It's the old typo problem again. Barack 'Osama" on Rensselaer County ballots! Hundreds of the absentee ballots were mailed out in that county.

"Is it a Freudian slip, intentional act or a mistake? Voters are sure to have opinions, and one pol pointed out that the letters 's' and 'b' are not exactly keyboard neighbors.

The election officials from both parties said it was a typo. 

Go figure. 

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Well, I got up bright and early on Thursday and was out in Waukesha by about 8:20 for the McCain & Palin Town Hall meeting. The morning was sunny and the crowd excited. (I should have been there earlier.)

About 55 protesters for Obama were standing nearby. We exchanged chants. They yelled, 4 more years, Stop the war, Obama, etc. We retorted chants of, ACORN, Get a job, Pay your mortgage, John McCain, Palin, Stop Voter Fraud.

About 90 minutes later we were going through security. At first it looked like we were going to be stuck behind the press bleachers again, but after a bit, they allowed us in the bleacher section behind McCain and Palin.

There were the usual warm up "acts." Congressman Paul Ryan was the M.C. The crowd loved him. He asked, Who is ready to lead this land? Who do you trust to lead? Who has been tested? America doesn't need a show horse, America needs a work horse! 

Scott Walker was next. He joked, I like Sarah because finally I can go hunting with the Vice President! He then talked about Wisconsin's tax burden...We have one of the latest tax freedom days in our nation, April 24th instead of April 15th.

A Native American was next, Jennifer Youngblood. She works in Alaska and told us how 80 Alaskan residents began work on the natural gas pipeline this summer. Jennifer believes Native Americans could turn this vote since Arizona has so much tribal land and Illinois does not. [Sarah Palin is married to a Native American.]

Former Governor Tommy Thompson was fired up. I can't understand why the press is so afraid to pull back the covers on Barack Obama. He talked about Obama's record of voting "Present" and how you can't do that on a nuclear Iran or drilling. Tommy wrapped it up with, Democrats told Freddie to give out the money [even if the applicant couldn't pay it back]... You are just as guilty driving the getaway car as robbing the bank!

After a prayer, pledge of allegiance, and national anthem, finally McCain and Palin arrived.

We were sitting a few rows up in back of them. It is true the camera adds 10 pounds; Sarah is very trim! She commented later how she enjoyed running along our lake front this morning. John McCain looks much younger and trimmer in person too.

The usual opening remarks were made. Big cheers went up for McCain's spending freeze.

I think 12 questions were taken in all. The best of the bunch were Questions 6, "I'm mad" and 9 from J T Harris, "I've taken a ...whipping." 7 was pretty good too, about Obama's associations. I am listing 6 and 9 first, then the remaining ones after. Subjects will be in bold so you can look for the ones that interest you.

The 6th question was a biggie. "Thanks for coming. I'm mad! I'm really mad! (YouTube link) And what's gonna surprise you is it's not the economy--it's the socialists taking over our country!" (This one brought down the house--standing ovation.) When you have Obama, Pelosi, and the rest of the Hooligans represent our country... It's time you represent us. GO GET 'EM!!!" More applause and chant, USA, USA, USA!!!

McCain quipped back, I think I got the message. The gentleman is right. Democrats have been in control. Have you noticed any improvement? About ACORN. There are serious allegations about voting. They should be investigated immediately before Nov. 4th, so Americans won't be denied their precious right to vote.

Question 9 brought down the house! J. T. Harris, an African American, the man to Palin and McCain's right, stood up and said,

"God bless you Governor Palin, you are a barracuda, we need that...God bless you Senator for your service to your country, for your leadership. At the convention, you asked us to fight for you...I have to tell you, I doubt there is anyone in this room who has taken the [backside]whipping I have taken for supporting you and your policy!" BIG, BIG, BIG STANDING OVATION.

"Sir, I believe in the next debate, it is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama, that you hit him where it hits as a softball, Sir ACORN is out there, we have the good Rev Wright, Flagler , we have all these shady characters that have surrounded him. We have corruption in Wisconsin and across the nation. I am begging you sir, to take it to him [Obama in the next debate.]"  (Photo was taken after his statement.)

