Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
In case you missed it, here's the pre-taped portion of Barack Obama's big commercial that played on NBC, CBS and Fox Wednesday night. Each ended with a live segment from a rally in Florida (although the Fox version was not truly live, as they waited until after the conclusion of Game 5 of the World Series to broadcast the ad).
I think this ad did more good for the Obama campaign than bad.
The negatives? It's another opportunity for John McCain to label Obama as an untested, camera-ready celebrity who's flaunting campaign finance rules by dropping millions of dollars on an informercial with less than a week before Election Day.
Do these negatives actually stick though? McCain has yet to really tie the massive fundraising figures Obama has received to any nefarious subjects; he's gone down the ACORN fraud route but hasn't hit it home as much as most of his conservative constituents would hope he would.
The positives? Obama deflects part of the "celebrity" knock against him by highlighting the stories of average Americans (dare I say, the proverbial Joe the Plumber?). At the same time, Obama can claim he's not so "unknown" and mysterious when he bought a self-aggrandizing 30-minute commercial spot on three of the four major broadcast networks.
For all the Obama devotees who have grown weary of hearing the words "Ayers," "socialist" and "untested" over the past few weeks, I think the commercial was a reminder of what they saw and heard at the DNC at Invesco Field.... at the 2004 DNC during the keynote address. They rediscovered Obama the Communicator, the Obama they fell in love with weeks, months and years ago.
This election is no longer John McCain versus Barack Obama. This election is between Barack Obama winning a majority and Barack Obama winning a mandate for his much-heralded "change."
Let's wax a little economic, shall we? When publicly-traded companies release earnings reports and other economic data each quarter, the short-term fate of their respective stocks rests solely in the hands of the expectations of The Street. If you beat expectations, it's payday because everyone backs up the truck (as Jim Cramer would say) and goes straight to TRIPLE BUY. If you only meet or miss those same expectations, you are adrift as an organization and investors lose confidence faster than a Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
What does it all mean? It means that unless Barack Obama doesn't win in something close to an Electoral College landslide, he's Barack Obama, the guy half the country hated. If he scores uncontested victories in states like Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Missouri, Ohio and Montana, he's Barack Obama the Unifier -- a true man of the majority with the backing of a decidedly Democrat Congress that can do what it wants, when it wants to whomever it wants to. Drill, baby, drill? Only if it's on teeth as part of an Obama-approved healthcare reform package.
Of course, this is assuming Obama plays by "the rules" -- rules that say your political swagger is dictated by your margin of victory. These rules were officially broken in 2004 when George W. Bush decided that beating John Kerry by about 30-something electoral votes. Honestly, you could make the case that when the President of the United States is a half-black guy raised by his grandparents who is widely believed (among certain circles) to be an Arab Muslim, the very fact he was able to get elected in a nation where racism still runs rampant and unashamed (within certain circles) is reason to act like you've got political capital to last you through your lifetime.
But those rules, as I said, are broken and left in shambles for Obama to either piece together and repair -- or to walk all over, just as Bush did. If the rules still applied, the Democratic surge in Congress would have brought an end to the military surge in Iraq along with the rest of the American military occupation of a nation at war not only with itself but also its occupier. Of course, we committed more lives and resources toward Iraq despite a broad slate of new congressmen and congresswomen elected mostly on the promise of bringing an end to the war in Iraq and the reining-in of Generalissimo Bush and Imperator Cheney.
Obviously Obama is not content to just win. This campaign is not going to "run the clock out" on John McCain and Sarah Palin -- I won't call it bloodlust, but they are definitely hungry for the complete and utter humiliation of the Republican ticket at the polls -- red states, blue states and all places in between. Need any evidence of this? After not saying a word about Sarah Palin when asked directly about her qualifications during one of the three presidential elections, the Obama campaign came out with the following ad:
John McCain willingly climbed into the campaign coffin and layed down when he chose Sarah Palin despite her inexperience, without regard for her questionable travel expenses, her husband's secessionist views, her underage daughter's pregnancy and her decidedly non-maverick political beliefs -- the question now is how many nails Obama and Biden can find and hammer into the lid of that coffin between now and Nov. 4.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Mike Singletary for President?
I think John McCain could go out, deliver this exact speech and even up his standing in the polls... Maybe even ditch Sarah Palin, put Singletary on the ticket and win in a landslide.
