Obama: Healer or Bully?

"What's up with this guy Barack the Good," asks John Andrews in the November round of Head On TV debates. "Is he a healer or a bully?" But Susan Barnes-Gelt says criticism of the president's vendetta against "Fox Snooze" is a tempest in a teapot, recurring in every White House. John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over congressional races, health care, Afghanistan, and what John calls "the Seinfeld Peace Prize." Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for November: 1. WHITE HOUSE TAKES ON FOX NEWS

John: For someone who ran as a healer, Barack Obama governs like a bully. Cross him, and he’ll take you down. Ask the insurance companies or the Cambridge police or the tea-party movement. Now he demeans his office with a thuggish campaign against Fox News. Ever hear of the First Amendment, Mr. President?

Susan: Every president in modern history took on the media. JFK cancelled White House subscriptions to the New York Herald - Bush jr. pilloried the NY Times - it comes with the territory - politicians are notoriously thin skinned. Both your guys and mine!

John: I still need you to explain this president, Barack the Good. Is he a healer or a bully? His foolish vendetta against Fox News doesn’t hurt my side. Fox only looks bigger while he looks smaller. The damage is done on stories like Acorn and Van Jones. Shooting the messenger is stupid.

Susan: Tempest in a teapot, though it's fun to watch the same folks who refused - for 8 years - to let the N Y Times interview Bush the younger - feign outrage. The country has more important issues to address than the politics of Fox Snooze.

2. COLORADO CONGRESSIONAL RACES

John: With Obama so unpopular, Democrats may lose dozens of congressional seats next year. Two of those could be here in Colorado. Betsy Markey of Fort Collins is vulnerable to several Republicans, led by Cory Gardner. Ed Perlmutter of Golden has to face the charismatic Ryan Frazier or tea-party leader Brian Campbell.

Susan: Only 20-percent of voters identify with the Republican Party and more than half support aggressive health care reform. Of course congressional D's may be vulnerable - the only entity with lower poll numbers than Congress, are Republican ideologues.

John: Your vague generalities won’t decide the congressional races, Susan. It boils down to the pocketbook issues, peace and prosperity. Democrats in Congress like Markey and Perlmutter aren’t getting the job done. The recession drags on. The wars drag on. Republicans like Gardner and Frazier look better and better.

Susan: Perlmutter is safe as the Rock of Gibraltar and Markey will have a tougher time against Gardner but will prevail - especially if Marilyn (black helicopter) Musgrave throws her weight behind him. Voters are smart. And I like the tune you're whistling in the dark!

3. HEALTH CARE – WHAT NEXT?

John: Five of every six Americans like their health insurance. Forty million rely on Medicare. Why on earth would Obama and the Democrats push a plan that diverts half a trillion dollars from Medicare and makes health insurance less attractive for everyone? Because this isn’t about health care. This is about government power.

Susan: Medicare's administrative costs are under 10-percent. Private insurers pull down 25-30 percent for admin, big salaries and profit. What is it about Wall Street the Republicans are so enamored with that they're willing to sacrifice health care on the altar of free enterprise?

John: I repeat. This is really not about health care. This is about government power. If liberals cared about seniors, they wouldn’t squeeze Medicare. If they cared about the 15% with poor coverage, they wouldn’t socialize the other 85%. But no. Liberals dogmatically prefer bureaucratic regimentation to personal freedom.

Susan: Government power my ……foot! This is Wall Street v Main Street - Big Pharm, insurance giants and K Street campaign dollars and special interests versus the health of Americans. A vigorous public option is the only way to hold greedy insurance companies at bay. Obama must step up.

4. AFGHANISTAN

Susan: Dick Cheney accuses the President of 'dithering' while he and his advisors consider the ramifications of sending more troops to Afghanistan. Too bad Bush and the boys didn't dither before launching a full-scale invasion in Iraq, rather than considering the real source of terrorism - Al Quida - then in Afghanistan.

John: Bush and Cheney no longer in power. Obama is President now, but so far this commander-in-chief is not very commanding. This leader of the free world has led zilch. He ran on a promise to keep us safe from jihad by cleaning up Afghanistan. Stand and deliver, Mr. Big Talk.

