Potomac Confidential
Washington's Hour of Talk Power

Marc Fisher
Post Metro Columnist
Thursday, September 4, 2008 12:00 PM

Potomac Confidential fills the midday lull with discussion by Metro columnist Marc Fisher who looks at the latest news with a rigorous slicing and dicing of the issues that define who we are and where we live.

Today's Column: D.C. Benefits From Schwartz's Fight Against Corruption

Fisher was online Thursday, Sept. 4, at Noon ET to look at the Republicans' drive to win Virginia in November, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's expansion of police power to collect DNA from crime suspects and next week's primary elections in the District.

Check out Marc's blog, Raw Fisher.

Archives: Discussion Transcripts

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Marc Fisher: Welcome aboard, folks. So, did Sarah Palin's riveting home run of a speech last night put John McCain over the top in Virginia? The women I've been interviewing in northern Virginia, mainly from military families, who were deeply anti-Bush, who surprised themselves by becoming Hillary Clinton supporters, but who really don't get Barack Obama, were already feeling considerable sympathy for Palin before last night--despite and because of the intense media focus on how unprepared for higher office she might be. Now, after a remarkably confident, aggressive and charming speech, I imagine many of those women have pretty well fallen in love with Palin. One speech doesn't usually turn an election, but this one certainly laid to rest many assumptions and concerns. Or did you hear it otherwise?

Hardly anyone knows it, but next Tuesday is Election Day in the District, where primaries are being held in a number of D.C. Council seats. Today's column looks at longtime council member Carol Schwartz's surprisingly tough race to retain her spot as the only Republican in the city's elected government.

Turns out those two men who were killed in July while riding on a double-decker tourist bus on their way to a Nationals game were not only standing up on the open-air top level of the bus, but were also impaired by their own drinking when their heads hit a freeway overpass, according to today's Post story by Paul Duggan. Sadly, those buses are no longer deployed to shuttle fans from the parking lots at RFK Stadium to the Nats' park--but it now sounds as though this gruesome tragedy was hardly the bus company's fault, but rather that of the passengers themselves.

On to your many comments and questions, but first, let's call the Yay and Nay of the Day:

Yay to those persistent protesters who have fought the Intercounty Connector from Day One. Opponents of the highway now under construction between I-270 and I-95 through Montgomery County have been right all along about the spiraling cost of the project and about the slim-to-none prospects that the road will actually ease traffic on the Beltway or any other east-west roads. Now we learn that the cost is shooting up by 22 percent on one key segment of the road, a whopping $100 million-plus increase on a project that already costs a staggering $2.4 billion, even though the road is less than 19 miles long.

Nay to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley for pushing the state's new DNA law too far. The law gives police the power to collect DNA samples not only from crooks who've already been convicted of crimes, not only from suspects who have been formally charged, but now from anyone who has merely been arrested. Civil liberties groups are ringing the alarm now that new state regulations appear not to explain exactly how DNA records for those who are found to be not guilty will be expunged. DNA is a great crime-fighting tool, a boon to prosecutors who often have a tough time convicting the obviously guilty. But there need to be limits on the collection and use of DNA, especially when innocent people are involved.

Your turn starts right now....

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Woodbridge, Va.: Three questions:

(1) If Sarah Palin's such a jock, maybe she can get people (in states other than Northern) interested in the NHL...

(2) How much money do you think Joe Biden's spent on Amtrak over the years? Does he get a volume discount? Do they give frequent rider miles?

(3) Finally, who would shoot an 8-month-old infant??

Marc Fisher:1) Good luck with that. Is hockey a better reflection of American interests and passions than soccer? Certainly hockey moms are more geographically limited than soccer moms, but hockey is also probably less of an elite pursuit than soccer (with the exception of immigrant groups that bring the game with them to these shores.) On the other hand, hockey has had the same problem ginning up any significant diversity in its fan base as the Republican Party has.

2) I was wondering about that. And do the taxpayers have to cover his fares? Or are senators comped? On some routes, Amtrak has gotten to be every bit as pricey as flying.

3) Hard to imagine that. Though the initial reports sound like the baby was not the intended target. But still. Crazy.

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20036: Is it just me, or do the Republican politicians/pundits seem to be making a bigger deal of Bristol Palin than the Democrats are? For a group of people who say "It's a family thing" or "It's a private matter", it sure seems like they're trying to keep the issue in the public light as much as possible.

The reporters should have reported on it, then moved on to other news. Of course, the only media members who will keep the story going and going and going will be the National Enquirer-type rags, and I'll bet they're already taking odds as to how long this shotgun marriage will last. I can see it now. After all, the rags already have Jamie Lynn Spears' husband-to-be cheating on her, and they aren't even married yet!

Marc Fisher: Certainly Obama put down his marker early on and has refrained from any comment on the Palin family drama. But that hasn't stopped a lot of Dems from freelancing with rumors and tales of their horror at the prospect of Palin rising to the presidency.

