John McCain - I've learned nothing from the Iraq Information Minister

With less than two weeks to go before Election Day, John McCain conceded that he is trailing Barack Obama but seemed optimistic about his chances. Wrapping up an interview with Don Imus, John McCain had this to say.

“We’re doing fine. We have a lot of enthusiasm out there. We’re working hard and enjoying the rallies and having fun. I’m very confident,” he said. “I think we’re behind, but it’s within the margin of error and we’re coming up. All the indicators are that we’re coming up.”

We have heard these kind of lines before. When the walls of Baghdad were collapsing during the early days of the Iraq war and the tanks were rolling in, the information minister of Iraq said some incredulous things.

"There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"

"I triple guarantee you, there are no American soldiers in Baghdad."

"Be assured. Baghdad is safe, protected"

When will John McCain learn that "stupid is as stupid does"; a quote made famous by Forest Gump.

Sarah Palin - Average "Joe" American? NOT!

Sarah Palin has told the American public that she is like Joe Six-pack(the average American). I would like to know how many average Americans get to spend this huge amount of money on clothes. My guess would be next to nil. I would think most Republican campaign donors would not like to know their financial donations were being used for clothing sprees.

Palin's spending spree at Saks and Neimans.

The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission's long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

Politico asked the McCain campaign for comment, explicitly noting the $150,000 in expenses for department store shopping and makeup consultation that were incurred immediately after Palin’s announcement. Pre-September reports do not include similar costs.

click the above link for the whole article.

During a week in which the Republican ticket is trying to highlight its connection to the working class -- and, by extension, promoting its newest campaign tool, Joe the Plumber -- it was revealed that Palin's fashion budget for several weeks was more than four times the median salary of an American plumber ($37,514). To put it another way: Palin received more valuable clothes in one month than the average American household spends on clothes in 80 years.

more on the Palin clothing spree