McCain, "Thank you for your courage... I believe your reward will be in heaven not here on earth... Yes, I will do that." But I want to address the greatest financial challenge of our lifetime with a positive plan of action... we will do both.

The other questions in order: 

First question was on health insurance: She wanted to be able to pool with other company's groups. McCain agreed. You should be able to go anywhere for your insurance--why be restricted?

Question 2 from a Realtor--Freddie/Fannie. Will you take immediate actions to investigate, prosecute and name names [on Freddie Fannie scandal]?  McCain said, I will. BIG CHEER

3rd question was on abortion. The moderator clearly did not bring the subject up. With 3rd debate, will you find a way to bring it up? I think McCain agreed and said life begins at conception. Some of the greatest words ever written, "...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty..." He then added, We need to change the culture in America and show compassion and courage to support young women in this situation and improve adoption.

4th question--oil and exportation of Alaskan oil to China. Sarah Palin answered, We need to drill more. No, it is not a huge proportion that is exported.  

Question 5 was on Hate Crimes legislature trying to stop free speech. McCain answered,  I don't think I can divine the intent of a crime...we just need to prosecute [the actions].

7th question asked, How is it Obama got where he is? We are all a product of our associations. Is there any way to get around this media? [who won't look into Obama and Ayers, Wright, ACORN, etc.] McCain answered, We need to know the full extend of the relationships. Then he brought up character, how Obama said he would take the public money if I did and said that he negotiated with me about it. He did not. [Obama opted to be privately funded.]

Q. 8 was just about the cost of gas.  Palin talked about drilling and "all of the above"

Question 11 was about one of Obama's "tiny" countries: Venezuela. What would you do if Chavez shows aggression to other S. American countries? McCain replied that Hugo Chavez is a great reason for energy independence! Strengthening relations with the President of Columbia was part of his solution.

Question 12 was from a Vet. He took issue with Obama's statement of our troops in Afghanistan [bombing villages etc.] He introduced his adopted son, a former Iraqi citizen, now an American. I appreciate your support of war Vets, but when I talk to soldiers, what we want more than anything is to win the war against terrorism. Lots of applause for him and his son.

That was it for the questions. Handshakes and autographs followed for quite some time. I was glad I went.

Once outside, we still were not allowed to leave until the Straight Talk Express bus with McCain and Palin in it left. The crowd was pumped but very discouraged about the prospect of voter fraud.

I have attempted to give you a flavor of the meeting. If you want to hear the exact question and answer, check the Video feed of Town Hall & Audio of Town Hall Thanks, Cindy, at Fairly Conservative

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At yesterday's McCain/Palin Town Hall meeting, a person from Milwaukee County's Republican Party passed out info to the waiting crowd: "Your VOTE is being STOLEN!" It gave some information about the problem of voter fraud.

"National activist groups such as ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), come to Milwaukee and members have been charged with padding the voter list by adding fake names. Once these fake names are on the voter lists, they can be voted by people claiming to be that person."

It mentioned Obama's associations with Project Vote, a subsidiary of ACORN, and how local municipal clerks are saying they don't have the time to follow the laws of the United States. It ended with,

"Concerned? You should be. Want to help? Contact 414-727-0008" 

I called the Milwaukee Republican Party for more information. The woman who answered the phone said they were looking for poll watchers. (She suggested you bring your own chair.) I asked if this was to identify declared Republican voters, as they did in 2004 or if it was to look for voter registration irregularities. She said it was to check on registration irregularities.

The Waukesha office said that the poll watchers duties were to check if their base was voting but also to make sure people did not vote twice.  

If you wan to help, call your campaign headquarters and volunteer. The Waukesha office number is 262-542-8532

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Today's Washington Times piece, PRUDEN: Smells from the shadows sums up much of what's fishy about this election: the voter fraud, the biased media, and of course, Sen. Barack Obama's questionable associations. (My emphasis)

Something odd is going on. The Obama campaign boasts of a landslide in the making even as his polling lead slips a point or two, and there's anger bordering on rage when John McCain and Sarah Palin raise questions about Barack Obama's judgment in his unexplored past in Chicago.