Still, I think last night's speech will go a long way toward dampening the Democratic glee over what they saw as a rushed and dumb pick. But to your point, yes, the Repos are trying to have it all ways--bashing the media for paying attention to the Palin family even as the McCain campaign uses the Palins' highly photogenic kids to the hilt. But that's been true of presidential candidate families for many , many years.

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Silver Spring, Md.: We know that virtually all politicians have speech writers, and there's no telling how much of last night's speech Gov. Palin wrote, but should journalists at least make some mention of this when talking the content of her speech? I saw no mention in news stories today of any actual policy content (i.e. things that would affect me should she and McCain be elected), but do not know if it was not there or reporters just concentrated on style.

Marc Fisher: Pardon me, but that's just a non-issue. Ever since Abe Lincoln scratched out the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope, presidents have relied heavily on speechwriters, and especially in the television age. And despite the early press about how the McCain staffers had a generic vice presidential acceptance speech ready to roll even before the VP pick was made, last night's Palin speech had a long and effective middle passage that was clearly personalized for Palin. I have no way of knowing whether she had any role in crafting any of those zingers, but she sure delivered them with good humor and great passion.

The only part of the speech where she seemed to be laboring to read the words and seemed to lack familiarity with the ideas was the last part, where she touched lightly on foreign affairs. If she was stumbling a bit even on reading about such matters, it will be interesting to see how she handles herself if she's ever permitted to speak extemporaneously on such stuff.

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washingtonpost.com: Today's Column: D.C. Benefits From Schwartz's Fight Against Corruption

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but hockey is also probably less of an elite pursuit than soccer: Thanks for this. Alaska is most decidedly NOT representative of the rest of the country because there is probably much much less income disparity there. Therefore, EVERYONE can play soccer. Alaska is also extremely homogeneous. Soccer and hockey -- apples and oranges. Let's move on.

Marc Fisher: Ok, let's...Here are some other topics....

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washingtonpost.com: Bus Accident Probe Finds 2 Killed Were Standing on Seats ( Post, Sept. 4)

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Southern Maryland: Great blog entry about Loraine Rudolph. As a longtime fan of classic soul, I love the U.K.-issued collections of Motown rarities, and it would be great to have Rudolph's hits in those collections and have her receive some royalties. Do you find it ironic that collectors and fans in England know more about Motown than radio listeners in America, who hear only a dozen of the label's hits over and over?

Also, thanks for the information about "Northern soul." I had assumed that the term was simply a categorization of Motown versus the grittier Southern soul such as Stax.

washingtonpost.com: Singer Thought Her Star Never Rose, but eBay Says Otherwise ( Post, Aug. 31)

Marc Fisher: Thanks very much--I've been getting calls and emails all week from people in similar situations as Loraine Rudolph, the singer I wrote about in Sunday's column. These are people who recorded R&B, gospel or pop songs in the 1960s, got cut out of royalties in unfair contracts with their agents or labels, and now find their decades-old work selling for big money on eBay and various collectors' sites. Of course, the folks selling those records have every right to trade and sell their records, but it's just sad that the artists get nothing out of it. Though a few of them have managed to resurrect their careers by going out to perform for, or just visit with, their new fans.

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Washington, D.C.: When did you become Carol Schwartz's campaign manager?

Marc Fisher: Oh, man, is the position open? I thought Schwartz had that pretty well in hand. You know, speaking of speechwriters, she actually writes most of her own ad copy and brochures. In fact, she's been holed up for weeks in her apartment writing her campaign pieces.

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Anonymous: Two men killed on double decker bus: Report today says alchohol was involved. They were STANDING on the seats on the top deck of a bus while it was moving. Do I feel sorry for their families? Of course, but they were stupid and alcohol-impaired. Will their families sue the bus company and get something? Yep.

washingtonpost.com: Bus Accident Probe Finds 2 Killed Were Standing on Seats ( Post, Sept. 4)

Marc Fisher: Sadly, you're probably right. I can't see where the bus company did anything wrong. At some point, people have to take responsibility for their own dumb moves.

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Culpeper, Va.: Marc, I'm a small town family lawyer, not some rich fancy-pants big city type, but I'm 1000 percent sure the Virginia law you wrote about re: claiming paernal rights is flat out unconstitutional. In fact I would be willing to take on a case pro bono (expenses only) if anyone would like to challenge it in the courts.

Marc Fisher: Well, you may get that chance. But tell me more--I think it's wrong for Virginia to ask fathers to register their sexual liaisons with the state, and wrong for the state to wash its hands of its responsibility to try to find fathers before kids are put up for adoption, but I don't see what's unconstitutional here.

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Washington, D.C.: How familiar are you with the situation in Tenley involving the public-private partnership designed to rebuild the library, modernize Janney Elementary, and build a 9-story apartment building? Normally I don't fall in with the NIMBY crowd that protests development around Metro stations. However, the community activists seem to have a point if, in the end, the school would lose their soccer field and/or PE space to the developers. Am I missing something? Is this really the "land grab" that the activists are making it out to be? Has DCPS taken a position on this? And is there a way for the library and the apartment building to be built without encroaching on school property?

Marc Fisher: The anti-development folks in Tenleytown latch on to any available reason to oppose making the best possible use of that corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Albemarle Street--immediately across the street from a Metro station. Sure, it's entirely likely that putting a residential and retail complex at that dead intersection might mean shaving away some of the outdoor space surrounding Janney Elementary School, but so what? There's way too much empty space surrounding the school as is. Wouldn't it be better for all involved if there was more street life there, as well as modern facilities for both the public library and the school? In addition to a field and a large outdoor play area, there's a wooded area on that plot that serves no purpose. Developing that whole block to the fullest possible extent is the right thing to do for the neighbors, the taxpayers and the students.

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Marc Fisher: Ok, ok! Back to Palin....

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Maryland: Are these people who appreciate Sarah Palin's life experience and gender actually planning on looking at where she stands on the... (gasp)... issues? She's as far-right on most all social issues as you can get.

Marc Fisher: True, she's a firm conservative on social issues, and an extremist on some--fought to ban certain books in her hometown, favors teaching creationism. But that seemed secondary to her positioning herself as a maverick in the McCain tradition. Now it's up to the Democrats to try to steer the debate back toward those specifics. But they face a hard road, especially as the Republicans make their traditional anti-tax pitch.

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We Love Sarah, Va.: It wasn't the speech that warmed hearts last night, although the speech was pretty great. It was the shots of the family, particularly the little girl holding Trig. She licked her palm and wet his hair with it! Priceless! Hearts melted across the country.

Marc Fisher: That was indeed the money shot of the night. Like something out of The Grapes of Wrath or some other American classic pioneers movie.

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Herndon, Va.: Mr. F: A hysterically funny couple of minutes from "The Daily Show" last night -- Jon Stewart first shows Karl Rowe dismissing VA's demo governor (when he was a possible VP candidate) as being a lightweight, noting that sure, he was Mayor of Richmond, but Richmond is really a small city, etc. Then, a tape of Rowe telling how qualified Palin is -- she's been a city mayor! Following those two tapes, it was Bill O'Reilly saying how the media had no business looking at the Palin daughter's pregnancy, it was a family matter; then showing O'Reilly a few months back noting Britney Spears's younger sister is pregnant and how and Britney and the sister's parents are "pinheads" for allowing this to happen Ouch!

Marc Fisher: You will search in vain for consistency on these issues, from either party.

We are unfortunately a populace that is wildly susceptible to appeals on these easy emotional issues, and while I imagine McCain will be a bit more devoted to actual content in his speech tonight, the fact is that both McCain and Obama are primarily selling their personal stories and their styles and manners.

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Arlington, Va.: Do facts even matter anymore? I keep reading about the home run Gov. Palin hit last night, and all I can think about is all the inaccurate statements (called lies for regular folk) in her "speech." The most egregious being the "bridge to nowhere" comment. You'd think the Gov. of the State of Pork would just stay away from it. Will she give me back all the money her state took from my taxes?

Marc Fisher: That was the one that leaped off the screen. Of course she was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it. But I expect she will largely try to steer clear of discussion of the specifics of issues, and instead focus on exactly what she claims she doesn't want us to focus on--her family, her background, her style. Political candidates abuse their families and especially their children all the time--think back to the Cape Cod compound myth-making that permeated JFK's campaign. But the way Palin is using her poor little baby takes the cake.

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Richmond, Va.: HUCKABEE lied when he said Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 reelection race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

Marc Fisher: Thanks for the numbers.

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Washington, D.C.: The only way Obama can win now is to examine the demographics, and to figure out in the key states if and how the demographics are different than they were in say 1984. Meaning if in the key states white Protestants are still a majority of voters, then McCain wins. If the demographics have changed though, and there are, for example, more foreign-born citizens (outside of Fla., of course) then there might be some hope for Obama. I don't mean more than white Protestants, but I mean more of them in the general population. Otherwise, this election is a done deal. Brilliant move on the part of McCain strategists. Brilliant.

Marc Fisher: I don't think it's nearly as simple as that. Obama continues to show strength in some parts of the country where the population is overwhelmingly white. Just yesterday, Time magazine reported polling data showing Obama with large leads in Iowa and Minnesota. If he can win in states like that, this election--regardless of Palin-mania--will come down to a handful of states--Ohio, of course, and Colorado, perhaps Indiana, perhaps even Virginia.

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Washington, DC: You said that Palin was in favor of banning certain books. Any info on which those were? Seems that if she was one of the anti-Harry Potter crowd that got so much press it would be a pretty easy weapon for the Dems to pick up on.

