October 13, 2008 - Talking Points
1. Polls: Race Close
Even Gallup, which had Obama with a double-digit lead last week, has the race close. In registered voters, they have it down to seven, in likely voters, they have it down to four (Gallup). Reuters/Zogby has the lead at four (Reuters). From Hugh Hewitt: …as the shock of market losses wears off, the American public is asking how to repair the damage, and they know from example after example that the statist model being proposed by Obama-Pelosi-Reid not only doesn’t work, it deepens all economic woes. The Dems anti-trade stand and their addiction to non-strategic spending guarantees at best a very weak return to growth. The massive tax hikes promised by Obama will kill any prospect of vigorous growth for the foreseeable future (Townhall). From McCain: “The economy has hurt us a little bit in the last week or two, but in the last few days we’ve seen it come back up because they want experience, they want knowledge and they want vision. We’ll give that to America” (AP).
2. Barone: Obama Camp Works to Shut Down Opposition
The story concludes: Obama supporters who found the campuses congenial and Obama himself, who has chosen to live all his adult life in university communities, seem to find it entirely natural to suppress speech that they don’t like and seem utterly oblivious to claims that this violates the letter and spirit of the First Amendment. In this campaign, we have seen the coming of the Obama thugocracy, suppressing free speech, and we may see its flourishing in the four or eight years ahead.
3. Democrats Expect The One to Win, Start Making Plans
The talk is spend, spend, spend. (AP) Meanwhile, a look at what Obama calls “tax cuts” (WSJ).
4. Another Hollywood Anti-War Movie Bombs at Box Office
Even big names can’t bring in the crowds to see Body of Lies (USA Today). From the LA Times: The movie posits that our country has lost its direction in the Middle East, portraying frontline operatives as working without strategy or the necessary willingness to cooperate with foreign governments to achieve peace. “We’re waging war in a place we don’t entirely understand,” said DiCaprio, who consulted with a former head of the CIA in preparation for the role (LA Times).
5. Mark Steyn Wins Free Speech
He was accused of spreading hatred against Muslims (Reuters). The verdict (Steynonline).
6. World Magazine: Obama Community Organizer Training from Radical
From the story: The word “radical” is much overused, but in the IAF’s case it fits. “Radical” means, “getting to the root,” and Alinsky wanted to get to the root of, and indeed uproot, America’s cultural values and political system. Thus Alinsky’s famous dedication to his book Rules for Radicals: Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins—or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom—Lucifer. (World Magazine) Meanwhile, more ties between Obama and ACORN (GOP).
7. Time Magazine Upset with Palin’s Talk on Abortion
They claim “Palin’s words were carefully chosen for maximum effect, without employing any outright falsehoods. Taken in isolation, however, her statements were also quite misleading, as they suggested Obama supported the death of babies after birth who had a chance of survival.” But the story does a fairly unconvincing job arguing in Obama’s favor.
8. Castro and Russia Push for Obama Over McCain
Castro said racism will keep Americans from voting for Obama and called McCain bellicose (AP). Russia also threw their support behind Obama (Moscow Times). Meanwhile, vandals spray-painted the words “Republican means slavery” on the door of a local McCain headquarters (Herald Online).
9. Stocks Expected to Rally
As of early this morning (CNN). Foreign markets were up big (ABC News). CBS News explains where your money went (CBS News). Meanwhile, gas prices continue to plunge (FOX New).
10. One in Three New Atlanta Police Officers Have Criminal Record
That’s just the records. The story notes “more than half of the recruits admitted using marijuana.” Why hire them? From the story: Officials have been trying without success for more than a decade to grow the department. Perhaps we need a higher unemployment rate.
11. San Francisco First Graders Taken to Gay Wedding
From the story: In the same week that the No on 8 campaign launched an ad that labeled as “lies” claims that same-sex marriage would be taught in schools to young children, a first grade class took a school-sponsored trip to a gay wedding.