Electoral Vote Projection: Oct. 28, 2008
With one week to go, here's how I think it all goes down. Colorado will give Obama either 270 or 271 electoral votes (depending on how Maine and Nebraska pan out), clinching the victory before even hitting Pacific Time.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Live Blog: Final Presidential Debate
• Why is each candidate's economic plan best?
— McCain invokes the ailing Nancy Reagan and says America is justifiably angry — but he "won't repeat" the specifics of his plan except for his $300-billion mortgage rescue plan. Uses the phrase "homeowners first." 'Country' must feel slighted.
— Obama says the bailout was a "first step" and says taxpayers should get their money back. Says there's no relief for the middle class, then talks about stopping outsourcing, his tax cut plan and dipping into IRAs. Says a homeowner rescue is needed... just not McCain's version. Then expounds on education, energy and healthcare as "long-term" issues on the economy — a bit of a reach.
— McCain counters saying Obama's tax plan prevents/makes it harder for people to own/operate small businesses.
— Obama says both candidates want tax cuts — just that he wants to cut for the middle class, McCain wants to cut for the rich. Haven't we heard this before? At least we get a new character in this election: "Joe the Plumber." Is he related to Joe Six-Pack?
— McCain claims Obama's plan is wealth redistribution. Isn't that what government is at its most basic level?
• How do the candidates respond to report that says they add to the deficit, not decrease it?
— Obama says getting money back on bailout is key. "Adjustments" to the budget? Cut insurance company subsidies (a "giveaway"). Doesn't get any more specific on cuts, but says that America must "invest" in energy and healthcare to save later (Ed: No one wants to admit you have to spend money to make money, including Sen. Obama).
— McCain shifts back to the homeownership issue — by that, we mean his most-basic talking points: Home values help boost jobs. We need nuclear power. Stop sending money to countries that don't like us. Energy independence. The "hatchet" spending freeze first, then "the scalpel" Obama prefers. The specific cuts McCain actually mentions: Tariffs on sugar cane-based ethanol, the marketing assistance program, and sweetheart deals to jet builders.
— Obama says spending freeze is irresponsible and that focusing on earmarks alone "won't solve the problem." B. Hussein's history lesson: Clinton created a surplus, W. doubled the deficit, McCain will bring more of the same.
• Can either of them balance the budget in four years?
— McCain SCORES!!!!! "If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago." Great line, but it's far too little, too late. McCain says "the hatchet and the scalpel" both work. Says he fights against all sorts of spending. How many times will we hear McCain say "fight," "fighter" or "fighting" tonight? The sky's the limit.
— Obama tries to prove he's a maverick by sticking up for tort reform and charter schools and clean coal againt the Dem leadership. Says it's easy to confuse McCain and Bush on spending and finance.
— McCain goes to a subtle playing of the POW card early: "I've got the scars to prove it." True, he wasn't talking about a torture camp, but it's hard to deny the imagery it produces.
• The nasty campaign rhetoric: Will you denounce it?
— McCain says if they had townhall meetings, things wouldn't have gotten so bad. Some "regret," lots of unacceptable words, and then takes Obama to task for not denouncing Congressman John Lewis. "Very unfair, totally inappropriate." Vows for a "truthful" campaign (Ed: Better late than never, I guess). Calls Obama a liar for not accepting matching funds/public campaign financing.
— Obama says "100 percent" of McCain's ads are negative — I don't buy it, but I do buy the notion that McCain and Palin are subtly race-baiting. "Three weeks" of nasty campaigning by McCain is better than "four more years" of Bush-esque policies from McCain. Obama says he looks forward to debating the issues, not the name-calling and guilt-by-association games.
— McCain says Obama's attack ads on McCain's healthcare and immigration policies are untrue, and that his "unprecedented" spending is a fault.
— Obama essentially says Palin is complicit by not stopping the rabid rally attendees. Obama says some things Lewis said were over the line, but not all of it. Blames McCain for the cynicism among Americans when it comes to the political game.
— McCain is "proud" of his rally attendees, even if they threaten to assassinate Sen. Obama. Also, most of them are veterans and beyond reproach, "great citizens."
— Obama says issues must be king to end two wars, the financial crisis and every other issue facing the American people.
— McCain says ACORN is destroying "the fabric of democracy."
— Obama addresses the Ayers connection directly. I don't see how McCain continues to harp on this now — but I think he can win a lot of votes with the ACORN scandal if he tones down his rhetoric. Then Obama tries to deflect the blame from ACORN to the people they hired to register voters — I don't know if this will help, but it's the best he's got, I think. But if he can keep talking about who he does trust (Luger, Biden, etc.), it might hold up.
— McCain keeps saying "all the facts" need to come out on Ayers and ACORN, but that his campaign will focus on finances and our children.
• Why is your VP a better possible president than your opponent's VP?
— Obama says Biden's foreign policy experience is king, he fights for working families and remembers where he comes from. "The little guy." Biden "shares ... core values" with Obama. He really doesn't say a single word about Palin.
— McCain says Palin is "a role model to women and reformers." Tax cutter, took on the good ole boys, "cronyism." Why won't he say "maverick"?
— Obama is asked if Palin is qualified... he won't touch that question with a 50-foot pole (or a Bridge to Nowhere, if I say so myself).
— McCain acknowledges he thinks Biden is qualified, but wrong. That's a lot easier to say than "Sarah Palin doesn't belong anywhere near the White House, let alone a campaign for the White House."
• Energy and Climate Control Change (Thanks, Sen. McCain)
— McCain says we can ween ourselves of Middle Eastern and Venezuelan oil... and that nuclear is perfectly fine — our Navy servicemembers use it to move their ships that carry the planes that Obama says are used for "air-raiding villages and killing civilians." (OK, he didn't say all that right then and there, but he wanted to).
— Obama concurs with McCain's estimate without saying he agrees, but says we have to stop borrowing money from China. OK.... But boost domestic production on lands already owned and "look at" offshore drilling.... BUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS: solar, wind, biodiesel, etc.
— Obama thinks free trade is nice, but it hurts when China plays games with its currency and South Korea beats the pants off us on auto exports one on one.
— McCain calls out Obama on saying he'll consider offshore drilling when we all know he'd rather drink a barrel of crude than give any concessions to the "Drill, Baby, Drill" crowd. Also says free trade creates jobs — he's right, but those jobs are probably in Colombia, not America.
— Obama says free trade must be balanced with protecting foreign workers who get slaughtered by corporate-linked hit squads when they try to organize in Latin America. Also, only helps out Big Auto in Detroit if they're moving toward cleaner, fuel-efficient vehicles to aid in the quest for energy independence and new jobs.
— McCain juxtaposes Obama's dislike of ultra-free-trade agreements and the "no preconditions" diplomacy plan. I don't know if anyone buys it.
• Health Care: What to do?
— Obama says the woes of the current system on everyday Americans will break your heart — and that he won't do anything except try to lower the cost or allow average Americans to buy into a federal pool. Cheaper drugs, less bureaucracy, better chronic illness management and prevention — maybe he does have a plan to fix health care after all.
— McCain agrees the cost is a major problem. Walk-in clinics, fight obesity with physical education and nutrition, gym incentives and his REFUNDABLE $5,000 TAX CREDIT. Essentially tells people to move to Canada or England if they like Obama's single-payer plan.
— Obama says healthcare will become too expensive for most employers under McCain's plan, and then they'll be left with the REFUNDABLE $5,000 TAX CREDIT (and it'll be taxed, too). I'm somewhat surprised McCain hasn't flip-flopped on this yet, because he's losing on it.
— McCain now says Joe the Plumber is rich. I honestly don't know where this is coming from. Congratulations, Joe. Can I bum a $20 off you?
— Both McCain and Obama both smile WAY too much while the other is talking. They respectively look like a high school debater just itching to say something after hearing their opponent fumble an issue. It's smug and slightly arrogant. Ralph Nader and Bob Barr would never do something like that.
• Would either candidate nominate a judge who disagreed with them on abortion?
— McCain said he'd never impose a litmus test, and that he voted for people he didn't totally agree with because they were qualified... and then said Obama voted for Justice Breyer... ummm, errrrr.... (Here's a hint: Obama never had a chance to vote on Justice Breyer. Breyer was appointed in 1994; Obama joined the Senate in 2004).
— Obama acknowledges his stance on abortion rights but doesn't say much about judicial philosophies. He also doesn't take McCain to task on the Breyer vote/non-vote.
— McCain harkens the "Obama voted 'Present' 8 million times in the Illinois statehouse" line. Also says Obama voted against saving the lives of babies of failed abortions.