Marc Fisher: The reports on that incident in her hometown have been curiously light on details. They have Palin stating her desire to have certain books removed from the schools, but so far nothing on specifically which books were being discussed. If anyone has seen more detail on that, please come ahead.

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L' Enfant Plaza, D.C.: What would you take as the over/under on Mrs. Palin saying something on par with Dan Quayle? I say about 14 days. Maybe 15.

Of course, by Monday none of us will really care all that much as we'll have 2 if not 3 more hurricanes to deal with.

Marc Fisher: Remember that as much as the elites loved to laugh at Quayle, and as much as he became a target of the Saturday Night Live skits, there was then a backlash that very much benefited the Bush-Quayle ticket. I imagine the Dems are trying to remind themselves of that right now.

One word of warning on hurricane hysteria: Fizzle. Most big storms fizzle before they reach the places where media hysteria is at fever pitch.

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Arlington, Va.: So do the "sky is falling" people come our for tropical storms the same way they do for snow? It seems a little more warranted in this case because I have lost power at least 5 times during thuderstorms this summer alone. They kept mentioning I need an emergency kit on WAMU this morning. I'm just trying to get the cynics perspective.

Marc Fisher: There are few things in life that are more exciting and rewarding than living through a great big storm. If we do get a piece of any of these three storms, relish the moment. Sure, you might lose power for a bit, but mostly, it's a chance to watch fabulous winds at work and see all sorts of swirling wonder in the sky. I'd skip the emergency pack and instead stock up on good reading matter and your fave snacks.

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Germantown, Md.: Between the massive fare increase in January and the steady increase in ridership, Metro's financial picture must be looking pretty good right now. Do you have any information on this?

Marc Fisher: Haven't seen recent numbers, but in general, Metro is in a tough spot. It's not yet able to keep up with rising demand from riders--it takes years to get new rail cars built and online--and it has years of deferred maintenance to take care of, as anyone who has suffered through delays and broken escalators can attest to.

So yes, more riders is good for the bottom line, but Metro is in such a deep hole that it will take a long time to claw its way toward sunlight.

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Washington, D.C.: Have you noticed 94.7 has returned to an all "classic rock" format? A perfect illustration of what you've written about the growing specialization of radio stations.

Marc Fisher: Their effort to sell this market on a "green" philosophy flopped--I don't think listeners ever saw much of a connection between 30-year-old rock tunes and the issues of global warming and environmental stresses. Nor should they have. The fact remains that "classic rock" is a format that made a lot of sense one or two decades ago, but is having a tougher time now because younger listeners have little emotional connection to that music.

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Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: re: Amtrak

There's an Amtrak Rewards program in which you can earn points toward train travel and other stuff, based on how much you travel. There's also an Amtrak affinity credit card that allows you to earn mileage, etc.

Marc Fisher: Yes, but it's one of the worst rewards programs I've seen in the travel industry. Its blackout dates are vastly more restrictive than most airlines' and that's saying a lot. So while I'm sure a regular commuter like Biden could benefit from the rewards program, it's not enough to make that kind of daily use remotely affordable to most people.

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Washington, D.C.: I promise I will listen to this week's Raw Fisher Radio show on the state of the Nationals as soon as I can find the time, but can you drop any nuggets that might give me an incentive?

Marc Fisher: The great Phil Wood, one of the most knowledgeable experts on baseball in Washington, joined us for that show, along with D.C. Sports Bog impresario Dan Steinberg, and we delved into the eternal question of whether Washington sports fans are the ultimate fair weather fans, and whether the Lerners have botched baseball's return to the District by failing to make more of an effort to produce a winning team or to educate the fan base on a game that many simply do not know well.

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Penna Ave.: So it must be an election year . . . the (re)paving of Pennsylvania Ave. has started again. I drive parts of it regularly, and with the exception of a couple of rough spots it's in far better condition than probably 90 percent of the city's streets.

Why is any money going to it? Just so there are no bumps when the presidential limo trolls along at 5 mph in January?

Marc Fisher: It's an appalling waste of money--as you say, it's actually one of the best-maintained streets in the city, and to spruce it up every four years to such an extent is an insult to the rest of the city.

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Laurel, Md.: Marc, can we please not waste this great chat talking about Sarah Palin? There are two other chats going on if people want to discuss that....

Marc Fisher: I'm happy to shift gears, but the fact is that right now, more than 90 percent of the comments in the queue are Palin or election-related, so until that mix changes--and it could in just a few minutes--I'm afraid I'm going to have to go with what the people are clamoring for....

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My favorite part?: When Romney said: throw out the Washington big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Er, duh, conservative Republican George Bush has been president for nearly the last 8 years.

