Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Paul Poll Predicament

Concord, NH -

With the Obama campaign making the claim that their poll numbers don't register as high as they should because a relatively high proportion of their supporters are young people whose cell phones aren't used for research, I got to thinking about an alternate scenario on the other side.

In the latest CNN/WMUR poll from September 26, Ron Paul came in at 4%, good for a distant fifth in the Republican field, yet one point ahead of the darling/enigma Mike Huckabee. Given that 4% is essentially the high end of fringe candidacy, it is easy to dismiss Paul as the man for the vocal internet minority. After all, some 44% of voters polled don't even know him. After all, who is Ron Paul?

Yet he has repeatedly won county GOP straw polls, including the two in New Hampshire with over 65% of the vote, and has repeatedly eclipsed fundraising expectations. So what gives?

My theory is that, like Obama's claim that young people don't count in polls because of cell phones, Paul supporters aren't counted for two reasons. First of all, he is also popular among young people with cell phones. Second, his supporters are people who are angry with government intrusion in their lives. In New Hampshire, home of Ed and Elaine Brown, that population is especially high.

These people might have house phones, but if they get a call from a pestering pollster they sure don't answer them. You think that someone who bristles at the notion of a gun permit is going to waste five minute their time answering questions from someone reading off a script? I don't. Watch for the Ron Paul phone poll bounce this January. I'm not saying he's going to win, but if his support remains static I won't be surprised if he doubles his polling numbers at the ballot.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

More Importantly

Even if Newt let us down on the political comeback trail we can take comfort in knowing that Diamond Dave and the Van Halen boys haven't.

Noooo....

Charles, Noooo!!!


Looks like Newt's out, after all. So much for my previous post, and my fantasy ticket.

What's New(t), Pussycat?

So you're sayin' there's a chance!

Newt Gingrich is, anyway. After months and months of flirting with the idea of joining the Republican fray, the former Georgia congressman put a little more motion in that notion yesterday, telling journalists he would enter the race if supporters would pledge $30 million to his campaign in the next three weeks.

Close followers of the 3Q storyline might find my reaction to this news predictable. I'm psyched. It isn't necessarily the substance of a new candidate into the already crowded field (my apologies, by the way, for not giving more ink to Keyes' entry), but rather the style.

Ever since last spring Gingrich has flirted with his candidacy, but only in the instance of a "vacuum" in the GOP field, in terms of having someone with the policy chops to take on Hillary Clinton in the general. Vacuum, for those of you following along at home, means "a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter."

So what are you saying, Newt? That nothing coming out of Rudy, Mitt or Fred's mouth matters? Looks like it to me. For the record, Gingrich doesn't give John McCain a chance at the nomination.

Maybe the last straw was the GOP frontrunners' collective decision to skip out on the latest African-American debate, which Newt called a mistake bred from lack of nerve. Regardless, Gingrich has been critical all along. And you know we love criticism here, when it comes from the mouths of competitors.

Back in July, Newt likened himself to Charles De Gaulle relative to the current Republican crop of "pygmies" in an interview. He went on to dis the nouveau chic debate formats, saying they force statesmen to "shrink to the level of 40-second answers, standing like a trained seal, waiting for someone to throw me a fish."

While just yesterday he kept up the offensive. He simultaneously mocked the field as "penguins" as threw out the idea of RNC forums entirely claiming, "if I did run, I wouldn’t do any dog and pony shows. I’d debate anybody who wants for 90 minutes — one-on-one, for 90 minutes, in either party."

Now that's balls and principle. Straight up.

All along Gingrich has been, arrogantly or not, positioning himself as the pedestaled savior of the Republican party, if not the country. He has been busy at the typewriter, penning two books scheduled for release before the primary season including one on conservative environmentalism called A Contract with the Earth. Gingrich also just unleashed what he calls a "solutions lab" conveniently named American Solutions. Newt, if you believe him, is the wise and functional leader who can guide America to it's brightest future.

He is also casting himself as Presidential. Newt has already debated the Dems' previous nominee, Sen. John Kerry, one-on-one this past spring. He is also ordaining Hillary Clinton as the inevitable Democrat and implying he is the best suited to take her on in the real debates. Many pundits call Newt too divisive, but he sees the division in another frame: there are Clinton haters who will lose to her, and there are Clinton haters who will take it to her.

Republican voters fear a lot of things, most notably taxes, terrorists and gays. Whether or not they pony up 30 mil to get Newt in the race depends on whether or not they truly fear Hillary Clinton. They also believe in a lot of things, most notably God, guns, and gas guzzlers. The ultimate question for Gingrich, if they do fear Hillary, is whether they believe that Newt is the best Clinton fighter they got. We'll find out in three weeks.

I hope he enters if for no other reason than I want to see him happy. According to Newt's facebook profile, "I am happiest in zoos. On a visit to Zoo Atlanta in September 1997, I got to hold this baby lion. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me take him home with me."
If Newt really is happiest in zoos, perhaps the presidential race is the best place for him.


Check out cnn.com for a solid rundown of Newt's recent forays into the political discussion.

...

While we are considering hypotheticals, I just want to throw out my fantasy forums all-star ticket. Before you accuse me of losing my objectivity, keep in mind this is strictly from a discussion/debate standpoint. Discuss amongst yourselves in the comments section.

Gore/Biden vs. Gingrich/Giuliani

Witness a real wonky solutions debate at the top of the ticket between the two smartest men in the room and a knock-down, drag-out foreign relations deathmatch in the veep debate. Oh man, I'm getting chills just thinking about it.

Ron Paul Primer

In preparation for tomorrow morning's Ron Paul visit to Manchester, here is a good article about his recent visit to Chicago. This guy basically did what I usually do, but a little bit better!

Sorry for the slow blog day. I was up in the Whites, sweating my way past the Greeley Ponds and up Mount Osceola. Hope you understand. Stay tuned for a busy Saturday and of course an NFL Sunday.

See you on the trail,
BTB

Friday, September 28, 2007

The Midnight Paddler

Snow Pond, NH -

It was an odd day here in The Granite State, full of indecision and humidity. My thoughts were clearly askew as I lay in bed listening to NPR for an hour and a half and flipping through one website after another to bide my time as I refused to write anything substantive.

So clearly it was time to get out of there, and the only logical conclusion was to head to the pond. Just after eleven I grabbed a bottle of beer, walked down the stairs, put my sandals on and opened the door to the back yard. I gave my eyes a moment to adjust, which didn't take long in the full moonlight in spite of the cloud cover, and cut straight toward the water.

The ducks heard me first, and started in with their gargling chatter to alert their buddies the geese, who were there to greet me next to the dock with a series of loud honks and a wide flapping of wings. Undeterred I grabbed the back end of the canoe from the shore and slid it toward the side of the dock where I could easily slip onto the bench without having to touch the water.

I have improved on my canoe-entering skills with each passing week here in the 'Shire, as a few of my colleagues like to call it, and tonight was able to glide in without the slightest of boat rocking. Better yet, I entirely avoided the puddle of water in the bottom of the boat that was leftover from last night's rain. Then it just took a simple push away from the dock, two or three paddle strokes, and I was beyond the lily pads and into clear water.

