Podcast 235

Walk and Talk. Review of last week’s Ebola and political news, on an evening neighborhood walk, during a perfect fall night in the Upper Midwest. What’s the first thing you thought about when you woke up today? How about the difference in being born during this time, or perhaps 1418? (Editor’s Note: Yes, this is the first thing I thought about when I woke up the day I did this podcast. Who knows where that came from!). The 1400’s? Probably not a great era to be born in no matter what your station in life; Peasant, or Royal. Life expectancy? Between 20 and 35 years. Probably the best place to live? A united China, at the dawn of the Ming Dynasty, in that era. 1400’s was also the peak of the North American Indians. While we can be concerned about the medieval things that happen in our time; Beheadings, the spread of Ebola and the fear associated with both, all other measurements of life these days compared to say, 1418 are much more desirable. Speaking of Ebola. At the suggestion of Republican Senator John McCain, President Obama has appointed an Ebola Czar. Now everyone is upset that the Ebola Czar isn’t a General. Really? How can moderate Republicans like McCain go around talking about ‘smaller government’ when their best suggestion on how to handle Ebola is more government? How did that work out with The Department of Homeland Security after 9/11. The President oversees the Defense Department, NIH, the CDC and has a Surgeon General. What about Obama being the Ebola Czar since he’s responsible. Minnesota’s Republican Senate Candidate Mike McFadden finally hits a home run by advocating a travel ban, while Senator Al Franken wants to think about it some more. Meanwhile, the President tells America not to ‘panic’. Who’s in charge? According to the New York Times, President Obama is privately ‘livid’ that apparently no one is. Message to the President: “Pssst…Sir…uh…You’re in charge!”. Additional thoughts on the President’s no drama process. Maybe he just doesn’t want to do what anyone else wants to do, and uses ‘process’ as an excuse. Philosophically, he doesn’t believe the US is exceptional, blames European Colonialism for the problems of the world, and hews pretty much to the progressive belief in expanding government … particularly the Federal Government, and actually the executive branch of the federal government. Houston, we have a problem. We have a bad president, and if we can make it to January 20th 2017, we’ll have a new one. Hopefully someone who has had executive experience as Governor and not another former Senator, and please no more community organizers! Finally, the political ‘moneyballers’ continue to predict a Republican Wave, for the election on November 4th, 2014 and then take back the prediction. What’s the difference between political scientists, television personalities and writers who know how to use excel? Political scientists concentrate on real voting data, historically, and use poll data sparingly. We won’t know what will happen in this election, until at least November 4th, 2014 — late into the evening. Sponsored by XGovernmentcars

Podcast 229

2014 Election Update. Political Red Meat. The 2014 Election will be a republican wave? Whoa! Hold on there, big shooter! It’s time to go through the toss up states one by one and take a look at what the polls say, how they are averaging and why predictions of a wave election for republicans may not just be off base, but way off base. Part of the problem is media company’s like NBC, which apparently is unable to discern the difference between a satirist and a newsman, between entertainment and information programming. No wonder people watching can’t tell the difference anymore. The other part of the problem is the habit of projecting polling data as actual votes. They are vastly different. Thus, someone is finally going to tell you why predicting republican – or democrat – victories with close races in places like Louisiana, Kansas, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, and yes even Iowa, is nothing more than setting a story line that makes republicans feel good and keeps them watching. They’ve even taken to suggesting Minnesota’s senate race could tighten up because businessman Mike McFadden is such a ‘good candidate’. Really? None of this means a Republican wave can’t or won’t happen, but predicting such a thing is really bad reporting. Another reason we are deeply ill served by our so called ‘news media’ these days, which has become a caricature of what it once was at best, and a gross cartoon at worst. The danger for Republicans is they will do what they always do, tell pollsters they are going to throw the bums out, that they’ll vote in a show of anger toward the bum-in-chief, and then since Fox News is telling them the GOP is on a roll stay home and get comfortable in the chair to watch the election results. God forbid anyone would actually go out and make sure a candidate wins, that’s for someone else. The danger for Democrats is that they will be so demoralized, they won’t vote (not betting on that, though). Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul, and by Depotstar

Podcast 212

And the Beheadings Just Keep On Comin’! The Bob Davis Podcasts, On The Road. Live from Scottsdale Arizona. Recorded in front of a live audience; Bob’s best friend Andy, treading water in the pool. A wonderful Sunday night reverie interrupted by more ugliness from The Islamic State. The White House must be pulling out all the stops as the New York Times runs a puff piece on how thoughtful the President is. The sources? Unidentified guests at a White House dinner held the night of the address outlining ‘The Strategy’ for ‘degrading and destroying’ ISIS last week. Meanwhile, ‘The Strategy’ is not going so well. Arab ‘allies’ responded tepidly, and ISIS just cut a deal with one of those Syrian ‘moderate’ groups John McCain and John Kerry are so hot to trot to make deals with, or maybe even arm. Don’t worry though, there’s a Hurricane Brewing in the Pacific that might wipe out Cabo, so that’s all you’ll be hearing about for the next 48 hours as cable news networks and the big broadcast networks send reporters and camera crews to cover. By the way, did you hear someone else got beheaded? What was his name? What’s the name of the other guy that got beheaded? Meanwhile, back to the historic landmarks in Scottsdale. A visit to the apartment where Hogan’s Hero’s Star Bob Crane met his demise, plus a conversation about Bob’s visit to Andy’s house — the very same house this podcast was recorded in — nearly 40 years ago. Then we veer off into discussion about Bob Crane’s porn addiction, Crane’s x-rated pictures, and pictures of the crime scene on the Internet, sex addiction, the movie Auto Focus, the work ethic of radio people, age reversal therapy and what it will mean, Bikram Yoga, Andy’s 1967 International Scout, growing up in the 1970’s, Paradise Valley, a a story about Prince, and for you political junkies, we talk about the real story going on beneath the headlines; The off year election. Organizing to win votes and raise money, means real influence in politics. If you want change, you have to change things by doing actual work, door to door, to make sure people vote for your candidates. Sponsored by X Government Cars. EDITOR’S NOTE: Yes, I am aware I have skipped podcast 211, which will become the new ‘Lost Podcast’. Watch for it. It’s a doosey.