The Wizard Analyzes: Health Care

One week ago I promised to take a close and honest look at the seven issues most Americans think are most important this election year. For all you who actually think the big issue is Sarah Palin's tanning bed or Joe Biden's rumored ability to become invisible, you are about to be sadly disappointed.

We need instead to pick our next President on his proposals on the major issues and his ability to actually implement those proposals.

I will look at all the following issues between now and November 1st: [1] Health Care, [2] the Economy, Taxes and Spending, [3] Education, [4] Iraq and Afghanistan, [5] Environment, [6] Civil/Women's/Gay Rights and finally, [7] Style of Governing.

Today I'm looking closely at Health Care for two reasons. First it's the easiest to pick the best plan and candidate. Second, it's the single most important issue facing most Americans today.

I cannot possible analyze the two competing plans in 750 to 1,000 words and, no matter what I write, many will disagree with my conclusions and say I've misrepresented the facts. Good! Let's have a real debate on the issues.

I know this will be hard for you all to believe, but there are some real reporters working on this issue. Be sure to read these two articles: Reports criticize Obama, McCain health plans and New Studies Report Wide Disparity in Health Care Plans

Here is a link to John McCain's Health Care Proposal. And here is a link to Barack Obama's Health Care Plan.

Health Care and Health Care Insurance in America are both seriously broken. Costs are completely out of control. I personally was in an Emergency Room in Atlanta for 5 hours last spring. No major surgery or major tests were involved. I was released and was, thankfully, alright. The bill was (and I an neither joking or exaggerating) $17,000.00.

Any serious illness means almost certain bankruptcy for any American, even if they have health insurance. But 46 million Americans have no health insurance. These folks are clogging Emergency Rooms and further driving up health care costs. And they receive substandard care. A level of care that all too frequently means death.

To summarize in a sentence or two, Obama wants a rather complex layering of health care plans that would be coordinated by a huge federal bureaucracy. McCain would replace the current tax exemptions for employer provided health care plans in favor of tax breaks for every citizen.

On a simple or even a detailed reading, McCain's plan would seem to make more sense. Except it will never work. McCain might be on the right track, but his plan will never insure virtually any of the 46 million currently uninsured. His economics fall apart for all middle and lower income families. And independent analysts agree. McCain's plan would likely make matters much worse, not better. In fact most Americans might actually lose benefits.

Barack Obama is really on the right track. By most all independent accounts he would cover an additional 34 million people. It doesn't get us to universal health care, but it gets us closer. Obama's problem is that his plan is so expensive it cannot be sustained. He will need to simplify the plan and reduce it's scope. But it will help and it's likely to be implemented.

In my opinion, if Health Care is the deciding issue in determining your vote, you should cast your vote for Barack Obama.

But, there are six more issues to discuss.

Democrats, Media Are Unable to See What They Are Doing

Mark Penn, a longtime campaign advisor and friend to both Bill and later Hillary Clinton takes on the press in a CBS interview:

CBSNews.com: Your former colleague Howard Wolfson argued that you all unintentionally paved the way for Palin by exposing some of the unfair media coverage that Hillary Clinton received. And, therefore, a lot of the media may now be treating Sarah Palin with kid gloves. Do you agree with that? Mark Penn: Well, no, I think the people themselves saw unfair media coverage of Senator Clinton. I think if you go back, the polls reflected very clearly what "Saturday Night Live" crystallized in one of their mock debates about what was happening with the press. I think here the media is on very dangerous ground. I think that when you see them going through every single expense report that Governor Palin ever filed, if they don't do that for all four of the candidates, they're on very dangerous ground. I think the media so far has been the biggest loser in this race. And they continue to have growing credibility problems.

Is anybody listening?

FT.com: Democrats on Capitol Hill fear Obama fallout

Do Democrats on Capitol Hill fear Obama fallout? That's the headline in today's Financial Times.

