John McCain kind of stepped in it the other day, here in California, but luckily no one noticed. He was being driven from John Wayne airport to a fundraiser, and he took a quick call from Martin Wisckol of the Orange County Register. Wisckol asked him a series of softball questions so tedious McCain's driver had to crack the window so the breeze would keep him from passing out, but then this:
WISCKOL: I'd like to ask you a couple questions suggested by voters here. They're not reporter-type questions.
McCAIN: Sure. It'd be a pleasure.WISCKOL: When was the last time you pumped your own gas and how much did it cost?
McCAIN: Oh, I don't remember. Now there's Secret Service protection. But I've done it for many, many years. I don't recall and frankly, I don't see how it matters. I've had hundreds and hundreds of town hall meetings, many as short a time ago as yesterday. I communicate with the people and they communicate with me very effectively.
... I'm going through a tunnel... ... bzzzzzzzztttttt bzzzzzztttttt...I'm gonna lose you... bzzzztttttt... bye!
No, I added that last part.
Okay. A few things here.
1) John McCain doesn't know what gas costs, because the Secret Service protects him from finding out, possibly because they're afraid the knowledge will kill him. Not a healthy man.
2) John McCain isn't an elitist or a big government bureaucrat. He's a maverick who has certainly pumped his own gas at some point in his life, perhaps during the single 18-month period when he wasn't in the navy or in congress, but was living off his wife.
3) It doesn't matter. How do we know it doesn't matter? Because John McCain says it doesn't matter.
4) John McCain may not know what gas costs or when he last pumped any, or performed any other act not connected to politics or outpatient care, but he's had hundreds of town hall meetings, many as short a time ago as yesterday. Which somehow answers questions about gas prices, but it's not clear exactly how.
5) John McCain communicates with people and they communicate with him very effectively.
6) John McCain is an excellent driver. Dad lets him drive slow down the driveway every Saturday.
7) Fifteen minutes to Wapner.
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Asking a politician about groceries is a dusty old trick. Mitt Romney doesn't know what Saran Wrap costs, and why should he? Unless it's important to the image he's trying to build, as a regular guy, or at least someone who gives a shit.
But some gotcha questions do matter.
For instance, back in 1999, when Andy Hiller had this exchange with then-Governor George W. Bush:
HILLER: Can you name the president of Chechnya?"
BUSH: No, can you?HILLER: Can you name the president of Taiwan?
BUSH: Yeah, Lee.
HILLER: Can you name the general who's in charge of Pakistan?
BUSH: Wait, wait, is this 50 questions?
HILLER: No, it's four questions of four leaders in four hot spots.BUSH: The new Pakistani general, he's just been elected -- not elected, this guy took over office. It appears this guy is going to bring stability to the country and I think that's good news for the subcontinent.
HILLER: Can you name him?
BUSH: General. I can name the general. General.
HILLER: And the prime minister of India?
BUSH: The new prime minister of India is -- no. Can you name the foreign minister of Mexico?
HILLER: No sir, but I would say to that, I'm not running for president.
BUSH: What I'm suggesting to you is, if you can't name the foreign minister of Mexico, therefore, you know, you're not capable about what you do. But the truth of the matter is you are, whether you can or not.
You'd think that the candidacy was over at "I can name the general. General," but it turns out it wasn't. These questions might not have mattered. (Pakistan? Come on! As if the president really needs to know about Pakistan!) What was important was the way the candidate answered.
Which was like a belligerent dick.
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As opposed to John McCain on the question of pumping his own gas. Who comes off as a floundering panderer who's lost a step.
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I'm not even sure Martin Wisckol was trying to play gotcha with John McCain. I think he was fishing for a colorful anecdote. If you read the rest of the interview, you'll see he certainly didn't ask any other questions that couldn't be answered by a press release.
John McCain has spent the last three months -- since he floated his gas tax holiday -- pretending to care about the cost of driving. He should have had a slightly better answer than "I've had hundreds of town halls."
He knows it, too. Which is why he panics after a few more questions, when Wisckol is trying to wind things up.
WISCKOL: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with me.
McCAIN: Thank you. It's a pleasure.... Hang on just one second. I think the last time that I ... I've been on the campaign trail for so long I don't remember when I last filled up my own gas tank, but I certainly did for many, many, many years and I understand the difficulties and challenges that it poses for the people of California and my home state of Arizona. I thank you, my friend.
And the name of the general is General.
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So, all you Hillary supporters out there who want to vote for McCain, the Carmella Lewises of the world, you think you matter to him? You think your $4/gallon problem matters to him? No, what only matters to him are his hundreds of town halls.
Resident George W. Bush
see here for HST:
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Hunter S Hussein Thompson
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Sky-High Oil Will Make U.S. Go Broke
Charles Biderman, TrimTabs 06.23.08, 7:00 PM ET
Stratospheric crude oil prices precipitated by speculation are wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy.
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Fortis is a large bank and insurer in the Netherlands and Belgium. It took over ABN Amro last year, together with RBS and another bank. Last Thursday, its share lost 17% because Fortis attracted foreign capital. I was shocked when I read the following, which was brought out 4hours ago:
American 'meltdown' reason for money injection Fortis. 28th of June, 9:10 RUSSELS/AMSTERDAM - Fortis expects a complete collapse of the US financial markets within a few days to weeks.
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Barclays warns of a financial storm as Federal Reserve's credibility crumbles
US central bank accused of unleashing an inflation shock that will rock financial markets, reports Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
If this was the Titanic, I would start heading fo the lifeboats NOW!
"Opponents of domestic production cling to their position even as the price of foreign oil has doubled and doubled again. They were against it when a gallon of gas cost two dollars. They are still against it when a gallon of gas cost well above four dollars."
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"Gas is 5 dollars a gallon in Santa Barbara...
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MCCAIN does not know THE PRICE OF WAR!
McCain is ANOTHER ignorant republican "DUH" MAN.
He doesn't have the brains for the job.
If you voted for Reagan in 1980, you cast a vote to ignore the lessons of the 1973 Oil Embargo. The Carter, administrations put into place a basic energy policy that had we maintained would have today made us less dependent on foreign oil. Reagan and subsequent political leaders of both parties ignored obvious warnings about a pending "Peak Oil" crisis; the only thing that mattered to them was short term gain and we will pay the price now for their misguided leadership. The price of gas should have been set high years ago to discourage use and to generate tax dollars to build a national mass transportation system but our leadership opted for "market forces" rather than sound government policies. We might ask ourselves who made such poor choices and hold them accountable but if we did that McCain would be one of those responsible.
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But he's held thousands of *town hall* meetings since then, so why should we pester him about a little thing like the price of gas?
WE NEED TO STOP USING DEPLETION TO GET ELECTED