Week 4 wrap-up

As I look back on the events of the past week, I'm having difficulty finding prominent, NEW stories on CNN. Everything that was important earlier this week is still in the headlines, only now there is more information. If you go to last week's wrap-up post, you'll notice that a few issues are still the same (the economy and Palin's waning popularity), minus the fight for Latino votes and Palin's trooper investigation. Even the tie in battleground states between Obama and McCain has been transformed into the even battle of the first presidential debate, which was the only new issue this week.

So, briefly, here are the updates on the CNN's current top issues:

• The economy and the bailout plan.
  McCain suspended his campaign to go to Washington. Both Obama and McCain were present at discussions about the $700 billion bailout proposal, but how useful were they? CNN reports disagreement among the senators, some saying that their involvement acted as a catalyst while others believe the candidates actually delayed the process.
  
  Here are a couple bits from one of several articles on CNN:
  
  
  "What Sen. McCain was able to do was to get all sides to the table which resulted in a vastly better bill," [McCain strategist Steve Schmidt] told a group of reporters Sunday.
  
  "I was on the phone every day with Secretary Paulson and the congressional leaders, making sure that the principles that have ultimately been adopted were incorporated into the bill," Obama told CBS's Bob Schieffer.
  
  
• The first presidential debate.
  CNN reports that there were a "few jabs, but no knockout in first debate." Each candidate had his own territory--McCain's strength was in foreign policy, Obama's was in the economy. McCain's leadership experience in the military proved to be a firm foundation for his spiel on foreign policy, while Obama seemed to simply agree with McCain's plans and add his own tag to the end. When talking about the economy, the bailout plan, and the candidates' own plans to stimulate the economy, Obama coolly dominated the discussion. McCain vowed to veto every spending bill except for those from a couple 'vital areas,' and every chance he got he hammered his plan to cut spending. Obama, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed and he had a more detailed plan.
  
  CNN says that after the debate, both parties "issued statements declaring their candidate the winner." How can you win a debate like this? It isn't a single argument, it's a series of arguments, and there is no 'final score' you can judge by. I disagree with the choice of the terms win and lose in this situation, although I do admit that it's possible for one candidate to win more favor than the other overall after such a debacle.
  
  You can read a transcript of the debate here.
  

• Sarah Palin still losing ground.
  In an article prepping for the upcoming VP debate, CNN spoke of Sarah Palin's disintegrating confidence. It seems that her failing popularity has created a vicious cycle--she is losing favor, which has degraded her confidence, which led to poor performance in appearances such as her interview with Katie Couric, etc.
  
  Here are a few things Palin is getting a lot of slack for:
  

  Palin's interview Wednesday with CBS' Katie Couric drew criticism when the Alaska governor was unable to provide an example of when McCain had pushed for more regulation of Wall Street during his Senate career.

  Palin was also criticized last week for appearing not to know what the Bush Doctrine was during an interview with Charlie Gibson.
  
  Palin was criticized heavily for comments she made about Russia in her ABC interview and her claim that her state's proximity to the country bolstered her foreign policy credentials.
  

  Sarah Palin has gone from her bold first appearance at the Republican National Convention to stumbling in interviews, which has cost her dearly.
  
  
• John McCain's suspended campaign.
  Republicans and Democrats alike were surprised by John McCain's announcement that he was going to suspend his campaign in order to go to the rescue in Washington. The response has been overwhelmingly negative. Everyone is saying that he didn't really do much to help with the bailout plan, that it was just a big political stunt. The man actually threatened not to show up at Friday's debate unless an agreement was reached with the bailout plan! This showed me how stubborn McCain is. Does he really think rushing the plan will make it work? I agree that something needs to be done soon, before the economy falls even further, but $700 billion is a ridiculous amount of money. Shouldn't it deserve more than a week's deliberation?
  

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Preston, Mark. " Analysis: A few jabs, but no knockout in first debate." CNN.com. 27 Sep 2008. CNN. 10pm, 28 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/27/debate.analysis/index.html>.

Sherman, Emily. " How helpful were McCain, Obama in bailout talks?." CNN.com. 28 Sep 2008. CNN. 10pm, 28 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/28/obama.mccain.bailout/index.html>.

