The LuLac Edition #5, 803, October 24th, 2026

 

THESE BOOTS  

 

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966,]and reached No. 1 both in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK singles chart. The song was written by Lee Hazlewood; it was inspired by a line spoken by Frank Sinatra in the comedy-western film 4 for Texas (1963): "They tell me them boots ain't built for walkin'."

 

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT  

 

"Strangers in the Night" is a song composed by Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder.  Kaempfert originally used it under the title "Beddy Bye" as part of the instrumental score for the movie A Man Could Get Killed. The song was made famous in 1966 by Frank Sinatra. Sinatra's recording won him the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist or Instrumentalist for Ernie Freeman at the Grammy Awards of 1967.

 

LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE  

 

"Last Train to Clarksville" is a song by American pop rock band the Monkees. It was released as the band's debut single on August 16, 1966, and was later included on the group's self-titled album, which was released on October 10, 1966.The song, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood on July 25, 1966, he song was written by the songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.[8] Boyce has said that the song's opening guitar part (played by Louis Shelton) was an attempt to emulate the type of memorable and clearly identifiable riff that the Beatles had used in songs such as "I Feel Fine," "Day Tripper" and "Paperback Writer". Hart knew that the Monkees' TV series was being pitched as a music/comedy series in the spirit of the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night, and he was hoping that by emulating the Beatles the song might become a successful single.

The LuLac Edition #5, 802, October 22nd, 2026

 

MEUSER VS. WALLACE

 

THE DEBATE IN THE 9^th

The Tuesday night debate at Penn State certainly gave the Democratic candidate Rachel Wallace well deserved recognition. Right out of the gate she came after Dan Meusere asking him to defend his record. He seemed taken aback and clearly underestimated Wallace.

The debate highlighted contrasting approaches — Meuser’s focus on economic expansion and infrastructure, Wallace’s emphasis on fiscal restraint, local control, and ending the Iran war — while both agreed on immigration integrity and fentanyl reduction What I don’t understand was Meuser talking about infrastrture when he voted against the bill.

Wallace talked about living in the district, being a native and came after Meuser’s residency issue with him not kicing in the district. Her approach was way different than his in the sense that she reiterated in almost every answer to the 8 questions posed by the moderator the war in Iran, the high price of gas, the high price of diesel and the fact that Meuser voted to reduce Medicaid in the big beautiful bill. IN every instance she stressed those issues and it seemed to resonate.

Meuser on the other hand seemed to jumble all of his points which if you were not a political nerd like me, might have been confusing. The usual GOP playbook is to ignore the criticism and talk about THEIR issuerso the folks understand your point. Ronald Reagsn had an index card with three ideas. Three talking points. Meuser was all over the place and did not tell his story. He was Revenue Secretary for Governor Corbett  He might have mentioned more than once the $6,000 break on Social Security for seniors which for some gave them more money back.

Wallace wearing a red blazer was cogent, empathetic and stressed her major points over and over almost to the point where you could make a drinking game out of it.

Meuser had the record he had to defend but did not do so methodically. Instead, he blamed President Biden for a number of things but again to the average voter, Biden is no more in the public eye. He was also hampered by the fact that his President didn’t fix what ailed his constituents.

IN one exchange about farming, Meuser dissed his opponent by saying, “80% of the farmers are going to vote for me anyway” which seemed pretty arrogant. The latter has been one of Meuser’s faults which has even been echoed by his own party members.

With an overwhelming Republican advantage, Meuser might be right.  To be sure, George W. Bush was terrible against Al Gore and John Kerry. Hillary Clinton was far superior to Trump 1 but all those debaters might have  won th battle but not the war.

Only the results next week will tell the tale of the dissatisfaction of voters in the 9^th,  the residual philosophy of Tim Holden’s time in office and the willingness to take a chance on Wallace.

But win or lose, Wallace has established herself as a competent player. Meuser if  he debates again, better watch some old Reagan debates to thicken his skin and be the guy people see on C-SPAN making a salient point.

 

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: WALLACE HOLDS MEUSER ACCOUNTABLE, WINS DEBATE

MEUSER DOUBLES DOWN ON HIGH COSTS FOR PENNSYLVANIA AS WALLACE GAINS MOMENTUM

  

Following Tuesday night’s debate in the campaign for Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District, Democratic nominee Rachel Wallace continues to increase her momentum in the race after holding incumbent Congressman Dan Meuser accountable for fighting for his own bottom line instead of the communities he is supposed to represent.

