Score us some green, dude.

Start up the Prius and let's head to Whole Foods! The environment was on voters' minds for a few nanoseconds last week as the nation celebrated Earth Day. Time magazine irked a few folks last week with this image:



Cacophony of voices: Blasphemy! My uncle didn't fight so Time magazine could...
Here's the accompanying article. When WVPC Googled this cover, this article emerged at the top of the result heap. Who in the hell is Christine Bude? Why does she have 1,003,436 views? Why are two readers and four cats my audience?

Global warming doesn't seem to be a major concern among the candidates. Here's what they've acknowledged thus far: global warming is real. That's a start, I suppose. Other than that the topic is nearly absent from campaign stump speeches. The candidates seem to understand this point: for most middle and lower class voters, paying the electric bills on time and affording gas takes precedent over eco-friendly light bulbs or building a new deck made of recycled Howard Dean signs. And be prepared to live without all that cool stuff they bought during the carefree Ipod era. To the Journal, there's that other thing they could have difficulty living without: inhabitable space.

You probably already know about what went down in Pennsylvania last week. Yes, the Pirates probably lost some games (Dammit! Ian Snell is on Angus' fantasy team.), but Hillary scored a victory.
How does the Jedi respond to this defeat? Playing hoops in the Hoosier State. Barack, brush up on The Bird. Remember, he's from French Lick, not Boston.
If he's brushing up on Larry Legend, he's brushing off Jeremiah Wright. The media's assessment of the rev: gloomy and doomy. Hey, kinda like the Book of Revelations. If the jedi doesn't have enough problems already, the media and blogosphere threw around the E word last week. Unfortunately , the E doesn't stand for excellence in everything; it stands for electability.
And that's from The New Republic! Here's some of the same arguments from Team Rove. Hell, Rove even has some advice. Karl, I smell Pulitzer.

While the Dems bickered in Pa., JMac toured forgotten America. Good PR move, but it's just election year politics unless he can prove it. JMac is still behind in most polls, but he's gaining ground even after enduring a tough week in the op-ed sections and blogs.

Finally, let's check the nation's political temperature because it's time for The Thermometer.




- Obama: Cold. The Pennsylvania loss and Wright's less-than-stellar criticism rebuttals show new vulnerabilities.

- Hillary: Heating up. PA. win helps but she's still has a long way to go.

- McCain: Warm. Things are going well and if Obama totally derails, JMac will take the presidency.

- Howard Dean: Lukewarm. Head of DNC tenure has been rocky, but he looked firm on Sunday's Meet the Press.

- Russert: Cooling off. WVPC praised and defended him in the past, but Stephanopolus runs a better Sunday show. George, you had us at This Week.

We'll see you later this week.

Bitter Voter Face

Will Pennsylvanians make this face when they head to the polls tomorrow?

On this night before the deciding primary of her struggling campaign, Hillary enters with a lead.

Our prediction: Hillary will play like the Phillies for a day and Obama will look like the Pirates. On other hand, don't the Red Sox always win anyway? Obama is the Red Sox in the end.


The Journal tells us what's at stake in the Keystone State.


The jedi keeps saying what most of us think. What's not to like?

Those 'bitter' comments just won't go away. Here's the best defense of the jedi's comments thus far. Examples 1 & 2.
Keep up the good work, TNR.

Finally, a GOP candidate tours the "forgotten America." Just in time for an election.

Obama: Fallout Boy

The whirlwind fallout continues. This is probably the most thought-provoking campaign story of the last six weeks, and it brings up an interesting discussion about voting and class. Too bad most of the conversation has been fairly two-dimensional: Democrats: he shouldn't have said it even if the comment has a degree of truthfulness; Republicans: the comments prove he's an elitist. WVPC is convinced that there's more to the dialogue than those assessments. Here's some more commentary from the beltway about people who don't live in the beltway.

First, from the old right. And the same idea via the new right.

Let the old left enter the fray. Now the techno savvy new left.

WVPC can draw a few conclusions from those pieces: 1.) Americans have difficulty talking about class. A Brit (not Hume!) agrees.
2.) The elected leaders of both parties know or care very little about working class Americans.

