Recent polls now show John McCain and Sarah Palin at 50% with Barack Obama and Joe Biden at 46%. It seems the tide has turned as I have predicted. As much as I hate to say it, “I told you so.”

It's easy to see when you pay attention. Even with the sound off, watching the rivals on TV seems backward. One would've guessed a Joe Biden type would have been on the McCain ticket and the Sarah Palin type would've been on the Obama side. If you were casting a feature film, that's certainly the direction you'd take it. So now, instead of youth, excitement, and change on the side that declared it as its' own, we have anything but. And on the side that seemed as though it represented the same old “George Bush 3^rd term” politics, we have youthful thinking, excitement and change ahead of us.

The plot certainly has thickened.

I invite anyone to go back and read any of my previous blog postings on townhall.com and compare what I've said with the dates/times they were posted. You will find in every instance I have predicted what ultimately had become fact. Again, it's easy to see when you pay attention and I do.

Here's more. We all know what happens when we lead a horse to water. He doesn't drink. The same is true again (and again, written previously in my blogs of the past) with the liberal media's attempts to lead us to that water. We won't drink. Keith Olbermann's big exclusive with Barack Obama was ho-hum because Keith Olbermann isn't a journalist we can trust, despite his daily references to himself as “your humble journalist.” He's a democratic cheerleader. You'll never see any exclusives with anyone representing the right, because Keith wants you to drink his water, so take a big gulp and be sure to write “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” in your Nielson diary. The same is true of Chris Matthews who can't possibly say anything negative about the democratic ticket, except for once in a while pretending to play hard ball in hopes he'll appear un-biased. You better drink his water right now, if you know what's good for you or he'll never let you complete a sentence.

I'd be amazed if I'm the only one who sees any of this. Clearly MSNBC doesn't, if two far left leaning programs on their schedule weren't enough, soon they'll have three, because they're giving Rachel Maddow her own show. You know Rachel don't you? She's the star/choreographer/director/producer/executive producer/casting director and key grip of “The Rachel Maddow Show” which airs on AirAmerica radio, TV and podcasts. Oh yeah, AirAmerica is liberal. She's described as a political analyst every time she appears on one of MSNBC's other shows. But you see, she isn't. She has never provided a fair assessment of any republican candidate or strategy ever and in fact, trips over herself to come to the defense of anything Obama. At one point it was so bad, Joe Scarborough, filling in for David Gregory on "Race For The White House" on MSNBC, had to playback specific comments from Barack Obama for Rachel's behalf several times because she refused to acknowledge them on their face and instead chose to decipher their meaning for us. If you were dyslexic and retarded, you might have seen things her way and dammit, she sure as hell tried. She's no political analyst. She's a democratic strategist. So there's MSNBC and lovely Rachel baiting and switching us so we'll drink their water. No thanks. It's polluted.

The well just got much deeper by the supreme being herself, Oprah Winfrey, who has pronounced that she will not have any political candidates on her show before the election. You mean, except for Barack Obama, Oprah? Forgive me for questioning one of your commandments, but don't you mean you won't have any republican candidates on your show before the election, Ms. Winfrey? Shall I peel you a grape?

The lesson to be learned from all this is soon to come, I'm afraid. Try as hard as they will force feeding their points of view will soon backfire, which is the real tragedy in all this. Real Americans like myself are interested in the facts, not the slanted rhetoric from self-described “journalists” who aren't. What would their Columbia professors think of them now, I wonder. The writing is on the wall and it will only get worse unless the liberal press (radio, TV and newspaper) backs off, goes back to the basic premise of what real journalism is supposed to be (and not to be) and let us decide the facts on their merits. The RNC should send thank-you cards for all their help, because the harder they try, the harder they will be fall.