An investigation of ACORN, a cabal of "political activists" hired to register voters in the neighborhoods where few friends of John McCain abide has now spread to 10 states. ... The rules for this game were written in Chicago.

Wesley Pruden brings up an important point that often is overlooked: judgment. Whatever explanation Obama gives to explain away his many controversial associations, Rev. Wright, Rev. Flagler, Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, and even his work with ACORN, still doesn't address Obama's lack of judgment. How could he have not known these associations were toxic to a political career?

The unanswered questions are not about crimes, but about his judgment.

Obama has used that That isn't the so-in-so I knew several times to whitewash his relationships. Yet, good judgment is a necessary quality in a President. A president must be able to size up individuals and make accurate assessments of their character, be they prospective cabinet members or leaders of countries such as Iran, Venezuela or North Korea!

But we do know that he has a history of choosing odd friends, such as Tony Rezko, whose sentencing for racketeering was postponed this week, suggesting that Tony the Squeezer is squealing to the feds in pursuit of a lighter sentence. Maybe the squealing will tell us something else about the Obama past. Or maybe not. The senator's reticence encourages speculation, some of it perhaps unfair.

But why did it take him 20 years to discover that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his beloved pastor in Chicago, is a racist bigot who doesn't like white folks very much and who prayed for God to "damn America."

Why indeed. Political candidates lives are supposed to be an open book. The media used to investigate everything. So "Why the ferocious attempts to stifle these perfectly legitimate questions?"

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The specter of voter fraud looms larger every day in the battleground states. People all over our country are wondering if the winner on Nov. 4th will be the legitimate recipient of properly registered voters or the product of massive voter fraud. There is growing fear and evidence it could be the latter.

"We don't know how many (falsified forms) are here; there may be two, or there may be thousands," said Bob Walsh, spokesman for the secretary of state's office.

Registration fraud typically stems from workers striving to meet their daily quota of submitted voter forms, [Secretary of State Ross] Miller said.

ACORN is a nonpartisan organization, but it is affiliated with a political action committee that has endorsed Democrat Barack Obama in the presidential election. ...

Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago in the early 1990s was with Project Vote, but his campaign said it was not affiliated with ACORN at the time. Obama also was part of a team of lawyers representing ACORN in 1995 in a lawsuit that accused the state of Illinois of putting up barriers to poor people trying to register.

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Would you like to go to the polls on Nov. 4th and have everyone view your ballot? Not too many people would. The right to a private ballot is important to Americans.

Peer pressure can be a powerful force--especially in unions. There is a bill right now called the Employee Free Choice Act, HR 800. The name would make you think it protected privacy. It doesn't. Senator Barack Obama co-sponsored and voted for it. 

It is such an affront to workers' rights, that even former Senator George McGovern opposes it. He ran an ad during last night's debate describing why he was against this legislation. (It was one of the highlights of the debate!) From Real Clear Politics,

One of labor's top agenda items for at least the last two years has been the Employee Free Choice Act, which would strip employees from the secret ballot in deciding whether to form a union. The measure was defeated earlier, but will doubtlessly get a second hearing with an Obama administration.

You can see the ad on Gateway Pundit, who concludes, "Too radical for George McGovern?...That's Barack Obama!" 

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On the news yesterday, I heard that John McCain and Sarah Palin will go to La Crosse Friday after their stop in Waukesha on Thursday. I think that is a good move. McCain will also be in Mosinee, WI, and Palin in Wilmington, OH later on Thursday.

Yesterday, Gov. Sarah Palin said she wanted to go back to Michigan--she wasn't giving up on that state. That is good news for Michigan since The GOP in Michigan is still trying to "boost efforts" in the state.