As I said earlier, the moon was bright. Just bright enough to see the masses of clouds whip along below it in the atmosphere, making way for what the weather services says will be severe thunderstorms overnight and into tomorrow, just in time for my long-planned hike up in the Whites.

It made for perfect night paddling conditions, though. I cracked my beer, a Gritty's Halloween Ale, with my teeth, pocketed the cap, placed the bottle between my legs and canoed my way across the pond to the northeast corner where I typically run into the most wildlife.

In fact, it was just yesterday when I had my closest run-in to date here in New Hampshire with the beasts that live all around us. After my debate prep article I stuck to my word and jumped in the water for a little exercise before heading up to Hanover to stuff my face with cedar plank salmon and mashed potatoes. But after a few strokes of the crawl I pulled my head up from the water and noticed a Great Blue Heron in the same far corner of the pond, and I decided to investigate.

So I ditched the crawl stroke, pulled my body into a near vertical position with nothing but my goggled eyes and nostrils sticking out and slowly pulled my way toward the massive bird like a great crocodile casually and deceptively stalking it's prey. Five minutes of patience and execution later, I was as close as I could get to the shore without touching bottom, staring at the Heron while he darted his head around seeking full knowledge of predator and prey, either unaware of my furtive approach or entirely unaroused. Given all wild beasts' well-deserved fear of humans I can only assume the latter.

But I was no predator, and the debate was looming, so I spun a 180 and treaded for a few more yards out of respect for the Heron before hightailing it back to shore and hitting the road. Had I truly been the crocodile of legend, that bird would have been toast. It just goes to show, in nature as well as politics, that all the deadly attacks come when you can't see 'em.
...

Back to the canoe.

There were no birds this time, no nuthin'. But the longer I stayed out there sipping beer and contemplating the events of the last two days the more I came to realize all that there was on and around the pond at night, even if I couldn't see shit beyond the shoreline, save a few errant kitchen and bedroom lights.

In the middle of the pond I realized that the northern sky was a dark blue, while the southern end of it was glowing red. I tried to make some great political red/blue metaphor out of it involving the respective truths of nature and commerce but then I realized that I wasn't high, and it was only a small pond in central New Hampshire. Anything substantive that I tried to create out of it would be nothing but poetry or political hackery. I may have opted for the former at one point or another, but not tonight. Tonight I just decided to do another lap of the pond, this time closely skirting the lilied shoreline.

The feeling of paddling as near as possible to the lily pads that cover the shallowest ten-to-fifteen feet of the entire pond was liberating. The control that I had over the canoe made me feel at ease with the water and myself. It allowed me to listen more closely to the beautiful sound made by the dripping of the errant water off of the end of the paddle a few feet behind me as I continued on in my voyage, leaving only a slight ripple in the water behind me, and see the occasional perfectly round whirlpool that only comes from the movement of a paddle through the water.

The smell of the bushes and trees encapsulating the pond also began to make themselves known at this point. Where at first I could only smell the vaguely scummy pond water, now I could pick up the musk of the trees and the slight decay of the newly orange leaves. They combined to make, for the lack of a better word, a perfume that spilled out over the surface of the water leaving nothing but pleasantries in my nose as I gazed out into the woods along the shore thinking I might see some spectacular flower or blueberry bush. But it was just the leaves, the trees and the tall, tall reeds.

Not to be lulled too far into the calm of the night air, the virgin smoothness of the water and the sweet smell of the air, I was suddenly alerted by a loud smack and, out of the corner of my eye, a tall splash in the water. Coincidentally, I was back in the wild northeast corner of the pond. The slap came from about 50 yards south of me and fairly close to the shore.

I eased up on paddling and let the boat coast in the general direction it was headed, halfway between the slap and the home dock, as I considered what I might be witnessing. Croc? Definitely not. Incredibly large turtle? Doubtful. Record-sized bass? Potentially. Beaver? Probably. I paddled some more. She struck again. Same boom. Same splash.

This time I knew it was a beaver. And if there is one thing I have learned, on the mountain trail if not on the campaign trail, it is that you don't mess with wildlife in protection mofe. Especially if you are in a canoe at night. Because, as with any dealings with a volatile beaver, when you get tossed up it ain't pretty. Never mind that it was probably the last warm night until April, I had no interest in trying to climb back into the boat or, worse still, swimming across the pond with the canoe in tow.

So I hightailed it back. Ever the coward, the beaver waited until I was halfway home before slapping her tail another three times. I didn't hold it against her. It was time for me to get home to the barn, anyway.

Back at the shore the ducks and geese were waiting for me, although this time with considerably less hostility. I climbed out of the canoe and onto the dock, politely warned the birds to get out of the way and slid the boat across the remaining bit of water and onto the shore. I walked down the dock, flipped the canoe over in anticipation of heavy rain and walked to the house.
...

Right now the rain is falling as hard as it has all month, a well needed shower for the dry landscape, and the sound is dramatically amplified by the corrugated metal roof of the goat pen and the splash on splash sound of the pond just a few yards away.

Sometimes, when you haven't talked to anyone besides your keyboard in half a day, there is no better voice to hear than a heavy New England rain coming down hard after midnight with an empty beer bottle at your side and a fluffy looking pillow across the room. Hell, Its looking fluffier by the minute.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Fast Talkers

Sen. Chris Dodd's campaign gained some fame this summer for inventing the "talk clock" that kept tabs on how much time each candidate received to speak at the DNC-sanctioned debates. The premise of the talk clock was to show how Dodd was getting unfairly hosed by the moderators, who were giving all the time to the Big 3.

Well, thanks to the Times unbelievable new web feature, we can put a bit of a different spin on it. They have counted not just the time alloted to each candidate but also the number of words spoken. Some simple math* and voila! You have the pace clock. Because sometimes it isn't just about how much time you have to speak, it is about how much you say in your time.

Dodd: 2202 words in 556 seconds = 3.960 words per second (w/s)
Edwards: 2478 words in 740 seconds = 3.349 w/s
Biden: 1402 words in 443 seconds = 3.165 w/s
Kuci: 1423 words in 451 seconds = 3.155 w/s
Obama: 2582 words in 847 seconds = 3.048 w/s
Clinton: 3153 words in 1034 seconds = 2.991 w/s
Gravel: 776 words in 267 seconds = 2.906 w/s
Richardson: 1948 words in 724 seconds = 2.691 w/s

There you have it, folks. Dodd is a fast talker. Richardson is a rambler. The real questions comes is about Clinton. Did they count her cackling laughs in her talking time? Because that could push her up in the 3 w/s range!



*Our formula is based upon the following formula,
D=RT. If D=Distance(in this case number of words spoken), R=Rate of speaking and T=Time Alloted, then we can calculate R as such, R=D/T. D and T are given, so R is simple to find.**


**I used to be a math teacher.^


^But don't worry, I was the cool kind.

