HERE COMES THE SMEAR

GOP TO LAUNCH TV AD BLITZ AGAINST OBAMA
First Read - 7/2/08
From NBC's Mark Murray

Beginning this weekend, the Republican National Committee will launch a $3 million advertising blitz against Obama in the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

This first ad will be on the topic on energy security, and it will contrast McCain's and Obama's positions on the issue. The actual content of the ad, however, has yet to be released. The vendor of this new ad against Obama -- GOP ad-maker Brad Todd -- has issued this statement: "Following Barack Obama's decision to become the only major party presidential candidate in history to not adhere to campaign spending caps, the Republican National Committee has begun an independent expenditure campaign in accordance with FEC regulations. The RNC will first advertise this weekend in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, highlighting the issue of energy security, which is emerging as a defining difference in the race for president."

In response to this ad, the Obama campaign issued this press release: "It has been reported that the Republican National Committee will begin running television ads in a number of battleground states this weekend. As John McCain's own advisors have noted, the RNC and the McCain campaign operate as one unit. And since these ads will likely be attack ads that contradict McCain's pledge to run a respectful campaign, he can, and should, immediately reverse his plan to air them. In fact, a few months ago, McCain urged GOP state party committees to run a respectful campaign, stating, 'I have pledged to conduct a respectful campaign. And I have urged, time after time, various entities within the Republican Party to also do that.' Clearly, the RNC should adhere to the same standard."

An important (yet inside-baseball) note: While the RNC is paying for this advertising blitz, it is coming from its independent expenditure unit. What that means is that the RNC has nothing to do with the ad's message or content; a vendor -- in this case, Brad Todd -- is responsible for that.

This, in fact, was an issue in that infamous RNC "Call me" TV ad against Harold Ford Jr. in Tennessee in 2006. It was an ad paid for by the RNC, but they were able to deny --legitimately -- that they had anything to do with the message. Both political parties utilize independent expenditure TV ads.

McCain and the GI Bill - Flop till you flip?

Where does McCain flip-flop to regarding the GI Bill?

ummm...what day is it?

FLIP: McCain said NO to Jim Webb's proposal to give our troops the same educational opportunites as those offered to our troops after World War II.

McCain said NO to the GI Bill of Rights. McCain stood with Bush in opposing legislation and programs which support our troops.

FLOP: McCain Supports GI Bill and issues this statement

I'm happy to tell you that we probably agreed to an increase in educational benefits for our veterans that not only gives them increase in their educational benefits, but if they stay in for a certain period of time than they can transfer those educational benefits to their spouses and or children.

Watch the Clip

Is it Trickling yet?

Trickle-down Economics and Ronald Reagan
Jim Blair

There has been a good deal of discussion centred on the question of whether anyone can point to a nation or empire that implemented 'Trickle Down Economics' and saw wealth actually trickle. In reviewing the issue I see two separate issues, and plan to treat them in the two parts of this essay.

PART I: What is meant (or at least what is commonly understood) by the term 'Trickle Down Economics'. And from that, what are examples that will be accepted by the parties to the discussion. In other words, let's see if we can agree about what we are talking about, and agree on specific examples.

PART II: How to evaluate a specific example, or what I call the use and misuse of statistics. The earlier exchange generated a "textbook example" of the misuse of statistics about the recent US. And what should be the basis of comparison? Should one country be compared to another? Or one time period in history to another. More on this later.

D.C. SNAPSHOT: Bush Lawyers on Child Torture and Burial Alive

D.C. SNAPSHOT: Bush Lawyers on Child Torture and Burial Alive
By Harry Hanbury on Jun 26, 2008

On June 26, 2008, John Yoo and David Addington, two leading architects of the Bush administration's policies on torture, testified before the House Judiciary Committee. Even seemingly simple questions yielded evasive answers.

John McCain vs John McCain

The Official John McCain Flip-Flop and Gaffe Master List

Passing this website along to you:

The Official John McCain Flip-Flop and Gaffe Master List
Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain has become a Gaffe Machine since hitting the campaign trail last year. As the November election nears, the frequency and severity of his gaffes & flip-flops has grown to the point where it's necessary to have a MASTER LIST (with confirming links) of the multitude of missteps coming out of the McCain campaign, all in one place. Seeing as what a big deal Republicans made out of Senator John Kerry's supposed "flip-flops" during the 2004 Presidential race, it only seems fair that we pay attention when their nominee for 2008 does the same thing.

McFlip vs McFlop

Where does McCain stand on the Oil Crisis? Ummm...what day is it?

McFlip Late may 2008: "With those resources, which would take years to develop, you would only postpone or temporarily relieve our dependency on fossil fuels," McCain said when asked about offshore drilling. "We are going to have to go to alternative energy, and the exploitation of existing reserves of oil, natural gas, even coal, and we can develop clean coal technology, are all great things. But we also have to devote our efforts, in my view, to alternative energy sources, which is the ultimate answer to our long-term energy needs, and we need it sooner rather than later."

McFlop JUNE 18, 2008: "I believe it is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions and to put our own reserves to use," he said on Tuesday, "as a matter of fairness to the American people, and a matter of duty for our government, we must deal with the here and now, and assure affordable fuel for America by increasing domestic production."

McFlip Mid-May 2008: McCain was quoted saying he didn't "like obscene profits being made anywhere," and, as such, would be "glad to look" at a windfall profits tax on oil companies.

McFlop June 17, 2008: McCain criticized Barack Obama for wanting "a windfall profits tax on oil to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas."