Bailing Out Whom?

Quoted from http://www.americablog.com/2008/02/paulson-blasts-homeowner-bailout.html:

 

Paulson blasts homeowner bailout, overlooks Wall Street bailout - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

Of course more bailouts of homeowners will reward speculators and I don't like it, but c'mon, what does he think Wall Street has been doing? Just as there is no reason to bail out John Q. Public who speculated on a $500,000+ house, Wall Street speculated with billions, more likely trillions so to listen to this pompous ass howl about bailouts for individuals is laughable. When the Federal Reserve started auctioning off tens of billions to Wall Street banks and discount rates (that have not been transferred to customers) I somehow did not hear Paulson making a fuss. Fed policy today is all about bailing out Wall Street and as discussed, Wall Street is sending hordes of lobbyists to DC to get even more bailout money.

The trashing of the US economy by GOP policy makes my blood boil and listening to Paulson slam other bailouts is just too much. This situation is so far beyond what a taxpayer bailout can even afford but let's not kid ourselves into thinking we haven't already been bailing out Wall Street because we have and Bernanke will continue to do so. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking there is only one bailout plan or for one particular group.

 

Clinton Rules For Edwards

Quoted from http://mediamatters.org/items/200802290012?f=top:

 

Media Matters - NY Times and AP jumped on story of Catholic League's Donohue's criticism of Edwards, but mum on his criticism of McCain

Summary: Despite reporting in early 2007 Bill Donohue's criticism of John Edwards' presidential campaign for hiring two bloggers who Donohue said are "anti-Catholic, vulgar, trash-talking bigots," neither The New York Times nor the Associated Press has reported that Donohue blasted Sen. John McCain for accepting the endorsement of televangelist John Hagee. In a statement, Donohue described Hagee as a "bigot," and said McCain should "retract his embrace of Hagee."

 

I doubt anyone is surprised.

 

No More Blackwater?

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27117:

 

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

Clinton Sponsors Legislation to Ban Private Security Contractors

 

Counting Moderates

From http://www.correntewire.com/count_whose_vote_2_independents_vs_moderates:

 

Count Whose Vote 2: Independents vs Moderates | Corrente

ABSTRACT: Based on available exit polling from states that held primary elections, while Obama dominates the “Independent” voter, Hillary Clinton actually does slightly better among “Moderate” voters— and this is even more true in crucial swing states. The data suggests that a more comprehensive review of all such “electability” factors is required.

 

Volumes Are Being Spoken...

...in the following few words.

 

 

Lifted from http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/28/where-oh-where-are-the-mccain-haters/:

 

Firedoglake - Firedoglake weblog » Where Oh Where Are the McCain Haters?

 

I'm not exactly sure if it has any relevance to Sean Wilentz's article in TNR or not but I have noticed that the passion that fueled the virulent hatred against Hillary Clinton in comments across the blogosphere just does not transfer to John McCain. Those who were the most vociferous about accusing her of racism, of running a "Southern Strategy," of gaming the system, of conducting a scurrilous smear-driven campaign, who would argue until the death that she must be defeated lest she continue the war forever, just do not get that worked up about John McCain appearing on stage with religious wack-job racists or threatening to bomb Iran and stay in Iraq for 100 years. Every word uttered by the Clinton campaign would propel a hundred outraged "did you see this?" emails into my inbox. John McCain? Not so much...

New Crooks In Obamaland

Quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/28/obama-finance-chair-linke_n_88884.html:

 

Obama Finance Chair Linked To Subprime Industry - Off The Bus on The Huffington Post

Barack Obama has slammed the banking industry for its predatory use of sub-prime mortgages, which are pushing millions of American homeowners toward foreclosure. But his campaign's Finance Chair, Penny Pritzker, owned a failed Chicago thrift that helped pioneer sub-prime financial instruments and faced accusations of abuse...

 

More Sexist Trashing

Quoted from http://mediamatters.org/items/200802270010?f=h_top:

 

Media Matters - Media diagnose Hillary

Media diagnose Hillary "Sybil" Clinton with "mood swings," depression, and "multiple personality disorder"

 

Summary: In recent days, members of the media asserted that Sen. Hillary Clinton displayed "mood swings," "could be depressed," "[r]esembl[ed] someone with multiple personality disorder," and "has turned into Sybil..."

 

Click the link above for an exhaustive look at the subject. As always, Media Matters has its facts where its mouth is.

 

Another Crook In The Frying Pan

Quoted from http://www.newsweek.com/id/115280:

Houston DA Controversy | Newsweek National News | Newsweek.com

In his 30-plus-year legal career in Harris County, Texas, Chuck Rosenthal has been no stranger to controversy. As a prosecutor he lit firecrackers in the stairwell of the district attorney's offices soon after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings. (It was a prank, he said.) After he was elected DA in 2000 he called the death penalty a "biblical proposition" and lobbied unsuccessfully to maintain Texas's sodomy law. He defied a gag order to appear on "60 Minutes" in 2001 to defend his decision to seek the death penalty for Andrea Yates, the Houston housewife who drowned her five children.

Rosenthal is back in the headlines again. Last December, as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit into how justice is meted out in the county, he turned over the (partial) contents of his government e-mail account. And what a batch of e-mails it was. Black ministers called for the Republican to resign because of racist material, including a cartoon depicting an African-American suffering from a "fatal overdose" of watermelon and fried chicken. There were adult video clips and love notes from Rosenthal to his secretary, his mistress during a previous marriage. "I love you so much," Rosenthal says in one. "I want to kiss you behind your right ear," he says in another. "Go spend time with your family," she admonishes him back...

Yes, he is a Republican.

Debate Comments

From the comment thread at Taylor Marsh's "Clinton: I'm A Fighter" post

And let me make myself PERFECTLY clear Elizabeth. We ALL know that if this primary had turned out to be between the two that actually deserve it: Hillary and John Edwards, none of us would be having these conversations and complete division in the Democratic Party that Obama blatantly and purposely caused.

I DO NOT appreciate having that man throw me under the bus after I have been in the Party for decades. He doesn't represent me, speak for me, or care about me.

A primary race between Hillary and Edwards would have been truly exciting, and would of showcased the very best of the Democrats and our principles. We love them both and would have been happy having either win, especially Hillary.

Obama has made this a National Disgraceful Nightmare instead. We're not happy about this one bit. I will never vote for him now, whereas 3 short months ago it hadn't entered my mind until his true colors came out showing the world he's a dangerous fraud. We have every right to feel concerned and upset at this disturbing turn of events and reality. His sexist racist attitude was his first fatal mistake, the negatives keep piling up.

I'm sticking with the capable, scary smart, competent, caring, impressive, overqualified and true Democrat: Hillary Clinton. It will be the proudest day of my life to see be in D.C. to see her Historical Inauguration. We'll celebrate THAT for decades. Shez | Homepage | 02.27.2008 - 04:07 am | #

Here's another one:

Think if you were back in second grade, and a few kids had decided to torment you for a day. Everything you do, they make fun of or ignore; any reaction you have to them, from anger, complaining, trying to talk sense to them, they mock.