The End

Whew, what a night. I'm too frazzled to write much more at this moment. Check out the facebook page for more pics of the spin room. I did my first television interview as a prized citizen blogger pundit with the Danish version of the BBC and asked Liz Kucinich a few questions about the environmental impact of animal farming practices. Quite the star turn.

But now its back to the age-old hobby of hustling for lodging.

See you on the trail,
BTB

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Dartmouth Debate LiveBlog Part V

Lightnight Round:

Here is the jist of the responses.
Obama: Bring in the other side, achieve.
Clinton: Bill was a pretty good President. But I am a different person.
Biden: MoveOn hasn't changed politics. (lame question for him)
Kuci: No $3 gas tax, Iraq is about oil. You can have a President who is against the Patriot Act, or you can have one who is tall. Hey-o!
Gravel: We can get off of gas and carbon.
Dodd: We need to do more about Chinese imports.
Obama: I was the first to speak out against Jena, I did enough. Its not black or white.
Richardson: I wouldn't accept head of the Boy Scouts. I won't sponsor discrimination.Goes wayyyy over time, though. But then calls out the leaders on not ending the war.

On nuclear:
Edwards
: no on nuclear. Doesn't get the same laughs as Biden with the one-worders.
Obama: There is no magic bullet on energy.
Kuci: Nuclear power is expensive because of storage. (Good point)
Gravel: No. Yes on Wind power. It will take American people
Clinton: Won't rule out Nuclear.

Do we beat it out of him?
Obama: America cannot sanction torture. of course but I will do whatever it takes. But no torture.
Biden: No I would not. 17 4- and 3-star generals wanted him to say no torture. Claims faulty Iraq policy was gained via torture.
Clinton: No period. These hypotheticals are very dangerous.

Ooh, what a stinker! Russert gotchas Hillary by saying that Bill Clinton disagrees with her.
Now Clinton is claiming that she advised Bill on everything.
Dodd: Torture doesn't work, just ask John McCain.
Richardson: no.
Edwards: Problem is much bigger than this hypothetical demonstrates. It is a problem of what our country has done the last seven year.
Kuci: Strength through peace.

Man, that was rough. The lightning round was kind of a waste, especially on the torture stuff. Of course thats what they would say.

Edwards: "Look at what I've done!" He is not happy about the hedge fund question. "I would be happy to have any voter judge me based on what I have done in my life."

Russert: What is your favorite bible verse?
Obama: sermon on the mount.
CLinton: golden rule.
Kuci: Lord make me an instrument of your peace.
Edwards: What you do to the least of those, you do unto me.
Richardson: sermon on the mount
Dodd: Good samaritan
Biden: Christ's warning on the pharices.


And we close with a who is your favorite baseball team question.

Dartmouth Debate LiveBlog Part IV

Alright, Cialis commercial!

Russert: If nothing is done to Social Sec. we will either have to cut benefits in half or double taxes. Why not tax the entire income of every American, not just cap it at 97k?
Biden: "Yes" and claims he is the only one who will do it. Yes! We finally have a Joe Biden 3rd person reference!
Clinton: Skips the question, talks about Bill Clinton. Ooh, but she says George Bush was "Dissing Social Security" when he first ran for congress. Russert gets her to answer the question and says "No". Uh oh, Russert is after her again for saying wrong information. STILL MORE NO INFO!
Obama: "I think lifting the cap is the best option." but then hems a bit.
Dodd: "I don't think you have to go that far." Wait, did he just propose raising the tax levels on the pre-97k earning rates?
Richardson: "No. You don't need to do that. Take privatization off the table. Stop raiding the SS trust fund." Talks about economic growth covering the bases and making America green. He is alone on the stage with that, but I bet scoring points with voters.
Edwards: "You cannot grow your way out of this." Essentially calls Richardson a coward for not telling American people that they have to sacrifice on SS.
Kuci: Raise the cap, lower the age, increase economic growth.

Clinton is back on the Clinton years.

You know, only Richardson and Kucinich are talking about a green economy. THIS BOGGLES MY MIND. Thank you to you two.

Russert: Would you be in favor of a national law to ban smoking in all public places.
Clinton: "We did it in NYC. I think we should be moving toward a bill to regulate tobacco through the FDA. Make them zoning decisions." How is she gonna take credit for the NYC thing? She had nothing to do with it.
Obama: "I think that local communities are making enormous strides and are doing the right thing. I would favor it if not enough progress is being made"
Richardson: I did it New Mexico
Kuci: "I've been breathing a lot of it here tonight."
Oooh, everyone is in favor but the big tow. I think Edwards joined in late.

Is the drinking age too high? BIG CHEERS!!
Biden: "Absolutely no I would no." Talks about alcoholism a major problem in society. Weak sauce.
Dodd: "No, I agree with Joe on this." Come on!
Richardson: "No, I wouldn't lower it." "Fed govt is not providing the leadership on rehab, research and education."
Kuci: yes. Respect the decision making abilities of citizens. Drinking age to 18, voting age to 16.
Gravel: "Anybody who should be able to die for this country should be able to drink."

Easy for them to talk shit about it, they could drink when they were 18. What a crock. Thank you to Gravel and Kucinich for straight talk.

Dartmouth Debate Live Blog Part III

Some obvi thoughts at commercial break:

Its too bad that Gravel is so exasperated all the time. He loses such credibility.

Kucinich started down a slippery slope with that whole Moral law thing.

Richardson is doing his best so far.

Edwards has been good but quiet.

Clinton is getting stomped on so far.

Russert: Why does Bush say Clinton is the best nominee?
Dodd: "If I were Clinton I would be worried" about George "Heckuva Job Brownie" Bush picking her. Follows with a joke about no one knowing him.

Russert: Why shouldn't voters say Clinton doesn't have the judgment re: Iraq and HC to be Pres?
Clinton: standard, "I've learned a lot." "I intend to be the Health Care President."
Russert calls her bill similar to the Lincoln Chaffee bill of '93. She denies.

Biden: "I think it is, unfairly, more difficult for Hillary. They feed on this Clinton/Bush thing. I'm not suggesting this is Hillary's fault, I'm suggesting this is a reality." He then clarifies he is talking about policy (and not blow jobs).
Edwards: "There is no excuse for politicians to have health care when Americans have no health care." Then acknowledges that he has changed his mind since 2004 on UHC. "Anybody who knows me knows we will never give up."

Russert to Obama: challenges him on his inexperience.
Obama: We are at a crossroads. "America 1)needs someone to bring this country together. 2)somebody who can take on the special interests and can win. 3)telling the truth to the American people even when its tough." Again brings up his Iraq judgment. "its about who can inspire the American people... Part of the reason it was lonely, Hillary is because you closed the door."

Russert to Gravel: brings up his bankruptcy and how he can manage the country?
Gravel: calls everyone up there greedy. "I stuck the credit card companies with 90k worth of bills and they deserved it." WOOOOO!

