I've been busy preparing to make the LSAT my bitch. Logic games are a misnomer. There is no logic and none of the fun associated with tic-tac-toe or connect four.
Anywho, we've all had a bit of debate fatigue. Not to mention I thought it best to wait as we get closer to someone actually voting. Yes, those someones are a curiously monolithic group of white, liberal noreasteners but still, it's a vote.
However, last night's debate called to me. I was home, it was cold outside and the VSOP was warm. How better to pass my drunkeness than with a Democratic debate?!
I'll attach my raw copy for now. Sober analysis should follow. Enjoy.
10/30/07 Debate
This was as entertaining a political debate possible without the great Mike Gravel.
*moment of silence*
*pours out some Tazo Tea for my homie*
On the issue of the recent vote to allow military movement towards Iran.
Dodd says we haven't learned our lesson from Iraq as it pertains to sanctioning Bush's move towards military action against Iran. This is a mistake.
Hillary voted for said resolution, BTW. She defends her vote as a vote for diplomacy glossing over the part of the resolution that names Iran a terrorist organization and allows for military forces in Iraq to be mobilized in reaction to Iran.
Um, yeah. 'Member that resolution on Iraq?
Edwards says Hillary double talks. He's going at her. Damn shame I still need proof that his voice changed. I just don't buy him as a man. There was this pretty drag queen at the bar the other night and he reminds of her a bit minus the curly ponytail and fantabulous gams in a velvet miniskirt. But he came to play.
Obama says Hillary makes no distinction between herself and the Republicans. He charges they may be one and the same. Do We Set a Redline Moment for Attacking Iran?Obama showed he knows the players. He's been studying.
Clinton comes across well on this issue. She knows it intimately. Some nonsense about carrot and sticks. Is that white people shit? Like peas and carrots? Who ever knows.
Edwards brings the pain AGAIN! HIllary stands up to the Republicans on the issue of Iran by VOTING WITH THEM?! What kind of bullshit is that Hillary? Where I'm from in Carolina we call that spitting inta tha wind.
Richardson bang starts to shake loose at this point. He's so uncomfortable up there. Looks like he's sweating Sazon. Anyway, some rambling about how he's the only one on the stage to actually negotiate with some of the people of which they all speak.
Dodd and Biden go nuts! Get low shawty! Get low! We been done negotiated some peace!!!
Oh Lawd!
On the nonsensical question of do you pledge that there will be no Iran with a bomb on your watch only Biden offered the only answer worth hearing: "Hell naw I ain't gonna pledge that! Them mofos ain't got but a smidgen of enriched uranium. Pakistan got 40s FULL of of enriched uranium!!! How you gonna try to make me jump bad with Iran when Pakistan is carrying a big stick? I'ma make wise decisions based on facts not up in here in a vacuum!" (Now's a good time to mention that my quotation marks are used only for entertainment purposes. And because its one of the few grammar rules to stick with me.)
Obama says the best way to cme to the international community is not be the country led by somebody who voted for war with Iraq. Oooooooohhhh (I bet you won't slap his hand! I bet you won't slap his hand!).
Edwards says Hillary was quoted in some article as suggesting she's no longer in primary mode but inthe general election mode. Ed says, hold up! HOw about TRUTH MODE! You campaigning and I'm trying to talk real talk!
Y'all know they say Hillary cusses like a drunken sailor with syphillis. She look she want to cuss that redneck for all he's worth right now and can't. Bitch damn near choked on a "gotdamn".
Guilani quote pulled out about HIllary not having any real experience beyond making tea for diplomat's wives.
Clinton says she was an advocate. Y'all ever seen "advocate" on monster? I'm looking to be one of them bitches. I was a ursher for three years. Can't be much difference.
Anyway the conversation turns to Bill's request that all of her communications with him while in the white house be kept sealed...until 2012!!! Russert's got the letter!!!!! Why so secretive Hill?! WHY?!
Obama says bitch if this here be your resume you can't run on it and hide it at the same time. Why no transparency Hillary? This is the basis of your experience. Let me see it. Yeah, that's why they want you to be the forerunner. The Republicans know how to fight you. They been doing it since the 90s. (insinuates she's the old guard!)
And then Edwards dropped it on her! The Repubs are obsessed with you Hillary cause they want to run against you! They don't want none wit me! Looka here. After the election I'll be fine. Barack and HIllary will be fine. Will YOUR broke ass be fine?
Shole won't Ed. Shole won't.
kucinich wants a single payer not for profit healthcare system. My teeth want one too. thanks.
BIDEN!! With the KO! Are we listening to Guilani up in here? This mofo ain't got sperience worth shit! He ain't passed a bill worth shit, ain't balanced no budget. He can't even run fries or drive-thru. How we gonna let him roll up in this debate? He don't know how to say but three things - a noun, a verb and 9/11. I can't WAIT to run 'gainst Guilani.
Blah, Blah, Blah
The clincher:Shirley Mclain is Kucinich's Russian mail-order bride's babies godmother? In her new book she describes his moving experience with a UFO at her house.
Do you believe in UFO's Kucinich?
Yes.
*collective blink*
Yes?
Yes.
The lawn gnome done went beserk!!! Oh lawdy! somebody bring up the constitution and non-proliferation!!!
HE BELIEVES IN UFOS!!!!! AND HE SAID SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They closed with nailing Hillary on the NY Governor's plans to offer illegals/undocumented/messicans/new nigras a driver's license. She won't say she's against it or for it. She wasn't prepared for this question. You can tell. She's stumbling. She supports the governor but not the law. It's a good idea but not.
Edwards says hold up!!! This bitch done said two things in two minutes to one motherfucking question. REWIND TAPE!!!
Obama says they got to have some ID. They hit yo car on the south side you need to know who to run up on.Interesting way to end. A clencher with HIllary looking like the double talker she was accused of being.
Did I mention that KUCINICH KNOWS SHIRLEY MCLEAN AND BELIEVES IN UFOS?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Today's Best Person in the Woooooorld!
You have to be a Kieth Olbermann/MSNBC junkie to get that title, but you need only be a logical, patriotic American to understand the honesty and passion in Keith's special comment on his show today.
I've long recognized him to be phenomenal writer. The following is one of his best:
Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign
SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
MSNBC
“I didn’t vote for him,” an American once said, “But he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
That—on this eve of the 4th of July—is the essence of this democracy, in 17 words. And that is what President Bush threw away yesterday in commuting the sentence of Lewis “Scooter” Libby.
The man who said those 17 words—improbably enough—was the actor John Wayne. And Wayne, an ultra-conservative, said them, when he learned of the hair’s-breadth election of John F. Kennedy instead of his personal favorite, Richard Nixon in 1960.
“I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
The sentiment was doubtlessly expressed earlier, but there is something especially appropriate about hearing it, now, in Wayne’s voice: The crisp matter-of-fact acknowledgement that we have survived, even though for nearly two centuries now, our Commander-in-Chief has also served, simultaneously, as the head of one political party and often the scourge of all others.
We as citizens must, at some point, ignore a president’s partisanship. Not that we may prosper as a nation, not that we may achieve, not that we may lead the world—but merely that we may function.
But just as essential to the seventeen words of John Wayne, is an implicit trust—a sacred trust: That the president for whom so many did not vote, can in turn suspend his political self long enough, and for matters imperative enough, to conduct himself solely for the benefit of the entire Republic.
Our generation’s willingness to state “we didn’t vote for him, but he’s our president, and we hope he does a good job,” was tested in the crucible of history, and earlier than most.
And in circumstances more tragic and threatening. And we did that with which history tasked us.
We enveloped our President in 2001.And those who did not believe he should have been elected—indeed those who did not believe he had been elected—willingly lowered their voices and assented to the sacred oath of non-partisanship.
And George W. Bush took our assent, and re-configured it, and honed it, and shaped it to a razor-sharp point and stabbed this nation in the back with it.
Were there any remaining lingering doubt otherwise, or any remaining lingering hope, it ended yesterday when Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of one of his own staffers.
Did so even before the appeals process was complete; did so without as much as a courtesy consultation with the Department of Justice; did so despite what James Madison—at the Constitutional Convention—said about impeaching any president who pardoned or sheltered those who had committed crimes “advised by” that president; did so without the slightest concern that even the most detached of citizens must look at the chain of events and wonder: To what degree was Mr. Libby told: break the law however you wish—the President will keep you out of prison?
In that moment, Mr. Bush, you broke that fundamental com-pact between yourself and the majority of this nation’s citizens—the ones who did not cast votes for you. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you ceased to be the President of the United States. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you became merely the President of a rabid and irresponsible corner of the Republican Party. And this is too important a time, Sir, to have a commander-in-chief who puts party over nation.
This has been, of course, the gathering legacy of this Administration. Few of its decisions have escaped the stain of politics. The extraordinary Karl Rove has spoken of “a permanent Republican majority,” as if such a thing—or a permanent Democratic majority—is not antithetical to that upon which rests: our country, our history, our revolution, our freedoms.
Yet our Democracy has survived shrewder men than Karl Rove. And it has survived the frequent stain of politics upon the fabric of government. But this administration, with ever-increasing insistence and almost theocratic zealotry, has turned that stain into a massive oil spill.
The protection of the environment is turned over to those of one political party, who will financially benefit from the rape of the environment. The protections of the Constitution are turned over to those of one political party, who believe those protections unnecessary and extravagant and quaint.
The enforcement of the laws is turned over to those of one political party, who will swear beforehand that they will not enforce those laws. The choice between war and peace is turned over to those of one political party, who stand to gain vast wealth by ensuring that there is never peace, but only war.
And now, when just one cooked book gets corrected by an honest auditor, when just one trampling of the inherent and inviolable fairness of government is rejected by an impartial judge, when just one wild-eyed partisan is stopped by the figure of blind justice, this President decides that he, and not the law, must prevail.
I accuse you, Mr. Bush, of lying this country into war.
I accuse you of fabricating in the minds of your own people, a false implied link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11.
I accuse you of firing the generals who told you that the plans for Iraq were disastrously insufficient.
I accuse you of causing in Iraq the needless deaths of 3,586 of our brothers and sons, and sisters
and daughters, and friends and neighbors.
I accuse you of subverting the Constitution, not in some misguided but sincerely-motivated struggle to combat terrorists, but to stifle dissent.
I accuse you of fomenting fear among your own people, of creating the very terror you claim to have fought.
I accuse you of exploiting that unreasoning fear, the natural fear of your own people who just want to live their lives in peace, as a political tool to slander your critics and libel your opponents.
I accuse you of handing part of this Republic over to a Vice President who is without conscience, and letting him run roughshod over it.
And I accuse you now, Mr. Bush, of giving, through that Vice President, carte blanche to Mr. Libby, to help defame Ambassador Joseph Wilson by any means necessary, to lie to Grand Juries and Special Counsel and before a court, in order to protect the mechanisms and particulars of that defamation, with your guarantee that Libby would never see prison, and, in so doing, as Ambassador Wilson himself phrased it here last night, of becoming an accessory to the obstruction of justice.
When President Nixon ordered the firing of the Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the infamous “Saturday Night Massacre” on October 20th, 1973, Cox initially responded tersely, and ominously.
“Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men, is now for Congress, and ultimately, the American people.”
President Nixon did not understand how he had crystallized the issue of Watergate for the American people.
It had been about the obscure meaning behind an attempt to break in to a rival party’s headquarters; and the labyrinthine effort to cover-up that break-in and the related crimes.
And in one night, Nixon transformed it.
Watergate—instantaneously—became a simpler issue: a President overruling the inexorable march of the law of insisting—in a way that resonated viscerally with millions who had not previously understood - that he was the law.
Not the Constitution. Not the Congress. Not the Courts. Just him.
Just - Mr. Bush - as you did, yesterday.
The twists and turns of Plame-Gate, of your precise and intricate lies that sent us into this bottomless pit of Iraq; your lies upon the lies to discredit Joe Wilson; your lies upon the lies upon the lies to throw the sand at the “referee” of Prosecutor Fitzgerald’s analogy. These are complex and often painful to follow, and too much, perhaps, for the average citizen.
But when other citizens render a verdict against your man, Mr. Bush—and then you spit in the faces of those jurors and that judge and the judges who were yet to hear the appeal—the average citizen understands that, Sir.
It’s the fixed ballgame and the rigged casino and the pre-arranged lottery all rolled into one—and it stinks. And they know it.
Nixon’s mistake, the last and most fatal of them, the firing of Archibald Cox, was enough to cost him the presidency. And in the end, even Richard Nixon could say he could not put this nation through an impeachment.
It was far too late for it to matter then, but as the decades unfold, that single final gesture of non-partisanship, of acknowledged responsibility not to self, not to party, not to “base,” but to country, echoes loudly into history. Even Richard Nixon knew it was time to resign
Would that you could say that, Mr. Bush. And that you could say it for Mr. Cheney. You both crossed the Rubicon yesterday. Which one of you chose the route, no longer matters. Which is the ventriloquist, and which the dummy, is irrelevant.
But that you have twisted the machinery of government into nothing more than a tawdry machine of politics, is the only fact that remains relevant.
It is nearly July 4th, Mr. Bush, the commemoration of the moment we Americans decided that rather than live under a King who made up the laws, or erased them, or ignored them—or commuted the sentences of those rightly convicted under them—we would force our independence, and regain our sacred freedoms.
We of this time—and our leaders in Congress, of both parties—must now live up to those standards which echo through our history: Pressure, negotiate, impeach—get you, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Cheney, two men who are now perilous to our Democracy, away from its helm.
For you, Mr. Bush, and for Mr. Cheney, there is a lesser task. You need merely achieve a very low threshold indeed. Display just that iota of patriotism which Richard Nixon showed, on August 9th, 1974.
Resign.
And give us someone—anyone—about whom all of us might yet be able to quote John Wayne, and say, “I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
Full coverage here.
This 4th of July celebrate by remembering that there is no such thing as a democratic or republican president but only the President of the United States.
I've long recognized him to be phenomenal writer. The following is one of his best:
Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign
SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
MSNBC
“I didn’t vote for him,” an American once said, “But he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
That—on this eve of the 4th of July—is the essence of this democracy, in 17 words. And that is what President Bush threw away yesterday in commuting the sentence of Lewis “Scooter” Libby.