That's essentially what has been happening to Hillary Clinton in this campaign, as the media is absolutely determined to destroy her, and will not let up for one moment. No matter how well she does in a debate, the media makes sure to tell us that her campaign is struggling. Any complaint she may have is always called whining. Every so-called controversy is always her fault, her campaign's lack. Never once during this entire campaign have I seen the Obama campaign called to account for anything, forced to be on the defensive for one moment. It is always Clinton in their sights. It has made it absolutely intolerable for me to even watch five minutes of TV coverage.

I thought the coverage of Gore and Kerry was disgraceful; this is literally a hundred times worse. This is not even debatable. It's Goebbels-like. Some may call it sexism, but it comes from plenty of women in the media, too. As if they were the second-graders whose personal dislike of Clinton (for whatever strange psychological reason, I couldn't even imagine) allows them to forsake any shred of journalistic integrity while they are trying to destroy her. And until and if she withdraws her candidacy, they will never let up for a moment. And since the American voter is essentially forced to obtain his or her knowledge and information from the media, this "iron curtain" of disinformation and bias inevitably has its desired effect, so that as far as I am concerned, we do not live in a democracy any more; we live in a media-controlled, media-biased propaganda state...

William | 02.27.2008 - 08:49 am

And another...

elizabeth1949, that photo has been out since 2006. Obama posed for the photo. No one forced him to wear the traditional garb. It's got nothing to do with Hillary.masslib | 02.27.2008 - 08:55 am | #

One more...

I just withdrew my membership to the DNC. To allow this sexism to go on without critique means they no longer represent me. I'm a few years younger than Hillary which means I had to climb over the same piles of dung to build a career. Now we see that the dung piles were only the first obstacles to real sexism, which pervades every molecule of our culture (and not only ours).

http://thehorizontalworld.blogspot.com/

doctapuella | 02.27.2008 - 09:35 am | #

Bro's & Ho's

Well, ain't this just classy.

Quoted from http://www.cultclassicts.com/cgi-bin/shirt.cgi/3616005339.cultclassicts-196987633+bros-before-hos-white-t-shirt.html:

 

Bro's Before Ho's White T-Shirt < Bro's Before Ho's < Political T-Shirts < Themes < Cult Classic T's Bro's Before Ho's White T-Shirt

...The most comfortable t-shirt ever! Our 100% cotton, Hanes Authentic Tagless T-Shirt is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.

 

 

More On The GOPer Plan

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27096:

 

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

t's the Dick Morris plan, thus the re-air of the video above. We've talked about this before.

 

... .. "The argument I've seen is, 'Let's get rid of Clinton once and for all,' " said Ralph Bordie, who conducts the IVR Poll in Texas.   Bordie's latest statewide poll released last week found that 15 percent of Texas Republicans who said they will support the GOP nominee in November plan nonetheless on voting for Obama next week.   Debi McLoughlin, a 52-year-old Department of Public Safety worker who was waiting while her daughter had her hair cut, said she usually supports Republicans. But she is likely to declare herself a Democrat so she can choose Obama.   ... .. "I don't want her in the final choice," said Berkner, who added she will vote for McCain in the general election. ... ..   In Democratic primary, expect a GOP turnout Perhaps fueled by Clinton dislike, many Republicans to vote for Obama

Rally Round Time?

Time to rally 'round Obama: Former rival Chris Dodd endorses Obama

"CLEVELAND - Declaring "it's now the hour to come together," Sen. Chris Dodd endorsed Barack Obama this morning and urged voters to coalesce around his candidacy to avoid a long drawn-out contest that could irreparably splinter the Democratic Party..."

It's already too late. The cast of GOPer crossovers and young'uns who won't show up in November are on the verge of giving the nomination to Sen. Obama, who will lose to whatever GOPer shows. Those of us who supported Edwards have been trashed by Obama's people. (Don't bother sending me any more nasty emails-- the job has been done.)

Peace Campaigning

Edwardses Join Anti-War Campaign Group - Politics on The Huffington Post: "John and Elizabeth Edwards have thrown their support behind a new $20 million election-year campaign to press for a withdrawal from Iraq and tie the war to the faltering economy.

The Edwardses joined a conference call on Monday to discuss their efforts with the group, which includes MoveOn.org, the Service Employees International Union, VoteVets.org, and the Center for American Progress. John Edwards drew extensively from his time on the campaign trail, and spoke kindly of his former opponents who remain in the race. He claimed repeatedly that the American people will have a 'very clear choice in the fall' between John McCain and the 'Democratic president who will end this war...'"

Clinton Rules Reminder

From the comments at
Megan McArdle (February 23, 2008) - Swinging from their own petard: "...It should be noted that the Times ran a similarly crappy, anonymously sourced story about the Clintons leading 'separate lives' a year or so back. So, I don't think this is necessarily a case of nailing the Times for bias as opposed to just being really poorly managed. Reporters will be happy to print many half-baked, poorly sourced stories. It's the editors who provide the counter balance..."

Imprisoned Governor Video

The Siegelman 60 Minutes video is here.

But the video didn't show everywhere. From TPMuckraker:

And there seems to be a fitting capstone to the piece's broadcast. At least one CBS affiliate in Alabama, Scott Horton and Larisa Alexandrovna report, went dark during the broadcast. Just went dark. The station claimed that there was a technical difficulty which lasted only for the segment on Siegelman ("NewsChannel 19 lost our program feed from CBS"). Boy, is that bad luck. But not to worry -- they got the problem worked out and rebroadcast the segment that night at 10. During the Oscars.

Focus Group Envelope Pushing

GOP fears charges of racism, sexism - David Paul Kuhn - Politico.com: "Top Republican strategists are working on plans to protect the GOP from charges of racism or sexism in the general election, as they prepare for a presidential campaign against the first ever African-American or female Democratic nominee.

The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate, according to people involved. The secretive effort underscores the enormous risk senior GOP operatives see for a party often criticized for its insensitivity to minorities in campaigns dating back to the 1960s..."

Double Talking O?

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27084:

 

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

Politics of hope, meet the politics of hypocrisy.

 

Barack Obama has taken the lead over McCain on the double talk express highway. This is a matter of character. Saying one thing and doing another whenever it benefits you. If you want to know the heart of the Obama campaign, this is it. Like the "Harry and Louise" ads Clinton has decried. Obama has no problem using these smears, including independent expenditure ads, as long as they benefit him.

 

Enter The Nerd

Quoted from http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/179870.php:

 

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall | Bush's Chief Enabler Signs On

Bush's Chief Enabler Signs On

 

02.24.08 -- 9:41AM By Josh Marshall

Nader to run again as independent.

 

I am underwhelmed.