Wallace took Meuser to task on the cost of living, health care, the failed war in Iran, and last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, including provisions Meuser seemed unaware of supporting.

Here’s what they are saying:

WVIA News: Spirited debate sees Meuser, challenger Wallace tangle sharply over policies, state of the nation

From the outset, Democratic congressional candidate Rachel Wallace sought to put Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser on the defensive in their debate Tuesday.

In her opening statement, Wallace accused Meuser of building a stock portfolio while in Congress that rivaled multi-billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, voting to slash Medicaid, voting for a huge tax break for data centers and to eliminate local controls on them.

“Dan Meuser has shown he is in this for himself, and I am in this to fight for us, to lower costs, to root out fraud and corruption in Washington, and to bring people together to solve local problems,” Wallace said.

Wallace said she was shocked when Meuser voted for a bill that gave data centers “a huge $80 billion tax break.”

“Congressman, please defend that vote. Did you vote for that bill because it was good for your stock portfolio?” she asked. “Because it was good for the corporations donating to your campaign? Because it isn't good for us.”

“Well, if I was interested in money, I would have stayed in the private sector,” Meuser shot back. “I'm doing this because I want to. I want to serve at a higher level. And by the way, why don't you name this bill? Because I'm completely not familiar with it. There's been no specific bill that gave money tax credits for data centers” he said.

"Sounds like you don't know what you voted for," Wallace said.

“Well, I know exactly what I voted for, and you're just making it up. I'm not. It's a farce. It's false. Then name the bill.”

When Wallace said she was referring to the budget bill, Meuser demanded to know the specific provision.

 

Pottsville Republican Herald: Meuser and Wallace face off in debate

With the Nov. 3 midterm election less than two weeks away, the race in the 9th Congressional District is being closely watched nationally… Gov. Josh Shapiro, however, has declared the race winnable by Wallace. Just this week, she picked up support from longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, who said sending a talented person like Wallace to Washington would be the best thing voters could do for the country.

Wallace challenged Meuser to explain why he supports policies that are hurting farmers by increasing costs of gasoline, diesel fuel and energy. 

Meuser predicted he’ll get 80% of the farm vote because of his longtime support of farmers.

Throughout the debate, Meuser linked Wallace to Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, suggesting their policies amounted to a kind of socialism.

Wallace, daughter of a minister and a nurse, noted she comes from a family of small business owners. She was inspired by former Congressman Tim Holden, a bipartisan representative who placed his constituents’ interests above party loyalty.

Asked if they thought America was on the right path, the candidates disagreed.

Wallace said no, citing the nation’s $40 billion budget deficit and the effects of the war in Iran and Trump administration tariffs.

As chief of staff in the White House budget office, she saw what it means for the deficit to continue to increase. The annual interest on the federal debt is more than the Department of Defense budget, she said.

“When you vote for war, when you vote for tariffs, you are supporting inflation,” she said.

 

Skook News: Meuser and Wallace Clash Over Inflation, Energy, and Healthcare in High-Stakes PA-09 Congressional Debate

Wallace cited household expenses across Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District, including gasoline at $4.65 in Bloomsburg, rising heating oil costs, record-high diesel prices and higher prices for beef, coffee and tomatoes.

She accused Meuser of voting for a $1 trillion Medicaid reduction over 10 years, arguing that the reductions put rural hospitals, nursing homes and health coverage for 30,000 district residents at risk.

Wallace also questioned Meuser’s personal financial portfolio.

“You're very good at taking care of your bottom line, but when are you fighting for ours?” Wallace asked.

Wallace described the national debt as $40 trillion and said annual interest payments exceed the Department of Defense budget.

She pledged to protect Social Security and Medicare and supported raising the payroll tax contribution cap.

 

WHP 580:Meuser, Wallace Debate Key Issues In Schuylkill County

The debate also highlighted differing views on economic stability. Meuser pointed to GDP growth and support for manufacturing as signs of economic health, while Wallace cited the federal debt and the costs of the war in Iran as concerns. Wallace, a Pottsville native and former chief of staff of the White House Office of Management and Budget, expressed her commitment to fighting for the community's priorities over party politics

With the midterm elections approaching on November 3, the race in the Ninth District is closely watched, as its outcome could impact the balance of power in Washington. Meuser, seeking a fifth term, has represented the district since 2019 and aims for a decisive victory to demonstrate that the "socialist Democratic party" has no place in the district. Wallace, supported by Democratic strategist James Carville, hopes to bring change to Washington.

