Works and Days

October 3rd, 2008 9:13 am

Debate Impressions

So Now What?

Bottom line: Under an enormous amount of pressure, with the McCain campaign slowing, Palin did a good job. Very good. If the loan guarantees stabilize markets and restore liquidity, and if McCain can do as well against Obama, then McCain/Palin can once more pull even. A lot of ifs. Yet the voters want reasons to vote for them, since they have greater trust in their authenticity rather than in the elegance of lawyers.

She ‘Doggoned’ him

Let me elaborate. Sophisticates would rather listen to the six-term Senator Biden suavely and masterfully mislead (on every thing from the legislative responsibilities of the Vice President and confusion about Article I of the Constitution to Hezbollah in Lebanon) than an honest and sincere Palin speak directly to the people. Everyone else would not.

So yes, Biden sounded the more impressive in terms of recall and facts, but it was the transitory experience of a mint that melts almost instantaneously—once you realize that almost all of the sweeping sweet assertions you just heard were, on reflection, simply untrue and so now gone and forgotten. The story today is an embarrassing fact-checking of Biden’s bombast to a far greater degree than is true of Palin’s assertions.

Listening to Biden was like hearing a probate lawyer who pounds you with facts and figures to convince you why his fee is larger that the size of the estate, expecting that you will leave the office reluctantly convinced, depressed, and broke, even as you realize that all his talents were put to no good use.

So the debate had the character of one of those 1940s “champ” fight movies, in which the deft, cocky and more refined puncher beats up—at the beginning—the nervous sweaty challenger with the far greater heart. A man with three decades in the Senate, who reminds us ad nauseam of where he was and what he has done almost every second, in theory should have easily won; but this simply did not happen, in part to Palin’s charisma and Biden’s pontifications and distortions.

What worries me is not that Palin could not do the job of Vice President, but that Obama may well be President, a man of dubious associations, a hyper-partisan voting record, a disturbing if not vicious campaign history in Illinois, with large lacunae in his past at Columbia, and before and during Harvard, and a record of very little accomplishment if not frequent failure as an ambitious community organizer, while a politicized professor at Chicago Law School without a trace of scholarly publication. The pattern is the same: rhetoric, identity politics, and charisma substitute for accomplishment as he goes from one position to the next before the assessment of the last is in. In contrast, the mayorship in an Alaskan outback, local politics, the governorship of Alaska, at least suggest she had to perform in the give and take of rough and tumble Alaskan politics and be responsible for budgets, decisions, and hiring and firing. In that regard, Obama reminds me of a lot of the very bright people I went to graduate school with, and Palin the very independent and reliable people I farmed with.

…And ‘Aw-shucked’ ‘em

Back to the debate: as the rounds wore on, Palin lost much of her nervousness, smiled, and finally came into her own as the voice of an outsider who was not impressed by the same old, same old DC smugness. And as she did punch back, Biden began losing his composure, sighing with occasional break-ins and interruptions.

The more data he cited (much of it, again, less than factual [e.g., Biden really did, as Palin noted, rule out coal-generated power; he really did once deprecate Obama’s Iraq suggestions as ill-founded and dangerous; and he really does wish to create a trillion dollars in new spending entitlements; and senior commanders really do think the tactics in Iraq, mutatis mutandis, are of enormous advantage in Afghanistan]), the less effective he became. He’s a good debater, but he ended up out-pointing Palin and still clearly losing.

The people, in the sense of those outside DC, wanted for some reason for Palin to do well, as much as the media wanted her to lose.

…And she ‘you betched’ him too

I cannot think of any presidential or vice presidential candidate who talked—manner, accent, gesture—in an authentically Middle Class fashion, and did so unapologetically. Bill Clinton could do it, but it was a performance to be turned on and off as needed. She sounds like voices in America (I’m in rural Michigan as I write this); but compared to life in the DC/NY nexus, she sounds like she’s from Mars as well. Biden often looked like an anthropological grad student on a South Pacific island doing his field work, both intrigued and taken back by the quaint habits of the otherwise inferior natives. I almost thought in the fashion of John Kerry he would sigh “I can’t believe I’m losing to this…..”

We are so ready to adjudicate political wisdom in terms of instant recall of facts, clever political response, repartee, and spin, to the point of never asking cui bono? What did all that learning and recall of Biden’s matter when he could not even admit honestly that McCain wants to do all that it takes to win in Iraq and leave a stable government behind and Obama all that he can to get out as soon as possible?

No one believes McCain cut off funds to deny the troops; everyone knows that a cessation of funds was one of the ways Obama wished to get us out of Iraq: rightly or wrongly, Obama wanted us completely out by March 2008.

Why not simply admit that in the heady days of March 2003, Biden was all for charging into Iraq, (that was why he voted for authorization, contrary to his debate spin), then bailed when things got bad (about the very time when Obama, in contrast, for a moment said he had no substantial differences from George Bush on Iraq), and then wanted to trisect the country, and now, in his fourth incarnation, claims he never really said Obama’s views were dangerous on Iraq. Why the contortions? No wonder we empathized with Sarah when she too was confused by Bidenism.
It’s up to McCain now in the next two debates. If he does the “We are all members of the brotherhood of the Senate” stuff, he will lose. If he takes on Frank, Dodd, Obama and others for Freddie and Fannie collusion, asks why Obama won’t release his transcripts, asks why there is always an Ayers, Pleger, Wright, Rezko, etc. in Obama’s past, he can turn it around. McCain must realize that he is running against someone who got both the primary and general election opposition candidates, both Democrat and Republican, for the Illinois Senate to pull out, by leaks and smears from sealed divorce cases. Obama is ruthless; and he will hope and change McCain to the gallows, as he runs a tough campaign of character assassination and anything goes under the mantra of there are no red or blue states, come together kumbaya.

The Road to Perdition

I was reminded last night how tired we’ve become by all these professionals who pontificate, strut, and then say nothing or utter nonsense. Let me illustrate: I have watched the demagogic Rep. Barney Frank for the last two weeks panicking like a teen-driver who was caught with an open container, screaming and crying that conservatives in DC caused all of Wall Street’s graft—when any one who saw tapes of the past Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac oversight hearings could see the pompous Frank obstructing needed regulation in service to his political agenda, with no concern about the public purse or the poor investor, only the heady notion that he, the anointed, was advancing liberal doctrine at someone else’s exposure in getting “the poor” into houses by hook or crook.

Of those many embarrassing committee moments, my favorite exchange was brilliant Rep. Frank, as the Harvard Law Graduate, genuflecting to another Harvard Law School graduate, the equally proclaimed brilliant Franklin Raines, who profited in the millions as he helped to ruin a once hallowed housing agency—both smug as they engage in just the sort of skullduggery that caused the meltdown and cost millions of Americans hundreds of millions of dollars.

Both should read their Hesiod to learn why sometimes with intellectual progress can come moral regress:

Rep. Frank: Let me ask [George] Gould and [Franklin] Raines on behalf of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, do you feel that over the past years you have been substantially under-regulated?   Mr. Raines?

Mr. Raines: No, sir.

Mr. Frank: Mr. Gould?

Mr. Gould: No, sir. . . .

Mr. Frank: OK. Then I am not entirely sure why we are here . . .

Presto! There it is. The two legal eagles agree Mr. Raines is not underregulated, so ipso facto, of course, the dishonest Mr. Raines is NOT underregulated, the dazzling disingenuous Mr. Frank is vindicated—and we are all on the road to perdition as Freddie and Fannie cascade and start the avalanche.
And you wonder why people root for the likes of a fresh, but nervous Palin against these cool composed geniuses?
A note
No apologies on the Palin parody I wrote for NRO. A careful read will easily reveal the essay’s intent: had Palin simply said the nonsense Biden has voiced we would think she was lunatic and she should be gone from the race–and that disconnect reminds us again how the media sadly ignores the most unhinged things if only they come from the politically-correct. Imagine this: If Sarah should say, as did Biden, that Americans once watched “President” FDR on TV in 1929 rally the public after the Great Panic—Sarah is history. Fact. End of story.
All welcome
No one censors any comments on this site. A pajamas editor, I think, scans all postings for obscenity and the usual hate trash, but no political ideas are cut out by me, however strange some of these read. I don’t mind the criticism from the Obama supporters. That’s democracy and we all must take our hits in the arena. My only observation from my angry email at victorhanson.com and personal email accounts, is that there is a sort of regimentation to this bloc outraged opposition, (reminding me of that creepy school girls singing tape glorifying the hope and change prophet) in which any doubt about Obama’s apotheosis earns a massive orchestrated response–as the legions march out lock-step to the internet to kill the barbarians who doubt the divinity of the emperor, and then dutifully report back to their legates that pila are thrown in unison and swords properly drawn and used.

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152 Comments

1. frank Miller:

Professor:

As is your talent, you clarify every issue you address. Even my diehard Obama-supporting friends admit to me that Gov. Palin handily, and with characteristic grace under pressure, won the debate.

Oct 3, 2008 - 9:32 am 2. OldGrouchy:

Dear Professor, do recall that usually as long as the Emperor’s Legion held its rank, killings were minimal. However, if the front was broken a rout usually ensued with resulting massive casualties. I suspect that the emperor’s legions will not hold and the carnage will be sickening; figuratively of course.

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:03 am 3. Brian:

VDH wrote:

No apologies on the Palin parody I wrote for NRO. A careful read will easily reveal the essay’s intent: had Palin simply said the nonsense Biden has voiced we would think she was lunatic and she should be gone from the race–and that disconnect reminds us again how the media sadly ignores the most unhinged things if only they come from the politically-correct.

Careful read?

Hell’s bells . . . you could read it with both eyes and half your brain tied behind your back and still not miss your point.

Your parody was not exactly subtle . . .

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:03 am 4. JA Lineberry:

I think what we’re seeing here is someone who’s made up his mind about who he’s voting for long ago, and will now adamantly defend whatever they do, omitting or downplaying their mistakes and weaknesses while amplifying every possible shortcoming of the opposition. With great respsect, and I mean that sincerely, that’s what I’m seeing from you.

I lean towards Obama, but I like McCain very much and strongly considered voting for him before this Sarah Palin business. She seems to me wholly underprepared for this level of discourse, dodging most questions with phony “doggone it, I’m just like you” answers that may well appeal to ordinary folks but certainly don’t make me any more confident about her seeming lack of knowledge on a wide range of topics. She seems to be a genuinely nice person who probably held her own back in Alaska, but on the National and World stage, I’m not so sure we’re going to see the same result.

I don’t think anyone believes that Biden actually believes people watched FDR on television in 1929. It was certainly a gaffe, but not of the magnitude you imply. When Palin says the number of troops in Iraq are now below pre-surge numbers (they aren’t), the commander in Afghanistan didn’t say you can’t simply transplant the surge tactics from Iraq to Afghanistan and get the same result (he did), gets the commander’s name wrong (McKiernan not McClellan), says we haven’t needlessly killed civilians in Afghanistan (we have, Obama stated: “We’ve got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we’re not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there.” A sight different than her out-of-context characterization), and when she says Obama voted against funding the troops (again, out-of-context, he voted for a different version of a troop funding bill. As Biden pointed out, the same charge could be pinned on McCain), I get the feeling that she actually believes what she’s saying. Worse, it seems she’s merely reproducing the thoughts of her coaches (with an occasional “doncha know” thrown in), with no real comfort or deeper command of the issues we’re facing. We’ve seen enough of Biden to know this isn’t the case with him. Palin says Obama’s healthcare plan would be “government run,” again false. There are many more examples.

Biden took a couple of things out of context, like the whole “John McCain wants to cut taxes for oil companies,” which is technically true, but he’s cutting them for other big companies as well. Also, he now seems to have bought into clean coal, denying that he was initially skeptical of the idea. He also, like many Democrats, claimed he wasn’t voting for an authorization of war when he gave President Bush open-ended authority to solve the Iraq question however he saw fit. If you look at the language of the resolution, it’s clear that it was a vote authorizing war. While he may have personally hoped for more diplomacy from Bush, he still voted to give Bush the authority to go to war. That’s clear.

So, we have two candidates distorting and spinning the facts. Nothing new. We only have one that actually came to debate last night. The other often didn’t seem interested in debating, preferring instead to launch into “America is a great nation” and “Never Again” platitudes comparable with Obama’s “hope and change” mantra. The difference is, Obama launches into the “hope and change” rhetoric on the stump to inspire and rally his supporters. We haven’t seen him do that in a debate of the issues.

For the most part, I thought Biden was very respectful of Palin. I think, on the Democratic side, there was a concern he wouldn’t be. Clearly, I think Biden won this debate. Palin may have plenty of “plain folk” appeal, but if you listen to the actual debate, Biden wins easily. The fact that she came out and didn’t completely implode doesn’t mean she won. Much of what she said was either false, an oversimplification, or a twisted out-of-context fact. Biden is guilty of this as well to a degree, but not nearly to the extent of Palin. At any rate, I’m very uncomfortable with Sarah Palin being a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I just don’t think she’s ready.

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:58 am 5. Ron Kean:

‘It’s up to McCain now in the next two debates. If he does the…’ now you’re talkin’.

The LA Times seems like the wicked witch of the west, ‘Soooo you think you’re so smart? I’m gonna getcha dearie.’

Even if McCain loses, at least we had one good night. One victory.

All of the goofy mistakes Biden made don’t seem to matter a bit to anybody other than our close family of conservatives. That’s too crazy.

Your level of tolerance, professor, to irrational emotional criticism is a source of strength to us all. Your confidence and clear vision is an inspiration.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:20 am 6. Pajamas Media » Palin ‘Doggoned’ Biden in VP Debate:

[...] the entire story here [...]

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:21 am 7. Jeff Johnson:

The moderator’s questions were pretty bad. I don’t know if it was due to malice or incompetance, but her reaction to Palin’s convention speech and her book deal sure don’t do much for her image of impartiality.

A lot of people are looking at this and saying Palin’s stupid compared to Biden…. I get so tired of such comments after years of anti-Bush yammering and the whole Dan Quayle vs Murphy Brown thing…. In the first place, a smart person who has values diametrically opposed to mine would not be good for me if he was in power. In the second, character and worldview matter. You can’t pretend like they don’t exist: leadership ability is based on more than just college transcripts and speaking skills. Finally, there is the question of whether those sound bytes and talking points are backed up by reality. The Palin-haters just don’t seem to be able to get too much into that part for some reason….

I admit, when I looked at Biden I couldn’t help but think I was looking at the next VP. I cringed at Palin occasionally… but I winced at Biden. The Achilles hill question was the low point of the debate– for both of them! Though Biden’s “I work too hard” type response was the classic lame interview response. (As in, “what’s your greatest weakness?”)

I actually got excited when Palin spoke positively about America: the city on a hill and all of that. (I get so tired of the who evil-imperialist-racist-pigs rhetoric. It makes me wonder which side the whiners are really on… especially when their rhetoric matches the terrorists.) I actually got chills when she winked at the camera. My brain was like, “this is insane!” But it worked for me in bizarre sort of way. I couldn’t believe it, though.

I don’t see conservatives winning right now. I remember the last election when Kerry was telling people to study hard so they don’t have to go to Iraq. That was the “game over” moment. If it was true that the Viet Cong had posters of him in their museum, then I was done. Obama’s Marxist roots just aren’t coming back to haunt him the way that Kerry’s selling out of the Vietnam POW’s did…. It just isn’t on the radar of the collective consciousness.

If McCain could pin the Fannie and Freddie thing on the Dems… and there’s plenty of solid evidence to back that up… I just don’t see it breaking out and being a game changing strategy. I try not to blame the press for this, but if McCaine had hit hard on this point instead of threatening to cancel the last debate, I think he’d be doing a lot better….

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:27 am 8. Pope Linus:

It was a great performance by Palin, but will it help at all? Perhaps a few points in the polls. Forgive me, I’m a born pessimist…

Question: With an in-the-tank mainstream media on his side, how many percentage points can the MSM be said to give Obama nationally? Two? Three? Less or more? Just curious.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:38 am 9. Austin:

I liked the “O’Biden reference. Did anyone else catch that?

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:39 am 10. cfbleachers:

It is tough to win a game that lasts four quarters and you have to overcome the refs as well. Frankly, the current state of journalistic integrity in reporting actual news, uncovering facts, digging for truth…has reached an abyss.

Black Hole Journalism, where truth gets sucked in and never sees light again. What is appalling is not the disheartening regularity of unfairness, it is the brazen and unabashed nakedness in which it is now delivered. The lies are no longer subtle, the protestations are no longer delivered with conviction or heartfelt passion.

The orgy of half-truths, the intentional omissions, the forged documents, the photoshopped pictures, the open discrepancies in vetting, the hyperventilation of the most positive interpretation for one side and the hypercritical venting of the most negative interpretation for the other…it all has an “in your face” quality that no longer even pretends toward objectivity or fairness.

Gwen Ifil is but one example. In order to be honestly concerned about the appearance of impropriety, one has to be honestly concerned about the actual impropriety itself.

The fact that Ms. Ifil believes that there is “An Age of Obama” and she stands to line her pockets upon its arrival, would automatically disqualify her as an “objective” moderator. The fact that she did not deem it necessary to even disclose the fact that she was in such a position, is brazen, naked and glaring in its ethical deficiencies.

She will get a pass from the leg tingling crowd, because they are perfectly content to have the game rigged, as long as the “fixer” leans toward the correct team.

Now that the bailout has passed the House, perhaps Pelosi, Obama and Reid screaming for bigger government and more bureaucratic red tape, can start with an investigation into Franklin Raines, Herb Moses and Jim Johnson. Fannie and Freddie had their books cooked and Barney Frank acted as their shield. On this issue, the Black Hole Journalists silence has been deafening.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:40 am 11. Robert Hurley:

If Hillary were the VP nominee and gave the same performance as Gov Palin, she would have been eviserated by the right wing nuts like Hanson

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:46 am 12. Paul M Hupf:

Senator McCain must go on the attack. The vulnerability of Sanator Obama’s background and his Marxist approach to government provide ample grounds for questioning his fitness to hold the office of the presidency. But his naivete in the field of foreign affairs is frightening. He shows no awareness that the safety of the people of the United States is at stake.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:56 am 13. Pope Linus:

Robert Hurley, are you serious? I remember hearing plenty of those “right wing nuts” talk about Hillary’s strong debating skills during the primaries. But, I suppose there is no convincing an Obama acolyte.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:01 pm 14. jb:

I think Palin did good and they have my vote. Did anyone else think of the movie “Fargo” when she “Doggoned” Biden? Just asking. By the way, just how creepy has Biden gotten? Talking about lying this guy takes the cake. He doesn’t even shy away from obvious lies. He’s a Washington insider foreshore.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:05 pm 15. Doug:

This article is so full of contradictions, distortions, and lies, that it’s not worth the bits and bytes to counter the arguments one by one.

The horrible truth is that pretty much all the national politicians in the USA are merely shills for their camaign contributors. Dems and Reps are equally to blame for many problems.

Politicians all over the world act in similar fashion. The problem in America is the size of the budgets.

But Iraq is the biggest boondoggle of all time. It’s uniquelly Republican, and the hole in the hull that is sinking the ship of state.

America the financial, business, cultural, moral, and diplomatic superpower is no more. What’s left is a military superpower. The world is in for plenty of thrashing about as America blows up whatever it feels like along the road to ignomy.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:14 pm 16. frank Miller:

Keep at it, VDH.

Much of the time, too much of the time, you’re the only sane voice out there.

Thank you, Professor.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:38 pm 17. Someone75:

We already tried a “down home” “folksy” president. His name was George W. Bush. He is a very likable guy, but he was not a good leader. In my opinion, being relatable counts for next to nothing. Results are all that matter.

Also, I don’t see how anyone could think Palin won the debate. She turned out a great performance (by her low standard), but Biden got in so many jabs that went unanswered. I’d say it was a personal victory for her, but she was really inadequate in her defenses of McCain. Yes, she seemed genuine, but I think conservatives need to be smarter than being swayed by a plain-talking candidate.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:43 pm 18. HardHeadedWoman:

Great article. And I loved the Palin parody.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:44 pm 19. B Dubya:

Doug.
I don’t think Canada will accept your visa application.
Try Venezuela. Chavez probably has a use for a tool like you.
In any case, leave, if you’re here. Never set foot on the soil of this country, is you are a Euro lefty.
Thanks in advance, dude.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:45 pm 20. chrisa798:

“This article is so full of contradictions, distortions, and lies, that it’s not worth the bits and bytes to counter the arguments one by one.”

Translation: I’m a typical Obama cultist, so this article has to be wrong even though I lack the intellectual horsepower to make an argument. It has to! It’s one thing to say “VDH is unpersuasive” but if you call him a liar and don’t back it up, you are a sniveling coward forever looking up at those with triple digit IQs.

About 5 minutes after the debate, an Obama chick called my cell (I had some business requiring me to meet with someone from the campaign and seem to have ended up on their list, and I reside in a battleground state). Once I got her off the talking points, it was an interesting discussion — she deflated a bit when I explained that Richardson would have been better for the Dems than Obama, and that stupid chicks don’t get majority support of the opp party as governors, which makes me suspicious of the anti-Palin hysteria…

Solid work as always, VDH, but my recollection is that it was Jon Lovitz as Mike Dukakis who said, “I can’t believe I’m losin’ to this guy.” Perhaps the joke botcher did as well.

We are at the point now where the Bradley effect should put the “poll” numbers within the margin of error. I think Palin cancelled out the economic thing, in the grand scheme, putting McCain about where he’d be with neither — within range.

I am eager for the ivyless non-lawyers to win — even though I am a J.D. and Ivy grad — in the context of this election, I find the elites and their wannabes frequently off-putting, and it’s certainly not because I don’t understand.

Cheers.

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:51 pm 21. Parabellum:

It’s uniquelly (sic) Republican…

Uh, no, it isn’t

Oct 3, 2008 - 12:51 pm 22. Cornhead:

I hope Gov. Palin or someone hits this point: John McCain is fearless. He’s not just a maverick.

He was tortured for 5 1/2 years.

At his age, he doesn’t owe anyone anything.

The same is not true about Sen. Obama. What does he owe other pols and interest groups?

What kind of deals will he cut as Pres. Obama?

McCain = Owes no one but the country

Obama = He owes, and will owe, plenty.

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:06 pm 23. Wind Rider:

Certainly after last night the laugh is on the folks that were shocked that Palin actually was able to hold her own, based upon the ‘conventional wisdom’ developed by some segments of the MSM and left leaning punditocracy.

Her performance isn’t a surprise to anyone that got a chance to view any of the footage of Palin from the Alaska Gubernatorial contest – in fact, last night wasn’t quite up to that level, even, mostly because she was saddled with regurgitating the “greed on Wall Street” populist eye-wash – which she delivered in noticeable good-soldier fashion noticeably different from most of the rest of her performance.

One does wonder when McCain is going to pull the trigger, figuratively, on Obama, and squarely address or raise Obama’s involvement and activities as a ‘rights activist’ in Chicago – to fill out the ‘Empty Suit’ with his actual past record. It occurs to me the MSM’s failure to exercise due curiosity about Obama’s past will likely serve as an ironic amplifier – in that their success in thus far keeping the information ‘below the horizon’ of public awareness will only highlight the ‘newness’ and ’sensationalism’ for the subject(s) once and if they are substantively raised – which Palin is now properly positioned to do. By weathering a two week stretch, with little reaction, if not tweaking on the campaign’s part. of the MSM assailing her as a dunce and a rube that was being put through some sort of Eliza Doolitle process, they’ve let the MSM cement in the minds of the public just how out of touch or in the bag they actually are. Making it easy for Palin to now speak right past them, as she demonstrated last night – which is what people will now want – not the talking heads ‘interpretation’ ‘analysis’ or spin.

Backing up a bit more from this aspect of the dogfight, and looking at what has not come into play, it does look as if the former middie’s execution is strategic in nature – holding off for a high Pk, middle of the envelope shot, with maximum impact.

Hoisting Obama on his history of hard leftism and integral involvement as a foot-soldier in the underlying effort to create the scheme leading to the sub-prime mess. which has so far eluded wide or intense scrutiny – - -that will be the stuff of the historical highlight reels of the campaign.

And if it is not done. McCain loses.

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:07 pm 24. Philip Dhingra:

RE: Austin,

Yes, I caught the O’Biden reference.

I also caught Biden saying “Bosniacs”

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:08 pm 25. jb:

You all need to get of Biden’s back. After further review it is clear he was actually referring to the Balkan Bosniacs professional football team.

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:29 pm 26. Pee Wee Herman, Community Organizer:

Doggone Bosniacs…

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:37 pm 27. jayne:

Memo to the Democratic Party:
“I assure you that it is as easy for someone who has been at school to learn nothing as it is for someone who has never been at school to learn something.”
Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones

OK, so Fielding is a long-dead white man. Are we to understand that the only way to acquire the qualifications and experience necessary to hold higher office in this country is via an Ivy League education and years spent debating in the Senate??? Must we amend the Constitution to stipulate that only lawyers may sit in the Oval Office?

Certainly no one can criticize the excellent educations of Obama and Biden. But why the sneering at Sarah Palin’s background? Those of us not born into wealthy families may well grow up knowing that education is the ticket to advancement in our society. But we may also know that our families are in no position to write enormous checks to pay for our educations. Palin has a bachelor’s degree from a reputable, public university. I have read that it took her more than four years to graduate. Might that signify that she had to work in order to help pay her way? What if she struggled with some subjects or classes? Do we learn only from success, or can we also learn from failure? Harry Truman was a bankrupt haberdasher with no notable educational accomplishments. Does anyone believe that we would have been better served by a lawyer in the Oval Office back then?

While Democrats may not wish to tout a Republican’s qualifications, it seems foolish and self-defeating to malign and mock experience that seems familiar and respectable to many, many voters. Palin had a job as a sportscaster. She and her husband have run a small business. She was the mayor of a small town. In short, she worked. Furthermore she is intimately familiar with gruelingly hard, dangerous work, such as the work done by a commercial fisherman. Most voters recognize those experiences, and perhaps even aspire to some of them, such as starting a small business. Much can be learned from such experiences. Is it wise to tell a large segment of the electorate that their experience in life in no way qualifies them for higher office unless they can drop everything and acquire an Ivy League degree?

When I look at Obama & Biden, I see two lawyers who have never had jobs. Running for office is not a job. Being a Senator is not a job. No payroll to meet; no jerk for a supervisor, no worries about profitability or cash flow. And don’t even start with me about “community organizers.” I have no idea what that means, but I know for sure that it does not include the PTA president, the folks on the church council, the Lions, or the retirees who man the polls on election days.

Just so you know, most of us out here in fly-over country are operating under the assumption, perhaps naïve, that the President should REPRESENT us. And how can the President represent us if he/she does not know or understand us?

Oct 3, 2008 - 1:43 pm 28. newton:

“Must we amend the Constitution to stipulate that only lawyers may sit in the Oval Office?”

That amendment may only come with the words “Ivy League grads” instead of just “lawyers” on it…

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:09 pm 29. RJ:

Obama wins the election. Soon thereafter he is killed. Biden moves up to be President.

McCain wins the election. Soon thereafter he dies. Palin moves up to be President.

I know which ticket I am voting this November.

Then again, Jeff Dunham’s “Walter” is running and I kinda like his perspective…a lot!

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:13 pm 30. movie fan:

the VP debate was stunning. Palin did a decent job faking about 20% of the questions and didn’t even bother answering the other 80%.

i couldn’t help thinking of the end of the movie Billy Madison, when the Principal says to Adam Sandler, “Mr. Madison, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:13 pm 31. LisaP:

The debate I saw showed Biden making like a mop and Sarah Palin the wielder of said mop. I really wish you wouldn’t allow the bots of Baroque Insane Oblahma to come here and pollute the place with their toxic lies. Isn’t that more the job of the MSM? They’ve sorely underestimated the next Vice President of the USA, a woman of grit, intellect, and substance, and they’re aflame with anger that they just couldn’t complete the mission to bury her. It was a sweet night for the sane half of the country, the McCain-Palin supporters.

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:15 pm 32. jvon:

VDH, dead-on as always. I am not sure she did a good enough job to pull even, but she certainly stopped the slide.

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:24 pm 33. Credit Man:

J A Lineberry (above poster) expects of course that John McCain will be incapacited. The truth he neatly sidesteps is that no-one expects Biden to lead anything.

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:56 pm 34. Markus:

God almighty does anybody seriously think that she knew what she was talking about? That if anyone had asked her a follow-up questions about ANY of her comments that she would have been able to respond eloquently? No, I don’t believe that anybody does.

I like Palin, I don’t think is incapable of mastering policy, but she is most certainly not knowledgable about it right now.

Oct 3, 2008 - 2:59 pm 35. Dave:

If you guys think the little kids SINGING for Obama was frightening, wait ’til you see THIS video.. a bunch of genuine, quasimilitary young men marching around shouting Obama slogans in Army style…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUEQz5dltmI

Oct 3, 2008 - 3:13 pm 36. Ditto:

It surprises me that nobody on the Left has made any connection between Ivy League graduates and the mess we are in. Both Presidents Bush were Ivy League grads. Democrats love to spout off about how everything is Bush’s fault… yet it is the liberals who put two more of the same kinds of lawyer/politician candidates before us and ask us to believe THEY represent change somehow.

Personally, I think Sen. Obama wouldn’t know what to do in a wartime situation such as we found ourselves during Pearl Harbor or the most recent attack on American soil. He’s shown during this election that he doesn’t know how to manage his campaign budget and it is evident that he flusters easily and takes days to come up with an appropriate response on international matters. He has questionable ties to terrorists and anti-American factions and his wife, for the first time in her adult life, is proud of her country.

You couldn’t get John McCain to say or do anything against the best interest of his country if you tortured him for five years. We have direct proof of that. And while he’s not the best economic mind in the nation, he will have access to many. He knows enough about economics to not let some person in either party snowball him. He and Palin both have the ability to sniff out corruption and the courage to stand up and eradicate it, regardless of where they find it.

Nobody is perfect and we are unrealistic if we think either ticket can be so. Having said that, if I were a person on the Left who really believed the mantra of change, I would look beyond my party’s nominees. We each have differing opinions and viewpoints, but overall I simply do not see how America can benefit from an Obama presidency, and indeed fear the ramifications of another Carter-esque debacle.

The Obama/Biden ticket claims that socialism is the only way to be fair in the matter of taxes. That should scare the pants off of all of us. If you want fair taxation, get on board at FairTax.org and make it a non-partisan issue. Tax the people who spend money as they spend it – stop taxing incomes when there are so many ways of hiding income. McCain stated in the first debate that the American people will decide what tax structure to go forward with.

But for some reason, liberals think they are helping people by giving handouts and creating a nanny state. One look at Fannie and Freddie should be enough to prove to any thinking person what a disaster an Obama presidency would be for our nation.

Oct 3, 2008 - 3:30 pm 37. PA Cat:

VDH–

Thank you for another thoughtful post. Apropos of those legions marching out, as you put it– I keep thinking of Varus’ unhappy end in the Teutoburg Forest. The Romans on that occasion were bogged down by their baggage and camp followers as well as outmaneuvered by Arminius.

Oct 3, 2008 - 3:31 pm 38. Dan:

This all reads like wishful thinking, unless I watching an entirely different debate. I didn’t think Sarah Palin performed well at all. She seemed silted, she constantly read from her notes and she looked as frightened as a rabbit in the headlights. There was no eloquence and no style. I really don’t understand why she is there at all. Palin’s only saving grace was that she didn’t screw up, which is no reason to applaud her. There are so many excellent Republicans who could have done a better job. This is not a beauty pageant, this is about one of the most important jobs in the world (with the potential to become the most powerful person if the president dies) and it needs someone who is erudite, capable and experienced and Palin simply does not tick the boxes. That’s not to say she is a bad person, just that she is not suitable.

Oct 3, 2008 - 3:40 pm 39. SFSGM:

Joe the Schmuck got b**ch-slapped and was too stupid to drop to his knees and ask forgiveness.

That being said…. the CommiSocialistMarxist elements of this nation and their ignorant supporters seem to think that “change” is the key word, and the Lord Obama is the Master. Lord Obama and his socialist supporters only think about getting the most money from the few (who actually work hard to get what they have…plus PAY TAXES!) and delivering it to the substrata of this nation. Those who won’t work to better their own lives to support and improve the civilization they are a part of should do as those of their ilk in the first millennium….dry up and blow away.

We don’t need leeches to advance civilization…we need workers and thinkers who are willing to strive for advances other than pimping for unearned enhancements and entitlements.

Oct 3, 2008 - 3:54 pm 40. Useful Fools » Blog Archive » Obama - The Puppet?:

[...] Davis Hanson gives a sharp and dismaying summary of Obama in his analysis of the VP debate: Obama may well be President, a man of dubious associations, a hyper-partisan voting record, a [...]

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:02 pm 41. AnonymousPatriot:

Hello Prof. Hanson,

Apparently there were two VP debates last night:

The debate that I was watching where Governor Palin cleary won; and another debate (on an alternate channel?) where the drive-by media asserted that Sen. Biden won.

I’m beginning to feel like I’m living in an alternate reality parallel universe…

My .02

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:25 pm 42. Therese:

Great article! I agree with you. Sarah Palin did really well last night. I think that she scared the liberals and for the rest of us, she reinforced why the Obama people are trying to destroy her – Sarah Palin is naturally appealing to Main Street Americans, is a breath of fresh air, and has a track record of change.

I heard a guy on the radio today that said he watched the debate in his college’s student union area. Most of the people in the room were Democrats and as soon as the debate started, the students started mocking Palin. However, as the debate progressed, they got quiet. Then, he noticed that many of them got up and left. He said the whole tone changed and that it became quite obvious that the mockers realized that Palin was winning and didn’t want to stick around to see it. Afterwards, he said that he overheard a group of women commenting that Palin spoke a lot better than they expected and were surprisingly impressed.

This Presidential race is far from over. Palin stopped McCain’s slide. She will now be used to go on offense against Obama/Biden. This will only further help the ticket.

Obama’s corruption will catch up with him. I see more people blogging and talking about the corrupt group ACORN. Obama was their lawyer, then a leadership trainer for them, and is further tied to them with the Chicago Annenberg Challenge which gave them money and he co-chaired with radical Bill Ayers. If the path is followed, it will uncover revelations about Obama that will (and should) scare people away from voting for him.

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:38 pm 43. nlcatter:

this is not DBM,

here are the FACTs!

CNN Biden 51 Palin 36
CBS Biden 46 Palin 21
Fox Biden 61 Palin 39

LoL

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:48 pm 44. Barry Dauphin:

What the various gaffes show–that there is an underbelly to conventional wisdom. Sarah made some factual errors but nothing of major consequence. She has something to learn about being in the national spotlight. But we already know that. The more revealing are Biden’s gaffes. He made so many factual errors, but he’s been in the Senate for 32 years. He’s not capable of learning anything more. This is it. This is Biden at his absolute best, and he’s kind of awful. It only gets worse, not better. He’s uneducable at this point in his career. He’s often flagrantly wrong but firmly believes he’s right.

What does this show? That Palin is actually the safer choice, not Biden. His experience removes any excuses for his multiple errors, and his arrogance tells us… well,. enough said.

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:54 pm 45. trangbang68:

Bob Hurley, I’m sure Professor Hanson can defend himself and is not offended by a pissant like you. Nonetheless, calling a classical scholar and a successful farmer a “right wing nutjob” tells me everything I need to know about you. You’re a petty little ideologue twit . What do you do for a living, work at Starbucks?

Oct 3, 2008 - 4:56 pm 46. RAH:

Loved the parody.

Biden gets a pass since he is well known. Palin is a newbie trying to break in to Presidential politics after 3 months versus the 18-12 months the rest have been campaigning. So the MSM and Washington Press core views Palin suspiciously. As far as they are concerned she has not paid her dues to be allowed as a Washington politician.

It did not help that she has to parrot McCain lines without knowing everything about his campaign. I mean McCain has done the generalize lines at rallies and hard to know what his actual plans are unless you read it somewhere.

I really like Palin and she is better than I thought back in February when I was checking out VP candidates. Turns out she is an instinctual campaigner and has her own methods to get her point and message across. She is not an idiot but will use people underestimating her as an advantage. I would have loved her to be Romney’s VP.

I think she wiped the floor with Biden, not in debating points but emotionally. She was laughing and triumphant and he was just beat and mumbling false statements as fast as he could like a talisman against her charisma.

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:00 pm 47. RAH:

JA Lineberry-

I appreciated your viewpoint and I understand your concern about her readiness. But Obama has not done any accomplishment that I can see in his senatorial career of 143 days before he started campaigning. Most of his state senate career the bills already were written for years and his name put to them when the democrats took over the Illinois state house. This was done to groom him for a US Senate seat. It worked.

So my concern is about his lack of accomplishments and his viewpoints which seem to been influence by a Marxist mentor during his youth and the radical terrorists of Ayers and Dohrn in his early adulthood. Plus Obama was obviously a rebel in his teens rejecting his white identity as Barry and grandparent’s values to romanticize an exotic Kenyan father who abandon him to go back to Kenya. Obama was no more African than me, but his dispassion about America and his sublimated rebellion makes me wonder how anchored he is to American values.

Since I believe less government is better and Obama has the opposite viewpoint. So his worldview is opposite than mine.

Personally, Biden is much better. Biden can be rational when he is not obligated to follow a particular Democratic dogma or having to contort to fit in Obama positions.

So I offer that Palin is more experience in executive and politician than Obama and if her inexperience bothers you, why does not Obama’s lesser experience bother you?

Perhaps you just like his ideology better.

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:16 pm 48. Broadsword:

No one has an answer for these questions:

“Why not simply admit that in the heady days of March 2003, Biden was all for charging into Iraq… then bailed when things got bad …then wanted to trisect the country, and now, in his fourth incarnation, claims he never really said Obama’s views were dangerous on Iraq. Why the contortions? ”

Yes, why the contortions? I’m reminded of a Bell Telephone, (when Bell was all), that read, “We don’t care. We don’t have to.” I think his motto could be, “I don’t tell the truth. I don’t have to.” Most of us, (I hope most of us), have an inner compass preventing us from serial lying. Maybe Sen. Biden has a magnetized needle floating in a bowl of water, except it’s had no water for about 30 years. Or, and I hate to beat a dead dinosaur, it’s the failure of any honest journalists to say, “Uh, Joe. On such and such a date ,you said this. On such and such a date, you said that. Now you’re saying this, which isn’t true, and that which hasn’t happened.” I’d ask him those questions. And lastly, no one gets to ask any hard questions of the Couric-Gibson-Brokaw et. al. ad infinitum Journalism-Political Media-Democratic Party industrial complex. I’ll answer one of thoses questions Perky. I hated the Kelo decision. I read Thomas’ dissent. Did you?

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:23 pm 49. Marc Malone:

I said in another thread that Palin couldn’t win this debate, because the MSM will spin it into a defeat afterwards. You can see it here, even.

Oh, it’s not about style. It’s about substance. Sure, Biden lied through his teeth, but that doesn’t matter. She was overly-simplistic on things and arguably wrong on other things. Nevermind that Biden was flat-out wrong on a host of things, making stuff up as he went along. We would feel MUCH more comfortable with a poser like him as Prez.

She worked her butt off to get ready for this, and he seemingly prepared very little. She simply outworked him, and out-communicated him.

Yes, I wish she knew more, but I like her stick-to-it PMA, her work ethic, and her demonstrated ability. She’ll learn and get better. She has huge upside. Biden is as good now as he’ll ever be.

Oh, and if Hillary had performed like this, she wouldn’t be mocked by the Right, She’d've been the Nominee, and a lock for the Presidency. It would be long over. Duh!

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:24 pm 50. Red Blooded American:

Simply getting Palin to “exceed expectations” or “beat the spread” while convincing no one that she should be back-up president is not going to do it. The election is not a vegas sportsbook. Yes, people on average think she’s a fresh face and full of spunk. But no, they do not want her to be vice-president, much less president. Most people do not want the compulsive gambler McCain to be President either and I believe this fact will be very clear on Nov. 4th. America likes winners and it seems to like Obama.

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:37 pm 51. Dave Majors:

I’m embarassed to have to point this out to people who should know better but debate points in these kinds of debates don’t count for squat!!!!

Earth to McCain: Gov. Palin is a better campaigner than you are or ever will be. If you want to win this USE her as such. I didn’t panic over the Couric interview-I cknew what was happening. Unlike like so many conservatives (who are showing by their behavior that they are motivated more by influence than cconservatism.

Hey Brian-I agree with you. I didn’t have to read VDH’s parody piece carefully. The only way I could have missed the point is if I hadn’t read it.

Oct 3, 2008 - 5:38 pm 52. VDH on Obama and Palin : The New Nixon: News and Commentary about the President, his Times, and his Legacy:

[...] the scholar’s take on comparative personalities and life experiences: What worries me is not that Palin could not do [...]

Oct 3, 2008 - 6:15 pm 53. enscout:

When asked about the source (”blame” – Ifill & the lefties always have to do that, don’t they) of the financial crisis, Palin blew her chance to set the record straight. She could have simply walked listeners through the steps that led us to where we are. Key words: social engineering program right out of the old Soviet playbook, Community Reinvestment Act, wealth distribution ploy, Democrat Congress in tandem with Democrat in the WH, AG Janet Reno, Fannie/Freddie/Franklin Raines/$100 million in income while running a failing institution & gifts to campaigns of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd & BHO, fox in the henhouse… You get my drift.
Instead she used that old populist ploy of blaming the greedy, rich Wall Street crowd – as if it’s not their job to make money for their clientel. Why is it that pols keep forgetting that mainstream America has a vested interest in the success of big corporations?

Big disappointment! Why is it that only the left seems to think it’s OK to name names? McCain Palin need to understand RIGHT NOW that they are in a knife fight.

Biden, OTOH, was as good as ever, which isn’t saying much. He managed to get through it without exposing his sinister side, although it was obvious on several tense moments that he forgot that he was the bottom of the ticket. No surprise there – he’s always been one of the most obnoxious Senators of all time.

No doubt Biden was sporting in that he did not “gotcha” on the McClellan mistake, but give Palin props for not ridiculing the 30-year Congressman for thinking he helped those poor Bosniacs.

Oct 3, 2008 - 6:15 pm 54. Someone75:

LisaP: Calling Palin a “woman of intellect” is a staggering exaggeration. She’s down-to-earth and relatable, but certainly not an intellectual. I thought you people didn’t like intellectuals anyway!

I take offense at the notion that those who feel different from you are either “bots” or do not belong to the “sane” half of the country. Couldn’t I say the same about you? It’s a difference of opinion, to which we are both entitled.

Oct 3, 2008 - 6:28 pm 55. Marino:

I thought Palin was good, not great. Biden had great presence and blurted out lots of numbers but was full of crap.

Palin was unable to call “bullshit” on him. Too bad.

Oct 3, 2008 - 6:33 pm 56. Red Blooded American:

Simply getting Palin to “exceed expectations” or “beat the spread” while convincing no one that she should be back-up president is not going to do it. The election is not a Vegas sportsbook. Beating the spread is worth nothing in an election. Yes, people on average think she’s a fresh face and full of spunk. But no, they do not want her to be vice-president, much less president. Most people do not want the compulsive gambler McCain to be President either and I believe this fact will be very clear on Nov. 4th. Warren Buffet backs Obama and I don’t think he would be doing that if any of the extreme accusations I read here had even a shred of substance.

Oct 3, 2008 - 6:38 pm 57. mik:

I’m confused as to why mccain and palin always talk like they understand middle class. palin has 5 houses, 2 boats, 1 plane, and family income of $200,000 a year. mccain has 7 houses, 13 cars, and a sugar mama. how are they relating to middle class?

I think palin’s delivery during the debate was good. other than that, there was no substance, a lot of lies, distortions, exaggerations, ‘folksy’ fakeness to tend to her base….I don’t see where she was great.

I’m slowly coming to believe republicans are sleazy and stupid.

that would explain voting for bush, the folksy cowboy, twice.

yes, a lot of journalists and news media are biased and horrific. everytime I see hannity, fox & friends, o’reilly and rush limbaugh, I imagine them getting a ‘rise’ out of palin’s…..wink.

Oct 3, 2008 - 7:34 pm 58. Jeff Johnson:

Just watched the first half hour:

Palin said more than once that McCain wanted to regulate Fannie and Freddit– and that the democrats did not support the move. She called out predator lenders and said we should stick it to Wall Street… but apparently “Wall Street” is a fairly nebulous term for her. The only specific thing I heard from her to fix was Fannie and Freddie– which isn’t really Wall Street in general, but the combined governmental Frankenstein.

She did not connect the dots and tell the whole story, but she did get the key idea across.

Biden went for the zingers with his Ultimate Bridge to Nowhere and Global Warming lines. I don’t think he was convincing in parrying Palin’s attacks about O’Bama raising taxes and voting along party lines. He has lots of facts about what goes on on the senate floor, but it just doesn’t connect somehow.

Oct 3, 2008 - 7:35 pm 59. CALIndie:

I think Gov. Palin was great and not good. Americans are sick of politicians. Gov. Palin is not a politician, she is one of us. Gov. Palin is straight from middleclass America. We’ve heard soooooooooo many lies, distortions and half-truths from Washington career politicians we are soooooooo ready for Sarah Barracuda and John McCain cut the crap, cut the waste, cut the fraud and cut the jugular of liberal socialists.

Joe Biden was the quintessential Washington insider. It doesn’t matter what they say. It doesn’t have to be true. They’re just playing the game. Don’t hate the playa… hate the game mentality. Politicians suck! Sarah Rocks! FREE SARAH!

Oct 3, 2008 - 7:55 pm 60. dangoorevitch:

What a wonderful post by cfbleachers! Thank you! and a great post by Dr. Hanson…

What a pity the candidate had to echo her senior partner’s mindless “greed on Wall Street” line! They have a much broader net to throw – one in which the Marxist messiah is caught. Here it is:

There are two kinds of people: Those who pay for what they get (& vice-versa) and those who get what they want “by any means necessary.”

In the second category are the disgraced athletes on steroids like Ben Johnson, the disgraced businessmen who cheated everyone with dishonest bookkeeping: not just Kenneth Lay but those execs at Fannie and Freddie who now advise the mesmerizer, the “political activists like Al Qaeda, Hamas, and Weather Underground characters like Bill Ayers with whom Obama’s made his bed. Osama Obama is their candidate. It is certainly time for an offensive. The issue is the moral ground upon which the country stands.

Intelligence intelligence intelligence. Why is intelligence so important? Why not honesty? integrity? will? persistence? openness, sincerity, clarity, judgement? tenacity? compassion? forthrightness? Intelligence in the service of greed, avarice, lust, envy and the other vices is just an increase of evil.

“An evil life is a kind of death.” -Horace

Oct 3, 2008 - 7:58 pm 61. T:

Above, JA Lineberry wrote:

“I think what we’re seeing here is someone who’s made up his mind about who he’s voting for long ago, and will now adamantly defend whatever they do, omitting or downplaying their mistakes and weaknesses while amplifying every possible shortcoming of the opposition.”

After reading Linberry’s post, I would say s/he has been hoist by his own petard.

Oct 3, 2008 - 8:08 pm 62. Sandra M:

When I was a freshman in college (financed by my young husband), I was a novice college debater and he and his colleagues would invite me to dinner and bring me young Harvard Business School graduates to eviscerate. It wasn’t until I read a recent column by Thomas Sowell about his taking classes with John Kenneth Galbraith that I realized I had not been the big shot I thought I was.

Harvard has a reputation much greater than it deserves. It may have once been great, but like the University of Berkeley the 60’s changed everything. When I moved to Berkeley in 1980 I was astonished at how dumb and dim most of the residents were. I joined a writing group and couldn’t believe how mediocre the submissions were.

I can’t speak to the math and science side of Berkeley but when it comes to the humanities, mediocrity reigns.

I have been called an elitist. Guilty as charged. I am also a snob (my grandmother’s mantra was “better alone than in poor company.” As an expatriate many years ago, I played with the jet set. I am an intellectual — in that I am primarily interested in ideas. Worst of all, I am a former Manhattanite. Can’t get more urban than that.

And yet, Sarah Palin is the answer to my political dreams: something we Reaganites never thought we’d find again in our lifetime, a principled lover of America for all the right reasons.

Sarah Palin is a true intellectual. She is guided by concepts and principles I know well. Look at how excited the intellectuals who worked for Reagan are about Sarah Palin. They know too.

The idiots who sneer at her would have sneered at Abe Lincoln. And she and her husband are much more sophisticated and attractive than Abe ever was.

I was a great fan of William Buckley, Jr. and learned a great deal from him but beyond Buckley’s “more sophisticated than thou” persona, there were ideas he shared with Reagan and I personally think he would have been delighted by Sarah Palin.

VDH’s comment about the character of farmer is why I will always support aid to family farmers NOT to agribusiness. Andreas of ADM is my idea of a villain. Farmers produce not only our food, but many of our best people. I love ideas: libertarian ideas. free market ideas. Ideas NOT taught in most of our universities.

Sarah Palin went to several colleges. So did I. Perhaps for the same reason. BOREDOM in the classroom and disappointment with the intellectual offerings.

No matter, she has studied the master: Ronald Reagan. And it’s been said of her as it was of him that the streets are littered with the bodies of politicians who underestimated her.

Oct 3, 2008 - 8:33 pm 63. Brian The Great:

Anybody else see Chris Matthew’s attempted spin of the fact that Palin could look right into the camera and connect with people? He actually tried to spin that amazing ability of hers into ‘only dolts look right into the camera!’.

I’m just bringing this up because he was on MSNBC, and they only had about 4 1/2 million viewers.

Oct 3, 2008 - 9:06 pm 64. TLM:

Red Blooded American,

I have great respect for Warren Buffet as an investor. Very smart, very successful guy. That he backs Barack Obama for president means nothing to me. Nowadays, we’ve become addicted to “Great People” to tell us what to think, what to do with our lives, how to raise our kids, and who to vote for. That’s the pathology behind the success of an Oprah Winfree. That’s the irony of modern how-to-live-your-life recipe books, written by celebs cashing in on their fame.

Americans used to think for themselves, basing their decisions on common sense, experience and, perhaps, some understanding of the “Great Ideas” found in the intellectual history of western civilization. Being your own man (or woman) was aspired to. Now we just want to be like someone else, Warren Buffet, or Jimmy Buffet, or whoever.

Sarah Palin goes against the grain in this respect. She’s her own person, grounded, common sense minded and not afraid that she’s different from other successful women. Seems to revel in it actually. Granted, she doesn’t know much about national/international affairs, yet. But she just held her own against a guy who’s been in the Senate forever. He ain’t getting any smarter. She will, though. And couple that with her contrarian streak, fighting spirit and even Oprah better watch out. She may be the role model for the upcoming generation of women, whether she ever writes a book or not.

McCain was an inspiration to my son, now 18 and pursuing a career in the military. Last night I watched the VP debates with my daughters. Didn’t have to tell them who “won”.

Oct 3, 2008 - 9:22 pm 65. Marti:

Hey, has anyone heard about the new president nominee! Michael Douglas Carlin has set his mind to be kind and create world peace. With his book “A Prescription For Peace”, he has great ideas of saving the environment from another great depression. If you want more information about how Michael Douglas Carlin will save our world, go to http://www.mikecarlinforpresident.info.

Oct 3, 2008 - 9:38 pm 66. Jim Baker:

To Sandra M,

The older I get, the more I appreciate what Reagan was to our country. That said, I believe the “master” was named Friedrich A. Hayek. Reagan once read “The Road to Serfdom” and learned a lot from this master.

Palin and McCain ‘08

Oct 3, 2008 - 9:56 pm 67. Person of Choler:

mik is “confused as to why mccain and palin always talk like they understand middle class. palin has 5 houses, 2 boats, 1 plane, and family income of $200,000 a year. mccain has 7 houses, 13 cars, and a sugar mama. how are they relating to middle class?”

Well, anyone with a little empathy can understand and sympathize with those in different economic circumstances. We are not all robotic partisans in a class war.

As to houses: no matter how many dwellings McCain and Palin have, they didn’t Tony Rezko’s help to acquire them.

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:02 pm 68. Sandra M:

McCain’s “achilles heel” in this campaign is his belief that he belongs to a special elite club: the Senate. And so do his two opponents, so he is holding back.

In 2004, under the handle “Barracuda” I wrote a blistering attack on McCain in response to his disdain for my heroes, the Swift Boat Veterans, pointing out that to him all veterans were equal but some were more equal than others: those who were Senators like Kerry and Max Cleland.

I wouldn’t consider not voting in this election because the stakes are so high, but John McCain who always has described himself as “a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution” didn’t learn 1/10th as much from Reagan as Sarah Palin did.

She opposes the Kelo Supreme Court decision on eminent domain because of a fierce belief in private property rights.

She was a Steve Forbes supporter which means she supports the flat tax.

McCain irritates me no end with his “my friends”. I’m not hiring him to be my friend I’m hiring him to be commander in chief and kick ass with the Islamofascists, Russian and Chinese Fascists et al.

Each time he “reaches across the aisle” he comes up with another bad piece of legislation.

From the superb interview Carl Cameron did with Palin today I glean that for several weeks, she probably was “handled” by supposed “experts”. Their idiocy in setting her up with Katie Couric not once but twice and with hack Charlie Gibson made her supporters begin to doubt her. Worse, they separated her from her family. Palin learned from the experience which mirrors experiences Reagan had. I deduce that from now on she will trust HER superb instincts and not the “experts.”

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:09 pm 69. Von Bear:

I am a great admirer of Sarah Palin and I pray that she assumes a leadership role in the Republican Party.

That being said, does McCain really want to be POTUS? Judging from his campaign strategy the answer is no. McCain is so intent on preserving his kumbaya legacy that he has all but conceded the race.

The American people are angry. We are looking for partisanship. We want names named and people held accountable. Who caused the financial crisis, who ignored the war against America, who is Barack Obama?

The answer to these questions would put McCain over the top. Unfortunately the Republican candidate will not ask them.

Oct 3, 2008 - 10:55 pm 70. Richard:

Obama and Biden talk alot about the “middle class”. They talk about the “poor”, but you’ll never hear them refer to the “poor class” or the “lower class”. I don’t even think they’ll say the “upper class” for fear of insulting their contributors. Just the term “middle class” is class warfare. Disgusting! They pander for votes. Why don’t they just say “the chosen ones”? It’s closer to the truth. The “chosen ones” will get tax breaks, health care, more jobs and energy. THEY, (the “rich class”) will get to pay for it all.
BS! (that’s Barak Speak which is any speech with an intent to deceive the listener).