— Obama says the bill wasn't about saving lives, but undermining Roe v. Wade. Obama may have gone too far into talking about abortion for someone who, by all acounts, could coast to an easy victory. He suggests there's common ground between pro-rights and anti-rights groups — I don't buy it, and I generally think there's always some small bit of common ground between all groups: Israelis and Palestinians, Republicans and Democrats, Hatfields and McCoys.
• FINAL QUESTION: Lots of education spending, lots of education failure — how do we fix it?
— Obama says education is key to economics and national security. How to fix it? Money AND reform. Early-childhood education investments is the starting point. Recruit more teachers, especially math and science, and give them incentives to do well. Make college affordable to produce smarter workers who will innovate.... but PARENTS must work harder.
— McCain says it's "the civil rights issue of the 21st Century." (Sorry, gays who want to get married... but you weren't banking on McCain now, were you?). Charter schools and firing bad teachers will save us. "The school of your choice" and educational "competition" will produce better education, and not "throwing money" at the problem — yet we will somehow "reward" good teachers (With lollipops, I assume).
— Obama says local control is a great tradition, but the federal government must "step up" in funding. Says Bush tried it but didn't give any money with No Child Left Behind (Accountability without rewards — essentially what McCain just said). Obama likes charter schools, he says... interesting. And Obama hates bad teachers... and the idea that vouchers will save us.
— McCain says Obama ignores the success of D.C.-area school vouchers program. McCain says US education is "a system that cries out for accountability." Obviously he doesn't know about No Child Left Behind — but he knows about vouchers, and he says they work.
— Obama says they don't.... it's charter schools that work.
• CLOSING STATEMENTS
— McCain says "America needs a new direction" and that he will differ from the past eight years of the Bush administration, he will take on his own party... He still hasn't said "maverick." Why no "maverick"? I'm starting to lose faith in the idea that he's a "maverick." Says Americans must "trust" the best candidate with their tax dollars. The "Country First" line gets in there, and he invokes his family as reason to vote for him.
— Obama says Washington hasn't been able to reform to prevent the financial crisis we're in. I heard the phrase "fundamental differences" one 1,000 times too many in these debates. He actually asks for people's votes and vows to work tirelessly every day.
• QUICK ANALYSIS
McCain won the debate, but Obama already won the election, even if a couple thousand "Joe the Plumbers" decide to vote for McCain because of tonight. McCain can win thousands of votes and a few states between now and November 4 if he focuses on ACORN and keeps saying that Obama wants to run against President Bush and not Senator McCain.... but it's too little, too late based on my thinking.
Monday, October 13, 2008
No mention of "flouridation"
The newest attack ad against John McCain -- this time from the League of Conservation Voters -- has a Strangelovean feel to it. It bashes the GOP presidential hopeful for wanting to renegotiate the Colorado River compact to bring more H2O to Arizona and California.
The end of the ad accuses McCain of trying to "take our precious bodily fluids water." This isn't the first time a public official has been involved in a water-stealing scandal.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
"Let's go and get drunk"
School's out forever at least through Tuesday at Grandview High School.
Plenty of students made it out to see the SUV that scored them at least one more day of weekend before classes resume/the building being deemed safe.
My two favorite quotes from the night?
"Let's go home and get drunk." (Ed's note: Wonderfully cliche)
"F**k this, I'm dropping out. I don't feel safe here anymore." (Ed's note: Judging by the size of the homes, the two-mile radius around Grandview High School is still probably the safest part of Aurora, if it really is part of Aurora. I was "welcomed" to the city three times on my way back from Liverpool and Smoky Hill all the way to Alameda and Buckley.)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Liquidity
Aurora Water's Wemlinger Water Treatment Plant recently won the Excellence in Water Treatment Award from the American Water Works Association.
What does that mean? According to the site, it means they completed the"four phases of the Partnership for Safe Water program." If I knew more about what that meant, I'd let you know. All I know is that my water tastes OK and it hasn't made me sick recently — and this award isn't for clean water, but for the process used to clean it. Maybe I'm splitting hairs here, but it's late and I'm talking about the American Water Works Association — I could just as easily be rambling about toxic chemicals in Chinese chocolate, or how everything "The Onion" prints eventually comes true, or why Scipio Africanus > Hannibal Barca.