 

FOX 56: Meuser and Wallace discuss key issues in PA 9th Congressional District debate

With the venue filled to capacity, the candidates tackled issues hitting close to home for voters, including health care, affordability, inflation and rising energy costs, offering contrasting views on the challenges facing families across the district.

Data center development was another issue, with Wallace opposing new projects and accusing Meuser of supporting them.

“While our farmers here are getting a tough hand, Dan Meuser has been 100% behind those developers. He has voted to take away local control on data centers, he has voted to give an $80 billion dollar tax break to data center developers,” said Wallace.

 

PA-09 DEBATE: Chair DePasquale Statement on Rachel Wallace Winning Tonight’s Debate as Dan Meuser Doubled-Down on a Cost-Raising Agenda

Rachel Wallace proved last night that she’s ready to go to Washington to lower costs, tackle corruption, and put Pennsylvanians first while Dan Meuser has advanced a chaotic, corrupt, and cost-raising agenda at every turn. Pennsylvanians are sick and tired of Meuser selling them out in Washington for an agenda of higher costs and less health care, and that’s exactly why they’re going to reject him this November.

ABC27: Democrats eyeing Pennsylvania’s deep red 9th Congressional District seat

With the election two weeks away, Democrats are looking at the polls and feeling confident enough to add the state’s 9th district, stretching from Lebanon County to the New York border.

Once thought unwinnable, pundits say that if they can win there, they can win everywhere

On Monday, Wallace held a virtual fundraiser with longtime Democratic Party strategist James Carville, who endorsed her and praised her career in public service.

“I can’t think of anything that would be better for the country if we sent a really talented person to the Congress in the Pennsylvania 9th congressional district,” Carville said of Wallace.

“I’m proud to see everybody in Pennsylvania, (or) as I used to call it, Alabama,” he added. “At first glance, it’s a very formidable district for a Democrat to win.”

During the fundraiser, Wallace called Meuser “a hilariously underrated villain who deserves to be fired” and who has never held a town hall.

“And he has tried calling me all sorts of names,” Wallace added. “He knows that this race is real.”

So emboldened are Democrats, they’re putting time and money into places they used to concede. That there’s even a fight in the district is noteworthy, and there is a fight.

 

 DUMBASS AD OF THE WEEK 

FEATURING BRYLCREEM BOB  

Look at this clown who says Cognetti will take away your guns. No Democrat HAS EVER taken away your guns. 

AND THEY NEVER WILL! 

This guy is really, really DUMB.  

And like  ALL GOP packs 

THEY LIE!  

 

 

 

 

 

- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS SET TO ANNOUNCE A NEW PROGRAM THAT REWARDS AMERICANS FOR REPORTING FRAUD, ACCORDING TO A WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL.

 

The $25 million initiative is called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP. Tips can be submitted through fraud.gov.

According to the official, anyone who submits a tip leading to a conviction or a significant federal enforcement action could receive up to $30,000.

Every day, President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve. This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans,” said White House spokesperson Lauren Bis.

 During the Oval Office event, Trump will present a $10,000 check to Nick Shirley, a right-wing influencer who posted a video last year that said members of Minnesota’s Somali community were running fake childcare centers to collect federal subsidies.

The video caught the attention of the Trump administration and conservative activists, though inspectors said the centers were operating as expected. Investigations, searches and arrests followed.

This is hysterical. The most corrupt President in American history wants to eliminate fraud.  Just like these two!

 

 

TRUMP ORDERS 400 TREES CHOPPED

 

A sprawling public park and golf course in Washington, D.C., is the latest target in Donald Trump’s crusade to turn the nation’s capital into a monument to himself — and a new, volatile front in a long-running battle between the president and the courts.

With little warning, more than 400 trees were ripped down over a holiday weekend for a park that the president has described as a “World Class Championship Golf Course,” kicking off a series of tense courtroom hearings and court filings from top administration officials trying to throw a federal judge off the case entirely.

District Judge Ana C. Reyes upbraided administration officials and government attorneys last week for the last-minute razing of the East Potomac Golf Links — and the president personally attacked her days later as a “crazed lunatic” who “may be insane.”