Russert to Kuci: Cleveland went bankrupt under your mayorship.
Kucinich: "I took a stand on behalf of the people of Cleveland to save the municipal electricity system" People later told me I was right. "How many people would be willing to put their job on the line?" eople will see that I have "The ability to take a stand and live with integrity"

Russert goes berserk on Richardson's flubs. How is that good experience?
Richardson: "I've been in public life 25 years...I make mistakes. I admit 'em. The issue is, do I deliver?" No one ever questioned me when I brought back American servicemen. I've received 4 Nobel Peace Prize nominations. I have made mistakes. I will continue to make them." His change and experience line falls a little flat this time, but he is answering pretty honestly. Good mention of him being the only one to negotiate with foreign leaders.

NECN question about gay marriage story read in schools. Would you allow it as part of curriculum?
Edwards: "Yes. Absolutely." Edwards calls gay marriage a generational thing. Interesting response, but kinda weak.
Obama: "You know, I feel very similar to John." Don't be afraid of people who are different. Brings it back to Bush as a fearmonger. "If we feed them hope...reason...tolerance...they will become hopeful and reasonable and tolerant."
Clinton: "I really respect what both John and Barack said." Did she just swipe at Obama about being there for votes?


Dartmouth Debate Live Blog Part II

Hillary is arguing with Russert now over what is hypothetical. Just answer the damn question.

Now they are all talking about Israel/Iran relations in terms of who can attack whom and whether or not Iran will be able to become nuclear.

Alright, Edwards is bringing up the Liebermann-Kyl vote again. "We learned a very different lesson from that (the yes vote)." Oooh, Hillary getting called out! "What I learned is that you cannot give this President the authority. He cannot be trusted"
Bitchslap!

Richardson: cornerstone of our foreign policy should be not to allow Iran to become Nuclear...the most direct answer yet. First you use diplomacy, then you use sanctions. "I would talk to moderate clerics. I would talk to business leaders." Finally some real talk about foreign policy and not just waffling.
...
Sancuary Cities

Would you allow these cities to ignore the laws about immigrants.

Richardson: "You ask me because I'm the Hispanic here, but I'll answer it anyway. Yes." He just said his standard stump speech joke about telling Mexico not to give their people roadmaps to easy border crossings. I could see him thinking about making it a big joke....and then hesitating. I understand.
Biden: "The reason the cities ignore the federal law is that there is no federal funding for the law. Rudy giuliani doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. He's the most uninformed person in politics" Ultimately..."No." But an emphatic YES for talking shit to Giuli. I want him to win if only to debate Rudy
Dodd: "You need to allow local communities to do that" in order to take care of quality of life issues.
Kuci: Moral law trumps Federal law.
Obama: I would pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Clinton: Why do they have them to begin with. Getting philo on us.
Gravel: "This whole nation should be a sanctuary for the world. Again we're in fantasy land. We're scapegoating the Latinos in our society." I'm glad someone finally brought that up.

Dartmouth Debate LiveBlog Part I

So here's the deal, I plan to unleash in increments of 15 or 20 minutes, so keep checking back.
.....
Russert just came on stage. He is telling a story about how his favorite episode of Meet the Press involved Ross Perot. Alright!

I should also mention that they have an unbelievable spread of food and beverage here. I just got me a dragonfruit vitamin water, a some swedish fish and a cup of coffee. Vitamin C + Taurine, baby. I'm ready to go the distance!
...

Russert does not much around. We're off!

Russert: "Will you pledge that by 2013 there will be no troops left?"

Obama
: Waffle. "I believe we should...but I don't want to make promises."
Clinton: Waffle. "It is my goal to have all troops out by 2013." Now she's hyping up the Senate Democrats efforts to end the war. (Boooo!) "We are trying every single day."
Edwards: Waffle. "I cannot make that commitment." The debate will be (ultimately) between a Democrat who wants an end to the war and a Republican who wants to continue it.

Russert to Richardson: how can you do it in one year?
He is stumbling a little as Russert asks him specifically how. He looked great early in the question and is fading.

Dodd: "I will get that done."
Biden: My bill my bill my bill.
Kucinich: "I want the American people to know I can get us out of there in three months."
(gets the first cheers for his date flub. "I'm ready to be President now.")
Gravel: "Vote for cloture every single day."
Gravel just brought up the Liebermann-Kyl bill. "I'm ashamed of you , Hillary, for voting for it!" "And Obama was not even there to vote!"

Clearly, she laughed at him. Groans from the crowd here.

You Know the Debate Is at a College When....

The interest groups give out trucker hats.


And...the debate watch room is a PIZZA PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!


No beer, though. :( TEOL!

The Free Speech Pen


Hanover, NH -

These are the scenes from the so-called free speech pen, where staffers and supporters are waving signs, cheering and doing their best to seem like the most enthusiastic and best prepared campaign.


The Obama crowd gives a cheer.

Richardson visibility.

White on white. Biden and Edwards signs.

Obama and Hillary tussle for space on the front lines.

Hillary and Obama build their signs high.

But Edwards found a way to get higher.

Do Da Bus a Bus

Hanover, NH -

This is what it looked like on the ride up with the Tufts Richardson Rowdies.

Go Jumbos!

Yes, it was a yellow school bus

We're Live

Hanover, NH -

Greetings, 3Q Nation! I have just arrived in the filing room here at Dartmouth. I have wifi, a fancy Dartmouth pen and even a bag of green and white M&Ms. I have covertly set up shot next to David Broder and Dan Balz, and will be sucking up their knowledge by osmosis all night long.

But now, its dinner time. Back in a few!

BTB

Debate Prep

Concord, NH -

Greetings from the dock at Snow Pond. We're blogging lakeside, literally. Its a late September scorcher here in the Granite State with temps pushing the mid-to-upper eighties in the Merrimack Valley. I can't wait to finish this post and jump immediately into the water before I put a suit on and head to Hanover, where the Democrats are at it again, debating tonight at Dartmouth College, home of the Big Green.

Here's to hoping that the hot weather will get the candidates all hot and bothered up on the stage, and jolt a bit of metaphorical lightning to go with the actual stuff that hit the Republicans a few months ago.

The stage is certainly set for it. Although I have stated before (and will state forevermore) that polls aren't important to us here at 3Q, we'll put up a willing suspension of disbelief for a moment to take a look at the latest snapshot.

According to the CNN/WMUR Poll that came out yesterday, Clinton is stomping all over everyone (yes, I chose the Gore inclusive polling results, in part because they don't dramatically change the landscape. He draws his votes from a fairly even set of candidates).

Clinton 41%
Obama 19%
Edwards 11%
Gore 7%
Richardson 6%
Biden 3%
Kucinich 3%
Dodd 1%
Gravel 0
No opinion 9%

But what interests me more is the level of decisiveness of those sampled, cuz it ain't very high. Which means there is still hope for the other eight, even if it slims with each passing poll.

Definitely decided 17%
Leaning toward someone 28%
Still trying to decide 55%

So what does that mean? Even if we ignore the issues of the latest Biden/Richardson tussle and the Joe Trippi e-mail and the fact that Mike Gravel aka Ol' Uncle Ornery is in the house, tonight's debate will hopefully be the bloodiest yet, if only on account of those poll numbers.

