THINGS THAT MAKE ME GO HMMMM....

Debate III: The Return of the Maverick Starring Joe the Plumber

I won't spend a lot of time on this last debate. I'm sick of talking about them and I'm not a political analyst, prognosticator or pundit. The only impressions I want to share are these:

--Everyone in the so-called Liberal media seems to think McCain won this debate. He was more lively, engaged and pointed in this debate, but that doesn't mean he won. He'll gain no points from any undecided voters with his vigorous anti-choice stance (anybody who hasn't yet made up their mind long ago figured out that formerly moderate John McCain had sold out to the right wing anti-abortion activists who now control the Republican Party). He didn't really move the needle on the economy. Frankly, other than looking sufficiently indignant at the remarks of Rep. John Lewis and getting off some good and forceful points about education initiatives (of all things), what exactly did McCain accomplish? I would argue, nothing.

--Who the f**k is Joe the Plumber? I guess some enterprising journalist will dig him up in the next couple of days and we'll hear all about him. As Tracy said, "I wish I were Joe the Plumber! That guy will be able to buy his small business now!" So if you're scoring at home the debates went like this: one stand up debate for all America, one town hall meeting for America and one sit down debate for Joe the Plumber from Toledo.

--You can't outfox Obama no matter how hard you try. Hit him over the head with Master Terrorist William Ayers and he points out that Ayers "won't be in my administration and he doesn't set my policy." Make the point that you're not George W. Bush and "if you wanted run against George W. Bush, you should have run against him four years ago," and Senator Obama coolly points out that your policies are pretty much exactly like George Bush, so what's the difference? Of all contemporary politicians, perhaps nobody pivots quite like Barack Obama.

--Most post debate polls and focus groups--which we should all take with a huge grain of salt by the way--gave Obama a clear victory which should be all he needs, barring some disastrous flub or unforeseen ugly racial backlash, to hold on to his lead and win on Election Day. Wow, an African-American president in my lifetime. It's almost too amazing to consider.

A List of Things That Make Me Go Hmmmm...

Ah, Arsenio Hall. Where have you gone? I'll bet you miss the early 1990s. Anyway, in remembrance of Arsenio, I have a few thoughts that I'd like to share that make ME go "hmmmmm". Maybe they'll make you go "hmmmm" as well:

**J.P. Morgan Chase bank is an agglomeration of several different financial institutions with their root in the J.P. Morgan trust. J.P.'s grandson by the way, co-founded Morgan Stanley, one of the financial institutions on the verge of collapse during the current crisis. Hmmmm....

**The American Express credit corporation, perhaps the world's premier consumer credit lender was founded by two men named Henry Wells and William Fargo. Yes, THAT Wells & Fargo. Hmmm...

**When he was attorney general in New York, Elliot Spitzer began launching an investigation into possible predatory lending practices and financial improprieties by Wells Fargo Bank. After he became governor he was found guilty of using state money to conduct an affair with a call girl and he resigned from office. The investigation into Wells Fargo has been dropped. Hmmm...

**Do you feel like about 80% of the nation's wealth is controlled by maybe 15 families, including the Wells', the Fargo's, the Morgan's, the Rockefellers, Bill Gates and a few others? Isn't it interesting where the $700 billion bailout went? Hmmm...

**Madonna directed a movie called THE FILTH AND THE FURY which is getting good reviews and now she is divorcing Guy Ritchie, the film director behind the new movie ROCKNROLLA which is getting generally poor reviews. Is anyone feeling resentful? Hmmmm...

**Why is it that everyone gives lip service to equal rights and treating women fairly but when it comes to attacking McCain running mate Sarah Palin for her obvious stupidity and questionable rhetoric, everyone keeps the gloves on for fear of looking too harsh while attacking a woman. Is this gentility or hypocrisy? Hmmm...

Enough's enough! How about a break from political discourse? How about I give you more of what you love (or at least tolerate) - movie reviews, opinions about pop culture and sexy pictures? I'll get to work on it for you.

Peace...