Trump the pig President of course came after the Judge and called her a “lunatic”. Well………..accusation is confession.

 

 

LEARD STAFFER ATTACKED

The Republican lie machine has now added Judgement Jury and Executioner to its line up in Luzerne County.  Walter Griffith has launched a full scale attack on the campaign manager of Fern Leard. Shannon Grosek has proved to be a formidable force and threat to the Republican party in the 120^th district. Griffith and his dug up Grosek’s past and I am bothered by a few things.

1.          Griffith is the main cheer leader for the corrupt Trump administration. What is forgotten is that more than a dozen Trump officials were convicted for crimes by a jury of their peers. He’s silent about his great leader and a few of his MAGA friends, one of whom was a gun wielder at a peaceful demonstration this year.

2.          He brought up Grosek’s past and present battle with Drug use. I say present because everybody in recovery, whether that be drugs, liquor, obesity, faces those demons every day.

3.          How does this affect an election? Sure you want to know who the candidate will bring with you but no one is going to say, “Nope, not voting for Fern” thinking that the personal behavior of her staffer is going to follow her into office.

4.           Republicans are mean, cruel and crazy bastards. Grosek is a mother with a small child who every day takes the brave steps of recovery. In effect, she is a volunteer American who is expressing her political beliefs. The desperate effort to demonize candidate Leard by going after a campaign worker is chilling and dare I say a violation of her first amendment rights.

It only goes to prove that Democrats educate, Republicans intimidate.

Just ask the candidates who  ran for state committee who Grosek helped defeat. The only action Walter and his friends need to be worried about is not her past but  how she energized the Democratic party to kick the sorry MAGA asses in this election cycle.   

 

 

 

IN WAYNE COUNTY, GOVERNOR SHAPIRO AND HEALTH SECRETARY DR. BOGEN LAUNCH NEW NURSE SHORTAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ASPIRING NURSES, ADDRESS GAPS IN PENNSYLVANIA'S WORKFORCE

PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITALS HAVE REPORTED THAT AN AVERAGE OF 15 PERCENT OF THEIR LICENSED NURSING POSITIONS ARE VACANT, RISKING A SHORTAGE OF 22,000 NURSES BY 2028.

 

Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Bogen Visit Wayne Memorial Hospital, Highlight Pennsylvania's Work to Address Nursing Shortage.

 

The Shapiro Administration created the state-level Nurse Shortage Assistance Program to build a pipeline of trained nursing professionals to deliver high-quality care all across the Commonwealth.

Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen visited Wayne Memorial Hospital - part of the Wayne Memorial Health System (WMHS) - to officially launch the state-level Nurse Shortage Assistance Program (NSAP) to help boost retention, limit turnover, and maintain a skilled health care workforce.

Secured by the Governor in the 2026-27 budget, $5 million in loan repayment assistance funding will be distributed to NSAP recipients through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and servicer, Scholars Network. In the program's first year, up to 200 nursing students could receive up to $10,000 per year, building a pipeline of trained nursing professionals who deliver high-quality care all across the Commonwealth.

"By expanding education programs, providing tuition assistance, and connecting nursing students with hospitals, we can ensure there are enough skilled professionals in our communities to deliver high-quality patient care," said Governor Shapiro. "Investing in Pennsylvania's nursing students not only gives them peace of mind that they'll have a good job after college but it creates a pipeline of new, highly trained nurses for our communities to directly address the Commonwealth's nursing shortage. My Administration is committed to continuing support for this critical workforce and helping the nurses who care for Pennsylvanians."

 

MEDIA MATTERS

28-22 POLITICAL ROUNDTABLE  

Join host Mark Hiller as he hosts the Political Roundtable with Judge Tom Munley, Dr. David Sosar and me. Live streaming on 28-22 website at 7:30 Friday night and 8;pm Sunday. 

WVIA 

 

WALN

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

You'll hear the program Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River.

 

THE LAURIE CADDEN SHOW

Tune in every Saturday morning at 9am for The Laurie Cadden Show on WILK FM 103.1 and AM 980 and 910. Laurie’s program has been a northeastern Pennsylvania mainstay every Saturday. Tune in to hear her insights and take on local issues as well as entertaining and informative interviews.