Think about it, Clinton at 41% (or 43 without Gore) is scary. And not just because of the whole Bush family Presidency number coincidence. Especially in an eight-person race. Add in the fact that the primary really starts in the fall, and we're talking FIGHT.

What better time to lay claim to those 55% undecided, and win over the 28% leaning than under the bright lights of the MSNBC cameras? Clinton is great in the debate setting, chock full of knowledge and poise, and always on message. But anyone can be rattled.

Tonight no one is safe.

All the earlier debates have been pretty wimpy, with the exception of Fightin' Joe Biden coming to our rescue at the youtube showdown.

But now its different, now its real. The voters are going to have to start deciding here pretty soon, and the debates are just he forum to kickstart it.

Because, if its not love, then its the bomb that will bring us together.



Now its time to drop trou and hit the pond. See you suckers in the spin room.

On the Primary Tip,
BTB

We're Talkin' Baseball

Robert Weintraub at ESPN.com has a great e-ticket article today about the 1993 NL West race, back when the wild card was nothing but an NFL invention. Catch an entire season's worth of drama and some great early 90's baseball pics in just fifteen minutes of reading. 1993, if you remember, was the year the Braves and Giants each won more than one hundred games but second place went home without another chance to play. It is kind of like politics. One team becomes President and the other travels to Europe and grows a beard for a couple months. Mmm...beards.

Wednesday

Nation,

Prepare yourselves for another dose of the REAL campaign trail. Tomorrow (or today, technically I guess) we will be headed up to Hanover for the Dem debate. This time I won't just be watching it all on tv with the inimitable Solley and the lovely Maria. No, this time we'll be all up in it's grill.

Damn straight. Darn tootin'.

I call on every single 3Q reader to follow my live blog and, better yet, tell your friends to do the same. Because let's face it - are you going to get straight talk from Huffpost or Swampland or the Fix?

Hell no.

You're gonna get it from me.

You're either wit' me or agin' me.

I've never been more serious in my damned life.


Happy Wednesday,
BTB

Monday, September 24, 2007

More Gore

This time Christopher Hitchens gets down to boozeness and weighs in on, if not advocates, a Gore candidacy. I find it funny that he simultaneously calls Gore on the "right side" of the Iraq issues while calling MoveOn a bunch of cowards and apologists. Methinks they might say something similar about the war. Then again, I haven't read much on Gore's exit strategy. Either way, worth a read.

Inslee In Dee House

Manchester, NH -

Rep. Jay Inslee, Democrat of Washington's 1st District which covers such illustrious locales as Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Mukilteo and Woodinville, was in the Granite State this past Saturday on a tour of New Hampshire's best examples of renewable energy and sustainable living. He started his morning in LEED certified Langdon Woods dormitory at Plymouth State University, followed by a lunchtime stop to see New Hampshire Community Tech's Energy Services and Technology Program that specializes in solar paneling and energy analysis, and finally a buzz through Jaffrey's New England Wood Pellet manufacturing plant.

I joined the Congressman at PSU (obviously) then went home to catch up on all the political I missed when I was down in Quabbin Qountry before re-joining him for a review of the day in Manchester along with fifteen potential supporters and a couple of my fellow media wizards, including the indispensable Cosmo and a New Hampshire newcomer from NBC.

It was a small room, so the reporters were shoved in the window bay with yours truly arriving the most fashionably late and taking the furthest back position next to the window. It was also next to the air conditioner, providing a nice autumn chill for me, and enough breeze to vibrate my pant leg and set off a false cell phone alarm more than twice. I couldn't have been happier.

Inslee began his talk with nothing but superlatives for all of the places he had seen, and pledged to brag about them as he traveled the country.

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) contemplates sustainability

But here in Manchester Inslee's purpose was to take these events and connect them, along with his own experience with sustainable energy policy, to Hillary Clinton. Inslee you see, who sits on the House Natural Resources and House Energy and Committees, is one of Clinton's national campaign co-chairs. He is also a pretty handy surrogate on issues pertaining to energy and sustainability.

After recounting his earlier visits, Inslee predicted that they would soon become part of the "clean energy revolution that's gonna sweep this nation" provided we chose the right leader to usher it in to play. Inslee suggested that such a leader would require the combination of bold, wise vision and the ability to start working on day 1 of the Presidency.

"We are lucky," he said "to have a candidate like this."

Inslee was referring, of course, to Hillary Clinton.

Speaking to her strengths as an energy leader, Inslee mostly talked about her plan to cut carbon output to 80% of current levels by 2050, and to create a $50B Green Energy Fund to invest in start-up costs and research and development for American investment in efficiency and renewable energy. While in Plymouth, he especially touted the $50B number as the PSU people mentioned the difficulty in scraping up the front-loaded costs of building new energy efficient buildings and retro-fitting old ones. Especially since, in the case of Langdon Woods, the added LEED buildings costs were recouped in energy savings in the first year of operation.

That afternoon I went home and researched the differences in the Democratic candidates, to see why Inslee was realistically hyping Clinton's plan as the best. I already knew that her 80% figure was par for the course, and a tad lower than Bill Richardson, but I was mostly curious about the Green Energy fund. Sure enough, from what I could tell there were no other numbers specific to green investment that high in the other plans. Other than that, it is clear that Inslee sees Clinton as potentially the most effective environment/energy candidate because of her perception of being able to begin instituting effective governance starting from day one of her first term.

Lord knows every day we waste without a strong plan to cut down on inefficient energy systems in our everyday lives is a knock against us in the long run. Whether or not Clinton is the best purveyor of a green future is up to each voter, but having Jay Inslee cheerily on the stump will certainly be a boon, if only to the dozen or so people who get the chance to go along for the ride.

...


Inslee has just co-authored a book, Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy, and seems genuinely excited about the prospects of clean energy even within the next few years. This is especially true on the matters of solar-thermal energy and the now functional plug-in car.




Hot for Ron

Quabbin Qountry Queries: now with more sleaze!

I know, its below me. But fear not, it is safe for work!

The problem is that Ron Paul girl isn't getting nearly as much press as Obama Girl and Clinton Girl and Giuliani Girl so I figured it was only fair to try to create equal time.


Ron Paul Girl - The funniest videos clips are here

Plus, she's the hottest one! Well, maybe 2nd place behind Hill's, but still. Okay, back to non-misogyny.

New Richardson Video

NEW HAMPSHIRE EXCLUSIVE (more or less)

The Richardson campaign is unleashing a new internet video today among the netroots community, which I am apparently a part of, but to whom I pledge no allegiance. I'm more of a netboots kinda guy.

At any rate the video can be seen below, and highlights Richardson's plan to get our troops out in comparison to the other candidates' plans not to do so. It includes the opinions of people who write for prominent national blogs.



The whole thing coincides with a website that compares Democratic Iraq troop plans and has some bio info on the bloggers. Coincidentally, the comparison is much softer on Joe Biden than any of the others.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

When Biden Attacks!