Defining Obamania

When the Magic Fades - New York Times: "...The afflicted had already been through the phases of Obama-mania — fainting at rallies, weeping over their touch screens while watching Obama videos, spending hours making folk crafts featuring Michelle Obama’s face. These patients had experienced intense surges of hope-amine, the brain chemical that fuels euphoric sensations of historic change and personal salvation.

But they found that as the weeks went on, they needed more and purer hope-injections just to preserve the rush. They wound up craving more hope than even the Hope Pope could provide, and they began experiencing brooding moments of suboptimal hopefulness. Anxious posts began to appear on the Yes We Can! Facebook pages. A sense of ennui began to creep through the nation’s Ian McEwan-centered book clubs..."

'bama Blasts Mac

Quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/23/obama-lobbyists-working-_n_88153.html:

 

Obama: Lobbyists Working From McCain Campaign Bus - Politics on The Huffington Post

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that the Republican presidential nominee in waiting, Sen. John McCain, has lobbyists as top aides and "many of them have been running their business on the campaign bus while they've been helping him."

 

The Democratic presidential hopeful also said McCain's health care plans reflect "the agenda of the drug and insurance lobbyists, who back his campaign and use money and influence to block real health care reform."

Rich Still Cheating

Quoted from http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2008/02/22/wealthy-client-avoids-20-million-in-taxes/:

 

The Wealth Report - WSJ.com : Wealthy Client Avoids $20 Million in Taxes

The debate over taxing the rich tends to focus too much on changing the official tax rates. The real issue is getting the wealthy to pay their official taxes in the first place.

 

This article, by David Twiddy of the Associated Press, mentions two attorneys in Kansas City, Mo., who have been accused of helping wealthy clients avoid millions of dollars in taxes. They allegedly did it through setting up sham companies in Nevada.

 

The sham companies “would receive payments for bogus management services to the clients’ companies, which were then claimed as tax deductions. Other bogus corporations distributed the management fees as stock to the customers’ Roth Individual Retirement Accounts, which are not taxable.”

 

The most-shocking part of this story, however, is the example of one wealthy client who allegedly avoided reporting or paying taxes on more than $57.6 million, saving $20 million...

 

And which presidential candidate is most likely to be capable of and desirous of doing something about this kind of crap? Oh, that's right-- he dropped out.

 

Clinton Flames-On

Quoted from http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/23/hillary-clinton-throws-down-the-gauntlet/:

 

Crooks and Liars » Hillary Clinton Throws Down The Gauntlet

 

Anyone who thought that Hillary Clinton’s wistful closing statement at the Austin debate last week was a prelude to her conceding the Democratic presidential nomination to Barack Obama might want to look at this video. Angered by mailers sent by Barack Obama to Ohio voters on her healthcare plan and NAFTA stances, Clinton lashed out angrily, characterizing it as the worst kind of Rovian tactics.

 

Time and time again, you hear one thing in speeches and then you see a campaign that has the worst kind of tactics, reminiscent of the same sort of Republican attacks on Democrats. Well, I am here to say, that it is not only wrong, it is undermining core Democratic principles. Since when do Democrats attack one another on Universal Health Care? I thought we were trying to realize Harry Truman’s dream. I thought this campaign finally gave us an opportunity to put together a coalition to achieve Universal Health Care. That’s what Senator Edwards and I fought for and talked about throughout the campaign. Just because Senator Obama chose not to present a Universal Health Care plan does not give him the right to attack me because I did. So, let’s have a real campaign. Enough with the speeches, and the big rallies, then using tactics that are right out of Karl Rove’s playbook. This is wrong. And every Democrat should be outraged, because this is the kind of attack that not only undermines core Democratic values, but gives aid and comfort to very special interests and their allies in the Republican party, who are against doing what we want to do for America. Shame on you, Barack Obama. It’s time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages in public. That’s what I expect from you. Meet me in Ohio, let’s have a debate over tactics and your behavior in this campaign...

 

Rove and Siegelman

Quoted from http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/tv-alert-by-dday-they-buried-it-on-same.html:

 

Hullabaloo

 

They buried it on the same night as the Oscars, but 60 Minutes will be airing the Don Siegelman story on Sunday. Siegelman, the Democratic former governor of Alabama, is sitting in a jail cell right now for trumped-up reasons, almost certainly orchestrated by Karl Rove and his charges. Jill Simpson, a former Republican campaign worker, has powerful evidence of this travesty of justice, and she'll go on the record in the story:

 

Click the link for more on this important story.

A Small Reminder

Simply Left Behind: Nobody Asked Me, But....: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy:

"...12) Once more, George W Bush has decided that protecting phone companies trumps protecting your children from terrible terrorist attacks that will maim and kill them."

McCain Crook Indicted

Quoted from http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/179744.php:

 

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall | Failing the Boehner Standard?

 

Minority Leader Boehner is telling Rep. Rick Renzi, who's just been indicted for wire fraud, extortion, money laundering and a few other things, should resign. Meanwhile, John McCain, who has Renzi as one of his Arizona campaign co-chairs, says he doesn't "know enough of the details to make a judgment."

 

O'ccomplishments

Back in the early days of my career, I was ambushed one noon by a boss waving a sheet of paper. He was very proud and wanted me to read the memo he had been "working on all morning." I was impressed; it only contained one error. He went on his way, fat, dumb and happy. I shook my head. He had just spent all morning working on something I could have done in ten minutes and he was getting paid twice my salary. Welcome to the real world.

 

Sen. Obama, supposedly light in the accomplishments department, does have some good works. Go here for a nice, long post about his accomplishments.

Conspiracy 1.001

From AmericaBLOG:
"Why would the Secret Service stop searching for weapons at Obama rally?

A very weird story out of Texas that a number of readers have sent me. I don't think that the Secret Service was hoping to harm Obama, but it's just downright bizarre that they'd say "yeah, the lines are too long to get into the Obama speech, let's just stop searching people for weapons." I mean, again, that's just bizarre."

