Searching for Value, in Food, Politics, and ....

In a historic, unprecedented call, The Chicago Tribune today wholeheartedly endorsed Sen. Obama for the Presidency. While the Tribune's Editorial Board applauded Obama for his positives, it also wrote that "McCain failed in his most important executive decision. Give him credit for choosing a female running mate--but he passed up any number of supremely qualified Republican women who could have served. Having called Obama not ready to lead, McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. His campaign has tried to stage-manage Palin's exposure to the public. But it's clear she is not prepared to step in at a moment's notice and serve as president. McCain put his campaign before his country." This is the first time that the Tribune has endorsed a Democrat for President.

In a similar call, the Los Angeles Times has also endorsed Obama. Its Editorial Board writes that "But as the presidential race draws to its conclusion, it is Obama's character and temperament that come to the fore. It is his steadiness. His maturity.
These are qualities American leadership has sorely lacked for close to a decade. The U.S. Constitution, more than two centuries old, now offers the world one of its more mature and certainly most stable governments, but our political culture is still struggling to shake off a brash and unseemly adolescence." On Mccain, it writes that "Indeed, the presidential campaign has rendered McCain nearly unrecognizable. His selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate was, as a short-term political tactic, brilliant. It was also irresponsible, as Palin is the most unqualified vice presidential nominee of a major party in living memory. The decision calls into question just what kind of thinking -- if that's the appropriate word -- would drive the White House in a McCain presidency. Fortunately, the public has shown more discernment, and the early enthusiasm for Palin has given way to national ridicule of her candidacy and McCain's judgment."

One common thread tying up McCain is Palin.....

While the stated reasons for supporting Obama are clear, the role that Obama's race played in this decision is hard to gauge. Did the Editorial Board consider how it would look if it endorsed McCain over a close African American opponent? Did it really separate the value of Obama's presidency from his racial background? Question of Values.
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Talking about "Values" and "Valuing Value", it appears that "In a bad economy, many rediscover the value meal." According to this article, "Fast food is the part of the restaurant business that usually holds up best when the economy tanks. Right now special offers and value pitches are keeping fast food humming, according to market researcher NPD Group."

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In an action that is unusual for the Bush administration, the federal government on Friday placed beluga whales that live in Cook Inlet in Alaska on the endangered species list, rejecting efforts by Gov. Sarah Palin and others against increased protection,...according to NYT.
“I am especially concerned,” the governor said in a written statement in August 2007, when her administration submitted documents to fight the listing, “that an unnecessary federal listing and designation of critical habitat would do serious long-term damage to the vibrant economy of the Cook Inlet area.”On Friday, Ms. Palin said the state had had “serious concerns about the low population of belugas in Cook Inlet for many years,” but she called the listing “premature.” Her administration challenged the federal government’s data, as it did with the polar bear decision.
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Values on E-Bay...For the first time, eBay’s gross merchandise volume, the total sum of all transactions on the eBay Marketplace, declined.