The Tiger Shoot Should Make For Some Great Photos

Evidently gleefully awaiting the imminent European arrival of Sen Obama (he is now, it is reported, in Afghanistan, thus he is apparently flying across the planet, and will not be walking on water), Johann Hari, in The Independent, excoriates Sen McCain:

…there’s a way in which the next US president will affect you even more directly than foreign policy. By his economic decisions, the next president will help swing the price of the food you eat and the wages you earn – wherever you live on earth.

So it’s a little worrying that John McCain – who still has a reasonable chance of winning – says: “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should… To be honest, I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated.”…

…Yessir: if you liked the credit crunch, you’ll love McCainomics.

It refreshing to see how Mr Hari has raised his editorial game, in reaching the level of managing almost to compose a column that omits both four-letter words and condemnation of the state of Israel. True, it might be observed that the conferrers appear also to had pretty much run out of high-profile leftist journalists to which to grant one. Nonetheless, his 2008 Orwell Prize, which is awarded to those who “make political writing into an art,” seems undoubtedly well-earned.

Or, put another way, “art for art’s sake?” However, most of us might consider good political writing not best judged on, shall we say, that canvas. Doing so is not unlike bestowing a “Meal of the Year” award based mostly on the table setting.

Regardless, Mr Hari continues to impress. He has a marked ability not to come over so much as a major columnist, but as more a student possessing the all-encompassing, breezy wisdom of youth. Specifically, in this case one who may have read about, but has never actually lived through, an economic slowdown and any democratic government’s real response options.

Unrelatedly, but relatedly, in the words of yours truly’s Orwell Prize-lacking mother, “So help me, but if another 18 year old TV twinkie lectures me!” But first: “McCainomics” as the big summation? Does Mr Hari actually feel that, as a piece of journalistic-ese, “McCainomics” flows off the tongue in the manner of, for example, “Reaganomics?”

Or, closer to home, “Thatcherism?” Remember, it wasn’t “Thatcheromics.” One might have thought the artful Mr Hari, given his detailed grasp of Sen McCain’s determination to implement economic policies sure to impoverish the planet, could have come to the conclusion on his own that “McCainism” might serve better as a hard-hitting, derogatory, journalistic term. Although, Mr Hari himself, remember, is too young to recall Mrs Thatcher’s coming to power. But, then again, presumably, he has read about it.

In any event, about the knock-on global impact the U.S. economy has, he has accidentally stumbled on a sensible observation, though. However, his continuing bout of “fear and loathing” of President Eisenhower Sen McCain likely overcame his space availability. Thus his obviously inadvertent failure similarly to critique “The Economic Education of Barack Obama.”

_____________________________

A shame that. Or perhaps Mr Hari was angling (artfully) for a seat on Sen Obama’s “Plane of Change.” If so, it didn’t work, because according to the Times:

…Should any of his hosts be under the illusion that the trip is not primarily a White House campaign event, Mr Obama, 46, is taking no foreign journalists. Instead, he has filled his campaign plane with US reporters, including three television news anchors, who are in discussions to hold prime-time interviews with him on consecutive nights…

Hmmm, in not allowing foreign reporters to join his triumphant entourage, that wouldn’t be a question of Sen Obama’s going over the heads of foreign journos like Mr Hari, treating foreign lands as mere curiosities and fiefdoms upon which to try to plant his, urrr, campaign seal?

To be fair, Mr Hari may not yet know he’s missed his plane. But once he finds out, we can suppose he will not be too keen to have Sen Obama’s considering his country a “raj-ed” destination: an exotic locale where, intermingling with the natives only cursorily, the all-powerful visit and, for the delight of people back home, get some great souvenir photographs taken over tiger corpses with the local allied chiefs.

And there we were, thinking Sen McCain would be more comfortable on safari, what with his being the Theodore Roosevelt “imperialist” and all. And about Sen Obama’s believing Jerusalem should be the “undivided” Israeli capital? One would have thought Mr Hari might not be too pleased to hear such either.

On the likes of those Sen Obama stances — at least as they still seem in place, until more “Change We Can Believe In” kicks in — clearly the less said the better. But, if elected, it would appear a President Obama’s reign over the cash-strapped U.S. electorate is going to be très expensive, only adding to their burdens. For is there anything he hasn’t promised?

