DEBATE – What’s everyone thinking? No real sparks… no harm done.
QCI-DERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE – Aye ohhhhhh!!! Well, let’s not all start patting our backs at once… it seems the folks down in Arkansas had a change of heart. Another day… another email to fill the slushy puppy fund over at Huckamania… from the email:
Greetings, Team—
We are one month from the elections and as of today, the poll numbers indicate we have our work cut out for us. Americans are angry. VERY ANGRY. The recent bailout controversy has only stirred the seething rage that is bubbling up among taxpayers.
“Greetings, Team-“? Much better than “Dear Huck PACkers”. Well done… and now the Republic is safe.
SPEAKING OF EMAILS – If you are an activist… you get like what… 10 to 15 a day from PACs, Funds, also rans and never will be's, right? I’m kind of fascinated with emails… at least from a campaign/hack perspective. Somedays I wonder… does anyone really read this crap? Yes. Why would they send them?
SPEAKING OF EMAILS IN MY INBOX – I’ve received a couple of emails in the ole QCI Mailbag this week about the pictures posted here lately. You can put your tin hat down slowly… there’s no hidden meanings or anything like that. Just pictures I think that are cool. From random artsy things, to logos, ect. Just little confessions from a former art geek. You don’t like ‘em? Let’s all say it together QCI-ders, “Get your own f’ing blog!” Very good kids!
ANOTHER MILESTONE – Dudes… we cleared 18,000! Woot! And double woot!
IT’S NOT THAT BAD – People really need to have a Coke and smile… seriously. Don’t let the jerks in the media tell you otherwise.
VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN – Hey QCI-ders! Help Aplington-Parkersburg win $25,000 by voting for them at this link… and be sure to vote in a very Chicago way…

AND FINALLY… Another classic… since I’m going into a KIOA mood… ladies and gentlemen… welcome Tony Orlando!

DMR DOOM AND GLOOM – Yo… has anyone heard the new Register ad on the radio? Talk about Debbie downer for crying out loud… “Words are only words, until they impact you.” It almost sounds like an attack ad… dreary music… voiceovers with questions about gas prices, housing market, ect. I thought they would totally be pitcher half full types. No wonder their subscriptions are down… oh yea… it’s known as the Des Moines Red Star… how could I forget…
HERO VS. ZERO PART DEUX – Town hall style tonight. Advantage Johnny Mac. Forget the gloves coming off… who’s gonna bring the brass knuckles?
W. THE MOVIE – Am I the only one who really wants to go out and see this thing? Here's the Variety review....
CHAMPIONSHIPS SET – NLCS and ALCS are set… and we will be without the Chicago on Chicago action.
ANNOYING – If you cruise around the galaxy of center right Iowa blogs… there’s a little habit of folks that is uber annoying sometimes… you know the ones who post entire articles in the comment sections. To those of you who do that… here’s your peace sign minus one. There is this thing on the interweb called “web links”… it’s the wave of the future. So get with the program.
IS IT REALLY THAT BAD? Alright… a little survey time for you QCI-ders out there… is the world ending here? Everyone good? I don’t know… that DMR ad this morning really got me thinking… is it really that bad? It’s not… if the Register is telling you one thing… believe the other.

AND FINALLY… For your tune of the day… in honor of the Debate tonight… here’s the Spinners…

Alright… there’s only one thing going on today… Veep Debate. Let’s get some good chatter today…

OVER/UNDER – What’s the over/under on Biden gaffes tonight

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – How many times will Biden say it?
MODERATE THIS – How dumb is the Commission on Presidential Debates? First a Friday night debate… now these ass clowns have a not-so-closet Obama supporter as the moderator…
MUST READ ARTICLE – Dudes… great story… Courtesy of Rick Reily from ESPN the Magazine…
WHO WILL WATCH IT? Seriously… most of the Metro will be watching the Cubs… hell, even Obama said he’s going to Tivo the Debate to watch the Cubs tonight, per his interview on Dan Patrick this morning…
COOL PRINTS – Check it out… there’s a Prairie City, Iowa one…
KILL SOME GOATS – Hey, it’s only one game… Cubs fans are you nervous yet?
PALIN – What’s your straight talk on Palin tonight? Is she ready for prime time?
FUN QUESTION – What would be your pre-debate tune? What would you have in the iPod before you hit the stage? Or what would you crank in the greenroom… high school football locker room style?
I-STATE – Anyone notice the new ISU logo looks like the Oklahoma State logo? Or is it just me?
DEBATE MEAL – A little dilemma here… need your help… Burgers or Made Rites? I can’t decide… decide for me.
INNER SPORTS ART GEEK – Holy crap this one is pretty cool…
FLY BOYS – Are on their f’ing game… dudes… that Joker clip is off the hizzy…

