The potentially1 transformational story this week was the down and up of the financial rescue bill and how McCain and Obama played into it. From today's Frank Rich column:2
McCain’s “dismaying temperament,” as George Will labeled it, only thickens the concerns. His kamikaze mission into Washington during the bailout crisis seemed crazed. His seething, hostile debate countenance — a replay of Al Gore’s sarcastic sighing in 2000 — didn’t make the deferential Obama look weak (as many Democrats feared) but elevated him into looking like the sole presidential grown-up.
The frenetic, irritated (and irritating) older guy vs. the stable, soothing younger guy.3 And the age factor (and questions about his medical condition4) is playing even more of a role here: the more McCain continues to act in this mode, the more he seems to age into crankyness – day by day.
And also, how comfortable would people be with someone like that as commander-in-chief with his finger on the trigger?
In Palin's Court
A big deal5 has been made about Sarah Palin not being prepared to answer the question What Supreme Court decisions, other than Roe v. Wade, do you disagree with? One case6 in particular was cited: Exxon v. Baker7, which was decided last June and when at the time she made clear her disagreement with the decision as the Governor of Alaska.
But say you gave her the benefit of the doubt. She did remember the case, but there is an obvious reason why she wouldn't raise her previous disagreement in her interview with Katie Couric: the decision was in favor of Exxon.
How would her citing disagreement with this now sit with McCain's big oil patrons? Maybe she was being cleverer than we thought. Or just lucky.
_______________________
1. Gallup Daily: October 4,2008
2. Frank Rich: Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain
3. Joe Klein: Anger vs. Steadiness in the Crisis
4. AMERICAblog: A doctor's analysis of McCain video
5. YouTube: Sarah Palin can't name one Supreme Court case
6. Andrew Sullivan: What About Exxon vs Baker?
7. FindLaw: Exxon v. Baker
No comments:
Post a Comment