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:06 pm 71. Marc Malone:

Mik – How is Palin one of the middle-class? Are you kidding me?!? She and her husband earned every bit of their own money. They worked their way up! They eloped, because her Dad couldn’t afford a wedding, and neither could they. They worked hard and invested wisely and honestly.

When they partnered in a business venture with somme friends, and she ended up in government before it reached fruition, they gave up part of the business to avoid conflict of interest. When she became Governor, He took a demotion to avoid conflict of interest.

Yes, they make $200k/yr now, but they both work to do it. Todd Palin’s work is very hard. SHE has worked alongside him on the fishing boat. About half their wealth is in their house, which Todd built with the help of a couple friends. On paper, they’re millionaires, but if they stopped working, they wouldn’t still be wealthy for long. And $200,000/yr is considered Upper Middle Class.

How in the WORLD can you NOT identify with her as middle class?!? Because she’s not struggling? Middle class doesn’t mean poor or unsuccessful, no matter what the leftist demagogues say! They’re role models for the middle class!

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:07 pm 72. BMoon:

The whole “who won the debate” emphasis is totally misdirected. When I was in the forensic league (debate club) in High school you were given a topic and had to be prepared to argue both sides of any issue, no matter how absurd. The object was to answer your opponents contentions with both positives and negatives. You could argue that pigs can fly and win a debate. It had nothing to do with the real validity of the argument, rather the techniques you used to present it and disqualify your opponent’s pposition.

On that basis, following forensic rules, I agree with the Obots that Biden won. Palin (as did McCain) left some pretty huge holes unanswered. On the other hand, he won by arguing that pigs can fly. Of course Sarah Palin won on everything else – the stuff that matters.

Now I have to go to Home Depot to meet with Joe Biden.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:33 pm 73. Sadly,No!:

The fact remains that Sarah Palin is incapable of expressing her views on live television outside the narrow confines of a moderated debate with scripted responses and 30 days of rehearsal.

I would like to see a press conference in which Palin would be required to answer follow-up questions and speak outside of her comfort zone. No more 80’s culture war slogans or RNC talking points. I heard all of those before she even became the Mayor of Wasilla.

Even a rookie politician running for a state level house seat would be more than willing to hold a single press conference and prove they can do more than memorize index cards with focus-grouped answers.

Her failure to step up and truly take on the media is telling. And some compare her to Reagan! They must be too young (or too old) to remember him. Reagan she ain’t.

I pity conservatives if the Republican party is swept away in Sarah-mania. She is not the future of their movement. They would do well to calm down and admit she’s a fad and they really don’t know her yet. She will not deliver mainstream voters.

Sarah Palin appeals to the base, nothing more.

Oct 3, 2008 - 11:57 pm 74. Sandra M:

Jim Baker said: To Sandra M,

“The older I get, the more I appreciate what Reagan was to our country. That said, I believe the “master” was named Friedrich A. Hayek. Reagan once read “The Road to Serfdom” and learned a lot from this master.”

I stand corrected. I know that Reader’s Digest published an abbreviated version of this book in their magazine — and in their Spanish language version of RD.

We need to publish Hayek, Mises, Hazlitt, Ayn Rand and George Orwell in Spanish, Russian, Farsi, Arabic and Chinese. otherwise, Marxism which we thought we’d defeated will rise from its grave like the bloody vampire it is.

Ideas are powerful and a weapon we haven’t used in decades.

Oct 4, 2008 - 1:58 am 75. Chespirito:

“Man, no matter what you say you are gonna get clobbered,” Palin told Fox about her heavily-scrutinized performance. “You choose to answer you are going to get clobbered on the answer. If you choose to pivot and try to go onto another subject that you believe Americans want to hear about, you get clobbered for that too.”

Well, Sarah, just tell the truth!

And this goes for everybody else.

Straight Talk Express?

Oct 4, 2008 - 3:01 am 76. Chespirito:

B Dubya:

“Doug.
I don’t think Canada will accept your visa application.
Try Venezuela. Chavez probably has a use for a tool like you.
In any case, leave, if you’re here. Never set foot on the soil of this country, is you are a Euro lefty.
Thanks in advance, dude.”
Oct 3, 2008 – 12:45 pm

There goes another patriot who doesn’t understand the Constitution. Hope you don’t have to leave these borders.

Oct 4, 2008 - 3:10 am 77. Broadsword:

The fact remains that BARAK OBAMA is incapable of expressing HIS views on live television outside the narrow confines of a moderated debate with scripted responses and 30 days of rehearsal.

I would like to see a press conference in which OBAMA would be required to answer follow-up questions and speak outside of HIS comfort zone. No more 80’s culture war slogans or DNC talking points. I heard all of those before she even became the SENATOR FROM CHICAGE
Even a rookie politician running for a PRESIDENT SHOULD be more than willing to hold a single press conference and prove HE can do more than memorize index cards with focus-grouped answers AND READ A TELEPROMPTER OF SOMEONE ELSES WORDS.

HIS failure to step up and truly TELL US ABOUT THE CHICAGO ANNANBERG PROJECT, THE TWENTY YEARS OF SERMONS HE DID HEAR, THE DEALS MADE TO BUY HIS HOUSE, AND ALL THE OTHER CHADY CHARACTERS AND OUTRIGHT CRIMINALS IN HIS BACKGROUND is telling. And some compare HIM to THE MESSIAH! They must be too young (or too old) to remember Him. Because Him, HE ain’t.

I pity ANYONE IN the DEMOCRAT party (who)is swept away in OBA-mania. HE is not the future of their movement. They would do well to calm down and admit HE’S a fad and they really don’t know HIM yet. HE will not deliver mainstream voters.

BARAK OBAMA appeals to the base EMOTIONS, nothing more.

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:33 am 78. davod:

Sadly, No!

Worried?

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:38 am 79. aunt ralph:

Thanks for another wonderful column, Professor.

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:39 am 80. RJ:

Years ago I and a close friend loved to watch boxing matches, especially those great championship fights.

The old champion–worthy but old, would come out during the early rounds showing the flash that made his name, yet during the middle rounds did little to win. Usually he was up against that young fighter who had all this energy, etc.

Alas, our old guy was waiting for the final set of late rounds to beat this young, brash kid. He had worked out this smart plan, been at this game a long time.

Most often the old champ learned the young kid had way more gas than he had left during those final rounds in the championship fight.

Old guy lost to young challenger, unless the kid made a stupid mistake.

“Beat your enemy from within.”

A communist guy beats the old capitalist.

Palin…too little too late, perhaps.

Just a new narcissist arriving on stage, nothing to see here…move on, now move on.org

When Dodd, Franks, Raines, Pelosi, Reid, Reno, et al. are still allowed to roam the halls of Congress, we citizens are in a world of sh*t.

When kids sing the praises of Obama, clothing designers place his picture on their wares, when revolutionaries are his friends and mentors, when the press goes in the tank for his gambits, if these are the signs fact checkers see while others swoon and play “follow the leader” as they march in step over the cliffs of reason, are we not in real trouble?

No, that’s right…it’s just me, I’m the one with the problem, I’m the one who doesn’t see the truth. I’m the lost soul here.

Sure. And pigs can fly!

Fat and lazy Americans are getting a major wake up call!

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:50 am 81. Broadsword:

The fact remains that BARAK OBAMA is incapable of expressing HIS views on live television outside the narrow confines of a moderated debate with scripted responses and 30 days of rehearsal.

I would like to see a press conference in which OBAMA would be required to answer follow-up questions ABOUT THE CHICAGE ANNENBERG PROJECT, HIS REAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH TONY REZKO, WM. AYERS, AND EXACTLY WHAT SERMONS HE DID HEAR DURING THOSE TWENTY YEARS IN THE PEWS, and speak outside of HIS comfort zone. No more 80’s culture war slogans or DNC talking points. I heard all of those before HE even became the ANNOINTED ONE.
Even a rookie politician running for a PRESIDENT SHOULD be more than willing to hold a single press conference and prove they can do more than memorize index cards with focus-grouped answers, AND READ A TELELPROMPTER, SAYING NOTHING BETTER THAN ANYONE EVER HAS.

HIS failure to step up and truly SAY ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE is telling. And some compare her to THE MESSAIH! They must be too young (or too old, OR TOO RACIST) to MISS THIS CONNECTION. Him, HE ain’t.

I pity ANYONE IN THE DEMOCRAT party swept away BY OBA-mania. HE is not the future of their movement. They would do well to calm down and admit HE’S a fad and they really don’t know HIM yet. HE will not deliver mainstream voters, (OR ANYONE) FROM SIN.

BARRY OBAMA appeals to the base EMOTIONS, nothing more

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:59 am 82. John:

I find it fascinating that the Obama trolls are praising O’Bidens eloquent answers as proof of superior abilities and preparedness for taking over the office of the presidency of the United States, when a MAJORITY of his answers were lies and distortions!

Almost ALL of the most important points were simply Bullsh*T!

WHY that passes as acceptable in this day and age is a symptom of our downfall, I’m sorry to say.

Oct 4, 2008 - 6:34 am 83. Larry Sheldon:

Saw somewhere that one of the “analysis” engines says Palin spoke at about a 10-th grade level while Biden spoke at a somewhat lower level.

Disclaimer: I think those analyses are usually rubbish (to be honest I have not tracked this one down yet). Most of them determine average word-size and rank on that, or some such easy-to-jigger mechanism.

Maybe this one analyzed the number of pulled-out-of-his-ass “facts: used.

Oct 4, 2008 - 7:38 am 84. Carl Sesar:

I wholeheartedly agree with Paul M Hupf’s first two sentences (Oct 3 – 11:56 am). I strongly disagree, however, with his last two sentences:

“But his [Obama's] naivete in the field of foreign affairs is frightening. He shows no awareness that the safety of the people of the United States is at stake.”

What’s frightening is that Obama is not so naive about foreign affairs, and is well aware that the safety of the American people is at stake.

Oct 4, 2008 - 8:03 am 85. pxfragonard:

No one’s mentioned that fact that teachers are feeding “Dear Leader” songs to children and turning them into Obots (great term, BMoon). Shouldn’t teachers be teaching kids to look and listen critically to both sides of political debates? If they can’t make them sing religious songs or hold prayers in public school, what gives them the right to get kids to sing songs to Obama in the manner of Mao, Kim-Jong Il, Saddam Hussein, Vlad Putin, Hamas and other totalitarians? Shouldn’t these teachers be fired? Aren’t these publicly funded schools? funded by the taxpayer? Shouldn’t a strict non-partisanship be observed here, where children’s minds are most vulnerable? Are kids really capable of defending themselves from this propaganda? Isn’t the purpose of a teacher in a democracy to teach these kids to be immune from such folderol?

See here for proof and <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPSqL9_mfM&feature=relatedHere is an interesting video of the same thing with a chilling ending.

Oct 4, 2008 - 8:26 am 86. ahem:

I see the Obamabots are out in force.

Oct 4, 2008 - 8:36 am 87. Jan P:

It seems like the Main Stream Media thinks that one qualifies for the position of VP if one does well on high school pop quizzes on history and law.

The rest of us want want to know how our candidates think, how they think the coutnry should work and want them to skip the nonsense. We want common snese.

Oct 4, 2008 - 9:18 am 88. mrkwong:

Ah, I see the usual selection of Obamabot points and a moby or two in the comments.

Palin is still playing the good wingman, staying in formation with the leader. I’m sure there’s a lot of things she’d rather be saying but they don’t fit with the McCain line.

In Alaska she’s always been presenting her own positions; she’s now selling something for someone else, and she doesn’t have the benefit of an expensive legal education (Obama) or an acting career (Reagan) or decades in politics (Biden, McCain) to train her on how to push someone else’s story as your own without showing the dissonance. Sometimes it’s not just someone else’s story you’ve got to peddle, it’s outright falsehoods, whether you’re Joe Biden trotting out a long list of minimally-harmful nonsense in a debate or Barney Frank bulldozing on the bullcrap in House Financial Services hearings.

I would, personally, be much happier to vote for her positions than McCain’s. I pray three times a day facing ANWR that we’ll get a President who doesn’t buy into nonsensical climate fraud. She’s got a family that’d be uninsurable through many health plans and unlike all these Senators she doesn’t have her healthcare paid for life.

Oct 4, 2008 - 9:36 am 89. U.S.Read » Victor Davis Hanson - VP Debate Impressions:

[...] Full write-up here. [...]

Oct 4, 2008 - 9:39 am 90. Bob:

Well said, Marc Malone. Middle class does NOT mean poor or unsuccessful. In the best sense, it means you’ve earned what you’ve got. In Sarah and Todd Palin’s case, that’s exactly what it means.

Socialists and those under the influence of the social engineers do not accept that, however. To them it’s a “zero sum” game where wealth accumulation, no matter how hard it was worked for, is the result of the exploitation of the underprivileged. Better to be born with the silver spoon in one’s mouth than to actually become wealthy through hard work. For many this has become both the rationalization and justification for their chosen lifestyle. The left’s brainwashing has turned them into economic zombies and the basis for rational discussion is gone.

…and there are so many of them.

Oct 4, 2008 - 10:23 am 91. gailtalk.blogspot.com:

WOW! What a great night! Palin was genuine, self-confident and plain-spoken. She was upbeat and projected energy and passion. She demonstrated her leadership, executive experience and results. Biden appeared knowledgeable, but plodding and boring. The more the evening progressed, the faster Biden talked and the more panicky he looked to me. He was expecting this to be a cakewalk. He was looking forward to debating a moron, and all of a sudden he realized she had taken control of the debate. She spoke about limited government, lower taxes, cutting spending, energy independence, and national and economy security. She said of his intentions on Iraq, “Your plan is a white flag of surrender.” She reminded Biden that he himself said that he’d be privileged to run on a ticket with John McCain.

