Ignorance and Impunity

The 2008 presidential elections will be historic no matter the outcome. America will soon have its first African American president or woman vice president. Yet today America is immersed in a serious economic crisis, mired down in two wars and our global leadership is teetering. In short, this will be one of the most critical elections in this nation’s glorious history.

Our founding fathers pointed to an enlightened citizenry as the best guarantee for a proper functioning republic. President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked at our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.”

With so much at stake you would think that “the mass” of our electorate would be well informed about the candidates. Americans have vast sources of information available to them in an instant, anywhere and anytime. Yet it is still amazing how many still accept as gospel pernicious gossip they receive in the form of emails or leaflets. Worse, even after hearing the truth, some refuse to alter their views, probably because they have entrenched biases and profound ignorance.

Recently I found myself in a political conversation with support staff at a prominent financial institution. One of them, an immigrant from Easter Europe who is a naturalized citizen, declared, “I won’t vote for Obama because he is not a U.S citizen.”

“Where did you hear that?” I asked.

“I got an email, I get all these kind of emails,” she said.

"He was born in Hawaii," I replied, "and if your charge was true McCain would have jumped on it long ago."

Earlier this week on “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart presented a brilliantly unsettling report by correspondent John Oliver entitled "Labels," as in liberal and conservative. Oliver talked to people at both McCain and Obama rallies.

“He is a Muslim,” said one McCain admirer of Obama, “it’s part of his history.”

Another offered this warning, “He’s going to put a turban on and he’s going to go in the White House and we're all going to be shocked.” A recent poll of Texas Republicans conducted by Texas A&M University found that 25% of the respondents believe Obama is a Muslim. Well, the truth is that Obama is a Christian. And so what if he was a Muslim, which he is not?

A few days ago, I ran into some folks in the construction trades where talk of politics has become more prominent lately. “If Obama is elected president,” one opined, “we are going to have terrorists in our country and America as we know it will be gone.” This guy is am immigrant who has only known America for a few years.

Of course, with charges and counter-charges being thrown by both campaigns, some dirt may stick. And some people just want to believe what they want to believe. But many potential voters are simply not doing their part to make an informed decision based on relevant facts. You would think that, after the economy collapsed, health care and education are threatened and our military is stretched thin, voters would make some effort to learn the truth about the candidates.

To paraphrase Santayana, those who don’t take time to learn history are condemned to repeat it. Better yet, President Thomas Jefferson warned, “No nation is permitted to live in ignorance with impunity."

Thank God It's Over

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays in four games to become Major League Baseball's 2008 worlds champion. Big deal. It only took four games and at least three rain delays, which were unfortunately more exciting than the actual games.

I have a few suggestions for MLB:

--Every World Series must include a team from one of the following cities: New York, Boston, Chicago or Los Angeles. For instance, "the Red Sox and Colorado," "St. Louis and the Yankees."

--Teams with a total annual home attendance of less than two million for the regular season cannot partake in the World Series. Tampa Bay's average attendance per game was 22,259, or 52.8% their stadium's capacity,in spite of the fact that they were in first place for a considerable time this season. Under this rule Tampa Bay, Texas, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Florida and Oakland would not have qualified in 2008.

--Teams whose stadiums have ceiling rafters "in-play" are automatically out. Teams with a "green monster," ivy covered outfield walls, or a memorial park beyond the left field wall are automatically contenders for a slot in the series.

I have been a baseball fan all my life, more than six decades. This season the World Series was devoid of powerful stars and phenomenal plays. It was the most disrupted, delayed and suspended series ever. Neither team was inspiring on the national stage. It was boring.

To paraphrase New York Yankee great Yogi Berra, "this one was over before it was over."

A Miracle?

Today's mass at St. Thomas More Catholic Church was said by Monsignor Thomas J. Shelley, who is also an author and professor at Fordham University in New York City. I like him a lot because his homilies are often timely and relevant. Take today's, for example.

I have an old story for you today. A man came to the rectory door one day where he was greeted by a priest. The priest asked the man, "How can I help you?"

The man said, "I am going broke, my business is failing and my wife is about to leave me."

The priest pondered this for a moment and then responded, "I am a priest, I really don't know anything about finances." But, being a priest, he offered some hope. "Open your Bible to any page, at random. Read that page and you will find an answer."

With that suggestion the man thanked the priest and departed.

A couple years later the man returned to the rectory and knocked on the door.

The priest answered the door, "How can I help you."

The man said, "I just came to thank you for the advice you gave me two years ago, it turned my life around."

The priest smiled and responded, "I am very happy for you, but could you remind me what my advice was?"

The man replied, "I told you I was broke, my business was failing and my wife was about to leave me."

The priest nodded.

The man continued, "You said to open the Bible and I would find an answer. I went home and opened my Bible. The first thing I saw was Chapter 11. So I filed for Chapter 11 and now I am once again wealthy, my business is a success and my wife and I have reconciled!"

