Fantasy Cabinet

Why the massive delay in posts? Well, nothing's really happened in the past couple of weeks.

I picked up some dry cleaning, visited with the in-laws, ...

my country broke cultural barriers and united in electing a transformational leader poised to become the defining figure of my generation.

And I got a new hat.

Really, though, I couldn't be happier. I firmly believe that Barack Obama will slowly transform this country for the better, be re-elected to a second term, and by the time all is said and done, he will have restored the positive image of America in the world, once again making us the standard-bearer for the best society this planet has to offer. He will bring a sober, yet inspiring tone to America; he will speak to us like adults; and (far-off, starry-eyed projection ahead) after his two terms, he will remembered among the ranks of FDR and JFK. Enjoy your remaining time on the ten dollar bill, Hamilton.

Further far-off projection: Next Democratic president - Mark Warner, elected 2016

And now, my (partial) fantasy cabinet for the Obama Administration.

State: Sen. John Kerry, Susan Rice (alt.)
Treasury: Robert Rubin, Jamie Dimon (alt.)
Defense: Sen. Jack Reed, Robert Gates (alt.)
National Security: Susan Rice, Gen. Anthony Zinni (ret.) or James Steinberg (alts.)
Energy: Gov. Brian Schweitzer
Homeland Security: Richard Clarke, Rep. Jane Harman (alt.)
Ambassador to UN: former Rep. Lee Hamilton, Caroline Kennedy (alt.)
Attorney General: Rep. Artur Davis, Gov. Tim Kaine (alt.)

VA, MD: "Goodbye, Electronic Voting"

Now, I'm just sayin'...

Fantastic news. I heard this on the radio, driving in to work. The Washington Post has the story on the front page of the Metro section:

Maryland will scrap its $65 million electronic system and go back to paper ballots in time for the 2010 midterm elections -- and will still be paying for the abandoned system until 2014. In Virginia, localities are moving to paper after the General Assembly voted last year to phase out electronic voting machines as they wear out.

It was just a few years ago that electronic voting machines were heralded as a computerized panacea to the hanging chad, a state-of-the-art system immune to the kinds of hijinks and confusion that some say make paper ballots vulnerable. But now, after concern that the electronic voting machines could crash or be hacked, the two states are swinging away from the systems, saying paper ballots filled out by hand are more reliable, especially in a recount.

Now, of course, every voting place should have one electronic voting station for voters with special needs, but I am very pleased at the move back to paper ballots. They're intuitive; they're reliable; and I can trust my ballot - I'm not left wondering which way a computer program thinks I voted.

Of course, some argue that paper ballots are outdated and that such a move represents a lurch back to the 19th Century.

But the move has perplexed some experts who say that after using the electronic touch screens for several elections now, voters have gotten used to them. People use touch-screen machines for many things, such as ordering at McDonald's and taking money out of the bank, and should, advocates say, be able to vote on them.

And what do you get from McDonald's or Wachovia that you don't get with electronic voting machines? A piece of paper confirming your transaction. You know you ordered a Big Mac, but how do you know that's what's being made for you? There's a paper trail. Also, if you have a problem with your Value Meal price or need to ask a question about a banking fee, you have a restaurant manager or bank teller that can call up your order on a computer and make it right. There's a reason for that: buying a cheeseburger is not as important as voting. As sensitive and critical as voting is in our country, why wouldn't we want a system that values accuracy and integrity over technological glitz?

I'm just sayin'...

"His Choice" - The Hidden Message You Missed

Now, I'm just sayin'...

On its surface this ad is pretty good. No dialogue, no narration, just McCain's own words used against him and a reminder of his joke of a VP pick - an embarrassing example of his bad judgment.

Below its surface, though, it's even better than you first thought (even if it's just from a political ad-making standpoint).

Now, I've seen a lot of discussion on other sites about this ad. In today's Washington Post, Howard Kurtz even has a blurb on A3 about it. The consensus seems to be that it's a great ad: simple, damaging, aggressive, and with a little levity/terror at the end with Palin's wink. It concretely defines McCain as weak on the economy and it highlights his thin bench...

Wait... what was that last part?

Here's where we get into what you missed on first viewing. To illustrate my point, begin by asking yourself this: What is the biggest fear about Sarah Palin?

That McCain will die in office and she will be our (gulp) president.

So. Watch the ad again and listen closely to the soundtrack. With no dialogue or narration to cloud your ears and the words on screen to distract your attention, a new side of the ad emerges.

Hear that? The steady bass thump behind the strings? Like the lub-dub of a heartbeat? The subtle rhythm-keeping clicking? Like the ticking of a clock? The message below the surface, in the periphery of viewer's attention, is a dramatic reinforcement: that if John McCain dies, Winky McMooseburger is the new Commander-in-Chief. This ad isn't just a commentary on economic policy and who is prepared to lead us out of a recession. This ad has now evolved into something even more clever. It asks an even more fundamental question, past McCain's judgment: "President Palin?"

As we begin the ad, the heartbeat and ticking clock keep a steady cadence. They continue through McCain's lonely quotes, ostensibly focusing us on his economic inexpertise. (McCain seems to be solemnly looking at the quotes, too - or are his eyes closed? Is he embarrassed? Or are his closed eyes foreshadowing something else?). The heartbeat and ticking pump through 2005. They patter on through 2007. But there's a change near the end. Listen closer. At the text of "Vice President", the heartbeat skips just slightly, but then quickly resumes its normal rhythm. In the next shot, however, the heartbeat becomes momentarily distressed, irregularly accented and stopped for a panicked, uncomfortable moment when Palin appears on screen, thoughtlessly running her mouth with a rehearsed wink. The moment is accompanied by a discordant, lower guitar note (unheard until this moment) that transitions into the end of the ad.

In sum, clever sleight of hand has turned this ad on economic trust into one that is more striking, more damaging, and posing a scenario more disastrous in its consequences than what lies on the ad's surface.

Just brilliant ad craftsmanship.

I'm just sayin'...

THE Ad

Billy Joel, Opie, Andy, Richie and the Fonz

In today's Washington Post, a piece by Dana Milbank entitled He May Be Right, We May Be Crazy. If you like political humor and the Piano Man, you'll love this. I did.

Also, Ron Howard wants a moment of your time:

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

Pfotenhauer Gets Served

One for the Scrapbook

Yowza. Em-barassing: