Obama!

I hate the politics of fear.

Senator Obama responds: "I will never see the threat of terrorism as a way to scare up votes, because it's a threat that should rally this country around our common enemies. That is the judgment we need at 3 a.m."

Worth thinking about again...from NPR

Building on that last post about Obama's positive message...check out this NPR story about a guy named Mark McKinnon, senior adviser to McCain and former adviser to W who helped defeat McCain in 2000. Listen to the end of the interview about how he'd be "uncomfortable" being McCain's adviser if its an Obama vs. McCain race. Not sure if it is praise for Obama, but points to what will likely be a different type of race if he is the democratic pick.

And, while cheeky, I love Daniel Schorr's imaginary letter from Senator McCain to W.

"The cynics can no longer say our hope is false."

I would like to remind anyone on the democratic side that Mr. Krugman is right about one thing - it is important that those supporting Clinton and Obama need to re-assure each other than they would support either candidate in the election.

Senator Clinton, I will support you if you are the democratic nominee.

But I really disagree with with Krugman's comment that "most of the venom" is coming from supporters of Obama. That comes from immature politics and it is gushing from immature supporters for all candidates. It makes me cringe to read the comments on the NYT website (and it makes me want to run and hide when I listen to Fox News). But it is exactly the rhetoric of Obama that most counteracts the venom of poisonous politics. Since when is the ability to speak, inspire and generate positive energy a weakness? It isn't a "cult of personality"; it definitely isn't a "platitude", Senator McCain; it is a rare, rare quality called leadership, finally.

I am inspired! (and well done Missouri...)

via Dowd column today...

"I think we should never be derisive about somebody who has the ability to inspire," Senator [Claire] McCaskill told David Gregory on MSNBC on Tuesday. "You know, we've had some dark days in this democracy over the last seven years, and today the sun is out. It is shining brightly. I watch these kids, these old and young, these black and white, 20,000 of them, pour into our dome in St. Louis Saturday night, and they feel good about being an American right now. And I think that's something that we have to capture."

Inspiration matters! It is scary to be inspired. I am inspired! Run, Obama, run!

On to Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and even the Virgin Islands!

"Malaria and How to Beat It"

The debate on giving away free malaria nets (and other health interventions) continues in The Economist. Now the WHO is backing the drive to kill the notion that paying a small amount makes a greater impact.

I am a bit confused in my own logic on this one. The Economist saying give it away, while I am intuitively feeling like "free is more effective" still ignores a few key points. Maybe the simple lesson is summed up best by hwig, a commenter on the article...

Giving out free nets is fine but it should be accompanied by a strong program of education otherwise they will be misused in exactly the way described at the beginning of the article.

Is that right?

Update March 24, 2008: A few more comments on the matter from the PSD blog, which has a link to the WRI post that has commentary on the issue.