Potomac Confidential

Washington's Hour of Talk Power

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: A Street Where Businesses Still Have Some Sense ( Post, Sept. 25)

Fisher was online Thursday, Sept. 25, at Noon ET to look at the response to the financial crisis around the Washington area's main streets, the results of The Washington Post's Virginia election poll, and plans to reshape Tysons Corner.

A transcript follows.

Check out Marc's blog, Raw Fisher.

In his weekly show, Fisher veers wildly from serious probing to silly prattle, and is open to topics local, national, personal and more.

Archives: Discussion Transcripts

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Marc Fisher: Welcome aboard, folks. Well, well, things are getting interesting, huh? Quite a chess game in the presidential campaign, and of course Virginia has a front-row seat. It's kind of neat to be a battleground state--and those of us in the District and Maryland benefit too: After four decades of having to read about it from afar, we finally get to see what a presidential campaign looks like. (Though, judging by your emails and comments, you've seen those TV ads and decided you'd rather go back to the usual fare of insurance and credit cards commercials.)

Speaking of which, everything's dissolving around us, or something like that. Today's column visits some small business owners who, unlike the Wall Street fat cats whom we're now supposed to bail out, did their business on the up and up. Should they--we--now have to bear the burden of this massive bailout? Do you buy the notion that the Washington area is likely to come out ahead--protected against the worst of the economic downturn because of the government's presence here, and poised to benefit from the possible creation of a vast new bureaucracy to conduct this mega-bailout?

Less globally, there are increasing rumblings of big budget cuts in Virginia, Maryland and now the District as well--so maybe we're not so well insulated against the pain. How bad do you expect it to get here, and what impact will all this have on how you vote in November?

Sunday's column profiled a Hillary Clinton supporter--a Bethesda psychologist who lives in the District--who made the big switch and even spoke at the Fairfax City rally for John McCain and Sarah Palin. Dozens of you wrote in to accuse me of scouring the planet for the one woman who made that switch of allegiance. But more than 400 of you wrote in to say that you are that woman, just like Lynette Long, and that your reasons are identical to those that Long spelled out in that column.

We've also got a new chapter or two in the local stadium struggles--Prince George's County strengthens its bid to build a soccer stadium for D.C. United, issuing a report detailing the economic benefits to a move of the team to the suburbs. Now it's the District's move. And the Nationals end their lost season with a pathetic whimper and the smallest crowds of the year; time for some big changes on that front, and paying the city its rent would be a great first step.

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

Yay to the Virginia State Police and their superintendent, who took a stand in favor of following a federal court's ruling and prohibiting police chaplains from talking specifically about Jesus in prayers at public events. The court and the state police both say that such publicly-supported prayer in a taxpayer-supported setting must be nondenominational, and even though six volunteer police chaplains have now resigned in protest over that decision, it's the right policy and the right way to send the message that the police represent everyone.

Nay to the D.C. Board of Elections, which is doing everything but building voter confidence as the November election draws near. The board has still not certified the results of this month's primary vote nor has the board been transparent or remotely encouraging about its investigation of the election night mess that threw into question the results in a couple of races. They couldn't get a low-turnout primary right and now they're going to be in charge of a presidential race with perhaps the highest turnout in history?

Your turn starts right now--but wait: One more thing. I have a nice prize from the Vast Vat of Values for the reader who comes up with the most entertainingly plausible conclusion for this presidential debate drama. What will happen on that stage in Mississippi tomorrow night and how will we get to that moment? Spell out your quick vision of the next 30 hours and at the end of our hour together, I'll award the most creative entry (the winner should then email me with an address to which I can send your prize.)

Play on....

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Arlington, Va.: Marc, As a newspaper insider can you explain why do gaffes and mistatements by Sen. Biden -- Roosevelt was not President in 1929 and TV wasn't invented until later --( Biden's Gaffe Immunity ( Slate, Sept. 24)) get a pass in the media, while if Gov. Palin made similar statements (see the reaction to her response to the Bush doctrine question from her ABC interview), the media machine would plaster it all across the front page?

Marc Fisher: I can't say I buy your premise entirely. After all, how else do we know about Biden's strange comment about FDR going on TV except from the media who you say are giving him a pass. But there is indeed a difference in the way the Biden gaffe was covered and how any and every utterance by Sarah Palin is covered--and with good reason.

Since the conventions, Biden has given something like 55 interviews and news conferences. The guy talks and talks and talks. So voters get to listen and make an informed choice. Palin, in stark contrast, has given two national TV network interviews and a couple of sessions with friendly outlets. Biden has a voluminous record over the years; Palin is an unknown. So every word she utters is multiplied. That's just the natural course of human events: If you have a friend who never stops yammering and another one who issues a few words of advice every year or two, guess which person you're going to pay more attention to?

But there is another dynamic at work here: Because Palin's handlers are so anxious to keep her away from voters ' and reporters' questions, her rare encounters with the outside world become highly charged. That leads to abuses like CBS anchor Katie Couric's unfair trick on last night's Evening News. Couric interviewed Palin and asked the candidate whether she thought a failure to enact the bailout might lead to conditions like the Great Depression--Couric used that term. Palin then repeated the term and, voila, there's your soundbite, the GOP veep candidate comparing our predicament to the Great Depression. Here's the sleazy part: Couric then interviews John McCain and asks him what he thinks of his running mate using the term "Great Depression" in reference to our current situation. Well, hold on: Yes, Palin said it, but only after and because Couric led her into it. Sure, a more seasoned and savvy politician would avoid falling into that trap, so there is a useful revelation in that Palin wasn't sharp enough to step around the land mine. But for Couric to then twist what had happened in her question to McCain is the sort of trickery that demonstrates how frustrated reporters (and many voters) are by the Republicans' decision to hide their candidate from public scrutiny.

