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[Sharp]

Keep in mind there are some people who thrive on times like these.
Repo men, for example.

Well yes but I doubt most of them have any illusions about the fact that they're profiting from the fact that the country is going in a really bad direction. Then again, I suppose the way the question is phrased they might answer "yes" anyway. Well, whatever, 91% is probably a higher percentage of Americans than you could get to agree that the world is round, so I'll live with it.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

That's fucking sad. I guess I am an elitist.

 

[Zeliard]

Hot Off The Presses?

FL: Obama 48, McCain 46 (MasonDixon-10/4-6)

Mason-Dixon
10/4-6/08; 625 RV, 4%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews

Florida
Obama 48, McCain 46

PA: Obama 55, McCain 40 (SurveyUSA-10/5-6)

SurveyUSA
10/5-6/08; 653 LV, 3.9%
Mode: IVR

Pennsylvania
Obama 55, McCain 40

More PA Rock:

PA: Obama 48, McCain 38 (Muhlenberg-10/2-6)

Muhlenberg College / Morning Call
10/2-6/08; 589 LV, 4%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews

Pennsylvania
Obama 48, McCain 38

 

[ZealousD]

Keep in mind there are some people who thrive on times like these.
Repo men, for example.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/180125/august-27-2008/repo-man (Starts 1:20)

 

[DrEvil]

Will the candidates know the questions before the debate? or are they secretive like the previous two?

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

That's not a workplace; that's a labor camp. Time to revolt!

Federal gov't.

USB key + http://portableapps.com/

blocked, but I'll check it out when I get home. Thanks.

 

[mckmas8808]

I agree. If the TV networks get bored and need a story to cover there are plenty of polls coming out every day at this point and they can start talking about "How can John McCain win?" or "McCain is only down 5 in Ohio? This is good news for John McCain!" or some BS.

They should have hit Obama with this attack way earlier, before the convention and especially before first debate where Obama got an opportunity to connect with voters and reassure them that he's not the risky choice on the ticket.

They did in August. It worked for about 2 weeks and it died out.

 

[scorcho]

Let's not forget, not only will a progressive politician (well, not really, but a man can dream!) step foot into the WH in January, we are also witnessing the death of Sarah Palin's pageant political career - http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/06/can-palin-grow.aspx

 

[GhaleonEB]

Will the candidates know the questions before the debate? or are they secretive like the previous two?

Secret.

What the heck is up with CNN.com? Multiple stories about women on fire? Is that some kind of metaphor?

 

[Joe]

Will the candidates know the questions before the debate? or are they secretive like the previous two?

it's a town hall debate. members of the audience will be asking the questions.

 

[CharlieDigital]

Federal gov't.

Sounds about right :lol

 

[Stoney Mason]

I don't get McCain. His kitchen sink rhetoric only appeals to the people that are already on board. They're fighting for a very small piece of the electorate at this stage, and McCain is completely ignoring them.

It's all he's got left. He has to essentially take it to the mud or he loses rather handily. You throw enough mud and the idea is to drive down the defection from his ranks. The media generally doesn't debunk dirt or character issues so it's also a way to get beyond the media.

It's been a winning strategy in the past although this year looks a bit different perhaps.

 

[speculawyer]

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/180125/august-27-2008/repo-man (Starts 1:20)

Repo man is always intense.

 

[DrEvil]

it's a town hall debate. members of the audience will be asking the questions.

Secret.

I was just curious, as they were being pre-screened, there may have been an opportunity for a list to go out or something before hand of all possible questions, and only a few were actually asked.


I'd love it if someone went up and decided to change it mid-sentence:

"Senator McCain, what are your thoughts on the foreign economic policy of Purple polka-dotted penis eaters?"

 

[Mumei]

What's that excuse Aaron Eckhart used in Thank you for Smoking. Something about paying the mortgage...

If Alan Colmes were one-tenth as awesome as Nick Naylor, there wouldn't be a problem. :lol

 

[DrEvil]

dow -290...

How much do you think we'll settle at by market close?

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Uh, I realize you're joking but what would "gets down to zero" actually mean, barring the simultaneous failure of every single publicly traded company?