Andrew Ward, the Washington, D.C. correspondent writes that Democrats believe the lock they had on victory is rapidly fading away. Here's what Ward says:

"Democratic jitters about the US presidential race have spread to Capitol Hill, where some members of Congress are worried that Barack Obama’s faltering campaign could hurt their chances of re-election. " "Party leaders have been hoping to strengthen Democratic control of the House and Senate in November, but John McCain’s jump in the polls has stoked fears of a Republican resurgence." "A Democratic fundraiser for Congressional candidates said some planned to distance themselves from Mr Obama and not attack Mr McCain." “If people are voting for McCain it could help Republicans all the way down the ticket, even in a year when the Democrats should be sweeping all before us,” said the fundraiser, a former Hillary Clinton supporter. " “There is a growing sense of doom among Democrats I have spoken to . . . People are going crazy, telling the campaign ‘you’ve got to do something’.” "Concern was greatest among first-term representatives who won seats in traditionally Republican districts in the landslide of 2006. “Several of them face a real fight to hold on to those seats,” the fundraiser said. " "Tony Podesta, a senior Democratic lobbyist, said members of Congress were “a little nervous” after Mr McCain shook up the race with his choice of Sarah Palin...... "

If this is true, and today's latest POLL NUMBERS are not encouraging for the Obama campaign, it's strictly the fault of the Democrats themselves, and especially their left wing supporters like The Daily Kos and Media Matters. Their vile, disgusting, sexist, anti-woman, anti-middle class, and absolutely relentless attacks are backfiring and backfiring badly.

I will try one more time to tell my Liberal and Democrat friends. So far they are not listening.

But here I go: You cannot abandon every thread of fairness, decency and principle in launching these increasingly bizarre attacks. I know you are panicked. You are reacting very, very badly. Americans are strongly rejecting your diatribes. You are angering the public.

First you managed to wake the sleeping giant. Now you're making him (and her) very, very angry.

I Wish Charles Gibson Had Interviewed Sarah Palin

I was up well before dawn this morning preparing for a road trip. I needed to refuel the car and I am worried about potential 30% increases in gas prices that could affect all of us motorists in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

Since I was up and traveling outside my normal morning routine, I was listening to Doug Stephan's Good Day on the radio instead of my normal diet of television cable network news programs. Change is good, It gives you more perspective on current events.

If you've never listened to Steffan's program he tries, but usually fails, to avoid politics and political issues. But his crew made a comment on ABC's Charles Gibson's interview with Governor Sarah Palin that was amazingly spot on: "What was with Charles Gibson last night? He looked like a curmudgeonly old school principal who caught a girl chewing gum in class."

I laughed until I cried. Stephan and his crew were so right.

As great as the pressure was on Sarah Palin, it was even tougher on Charles Gibson who has endured three days of particularly critical comment simply because he was awarded the first interview with Governor Palin. Gibson was as much under the microscope as Palin. And the pressure showed.

I wish the Charles Gibson I know and deeply respect had interviewed Palin. I'm certain the McCain camp wishes the real Gibson had shown up, too. Everyone would have looked a lot better.

Palin faltered a couple of times under Gibson's grilling. But Gibson acted like he was conducting an inquisition. It was difficult to watch. The normally relaxed and chatty Gibson would have gotten a lot more from Palin. This certainly wasn't the Gibson that recently interviewed Barack Obama and that will come back to haunt Gibson.

Sarah Palin's interview also showed the signs of the intense pressure she is under. Plus I get the feeling she is being terribly over managed. The McCain Palin team has got to relax. If she is over coached, she will not do well in the upcoming debate. Frankly, more live, unscripted interviews will prepare her better for the debate than any amount of coaching.

Over the next 72 hours there will be thousands of blog posts, interviews and television and radio commentaries about the Palin-Gibson interview. Some will claim she demonstrated she is totally unqualified for office. Others will claim, with video clips to back them up, that she was poised and rock solid. I sincerely doubt any minds were changed. Of course we have one more segment to watch tonight. That could be the atomic bomb.

I remain both impressed by and confident of Palin as a candidate. But it's early and I'm more than ready to change my mind (on all four candidates) as the cycle continues. We will see some really major mistakes from someone before we vote in November.

I'm hoping for a deeper and better interview with Palin before the election. Based on last week's compelling Obama interview, I'm hoping the McCain team will grant a Palin interview with Bill O'Reilly. That would be "must see TV."

2,974

Whenever I believe that the now virtually insane left wing of the our society cannot possibly fall any further into the abyss, a new horror crosses my screen. Today's descent into madness comes from none other than Juan Cole, until yesterday a highly respected professor of modern Middle Eastern and South Asian history at the University of Michigan and the author/blogmaster of Informed Comment, what used to be one of the more influential blogs covering middle eastern events.

Until yesterday, that is. Today Juan Cole is a sad joke. When you betray your academic position, your intellectual credibility and surrender your honor in order to slander a political opponent, you no longer deserve any of the respect you might have earned over a lifetime.

