Thursday, September 25, 2008
McCain and the politics of mortality
McCain and the politics of mortality
By ALEXANDER BURNS
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Since John McCain announced Friday that first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, Democrats have been quick to point out that the 44-year-old governor could soon be just “a heartbeat away from the presidency.” The veiled reference to McCain’s advanced age is hard to miss.
“For a man, that’s above the expected lifetime at the present,” said Michael Powers, a professor of risk management and insurance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
The odds of a 72-year-old man living four more years, or one full White House term, are better. But for a man who has lived 72 years and 67 days (McCain’s age on Election Day this year), there is between a 14.2 and 15.1 percent chance of dying before Inauguration Day 2013, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2004 actuarial tables and the authoritative 2001 mortality statistics assembled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Going by the Social Security Administration’s tables, that’s nearly ten times the likelihood that a man aged 47 years and 92 days (Barack Obama’s age on Election Day this year) will die before Jan. 20, 2013.
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McCain and the politics of mortality
By ALEXANDER BURNS
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Since John McCain announced Friday that first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, Democrats have been quick to point out that the 44-year-old governor could soon be just “a heartbeat away from the presidency.” The veiled reference to McCain’s advanced age is hard to miss.
It’s a macabre point to raise on the night when Palin will speak to the convention here — but a look at the actuarial tables insurance companies use to evaluate customers shows that it’s not an irrelevant one. According to these statistics, there is a roughly 1 in 3 chance that a 72-year-old man will not reach the age of 80, which is how old McCain would be at the end of a second presidential term. And that doesn’t factor in individual medical history, such as McCain’s battles with potentially lethal skin cancer.
“For a man, that’s above the expected lifetime at the present,” said Michael Powers, a professor of risk management and insurance at Temple University’s Fox School of Business.
The odds of a 72-year-old man living four more years, or one full White House term, are better. But for a man who has lived 72 years and 67 days (McCain’s age on Election Day this year), there is between a 14.2 and 15.1 percent chance of dying before Inauguration Day 2013, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2004 actuarial tables and the authoritative 2001 mortality statistics assembled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Going by the Social Security Administration’s tables, that’s nearly ten times the likelihood that a man aged 47 years and 92 days (Barack Obama’s age on Election Day this year) will die before Jan. 20, 2013.
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McCain and the politics of mortality
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Obama says he'll be there; McCain says he's hopeful, but bailout comes first
Associated press - September 25th, 2008
WASHINGTON - Prospects were questionable at best that John McCain and Barack Obama would meet Friday for their first presidential debate as progress appeared to dissolve between Congress and the Bush administration on a $700 billion financial industry bailout.
McCain didn't plan to participate in the debate unless there was a consensus. Obama still wants the face-off to go on, arguing that Americans need to hear from the candidates. The Democrat was scheduled to travel to the debate site in Oxford, Miss., on Friday.
"I believe that it's very possible that we can get an agreement in time for me to fly to Mississippi," McCain said late Thursday. "I understand how important this debate is and I'm very hopeful. But I also have to put the country first."
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McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Obama says he'll be there; McCain says he's hopeful, but bailout comes first
Associated press - September 25th, 2008
WASHINGTON - Prospects were questionable at best that John McCain and Barack Obama would meet Friday for their first presidential debate as progress appeared to dissolve between Congress and the Bush administration on a $700 billion financial industry bailout.
McCain didn't plan to participate in the debate unless there was a consensus. Obama still wants the face-off to go on, arguing that Americans need to hear from the candidates. The Democrat was scheduled to travel to the debate site in Oxford, Miss., on Friday.
"I believe that it's very possible that we can get an agreement in time for me to fly to Mississippi," McCain said late Thursday. "I understand how important this debate is and I'm very hopeful. But I also have to put the country first."
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McCain, Obama debate question still uncertain
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Dems Rip McCain, McCain Rips Obama as Leaders Try to Revive $700B Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF - Sept. 25, 2008
ABC News
Members of Congress and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson returned at the Capitol tonight to try to revive a $700 billion bailout plan that became the focus of partisan finger pointing and attacks on the presidential nominees after a meeting today at the White House.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said bipartisan negotiators at an 8 p.m. ET session at the Capitol were trying to "put this train back on the tracks." The meeting broke up after 10 p.m. with no agreement
Reid continued to cast blame on Republicans, and specifically Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Reid said McCain was "not helpful" by suspending his campaign and heading to Washington, claiming it was difficult to "understand what John McCain said at the [White House] meeting." He said McCain spoke last and only for several moments, and did not contribute anything.
"McCain only hurt this process," Reid said.
Asked if McCain expressed interest in taking part in negotiations on Capitol Hill, Reid said, "No."
Soon after Reid's attack, which followed another blast at McCain by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., the McCain campaign suggested Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was at fault.
