McCain/Palin - Using The Same (Bush) People

It is well documented that McCain is really no maverick and no different than Bush or any other Republican. Despite his lips saying he's not at all like Bush, McCain is tightly intertwined with George Bush.

According to several news reports, McCain has hired several veterans from President Bush’s campaigns, making them part of a team dedicated to defending Ms. Palin from Internet reports, Democratic attacks and potentially damaging news reports about her record produced by the investigative journalists now in Alaska.

McCain’s campaign has dispatched another team to Alaska to respond more rapidly to such reports. It is headed by Taylor Griffin, who had worked for President Bush’s 2004 campaign. Another former Bush campaign aide, Tracey Schmitt, is now Ms. Palin’s traveling press secretary.

Tucker Eskew, a veteran of Mr. Bush’s primary season campaign against Mr. McCain, has been advising Ms. Palin this week while reading briefing materials or receiving tutorials from policy advisers.

On Wednesday night, three of them were on the plane to Alaska with Palin: Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Mr. McCain’s economic adviser; Steve Biegun, a former staff member of Mr. Bush’s National Security Council who has taken leave from his Ford Motors job to advise Palin; and Randy Scheunemann, Mr. McCain’s senior foreign policy adviser.

Also accompanying Palin to Alaska as she prepared for her interview was Nicolle Wallace, a communications director for Mr. Bush’s 2004 campaign and, later, his White House. Ms. Wallace’s husband, Mark Wallace, Mr. Bush’s deputy campaign manager in 2004, is helping prepare Palin for the debates.

McCain advisors have developed a set of presumed questions and answers that they are walking Palin through. Aides traveling with Palin have said she is a fast study — asking few questions of her policy briefers but quickly regurgitating their main points.

A former aide in Alaska who had helped prepare Palin for her campaign debates in Alaska said she had a talent for distilling information into digestible sound bites.

Just what America needs most!

"Duck, Duck, Palin" - McCain/Palin Update #2

While the McCain (now McCain/Palin) campaign continues to reel after the numerous and previously undisclosed revelations about McCain's choice for VP, Sarah Palin, here are a few ramblings.

McCain's new "country first" theme was rolled out at the convention. Putting country first is a concept the Republicans have seemingly declared exclusive to them.

If McCain truly wanted to put country first before personal political convenience, he would stand together with Palin on stage at the RNC tonight and deliver a speech withdrawing Palin as a candidate for the VP job.

For me, it's not really about Palin and her unsettling history and do as I say not as I do ways. Nor is it about the continuing revelations of family turmoil, her past abuses of power or hiring lobbyists to generate earmarks she took, or the pending investigation (s?) against her, and all the other matters that have thusfar been so widely written about and those yet to be uncovered.

(5) It has to do with qualifications and trust. Who is most trustworthy in decision-making? Who has the most thorough experience, knowledge, intelligence and reasoning ability, education, maturity, stable under fire, and the mental and emotional stability to assume the Presidency? Who is secure enough to surround himself or herself with smart, wise, experienced people who are encouraged to be forthright even blunt in advising the President?

The Presidency and VP positions are not positions to be learned on the fly or from campaign aides on the McCain's private jet or in Palin's hotel room or campaign bus.

Look at what we got with George. With the most recent exception of Bill Clinton, Americans, generally, demonstrate uninformed judgments about candidates' qualifications for elected office. A frightening and growing majority of voters are increasingly issue (and just plain) illiterate usually putting convenient sound bites above substance. The MTV generation of empty non-thinkers.

Bush has destroyed so much that once made me proud. I am still proud of America and can cry at the playing of our national anthem and be as patriotic as anyone. I still support our presidency and system of governance and all Americans working hard to better our country here and abroad.

Bush is leaving office with our country saddled with deficits in the trillions. His lies, power players, and self-deceit have cost America dearly. Thousands of our soldier's killed and maimed, thousands of their family members devastated by their deaths and mutilation in wars we have not and will not win.

Despite the mightiest and most technologically superior military in the world and fighting against third world enemies, The United States people have not been relieved of our suffering caused by the stupidity of an intellectually/judgment compromised President, his "yes" men and other guilty players in his administration.

Bush leaves record unemployment with millions of jobs sent oversees. He leaves record profits for his oil friends while the American public suffocates under record high gas prices. He leaves a record high number of Americans without decent health coverage. He leaves a record number of ERs shuttered and our health care costs soaring while insurers reap record profits.

He leaves a destroyed New Orleans because he convinced himself FEMA and our American government were doing a great job in response to Katrina while he celebrated with his friend John McCain at his birthday party in Arizona.

He leaves America's worldwide reputation for trustworthiness, compassion, morality, and economic strength won with our blood, sweat and tears, in a shambles.

Bill Clinton, despite inheriting record deficits from the previous Republican administration, concluded his term with record surpluses. He strengthened America's standing with our ally nations around the world. He revitalized the hopes of our citizens. Blowjobs in the Oval Office? Doggy-style over the bidet? I'm ok with that if it strengthens our domestic economy and enhances America's standing in the world.

Palin...no substantial, relevant knowledge/experience on nationwide domestic issues nor dealing with them on a national level, nor any relevant knowledge/experience in international relations and global issues.

McCain...a maverick, loose cannon who usally fires from his emotional hip. A consumate politician and manipulator. Why else would an Arizona senator go to the gulf coast during a storm other than to showboat? He has some of the qualifications but he always seems to arrive at the wrong answer on so many issues. And, when is he ever going to stop playing the
40+ year old Vietnam War POW card? Some, think it was his "maverick" actions on that mission that got him shot down. He suffered tremendously. Sure, but it has little to do with being President in a 21st century America and world.

Biden...he has all the qualifications in abundance.

Obama...see paragraph (5).