Yesterday Juan Cole published what I'm sure he thought was a very clever little article in the on-line magazine Salon: What's the difference between Palin and Muslim fundamentalists? Lipstick

The article pretended to present a scientific analysis comparing what Cole claimed were Palin's Christian beliefs with the beliefs of Muslim Fundamentalists and decided they were virtually identical. The only difference according to Cole? Lipstick.

Funny, on today of all days, I can think of another difference.

The analogy is so flawed it is simply laughable. And Cole knows it. He is many things. Stupid is not one of them.

He created a patently false analogy, a comparison based on occasionally random points of similarity, ignoring the major differences that define the very heart and soul of the two religions and the societies that shape and harbor those beliefs.

Cole's goal was simple. He wanted to make Americans fear Palin as much as they fear Islamic terrorism. He wants to make Americans believe Palin is not one of them, but instead a radical fringe fanatic to be shunned. Cole states glumly, "A theocrat is a theocrat, whether Muslim or Christian."

Sadly many of the assumptions Cole made about Palin are simply false, including, but not limited to, her basic religious beliefs. Much worse, Cole dealt with trivia, ignoring the most core beliefs of the two groups, beliefs not at all shared by Muslim fundamentalists with Evangelical Christianity.

He certainly ignored the most obvious. Palin, a woman, is candidate for the second highest and most powerful elected office in the world. Funny, Cole never made that comparison.

You see, Cole didn't want to mention that women in societies or sects ruled by Muslim fundamentalism are not allowed to vote, not allowed hold office, not allowed to own property, not allowed to go in public unaccompanied by a male relative, not allowed to attend concerts or sporting events. In the most fundamentalist societies, women are not even allowed attend school or receive medical care or treatment.

And while Pentecostals might speak in tongues, they do not stone women in the public square for being raped.

Now there are similarities between people everywhere. I've read that cosmetic and make-up parties are very popular in Iran, Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries. But any use of cosmetics must be carefully hidden beneath the burka.

So the one thing Cole cannot actually say with any factual certainty is whether Islamic fundamentalist women wear lipstick.

Remembering Sue Kim Hanson

Here is a reprint of the article I wrote two years ago as part of the 2,996 Project. In this project, one blogger was assigned to prepare a remembrance for each of the victims who died during the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001

Today 9/11 seems like a lifetime away. And, for many people it is. There will be a complete moratorium on politicking and all other posts on the WIZARD site for 24 hours.

Please take time to remember just how frail and how fleeting life really is. Read and remember Sue Kim Hanson.

Sue Kim Hanson
September 11, 2006

A short note appears on the Boston University Medical Campus Calendar Website noting that Jonathan W. Yewdell, M.D., Ph.D., Chief, Cellular Biology Section of the Laboratory of Viral Diseases will be speaking tomorrow, September 11, 2006, on the topic of "Gained in Translation: Generating Viral and Cellular Peptide Antigens from DRiPs."

He is speaking at 4:00 pm in Keefer Auditorium and a Reception in the Wilkins Board Room will follow.

What might be missed by a casual observer is perhaps the most important fact of all. Dr. Yewdell is the guest speaker for the 5th Annual Sue Kim Hanson Lecture In Immunology.

If you noticed this, you might simply assume that Sue Kim Hanson is (or was) some generous benefactor to the University. A lecture named for her to repay her gift.

Or perhaps you would guess that she is (or was) a notable scientist who, at one time or another, taught or studied at Boston University. Someone who should be honored for the advancements she made in Immunology.

And, indeed, all of the above is true. Just not in the way you might expect.

Susan Kim Hanson was one of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack that took the lives of 2,996 souls in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the fields of Pennsylvania.

Sue, her husband Peter, and her two year old daughter Christine were on United Airlines Flight 175 that crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Her daughter Christine was the youngest victim of the September 11th attack.

But the Boston University Lecture Series is not named after Sue Kim Hanson because of the way she died, but because of the way she lived.

Sue was a great scientist in the making. She was a doctoral candidate in micro-biology immunology at Boston University and working on her final thesis. Her work promised to reveal the workings of a chemical believed to regulate immune responses. She had isolated in lab mice a gene suspected of being involved in asthma sufferers and AIDS patients. Her work had the potential to help millions of people.

Susan Kim was one of those wonderful American success stories. A Korean-American, Sue had lived with her grandmother in Korea until she was 6. Her mother died when she was 15 and she was raised by her strict Korean father. Through hard work and discipline, sacrifice, dedication and sheer will power she neared the goal her mother and father and grandmother had hoped she would achieve, her doctorate degree.