Marc Fisher: It never ceases to amaze me how hungrily so many people snarf up the rhetoric about smashing the Washington crowd and dissing the Washington fatcats and refusing to take part in the Washington wine and cheese parties and so on. Of course, John McCain is the ultimate creature of Washington, as integral a part of the politico-social scene as there is, even if that scene is far more boring and far less opulent than the Republicans make it out to be in their campaign rhetoric.

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NW, D.C.: I was a 17-year-old boy at one time. I felt doubly sorry for that kid. Was it right for him to be paraded in front of America too?

That kid was not even ready to be seen with the family last night, let alone be a father. Yes, he has a responsibility to that unborn child but this whole situation seems forced. If he were my son, I would not have allowed him to participate in that charade last night. If Palin is not elected how much are you willing to bet he does not marry the daughter.

Marc Fisher: My bet is that that is one wedding we never see happen. If the kid's MySpace page is to be believed, then he doesn't seem hugely interested in the whole family thing in the first place. There are so many sad aspects to this story, but the idea that these two teenagers might be forced into a marriage that otherwise might never have happened is appalling and ultimately about as cynical as it gets.

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Bowie, Md.: Marc Fisher:: The reports on that incident in her hometown have been curiously light on details. They have Palin stating her desire to have certain books removed from the schools, but so far nothing on specifically which books were being discussed. If anyone has seen more detail on that, please come ahead.

So why are you reporting this as fact? In an offhanded way, yes, but as an established fact just the same.

Marc Fisher: It was Time magazine that first reported the book-banning story, and it had direct quotations from Palin on the subject. I've not seen any reporting or objections that deny the story or counter it in any way. But I am frustrated that there isn't more detail, and I hope some editors somewhere are ordering up reporting that fleshes out that piece.

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Washington, D.C.: Another Amtrak clarification: Unlike the airlines, they actually have no fees and no capacity controls on awards. If the seat is there, it's yours. Joe Biden is doubtless a Select Plus (top elite) in the Guest Rewards program, and Amtrak does allow them to cash in additional points for travel during blackout periods.

I'd wager that he spends his own money on Amtrak Acela fares, which is probably cheaper than a mortgage on a nice Capitol Hill rowhouse. By the way, Amtrak's fares reflect the market (as well as government pressure to reduce losses).

Marc Fisher: I wouldn't worry terribly much about Joe Biden's ability to afford his nightly train ride. I merely note that the fares are such that such a commute would be out of reach for most Americans.

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Betterton, Md.: It struck me as positively creepy to allow a 5-year-old to tend a disabled 4-month-old on TV. I'm amazed that someone thought the head-licking thing was cute -- and certainly the GOP operatives pulled the visibly shell-shocked family out of the arena soon after it occurred...I'm a working mother myself but I think a woman who has a pregnant teenage daughter and a Down Syndrome infant should be stepping down from the governorship, not taking on a job with vastly MORE responsibility. She's already doing the mother part of the job very poorly...I think the male commentators -- who overwhelmingly predominate as pundits -- are missing the boat on how women will view this situation because they found the former beauty queen attractive.

Marc Fisher: Oh no, I don't think the stage managers had the slightest problem with the hair-licking bit--they, like most viewers I've heard from, adored that moment. If anything, we're more likely to see the little girl tending to the baby after that scene.

To the larger point, I too would think that a family that suddenly has to deal with a child with such severe needs would need at least a time out from its regular duties and routines, and running for vice president hardly counts as a time out. But while my own reaction is more like yours, I think that based on what I've heard while out reporting, many more people see Palin as a symbol of the strains that working mothers face, and see her apparent ability to juggle the two roles as inspirational.

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Mission Accomplished:90 percent of a Metro columnist's chat queue is filled with questions about Palin. I need a refresher, who is this guy Barak Obama? It seems I heard his name last week, but I can't put my finger on it this week. The story line that Palin is unknown outside of Alaska needs to be rewritten.

Marc Fisher: The convention weeks are, charmingly enough, still so focused on the party holding its big bash that the other candidate tends to vanish from public consciousness. So the real test begins next week, as the two sides begin having to jockey for public attention and as we roll toward the debates. Big questions: How long can the GOP keep Palin from the rough and tumble of exchanges with reporters and audiences of real people? And how easily will Dems fall into the trap of going after Palin as if she were Dan Quayle?

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Falls Church, Va.: You're right about classic rock when you say that "younger listeners have little emotional connection to that music." Increasingly, they know it as the theme music to TV commercials.

"Start Me Up": Microsoft

"Smile On Your Brother": Cola, diapers

"Mr. Blue Sky": Volkswagen

The list goes on....

Marc Fisher: Right, and that's why classic rock stations do get some younger listeners, but you may see even more of a move toward oldies in commercial radio because as the younger generation increasingly turns away from radio entirely as a music source, the commercial imperative will be to chase after those listeners who remain, which will be those on the higher end of the money demographic.

