Obama challenges McCain on Ayers

Maybe we'll finally get an interesting debate.

Barack Obama has flung down the gauntlet on his alleged friendship with sixties radical Bill Ayers, challenging John McCain to make claims to his face. From ABC News:

"I am surprised that, you know, we've been seeing some pretty over-the-top attacks coming out of the McCain campaign over the last several days, that he wasn't willing to say it to my face. But I guess we've got one last debate. So presumably, if he ends up feeling that he needs to, he will raise it during the debate."

Of course that would set up his argument that the attacks are "the centerpiece of the discussion in the closing weeks of a campaign where we are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and we're in the middle of two wars."

He's backing McCain into a corner.

Oh, and it's hard to accuse when you won't look at your opponent or even shake his hand (Courtesy JedReport)




UPDATE

Joe Biden repeats the party line on Ayers: “In my neighborhood, when you’ve got something to say to a guy, you look him in the eye and you say it to him.”

McCain launches Ayers ad

Is it that time already?

Senators Dianne Feinstein, Bob Bennett, Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi driving in the 'first nail' of the Presidential Inaugural Platform. Insert joke about coffin and the current administration here.

Best line on the ceremony goes to the Washington Times: "Other preparations include the repaving of Pennsylvania Avenue to rid it of potholes." Woa, I knew the Highway Trust Fund was broke, but...

Define bipartisan

I've been amused-- black humor I'll admit-- by the way the Robber Baron Bailout is being marketed.

A Republican administration proposes a no-oversight blank check.

House Republicans insist on their alternate plan.

We're told that a bipartisan bill should include both.

Now why would Democrats suspect they're being played?

Strangely, unlike a few days ago John McCain doesn't think he needs to be present, according to spokesman Mark Salter: "Because he can effectively do what he needs to do by phone."

It really was that boring.

I'm interested in this day-to-day nonsense, and still almost gave up on the debate several times. From my perspective, both sides got what they wanted and the viewers got very little. I don't like drawn chess games either.

Honestly, putting the spin aside, I saw very little difference in their foreign policy except on Iraq. Both sides are trying to put semantic lipstick on what are really minor differences. McCain got points on experience, Barack Obama some on lost opportunities.

Give Obama an edge on the economy, he sounded Presidential with proposals he connected to the middle-class. McCain came off more like a Senator running for re-election, though he scored on earmarks and Obama's proposed spending.

McCain's dislike of Obama came through; he wouldn't even look at his opponent. Still, I wouldn't make any big deal out of Obama using 'John' 25 times while McCain never used 'Barack'. Animosity aside, you know he'd be hammered by the pundits for trying to paint Obama as 'the other'. He was in a no-win situation.

Condescending?

Yep, to me he was. I don't think 'you don't understand' ever won a debate. Still, calling the faux flap about Spain "horseshit" was refreshing and appropriate.

Chris Wallace, the Fox ferret, tried to draw Joe Biden out with a snarky leading question about how he could avoid being condescending to Sarah Palin in next week's Vice Presidential debate. Biden gleefully replied that he wasn't going to be like McCain.

Sarah Smile

Biden was all over the airwaves. Where was Palin? Evidently, at an Irish bar in Philadelphia.

You can observe a lot just by watching. Yogi Berra