Palin noted that McCain was instrumental in bringing together Democrats and Republicans to pass the bailout bill in the Senate. She took a shot at Obama for campaigning during the crisis, saying McCain “put politics aside and put America first”.
Biden, continued to deny that Obama had ever pledged to meet with Iran’s Ahmadinejad without preconditions. “This is simply not true about Barack Obama,”, pointing out that Ahmadinejad “does not control the security apparatus” in Iran. However, in a Democratic debate on July 23, 2007, Obama was asked whether he would be “willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?” Obama answered, “I would.”
Palin sharply criticized Obama for saying last year that U.S. troops in Afghanistan are “just air raiding villages and killing civilians.” Why do we never hear this quote in the mainstream media? Could it be because Obama’s troop-bashing comment is unacceptable from the Commander in Chief of our country.

I was delighted to hear Palin’s response when Biden once again attempted to tie McCain to Bush. “Say it ain’t so, Joe, there you go again pointing backward. Now, doggone it, let’s look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future.” Folksy talk, but appealing to those of us who are sick of hearing about the past and want to hear where the candidates want to take us in the future.

It is worth nothing that Gwen Ifill was a complete professional. I was concerned because she has written a book favoring Obama, but whatever her personal feelings or bias, it was not on display. I wish that were true of the rest of the media who generally act like prosecutors and vultures rather than journalists.

The media and Democrats of course will tell us that Biden won the debate, with ample contempt and derision of Palin. I can’t wait to see Saturday Night Live find a way to ridicule Palin.

It was clear Palin was happy and energized to have the opportunity to speak directly to the American people without going through the hostile filter of the media. When Governor Sarah Palin speaks directly to the American people, she hits it out of the park!
gailtalk.blogspot.com

Oct 4, 2008 - 11:09 am 92. s sommer:

“The pattern is the same: rhetoric, identity politics, and charisma substitute for accomplishment as he goes from one position to the next before the assessment of the last is in.”

VDH.. I have a lot of respect for you, but after doing my homework on both Obama and Palin, I must say that your comment could apply to either one. Not more to one than the other.

Both get by with emotional appeals, slogans, charisma. identity politics, rhetoric and inflated versions of their accomplishments. Both have gotten by on people’s hopes.

I watched the videos of Palin debating to become Governor of Alaska, to see why she won.

She won by connecting with hunters, fishermen, and by not offending anybody, compared to her competitors, who both were “:city boys” who said things bound to offend the majority of outdoors people in Alaska. She name dropped small towns endlessly.

Yes, citizens are tired of the status quo. That is part of Obama’s appeal. Neither of these two are nearly as good as those who support them want to believe. It is disheartening to see the way both sides idolize and inflate their visions of who these two are.

Remember how much many people adored George W Bush, way back when?

Remember how popular Clinton was, at one time?

We need to stop “depending” on so-called leaders to have the answers, and begin paying attention on a constant basis, demanding transparency and accountability no matter who gets elected, and spend time letting our leaders know what we want and expect.

None of the current campaigners is up to the job that we need done. We all need to sober up and recognize that fact. Take off the Red or Blue T shirts. stop talking trash against each other, and focus on finding solutions that work.

The hatefulness on both sides is embarrassing and stupid.

Sarah Palin and Obama are both green, wet behind the ears, and utterly unready.

McCain and Biden are average people, well-versed in Washington, experienced senators, and nothing special or extra wise or inspiring. Mc Cain is too impatient & impulsive.

This is a painful election with huge challenges before us, and four inadequate human beings in front of us.

Oct 4, 2008 - 11:22 am 93. Please Blitz:

In the end, it will all come down to either the Bradley Effect (1982) or folks saying, “Hell, I’m not gonna reward failure.” (1980)

Oct 4, 2008 - 11:26 am 94. Mark Rinzel:

As someone who has bought and enjoyed several of your books (Carnage and Culture, The Land Was Everything, A War Like No Other), I have been consistently dismayed by your willingness to buy into the Palin farce. She did not win the debate. No poll suggests that she did, and for all of her forced parochial seduction, Biden was actually the more human and likable of the two. Again, only quoting the polls here. In fact, no one thinks that she won except partisans like the embarrassing Rich Lowry, who out-Matthewed Chris Matthews with his grotesque gushing (metaphoric, I hope) over the Governor.

It is perhaps time that you examine the root causes of your Obama antipathy. It is sad for a longtime fan to see such a great mind as yours perverted by lingering resentments you have towards “Liberal Elites,” whatever that means anymore. In The Land Was Everything, you write of the condescending looks you used to get when tracking mud through the halls of the University as a young man. You might have to stop projecting this at the Obamas, unless you are happy closing the loop forever to non-dittoheads and becoming a full-time neo-con hack (that’s right, I said it!). And don’t throw the “Neo-con is code for Jew” nonsense at me. I’m married to a member of the tribe, first of all, and there’s more than a tinge of the anti-semitic in Palin’s jibes at “all those reporrrterrrss and cahmen-tay-ters” and the “east coooost mainstreeem eleeet.” To say this woman represents middle-class, small town people is an insult to said people. I should know. I was raised by a Cheesehead and a small town Southerner, and neither of them buy into it. Morever, they see right through her: a mean, vacuous, spiteful person whose vaulting ambition o’erleaps itself.

Oct 4, 2008 - 11:40 am 95. Sadly,No!:

Broadsword and davod, no I am not worried in the least. I am embarrassed for you. I would note that neither of you were able to respond to the content of my post.

I am calling your bluff.

Go ahead, send her out to a townhall event by herslf. Allow to to be interviewed on live TV, without McCain sitting next to her acting as a chaperone. Let her engage in a back and forth press conference like any normal, capable citizen running for public office should be able to do.

The say-it-ain’t-so, you-betcha, doggone-it, I’m-Joe-six-pack, hockey-mom *wink-wink* schtick is forced and inauthentic. You’re not a “maverick” if you have to call yourself one ten times in a row.

Oct 4, 2008 - 11:59 am 96. Sandra M:

Sarah Palin has great appeal for:

1. Gun owners and hunters. NRA, Outdoor Life types.
2. Conservatives, political and social.
3. Libertarians
4. The middle-class
5. Anti-abortionists.
6. Independent feminists. Not the NOW group.
7. Idealistic young women who see her as a role model.
8. Men of all ages who get drawn in by her beauty, wit and charm and then respond to the ideas she espouses.
9. Union members, aka as Reagan democrats.
10. Reagan Republicans.
11. Log Cabin Republicans.
12. Patriots.
14. Jocks.
15. People from small towns.

I don’t know if I’ve left any group out, but this list looks rather like the famed “Reagan Coalition”.

I see 527’s like veteransforfreedom.com and realchange.com doing brilliant ads.

I’m beginning to think we can win. IF we keep a close eye on ACORN and if we either ignore or expose the pollsters who tell us we’re losing.

Oct 4, 2008 - 12:16 pm 97. Sandra M:

Oops. I forgot a most important group.

16. Small business owners.

Palin speaks their language and I think they will not only vote for her but advocate for her.

Oct 4, 2008 - 12:22 pm 98. Jeff Weimer:

JA,

You are worried she’s not prepared for the Vice Presidency and possibly the Presidency itself. Yet you don’t seem so worried about Obama, whose accomplishments, other than winning easy elections (through legal but dubious means), are thin gruel indeed. He has voted in lockstep with his party, never crossing his party leadership or constituencies in any matter of principle. It puts his “post-partisan” posturing as nothing more than a thin veneer. Therefore he pales in comparison to all three other candidates in the race – they all have shown the fortitude of crossing the wishes of their party. In McCain and Palin’s cases, they both have done so nearly at the cost of their political careers – he with comprehensive immigration reform and her with the Oil and Gas Commission. Although Obama’s intellect seems sound, he’s even less prepared to assume the Presidency than Palin herself – even Joe Biden backhandedly admitted it in the last couple of days. He would be zero heartbeats away from the Presidency. In a sense, it seems to me you don’t want to worry about inexperience in the Oval Office, you want to have it.

Oct 4, 2008 - 12:45 pm 99. Marc Malone:

Mark Rinzel – “The polls” all say Biden won. Of course, Biden’s body language by about halfway through showed he knew he was losing. What questions did the polls ask? Remember, this was not a H.S. debate. The structure is certainly not the same. The rules are different, and the goals are different. Let’s define the goals.

I believe Palin’s goal was to reaffirm her standing as a viable candidate. The MSM had portrayed her as a dummy. They ask her things they thought she should know, and didn’t ask her about the applicable things she does know. They’ve never asked her about executive decisions. They’ve never asked her about energy. They gave her no chance to demonstrate what she DOES know! So, she had to show she does know things, or can learn the things “they” consider important.

She also had to pump up McCain’s campaign image-wise. She had to extoll his plans. She also had to tear down the Obama/Biden ticket. She had to lay the groundwork for the rest of the campaign: how they plan to attack Obama.

Biden had to tear down McCain’s positions. That’s it. He’s known McCain for 26 years. he should be well-equipped to do that task.

For the most part, Palin accomplished her goals. Biden spent most of the night on defense, instead of offense. He failed in his task.

But people think he won, because he seemed so authoritative, and had such a “depth of knowledge and experience”. Those of us who know the facts knew when he was plain lying and making stuff up as he went along. But boy, he sure sounded good! He’s a fraud, pure and simple. I’ve worked with guys like that, who talk a good game when they should be working. B.S. artists.

So, tell me again who won? Whose campaign is better off after the debates?

Oct 4, 2008 - 12:50 pm 100. The Wide Awake Cafe » “Hey, Can I Call You Joe?”:

[...] There’s no place like home, especially when it is America. [...]

Oct 4, 2008 - 1:37 pm 101. KarlU:

The fact is, Sarah Palin has more actual executive experience in her little finger than Obama has in his entire body. And not only that, but Obama is a self-serving socialist of the first division. If you like socialism, then Obama’s your man.

If you think it’s best not to put so much authority in the hands of government, then McCain would be somewht better, and I frankly think that Sarah Palin would be even better yet.

Everybody’s mind works differently, and no one is prepared for slings and arrows from a hostile media coming from all directions. Some people might have a better gift of BS than others, giving the illusion of competence. Biden might have that. Obama certainly does not. His stuttering without the aid of a teleprompter is legendary. Palin actually performs better than Obama in that setting, especially if someone could teach her to stop ending every sentence with the word “also”.

In real life, any president should go into office armed with the principles and concepts that will guide them. When faced with a decision, they will be given, or they will gather the particulars, using the vast resources they have at their disposal. Or they can Google it. The actual job of president is not a debate, or an interview, or even a news conference.

Oct 4, 2008 - 2:42 pm 102. Real:

Can we be spared that hypocretical “I lean towards Obama, but I like McCain very much and strongly considered voting for him before this Sarah Palin business”? Thank you.

Oct 4, 2008 - 3:25 pm 103. mik:

sorry, I’m not seeing where palin cares for middle class. just saying wall street is a mess does not cut it. reform? maverick? please. if they truly meant what they said, then there was a bill that was just passed yesterday full of earmarks and pork. where’s that mighty pen of mccain? I thought he was going to end pork and earmarks?? oh, I forgot, he voted FOR the bailout. I also have not heard anything from palin regarding how we are going to fix the economy. just say, we’re going to fix the economy is not going to cut it.

her fake folksy talk is a bit obvious and her winks work only to the joe six-packs at my workplace.

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:14 pm 104. RJ:

Mrkwongh…and S Sommer;

I am joining your team. Need I say more?
I didn’t think so.

MarkRinzel:

I have not seen this quality of writing for some time. It is beautiful, in and of itself.

Well done!

I don’t, however, buy what you are trying to sell.

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:19 pm 105. rspar:

Sommer pretty much nailed it. Biden was the experienced debater with a lot more detail (unfortunately detail that was stretched and skewed and a few lies). Palin did what she was meant to do and appeal to the middle of the country with a scarce few details. The Generals name was close but wrong of course there’s a reason Biden didn’t use the Generals name. None of our choices are good but I’d rather have an experienced President with an inexperienced VP than the other way around.

Oct 4, 2008 - 4:30 pm 106. TLM:

Mark Renzel,

“To say this woman represents middle-class, small town people is an insult to said people.”

I’m sure you don’t pretend to speak for all middle-class, small town people. If so, count me out. By education level, profession, reading of said books…blah blah blah, I should be firmly in the Obama camp. I’m not. I’d vote for Sarah Palin over Obama in a heartbeat, and that’s not the direct choice. McCain makes it even easier for me. Believing you understand Obama — his life, political philosophy, leadership potential — is a complete leap of faith. For all her shortcomings, her lack of experience at the national level, Palin is an understandable politician. If I take anything on faith, it’s that she can learn what’s necessary for her to execute her duties as VP.

On another subject, look at the MSM running interference for Obama after Palin called him out on the Ayers association:

CNN — [She accused] him of associating “with terrorists who targeted their own country.”

Why the quotation marks? Ayers and his wife are self-admitted anti-American terrorists.

CNN — “Riot and bomb conspiracy charges against Ayers were dropped in 1974…”

Uh, because why? Not guilty? No, because of illegal FBI wiretaps. The guy was guilty as he plainly admits.

NYT — Rehashing what’s been printed elsewhere the past few months (Stanley Kurtz and others), the NYT tries to put as benign a spin as possible on the Ayers association. Of course, they’ve had a long time to look into this story themselves and didn’t bother. Now with people concluding Obama shaded the truth with his answer during the ABC primary debate the Times is playing catch up. Let’s see if the question about Ayers comes up again in the next two debates.