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Potomac, Md.: So now I'm supposed to clap because some Indian immigrant hair stylist makes a profit, or a Bolivian bakery makes payments on a loan?

It's COUNTRY first. Not India first. Not Salvador first. Not China first. COUNTRY FIRST.

washingtonpost.com: A Street Where Businesses Still Have Some Sense ( Post, Sept. 25)

Marc Fisher: How nice. I suppose it wouldn't interest you in the least that the business owners in question are American citizens, or that they have run stable and productive businesses for decades.

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SE, D.C.: Can you give a fair and balanced assessment of the Washington Teacher's Union? I would not be for the Rhee plan if I were a teacher, but status quo isn't acceptable either. The organization just seems chaotic. Are they stuck in another era, do they not have the capacity to handle their current situation or what? It seems to me they would be proactive on some front to counter the negative view of the organization. I am a DCPS parent, but where's the give and take in this situation?

Marc Fisher: The teachers union in the District is a very divided group right now, with a struggle for its leadership and its direction unfolding even as its members must decide whether to go along with Rhee's restructuring of the basic relationship between management and teachers. And then there's the essential fact that this union is just coming out of one of the most dysfunctional periods in its history, a scandal in which the union's leaders ripped off its members of millions of dollars. At bottom, there is a deep split that breaks down by class, race, age, and just about every other difficult divide you can name. I don't think Rhee or the union leaders now believe they can find a consensus on the merit pay issue, so the next step will be seeing what Rhee has in mind for imposing some sort of restructuring on her own.

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Arizona: Can we postpone the election too? I'm not ready for that, and we need to focus on this $ trillion bailout instead. Country first, you know.

Sincerely, John McCain

P.S. I was a P.O.W.

Marc Fisher: My question is, how does he back down from yesterday's dramatic move? There's no advantage for Obama to accede to a delay in the debate, so does McCain declare victory and go on with the debate, or does he pretend he's the linchpin of the bailout plan and let Obama speak on an otherwise empty stage?

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Arlington, Va.: What are the odds that the Tysons Corner plan actually come to fruition? I'd say slim to none because the traffic along the surface streets can support the density, even with Metro and HOT lanes. I've turned down two very good job offers in that area simply because I don't want to be stuck in traffic every day. I can't imagine what it would be like with 3 or 4 times as many people living and working there.

Marc Fisher: Triple the number of people going to Tysons every day and you could have gridlock, or you could have an exciting, dynamic urban center. A lot depends on how the place is designed and how the density is achieved. Many people would far rather work in a densely-packed downtown with great people-watching, pedestrian-friendly streets, creative retail and usable parks than in a suburban office park where you have to drive to lunch and are otherwise mainly captive in your building.

The transformation of Tysons is wholly dependent on building out the Metro line and then supplementing it with effective streetcars, trolleys, people movers or connector buses. If developers and government merely put up mid-rise buildings on the parking lots of existing offices and malls, the area will be a disaster zone. But if a real new city is created, it could be the best thing to happen to northern Virginia since Old Town developed.

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Arlington, Va.: Last week's discussion about most voters not being on the fringe on either side reminded me of a column I read earlier in the year by Alan Ehrenhalt in Governing Magazine. The Irritable Centrists ( Governing.com) It captured my feelings pretty accurately at the time and it is still a pretty good reading on many of us who are more in the center politically.

Marc Fisher: He's very good. If you like that piece, you should also explore the new book, "Why We Hate Us," by Dick Meyer, who runs NPR.org--it's a riveting explanation of how we got to this difficult moment in our history, and Meyer too argues that we are not nearly as politically polarized as the simplistic cable TV narrative would have us believe, but that we have lost our way and lost many of the bonds that make us into a community.

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Re: Potomac's comments: Uh, these small business owners LIVE in this country, EMPLOY people in this country, PAY TAXES in this country. What does this "Country First" slogan thing have to do with anything? I get it, you hate immigrants, but these people CHOSE to come here and are productive, tax paying members of our society. You missed the entire point of the column. These people ARE putting this country first -- by paying their bills and contributing to the tax base.

Marc Fisher: Thank you.

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Atlanta, Ga.: You are obviously a liberal hack. Please stop pointing out that Biden talks endless and Palin is seldom made available. Palin has said all she needs to say. Why does have to talk to journalists at all? She speaks directly to we the people. You, the evil media, would only take her words out of context.

Marc Fisher: Well, given the lame questions that voters tend to ask in those presidential debates that have been held in the town hall format, we can see why candidates love that format. But Palin hasn't even done that sort of forum. Unlike her running mate or either of the Democratic candidates, she has devoted nearly all of her appearances to repeating the same speech she made at the convention. That's hardly speaking directly to the people.

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What will happen Friday night?: McCain will stay in Washington claiming that he needs to focus his entire attention on the financial bailout. Obama will claim that McCain is stalling and trying to get out of the debate. McCain will not show up at the university, because he will be in D.C. and his campaigning will still be suspended. Obama will appear on stage alone and answer questions from the moderator, all the while bashing McCain for not showing up and "giving the American people the debate they deserve."

Marc Fisher: Could be, but how does that help McCain? Sure, if he is seen to be playing a leading role in creating a bailout package that the people embrace, that's a total victory for him. But given the sour reception that the bailout has had so far in much of the country, it's hard to see that scenario playing out. Other ideas?

