Talk/Talk: It Won't Be Hillary

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Below are excerpts from this week's Talk Talk, It Won't Be Hillary. Every Sunday CUIP's president Jacqueline Salit and strategist and philosopher Fred Newman watch the political talk shows and discuss them. Here are excerpts from their dialogue on Sunday, August 24, 2008 after watching "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and "The McLaughlin Group".

Newman: The choice of Joe Biden resembles John Kennedy's choice of Lyndon Johnson. And that's a key thing with Obama trying to project a Kennedy image, which would be a big plus.

Salit: Not to mention that Caroline Kennedy was on Obama's VP search committee. OK, here's the counter attack: Yes, Biden brings all those things, but the choice highlights Obama's weaknesses. He had to go to somebody like Biden, a six-term senator who's experienced in foreign affairs, etc. and while he brings those plusses to the ticket, the minus is that it shines a light on Obama's weakness in that area. So, effectively, it's a negative for Obama.

Newman: Obama's going to have the light shone on his weaknesses in any event. Another spotlight isn't going to add a whole lot more light. If you're lit, you're lit.

Read Talk Talk in its entirety here.

It's a Media Affair

The MSM is all abuzz with speculation on Barack Obama's VP pick, which is supposed to be announced "at any minute"...



It's going to be a text message.



This gives the MSM more time to speculate so that the MSM can continue to speculate.



Hmmmm....



I was invited to a party tonight, so I suspect I might miss the announcement.



However, I'm sure that Sen. Obama will make the right choice for his campaign, given the available choices.



In the meantime, independent voters will be celebrating the first legal win as standing in the Idaho primary litigation....



Everyone: Carry on!

Help! We've been algorithmed again!

For both candidates, the best running mate is Colin Powell, a former U.S. Army general and former secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush, according to the survey, which was powered by an Affinnova algorithm it calls "evolutionary optimization." ....