Spain in Latin America, Venezuela in Middle East?

At an economic roundtable today in Des Moines, Iowa, John McCain stressed the importance of "ensuring that America is secure, and not dependent on oil from people like Hugo Chavez or other parts of the Middle East..." For crying out loud, will someone please give him a crash course in geography? Chavez is president of Venezuela, a country in Latin America. And no, senator, it does not share a border with Spain.

Palin Can't Name Supreme Court Case Other Than Roe v. Wade

We already know that Gov. Palin's interview with Katie Couric was a complete and utter disaster. When prompted to defend her claim that geographic proximity makes her some sort of expert on U.S.-Russo relations, she observed that Putin flies over Alaska to get to the lower forty-eight. When asked to identify a single market regulation that McCain supported in his 26 years of service, Palin said "I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to ya." (She didn't.) When queried about the bailout, she responded with a cadre of incoherent rambling about healthcare, spending, and trade. And unfortunately for Palin, it's not over.

Yesterday, Howard Kurtz revealed in his column that "the worst may be yet to come for Palin; sources say CBS has two more responses on tape that will likely prove embarrassing." As media insiders held their fire to avoid looking like they're piling on, a number of prominent conservatives jumped ship. Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker summed up sentiments well: "If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself."

Last night, the substance of one of the ill-fated responses leaked. Couric's interview had turned to the highest court. Palin noted Roe v. Wade but was apparently unable to identify any other Supreme Court cases. Marbury v. Madison? Nope. Brown v. Board? Nuh uh. Bush v. Gore?! Not so much.

But why sweat the small stuff? She's a 'maverick' and can see Russia from her house.

DOJ: Rove, Miers Behind U.S. Attorney Firings

A Justice Department report to be released today is said to offer harsh condemnation of the political motivations that led to the dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys. While former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez will likely not face criminal charges, sources close to the investigation tell The New York Times that criticism in the report centers on Gonzalez's chief of staff, Kyle Sampson, who carried out the firings.

Perhaps most significant, the report is expected to produce evidence that Sampson's orders came down from senior White House staff; namely, former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and White House counsel Harriet Miers.

Update (11:15 am): The report has been released and Attorney General Michael Mukasey has appointed a special prosecutor to examine whether criminal charges are warranted.

Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine and Office of Professional Responsibility Director Marshall Jarrett said that a special prosecutor is necessary because "serious allegations involving potential criminal conduct have not been fully investigated or resolved."

Investigators were particularly troubled by the circumstances surrounding the David Iglesias's firing, but said they were unable to get the complete story because Karl Rove, Harriet Miers, Monica Goodling, New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, and others have thus far refused to cooperate. That notwithstanding, Rove and Miers remain lead characters in the 392 page narrative.

Heavy responsibility for the scandal is also laid at the feet of Alberto Gonzalez, who the report says "abdicated" his leadership role and was "remarkably unengaged."

Huckabee: McCain Made a "Huge Mistake"

Speaking to reporters in Mobile, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee called Sen. McCain's decision to suspend his campaign and possibly skip tonight's debate a "huge mistake." A President has to "deal with the unexpected," he said. "You can't just say, 'World, stop for a moment. I'm going to cancel everything.'"

Huckabee said it's more important for the American people to hear from the presidential candidates than for them to huddle with politicians in Washington. Given that McCain's helping hand has thus far torpedoed at least one tenative rescue deal, I think it's safe to say at this point that any excuse to get McCain out of Washington will do.

Palin Incoherent on Bailout

It turns out the Bush doctrine was Palin's strong suit.



PALIN: But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh -- it's got to be all about job creation too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, um, scary thing, but 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

McCain Photo Op Stymies Progress on Rescue

Congressional leaders and Bush administration officials are close to a deal on a $700 billion rescue plan with greater protections for taxpayers and new assistance for distressed homeowners. But John McCain is floundering and needs the President to help him pull off his peculiar political stunt. So now, at McCain's request, Bush is taking the parties away from work on a package they have effectively already agreed to for a meeting after-the-fact at the White House.

Rep. Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and point-person in negotiations with Treasury Secretary Paulson, called the meeting an unneeded distraction.