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Washington, D.C.: Dead intersection? Wisconsin and Albemarle? Are you nuts? Have you ever tried crossing the street there or tried making a left hand turn? I don't have a dog in the development fight, but that is hardly a dead intersection.

Marc Fisher: Compare that stretch to Friendship Heights a few blocks north, or to Woodley Park or Cleveland Park over on Connecticut Avenue, and you'll agree that Tenleytown is the District's most underdeveloped Metro station on the Red Line, a potential retail bonanza that has failed to develop because government has remained captive to a loud handful of residents who want to keep things artificially sparse.

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Bowie Baysox are in the playoffs!: The Baysox lost a 12 inning EPIC last night. I left with my kids at 11 p.m. and missed the end. Two rows behind the dugout for $14.00.

Only about 600 people showed up.

I am sure they could use the moral support tonight.

GO SOX!!!!

Marc Fisher: You heard the fan--get on out there! At least there's one local team with a winning way.

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re: Amtrak: They offer a monthly ride ticket, $1,062.00 between D.C. and Wilmington. A lot of money for a commute? Sure, but as someone mentioned, less than keeping a residence in D.C. Also, Biden isn't exactly rolling in the dough, but making over $100k/yr, you can probably afford $1k/mo in transit costs.

Marc Fisher: Right, and if I recall his financial disclosure forms correctly, he's even better situated than his salary would indicate.

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Washington, D.C.:"If anything, we're more likely to see the little girl tending to the baby after that scene."

No. This is a case of a male trying to guess what females like. Me, and my women friends and family (Reps and Dems alike) didn't particularly dig that moment.

Marc Fisher: I'm merely passing along what I'm hearing from other women--my own reaction is more along the lines of yours.

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VP Debate:: Palin: Hillary Clinton cracked the glass ceiling and I'm here to break it.

Biden: Governor, I served with Hillary Clinton. I know Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is my friend. Governor, you're no Hillary Clinton.

Marc Fisher: If that exchange, or anything like it, were to occur, you'd see Palin's numbers shoot up and Biden's droop considerably. One of the really juicy things about this campaign is going to be watching both sides trying to navigate the sensitivities of an electorate that will be on the lookout for comments and tactics that smack of sexism, racism, and all the other offenses that this generation has taught itself to watch for so avidly.

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Ward 2: Since you mentioned the DC primaries, any thoughts on Evans and Silverman in Ward 2? I live on the "Silverman side" of the ward, but it isn't clear to me what Evans has done that my neighbors find so egregious.

Marc Fisher: It's good to see neighborhood activists like Cary Silverman stepping up and getting involved in city politics in a way that doesn't happen nearly enough in Washington. But my sense of Jack Evans is that while he is obviously very close to many business interests in the city and he's hardly the guy who's likely to stand up against developers in a radical way, he is nonetheless one of the two or three most well-informed members of the council, and is in many ways the financial brains of the council, and that's essential in a time when we have a mayor who is playing a lot of games with moving money around from agency to agency.

And from a purely parochial perspective, Ward 2 has done very, very well under Evans.

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Washington, DC: Marc, I've been gunning to vote against Carol Schwartz since she came out against the mayor taking over the school system -- now I've got my chance. Do you agree that Fenty/Rhee are doing amazing things re: improving D.C. schools; and, if so, how can you still support Schwartz?

Marc Fisher: I agree that Fenty and Rhee are taking some exciting and potentially important steps, and that the jury is still out on whether those steps will pay off in the long run. But yes, I'd far rather that they attempt to remake the school system than that we sit back and let kids be lost in those schools.

That said, I want the likes of Schwartz there because she's one of fewer than a handful of council members who really hold the city's administrators' feet to the fire. And while I wouldn't have voted as she did on the mayoral takeover, I very much want there to be smart, vocal dissenters on that council, and there really aren't many at all.

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Falls Church, Va.: MF: "the idea that these two teenagers might be forced into a marriage that otherwise might never have happened is appalling and ultimately about as cynical as it gets."

No, "as cynical as it gets" is assuming that just because they're making a choice differently than you would have necessarily means that they're being coerced.

Marc Fisher: Oh, so it's mere coincidence that the pregnancy and the wedding plans were announced as rumors about the family were peaking and the hours were ticking away before Palin's big speech?

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Petworth, D.C.: Hmph, there's no need to go to Bowie to see AA Orioles in the playoffs. Head out to middle-of-nowhere Virginia where the A Nationals are in the Carolina league playoffs. (Won in 15 innings last night!)

Marc Fisher: Does success trickle up to the big league level?

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Down Syndrome Babies Special Needs: are not different from any infant's special needs, as I recall from a family member with a Down Syndrome baby, unless they have a genetic heart defect. The special needs come more as the child becomes school-aged. So I'm not saying one way or another what Sarah Palin should be doing with Trig, but I don't think right now she views him as any different from her other children.