Not quite-- just the companies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average.
Company ↓ Symbol ↓ Industry ↓ Date Added ↓
3M NYSE: MMM Diversified industrials 1976-08-09 (as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing)
Alcoa NYSE: AA Aluminum 1959-06-01 (as Aluminum Company of America)
American Express NYSE: AXP Consumer finance 1982-08-30
AT&T NYSE: T Telecommunication 1999-11-01 (as SBC Communications)
Bank of America NYSE: BAC Institutional and retail banking 2008-02-19
Boeing NYSE: BA Aerospace & defense 1987-03-12
Caterpillar NYSE: CAT Commercial vehicles & trucks 1991-05-06
Chevron Corporation NYSE: CVX Oil and gas 2008-02-19
Citigroup NYSE: C Banking 1997-03-17 (as Travelers Group)
Coca-Cola NYSE: KO Beverages 1987-03-12
DuPont NYSE: DD Commodity Chemicals 1935-11-20
ExxonMobil NYSE: XOM Integrated oil & gas 1928-10-01 (as Standard Oil (N.J.))
General Electric NYSE: GE Diversified industrials 1907-11-07
General Motors NYSE: GM Automobiles 1925-08-31
Hewlett-Packard NYSE: HPQ Diversified computer systems 1997-03-17
Home Depot NYSE: HD Home improvement retailers 1999-11-01
Intel NASDAQ: INTC Semiconductors 1999-11-01
IBM NYSE: IBM Computer services 1979-06-29
Johnson & Johnson NYSE: JNJ Pharmaceuticals 1997-03-17
JPMorgan Chase NYSE: JPM Banking 1991-05-06 (as J.P. Morgan & Company)
Kraft Foods NYSE: KFT Food processing 2008-09-22
McDonald's NYSE: MCD Restaurants & bars 1985-10-30
Merck NYSE: MRK Pharmaceuticals 1979-06-29
Microsoft NASDAQ: MSFT Software 1999-11-01
Pfizer NYSE: PFE Pharmaceuticals 2004-04-08
Procter & Gamble NYSE: PG Non-Durable household products 1932-05-26
United Technologies Corporation NYSE: UTX Aerospace, heating/cooling, elevators 1939-03-14 (as United Aircraft)
Verizon Communications NYSE: VZ Telecommunication 2004-04-08
Walmart NYSE: WMT Broadline retailers 1997-03-17
Walt Disney NYSE: DIS Broadcasting & entertainment 1991-05-06

 

[soul creator]

Dude is like 100 years ahead of his time (and the rest of civilization).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacque_Fresco

 

[Sharp]

Ever since the Iowa caucus, this election has been (and still is) Obama's to lose. This election has been unprecedented in so many ways. Thinking back, imagine what would have happened if America (or at least the Democrats) hadn't been ready for a black or female president? We would have ended up voting in John Edwards, and McCain-whoever would win by a landslide in November. So thank god for Iowa, their vote was the boldest by far and saved our asses from a guaranteed extra four years of Republican presidency.

Not quite-- just the companies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average.

-snip-

I was under the impression that they'd add new companies if any in their index went bankrupt or was dissolved or whatever. Maybe not though.

 

[Xeke]

I feel really good that PA is now looking soundly Obama, let McCain dump money here because it doesn't look like it's doing any good.

 

[speculawyer]

Uh, I realize you're joking but what would "gets down to zero" actually mean, barring the simultaneous failure of every single publicly traded company?

Actually, the Dow could hit zero. It is a pretty arbitrary index that was created back before computers and only represents some 30 selected companies. If those 30 companies all went bankrupt, it would hit zero. But they also cheat . . . they change the companies in the index from time to time.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

I caught the 1992 October 15th presidential debate on CSPAN last night. Goddamn was Clinton on fire back then. He was and still is an articulate person who speaks so damn well......and he's clean too.

 

[The Lamonster]

Ever since the Iowa caucus, this election has been (and still is) Obama's to lose. This election has been unprecedented in so many ways. Thinking back, imagine what would have happened if America (or at least the Democrats) hadn't been ready for a black or female president? We would have ended up voting in John Edwards, and McCain-whoever would win by a landslide in November. So thank god for Iowa, their vote was the boldest by far and saved our asses from a guaranteed extra four years of Republican presidency.

