*** Official Barack Obama FBG campaign headquarters *** (4 Viewers)

[kaa]

Sorry if this is :honda: but I'd been looking for something like this for a while and someone finally sent me this link, so I thought I'd post it here (I did a search in the FFA for the link and nothing useful came up).

Washington Post blurb on the effects of McCain and Obama's tax plans

Is this summary accurate?

No big surprise here I guess. It definitely give the lie to any claims that Obama is net raising taxes. Turns out I personally would get less of a tax break from Obama than McCain.

I also note that govt tax revenue must drop in either case. With the current view that Obama will spend 1-2 trillion less than McCain I'd have to say the overall package makes Obama look better for the current state of the economy than McCain.

Its a campaign promise, which by default makes it worthless. Unless you are one of those types that takes politicians at their word when vying for national office.

 

[kaa]

Ultimately the problem is the same here. Obama comes off as a politician trying to win the White House, while McCain comes off as a real person trying to win the White House. Eventually, the undecideds are going to break for McCain big. Just a matter of time.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Ultimately the problem is the same here. Obama comes off as a politician trying to win the White House, while McCain comes off as a real person trying to win the White House. Eventually, the undecideds are going to break for McCain big. Just a matter of time.

BGP nails it as usual.

 

[Statorama]

You know, Obama seems like a really nice guy, and I bet he's a great dad to his kids. I also see a lot more genuine affection between he and Michelle than I did with Bill and Hillary.

He's never been beaten at anything as far as I can tell (can't recall an election he's lost), and that should provide him with the fortitude required to hurdle the obstacles that are sure to get in his way.

There's a lot to like about him

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Should we be keeping some sort of tally of conservatives that are coming out for Obama lately?

Add Wick Allison

Barack Obama is not my ideal candidate for president. (In fact, I made the maximum donation to John McCain during the primaries, when there was still hope he might come to his senses.) But I now see that Obama is almost the ideal candidate for this moment in American history. I disagree with him on many issues. But those don’t matter as much as what Obama offers, which is a deeply conservative view of the world. Nobody can read Obama’s books (which, it is worth noting, he wrote himself) or listen to him speak without realizing that this is a thoughtful, pragmatic, and prudent man. It gives me comfort just to think that after eight years of George W. Bush we will have a president who has actually read the Federalist Papers.

Most important, Obama will be a realist. I doubt he will taunt Russia, as McCain has, at the very moment when our national interest requires it as an ally. The crucial distinction in my mind is that, unlike John McCain, I am convinced he will not impulsively take us into another war unless American national interests are directly threatened.

"Someone should ask Sarah Palin a question or two about the Federalist Papers. The result would undoubtedly be hilarious." -- Ed Brayton

 

[Fennis]

Should we be keeping some sort of tally of conservatives that are coming out for Obama lately?

Add Wick Allison

Barack Obama is not my ideal candidate for president. (In fact, I made the maximum donation to John McCain during the primaries, when there was still hope he might come to his senses.) But I now see that Obama is almost the ideal candidate for this moment in American history. I disagree with him on many issues. But those don’t matter as much as what Obama offers, which is a deeply conservative view of the world. Nobody can read Obama’s books (which, it is worth noting, he wrote himself) or listen to him speak without realizing that this is a thoughtful, pragmatic, and prudent man. It gives me comfort just to think that after eight years of George W. Bush we will have a president who has actually read the Federalist Papers.

Most important, Obama will be a realist. I doubt he will taunt Russia, as McCain has, at the very moment when our national interest requires it as an ally. The crucial distinction in my mind is that, unlike John McCain, I am convinced he will not impulsively take us into another war unless American national interests are directly threatened.

"Someone should ask Sarah Palin a question or two about the Federalist Papers. The result would undoubtedly be hilarious." -- Ed Brayton

Do they make flash cards that cover the Federalist Papers?

 

[phthalatemagic]

Closing in on 12,345 posts

 

[Green and Gold]

Well its been a nice recovery in the polls, no doubt in part due to the economic crisis. But the first debate looms and there I don't see how Obama can win this. We're going to get Saddleback again. Obama will mutter as he gets lost in his train of thought, trying to be nuanced but coming off milquetoast. McCain will be decisive, strong, and engaging. The ivory tower crowd will gush that Obama won, and McCain will surge in the polls. That's when the democrats go into panic mode.

