I swear if he'd been able to keep it in his pants we'd be finishing up Gore's second term now.

If 9/11 hadn't happened, yes. I've often thought though that if it had happened and he'd been president, he'd have been blamed for being too weak (because he's a Democrat! Of course he's weak!).

So this is what it's like living in a battleground state, huh? It's interesting to see how the campaigns are managing their calls, though -- yesterday I got a message from Michelle Obama letting me know that Virginia allows early voting in some places and 3 different calls from Republicans letting me know that Obama's, you know, weak in one way or another and will destroy the country. Oh, and Rudy Giuliani called to let me know that Obama is opposed to minimum sentences, and if he has his way there'll be nothing to keep liberal judges from letting murderers GO FREE! Apparently I should trust Congress's vast sweeping generalizations more than judges' individual judgment. Shut up, Republican Party! You're just making me mad! While the Democrats are all, "Here, let us make sure you can participate in democracy."

Here in NYC, we have term limits -- except the City Council just voted that the limit is three terms, not two LIKE THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR

I think that's pretty outrageous.

And as too much fuss made being made over Palin's 150,000 shopping spree (plus makup)

I've read some defenses of that. Sure, I don't think it is that important to the issues. Ok, sure, she's on the national stage and you expect a crazy amount to be spent on appearance. It's reasonable to expect that a woman would have to spend more than a man would have to, not the campaign's fault there just the expectations of society. But one. hundred. fifty. thousand? It's hard not to be taken aback.

But one. hundred. fifty. thousand? It's hard not to be taken aback.

True, but I'm equally taken aback by how much "nice things" cost, especially in New York. I mean, $15,000 for a suit? Sure, it's shantung silk, but... it's not made of butterfly wings, you know?

Heh--My mom got home from an afternoon making calls for Obama and the second she got in the house the phone rang and it was, you guessed it, a caller for Obama. She told the caller she must have passed her on her way out of Headquarters.

Now, my mom lives in the "fake" Virginia, but when she has been at the Metro stop she says they are getting a lot of Obama support from folks she would not expect. Lots of military in particular, who say there is huge underground of support for Obama both in the Pentagon and among active soldiers.

I'm on the paranoia train.

Nowhere near as much fun as the Love Train. Or the Night Train *Whoa! Jump back! Kiss myself!*

We're on Missouri's no call list which, apparently, applies to political calls as well. Nada, despite being in a swing state.

True, but I'm equally taken aback by how much "nice things" cost, especially in New York. I mean, $15,000 for a suit? Sure, it's shantung silk, but... it's not made of butterfly wings, you know?

But you can also get an equally gorgeous looking suit for say $5K. Or even less! I mean, that's what I hear....

I mean, seriously. I feel like politicians should be AT MOST shopping the "bridge" lines, where a suit could be $3-5K, if I'm remembering right. (I often get distracted and Lord & Taylor and get off at the wrong floor and recoil at the prices. But the stuff is really nice.)

I'm starting to think Obama might win this thing.

We may even have enough of a landslide to top the rigged Diebolds. ::hops on cynical train::

Here in NYC, we have term limits -- except the City Council just voted that the limit is three terms, not two LIKE THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR, because Bloomberg wants to run again. I don't even believe in term limits and this pisses me off.

This is precisely how I feel about it.

True, but I'm equally taken aback by how much "nice things" cost, especially in New York. I mean, $15,000 for a suit? Sure, it's shantung silk, but... it's not made of butterfly wings, you know?

Nobody needs a $15,000 suit for anything, you know? And $300 baby outfits? Really? Are they magically poop-repellant or are they just going to get baby shit on them? I mean, I understand that babies running for office have certain standards to maintain...

ION, I have had a headache all day and am tired and cranky. I have also written 1.5 performance reviews (one of my people is new, so gets a short review), but not my own. And there's a whole nother thing I should have been doing today, but wah wah wah.

It's reasonable to expect that a woman would have to spend more than a man would have to, not the campaign's fault there just the expectations of society.

What is NOT reasonable is that ANYONE should stand at a podium after a $150k shopping spree and claim with a straight face to be middle class.