" McCain, Obama fight for title of 'most qualified'." CNN.com. 27 Sep 2008. CNN. 10pm, 28 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/debate.friday/index.html>.

" Next up: Biden and Palin debate in St. Louis." CNN.com. 27 Sep 2008. CNN. 10pm, 28 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/27/campaign.wrap/index.html>.

McCain, his 'suspended campaign,' and the blanket bailout plan

With the first debate on Friday coming up, America is left to wonder whether John McCain will show up or not. The most important issue on CNN right now is his decision to suspend his presidential campaign and go to the rescue in Washington.

"Hours earlier, Congressional leaders reached an agreement on a bipartisan counter-proposal to the Bush plan… Without the help of either candidate or the president. The lawmakers are hopeful they’ll have a vote within days and a bill on the president’s desk soon after."

McCain says the economy is more important than the campaign. Alright, I can agree with that. McCain says he'll go help America come up with a plan of action. Hmmm, we'll see how this goes, I thought. In the end, Washington didn't even need his help, or Obama's. Heck, even the current president didn't have his fingers in this pie.

It might not be such a big deal if McCain had actually suspended his campaign, but he hasn't. His TV ads are still running, his campaign workers are still working to promote him, and McCain himself had a personal interview with Katie Couric on national television. This is little more than an empty political stunt which, from what I can tell, hasn't convinced anybody.

On top of all this, the first of several debates is scheduled for Friday night, which McCain intended to postpone in order for him to go play superhero. Not surprisingly, Obama stated that he preferred to stick to the debate schedule. Now that everyone knows he has nothing to do in Washington, CNN says that it's assumed he will no longer have an excuse not to show up for the debate.


John McCain announces that he is suspending his campaign to address America's financial crisis in Washington. Photo source: http://www.clackamasreview.com/us_world_news/story.php?story_id=TRE48N82Q

CNN makes these statements about Democratic fears of McCain's plans:

Democrats fear that McCain will take credit for bringing reluctant Republicans around to agreeing with a bailout plan in order to bolster his argument that he would be a better leader in crises than Obama.

"The Democrats, of course, are very afraid that McCain is going to swoop into these delicate negotiations on Capitol Hill at the last minute and when they reach an agreement, he's going to claim credit for having brought those negotiations to a successful conclusion," CNN senior political researcher Alan Silverleib said.

This is dirty business. Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, this kind of meddling in affairs should raise a big red flag in you mind. More than ever, America needs to see these two candidates DEBATE. If McCain fails to show up on Friday, he better have a damned good reason.

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Bash, Dana. "'Contentious' White House meeting ends with no deal." CNN.com. 25 Sep 2008. CNN. 26 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/25/campaign.wrap/index.html>.

Cafferty, Jack. "Is McCain playing politics with the nation’s financial crisis?." Cafferty File. 25 Sep 2008. CNN. 26 Sep 2008 <http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/25/is-mccain-playing-politics-with-the-nation%e2%80%99s-financial-crisis/>.

Continuing stories (short)

In lieu of the normal Tuesday post, I offer here instead a brief list of a few stories from last week that are still current issues.

The economy is still a HUGE issue in the campaign. The candidates have not only stepped up their speeches on economic policies and financial fixes, but John McCain has suspended his campaign in order to return to Washington. His immediate goal is to help figure out how to support the failing economy, but with his first debate versus Obama on Friday, many people are suspicious of, shall I say, less noble motivation. He has asked that the debate be postponed, but Obama disagrees. Will the debate go on? It's up in the air at this point.

The candidates' efforts to reach out to the Latino population have not gone unnoticed. CNN reports that the Latino votes could become swing votes in Colorado, as well as a few other battleground states. Latino votes are quickly becoming more and more important.

The most recent update in the trooper investigation is that Sarah Palin's lawyer met with special counsel from the Personnel Board, which Palin touts as the only appropriate forum for inquiry. It has been stated by one of her campaign workers that she will cooperate with this investigation.

Week 3 wrap-up

Week 3 of my Elections class has seen some interesting changes in the campaign issues. The focus has shifted away from hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the national conventions, the smearing season, and even Palin's popularity. This past week was a major turning point, and here's why.