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Chicago, Ill.: I'm an Obama supporter, so take that for what you will, but my ideal scenario tomorrow would be for Obama to spend a couple hours talking with the audience about the economy, their fears and hopes, and what this all means for America's future. They can have an empty chair for McCain or whatever, and at the end Obama can thank everyone for their time and we call it a night. I don't recall Lincoln and Douglas postponing their debates because slavery was a hot button issue. Quite the contrary . . .

Marc Fisher: I love the way McCain improvises and goes for the long ball--his would surely be an exciting and different kind of presidency. But as Republican strategists told The Post's Dan Balz in today's story, this move seems awfully odd and not well thought out. This is yet another chapter that helps define the differences between these two candidates--impulsive vs. cautious, hot vs. cool. Yet both seem uncomfortable in their own ways with ideology, which is why both have captured the public imagination.

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It's kind of neat to be a battleground state: Sorry, which is the battleground state?

Surely you do not mean Virginia. It won't even be close (McCain).

Marc Fisher: Ok, we shall see. I agree with you that McCain is likely to win in Virginia, but I don't see any evidence of a rout forthcoming. Neither side's strategists foresee anything like that.

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Washington, D.C.: Instead of DELAYING the debate, what we actually need to do is get Congress to MOVE UP the election, and the inauguration. Too many people in Congress and the administration are hesitant to do anything quickly because they're up for reelection, and because a change in administration could (likely will) yield dramatically different policies.

So let's bump everything up by 6 weeks, figure out who's going to lead us for the next 4 years, and let them roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Marc Fisher: You'd surely win a big majority of votes with that idea. Too bad we have this little thing called the Constitution....

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Charlottesville, Va. : I liked column in today's paper. It's good to be reminded about the local businessman who pays his loans on time and doesn't over-extend himself. But it seems kind of small-minded to demonize everybody who uses terms like "mortgage-backed securities" in explaining the meltdown. I don't totally understand the market forces at work here, but I do understand that it's not an issue that fits nicely into a 10-second soundbyte (or a 18-inch column). That doesn't mean the people trying to explain the reasons for a bailout are all elitist jerks who don't get it themselves.

Though my wife and I pay our mortgage on time and are kind of ticked that our tax dollars could be used to cover for those who don't (and for the banks that finaced them) these fancy talkers have convinced me that the absence of a bailout might translate to layoffs, less credit availability and the further tanking of our 401Ks. So I guess I'm saying that while it's easy to strike a populist position here and demonize the bailout, I'm more worried about the consequences of doing nothing.

I'm no Bush fan, but I thought he did a pretty good job making the case last night.

Marc Fisher: Well, we'll have to differ on this one. I appreciate the kind words about the column, but I know that this can be explained in a clear, concise way. The problem is that, as Chuck Schumer is quoted as saying in today's paper, hardly anyone on the Hill really understands this stuff. And that's not Congress-bashing to say that: Hardly anyone in our whole country understands what's happening here. President Bush made a bit of an effort to lay it out in clear terms last night, but then he fell into a puddle of jargon and couldn't climb out of it. My 12-year-old son, trying to make some sense of the dense, jargon-splattered copy in the newspaper, offered this: "It's like the bank scene in 'It's a Wonderful Life.'" And while that only explains part of the puzzle, it's a really good start, and it's exactly the kind of approach our politicians and journalists should be taking in creating an informed electorate.

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washingtonpost.com: Selfless or Reckless? McCain Gambles On Voters' Verdict ( Post, Sept. 25)

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Silver Spring, Md.: Re: The Palin Bubble "Palin has said all she needs to say." I've heard this talking point in other places. My response is that Palin is an unknown on the national scene and has not been campaigning for the past two years. I've got lots of questions.

If she has exhausted all that she has to say, then she has made my November choice very simple.

Marc Fisher: Right, and certainly that's the view that many Democrats take. But I get a lot of mail from Republicans and independents alike who say that they don't want to hear Palin on policy because they figure she can learn that stuff later. What they cherish about her is exactly her ignorance of all this Washington policy stuff--they see her as someone who would come in fresh and look at it with the same kind of distanced approach that you and I might. It's a lovely, very American sentiment, but it is just that--a sentiment, not a reasoned approach.

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Baltimore, Md.: Marc: Love the fact that the poster in Atlanta refers to the "evil media," but participates in a Post online chat. I generally don't want to talk to Satan, do you?

On more serious note, the Lynette Long thing has me totally flabbergasted as a lifelong liberal Democrat. By this logic, Long would have been happy to vote for Eva Braun and overlook the fact that her boyfriend had some rather extreme notions about race and war. It makes absolutely no sense. And, of course, if I said I was voting for a man because he's a man, Ms. Long would get the vapors.

Marc Fisher: Oh, now you're against double standards, too?

I found Long to be a smart, deliberate and well-reasoned interviewee. I don't agree with her decision that identity politics is more important than basic principles, but I like the idea that she sees more value in being a provocateur than in going along with politics as usual. My sense from many readers is that they are not switching from Clinton to Palin to be as provocative as Long likes to be, but rather because they feel an emotional affinity with both Clinton and Palin, and the merits of most Washington policy matters just don't register with them.

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Can you give a fair and balanced assessment of the Washington Teacher's Union? : No, he cannot.

Marc Fisher: Good one...

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Atlanta, Ga.: re: DCPS. It is very interesting what is going on there. In Atlanta (and my kid is in the city school), we are making progress, but also, can't get rid of bad teachers.