"We're going to have to interrupt a negotiating session tomorrow between the Democrats and Republicans on a bill where I think we are getting pretty close, and troop down to the White House for their photo op," he said. "I wish they'd checked with us."

Indeed, one would think the "country first" candidate would have checked with those having actual responsibility for moving the deal forward. But he didn't. So the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression is just going to have to wait. McCain needs his photo op.

Palin Unable to Cite One McCain-Backed Market Regulation

In case you missed it, Gov. Palin took part in a rare interview with CBS's Katie Couric yesterday and was asked if she could name one instance in which Sen. McCain advocated for greater regulation of the market. She couldn't ("I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to ya.") This is relevant, of course, because in recent days McCain has attempted to claim the mantle of market regulation (one of the biggest flip-flops in presidential campaign history).

While Palin's inability to define the Bush doctrine was inexcusable, it's hard to fault her for this one. After all, the correct answer to Couric's question was "No."

Panicked McCain Suspends Campaign to Save Economy He Knows Nothing About

Holy Hail Mary! You really have to hand it to the man -- he's as unpredictable as a wounded elephant. And he just so happens to be a wounded elephant. Well, metaphorically speaking.

Today was quite possibly the worst day of the campaign for John McCain. It started out with his running mate taking flack for banning reporters from her meetings with world leaders yesterday, it veered off course when new Washington Post/ABC and Fox News polls showed him trailing Sen. Obama by 9 and 6 points respectively, and came in for a crash landing when news broke that Freddie Mac paid campaign manager Rick Davis's firm $15,000 a month from 2005 through last month. The revelations concerning the $15,000 payments were undoubtedly the straw that broke the elephant's back as McCain had just told CNBC and The New York Times on Sunday that Davis had not been involved with Freddie for several years.

So what did McCain do? He threw what Congressman Barney Frank called "the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys." That is, McCain suspended his campaign and asked that Friday's debate be postponed, an obvious political ploy meant to divert attention away from the fact that his woefully unqualified running mate won't answer questions, that he has no idea what to do about the economy, and that his campaign manager lobbied until recently for the very reckless, hands-off policies that set the current crisis in motion.

McCain Lied About Campaign Manager's Ties to Freddie Mac

On Sunday, in an interview with CNBC and The New York Times, John McCain stated unequivocally that his lobbyist campaign manager, Rick Davis, has had no involvement with Freddie Mac for several years. Today, however, The Times reveals that Freddie Mac paid Davis's firm $15,000 a month from the end of 2005 through last month. The payments ceased only after the beleaguered mortgage giant was taken over by the federal government a couple of weeks ago.

"The two officials with direct knowledge of Freddie Mac's post-2005 contract with Davis spoke on condition of anonymity. One is a Democrat and the other a registered independent. Four other outside consultants, three Democrats and a Republican also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that it was widely known that Davis was being paid though his firm."

These revelations obviously reak of hypocrisy on the part of McCain, who has levied repeated and widely discredited charges that former Fannie Mae executives have served as Obama advisers. But what's worse is that McCain lied to the American people.

Campbell Brown: Let Palin Answer Questions

CNN's Campbell Brown delivered a scalding editorial last night in which she accused the McCain campaign of sexism in their treatment of Gov. Palin. Brown said that Palin is not "a delicate flower" and should be permitted to face the press and answer questions like "a real candidate."



Here's a complete transcript of Brown's remarks:

"But, first, bear with me for a short rant on another subject, because, frankly, I have had it. And I know a lot of other women out there are with me on this. I have had enough of the sexist treatment of Sarah Palin. It has to end.

"She was here in New York City today meeting with world leaders at the U.N. And what did the McCain campaign do? They tried to ban reporters from covering those meetings. And they did ban reporters from asking Gov. Palin any questions.

"Tonight, I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment. This woman is from Alaska, for crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is confident. And you claim she's ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters, just like Barack Obama did today, just like John McCain did today, just like Joe Biden has done on numerous occasions. Let her have a real news conference with real questions.

"By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you're not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chains you're binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So, let her act like one."