Oct 4, 2008 - 5:19 pm 107. Steynian 263 « Free Mark Steyn!:

[...] Democratic talkers; then presents NONE of the Republicans; CBC’s Suhana Meharchand reports: looked up Palin’s “dog gone it” remark in the dictionary last night.. never mind guldarnit, dagnabbit, dingdangit, darnit, and the dreaded [...]

Oct 4, 2008 - 5:21 pm 108. Marc Malone:

mik – McCain isn’t Prez, yet. He doesn’t wield a veto pen, yet. Were it not for his intervention, the Pubs wouldn’t've had a seat at the table. Because they did, better controls got put in… and ACORN pork got tossed out. How much? 20% of potentially $1-2 Trillion in profits going to ACORN?!? Are you kidding me?!?!?

Palin has said how she’ll fix our economy. You just don’t hear it from the MSM. They’re too busy trying to show how vapid she is. Developing our own energy sources is the answer, starting with drilling. The job creation potential of that is huge: some 1-2 Trillion/yr of GDP growth.

Obama talks about this, but beyond saying he’ll spend $150B for development, he provides no details. Nothing. Palin has stated that this will be one of her areas under a McCain administration. She finally got a pipeline deal to go forward, after it had been stalled for 30 years. Wow, actual results! Whom will you trust to do this: Obama or Palin? The choice is clear.

Oct 4, 2008 - 6:05 pm 109. Jeff:

We all need to really look at this election objectively. Since the completion of the vetting process of both VP candidates, Biden has gone on to accommodate roughly about 84 interviews with the press while Palin has done less than 4 interviews with the press. That is a MAJOR unbalance in the two comparisons and it truly shows McCain’s apprehensiveness about her ability to speak on her own accord, without his physical presence. What does this portray, first and foremost? It portrays that this Presidential ticket does not have the full and utmost confidence in his VP ticket to fend for herself and answer any questions that the American public needs to know. It truly shows that his vetting process was not done in a wise manner but more so in a political manner. Here is a woman that exudes family values; taking care of 5 kids while being the Governor of Alaska, maintaining a healthy marriage, having decent morals and values, and is completely a Washington outsider. This is a classic profile of a candidate that has never been tainted, in the eyes of the American public that has lost faith in the judicial system. This pick was merely done to appeal to the American families with values and tradition but what else could be said about this VP ticket? Does it show the American public anything about her ability to make all the necessary decisions in regards to foreign affairs, national defense, economic legislation, and the overall ability to govern the most powerful country in the world?

We must keep in mind that McCain IS in fact 72 years old and if elected, he WILL be the oldest President to ever be elected. The last oldest elected President was Ronald Reagan at 69 years old, when he was elected in 1980, but he was in fairly good health. McCain, on the other hand, will be 3 years Reagan’s senior, if elected. He also does have a history of skin cancers which are not completely cured, among other ailments that he suffered during his years as a POW in Vietnam. Can we, as the American public, be completely confident that if anything happens to McCain while in office, that Palin will in fact be fully ready to tackle anything and everything that this country will have to face? America MUST search deep down and answer this question, honestly.

Oct 4, 2008 - 6:25 pm 110. Pee Wee Herman, Community Organizer:

So this is what rattled Obosniacs are like. There they go again…

Oct 4, 2008 - 6:34 pm 111. thegr8_1:

Time for us to organize our communities to get the vote out for McCain Palin. Obama can’t qualify to be a Secret Service agent much less be President. Where is his birth certificate? Fox had a special on the economic problems and showed. Obama being ACORN lawyer. Tomorrow comes Hannity and all of Obama’s friends who were not the people he thought they were. Meantime check Debka Russia is testing shooting cruise missiles near Alaska next week. De facto Palon gets involved in foreign policy as Governor. Good test for her to see her response.

Oct 4, 2008 - 7:11 pm 112. Rick E.:

Several have questioned is Palin really ready if McCain went down.

Answer is not on day 1, but she could and would grow into it. In time, perhaps 1-2 years, she would be fine if something happened. She has done quite well under tremendous personal and political pressure in 5 weeks. Gov. Palin is a tough lady and can handle it.

If the absolute worst happened, Gov Palin has some guiding principles, focused on traditional values and classic virtues to help her carry through (diligence, honesty, integrity, knowing absolute right and wrong and their boundaries, self-sacrifice, to name a few). Also, she would have advisors to aid her in making key decisions.

I feel better about her being a heart beat away from Presidency than I do about Obama being President. Obama does not appear to have any particular guiding principles. He has reversed himself on numerous occasions throughout the campaign and reminds me very much of Clinton in his ability to parse. Few call him out on it. Specific examples include:
1-Drilling: “if I thought drilling would solve our energy problems, I would consider it”
2-Nuclear energy: “I am for it as long as it is safe”
3-In the McCain debate, he admitted that some of his spending programs would have to be deferred…today in Virginia he says his planned spending and bailout needs can proceed in parallel.

Other examples abound, in addition to his voluntary associations with various people, but I will omit them for brevity’s sake. In any event, I would take Palin over Obama in a heartbeat.

Oct 4, 2008 - 7:48 pm 113. HRPKathy:

Jeff’s got the ‘aint he dead yet’ argument going again. That plays so well with the aging boomers that make up the largest voting bloc in the country. I sure hope he leaves his comments on lots of blogs.

Prof. Hanson, thank you for yet another excellent piece, and I loved the parody, BTW. (Next time provide a ‘put down your coffee’ warning, please.)

Sarah Palin understands the middle class in visceral ways. She grew up in a place where her family hunted for food. She shared a room with her sisters. She played basketball and married her high school sweetheart. She worked her way through school.

When interviewed, Palin’s family and friends beam with pride, many commenting that they are proud to share with the rest of the US the phenom they all call ‘Sarah’.

By contrast, what do Obama’s family, friends, business associates, and colleagues say about him? From the looks of things, he didn’t know a soul before coming to the US Senate.

Oh sure there’s one friend who’d love to talk about the deal he swung for Obama, but Mr. Rezko is in jail. Maybe he could tell us how Obama funneled public dollars to Rezko’s construction company to ‘repair’ substandard housing so well that people didn’t even have heat in Chicago in winter. It’s understandable why Obama doesn’t want to bring him out. But what about family?

I understand his brother could use the money. I also understand there are lots and lots of half siblings that received less than Obama did of their father’s ‘dreams’. Probably a better idea to backburner those folks too. And he sure doesn’t want to bring out the white side of his family. His mother was a flake who abandoned him, and besides, he is running as the first black candidate. So family is definitely out.

No family. No friends. How about clergy?

How about that Rev. Wright, Mr. GDAmerica the mentor? Where’s that book he was writing and who’s tasting his food? We won’t be seeing him out there campaigning will we?

Seriously, it isn’t just Obama’s lack of experience, it’s that the experience he does have is so very unsavory.

His one executive position as head of the Annenberg Challenge is a great mystery, and unless the objective was to make a gazillion dollars disappear, it was an epic failure. I can understand why he doesn’t want to talk about it. I just can’t understand how his ’supporters’ in the media can digest those connections without herniating themselves.

So what we have is a bold contrast, not a comparison of experience. Palin is our American Girl Writ Large, the embodiment of all the forces of nature American women should be, compassion, strength, wit, intelligence, sense, ambition, honesty, and determination. On the other hand, what do we have? Someone who more aptly fits the profiler of the next college or high school shooter, a loner with few friends, a one time drug user, a misfit with his family, who likes hanging out with the dangerous crowd.

The problem that Obama has is that a thug in a suit is still a thug. Was that elitist of me?

Oct 4, 2008 - 8:39 pm 114. nlcatter:

Obama leads in the polls

because Mccain is old and
palin is out of her league

and Obama has family that likes him just fine.

Oct 4, 2008 - 9:41 pm 115. Marc Malone:

nlcatter – That has to be the dumbest thing I’ve seen you post: family that likes him fine. So, what?

When McCain got to the RNC, he had many LONGTIME friends of great character to speak for him and to his character. Obama only had his wife. His friends are too embarassing!

Duty, Honor, Country. Character counts!

Oct 4, 2008 - 10:51 pm 116. Pops:

I am still amazed to hear people say that Palin is out of her league. Carter and Clinton were both former governors. I don’t think being governor of Georgia or Arkansas provides any more foreign policy experience than being governor of Alaska.

I get the impression that Palin does have a lot of first hand experience in dealing with energy issues. Energy (or the lack of it)seems to be the proximate cause of all our current difficulties.

If Palin is out of her league, doesn’t it follow that Obama is out of his? As Doc Hanson has pointed out, Obama’s only executive experience has been as a failed community organizer.

Yes, McCain is behind now in the polls….mostly because of McCain. He never misses an opportunity to shoot himself in the foot with conservatives. He should stay in bed the next 30 days and let Palin do the campaigning.

Oct 5, 2008 - 12:07 am 117. mik:

palin is the manchurian candidate. mccain is selling himself to the highest bidder.

Oct 5, 2008 - 1:45 am 118. SGT Ted:

Anyone who thinks Palin hasn’t the experience and just says scripted thigs destroys their own arguement and credibility when they say they support Obama.

Oct 5, 2008 - 5:23 am 119. SGT Ted:

And people downing a state Governor as inexperiened but would vote for Obama the 143 day wonder or would be supporting Clinton the coatailing housefrau had she won the Dem primary show a bit of sexism along with their silly arguement.

Oct 5, 2008 - 5:26 am 120. Dave Simon:

Life long Republican here!!! It’s a shame I won’t be voting that way this time. As a matter of fact I think I’m sitting this one out and trying to figure out how we will be able to fix things in 2012. John McCain almost won my vote back with Sarah Palin. I think she is the most refreshing candidates to come out of the GOP in a long time. We need more people like her in Washington. As for McCain we need to get rid of him and a lot more like him. He had one last chance to EARN my vote but blew his chances with me forever with his vote on this Wall Street bailout. A real MAVERICK would have voted for the people. A true Republican don’t vote for socialism.
That vote convinced me that McCain stands for Washington as usual. 700 billion dollars of taxpayers money for the powers to be to play with during W’s last days in office. What a farce!!! So I hope Palin runs again in 2012 with a true MAVERICK.

Oct 5, 2008 - 5:49 am 121. Ron Kean:

1. People don’t seem to understand what a governor does or they would respect Palin’s experience.

2. If I vote for McCain and anybody thinks I have racist motives, they ignore Obama’s weird associations and reluctant sacking of them.

Basically, McCain and his supporters love this country. A multitude of statements from Obama’s pastor, co-workers, wife, and supporters attest to the fact that they don’t.

I had a great 8 years and I want more of the same.

I don’t see what ‘restore our respect in the world’ does for us.

It’s true like the guy said, it’s harder to win the game when the refs and the grounds crew is working as hard against you as the other team.

Oct 5, 2008 - 6:53 am 122. rspar:

Just one question as Governors of Georgia and The Great State of Arkansas were those two ready to be President? Not that those aren’t fine states in their own way but Arkansas come on one of the worst if not the worst at the time education systems in the country. Oh lets not forget the guy from Tennessee.

Oct 5, 2008 - 8:05 am 123. nlcatter:

bottom of class
daedddy influence got him in and kept him in and a pilot slot -
keeping out more qualified candidate

yep thats Honor all right!

(and he was in Vietnam not manchuria!)

Oct 5, 2008 - 9:24 am 124. nlcatter:

palin got how many votes in primrary against tough opponent?

Obama is the League!

Oct 5, 2008 - 9:40 am 125. SGT Ted:

Why would any freedom loving American want the respect of and to be liked by the worlds collection of Socialist, thugocracies and outright dictatorships? America was founded in refutation of the class by birth, anti-freedom, the State-runs-your-life cultures of the Old World. If you want that in your Government, go to Europe and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy the freedoms and individual liberty I fought for.

Oct 5, 2008 - 10:30 am 126. Kevin:

We need to stop obsessing about 9/11. It has been just over seven years, and given a few more, we will look back and see that it was not worth going to war over. Look at Bill Ayers, he was not convicted he is still an unrepentant terrorist. Now he is a Distinguished Professor. Shouldn’t we just offer Bin Laden a professorship, or maybe a seat on some board with Obama, and all will be well in the world. Remember, history will look at this moment as the time when the sea began lower and the earth began to heal…

Okay, a poor attempt at satire, but I do not get when it is ever all right to sit on a board with a terrorist (unrepentant or not). So much for supporting the troops. Also, remember during the first debate, McCain questioned Obama as to what he would do if he were sitting down with Ahmadinejad and Ahmadinejad said he would wipe Israel off the map, would Obama say “Oh, no your not!” Obama would not even say that if he would not stand on principle and refuse to sit on the board with a terrorist.

I guess there is a “nuance” as to when it is appropriate to bomb the Pentagon, or the Capitol.

Oct 5, 2008 - 11:08 am 127. CJH:

Just a quick comment on the following:
“any doubt about Obama’s apotheosis earns a massive orchestrated response–as the legions march out lock-step to the internet to kill the barbarians who doubt the divinity of the emperor”
I have personally found this to be true. After the GOP convention, a liberal co-worker admitted to being “up all-night emailing bloggers” where he got the “scoop”. He subsequently engaged in animated (even manic) conversations with sympathetic colleagues in which he made statements like “The thing is, what’s ACTUALLY happening is…” and ended with “I’ll keep you posted.”
Observing this behavior really was an eye-opener-it was my first encounter with the end product of collective cyber-politicking.
The collective, “lock-step” nature of this is disturbing. I have seen a number of intelligent and good people react in a hostile manner to my critisism of Obama. Judging by the initial sneering nature of the incredulity these individuals display, it is always first and foremost emotional, rather than rational or principled. I think for many of these individuals, a blogoshpere isn’t even required-all it takes is a common attitude. Everything else takes care of itself. Many vocal Obama supporters (dare I say “elitists”?) simply feel entitled to be seen as right-they they have no use for facts.

