Hey Norm,

I really like reading your site, but my only complaint is when you summarize the videos or write out the punch line... kind of makes it meaningless for me to actually watch them. Other than that, keep up the good work!

About time!

I'm reminded of Biden's appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. His comments on the Iraq situation and the Bush administration were really interesting.

Best line of any debate, Republican or Democrat.

The fact that Guiliani is the front runner for the GOP says a lot. They're not running away from Bush's record, they're serving up more of the same. Romney's a lot more like John Kerry (the boring boy scout) than he is like Bush. McCain's the anti-Bush in just about every way except on the war and probably hates Bush personally besides. Huckabee has actually met some poor people. Thompson knows how to speak English.

Guiliani is going to do the same thing as Bush did--overhype his phony "executive experience" and somehow escape any penalty from his total lack of understanding of world affairs (even in a "post-9/11 world"!). He's going to appoint corrupt, inept cronies like Bernard Kerik, and he'll value ruthlessness very highly. His campaign will be the kind of divisive, slash and burn campaign that would make Karl Rove proud. Bush is a child of extreme priviledge who accuses his opponents of elitism; Guiliani is a trail lawyer who derides his primary opponents for caring about constitutional law.

If he is nominated, which I hope he is, Guiliani will be beaten by Hillary Clinton (if she's the nominee). Hillary is a third-rate politician, but unlike Rudy she avoids political stupidity. Her campaign also isn't going to leave any bullets left in the chamber. It will be ugly, and Rudy isn't going to look good in the end.

The last thing i want to see is a Hillary Giuliani showdown. That seems like a choice between bad and even worse

One hell of a line from Biden, there. Absolutely beautiful!

brian: I couldn't agree more.

If it turns out to be the case, I think this may be the first time I vote independent. That is... if the GOP or DNC don't sue the independents out of the election (something I'm fairly pissed with the DNC for doing).

"Hillary is a third-rate politician". Have to disagree with you on that one dende blogger. Love her or hate her, she's a top rank politician. She can actually make people like myself, who normally dislike natural politicians, look the other way because this time she's the consumate manipulator who advocates my cause more than the other contenders. I would agree that she is a 'third choice' candidate for many of us who would say Kucinich #1, Edwards #2 and Hillary #3. The reason Obama doesn't get into the ranking is that deep down I know I can't have #1 or #2 so if I am going to support a #3 choice, liklihood of winning the general election now ranks as high as positions on the issues.

My reasons for saying Hillary Clinton is a third rate politician:

She has very high negatives (in public opinion) before she's actually made any big mistakes. People dislike her for vague, flimsy reasons. She doesn't share most of Bill's major flaws, and yet she's more hated than he is. She's no more liberal than Bill Clinton is, and further to the right than most of the Democratic field, but she's painted and viewed by many as far left. With Bill, the longer the country knew him, the more they liked him (even with his quite aggravating qualities). Hillary not so much.

Sure, she's smart about politics. She doesn't do stupid things. Problem is that she has no natural talent for it. Obama and Edwards are no Bill Clinton, but they can give a good stump speech, flash an authentic and attractive smile, and offer a vision of leadership better than Hillary could ever hope to. Hillary supporters: do you have a memorable speech of Hillary's that you just love? I didn't think so.

I'm personally lukewarm about Hillary. If she gets the nomination, she'll probably win and probably be a decent president. But looking objectively at her ability to win support, coast to coast, I think, yes, she really is third rate as a politician; she will only win and win again because the GOP is so deranged and because she'll govern as closely to the center as possible. I.e. if she wins, put off all your hopes for a great era of liberal reform, for at least 8 years.

Obama and Edwards are no Bill Clinton, but they can give a good stump speech, flash an authentic and attractive smile, and offer a vision of leadership better than Hillary could ever hope to. Hillary supporters: do you have a memorable speech of Hillary's that you just love? I didn't think so.

Hey - I fully agree with this. I don't much even like hearing her speak, she's uinspiring. But perhaps the qualities that used to make a great politician are not so important any more. Reagan could give a good speech - even his detractors (God knows, I'm one of them.) have to admit that. Bush Sr.? Totally forgettable. Bush Jr.? He's downright embarrassing. And look at the guys who never even ran - Mario Cuomo could give truly inspiring speeches and where did he go? (He must have had some HUGE, very scary skeleton in his closet.) Let's face it - the things you've identified maybe just aren't all that important any more.