I have a simple question...I know that the superintendent is trying to get to pay for performance. So current teachers can decide if they want to go on that plan. The problem is the good ones will sign up -- the bad ones will keep the status quo (for obvious reasons). But are new teachers who are being hired just going to the pay for performance plan? So in that way, going forward, it would be a better system? Cause otherwise, I don't see how it would work.

Marc Fisher: Doesn't strike me as much of a problem if good teachers sign up for the extra money and are then held to a higher standard. And sure, the worst teachers are unlikely to volunteer to have their performance measured--so they would get lower pay raises and yes, the system might be stuck with them for a while. And yes, new people coming into the system would automatically go into the new merit pay plan.

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Reston, Va. -- Turning chats into political support forums...: To what extent do you think its OK for Post chat hosts to turn their weekly chats into campaign fronts for one candidate or another? Gene Weingarten for example, who is among my favorite writers, routinely insults or puts down chatters who say anything bad about Obama and insinuates that if you care about America you will vote for Obama.

Honestly, it;s a huge turnoff. The Post has enough political chats scheduled on a daily basis. I understand you are all free to do what you want though.

Marc Fisher: Gene has never made a secret of his political views. I try to find a balance between presenting my perspective and offering ideas and reporting from all sides. I make no pretense of being objective--this chat, like my column, takes positions. I don't endorse candidates, though. Sometimes that's hard, but in this presidential race, it's easy--I think these are two of the best candidates we've had to choose from in at least four decades, and I see great merit in both of them.

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Manassas, Va.:'"It's like the bank scene in 'It's a Wonderful Life.'" And while that only explains part of the puzzle, it's a really good start, and it's exactly the kind of approach our politicians and journalists should be taking in creating an informed electorate.

Are you suggesting that the president should be referencing an old Jimmy Stewart movie when addressing the American people?

Is America that dumbed down?

Marc Fisher: There's nothing dumbed down about explaining basic economic concepts--and very complex economic instruments and forces--to a general audience. I don't think I would advise the president to quote Jimmy Stewart's character in an address to the nation, but I'd certainly steal a page from that script and lay out the structure of our problem to the voters in a way that would work for the many, many millions of us who never studied economics.

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RE: What will happen Friday night?: : Friday afternoon, the bailout bill passes in the House, then goes to the Senate. The bill passes 51-49 with no threat of a presidential Veto. McCain jets off to debates claiming he's the hero for casting the deciding vote. Obama's not present at the Senate vote, having left earlier to prepare for the debates.

Marc Fisher: That would be 50-49, in that case.

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Dumb question: I know there's a lot of logistics involved, but why doesn't Obama double down on McCain and offer to meet him to debate in D.C.? Lots of open auditoriums or TV studios around here.

Marc Fisher: I like that one.

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SE, D.C.: Maybe I am confused, McCain is not part of the Finance Committee. He will have no part in this issue until it comes to the floor of the Senate. The Republicans are absolutely masterful in taking advantage of the lack of knowledge of the American public. I would say the media is complicit, but i would doubt if any of the journalist know how Congress works.

Marc Fisher: But wasn't it nifty how the president worked into his purportedly bipartisan or nonpartisan speech last night that he has called Obama and McCain back to Washington to meet with him today? Nice to see McCain and Bush coordinating their campaign efforts.

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Takoma Park, Md.: Before this chat, I had never realized that "Country first" was taken by its base to mean racial code for insulting non-European Americans. Thanks, Potomac, for clueing us all in. We all just learned something about the Republican base.

Marc Fisher: This is a longstanding Republican trope--think back to '68 and My Country, Right or Wrong.

The Democrats open themselves up to this sort of coded language with their cultural deafness, their persistent inability to embrace notions of patriotism, faith and service in any persuasive manner.

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Richmond, Va.: I have to say I would vote a big Nay against your Yay of the day. This is a Christian country and polic chaplians not only should be allowed to invoke the name of Jesus in public ceremonies, they should be required. This is yet another example of our permissive, liberal leaning society persecuting Christians. It only gives us Palin supporters even more motivation to get a true Christian in the White House.

Marc Fisher:"This is a Christian country"??

If this country "persecutes Christians," I'd like to see what you think of, say, Saudi Arabia.

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Alexandria, Va.:"Yay to the Virginia State Police and their superintendent, who took a stand in favor of following a federal court's ruling and prohibiting police chaplains from talking specifically about Jesus in prayers at public events"

I agree. But I also say "yah" to the six chaplains that resigned. The rules changed and they said they couldn't opperate under those conditions. I like people that stand up for their principles.

Of course now it will become a political thing and no one will end up looking good.

Marc Fisher: Good point--absolutely right, if those troopers couldn't perform their religious rites according to their principles by praying nondenominationally, then they were indeed absolutely right to bow out. Surely others can manage that bit of tolerance.

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Woodbridge, Va.: Did you hear that on Tuesday radio station DC-101 announced on air that the Greaseman had died? Thankfully he is alive and well, but it is still unclear if DC-101 originated the hoax as a p.r. stunt or if they were duped by Internet postings.

Marc Fisher: It has all the markings of a classic radio stunt, an attempt to boost listenership by creating buzz around a purported scandal or other such story that you can only hear about in one place. Greaseman, who now does Saturday duties on DC-101, is alive and well (and apparently a bit ticked off that he was declared to be dead.)

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Arlington, Va.: Marc --

Did 94.7 FM change formats again? I had gotten used to and liked their format of diverse music and now it seems to be back to classic rock. Any insight as to what happened?