Until things change, WVPC puts this conversation on hold.

Problem: lack of authenticity in Mellencamp country. Solution: alcohol and guns.



JMac offers a respectful rebuttal to the jedi's claims. Note to John: Obama didn't say they like guns because they're economically struggling. They vote based on how people feel about god, guns, gay marriage, immigration and abortion rather than economic concerns. Turd Blossom and the gang call them family values.

Clinging to Guns

...when you pry it from my cold, dead paw.

Well, we got a story. Speaking to donors in San Francisco (translation = not the heartland), the jedi said this.
As you can imagine, the media, Hillary and JMac are having a field day with America's new elitist. Ben Smith elaborates on the coming fallout. While he may have brushed off most of the Wright backlash, Rush, Ann and friends are licking their lips over this one. The best part: Obama was right in his assessment! Well, The Nationagrees.

Not much more we can say about that one. Monday will let the spin begin! Hannity already has a hard on.

JMac is smiling. The nod's wrapped up and he's just waiting for a mate. And some even know how he can win this thing.

The GOP loves the men and women in uniform (Jesus is a Republican and a liberator, bud), and the AM blowholes are making sure that you know the other team hates America. Let me introduce you to Neal Bortz. Guess who never served in the military: Neal Boortz. Oh, he's not all that bad; read his interesting wiki-bio here.

Last week, we mentioned male rock fans tend to vote for McCain, per a recent study. Well, how about everyone else? Let's play, How would they vote with the 2008 candidates, past and present!

Flight of the Conchords fans - Obama. Jermaine, Bret, the jedi and lattes go hand in hand.

Neil Diamond fans - Hillary. Wet for the Neil and the Hill.

Sinatra fans - Rudy. He made an offer they couldn't refuse.

Mellencamp fans - I'd like to think Edwards since Don't Call Me Cougar campaigned for the guy, but Mellencamp isn't the best indicator of Indiana's typical voter. Let's go with Thompson.

Opeth fans - Ron Paul. Black t-shirts, dude.

Jimmy Buffet fans - Mitt Romney. There's a lot of investors and lenders but few borrowers in that Parrotheads crowd.

Deadheads - Kucinich.

Genesis (Gabriel era) - Mike Gravel.

Genesis (Collins era) - Chris Dodd.

Charlie Daniels fans - Fred Thompson. Devil went down to the set of Law & Order, looking for a candidate to steal.

Petra fans - Huckabee.

Wevoteprocat is beyond belief.

Batter up

While the nation winds down from the Wright-Obama debacle, waits for Hillary to bow out, and watches JMac gain more and more momentum, WVPC has come to the conclusion that it's been a boring week. Obama bowled a 37, and that's about as exciting as it gets. Hey, it keeps us distracted from the looming recession.

Even if the action is slow, the hot and savvy political writing is go! Well, as hot as George Will, EJ Dionne Elanor Clift and Jonah Goldberg can get, I suppose. In honor of opening week, let's play ball:

In a story that WVPC knew would get more attention sooner or later, earlier in the week, The Hill reveals JMac's reluctance to roll out his military sons for the campaign move. Sure enough, WVPC was right!

Speaking of fortunate sons, Obama ain't one of them. Some think that could spell disaster come November. For other Obama liabilities, see Postrel. Prepare to see more and more articles like those two as the campaign enters its 'inevitable nomination' phase.

All of this Democratic infighting leads to an emboldened, mobilized and smirking GOP. Don't believe us? Even The Nation thinks so. Of course, The National Review agrees. Hey Jonah, work on that prose. I had to read that piece like six times before it made sense.

For those so disenchanted with the GOP, you have another option. You may remember Georgia's Bob Barr from Borat. Well, Mr. Barr is no longer a Republican, and he's gearing up for a run for President. He's the new Libertarian candidate. Way to go, Bob, capture that 0.6% of the popular vote. This decision is another strange twist in a fascinating career. Study his Wikipedia page.

If you like rock and you're a white guy, apparently, you're likely to vote for McCain. Note to Nickelback, do what Three Doors Down did for W. Pretty cool, guys.