Thank heavens for fair and balanced press like The New York Post, who yesterday endorsed McCain/Palin, writing an incredibly poignant editorial as to the reasons why. Anyone still fooled by who Obama/Biden really are should read this. Kudos to that paper and its' parent, News Corporation, for telling it like it really is without bias. If anyone reading this still questions whether or not a democrat in the white house would be better for our economy than a republican, I invite them to compare New York with Las Vegas. New Yorkers, in a blue state controlled by democrats long before FDR was governor, pay a whopping $9 for a pack of cigarettes, while Nevadans pay a mere $3.50 per pack. So what's the difference between the cigarettes out there vs. those out here? TAX. Now unless cigarettes in New York are wrapped in gold, New Yorkers pay almost $6 more than Nevadans just for tax. Nevada a red state. New York a blue state. Connect the dots, and I don't even smoke but for God sakes, ENOUGH already! Democrats=big government, big tax. Republicans= don't.

Need more? Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) rents not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 rent controlled apartments in Harlem under the guise of office space. Never mind that the units must be for living and not for business purposes. Mr. Rangel doesn't care because he's a democrat who lives for big government and big pet projects and big perks like 4 rent controlled units that cost him less than one studio apartment in Manhattan. Democrats in congress are just as bad. Even our own Governor Paterson calls these types of legistlators Draculas. They'll be real nice to you by day, and then suck your blood for everything it's worth until they get what they want, like Dracula. Barack Obama was weened from the same bottle. His refusal to admit the troop surge is working was because he was afraid to alienate his own party, not us. He failed miserably.

I'm happy to watch them all scramble and try so very hard to convince me otherwise, all so they can keep their cushy government jobs and live like kings while the rest of us struggle. Then, like a horse, I'll do the opposite. I for one would be very happy to drink from that trough.

Ron Maestri
www.ronmaestri.com

Yesterday certainly was a big day in presidential politics. In one fell swoop, John McCain swooped in with an out-of-the-ballpark nominee for vice-president, a great speech, proving his credentials with facts, not lingo. If I were advising him, I'd tell him to remind America that the gridlock came from a democratically controlled congress, whose own job approval ratings are in the high single digits.

 

It's obvious Americans have seen the same old movie before when politicians deliver the world to get themselves elected, and then do nothing until about the final year of their terms when they're up for re-election, and then off they go again having parties and cutting secret deals for bridges to nowhere. Richard Nixon mastered the art when he promised to end the Vietnam War to get himself elected the first time, never did, and then promised it again to get himself re-elected. Thank God Americans are much smarter than that. It's not just change we're after, it's accountability. How much can we trust they'll deliver on their words?

 

It's obvious what I'm saying (and have been saying) is the case. Last night on "The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric", she showed two polls. The first, taken immediately after the Obama rock concert: Obama 48% and McCain 40%. The second, taken a few weeks later, one day BEFORE Sarah palin's speech, showed both candidates dead even at 42%. What's wrong with that picture?

 

But wait, there's more. WCBS-TV, the local New York CBS affiliate asked respondants online "How likely would you be to vote for McCain/Palin after hearing her speech?" A whopping 73% responded most likely with less than 10% still unsure. NEW YORK IS A BLUE STATE! These are not words of hope for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Clearly this election is theirs to lose unless something is radically changed, and I know what it is. Now mind you, I'm the type of person who typically roots for the underdog. I guess all my years in direct marketing taught me how to spin gold from sheet metal, so trust me on this. I'm actually beginning to feel sorry for Obama and would like to offer my friendly advice, because honestly, I love a good horse race.

 

Joe Biden needs to resign from the democratic ticket. He needs to come up with some credible reason why, and just do it. You know, for the good of the party? Barack Obama should accept the resignation and then in the same breath name Hillary Rodham Clinton as his new VP running mate. I'm dead serious. We all know Hillary's strengths and we can all now begin to see the void she left will only get deeper and stronger for McCain/Palin unless Obama punts fast.

 

Mark my words. Barack Obama will lose this election unless he makes this "change".

 

Yesterday.