The man who said those 17 words—improbably enough—was the actor John Wayne. And Wayne, an ultra-conservative, said them, when he learned of the hair’s-breadth election of John F. Kennedy instead of his personal favorite, Richard Nixon in 1960.
“I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
The sentiment was doubtlessly expressed earlier, but there is something especially appropriate about hearing it, now, in Wayne’s voice: The crisp matter-of-fact acknowledgement that we have survived, even though for nearly two centuries now, our Commander-in-Chief has also served, simultaneously, as the head of one political party and often the scourge of all others.
We as citizens must, at some point, ignore a president’s partisanship. Not that we may prosper as a nation, not that we may achieve, not that we may lead the world—but merely that we may function.
But just as essential to the seventeen words of John Wayne, is an implicit trust—a sacred trust: That the president for whom so many did not vote, can in turn suspend his political self long enough, and for matters imperative enough, to conduct himself solely for the benefit of the entire Republic.
Our generation’s willingness to state “we didn’t vote for him, but he’s our president, and we hope he does a good job,” was tested in the crucible of history, and earlier than most.
And in circumstances more tragic and threatening. And we did that with which history tasked us.
We enveloped our President in 2001.And those who did not believe he should have been elected—indeed those who did not believe he had been elected—willingly lowered their voices and assented to the sacred oath of non-partisanship.
And George W. Bush took our assent, and re-configured it, and honed it, and shaped it to a razor-sharp point and stabbed this nation in the back with it.
Were there any remaining lingering doubt otherwise, or any remaining lingering hope, it ended yesterday when Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of one of his own staffers.
Did so even before the appeals process was complete; did so without as much as a courtesy consultation with the Department of Justice; did so despite what James Madison—at the Constitutional Convention—said about impeaching any president who pardoned or sheltered those who had committed crimes “advised by” that president; did so without the slightest concern that even the most detached of citizens must look at the chain of events and wonder: To what degree was Mr. Libby told: break the law however you wish—the President will keep you out of prison?
In that moment, Mr. Bush, you broke that fundamental com-pact between yourself and the majority of this nation’s citizens—the ones who did not cast votes for you. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you ceased to be the President of the United States. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you became merely the President of a rabid and irresponsible corner of the Republican Party. And this is too important a time, Sir, to have a commander-in-chief who puts party over nation.
This has been, of course, the gathering legacy of this Administration. Few of its decisions have escaped the stain of politics. The extraordinary Karl Rove has spoken of “a permanent Republican majority,” as if such a thing—or a permanent Democratic majority—is not antithetical to that upon which rests: our country, our history, our revolution, our freedoms.
Yet our Democracy has survived shrewder men than Karl Rove. And it has survived the frequent stain of politics upon the fabric of government. But this administration, with ever-increasing insistence and almost theocratic zealotry, has turned that stain into a massive oil spill.
The protection of the environment is turned over to those of one political party, who will financially benefit from the rape of the environment. The protections of the Constitution are turned over to those of one political party, who believe those protections unnecessary and extravagant and quaint.
The enforcement of the laws is turned over to those of one political party, who will swear beforehand that they will not enforce those laws. The choice between war and peace is turned over to those of one political party, who stand to gain vast wealth by ensuring that there is never peace, but only war.
And now, when just one cooked book gets corrected by an honest auditor, when just one trampling of the inherent and inviolable fairness of government is rejected by an impartial judge, when just one wild-eyed partisan is stopped by the figure of blind justice, this President decides that he, and not the law, must prevail.
I accuse you, Mr. Bush, of lying this country into war.
I accuse you of fabricating in the minds of your own people, a false implied link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11.
I accuse you of firing the generals who told you that the plans for Iraq were disastrously insufficient.
I accuse you of causing in Iraq the needless deaths of 3,586 of our brothers and sons, and sisters
and daughters, and friends and neighbors.
I accuse you of subverting the Constitution, not in some misguided but sincerely-motivated struggle to combat terrorists, but to stifle dissent.
I accuse you of fomenting fear among your own people, of creating the very terror you claim to have fought.
I accuse you of exploiting that unreasoning fear, the natural fear of your own people who just want to live their lives in peace, as a political tool to slander your critics and libel your opponents.
I accuse you of handing part of this Republic over to a Vice President who is without conscience, and letting him run roughshod over it.
And I accuse you now, Mr. Bush, of giving, through that Vice President, carte blanche to Mr. Libby, to help defame Ambassador Joseph Wilson by any means necessary, to lie to Grand Juries and Special Counsel and before a court, in order to protect the mechanisms and particulars of that defamation, with your guarantee that Libby would never see prison, and, in so doing, as Ambassador Wilson himself phrased it here last night, of becoming an accessory to the obstruction of justice.
When President Nixon ordered the firing of the Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the infamous “Saturday Night Massacre” on October 20th, 1973, Cox initially responded tersely, and ominously.
“Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men, is now for Congress, and ultimately, the American people.”
President Nixon did not understand how he had crystallized the issue of Watergate for the American people.
It had been about the obscure meaning behind an attempt to break in to a rival party’s headquarters; and the labyrinthine effort to cover-up that break-in and the related crimes.
And in one night, Nixon transformed it.
Watergate—instantaneously—became a simpler issue: a President overruling the inexorable march of the law of insisting—in a way that resonated viscerally with millions who had not previously understood - that he was the law.
Not the Constitution. Not the Congress. Not the Courts. Just him.
Just - Mr. Bush - as you did, yesterday.
The twists and turns of Plame-Gate, of your precise and intricate lies that sent us into this bottomless pit of Iraq; your lies upon the lies to discredit Joe Wilson; your lies upon the lies upon the lies to throw the sand at the “referee” of Prosecutor Fitzgerald’s analogy. These are complex and often painful to follow, and too much, perhaps, for the average citizen.
But when other citizens render a verdict against your man, Mr. Bush—and then you spit in the faces of those jurors and that judge and the judges who were yet to hear the appeal—the average citizen understands that, Sir.
It’s the fixed ballgame and the rigged casino and the pre-arranged lottery all rolled into one—and it stinks. And they know it.
Nixon’s mistake, the last and most fatal of them, the firing of Archibald Cox, was enough to cost him the presidency. And in the end, even Richard Nixon could say he could not put this nation through an impeachment.
It was far too late for it to matter then, but as the decades unfold, that single final gesture of non-partisanship, of acknowledged responsibility not to self, not to party, not to “base,” but to country, echoes loudly into history. Even Richard Nixon knew it was time to resign
Would that you could say that, Mr. Bush. And that you could say it for Mr. Cheney. You both crossed the Rubicon yesterday. Which one of you chose the route, no longer matters. Which is the ventriloquist, and which the dummy, is irrelevant.
But that you have twisted the machinery of government into nothing more than a tawdry machine of politics, is the only fact that remains relevant.
It is nearly July 4th, Mr. Bush, the commemoration of the moment we Americans decided that rather than live under a King who made up the laws, or erased them, or ignored them—or commuted the sentences of those rightly convicted under them—we would force our independence, and regain our sacred freedoms.
We of this time—and our leaders in Congress, of both parties—must now live up to those standards which echo through our history: Pressure, negotiate, impeach—get you, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Cheney, two men who are now perilous to our Democracy, away from its helm.
For you, Mr. Bush, and for Mr. Cheney, there is a lesser task. You need merely achieve a very low threshold indeed. Display just that iota of patriotism which Richard Nixon showed, on August 9th, 1974.
Resign.
And give us someone—anyone—about whom all of us might yet be able to quote John Wayne, and say, “I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
Full coverage here.
This 4th of July celebrate by remembering that there is no such thing as a democratic or republican president but only the President of the United States.
Monday, July 2, 2007
It took Libby to bring me out of hiding
It's not that I haven't had plenty to rant about. It's that I've decided to take my warpath to the next level. I'm going to law school.
With that comes studying and planning and trying to keep the Feds out of my internet activity.
But I'll be damned if the past week wasn't enough to resuscitate my dying political heartbeat.
We'll get to the stellar job PBS and Tavis Smiley did with last weeks All American Presidential Debates. I have much to say on why Hillary should beware the seemingly happy Negroes, why it's important that Obama's (bank account) is bigger than yours, and why the failure of the immigration bill and core GOP support for the surge mean a very fun 12 months for people like myself.
But right now I have to talk pardons and commuting sentences and how no matter what they tell you white men know they are under siege in this country (and by siege I mean at danger of being treated like everyone else) and how this is just the beginning of what they are willing to do to maintain their privilege.
There's a reason I don't discuss Mike Nifong and the Duke rape case. People lost the ability to apply any logic to that "case" the minute they felt an emotional connection with either the accused or the accuser. However, today seems a good time to point out what Nifong has really been disbarred for. In taking the word of a black, lower class, female who removes clothes for money over the word of several white men attending a legacy institution like Duke he broke the rule of whitedom.
The law of this land is primarily designed to maintain order as it is defined by white men. It goes without saying that their definition would include a preference for their own. If the law happens to also benefit other folks some of the time, fine. But it had better be infallible when applied to white men of means and missing white women. We cannot forget about the missing white women. NO, really, we cannot. *casts side eye at Nancy Grace*
So they didn't just want justice with Mr. Nifong, they - the parents, the outraged bystanders, white folks - they wanted REVENGE. That's why he was disbarred. Perhaps you'd have to know, as I do, stories of drunk attorneys passing out at defense tables while their clients were convicted who still have their license to see the irony there, but trust me, it's ironic.
Fast forward to today where the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, a wartime president with major issues on his desk found the time to disagree with no fewer than three judges who thought that Libby's sentence fit the crime and, well, you'll have to forgive me for wanting to say a really appropriate Chris Rock joke.
It's not that powerful white men are above the law is news. It's that in 2007, in the era of 24 hour news coverage that this administration cares so little for covering up. I miss the good ol' days when, sure, the powers that be raped you of your civil rights but had the decency to lie to you about it. You know? It's like the guy who feels you up BEFORE dinner - just rude.
And while I concede that the president is within his rights to commute Libby's sentence I deny him the right to try and justify it by condemning it as "excessive".
Two years ago a man named Junior Allen was released from a N.C. prison after serving 35 years - for stealing a TV. Right now 21 year old Genarlow Wilson continues to serve his ten year sentence for having consensual sex when he was a teenager. There are men and women in the judicial system without Mr. Libby's money, adequate legal representation or access who are serving all manner of disproportionate sentences.
I'd like to tell the President all about them. I mean, seeing as how he's now in the dispensation of justice game. Is there an email? A 1-800 number?
I'm sure there are a few thousand folks who'd sure like to get a hold of it.
With that comes studying and planning and trying to keep the Feds out of my internet activity.
But I'll be damned if the past week wasn't enough to resuscitate my dying political heartbeat.
We'll get to the stellar job PBS and Tavis Smiley did with last weeks All American Presidential Debates. I have much to say on why Hillary should beware the seemingly happy Negroes, why it's important that Obama's (bank account) is bigger than yours, and why the failure of the immigration bill and core GOP support for the surge mean a very fun 12 months for people like myself.
But right now I have to talk pardons and commuting sentences and how no matter what they tell you white men know they are under siege in this country (and by siege I mean at danger of being treated like everyone else) and how this is just the beginning of what they are willing to do to maintain their privilege.
There's a reason I don't discuss Mike Nifong and the Duke rape case. People lost the ability to apply any logic to that "case" the minute they felt an emotional connection with either the accused or the accuser. However, today seems a good time to point out what Nifong has really been disbarred for. In taking the word of a black, lower class, female who removes clothes for money over the word of several white men attending a legacy institution like Duke he broke the rule of whitedom.
The law of this land is primarily designed to maintain order as it is defined by white men. It goes without saying that their definition would include a preference for their own. If the law happens to also benefit other folks some of the time, fine. But it had better be infallible when applied to white men of means and missing white women. We cannot forget about the missing white women. NO, really, we cannot. *casts side eye at Nancy Grace*
So they didn't just want justice with Mr. Nifong, they - the parents, the outraged bystanders, white folks - they wanted REVENGE. That's why he was disbarred. Perhaps you'd have to know, as I do, stories of drunk attorneys passing out at defense tables while their clients were convicted who still have their license to see the irony there, but trust me, it's ironic.
Fast forward to today where the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, a wartime president with major issues on his desk found the time to disagree with no fewer than three judges who thought that Libby's sentence fit the crime and, well, you'll have to forgive me for wanting to say a really appropriate Chris Rock joke.
It's not that powerful white men are above the law is news. It's that in 2007, in the era of 24 hour news coverage that this administration cares so little for covering up. I miss the good ol' days when, sure, the powers that be raped you of your civil rights but had the decency to lie to you about it. You know? It's like the guy who feels you up BEFORE dinner - just rude.
And while I concede that the president is within his rights to commute Libby's sentence I deny him the right to try and justify it by condemning it as "excessive".
Two years ago a man named Junior Allen was released from a N.C. prison after serving 35 years - for stealing a TV. Right now 21 year old Genarlow Wilson continues to serve his ten year sentence for having consensual sex when he was a teenager. There are men and women in the judicial system without Mr. Libby's money, adequate legal representation or access who are serving all manner of disproportionate sentences.
I'd like to tell the President all about them. I mean, seeing as how he's now in the dispensation of justice game. Is there an email? A 1-800 number?
I'm sure there are a few thousand folks who'd sure like to get a hold of it.
Friday, April 27, 2007
The View From Up Here…Or, Down Here…Or, Something…
I’m not sure if my esteemed colleagues in aimless political punditry would consider me a leader or a follower, but I do think everyone can agree that I am psychic.
No, really. See all tongue-in-cheek references to a darkhorse candidate providing entertainment value in last night’s presidential debate and then see the phenomenon that is Mike Gravel. The former representative from Alaska…yes, Alaska gave as good as he got last night. He foamed at the mouth, he chomped at the bit, he called Biden “arrogant”, challenged Obama to a duel and I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to think that he may have patted Hillary on the ass.
This man was the gold standard.
The rest of the field played their respective roles, as expected. Hillary got in a good texas-hold-‘em style promise of “swift retribution” should she find that two American cities had been attacked by terrorists as they stood there. By the way, what the fvck was up with that question? If they’d all promised to put away their copy of the see and say speller when told about an Al-Quaida attack, I would have been happy.
