Talking Points - Friday October 3, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
1. Palin Silences Critics in VP Debate
According to one report: She not only kept Joe Biden on the defensive for much of the debate, she not only repeatedly attacked Barack Obama, but she looked like she was enjoying herself while doing it (Politico). Hugh Hewitt went through the debate point by point (Townhall). From Michael Medved: Joe Biden, meanwhile, produced a blizzard of misstatements, distortions and outright lies (Townhall). Frank Luntz’s focus group of undecided voters went overwhelmingly to Sarah Palin. Notice, particularly, how they responded to the question “was she better than expected?” (YouTube). Peggy Noonan on NBC said “she killed” (YouTube). CBS News said she had “surprising depth” (CBS News). Even in the liberal state of Washington, Palin won – although the story headline called it a “split-decision.” And the audience was 26% Republican, 33% Democrat, 34% Independent (Survey USA). Dick Morris, who said McCain lost his debate to Obama, said Palin was the clear winner (YouTube). CBS News had one of the few groups that claim a Biden victory (CBS News). While a CNN crowd gave the upper hand to Biden, the story also notes “respondents said the folksy Palin was more likable, scoring 54 percent to Biden’s 36 percent. Seventy percent said Biden was more of a typical politician” (CNN). Overseas, Palin received positive reviews (Guardian, Telegraph). Even those who give the edge to Biden note that Palin did much better than expected – more evidence she was able to overcome the media’s weeks of pounding. From Andy McCarthy: Watching her is fun. It’s like watching a rookie who’s taken the league by storm and is hitting .290, and you just know that in two years, she’ll be hitting .340 … while Biden is hitting .210 and belongs back in Double A (NRO). Other takes on the debate (FOX News). Biden had at least 14 lies, according to this report (Townhall). Did he really think he’d get away with the clean coal claim? (YouTube). Watching the spin after, the DNC talking points were clear: Say it’s the “same failed policies of the Bush Administration.” Even Hillary was ready with the memo (CNN). Transcript (CNN). Video of the entire debate (Palin Planet).
2. Bailout Getting Support
Story notes “Republicans and Democrats were jumping aboard the bailout as the House sped toward a make-or-break vote — a much-anticipated do-over after the plan met with a stunning defeat Monday, triggering a historic stock market plunge” (ABC News). The bailout is full of pork (NY Post). From Bill Kristol: House Republicans should help pass the bill. I think it’s the only responsible thing to do in terms of the economy. But I also think it’s the only way McCain has a chance to win. To those House Republicans who care about conservative principles, about limited government and free markets–I’d ask this: How much damage will a president Obama and a Democratic Congress do to the causes you care about? (Weekly Standard).
3. O’Reilly Blasts Barney Frank on Air
O’Reilly played a 2007 clip of Frank saying Fannie Mae is fine, then got him on the air. It turned into quite a shouting match.
4. Virginia Teachers’ Union Tells Teachers to Show Obama Support in Schools
Education is second to personal politics.
5. Pelosi Defends Husband
In one of those are-you-kidding-me moments, the story notes Pelosi “said Thursday that it’s “just foolish” to suggest that her husband is benefiting from tens of thousands of dollars one of her political committees is paying a firm he owns.”
6. Reporter Fired for Wearing Pro-Obama T-Shirt
While reporting on an Obama rally.
7. Latest High Paying Job: Panhandling
From the story: A city study revealed that some panhandlers can earn between $30 and $40 per hour. And most are not homeless.
From Thursday, October 2, 2008
1. Senate Approves Bailout
Final vote, 74-25. From the story: In a maneuver to reverse a stinging House rejection of the plan, the Senate piggybacked the bailout plan on several other popular measures: an increase in federal deposit insurance limits, expanded health coverage for mental illnesses and a bill extending several tax breaks set to expire at year’s end (USA Today). From another story: House GOP opposition appeared to be easing after the Senate added $100 billion in tax breaks for businesses and the middle class, plus a provision Republicans advocated to raise, from $100,000 to $250,000, the cap on federal deposit insurance. They were also cheering a decision Tuesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission to ease rules that force companies to devalue assets on their balance sheets to reflect the price they can get on the market (AP). Details on the bill (FOX Business). A list of those voting “No” (Politico).
2. Media Portrayal of Palin Starts to Stick/Hewitt Blisters CNN over Coverage
They’ve spent weeks hacking away at her credibility and now proudly proclaim a poll showing “six in 10 Americans now doubting her qualifications for office and fewer than half convinced of her grasp of complex issues” (ABC News). And the media continue, such as CBS’s debate story insisting “Palin has been widely criticized for her performance in interviews with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric and ABC World News anchor Charlie Gibson, which yielded moments such as Palin’s tortured defense of her claim that Alaska’s proximity to Russia stands as a foreign-policy credential in an interview with Couric” (CBS News). CNN praised Biden’s “self-deprecating humor” then noted that “a well-known conservative columnist” is calling “on Palin to remove herself from Sen. John McCain’s ticket” (CNN). It’s as though Saturday Night Live is writing the scripts for the evening news. As of this morning, nearly every major media outlet had negative Palin stories (such as the one from CNN on the bridge to nowhere), but no negative Biden stories. Bill Dyer notes “In their televised interviews with her, however, Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric have almost completely ignored Gov. Palin’s actual record in office. So, too, have most of the old-media sources who’ve been writing about her. They’d far rather dig through a dumpster or watch videos of a guest pastor from Kenya speaking at a church Gov. Palin has sometimes attended than talk about Gov. Palin’s day job as chief executive of the largest state in America” (Townhall).
4. GM to Downplay America to Avoid Offending Liberals
Somehow buried in this story about Chevrolet’s electric car is this paragraph: Still, don’t look for Chevrolet to necessarily trot out the American flag in the marketing plan. “There is a fear that if we position this as a ‘pro-American’ car, it will upset some of the environmentally conscious crowd,” explained Pete Lewis, who works in program operations at GM. “And we want it to be embraced by everyone.”
5. Medved: Democrats See Themselves as Replacement for Religion
He notes “At their Denver convention, the Democrats adopted the most unabashedly liberal platform in the party’s history, including the following remarkable promise: “We will provide immediate relief to working people who have lost their jobs, families who have lost their homes and people who have lost their way.” Later: Is it any wonder that the movement behind Barack Obama has taken on some of the weird, zombie-like trappings of a trendy religious cult? In promising the repair of broken souls and showing the way to those who are lost, this campaign has undertaken tasks usually reserved for religious institutions (Townhall). Meanwhile, Robert Novak looks at the flaw in Obama’s massive spending plans (Townhall)
6. Teachers Asked to Stop Wearing Pro-Obama Buttons
They were actually wearing “Educators for Obama” buttons in the classroom. The teachers’ union gave them the buttons.
7. San Francisco Schools Working to Boot Junior ROTC
As some try to save it.
8. Group Claims Colorado Democrats Sought to “Educate the Idiots”
From the story: In a confidential internal memorandum obtained by Face The State (PDF), the Colorado Democracy Alliance outlines a roster of “operatives” who worked for Democratic victory in the 2006 general election. The document outlines specific tasks for various members of the state’s liberal infrastructure, including a campaign to “educate the idiots,” assigned to the state’s AFL-CIO union. Among the operation’s intended targets: “minorities, GED’s, drop-outs” (Face the State). As of early this morning, its authenticity is still in question (Politico).
10. Levi Campaign Gets Vulgar
With a disturbing “unbutton your beast” series of ads (Levi). The company proudly claims to have had no complaints (LA Times).