JENNY MCCARTHY MAKES HER CHOICE

Jenny McCarthy's nipples poked right through Jim Carrey's gauzy blouse when she heard all the talk about autism in last night's debate. What the hell was that about? McCain's really trying to get at women whatever their issues. Why not women who don't have the time to cut the crust from their children's sandwiches? Women who have guilt issues because their children are more attached to their nannies?

Mothers and children! McCain is for you!

McCAINIAC

McCain loves the troops-- or does he? Debatable! Or not-- according to Obama, anyway. After McCain told his personal story about loving the troops, that they know he'll take care of them, Obama basically passed the ball and said "I agree." Agrees that-- what? McCain loves the troops? In his heart, but not his policies? Obama had a big opening to attack McCain on his consistent voting record when it comes to soldiers and veterans, voting against body armor for the troops in Iraq, and against funding veteran packages for those who make it home.

Maybe Barack was afraid McCain would bring up Barack's voting against funding for the troops (as he had already done), which the Republicans use as a way of accusing the Democrats of "not taking care of the troops" (which the GOP knows something about!), when in reality, the Democrats cut funding so the only alternative would be to bring the troops home.

Or maybe Barack has learned his lesson-- the Republicans can take anything a Democrat says about the troops and twist it into a negative. Saying we've lost the Iraq war is an insult to the troops. Wanting to bring them home is saying they've failed. Now, we just have to see how "I agree" can be turned against him.

BUSH I MEAN MCCAIN VS OBAMA

This picture is great at exhibiting what was an hour and a half of Obama softly kicking McCain's old fogey ass with a smile and a friendly bi-partisan intelligence and tolerance. I haven't heard anyone mention the glaring, Bush-esque attitude of McCain: he never looked over at Obama, even though Lehrer insisted a few times that the debate was to be interactive between the candidates. Instead, McCain scowled angrily, laughed patronizingly. Is this a tactic of the GOP? To look means you're dropping your sheriff-like steely resolve? Doesn't looking into the eyes of your opponent show fearlessness? Obama got it after a while and looked over and engaged McCain. But McCain, like an angry child, was condescending ['What Obama doesn't understand...Mr. Obama is naive...'] and prick-ish, waving his Sharpie around. I think at some point he called his pen old. Did he? Did he really use the word 'old'? What a Freudian slip! Projecting through his phallic symbol what he knows and fears everyone is thinking about him, standing across from a strapping young man with actual colour in his face. And why does he use a Sharpie? Can he not see his jotted notes? Why not a feather quill, a big bottle of India Ink and a magnifying glass?
And did McCain really use the word, 'holocaust' in reference to Iran and Israel. . .
Jesus. . .inflammatory and dated and inappropriate. He forgot to mention mushroom clouds, The Bomb, and The Lemon Sisters.
It's funny that McCain never mentions the middle class and how they're necessary for the economy, to get things moving again, and he never mentions Pakistan. Obama always mentions 'Pahhhkistahn' in his high-brow way, but he's right, the Pakistan issue does have to be faced and dealt with.
Oh well, whatever, in the end it was a humourless, charm-less display by McCain. What happened to him? He seems so threatened. Never show weakness, Soldier, and when you fall from the sky, try not getting captured, that may have been your first mistake.

SPEAK NO --?

So John McCain may be pulling out of tomorrow night's debate because the economic crisis is too crucial at this moment in time-- despite the fact that Congress has already come up with an agreement that could be signed off on as soon as Saturday. So what could be McCain's reasoning?

The economy has been his sore point. He has said in the past that he doesn't know much about it, was saying up until last Tuesday that the economy is "fundamentally sound," and was asking for less regulations up until last Wednesday morning, before abruptly switching tack, calling for more regulations Wednesday afternoon, with any reference to his earlier statements. Even Bush, in his economic address last night (15 minutes of hilarity!), said Republicans hate regulations (since regulations put a cramp on all their raping, stealing and pillaging), but noted, under the circumstances, ie, "we've bankrupted the country!" -- regulations suddenly seem like a good idea.

Tomorrow night's debate is supposed to be about foreign policy-- supposedly McCain's strong suit-- so you'd think he'd be all gung ho to turn the focus back on a Republican strength, fear-mongering. So why does he still want to pull out?

1. He wants to make himself look strong on the economy, that it's somthing he takes seriously. He's even suggesting that the economic crisis is tantamount to 9/11, where leaders of both parties cam together to hash out a plan. Well, guess what? They already did, this afternoon.

Still, the specter of 9/11 is always good. If he can somehow link being tortured for 4 years with economic upheaval, he just might have a winning strategy. Perhaps he can say he was excused from the tortuous negotiations over the economic package, while his fellow senators would have to remain, and he declared until his fellow senators were allowed to go free as well, he would remain. Thus, no debate.

McCain has consistently been on the front page of the Times since his announcement, and I wonder if other papers have been doing the same. Economy + McCain - Obama complaining in background = Big PLUS for McCain!

2. He's making people think he's afraid to debate Obama, afraid the economy wil be raised, thus lowering expectations of his performance. No matter how well Obama does, McCain will appear the winner because everyone thought he would bomb.

3. I'm making a giant lasagna and having a number of guests over to watch the debate-- I've even brought more goddam chairs to fit around the tv. I specifially chose these people because they're easiest to have over with the tv on. What the hell am I going to do if it's cancelled? And why has John McCain chosen to punish me by his decision?