John Edwards looked lackluster last night. Now, I’m never a huge fan of his but on the stump he usually weaves his homespun charm like Charlotte does her web. Last night, however, he looked tired and out of sorts. I did appreciate his handling of the haircut question. Basically, Johnny-boy says yes he’s rich, bitch but don’t get it twisted; you don’t know where he came from! He’s from the hard scrapple streets of working class textile America and he has the inferiority complex to prove it.
Chris Dodd. Was he there? I can barely remember. I looked over my notes and I only see one reference. Can we consider him done?
Dennis Kucinich. Poor, poor Dennis Kucinich. He has some great ideas. He is passionate about service and politics. The man carries a copy of the constitution in his pocket for God’s sake! He’s a patriot! But he also tossed out some mumbo jumbo on never making war and he looks like Rainman’s uncool step-brother. He doesn’t stand a chance but he came out strong last night and give the man his due: he does not fear being the odd guy out. That speaks to a serious delusion or some pretty hefty reserves of courage.
The Senator from Illinois was looking fine. However, he stumbled in places and never gave any great soundbite answers for that all important post-debate spin. On the upside he didn’t allow himself to be cornered or attacked much and he looked the part. It is obvious he has studied the particulars of foreign policy though as multi-syllabled names rolled from his tongue like sweet wine when he was inevitably given a question about our allies and enemies abroad.
Joe Biden looked every bit the elder statesman as he tossed out Arabic names like fastballs and rattled of minute details of some bill or initiative. The man has chops and they should not be taken lightly. It’s a damn shame America has shown a collective disdain for smart guys though. You’ll see his brilliant one word answer of “yes” replayed everywhere so I won’t ruin it for you. It was one of the most memorable moments of the night. If that’s how you’re keeping score then many of today’s talking heads are right: he “won”.
Hillary did exactly what she came to do. She didn’t get sidetracked, no one attacked her and she’s almost mastered the art of mimicking the cadence of a human being. Seriously, I do not dislike Hillary…at all. She’s just not my choice in the primary and I don’t think she can win the general. But she does have that peculiar white woman oratorical disorder where they get higher-pitched and shrill at the end of a sentence. It’s the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. She modulated that well most of the night, got off the fact that she is experienced at least a half dozen times and looked solid. I don’t know how well her explanation of her vote for war went over though. But she didn’t sway anyone. If you loved her before you still do. If you hated her before you can go back to attaching human hair to your voodoo doll. She is still Hillary Clinton.
Bill Richardson, I thought, was extremely natural and engaging on the stage. He made more than few salient points about foreign affairs – you know the man’s been nominated for the Nobel, right? – and showed a depth and breadth of understanding about complex issues. He did not shy away from pointed, tough questions. When asked about his initial reluctance to hang Alberto Gonzalez out to dry because he is Hispanic he manned up and said he said it and he meant it. It was the most honest moment of the night. Damn shame that honesty doesn’t sell, but I, for one, appreciated it.
I also appreciated that he was the ONLY candidate to mention the Darfur and Sudan during his spiel on foreign policy. The other candidates conveniently forgot the largest damn continent in the planet when discussing global affairs.
And now that you’ve got the highlights, here’s my spin/predications/strategy discussion:
Clinton, Edwards and Obama did not have to razzle dazzle last night. They are already ahead. They just did not have to fuck up and I do not think any of them did.
Would it be good for the populace if they had been more engaging, perhaps? But the populace is a fickly heffa on Motrin; you can’t always give her what she wants if you aim to give her what she needs.
So they did what they had to do.
And all of these Republicans knighting Hillary the winner? They bring to mind the creepy guy who offers free candy if you’ll come over to watch cartoons. It’s a set up people. Nothing would make these people happier than to run against Hillary in the election. If they say she won, you better question why that would make them so damn happy.
I did not like Hillary calling the Senator by his first name. Up to that point everyone had been formally addressed but she calls out, “Barack.” And now this may be a peculiarity of my racial identity but something in the way she said his name made clear to me that she wasn’t use to calling it. She calls that man something else at home and it ain’t as nice as “Rock”, I guarantee. It sounded oddly intimate and condescending to me.
Not to be outdone, though, Barack called her “Hillary”, leveling that little playing field. I can’t imagine there wasn’t some underlying dynamic at play in that exchange.
Biden seemed much more sincere when he addressed Mr. Obama and talked about them working together on an emissions bill. In fact, it sounded so right that I am once again fantasizing of an Obama/Biden ticket.
Obama and Hillary will never happen. Obama and Edwards would be stupid. If you have an issue with Obama’s relative youth and inexperience then you should really have an issue with Edwards’. And if I’m voting on intangibles I’ll take the real McCoy. Edwards is just a color-inverted facsimile.
Chris Matthews fawned incessantly over how beautiful and classy Michelle Obama looked. I think my man had taken too big a bite out of that S.C. State atmosphere!
Speaking of wives, where did Kucinich find that one of his? She’s like 12! Beautiful redhead with an accent – anyone else thinking we should be able to find a credit card purchase for Russian Hotties R Us?
So, not much changed the dynamic last night but it was entertaining to see the dynamics, if you’re into that sort of thing.
I’m still confident with all of my predictions:
- Biden or Richardson will either go bust or break free in the next six months
-Hillary and Obama will continue to tread water until around September which is when the gloves will come off. They’ll both be bloodied but Hillary will eventually be faced with the realities of a party that wants to win and she’ll end up doing what’s right for the party just to keep a seat at the table.
- The real contest may well come down to Obama and Edwards. You can’t underestimate Edwards’ success in early primary states like Iowa. But he’s vulnerable on a great many issues and I don’t know if he can go the distance. In fact, I already see him angling for a vice-president nom.
- Gravel will father my babies and will keep us all up at night with impromptu nuclear attack drills
- It’s early yet but I see an Obama/Biden or Obama/Richardson ticket. If Hillary wins the nomination I’ll be outside my house making Molotov cocktails and planning for the revolution
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Debate -- Part Two -- Raw Copy
Note: Raw copy denotes that this is published as I wrote it while simultaneously watching the debate, mixing dirty martinis and fielding hilarious phone calls from my mother. I'll be editing and summarizing later. But I thought you might enjoy seeing how my mind works.
The Non-Iraq Foreign Policy segment
First to Obama is a question about who are our biggest allies, surely meant to test his knowledge of the landscape. I held my breath and he did well. He acknowledges NATO, EU, Japan and possibly China in economic issues. He manages thee follow up about that "no one has suffered more than the Palestinian people" quote issue.
But of course, as expected, Biden speaks on it with the ease of someone who has met all of the people he's talking about.
Gravel says we don't have enemies. I ain't never scared!!! We need to treat the world like equals. I'm sure this man is making excellent points but I swear to god I'd stun gun his ass if i saw him on an airplane with me.
OK, I like Edwards well articulated concept of influencing the culture of our "enemies" by supporting education, clean water and health issues to redefine ourselves as a culture that people want to emulate. I'm on board with that. And he mentioned micro-financing, one of the best little ideas ever had.
Being stubborn is not a foreign policy, Bill Richardson. Icon please. He's also the first and only one to mention Darfur!!!! "Why doesn't America care about Africa", he says!! GOD BLESS BILL RICHARDSON.
Dennis once again shows a good handle on the details and how unafraid he is of being the odd man out when he is the only one not to raise his hand in response to "who here believes there is such a thing as a global war on terror."
Senator Obama gets some complex mumbo jumbo hypothetical question about two cities are attacked simultaneously while we're here and it's terrorism. how do you change our foreign military position to address it?!!! get the fuck out of here? who gets that with one minute to answer? that's not fair. He responds well but not extremely detailed.
Oh, OK, Edwards gets it too. They both reference the importance of good intelligence and a lack of real homeland security.
Did you know Hillary was a senator during 9/11? Well she was. If we were attacked she would retaliate, swiftly. See Jane with cajones!
Dennis says he keeps a copy of the constitution in his pocket. To prove it he whipped it out. Gravel slipped a hand in his waistband on the low-low till he saw it was just a harmless, gutted document. Kucinich says he'll impeach Cheney if he has violated it because he took an oath to defend the Constitution. Yeah, he said it. Go for it Dennis. There is at least one person running for President who knows the Constitution, he says.
Dodd on gay marriage vs. civil unions. He says think about your children and how would you like them to be treated: good, logical way to filter his feelings on this issue. Matches my views. Protect rights without discrimination. he supports civil unions, not marriage. I like his commitment and clarity on the issue.
Biden has a green plan. He said it quickly in detail so I know he does. I did catch that he and Obama coauthored an emissions bill. Move from dependence on foreign oil, that's his basic plan -- or the only thing i caught, whatever.
Oh, c'mon! Give me Gravel back!!! It's been like twenty minutes.
Bill wants to plan for a post Castro Cuba which i think means reconsidering trade with them which I'm all for. Punishing brown people indiscriminately just cause he doesn't have oil or diamonds is so last century.
There's Gravel! We're mischaracterizating terrorism. It's always existed, always will. Fighting it is like the war on drugs, a fool's mission. He's got a point that. this invasion has created more terrorists he says. Ol' Gravel is my kind of drunk - he gets more lucid the drunker he gets.
Wait, wait!! there's a Dennis v Obama smack down! Obama says he Iraq is forming weapons and we have to deal with that! he's coming out. Dennis is coming back at it. Back too crazy Gravel? Who the hell are we going to NUKE, Barack, he screams.
Barack says hold up, I ain't bout to Nuke nobody man!!! Don't get froggy cause I will jump! Uh oh! He came out strategically by the way. After that what would you do if two cities were attacked question he had to say something "tough" and this was his offensive swing. the thing is, that'll be played on the news for the next three or four days. nice move.
Edwards prays everyday to his Lord and his wife or something.
Hillary on the real issue! WAL MART, good or evil!!! I like these questions. Mixed bag she says. That ho ain't never needed two dollar cereal or healthcare so Idon't much trust her on this issue. She's right that the middle class is invisible to the white house and corporate elite -- but,um, ain't she the corporate elite? i know she's got them on speed dial for sho'.
GREAT question about the survival of the Democratic Party to Biden! Are the Dems making themselves irrelevant and is there a true presidential winner on the stage? he says he sees a whole stage of winners and the Republicans don't won't none with Hillary. And a parting shot to Gravel and Kucinich: Stop the no war "happy talk" he says!
And it's over.
I'ma about to give you the best summation you will hear anywhere:
This was not about a candidate; this was about the Democratic party.
this is a party willing to compromise to win. this whole debate was about selling the fact that we are better than the republican party. they are going to choose the winners. Ifeel better about that.
The Non-Iraq Foreign Policy segment
First to Obama is a question about who are our biggest allies, surely meant to test his knowledge of the landscape. I held my breath and he did well. He acknowledges NATO, EU, Japan and possibly China in economic issues. He manages thee follow up about that "no one has suffered more than the Palestinian people" quote issue.
But of course, as expected, Biden speaks on it with the ease of someone who has met all of the people he's talking about.
Gravel says we don't have enemies. I ain't never scared!!! We need to treat the world like equals. I'm sure this man is making excellent points but I swear to god I'd stun gun his ass if i saw him on an airplane with me.
OK, I like Edwards well articulated concept of influencing the culture of our "enemies" by supporting education, clean water and health issues to redefine ourselves as a culture that people want to emulate. I'm on board with that. And he mentioned micro-financing, one of the best little ideas ever had.
Being stubborn is not a foreign policy, Bill Richardson. Icon please. He's also the first and only one to mention Darfur!!!! "Why doesn't America care about Africa", he says!! GOD BLESS BILL RICHARDSON.
Dennis once again shows a good handle on the details and how unafraid he is of being the odd man out when he is the only one not to raise his hand in response to "who here believes there is such a thing as a global war on terror."
Senator Obama gets some complex mumbo jumbo hypothetical question about two cities are attacked simultaneously while we're here and it's terrorism. how do you change our foreign military position to address it?!!! get the fuck out of here? who gets that with one minute to answer? that's not fair. He responds well but not extremely detailed.
Oh, OK, Edwards gets it too. They both reference the importance of good intelligence and a lack of real homeland security.
Did you know Hillary was a senator during 9/11? Well she was. If we were attacked she would retaliate, swiftly. See Jane with cajones!
Dennis says he keeps a copy of the constitution in his pocket. To prove it he whipped it out. Gravel slipped a hand in his waistband on the low-low till he saw it was just a harmless, gutted document. Kucinich says he'll impeach Cheney if he has violated it because he took an oath to defend the Constitution. Yeah, he said it. Go for it Dennis. There is at least one person running for President who knows the Constitution, he says.
Dodd on gay marriage vs. civil unions. He says think about your children and how would you like them to be treated: good, logical way to filter his feelings on this issue. Matches my views. Protect rights without discrimination. he supports civil unions, not marriage. I like his commitment and clarity on the issue.
Biden has a green plan. He said it quickly in detail so I know he does. I did catch that he and Obama coauthored an emissions bill. Move from dependence on foreign oil, that's his basic plan -- or the only thing i caught, whatever.
Oh, c'mon! Give me Gravel back!!! It's been like twenty minutes.
Bill wants to plan for a post Castro Cuba which i think means reconsidering trade with them which I'm all for. Punishing brown people indiscriminately just cause he doesn't have oil or diamonds is so last century.
There's Gravel! We're mischaracterizating terrorism. It's always existed, always will. Fighting it is like the war on drugs, a fool's mission. He's got a point that. this invasion has created more terrorists he says. Ol' Gravel is my kind of drunk - he gets more lucid the drunker he gets.
Wait, wait!! there's a Dennis v Obama smack down! Obama says he Iraq is forming weapons and we have to deal with that! he's coming out. Dennis is coming back at it. Back too crazy Gravel? Who the hell are we going to NUKE, Barack, he screams.
Barack says hold up, I ain't bout to Nuke nobody man!!! Don't get froggy cause I will jump! Uh oh! He came out strategically by the way. After that what would you do if two cities were attacked question he had to say something "tough" and this was his offensive swing. the thing is, that'll be played on the news for the next three or four days. nice move.
Edwards prays everyday to his Lord and his wife or something.