Here are the top five current issues:

1. The economy.
   Big businesses are going bankrupt with increasing frequency, while others are being combined. The Lehman Brothers bank went under, Bank of America plans to buy out Countrywide and Merrill Lynch, and the government recently used taxpayers' money to rescue insurance giant AIG. What does this have to do with the election? McCain and Obama have the chance to step up and talk about the problems. So far, neither has shown much skill in the area.
2. Palin's popularity losing momentum.
   Ever since John McCain unveiled Sarah Palin as his running mate at the Republican National Convention, Palin has dominated the media. Everyone wanted to know who she is, and there has been much speculation about whether or not she is qualified to be Vice President. Lately, due to a number of variables, Palin's prominence in the media has been greatly reduced. With the problems on Wall Street, Democrats are stepping up to the plate. Palin's favorable ratings have dropped, and Barack Obama has pulled ahead in national polls.
3. McCain and Obama are tied in a few swing states.
   CNN reports that the two candidates are tied in five battleground states: Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This tie makes it appear the election could be just as tooth-grinding as the last two.
4. McCain and Obama are fighting for Latino votes.
   Both candidates are making efforts to reach out to Latinos by producing political ads in Spanish. These ads usually bash the opponent rather than promote the advertiser. McCain is saying that Obama and the Democrats blocked immigration reforms. Obama is saying that McCain has been taking the stance of Rush Limbaugh, a radio talk show host who made some comments about Mexicans last week that many people took the wrong way.
5. Palin's trooper investigation.
   Palin and others are being investigated for an incident back in Alaska when Palin fired the state's public safety commissioner, who is accusing her of pressuring him to fire her former brother-in-law. Witnesses, including Palin's husband, failed to show up at the hearing, which stalled proceedings.
   

AIG bailout, Republican ticket losing favor

The economy continued its downward spiral Wednesday when the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve took a beating. Why? For the $85 billion-dollar bailout of AIG, an insurance company giant. Because of extremely poor communication, no one was informed of the plan, which of course created a lot of anger and mistrust--especially after the government recently decided NOT to bail out the Lehman Brothers bank.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday said the bailout plan must "protect the families that count on insurance" from AIG.

For those of us who don’t have insurance through AIG, we have a right to feel angry about this. Why should our tax money be used for this purpose?

"Once again the Fed has put the taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to bail out an institution that put greed ahead of responsibility and used their good name to take risky bets that did not pay off," said Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, a member of the Senate Banking Committee. (Barrett)

Blame for this upset has been pinned on the Bush administration, which gives the Democrats more leverage in the campaign this year. All they have to do is point at who’s in office to dismiss the Republican ticket; more and more people are starting to believe that electing McCain would be asking for another four years of Bush.

The bailing out of AIG paired with the failure of the White House to speak about it bodes ill for this country. The government is using our tax money to take over bankrupt companies, the failure of AIG is just another symptom of a dying economy, and neither Obama nor McCain have shown significant strength in economics.

Barrett, Ted. " AIG bailout upsets Republican lawmakers." CNN.com. 17 Sep 2008. CNN. 9pm, 18 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/17/aig.bailout.congress/index.html>.

The economy and the election

With the DOW down about 500 points yesterday, the U.S. economy is in dire need of help. The Lehman Brothers bank filed for bankruptcy on Monday, the same day that the Bank of America “unveiled plans to buy Merrill Lynch” (Ellis). The falling of a company or being sold to another company both indicate inability for that organization to stand on its own feet. It indicates weakness. And because two major companies on Wall Street have shown considerable weakness, the economy is in peril.

So what does this have to do with the election? Everything. CNN has several articles on the web right now discussing the candidates’ response to the crisis, that the election has reached a critical sway point and John McCain may lose his press coverage momentum. All eyes are on McCain, and from what I’ve read, people don’t like what they see.

· Obama and McCain have a chance to form articulate responses to the crisis.

