All Things to All People? Or Nothing to Nobody?

So, the same week Obama is attempting to appeal to religious voters by touting his new-found support for "Faith-Based Initiatives," he is also shoring up support in the gay community by reiterating his opposition to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

Given Obama's blatant pandering and flip-flops, one wonders whether either of the relevant groups will be fooled by these efforts.

The Polls Giveth and the Polls Taketh Away

Only a day after I was celebrating some upbeat polling data for McCain, a new poll has come out showing Big Mac tied with Obama in Indiana, a state that should be safely Republican. While I'm pretty sure that Indiana will stay red this cycle, it looks like McCain may have to spend some money shoring up this would-be base state.

Obama the Idea Man?

In discussing Barack Obama's do-nothing, Jimmy Carter-esque approach to energy policy, Jennifer Rubin at Contentions noted that this ideological torpor is at odds with the Junior Senator's usual willingness to promote new ideas. While I am big fan of Ms. Rubin's, I have to take issue with her characterization of Obama. Sure, the Apostle of Hope-Change speaks generally about his plans for America. Yet, throughout this long campaign season, I have been struck by Obama's lack of specific "big ideas" for transforming the country. Am I missing something?

Good Polls for Big Mac

According to some recent polling, Obama is up by only 3 points in Oregon and he is up by only 4 points in Pennsylvania. Given the lingering goodwill and positive media attention surround the Junior Senator's clinching of the Democratic nomination, I think that this data should give Team Maverick a cause for optimism. If McCain could snag either Oregon or Pennsylvania, two states that both voted Dem in 2004, the Obamesiah would be finished.

Palin for VP

Politico reports that the McCain campaign is actively considering three women for the position of vice president. While Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson is certainly an impressive politician, I believe that she is a bit too old for the post, particularly given McCain's advanced age. Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carley Fiorina would be an interesting pick, but her lack of political skills could pose a problem.

Which leaves Alaska governor Sarah Palin, my personal choice for VP. Palin is a young, effective, popular Republican who has built her reputation on fighting corruption, a challenging task in the Last Frontier. Palin would bring much-needed youth and dynamism to the ticket, and she could woo disaffected Hillary voters much more effectively than could, for example, Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty.

Sure, Palin is a bit inexperienced, but Obama is not one to talk on that issue. Palin for VP!

Habeas and Handguns: The Supreme Court and the Election

According to a new Washington Post poll, 61% of Americans disagree with the Supreme Court's recent Boumediene decision, in which the Justices extended habeas corpus rights to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. In the short run, the decision seems to have helped McCain, as Obama's embrace of the Court's meddling made him look soft on national security.

Even more than Boumediene, however, the Court's upcoming decision in Heller, the DC guns case, will have a tremendous impact on the 2008 race. If, as I believe is likely, the Supreme Court affirms that the Second Amendment does, in fact, protect the rights of citizens to own weapons, Obama will be forced to take a concrete stand on this delicate issue. Given that Obama has, as an Illinois legislator, supported banning all handguns, this should be fun to watch.

I predict that Obama will waffle again. More syrup, please.

Bubba To Endorse Big Mac?

Maybe, but probably not. It would be fun, though, and Bill does love being the center of attention...

Waffles

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air reports that Senator Obama is now threatening to block the FISA compromise bill that just passed the House. This would be the Junior Senator's third flip-flop on the issue (impressive even by Democratic candidate standards). First, Obama opposed any authorization of warrantless wiretapping. Next, Obama signalled that he supported the current compromise. Now, however, Obama is flipping yet again under sustained criticism from MoveOn.org and the liberal "netroots."

This looks like just another example of Mr. Obama's commitment to change. Pass the syrup.

Vero Possumus

I find the new Obama "presidential seal" both ridiculous and mildly offensive. The presidential seal is intended to convey the power and prestige of the US presidency to both the American people and foreign nations. By co-opting and modifying the seal, Obama has presumptuously appropriated a symbol of national unity for narrow partisan purposes. And the addition of the Latin motto is just silly.

Obama: Two-Faced Rhetoric We Can Believe In

Today's New York Times op-ed by David Brooks accurately describes Obama as a politician with a split personality. On the one hand, Obama waxes eloquent about new politics and the fierce urgency of now. On the other, Obama has no problem disingenuously attacking McCain on the "100 years in Iraq" comment and refusing to accept public campaign funding after promising that he would.

While Obama's record in public service is not long enough for him to be painted as a John Kerry-style flip-flopper, I do think that we're now seeing the beginning of a new anti-Obama narrative. Specifically, Obama is a traditional pol hiding behind a facade of inspirational "hope-n-change" rhetoric. Coming from McCain, who is nothing if not honest, I think that this could be effective.

