ALTER-ED STATES: Jonathan Alter was Bush Derangement Syndrome Victim Zero in 2000, when he blurted into an NBC microphone at about 3:30 AM the morning on Wednesday November 8th, that Al Gore be elected president, Electoral College be damned:

The close outcome of Tuesday’s presidential election was remarkable, but one liberal reporter – Newsweek writer and NBC talking head Jonathan Alter – urged that Gore be “certified” as the winner whether or not he has met the Constitutional burden of securing a majority of Electoral College votes. Here’s what Alter told NBC viewers at approximately 3:30 Eastern Time this morning:

“If it turns out that Al Gore wins the popular vote nationally, there will be intense pressure in this country to have him become the President. Most people think the guy with the most votes wins. Recounts are as much an art as a science. You have experts, consultants, who go around the country doing recounts. If the recount came out on behalf of Bush and Bush had lost the popular vote nationally they would go to court, there’d be another recount. It would become endless. And the political pressure would mount very quickly to, to certify Al Gore as, as the winner. Especially since you have a potential conflict of interest here with the Governor of the state that is handling the recount being the brother of Governor Bush.”

Since this was NBC, and MSNBC hadn’t yet transformed itself into Air America with pictures, Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert would attempt to talk Alter down from the ledge, but today on MSNBC, there are no adults around to do so, hence we get Alter claiming, as Allahpundit paraphrases, “Tonight’s MSNBC pre-debate talking point: If Romney wins and ObamaCare is repealed, many more people will die.”

Read on for Allah’s take on medical care in countries in fiscal meltdowns such as Greece, not to mention the death toll in Syria. And as he adds, “Do the civilians mistakenly killed in drone strikes count? Or are we only talking about Americans, like Chris Stevens?”

On the flip-side though, presumably, Romney has now locked up Bill Maher’s endorsement.

No word yet if Obama’s “Science” “Czar” will soon be jumping ship as well.

HE MIGHT TRY IT, IT WON’T WORK:  Will Obama attempt to use 2nd debate to make campaign referendum on Romney? As Glenn said, it’s a substance, not an image problem.

MAYBE SOMEONE WILL ASK IT TONIGHT: VP Debate: Where Was the Gay-Marriage Question? But I doubt Obama is any more anxious to answer it than Romney is.

A TALE OF TWO RECOVERIES:  From John Merline, over at Investor’s Business Daily, a great story and graphic to counter Michelle Obama’s claim that her husband’s policies have ushered in a “huge” economic recovery. 

THE FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVE published a report on the foreign policy of independent voters. Among its findings:

Nearly 60 percent believe the United States is headed down the wrong track

Roughly 57 percent favor preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons even if that means taking U.S. military action against Tehran — placing independents between Democrats (49 percent) and Republicans (79 percent)

Around 65 percent feel the United States should work with its allies to establish a no-fly zone in Syria

72 percent have a favorable view of Israel

Roughly 87 percent believe America is a force for good in the world and more than 90 percent say it is important for the United States to play a significant role in world affairs

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Lessons From Extreme Cheapskates. Ever more useful, in the Obama Economy. . . .

Meanwhile, don’t miss these tips on strategic shopping.

AT AMAZON, top deals in Electronics.

PRE-DEBATE BLOG COMMENT OF THE DAY: “Obama has a substance problem, not an image problem. The fact that we’re wrestling so much with their image problem is the proof that Obama has a substance problem.”

IT’S A SCIENTIFIC FACT– CONSERVATIVE WOMEN ARE PRETTIER:  Duh.  Wonder how many millions of stimulus dollars it took the UCLA researchers to figure this one out?

HEY, THIS SOUNDS LIKE NEWS: Deadline dismissed: US wants troops to remain in Afghanistan after 2014. “Despite repeated pleas from US President Barack Obama to conclude the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, a leading official with the State Department tells reporters this week that the United States is readying plans that will leave boots on the ground for the unforeseeable future, perhaps long after the Obama-insisted deadline comes and goes. Marc Grossman, the State Department’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, reportedly told the press on Tuesday that upcoming negotiations in the region will iron out how and who will be left overseas after 2014 to allegedly engage in counterterrorism efforts and assist Afghans with military training.”

SO AFTER BROWSING A BUNCH OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY WEBSITES saying things like Remember Yale In Your Will! I was joking to the InstaWife that I should put up a Remember InstaPundit In Your Will! banner. But then I got this:

Although, I am not comfortable discussing the content of my mail on the Internet owing to lots of unsolicited/Spam mails on the net nowadays. Anyway my message is that I have made up my mind to will my late Husband’s fund to you so that you can use it for charity duties and good work to humanity in your country. The amount is 4 million US Dollars. And I will be glad if you can get back to me on my personal and secured email address before I can give you further information on this subject.