Hillary on the real issue! WAL MART, good or evil!!! I like these questions. Mixed bag she says. That ho ain't never needed two dollar cereal or healthcare so Idon't much trust her on this issue. She's right that the middle class is invisible to the white house and corporate elite -- but,um, ain't she the corporate elite? i know she's got them on speed dial for sho'.
GREAT question about the survival of the Democratic Party to Biden! Are the Dems making themselves irrelevant and is there a true presidential winner on the stage? he says he sees a whole stage of winners and the Republicans don't won't none with Hillary. And a parting shot to Gravel and Kucinich: Stop the no war "happy talk" he says!
And it's over.
I'ma about to give you the best summation you will hear anywhere:
This was not about a candidate; this was about the Democratic party.
this is a party willing to compromise to win. this whole debate was about selling the fact that we are better than the republican party. they are going to choose the winners. Ifeel better about that.
Debate - Part One - Raw copy
with fifteen minutes to show time the candidates are shown on-stage. I should get out of the way how hella fine I think Obama looks up there...or anywhere for that matter.
*whew*
With that bit of business out of the way, let's get to it shall we?
I'll be talking impressions, intangibles, and high points should there be any. I figure folks can get blow-by-blow details elsewhere. But who but me is going to get personal?
Breaking News: Jack Valenti, former LBJ aide, has died. I have no idea who he is but Tom Brokaw and Chris give the impression of a short man with a mastery of politics both formal and social. Godspeed.
Now, back to the debate.
We've got an image of all the candidates on the set again. Looks like Obama's podium is in the center of the stage.
Relax, everyone. I'm sure it was ordered alphabetically.
And now pan the beautiful brown people and....
IT'S ON!!!
Seeing all of those brown kids makes my stomach flop. I'm a bit emotional. Somebody pass me my martini.
Earliest campaign season ever.
Bill Richardson is caught with his mouth hanging open like Biz Markie during his introduction.
Again, who IS Mike Gravel (Gruh-VEL, btw)?
Does anyone trust that Biden will pay those caution lights a bit of attention?
The rules demand 30 second responses?!!! Have these people ever MET a politician?
Mike is all up under his podium? Did someone pat him down? What better way to become infamous than to pull a gat on stage?
First question to Hillary about Sen. Reid's statements regarding Iraq being lost. Does she agree? She's a Senator, we will fund the troops and protect them and start to bring them home. So, basically she's not going to answer the question.
For the record, Hillary is wearing heathered gray with a black crew cut shirt.
Biden says, same question, this is not a game show! He's swinging! Bush is misguided, he says!
Oh God, Obama is fine.
Sorry.
But there was an unexpected wide shot and, well...
Obama wants you to know that he opposed this war from the start, but he votes for appropriations to support our young people on the ground.
He's the first with an "I met a man/woman/child somewhere" story. I dunno man.
Edwards - tell us again why you apologized for your vote in support for the war. Edwards did not shy away from it though. good response. He says, hey, if you voted for it you're going to have to search your own soul, Hillary included! wow! he's gonna get slapped for that one.
But he still doesn't resonate with me.
Hillary: takes responsibility for her vote for the war. if i knew then what i know now, blah, blah, back on talking points.
Kucinich says hey, stop funding the war! strong point of view. He has a bill -- HR1234? um, OK. i'ma get on that. bless his heart. he looks like one of the M&M people. but he's going after Hillary and Edwards! WOW! if you voted for the war, own up to it! don't be no punk, he says.
Bill says let's be clear: this war is a disaster...pull them all by the end of the calendar year. intensive diplomacy in three areas. he lost me on them but I'm sure they're on his website. sounds comprehensive though.. ii can't, however, vet the viability of them. I've heard him speak on it before though.
Chris Dodd makes a nice, clear soundbite on the policy being flawed, not the troops. this should become a Democratic mantra. it sells well.
OK, so, Mike Gravel is an angry man with nothing to lose from Alaska with a history of ending the funding for the Vietnam War. He's kind of scary, actually. I think he's about to start throwing spittle around. He's foaming a bit. Not a crazy point, but he sounded crazy saying it.
Perhaps it is an attempt at not making a mistake, but Obama is stuttering and halting. I was afraid of that. I've seen him that way before. However, he rebounds well but he's not sparkling. Maybe that's the strategy? And I'm positive he didn't answer the question. However, Hillary cosigned with a "Barack is right". Maybe I want her to address him formally? Looks liker the lead players are towing the party line.
that questionable donor bullshit with that Obama donor shit. Obama says he has too many donors to track everyone. he denounced this guy. he proposed campaign ethics reform. i don't take money from lobbyists and PACs. you better recognize.
uh oh. is this gonna be a haircut issue for Edwards? uh oh!
why did you pay for your haircut with campaign funds?! wow!
Edwards: am i rich, bitch? yes. but it's not where i come from. don't sleep. and out comes the homespun wisdom. he tells a story about his father taking the family out to eat and having to leave after his father saw the prices. they was po'. the accent is now as thick as my oatmeal. my daddy was born a poor black child from...wait. OK.
but it's a damn fine response.
that's real.
Bill Richardson mans up nicely when asked about his reticence to disavow a Alberto Gonzalez, a fellow Mexican American. he wanted to give him a chance to explain himself, when he did and finding himself still unsatisfied he called for Gonzalez's resignation
But, yeah, i said it and i meant it! What? I'm no "blow dried" perfect candidate. Well, OK, then. I sense a jab at Edwards.
Dennis, why ain't nobody paying you no never mind? Poor Dennis. He says this isn't American Idol, here. in 2003 my friends up here made the wrong decision on the e war and an apology is not enough. you make an excellent point Dennis. Damn shame, that comb over.
Nice response from Biden!! In response to an attack on his verbosity and does he have thee discipline for the national stage he says, "yes." period. nice laugh from the audience.
NICE!
who is this Mike Gravel? he says some of these people up here frighten him? He's screaming about Nukes? Oh shit!!! who's got Nukes on stage?!!!!!!!
A follow-up question from Brian, "who scares you?" Gravel's response: Joe[Biden], you're arrogant. the top tier scares me.
he's pointing and foaming. what the hot fuck?
This is AWESOME TV1!!
Joe Biden is strongly in favor of Roe v Wade.
Obama handled the abortion question nimbly by putting the focus on prevention, something no one can argue with. that's obama's strong point -- reframing issues in a way that makes them unassailable. that's something the Right has patented so i likes.
Chris's Dodd supported Roberts for the Supreme Court bench. I no likey. He says Roberts just lied about what he would do when nominated.
There will be a wonderful snapshot tomorrow of the candidate's who have owned a gun in their adult lives with their hand raised on stage. What you might not see is the time delay where some of them waited to make sure they weren't the only one.
Hillary makes it clear that she had a universal health plan first and she has the experience. She makes a good point about this being about more than the uninsured but controlling costs for all those insured.
Why are you in SC when the NAACP has a tourism boycott going on? James Clyburn invited us, says Biden.
Obama addresses the confederate flag issue -- put it in a museum -- but the issues we're voting on are too important not to engage the voters in South Carolina.
Gravel says you're not paying me enough attention! I'm not a potted plant. And a Reagan quote. This dude is on bourbon.
Obama references his wife and then he goes on to regret a bill that intruded on Terry Schiavo's rights. Nice response.
Overestimating the ability of this administration and underestimating its arrogance -- Biden gets a gold star for properly finessing the old school "what is your greatest weakness" interview question by making it about Bush, not him. NICE.
The issue of our yawning brain drain is one of my pet issues. Biden makes a good response, a quick response, suggesting he's thought about it: pay for better teachers, fundamentally change how we educate, put our money where our mouth is. Biden wins on that one.
The Green and gas question: Edwards has a good sound bite. We should ask people to be patriotic about something other than war. We need to conserve.
Another one the Party should co-opt.
*whew*
With that bit of business out of the way, let's get to it shall we?
I'll be talking impressions, intangibles, and high points should there be any. I figure folks can get blow-by-blow details elsewhere. But who but me is going to get personal?
Breaking News: Jack Valenti, former LBJ aide, has died. I have no idea who he is but Tom Brokaw and Chris give the impression of a short man with a mastery of politics both formal and social. Godspeed.
Now, back to the debate.
We've got an image of all the candidates on the set again. Looks like Obama's podium is in the center of the stage.
Relax, everyone. I'm sure it was ordered alphabetically.
And now pan the beautiful brown people and....
IT'S ON!!!
Seeing all of those brown kids makes my stomach flop. I'm a bit emotional. Somebody pass me my martini.
Earliest campaign season ever.
Bill Richardson is caught with his mouth hanging open like Biz Markie during his introduction.
Again, who IS Mike Gravel (Gruh-VEL, btw)?
Does anyone trust that Biden will pay those caution lights a bit of attention?
The rules demand 30 second responses?!!! Have these people ever MET a politician?
Mike is all up under his podium? Did someone pat him down? What better way to become infamous than to pull a gat on stage?
First question to Hillary about Sen. Reid's statements regarding Iraq being lost. Does she agree? She's a Senator, we will fund the troops and protect them and start to bring them home. So, basically she's not going to answer the question.
For the record, Hillary is wearing heathered gray with a black crew cut shirt.
Biden says, same question, this is not a game show! He's swinging! Bush is misguided, he says!
Oh God, Obama is fine.
Sorry.
But there was an unexpected wide shot and, well...
Obama wants you to know that he opposed this war from the start, but he votes for appropriations to support our young people on the ground.
He's the first with an "I met a man/woman/child somewhere" story. I dunno man.
Edwards - tell us again why you apologized for your vote in support for the war. Edwards did not shy away from it though. good response. He says, hey, if you voted for it you're going to have to search your own soul, Hillary included! wow! he's gonna get slapped for that one.
But he still doesn't resonate with me.
Hillary: takes responsibility for her vote for the war. if i knew then what i know now, blah, blah, back on talking points.
Kucinich says hey, stop funding the war! strong point of view. He has a bill -- HR1234? um, OK. i'ma get on that. bless his heart. he looks like one of the M&M people. but he's going after Hillary and Edwards! WOW! if you voted for the war, own up to it! don't be no punk, he says.
Bill says let's be clear: this war is a disaster...pull them all by the end of the calendar year. intensive diplomacy in three areas. he lost me on them but I'm sure they're on his website. sounds comprehensive though.. ii can't, however, vet the viability of them. I've heard him speak on it before though.
Chris Dodd makes a nice, clear soundbite on the policy being flawed, not the troops. this should become a Democratic mantra. it sells well.
OK, so, Mike Gravel is an angry man with nothing to lose from Alaska with a history of ending the funding for the Vietnam War. He's kind of scary, actually. I think he's about to start throwing spittle around. He's foaming a bit. Not a crazy point, but he sounded crazy saying it.
Perhaps it is an attempt at not making a mistake, but Obama is stuttering and halting. I was afraid of that. I've seen him that way before. However, he rebounds well but he's not sparkling. Maybe that's the strategy? And I'm positive he didn't answer the question. However, Hillary cosigned with a "Barack is right". Maybe I want her to address him formally? Looks liker the lead players are towing the party line.
that questionable donor bullshit with that Obama donor shit. Obama says he has too many donors to track everyone. he denounced this guy. he proposed campaign ethics reform. i don't take money from lobbyists and PACs. you better recognize.
uh oh. is this gonna be a haircut issue for Edwards? uh oh!
why did you pay for your haircut with campaign funds?! wow!
Edwards: am i rich, bitch? yes. but it's not where i come from. don't sleep. and out comes the homespun wisdom. he tells a story about his father taking the family out to eat and having to leave after his father saw the prices. they was po'. the accent is now as thick as my oatmeal. my daddy was born a poor black child from...wait. OK.
but it's a damn fine response.
that's real.
Bill Richardson mans up nicely when asked about his reticence to disavow a Alberto Gonzalez, a fellow Mexican American. he wanted to give him a chance to explain himself, when he did and finding himself still unsatisfied he called for Gonzalez's resignation
But, yeah, i said it and i meant it! What? I'm no "blow dried" perfect candidate. Well, OK, then. I sense a jab at Edwards.
Dennis, why ain't nobody paying you no never mind? Poor Dennis. He says this isn't American Idol, here. in 2003 my friends up here made the wrong decision on the e war and an apology is not enough. you make an excellent point Dennis. Damn shame, that comb over.
Nice response from Biden!! In response to an attack on his verbosity and does he have thee discipline for the national stage he says, "yes." period. nice laugh from the audience.
NICE!
who is this Mike Gravel? he says some of these people up here frighten him? He's screaming about Nukes? Oh shit!!! who's got Nukes on stage?!!!!!!!
A follow-up question from Brian, "who scares you?" Gravel's response: Joe[Biden], you're arrogant. the top tier scares me.
he's pointing and foaming. what the hot fuck?
This is AWESOME TV1!!
Joe Biden is strongly in favor of Roe v Wade.
Obama handled the abortion question nimbly by putting the focus on prevention, something no one can argue with. that's obama's strong point -- reframing issues in a way that makes them unassailable. that's something the Right has patented so i likes.
Chris's Dodd supported Roberts for the Supreme Court bench. I no likey. He says Roberts just lied about what he would do when nominated.
There will be a wonderful snapshot tomorrow of the candidate's who have owned a gun in their adult lives with their hand raised on stage. What you might not see is the time delay where some of them waited to make sure they weren't the only one.
Hillary makes it clear that she had a universal health plan first and she has the experience. She makes a good point about this being about more than the uninsured but controlling costs for all those insured.
Why are you in SC when the NAACP has a tourism boycott going on? James Clyburn invited us, says Biden.
Obama addresses the confederate flag issue -- put it in a museum -- but the issues we're voting on are too important not to engage the voters in South Carolina.
Gravel says you're not paying me enough attention! I'm not a potted plant. And a Reagan quote. This dude is on bourbon.
Obama references his wife and then he goes on to regret a bill that intruded on Terry Schiavo's rights. Nice response.
Overestimating the ability of this administration and underestimating its arrogance -- Biden gets a gold star for properly finessing the old school "what is your greatest weakness" interview question by making it about Bush, not him. NICE.
The issue of our yawning brain drain is one of my pet issues. Biden makes a good response, a quick response, suggesting he's thought about it: pay for better teachers, fundamentally change how we educate, put our money where our mouth is. Biden wins on that one.
The Green and gas question: Edwards has a good sound bite. We should ask people to be patriotic about something other than war. We need to conserve.
