Biden will most likely be on the attack from the start.
I think his first attacks will sound good and score points, but his problem will be Ryan knows the facts better than Biden and his counterpunches will land and Joe won’t know what to do. That is when we will get the gaffe or crazy sound bite we are all expecting.
The only thing Biden has going for him is everyone thinks he will mess it up and the expectations for him are very low. This is Ryan’s first big debate so nobody knows what to expect from him but I bet we will get a heavy dose of gas prices, personal income and deficit talk. If Biden hits to hard it will be easy for Ryan to use some of his own comments against him.
By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Oct 9, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Disappointing iPhone discoveries.
I am very disappointed with the camera app I discovered last night on my iphone that also records video.
It’s a very cool app, for sure. Not being critical of the app or of how it works. In fact, it actually works extremely well–which is really the cause of my problem.
It was the disappointing quality of what I decided to record that is bothering me.
But then again I am probably being way too hard on myself.
I mean think about, how many people have ever said the words, “OMG, I just recorded myself singing and I sound much better than I even imagined I would.”
Not many. And I am in the majority.
Was hoping I sounded like an aging American version of Paul McCartney singing Blackbird. Instead it sounded more like my father’s half-hearted attempts to sing along with the hymnals at church before he’d eventually stop because he didn’t want to call attention to himself for carrying a poor melody.
Maybe Apple should include a warning saying, “Actual recordings will sound like a time your parents sang and embarrassed you and not like the singer you are impersonating.” That might help a little.
Very disappointing discovery, and the last time I’ll be pointing that app in my direction.
Here’s my last video recording of me ever on my iPhone. Without the audio. Because, frankly, I learned last night that I look much better singing “Blackbird” than I sound.
In an aptly headlined article in The New School News, “Recovering Politician on the Political Divide,” contributing RP Jeff Smith is profiled on his heightened visibility during the media’s inquiry into controversial comments made by Smith’s former legislative colleague, Missouri U.S. Senate candidate, Todd Akin:
Following Representative Todd Akin’s controversial statement about “legitimate rape” in August, much of the media expected the Republican senate nominee from Missouri to give up his election bid. But Jeff Smith, assistant professor of politics at the Milano School for International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy, knew better. Having served as a Democrat in the Missouri State Senate from 2006–2009, Smith is accustomed to Republican Party dominance in his home state—and understands why Akin’s extreme views could be an electoral advantage.
When teaching graduate students at The New School about the electoral and political system, Smith has more experience than time spent in the statehouse. As punishment for a minor campaign law infraction, Smith spent much of 2010 in federal prison, giving him a particularly personal understanding of the gray areas of campaign management and the legislative process. For Smith, Missouri is a perfect microcosm to discuss the widening divide between the left and the right at the national level.
“I think red states are getting redder and blue states are getting bluer,” says Smith, attributing this movement in part to increased mobility that accompanied the Interstate Highway System and inexpensive air travel. “People like to live near people who are like them,” explains Smith. “When travel is relatively affordable, conservatives can easily move from the coasts to the heartland, and liberals can move from the heartland to the coasts.”
By Nancy Slotnick, on Tue Oct 9, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET
I just recently heard this phrase “what’s your scary age?” It refers to women’s biological clock. It implies that women are scared of the limitations of their own bodies when it comes to fertility. Which we are.
There’s nothing like the last minute. In college I used to wait until the day before a paper was due before starting it. The theory was that if I started earlier the work would just expand to fit all that extra time that I had. If I waited until the night before and had some good coffee (or Jolt- the predecessor to Red Bull- you can see I’m at a scary age!) then the pressure of the procrastination would Jolt me into getting it done. That drink was aptly named.
Except there was that one time. It was supposed to be the biggest “gut” class. An easy A. They called it “gas stations” because we literally studied the landscape of gas stations and every day places that you never notice. The stakes were higher because this paper was a 15 pager and the professor had a hang-up about lateness of papers and never gave extensions. So of course I choked. I waited until the last minute as usual, drank too much Jolt and had a caffeine overdose reaction. Then I fell asleep. Go figure.
What is the moral to this story? Don’t trust a beverage whose slogan is “All the sugar and twice the caffeine!” That I figured out even before I graduated Harvard. But what has taken me all of these years later (I’m getting dangerously close to my 25th reunion) to learn? You don’t have to wait until you’re scared before you kick your butt in gear. And when the pressure’s on, it’s even more likely that you’ll choke. And you don’t want to choke on something as important as marriage and kids.
Read the rest of… Nancy Slotnick: What’s Your Scary Age?
BuzzFeed Politics asked contributing RPs Jeff Smith and Rod Jetton –both who served with Todd Akin in the Missouri legislature whether GOP donors will ever follow their political leadership and support Akin’s bid for the U.S. Senate. Here were their responses:
Rod Jetton, a former Republican speaker of the House in Missouri who works now as a political analyst, said major donors have about a week left to reevaluate and contribute money to Akin if they want to make a difference in the race.