Susan: October witnessed the highest American casualties in Afghanistan - ever. The Afghans and our so-called friends in Pakistan must 'stand and deliver.' Until there is a credible government in Afghanistan and Pakistani control of a rogue tribal state, we've no business sending our troops to slaughter.

John: New York, Massachusetts, Texas, two in Illinois, and one right here in Aurora, Colorado – six Muslim terrorist plots broken up in just the past six weeks. Most of them with training and support from the very Afghan-Pakistan region you shrug off. It is tough there, but we have to persist.

5. OBAMA'S NOBEL

Susan: It's perfectly logical to award the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. His intelligence, thoughtfulness and global sensitivities represent a sea-change from the myopic, narcissistic and belligerent anti-cooperative tenor of Bush Jr's foreign policy. Obama has brought the U.S. into the 21th Century - that is worth recognition.

John: I’m just tickled the Great Messiah is finally taking his lumps from the comedians. Laughter greeted his beer summit -- and his wimpy reaction to feminist whining about men’s basketball. Left and right both laughed at the Seinfeld Peace Prize, his award for doing nothing. Way to go, Nobel Committee.

Susan: The Nobel Committee got more publicity about their award to Obama than they've received in the 100 plus years the Peace Prize has been around. Maybe they hired a new marketing firm with instructions to up the profile. Obama's careful analysis of Afghanistan suggests the Committee got it right.

John: The President was embarrassed by this, and he should be. It was a putdown by jealous Europeans who resent the idea of a strong and confident America. Obama’s foreign policy has three planks: Undermine our allies. Embolden our enemies. Weaken our country. Many of us vehemently disagree, Nobel Prize or not.

Vox populi was heard

"It’s a beautiful thing when the voice of the people gets Washington’s attention," says John Andrews in the September round of Head On TV debates, referring to the collapse of support for ObamaCare. But Susan Barnes-Gelt insists his single-payer approach is needed, though "we won't get there this time." John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over Afgahnistan, the Senate race, the Joe Wilson outburst, and nonpartisan local government. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for September: 1. HEALTH CARE DEBATE INTENSIFIES

John: It’s a beautiful thing when the voice of the people gets Washington’s attention. Democrats have joined Republicans to put the brakes on Obama’s planned takeover of the medical industry after a summer of public outcry. Could health insurance be improved? Sure, but massive increases in spending and bureaucracy are not the way.

Susan: The US is the only country in the world where health care is controlled by for profit corporations. The bottom line for private health insurance companies is return to shareholders, not quality health outcomes. Single payer is the way to go but we won't get there - this time.

John: It’s also a beautiful thing when my Democratic friends with total control of Washington DC, including the media, are reduced to singing that sad old song, “Maybe next time.” As for health care, Susan, the US is the place that people from other countries flock to for life-saving treatment.

Susan: Like NASCAR racers, every DC elected should wear a coat with sponsor labels plastered on it: Big Pharm, Insurance giants, trial lawyers, Hospital corporations, medical device makers - Then we'd know who is bought and paid for. Won't be room on one jacket. It would take an overcoat, hat & galoshes.

2. SENATE RACE: THE PLOT THICKENS

John: Colorado needs strong representation in the Senate. We don’t have that now, with both senators of the same party and one of them an unknown appointee. A Democrat primary with Andrew Romanoff against interim Senator Michael Bennet will be good. So would a challenge by the experienced Republican Jane Norton.

Susan: Regardless of who gets elected Colorado won't have strong representation in the Senate for decades - the seniority rules guarantee that. However, the party of NO - that would be the R's - have a weak field. Romanoff would be great. Bennet will grow in office.

John: On your side, Romanoff can’t avoid the impression that his candidacy is about wounded ambition – while Bennet must soon alienate either labor or business on the card check bill. On my side, Buck is solid, Frazier is exciting, Wiens is experienced, and Norton could be the next Sarah Palin. Advantage Republicans.

Susan: Frazier - eloquent but empty. Buck can't raise the Bucks - Tom who?? Jane Norton is the horse to beat. I hope she is the next Sarah Palin. We deserve a top notch, gun totin' - moose shootin - stillettto heel wearin comedy act! Can Tina Fey be far behind?

