Day: September 27, 2008

Paul Newman spoke those words in the classic, “Cool Hand Luke.” “Luke” wasn’t my favorite Newman film; not with his classics like “The Hustler,” The Sting,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” and of course, “Slap Shot.” While his role as “celluloid hero” offers immortality, “Newman’s Own” is his real gift to many.

That 1982 venture with neighbor and writer A.E. Hotchner has grown to a huge charitable enterprise, and donates ALL of its profits to charities. As of 2007, those donated profits totaled $175 million.

Yesterday I asked the mother of my children about the “Newman’s Own” coffee she was sipping. “It’s delicious.” We went on to chat a bit more about his products and charitable mission. “I think he’s going to die soon,” I said.

“You know, when I was a kid,
I always thought I’d grow up to be a hero.”
– Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy

Rather than cite sources that will be dismissed as “liberal-left media,” I’ll use FoxNews’s focus group queried by GOP pollster Frank Luntz. The group of Nevada independents gave the debate edge to Barack Obama.

What I saw was a draw with two candidates holding their own on the issues. Here’s what else I saw:

• Barack Obama spoke directly and respectfully to Sen. McCain and the American people in a knowledgeable, intelligent and charismatic way.
• John McCain, who didn’t have the decency to even look at his opponent, came across as angry, gruff, and unpresidential.

For Senator McCain to promote himself as a “Maverick” that can “reach across the aisle,” to Democrats in a bipartisan way, it’s strange he couldn’t even look across the aisle last night in front of the whole country. Not looking an opponent in the eye is a sign of fear. Might John McCain be intimidated by Barack Obama?

We’ll see how their performances are reflected in the polls.

Speaking of polls, the House Republicans against the Bush administrations Wall Street bailout plan are largely playing election year politics. They are facing a wave of anti-Bush sentiment in their home district races and this gives them one last gasp at an issue they can play up to the home voters:

“We didn’t cave to Bush or Wall Street.”

That’s the game. Hopefully, enough voters will be sophisticated enough to see through the ruse and see these hypocrites who gave Bush everything he wanted for 8 years are now putting “Politics First” in an effort to save their careers. And they’re risking a collapse of our economy doing it.