AND FINALLY… Since I’ve been in this hip hop mood this week… here’s the Rockafella…

WHY YOU PLAY THE GAME – Dudes… you check out the USC-Oregon State game? Holy crap! That was awesome. Love seeing Pete Carroll go down. Woot! Does this mean Dan Patrick will make the comparisons that Oregon State could beat the Chiefs? Sigh…

Anyways… last night’s game gives you this morning’s junior high humor headline: “TROJANS BUSTED BY BEAVERS”… ha ha…

OVER IN IOWA CITY… Alright, was asked by a loyal reader to comment on the firings over at our beloved UI. I think Sally Mason did the right thing… but hey! Yo Sally! If you are still in the mood… how about Ken O’Keefe?

Which brings us to a new t-shirt slogan soon to be popular at Iowa City Tailgating:
“GO HAWKS! …AND TAKE KEN O’KEEFE WITH YOU!”

SPEAKING OF IOWA CITY… KIND OF – Now for some of you who already know… disregard this… but after mentioning this to fellow Hawkeyes… and judging by their answers… it should be announced. Dudes… you don’t have to go an hour and a half to score Wig and Pen. You only have to drive up to Ankeny! WOOT! Here’s the deets.

REALLY FREAKIN’ COOL POSTERS – Alright… check out these cool neighborhood maps. Stumbled upon them at Apartment Therapy. Have no fear, your favorite art nerd, G$ is on it for a DSM version. Very cool idea!

DEBATE… Is I gonna happen? Seriously? We’ll find out by 11:00am…

THIS IS SO BELTWAY… OK, so I bitched a little about the first debate for the election of the leader of the free world… is on a Friday night. You can tell the Beltway crowd is in charge of crap like this… the Commission of debates that is…

Kind of reminds me of a story I heard once about Peggy Noonan screwing up a few lines in a draft for a speech for President Reagan. Basically… she wrote about what she thought what a typical Sunday morning was in his speech. Going to brunch with her friends somewhere in Manhattan in the morning… President Reagan took a look at the draft and said (and I’m paraphrasing here)… “You think this is a typical thing to do on Sunday mornings in America? Most Americans I know go to church on Sunday mornings…”

What are most Americans… or at least Iowans doing Friday nights… they’re at a high school football game, out with friends, getting groceries… it’s the weekend. So we’ll see how this works. Look for the Dems to spin whatever out of this.

Go get ‘em. Johnny Mac!!!

HUH? WHAT? Did you know the sun also rises in the East? Every single day it does… in case you didn’t know…

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!! QCI-ders… you hear about this?!?!?!?! DROPKICK MURPHYS ARE COMING TO DES MOINES!!!! WOOT! Hell yes! You concerts in the fall keep getting better!!!! They will be at the Val Air on November 19! Who wants to go? Email me… and now… have some Murphys…

Scenes From An Irish Restaurant - My Debate Recap

“A glass of Guinness, a pitcher of Lite,
Gonna do some, live blogging tonight.
Grab a chair, get the TV straight,
Here I am, in a familiar place,
Candidates go face to face…

A bottle of Coors, maybe a Bud Light,
Will there be some sparks in this debate tonight?
They’ll let you watch anything you want,
In this Irish restaurant…”

Sorry for butchering one of THE great Billy Joel songs… but I think that’s the vibe of the night. Ready to start… away we go!

8:01 – Just getting the TV up and going, live music here tonight, not the best venue for a live blog, but hey, if you can’t practice this stuff at your favorite bar…. Where can you, right? Romney gets the first question

8:03 – No captioning on the main TV here, so I’m going to have to use the force (shout out Yoda) to figure out what they are saying. John McCain is up…

8:06 – In other news, John McCain got the endorsement of the New York Times… on to Rudy… my guess is he’s talking 9-11 right? Looks like they are talking about the economy… I don’t know, I can’t hear.