3. EPIDEMIC OF BAD BEHAVIOR?

Susan: Tennis is an elegant sport. Competitors train hard. When they aren't up to snuff - they lose. When they violate clear rules of decorum - the referee eliminates them. Serena Williams lost the US Open semi-finals for bad behavior. South Carolina congressman Joe Wilson should lose his seat for the same reason.

John: As the cracker-barrel philosopher said, politics ain’t beanbag, or tennis. Congressman Wilson spoke for millions of Americans, including some erstwhile Obama supporters, who no long trust the President to tell the truth. Health care doubletalk from the Democrats has a lot of us disgusted. Wilson’s bad manners are minor by comparison.

Susan: Boorishness at town hall meetings, public rallies and tea parties is one thing. Lack of civility amidst a sacred ritual of American democracy -- the nation watching while Cabinet members, lawmakers from both chambers and the diplomatic corps watch the President address a joint session of Congress -- insults us all.

John: Sorry, a ritual is not sacred unless God is involved. Government is not God. The President is not king. He has no divine right to command silence from congressmen, anyone. The disrespect shown by Democrats to this summer's peaceful protesters was far worse than Wilson's rudeness to Obama.

4. AFGHANISTAN: WHAT NEXT?

Susan: George Santayana was right: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Afghanistan has been torn by tribal warfare for centuries. The Brits failed 100 years ago. The Russians left in defeat 30 years ago. Obama risks another Vietnam. He must exit - now.

John: Susan, that’s September 10 thinking in a September 11 world. President Obama was elected on a promise to crush Al Qaeda and the Taliban and win in Afghanistan. I praise him for hanging tough. For America to surrender over there would endanger our world leadership and our homeland.

Susan: John - pundits on your side of the aisle are calling for an exit strategy. George Will, Richard Haass and others join a majority of Americans who believe it's time to pull our troops out. Nation building is not a winning strategy. Did we learn nothing from the losses in lives, treasure and credibility in Iraq?

John: Radical Islam wants to destroy America and dominate the world. The mastermind is Iran. The battle cry is jihad. We took a step toward victory by defeating jihad in Iraq. Now we must defeat jihad in Afghanistan. Radical Islam is poisonous to human freedom. It must be stopped. It’s up to us.

5. PARTISAN POLITICS & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Susan: I love local government because it's non-partisan. D's don't do a better job of paving streets, maintaining parks or regulating land use than R's. Local challenges and opportunities are just that - local. Inserting partisan labels on trash, roads, parks or schools is a terrible idea.

John: Coloradans voting for local officials and school boards this fall are forced to guess in the dark about which nonpartisan candidate supports their values on fiscal responsibility, role of government, and educational excellence. Many candidates are unopposed, with some elections cancelled as a result. Party competition replaces apathy with accountability.

Susan: In Denver local elections have high turnout. Besides, local and school board elections aren't about partisan issues. If voters don't take the time to learn about the candidates, they get what they deserve. The D /R cheat sheet sheds more heat than light.

John: Nonpartisan government is mediocre and ripe for abuse. The nonpartisan RTD keeps raising taxes for a rail system it can’t build. Nonpartisan school boards are run by teacher unions. Colorado should let Republicans and Democrats compete at the local level. Party competition is the American way.

Grandiosity wearing out

"The Messiah of 2008 went missing" in summer 2009, says John Andrews in the August round of Head On TV debates, predicting that Obama "will continue to struggle until he stops overreaching." But Susan Barnes-Gelt predicts the young president "will prevail because people trust him." John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over health care, the recession, Ritter's chances for reelection, and "what I did on my summer vacation." Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. 1. OBAMA LOSING HIS GROOVE?

John: During the financial crisis last fall, Barack Obama was Cool Hand Luke. His masterful style won the presidency. But the Messiah of 2008 went missing amid the Tea Parties and townhalls of 2009. Obama’s poll numbers plummeted, first on issues, then on job approval. Even independent voters are deserting him.

