Who'll be President Round 1

Last night's debate was meant to be about foreign policy, which no one wanted to hear about because this time it really is "the economy, stupid."

I mean, without a healthy economy, we won't need to discuss foreign policy issues, right?

Right.

On balance, I'd say McCain came off a hair's breath better than Obama in that he did look more presidential than I'd thought he would. (Our expectations are that Obama does already look and behave presidential at all times, so that's why McCain gets the edge here.)

Rudeness award also goes to McCain who failed to make eye contact with Obama, nor did he exercise common courtesy in using his first name even on one occasion.

McCain failed to brand Obama as a greenhorn, his failure helped in part by the fact he could not pronounce the name of the Iranian and Pakistani presidents.


Obama failed to get his rebuttals across during the remaining moments of the 'five minute' open floor because he was behaving too gentlemanly. In a crucial debate, get your point across Mate or the people won't know. McCain was very effective in this strategy and Obama needs to become more assertive here.

Next up is Biden v Palin. That will be most interesting. Can't wait.

Scarey Days

Looks like Wall Street folks are beginning to experience some of Main Streets pain as they pack the contents of their desks into boxes and head out the door for the last time. I've always been suspicious of the greed on Wall Street, but now I'm hopping mad these guys have the keys of our economy in their hands.

Too many dodgy investments have been dreamed up by these so-called top-tier College financial analysts who 'earn' huge bonuses for creating them and getting the representatives of pension funds and Main Street commercial banks to persuade their clients (ergo 'us') to buy them. Even worse the CEOs' of these investment banks DO NOT understand the full extent of the risks their subordinates are exposing their institutions to, and the government's failed to ensure adequate control and regulation. And McCain and Palin are campaigning for even less regulation.

Are the chickens coming home to roost: First Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being put under conservatorship (read Bankruptcy protection). Now Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch--though technically the latter's a stay of execution; next AIG; after that WaMu? What's coming down the pipeline? What are we not being told? Are we heading toward another Great Depression? Huge financial institutions are failing and the public seems indifferent. Or are we going to wake up one morning to a massive run on the commercial banks?


Who needs to go to the movies and watch a horror movie to be scared?