That's very true. I still think Obama's Iowa caucus victory speech is the speech of his life and the real beginning of a new wave in American politics.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

It's all he's got left. He has to essentially take it to the mud or he loses rather handily. You throw enough mud and the idea is to drive down the defection from his ranks. The media generally doesn't debunk dirt or character issues so it's also a way to get beyond the media.

It's been a winning strategy in the past although this year looks a bit different perhaps.

Looking back, I think he may have had one last hail mary opportunity to achieve relevance. Given that last Monday, after the House GOP rejected the bailout bill, I think had he not already gone in and pretended to be the bi-partisan hero who brought everyone to the table, he just might have had one last make-or-break opportunity to champion the opposition proposal.

If he hadn't prematurely taken credit for getting the bill passed when it ultimately failed, he might have been able to step in and propose some all-encompassing solution to fix this mess and inspire confidence in his ability to handle the economic collapse. Furtermore, he would have distanced himself from Bush, and shown himself to be the new leader of the Republican party.

However, he didn't, so all he has left is negative attacks.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I feel really good that PA is now looking soundly Obama, let McCain dump money here because it doesn't look like it's doing any good.

Personally I hope FLA is Mccain's albatross. He absolutely 100% has to win FL where as Obama can lose it. I'm hoping from now until election he has to spend so many resources and dollars there that it weakens him pretty much everywhere else.

 

[CharlieDigital]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacque_Fresco

Technocracy: sign me up!

 

[Stoney Mason]

Looking back, I think he may have had one last hail mary opportunity to achieve relevance. Given that last Monday, after the House GOP rejected the bailout bill, I think had he not already gone in and pretended to be the bi-partisan hero who brought everyone to the table, he just might have had one last make-or-break opportunity to champion the opposition proposal.

If he hadn't prematurely taken credit for getting the bill passed when it ultimately failed, he might have been able to step in and propose some all-encompassing solution to fix this mess and inspire confidence in his ability to handle the economic collapse. Furtermore, he would have distanced himslef from Bush, and shown himself to be the new leader of the Republican party.

However, he didn't, so all he has left is negative attacks.

The suspend his campaign idea was clearly a disaster in retrospect. Yes he was nosediving in the polls at the time but I think there would have been a natural upswing for him. Instead it made him look odd and weird and was one of the things that really sustained his poll decline.

 

[mckmas8808]

Okay Dow down -340 points. What's going on today?

Okay just to quote myself it looks like Ben Bernanke is talking right now.

Dow drops as much as 279 points as Fed credit plan fails to reassure investors. Bernanke comments add more worries.
Stock declines accelerated Tuesday afternoon as investor enthusiasm about the Fed's plan to unfreeze credit markets faded and Chairman Bernanke sounded the alarm on the economy.

With 2-1/2 hours left in the session, the Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) had lost 225 points or 2.3%. The blue-chip average ended below 10,000 Monday for the first time in almost 4 years.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) index fell 2.6% and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) lost 2.8%. Both ended at multi-year lows Monday.

Credit markets remained stressed, but showed some improvement after the Fed move. Treasury prices tumbled, pushing the corresponding yields higher as investors shifted to stocks.

CNN Money Link

 

[GDJustin]

That's very true. I still think Obama's Iowa caucus victory speech is the speech of his life and the real beginning of a new wave in American politics.

During Obama's Iowa Caucus victory speech I was like "This man is going to be our next President."

I didn't know if I was going to vote for him or not (yet), but I knew he had it wrapped up.

 

[reilo]

Is Bush really on TV right now telling us that we ought to make all his current tax cuts PERMANENT?

Is this man fucking insane? Haven't they learned anything?

 

[RubxQub]

This 538.com update brought to you by:

 

[StopMakingSense]

Okay Dow down -340 points. What's going on today?

Europe had a stroke.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

?!?