Debate winners haven't had a good track record in the last couple elections.

 

[Statorama]

I like the fact that Obama spent considerable time with his grandparents. Makes me feel like he'll respect the needs of the elderly

 

[Statorama]

Obama wants to give the UN $50 billion/year to fight poverty. That's really big hearted of him

I'm also glad he chose a reputable source in the UN to funnel the money through. There's no one organization I'd trust with $50B of our money more than the UN

 

[Fennis]

Obama wants to give the UN $50 billion/year to fight poverty. That's really big hearted of him I'm also glad he chose a reputable source in the UN to funnel the money through. There's no one organization I'd trust with $50B of our money more than the UN

I know accuracy isn’t high on the list, but just in case so you get it right:

Fight Poverty: Obama and Joe Biden will double our annual investment in foreign assistance from $25 billion in 2008 to $50 billion by the end of his first term and make the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015, America's goals. They will fully fund debt cancellation for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries in order to provide sustainable debt relief and invest at least $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, including our fair share of the Global Fund.

 

[dancingbones]

Obama wants to give the UN $50 billion/year to fight poverty. That's really big hearted of him I'm also glad he chose a reputable source in the UN to funnel the money through. There's no one organization I'd trust with $50B of our money more than the UN

I know accuracy isn’t high on the list, but just in case so you get it right:

Fight Poverty: Obama and Joe Biden will double our annual investment in foreign assistance from $25 billion in 2008 to $50 billion by the end of his first term and make the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015, America's goals. They will fully fund debt cancellation for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries in order to provide sustainable debt relief and invest at least $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, including our fair share of the Global Fund.

That would be great to have an administration on board with the Millennium Development Goals. Also, funding our share of the Global Fund would be huge.There is a lot at stake in this election.

 

[Statorama]

Obama wants to give the UN $50 billion/year to fight poverty. That's really big hearted of him I'm also glad he chose a reputable source in the UN to funnel the money through. There's no one organization I'd trust with $50B of our money more than the UN

I know accuracy isn’t high on the list, but just in case so you get it right:

Fight Poverty: Obama and Joe Biden will double our annual investment in foreign assistance from $25 billion in 2008 to $50 billion by the end of his first term and make the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015, America's goals. They will fully fund debt cancellation for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries in order to provide sustainable debt relief and invest at least $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, including our fair share of the Global Fund.

That would be great to have an administration on board with the Millennium Development Goals. Also, funding our share of the Global Fund would be huge.There is a lot at stake in this election.

That's what I said. Good work Barak

 

[Fennis]

Obama wants to give the UN $50 billion/year to fight poverty. That's really big hearted of him I'm also glad he chose a reputable source in the UN to funnel the money through. There's no one organization I'd trust with $50B of our money more than the UN

I know accuracy isn’t high on the list, but just in case so you get it right:

Fight Poverty: Obama and Joe Biden will double our annual investment in foreign assistance from $25 billion in 2008 to $50 billion by the end of his first term and make the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015, America's goals. They will fully fund debt cancellation for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries in order to provide sustainable debt relief and invest at least $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, including our fair share of the Global Fund.

That would be great to have an administration on board with the Millennium Development Goals. Also, funding our share of the Global Fund would be huge.There is a lot at stake in this election.

That's what I said. Good work Barak

Maybe thats what you thought you said, but thats not what you said.

 

[flufhed]

You know, Obama seems like a really nice guy, and I bet he's a great dad to his kids. I also see a lot more genuine affection between he and Michelle than I did with Bill and Hillary.He's never been beaten at anything as far as I can tell (can't recall an election he's lost), and that should provide him with the fortitude required to hurdle the obstacles that are sure to get in his way.There's a lot to like about him

 

[H Jass]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

Here's a thread about Obama's economic advisors.

 

[Statorama]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

 

[Bonzai]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

It's my understanding that Austan Goolsbee is his key economic advisor.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

It's my understanding that Austan Goolsbee is his key economic advisor.

