After two and a half weeks of presidential campaign coverage getting more and more intense I thought this story was a breath of fresh air. Naturally, it comes from a personal blog, not the legacy media and not from the political blogosphere.

tracey of the blog "beyond the pale" describes her cousin's trip to see McCain and Palin with her four year-old Down Syndrome daughter, "A".

The rally was extremely crowded, long lines, etc., so my cousin put A up on her shoulders to see the goings on. At one point, they were approached by a McCain/Palin aide who asked if theyÂ’d like to meet Sarah Palin. Uhm, yes, please, they said, and were led behind a black stage curtain to wait. ... As the rally was breaking up, John McCain made his way to their area. My cousin said he approached, greeted them, patted AÂ’s head, but then, with the crush of people, was quickly swept away. Cousin was hoping to get a picture with him, but there he went, so they just focused on waiting for Sarah. Moments later, though, McCain made his way back through that sea of people to my cousin, my aunt, and little A. HereÂ’s what my cousin said about that:

I have to say that my Mom and I were both impressed with him so much. You would have to experience it. I donÂ’t know that I can put words to it, but he was so kind, humble, gentle, and compassionate. When he spoke to us he looked right in our eyes. He thanked us with such gratitude and told us that Sarah really wanted to see us. He posed for a picture and then he was gone.

Finally, Sarah approached. More from my cousin:

I can’t give you the conversation by word, but she said, “Awwww” and kind of melted when she saw A. She asked her name and age. Then she hugged her. She actually got watery eyes. Remember, even though she is Governor, VP candidate, she is still new to the world of DS. She said she was so glad we brought A to see her. She just kept smiling and looking at A. I told her we brought a gift for Trig and gave her the t-shirt. (ed. Cousin ordered a t-shirt for Trig that said “fearfully and wonderfully made.” I thought that was sweet.) I told her that I have such admiration for her because when A was Trig’s age, I was still crying ... Oh yeah, I just remembered - A blew kisses to both John McCain and to Sarah during our little visits.

Click over for the whole thing, plus pictures of A with Palin and McCain.

Hat tip to the Anchoress.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 03:47 PM | Comments (31)
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To keep the NFL and Reebok whole on current inventory, which would have to be tossed.

I wonder how much he loves the idea now?

Probably a lot.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 03:00 PM | Comments (14)
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Here's how Joe Biden describes the encounter he calls Cloud-Pirates of Khandahar: Sky-Warriors of the Golden Triangle.

"What I care about is: What in God's name is she going to do — along with John McCain — about the thousands of people who don't have health care?" Biden asked. He'll ask her about "The superhighway of terror between Pakistan and Afghanistan where my helicopter was forced down...John McCain wants to know where Bin Ladin and the gates of Hell are? I can tell him where. That's where Al Quaida is. That's where Bin Ladin is. It's not in the country of Iraq."

Here's how people not named "Joe Biden" reported Death-Duel at the Gates of Hell (aka Operation: HAMMERCOCK):

Update at 3:33 p.m. ET: CNN says a Kerry spokesman has told the network that the helicopter landed because of impending bad weather, that none of the three are hurt -- and that all three now are out of Afghanistan.

Update at 3:43 p.m. ET: A Biden spokesperson also is characterizing the landing to CNN as more of an "unscheduled," instead of "emergency," event because of unexpected bad weather.

Wow, Joe.

You've really been in the shit, haven't you?

You've seen fire, and you've seen rain.

Mostly rain.

Joe Biden for Vice President

He has the experience and judgment to safely operate an umbrella.

Gee, I wonder if Sarah Palin has ever been forced down in a small aircraft.

Due to bad weather.

In Alaska.

The Names of the Other Senators... on that scary paramilitary chopper have been forwarded to me by Rev. Doctor E. Buzz Miller:

Senator Brick Hardchest, super agent, Lead Delta Vector Force Insertion.

Senator Chest Crackington, insertion agent of Surgical Insertion Team, Force Vector IV

Senator Chuck "Too Tall" Rocklingsteel, Lt. Col, Jetforce Spectrum Team, Insertion Vector Code Name Avalanche

Senator Fleet Tazzoni, chairman, RAND Institute for Foreign Intervention

Senator Thad Flatiron, Special Envoy , Tidewater Consulting, Counter-Terrorism Unit Force Delta.

Senator Fullington "Blazer" Norwich, Lt. Col, Attack Squad Delta Vector

More About the "KillForce 13," the Secret Senatorial Strike Force: eman describes their background and mission--

Out of 114 Senators a few were chosen by the Gods of War to crush the enemies of Freedom.

That's what I heard too. They're like the Joe Force, except instead of being armed with nunchucks and laser-carbines, they can send mail for free.

Which is pretty fucking cool when you think about it.