I just heard about this PAC group, Our Country Deserves Better. They aren't willing to give up Michigan either. In fact, they are holding a 2 day web-a-thon to raise $500,000 by Thursday morning. In their first day, they raised a little over half of it according to their CONTRIBUTE NOW page.

Their logic is that if McCain just gives Michigan up, Obama won't need to spend any time or money there.

The 17 electoral votes will be lost to Obama/Biden.  Down-ballot races of candidates sympathetic to McCain will lose.  And Obama will be able to take money he had intended for Michigan and put it into other swing states such as Nevada, Virginia, Florida, Ohio and Missouri.

We might be focusing on the presidential race, but the president isn't the only candidate on the ballot. The entire House is on the Nov. 4th ballot, and 36 Senators are up for election too.

The thought of an unbridled Democrat majority House and Democrat majority Senate with a Democrat President is enough motivation for citizens to shell out $254,000 (so far) to help Michigan. 

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That's right.  ACORN Vegas Office Raided in Voter Fraud Investigation this morning: (My emphasis)

Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state's office, told FOXNews.com the raid was prompted by ongoing complaints about "erroneous" registration information being submitted by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, also called ACORN. 

The group was submitting the information through a voter sign-up drive known as Project Vote. 

"Some of them used nonexistent names, some of them used false addresses and some of them were duplicates of previously filed applications," Walsh said, describing the complaints, which largely came from the registrar in Clark County, Nev. 

Sound familiar? How about this? 

Secretary of State Ross Miller [a Democrat] said the fraudulent registrations included forms for the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys football team.

...

But it's not the first time ACORN's been under investigation for registration irregularities. The raid is the latest of at least nine investigations into possible fraudulent voter registration forms submitted by ACORN -- the probes have involved ACORN workers in Wisconsin, New Mexico, Indiana and other states. 

In 2006, ACORN also committed what Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed called the "worse case of election fraud" in the state's history. 

In the case, ACORN submitted just over 1,800 new voter registration forms, and all but six of the 1,800 names were fake.

Can you imagine? A whopping 1,774 names were phony out of 1,800 in that 2006 case? 

How many Ohio registrations are fake? How about Wisconsin?

Until we get a nationwide voter ID law, we will never know.

Question of the night: Will John McCain bring up the other branch of the ACORN family and Barack Obama's involvement in it tonight at the debate? Or how about Obama's working relationship with Bill Ayers, the self admitted bomber of the US Capitol, police headquarters and Pentagon?

Obama, "I've chaired major philanthropic efforts in the city, like the Chicago Annenberg Challenge that gave $50 million to prop school reform efforts throughout the city."

The Chicago Annenberg Challenge, or CAC, was founded in part by Ayers, who was also co-chairman of the Chicago School Reform Collaborative, one of the two operational arms of the CAC. Obama served as CAC chairman.

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Between the voter fraud issue and yesterday's stock market, sometimes a body needs a little comic relief!

Here it is: How well do you know your Presidential Candidate? Match-o-Matic II

It's a quiz from ABC News. The graphics are cute, but there is something to think about too. If you click on the above link, you see a cartoon of the White House and Obama and McCain on a teeter totter.

The object of the quiz is to pick between 2 statements, made by the candidates on various issues, that you most agree with. It then matches the quote with the candidate. At the end, it shows which candidate's philosophy you agree with most. (No big surprise here on my quiz, McCain bounced Obama off the teeter totter. I missed 1 out of 13.)

Have fun!

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I heard both Congressmen Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner interviewed on Jay Weber's radio show this morning. (Hour 4 Part 2). Since I trust the opinion of both of these men, I was curious as to why Ryan voted YES and Sensenbrenner NO on the latest bailout bill. 

First Congressman Ryan, who does have a degree in economics. The following are some notes I took from the interview--they are not direct quotes. Listen to the podcast if you can.

Ryan said the bill yesterday was the Paulson plan with quite a bit of tweaks.

The original Paulson bill was 3 pages: Give me a blank checkbook with $700billion.

We wrote a [Republican] alternative. Ours said, Let's make the firms buy insurance.

