Why the local sports team pandering?

Both sides. Same issue. Both claiming to be fans of each of the teams left in the baseball playoffs. Both full of shit.

This leads me to wonder -- does the outcome of the World Series ever influence the election? For instance, if the series goes to seven games, it'll be decided on the 30th, less than a week before election day. And with so many states allowing early voting, I wonder how many people will vote on a whim, either in-between errands or in the haze of a post-game (or hell, pre-game) hangover.

I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this, but I've yet to see an cogent answer to the question.

I remember four years ago a few of us were hoping for an Astros-Red Sox series, since Bush and Kerry would be to some degree represented by the teams. Then we could settle the election in a best of seven series. At least it seemed amusing at the time.

Maybe it pays to pander. I mean sports fandom is as arbitrarily fanatical as just about anything, including religion and politics.

Why was Joe Lieberman standing next to McCain today?

Is it a show of crossing party lines, being non-partisan? 'Cause Joe's been a Republican for a few years now, so I don't think that's coming through.

Also, so most people even remember him from the last election? I'm not sure why Gore ever chose him as his running mate. I suppose it was for the northeast vote. Well, it didn't work.

And now Lieberman's supporting McCain. The world is a strange place when you're hanging on to you Senate seat for dear life. What will be do in four years when he's out to pasture?

Ugh, Joe. How did you let this happen to yourself?

Who the fuck is Joe the Plumber?

Who is this guy, and why do people give a damn? I mean, really? I think the news outlets spent $700B covering specious issues. Maybe they should've been the ones to pay off the bankers rather than Joe and the rest of us.

I blame McCain for bringing this guy into the fray, and to some (tho a lesser) extent, Obama for picking it up and directing part of his debate harangue at him. Why would he bite on such pandering? Not a tasty worm.

Speaking of worms, I have to complain about Palin today bringing his hypothetical wife Jane into the picture. I have to imagine this will go away in a few days. Hell, this whole nonsense goes away in a few weeks. I can't wait

Honestly, I care more for Mario and Luigi. Those guys represent the voter split - Mario, the Republican, Luigi the Democrat, both secretly Fascists. That's pretty close to the average Joe.

John McCain -- More of the same

So tonight they come on the air and they give us the same stump speeches that they've been giving for weeks. Months in some cases. And that line about education being the civil rights issue of the 21st century. Sounds good, but its meaning is lost in translation. I think civil rights are the civil rights issues of the 21st century. But that's just me.

We can agree to disagree, McCain.

He claims a lot of things are no-brainers. That's great if you think you know everything and aren't willing to work with people who really know what's going on. Sound familiar, eh?

Well, today I learned that Devo is doing a pro-Obama rally of a show in Ohio on Friday the 17th.

Before McCain sits out too long, you must whip it!

Whip it good, indeed. Here's to hoping the spudboys voting this year will turn the tide, ushering in a new era of government. Even if a bunch of detritus washes ashore with Obama, at least he'll make sure it gets picked up. Or we'll revolt, using letter writing campaigns and peaceful means to talk to someone with peace in his heart.

McCain has no peace in his heart. Not the kind I'm after.

Voting will once again be a no-brainer!

wall street and main street

if i hear this term one more time, i'm gonna freak the fuck out. i don't understand what the hell this is supposed to mean or where the hell these people think this main street is, but none of these pundits and politicians seem to know a damn think about what's going on in real america.

so they think that calling it main street they can abstract away the problem. they don't have a damn clue. i have to imagine with the bailout bill on the senate floor tomorrow and with the vp debate tonight we'll hear it a thousand more times before the weekend.

i can't be held responsible for what i'll do if i hear the "wall street / main street" quote once more! honest.

$700bn bailout

Holy simoleons! Welcome to misleadership, a blog all about finding examples of leadership gone awry. Where to start... how 'bout with the largest lead parachutes - yours now for the low-low price of $700bn.

Seriously, folks. Are we going to let this package through our government, given that it'll benefit at most 1% of the people? Are we really willing to pay off these Wall Street cronies who've misabused their power these past 7 years, responding to so-called homeland defense needs? Really?

Seems to me that the large defense contractors and oil companies should be able to flit the bill... didn't Exxon/Mobil ring in over $600bn these past few years. That would do it, costing the taxpayer nothing. It may require some of these execs selling off their off-shore yachts, but that seems only fair since they're the ones who've put us in this position in the first place...

I guess I just don't trust cronies in any form - politician, investment broker, insurance salesman, whatever the guise.