Posted by: Ace at 02:39 PM | Comments (124)
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Hey, I remember when I used to be able to write these.

Figured it's good comment-chum.

Thanks to someone.

Posted by: Ace at 02:15 PM | Comments (69)
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Treacher rounds up some examples of Obama's intentionally demeaning and sometimes childishly taunting attitude towards rivals -- particularly those of the female persuasion.

Couple of examples: more...

Posted by: Ace at 01:57 PM | Comments (41)
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But Joe -- is she clean and articulate? I mean, boy howdee, can you imagine if we had a clean articulate woman who wasn't a pig running for vice president?

The Joe Biden/Eagleton Scenario countdown begins!

Even Joe Biden is now pushing for it.

He wants to spend more time with his family, you know.

“Make no mistake about this, Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Let’s get that straight,” Biden said testily when a voter told Biden he was glad the Delaware senator had been chosen and not Clinton.

“She’s a truly close personal friend and she is qualified to be President of the United States of America, she’s easily qualified to be Vice President of the United States of America and quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me,” he continued.

"I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate.”

Although I've been joking about this, I'm now thinking it's not only possible, but under active serious consideration: Joe Biden might actually be dropped from the ticket with a Torricelli swap-out for Hillary.

Incidentally, if people could vote for a Vice President independent of their presidential choice, Palin beats Biden 53-44.

Which frankly surprises me. I would expect 60-40. But then, that would require perfect candor in polling, which I doubt we have.

Via Hot Air's headlines.

Good Point... Barack Obama's judgment was that Joe Biden was the best possible vice presidential candidate.

Joe Biden says he's wrong.

This was Obama's first major decision as a would-be president.

He got it wrong.

As Allah says: The number of people who don't recognize Hillary as a stronger choice than Biden stands at exactly one. The One, of course.

Posted by: Ace at 01:25 PM | Comments (132)
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Circle up the wagons, boys!

Howard Fineman is a real fucking idiot. A point I made in one of my funnier pieces, which also, by the way, noted how in-the-bag Fineman was for Barack Obama way back in January of 2007.

Before most people even knew the name "Barack Obama," Howard Fineman was writing "HF + BO = TLF" on the cover of his Trapper Keeper.

Posted by: Ace at 01:16 PM | Comments (30)
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You ever catch yourself watching something that's just too tragic & you feel dirty for intruding? Every 4 years, I avoid watching the women's gymnastics finals because I'm too much of a big softy to watch little girls cry when they screw up. I also avoid 95% of reality TV, under the assumption that those desperate losers are so starved for affection that they're willing to act like total morons in exchange for some "Daddy Time" with American Society.

Well, that's partly how I felt when I went over to check out The Daily Dish, thanks to a tip from Slublog. I think that it's a bit of an understatement to say that Mr. Sullivan has crossed the proverbial Rubicon here. It's probably a good thing that Andy doesn't have access to any launch codes right about now.

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at 12:48 PM | Comments (56)
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Allah's on it.

Now, you're probably wondering -- why, Ace, are you being such an idiot and giving this the red font/flaming skull treatment when it's a rather expected poll, pretty much in line with others and, if anything, on the low end of likely McCain/Palin leads?

Answer: Because that douchebag at The Page absurdly overhyped a poll showing his boy ahead by one point as one that "would change the way [I] look at the world."

So, why can't I get as giddy as schoolgirl who just got her first visit from the Titty Fairy? I'm in the media too.

This poll has profoundly altered my very conception of space, time, and soul.

This poll is so good I dipped my balls in it. Both of them. (Margin of error: +/- 2 balls.)

"The roller-coaster feel-good thrill-ride of the summer! A masterpiece blockbuster! It's better than Heaven itself, and believe me, I know!!!" -- Gene Siskel

CERN has just confirmed the existence of the dipped-ball boson. [from Circa]

Winning an election with Sarah Palin is easier than winning Tecmo Bowl with Bo Jacksonl! [from IreneFingIrene]

"I'm beating my dick like it owes me money!" -- Pat Robertson

"I'm slapping my cock like I caught it out dirty-dancing with a Pueto Rican named "Ariste"!! -- Olympia Snowe

Posted by: Ace at 12:06 PM | Comments (105)
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Okay.

Bear in mind, Obama has been desperately trying to recruit Hillary Clinton as his female attack dog to counter Palin. Hillary isn't interested in the job.

So he's gone to the B-team.

Of course, you get B-level results from the B-team. That's why it's the B-team.

someone writes...

She's the wife of Don "Hurricane shows God's on our side" Fowler.

Surprise, surprise.

And what then are Carol Fowler's qualifications to be SC state Democratic party chair? Anal?

If so-- niiiiiicccce.

Posted by: Ace at 12:27 PM | Comments (89)
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