John McCain, Pobresito

Today, John McCain responded to the statement from Wesley Clark that getting shot down in Vietnam did not qualify him to be President of the United States of America.

I won't even get into the thought that Clark shouldn't throw stones in glass houses. What I will get into is how McCain sounded in response to Clark.

McCain sounded OLD. He sounded WEAK. He sounded UNINSPIRING. He sounded like a poor soul who got mugged by a young whipper-snapper.

He sounded like someone you'd feel sorry for. I'm sure people sympathize with what he's gone through in life.

It's my experience that people don't vote for candidates based on sympathy. I submit Bob Dole as Exhibit A -- fought in WWII, lost the use of one of his arms, had served in the Senate many years and had one last shot at the Presidency ... certainly a sympathetic figure, and well-liked to boot. Well, that sympathy was not enough to get him the votes he needed to win the 1996 Presidential election versus Bill Clinton.

To me, this current election parallels 1996. Obama is an Enneagram-type 7, like Bill Clinton ... and McCain appears WAY past his prime, just like Dole.

If McCain doesn't get a spine soon, he's DONE! Being a sympathetic figure doesn't get you elected.

Was Reagan a sympathetic figure? Heck, no! How about Bush -- does he appear sympathetic? Certainly not!

McCain needs to get tough, fast -- the way he was tough on Romney during the Primaries.

Random Thoughts on 2008 Election

As we round the corner into the General Election showdown between McCain and Obama, I thought I'd share my general impressions ... this is partially inspired by a surreal conversation I had with a personality type seven Law Enforcement Officer a few weeks ago:

• Once again, the Democrat electorate pass over an obvious choice like Richardson (Southern two-term Governor with successful track record) for underdogs and flash.
• Clinton came out of nowhere in 1992 to win the nomination, and eventually the Presidency, for the democrats. In 2008, Obama came out of nowhere to defeat the now-establishment Clintons. Democrats love new faces.
• Hillary would have won the 2004 nomination and election. Bush would have been a one-term president, like his father before him. Hillary's lack of courage and political calculation to wait for '08 was a HUGE blunder.
• Mitt Romney is not a conservative. Any Governor who signs a universal health care bill is not a conservative, no matter how many times the Golfer tells me he is.
• With the Democrats shooting themselves in the foot, a moderate Governor like Romney with business smarts was a perfect choice for the Republicans. Who do they choose? John McCain -- a wannabe independent.
• Open primary elections should be disallowed. Democrats apparently crossed over to vote for McCain in the early states, and Repubs crossed over to vote for Hillary in later states. All primaries should be closed, so that each party can choose their best candidate and avoid silly tomfoolery.
• "Operation Chaos" is Fairness Doctrine fodder and career suicide bombing by the Golfer, taking down Republican talk radio with him.
• George Bush is a bizarro liberal who gives conservatives a bad name.
• McCain's liberal policies will be painted as conservative by the MEDIA, if he wins.
• Conservatives must sit out the election and allow Obama to win.
  
• Obama might be more moderate than liberal as president. He may surprise some people.
• Democrat Superdelegates are more afraid of riots caused by African-Americans than riots by older women. I guess they forgot about the feminist movement.
• Blacks vote for Obama 90% to 10% for Hillary. Whites vote for Hillary 60% to 40% to Obama. So, are we to conclude that Black Democrats more racist than White Democrats?
  
• The menopausal white female Democrats will eventually forget about Hillary and vote for Obama in November.
• Clinton will NEVER get die-hard Obama voters in the general election.
• Obama will NEVER get "Bitter" people to vote for him.
• McCain will NEVER get certain conservatives to vote for him.
  

Phil Hendrie and Barack's "Bitter" Comment

More brilliant commentary from Phil Hendrie:






Can you smell what Barack is cooking?


















Crisis of Infinite Hillary Clintons.











Can The Rock beat Captain America?




McCain, Pre-Super Soldier formula, travels forward in time to 2008 and outlines his plan to solve the health care crisis.

Obama: How DOES He Raise $55 million in One Month?

Michael Savage raised this question tonight -- how did Barack Obama raise $55 million in February?

It's an excellent question. The MEDIA seems to shrug their collective shoulders and accept this as a byproduct of Obama's "Grassroots movement."

I know from personal experience that raising money on the internet is damn near impossible ... if you're an honest guy. Now, if you're a snake-oil salesman, or a spammer, or an aggressive con artist/hot chick, or a purveyor of porn/voyeurism/prostitution ... then I could see you making money!

Now, if you're an honest guy and you find a decent method, like Damian did with PPP, you can be sure that Google will eventually "Layeth the Smacketh Down" on that candy web trick ... I've read about this for years on Addme.com -- "Oh, Google figured out how to stop this technique we've used for getting hits, but they haven't figured out THAT!" And then in three months, another technique ... then, another, and another.

Truthfully, you either have to be dishonest or so cynical about the way the internet works that you don't care about pre-internet morality and ethics. An argument ... let me rephrase, a STRONG argument can be made that, like the wild west depicted in movies, business morality and ethics practiced on the internet is not practical for most people trying to make a buck on the web.

Which brings me back to Dr. Savage's question -- how does Obama do it?

And who benefits?

I believe some people have bought into his snake-oil salesman's charm ... it seems to be a mix of "He's the new JFK!" and "He's a good speaker!" But is this grassroots religious fervor worth $55 million?

Perhaps enemies of Clinton are gleefully backing the new upstart ... perhaps the "Pink hand" is giving Obama a boost in exchange for a promises ... perhaps the corrupt Chicago political machine is working overtime....

It would be nice if the MEDIA would investigate this....

How do they know?

Here are some random quotes I've heard over the years:

"People are clearly inspired by Barack Obama's message. That's why they're voting for him."

"McCain needs to reach out to conservatives; they won't vote for him otherwise."

"America wants change!"

"It's the economy, stupid."

"No team will sign Barry Bonds because of the court case and the public outrage against him."

I have a simple question: How on earth do commentators, pundits, news anchors, and all else KNOW what Americans are thinking, feeling, and wanting?

What. Did they talk to five people walking by before going on the air to get a feel for public sentiment? Do they look at a poll where a majority of people say one thing and then project the image that 100% of the people feel that way?

As one of the few people walking on this blessed earth with a brain, I tire of these tactics. I tire of seeing the effects of these tactics on John Q. Public -- around water coolers, at supermarkets, etc. Average folks tend to parrot what they're verbally fed.

I wish intelligent analysis was considered profitable by the MEDIA.