Yes, I was just going to add this to my earlier post. This is the guy that has been most prominently talked about.

 

[Bonzai]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

It's my understanding that Austan Goolsbee is his key economic advisor.

Hm, looks like he's no longer the top advisor...

 

[Statorama]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

It's my understanding that Austan Goolsbee is his key economic advisor.

Hm, looks like he's no longer the top advisor...

It's probably Jason Furman. He's a big free-trade advocate

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

 

[Go DC Yourself]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.Muchas gracias.

Others have pointed to the guys who will likely be down the hall on a daily basis. In the past few days this appeared regarding recent economic events:

Obama, Not McCain, Shows Steady Hand in Crisis: Albert R. Hunt Commentary by Albert R. HuntSept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- For the first time since 1932 a presidential election is taking place in the midst of a genuine financial crisis. The reaction of the candidates was revealing. John McCain, railing against the ``greed and corruption'' of Wall Street, won the first round of the sound-bite war. He came out with a television commercial on the ``crisis'' early on Monday of last week, and over the next three days gave more than a dozen broadcast interviews. He and running mate Sarah Palin would reform Wall Street and regulate the nefarious fat cats that caused this fiasco. It was a great start. It then went downhill as he stumbled over his record of championing deregulation, claimed the economy was fundamentally strong, and flip-flopped over the government takeover of American International Group Inc. For his part, Barack Obama didn't come across as passionately outraged and wasn't as omnipresent or as specific. More revealing, though, was to whom both candidates turned on that panic-ridden morning of Sept. 15, and how the messages evolved before and after that day. McCain called Martin Feldstein, the well-known Republican economist and Reagan administration adviser, John Taylor of Stanford University, who served in President George W. Bush's Treasury and Carly Fiorina, once the chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard Co. Obama called former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, and former Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Larry Summers. It was a mismatch. Towering Volcker Feldstein, for all his intellect, was ineffective in the Reagan administration; then-White House deputy chief of staffDick Darman cut him out of important action. Volcker, first at the Treasury and then as chairman of the Federal Reserve, was a towering figure in every way. Taylor is a well-regarded academic. In four years as undersecretary of the Treasury, he left few footprints. Summers, as both deputy secretary and secretary, left a lot. Fiorina is smart and quick; to put it charitably, Rubin will forget more about financial markets than she'll ever know. When it comes to governance, and either Democrat Obama or Republican McCain will inherit this miserable financial mess, the best guide is who they talked to, what they said, where they've been, and how knowledgeable they are. Obama's record and earlier speeches belie some of his more populist rhetoric. Yet they also suggest, as do his advisers, a much more activist government role than is likely under a McCain- Palin administration. Comfortable With Subject Obama called for the overhaul of the financial-regulatory system and tougher enforcement well before this past week's traumas. Detached observers who watched him last week, especially in a Bloomberg Television interview, were taken by how conversant and comfortable he was on the subject, despite his thin record. Few detached observers came away with that impression watching the Arizona senator. Much of the re-regulatory fever focuses on the Federal Reserve and any new agencies created to clean up the fiasco. Central, however, will be a more vigorous Securities and Exchange Commission, or whatever holds that investor-protection function. McCain displayed a sudden interest in the SEC last week when he demanded that Chairman Chris Cox be fired. When his campaign was asked if the senator had ever criticized the current commission's performance before, they failed to respond. All For Obama Tellingly, three former SEC chairmen, a Democrat, Arthur Levitt, and two Republicans, David Ruder and Bill Donaldson, have endorsed Obama. Levitt is a board member of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News. Donaldson, who was tapped by Bush to head the SEC, says Obama called him last year about the financial-regulatory problems. He has never heard from McCain. ``Obama has been talking about the need for better financial regulation well before this crisis hit and has done some real thinking about it,'' says Donaldson, a lifelong Republican. ``McCain comes across as someone who suddenly realized changes have to be made.'' There is a case for McCain: it's if you believe in less regulation, that the government should get out of the way and let the markets work their will. No `Real Understanding' ``I don't think anyone who wants to increase the burden of government regulation and high taxes has any real understanding of economics,'' McCain said this spring at an Inez, Kentucky, town hall meeting, where he also declared ``the fundamentals of our economy are good.'' Until recently, he repeatedly invoked Ronald Reagan's calls for less regulation. He voted for the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley corporate-governance regulations -- then last year said he regretted that vote. McCain isn't averse to some regulations. He has strongly championed a greater federal role in campaign finance, tobacco and boxing. In each case, he saw a clear villain -- special- interest money, a tobacco product that puts profits ahead of lives, and unscrupulous boxing promoters. There has been little evidence that prior to last week he ever put financial firms in this category. Although he assailed excessive corporate compensation last week, McCain has opposed a tepid House-passed bill that would give corporate shareholders the right to cast a non-binding vote on compensation of top executives. Turning to Gramm The person he has turned to most for counsel on such matters is his ex-Senate colleague Phil Gramm. Gramm is a political Gordon Gekko, a brainy economist with a Darwinian view of markets and public policy. It's not easy to remember what the financial world looked like 10 days ago much less 10 months ago. Decisions that will be reached after this election will be the most important since the 1930s. Obama, as more than a few Democrats are complaining, hasn't been as quick, sharp -- or demagogic -- as they would like. McCain has been beset by deeper difficulties: an inchoate and inconsistent message that seems to reflect political exigencies more than principled convictions. On the financial crisis, last week belonged to Obama. (Albert R. Hunt is the executive editor for Washington at Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