 

Ron Maestri

www.ronmaestri.com

 

I have to admit I was a bit miffed by John McCain's choice of running mate in Sarah Palin. Who? What? Where? and even more importantly, Why? So, I decided to wait it out and see. Now, almost a week after his announcement, I'm convinced. His choice shows us exactly the type of president John McCain would be if elected. He thinks outside the box. Of course it was risky, but never afraid to stare fear straight in the face, Mr. McCain proved himself to be a very smart leader. We weren't hearing Obama chants after the DNC. We were booking flights to Alaska and spending all of our media time (liberal and conservative) talking about this person with 5 kids still breast feeding. She's everything Hillary could have been to Barack Obama, had he been willing to stare fear straight in the face. That's a big negatory. He was afraid of Hillary and especially Bill, so rather than fight, he switched to one of the biggest Washington insiders around, completely contrary to his message and his brand. Joe Biden is no friend to Israel, either. He made some ridiculous comment to their leadership in 2005 that "Israel needs to accept a nuclear Iran."

 

During the DNC very intuitive directors were cutting back and forth between Hillary's speech and Michelle Obama's expressions, which were fear and an "I knew she'd tout herself instead of Barack" facial expressions (I could almost see the thought bubbles overhead) to one of relief after an incredible show of strength and support by Mrs. Clinton for her husband. The next night when the former president spoke, once again those fears were laid to rest because say what you want, the Clintons know how to make things right, and they most certainly did. I always thought he was a good president and both their speeches were stellar.

 

I'd bet my parents (win or lose, take them, please) that Barack and Michelle secretly regretted passing over Hillary as his VP. I still firmly believe it would have been game, set and match for him, and I would have cheered him for taking such a bold risk for choosing her...and vote for both. Nope, Mr. Obama's fear of failure and Mt. Sinai ego got the best of him, and he went with a loud mouth who on "60 Minutes" this past Sunday, spent the entire interview backpeddling his gaffs, like plagiarizing a speech that took him out of a presidential election. Mr. Biden needs to check his own ego at the door when he debates Ms. Palin, or she'll probably kick the crap out of him and send him back to scrotum...I mean, Scranton, PA., which he has suddenly embraced as his home. Sorry Delaware, you're just not big enough. Biden is now longer from you.

 

John McCain showed us strength and courage. Barack Obama showed us weakness and fear. In a conversation with my sister who is 5 years younger and a staunch democrat living in Colorado, she referred to Sarah Palin as too inexperienced. I replied, "You mean, like Barack Obama?" It was the first time I ever heard my sister speechless. I actually thought the phone cut off and the signal had faded.

 

I wonder what Rachel Maddow must be thinking right about now. I'm sure she's ferklempt because all the kings horses and all the kings men may not be able to put Barack Obama back together again. She should be spending her off time from all the Obama focus (no-one sweems to care as much about him these days as they do this governor from Alaska) and learn proper attire and make-up tricks, like forgoing low cut or insisting the make-up artist continue past her neck. The CU poses don't work well, either. I hear through the grape vine she's considering whether or not to wear glasses on her new MSNBC show. I'd go with a bag.

 

The saddest part to this whole thing is that Hillary's views are more in line with how I think. She's pro-choice, pro-universal healthcare, pro-gay marriage. Ms. Palin's creationism argument is laughable and pictures of her seated on a dead bear in her governor's office are repulsive. Her stance on abortion is equally absurd, but hey, that Barack certainly can be a leader, can't he?

 

So now let's look at the campaign today and see how things have radically changed on both sides with the choice of Sarah Palin. Those 18,000,000 cracks in the ceiling might just band together because she's a woman (don't laugh, what percentage of blacks are supporting Barack?) and the greatest blunder of the 21st century, his failure to go with the obvious, may be scrutinized for years to come during the McCain/Palin Administration.

 

...And the plot thickens.

 

Ron Maestri

www.ronmaestri.com