The Occasional Observer

McCain now leads Obama on 9 of 14 key issues, according to latest Rasmussen. Just a month or so ago Obama was preferred on 10 out of 10 key issues according to Rasmussen, so this marks a huge swing.

Don't be shocked to see Billary pull something at Dem Convention, I think they may have some move up their sleeve. The most passive move for them would be to simply sit back and hope Obama loses this year, so she is guaranteed nomination in 2012. But if they think Obama will win this year, I can see them lobbying superdelegates to make a switch.

IMHO:

From the WSJ:

BAGHDAD -- Hit by a government military crackdown and dwindling popular support, anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is planning a major shift in strategy: re-branding and disarming the Mahdi Army by turning the militia into a civic and social service organization, a move that could further enhance the stability of Iraq.

In an introductory brochure obtained by the Journal and confirmed by Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi, Mr. Sadr's chief spokesman, the Mahdi Army will now be guided by Shiites spirituality as opposed to anti-American militancy. It will even get a new philosophy or guiding principle: al-Mumahidoon, meaning his supporters will be the foot soldiers of the Shiites messiah, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi, who Shiites Muslims believe will return to rid the world of evil and injustice.

The brochure states the al-Mumahidoon will undertake an intellectual and scientific jihad that focuses on education, religion and social justice. It also says "It (the army) is not allowed to use arms at all."

My main take away from this is that Sadr came to the determination that every day he persisted in fighting us he was losing manpower and credibility, and that a complete "restructuring" was the only way to attempt to preserve his brand. This did not come to pass because Sadr experienced some sort of religious awakening that Islam does not allow for wanton violence. This came to pass because of our boot on his throat, plain and simple.

Victory. Kudos to the troops, to the President, and to Gen. Petraeus. Hope you all enjoy a tall cold one tonight.

I'd much rather face Obama/Kaine. But MSNBC and the O! Media brigade seem convinced his schedule for Tuesday indicates that we'll be getting the Bayh pick within 48 hours.

Meet Jack Priestley.

If he were a few decades younger with a lot of free time on his hands, he'd probably be an Occ Obs contributor. Except for one thing: he's far more disciplined than we are. He insists on a shot of whisky each and every day before breakfast:

Since his first puff in 1917 he has smoked 153,000 cigars and 715,400 cigarettes and drunk a shot of whisky in his morning cup of tea every day since the age of 24. He has not suffered any serious health problems related to smoking or drinking.

His mother-in-law got him hooked on whisky, which he drinks without fail as soon as he gets up, before he has even had breakfast.

"She said the best thing for a woman is for her to drink whisky before she does anything, every day," he said. "I don't feel my age. I've still the mind of a young man. But if I had the company of a good woman, I'm sure I'd feel 40 years younger in a flash."

Happy 100th Jack!

Rep Cantor is now confirmed as being on the shortlist.

My guess is that there's no way McCain will go with someone as unknown as Rep Cantor, even though his track record on policy matters is excellent. While Cantor might help in VA (I'm skeptical), I do appreciate his solid, down-the-line conservatism.

The McCain campaign is probably throwing this out there now to remind VA voters that Mac cares about them just as much as Obama/Kaine, as well as for outreach to Jewish voters that will be crucial in FL and elsewhere.

With thanks to Beetz, Occ Obs HQ is now pouring Old #7. The Beam Black Label almost made the front page, but ran into a real buzzsaw on Friday night. Thanks though, MB.

This must be blockquoted. It's screaming to be blockquoted. Here goes:

Election '08: Before friendly audiences, Barack Obama speaks passionately about something called "economic justice." He uses the term obliquely, though, speaking in code -- socialist code.

During his NAACP speech earlier this month, Sen. Obama repeated the term at least four times...

...Obama never spelled out the meaning of the term, but he didn't have to. His audience knew what he meant, judging from its thumping approval.

It's the rest of the public that remains in the dark...

"Economic justice" simply means punishing the successful and redistributing their wealth by government fiat. It's a euphemism for socialism.

In the past, such rhetoric was just that -- rhetoric. But Obama's positioning himself with alarming stealth to put that rhetoric into action on a scale not seen since the birth of the welfare state...

Of course, Obama is too smart to try to smuggle such hoary collectivist garbage through the front door. He's disguising the wealth transfers as "investments" -- "to make America more competitive," he says, or "that give us a fighting chance," whatever that means.

Among his proposed "investments":

"Universal," "guaranteed" health care.

"Free" college tuition.

"Universal national service" (a la Havana).

"Universal 401(k)s" (in which the government would match contributions made by "low- and moderate-income families").

"Free" job training (even for criminals).

"Wage insurance" (to supplement dislocated union workers' old income levels).

"Free" child care and "universal" preschool.

More subsidized public housing.

A fatter earned income tax credit for "working poor."

And even a Global Poverty Act that amounts to a Marshall Plan for the Third World, first and foremost Africa.

His new New Deal also guarantees a "living wage," with a $10 minimum wage indexed to inflation; and "fair trade" and "fair labor practices," with breaks for "patriot employers" who cow-tow to unions, and sticks for "nonpatriot" companies that don't.

That's just for starters -- first-term stuff.

Yup, the Obama arrogance may come back to haunt.

There. I said it in plain words. What we already knew implicitly. Even if only a fraction of what's said in the article linked below is true, we could be headed for the worst disaster in our country's recent history.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ibd/20080728/bs_ibd_ibd/20080728issues