Rachel Maddow Grills David Axelrod on Social Security/Chained CPI

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this guy.

When I hear "chained CPI," my eyes roll back in my head. When I hear liberals--particularly liberals I like--whining about something that makes my eyes do that, I do a double face-palm. And when I hear liberals I barely tolerate doing the same thing, well, I kind of tune out. Now, let me back up and say that President Obama putting Social Security into a deficit conversation is rather irritating. One has nothing to do with the other. Social Security cutting and/or tweaking is a bone thrown to conservatives who have hated every element of the New Deal since they were invented. And no, I don't particularly like throwing bones to Mitch McConnell and John Boner Boehner. Lettuce and bourbon (respectively) would seem like a better toss.

But you know what? Time and again, the Prez has shown himself to know pretty much what he's doing. He may misstep, he may lose one here and there. But more often than not, he ends up pretty much where he wants to be. The first three years of his Presidency, liberal gays were shrieking (it wasn't pretty) about where our "fierce advocate" was, and then he came through. Solidly. I'm trusting him here to know what he's doing. I'm cool with people like Bernie Sanders raising a ruckus, go to town, do it, fine. But the whining and hand-wringing is making me nuts.

So, I really appreciated Rachel Maddow's line of attack on her current colleague, former Obama insider David Axelrod. I never liked him, nor most people who serve in his position for any president, or candidate. Rachel didn't whine, but asked pointed, repeated and very, very insistent questions.  Axelrod didn't quite crumble, but you can't say Rachel didn't try.

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Over Time with Bill Maher, November 16, 2012 (Final Episode of 2012)

Ep. 267 November 16, 2012 - Overtime

President Obama on Late Show with David Letterman

Some say that President Obama is becoming over exposed with his "media blitz" of the past few days. I disagree. I think some of us have forgotten what we liked about him during the campaign. He's a personable, well-spoken, charming and funny guy, especially in venues like The Late Show with David Letterman. Obama's relative absence from the center stage during August and early September let that image recede, and it was replaced with smarmy people like David Axelrod. Bad idea. More of this in the future please. . .


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Sunday Morning Blogging

Got up extra early today, 6:30 am! That's really something, given that last night was a thoroughly wine-soaked one. But once I woke up, I decided to have an extended day. But it might include a nap, later!

So, I'm watching Meet the Press per usual, and the topic of health care is front and center. But right up front, David Gregory interviewed David Axelrod who I can not stomach. I don't like any of these purely political spokespeople on either side of the aisle. The only worse one to listen to on the Democratic side is Terry McAuliffe. Smarmy, calculated, evasive. . .I just plain don't like it. Surely, there is a more direct and honest way to get President Obama's message out than creepy political hacks like Axelrod.

I'm eager for the country and the President to get past this health care debate, wherever it ends up. I'm sick to death of the topic, and bewildered at how poor people--many of them actually on a government health care plan already, are arguing on the side of insurance companies. Baffling.

Another thing irritating me about political chat shows right now is the sponsors. I pretty much zip through the commercials most Sundays, but I'm watching MTP pretty much in real time, so I'm seeing the commercials. And it's companies like Dow and Boeing. What the hell purpose does it serve to show TV viewers commercials for companies like that? It is my suspicion that they advertise on political shows to have some leverage on content. What other purpose does it serve? Sigh.

And now the issue of President Obama speaking to students. Rightly, Tom Brokaw is pointing out how silly the controversy is. Even Rudy Giuliani thinks it is unfortunate that this should be controversial. How about that, a surprise on a political program. And WOW! Tom Friedman calls it "flat out stupid!" Go Tom!

That all for now. Back later, unless I fall into a nap!

Sunday Blogging Blues

Image from Despair.com

What do you do when you're a current events/political blogger, and nothing going on at the moment inspires you to write? Well, that is my current prediciment, though it is tempered by the fact that I've already declared myself on semi-blogging-vacation.

But today, I've been trying to catch up with the Sunday morning political shows, and I am not engaged. One quick way to get me to zone out is to put David Axelrod on the screen, dancing around questions for 15 minutes. Another way? Stick Sen. Lindsey Graham and Willard "Mitt" Romney next to each other, doing the same thing. Blecccch.

Part of the problem is the talk on health care. The problem isn't cost. It isn't big business vs. government control. It is that Democrats are apparently incable of using language effectively in their political battles. "Public option" and "single payer" are phrases that on their face mean nothing to me. The Republicans aren't always more clear, but a phrases like "socialized medicine" and "job killer" are certainly more visceral.

Where in the world is the Democratic Frank Luntz? I'm not suggesting that we find a slimy weasel like Luntz, just a person with a little marketing savvy, a little creativity. I'm actually sort of surprised that President Obama isn't better at it. Are David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs really the best that he could do? Oh, and by the way, "cap and trade" is also ridiculous and meaningless. It's very easy to demonize something that nobody understands.

Rick Davis Uses McCain POW Excuse Again

There wasn't a lot about this Sunday's gab fests that really stood out. But on the weakest show of the "big four," FOX "News" Sunday had the single biggest eye-rolling moment for me. Leading advisers from both John McCain's and Barack Obama's campaign were squaring off. Rick Davis for the former, and David Axelrod for the latter.

I have no positive feelings about either man, both of whom really, really bug me. They're professional spinners (liars), skilled at not directly answering questions, and I think they do more harm than good. You can take them, and others like them (Terry McAuliffe being a prime example), and tape their mouths shut, as far as I'm concerned.

But, back to the eye-rolling moment. The always vaguely creepy Chris Wallace asked the questions, "Do McCain and Palin bear some responsibility" for drumming up the fear and hatred from their crowds. Rick Davis, appallingly, uses the "John McCain was a POW" line for the umpteenth time. Ridiculous.

Sunday Talk Shows, Take 1: Shut Up!!!

Why do I do this to myself? I get up every Sunday morning, turn on Meet the Press, and grumble and grouse. The two main guests on MTP this morning are surrogates for Barack Obama and John McCain, David Axelrod and Steve Schmidt respectively. They're both tools.

Schmidt, for his part, actually defined "victory" in Iraq. He said something about an Iraqi government that is able to defend its own boundaries. Umm, OK. But that is "winning the war?" That's not winning the war, that's letting us off the hook for the occupation. Still, he's one of the first I've heard who even couched his words in those terms. Of course, Schmidt also kept repeating the lie about Obama raising taxes on the middle class, so he gains no points anyway.

But the main thing I kept thinking when hearing the back-and-forth is, for an election that is about change, this is exactly politics as usual. Spin artists on the tee-vee, pretending their guy is perfect, and the other guy is some boob that would wreck the country inside a week. Neither side acknowledged that their candidate would likely have to scrap their entire economic plan to fit the new government bailout program. Schmidt strongly implied that McCain Mighty Moused his way to DC and saved the country by steering the Congress the right way. Pure B.S.

Where do they find these guys?