It’s easy to see why. Greeter’s bankruptcy resulted in local banks losing several hundred thousand dollars. Documentation at JohnGreeter.com.

McCain needs to do very well tonight.  My internet connection seems to be moving at a crawl. Is everyone in TN trying to stream the debate live?

8:03  Brokaw introduces:  We’re all doooomed!

8:04 1st question: What will congress do to bail out senior citizens?  Obama: Repulican deregulation caused all our problems. McCain looks and sounds strong.  But he wants to bail out homeowners to “restore home values.”  Are we going to just guarantee that no ones ever loses money at anything in America?

8:10  Obama continues with “Rich people are evil” theme.

8:11 Watching on Fox News.  Lot’s of shots of McCain’s back. Is it that way on all the networks?

8:13 McCain begins to hit on his record of trying to reform Freddie and Fannie.  Hits Obama on his record of Freddie and Fannie donations.  This is something people need to hear.    Obama tries to deflect by a general muddying of his record and McCain’s record

8:17 Obama just said we need a whole new financial regulation system that should be coordinated with Europe!

8:20  Obama declares how terrible it is that our deficit has increased. He is going to cut spending while implementing all his programs.  Look! No mirrors!

8:22 McCain begins to attack Obama on his record in response to a question about trust. McCain is very effective here.   McCain’s argument is that he has a record of accomplishment in trying to fix things.

8:28  Obama, energy is top priority. We have to deal with energy prices RIGHT AWAY. And that’s why he calls for a 10 year program to become energy independent.  If it takes 10 years, how will it help right away?

8:29 Obama will go through budget line by line. Has anyone told him that the line-item veto was ruled unconstitutional? 

8:20 Internet Question: What sacrifices will you ask Americans to make?  Good question. McCain:  Ask people to give up unneeded programs.  Elimate earmarks. Tell American people that spending must be cut. Great conservative answer. It is sad that giving up government programs is a sacrifice on the part of the Americans, but I believe it is true.

8:32:  Obama’s answer to sacrifice question:   filibustering…  Must think about the way we use energy.  He is dangerously close to asking us to all wear sweaters….   Double peace corp. 

8:35  Q: How to stop too much debt and easy credit.  Obama: We must control Government spending.  We can’t cut taxes for business.  (So how will high taxes on business discourage them from being in debt?) McCain now notes that Obama is being very unclear about his tax programs.  Hitting him for taxing small business.  (They have both given up answering the question) Good challenge to Obama to drop his tax plan since the economy is bad.

8:40 Entitlement question: Will you reform social security and entitlements?  Obama: We must work quickly.  Obama has terrible lurching transition to talk about his tax plan.  He is going to give everyone a tax break except to those evil rich people and corporations.  Would someone please ask Obama, HOW RAISING TAXES ON WAL-MART WILL BENEFIT ME??????

8:40 Obama is basically saying that he will fix everything because he says so. Proof by assertion.

8:47  McCain pushing hard for Nuke power.  I dislike the environmental hysteria, but Nuke power would be great to help reduce oil use.  Obama: New energy future is like the the induction of the computer.  His answer her is incomprehensible. We can’t drill, we must use alternate energy, but seems to minimize nuclear power.  This is all pie in the sky. Just trust him that it will work out.

8:53  McCain defends drilling now!  Yes!  Explains supply and demand.

8:54 Q: Should health care be treated as a commodity?  (good question)   Obama ignores question and just begins to explain his health plan. We are going to make health insurance affordable by reducing paperwork. Attacks McCain’s insurance program.

8:56   McCain properly frames Health issue as “choices vs. mandates”  Good clarification from Browkaw, “Is health care a right or a responsibility.”  McCain: It’s a responsibility.  Obama: It’s a right.  Obama clarifies that he will make you buy health care for your children.  Government must make sure you do the right thing.