 

[Bonzai]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

Here is an article from the 19th. LINK

Warren Buffett, Paul O’Neill, Bob Rubin, Joe Stiglitz, Larry Summers, Dan Tarullo, Laura Tyson and Paul Volcker will all participate in Obama’s economic team meeting either by phone or in person in Miami Florida this morning. Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden will now participate in the economic meeting by phone, in addition to Gene Sperling, who was the chief economic advisor to Sen. Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.

Here is another pretty good article from a little over a month ago: LINK

I can't find anything to support the claim on Wiki that Goolsbee is no longer Obama's top economic advisor.

 

[saintfool]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

 

[H Jass]

Thanks guys...lots o' good links to mull over. My wavering and swaying to and fro is in full force.

 

[Statorama]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

Yeah, damn haters All they've got is this (taken from the article)

"taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."

I mean, come on, that's pretty flimsy.

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

Yeah, damn haters All they've got is this (taken from the article)

"taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."

I mean, come on, that's pretty flimsy.

Since this has now become a campaign issue, I asked Huslin to provide the exact circumstances of that passage. She said that she was chatting with Raines during the photo shoot, and asked "if he was engaged at all with the Democrats' quest for the White House. He said that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said, 'Oh, general housing, economy issues.' ('Not mortgage/foreclosure meltdown or Fannie-specific?' I asked, and he said 'no.')"

Full quote. And that conversation took place in July.And if you consider "a few phone calls" as being an advisor, you're as bad a liar as McCain.

 

[Statorama]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

Yeah, damn haters All they've got is this (taken from the article)

"taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."

I mean, come on, that's pretty flimsy.

Since this has now become a campaign issue, I asked Huslin to provide the exact circumstances of that passage. She said that she was chatting with Raines during the photo shoot, and asked "if he was engaged at all with the Democrats' quest for the White House. He said that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said, 'Oh, general housing, economy issues.' ('Not mortgage/foreclosure meltdown or Fannie-specific?' I asked, and he said 'no.')"

Full quote. And that conversation took place in July.And if you consider "a few phone calls" as being an advisor, you're as bad a liar as McCain.

Right on Homer. I told yall it was flimsy

 

[Bonzai]

OK, so this is starting to bug me. Anybody have anything recent on Goolsbee and Obama? Why wouldn't Goolsbee be part of this most recent meeting, expecially considering how critical it is? Anyone know about Goolsbee leaving or moving down the pecking order on the Obama team?

 

[Statorama]

:( to NBC's attack dog Matt Lauer getting on Obama's case about the bailouts.

Lauer was talking about how Obama hit Sen. McCain for flip-flopping on the AIG bailout -- saying he opposed it one day then announce he supported it the next day.

