â’These candidates have to be exhausted,â’ says Louden, professor of communication at Wake Forest University. â’And that is when mistakes happen. Practice saying what takes five minutes in 30 seconds,â’ he suggests. But, he cautions against over preparing. â’Too much new information only serves to confuse. Briefing books should be brief.â’

Louden complete recommendation list:

• Get some sleep – these candidates have to be exhausted. Mistakes happen when the internal governor is not working.
• Relax - debates are different but not that much different than what candidates face everyday. Approach the debate as “normal” not some esoteric event to be mastered.
• Reflect - take the rare time to frame the larger picture, who are you really talking to. Both candidates increasingly seem to be speaking to their base, what singular message will bring them home.
• Don’t over prep – too much new information only serves to confuse. Briefing books should be brief. They are more for preparing the prepares than the frayed candidate
• Practice answers - the only thing that can come out of one’s mouth is what’s in your head. Practice saying what takes five minutes in 30 seconds.
• Discuss with a small number of advisers- Too many cooks spoil the broth. Everyone wants to contribute, yet however “relevant,” diminishing returns kick in.
• Take a risk - candidate should not be risky, but they need to take some risks. It is the spontaneous genuine moments that separate. Reagan claimed his statement, “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience” was not planned. It just fit; it was the election.
• Be genuine - authenticity always trumps.

More of Loudenâ’s presidential debate advice can be found at Debate Scoop, a Web site devoted to encouraging lively analysis of political debate.

NOTE: Louden has provided commentary on political debates for USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, the Christian Science Monitor and a wide range of other media outlets. He has followed the Commission on Presidential Debates since the commission was founded. He coached the Wake Forest debate team to a national championship. Wake Forest hosted presidential debates in 1988 and in 2000.

The Congressional Pig Book

Citizens Against Government Waste(CCAGW), a Federal Spending Watchdog put together a little comparison to the earmark habit of our President and Vice President Candidates.  The only Presidential Candidate that looks good is the unhealthy, mental unstable McCain.  The rest are typical politicians.  The promise of change from the Obama campaign is just that, a campaign message without substance.

The failure of Democrats and Republicans is failing to put their best candidate forward.  The words of Obama in powerful speeches are not representation of his actual voting record or even attendance.  The promises of McCain do not match his voting record or past press elections.

Republicans adding Palin is just putting a Vice President that is a combination of Jerry Farwell and Senator Stevens.  All the pretense of a religious fanatic with the money being god-like. Palin has the potency of three dangerous campaign liquors:  Power, Money and Prayer . . . and she is too drunk to drive.  Too religious to lead with a John Rawl view, a free mind, to vote political without religious influence and too selfish too lead the ENTIRE nation.

Democrats having inexperienced Obama coupled with over spending Biden not only makes me uncomfortable but disturbed.  Disturbed that the US Voting citizen can be bought with a jingle, commercial like value and with product placement.

My mother always said to see how you will be treated by someone you are dating is how they treat their siblings and their family.  It should be the same for political Candidates, how they vote, show up for work, pass legislation, spending and earmarks are the TRUE and only way to see how they will handle their Presidency. The reality of what the candidate actually vote and do while in office is the only true tell sign of what they will be as a leader.

Here is what the Citizens Against Government Waste(CCAGW) found about the Candidates:

Democrats

• Senator Barack Obamaâ’s (D-Ill.) 2007 rating was 10 percent, making his lifetime score 18 percent. The 2008 Congressional Pig Book contained 53 earmarks worth $97.4 million for Sen. Obama, including $1,648,850 for the Shedd Aquarium.
  • 2008 Obama earmarked $97.4 million
• Senator  Joe Biden (D-Del.) received the worst possible rating in 2007 with 0 percent, while his lifetime rating is 22 percent. According to the Pig Book, Sen. Biden had 70 earmarks for a total of $119.7 million in fiscal year 2008, including $246,100 for the Grand Opera House in Wilmington.
  • 2008 Biden earmarked $119.7 million.

Obama, Biden’s Son Linked by Earmarks

The Washington Post found, “Sen. Barack Obama sought more than $3.4 million in congressional earmarks for clients of the lobbyist son of his Democratic running mate, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware”.  (Read More . . .)

Republicans

• Senator  John McCain (R-Ariz.) has never requested nor received a single earmark, and has pledged to veto any spending bill that contains any earmarks. Note: Sen. McCain was only present for 11 of the 35 Senate votes that CCAGW tallied.
• Governor Sarah Palin worked the system as Mayor and Governor.
  • Now Palin has requested $198 million in earmarks for Alaska in next year’s federal budget (including $25 million for Coastal Salmon Recovery and $3.2 million for sea lion biological research).
  • Palin hired a Washington lobbyist to secure earmarks for tiny Wasilla, Alaska when she was mayor (population 6,715) and received nearly $27 million in federal dollars from 2000 to 2003. That includes $1.9 million for public transit and $15 million for a rail line connecting Wasilla to the hometown of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.
  • By earmark standards, Vice Presidential candidate Palin is on par Vice Presidential candidate Biden.