 

Media Matters Headlines

Quoted from http://mediamatters.org/:

 

Media Matters

Fox Reacts to Michelle Obama's Comments

 

O'Reilly: "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels"

 

Portfolio.com: O'Reilly Producer Defends 'Lynching' Remark

 

Echoing Reed, Fox News' Gibson asked whether "President Barack will blame America first"

 

Hume, discussing Michelle Obama comment: "[T]here is this feeling" that Dems "are kind of embarrassed by patriotism"

 

Clinton Haters Get Air Time

Days after Today apology for Fonda comment, MSNBC hosted Roger Stone of anti-Clinton group Citizens United Not Timid

Advice For Lady O

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27058:

 

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

Bill O'Reilly is an idiot. What a destructive remark. Not only because it digs into an old wound, but it also takes attention away from something that matters. That is, the damage to Democrats when anyone lets fly a remark like what Michelle Obama said on Monday. As you see in the short response above, she's now clarified her remark. There's only one problem. She talks about what she said without understanding what was actually needed from her in a clarification. Now I realize that just by criticizing Mrs. Obama, I'm a bad liberal. That it's wrong to take offense at this stuff, you know, because patriotism isn't something "good" liberals criticize their own on because it (ahem) plays into right-wing talking points. (Mind you, I came to Obama's defense on the whole flag pin kerfuffle.) Well, when a Democrat makes a verbal blunder that plays into old stereotypes, then makes a clarification that doesn't come close to neutralizing the original comment, this America loving liberal is going to say something. Now, before you hit the eject button, I'm not saying Michelle Obama doesn't love her country or isn't proud of it. I'm saying she doesn't know how to say she is and is evidently only capable of being defensive about herself, instead of correcting the gaffe. Already MSNBC has splashed a headline wondering if Michelle Obama is a "liability." The Teresa Heinz-Kerry treatment has begun and Mr. Obama isn't even the nominee yet. Some McCain 527 is likely readying a negative ad as we speak.

 

What Michelle Obama should have said has nothing to do with a clarification of her previous remark. She needed to say something really simple, with a smile, by the way: I'm very proud of my country. What I said didn't come out right. Then she could add whatever flair or clarification she wanted from there. But she didn't...

Bush Sets Record

Quoted from http://www.attytood.com/2008/02/worse_than_watergate_bush_scor_1.html:

 

Attytood: Worse than Watergate: Bush scores lowest presidential approval rating EVER!

The 2008 presidential race must be an incredibly welcome development for President Bush and his White House. That's because the American body politic can only really focus on one thing at a time, and so there's little time for anything else aside from the madcap antics of of Gilligan, the Skipper, the Millionaire and his wife, the Movie Star, the Professor and Mary Ann...and the rest. Some liberal blogs and right-wing talk radio are lined up in circular firing squads, and the op-ed columnists have trained their fire on Hillary's lonely teardrops or Barack's Church of the Poison Mind.

 

While no one was looking, the economy nosedived, gas prices have soared, the war in Iraq is as unpopular as ever and Osama bin Laden is still on the loose. And so while none of us were paying attention, our 43rd president just hit a major milestone.

 

George W. Bush is now the most unpopular president in recorded American history. (h/t Atrios)

 

Worse than Richard Nixon in the days before he resigned in disgrace during Watergate, worse than Jimmy Carter during the Iran hostage crisis, much worse than Bill Clinton when he was impeached. Just as Roger Bannister raced through what once seemed the unreachable 4-minute mile, Bush has burst through a barrier once also thought impossible, below the 20-percent mark.

 

Check this out:...

GOPers Back 'Bama

Is the Obama candidacy Karl Rove's ultimate swiftboat ad?: "Evidence of a covert campaign to undermine the presidential primaries is rife, so it's curious that the Democractic Party and even some within the G.O.P. have ignored the actual elephant in the room this year. That would be Karl Rove. After rigging two previous presidential elections, this master of deceit would have us believe that he's gone off to sit in a corner and write op-eds.

Not so. According to an article in Time Magazine, Republican party activists have been organized by the G.O.P. to throw their weight behind Barack Obama, the democratic rival of frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Early in Obama's campaign, top Republican fundraisers flushed his coffers with cash, something the deep pockets hadn't done for any candidate in their own party. With receipts topping $100 million in 2007, the first-term Illinois senator broke the record for contributions. It was a remarkable feat, considering that most Americans had not even heard of him before 2005.

The Time magazine article goes on to explain that rank and file Republicans in red states have switched their party registrations, enabling them to vote in Democratic primaries. Some states, like Virginia and Texas, have open primaries, allowing citizens to vote for any candidate regardless of party affiliation. In Nebraska, the mayor of Omaha publicly rallied Republicans to caucus for Obama on February 9th. Called crossover voting, the tactic is playing a crucial role in the Rove push to deprive Clinton of the Democratic nomination. Even with the help of his more familiar hodge-podge of dirty tricks - swiftboating, waitlisting, bogus polling data, paperless electronic voting equipment, Norman Hsu, etc. - Rove would be hard pressed to defeat Clinton in November, since she's popular nationwide and has promised an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq. If the contest isn't close, the vote-rigging won't matter..."

Danger Shoals

Excerpt from: "The Titanic: The Obama Campaign Tries to Preemptively Self-Destruct (in the General Election) "

by eriposte

Yesterday, the Politco ran a story on Sen. Obama's past titled "Liberal views could haunt Obama". I'm going to reproduce a few sections of the story and then comment on the implications of the story (emphasis mine, throughout this post):...

The rest of the post lays out all the GOP lances and spears and knives and .... awaiting Sen. Obama; it is illuminating.

Lady Obama Steps In It

Talk about giving the Evil Empire ammo...

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/:

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

Michelle Obama Does Not Speak for Me

“For the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.” - Michelle Obama (video)

The love I have for this country does not depend on a political campaign predicated on the notion of "change."

The love I have for this country does not depend on one person, certainly not some politician with a slogan that others have used, which he has re-used.

The love I have for this country does not depend on aiding the winning of someone for president, without a clue what he or she is offering in the guise of one word, "change..."

Marsh continues with a very powerful post. Click above to read the entire essay.

Obama Bashing Warmup

Quoted from http://thegallopingbeaver.blogspot.com/2008/02/swiftboating-obama.html:

 

The Galloping Beaver: Swiftboating Obama

 

And so, predictably, it begins. Oddly enough, in a British newspaper, but this is the template you're going to see the election run on as the Republicans try to cling to the levers of power.

"Grover Norquist, an influential conservative tax reform lobbyist, said: “Barack Obama has been able to create his own image and introduce himself to voters, but the swing voters in a general election are not paying attention yet. He is open to being defined as  Clia leftwing, corrupt Chicago politician.”

It is interesting to see the Times describe Norquist as a "conservative tax reform lobbyist" when in reality he is a quasi-libertarian anti-government activist, character assassin and neo-con operative who once claimed he'd like to see government become "small enough to drown in a bathtub..."

 

Good post. Click the link for more.

Conan The Cranky

Fade, over at House of the Rising Sons , made the above poster about this humble blog. He has also created some other nifty graphics, including for one of our new links: Current Jam .

Over The Top Support

 

Quoted from http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/2/18/103234/777:

 

MyDD :: Note To Obamanics: Cut This Crap Out!

...Death threats?  Harassing the man's mother?  And some of you wonder how people can say if Obama becomes the nominee, they'll sit at home or even vote for McCain.   The biggest reason why people are saying that is because they don't want to deal with another 9 months of the Obamaniacs' feeding frenzy; let alone 4 years if he gets in the White House.

 

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is the Obama supporters need to tone down the rhetoric. Support your candidate, but don't belittle the supporters of other candidates.

 

Show a little respect, a little class, and a little tact because right now, your behavior is freaking a whole lot of people out.