But, as Lauer pointed out, scarcely three minutes after McCain said he opposed the AIG bailout last week, "in an interview with Meredith Vieira, Joe Biden, your running mate was asked the exact same question, 'should the federal government bailout AIG?' And he said, 'No, the federal government should not bailout AIG.'" (As we noted at the time.) "And I think that in that situation," Obama said, "I think Joe should have waited as well."

"But it's the kind of thing that drives people crazy about politics," Lauer said. "It sounds like you were trying to score some political points against John McCain using his words, when your own running mate had used very similar words."

He was nice enough to come on your show Matt, no need for those kind of underhanded tactics

 

[saintfool]

OK, so this is starting to bug me. Anybody have anything recent on Goolsbee and Obama? Why wouldn't Goolsbee be part of this most recent meeting, expecially considering how critical it is? Anyone know about Goolsbee leaving or moving down the pecking order on the Obama team?

NPR interview from 9/16?

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

Yeah, damn haters :( All they've got is this (taken from the article)

"taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."

I mean, come on, that's pretty flimsy.

Since this has now become a campaign issue, I asked Huslin to provide the exact circumstances of that passage. She said that she was chatting with Raines during the photo shoot, and asked "if he was engaged at all with the Democrats' quest for the White House. He said that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said, 'Oh, general housing, economy issues.' ('Not mortgage/foreclosure meltdown or Fannie-specific?' I asked, and he said 'no.')"

Full quote. And that conversation took place in July.And if you consider "a few phone calls" as being an advisor, you're as bad a liar as McCain.

Right on Homer. I told yall it was flimsy

Damn, I need to start looking at who I'm angrily replying to. Could you limit your shtick to the Palin thread please?

 

[adonis]

OK, so this is starting to bug me. Anybody have anything recent on Goolsbee and Obama? Why wouldn't Goolsbee be part of this most recent meeting, expecially considering how critical it is? Anyone know about Goolsbee leaving or moving down the pecking order on the Obama team?

He's still a senior economic advisor.http://www.fednews.com/transcript.htm?id=20080915t7304

http://www.spectator.co.uk/clivedavis/2168...-a-slogan.thtml

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs...9/DC5/809190344

 

[Statorama]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

we wouldn't want to let the truth get in the way of a cheap smear, would we? seriously, rick davis is proving himself to be a first rate d-bag. when it's all said and done, he will have really tarnished the reputation of mccain...

Yeah, damn haters All they've got is this (taken from the article)

"taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters."

I mean, come on, that's pretty flimsy.

Since this has now become a campaign issue, I asked Huslin to provide the exact circumstances of that passage. She said that she was chatting with Raines during the photo shoot, and asked "if he was engaged at all with the Democrats' quest for the White House. He said that he had gotten a couple of calls from the Obama campaign. I asked him about what, and he said, 'Oh, general housing, economy issues.' ('Not mortgage/foreclosure meltdown or Fannie-specific?' I asked, and he said 'no.')"

Full quote. And that conversation took place in July.And if you consider "a few phone calls" as being an advisor, you're as bad a liar as McCain.

Right on Homer. I told yall it was flimsy

Damn, I need to start looking at who I'm angrily replying to. Could you limit your shtick to the Palin thread please?

What the hell? I was backing you up.

 

[adonis]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

 

[NorrisB]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

How accurate is intrade?compared to this site

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/ma...s_mccain/?map=5

 

[Sulla]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

How accurate is intrade?compared to this site

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/ma...s_mccain/?map=5

... or this one...

 

[adonis]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

How accurate is intrade?compared to this site

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/ma...s_mccain/?map=5

... or this one...

All of them are accurate predicting current odds, but the closer the time comes to the election, the more accurate they will be at determining the outcome of the election.So yeah, right now, they're just the best measure of the current odds, but as time approaches 0 days until elections, the confidence levels of the polls and markets will increase.

 

[Statorama]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

Intrade is reliable. This is over.If you're an Obama supporter, no real reason to go to the polls. Just head to the bar and get ready for the party that night

 

[fluorescent walkway]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

If you're an Obama supporter, no real reason to go to the polls. Just head to the bar and get ready for the party that night

So should I stay at the bar until election night? Because I don't really have a problem with that.