Another one the Party should co-opt.
Why is Keith Olberman speaking in rugby clichés? Who the fuck is watching rugby? I guess the same people saving crown royal bags, huh, bitch. Oh. I'm sorry. I was talking to the voices, well...forget it.
All of the speculation is how bloody will Barack and Hillary get? Will it be polished in a thin veneer of civility and sportsmanship or will one or the other of them take the gloves off?
These boys are feenin’. Trust me -- getting ugly this far out would be suicide and Hill and Rock both like living too much for that. Please.
And they can only get ugly with Barack if he engages them. The possibility is greater with Hill given her history, but these boys don't want to look like they're ganging up on her. She's perfected that "I’m just a girl" vibe when attacked.
Tricky dicky.
Mark Penn, Clinton advisor, Chris calls him one of the smartest people around. He also says that of Reverend Al so I believe him.
How will Hill support her vote for the war? Penn thinks she'll make it plain -- yeah, like she has so many times before. /sarcasm
Chris accuses Mark of trying to lowball expectations for Hillary.
"Where's Bill Clinton?" Chris asks.
Bill has been sent to Russia.
Oh god!!! Don't let him come home with a mail order bride.
How scared were they that Bill might upstage Hill? Russia?
Damn homie.
Chris just asked, "What's Hillary wearing tonight?" C'mon Chris? When the fuck did you become Joan Rivers?
These white men are foaming at the mouth over "there's a woman! A Hispanic! A black guy!"
Dear god. Someone tell them they still control the majority of the wealth. They can relax.
Looks like Clinton and Obama will be standing next to each other on the stage. Why do they keep acting like Obama might throw a punch? Even if he did lose his damn mind I’d put fifty on Hillary to win. That heffa ain't no punk.
Chris makes it clear that Obama is within spitting distance of winning. He's poking Penn who names four other polls that put Hillary ahead and Obama going down. Basically he says, "Chris your poll ain't shit!"
All of the speculation is how bloody will Barack and Hillary get? Will it be polished in a thin veneer of civility and sportsmanship or will one or the other of them take the gloves off?
These boys are feenin’. Trust me -- getting ugly this far out would be suicide and Hill and Rock both like living too much for that. Please.
And they can only get ugly with Barack if he engages them. The possibility is greater with Hill given her history, but these boys don't want to look like they're ganging up on her. She's perfected that "I’m just a girl" vibe when attacked.
Tricky dicky.
Mark Penn, Clinton advisor, Chris calls him one of the smartest people around. He also says that of Reverend Al so I believe him.
How will Hill support her vote for the war? Penn thinks she'll make it plain -- yeah, like she has so many times before. /sarcasm
Chris accuses Mark of trying to lowball expectations for Hillary.
"Where's Bill Clinton?" Chris asks.
Bill has been sent to Russia.
Oh god!!! Don't let him come home with a mail order bride.
How scared were they that Bill might upstage Hill? Russia?
Damn homie.
Chris just asked, "What's Hillary wearing tonight?" C'mon Chris? When the fuck did you become Joan Rivers?
These white men are foaming at the mouth over "there's a woman! A Hispanic! A black guy!"
Dear god. Someone tell them they still control the majority of the wealth. They can relax.
Looks like Clinton and Obama will be standing next to each other on the stage. Why do they keep acting like Obama might throw a punch? Even if he did lose his damn mind I’d put fifty on Hillary to win. That heffa ain't no punk.
Chris makes it clear that Obama is within spitting distance of winning. He's poking Penn who names four other polls that put Hillary ahead and Obama going down. Basically he says, "Chris your poll ain't shit!"
Chris is joined by house democratic whip, James Clyburn, a State alumnus.
You’ve done us a favor bringing us here.
Why was it important to debate here?
The state is in transition in so many ways. He talks about the Orangeburg massacre and how Kent State overshadowed that. This debate turns the page and helps us move forward.
Q: why were they killed by the police?
um. They were black and Jim Crow was scratching his balls? They were protesting at a swimming pool and the cops murdered 3 students.
Ii felt it was time for us to break out of a 39-year funk out of that murder.
A surprise?
Two old classmates of James. Good-looking pimping.
His nickname back in school was senator - he was a diplomat. Nice story.
Chris has the impassionate view about that peculiar southern institution that comes with being both from the north and pragmatic. I like that about him. He approaches these issues with no flowery language, no picture of his best black friend.
Why is he letting old black men tell stories about the good ol' days? That can never go well.
He has pics of the whip from a toga party?!!! Oh lawd1!!
A big whoop from the crowd.
Keith Olberman is up next.
That drum corps looks good!
You’ve done us a favor bringing us here.
Why was it important to debate here?
The state is in transition in so many ways. He talks about the Orangeburg massacre and how Kent State overshadowed that. This debate turns the page and helps us move forward.
Q: why were they killed by the police?
um. They were black and Jim Crow was scratching his balls? They were protesting at a swimming pool and the cops murdered 3 students.
Ii felt it was time for us to break out of a 39-year funk out of that murder.
A surprise?
Two old classmates of James. Good-looking pimping.
His nickname back in school was senator - he was a diplomat. Nice story.
Chris has the impassionate view about that peculiar southern institution that comes with being both from the north and pragmatic. I like that about him. He approaches these issues with no flowery language, no picture of his best black friend.
Why is he letting old black men tell stories about the good ol' days? That can never go well.
He has pics of the whip from a toga party?!!! Oh lawd1!!
A big whoop from the crowd.
Keith Olberman is up next.
That drum corps looks good!
Let me tell you why I love blackfolk. See: the opening sequence of Hardball's College Tour at SC State. The band kicked off with, I think, “Get up on that good foot."
They ain't never seen nothing like it in politics. Chris knows it turned him out. I wanted a camera shot when the Marching 101 put the stank on that funk.
Notice Elizabeth is there because she understands the good funk. I think I even noted her tapping a foot.
Thick dancers? A fold above the bootie shorts? A drum major that does tricks? I love my people man. And Chris Matthews gets a pass when the revolution kicks off.
A big cheer from the crowd in response to Chris’s suggestion that we care about "getting us out of Iraq". A "do you think hurricane Katrina was handled well" gets a loud, resolute “no” from the crowd! Chris is playing to them like a man who knows what call and response is all about. Cab Calloway is somewhere crying tears of blue magic and joy.
Praise Chris for pointing out how quickly Bush got his ass to Virginia Tech but took days to get to New Orleans. I want to have this man’s mini-pundits.
A go ‘head to Elizabeth for pointing out how Elizabeth Smart got attention cause she was blonde but brown children that went missing during the same time got no media or federal love. She speaks on such issues without stuttering, proving to me again that she's the one who should be running. I like her much more than I do her husband.
The question: What would your husband have done differently in New Orleans?
Elizabeth: He'da been there immediately, that's his style. She says "black" without shaking. She does her husband well. Would have gone to straight to the problem, not all around Mississippi but not New Orleans. You can’t fix major issues without getting into the midst of them.
The question: How does John compete in the excitement competition?
(Big cheers from the crowd for Hillary, slightly larger - but not markedly so -- for Barack...well, I take that back. It's more extended.)
Question: How do you compete with that Liz? That historic excitement?
Elizabeth points out that you didn’t ask who’s supporting Edwards!
Question: How many people for Edwards?
(a cursory cheer, somewhat long but can kids on weed be trusted? They'd shout out for DJ UNK for god's sake. )
Elizabeth: Excitement doesn't matter. Remember dean? People looked past the excitement to decide on policy.
Back to the crowd: How many people here are going to vote?
Big cheer.
No noise for "who's not going to vote?"
Who cheers to their ignorance? C'mon now.
Who gave these kids these signs? Ii hope they got some credit on their cafe accounts for this. Don't be pimping these kids!!!
Back to the Cab Calloway response.
Question: How many have health insurance? These kids know. They know when they can’t get a scrip for Norplant.
Question: Who supports a universal health plan? A big cheer and a quasi-"Edwards" chant
Chris loves Elizabeth… a lot. He comments on her “cherubic face”? Best spokesperson you can have for a candidate, he says. I might have to concur. She's warmer than I’ve seen Michelle Obama play.
I'm seeing lots of chicks in this crowd. Is this indicative of the belief that women are more progressive and involved in our communities or is the cameraman a perv?
________
Ok, a camera span of thee back of those cheerleaders decides: the cameraman is a brother or a perv.
Man in the audience commentary? Quite brave for live tv
Yes, we know it's important that students vote. But what, pray tell, is going to motivate them to do so en masse?
Chris says he's happy!! And he wants you to know that he feels somethting in thte air.. I think chris has been sipping from the crown royal bag.
Would you consider office Elizabeth? Absolutely not. I’m too old!!! Maybe someone should tell the young sister that Elizabeth may not live that long. :(
Pay gaps? Good question darling. "Equal pay day" was yesterday? Does that come with a check? I didn't get mine. Ain't I a woman, damnit?!
83 cents to a dollar? That gap is greater if you're black btw. I want someone on an HBCU to turn the issues to race-centric inequalities.
John has a working wife and daughter about to go out into the real world. Equal pay is important cause he'll hear about it at home.
The band is playing Oscar-time with Chris. They start playing on cue whether homebody has finished talking or not. Chris is so caught up in the rythym he doesn't even care that they just out-Chrised him.
Do these kids know this isn't Spring Bling?
****
Tom Brokaw. One of the last real journalists.
I'd like to point out that he agrees with my earlier assertion that this debate is about image and likeability. It's far too early for seven point plans on policy.
Take that Yobachi.
You don't know...what? Oh....this is a family post.
I also agree with Mr. Brokaw that everyone will be gunning for Barack, not Hillary. They want to "haze" him, see if he's easy to crack.
They know Hill is too practiced and experienced to bow under pressure. Barack is the untested one.
Question: Will this be a big moment for Barack?
Mr. Brokaw: We're a lot like sportswriters before the Superbowl. We don't know. We're just speculating. He is, however, at ease with himself and has a command of the language. It's a mistake to think he's an untried rookie. He's been out there, handling difficult questions. He'll be very well prepared.
Give Them Something To Talk About
Tonight marks the very first Presidential debate. In what looks to be a marathon two-year race, this is the candidates’ first opportunity to screw themselves.
Looking at the field I think a major faux pas is way more likely than a timeless quip a la Ronald Reagan.
But I’m looking forward to it nonetheless. For laymen historians and social scientists this debate promises a treasure trove of dynamics. You have a viable woman with a sordid past and a legacy to protect. You have a Black American man in a country where race is still the most divisive issue. Throw in a Southerner with a dying wife, a biracial man of Mexican descent, and a foreign policy wonk who loves to hear himself talk and this could be the political version of Laugh-in! It’s brilliant people!
Things I’ll be looking for:
- As one of the youngest and arguably the most charismatic personality on the dais, Obama could make everyone else look like rotting fish-belly corpses. I should hope all the white men got their Mystic Tan on.
- Biden could very well talk himself into an anaphylactic shock. No one, of course, will save him and we’ll have our first “talked himself to death” moment in live TV history
- Look for Hillary to stand wide so as to camouflage the fact that she has the biggest balls on the stage. She’ll be playing demure and womanly. The men on the stage run the risk of looking like trailer park wife beaters if they come after her too strongly, thus hamstringing their efforts to legitimately engage the forerunner.
- I expect John Edwards to turn his accent up a notch and to have a side-eye bang that will make me weepy for Aaliyah all over again.
- Obama will ignore the people to his left and to his right (cause one of those mofos won’t be there come graduation) and will speak directly to the audience…and the camera. This will piss everyone off so badly that I fully expect a “who does this Negro think he is” Don Imus moment. Wouldn’t that be FAB?!!!!
- There’ll be little policy detail and here’s why that’s ok with me:
All of these folks who bemoan the lack of policy details from presidential candidates are woefully naive or perfectly predatory, depending on their intent. We are TWO years away from the general election. What kind of fool lays out a 28 point plan on ANYTHING and then allows his enemy two years to dissect it, form a 501C to undermine it, and Karl Rove to make it a federal crime?
Look, I’m as big on policy as the next educated voter but I want to win. If that means taking your word a few things, I’m willing to do that. So long as you don’t make me want to throw holy water at the screen like W, I’ma give you the benefit of the doubt.
And logistically speaking, who can promise me anything with a two-year curve? Anything can happen in the next 24 months and I appreciate a candidate that says, “Look, I’ll weigh important issues as they unfold.”
Just show me you’re smart enough to grasp big concepts and that you have the willingness to read a book about those issues you don’t get and I’m pretty much gonna ride with you.
This debate is less about policy and more about appearing presidential. That’s all the presidential race is ever really about? Want to change that? Want it to be more substantive? Fine. I support that. But can we do it AFTER we’ve elected a President who doesn’t get drunk and wait for God to tell him what to do?
So if the debate has to be light on policy and substance – which, if the Democratic party has any sense of self-preservation, it will be – can I get just one of the candidates to commit to providing entertainment value?
One of the cast-offs, perhaps? A Sanjayaya comedic darkhorse as it were? Maybe Dodd could flip Hillary off and grab his nut sack? Or perhaps Kucinich (really? President Kucinich?) could wax poetic about Obama’s ability to speak both English AND Ebonics? Mike Gravel (really? Mike Gravel? Who the hot fvck is this guy?) could pat Hill on the ass and tell her he always thought Bill was a fool for not tapping that right?
I’m just saying…give the people what they want. And I want some memorable moments, damnit!
All in all, it should be fun kiddies.
Looking at the field I think a major faux pas is way more likely than a timeless quip a la Ronald Reagan.
But I’m looking forward to it nonetheless. For laymen historians and social scientists this debate promises a treasure trove of dynamics. You have a viable woman with a sordid past and a legacy to protect. You have a Black American man in a country where race is still the most divisive issue. Throw in a Southerner with a dying wife, a biracial man of Mexican descent, and a foreign policy wonk who loves to hear himself talk and this could be the political version of Laugh-in! It’s brilliant people!
Things I’ll be looking for:
- As one of the youngest and arguably the most charismatic personality on the dais, Obama could make everyone else look like rotting fish-belly corpses. I should hope all the white men got their Mystic Tan on.