 

Marsh Gets O'irked

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

"...The traditional media, cable talking heads, and quite a few large progressive blogs have regurgitated the Obama story like a pack of nomads wandering in the political desert in search of sustenance; people bankrupt of political or factual integrity looking for the answer and refusing to see what was in front of their faces all along. The question is whether the journalists who bought into the Obama hype, along with the cable talking heads who propped his campaign up, and the Obama blogs who didn't care one whit about the facts or his record but were only interested in spreading their Hillary hatred, have got so much invested they won't have the honesty, the integrity, and the moral courage to back peddle on their craven cave in before it's not only too late for them, but too late for the Democratic party.

Barack Obama isn't an original. He's the first 21st century L. Ron Hubbard of politics, Elmer Gantry, name your huckster.

"I have a dream" just became "I have a con."

Bill v. Obamian

The source is MSNBC... the post goes on to say that Bill Clinton may have struck the Obama supporter. Hmmm. John Kerry take a lesson-- if he had gotten in the face of a few swiftboaters, he would be running for his second term today.

 

 

Quoted from http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/17/673670.aspx:

 

Bill spars with Obama supporter - First Read - msnbc.com

CANTON, OH -- Robert Holeman came to Timken High School here today with a message to deliver to Bill Clinton. He did -- and he said the former president wasn’t happy about it.

 

Clinton spoke to a capacity crowd in this Northeast Ohio town, the third of five events today in the Buckeye State. He told voters that the contest was “the power of speeches against the promise of solutions by a world-class change maker.”

 

Throughout the event, as Clinton made his case for his wife, Holeman’s dissenting voice could be heard. At times he simply shouted Obama’s name. When Clinton would set up a sure applause line, Holeman could be heard heckling. As soon as Clinton finished speaking, the Canton native made a beeline to the ropeline to give Clinton a piece of his mind...

 

 

The MSM Will Turn

Quoted from http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/17/kurtz-does-tweety/:

 

Crooks and Liars » Kurtz does Tweety

...As I read The Kurtzing piece, it just made me more aware of the fact that the media has been much harder on Hillary than on Obama. I guess that should have been expected since so many of today’s reporters made their bones during Bill’s presidency. Atrios links up a piece by John Heilemann—that discusses the surprisingly favorable coverage Obama. In response—Duncan writes:

 

I also think that while the press has been good to Obama, the press has been pretty damn good to every candidate with an R after their name. Obama’s coverage may be strangely positive, but strangely positive for a Democrat.

 

I say surprisingly favorable too because he has a (D) attached to his name and as we’ve seen, even when McCain and Romney were calling each other liars, the MSM was virtually silent. I keep writing this point and I will continue to do so because on Howard’s show today he brought up several segments about the favorable coverage for Barack—hint—hint everyone. They are laying the groundwork to do you know what. If Obama wins, I predict the gloves will come off—they will use the excuse of examining his record and McCrazy will be their anointed choice. The press will pivot and turn on him in a heartbeat. How much coverage have you seen by the media over McCain’s pathetic pandering to the GOP base and his vote for torture? Kurtz did bring up this topic on Reliable Sources today. He agrees with us that the media was soft on McCain on this one.

 

“The New York Times” today has a story about this five days after the vote. “The Washington Post” did it yesterday. But most of the establishment media kissed it off.

 

Kissed it off. Do you think they would have done the same to Obama or Hillary? There would have been wall to wall coverage. (videos below the fold) ...

 

Of all the "Big B logs" C rooks and Liars has, I think, maintained the most balanced perspective on the C linton- Obama competition.

Kristol Wonders About Us and Bush

Quoted from http://thinkprogress.org/:

 

Think Progress

Today on Fox News Sunday, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol mourned that an “emboldened” Congress refused to give telecommunications companies retroactive immunity for cooperating with the administration’s warrantless wiretapping.

 

Kristol said it was “unbelievable” for lawmakers to question the judgment of administration officials. Instead, he argued, Congress should just give them the “benefit of the doubt”:...

Wilder Threatens Convention

On CBS's Face the Nation this morning Doug Wilder threatened riots if Obama doesn't get the nomination. Or, another interpretation, riots if superdelegates steal the nomination from Obama. Either way: riots.

 

That will certainly help the Democrats win the White House.

Big O's Bad Words

Gee, the  MSM has finally noticed something? Comes with being the frontrunner maybe?

 

From : http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/is-obama-using.html

 

Political Punch

Earlier this month, speaking at Tulane University, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said this about the attacks coming his way from Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY:

 

"You challenge the status quo and suddenly the claws come out," Obama said.

 

The CLAWS come out? Really?...

Be careful where you tread, Tapper.

 

Star Wars Test Shot?

Quoted from http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/02/fishy-rationale.html:

 

Experts Scoff at Sat Shoot-Down Rationale (Updated) | Danger Room from Wired.com

The Pentagon says it has to shoot down a malfunctioning spy satellite because of the threat of a toxic gas cloud.  Space security experts are calling the rationale highly unlikely. "Having the US government spend millions of dollars to destroy a billion-dollar failure to save zero lives is comedic gold," one tells DANGER ROOM...

 

Big O Uh-Oh

To discover how Actor212 arrived at the following conclusion, click on the link and read the entire post. Very informative.

 

Quoted from http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/:

 

Simply Left Behind: The Non-Rapturist's Guide To The Galaxy

...And in conjunction, this destroys an awful lot of Obama's "change now" planking that is supporting his pulpit: you can't really be for change if you've been benefitting from the old ways, is what he's claiming the Clinton campaign's flaw is.

Well, Senator? It looks to me as if you've been dipping your ladle into that same stew pot!

James Wolcott Disembowels The Jokers

Quoted from http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/blogs/wolcott/2008/02/penn-jillette-t.html:

 

James Wolcott's Blog: The Return of Rhymes with Rich*: Wolcott's Blog: vanityfair.com

The Return of Rhymes with Rich*

 

Penn Jillette, the mouthy half of Penn & Teller (who with his long, lank locks resembles an angry mutation of Jeff Bridges' Dude in The Big Lebowski), has sure gotten a lot of mileage out of one slimy joke...

Musings From The Second Wave

Jennifer Baumgardner: A Woman in the White House - Politics on The Huffington Post: "...Hillary Clinton is my mother's age. What might it mean for a woman of her generation to achieve what we all assumed would go to her daughter's generation? Sometimes I wonder if the pain of those missed opportunities, of wondering what could have been accomplished if one had simply been selfish or lived in a different time, is behind some of the commitment to making sure we don't have a woman in the White House except as First Lady.

A bitter reality is beginning to sink in for me, a daughter of the Second Wave. Here we are: several generations raised with the mantra that a 'woman' could be president, and learning that we don't mean any woman who actually exists."

The Conspiracy Explained

Very interesting post that explains why the wingnuts loathe St. McCain and coincidentally clarifies who exactly the enemy is.