Susan: Obama's cool and methodical style remains in tact and will hold him and us in good stead. The Tea Parties and town meetings are a sideshow. People are understandably fearful because of the economy. Obama's agenda and the country's will prevail because people trust him.

John: The President is amazingly gifted. As a political animal myself, I halfway admire him. But he’ll continue to struggle until he stops overreaching. Socialism may sell in France. Charisma may work in Kenya. But here in America, grandiosity wears out fast. We’ll see if Barack regains his footing.

Susan: Obama is addressing some of the toughest challenges a new president has faced in decades: a terrible economy, failing infrastructure, healthcare crisis and a multi-pronged war. Americans are scared and the change he promised - and the country voted for - is hard. Leadership isn't a popularity contest.

2. HEALTH CARE DEBATE

John: Obama and the Democrats are pushing hard for a government takeover of the medical industry. Americans of all political persuasions are pushing back, based on widespread concern that the cost of health care would increase and quality would decline. The debate is raucous but important. So far the President is losing.

Susan: Health care consumes 16% of our economy and 47 million have no coverage. Costs are surging, eating up our paychecks. Uncompensated emergency room care - Medicaid is eating the federal budget. The nation needs reform. Our economic future depends on it.

John: Susan, listen to yourself. Medicaid and Medicare are both broke, proving that all government giveaways are unsustainable, whether for welfare or clunkers or doctor visits. The Congressional Budget Office warns Obamacare will only make things worse. Most Americans have coverage and most are satisfied. This bill is all wrong.

Susan: Medicaid eats the economy because too many low and moderate income Americans cannot afford insurance and seek care in emergency rooms. Dick Armey may be the only senior in America who eschews Medicare, and he is as credible as a $3 bill. Obama must stand firm.

3. THE ECONOMY & ANXIETY

John: The recession drags on, unemployment worsens, and economic misery is no longer Bush’s fault. This mess now belongs to Obama and his party, with total control of Congress. Their huge, irresponsible stimulus bill failed to stimulate. A socialist-minded White House is obstructing the business recovery. Even Jimmy Carter wasn’t this bad.

Susan: The stimulus bill is working - though it's not big enough. Shovel ready projects are the wrong answer because the money is being spread like peanut butter across the country's roads and highways. Big investment is called for - power grids, high-speed rail, public transit. Boldness is key.

John: Whoa, you’re hallucinating. Lay off the Keynesian Kool-Aid. And the public works peanut butter. What’s made America the economic engine of the world, the place everyone wants to immigrate, is free enterprise. Enterprise gets the flu sometimes. Then it gets well. Provided Dr. Obama Kevorkian stays out of the way.

Susan: Yeah, right. It was largely free and unfettered enterprise, abetted by greed and arrogance, that gave us Wall Street's meltdown, Detroit's tumble, Halliburton, Enron, Joe Nacchio, AIG, Madoff, and $500 toilet seats for Navy ships. Free enterprise has the flu alright - the swine flu!

4. GOVERNOR'S RACE

Susan: An incumbent governor hasn't lost since Steve McNichols in 1962. Voters were piqued he accepted Boettcher mansion as the gov's residence, saving it from demolition. Ritter's first term's been rocky but he's made no major mistakes. McInnis is already self-destructing and Penry will lose in the general.

John: No mistakes? Ritter blundered bigtime on vehicle fees and penalties. The car tax backlash alone could cost him reelection, as it once cost Gov. Bill Clinton in Arkansas. Ritter’s property tax hike was another mistake, his botch of the budget during this recession was another, his favoritism for labor yet another.

Susan: Ritter has made a couple of rookie mistakes. But the looming GOP primary between a very cranky and pugnacious Scott McInnis and a very young and inexperienced Josh Penry will expose their vulnerabilities and the Republican party's statewide and national weaknesses. The R primary helps Ritter.

John: This incumbent is likable but lightweight. What’s he done? Roy Romer energized the economy and built DIA. He beat me easily for reelection. Bill Owens cut taxes, passed school reform, and pulled off T-REX. He cruised to a second term. What will Ritter run on – wind farms? Good luck.