The Shooting Star

Ambition alone does not make a candidate worthy of this nation's second highest office, but it can sure get you far, especially when a campaign is desperate. However, Governor Sarah Palin would be well advised not to try to turn on her running mate, Senator John McCain.

This election Governor Palin employed smart tactics to get herself invited to the dance. Retaining a smart public relations adviser paid off for the Governor. Her name began appearing in just the right places, and she cultivated the right people within the Republican Party. She worked all the angles and, as a result, got the chance of a lifetime.

As revealed in the New York Times magazine this week, the process of selecting Palin short-circuited the normally rigorous scrutiny one would expect for such an important decision. Prior to her selection, senior McCain advisers spent two hours with her asking "questions based on vetting material." They had reviewed a tape of her appearance on "The Charlie Rose Show," where even they conceded she seemed out of her depth on some issues. She overwhelmed them with her consistency and confidence. She so impressed them that alarm bells didn't even go off when they asked her about the "Troopergate" matter and her daughter's pregnancy. In the end, they overlooked her lack of experience on national and international issues because she wowed them.

Senator McCain spent one hour with Palin on his ranch beside a sycamore tree and a local creek. What was he thinking? What was he asking her? Then, after a short meeting with McCain's wife Cindy, the Senator soon was going over the pros and cons with his top advisers. McCain, who prides himself on doing what his gut tells him, said "I'm going to offer it to her."

For the next few days she dazzled America with her presence, swagger and self-confidence. Conservative supporters were excited and engaged and the Republican convention was electrified. McCain/Palin seemed like a powerful antidote for a dispirited party. But soon it became clear that the Governor was limited, and not even $150,000 in designer clothes could hide her shortcomings. She couldn't answer questions on many important issues, reverting instead to talking points like reform and maverick. She became live bait for comedians and programs like Saturday Night Live. Many Americans gave her the benefit of a doubt, but the doubts were growing.

Palin has now gone from a big asset for the campaign to a major negative. Leading Republicans have publicly criticized her selection. All efforts by the McCain campaign to divert attention from her, including attacking the "main stream media," have not worked. Even a series of interviews with Republican commentator Sean Hannity, who tossed her softballs, confirmed her to be lacking in depth. If it looks too good, well, you know.

Now there is reason to believe Palin is turning on her benefactors. She is eager to consolidate the right and deflect blame for her predicament. No, Governor, don't do that! You are the architect of this mess. If you truly want to be admired, do something admirable. Be a good soldier and fight this battle to the end. Retain what good will remains in the hearts of your supporters. Then, after the election, work hard to prepare yourself for whatever national office you may aspire to. Otherwise, you are certain to be just another shooting star lighting the skies over Alaska.

The Plumber vs. The General

I watched Senator John McCain on television speaking Sunday afternoon to an auditorium filled with supporters in Toledo, Ohio. At first I thought to myself what a nice moment. The fact is it seems there have been too few really nice moments at McCain and Palin rallies lately because they seem desperate.

Before long Senator McCain launched into an attack on his opponent, Senator Barack Obama, with great energy but little veracity. "Joe the Plumber is the only person to get Obama to answer a question," he flailed, "and he didn't ask him to come to his door." His door? "He didn't ask Obama to come to his house," he went on, "and he didn't ask for those political attacks from the Obama campaign." There were attacks by the Obama campaign against Joe? "No American should be attacked for asking a question of a presidential candidate," he steamed, "attacks on him are attacks small businesses across the country."

I rushed to YouTube to screen the more than five minute meeting between Obama and Joe. It was very cordial and Obama seemed genuinely engaged in the conversation. It took place on a campaign stop, not at Joe's house. And what of Joe? He has a lien on his house for not paying his taxes. I guess Joe just doesn't like taxes. And it is well known now that Joe is not a licensed plumber, he is not trying to buy a plumbing business and he does not make very much income.

Governor Sarah Palin used much the same thrust during her campaign stops Sunday. Praising Joe the plumber for asking Obama tough questions, Palin said Obama sounded like a socialist. Then she charged that Joe is being investigated for asking a question. Don't these candidates understand that they undermine their own campaign with these shoddy attempts to fire up their own base? Why can't they just offer some straight talk about their positions on the critical issues? Hyperbole is fine, but using this Joe the plumber seems misguided.

General Colin Powell, a true American hero, announced earlier in the day he would vote for Senator Obama. His thoughtful and articulate explanation on Meet The Press was filled with praise for both candidates. And Powell described McCain as a long time friend. An important factor in that support of Obama was all the negative campaigning he has witnessed from the McCain campaign. He also expressed his doubts about Palin's readiness for the presidency. On the other hand, he spoke of Obama in glowing terms. He had seen how the Illinois Senator has recently handled his campaign, citing his intelligence and steadiness through the recent economic crisis. "He is ready," pronounced Powell, "he has the potential to be an exceptional president."

Joe the plumber is the centerpiece of the McCain campaign. General Colin Powell's endorsement will now be an important factor in the Obama campaign. This pretty much sums up the state of this race with two weeks to go before the election.