Monday, October 6, 2008
What They're Saying
Aside from Kimbo Slice losing to some kid no one's ever heard of (thanks in large part to the referee interfering), and the latest "SNL" sketc... er, Tiny Fey Love Fest, you should note the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 800 points today, then somehow regained ground to finish only 300-some points down for the day. I blame it on people waiting for the Dow to hit 9,000 points before they start buying again; in reality, the reasons are myriad and far more complex for any human being to truly understand.
But the brewing political news is the Obama campaign's Keating Five offensive on John McCain:
At the same time, McCain outright called Obama a liar today.
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This should make for a wonderful debate Tuesday night. My best efforts will go into bringing (or attempting to bring) a live blog of the second presidential debate to you, the Sliced Bread reader, in coherent and slightly amusing fashion.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Better than the original, and vice versa
Nice example of a cover song being better than the original: Rod Stewart's "Handbags and Gladrags" redone by Stereophonics. Experience for yourself:
Of note: The Stereophonics version, as some of you may know, is the theme song for the British version of "The Office." Unfortunately for NBC, the original is still the best when it comes to the TV comedy (but I have to imagine they're laughing all the way to the bank.)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Live-blogging the VP debate
UPDATE: Looks like people are calling it a tie. Some people say a tie is really a win for Sarah Palin based on the lowered expectations. I'm starting to think the McCain campaign pulled the wool over our eyes by making her look like an idiot in the Katie Couric interviews, only to emerge as semi-coherent during the debate. Now she can go back into her no-questions-please comfort zone from here to November. Joe Biden never got too rough on her, as some pondered. All the TV pundits I heard today suggested undecided voters and registered independents favored Biden over Palin based on the debate, but how that translates into how much they like John McCain or Barack Obama, respectively, remains to be seen in my mind.
8:30: Biden says America's been "dug into a very deep hole" and that Obama-Biden measures progress based on everyday folks, not CEOs.
8:29: Palin says the debate lets her speak straight to the American people, unfiltered and free to the mainstream media's bias.
8:28: Palin says we should work for "the greater good." Add that to the bailout bill, and some folks will start think we're turning into a Leninist state.
8:27: Biden questions judgement, not motives.
8:26: Palin says her biggest regret was not cutting taxes more.
8:25: Biden says he had to change his view on judges based on partisanship... that gives the GOP plenty of ammunition to say Obama/Biden supports "activist judges."
8:22: John McCain something something maverick. Alaska something maverick.
8:19: Sarah Palin says her executive experience and connection to "the heartland of America" will help her be a good vice president — but her ability to quote Ronald Reagan might be her best asset when it comes to winning votes.
8:15: Palin as VP would lead on energy and government reform. Biden as VP would be the cracking whip on Capitol Hill and an adviser.
8:12: Palin just tried to score the memorable line of the night: "Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again." How long do you think she was waiting to spring that one on the world?
8:07: Palin says "John McCain knows how to win a war." I hope she's not referring to Vietnam.
8:04: Palin invokes John Kerry's flip-flop on the authorization of force in Iraq in attack on Biden.
7:55: Palin acts surprised to hear Biden is a supporter of Israel, and she was just *tickled pink* about that development.
7:54: To both trained and untrained ears, Palin is doing hundreds of times better than her interviews with Katie Couric.
7:51: Half of the e-mails sent out by the McCain campaign to our newsroom during the vice presidential debate... well, our spam filter labeled them as "Junk." Tough critic, these computers, eh?
7:49: Palin says Obama's stance on diplomacy with dictators is "dangerous."
7:48: Sarah Palin just said Gen. Petraeus and the leader of al-Qaida should be trusted equally.
7:47: Biden says Pakistan is the immediate threat, not Iran, then says McCain believes Iraq is more important in the war on terror than Afghanistan and Pakistan.
7:44: Palin is repeating the Biden sound bite about being proud to serve on a McCain ticket and using it as if it's a point of policy debate.
7:43: Palin says the Democrats' plan is "a white flag of surrender."
7:41: Asked about the US exit strategy in Iraq, Palin only attacks Obama's opinion on the troop surge and troop-funding votes, although she does hint the exit plan is to move troops to Afghanistan. (Biden says he "didn't hear a plan" in Palin's response).
7:39: "I'm being as straight-up with the American people as I can." — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
7:37: Biden says Obama administration will grant same-sex benefits, invokes constitutional right. Palin says she would not support expanding Alaska's same-sex benefit policy to the rest of the United States.
7:34: Biden attacks McCain's record on alternative energy votes, while Palin counters that "Drill, Baby, Drill" is the GOP's rallying cry.