We rewrote the bill, added stock options--warrants to taxpayers, so the taxpayer is first in line to get money back (if there are profits--that means ACORN would not be getting funding as the orig. Paulson bill stated.) Executives won't get a Golden Parachute.

This bill was $350 billion: $250b immediately and $100b later. An additional $350b would need to be voted on in the future.  

Over the weekend, credit markets went crazy. The problem is not just on Wall Street. Credit markets are shutting down. [That means cash flow for payrolls is unavailable.] There is a fear of recession.

"I'm now sincerely worried this could lead to recession."

Jay Weber: Can we move slowly or do we need to move quickly?

Ryan: Tax money goes out the door either way, this way (bailout) or from FDIC (if banks fail.) Paulson mishandled this so badly.  We added 107 pages to his bill. 

I have never seen things like this [credit freezing up]--ever. Businesses won't be able to cash flow payrolls.

Weber: There is a deep distrust of Congress.

Ryan: 2,300 calls [to my office] almost all against the bailout. [That is changing a little now.] We have to corral Wall Street so it doesn't spill to Main Street.

Weber: Why aren't Republicans hammering this?

Ryan: I am. Since 2002 I have voted against Freddie and Fannie every time.

I think Paul Ryan voted for this measure because he is genuinely worried about our economy shutting down. He knows that if businesses cannot get credit to meet their payrolls, that means workers do not get paid. With many Americans just a paycheck away from being broke, we cannot afford to let that happen. Businesses also use credit to purchase supplies and equipment for future production.

Then it was Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner's turn:

Paulson [Barney Frank] plan fatally flawed from the beginning. That money all came from taxpayers.

The word was, $700billion would not be enough.

America can't afford this. We are wealthy, but there is a limit. 

All of this is inflationary. Interest rates will shoot up. [Remember] 20% prime rates during Carter? 

We should go back to the regular order [of crafting legislation] with committee meetings, rather than Paulson saying we have to do this.

Weber: We're racing against the clock.

Sensenbrenner: When markets opened [today] they were up 200, so hopefully the markets have calmed down.

Paulson is pushing for now. It bailed out the people who caused the problem.

I'm prepared to go back when Pelosi calls us back.

This is a case of Congress serving the people. 

Weber: What angers people is Frank and Dodd in charge of the fix. Is there any mechanism to say when you failed the people, get off the committee!

Sensenbrenner: The Community Reinvestment Act was a significant factor [to what is going on.] 

The process worked yesterday. The speeches like from Pelosi need to stop. She also knew there were not the votes to pass. Why did she bring the bill to the floor? [To fix blame on the Republicans]

Weber: Would you change the Community Reinvestment Act?

Sensenbrenner: Repeal of that law should be in the new package now.

The Security and Exchange Commission dropped the ball--enforcement was not vigorous. 

The Justice Department should investigate if any fraud was committed. [Imprisonment would serve as a deterrent.]

So there you have the Yea and the Nay. Where is Solomon when you need him? 

Conservatives would hope the next version of the bailout bill would be better for taxpayers, that it keeps money from ACORN and repeals the Community Reinvestment Act. With this crew I don't have much hope.

My fear is that the next version will included ACORN funding again or worse. The Democrats will vote for it, and President Bush, who is really over a barrel here, will have to sign it.

Calls from Americans running 500 against, to 1 in favor, of the bailout might be the only thing that saving us from an UGLY pig of a bill.

Post Script: Along the lines of Sensenbrenner's request that they craft this bill carefully, 165 Economists rip bailout plan:

The economists say they are well aware of the current financial situation and agree there's a need for bold action but ask Congress "not to rush."

They urge lawmakers to hold appropriate hearings and "to carefully consider the right course of action." 

Right now the market is up 307 points from yesterday's close. You can check anytime on USAToday. (If you leave it open, it automatically refreshes.) 

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Remember Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Remarks Upon Becoming Speaker of the House two years ago? (Emphasis mine) 

I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship, and I look forward to working...

I look forward to working with you, Mr. Boehner, and the Republicans in the Congress, for the good of the American people.