Marc Fisher: Good point, but I also keep hearing from mothers who are astonished both that Palin went back to work within a couple of days after giving birth and that that decision is now being greeted with cheers by the same social conservatives who have long argued that we should make it easier for women to be able to stay home with their babies.

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It struck me as positively creepy to allow a 5-year-old to tend a disabled 4-month-old on TV: I guess Betterton, Md. (where the heck is that place?) and you are from very small families, because in my very large family everyone helped out with the little ones, and if you're 5 years old you were old enough to hold your month-old-brother, disabled or not, and my younger brother is. Not a big deal to people in big families, so I'd back away from being so judgmental.

Marc Fisher: I didn't have any problem with that, and I agree that many five-year-olds can indeed take on some responsibilities with a baby. I do wonder how appropriate it is for the family to trot out the kids for the cameras over and over again and then complain that people are talking about the family.

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Anonymous: Is Moose tartare the red meat the GOP is looking for? Pretty gamey if you ask me!

Marc Fisher: I've not had the pleasure, but I hear mooseburgers are delish. Anyone know of anyplace in these parts that serve moose?

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Anonymous: Marc Please, what's the deal with the fees charged in these local high schools. Seems like they have been kind of an exclusive link to certain AP level classes. I can see a lab fee, but $100 for a book in public school?

Marc Fisher: Most of the fees in this week's story didn't seem all that outrageous. I certainly don't see any objection to charging kids extra for taking part in extracurricular programs, as long as there is a mechanism for taking care of those families that can't afford the fees. But I would definitely draw the line at books and AP course fees--money should not be a barrier for public school students to take advantage of any academic program that could help them push themselves to a higher level.

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Anonymous: I ride Metro in PG, is there any alternative in the works for Metro shuttles to the games from the subway? I always thought METRO was a quasi public-private partnership. Why can't they openly bid and compete for the contract against private operators? I volunteered at Redskin games. I literally left the game and was far from the last one to leave FEDEX after 1:30 a.m. on a Monday/Thursday night game. It's no way I was walking to Landover Mall or the subway that late at night.

Marc Fisher: The walk is a mile and while that's not a problem for most people, there ought to be alternatives for those who cannot make it all the way to the Metro. The ridiculous federal rule that prevents transit systems from having their buses used for a commercial purpose like this needs to be revisited--here, for once, is a local issue that Congress could and should get involved in.

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Anonymous: I still think FRESH FISHER sounds better!! Don't like it? Sashimi, I mean so sue me.

Marc Fisher: Hmm, I think we're heading to the end of the show here....

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Georgetown: What are your thoughts on Carol Schwartz's challenger, Patrick Mara?

Marc Fisher: I haven't seen much of him, and there's grumbling down at the Wilson Building about the fact that he doesn't appear to have been involved in city politics or government before mounting this challenge to Carol Schwartz. But he seems like a smart and committed guy. I just wish he had made his passion for D.C. politics evident before announcing his candidacy.

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Washington, D.C.: Running against the "Washington cocktail party circuit." What is so funny about this is that, according to a piece in Vanity Fair earlier this year, the last gasp of real Washington glitter occurred during the presidency of...Ronald Reagan. All of his well to do "California Kitchen Cabinet" pals and their dressed to the nines wives descended on D.C. and threw wingdings the likes of which had not been seen since the Kennedy Administration.

Marc Fisher: Quite right--there certainly was a time when elected officials and lobbyists and journalists traveled in similar social circles and had strong informal connections, but that time is largely a thing of the past and lives on mainly in the fantasies of the angry and the disenfranchised, and in the phony rhetoric of politicians on both sides of the aisle.

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Columbia, Md.: It isn't if D.C. fans are fair-weather or not. It's just that we know our loyalty won't be rewarded. Once the Nats start winning, ticket prices will shoot up. And the ownership will ignore the average fan even more, focusing on the high dollar folks.

Marc Fisher: Maybe, but the Nats announced yesterday that they are reducing ticket prices in large portions of the ballpark, probably in anticipation of the new stadium's sophomore slump, and, unfortunately, with the likelihood that next year's team will be almost as awful as this year's.

And my sense is that there is another round of ticket price slashing still to come--on the super-premium seats that never got much action this season.

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Stop now D.C.: Good God you are in the tank for Palin. She's new, she gave a speech, we are learning about her, and you've decreed that she's won Virginia and women are swooning. How come when Obama gave a great speech its "just words," but her speech put to bed all doubts about her and made her a star? I thought Richard Cohen's man-crush on McCain was embarrassing, but this is worse. And has nothing to do with local affairs, which is purportedly your beat.

Marc Fisher: I've hardly decreed that she's won Virginia--no, there's an actual campaign to be waged, and the Obama folks are pumping resources into Virginia in an unprecedented manner. And with the Mark Warner campaign running way ahead of the opposition, I expect Virginia to be much tighter than in any election since the 1960s.