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SUNDAY NIGHT SOCK HOP

 

BEATLE EDD’S FAB FOUR MUSIC HOUR

Tune in every week to the Home of Rock and Roll for a jam packed, unpredictable hour starting at 9am Sundays. Host Edd Raineri gives you facts and great music from the immortal Fab Four on ROCK 107.

 

THE LULAC TIME MACHINE

DOLE-MONDALE DEBATE

October 1976

The 1976 vice presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Bob Dole took place on October 15, 1976, in Houston, Texas, and was moderated by James Hoge of the Chicago Sun-Times.

This debate was part of the 1976 U.S. presidential election, in which Jimmy Carter (Democrat) faced Gerald Ford (Republican). The vice presidential candidates were Walter Mondale of Minnesota (Democrat) and Bob Dole of Kansas (Republican)

They started with smiles and Senator Robert Dole saying that he hoped it would be a “fun evening. “They ended with bitter exchanges and Senator Walter Mondale calling his opponent a “hatchet man.” The debate last week between the two vice-presidential candidates—the first such session in the nation’s history—turned out to be a tart and often engrossing display of political theater, a duel between two evenly matched men whose debating skills had been sharply honed during the wars on Capitol Hill. Both Mondale and Dole sometimes articulated the views of their top bananas more concisely and with better effect than Jimmy Carter and Jerry Ford had been able to do during their debates.

As expected, the exchanges in Houston’s starkly modern Alley Theater introduced no new themes into the campaign. But the strongly liberal Democrat and the strongly conservative Republican did deal sharply, if too simplistically, with the basic issues of the election. There were even touches of humor as Dole got off some typical one-liners. He was induced to run for the vice presidency, he deadpanned at the start, because the job involved “indoor work and no heavy lifting.”

Mondale overcame his initial nervousness and stiffness as the 75-minute session wore on, emphasized the Democrats’ main domestic issues. “The question,” he said, “is what will we do to deal with the human problems of America?” His answer, delivered with few explanatory details: Attack unemployment (while still fighting inflation); reform taxes to “bring relief to the average income earner”; improve health care, housing, education and programs for the elderly. It was a more or less standard liberal Democratic shopping list. In reply, Dole said that the American people were turned off by “promises and promises and bigger and bigger spending programs and more and more inflation,” which he called “the crudest tax.”

The Bunny Vote. On foreign policy, Dole stoutly defended Republican policies and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, a villain to the G.O.P. right wing and a man Carter has criticized for his “Lone Ranger” brand of statesmanship. Mondale argued vaguely for a more open foreign policy consistent with American democratic principles. He dragged in Ford’s blooper about Eastern Europe’s being free of Soviet domination. It was, he said, “probably one of the most outrageous statements made by a President in recent political history.”

As the evening went on, the exchanges grew more and more acrimonious. “My opponent voted against Medicare—can you imagine?” asked Mondale. He also charged that Dole had tried to remove TV cameras from the Ervin committee hearings on Watergate. Dole, in turn, said that Mondale “wants to spend your money and tax and tax and spend and spend.” Mondale, Dole wisecracked, was so completely under labor’s thumb that AFL-CIO President George Meany was probably his makeup man. As for Carter, Dole said that the Democratic nominee had three positions on every issue, which was why he had to have three debates with Ford. The Republican also brought up Carter’s Playboy interview, noting, “We’ll give him the bunny vote.”

Probably the greatest gaffe of the evening—one that might have given Mondale an ultimate edge—was Dole’s ill-considered remark that World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Viet Nam were all “Democrat wars” that killed 1.6 million Americans. Retorted Mondale: “I think Senator Dole has richly earned his reputation as a hatchet man tonight. Does he really mean to suggest that there was a partisan difference over our involvement… to fight Nazi Germany?”

The two most vitally interested viewers of the televised debate, not surprisingly, came to quite different conclusions about the outcome. President Ford phoned Dole to say “You were superb. You were confident. You hit hard but hit fairly.” Jimmy Carter told Mondale: “Fritz, you did great, man … You didn’t get small, you didn’t get mean, you didn’t get twisted in your approach.”

Campaign Gofers. As the debate showed, Dole and Mondale are a bright pair of second bananas—hard-working, tough, loyal, reasonably reconciled to their status as glorified campaign gofers. They make an interesting contrast—old colleagues and old opponents from the Senate, Dole to the right of Ford, Mondale to the left of Carter.

