Debate Round One

This was one of the strangest weeks ever in American politics. We have the financial markets melting down and the government stepping in. A presidential nominee suspends his campaign to return to Washington. Both candidates wind up sitting at the same table at a White House meeting with the current President (although it took a wide angle lens to get all three of them in the same picture!).
There was a debate Friday night that was in doubt until Friday afternoon. If you love political theatre, this was your week.
As to the debate, nothing earth shattering occurred. I think McCain was well prepared, forceful and knowledgeable. He certainly knows the world and all of the players on the world stage. He showed that we would be getting a President who will not need to learn the ins and outs of foreign policy, but will be ready to go to work on January 20.
Obama was sharp in his critique of the mistakes in Iraq and the need to focus on Afghanistan. He does not appear that he and McCain really disagree much here, so I do not see how much ground he gained.
I think it was effective when, in response to McCain's talking up the surge in Iraq and criticizing Obama's opposition to it Obama suggested that McCain talks like the war began in 2007.
McCain missed an opening on the discussion of Iran. Obama has said he would meet with the President of Iran without pre-conditions. He backs away from that now, but he said it. McCain pointed out that Iran's leader has sworn the destruction of Israel (as well as a few other choice comments about Israel). Here was the opening: Obama has refused to say that an attack on Iran against Israel would bring retaliation from the U.S. Obama should be put on the spot on this and asked whether he would intervene on Israel's behalf or not.
Although the pundits seem to feel Obama won the discussion on the economy, I thought McCain was effective. He was actually able to identify spending that would be cut and/or frozen, Obama could not. McCain hit Obama hard on earmarks and Obama really had no response. His answer that he has stopped asking for earmarks was countered by McCain pointing out that he only did so after he started running for President.
I did feel McCain was borderline condescending at times. His campaign is trying to establish his experience versus Obama's lack thereof, but the "Senator Obama does not understand..." opening to many questions grew tiresome. I think McCain can remind people that his has been part of the Vietnam war, the Cold War, the first Gulf War and other momentous word events over the past 30 years and that gives him a range of understanding and experience. It is not what Obama understands or does not understand, Obama is a bright man, it is just that McCain understands it better. An example: it was effective when McCain described his personal travels to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and the understanding of the region and personalities that he has derived from that. Obama had no answer for that type of experience. McCain runs the risk of looking small when he appears condescending towards Obama. I suggest he leave that at home for the next debate.
If you woke up Friday morning and were for McCain, or Obama, you probably have not changed as you wake up this morning. If you still do not know, there is some time, two debates. and a lot more political theatre. before Election Day.

Could it be?

The Dodgers are up by three with five to go, could they really do it?
Last year they collapsed in the last two weeks of the season, so I still have this nagging feeling. The odds however, are getting better and better.
Last night Chad Billingsley won his 16th game. It has been a breakout year for him. What I love is that Billingsley is a product of the old Dodger way. He came up through the organization, got his feet wet in the majors with some spot starts and relief appearances, then settled in to the rotation and has become a permanent fixture. Back in the 80s (it is really hard for me to refer to the years of my youth as "back in...") Orel Hershiser came along the same way.
Billingsley has the look of a guy that will be here for the next 10 years. He is big and sturdy and should not break down. The Dodgers deserve credit for being patient with him as he developed. All too often teams (including the Dodgers) panic when their young players do not produce big numbers on the day they arrive in the majors.
Some of that is probably due to money. When you pay an eighteen year old 2 or 3 million dollars right after the draft, you want a quick return when they reach the majors 3 years later. In some cases that works out, but in others it may take time. All of us hit bumps in the road early in our careers, we just were not given a seven figure paycheck before we ever started.
Billingsley however,looks like he has arrived. Coming right behind him is Clayton Kershaw. The two of them could form a homegrown 1-2, lefty-righty combination that the Dodgers have not seen since a couple of kids named Koufax and Drysdale came along. That may be an over the top comparison, but if you told me a year ago Joe Torre would be managing the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez would be batting fourth and the division title would be in reach...well. anything can happen in baseball.

Is it that hard to understand?

