Sarah Palin is a brilliant juxtaposition of the Obama-Biden ticket. Obama sought to balance his inexperience with Biden's. But by this logic, the ticket is in the wrong order. The one with experience ought to have the top spot, which is why the McCain-Palin ticket makes so much sense. McCain has the experience, while Palin will gain valuable experience as VP. She already has executive experience, which neither McCain, Obama, or Biden has.

Frankly, we at Nemov don't know all that much about her. We know she's conservative and pro-life and has been a reformer in Alaska, fighting political corruption in Alaska and endearing herself to the citizenry for doing so. We believe she supports drilling in ANWR, which resonates more powerfully since it affects her state directly. She has an extremely interesting personal story, which is far more compelling than any of the candidates, save McCain's time at the Hanoi Hilton. She appears to be tough and independent, which plays well to both genders.

Both the contrasts and similarities between McCain and Palin work in their favor. One particular similarity that could bring about real change, and not the fake change currently being peddled by Obama, is their strong opposition to pork programs. This could be a potent weapon in their drive for the White House, as the worst offenders are typically Democrats, and Palin exposed the worst offenders in her own party in Alaska.

This endorsement of Palin comes with a caveat. There's no telling how she'll handle herself on the campaign trail, at debates, and in her responses to a hostile media that will work diligently to trip her up at every opportunity. The media can't stand women and minorities who are conservative, because women and minorities are supposed to be victims that need special, child-like treatment. Women like Palin and men like Clarence Thomas disprove this mythological notion.

Club Soda will write a DNC wrapup in a couple of days. I'll be back on Tuesday night.

Eliot Van Buskirk at Wired's Listening Post says "certain shots are so deeply embarrassing that we had to hit pause a few times just to make it all the way through." I still haven't been able to watch it all they way through. In the comment section there's a defense of the video. I have to post the full thing, it's too classic.

what's wrong with it? artists impassioned with the belief that america can live up to its promise? i look forward to the day when amateur music critics (don't tell me you make a living doing this blog) appreciate performers coming out to support a political/social cause. that's the way it was in the 60s. hunter s. thompson was right. you can almost look back and see the high water mark. you might feign being holier than thou, but this is earnest faith is something better. and if that is what you lack, find it. don't trash others who have. they haven't done this video for their own benefit. they've done it for a cause. a cause much larger than this video. but by denegrating this video so smugly, you denegrate the cause. and come across as a shallow, cheap, hipster who hopes to one day be a legitimate critic, but will ultimately fail because you think if music/videos aren't cool in a post-modern ironic sense than they aren't cool at all. this video has reached a lot of hearts. let it be. and recant if your ego will allow.

Dohrn is Bill Ayers wife and the co-host of Obama's career-launching fundraiser. Dohrn is quoted as saying "at the end of the day, I feel like we were lucky to be in that history. We were lucky to be in that history. We were lucky to be in that moment where there was hope and a sense of libratory possibility." Terrorism never felt so good.

When she [Dohrn] was in the Weather Underground she was one of those members typically fascinated with Charles Manson (I discuss this briefly in my book). Speaking of Manson's famous murders she exclaimed, "Dig It! First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them, they even shoved a fork into a victim's stomach! Wild!" In appreciation, her Weather Underground cell made a threefingered "fork" gesture its official salute.

Senator Obama's ability to run as the "common man" is hampered by celebrities and his association with Ayers. That's why McCain's house fiasco last week was supposedly such a big deal for Obama. Unfortunately for Obama he can't just wish away his connection to New Left radicals. When you run for President on a paper thin resume this is what happens. Obama is being defined by the radicals he hung out with in Illinois.

Videos like American Prayer, speeches in Berlin, and the acceptance speech at Mile High only reinforce the perception that he's aloof and out of touch. It doesn't even matter if it's true or not, it's the perception. The race isn't about change anymore, it's about who Americans feel more comfortable with as their President. Obviously George Costanza has picked sides.

Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is in panic mode about the Bill Ayers connection. Running this ad in Ohio is a tactical blunder by the Obama campaign. Filing a claim to force the third-party 527 ad off the air is only going to make the Ayers connection a larger issue in the campaign.