- Biden could very well talk himself into an anaphylactic shock. No one, of course, will save him and we’ll have our first “talked himself to death” moment in live TV history
- Look for Hillary to stand wide so as to camouflage the fact that she has the biggest balls on the stage. She’ll be playing demure and womanly. The men on the stage run the risk of looking like trailer park wife beaters if they come after her too strongly, thus hamstringing their efforts to legitimately engage the forerunner.
- I expect John Edwards to turn his accent up a notch and to have a side-eye bang that will make me weepy for Aaliyah all over again.
- Obama will ignore the people to his left and to his right (cause one of those mofos won’t be there come graduation) and will speak directly to the audience…and the camera. This will piss everyone off so badly that I fully expect a “who does this Negro think he is” Don Imus moment. Wouldn’t that be FAB?!!!!
- There’ll be little policy detail and here’s why that’s ok with me:
All of these folks who bemoan the lack of policy details from presidential candidates are woefully naive or perfectly predatory, depending on their intent. We are TWO years away from the general election. What kind of fool lays out a 28 point plan on ANYTHING and then allows his enemy two years to dissect it, form a 501C to undermine it, and Karl Rove to make it a federal crime?
Look, I’m as big on policy as the next educated voter but I want to win. If that means taking your word a few things, I’m willing to do that. So long as you don’t make me want to throw holy water at the screen like W, I’ma give you the benefit of the doubt.
And logistically speaking, who can promise me anything with a two-year curve? Anything can happen in the next 24 months and I appreciate a candidate that says, “Look, I’ll weigh important issues as they unfold.”
Just show me you’re smart enough to grasp big concepts and that you have the willingness to read a book about those issues you don’t get and I’m pretty much gonna ride with you.
This debate is less about policy and more about appearing presidential. That’s all the presidential race is ever really about? Want to change that? Want it to be more substantive? Fine. I support that. But can we do it AFTER we’ve elected a President who doesn’t get drunk and wait for God to tell him what to do?
So if the debate has to be light on policy and substance – which, if the Democratic party has any sense of self-preservation, it will be – can I get just one of the candidates to commit to providing entertainment value?
One of the cast-offs, perhaps? A Sanjayaya comedic darkhorse as it were? Maybe Dodd could flip Hillary off and grab his nut sack? Or perhaps Kucinich (really? President Kucinich?) could wax poetic about Obama’s ability to speak both English AND Ebonics? Mike Gravel (really? Mike Gravel? Who the hot fvck is this guy?) could pat Hill on the ass and tell her he always thought Bill was a fool for not tapping that right?
I’m just saying…give the people what they want. And I want some memorable moments, damnit!
All in all, it should be fun kiddies.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Follow the Money and Wait for the Call
I believe it was All The Kings Men where I first heard “follow the money”. Ol’ Deep Throat had a point then and today he would sound brilliant as pundits went nuts over the release of first quarter fundraising numbers from wanna-be presidential candidates.
Hillary Clinton lived up to the prowess suggested in her surname with a record-breaking $26 million dollars. To put that in perspective, seven years ago during the ’00 election $6 million was considered earth shattering. Do keep in mind though that she came in with about $4 million from her Senate campaign and – let’s keep it real – homegirl has been running for President for six years.
Mitt Romney showed and proved with a surprising $23 million. Again, for perspective, stand outside on the corner and see how many people you have to ask before you find one who knows who Mitt Romney is and where he is from.
Yeah.
The Obama camp, in a crafty PR move, decided to keep mum and give the day to Clinton and Co. However, some are suggesting he is in the $20 million range. Perspective check: he has refused donations from lobbyists and PACs. No one else in the race can say they turned away money.
But what does all of this mean?
Well, it means that size definitely matters. Here, the apparatus on the line are war chests – the amount of cash each campaign has to buy the all important airtime to worry the hell out of us between now and next year.
It is also a mental game. Everyone wants a piece of a potential winner so coming out early with returns that say “these many” think you can win, encourages others to jump on board.
It also generates press and that elusive “buzz”.
I expect that Obama’s campaign will announce tomorrow and the figure will be enough to have Hillary spanking Bill’s bare bottom. Things were not supposed to happen this way for the junior Senator from New York.
Barring one dazzling DNC speech and an amazing grassroots effort she was supposed to be coasting to the nomination.
Competition, though, is good – if only for the American people.
I don’t mind the money so much. Hey, I got five on Obama! My first monetary political donation EVER.
I do mind being taken for granted. If nothing else, each candidate now has to work a little bit harder to reach, not just across the party line, but also to the assumed “party faithful”.
I am expecting my first call any day now.
Hillary Clinton lived up to the prowess suggested in her surname with a record-breaking $26 million dollars. To put that in perspective, seven years ago during the ’00 election $6 million was considered earth shattering. Do keep in mind though that she came in with about $4 million from her Senate campaign and – let’s keep it real – homegirl has been running for President for six years.
Mitt Romney showed and proved with a surprising $23 million. Again, for perspective, stand outside on the corner and see how many people you have to ask before you find one who knows who Mitt Romney is and where he is from.
Yeah.
The Obama camp, in a crafty PR move, decided to keep mum and give the day to Clinton and Co. However, some are suggesting he is in the $20 million range. Perspective check: he has refused donations from lobbyists and PACs. No one else in the race can say they turned away money.
But what does all of this mean?
Well, it means that size definitely matters. Here, the apparatus on the line are war chests – the amount of cash each campaign has to buy the all important airtime to worry the hell out of us between now and next year.
It is also a mental game. Everyone wants a piece of a potential winner so coming out early with returns that say “these many” think you can win, encourages others to jump on board.
It also generates press and that elusive “buzz”.
I expect that Obama’s campaign will announce tomorrow and the figure will be enough to have Hillary spanking Bill’s bare bottom. Things were not supposed to happen this way for the junior Senator from New York.
Barring one dazzling DNC speech and an amazing grassroots effort she was supposed to be coasting to the nomination.
Competition, though, is good – if only for the American people.
I don’t mind the money so much. Hey, I got five on Obama! My first monetary political donation EVER.
I do mind being taken for granted. If nothing else, each candidate now has to work a little bit harder to reach, not just across the party line, but also to the assumed “party faithful”.
I am expecting my first call any day now.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
It's Official. I'm all in!
I know what you’re thinking.
“What” you say, “kind of loser is updating an admittedly unimpressive political blog on a Saturday night?”
An amped loser, that’s who!
I mean I'm not exactly a…aw, who am I kidding? I’m definitely a loser.
But after spending the better part of the day with a group of diverse strangers, all gathered together under a common political banner, here’s hoping I have attached myself to a winner.
I participated in one of several thousand “community kick-off” events hosted by Barack Obama’s online machine.
It was a last minute decision, and another late night Internet romp, that led me to register at Obama’s website. I found no fewer than 100 active groups within a 50-mile radius. On a whim, I picked the kick-off event that had the most RSVPs and off I went, my mother in tow for protection.
We were early. Real early judging by our hostess’ purple Velcro rollers. But true to great hostess form she did not let that stop her from offering a gracious welcome into a beautiful home in one of Charlotte’s most historic, read: expensive, neighborhoods.
Before long about 27 other guests joined us, all squeezed into a quaint and tastefully decorated sitting room.
The group included college students and people who spoke of "ol' Bobby Kennedy" with the wistfulness of those who were actually alive to witness the dying of Camelot. There was a straw vote that revealed the crowd to be 25% registered Republicans and 30% first time political activists. Men and women; black and white – we all shared our reasons for supporting Obama.
I listened as people I suspect are quite different from myself espoused some fairly intimate and passionate beliefs about why Barack represents them and their politics. From globe-trotters who have witnessed first-hand how deep anti-American sentiment runs to registered Republicans who prize common sense over party affiliation; they were all there.
The sentiment that surprised me the most was the oft expressed hope that electing Obama would send a signal to the rest of the world that America is no longer as myopic as our history suggests or as gleefully ignorant as the past 7 years prove.
Mature white woman waxed rhapsodic over the connection they feel with this young black man. An old acquaintance from his Harvard Law Review days offered personal antidotes that reinforced the popular opinion in the room that he is as real as he seems.
By the end of the day money had been raised, a few barriers maybe transgressed and promises to organize rallies and discussion salons made.
And, so, it is with great pleasure that I make the announcement dozens, or maybe two, of you have been waiting for: UnCommon Sense Politics is endorsing Barack Obama for President.
Your Militant Diva has harbored Obama love for quite some time now, but I finally decided that he is not only viable, but timely. It would seem that I am not the only one to come to that conclusion.
To that end, I encourage you all who do not know him to get to know him at http://www.barackobama.com/. Read his two books. As a writer and voracious reader I promise them to be engaging and authentic.
Check him out for yourself and if you feel the same warmth and inspired rightness of this man at this moment, get involved.
Maybe he cannot win as some claim. Maybe he won’t win, as is very much a real possibility. Maybe Hillary has Bill and Rudy has the right. Maybe Fred Thompson is, indeed, the Great White Hope.
But if he does not pull it off, I for one do not want it to be because those of us who truly believe in his message, his politics, and his potential did not do our personal best to support his cause.
After all, what could be more American than a group of passionate individuals crossing gulfs of party, gender, race, and age to gather for civil political discourse on a sunny day in Carolina?
What, indeed.
“What” you say, “kind of loser is updating an admittedly unimpressive political blog on a Saturday night?”
An amped loser, that’s who!
I mean I'm not exactly a…aw, who am I kidding? I’m definitely a loser.
But after spending the better part of the day with a group of diverse strangers, all gathered together under a common political banner, here’s hoping I have attached myself to a winner.
I participated in one of several thousand “community kick-off” events hosted by Barack Obama’s online machine.
It was a last minute decision, and another late night Internet romp, that led me to register at Obama’s website. I found no fewer than 100 active groups within a 50-mile radius. On a whim, I picked the kick-off event that had the most RSVPs and off I went, my mother in tow for protection.
We were early. Real early judging by our hostess’ purple Velcro rollers. But true to great hostess form she did not let that stop her from offering a gracious welcome into a beautiful home in one of Charlotte’s most historic, read: expensive, neighborhoods.
Before long about 27 other guests joined us, all squeezed into a quaint and tastefully decorated sitting room.
The group included college students and people who spoke of "ol' Bobby Kennedy" with the wistfulness of those who were actually alive to witness the dying of Camelot. There was a straw vote that revealed the crowd to be 25% registered Republicans and 30% first time political activists. Men and women; black and white – we all shared our reasons for supporting Obama.
I listened as people I suspect are quite different from myself espoused some fairly intimate and passionate beliefs about why Barack represents them and their politics. From globe-trotters who have witnessed first-hand how deep anti-American sentiment runs to registered Republicans who prize common sense over party affiliation; they were all there.
The sentiment that surprised me the most was the oft expressed hope that electing Obama would send a signal to the rest of the world that America is no longer as myopic as our history suggests or as gleefully ignorant as the past 7 years prove.
Mature white woman waxed rhapsodic over the connection they feel with this young black man. An old acquaintance from his Harvard Law Review days offered personal antidotes that reinforced the popular opinion in the room that he is as real as he seems.
By the end of the day money had been raised, a few barriers maybe transgressed and promises to organize rallies and discussion salons made.
And, so, it is with great pleasure that I make the announcement dozens, or maybe two, of you have been waiting for: UnCommon Sense Politics is endorsing Barack Obama for President.
Your Militant Diva has harbored Obama love for quite some time now, but I finally decided that he is not only viable, but timely. It would seem that I am not the only one to come to that conclusion.
To that end, I encourage you all who do not know him to get to know him at http://www.barackobama.com/. Read his two books. As a writer and voracious reader I promise them to be engaging and authentic.
Check him out for yourself and if you feel the same warmth and inspired rightness of this man at this moment, get involved.
Maybe he cannot win as some claim. Maybe he won’t win, as is very much a real possibility. Maybe Hillary has Bill and Rudy has the right. Maybe Fred Thompson is, indeed, the Great White Hope.
But if he does not pull it off, I for one do not want it to be because those of us who truly believe in his message, his politics, and his potential did not do our personal best to support his cause.
After all, what could be more American than a group of passionate individuals crossing gulfs of party, gender, race, and age to gather for civil political discourse on a sunny day in Carolina?
What, indeed.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
I smell Mexican barbecue. You?
Former Department of Justice Aide, Kyle Sampson, took the stand before Congress today and he made one thing perfectly clear for you mo-fos – he’s nobody’s fall guy!
I honestly did not expect it. Granted, he looked about as shaky as Kanye West calling Bush out on Katrina but he made it perfectly clear that Gonzales did, indeed, “deliberate” and “discuss” the selection, and subsequent firing of, eight US Attorneys.
In related news, a White House Spokesperson backed away from Bush’s unconditional support of the embattled Attorney General with a snarky, “Mr. Gonzales will have to speak for himself.”
Damn homie. That’s cold. The man did what y’all told him to do, how you told him to do it and now y’all gonna cut him loose. In the streets, that’s called…well, I don’t exactly know what it’s called in the streets as I grew up in a cul-de-sac but I’m sure I could find a suitable Tupac lyric.
Now, one of y’all owes me a ten spot. I called it the minute this story lasted beyond a week: won’t no way in hot Hades the little Mexican man wasn’t going to take the heat for this. No way. I actually feel badly for him.
You’ll notice that Sampson is less emphatic about Karl Rove’s involvement. That man said, “I’m a Mormon but I ain’t no fool.”
Rove is now, officially, more gangsta than Scarface. Fiddy and other assorted wanna-be gangstas need to study THIS man’s hustle. He’s as elusive as a ghost and as pervasive as ether.
He’s everywhere and nowhere, if the burden is proof.
Sure, he negatively impacts the lives of millions but if you can remove yourself from the outcome you have to admit he is pretty fly for a white guy.
Even with Rove’s name all up in emails and memos Sampson refused to “recollect” a single instance of Rove’s office exerting any pressure.
Suuuuuuuure.
His name is like Kleenex now – generic for any powers that be.
I tell you, one day the history books are going to whitewash this administration and release only ¼ of the real behind-the-scenes story and it will still give believers of democracy nightmares.
In other news, I keep meaning to discuss all of the great stuff happening in the presidential race. I shall try to break down the top contenders on both sides in the coming week. To hold you 'till then:
-An actor?! You got lucky with the first one Republicans, don’t be greedy.