Palin Bans Reporters from Meetings With Leaders

The Associated Press and others are reporting that Gov. Palin has banned reporters from her meetings with world leaders today, allowing access to only photographers and a television camera crew. In other words, she wanted a free photo op with no strings attached. Palin's move is in keeping with her practice of refusing access and answers to any and all things relating to her background, qualifications, and record.

When the Associated Press and other news organizations objected, Palin's staff informed them that the matter was not open for discussion. CNN, which was on hand to provide television coverage, pulled its camera crew after it, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and others voted not use any video coming out of Palin's meetings in protest.

McCain Caught Lying to Michiganders

The McCain campaign's efforts to portray Sen. Obama as an elitist have hit another, well, bump in the road. NEWSWEEK reports that John McCain owns a fleet of 13 automobiles and, to make matters worse, has been caught in yet another lie.

In a recent interview with Detroit station WXYZ-TV, McCain bragged that "I've bought American literally all my life and I'm proud." It turns out that McCain's "all-American" fleet includes four foreign-made automobiles: a Honda sedan, a Volkswagen convertible, a Toyota Prius, and a Lexus with vanity plates reading "MS BUD." And that doesn't include Cindy's tricked out Nissan drift racer.

So at a time when U.S. automakers and their employees are fighting for their lives, McCain actually had the audacity to go to Detroit and lie to their faces. Oh and for the record, Barack and Michelle Obama own 1 automobile: a Ford Escape Hybrid.

McCain Looks Foolish in Assault on Cox

This week John McCain, completely out of his element with respect to developments on Wall Street, lodged another uninformed and impetuous attack -- this time, at SEC Chairman Christopher Cox.

"The chairman of the SEC serves at the appointment of the president and, in my view, has betrayed the public trust," McCain said. "If I were president today, I would fire him."

And he would have diminished his office by attempting to do so. Here are just two reasons why.

First, it is borderline ridiculous to lay the blame squarely at Cox's feet. Our current crisis dates back to reckless deregulation of the financial markets by the GOP-controlled Congress and its chief deregulator, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Phil Gramm (now McCain Campaign Chairman and presumptive Treasury Secretary), in the 1990s. Gramm's work left the SEC and others without the necessary authorities to regulate adequately existing and new markets and securities. Sure, Cox should have spoken up and done so forcefully. But the current financial crisis wasn't set in motion by Cox or his predecessors.

McCain's misdirected, bellicose rhetoric has drawn the ire of even America's most conservative editorial board, the Wall Street Journal, who called his statements about Cox "false," "deeply unfair," and downright "unpresidential." Ouch.

Second, if McCain hadn't shot first and asked questions later, he likely would have discovered that the president doesn't have the power to dismiss Chairman Cox. While the president does indeed nominate the chairman and other commissioners of the SEC, they, like their counterparts at the Federal Reserve Board, the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission, cannot be removed by him. What an awkward conversation that would be.

Disaster Looming: China in Talks to Buy Half of Morgan Stanley

"The capitalists will sell us the rope to hang them with." - Lenin

Bloomberg reports that Morgan Stanley, America's second largest securities firm, may sell as much as 49 percent of its holdings to China. China already holds a 9.9 percent stake in Morgan Stanley, which it purchased in December after the firm reported a quarterly loss. Obviously, Morgan Stanley's in trouble again. It's shares fell 42 percent this week as Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch allowed itself to be acquired by Bank of America. But this would be a complete and utter disaster; perhaps not for Morgan Stanley, but certainly for America.

China is already leveraging its position as one of America's biggest bankers to defend an untenable status quo in U.S.-China trade; one that has seen the devastation of U.S. manufacturing and that continues to permit China to levy 12 percent higher average tariffs on U.S. goods than the U.S. imposes on Chinese goods, inflate its competitive posture in U.S. markets through blatant currency manipulation, and extract annually from the U.S. a trade surplus of $233 billion (and rising).

And if America has any hope of reacquiring the leverage necessary to pressure China to exert its influence in Darfur, cease hostilities towards Tibet and Taiwan, and respect the human rights and civil liberties of its citizens, our government better think hard and fast before they allow the Chinese government to purchase half of Morgan Stanley.

