Last night I was having a buffalo burger dinner with a friend discussing B.O.'s - is "mismanagement" the right word? I need something more forceful - anyway we both went back to the Carter years and remembered that it took a Carter to bring a Reagan.

Only this time we can't see a Reagan on the horizon.

According to Charles Krauthammer if the economy is still in the tank in 2010 the Republicans will sweep back into power - if not - well, we'll have more of the same.

If that is the only thing that determines B.O.'s future it is a pretty sad commentary on the American people isn't it?

I think there is only so long Obama can blame Bush et al and then it will wear thin on the people - at least I would hope so.

I am ambivalent on Sarah Palin's recent move to quit her governorship - it doesn't change my view of her - but don't see how that helps her - but them maybe her political instincts are better than mine.

Or maybe there will come a day when she awakes and says "what was I thinking?" Or she is politically brilliant and sees further down down the road than moi.

One looks at South America - I remember reading a report by the CIA years ago - 15-20 - saying South America will become a huge challenge to us for the very reasons that have unfolded - a leftist dictator trying to exert influence - and it is apparently off Obama's radar.

Then we have the nukes and North Korea - Iran resurgent Russia....

And no Reagan that I can see on the horizon.

Robert - that was a good lesson in re: the DP - when being nice should not trump cold realities -

My father always had a good saying in business relationships - it all depends on whether you are the "payer" or the "payee" - you were the payer in that case

I am currently facing a similar situation...sent in a part to be repaired that was supposed to be ready in a week - and it has been 3 weeks now - the "payee" was called a week ago and was actually indignant that I should ask him when it will be ready...Sound familiar?

I don't know what concerns me most: another round of stimulas or cap+trade passing the senate.

Would be great to see Sarah Palin hit the books, and then do a re-match where she smashes Couric.

Would be great to see Sarah Palin hit the books, and then do a re-match where she smashes Couric.

That is the problem, we never should have to have such a conversation. She should have known the answers to those questions in advance.

No politician should ever be stumped for answers when asked what they read. How hard is it to say the WSJ, New York Times and Newsweek. Even if you don't read them they should just roll off of your tongue.

I don't blame Palin for anything that is going on now, but her antics prove to me that I was right in being very wary of her.

There is no double standard going on. Other politicians are grilled about their personal lives and issues that aren't necessarily germane to their ability to do the job.

Anyway, good luck to whomever elects her to office.

As for now, well, the storm clouds formed a long time ago. Now we are going to find out whether Obama is going to completely founder or figure a way to ride it out.

I'd rather not live in such interesting times, but it appears there is no choice in the matter.

Bill:

Let us know when your part gets repaired. I fear that our economy under Obama will be beyond repair for years and years.

Jack:

Let's review:

Obama won the election. The Congress is Democrat, as is the Senate and yet Sarah Palin and her children are still the Dems main target. In fact, Palin has become something of a fetish.

This says more about the Dems and the MSM than Sarah Palin.

It's well and fine if you feel vindicated about Palin.

However, the reality should be that those who opposed Obama have been vindicated.

But I have no doubt that the conversation will continue to be about Palin, because she and her family have become like Israel and the Jews: a convenient distraction.

Disgraceful.

Dajida:

Those who underestimate their opponents are fated to be crushed by them.

"He treated me with contempt because he was a professional and what did I, a writer, know about the complexities of lighting."

It really is amazing how arrogant "experts"--real or self-annointed--can be.

When Tom Watson Jr was the new IBM CEO, the typewriter business (very simple compared to IBM's mainline data processing business) was having problems. Watson tried to talk to the guy running the business about his ideas for improvement, and got the response "I really can't talk to you about this, Tom. You just don't understand the typewriter business."

Watson replaced the guy, and things improved. Generally a good idea when a subordinate tries to paint his function as too mystical for you to understand.

Robert - your story on your DP just reminded me of another story - I bought the movie Clueless - love tghat movie - and in the special features section the Director of Photography is being interviewed.

He - Bill Pope - asked Amy Heckerling - the director, "What should this movie look like?"

Amy says "Happy".

Bill then asks "What's "happy" look like?"

Amy: "I don't know, but I know it when I see it"

With that to work on, Bill then starts screening every movie he thinks could be "happy" and then prints out scenes from each - shows them to Amy.

According to Bill, Amy then looks at each picture and decrees it either "happy" or not.

So then according to Bill he knew how to make the movie "happy".

In watching this interview I knew that a DP that could can take what is in the director's mind and put it to film is a great d at his job.

BTW part will be ready tomorrow. Life is looking good!

Robert:

I thought the point of your story was the incompetence of the professionals in the McCain campaign that messed up Palin's introduction to the country. They just let all the rumors and lies hang out there without letting her rebut them so of course people today believe she charged rape victims for test kits or that she banned books in the Wasilla library.

They also messed up by not telling McCain to vote against the TARP. Or wasting the time after Super Tuesday when McCain secured the nomination and he didn't spend every day painting Obama as the lefty he is. Obama was still fighting off HRC and was a sitting duck.

But with McNamara's recent death the elite Ivy Leaguers in the JFK cabinet is another good example of the best and brightest that probably couldn't even balance their own checkbook.

The other thing the Obama/Pelosi/Reid group will do to excuse their economic mismanagement is to argue that economic prosperity is much over-rated and the American people will be better off with lower growth and less money to spend. This meme is already circuating.

Looking at Obama's domestic and foreign policy failures reminds me of the old exchange between the press and Mets manager Casey Stengel during their disastrous 1962 inaugural season:

PRESS: Casey, you're team's batting average is just .203

STENGEL: People keep going on and on about how we can't hit. But they don't see the bright side, because on the other hand, we can't field either!

Superb post, Robert, and love the graphic.

Robert,

I'd be happy to see news about her go away. She was a second rate hack who couldn't cut it. But I am not surprised by a lot of this.

This Michael Jackson nonsense is making me crazy. The day of his funeral they shut down the 101, without notice. People are camped out alongside the media by his parent's house and consequently those of us who live/work in the area are inconvenienced daily.

He was talented, but he is dead. Time to move on.

We waste so much time and energy on narishkeit. It infuriates me that the city is being charged for this.

So none of this stuff surprises me, frustrates and saddens yes.

Circling back, I still think that one of our biggest problems is living in a time where more time is spent pointing fingers than finding solutions.

Ronald Reagan wasn't actually "on the horizon" when Carter got elected either.
It took 4 years of really, really, abysmal domestic and foreign policies for the American public to pin their hopes on old man, Right Wing, Republican (Nixonian) Reagan.
Carter's insanity's long lasting effects are with us today - ie: Iran; Arab intransigence; Oil vs "renewable energy" (today being Algore, High Priest of the Baal of the Warming Glo).
Obama's childish world view, helped by the insanity of the Pelosis, will more than likely have an even worse long term effect.
In Obama's book "Dreams From My Father," he succinctly and clearly delineates his philosophies - the "disadvantaged" should become "advantaged." Feed the foodless; House the homeless; enrich the poor; clothe the naked; etcetera - no matter where; no matter who; no matter how. Period. That the is the Change that he Hopes for...

And, my question would be: How does America survive this onslaught brought about by the American people?
I'm not worried about a new Republican Leader - G-d will provide.
I'm worried about why G-d has put Obama in power in the first place...