Interview With Smitty from The Other McCain

Jumping in Pools is proud to present its 36th interview in our series. Smitty writes for the Other McCain, one of the best political sites on the net. Smitty's views on everyday policy and news helps us cope with what's going on around us. Special thanks for this interview.

From the Other McCain:

Smitty is a full-time contractor doing un-glamorous IT sorts of things. He started off as an AN/UYK-7 technician in the Navy, and graduated from the same college as Stacy’s more famous cousin.

After a link on Instapundit led him to The Other McCain in August of 2008 (or so), he developed a frequent commenting habit. Subsequent to CPAC ‘09, he started hanging around Stacy entirely too much, leading to catastrophic reputation damage. Unable to fight the lure of the blog, he determined that he should try to borrow as much of Stacy’s mojo as possible, because six children is a worthy goal.

1. What has been you most gratifying experience writing on the Other McCain?

Seeing other people whom I respect quote my various mumblings.

2. Explain when and why the decision was made to move to a WordPress format.

Stacy mentioned it here. In summary, month ago, he caved in to peer pressure. As I'm a sailor, let me put it in Clausewitzian terms: Stacy set the policy, and I did the research and presented him with the strategy.

I have very few negative things to say about Blogger. It got the job done. We could have probably done more with it, CSS wise, but I wasn't going to invest gobs of time into that. We initially went to a free WordPress.com site. Then we realized that the limitations were more restrictive than Blogger, so I asked around. Veteran blogger Jimmie Bise suggested Silver Logic, which proved to be a good choice, as we needed a bit of hands-on from the provider to get the domain squared away. Forward Focus Media was also gracious.

3. What has been President Obama's largest success in his term of office?

On the foreign policy front, I think managing to find away to pay attention to popular opinion on Honduras could be it. The administration's policy of supporting Zelaya was bizarre, and locating a device whereby they could quietly, grudgingly, do the Right Thing was mildly amazing.

Domestically? I think retaining Robert Gates as SECDEF was probably the difference between being unready and a total non-starter. Keeping at least one person in the cabinet with a clue, and in a post like SECDEF, has been about the only glimmer of wisdom I can think of.

4. Failure?

I completely disagree with BHO's Weltanschauung. It is unlikely that I'd agree with him about the existential state of man, and the desired policy prescriptions based upon that. His ideas are a bug so great as to be a feature. Either Americans, as a community, will organize for liberty and survival, or join him on a great Marxist funeral pyre, replete with pseudo-Skynyrd dirge: "Un-Free Jail-Bird".

5. Any advice for aspiring bloggers?

• Blog. Stacy's megahit treatise is worthy of study, but, in the absence of posts, means little.

Add some value. My answer to the first question applies at least a little bit to everyone. People have egos. Feed them. Throw in a technical point if you know what you're on about. If I'm making a literary reference, it's good to pull in Wikipedia so that, even if the main point of the post fell on deaf ears, at least there was a tidbit to learn.

Quote people, and attribute when you do. If you make a vaguely original connection between two ideas, and write the Immaculate Post, and then I mooch your clever alliterative run without giving your any linky-love, you will understand the reason for this point.

Pursue clarity. This blog itself caused a minor kerfuffle not long back by posting something that became broadly misinterpreted. Embarrassing people whom you'd prefer to befriend is a policy associated with the Obama Administration.

Don't take yourself too seriously. Take other people and their feelings seriously, but don't ascribe evil motives quickly. Under-react when people behave in an irritating fashion. Unless you're paying somebody for services, They Owe You Nothing, and it's immature to throw that hissy when they block you on Twitter, don't reciprocate linkage, don't respond to emails, &c. Shake it off.

Brevity. Stacy McCain has a style and a presence that can hold a reader for a couple thousand words. He also has ludicrous experience. Keep blogging. You'll get there. He also reads what he's writing aloud.

Measured tone. Potty mouth, in my opinion, is a habanera pepper. I like the legal bloggers because they maintain a serious demeanor even when brutally ripping some nitwit.

6. What is frustrating about writing on a blog?

Time. Now that it's a stand-alone site, we own everything forward of the kernel. I've graduated from reader to writer to admin. Blogging with Stacy is a tremendous blessing. I'd probably drift back into software coding if I didn't enjoy the synergy of blogging with him. Sometimes you want to just punt on the details and run around putting up one-liners on others' posts instead.

It's also a shame I didn't know Stacy years ago. "The Other McCain" is the brand, but I thought that "The McCain Mutiny" would have been a measurably cooler title. It's not really worth bothering Stacy's pretty head over. The point is that a blog is not one of those things that achieves a "done" state, like knitting a sweater. There is no sense of arrival. There are never enough clicks. Those possessed of bogus ideas will never cease promoting their wrongheadedness.