But, Jetton told BuzzFeed, donors will remain wary of investing in Akin who, as a candidate, has been inconsistent at best.
“I don’t know that they have the confidence that the last four weeks of the campaign will be any different from what the past six weeks have been, from a messaging standpoint,” Jetton said.
“Let’s be honest,” he added. “Whether they like Todd Akin or not — and they don’t — if it can put them to 50, it doesn’t matter: They’re going to have to spend the money. But these misstatements make them wonder if they should be spending money in one of the other contested races.”
“Your standard Romney bundler is not going to start bundling for Todd Akin,” said Jeff Smith, a professor at the New School and a former Democratic Missouri state senator. “That person would be embarrassed to bring Todd Akin to Manhattan.”
Because major Missouri donors have also stayed away, Smith told BuzzFeed, outside groups will be the ones who keep Akin afloat—or not, as the case may be.
“Obviously this is the seat of last resort, the one they don’t want to have to give to, but it keeps coming back,” Smith said. “If they can figure out any way to get the Senate back without spending money in Missouri, they’ll do it.”
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Mon Oct 8, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
The Politics of Pigskin
According to Pro Football Reference the 49ers became the first team to accumulate over 300 yards in both passing and rushing. How’s that for a balanced offence? [Pro-Football-Reference]
Cheifs OT Eric Winston had strong words following their game on Sunday regarding fans who cheered when Matt Cassel went down with an injury (which later turned out to be a concussion). [Arrowhead Pride]
Another starting QB was knocked out of his game on Sunday when Robert Griffin III also sustained a concussion while scrambling for a first down. The hit was deemed legal because RG III had not slid. [ESPN]
The Colts did right by absent head coach Chuck Pagano on Sunday – upsetting the Packers and sending a game ball to Pagano in the hospital. [SI]
For Sunday’s night game fans were treated to the Saints claiming their first win of the season and Drew Brees breaking Johnny Unitas’ record for consecutive games with a passing TD. [ESPN]
In the Recovering Politician Bowl we lost our last unbeaten team as the Powerful Lobbyists took their first loss.
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Oct 8, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Do you know your strongest demographic?
A favorite campaign story I was reminded of recently happened in 2007 when my family at our first major fundraising event in Frankfort. I was the Lt. Governor running- mate candidate with House Speaker Jody Richards. We were huddled in our van before the event with my 11 year old son, Johnny, listening intently as we went over fresh poll numbers.
I tried to include Johnny so it would make sense to him and explained that the poll was broken up into different demographic groups based on age, sex and so on.
I explained to Johnny that we did OK with 18-24 year olds; better with 30-45 year olds and even better with those 55 and over. And went though other demographic breakdowns with him as well.
We arrived at the event and over a 100 people were present. Johnny did what any 11 year old would do first and went for the food table. We stayed until almost everyone had left and Johnny walked up to me exhausted–with the arms pulled up from his over-sized sweat jacket— but eager to report something to me. He seemed excited and told me, “Dad, I shook a lot of hands tonight.”
I said, “Well, wonderful honey, but you didn’t have to do that. But I sure appreciate it!”
“I enjoyed it and everyone was really nice.” Johnny responded before pausing and then adding. “I think my best demographic is women over 55.”
I almost embarrassed myself I laughed so loudly….but was quick to remind Johnny, who didn’t understand what was so funny, That’s an awfully good demographic to do the best with. And that he should consider himself lucky.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Oct 8, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET
A lot of virtual ink has been spilled about Friday’s controversial infield fly rule call in the Major League Baseball playoff game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rob Neyer, one of my favorite sports journalists, offers this dispassionate, very persuasive, and counter conventional-wisdom analysis as to why the umps got the call right. Here’s an excerpt:
Now, before we get to the heart of the thing, let me clear up a couple of things.
Friday night, a great number of observers — and I use the word “observers” quite literally — complained that left-field umpire Sam Holbrook didn’t make the call immediately, as (supposedly) stipulated by the rule. But that isn’t what the rule says. What the rule says is that he should make the call immediately after it comes apparent that it’s an Infield Fly.
Usually, that happens a split-second after the ball is hit; most of the time, it’s quickly apparent that an infielder might easily make the play. This just wasn’t one of those times. Because of where the ball was hit — short left field — it wasn’t apparent until a) the baseball began its descent, and b) there was an infielder in the vicinity.
But what’s truly odd about the complaint is that making the call “late” actually helped the Braves. If an umpire had screamed “Infield Fly” immediately, the runners might well have held their bases. Instead they went halfway down their respective baselines, and actually advanced one base apiece. Even if you think they would have gotten there anyway, the delayed call certainly didn’t hurt the Braves.
So let’s forget about that complaint, and focus instead on the only valid point of dispute, a simple question:
Could that fair fly ball have been caught by an infielder with ordinary effort?
Biden will most likely be on the attack from the start.