The Reality-Based Community: McCain and the wingnuts: a rebuttal

"...The VWRC is a conspiracy, composed of several factions, most of whom hate each others' guts. The economic predators sneer at the Taliban, as their lawful prey. The Taliban correctly view the predators as godless ghouls. The ultranationalists correctly view the predators as having no loyalty to the US. The neocons think that the whole pack is ni kultyurni. The ultranationalists and predators correctly view the neocons as mutant Trotskyites, useful only for propaganda. (Nobody trusts the neocons or libertarians; they are too tainted by Enlightenment ideas.)

But the VRWC still coheres as a conspiracy, because they are all willing to cede what the other faction most wants, in return for getting what they most want. The predators get economic predation: on the middle class and on other countries. The ultranationalists and neocons get their belligerency and wars, as long as it doesn't hurt the predators' balance sheets. The Taliban get their courts, as long as the predators' daughters can fly to Sweden when necessary. And so on. (The predators are more equal than the other factions.) The racists and nativists and other unpleasant sorts are not really part of this conspiracy, but the conspiracy is happy to feed them raw meat in exchange for their votes.

To be a successful politician in this conspiracy, you must show complete and total allegiance to the conspiracy. They hate each other too much; there is no other glue but loyalty to the conspiracy. They don't care what you "really" think. The Taliban knew that Romney was of the predator class, but he showed his fealty. All factions of the VWRC knew that Bush was a shallow fool, but they all knew that he would advance their interests. They were provisionally willing to trust Bush père, but he lost their trust by caving on the predators with the 1990 tax increase..."

Double Takes On Double Standards

Darn good post. Check out the entire post at the link.

Current Jam: "...Goodbye to the double standard . . .

—Hillary is too ballsy but too womanly, a Snow Maiden who’s emotional, and so much a politician as to be unfit for politics.

—She’s “ambitious” but he shows “fire in the belly.” (Ever had labor pains?)—When a sexist idiot screamed “Iron my shirt!” at HRC, it was considered amusing; if a racist idiot shouted “Shine my shoes!” at BO, it would’ve inspired hours of airtime and pages of newsprint analyzing our national dishonor.

—Young political Kennedys—Kathleen, Kerry, and Bobby Jr.—all endorsed Hillary. Senator Ted, age 76, endorsed Obama. If the situation were reversed, pundits would snort “See? Ted and establishment types back her, but the forward-looking generation backs him.” (Personally, I’m unimpressed with Caroline’s longing for the Return of the Fathers. Unlike the rest of the world, Americans have short memories. Me, I still recall Marilyn Monroe’s suicide, and a dead girl named Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick.)

Goodbye to the toxic viciousness . . .

The women’s movement and Media Matters wrung an apology from MSNBC’s Chris Matthews for relentless misogynistic comments (www.womensmediacenter.com). But what about NBC’s Tim Russert’s continual sexist asides and his all-white-male panels pontificating on race and gender? Or CNN’s Tony Harris chuckling at “the chromosome thing” while interviewing a woman from The White House Project? And that’s not even mentioning Fox News..."

Tweety Squawks

Matthews Calls Clinton Press Shop "Lousy", "Kneecappers" - Politics on The Huffington Post: "Chris Matthews fired a salvo at the Clinton campaign this morning after both he and his MSNBC colleague were privately and publicly rebuked for recent comments deemed misogynistic or inappropriate.

Appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe, the Hardball host went off on the Clinton press shop, calling them 'knee cappers' who were 'lousy' and delve in the business of 'intimidation...'"

Maybe Sen. Clinton should wear a flight suit with a sock stuffed in the crotch. Wonder if that'd give old Chris a feeling "up his leg."

Elite Fundie Feud

Quoted from http://www.therevealer.org/archives/timely_002946.php:

 

The Revealer: Border Disputes in the Christian Right

...Wead is referring to a network of elite fundamentalists in government, military, and business known at "the Family," in which I have more than a passing interest. I wrote about the Family in Harper's and at much greater length in my forthcoming book, named for the group at its core, The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power. Ok, so I'm working in a plug for my book. Forgive me -- it's not often that the public gets a glimpse into the faultlines of fundamentalism such as the one Wead has offered. Of course, Wead, an insider's insider, is stretching things a bit by casting his guys as victims of elite disdain. After all, many of the televangelists targeted by Grassley do engage in some shady accounting. But more important, for those of us interested in seeing beyond the image of a monolithic Christian Right presented by mainstream media, Wead, Grassley, and most of all Posner are revealing the class-based factionalism that pervades the American fundamentalist movement.

--Jeff Sharlet

Romney Sees New Path To White House

 

Mitt might just be figuring that being Veep under an old man like St.McCain might be the easiest way for him to get into the White House on his own. McCain, of course, will be our next president unless a miracle occurs.

 

 

Quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/14/mitt-romney-will-endorse-_n_86680.html:

 

Mitt Romney Will Endorse John McCain - Politics on The Huffington Post

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Republican campaign dropout Mitt Romney agreed Thursday to endorse Sen. John McCain for the party's presidential nomination and ask his national convention delegates to swing behind the likely nominee, according to officials familiar with the decision.

Screeching From The Mighty Wurlitzer

You'll enjoy this post if you enjoy a good roast of Herr Limpbark et. al. Following is a short snippet.

 

Quoted from http://mediamatters.org/columns/200802120001?f=h_column:

 

Media Matters - Poetic justice: Limbaugh tries to tear GOP apart

...But this is what Republicans created. They wanted Limbaugh to be an attack dog and to chew up and spit out his/the party's opponents. They wanted him to label Democrats as traitors ("What's good for Al Qaeda is good for the Democratic Party in this country today"), to label them abhorrent and mentally deranged. They wanted Limbaugh to ignore any semblance of decency when demonizing the other side. Indeed, tif here has been virtually no offensive line that Limbaugh has crossed that Republicans have not dutifully justified or explained away.

 

Even last year when Limbaugh denigrated members of the U.S. armed forces, calling military men and women who criticized the war in Iraq and advocated withdrawal "phony soldiers," what did the GOP do? It rushed to Limbaugh's defense.

 

The pats on the back came from presidential contender Fred Thompson and Senate Republican Conference chairman Jon Kyl (AZ), and House Minority Leader John Boehner (OH) as well as his No. 2, Roy Blunt (MO), along with fellow Reps. Mike Pence (IN), Scott Garrett (NJ). Mean Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN) supported legislation that commended Limbaugh following his "phony soldiers" crack. Rep. Eric Cantor (VA) even unveiled a Stand With Rush e-petition, urging "conservatives around the country" to fight for Limbaugh...

Edwards Conflicted

Quoted from http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4281404&page=1:

ABC News: Edwards Weighs Clinton Endorsement

As he weighs a possible endorsement in the Democratic race, former Sen. John Edwards is as split as the party he once hoped to lead — and is seriously considering supporting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, despite the sharp criticism he leveled at her on the campaign trail, according to former aides and advisers...