7. What is your favorite article that you've written?

Well, after two bits of farce in the form of OediPOTUS Wrecks (the Obama Administration cast as Greek tragedy) and Waiting for O-Dough (Stacy and I get our Beckett on), I went for something more wholly original. Czar d'Oz, in three words, is an apocalyptic train wreck. As we have some more room to work, I will probably polish and re-publish them on The Other McCain. I should also like to do a dead tree version for sale at some point. In the shape of a dartboard. Did you read the reviews? I'm the literary Spinal Tap.

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LGF Phishing Our Site

In case you haven't heard about our battle with Little Green Footballs, we came under direct attack by a post by Charles Johnson yesterday. After repeated insults, one of his commenter insulted our friend Joe, who is autistic and is featured on the banner of our site. Johnson not only did not take this down, but used it to attack us.

Now I have word from Pamela at Atlas Shrugs that Johnson is using SiteMeter to phish for the commenters and use it to ban them from his own site. This is a violation of our privacy and needs to stop.

Thanks to Atlas Shrugs, RS McCain, Stix Blog, and everyone else who has helped push back against Johnson's aggression.

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Meghan McCain Racy Twitter Photo

Although Matthew already did an article on this large subject, I was bursting out of my shirt to write one too. Actually, I'm only doing this to see if we can get some taps from Google; and speaking of something I could tap...



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Meghan McCain's Boobies Attract Millions to Republican Cause

Meghan McCain, the 24-year old daughter of the man who should be President made some waves in the internets community by showing a "racy" photograph of herself on twitter.

Well, I never.

I don't understand what the big rage is about. This is a moment in which Steve Bozell would stammer about her blouseclowns. I don't understand why the left is so outraged. I thought they liked free expression and black-and-white photographs. And doesn't that show she's liberated.

As far as I'm concerned, as a male, this is a proud day for the United States. So to whiny "feminists", shove it you condescending jerks.

And Meghan should run for President.

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Why Obama Will Win in 2012, Part One

Predictions and fortune-telling are among the least reliable forms of information known to man. However trends often cross over years and can signal whether or not big changes are going to occur. My predictions are not usually accurate, but I am beginning to see a series of events which will likely lead to the re-election of President Obama.

I'm starting a series which will hopefully go to show that while things aren't hopeless for the Republican Party, the warning bells should be sounded.

1. Lack of a Republican 'incumbent.'

This doesn't simply mean that there's not a Republican President or Vice President in office today, but that there is no one waiting in the wings to take the Republican mantle. I know what many may think: that Sarah Palin, as VP candidate in 2008, is ready to take over the fight. However, as 2008 showed, many in the party were willing to support a moderate candidate (McCain and Giuliani). Palin's conservatism may not be a liability with the base, but may lead many to believe that she is unwinnable in a general election.

And this goes beyond Palin. In 2008, McCain was an early favorite because he had come in a strong second in the last Republican primary. In 1976, Ronald Reagan had almost won the primaries away from sitting President Gerald Ford. When the Republicans did not have a sitting legacy, they were destroyed. Take 1996, when Robert Dole was blown out, barely gathering 40% of the national vote. Yes, he was a contender in the 1988 Republican primaries, but not near the amount of legacy of Reagan and McCain.

In addition, many of the Republican candidates are already known to run poor campaigns. Much enthusiasm was generated by former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. According to some, the actor would grant the field the conservatism and gravitas to carry the primaries. Instead, he flopped.

Mitt Romney flipped on nearly every important issue regarding his reign as Governor of Massachusetts. On gay marriage, taxes, and abortion, he made swift turns which seemed (at least to me and much of the Republican electorate) as phony stancing attempting to please the Republican base. Instead, his mediocre record as Governor helped doomed his candidacy to a much more moderate character, McCain.

Mike Huckabee is a jovial, likable former Governor of Arkansas. His record as Governor was excellent and has a speaking ability that may top the Republican field. However, his religious views and ties with the church, being a former pastor, may hurt his chances in any Fall 2012 matchup. Huckabee is also seen as unrefined by many in his own party, lacking the business "finesse" of Romney (not that he has much anyway) or military experience of McCain.

Rudy Giuliani was one of the best mayors of New York City. He reduced taxes, unemployment, and crime. He cleaned up NYC's mess after Dinkins and helped propel a 1990s boom. His moderate views, particularly on abortion and gay marriage, alienated many in the Conservative base, but still was considered an early favorite. Giuliani may stand a shot against Obama in 2012 if the focus is on national security. However, pop culture and a short attention span seems to downplay his heroic leadership on and after the September 11th, 2001 massacres. Joe Biden's joke about Giuliani's sentence-making is similar to saying that Churchill's sentences were a "noun, a verb, and the Battle of Britain."