God Bless the Electoral College

According to Politico, Barack Obama may pull an Al Gore this year by winning the popular vote and losing the electoral college. This would happen, for example, if Obama racked up huge margins on the coasts while Maverick McCain won narrow victories in the Republican heartland and the South.

This sounds plausible. It also sounds like an example of the Electoral College working as it was intended. When the Framers eschewed direct popular voting for the presidency and chose the Electoral College instead, one of their aims was to ensure that every president would be truly national figure. Indeed, not until the election of Abraham Lincoln did a US president come to power on the basis of support from only one region of the country.

Sure, the Framers are racist, sexist, classist dead-white-guys. But they were right on occasion. Imagine that.

Opportunity for McCain

The New York Times has just reported that Barack Obama has officially decided to opt out of the public financing system, thereby freeing himself to raise unlimited amounts of donor money. Given the Obama campaigns efforts to portray McCain as a tool of the Washington establishment, this presents Big Mac with an opportunity. Obama promised earlier in the campaign to accept public funding. By reneging now, it is he, and not McCain, who looks like a conventional pol.

Political Spouses: A Jury Question

In recent weeks, I've grown tired of the debate over whether the wives of the presidential candidates should be topics of political discussion. My answer is that of course they should. In a democracy, the issue of what is relevant in electing a president should be left to the jury (i.e., the people) and not to the parties (i.e., the candidates) or to the judge (i.e., the elite media).

Giuliani vs. Kerry

Who'd you rather have on your side in the debate over national security: the hard-charging prosecutor turned hero of 9/11 or the Vietnam veteran turned anti-war activist? I suspect that a poll asking only this question would do more than most to reveal the country's ideological leanings.

Michelle My Belle

The following teaser just appeared on Drudge:

NEW YORK TIMES to detail how Michelle Obama will get subtle makeover; new speech in works to stress humble roots... Editors planning publication in next 48 hours, newsroom sources tell DRUDGE... Developing...

Now, as a big fan of Ms. Obama's, I would be disappointed to see her change at all. I am, however, skeptical that any makeover will succeed given Michelle's, ummm, tenacity. Even if it does, it has to be good for McCain to have Barack's charming better half out on the stump, where she can continue making outrageous anti-American gaffes. I think I'm in love.

Soft on Terror? Yes, he is.

I am pleased to see that McCain surrogates are finally picking the low-hanging fruit and criticizing Obama for his naivete regarding terrorism:

Former CIA head James Woosley: “This is an extremely dangerous and an extremely naive approach to terrorism.”

McCain aide Randy Scheunemann: “He really does not understand the nature of the enemies we face.”

I have long believed that McCain's odds in this election are better than is widely believed. Democrats are simply not serious on issues of national security, and haven't been for at least 30 years. By emphasizing that we do, in fact, live in a dangerous world, McCain can expose Obama's kumbaya approach to world affairs for what it is.

Pay No Attention to that Partisan Record Behind the Curtain

On reading this fascinating interview of Obama, I can't help but wonder whether the public will actually believe his claim to be a "post-partisan" figure. As Obama acknowledges, John McCain has a long record of opposing Republican leadership on several high profile issues. By contrast, the best bipartisan achievement Obama can point to is his support for generally uncontroversial ethics reform legislation. Pretty weak stuff. Reminds me of Obama's claim awhile back on Fox News that his commitment to bipartisanship led him to speak out in favor of the John Roberts nomination, even though he towed the hard-left line and voted against the Chief Justice.

Biden for VP!

According to Karl Rove, Delaware's Joe Biden is currently the leading contender to be Obama's vice presidential nominee. As a McCain supporter, I am thrilled by this development. I might go so far as to say that the prospect of running against Biden gives me a tingling sensation up my leg...

But I digress. Biden is a gaffe-prone blow-hard, and the idea that he would bring gravitas to the ticket is laughable.

Shootout

Apparently, Obama's threat to "bring a gun" to the presidential campaign has caused McCain to rethink his town hall idea.

Seriously, though, I think that Obama's macho posturing looks particularly hollow in light of the junior senator's refusal to engage McCain in a series of unscripted, unarmed encounters.

Whose Deceit?

While politics is certainly a contact sport, I find Obama's attacks against McCain to be particularly irksome given the Illinois senator's promise to transcend petty political maneuvering . Today's attack against McCain by Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) is emblematic. In accusing McCain of being "deceitful," Wasserman Schultz claims that the Arizona senator's voting record is, in fact, "extreme right." Really, Ms. Schultz? Last time I checked, McCain had angered conservatives through his public support of campaign finance reform, amnesty for illegal immigrants, and a cap and trade system for CO2. Next time an Obama surrogate uses the term "deceit," they should first take a hard look at their own "post-partisan" savior.