Thanks!

Marc Fisher: The CBS-owned station has more tweaked than actually changed its format. The attempt to position the station as a green-oriented collection of classic rock and more contemporary rock that would appeal to the environmentally conscious generation flopped. So they're going back to the classic rock roots and they're making one last stab at getting some ratings numbers with that. CBS is looking to dump a lot of its radio stations around the country--they haven't put their Washington properties up for sale yet, but that could happen.

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Doubling Down: Ole' Miss spent a ton of money preparing for this event. It needs to happen, as planned.

Marc Fisher: Not a persuasive reason. Sure, there'd be a lot of disappointment on campus, but that's not a reason to be inflexible. Anyway, it's an academic point--it's hard to imagine the commission on debates acceding to any switcheroo of venue.

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lay out the structure of our problem to the voters in a way that would work for the many, many millions of us who never studied economics. : I don't understand the problem doing this. Put the smartest economists in a room with 2 PR people and a speechwriter or two. Sit there for 2 hours and come out with a speech that does this. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Marc Fisher: Then why hasn't anyone done it?

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Arlington, Va.:"they see her as someone who would come in fresh and look at it with the same kind of distanced approach that you and I might." This is what bothers me -- as some people mentioned on your last chat, I don't want "you or I" running the country. I want someone that has some mix of profound intelligence/experience/leadership abilility, not someone that I think I could be best buds with because we have stuff in common.

Marc Fisher: Yes, but you're deep into the fact-based reality, when many of our fellow countrymen have adopted a new and different approach, one that is driven by affinity and identity, one that is deeply suspicious of the idea that fact, experience and knowledge are credible, trustworthy or useful.

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McLean, Va.: Anyone who thinks that Biden has immunity from being criticized for foot-in-mouth disease has obviously not been watching The Daily Show. Jon Stewart hilariously hoisted Biden on Biden's own petard last night. Stewart made Biden look like a dumb hack.

Stewart also nailed Palin over her U.N. photo-op. And he delivered some serious satire about the indignant remarks of news organizations about their inability to ask questions of Palin.

Marc Fisher: I appreciate the comment and the rejoinder to the earlier post, but I should point out that what we have here is a reader citing The Daily Show as a piece of journalism. Isn't that precisely part of the problem in the divide between those who want to hold Palin to old standards of knowledge and experience and those who want her to be "just like us?"

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The Tree in the Park near the Mailbox: As soon as McCain said he was coming back to Washington to insert himself in the process, Democrats made a concerted attempt to close a deal on the bailout. It looked like they were working feverishly into the night last night to broker a deal to avoid the appearance of McCain saving the day. Barney "My committee is charged with congressional oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac" Frank and Harry Reid both made statements with that indication. The deal still has to get through the House. If you don't think the guy at the top of the ticket will have some influence on that, I've got some mortgage securities to sell you.

Marc Fisher: So what you're saying is that McCain managed to inject partisan politics and thereby speed up a process that had been chugging along with lots of legitimate questions about an ill-defined plan?

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Marc, I've never voted for a Democrat in a general presidential election but as a current independent I want Republicans to answer me this --

How does anyone consider putting Palin just one major health event away from the presidency, with McCain as a man of 71 years in moderately failing health, a responsible vote?

I just can't get over that.

Marc Fisher: I had several emails from Republicans making exactly your point and dubbing themselves "rational Republicans."

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Washington, D.C.: Actually, now that I think about it, the money spent should be a valid reason to not change/cancel the debate. We are in the middle of a crisis that is reflective of our "throw away" mentality. Money spent? Ah well, there's more where that came from. So now the school gets nothing out of it, wasted tens of millions of bucks, and now money is spent elsewhere to set up shop in D.C.? No, doesn't sound right to me.

Marc Fisher: The banners behind the candidates could read, "Ole Miss First."

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RE: 30 Hours: McCain loses on 'Don't Forget the Lyrics'; Obama wins 'The Amazing Race'; Palin wins 'America's Toughest Jobs' by killing a moose using only her glasses; Biden wins $300,000 earmarked dollars from 'Deal or No Deal'.

Marc Fisher: And then they all come together to play that Japanese game where they have to twist their bodies to fit the cutouts that might push them into a vat of water.

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there'd be a lot of disappointment on campus, but that's not a reason to be inflexible. : No, you thick thick man, the poster wasn't talking about the students' disappointment, he/she was referring to the MILLIONS that have been spend getting the campus ready. You don't shrug off that kind of money, use your brain Marc.

Marc Fisher: I'd sooner shrug off all that money than have the country miss out on a debate.

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Arlington, Va.: Great column today, Marc. My wife and I own a small business in Arlington and are struggling to figure out how is it that huge financial institutions are as irresponsible as my 3-year-old in an ice cream shop?! Surely someone, or some group of people, could have seen this coming and averted the disaster. It certainly doesn't happen overnight. We should let these institutions fail, let them realize what happens when you bite off more than you can chew, draw down the economy even more, and maybe EVERYONE will realize at some point that they need to use more common sense when it comes to spending and investing money.

Marc Fisher: Sounds right to me. If a bailout is needed, why shouldn't the government revive the economy through a program of public works that would create millions of jobs, repair our sagging infrastructure, put the money in the hands of those who most need and deserve it, and rebuild the economy from the bottom up rather than leaving it all at the top?

