A small campaign miscellany

Posted on September 5, 2008

Last Week’s Economic News Was a Big Shot in the Arm For McCain: “John McCain may have won the presidential election on Thursday, Aug. 28. That was before Barack Obama gave his stirring acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention. It was four days before the Republican Convention even started. It was also before the media leaked the name of Sarah Palin as Mr. McCain’s chosen vice-presidential running mate. Why Aug. 28? On that morning the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis revised its assessment of GDP growth in the second quarter of this year. Rather than growing at the anemic pace of 1.9% as reported in July, the April-June quarter actually registered a healthy GDP growth rate of 3.3%. Growth at this rate exceeds the long-term U.S. growth rate of 3.1% over the past 50 years. Bill Clinton was right. When it comes to presidential elections, “It’s the economy stupid.”

A prominent Clinton fundraiser has jumped ship and joined the McCain camp: “The legendary Tammy Haddad snags a scoop for Newsweek, sitting down with prominent Washington DC attorney John Coale — a fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY — at the Republican convention, now backing Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. “Well I’m here to go from supporting Hillary, who I campaigned with, I campaigned with her husband, her daughter, her whole family, brothers, and the mother, over a period of months, big Hillary supporter, pretty big fundraiser for her, I’m here to support John McCain for president,” said Coale, husband of FOX News’ Greta Van Susteren. Coale has given thousands of dollars in donations to Democrats over the years. … “I think John McCain is basically what Obama says he is and what Obama is not,” Coale said. “McCain brings people together, he has an incredible record of integrity.” Coale griped about sexism against Clinton, said Obama isn’t experienced enough to be president, and argued that the Democratic party has “been taken over by the moveon.org types.”

Not again: Palin “slashes” another children’s program…. by increasing funding: “The Kossified media strikes again. In the wee hours of the morning yesterday, I told you about the Washington Post’s false accusation that Gov. Sarah Palin “slashed” funding for a teen pregnancy program, when in reality, there was “over a threefold increase from the government funds they received from all sources in 2006. Many of you have contacted the WaPo ombudsperson about the lie. But she is apparently on vacation until next week. Keep after it – because the meme is spreading. The NYTimes has now recycled WaPo’s nonsense with this apoplectic headline: “Palin’s Budget Cuts Affect Teenage Mothers.” And now, via Brian Faughnan, there’s this new smear using liberal math to decry Palin’s alleged “slashing” of special-needs funds. They’re so screamingly desperate….. The Washington Monthly has retracted the accusation and regrets the error. What about the rest of the MSM?”

Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don’t forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH

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