As Steve Martin Used To Say...

I forgot!

Blog Hawk Down

I'll be off the blog this week while I attend to consulting business.

Fall Back

Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill McBride's surge peaked about a week ago. The Miami Herald poll now finds McBride trailing Governor Jeb Bush by 8 points. Another positive development for Republicans is the recent Romney surge in the Massachusetts gubernatorial contest. My friends in Boston now think that race is a legitimate toss-up.

Senator Mondale

I think it's probably safe to say that the Democrats will hold the seat that was made vacant by the death of Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN). And it appears that Fritz Mondale will be the one who takes his place.

Stupid, Close-Minded Americans

Ever wonder what the elite press thinks of you? Consider the following from one John Vincour, executive editor of The International Herald Tribune. Interviewed by The New York Observer, Vincour is talking about whether the Tribune, now 100%-owned by The New York Times, should keep its name. And he says:

"The Tribune remains an extremely strong brand. It has a certain romance to it. Its prestige has always been a two-headed kind of thing. It had great affection from Americans as an intelligent, honest newspaper. It is seen as a voice of the America that Europeans and Asians admire—not the stupid, close-minded America."

Stupid, closed-minded Americans -- and you know who they are -- could not be reached for comment.

Another Interest Rate Cut

John Berry, the best Fed-watcher on the planet, reports that a rate cut is likely before the end of the year and could happen on November 6th, when the Fed's policy-making committee next meets. Read the rest of Berry's report by clicking here.

Sad News

Paul Wellstone's politics always seemed impossible to me, but boy-oh-boy did he run a great race 12 years ago to defeat the incumbent Rudy Boschwitz (R) and take his place as the Senator from Minnesota. Wellstone worked so hard his legs hurt from walking and his fingers hurt from shaking hands. He was outspent and out-gunned, but people took a shine to him because he just wouldn't quit.

He died today in a plane crash, along with his wife, his daughter and three campaign workers. He was 58 years old.

Bad Press

One reader thinks the media should apologize for its performance over the course of the DC Sniper's reign of terror. He writes:

Will the media apologize to Chief Moose? They ought to in a televised ceremony. The pundits and their 'experts" got it wrong at every turn. They were obnoxious and dismissive of Chief Moose and his efforts. They speculated and conjectured. They talked incessantly about "if' and "maybe" and "what if". They patted themselves on the back for no reason whatsoever. Their arguments to justify their words and actions were pure nonsense. They whined and complained. Their "pyschological experts" were buffoons and morons. I can't recall a lower moment in the history of media coverage of a national event. Now I'm sure they'll turn to giving the media credit for the capture. They will assiduously avoid admitting how wrong they were in the entirety of the coverage.

He's not wrong.

RealClearPolitics.com

Those of you in search of good blogs for political news should bookmark Real Clear Politics. RCP features links to the day's best columns, all the polls in one place and a good blog to boot. Check it out.

H. Carl McCall To Show

You'll not be surprised to learn that National Democrats, having cleared H.Carl McCall's path to the New York Democratic gubernatorial nomination and having promised him full support in the uphill fight against the incumbent, are now bidding him farewell and telling him that that money they promised him won't be, ah, forthcoming. This message is not being delivered privately to spare Mr. McCall humiliation and public embarrassment. It was delivered yesterday by the Chairman of the DNC to reporters and editors from The New York Times, who helpfully brought it to Mr. McCall's attention by putting it on the front page today. Former President Clinton was called in to administer last rites, lest Mr. McCall not get the message that he is, politically speaking, a corpse.

And speaking of New York, imagine your typical New York State conservative. Put this transcript in front of him or her. And give me one reason, other than party affiliation, why he or she would not vote for Tom Galisano.