China owns far too much of America already. It would be sheer folly to put them on the path to a controlling interest.

Baroness Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild: Obama Out of Touch

It's no mystery that Sen. McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate was a cynical ploy to bring in disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters. Criticize him all you want, but he finally got one!

I listened intently yesterday as CNN announced that "a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter" had endorsed John McCain for President -- and very nearly wet myself when I heard it was none other than the Baroness Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild. Here's Lady Forester's reason for defecting:

"This is a hard decision for me personally because frankly I don't like [Obama]. I feel like he is an elitist."

If you haven't yet figured out why this is so funny, here's a little bit of background. Lady Forester is the billionaire CEO of a major international holding company, one-time "mega communications mogul," and wife of famed international banker Sir Evelyn Robert Adrian de Rothschild. She is mistress of the Ascott House, the 3,200 acre Rothschild family estate North of London, and owns a lavish summer home in Marthas Vineyard and what has been described as "the most beautiful apartment in New York." She's been dubbed "the flashiest hostess in London" by Portfolio and "a New York socialite" by the Wall Street Journal. And Lady Forester is clearly anathema to the plight of ordinary Americans.

Now say her full name (and title) five times real fast.

McCain's Top Economic Adviser: McCain Invented the Blackberry

Asked by reporters this morning what work Sen. McCain did as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee that helped him understand financial markets, the senator's top economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin waved his Blackberry in the air and declared "He did this!" Not realizing that he had just damned his candidate with a sequel to "I took the initiative in creating the Internet," Holtz-Eakin pressed on:

"Telecommunications of the United States is a premier innovation in the past 15 years, comes right through the Commerce committee so you're looking at the miracle John McCain helped create and that's what he did."

Remember, this is the same guy who admitted he doesn't know how to send emails or use the internet.

It's 3 A.M. and McCain Still Doesn't Understand Economic Issues

It's 3 a.m. and we're in the midst of a once-in-a-century economic crisis. Who do you want answering the phone? Well, let's start by taking a look at where we are after 8 years of Republican economic policies.

The housing market is soft, credit is scarce, foreclosures are at an all-time high, and we're $10 trillion in debt. While labor productivity has risen 13.5 percent, middle class real wages have fallen roughly $1700. At the same time, the cost of healthcare, college, energy, and food have skyrocketed.

Earlier this year, federal taxpayers bailed out one of the world's largest investment banks. Earlier this month, taxpayers bailed out the country's two largest mortgage lenders. Earlier today, another of the world's largest (also U.S.-based) investment banks filed for bankruptcy. And just a few hours ago, John McCain told Floridians that he still believes "the fundamentals of our economy are strong."

To his credit, McCain has conceded that "the issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should." But as McCain made clear today, he remains not only completely out of touch, but hopelessly ill-equipped to take on the economic challenges we face.

McCain, Palin At Odds Over Stem Cells

The McCain campaign has released a new radio ad highlighting the Arizona senator's relatively moderate stance on stem cell research. The ad says the following:

"They're the original mavericks. Leaders. Reformers. Fighting for real change. John McCain will lead his Congressional allies to improve America's health. Stem cell research to unlock the mystery of cancer, diabetes, heart disease. Stem cell research to help free families from the fear and devastation of illness. Stem cell research to help doctors repair spinal cord damage, knee injuries, serious burns. Stem cell research to help stroke victims."

Just one problem: Gov. Palin is adamantly opposed to stem cell research. During a 2006 gubernatorial debate, Palin was asked about the issue. Here's what she said:

"Well, another hypothetical, because I certainly have not seen it on the docket in our university system, stem cell research. But here again, with a pro-life position, and its interesting that so many questions revolve around this centeredness I have of respecting life and the potential of every human life, but no, stem-cell research would ultimately end in destruction of life. I couldn’t support [it]."

Again, the ad says "mavericks." Now I get that John McCain is supposed to be one of them. I'm just wondering who the other is.

Palin: Bush Doctrine?

Palin Moving to Block 'Troopergate' Subpoenas?

