Polling is no longer operative

Start paying attention next week and bring aspirin--The item on polling I wrote last week is no longer operative. The McCain campaign is now enjoying a convention "bump" that has them ahead in at least one poll and tied in most of the rest. These bumps, normal in campaigns, usually fade out in about three or four days so it won't be until the weekend we'll see how things are going. Again, pay little attention to tracking polls.

The worrisome thing, however, is that McCain is catching up in the electoral college vote and is now almost tied with Obama. Obama also seems to be losing--at least temporarily--some women's votes and the edge on the economy. I can't imagine why, but them are the numbers. These polls are based on state-by-state polling and are less likely to reflect the bump, I think. The Republicans have taken the momentum and are now running the campaign. Obama is in a knife fight and doesn't seem to have brought a knife.

The best look at all these polls remains pollster.com and politico.com

I think Canada might be a nice place to live.

Nattering nabobs strike again

Will the media stand up or fold?--Yes, a serious column on a serious subject. In the last week since John McCain named Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate, several things have happened.

• As McCain clearly did not research her properly, there are a few minor problems. Hoping, perhaps she would fly under the radar, she has instead turned into a mine field. Everytime someone takes a step something blows up.
• Since she is an unknown, the media has taken over its traditional role of doing the vetting for the citizenry. Who is this person? Why is she qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency? (Why did he just that cliche?).
• The Republicans are furious. They have launched a major attack on the media--including from the governor herself--and the question is, will the media fold or continue to do their rightful business.

Several days ago, Campbell Brown (left) on CNN did an interview with a McCain flack and asked really pertinent questions. When he gave bullshit answers, she kept pressing. No, she pointed out, as governor of Alaska, Palin did not make the decision to send the Alaska National Guard to Iraq and she had nothing to do with equipping them. She asked for a single instance in which Palin acted in a way that would demonstrate foreign relations experience. He repeated the bullshit. (Alaska does border on Canada. So does Minnesota) As a result, McCain reneged on an interview with Larry King. Even being interviewed by the softball champion of America wouldn't do because Brown was too aggressive.

No she wasn't. She was doing her job. What made it stand out is that it was so rare. If I owned CNN I would have sent her flowers.

British journalists are always amazed at what pussies American reporters are, how deferential thay are to subjects, even including the President. They don't treat their power structure with the same deference and can't imagine why we do.

I don't know the answer, but the Republican are trying to intimidate the media into backing off. So far, it isn't working.

Absolutely irresistable.

[Isn't Photoshop a scream?]