KCRW's Left Right & Center 08.08.08


TiregaugeENDIVETurbine

It's a pledge drive Friday, so there won't be much posting...but here's today's summary and a few choice items to listen closely for -- links to follow in a separate post:

The fight over US energy policy has been the dominant message on the Presidential campaign trail this week: who’s got it right, who’s pandering and who’s been a demagogue? Tony Blankley’s for any plan that doesn’t involve tax subsidies, and prefers the multi-pronged approach. Bob Scheer and Arianna Huffington think Obama’s trying to play it too safe; and everyone thinks that no one’s facing the facts and telling the truth – they’re just playing politics. Matt Miller still believes the issues they should be focused on are health and pension security but that $4-a-gallon gas pushed the national agenda sideways. As Obama prepares to take a vacation, is he ceding the limelight to McCain? Why has McCain been successful in undermining Obama’s message? A reminiscence about Reagan, who stuck to his guns -- and won. Should Obama do the same? Plus, a brief mention of that other world event: The China Olympics.

Tony has an amazing line about "endive" -- (he doesn't pick a pronunciation -- he says both AHN-deev and EN-dive) --
he remembers that when Michael Dukakis ran for President, in the context of agriculture, he spoke about "endive." Tony says, it's wheat that's all-American, and that referring to endive made him sound "effete." The inflated tire comment, says Tony, is Obama's endive!

And I want you to pay attention: how many times in today's show do the panelists say "gouge" instead of gauge (gage) in referring to McCain's little tire gauge ploy? Get back to me with the answer!

And, lest we be left out of the TRUE national conversation, thank heaven Arianna rescues us with a rant about the John Edwards SEX SCANDAL! While we were busy talking about issues, the rest of the media was harping on Edwards' affair -- for hours and hours and hours. We gave that issue the 19.5 seconds it deserved. Jeez.



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Joe Friday
[this is good]
There goes Matt, once again raising the "France has a lot of nuclear power plants" argument. Well, Germany will be PHASING OUT all of their nuclear power plants.

JF


BillKarwin
The pattern emerging is that both campaigns are trying to use the strategy popularized by Karl Rove -- turn the tables on your opponent by attacking what is perceived as his strength. For example:
McCain was perceived as the leader in the war on terror, so Obama traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq. Obama called and raised by going to Israel, Germany, France, etc. When Obama described a sensible energy plan, McCain tried to turn it against him.

Another topic: I finally figured out why McCain is flip-flopping on his own positions. All you have to do is to follow the money. After hearing a report this week about the multi-billion dollar campaign "industry," I realized that politics at that level has little to do with the honest convictions of the candidates, and everything to do with saying whatever they can to motivate people to contribute money. I hope that doesn't sound too cynical.

So if McCain stuck to his moderate, "maverick" positions, then his positions would be too similar to Obama's. They'd both be competing for campaign contributions from the same voters. So to tap into a pool of money that Obama can't get to, McCain had to change his rhetoric to ultra-conservative.
YoDaveG
[this is good]
Well, you went to air too early for the biggest—and most troubling—news of the summer: the conflict between Russia and Georgia. Russia's incursion was not entirely unprovoked, or course, but its disproportionate nature reflects the reality that there is little we can throw at them besides rhetoric. My guess is that Russia cannot stomach a protracted conflict or a permanent disruption in its Western relations, and so will leave Saakashvili weakened but in power, with "enhanced autonomy" returned to South Ossetia. The Bear's roar will have been heard clearly. All that will be left is for Putin to declare "mission accomplished" (although our oblivious president will miss the irony).

(By the way, the current events have put the lie to the suggestion that there was a transition of power in Russia. Dmitri who?)

I always chuckle when Bob and Arianna decry politics for being so . . . political. Politics is not the art of the possible. It's the art of triangulation. If you were really expecting salvation from politics as usual, take off your rosary-colored glasses and realize that Obama is not the messiah. Politicians win; messiahs get crucified. I would rather Obama win the election than a crown of thorns.

Energy: Right now, O and McC are sputtering about gas prices. That's small petro-tatoes compared with what's coming. Heating oil prices are going to put the Northeast economy into the deep freeze, while soaring shipping costs are going to add fuel surcharges to every head of lettuce, pair of socks and Christmas tree ornament. Debilitating inflation is around the corner. And, once again, it's the economy, stupid.

The lesson for the candidates here isn't to ignore health-care and Iraq, but rather to frame those discussions in economic terms.

Speaking of which, I just learned that Olympic gold medals are made of silver covered with six grams of gold. The last solid-gold medals were awarded in 1912.


brindaind
[this is good]
brindaind
[this is good]
Temperature gauges instruments, are used in many industrial applications. Temperature gauges(Thermometer) measurement of temperature.

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