Pimping Fallout

Link: http://www.observer.com/2008/msnbc-s-david-shuster-defender-clinton-family-honor:

MSNBC’s David Shuster: Defender of Clinton Family Honor? | The New York Observer

Anecdotal evidence suggests that MSNBC hosts are already feeling the fallout.

To wit: On Tuesday morning, Tucker Carlson, the host of MSNBC’s talk show Tucker, was standing in line at the Palisades Recreation Center in Washington, D.C., waiting to vote in D.C.’s presidential primary. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, a middle-aged woman, standing in line in front of Mr. Carlson, recognized the on-air anchor and began berating Mr. Carlson about MSNBC’s coverage of Hillary Clinton.

According to the source, the irate Washingtonian told Mr. Carlson something to the effect that “when you pick on Hillary, you pick on all women.”

Later the uncomfortable conversation continued outside the voting hub. When reached on Tuesday afternoon at his MSNBC offices in the District, Mr. Carlson declined to comment.

Back at Citizens United central, Mr. Stone said he was united with Senator Clinton on one thing: namely, that Mr. Shuster’s comments were out of line.

“The pimp comment was something he shouldn’t have said,” Mr. Stone said. “If Chelsea Clinton is making calls to superdelegates on behalf of her mother, good for her. That’s laudable. But, on the other hand, I don’t think he should be crucified for it.”

Life's hard, Tucker; then...

Hillary-Haters Rule

From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-jong/patriarchy1000-hillary_b_86408.html:

Erica Jong: Patriarchy:1000, Hillary:0 - Politics on The Huffington Post

Ever since I wrote an article in the Washington Post ten days ago, I've been getting love letters from women and super-smart men and brickbats from the Hillary-Haters. Unfortunately the Hillary-Haters are in charge. They monopolize the networks, the newspapers, the talk shows -- both radio and TV. They are crossing their legs for fear of castration. They are wearing the body armor our troops never got. Or got too late to matter. They are determined that a woman will not prove herself competent as Commander in Chief.

Jong goes on to complain about some of the titles people use referring to the Senator from New York. I agree. Further, will her supporters at least quit calling her "Hillary." Unless you've had tea with the lady, then you don't know her. She is Senator Clinton.

The New Dream Team?

McCain Web ad touts Bill Clinton's kind words - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth
"...Now, I suppose it's possible that someone else is buying Web ads in order to promote Bill Clinton's kind words for McCain. But there's no getting around the fact that it's McCain's own campaign Web site that's using a big ole video of Bill Clinton, complimenting John McCain, as a way of drumming up votes for old John. And I've got to imagine that McCain isn't using Bill Clinton's praise to attract conservative votes - they hate Bill Clinton. He's doing it to win independents. It was only a matter of time before John McCain moved to the middle and abandoned conservatives, again. But I didn't think he was going to do it before he even had the primary sewn up. And I sure never imagined he'd use Bill Clinton's praise as a badge of honor. The conservatives are gonna go nuts."

I can see it now-- McCain/Hillary...

Moving Past MoveOn

The following basically summarizes what happened to me with MoveOn and what I ultimately also did about it.

Quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-maxwell/moveon-and-keep-movin_b_86285.html:

Robin Maxwell: MoveOn... and Keep Movin' Right Outta My Life - Politics on The Huffington Post

...A few weeks ago MoveOn announced their intention to endorse a presidential candidate. I was asked to choose my favorite. Something about this request made me uncomfortable. I hadn't yet made up my mind between John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In fact, I'd recently received an insightful, fact-filled letter from Michael Moore pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, their voting records on everything from health care to the war in Iraq, how much money had been contributed to their campaign coffers, and by whom.

Michael had something nice to say about each candidate, but in the end he respectfully submitted his personal preference for the record - Edwards. It helped me immensely to have the facts in front of me so I could narrow things down and make an informed choice.

As for MoveOn's ill-advised poll, I ignored it...

I was increasingly turned off by the blatant "hands-off" bias of the press towards Obama, the slavering, almost cult-like adoration of a candidate who was unquestioningly charismatic, an inspiring speaker, who had been on the right side of the vote to go to war with Iraq, but was still a bit green behind the ears...

That was it. From then on, every time I got another "Vote for Obama" email from MoveOn I sent back a reply telling them to cease and desist from treating me and the other 30% of their dissenting membership with disrespect. That perhaps they had gotten too big for their .org britches. That they should forget intra-party partisanship and throw their substantial weight into making sure Hillary and Barack won the general election in November. And that maybe they should respond to my emails.

Get a grip on yourself, guys. Deflate your self-important heads. But until then, MoveOn, you can just unsubscribe me.

Another Look At Religion In America

Quoted from http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/12/washingtons_god_storyand_ameri/:

TPM Cafe | Talking Points Memo | Washington’s God Story—and America’s

...It’s what I call Washington’s God Story.

But here’s why I think this “right wing dominance of religion” story is false: over eighty percent of Clinton voters in the 1990s, Gore voters in 2000 and Kerry voters in 2004 identified themselves as “religious” in exit polls—and I’m guessing at least eighty percent of the Democratic vote will say the same this coming November. So clearly millions upon millions of Americans have long counted themselves “religious”--but don’t behave in the voting booth, or think of themselves generally, as “a right-wing force” at all...

Superdelegate Shuckle

*Shuckle= a combination of shuck and shuffle.

Quoted from http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=26995:

Democrat Taylor Marsh Broadcasts Live Talk Radio and Blogs Politics

This is classic.

Obama on superdelegates last week:

Well, you go read the post and decide who is talking out of which side of what mouth. Somebody speaketh with forked tongue.

Winning The South

Anne-Marie Slaughter: The South Has Not Yet Been Won - Politics on The Huffington Post: "...I thought of this recently with all the crowing about how Obama is beating Hillary with southern white men. Indeed, in Ellen Goodman's recent column identifying 10 pieces of conventional wisdom that have been debunked in the election thus far, the only one left standing was that 'Southern white men still won't vote for a white woman.' In other words, many white men in the South may be voting against Hillary more than they are voting for Obama. That's not good news for the Clinton campaign. But it isn't necessarily good news for the Obama campaign either. Just because these voters prefer Obama to Hillary does not mean that they will vote for Obama over McCain, no matter what the polls say. It's very hard to believe that when the chips are down they're not going to vote for the guy who looks like them.

Hillary lost her head and won, again and again. And a lot of white males, particularly in the south, can't stand her for it, and for the qualities that she has had to develop to succeed in what, for much of her career, was still largely a man's world. Obama may well be able to convince some of those voters to cross racial lines, which would be great. But the depth of their antipathy to Hillary should warn all Democrats that the south has not yet been won."

If you're black and you vote for Obama ... if you're white and you vote for Clinton...  In order to not be a racist, you must...

