Everyone knew it was coming. McCain’s eyelids had been telegraphing it like Morse since the final degate began. The Ayers/Acorn one-two, Rev. Wright and Tony Rezko implicitly implied, the money shot for the McCain/Palin rally monkeys. Obama had been sticking his jaw out, waiting for it, and when McCain landed the punch Obama reacted as if McCain had delved into Canadian trade deals. McCain declined to follow up his assertion that “details needed to be known” by asking about any, and thousands of Palin fanboys gnashed their teeth in impotent frustration and turned off the debate, which is a shame, ‘cause there was some interesting stuff in the second half. So here’s a brief highlight reel [debates.org]:

McCain: Well, Americans have gotten to know Sarah Palin…

32% favorability. Yes, we have gotten to know her. [www.nytimes.com]

McCain: ….it’s time we had that bresh of freth air (sic) — breath of fresh air coming into our nation’s capital and sweep out the old-boy network and the cronyism that’s been so much a part of it that I’ve fought against for all these years

”I smell like mothballs.”

Schieffer: Do you (Obama) think she’s qualified to be president?

Obama: PASS

Obama: I think it’s very commendable the work she’s done on behalf of special needs. I agree with that, John. I do want to just point out that autism, for example, or other special needs will require some additional funding, if we’re going to get serious in terms of research…..And if we have an across-the-board spending freeze, we’re not going to be able to.

R U SERIUS? U R NOT SERIUS

McCain: …..we’ve sailed Navy ships around the world for 60 years with nuclear power plants on them. We can store and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, Senator Obama, no problem.

Okay, maybe a small problem. [www.bloomberg.com]

McCain: We can offshore drill now. We’ve got to do it now. We will reduce the cost of a barrel of oil because we show the world that we have a supply of our own.

…because of we don’t tear apart the sofa for loose change right now, we’ll never afford a new house.

McCain: …..if you don’t get — adopt the health care plan that Senator Obama mandates, he’s going to fine you. Now, Senator Obama, I’d like — still like to know what that fine is going to be, and I don’t think that Joe right now wants to pay a fine when he is seeing such difficult times in America’s economy.…..
…………….
Obama: I’m happy to talk to you, Joe, too, if you’re out there. Here’s your fine — zero. You won’t pay a fine, because…
MCCAIN: Zero?
OBAMA: Zero

There’s really nothing to add to this moment in writing. The look on McCain’s face is priceless, like he’d just been slapped with a mackerel. You can watch the video here. [www.talkingpointsmemo.com]

McCain: This really gets down to the fundamental difference in our philosophies. If you notice that in all of this proposal, Senator — government wants — Senator Obama wants government to do the job.

Senator Government. One of the greatest Freudian slips of all time.

McCain: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test.

Considering anybody except for those who do X…..is a litmus test.

Obama: Senator McCain and I disagreed recently when the Supreme Court made it more difficult for a woman named Lilly Ledbetter to press her claim for pay discrimination……

Hello, ladies.

McCain: I don’t know how you align yourself with the extreme aspect of the pro- abortion movement in America…

Holy $#!T! There’s a pro-abortion movement? And an extreme one, at that? Isn’t that redundant? Not to mention, f#%k you too?

McCain: Just again, the example of the eloquence of Senator Obama. He’s health for the mother. You know, that’s been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That’s the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, “health.”

Air quotes??? That sound you hear is McCain’s polling among women going ker-splattttt.

All in all, John McCain was as energetic as he’s been in any of the debates, which has to be a step up, but he was rambling, unfocused, and angry (and hurting). If I didn’t know better, it looked like he split an eight-ball with W. in the limo. Obama, on the other hand, probably had the mellowest of his three debates, and given his goal of seeming a reassuring presence to those unfamiliar with him, he was the teacher parents trusted and kids admired. That’s 3 for 3.

Now, if only this all meant something.

– Michael Turner

A-List conservative wingnut columnist Charles Krauthammer in today’s Washington Post [www.washingtonpost.com]:

“Convicted felon Tony Rezko. Unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers. And the race-baiting Rev. Jeremiah Wright. It is hard to think of any presidential candidate before Barack Obama sporting associations with three more execrable characters. Yet let the McCain campaign raise the issue, and the mainstream media begin fulminating about dirty campaigning tinged with racism and McCarthyite guilt by association.

But associations are important. They provide a significant insight into character.”

It’s hard to think of any candidate besides Obama associating with three more execrable characters, huh?

Alright, Chuckles, let’s do this thing.

Convicted Felon Charles Keating, responsible for the collapse of Lincoln Savings and Loan in 1989, and a major component of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 80’s/early 90’s. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? He was the starring player in the “Keating 5” scandal, the donation of $1.3 million to five U.S. senators to keep federal regulators off his back, including one Sen. John McCain. Ring a bell? McCain listed his good friend and financial supporter Keating as part of McCain’s Senate campaign finance committee when he first ran for the office in Arizona. McCain wrote Keating an apology (on official U.S. House of Representatives stationary), to which Keating wrote back, telling McCain not to worry. “I’m yours ‘til death do us part.” [washingtontimes.com] (Ed. note – I thought McCain was opposed to gay marriage?) The Lincoln S&L debacle cost the federal government, i.e. American taxpayers, over $3 billion. 23,000 people were defrauded, and many lost their entire life savings. In contrast, Tony Rezko, whose illegal activity was in no way connected to Barack Obama, was a piker compared to John McCain’s good friend Charles Keating.

G. Gordon Liddy, mastermind of the Watergate burglaries that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, is another good friend of John McCain. McCain has appeared on Liddy’s rightwing talk radio show [www.chicagotribune.com], where he gushed, “”I’m proud of you, I’m proud of your family. It’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.” Given that this was long after Liddy had, on that very same radio show, talked about how excited listening to Hitler’s speeches made him, and advised listeners on how best to kill federal agents (body shots would be ineffective against bullet-proof vests, so aim for the head), it’s hard to imagine what principles and philosophies McCain was referring to.

The Rev. John Hagee [www.cjr.org], of whose endorsement McCain said he was “honored,” is a virulent anti-Catholic, blames the Jews for their own persecution, said Hitler was merely “doing God’s will,” and blamed Hurricane Katrina on homosexuals. Then there’s the preacher McCain claims is his “spiritual guide,” the Rev. Rod Parsley [www.motherjones.com], who claims Islam is “the greatest religious enemy of our civilization and the world,” and says it’s America’s historic mission to see “this false religion destroyed.” Far from repudiating this religious fruit loop, McCain has praised and campaigned with him. And you don’t even wanna go into Sarah Palin’s religious associates. But since we’re here, maybe you should check out this video of Palin accepting the laying-of-hands blessing of Pastor Thomas Muthee, who asks Jesus to fund her political campaigns, and protect her from witchcraft. [www.youtube.com]

The difference between all of these people and Obama’s “associations,” is that Obama has renounced, shunned, thrown under the bus and otherwise disassociated whatever tenuous links he’s had with any of them. John McCain, on the other hand, has embraced his “execrable characters” and blamed the media for bringing any of them up.

You say it’s hard to imagine another politician associating with repugnant people, and that should reflect on their character? You’re just not trying hard enough, Chuck.

– Michael Turner