Dr. Hardy Kornfeld, Hanson's thesis adviser, said "She was sort of fearless. Sue just took on tasks that were incredibly challenging, and more often than not she was able to make a go at them."

That she would be attracted to the wild and undisciplined Peter Hanson was a great surprise. Three years younger than Sue Kim, Peter gained his education by following The Grateful Dead. Peter believed that the group and its music would become classics, up there with Beethoven, Bach and company, and he tried to sway the opinion of anyone who would listen. Many of our listeners to Wizard Radio would certainly agree with Peter.

But even if Sue wasn't quite convinced about the Dead, she believed in Peter. And her faith was well placed. Peter was, by all accounts, a brilliant software engineer, a great salesman and a wonderful person.

He was passionate about Sue and Sue fell head over heals in love with Peter. She obviously had a great effect on him. Legacy.com has a reprint of a New York Times article about Sue that tells the story:

"The relationship spurred Peter Hanson to clip his tangle of brownish-red dreadlocks, trade in tie-dyed T- shirts for suits, go to business school and become one of the best software salesmen his friends and family had ever met. He was vice president of marketing at TimeTrade in Waltham, Mass."

"Her bond with the Hansons was so strong that they accompanied her to California when she went to inform her father about her engagement. She worried that her father would protest because Peter Hanson was not Korean. But her family embraced the Hansons."

Sue and Peter were married and had a beautiful daughter. Sue continued to pursue her doctoral degree. She was scheduled to defend her thesis in November, 2001.

Taking a last break before finalizing her research and thesis, Sue, Peter and Christine were on their way to visit the Sue's father and grandmother in California, and take Christine to Disneyland, when they boarded United Airlines Flight 175. Peter was one of those who made a final cell phone call to his parents moments before the plane crashed into the south tower.

Sue's friend Mona Pengree writes, "Sue was awarded her PhD posthumously, as her professor finished her work on her behalf. This is a wonderful picture of her, and she shone every bit as brightly in person. Probably more. Her loss was a loss to all mankind."

Sue gave a great deal to Boston University and she gave a great deal to all of us. Her work in immunology inspired her fellow students, faculty and the University to continue her research and finish her thesis. They awarded her a doctorate degree. And they established the Annual Sue Kim Hanson Lecture In Immunology, not just to honor her memory, but to give full credit to her work and the inspiration, the strength and the courage Sue provides to us all.

God bless you Sue... and Peter and Christine and all those who died so tragically five years ago.

God bless.

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As I mentioned in an earlier entry, there is a wealth of information, tribute and love scattered throughout the Internet in remembrance of Sue Kim Hanson. I owe every contributor who came before me a deep debt of gratitude. Through each of you I have come to know Sue, Peter and Christine. You have touched my heart.

If my Tribute to Susan Kim Hanson here today fell short in any way, I deeply apologize and would love to hear from any of you.

I suggest these following resources from which I have borrowed freely in preparing this tribute:

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 VICTIMS: Sue Kim Hanson

Remember September 11, 2001

A mother to her son: How could I forget your curiosity and energy? By Eunice Hanson, for The Associated Press

Peter, Sue Kim, and Christine Hanson Memorial Web Site

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Back in 2006, the 2,996 Project asked bloggers to prepare tributes to all who died in the tragic events of September 11th. Many of those blog entries remain on line and many will be reprinted today.

The Will Be No Obamanation Here

I want to make a very, very short entry tonight that I will expand on greatly in the next few weeks.

My point is extremely simple: All four candidates for President and Vice President are extremely well qualified for the offices which they seek.

America will be extremely well served no matter which ticket wins.

To paraphrase Don Imus, there is no doubt that, if elected, John McCain might well be the finest, most honest and most honorable Presidents in recent history.

But in Barack Obama we have one of the brightest and most thoughtful persons to ever seek the highest office in the land. More importantly he is pragmatic and is genuinely willing to consider all solutions to every problem. He will not be bound by partisan dogma. And, as a bonus, he is charismatic and a truly great leader.

If McCain might become one of the most honorable and able Presidents in History, Obama could become one of the most exciting and inspiring, leading us to greatness.

There will be no slander on this website from this author (however the comments section will be unmoderated (except for spam) and all comments are welcome). I have NEVER and will NEVER refer to Senator McCain in an derogatory language. We will not call him "McShame" or "McBush" or any other cute or clever phrase.

Nor will we ever refer to Senator Obama as the "Obamassiah" or an "Obamanation." This type of slander might be the stock and trade of Rush Limbaugh, but it does not belong in an intelligent discussion of candidates or the issues.