9:07   Obama attacking McCain on Iraq.  Now attacking Iraq war in general.  Isn’t that old news now.  Question:  Obama has been complaining for over a year about spending $700B on the war, but yet didn’t blink to spend $700B on the bailout on a moment’s notice.  We could have went to Darfur instead?  (Why is that important to America?)

9:10  Q: What is the Obama doctrine about using armed force when our interests are not at stake. ?  Obama: We can go in if moral issues are at stake, like genocide, Darfur, Rowanda, Holocaust, etc.  (Weren’t there moral issues at stake in Iraq?)   McCain: Criteria is: Can we beneficially improve the situation?  Sometimes are abilities are limited.

9:14  Q: Should we respect Pakistan’s borders?   Obama:  Obama escaped because we went to Iraq.  Al Queda is stronger than any time since 2001.  (really?)  Send a lot more troops to Afghanistan.  Get tougher with Pakistan.  Insist they get tougher with terrorists (or else what?)  Getting rid of Al Queda and Bin Laden is our number one military priority.

9:17 McCain takes Obama to task for threatening Pakistan.  We have to get their support. We need the support of the people and turn against the Taliban. Not threatening them.

9:21 Question about changes in strategy or policy in Afghanistan.  Obama: We need to move more troops there (to accomplish what?) Tell Afghans they need to get better control (I bet they never thought of that.)

9:24 McCain defends Petraus ability to accomplish mission in Afghanistan.

9:25 McCain: We will not have  a new cold war with Russia.  The problem in Russia is Putin. Need to put diplomatic and economic pressure on Russian to behave.

9:26  Obama: We need to send $$$$$$ to Russian satellite countries to help them.  Obama says we need to anticipate these problems instead of just reacting to them.

9:34  Q: Would we defend Israel against nukes from Iran without getting permission from UN. McCain: yes, Obama: Gave a long rambling answer that included gas production. Kinda yes?

9:38  Great answer by McCain to final question: “What don’t you know and how will you learn about it.”  McCain:  I don’t know what is going to happen at home and abroad in the future. I have the experience to handle the unexpected. 

Debate ends. My final impression.  Obama spent a great amount of time not actually saying anything. He spent a lot of time just restating the question and empathizaing with the questioner without actually saying anything.

McCain gave a solid performance, but no killer moments.  I’ll add a few more comments after I’ve had time to sleep on it.

• The two candidates had different goals.  Biden’s goal was to attack McCain. Palin’s goal was to reassure Americans that she is the real deal. Both did an admirably job of accomplishing their goal
• You will hear pundits talk about who won on “points.”  This is because all those journalists went to some Ivy League school where they had to take a debate class which was scored on whether you answered every point your opponent made.  But this is a public political debate. It’s the political equivalent of “Whose Line is it Anyway?”  The points don’t matter.
• I thought Joe Biden sounded pretty good the first half of the debate. But the last 30 minutes he seemed to get angry and slightly flustered.
• Can anyone explain to me why Obama and Biden think going to war in Iraq is unforgivable, but going to war in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Darfur, and Bosnia is just peachy? For bonus points explain to me how they will not allow Iran to get nukes, since any discussion of moving against Iran is war-mongering?
• Is there anyone in the country besides Joe Biden who really thinks John McCain wanted to cut off funding for the troops?
• Palin made no serious mistakes, looked great, talked directly to Americans and generally looked competent. Early reactions seem to indicate most people liked Sarah.  A bad performance could have nearly derailed the McCain campaign, which is suffering this week. Her strong performance will allow the McCain campaign to turn their attention fully toward the remaining debates and final push. Biden didn’t land any blows against McCain that haven’t already been repeated a dozen times. Therefore, advantage Palin.

When it comes to being a conservative, Rip is the real deal.  Rip lives in Van Buren county and was elected to the county commission despite being a Republican in a Democrat-leaning county.

Check out his website, VanWinkle37.com.

