Ehh

I watch this and think of the Cubs playing the Dodgers. Going through the motions. Not connecting. Tired.

8 Days To Go

La la la la la la.

Happy Birthday, Da Da

In celebration of my birthday Saturday, Mr. O teepeed the living room.

Believe Me

I've been trying very hard in recent weeks not to feel too bitter about the fact that my guy is losing and the other guy is winning. I've been hesitant to write a word about any of the political scene for not to come across as a sore loser in waiting. Life does go on, no matter who the president is, and I try to remind myself that most of my highs and lows in regard to politics are completely self-inflicted. After all, aside from Tax Day, the evening news and now, my 401k statment, the federal government is incredibly detached from anyone's everyday life.

Still, this video worries me.

I voted for Bush - twice. I worked for him once. I sat in a strip mall basement for three months straight as a staffer, put up the signs, made the calls and sent in the money. But I'm quite sure I never "believed" in him. He's a man. So's Obama.

You vote for a man. You believe in something that isn't.

UPDATE: I won't take any credit for this, but it looks like this creepy video has been taken off Youtube. If you must, you can view it here.

Love This Guy

Thanks to Mr. O's aunt for passing this along. Oh, to have talent like this... Marsalis, I mean.

Details

This must have been one heck of a news conference.

Reports in this afternoon's Detroit Free Press and Detroit News both outline minority enrollment figures at the University of Michigan following Michigan's approval of a statewide ballot issue two year ago banning the use of race as a factor in college admissions.

The Free Press reports:

U-M African-American enrollment increases in wake of Prop. 2

Nearly two years after Michigan voters banned the use of affirmative action in college admissions, University of Michigan’s freshman class shows a marked increase of African-Americans -- even at a time U-M also has shrunk the size of its incoming student body.

The News reports:

U-M reports slight decline in minority enrollment

The number of minorities enrolled in the University of Michigan's freshman class declined slightly in the first full class admitted since Michigan voters passed the Proposal 2 ballot initiative in 2006, which prohibits the consideration of race, gender and ethnicity in university admissions and government hiring.

Dig a little deeper and you'll find the Free Press is only talking about black students and the News is talking about all underrepresented minority students.

Still, a case like this sure makes clear how subjective the objective business of reporting the news can be, doesn't it?

Supe!

The writing on LWMO has been limited of late. If only I could use the excuse of being a superhero, constantly saving those in need.

Obama v. McCain, Act III

1. It's my anniversary. I didn't watch a minute of the debate.
2. What a great present.
   

Meet The Press

It's the season for spin... For talking points and TV ads.

Mavericks, Hope and Lipstick.

With just a few weeks till voters cast their ballots, there's only ONE place to go for the straight answers to the tough questions that no one wants to face.

Ooops

Obama v. McCain, Act II

Debate part deux!

The paid punditry say McCain needs a game changer. I hope so, because the game recently has looked a lot like Cubs v. Dodgers, game four. Oh wait, there wasn't a game four.

Townhall setting should be McCain's strength. It's his bag. We shall see.

1. John McCain rarely looks comfortable when he talks to a group, but gotta say, question one, he does look very comfortable in this setting and his first answer was strong.
2. Who's running the cameras on this thing? How hard is it to focus on the front of a speaker?
3. Doesn't it kind of hurt Obama's argument to keep saying, "I called for this, and nothing happened." "I wrote a letter about that, and they ignored it."
4. How can we trust you, either of you??? Great question!
5. I don't say this because I'm pulling for McCain, but it really seems like McCain is much better at listening to a question and giving a more savvy answer. Example: a nice woman complains about partisanship, Obama blames Bush; McCain talks about his work to be bipartisan. Obama is a very good politician, but sometimes really demonstrates a tin ear.
6. I find it mildly offensive that Obama likens our need to be more energy efficient with our need to remember 9/11 and prevent another terrorist attack. Apples to oranges doesn't begin to do that comparison justice.
7. McCain finally gives an empassioned answer on the economy. Well done.
8. Tom's getting annoyed that no one is paying attention to his rules.
9. A comment from National Review's Jonah Goldberg: "To liven things up, I think they should release an angry pitbull on the stage and require McCain, Obama and Brokaw to do their schtick while running for their lives."
10. Poor Tom Brokaw. He's like the professor in Animal House. "I'm not joking. This is my job."
11. Who needs a debate? A bowl of candy corn just arrived in my living room.
    
12. Did you see this today? She's a hoot.
    
13. Did I mention the candy corn?
14. And now, a question from Mr. O. "Are you my mother?"
15. That last question on Israel is a good one. A very good one.
16. I didn't know that "zen-like" meant "dumb."
    
17. The two closing statements were both very them.

McCain showed more energy and charisma than I've seen; Obama was his usual, steady self. A boring debate and no game changer, I don't think.

Palin v. Biden, The One And Only

1. Hey, what's that under the tumble-fur of dog hair in the corner? Oh, right. Those are Palin's expectations tonight.
2. Here we go.
3. "Can I call you Joe?" A disarming move? Or just her?
   
4. About 13 minutes in, it's kinda boring, by golly.
5. Biden is good at this. He should be.
6. Her answer on small businesses and taxes is the answer McCain SHOULD have given last week.
7. There's a scene in Rocky III where Rocky starts to taunt Mr. T in the ring. One trainer says to the other trainer, "What's he doing?" The trainer replies, "He's makin' him mad." I think Palin's "makin' him mad."
8. 9:31 p.m. BREAKING NEWS: "Ratings for the debate have dropped dramatically as all people who hate Sarah Palin have now thrown hammers through their screens, destroying their TVs."
9. Climate change is all man-made? I'm willing to take some of the blame, even with my new bike, but don't blame me for those nasty volcanoes and farting cows.
10. She's had a few... ok, more than a few slips of tongue and twisted words that just scream that she's had her brain packed with so many names and facts that one's liable to just pop out at any time.
11. Jordan? Egypt? Where'd she pull those from? That was a good answer.
    
12. Biden appears annoyed to even have to answer these questions.
    
13. Polls show, half of the people sitting in our living room have stopped listening.
14. UPDATE: Dodgers 1, Cubs 0... grr.
15. UPDATE: Dodgers 2, Cubs 0... grrrr.
16. It's pretty clear in watching this that Saturday Night Live, and the like, have succeeded in making Sarah Palin a caricature of herself.
17. UPDATE: Dodgers 5, Cubs 0... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
18. The "bad joke" line was a good one.
19. Biden pulls a Michael Scott. "What's your greatest weakness?" "I work too hard."
20. Biden's answers about his family is powerful.
21. Gwen Ifill got grief for her Obama book, and rightfully so, but she's done a good job tonight.
22. Palin's closing was strong.
23. Biden's too.

Palin wins by not throwing up on her shoes; Biden wins by looking like a stronger presidential candidate than his own running mate.

Seriously, Palin did well. I can't say there was a real winner or a loser. They both did what they needed to do.

UPDATE: I'm blown away! The focus group of "independents" on Fox News were unanimous in a Palin win, and in glowing terms.