprompted, said McCain looked like a "crotchety old bastard." Read More......

McCain's "wincing and grimacing" didn't help him

McCain's nasty demeanor at the campaign really came through last night. The Los Angeles Times picked up on the Republican nominee's petulant behavior:

It was a debate, mostly civil though occasionally cranky, between a tough old man and a polished young one. McCain revealed more of himself in that arena, wincing and grimacing during the split-screen shots while Obama was speaking.

That dynamic threaded its way through the emotional highlights of the event. Time and again, McCain, who is 72 and would be the oldest man ever elected to a first term, condescended to Obama, who is 47 and one of the youngest ever to win his party's nomination. "He doesn't understand," McCain said repeatedly. Discussing Obama's willingness to engage in talks with Iran without preconditions, McCain said: "It isn't just naive. It's dangerous."

Obama declined to be belittled. Although McCain refused to address him directly -- despite encouragement from moderator Jim Lehrer -- Obama looked at and spoke to McCain. Obama often credited McCain on issues -- a grace that was not reciprocated -- but he did not accept the role of junior candidate.

People saw the real John McCain. He's not balanced. And, that's coming through.

The dominant words used to describe the GOP nominee noww are "erratic" and "cranky." Apt words for McCain, but not for the next president. Read More......

McCain's "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week"

Brutal analysis of John McCain and his campaign from Thomas DeFrank at the New York Daily News:

The collapse of McCain's Hail Mary intervention capped a tumultuous week which saw the Arizona Democrat's lead over Obama evaporate and his running mate deliver a ragged and at times impenetrable TV interview. With economic jitters playing to traditional Democratic dogma, McCain's Big Mo suddenly reverted to his challenger.

"This is the attention-deficit-disorder campaign," said a bewildered senior Republican operative. "They've had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week."

In the process, McCain invited questions about his judgment and ability to work his will in Washington if elected.

"This raises the fundamental issue of how a guy who is hated by his own party can govern," fretted a GOP mandarin who worked for several Presidents. "If he can't control the Republicans, how can he run a country?"

McCain scares people. Not because he's a maverick, but because he's not stable and has bad judgment. We really can't afford an "attention-deficit-disorder" presidency. Read More......

"Famously liberal" Paul Newman has died

Via AP:

Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as an activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money," has died, a spokeswoman said Saturday....

Newman had a soft spot for underdogs in real life, giving tens of millions to charities through his food company and setting up camps for severely ill children. Passionately opposed to the Vietnam War, and in favor of civil rights, he was so famously liberal that he ended up on President Nixon's "enemies list," one of the actor's proudest achievements, he liked to say.

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Cafferty: The thought of Palin as president should scare the hell out of you

Jack Cafferty on Sarah Palin. Classic.

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Saturday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

What a wild week this was. The erratic antics of John McCain provided ample fodder for the editorial cartoonists. Bob Geiger has compiled the best of the week. My guess is you'll like them a lot.

Reviews are pouring in from the debate. Lots of focus on the petulant GOP candidate. What's almost funny is how some of the pundit types are acting a little surprised that McCain was so angry and nasty. For Christ sakes, they all know he's got a temper and can be a dick. What's very disturbing is that McCain couldn't control it at the first presidential debate -- a very big event in the campaign. It's not good for McCain when the takeaway for many was his sneer. The sneer and the fact that he couldn't even look at Obama. How bizarre.

McCain was acting like a first grader: I don't like you, Barack Obama, so I'm not even going to look at you...nah, nah. That behavior actually makes the poem of the week an appropriate choice. It's called "Rite of Passage" by Sharon Olds. Notice the similarities between the subjects of the poem and John McCain. Not quite the qualities you want in a president.

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John on CNN last night

I just finished watching the debate and agree, Obama had a good evening. What I liked was CNN's meter at the bottom of the screen as the candidates spoke. Every time McCain went nasty or grumpy (and he did it a lot) the numbers plummeted for Democrats, Republicans and more importantly Independents. Looks like everyone knows the real John McCain. Read More......