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Navy Yard, D.C.: Marc, Two Sundays ago the ombudsman promised to write more about cartoons, especially one very offensive cartoon concerning Sarah Palin's religion. I'm still waiting to hear from her, but I'm curious from your point of view why The Post will run cartoons making fun of various Christian religions (besides the one in question there were a few about the Pope, etc. ...), but cowers at the idea of printing cartoons concerning the Muslim faith. Is the lesson that riots and violence are effective tools in preventing newpapers form printing offensive cartoons? That's the message I'm getting from The Post.

Marc Fisher: If we're talking about the same cartoon, that never ran in The Post. It appeared through some sort of automated feed on our web site, but not in the newspaper.

I have nothing whatsoever to do with picking editorial cartoons, but speaking solely on my own, I would never choose a cartoon based on its message but rather on its effectiveness at making whatever point it was making. I wouldn't shy from publishing cartoons that poke fun at any religion, no matter how oversensitive some members of that faith might be. An editor's job is to inform, educate, involve and challenge readers, and a cartoonist does his share of that job by provoking and by playing with our stereotypes and our sense of propriety. Poking fun at religions is often the right thing to do, just as poking fun at politicians, journalists or (gasp) readers might also be the right thing to do.

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New England: What will happen Friday: Well, as far as showmanship, you couldn't beat McCain timing it to arrive LATE to the debate: you know, stay in D.C. until the very last minute and then plan on arriving about 30 minutes in -- the delay would be short enough to still hold the debate, while getting everyone talking about why he's not there... Obama and the moderator would be passively waiting for him. And when he got there, he could say "Phew, my friends, I'm sorry I'm late, but I was just in D.C. where the bailout was passed! But I knew I needed to be here with you, so, let's talk foreign policy." Or something like that. But I'm cynical.

Marc Fisher: Now we're getting to it. Political consulting may be in your future.

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Clueless Dems and Sarah Palin: Almost every person I have spoken to who is entranced by Sarah Palin, and energized by her presence on the Republican ticket, has mentioned his or her resentment at what his perceived to be a condescending, arrogant attitude by Democrats like Obama and John Kerry (Bill Clinton usually gets a pass). Lots of people resent being thought of stupid, uneducated rednecks, and they view Ivy Leaguers as clueless eggheads who do not share their views or concerns. I must have had Palin's line about "Scranton v. San Francisco" quoted to me a dozen times. They share William F. Buckley, Jr.'s view that he'd rather be governed by the first twenty names in the Boston phone book than the faculty of Harvard University.

Marc Fisher: Except of course that Buckley didn't really believe that in the least. His entire life was a lovesong to elitism. I'm not sure which is more dishonest and sickening--the Democrats' deafness to their own snobbery and sense of superiority, or the Republicans' cynical pretense of believing in the wisdom of the common man when they actually believe no such thing. The easiest blind quote to get this campaign season is from GOP campaign strategists and politicians who under cover of anonymity are happy to talk about what a dunce they think Palin is and what ruses the American people are for buying her as a legitimate candidate. But the second you ask any of those Republicans if you can quote them by name, they are praising McCain for recognizing the native genius of the average uninformed American.

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Crofton, Md.: I was disappointed to hear Jim Bowden say on the radio yesterday that the Nats will not bring in a big name player "just to attract more fans to the park." How about a big name player who will contribute to some wins and in that way attract more fans to the park?

I thought your list of reasons the Nats don't draw more was right on. Fans will come to the park a couple times just to see the park, but then the on-field product, not minor-league type between innings stunts, is what will draw them back.

The racing Presidents are brilliant. Everything else should go back to the drawing board.

You're also correct about the totally dead atmosphere at Nationals Park, even when the team is winning. The Orioles are so bad that only die-hard fans will continue to go -- that would be me -- but the atmosphere is much more charged even when they are going through their typical "walk everyone in sight and then hit those you don't walk" phsses.

Finally, I would have expected a few more fans to show up to root for the visiting teams. I went to college and law school here in the 1960's, when attendance was laughble everywhere, but, because D.C. attracts people from all parts of the country, there were always sizeable groups cheering for the Indians, Tigers, White Sox, you name it. The same is true at Wizards and Caps games, and at OPACY. Hey, NL fans, we have a team here! And one your team can probably clobber. C'mon out and cheer them on! At least it will add some excitement to the mix.

(The above does not apply to Phillies and Mets fans!)

Marc Fisher: Good points. The fans from other cities do come out--the Nats had very strong crowds for the Cubs, Cards, Dodgers and of course the Mets and Phils. But this is a large and stable enough region that it does not need the fans of the visiting teams the way Baltimore does. And the RFK years prove that: Attendance was very strong when the Nats were doing decently, or when they had an exciting player or two (the Soriano era). Washington fans are hard to get excited, but if you give them something to cheer for, they will come around. The part of this I'm not yet sure about is the role the new stadium plays: First of all, the area around it is such a dead zone that it may put people in the wrong mood. Second and more important, I don't know yet whether its sound design hinders a crowd's role in the game. RFK was an awful stadium, but its enclosed design made it a great place for cheering, and add in the bouncy seats and you had a terrific recipe for the crowd playing a big role in the game, whether it was the Redskins or the Nats.

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Alexandria, Va.: Something to keep in mind about the Nats attendence "woes." Assuming that they lose 100 games (a pretty safe bet), they would have been only the 3rd 100 loss team in baseball history to draw over 2 million people. Yes, I agree, the team is awful and the seats are overpriced, but 2.3 million people is pretty good for a triple A team.

Marc Fisher: That would be impressive if they weren't in a new stadium. But they were. They should have drawn more, even with an awful team.