There has been lots of talk the last few days about finances, budgets and the markets. Wall Street melted down, then rose again. Here in California we had a budget 80 days late, then the Governor was going to veto it, then he didn't.
What seems to run through all of these issues is how little common sense has applied to financial matters in both the public and private sector.
Let's start with the private sector. I don't pretend to understand all of the ins and outs of the mortgage crisis. What seems clear however is a lot of people borrowed more money than they could ever pay back and a lot of banks lent money to people they should have known were not going to be able to pay them back.
If you are a borrower, does it really make sense to believe you can afford a loan for ten times your annual income? Sure the payments were low at first, but the reckoning was in the fine print. If it sounds too good to be true: it is.
If you are a lender, what are you thinking? When the rate adjusts the payments are going to be equal to the borrower's monthly income. How will they sustain that?
Where was the common sense in all of this: you do not borrow for more than you can afford.
Well, maybe they got the idea from the government. We hear a lot about deficits. California has a whopper: approximately $15 billion. Our government has funded programs, projects, and agencies without ever asking: can we afford it? Once a program, project or agency is opened, it seems as though it can never be stopped. We simply reduce the amount of the increase in spending every year. Wanting to cut a program means you favor reducing its growth to 5% rather than 10%.
Then they wake up one day and the money to support the spending isn't there. Sound familiar?
It seems so simple: if you can't afford it, don't buy it. If you are still behind, cut back more. We don't need to form committees, commissions or panels to figure this out, we just need to use common sense.

Back to Baseball and Manny

When last I wrote of the Dodgers they were fading fast, now the lead the division by 4 1/2 games at the beginning of play today (they lost today so that may have changed).
What happened? Well, it helps when your rival loses six in a row and otherwise goes into the tank, but the Dodgers have kicked it in to high gear.
This year will be remembered as "The Year of Manny". Actually it is a little less than half a year, but what a time it has been. Manny Ramirez has completely turned things around for the Dodgers. His bat in the middle of the lineup changes the way pitchers approach the Dodgers. It impacts the pitches seen by the guys batting in front of and behind him.
You stop what you are doing to watch his at bats.
What is more fun however is Manny the character. He wears his hair way too long. He selected a bizarre uniform number. Any ball hit towards him in left field is an adventure. Yet, he always seems to have a smile on his face and be enjoying himself.
As professional sports has gone more and more "corporate", Manny is a breath of fresh air. Yes, he cares a lot about the money, but he admits it. Yet, he is not the cold, efficient type a la Alex Rodriguez. He does not appear to be the standoffish type like Barry Bonds. He just seems to show up, play and have fun.
Make no mistake though, he is deadly serious with a bat in his hands. Watch him work a count and then hit a two strike pitch over the right field wall. It is as if he got the pitcher exactly where he wanted him with the two strike count instead of vice versa. The man knows what he is doing. It is obvious he studies, learns and takes advantage. He is a true pro.
Will Manny take the Dodgers to the World Series? We'll see. Will he be a Dodger in 2009? Who knows. For two months however, he has given us plenty of thrills. Thanks Manny, it's fun.

9/11

Seven years has gone by like the blink of an eye, still it seems like yesterday. They don't show the planes hitting the towers on TV anymore, but we remember.
Today is a day to remember. On that day we saw the worst the world has to offer and the best America has to offer. People giving their lives to help others. Incredible bravery. We remember.
I can remember going to bed that night wondering what would happen the next day. I still look at airplanes and think of the horror that must have existed inside as those planes became flying missiles, yet people were calm enough to call loved ones. I dropped my son off at school today and thought of the school field trip aboard one of the flights. I sit at my desk and think of the workers in the office towers sitting at theirs that morning. Yes, we remember.
There were the passengers of Flight 93 who took it upon themselves to save the U.S. Capitol building and crash the plane in a field. We remember.
Firefighters rushed into burning buildings and helped people come out, but many of them did not. We remember. Police officers and soldiers trying to save lives before their own life was lost. We remember.
There will come a day when nobody living has an independent remembrance of 9/11. Nobody remains from Gettysburg. Their are fewer and fewer from Pearl Harbor. Like those events, 9/11 will be a part of history recalled only through pictures, films and books. Like those events however, America must always remember.
If you have not thought today about how luck you are to live in this country, remember. If you have not hugged a loved one today remember to. On this solemn day, remember.

Is Lack of Experience a Bad Thing?

So why do I like Sarah Palin and hope she is the next Vice President of the United States?
It is because she has lived a life outside of politics. She has raised children, been involved in their activities and schools, helped with the family business. She has shopped for groceries and filled her tank with gas.
Why is this so important? Nowadays it seems all of our candidates (and I include both parties in this) have come from "political candidate training school". They go to elite schools, major in political science (full disclosure: as did I) and immediately set out on a political career. Decisions on where to live are based on opportunities to run for office. Churches are selected based on who attends that church. Potential spouses are evaluated for their potential as a political spouse.
They often migrate to political or government jobs. Many go to work for officeholders and make plans to be the boss' successor.
A lifetime of public service can be admirable, but it also can be confining. The political class talks to each other, not the rest of us. Often they are at political events and miss out on the conversations on the sidelines of soccer games or the parking lot at school. They don't hear what it is the rest of us really care about. Government work tends to provide more job security and better benefits (granted, at a lesser salary) than the private sector , so they do not really worry about losing a job or the financial implications of seeing an out of network health provider.
They end up making laws because that is what they do, whether or not it is what we need. They decide it is in our best interests to ban fast food or hair salons from the community, despite the evident need and desire for both. Why not? When lobbyists buy your lunch and you get your hair cut by a fancy stylists you don't really worry about what other people want to eat or where they want to get their hair cut.
In short, the political class loses touch with reality.
Public service is noble, but the Founding Fathers never intended it to be a permanent career. George Washington recognized that it was time to go and let others serve. We did not need term limits to tell people it was time to move on.
Sarah Palin has served masters other than her own political career. That "lack of experience" works for me.