5. SUMMER VACATION

Susan: The summer of ‘09 has been fun - watching the self-righteous self-destruct. Mark Sanford couldn't find his way from Appalachia to Argentina; Blago flamed out, taking Sen. Roland Burris with him. Dick Armey was outed by Rachael Maddow and Pretty Boy John Edwards is a liar and a jerk.

John: Easy there, Susan. Let that hostility just melt away now. I guess my summer was more relaxed than yours. Grooving on Rockies baseball, reliving my childhood at Disneyland, hiking the 14ers, splashing in the pool, reading a funny novel by two guys from Castle Rock. Colorado is just the best.

Susan: It has been a great summer in Colorado - no forest fires, or major floods, gorgeous Front Range weather and a welcome respite from the state capitol crazies. With fall around the corner and Mayor Hick's final budget due soon - we're in for some firecrackers.

John: I’m happy for you. Anyone who can say firecracker and Hickenlooper in the same breath is easily entertained. Although snuggling in with a cup of cocoa to study the mayor’s budget might not be bad, if the alternative is watching the Broncos in a rebuilding year. Happy autumn!

Kill the energy tax

"Obama’s job-killing energy tax must be defeated in the Senate," says John Andrews in the July round of Head On TV debates. But Susan Barnes-Gelt says Obama's cap and trade bill will create jobs and help save the planet. Who can be against that? John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over the Honduras, Sotomayor, Ritter, and Colorado's fiscal future. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for July: 1. CAP & TRADE BILL MOVES TO SENATE

Susan: Obama's cap and trade bill, heads to the Senate after squeaking through the House in a close vote. Designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus mitigate global warming, the bill is an important step in insuring our planet is viable for our kids and their kids.

John: Cap and trade is the biggest energy tax we’ve ever seen. It will destroy jobs, hurt the poor, expand government, and have no impact on global warming or cooling or whatever Chicken Little calls it this week. House Democrat John Salazar voted no. Senate Democrats Bennet and Udall should too.

Susan: Cap & Trade will diminish emissions gradually, allowing time to convert to renewable, non-polluting production. The initiative will promote growth and create jobs. There's no future for industries emitting massive amounts of carbon into our air. We're way past the tipping point.

John: The depth of a brutal recession is no time to burden the economy with higher prices for electricity and gasoline as a result of cap and trade. This hands a huge advantage to China, India, and other world competitors. Obama’s job-killing energy tax must be defeated in the Senate.

2. COUP IN HONDURAS

Susan: President Obama showed good judgment by not meddling in the internal affairs of Honduras. When President Manuel Zelaya refused to leave office, due to term limits, leftist leader Roberto Micheletti took control of the government. The political infighting must be resolved among the parties - without American interference.

John: Obama has wimped out on his second big foreign policy test of the summer. His third test, if you count his weak-willed meeting with the Russians. In Iran, our pathetic president failed to condemn the tyrant Khameini. In Honduras, he failed to condemn the would-be tyrant Zelaya. Bad show, for shame.

Susan: I wish I had your clarity about the good guys and the bad - whether Honduras, Russia or Iran. Obama is restoring US credibility throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. His temperament, civility, intelligence and compassion acquit him - and us - well.

John: Moral clarity in US foreign policy has indeed gone missing, and it’s a sad thing to see. Under Obama, the world can no longer be confident of America as a firm friend to liberty and democracy. The President making nice with Putin, Medvedev, Chavez and the Castro brothers is disgusting.

3. SOTOMAYOR HEARINGS

Susan: Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor have begun. This experienced jurist will be confirmed and Republican naysayers run the risk of further alienating the country's fastest growing voting block by opposing her. Her record reflects moderation, extreme competence and judicial restraint. What more is there?

John: Susan, please, give Hispanic people credit for knowing the difference between an ethnic slur and a policy disagreement. Really. Millions of Americans of all colors and parties didn’t want Judge Sotomayor promoted because she doesn’t seem to share our belief in limited constitutional government. That’s huge.

Susan: Sotomayor is the most experienced jurist to be appointed to the Supremes - ever. Aside from the petty, borderline racist posturing of Senators like Alabama's Jeff Sessions. Republican Lindsay Graham got it right when he pointed out that elections have consequences. R's need a rhetoric redo!

