September 24, 2008

Knuckleheads Barry and Joe poke each other in the eyes; where is the third Stooge in this act?
by Bill Levinson

The Obama campaign, with Barack Obama’s approval (”I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this ad”) published a video that belittles John McCain for his inability to use a computer or send E-mail: an inability due to service-related hand injuries that prevent him from using a keyboard. The ad also belittled middle aged and senior voters in general through its inclusion of vinyl records, Rubik’s cubes, and other memorabilia with which only those in their forties and older would be familiar. The ad was so reprehensible, in fact, that Senator Joe Biden condemned his own running mate for releasing it.

“I’m Joe Biden, and I Didn’t Approve This Ad.” (The same text appeared in our morning newspaper and it matches the content of the YouTube video of Katie Couric’s interview with Biden.

CBS’ Katie Couric: “Are you disappointed with the tone of the campaign — the lipstick on the pig stuff and some of the ads? And you guys haven’t been completely guilt-free, making fun of John McCain’s inability to use a computer?”

Biden: “I thought that was terrible, by the way.”

Couric: “Why’d you do it then?”

Biden: “I didn’t know we did it, and if I’d had anything to do with it, we would have never done it.

This is very telling. It shows that Barack Obama blindsided his own running mate by approving a poor-taste campaign ad without Biden’s knowledge, thus associating Biden’s reputation with the ad. Upon realizing that he had just condemned his own running mate’s judgment, though, Biden tried to excuse Obama:

Couric: “Did Barack Obama approve that ad? He said he did, right?”

Biden: “I don’t think anything was intentional about that. They were trying to make another point.”

Right; Obama approved the ad that Biden himself condemned, but it wasn’t “intentional.” Perhaps supervision of the campaign ads that he approves is “above Obama’s pay grade,” and this is to be the measure of Obama’s entire career: “Above my pay grade,” “I don’t think anything was intentional about that,” “No controlling authority,” and “I’m not responsible.” The buck stops everywhere but Barack Obama’s desk; a stark contrast to John McCain’s resume as a Navy Captain, who is responsible for EVERYTHING that happens on his watch.

At this point, Biden would be 100 percent justified in withdrawing as Obama’s running mate. If he can’t trust Obama not to blindside him by running “terrible” (Biden’s own description) ads without his knowledge, Biden should not be on the ticket. Then again, Biden himself blindsided Obama (and Pennsylvania’s governor, Ed Rendell) by opposing clean coal, thus contradicting his and Obama’s platform:

“No coal plants here in America!” Biden pledges, despite Obama-Biden’s stated support for clean coal.

This is what the Obama-Biden platform says:

Create Millions of New Green Jobs

• Ensure 10 percent of Our Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source – Energy Efficiency.
• Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.
• Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.
• Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

This is what Senator Biden told a questioner at a rally in Ohio

“We’re not supporting clean coal,” Biden said. …“No coal plants here in America!” pledged the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. “Build ‘em, if they’re gonna build ‘em, over there and make ‘em clean because they’re killing ya.”

In other words, Biden made a liar not only of Barack Obama but also Pennsylvania’s Ed Rendell, who threw his own reputation and credibility behind Obama’s candidacy by citing support for clean coal at the Democratic National Convention. It’s obvious that Obama and Biden are two of the Stooges, and Rendell is the straight man for the pie in the face, but where is the third Stooge? Since we have a duo and not a trio, though, perhaps Beavis and Butthead (”huh huh huh huh huh huh huh” vs. “nyuk, nyuk, nyuk”) would be a more appropriate analogy.