With Palin surprising McCain with her political practices it doesn’t look good for the election.  But is not about political reputation It is just about looks, literally?  I believe the two parties are running old with young, good looking/weathered.

McCain does have the experience, just not the mental stability or the health to lead with over 63% of missed votes in the current congress he is the risk vote.  It will be on-the-job traing for Palin, but it looks like she already knows how to work the system. McCain @ 72  yrs old with all the health issues it looks like Palin (44 yrs old) will be the first Female President of the US history.

Too bad Palin is a religious fanatic, oil consumption support, believes in censorship, Bush like leadership, and her abstinence only programs got her own daughter pregnant. Now this poor child will be married young, why not set up the president and put up the child for adoption. We have all see the billboards and little advertisement in the Penny Saver promoting adoption as what is best of the child.

Obama/Biden are quite similar. Obama @ 46 with Biden 66 years old . . . it is a little too similar.

• I still do not like Biden mainly due to his harboring credit card companies in his own state.  Do you have a credit card with an interest rate above 4%, blame it on Biden.
• Obama/Biden are those over – spending Democrats and have no problem with earmarks (no matter what they say to the press).
• Obama/Biden are not dedicated to their jobs. Biden did not vote 30% in the current congress (see list of missed votes) and Obama 45.5% during the current Congress (see list of missed votes)
• Obama like McCain is a maverick with many votes against the Democrat Party (see list . . .)

Will Obama or McCain be better for this country?  McCain can’t show up for work due to health issues, Obama laughs off the Democrats by voting as he pleases, Biden protecting those credit cards and pushing through earmarks . . . Palin is just pitiful.  Is there hope? Is there something better?  What will beat McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden?  I wish I knew.

Now, this “keep up the Jones” has come to bite our royal arses.

Here is the big problem, we are a Capitalistic Republic Democracy. What does that mean to us as a country? It means money will always be the priority to our elected officials.

FYI – Did you know that none of the Presidential candidates (not one) did not live in a home worth less that $2 million dollars (Obama is worth at least 2 million while his neighbors is only around $345)? Each candidate in their rhetoric “relate to the working class”, but they don’t. They really don’t.  They are happy there is a working class, welfare class or else they would just be one of us.  They would not be anything special, at least in their mind.

Also, if it is not about Money it is about party platform, which panders to the richest (always). And finally it is left to a vote of the majority, and what 51% of the population dictate to the other 49%. So, why has the alternative vehicles not been nationally promoted or viewable (until recently) in the news . . . The government.

The government pays almost 3 million each year for the big automobile companies to spend on advertising. The big gas gussling companies want us to be happy with the substandard car we buy and buy again.

Solutions: If you only drive about 40 miles a day, get an electric car (45 miles on full charge) which is about $12,500. For longer trips or vacation… train and renting a car locally. If you do not like the gas prices, don’t pay for gas. (e-ride, zap world)

Jenny and I have a biodiesel/diesel car, which gets 55 mpg city and about 65 mpg highway. We take public transportation 4-5 days a week, especially weekends. (Get your own) In fact, we just got in the mail, VW wants to buy back our car, due to demand.  It was tempting, but we plan on giving the car to Jenny’s mom in two years when we get the VW GTI TDI.

It is about a lifestyle change.  It is about making better choices.  Try not driving for a month. There is a guy in Wisconsin is taking action, riding his bike (9 miles to work daily) and only car pooling “if it on the way”.  (read more . . .)

Alternative fuels being used by cars available now:

• hydrogen
• electric
• natural renewable resources or bio-diesels
• Solar is functional, but only way to get a solar car is to build your own (YouTube Video, Solar Powered Car Kit)
• Wind Power is a great alternative to the gas/electric (Venturi, i-MiEV)

How much will you spend in gas each week before you take action to leave your car at home? I guess that is my question… What is the most you are willing to spend on gas, a week, before you leave your car at home?  Car pool, walk, bike, public transportation are great options. I know that many live in very rural areas that make it almost impossible to commute without a car. But how much did you spend on your car?  Could you not, while you can, sell your gasoline only vehicle for something more practical?

Putting in a full tank of gas at $50 a week is $200 a month. That makes it $2600 a year or $13000 for 5 years. What can you do with $13000?  You could have bought an electric car.