Obama Leads, McCain Stumbles, Biden goofs, & Palin Kept Limited

Obama leads in all the major polls nationally. Some large margins, some smaller, but, significant.

McCain still gained ground in key states. But, he hasn't moved much to take over, and can he at this point? If you can't hold Virginia and Colorado from the Democrats, you don't deserve to win Senator McCain.

Just as Al Gore lost not only because of Florida, but, because he did not hold West Virgina, and lost his home state, and Bill's home state - popular incumbents don't do that. He did.

Obama has not had to do much, most of this lead is due to the economic news and hysteria in the last two weeks. He just had to sit back, and enjoy the free ride on that. The 'other' party, whichever one it would be, has a major advantage on the issue. Fact. Totally fair as well. It's just an obvious conclusion, and it's very fair to give that advantage to the other party.

Obama is 75% of the way to the White House as of today. He has only not to mess up in the debates, and it's his.

The media adulation and assistance to his campaign doesn't hurt either. It's been over the top, but, so common now, why bother saying anything much.

McCain however has stumbled, he has let an easy issue get away from him.

He had only to say, hey, I told you this would happen, and play that soundbite of his predicting this from 2006, over & over on TV and radio. He didn't.

He had only to say the Congress should bite the bullet, and take the lead, and lead it himself.....an incentive package, a less gigantic bailout package with lots of paybacks required, and an energy bill tied to it, now.....

He has only to say, this is where bipartisan support matters, and I'm the master of doing that, not Senator Obama.

Instead, he blamed Chris Cox, what? He blamed greed and Wall Street. Ugh. You sound like a Democrat, people will vote for the Democrat, not the RHINO.

He blew it going on The View. He blew it going on with Letterman, why bother?

Hey, John, call, Rush, Laura, Sean, Larry, Michael Medved, Mike Reagan, and get the activist base ready to battle for you with a quick call into their shows, something he has done only a few times, and in short time frames. He avoids it.

Biden - what is with this guy? I will enjoy 4 years of his gaffes. They will be fun to see and hear. He's making Dan Quayle look like Einstein. Really, that's the Joe Biden I have grown to love and admire.....Keep it up. It's comical relief.

Palin - Fundraising and crowds and enthusiasm, yeah, she's doing it. Give her credit, she's pulling up her VP end on the ticket. But, McCain is holding her on a tight leash....not letting her do many interviews, or TV spots. Fearful she may goof up. So what? Let her talk John. We like her, we want to see & hear her. He's also afraid, I'm sad to say, she is more popular than he is. Crowds come to see her, not him. Fundraisers sell out for her, not him. TV likes to dissect her every word and move, not his (good and bad).

Senator, if you're going to lose, and it looks like you will (good fight though), you should let Pailn get out there on her own more....she can help that way more, than tied to you.

To the George Wills and David Brooks of the conservative side, they hate Palin, they wanted an older guy with experience in there....that would only have led to one thing: McCain down by 25 at this point. Romney or Ridge or Rudy or Thompson or Kyl would not have added much to the ticket. Certainly, no excitement or enthusiasm, and that's what McCain needed.

Not like she is going to say 57 states, ask a guy bound to a wheelchair to stand up or forget who was President in 1929 like Biden did.

From Samsung 101 at Tennis Forum.

Defining Liberalism and Conservatism

If you have every been in a discussion with someone and all of a sudden they ask you to define a concept or idea that you are familiar with, but not intimate, it can be intimidating.

I have one good friend that asks people all the time when discussing government to name and describe the roles of the 3 branches of government and it is fun watching peoples reaction (granted I am sure I had the same one the first time he asked me the question). Likewise in discussions with people on the current presidential race or politics in general the words liberal and conservative are often bantered about synonymously with Democrats and Republican, but they have very little to do with the groups and more with personal views.

To me Democrats and Republicans can be liberal or conservative and quite frankly in the last 12 years or so I have not seen a bit of difference between either group.

To me a liberal values bigger government, more taxation, less personal responsibility, which leads to less overall personal liberty.

A conservative values smaller government, less taxation, more personal responsibility which leads to more overall personal liberty.

Following these definitions I would fall under a conservative. Which are you? How would you define these differently? What are your values?

Think about it the next time you go to the polls you can make an independent and informed decision without following the pundits and false prophets.