I do think the Obama camp needs to hit back at this sort of thing fast and the best would be as others have said to cite the instances where Obama supported the troops and McCain did not. What is more I think it is important to frame the idea of bringing home the troops from Bush's unnecessary war as a way to "support the troops".

Posted at July 18, 2008 5:07 PM in response to McCain Camp Rolls Out Brutal New Attack Ad On Foreign Policy

So is he asserting that as the AG he was essentially the President's lawyer? I thought the AG was the government's "top cop" not the president's legal council. There is executive priviledge and then there is attourney-client priviledge, which one is he asserting?

Posted at July 18, 2008 1:07 PM in response to Ashcroft Cites Executive Privilege, Discusses Waterboarding with House Judiciary

After the speech about how socal security was a disgrase, McCain should have shouted:

"I drink your, Milkshake! I drink it up!"

Posted at July 18, 2008 12:01 PM in response to Third Rail: McCain Receives Social Security

This seems to me to be confirmation that there is little difference between McCain and Obama on Iraq. Both want to have residual forces there that have an offensive capability ( He isn't talking about embassy guards when he talks about having the forces to make sure the insurgents don't reemerge to threaten the peace) It's just a matter of size isn't it? What am I missing?

Posted at July 15, 2008 6:29 PM in response to Obama: I Will Discuss "Residual Force" With Commanders In Iraq

I don't think it is just the FISA issue, but the entire move to the middle that is costing him something in fundraising. The small donor base wants to be inspired and I get the impression ever since he became the nominee that he has been playing it safe. He needs to get out there and give people a reason to believe he will bring "change". He needs to take some positions that might cost him some votes but that are never the less the Right Thing To Do.

But perhaps he is playing it safe because he knows that he doesn't need to take risks to win. All he has to do after 8 years of GWB is look competent and enough people will vote the anti-republican ticket to get him over the top. Why go for the touchdown when a field goal will do?

Posted at July 11, 2008 12:01 PM in response to Report: Obama May Have Raised $30 Million In June

I think that fundamental constitutional issues such as this is one of the reasons Obama did well fundraising from the net. If he starts looking like just another democratic politician then I'm afraid he isn't going to do as well fundraising from non traditional supporters.

I would like to see the democratic politician's fundraising hit by at least as much as the telecoms spent lobbying for their votes on immunity. That would signal that the constitution and the rule of law has a powerful backer willing to fund it's protection from special interests.

Posted at June 21, 2008 5:46 PM in response to July is "no campaign contributions for FISA voters" month.

I like the idea of running hard in the red states because it sends the message that Obama seriously wants their votes and therefore will listen to their point of view. You can't plausibly say you are a centrist candidate if there are whole sections of the country you write-off. Running hard in Kansas will pay dividends in Missouri not just because they have overlapping media markets but also because if you are trying to appeal to Kansans it says to the small town folks in Missouri that they are important to you too.

Posted at June 19, 2008 2:20 PM in response to Obama's First General Election Ad: I Love America

I'm sure this sort of ticketed/staffer audience is what McCain wants for his joint townhall style events. Fill the room up with partisans so that the two camps can throw bombs at the opposing candidate or softballs to their own guy. I think they should take a cue from the Untouchables and at the last moment switch the audience with the audience for David Letterman. That way the audience couldn't be stacked.

Posted at June 13, 2008 4:42 PM in response to General admission at Federal Hall (a first-hand account of McCain '08 in action)

How does the constitution work with respect to non citizens? This seems to be the heart of the argument. If you are a tourist in Florida from Germany, what are your human rights?

Posted at June 13, 2008 3:28 PM in response to Supreme Court v. Bush

I can sympathize with him, my 91 year old grandmother has in most respects all of her faculties but she also displays a hesitancy to try new technology. When you're at that age where you feel daunted by new technology you're ready for retirement and it probably isn't the best time to be starting a new job.

I think it is also seriously disturbing since the government has a very large impact on the regulation of the internet and copyright. How is he going to handle net neutrality, copyright protection, internet taxation, standards and monpoly regulation when he hasn't learnt the first thing about computers. No I don't think the president has to be an expert on everything but he does need to be able to quickly learn enough on a subject so that he can understand what his advisers are telling him. The inability to learn how to use a computer shows an inflexibility of the mind that would be disturbing in a president.

Posted at June 12, 2008 1:55 PM in response to McCain: Darn New-Fangled Contraptions!