And if you get a chance to meet Rip, get him aside for a few minutes and ask him how he got his name…

Speakers include local candidates Judd Matheny, Steve Heath & Mike Niederhauser. Also present will be Jason Mumpower, and the keynote speaker will be Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.  Ticket sales are due this Saturday.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

5:30 pm - Social Hour

Manchester/Coffee County Convention Center

near Exit 114 (off of I-24) & US 41 147 Hospitality Blvd., Manchester, Tennessee

Sit Down Meal - Entertainment provided by Dr. Jerry Anderson

$30  – Single/ $55 – Couple

Please RSVP 931-841-6484 (931-723-0591 after 3 pm)

Attire  - Business Casual

Democrats Stewart and Greeter are state senate and state legislator candidates.  Exactly how will they lower gas prices?

• Increase supply?  Opening up new areas for drilling requires votes by the US congress. And in case they haven’t noticed, the Democrats in the US congress are against new drilling.
• Decrease demand?  Are they going to pass a law against big 4 wheel drive trucks in Tennessee? Everyone in their district would have to walk!
• Raise taxes on “Big Oil?” How would raising taxes make prices go down?
• Stop price gouging? It’s already against the law.  And the attorney general is already appointed by Democrats.  Why hasn’t he stopped gouging already?
• Lower gas taxes? We fund road construction with gas taxes. Do they support less road construction?

There is almost nothing a state legislator can do to affect gas prices.  Candidates know voters are upset about high gas prices so they tell you what you want to hear.

It may get votes, but when it comes to actually lowering gas prices, they’re running on empty.

Obama super-delegate and supporter, Phil Bredesen, welcomed in Winchester as he campaigns for fellow Democrats and Obama supporters Fraley and Stewart

Winchester, TN- In a county where the presidential race has been largely one sided, the Franklin County Republican Party welcomes Barack Obama super-delegate and supporter Phil Bredesen to the area. Bredesen’s visit to Franklin County and support for local candidates is part of the Obama campaign’s “Fifty State Strategy” to send Obama to the White House and bring the liberal Obama agenda to all fifty statehouses including Nashville, where Obama’s party already controls the state House and is aiming to take control of the state Senate.

“We welcome the Obama campaign to Franklin County as we support a healthy dialogue in this presidential race,” said Franklin County Republican Women’s Chair Jan Doran. She added that while support in the area for the Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin has been very strong, “It’s nice to see that local Democrats are lining up behind their presidential candidate”.

Obama, a lifelong Democrat like Fraley and Stewart, has campaigned in France and Germany more recently than in Tennessee however Mr. Bredesen has kept the Obama campaign going here in Tennessee and now in Franklin County with appearances in support of the first-term junior senator from Chicago.

Thanks for your patience.

Johnson has lead the TCPR in a number of succussful investigations of various government scandals in TN.  You would think that a newspaper would appreciate this sort of digging around. You would be wrong. Apparently digging up government corruption is only newsworthy if the Nashville Scene can catch a conservative doing something wrong.  Or in Drew Johnson’s case, something right.

For the record, Johnson and the TCPR filed the ethics complaint that lead to a $120,000 fine against former Sen. Jerry Cooper.  This was a major factor in his resignation. Now we have a competitive race in the 14th district for the first time in decades.

For more details see Blue Collar Muse.

I don’t think we’re going to get out of this thing. I’m going to have to go out on faith.

On September 11, 2001 my wife, my 3 year old daugher and I were home enjoying the arrival of our new adopted son who was three weeks old at the time. Only a week before my wife had made the return flight home from Florida and my daughter and I had flown home the previous week.  Our biggest concern had been the normal summer turbulence over the deep south.

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Todd Beamer had a wife and children and a baby on the way. Thankfully, they were not with him on Flight 93 when it was hijacked by Muslim extremists. And thanks to the actions of Todd Beamer and others with him, there were a few less widows and orphans on that terrible day. Beamer and his associates discovered that day what all of us should understand.  That at any moment, we may be called upon to stand up and face down evil.

Thanks to Todd Beamer for answering the call. And may America always have such fine men and women to stand up for the innocent.