Concord, NH -

As Mark Murray at MSNBC.com reports, Joe Biden is picking a "for real" fight with Bill Richardson. No shit.

Biden called out Richardson's gubernatorial experience in a relatively small state of 1,954,599 at Friday’s AARP forum, quipping "That's like saying, you know, I played halfback when I was in high school, I can play in the pros -- a different deal." In other words, his executive experience means Bo Diddley on the national stage.

That's all just debate banter. The real fightin' words came by way of direct assault. Earlier that day the Biden campaign put out a press release accusing the New Mexico governor of flip-flopping on Iraq. Worse, they did this with a spin on Richardson's latest slogan. Check this, pulled directly from the release:
“Governor Richardson is right that he represents both experience and change – he has a lot of experience changing his mind on matters both large and small,” said Biden for President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro.
Youch!

It didn't stop there. The very next morning Biden released another jab through the press, this time attacking Richardson on his health care record in response to his debate claim that he was "the only one here that has actually dealt with health care directly as a governor." Biden brought up the fact that Richardson had overseen a bed tax on retirement homes to make up for a budget shortage, though they don't mention it was later repealed. He also repeatedly calls it a "scheme" and worse still, compares Richardson to Bush:
“Governor Richardson likes to tout his gubernatorial experience as his principal qualification for president, but, as we have seen from President Bush, gubernatorial sleight-of-hand is not going to solve the problems of our nation."
What gives?

Well, according to the Biden campaign it was nothing but a tactic to achieve a level playing field. They told MSNBC that Richardson has "gotten a free pass from the press. And we're not going to let that continue."

Well well, we didn't even have to wait until Wednesday to get the spin going. Richardson has been beaten up by the press far more than Biden. Certainly, he has made his fair share of mistakes on the campaign trail so far, from Meet the Press to HRC to SEIU, but those were all very well documented by the media.

As for his record, does bringing up an obscure and short-lived fiscal fix really that worthy of an attack? Furthermore, it was exposed as a New Mexico GOP talking point from the last election. Hardly a noble source among primary votres. And for what? A chance to move up toward 4th place?

Senator Biden was on Letterman last Thursday night, the same day as the AARP forum, and he looked and sounded deflated. It is clear that Joe Biden just flat out cannot believe he is getting such a big ol' whoopin' in the polls this time around. I can just see him telling his inner circle, "Joe Biden has been in the Senate for 35 (y)ears, gawddammit!"

I mean, this is a guy who thought he should have won it back in '88, and can't believe he is doing worse this time around with 20 more years under his belt. I would feel deflated, too. So it isn't surprising that Biden is making a push at something. His debate performances have been solid, his fundraising has not. His press has been good, there just hasn't been much of it.

But why Richardson? Conventional wisdom is the experience thing. Richardson is taking the mantle of best resume among the Dem contenders, and Biden wants a piece of it. He sees himself as the true statesman of the bunch and is getting tired of not getting credit for it, in part because he doesn't have any good catch phrases like Richardson does. Makes sense.

My theory, though, adds in a little sumthin'-sumthin' called the personality thing. I think that the Biden crew thinks that they can go after the personality and maverick vote, currently well within the aegis of the Richardson campaign. Both are more personable than most, chummy and chatty, and better yet able to elicit a good belly laugh every few minutes. Honestly, I think Biden resents that a little bit, too.

Problem #1, face time. You can't be that if you only come to New Hampshire every other month. And you can't help that if you are required to vote all the time and commuting from Delaware to do it. Enter the attacks.

Problem #2, Iraq. Despite Biden's attempt to paint Richardson as a flip-flopper, even a quick examination of the articles cited can be seen as either an evolution of ideas or simply the filling of a massive void in the policy arena. Over a year ago, when the American people elected a congress to end the war it wasn't as pertinent for a Presidential candidate to be making bold claims to remove the troops because it was implied that our elected officials in Washington would get'er done.

Unfortunately, over the course of a few months it became clear that it wasn't going to happen. Enter a major doorway for someone, anyone to step into and be the man to advocate a true end to the war.

With his commitment to a "responsible" pull out, Biden will never be that person. Argue what you will over the true definition of responsible, ranging anywhere from McCain to Richardson, but in Biden's case it doesn't mean an immediate withdrawal, and there are a lot of people who want that. I mean a lot. That is where I think a big chunk of Richardson's support is coming from, and little jabs at minor bits of record aren't going to do anything to change that.

But hey, if the feud makes for a few more jokes in Hanover this Wednesday night, I won't complain too much.

Sunday Countdown

Good morning/afternoon. We're blogging pondside here in Concord on a gorgeous autumn Sunday. I have to occasionally fend off the chickens as they try to peck at my oatmeal, but its well worth it to feel the sunlight and hear the breeze hush through the trees, whose leaves are starting to show the tiniest hints of orange.

Even if the campaign weren't going on, I certainly wouldn't mind being up here in the foothills of the Whites.

We're prepping for a big week, highlighted by the Dems debate at Dartmouth on Wednesday. Watch for me on tv in the spin room afterward pretending to take notes as each campaign manager talks about how their candidate clearly represented their bold vision for change in America. I'll be the one all the girls are looking at.

But first we have football. The Seahawks face an important test today at home against a high-powered Bengal team, especially after last week's crushing loss at 'Zona. Luckily, we have Ditka on our side. Last Sunday I was rightfully sweating when he picked the Cards, so I feel much better that he is going with Seattle and the 12th man over the-team-that-gave-up-51-to-the-Browns. Ditka is 26-6 in his football picks this season. What a force!

The real questions is this:

Who wins in a football pool between the city of Las Vegas and Ditka?

DITKA!!!


See you on the trail.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Fables

Driving from Concord to Hooksett last night to cover Elizabeth Edwards' visit I hit a bit of a snag. I failed to write down the second turn from my gmaps directions so I wound up cruising back and forth along the Londonderry Turnpike for thirty minutes, trying different turns and asking directions a few times before finally getting back on the track. I was a regular Driver 8.

Ironically I had been listening to R.E.M.'s Fables of the Reconstruction the entire way down, and putting my brain to work toward conjuring up an extended metaphor for John Edwards' campaign based upon the track listing.

Turns out, having left behind my Maps and Legends, Cant Get There from Here was a perfect description for my own travels. But instead when I'm needing inspiration, Plymouth is where I go.

At any rate, I am Feeling Gravity's Pull toward a swim in the Pond before I'm back down to Manchester for another turn with Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA), in the state today to address environmental issues for Senator Clinton.

Earlier this morning we toured a LEED certified dorm at PSU. Sustainablity? Now that's Life and How to Live It.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Speaking of Questions of Integrity...

Okay, now this is truly disgusting.

What an insulting waste of time. The Senate today voted on a resolution to "strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus." The results were a sturdy 72-25 in favor.

Kudos to Senators Clinton and Dodd for voting nay. Obama and Biden abstained, unfortunately, as did Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Since I'm in Vermont I will point out a couple of things. What a shock that Pat Leahy voted in favor, and what a relief that we have a fighter like Bernie! in the Senate. Okay, now I'm getting preachy.