CNN reminds readers that McCain and Palin have been working hard to create a maverick image for themselves, that they are going to ‘shake up Washington.’ But again and again the McCain campaign has shown the public that it fails to address the real problems. Who wants to trust a candidate who blames the failing economy on the “reckless conduct, corruption and unbridled greed that has caused a crisis on Wall Street?” McCain belittles the issue into corruption when really the economy has been declining for years, as a result of a number of variables instead of just one.

CNN is sure to provide ample information on Obama’s remarks, highlighting his assurance that he (Obama) will do a better job of changing policies than McCain, who offers more of the same.

As part of his proposal to get out of the economic crisis, Obama said he is proposing a $50 billion Emergency Economic Plan to "jump-start job creation." Obama said the plan would save 1 million jobs by rebuilding infrastructure and repairing schools, among other things.

The senator from Illinois said the country also must continue to address the housing crisis and build a "21st-century regulatory framework." Obama vowed to "get serious" about regulatory oversight.

Obama said what's happened in the past few days is "nothing less than the final verdict on an economic philosophy that has completely failed."

McCain, on the other hand, made comments on Monday saying “that the economy was "fundamentally sound.” He later tried to ‘clarify’ his comments, saying that it was the “American worker who was "fundamentally sound,."” which did more to weaken his position than strengthen it.

• Democrats are moving back on offense, pointing to Republicans who have been in charge of the White House for the past 8 years

"Anything that raises economic anxiety should help the 'out' party -- in this case, the Democrats. All they have to say is, 'Look who's been in charge for eight years,' "[CNN senior political analyst] Schneider said.

The economy is finally becoming the number one issue that everyone expected it to be. But who will gain the most leverage here, McCain or Obama? With all the press leaning in Obama’s favor, it’s likely the Democrat will gain more momentum in the campaign.

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Anderson, Scott J.. " Wall Street turmoil gives Dems opening." CNN.com. 16 Sep 2008. CNN.
10pm, 16 Sep 2008
<http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/16/candidates.wall.street/index.html>.

Ellis, David. " Changes rock Wall Street." CNN.com. 15 Sep 2008. CNN.
10pm, 16 Sep 2008
<http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/15/banks.bigchanges/index.html?iref=newssearch>.

" Obama says he's better on economy." CNN.com. 16 Sep 2008. CNN.
10pm, 16 Sep 2008
<http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/16/campaign.wrap/index.html>.

Week 2 wrap-up

Here are the top five issues from this week, according to articles from CNN, in no particular order:

1. The race is becoming more vocally violent, with both Obama and McCain hurling bitter comments at each other.
2. Joe Biden has been elbowed out of the spotlight, in the shadow of Sarah Palin.
3. Sarah Palin's life as mayor and senator are being closely examined. Was she really acting in the best interests of her community?
4. The McCain campaign accused Obama of using his 'lipstick on a pig' remark to attack Sarah Palin, and demanded an apology which Obama still refuses to give.
5. With oil prices spiking because of Hurricane Ike, the public's eye is focused intently on the economy. How do candidates propose to stimulate the economy?
   

These are all interesting aspects of the campaign that I have read about, more or less, on CNN. For several of these items there are multiple articles, which highlight their importance.

That's all for now.. ~Catherine

Palin's popularity casts Biden in shadow

When was the last time anyone saw Senator Joe Biden in the spotlight? Since McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, Obama's running mate Biden has figuratively been removed from the stage. An article on CNN.com discusses the entourage that Palin has gathered while Biden has been so sparsely followed that he was able to sneak away to teach a law class. Why is this so important? Biden's sudden drop from top coverage to nearly nothing shows just how fickle the media can be.

The problem isn't just that the media is ignoring Biden for Palin. Part of the issue is that the media is deliberately choosing to swarm a candidate who no one seems to be able to get close to anyway. Palin's aides surround her, making it difficult for reporters to come in contact with her, while Biden has consistently offered one-on-one discussions with the press. CNN offers this bit of observation:

"Sen. Joe Biden faces a paradox: He offers the most unfiltered contact with the media of any of the big four. But he's the least likely to be covered."

Biden isn't Obama or McCain, and he's certainly no Sarah Palin. The press simply loves a new face, and the public loves seeing an average joe rise to the top. Thus the American people are missing out on a prime opportunity to learn more about Biden because mainstream media has chosen to ignore him. So just how much more press coverage has Sarah Palin had than Biden since her national introduction?