I'm going to take this one step further. I know that will break your hearts, but the is NOT the most important election of our lifetimes. The fact is we as Americans CANNOT LOSE. Both candidates are that good.

So how do we chose? It you don't fall prey to the partisan slander and bickering, it's going to be easy. Easy because these are two very different candidates with striking differences in their approach to our greatest problems.

Over the next eight weeks I intend to explore those differences on the most important issues: [1]Iraq and Afghanistan, [2] Health Care, [3] Education, [4] Environment, [5] the Economy, Taxes and Spending, [6] Civil/Women's/Gay Rights and finally, [7] Style of Governing.

If you have been caught up in the silly stupidity of the last few days, pull yourself back from the fray. A long forgotten one line statement made by John McCain in 1994 IS NOT THE ISSUE. The fact that Obama wasn't even around in in 1994 IS NOT THE ISSUE.

That Governor Palin was once a beauty contest contestant IS NOT THE ISSUE. The fact that Joe Biden makes silly misstatements (asking a wheelchair bound man to stand earlier today) IS NOT THE ISSUE.

Concentrate on the issues. Concentrate on the policies and plans. Then, and only then, you'll know how to vote.

Lift yourself out of the gutter, even if the campaigns and the main stream media just can't do it themselves.

Three Short Takes on Political Television

BARACK OBAMA TRIUMPHS ON FOX NEWS: Barack Obama not only hit a home run in his long awaited interview with Bill O'Reilly on FOX NEWS, he knocked it our of the park, over the Green Monster!

Sports metaphors aside, Obama and O'Reilly make for terrific television. I can't wait for tonight's installment. Senator Obama is relaxed, articulate, combative, compelling and charismatic. He and Bill O'Reilly seem to have great chemistry. Barack Obama could not possibly have done his candidacy more good.

First, O'Reilly himself helps Obama immensely. O'Reilly's massive ego is an easy foil for Obama and O'Reilly seems to be willing to listen and to concede points. Yet Obama stands toe to toe when he needs to. He never yields to O'Reilly.

Plus, and even more important, Obama is gaining much needed human and up close face time with a gigantic part of the electorate that is devoted to FOX News. No amount of advertising can buy this coverage. By appearing on O'Reilly, Barack Obama appears both fair and fearless.

BARACK OBAMA PUTS THEM TO SLEEP ON OLBERMANN: Compare and contrast the dramatic, combative and compelling interview Barack has with Bill O'Reilly with the sleeper interview with Keith Olbermann. The problem is that Olbermann telegraphs the answer in every question. We learn nothing by watching the soft ball, gift wrapped straight lines supplied by Olbermann.

Once again Keith's problem is that he knows everything he wants to know before the interview ever begins. As a result no one learns anything.

BUT.... Just as we really learn a great deal by Obama's interview with O'Reilly, we might really learn a great deal if Senator McCain sat down with Olbermann. You can bet Olbermann would ask real, in depth and probing questions of McCain.

RACHEL MADDOW CURES INSOMNIA: I just love Rachel Maddow. I love her on Air America and I really loved her on Tucker Carlson's old MSNBC show. But, oh my god, what was that disaster we witnessed last night? To say that Rachel was awful is an understatement. The show was unwatchable. I know. I tried. Twice. Even TiVo couldn't save this snooze fest. You wanted to fast forward to the next commercial.

Rachel's problem is exactly the problem described above with Olbermann's interview with Obama. Rachel knew everything she wanted to say and provided the most boring list of guests, each of whom were ready and waiting to echo her every statement. The interviews were simply pathetic. Leading questions that telegraphed the answers she knew in advance she would receive.

Maddow can hold her own in any argument or intellectual discussion. What's missing from her show, so far, is anything resembling an intelligent discussion. The only compelling few moments came in her discussion with Pat Buchanan. But Buchanan is too lightweight to be a good guest for the near brilliant Maddow. And, I must repeat, Buchanan is no conservative.

If there was a television god, she would design a show where Maddow would face off with a real conservative like Sean Hannity. That would be great television and the viewers would learn something every night.

Let's hope Maddow and the folks at MSNBC tinker with her show and give it some life.

Journalists Win! Olbermann Out as News Anchor

The New York Times reported today that the once powerful NBCNews Organization is making moves to regain control over and return credibility to the pathetic MSNBC Cable Network. As a result Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews have been removed from anchor desk duties on all future political news broadcasts and will be replaced by David Gregory.