... and the American people told us they expected us to work together for fiscal responsibility, with the highest ethical standard and with civility and bipartisanship.

... After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go; no new deficit spending.

... Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt.

... My colleagues elected me to be speaker of the House. The entire House. Respectful of division of our founders, the expectations of our people and the great challenges that we face, we have an obligation to reach beyond partisanship to work for all America.

... Let us stand together to move our country forward, seeking common ground for the common good.

Did her performance yesterday live up to her promise? Blaming Bush for all of this? (There is plenty of blame to go around. If our economy is in such danger, and I think it could be, is this the time for finger pointing or "seeking common ground for the common good.")

Pelosi let 16 Democrat Congressmen in tight races off the hook--they could vote NO. Obama campaign co-chair Jessie Jackson Jr., Democrat from Illinois, voted NO.

If Speaker Nancy Pelosi was so sure this bill needed to pass, why did she poison the deal with her rant and not insist her own party support it? Was she hoping it would fail so they could get the ACORN funding back in? Who knows.

I think it all comes down to a matter of trust. Do you trust this Congress to come up with an acceptable solution?  

About this time 2 years ago, before the majority shifted to the Democrats, the Congress' approval rating was 25%. Last year it was 11%. In July it was 9%: "The overall national approval rating is at 9 percent. The first time in history that the rating has fallen to a single digit. ...So you see, history can be made. All it took was some hard work and bipartisanship."

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner said, "Now is not the time to fix the blame, it is time to fix the problem."  I pray they will be able to do just that before credit totally freezes up and businesses can't make payroll.

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Our present market woes and the Freddie/Fannie mess did not come out of nowhere. They are not George Bush's fault. They started a  l-o-n-g  time before either Bush.  Watching the house burn down: What caused our economic crisis? gives a good run down of the chain of events leading up to this crisis.

First thing this morning, I checked to see if Rep. Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner were on board with the bailout bill. If so, then I felt it might shore up the market with the least harm. Thankfully, ACORN funding has been removed from the present version.

Rep. Paul Ryan doesn't like the bail out but agrees we are painted into a corner and must do something. Jim Sensenbrenner it seems will not support it at all. GOPUSA says it is still a Train Wreck.

The House Bailout failed to pass 228-205. Seems Pelosi gave a pre-vote speech that did not warm the hearts of Republicans by blaming Bush for all of this. Democrats were not enthusiastic either. Democrats against: 95, Republican NOs: 133. Wisconsin Representatives voting NO: Jim Sensenbrenner - R, Tom Petri - R, and Steve Kagen - D.

Roughly 4/5ths of Americans do not favor a bailout, which is why democrats were hesitant to sign on. Some want the free market work as in Citibank buying Wachovia today.

The market closed at 777 points down today. The price of oil went down to $96/barrel, gold closed up about $8 at $898/oz. One thing saving our bacon is that world wide markets are jittery too. If you are a foreign investor, who do you trust with your money? Don't know how long foreign investors will stay with us though.

I have no idea what is the right thing to do regarding the bailout bill. I think Ryan voted for because he knows this could go way south.

At the very least, it is time to put an end to no money down and little money down mortgages!

Vicki McKenna talked today on her radio show about how she* is in the process of buying a home. When she first started looking months ago, she was told she needed 20% down. This is consistent with what a Realtor friend told me--that people were getting mortgages if they had 21% to put down. But now Vicki was told she could get a mortgage for 3% down, if she did it before the end of the year!

I believe the little or no money down policy of the Community Reinvestment Act started us down this fiscally irresponsible path. Without the cushion of 20% down, for those times when home values falter, these no/little money down loans became upside down.

So the American taxpayer is asked to bailout out the lenders, and Congress is drilling more holes in the boat by not reforming down payment requirements? Pretty typical.

PS Did you see that the House passed a $25 billion bailout for automakers?

*CORRECTION: It was not Vicki herself, but someone in her building. The point remains the same regardless who got the loan. 

