Well, the generator is installed. Melanie's on a new round of anti-biotics. I'm getting over my cold but my in-laws have gotten it. I'm told the first year of daycare is when kids get the most colds.

My prayers are extended to those facing Hurricane Ike. It still stays at 100mph, a weak Category 2. Although I've heard it is larger than Katrina and is dredging up more water in a storm surge. My fear is that Ike will largely fizzle in the way Gustav did, leaving us vulnerable to a real hellstorm later this year or next.

Is Sarah Palin made of Teflon? Hard to tell after only a week and a half. I'm told Ferraro got a honeymoon of about a month or so before reality set in.

9/11 was a 'reset' of sorts for this campaign. I suspect Obama might have a more effective response to the various attacks, one that won't get swallowed up by 9/11. Although, of course, Monday's the best day to release stories. A teaser going into the weekend should work though and is sorely needed to keep folks' morale up.

Here's a reply I made to someone that liked my commercials:
I suspect smarter people than I have submitted ideas such as mine that are more fully fleshed out. My co-worker is more involved in the social aspect of the campaign than I am, so I sent my suggestion and the ad in another thread to him.

I suspect the candidate himself is holding back. For what, I'm not sure. There is a difference between 'ignoring all attacks' and 'accusing Sarah Palin of soap opera antics' and 'accusing Sarah Palin of cooking her breakfast over a book barbecue.'

Or, perhaps, he is hoping to keep within striking distance and let the headlines help out with an October ad blitz -- Stevens' trial starts on September 22 and the Troopergate report is October 10. But those are not guarantees. Those would be manna. The true El Dorado for Obama would be a tape of Palin uncorking an N-bomb, whilst the El Dorado for McCain is the Whitey tape.

My belief is to tie McCain to ANYTHING (to which he can really be tied) that is unpopular about today. No half-truths. The full truth is enough. Don't run ads unless they've been 100% vetted in a poll or by your truthfinders. This may be why Rapekitgate is not being pursued outside the blogosphere.

IMO, that picture of McCain and Bush hugging should be burned in the retinas of Americans by November 3. It's not a dirty tactic to tie Bush and McCain together.

As for Sarah Palin's interview -- it all depends on how eager people are for a new Cold War. If they're not, she becomes a new Goldwater. If they are, she just sealed the deal. She is able to repeat the stuff people want to hear, and her advisors can fill in the details.

Here's a post I made in a thread on the airraid that killed 100 civilians.

I appreciate your post, and your service to this country.

That is why when mistakes happen (this strike apparently), psychopaths are allowed in positions of influence (Abu Ghraib), or those who serve are denigrated upon return (the Army bureaucracy as good as spit on our wounded soldiers when they returned), we as a nation must speak out.

We must not cover up and hide behind a thin green line of soldiers/sailors/Marines.

Those responsible are doing a disservice to their country, if not being outright traitorous.

While I disagreed with the reasons for going to war, I certainly believe that the cause we are fighting for is better than the cause Saddam's forces or the various insurgents are fighting for.

/voting for Obama, as Bush and the Republicans have had the reins long enough. I am not so deluded as to think one of our major political parties wishes ill upon our great country.