Bobby Jindal is a reformist from Louisiana. He may become President one day, but he is far too smart to challenge Obama if he is still popular. By 2012, Jindal may not have a strong record to stand on (although 2008 proved that you do not need one to win) and his conservative views will be mercilessly attacked during any general election campaign. My guess is he won't run until 2016 at the earliest.

There are many others who may vie for the Republican nomination in three years. Among the names are Eric Cantor, George Pataki, and John Huntsman. However, the fact that many are virtual unknowns will probably not help to unseat a current President.

Tune in for part two.

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McCain the Same Decent, Uniting Force as Always

John McCain may have lost the 2008 Presidential election, but that hasn't made him bitter or reclusive. In fact, the Arizona Senator is working to bring the government to consensus, including Democrats. This man, who I was proud to vote for, is more than willing to suck up his pride and put his country first. John Kerry and Al Gore were sore losers, but not John McCain.

"I think that's indicative of the role that John McCain is going to play," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who hatched the push-back against Cornyn's gambit over dinner with McCain on Tuesday night, and who followed him to the floor to support Clinton's confirmation. "He's going to play a very active role. He's going to try to forge bipartisan coalitions. And he won't shy away from controversy."

He has always been this way. Even though the media portrayed him as a monster during the campaign, he was the Maverick during the campaign. Between immigration reform, economic stimulus, and opposition to torture, he proved his salt just during the time of his running for President.

But who remembers that?

Good for John McCain. You're still a hero.

Quote of the Day-- December 8, 2008

Our armed forces will fight for peace in Iraq, a peace built on more secure foundations than are found today in the Middle East. Even more important, they will fight for two human conditions of even greater value than peace: liberty and justice.

--John McCain

Quote of the Day-- December 7, 2008

Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war.

--John McCain

Mike Huckabee is So Cool

I don't know if anyone's heard about former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's upcoming book. Called Do The Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America, it will arrive on bookshelves Tuesday.

According to Time, Huckabee will not mince words about topics, particularly former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. The Huckster lambastes Romney for making believe he was a conservative during the primary season. I happen to agree with this. Romney was a moderate-to-liberal Republican governor. It's this type of Republicanism that appeals to me and the fact that Romney changed so much so quickly just appears phony to me.

Huckabee also makes a good point about the media bias over the "cross in the window ad:"

Why, he asks, was a "floating cross" in the window of one of his ads such a media controversy, while reporters gave a pass to a Barack Obama direct mail piece that obviously photographed the Democrat before a large Christian cross?

This makes a lot of sense to me as a secularist that a major candidate runs draped in the church but is not challenged. Even a hint from a Republican of religiosity is attacked and frowned upon.

I might actually go out and buy the book, if only as a gift for my mother.

In closing, Huckabee had a few words on John McCain: "a true statesman and a man of honor."

Remember When Obama Attacked McCain for not Using the Internet?

Hopefully you do. If not, here it is:



One, hopefully you know that McCain does know how to use the internet. Second, it is incredibly painful for him to use a computer because the Vietnamese broke his hands on several occasions.

All right, now look at this article by The New York Times. So Barack Obama will probably not use his blackberry, nor the internet... So all that complaining, all that whining, all that "he's out of touch" stuff was, well, moot. I find it quite ironic that Sen. Obama will probably use the internet as much as John McCain when he's President.

Can Someone Explain This to Me? Part 4

With this question, I will be straightforward and quick. Are we safer under an Obama Presidency?

John McCain is a military man who holds extensive knowledge of foreign issues. He understands nuances and gray areas better than most of Washington and he has promised defend against terrorism. President Bush has always promised to stay on the offensive against terrorists.

Now, I have no doubt Obama understands some gray areas and that he doesn't want a terrorist attack on our soil, but he does not understand what John McCain understands. The threats of terror should never dissuade us from voting, or any other right, but it's an unfortunate fact that terrorist groups are planing attacks on the United States because Obama will be President. Not only this, but he plans to ban domestic drilling for oil... I guess pouring money into terrorist hands is a good thing. Now ask yourself, are we safer?

Obama Breaks Promise on Lobbyists

President-Elect Obama had stated repeatedly that lobbyists were not welcome in his administration. In fact, he admonished John McCain's campaign repeatedly for hiring former lobbyists.

