Good Question

Is George Will smarter than a third-grader?

Apparently, third-graders in Georgetown are taught a much more comprehensive version of civics than I ever got in high school or law school (not to mention law professors themselves). It isn’t until the fourth grade that they learn about the hidden “ha ha, just kidding” clause of Article I, Section 3 or the corresponding “ha ha, not kidding this time” clause that kicks in in the event of a tie. It’s probably not until the fifth or sixth grade that they learn about the hidden clause in Article II that assigns some unspecified executive roles to the Vice President (aside from waiting around for the President to die, be impeached or otherwise become incapacitated – inert “duties” which could just as easily deem the Speaker of the House, the Senate president pro tem, or anyone else in the presidential succession an “executive” as well).

Meanwhile, on the War Front

Apparently Jan Debont and some good CG artists are helping with a campaign aimed at promoting peaceful reform in Islam, called No Terror. I can’t understand the written nor spoken language of the spots, but I’m pretty sure I get the idea. It’s something to be encouraged.

I’m Shocked. Shocked!

To find that a Chicago machine politician is taking illegal contributions!

If this were John McCain’s campaign, a deafening “what did he know and when did he know it?” chorus would have begun well over a week ago.

Update:

I wonder if he’d extend this logic to campaign finance laws.

Remember those posters?

I guess we’re still searching for some pro-Obama material that isn’t steeped in Stalin.

Check out the dog.

Oh, I know. I’m probably taking it out of context.

Write Your Own Caption

Try to keep it clean.

Try.

It Ain’t Over

Obi Wan points to the signs.

One final point to keep in mind about McCain’s campaign.  The public measures a candidate on personal qualities and his stands on the issues. But they also want to see how he runs a campaign – for them it’s a sign of whether he can handle a presidency. McCain was able to recover from losing his lead when the economic crisis hit and come back from a lackluster second debate and then developed a good message for the last debate and rest of the campaign. And his campaign has made smart strategic decisions about spending their money. McCain is finishing strong; he’s showing will. At a subliminal level, voters pick that up.

Spread the Wealth Around

Our new National Anthem?

You Don’t Have to Vote for McCain nor Obama

Michael Yon wants you to vote for Bill Gurley.

Nuts, Bolts

And plumbing.

Update:

Obama has weighed in, and come down firmly on the side of… Obama.

“I’ve stated my opposition to this. I think it’s unnecessary,” Obama told MTV. “I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that’s not what America’s about.”

That’s the clear, incisive thinking you’d expect from a man who taught constitutional law. Given how bad reporters are these days perhaps he’s being misquoted, and the word “prohibit” really referred to “from something” when he said it. Who knows?

Let’s just be ready to remind him that he’s opposed, apparently, to “playing around with constitutions”.