"An index released by the LexisNexis Analytics 2008 election dashboard showed Palin received nine times the media coverage that her counterpart did during the first week of September, which included the Republican National Convention."

Nine times is a monumental difference. Sure, it includes the Republican Convention, but Sarah's popularity in the media hasn't begun to fade yet. This is one reason I despise politics. Popularity often separates candidates unfairly, turning election campaigns into entertainment for the public. The media makes a big deal of personal issues and neglects the more important problems, which is why so many people have such a hard time deciding who to vote for.

Streitfeld, Rachel. "Analysis: Biden goes from hot to not since Palin came along." CNN.com. 12 Sep 2008. CNN. 11am 13 Sep 2008 .

Lipstick on a pig; smearing

We all knew this time would come. It's inevitable in this day and age. When politicians begin fighting for swing states, they often resort to bashing their opponents instead of trying to gain more ground by talking about important issues. Yes, it's the smearing season--the time when more people avoid politics than ever, when debates degrade into childish banter, when even politicians themselves begin to grow sick of insults. Face it--it's easier to toss insults around, but it takes more work to gain people's trust.

The first major attack has occurred. CNN News has been covering a story about a comment Barack Obama made while giving a speech in Virginia. Obama spoke sarcastically about McCain's ideals, saying how similar McCain's ideals are to those of President Bush.

Here is an excerpt from a CNN article. Obama is the speaker.

"John McCain says he's about change too, and so I guess his whole angle is, 'Watch out George Bush -- except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove-style politics -- we're really going to shake things up in Washington,'" he said.

"That's not change. That's just calling something the same thing something different. You know you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig."

The McCain campaign is demanding an apology; they are accusing Obama of using the pig comment as a direct attack on Sarah Palin, who made a lipstick joke at the beginning of the Republican convention. She said something to the degree of 'What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.'

Even though CNN has a hard lean to the liberal side, I have to agree with them on this one in questioning the true intentions of Obama's remark. Was he making a stab at Sarah Palin? I don't think so. The comment came directly after remarks on McCain's ideals; I'm not sure how the Republicans managed to connect it with Palin. To me, this makes Republicans look pretty bad--or at least the McCain campaign. They are so desperate for dirt on their opponent that they resorted to this, which indicates weakness. McCain appears to be losing favor, which frankly doesn't surprise me.


Sinderbrand, Rebecca. " 'Lipstick on a pig': Attack on Palin or common line?." CNN.com. 10 Sep 2008. CNN. 8pm 10 Sep 2008 .

Congress to reconvene; focus on energy and the economy

According to CNN, Congress will reconvene this coming Monday now that the Democratic and Republican national conventions are out of the way. Members of both parties will be “eager to use the three-week session to show voters why their candidates are the ones to fix the economy and lower energy prices.” Energy seems to be the number one issue in this campaign right now. McCain insists that he and Palin will be ‘agents of change,’ but his past voting record shows that he supported Bush more than McCain is willing to admit. Many voters are betting that to elect McCain would be asking for another four years of President Bush. Obama is also promising change, but CNN in particular seems to favor his policies as more likely to have a positive effect on the economy.

The two main problems to be addressed by Congress will be the energy crisis and the economy. Republicans want to drill new offshore oil wells, to ”produce more energy at home,” said McCain at the National Convention.

Here is an extended excerpt from an article by CNN:

Republicans and the White House also object to the cost of Democratic proposals for a second economic relief measure, which could include public works investment, disaster aid and heating subsidies to low-income families. Rebates for taxpayers, the centerpiece of the $168 billion plan that Bush signed in February, are less likely this round.

There are glimmers of movement in the Senate on energy.

A group of eight Democrats and eight Republicans is putting together a compromise bill that would allow drilling off the coast of Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, and Florida's Gulf coast; invest $20 billion on developing petroleum-free motor vehicles; and extend expiring renewable energy tax credits.