 

[adonis]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

Intrade is reliable. This is over.If you're an Obama supporter, no real reason to go to the polls. Just head to the bar and get ready for the party that night

If you're a McCain supporter, you might as well give up now. Stop campaigning, stop spinning, Intrade has spoken.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Sorry, as it has no doubt been posted before. I did a cursory check on the first post, but couldn't see it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of who would likely be on Obama's economic team (key advisers, etc.)? I'm beginning to waver a bit towards Obama, but would like to read who he'll likely be surrounding himself with and their backgrounds.

Muchas gracias.

The haters are all going to point to Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, his chief economic advisors that were big profiters from the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, but he's got other advisors that are top notch

Except that Frank Raines is not and never was an Obama "advisor".

Wow. This should be disappointing for people who haven't already lost all faith in American politics.

McCain and the Fannie and Freddie Lobbyists

September 23, 2008

by Ed Brayton

I somehow missed this last week, an op-ed written by John McCain and Sarah Palin in the Wall Street Journal about the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Wait till you see the chutzpah here:

Enduring reform of Fannie and Freddie is a key first step. We will make sure that they are permanently restructured and downsized, and no longer use taxpayer backing to serve lobbyists, management, boards and shareholders.

Treasury has broadly followed the McCain plan, outlined months ago, and gets at the short-term heart of the problem. That plan reinforces the federal commitment to meet our obligations and get this mess behind us. It replaces management and board members. It requires that shareholders take losses first. It puts taxpayers first in line for any repayments. And it terminates future lobbying, which was one of the primary contributors to this great debacle.

But wait, there's more. Here's McCain on Friday:
"The financial crisis we're living through today started with the corruption and manipulation of our home mortgage system. At the center of the problem were the lobbyists, politicians, and bureaucrats who succeeded in persuading Congress and the administration to ignore the festering problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

Yes! Lobbying was one of the main causes of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac crisis, for which taxpayers are now assuming trillions of dollars of risky loans. Those infernal lobbyists actually lobbied against government oversight of the two companies and that, according to McCain, is what caused this whole problem.And now we turn to Jonathan Stein's post at the Mother Jones blog, which documents all the folks working for the McCain campaign who worked as lobbyists for those two companies:

Aquiles Suarez, listed as an economic adviser to the McCain campaign in a July 2007 McCain press release, was formerly the director of government and industry relations for Fannie Mae. The Senate Lobbying Database says Suarez oversaw the lending giant's $47,510,000 lobbying campaign from 2003 to 2006.

And other current McCain campaign staffers were the lobbyists receiving shares of that money. According to the Senate Lobbying Database, the lobbying firm of Charlie Black, one of McCain's top aides, made at least $820,000 working for Freddie Mac from 1999 to 2004. The McCain campaign's vice-chair Wayne Berman and its congressional liaison John Green made $1.14 million working on behalf of Fannie Mae for lobbying firm Ogilvy Government Relations. Green made an additional $180,000 from Freddie Mac. Arther B. Culvahouse Jr., the VP vetter who helped John McCain select Sarah Palin, earned $80,000 from Fannie Mae in 2003 and 2004, while working for lobbying and law firm O'Melveny & Myers LLP. In addition, Politico reports that at least 20 McCain fundraisers have lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, pocketing at least $12.3 million over the last nine years.

For years McCain campaign manager Rick Davis was head of the Homeownership Alliance, a lobbying association that included Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, real estate agents, homebuilders, and non-profits. According to Politico, the organization opposed congressional attempts at regulation of Fannie and Freddie, along the lines of what John McCain is currently proposing. In his capacity of president of the group, Davis went on record in 2003 and insisted that no further reform of the lenders was necessary, in contradiction to his current boss's sentiments. "[Fannie and Freddie] are subject to an innovative and stringent risk-based capital stress test," Davis wrote. "The toughest in the financial services industry."