-Hillary’s BUYING endorsements now?!
-Edwards got a nice sympathy bump. Can he sustain it? I definitely felt a shifting of the polls on the day he made the announcement about his wife’s cancer. We shall see…
-Guiliani? Really? This guy is more abrasive than a Jewish mother of a 40-year-old unwed woman. Get outta here.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Double agents and double crossings
It was something in the air. The putrid smell of justice and retribution could be scented among the foliage of spring and the proliferation of pigeon shit.
The man was on to them.
The Double Agent backed up the files with a snap of her wrist and unconscious toss of her silky blond locks. Anyone of her equally privileged and overworked coworkers would assume she was doing what she always does – handling business.
They would be right. It is the nature of that business, its very insidiousness, that would surprise them. The Double Agent had become an Insider’s Insider, in no small part because she knew how to properly handle, and dispose of, business.
Not to mention she knows the smell of retribution when she inhales it.
In days she would have a high-powered attorney, a justice committee head calling for blood and F-I-F tattooed on the small of her back.
The Double Agent hated the smell of justice almost as much as she hated being on the receiving end of it.
/Scene
That is how I imagine Monica Goodling's final days before she made good on the promise held in the phrase “going underground.”
Fine, I may have taken a few creative liberties, but you have to admit it beats CNN’s “legitimate” reporting (read: snooze fest) wherein all they could dig up was a resume, some law school reunion pics and neighbors who claim they don’t know her.
I do not know what it is Ms. Goodling knows or when she knew it…or when she told it, but I do know that if Ms. Lewinsky had been half as smart as this chick she might be employable and we might have enjoyed the final days of the go-go 90s in peace.
Whatever happens here I find this chick intriguing. In the day and age of reality TV, Internet infamy and Paris Hilton, I am amazed that someone can resist the call of the cameras. This woman must have something to live for.
Or, she’s seen what they do to pretty girls in sing-sing. Either way, I’m just saying, it has the potential to be good news TV.
Something that some folks are saying wasn’t good news TV was Katie Couric’s interview of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth who recently disclosed – in a very discreet and private manner in front of two hundred cameras – that her cancer battle has resumed.
Look, I’m no Couric fan. Neither am I a John Edwards fan – pretty boys make me nervous. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be titillated or intimidated. However, I have always liked Elizabeth.
As is often the case with political wives, people tend to forget that she’s a lawyer with a damn impressive resume herself. In interviews she has always struck me to be the heft behind the Barbie, or the Ken, as it were.
She comes across as human, engaged, self-depreciating and smart.
Her husband often comes across as a Breck girl.
Yet, I do not think Couric’s interview crossed the line. It certainly crossed it no more times than does the media’s relentless pursuit of mistresses, errant lines in a ten-year-old memoir or a candidate’s wife penchant for writing romance novels.
Some people DO wonder if the announcement was properly positioned to maximize its time on the front page. Some people DO wonder if having an ailing wife hurts or helps Edwards’ campaign. And after so many years of being pandered to and simultaneously raped by our elected officials, many of us *gasp* question the motives of anyone who would want to join their ranks.
It is not the questions that crossed the line, but our need to ask the questions that has pushed us all over the line. And no one is more to blame for that than politicians who kiss cute babies, visit black churches on kente cloth day and screen attendees at “town hall” meetings.
So leave Couric alone. The Hill, the House and the Press created this mess.
Most of us would have been satisfied with an address to send good well cards
The man was on to them.
The Double Agent backed up the files with a snap of her wrist and unconscious toss of her silky blond locks. Anyone of her equally privileged and overworked coworkers would assume she was doing what she always does – handling business.
They would be right. It is the nature of that business, its very insidiousness, that would surprise them. The Double Agent had become an Insider’s Insider, in no small part because she knew how to properly handle, and dispose of, business.
Not to mention she knows the smell of retribution when she inhales it.
In days she would have a high-powered attorney, a justice committee head calling for blood and F-I-F tattooed on the small of her back.
The Double Agent hated the smell of justice almost as much as she hated being on the receiving end of it.
/Scene
That is how I imagine Monica Goodling's final days before she made good on the promise held in the phrase “going underground.”
Fine, I may have taken a few creative liberties, but you have to admit it beats CNN’s “legitimate” reporting (read: snooze fest) wherein all they could dig up was a resume, some law school reunion pics and neighbors who claim they don’t know her.
I do not know what it is Ms. Goodling knows or when she knew it…or when she told it, but I do know that if Ms. Lewinsky had been half as smart as this chick she might be employable and we might have enjoyed the final days of the go-go 90s in peace.
Whatever happens here I find this chick intriguing. In the day and age of reality TV, Internet infamy and Paris Hilton, I am amazed that someone can resist the call of the cameras. This woman must have something to live for.
Or, she’s seen what they do to pretty girls in sing-sing. Either way, I’m just saying, it has the potential to be good news TV.
Something that some folks are saying wasn’t good news TV was Katie Couric’s interview of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth who recently disclosed – in a very discreet and private manner in front of two hundred cameras – that her cancer battle has resumed.
Look, I’m no Couric fan. Neither am I a John Edwards fan – pretty boys make me nervous. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be titillated or intimidated. However, I have always liked Elizabeth.
As is often the case with political wives, people tend to forget that she’s a lawyer with a damn impressive resume herself. In interviews she has always struck me to be the heft behind the Barbie, or the Ken, as it were.
She comes across as human, engaged, self-depreciating and smart.
Her husband often comes across as a Breck girl.
Yet, I do not think Couric’s interview crossed the line. It certainly crossed it no more times than does the media’s relentless pursuit of mistresses, errant lines in a ten-year-old memoir or a candidate’s wife penchant for writing romance novels.
Some people DO wonder if the announcement was properly positioned to maximize its time on the front page. Some people DO wonder if having an ailing wife hurts or helps Edwards’ campaign. And after so many years of being pandered to and simultaneously raped by our elected officials, many of us *gasp* question the motives of anyone who would want to join their ranks.
It is not the questions that crossed the line, but our need to ask the questions that has pushed us all over the line. And no one is more to blame for that than politicians who kiss cute babies, visit black churches on kente cloth day and screen attendees at “town hall” meetings.
So leave Couric alone. The Hill, the House and the Press created this mess.
Most of us would have been satisfied with an address to send good well cards
Monday, March 26, 2007
And Hello Again
I beg all of your pardons, as I have been more dedicated to finishing up the semester and relaunching www.tressiemc.com than spewing forth my political diatribe. In the words of Rakim: I shouldn’t have left you without an opinion to cling to. Well, it could have been Rakim. Shut up, you know I suck at pop culture references.
But I cannot suck at them anymore than this administration seems to suck at comprehending the inherent “politicking” that must be done when your party loses control of Congress. They can say what they want about Bill but at least he knew how to pander to the camera while throwing punches behind the scenes.
This president, however, is living up to his self-professed title of Decider while simultaneously channeling every old Western “shoot off at high noon” posture every struck.
Since my last post we have witnessed his staunch defense of the indefensible Donald Rumsfield…and his subsequent replacement of Donald Rumsfield.
We have watched him needle the left about pork in the national budget while failing to mention its bipartisan appeal.
We have watched him refuse to engage Iran and Syria in bilateral talks to help create an environment in the Middle East where Iraq has the slightest chance of survival should we ever leave.
He has looked up the word veto and upon discovering it’s meaning and has threatened to exceed his previous grand total of ONE.
And as of my last check as midnight my time today he was still showing support for his beleaguered Attorney General, Alberto Gonzalez.
Now, say what you will about this issue reeking of retaliation, the truth of the matter is the President’s office does indeed have the right to fire U.S. Attorneys at will. The problem is this issue left behind the discussion of legality the minute Mr. Gonzalez proved himself incapable of towing the line with any conviction or believability.
Now it just all seems to support the idea – right or wrong – that this administration actively participates in subversive and illegal dealings to advance its agenda.
Saying, “Hell yeah! I fired ‘em. They wasn’t my kind of people. I like good people. Good people work for me” may have left a bad taste in folks’ mouths but the issue would have been dead.
Instead this issue has lived for over two weeks now – an eon in political time – and taken on an almost Nixon-ish air. Average folks can’t tell you the details of this issue but every day it takes up another corner above the fold or crawls across the bottom of the screen they get the feeling that something ain’t quite right.
And it is that feeling, more so than email communications that point out blatant inconsistencies in Gonzalez’s previous assertion that he had no part in choosing who got fired, that will linger long after the fall guy takes his hit for the team.
Now…who wants to put money on if and how the whole issue of Monica Goodling choosing to, in the words of Dave Chappelle, “plead da FIF!” will play out?
C’mon! I got that reference right!
But I cannot suck at them anymore than this administration seems to suck at comprehending the inherent “politicking” that must be done when your party loses control of Congress. They can say what they want about Bill but at least he knew how to pander to the camera while throwing punches behind the scenes.
This president, however, is living up to his self-professed title of Decider while simultaneously channeling every old Western “shoot off at high noon” posture every struck.
Since my last post we have witnessed his staunch defense of the indefensible Donald Rumsfield…and his subsequent replacement of Donald Rumsfield.
We have watched him needle the left about pork in the national budget while failing to mention its bipartisan appeal.
We have watched him refuse to engage Iran and Syria in bilateral talks to help create an environment in the Middle East where Iraq has the slightest chance of survival should we ever leave.
He has looked up the word veto and upon discovering it’s meaning and has threatened to exceed his previous grand total of ONE.
And as of my last check as midnight my time today he was still showing support for his beleaguered Attorney General, Alberto Gonzalez.
Now, say what you will about this issue reeking of retaliation, the truth of the matter is the President’s office does indeed have the right to fire U.S. Attorneys at will. The problem is this issue left behind the discussion of legality the minute Mr. Gonzalez proved himself incapable of towing the line with any conviction or believability.
Now it just all seems to support the idea – right or wrong – that this administration actively participates in subversive and illegal dealings to advance its agenda.
Saying, “Hell yeah! I fired ‘em. They wasn’t my kind of people. I like good people. Good people work for me” may have left a bad taste in folks’ mouths but the issue would have been dead.
Instead this issue has lived for over two weeks now – an eon in political time – and taken on an almost Nixon-ish air. Average folks can’t tell you the details of this issue but every day it takes up another corner above the fold or crawls across the bottom of the screen they get the feeling that something ain’t quite right.
And it is that feeling, more so than email communications that point out blatant inconsistencies in Gonzalez’s previous assertion that he had no part in choosing who got fired, that will linger long after the fall guy takes his hit for the team.
Now…who wants to put money on if and how the whole issue of Monica Goodling choosing to, in the words of Dave Chappelle, “plead da FIF!” will play out?
C’mon! I got that reference right!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
State of the DisUnion
I watched the State of the Union address. I did not mean to but I thought it was the D.C. episode of American Idol.
Nancy looked equal parts vicious and couture and I loved it.
Cheney looked like he was gnawing a hole in his tongue to refrain from shouting, "I'll shoot all you commie healthcare loving bastards!"
And Dubya? Well, I have become quite apt at removing myself from the heinousness of his politics to see him as the gifted politician he is. He has jokes, he works the crowd, he is self-effacing in that alpha dog way that makes it clear he thinks he's more man than you. He kisses the ladies, daps up the pseudo-cool frat boys and signs autographs.
Should he have a legacy it will be that of a master cook-out host - even when the food sucks the folks have a great time.
But on policy he loses me.
If I am clear his goals for the final two years of a lame duck presidency with a Democratic congress he plans to:
* increase spending and troop levels for this war
* create a national guard like civilian support group that is the military but not?
* fund the No Child Left Behind Act
* balance the budget
* save Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and
he plans to do all of this without raising taxes!!!!
Holy crap Batman. I had to stop to make sure I hadn't been hitting the bong. Alas, no such luck. I was sober, but I must question if he was.
The deal is he knows he has lost this battle. His own party is increasingly eyeing re-election and jumping ship.
Nancy and Co. smell blood in the water and Hillary has put roots on him.
I cannot help but think that this last stand is all about some super-secret post-presidential career plan. Like, we'll look up one day and he will be the Chief Consultant to Iraqi overseeing oil disbursement at 5 million an hour.
But whatever. He won't be the first.
The real issue is: are the American people tired yet of being sick and tired and gang raped by their elected officials?
Only time -- and a national election -- will tell.
Nancy looked equal parts vicious and couture and I loved it.
Cheney looked like he was gnawing a hole in his tongue to refrain from shouting, "I'll shoot all you commie healthcare loving bastards!"
And Dubya? Well, I have become quite apt at removing myself from the heinousness of his politics to see him as the gifted politician he is. He has jokes, he works the crowd, he is self-effacing in that alpha dog way that makes it clear he thinks he's more man than you. He kisses the ladies, daps up the pseudo-cool frat boys and signs autographs.
Should he have a legacy it will be that of a master cook-out host - even when the food sucks the folks have a great time.
But on policy he loses me.
If I am clear his goals for the final two years of a lame duck presidency with a Democratic congress he plans to:
* increase spending and troop levels for this war
* create a national guard like civilian support group that is the military but not?
* fund the No Child Left Behind Act
* balance the budget
* save Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and
he plans to do all of this without raising taxes!!!!
Holy crap Batman. I had to stop to make sure I hadn't been hitting the bong. Alas, no such luck. I was sober, but I must question if he was.
The deal is he knows he has lost this battle. His own party is increasingly eyeing re-election and jumping ship.
Nancy and Co. smell blood in the water and Hillary has put roots on him.
I cannot help but think that this last stand is all about some super-secret post-presidential career plan. Like, we'll look up one day and he will be the Chief Consultant to Iraqi overseeing oil disbursement at 5 million an hour.
But whatever. He won't be the first.
The real issue is: are the American people tired yet of being sick and tired and gang raped by their elected officials?
Only time -- and a national election -- will tell.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Nerd Boy Love
Have I ever discussed my preference for nerd boys?
Well, one of my favorites is a solid Biden supporter and he has finally put his reasons in writing and I am happy to share them...even if I relish the opportunity to debate him ad nauseum.