Bloomberg reports that the Alaska Attorney General's office is interfering with the legislature's investigation into whether Gov. Palin abused her office by firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. While Alaska's legislature is controlled by the GOP, Palin's lawyers are nevertheless calling into question their authority and motivations and threatening to move to quash the subpoenas that legislators are expected to issue tomorrow.

But Jay Ramras, the GOP representative who chairs the Judiciary Committee, isn't backing down. "We have to prevent this because it is going to diminish the reputation of Alaska," he said.

Pres. Clinton: Obama Will Win "Pretty Handily"

Sen. Obama and former President Clinton just finished having lunch at Clinton's Harlem office. When asked about Obama's prospects for victory in November, Clinton expressed optimism. "I predict Sen. Obama will win and win pretty handily," he said. (Photo: AP)

Bears Are So Yesterday

On the campaign trail John McCain routinely mocks Congress's lavish taste for earmarks by way of such comedic examples as an appropriation to study the DNA of Bears in Montana. "I don’t know if that was a paternity issue or a criminal issue," McCain quips. Well, if McCain is in need of new material, he need look no further than his running mate's FY 2009 earmark requests.

It turns out that Gov. Palin has requested federal funding to study the DNA of harbor seals (bears are so yesterday) and the mating habits of crabs. When coupled with Palin's support for the infamous bridge to nowhere, these revelations show that McCain's running mate represents, perhaps better than anyone else, the very me-first, country-second, fiscally irresponsible Washington politicking McCain professes to detest.

And yes, it's okay to laugh.

Divorce Judge: Harrassment of Wooten by Palin and Her Family "A Form of Child Abuse"

According to Newsweek, in 2005 a judge repeatedly warned Sarah Palin and members of her family to stop disparaging Mike Wooten, the Alaska state trooper who divorced Palin's sister Molly and was alleged to have been targeted for termination by Palin when she became Governor. (Click here for more on "troopergate")

Court records show that Judge John Suddock heard testimony from a representative of the Alaska State Troopers' union about how Palin and her family filed as many as a dozen complaints against Wooten with the state police. The representative testified, inter alia, that the complaints were "not job-related" and that Wooten was being "harassed" by Palin.

Judge Suddock called the conduct of Palin and her family "a form of child abuse" and believed their conduct so reprehensible that he threatened to award Wooten sole custody of the child. In granting Wooten and Molly a divorce, Judge Suddock warned Molly that he would consider limiting her custody rights should she prove unable to control Palin and other members of her family.

Begala: No Debate About Bridge to Nowhere

Does the High Road Lead to Defeat?

When Obama secured the Democratic nomination, John McCain pledged to run a civil campaign founded on the issues. While he almost immediately kicked that pledge to the curb, I must confess that I hadn't expected McCain's message to deterioriate into that which he had once condemned: the very Karl Rove politics of smear and deceit that doomed his candidacy in 2000. And I certainly hadn't expected him to best Rove at his own game. But he has.

Without any discernable plan to get the economy back on track, expand access to healthcare, achieve energy independence or take the fight to the terrorists in the tribal regions of Pakistan, McCain has pinned his electoral fortunes on two new narratives. The first displaces issues with feel-good catchphrases like "country first" and "original maverick." The second uses innuendo and untruths to reinforce subsconscious fears and biases about Obama.

An example of the latter can be found in McCain's new ad on education, wherein Obama is cast as someone who supported "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. The fact that it is a blatant lie is immaterial. It's out there -- and some people will go to the polls in November believing it.

It is the same strategy McCain's employed with taxes. Under Obama's tax plan, 95 percent of Americans would get a tax cut and seniors with incomes under $50,000 would pay no income taxes at all. Nevertheless, McCain continues to carpet bomb the swing states with ads saying Obama will raise everyone's taxes. And surprise, surprise, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that 51 percent of Americans and 41 percent of seniors believe Obama will raise their taxes.

It's the most cynical and dishonorable campaign strategy I've ever seen -- and it appears to be working. It's working in part because the McCain campaign has cowed the media into abandoning its commitment to objective fact. So now when McCain throws a ball, the media widens the strike zone.