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Urbana, Md.: I come from some distance to see Nats games, so was happy to see that there is now plentiful parking around the stadium. My question, however, is what does it cost? When I originally checked this out, nearby spaces cost $35-40/game, which is beyond my means. We are casual baseball fans who usually sit in the $10 seats, which are a great bargain, whose appreciation and love of the game is growing -- just the type of people the Nats should be trying to attract! Having moderately priced parking close to the stadium would greatly help achieve that goal.

Marc Fisher: There are plenty of $20 spots within two blocks of the stadium and plenty of $15 spots a few blocks away. But that's just the official story. Unofficially, all you have to do is drive up to any of the lots that don't officially sell daily parking and the attendants will be glad to let you in for half-price (of course they pocket the money, but I'd far rather they get the cash than the parking companies they work for.)

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Bethesda, Md.: Marc, Maybe we should revive: Washington! First in War First in Peace Last in the (now) National League

Marc Fisher: I don't know about the first in peace part.

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Washington, D.C.: The Nationals have very few fans that follow the team closely; almost all of the fans that show up at Nationals Park are either casual fans of the Nats or fans of the opposing team. To this core group of fans, the won-loss record of the Nats isn't nearly as important as having a good time at the ballpark.

IMO, what's missing at Nationals Park is showmanship. If the Nats are not going to field a competitive team, then where is our version of Marvelous Marvin Throneberry? Why not have the Nats' manager, Manny Acta, get into tirades with the umpires, if for no other reason than to entertain the crowd? In short, the Nats should add some spice to the ballpark experience and make it more interesting to those of us who are resigned to the notion that the team will likely be bad to mediocre for many years to come.

Marc Fisher: More showmanship on the field, yes, but less showmanship off the field. I love the scoreboard and the racing presidents and all that, but for the love of God, they have got to get rid of Clint, the moronic clod who acts as official cheerleader and phony TV host of the games.

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The Debate: Let them both stay in D.C for the vote and then conduct it via video feed with the moderator in Mississippi.

Marc Fisher: Goodness, a compromise!

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Atlanta, Ga.: Obama will agree to spend Friday night in D.C. with McCain, but only after insisting that the Ole Miss location be used for a VP debate...

Marc Fisher: But then what about the poor folks at Washington University in St. Louis, who are supposed to be host to Biden and Palin next week?

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You're channelling FDR: Although I think a new New Deal would be a GREAT idea!

Marc Fisher: Sure, but let's also remember that for all of his grand and sweeping efforts, FDR's works programs and other government investments didn't turn around the economy for quite some years. In the end, it was the war, not the works programs that revived the economy. But at least Roosevelt's efforts utterly remade the physical infrastructure of the country, and put millions back to work.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I know you don't have the time or space to explain the entire financial crisis. Here is a basic question if I have decent credit and a trade-in could I get a loan today to buy that pretty yellow Toyota Matrix advertised next to this quesiton block? If I can today then how long before I won't be able to without Congress passing this bailout plan? These are the basic questions the government needs to answer.

Marc Fisher: I wish I knew the answers, but yes, that's exactly the sort of thing we should be able to answer after hearing our representatives debate and explain the situation before they saddle us with a debt that will crush us and our children.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm struck by comments saying that it's perfectly fine for Sarah Palin to be shielded from the press because the media beats her up. If you want to be in politics, local or national, you are going to have to deal with the press. Is the coverage always fair, no, but it comes with the territory. You as a politician need to learn how to handle it, and making yourself unavailable except to friendly crowds doesn't cut it. If you can't handle it, you're in the wrong line of business.

Marc Fisher: Sounds right to me.

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Washington, DC: Not sure if you caught the controversy last night, but McCain was scheduled to be on Letterman and canceled last minute saying he had to be back in D.C. Meanwhile, Letterman found out he lied because he was appearing on Katie Couric which taped at the same time. Because they are all in the CBS family, Letterman had the feed of the interview live and aired it on the show.

My question is there really NO ONE on his team that could spin that better? Yikes.

What about a, "Hey Davey ole pal, I'm really sorry but in light of the serious financial crises going on we feel that it's critical the senator takes the time to talk about these serious economic issues that concern all of us on the news show with Couric.....etc., etc., but we'll be sure to reschedule at another time..."

That's just off the top of my head, but seriously, no one on his team thought it'd be a bad idea to just outright lie? Or they just didn't care about lying or getting caught lying? Hmmm.....that sounds a bit familiar.

Marc Fisher: I didn't see the Letterman, but from what I read, he let McCain have it when he learned what had really happened.

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Arnold, Md.: I assume Nats personnel read this chat, and just wanted to commend the team for providing the free bus service from RFK. It's great! Now that the season is winding down, those of us who take it regularly are worried it might be discontinued. Please don't do that -- it works great!

This was true even on Opening Night, when the buses were mobbed and it took some of us over 2 hours to get into the park. One happy rider exclaimed, if Dan Snyder were doing this, he would charge $18.50 -- and require exact change!

But I do have a question. I take the handicap trams between the drop-off point and the stadium, and always tip the driver as I understand they depend on tips. How about the bus driver? Are they salaried employees or do they depend on tips? Anything to keep this service rolling! Thank you very much.

Marc Fisher: I don't know, sorry--my inclination would be to give the guy a tip (it can't hurt), but I really don't know if those drivers are tip-dependent. Hey, these days, we're all tip-dependent.

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Arlington, Va.: Marc: I just got an e-mail from the Warner campaign that contained a letter from Jason Alexander (George on Seinfeld) telling me that he is throwing his support behind Mark Warner. Why would the Warner campaign distribute this? Do they really think that anyone in Virginia cares who Jason Alexander is supporting? So strange...