Courtesy of Yobachi:
Why Biden in’ 08
First thing, Joseph Biden's resume is impeccable. He has three decades of national government experience. And as a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, and now chairman, has the necessary requisite foreign affairs credentials, not to mention other post including NATO. Now moving on from the tangible credential points that easily qualify him for the job, the reasons I like him and think he would be a damn good choice are as follows:
• He’s sensible and practical. Any time I’ve known him to speak on an issue he has a reasonable solution. For the last 3 years he’s attempted to address the Iraq war problem and advise the president on a way out. Of course unless you watch the Sunday morning talk show circuit like I do you probably never heard any of it He long pushed an idea that I thought was great: pulling Iraqi police and military trainees out of Iraq and taking them to U.S. bases in Germany where they could be properly trained to elevate the problem of trainees being targeted and the ranks being infiltrated; thereby allowing many more soldiers to be trained much faster, and giving us a reasonable chance of controlling the insurgent situation.
The time that that would have worked has largely now passed, but yet he still has a sound, practical plan: http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=264509&&>
• He’s a very thoughtful guy. If you listen to him speak, you’d see he’s well reasoned. Yet, unlike John Kerry, he tends not to bloviate and speak like he’s giving a lecture to Harvard Poli-Sci graduate students.
• He’s a moderate and sensible voice. We have a lot of both left wing and right wing ideologues who are more concerned with forcing their narrow world view on the rest us rather than solving problems for everybody. His positions on the issues that I’ve heard tend to be more broad based in their effect.
Now all the above to is not to say that I think he would be the Messiah President. He is human and he is a politician and I’m sure as the campaign goes he’s going to take a couple of positions I don’t like. Actually, I already know of one I don’t agree with, but even on that one his position is pretty fair.
I will close this post with some words from fellow armature blogger Greg Richey:
I finally figured out why the press is practically ignoring Joe Biden, who declared his candidacy to be President [recently]… the commentators said that Biden talks too much. In other words, he doesn't speak in ready made sound bites for easy consumption. A preference for style over substance.
It's not that he's not smart. To the contrary, he may be too smart. It's not that he's not experienced. He's been in the Senate longer than Senators Clinton, Edwards, and Obama combined. It's not that he doesn't have good ideas or isn't a good leader. He's pointing the way out of Iraq, and will be leading Senate hearings in the next several weeks. He understands that we need a political solution to Iraq, not a military one. He's run for president before. He knows how to campaign, and he knows how to get things done. This is the kind of president we need in the White House.
When I look for who to support for president over the next two years, I'll be looking for two things. First, I'll be looking for a candidate with substance, who I can agree with on most of the issues. Second, I'll be looking for a candidate who can get things done. That means that experience is good, but so is the ability to win.
Well, one of my favorites is a solid Biden supporter and he has finally put his reasons in writing and I am happy to share them...even if I relish the opportunity to debate him ad nauseum.
Courtesy of Yobachi:
Why Biden in’ 08
First thing, Joseph Biden's resume is impeccable. He has three decades of national government experience. And as a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, and now chairman, has the necessary requisite foreign affairs credentials, not to mention other post including NATO. Now moving on from the tangible credential points that easily qualify him for the job, the reasons I like him and think he would be a damn good choice are as follows:
• He’s sensible and practical. Any time I’ve known him to speak on an issue he has a reasonable solution. For the last 3 years he’s attempted to address the Iraq war problem and advise the president on a way out. Of course unless you watch the Sunday morning talk show circuit like I do you probably never heard any of it He long pushed an idea that I thought was great: pulling Iraqi police and military trainees out of Iraq and taking them to U.S. bases in Germany where they could be properly trained to elevate the problem of trainees being targeted and the ranks being infiltrated; thereby allowing many more soldiers to be trained much faster, and giving us a reasonable chance of controlling the insurgent situation.
The time that that would have worked has largely now passed, but yet he still has a sound, practical plan: http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=264509&&>
• He’s a very thoughtful guy. If you listen to him speak, you’d see he’s well reasoned. Yet, unlike John Kerry, he tends not to bloviate and speak like he’s giving a lecture to Harvard Poli-Sci graduate students.
• He’s a moderate and sensible voice. We have a lot of both left wing and right wing ideologues who are more concerned with forcing their narrow world view on the rest us rather than solving problems for everybody. His positions on the issues that I’ve heard tend to be more broad based in their effect.
Now all the above to is not to say that I think he would be the Messiah President. He is human and he is a politician and I’m sure as the campaign goes he’s going to take a couple of positions I don’t like. Actually, I already know of one I don’t agree with, but even on that one his position is pretty fair.
I will close this post with some words from fellow armature blogger Greg Richey:
I finally figured out why the press is practically ignoring Joe Biden, who declared his candidacy to be President [recently]… the commentators said that Biden talks too much. In other words, he doesn't speak in ready made sound bites for easy consumption. A preference for style over substance.
It's not that he's not smart. To the contrary, he may be too smart. It's not that he's not experienced. He's been in the Senate longer than Senators Clinton, Edwards, and Obama combined. It's not that he doesn't have good ideas or isn't a good leader. He's pointing the way out of Iraq, and will be leading Senate hearings in the next several weeks. He understands that we need a political solution to Iraq, not a military one. He's run for president before. He knows how to campaign, and he knows how to get things done. This is the kind of president we need in the White House.
When I look for who to support for president over the next two years, I'll be looking for two things. First, I'll be looking for a candidate with substance, who I can agree with on most of the issues. Second, I'll be looking for a candidate who can get things done. That means that experience is good, but so is the ability to win.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The War and The Race
Alright kiddies. Forgive me my delay in posting, but there have not been many presidential run bombshells and, well, to be honest, I was pretty sick and tired.
But your girl is bouncing back and what is in the news? What is always in the news – war is the topic of the day.
The Democrats have rolled out their ambitious 100 hour plan/manifesto and they are tackling some mighty big issues head on. Chief among them is a national minimum wage hike and capping the cost of prescription drug costs. I am also hearing the faint rumblings of a “national health care” plan. I anticipate being called a socialist commie in about 10, 9, 8…damn. There went Fox News. Yep. It’s official. I’m a socialist commie. Wait until they find out my views on subsidized part-time daycare and extended job protections for maternity/paternity leaves of absence. They’ll think I’m a Nazi.
Again, the real issue is the one that the majority of Americans voted on in this past election – the Iraq war. Or more to the point, how in the hell are we going to get OUT of Iraq without looking like bumbling, incompetent idiots. As usual I hate to be Debby Downer – no, I really do! – but we are a bit too late on both of those objectives. We no longer even have an articulated goal or definition of “success” in Iraq, we are seemingly way more vested in the democracy of the Iraq people than they are themselves, and the rest of the world has already seen the little man behind the curtain. This ain’t purdy folks.
I feel like we are in some clichéd sitcom where the comedy of errors has gone on so long that no one even bothers to ask if the joke is funny anymore.
Well, this joke is no longer funny. The President’s “surge” idea is just another word for “escalation” or “throw more water on that oil fire” or “we have deemed the lives of American soldiers expendable”. Sending MORE troops to achieve an objective that isn’t even an objective with an enemy that cannot be defined or defended against goes beyond foolish at the speed of light and head-first into criminal.
Some pundits speculate that this is all political posturing – America’s last stand before we pull-out. Even that is a fool’s agenda. This is beyond pageantry at this point. If you feel the same way I strongly urge you to contact your senator. Sure, the wartime power we gave Bush after 9/11 makes them about as impotent as Bob Dole after he misses a dose of the little blue pill, but if you are like me, you will at least sleep better at night.
With all of this warring and lawmakering it would be easy to forget that for all practical political purposes the 2008 presidential election is underway. Easy to forget if you do not read People or watch TV that is.
It is official folks: Obama is sexier than John McCain and Edwards doesn’t not hate black people.
In other news, Joe Biden should be announcing any day and the Good Reverend Al Sharpton is considering tossing his Blue Magic into the ring.
When Al Sharpton runs for President he’s not running for President. It means someone has not told him what he wants to hear and he wants a seat at the debate.
Could it be some Dems are already slacking on courting that black vote? It seems Brother Al thinks so.
And I have heard plenty of rumblings about an Edwards-Obama ticket. That rumbling always leaves me vaguely confused. Why in the hot hell would Obama play second to Edwards? The other way around, maybe.
But the ticket dream that keeps me up nights is an Obama-Biden ticket. Yep. I said it. And the order is no mistake. Obama has the “it” factor and should capitalize it to no end, if that is his heart’s desire. However, I do think that Biden’s experience and breadth of foreign policy knowledge could add some gravitas to the unseasoned Senator from Illinois.
Here’s hoping the boys – and Hillary – can stop measuring themselves long enough to do what is best for us all.
But your girl is bouncing back and what is in the news? What is always in the news – war is the topic of the day.
The Democrats have rolled out their ambitious 100 hour plan/manifesto and they are tackling some mighty big issues head on. Chief among them is a national minimum wage hike and capping the cost of prescription drug costs. I am also hearing the faint rumblings of a “national health care” plan. I anticipate being called a socialist commie in about 10, 9, 8…damn. There went Fox News. Yep. It’s official. I’m a socialist commie. Wait until they find out my views on subsidized part-time daycare and extended job protections for maternity/paternity leaves of absence. They’ll think I’m a Nazi.
Again, the real issue is the one that the majority of Americans voted on in this past election – the Iraq war. Or more to the point, how in the hell are we going to get OUT of Iraq without looking like bumbling, incompetent idiots. As usual I hate to be Debby Downer – no, I really do! – but we are a bit too late on both of those objectives. We no longer even have an articulated goal or definition of “success” in Iraq, we are seemingly way more vested in the democracy of the Iraq people than they are themselves, and the rest of the world has already seen the little man behind the curtain. This ain’t purdy folks.
I feel like we are in some clichéd sitcom where the comedy of errors has gone on so long that no one even bothers to ask if the joke is funny anymore.
Well, this joke is no longer funny. The President’s “surge” idea is just another word for “escalation” or “throw more water on that oil fire” or “we have deemed the lives of American soldiers expendable”. Sending MORE troops to achieve an objective that isn’t even an objective with an enemy that cannot be defined or defended against goes beyond foolish at the speed of light and head-first into criminal.
Some pundits speculate that this is all political posturing – America’s last stand before we pull-out. Even that is a fool’s agenda. This is beyond pageantry at this point. If you feel the same way I strongly urge you to contact your senator. Sure, the wartime power we gave Bush after 9/11 makes them about as impotent as Bob Dole after he misses a dose of the little blue pill, but if you are like me, you will at least sleep better at night.
With all of this warring and lawmakering it would be easy to forget that for all practical political purposes the 2008 presidential election is underway. Easy to forget if you do not read People or watch TV that is.
It is official folks: Obama is sexier than John McCain and Edwards doesn’t not hate black people.
In other news, Joe Biden should be announcing any day and the Good Reverend Al Sharpton is considering tossing his Blue Magic into the ring.
When Al Sharpton runs for President he’s not running for President. It means someone has not told him what he wants to hear and he wants a seat at the debate.
Could it be some Dems are already slacking on courting that black vote? It seems Brother Al thinks so.
And I have heard plenty of rumblings about an Edwards-Obama ticket. That rumbling always leaves me vaguely confused. Why in the hot hell would Obama play second to Edwards? The other way around, maybe.
But the ticket dream that keeps me up nights is an Obama-Biden ticket. Yep. I said it. And the order is no mistake. Obama has the “it” factor and should capitalize it to no end, if that is his heart’s desire. However, I do think that Biden’s experience and breadth of foreign policy knowledge could add some gravitas to the unseasoned Senator from Illinois.
Here’s hoping the boys – and Hillary – can stop measuring themselves long enough to do what is best for us all.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Universal Healthcare...again
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential contender John Edwards says it is more important to invest in universal health care and lifting people out of poverty than to reduce the budget deficit.
The 2004 vice presidential nominee said in an interview broadcast Sunday said "there is a tension" between the two directions, but he has made his choice.
"If I were choosing now between which is more important, I think the investments are more important," he said on ABC's "This Week."
Entire story here.
OK, I'll admit that I can respect Johnny taking a pretty controversial and unequivocal stand -- especially so early in the race. That takes some guts because the Republican election machine may be down, but it is NEVER out. And maybe some folks do not remember the liberal, socialist commie ass whooping they gave Hillary and Bill on this issue 12 years ago.
I am interested to see how Hillary would address this. She has worked too hard to go very centrist and I guarantee she has not forgotten that aforementioned ass whooping. So I imagine she won't be excited to embrace this issue again, but it is a good issue that plays well to her party. It could be one of many important compromises she will have to navigate as she tries to distance herself from her past to reach out to moderates and quasi-Republicans while not losing her base.
So the pretty boy is taking this run seriously. I can applaud that. If nothing else every entry into the race brings a set of issues to the fore that may otherwise be ignored. I believe it is high time we stop allowing the Republican party to reframe the debate on issues as important as health care. A healthy body politic is a healthy country, and wanting to provide for the least of us is no more socialist than the New Deal that gave so many Americans that almighty Social Security benefit they will fight to the death to keep.
But, John still cannot win. LOL
The 2004 vice presidential nominee said in an interview broadcast Sunday said "there is a tension" between the two directions, but he has made his choice.
"If I were choosing now between which is more important, I think the investments are more important," he said on ABC's "This Week."
Entire story here.
OK, I'll admit that I can respect Johnny taking a pretty controversial and unequivocal stand -- especially so early in the race. That takes some guts because the Republican election machine may be down, but it is NEVER out. And maybe some folks do not remember the liberal, socialist commie ass whooping they gave Hillary and Bill on this issue 12 years ago.
I am interested to see how Hillary would address this. She has worked too hard to go very centrist and I guarantee she has not forgotten that aforementioned ass whooping. So I imagine she won't be excited to embrace this issue again, but it is a good issue that plays well to her party. It could be one of many important compromises she will have to navigate as she tries to distance herself from her past to reach out to moderates and quasi-Republicans while not losing her base.
So the pretty boy is taking this run seriously. I can applaud that. If nothing else every entry into the race brings a set of issues to the fore that may otherwise be ignored. I believe it is high time we stop allowing the Republican party to reframe the debate on issues as important as health care. A healthy body politic is a healthy country, and wanting to provide for the least of us is no more socialist than the New Deal that gave so many Americans that almighty Social Security benefit they will fight to the death to keep.
But, John still cannot win. LOL
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