I know that he is an actor, but he sure does seem like such a nice, easy-going guy, easy in his skin.

World class, as Herr Raab says.

What sunblock is he using?!?? That stuff is way good! Not a smidgeon of color did he get the whole summer!

I was talking to someone about Palin's lack of experience when a fervent Republican heard a portion of the conversation and interjected, "Absolutely! Obama's got no experience at all!" I looked at her and said I was talking about Palin. She looked totally gobsmacked for a moment, then did a mental tapdance (I could see it in her eyes) and she went on about Palin taking on Stevens.

If you're a Republican, you're a Republican. I wish Democrats could be so fiercely loyal -- we can get distracted by the Nadars of the world and dilute our power.

My dad is a died-in-the-wool Republican. (I fell VERY far from the family tree.) I couldn't get him to say what he thought about Palin. He has a graduate degree in engineering from MIT but he sometimes sounds like a back country Okie hick, and he knows those folks well. He just kept saying -- oh the Democrats are scared shitless now. Palin will get votes. They'll see that she can fish, she's just a down home person, married to a oil field worker -- that'll help get the Union vote! I kept asking him -- but what do YOU think? You're smart, you are educated -- what do YOU think? He wouldn't say.

The whole thing scares me. The potential leader of the free world gets in that position because she can fish? I guess that's not too far removed from Bush bush-whacking.

The whole thing sickens me. This is exactly why some of our Founding Fathers didn't want the "rabble" to vote -- they knew they wouldn't use good judgment. Let's hear it for democracy....

What is so fascinating about this to me is how completely uninteresting she is when she is playing "bright." She is almost unwatchable. And then that marvelous fire takes hold and you can't help but be drawn in. Thanks for this post

He's horrifyingly awful. And one must watch.

I'm surprised that no one has said anything about the reporter who couldn't read the sign. He said "black America" -- the sign says "black community."

Bad reporting right in front of us.

Or maybe, NetRunner, he regrets what he started. The dumbing down of the political process started on his watch. He started it, dag nab it.

I would be thrilled to think he regrets it. He sure sounds regretful.

I have been mad at Newt Gingrich for years. He was the architect of the successful Contract with America campaign. He created the list of words to always use when attacking Democrats or talking positively about your own stuff. It worked. And it spread like a virus, a devouring virus.

I suspect that he regrets this now. He talks about how folks learn things over the course of a campaign. I wonder if he was talking about himself, too.

Thanks for this posting, my15minutes. It really is stellar.

Whoa, my15minutes. That indeed is a terrific posting. Thank you.

Now how do we make everyone watch this clip at least once a week until they "get it"?

Man. I never thought I would agree with an entire Newt Gingrich speech. Will wonders never cease.

I've been lurking all these months. Just don't post often. This is my first foray into posting on the profile dealie. I admit to being somewhat confused by the whole set up.

And no, I don't mind your expression of healthy skepticism. I don't happen to think you're right, of course. I went back and responded to your response, not really knowing what the heck this profile thing is all about.

I still have my Power Point from 5 months ago. Can I give it to you? Or is that like bringing coals to Newcastle?


In reply to this comment by my15minutes:
hey! good to see a few more comments from you, lurker!

hope you don't mind that i expressed a little healthy skepticism of my own,
in reply to this comment by bareboards, prizewinning duckhunter

Well, the whole conversation was about Afghanistan. Suddenly he brings up Iraq?

I went back and listened to it again. Why did he even bring up Pakistan when the conversation was about Afghanistan? He was doing his own Pecking to Death By Ducks over a comment Obama made and he was trying to work it into the conversation.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that this is a rehearsed bit. Topic is Afghanistan? Bring up Pakistan (the country next to Afghanistan, don't you know) and attack Obama.

He blew his line, is what he did.

I'm going to stick to my original premise. Let's stop demanding absolute perfection from everyone in the public eye. I mean, really. These people live with microphones stuck in their face for hours a day. They don't eat well. They're tired. I EXPECT them to make a mistake once in a while. They are human. There is something seriously wrong with public debate when only perfection is allowed.

What is important is to look at the whole. George W also misspeaks. But he misspeaks A LOT. The man is not an orator, is not a statesman, has no natural dignity. I think it is appropriate to hold up his legions of mistakes as a pattern. How the heck anyone ever voted for that man as the Leader of the Free World is a complete mystery to me.

And it is this Pecking by Ducks nonsense that creates automaton politicians. Terrified to make ANY MISTAKE AT ALL, they speak carefully and rehearse and rehearse and rehearse until all the humanity is leached from them. And then they get criticized for that. Gore. Kerry. Clinton.

I am very impressed by Obama, for a number of reasons. One thing in particular -- he has figured out how to stay human and accessible and dignified in such an intense environment. To me, this speaks of a great and quick intelligence. It ain't easy. Who has succeeded at it?

I know that I am a lone voice in the wilderness. The mass snarkiness of the comments on every website proves that, I believe. I'm going to hang in there, though, and say things once in awhile in defense of the basic humanness that binds us all.

Real criticism on real topics, not Pecking. Please.

This is just silly. He misspoke. He obviously meant to say Afghanistan.I'm not a fan of Republicans but I AM sick to death of the niggling that goes on over little things. Pecked to death by ducks. Anyone in the public eye is just pecked to death by ducks.

I think he is right, Redsky is also correct -- he was answering a very narrow question about capitalism. The thing that he didn't address -- and that Phil didn't address -- was the role of government in creating laws to curtail the worst excesses of greed. Greed was Phil's word, by the way -- Friedman used "self interest." Capitalism empowers self-interest while government imposes group-interest through laws (environmental, anti-trust etc).

Nothing is perfect. It is our struggle towards perfection that gets us closer to it.

I was so uncomfortable watching this, even as I laughed. Grateful that the audience was full of black people. This would NOT have been funny if the audience was white. Budzos has it right, I think.

I really dislike Bush and am disgusted that he understood American psychology well enough to say the words that most Americans wanted to hear and that he was able to lead our country into the invasion of Iraq (not a war, an invasion.)

Having said that, he does have his point of view, much as I hate it.

Switch it around. Imagine Obama or Ron Paul on the podium and some right winger disrupts his speech. I imagine you would be glad to have that person escorted out.

Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom to disrupt.