Marc Fisher: Ugh. That's sad.

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Washington, D.C.: Here's the next 30 hours.

McCain stays in D.C., lobbies (?!) his colleagues to pass the bailout, then tries to fly down to Mississippi. The tropical northeaster arrives, bringing rain, wind, and a run on toilet paper. Unable to access their lines of credits, grocery stores are unable to re-stock their shelves. Their is no toilet paper, which creates new uses for U.S. currency. Bonfire of vanities are set throughout the streets. McCain is trapped in D.C.

Obama, with the stage to himself, debates an empty chair. But, he still can't complete his answers in the alloted time...

Marc Fisher: Ok, just a couple more and I'll have to declare a winner....

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Anonymous: All the senators Biden, Obama and McCain should be in Washington working on the financial legislation.

Send surrogates, Financial team from both sides. If they don't have a team 40 days out why the heck not?

Of course if Paulson is staying for Mccain that might be an issue.

Marc Fisher: Surrogates? I don't think so--voters need to see the actual person who will be handling the big crises and we need to see them taking tough questions, not conducting gang news conferences on the Hill. If these two candidates were, say, governors instead of senators, we wouldn't be having this discussion--the debate would just go ahead as planned. No one senator is crucial in any debate or negotiation. After all, both McCain and Obama have been AWOL from their day jobs for more than a year.

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Wac, Ky.: What gives with all of the wackos in today's chat? Did Hannity or Rush not have a noon show today?

As for Friday, McCain tucks tail and heads out to the debate but, being old, forgets where it is and misses it anyway.

Marc Fisher: Ouch.

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Bethesda, Md.: Here's why no one has laid out the structure of the crisis: It comes down to the fact that Wall Street and the banks packaged all sorts of debt together (not just mortgages, but credit cards and other forms of debt) and sold those packages as if they were stocks. The problem is, nobody really kept track of what went where, so we know a whole lot of the debt is bad, we just don't really know how much or where it is or who owns it.

This is the sort of story that a four-year-old attempts to tell to mom when he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Only in this case, it's true. But who would believe the titans of finance could be such idiots?

Marc Fisher: That's a good start, but how about a good explanation of what's in those bundles and who buys them and how, and what happens to them after that?

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Debate This: I am so irritated by this debate issue. There is no reason that the future president of the United States should be so consumed by a single issue that everything else falls totally off the radar. I expect President Bush is still engaged in foreign policy, still getting security briefings and still running two wars. These candidates had best be able to solve a crisis while thinking about foreign policy at the same time.

Secondly, a tremendous amount of work and money as gone into planning for this debate and it is unfair to those folks to cancel at the last minute.

Marc Fisher: Even Gerald Ford could manage a few things at once.

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Bethesda, Md.: My prediction: Congress and the administration make a deal and McCain comes out against it. That way he can claim to be running against both Bush 'and' the Democrats 'and' be for the "little guy".

Marc Fisher: But does he do all that by this time tomorrow?

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Florida is also a swing state : And I just show a McCain ad on TV.

This is a definition of "suspension" I'm not familar with, did he mean he would hang it from a building?

Marc Fisher: Hmmm, interesting. Though TV spots are bought well in advance, so it's possible that they just aren't buying new time for today. Or it's possible that he just said it and didn't actually do it.

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Washington Teacher's Union: My fiance is a 3rd year teacher there and attended the meeting "town hall" between the union and teachers on Tuesday night. The union is indeed chaotic, and there is an open power struggle with the vp. and the president openly arguing with each other. She also said that there were a great many middle-aged teachers who are terrified of any change and basically feel like they are entitled to just go through the motions because they have been teaching here for 20 years. It's a very messy situation, I wonder why D.C. can't get good teachers to come teach/stay teaching in D.C.?

Marc Fisher: My sense is that a lot of new teachers in the system are really quite good. Things are changing.

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The transformation of Tysons is wholly dependent on building out the Metro line: I reall hope that this NEVER happens. Metro has enough problems running the system on the track it has, we don't need another extension. If we're going to spend billions on anything, let's spend it on putting in a second track alongside the existing one's on all Metro lines so that when there is a sick passenger or a mechanical failure the entire system doesn't grind to a halt. Extending Metro is an insane notion given its current state.

Marc Fisher: There's some truth in that, but extending Metro could help generate the revenue and the voter buy-in to fund the improvements that you want and need.

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Marc Fisher: Lots of intriguing scenarios you've all proposed for the denouement of the debate debacle. I'm giving the prize to the post from New England that read like this:

New England: What will happen Friday: Well, as far as showmanship, you couldn't beat McCain timing it to arrive LATE to the debate: you know, stay in D.C. until the very last minute and then plan on arriving about 30 minutes in -- the delay would be short enough to still hold the debate, while getting everyone talking about why he's not there... Obama and the moderator would be passively waiting for him. And when he got there, he could say "Phew, my friends, I'm sorry I'm late, but I was just in D.C. where the bailout was passed! But I knew I needed to be here with you, so, let's talk foreign policy." Or something like that. But I'm cynical.

New England, please email me with your name and address and I'll get your prize in the mail pronto. Thanks to all for playing along.

Stay dry and let's hope we get to see the candidates debate. And I withdraw my earlier comment about agreeing that it would be good to vote sooner--this is one heck of a campaign. Maybe we should stretch it out a bit longer....

Back next week--thanks for coming along.

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