Stretching credibilty and straining the incredulous

There are quite simply some storylines during this campaign season that defy plausibility.

# Consider the following excerpt from the Nevada Democratic Party about the recent convention in Reno: “Nevada Democrats wrapped up a successful state convention today by voting on a party platform and electing the five Democrats who will represent Nevada in the Electoral College.” [NVDem] If the press release means that “successful” means the state party convention didn’t devolve into the chaos that marked the Republican confab, then the statement might be creditable. However, DeeH’s posts, those from Blue Lyon, and this report from an attendee from Humboldt County – “On Saturday morning, we arrived at Registration promptly at 7 AM and were, once again, turned away because we were “not on the list.” We weren’t on the Delegate list (as we expected to be) nor were we on the Alternate list. Finally, at 8:30 AM, we magically appeared on the “Alternate” list and were able to receive an “Alternate” badge. We could, at least, sit in the Alternates area and observe the convention business. […] That time came and went and we were told the revised time would be 12 Noon instead. But 12 Noon came and went, and it wasn’t until 2:05 PM that we finally received our Delegate credentials,” indicate something rather less than a well organized, effective, convention.

# The McCain campaign didn’t know it was up to its ears in lobbyists before May 15, 2008. Senator McCain’s national finance co-chair just resigned “the latest casualty of a presidential campaign eager to cauterize damage caused by its ties to lobbyists.” [NYT] Thomas Loeffler’s departure brings the total number of top firm lobbyists departing from significant roles in the campaign to five. [WashMon] As Kevin Drum pointed out, the McCain for President organization had to know these people were lobbyists when they were initially hired – no one had to “point it out to them.” Unless, of course, they were hiring people without looking at their resumés; and who would believe that?

# Members of the United States Senate believe that it might be perfectly acceptable to finance the bank bail outs from funds set aside to assist low income renters. Last Thursday GOP and Democratic leaders on the Senate Banking Committee reached a ‘tentative deal’ to assist those who are far behind on mortgage payments by using a portion of the profits from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac “that had been set aside for low income rental housing.” [WaPo] via TPMEC If this is some sort of trial balloon, then it ought to be pointed out that it’s made of pure lead.

# There are serious editors and publishers in the corporate media who are gatekeepers taking their assignments seriously when it comes to columnists making derogatory, shallow, and puerile ‘jokes’ about presidential candidates and party leaders. This statement isn’t the least bit credible in the face of recent comments by Maureen Dowd, Kathleen Parker, Chris Matthews, and Monica Crowley; all of whom have provided solid evidence that their individual senses of humor haven’t progressed much beyond that associated with junior high school locker rooms. [Digby] When my grandmother used to describe people of this ilk as “common,” she didn’t mean it as a compliment.

# Presidential candidate Senator John McCain needs former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on the campaign trail. As the trite question goes: With friends like these who needs enemies? First Huckabee makes a joke about an assassination attempt on Senator Barack Obama, who was given Secret Service protection early in the campaign because of very plausible threats, and after that gaffe goes on Meet the Press to say he thought Senator McCain singing “Bomb, Bomb, Iran” was funny. [TP]

# Any discussion of Bush Administration corruption is old news. The perversion of the Bush Administration continues to be uncovered, and Government Executive has created a quick interactive (Six Degrees of Scott Bloch) showing the connections between the chief of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel and several scandals.

# Average Americans just aren’t capable of understanding all the nuances of the mortgage industry and the subject should be dealt with by experts. Well, perhaps when industry representatives indulge in terminology like “counter-cyclical diversification strategy,” when they actually mean “piling on” a mortgage holder in default, the subject could tend to lose focus. [CreditSlips has additional information on the mortgage servicing hearing in the Senate]