The compromise bill sounds like a good idea to me. If Congress turns into Republicans vs. Democrats, nothing will get done. But this new proposal would lower the price of oil while promoting cleaner, more energy-efficient cars. The compromise is a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere filled with political propaganda; hopefully Congress will support it in the weeks to come.

" Congress returns from recess with campaigning on the mind." CNN.com. 7 Sep 2008. CNN. 4:00pm 7 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/07/congress.ap/index.html>.

Republican National Convention: Palin's support paling or expanding?

The Republican National Convention's now in full swing in Minnesota, and everyone is talking about it. McCain was interrupted by war protesters. Sarah Palin unleashed an attack on Democratic nominee Barack Obama. After Palin's speech, Obama reportedly raised $10 million in a single day. There's a lot going on in St. Paul.

Today, Alaska senator Sarah Palin seems to be the central topic in the news. There are many circulating articles about her speech, and plenty about her in general. How did Republicans react to her speech? What about Democrats? Did her speech gain any support from the undecided voters? And why did she make such a decisive attack on Obama? Here's a brief video from CNN discussing their thoughts on her speech and some general reactions to it.

(Psst... Terry Holt, on the far right, is wearing jeans! How's that for professionalism?)



Julian Epstein pointed out what everyone has been saying for the last few days--that Palin delivered a pretty decent speech, but she failed to address any plans to stimulate the economy or "any issues that people really care about. All you've heard is a swirl of controversy about [Palin] this week." I can't help but agree. In her speech, Palin described herself and her accomplishments, praised her running mate John McCain, and attacked Democratic nominee Barack Obama with bitterness and sarcasm. In the video above, John Roberts says that, in a focus group of women, that they didn't care for Palin's sarcasm or roughness, but that they an probably the rest of the public genuinely wants to hear more about her policies. Not once did she set a goal and explain how she and McCain would reach them. Pretty much the only goal she addressed was winning the election.

There are plenty of promises in her speech to harbor change in Washington, but they ring empty. Palin's energy is very appealing, but so far she has failed to deliver any significant contribution to the campaign other than gaining exposure.

These issues are echoed by an article on CNN.com. John Avlon had this to say about Palin and her speech's effect on independent voters:

"I think she has really helped close the enthusiasm gap which existed and really energized them," Avlon said, but "there is a substance gap that still exists, things we don't know about Sarah Palin in terms of what policy she supports."

Here's another little treasure:

CNN contributor Paul Begala said that Palin is the "new hero of the Republican right" but that her attack-dog style wasn't what the independents and swing voters want to hear.

Avlon, author of "Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics" went on to remind people of John Kerry's campaign strategy--attacking Bush and expecting it to win him support, which of course it didn't. Avlon warns that if McCain and Palin spend their time bashing Obama, the same thing could happen. In this case, the best defense is NOT a good offense. People just don't like mean politicians.


Keck, Kristi. " Will Palin's tough talk win over undecideds?." CNN.com. 4 Sep 2008. CNN. 11:30 pm 4 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/04/palin.independents/index.html>.

CNN: Gustav and McCain, Don Fowler Apology, Palin's Daughter Pregnant

It's two-thirty in the afternoon. After several hours of research, I have selected three political issues from CNN's headlines:
- McCain to Seize the Stormy Moment?
- Dem apologizes for joking about hurricane
- Teen daughter of GOP VP pick is pregnant

The first article's headline was on CNN.com, but the actual article was on Time.com in association with CNN. The second was on CNN's ticker, with considerably less importance, but still noteworthy. The third popped up while I was doing research on the first two, and took the top spot on the list of headlines.

First I shall discuss McCain and Hurricane Gustav.

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August 31, 2008-John McCain specifies changes to Republican convention with hurricane Gustav approaching the area. Original photo source unknown.

The first day of the Republican National Convention was cut short yesterday due to the impending danger of Hurricane Gustav. Most of the proceedings were cut altogether, leaving the convention to a bare-bones schedule to get through necessary procedures.

CNN's Michael Scherer wrote about John McCain's attempt to use Gustav to bolster support for Republicans, after the Bush administration botched the rescue and relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina. McCain's choice to suspend the convention in order to provide leadership in the face of Gustav seems admirable at first, but Scherer noted one instance in which McCain may have taken it too far.

