I'M TOBY O'B AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE

I was going to stay away from most of the election coverage, and keep "Inner Toob" free of such real world bleep, even if there is a televersion in Toobworld for all of this history being made.

But I am getting so sick about watching the Republican lies and smear tactics and dirty tricks and then seeing how most of the actual news media just letting them get away with it for the most part. You expect that from FOX (and to be fair, you expect the exact opposite from MSNBC). But it's like everybody is afraid to call Sarah Palin out on her beliefs and positions just because she's a woman.

And they don't want to look like they're being too critical of John McCain just because he served time in a Viet Nam cage. Never mind that he was a horrible millitary pilot who graduated near the bottom of his class and crashed five government planes. (And don't even think about dipping into his personal life with regards of ditching his ailing first wife to marry a rich trophy wife whom he's called the "C-word" in front of reporters. Or that he has a history of affairs. Or that he's cruel and malicious in the way he talked about Chelsea Clinton, or that he's quick to anger. No, God forbid. He's a war hero!)

Why is it that the shows we watch for comedy are the places that put these candidates and pundits on the grill and roast them for what they have said in the past?

From "The Daily Show":

McCain as a Maverick?

Pundits choke on their former statements.

And here's Craig Ferguson's monologue from last night's "The Late Late Show".

He took on not only the pundits and the candidates (both sides) but also the media and even YOU the voter. I think it's a monologue that should be trotted out every four years as a reminder!

I'm hoping the Democratic campaign finally catches fire and begins to fight back against this type of bull-bleep. And it looks like Senator Obama's appearance on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' might be the start of that.

My bestest of friends Ivy sent along this missive about what he had to say to Dave:

Last night, Gene and I saw exactly where Obama is headed.

That "lipstick on a pig" remark was no off-the-cuff remark (Obama doesn't seem to make those kinds of mistakes). He intended to say it, hoping to provoke an attack from an increasingly hysterical McCain campaign.

And it worked. They took the bait; hook, line and sinker.

Which gave Obama the opportunity, which he took yesterday, to take them to task -- sternly -- for not talking about the issues. It gave him a great opening to point out their swiftboat politics, their using silly things to avoid talking about the issues, etc.

He made it clear that it's us they are insulting. It's us they're giving short shrift. It's we who are the losers in this kind of game.

Combined with "Enough!" (which we think and hope is going to be the one-word, sound-byte campaign catchphrase).

He's turning their own game against them. Every time they launch a personal attack, the response is "Enough. It's about the issues. Notice how they don't talk about the issues. Notice how they treat you, distract you, try to fool you." Of course, they don't have talking points on the issues. Their entire campaign is a distraction. (Sarah Palin being the biggest distraction of all. That's why they picked her. It takes all the attention away from the increasingly fragile and addle-headed candidate.) He's pointing that out. He's defanging their personal attacks.

And he won't have to get angry (and risk being seen as the angry black guy) at all. He's getting the people pissed off at them while he can remain cool as a cucumber and in control. He's also making jokes about the dopiness of their attacks -- he'll make them look like clueless buffoons.

It's an absolutely brilliant strategy.

Petard, prepare to be hoisted!

So, here's hoping.

There. I got it out of my system. Don't worry, I'll get off my soapbox now.

At these heights I tend to get nosebleeds.

But never forget this about the old man who wants to be considered the agent of change:

BCnU!
Toby O'B