Now that he's been elected, Obama is going to bring lobbyists into the White House. And consider that he said this:

During his campaign, Obama declared: "I have done more to take on lobbyists than any other candidate in this race. I don't take a dime of their money, and when I am president, they won't find a job in my White House."

Didn't John McCain take on soft money and the tobacco corporations? McCain has fought against corruption longer than Obama's been in Washington. Obama needs to change course and keep his promise.

Is it a Good Idea to Elect a President Because He's Cool?

Yesterday's New York Post had a pullout poster of President-Elect Obama and on the front page it called the incoming First Family cool.

But just a second.... Did we just elect someone because the American people came to a consensus that he is, and following him is, fashionable? Is that really all there was to it? Well, let's look at it... where did Obama get his votes?
* A lot of votes from unemployed college kids cause they heard he was, like, totally awesome.
* A lot of votes because of his race.
* A lot of votes from swank bohemian urbanites who wouldn't know the difference between Kansas and Uzbekistan if they had their hands full of corn.

Are these the votes we want to shape our nation's future. Without these votes, Obama would have lost. McCain grabbed the working class and the military votes.... Obama got votes because he was chic. McCain lost votes because of his party, Obama got votes because some drunk guy was extolling him at a party.

Weird, huh?

Lieberman Out?

As we all know, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman endorsed and campaigned hard for John McCain. The 2000 Democratic nominee is one of the biggest backers of the war and has stood for defense issues. This even cost him his party's nomination in 2006, but Joe came back swinging and won reelection.

However, now that Joe's done the "unthinkable" and made a bipartisan endorsement, will the Dems kick him out of their Senate caucus? They needed him the last two years because they had a slim 51-49 lead. Now with at least 56 Senators for the 111th Congress.... is Joe out?

MCCAIN MAY STILL WIN GUAM!

BREAKING-

John McCain may still be able to carry the 2008 Presidential Election, some illiterate researchers have found. Guam and its zero electoral votes are still up to grabs. Recent polling has placed McCain at a 2-1 margin over Obama, with two residents supporting him over Obama's one.

McCain's campaign has been zeroing in on non-voting U.S. overseas territories and dependency and may be able to carry all of these colonies. Voting for President does not actually occur in Guam, but reports from the island's one telephone show that McCain's support is still strong.

Polls never open in Guam, so it is difficult to determine if they will close. This could be Guam's most important stake in the U.S. Presidential election since Ross Perot won three votes against Eddy the Cannibal's two in 1992.

It's Your Fault

Barack Obama will be the next President.

I could blame the election on Obama supporters. I could blame John McCain. I could blame Barack Obama, but I will not. No, the fault lies with McCain supporters in battleground states that sat on their hands. The election is lost with these people.

Why do I say this? How did I come to this conclusion? Simple. Look at Georgia. The voters their defied the polls and voted for McCain overwhelmingly. The other states were quite underwhelming. Obama supporters did what they were supposed to; they went out and voted. Silent McCain supports, other than the ones with circumstances they couldn't help, lost the election for John McCain.

My family and I all voted for McCain in the incredibly blue state of New York. We were counted. Georgian voters were counted. Were you?

However, despite my fear of Obama and his clearly poor judgement, he will be my President. I cannot disavow my love and pride in this country. Barack Obama will be my President.

Fox News calls Georgia for McCain.

Fox News calls Georgia for McCain. This is a clear boost for McCain, especially because he's winning Georgia by a large amount. However, CNN, Fox, and MSNBC have also called Pennsylvania for Obama. Ironically, however, at this time McCain is leading in the popular vote.

My Four Democrats

I voted, my brother voted, my parents voted, and two of my college roommates voted. All of them voted for McCain. My parents and two roommates are all Democrats. If that doesn't tell you who the best choice is, then nothing will. Oh, and we all live in the liberal state of New York!

CNN Calls Kentucky For McCain

A solid Republican state, Kentucky, has been called for John McCain. CNN also called Vermont for Obama, even though no votes are in.

The Beginning of the Obama Era

Hopefully the early reports of McCain doing better are, in fact, holding true. If not, it appears that this may be the beginning of the Obama Era.

It will most likely last between four and eight years.

So, what do we have to look forward to?

1. Cuts in military spending and cuts on new programs that can save American lives.
2. Raising taxes, most likely also including the middle class.
3. Celebrations in much of the Middle East and Europe.
4. The "repudiation" of the Republican Party, pushed in everyone's face repeatedly.
5. The "end of the Reagan era" repeated constantly.
6. Further expansion of Russia and the buildup of China.
7. You might be called racist for disagreeing with policy.
8. Perhaps the semi-permanent rise of young people voting.
9. More funding for ACORN.
10. A feeling of, "Why didn't we vote for McCain again?"