But I bet Ron Paul would have voted No.
-----------
UPDATE:

Hate to beat a dead horse, but this really is something that I think needs to be honestly addressed. Watch Paul Begala take the gloves off in an uncommonly necessary fashion in the HuffPost:

"Before a single Democrat condemns MoveOn's ad, they should insist that George W. Bush and the Republican Party repudiate the anti-military smears on war heroes that have been the hallmark of Mr. Bush's political career."

He adds on from there. Well spotted.

Enough is enough on GOP integrity-baiting. Talk shit about fugitive donors, that's fine. But, as Chris Dodd put it, "It is a sad day in the Senate when we spend hours debating an ad while our young people are dying in Iraq."

Motherland

Brattleboro, VT -

Folks, we are headed south this evening to take care of some old business back in Quabbin Qountry first thing in the morning before rushing back to the Granite State for a busy weekend of surrogates.

But as many of you know, no trip from Concord to Quabbin is complete without a stop at McNeill's Brewery for a cask conditioned bitter and a half pound of Mocha Joe's French Roast Organic Peruvian blend. I could live off nothing but those two beverages and water for the rest of my life and be happy.

I will try to get something up later this evening in Northampton or tomorrow morning in Keene, but if not I will catch you all later Friday evening with stories galore from the campaign trail.


So long from my home away from home (Brattleboro aka Da Bratt),
BTB

The 3Q HOTTT List

3Q Nation,

We are adding another bold new feature to the Quabbin Homepage, the 3Q HOTTT List.

No, your eyes aren't blurry from one too many Jager shots down at the Green Martini. Well, maybe they are. Either way, that shit is so hot it requires three Ts, kinda like threeqblog (dot com).

Point being, in the upper right hand corner of the blog you will now see a listing of a handful of the hotttest posts from the past week or two.

Who decides which posts are the hotttest? Well, I do.

But I would love your input! Comments help me determine what people are reading, and what they want more of on their daily blog checks.

Even if you say "Yo, word." That is good enough for me. Same goes for "Yo, you're an idiot, BTB. I think Clinton is on point!" That's cool, too.

Remember, your comments are what drives this blog. That, and a burning desire to sniff out the gold nuggets and crusty dregs tumbling down the back of the campaign trail like a starved bloodhound.

Hope you like the new stuff! Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for buying me drinks when you see me out on the town! In return I will be glad to provide anyone here in the Granite State with hours of free stories and insight. Fueled, of course, by the topics on the 3Q HOTTT List.

See you on the trail.

Ya boy,
BTB

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Should We Send Iran All the Way Home?

(Stand By Me pun intended)

A couple of days ago I gave Mitt Romney some props for the bold stroke of demanding an indictment for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad. Now it comes out that Ahmadenijad is not only scheduled to speak at the UN, but has also requested to place a wreath at ground zero in lower Manhattan.

According the NY Times, here is what three of the leading US Presidential candidates have said about his request.

Romney: Ahmadinejad’s shockingly audacious request should be met with a vehement no. It’s inconceivable that any consideration would be given to the idea of entertaining the leader of a state sponsor of terror at ground zero. This would deeply offend the sensibilities of Americans from all corners of our nation. Instead of entertaining Ahmadinejad, we should be indicting him.

Clinton: It is unacceptable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country’s support of terrorism, to visit the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in our nation’s history.

Giuliani: Under no circumstances should the N.Y.P.D. or any other American authority assist President Ahmadinejad in visiting Ground Zero. This is a man who has made threats against America and Israel, is harboring Bin Laden’s son and other al Qaeda leaders, is shipping arms to Iraqi insurgents and is pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. Assisting Ahmadinejad in touring Ground Zero – hallowed ground for all Americans – is outrageous.

.....................................

Meanwhile, the same article tells us that the president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger (no relation to Brooks), will allow Ahmadenijad to speak at the school's World Leaders Forum. Columbia's acceptance of the leader is contingent upon a number of restrictions, including a formal tongue lashing over the usual shitlist like Holocaust denial and academic suppression, and time alloted for Q&A from the crowd.

So in my own version of Wag the Blog, I ask YOU, my thoughtful readers (all ten to one hundred of you) what y'all think of this.

Should America accept an act of goodwill from the leader of one of the most influential states in the Middle East?

Or should we justly renounce a repressive, hateful, messianic creep?

C'mon, say something. I Dare You.

Family Values Tour 2007

Those elusive "values voters" are at it again! Yesterday they released results from The First Ever Values Voter Presidential Debate Straw Poll held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

While every single candidate was invited, left or right, only the ones with no chance at winning showed up. Thompson, Romney, Giuliani and McCain all stayed away, as did the entire Democratic slate.

Here are the results:

Mike Huckabee: 64%
Ron Paul: 12 %
Alan Keyes: 5%
Sam Brownback: 5%
Duncan Hunter: 4%
Fred D. Thompson: 4%
Tom Tancredo: 2%
Rudolph Giuliani: 1%
John McCain: 1%
John Cox: 1%
Mitt Romney: 0 %

What have we learned from this?

For starters, "values voters" hate Mormons. Although this is a pretty meaningless forum, Romney's folks can't be happy that the straw poll voters goose egged him. What does that mean in a state like Tennessee next fall?

Secondly, Sam Brownback needs to drop out of the race. When you lose your base to your rival by a factor of 13, and when you tie Alan Keyes, who most people didn't even know was in the race,you are done. The straw poll also reiterates Huckabee's pure and total dominance over the church crowd. This can't be totally underestimated.

Finally, these voters may value a lot of things, but wordsmithery is not one of them. Here is the headline from yesterday's press release:
"Delegates from America’s Largest Voting Block United"

Uhh, guys? I think it's called a bloc. I hope their press guy wasn't paid a whole lot.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Found

Tonight, on the recommendation of a new friend of mine here in Concord, I headed down to the Barley House to catch a show with Davy Rothbart, the co-creator of Found Magazine, and his brother Peter, front man for the band Poem Adept.

When I walked down the stairs into the Barley House’s B-Lounge, I was ambushed by the fact that there was a cover charge, always a bitter pill to swallow. Luckily the man at the door promised me it would be “one of the best shows of the year - no, the best show of the year.” So with that vote of confidence I decided to step on into the house. It turns out the man at the door was Peter Rothbart.

It also turns out I was glad to heed his advice. Granted, I haven’t seen too many shows this year (I prefer to just drink and dance to hip-hop, as opposed to listen to live music), but I can honestly say that he was right. It was the best show I have seen all year.

Found Magazine, for those who don’t know, is a concept where people send in letters that they have found on the street to Davy and his cohort Jason who then pick the best of the best and compile them into the anthology that is Found Magazine.

These letters range from love notes to hate mail, shopping lists and to-do lists and not-to-do lists, and even the occasional bored rant and unemployment benefit rejection. Rothbart reads them with gusto and amusement, adding depth to what is already silly, puzzling, or just plain hilarious.