CNBC's Cramer on bailout: "stocks of Main Street that are about to be crushed" if no deal

I don't always agree with Jim Cramer but in this case, he's right. Nobody likes the bailout and I don't see Wall Street sweating blood yet (that still may come as the economy sags) but the Democrats have added a lot to the initially flawed Paulson plan. Paulson's royal decree (I am beyond criticism and oversight) is gone, limitations to golden parachutes are gone and Congress is more deeply involved which is good news. The extremist Republicans continue to fight amongst themselves for a touch of theater but without a resolution, retirement money for average Americans will be slaughtered.

People have lost enough already and just holding steady would be a nice place to be compared to the massive hemorrhage experienced during this crisis. The bailout is not going to prevent more bank failures nor will it cure the economic problems created by the Republicans, but it is going to help everyone from hitting rock bottom and an even larger hole to climb out of. I don't give a damn about Wall Street but I do care about retirement plans that we're all counting on for our future.

The situation right now is so bad that a little Cramer calculus showed the Dow could drop to as low at 8,378 – a 2,768 decline – if Paulson’s plan doesn’t make it through Congress. That’s why this week’s Game Plan, just like last week’s, is a call to viewers to keep selling their stocks into any strength. Deal or not, we’re still most likely going to see a recession, so you want to preserve capital at all costs. The only thing a congressional agreement really brings us is avoidance of another Great Depression.

Just in case you think this bailout is only about saving Wall Street, think about this: 100 million Americans – about half the adult population – owns stocks directly or indirectly through mutual funds or retirement plans. No deal means your pension fund, 401(k), IRA, 529 college savings all plummet in value. Cramer can’t emphasize enough how important Paulson’s plan is to boost the credit markets – the economy’s fuel – force money back into stocks, bonds and the like, and get economy moving again.

He also goes on about the world economies that are also going down, leaving few untouched and that will present its own set of challenges in addition to our own economic problems. I would disagree with the suggestion that FDIC insurance is raised to $2.5 million (the costs would be outrageous) but surely the Democrats need to raise the $100,000 figure. There's too much panic out there with everyone checking what's insured and what's not insured and moving money. Additional panic and moving money is not what the systems needs right now. Read More......

It's good to be a failed bank CEO

Kinda like being a failed CEO of Merrill Lynch ($161 million O'Neal and 9-months-for-$200 million Thain) or Citi ($40 million for Chuck Prince) or Bear Stearns (James Cayne for $61 million) or Countrywide (Angelo Mozilo for $110 million) or Lehman Brothers ($2.5 BILLION bonus fund after failing) or AIG (Maurice Greenberg selling $1 BILLION in AIG stock after the bailout). The latest prime example of Washington Mutual (WaMu) CEO who worked a whopping THREE WEEKS who is entitled to $18 million. Since when did being a failure become a recipe for financial success in America? This is what the Republicans have done to our system that used to reward hard work and success but now only rewards failures at the top. Some kind of message we're sending to everyone.

Washington Mutual Chief Executive Alan Fishman could walk away with more than $18 million in salary, bonuses and severance after less than three weeks on the job, according to the terms of his employment agreement.

But will Fishman follow the lead of another troubled financial firm and turn his severance package down?

JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) grabbed up the banking assets of WaMu on Thursday after federal regulators seized the company, making it the largest bank failure in history.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said in a conference call with reporters Friday that no decisions have been made about the fates of WaMu senior executives.

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My office is definitely very "liberal"

Glad they came up with another name for what Joelle calls it.

Liberals' offices were judged as significantly more distinctive, comfortable, stylish, modern, and colorful and as less conventional and ordinary, in comparison with conservatives' offices, Jost said.

The researchers also sent snoopers into the living spaces of 76 undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley, arriving at similar results.

