Here I thought Obama was going out on a limb by promising to reduce the deficit while acknowledging that he can't get down to zero (i.e. a balanced budget).

Dude,

Whatever you're making or not making writing this blog, you just earned your pay with this:

"McCain "believing" he can balance this budget in four years is no different than "believing" in magical ponies that McCain can ride to Sanityville."

Hilarious.

Tucker Bounds...the new "Baghdad Bob"!

Contessa: Tucker, what would you like for Christmas?
Tucker: An even better question is what would I like for my birthday.
Contessa: Tucker, that’s not what I asked you, please answer my question.
Tucker: I am answering, but what I want for my birthday ranks higher on my list of priorties. Let me tell you what I want…
Contessa: Let’s stick to Christmas, what is it you want…
Tucker: You really need to ask what it is I want for my birthday, that’s what I want to talk about…

Rinse, repeat. Like talking to a three year old. Why even have him on?

Any evidence of an earmark that McCain requested? If available, that will directly contradict is statement that he has requested no earmarks in his career.

That he has voted for budgets that contain earmarks, though faintly damning, is not quite the same.

It's going to be harder if AIG is worse than it seems. Check this link for insights, I can't vouch for the whole schtick:

http://ftrsummary.blogspot.com/2005/11/ftr-531-interview-with-lucy-komisar.html

tells us all we need to know about the seriousness of the Republican ticket

They told me when McCain chose Palin for VP.

Of course, the media is in the tank for pointing out that 2-2 doesn't equal 4.

But for 5 1/2 years I had no budget to balance

I'm John McCain and I approved this ad

BTW Steve Duncan - you nailed it They get sooo pissed off if they are not allowed to spout their talking points

Contessa Brewer asked Tucker Bounds, McCain's chief spokesperson to explain how the campaign's numbers could possibly add up. Bounds couldn't even begin to answer

But to be fair, Contessa Brewer couldn't have begiu to understand if Bounds had given a straight answer. I'm surprised Palin isn't begging for an interview with la Contessa.

"...magical ponies that McCain can ride to Sanityville."
Good line, Steve. McCain better hope his magical ponies know the way to Sanityville, because he definitely does not.

Sadly, most Americans have no interest in the budget or what it means to live within their means. Consequently, the most important issue facing us will go completely unaddressed in a serious way.

But this bailout package will push U.S. finances to the brink. The U.S. has three choices: 1.raise taxes 2.borrow more 3. print money.

1. is politically impossible. 2. is close to impossible in today's market.

Therefore we will print more money and the dollar will collapse. Thank you GOP, it was a great country.

It's like talking to White Sox fans:

Q:So, how do you like the team this year?

A:Those Cubs suck. I hope they lose! They're nover going to win!

Q:But what what about The Sox?

A:Those Northsiders can kiss my a**, and that dump of a park too!

Q: But let's talk about the Sox...

A: I hate the Cubs!

I've been in the magical pony business for several years, and magical ponies don't go anywhere near Sanityville. Not mine, not my competitors', none.

Here is the McCain Campaign's message in a nutshell.

Vote for me because:

a) I was a POW.
b) My running mate has nice legs.
c) My opponent is a scary black man.

Ignore all that other stuff -- it isn't important.

I'm now convinced that neither McCain nor anyone in his campaign actually thinks about what they say. I think it's a wildly improvisational mad-libs/buzzword bingo session. Some examples:
"The American people are vetting her." - This completely didn't answer the question, and makes no sense. However, it does include American people, which is connotative of his fresh layer of populist paint, and makes an affirmative statement that Palin is being vetted, which is a response to one of many criticisms (if not the one in the question).

Tucker's nonsensical reply is barely coherent, but includes an attack on Obama, earmarks, taxes, a proven record, and wasteful spending.

I swear, I'm going to go get started on a buzzword bingo sheet to try and get it ready in time for the debate.

gregor: "If available, that will directly contradict is statement that he has requested no earmarks in his career."

When has evidence that directly contradicts a statement made by McCain led him to stop saying it?

Diogenes,

I'd buy your Buzzword Bingo.

McCain rants about earmarks as if getting rid of them would solve everything. Problem is... they don't add up to more than 50-60 billion dollars a year.

McCain believes he can balance the budget in 4 years. No way jose, the beast is way too large to slay so quickly. Without more revenue
the federal coffers will just keep on emptying. Even Greenspan has said Bush's tax-cuts for the rich aren't particularly sustainable.

McCaint is not Able to balance the budget, no way, no how.

Like talking to a three year old. Why even have him on?

B/c the networks are obligated to air remarks by a certain number of GOP operatives named 'Tucker,' or they lose their licenses.

-Z

Of course McCain can balance the budget, if he takes the following steps:

1. Increase M0 by issuing 20X rubber stamps to all bank tellers, who would then stamp each bill coming in or out to indicate the new value.

2. Increase revenues by allowing 300 million more New Americans to enter from Mexico, Latin America, Africa, and Asia and granting them immediate citizenship. This is similar to the Martinez-Hagel bill.

3. Use sweeping tax breaks to grow the economy.

F*cker Bounds is so annoying. Hey over here! Believe me! Pay no attention to those probing questions, we've got the guy right here! how about that BS record, huh? He was a POW too!

This F*cker Bounds guy couldn't survive a near miss with a 3rd grade debate team. WTF is he doing running the McLam... Oh, I get it now!

The only way to pay off America's debts is to suspend all military spending for several years. The choice can be made now to stop the useless spending for intangible military goods and services, or the the markets will impose such a remedy in the near future, forcing Americans to choose between food and guns. It will be a close call.

Once again, more evidence you are in the tank, you fail to take into account the fact that by cutting taxes you raise revenues. Many reputable economists - Kudlow, Luskin, Laffable - agree with this.

Tucker Bounds is a magna cum laude graduate of the Republican School of Talking Points.

He can NOT answer a question every single time.

I don't think I've EVER seen him answer a question. No matter what the question, his response is an attack on Obama.

Why the hell the media continues to ask him questions is beyond me.

If the McCain campaign can't send anyone with the ability to answer questions, don't ask them for a response to the "issue of the day." When the McCain Campaign says "We'll send Tucker" the media should Just Say No.

Then they can report: "We asked the McCain campaign for comment, but they refused to do so, offering only to send a spokesman who has never, ever actually answered one of our questions. To question him again would be stupid on our part and simply an another opening for Senator McCain's campaign to attack the other side. We will not ask the McCain campaign again for their position on an issue until they offer someone who can actually give us Sen. McCain's position."

Not sure if my Palin McCain video link will appear, so here it is again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdCS6HvJh9o

McCain might be lying, but what's worse is that he has no ability to deal with the current problems in our economic sector.

PQuincy beat me to it. (Dang, Benen. Your readers are sharp as newly minted scalpel.)

Baghdad Bounds:
"McCain will lower taxes, bail out the banks, increase the size of the military, stay in Iraq for a hundred years, and balance the budget in 4 years, Allah be praised!"