Home Stretch

Senator Barack Obama reassured his supporters and converted a few independents with his measured and composed performance in last night's debate. On the other hand, Senator John McCain came out swinging, in an effort to appease his base, but overall he seemed exasperated and frustrated.

For sure, McCain had some good moments. For instance, "Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago." No doubt a planned response, as was the introduction of "Joe the Plumber," now the most famous plumber since E. Howard Hunt of Watergate fame. McCain's point was that if you raise taxes on small business owners, like Joe, the businesses would not be able to create jobs. But Obama reached right for the middle class in his response saying, "I want to provide a tax cut for 95% of working Americans."

Obama clearly had a plan going into the debate. While his performance was a bit slow out of the gate, Obama seemed thoughtful, steady and comfortable. He stared right into the camera when addressing the audience. He fortified his growing grasp on the middle class, especially with his position on health care. He established that the average health policy costs more than $12,000 a year, and then got McCain to admit he would tax corporate health care benefits. That admission no doubt sent alarm bells off in living rooms across the country.

McCain tried to paint Obama as the negative campaigner and himself as the victim. But Obama pushed back, "100% of your ads, John, 100% have been negative." Then McCain finally raised the specter of Obama's associations with Bill Ayers and ACORN, a controversial voter registration group, in a debate forum. Obama calmly offered his explanation and then pointedly said, "I think the fact that this has become such an important part of your campaign, Senator McCain says more about your campaign than it says about me."

After three debates with Senator McCain it is clear that Obama is a pretty cool customer. His performances have been consistent, steady and confident. He displayed a command of the facts and a thorough understanding of his positions on the issues. On the other hand, McCain's performance has been inconsistent, at times sarcastic and snide. Last night he failed to capitalize on opportunities and he failed to connect with "Joe Six Pack." Although Joe the Plumber and the Republican base may feel good about last night's debate, even Fox News analysts found little to praise in McCain's performance.

As the campaign heads into the home stretch, chances are voters will remain preoccupied with the struggling American economy, rising unemployment, falling wages, loss of wealth, escalating mortgage rates and record foreclosures. The earthquake on Wall Street has already had a tsunami like effect across the country. Everyone has pretty much lost confidence and the road to recovery is uncertain. This is their October surprise!

Americans are looking for a steady and confident leader who has a good plan and the ability to effectively implement it. I think most Americans have now decided who they want that leader to be come next January, and it's not Joe the Plumber.

A Day Late, A Few Billion Short

Senator John McCain today proposed a $52.5 billion dollar economic plan that is a day late and billions of dollars short of his opponent's proposal. McCain did so while campaigning in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. His proposal would cut the capital gains tax, eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits and lower the tax rates on Individual Retirement Accounts. McCain also warned his audience to be wary of Senator Barack Obama because he has voted for tax increases "his entire career."

Yet McCain's proposal is smaller and less sweeping than Obama's, which he unveiled yesterday. "The one word that is on everyone's mind is J-O-B-S," Obama said in his announcement in hotly contested Ohio, which has been economically hard hit. Targeting the middle class, Obama's plan includes a $3,000 tax cut for businesses who hire additional employees, tax cuts for households making less that $250,000 a year, reduced penalties for borrowing from a 401K retirement account, and a 90 day moratorium on most home foreclosures. It appears that Obama has again trumped McCain on the economy.

As with throughout the recent economic crisis, Obama has shown strength, leadership and calm. McCain has appeared out of sync and flappable. He suspended his campaign yet campaigned. He tried to get credit for a bailout plan that he at the same time discredited. He even cancelled an appearance on David Letterman only to be caught in a little white lie. The McCain campaign has misused Governor Sarah Palin almost from the start. She has become a charming and charismatic pit bull with lipstick. Handlers crammed the former sportscaster with more stats than she has ever seen in her entire life both as a mayor and Governor. And, until recently, both McCain and Palin have stirred up the most hateful rhetoric directed to Senator Obama.

Senator McCain has lost his already precarious footing within his own party, especially those on the far right, whose frustration is growing loud and vocal. No wonder, McCain has ping-ponged from one strategy to another--experience, maverick, bipartisan, POW, American hero, reformer, tax cutter, "Surge" supporter, foreign policy expert and veteran. So Senator McCain finds himself falling way behind in the national polls as well as in thosefrom the many states President George Bush carried last election. And McCain's negatives are at an all time high across the board reflecting the tone of his campaign. Yet now McCain has Obama right where he wants him!

The truth is Senator McCain still has a real chance. If the stock market can drop 18% in one week, anything can happen. Some in the electorate remain uncertain about Senator Barack Obama. And, while more and more undecided voters are getting used to the idea of an Obama presidency, a major international incident, or an Obama gaffe, could change the current trajectory of the campaign.

Moderator Bob Schieffer: "Senator McCain, you have two minutes for your opening remarks"

Senator John McCain: " Thank you, Bob. Friends, I open with a question for Senator Obama. What's the deal with your pal, terrorist Bill Ayers? And can you go over that Reverend Wright thing one more time for the folks out there--this time in detail?"