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Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Dems Rip McCain, McCain Rips Obama as Leaders Try to Revive $700B Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF - Sept. 25, 2008
ABC News
Members of Congress and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson returned at the Capitol tonight to try to revive a $700 billion bailout plan that became the focus of partisan finger pointing and attacks on the presidential nominees after a meeting today at the White House.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said bipartisan negotiators at an 8 p.m. ET session at the Capitol were trying to "put this train back on the tracks." The meeting broke up after 10 p.m. with no agreement
Reid continued to cast blame on Republicans, and specifically Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Reid said McCain was "not helpful" by suspending his campaign and heading to Washington, claiming it was difficult to "understand what John McCain said at the [White House] meeting." He said McCain spoke last and only for several moments, and did not contribute anything.
"McCain only hurt this process," Reid said.
Asked if McCain expressed interest in taking part in negotiations on Capitol Hill, Reid said, "No."
Soon after Reid's attack, which followed another blast at McCain by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., the McCain campaign suggested Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was at fault.
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Bailout Talks Go On Amid Presidential Scuffle
Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
By James V. Grimaldi and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 26, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of state records shows.
The 41 gifts Palin accepted during her 20 months as governor include honorific tributes, expensive artwork and free travel for a family member. They also include more than $2,500 in personal items from Calista, a large Alaska native corporation with a variety of pending state regulatory and budgetary issues, and a gold-nugget pin valued at $1,200 from the city of Nome, which lobbies on municipal, local and capital budget matters, documents show. of moms that once was thrilled with her.
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Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
By James V. Grimaldi and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 26, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has made a crackdown on gift-giving to state officials a centerpiece of her ethics reform agenda, has accepted gifts valued at $25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining interests in the state, a review of state records shows.
The 41 gifts Palin accepted during her 20 months as governor include honorific tributes, expensive artwork and free travel for a family member. They also include more than $2,500 in personal items from Calista, a large Alaska native corporation with a variety of pending state regulatory and budgetary issues, and a gold-nugget pin valued at $1,200 from the city of Nome, which lobbies on municipal, local and capital budget matters, documents show. of moms that once was thrilled with her.
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Palin Accepted $25,000 in Gifts, Alaska Records Show
Deal May Be Dead: Democrats Blaming McCain
Deal May Be Dead: Democrats Blaming McCain
Obama, McCain Leave White House Without Deal on $700 Billion Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF
Sept. 25, 2008
After days of bipartisan negotiations and meetings today at the White House, the deal to bail out staggered investment banks may be dying amid partisan finger-pointing.
Republicans blamed Democrats. Democrats blamed Republicans. And a key Democrat even pointed an accusatory finger at Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told Democratic colleagues that McCain's sudden heightened involvement in the negotiations has destroyed the chance of an agreement, sources told ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
Frank compared McCain's involvement to "Richard Nixon blowing up the Vietnam peace talks in 1968."
A senior McCain adviser told ABC News' David Chalian, "It is clear that there is not yet an agreement, but we're working with all parties with the common goal of getting an agreement. When we have an agreement, we'll have a debate."
Other Democrats pointed fingers at House Republicans, who they said were reneging on matters they thought had been settled, such as on the issue of helping homeowners with foreclosures.
House Republicans are saying Democrats never included them in negotiations and were trying to jam the agreement's "principles" down their throats. And many are concerned about the U.S. government purchasing apparently toxic assets.
Sources tell ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson fears the deal is falling apart.
As Democrats met in the White House's Roosevelt Room after the meeting with Bush, Paulson told them, "Please don't blow this up," according to sources.
Sources say Frank was livid, saying, "Don't say that to us after all we've been through!"
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Deal May Be Dead: Democrats Blaming McCain
Obama, McCain Leave White House Without Deal on $700 Billion Bailout
By JAKE TAPPER, CHARLES HERMAN and Z. BYRON WOLF
Sept. 25, 2008
After days of bipartisan negotiations and meetings today at the White House, the deal to bail out staggered investment banks may be dying amid partisan finger-pointing.
Republicans blamed Democrats. Democrats blamed Republicans. And a key Democrat even pointed an accusatory finger at Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Result of bipartisan meeting on bailout seems intensified partisan infighting.
House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told Democratic colleagues that McCain's sudden heightened involvement in the negotiations has destroyed the chance of an agreement, sources told ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
Frank compared McCain's involvement to "Richard Nixon blowing up the Vietnam peace talks in 1968."
A senior McCain adviser told ABC News' David Chalian, "It is clear that there is not yet an agreement, but we're working with all parties with the common goal of getting an agreement. When we have an agreement, we'll have a debate."
Other Democrats pointed fingers at House Republicans, who they said were reneging on matters they thought had been settled, such as on the issue of helping homeowners with foreclosures.
House Republicans are saying Democrats never included them in negotiations and were trying to jam the agreement's "principles" down their throats. And many are concerned about the U.S. government purchasing apparently toxic assets.
Sources tell ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson fears the deal is falling apart.
As Democrats met in the White House's Roosevelt Room after the meeting with Bush, Paulson told them, "Please don't blow this up," according to sources.
Sources say Frank was livid, saying, "Don't say that to us after all we've been through!"
Read the rest of the story:
Deal May Be Dead: Democrats Blaming McCain
Moms are rising up thanks to Sarah Palin
Moms are rising up thanks to Sarah Palin
Opinion - LA Times - September 25, 2008
Even if she doesn't have any foreign policy experience, John McCain probably thought that at the very least he could count on Sarah Palin to nurture the mothers-who-vote niche. But that's not going so well either. HerSarah Palin, John McCain, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Momsrising, moms, mothers campaign has managed to tick off a group of moms that once was thrilled with her.
