Running Mates, Cornhole, and Lou Dobbs on the March! 145 Days to Go!

Lots of news today, so today will be a more generic post, going over the big stories over the past 48 hours, and updating you on some of the topics we've already introduced.



VP UPDATE:


--> A day after hearing that Governor Ted Strickland (OH) is not interested in running with Barack Obama, we finally learn why. Turns out, he has other plans this summer: hosting a cross-state cornhole tournament. No, we're not kidding. So I guess when we say that the Vice-Presidency isn't worth a "bucket of warm piss," we can apparently also deduce that cornhole ranks somewhere in between John Nance Garner (VP to FDR) and piss.



--> Correction on Bobby Jindal: I had initially listed his full name as Robert (assumed that Bobby was a nickname). I apologize, Governor, I now realize that your real name is Piyush Jindal. And with all the focus on strange names with Barack Hussein Obama, how about President Piyush in 8 years? Jindal actually has a fascinating background, including a 1994 experience where his friend at Brown was possessed by the devil, and he was attacked by Satan. Here's another interesting look at this guy, who very well may be our next Vice-President (or at least our next Republican President).



--> James Carville (cajun style) gives his own suggestion for Obama's running mate: Al Gore. Carville's reasoning: "If I were him, I would ask Al Gore to serve as his vice president, his energy czar, in his administration to reduce our consumption and reliance on foreign energy sources. That would send a signal to the world, to American people, to Congress, to everybody, that America's getting serious about this horrendous problem that we face." Not a bad idea, but I think Al Gore can get serious about global warming, and even serve as the Obama Administration's point man on the issue, without being Vice-President again. I don't see why he'd want the job back. He's more powerful as Nobel Prize winner.

*****TIME OUT*******

I would like to commemorate, here and now, the first instance of Election Day Countdown's use of the phrase, Obama Administration. I will try to keep this to a minimum, to avoid superstitious backlash.

****Ok, back to normal*****

--> The Obama campaign announced that Jim Johnson will step down from his post on the VP-search committee. Guess it's all up to Caroline now. The news media is trying to make this a story (campaign official resigns in disgrace, etc.), but it's really not important. He was advising one facet of the campaign, and his legal troubles have nothing to do with the race or the candidate or any issues anywhere near his work.


Other Election Rumblings:



--> Lou Dobbs (shown left declaring war on the middle class - also the only time he will ever be referred to as "on the left") is apparently considering running for governor of New Jersey. Now I don't need to tell you this is an awful idea; Lou Dobbs is out of his mind, and has no business running for any political office, even if it is New....OK, maybe this isn't such a bad idea. After all, if McGreevey (proud graduate of Columbia University) can have an extramarital affair with an Israeli man whom he appointed head of Homeland Security despite having no qualifications, then I guess it's not so hard to be governor of New Jersey. Good luck, Mr. Dobbs. There is no better way to save our nation from wetbacks and St. Patrick's Day than getting to the heart of the illegal immigration problem: New Jersey state politics.





--> Fox News has found its favorite new target, and here's a hint: it's not the French!! No, it's none other than Haverford visiter Michelle Obama. Not only is she apparently a terrorist spy (and you really should read that link, because it applies to this picture of the day at the bottom), but she has now been referred to as Barack's "baby mama." Of course, there's no way this could be construed as racial, because I can't even count the number of times that Fox has referred to Laura Bush as Dubya's baby mama. Also, President Clinton shall henceforth be known as Hillary's sugar daddy.

--> The Obama campaign, worried about ongoing lies and vicious rumors swirling around the blogosphere, has decided to respond by starting their own website designed entirely to combat these lies. Besides debunking claims of Islamic faith and Michelle calling someone "whitey," the site goes on to explain that the Easter Bunny isn't real, the Tooth Fairy is just your parents lying to you, and global warming is the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." In completely unrelated news, James Inhofe has announced that he will be stepping in as Barack's new campaign manager.

Poll Bowl: Our ongoing (and newly innaugurated) segment where EDC presents you with what we deem to be the relevant polls of the day. What defines relevant? Here's an example: Idaho polls - not relevant. Ohio polls - relevant. Of course, all polls should be taken with a grain of salt. Here we go.

--> Qunnipiac shows Obama up by only 6% over John McCain in New Jersey, 45% - 39%. In the end, New Jersey tends to hold their noses and vote Democratic, so I don't think Obama is too worried about this state.

--> University of Wisconsin shows Obama up big over McCain in that state, 50% - 37%.