Conservatism As Disease

Following is an excerpt from a post outlining the fundamental differences between conservatives and liberals. It is worth a read for sure.

Quoted from http://lastleftb4hooterville.blogspot.com/2008/02/bush-is-symptom-conservatism-is-disease.html:

Last Left Turn Before Hooterville: Bush is the Symptom - Conservatism is the Disease

...Conservatives revere and revel in the label 'conservative' in a way that liberals ceased to do in the sixties, when conservatives began blaming liberalism for every evil under the sun. Before that, the majority of Americans self-identified as liberals; liberalism represented the things in society that Americans valued - equality, diversity, making sure that everyone had a chance at the "American Dream". The economic programs that gave us a middle class - strong unions, the GI Bill, Social Security, Medicare - are liberal programs. Liberals believe that you can't sacrifice people so that corporations can grow fat. Liberals know that the 'trickle down theory' is, as Dubya's father once rightly said, 'voodoo economics', and that the only boats that a 'rising tide lifts' are yachts. Liberals believe that we as a nation have a responsibility, not for, but to all of our citizens (there's a difference) and that government is not the enemy, but 'We the People'. It's not 'them', it's 'us'. But when conservatives, backed by the limitless coffers of Big Business Republican think-tanks who saw their vision of conservative financial and social dominance slipping away, decided to attack liberalism as the symbol of all that's wrong with America, liberals did not challenge this assertion and it became part of the national narrative without liberals quite knowing what happened...

Smokin'

Quoted from http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/:

Captain's Quarters

All The World's A Stage ...

... and the smokers on it only players. At least that's what the bar owners in Minnesota have decided. They have taken a loophole in the state no-smoking law to allow their patrons to have their tobacco, even if they have to sing for their supper, so to speak...

Taliban Faltering In Pakistan

Bin Laden, Taliban, al-Qaida support plummets in Pakistan - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

"In 2004, the BBC released a powerful series called The Power of Nightmares, The Rise of the Politics of Fear. It is about the parallel rise of radical Islam and the radical neocon right since the 1950s. (View online here.) One issue that the three part documentary covered was the rise and then hard fall of radicals in places such as Algeria. Indiscriminate killing and a steady blood bath in the name of the cause has lowered support for the movement time after time. The documentary is well worth viewing.

The poll suggests Pakistanis are looking to peaceful opposition groups after months of political turmoil and a wave of suicide attacks.

In the latest bloodshed, a bomber blew himself up at an opposition rally in the northwestern town of Charsadda on Saturday, killing 27 people and injuring 50.

According to the poll results only 24 percent of Pakistanis approved of bin Laden when the survey was conducted last month, compared with 46 percent during a similar survey in August.

Backing for al-Qaida, whose senior leaders are believed to be hiding along the Pakistani-Afghan border, fell to 18 percent from 33 percent."

How Conservatives Can Win

Quoted from http://jonswift.blogspot.com/:

Jon Swift

...Instead of voting to make things not quite as bad as they could be, however, a better strategy for conservatives would be to make things as bad as they possibly could be. One of the things we learned in Vietnam is that sometimes you have to destroy the village in order to save it. And the only way to save this country and the Republican Party at this point may be to destroy them. Though John McCain would destroy this country, he might not destroy it enough. So some patriotic conservatives have decided to become "suicide voters," pulling the lever for Clinton or Obama instead of McCain. I think this is a good plan and, taking a page from Malkin, conservatives should also vote for the most liberal candidates they can find in every contest in November. Let's hand over the entire government to the liberals and then see how the American people like it. They deserve it after treating us the way they have when conservatives have done so much for this country. And after a few years of liberal government, I'm sure they will come running back to conservatives, begging us to return to power. So from now on, I am going to be supporting the most liberal candidates I can find. That oughta show 'em.

On The Corporate Media

Quoted from http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/12742:

There's nothing mainstream about the corporate media | The Smirking Chimp

As we stumble toward another presidential election, it's never been more clear that our political process is being warped by a corporate stranglehold on the free flow of information. Amidst a virtual blackout of coverage of a horrific war, a global ecological crisis and an advancing economic collapse, what passes for the mass media is itself in collapse. What's left of our democracy teeters on the brink.

The culprit, in the parlance of the day, has been the "Mainstream Media," or MSM.

But that's wrong name for it. Today's mass media is Corporate, not Mainstream, and the distinction is critical.

Calling the Corporate Media (CM) "mainstream" implies that it speaks for mid-road opinion, and it absolutely does not....

...The Corporate Media takes partisan stands (often in favor of the Republican Party, but always in defense of corporate interests) by sabotaging political candidacies, especially those of candidates who challenge corporate power. This year it blacklisted the populist candidacy of John Edwards, suffocating his ability to compete for the Democratic nomination....

...Thankfully, just as the CM solidifies its power over our mass media outlets, the internet has burst forth as an open, wildly diverse medium for mainstream opinion and actual truth. Its preservation will require what Thomas Jefferson called "eternal vigilance."

That includes restoring the Fairness Doctrine, enacted by a Republican Congress in the 1920s to guarantee balanced opinion on the emerging electronic medium of radio. It means a ban on unified corporate ownership of large fleets of radio, TV and print outlets. It means busting up the monopolies that warp public access to information and opinion....

I would like to hear someone ask Obama and Clinton what their respective positions are concerning the Media, especially the idea of returning something like the Fairness Doctrine to the public good.

Rosie and the Dream Ticket

Rosie O'Donnell: Burned Up and Burned Out by Politics - Politics on The Huffington Post: ..."Could a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket be our future? I hope so. I think America would benefit from the strengths of either individual, but if those strengths were combined, we might just have the Democratic powerhouse the country needs to turn itself around, and back into peace, prosperity and opportunity.

May they both release the desire to receive for oneself alone -- and save the world together."

Endless GOPer War

Quoted from http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2008/02/an-electorate-i.html:

p m carpenter's commentary: An Electorate in the Wilderness?

...Contrast that history with today. Or, to be a bit more pointed, contrast that history with what the Republican Party is hawking today. Keeping us in war -- a vague, perpetual, virtually endless world war against the vague enemy of a tactic -- is the once-isolationist GOP's promise to America. It's on its masthead, it's in its blood, it litters its rhetoric.

For the GOP, gone is the bottom-up politics of the 20th century. Or, at least, the GOP wants it gone -- banished in perpetuity. What it has to sell is top-down fear, complete with Orwellian broadcasts on the big screen, full of dire warnings that unseen enemies threaten us everywhere. We must stay engaged, stay the course, stay unremittingly embroiled hither and yon.

What drives the party of perpetual war is merely, of course, a perpetual propaganda machine, every bit as ugly and pointless as Orwell's. We must win the war, although the war is amorphous. We must defeat the enemy, although he is just as amorphous. We must persevere, although the object of our perseverance is unattainable -- the eradication of a centuries-old political tactic...