Soldiering on, Dole has hit 36 states, Mondale 40. They bend the ear of everyone who will listen, undismayed by the fact that a Harris poll released earlier this month showed that many voters did not really know what they stood for—45% in the case of Mondale, 50% in the case of Dole.

Dole has managed to remain unruffled despite occasionally haphazard scheduling. Once he was stranded at a Kentucky horse farm for an hour, talking to a single man—the manager. The candidate tries to shrug it off. Asked if he had a campaign plan, Dole once said, “No, I just have an airplane.”

Indeed, Dole’s greatest asset on the stump has turned out to be his humor. But Ford did not select Dole as his running mate just for the laughs he might bring. A former G.O.P. national chairman, Dole can peel skin as well as tickle ribs. Dole accuses Carter of vaulting ambition and questions his “weird performance, his judgment” in the wake of the Playboy interview.

For all his wit, Dole can be a crashing bore when delivering prepared remarks. Speaking to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco about the evils of entrusting the economy to Carter, Dole put the master of ceremonies to sleep, right at the head table. While the Senator can be charming in a small group, he has little rapport with the 20 or so reporters who ride in the back of the red, white and blue jet called the “Bob Dole Campaign Express.”

In contrast, Mondale runs a much more relaxed operation. Having abandoned his own fling for the presidency in 1974 because, as he frankly admitted, he lacked the “overwhelming desire” to fight for the office, he is at ease as Carter’s lieutenant. Both men are from small-town backgrounds; both are populists with an instinctive aversion to power elites.

Mondale’s job is to build bridges between the Georgian and the main bastions of the party—the unions, the ethnics, the big-city liberals of the North. With his impeccable liberal credentials (an approval rating of 94% in 1975 from the Americans for Democratic Action), Mondale is waging an issues-oriented campaign, attacking Ford for mishandling the economy, ignoring social problems and doing the farmer dirt.

“Minnesota Fritz.” Mondale’s schedule is mapped out by the headquarters in Atlanta and his jet—known as the “Minnesota Fritz”—is in constant communication with Carter’s “Peanut One.” Even so, Mondale, as he emphasized in the debate, is free to differ with Carter on key issues. A case in point occurred in September when the Georgian criticized the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren for going “too far” in protecting the accused—an attempt by Carter to woo Middle America. Mondale, a former attorney general of Minnesota, promptly praised the Warren Court for guarding the “constitutional rights of defendants.”

As the campaign has proceeded, Mondale has become more relaxed. He has also displayed a sense of humor of his own. To labor audiences, Mondale says: “A working person who would vote Republican is like a chicken who would vote for Colonel Sanders.” After Ford made his blunder about Eastern Europe, Mondale had a story for the occasion. “When I was in Poland, a cab driver explained to me how the system worked. ‘We have a fifty-fifty deal with the Russians: we send them coal and they send us snow.’ “

Unlike Dole, Mondale is at ease with correspondents. After a long day, he sometimes strolls—in his stocking feet—to the back of his jet to chat with the reporters stowed there. Earlier this month, he walked jauntily down the aisle with a copy of a Harris poll stuck ostentatiously in his dark blue vest. “Poll? What poll?” he asked with elaborate innocence, obviously delighted that the voters surveyed by Harris preferred him over Dole, 48% to 36%. Even in the South, where Mondale’s liberal record had been expected to be an albatross, he outrated Dole, 48% to 37%.

Both Dole and Mondale boned up diligently for last week’s debate. The Kansan spent seven or eight hours a day poring over a 1 ½-ft.-high stack of black-bound briefing books. Dole, who was fighting a cold, readily admitted that he was edgy, though once the cameras blinked on, it was he who seemed the more relaxed of the two. “Conservatives get a little nervous before the battle,” he cracked. “Liberals never get nervous. They always vote yes.” Appearing before a Tennessee audience, Dole downplayed the coming debate. “If you’re not otherwise occupied,” he said, “tune in. There’ll be no commercial interruptions. No interruptions for anything. Probably nothing, period.”

Dole was wrong: in its own way, the debate helped to enliven—and even to focus more sharply—the 1976 presidential campaign. Plus, this week in 1976 the number one song in LuLac land and America was unfortunately “Disco Duck” by Rick Dees and his cast of Idiots. (Wikipedia, the Houston Alley)