toddjohnston.org

I started writing this post a couple months back, and for whatever reason never published it. Then earlier this morning I clicked on the news to find that McCain made the ballsy decision to go with Governor Palin of Alaska as his VP candidate. This campaign just got interesting again with McCain overshadowing Obama’s “Change” mantra with a real change vp pick. Go McCain/Palin!

For those of you on rss, there’s a video in this post about Governor Palin you need to check out on my site

I remember watching Scott McClellan for several years on the evening news as President Bush’s then Press Secretary and always seemed to be very forthcoming, honest, but firm in his handling of the day’s questions. From the review I’ve read, either McClellan is a total complete disingenuous liar who is bent of avenging his removal or was an even better liar back when he was press secretary. In either case, he seems to be just another douche trading in his honor for a quick buck. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with everything the Bush administration has done, but come on Scott really . . . grow a spine and maybe even some heart while you’re at it.

The White House was a little more gracious with their response:

Scott, we now know, is disgruntled about his experience at the White House, she said. For those of us who fully supported him, before, during and after he was press secretary, we are puzzled. It is sad – this is not the Scott we knew.

As the article points out, it is really hard to see what Bush envisioned happening as he was sending Scott off:

One of these days, Bush, with McClellan at his side, told reporters that day, he and I are going to be rocking on chairs in Texas, talking about the good old days and his time as the press secretary. And I can assure you, I will feel the same way then that I feel now, that I can say to Scott, Job well done.

Then again stranger things have happened after people leave the public’s eye. Maybe McClellan will forgive and donate the profits from his book to families of American soldiers wounded and/or killed in Iraq and maybe Bush will be able to forgive McClellan or at least shrug him off as just another detractor created by expedience.

I’m not sure if this is a totally fair characterization of Obama, but honestly I don’t really care anymore about being “fair” to people who define what should and should not be discussed about themselves, especially when running for the highest office in our country. A family member just sent me a link to this video which seems to do a decent job of putting together all of these things we continue to hear about Obama that he still will not denounce and continues to embrace. It also seems to do a good intro to Liberation Theology. Is it fair? You can decide for yourself.

For a portion of this political season, I was fairly excited. I kept up with the days events and waited anxiously as each of the primary results rolled in. The past few days have really been the nail in the coffin of any political excitement as each side continues to prove that they will do just about anything if they believe it to be politically expedient.

Obama gets his feelings all hurt cause Bush says something that isn’t directed at him, using the statement to blanket the networks with rhetoric defending the very thing that bush supposedly attacked him about. Then McCain fires back saying Obama wants to take all of our guns away and would destroy the world with his naive notions about diplomacy. Then Obama again repeats the same tired line taken out of context (for the millionth time) that McCain wants to keep us in Iraq for 100 years and tries to closely tie the media’s former favorite “maverick” to Bush and all of his failed policies. All the while Obama knows he’s using this as an opportunity to cover up his huge gaff from a debate a few months back where he said he would sit down and talk with anyone, something he’s now elevated to policy.

None of this really speaks of “change”, but in reality is just pumped up rhetoric parading about in sheep’s clothing. More of the same crap politics coming from more of the SAME type of crappy politicians. There’s a mental disorder out there, resultant of the fall that causes man to be hungry for power and say and do anything to attain it.

Nothing about this political season is exciting or new anymore. It never really was. I’ll go cast my vote for McCain, but I won’t do so with any sort of fervor . . . but will do so in hopes of preventing Jimmy Carter Part Deux.

Washington’s favorite guessing game is in full swing as the presumptive nominees are looking for their respective running-mates. Everyone seems to know who they will pick and seems to have at least a couple “inside sources” to back up their claims.

Well, here’s yet another article claiming that Mike Huckabee is at the top of McCain’s list. I can’t say I wouldn’t be happy if McCain decides he likes Mike, but I know it will surely cause the uber conservative douches to bitch and moan all the more about McCain. I really think that this ultra right-wing bunch is cheering for McCain to lose in the fall.

Let’s hope McCain keeps his rebel spirit up and decides on Mike. In addition to the reasons listed in the article, Huckabee would be a far better choice than just about anyone else:

I guess time will tell if the article holds any water. I know I really hope it does.

There’s a new book out that describes the effects of the war in Iraq on the U.S. economy named “The 3 Trillion Dollar War”. It sounds somewhat interesting as it examines said costs from more of a holistic point of view. For example, the money that our government borrows to finance overspending, which is totally out of control, does accrue interest that we have to pay back.

Will I read this book? It does raise some interesting points that do need to be given some thought by our government. But honestly, I have no desire to read this book for a couple of reasons. As a reasonable person I already understand it costs lots of money to wage war. It doesn’t take a genius or a book to figure that one out. Spending money on the war sure could be used here for something else that might or might not help our economy. Lastly, I have zero desire to read a book by a couple left leaning liberals who espouse their views in a whole book without admitting their bias upfront no matter how academic and objective they are described to be. Why else would you right this book? I guess it will make a big chunk of change.

If you really want to curb spending in this country, then cut out the freaking social entitlement programs that make up well more than half of our budget. Both wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan are but a very small fraction of our total budget. Or maybe the government could stop doing stupid things like borrowing money (on interest) to give us all rebate checks–even to those who don’t pay any taxes from which to receive a rebate. Maybe you could offer to donate your earnings from your book to the government to support the entitlement programs that are so much more important to you than the War in Iraq. Maybe we should reduce federal funding to universities that employ academics to write books based on their bias?

I watched part of an interview with one of the authors of the book on CNN this morning. I listened as she said something along the lines of “the American people understand that they are paying to build bridges in Iraq that just get blown up and know that the same money could be spent to help our economy by building bridges here”.

Look lady, you know you’re right. Us as dull as we are understand such complex things. Thank you for simplifying everything enough for us to understand.

We also understand the basic necessities of life. They come in this order: air, water, food, clothing, shelter, security. Which one of those is the government obligated to fulfill by our Constitution or Bill of Rights? Security. It’s at the top of the list of what any government exists to fulfill for its citizens.

Agreeing with or disagreeing with reasons for why we are in Iraq are all moot points now. The fact is that Al Qaeda is now most certainly in Iraq and so are we. We either fight them there or they will be here banging on your door with RPG’s and IED’s.

Please get out of your naive academic bubble for a few days and try practicing your academic ideals in the real world–the real world in which the rest of us work to earn a real living.

If you’re a big political nerd like me, then you might just be inspired by this montage of famous clips for McCain. Thanks go to Matt for sharing it with me.

Mike Huckabee has fought a charismatic, inspiring, and principled race for the White House that many deemed would end soon after it started. No one thought he would make it this far on limited resources and next to no name recognition. He has left me admiring him not for his qualities of greatness, but his greatest quality, humility–humility that never ceased to acknowledge that those in positions of authority arrive there not out of their own efforts, but are placed in leadership by the true hand of authority.

I challenge those of you who enjoy a similar level of respect for this great man to leave a comment to show your gratitude for his diligence in serving the people this election season. You can do so by clicking HERE. You can also view his concession speech by visiting HERE.

According to a USA Today/Gallop Poll from today, Obama would have a 4 point advantage over McCain if the general election were held today. What the article didn’t mention is what likely voters said on question 9 when asked “Regardless of which presidential candidate you personally support, who do you think is most ready to be president based on his or her experience”. An overwhelming number of respondents said John McCain at 49% to Obama’s 16%. Also, Hillary beat Obama nearly 2-1 with 30%. This shows that most voters when considering who’s ready to be president would go for McCain.

Touting her experience over Obama’s, Hillary has failed so far in her effort to convince voters that she is the better candidate. Obama has won the duel between charisma vs. experience simply because Hillary enjoys little more experience than Obama.

McCain, on the other other hand, has a treasure chest rich with years of political wisdom and bipartisan achievements to his advantage. If McCain is able to make the case that he far more ready to be president than Obama is, then he could very well win in the Fall.

McCain’s experience has already brought his campaign back to life once this election season. His poignant foreign policy expressions after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination filled the vacuum created by the poor and uninformed utterances of the entire field of candidates from both parties. Now that McCain is riding high in the polls from recent victories, similar circumstances could stand to bring him much higher.

As I was listening to the news tonight, I heard a pundit make a good point. Looking back at the 1976 election, Gerarld Ford nearly beat back the tide of the incoming president Carter by pointing to his lack of experience. After the Democratic National Convention, Carter was riding high in the polls–25% above Ford. Ford was able to winnow Carter’s lead down to a 2% point margin by the time voting day came around a few weeks later.

Obama is no Carter and McCain is certainly no Gerald Ford. Still the comparison does raise the point though, that if given enough time, a candidate viewed to be far more experienced can overcome (or at least come close to overcoming) what seems to be an unstoppable tide of euphoria surrounding a far lesser experienced contender’s campaign.

I pulled this one off of my Tivo from the Neil Cavuto Show on 2/15.

“Yes we can” take more of your money from you and distribute it to the masses, “Yes we can”.