Yes, his own campaign manager not only lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, he lobbied against government regulation of those two companies. His own campaign manager is one of the very people McCain says are responsible for the crisis. Faced with this reality, McCain has tried to go on the offensive first by trying to blame it on Obama and point to ties between him and the two failed companies.First he put out a commercial claiming that Franklin Raines, former CEO of Fannie Mae, is an Obama adviser, but their sole source for this was a remark in a Washington Post article that said that Obama advisers had called him for advice on the mortgage market. Both Raines and the Obama campaign flatly deny that he has ever been an adviser to them, nor has he ever been mentioned anywhere by the campaign as meeting with Obama or speaking to him. But even if the Post story is true and an Obama adviser had called him up to ask him some questions about the housing and mortgage situations, this is nowhere near the same thing as having nearly two dozen people involved in one's campaign that actually did the exact thing that McCain blames for the crisis - lobbied for Fannie and Freddie.

He also tried to make the connection to Jim Johnson, the man that Obama originally had leading his VP search committee. Johnson left the Obama campaign in June after a great deal of criticism. But his position there had nothing to do with mortgage issues, he was chosen to lead the VP not because of his past position with Fannie Mae but because he was Walter Mondale's chief of staff, had run the Kennedy Center and was a major Washington insider who knew everyone in town. Now it's certainly true that naming Johnson to that position was a mistake given his past scandals involving Countrywide, but he wasn't in a position that had anything to do with policy or with that issue. Again, hardly the same thing has having a campaign manager, vice-chair and many others involved who did the very thing the candidate is blaming for the crisis.

Lastly they point to Jamie Gorelick as an Obama adviser. Gorelick is a favorite punching bag on the right. They particularly like to blame her -- falsely -- for preventing the FBI and CIA from sharing information in terrorism investigations. And here again, given Gorelick's involvement in a Fannie Mae scandal a few years ago she should not be anywhere near the Obama campaign. But here again, she advises the campaign on legal and constitutional matters, not housing and mortgages (she is, after all, a former deputy attorney general).

Companies as huge as Fannie and Freddie are inevitably going to have former employees involved in both parties and inevitably going to give money to both parties. No one in politics is ever going to be entirely unconnected to them. But for McCain to point to these few superficial ties to the mortgage crisis in the Obama campaign in light of his own campaign's far deeper connections to the very people McCain now blames for the crisis is staggering chutzpah. As the former head of Fannie Mae's lobbying division told the New York Times:

I worked in government relations for Fannie Mae for more than 20 years, leading the group for most of those years. When I see photographs of Sen. McCain's staff, it looks to me like the team of lobbyists who used to report to me. Senator McCain's attack on Senator Obama is a cheap shot, and hypocritical.

I'm not sure Jonathan Rauch's satire of the McCain campaign was really a satire. They really do seem to believe that the law of the excluded middle doesn't exist.

 

[Statorama]

Intrade currently has Obama up 5.7 points over McCain, 52.2 to 46.5.Of course, it doesn't mean anything as to absolute winners or losers, but it certainly denotes a huge switch from only about a week or two ago where McCain, I believe had the lead for a short amount of time. Certainly, the traders believe that the latest events of the campaign have been turning against McCain in a big way.

Intrade is reliable. This is over.If you're an Obama supporter, no real reason to go to the polls. Just head to the bar and get ready for the party that night

If you're a McCain supporter, you might as well give up now. Stop campaigning, stop spinning, Intrade has spoken.

Someone has to fight for the little guy, the underdog. I'll champion their cause You guys sure do have a swell bandwagon for your candidate though I'd say good luck, but you don't need it!

 

[flufhed]

I think the guy is going to get a hand cramp before the elction rolls around. Stat needs a new smilie.

 

[Statorama]

I think the guy is going to get a hand cramp before the elction rolls around. Stat needs a new smilie.

I'm just a positive kinda guy, and peens already took

 

[phthalatemagic]

Had to dig this beast up from page 6.

Barry said yesterday "America is no longer what it could be"

What does that mean?

 

[adonis]

 

[Statorama]

Had to dig this beast up from page 6.Barry said yesterday "America is no longer what it could be"What does that mean?

Shhhh, they think they've got this thing in the bag.Don't okepay the airbay