If Obama cant find a way to be exciting (and his intellectual approach doesn’t translate well on that level), he absolutely needs to find a way to kick it up a notch. Relying solely on the need for change due to underlying fundamentals is just too risky.

Excerpts from the WAPO story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..038;s_pos=

“John Feehery, a Republican strategist, said the campaign is entering a stage in which skirmishes over the facts are less important than the dominant themes that are forming voters’ opinions of the candidates.

“We have created a system where there is not a lot of shame in stretching the truth,” said Charlie Cook, editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

There you have it folks.

Never overlook the obvious.

capitol: The building–which they’re definitely talking about moving

capital: the city–which they’re they’re not talking about moving, but rather, making a different city the capital.

Not sure the proper usage here, but it’s close in either case.

“capitol” comes from Capitoline Hill in Rome. Google it.
That’s why they say, “on the hill” when talking about Congress.

On the per diems, I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t you claim a per diem you job rules say you’re entitled to? She’s clearly traveling 800 miles back and forth, so ONE of the residences is going to be considered ‘away’. She has to eat.

The rules say (fin.admin.state.ak.us/dof/travel/resource/rates.pdf) if you have two residences, one is considered “home” and when you’re at the other, you’re considered traveling get a daily per diem (food, incidentals, $60/day). For the purposes of reimbursement, the state says the governor’s home is Juneau. I suppose they could have done it the other way around and said her home is Wasilla and then she’d be collecting a per diem in the governor’s mansion which probably would look just as silly.

I’ve been away on business a lot. It’d be really unfair to have to pay for your own food and expenses everywhere when you’re traveling. The employer has to pay a per diem for food and incidentals in ONE of the locations (wasilla or juneau)

As far as the kids and spouse goes, i guess it’s based on the event. it’s probably the same for all senators, governors, etc. it’s not like it’s going to look good for the country to send Biden or Obama stag to some official dinner event and save on the airfare for their wives either.

I think it’d also be wrong for Obama to personally pay (instead of his campaign) for Michelle and the kids to join him at the DNC in Denver, you know?

The state finance director, Kim Garnero, said Alaska law exempts the governor’s office from elaborate travel regulations. Said Leighow: “The governor is entitled to a per diem, and she claims it.”

To beat them, you must believe in rules–believe in rules so much that you slam the door on these guys without further discussion (which might be against the rules). It takes conviction and energy, and I doubt that we have what it takes. If in fact we do not, then we’ll have to wonder why (our taste for rules, to begin with, may be less than the job requires).

Obama catches me by surprise, and I like him for doing that. I’ll be surprised if he wins, and if he does, I’ll like him all the more.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan. So bless them with your prayers, your prayers of protection over our soldiers.

AMY GOODMAN: Governor Palin was speaking in June. During the same address, she said the construction of a new oil pipeline in Alaska is God’s will.

GOV. SARAH PALIN: I can do my part in doing things like working really, really hard to get a natural gas pipeline, about a $30 billion project that’s going to create a lot of jobs for Alaskans, and we’ll have a lot of energy flowing through here. And pray about that also. I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that.

I am more serious than this lite treatment of the subject suggests.