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Clearing the Browser Tabs – Easy Peasy, Cheddar Cheesy Wednesday Edition Posted: 10 Aug 2011 08:26 AM PDT Last night was certainly interesting for me, politically and personally. First, the live recording of The Delivery was plagued with occasional internet outages that I very much hope are not related to these acts of sabotage alleged committed by disgruntled, striking Verizon workers. Then, once my internet connection did stabilize (too late to finish this post so it would drop at its customary time), I learned that the public sector unions, who spent millions upon millions in a fit of juvenile temper to recall enough Republicans to take over the Wisconsin state Senate, failed about as completely as they could have. Democrats won two of the 6 seats they targeted for recall but will face two recall elections of their own next week. The most likely result of the Great Wisconsin Hissy Fit is that Democrats will have spent a lot of money that could have helped union workers struggling to pay the bills in the Obama Economy in order to win one seat in a state legislature. On the whole, not a bad night, technical problems notwithstanding. Oh, the picture of Che? That’s Justin Hart’s contribution to the victory dance. I approve! The show post will be out a bit later today, so keep your eyes peeled! And now, links! Stacy McCain is still hot on the campaign trail in Iowa — his dispatches both during and after Herman Cain’s speech in Denison are as good as any political reporting being done by any of the big media outlets (via memeorandum). Does that make him invaluable? Well, I don’t know many other reporters who produce as much work with as small a budget. Retail politics matter, which is why I believe some of the “second tier” Republican candidates like Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain have a better chance to do well, at least in the early primaries, than a lot of pundits think. Stand by for more “politics of personal destruction” from a team of masters. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin continues to score palpable hits from her lowly Facebook wall. Here is one long frog-march through the left-wing institutions I’d love to see. Water on Mars — liquid, flowing water where we formerly believed there was none at all — would be a very big deal. Where there’s water, there’s usually life, and a chance for colonization.

Calmness and Affection Will Win This Race Posted: 09 Aug 2011 11:24 AM PDT Jonah Goldberg had a post this morning at The Corner that touched on the subject of a memorable half of The Delivery. In Episode 97, I mused that what we have in America is not so much a crisis of leadership or a lack of good ideas but a dearth of confidence in America itself. We’ve lapsed into the malaise of the late 1970s, led there by many of our political leaders and especially by the one in the White House. The longing from the electorate for a leader who loves America and Americans more than he loves his career or the political game is nearly palpable. So, says Goldberg, it’s time for the GOP candidates — any of them, really — to stop acting like contestants and start acting like calm, confident leaders. Personally, I'd like to see Michelle Bachmann show she can be a bit more presidential. It's an odd-place for the near front-runner to be that Ron Paul seems more reassuring. If I were advising her, I'd tell her to go into the upcoming Iowa debate with the demeanor of a president-in-waiting (Hillary Clinton, who was more concerned about sexist double standards than Bachmann is, had that poise down). She should go after Obama more in sadness than in anger. If I were advising Pawlenty I'd hammer the idea that the country doesn't need any more drama, it needs calm, serious leadership to steady the ship of state ("leadership only Tim Pawlenty can provide"). I have to say I wouldn't tell Romney to change much of anything. I think he's handled himself very well so far. His lack of leadership on the debt issue was cynical but smart. As for the others, I'm not sure how many of them are playing to win at this point. If I were advising Newt, I'd tell him to work overtime creating that time machine so he can go back and start over. He doesn’t mention the affection I believe must be there, but he’s not far from it. A candidate who can assure America that they are up to the Carter-esque challenges is but a genuine sunny optimism about her future prospect away from a convincing win in 2012.

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