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Atlanta, Ga.: Seems you were quite dismissive last week when discussion of 'community organizer' came up.

But what exactly did Mr. Obama organize? Who paid him? If he did such a great job, why is no one pointing to his successes? What exactly did he do? And in whose interest was it?

Marc Fisher: I loved the way the Repos jumped all over Obama's community organizing stint last night--they correctly deduced that many Americans look with considerable skepticism at that job description.

In fact, Obama was by all accounts doing idealistic and useful work in that period, and clearly, he honed his political skills through that work. But now it's up to him to sell that point--all in all, a fair and important exchange as the country tries to learn who he really is.

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Manassas, Va.: With regards to Palin (and the entire campaign), let's face it -- there's a certain script that the media and the public seem to follow every election now and we are at the stage that leads to the Republicans winning. Regardless of how bad things are, how much the public agrees with Democratic positions on the issues, somehow the spin favors the GOP and people vote on illusion, not reality.

Simply put, I think Palin's a joke, it's a farce to even consider her a VP contender, it's a bigger farce to think that McCain made this choice and wants to be considered a credible leader, yet today we are being told she hit a home run. Okay, whatever.

Marc Fisher: I don't see a contradiction there. Yes, she hit a home run--it was a delightful and revealing performance. But obviously there remain deep and essential questions about her preparation and credentials, and about McCain's process in picking her. And yes, there are indeed issues and people do care about them. So after the artificial atmosphere of the conventions lifts, there will be plenty of time for the country to focus on who will really be effective at turning around the economy and who will lead us toward a smart way to combat terrorism, and who will persuade Americans how we ought to present ourselves to the rest of the world.

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Des Moines, Iowa: Marc, I would like to back you up about white Protestants voting for Obama. Iowa is 93 percent white and 75 percent Protestant and we are overwhelmingly backing Obama over McCain. Do you sense any worry by voters that Palin has a good chance of being POTUS if McCain is elected? McCain is over 70 and the presidency seems to age people at an alarming rate. If I were a McCain supporter I would be very worried.

Marc Fisher: Even from those who were charmed by Palin last night, I continue to hear a lot of very deep doubts about her readiness to become president. So again, while Palin did what she had to do last night, there are still many questions out there, and properly so.

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NOVA: I think its telling that at the Dem convention, anytime Obama said anything against McCain, the crowd cheered. Last night, the crowed booed when Palin said anything against Obama. Just seems to me to me a different mindset ,

Marc Fisher: Interesting observation. I'd have to go back and watch the tapes to get a sense of what that means and if it's really the case. But I like the observation.

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Palin's speech: I didn't think it was that great(course, I was biased going in). And granted, I just listened to the first half, but she just seemed so aggressive and negative about Obama, very few positive points about where she wants the country to go. But the kicker for me was my Republican husband asking me during the speeches last night how he can change his affiliation to the Democratic party...

Marc Fisher: And here's another perspective....

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Hamilton, Va.: I was at a Curves (women's exercise place) this morning, and Sarah Palin wowed them. But it was all form over substance. How nice to see a woman in a skirt -- they were sooo tired of Hillary's pantsuits! I think emotions play a great deal in voting decisions, so as an Obama supporter, I don't like what I'm hearing.

Marc Fisher: Just a couple more and we have to go....

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Germantown, Md.: I am confused and upset. On the one hand, Senator Obama sells himself as the candidate who transcends race. On the other, I read several articles that tell me I have a chance to expiate my racist past by voting for him. I will not vote for Obama, and it has nothing to do with race. I will never vote for any candidate who thinks that more government is the answer to every problem we face. I realize there are racists -- of every color -- and am very upset by those who tell me if I don't vote for him I am a racist. I would vote for Colin Powell in a heartbeat, and DID vote for Michael Steele in 2006. I guess they aren't authentic enough.

Marc Fisher:...and one more...

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Baltimore, Md.: The first question I'd ask Sarah Palin: Why do you think hunting wolves from aircraft is a "sport?" I am sure that this grotesque exercise in blood lust will do wonders for Palin's image among soccer moms.

Marc Fisher: Ouch!

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Arlington, Va.: Regarding Sarah Palin -- her speech seemed like a lot of the same old, same old attack lines but not a lot of policy. However, since she's the VP candidate, maybe that's her role at a convention, so I didn't have a particular problem with it (although I did find her repeated references to "our opponent" very annoying and dehumanizing, and I continue to be irritated with the Republican meme that you're either with us or you are not a true American). I'm more interested in seeing how she responds to questions in a debate or in an interview.

Marc Fisher: Ok, have to wrap up for today. Thanks very much to all for coming along and ritual apologies to those I couldn't get to.

Back next week after the D.C. primary to chew over what happens there, and then we're into the meat of the campaign (a hard thing to say after a year and a half of campaigning, but you know what I mean)...

More on the blog every day, and in the column coming up on Sunday. Thanks again.

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