RANDOM POLITICAL NOTES

Just when I begin worrying about Obama's willingness to start pulling the punches against the mendacious McCain/Palin campaign, he has. At last. Someone had to call the duo on their spurious embrace of reform politics. And call them on their lies. For those of you who haven't see the ad yet, it's above. I am still waiting for the campaign to take Steve's advice and launch ads hammering the theme of "old and tired ideas." But this is a starting point.

After nearly two weeks on stage and in her bunker, where she's getting briefed on foreign policy by Joe Lieberman, Palin is finally subjecting herself to an interview. Unfortunately, she's up against the vapid Charlie Gibson. If he pursues questions of the trivial variety that he threw out at the last Obama/Clinton debate, then Palin will come out with even more of that shiny, new glow. I hope, rather than dwelling on her colorful Alaskan heritage, that he tests her knowledge of the politics of Pakistan, Georgia, and Darfur. Will she be able to handle questions about America's troubled relationship with its allies in Western Europe? I don't think so, but I also don't think that Charlie is likely to push the point. I'll be watching anyway. And praying.

The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a great piece this morning in which Ed Rendell sticks it to Palin by chastising her for selling the surplus Alaska plane on Ebay. Great story Sarah, but as it turns out Pennsylvania made a better financial decision by spending a mere $700 by advertising its surplus plane on two aeronautical web sites, rather than paying Ebay's 2.5% commission. Stick it to 'em, Ed. You need to redeem yourself from your rather lackluster support for the Obama campaign to date.

Many of Rendell's constituents are Catholic (though he is not). Why politicians like Rendell and Hillary Clinton have won the hearts of Pennsylvania Catholics and why Barack Obama has not is the subject of one of the smartest posts that I have read on Catholic politics to date, by Tim Meagher at HNN.

More later, but today is the first day of classes for me and I'm swamped.