Here is the conclusion of the Tax Foundation:

The release of these two OECD studies could not have come at a better time for the current political debate over how to move the U.S. economy forward. A U.S. corporate tax rate 50 percent higher than the OECD average should be a wake-up call to Washington, especially when combined with the empirical evidence that corporate taxes are the most harmful tax on economic growth. The question remains for the presidential candidates, What is your plan to restore American competitiveness?

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Listen Pintos,

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Can you please tell Mike (his email address is archivosecurities@aol.es) that he owes me 700,000 Euros? I'm basically living out of library. I gave my house away on Craiglist because I thought I was getting a check equal to the size of the GDP of Lesotho. Plus, did I mention the fact that my place of employment isn't exactly happy that I walked out. Try explaining that to your Japanese boss. Two words for you, Harry Carry.

Please pass my complaint over to your other cheese loving European friend.

Caution... people attending campaign events in small rooms need to bring their own oxygen. These guys suck up a lot of air.

Joseph Biden has been a gaff machine but I expect him to stay in control. Plus, the fact that narrative is that he puts his foot in his mouth will make it easy for the press to dismiss it. Hopefully McCain picks someone outside of Washington. Most Americans agree Washington is broken. The President has a low approval rating and the Democrat Congress is viewed even less favorably. Now we have three Senators in the race. Both candidates are asking for change. Count me unconvinced.

Update: It is Biden. Obama couldn't have picked someone who is more of a status quo Washington insider. I guess he picked experience over change.

Even in 1995 Obama talks about hope and how institutions like his church were probably the "main pillar around which a lot of inner-cities communities are gonna be built." This kind of naive Utopian nonsense is prevalent among community organizers, but I'm not sure how it works at an executive level. There's nothing hopeful or empowering about Pastor Wright's rhetoric. The fact that Obama didn't see it then, and didn't see it two years ago it a troubling aspect of his personality.

There is a lot negativity about this country these days. There's a lot of cynicism about our current candidates for President. I understand a lot of that angst, but it's still amazing what these two guys have done to get to this point. The contrast between George and Barack Obama couldn't be any clearer.

George added he was no longer in contact with his mother and said:"I have had to learn to live and take what I need."Huruma is a tough place, last January during the elections there was rioting and six people were hacked to death. The police don't even arrest you they just shoot you."I have seen two of my friends killed. I have scars from defending myself with my fists. I am good with my fists."

The new Battleground Poll isn't very shocking. Senator John McCain has a one point lead over Senator Barack Obama. Going into the conventions the race is deadlocked. In 2004, the Battleground Poll taken at the exact same point in the race gave Senator John Kerry a narrow one point lead over President Bush. Given all the positive news coverage Obama has received the past two years, and President Bush's dismal approval ratings it's amazing that McCain is in a better position than the President was at this time in 2004.

Obama objects to any poll that doesn't factor in the German vote

Is Obama blowing this thing? Has the electorate changed so much the past year that these polls are missing a cultural change? Only Wednesday, November 5 will answer these questions. However, Obama has peaked. His poll numbers should jump during the convention, but that will likely be his high water mark. In another month we should have a better idea where this election is going, but the mainstream press has missed the real story this summer. The election is close and Obama is not a sure thing.

Denver is even spiffing up the coiffures of its homeless. They're giving free haircuts to the homeless this week in preparation for the visiting crowds who'll arrive this weekend. No, really.

According to Rick Sallinger of the CBS TV station, Denver Human Services has been handing out coupons for free homeless haircuts.The idea was to make the homeless feel better about themselves. And maybe then they'd get jobs or something.

There's nothing like a Democrat Convention to boost chain link fence rentals

Meanwhile protesters going to Denver can all breath a sigh of relief now that the razor wire has been removed from "Gitmo on the Platte." "Gitmo on the Platte" is the processing center that will be used to house people arrested during the convention. The festivities are only a week away. Charge up those electroshock weapons the time is drawing near. I can't wait!