Given this reality, the question is no longer as simple as whether playing McCain's game will do more damage to Obama's brand than its worth. The more important question it seems is whether, under these circumstances, the high road leads anywhere at all.

Obama Slams McCain for "Swift Boat Politics"

Palin Championed Bridge, Led Nation in Earmark Requests as Governor

While politicians have always taken certain liberties with fact and circumstance, the McCain-Palin ticket has, true to their newly discovered message of 'change,' taken it to a whole new level. In every speech given as McCain's running mate, the moose-hunting hockey mom from Alaska has boasted that she told Congress "thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere." Palin, like McCain, has also criticized Obama's earmark requests as typical pork-barrel spending. There are two problems with this line of argument: Palin championed the bridge to nowhere as a gubernatorial candidate and as Governor, and has led the nation in earmark requests in her two years as Alaska's chief executive (it wasn't even close).

First, let's look at Palin's record with respect to the bridge. In 2006, Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she would like to see the bridge "built sooner rather than later. The window is now -- while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist." Once elected, Palin reiterated her support for the project. "We need to come to the defense of Southeast Alaska when proposals are on the table like the bridge," she said, "and not allow the spinmeisters to turn this project or any other into something that's so negative." Only after the bridge became a national scandal did Palin change her mind. Of course, that didn't stop her from keeping the money which had already been earmarked for the project.

Which brings us to Palin's record on earmarks. During her tenure as Mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired the town's first Washington lobbyist and succeeded in extracting tens of millions of taxpayer dollars from the federal treasury. Notwithstanding her success in Washington, Palin managed to leave Wasilla $20 million in debt. And in less than two years as Governor, Palin has asked for $750 million in federal earmarks, by far the largest per-capita request in the country.

So if McCain and Palin are indeed "the original mavericks," why do they look so much like the establishment?

Tom Ridge Defends "John Bush"

Palin Switched Colleges 6 Times in 6 Years

Gov. Palin's resume just keeps getting better. And by better I mean oh my god. First we learn that Palin's relevant experience consists of less than two years as Alaska Governor and service as Mayor of Wasilla, a town of 7,000 that she left $20 million in debt (that's $3,000 per resident.) Then we learn that she's under investigation by Alaska's GOP-controlled legislature for possible ethics violations. Then we learn that she was actually for the famed 'Bridge to Nowhere' before she was against it. Then we learn that she believes the prosecution of the Iraq War and the construction of an Alaska gas pipeline to be tasks ordained by God. Then we find out that she picked up her religious fanaticism from her radical pastor, who preaches, among other things, that the hottest part of hell is reserved for critics of President Bush and the 59 million Americans who voted for John Kerry.

And now the news off the wire is that Palin attended 6 colleges in 6 years en route to a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. Fortunately for Palin, federal privacy laws prohibit the schools from disclosing her grades. Okay, now swallow your coffee or food. Ready? She left her first college, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, after only a few weeks because it rained too much. I mean come on, this isn't funny anymore. Is this really the best the GOP can do for Vice President of the United States?

Stewart in Stride: Exposes Hypocrisy of McCain Surrogates on Experience and Gender

Sen. Clinton Releases Statement at Close of RNC

As Sen. McCain wrapped up his acceptance speech, Sen. Clinton released the following statement: 

The two party conventions showcased vastly different directions for our country. Senator Obama and Senator Biden offered the new ideas and positive change America needs and deserves after eight years of failed Republican leadership. Senator McCain and Governor Palin do not.

After listening to all the speeches this week, I heard nothing that suggests the Republicans are ready to fix the economy for middle class families, provide quality affordable health care for all Americans, guarantee equal pay for equal work for women, restore our nation's leadership in a complex world or tackle the myriad of challenges our country faces. So, to slightly amend my comments from Denver: NO WAY, NO HOW, NO McCAIN-PALIN.

Simon Mocks McCain's Anti-Media Campaign

Roger Simon of the Politico authored a fantastic piece today about the McCain campaign's brazen attempts to silence legitimate media inquiries about Gov. Palin's experience and record. The hypocrisy is palpable, as Simon illustrates. Here's an excerpt:

On behalf of the media, I would like to say we are sorry.