Biden’s comments are so contrived. It’s a cute comment but I’m sick of his self-righteous, angry uncle, cantankerous delivery. He really showed his global ignorance with the comment that “we should ban ALL imports from China”. First of all, if you read China Daily News, which I do, you’ll find that China suffers from toxic food shipments, mostly fruit, from the perfect old USA about once a week. Second, China bought up a huge portion our deficit. If Joe were President and tried to shut down all China imports to America, it would fuck our economy worse than anything Bush could ever dream up. Go home, Joe.

Jef,

I'm sorry, but you misquoted Senator Biden.

He said he would ban all imports of toys, referring only to the lead-tainted variety.

Which, while unrealistic, is not a bad idea.

You tell Joe to home home because of that statement, yet say nothing about the nonsense from Kucinich regarding the UFOs?

"Bush Sr.? Totally forgettable. Bush Jr.? He's downright embarrassing."

True, true. Those two are at best third rate politicians. Bush's approval ratings have also been steadily declining at about a point per month since 9/11, except for the blip in March 2003. He won two elections much like Nixon did (right place, right time, favorable opponents). Good politicians, on the other hand, like Reagan and Clinton, increased in popularity even after weathering serious storms. Mark Warner was like that in Virginia. He'd propose a budget and the Republicans would end up giving him everything and more, and Warner would come out smelling like roses. He would rout his opponents coming and going.

Look I'm not saying Hillary or either of the Bushes are political novices or completely inept. They're pros. But if this were the NFL they'd be 2d string QBs. Hillary doesn't have the political skill to effect great change. She has just enough to hold onto power for dear life, making compromise after compromise with the right wing. And she could still get kicked out after one term.

BTW, did you see her horrible handling of the illegal immigrant driver's license issue in the last debate? Really disasterous stuff. She just keeps feeding the idea that she's a closeted left-winger, disguised as centrist.

Brett,

Here is the exact transcipt from October 30, 2007:

MR. WILLIAMS: Senator, Senator Biden, I introduce a new subject here. Christmas shopping season, holiday hoping, almost upon us, as there is a chill in the air. Would you advise Americans against buying imported toys from China, in light of the recent health and safety problems?

SEN. BIDEN: If I were president, I'd shut down, flat shut down any imports from China, period!

That’s an exact quote, Brett, and it’s wacky, xenophobic demagoguery.

As far as Kucinich admitting that he saw a UFO, I think it gave him more credibility. He gave an honest answer. Several mainstream reports over the years show that over 50% of Americans believe that UFO’s exist and millions of people have reported seeing them.

Kucinich had to have known that there would be people, like you, who lack the imagination to accept the possibility that there may be other forms of life beyond this planet and would call those who happened to have experienced an unidentified object in the sky as crazy. But, he answered honestly anyway and I give him credit for that.

A UFO doesn't have to be something from beyond this planet. It's simply an object seen in the sky that one cannot identify. I believe that this was what Kucinich was attempting to say.

I don't think he did a very good job of responding though. And if he really did mean that he saw a UFO that was supposed to be from another planet, well that is crazy. (It may be remotely possible, but it hasn't happened yet).)

That’s an exact quote, Brett, and it’s wacky, xenophobic demagoguery.

No, that is not an exact quote,.

Here is the exact quote:

Biden: If I were president, I'd shut down any imports from China, period, in terms of their toys -- flat shut it down, number one.

You conveniently left out "in terms of their toys" from your "exact quote". Shame on you Jef.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21528787/page/22/

Thank you, JoAnn, for your clarifying response. Apparently Jef did not anticipate that someone would call his BS.

I never assumed that Rep. Kucinich referred to outer-space aliens when he said he saw an UFO. He just never clearly articulated the story. JoAnn pinpointed the issue quite easily. But thank you, Jef, for making a wild assumption regarding my conclusions on interstellar life.

I should have known that defending a moderate like Senator Biden would get me no where on this site.

Thanks again, JoAnn.

"I should have known that defending a moderate like Senator Biden would get me no where on this site."

No way man, I support Joe Biden. I'd totally vote for him over Hilary or Obama! A mean at least HIS ideas are original. For my money him and John Edwards have the best shot at winning next November as well. But why are we talking about Aliens on here...it's really just asking to be framed as a "Wacko-Liberal"? Wether you think aliens exist or not, that has NOTHING to do with our problems in this country right now...it's a complete non issue.