I rather doubt its genuineness, however . . . .

BAH, BAH BLACKBERRY, HAVE YOU ANY WORTH?  No sir, no sir, three apps full.  The New York Times reports that Blackberry users are embarrassed by their handhelds:

BlackBerry outcasts say that, increasingly, they suffer from shame and public humiliation as they watch their counterparts mingle on social networking apps that are not available to them, take higher-resolution photos, and effortlessly navigate streets — and the Internet — with better GPS and faster browsing. More indignity comes in having to outsource tasks like getting directions, booking travel, making restaurant reservations and looking up sports scores to their exasperated iPhone and Android-carting partners, friends and colleagues.

I confess to being a BB user for many years, initially because of its security and email capability.  I can’t wait for my contract to be up (January!), however, so that I can switch to iPhone.  My Blackberry Torch is maddeningly slow, clunky, and has horrible apps.  ‘Nuff said.

PRESCIENT WORRIES FROM A 2008 DEBATE WATCHER: “Please, please, Barack, don’t become another Jimmy Carter.”

And now he’s reached the point where that’s the best we can hope for.

UPDATE: Failure doesn’t matter.

MORE ON THOSE UNDERFUNDED / OVERGENEROUS PUBLIC PENSIONS: Study shows $1.2 trillion gap for public pensions. Promises that can’t be kept, won’t be.

HYSTERICAL CHRIS MATTHEWS: If Obama doesn’t defend himself, ‘something historic will begin to die.’

As with his reaction to Joe Biden’s performance last week, expect Matthews to be orgasmic after tonight’s debate, simply for Obama showing up.

WHEN ALL YOU GOT IS YOUR LADYPARTS:  You still shouldn’t use them to think with. DWS: I desperately hope women’s issues come up in the debate

SPEAKING OF THE UNEMPLOYED: Reader Tom Barker emails, “Where is Velma Hart now?

JOSHUA TREVINO ON BENGHAZIGATE:

Where the buck stops.

In light of the assignation — and avoidance — of blame for Benghazi, it is useful to look back three decades to a comparable event, and see where the buck stopped.

As reported in the Bryan, Ohio, Times, December 27th, 1983:

Reagan takes blame for Beirut bombing

by Helen Thomas

WASHINGTON (UPI) — President Reagan said today he as chief executive accepts full responsibility for the terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. servicemen.

In a hurriedly scheduled press appearance in the White House press room, Reagan said the local Marine commanders “should not be punished” for the lack of proper security in the suicide attack.

“If there is to be blame, it properly rests here in this office, with this president,” Reagan said.

Now the buck stops under the bus.

OBAMA CLAIMS TO HAVE CREATED MORE JOBS THAN REAGAN. Let’s Look at Some Facts:

And as a commenter at the Tatler notes, “Don’t forget that Reagan created all those with a smaller population back then.”

SHOCKING NEWS: By 2-1 margin, liberals’ questions favored at town hall debates.

SPINNING FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT! MSNBC Edits Obama Dodging Question ‘Is Hillary to Blame for Benghazi?’

Meanwhile, “Hey, do you want to see Laura Ingraham eviscerate a NYT reporter over Benghazigate? What am I saying?  Of course you do.”

And finally, former Obama czar turned CNN panelist calls Romney ‘douche’ twice on air — “Rank this moment as number 13,458 to explain why CNN’s ratings have collapsed.”

UPDATE: Van Jones apologizes on air.

DON’T READ THIS TITLE WITH ANYTHING IN YOUR MOUTH: Obama Claims to have Created More Jobs than Reagan. Pretty well debunked at the Tatler, of course, but we’re not responsible for sprayed monitors all the same.

AT THE SAME TIME: Conservative and Pro-Same-Sex Marriage In Maryland. But if it passes, it will be because opposition by black voters in Maryland has moderated, too.

OBAMA URGES DISMISSAL OF FAST & FURIOUS LAWSUIT:  The Department of Justice is asking a federal trial court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, seeking turnover of documents relating to the Fast & Furious gun running program.  The White House has asserted executive privilege for the materials, and urges the court to throw out the lawsuit based on the “political question” doctrine.

MESSAGING: D’Oh! DNC tries to jump on Ryan Dish-gate bandwagon … after it was debunked. Things just aren’t working for ’em like they did in 2008. . . .