Digby remembers.

John McCain has a long history with bank failures and financial scandals. He created his whole reform persona around the idea that he'd come too close to the flame and gotten burned. But he hasn't changed his philosophy or his policies one bit. He believes in the same scam his close advisor Phil "you're all a bunch of whiners" Gramm believes. He pretended for years that the problem was solely in the campaign finance system, burnishing his image with signature legislation that has proven to be completely useless. Meanwhile, he backs deregulation like it comes down from Mt Sinai.

The core message:

The latest Iowa poll shows Sen. Barack Obama up by 12 points over McCain.

Key findings:

• Independents prefer Obama to McCain, 49 percent to 36 percent.
• Voters under 35 prefer Obama by two to one.
• Obama leads among women, 53 percent to 39 percent for McCain.
• Republicans are more satisfied with McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, than Democrats are with Joe Biden, Obama’s vice presidential pick.
• President Bush’s approval rating with Iowans is at an abysmal 25 percent, with 71 percent disapproving.
• Senator Chuck Grassley remains popular with Iowans, at 69 percent approval.

I take this as a sign Obama is resonating with rural voters. Hopefully, we'll see similar results in Ohio and other battleground states with high rural populations.

Colorado Senator Ken Salazar this week laid out Obama's appeal to rural voters:

Obama has supported farm bills aimed at revitalizing rural America, Salazar said, while McCain has opposed all of them the last 15 years.

Obama has championed renewable energy, including biofuels that can be a way for America to help grow its way to energy independence, and McCain has not, Salazar said. The Bush administration has largely ignored rural America, home to 50 million people, the last eight years, Salazar said. What he calls "the forgotten America" includes 44 of Colorado's 65 counties. Those areas have lost jobs, health care facilities and schools, Salazar said.

What is McCain's message to rural voters? More politics of distortion. Today, at Gov. Palin's campaign rally, McCain's Colorado press spokesman Tom Kise falsely told local CBS news (video here) that Obama is against people owning guns.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin campaigned in Colorado today. She addressed the Wall St. crisis:

This is an issue of real concern," Palin told thousands gathered in a rodeo ring in Golden, Colorado. But, she said, "I'm glad to see the Federal Reserve has said no to using taxpayer money for a bailout."

.... Palin accused Wall Street regulators of being "asleep at the switch" and vowed that she and McCain would "put an end to the mismanagement and abuses." "We're going to reform the way Wall Street does business and stop the golden parachutes for CEOs who betray the public trust," she said.

One line from her gubernatorial speeches she is unlikely to repeat:

Palin herself may not be the most authoritative spokesperson on such issues. In the past, when she was running for Alaska governor, she freely admitted to a reporter that she got a "D" in macroeconomics in college.

ABC notes: [More...]

It may take the Left blogs a few days to catch up, but Obama has his game changer - the economy. No more Palinpalooza. Carville rules again - "it's the economy, stupid."

The tracking polls show small movement towards Obama - DKos/R2000 (8/12-14) has Obama by 3, 48-45. Ras has a tick in Obama's favor with McCain's lead trimmed to 2, 49-47. Hotline says Obama by 2, 45-43. And Gallup says McCain by 2, 47-45.

After today, expect an Obama poll resurgence as he sledgehammers on the economy and McCain's fealty to the policies of George W. Bush. And if he rolls out a Big Dog tour, expect a huge bounce for Obama.

This is a game changer. This campaign is back to real issues, starting today.

By Big Tent Democrat, speakng for me only

John McCain has demonstrated that when it comes to politics and governance, he is a clone of George W. Bush. A know nothing blusterer whose political resurgence has been on the back of the Bush/Rove politics of the personal attack and the trivial ("Lipstick on a pig" anyone?). When it comes to actual policies, particularly on the economy, McCain himself has said he is is a know nothing:

Which explains why McCain said "I don’t believe we’re headed into a recession, I believe the fundamentals of this economy are strong and I believe they will remain strong.”

It is now time for the Obama campaign to demonstrate the Democratic record of competence and concern regarding the economy. Yes, it is time to roll out the Big Dog. On the campaign trail. With Obama. Now. Right now. Politics matters. Governance matters. Democrats can govern. Democrats can help the American People through these economic woes. Bush-McCain Republicans clearly can not. Now is the time to talk about that.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Via Attaturk, John McCain would deal with Social Security and the economy like George Bush would:

As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that President Bush proposed,” McCain told the Journal.[Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Campaign Website, accessed 3/3/08]

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

The State of Georgia, seemingly unafraid of the risk of putting an innocent man to death, has denied clemency for Troy Davis (TalkLeft coverage collected here). He is scheduled for execution on September 23.

A county jury in 1991 convicted Mr. Davis in the 1989 murder of Mark Allen MacPhail, an off-duty police officer moonlighting as a security guard who was shot to death while responding to a late-night fight at a Burger King in Savannah.

Mr. Davis testified he was at a nearby pool hall and left before Officer MacPhail arrived. The prosecution offered no murder weapon, DNA or fingerprints tying Mr. Davis to the killing but instead relied heavily on testimony from witnesses. Since the trial, seven key witnesses have recanted, saying they were bullied by investigators into lying under oath.

Why is the recantation of seven witnesses something the State of Georgia is prepared to ignore? [more ...]

Even someone with as little knowledge of stocks and big business as I have knows that this is another failure of the Bush Administration's economic policies.

• Lehman Says It Will File for Bankruptcy (pdf)
• Bank of America to Buy Merrill Lynch
• A.I.G. to Plan Restructuring and Asset Sales
• After Frantic Day, Wall St. Banks Falter
  
• Banks Fear Next Move By Shorts
• SEC Sunday Night Press Release
  

Can anyone explain for those of us who are economically challenged what this means to our day to day lives and pocketbooks?

Proposition K, on the San Francisco ballot in November, would decriminalize prostitution. The L.A. Times reports it is dividing the city's liberal community.

Sex workers, the county Democratic committee and a health official support Proposition K as a boon to prostitutes' and the public's safety. The mayor, the D.A. and the business community oppose it.

....Proposition K would ban San Francisco police from using any public resources to investigate or prosecute sex workers on prostitution charges. Critics say the law would attract pimps, human smugglers and others who profit from the sex trade.

I'm in favor of decriminalization.

We've had a request for an open thread. Here it is.