Reno Gazette-Journal/KTVN-TV /
Research 2000
10/3-6/08; 600 LV, 4%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews

Nevada
Obama 50, McCain 43

 

[GhaleonEB]

Okay Dow down -340 points. What's going on today?

Treasury buying commercial paper for the first time since the depression, IIRC. Further turmoil in European banking systems.

Unrelated: Obama's new Florida ad.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Obama_Floridians_Hurting.html?showall

No mention of the Medicare cuts, which I assume will go up in an unannounced ad. Bonus points for the footage of Bush not only hugging McCain, but planting a smootch on his comb-over.

 

[lexdysia]

pix of change

Nice W on that podium there....jk

Wisconsin I guess?

 

[beelzebozo]

Well okay, maybe you do. It just didn't seem to fit you well. I was originally going to respond that it was weird that some people could just demand a place on SNL and be expected to get it, while if you or I tried that they would laugh at us, but the tag confused me.

i'm several pages late with this (had to go into a meeting) but i just wanted you to elaborate on why you thought so--if it was a "you don't deserve to have a tag, you shithead" thing, or a "you don't strike me as a jealous person thing" :lol

 

[Tamanon]

Okay Dow down -340 points. What's going on today?

Expect this to happen for a while, modest losses eating away at the value as more and more investors hit their breaking point and bail.

 

[giga]

This 538.com update brought to you by:

W Virginia slight pink

 

[reilo]

This 538.com update brought to you by:

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

IT'S IN SIDE THE DIFFERENTIAL MARGIN!!!!!?1/1



oh wait it's not. :lol

 

[Barrett2]

Is Bush really on TV right now telling us that we ought to make all his current tax cuts PERMANENT?

Is this man fucking insane? Haven't they learned anything?

At this point, they might as well roll the dice on their insanity. Republicans are officially living in candy land, we shouldn't expect them to change just because our economy is descending into hell.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

Is Bush really on TV right now telling us that we ought to make all his current tax cuts PERMANENT?

Is this man fucking insane? Haven't they learned anything?

It's not unsurprising. The always-present fear that Democrats are going to make things worse by raising taxes is one of the only, albeit weak, arguments they have to paint Dems as a risky gambit in hard economic times.

It's kind of like how he came out in June and argued that we needed to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

 

[mckmas8808]

This 538.com update brought to you by:

O_O

WOW!!!

 

[Macam]

Is this man fucking insane? Haven't they learned anything?

Do you really want us to answer that?

 

[agrajag]

No mention of the Medicare cuts, which I assume will go up in an unannounced ad. Bonus points for the footage of Bush not only hugging McCain, but planting a smootch on his comb-over.

I love that clip, it makes McCain look like Bush's retarded Maverick-man-child.

 

[Sharp]

Is Bush really on TV right now telling us that we ought to make all his current tax cuts PERMANENT?

Is this man fucking insane? Haven't they learned anything?

Bush still maintains that he wouldn't change even one of his decisions if he had the opportunity to relive his presidency, right? He lives by a moral code that equates recalcitrance with strength and admitting wrongdoing with surrender. Of course he wants to make his tax cuts permanent: to do otherwise would be to admit defeat. Plus he's a fucking idiot.

 

[besada]

I'm going to be so glad not to have to look at this chimp-faced moron all the time.

 

[mckmas8808]

?!?

Reno Gazette-Journal/KTVN-TV /
Research 2000
10/3-6/08; 600 LV, 4%
Mode: Live Telephone Interviews

Nevada
Obama 50, McCain 43

O_O


WOW again!!! So Obama is really running away with this thing isn't he?

 

[Trurl]

I did that in about 2 seconds. Then I checked the table and saw that my birthplace was #1, so I guess that's a good thing. :lol

Wait, aren't you a Spaniard?

 

[mckmas8808]

Treasury buying commercial paper for the first time since the depression, IIRC. Further turmoil in European banking systems.

Unrelated: Obama's new Florida ad.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Obama_Floridians_Hurting.html?showall

No mention of the Medicare cuts, which I assume will go up in an unannounced ad. Bonus points for the footage of Bush not only hugging McCain, but planting a smootch on his comb-over.

What does buying commerical paper mean?