Friday, September 19, 2008

Debates and Polls

In the great tradition of watching the State of the Union and throwing marshmallows at the shrub on TV, I'll be holding debate watching parties at my place. I can't guarantee that we will get to throw marshmallows at the expensive tv, but I'm sure that we can setup some sort of surrogate, that can be the object of our sticky puffed sugar derision.

Naturally, I'll also be holding an election party (assuming that I do not work the polls or be working on GOTV efforts - I do intend to take the day off and help out somehow. I encourage all to do the same. Help out I mean, it can be as little as talking to your coworkers/neighbors/family, helping them make that last minute decision – you know how I just love undecideds. Or maybe you sway them the right way at the last minute, we'll take that too, especially in MO.) So yeah assuming I'm not doing something with the campaign, we'll do an election party. We'll do a big map like we did last time, and maybe yaya (via phone of internet) will be able to locate Alabama on the map this time. :P

But really, giant election map, your cable news source of choice on the big screen, beer, pizza (?), and good people with which to celebrate our blue stated victory.

That's jumping the gun though – debate schedule below. VP included.

Friday, September 26 - First Presidential Debate
Location: University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
Topics: Domestic Policy
Moderator: Jim Lehrer from PBS

Thursday, October 2 - Vice Presidential Debate
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
Topics: All Topics, including Domestic and Foreign Policy
Moderator: Gwen Ifill from PBS

Tuesday, October 7 - Second Presidential Debate
Location: Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee
Topics: (Town Meeting Format) All Topics
Moderator: Tom Brokaw from NBC News

Wednesday, October 15 - Third Presidential Debate
Location: Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
Topics: Foreign Policy
Moderator: Bob Schieffer from CBS News

Hey maybe in the third presidential debate on foreign policy, McCain will forget where Spain is located again. Oh? I forgot to mention that, here's Americablog's damning post on the matter.

And here, via Americablog again, the UK's Guardian takes McCain to task:

"So, to clarify matters for McCain: Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is the lefty prime minister of Spain. The Zapatistas are armed revolutionaries who have declared war on the government of Mexico. Zippy is an irascible non-human character in the children's TV series Rainbow, and Captain Zep was the star of an awesome 1980s British children's sci-fi drama. Franco Zeffirelli is a celebrated Italian film director who I once pretended to know the first thing about in order not to look stupid in a conversation in a restaurant.

By the way, this must be a truly depressing day for our friends at Spain For McCain. We can assume they're not Zapatero fans, but still: their hero isn't even sure where their country is located? How dispiriting."

And lest you think it's just the dirty bloggers that are hitting this, here's CNN's coverage too (also via Americablog, god bless John).

So please bring on the Presidential Debates on Foreign Policy, with the guy that would rather snub a NATO ally, than admit he was confused/lost/senile on a question.

Off topic, crazy wing nutty talking point that I heard out of Jen's grandmother's mouth, in addition to Obama being a muslim/the antichrist, and michelle hating this country, the clintons killed vince foster (in primary colors, vince foster was portrayed as the character, Libby) and made it look like a suicide. WOW. These people really do exist.

In other completely unrelated news, if you have HBO, check out their new vampire show True Blood. Me likey. It's been a long long time since there has been a show about vampires from a generally vampire point of view (not like Buffy, who was always busting vamp ass), but like Kindred: The Embraced – remember that one? Yeah, in a time long ago and faraway – 1996, I was but a wee one of 13, and the show only lasted eight episodes. True Blood has already fared better, having been picked up for a second season only two episodes in. So, check it out, Sunday's at 8 (?).

Hmmm – we'll have to figure out the debates because it looks like I have sporting events on 2/3 presidential ones, and on election day. More to come on that later.

Oh and earlier when I said that Obama was back up in the national polls. I meant that he had ROARED back. Fivethirtyeight now has him winning 303-234 in the electoral college, and winning the election 75% of the time. SUCK ON THAT. And they don't factor in MO, but I do. And if MO doesn't go for Obama, then it would be only the second time that MO has gone with the loser in a presidential contest in the last 100 years. So I think he's bringing home MO. That would push his lead in the electoral college to 314-223.

Not to mention FL with it's 27 electoral votes, where the Palin pick is scaring the bejesus out of lots of undecided voters. They don't seem to like her social views, or her ethics. And they seem disinclined to vote for the Palin/McCain- er. Whoops! Looks like I pulled a Palin – I mean the McCain/Palin ticket.

So in my wildly optimistic world, there's 27 more votes, bringing Mr. Obama's total to 341-196. Toss in other states that Pollster still has too close to call – Indiana, West Virginia, and Montana – that's 19 more votes on the table. We could see 360-177. and then I go laughing all the way home. :D Dream BIG.

And to make your Friday even happier, not this Saturday, but next Saturday, Tina Fey is expected to reprise her role as Sarah Palin on SNL.

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