Non-partisan for a day

Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama plan to visit Ground Zero together on Sept. 11.

According to a joint statement issued by the senators:

"All of us came together on 9/11 -- not as Democrats or Republicans -- but as Americans. In smoke-filled corridors and on the steps of the Capitol; at blood banks and at vigils -- we were united as one American family."

This will be the first time the presidential contenders appear together since their nominations.

"On Thursday, we will put aside politics and come together to renew that unity, to honor the memory of each and every American who died, and to grieve with the families and friends who lost loved ones."

The two will come together at the anniversary commemoration taking place at Ground Zero, site of the former World Trade towers.

Something tells me they won't be braiding each others' hair just yet.

[Source: reuters.com]

McCain pledges to appoint Democrats to Cabinet

Republican John McCain contends there's nothing partisan about tackling the nation's toughest problems.

"I don't know how many, but I can tell you, with all due respect to previous administrations, it is not going to be a single...'Well we have a Democrat now.' It's going to be the best people in America," said the GOP presidential nominee in an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation".

"So many of these problems we face -- for example, energy independence, what's partisan about that?" he said. "And I'll tell you, some of them, I'll ask to work for a dollar a year."

Many props to you, Johnny.

[Source: ap.org]

He's running as an independent Democrat which, if I'm not mistaken, is the political equivilant of a Labradoodle.

It's a Colbert nation people, and we're just living in it.

Drama between tickets!

Says Obama of Gov. Palin at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds in Indiana:

"She's a skillful politician. But, you know, when you've been taking all these earmarks when it's convenient, and then suddenly you're the champion anti-earmark person, that's not change. Come on! I mean, words mean something, you can't just make stuff up."

The requisite McCain camp rebuttal:

"Just like so many other issues Barack Obama is all talk, has no record to back it up and isn't ready to make change."

Umm, perhaps rebuttal wasn't the right word. It seems "Completely Irrelevant and Inadequate Reply" would be apropos here.

[Source: thepage.time.com]

Cheney inadvertently issues warning to Russia

In what was originally intended to be an admonishment of our western european friends, Vice President Dick Cheney instead vilified Russia for its invasion of Georgia.

"Does Russia really want to separate itself from the community of values that has fueled so much of its own economic progress?" asked lame duck Cheney at a gathering organized by the European House-Ambrosetti.

He continued on, goading for a larger alliance to include Georgia and Ukraine, despite Russian threats.

Russia's president, Dmitri A. Medvedev fired back, letting Cheney's criticism fall by the wayside. "Russia is a state that from now on must be reckoned with," said Medvedev. 

Of the U.S., he quips, "They are trying to put political pressure on us. We, of course, will not simply accept this situation. But they will not be able to do anything. And I would like to state as clearly as possible that this confrontation was not our choice."

It's getting chilly over here.

[Source: nytimes.com]

Hillary - 1, Palin - 0

Sen. Hillary Clinton, you know, that female politician who DOES have experience, parades for Democrats, but circumvents questions about that Alaskan librarian gal who is now the talk of the town at New York City's annual Labor Day parade and later during a stop on Staten Island.

"This election is about issues, and that's what's going to matter to people at the end of the day," she told reporters who asked about Gov. Palin at a rally at Wagner College Friday.

Harkening back to the DNC, Clinton did indeed update her famous line of the night. At a labor breakfast in Manhattan she mentioned the Republican VP nom once, "No way, no how, no McCain, no Palin," she said.

[Source: salon.com]

Oprah: believable or biased?

Former Miss Alaska and Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin isn't destined to benefit from the Oprah bump just yet.  An item circulating in the Drudge Report claiming Oprah's staff was divided over having Palin on the show due to her support of Obama is "categorically untrue", said the Big O herself.

The talk show host issued a statement to TMZ:

"At the beginning of this Presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates. I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."

Gov. Palin could always head on over to the Colbert Report. I'm sure ultra-conservative Stephen Colbert would loveeee to have her on. The Colbert bump works wonders!

[Source: huffingtonpost.com]