To deliver, he will have to raise taxes into the stratosphere, which the left has already done here. And that left now admits that even patient and accepting Britons have had enough. The Times:

Taxpayers are at the limit of what they are willing to pay to fund public services, the Chancellor has said in an interview with The Times…

…He revealed that he told Cabinet ministers this week that there would be no more money for schools, hospitals, defence, transport or policing…

Americans are much less accepting of ever-higher taxes, too: they are far more apt the “throw the bums out” at the polls. So will a President Obama borrow, borrow, borrow to the hilt to pay for all that he is promising?

Which path seems the more likely?: “President Oborrow” anyone? And U.S. interest rates will then increase, and the global economy will react accordingly.

Also, in case Mr Hari has missed another left-wing precedent: Prime Minister “Borrow“:

The Government may relax Gordon Brown’s fiscal rules to allow it to increase borrowing during the economic downturn, it emerged last night…

And upon hearing of that latter yesterday, the wife said, “What a shame we all can’t ‘rewrite’ our ‘borrowing rules’? Hello, Mr Bank Manager, I’ve decided to rewrite my borrowing rules…”

_____________________________

Also on that coming “royal tour,” The Times notes — in exactly the same sentence — both yesterday and today:

…It is a sobering contrast for John McCain, his Republican opponent, whose European and Middle East trip in May garnered scant coverage…

Apparently, the coverage was so “scant” that, unlike The Times, this blog recalls Sen McCain’s visit having been in March, and not in May. However, compared to Sen Obama’s upcoming “World 2008″ summer tour, Sen McCain’s trip was not a campaign swing that took him so far eastwards that he ventured to another continent . . . or two. (Although, this blog, frankly, admits it does see the benefits in a Sen Obama Martian campaign swing.) Rather, Sen McCain’s was a “fact-finding” visit with two other senators — a visit of the sort that would have received even less coverage had he not just recently become the Republican presidential likely nominee.

Back in March, the Clinton-Obama primary race was also coming down to the wire in the U.S., and most media were glued to the latter. However, the McCain campaign didn’t seem really to mind: it appeared pleased at his being able to visit Europe and the Middle East quietly, while staying well-clear of the Clinton-Obama mudslinging. In fact, so glued were they to Clinton-Obama, The Times apparently didn’t even know Sen McCain ventured among us, here.

The Times also tells us:

…Mr Obama’s aides know that their candidate will be greeted in Europe by an adoring public…

That such may “backfire” at home in the States, The Times admits is readily possible. At issue as well is one worth pointing out again: if MSM in the States shows you nothing but smiling crowds of Europeans, seemingly adoring the Senator (one almost can’t wait for the wire service crowd reaction photos, when in the presence), remember that most of those same Europeans would never — ever! — seriously consider supporting a candidate of his minority background, for leadership in any of their own countries. Worth bearing in mind also when being lectured as to how “racist” and “backwards” is the U.S.

Sen Obama arrives in London

By the way, is the Senator planning a stop in Poland? Or is that in Germany? And speaking of Germany (and presumably, Sen Obama is sure it is Germany), Observing Hermann tells us that as of the 16th, trying to find that poignant election victory acceptance speech (why wait ’till November, after all) to the world location was becoming . . . trying:

Brandenburg Gate is out, of course. Tempelhof Airport was still in the running yesterday, but now that’s out, too. And now it looks like a Berlin university might just be the next venue to turn him down. Slowly but surely, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may have to bite the bullet and consider holding next week’s Berlin speech on the roof of that big honking parking lot thingy at the Ikea in Spandau…

It seems unlikely Sen Obama will deign to speak to the sure to be admiring throngs during his very brief stop here in Britain. But, if he were to reconsider, economics would surely be a major issue bound to enrapture the likes of global economists such as Mr Hari. As a venue to cover, say, the topic of “supply and demand,” the Edmonton Ikea probably similarly has possibilities.

_____________________________

UPDATE: The Times of London not remembering when Sen McCain was in Europe is about par for the course. Also flustered is the New York Times. Probably because it is writing about Sen Obama, it doesn’t know precisely what day today is.

For notice the filing date for this NYT piece on his July 19 arrival in Afghanistan. Saturday — today — is July 19; and (as of about 11 AM UK time) it is still July 19 in Afghanistan. However, according to the New York Times, though, it is tomorrow, July 20 . . .

. . . and, as we know, if it’s in the NYT it must be true.