"Conservative rooms tended to be cleaner, more brightly lit, better organized, less cluttered, and also more conventional and ordinary in terms of decoration," Jost said during a panel discussion on "The Neuroscience of Elections and Human Decision-Making" at NYU, adding: "Conservatives' rooms were rated by independent raters as better organized and tidier in general."

Specifically, individuals who reported a more conservative ideology also had bedrooms that contained more organizational and cleaning supplies, including calendars, postage stamps, ironing boards and laundry baskets.

Liberals' rooms on the other hand were marked by more clutter, including more CDs, a greater variety of CDs, a greater variety of books and more color in the room in general.

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McCain's double talk

This is appropriately very 80s since John McCain kept longing for the 80s at the debate.

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Seems everyone noticed McCain's sneers, anger and contempt

One of the dominant themes of the post-debate discussion on cable news is McCain's odd, angry behavior during the debate. During our live-blogging, I mentioned the Bush-like sneer that McCain kept exhibiting. Josh Marshall noticed it, too:

I said above that McCain didn't have any freak-out moments. But he did have that sneer and there did seem to be this thing where he was so contemptuous and angry at Obama that he couldn't get himself to make eye contact. I think we'll hear more about that.

Angry, angry, angry. Part of the key here is that McCain is clearly miffed that he even has to debate or run again Obama. He thinks it's an insult.

And, yeah, it was really weird and immature that McCain never looked at Obama. Eugene Robinson also picked up on McCain's bad attitude:

Here’s the politically incorrect way of phrasing one of the central questions about tonight’s presidential debate: Did John McCain come across as too much of a grumpy old man?

That might not be a nice question, but it’s an important one. Americans like to vote for the nice guy, not the grumbling prophet of doom. Throughout the 90-minute debate, McCain seemed contemptuous of Obama. He wouldn’t look at him. He tried to belittle him whenever possible -- how many times did he work “Senator Obama just doesn’t understand” into his answers? His body language was closed, defensive, tense. McCain certainly succeeded in proving that he can be aggressive, but the aggression came with a smirk and a sneer.

Throughout the night, McCain seemed angry and showed his contempt for Obama. That really doesn't play well. McCain couldn't control that ugly aspect of his personality at one of the most important events in the campaign. I think that's scary. Read More......

You saw the next President tonight. Make it happen.

Obama did a great job in the debate tonight. He showed he can be president. Help make it happen. There are 38 days left -- and McCain's campaign will be well funded with money from George Bush's RNC. They'll throw everything at Obama from now til November 4th. Obama is on a roll. He's doing his part. Let's do ours. Read More......

FACT CHECK: McCain was confused about Spain tonight, again

OBAMA: He even said the other day that he would not meet potentially with the prime minister of Spain because he wasn't sure whether they were aligned with us. I mean, Spain. Spain is a NATO ally. If we can't meet with our friends, I don't know how we are going to lead the world in terms of dealing with critical issues like terrorism.

MCCAIN: I am not going to set the White House visitors schedule before I'm President of the United States. I do not even have a seal yet.

Uh, wrong. McCain just this past April said he would welcome the President of Spain (they call their prime minister "president") visiting Washington, DC should McCain become president. So it's absurd, and somewhat demented, for McCain to now say that today it's premature to invite him when McCain already invited him five months ago. So is McCain saying he just uninvited the President of Spain? Does McCain even know what he's saying anymore? (Note that McCain also thought Spain was in Latin America.) Read More......

Obama won CNN poll of debate watchers and on key issues of economy and Iraq

Anderson Cooper gives the results:



Here are the details:

CNN/OPINION RESEARCH CORPORATION POLL OF DEBATE WATCHERS

Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?

Obama 51%

McCain 38%


Who Would Better Handle Economy?

Obama 58%

McCain 37%


Who Would Better Handle Iraq?

Obama 52%

McCain 47%

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