8:08 – Just caught that they are talking about the War on Terror… enter McCain

8:10 – Right on, Zach’s working tonight… Russert is trying to get Huckabee to pick a fight with Mitt

8:11 – panning off to McCain and Mitt… Huckabee is still talking… now Russert is trying to start another fight. McCain v. Romney taxes and spending

8:14 – Here comes some sparks… I think… right on Senator, it’s not just about cutting taxes, it’s the spending stupid… urgh… Ron Paul is still here…

8:16 – Ron Paul… RON PAUL! Ron Paul… RON PAUL! Not fan sometimes… but a catchy cheer.

8:19 – Rudy needs to start swinging if wants some traction.

8:21 – McCain talking spending is the real deal. He’s right. That’s why I support the guy.

8:23 – from time to time, I’ll get emails of saying what’s really going on in the debate….
- JMart at the Politico sez, Huck wants a super highway from Maine to FL, huh?
- AMPSEC has, McCain on Bush tax cuts
- ABC News Live Bloggers – say for the record Mitt took the first swing McCain tonight

8:27 – I can report the beer is cold, as always at Flanagan’s

8:29 – Question for McCain on War efforts… we’re going to lose the sound because of live music. Have bberry, will have stuff. McCain reminding everyone he was the only one who supported to outing of Rumsfeld and the new strategy…. Here comes the tunes… nice Bill is doing “Cats and the Cradle.” Hell yea!

8:34 – McCain looks relaxed and in control…

8:36 – Rudy just hit something on Ron Paul… he’ll be sure to get applause.

First Break – Looks like a pretty quiet one here in the first 3rd of this thing. Quick thoughts:
- Being a McCain guy aside here, Mr. Mayor, you are bleeding… keep this up and we will be reading your Fred story next week.
- McCain seems to be having a good night.
- Others, eh…
- Bill Matykowski is sounds good as always on Thursdays at Flanagan’s

8:45 – Can’t hear anything… but Bill is starting into the “City of New Orleans”. Looks like questions between the candidates? “Good morning America, how are ya… don’t you know me…” Ooops… need Zach’s help to charge the lap top.

8:48 – “And I’ll gone 500 miles before the day is done.” Damn I love that song. My Uncle Mark does a great version of it too. Ron Paul is talking McCain or something. Question to candidates’ time continues.

8:52 – Huck to Romney… Mitt looks mad…

8:56 – Mitt asking McCain, Bill is wrapping up… will have the sound up on the TV soon…

8:58 – Reading a good Traditional Irish Toast: “As you slide down the banisters of life may the splinters never point the wrong way.”

9:00 – Bill is done… good show my friend. Rudy looking animated. Sound up on the TV. McCain talking global warming. I subscribe to his argument on this issue… For you hockey fans, we are on to the 2nd intermission. Kind of feel like Ronald Reagan back in his WHO Radio days. Having to stall while reading the ticker covering a Chicago Cubs game. This stuff is kind of fun regardless of my poor planning and tech issues. With the sound up… let’s see how I do now…

9:05 – Williams to Rudy on his poll numbers in FL. Good question, actually. References the NY Giants… who are going to get killed Patriots by the way… but that’s for Big Peach post.

9:06 – Question for McCain about his Ma’s comments today, numbers with Rs and being a maverick… good answer… would I think any different though? Seriously, been saying this for a year.

9:09 – Mitt on the Clintons… decent answer… money question… how much has a spent? This is why I like Russert.

9:12 – Over hearing one of the townies here about Mitt Romney, “Man he’s a lot like John Kerry.” Couldn’t agree more pal. The Dems know this as well.

9:15 – Ron Paul asked about why he wants to abolish Social Security… here we go… oh hey, Phil’s here. Word up Phil… that guy is funny as hell! Visit Starbuck Drive-In in Nevada (pronounced in Iowa: Nah-vae-duh, even the President got it right on a visit to Nevada)… good food. He runs it… get the pork tenderloin… they are homemade in house.

