"BUNCH OF STUFF"

rollingstone.com

My favorite line of the entire Vice-Presidential Debate was when Joe Biden uttered “that’s a bunch of stuff.”  Give Martha Raddatz credit for trying her best to follow-up with Mean Joe.  She must have been hoping that the Vice-President was going to say what he really meant when he said, “that’s a bunch of stuff.”  Martha didn’t get lucky but it did give Joe Biden the opportunity to zero in on the inconsistencies being put forth by Mitt Romney’s surrogate, Paul Ryan. 

It was a good debate and Martha Raddatz did a credible job moderating it.  She let them spar when appropriate.  Both candidates did their best to put forth their respective views pointing out their marked differences.  All in all, it was a positive for both parties and their candidates.  However, it was clear on Friday that all the post-debate talk was about Joe Biden.  Everyone was talking about his smiling, laughing and his overall body language throughout the debate.  They were also commenting on his stepping on Paul Ryan’s lines and interjecting his voice on top of both Ryan and Raddatz.

Joe Biden did what President Obama needed him to do.  He was Joe Biden, the seasoned veteran of  the Senate who minces few words and finds it difficult to sit still for any of the nonsense around him.  Everyone agreed that Joe Biden stopped the bleeding for the President.  For me, I believe Joe took it even one step further.  I believe he set the stage for the remainder of the campaign pointing succinctly to what it is that President Obama, the Vice-President and his most potent weapon, President Bill Clinton will be communicating to the voters of the undecided battleground states.    

Tax cuts, Medicare, Social Security and the 47 percent will dominate the discussion for the Democrats as they push toward Election Day.  If Obama can make a credible argument over the next three weeks about the difference between him and Romney on tax cuts, the election will be his.  I believe it is that simple.  He needs to stay on message and focus entirely on the middle class argument he has been making.  It is this argument that is effective and compelling and ultimately can win the election for him. 

Framing the tax cut issue with Paul Ryan’s Medicare proposals and the continuing conversation of privatizing Social Security are all winners for the President.  Throw in the 47 percent comments made by Mitt Romney and the small number of uncommitted middle class voters will fall the President’s way.  My guess is that President Obama will find a way to tie Romney back to the 47 percent comments.  I believe Romney said exactly what he meant to say and Obama needs to convince the American voter if Romney is elected, his administration will not consider the 47 percent.

I am still convinced that this election is President Obama’s to lose.  Polls always tighten as the election nears and it seems unlikely that one less than sterling debate performance could alter the outcome.  Nevertheless, I suspect we will see an engaged and committed President of the United States in this coming week’s debate.     

MY SILENCE IS OVER

politico.com

The last sixty or so days, I have been incredibly silent about our nation’s politics.  I have written no words to express my attitudes and feelings about this presidential election.  There has been plenty to write about but I was unable to engage and put my mind to work.  Thankfully, I awoke from my slumber just in time to communicate what little influence I might add to this conversation. 

I have missed plenty of opportunity to write of my concerns regarding these two candidates.  I have missed ample openings to dissect and evaluate the failings of each candidate and their campaigns.  Even today, I am tempted to dredge up many of these stories over the last two months and put my own spin to them.  Just thinking about it now makes me laugh to think of what golden opportunities there have been to punch holes in both of these men.

No, I am confident that each day going forward to that fateful day in November will be filled with opportunity for me to cast aspersions on Mitt Romney and accolades toward Barack Obama.  For now, I will resist going backward and choose to move forward with the conversation.  I will occasionally refer to the debate performance of our two candidates but will refrain from recapping a story that has been told and retold over and over again.  I will say however that I can’t and won’t leave Mitt Romney’s forty-seven percent comment alone like President Obama during the first debate.

Truth is - the forty-seven percent comment will pepper nearly everything I write for the next 26 days.  If the President’s team has any sense at all, they will continue to focus all of their attention on the forty-seven percent comment.  To me, it is what the election is all about.  This one comment by Mitt Romney tells the tale of this election.  It is fairly that simple to me. 

Tonight’s Vice-Presidential debate will be fun to watch.  Everyone is expecting Joe Biden to be the bulldog and to hammer away at Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney.  No question that Biden won’t hold his tongue like the President did.  No question that Biden will step in it somewhere during the debate performance.   Certainly, the Republicans hope for this but many of us who support the Vice-President and his counterpart hope for the same.  We want Joe Biden to be Joe Biden.  We want the guy who said to the President, “this is a big (expletive) deal.”

Joe Biden is the heart of the middle class.  He is a champion of the people.  He is one of us.  President Barack Obama needs Joe to be Joe tonight reminding all of us that he is a real genuine American middle-class man.  A fighter and a survivor-just the kind of man we would want in the trenches with us.  A guy who understands what life is like for those of us working nine to five, raising a family and trying to make sense of it all.  That’s Joe.  He gets it.  Frankly, Joe is probably the only one of the four candidates who truly knows what it’s like for the rest of us. 

Count on Joe not to dismiss the forty-seven percent comment.  Count on Joe to drive it home all night long.  He’s one of the forty-seven percent that Mitt Romney spoke of and Joe Biden is proud to be.  Joe’s success tonight may or may not capture the pundit’s attention or praise.  One sure bet is he will speak to the hearts and minds of the Democratic Party faithful.  Joe’s success will come on Friday and throughout the weekend when our Democratic checkbooks are opened and checks written, credit card numbers punched in.  The base will get the message and the dollars will roll in. 

My oldest son commented to me last night that he would give up a World Series win by the Cincinnati Reds, a National Championship by The Ohio State Buckeyes for a Barack Obama victory in November.  Here’s hoping he doesn’t have to give either.  The silence is over.  I’m back and ready to rumble.