On behalf of the elite media, I would like to say we are very sorry.

We have asked questions this week that we should never have asked.

We have asked pathetic questions like: Who is Sarah Palin? What is her record? Where does she stand on the issues? And is she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?

We have asked mean questions like: How well did John McCain know her before he selected her? How well did his campaign vet her? And was she his first choice?

Bad questions. Bad media. Bad.

Palin Speech Empty as Her Resume

Gov. Palin's speech last night was well-delivered, but totally devoid of substance. While she seemed comfortable in the traditional attack dog role of a VP nominee, she did little to address doubts as to whether she is ready to be President should the need arise.

Aside from fleeting references to what seemed a petroleum-based energy policy, Palin didn't touch a single issue of consequence to American families. We find ourselves in the midst of recession and a housing crisis, in a war we can't afford and with a spiraling debt we can't seem to arrest, but you wouldn't have known it listening to Palin's speech. Then again, McCain's campaign manager did say, "This election is not about issues," so I suppose we should have expected as much.

And as far as one can tell, Palin is just as unqualified today as she was yesterday. She attempted to counter this argument last night by pointing to her experience as a small-town mayor. "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities," she quipped. Fair enough. But where I come from, officiating a snowmobile race doesn't count as an "actual responsibility," and America has tens of thousands of mayors. What makes her any better than the rest?

Apparently not much, at least according to McCain confidants Mike Murphy and Peggy Noonan. Yesterday on MSNBC, Murphy and Noonan, unaware that their mic was still on, essentially called Palin an empty suit chosen for political theater.

So when the McCain campaign is asked about Palin's inexperience, ethical problems, ties to secessionist organizations and, coming soon, her radical pastor, it's not because America's full of raging sexists. It's because she might become President -- and last night's speech did little to assuage concerns that she's not up to the job.

Palin's Pastor Far Crazier Than Wright

You may have heard that in June of this year, Gov. Palin told congregants at the Wasilla Assembly of God that the Iraq War and the construction of an Alaska gas pipeline are tasks from God. Well, now we have a better idea of where this radical crusader-mentality may have come from. If you think Jeremiah Wright was bad, just wait until you meet Palin's Pastor, Ed Kalnins.

During the 2004 election season, Pastor Kalnins warned congregants that critics of President Bush and supporters of Sen. Kerry would be banished to hell. He maintains, inter alia, that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Iraq conflict are part of a larger war "contending for your faith," that Jesus "operated from that position of war mode," and that damnation awaits critics of the Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina.

News of Pastor Kalnin's ministry and association with Palin is developing as we speak, so stay tuned.

The Palin Strategy

In McCain's eyes, the fact that Sarah Palin has less than two years of relevant experience, a far-right political ideology, ethical issues and ties to a fringe secessionist organization is of little consequence. He obviously didn't pick her because he believes her qualified to assume the presidency should something happen to him. Rather, he tuned in for the Democratic convention, saw Obama's acceptance speech, and panicked. He needed to shake things up; country first be damned.

So here's the strategy the McCain campaign came up with: Choose a woman who is woefully unqualified to be president and then brand as sexist any and all who question her credentials. That ought to rile up those disaffected Hillary supporters. Since the announcement, the McCain campaign has operated as a well-oiled machine, leveling charges of sexism at the Obama campaign, the media, and anyone else with the audacity to go public with Palin's resume.

"I am appalled by the Obama campaign's attempts to belittle Governor Sarah Palin's experience." says RNC Victory Chair Carly Fiorina. "Because of Hillary Clinton's historic run for the Presidency and the treatment she received, American women are more highly tuned than ever to recognize and decry sexism in all its forms. They will not tolerate sexist treatment of Governor Palin."

Yes indeed, the McCain campaign has taken up the mantle of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucrietta Mott, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Blackwell and other pioneers of the equal rights movement. Nevermind that their new champion opposes equal pay for equal work, a woman's right to choose (even in cases of rape or incest), and everything else Hillary and the vast majority of American women believe in.