9:17 – Huck gets questions on entitlement programs… kind of a late shot on Mitt… must of have been in the can for what…. 10 minutes? Bad timing… Fair Tax stuff…

9:19 – Mitt Romney a big fan of Reagan? Blah, blah, blah… no raising of taxes….

9:22 – Rudy on English speaking only for immigrants… why is he running ads in Spanish is the question… seriously… all of our guys are saying this, then run ads in espanol… sigh…

9:23 – follow up by Russert on Cubans… interesting… Anyone want to bet who goes first? Al Davis or Fidel Castro? Both Cuba and the Oakland Raiders will be better for it. Spoken like a true Chiefs fan, aye?

9:24 – Question to Huck on Chuck Norris’ questioning McCain’s age… good answer by Huck, endorsing McCain, again. Gov. Huckabee… respect you a lot… no seriously, we can always dust off a seat for you on the Straight Talk Express. I’m not biased by the way (snicker).

9:26 – McCain responds with his endorsement with Sly and Stormin’ Normin’… Remember the Chris Farley as Stormin’ Norman on Weekend Update? “I want Holyfield! I want Holyfield! You saw what these guns could do in the Gulf! Holyfield-Schwartzkopf! Atlantic City! The War on the Shore!” Man I love that one…

9:27 – Question goes to Rudy on the NYT endorsement of McCain and Clinton in tomorrows addition…

9:29 – Question to Mitt on the charge he changes his positions on which ever the way the wind blows. Blah, blah…

9:31 – McCain has a temper? While I outta!!! Man, I have to find the Doonesbury cartoon I kept by my desk for a while…

9:32 – Huck question about his faith in the campaign… good answer. Yea, I know my times are a bit ahead of the thing… my phone clock is just fast I guess…

9:34 – Ron Raul is… I should order some food… kitchen closes soon.

9:35 – Debate is over. This was fun. Bill sounded great tonight and is working on a few of my favorite songs for the next Thursday. Now on to the spin room and post debate stuff.

My post debate thoughts and what did I learn:
- Do better planning when you’re going to live blog… this was a practice round
- Nothing new tonight… honestly, couldn’t hear much of the debate… will have to catch the highlights again
- Rudy didn’t look like he gained much tonight. Good reference about the Giants, love me some sports references.
- I’m a big Russert fan. He should do all of the debates… he really presses the questions… love it on Sunday morning. “Go Bills beat the…”
- The Economy will be the issue this fall, duh…
- Florida Atlantic University’s Owl logo is becoming one of my new favorites… nice work.
- OK, all the spin about the MSM… but you want reliable stuff? I’m a NBC guy. Always have. You know the leanings of their guys and gals… but one of the oldest and reliable sources… blah, blah, blah…
- The staff and regulars at Flanagan’s really did humor me tonight while letting me do this little project. A very, very special thanks to all of them.
- Our party needs to couple cutting taxes with cutting spending, pronto. Our economy is looking troublesome. Giving out checks is not enough… we need the whole package.
- Looks way warmer in Boca Raton than in Des Moines (duh)… heat wave of 30s is on the way!

“Whooooah, Whoah, Whoah, Whoaaaaaaaah….

(insert piano and saxophone)

A bottle of Bud, maybe some High Life,
Lots of fun doing debate blogging tonight.
McCain did great and say want you want,
In this Irish Restaurant.”

Oh hey! My buddy Pete is here… order one more pitcher… until then “My friends” as John McCain says…

Live (sort of) from Flanagan's... it's the GOP Debate!

Tonight is the Florida GOP Debate on MSNBC starting at 8:00pm Iowa time.

If you’re around, feel free to join me down at Flanagan’s (MLK and Ingersoll) for some good live music and to check out all of the debate action. But if it’s too freezing out there for you (have no fear, a heat wave of 30 degree weather is on the way, holla!) stop by here and post you thoughts during the debate.

Since ole Tim doesn’t have wifi (although it would be the coolest) I will posting a recap in the morning of the play-by-play. Should be fun for my first pseudo live blogging experience. Still trying to learn this stuff, folks… this will be good practice.

Also, in the name of shameless self promotion, I have started a new Facebook group for QCI. Simply search for the group and join! Technology is so freaking cool sometimes.

So grab your laptop and crackberry, this should be fun. Have at it!