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The question of the day is, will Sen. John McCain go to the debate tonight? (UPDATE: Yes)

If he does not go, here are 2 possibilities:

1. Send Governor Palin. She seems to have done well impressing the various leaders at the UN meetings:

The presidents of Iraq and Georgia gushed over Palin as they met with her yesterday. And Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai told an audience Tuesday night after meeting Palin earlier that day that she asked all the right questions.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed great joy in meeting her during the short photo session at the start of their meeting that was viewed by reporters and cameras.

"You are even more gorgeous than you are on the [inaudible]," Zardari said.

"You are so nice. Thank you," Palin said.

"Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you," Zardari said, as his handler told them to shake hands for the cameras.

2. Last night Ann Coulter quipped, Barack Obama could debate Joe Biden!  ;-)

I will be watching tonight to see what develops. Even if John McCain shows up, it will be disappointing to me. For some reason, I thought teleprompters were not allowed at the debates, I now know differently. (No wonder only the Town Hall meeting invitations were declined.) 

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The rumor mill is churning out that Sen. Joe Biden will step aside for medical reasons* and that Sen. Hillary Clinton step in as VP. Never mind that her husband just said yesterday that Hillary never wanted to be Vice President.

Obviously, Sen. Obama wasn't thrilled with the idea either, or he would have picked her. (The thought of a Hillary VP, who only has presidential aspirations, is daunting.) Besides, wouldn't that be the ultimate flip-flop? That Obama couldn't even make up his mind on who to pick for VP?  No, I think Obama is just stuck with Biden and his bloopers. (They have added a unique bit of entertainment to this election.)

Plus, Governor Sarah Palin stole Sen. Clinton's thunder by being the first Republican** woman nominated for VP.

But in politics, you never know what will happen next. Time will tell. 

*Not so serious that they keep him out of the senate though. 

**Correction: I did not mean to forget Geraldine Ferraro. She however did not generate the same excitement and anticipation that Palin has as a possible presidential candidate in the next cycle. 

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Yup, it is true. Former President Bill Clinton appeared on Good Morning America this morning and defended John McCain. (Politics makes strange bedfellows!)

ABC News' Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Former President Bill Clinton defended Sen. John McCain's request to delay the first presidential debate, saying McCain did it in "good faith" and pushed organizers to reserve time for economy talk during the debate if the Friday plans move forward.

... 

"We know he didn't do it because he's afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates," Clinton said, adding that he was "encouraged" by the joint statement from McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

Clinton also commented on the Democrat's accusation that this problem came out of nowhere--we had nothing to do with this. He admitted some responsibility in this mess lies with the Democrats in Congress. (About half way through the clip)

Well... ...the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put in some standards and tighten up a little with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. [He also blamed the Up Tick rule.]

I really hope the Congress acts in good faith and not in their typical political way, as in the NO Drill Bill. When Sen. Obama originally stated that he would not come, that "If you need me, call me." if he was needed, I wondered how that would have gone over with the Democrats if Pres. Bush had done that with Hurricane Katrina.

GOPUSA's piece, Bailing out the Bailout, talks about Sen. Reid's flip flop on McCain's presence and what some conservatives hope McCain can do, 

...Until McCain's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seemed inclined to support the $700 billion bailout bill -- provided Democrats could lard it with their own goodies -- but only if McCain (and other Republicans) would support the package and provide the Dems with political cover.

"I got some good news in the last hour or so ... it appears that Sen. McCain is going to come out for this," Reid announced Tuesday evening.

...

Reid's office promptly released a statement that said, "We need leadership; not a campaign photo-op." So the bailout is worth spending $700 billion of other people's money -- but not worth McCain flying to Washington to broker a doable deal? Get the feeling Reid is completely out of touch?

Now, what if McCain could reduce the size of the bailout? (That is a tall order, but hope springs eternal with me.)

If, however, McCain can broker a more fiscally responsible plan -- read one with a price tag about half of the original's size or less, and with a cap on executive pay -- he just might be able to broker a deal that can pass muster.