Whether discussing “the dopest fish I ever saw” or a shopping receipt with eight packs of chicken flavored ramen noodles and a 12-pack of condoms, it is clear that Davy Rothbart is well invested into the intricacies and beauty of the lives of others.

Peter breaks the set up in the middle with a small set of songs based on the letters his brother receives. With his guitar, clever lyrics and strong voice, he really brings the house down with a style that mixes coffeeshop folk and Flight of the Conchords. Tonight’s songs included such titles as Fastest Nissan in the Northwest, the “dickdonculous” Damn, the Booty Don’t Stop and the existentially titled Bus or Beer?

Tonight Davy closed the show with his favorite Found letters and a long piece called “Nibble, Lick, Suck and Feast” that touched on the highlights of his last cross-country road trip and included stories about urinating falcons, a profane Cedric the Entertainer, and a local news anchor’s sultry dreams. In other words, high comedy.

See them for the songs, see them for the voyeurism, just see them. The Brothers Rothbart are beginning a 65-city tour that will more than likely hit your hometown, or a hometown near you. If you have any interest in the human condition, that we all just want someone to relate to and hear our voices, this is the show for you. Or, if that is your overwhelming interest, I recommend you write something bold and intrusive about your life and relationships then throw it on the ground somewhere, ideally around Ann Arbor, MI. You never know what might end up on NPR, or for that matter the basement of a barroom in Concord, NH.

Tour info for the There Goes the Neighborhood Tour 2007! can be found here.

Fightin' Words

According to J. Martin, Rudy is putting out a new radio ad wherein he claims to be Liberals' worst nightmare. Sorry, Rudy, that moniker's already been taken (ffwd to 4:15 or so into the clip to see what I mean, or just watch the whole thing):




But if we are really talking about hard hitting, we'll go to this frame. Witness what Joe Trippi wrote in an e-mail to Edwards' supporters today:

"If you want to know why we need change in Washington – and I mean real change, not just trading corporate Republican insiders with corporate Democratic insiders – then just look at Senator Clinton's schedule for today.

Today at noon, Hillary Clinton will be hosting a fundraiser in Washington, DC for a select group of lobbyists with an interest in homeland security.

Tickets for the Clinton fundraiser are $1,000 a ticket and $25,000 per bundler. And for that money you get more than a meal – you get to attend one-hour breakout sessions in four different areas of homeland security that will include House Committee Chairs and members of Congress who sit on the very committees that will be voting on homeland security legislation.
...

Today's Clinton fundraising event is a "poster child" for what is wrong with Washington and what should never happen again with a candidate running for the highest office in the land.

That no one in the Clinton campaign – including the candidate – found anything
wrong with holding this fundraiser is an indication of just how bad things have gotten in Washington – because there isn't an American outside of Washington who would not be sickened by it."


Sickened! Corporate Insiders! It is a lurid page straight out of the Ralph Nader handbook, and I like it.

This move, however fraught with risk, will undoubtedly catch flack from other campaigns and the parts of the soft-bellied media, but I'm glad to see someone taking the gloves off over an issue like money-for-access.

Can't wait for the debates!

Guest Blogger: Chris Templeton

Dr. No Visits Seattle, Friday September 14, 2007

By Chris Templeton


Boneyard notified me of Congressman Ron Paul's (R-TX) Seattle visit late last week, and luckily I was able to sneak out of work and go to the Seattle University Law School for his speech regarding the US Constitution. Upon arriving, I was impressed to see a crowd of 600+ and the lights and cameras surrounding the podium. After my initial scan of the conference room, I heard someone standing against the wall cry, "I still can't believe there is a politician in America who thinks like I do!" Well my friend, emphasis on the "a".


And Ron Paul makes this blatantly clear. After his introduction as Dr. No, Ron Paul declared that in Washington, if you want to follow the only oath required before entering office, to obey the US Constitution, then unfortunately that usually means you vote a lot of No's. Well as his wife tells him, "No starts with a 'K' " – and I suspect she's right.


Ron Paul sped through each topic and gets right to the point. To begin, many today argue that the US Constitution should be interpreted broadly to change with the times, but Ron Paul does not agree. He explained that this document was the first and most important document in the history of any society to restrain government, and not to restrain the people. This caused a raucous applause. He continued that the greatest threats to Americans are not foreign, but domestic. As the 1988 Libertarian Party presidential nominee would argue, government in the United States was never intended to cause a nanny state, to fund a large bureaucracy, or to give certain groups more freedom than others, but this is exactly what has happened he says. The founding fathers knew full well what the power of government can do, and therefore inserted the 9 th and 10th amendments to curb its growth. He continued by noting that American citizens love to argue in favor of their civil rights, but says how their property and economic rights are just as important and that "this puzzle needs to be reconnected." This also led to a large amount of shouting and applause.


For someone who has pictures of Ludwig von Mises and F.A. Hayek on his office wall and has authored books on the subject, I expected a point or two about reverting back to the gold standard from our current 'fiat' money system, and I got it. I won't go into what he said since the average American/Seattle Law School student has zero knowledge on the subject (and the crowd reaction showed), but I thought it interesting considering my economics background. Besides, a politician who can comment on it in the first place? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, as Bad Religion once sang….


The remainder of his speech was very much in perspective on the magnitude of his campaign. Ron Paul is very popular with the technically savvy; recent college graduates, and of course, the economics/business-educated crowd, but that's about it. He summed up his speech declaring that America will not change until a real economic crisis happens and that his goal is to spread the ideas of liberty and freedom, to educate people about true free-markets – not the business handout/protectionist type – and help change philosophical ideas now so future generations will have the knowledge to fix it.


My only real disappointment of his speech was that he didn't mention anything regarding healthcare. This is certainly more relevant than the gold standard in today's media circus, and for someone who is an O-B-G-Y-N, I was relishing the chance to see him trash nationalizing healthcare in both an economic sense and an ethical sense. As Ron Paul said in response to a separate question from the audience, "once handouts are given to the needy, the more people that become needy, and the less everyone gets." But Ron Paul's current fame is driven by his stance against the war (he is the only Republican candidate to vote against the invasion of Iraq) and so he spent a large part of his time discrediting the government's ability to continue waging war without the support of both congress and the people. Holler!


Contrary to what you might have seen , I should mention that Ron Paul is hilarious. He has some humorous followers as well. T-shirt slogans I saw that made my day: "Who is Ron Paul?" "Ron Paul is the shit" "Who is this man? And why is he trying to save my country?" "Legalize the Constitution and Marijuana" and "Don't vote for sloppy seconds" (including a picture of HRC). Click here to see Part 1 of the speech.




About the Author:

Chris Templeton is a financial analyst for Peter W. Wong Associates, a commercial real estate mortgage company. He met Bryan in 6th grade at Meeker Middle School, despite the fact he was wearing a Dallas Cowboys Starter jacket at the time.

Alma Mater: Santa Clara University '04 (Economics and History)

Hometown: The Tac, Washington

Career Highs: Second Place, 2nd Annual Wasteland Beirut Tournament, April 2005.