John: By the time you see this, Sonia Sotomayor will probably be confirmed. Congratulations to her on a remarkable achievement from humble beginnings. The first Hispanic justice might have been Miguel Estrada, years ago, if Democrats hadn’t blocked him. American self-government is a rough game, but glorious even so.

4. FISCAL STABILITY COMMISSION

John: The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights has saved Colorado’s fiscal fanny again and again. TABOR is like a stern mom who makes the careless kids think twice. Naturally the juvenile party, Democrats, can’t stand that. Their so-called Fiscal Stability Commission is a ruse to remove taxpayer protections. Don’t be fooled.

Susan: That's the kind of partisan myopia that will doom the Commission's recommendations. Truth is more than ¾'s of our budget is consumed by prisons, education and healthcare. It will grow to more than 90-percent by 2014. Revenue restrictions and budget mandates are strangling Colorado.

John: You want to see strangling? Look at California, where they repealed the taxpayer protections, goosed the deficit, drove away business and population to places like this, and are now paying their bills with IOU’s. The spending lobby will put Colorado’s neck in the same noose if we give up TABOR.

Susan: Colorado's issue is more complex than TABOR. Conflicting statutory mandates have turned the budget into a Giordian knot - impossible to untangle. It's going to take an independent economist - not the partisan commission - and civic leadership to set a course. It's the Governor's biggest challenge.

5. GOVERNOR’S RACE

John: The economy is not improving. The state budget is worsening. Gasoline prices are rising. Nothing personal against nice guy Bill Ritter -- but his leadership as governor the past three years has been underwhelming. Republicans think they can do much better, and even Democrats are lukewarm. Let the campaign begin.

Susan: Ritter's policies didn't get us into this mess and a change in partisan leadership won't get us out. The R's will have a food fight of a primary. The base will split. Independents will stick with Ritter. Bennet would be easier to defeat - if only the R's had a viable bench.

John: Did I mention Democrats are lukewarm on Bill Ritter? Susan’s an example. History will marvel at this governor’s clueless response to the recession and the budget deficit. Republican challengers Scott McInnis and Josh Penry offer decisive leadership by contrast. Businessman Dan Maes is also running. Advantage GOP.

Susan: Ritter has learned a good deal in the past 3 years about navigating the political waters at the Capitol. The R's will have a tough time pulling it together after a bruising 3-way primary. Ritter will prevail and his second term will be better than his first.

BHO spineless on Iran

Amidst US passivity toward Iran's stolen election, "some doctor needs to give President Obama a backbone transplant." says John Andrews in the June round of Head On TV debates. But Susan Barnes-Gelt praises Obama's "calm and neutral" approach to the Islamic republic's "internal wrangling." John on the right, Susan on the left, also go at it this month over the GM takeover, Sotomayor, health care, and Colorado's faltering Democrats. Head On has been a daily feature on Colorado Public Television since 1997. Here are all five scripts for June:1. ELECTIONS IN IRAN Susan: Iran is in turmoil after demonstrators defied government warning and continued to protest Ahmadinejad's reelection in Tehran's Freedom Square. Myriad sources allege rampant voter fraud against reformer Challenger Mousavi. Even the Wizard - powerful Ayatollah Khamenei, appears to be backing down. Civil disobedience is powerful.

John: An uprising by ordinary Iranians that throws the Muslim theocrats out of power would be huge. Directly beneficial to Iraq and Lebanon, also a big relief to Israel and America. We should hope for that, but prepare for continued confrontation. Some doctor needs to give President Obama a backbone transplant.

Susan: Obama is doing the right thing by remaining calm and neutral regarding the uprising in Iran. The last thing this country should do is interfere in the internal political wrangling of a country in disarray. The key - as in the 1979 Revolution, is the clerics.

John: US policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran has been counter-productive for decades. Carter and Reagan dealt ineffectively with these murderous fanatics. So have Bush and Obama. With nukes, the mullahs could trigger the end times they lust for. Please, Mr. President, listen to your inner JFK.