Life Imitates Art

For seven years "The West Wing" ran on NBC. The show followed the ups and downs of a Democratic White House. We know it was fiction because the President (played Martin Sheen) was a pro-life (he got the Democratic nomination how?) northeastern liberal. NBC's talking car has a better chance of being real.
Somehow though, the producers came eerily close to reality. In the last two seasons they developed a storyline about the election to succeed Martin Sheen's character. Here is where it gets weird: the Democratic nominee was a young Latino (read "I don't look like the other Presidents", played by Jimmy Smits) with little legislative experience. He defeated more established party figures for the nomination (in the show it was a sitting Vice President, in 2008 it was the Clintons). To buttress his credentials he picked an experienced political type with tons of Washington experience as a running mate. Leo McGary (played by the late John Spencer) had an Irish Catholic, blue collar streak to him (sound like another running mate we all know?).
There is more. On the Republican side, a long time Senator, who often clashed with his party wins the nomination. Arnold Vinnick (played by Alan Alda) has to calm concerns within the right wing of the party so he selects a young conservative Governor for a running mate (he was male, the writers where not that prescient!). Sound like a Republican ticket we are all familiar with?
Both candidates want to keep the debate on a higher plan, but traditional methods of campaigning take over.
Those of you who are fans of Obama will like how it turned out: the Jimmy Smits character wins the election (although he promptly names Alan Alda Secretary of State).
Before you get too excited, remember the show was still based on the premise that a northeastern, pro-life liberal could serve eight years in the White House. Art does not always imitate life, but if I see a talking car in the parking lot today McCain is in trouble.

A hero for a President

It wasn't stirring, it wasn't electrifying and there were not any lines that will be quoted in future acceptance speeches.
It was, however, effective. John McCain reminded us that he has served a cause larger than himself, larger than any of us. He reminded us of the importance of service, of seeing beyond ourselves.
He did not come across as the self appointed "chosen one", here to rescue us from all of our ills. Instead he told us that he would try to create opportunities so we could rescue ourselves.
He did not tell us he would make nice with other world leaders so as to restore our "standing". Instead he told us he would defend America and in doing so, earn the respect of our friends and foes.
He did not promise big things, he merely promised to fight for us.
He made no guarantees, but he did promise change.
Big speeches are not his strong suit. McCain works better in the "town hall" setting, so this speech was more of an obligation than an opportunity. In reality, after Sarah Palin's speech Wednesday night, one could have hardly blamed him if he came down with the flu, skipped the last night and hit the campaign trail.
But he got through it and in the process showed courage, dignity and honor. It may not be hope and change, but it may be what we are looking for in a President.

A Game and a Half?

I lament the status of the Dodgers and they go on a five game winning streak! Suddenly they are a game and half back of Arizona with a three game set against them over the weekend. By Sunday the Dodgers could be in first place.
So I take it all back...for now.

Take that media! Take that Obama!

Take that media! Take that Obama! Governor Palin came out swinging last night and it was terrific.
She did what know one has really been willing to do all year: seriously question Obama's qualifications and motives. Obama's friends in the media have not explored his "experience". While they have hammered away at Palin's, little attention is paid to the fact that Obama simply voted "present" in the Illinois legislature over a hundred times. The media doesn't talk about how this well educated man (Harvard, remember?) said that the question of when life begins was "above my pay grade".
Governor Palin was the first to come out and really state the case (although Bill Clinton gave it a pretty good shot in the primaries).
More importantly, I think Governor Palin showed herself to be a bold leader. Her speech may not have caused angels to sing and the animals to stop and listen, but it did serve notice that she will be a force in this campaign and in a McCain White House.
She talked about her experience: raising a family, running a business and eventually getting into public service. What I like is that her whole life has not been geared towards getting elected. She did not pick a place to live based on the retirement plans of local officeholders. She did not join a particular church to bolster her "street cred" with a certain voting bloc. She has lived a life like so many of us: trying to raise kids, pay the bills and help out in the community.
Her daughter? That happens in even the best of American families. They are up front about it and real. They are, as a family, taking responsibility.
What we saw last night was an American story. This was the way things were meant to be: people live their lives, take care of their families and, when called to serve, they do. What has happened all too often in recent years is people who emerge from political science departments at elite universities, go to work as a political staffer or "community organizer", wait for an office to open up and run for it. For the first time in a while, we have someone on a national ticket whose life has not entirely revolved around a political career and last night showed that that just might be right for the times.