“During a Sunday interview with NBC News, McCain said he was even considering accepting his party's nomination Thursday not from the convention floor in St. Paul as planned, but via satellite from somewhere in the storm ravaged region."

I can understand why McCain would want to use Gustav as an opportunity to restore Republicans' credibility, but accepting his nomination from the storm area would be showing off his good will a bit too much. And as Scherer stated,

“The media is already asking questions about how much good it does to have a politician with a big security entourage and no actual connection to the afflicted region staying put there.”

I can't help but agree with Michael Scherer. McCain is doing an admirable thing, but with less than admirable motives. There is a fine line between promoting your party and doing something for personal gain, and I can't say exactly where I think McCain is. I'm wary.

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Next is former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler's apology for cracking a joke about Hurricane Gustav. Here is a YouTube video which shows Fowler "joking with South Carolina Rep. John Spratt about the timing of the hurricane."

Here is an extended excerpt from Mooney's brief Ticker article:

“The hurricane is going to hit New Orleans about the time they start. The timing is, at least it appears now, it will be there Monday. That just demonstrates God is on our side,” Fowler said, while laughing. Fowler also told Spratt that “everything’s cool.”

Speaking to the Associated Press Sunday, Fowler said his comments were intended to make light of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell's remark that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 was God's punishment for abortion and homosexuality.

"I don't believe in a God that's vengeful," Fowler said. "I believe in a God that's compassionate."

"This is a point of national concern. I think everybody of good will has great empathy and sympathy for people in New Orleans," Fowler also said. "Most religious people are praying for people in New Orleans. There is no political connotation to this whatsoever. This was just poking fun at Jerry Falwell and the nonsensical thing he had said several years ago."

Was Fowler talking about something he truly believed? No. He was laughing, he was joking around--not at the expense of hurricane victims, but toward Jerry Falwell, who really did believe that Hurricane Katrina was an act of God. Fowler doesn't really believe that the timing of the hurricane showed that God was on the Democrats' side. So why is this even in the news?

This is the kind of crap that makes me avoid politics. People take things seriously when they shouldn't, with the intentions of hurting their enemy's credibility. To their credit, CNN doesn't seem to be putting a spin on the story. And I can take comfort in the fact that this was a brief article and that it wasn't front-and-center in CNN's list of news. It was on the ticker.

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The last issue I will be addressing from CNN's headlines is similar to the last, in the case that it's just another reason why I don't care for politics. After researching the first two articles, I refreshed CNN's headline page and this one popped up, taking the number one spot on the list. Apparently Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol, who is a high school senior, is pregnant. Why does this matter to the general public? Because Sarah Palin is McCain's running mate.

I think it's safe to say that most people don't look upon teenage pregnancy with warm feelings. Bristol's pregnancy, by way of association, hurts her mother's, and McCain's, reputations. Everyone involved insists that they are proud of Bristol's decision to keep the baby and marry the father.

There are a couple different ways to look at this article. People might still see the pregnancy as something to hold against Palin and McCain, or they could see it as evidence of strength. The Palin family professes their full support of Bristol, which shows strength in the face of adversity. Teenage pregnancy doesn't have good connotations, but to accept the challenge and rise to meet it is admirable.

Dana Bash, who wrote the article for CNN, seems to focus more on the negative side and the reaction to it instead of looking for something positive. The article isn't bad, but I hope readers are aware of its focus. There is more than one angle, after all.

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Bash, Dana. " Teen daughter of GOP VP pick is pregnant." CNN.com. 1 Sep 2008. CNN. 1 Sep 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/01/palin.daughter/index.html>. ACCESSED AT 1:00pm

Mooney, Alexander. "CNN Political Ticker: All Politics, All the Time." CNNPolitics.com. 1 Sep 2008. CNN. 1 Sep 2008 <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/01/dem-apologizes-for-joking-about-hurricane-2/>. ACCESSED AT 12:30pm

Scherer, Michael. "McCain to Seize the Stormy Moment?." CNN.com. 1 Sep 2008. CNN. 1 Sep 2008 <http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837807,00.html?cnn=yes>. ACCESSED AT 11:00am