McCain is taking a huge chance here. Even just going to Washington to vote on this measure is a risk. One has to wonder if Obama hoped he could duck the whole thing by not going to the Senate to vote at all--a variation on voting, "Present."

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

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In the land of double standard politics, here is another story.

AP Whines Palin 'Banned' Them From Chat with Foreign Leaders, No Such Concern When Obama Did:

Palin is in New York City for the open of the United Nations General Assembly. A review of media coverage from Obama's behind-closed-doors chats with European heads of state, however, shows no such complaint by the media about a lack of access.

As you know, Sarah Palin was originally invited to speak on Monday at the anti-Iran rally organized by a Jewish group in New York. But then the Dems Threaten Anti-Iran Rally Organizers With IRS Attack if they Let Palin Speak. She was dis-invited:

News has emerged that the organizers of that anti-Iran rally that famously got snarled up in Senator Hillary Clinton's ire at Governor Sarah Palin last week were threatened by New York Democrats with IRS action against their tax-exempt status if they allowed Palin to speak.

...The world must awake to the threat this man poses to all of us. Ahmadinejad denies that the Holocaust ever took place. He dreams of being an agent in a "Final Solution" — the elimination of the Jewish people. He has called Israel a "stinking corpse" that is "on its way to annihilation." Such talk cannot be dismissed as the ravings of a madman — not when Iran just this summer tested long-range Shahab-3 missiles capable of striking Tel Aviv, not when the Iranian nuclear program is nearing completion, and not when Iran sponsors terrorists that threaten and kill innocent people around the world.

Her speech lists sanctions and measures the US and world must enforce but also of McCain's promise to "Never again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to Israel's enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us."

Governor Palin went to New York anyway and "also asked former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger for insights on Georgia, Russia, China and Iran, and she'll see more leaders Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings." Palin meets her first world leaders in New York:

Palin sat down with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The conversations were private, the pictures public, meant to build her resume for voters concerned about her lack of experience in world affairs.

"I found her quite a capable woman," Karzai said later. "She asked the right questions on Afghanistan."

Today more meetings are planned,

...McCain and Palin are expected to meet jointly with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko. Palin is then to meet separately with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The AP, as cited above, isn't happy about their denial of access to these meetings, but it was OK that Obama denied access to his meetings with leaders on his European tour?

Yet when Sen. Barack Obama went to Europe this summer and met with past and present foreign leaders, print media were similarly on the outside looking in. Obama met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former and current British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (respectively), and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

No doubt about it, this is Governor Sarah Palin's chance to meet with these world leaders--she is new on the world leader scene.

Senator Obama is hardly a heavyweight in foreign policy either, "Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, these countries are tiny, compared to the Soviet Union, they don't pose a serious threat to us...If Iran would ever tried to pose a serious threat to us, they would not stand a chance." (Um, Obama, remember Japan and Pearl Harbor and Germany and WW2?)  As for Biden, well, he is Biden.

Is it more important for a VP candidate to have years of experience, chronologically speaking, yet shoot their mouth off misspeaking all over the place: no clean coal in the US, stand up Chuck, Hillary Clinton would be better than me, a divided Jerusalem is the solution, Roosevelt went on TV, and the like, or is the ability to make good decisions more important than years of experience?

PS  In response to Contrarian's comment that Palin avoids the media and voter questions, this is not true. I forgot about this until Rush Limbaugh mentioned it today. She will be interviewed by Katie Couric tonight and does take questions after town hall meetings. I had even seen a clip of a town hall meeting on a news show--sorry, I don't remember which one--and it was laughable. McCain would call on an audience member for a question, but question after question was for Palin. He took his rejection in a good hearted way, but it was clear that they all wanted to speak with her and she answered easily. She may have no use for the mainstream media, but she is talking to the people.

Brookfield District 7 Info meeting, Wed., Sept. 24, 2-3pm or 6:30-7:30pm City Clerk Kris Schmidt will be in attendance to answer questions or concerns regarding recent news about the Van Hollen lawsuit against the state elections authority.

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

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