The Wizard could not possibly be more pleased. I had confidently predicted this back on August 26th - Keith Olbermann was a disaster and an embarrassment. His iron fisted control eliminated all real reporting and squelched any opposing views. He was a tyrant and a bully and NBC could no longer look the other way.

The Times report stated, in part (editing and emphasis are mine, I encourage you to read the entire report):

After months of accusations of political bias and simmering animosity between MSNBC and its parent network NBC, the channel decided over the weekend that the NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host David Gregory would anchor news coverage of the coming debates and election night. Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews will remain as analysts during the coverage. The change — which comes in the home stretch of the long election cycle — is a direct result of tensions associated with the channel’s perceived shift to the political left. “The most disappointing shift is to see the partisan attitude move from prime time into what’s supposed to be straight news programming,” said Davidson Goldin, formerly the editorial director of MSNBC and a co-founder of the reputation management firm DolceGoldin. Executives at the channel’s parent company, NBC Universal, had high hopes for MSNBC’s coverage of the political conventions. Instead, the coverage frequently descended into on-air squabbles between the anchors, embarrassing some workers at NBC’s news division, and quite possibly alienating viewers. MSNBC remained in last place among the broadcast and cable news networks. In prime time, the channel averaged 2.2 million viewers during the Democratic convention and 1.7 million viewers during the Republican convention. In interviews, 10 current and former staff members said that long-simmering tensions between MSNBC and NBC reached a boiling point during the conventions. “MSNBC is behaving like a heroin addict,” one senior staff member observed. “They’re living from fix to fix and swearing they’ll go into rehab the next week.” Mr. Olbermann, a 49-year-old former sportscaster, has become the face of the more aggressive MSNBC, and the lightning rod for much of the criticism. In January, Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews, the host of “Hardball,” began co-anchoring primary night coverage, drawing an audience that enjoyed the pair’s “SportsCenter”-style show. While some critics argued that the assignment was akin to having the Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly anchor on election night — something that has never happened — MSNBC insisted that Mr. Olbermann knew the difference between news and commentary. But in the past two weeks, that line has been blurred. On the final night of the Republican convention, after MSNBC televised the party’s video “tribute to the victims of 9/11,” including graphic footage of the World Trade Center attacks, Mr. Olbermann abruptly took off his journalistic hat. “I’m sorry, it’s necessary to say this,” he began. After saying that the video had exploited the memories of the dead, he directly apologized to viewers who were offended. Then, sounding like a network executive, he said it was “probably not appropriate to be shown.” Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams, the past and present anchors of “NBC Nightly News,” have told friends and colleagues that they are finding it tougher and tougher to defend the cable arm of the news division, even while they anchored daytime hours of convention coverage on MSNBC and contributed commentary each evening. Mr. Williams did not respond to a request for comment and Mr. Brokaw declined to comment. At a panel discussion in Denver, Mr. Brokaw acknowledged that Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews had “gone too far” at times, but emphasized they were “not the only voices” on MSNBC, according to The Washington Post. Some tensions have spilled out on-screen. On the first night in Denver, as the fellow MSNBC host Joe Scarborough talked about the resurgence of the McCain campaign, Mr. Olbermann dismissed it by saying: “Jesus, Joe, why don’t you get a shovel?” The following night, Mr. Olbermann and his co-anchor for convention coverage, Mr. Matthews, had their own squabble after Mr. Olbermann observed that Mr. Matthews had talked too long. NBC Universal executives are also known to be concerned about the perception that MSNBC’s partisan tilt in prime time is bleeding into the rest of the programming day. On a recent Friday afternoon, a graphic labeled “Breaking News” asked: “How many houses does Palin add to the Republican ticket?” Mr. Griffin called the graphic “an embarrassment.”

How Do You Like Your Monster, Dr. Frankenstein?

Eight short days ago virtually no one in America had ever heard of Sarah Palin.

Eight nights ago Barack Obama was basking in the glow of a spectacular Democrat Convention topped off by his own magnificent acceptance speech.

Seven days and 12 hours ago Democrat operatives were celebrating early poll results showing Obama had finally pulled ahead of John McCain, outside of the margin of error.

Seven days and 11 hours ago John McCain surprised the nation by announcing his choice of a little known, Alaskan Governor as his running mate.

Then something very unexpected happened. Lightning struck the extended antenna of the Democrat/Liberal/Progressive Laboratory and thousands of little Dr. Frankensteins began to create a monster that would quickly overtake them all. The Sarah Palin Monster was born.

Don't give John McCain all the credit for the Palin. It was the Dems, the Libs and the media that created the monster. And stop calling the public stupid. Americans demand fairness. And they will root for the underdog.

If Dem's had simply ignored her, noting only surprise that McCain chose a second stringer to play in the major leagues, this could have all been avoided. If only Dems hadn't attacked her gender, her family, her daughter and her Down's Syndrome baby.

If only liberals had stuck to the issues and not questioned her ability to be both a Mother and a Vice President. If only Dems had asked the same questions of Palin they would ask of Joe Biden.

If only some deranged Kos Kids hadn't created a disgusting sexual fantasy, a progressive wet dream and then posted it as fact. And, if only the Main Stream Media hadn't picked it up and run with it as fact.

But the Dems did and the Libs did and the Kos Delinquents did and the MSM did... and poof! The Monster was born!

And what a monster! Rasmussen reports today that Palin’s favorable ratings are now a point higher than either man at the top of the Presidential tickets this year. Palin's acceptance speech was viewed live by more than 40 million people, nearly equal to Obama's.

The new data also shows significant increases in the number who say McCain made the right choice and the number who say Palin is ready to be President. Generally, John McCain’s choice of Palin earns slightly better reviews than Barack Obama’s choice of Joe Biden.

And Rasmussen backs up the very point I've been trying to make for the last several days.

"Fifty-one percent (51%) of Americans believe that most reporters are trying to hurt Palin’s campaign, a fact that may enhance her own ratings."

The more the media and the Democrat blogosphere piles on with loaded questions and anti-feminist rhetoric, the more Americans will rally to her side.

My advice to my fellow Dems and Libs? Ignore Palin. Ban stories about her fom your blogs and websites. Devote the full force of your attacks on the top of the ticket. It's McCain that is running for President, anyway. Give him hell. Treat Palin like the curiosity she is, nothing more. No attacks and especially avoid anything personal.

I know some of you now have some real issues. Too bad. It's too late. You created the monster. By attacking her with lies and blatantly sexist comments, you've lost your credibiity. It just looks like more piling on.

Don't feed the beast. Put her in solitary confinement for 30 days, then let Joe Biden handle her. Have faith. Biden can do it.

Now I would take it a step further. It's not going to happen. But it should.

I think a lot of progressive bloggers owe her an apology. God knows the Main Stream Media does. They should give it to her. If doing the right thing isn't a valid reason for you to apologize, do it so you can take away the sympathy factor.

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ADDENDUM: As I re-read my essay tonight I realized I had made a very serious omission. One more person deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the excitement and that is Sarah Palin herself. She is a real and very rare talent, a powerful speaker, a strong leader and a bright and graceful spokesperson for her party.

What a Wonderful Night

When you get to watch Howard Fineman of Newsweek basically shut down Keith Olbermann, it is a wonderful night. Olbermann, who certainly doesn't belong behind the anchor desk of a major news network, was doing his best to berate and tear down Sarah Palin after her magnificient and show stopping speech to the Republican Convention. Fineman simply wasn't buying a single slanderous remark Olbermann tossed his way. Instead Fineman restated the obvious: Palin is clearly ready for prime time and the Democrats really do have a serious problem.

To paraphrase Fineman, since I don't have a video clip or transcript yet, Democrats have a very serious problem. Up until tonight Obama was the sole media star, now he has a serious rival. Palin has captured the attention, and in many ways, the hearts of the American people.

I would add that since the media and Democrat blogosphere have been so extremely unfair to Palin and her family, she also has the sympathy of almost all Americans. The Obama loving media really made a serious mistake on this one. Americans like the underdog to begin with. And Americans insist on fairness. When the media and underhanded Democrat operatives attacked and vilified Palin and her daughter in a manner that would never have been tolerated if it were a Democrat candidate, they screwed up big time.

The Wizard, fkap blog has had over ten thousand visitors today, That happened because our message rang so very true with the reading and blogging audience. Democrats absolutely surrendered their principles and their moral authority once they attacked Sarah Palin for the unforgivable sin of being a Republican while female.

I want to thank the over fifty blogs and bulletin boards that reprinted my essay and or linked to my blog. I want to thank all who have posted comments or sent me emails or text or Twitter messages. I'll try to visit and write to every one of you.

The unfairness of the media attack continues. It's appalling and embarrassing. Journalists have surrendered their objectivity and their honor. I am going to write a great deal more about this. But the bottom line is that the public hates what is happening. And they're not going to take it.

I hope and pray we'll get back to a campaign of issues and ideas, but I doubt it. I remain a strong liberal and advocate for women's rights, gay rights and civil rights. These are the topics we should discuss. But so long as misguided Democrat operatives and progressive yet unprincipled bloggers make the issue her sex, her family, her baby or her daughter, that is a debate we cannot possibly win.

And if we don't see a much stronger response against this lynching from Barack Obama himself and key Democrat leaders, Hillary Clinton in particular, then we will see Sarah Palin as Vice President in January, 2009.

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On a personal note, Sarah Palin may just have actually won the election tonight with a very genuine and heart felt comment totally overlooked by the major networks. I can personally assure you that these words are still ringing in the hearts and minds of the parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters every special needs child:

"Children with special needs inspire a special love. To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."

For a special needs parent, having an advocate in the White House trumps every single other issue. When Sarah picked up baby Trig after her speech, the election was over. Sarah won.

It's Over. We've lost.

September 2nd, 2008. The 2008 Election ended this morning as a vast cadre of liberals, progressives, Democrats and like minded journalists lifted the white flag and surrendered.

We surrendered something a whole lot more valuable than our vote. We surrendered our principles. We surrendered our core values.

We surrendered all hope. We surrendered our shared dreams that our daughters would inherit a better world, a world of promise, equality, justice, fairness and honor.

We had dreamed of a world where our 17 year old daughters wouldn't be striped naked and raped on the front page of the New York Times, above the fold.

We dreamed of a world where a candidate, man or woman, could run for the highest office in the land and not be "swiftboated" with sexual lies and slander so vicious, so cruel, so gross and destructive that they actually wither our very soul.

I actually believed we were better than that. I actually believed "swiftboating" was the sole property of Republicans. I actually believed we wanted to debate the issues. I actually believed we wanted the real change so eloquently promised by Senator Barack Obama. I actually believed we wanted a better world for our sons and our daughters.

So I thought the extremely bizarre story, so obvious a blatant lie, that somehow appeared in The Daily Kos, claiming Governor Sarah Palin had somehow faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her wayward teenage daughter would be laughed off and quickly vanish from the Kos pages like the trash it was. It was a joke, A sad, sick joke.

But instead of the aborted fetus it should have been, it was born full grown into the waiting arms of liberal bloggers and journalists, who quickly passed out cigars and congratulated themselves as proud mamas and papas. All this in spite of the fact that absolutely everyone knew the story was an absolute lie.

The only thing we aborted was the truth.

Like all lies, it took many forms and grew in dozens of directions simultaneously. The Huffington Post, already in full blown Palin Derangement Syndrome, ran every possible rumor, variation and invented more lies to compliment the original. And the main stream media, who for a solid month refused (absolutely refused) to reprint or broadcast a single word of the John Edward's affair, ran with the verifiably fake Palin story within hours of it's publication.

All of a sudden, "Did you hear what they wrote in The Kos" became an acceptable substitute for fact checking. Of course, since one single phone call could disprove the story, nobody in the mainstream media could be bothered to pick up a phone.

Finally, Governor Palin was forced to issue a statement. She had no choice. She advised the salivating media of her teen daughter's pregnancy. And that's when we finally surrendered our all of our most cherished principles.

Armed with an official statement, nothing could possibly hold the main stream media back and the liberal blogosphere went berserk. The full fledged gang rape of Bristol Palin was underway. Any shred of decency that remained in the liberal blogosphere was gone.

Remember that wonderful Academy Award Winning Movie, "Juno?" Remember the warm and supportive television series "The Secret Life of An American Teenager?" Remember liberals demanding we treat a pregnant teenager with love, support and respect. Well, fuck that shit, there's a conservative teenage harlot to burn at the stake!

There are a very few crying "don't." I point with great respect to The Ikonoclast and to Lee Stranahan over at HuffPo, but the mob is out of control and cannot hear their pleas.

Barack Obama himself is pleading for restraint. But the town sheriff's eloquence cannot stop the mob. There's a lynching to be held.

And now, on day two, we're going full force after the teen father. Seek and destroy. Seek and destroy. Seek and destroy.

So I'll simply leave you with the eloquent words of one of our very own leaders, Senator Dick Durbin, who on June 12th of this year said:

"But I will tell you this: the hottest ring in hell is reserved for those in politics who attack their opponents’ families. And if there are some strategists who think that’s the way to win the election, I think they’re wrong."

At the time Durbin said it, I didn't think it was true.

But I do now.