2. GENERAL MOTORS NOW GOVT OWNED

John: Taxpayers including the two of us are now majority stockholders of General Motors. After claiming he didn’t want to take over the auto industry, Obama did, and even Pravda is laughing. What a terrible idea. Federal ownership of key factories can only mean a less productive, less prosperous America.

Susan: If private ownership of the American auto industry is any example of capitalism at its best, we are in big trouble. Obama took a calculated risk - giving support while the industry retools for the 21st Century. The alternative might have been much worse.

John: Barack is on a power trip, not a rescue mission. So now the fumbling federal bureaucrats who wrecked the postal service and bankrupted social security will attempt to run basic manufacturing for the world’s economic powerhouse. Only bad can come of this, and most Americans know it.

Susan: Right - and the corporate guys were such visionary leaders - For example, Joe Nacchio, the Enron and AIG boys, the heads of Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns or Lehmann - but we're talking the auto industry - Those guys really understood the market - don't ya think?

3. SOTOMAYOR NOMINATED FOR HIGH COURT

John: Judge Sonia Sotomayor with her political skills and compelling story might be a good senator. She’d definitely be a better vice president than Biden. But Sotomayor is wrong the Supreme Court. Her claim that race or gender makes one judge superior to another is outrageous. That’s bigoted – and un-American.

Susan: Appointing someone to the Supreme Court who graduated summa sum laude & Phi Bete from Princeton and was editor of the Yale law review and served as a prosecutor, trial judge and federal appellate judge is above reproach. That Sonia Sotomayor is a Latina is a bonus.

John: Sotomayor didn’t just call it a bonus. She explicitly that being Hispanic and female makes her better qualified than you as an Anglo or me as a man. Archie Bunker couldn’t have said it better. Tina Fay wouldn’t have dared. Dr. King wouldn’t have dreamed. Wrong judge. Vote no. Start over.

Susan: John, elections have consequences - perhaps none more long-lasting than judicial appointments. Whatever Sotomayor said when speaking in public forums, her record as a jurist is impeccable, moderate and clearly a reflection of Obama's values and intelligence. She will be confirmed and will serve with distinction.

4. HEALTH CARE REFORM

Susan: The public option for health care is key. Private insurers exist to make money - lots of it. Since most of us don't chose our insurance, private providers operate free of competition. Lowest bid wins, not best health outcome. The most successful have the most exclusions, highest co-pays and aggressively deny claims.

John: Government health care means rationed health care, Susan. Anyone in middle age or beyond – such as you and me – faces a future where coldhearted bureaucrats with actuarial charts will decide our quality of life, maybe even our date of death. Canada and Britain are already there. I say, no thanks.

Susan: The operative word in for profit health insurance companies is profit - not health. As a result, exclusions, co-pays, decisions about medication, surgery and treatment are not made to serve the patient or the doctor. Decisions are made to feed the bottom line. The system is broken.

John: Four trillion of new costs on top of an already insolvent entitlement system. That’s the price for Obama’s socialized medicine. We’re talking a thousand billion dollars, then another thousand billion, another and another. We’re talking a phony public option that quickly swallows all the private options. Don’t do it, America.

5. WILL RITTER FACE A PRIMARY?

John: Bill Ritter tore it with organized labor and many Democrats when he cast two vetoes on legislation that unions really wanted. Mayor Hickenlooper having to announce he won’t challenge the governor in a primary, only shows how badly wounded Ritter is for 2010. I wonder if Andrew Romanoff will make a run.

Susan: Ritter might face a more difficult challenge in a primary than from the R's preparing to run against him. On the other hand, Michael Bennet might be easier to knock off in a primary. Ritter has a solid base of environmentalists & Dems. Bennet is still unknown.

John: The common denominator is two of Obama’s big pals facing cloudy political prospects in a state they were supposed to own. The president is popular nationally, but Democrats in Colorado are wearing out their welcome. Change is now a Republican issue. Ritter and Bennet may both go down in 2010.

Susan: Wish I could buy what you're smokin'! Sure the top of the Dem's ticket is weak, but for either Ritter or Bennet to lose, the R's have to field viable candidates with strong, centrist messages, name ID and a political base. Hmm - puff puff.