MomsRising, which in two short years has amassed a membership of 140,000 citizens and counts 85 affiliated groups nationwide, yesterday tried to hand-deliver a letter signed by thousands of its members to Palin's office in Washington. In its letter, the group says it was dazzled to see a mom on stage at the Republican convention, accepting the nomination for vice president, but that it has some questions for her. MR wants to know where she stands on issues such as healthcare, afterschool programs, paid sick days and equal pay for working women.
The smart thing, of course, would have been for Palin's staff to take the letter and thank the 15 mothers (and one baby) for showing their devotion to their country and interest in the Alaska governor. Instead, Palin's people actually turned them away and told them to drop it in the mail.
Dismayed at the rebuff, MomsRising is rallying its troops. Winding its way across the national mothersphere today is an e-mail alerting its membership, and an Internet petition with the group's questions. Its ultimate destination is Gwen Ifill, the PBS moderator for the debate scheduled for Tuesday between Palin and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. In her weekly live chat over at the Washington Post today, Ifill says she is open to including questions from the public.
Accepting the letter seems like a no-brainer, but who knows? Maybe the Palin camp didn't realize this group is accustomed to much better treatment...
Read the rest of the story:
Moms are rising up thanks to Sarah Palin
Opinion - LA Times - September 25, 2008
Even if she doesn't have any foreign policy experience, John McCain probably thought that at the very least he could count on Sarah Palin to nurture the mothers-who-vote niche. But that's not going so well either. HerSarah Palin, John McCain, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Momsrising, moms, mothers campaign has managed to tick off a group of moms that once was thrilled with her.
MomsRising, which in two short years has amassed a membership of 140,000 citizens and counts 85 affiliated groups nationwide, yesterday tried to hand-deliver a letter signed by thousands of its members to Palin's office in Washington. In its letter, the group says it was dazzled to see a mom on stage at the Republican convention, accepting the nomination for vice president, but that it has some questions for her. MR wants to know where she stands on issues such as healthcare, afterschool programs, paid sick days and equal pay for working women.
The smart thing, of course, would have been for Palin's staff to take the letter and thank the 15 mothers (and one baby) for showing their devotion to their country and interest in the Alaska governor. Instead, Palin's people actually turned them away and told them to drop it in the mail.
Dismayed at the rebuff, MomsRising is rallying its troops. Winding its way across the national mothersphere today is an e-mail alerting its membership, and an Internet petition with the group's questions. Its ultimate destination is Gwen Ifill, the PBS moderator for the debate scheduled for Tuesday between Palin and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. In her weekly live chat over at the Washington Post today, Ifill says she is open to including questions from the public.
Accepting the letter seems like a no-brainer, but who knows? Maybe the Palin camp didn't realize this group is accustomed to much better treatment...
Read the rest of the story:
Moms are rising up thanks to Sarah Palin
McCain quiet on debate despite bailout plan
McCain quiet on debate despite bailout plan
Candidate doesn't announce change of mind despite agreement in principle
Associated Press - September 25, 2008
WASHINGTON - John McCain’s campaign welcomed news of an agreement in principle on Thursday between congressional Republicans and Democrats on a bailout of the financial industry.
But the Republican wasn’t yet ready to say he would attend the presidential candidates’ first scheduled debate on Friday.
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said: "There’s no deal until there’s a deal."
He said McCain was optimistic an agreement between Congress and the Bush administration would be completed but that the afternoon developments had not changed his plans not to debate.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, whose state is hosting the debate between McCain and Barack Obama, set for Friday, said planners were moving forward with the first televised match. "This is going to be a great debate," Barbour said.
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McCain quiet on debate despite bailout plan
Candidate doesn't announce change of mind despite agreement in principle
Associated Press - September 25, 2008
WASHINGTON - John McCain’s campaign welcomed news of an agreement in principle on Thursday between congressional Republicans and Democrats on a bailout of the financial industry.
But the Republican wasn’t yet ready to say he would attend the presidential candidates’ first scheduled debate on Friday.
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said: "There’s no deal until there’s a deal."
He said McCain was optimistic an agreement between Congress and the Bush administration would be completed but that the afternoon developments had not changed his plans not to debate.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, whose state is hosting the debate between McCain and Barack Obama, set for Friday, said planners were moving forward with the first televised match. "This is going to be a great debate," Barbour said.
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McCain quiet on debate despite bailout plan
Palin pastor prayed for 'witchcraft' protection
Palin pastor prayed for 'witchcraft' protection
YouTube video shows McCain running mate being blessed at church service
Associated Press - September 25th, 2008
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.
The video shows Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft."
"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan," Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."
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Palin pastor prayed for 'witchcraft' protection
YouTube video shows McCain running mate being blessed at church service
Associated Press - September 25th, 2008
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.
The video shows Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft."
"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan," Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."
Read the rest of the story:
Palin pastor prayed for 'witchcraft' protection
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