Opening Day

Today is my children's first day of school. The first day of school is a lot like Opening Day of the baseball season. The stadium is cleaned up and fresh, so is the school. We see old friends whom we have been missing for several months. Hope and optimism abounds for the year ahead (except in Kansas City...where the Royals have no hope, not their schools).
The kids are like the players. My oldest is starting his third year at the school. He is a veteran, although not yet a long time veteran. He knows his way around, knows how things work and sees many familiar faces.
My youngest is starting kindergarten. He is a rookie. It is all brand new. His eyes will be wide and there will certainly be a few butterflies. He will need guidance and will have to get used to the rigors of a longer season i.e. school five days a week.
The school year evolves much like a baseball season. It is long and there are unexpected developments along the way. The kids have "slumps" e.g. a bad test result or a behavior issue and they hit for the cycle (a big red "100%" across the top of the test). People come and go much as baseball players are traded or released. There are special events and the dog days. As the year winds down everyone looks forward to a break, but also starts to think about next year.
The school year, like a great baseball season, also produces many memories that stay with us forever. We all remember that special teacher or our friends from those days much as we remember the great moments of seasons past.
Sometimes there is adversity: a difficult teacher or a bully on the playground, but we learn to overcome it and move forward. Some seasons your team or star player just doesn't have it, but you play the games anyway. Remember, next year will be better.
So today is Opening Day. The players/kids are nervous but ready. The fans/parents are optimistic and hopeful. The grass is freshly cut and the paint touched up. Play ball!

Down on the Farm

We love the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Today is their last game of the year (barring a playoff appearance and I really do not understand how that would occur).
The Quakes are the Class A minor league affiliate of the Angels. Most of the players are in their second or third year of pro ball. It is a long way from the bright lights of the big leagues.
Yet, it is not too far from our home. The tickets are more than reasonably priced. Every seat is close to the action. The mascot keeps the kids laughing and most nights that we go, there is a fireworks show after the game. Three hours of great family entertainment.
The quality of baseball is good too. What I love is that the game moves along. The batters stay in the box and the pitchers stay on the mound. None of the interminable walk arounds between every pitch of a major league game. They run out ground balls and popups and the fielders dive for the ball (even though there is about no chance that they play will end up on ESPN's web gems).
If it is major league ballplayers you need, they occasionally come to visit. Angel players recovering from injuries will come down and play three or four games to test their health and get their timing back.
We have been going for enough years that we are starting to see some former Quakes cracking the Show in Anaheim. The kids are thrilled seeing guys who they saw up close now playing in the big leagues. They feel like they helped them get there.
So if you find yourself on the 15 Freeway some night between April and August, just follow the lights to the Epicenter and, for a fraction of the big league price, watch the future and enjoy the fun.

So You Want to be Vice President?

The job comes with a nice title, a house, a ride to work (with a police escort), and use of a plane. The downside is that your fate is in someone else's hands and if it does not go well you end up as a trivia question answer or potential contestant on "Dancing with the Stars".
There is much talk about the Vice Presidency these days. Barack Obama picked a long time Washington veteran, John McCain picked a relative unknown, but made history with the first female Republican nominee. The late night comics still speculate that Dick Cheney lives in a cave and secretly rules the world. Al Gore travels the country telling us to turn out our lights and get out of our cars (usually speaking in well lit auditoriums after arriving in a three car motorcade before returning to his home that uses as much electricity as a football stadium). And yes, the producers of Dancing with the Stars apparently tried to get Dan Quayle as a contestant.
The interesting thing about the Quayle story is that a former Vice President would be defined as a "star". John Nance Garner, a former Vice President, once described the job as not being worth a bucket of warm spit. John Adams, our first Vice President probably described it best: "I am nothing, but I may be everything".
Vice Presidents have become President with varying results. Teddy Roosevelt became a beloved President after succeeding to the presidency. Likewise, history reflects well on Harry Truman. Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford faced tougher circumstances.
The vice presidency is often the product of the political equivalent of an arranged marriage. Do not believe any candidate who says they are looking for the "best person to assume the presidency". These guys think they are immortal. They are looking for the "best person to help me win the election". Johnson helped Kennedy win Texas. George Bush helped Reagan pull the party together. Al Gore reinforced Bill Clinton's message of change and youth. Dan Quayle, Spiro Agnew...well, I'm still working on those, but their bosses did win.
After January 20th, the Vice President Palin or Biden will move into the big house. We will see them on TV sitting behind the President at the State of the Union (where he or she will have to try and make small talk with Nancy Pelosi...maybe the job is tough!) and otherwise we will not hear much from them. In reality, we do not want to hear much, we do not want them to become "everything".
Still, a house, a car and a plane? It seems like a good gig.