Which pundit do I remember saying if he didn’t get at least a 10 point bounce after the convention to tell him to quit measuring the curtains? I’d like to think it was Karl Rove (write it in stone) but I think it was take-it-with-a-grain-of-salt Dick Morris.

Marcus on August 28, 2008 at 12:07 PM

If it was Dick Morris then I think instead of taking it with a grain of salt I’ll take it out to the backyard and shoot it.

Could be an outlier or bad poll. Rasmussen shows it tied, which represents a 1% “bounce” for Obama. If Gallup’s right, I’m a bit mystified. The convention to me has seemed weak. My impressions, though obviously informed by partisanship, nevertheles…

The unfortunate thing was that the press simply did not refute some of the clear falsehoods put out last night that will continue to to hurt in the polls for days. Any falsehood or even debatable item put out by McCain’s convention will be highlighted and tortured in the media.

But whining does not help. I think the McCain campaign has been quite competent in the last month and if he can pull this election out, it should prove more management ability than he had been given credit for and a lot more than Obama has demonstrated in his campaign inthe last two months.

That’s the one.

Pablo on August 28, 2008 at 2:12 PM

Yeah, I had my doubts about it when I read the email, should have checked it out first.

Gallup has O up by 6 in daily tracking. I predict there will be a bounce. But McCain has been brillant at keeping it pretty low. That Hurricane could really hurt the Rs though. And we are just not as likely to get the TV audience. Unless there is something planned that I don’t know about.

petunia on August 28, 2008 at 1:55 PM

Yeah, Rasmussen seems to usually be a day behind Gallop on these things. The bounce will hit by tomorrow or over the weekend.

Given the hurricane, maybe the One actually IS hurling lighting bolts from Mt. Olympus. Crap luck… idiot builds his temple in an outdoor stadium and the Republicans get stuck with the hurricane.

I saw that too. Gallup had McCain up by one a few days ago. But then again they had Obama up by 9 during his European vacation only to see that fall to a tie within a week.

I have to admit, I wonder about these tracking polls.

McCain’s people said they were expecting a bounce of about 15 for Obama.

As for TV audience, I read that the Convention has had lackluster viewership. That might be one reason the bounce has not been higher.

That is amazing. I think a lot of people feel like Leno but are just afraid to say so.

thevastlane on August 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM

Is this what you are talking about?

Jay Leno on President Bush (Surprising)

Jay Leno wrote this; it’s the Jay Leno we don’t often see….

As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.

‘The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.

In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain’t happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ‘What are we so unhappy about?”

A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B.. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

F.. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G.. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don’t have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn’t take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it……are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the ‘Media’ told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it.

The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn’t have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ”general” discharge, an ‘other than honorable” discharge or, worst case scenario, a ”dishonorable” discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by ‘justifying’ them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like OJ. Simpson to write a book about how he didn’t kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way……Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.’ ‘With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, ‘Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?’

Jay Leno

Please keep posting news. This may just be the only place that people around the country will be able to get your info and perspective.

Hey, Ed, look at this:
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor1/portrait-jfk.jpg
Then look at Drudge.

Marcus on August 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM

Just. Wow.

Ever been to a wedding where the parents of groom/bride are divorced, both in attendance? Everyone is there, everyone makes nice, but all feel the tension in the air. That was this convention.

Yeah, but in retrospect, can we all agree that we’ve been somewhat suckered by the Dems? I mean it made people tune in, etc. Chalk one up for the Dark Side. Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

Was Germany a test run? Germans are good for crowd scenes

Will Obama Triumph? Some plastic bounces, some don’t

Paying people to be drunk, useless, and stupid is not the key to hope for America

Greatest movie line of all time (Animal House):

“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son”

But many in New Orleans take victimhood to a whole new level.

Dariaanne on August 28, 2008 at 12:50 PM

The democrats spend billions to encourage victimhood. Ignorant and useless people are easier to control and lead by the nose with a check.

Slightly off thread, but here goes. I live in Louisiana and this morning on the radio they were announcing evacuation plans for New Orleans. People actually called in and asked who (FEMA or Red Cross) was going to pay for their gasoline to evacuate and who was going to pay for their hotel rooms. Can you believe this mentality? I plan to take care of myself, don’t need taxpayers money to get out of the way of a hurricane.

hilchar on August 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM

You can thank the welfare state for that. It is now time for cold turkey and slap these trough sloppers back into the real world. It is truly what is best for them.

Never again should we pay to promote uselessness.

The government can’t even fund medicare, much less a nationwide health system to include crack heads and illegal immigrants.

The government needs to get back to the notion of the “Little Red Hen”. Paying people to be drunk, useless, and stupid is not the key to hope for America, although it may represent hope for the terminally lazy wagon riders.

The truth is that the wagon pullers built this country, and they are the ones that will move it forward.

Slightly off thread, but here goes. I live in Louisiana and this morning on the radio they were announcing evacuation plans for New Orleans. People actually called in and asked who (FEMA or Red Cross) was going to pay for their gasoline to evacuate and who was going to pay for their hotel rooms. Can you believe this mentality? I plan to take care of myself, don’t need taxpayers money to get out of the way of a hurricane.

hilchar on August 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM

I know what you mean. In the week or so leading up to Wilma in 2005, Jeb Bush and other public officials were constantly holding press conferences, urging people to prepare (i.e. stock up on water, put up hurricane shutters) and/or evacuate if told to do so. The very next day after the storm, people were lining up for water in a Deerfield Beach park near where I live in Boca. The DAY after! It never occurs to some people to take responsibility for their own lives. Publix and Winn-Dixie are everywhere; why didn’t any of them go out and get what they needed BEFORE the storm?

On the other hand, residents in my condo community were out and about immediately after Wilma tore through, cleaning up the areas around their units, washing their front doors, etc. I guess some people subscribe to the victim mentality while others do what needs to be done. But many in New Orleans take victimhood to a whole new level.