Oct 5, 2008 - 11:11 am 128. KarlU:

But we DO know Obama’s ideology: Socialist. He is rated as the #1 most liberal member of the senate. He hangs out with people who hate (and physically attack) this country. My father used to say “You tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are”.

His attitude (and votes) against aborted babies born alive should give any member of the human species cold shivers up the spine — even if they do support abortion rights in one form or another.

The reason Obama can’t compose a coherent sentence without a teleprompter is because he can’t say what he really thinks. He is so busy trying to synthesize a centrist response that he can’t speak. I believe if he could work from his principles and concepts, the words would come easily. Unfortunately, those words would disqualify him from being elected president.

I know exactly who Obama is, and I don’t want any part of him.

Oct 5, 2008 - 11:59 am 129. Pops:

I hear McCain has given up Michigan. It makes you wonder about the people who live in that state. They continuosly keep voting Democrats into office.

Elect Obama and we’ll have 50 Michigans *.

*(Dennis Prager)

Oct 5, 2008 - 12:49 pm 130. Marc Malone:

nlcatter, your posts just get dumber and dumber. Every time I think you’ve hit bottom… Whammo!

We KNOW McCain was in Vietnam, not Manchuria. Manchurian Candidate is a literary-cum-political reference.

Further, McCain was fifth from bottom of his class, because of all his demerits. He was a rowdy like his Admiral father before him. But, he was a fine pilot. He flew 23 combat missions before being shot down. Then he stood tall in POW camp. That means chumps such as you don’t get to criticize anything about his military background, including schooling.

Tool.

Oct 5, 2008 - 2:10 pm 131. dfeyres:

NLCatter,

Pardon me, your ignorance is showing.
>>bottom of class
Oddly enough, 50% of the class is in the botton half. Someone has to be at the very bottom. Interestingly enough, the Marines link to recruit from the top and the bottom of the class.

>>daedddy influence got him in and kept him in and a pilot slot -
keeping out more qualified candidate
Bull****, Bull****, and bull****
(1) When McCain entered the Academy, his dad was a Captain. Captains are, if not a dime a dozen, then two for a nickel. They don’t have the pull to get their unqualified kids accepted.
(2) Same applies to keeping them in. And more to the point, McCain’s younger brother flunked out of the Academy in 1961- when their dad was a rear admiral.
(3) Parents have no pull whatsoever in service selection at the Academy. The nuke program barely existed in 1958, so we’ll leave it out. For all other branches, including the Marines, there are a certain number of openings. #1 in the class gets first choice. #2 in the class gets second choice. #894 gets 894th choice.

So, NLCatter, you’d be more impressive if you had the slightest clue what you are talking about.

Oct 5, 2008 - 2:30 pm 132. Chip:

I will chime in at this point since I am professionally qualified to administer IQ tests.

IQ is determined through a process of evaluating how a person exhibits judgement, comprehension, and reasoning.

There are also many characteristics evident that are commonly displayed by a person with a higher IQ.

Sarah Palin has shown that her expressive language is highly developed and that she has many traits of being, “highly gifted,” in the area of emotional judgement.

Sarah Palin is basically a very intelligent person and is without a doubt in the 9th stanine range of intellectual functioning.

Sarah Palin’s list of accomplishments, in her various roles as an executive, are a result of being able to sort out important factors and then being able to use sound judgement to successfully solve problems.

Her ability to deal with stressful situations has been significantly superior to the characteristics that Barack Obama has exhibited under similar stressful situations.

Obama has shown weaknesses in decision making and the use of even, “adequate,” judgement. He is constantly saying that he used poor judgement here or didn’t use good judgement there. If we take Obama at his word, he is telling us indirectly that he just isn’t up to the task of being our President.

Palin is fine, and just needs to increase her knowledge base regarding foreign policy/affairs.

Meanwhile, Obama is the REAL problem!

Oct 5, 2008 - 4:58 pm 133. bill:

You mentioned the creepy Obama Youth singing. Have you seen the equally frightening Obama militants that looks like a Hamas video, http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77052.

Oct 5, 2008 - 5:39 pm 134. Marc Malone:

Chip – thanks for “chipping” in. It is good to get a professional viewpoint, time to time. (Especially when it backs my own assessments!)

Oct 5, 2008 - 8:11 pm 135. Handel Glassberg:

Dear Victor:

When asked what Supreme Court decisions, besides Roe v. Wade, she disagreed with, Sarah said, “Well, let’s see. In the great history of American rulings there have been rulings, that’s never going to be absolute consensus by every American.” Perhaps in the divisive molly parsing mode of American liberalism one can carp at Sarah’s grammar; but anyone who looks under her grammar can readily see the profundity of what Sarah meant. You can’t please all of the people all of the time. So let’s stop trying to make omelets without breaking eggs, people! Let’s stop being defensive about Sarah’s grammar and defend her logic. For if we don’t all pull together, to paraphrase one of the founding fathers, we sure as heck will all have to pull separately.

Yours sincerely,

The Playdo Institute
Handel Glassberg, President

Oct 5, 2008 - 10:45 pm 136. MartyVice:

Joe Biden: Frequently wrong. Never in doubt.

Oct 6, 2008 - 7:10 am 137. nlcatter:

Mccain grandfather had been a 4 star and his dad was a 1 star when mccain got the pilot slot
DESPITE being near bottom of class

that is favortism for you

Oct 6, 2008 - 8:16 am 138. Mark Rinzel:

Someone asked me whose campaign was better off after the debate.

Shall we ask the folks at Gallup? Or any other polling else, for that matter? So she didn’t totally humiliate herself and now we know that she’s capable of stringing a sentence together, so long as she totally ignores the moderator’s questions and sticks to her talking points (Energy, Israel and Obama is a Black Panther). That does not mean she won!

McCain showed a willingness to put Campaign First by picking her and it’s just unbelievable that few PJM readers are willing to see it. I have no problem with her being the Governor of a state, whose population is about 1/3 the size of Brooklyn, but a heartbeat away from a 4-time cancer survivor.

Again, Obama-antipathy has rendered a lot of you about as logically flat-footed as Bush-dementia rendered liberals for much of the last 8 years.

And I’m not selling anything. The truth sells itself.

Oct 6, 2008 - 10:11 am 139. Charles:

From the National Review

Open this link to see a brilliant diagram of all of ACORN’s work, and the Senators and presidential candidates who make it happen. Dodd, Frank, Schumer, and of course Barack Obama are stuck in the swamp of self-dealing, corruption, and politicial machinations, all masquerading as social justice and cheap real estate for the poor, at quite large taxpayer expense. This is a savvy Democrat web site. Follow the link for a really astonishing set of Democratic web sites which compete with each other in their exposition of Obama’s perfidies, corruptions, and non-messianic attributes. Remember — former libs are much better at political knife fighting than those whose first instincts are, and remain, conservative.

Oct 6, 2008 - 11:52 am 140. nlcatter:

Acorn is a good organization

they committed no crimes, likes Mccains wife,

they dont beleive in creationism as does Palin,

and they dont try to ban books!

Oct 6, 2008 - 1:03 pm 141. nlcatter:

“Energy, Israel and Obama is a Black Panther”

are you sure it wasnt a Black Mombo?

Alaskans get confused.

Oct 6, 2008 - 1:05 pm 142. RG:

“her fake folksy talk is a bit obvious and her winks work only to the joe six-packs at my workplace.”

— Maybe, but it’s still a much better alternative than a muslim / communist. Somehow I don’t think our great country was founded on such notions…

and it’s “her winks work only WITH the joe six-packs at my workplace.”,
not to…

Oct 6, 2008 - 1:43 pm 143. Big Monday « Out West:

[...] Obama Is Just WAY WRONG: [...]

Oct 6, 2008 - 1:45 pm 144. nlcatter:

Acorn
never committed a crime like Cindy Mccain,
didnt lie like Palin on earmarks,
not staffed by creationists.

but perhaps they abused authority like Palin did.

Oct 6, 2008 - 2:22 pm 145. Handel Glassberg:

Dear Victor:

Is it possible you lost our communication of October 5? For some reason, it failed to appear in your dossier.

The Playdo Institute
Handel Glassberg, President

Oct 6, 2008 - 2:36 pm 146. Ron Kean:

Mark Rinzel

‘Again, Obama-antipathy has rendered a lot of you about as logically flat-footed as Bush-dementia rendered liberals for much of the last 8 years.’

BDS was diagnosed by a psychiatrist and the extent of Bush hatred is demonstrated by repeated over-the-top Bush=Hitler criticism.

Bush never went around with, associated with, or had anything to do with Bill Ayres types, Rev. Wright types, and Frank Marshall communist types. Can you imagine being married someone who proclaims proudly her distain for the United States of America?

Since Obama has, it’s logical to believe they all share the same thoughts, beliefs, and methods. That’s why we’re adamant about Obama not being elected president. This is not irrational thinking. The evidence is plain.

My question to you or anyone is:

How can you believe a word Obama says?

All of congress voted to allow W to wage war in Iraq. It was not illegal.

Every intelligence agency said the WMD’s were there. He didn’t lie.

Congress just passed FISA again. He didn’t want to spy on us.

People lie about Bush. You don’t have to lie about Obama’s past.

Oct 6, 2008 - 2:49 pm 147. nlcatter:

1 my contact in CIA said they had no proof of nerve gas WMD. but Bush said there was.

2 all congress did not vote for Iraq war.

3 an agressive war is ILLEGAL under international law

Oct 6, 2008 - 5:28 pm 148. Marc Malone:

There is no world government, thus no world laws. Laws that are not enforceanle are called recommendations. No such thing as an “illegal war”, just Dem talking points.

Oct 7, 2008 - 12:01 am 149. Ron Kean:

nlcatter

Your contact?
A majority in both houses.
I’ll follow our laws

Oct 7, 2008 - 8:43 am 150. George Best:

nl catter..are you serious? You know some person in the CIA who says there was no nerve gas but Bush said their was? Does Bush not rely on intelligence? He does not say there is or is not without someone telling him.

I guess all those Dems like CLinton and Kerry that said the same thing about WMDs as Bush are given a pass?

I call BS on your statement.

Oct 8, 2008 - 6:52 am 151. Ron Kean:

I can’t imagine what’s up on VDH’s most recent post…why the ‘comments’ section is disabled.

Oct 8, 2008 - 9:01 am 152. mg:

First of all Bush and inteligence should never be used in the same sentence. They are diametrically opposed. Secondly pretending that Palin won the debate is a convenient fantasy for those who don’t really listen to what she actually said, which wasn’t much dog gone it. If seeing Russia from your front yard makes you an expert on foriegn policy then how come I am not a botanist. I can see trees from my front yard. I did not buy the phony soccer mom routine either. Please don’t try to convince anyone she actualy drives her kids to school or struggles to pay the bills. Oh and why does everyone seem to ignore the fact she did get caught abusing her power as Governor already. Oh and tried to force the court to drop the inquiry. By all means let’s give her more power in spite of her lack of judgement or experience.

Oct 15, 2008 - 4:14 am

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A War Like No Other How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War

The age of Pericles was also a time of famine, pestilence and atrocity: a ‘Thirty Year Slaughter.’ In order to understand the lesson this offers for civilization, one must try to feel it as the Greeks felt it, and reflect it as they did. In this dual task, Victor Davis Hanson once again demonstrates that his qualifications are unrivalled.
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Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power

by Victor Hanson

When the trumpet sounded, the soldiers took up their arms and went out...

Amazon.com’s Best of 2001

Many theories have been offered regarding why Western culture has spread so successfully across the world, with arguments ranging from genetics to superior technology to the creation of enlightened economic, moral, and political systems. In Carnage and Culture, military historian Victor Hanson takes all of these factors into account in making a bold, and sure to be controversial, argument: Westerners are more effective killers.

Mexifornia : A State of a Becoming

by Victor Davis Hanson

DESPITE ITS STATUE OF LIBERTY, recitations of Emma Lazarus’s poetry, and melting-pot imagery, America has always struggled with issues of immigration-mostly when it was a...

Why the West Has Won: Nine Landmark Battles in the Brutal History of Western Victory

Between War and Peace: Lessons from Afghanistan to Iraq

The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece (Paperback)

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A small masterpiece of style and scholarship.
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[Hanson’s] vivid style and meticulous combing of the ancient literary, archaeological, and epigraphical sources have produced a near masterpiece of historical imagination and reconstruction... . Masterful and gripping.
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Wars of the Ancient Greeks (Smithsonian History of Warfare) (Paperback)

by Victor Davis Hanson, John Keegan

Hanson, for those who somehow have missed him until now, is a professor of Classics at California State and also is a part time farmer, both of which have contributed to his writing as a military historian. As a classicist, Hanson is well versed in the sources in their original Greek, and as a farmer he understands how agriculture affected the experience of the Greeks at war.

Who Killed Homer: The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom

Fields Without Dreams : Defending the Agrarian Ideal (Paperback)

by Victor Davis Hanson

In the beginning here there was nothing...

Hanson relates the life stories of his farmer neighbors, writing that their way of life will likely soon disappear, thanks in part to a federal system of agricultural subsidies that favors large-scale, industrial farm corporations over individual “yeomen.” This is a sobering and eye-opening book.

The Soul of Battle: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, How Three Great Liberators Vanquished Tyranny

by Victor Davis Hanson

On first glance, The Soul of Battle appears to be three different books: biographies of two well-known generals—Sherman and Patton—and one who is virtually unknown today, the ancient Greek leader Epaminondas. Yet Victor Davis Hanson, a classics professor and author of The Western Way of War, makes a compelling connection between these three men. They were “eccentrics, considered unbalanced or worse by their own superiors” who led democratic armies on missions of freedom.

The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War (Paperback)

by Robert B. Strassler (Editor), Victor Davis Hanson (Introduction)

Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing...

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