7:31: "We're not giving oil companies tax breaks." — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
7:29: Biden somewhat dodges the bankruptcy bill question, but still touches on it before moving into talking about the subprime crisis. (DIRECT QUOTE: "Your ticket's energy ticket." — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin)
7:27: Sarah Palin just answered a question about bankruptcy laws without mentioning bankrupty laws at all.
7:24: Palin claims Obama helped pass the energy bills with tax breaks for Big Oil, then goes through her record as a regulator and governor in Alaska (Says she had to "undo" the damage).
7:21: Biden lays out the McCain healthcare credit plan, namely the $7,000 divide between the credit and the average cost of a healthcare plan — then caps it with a "bridge to nowhere" jab at Palin, which the crowd audibly reacts to.
7:19: Sarah Palin, whose familial assets total $1 million, just claimed she's middle class.
7:17: Biden says middle class will be focus in new tax system, while McCain would boost corporate tax breaks.
7:15: Does the Alaskan government do anything? Because it sounds like Sarah Palin cut every tax known to man. Look out: Gwen Ifill cuts Palin off and Palin doesn't keep talking.
7:14: Palin says "the people's side" is tax cuts and that government must learn to "live with less" — and that Barack Obama votes to raise taxes (Biden calls her on it).
7:12: Biden hits on McCain's deregulation philosophy and ties it to healthcare — Joe's sounding very reserved and not nearly as forceful as he usually does.
7:10: Palin says Joe Six-Pack's everywhere need to band together to not get tricked by risky loans and not "be taken advantage of" — a sweet way of saying everyday Americans are, in fact, to blame on some level.
7:09: Palin says America is "craving new energy" — and she doesn't mean renewables.
7:08: Biden plays the "McCain thought the economy was strong" card, while Palin says McCain was referring to American workers, not the American economy.
7:06: Sarah Palin wants us to poll the soccer moms and gauge their "fear," points out Sen. McCain's push to do something about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and gets the "country first" slogan into her first response.
7:04: Joe Biden blames the economic crisis on an "excess of deregulation" and the eight years of Bush policies, then lays out his candidate's insistence on homeowner relief, oversight, etc.
Washington is broken...
...or at least its websites are.
I'd like to see Congress add a small appropriation to address the overloading of congressional websites. After numerous claims from people that they could not use their representatives' website to send a comment or concern, I tested it out myself with little success of getting any message to US Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado's 7th District.
Short of wasting some poor office clerk's time on the phone to let Rep. Perlmutter know how I think about the bailout bill awaiting a House vote later this week, there's little way to delivering an immediate constituent sentiment short of going down to a local Perlmutter office and wasting someone else's time during this economic crisis (not to mention an election season, as well).
Homer votes for Obam... D'oh!
Not sure what this is supposed to mean. Homer Simpson is a well-intentioned idiot. Is his vote for Obama the "well-intentioned" part or the "idiot" part? I have to imagine the Simpsons writers meant the former yet didn't realize they could be insinuating the latter.
Me? I'm waiting to see who Tony Soprano votes for:
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Senate Bailout Debate Scoring Rubrick
If you've been watching or have watched the US Senate's debate on the proposed economic bailout measure, here's how to score the speakers:
• +5 for saying you saw the credit crisis coming, unless you specifically did not.
• +3 for Democrats who invoke Barack Obama's hope for politicians "coming together" to solve the problem.
• +7 for expressing anger, disgust or any other extreme emotion over being forced into voting for such a socialist measure, and then voting for it.
• +20 for Republicans who vote no.
• -10 for not mentioning oversight or taking away CEOs' "golden parachutes."
• +3 for taking the blame off the free market and putting it on greedy Wall Street insiders.
• - 2 for spending most of your speech talking about how long you were on the banking subcommittee or related legislative body.
• EVEN for blaming the other party for not passing the legislation that could have prevented this crisis.
• +3 for saying "Fannie Mae" and "Freddie Mac" at least five times in a speech.
• -3 for saying "Fannie Mac" or "Freddie Mae" at any time.
• +4 for wearing an American flag lapel pin during your speech.
• +3 for justifying going over your time limit because of "the severity of the crisis facing us."
• - 3 for not going over your time limit and diminishing the tension leading up to the vote.
• +5 for invoking the anger of "Main Street" Americans over the bailout of Wall Street.
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